If you aren’t going to drink the bottle of wine tonight, you might consider some form of wine racking system to keep your wines at their peak of flavor. Matt Pelarcik, owner of The Wine Rack Shop in Downington, Pennsylvania, has a variety of solutions, ranging from simple display racks to custom systems used in large wine rooms and cellars. Pelarcik has been manufacturing and distributing quality wine racks for five years. Because he has a web interface, Pelarcik is able to ship racks anywhere in the world. “We send racks to Great Britain and the Caribbean. Everywhere.”

It’s summer, which means that for three months we say goodbye to rich, heavy red wines and welcome into our repertoire zippy whites and crisp roses to sip on the porch while soaking in the sun. That’s what most of the country does, at least. But not here. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, whose summer comes in the fall and spring, whose spring comes in the winter, and whose winter comes in the summer (and whose fall never comes).

These days, whenever I mention that I picked up a bottle of Cabernet Franc during one of my tasting trips, I always get a knowing nod of approval from my fellow wine enthusiasts. Cabernet Franc is definitely gaining attention among American consumers, and it has slowly begun to emerge as more than just a mere blending grape for Cabernet Sauvignon. I’ve pondered Cabernet Franc’s recent rise in popularity, and have developed a theory regarding the varietal’s growing niche within the American market: Over the past 30 years, U.S. consumers have come to accept Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot as two of the standards among fine red wine.

“My dear Greco! You surely aren’t serious!” We were dining at Chez Panisse with the Count and Countess Ferrari, whom Anne, my better half, had met at some highbrow fundraiser to save vegan single mother whales. The Ferrari’s had latched on to her, representing themselves as the last in the line of the noble House of Ferrari. I thought I smelled a couple of phonies.

With the US trend in organic food growing by more than 20% per year it is no surprise that organic wine has become a heated topic for debate. But with the organic food flood in the marketplace isn't the absence of organic wine curious? Wine, like food, in the US must comply with the USDA standards for "organic" certification. For farmers and vintners alike this provides numerous barriers and red tape to negotiate.

How many knights do you know who have raced vintage cars and taught at the California Culinary Academy? Or visual display artists equally versed in the secret Malaysian Nonya and French cuisines? These diverse sets of skills and experiences can be found in Roy Salazar and Julie Tan, each of whom has worked professionally with Martin Yan of Yan Can Cook .

If you find yourself sitting next to your brother-in-law (let’s call him Andy) at some obligatory BBQ this summer, and he decides he wants to pick an argument, here are some of the topics he might present: The war. Gay marriage. The legitimacy of country music. Screw caps versus cork.

I have two important things to tell you about Orvieto. First, it’s one of my favorite Italian getaway spots. This city is more than a hilltown, more than a wine destination. Orvieto floats above a green Umbrian valley, perched atop a tufa outcropping that looks as though it came straight out of...

Wine Clubs are increasingly ubiquitous and wine enthusiasts have a plethora of choices when stocking their personal wine cellar. In the new book, , author Jim Arnold and Photographer Ingrid Larnis transform the broad spectrum of Sonoma County wine club offerings into a handy dandy guide that details each clubs benefits, costs, perks, and other pertinent information. IntoWine.com recently chatted with Jim Arnold about the book and the grand experience that came with researching it.

The Rhone Report: About Rhone and Rhone-Style Wines and Winemakers is part of an ongoing series. With summer vacation season just around the corner, some wine-interested travelers may want to learn about wine, food and sightseeing highlights in one of our favorite corners of the world – the southern Rhone Valley of France. Specifically, in this column we are focusing on the core of the Cotes du Rhone wine area in the northern part of the department of the Vaucluse, called Haut Vaucluse.