As undisputed star of the 1990s varietal red wine boom, Merlot plantings in California soared from 2,000 acres in 1985 to more than 50,000 today. Continue reading “Merlot”
Category: Recent Columns
Valentine’s Day wine
Ah, Valentine’s Day. Dedicated to the one you love. Red is the official color, chocolate the lingua franca, romance the zeitgeist. Continue reading “Valentine’s Day wine”
Bottle closure
Historically, “pulling cork” is iconic to the wine experience. “Pulling plastic” and “twisting screw cap”, not so much. Closure opens up a wine world quandary. Continue reading “Bottle closure”
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine and Champagne/sparkling wines. Continue reading “Chardonnay”
Wine San Angelo drinks—Franzia
Wine snobs may rhapsodize about pulling cork on a supple Cab-Merlot blend from France or a buttery Chardonnay from the Texas Hill Country, but when San Angeloans drink wine, they are most likely to drink wines that are sweet, cheap, and come in a box. Continue reading “Wine San Angelo drinks—Franzia”
Storing wine
Heat, temperature fluctuation, and light are wine’s enemies, and things you need to consider if you don’t consume wine shortly after purchase. Continue reading “Storing wine”
Gewurztraminer
It’s hardest-to-pronounce wine grape: Gewurztraminer (guh-vyrts-trah-mee-nuhr). Continue reading “Gewurztraminer”
Champagne/New Years
For many, New Year’s and weddings are the only times they drink sparkling wine. More than 25 percent of the Champagne and sparkling wine sold each year is sold the week of New Year’s Eve. Continue reading “Champagne/New Years”
Dessert wines
Christmas is a sweet season, why not try a sweet wine to end a great holiday meal? Continue reading “Dessert wines”
Cork
Traditionally, wine is a marvelous marriage of two plants: wine grapevines and cork oak trees. Continue reading “Cork”