Put on your sunglasses for 'sexy' pinot noir

A Chinese duck has changed Karen MacNeil's perspective on cabernet sauvignon forever.

"To say that good cabernet sauvignon delivers power and elegance simultaneously is a little counter-intuitive," says The Wine Bible author. "Eating really good roast duck on this trip to Hong Kong gave me a new way of thinking about it. You have to get through the crispiness on the outside before you reach the juiciness inside."

Speaking at this year's Vinexpo show last week, MacNeil has plenty of colorful allusions to the wines of California. "Making cabernet sauvignon is like coming home to a favorite black Labrador," she says. "Pinot noir, on the other hand, is like coming home to the worst cat in the universe."