| 2008-03-12 |
Multimillionaire 4 Minute Speed Dating Mixer |
As seen on "Millionaire Speed dating" is the new phenomenon.
WineLoversMeet.com
PRESENTS
"Multimillionaire 4 Minute Speed Dating Mixer"
Tuesday April 1st, 2008
Check in 6:45pm, Starts 7-8:30pm
The Island Hotel Newport Beach
609 Newport Center Drive
Newport Beach CA 92660
Call now for details at 805-969-9578
You don't want to miss this!
Gentlemen, we GUAR... |
| 2008-03-03 |
A secret you will find hard to believe |
Within an hour or so of London, you could experience one of the greatest, most intriguing getaways on earth: fiestas fizzing with excitement, the flash and fire of its music and dance, legendary palaces, vast mediaeval castles, bewildering wildlife, extraordinary deserts, snow-capped mountains, spectacular gorges, prehistoric cave paintings, underground lakes, extensive ranges of food and fine win... |
| 2008-02-17 |
The SWILL Private Label Wine Tasting Kit |
Allegany, NY (September 2007) – To support the hot trend of private label marketing, SWILLparty, LLC, has developed the only private label wine tasting kit on the market. Any business can customize the kit with its own logo or graphics on a four-color label, custom designed free of charge. These kits are great for personalized promotions, tradeshow giveaways, door prizes, and also make memorable g... |
| 2008-02-17 |
Wine Tasting Club Defies Breast Cancer One Month a |
Allegany, NY (November 2007) – One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. That’s a frightening statement and one that led the Women of SWILL to create a fundraising calendar on behalf of Living Beyond Breast Cancer. It is a calendar stripped – literally and figuratively – of any pretensions, illusions and inhibitions, created to show ordinary women seizing an extrao... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Do Wine Drinkers Prefer Lower Al |
It would be much more convincing if folks like Randy Dunn and Darrell Corti et al could provide firm evidence that high alcohol wines are not what the consumer wants. I’ve tried to find evidence that consumers do purchase based on alcohol content. There does not seem to be much data out there, although I did find the following from the WSTA.
Over 1 in 3 women (35%) and 1 in 4 men (27%) believe ... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Winery 'Village' Planned for Nap |
Tony Cartlidge and John Hawkins have announced plans to build Les Garagistes Napa --a unique, self-contained 'artisanal village' of purpose-built limited-production wineries for lease. Twelve individual winery spaces, ranging in size from 3,500 to 6,500 square feet each, will be located in four buildings surrounding a 16,000-square foot courtyard.
|
| 2008-02-05 |
The Meaning of Wine Blogs |
What's the meaning of Wine Blogs (according to those who read this one)?
The survey we launched last week attracted 172 responses, a decent sized sample. Here's what I've discovered is that meaning:
To FERMENTATION Readers Wine Blogs are a very trustworthy source of wine commentary and information that is apparently craved on nearly a daily basis that also rival wine magazines as the source ... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Disney launches wine brand in US |
As part of the promotion for Disney’s new animated film, the company is entering an unexpected new arena, by launching a wine brand in the United States named after the film, Ratatouille.
The film, made with Pixar, the creators of Finding Nemo and Cars, follows the story of a kitchen rat in a Paris restaurant who dreams of becoming a top chef. It is currently the top box office film in the Unit... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Meier's Wine Cellars 44 Ruby Por |
Reason for Reviewing:
Meier's Wine Cellars 44 Ruby Port earned a top-honor Gold Medal at the recently completed 2007 Ohio Wine Competition.
Noteworthy:
About the winery: Meier's, Ohio's oldest and largest winery, has been making wine for more than 100 years.
Winery Notes:
Meier's Wine Cellars 44 Ruby Port: Medium body acid and fruit. Medium oak. Medium tannin. Sweet. Earth, black cherri... |
| 2008-02-05 |
2007 Mendocino County Fair Wine |
The results are in from the 2007 Mendocino County Fair Wine Competition. Here are the two Best of Show winners and the 14 Double Gold Medal winners.
Best of Show White Wine
2006 McNab Ridge French Colombard
Best of Show Red Wine
2005 Londer Vineyards Pinot Noir Anderson Valley
Double Gold Medal Winners:
Lolonis Winery 2002 Winegrowers Selection Cabernet Sauvignon $32
Navarro Vineyards... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Chateau Ste. Michelle 2006 Eroic |
Reason for Reviewing:
Chateau Ste. Michelle 2006 Eroica Riesling earned a Grand Award of Excellence, a top-honor Gold Medal, in the Riesling category, at the recently completed 2007 Seattle Wine Awards.
Noteworthy:
Erotica is the result of a partnership of German and American winemakers. It is intended to express both Old World and New World philosophies and techniques -- as a concert, and t... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Quady Winery 2005 Electra |
Reason for Reviewing:
Quady Winery 2005 Electra earned a top-honor Gold Medal at the 2007 Central California Wine Competition sponsored by the The Central California Winegrowers Organization.
Noteworthy:
From the winery: "Andrew and Laurel Quady left crowded southern California and their jobs in pyrotechnics and merchandising to pursue their dream: a non-urban way of life making wine. Andrew... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Covey Run 2005 Reserve Semillon |
Reason for Reviewing:
Covey Run 2005 Reserve Semillon Ice Wine earned a Grand Award of Excellence, a top-honor Gold Medal, in the dessert category, at the recently completed 2007 Seattle Wine Awards.
Noteworthy:
According to the winery, "At the end of the 2004 harvest season, we left the Semillon at our Phil Church vineyard out to hang in the hopes of making ice wine. Two months later, on th... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Madrona Vineyards 2004 Merlot |
Reason for Reviewing:
Madrona Vineyards 2004 Merlot earned a top-honor Critics Platinum Award at the recently completed Critics Challenge International Wine Competition.
Noteworthy:
Madroña Vineyards is powered by solar energy, the waste water is recycled and grape stems are used for erosion control in the vineyards. It is the long-standing philosophy of Madroña Vineyards to limit the impact... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Orange County Fair 4 Star Gold M |
A special recognition, a 4 Star Gold Medal Award, indicates that the wine received a gold medal recommendation from four judges on a panel. Since this is not a "consensus judging", i.e., the judges do not confer among themselves to determine what recommendation they will make, but arrive at their recommendation individually, it a rare occurrence. This year, out of total of 3150 entries, only these... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Riverstar Vineyards 2004 Syrah |
Reason for Reviewing:
Riverstar Vineyards 2004 Syrah earned a top-honor Critics Platinum Award at the recently completed Critics Challenge International Wine Competition.
Noteworthy:
In 1993 RiverStar Vineyards was planted with three varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot, all planted on its own root in the loamy sand and gravel soils along the southern facing slopes of the Estrella... |
| 2008-02-05 |
California State Fair Best of Cl |
The 2007 California State Fair Commercial Wine Competition award winners have been announced. Best of Class (California Appellation) winners include:
Best Barbera Double Gold 98 Wilderotter Vineyard 2005 Amador County Barbera
Best Cabernet Franc Gold 94 Viansa Winery 2003 Sonoma County Samuele Cabernet Franc
Best Cabernet Sauvignon Double Gold 98 Five Rivers Winery 2005 Paso Robles Cabernet S... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Best of the Bay & Zin Challenge |
The Best of the Bay Wine Competition & Zin Challenge has announced the medal winning wines from it's recent 2007 competition. The super-award winners are:
Best of Show: Fenestra Winery, 2006 Verdlho, Lodi, Silvaspoons Vineyards
Best of Show Red: Stony Ridge Winery, 2004 Merlot, Livermore Valley, Harriet's
Best of Zin Challenge: Rodney STrong Vineyards, 2004 Zinfandel, Sonoma County, Reser... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Nicholas Cole Cellars 2004 Camil |
Reason for Reviewing:
Nicholas Cole Cellars 2004 Camille earned a Grand Award of Excellence, a top-honor Gold Medal, at the recently completed 2007 Seattle Wine Awards, a wine competition recognizing Washington state wines.
Noteworthy:
Nicholas Cole Cellars 2004 Camille is a varietal blend of 64% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc, and 13% Cabernet Sauvignon from a variety of vineyards: Old Vines, C... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Fox Run Vineyards 2005 Reserve R |
The Award-Winning Wine:
Fox Run Vineyards 2005 Reserve Riesling
Reason for Reviewing:
Fox Run Vineyards 2005 Reserve Riesling was selected as Chairman's Award (Unanimous Gold) winner at the recently completed 2007 Riverside International Wine Competition Awards.
