Wine Blog

How Pandora Slipped Past the Junkyard – New York Times

How Pandora Slipped Past the Junkyard New York Times Tim Westergren recently sat in a Las Vegas penthouse suite, a glass of red wine in one hand and a truffle-infused Kobe beef burger in the other, … and more »

60 Minutes Producer John Tiffin Dies at 80 – CBS News

CBS News

60 Minutes Producer John Tiffin Dies at 80 CBS News Perhaps their most prominent story is often credited by the wine industry with popularizing red wine in the US In 1991, Tiffin and Safer collaborated on the … and more »

Hidden Wine Country: Including Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino (Hidden Travel)

Customer Review: A highly recommended “take-along” guide
From historic wineries in California’s Sonoma and Napa Counties to back roads, lodging in small retreats, and dining in recommended establishments, Hidden Wine Country seeks to uncover less-traveled roads in the Wine Country – and does it successfully. Hidden Wine Country is quite an achievement for an area over-saturated with publicity: the authors specialize in finding the unusual, quality experience. Hidden Wine Country is a highly recommended “take-along” guide.

Pandora Sees a Big Future: Heir to FM – New York Times

Pandora Sees a Big Future: Heir to FM New York Times Tim Westergren recently sat in a Las Vegas penthouse suite, a glass of red wine in one hand and a truffle-infused Kobe beef burger in the other, … and more »

Blood and Wine: Unauthorized Story of the Gallo Wine Empire
An account of financial and personal scandal at the Gallo winery describes how Ernest Gallo’s legal action against his brother, Joe–who wished to use the Gallo name for his cheese company–revealed long-hidden Gallo secrets. 40,000 first printing. Tour.

Customer Review: Wine is thicker than blood . . .
I first heard about the conflict in the Gallo family through a series of articles published in the Los Angeles Times in the late 80s/early ’90s. It was interesting even then, so when I recently ran across this book, it was a given that I’d read it. Hawkes produced a well-researched book: at the end there’s almost 50 pages of annotated notes. She interviewed members of the Gallo family, former employees, and delved into public records and many courtroom filings.

The first 3/4 of the book – which fill us in on the Gallo family history and the founding of the winery – is the most interesting. While the business accomplishments of the family are notable, the family dynamics between the brothers are odd, to say the least. Unfortunately, the narrative in the last 1/4 of the book, which details the suits and countersuits, lags considerably. The book slows down and gets entangled in all the legal arguments, which is unfortunate. Nevertheless, the book is still a worthwhile read.

Customer Review: A little dry in the middle
If you’re in the business you should read this book.

New York looks to wine sales to close budget gap – Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times

New York looks to wine sales to close budget gap Los Angeles Times Those who support grocery store wine sales point out that not everyone in the state lives in New York City, where it's common to be just a few minutes' walk … and more »

Wine: From Grape to Glass
The ultimate guide for wine lovers who want to understand where their favorite wines are grown, how they are produced, and how best to savor them.

Internationally acclaimed wine expert Jens Priewe has written the book for the contemporary wine consumer who drinks what he or she likes–one day a grand, awe-inspiring vintage; the next, an unknown wine from a country whose name has only recently appeared on the wine maps of the world. Priewe explains why some wines cost hundreds of dollars while others cost only ten. He provides a key to the complex language of wine and illuminates the science of wine making while honoring the art that creates great wines.

About half of the book is devoted to the wine-making process itself, including everything from why wine grows best in poor soil to why a wine matures faster in a small barrel than in a large one. The other half, including the new topics covered in this edition, examines the best wines of the world, country by country, and guides the reader to an understanding of the intricacies of wine tasting and appreciation. The text has been fully updated throughout and is illustrated with more than 1,000 color images from computer graphics that explain the invisible processes of wine making to photographs of individual vineyards by the world’s best wine photographers. Wine will quench the thirst for knowledge that true wine lovers feel rising within them whenever they uncork a bottle of fine wine.

Other Details: 1,000 full-color illustrations.

Customer Review: A Wine Authority and Stunning Images
I manage an online multimedia class on Wine Appreciation and this book is the benchmark. Comprehensive simplicity is achieved throughout, and the images are the best of any wine book on the market. For each region, there are ariel photos, where each winery site is identified for famous areas like Berdeuox, Napa, the Piedmont, etc. This is a perfect book for anyone who loves wine, regarless of prior knowledge.

Customer Review: Great content, beautiful photographs
What first stuck me about this book is its visual beauty. Every single page has illustrations, maps, or stunning photographs which cover every imaginable step in the wine-making process. This book manages to give a wide overview of the considerations that go into making a wine, from “grape to glass”, but also provides a fascinating level of detail. This book would be perfect for a wine lover who wants to know more, or even as a reference book for a library.