Grapevine

The 2008 recession has financially impacted a number of individuals and families. Some are still feeling the effects of unemployment while others are grappling with devastated budgets for the basic necessities of life. For those still struggling, saving a few

As a seasoned wine writer, I often find myself extolling the ethereal, exotic and esoteric aspects of wine. As a result, on occasion I overlook the true nature of wine. As an agricultural product it is inexorably dependent on the

Almost everywhere I look the 2008 recession still lingers. Unemployment levels, GDP growth, new housing starts and real wages are all stagnant or performing weakly. This is so for the United States economy and more so for western Europe, where

In previous columns I’ve reported on the prevalence of wine fraud perpetrated on high-end collectors. There are numerous examples of wily crooks taking advantage of gullible investors. It seems that social status or wealth does not necessarily bestow greater traits

What is it that makes a wine desirable? Is it its underlying ethereal essence that sets it apart from others? Is it the prestige of its provenance? Is it the lofty price that makes it unattainable to all but a

It’s the time of year for gift-giving. Some of us are focused on specific gifts to match the specific likes, even passions, of someone we wish to acknowledge. In a number of cases this focus is on wine, whether for

My mantra throughout our trip to French wine regions was to “to taste barrel samplings deep in hand-carved wine caves, to caress grape-laden grapevines in sun-drenched vineyards, to sample ripe grapes as they were being prepared for the harvest crush,

The pungent aromas wafting through the air in the subterranean cellars of the winery were like no others I have ever experienced. Yes, I’ve visited many wine cellars in my travels over the years. But here, at this moment, in

This week’s column marks the sixth installment in my multipart series on our recent trip to France. Earlier this year I had the yearning for the next wine adventure to be shared by my wife and I with our friends, the