Through the Grapevine #82
Wine news and just a smidge of commentary for May 13, 2026
Life Among the Vines
Yes, I am still alive. I started my next WSET Diploma course and have been buried ever since, and although I’ve thought about writing, it’s a challenge to get the energy and inspiration for it after spending eight hours a day talking about wine at work and then pouring most of my free time into reading about wine for my upcoming exam. I suppose this is the downfall of centering my whole life around one thing. Vines go through cycles of visible growth and dormancy, and we humans sometimes need a time of appearing bare and lifeless so that quiet work can occur under the surface. Along with working and studying, I’ve found myself thinking about what I want for my future, and where all the education and transition of the last few years are taking me. Anyway, I feel like I’m poking my head above water a bit more at this point, so hopefully you’ll see a revival of more activity here at Just a Smidge, too.
Meanwhile, the actual vines are well into their visible growth stage, thanks to an early heatwave in March and a fair amount of rain in April. We’re about three weeks ahead of normal, which could make for some interesting harvest timing. But they never make a call on the conditions of a growing season or the vintage until it is fully over, and we still have no idea what this summer will bring - for us or for the vines.
The Grape News
Freedom in wine distribution scores a small victory. In case you aren’t familiar with alcohol distribution in the U.S., we are just an utter morass of ridiculous legal barriers that benefit distributors/wholesalers and government entities, at the expense of consumers and producers, especially smaller producers who are least able to afford giving away portions of their profits to distributor networks who may or may not actually help them. The laws exist state by state, and sometimes even county or city. One popular restriction is shipping alcohol from a retailer in one state to a customer in another, but the 6th District Court of Appeals has now described that law in Ohio as unconstitutional. The linked article goes into some of the history of the three-tier system, including claims that these laws protect consumers against unsafe products. As the article suggests, the health and safety argument often relies on anecdotal tales of unregulated homemade alcoholic beverages. Most of us who want to order wine online aren’t trying to ship a batch of Uncle Davey’s backyard hooch, so I think we’ll be fine.
Bread and wine for the win - 8,000 years and counting!
Love it or hate it, Sauvignon Blanc keeps growing in the wine market. Wine Blast’s episode, Keep Calm and Sauvignon, delves into the range and quality of the divisive Sauvy B around the world.
Why can some of us drink in moderation throughout life without problems, while others fall so easily into risky drinking behaviors or dependence? The Unreserved Wine Talk podcast addresses the science of alcohol consumption.
Dan Berger on wine evaluation as a discipline that has little to do with personal preference.
Sara Danese says wine lists are boring and overpriced, and although I haven’t been to many top tier restaurants lately, I have looked at a fair number of wine lists and I have to agree.
Vineyard Maintenance
I have little to say here except thanks for the patience with my dormant phase. I hope to be back on a regular schedule soon. If you have any questions or topics you’d like me to address, please drop them in the comments or email me at stacey@justasmidge.me. I’m also happy to offer wine consultation services, so if you’re investing in wine or building a collection, selecting wine for a special event, or just making sure you get the right bottle as a gift, don’t hesitate to reach out.
The Best Thing I Drank This Week
Celebrating the arrival of warmer weather and on a quest for reasonably priced wine to quaff on the patio, I rediscovered this absolute gem: the Dry Chenin Blanc from Dry Creek Vineyards, which is about a 20 minute drive from my house, but which you can probably find in a wine shop near you. It’s crisp and bright and flat out delicious, but my favorite think about it is that it has real texture, which is rare in a value-priced wine. It is an ocean breeze across the coastal hills in a glass, and it runs a mere $15 or so a bottle. Cheers!
Thanks for the mention! Also somewhat reassuring to hear somebody else agrees and that I am not hallucinating.