While Galloni had only been to California and Burgundy twice before assuming his coverage of those areas, it’s not immediately clear if Martin, in particular, has been ever been to and tasted in the regions of his new assignment. He was an importer of German wines. He will add Oregon and Washington to this list. wine writing MORE >>

Let’s turn the floor over to John for his views from the cellar… Mayacamas Vineyards is one of the greatest cabernet sauvignon producers in the history of California. John Gilman, author of the newsletter A View from the Cellar , weighs in today with his thoughts on Mayacamas Vineyards. 2015-2050. superb vintage for Mayacamas. MORE >>

Rather risky, don’t you think, to put a California sparkling wine up for comparison among some of the best houses in Champagne? “Of course, I can detect a California sparkler!&# Unique among California sparkling wine houses, Schramsberg ferments 25 percent of its juice in oak barrels. Schram and J. schramsberg. MORE >>

Will Yao Ming’s small production wine boost all of California wine in China? Score inflation is rampant and remains the biggest threat to scores themselves. The Mayans forecast a cataclysmic finish for 2012. Will dogmatism die? ” Will prices of European wines fall if the euro weakens? Dream on. Transparency is key. MORE >>

Meanwhile he heaped praise on the Marcassin handing out high scores and calling it “prodigious.&# I asked the Advocate’s new Burgundy critic Galloni what he was going to do try to recapture that; Galloni will also review California wines for the publication and it will be interesting to see his opinions of Marcassin.) MORE >>