Category: Burgundy
Chablis – Introduction to Distinctive Chardonnay from Jurassic Era Soils
Chablis is one of my favorite wine regions in the world. It is the northernmost outpost of Burgundy. It often struggles with frost and other weather issues. Yet even in less-than-great years, the purity of these 100% Chardonnay...
Read MoreGlobal Masters 2026 Pinot Noir Winners
Patrick Schmitt, master of wine and chairman of the Global Masters competition in the UK, asked: “What is the perfect Pinot Noir? It’s a question I found myself asking after our blind tasting of wines made in a wide range of...
Read MoreBest of the Best Global Wine Masters 2025
The Global Wine Masters Competitions began in 2013 as an offshoot of the Drinks Business, the world’s leading magazine for the wine and spirits trade. The goal was to use their collective industry expertise to promote the...
Read MoreFavorite Wines of 2025 – Burgundy and Pinot Noir Edition
In reading through my tasting notes from 2025, a couple of themes stood out: wine drinkers are enjoying an excellent supply of well-made wines under $25 from around the world; direct-to-consumer offers from discount and flash...
Read MoreWine Business Announces 2025 Chardonnay Masters Winners
The Global Wine Masters competition is one of my favorite resources for exploring wines from around the world in all price categories. According to the site, “Each competition showcases a key variety or style – such as Pinot...
Read MoreWine Values from 6 Countries, 16 Appellations
I tag wines with a value designation based on their pricing relative to other wines in their category, and something I’m pleased to sip around the house as our vin ordinaire or with friends. This ranges from party wines of...
Read MoreLatest Finds in White and Red Wine Values
The following wines, priced from $15 to $33, emerged from recent tastings, offering fine values in what the French call vin ordinaire (we categorize them as weekday and party wines, saving the best and rarest for weekends and...
Read MoreEasy-Sipping Picnic, Party, and Patio Wines
This may be a new category, but we are always looking for good values in daily wines (vin ordinaire to the French) with a high quality-to-value ratio (QVR). This includes for easy-sipping with friends on a casual evening,...
Read MoreIs Terroir Just Marketing Hype or Real? Science and AI Answer
In 1990, Matt Kramer coined the term “somewhere-ness” in his magnum opus, Making Sense of Burgundy. For decades, other writers and scholars have explored the nuances and distinctions of wines that have senses of place, versus...
Read MoreLighter Wine Bottles: Good for the Environment, Economy
Do heavy wine bottles and fancy, thick foils help persuade you that a wine is of good, higher, or even cult quality? If so, you might reconsider and move toward lighter bottles for a variety of reasons, starting with good taste...
Read MoreEasy Sipping Party, Picnic, and Patio Wines Under $30
We do much of our searching for good values in quality wines at different Costcos in our region and screening discount daily offers from online merchants or big retail chains that help wineries clear inventories as new wines...
Read MorePinot Gris for Summer Sipping from Global Masters 2023 Awards
Pinot Gris originated in France and has become popular worldwide, mainly as Pinot Grigio. It is boosted by wines of good value and wide distribution from Northern Italy (200 million bottles annually from its largest region...
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