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:

1. Pick 12 wines.

2. Pick wines that I tried within the 2016 calendar y...

Aging a bottle of wine is a bit like cheating death, and a bit like playing the lottery. It’s a game I love to indulge in, but even in the excitement there’s a moment of panic every time I take a corkscrew to an older bottle.

As a sommelier, I always want to take the u...

Well honestly, there are hundreds of reasons. Yet I was reminded of one of them last night: it has a unique power to bring people together. Almost everyone has a wine story to tell, whether they're an oenophile or a total neophyte.

When people find out what I do for a...

Today is National Drink Wine Day. Read my tips for celebrating at the Seattle Weekly

One of the interesting parts of my job is attending industry tastings. These take on a variety of different forms: sometimes it's a true trade show, with nothing but industry folks, while other times it's a hybrid trade/public event. In either case, the biggest challen...

December 1st, 2013 was a terrifying and gratifying day in my life. It was the day I took (and passed!) my Certified Sommelier exam through the Court of Master Sommeliers. This week's edition of The Bar Code takes a look back at the stress and challenges of that day