The 30 Second Wine Advisor

Tradition!

Robin Garr — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 15:41:54 GMT

Does tradition matter? Should every region stick with the grapes it does best, or try new ideas? For instance, would you like to try a Mosel Shiraz?

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I doubt that lovers of German wine tradition need to fear that wacky notion. If not for any other reason, government regulators would be unlikely to approve it. On occasion, though, a free-spirited producer will simply defy the regulations. Ulrich “Ulli” Stein, maker of last week’s featured wine, famously produces a Mosel Cabernet Sauvignon that flatly ignores the German wine standards.

Some other wine categories that feel almost traditional nowadays were considered rebellious not that long ago. Italy’s sought-after Super Tuscans, Spain’s Vino de la Tierra, and France’s Vin de France all lured experimental producers who felt confined by the strict rules of tradition and willingly accepted a bottom-shelf classification in exchange for the freedom to make a wine that broke the rules but could command big bucks at the wine shop.

Outside these strictly governed European wine regions where traditions are respected for their antiquity, though, the rules aren’t so strict. When European colonizers arrived in the Americas in the 16th century, they didn’t think much of the indigenous wild grapes, so they brought their own. Spanish missionaries planted the Mission grape from Chile to California, using it mostly for sacramental wine and later as a base for cheap jug wines.

Later on, in the 1800s, European winemakers from Italy, France, and beyond brought the grapes they knew and loved. The French Malbec, made with an Italian accent, became Argentina’s flagship wine. French settlers fleeing the phylloxera vine louse plague back home filled Chile’s vineyards with Cabernet Sauvignon. And California’s coastal vineyards filled up with a Cabernet, Merlot, Chardonnay, and most of the other European standards, not to mention the once mysterious Zinfandel.

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More recently, in the late 20th century, the mass-market popularity of the four European grapes dubbed “fighting varietals” for their quest for wine shop shelf-space dominance – Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc – built a new market for inexpensive, inoffensive table wines. This wave made producers a lot of money, but for a time failed to enhance the reputation of Argentina, Chile, France’s Languedoc, and other regions that went all in on them.

I think this trend may be finally fading. I’ve been impressed with recent tastings of affordable wines from all three of those places and beyond. Today’s featured wine, Domaine Laroque 2023 Pinot Noir Cité de Carcassonne, comes from Languedoc-Roussillon in Southwestern France, a region that turns out its share of modest, affordable wines along with a few trophies. Pinot Noir fails to make it into the region’s list of most-planted vines, but this is a good one. I doubt anyone will mistake it for a quality Burgundy, but at a low to middle-teens price, it’s worth stocking up.

How do you respond to wine made from a grape that’s not traditional to its region – a Mosel Shiraz, say, or Sicilian ice wine? Would you try it, shrug, or run away?

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Today’s Tasting Report

Laroque 2023 Pinot Noir Cité de Carcassonne ($13.99)

Laroque Pinot Noir Cité de Carcassonne is an attractive, clear ruby color, not too dark. Its red-fruit aromas suggest red berries, fresh red cherries, and gentle spice: appealing although not clearly typical of Pinot Noir. Medium-bodied red-fruit flavor continues the impression, shaped by fresh, not overwhelming acidity and light tannic astringency. 13% alcohol. U.S. importer: Aquitaine Wine USA LLC, Berkeley, Calif., a Jean-Christophe Calvet Selection. (June 6, 2026)

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FOOD MATCH: Whatever its geographical source or price point, Pinot Noir tends to be a versatile wine for food. The back label suggests enjoying it alone or with pasta, salmon, tuna, roasted chicken, lamb, and pork dishes, and I agree. It was excellent with an Asian-inspired plant-based mushroom and snow pea stir-fry with tofu, onions, garlic, and ginger in a light soy and sesame sauce.

WHEN TO DRINK: This light, approachable wine is just right while it’s relatively young and fresh. Not for aging, but should be fine over the next two or three years.

VALUE:
Wine-Searcher.com’s $16 average U.S. retail price is appropriate. Better still at my local $14 price tag. If you can find it in the middle to lower teens, buy up for everyday enjoyment.

WEB LINK:
Here’s a brief importer’s fact sheet. A link there to detailed specifications requires a Microsoft login.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Laroque Pinot Noir Cité de Carcassonne on Wine-Searcher.com.

Follow this Wine-Searcher link to read more about the wines of Cité de Carcassonne.

Browse Wine-Searcher’s listings for Domaine Laroque’s wines, with vendors and retail prices, at this Wine-Searcher link.

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Explore Wine-Searcher

Wine-Searcher.com is the place to go online if you want to find where to buy a particular wine that interests you. What’s more, Wine-Searcher.com offers so much more. It’s well worth a visit just to discover its many features, including its popular list of the world’s Top 10 Best Value Wines.

Good wines we’ve tried under $12!

Want tips to still more good, inexpensive wines? Here are Wine-Searcher links to vendors and prices for a bunch more wines for $12 or less that I’ve told you about in recent years. In some cases, the prices may have risen since I reviewed them, but they should still be excellent bargains. Please tell us about your favorites!

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Previous Issue: « Dry or sweet?

Dry or sweet?

Robin Garr — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 15:14:57 GMT

Remember when you first discovered wine? Were you surprised that it wasn’t as sweet as grapes? And then, before long, you started liking it that way.

This is the typical journey for a lot of wine lovers, but it can lead to an unintended destination if it trains us to shun the delicious, well-made off-dry and sweet wines ranging from crisp, subtly sweet Mosel Rieslings to the classics of Port and Sherry.

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For me, the breakthrough moment occurred at La Barbera’s pizzeria in Santa Monica, where I lived for a while in those long-ago days when it was an affordable hippie neighborhood and I was barely old enough to drink wine legally. My epiphany came when a slice of sizzling, oil-dripping pepperoni pizza met a gulp of very dry and tart Chianti. Suddenly the pizza tasted better, and the wine tasted much better.

The rest, as they say, is history. Once we discover how well dry wines go with food – after all, they were made, and evolved, to serve well at the table – our taste buds are trained to appreciate that combination. In a related observation, the more I came to enjoy the interplay of dry wine and good food, the less interested I became in sugary sodas, with food or without it. With the possible exception of a Jarritos Tamarindo at a taquería, but I digress.

This evolution raises an interesting question: What distinguishes a good sweet wine from the rest of the pack? The key is found in the wine’s balance between sweetness and acidity. Acidity in wine, within reasonable limits, is a good thing. Think about biting into a fresh piece of fruit, an apple or plum, or blackberry: That fresh, crisp, tart flavor wakes up our taste buds and heightens flavor.

Without acidity, fruit – or wine – tastes dull and flat and frankly uninteresting. And if any residual sugar remains in the wine after fermentation, a happy jolt of acidity makes all the difference between an enjoyable, refreshing drink and something boring.

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Whether it’s a light, fresh, and just off-dry wine like today’s featured wine, Stein “Weihwasser” Feinherb Riesling from Germany’s Mosel Valley, or a full-bore dessert wine like a good Port or Sherry, it’s the balance of sugar and acidity that makes them sing.

When you first got into good wine, were you surprised that it wasn’t as sweet as grapes? How did your tastes change? What do you think of sweet wines now?

The price of this week’s featured wine locks it behind our subscription paywall. Since I buy all the wines I review at retail and do not accept wine samples or other gratuities from the industry, I count on the support of paid subscribers to help cover the cost of the wines I review. Accordingly, I have to reserve wines that cost me more than about $20 behind our subscription paywall.

If you haven’t become a paid subscriber yet, I’d love to have your support. Click here for information on our paid-tier edition. Our free-to-all edition featuring a quality wine for $20 or less will return in its biweekly cycle next week.

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Sulfites: Why or why not?

Robin Garr — Fri, 29 May 2026 15:31:48 GMT

How is a good bottle of wine like a classy wool suit or a prized painting? Easy: They all require a little special care to keep them in good shape.

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This is not rocket science. Hang that museum-quality painting at moderate temperature and humidity and protect it from direct sunlight. Keep moths away from that special suit by keeping it clean and storing it in a breathable bag in a cedar closet.

As for that wine, if you want to keep it around for years while it gains complexity and nuanced flavor over time, you’ll want a temperature and humidity-controlled cellar. Wines that you buy to drink don’t need that careful treatment.

Adding sulfites while the wine is being made is a tried-and-true approach to preservation that goes back thousands of years.

“Nature is the best winemaker.” Hands-on winemaking at Spain’s Bodegas Aroa.

Sulfites work. They preserve wine, keeping it from oxidizing, spoiling, or hosting bacterial growth in the bottle. They don’t alter the wine’s flavor, and for more than 99% of people, they are harmless. That’s a lot to like.

But for that fraction of a percentage point of us who are sulfite-sensitive, this usually helpful additive can range from annoying (headaches, sniffles) to actively dangerous (breathing difficulty, and in the worst case, death).

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That’s why wines sold in the United States have been legally required to carry a “sulfites added” warning label since 1987, and the presence of that label apparently prompts a lot more than 1% of the public to worry about sulfites.

Even so, the vast majority of producers weigh the advantages and continue using sulfites – generally the minimum amount needed for preservation. A few winemakers, though, for a variety of reasons, walk on the wild side by making wines without sulfites added. (In fact, a small amount of sulfites occur as a natural effect of fermentation. You can’t make wine without them.)

For more details about sulfites in wine, see my Oct. 10, 2025 column, What? No sulfites?

Why would a winemaker want to produce a wine without this effective preservative? A cynic might suspect a bid to take advantage of the sulfite-fearful. For biodynamic, organic, and natural-wine producers, though, it’s a matter of philosophy.

Let’s talk about low/no-sulfite wines: Do you agree with the conventional wisdom that these wines are best drunk up soon after purchase?

For today’s featured wine, “Le Naturel” Navarra Tinto a red Garnacha (Grenache) made by Aroa Bodegas in Northern Spain’s Navarra region, it’s a declared commitment to walking lightly on the Earth.

“Le Naturel is our collection of wines without added sulfites, for which the key has been the totally natural, meticulous production, using a single ingredient: the grape,” Aroa Bodegas writes on this wine’s online fact sheet.

“In this way we obtain a wine reflecting the vineyard of its origins with no artful devices. … [A]s pioneers in the recovery of organic and biodynamic farming practices … we elaborate all our wines with the minimum possible intervention, and the maximum respect for the fruit of the vineyards.”

