Michael Woodsmall
Michael Woodsmall is a Tokyo-born, Kansas-raised writer and editor based out of Santa Monica, California. Cutting his teeth through consulting on a number of editorial startups and a handful of apps, he previously served as Managing Editor of The New York Observer and Co-Creator of men's lifestyle site Supercompressor. He is now a Contributing Editor to The Inertia, a digital surf publication. His interest in wine culture found legs with a two week trip to Argentina where he visited bodegas in Mendoza Valley and around Patagonia — and he looks forward to more oeno-ventures in the years and decades to come.
February 18, 2018
$100 Million & Counting
Artsy’s Latest Round is Worth $50 million...But What’s It All For?
October 14, 2015
Head High Wines: Generators of Good Will
"In surf, sometimes I ride a long board and sometimes I ride a short board. It is the same with wine — I feel like I have at least enough experience to be able to go out and pursue different styles without feeling like I'm being didactic."June 27, 2015
11 Wine Pairings for 5 of Kansas City’s Best Barbecue Joints
A conversation surrounding wine and barbecue in the context of a childhood growing up in Kansas City wouldn't be complete without a quick tour of the best it has to offer.June 26, 2015
8 Quotes on Pairing Wine with Barbecue From People Who Know
Chew on these words of wisdom to make sure that the truth tastes great.June 26, 2015
Wine and Barbecue? Wine and Barbecue.
Barbecue transcends meats and rubs and sauces and styles. It elicits a truly visceral response that speaks to family and friends and a fullness that is greater than how much you ate. So on and so on. And so it goes with wine.May 7, 2015
The Punk-Rock Underground of Wine & Why Vegas Is Best
"You know what I do more than anything else? I just spread the word about the grape... To be part of that proletariat movement is really where things get done."October 10, 2014
The Case for Keg Wine: Tapped Into a Traditional Industry
"I suppose the main one is that the wine industry loves tradition and thus change is scary," Bieler says. "It’s just a vessle — keg, bottle or other — so we have to educate as to what the advantages are."September 15, 2014
Winner Winner, Steak Dinner: Americans Choose Red Wine Over White
Wait a minute. Three red-blooded, meat-eatin' states in the Midwest are the only ones to prefer white to red? C'mon Kansas! Get it together!September 2, 2014
Dom Pérignon at Denny’s? Diner Chain Launches $300 Champagne Brunch
And it's a (relatively) good deal! The restaurant/diner chain better known for its Grand Slam breakfast and $2 to $6 value menu has found itself in the lap of luxury and boy, oh, boy is it drinking the koolaid.
July 23, 2014
Wine On The Road’s Ben Weinberg Talks Travel and Climate Change
We caught up with the Chief Wine Sherpa, who loves Piedmont, knows the best winemakers are farmers (and farmers are the best winemakers), and is quick to blame his wife for his niche travel business's success.July 18, 2014
Uncorked: Ben Weinberg of Wine On The Road
The lead sherpa shares a common mistake that people make on wine vacations. Be sure to keep an eye out for a Q&A coming out soon on GrapeCollective.com.July 17, 2014
Bill Loophole Still Bans Consumer Access to Thousands of Wines
Isn't this bittersweet? It's like going to a wine bar for their 2-for-1 Tuesdays only to realize your favorite bottles are not included.July 15, 2014
Death Of The 100 Point Scale?
While Robert Parker's impact is undying — the effect he has had on the American palate, and wallet, will be forever felt — it is time to move on. There are issues with the 100 point scale. First and foremost, the Parkerization of wine was the homogenization of the palateJuly 1, 2014
Enjoying The View: Vineyards Are In With Lifestyle Buyers Again
Trends in Napa Valley and Sonoma signal that the lifestyle buyer is back.
June 30, 2014
Wine4.Me Gets Scientific About The Wines You Like
"Our evaluation is telling you what you’re tasting in the wine, what you’re enjoying in the wine. The bottom line is: what you enjoy tasting, you enjoy tasting."June 23, 2014
Beware of Exploding Wine: Spontaneously Combusting Bottles Force Recall
Indigenous Selections Prosecco Brut 2013 has a new descriptor to add to its label: an explosion of flavor — literally.June 23, 2014
Will .wine And .vin Domains Threaten Wine Tradition And Laws?
C’est n’importe quoi! France is up in arms after it was revealed that the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann), the organization responsible for assigning internet domains, has plans to introduce .wine and .vin domains.
June 17, 2014
Tipsy Tunes: “Hooked On A Feeling” By Blue Swede
Forget #winewednesday, #tipsytunes Tuesday are all the rage now!
June 17, 2014
Uncorked: Amy Gross of Wine4.Me
Uncorked is a new series where experts and personalities in wine share tips and trips to enjoying our beloved grapes. We begin with a shopping rule of thumb from Wine4.Me's Amy Gross. Be sure to keep an eye out for a profile on the brand new app coming out soon on GrapeCollective.com.June 11, 2014
Passing Time: Dan Marino & Damon Huard Quarterback a Winery
“The real wine people who understand the quality of grapes and fruit we’ve sourced are going to understand that we’re really serious about this. There are always going to be doubters. But I believe in the people who are here."June 6, 2014
AMAZING, AWESOME, AND AMAZING: The Bottle Symphony Orchestra
Dan Newbie has already amazed with countless takes on classic and contemporary tunes, and impressed us with his high-pitched stylings of the Game of Thrones theme song as well as the refreshingly springy Super Mario Brothers theme song, but this might very well be his most impressive yet.June 3, 2014
Legends Dan Marino & Damon Huard Talk NFL’s Wine Lovers
It was an honor having the opportunity of talking with two NFL legends, but I wasn't sure what to expect.May 30, 2014
Frost Fighters: The Helicopters That Protect The Vines
The environment not only "important" in the way of necessity. It is important in that we pay attention to what's going on and do our darnedest to address this mess.May 28, 2014
The Stories Wine Tells: A Boozy Treatment of Movies, Books, Music, and Celebrity
Wine is intoxicating. Literally, yes. But also figuratively. It has the uncanny knack of coloring in the lines. It’s been an archetypical character and occasional scene-stealer in books, movies, and television, has been the motivation to oh-so-many songs, and a commercial catalyst for celebrity.May 26, 2014
How to Make Army Worm Wine, ‘Cause It’s Memorial Day
The Free Lance-Star from Fredericksburg, Virgina, published a recipe for the concoction back on November 20, 2002 — so if you're looking for a D.I.Y. project, have at it! Simply don't hold us accountable for the taste, or any side effects for that matter...May 21, 2014
Climate Change: California’s Future Invokes National Concerns
With the release of the National Climate Assessment it is clear that there are signs nationwide — not only in Napa Valley — pointing towards a troubling future, a future that no longer appears so much a possibility as it does a certainty.May 21, 2014
Wine Ramblings: The Commonsense Book of Wine
“Anyone who tries to make you believe that he knows all about wines is obviously a fake.” - Leon AdamsMay 20, 2014
$3 billion? Penfolds Says No Thank You To Takeover
Taking a page out of Snapchat's book, Treasury Wine Estates, the world's second-largest wine company and makers of Penfolds Grange, spurned an offer for what would have made a tremendous takeover, the value of which has our heads spinning.May 16, 2014
Flashback Friday: Bob Sessions Helps Found Stag’s Leap
Perhaps, aside from his long tenure at Hanzell Vineyards, he will be remembered most for helping found Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and putting it in a position to make a name for itself at the famed 1976 blind taste testing that deemed Napa Valley wines as better than France's.