Noteworthy:
Situated high on Torrey Ridge overlooking one of the deepest parts of Seneca Lake (Finger Lakes in New York) is Fo... |
| 2008-02-05 |
California State Fair Best Of Re |
The 2007 California State Fair Commercial Wine Competition award winners have been announced. Best Of Region Award winners include:
* Best of California State Red Gold 94 Wiens Family Cellars 2004 California Reserve Dolcetto
* Best of California State White Gold 94 Sutter Home Family Vineyards 2006 California Gewürztraminer
* Best of North Coast Red Double Gold 98 Wattle Creek Winery 2006 Yor... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Mount Palomar 2003 Cloudbreak |
The Award-Winning Wine:
Mount Palomar 2003 Cloudbreak
Reason for Reviewing:
Mount Palomar 2003 Cloudbreak was one of just 71 wines, out of nearly 1,400 entries, selected as a Chairman's Award (Unanimous Gold) winner at the recently completed 2007 Riverside International Wine Competition Awards.
Noteworthy:
The master blend of this wine was chosen from among the winery's traditional Bord... |
| 2008-02-05 |
2004 Malibu Newton Canyon Surfri |
The Award-Winning Wine:
Rosenthal Malibu Estate 2004 Malibu Newton Canyon Surfrider Red
Reason for Reviewing:
2004 Malibu Newton Canyon Surfrider Red earned Best of Class honors at the 25th West Coast Wine Competition completed recently here in Santa Rosa, California.
Noteworthy:
For each bottle of Surfrider Red purchased, the winery makes a donation to the Surfrider Foundation, a grass... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Mid-American Wine Competition Sw |
The results are in from last weekend's Mid-American Wine Competition. Eighty-eight commercial wineries from 11 states competed: from North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky. Judges awarded 13 sweepstakes awards (listed below), 41 gold medals, 104 silver and 203 bronze. HolyField Vineyards earned two sweepstakes awards inclu... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Pedroncelli Winery 2004 Petite S |
The Award-Winning Wine:
Pedroncelli Winery 2004 Petite Sirah, Dry Creek Valley Family Vineyards
Reason for Reviewing:
Pedroncelli Winery 2004 Petite Sirah earned a top-honor Critics Platinum Award at the recently completed Critics Challenge International Wine Competition.
Noteworthy:
John Pedroncelli, Jr. is Dry Creek Valley's most experienced winemaker. More than 40 vintages at Pedronc... |
| 2008-02-05 |
2007 California State Fair Best |
The 2007 California State Fair Commercial Wine Competition award winners have been announced. Best of Show winners include:
Best of Show - Dessert, Gold, 95, St. Amant Winery Amador County 2005 Spencer Family Bootleg Port
Best of Show - Red, Double Gold, 98, Wilderotter Vineyard 2005 Amador County Barbera
Best of Show - White, Double Gold, 98, Mumm Napa Valley 2001 Napa Valley Grand Année Bru... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Clos du Bois 2005 Reserve Chardo |
The Award-Winning Wine:
Clos du Bois 2005 Russian River Valley Reserve Chardonnay
Reason for Reviewing:
Clos du Bois 2005 Reserve Chardonnay was one of just four wines, out of 175 U.S. wines that won a medal or were commended at the 2007 International Wine Challenge, that earned a top-honor Gold Medal.
Noteworthy:
In 2003 Clos du Bois was one of the first 20 grape growers in Sonoma and ... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Maloy O'Neill 2004 Zinfandel |
The Award-Winning Wine:
Maloy O'Neill 2004 Hillside Zinfandel
Reason for Reviewing:
Maloy O'Neill 2004 Zinfandel earned Double Gold honors at the recently completed California Mid-State Fair California Central Coast Wine Competition.
Noteworthy:
The soils at O'Neill Vineyards and Maloy O'Neill Vineyards are both primarily Arbuckle-Positas San Ysidro complex. Maloy O'Neill Vineyards is p... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Brassfield Estate Winery 2004 Pi |
The Award-Winning Wine:
Brassfield Estate Winery 2004 Pinot Noir
Reason for Reviewing:
Brassfield Estate Winery 2004 Pinot Noir earned Double Gold Medal honors at the recently completed 2007 Tasters Guild International Wine Judging.
Noteworthy:
Brassfield Estate Winery is located in California's High Valley which was designated an American Viticultural Area in 2005. According to the win... |
| 2008-02-05 |
R&B Cellars 2003 Cabernet Sauvig |
The Award-Winning Wine:
R&B Cellars 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon
Reason for Reviewing:
R&B Cellars 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon earned Best of Class honors at the 25th West Coast Wine Competition completed recently here in Santa Rosa, California.
Noteworthy:
The Brown family shares a love of jazz and classical music, and all are accomplished musicians, singers and songwriters. According to their ... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Jekel Vineyards 2004 Cabernet Sa |
The Award-Winning Wine:
Jekel Vineyards 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon
Reason for Reviewing:
Jekel Vineyards 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon was selected as Gold Medal and Best of Class award winner at the recently completed 2007 Pacific Rim International Wine Competition.
Noteworthy:
Jekel Vineyards, founded in 1972, is recognized as one of the early pioneers in crafting world-class wines from Monter... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Bonterra 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon |
The Award-Winning Wine:
Bonterra Vineyards 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon
Reason for Reviewing:
Bonterra 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon earned a top-honor Gold Medal at the 2007 Cincinnati International Wine Festival.
Noteworthy:
The certified organic Bonterra Ranch, in the Russian River benchlands of Mendocino, is an expression of Bonterra Vineyards' philosophy that respect for the land will result ... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Best of Show, Orange County Wine |
The results are in for the 2007 Orange County Fair Commercial Wine Competition and these 16 wines, out of 3,150 entries, earned Best of Show honors in four categories and four price points.
Best of Show – Red Varietals
Premium: Lava Cap, 2004 Petite Sirah, El Dorado, Granite Hill, Reserve
High: Pilot Peak Winery, 2005 Syrah, Sierra Foothills
Medium: Drytown Cellars, 2005 Barbera, Shenandoah ... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Double Gold Winners, NY State Fa |
The results are in from the 2007 New York State Fair Commercial Wine Competition and here are the Double Gold winners:
Atwater Estate Vineyards 2005 Celsius Chardonnay
Fox Run Vineyards 2006 Dry Riesling
Fox Run Vineyards 2006 Riesling
Glenora Wine Cellars 2006 Pinot Blanc
Goose Watch Winery Classic Cream Sherry
Goose Watch Winery Diamond
Knapp Vineyards Winery & Restaurant 2005 Cabernet ... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Best of Big E Northeast Gold Win |
The winners of the first annual Big E Northeast Gold Wine Competition have been announced. The seven Double Gold Medals were awarded to Obadiah McIntyre Farm Winery's 2005 Peach Wine and 2004 Red Raspberry; Priam Vineyards' 2003 St. Croix; Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards' 2005 Harvest Reserve Riesling and Finger Lakes Cream Sherry; Alison Wines and Vinyards' Fraise Strawberry; and Hunt Country Vineyards' 2... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Stone Creek 2005 Unoaked Chardon |
The Award-Winning Wine:
Stone Creek 2005 Unoaked Chardonnay
Reason for Reviewing:
Stone Creek 2005 Unoaked Chardonnay was selected as a Chairman's Award (Unanimous Gold) winner at the recently completed 2007 Riverside International Wine Competition Awards.
Harvest Notes:
The 2005 growing season was mostly cooler than average, which allowed the grapes to hang longer on the vines without ... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Silkwood Wines 2002 Red Duet |
Reason for Reviewing:
The 2002 Red Duet won one of three Gold Medals earned by Silkwood Wines at the 2007 Central California Wine Competition sponsored by the The Central California Winegrowers Organization.
Noteworthy:
Silkwood was founded in 1979 by John R. Monnich, a UC Davis General Agriculture graduate, and was originally located in Napa Valley. During harvest, they thin and drop (liter... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Creekbend Vidal Blanc Ice Wine 2 |
The Award-Winning Wine:
Oliver Winery Creekbend Vidal Blanc Ice Wine 2005
Reason for Reviewing:
Creekbend Vidal Blanc Ice Wine 2005 earned Double Gold Medal honors at the recently completed 2007 Tasters Guild International Wine Judging.