Bodegas Aroa is also one of the few wineries in Spain with the Wineries for Climate Protection certificate granted by the Spanish Wine Federation. In lieu of the usual “Contains sulfites” label, Le Naturel’s label points out that the wine “contains naturally occurring sulfites or may contain naturally occurring sulfites.”

So how does it taste? I was impressed. Ripe, fruity, and balanced, it’s a delicious Spanish red, a definite value at its mid-teens U.S. retail price. If you try it, though, drink it up. After six days at room temperature, the remaining half-bottle had picked up the distinct sherry-like aroma of oxidation, and its complex flavors were merging into undifferentiated oxidized red fruit. Buy it now, enjoy it now, but I don’t recommend keeping even unopened sulfite-free wines in the cellar or on the shelf for more than a few months.

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Today’s Tasting Report

Bodegas Aroa 2024 “Le Naturel” Navarra Tinto ($17.99)

Organic, biodynamic, grown and made from the Garnacha (Grenache) grape with minimal intervention and no added sulfites, Bodegas Aroa “Le Naturel” shows a clear, dark purple color with bright garnet glints. An appetizing scent of ripe blackberries rises from the glass, joined by fragrant, floral black pepper. Good black-fruit flavors carry over on the palate, blackberries and currants and a peppery note, framed by appropriate, food-friendly acidity and a gentle touch of tannic astringency that lingers in a long finish. 13% alcohol. U.S. importer: Vintae USA Inc., Napa, Calif. (May 23, 2026)

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FOOD MATCH: A natural companion with grilled poultry or pork, or a hearty mushroom-focused plant-based omelet or mushroom risotto.

WHEN TO DRINK: It’s made for early consumption, and the absence of the preservative power of sulfiting only underscores that. Drink up this year while we can count on it remaining fresh and delicious.

VALUE:
Wine-Searcher.com lists a $16 average U.S. retail price. It’s a clear value from the mid-teens into the lower $20s.

WEB LINK:
Here’s a Le Naturel fact sheet from the producer Bodegas Aroa.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Bodegas Aroa “Le Naturel” on Wine-Searcher.com.

Read about Spain’s Navarra wine region at this Wine-Searcher link.

Tap this Wine-Searcher link for information about Grenache/Garnacha and the wines it makes.

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Good wines we’ve tried under $12!

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Wine Forum and Social Media

Find the wines you want

Explore Wine-Searcher

Good wines we’ve tried under $12!

Sponsor the Wine Advisor.

Wine Forum and Social Media

Previous Issue: « Is wine good for us or not?

Is wine good for us or not?

Robin Garr — Fri, 22 May 2026 15:22:39 GMT

Is wine (and alcohol in general) good for us, bad for us, or is it just complicated? When headlines warn of potential risks, should we pay attention?

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When the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services warns us portentously about alcohol and cancer risk, the World Health Organization promotes health warning labels on alcoholic beverages, and Gallup polling reveals that the U.S. alcohol consumption rate has fallen to a new low amid surging health concerns, we have to acknowledge that the the French Paradox and its assurance that wine is good for our hearts may have passed its best-by date.

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It should come as no huge surprise to learn that the wine and spirits industry – and some wine and spirits writers – push back hard against these developments.

“As drinking habits shift, global alcohol industry fights to stay ahead,” writer Ted Alcorn declared in the Aug. 28, 2024 edition of The Examination, an independent nonprofit newsroom that, it says,

“investigates preventable health threats and empowers people in harm’s way. Fearless journalism for a healthier world: Investigating the causes of preventable death and disease. Covering Tobacco, Big food, Pollution and more.”

“Alcohol companies are targeting new markets and dodging regulation worldwide while excess drinking causes millions of deaths each year,” Alcorn continued. (Although its tone can appear strident, The Examination boasts serious backers. Its newsroom is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Adessium Foundation, the Pulitzer Center, the IJ4EU fund, and the Medill School of Journalism.)

We’re not seeing doctors recommending wine or liquor in advertising after the fashion of these 1940s cigarette ads … not yet, anyway. From The Stanford Research into the Impact of Tobacco Advertising (SRITA) collection.

Alcorn’s coverage went on, “The alcohol industry is doing everything it can to stay relevant. In pursuit of new profit centers, booze, beer, and wine-makers are marketing to demographics they’ve historically underserved, including women, and looking to new markets in the Global South, where burgeoning economies with young populations offer growth opportunities. Conveniently, many of these same countries also place few or no limitations on how alcohol is sold and marketed.”

The lengthy article wraps up with three modest proposals:

Raise taxes on alcohol.
Add cancer to the list of risks on the warning label./li>
Curb consumption via global standards similar to those governing tobacco.

That sounds pretty strict to me, particularly that last: I know of no serious science placing moderate alcohol consumption anywhere close to the known risks of tobacco use.

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I think Dr. Mikkael A. Sekeres set a middle ground in his March 24, 2025 Washington Post opinion piece, We asked an oncologist: Is it okay to drink just a little bit of alcohol?

“Cancer risk is not binary,” Sekeres wrote. “Having one drink, or smoking one cigarette, will not cause cancer. In general, the more you’re exposed to a risk factor, the higher your likelihood of developing cancer.” Putting theory into practice, the doctor acknowledged that he limits his alcohol consumption to one or two drinks per week.

There’s also relative risk, he said, observing that the health risks from smoking a pack of cigarettes or even eating a juicy hamburger and a plate of fries likely pose a greater health risk than drinking a glass of wine with dinner.

Ultimately, said Sekkeris, who is hematology division chief and professor of medicine at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami , it’s as simple – and as challenging – as this: “Less alcohol is better, and each of us must determine our own tolerance for cancer risk when deciding how much alcohol to drink.”

That’s consistent with my standard advice: Wine, like all alcoholic beverages, can be a blessing or a curse; and if a little of it makes good medicine, more is not better. Overconsumption risks both immediate injury for those foolish enough to drive while drunk, and long-term health problems for those who drink too much too often.

What do you think? Is wine (and alcohol in general) good for us, bad for us, or is it just complicated? Join the conversation on Substack chat.

•••

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Australia, but not Shiraz!?

Robin Garr — Fri, 15 May 2026 15:15:52 GMT

Quick! Name the first Australian grape variety that pops into your head! I’m wondering if anyone will respond with anything other than “Shiraz.”

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Such an outcome would be far from surprising, because Shiraz – the grape that the rest of the world knows as Syrah – is Australia’s historic landmark grape, as firmly associated with the land Down Under as is Pinot Noir with Burgundy or Malbec with Argentina.

Shiraz has meant wine in Australia for almost 200 years. In an extended discussion of The Origins of the Syrah / Shiraz Wine Grape, the Australian wine merchant McLaren Vale Cellars lays it out for us:

Australia’s relationship with Shiraz began in the 1830s when James Busby, often called the father of Australian viticulture, brought vine cuttings from Europe to establish the country’s wine industry. Among these precious imports was Syrah, which would eventually become Australia’s signature red grape variety under its local name, Shiraz.
The choice to call the grape “Shiraz” rather than “Syrah” in Australia reflects the historical belief in its Persian origins. Australian winemakers embraced this exotic connection, and the name stuck even after DNA analysis revealed the grape’s true French parentage. Today, Australian Shiraz represents a distinct style that has earned global recognition and respect.

Shiraz remains the most planted wine grape in Australia, according to the trade organization Wine Australia. Shiraz holds the top spot for both red wine production and total vineyard area. About 40,000 hectares (nearly 100,000 acres) are planted, making up about one-fourth of the continent’s total vineyard acreage, it’s closely followed by Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, but easily crosses the finish line first.

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Of course, Australia makes other wines. I’ve enjoyed delicious Riesling from Down Under. Australia was among the first to adopt the shortcut “GSM” for delicious Rhône-style blends of Grenache, Shiraz, and Mourvèdre. Wine Australia’s 2025 Wine Sector Report lists the top five by volume of grapes crushed into wine that year: Shiraz (23%), Chardonnay (18%), Cabernet Sauvignon (14%), Sauvignon Blanc (7%), and Pinot Gris/Grigio (6%).

Quick! Name the first Australian grape variety that pops into your head! I’m wondering if anyone will respond with anything other than “Shiraz?”

And that’s not all! In his new book, Beyond Shiraz, Australian wine writer Darby Higgs presents 190 – that’s one hundred and ninety – of the country’s wine-grape plantings and tells us a little about each of them.

“Over the last two decades,” Higgs writes in his book’s information page on Substack, “so‑called alternative and emerging varieties have created a revolution in Australian wine. New arrivals and reimagined classic varieties are bringing fresh flavours, textures, and ideas.

“Just as importantly, they offer practical answers as growers and winemakers respond to shifting consumer tastes and a warming, drying climate. Drinkers are chasing energy, lift, and surprise; producers are seeking vines with heat and drought tolerance in an effort to create new expressions from familiar regions that resonate at home and abroad. The result is a dynamic, delicious rethink of what Australian wine can be.”

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Featuring concise yet informational reports on 190 grapes from Alfrocheiro to Zweigelt, this useful book lists each grape’s color, country of origin, rank in Australian production, aromas and flavors, history, and food choices. It’s useful, and not just for Australian readers. This useful grape-by-grape compilation makes a handy reference for wine lovers around the world.

Buy Beyond Shiraz from Amazon.com for $15.99 in paperback or $8.99 for the Kindle ebook. Using these links will return a small but meaningful commission to us here at WineLoversPage, and for that, thanks.

I turned to its listings for the components of today’s featured wine, D’Arenberg Hermit Crab, and found them on target for this Australian white blend of Viognier (“Apricots, peaches, grapefruit, honeysuckle”) and Marsanne (“baked apples, almonds, flowers, apricots, peaches, honey, melon.”)

It’s a good wine and a good book. I recommend them both.

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Today’s Tasting Report

D’Arenberg 2024 McLaren Vale The Hermit Crab Viognier Marsanne ($18.99)

A South Australian blend of 65% Viognier and 35% Marsanne, pale straw color D’Arenberg The Hermit Crab is more subtle than fruit-forward, and that’s a good thing. Still, swirling and sniffing brings out appetizing aroma notes that blend hints of peach, pineapple, tangerine, and lemon zest. Mouth-watering fresh-fruit acidity surrounds a medium-bodied, textured flavor that follows the nose. 14% alcohol. U.S. importer: Old Bridge Cellars, Napa, Calif. (May 9, 2026)

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FOOD MATCH: Seafood and fish would make natural companions, as would pork stir-fries and lightly spicy entrees. For a plant-based match, look to veggie risottos; it was perfect with risi e bisi veneziana made with fresh farmers’ market spring peas.

