VINOGRAPHY: a wine blog
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Australia as a Lesson on Currency and the Wine Industry
Some of the big news last week in the wine world had to do with the shifting buying habits of our friends Down Under. Thanks to the vagaries of the international currency markets, the Australian Dollar has appreciated greatly against the Euro, and for the first time since the Euro was launched, stuff from Europe is pretty cheap in Australia. So, what does a wine loving country like Australia (they consume about three times as much wine per capita as America) do when imports get cheap? They stop buying Australian wine all the time and they start buying imported wine.... continue reading 
- Posted by: Alder on January 30, 2012 8:54 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Gallo and Constellation Screwed by U.S. Tort Law
I'm sure I'm going to catch hell for this post from any number of quarters, but it needs to be said. Big wine companies are favorite punching bags for wine lovers that would never buy their products. Sometime's there's a good reason for this, like when they throw their weight around in the marketplace in ways that aren't exactly good for the industry. The bigger the company, the bigger the mistakes they can make as well. When they make mistakes, sometimes these companies can be hung out to dry simply because they have deep pockets. And that's exactly what seems... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on January 24, 2012 1:51 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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And From Napa, a Huge Sigh of Relief
Warning: non-news ahead. The only reason I'm writing this article is because a couple of months ago, I did some speculating in my monthly column for Jancis Robinson about what would happen in Napa now that the reins for reviewing the region have been handed from Robert Parker to Antonio Galloni. The fact that Galloni's scores for Napa have just come out wouldn't ordinarily merit much attention from me, except for the fact that I had made some predictions about what might change as a result. My prediction was: nothing. And it turns out that's pretty much what happened. To... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on December 25, 2011 2:21 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Ensuring Organic Wine's Lousy Reputation for Years to Come
I'll bet you didn't know there was an anti-sulfur lobby did you? Sure, you thought, there are those winemakers who try to make wines without sulfur, but they're mostly renegades and eccentrics, mad scientist winemakers-cum-philosophers (all, by the way, terms of endearment from my perspective) who spend more time with goats than with human beings. Some of them make great wine, but they'd most certainly never bother with something ugly like the bureaucracy of food policy, right? They're too busy following their personal vision to make transcendent wines. And thank goodness. That's what I thought, at least, until I got... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on December 8, 2011 9:38 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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"Big Jay" Miller Departs Wine Advocate in Wake of Scandal
With eerily similar rhetoric to Herman Cain's "suspension" of his campaign for President this week, and amidst an equally scandalous set of allegations, Robert Parker announced today on his bulletin board that Jay Miller would be leaving the Wine Advocate to pursue "wine consulting, lecturing and wine retail." Miller's departure occurs even as the scandal known as "Murcillagate" or "Campogate" continues to heat up, with suggestions by Parker that legal action against "the bloggers" who have been involved may be imminent. "Campogate" refers to a story broken by fellow wine blogger Jim Budd who managed to obtain e-mails indicating that... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on December 4, 2011 7:32 PM
- Filed under: Wine News
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Time for a Margin Call on your Wine?
I wrote last week about the great slurping sound that can be heard from China these days when it comes to wine. The explosion in the wine auction market there has been making news for some time. One of my readers who lives in Hong Kong had some very interesting perspective on the matter, which I am copying from his comment on that previous post:Here is the reality in China from someone who lives in Hong Kong and watches all this development. The biggest reality is that hardly anyone is drinking this stuff. It is being gifted. The problem with... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on November 27, 2011 2:36 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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The Downside of AOC
News broke today of the prosecution of a convenience store owner in France, near Bordeaux, whose sales of sugar apparently went off the charts right about around harvest time this year. The sugar was allegedly purchased by local "farmers" to "make jam." Authorities, of course, suspected these farmers of being winemakers, and that the sugar was to be used in wines. While chaptalization, the process of adding sugar to grapes that might not have enough natural sugars in them to ferment properly to the desired alcohol level, is technically legal, there are strict limits on how much and when it... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on November 17, 2011 11:03 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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China the Wine Juggernaut
Did you need any further confirmation that China is now the 8000000000 pound gorilla in the global wine industry? From the low end of the consumption spectrum to the high end, Chinese consumers are transforming the global wine scene. First we heard of it, they were beginning to buy up large quantities of very cheap Australian wine. Then they started investing in the wineries themselves. That was good for Australia, who had fallen on hard times in other parts of the world. With exports up 36% year over year, apparently, China was picking up the slack. When Hong Kong eliminated... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on November 15, 2011 11:05 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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International Crime Syndicate Strikes... German Vineyards!?
