Everyone talks about oak in wine, or the lack of it. It is such a prominent matter of conversation that any wine-tasting in the world will inevitably be seasoned with talk of the wood that has become the number one natural container of choice in the world for winemakers. But what is oak? Why is it so important? Why do some winemakers use oak while others eschew it in favor of other containers like stainless steel?

Yellow Tail. There, I said it. The first brand to spring to mind when one uses the words “Australia” and “wine” in the same sentence. You know you’ve drunk it. You may even have enjoyed it, though if you are part of a wine-geek circle, you’re probably reluctant to admit as much. If that’s the case, allow me to take the pressure off and acknowledge what all too many casual quaffers are afraid to admit – the stuff ain’t bad, and for under $8 a bottle, it’s one of the best bargains out there.

Our appreciation of wine enhances our enjoyment of entertainment media when wine plays a key role. The goal of this piece is to create a new kind of entertainment shopping list—a fun way to satisfy our desires with no added calories. Of course, if you can resist drinking wine while reading, listening to or watching any of these media pieces, you’re a better person than I. If calories are no object, you can try the suggested pairing listed at the end of each media description.

The English language has no accurate translation for the French word terroir . The closest thing we have is terrain , a word designed strictly to denote the way a land lays, a word for describing surfaces. Terrain says something, but far from everything, about terroir. At its closest, terrain is perhaps to terroir what a page is to a book, though terroir as a concept is admittedly more slippery.

It happened again a few weeks ago: I was exploring the wine section at a new local supermarket where I was taking notes on unfamiliar wines and comparing prices. You know, just minding my own business when another shopper came up to me looking quite desperate, and started asking me questions about wine. Now, I was dressed in my summer khakis, white linen shirt and sandals, definitely not the store uniform, but that made no difference to him. “What’s a white wine?” he asked me. Several replies came to mind, so I took a moment to study him.

The Rhone Report: About Rhone and Rhone-Style Wines and Winemakers is part of an ongoing series. Recently we were visiting one of our favorite wine bars (our definition of a good wine bar is one offering a diverse range of interesting wines that aren’t the usual suspects found on the shelves at the local Safeway). We got to talking to the proprietor about California Rhone wines. Readers of this column know that we favor blends of Rhone varietals, the model followed in the southern Rhone Valley, as opposed to the varietal paradigm popular in California

This is the third installment of my three part series on Barolo. In part one we looked at the wine and its history , in part two we examined the modernist versus traditionalist debate , and in this part we will look more closely at some of the finest vineyards to be found anywhere in the world. Then we will also examine the extraordinary string of good and great vintages Piemonte has enjoyed and that are available on store shelves now.

About a year ago, I made my first trip to Franken (Franconia). I fell in love with the gently rolling green hills, the colorful, historic cities and the welcoming people. Throughout our visit, which lasted nearly a week, I felt completely happy, surrounded by history, nature and vibrant culture. I also fell in love with Franken wine.

There was an episode of Seinfeld called “The Sponge,” during which Elaine, upon learning that her favorite form of birth control (the sponge) was going off the market, needed to make difficult decisions about whether her dates were “sponge worthy.” ELAINE: So, you think you're sponge-worthy? BILLY: Yes, I think I'm sponge-worthy. I think I'm very sponge-worthy. ELAINE: Run down your case for me again...? BILLY: Well, we've gone out several times, we obviously have a good rapport. I own a very profitable electronics distributing firm. I eat well. I exercise. Blood tests - immaculate. And if I can speak frankly, I'm actually quite good at it. ELAINE: You going to do something about your sideburns? BILLY: Yeah, I told you...I'm going to trim my sideburns. ELAINE: And the bathroom in your apartment? BILLY: Cleaned it this morning. ELAINE: The sink, the tub, everything got cleaned? BILLY: Everything, yeah. It's spotless. ELAINE: Alright, let's go. <They head for the bedroom.>

In Shakespeare's classic "Romeo and Juliet," the heroine pointedly asked, "What's in a name?" There is a universal truth to our moniker, they are our identity, our essence. A quick glance at the wine industry reveals that the majority of wineries are named after their owners. However, amid all those surnames are a few winery names that beg explaination.