WHEN TO DRINK: Best enjoyed while it’s young and fresh. Enjoy it during this year, then look for newer vintages.

VALUE:
Wine-Searcher.com lists a $16 average U.S. retail price. This first-rate white wine would be a good value right on up through the $20 mark.

WEB LINK:
Here’s D’Arenberg’s Hermit Crab fact sheet.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Darenberg Hermit Crab on Wine-Searcher.com.

Read about South Australia’s McLaren Vale wine region at this Wine-Searcher link.

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Previous Issue: « How to cope with rising wine prices

How to cope with rising wine prices

Robin Garr — Fri, 08 May 2026 15:53:46 GMT

As wine prices rise, how much are you willing to pay for a satisfying bottle? Is inflation driving you to buy less? What’s your survival strategy?

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The combination of tariffs, inflation, and competition that’s tightening the wine economy means this is not a trivial question. With $20 per bottle as my cutoff point for our Substack paid-subscription paywall, I still need to find the under-$20 delights that I’m comfortable recommending for our biweekly free edition.

This quest is still possible, with plenty of good wine still selling in the $15 to $20 range. Excellent funds under $15 are becoming a lot more difficult to score, however, although I’m delighted when I find one to share with you.

But the market keeps rising. How much? It depends on where you look. According to a January 2026 article in The Drinks Business, the average price of a bottle of U.S. wine sold direct from winery to consumer reached $56.78 last year, an 11% increase.

That unbelievable-sounding number should be placed in context, though: Consumers ordering directly from wineries are typically seeking high-end wines, often for cellaring. You’re not likely to hit the Internet to grab a bottle of something nice to enjoy with dinner tonight.

As with all statistics, everything depends on the question you ask. In another article last month, The Drinks Business – yes, the same publication – found that most American wine drinkers continue to buy bottles priced below $20.

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That figure, based on a January 2026 survey conducted by wine research firm Wine Opinions, found that more than half of the 1,351 respondents in every age and gender group said they purchase wines priced under $20 on a weekly or monthly basis. Purchases of wines priced under $15 were particularly associated with younger consumers aged 21 to 39.

That’s a little more reassuring, but we’ve still come a long way from the days, not all that long ago, when there was plenty of good-value wine available for $10 or less.

This week’s Substack conversation: How much are you willing to pay for a satisfying bottle? Is inflation driving you to buy less? What is your survival strategy?

Here are a few of my tips for finding good-value wines at affordable price points:

Steer away from the most sought-after wine regions — Burgundy’s Côte d’Or, Bordeaux’s Haut Médoc, California’s Napa Valley, or Australia’s Barossa — in favor of neighboring regions that may boast similar geology and climate without the price tag.
Try less sought-after grapes. I love to explore, and tell you about, less familiar varieties from Aglianico to Refosco and beyond. This unsung treasures can reward you in taste and enjoyment.
Check the label for trustworthy importers like Kermit Lynch, Skurnik, Louis/Dressner, and many more. Even the wines at the low end of their price range are likely to be satisfying.
Rely on a trustworthy retailer. Good merchants will learn your preferences and offer good advice when you ask for it.
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I put several of these tools to work for this week’s featured wine, Domaine Henri Perrusset Mâcon-Villages Chardonnay. It’s a delicious Burgundy Chardonnay that pays off in value because it’s from Mâcon, a large region well south of Bourgogne’s sought-after terroirs but still quite capable of producing first-rate Chardonnay. It’s an import from Berkeley’s Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, a distributor whose wines are almost invariably to my liking.

All that being said, this wine still commands a price in the middle $20s, which is a great value but still locks it behind our subscription paywall. Since I buy all the wines I review at retail and do not accept wine samples or other gratuities from the industry, I count on the support of paid subscribers to help cover the cost of the wines I review. Accordingly, I have to reserve wines that cost me more than about $20 behind our subscription paywall.

Support The 30 Second Wine Advisor with your paid-tier subscription. For $5 per month or $50 for a year (a 17% saving), you’ll receive additional wine notes funded by your subscriptions, enjoy quick direct access through Substack for wine-related questions, and gain my real appreciation for your support.

Fifty shades of rosé

Robin Garr — Fri, 01 May 2026 14:49:01 GMT

Spring has fully sprung, and our attention gently turns to thoughts of rosé. The return of mild weather makes a crisp pink wine seem just right.

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Looking over a row of rosés at my neighborhood wine shop, though, it strikes me that the common words “rosé” and “pink” are completely inadequate to describe the range of glowing colors that this vernal genre incorporates.

Those generic terms are just the beginning of a thesaurus that incorporates blush, bronze, cherry blossom, cherubic, copper, coral, florid, flushed, fuchsia, full-blooded, glowing, peony, roseate, rosy, rubicund, ruddy, salmon, sanguine, tanned, warm, and I’m sure dozens more.

And just like its many colors, rosé wine incorporates a wealth of flavors and styles.

From desert scenes to flowers and flamingos, summer sunrises like this showy morning scene near my home in Louisville do pink wine, of course, rosy colors have a way of grabbing our attention.

Almost every wine region in the world produces at least some rosé wine, and no two offerings will taste quite the same. Some will be rich and full-bodied; others feather light, and many along a spectrum in between. Some are bone-dry, others fiercely acidic; some softer, and a best-avoided group – largely in the much-maligned “blush” category – toothache-sweet and often boring.

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Contrary to the notion that rosé wines are made by blending red and white grapes, these wines are actually made with red wine grapes. In a process that the French call “saignée” from the word for “bleeding,” the winemaker begins as if making a red wine, but then removes the color-bearing grape skins from the juice when it has reached a rosy color but not yet turned dark red.

Committed red-wine lovers might object that this also diminishes the rich, full flavor of a traditional red wine, but that’s not what we’re seeking here. Subtlety is the name of the game for rosé, but not blandness or boredom.

I’ll try a quality rosé from any corner of the wine world, particularly if it’s from a trusted producer or importer. (As a bonus, the price point of these wines usually remains in the affordable range.) My favorite hunting ground, though, is surely Provence in Southern France, where they’ve been making fascinating rosé for a very long time. I have happy wine memories from there, and they come swirling up whenever I pour a glass.

Today’s featured wine, Bieler Père & Fíls “Sabine” Rosé, fits that description perfectly, and it’s coppery, not pink.

Are you ready for a rosé now that spring is here? Tell us about your favorites!

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Today’s Tasting Report

Bieler Père & Fíls 2024 “Sabine” Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence Rosé ($14.99)

Not at all pink, Bieler Père & Fíls “Sabine” Rosé shows an attractive light copper color in the glass. A not entirely traditional Provençal blend of Grenache (41%), Syrah (30%), Cinsault (10%), Cabernet Sauvignon (10%), Rolle (7%), and Counoise (2%), it opens up with a springlike mix of juicy peaches and ripe strawberries. With swirling and time in the glass it adds hints of fresh herbs and lemon-lime. All these refreshing flavors are shaped by crisp acidity that lingers into a long finish. 13% alcohol. U.S. importer: Bieler Pere et Fils, St. Helena, Calif. (April 25, 2026)

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FOOD MATCH: A natural with raw bar seafood or chilled shrimp or oysters or plant-based rice dishes or pasta salads, it was delicious with a fresh spring asparagus risotto with saffron and chives.

WHEN TO DRINK: Its sturdy screwcap should keep it fresh through this year and beyond, but it’s best drunk up young while its exuberant character lasts.

VALUE:
This first-rate Provence rosé is a find value at my local tab and Wine-Searcher.com’s $15 average U.S. retail. It can be found at some vendors from $10 through the lower teens, so shop for price if you can.

WEB LINK:
Here is Bieler Père & Fíls’ English-language fact sheet. For more information, check this page at importer Trinchero’s One Stop Wine Shop,

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Bieler “Sabine” Rosé on Wine-Searcher.com.

Follow this Wine-Searcher link to read more about France’s Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence wine region and browse its wines and vendors.

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Previous Issue: « Blended or straight: What’s your pleasure?

Blended or straight: What’s your pleasure?

Robin Garr — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 16:12:37 GMT

What’s your pleasure? Single-varietal classics like Burgundy’s Pinot Noir, or traditional varietal blends like Bordeaux? Or are you happy either way?

I’m pretty sure most of us would say “either way*,” but please take note of the asterisk on that statement. The words “classics” and “traditional” matter here.

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It’s not necessarily prudent to simply throw a random collection of grapes into the fermenting mix just to see what happens. Most traditional blends have stood the test of time and won success because the combination worked.

The winning combinations that make up Bordeaux, Chianti, Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe and other Rhône wines have been around for centuries, and this combination has produced a unique blend whose taste has been loved for all those years. Burgundy, Napa Cabernet, Rhine and Mosel Riesling and Aussie Shiraz, in contrast, have remained as single-varietal wines because experience has showed us that this standalone approach works.

Creating new combinations never seen before can be more risky. If an innovative blend works, it can be a delight. But when the experimental flavors don’t resonate, the effort falls flat. The process is something like making a stew by picking random ingredients from the pantry just to see what will happen.

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I’ve talked about this before, more than once. “Unfamiliar varietal blends can yield wines as delightful as a chef’s creations, or as scary as Frankenstein’s monster. Or even both at the same time. … The wine maker’s challenge, like that of a chef, is to work with flavors and make them sing in harmony. … as with any innovation, new and untried combinations might work well, or they might yield a muddy mix of undistinguished flavors. But creative winemakers are willing to take risks in the pursuit of success. Such risks can pay off.”

“Biodynamic agriculture cultivates biodiversity and a unique originality in each field,” Chilean organic producer Emiliana points out. “Annual and perennial cultivations, herbs, flowers, fruits, and native plants, among others, contribute to the vegetative diversity, broadening the health and resilience of the place. The diversity of domestic animals is also beneficial …

I’m always willing to give something new a try, so here we go again. Today’s featured wine takes wild blending to a new level, though! Emiliana 2020 Coyam Los Robles Estate Red Blend brings together nine organically grown, biodynamic varieties from Chile’s Colchagua Valley. It’s 38% Syrah, 37% Carmenere, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Carignan, 4% each Carnacha and Mourvedre, 2% Petit Verdot, and 1% each Malbec and Tempranillo.

