Articles by
John Tilson
WINE & TRUTH
The Underground Wineletter has always stood for the consumer and more wine transparency (click to read about our history and mission with links to many other articles). Wine should not be a mystery. But somehow in the U.S. it has become very complicated and that is even before the bottle is opened. Consider how […]
Click here to read entire article »HAT TRICK WINES FROM TOAD HOLLOW VINEYARDS
Under the radar Toad Hollow Vineyards has come up with the hat trick producing 3 Outstanding new releases – one white, one rosé, and one red. They are all delicious and great bargains. If you like wines that are pure, balanced, and flavorful as I do then it is time for you to try this […]
Click here to read entire article »2018 STUPID WINE DESCRIPTION WINNERS
For the last few years I have been writing an annual article on stupid wine descriptions (to read the first with a single award for one of the most ludicrous wine descriptions of all time click here). This year’s four award winners come from my friend Mort Maizlish who is particularly adept at finding […]
Click here to read entire article »ATTENTION WINE DRINKERS: THIS BUD’S FOR YOU!
Since 2011 (to read the article entitled What Is Wine? click here and to read my article Yikes! The Tide May Be Going Out Soon! Who’s Swimming Naked? click here) I have been writing about wine ingredient labeling and why it is needed (to read the reasons why wine ingredient labeling is needed click on […]
Click here to read entire article »HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Wow hard to believe, but it’s that time of year again. And, for us 2018 was a very unpredictable year. Yes, we were blessed with our new grandson, Chase, who is an absolute joy. But, a lot of the other things we had expected did not happen. And, unfortunately a lot of things that […]
Click here to read entire article »BURGUNDY 2018
I first went to Burgundy to taste from barrel in the 1980s. This year marked over 30 years of tasting wines from barrel in Burgundy. During this period I have missed only a few years. I founded The Underground Wineletter in 1979 and soon after we were tasting wine from barrel in California, Bordeaux, […]
Click here to read entire article »HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2018!
It has been quite a year. And, it is especially so for many of us here in California. It is very sad that so many lives were lost and so much property destroyed. But we feel blessed. Life goes on, and there are many reasons to be especially thankful this year. Now, as always, […]
Click here to read entire article »A MOTOR TRIP NORTH – FALL 2018
WINE, FOOD, FRIENDS, ADVENTURE, SIGHTSEEING AND MORE My wife Laurie and I have been traveling to Northern California for over 50 years. In this time we have seen many things and many changes – some really good, some good, some not so good, and some bad. But, it is always an interesting and scenic […]
Click here to read entire article »CALERA WINE COMPANY – A GREAT CALIFORNIA WINE STORY NOW ENTERING ANOTHER CHAPTER
Earlier this year Calera Wine Company founder and owner Josh Jensen announced the sale of the company to Duckhorn Wine Co. I first visited Josh at Calera shortly after he released his first vintage which was 1978. And I have been following, buying, and drinking Calera wines since then. The wines are consistently first […]
Click here to read entire article »A RECENT VISIT TO DIAMOND CREEK VINEYARDS – FALL 2018
I first visited Diamond Creek Vineyards over 40 years ago. The first vintage for Diamond Creek Creek was 1972, and shortly after that we went to we went to visit (to read a recent article on Diamond Creek including the history click here). The late Al Brounstein, along wine his wife Boots, founded […]
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