My latest brush with the natural wine scene was at the end of August in Zürich at the 4th annual Association Suisse Vin Nature (ASVN) tasting. This year’s venue, Kantine, was bohemian enough to reawaken my love for Beat Poetry and aligned perfectly with the ethos of more than 100 zero-zero wines from all over […]
Category: Commentary
On the Dôle: Not Quite Down and Out in Valais
During the long French summer of 1937 the marriage of close relatives, Pinot Noir and Gamay, was officially consummated with a new AOC. Since then, Bourgogne Passetoutgrain has been the standard bearer and sole guardian of this sometimes uneasy union. I say “uneasy” because the original cahier des charges has changed very little in the […]
Foehn — The Alpine Wind
This article first appeared in TRINK Magazine, Issue 14, (09.30.2022). “The Foehn wind is a real affineur of grapes . . .” from the diary of Weingut Bründlmayer Evidence from wine regions everywhere suggests that if cool climate viticulture is to survive, then it must move north — or, in Switzerland’s case, up. Warming temperatures in formerly […]
Swiss Grapes: Chasselas—International Grape of Mystery
Several months ago, I made the case there is too much Chasselas in Switzerland. My well-meaning rant was in response to a call from farmers for more government support for those with excess wine to sell—mostly, over-cropped Chasselas. Although I stand by my original thesis—that no one should subsidize inferior wine—I do want to make […]
Swiss Grapes: Arvine — Big and Small
If not for the overwhelming dominance of Chasselas, Arvine might have gotten more consideration as Switzerland’s signature white grape. Even though its 254 hectares pales in comparison to the 3539 hectares of Chasselas, Arvine has captured the imagination of the outside world in a way Chasselas hasn’t. Luminaries as bright as Angelo Gaja and Michel […]
Chasselas at a Crossroad: The Vaud Rescue Plan
Recently the Canton of Vaud unveiled a new three-pronged plan to help stabilize a wine industry beset by foreign competition and climate-related setbacks. The plan, which runs through 2027, earmarks 25 million francs for new sustainability initiatives, targeted investment in e-commerce and digital infrastructure, and an aggressive, yet undefined, consumer awareness campaign aimed at German-speaking […]
The Clos du Mormont—A Spirit in the Vineyard
As a child of California who grew up during the New Age Movement, I’m familiar with talk of energy vortexes, power centers, and other metaphysical notions. I’m also familiar with the movement’s many intersections—Werner Erhard’s human potentiality seminars or the eclectic offerings of the Esalen Institute. Back then, it was normal for young adults to […]
Nostalgia: César Drinks List
Once upon a time, I was in the restaurant and bar business with locations in Berkeley, Oakland and Fair Oaks, California. Every once in a while, some one from back then will reach out to me through this blog to say how much they miss the old days, when wine was plentiful and eating out […]
Swiss Vin Nature: The Regulations Have Arrived
After several years of study and debate, the final regulations for “Vin Nature Swiss-style” have been published. What follows is my English translation of the regulations — officially released only in French and German — so please forgive any errors I may have made. I think it’s pretty clean. Upon a quick examination, the Swiss regulations […]
A Note to My Readers on the Winter Solstice
2020 is a year we must never forget. Yes, there have been worse years for humanity, but not one in my lifetime has left me as worried about the fate of future generations as this one has. Movies, television and books have done a good job of giving us fictional glimpses of pandemics, natural disasters and […]
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