Life-changing Tokaji Furmint
My introduction to Tokaji Furmint was in 2020 – the 2018 Wetzer Tokaji Furmint – a dry white with some botrytis influence made in a minimalist style (native yeast, unfiltered, unfined). I wrote about tasting it – and won one of the categories in the 2022 Hungarian Wines Web Wine ...
Mail Road Wines: Mt. Carmel Vineyard’s Contribution to the Thriving Santa Barbara Wine Scene
The Santa Barbara Wine Scene is thriving, with Mail Road Wines at the forefront. The project began as a phone call between winemaker friends Matt Dees and Michael Palmer discussing the idea of making wine from Mt. Carmel Vineyard ...
Villány Underground – Péter Bakonyi of Bakonyi Pincészet
The first day of my November 2022 trip to the annual Franc & Franc Forum in Villány, Hungary, we arrived late due to flight delays. Our guide asked my group if we wanted to skip the tastings to freshen up at the hotel and join everyone at dinner – or ...
Bells Up Winery – The End of the Beginning
In August 2021, I met Sara and Dave Specter of Bells Up Winery for the first time during a media visit that was a bit more formal – a sit-down tasting and interview with them both. I learned and shared what I thought was their story as part of an ...
Youngberg Hill’s Wayne Bailey – Farmer First
In late October 2022, I visited Youngberg Hill in Oregon’s McMinnville AVA. It is a gorgeous 50-acre property with a historic inn atop the hillside, surrounded by astounding views and meticulously farmed, organic and biodynamic vineyards planted to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris ...
7th FRANC & FRANC International Cabernet Franc Forum
When Michael Broadbent visited Villány in 2000, he noted, “Cabernet Franc has found its natural home in Villány.” He was right ...
For the Love of Fog: Marine Layer Wines
Wine is largely a pilgrimage: both for the people who make it and for the people who seek to appreciate it. There are so many things to learn. Attending winetasting seminars with a group of winemakers who have different viewpoints yet many commonalities, is fodder for a fantastic learning experience, ...
Lenné Estate – Going in Blind
Steve Lutz is not your typical vintner/winemaker. Some in the industry have called him a maverick. Lutz has proven himself to be just that, by launching a premier Pinot Noir (plus a little Chardonnay) vineyard, winery, and tasting room from scratch on one of the most challenging – yet ideal ...
Montoliva: Family Style Italian Wines in the Heart of the North Sierra Foothills
For Mark Henry the journey into the wine business was twisty and turny to say the least. After spending several years in the Army and getting a degree in Political Science, he decided to barrel-roll head first into the beer business. Why not? He knew it intimately well and drank ...
4th Annual International Cabernet Franc Wine Competition & Celebration
Reprinted from Michael Kelly and californiawinesandwineries.com. Who is this event for? For the 4th Annual Cabernet Franc Celebration, we have opened it up to both domestic and international producers of Cabernet Franc ...