In several places in the Southern German wine regions of Pfalz and Württemberg, thieves have been making off with hundreds of thousands of Euros worth of perfectly ripe grapes, in some cases hours before they were supposed to be harvested. The bastards. Theft of wine grapes, while uncommon, is not the rarest of crimes. I wrote about the theft of some top quality red wine grapes from Washington State last year. But the thefts in Germany are on a relatively unprecedented scale, and as of yet, according to the Washington Post, police have no leads in any of the cases.... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on November 10, 2011 10:53 PM
- Filed under: Wine News
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Napa and the New Kid in Town
Napa Valley has been awash with nervous energy for the past week. And it has nothing to do with the nearly magical reprieve that Mother Nature seems to have granted the 2011 harvest after unseasonably fierce rains. On the surface, everyone pretends it's just another week in wine country, but behind closed doors and in hushed tones over beers in the local bars, everyone seems to be talking about the handsome young stranger in town (see picture). This past week, for the first time in more than 25 years, the wine critic Robert M Parker, Jr did not make an... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on October 19, 2011 12:01 AM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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South Africa Has Some Work to Do
I'm an unabashed fan of South Africa. I love its wines, its people, its food, and the land itself in all its natural glory. Consequently I was quite disturbed to see the news coverage over the last couple of days surrounding a report recently released by the organization Human Rights Watch that, in no uncertain terms, allegedly documents systematic human rights abuses in the South African Wine industry. The allegations in this report include seemingly rampant violations of South Africa's own labor and health laws, including inadequate safety precautions to avoid worker exposure to toxic chemicals and poor or no... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on August 24, 2011 11:06 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Hungary: Where It's Tough to be a Wine Critic
Here in America, our government doesn't produce its own wine, it just reserves the right to monopolize the power to make an obscene profit from selling it. But if, perhaps, Uncle Sam did try his hand at winemaking, it's quite likely that it would be pretty shitty wine, and that I would have no fear of saying so here on Vinography. Unfortunately, it seems that the freedom to criticize lousy wine, especially when it's made by your government, isn't exactly a considered universal right. At least according to the government of Hungary. Hungary, of course, is home to some of... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on July 23, 2011 9:24 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Being Proud of Your Country's Wine Doesn't Mean Anything if You Don't Drink It
There are a few things you can count on no matter where you are in history. One of them is the fact that children, in general, try very hard not to grow up to become their parents. The constant rejection of what the generation before liked, stood for, and lived for has propelled many a consumer trend over the last century. Sadly, it seems that while in America, this phenomenon is partly responsible for the current and coming surge in wine consumption, in France it may be just the opposite. It has been widely reported over the past weeks that... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on July 13, 2011 10:08 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Sit On Your Ass and Drink Red Wine
I can hardly think of a better piece of news than this: if all you like to do is sit around on your butt all day long, drinking red wine may keep you healthier, despite a complete lack of exercise. While there's no word whether the resveratrol contained in red wine can counteract the effects of pork rinds, mind-numbing reruns, and high-fructose corn syrup, it's good to know that this magical compound found in red wine can help with conditions such as laziness, sloth, and too-fat-to-do-much-else. And how did scientists discover this? In space, of course! Or rather, in a... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on July 6, 2011 9:34 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Wine Counterfeiters Get Sloppy
It used to be that spotting the counterfeit wine was pretty tricky. You had to look for a cork that was just slightly too new; a label that was just a little too glossy; or perhaps even a vintage that was never made at the winery. These days? Just look for the used piece of bubble gum floating in the wine. Image courtesy of BBC News According to the BBC, someone has been foisting off some cheap wines on a Liverpool, England liquor store. This is only the latest in a series of counterfeit wine scams that seem to have... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on June 23, 2011 11:02 PM
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Wine: Now THAT'S a Lousy Business
As many of you know, the wine business was hit pretty hard in the recent recession. Lots of wineries went out of business, and lots of wine sat around unsold, which meant people lost a lot of money. From the big Vegas restaurants that started refusing their allocations of Harlan Estate and Colgin, to the little producers whose mailing list customers decided they could forgo buying the next vintage, and instead pick up something at Trader Joes, lots of people were hurting. We're still seeing (if you know where to look) the fallout of the downturn, as wineries quietly change... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on June 9, 2011 10:24 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Wine Drinkers in Pennsylvania Begin to Escape the Borg
Unless you live in a fascist or totalitarian state already, you have probably not been aware of the grave and insidious threat that was gradually infiltrating the world of wine. Machines, smelted in the depths of the earth, engineered by an evil committee of subhuman overlords, have slowly threatened to take over the wine industry in Pennsylvania. Cousins to the passive aggressive computer HAL that talked its way into a starring role in Stanley Kubrick's film 2001, these machines exist for one terrible purpose: to frustrate wine lovers in Pennsylvania to the point that they'd rather eat shards of broken... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on June 6, 2011 10:52 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Compound in Red Wine Shown to Simulate Concussions
Researchers are studying whether a compound found in red wine can produce short-term or the long- term effects similar to concussions in adults. Researchers at Arizona Pyrotechnic College in Sedona, Arizona are using resveratrol, and the red wine that it is found in, to counterproductively create the effects of mild concussions. The trial currently has five professional drinkers in Sedona taking part. The drinkers are taking resveratrol orally, via fine claret, in amounts previously shown to have positively stupefying effects on lab animals. Resveratrol is already being studied as an agent to lower blood sugar levels, for use against cancer,... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on May 25, 2011 7:07 PM
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The Perils of the New Wine Economy
We live in remarkable times. The pace of technological innovation and the remarkable changes that globalization has wrought upon the world economy are staggering in their scope. As wine lovers, we have never had access to more great wines at any time in history. The ways and sources of buying wine have exploded in the last twenty years. We've gone from a wine economy that was rooted in local retail stores (and some large multi-national auction houses) to a modern, globalized world of e-commerce, where most of the wines that anyone could want to get their hands on are available... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on May 10, 2011 10:35 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Don't Steal Mommy's Wine
My daughter gets a kick out of smelling what's in our glasses when we're drinking with dinner, but she knows better than to steal mommy's wine. Apparently, though, not everyone else is as careful. A number of people just landed in court over Mommy's wine. The wine world is notorious for its highly aggressive, even draconian, protection of brand names. Who knew that one of those brand names was "Mommy?" "MommyJuice" and "Mommy's Time Out" are apparently in a death match to determine which has the right to Mommy's name. Careful kids, don't make me separate you! Don't you know... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on April 21, 2011 9:50 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Cheap Wine vs. Expensive Wine: No Contest
