March 28, 2024

An Excellent Vintage Wine (Book)

Posted on May 29, 2014 by in Prime Vintage

“When I wrote the book,” explained wine merchant Kermit Lynch, “I thought the oenologists were going to take over.” We were chatting about “Adventures on the Wine Route,” Lynch’s seminal tour of France that can be found on every wine enthusiast’s bookshelf. When the book was released in 1988, Lynch feared that “old-style wines” — […]

Great Wine, Honest Story

Posted on May 1, 2014 by in Prime Vintage

Spring has finally arrived. Lemonade stands are popping up soon, and when the mercury rises it’s nearly impossible to pass one without making a purchase. Of course, neighborhood kids would never dare charge more than a dollar or two for a cup, but what if a budding entrepreneur asked for $20? Would you still make […]

Thirsty for Wine Exploration

Posted on April 1, 2014 by in Prime Vintage

“The wine world is a big, fabulously diverse place, and arguably the greatest pleasure that oenophilia offers is the pleasure of discovery — of finding new grapes, regions, and wines.” These words appear in The Wine Savant, a new book from Michael Steinberger, the former wine writer for Slate and a current columnist for Men’s […]

What’s In Your Wine?

Posted on March 1, 2014 by in Prime Vintage

Although modern consumers are far more concerned about the origins of their food than they once were, keenly eyeing the source of that organic spinach, their concern goes out the window when it comes to wine.” These words appear in The New California Wine, the just-released book from San Francisco Chronicle wine editor Jon Bonné. […]

Wine Reviews: Not For Snobs Anymore

Posted on February 2, 2014 by in Prime Vintage

This democratization of wine is great,” asserted Jancis Robinson, one of the world’s leading wine authorities, over coffee one recent morning. She was in Washington, D.C., to promote the seventh edition of The World Atlas of Wine, the indispensable reference book co-authored with Hugh Johnson. Robinson has spent the last four decades writing about wine, […]

Toss Out Wine-Tasting Notes

Posted on December 1, 2013 by in Prime Vintage

Ever tasted a boysenberry? What about cat pee? Can you easily discern Irish breakfast tea from English breakfast tea? And do you ever drink kirsch, the brandy made from sour cherries? If you’re anything like me, your answer to all these questions is “no.” Yet descriptors like these fill the cornucopia of words that critics […]

Wine: Don’t Be Intimidated

Posted on November 2, 2013 by in Prime Vintage

Consider the prototypical wine connoisseur — swirling his glass, sniffing his wine, and blabbering on about some French chateau. He’s insufferable. Or consider a representative tasting note. Wine Spectator recently praised a wine for offering notes of “creamy boysenberry, plum skin and cassis . . . [along with] hints of mesquite and grilled herbs.” They’re […]

Light Red Wine for the Fall

Posted on September 30, 2013 by in Prime Vintage

All wines are appropriate for all seasons. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a simple white or crisp rosé in the winter, and big reds work all year long. But our diets change with the weather. Just as we look forward to watermelon and fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes in the summer, we crave soups, stews, and roasts in […]