Rediscover Merlot: The Turning Point

          For more than 200 years, Merlot has been a foundational grape in the wine world – from Bordeaux to California – used to make some of the finest wines. The Merlot grape, which translates to blackbird in French, became the most planted grape in Bordeaux and known for its soft, elegant […]

Brian Carter Cellars: Combining Art and Science

Woodinville Wine Country

        The love affair with wine started early –  Brian Carter was 14-years-old and he asked his mom if he could make wine out of blackberries.  It started out as science focused, and over 40 years later evolved into an art making him one of the first to focus exclusively on blended […]

Stop Giving Merlot the Side Eye

Stop Giving Merlot the Side Eye

Stop Giving Merlot the Side Eye   A Trip to Ehlers Estate Many Years Ago   I’m not going to mention that movie. The one that maligned an entire varietal of wine.  Granted, it was time for a wake-up call as many Merlots stopped being great due to over planting, but a 2 percent drop […]

Domaine Drouhin and Jordan Family Tasting & A Closer Look at Cameron Hughes

Domaine Drouhin and Jordan Family

Art by Vino Mosaics This week’s wine column focuses on multiple samples that came from two families that are considered to be stalwarts in wine – the Drouhin family and the Jordan family.  It also covers Cameron Hughes, a man who took a different approach by not having his own vineyards, but by finding interesting […]