Articles by
John Tilson
Rating Scale
ABOUT OUR RATING SCALE & QUOTED PRICES Rating Bottled Wines For wines that are bottled we use a rating system as described below. Perfection — This is an absolutely perfect wine, the ne plus ultra. Extraordinary — A Extraordinary wine is nearly flawless. Outstanding — A Outstanding wine is a wine of clearly superior quality […]
Click here to read entire article »PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Over the years, with the old Underground Wineletter, we received many interesting letters. Some complimentary, some less so, some critical, some constructive, etc. I think you get the picture. From this, I chose a selected cross section of letters to publish written replies. One of these appeared in Volume III, #1 in 1981. We decided […]
Click here to read entire article »DEAR SANTA, WE’VE GOT A LITTLE LIST
In Volume V, #5 of The Underground Wineletter from 1983, we wrote a letter to Santa with our wine wish list, which is reproduced below: One Winedrinker’s Opinion Dear Santa, We’ve Got a Little List . . . Dear Santa, Get ready ol’ boy, the time is at hand. Everyone has a list. We’ve got […]
Click here to read entire article »Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello Retrospective Dinner
The Ridge Vineyards Retrospective Dinner with Paul Draper took place at the elegant Four Seasons Biltmore in Santa Barbara on April 4, 2009. The dinner was presented on behalf of the 2008 Central Coast Wine Classic by wine collectors John and Laurie Tilson of Montecito who contributed the wines from their collection. This great event, […]
Click here to read entire article »THE UNDERGROUND IS BACK!
Some 40 years ago, I started my pursuit of learning about wine. It had never been a part of my life until after Laurie and I were married in 1967. At that time, I said to her that there has to be something better than “Red Mountain,” a jug wine that sold for a few […]
Click here to read entire article »Retrospective Review: Volume I, Number 1 (August-September 1979)
We are reproducing here a copy of the first issue of The Underground Wineletter. Below you’ll find an updated review of each article, where I will go over what we got right and what we got wrong. We will follow this format with each successive issue. So Volume I, Number 2 will be coming next. […]
Click here to read entire article »WHY THE “UNDERGROUND” WINELETTER? ARE WE TERRORISTS?
Response to our new publication has been great. There’s obviously a lot of interest in intelligent, unbiased commentary on wine. We’re often asked about this wine or that, but occasionally we’re asked why the name “Underground”? Are we terrorists? Perhaps a reincarnation of the Weathermen? Are our foreign correspondents disciples of Che Guevara? No. Nary a machine gun or shoulder holster anywhere. Our interest is strictly fine wine—drinking it and reporting on its merits as objectively as humanly possible.
Click here to read entire article »ONE WINEDRINKER’S OPINION: THE NEED FOR UNDERGROUND WINELETTER
Over the years many of us have decried the often commercial, many times self-serving or inaccurate information available about wine. An obvious solution would be to publish our own subscription letter. Some of the most experienced and knowledgeable wine tasters/collectors/and consumers have joined together to publish what we plan to be the most candid and comprehensive commentary available on fine wine anywhere…
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