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Video of the Social Media Panel from Vino2010

My real reason for attending the Vino2010 conference in New York this week was that I was asked (and paid) to be on a panel discussion about the impact and meaning of social media for the wine industry. A number of you have asked about it, and I'm happy to offer the (somewhat low quality) video that captures our session. Unfortunately you can't see (or hear at various points) some of the questions that were asked, but you can certainly get the idea of what we discussed. Please note that it takes a few minutes for the session to get... continue reading

Posted by: Alder on February 7, 2010 11:53 PM

Filed under: Ramblings and Rants

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The Future of Luxury Wine

I spent the latter part of this week at the Vino2010 conference in New York. The largest Italian wine event held outside of Italy, the conference was a combination of major trade-show-style tastings, smaller focused tastings, and panel discussions. One of the panels I attended was entitled "The Future of Luxury Wine" and involved a good panel discussion on the outlook for wines priced over $30 in the next few years. Moderated by Karen MacNeil, wine educator and author of The Wine Bible, America's best-selling wine book, the panel included the following speakers: Barbara Insel, President and CEO of Stonebridge... continue reading

Posted by: Alder on February 6, 2010 8:03 PM

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Vinography Images: Patterns

Patterns Vineyards aren't easy things to photograph. They sprawl and spread all over everywhere, and don't exactly stay confined in the frame of a photograph well, not to mention their tendency to seem monotonous in their rows. I like this image not only for the compression of space that turns the vines into patterns, but also because in the midst of the regular geometry, you can see each individual vine has its own personality -- Alder Yarrow INSTRUCTIONS: Download this image by right-clicking on the image and selecting "save link as" or "save target as" and then select the... continue reading

Posted by: Alder on February 5, 2010 11:13 PM

Filed under: Vinography Images

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Italian Wine Week: Vino 2010

I'm in New York for the first time in a long while, taking a look at the Vino2010 conference, also known as Italian Wine Week. Mostly I'm here because I'll be speaking on a panel (tomorrow) Thursday morning entitled: "Virtual Vino, Millennials and Social Media DECANTED!" The panel is moderated by Anthony Dias Blue, and will have me, Doug Cook of AbleGrape.Com, Susannah Gold of Avvinare.Com, Susanna Crociani of Az. Ag. Crociani in Tuscany, Steve Raye of the Brand Action Team marketing agency, and possibly (unconfirmed) tweeting sommelier and wine educator Kevin Zraly. The conference is making a big deal... continue reading

Posted by: Alder on February 3, 2010 3:51 PM

Filed under: Ramblings and Rants

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The Best Zinfandels in California: Tasting at ZAP 2010

With a line snaking halfway around the parking lot by 2:00 PM, it might be easy to say that Zinfandel might be one of the more recession proof wines in California. The fact that very good bottles can be had for about $20 certainly means that there's probably a lot more Zinfandel being consumed these days than, say, Meritage blends. Once inside the annual Zinfandel Advocates and Producers Festival it was clear, however, that far fewer wineries were pouring this year than in the past, though the crowd was no less lively (I didn't stay until 5 PM when people... continue reading

Posted by: Alder on February 2, 2010 8:15 PM

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Dark and Delicious Petite Sirah Tasting: February 19, Alameda, CA

I've referred to it in the past as "the beast." Possessing tannins that need to be tamed through intelligent winemaking, Petite Sirah can truly be a monster of a wine. One of the least-well -known red grape varieties that are commonly grown in California, it does not command legions of rabid followers like those who attended today's ZAP Zinfandel festival, or the loyal drinkers of Cabernet, or even those who swear by Syrah, from which it takes its misleading name. In the right hands, however, Petite Sirah can be a stunning wine -- deep, resonant, and rich. Petite Sirah has... continue reading

Posted by: Alder on January 30, 2010 11:50 PM

Filed under: Wine Activities

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Vinography Images: After the Rain

