A Look at the Newly Approved Ballard Canyon AVA, Santa Barbara County
The Ballard Canyon AVA was approved by the TTB on October 1, 2013. It is a small wine-growing region within Santa Barbara County’s Santa Ynez Valley AVA. Though not yet a familiar name to most enth...
2 New Viticultural Areas Approved in Lake County
For many, the trip up Highway 29 ends at Calistoga. Yet if you continue about another 20 minutes up and over the grade, traversing Mt. St. Helena, you’ll end up in Middletown, at the base of Clear...
Prosecco, Supermodels and Big Bikes, Oh My!
I have never given even a moment’s thought to going to a motorcycle race. That is, until I was enticed by an invitation to hang out in the VIP/Media Lounge drinking Prosecco all day at Laguna Seca ...
The New York Wine & Grape Foundation’s Jim Trezise introduced a national sampling done with consumers representing 90% of the those purchasing at $20+ per bottle identified themselves as Riesli...
A mix of 150 wine trade members and consumers gathered July 16-18 in Seattle for the fourth Riesling Rendezvous. Opening remarks by event sponsor Chateau Ste. Michelle’s president Ted Baseler start...
San Francisco, CA, August 29, 2013 – The membership of the Washington, DC based Society of Wine Educators has elected San Francisco Wine School’s founder and CEO, David Glancy, to their Board of Di...
Albariño (Alvarinho) Grape Profile
I like to say that Albariño is Miguel Migs. If you know music, you know this is the cool dude who mixes it up for the dance clubs in SoMa, San Francisco. With notes of apple, pear, lemon, lemon rin...
Burgundy Storm Report – Gambal on Damage
The French government’s provisional damage estimate is between 1,700 and 2,000 hectares were affected, 35-40% percent of the Côte de Beaune’s vineyards in its recent storms. In an email note I rece...
Which Wine is in Your NV Champagne Bottle?
Last year, I reported that wine critic Antonio Galloni would no longer be scoring non-vintage Champagne that didn’t list the disgorgement date on bottle. Consumers couldn’t be sure the wine they se...
Press Release – San Francisco Wine School Offers Online Program
Press Release – San Francisco Wine School Offers Online Program The San Francisco Wine School is excited to announce the launch of its first online wine education program. The California Wine Appe...
Grape Variety Profile – Sauvignon Blanc
Grape Variety Profile – Sauvignon BlancAlong with Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc is a member of the Bordeaux blanc family. They complement each other when blended together, but also make great wines on ...
Catalonia’s EspaiPriorat Tasting
Catalonia’s EspaiPriorat TastingThe second biennial EspaiPriorat tasting of wines was held May 15 to commemorate the reconstruction of major portions of Catalonia’s Escaladei monastery. 50 sommelie...
San Francisco Bay Area Summer Wine Events - 2013
San Francisco Bay Area Summer Wine EventsHere are some of the hottest summer wine events taking place around the San Francisco Bay area:
Foss Valley: Napa’s Valley Above the Fog
Foss Valley: Napa’s Valley Above the Fog The name Napa Valley AVA is somewhat misleading. Napa Valley is certainly dominant within the AVA but is far from the only valley. Some others are obvious ...
Wine for Wheelchairs on Pending Moon Mountain AVA
Wine for Wheelchairs on Pending Moon Mountain AVA I had the pleasure recently of joining the sommeliers of Redd, La Folie, and Boulevard, writers including Deborah Parker Wong of The Tasting Pa...
Which Way to Wine Education? Studying wine is endless. It is a rabbit hole with no end. Many people assume that passing the Master Sommelier (MS) or Master of Wine (MW) exam is the end of the journ...
Blanc du Bois, a Southern Belle?
Blanc du Bois, a Southern Belle? Sitting in a winery tasting room outside Fort Worth, Texas I perused the wine list. “What’s this Blanc du Bois?,” I asked. The name reminded me of Blanche DuBois fr...
How Restaurant Wine Buyers Make Their Selections (or Should)
I was a restaurant wine buyer for years before focusing exclusively on wine education. I also discuss the struggles and success of many of my friends who work in that capacity and to those who sell...
What Do You Put in Your Wine Cellar?
What Do You Put in Your Wine Cellar? I do not buy wine hoping it will increase in value to re-sell later. I will not be recommending blue chip producers or bottlings to maximize your wine collectin...
Sommeliers ZAP San Francisco’s Zinfandel Festival
Sommeliers ZAP San Francisco’s Zinfandel Festival On February 2, 2013, hundreds of press, trade, and then consumers filled San Francisco’s Concourse Pavilion for the 22nd Annual Zinfandel Advocates...
Press Release – New Certified Specialist of Wine Program
Press Release – New Certified Specialist of Wine Program San Francisco, CA, January 17, 2013- The San Francisco Wine School now offers a comprehensive preparation course for the prestigious Certifi...
TTB Approves 4 More Chateauneuf-du-Pape Varieties in USA
TTB Approves 4 More Chateauneuf-du-Pape Varieties in USA Fourteen grape varieties may be used in Chateauneuf-du-Pape.1 Many of them are bit players, used to add traces of spice or color or acidity,...
The Impact of Bottle Size on Wine Aging
The Impact of Bottle Size on Wine Aging Conventional wisdom says magnums of wine develop more slowly than 750ml bottles. The smaller the bottle, the more rapid aging is assumed to occur. We rarely ...
A Year in BurgundyIn the past few years there have been many wine movies out there that have missed the mark, but every now and then one “wows” me. I think that wine being such a detailed and seem...