Bordeaux – THE GRAPE BELT

Vive la France!

One of the beautiful things about wine is that it is an infinite subject. You can never learn it all. And, if you could, as soon as you did, there would be more to learn. Wine will always be too big for us to get our arms and heads around. But that doesn’t stop a […]

by Tom Riley

A Bit Of Bordeaux In Napa

If you’re a lover of American wine, and eager to know more about its upper echelon, then a visit to Spottswoode is a must. Long regarded as one of the top producers of cabernet sauvignon in the Napa Valley, Spottswoode draws favorable comparisons to the top chateaux in Bordeaux, where, in the wineries along the Left Bank of […]

by Tom Riley

Jordan Vineyard And Winery — Take Another Look

Here’s another take on my recent visit to Jordan Vineyard and Winery, just outside of Healdsburg in the heart of Sonoma County. I can’t believe it took me so many years to visit this magical, hidden treasure. Don’t make the same mistake. If you’ve not been, plan to get there soon. If you’ve been there […]

by Tom Riley

So Few Places Like Jordan

If you set out to visit Jordan Vineyard and Winery expecting it to be like some of the other wineries you’ve been to, you’re going to be sorely disappointed. Jordan doesn’t have many of the same things that most wineries offer. Jordan doesn’t have crowds. They don’t have guests two and three deep at a […]

by Tom Riley

Wine In Normandy — Off To A Predicted Poor Start

Just before leaving Alameda, a local wine merchant pointed out that Normandy was a land bereft of wine, but overflowing in Calvados, their famous apple brandy named for the department or state where it was invented and where it reigns supreme. Being an invincible optimist, I remained confident that I would find some good wine […]

by Tom Riley

Wine in Paris, Or Paying Attention In French Class

I just got back from a week in Paris, which is something I don’t get to say or write nearly often enough. While there I was struck by many things regarding the place of wine in the French culture. The five I’ve listed below are all things that American diners, restaurants, and wine producers should […]

by Tom Riley

Doing Wine The Right Way

The wine world is a complex place, not often open to Manichaenistic compartmentalizing. You cannot look at things wine-related and say, necessarily, this is good, that is bad. So, it comes as no surprise that the places that gave me fits on my recent trip to NYC were some of the same places where I […]

by Tom Riley

Birthday Weekend Wines

Some folks celebrate their birthday on a single day, which is certainly appropriate. This year I had some smart friends and relatives encourage me, because my birthday fell on a Friday, to make it a full weekend. I’m a pleaser by nature so I agreed. Reluctantly, of course. Here are a few of the wines […]

by Tom Riley

Geek Of The Week — Claret

A recent note from one of my older brothers stopped me in my tracks. Despite being a well-read and worldly man, and one who certainly loves a good glass of wine, he admitted that he didn’t really know what the word claret meant. If he didn’t know, how many other folks who love wine don’t understand […]