Michael Apstein
Have you heard of Manchuela? It is a very small, rather new D.O. in Spain that makes quality white, rose, and red wine. Recently, winemakers from the region presented their wines to journalists at a lunch in New York with commentary from wine educator Michael Apstein.
The native grape of the region is Bobal, which [...]
Antonio (standing)
One of the best things about being a wine writer is the opportunity to meet really great people. Wine producers always seem to be so genuinely friendly and nice. Of course, they are sales peole by necessity, yet every single wine person I’ve met has always been incredibly sincere and passionate about their product.
This [...]
Taylor Mason, Resident Chef
…. it seems like I’ve been going to the Napa Valley every few weeks this year. Only February, and I’ve been in late January for the Master of Wine educational seminar and just last week, the Symposium for Professional Wine Journalists and the Premiere Napa Valley Barrel Auction. Usually Yountville [...]
Gary Fisch (stripped shirt) of Gary’s Wine and Marketplace (location New Jersey)
,,, so here I am, freshly returned to NYC after a week in Napa tasting fantastic wine, spending time with fellow journalists at the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers at Meadowood, and attending many of the festivities and tastings leading up to the Premiere [...]
Wednesday’s events took place at the CIA in the famed Greystone building. Jeff Morgan, winemaker and author whom I interviewed many times, gave a fabulous brief on winemaking bore Karen MacNeil (author of The Wine Bible and now invited to the Hall of Fame from our Wine Media Guild) in New York and Eric Asimov, Wine Editor of the New York Times, gave a great presentation on tasting notes.
Every February I have been attending the symposium for professional wine writers in the Napa Valley. It’s a great way to see good friends usually only accessed by tweets, writing on Facebook walls, and commenting on blogs.
Of course, it is also a great place to taste some of Napa’s best wines and the delicious food [...]
Elyssia Pinot Noir
Did you realize that rose-colored sparklers is the trend of the moment? Freixenet has a new pink sparkler called Elyssia made from the Pinot Noir grape. It is a gorgeous color as you can see from the picture, and goes even better with a bouquet of valentine’s day flowers.
Pinot Noir, it happens, is [...]
Ana Laguna & Pilar Garcia-Granero
"Before there was wine, there was a thing called happiness …" says an attractive, charming man standing in a circle of similarly well dressed, attractive Spaniards off the lobby of the Union Square W Hotel. Not quite sure the context of the quote, yet it appears to be a typical example [...]
Professor Attilio Scienza
Seminar Tasting
"The Italians seem so happy to be here in New York," says a friend, after the Friday night close of the Italian Wine Exchange Grand Tasting. "Why is that?"
Yes, it’s true – the Italians did really seem happy to be here and have the opportunity to share their wine and the love [...]
Michael had been a investment management specialist (hence the artful fruition of his winery and the picture perfect showcase for his wines and art) for over twenty years. He went on to get diplomas in agriculture and create Blackbird Vineyards, which has won many awards.
Ma(i)sonry was acquired to serve many purposes. First, Michael wanted to create a fabulous tasting environment for his own wines and showcase local artists. And with 10,000 feet and various rooms, niches, and the garden, he could also offer the venue as a tasting space for smaller boutique wineries that do not have a tasting room or marketing force on their own. Beyond the art, the structure is richly furnished with one of a kind pieces.
Vino 2010 Italian Wine Week
… so I am on my way to the opening of New York, February 3, 2010
I had spent the opening day (February 3) in the Napa Valley at a conference related to the Masters of Wine (though happily we did have an Italian wine seminar with many examples of great Italian [...]