Noteworthy:
Professor Oliver wrote the Indiana Small Winery Act allowing small wineries to produce up to 100,000 gallons of wine each year, operate a ta... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Granite Springs 2004 Estate Zinf |
The Award-Winning Wine:
Granite Springs 2004 Estate Zinfandel
Reason for Reviewing:
Granite Springs 2004 Estate Zinfandel was selected as a Chairman's Award (Unanimous Gold) winner at the recently completed 2007 Riverside International Wine Competition Awards.
Noteworthy:
Granite Springs lies in the midst of an old and rich wine-producing region, in a unique mountain terrain with deep, ... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Handley Cellars Pinot Rose |
The Award-Winning Wine:
Handley Cellars Pinot Rose
Reason for Reviewing:
Handley Cellars Pinot Rose was selected as a Gold Medal and Best of Class award winner at the recently completed 2007 Pacific Rim International Wine Competition.
Noteworthy:
In 1990, Handley Cellars decided to farm using sustainable agricultural methods. All parts of the operation work together as a team to keep th... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Vina Robles Winery 2004 Red 4 |
The Award-Winning Wine:
Vina Robles Winery 2004 Red 4, Huerhuero Vineyard
Reason for Reviewing:
Vina Robles Winery 2004 Red 4 was selected as a Gold Medal and Best of Class award winner at the recently completed 2007 Pacific Rim International Wine Competition.
Noteworthy:
Regarding the Vina Robles Winery 2004 Red 4, winemaker Matthias Gubler said, “We don’t have any preconceptions when ... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Cycles Gladiator 2005 Merlot |
The Award-Winning Wine:
Cycles Gladiator 2005 Merlot
Reason for Reviewing:
Cycles Gladiator 2005 Merlot won the Best of Class Award for the Best Merlot at the recently completed California Mid-State Fair Central Coast Wine Competition.
Noteworthy:
The Cycles Gladiator image is intended to symbolize a celebration of the freedom and happiness that pervaded Europe in the late 19th century—... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Best of Category Winners, NY Sta |
The results are in from the 2007 New York State Fair Commercial Wine Competition and here are the super-award winners, the Best of Show award winner and eight Best of Category winners:
Best of Show
Pindar Vineyards 2005 Johannisberg Riesling Ice Wine
Best of Category, White
Fox Run 2006 Riesling
Best of Category, Red
Knapp Winery 2005 Cabernet Franc
Best of Category, Rosé/Blush
Pen... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Wine Blogs & Wine Enthusiats...T |
The new blog is entitled, UnReserved—a pretty darn good name for a blog that based on the first few posts will be living up to that name.
Gordon is a journalist. He's been a journalist for quite some time. Jim was senior editor at the Wine Spectator, was Editor at Wine Country Living, and is currently the editor of the venerable trade publication Wines & Vines. I would imagine this blog will be... |
| 2008-02-05 |
New French Wine Grape Arrives in |
Red wines made from the Marselan grape are appearing on store shelves now that the government has approved the name on imported wine labels
A new grape variety could be starting to make a name for itself. Marselan, named after Marseillan, the small town on France's Mediterranean coast where it was first grown, has been garnering attention for the past few years in the European market from produ... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Shakeup Ahead for Europe's Wine |
To compete with newer wine producers, the EU has a controversial plan that includes taking some vineyards out of production.
The EU is planning a major shake-up of its troubled wine sector, aimed at winning back consumers and market shares lost to the "new world" wines, but some diplomats predict a fierce "battle between the EU's north and south" over the controversial reform.
Later today (... |
| 2008-02-05 |
White and Red Wine May Curb Cavi |
Even with the alcohol removed, red wine and white wine may fight bacteria that cause cavities, an Italian study shows.
Before you toast the findings, remember that the study was done in test tubes. So it's too soon to count on a glass of wine to chase your cavities away.
The researchers, who work at Italy's University of Pavia, included Gabriella Gazzani, PhD.
First, they went to a local ... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Promotion to Lure New Englanders |
A less-than-three-month old campaign that has lured thousands of New Englanders to Long Island’s Wine is being extended through the summer tourism season.
The campaign, a joint initiative of the Long Island Wine Council and the Cross Sound Ferry, offers sharply discounted ferry travel Monday through Thursday and on Saturday and special discounts at participating wineries and restaurants. The p... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Red Wine Antioxidant Found to Ki |
pigmentation chemical that makes grape skins and wines red has been found to kill human leukemia and lymphoma cells cultured in a lab, according to research to be published May 4 in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. However, the compound, a type of anthocyanidin common in plants, left healthy blood cells alone.
Pigment compound shown to attack leukemia cells--and it left healthy blood cells... |
| 2008-02-05 |
New Report on U.S. Wine Consumer |
Survey of High Frequency Wine Drinkers Reveals Usage, Attitudes and Preferences for Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Detailed Findings on Other Key Sectors of U.S. Wine Market.
Napa Valley’s “cult” producers of Cabernet Sauvignon may be the darlings of wine critics and collectors, but “old guard” wineries fare quite well with high frequency wine consumers, according to a new Wine Opinions rep... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Consumers don't care about organ |
The majority of UK consumers do not care if their wine is organic or Fairtrade, and do not understand what biodynamic means, says a new study.
Market research firm Wine Intelligence asked 2000 regular wine drinkers for their views on wine that is produced with consideration to social, ethical and environmental issues.
Both qualitative and quantitative results revealed a great deal of confus... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Wine That Loves Simplified Parin |
A new line of vino, called “Wine That Loves,” is positioning itself as the ultimate in idiot-proofing food-and-wine pairings.
Shhh. Don’t even think of asking what’s in this bottle.
That’s because instead of identifying itself by varietal, the wines are cleverly named to trumpet the ideal food pairing for what’s inside: Wine That Loves Grilled Steak (a Chilean red); Wine That Loves Pasta Wit... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Learn About Best Practices for V |
The California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance and Pacific Gas & Electric are inviting winery facility managers, vineyard managers, principles, and other personnel to a series of free energy efficiency workshops in Northern California. Wineries are among the biggest electric energy users in food processing.
The first workshop to kick off a multi-city tour will be held this Thursday, May 24, 2... |
| 2008-02-05 |
English wine enjoys steady growt |
England and Wales have produced a bumper volume of wine, Food Standards Agency (FSA) figures show.
3,369,000m bottles will be produced from the 2006 harvest, the third highest volume since production records began.
The number of hectares under vine has increased from 793ha in 2005 to 923ha, according to the 2006 production figures, compiled by the Wine Standards arm of the FSA.
The nu... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Wine Decanting – A scientific ap |
Eric Asimov of The Pour wine blog has approached his wine decanting in an interesting way, by using Erlenmeyer and volumetric flasks from a scientific supply house.
We have a bunch of these lying around the lab, maybe I should use some because Eric states that Most people rarely think of decanting white wines, but I’ve become a big proponent of this. Almost any good young white wine will be ver... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Counterfeit Wine Costs Consumers |
California wines are now world-renowned with bottles selling for hundreds -- even thousands of dollars. And criminals are catching-on and cashing in by counterfeiting.
Ahh, the Chardonnay, Cabernet and Pinot Noir.
California wineries have mastered the grape to produce some of the world's great wines. But there's a criminal element capitalizing on the bottles' character -- they're counterfeit... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Wine Retailers Association Say L |
Specialty Wine Retailers Association announced today that they believe a lawsuit against the State of Illinois and the Illinois Liquor Control Commission is both inevitable and proper if legislation passes prohibiting Illinois consumers from purchasing wine from out-of-state wine retailers. Legislation currently moving through the Illinois Assembly (HB 429) would unconstitutionally allow in-state ... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Tech exec launches make-your-own |
SONOMA COUNTY – Laser-optics entrepreneur Lindsay Austin, once at the helm of a Telecom Valley startup, has turned his passion for wine into a club that gives aficionados the chance to make their own wine.
Mr. Austin is a former JDS Uniphase executive, CEO of Spectraswitch and co-founder of Pavilion Integration in Silicon Valley. His new venture is Kings Hill Cellars, a winemaking club with a s... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Europe could make wine cheaper i |
Swedish wine-lovers could get a welcome break from the EU if the European Commission wins a case due to open against the Swedish government this week.
