Blog Index

James Laube

Bad Corks? They're Still With Us

Posted: 01:08 PM ET, 01/06/09

There are days in our tasting room in Napa when we think the cork jinx might be broken, and by cork jinx, of course, I mean TCA-tainted corks. We'll go through a flight or two of wines and there won't be any spoiled wines. Then the curse returns.

Moldy, defective corks have been perhaps the biggest curse facing our generation of wine drinkers. Read more

Harvey Steiman

In Australia, Shiraz Makes Cabernet Sing

Posted: 12:45 PM ET, 01/05/09

Some Australian wine observers believe that blends of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon are better than either varietal on its own. There’s even a wine competition exclusively for those wines, called The Great Australian Red, the brainchild of Tyson Stelzer (who contributes articles from Australia for Wine Spectator). Read more

James Laube

Wine as Art is Best Enjoyed on Its Own Terms

Posted: 12:35 PM ET, 01/05/09

I drank hundreds of great wines last year and it’s impossible for me to single out one wine or experience or memory over another.

I shared great wines with my colleagues, complete strangers and close friends. I drank serious wines in blind tastings at work. Read more

James Suckling

Supermarket Nation

Posted: 11:58 AM ET, 01/05/09

As you may know from reading my recent posts, I have been in Southern California for the last week with my two children to visit their grandparents. I surprisingly have done a lot of cooking. It has been out of survival, for the most part, because my mother is not a very good cook, though she has other good qualities. Read more

James Suckling

The Fact of the Matter on New Year's Eve

Posted: 01:37 PM ET, 12/31/08

I just read a story from the Sunday Times of London that Château Latour, the famous first-growth estate in Bordeaux, is looking for a buyer. And I had to laugh. Anything is possible, but I know that it isn't. Read more

2008 Harvest

Assessing the Wines of our Labors

Posted: 12:02 PM ET, 12/31/08

Posted by Barbara Kronenberg-Widmer

Now that the 2008 Tuscany harvest has come to an end and the wines are tucked away in the barrels, it is time to develop an initial conclusion. I must say that I am really happy about this vintage. Read more

James Laube

Last Minute Wine Advice for a New Year's Eve Party

Posted: 01:08 PM ET, 12/30/08

My good friend Trish is co-hosting a fancy New Year’s Eve party here in Napa. It’s a black-tie affair, with a sit-down dinner for 50, followed by dancing, and if I know Trish, her party will rock til dawn. She has hired a limo service for the entire evening so no one has to drive. Read more

Harvey Steiman

Anything but Champagne for New Year’s Eve?

Posted: 11:46 AM ET, 12/30/08

A few years back, my wife and I left a big New Year’s Eve party early. The music was great, the crowd was pleasant, but we realized we hardly knew anyone there and we were tired. We got home in time to open a bottle of Château d'Yquem, pour a couple of glasses and settle into our hot tub under a nearly full moon as the echoes of fireworks and cheers of “Happy New Year!” echoed on the hillsides of San Francisco. Read more

James Suckling

The Envelope Please

Posted: 10:41 AM ET, 12/30/08

The wines I drank last night were very good, even excellent. I opted for two Syrahs that I had never tasted but were mentioned in your comments in my Dec. 4 blog: 2006 Owen Roe Syrah Ex Umbris Columbia Valley ($27) and Kinton Syrah Santa Barbara County ($22). Read more

2008 Harvest

Learning from Eddie Pisoni

Posted: 10:20 AM ET, 12/30/08

Posted by Adam Lee

A friend of mine, Eddie Pisoni, passed away last week. And while it is sad for me and for the many others that knew Eddie, it really wasn’t tragic. Eddie was 90 years old and had health problems for quite a few years. Read more

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