Columns — Wine Philosophy

What does smart wine, personal taste, and the true value of a wine mean to you? These are the questions that, in my view, every genuinely advanced wine drinker should be asking. The way you answer them depends entirely on what is already in your head. The answers come only with years of building your own experience, hundreds of bottles opened, and an endless amount of information studied and absorbed.

A deep dive into the unexpected excellence of Japanese winemaking, beginning in Hokkaido. This sommelier report features tasting notes from the insider-favorite French Panda wine bar in Sapporo, highlighting unique expressions of Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, and Zweigelt from cutting-edge producers like Kamisato Vineyard, Domaine Mont, Takahiko Soga, and Domaine Bless.