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This year I have fallen, head over heels, for nuanced seducers and seductresses, earthily robust, sometimes slightly bubbly, always true to their origins, offering sensations of mountain and sea. Bracingly refreshing, sometimes rounded, feminine whites, powerful masculine reds:  I am speaking, of course, about today’s Greek wine, much of which is made by the men and women in the photo above.  Since the late 1970s Greek winemakers have reborn Greek wine.  I can still find retsina a truly acquired

New Zealand is home to some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes - rugged mountain ranges, lush rainforests, and tranquil coastlines. What you may not know is that New Zealand’s unique terroir yields crisp, vibrant, and lively wines reflecting the very essence of this island country. Recent harvests were not only markedly bountiful (34 percent above usual yields) but grapes were exceptionally high-quality. Small estate wineries like Catalina Sounds, Crowded House, and Nanny Goat were direct

An oasis amid the vast sagebrush desert that rolls across much of America’s Pacific Northwest interior, Walla Walla's longstanding appeal to those seeking a better life ranging from First Nations tribes & French fur trappers to farmers & vintners is most notably evident in the literal translation of its name ("many waters"). The Walla Walla Valley's rivers and aquifers that have fed the region's agricultural bounty for generations now also provide perfect growing for more than 100 wineries that

Hilly terrain running roughly 37 miles from Dijon to Santenay in the Bourgogne region of France defines a patchwork of more than 1000 climats (microclimates) producing a wide variety of mostly Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. The sheer diversity of terroir and wines often make understanding the region daunting. The popularity of their renowned Grand Cru A.O.P. also gives many the perception that Bourgogne wines are pricy but in reality, 52 % of bottles from this region are Regional A.O.P.s represent

Clustered within the Aegean and Ionian seas, 227 of Greece's 6,000 islands are inhabited and a few of these support some impressive wineries. Thanks to a wide-ranging Mediterranean climate with sundrenched days, deep blue seas, and mountainous terrain with challenging soils, 38 distinct indigenous grapes varieties, some nearly lost to the ravages of market demand and changing weather patterns, are still growing strong. Thanks to newly invigorated interest increasing imports worldwide, now has ne

Members of the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) gathered in the Temecula Valley for their SoCal regional area meeting to showcase two area wineries.  We had lunch and a winery tour at Mount Palomar Winery and we visited Europa Village to learn about the progress of the future Europa Village Wineries, Resort and Spa.

Annata Bistro/Bar, Mount Palomar’s full-service bar and restaurant, opened in 2015.  Italian for vintage, Annata has lovely views of the valley; serve

Chile offers a broad spectrum of varietals produced in eight regions across 600 miles of vastly diverse terroir, running the gamut from coastal highlands to craggy Andean plateaus 13,000 feet or more above sea level.

The concept of grapes and wine making was little known in Chile before Spanish conquistadors invaded during the 1500s, planting Pais vines, which are now considered Chiles national grape. At the time, Pais, also known as “mission grapes” fed a growing need for sacramental wine used

Bento Gonçalves is a slice of Italy in Brazil's far south.  It's not overly well known outside of the country but a highly-regarded destination among Brazilians, who consider it a first-class tourist destination. This is because this city in Rio Grande do Sul state is one of the most beautiful and important in the Serra Gaucha mountain range, due to its landscapes full of vineyards and the expansive nature which make this place a most welcoming destination.

As you enter the city you will find a

Grand Cru, Medoc, St Émilion, Bordeaux Left and Right Banks - all terms of which I was aware, but wanted much more information. That’s the beauty of a river cruise with wine as its main topic (and the wine isn’t bad either, to put it mildly!). We were about to embark on an eight-day UniWorld boutique wine river cruise along the Garonne River - an area settled by ancient Romans and once ruled by the English, but every bit a French region.