Some of those varieties commonly turn up together in blends. Some of the others take this recipe well away from the ordinary. Breaking it down, Syrah, Carignan, Garnacha (Grenache), and Mourvedre often play nicely together in Rhône, Australian, or California blends. Carmenere, a Chilean specialty, is closely related to Merlot, which goes well with Cabernet Sauvignon, while Petit Verdot and Malbec also sing in the Bordeaux chorus, while Malbec often stands alone as an Argentine icon. And finally there’s a dash of Spain’s Tempranillo rounding out the mix.

This week’s Substack conversation: What’s your pleasure? Single-varietal classics like Burgundy’s Pinot Noir, or traditional varietal blends like Bordeaux? Or are you happy either way?

Coyam is an unusual blend, not duplicated anywhere else as far as I know. But it brings good credentials to the table: Its producer Emiliana is recognized as the world’s largest organic winery, and Coyam was one of the first biodynamically certified wines in Chile.

The proof is in the tasting, and this one stands up as a wild-blend winner. I don’t find any single varietal character standing out, but the flavors blend well, as they should, in a fresh, full, and balanced wine of admirable complexity and a natural affinity for red meat and other robust entrees.

The $25 price on this week’s featured wine keeps it behind our subscription paywall. Since I buy all the wines I review at retail and do not accept wine samples or other gratuities from the industry, I count on the support of paid subscribers to help cover the cost of the wines I review. Accordingly, I have to reserve wines that cost me more than about $20 behind our subscription paywall.

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Can we taste minerals in wine?

Robin Garr — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 15:36:51 GMT

My spell-check flags “minerality” as a misspelling, but I still love to taste it in my wine.

That certainly seems unfair, as I wrote in a Sept. 28, 2018 article, Is ‘minerality’ a word? “I love the stony, chalky, granite, slate, clay, oyster shell, or rainwater-over-rocks character that distinguishes some of the world’s most subtle and interesting wines,” I wrote back then.

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But there’s an asterisk following that statement. In fact, “minerality” does appear in the Oxford English Dictionary, which declares it rare, with a first recorded use dating from the 19th century. It’s rare enough, I suppose, that single-volume dictionaries – and, of course, spell check – find no space for it.

What is this mysterious thing, anyway? It’s related, if not exactly identical, to the idea of “terroir,” another of those French-heritage wine words that make up winespeak. What is terroir, exactly? I ran across this exceptionally clear explanation in a non-wine publication from the European barge tours firm European Waterways:

The word terroir has its origins in the French word ‘terre’, meaning earth. In consequence, many think of terroir in France as simply the earth or soil, but it is so much more than that. It is the entire natural environment where grapevines are grown. This includes the soil, but also the topography, climate, and even farming practices. Collectively, these influence the character of a wine.

For many years, conventional wisdom among wine fanciers held that microscopic fragments of minerals in the soil worked their way up through the grapevines to the fruit, where they remained in the juice that became wine, doing their happy work of passing a physical expression of the soil along to our palates.

Sadly, current research makes clear that this lovely story is not true.

From The SevenFifty Daily: Producers in the Etna DOC grow vines on the slopes of Mount Etna, which can erupt more than 50 times each year. Photo by Steve Blandino; photo courtesy of IDDA.

In his 2018 book, Vineyards, Rocks, and Soils, Welsh geologist Alex Maltman painstakingly examined the chemistry of vines and minerals and their interaction,explaining why it’s not possible for us to taste minerals from the soil in wine: only water comes up through the ground to the vines, he says

So what are we tasting when we detect those delicious, intriguing hints of granite, chalk, red clay, gunflint, oyster shells, licking rocks, rain water?

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I suspect yeast character may sometimes be a factor, particularly in white wines aged on their lees. And then there’s the way wine, in its lovable complexity, works on our minds and prompts us to find non-fruit characteristics, from blackberries and tart cherries to rising bread dough, toast, tobacco, chocolate, coffee, cat litter boxes, pungent stables, and thousands more.

Wine is evocative. It makes us think, and it triggers memories. When we know that Chablis grows on chalky ground, northern Rhône wines on granite, or Sicilian wines on volcanic soil, who can blame us for, well, detecting traces of those minerals in our wine?

What do you think? Do you love minerality in a wine? How do you define it? Join today’s conversation in Substack Chat.

Today’s featured wine, Regaleali Sicilia Bianco (a sibling of the Regaleali Buonsenso Catarratto featured in the April 3 Wine Advisor) shows me a whiff of stony minerality that seems to fit its high-altitude Sicilian soil. It’s another winner from Regaleali, and I think you’ll enjoy it.

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Today’s Tasting Report

Tasca Conti d’Almerita 2024 Tenuta Regaleali Sicilia Bianco ($15.99)

A blend of the indigenous Sicilian grapes Catarratto (34%), Inzolia (31%), and Grecanico (29%), plus a splash of Chardonnay (6%), Regaleali Sicilia Bianco shows a clear straw color with a brassy greenish hue. Tart green apple and white grapefruit scents with subtle floral back notes invite a taste. Bone-dry, zippy acidic white-fruit and citrus flavors are consistent with the nose, with intriguing stony, rainwater-over-rocks minerality joining lime-zest citrus in a very long finish. Made without malolactic fermentation and aged for three months in stainless steel tanks with no oak exposure, it’s an inviting expression of native Sicilian fruit. 12.5% alcohol. U.S. importer: Heritage Collection Trinchero Family Estates, St. Helena, Calif. (April 11, 2026)

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FOOD MATCH: Fresh seafood and fish, quality sushi and sashimi would make a natural match. Pasta primavera or plant-based rice or grain dishes would also serve it well.

WHEN TO DRINK: This wine is made in a fresh, snappy style that rewards drinking it up while it’s fresh. If you’re adventurous (and have a quality cellar), it might make an interesting experiment to hold a few bottles for five years or so, but why? Not all wines need aging.

VALUE:
Wine-Searcher.com lists a $16 average U.S. retail price, matching my local shop’s toll. It’s a very good value in the middle to upper teens.

WEB LINK:
Here’s the winery fact sheet.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Regaleali Sicilia Bianco on Wine-Searcher.com.

Follow this Wine-Searcher link to read more about Sicilian wines and vineyards.

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Previous Issue: « When grapes don’t travel

When grapes don’t travel

Robin Garr — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 15:28:48 GMT

Name a wine grape, think of the land that made it famous: Pinot Noir in Burgundy, Cabernet in Bordeaux. Can these grapes do as well in other places?

This question is pretty easy to answer when we think about how well the most sought-after grapes have traveled. Cabernet from Napa, Sonoma, or Coonawarra can compete with Bordeaux’s finest. Even Burgundy faces challenges from Willamette, Central Otago, and California’s cool coastal regions. Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, Syrah – just about any of the most loved varieties – seem to perform very well far from home.

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In short, with the caveat that wine grapes thrive best in relatively temperate regions, which mostly rules out the Equator and the Arctic, a skilled winemaker can start with just about any variety and make something drinkable with it.

Sure, you can argue that wines from each grape’s place of origin outperform the rest, and Cabernet’s Bordeaux, Pinot’s Burgundy, Riesling’s Mosel, and Syrah’s Northern Rhône can make a strong case for that. But California, Australia, and many more would like to have a word with us about that.

Okay, fine. Good grapes and good wine can travel. Point made. But here’s a curious question: With so many top grapes performing admirably in a world of vineyards, why do other equally admired varieties seemingly prefer to stay home? Why don’t we see a lot of Napa Nebbiolo, Oregon Grüner Veltliner, Barossa Tempranillo, or Washington State Sangiovese, just to pick out a random few?

Vines in Washington State’s Wahluke Slope wine region grow on wine-blown sand. The region gets only 6 inches of rain in an average year. It doesn’t look or feel much like Tuscany, yet we really enjoyed Charles Smith’s CasaSmith Cinghiale Sangiovese grown there.

One logical assumption is that it made sense for New World winemakers to start with the world’s most well-known and sought-after grapes, making varieties like Cabernet, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir the obvious picks. It might be, too, that some varieties are more finicky than others in their preference for the combination of soil, geology, microclimate, length of growing season, prevailing winds, and all the other minutiae that make up terroir.

And of course, we have the reality that commercial wine is a business with a profit motive. Tried and true varieties proven to thrive are perceived as a better risk than dreamy experimentation.

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But for every rule there are exceptions, and aren’t we glad? This week I’m enjoying an excellent Washington State Sangiovese from the Columbia Valley’s Wahluke Slope. CasaSmith Cinghiale Sangiovese is no Chianti, nor is it a dead ringer for Barbaresco. But winemaker Charles Smith’s fascinating effort doesn’t have to be. It speaks the language of its ancestors, but it does so with a distinct American accent; and that’s all right.

This week’s Substack conversation: Some wine grapes like Cabernet or Chardonnay are grown all over the world. Others, like Sangiovese or Tempranillo, mostly stay close to their place of origin. But the exceptions can be fun! I’m tasting a Washington State Sangiovese this week. Have you tried a memorable wine from an unexpected place?

Support The 30 Second Wine Advisor with your paid-tier subscription. For $5 per month or $50 for a year (a 17% saving), you’ll receive additional wine notes funded by your subscriptions, enjoy quick direct access through Substack for wine-related questions, and gain my real appreciation for your support.

Sicilian wine vs climate change

Robin Garr — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 15:41:50 GMT

Wildfires, floods, storms, and heat: Earth’s climate is changing. How much do you worry about the impact of climate change on the wine we love?

We can argue, if you like, about what’s causing these changes. And we should recognize that climate change threatens not merely our glass of wine but the food we eat and the places we live.

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But looking at climate change through the lens of wine production offers us a focused view that’s worth thinking about. And, significantly, the responses of grape growers and winemakers in some of the most threatened regions may provide real-world examples of approaches that work.

I can’t think of a better place to start this inquiry than Sicily. This large, triangular island just off the toe of Italy’s boot lies only about 90 miles north of Tunisia in northern Africa. There’s nothing new about hot weather in this sunbaked place, yet wine has been made here since the ancient Phoenicians brought grapevines here some 3,000 years ago.

Sicilian vineyard scene from the Sicily SOStain Foundation, a new environmental challenge aimed at guiding Sicily’s wineries towards a path of comprehensive environmental protection.

