Wine Blogs

One of my favorite moments in wine was a visit to Robert Craig Winery on Howell Mountain on a cool January day (2017). The drive, the view, the company, the wine, creating memories. An even better day was an invitation to their release party on top of the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood. On that evening, we were randomly paired with...

Welcome to the Vintage Cellars Blog Reboot V.2020! We started the Vintage Cellars blog about wine storage and custom wine cellars way back in 2009. Originally, we were inspired by the members of the wine blogging community – those folks who enthusiastically blog about every subject from new and exciting wines being grown, to wine events happening around the country...

Welcome to the Vintage Cellars Blog! Why start a blog about wine storage and custom wine cellars now? Well, we have been inspired by the members of the wine blogging community – those folks who enthusiastically blog about every subject from new and exciting wines being grown, to wine events happening around the country and the globe, to new laws...

The first question one might ask is, “Why does anybody need a reason for wine?” Wine, whatever variety you prefer, is a reason unto itself. Having said this, there are those who might feel some wines need justification, namely roseʹ. This wasn't always the case, and it’s certainly not the case in southern France, now or at any time. Roseʹ...

It sometimes happens that we get fantastic wine recommendations we just have to pass along, and here are two by Natalie Maclean, the creator of the useful app Nat Decants we reviewed in May.  In a recent a e-mail, Natalie suggested we try the 2010 Sileni Estates Sauvignon Blanc Selection, and the 2009 Perrin Les Cornuds Vinsobres.  Here’s what Natalie...

The dry, floral, refreshing roses that hail from Provence have about as much in common with those California wines as a Cabernet has with a glass of icewine. About the roses of Provence The Romans brought wine-making to Provence before the birth of Christ, and the region has been carrying on this tradition for more than 2,500 years. Today, Provence...

As most wine connoisseurs are well aware, the Santa Lucia Highlands have been receiving a great deal of positive attention over the last ten years in spite of the fact that the region is a relatively small part of California's immense AVAs (American Viticultural Areas). The Santa Lucia Mountains separate the Salinas Valley from the Carmel Valley within sight of...

Battle of the Giants The average wine drinker in America is not a connoisseur;  in fact,  far from it.  Most Americans who drink wine drink it because they like it  and they really don’t care about the factors which give wine its taste and body.  Most people can't relate the price of a wine to the quality they can expect...

If you're interested in improving the breadth and depth of your wine collection by buying fine wines at auction, this piece will give you a brief overview of how to get started, what to expect, and who the major players in the US market are. A Little Commerce, A Lot Of Theater Participating in a wine auction has been described...

I'm going to spend the next few minutes convincing you of the truth of this article's title, and I'm going to do it using two real life men and two fictional characters. Before we start though, some men might not even know exactly what champagne is.  In a nutshell, it's wine, but wine from one very particular part of the...

The vast majority of the wine-drinking public are blissfully ignorant of the fine details of wine. Most are happy to drink wine out of any glass, regardless of the size, shape, or thickness, and don’t have a clue about why a wine glass should have a stem. There are those in this majority, however, who do have a glimmer about...

The world’s best wines come from France. This is indisputable, although other regions of the world are growing in popularity. However, ninety percent of the world’s investment wines come from the Bordeaux region of France. So, the three tours listed here are all in France, through the areas of Bordeaux and Burgundy. The finest vintages of these wines are grown...

When is a bottle of wine more than just something you open at dinner parties? When you use it as an investment vehicle. If you're contemplating investing in wines then you probably already know the advantages, especially the not-so-small detail that there's no Capital Gains Tax on wines. What you're possibly not as sure of is exactly which vintages you...

Opinions on whether you should decant fine wine run the gamut from never to always. As is typical with this kind of charged subject the answer will depend on your understanding of what decanting does for and to fine wine. Once you understand the reasoning and the process you can make intelligent decisions concerning the wines in your cellar. Reasons...

It's a common dilemma. Your wife has planned a special meal, and is determined to offer her famous Chocolate Truffle Surprise for desert. Or you are dining at a great restaurant, and you just have to try their renowned chocolate mousse. You want to carry on drinking wine through the desert course and on to the cheese, but, wine and...

Interestingly, arguments rage as to what was actually the most expensive bottle of wine ever sold. You need to take account of inflation. There are private sales which are just rumored, of fabulous, near mythical wines which never reach the open market. Then of course, we need to make a distinction for size, and between red and white, and perhaps...

The history of American wine making goes back to the very first settlers, who arrived to find that there were wild grapes growing which could make wine of a sort. In fact, it's possible that indigenous people were making wine long before this, but unfortunately we don't have any reliable records to prove that. The wine that was made from...

There is a tendency among those who know no better to serve every kind of drink at as close to sub-zero temperatures as possible. What do you say to your dear friend who, when you arrive at their house for dinner, takes your proffered bottle of fine claret and declares, “Don”t worry, we'll put that straight in the fridge, it'll...

We wine lovers can be a bit, well, snobbish! Or perhaps a politer way of describing us is, discerning. Not for us the $4.99 jug of alcoholic grape juice stacked up at the end of the supermarket aisle. No, we have refined palettes, educated tastes and we wouldn't dream of sullying our favorite indulgence. Actually, that's not true, is it...

There is nothing more decadent than enjoying a glass of wine, paired perfectly with a scrumptious meal. Wine has an indescribable way of extricating the most subtle flavors from the cuisine you’re enjoying and from the spirits themselves. Traditionally, white wine is served chilled, whereas red wine is presented at room temperature. Red wines don’t typically fall under the umbrella...