Layne has been a professional in the wine business for many decades as a teacher, importer, writer, competition judge, and winery CEO. He was awarded the Master Knight of the Vine for his pioneering work in the Oregon wine industry.
Layne’s Wine Gig HELP…HELP WANTED By Layne V. Witherell This edition of Layne’s Wine Gig is the culmination of several things. First, I have seen, experienced, and done in forty-... Read more
Layne’s Wine Gig THREE WINE LISTS By Layne V. Witherell A wine list can be as small as a single postcard folded into a plastic holder on a restaurant table. Or it could be the Bern’s T... Read more
Layne’s Wine Gig OMG CHARDONNAY “Brands are for cereal and toilet paper. Not wine.” -Andrew Jefford, acclaimed British wine writer OMG Chardonnay! There are brands of chardonnay, but t... Read more
A California startup that taught a computer to ‘taste’ wine is using the technology to help winemakers improve their products and attract new customers. – CNN Business, May... Read more
By Layne V. Witherell It is time to move away from the mundane and take two steps into the miraculous. The photo is your author in our study in front of an ancient gong purchased serendipito... Read more
By Layne V. Witherell There have been three dramatic changes over the past year in the world of wine. The first, of course, is the disappearance of your favorite local restaurant. Bummer. Th... Read more
Layne’s Wine Gig CELEBRITY WINES By Layne V. Witherell MASSTIGE: Mass produced, relatively inexpensive goods that are marketed as luxurious or prestigious. There are several reasons wh... Read more
Layne’s Wine Gig WEN AT 20: Thoughts on food and wine By Layne V. Witherell The tourist is led; the traveler seeks. -Todd Kliman, food critic We have lived in the West End long enough to try... Read more
Layne’s Wine Gig Presents NEW FARM TO TABLE By Layne V. Witherell Just stepping inside the new Batson River Brewing and Distilling on 82 Hanover Street in Portland is a total revelation in w... Read more
LAYNE’S WINE GIG FLYING UNDER THE RADAR By Layne V. Witherell Our oddest Sunday brunch experience ever (and we go out almost weekly) occurred a few years ago when we decided at the las... Read more