But Sicily, like other wine regions located toward the hotter edges of the climate zones where wine grapes thrive, has largely developed a reputation for simple, hearty wines better known for rustic simplicity, affordability, and quantity. Perhaps its best-known wine is not a table wine at all, but the sweet, strong, fortified Marsala, Italy’s cousin to Spain’s Sherry and Portugal’s Port.

Let’s not underestimate Sicily, though. As I wrote in my Aug. 16, 2024 column, Reevaluating Sicilian wine, “With the new century came a new wave of Sicilian winemakers, who recognized the value of the country’s ancient wine-making heritage and the more than 70 indigenous grape varieties that grow there. By returning to those roots and rediscovering traditional growing techniques, the quality of Sicilian wines has skyrocketed.”

Responding to a changing climate that raked the island with an apocalyptic combination of wildfires, vine-killing drought, and, counterintuitively, heavy rains and damaging floods, the Sicilian wine industry fought back.

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“The Sicily of wine has taken up the challenge that climate change has posed and, through research, experimentation, sustainability, and the enhancement of biodiversity, is trying to handle one of the most difficult moments for Sicilian viticulture,” according to Antonio Rallo, president of the Consortium for the Protection of Sicily DOC Wines, at a 2024 conference on resilience, research, and strategy as Sicily deals with climate change in the vineyard and in the laboratory.

One key approach focuses on fostering sustainability in the vineyard. According to a survey by the University of Messina for the Sicilian wine-producer association Assovini Sicilia, 80.5% of its 100 members have introduced new technologies and methodologies in winemaking and vineyard management; 22% participate in experimental projects in the vineyards; 20.3% have initiated projects with research institutions to access cutting-edge technologies applicable in the field that can affect the quality of the products.

Wildfires, floods, storms, and heat: Earth’s climate is changing. How much do you worry about the impact of climate change on the wine we love?

Today’s featured wine, Tenuta Regaleali Buonsenso Catarratto Sicilia, declares its full commitment to sustainability as a member of SOStain, a program of the Italian Environment Ministry for sustainability in Italian wine:

“We are part of a select group of winemakers, ambassadors of sustainability,” its online fact sheet states, “who have demonstrated extraordinary efforts in practicing environmentally friendly viticulture in the face of evolving climate challenges.”

Tenuta Regaleali also boasts B Corp Certification, an integrated business certification that assesses and verifies a company’s social, environmental, and governance impact.

This wine is made from Sicily’s Catarratto grape, best known for its role in Marsala; but this one is bone-dry, balanced, complex, and delicious. I won’t say you can taste sustainability in the glass, but as a response to climate change, it speaks for itself.

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Today’s Tasting Report

Tenuta Regaleali 2023 Buonsenso Catarratto Sicilia ($15.99)

Showing a clear straw color in the glass and leading with an appetizing scent of juicy pears and white grapefruit, Regaleali Buonsenso Catarratto offers rich, ripe white-fruit flavors that follow the nose. Made with no oak or malolactic fermentation but aged four months on its yeast lees, it’s balanced and intriguingly complex, with good acidic structure. Fun fact: it’s made from Sicily’s Catarratto grape, best known for its role in the region’s sweet Marsala wine, but this expression is bone-dry. 13.5% alcohol. U.S. importer: Heritage Collection Trinchero Family Estates, St. Helena, Calif. (March 28, 2026)

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FOOD MATCH: It’s a natural with the seafood and fish that abounds off Sicily’s coasts. It made a happy pairing for us with bucatini with sage, garlic, butter, and olive oil.

WHEN TO DRINK: It’s a delight now but not likely to fall apart in the short term. I’d enjoy it over the next year or two.

VALUE:
Wine-Searcher.com lists a $20 average U.S. retail price, a fair price for its quality, but many vendors offer it in the middle to upper teens.

WEB LINK:
Here’s Regaleali’s online fact sheet.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Regaleali Buonsenso Catarratto on Wine-Searcher.com.

Read about Sicily’s Catarratto grape at this Wine-Searcher link.

Follow this Wine-Searcher link to read more about Sicilian wines and vineyards.

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Previous Issue:« Leftover wine: Save it or dump it?

Leftover wine: Save it or dump it?

Robin Garr — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 15:13:41 GMT

Let’s talk about leftover wine. (Yes, such a thing does exist.) If you don’t finish the bottle you opened with dinner, are the remains a lost cause?

In my opinion, this question has two answers: “Not necessarily,” and “It depends.”

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First, a dose of reality: Exposure to air – oxygen in particular – will eventually destroy wine. Oxidation, essentially a slow burn, eventually turns any wine dark in color and dank in aroma and flavor, eventually decaying into something resembling a noxious form of Sherry.

Once the bottle is opened (or even if a cork or screw cap fails), this inexorable process begins. Leave a partial bottle exposed to air, and the contents will eventually go around the bend.

But here’s where things get complicated: While too much oxidation is absolutely a bad thing, a little bit might not matter much; and a calculated amount can actually be good. Yes, wine can be confusing.

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Consider, for example, that the traditional wine cork, despite its flaws, works well in cellaring wine because it admits a tiny bit of air into the bottle to foster gentle evolution. Too little oxygen transmission and the wine won’t age well, or at all. This posed a challenge as screw caps became more commonplace, because early models didn’t admit enough air for proper aging. (Advances in closure technology appear to have overcome this challenge.)

For the individual wine lover, the issue is simpler and more immediate: How can we enjoy a bottle over a few days if it begins deteriorating on Day One?

All manner of products promise to help us with this, ranging from simple stoppers to gizmos that suck some of the air out of a bottle to an expensive, high-tech tool that will extract a taste through a thin needle without removing the cork!

I’ve tried a lot of these devices over the years and have concluded that a simple, no-cost approach works about as well as anything I can buy: Put the cork back in the bottle and plan to finish it within a day or two at room temperature (or possibly a week for modest white wines in the refrigerator) before oxidation works its evil will on the contents.

And finally, the best news: If you’re keeping part of a young, ageworthy red wine that you probably sacrificed before its time, holding it on the counter for a day or three may actually make it even more enjoyable. I’m not going to claim that this emulates the gentle process of long, slow cellaring. But with the right wine, and good timing, that second time around can be just as enjoyable as the first.

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I tried this approach with this week’s featured wine, Sottimano 2023 Langhe Nebbiolo, and delightedly got two days’ enjoyment out of the bottle.

The wine, a tasty and modestly ageworthy red from Northwestern Italy’s Piemonte region, was delicious on Day One (featured beyond the paywall below). At 14% alcohol at lunch on a busy workday, though, finishing it at a sitting wasn’t in the cards.

So I recapped the half-finished bottle and kept it upright at cool room temperature for a few days. When I returned to it, the wine had changed in small ways but, happily, remained unharmed by this experience.

There was no sign of browning in the wine’s color, even at the edges when held up to the light, and no Sherry-like signal of oxidation. It may have lost a bit of complexity: The distinct violet and rose aromas that I detected on the first day had merged into a pleasant but less clearly identifiable floral scent that harmonized with a juicy fresh-cherry note. There was still good, fresh-fruit acidity in the flavor, and the tannic astringency that signaled the wine’s youth remained present but had become more muted.

I wouldn’t risk this approach for much longer than three or four days. The difference between delight and disappointment can be measured in days or hours, so if you try it, be cautious … and don’t set your hopes too high. This approach does not effectively emulate the joyful subtleties of proper cellaring for years. But it sure beats having to pour out half of a bottle that you didn’t want to finish.

What’s your opinion? If you don’t finish a bottle of wine, are the remains a lost cause?

The $30 price on this week’s featured wine, Sottimano Langhe Nebbiolo, keeps it behind our subscription paywall. Since I buy all the wines I review at retail and do not accept wine samples or other gratuities from the industry, I count on the support of paid subscribers to help cover the cost of the wines I review. Accordingly, I have to reserve wines that cost me more than about $20 behind our subscription paywall.

Support The 30 Second Wine Advisor with your paid-tier subscription. For $5 per month or $50 for a year (a 17% saving), you’ll receive additional wine notes funded by your subscriptions, enjoy quick direct access through Substack for wine-related questions, and gain my real appreciation for your support.

Is travel the secret ingredient?

Robin Garr — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 16:06:15 GMT

Why does the same wine taste better when you’re traveling in wine country than it does at home? Is this statement even true? Why or why not?

I get asked this question often, and I’m pretty sure the most accurate answer is, “It depends.”

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First, let’s dismiss one myth: It’s not about the sulfites. There’s a widespread belief that wines exported to the U.S. are required to dose wines so heavily with sulfites that they become essentially a headache-inducing medication.

This is an appealing belief if you’re suffering, but it’s simply not true. All wines – even those billed as “no sulfites added” – contain sulfites. They occur as a natural byproduct of fermentation, and winemakers have been putting additional sulfites into wine as a natural preservative for millennia. This is true of all wines from all world regions.

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What’s more, producers in Europe and other countries don’t make separate high-sulfite batches for U.S. export. That wouldn’t make economic sense. It’s as simple as this: If you get a headache or a stuffy nose after drinking wine, you may be allergic to something – perhaps the histamines in some red wines. But it’s not likely to be sulfites.

Still, most of us – including me – treasure enduring memories of amazing wines that we’ve enjoyed at wineries, trattorias, lovely gardens around the world. These dreamy experiences, it’s true, are difficult to match at home. So what’s going on?

Some of my most treasured wine travel memories go back to outdoor tastings in the vineyards or alfresco at a winery. San Gimignano vineyard photo from the Walks of Italy travel site.

First and obviously, a bottle opened at the winery – or even at a nearby restaurant or wine bar – hasn’t had to endure the rigors of transatlantic shipment and weeks or months of storage under less than ideal conditions at dockside, importers’ warehouses, and retailers’ shelves. None of this does the wine any favors, and we should perhaps be grateful that it still tastes as good as it does.

There’s also, let’s face it, the psychological factor. When we’re traveling in wine country, we are having fun, I hope. Just about everything around us seems fresher, brighter, more intense. Or at least it works that way for me. I remember a week in Ireland as sunny and springlike. My wife tells me it was actually cloudy and cold. Go figure.

How about you? Have you experienced the joy of wine (and food and just about everything else) tasting even better when you travel? Tell us about your experiences in Substack Chat.

