by Karen MacNeil | Jun 19, 2025 | Grapes and Wines, Wine Recommendations
Summary: Wine lovers are captivated by a single elusive question: what makes a wine truly great? This essay explores the deeper dimensions of wine appreciation to come to an understanding of greatness. Drawing from her research as a book author and her executive wine...
by Karen MacNeil | May 22, 2025 | Grapes and Wines, Wine Science
Right now, there’s a lot of sex in the vineyards. (Strictly between the vines of course). And it may sound odd to say, but it’s also a great time to visit wine country. Cultivated vines are hermaphroditic, meaning that the reproductive organs of both sexes are...
by Karen MacNeil | Dec 21, 2024 | Grapes and Wines, Wine In History, Wine Recommendations, Winemaking and Viticulture
Most of the wine we drink is aged about as long as it takes to get it home from the store. That’s not necessarily bad. Lots of wine is simple, every night wine meant to be drunk soon after it’s been released. But really good wines—many of them anyway—benefit from...
by Karen MacNeil | Dec 15, 2024 | Grapes and Wines, Wine and Food, Wine Recommendations
As a wine speaker who specializes in corporate events, I’ve watched scores of times when a tasting of great wines transforms the audience. An hour before, the group may have been in a business meeting, but once the tasting begins, everything changes. It’s not just...
by Karen MacNeil | Dec 10, 2024 | Grapes and Wines, Speaking Events, Wine Recommendations, Winemaking and Viticulture
We’ve all heard it said that women are better at tasting wine than men. But can that possibly be true? For most of my professional career as a wine speaker and wine author, I have been skeptical of the idea. But recently, I dove into the latest research. The...