Napa vintner is distilling sauvignon blanc vodka and selling it as varietal and vintage. Samples of wine and spirits can now be poured in California grocery stores. SIPPED: boom times. Wine auctions brought in a total of $408 million, nearly doubling the 2009 take according to Peter Meltzer. Bottoms up! SIPPED: chemicals. MORE >>

So grab a glass of wine, throw another log on the fire, grab a sandwich, channel your inner wine geek, and listen to John opine on the topics of natural wines, zero dosage champagne, some pitfalls of collecting, 2007 vintage for Port and in the Rhone, the nobility of chenin blanc, the Piedmont producer Produttori del Barbaresco and more! MORE >>

During a panel section on Chenin Blanc, I remember how he made a clear point between Chenin Blanc and “Steen” which is what this ubiquitous grape had been called in S. The basic message is that Chenin Blanc is a quality grape in its own right, and deserves respect. Chenin Blanc has been S. Africa for many decades. News S. MORE >>

But I do want to share a little bit: 1994 Stony Hill Napa Valley Chardonnay , price unknown. Stony Hill has for decades been making Napa Chardonnay that pleases the old world palate, and the wines are affordable. I've never had a wine like it, never mind a Sauvignon Blanc like it. Is this even made from grapes? MORE >>

"Have you tasted their Sauvignon Blanc? " To be clear, we are speaking of the 2007 Sauvignon Blanc from the Arkenstone Vineyards estate in Howell Mountain. And "rock" is the appropriate word, for even though this is a California Sauvignon Blanc, the minerality is incredible. It rocks!" MORE >>