Speaking of travel experiences, today’s featured wine – Rodica Slovenska Istra Refosk – comes from Slovenia, a place that I could barely locate on a map until I had occasion to travel there to judge a wine competition in 2001. It was a memorable experience, and yes, my memories of the country’s wine and food and scenery are still bathed in a happy glow after all these years.

This wine brings back happy memories. Even if you’ve never been there, I think you’ll enjoy it too.

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Today’s Tasting Report

Rodica 2023 Slovenska Istra Refošk ($17.99)

A surprisingly floral burst of freshly ground black pepper lifts from the glass when Rodica Slovenska Istra Refosk is poured. The dark-garnet wine opens to reveal appetizing black fruit – black cherries, blackberries, and blueberries – with a bass note of damp, freshly turned soil in the background. Black pepper and black fruit persist in a freshly acidic flavor bolstered by persistent but palatable tannic astringency. 13% alcohol. U.S. importer: Vinum USA Inc., Basking Ridge, NJ. (March 14, 2026)

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FOOD MATCH: The winery declares it delicious with fat and spice such as pulled pork, smoked brisket, or any grilled meat, Cajun-style gumbo, and a range of Asian dishes and spicy sauces.

WHEN TO DRINK: The winery recommends decanting the wine and allowing it to breathe for 30 minutes before drinking, advice that – along with its firm tannins and brisk acidity – suggests some potential for cellaring.

VALUE:
Wine-Searcher.com lists a $21 average U.S. retail price, but it’s widely available in the upper teens. It’s an excellent value through that range and even a few dollars more.

WEB LINK:
Here’s a link to Rodica’s fact sheet on the Refošk.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Rodica Slovenska Istra Refošk on Wine-Searcher.com.

Learn about the Refosco grape (the Italian name for the Slavic Refošk) at this Wine-Searcher link.

Follow this Wine-Searcher link to read more about Slovenia’s coastal Slovenska Istra wine region.

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Previous Issue: « How old is wine, anyway?

How old is wine, anyway?

Robin Garr — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 13:14:12 GMT

Humans first cultivated grapevines to make wine some 8,000 years ago. But our ancestors surely enjoyed fermented grape juice millennia before that.

We’ll probably never know the first time that some brave person tasted the juice that had gathered around a bowl of fruit left in the sun and thought, “Hey! This tastes good!” And shortly after that, “And it makes me happy!”

But we can reasonably assume that it wasn’t long after that before someone else decided that it was a bad thing and sought to ban it.

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Those casual experiments almost certainly took place independently at locations around the globe, throughout the temperate regions where wild grapes will grow. And, for that matter, people tried other fermentable fruits and grains just about everywhere else.

The evolution of wine from a pleasant venture at home to production in vineyards and wineries had to await humankind’s graduation from bands of hunter-gatherers to farmers, and the rise of cities filled with potential customers for farm produce … including wine.

Saperavi, a dark grape grown in the Republic of Georgia, may be the region’s oldest grape variety, according to the publication Georgian Journal.

That probably happened as far back as 8,000 years ago in the South Caucasus region in the Republic of Georgia, according to Dr. Patrick McGovern, a Penn State archaeologist who analyzed stains on ancient cauldrons, shards of pottery, and broken bottles to trace the earliest history of intoxicating beverages. McGovern, who died last August at 80, also famously used pottery shards dating back 9,000 years to a Neolithic village in China that appear to be the oldest alcoholic beverage in the world: a mix of fermented rice, honey, and hawthorn fruit.

These and other studies seemed to fix the birth of wine grape viticulture and wine production to regions around the Black Sea, from where it quickly spread through the Fertile Crescent to Europe, Egypt, and beyond. That’s the conventional wisdom, and it’s the story you’ll read in just about any wine book or commentary – including this one.

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But recent research is offering a broader view of where wine grapes originally came from. In a sweeping genetic study analyzing more than 3,500 wild and cultivated grapevines, an international group of scientists traced the ancestry of modern wine grapes back about 11,000 years to Western Asia. From there, early farmers gradually spread domesticated vines westward across the Mediterranean and into Europe, laying the foundations for the wine cultures that would flourish millennia later.

“Genetic data indicate that 400,000 and 300,000 years ago, grapes grew naturally across the western and central Eurasian continent,” Mark Fischetti and Francisco Franchi wrote in the Oct. 1, 2023 issue of Scientific American. “Roughly 200,000 years ago, a cold, dry, ice-age climate slowly killed off vines in the central Mediterranean Sea region, cleaving vine habitat into two isolated areas: one to the west of the sea (today Portugal, Spain, and France) and one to the east (roughly Israel, Syria, Turkey, and Georgia). Around 56,000 years ago, the eastern region separated again into smaller isolated areas: the Caucasus (Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan) and western Asia (Israel, Jordan, and Iraq).”

Global climate played a very important role in shaping not only human evolution, but also the evolution of all kinds of plants and crops throughout time,” according to Wei Chen, an evolutionary biologist at Yunnan Agricultural University and an author of the study.

Chen said the latest research also suggested that grapevines were the first plant to be domesticated by humans. If that is the case, grapevines have served as more than just a cultural hallmark for civilization, but a bridge between Neolithic cultures and modern agricultural societies.

Humans first started cultivating grapevines to make wine some 8,000 years ago. How soon after that do you suppose someone else decided that wine was a bad thing and sought to ban it?

Today’s featured wine, Stoller 2023 Dundee Hills Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, offers a beautiful expression of a grape with a long heritage in its own right.

This wine’s $25-plus toll keeps it behind our subscription paywall. Since I buy all the wines I review at retail and do not accept wine samples or other gratuities from the industry, I count on the support of paid subscribers to help cover the cost of the wines I review. Accordingly, I have to reserve wines that cost me more than about $20 behind our subscription paywall.

Support The 30 Second Wine Advisor with your paid-tier subscription. For $5 per month or $50 for a year (a 17% saving), you’ll receive additional wine notes funded by your subscriptions, enjoy quick direct access through Substack for wine-related questions, and gain my real appreciation for your support.

Chianti, pasta, and tomatoes, oh my!

Robin Garr — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 15:13:59 GMT

Could there be a wine pairing more perfect than Chianti with spaghetti in a thick, spicy tomato sauce? I can’t think of a better match right now.

Sure, this is a match so stereotypical and old-school that some might call it boring. But I’ll never turn down a Chianti-and-pasta meal, because I know it’s delicious. How about you?

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What makes this pairing work? Admittedly, there’s probably an element of magical thinking here: Chianti is one of the most familiar Italian wines, and tomato-sauce dishes are famously associated with Italy. They’re both Italian, so they must go together? Maybe, maybe not. But I could argue that wine-producing regions around the world often develop wines to go with local produce, and vice versa.

More reasonably, perhaps, ripe tomatoes cloak their fresh sweetness with a jolt of tangy acidity; and Chianti is a relatively acidic wine too. In an effect called congruent acidity, the zippy tomatoes and the tart wine meet and mingle with appetizing synergy that kicks up another notch with the wine’s tannic astringency.

Chianti’s high acidity and rustic, earthy notes cut through the richness of tomato sauce beautifully. Its savory character and cherry flavors complement both simple marinara and more complex meat sauces, according to the tomato gurus at Tuttorosso, a producer of Italian-style canned tomatoes.

Technically, tomatoes are fruit, a botanical fact that shows in their juicy sweetness; and Chianti is famous for its characteristic aromas of fresh cherries and dried cherries, a fruity impression that makes a vibrant match. There’s also often a herbal note in Chianti, and that too sings in harmony with the herbs and spices in a good tomato sauce.

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If you’d like to read more about the mysterious attraction between Chianti (and other Italian wines) and tomato-based sauces, here’s an interesting article from Tuttorosso, an Italian-style tomato brand from Red Gold.

I pulled up to the table the other day with a tasty Chianti and a bowl of steaming spaghetti and homemade sauce frozen from last summer’s garden tomatoes, and I didn’t regret that choice for an instant.

The wine, Castello Di Albola 2023 Chianti Classico, has had a special place in my heart since I spotted the twin white towers of its nearly 200-year-old winery on a distant hillside during my first trip to Tuscany years ago. I didn’t get to stop – I had a wine judging task in Umbria to get to – but Albola’s label still reminds me of that happy voyage of discovery.

Of course, you can’t drink memories, but the wine is consistently enjoyable, too, and reasonably affordable.

Today’s Tasting Report

Castello Di Albola 2023 Chianti Classico ($16.99)

Made with organic grapes and billed as sustainably produced, Castello Di Albola 2023 Chianti Classico shows a clear ruby color. Strawberry and dried-cherry aromas add oak-related back notes of tobacco leaf and black olive, leading into a fresh, bright red-fruit flavor framed by brisk acidity and light but perceptible tannic acidity. Typical of Chianti Classico, it’s an excellent food wine. 13.5% alcohol. U.S. importer: Zonin USA Inc., Aventura, Florida. (Feb. 28, 2026)

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FOOD MATCH: The winery suggests serving it with traditional pasta dishes with tomato-based sauces, roasted meats, and medium-aged cheeses. It was beautiful for us with a simple dish of spaghetti with a garlicky, spicy tomato sauce.

WHEN TO DRINK: This wine is ready to drink right now and very pleasant indeed. The winery suggests it may be kept under good cellar conditions through 2029-31.

VALUE:
It’s a good value at my $17 local price and Wine-Searcher.com’s $18 average U.S. retail and would even justify a price tag into the $20s. A few retailers list it as affordably as $10, though, so careful shopping is warranted.

WEB LINK:
Here’s the winery’s detailed fact sheet on the 2023 vintage.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Castello Di Albola Chianti Classico on Wine-Searcher.com.

Read about Chianti Classico and browse dozens of wines and vendors at this Wine-Searcher link.

Go to this Wine-Searcher link for more about Chianti’s Sangiovese grape.

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Previous Issue: « Open what bottle?

Open what bottle?

Robin Garr — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 16:19:04 GMT

Tomorrow is Open That Bottle Night. Yay! It’s time to enjoy that bottle you’ve been saving. But what if you don’t have a special bottle like that?

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Open That Bottle Night has been an annual observance for wine lovers since the turn of the Millennium, since Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher, the couple who wrote the Wall Street Journal‘s “Tastings” column from 1998 through 2010, came up with the idea.

The concept is simple: Set the last Saturday of February for an informal world-wide celebration of friends, family and memories, during which all of us finally drink that wine that is otherwise simply too special to open. (Also, if you’re hoarding a special bottle without climate-controlled storage, stop doing that! Drink it! Don’t wait until it’s spoiled by heat and oxidation.)

