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wine scores

Wine club members may have noticed that I don't include scores in any of my tasting notes that come with each wine. That's because I find it much more helpful to provide descriptions of the wines, where they come from, who makes them, and how they're made—because that's what you're tasting in the glass, not a number. But why do critics use scores to assess wine? Scores function as a simple shorthand for quality without consumers having to read too much detail before deciding whether to make a purchase. Therefore, they can serve a useful purpose. However, there are so...

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Friulano, Goriška Brda, Hárslevelű, hungary, Nagy-Somló, Pesecká Leanká, slovakia, slovenia -

the unsung wines of central europe

  Winemaking is shaped by politics, culture, and the market, as well as by nature. I’ve recently been tasting wines from central European countries whose wine industries are still recovering from communist rule. The neglect and lack of investment hurt the wine industries of these countries; at the same time, the wines retain traditional winemaking practices and local grape varieties, making them feel authentic and distinctive. This is an ideal moment to explore these wines and the history behind them. Hungary is most famous for Tokaji and its world-class sweet wine. In the twentieth century, such a prized, expensive wine...

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cava, champagne, england, sekt, sparkling wine -

when it’s not champagne

Unfortunately, sparkling wine no matter where it’s from is often referred to as “Champagne.” This of course is inaccurate: champagne must come from the Champagne region in north-east France. But what about sparkling wine that isn’t from Champagne? Although they don't always have the defined identity of champagne, these wines can represent great value if you know where to look. the other French stuff Crémant is an overall term for several appellations for French sparkling wine not from Champagne. The standardized term, formally introduced in 1985, was supposed to create a category recognizable to the consumer. However, there are two...

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champagne, meunier -

meunier: the unsung champagne grape

Champagne has had many grape varieties planted in the region over its long history. Although obscure, some of them are still authorised: check out Aubry's Premier Cru which includes Arbane, Petit Meslier, and Fromonteau (Pinot Gris) in the blend. But after phylloxera and the First World War, plantings in Champagne were consolidated to focus on three varieties: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Meunier. Even so, a lot has changed since the 1920s. Chardonnay has been far more widely planted since the 60s, especially as the Blanc de Blancs style has become more popular. Champagne is generally much drier, with the Extra...

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alsace, cortese, emilia-romagna, sylvaner -

what’s in a label?

There are so many times a customer has guiltily confessed to me that they buy wine because of the label rather than because of their knowledge and appreciation of the wine itself. To which I reply, me too, and all the time.  There’s plenty of bad wine that’s well-packaged and good wine that’s badly packaged, so don’t read too much into the quality of a label. At the same time, it’s so important for a producer to come up with packaging that stands out on the shelf from hundreds of competitors.  The Australians underlined the importance of a label in the...

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