Protectionism was one of the main causes of the Great Depression, yet we seem to have to relearn that lesson over and over again in both national and state politics. Here in the state of Washington, our legislators once again this year failed to listen to the lessons of history and pass a bill (SB6384) […]

“The differences between wines are genetically inherited: the vines and the vineyard are the bloodline. They are also inherited: when the vine is pruned, as the grapes ripen, when they are picked, as they are fermented and matured and bottled and stored again.” –Hugh Johnson, A Life Uncorked On two recent occasions, I have been […]

“If you can’t describe it in words or talk about it, like ‘It reminds me of gym socks or my mother’s blackberry pie,’ you can’t remember it.” –Karen MacNeil It’s a good idea to come up with a good buzzword, or descriptor, for each varietal of wine you drink. Obviously, there will be specific descriptors […]

First of all, beware of a restaurant where there are no wine glasses on the table. They probably have a weak wine list and lack wait staff that really knows wine. When you do order wine at a restaurant, you can save by ordering a less popular varietal, for example, Sauvignon Blanc instead of Chardonnay, […]

Right now, you may be one of those persons who is somewhat uncomfortable when opening a wine menu at a restaurant (especially in front of others whom you wish to impress), accepting an invitation to attend a wine tasting dinner (because you don’t believe that you are a sophisticated enough taster), or even walking the […]

“A clue that you’re buying wine at the wrong store: The proprietor gives samples in a Big Gulp cup.” –Malcolm Kushner First, look for a wine shop, not a supermarket or liquor store that sells primarily beer and hard liquor. Notice the temperature when you walk in the door. Make sure it almost feels a […]

“Though the Wine Advocate has been bellowing it for years, it is worth repeating: Columbia Crest is the source of some of the finest values in the world. I am awestruck that winemaker Ray Einberger and his team can produce such quality in industrial-size quantities.” –Pierre Rovani, Wine Advocate, April 2006 If you want to […]

“We can compete very favorably in producing top table and varietal wines with any other region in the United States.” –Walter Clore, Father of the Washington Wine Industry, 1969 After traveling over much of the world of wine, I truly believe that Washington State produces great wine and is one of the most exciting wine […]

If you know what you want and know a great deal on price when you see it, buying online or at a big volume local merchant makes terrific sense. In fact, most wine merchants try to move their excess stock twice a year, many in January and August, so those are usually very good times […]

It should be obvious that if you drink too much you are likely to get a headache. So besides cutting back on the quantity of wine you drink at one sitting, or spitting instead of swallowing like the professional tasters do, what can you do to lessen the headache issue? While sulfites often get the […]