Swedish Customs lets online booze through (9 Jun 07)
European court slams Sweden's alcohol import ban (5 Jun 07)
Sweden defends state alcohol monopoly (5 Jun 07)
Sweden is being sued by the Commission for imposing higher taxes on wine tha... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Drink More Wine to Live Longer, |
Three-decade study found moderate wine drinkers lived longer than drinkers of other types of alcohol...
Wine drinkers are healthier than drinkers of beer and spirits, according to new research conducted on men living in Finland. That's not too much of a surprise considering the lifestyles associated with each of the beverage types, but the study also suggested that moderate consumption of wine... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Bilton releases flavour-packed n |
Bilton Wine Estate, the picturesque farm situated on the verdant slopes of the Helderberg in an area renowned for its acclaimed red wines, has just released the 2004 vintage of its Shiraz that is known for its spicy, fruity and inviting character.
Packed with appealing aromas of wild berry, organic, meaty and spicy flavours, the Bilton Shiraz 2004 is the perfect wine to get cosy with duri... |
| 2008-02-05 |
The Price of a Proper Match of F |
Last night at a dinner celebrating my father-in-law's birthday, a couple glasses of a nice, refreshing Vinho Verde quite nicely got me through a three course meal of Caesar Salad, a three meat stew which "clearly calls for a robust red, my good man," and dessert of Tapioca and sorbet.
It was a nice restaurant in Sonoma: La Sallette. Had the wait staff been inexperienced or the company I was w... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Clowning Around With Wine Review |
For the longest time I tried to wrap my head around a simple idea: reading wine reviews that don't include the price. I'd never thought about this until today when I came across two blogs that review wines, and do it well, but don't include the price.
There were descriptions of the wine including aromas, body, flavor. There were histories of the wineries included. There were ratings. And there ... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Institutionalized Power in the W |
How could it be that nearly every alcohol-related law and regulation across America favors the interests of a small number of middlemen called "Wholesalers" or "Distributors?
Consider for example the various laws across the country that attempt to restrict consumers from purchasing and have shipped to them wine except from smaller wineries that produce only small amount of wine and in effect fo... |
| 2008-02-05 |
The First American Wine Lover |
On the occasion of the 264th Birthday of America's First Wine Lover, FERMENTATIONS is very happy to present this essay by James M. Gabler. Gabler is the author of Passions: The Wines and Travels of Thomas Jefferson and An Evening with Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson: Dinner, Wine, and Conversation. Gabler is the foremost authority on Jefferson and his relationship with wine. We highly recom... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Judd’s Hill celebrates move into |
Many wineries in Napa Valley are owned by families, but few have family members more involved than Judd’s Hill Winery.
Art and Bunnie Finkelstein, their son Judd and his wife Holly are all deeply involved in the business, which just opened a new facility on Silverado Trail to replace its old home in Conn Valley.
Art has been the winemaker, with Judd now joining in, and Holly, who has an MBA,... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Decanting wine, what does it do? |
In response to one of the comments on this episode of Wine Library TV Vaynerchuk wrote I have decanted over 30 wines under $12 in the last few weeks getting ready for this video and I have to tell you everyone did better after 2 hrs +….EVERYONE. I know it may sound strange and I didn’t think so myself but I disagree I think all wines get value from air!
Seeing as how Gary did his tasting non-bl... |
| 2008-02-05 |
At Last Some Sound Advice on Dec |
Many wine professionals also say that decanting softens the tannins in red wine, achieving in a few hours what might take years to transpire in a cellar. Barolo and Barbaresco -- the big, brawny Nebbiolo-based wines of Italy's Piedmont region -- are almost always decanted, ostensibly to mellow the tannins and release the bottle bouquet.
But then came this. According to UC Davis Enology Professo... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Emerging Technologies Help Biody |
New meets old, radio frequency receivers gather information on the microclimate and transfer the information through a wireless network that can be accessed via a Web site or cell phone. Jim Fetzer of Ceágo Vinegarden utilizes this new technology to help manage his farming activities.
Ceágo Vinegarden is all about blending old technologies with the new, according to owner Jim Fetzer, who runs ... |
| 2008-02-05 |
Where Would You Buy A Vineyard? |
Ever thought about buying some dirt in Wine Country somewhere in the world and setting up shop with a vineyard? I have. If I were to get into the production side of the wine business and money were no object, I'd become a grower. But, as a wonderful new article in the latest issue of Wine Enthusiast by Roger Voss and Kathleen Buckley points out, money can be an object that gets in your way.
"Th... |
| 2008-02-05 |
AmericanWinery.com Hits The 1,00 |
With over 1,000 wineries now registered at the fastest growing web-based wine marketplace, AmericanWinery.com continues to enhance and dramatically improve the process by which consumers can buy wine direct from wine producers in the United States.
Two important new features launched today at AmericanWinery.com promise to take that experience one step further. The site’s much-anticipated live ... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Napa vintners certify green wine |
Napa Valley Vintners, a trade group for more than 300 local wineries, has launched a certification program for any Napa County winery that wants verification for its claims to being green.
This is part of a wider effort in business to be counted for practices and capital investments deemed to have a lighter or positive effect on the environment. It’s also meant to discount claims that such effo... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Wine shipping law coming up |
If it passes next week, Senate Bill 59 will replace the state of New Mexico's restrictive wine shipping law.
Current legislation limits the reciprocal shipping of wine. New Mexico can ship only to Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and Oregon.
Bill 59 would allow wineries and retailers in any state to ship wine directly to New Mexico consumers, and also allow New Mexico wineries and retailers to sh... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Drink No Wine Before IT'S Time |
There's a certain ritual that seems have played out somewhat consistently over the course of my adult life that began during my college years and continues to this day: The good friend arriving relatively late in the evening at your home for a stay and the subsequent (and immediate) kitchen table sit-down right then and there upon their arrival to catch up before any sleep is had.
It's not as ... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Robert Haas Honored as Wine Indu |
The Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance honored Robert Haas, managing partner of Tablas Creek Vineyard as the 2007 Wine Industry Person of the Year during the organization’s 16th annual Wine Country Gala held Friday night (Feb. 1) at the Park Ballroom in downtown Paso Robles. Haas has played a leading role in the American wine industry for over half a century. From working alongside his father in hi... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Bordeaux to cut number of chatea |
In an attempt to simplify Bordeaux wines for the consumer, estates are being told to stop using several different chateau names for the same wine, bottled at the same property.
The usual practice today – officially disallowed by a 1921 decree that is widely ignored – is to use a different name for each different sales channel, namely supermarkets, restaurants, and even countries. Although there... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Drought hits Australian wine pri |
Australian wine prices are set to rise this year as the nation's worst drought in a century dries up excess stock, an official said.
Government statistics showed that wine production for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2007, fell by almost one third from the previous year to 978 million litres (258 million gallons).
A drop in production, due mainly to drought, coupled with increasing sales h... |
| 2008-02-04 |
The Wine Group Announces New Env |
Wine consumers interested in helping save environmental costs -- and some expenses -- can now find authoritative data at a new website http://www.betterwinesbetterworld.com . Launched by The Wine Group, the country's third largest wine company, the site documents the cost and carbon savings in a half-dozen categories.
"Consumers who drink a daily glass of wine with dinner and switch from glass bottle... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Bordeaux to measure wine's CO2 f |
The Bordeaux region, one of France's premier wine growing regions, is launching an ambitious project to measure the industry's greenhouse gas emissions to bolster its environmental standards.
The Bordeaux Wine Board (Conseil Interprofessionel des Vins de Bordeaux or CIVB) said it wanted to find out just how much carbon dioxide, one of the main culprits in global warming, it generated.
"We kn... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Kosher Israeli Wines |
Kosher and wine? They can’t go together can they?
Need something to bring home for a seder? Want to impress your guests this year? Not all kosher-for-Passover wine has to taste like Manischewitz…
Kosher food for a long time has interested many non kosher minded types with Hebrew National hot dogs being sold in many sport stadiums around the country. Their motto of “ we answer to a higher aut... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Move over, beer: Grab a great wi |
When it comes to watching football, I am most definitely not one of those guys on the couch you see in the beer commercials. There may be a couple of brews in the fridge for special occasions or for friends who demand them, but for me football on the tube is as much about wine as it is about the game — a chance to multitask with two things I really enjoy.
