by admin | Mar 12, 2012 | Blog
n One of the classes I teach throughout the course of the year is given at the Rudd Center at the CIA in St. Helena (the other CIA, that is). It’s called “Mastering Wine II.” The class is a continuation of, you guessed it, Mastering Wine I which was designed and...
by admin | Mar 10, 2012 | Blog
n Walt Disney Productions “When the wagon of love breaks down under the baggage of life.”Wine service is not rocket science. It’s definitely not neuro-surgery. In fact, the process of opening a bottle, be it still or sparkling, is really straightforward. There’s only...
by admin | Mar 7, 2012 | Blog
n Service exams can be incredibly challenging for the student in that they demand the polished skills of a top sommelier, great depth of knowledge of wines and spirits, and some real savvy when it comes to food and wine pairing. When coaching students in service, I...
by admin | Mar 2, 2012 | Blog
n Double Bond came across my radar through a good friend and colleague. This small Central Coast winery was founded by biochemist John Klacking. The winemaking team is headed up by retired physicist John Thunen, who has a long successful track record in small batch...
by admin | Feb 29, 2012 | Blog
n Yesterday a tasting of outstanding Baroli from Fontanafredda, one of the top producers in Piedmont. While still unmistakably Nebbiolo in terms of character and tannin, I found the wines to be remarkably sleek, stylish and complex, capable of an easy 30 years in the...
by admin | Feb 26, 2012 | Blog
n I remember the first time I ever paid for a professional tasting of any kind. It was the summer of 1987 and I was in North Beach at Singer & Foy, a now defunct retailer then located just off Washington Square. The tasting listed in their mailer that day was, if...
