About Dan Berger

Dan Berger

Dan Berger

Dan Berger is a former full-time wine columnist for the Los Angeles Times who has been a journalist at major newspapers for his entire professional life. Dan earned a degree in journalism from Cal State Los Angeles and spent 10 years as a general assignment reporter/editor for The Associated Press. He began writing about wine in 1976 and has been nationally syndicated since 1979. For 21 years, he has written a weekly wine newsletter called “Dan Berger’s Vintage Experiences,” available by subscription. Dan has contributed articles to Wines & Vines, Decanter magazinein London, Wine Press Northwest, Robb Report, Tasters Guild Journal, SOMM Journal, California Grapevine, the Cheersand Beverage Dynamics trade journals,andWine Business Monthly.

Dan teaches wine courses at Santa Rosa Junior College. He is also an internationally respected wine judge, having judged at wine competitions throughout North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. His books include the Readers’ Digest “North American Wine Routes,” “Beyond the Grapes: An Inside Look at Napa Valley” and “Beyond the Grapes: An Inside Look at Sonoma County.” In 2010, Dan was inducted into the Wine Media Guild Wine Writers’ Hall of Fame in New York City. He is on the board of directors of the International Riesling Foundation. He is also the host of the weekly “California Wine Country” radio show on KSRO, the largest AM radio station in Santa Rosa, California.

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Gorgeous Wines of Alsace Feb 17, 2026

One of France's finest wine-growing regions, and one of its least understood, is the northern district of Alsace, a hilly region bordering Germany with a populace that's as comfortable speaking German as it is French. Moreover, the grape varieties of... Read More

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Rating Wine Feb 10, 2026

A friend heard that I was going to be a judge at a wine competition and he laughed a little bit when he said, sarcastically, "That's gonna be a tough job!" Actually, I said, it was. Having a glass of wine at dinner can be a joy, but when they place 1... Read More

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Giant Bottles Feb 03, 2026

In wine terms, a magnum is two 750-milliliter bottles in one vessel. It holds 1.5 liters. As a double-size bottle, it holds 50.7 ounces — or more than 10 five-ounce glasses of wine. These days, magnums are all the rage at some wine auctions, wh... Read More

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Blended Red Wines Jan 27, 2026

One of the most popular categories of wines in the last two years is the nearly ubiquitous blended red wine, which is so popular that it has become synonymous with everyday drinking for millions of Americans. A couple of weeks ago, a stranger, hearin... Read More