It was Sunday evening. The Patriots had... |
| 2008-02-04 |
successful people drink more win |
Big company bosses and top professionals consume the highest amounts of alcohol in the UK, says the Office of National Statistics (ONS).
According to the ONS, households classified as 'managerial and professional' drank more units of alcohol per week (15.1 units) than any other group.
UK broadsheet The Independent, said that chief executives of big companies and public sector organisations ... |
| 2008-02-04 |
GrapeRadio on American Airlines |
American Airlines is launching a new channel dedicated to wine on its in-flight programming, run by internet podcaster GrapeRadio.
Frederick Paniotis of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Margrit Mondavi, Gaia Gaja of iconic Piedmont producer Gaja will feature in the first programmes, along with information on wine buying, tasting, varietal preferences and restaurant etiquette.
This is the first suc... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Wine giant selling off 2 jug lab |
The world's largest wine company is selling two California jug wine brands to reduce debt and focus on higher-end wines like those in the Beam Wine Estates group it purchased in December.
Constellation Brands Inc. is selling its Almaden and Inglenook wine brands and the Paul Masson winery in Madera to The Wine Group for $134 million.
Though relegated to the lower shelves in supermarket wine... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Another sort of wine appreciatio |
Not long ago, Stephen Bachmann, a private-equity investor turned online wine store owner, posted a chart on his widely read blog about wine collecting. The dots on the graphic charted an investment starting at around $1,000 in 2003. They continued on a sustained northerly path — up 100 percent, up 200 percent — peaking above $4,000 in 2007.
If the average investor's E-Trade account looked like ... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Provoking The Future of Wine Jou |
Of late (say the last 3 to 5 years) I noted something of slight detour in wine journalism. Rather than a dedication among wine journalists toward praising and congratulating wines as a rule, there is a slight move toward the secular and cynical when it comes to wine. But it's ever so slight and that's because among those who read most of the wine writings, there is not that much call for peering b... |
| 2008-02-04 |
United States Becomes A Wine-Dri |
For the first time, research indicates there are more “core” wine consumers (people who drink wine at least once per week) than “marginal” wine drinkers.
For the first time, the mean age of the core group is lower than that of the marginal drinkers, indicating that people are discovering wine earlier in life.
For the first time, in 2008, wine sales are estimated to exceed 300 million cases.
... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Australian wine imports double |
Australian wine imports doubled last year while domestic wine sales fell, new figures show.
Figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that import wine volumes doubled from November 2006 to November 2007, as domestic wine sales fell almost 9%.
Over the 12-month period, average volumes of imported foreign wine leaped from 3m to 6m litres, said Damian Sparkes, manager of the... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Weather to play vital role in wi |
The Winegrapes Marketing Board estimates the crop will be more than the 220,000 tonnes harvested last year, but a clear picture will not emerge until later in the vintage.
Riverina winemaker John Casella says some white varieties are being picked now.
He says continued hot weather could affect the harvest.
"Quantity I believe in irrigated areas where there was enough available water, it'l... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Long Island wine investor has no |
Milan SeGall describes his first large wine investment of $1,000 as a nerve-racking experience.
"The wine manager said you won't regret spending the $50 or $60 a bottle for Mouton, Lafite, Margaux, all the first growths, and of course I let him convince me to do that," SeGall recalled. "I went home and broke out into sweat. I had spent so much money."
SeGall very quickly got over his qualms ... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Dutch take a liking to Aussie wi |
The Netherlands was one of the fastest-growing markets for Australian wine last year, with exports there nearly doubling.
The Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation says 28 million litres were sold to the Dutch in 2007, an increase of 92 per cent.
Sales to the biggest market, the United Kingdom, increased slightly, but the volume and value of exports to the United States dropped.
The tota... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Putting a cork in Internet wine |
Dianna Dapkins thought the Internet would be the perfect place to find a rare Croatian wine that her local merchants in rural Shelburne, Mass., don't stock.
Sure enough, K&L Wine Merchants, an Internet retailer that also has stores in Hollywood and San Francisco, sells the Plenkovic Zlatan Plavac Barrique for $34.99. Dapkins clicked on the wine to buy it but said she was stunned when the websit... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Super-wine might boost lifespan |
Would you drink wine made from genetically engineered grapes if it had extra benefits? Such wine could be on the menu, thanks to a grape variety six times richer than normal in resveratrol, the compound in red wine associated with increased longevity, decreased heart disease and a host of other benefits.
Yuejin Wang and colleagues at the Northwest Agricultural and Forestry University in Yanglin... |
| 2008-02-04 |
California Wine Grape Harvest He |
This year’s level California winegrape crush is expected to help bring category supply and demand closer in balance and could help firm up pricing. Early estimates project the 2007 winegrape crush up less than 1% from 2006 to 3.2 million tons, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Many growers anticipate the overall quality of this year’s harvest to be above average. A mi... |
| 2008-02-04 |
'Last call' before Champagne pri |
If you've ever had the slightest drop of curiosity about how it feels to ring in the new year with a top-of-the-line Champagne, now would be a good time to rob your piggy bank and head to the wine store.
It might pain you to fork over $100 or more for that bottle of bubbly, but chances are it will seem like a bargain at this time next year.
Sorry to end 2007 on a downer note, but the prices ... |
| 2008-02-04 |
The U.S. is turned on to wine |
Americans are drinking more and better wine and love a dependable bargain bottle, which is increasingly easier to find. And with every sip we are breaking records: For the 15th consecutive year, wine consumption in the United States is projected to have risen in 2007, after a 4 percent gain in 2006.
Projected estimates for 2007 have the nation reaching a record 304 million cases of wine consume... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Big “NO” To Genetically Modified |
The government has rejected an application from a South African-(SA)-born scientist and his business partners to sell genetically modified yeast to local wine producers, saying it cannot risk jeopardising the industry’s access to key European markets.
About two-thirds of SA’s wine exports are destined for Europe, where consumers are notoriously skittish about genetically modified organisms. Th... |
| 2008-02-04 |
As the Climate Changes |
Based on various scientific surveys, we know that temperatures will continue to become warmer on average between now and 2100, and that will have a direct impact on the growing of grapes and the resulting types of wines that the various established wine regions can produce. It could also change the typical characteristics that we associate with various wine-growing regions.
At the moment, we h... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Lawsuit filed over 'Girls Gone W |
A court battle of "Girls Gone Wine" versus "Girls Gone Wild" has emerged in Muskogee, Oklahoma, after a winery's owners filed the lawsuit.
Three women who came up with a clever name for their wine-selling business have sued the makers of "Girls Gone Wild" after Mantra Films threatened to sue them over the name, The Oklahoman reported Monday.
At issue is whether the women can keep their alrea... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Preserving Open Bottles of Wine |
There's an appealingly straightforward article in the SF Chronicle today about the pros and cons of the various different methods out there of preserving open bottles of wine. My own preferred method, which is not worrying about it & simply seeing what the wine tastes like the next day—an approach somewhere between rigorous scientific inquiry and absolute laziness—is partly predicated on the fact ... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Sipping through the next great w |
"Try this," said Martha Clyde, manager of the Sculpterra Winery and Sculpture Garden in Paso Robles, California, as she poured a garnet 2005 cabernet sauvignon on a golden autumn afternoon. "It was the first vintage we released." Neil Young sang beseechingly in the background as a dozen amateur tasters sniffed and swirled and swallowed. The tasting room was brand new, Clyde said, completed only in... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Sip into great sparkling wine fr |
I knew about Gruet’s sparkling wine by word of mouth and had tasted it at least once before, although I’m puzzled now over why I wasn’t more excited about it.
That’s because a recent tasting revealed that this unlikely wine from an unlikely place is one of the best American sparkling wines around, especially when you consider the price of just $14 or so (I’ll reveal just where it comes from in ... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Building a Facebook for Wine |
Wine enthusiasts are creating social-networking sites for fellow oenophiles, and they're doing more than just selling bottles
Michael Stajer bet big on his idea to start an eBay-style (EBAY)Web site for buying and selling wines in 1999. The Bay Area attorney sold his personal wine collection for $25,000 to finance the site, called WineCommune. At the time, he hoped to get venture or angel fundi... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Drought blamed for imminent wine |
The Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation says the industry is likely to experience a national undersupply of grapes for the next four to five years.
