Last week, we talked about our barrel tasting experience with Star Lane’s winemaker Tyler Thomas. This fantastic experience was followed by another event that left the Wine Ponder guys in complete admiration of such awe-inspiring mastery. As they wrapped up the first part of the day in the underground tunnels …
What if I told you that red wine and cheese don’t go well together? Yep, I know… Kinda hits like a frisbee on the head, doesn’t it? You didn’t see that coming and yet, here I come with my big mouth! Seriously though, what if we were told a big …
It was a rainy afternoon in April as we made our way through the winding roads of Santa Ynez (Santa Barbara Wine Country). Our hearts were pounding with excitement. Peter Baedeker, Star Lane/Dierberg Vineyard’s managing director, invited Laurent and I to spend the afternoon at one of my favorite wineries, …
I recently acquired my third wine barrel, thanks to the nice folks of the Pulchella Winery. I’ve always had such a fascination for those vessels, and love having them in and around the house. Let’s face it, they look nice and leave behind a wonderfully addicting smell of oak and …
As some of you are aware, I have won the Grand Prize for the last two years for the Wine Spectator Video Competition – CABERNET TONIGHT in 2022 & LOVE THE WINE YOU’RE WITH in 2023. And as I recently wrote, I am working on the third (and final) video …
The topic I want to discuss in this article is wine critics and awards. In the wine industry, wine critics are some kind of venerated wine gods who happen to be well respected in their field, and rightfully so. Some of them have the nose of a bloodhound and truly …
A cataclysmic hailstorm wreaked havoc on many vineyards in Chablis, the northernmost AOC in the famous French wine region of Burgundy Wednesday evening. This is the second weather blow for the local Chardonnay winegrowers and winemakers, after being hit with frost just a few days ago. Being a farmer is …
Even if they look similar, wine tasting is quite different from drinking it at the dinner table or sipping it at night with your friends next to a cozy fire. Deciding how heavy your pours will be is incredibly important. There are a few things you need to keep in …
Though this might be common knowledge for some, most people don’t know what makes wine go bad. The last thing we want is to open a bottle only to find out it has turned to the dark side. Typically, wine can age for 5 to 10 years on average, as …
Aluminum cans are quite versatile. They are cheap to manufacture, convenient, and recyclable. Various winemakers have adopted this century-old packaging technology and are now feverishly using it for their wine. However, it has recently cost them more than they bargained for. Some cans were returned due to an unpleasant rotten …