Why do journalists continue to consider it a revelation that the "average" consumer can't tell a $8 wine from a $45 wine? This ground has been covered so many times, yet trials of this sort (in this case roughly 600 consumers at the Edinburgh Science Fair) continue to be conducted. I certainly don't begrudge those who have the curiosity to test this hypothesis themselves, rather than relying on the tests that have already been done. And I actually appreciate the extent to which such tests and their inevitable results help ordinary wine consumers feel good about their enjoyment of wines... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on April 13, 2011 9:01 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Drink Like Your Political Party
Forget Red States and Blue States, now there are Wine States and Beer States. While alcohol of choice isn't exactly going to be the best way to demarcate political affiliation at any point, apparently there are some pretty clear differences when you look at the political donations from alcohol producers to legislators. I know this will come as a shock, but... Democrats = wine Republicans = beer Of course, it's not completely black and white, but that's the general trend. According to the web site OpenSecrets.Org, which is run by the Center for Responsive Politics, Democratic lawmakers get more contributions... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on March 24, 2011 10:29 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Where All That Wine is Going
I swear I've seen something like thirty news headlines in the last two weeks announcing "Americans Now Drink More Wine than Anyone Else." This is clearly not true. But what is true, apparently, is that for the first time ever, more wine was shipped into this country (and/or shipped within our borders) last year than any other country in the world. What this actually means, well that's a complex answer. Anyone looking to simplify that complexity (and who wouldn't when you're trying to make generalizations at the scale of the global economy) could reasonably say that America consumed more wine... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on March 22, 2011 11:02 PM
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Why Every Wine Lover Needs to Call Their Representative in Congress
Last year, one of the most anti-consumer pieces of legislation in years was introduced to the House of Representatives under the name HR5034: The Comprehensive Alcohol Regulatory Effectiveness act, or ironically, "CARE." I wrote last year about what a piece of shit masquerading as legislation this bill was, and was happy to see that it never made it to the floor of the house for a vote. Well now thanks to a tool of a senator named Representative Jason Chaffetz, a Republican from Utah, it has been resurrected as HR1161, and the named changed to the Community Alcohol Regulatory Effectiveness... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on March 19, 2011 10:00 PM
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The Dumbest Austrian Imaginable
It never ceases to amaze me how stupid human beings can get. The latest example of the nadir of our sense and sensitivity? Someone took an axe to one of the world's oldest grapevines, a singular vine thought to be at least 500 years-old and the likely ancestor of the grape variety we know as Gruner Veltliner. This is the first I've heard of this vine, which was apparently discovered in 2000 outside the village of St. Georgen. As the news story which related it's destruction notes, it had survived several wars, the scourge of phylloxera, droughts, and who knows... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on February 10, 2011 10:13 PM
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The End of an Era: Robert Parker Stops Reviewing California Wine
Most that follow the wine world closely, knew this day was going to come, but many, including myself would not have thought so soon. In an e-mail to subscribers today, Robert M. Parker, Jr. announced that he was handing over primary responsibility for reviewing California wines to his associate Antonio Galloni. Parker will continue to conduct vertical and other special tastings of California wine, but the regular critical coverage has been ceded to Galloni. I first learned of this announcement this morning on a site called the Wine Cellar Insider, run by a gentleman by the name of Jeff Leve,... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on February 5, 2011 3:12 PM
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The Future of Italian Wine: A Press Conference
It wasn't your usual press conference. OK, it did start with a diplomat regurgitating roughly the same speech he gave to a different group of people about two hours earlier, but from there it moved on to some very interesting people talking about Italian Wine. I'm here in New York at the Vino2011 conference (no, not with James Suckling). Vino2011 is the third annual Italian Wine Week celebration that both celebrates and promotes Italian wine in the United States. Last year I moderated a panel, this year I've just been given a pass (and a plane flight and hotel room)... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on January 25, 2011 9:24 PM
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Chinese Wine Too Good to Be True
I had high hopes for Chinese wine. And I still do, to a certain extent. But I can't say I'm surprised by the latest news that the government is shutting down some wineries and pulling wine from the shelves after finding a whole lot of faked, adulterated, and chemically altered wine on the market. I've heard rumors of such practices from various people in the wine industry, many of whom scratch their heads when they compare the amount of wine on the market with the amount of acreage under cultivation in China. The two don't add up. Add to that... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on December 27, 2010 9:38 PM
- Filed under: Wine News , Wine Reviews
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Open the Pod Bay Doors! Pennsylvania Wine Kiosks Go Rogue
Just about a year ago, I wrote about the wretched solution to selling wine in grocery stores that the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board was foisting on its residents. You remember, right? The kiosks that locked all the wine away behind closed doors so you couldn't touch it, to say, see the back label? The horrible touch screen user interface that forced you to click and click and click. The fact that the machine wouldn't take cash, only credit cards. The video camera mounted in it that monitored you. The fact that you had to swipe your drivers license AND take... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on December 22, 2010 11:01 AM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Burgundy Makes a Pass at China
As many of you know, I spent a week or so of November in Burgundy on a press tour of the region, including the annual Hospices de Beaune wine auction. I went to taste a lot of wine, but also to see what I could find out about how Burgundy is dealing with the challenges and opportunities of the 21st Century. One of the top "news items" in Burgundy these days can be conveyed in a single word: China. More so than any wine region I've been to recently, most of Burgundy was talking about China in some form. The... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on December 12, 2010 8:33 PM
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Live (Sort of) From the Hospices de Beaune
The Hospices de Beaune wine auction is still in full swing. It opened with great enthusiasm this afternoon, just as the sun peeked through the incessant clouds that have been sprinkling the Cote d'Or all week. For the first two hours, all of the auction lots were selling at 10 to 20% higher than their auction estimates. This bodes well for Burgundy, and perhaps the wine world as a whole. The highlight of the day so far, however, must be the sale of the annual President's lot, a special wine, made even more special at this, the 150th Anniversary of... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on November 21, 2010 9:50 AM
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Too Much (Bad?) Muscadet or Evil Taxes?
I read with some dismay this morning, a news article in Decanter Magazine about sixty growers in the Loire Valley's Muscadet appellation going bankrupt in the past few months, and the imminent danger of perhaps hundreds more following suit. It's never nice to hear about folks in the wine industry suffering calamities such as this, but I have to wonder if there isn't a certain amount of inevitability about it. Like every major economic incident these days, this one has its roots in globalization, and the complexities it adds to market operations. Some folks might say that the Muscadet region... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on October 26, 2010 10:32 PM
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There's Good Wine Problems. And Bad Ones.
