Category: wine
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Forbes Article: Willamette Valley Wineries Take Action on Social Justice Issues
Lack of diversity and inclusion plague so many industries, including the wine industry. As Willamette Valley celebrates 50 years of successful wine making, the region is asking itself some difficult questions about diversity, equity, belonging, and inclusion.
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Maison M. Chapoutier: Expressing Terroir Through Biodynamics
“Anyone who creates wines must be generous and festive. Without such qualities the creative act is doomed, sterile and vain.” Michel Chapoutier I just returned from a remarkable week in Chile. The focus of the week was terroir: climate, weather, soil. In the Rhone Valley Michel Chapoutier is the benchmark for terroir driven wines. Embracing…
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Crusing the Rhône River, Sipping Cru Wine
Wouldn’t it be great to take a river boat cruise down the Rhône River? There are many quaint towns with world-class restaurants and festivals happening throughout the year. Best of all, great views of the vineyards and changing topography from northern to southern Rhône. I have written many articles about Rhône Valley wines. I have…
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It’s Time to Rediscover Australian Shiraz
What is the first grape that comes to mind when you hear Australia? Shiraz is as synonymous to Australia as vegemite. However, Australian Shiraz has experienced an identity crisis. The US wine market was flooded with inexpensive, over-ripe Shiraz that was initially well received and highly consumed, yet overtime spawned questions as to whether Australian…
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Every Wine Lover Should Drink Syrah
Syrah is a versatile grape that is grown in every major wine region in the world. Depending on the climate and winemaking techniques, Syrah offers a range of expressions, appealing to a wide variety of palates. If you like Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir, Syrah is a wine for you. It is also the sole…
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#Winophiles Showdown: Madiran vs Applegate Valley
This month our French Winophiles group is exploring a more obscure region of France: Sud Ouest, aka Southwest France. Although it is the 5th largest wine producing region in France, its location, tucked away between the Pyrénées Mountains and Spain to the south and Bordeaux to the north, results in a sparsely populated area. Sud Ouest…
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5 Rhône Valley Wines Perfect for Summer
As much as I enjoy exploring the historical convergence of wine and religion that is evident all over the world, the Rhone Valley is possibly my favorite wine region to excavate historically. Hopefully someday I will have the opportunity to explore it in person. However, the Rhone Valley is not only home to religious history,…
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Getting Real with Hacienda de Arínzano
Spain is a vast country comprised of 13 wine regions with over 2,000 vineyard acres and 200+ grape varieties. Situated in the north-eastern region of Spain between La Rioja and Navarra, near the town of Pamplona lies Hacienda de Arínzano. Arínzano is not just another Spanish winery, they are the first winery in northern Spain…
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