After the Rain It's been awful wet these past few weeks in wine country so I thought I'd share this image from Andy Katz. Perhaps this weekend we'll get a little sun. -- Alder Yarrow INSTRUCTIONS: Download this image by right-clicking on the image and selecting "save link as" or "save target as" and then select the desired location on your computer to save the image. Mac users can also just click the image to open the full size view and drag that to their desktops. To set the image as your desktop wallpaper, Mac users should follow these... continue reading

Posted by: Alder on January 29, 2010 11:25 PM

Filed under: Vinography Images

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Get Paid to Travel the World, Tasting Wine

File this under things I always meant to do but have never gotten around to.... Every year an organization called the Geoffrey Roberts Trust picks several people to give about $5000 to so they can travel someplace in the world to eat, drink, and write about it, or do something that makes a positive difference in the culinary or beverage world. Yes, you heard that right, you could get $5000 towards some fabulous culinary or wine adventure provided you had a good reason to go other than simply wanting to see how much Barolo you could drink before falling over.... continue reading

Posted by: Alder on January 27, 2010 11:58 PM

Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News

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Book Review: A Year of Wine by Tyler Coleman

Review by Brooke Cheshier. When I first slipped into A Year of Wine: Perfect Pairings, Great Buys, and What to Sip for Each Season, I worried it would be too formulaic. I am drawn toward in-depth histories (anything by the Kladstrups), poetic memoirs (Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher's Love by the Glass springs to mind), and basically any book that feeds me my wine knowledge indirectly, though story, instead of through instruction. Since I evidently don't like to know I'm receiving an education, I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about what was basically a one-year manual for... continue reading

Posted by: Brooke on January 26, 2010 10:35 PM

Filed under: Book Reviews

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Six Years of Vinography

Have you ever forgotten your own birthday? It just occurred to me yesterday that while I wasn't looking last week, the 6th anniversary of this blog's beginning came and went. It's hard to believe that so much time has passed since I first started tapping away here in my corner of the wine web. The last six years have been a wonderful exploration of my own passion for wine, and a fabulous experience of interacting with a growing body of readers. While Vinography has garnered many accolades and awards, I am most proud of the quality of thought and writing... continue reading

Posted by: Alder on January 24, 2010 10:02 PM

Filed under: Ramblings and Rants

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Garagiste Winemakers of Chile: Introducing MOVI

If I were Hugh Johnson or Jancis Robinson, I could clear my throat and begin my story with a distinguished pronouncement about how I've watched several wine regions around the globe evolve from their infancy to later stages of maturity. But I lack the perspective of someone who's been a professional observer of the industry for decades. While I may not be able to tell you how, exactly, I do know that wine regions evolve over the course of their history, and that Chile finds itself in a particular stage of evolution that most regions probably encounter after a few... continue reading

Posted by: Alder on January 23, 2010 11:37 PM

Filed under: Boutique Wines , Ramblings and Rants , Undiscovered Wines , Wine Reviews

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Vinography Images: Between the Rows

Between The Rows I haven't been to Napa in Months, but I'm headed up there in a few weeks and looking forward to sights like this. This time of year the mustard makes for gorgeous scenery, growing up between the rows and catching every ray of light in sight to create a backdrop of glowing yellow for the dark rain-sodden vines -- Alder Yarrow INSTRUCTIONS: Download this image by right-clicking on the image and selecting "save link as" or "save target as" and then select the desired location on your computer to save the image. Mac users can also... continue reading

Posted by: Alder on January 22, 2010 9:33 PM

Filed under: Vinography Images

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Marketing and Branding Do Not a Winery Make

For anyone who hasn't been paying much attention or who doesn't really care, the wine industry going through a rough patch, especially here in California. Actually "rough patch" is a bit of an understatement, but more on that later this week. For now, I'd like to focus on a single, early casualty of the times. As reported in the Press Democrat last week, Roshambo winery will be closing its operations down permanently, and its founder, Naomi Brilliant, will be attaching the winery's name (and attitude) to a little farming operation she has started up on her family's land in the... continue reading

Posted by: Alder on January 19, 2010 10:50 PM

Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News

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Winners of the Menu For Hope VI Charity Raffle

