Posted on April 25, 2012 by Bill Skrapits
Love or hate the 100 point system, Robert Parker’s rise to dominating the wine critics’ world has changed the way we think about wine, what we buy and the resources we use to make our wine-buying choices. His influence is so great that what he says about wines can actually shift markets…
Posted on May 18, 2012 by Bill Skrapits
A couple of weeks ago, I attended Grape Day at Newsom Vineyards, up west of Lubbock in the Texas Panhandle – pretty much in the middle of nowhere. But it was worth the trip – several great speakers (Dr. Andy Walker from UC Davis, Dr. Richard Becker of Becker Vineyards, and many…
Posted on June 4, 2012 by Bill Skrapits
Festivals. Are you participating in local and regional wine festivals? If you’re not, you should be. Festivals are a great way to have your wine tasted by lots of people in a short period of time. Attendees of wine and food festivals actually enjoy wine and food – go figure! And they…
Posted on June 18, 2012 by Bill Skrapits
The growing season in most states is in full swing now and you’ll soon need to be ready for harvest and crush. The problem is, it’s like getting prepared after you’ve received the hurricane warning – it IS happening, you just don’t when it will strike. The grapes are ripening, but the…
Posted on July 12, 2012 by Bill Skrapits
How about bringing a bit of European tradition to your winery this harvest by making a small batch of nouveau wine? When we think of nouveau wine, we often think of Beaujolais. This is not because nouveau wine originated there, but mostly because Beaujolais has done an excellent job of marketing.…
Posted on November 20, 2012 by Bill Skrapits
Hello Everyone! It’s been a while since I blogged last. I’ve had a busy summer and a great harvest season doing what I love. I’ve been working with a winery in West Texas helping them expand and it’s been fun – even in the sweltering Texas heat. I’m putting together…