All this sounds like fun, assuming you have a fancy bottle that you’re hoarding for some unknown future occasion and that has accumulated such an aura that it seems wrong to open it on just any old day. Open That Bottle Night exists to break you out of that deadlock. Open it up! Enjoy it!

But here’s the problem: Not all of us have a fancy bottle in storage or even the cellar facilities to keep such a treasure cool and safe. How can we take part in the joy of Open That Bottle Night?

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Here’s my modest proposal: Head for the wine shop and treat yourself to something special! If the late-winter gloom and chill of the end of February isn’t reason enough for a happy splurge to anticipate Spring, I don’t know what is. Get yourself something special and join the Open That Bottle celebration tomorrow night!

Saturday is Open That Bottle Night! Will you consider finally drinking that wine you’ve been saving because it feels too special to open?

I previewed Open That Bottle Night this week with Ridge Sonoma County Three Valleys, an impressive California Zinfandel blend from California’s respected Ridge Vineyards.

“Ridge Monte Bello grows on Ridge Vineyard’s home property situated between 1,300 and 2,700 feet above sea level, where it sits above the high-tech campuses of Silicon Valley and catches cool breezes from the Pacific.”

Ridge is perhaps best known for its memorable Zinfandels and other single-vineyard wines, perhaps most notably its Ridge Monte Bello Cabernet-based Bordeaux-style blend.

Three Valleys is an exception to that rule, combining grapes from three complementary vineyards in a Zinfandel-dominant mix of varieties reminiscent of an old, traditional California field blend.

Although Three Valleys sits at a relatively affordable position in Ridge’s range, its $30ish price tag requires me to keep it behind our subscription paywall. Since I buy all the wines I review at retail and do not accept wine samples or other gratuities from the industry, I count on the support of paid subscribers to help cover the cost of the wines I review. Accordingly, I have to reserve wines that cost me more than about $20 behind our subscription paywall.

Support The 30 Second Wine Advisor with your paid-tier subscription. For $5 per month or $50 for a year (a 17% saving), you’ll receive additional wine notes funded by your subscriptions, enjoy quick direct access through Substack for wine-related questions, and gain my real appreciation for your support.

Microplastics in my wine!?

Robin Garr — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 16:46:50 GMT

Ultraprocessed foods! Forever chemicals! Microplastics! What’s your favorite high-tech worry? Could there be microplastics in our wine!? Well, maybe.

I got quite a bit of response to last week’s column about metal screw caps, most of you agreeing that the increasing adoption of screw-caps and fungus-free “technical” corks has all but eliminated the scourge of cork taint from commercial wine.

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A few readers, though, raised a question about screw caps that hadn’t occurred to me: Does the tiny plastic liner that secures a seal between the closure and the bottle afflict our wine with invisible yet scary microplastics?

First, the bad news: It does appear that metal screw caps shed microplastics into water, soda, beer, and yes, wine in glass bottles. In a study published last summer, the French food-safety agency ANSES reported that glass bottles, counterintuitively, contain more microplastics than those in plastic bottles. The culprit, ANSES found, appeared to be the bottle caps more than the bottles themselves.

“On average, in glass bottles of cola, lemonade, iced tea, and beer, there were around 100 microplastic particles per litre. This number was five to 50 times lower in plastic bottles and cans.”

Who knew? “We were expecting the opposite result,” the report went on. “The scientists hypothesised that these plastic particles could come from the paint used on bottle caps.”

The Portuguese firm Amorim, a leading producer of natural cork, wasn’t slow to step forward with its own analysis of the microplastics study.

The (relatively) good news? For reasons not entirely clear, water and wine bottled under screw caps are less affected by microplastics than other beverages.

Microplastics are just about everywhere in our modern, technological world. They have been found in the land, sea, and air, across the food chain, and throughout the human body, The World Economic Forum wrote in a report last year.

If you’re a natural optimist, it may reassure you to know that the full extent of the health impacts of microplastics is not yet known. There is no direct evidence that these tiny plastic fragments filling up our bodies are harmful to human health.

If you’re a pessimist or even just a realist, though, you might want to be aware that some studies implicate microplastics in an increased likelihood of heart attack, stroke, and even Alzheimer’s.

“It is estimated that people inhale 68,000 microplastic particles every day, and some experts believe we are in the midst of a plastic health crisis,” the World Economic Forum concluded. “Microplastics have now been detected throughout the human body – including the blood, lungs, liver, and even lower limb joints. Scientists have found evidence of microplastics in our brains, and further studies have revealed how these microplastics are accumulating and rapidly rising.”

In a world that sometimes seems full of potential threats, microplastics may not rank as highly in our spectrum of fears as some more immediate dangers, ranging from war and plague to rising authoritarianism.

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Still, the Portuguese firm Amorim, a leading producer of natural cork, wasn’t slow to step forward with its own analysis. “Wine bottles sealed with cork stoppers free of microplastics,” Amorim headlined its quick media response to the French study. “The results showed that glass containers were more contaminated than other types of packaging in all drinks, except for wine, a difference attributed to the use of cork stoppers instead of screw caps.”

You pay your money and take your choice. I didn’t let fear of microplastics keep me from enjoying this week’s featured wine, the delicious and tightly screw-capped Nortico 2023 Alvarinho from Portugal’s Minho region.

Tell us your thoughts on microplastics in wine and beyond: Join the conversation in Substack Chat.

Today’s Tasting Report

Nortico 2023 Minho Alvarinho ($15.99)

Made entirely from Portugal’s Alvarinho grape and made without oak, clear copper-gold Nortico 2023 Minho Alvarinho breathes appetizing scents of tangerine-dominant mixed citrus and honeydew melon. Citrus and melon carry over in the long-lasting flavor with fresh, bright acidity that serves well at the dinner table. 13% alcohol. U.S. importer: Ole & Obrigado, New Rochelle, N.Y. (Feb. 16, 2026)

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FOOD MATCH: It’s made to go with Portugal’s world famous seafood and fish, and the importer also suggests matching it with creamy and tangy cheeses.

WHEN TO DRINK: Best enjoyed over the next year or two while it’s still young and fresh.

VALUE:
Wine-Searcher.com’s $16 average U.S. retail price places this appealing white wine appropriately in the middle teens. It’s a good value.

WEB LINK:
Here is importer Ole & Obrigado’s Nortico fact sheet. For more information on their Carbon Neutral Certified status, see this page.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Nortico 2023 Minho Alvarinho on Wine-Searcher.com.

Go to this Wine-Searcher link for information about Portugal’s Minho wine region.

Read about the Alvarinho grape (known as Albarino in Spain) at this Wine-Searcher link.

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Previous Issue: « Screw cap? So what?

Screw cap? So what?

Robin Garr — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 16:18:22 GMT

You grab an interesting-looking bottle at the wine shop and realize that it has a metal screw cap. Do you even care? Did you use to feel that way?

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Me? I’m happy to see it. A screw cap guarantees that I won’t be disappointed by losing the wine lover’s lottery and finding a wine spoiled by cork taint, the funky, musty, damp cardboard stench of a fungus-infested natural cork.

The good news — as I wrote a couple of years ago in my column What? A real cork? — is that we hardly ever encounter untreated natural corks anymore, particularly in the $10 to $25 range where I most often explore.

“Quietly, so we hardly even noticed,” I observed, “whole corks have gradually given way to a range of options: Sturdy metal screw caps, synthetic corks made with either plant-based or petrochemical resins, and so-called “technical” corks like the popular Diam closure, made from natural cork that’s crushed and ground into tiny granules, treated with carbon dioxide to banish the cork-taint contaminants, and reassembled back into a natural but processed cork-shape stopper.”

Do you have trouble cracking the screw cap open? Try this simple trick: Hold the cap tightly, and twist the bottle. There’s science at work here: Torque depends on radius, so you get more force by turning the larger bottle than the smaller cap.

Still, it hasn’t been that long, at least on the geological time scale, since wine lovers were deeply skeptical of screw caps on wine bottles.

In a 2002 column, I wrote, “Of all the emerging alternatives to natural cork, the screw cap may be the most controversial and maligned, because it has long been associated with cheap, “rotgut” wines, a prejudice that the makers of the original Muppet Movie captured with great comedy in the memorable scene where the actor Steve Martin, playing a wine steward, dramatically unscrewed a bottle for Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog.”

Two comments on that article underscored the attitude: “screw caps will take 100 years to catch on,” and “Screwcaps are for rot-gut!” As it turned out, neither of those remarks aged well.

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Even so, one concern remained, particularly among buyers and collectors of high-end wine meant to be cellared while maturing gently for years: Would those trophies age as effectively or well under a solid metal closure?

That argument remains controversial, reported New York-based wine writer Caitlin A. Miller in a November 2025 article for SevenFifty Daily, an online magazine about the business and culture of the beverage alcohol industry.

Many high-end producers, especially in the U.S., remain skeptical, Miller wrote, largely based on each closure’s ability to gently transmit oxygen to the wine. Too much, and the damage caused by oxidation is obvious; but too little, and the wine won’t evolve predictably, if at all.

Summarizing several scientific studies on aging wine under both closures, Miller concludes that proponents of screw caps see them as an investment in consistent quality, and the science generally supports this argument. “But wine is often as much about culture as it is about science,” she says. “For these traditionalists – including many U.S. consumers – natural cork is still paramount, thanks to its cultural and emotional weight as a symbol of prestige and long aging.”

Today’s featured wine, Vignobles Ferrandiere Pinot Noir from Pays d’Oc in Southwestern France, comes under a sturdy screw cap, and I’m glad it did. Fresh and delicious, it bore no traces of oxidation or cork taint. It’s no Burgundy, not at its $13 price tag, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s a pleasant, well-balanced, and interesting table wine, and that makes me happy.

What do you think? You pick up a bottle of wine, and it has a screw cap. Do you even care? Did you use to feel that way?

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Today’s Tasting Report

Vignobles Ferrandiere 2024 Pays d’Oc Pinot Noir ($12.99)

Young, fresh, and appealing, Vignobles Ferrandiere Pays d’Oc Pinot Noir is a dark reddish-purple color with a bright garnet edge. A scent of cherry almost reminiscent of wild-cherry Life Savers shows at first, then gives way to pleasant cherry-berry and plum aromas and a whiff of brown spice. Red fruit carries over on the palate with fresh acidity and distinct tannins that linger in a long finish. 13.5% alcohol. U.S. importer: Alain Junguenet Selection, Westfield, N.J.

