Bordeaux 2014 – my methodology
by Ron Washam
Before the unveiling of my anxiously anticipated scores for 2014 Bordeaux (many of which fall between 90 and 98 points, and have pretty much been randomly assigned), I thought it...
Ron Washam
At a tender age, Ron turned away from a career as a comedy writer to become a sommelier. One could say he prefers spitting to gagging. He served nineteen years as a sommelier in Los Angeles, and was twice named Sommelier of the Year by the California Restaurant Writers Association, primarily because he was unbeatable in the swimsuit competition. He also serves as a professional wine judge in many formerly prestigious competitions. He is one of only one HoseMaster of Wine in the world and writes a monthly satirical column for timatkin.com
Articles by Ron Washam
The five essential wine words
by Ron Washam
Most people are uncomfortable talking about wine. They think they lack the vocabulary to speak about it and, therefore, they sound stupid. They are correct. There is no subject that...
Ask Dr. Pinny! The Simpleton’s Guide to Wine
by Ron Washam
Wine might be the most difficult beverage on Earth to enjoy properly. Coffee is easy. No matter what coffee “experts” tell you, coffee is all the same. It’s roasted beans,...
The six people you want to avoid in the wine business
by Ron Washam
Everyone has advice for whom you should know in the wine business. Article after article on the subject have appeared in online publications. And each one is self-serving crap, a...
What not to publish on your wine blog in 2015
by Ron Washam
Shut up about alcohol levels, for Christ’s sake. You don’t know what you’re talking about. And what ABV (Alcohol By Verisimilitude) is it that you’re referring to, the number listed...
The adventures of Brett Bung
by Ron Washam
Given his normal upbringing on the outskirts of a great metropolitan city, no one would have been able to anticipate that humble Brett Bung would one day emerge as the...
How to become a successful wine writer
by Ron Washam
I am often asked what it takes to become a successful wine writer, which is like asking Harold Pinter how to become a successful song writer. He’s dead, you idiot....
Anosmia Dogs and other failed Master of Wine dissertations
by Ron Washam
One of the requirements for becoming a Master of Wine is an original and rigorous research paper of between 6,000 and 10,000 words. The words must be placed in sentences,...
How to become a successful sommelier
by Ron Washam
Having the letters MS after your name doesn’t mean you’re a sommelier. A sommelier works in a restaurant. From the several dozen I’ve met, judging by their occupations, I was...
The Confessions of Dr Conti
by Ron Washam
OK, I made a deal with Mr. Koch to tell everything I know about wine fraud. You know, I think it’s going to feel good to get all this off...
Call me Jancis
by Ron Washam
Call me Jancis. Everyone does, even though it’s not my name. Well, it is when I’m conducting a wine seminar, or giving a speech at some God-forsaken outpost of weird...
Natural opinions – unfiltered and slightly fecal
by Ron Washam
A couple of weeks ago, Jamie Goode published an article on his blog, WineAnorexic (“Tragically Thin Opinions About Wine”) in which he bravely expressed his “unfiltered opinions on the world...