

My 2016 Case of Wine
Since 2016 is drawing to a close, I thought now was as good a time as any to put together my ultimate case of the year. Since any list requires at least a few guidelines, here’s what I went with: Pick 12 wines. Pick wines that I tried within the 2016 calendar year: no legacy wines. Pick wines that are or were on sale within 2016: no library wines unless an average wine drinker could get their hands on them. That said, not all of these wines are available in the United States.


The Magic
One of the great tragedies of wine is having a bottle that lacks magic, transforming what should be a memorable experience into merely an act of intoxication. Some bottles, naturally, possess more magic than others, but any bottle worth drinking will have at least a little. So what is wine magic? Where does it come from? Well, in many ways that's a deeply personal question, but here are a few tipoffs that I look for when buying and tasting. Who made it? Certain producers just


Fall 2016 Class Schedule
I'm very excited to announce that starting this month, Vine Trainings will have a regular home for classes! The Court in the Square offers a wonderful space to learn about and enjoy wine. Located at 401 2nd Ave S in the heart of Pioneer Square, Seattle's oldest neighborhood, the space can accommodate groups ranging from a dozen all the way up to several hundred at a time. As such, I'll be offering two core Vine Trainings classes on several dates throughout the rest of 2016. T


Vine Trainings on the Radio
Exciting news! I jumped on the radio this past Saturday (June 25th) to talk about Vine Trainings with my friend Christopher Chan. We talked a bit about how I got interested in wine, discussed what exactly Vine Trainings is, and tasted three fun wines: the 2015 Riesling from Tantalus in British Columbia, the 2011 Assyrtiko from Thira on the island of Santorini in Greece, and the 2005 Reserva Rioja from Bodegas Ontanon in Spain. It was a great conversation, with some real fun m