The Most Excellent Wines of the Year (In our little universe)

We thought we'd take a slightly different tact with our "Best of..." list for 2011 by looking at three totally subjective, categorical winners from the past year.... She Said: Sorry, Italy. You know I love you. But this year belonged to the good 'ole U.S.A.  Continue »

Our Top Ten Wish Lists for the Wine Industry in 2012

Another in a long line of Top 10′s. More like wishful thinking, we have compiled a list of the things we’d love to see for the next year. Maybe at the end of 2012, we will check back to see who has the prognosticator’s great gift. Onward…  Continue »

Big fish, small pool: why being the best wine isn’t always so hot.

He Said: I very recently came across a bottle of wine that bore so many little gold medal icons on its label that it looked like that iconic photo of Mark Spitz after the 1972 Olympics without the moustache and spectacular bathing costume.... She Said: I'm not in love with the idea of anything used solely for marketing purposes.  Continue »

Why you may not be very interesting: The current culture of wine

He Said: The wine industry has long suffered the slings and arrows of people both inside and outside that have cried a derisive, "foul!" at the sometimes prolix, garrulous and elaborate vocabulary that is associated with assessing wine.... She Said: From a wine-geek perspective, I agree with you. I've chosen to make this not just my passion, but my career. I can, and do, write long, flowery tasting notes. But standing on the frontlines actively witnessing people read the tasting notes has put much of their bellyaching into perspective.  Continue »

Great Bottles of Wine: The modern Dodo-bird, or the common Grackle?

He Said: I have had a few great bottles of wine in my day. A paltry few.... She Said: Essentially, what you are saying here is that if one gets drunk enough, the "plonk" doesn't really matter. I've got to disagree.  Continue »

Men are routinely stupid: why white wine gets the Heisman

He Said: Men are, most assuredly, pretty ridiculous.... She Said: The evolution of the American palate has much to do with gender.  Continue »

Food & Wine Pairing Is For Jerks, Right?

He Said: Culinary genius is spawned of centuries of trial and error using the simplest ingredients in myriad ways, many of which were pretty lousy, like Spam or Chipped Beef. One need only to look at how many French dishes are basically scrambled eggs gone wrong to realize that the good ones stick around. So try a plump white wine with an arugula salad or black olives with marshmallows and see what comes of it.... She Said: Food and wine pairing isn't for jerks, it's just not something that needs to be so dang complicated.  Continue »

Natural > Greenwashing > Nascar: How your wine made it to Daytona

He Said: Hawthorne recognized the importance of brand recognition all too well.... She Said: The greenwashing of wine continues to be a thorn in my side. As "organic" turns into "sustainable" turns into "biodynamic," I wonder where it all will end.  Continue »

But ours goes to eleven- The tenuous role of alcohol in wine

He Said: LADY BRACKNELL- "The chin a little higher, dear. Style largely depends on the way the chin is worn. They are worn very high, at present."... She Said: Simply because something has always been a certain way doesn't mean that it should be that way.  Continue »

California Pinot Noir is like…

He Said: Largely becoming irrelevant. Don't get me wrong, there are some ground breaking, supremely talented Pinot producers in California that have done a world of good for the grape the world over, but I believe it is overwhelmingly going to their heads.... She Said: Unfortunately, that just isn't the case. On the global scale California Pinot Noir is as relevant today as it has always been. The reasons are simple: marketing, celebrity, and the American palate.  Continue »