I'm sure most of us would love to be in the position of the Japanese government, who recently discovered that they had too much expensive wine on their hands. Apparently entertaining with wine is serious business if you're a Japanese diplomat. At least, that is, if you're in France or New York. Apparently the Japanese mission in France kept 7896 bottles on hand at the Ambassador's residence "just in case." Official embassy records show them serving only 289 bottles to guests last year, according to Japan Today. Having too many bottles of wine is really only a problem if you... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on October 18, 2010 9:01 PM
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Canada: Declare War or Emigrate. It's a Tough Choice
Thanks to humorist Dave Barry's exposé of the looming threat to our national security, I've long been a proponent of preemptively invading Canada. And then came Michael Moore's film SiCKO, which convinced me that after we invade, we might want to dissect the Canadian health care system and find out what makes it tick. And now? Well, I think plans for the invasion should be called off, and all of us wine lovers should just consider picking up and walking across the border. Why? Because when the Canadian Government decides to spend money in a stimulus package they don't give... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on October 6, 2010 10:50 PM
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Winemaker Sues Anonymous Commenters on Wine Blog
About a month ago, my friend and fellow wine writer Blake Gray wrote a piece on his blog about a visit with Charles Smith of K Vintners in Washington. Smith is a larger than life winemaker with a reputation that is even larger (and more controversial). Several anonymous commenters on Blake's piece took swipes at Smith, and Blake announced today that Smith is suing those commenters and requesting that Google (who hosts Blake's blog) disclose the IP addresses of those anonymous commenters so they can be brought to court. I don't know about you, but this is damn interesting stuff.... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on September 29, 2010 9:58 PM
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The Wine Super Villain Strikes
Seems like every few months the news carries the story of some wine theft. Whether it's a mentally ill woman stealing wine from a gas station mini mart, or high profile thefts of bottles worth thousands of dollars, the concept is pretty well understood. Sneak in or break in, grab some bottles, and make a run for it. Given how common wine theft is, I'm not sure whether it's the sign of a mastermind or a madman when someone steals the grapes before they're even made into wine. Maybe what we're dealing with here is a wine Super Villain --... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on September 23, 2010 11:05 PM
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There Will Be Blood
True grievance or flagrant publicity stunt? Lawyers are revving their engines as domestic diva Martha Stewart is rumored to be sued by Vampire Vineyards for what the gossip rags quote "to disparage and tarnish [Vampire's] wine brands by portraying a mock label of Vampire Vineyards affixed to cheap, non-descript wine and spirits products." Furthermore, and not necessarily quoted from a reliable source, the rumors suggest that the lawsuit also alleges that Stewart is engaging in this "smear campaign" to further sales of her own branded wine that the Gallo company produces for her. After a little digging online, it looks... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on September 8, 2010 9:00 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Give Them Some Wine!
The thought of being trapped underground for any length of time is enough to send some people off the deep end. The thought of being trapped underground for 3 months without any wine is a whole different ball game. In the event you missed the news, an underground landslide has trapped 33 Chilean miners about 700 meters underground since August 5th. Already the group has been trapped longer than any other in history. The miners are miraculously in good health and reasonably good spirits. One of them has proposed to his girlfriend. They've made videos for the world. They're getting... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on August 31, 2010 11:01 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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A Glass of Wine to Keep You Sane
I've long said that wine helps me maintain my sanity. Well it turns out I may have been more right than I know. Researchers have recently discovered that while it doesn't necessarily make me smarter (damn!), it may help me stave off dementia or whatever special breed of insanity waits for me in my old age. Chalk up another superpower for wine. Of course like all studies, this one has its limitations. Thankfully it wasn't performed on lab rats, but actually featured real people. Norweigans, specifically -- about 5000 of them. So the surest way to make sure that your... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on August 19, 2010 5:03 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Are You an Imbibing Idiot?
Thank goodness for the Internet, as we all need a good laugh now and then. In the latest round of research that makes you scratch your head and wonder, "what on earth were they after?" it turns out that people who order a glass of wine at lunch during a job interview are stupid. Or more accurately, ordering a glass of wine while you're in the middle of a job interview (and you happen to be in a restaurant or bar, that is) will cause most people to unconsciously think you're dumber than you are. Nevermind that drinking while in... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on August 11, 2010 10:01 AM
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This Wine Designed by the Government Just For You
I'm one of the last people you'll see jumping on the Mondovino bandwagon to bemoan the homogeneity of the world's wines thanks to the evils of globalization. But nonetheless a recent announcement from New Zealand, definitely has me a little queasy. You can read the story yourself, but here's the gist of it: the New Zealand government is spending $12 million dollars to improve and bolster the market performance of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Not a bad idea on its face, right? Nice to see a government backing its wine industry and helping it continue to succeed in the marketplace.... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on July 18, 2010 9:55 PM
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The World's Oldest Drinkable Champagne
You can file this story under Stuff I Want For Christmas. According to the BBC, a group of divers off the coast of Finland recently discovered a shipwreck they believe dates back to the late 18th Century. In the remains of the ship they found several intact glass bottles of wine, their contents still well preserved. So what did they do? What any self-respecting wine lover would do.They drank some. Believed to be Veuve Clicquot Champagne dating from between 1782 and 1788, the wine "had a very sweet taste, you could taste oak and it had a very strong tobacco... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on July 17, 2010 10:12 AM
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Requiem for a Winery. Transition to a Wine Brand.
Let me make this clear. I don't intend to write about every Bay Area winery that shutters its doors. Though for the next year or two I'd certainly have a lot of things to write about. But I am choosing to note the sad (and all too common) denouement of Rosenblum Wine Cellars, whose parent company Diageo announced its intention to close the popular winery in Alameda last month and shifted production for the brand, which will continue to exist, up to the BV facility in Napa. I wrote a story last year year entitled How to Kill a Wine... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on June 11, 2010 10:16 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Wine and Sex: The Ultimate Pairing?
