Dr. Liz Thach, MW

Wine Trends in British Columbia

A retro pour of predictions — with a BC twist. Contributed by author, Julian Park, and republished here with permission. For more information, please contact Julien at julian@bcwinetrends.com In 2016, Dr. Liz Thach MW published a list of “Hot Wine Trends” that aimed to capture the future of wine consumer behaviour. The industry was bracing for a sparkling boom, boxed wine battles, and a love affair with Sauvignon Blanc. Almost a decade later, we’ve pulled the BC data, opened a few bottles, and checked which of those prophecies aged well — and which were more fizzle than sizzle. Spoiler alert: some [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2025-08-08T12:52:16-07:00August 6, 2025|

How Your Wine Preferences Change Over Time

Have Your Wine Preferences Changed Overtime to Sweeter or Drier? (Pexels.com) Think back to the time when you first started tasting wine? Where were you? Who were you with, and more importantly, what types of wine did you prefer the most? There is plenty of research confirming that consumers have different wine preferences based on their genetics, with hyper-sensitive tasters preferring sweeter and less tannic wines, and tolerant wine consumers craving larger tannins and higher alcohol wine (see Hanni & Utermohlen). However, there is also a long-held belief in the wine industry that as consumers age, their taste preferences change [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2025-07-18T11:03:30-07:00July 18, 2025|

Margo Van Staaveren as New Director of Winemaking at Beringer Winery

Margo Van Staaveren, Director of Winemaking at Beringer Winery in Napa Valley Beringer Winery holds an important place in my wine journey, because it was the place that I fell in love with wine. A friend had brought me to Napa Valley for my birthday and we did a tour and tasting at Beringer. I will never forget standing on the porch of the old historic Beringer house, looking out at the vineyards, and having one of those "ah ha" moments. Surrounded by friends, laughter, and a delicious taste of chenin blanc in my glass, I knew that wine would [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2025-07-10T10:33:18-07:00July 10, 2025|

Dinner At 3-Star SingleThread Restaurant with Bricoleur Vineyards Wines

Wine and Food Pairings at 3-Star SingleThread Restaurant in Healdsburg, CA. Thach Though it was expensive to pay for the 9-course tasting menu at 3-Star Michelin restaurant, SingleThread, in Healdsburg, California, sometimes in life you just have to splurge. Besides dining at a 3-star Michelin isn't only about the food and wine, it is also like getting a front-row orchestra seat at both the ballet and theater, as well as attending an art gallery. This is because the servers seem to dance around the table in a ballet of grace as they bring new dishes and change out cutlery, plates [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2025-07-11T09:03:14-07:00July 10, 2025|

A Visit to Promontory Winery in Napa Valley

Visiting Promontory Winery in Napa Valley. Thach Driving up to the massive iron gates of Promontory Winery set upon a hillside about Napa Valley was an intimidating experience. However, once inside the gates, we were welcomed by Will Harlan and the rest of the afternoon was a magical visit as we learned more about his vision for the future. The Story of How Promontory Winery Was Established In the early 1980s, before Will Harlan was born, his father, H. William (Bill) Harlan, was hiking in the mountains above Napa Valley and stumbled upon a hidden valley. It was isolated and [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2025-06-15T03:18:56-07:00June 15, 2025|

$109 Billion U.S. Wine Market Shows Uptick In Q1 2025 Shipments

Consumers Continue to Shop for Wine in $109 Billion U.S. Wine MarketGETTY (This article was originally published in Forbes.com. Republished here with permission) After two years of declining wine sales volume in the U.S. market, a new report suggests that the situation may be improving. Developed by Gomberg-Fredrikson & Associates, a wine market intelligence company established in 1948 that uses U.S. government data to analyze wine shipments and revenues, the report shows a positive uptick in wine shipments for the first quarter of 2025. “We are seeing an uptick in both California wine shipments and imported wine in the first [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2025-06-15T03:01:36-07:00June 15, 2025|

What Is The Future Of AF Wines?

The Future of AF Wines and Vineyards. Getty Many people want to know if the current strong growth in Alcohol Free (AF) wines is just a trend, or if it is here to stay. Given that alcohol-free wines have been available commercially in the U.S. market for 40 years (Arial was introduced by J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines in 1985 and Fre was released in 1992 by Trinchero Family Estates), there will always be a place in the market for these types of wines. However, with the current consumer focus on health and wellness, it is expected that many more AF [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2025-04-13T16:56:35-07:00April 17, 2025|

The Challenges And Cost Of Producing Alcohol Free Wines

High-quality Wine Grapes Are Needed to Produce High-quality Alcohol-Free Wines. getty While most consumers assume that wine without alcohol should be easier to produce and therefore less expensive to purchase, the reverse is actually the case. Creating a high-quality alcohol-free wine requires at least two extra production steps, beyond regular winemaking: 1. Grow and harvest high-quality grapes (using low-quality grapes results in a low-quality wine) 2. Ferment the wine (using traditional methods, with yeast—usually in a stainless steel tank) 3. EXTRA STEP: Remove the alcohol from the wine (which usually strips the wine of many flavors and aromas—different technologies include vacuum distillation and reverse [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2025-04-13T16:50:13-07:00April 15, 2025|

