Author Archives: James Melendez

About James Melendez

I love wine. I am passionate about the subject as well as art, music, lyric writing and poetry, history, sciences, organization management, and making things less complex I have been a former national wine marketing manager for a large off-premise food and wine retailer (280+ retail locations in 30 US States); the love for wine taught me the good practice of using the best methodologies to right side a business which unto itself is complex. Further complexity is wine. Wine simple to enjoy and yet profoundly complex because of many factors: Many grape varieties States of wine: sparkling, still and fortified wines Vintage Blends Regions/AVAs/DOCs etc. Many producer styles Many producers Limited supply Limited and often restricted distribution My experience is still a lot of intimidation with respect to wine. Wine means many things to many people; status, fear, success, ‘you’ve arrived’, enjoyment, good times, tradition and even ceremony. I have consulted with wine producers and association. I have spoken on Wine and Social Media, Wine and Video and The Business of Wine in conferences in the United States and Europe. Beer and spirits do have the same dynamics–there are many producers but compared to wine there is no other consumer product like it. I have been writing about since November 2006 on my site and I have over 3,000 wine videos on my YouTube channel talking about general wine subject matter as well as specific educational topics on wine and reviews. I have been a wine judge and have traveled to many wine countries in the new and old world. Wine has taken me to great places. Life is tough for most of us and it is nice to celebrate life with those near and even far. What wine is really about is sitting around a table with family and friends raising your wine glass and saying—to life! I love to write about travel, food, technology and business–please subscribe! Santé, *** A plethora of wine reviews from wines regions around the world. Read more of my wine reviews:jamesthewineguy.wordpress.com © 2022, 2020, 2018, 2017, 2010 James P. Melendez – All Rights Reserved.

Lange Estate – Wine Excellence in the Dundee Hills

I don’t see the term ‘wine excellence’ used that often or if even at all–and it should be used. I have been critical in the past about the word “Excellence” and I had to decouple that from the word “Perfection” … Continue reading

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ZinEx Media Lunch: Impeccable Food & Wine Pairing: Zinfandel The Wide-Array Food Pairing Wine

Zinfandel, at least, superbly well crafted Zinfandel is primed for a very vast array of food. I have for at least a generation half always poured a Zinfandel for Thanksgiving amongst other wines and I always serve Beaujolais (in case … Continue reading

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10 Tips to Proactively Manage Your Video Content

This is a short and actionable article on Video + Managing Your Content.  Primary audience for this content for businesses and niche video content producers and all are welcomed to read of course! Managing Your Expectation of Your Video Content … Continue reading

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Verba Volant, Scripta Manent & Wine (The Written Word is Preferred)

Verba Volant, Scripta Manent is a Latin phrase meaning “spoken words fly away, written words remain” and this applies to our world today and specifically since this is a wine article no words ring truer.  When it comes to the … Continue reading

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Martin Woods – Willamette Valley Wine Producer – Oregon Wines of Finesse

Martin Woods sounds like this is a person’s name or a national forest but it is the name of a producer near McMinnville, Oregon.  Martin Woods is owned and operated by winemaker and Sommelier Evan Martin and he has been … Continue reading

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Say Yes to Michigan…. Michigan Wine

‘Say Yes to Michigan’ was a 1982 Michigan travel campaign unveiled during the Superbowl at the Pontiac Silverdome.  And it is also a track by the same name on the album “Michigan” by my favorite singer-songwriter of all time and … Continue reading

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Oregon Chardonnay and Pinot Noir On New York Restaurant Wine Lists

I was recently in Oregon judging wines for the McMinnville Wine Classic Competition and I had a subsequent post tour of Willamette Valley.  Needless to say that Willamette Valley is devoted to Pinot Noir by 69% of all wine grapes … Continue reading

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Wines of Uruguay Tasting

I have not tasted wines from Uruguay for quite some time; at least half a decade.  It was like riding a bicycle but for the palate to get back to this wine production nation-state that has worked hard to showcase … Continue reading

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Top 100 Wines of 2022

This is the 12th edition of top 100 annual wines. This is my most anticipated yearly article and receives the most hits upon publication and beyond. My point of difference is that this ranking doesn’t mean that the number “One” … Continue reading

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Crémants of France – A Sparkling Wine Opportunity for Tasting Regional Expressions

I cannot say enough positive words for the Crémants of France. I do think there is much that has been mystified or at last misunderstood about these wines.  I was re-reminded when I visited a club warehouse recently and found … Continue reading

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