In a wine culture obsessed with the idea of pairing, far too few people talk about the best complement to a nice glass of wine: sex. Yes, that's right, forget grilled meats and Zinfandel, oysters and Champagne, the best combo I know of is a bottle of something good and some skin-to-skin contact. Which is presumably why the CEO of Taittinger Champagne recently said at a press briefing that Champagne's main competitor in the luxury market wasn't cheap California sparkling wine, it was Viagra. I'm not kidding. Of course, he might have been, but no matter how firmly his tongue... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on June 9, 2010 11:42 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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The Great Wine Unraveling
I've never been one of those folks who decries the globalization of wine. I find the Mondovino crowd to be alarmist and polemical in their approach to wine, more concerned with their ideology than with the facts. However, there has always been an aspect of their argument about which I have shared some concern: the seeming inexorable consolidation of wine companies into large corporate behemoths. I've watched many brands be swallowed up and come out much worse for wear after going through the digestive tract of these beasts, and I've watched these massive companies lumber about in the industry crashing... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on May 27, 2010 8:43 PM
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Does Machine Harvesting Lower Wine Quality?
As some of you know, I recently spent some time on a press trip down in Australia. I'm still working through my notes from that trip, but one of the main points of interest for me were the vineyard practices of many of the producers, in particular with regards to harvesting. Many wineries, of various sizes, opted to do mechanical harvesting, rather than harvest by hand. "Opted" may be slightly inaccurate, however, as the choice is less one of philosophy rather than necessity for most. While the United States, Europe, South Africa and other major wine regions have the benefit... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on May 12, 2010 11:28 PM
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Ransoming the World's Most Famous Vineyard
They say the best way to make a small fortune in the wine business is to start with a large one. Actually there are several ways to make a small fortune in the wine business, but today we must add one more: blackmailing Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. As reported in the UK's Telegraph newspaper, apparently the owner of Romanée-Conti, Aubert de Villaine received at least two threatening letters that promised to poison his vineyards unless he forked over the equivalent of roughly 1.2 million dollars. Apparently the letters, which revealed a detailed knowledge of the vineyards, suggested that two vines... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on May 7, 2010 12:01 AM
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Wine and the Internet in France
I've often decried the pig-headed idiocy of the French government in its persistent cowing to the lobbying interests of puritanical organizations like National Association for Prevention in Alcoholism and Addiction. Here in America, corporations have our government in their pockets. In France, it's the anti-alcohol zealots, who nearly succeeded in getting the government to ban web sites about wine from the internet (thankfully, some common sense prevailed). And people wonder why per capita wine consumption has plummeted by 50% in France over the past decade according to some sources? Consequently, I was quite intrigued to read a study that was... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on April 30, 2010 9:14 PM
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The World's Most Popular Wine Bulletin Board Goes Away
Over the past few years I've partaken occasionally in an entertaining spectator sport: watching wine bulletin boards implode under the weight of their own inhumanity. The self-destruction of most topical online forums, I have come to believe, is only a matter of time. The physical remove of online messaging, coupled with our tendency towards knee jerk responses, mixed with the difficulty in reading emotions in plain text, doused with a liberal dose of pricks and know-it-alls spells disaster for most of forums over time. I liked checking in on the Mark Squires Bulletin Board, hosted by Robert Parker, from time... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on April 26, 2010 9:00 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Georgian Wine on CNN
I love broadening my own wine horizons, and I'm always surprised at how narrowly most non-wine-focused media see the world of wine. So I was quite surprised to see a whole segment today on CNN all about Georgian wine. No not the Southern State. The country. The country of Georgia hosts one of the oldest winemaking cultures in the world, and is regarded by some as the birthplace of winemaking. Georgian wine, of which I've had a scant couple of bottles in my life, comes in many varieties, but they are most famous for their tradition of long macerated wines... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on April 22, 2010 10:19 PM
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Rodney Strong and the Utter Stupidity of the FTC
I'm in a pissy mood. At first I thought it was because I ordered a Pinot Noir tonight at a restaurant that wasn't as nuanced as I had hoped. But the more I leveled with myself, the more I realized it was really because I got the following e-mail today that I've been gnashing my teeth over, so to speak, for a number of hours: Dear Alder, In accordance with the Federal Trade Commission, below is Rodney Strong's digital influencer agreement. To receive future releases of Rodney Strong Wine Estates wines for possible review, please review and reply YES to... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on April 19, 2010 10:43 PM
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Are You A Wine Lover? Then Call Your House Representative. Now.
I've been known to spout an opinion now and again about the Three Tier alcohol distribution system in this country, and the maddening array of ridiculous regulations that govern our ability to purchase alcohol. Mostly, however, I stay out of the fray because I'd rather write about, and I'm sure you'd rather read about, fantastic wines. But something happened yesterday that sent chills down my spine, and made it imperative that I broadcast to as many of you as possible the urgent need to call your Congressional Representative immediately. When you get one of their aides on the phone here's... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on April 16, 2010 9:46 PM
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The Coming Carnage in the California Wine Industry
"The shitstorm is just beginning," he says, with a gravitas that makes it sound like the end of the world for the California wine industry. And while it may be the end of an era, rather than the end of the industry as we know it, my conversations with the man that I will refer to as Deep Tank leave me with a hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach. I wanted to get to the heart of what is really going on in the California wine industry as a result of our great recession, so I found the... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on April 15, 2010 11:11 PM
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Knowing Something About Wine Doesn't Make You Special. Or Studly.
