A Free Wine Encyclopedia!“Paul, In the newsletters it says things like, Will complex over the next two years.’ How can I tell when a wine will be at its best? M.N., North Hollywood, CA As many factors are involved, this is a complex issue (no pun intended). Unfortunately, the main factor, is experience, and that you must gain… read more »
“Paul, I noticed that you often mention ‘tannins’ in your newsletter. Are tannins what makes a wine taste dry?” E.N., Portland, OR This is a good question and although the answer is yes, there’s much more here than meets the eye (or the palate, in our case). In looking at a wine’s overall quality profile,… read more »
“Paul, I have heard that the jostling of wine during transportation can damage it. Is this so and, if so, will it help if I let my bottles rest after I have received them from you?” S.R., Emeryville, CA People often ask me this when I tell them that I will be shipping wines to… read more »
Dear Paul, I heard something not too long ago about lead getting into wine. Then I recently noticed that the ‘foil” which covers the cork on a lot of wine bottles is different than what it used to be. Am I correct in assuming that there is some relationship between the two? — K.N. Huntington… read more »
Paul, I recently saw on the news that Temecula suffered considerable flood damage during the heavy rains. Were the vineyards affected? What other natural foes threaten the vine? – L.L., Woodland Hills Luckily, for the wineries, the damage was confined mostly to “Old Town” Temecula and a few roads which were washed out. The… read more »
“I have been with the Wine of the Month Club for three years…in the past year I have noticed more ‘table wines’…I belong to the club to try new wines and wineries. Not table wines that I have little control of their contents and would be unable to compare vintages”. F.C., Santee This is an… read more »
Paul, Are any of the domestic wines that we are accustomed to made from native grapes, or do they all have their origins elsewhere?” M.M., Temple City, CA Any grape, really, can be made into wine, but few indigenous grapes have achieved any degree of success as raw wine materials. Native grapes, botanically of the… read more »
“Paul, I read now and then about wines that sell at auctions for wild prices, like $25 ,000 . a) What kind of wines are worth that much? b) Can I start a collection for investment purposes using WOMC wines, and sell them later for a big return?” A.R., El Cajon Thanks for asking about… read more »
This letter came in recently. “A friend asked my husband and myself to a wine tasting at their home. We went to find a salesman from a German wine company showing his wines. They were medium to good but very expensive! We find the Wine of the Month Club has better value. It was not… read more »
“I have seen some of the same grapes used to make ‘blush’, ‘blanc’, and ‘rose’ wines. In some cases from the same winery! Could you tell me the difference?” Dr. T.R.E. Bakersfield I’m not sure that I can because there is no code, law, or regulation which governs the terminology regarding the color of wine…. read more »