Wine lovers rejecting Bordeaux is akin to Americans hating on George Washington. It’s an integral part of wine’s history, its mystique, and its hold on our imaginations. Plus a lot of it tastes really, really good.

Worried about a double dip recession? I can’t help you with your 401(k), but I can show you how to get more bang for your vinous buck with these budget wine tips.

It’s true that overly alcoholic wines are no fun to drink — but are we too focused on alcohol levels? Does it really all come down to the number?

Want to get a serious wine lover’s knickers in a twist? Just ask him what he thinks of the 100-point scoring system. Nothing is quite so controversial — and ubiquitous — as the 100-point scale.

Eric Asimov’s recent article about sommeliers who taste wine before serving it has sparked a lot of discussion in the wine blogo/Twittersphere. The practice doesn’t bother me, but the piece, and the reaction it provoked, got me thinking a lot about my sommelier pet peeves. The majority of my encounters with sommeliers have been positive…but I’ve had my fair share of negative experiences. And when things do go bad, it usually plays out a little something like this.

Last week Paul and I had the pleasure of hosting Stu Smith, co-founder of Smith-Madrone, for dinner. We had been looking forward to this get-together for a while, but a recent controversy in the wine blogosphere added a new sense of urgency to the event.

This wine and I got off to a rocky start–but ultimately found a way to see eye-to-eye.

It’s been quite a week. I had surgery on Tuesday (everything’s fine) and have spent the past 6 days in and out of a Percoset-induced haze. During my more lucid moments, I’ve been reading wine blogs. A LOT of wine blogs. This has not been as good for my health as I would have hoped.

When a friend suggested I write more about wine labels on STBNY, I immediately thought of Michel Chapoutier. What sets Chapoutier’s labels apart is not their look (elegant fonts, neutral colors, classic crests) but their feel.

My dear friend Gary was clearing out his boss’ office and came across a bottle of wine. Would I, he wanted to know, be interested in trying it? You bet I would.