In the Napa Valley Register, Tom Stockwell offers a thoughtful obituary for Herb Lamb, “a no-nonsense, caring, genuine, from-the-heart kind of guy.”

From Herb Lamb Vineyards.

“He believes filtering a wine before bottling “sucks the life out of it.” In Grape Collective, Kristen Bieler profiles Paolo Bea.

“There is a lot of wine in this store. And all of it is mass-produced, barely anything beyond the standard oaky chardonnays and headache-inducing zinfandels and cat-pee-smelling New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs.” LA Weekly’s Besha Rodell urges America to “drink better wine.”

On February 1, FedEx will begin shipping wine to Massachusetts!

“I don’t consider myself an alcohol apologist, but I also don’t understand why there have to be sides in the world of wine. Us vs. them. Burgundy vs. California Pinot Noir. Low alcohol vs. high alcohol.” MaryAnn Worobiec wishes the wine world weren’t so divided.

In Zester Daily, Rosemary George contends that Switzerland’s “best kept secret” is its wine.

In Playboy, Patrick Cappiello offers some holiday gift-giving tips.

“Need a gift for someone who revels in the bubbly not just on New Year’s Eve, but all year long?” S. Irene Virbila recommends Riedel’s new Veritas Champagne glasses.

In Palate Press, Michelle Locke tries to keep “abreast of fashions in sparkling stemware.”

Tom Natan suggests some kitchen gadgets that make good stocking stuffers.

VinePair offers “The Quick And Dirty Guide To Sparkling Wines.”

W. Blake Gray reviews Klingon Bloodwine.