Each evening of the cruise started by imbibing in the "

“How much onion?”  “It says about half.”  “A half, a whole; onions are good for you.  Let’s use the whole onion.”  “It says a teaspoon of paprika.”  “This looks like about a teaspoon.”  And so it went.  One of us chopped, one sautéed, another mixed.  All the tools were there, all the ingredients ready to go.  And so we created.  The Wine Council made the perfect dishes to pair with some outstanding wines from the La Rochelle and Steven Kent Wineries.   Three hours, six dishes, six wines.  A trul

With roots in Gaul (an ancient region of Western Europe encompassing northern Italy, France, Belgium, part of Germany, and southern Netherlands) more than 2,000 years ago, the Gaillac is one of civilization's oldest wine-growing regions. Vines imported by Phoenicians in the 4th century B.C. still grow as ancient wild vitis vinifera in local forests, as well as cultivated in vineyards today. Situated on the Toulouse-Rodez highway, rail line, and the Tarn River, the Village of Gaillac has been a w

It was a warm, balmy early summer evening as I was sitting outside among the flowers and palms near the pool. What could be better? Toss in some Wine Council friends, some very special wines served with delectable food pairings along with a couple of creamy cheeses, and you have the recipe for a magical evening.

The first wine our group sampled was a dry white from Spain called Cal y Canto Dry White 2012 ($18). This wine is a great summertime wine that engaged us with its crispness along with g

In mid-September, France celebrated its cultural patrimony by opening buildings and gardens that are normally closed to the public. This year's theme was "Hidden Patrimony," and I profited from the occasion to visit a 600 m2 vineyard that is tucked away in the nearby town of Neuilly-Plaisance.

Getting there by public transportation was a challenge, but I was up to it: a metro ride to the Châtelet station, an RER train ride to Neuilly-Plaisance, a local bus ride to a spot several blocks f

Like Barrie's character Peter Pan, I won't grow up. Presented with the natal cleft of the man ahead of me, I just had to snap a picture of it with my wine glasses. From the get-go my goal was to write this article, more as a joke than a tome on wine tasting. Then it became real as I got it into my nose.

I was in a group of wine aficionados, all calling out their perception of the 'nose' of several red wines from a popular region in California. Something was wrong, I suspected, because nobody said

“Come quickly! I’m tasting stars!” Dom Pierre Perignon, when he first tasted his newly created Champagne.

(Champagne)”…it gives you the impression that every day is Sunday.” Marlena Dietrich

The word “Champagne” has long conjured up images of luxury and pleasure as attested by these two quotes. Even the color of champagne is associated with richness and luxury. Can other countries produce a sparkling wine that will delight us as much as Champagne? Seven of us met at Dorland Mountain Arts Colony

 Signagi is one of the picturesque town in Georgia, overlooking Alazani Valley

I grew up in a family which was fond of traveling. My parents traveled much before getting married, visiting many countries in Europe and South America, visited Africa, too. But Asia was their real passion. They talked a lot about the Asian countries. My father was delighted with the landscapes he had seen in Asia, mother was a real fan of Asian culture.

Their passion for traveling was so great that they were not afr

Along with showcasing exceptional wines, paired with equally spectacular food, the partnership of Martin Corso (Chef Marty) of The M Group, and Ken Barnes of Temecula Night Out, has fostered a sense of camaraderie and fellowship in the Temecula Valley Wine Country community in presenting “Good Times in the Vines.”  The beautiful wine country home of Al and Jean Glaser on a lovely summer evening made for a perfect setting. The evocative musical ambience – a walk down memory lane with Neil Diamond

Photo by Nick Kontis

We San Franciscans are blessed breed. On any given winter day one can ski and surf on the same day, which I have actually done before. We are blessed with many wonderful activities with amazing scenery, from the beaches of the California coast to Yosemite and Lake Tahoe and Death Valley.  One place locals and visitors alike flock to is our famed Napa Valley. Here is one of my must visit wineries,  Chateua Montelena.. It's more like a winery in a castle. Located 75 miles nort

You could:

• bike the wine trails from town to town, among 400 villages, In the Moravian foothills of the White Carpathians, stopping along the way to chat with individual winemakers who might offer you a taste of their wine. 
• Visit the Wine Salon in Valtice for tastes of over 100 award-winning wines.   
• Go to one of the wine festivals around the harvest, usually around September. 
  
• (And if you are lucky enough to taste Czech wine in situ, you won’t want to miss the Kroměříž Gardens.  Visit this UNESC