There was a time, more than two decades ago, when keeping tabs on new wine brands in California felt like a manageable, even orderly, undertaking, one that I would have confidently said I had more or less under control, even as an early-career wine writer.
These days, the idea borders on the absurd.
Each year, the US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) issues between 1,800 and 2,000 basic winery permits for California operations...
