Winexpression

Pricing for the last few vintages of Harlan Estate:
2001 - 225
2002 - 245
2003 - 265
2004 - 350????
2001 and 2002 vintages saw perfect scores (100) from Robert Parker Jr. Granted, this is a business, and I understand Bill Harlan is a savvy businessman, but wow, that sure is a turnoff, especially when this vintage didn’t score […]

We’ve come to rely on this system for our wine purchases. It’s only human nature that we look for approval and quality in the products that we buy, and for wine, the 100 point system meets those needs. Robert Parker devised the system that became the backbone of his highly recognized bimonthly publication, the Wine […]

In an effort to win back market share from New World wine regions, the European Union Farm Ministers association overwhelmingly agreed on Monday that reform is necessary for the continent’s wine industry to improve. After the embarrassment last year of having to distill millions of gallons of wine into fuel, the EU is eager to […]

If you haven’t already noticed, Herb Lamb Vineyards is one of my favorite wineries from Napa Valley. This year was exciting because Jennifer and Herb came upon some Sauvignon Blanc, and under the talented hand of David DeSante released the EII White Wine under the 2005 vintage. In a word, this wine is breathtaking. Not […]

Just a few things I’ve learned about wine.
1. Wine doesn’t have to be expensive to be good.
I don’t know if this is a lesson you learn after you open a few expensive bottles that disappoint, or when you realize your savings account is dwindling, whatever it is, it’s a lesson that benefits everyone.
2. Closures are […]

Poor Merlot. The varietal that has taken so much flak as of late, gets a look from every angle by wine writer Eric Asimov. A varietal responsible for some of the most amazing wines in the world, which Eric points out, that has dropped in U.S. sales before the movie sideways even came out. Thanks […]

When you stop and think about it, it’s really quite brilliant. I have some wine I want to sell. Instead of going through a three-tiered distribution channel, I’ll cut out the middleman, and develop a list of clients I’ll sell to directly. Eager consumers sign up with hopes of one day getting on the exclusive […]

Last week in the San Francisco Chronicle’s wine section, an article appeared discussing the issues regarding corkage fees at Restaurants. The popularity of people bringing their own bottles to dinner to avoid paying the markup on wine has caused many restaurants to raise their corkage fees per bottle, and put a limit on the number […]

An interesting article appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle’s Wine section yesterday entitled “Five drinks that bartenders just hate to make”. The writer, Bianca Antonacci (most likely a bartender), invites us to stay away from drinks like the Lemon Drop, Cosmopolitan, Mojito, and the Manhattan on busy nights, because these drinks ‘use a lot of […]

Remember around the turn of the millennium when clothing retailer Gap made all those fantastic commercials? The ads featured attractive people dancing gracefully and enjoying life, while wearing their Gap khakis and polo’s. These ads were effective because they targeted emotion, the audience wanted to belong, to fit in, to enjoy life along with their […]