First Report on Wines of Crete

I just returned late last week from a delightful trip to Crete, mainly to taste the wines, but also to meet winemakers and to enjoy the Greek island's food and culture. I will be writing several in-depth stories, but first impressions are at www.isantemagazine.com. I visited several wineries and vineyards, including the stunning mountaintop estate, pictured above, at Domaine Zacharioudakis near Plouti not far from the southern coast and the Libyan Sea.

Now Posted to Details.com - California's Small-Batch Bubblies

Just posted to Details.com, the online site for Details magazine, my article on the best California small-batch sparkling wines, that state's answer to France's grower Champagnes. More at http://www.details.com/blogs/daily-details/2013/06/californias-best-small-batch-sparkling-wines.html.

More from Sommelier Journal: Feature on Va La Vineyards

The July 15 issue of Sommelier Journal on its way to your mailbox has my four-page feature on Va La Vineyards - or you can check it out soon at the Sommelier Journal website. Here's a preview...

In May's Sommelier Journal: Report on Cloudy Bay Forage

In the New Issue of Sante: Washington's Old Ebbitt Grill

A Drinker's Notebook #6: Connecting All the Bottles

Stefano Inama and Eric Miller are two of my favorite winemakers - not only do they know how to get what they want out of the grapes they grow, they also are good conversionalists, not only about winegrowing but about whatever topic you may want to bring up. "Am I still a winemaker?" Eric asks over our BYOB dinner at Twelves restaurant in West Grove. Ella and I have known Lee and Eric almost from the time they first established Chaddsford Winery over 25 years ago. "Of course, you are," I say. "Once a winemaker, always a winemaker, even if you are temporarily a retired one." Twelves is one of our favorite restaurants, true to its "grill and cafe" subtitle. Tonight, I am making a second introduction of winemaker Miller to winemaker Inama through the latter's wines. The Millers are visiting the Veneto in the fall, and I suggested they drop by Inama's winery and vineyards in Soave - that's now on the calendar. And as I had recently received Inama samples from Dalla Terra, his U.S. agent, I thought they would go well with Tim Smith's cuisine. And so we start off with Inama's 100% Garganega "Vigneti di Foscarino," a single-vineyard Soave Classico, which I have with sauteed calamari. Next comes the Inama Carmenere "Piu" (with 30% Merlot), which I have with Tim's very succulent lamb chops. Of course, the Millers have brought wines as well, including an older red Burgundy and a sparkler from Clos Pepe. Hold on to your seatbelts; it's going to be a long evening...

In the current Intermezzo: Foraging in California wilds

Foraging was common practice growing up on a hillside farm in West Virginia - wild greens, blackberries by the bucket, walnuts and hickory nuts,sassafras tea, an occasional squirrel or rabbit. I got back to my roots, so to speak, in the mountains of Mendocinio and Marin counties of California for this text-and-pix piece for Intermezzo. Unlike with the city sidewalks, what you almost step on there may be something good to eat.