In the summer of 1982, Volume III, Number 6 offered the following articles: One Winedrinker’s Opinion – A Case For Old Burgundies, Coming Attractions, 1979 Bordeaux, California Cabernet Sauvignons, More 1979 Red Burgundies, Distinctive New Wines, California Chardonnays, Selected Tasting Notes, Barrels and Bottles, and Cellar Notes. We are currently reproducing a copy of Volume […]
Click here to read entire article »My last Distinctive New Wines article featured rosé and white wines (to read that article click here). As the end of summer approaches, here are more rosé and white wine selections that are perfect for warm weather drinking. There are many Under The Radar wines and many terrific values. There are also rare wines and […]
Click here to read entire article »We are currently reproducing a copy of Volume II, Number 5 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 II, Number 6 will be coming […]
Click here to read entire article »We are currently reproducing a copy of Volume II, Number 4 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 II, Number 5 will be […]
Click here to read entire article »We are currently reproducing a copy of Volume II, Number 3 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 II, Number 4 will be coming […]
Click here to read entire article »We are currently reproducing a copy of Volume II, Number 2 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 II, Number 3 will be coming […]
Click here to read entire article »We are currently reproducing a copy of Volume II, Number 1 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.
Click here to read entire article »With Volume I, Number 6 in June-July 1980, we ended our first year of publication. My lead editorial was a glimpse of things to come and was titled “It’s Our Anniversary! But The Best Is Yet To Come!” In it I talked about the launch of our barrels and bottles feature which would review wines in barrel and bottle before they were released for sale. The idea which was to prove to be the wave of the future was “to evaluate some of the best wines before they begin their way through the retail trade.” I stated our intention to focus on fine wines exclusively – Chardonnay, Cabernet both old and new and other California wines such as Pinot Noir, Zinfandel and Gewurztraminer, and also Vintage Ports. And French wines, 1978 Burgundies, 1978 Bordeaux and Sauternes, plus older Bordeaux vintage reviews 1970, 1966, 1961, 1928 and 1929 and a review of Chateau Petrus from 1920-1976. These reviews of older vintages were timely because the older wines were readily available at auctions in England and then through wine merchants in Europe and the U.S. And, it is important to remember, that this was before the plague of wine fraud was to rear its ugly head!
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We are currently reproducing a copy of the fifth 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 6 will be coming next. […]
Click here to read entire article »In Volume I, Number 4, February-March 1980, we began with why the “Underground Wineletter? Are We Terrorists?” In this edition I wrote why we began the wineletter, what we set as objectives and our approach. Then, as now, our interest is in drinking wine and reporting on it’s merits as objectively as possible. We expect criticism, especially when our comments may be unfavorable. But, our only objective is to offer opinion that is constructive and in the end everyone – producer, distributor, retailer and consumer – should benefit. The “Underground” reflects our commitment to be as free from outside influence as possible. As we said then: “This is our battle.” Not exactly the stuff to satisfy Genghis Khan, but we think Thomas Jefferson would approve. And, far away in some remote and well-stocked, sub-celestial cellar, Bacchus smiles, nods approvingly and proclaims “Finally on earth, The Underground Wineletter, Veni, Vidi, Vici.”
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