I was recently asked a question often posed by people just discovering that they enjoy drinking wine. I was asked how one discovers wines from regions of the world with which they may be unfamiliar. Good question, and easily remedied when you know the secret. However, you need a dependable wine nerd like me, or a good relationship with the most knowledgeable person in your local wine store, to be guided in the appropriate direction. My answer is quite simple: Put your palate in the hands of the most talented wine importers. There is a small band of clever wine importers who focus their …

I used to dream about visiting the moon. Then some bloke called Neil Armstrong beat me to it, and I lost interest. When I got older, I wanted to fly on the Concorde. I saved enough mileage points to achieve that dream. Then, life became dull and boring—no more grand ambitions left to fulfill. That was until I discovered the underrated Sauvignon Blanc grape, formerly of Bordeaux, France and now metamorphosing in the far flung reaches of New Zealand—as distant as the moon and as exciting as a supersonic pond hopper! The House of Nobilo is situated in Huapai, northwest of Auckland. The grapes …

I thrive on wine snobs, or “cork sniffers” as I call them. “So which Chateau is your current favorite?” they inquire, noses pointed skyward, arrogance dangling above their heads like an inflated halo about to be punctured by my nail of brutal honesty. I know they want the answer heavily accented with French vowels. “That’s easy!,” I respond, their ears trembling in anticipation of my revelation. I take a theatrical pause, reach up to polish my own puncture proof halo and answer: “Chateau Los Boldos.” “Really?” comes the response “never heard of that one – how long would it take me to get …

Wine drinkers will always return to the grape variety or region they have tried, tested and enjoyed. Often, the thickness of their wallets will guide them, perhaps foolishly, to a particular label. But please don’t forget about Argentina! The white Torrontes grape, widely grown in northwest Spain, is very heavily planted in Argentina. Alta Vista, a winery in the northern Argentina region of Salta, produces its Torrontes in the area of Cafayate, which has a micro-climate ideally suited to the grape variety—high altitude and excellent soil drainage. The winery maintains the grapes’ character …

I have a question. Though, maybe I shouldn’t ask, ‘cause what you don’t know won’t hurt you. I spend Sundays in the Garden State where my mother lives. It's also where my brother and his family live. I have, on occasion, popped into the local liquor stores—just to look, you understand: I’d never dream of procuring anything from that side of the Delaware. What I see is the same annoying display of wines that I see so often in many other states, and I’m not referring to the selections. I’m talking about the way the wines are stored on the shelves. It’s appalling! Far too many are standing …

If you’ve been locked in your wine cellar for the past few months and have finally come up for air, let me be the first to welcome you to the sweaty season. It's a season that I, for one, can’t deal with unless I have a libation close at hand to cool my heated behavior. As barbecue and picnic season heats up, summer chefs are discovering that a crisp, light white or red wine pairs well with warm-weather foods and makes an exciting alternative to beer. Although I am a devotee of summer beers, for me, they just don’t do the food complimenting as well as wine. The red wines don’t necessarily …

I was recently asked by a lady who recognized me in a liquor store to recommend appropriate reading material to guide her small wine-tasting group’s study of my favorite libation. Her husband is a doctor, and the nice lady said she was a voracious reader. I was flattered that they needed any help from me. Later that same day, I found myself in a store, overwhelmed by the number of portable electronic games, iPod wannabes and state-of-the-art-gadgetry that had been introduced since my last visit. It rendered me clueless and dumbfounded. On the drive home, I was thinking about the labyrinth of …

The ingredients of the perfect summer: convertible cars, the mellifluous voice on the radio describing the scene at the ballpark and picnics. I only wish whoever it was who invented ants, hadn’t! My earliest and fondest memories of summer were those halcyon days of childhood, enjoying our egg salad and tomato sandwiches while listening to the game on the single speaker car radio. And Ants! If you can overcome the insect issue and find a deliciously secluded spot on the map to open your basket and spread your tablecloth, you have discovered nirvana. Inner and outer peace will be accomplished. …

The French word “terroir” is tough to explain. It’s a combination of natural elements all coming together and creating the appropriate energy to make the perfect wine. So, it’s no surprise that some brilliantly talented Chilean winemakers have adopted the French word and given it the Spanish name “terruñyo.” That most famous of Chilean wineries—Concha y Toro— has even gone a step further and embraced the name for an entire range of wines. For this label, each grape variety grows and ripens within its own particular terruño, it’s own specific vineyard and micro climate, where the land and the …

Once upon a time in Portugal, on the island of Madeira, lived a grape called Verdelho. There’s not much of this grape being planted in that part of the world any longer, but amazingly enough it’s popped up in the hotter climes Down Under, once  again proving my point that we live on one vast vineyard. When a grape ends its reign on one piece of land, clever winemakers plant it in their neck of the woods, and magic happens. Many wine critics describe the juice from the Verdelho as lemony, vibrant and full bodied, but where would you find such a wine? Don’t give up hope, 'cos that’s just where …

