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December 2004

The Italian Influence on Washington State Wine
...As we sat with these men and recorded their thoughts and their memories, we saw the great pride in their eyes for their ancestors’ accomplishments, and their stories took on a special flavor. I sat back and listened to some of the most fascinating stories of the history of winemaking in Washington State...

Wine Tasting 101: What's for Dessert?
Even after we begin to comprehend the vast and various world of dry table wines, many wine enthusiasts still find the realm of dessert wine a bit mysterious. From Sauternes to sweet Sherry, Banyuls to Beerenauslese, ice wine to late-harvest to Port, these rich, sweet and luscious wines are easy to like, but so diverse in their geography, production and even flavor profiles that it can be a challenge to get an intellectual grip on them...

November 2004

A Toast to the Tasty Turkey!
It’s almost that time of year again, of family gatherings, of setting the dining table to more place settings than you’re used to, and of course deciding what to serve your loved ones for Thanksgiving. Once you’ve decided on Turkey, the next decision on course is to think about what wines to serve...

Finding Words for Wine
One of the greatest challenges in communicating about the aromas and flavors of wine is the lack of a clear, consistent vocabulary to describe effectively the things we smell and taste...

Corkage without Guilt
While some restaurants hate the idea of not making money on your wines, restaurants which allow "corkage" encourage people who really love wine and food, or "diners" to come in to their restaurants. Of course, there are a few "rules" to corkage...

Turkish Delight
Poised on the border between Europe and Asia and arguably part of the cradle of civilization, Turkey boasts a rich and ancient history ... and a key role in the early history of wine.

October 2004

Casillero del Diablo
Looking for some great festive wines to serve at your Halloween party? Look no further than to Chile’s Concha Y Toro’s Casillero del Diablo line of wines.

Odd Blend
With a few classic exceptions - Pinot Noir in Burgundy, for instance, and Riesling wherever it grows - I tend to favor wines blended from compatible grape varieties over single-varietal wines...

August 2004

Do Wine Lovers Make Better Thinkers?
Adding another data point to the growing body of studies that link moderate wine consumption with health and longevity, British scientists recently published a report suggesting that consumption of beverage alcohol appears to be related with improved "cognitive function" (thinking ability) in adults...

Wine Politics: Hedge Fun
The automobile industry does it. The airline industry does it too. American wine importers need to use currency hedging to prevent price rises and protect their profits.

Off the Beaten Path
In the world of wines, usually the wines you have not heard of are often better values and in many cases, better...

July 2004

Summer Red: Valpolicella
There are times when an ice-cold sparkling wine, a light and fruity white or even a crisp, herbal rosé hit the spot. But sometimes you're in the mood for a red, even when the thermometer suggests white or pink...

Wine Scandals: Shampain, Anyone?
It has an invitingly rich aroma, with surprising green notes and a good grip down the middle, but it's hard to swallow. Mmmm… the smell of a good wine scandal. Most are an intriguing blend of prestige, greed, cunning and secrecy.

Leap-Frogging French Wines in America
French wines have dropped to third place in the American market. What can be done about it? Providing more information on the back label would be a good start.

June 2004

Five Diamonds and a Kid
Ever since my son was born, I dreamed about taking him to a fine restaurant for his first formal meal...

What Women Want are Fashionable Wines
Comparing wine to women's lingerie got this writer's attention during a Seattle seminar titled Wine For Women...

Large Wineries Dominate
Virtually all the wine made in the world every year comes from major, industrial producers. An extensive recent study by the trade publication Wine Business Monthly is instructive. It was published earlier this year, but I just ran across it recently and thought it was worth sharing with you...

An Introduction to Wine Pimp Liquid Love
Meet WineSquire's newest Local Wine Personality!
 

May 2004

Think Pink
No, no, we are not talking about white Zinfandel or “blush” wines. We are talking about rosés...

Northwest Getting to Know Other Reds
For readers who have grown familiar with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, it's time to dive into a whole new world...

Low-Carb Wine: So What?
U.S. regulators gifted the wine industry with the next best thing to a license to steal last month, when they eased a long-standing prohibition against nutritional claims on alcoholic-beverage labels to permit qualifying wines to declare themselves "low- carbohydrate."

Tasting The Macallan
A lucky group of scotch drinkers were treated to a fantastic tasting experience on April 15th at the Hotel Monaco in Seattle. While many were at home desperately finishing their tax returns, we were learning the story of The Macallan...

The Book of Paul (Thomas)
In the beginning was the label and on the label were the words. Those words were Paul Thomas...

April 2004

Box it Up!
An astounding thing has happened to world of wine packaging. Premium wine is now found in the most mundane of packaging: the “Bag in the Box.”

The Wizards of Mod Oz
Mod Oz, short for Modern Australian cuisine. While foodies are still debating exactly what defines Mod Oz, the Asian Wall Street Journal recently called Sydney "planet earth’s number one town for eating."

Do Wine Lovers Improve with Age?
A pair of recent news stories about fine wine and marketing have me shaking my head and wondering whether they could both be right.

Shift in Columbia Crest Winemakers Doesn't Sacrifice Taste
Winemaker Doug Gore of Prosser has never sacrificed quality for quantity even though he oversees production of more than 3 million cases of wine a year. Gore, formerly head winemaker at Columbia Crest since 1987, was promoted last year to senior vice president of winemaking operations for Stimson Lane...

March 2004

Washington Wine Month
March is again upon us, and it is time to celebrate Washington wine! This is a great opportunity to explore more than 240 wineries throughout the state...

Hollywood and Vine
From James Bond to Hannibal Lector, Hollywood's most memorable characters have always had a little help from the bottle.

Wine Rating: Seven Stars
Today let us lift our eyes, and perhaps a glass filled with good red wine, toward the stars as we examine the latest rendition of a personal favorite, Sean H. Thackrey's "Pleiades XII" California red wine.

February 2004

Washington Wines on a Roll
Washington wines are gaining popularity as they become more recognized for their superb quality and the unique flavors that come from Washington’s fine vineyards.

2002 Rhone: Lemonade made from Lemons?
Few wine-producing regions suffered more than the Southern Rhone, where the stony vineyards of Chateauneuf-du-Pape were briefly navigable by rowboat after September storms, and many producers wrote off the vintage entirely.

Martini Meets Gallo
Two of the oldest family names in the California wine business met last year in an unexpected marriage that brought the historic Louis M. Martini winery under the vast umbrella of Ernest & Julio Gallo.

January 2004

Ancient Vineyard found on Mars
This finding by the American space agency (NASA) is undoubtedly one of the most important made about the Red Planet.

Meet Jancis Robinson
The British winescribe Jancis Robinson - Master of Wine and Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) - is one of the world's most prolific wine writers, and among the world's most popular wine journalists, boasting a clear, informative and entertaining writing style going far beyond mere tasting notes and wine-buying guides.

Wine Politics: Wherefore art thou, California?
California’s stunning absence from the under $10 category of quality wines—and why that may become even more important to consumers.

A Rare Old Treat
Once in a very great while, a special occasion and a special circumstance come together to inspire the opening of a great, aged wine. So it was for us with a bottle of 1982 Chateau Margaux...

Additional Articles

Article Index 2003
Article Index 2002
Article Index 2001
Article Index 2000

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