Category: Wine

Low Alcohol and No-Alcohol wines are an increasing challenge to the wine industry The wine industry is experiencing increasingly challenging headwinds. For a fresh look at its state, we recently interviewed prominent British wine critic Robert Joseph. Robert Joseph is a prominent British wine critic, journalist, and author. He began…

Enjoying the Taste of Wine with Cigars Many people believe that whiskey is the ideal complement to a cigar; however, in Sonoma County, there exists a group that argues wine is the superior choice. At a recent event titled ‘Summer Smoke’ held at Rodney Strong Winery, I had the opportunity…

A maintenance worker at prestigious wineries managed to take thousands of expensive wine bottles without ever selling or consuming them. The wines of Burgundy are pricey and watched closely. The team at Maison Albert Bichot noticed a gradual disappearance of bottles from their Beaune cellar last year. In response, they…

Ever wondered what’s inside a bottle of wine? Obviously grapes, but what else? Sure, it’s wine, not some flavored vodka beverage. But let’s think broader—beyond the grapes to over 60 additives that are legally permitted in wine. These include gum arabic from acacia tree sap, albumen from egg whites, isinglass…

It has been twenty years since the characters Miles and Jack from the film “Sideways” explored the Santa Inez Valley, where Miles, portrayed by Paul Giamatti, famously exclaimed, “I am not drinking any fucking merlot!” Instead of merlot, which they considered too ordinary, Miles and Jack, the latter played by…

A recent study indicates that minimal alcohol consumption can increase mortality risk, particularly in the elderly with pre-existing health or socioeconomic challenges. Previous research has often shown that light to moderate alcohol intake, particularly wine, might have some health benefits. However, it is well-documented that alcohol can increase the likelihood…

Yamabuki, 2023 Oak Knoll District, Napa Valley Albariño, 14.2%, $38, 4.5 stars. A vibrant Albariño featuring a blend of citrus and tropical flavors. Expect hints of pineapple, orange zest, and a subtle minerality. Truly captivating. Chappellet, 2023 Signature, Napa Valley Chenin Blanc, 14.1%, $75, 4 stars. This Chenin Blanc displays…

Harvest season in Napa County’s wine country began at Peju Winery in Rutherford on Tuesday morning. Allen Balik In real estate, the mantra is “location, location, location,” while in the diamond trade, the “4 Cs”—color, clarity, cut, and carat weight—serve as indicators of quality. But what are the equivalent benchmarks…

The Italian wine and spirits giant Campari is now caught in the crosshairs of the fight over who owns the blockbuster rosé brand In the latest development in what has proved to be one of the nastiest divorce battles to involve custody of a wine property, the Milan-based Campari Group…

This story is from an installment of The Oeno Files, our weekly insider newsletter to the world of fine wine. Sign up here. Once upon a time, in the land of snobby sommeliers, a diner was expected to make a split-second decision about a wine’s acceptability the moment a taste…