Dan Berger

Translating Labels

Foreign languages create problems for Americans who are unfamiliar with imported wines' place-naming system.

Food September 1, 2026
The Wine Bar

When attending a wine bar, I always ask when a bottle was opened—and I watch the face of ...

Food August 25, 2026
Ready-to-Drink Cocktails Give Wine a Run for Its Money

Using flavor enhancers like peach, tangerine, blackberry, and strawberry, many RTDs are essentially alcoholic soda.

Food August 18, 2026
Sauvignon Blanc Is Hot

The wine changes slowly and can be fascinating when it reaches an extra two years in the bottle.

Food August 12, 2026
Meet Sonoma’s Newest Wine Region

Fountaingrove is one of the newest AVAs in Sonoma. Its real meaning to consumers will become evident only ...

Food August 4, 2026
The Riesling Is a Challenger for Title of World’s Greatest Wine Grape

The coldest regions of the United States are home to some of our best riesling vineyards.

Food July 29, 2026
Keep on Trocken

The best wines are in extremely short supply.

Food July 21, 2026
Wine Glut

Not only are bankruptcies and winery closures becoming commonplace, but very slow wine sales are also changing the ...

Food July 14, 2026
Ask Questions

The least patrons can do is to validate that the wine they ordered is what they wanted.

Food July 7, 2026
Collecting Wine

Most of today's domestic wines don't have the staying power to improve.

Food June 30, 2026
Wine ‘Additives’

Wine today, whether it's from the United States or a place you have never heard of, is better ...

Food June 23, 2026
Learning About Wine

Where the grapes grew usually contributed something more interesting to a wine than just what the grape variety ...

Food June 16, 2026
Stale Views

A "shelf talker" is a slip of paper or a card with a few words that describe the ...

Food June 9, 2026
Wine Quality Improvement

Good wine is getting better. And this has nothing to do with improving the grapes or the techniques ...

Food June 2, 2026
The Case for Wine

Wine is a complex discipline that entails farming (botany and plant physiology) and fermentation science (chemistry and microbiology).

Food May 26, 2026
Cabernet Franc

Cabernet franc is quite similar to cabernet sauvignon with several additional traits that make it much more approachable.

Food May 19, 2026
Bait and Switch

The more you know about wine, the more you are likely to see the scam before falling for ...

Food May 12, 2026
Bargain Bin

Because wine is a perishable product, huge amounts of decent table wines are now beginning to fade.

Food May 5, 2026
Wine and Climate

Timing is everything. Grapevines are hardy and can last without irrigation for many decades.

Food April 28, 2026
Loire Valley Wines

The entire Loire area includes numerous sub-districts, each with its own wine reputation. The most widely planted grape ...

Food April 21, 2026
Wine’s Regionality

It is not necessarily a contradiction in terms, but not all fine wine improves in the bottle.

Food April 14, 2026
Sweet or Dry—or Flabby

Ask any winemaker or tasting room pourer: "Does your chardonnay have sugar in it?" Most will say "no" ...

Food April 7, 2026
Sweet Wine

This is not the only nation that appreciates sweet beverages with savory foods, but we hugely adhere to ...

Food March 31, 2026
Wine Column Points vs. Style

Scientific papers show that moderate consumption of wine with food reduces the risk of heart disease.

Food March 24, 2026
Natural Wine

Probably the most widely held notion by people who support natural wine is that it must not contain ...

Food March 17, 2026
Merlot Resurrected

For those who may have forgotten, "Sideways" was a popular film that caused many in the wine industry ...

Food March 10, 2026
Euro Reds

In recent decades, there has been a terrible trend among many "dry" wines to be "softened."

Food March 3, 2026