Wine descriptions often refer to “texture.” What the heck does that mean? There is a texture difference between silk and sandpaper. There is a texture difference between a crisp apple and creamy mashed potatoes. Wine is a liquid. Liquid is liquid texture, right? Continue reading “Wine texture 6-28-2023”
Category: Facts About Wine
Back to basics 6-21-2023
Arcane knowledge is the bane of wine writers. While we fulminate over nuance differences between bâtonnage and pump-over, readers roll their eyes over esoteric words with obscure, oddly accented letters. Continue reading “Back to basics 6-21-2023”
Wedding Champagne 6-14-2023
Last week we argued Champagne was a poor choice for a wedding reception. Too many people, too high prices, too much cacophony to appreciate expensive French bubbles. Continue reading “Wedding Champagne 6-14-2023”
Wine supply and demand 5-31-2023
The U.S. wine industry has been on an historic 50-year run. Demand from Baby Boomers drove the effort. Now the wine industry is fearful the run is done and tough choices loom. Continue reading “Wine supply and demand 5-31-2023”
Wine bottle shapes 5-24-2023
Wine bottles come in various shapes, sizes, weights, and colors of glass. A quick tour. Continue reading “Wine bottle shapes 5-24-2023”
Wente Clone made California chardonnay 5-10-2023
If you enjoy California chardonnay, you likely have Charles Wente and his children to thank for it. Continue reading “Wente Clone made California chardonnay 5-10-2023”
Wente Vineyards Riva Ranch Chardonnay, Arroyo Seco, Monterey 2021
Pale gold color; lime, yellow apple, grapefruit, spearmint, vanilla, oak on the nose; pear, citrus, apple, melon, pineapple, oak spice, butter on the palate. Continue reading “Wente Vineyards Riva Ranch Chardonnay, Arroyo Seco, Monterey 2021”
Mass production vs great wine 4-19-2023
The wine world divides into two camps: factory wines and distinct wines. That artificial division is black and white while the wine world is grey; it is simplistic and annoys those who recognize nuance. But the paradigm works in broad stroke terms. Let’s explore. Continue reading “Mass production vs great wine 4-19-2023”
Wine and Mexican food 4-12-2023
Beer or margarita is the knee-jerk response to alcohol pairing with Mexican and Tex-Mex food. All well and good, but wine can be in the conversation, too. Continue reading “Wine and Mexican food 4-12-2023”
Wine grapes 11,000 years old 4-5-2023
It is long established that grapevines and wine date back thousands of years. Until recently, the accepted date was 8,000 years ago. New research has pushed that back to 11,000 years. Continue reading “Wine grapes 11,000 years old 4-5-2023”