Fellow wine writer Eric Asimov thinks that we have a big problem in this country. His argument is somewhat more subtle, but hopefully he'll forgive me for boiling it down to the fact that it's a damn shame that people think they need to know something about wine in order to enjoy it. He posits that we have a culture that has turned wine into an intellectual object, imbued with status and special qualities that can only be perceived and appreciated by the knowledgeable. While Eric and I might disagree about the causes of and contributors to this malaise, I... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on April 13, 2010 10:28 PM
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Two Days Left to Nominate for the 2010 Wine Blog Awards
If you're reading this, you most likely understand the point of a wine blog in the first place. You're out there (here? everywhere?) enjoying finding out about wine and exploring your passion in a new medium. Chances are, if you're like many readers, this is only one of several wine blogs that you read, or at least check in with from time to time. We wine bloggers thank you for your continued support, and in that spirit of support I would like to urge you to participate in the fourth annual Wine Blog Awards. Originally conceived and hosted by wine... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on April 5, 2010 10:21 PM
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Masters of Wine to Begin Conferring Honorary Titles
I must confess, I fantasize about having a life with enough free time (and cash flow) to allow me to study for and complete the Master of Wine certification through the Institute for the Masters of Wine. Widely regarded as the most in-depth and difficult certification available in the field of wine, the coveted initials "MW" that come with the Master of Wine title are a key to instant credibility and respect when it comes to wine. But it turns out that some people may soon not have to go through the grueling series of exams in order to earn... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on April 1, 2010 2:25 PM
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Wine, Health, Science and Journalism: A Study in Headlines
I consume a lot of wine news. When I say a lot, I mean literally almost everything that's published for free on the Internet about wine "passes by my desk" courtesy of Google Alerts, Technorati, a massive collection of RSS feeds, and more. Increasingly I get the opportunity to see how wine stories develop and spread through the Web's news outlets, and it's quite amazing to watch. Recently I've been watching with fascination as the mainstream press does its usual unraveling of some recently released research results focused on wine drinking in women and weight gain. Specifically, I've been giggling... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on March 9, 2010 10:53 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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If Your Wine is Organic, Don't Tell Consumers
Apparently, organic wines taste better but consumers don't think they're worth as much money as conventionally produced wines. At least, that's a plausible interpretation of a study conducted by a UCLA professor and her graduate student that was recently published in Business and Society, the official journal of the International Association for Business and Society. Professor Magali Delmas and PhD candidate Laura E. Grant conducted an analysis of 13,426 wines from 1,495 California wineries for eight consecutive vintages from 1998 to 2005. The two tracked correlations between the scores of the wines, their prices, whether they were made from certified... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on March 7, 2010 5:41 PM
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Glass Wine Bottles Strike Back. In the Wrong Direction.
It's not every day I get the opportunity to display my inner cynic. But I'm still cackling at the little bit of fear mixed with preemptive aggression that manifested today in the form of a web site called Wine Loves Glass. Those who spend time in wine circles know a lot about the "threat" to posed to natural cork producers by the proliferation of alternative closures. In the face of shrinking market share and demand for their product (read: threat to their income streams) they've been striking back with a multi-pronged offensive, covering every base from carbon footprints to endangered... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on February 22, 2010 9:22 PM
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Scottish Wine: Crimes and Misdemeanors
Not ordinarily known for their wine or wine drinking habits, the Scots have recently been making news in the world of wine. Who knew that one of the most popular beverages among Scottish criminals was wine? Specifically, Buckfast Tonic Wine, a (rather unholy, if you ask me) concoction of wine, sugar, caffeine, and other additives that make it a bit more like Red Bull than wine. Often called "Wreck the Hoose Juice," according to to the New York Times: "In a survey last year of 172 prisoners at a young offenders' institution, 43 percent of the 117 people who drank... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on February 9, 2010 10:32 PM
- Filed under: Wine News
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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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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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Yet Another Wine Column Casualty in the Newspaper Business
Wall Street Journal wine columnists John Brecher and Dorothy Gaiter have quietly announced their departure. Their Christmas Day column, the 579th piece they have jointly penned together, will be their last at the Journal. This unannounced departure of the unique husband and wife wine journalists represents yet another brick falling from the crumbling wall of professional wine journalism. The word on the street suggests that while the Journal has no intention of discontinuing its wine coverage, this was a layoff along the lines of so many that have occurred in the last 18 months. In short, the Journal wants to... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on December 27, 2009 3:11 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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How to AVOID Selling Wine in Pennsylvania
So if you had a bunch of grocery stores, and those grocery stores sold wine, but you didn't really want people to buy any wine, what would you do? One of the things you might consider doing would be to lock all the wine away in cabinets, so that people couldn't touch the bottles. You'd want to make sure folks couldn't, say, turn the bottles around and read the back label or anything. You might force people to peer through the front door of this cabinet to try to read the name of the wine they think they might want... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on December 20, 2009 7:54 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Did You Hear That Sound? Wine Retailers Sigh in Relief
Wine retailers all across the country, and especially online today breathed a big sigh of relief. Probably more than a few of them are popping corks in celebration. Why? The Wall Street Journal reported today that Amazon.Com officially announced that it has canceled plans to sell wine online. The announcement more than a year ago that the online retail giant was moving into the wine business sent small shock waves through the wine retail industry both good and bad. Online retailers nervously fingered their Ethernet cables, and wineries optimistically looked forward to another channel to help them deal with a... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on October 23, 2009 10:02 PM
- Filed under: Wine News
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Wine Blogs are Now* Regulated by the FTC
This morning the Federal Trade Commission announced a new set of rules specifically targeting blogs like this one. In short, the Federal Government says that *as of December 1st, 2009, all sample products sent to bloggers must be disclosed in any coverage of those products. Here's the press release about the rules, here's the full text of the current rules, and here's the document that outlines the new changes that will be added to cover bloggers and other New Media. (PDF) While the execution of these rules was slightly flawed, leaving much ambiguity and unanswered questions, rules like this aren't... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on October 5, 2009 9:58 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Wine Geek Out: What They Know About Oxygen and Wine
Forgive the pocket protector with the waiter's friend protruding from it: I'm a wine geek at heart and sometimes I can't help myself. If you would rather just drink good wine without thinking at all about how it is made, close your browser right now, because things are about to get geeky, thanks to a great article by my fellow blogger and wine science buff Jamie Goode. We still don't know a lot of things about wine. It's a complex animal, where a lot of variables are in play, and direct cause and effect relationships are often difficult to pin... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on August 12, 2009 11:16 PM
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Winemaking as Feminism in Thailand
It wasn't long ago that I learned about Thailand's nascent wine industry. I wish I had known about it back in 2001 when I was passing through. I would have loved to check it out. For now, I'll just have to imagine it in all its tropical splendor, in between the occasional news clip about it that pops up on my radar. The latest news from Thailand's wine industry involves the story of Nikki Lohitnavy, who at 22 years old is Thailands youngest, and first female winemaker. It's neat to see how the development of Lohitnavy's family as winegrowers echoes... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on August 10, 2009 10:01 PM
- Filed under: Wine News
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Wine Signs of the Times
I'm not sure why, but there has been a spate of interesting developments in the wine world in the past few weeks, all of which bear paying attention to by anyone interested in where the wine industry is going these days. I'm normally not one to simply rattle off lists news stories, but these are all so interesting that I can't pass up the opportunity to share them. We're Talking Mainstream The fact that Amazon.Com is getting in the wine business has been old news for a while, but two more giants of American retail just announced they were also... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on July 22, 2009 11:20 PM
- Filed under: Wine News
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The Canary in the California Wine Cellar?
