Dave McIntyre

1 week ago | dmwineline.substack.com | Dave McIntyre

We may not hear much about Earth Day in the current political climate in Washington, D.C., but of course for winemakers, every day is Earth Day. As Spring colors burst forward and vine buds shake off winter’s last chill (and hopefully avoid frost), Mother Nature reminds us to look around and appreciate the fragile beauty that sustains us.

2 weeks ago | dmwineline.substack.com | Dave McIntyre

I’ve been reading a lot about wine the past few weeks, trying to keep my mind off the news. Today’s selection includes articles from some of my favorite wine Substackers, Simon J. Woolf, Henry Jeffrey, Felicity Carter and Mark Spivak, as well as news of the ever charming and ever energetic Dr. Laura Catena. Austria, Naturally. Simon J. Woolf, in The Morning Claret, shares a delightfully insouciant piece he wrote for Noble Rot about his favorite natural wines from Austria.

2 weeks ago | dmwineline.substack.com | Dave McIntyre

Years ago, I jokingly referred to natural wine advocates as the “anti-vaxxers of wine.” My wife cringed and urged me not to say that, and I honestly can’t remember if I ever uttered the phrase in public. I’m pretty sure I never put it in print, until now. My argument: The natural wine movement rejected science, rejected Louis Pasteur’s conclusions about the process of fermentation and how to protect wine from microbial contamination.

2 weeks ago | dmwineline.substack.com | Dave McIntyre

Long-time readers know I love to explore local wines. The good news is, the creativity is strong and the wines continue to get better. Here are some bottles I’ve enjoyed recently. Look for these if you’re ever in their area — as I like to say, enjoy wines from around here, wherever “here” happens to be. Old Westminster Winery Tendril First Edition, Maryland ($20). This delightful, easy-drinking red is 70% chambourcin, with the balance cabernet franc.

3 weeks ago | dmwineline.substack.com | Dave McIntyre

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is driving much of journalism toward listicles, articles structured around lists designed as clickbait. I confess I’m a sucker for any article offering me five new recipes for cauliflower, because I cling to a sliver of hope that someday I will learn to like it. But here are some about wine you might actually see, maybe, who knows?