The corporation's manager of information and analysis, Lawrie Stanford, says the outlook follows an oversupply of grapes and wine in recent times.
Mr Stanford says smaller grape yields will mean supply fails to meet demand.
He says drought ... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Bonny Doon to List Ingredients o |
Full disclosure designed to help consumers better understand how the wines are made, but also to encourage more "clean" winemaking
Santa Cruz, Calif.–based Bonny Doon Vineyard is making a new addition to all of its wines as of January 2008: a list of ingredients on the back labels. The lists will include the wine components, such as grapes and the preservative sulfur dioxide, as well as product... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Crushpad's fusebox Brings Wine B |
Crushpad, the urban winery that is democratizing wine making, today announced the launch of fusebox, the wine blending kit that brings a professional-level wine making experience to the home. fusebox combines entertainment, education and great wine in a 15-pound box containing everything necessary for a group of four to have fun while discovering how some of the world's greatest wines are blended.... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Sacramento's New Trend: Urban Wi |
Here on busy 16th Street, surrounded by places like urban shops, Bobs Car Garage and a donut shop, you may not expect to find a winery. But, Sacramento businessman and winemaker have overhauled this auto body shop, to make way for some red and white.
"People would walk in and say what are you building. A winery. Really here?" says Jon.
But, Jon Affonso has turned this auto body shop into S... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Wine gains on beer as US youth d |
Wine is gaining ground on beer as the drink of choice for young Americans, a Nielsen survey has found.
The so-called 'Millenial' generation still shows an overall preference for beer, which is still most often cited as the 'favorite' alcoholic drink, but wine and spirits are both gaining ground.
On a dollar basis of purchases, beer has slipped as young Americans' first choice of alcoholic d... |
| 2008-02-04 |
The National Grape and Wine Init |
Every December, Wine Business Monthly chooses a topic of interest to the wine industry and explores it in depth. This year, we chose to focus on the funding for grape and wine research. Below is a winebusiness.com exclusive interview with Mary Wagner, incoming chair of the National Grape and Wine Initiative (NGWI) and chief technology officer at E&J Gallo winery.
The roots for the NGWI were fo... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Wine may calm inflammation in bl |
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Adding to evidence that a little wine can do a heart good, a new study suggests that women who drink moderate amounts may have less inflammation in their blood vessels.
Spanish researchers found that after four weeks of drinking two glasses of wine per day, women showed lower levels of certain inflammatory substances in their blood. The findings, reported in the Amer... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Do-it-yourself wine business gai |
Opening a business that is a little different from the norm can be a challenge for new entrepreneurs, but Ted Sellers and Scott Crippen seem to be handling it well.
Sellers and Crippen openedWhatcom Winemakers about six months ago and have been steadily growing a customer base.
The business at 130 E. Champion St. is a place where customers can come in, taste some wine and create their own ... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Chile's wine exports soar |
Chile's wine exports have reached record levels in both value and volume, according to new statistics from industry association Wines of Chile.
The value of wine exported has surpassed US$1.1b (£0.5bn), an increase of 30% over 2006.
'Chilean wineries are overcoming difficult problems with the weakening dollar by selling more wine in terms of both value and volume,' Wines of Chile President ... |
| 2008-02-04 |
5,000 years of Jewish Wine Makin |
Since Biblical times, the use of wine to celebrate life has been an important part of Jewish traditions. Jews, too, have been a vital link in America, from the "discovery" of the New World in 1492, to America's War for Independence, and into the present age. It is no surprise, then, that Jews have also become an important link to the development of America's best known wine region, the Napa Valley... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Internet changes wine appreciati |
Voluble Gary Vaynerchuk, 31, the host of "Wine Library TV," an online video show, has been known to lick rocks, suck leather and eat dirt while on camera, all to illustrate the unique properties of wine.
Of a "wild and gamey" red from Rioja, Spain, Vaynerchuk says, "Hit a deer on the road. Throw a bunch of cherries on it. Take out your knife, cut the deer. Bite it. That's the flavor profile."
... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Long Island wineries say harvest |
David Page of Shinn Estate Vineyards in Mattituck said he has never seen anything like it on Long Island.
Early blending wine from malbec grapes, he said, tastes of "blueberries slow-roasted in a wood-burning oven," cabernet sauvignon has alcohol levels exceeding 14 percent, and local chardonnay is displaying a "beautiful tropical character" with hints of papaya, melon and "pretty banana."
"... |
| 2008-02-04 |
UK surge boosts Aussie wine expo |
surge in exports to the United Kingdom has underpinned a new 12-month record for Australian wine exports.
Australia exported $3.04 billion worth of wine in the year ended October, the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation said on Wednesday.
The figure was a 10 per cent increase on the corresponding period last year, the corporation's October wine export approval report showed.
The UK ma... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Apple wine producers furious at |
Apple wine producers from the western German state of Hessen are furious with European Union proposals that would remove the word 'wine' from their traditionally fermented apple juice drink, because it is not derived from grapes.
'We will fight Brussels with all cannons,' apple wine cooperative director Jürgen H. Krenzer told decanter.com. 'Since the early 19th century, when phylloxera ravaged ... |
| 2008-02-04 |
No more red wine headaches |
For some people, it may take only a glass of red wine to cause a headache. Now, University of California at Berkeley researchers say they've developed a device that can help stave off the "red wine headache."
The device, about the size of a briefcase, will eventually be able to test the biogenic amine levels in a variety of foods and liquids, the Associated Press reports.
Biogenic amines ar... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Milder weather, lower yield lead |
As November dawns just about all Napa County grapes have been harvested, and while overall tonnage may be down from record highs in recent years, local grapegrowers say the quality of this year’s vintage is very good.
“It was an incredible harvest,” said Julie Nord of Nord Vineyards, whose company picked its remaining grapes last week.
Overall, Nord and others said yield was down by about 20 p... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Fewer Grapes Mean Better Wine fo |
Those who complain that California doesn’t have a discernible autumn haven’t been to the Santa Ynez Valley in late October. There, when the bright harvest moon gives way to a rising, fog-burning sun, the endless rippling lines of red, gold, and orange leaves are as vibrant as any East Coast display — but even better, for beneath the foliage hide clusters of deep purple, the promising c... |
| 2008-02-04 |
The Emperor of Wine and the atta |
The world’s most influential wine critic is careless, error-prone and under the influence of Bordeaux châteaux owners, according to allegations in a biography by his former assistant.
Robert Parker, an American, is portrayed as a self-publicist who has apparently never even tasted some of the wines upon which he comments.
Hanna Agostini, who worked with Parker for eight years, also questio... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Italian court says OK to Hitler |
An Italian tribunal will allow the sale of wine featuring images and slogans of Adolf Hitler, Hermann Goring and other Nazi politicians.
In September, police confiscated 20,000 bottles of wine from the 'Der Fuhrer' range of Udine-based producer Vini Lunardelli, on the basis that they represented 'a glorification of the perpetrators of crimes against humanity'.
the wine has been released and... |
| 2008-02-04 |
the wine has been released and c |
Journalists, wine merchants, wine judges and connoisseurs attended the official New Zealand launch of the world’s most used wine search engine http://www.wine-searcher.com in Auckland, New Zealand today (October 10).
Wine-Searcher.com was founded in 1999 by Martin Brown, a Kiwi, while working in London. The company was based in London, and moved to Auckland last year.
The wine market consists of ... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Red Wine Helps Circulation in th |
It doesn't take a lifetime to benefit, as short-term consumption resulted in increased antioxidants and better cholesterol levels.
Drinking red wine regularly may be good for your circulatory system whether you are in your 20s or over 50, according to new research. The study, published in the Sept. 24 issue of Nutrition Journal, found that both younger and older subjects who consumed a half-bot... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Can Chilean wines age? A Montes |
Just over thirty years ago, Chilean wines entered the world wine stage. As with the export trajectory of Japanese car manufacturers, Chilean wine makers started by exporting inexpensive but reliable offerings. And as with the Japanese car manufacturers, they eventually became so proficient at the low end that they began to target the high end and focus on quality.
Montes is one of the more rec... |
| 2008-02-04 |
South African Investment Wines |
Asked to write a story on South African wine as an investment for a financial magazine. The only problem: it isn’t...
