Washington tries something new, bill gets passed, some greedy people get angry, farmers are happy, and you get to sample booze:
State Will Keep Craft Distilleries Local
in this issue of the Seattle Weekly
We’ll all live happily, locally ever after…

When I go out for a drink or something to eat, I always ask one question before I pass judgment: “What are they trying to be?” The implied follow up question is, of course, And how well do they achieve this? But lately, in my travels and around my own backyard, another question preempts this […]

When people ask me about Washington wine while traveling, I figure it’s going one of two ways. One, an interesting discussion will evolve about the power of hype and marketing and manufactured demand. Or two, I’m an asshole.
(At this point you probably know my views on the Washington wine industry. I feel the under-qualified, underachievers […]

(recycled and updated from a years old post)
All distributors have their big tastings around this time as a pre-funk for the holiday season. As a buyer, you usually only have time to taste some of what’s on display. But you have to make that time, if you want to stay up on wine and not […]

(or Lo! Checkith Thyself Before Thy Wreckith Thyself)
There’s something about all you can eat shrimp or an open bar that just brings out the very worst in people. White trash or rich man–they have the potential to make everyone look ridiculous. Seriously, I’ve passed appetizers in 5-star hotels where I feared starving socialites in $8000 […]

Man, did I get letters for this one.
Costco’s Liquor Board Suit Could Help Small Wine Shops
(if they let it)
Just remember one of the most overused proverbs, The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
See the ball, people. The state is the bad guy in this. And, yes, Costco is one of the good guys. […]

Last week was a good week. Alois Lageder of the Alto Adige was in town, and I got to chat with him about his new label series, which is a further testament to his passion for the arts. Not only did I get to have a little face time with the man who owns one […]

I get hate mail. Which is strange…can’t these people just get their own blog? But no topic has inspired as much hate mail as a post I wrote hating on the dumbest fucking thing I’ve ever seen: the TAB Energy drink.
So I thought I’d respond. And I’ll try to be as nice as I can […]

You never heard of it? Yeah, you’re not the only one. It’s funny, Wine X is getting more press in death than it ever did during its publication. Decanter has a nice round up on the situation. (You can read more of my comments if you scroll down the page.) Basically, Wine X Magazine spent […]

or Walmart: What a Bunch of Dicks
Walmart Says Thank You to Workers
from The New York Times
The gist: each employee gets an additional 10% ONE item, on top of their 10% discount, for the holidays. Each manager will meet with employees over the next weeks in some version of the Festivus “airing of the grievances.”
Yeah, […]