You folks are phenomenal. Thank you so much for your support. With your generous donations of both prizes and bids for them, we raised $70,900 for the UN World Food Programme. That's a truly remarkable amount of money, and a testament to the passion and generosity of you, my readers, and the blogging community as a whole. If your name appears in the list below as one of the winners, I will be contacting you over the weekend with instructions on how you can claim your prize (I will put you in touch with the folks that offered it, and... continue reading

Posted by: Alder on January 18, 2010 1:58 PM

Filed under: Wine Activities

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Jemrose Wines, Bennett Valley, CA: Current Releases

Some people like to go to flea markets, where they will spend hours wandering around the stalls hoping to stumble on something wonderful. I spend hours wandering through huge public wine tastings in much the same way, and every once in a while I stumble across a winery that I've never heard of nor seen before, whose wines pull the needle off the record and bring me up short in breathless surprise. When I first tasted the wines from Jemrose in just such a fashion, they immediately impressed me, not just because they were so high quality, but also because... continue reading

Posted by: Alder on January 17, 2010 11:50 PM

Filed under: Boutique Wines , Wine Reviews

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Vinography Images: The New Green

The New Green For the most part in the Northern Hemisphere, the vines are sleeping -- their long bare canes waving in the winter wind. Soon those will fall under the deft hands and sharp blades of workers who will leave the vines ready for the new growth that will burst forth in the coming months. Andy Katz gives us a preview of what is to come -- Alder Yarrow INSTRUCTIONS: Download this image by right-clicking on the image and selecting "save link as" or "save target as" and then select the desired location on your computer to save... continue reading

Posted by: Alder on January 15, 2010 8:28 PM

Filed under: Vinography Images

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ZAP Zinfandel Festival 2010: January 28-30, San Francisco

It's that time of year again. I know of no other event that seems to bring out the inner wine lover in so many San Franciscans more than the annual ZAP (Zinfandel Advocates and Producers) Festival. It never ceases to amaze me how many people turn out with such enthusiasm for this single varietal festival. Don't get me wrong. I love Zinfandel -- unabashedly so. But I tend to forget how many other people do too. Especially those that live in San Francisco. Of course it's not just San Franciscans that turn out for this one-of-a-kind weekend. People come from... continue reading

Posted by: Alder on January 14, 2010 10:26 PM

Filed under: Wine Activities

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2001 Renaissance Winery Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, North Yuba

Every time I review a wine from some little producer whose wines I adore, I experience a pang of regret, because I know that by writing about these wineries and their wines, I only make them more expensive and harder to acquire for myself (and others). I do occasionally get e-mails from ticked off wine lovers bemoaning the fact that I've divulged one of their secret sources for great wine. But that's just an occupational hazard for me, and doesn't outweigh the joy of being able to say things like this: Listen up people. There is some seriously amazing wine... continue reading

Posted by: Alder on January 12, 2010 10:22 PM

Filed under: Boutique Wines , Red Wine , Wine Reviews

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Book Review: In Search of Bacchus by George M. Taber

Great travel writing should do more than simply paint a picture of distant locations and suggest how they may be experienced. At its best, the travelogue should transcend its itinerary and offer a deeper, more meaningful narrative than one might expect to experience themselves should they find themselves in the writer's footsteps one day. George Taber's new book, In Search of Bacchus: Wanderings in the Wonderful World of Wine Tourism, ultimately fails to satisfy. That the book should be so ordinary and uninspiring was a huge surprise given the tremendous enjoyment I got out of the author's previous two works,... continue reading

Posted by: Alder on January 9, 2010 4:10 PM

Filed under: Book Reviews

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Boston Wine Expo 2010: January 23-24, Boston

Wine lovers in Beantown, listen up. Right about now you may be wondering just what you're doing freezing your keisters off in the depths of yet another winter. But January provides at least one good reason: the Boston Wine Expo. There are very few reasons that I'd venture out to Boston in the middle of winter, but let me tell you, the Boston Wine Expo is almost enough of a reason for me to jet on out there from San Francisco. Almost, but not quite. However, if I lived anywhere within 100 miles of the Boston, I would be at... continue reading

Posted by: Alder on January 8, 2010 11:46 PM

Filed under: Wine Activities

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