Money is the ultimate justification of taste – Dylan Lewis must be a good sculptor – he sold 76 bronzes at Christie’s in London in June for £2 million. Even William Kentridge was recently justified in cash terms by Maverick magazine, although claiming the rich buy Kentridge to ... |
| 2008-02-04 |
king the world's best wine |
Ten years ago, Blair and Estelle Hunt entered the wine business with nothing more than a bare plot of land.
Both were approaching 60 and, while they were familiar with what made a good bottle of red, they had no idea how to make it.
That didn't stop them. This year, industry experts judged their 2005 Bald Hills pinot noir the best red wine in the world.
It beat 4,760 other entries to take... |
| 2008-02-04 |
New Test Could Help Consumers Av |
Researchers in California are reporting development of a fast, inexpensive test suitable for home use that could help millions of people avoid those 'out of the blue' headaches that may follow consumption of certain red wines, cheese, chocolate, and other aged or fermented foods.
The test is designed to detect the presence of so-called biogenic amines, naturally occurring toxins that can trigg... |
| 2008-02-04 |
The New British "Why Didn't I Th |
For anyone who routinely forgets to bring the corkscrew to the picnic, UK company Al Fresco Wines has your problems solved. This summer, the company released the Tulipak, a sanitary, biodegradable, shatterproof plastic glass, heat-sealed with foil, and filled with 6.3 fl. oz of South Australian Chardonnay, Shiraz, or off-dry rosé under the Trencherman label.
Al Fresco claims to have spent £500... |
| 2008-02-04 |
This Is A Good Year For Grapes A |
Romulus, Seneca County (WSYR-TV) - They couldn't ask for any better weather in the Finger Lakes right now. The warm temperatures have grapes ripening fast and along with the bursting crop, it looks like it's going to be a banner year for local wineries.
The sweet smell of grapes has the wine makers at Swedish Hill Winery working overtime. The winery's general manager says he's paying close a... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Wine’s Secret Weapon |
Buying and collecting wine has always been full of uncertainty because there is no way to determine the condition of the wine without invading the bottle and compromising the wine.
Now, a unique machine, the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Wine Spectroscope (NMR), is changing that. This one-of-a-kind machine tests the condition of a wine without opening or inserting probes. The wine is unaffected b... |
| 2008-02-04 |
The Art of Decanting |
As a prelude to a summary of the results of The Great Decanting Experiment I thought it might be prudent to review the only book I can find that, at least according to it’s title, is devoted to the decanting of wine.
Written by Sandra Jordan, of Jordan Vineyard and Winery, The Art of Decanting: Bringing wine to life is an extremely well presented volume. Chapters cover everything from the histo... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Rosés Finally Get the Chance The |
We arrived home the other day to find our daughter Zoe, a talented photographer, taking pictures of some wine bottles that we had taken out of shipping crates earlier. The wines were rosés and, lined up on the table, they were as pretty as the colors of the sunrise, from light pink to blazing orange.
As it happens, the sun is rising on rosé. We've been saying since 2000 that Americans finally s... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Prices Rising For Bordeaux Wines |
Average prices for Bordeaux are rising, the Bordeaux AOC Winegrowing Union says.
Describing the upturn as 'a wind of hope', the Syndicat Viticole AOC Bordeaux et Bordeaux Supérieur said last Friday (September 7, 2007) that as supplies of wine have fallen, prices have risen.
Prices prices per 900l tonneau in 2006/2007 are gradually rising, and unwanted stocks are diminishing, according to the... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Climate change effects on wine |
A year ago, a scientific report showed that global warming may create conditions that will be too warm for the traditional great wine regions of France and the United States to make great wine.
Scientists said that by the middle of this century, average temperatures will rise just enough to pose a hazard to the making of classic wines.
Does this mean that cabernet sauvignon will soon be... |
| 2008-02-04 |
The Great Decanting Experiment |
For the last wine in this decanting series we head back to Burgundy and the Mercurey Appellation. And this time it’s a Faiveley. That’s right, the last wine will be the most severe test of the idea that aeration softens tannins because this wine, like all good Faiveleys, has astringency in spades. Oh, excuse me. Its more robust than most. Let’s see if a little air will bring it down to earth!
W... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Beaujolais Nouveau wine ages gra |
PARIS (Reuters Life!) - Beaujolais Nouveau wine will be older this year - if only by a handful of days.
The harvest of grapes used to produce the fruity wine served up traditionally from the third Thursday of November started in earnest last weekend - two weeks earlier than normal.
"It's the fifth time in my life that we have seen such a phenomenon. It's a bit exceptional," said Georges Dubo... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Should I Buy a Wine Cooler? |
Q: I live in California and have some wine in a wine rack, not in a cooler. This is my drinking wine and it's normally consumed within the year. Since in the summer it gets pretty hot, would it be better for the wine in my refrigerator, or just let it sit in the rack?
A: What kind of wine are we talking about? If you are just storing decent quality everyday wine in your wine rack, it's unlikely... |
| 2008-02-04 |
French Wine & Spirits Surge In U |
French wine and spirit exports to the U.S. hit new highs in terms of both volume and value in 2006, according to the 2006 edition of The Global Drinks Market: Impact Databank Review and Forecast. Following their peak year in 2002, combined exports of wine and spirits from France to the U.S. slumped for the next few years, triggered by anti-French sentiment stemming from France’s objection to the w... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Small Winery Finds Internet Fame |
How do you get your product noticed in a sea of look-alike competitors? If you're South African winery Stormhoek, you go Web 2.0, with blogging, viral marketing, and crowdsourcing.
"A wine company shouldn't be like a country club," says U.K. marketer and cartoonist Hugh MacLeod, who created a wildly successful word-of-blog campaign for Stormhoek wines. "It should have the same attitude as a sm... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Erotic Wine Evenings Strike Educ |
At Babeland - which is owned exclusively by women - some 60 libidinous oenophiles sipped wines with names like Seduction Cabernet and Foreplay Chardonnay, listening to erotic poetry and bid for a goodie bag filled with wine paraphernalia, as well as vibrators and other adult toys.
'It's important to first titillate the senses with a little Foreplay - for your palate, that is,' the note accompan... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Can The Right Wine Label Make Fo |
Changing the label on a wine changed diners’ opinions of their wine, opinions of their meal, and their repatronage of the restaurant, according to a Cornell University study.
Forty-one diners at the Spice Box restaurant in Urbana, Illinois were given a free glass of Cabernet Sauvignon to accompany a $24 prix-fixe French meal. Half the bottles claimed to be from Noah’s Winery in California. The... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Peter Mondavi discusses his fami |
With rugged, movie-star good looks and down-to-earth charm, Peter Mondavi isn't someone you'd call smug. But this scion of the great Napa Valley winemaking family, which began with his grandfather, Cesare, has every right to be.
The Mondavi family saga, chiefly revolving around Peter's uncle, Robert Mondavi, is the subject of a new biography, The House of Mondavi: The Rise and Fall of an Ameri... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Wine sites cash in on Facebook p |
new online wine service hopes to become the world's busiest cyber wine recommendations site by cashing in on the Facebook phenomenon.
New York-based Snooth, which launched in June, provides searchable wine recommendations from users and critics with a database of two million reviews.
Its revenue comes from commissions on wine sold through affiliated merchants and wineries across the US. Th... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Impossible food wine pairings |
A friend called me from supermarket the other day. No, it wasn’t a “Help, which wine!”-style emergency.
Instead, he said that the shelf talker gave the number of a global wine company to text to resolve your own wine-food pairing emergency. Just for the sport of it, I sent an SMS to the number with our own “impossible food wine pairing” of chips and salsa! And what did the computer reply sugge... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Taking the guess-work out of cho |
Enjoying a good wine is one of the pleasures of life and part of that enjoyment is its bouquet. Imagine, then, how important the ability to distinguish both the good and bad odours in wine is to winemakers.
