Dr. Liz Thach, MW

Do 98% of Americans Really Open a Bottle of Wine Within 24 Hours of Purchase?

Friends Drinking Wine. Photo Credit: Pexels.com There is a much repeated quote that “98% of Americans open a bottle of wine within 24 hours of purchase.” But is this really true? Well, the short answer is "no." Based on a Sonoma State University research study of 1194 American wine consumers from across the nation, the results show that Americans do not really pop the cork or screwcap as quickly as previously reported. Instead, only 20% of survey respondents admitted to drinking the wine within 24 hours of purchase. Most consumers wait several days or weeks before consuming the wine, and [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2023-11-26T13:44:14-08:00November 26, 2023|

Wine In India – Consumption Rates Increasing Along With Wine Knowledge

Sonal Holland, MW – CEO and Founder of Sonal Holland Wine Academy in India. HOLLAND Though I have not yet traveled to India to taste wine from their 110 wineries, I definitely hope to do so in the future. In the meantime, I keep abreast about wine in India from my friend, Sonal Holland, India's first MW. In fact, I was in London at the Awards Ceremony when she became an MW. Here is some of the recent information she shared with me about the growth of the Indian wine industry, along with increasing wine consumption (in moderation) and wine [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2023-10-25T11:23:54-07:00October 25, 2023|

Hispanic Winemakers Of Oregon Express Passion For The Land, Legacy And Cuisine

Hispanic Winemakers from Oregon INGRID FRANZ MORIARTY Sometimes it’s a mystery why certain people are “bitten by the wine bug,” and others are not. For a group of 12 Hispanic winemakers in Oregon, it’s about a strong bond of growing grapes and making wine to reflect the beauty of the land, as well as providing a legacy business for their families. Part of that legacy is sharing the joy of wine paired with food to bring friends and family together to celebrate the “good life.” Recently, I had the opportunity to meet Sam Parra, Owner of Parra Wines. “I have such a [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2023-10-02T10:40:23-07:00October 2, 2023|

Why Sommeliers Admire The Petaluma Gap Wine Region In Sonoma County

Tasting Wines of the Petaluma Gap at the Annual 'Wind to Wine Festival' PETALUMAGAP.COM I live in the Petaluma Gap wine region of Sonoma County, and have been so impressed with the growth of wineries here. In the last few years it has grown from just a handful of wineries to over 20 different wineries to visit! The cooler, windier region specializes in wines made from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah grapes, but they also make other types of wine as well. For this article I interviewed 6 sommeliers to find out what types of food they recommend pairing with [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-14T13:19:49-07:00October 2, 2023|

Wine and Wineries On the Island of Bali, Indonesia

The Island of Bali in Indonesia Now Has Four Wineries. Sanur Beach, Bali. GETTY When I visited Bali recently I was delighted to find that they have 4 wineries! Even though I wish I had the time to visit all four, I was able to visit Hatten Winery because it was very close to my hotel, the Intercontinental Resort at Sanur Beach. When my husband and I arrived at the Hatten Cellar door by taxi, we didn't have an appointment, but we were welcomed warmly by Mr. Made Arinjaya. He made our visit very pleasant, and we were able to [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2023-08-16T09:30:28-07:00August 2, 2023|

Jordan Winery Hosts Smile Train Charity Dinner With Guest, Jordin Sparks

Jordin Sparks and John Jordan at Smile Train Charity Dinner, Jordan Winery, Sonoma County, CA Jordan Winery in Sonoma County recently hosted an elegant dinner under the stars as part of a fundraiser for Smile Train. Joining the intimate crowd of 40 diners was celebrity guest Jordin Sparks, acclaimed singer-songwriter and American Idol winner, who believes strongly in the mission of Smile Train to provide cleft-palate surgery to children around the world. It’s a pleasure to be here in this stunning estate, and I’m grateful to be here to support Smile Train,” said Jordin Sparks. “It’s not often that we [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2023-08-03T17:56:55-07:00August 2, 2023|

Tasting Blue Bin Wine: The 1st Premium Wine Sold in a Plastic Wine Bottle in the U.S.

Blue Bin Wine: 1st Wine in U.S. to Be Sold in a 100% Recycled Plastic Bottle. Photo Credit: Ron Rubin Winery Over the years, I have visited Ron Rubin Winery and tasted some of his beautiful Russian River Valley wines several times, and have always enjoyed the very high quality of the wines. Now Ron and his team have been the first winery in America to bottle a wine in a 100% recycled plastic, called Blue Bin. Of course, I couldn’t wait to taste it. When the 4 different vintage varieties of Blue Bin arrived at my house – courtesy [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2023-07-25T12:12:05-07:00July 25, 2023|

The 5 Major Wine & Food Matching Theories

Sparkling Wine Has Always Been a Favorite for Pairing With Salad and Dessert Courses. Photo Credit: Pexels.com If you read about the history of food and wine pairing, you will discover that it can be traced back to the ancient Greeks who documented which types of wines would best pair with different dishes. Roman soldiers added wine to their water to kill any germs before eating a meal, and during the Middle Ages texts document very specific examples of which foods should be consumed with wine, such as eel and peaches! However, the five theories of food and wine matching [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2023-07-18T16:39:29-07:00July 18, 2023|