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FOOD MATCH: The wine’s English-language back label, hinting at Pinot’s status as one of the most food-friendly red wines, suggests pairing this wine with lamb leg, duck, soft cheese, or a red-fruit tart. We enjoyed it with air-fried tofu steaks with sautéed mushrooms in a red-wine reduction.

WHEN TO DRINK: Its combination of forward fruit and tannic astringency suggests that this young 2024 vintage will keep in a good cellar for several years, but extended cellaring would require a gambler’s spirit. I’d drink it up this year or next.

VALUE:
It’s a fine value at my local mid-teens price and Wine-Searcher.com’s $14 average U.S. retail.

WEB LINK:
Here’s importer Alain Junguenet’s fact sheet on this Pinot Noir.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Vignobles Ferrandiere Pays d’Oc Pinot Noir on Wine-Searcher.com.

Read about Southwestern France’s Pays d’Oc and its wines at this Wine-Searcher link.

Follow this Wine-Searcher link for an overview of the Bourgogne-rooted, internationally planted Pinot Noir grape.

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Previous Issue: « Rethinking high-alcohol table wines

Rethinking high-alcohol table wines

Robin Garr — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 16:19:02 GMT

If you want to make me crabby, talk about rising wine alcohol levels. Wait! Please don’t. But now I’m rethinking my bad attitude. What’s up with that?

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I think I can see the point when my attitude started to mellow, at least a little. Last summer, in my column “Warmer climate, warmer wine, I came on full grumpy: “The Tuscan red I picked up the other day listed 15% alcohol,” I wrote, adding “Whoa! That, as the saying goes, ‘ain’t natural’.” But since then, things have been changing and I’ve been rethinking.”

Rising alcohol levels in wine regions around the world are intimately wedded to rising environmental temperature, and this has been a subjecct of wine-geek discussion and debate for a while.

Peasants Carousing in a Tavern (1630s), oil painting on panel by the Dutch artist Adriaen Brouwer (c.1605-1638). Museum of Fine Arts Boston.

“It’s a simple matter of wine chemistry,” I wrote in this June 20, 2025 column. “Warmer weather pushes grapes to greater ripeness, which means they contain more sugar. When the crushed grapes are fermented to dryness, the additional sugar is converted to more alcohol content. Riper fruit, more sugar, higher alcohol: The equation is simple and direct.”

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And it’s something wine experts see as a flaw. Over-ripening in unaccustomed heat yields grapes that make highly alcoholic wines with too much fruit and too little acidity, lacking the ideal balance that wine lovers seek and prize.

And so I complained about it.

And yet, at the end of that column, my attitude took an odd turn. The high-alcohol Tuscan red wine I had been complaining about, “Ateo” Sant’Antimo Rosso, turned out to earn at least my grudging praise as “a wine that’s, well, perhaps not for everyone. Still, it justifies a price in the lower $20s with intensity, balance, and a presence that should fare well over five to 10 years of cellar time.”

Now when I encounter a table wine from a region, grape, producer, or importer that I generally like, I’ve tried to be less quick to put it back on the shelf simply because it lists alcohol content over 14%. In general this has paid off. Somehow this selected set of high-alcohol wines seems to be made more traditionally, with good fruit-acid balance and appealing texture in spite of the number on the label.

Maybe the industry – or at least selected artisanal producers – are learning to deal with the effects of climate change. Or maybe I’m just mellowing. It could happen!

Substack Chat: Lately I’ve been rethinking my instinctive dislike for table wines over 14% alcohol, if they’re well-made and balanced How about you?

The respected British wine writer Andrew Jefford dived deeply into this issue in the article Let’s reconsider how we think about alcohol levels in the Oct. 25, 2025 edition of Decanter magazine.

Jeffords’ report, subtitled, “With climate change causing alcohol levels to climb, it’s time to reassess how we think about the [alcohol level] of our bottle – wine lovers and winemakers alike,” is long and detailed; I won’t quote it at length here, but can’t resist sharing Jeffords’ conclusion: “My own hope … is that those who love wine will continue to treasure a range of alcohols in wine as they do every other aspect of wine’s expressive amplitude – and do so without the unhelpful aesthetic rigidity that can follow a focus on stated alcohol figures. Our wine reflects our world. Despite everything, both remain beautiful.”

This week’s featured wine, Clos du Gravillas Cote Obscur Vin de France Rouge, a dark, non-traditional blend of Carignan Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon, comes in at 13.5% alcohol, on the high side of the traditional range but now probably close to the median for quality reds. It’s deep, dark, and delicious, and not at all hot, harsh, or unbalanced.

Because of its $25 price range, I have to lock it behind our subscription paywall. Since I buy all the wines I review at retail and do not accept wine samples or other gratuities from the industry, I count on the support of paid subscribers to help cover the cost of the wines I review. Accordingly, I have to reserve wines that cost me more than about $20 behind our subscription paywall.

Support The 30 Second Wine Advisor with your paid-tier subscription. For $5 per month or $50 for a year (a 17% saving), you’ll receive additional wine notes funded by your subscriptions, enjoy quick direct access through Substack for wine-related questions, and gain my real appreciation for your support.

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Anatomy of a tasting note

Robin Garr — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 16:36:01 GMT

What do you look for in a wine tasting note? If you write wine notes, what is your purpose? What’s your message? What story do you want to tell?

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As I wrote a few weeks ago in this space, some wine writers and other enthusiasts have been questioning the value of the traditional tasting note, wondering if the practice has passed its best-by date.

In one recent article that spurred a lot of discussion, the wine writer Meg Maker and the wine writer and importer Terry Theise declared the tasting note “an impoverished way of talking about wine’s significance and impact.” Wine is worth writing about, they said, but called for giving it the courtesy of more of our human creativity.”

I hear what they’re saying and respect the creativity bit, but after a few weeks’ reflection and reading other opinions, I’m not ready to give up the tasting note entirely. After all, there are dozens of completely different reasons to write a tasting note, and just as many reasons to read them.

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You may take pen or keyboard in hand to write a note, for instance, if …
• You’re a wine maker or wine merchant with wines to sell.
• You’re a wine writer addressing a large following or publishing in a popular magazine.
• You’re a wine writer or blogger with a smaller but loyal community on Substack or other publishing platforms or online wine communities.
• You’re a social-media influencer or would like to be.
• You’re a wine lover sharing the joy of the wine in your glass with friends.
• You’re a wine lover jotting notes on your wine simply for your own enjoyment, to tune your tasting skills, or to save for later reference.

Sign up as a wine judge and you’ll write hundreds of wine notes. Maybe thousands. I almost got writer’s cramp when I judged at Vinitaly in Verona in 2007, but loved every minute of it!

There’s a half-dozen approaches to wine-note publishing just off the top of my head, and it should be obvious that different forms call for different approaches. A wine maker isn’t likely to trash his own product, and may be inspired to puff it up, although that approach has its hazards when the cork comes out. One wine writer may enjoy hard-edged, critical reviews; another may fear turning off a flow of free samples if their reviews are too harsh. And so it goes.

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As I said in the Jan. 9 column on tasting notes, in this publication I share my thoughts on mostly affordable wines of good quality and value. I try to be concise and specific, avoiding colorful language or unfamiliar descriptors. I try to describe – in the order of the traditional tasting process – the wine’s color, clarity, aromas, flavors, and finish, plus, as appropriate, information about the wine’s varietal blend, vinification, and organic or natural status.

To make my report as useful as possible, I don’t stop with the traditional tasting report but include the price I paid for the wine, its stated alcohol content, the importer and producer (with links to their information pages about the wine), potential food pairings, aging potential, my opinion of the wine’s value for its price, and links to Wine-Searcher.com for merchants who stock the wine, and background information on the grape variety and region of production.

Speaking of Wine-Searcher.com, I have participated in an affiliate relationship with this worldwide wine search engine for more than 25 years. Its search engine, price comparison tools, and extensive database of wines and spirits make it easy to find the wine I’m reviewing, or virtually any wine, locate merchants near you or that will ship to you, compare prices, and even order the wine directly. With all that plus its extensive wine encyclopedia and news pages, it’s a top destination for wine lovers.

And, in full disclosure, through our affiliate program I receive a small commission each time you click through to a page on Wine-Searcher.com. It’s not a large fee, but in sum they add up and help us pay our server costs and the wine that I buy for review. Those free samples I spoke of above? I don’t take them.

What makes a tasting note worth reading for you? What makes you quit reading and turn the page?

Now, here’s this week’s report on a fascinating Australian white wine made from the Pedro Ximénez grape, not a variety usually known for making dry, aromatic wines. If you like its looks, its Wine-Searcher database awaits you..

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Today’s Tasting Report

Colectivo Mutante 2022 PX#1 Limari Valley Pedro Ximénez ($19.99)

A clear, straw-color wine with a glint of gold, Colectivo Mutante 2022 PX#1 Limari Valley Pedro Ximénez is made in far northern Chile from a grape better known for its use in the region’s Pisco liquor or a toothache-sweet Spanish Sherry. This wine is dry, though, and deliciously aromatic, leading with rich scents of peach, tangerine, and fresh green herbs. Stone fruit and citrus come through in a medium-bodied flavor that’s shaped by crisp, fresh-fruit acidity. 12.5% alcohol. U.S. importer: Brazos Wine Imports LLC. Brooklyn, N.Y. (Jan. 21, 2026)

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FOOD MATCH: The importer’s page represents the wine as “Delicious by itself or with anything slightly spicy.” We put that to the test and enjoyed the wine with crisp-fried Beyond Meat popcorn “chicken” with a hint of black pepper in its crust and another kick of heat in a red-chile dipping sauce.

WHEN TO DRINK: Don’t cellar this one. Its ripe, fresh fruit is best enjoyed while the wine remains fresh, ideally during this year.

VALUE:
This wine is a good value at my $20 local price, and better still at Wine-Searcher.com’s $17 average U.S. retail

WEB LINK:
Here’s a fact sheet from importer Brazos Wine.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Colectivo Mutante PX#1 on Wine-Searcher.com.

Read about Chile’s Limari Valley wine region at this Wine-Searcher link.

Wine-Searcher’s Pedro Ximénez article tells about the grape but deals primarily with its use in sweet Sherry and similar fortified wines.

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