The mission of Cluster Crush can be summed up in three words: I love wine.
I love the people who make wine. I love the way that they make it. I love the places wine is made. I love other people who love wine. That’s a lot of love, but that’s what Cluster Crush is all about. The wine love.
We live in a magical moment where it is both easier and cheaper than ever to try wines from all over the world. But that also makes it harder to know what you should be drinking, or what you might like to try. Even wine professionals have trouble keeping things straight sometimes, or explaining what they are pouring you.
That’s where Cluster Crush comes in. Cluster Crush explores the world of wine from grape to glass through the fields of food, science, culture, cooking, travel, history, language, agriculture and the environment. Because in the end, wine touches on all those subjects, and in turn each of them deeply affects the world of wine.
My mission is to make wine more accessible to other wine lovers like me. People who have drunk a lot of wine (not that I’m judging!), but who still don’t know a lot about it and don’t have time to do the homework themselves.
I love wine…and I hope you do, too!
A New Discussion
I don’t know about you, but I’m sick of wine points scales where everything ranks above 80, and overblown tasting notes that tell you you should be tasting everything from tire rubber to smoked blackberry coulis in the glass. What does that even mean?
Our wine lexicon has lost its bearings, and the wine writing out there is for collectors and big spenders rather than actual avid wine enthusiasts and casual tipplers.
No more! I am writing for you. I’m not going to rate wines. I’m just going to tell you the pertinent details, where they come from, who makes them, and why you should try them. I am traveling to the vineyards all over the world and talking to the people making the wine there. I am recruiting friends in the food, beverage and hospitality industries to tell me what they are drinking and, perhaps more importantly, what they are eating with it. And I’m going to throw in a lot of interesting facts and trivia that you can take along with you to your next dinner party.
How It Works
I’m going to do all that, and I am going to email you about it a few times a week to let you know what I’m up to, what I’m drinking, and all the other interesting things I find out – whether it is what to pair with a Slovenian rosé, reviews of the latest high-tech corkscrew, or a science lesson on the basics of fermentation right in the barrel room of a winery. So sign up and tell all your friends about it.
As Cluster Crush grows, you can look to the site for further content including winemaker interviews, travel guides, gift guides, wine pairing recipes from well-known chefs and more. The features and functionality will incorporate more and more areas of interest, and I welcome your input. I will also welcome you at events at some of my favorite wine stores and wine bars across the country as Cluster Crush expands, so stay tuned for news on that.
And talk to me! After all, wine is about communication, sharing, and, dare I say it again, love. The more love I get, the more I have to give. Consider this site my love letter to all you oenophiles out there, and hit me back with your love—whether it be tough or gentle, hard or cuddly. I’m going to tell you what I think, and I want to hear what you think, too. So speak up!
In the meantime, thank you for joining me on this journey and… Salud! Santé! Chin chin! Prosit! And cheers!
About Me
My name is Eric Rosen, and I am a wine, food and travel writer based in Los Angeles. More often than not, though, you’ll find me flying around the world on assignment, from covering new wine regions, to testing out the latest airplane seats, exploring new destinations and generally trying to find new and noteworthy experiences across the globe. You might have read my work in the LA Times, Los Angeles Confidential Magazine, JustLuxe, QUEST Magazine, Frontiers Magazine, Metrosource, JustLuxe, The Points Guy and more. If you are interested, you can check out my recent articles here. Now I’ll be bringing that experience to bear here on Cluster Crush. I hope you enjoy it!