The words we use to talk about wine say a lot about who we are and how we think about wine. Obviously, those of us who...
Wine Review Online | Columns
Why Wine Prices Are Rising
I’m no economist, but the idea of supply and demand is a fundamental economic principle that even we non-economists can...
Are Barrel Tastings Worthwhile?
Every spring, as predictably as the blooming of daffodils, journalists and merchants attend the en primeur tastings in Bordeaux...
Buying Bordeaux Today
Apart from purchasing older vintages of great Bordeaux at auctions or online, there are two reasons to buy red Bordeaux: ...
Drink Better Wine Despite Post-Holiday Austerity
The holidays are over. Belts have been loosened, but the masses are heading to the gym in droves. By contrast, wine...
Simplifying Sherry
I'm going to simplify Sherry for you. Or at least, I'm going to explain how simple it now seems to me. I was seeing...
Burgundy Bargains from 2011 Vintage
The 2011 vintage in Burgundy runs the risk of being forgotten despite producing very fine wines. The first strike against it is...
Apstein’s Winery of the Year 2013: Mastroberardino
Mastroberardino is my Winery of the Year for 2013 because it excels, not only by consistently making a fine range of wine, but...
The Most Important Wine News of the Year
Wine writers are almost always intent upon breaking good news rather than bad. We're all about the great new vintage in...
Prestige Cuvée Champagnes
What is a “Prestige Cuvée” Champagne? It is the finest Champagne that a producer makes, from the finest...
Sake for Wine Lovers
Every now and then I lift my nose out of a wine glass and discover other beverages deserving attention, such as sake. The...
Shifting Into Soup Mode
Remember the Seinfeld Soup Nazi episode when George says, “Shh, I gotta focus. I’m shifting into soup...