Among the first Chardonnays I tasted and really liked was one made by Cuvaison, a winery located in the far southern sector of the Napa Valley in the cool-climate Carneros district. I honestly don’t recall the vintage, but it more…
Monthly Archives: July 2014
Cuvaison’s Commitment to the Environment Shines Through in the Bottle
Tagged with: Carneros, Chardonnay, Cuvaison, green, John Thatcher, Napa, Steve Rogstad, sustainability, winemaking
Posted in Wine and the Environment
Posted in Wine and the Environment
‘Ratatouille’ Revisited: Should Wine Bottles Depict Cartoon Characters?
In the world of advertising, imagery can be a powerful tool. Just take a look at the photo that accompanies this story from the United Kingdom’s Daily Mail, and you’ll see what I mean. If you’re even just a casual…
Tagged with: advertising, cartoons, Disney, Homer, Marge, marketing, parenting, Ratatouille, Simpsons
Posted in Editor's Journal
Posted in Editor's Journal
Sips and Swirls Between the Songs: Where to Find Great Wine Near This Year’s Biggest Music Festivals
Rare is the wine festival that does not include some sort of music. The type of music doesn’t seem to matter; the wine-drinking experience just seems to be enhanced by melodic sounds. We’re now deep into America’s music festival season,…
Tagged with: Bumbershoot, Chicago, concerts, dining, Lollapalooza, music, Napa, Nashville, Newport, Outside Lands, San Francisco, Seattle, travel
Posted in Wine Buzz
Posted in Wine Buzz
Updates on World Wine Rankings, Japan and Reno
Let’s close out this week with a few updates on recent blogs… On Wednesday, we shared the news that the United States had surpassed France as the No. 1 consumer of wine in the world. We also shared the speculation…
Tagged with: 4088, China, Dana Estates, Japan, Kenzo Estate, Napa, Quixote Winery, Reno, Sloan, travel, Washoe County
Posted in Editor's Journal
Posted in Editor's Journal
The Best North American Wine Destination
In late 2009, we counted down the Top 10 North American Wine Destinations on this blog. And the winner was (drum roll, please) the Rutherford district of California’s Napa Valley. The list was maybe 1% objective and 99% subjective. We…
Tagged with: BV Vineyard, Cakebread Cellars, dining, Napa, Rutherford, Rutherford Grill, travel
Posted in Wine Region Profiles
Posted in Wine Region Profiles
No. 1 in Wine Consumption… But for How Long?
Simply by virtue of its sheer size and massive population, the United States leads the world in consumption of a lot of things. But through the years, France has led the U.S. — and all other nations — in wine…
Spain’s Bodegas Muga: Even the Barrels Are Made On-Site
There are countless wineries around the world that grow their own grapes, thus controlling the process from vineyard to bottle. But Bodegas Muga, situated in the famed Rioja Alta region of Spain, takes things a step further. It actually has…
Tagged with: Bodegas Muga, cheese, Rioja Alta, Rosé, Spain, tour, travel, winemaking
Posted in Wineries of Distinction
Posted in Wineries of Distinction
Extending the Weekend With Grilled Chicken Breasts and Pinot Noir
I woke up this morning with the blahs. Not the blues… the blahs. I’m not a doctor, but I have nonetheless diagnosed my condition even more specifically: I have the Monday Morning Blahs. This affliction tends to occur following a…
Tagged with: blah, chicken, Mondays, Pinot Noir, recipes, weekend
Posted in Food and Wine Pairings/Recipes
Posted in Food and Wine Pairings/Recipes
Dining Decadence, Italian Style, in the Windy City
I lived in Chicago for 14 years, leaving in late October of 2013 after completing an all-consuming, sleep-depriving special project in the publishing industry — editing (and writing much of) a 300-page magazine. I got out just in time, too,…
Tagged with: Chicago, concerts, dining, Eataly, Illinois, Italian, Millenium Park, mozarella, pasta, restaurants, salumi, travel
Posted in Editor's Journal
Posted in Editor's Journal