Enjoy Yoga and Wine July 4th Weekend in Napa Valley at Dr. Wilkinson’s

Yoga on The Lawn. Photo Credit: Pexels.com- Monstera With the trend for wellness and self-care sweeping the nation, why not consider a healthy 4th of July weekend – along with a little wine, of course! Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort & Mineral Springs in Napa Valley, is offering a weekend of self-care to get you ready for the 4th of July festivities. The weekend starts on July 1 and 2, 2023, when they will offer yoga classes, healing sound sessions, Zumba, wine tastings, cocktails, workshops and more from 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm each day. They are doing this in partnership [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2023-06-20T16:09:00-07:00June 20, 2023|

Calistoga Wineries Celebrate Food Connection And Relaxed Lifestyle In Napa Valley

Calistoga Wine & Culinary Experience at Four Seasons Napa Valley. FOUR SEASONS NAPA When Bo Barrett, CEO of Chateau Montelena in Napa Valley, broke his leg in a ski accident, he was so bored that he went to the local library to do some research. He was curious about the history of the Calistoga District where his winery was located, because at the time, it was the only part of Napa Valley that was not a formal AVA (American Viticulture Area, or appellation). After several months of study, he started writing the draft document to establish an AVA in this [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2023-06-15T12:31:55-07:00June 15, 2023|

Albert Bichot Winery in Burgundy Focuses on Organic Farming And Reducing Bottle Weight

Château-Gris in Nuits-Saint-Georges, France - Organic Wine Estate Owned by Albert Bichot. ALBERT BICHOT When I was doing my 4 month sabbatical abroad in Burgundy, Albert-Bichot was one of the wineries I was able to visit. They have a tasting room in downtown Beaune, but also own many individual wineries throughout Burgundy. As a large producer making 6 to 7 million bottles per year, they actually produce a lot of regional Burgundy wines that are affordable for everyday. At the same time, they also craft some very exceptional Premiere and Grand Cru wines, with price tags soaring in the the [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-14T13:12:58-07:00June 15, 2023|

Lunch with Portugal’s Rupert Symington to Discuss Sustainability And Innovation Efforts

Terraced Vineyard in the Douro Wine Region of Portugal. SYMINGTON FAMILY ESTATES The first time I visited Oporto, Portugal, I was thrilled to be able to tour the famous Graham's port house owned by the Symington Family. Therefore, I was very pleased to receive an invitation to have lunch with Rupert Symington, current CEO, and his son Hugh in San Francisco this Spring at the Wayfare Tavern. Not only did we have a delicious meal paired with 5 of their wines (see menu at bottom of article), but they updated me on everything they are doing to combat climate change [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2023-05-01T13:01:13-07:00May 1, 2023|

Wine Exports Break World Record In 2022

Wine Exports Break World Record in 2022. GETTY A combination of supply chain disruptions and inflation sent wine prices higher around the globe this year, resulting in a world record of €37.6 billion ($ 41.3 billion) of wine exports in 2022. This is a 9% increase over 2021. “This breaks all records,” stated Pau Roca, Director General of the OIV (International Organization of Vine & Wine) in an online session recorded in Paris earlier today. “Even though volume was down slightly (-5%), value was up.” The OIV, based in France, is the largest organization to collect global data on wine production, [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2023-05-01T12:42:30-07:00May 1, 2023|

The Power Of 50 Years Of Mentorship At Chandon In Napa Valley

Reunion of 4 Chandon California Winemakers to Create 50th Anniversary Special Cuvee: Tom Tiburzi, Dawnine Dyer, Pauline Lhote, and Wayne Donaldson DAMION HAMILTON 2022 In 1974, with a degree in Biology from University of California at Santa Cruz, Dawnine Dyer set off to Napa Valley with a dream to enter the wine industry. Not only did she succeed spectacularly with jobs at Robert Mondavi Winery, 25 years at Chandon California, and her own brand, Dyer Vineyards, but through the years she developed a reputation of being one of California’s most important female winemakers and mentor to countless others. This week, [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2023-04-10T18:28:20-07:00April 10, 2023|

How Avaline Wine Co-Founders, Cameron Diaz And Katherine Power, Achieved $20 Million In Sales With Ingredient Transparency

Cameron Diaz and Katherine Power, Co-Founders of Avaline Wines. AVALINE WINES When serial entrepreneur, Katherine Power met Hollywood star and author, Cameron Diaz, they discovered they had something in common – a love of good wine. At the same time, they also learned they had a common frustration – the lack of transparency on wine labels. With current TTB regulations not requiring alcoholic beverages in the U.S. to include ingredient or nutrition labeling (though this could be changing in the future – see foot note below), they decided to take action and create a new wine brand that did provide [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2023-04-10T18:21:30-07:00April 10, 2023|

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