How many grapes does it take to make a bottle of wine? Depends, as it so often does in wine. Ballpark: 600 to 800 grape berries. Continue reading “Grape quantity per bottle”
Category: Wine & Grapes
Beeslaar Pinotage, Stellenbosch 2017
Deep purple color; plum, blackberry, black cherry, menthol on the nose; black plum, blackberry, anise, licorice, tobacco, chocolate on the palate. Continue reading “Beeslaar Pinotage, Stellenbosch 2017”
Bending Branch Winery Double Barrel Tannat 2017
Deep purple color; smokey black cherry, plum, blackcurrant, vanilla, bourbon barrel oak on the nose; plum, black cherry, blackcurrant, tobacco, leather, vanilla, caramel on the palate. Continue reading “Bending Branch Winery Double Barrel Tannat 2017”
Aging wine
Most wines are ready to drink as soon as you get home from the store. Many—especially in the $12-$25 range—do not improve with bottle age. But what about those that grow wonderful with time? Continue reading “Aging wine”
Natalie MacLean interviews Gus Clemens
Natalie MacLean, the leading online wine expert in Canada, interviewed me for her podcast/video interview. It posted today (10-16-2019). The segment is 45 minutes long and the quality is good. Natalie is a charming personality and interviewer. If you are interested in Natalie’s online material and me talking about wine in general and about Texas wine and several other stories, here is the link to the video interview:
Link to video of the interview
Natalie MacLean interview podcast

Texas grapes
After Texas wine pioneers demonstrated you could grow wine vines in Texas, the next question: what wine vines do we grow? Continue reading “Texas grapes”
Zinfandel’s names
Crljenak kaštelanski (pronounce Tserl-yee-ehnak Kashh-tell-ann-skee). Primitivo (pronounce pri-meh-TEE-Voh). Or, if you are confounded by Croation and intimidated by Italian, go with the California pronunciation: zinfandel (‘zin-fən-del). Continue reading “Zinfandel’s names”
More wine tidbits
More notes of interest from the wine world: Continue reading “More wine tidbits”
Wine tidbits
Good news, bad news, an interesting wine factoid: Continue reading “Wine tidbits”
Expensive wine characteristics
Collectible wine. Nice to dream about, unlikely to be acquired. You probably are not going to spend more on a bottle of wine than on your daughter’s wedding. Continue reading “Expensive wine characteristics”