Skepticism about the value of wine criticism is ubiquitous, as I detailed in this post last month. But pushback against the wine-tasting-is-bunk meme is gathering
Category: Philosophy of Food and Wine
What is Art For?
I don’t agree with the underlying assumption of Alain de Botton’s recent work that art’s value lies in what it is for, the purposes it
My Symposion Interview
Symposion is an exciting new journal dedicated to “things cultural, aesthetic and intellectual about food.” It exists now as a blog but will soon be
Food, Wine, and Nostalgia
The world of food and wine thrives on a heavy dose of nostalgia. Culinarians (“foodies’” in the vernacular) chase down heritage tomatoes, ferment their own
A Natural Debate over Natural Wines
I guess it must be that time of the year again. Every six months or so, it seems, the wine blogosphere erupts in a cascade of
The War on Terroir
The idea of “terroir” is controversial. Some think it defines what counts as great wine. Others think it is a myth promulgated by excessively romantic wine