My latest (greatest?) hits

Sparkling wine tastes better when drunk in the street

First things first: Go Giants! If you're in northern California and you're not shaking off a hangover today, where were you?

Since I was busy watching baseball when I could have been blogging -- my priorities are in order -- it's a good Monday for a greatest hits post. Normally I like to post something here tipping off readers to some of the work I publish elsewhere. While I was gone, a few items ran that I think you'll enjoy.

Schloss Vollrads winemaker Rowald Hepp

Just before I left dive paradise for home, I got an email from Wine Review Online editor Michael Franz saying he'd lost my column, and did I have another copy? Oh no, Michael, that was a great one!

But turns out he looked behind the refrigerator or something and resurrected the story of how the world's oldest winery has rebounded from times so perilous 15 years ago that its owner shot himself in the head.


Schloss Vollrads is celebrating the 800th anniversary of its oldest bill of sale, and thanks to refocusing on making high quality Riesling, there will be an 801st anniversary.

My monthly column for Palate Press was about struggling with wine tasting notes. For some people who write about wine, it's their favorite part, but for me, it's the work I have to do to get to the good stuff. That is drinking a bottle of good wine while interviewing an interesting winemaker. I won't try to give anyone a manifesto for tasting notes, but the article does explain how I personally try to write them.

Siduri owner/winemaker Adam Lee is one of the winners of my grape pH competition, and he has asked for the opportunity to turn the tables on me, interviewing me while we taste wines blind. All right, Adam, you're on -- look for this one in November.

In the meantime, you can read this Q&A I did with Washington-based publicist Bob Silver, who wanted to know how Washington wineries could get my (or by extension, any wine writer's) attention. Silver intended it for the industry, especially young PR people, but it's worth looking at the photo taken of me just after I got stung by a wasp in a vineyard in Champagne, a photo I like anyway because rarely am I dressed so well in a vineyard (or, frankly, anywhere). But you know, France, dukes and barons and shit, appetizer forks -- I just feel better in a suit jacket.

Rob Davis with John and Sally Jordan

While I'm linking to some previously published stuff, as we prepare for another Giants' victory parade, check out this interview from 2010 with Jordan winemaker Rob Davis, a huge Giants fan who might have jinxed them in 2002. We can laugh about it now.

A minor announcement here: look for some posts soon from Turkey, where Vinography's Alder Yarrow and I are off to attend the European Wine Blogger's Conference. Can't wait to try some more Turkish wines and, since I'll be there on election day, try to explain to Europeans what the hell we were thinking.

In the meantime, hoy esta el dia de los Gigantes.

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