Grapevine
At a recent tasting event I hosted, the subject of wine ratings, wine reviews and wine descriptions arose. One of the guests was unsure whether to rely on the ratings and comments of so-called wine experts. This is a subject
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By Nick Antonaccio
Grapevine
The United States system of democracy has been a model for countries worldwide for the last two centuries. During that period our Constitution has held up remarkably well. In place since 1789, there have been only 27 amendments, the first
Read MoreGrapevine: When Life Imitates Art, it Can Be Heart-wrenching
In my column two weeks ago I measured the variations in the life cycle of one of my favorite wines, the 1989 Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron, from the French Bordeaux region. I posited that fine wine has a life cycle similar
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Grapevine: Closure(?) on the Mystery of the Shipwrecked Champagne
In the course of my musings and meanderings the last five-plus years of penning this column, I’ve had the occasion to report on a multitude of subjects around the mesmerizing world of wine. Oftentimes educational (wine regions, grape varietals), on
Read MoreGrapevine: An Anecdotal Tale of Life Passages and Maturation
Fine wine has a life cycle similar to human development, starting out awkwardly, then beginning to mature and develop unique characteristics, ultimately reaching full maturity and peaking in sophistication and complexity. A number of years ago, I set a goal
Read MoreGrapevine: Man vs Nature and the Shifting Balance of Nature
Modern man is at the top of his homo sapiens game. Since we first stood upright, we have been subject to the constant whim and temperament of Mother Nature. Throughout our evolutionary lifecycle, our efforts to master and control nature
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Grapevine: Advocating for Change at The Wine Advocate
Deciphering the hodgepodge of wine ratings has perennially been fraught with skepticism over the independence of wine critics. Over the last 35 years, the one critic who has risen above these distractions to objectivity is Robert Parker. Publishing critiques through
Read MoreYou Heard it Through the Grapevine: Unraveling the Meaning Behind the Ratings Codes
So many good wines, so little time to drink them all. With the flood of new wines hitting the market each month, we all could use a filtering mechanism to assist us as we rush through our daily lives, bombarded
Read MoreGrapevine: A Major Shift in French Drinking Traditions
The French have a long tradition of fine food and wine, enjoyed in an atmosphere of camaraderie and conviviality. Generation after generation enjoyed a joie de vivre. Generation after generation enjoyed a diet rich in classic French cooking, steeped in
Read MoreYou heard it through THE GRAPEVINE
Governments around the world are still wallowing in one of the deepest and prolonged economic downturns in modern history. Each country has its own unique set of socio-political and economic considerations, but cost cutting is at–or near–the top of every
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