Nov 27, 2012

Reprinted from the WSJ – Asia Edition, November 22, 2012 By Joshua Hall This summer was the hottest in 104 years in South Korea, which sent a lot of locals reaching for a cold one. Beer accounted for 60% of the alcohol market by volume last year, with some 1.95 billion liters consumed. Overheated Koreans have particular reason to rue the fact that their...

Oct 22, 2012

I was in Rhone in September and October and tasted over 320 wines from the region. Here are the tasting notes from the Paul Jaboulet Aine tasting. They have expanded and have 32 cuvees from across the Rhone valley now and I was able to taste 9 of their wines. I was impressed with the improvment in quality. The wines have more focus and clarity than ten years...

Sep 9, 2012

Reprinted by kind permission of yonhapnews agency Printed in Korea Times, september 5, 2012 By Joshua Hall Contributing writer SEOUL, Sept. 5 (Yonhap) — The neighborhood of Hongdae, home to Hongik University in western Seoul, isn’t quite the place one would normally think of for innovative cuisine or fine wine. Yet, there is a growing number of...

Aug 12, 2012

There are plenty of great red wines that work well with meat on the barbecue. Here are five of my favorites this summer. 2008 Dinastia Vivianco Crianza (Rioja, Spain) Fresh vibrant bouquet of violets, plums, vanilla cream, subtle cinnamon and and plump wild raspberries. Broad soft tannins and velvety texture with sweet fruit and good balance. Modern elegance...

Aug 11, 2012

This may just be the best value wine this summer in Korea. 2010 Brumont rosé from the Cotes de Gascogne region is made from a blend of equal parts of tannat, syrah and merlot and delivers great texture and flavor. The wine is a rich salmon color with fresh strawberry and melon notes, delicate minerality and good clarity through the palate. Tannat adds...