John was simply looking for some drinkables – inexpensive, easy-drinking wines we could pop open and enjoy without much thought. He went to a trusted store’s online site, narrowed the search to 2019 and 2020 – we wanted these to be young and lively – put in the maximum price and sorted from least expensive. His goal was to buy a mixed case so we’d get a discount.
Dorothy J. Gaiter & John Brecher
Dorothy J. Gaiter & John Brecher
Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher conceived and wrote The Wall Street Journal's wine column, "Tastings," from 1998 to 2010. Dorothy and John have been tasting and studying wine since 1973. In 2020, the University of California at Davis added their papers to the Warren Winiarski Wine Writers Collection in its library, which also includes the work of Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson. Dottie has had a distinguished career in journalism as a reporter, editor, columnist and editorial writer at The Miami Herald, The New York Times, and at The Journal. John was Page One Editor of The Journal, City Editor of The Miami Herald and a senior editor at Bloomberg News. They are well-known from their books and many television appearances, especially on Martha Stewart's show, and as the creators of the annual, international "Open That Bottle Night" celebration of wine and friendship. The first bottle they shared was André Cold Duck. They have two daughters.
Black Wine Businesses Are Cultivating Their Communities "Over the past two years, we and others have written a great deal about the wine industry finally embracing diversity. Hanging over that, however, has been an uncomfortable question: Is this real, or is it just talk?" Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher
The new year is always a good time to look forward as well as back and with Rosh Hashanah coming early this year, we thought we’d check in with Eli Ben-Zaken, one of Israel’s most revered winemakers. At a time when vintners across the globe have faced enormous challenges, he seems to have seen it all: war, heat, fires, climate change and COVID. What we wanted to know is: How does anyone stay optimistic anymore?
August 13, 2021The science is there. “Scientists say the Long Island of the future will have shorter, wetter winters and oppressively hot summers, with seas rising and storm surges so strong they will threaten beaches, salt water marshes and infrastructure." Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher on the issues for New York winemakers as it relates to climage change.
July 30, 2021With terrible news about droughts, fires, floods and losses of all manner, it’s helpful at times like these to pause, if we can, and find things to be grateful for, like the way wine can be life-affirming, connective and transportive. - Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher
July 22, 2021With the pandemic receding in many parts of the U.S., your thoughts may be returning to a long-delayed visit to California’s Wine Country. If so, you should be aware of this: The tasting experience has changed and those changes, in many cases, will be permanent.
July 02, 2021When we posted an item about Pinot Blanc last year, a reader responded: “I was searching for a California Pinot Blanc yesterday at BevMo. Not a one to be found but they did have 800 Chardonnays.”
June 18, 2021We are about to open a 2003 Beaujolais Nouveau, right here, right now.
We can hear gasps all over the world, like when Janet Leigh got stabbed in the shower, the ball went through Bill Buckner’s legs, Donald Trump was declared the winner over Hillary Clinton.
June 04, 2021"Inside the uniquely shaped bottles of Infiné 1939 Pinot Grigio and Infiné 1939 At Last, a white blend, is a son’s love and admiration for his late father, “gone too soon,” the son, Marc Taub, told us the other day, describing his dad, David Taub."
We taste many wines for this column and we always hope for the best, but, look, we’re human; we do open some with greater anticipation than others. One wine we tried recently was a sparkling rosé of Tannat from Bending Branch Winery in Texas. Here are the first two words of our tasting notes: “We’re surprised.”
