An item on Bloomberg yesterday detailed how Spaniards are drinking less wine, which has prompted Spanish wineries to pursue export markets more. From this perspective, it’s partially understandable why Spanish wineries might want to pay a fee to invite Wine Advocate critic Jay Miller to their regions. But that sales strategy is sooo 1990s! MORE >>

Orange wines are sweeping the nation! Well, something like that. These white wines emerge from their fermentation on the grape skins with a rich, sometimes orange, hue. Since orange is the color of the season, it’s particularly apt to discuss, if not try, orange wines now. Do they tell diners to call in advance? Do they use aerators? MORE >>

It's Halloween night and I just want to relax, sip a nice wine, eat a little cheese and sample some of the sweet goodies in the Trick or Treat bowl. Forget the relaxing, but three out of four is not bad. Nice and soft mouthfeel with some Finger Lakes mineral, lime and green apple. The finish was dry, long and citrusy. riesling Finger Lakes MORE >>

so now we are having beer (!) waiting for our 7pm dinner and what a fabulous day we have had at the Palais Coburg, viewing multi-million dollar wine cellars and meeting the celebrities of the wine world. Of the 20 students, five of us (all women) are MW students, with the rest being sommeliers. MORE >>

I've posted earlier that Rioja is my favorite or at least one of my favorite autumn wines. Don't ask why, I don't really know why, but it is. Last week-end I stopped by one of the many nearby wine and spirits shops to pick up a bottle of Chianti for Shirley's spaghetti sauce and found this inexpensive Rioja on the store's "picks of the week" rack. MORE >>