Author Archive

The key to success for regional wine is not so much about quality or even pricing. It’s about producing wine that reflects the place where it is made. Regional wine will never be successful if it’s nothing more than a knockoff of what’s being done elsewhere — and where it’s … more

The first time time I tasted the Tormaresca chardonnay, I knew two things. First, that Italian chardonnay was not something most people wanted to write about. The Italians had plenty of other white wine grapes; what were they doing messing around with chardonnay? The other thing I knew was that … more

Set those digital recorders. I’ll be on Channel 11, sometime after 5:30 a.m. on Friday, to talk about the Texas wine garden and wine stage at the State Fair of Texas. I’m told I’ll even get a chance to display my corkscrew skills. And, no, that’s not too early to … more

My column in the East Dallas magazine this month takes a look at the disaster that is the city’s animal services department, why voters and taxpayers don’t seem to care, and what the latest scandal says about how poorly the city is run. One would think that if we don’t … more

Inexpensive cabernet sauvignon tends to be obviously flawed in one way or another — too much oak (or poorly done oak), too much fruit (or way too much fruit), uneven tannins, or green, unripe fruit. That’s because cabernet is not always easy to make and it’s almost always more expensive … more

Dallas’ average high temperature in October starts at 83 degrees — and, thankfully, drops to 72 by the end of the month. Which means it’s time to enjoy red wine again.

I needed a couple of bottles of wine for dinner, but didn’t want to make a special trip to a wine store. So I looked for wine when I was out running errands, using my advice about buying wine for dinner.

The result was the Dry Creek ($10, purchased, available … more

This wine has been taunting me for months, daring me to try it. And I would walk past it, ignoring it, refusing to be tempted by what I thought was a previous vintage from an ordinary part of France made by a run-of-the-mill producer with a label that seemed to … more

One of the perks of writing about wine are trade tastings, where producers and importers offer samples of their various wines. At a recent Dallas trade tasting, two of my favorite Gascon wines were in attendance — Domaine Duffour and Domaine du Tariquet.

Getting to taste them reminded me how … more

Where has this wine been all my life? It does everything a great cheap wine should — reflects its origins, pairs with food, and doesn’t cost a lot of money. Make room in the Hall of Fame, as well as the wine closet, since I’m buying a case.

The basics, … more