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Wine, and the world that surrounds it, continuously amazes me.  Whether making, drinking, buying, selling, talking or writing about it, this libation is endlessly fascinating. I often find myself in situations that seem like they’ve been plucked directly out of a movie or book, those things you only hear about in stories.  This past weekend …

Vinitaly — the event held each March that (pretty much) everybody in the Italian wine business has visited…at least once.  It’s overwhelming, chaotic, impossible to park, and even more impossible to find a clean bathroom, but all in all, worth it.  It’s a chance for trade and the common wine lover to visit Italy’s most …

The Versilia, along the Tuscan coast in the province of Lucca, is a resort area generally known for its nightlife and as a hot spot for VIPs. Riviera locales such as Forte dei Marmi and Viareggio are legendary holiday destinations for some of Italy’s most famous faces with their wide, sandy beaches packed with umbrellas, …

I was in New York on Friday to attend Gambero Rosso’s Tre Biccheri tasting tour. This is a large event showcasing more than 200 of the top, newly-released Italian wines.  Each year at around this time they travel across the U.S., making stops in San Francisco, New York City and Chicago.  While primarily directed to …

When I imagine combining three of my favorite things — France, wine, and skiing — I also envision $$$.  A few weeks ago this illusion of mine was surprisingly disproved, and quite convincingly.  Let me explain… On January 20th I attended the 84th annual Marché aux Vins Côte Rôtie tasting in Ampuis (Northern Rhône Valley …

I just returned from a fantastic weekend in Telluride, Colorado at the Wine Berserkers first annual Ski, Wine and Dine event. A group of ~35 friends old and new got together over three days to finally meet in person and share their passion for wine surrounded by the incomparable ski slopes and vistas of Telluride. …

February is a good month for Italian wine aficionados in the U.S. Two of Italy’s most important references for food and wine, Slow Food and Gambero Rosso, are hitting the road to present the new 2012 editions of their wine guides, Slow Wine and Vini d’Italia respectively.  Each of the tours will stop in three …

As a recent French transplant, I looked forward to this year’s 151st Hospices de Beaune with particular anticipation and curiosity.  I grew up in California’s wine industry and I am no stranger to wine events, but have to admit I was awestruck at the thought of attending the O.G. of all wine events.  Hospices de …

This year’s 2011 edition marked the 20th anniversary of the Merano Wine Festival, the swanky wine fair held each year in the fairytale village of the festival’s namesake, Merano, at the foot of the Dolomite Mountains in the Alto Adige region of northeastern Italy.  In the guise of VinConnect’s Italian director, I had the opportunity …

“It’s about time.” If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it dozens of times, whenever I explain to consumers, wineries and various people throughout the wine industry about what we’re doing at VinConnect. We hear it so often because what we are pursuing is not only long overdue, but also unique. Launching this blog lets …