Dan Berger

A “shelf talker” is a slip of paper or a card with a few words that describe the wine sitting on the shelf that retailers hope will entice people to buy it.

Good wine is getting better. And this has nothing to do with improving the grapes or the techniques that wineries use.

Wine is a complex discipline that entails farming (botany and plant physiology) and fermentation science (chemistry and microbiology).

Cabernet franc is quite similar to cabernet sauvignon with several additional traits that make it much more approachable.

The more you know about wine, the more you are likely to see the scam before falling for it.

Because wine is a perishable product, huge amounts of decent table wines are now beginning to fade.

Timing is everything. Grapevines are hardy and can last without irrigation for many decades.

The entire Loire area includes numerous sub-districts, each with its own wine reputation. The most widely planted grape variety is chenin blanc.

It is not necessarily a contradiction in terms, but not all fine wine improves in the bottle.

Ask any winemaker or tasting room pourer: “Does your chardonnay have sugar in it?” Most will say “no” so fast you think you’re talking to a politician.