British actor Albert Finney started things off for me with possibly the supreme triumph of his remarkable career – “The Gathering Storm.” Undoubtedly the greatest performance of his life and the finest portrayal of Britain’s most celebrated patriot: Sir Winston Churchill. After watching the film about a dozen times I popped across the Pond and made a visit to the underground War Rooms in Whitehall, where Churchill and his Cabinet commanded the annihilation of the silly little bully boy with the Chaplin mustache. Six more books and a 5-hour A&E documentary later, I am in awe of Winnie. I am …

Henry's Drive Pillar Box Red (PLCB code: 32052; $6.99) makes me smile. The label design, the name, the concept—how can it not make a Brit or an Aussie living in the U.S. a little bit homesick? Fond memories of childhood come rushing back to me. Even my last visit to Blighty is rekindled. It’s all down to the Royal Mail, that splendid postal system which exists both Down Under and in the land of its invention—Great Britain. A pillar box is red (No other color is acceptable.) and into its gaping mouth, you deposit the mail for the next collection. It is, in other words, a free-standing post box…

I can’t remember when or how my path was first intercepted by Anthony Iatesta. Probably the unlikeliest of wine trade inhabitants, Iatesta is a transplanted Philadelphian, a true Italian—not somebody with an Italian name separated from the mother country by two or three generations. This man is as Italian as a Gucci handbag or the Pope. (Bad analogy, sorry.) Anyway, somehow Iatesta has managed to survive in an industry controlled by multinational corporations. He is one of the region's "stealth aircraft," managing to operate below the radar unhindered by competition and, frankly, not much of …

It’s no secret that my favorite grape variety in the entire world is the Riesling. It’s what wine is all about—the very essence of wine appreciation, a grape with so much subtle nuance, it could have been a matinee idol with a pencil thin mustache. Riesling is such a smooth operator, I think it once understudied for Charles Boyer. Riesling was probably the best thing to ever come out of Germany. I mean, it was one of the only things that came out of Germany without annexing its neighbors. But to think of Riesling as a Germanic grape would be as shameful as suggesting that Cabernet only makes …

I’ve been on a quest for the best wines money can buy—or perhaps I should say, little money can buy—and I’ve come to the conclusion that Spain, long ignored by the trendy slurpers, offers more bang for the buck than a bucketload of pyrotechnics on the Fourth of July.  My discovery (thanks to Jill Weber, of Jet Wine Bar on South Street in Philadelphia, who introduced me to the wine) sounds more like something from Tolkien’s Lord Of The Rings. I’ve fallen in love with an unfashionable grape from an un-hip region at a totally un-snooty price. Yes! Another supreme triumph: Arabako Txakolina …

I’m convinced I’ve got some Italian blood pumping through my veins. Maybe my mother’s kept a dark secret from me all these years. When I’m out grazing, it’s nearly always in Italian restaurants. Even when we’re on vacation or when I’m working the “other” side of the pond, I manage to find a comfortable Italian restaurant to slip into. It fits me well, and in the past I was a self-confessed creature of habit. Very often, while perusing the menu in an Italian restaurant, I’d order a bottle of an innocuous wine simply because I knew it wouldn’t overwhelm my taste buds and would fill the …

I’d like to take the credit for all the wine  “discoveries” I’ve made over the years —the affordable gems I’ve found from the world’s vast vineyard—but the credit must be given to all the clever wine importers and distributors with whom I’ve enjoyed a remarkable relationship. In some cases, it spans the 30 years I’ve been involved in the wine world this side of the Atlantic. I’m in an enviable position, as I can swim in the river that begins the moment the grapes are picked and ends on our shelves where we find the product. Along the way, I have access to the various people who sprinkle magic…

In 1982, Fred Cline founded Cline Cellars in Oakley, CA. He subscribes to what the French call “terroir,” the fusion of climate, soil and of the personality of the region. In 1991, Cline relocated to the Carneros region of Sonoma County. He became a “Rhone Ranger,” one of a small band of winemakers pioneering the planting of  varietals that thrive in France’s Rhone Valley. Take, for example, the Viognier which originates from the Condrieu and Chateau-Grillet appellations of the northern Rhone.  Currently, there are approximately 2,000 acres of this varietal planted in California. Viognier …

I’ve been having Martha Stewart moments for a while now. The doctor says it’s perfectly normal, especially given my age. My wife and daughter insist anything vaguely odd or quirky is strictly a result of being born and raised in London and dismiss my peculiarities at gatherings by suggesting—"Just ignore him, and he’ll go away." Martha Stewart moments are an important feature of my “wine-tertaining,” and I’m often the first to admit, "And that’s a good thing." It has nothing to do with recommendations of brilliant stocks to trade or what color nail polish to wear when serving Chilean Merlot. …

The question I’m most asked with incredible frequency is this—“So what’s your favorite wine?” Usually, my response is, “The one I don’t have to pay for.” But lately, perhaps mellowing with age (yeah, go on, say it: "like a fine wine"), I’ve changed my answer to one of complete honesty. I am totally head over heels in love with Sauvignon Blanc. I’ve confessed this many times before, and my wife is no longer jealous of the grape that has stolen my heart. It would seem an easy grape to turn into wine without destroying the integrity of the varietal, but there I would be wrong. I have had the sad…