Wine & Spirits Insider’s Guide
For the Autumn edition of Wine & Spirits Magazine the team got together and created their 1st annual Insider’s Guide. As editor-in-chief Josh Greene describes in his opening letter for the issue, “Ask an elitest if you want a grand cru. Ask an obsessive wine geek if you want to discover a taste that’s new to you.”
The collection brings together 50 wine obsessives, as he calls them, that have devoted their time to understanding the specifics of a particular place and become a niche expert as a result. Each expert was asked to discuss the particularities of the place and select 6 wines that, when tasted, show the range of the particular region. As Greene explains, “We did not ask for favorites, or for them to present the wines they think of as “the best.” Instead, we challenged them to show the depth and breadth of their favorite region through a tight selection—six wines to consider if you want to know the region.”
It’s a wonderful issue with an incredible range of experts contributing their insights looking at some of the most classic, and the most exciting regions of the world, including a few that are devoted to particular types of spirits.
To see the impressive list of experts and regions, check out the Table of Contents here: http://www.wineandspiritsmagazine.com/subscriptions/entry/fall-2016
I am pleased to be part of the collection as well.
Speaking on Napa Valley Cabernet, Graeme MacDonald took me on a walk around his family’s vineyard in the historic To Kalon and we drank through classics of Napa Valley together and discussed them. I am thrilled to have written up his interview and to see him included among the distinguished group of people on the cover.
Sharing his love for Walla Walla Syrah, Kevin Pogue spoke to me about the unique growing conditions of the region and the way his selection of 6 wines showcase that. Pogue is a geologist that specializes in terroir and carries a deep and abiding love for Syrah, so he’s an apt speaker on the subject. It was a lot of fun to speak with him, then travel to Walla Walla to taste through the wines he suggested and write up his interview.
The folks at Wine & Spirits also asked if I would share my own insights on a region for the issue. As a result, I was able to select 6 wines that communicate the dynamic range of pinot from the Coastal Mountains of the Sonoma Coast. It’s so much fun to be a cartoon drawn in the same pages as so many friends that I admire and respect. It’s like we’re all there together enjoying one of the best wine parties on earth.
The 1st Annual Insider’s Guide just hit newstands this week. Check it out!
Cheers!
