Michael Apstein, Author at Wine Review Online

Sommeliers: Love Them or Hate Them?

by Michael Apstein | August 27, 2015

Somms–and oh, how I hate that word–are the newest darlings of the wine world. Sommeliers have been anointed the opinion...

The Trouble with Vouvray

by Michael Apstein | July 28, 2015

Vouvray is home to a fabulous array of under-valued white wines. A major impediment to more widespread popularity is the...

Chinon: Burgundy in the Loire Valley

by Michael Apstein | July 2, 2015

Chinon as Burgundy? At first glance, it is an unlikely comparison. Chinon growers use Cabernet Franc almost exclusively for their...

Bargains Abound in Burgundy, Part II

by Michael Apstein | June 3, 2015

With demand for Burgundy pushing prices relentlessly upward, savvy consumers should look to lesser-known appellation to find affordable wines. Last...

Bargains Abound in Burgundy–If You Know Where to Look

by Michael Apstein | May 29, 2015

With prices for top Burgundy wines in triple and sometimes quadruple digits, you could be forgiven for concluding that Burgundy...

The 2010 Brunello: Don’t Miss Them

by Michael Apstein | May 6, 2015

You’ve heard it before, usually from Bordeaux, “It’s the vintage of the century!” Although perhaps not “the vintage of the...

Vernaccia di San Gimignano

by Michael Apstein | April 8, 2015

Consumers can be excused if they have no familiarity with Vernaccia di San Gimignano. A well-respected California-based wine writer (who...

Chianti: Confusing, But Worth Understanding

by Michael Apstein | March 12, 2015

Americans love Chianti. Even those who rarely drink recognize the wine. It has the kind of name recognition that other...

Age-Worthy Italian White Wine is not an Oxymoron

by Michael Apstein | March 12, 2015

Livio Felluga’s Terre Alte redefines Italian white wine for me. Andrea Felluga, the current winemaker and general manager of the...

Why Are Italian Wines So Popular?

by Michael Apstein | February 12, 2015

Italian wine has always been popular in the U.S., and today accounts for a staggering one out of every three...

The Luberon: A Source of Wine for Winter Fare

by Michael Apstein | January 22, 2015

Those of us in New England are now in the heart of winter. The short cold days and long nights...

Apstein’s Winery of the Year for 2014: Maison Louis Latour

by Michael Apstein | January 14, 2015

Maison Louis Latour, one of Burgundy’s best négociants, is my choice for winery of 2014 because it excels with wines...