November 1, 2018
Wine styles are constantly shifting. Ripeness, acidity, body, alcohol all take turns on center stage as the wine pendulum swings. Recently, California has been in the spotlight, leading the way toward a return to a lower alcohol, higher acid, more... UNFILTERED Archives: USA
The Golden Apples of the Sun: a Quick Tour of Skurnik’s Burgeoning Cider Portfolio
October 11, 2018
Late summer. Greenmarket bins are overflowing with heaps of ratatouille-friendly tomatoes, squash, and eggplant, but try as global warming might to make Eternal Summer a reality, change is in the air. The first new crops of Mutsu, Macoun, and the... American Riesling: Defining a Noble Grape on American Soil
September 27, 2018
“More than any other great grape, Riesling has suffered from prostitution of its name. The word Riesling has been filched for incorporation into the names of all sorts of vine, many of them mediocre.” Jancis Robinson, Vines, Grapes and Wines,... American Winemaker Video Series: David and Jasmine Hirsch
August 16, 2018
David Hirsch and his daughter Jasmine, are very close friends to the Skurnik family. We’ve worked with them ever since they started bottling a small quantity of wine from their exquisite vineyard on the “true” Sonoma Coast in the mid-90s.... “Going to the Woods is Going Home”: Peay Vineyards and the Contemporary American Wine Estate
June 7, 2018
The stories of wine are concerns of proximity. “This glass here,” we might start: “its story begins in a land far away.” And then we step closer. We tightrope borders – those lent to us by millenniums of tectonic undulations,... Where the Hills Meet the Sea: Tyler Winery’s Exploration of Santa Barbara County
May 4, 2018
Few of California’s young winemakers possess the regional mastery that is illustrated by the work of Justin Willett, of Tyler winery. A son of Santa Barbara, Justin began Tyler in 2005 with eight barrels tucked away in the corner of... Introducing Mayacamas: 128 Years, Singular & Resilient
December 7, 2017
“Mayacamas Vineyards is one of the greatest Cabernet Sauvignon producers in the history of California. For those who long for great red wines that cellar with conviction and evolve in the course of time into brilliantly complex and compelling wines,... Introducing Ashes & Diamonds: Collaboration and Reverence in Napa Valley
November 13, 2017
In the autumn of 2013, Kashy Khaledi, a creative executive in media and advertising, absconded from the music industry. He was largely disillusioned by the consolidation of record labels and the mechanization of production. He watched as artistry suffered and... American Winemaker Video Series: Fred Merwarth of Hermann J. Wiemer
September 19, 2017
Fred Merwarth reminds us that winemaking is both a reverent glimpse into our past – our heritage and craft – and an unshakeable pursuit of experimentation and progress. Before him, this ethos guided his mentor, Hermann J. Wiemer, in the... Alternative Varieties: An Exploration of Heritage and Innovation in American Wine
September 8, 2017
Sales of American wine are on the rise and continue to be dominated by the fighting varieties; Chardonnay, Cabernet, Merlot and Pinot Noir. This should come as no surprise, as it confirms historical trends in America’s wine market over the...