Scorching hot days bracketed by surprisingly cool nights. Higher elevation vineyards, often perched on steep slopes. Desert-like conditions requiring careful attention to water levels. What’s that sound like? Washington wine country of course, but it also refers to a...
Sometimes I learn the most about wine—and wine drinkers—when I’m taken out of my normal routine. That was the case this past weekend when I provided wine pairings and some entertainment at a private dinner. Getting to interact with people who are interested in wine in...
It’s surprisingly hard to quantify the effect that 2012’s "SOMM" had on wine professionals, a documentary that follows four wine stewards as they prepare to take the Court of Master Sommelier's Master Sommelier Exam. For the first time since "Sideways," a movie that...
For most people, New Year’s resolutions are some combination of boring, unrealistic and vague. Sure, you could try out a new diet or resolve to be more compassionate, but let’s be honest: you should probably just make some wine-related resolutions instead. Here are a...
Summarizing a year is a fool’s errand, but it’s also a good way to structure one’s final column of 2015, so here we go. As the wine industry continues to grow throughout the Pacific Northwest, it’s only natural that many of the themes of 2015 were rooted in that...
There are few things that I enjoy more in life than being proven wrong. No, I mean it. Getting my preconceived notions about the world challenged and changed is actually quite a bit of fun, especially when it involves wine. So when I first heard about Idaho wine, I...
Picking wine out for Thanksgiving can be more complicated than it appears on the surface: the traditional foods combine some slightly unusual flavors, buying for larger groups can be tricky and figuring out what to prioritize can always be a bit of a hassle. My...
Taste of Tulalip is the real start of the holiday season for me–a chance to simply enjoy some of the finest wines in the world, hailing from both far and near. The two-day celebration of wine is hosted at the Tulalip Resort Casino in Tulalip, Washington and serves as...
In a rapidly-growing wine region, new producers will always be at a bit of a disadvantage. Just letting the public know about their wine can be a bit of a challenge, and one with many different solutions. Yet, from my perspective as a writer and wine buyer, the most...
Few things are more intimidating to wine drinkers than opening a bottle of sparkling wine. The very act is fraught with danger: we’ve all heard horror stories of corks ricocheting around rooms, blinding people, or both. Even if you manage to keep the cork under...