Currently, the measurement of wine odours relies on well-trained human noses. However, Australian scientists are part of the worldwide search for an objective way of quantifying odours with ... |
| 2008-02-04 |
Lower Alcohol Wines |
Alcohol levels in wine have been increasing for at least several decades, and there is good reason to believe that this has been driven by the consumer’s desire for fuller flavored wine. Put simply, to achieve riper flavors grapes have to be harvested later in the growing season and fermentation of the riper grapes with their increased sugar levels often leads to increased alcohol levels. The high... |
| 2008-02-03 |
The Wine Areas of Slovenia |
Slovenia lies on the southern slopes of the Alps and touches the Mediterranean. Although it may enjoy the benefits of "the best of both worlds," Slovene viticulture is also at the mercy of unpredictable climate from both the north and the south. Consequently, the total annual output of Slovene vineyards may vary as much as 50%. There are extraordinary vintages and absolute failures, with a spectru... |
| 2008-02-03 |
Tokaj Wines From Hungary |
Hungary has a long-standing history in wine production, dating back to the time of Romans and the Celts. Centuries of great migrations brought the Avar nation to central Europe. Although their ancient cultures has since been lost, the Hungarians who later migrated to the great planes of Central Europe adopted and preserved the wine making crafts of the Avars. Thus grape growing and wine production... |
| 2008-02-03 |
Bordeaux & the Cabernet Grape |
One of the keys to Cabernet's success in Bordeaux is that it has always been prized for its resistance. Many etymologists believe that Cabernet relates to the Biturica grape that the Roman poet Pliny recorded in the year 71 A.D. as being planted in Bordeaux because of its hardiness. It is certain that Cabernet's first sighting in more recent history was in the 18th Century when Baron de Brane, own... |
| 2008-02-03 |
Italian Women of Wine |
The Associazione Nazionale Le Donne del Vino or National Association of Women of Wine was founded in 1988 by Elisabetta Tognana in Friuli. Today, it can boast of over 500 active members: producers, wine directors, restaurateurs, sommeliers, and wine writers who live and work throughout Italy.
"They say that we [Italian women of wine] represent the 'other half of the cellar and the other half of... |
| 2008-02-03 |
Guide to wines of Basilicata |
Journalist and wine writer Luciano Pignataro has published the first complete guide to the wines of Basilicata, Guida Completa ai Vini della Basilicata (Edizioni Ippogrifo). Pignataro, author of a ground-breaking guide to the wines of Campania, has collected profiles of 43 wineries and 170 wines produced in the region. The book was not subsidized by advertisers and contains unbiased profiles of th... |
| 2008-02-03 |
Celebrities Devote Themselves to |
Italy’s wine world has experienced an influx over the last few years from a surprisingly different sector, resulting in some impressive new selections. Sting is in the clutches of the first harvest in the immense vineyard he recently bought; Bob Dylan’s Planet Waves is about to come out at Fattoria Le Terrazze; Mick Hucknall of Simply Red owns vineyards on the slopes of Etna. Italian wine has also... |
| 2008-02-03 |
Climatic Changes May Alter Geogr |
A recent study performed at the University of Milan showed that the geography of wine production may change considerably due to climatic changes. In the next fifty years, the progressive heating of the climate will certainly affect Europe’s famous vines, changing growing conditions throughout the continent. Global warming will undoubtedly alter terrains as well as environmental conditions, forcing... |
| 2008-02-03 |
Sicilian Wine Popular Abroad |
In America, France, Germany, and Japan, Sicilian wine is well loved. Of the seven million hectoliters of wine produced in Sicily only about one million are actually bottled, but one quarter of those bottles are destined for foreign consumption. Sicily’s regional consortium organized a survey that indicated blossoming interest in the Chinese and Korean markets, where importation of Sicilian wine ha... |
| 2008-02-03 |
Associating Wines with the Terro |
Roberto Cipresso firmly believes in the inextricable importance of the land. This is the credo the winemaker emphasized at a recent conference with the Consorzio Colli Orientali del Friuli, where he spoke to local producers. Cipresso urged everyone in attendance to liberate themselves from concerns about varietals and focus on the unique characteristics of the environment and earth where they grow... |
| 2008-02-03 |
Italian Sparkling Wines Gain Pop |
Italian sparkling wines are second only to French in American consumption, as evidenced by a 6.1% increase in their export to the United States. This advance was detected by the Italian Wine & Food Institute in the first four months of 2004 compared to the previous year. However, consumption of French wines in the US fell a shocking 23.1% while Italian gained 5.3% over last year. With this change,... |
| 2008-02-03 |
Survey Shows Italian White Wines |
Although the love of wine does not die in the summer, it does turn its attention to wines appropriate to the season: a survey has shown that the whites of Friuli Venezia Giulia are most popular, while those of Campania and Alto Adige came in second and third, respectively. Also popular are sparkling wines, and even reds sell well in the hotter months. We can chalk the preferences up to traditional... |
| 2008-02-03 |
Biodynamics in the Vineyard and |
They are referred to as “true wines” and are distinctive because no chemicals are used in their production. Biodynamic viticulture is characterized by an interest in the personal flair that a wine absorbs from its terroir over the mark of its producer, a “harmonic conception” of the cycle of production, and, above all, an aversion to the pressure of popular tastes in wine.
Biodynamics is a diff... |
| 2008-02-03 |
Italians Prefer Buying Wine the |
Surveys show that Italians prefer to buy their wine in a wine shop or at the estate, choosing a more personal and emotional approach to their acquisitions. In Europe a paltry 0.32% of alcoholic beverages (wine, beer and spirits) are sold online, accounting for 240 million Euro of a 75 billion Euro industry.
Wine News, http://www.winenews.it, the premier wine enthusiast and trade website in Italy surve... |
| 2008-02-03 |
Organic Farming in Dry Creek Vin |
The Sonoma County Grape Growers Association sponsored an organic farming short course at the Michel-Schlumberger Wine Estate in Dry Creek on Wednesday. With more than 50 grape growers from Carneros to Cloverdale attending, winemaker and vineyard manager Mike Brunson took the group on a field study of the 100 acre, organically-certified, hillside vineyard and winery.
"We not only grow 14 differ... |
| 2008-02-03 |
Vines Now Sold in Protective Tub |
Reno, Nev. -- Two French-owned U.S. grapevine nurseries are introducing similar products this year that package green growing plants or dormant benchgrafts in custom grow tubes, potentially saving labor costs in the vineyard and providing protection to the young vines from weather, pests, herbicides and machinery. Their vine tubes were among the more newsworthy products on display during the recen... |
| 2008-02-03 |
Supermarket launches low alcohol |
A supermarket is launching a range of lower alcohol wines in response to customer demand.
Sainsbury's is branding the four wines 'Ten%' because of their alcohol by volume content.
Standard wines have crept up to between 12 per cent and 14.5 per cent in strength, the chain said.
Many shoppers now want wine which has slightly less alcohol, making it healthier and lower in calories.
Grape... |
| 2008-02-03 |
Slow Rise in World Wine Consumpt |
The latest International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) six-monthly report, issued in March 2007, shows wine consumption rising slightly. The OIV's provisional figures for 2006 show a rise of 1.4 percent on 2005 to 240.8 million hectolitres (63 613 million gallons). The overall vineyard area declined slightly from an estimated 7.93 million hectares (19.59 million acres) in 2005 to 7.924 milli... |
| 2008-02-03 |
Can’t buy a vineyard? Lease it |
NORTH BAY – With a growing demand for high-end wine and an ever-shrinking pool of available land in the Napa Valley and other premium appellations, vineyard leasing is becoming an attractive offer for small to medium-sized boutique wineries looking to avoid the large upfront capital expenditures involved in purchasing and maintaining their own land.
“More recently we’re starting to see winery ... |
| 2008-02-03 |
End of Russia's wine ban cheers |
MOSCOW – President Vladimir Putin said on Friday Russia would soon lift a ban on imports of Moldovan wine, which had dealt a blow to the ex-Soviet state's economy.
After a meeting at his country residence outside Moscow with Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin, Putin emphasised a thaw in the chilly relations between the two leaders.
'In general, our ties have been progressing pretty well, es... |
| 2008-02-03 |
The wine of kings |
WE drink more of it than anyone except the French and you can pick it up for a tenner at the local supermarket.
Yes, champers is the “king of wines, wine of kings” and it’s produced in eye-popping proportions in a region roughly 90 miles north east of Paris.
And a short break stay, centred on Reims, Epernay, and lesser-known Troyes will reveal more to it than just Moët & Chandon.
There ar... |
| 2008-02-03 |
Bordeaux gets better with age |
BORDEAUX, FRANCE — Bordeaux recently woke up from a long, dreamy sleep and was forced to take a hard look in the mirror. What it saw wasn't pretty.
For centuries this port and trading city had enjoyed the lucre fr |