Tasting the Exquisite Wines of Dr. Konstantin Frank in the NY Finger Lakes Region

Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery in the Finger Lakes Wine Region of New York I first visited the Finger Lakes wine region of upstate New York in the early Spring on my way to visit Niagara Falls. We stayed two nights at a darling BnB on the shores of the one of the lakes, and I remember thinking that it was one of the most beautiful wine regions in America, with the vineyards planted along the gently slopping hillsides of the lake. We spent three days there visiting different wineries and enjoying not only the lovely rieslings and cabernet franc wines, [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2025-04-13T11:44:54-07:00April 13, 2025|

New Alcohol Free Wines That Taste Delicious

New Alcohol Free Wines That Taste Delicious. Photo Credit: Getty Over the years I have tried many alcohol-free wines and have always been a bit disappointed. They either tasted too sweet and fruity, or thin and bitter. However, with the new health and wellness trend sweeping the globe, some wineries have invested more money and new technology into creating some alcohol-free wines that actually taste delicious. Here are five that I've recently tasted that I continue to purchase on my own and enjoy. Please note that portions of this article were previously published in Forbes.com. Growth of Alcohol-Free Wines There [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2025-04-13T16:55:22-07:00April 13, 2025|

How to Enjoy ‘Green’ Wine

Enjoy Green Wine During March and for St. Patrick's Day. Photo Credit: Getty As March arrives and St. Patrick’s Day approaches, the color green typically comes to mind. It’s usually not hard to find a bar or pub serving ‘green beer,’ but discovering ‘green wine’ may be more challenging. However, there are three green wine types you can find and enjoy during March, or even year-round. #1) Vinho Verde – The Original Green Wine If you haven’t tasted a glass of ‘Vinho Verde’ yet, you are in for a treat. Originating in Portugal, this style of white wine is light, [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2025-03-17T14:58:45-07:00March 17, 2025|

Exploring Madrid’s Hidden Gem: A Guide to Visiting the Vinos de Madrid Wine Region

Madrid, Spain is a Great Place to Visit. Photo Credit: Pexels.com, NextVoyage (Contributed by guest author, Michael Pope) When you think of Madrid and wine, it’s easy to imagine yourself in a lively tapas bar, where glasses of vino flow freely and pair perfectly with the clink of plates and the hum of conversation. Here, wine is woven into the rhythm of daily life, usually decent, always affordable, and a natural companion to the city’s love of food. Sadly, for many people, the Madrid wine culture ends there, fulfilled by wines from other more famous DOs, leaving the region’s own [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2025-01-23T11:38:59-08:00January 22, 2025|

Tasting My First Wine Made in Tanzania

Enjoying African Wine on Safari Nothing excites me more than trying a wine from a new country. Currently wine is produced in more than 70 countries around the world, but one that surprised me was Tanzania in Africa. When traveling in Africa, the most common wine to be served is from South Africa. This makes sense because they make incredible wine in South Africa — I have visited there twice for wine conferences and tours. However, there are other countries in Africa that do produce wine, and one is Tanzania. This is because there are high mountains (think Mt. Kilimanjaro) [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2025-02-20T17:15:33-08:00December 23, 2024|

A Magical Visit to Spottswoode Winery in Napa Valley During Harvest

Spottswoode Winery in Napa Valley. Photo Credit: Spottswoode I've known Beth Novak, President and CEO of Spottwoode Winery in Napa Valley for years, but actually never had a chance to visit the historic winery (first built in 1884) until this harvest. By the time I completed my visit, I was completely captivated by how natural, authentic, and inspirational Beth and all her employees are. In fact, when I arrived, I found a group of employees dancing and singing in the cellar as they worked! “The original old stone winery was built in 1884,” stated Beth Nowak, after she greeted me. [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2024-12-23T14:17:33-08:00December 23, 2024|

Wine Tasting with a Robot Named Scorpion: A Robotic Revolution in Sipping!

Scorpion, the Wine Serving AI Robot Contributed by guest author, Hermon Dubale: Imagine this: a robotic arm that resembles a scorpion, elegantly reaching for a bottle of aged Chardonnay and pouring it with finesse while interacting with you. Scorpion’s AI functionality detects people and can even engage in light, charming conversation, creating a fun and interactive atmosphere. Recently, Scorpion was installed in 1936 Wine and Spirits NYC and has received many reviews. Watch the YOUTUBE VIDEO to see a customer experience Scorpion for the first time and call it “a real sommelier.” This is because Scorpion not only pours wine [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2024-12-23T14:05:33-08:00December 23, 2024|

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