Robert Parker

The Wine Detective: Maureen Downey Reveals Forged Bottles

Do I Have to Endure the Wine Opening Rigamarole?

You don't need to say anything. Just like this lady.​I'm fielding your questions about dining out in 21st-century Bay Area restaurants. Have one? Email me. The learning curve on ordering wine in restaurants isn't as steep as it appears. And it's not hard to relax on the bottom end of the curv ... More >>

Tasting Petite Sirah, California's Little Big Wine

Alastair BlandTasting panelists Noah P. and Eleni K. strike a pose with the Petite empties.​It was born in 1880, and four years later came to California. But for another 80, almost nobody knew it. Petite Sirah is one of California's historical vines and among the earliest varieties introduced ... More >>

Look at Art, Then Drink It

bittermelon/FlickrThe Press Club is offering tastes of wines featured in SFMOMA's current exhibit.​How Wine Became Modern, SFMOMA's new exhibit on visual and design evolution in the wine world, is a fascinating look at both the aesthetics and processes of modern American winemaking, tracing th ... More >>

Cheap Wines That Don't Suck: 2006 Falesco Vitiano Rosso

Not flabbyUmbria grows a lot of warm-climate grapes, so you might expect some flabby, low-acid wines from Italy's only landlocked region. But the influence of the Apennine Mountains ensures cool nighttime temps, which means more complex tannins (i.e., structure). Falesco Vitiano Rosso is a blend of ... More >>

Michael Bauer Watch: Local Food, Imported Wine--Why?

Dude, don't blame the grape!

Voodoo on the Vine

The origins of the increasingly popular Biodynamic wine are steeped in the occult and bad science.

Whining and Dining

An intriguing wine list and excellent tapas are perfect after Sideways

Funk Soul Brothers

Harold Ray doesn't exist. But he and his band are one of S.F.'s best live acts.

Up a Tree. Still?

Environmentalists have all but won their fight to save the Headwaters Forest. Somehow, that's not enough to bring Julia Hill down from her treetop perch.