I was intrigued by an article that came out recently on Wine Business.com speaking of younger folks drinking habits with regards to their enjoyment of Champagne and other bubbly. This study, conducted via five focus groups by Sonoma State University and led by Dr. Liz Thach and Dr. Janeen Olsen (assisted by European based Dr. Steve Charters MW) is quite informative, and I suspect has been conducted to shed light on the buying habits and perceptions of younger LDA consumers to wine companies and producers of said fizzy wines. While there were some aspects of this study that were very encouraging with regards to the place of bubbly in the mix, others were not so. Read on… Continue reading »

You couldn’t have asked for better weather to kick off the first-ever Sonoma Summit - a two day trade symposium that took place on November 11-12 (moderated by yours truly) for the express purpose of celebrating the 13 different AVA’s (American Viticultural Areas) of this super wine producing area. Together these 13 AVA’s make up the largest premium wine region in the Golden State.

According to the 2008 Annual Tourism Report conducted by the Sonoma County Economic Development Board, Sonoma County’s physical limits - 52 miles wide and 47 miles long - are home to over 350 wineries, approximately 1500 miles of roads, 1800 vineyards owners (give or take a few), and an estimated four million annual winery tourists who spend about $1.32 billion while visiting.

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There is a modern day adage in the restaurant business that says that all it takes to be a restaurant critic is a laptop and an opinion. While that was the source of laughs a few years back, it’s serious stuff today and indeed no laughing matter. Witness a recent article in the NY Times (dated 11/5 by Donald McNeil, Jr.) entitled “Eat and Tell“.

Living in today’s technological age is stimulating and powerful. Anyone not living under a rock who followed the recent election coverage had to be blown away by the role that tech played - from Tom Cruise -like “Minority Report” screens that moved with the touch of a hand on CNN to ongoing day -of invitations from NPR to post your videos of election day issues and opinions to their website. Who would’a thunk that a mere four years ago? Continue reading »

Recently the Argentines arrived in masses to San Francisco for their annual “Wines of Argentina” trade tasting. Always much anticipated, the attendance this year was higher than I recall in past years and the wines even more delightful.

Argentina is the 5^th largest producer of wine in the world, following the good old US of A at number 4 and just in front of China, who is number six. This dynamic wine producing country has transformed itself mightily over the past decade. Traditionally, Argentina has been a part of the world that produced volume wines, primarily consumed internally within the cities and surrounding areas of Buenos Aires, Cordoba, San Juan and Mendoza. Now, Argentina is well known to becoming a leader in quality export wines, representing some of the finest wines and best values available in today’s market. Continue reading »

Or so the slogan goes at Disney. Ask most any young kid and they will inform you that indeed that’s the ticket. Adults… well, depends on the adult. For food and wine lovers, the fall season marks a definitive YES in Florida as throngs of epicures descend on Orlando and the Epcot Food and Wine Festival, held annually at Disneyworld.

I have had the pleasure and privilege of spending a few days working this event every year since its inception and it’s really a treat. Not only do they hold lots of interesting seminars, wine and food pairing meals, and special VIP vertical wine tastings, but the typical park attendee gets to wander around the lake at Epcot and literally taste and sample foods and wines from a litany of countries and continents. Imagine “It’s a Small World” but for adults of legal drinking age. Continue reading »