These days are filled with unexpected and disastrous business news to be sure. I'd imagine not many people were very surprised to wake up this morning to find General Motors filing for bankruptcy protection. On the other hand, I was frankly shocked to learn today that a company named New Vine Logistics had closed its doors for lack of operating capital. Most wine lovers would never have heard of this company, and rightly so. Their business model depended upon them being invisible to most. Yet this single company was projected to ship nearly 20% of the wine sold in California... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on June 1, 2009 9:43 PM
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The Chinese Roots of California Wine
Every time I visit Meadowood in Napa Valley, I find myself spending time in front of a reproduction of an engraving that hangs somewhere in most of their rooms. It is entitled "The vintage in California, at work at the wine presses" and was the work of an artist named Paul Frenzeny in the late 1800's for Harpers Weekly. Here's what it looks like (click the image to view it full size): I probably looked at this engraving half a dozen times before I noticed the details that now make it fascinating to me. In short, most of the people... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on May 23, 2009 9:38 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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A Game Changing New Marketplace for Wine
Did you feel that just now? It was the wine world shifting under your feet. As of this morning, the wine world is quite different, and will never be the same again. Now, Robert Parker caught a lot of heat last year after jumping on his own bulletin boards one day and proclaiming that the next day, some news would break that would shake the foundations of the wine world. He was referring to the sale of Chateau Montelena to Cos d'Estournel, which not only was yawn-inducing for most everyone who heard the hyped-up announcement the day before, but ended... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on May 21, 2009 12:08 AM
- Filed under: Wine News
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All That Grand Cru Wine is not Worthless After All
In the real olden days, grape farmers had to deal with plagues of locusts, rampaging armies, and all manner of biblical-scale disasters. When things settled down in the 16th and 17th centuries, most of the European folks making wine got pretty complacent, until a little bug came along and wiped 98% of their vineyards off the face of the planet. Eventually everyone got over Phylloxera, and the wine world settled back into its groove, and for a while it seemed that the scourges of old might not continue into the modern era. Safe from locusts, boll weevils, and all manner... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on May 20, 2009 11:06 PM
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All He Wanted Was a Bottle of Wine After Work
I've been working really hard lately. Not here on Vinography, but at the day job that pays the bills. So I can understand the desire to get off work, grab a bottle of wine, and relax a little. Apparently though, that's not so easy if you're any sort of uniformed service officer in the UK. There, they've got laws that say, if you're wearing your uniform, you don't get to buy alcohol. Presumably, this law exists because there either was a problem at one time with uniformed public servants drunk on the job, or simply because politicians and the public... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on May 9, 2009 10:35 PM
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The Future of Wine: Urban Vineyards?
