Champagne – THE GRAPE BELT

Fizz Worth Finding

It hasn’t been that long since the canned wines from Drew Baker at Old Westminster Winery in Maryland surprised me in all sorts of good ways. But when I looked recently at the other samples he had sent, I was less than thrilled. He had offered to send a few bottles for me to try, […]

by Tom Riley

The High Costs of Low Prices

Part of the WSET’s Diploma studies is the composition of a research paper that focuses on some of the more pressing issues currently at play in the global wine industry. The following is my look at the challenges created when discounting becomes standard operating procedure. This paper received a passing grade of Distinction, and so […]

by Tom Riley

Look Both Ways Before Crossing

The past year was filled with so many wonderful moments and even more delicious wines that it is impossible to count them all. Before uncorking 2015, I thought it would be worthwhile to mention some things that stood out in 2014, and offer a few modest, obtainable goals for the new year. The visit my […]

by Tom Riley

Making Sense Of Champagne

After four-plus days in Burgundy, it was time to continue our wine education and drive north to Champagne, specifically the town of Verzy, where we planned to stay with Yvonne and Jiles Halling. Yvonne is the operator of the popular B&B Les Molyneaux, and her husband, Jiles, a former executive with Moet & Chandon, is […]

by Tom Riley

Hands-On Learning

In the next month and a half, The Grape Belt will be on the road in pursuit of some advanced wine education. You can read about wine all you want, but going out and meeting the grapes in person is the best way to learn. Seeing the vineyards up close and talking with the winemakers […]

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

Resolved: More Good, Less Bad

No matter how you feel about New Year’s resolutions, taking stock of the past and looking to the future is always a beneficial exercise, regardless of the pain brought on by insight or the regrets over opportunities lost. I tend not to regret much. I can’t change the past, but I can make an effort to […]