In an age of backlash against big-business agriculture and of increasing value placed on local, sustainable living, the phenomenon known as urban farming flourishes. From tiny planters on the balconies of chic lofts to reclaimed industrial lots, city dwellers in some of America's larger urban centers are finding joy and sustenance in growing their own organic food. And if people can grow tomatoes and corn in an old vacant lot, then why can't they grow wine grapes? My friend, winemaker Bryan Harrington, has planted Pinot Noir in several places within the San Francisco city limits over the years and I... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on May 7, 2009 10:12 PM
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Winemaking as Therapy: Japan's Autistic Winery
When I first started drinking wine, I had all sorts of romantic notions about what winemaking involved. I though of it as a mix of alchemy and poetry and all sorts of other things. Of course, once I learned a lot more about wine, such romantic notions were replaced by a sense of the back-breaking work, long hours, and exacting chemistry that is required to make a decent wine. But no matter what Ive learned about wine, I never would have thought of winemaking as therapeutic. Sure, the Italians have their prisoners make wine as some sort of rehabilitation, but... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on April 18, 2009 11:06 PM
- Filed under: Wine News
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Somali Pirates Take Ransom in Wine
Apparently the stepped-up patrols of U.S. warships off the coast of Somalia and increased vigilance on the part of ships' captains in the area have not been enough to prevent yet another freighter hijacking. According to CNN, early yesterday Somali pirates in several small boats were able to pull alongside and board the Matriarch, a Delaware-based freighter. Despite the known danger of operating in the coastal waters off of Africa's eastern coast south of the Suez Canal, the crew of the Matriarch were unarmed, and unable to offer any resistance to the pirates, who quickly brought the vessel to a... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on April 1, 2009 12:01 AM
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Starting Today, You Can't Sell Fine California Wine in Europe
Something is rotten in the State of Denmark, Hamlet famously proclaimed. Rotten may not quite describe it, but something is definitely amiss in the European Union when it comes to importing wine. Apparently it wasn't enough for the US to agree to stop using the words Port, Champagne, and Burgundy on products that were clearly not from these areas. Today a piece of legislation has gone into effect that forbids the sale of any U.S. wine in Europe that has any of the following words on its label: chateau', 'classic', 'clos', 'cream', 'crusted/crusting', 'fine', 'late bottled vintage', 'noble', 'ruby', 'superior',... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on March 11, 2009 10:18 PM
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Cast Your Vote in the 2009 American Wine Blog Awards
The finalists for the 2009 edition of the American Wine Blog Awards have been announced, and I'm pleased to report that Vinography is up for three awards: Best Writing, Best Wine Reviews, and Best Overall Wine Blog. I've been publishing this blog for more than 5 years now, and one of the most satisfying aspects of this (second) job of mine continues to be the support that I receive from readers like you. That support manifests in many ways: the comments you leave on the site, the fact that you even bother to come back here to read every day,... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on February 25, 2009 10:45 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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We Need Another French Revolution
My beloved Gallic friends: you've done it once before, and now it is time again to rise up and overthrow the tyrannical laws that threaten to hobble your future. France is in danger and she needs her people to join together and walk the path of righteousness instead of descending into evil. We all knew President Sarkozy was a teetotaler before he was elected. But one of the planks of his platform for election was to be the reform of the ailing wine industry. And, indeed, the government took some steps in the right direction at one point, though there... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on February 20, 2009 9:28 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Cocaine is Not a Good Substitute for a Nice Glass of Wine
Listen, wine drinkers. I know times are tough. Everyone has less disposable income these days, and it's tougher than ever to justify paying a lot for wine. That's why champagne sales have plummeted, and there's a constant fire sale on most wines that cost more than $100 these days. We all have to do what we can to manage in these economic times, and if that means cutting back on wine consumption, or buying lower priced bottles, so be it. There are other things that are more important than wine, so it's OK to trade down a little. But whatever... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on February 12, 2009 9:37 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Will UV Treatment of Wine Save Terroir?
It seems like every week, there's a new story about some inventor debuting some newfangled technology to make wine better. Most such stories seem to involve some device that can turn cheap wine into much better wine, auto-magically, which I've now decided is the wine world's equivalent of the famous line "I've got a bridge to sell you." But occasionally we actually get some news of a technological innovation that doesn't involve auras, electromagnetic fields, or crappy wine, and which might actually make a difference in how wine gets made from here on out. Such is the case with the... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on January 31, 2009 9:44 PM
- Filed under: Wine News
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American and Italian Wine: Movin' on Up!
I'm a proud papa, though I don't think myself at all unique in my position. When my little daughter figured out how to roll over this week and shake her head back and forth, I knew it was only a matter of time before she would get her MENSA membership card and first Olympic gold medal. Nothing quite stirs our emotions like the successes of our own children, but I have to say I got a little verklempt last week more than once over happenings in the wine world. I know, I know. I am a total and complete wine... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on December 23, 2008 4:16 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Announcing A Menu For Hope 2008: Win Fabulous Wine Prizes
How would you like to go a luxury wine vacation all the while knowing that you're enjoying Napa luxury because you helped to feed some hungry schoolkids in Lesotho, Africa? That, my friends, is the beauty of the charity event called A Menu For Hope. This is the fifth year of A Menu For Hope, the grassroots charity event for wine and food bloggers that started in response to the horrible Tsunamis of 2004. Last year's event raised more than $90,000 for the UN's World Food Programme, which set up a special arrangement so that 100% of the proceeds went... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on December 15, 2008 7:43 AM
- Filed under: Wine Activities , Wine News
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The Sadness and Irony of a Wine Museum
Meet Michel Chasseuil. He's 67, drives a beat-up old car, never goes on vacation, and is perhaps not unlike so many aging Frenchmen of his generation. He does have one particular thing that makes him somewhat unique, and of great interest to most anyone interested in fine wine, however. Chasseuil owns what many consider to be the greatest single wine collection in the world: 20,000 bottles of 18th, 19th and 20th century wines from the world's greatest producers, especially those in France. He started off as a serious wine enthusiast and investor, and the thrill of collecting eventually took over,... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on December 10, 2008 11:58 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Surprises Among the 2009 Vintner's Hall of Fame Winners
Every year the Culinary Institute of America sponsors an induction of several luminaries in California wine into the Vintners Hall of Fame (which really should be called The California Wine Hall of Fame, since it includes people who are not winemakers and it is exclusively focused on people who have made an impact to the California wine industry). Despite its misnomer, since its founding in 2007, this organization has admirably sought to recognize the individuals (historical and current) that have contributed to the remarkable success of California wine. The contenders for induction are decided upon by a nominating committee (in... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on December 1, 2008 9:02 PM
- Filed under: Wine News
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Put a Cork in it: Screwcap Wine Closures Are Not Endangering Animals!
Why do I feel like the wine media watchdog these days? Maybe the holiday spirit brings out the misinformation campaigns like no other time of the year. Or perhaps journalists are getting lazy and are scrounging for material that they can recycle out of press releases they have stuffed in the bottom drawers of their desks. So what's the rant about? Today's piece of crap in the Telegraph, entitled "Screw Cap Wine Bottles Threaten Rare Species." The occasion for repeating this completely asinine claim that somehow if we don't stop using screwcaps all those delicate ecosystems of the cork forests... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on November 29, 2008 5:13 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Now is a Very Good Time to Buy Wine
If I had some extra cash laying around right now, in addition to plowing it into the stock market, I'd likely be out there buying investment grade wine, as well as wine from my favorite expensive producers. If you're a consumer of news about the wine industry, then you understand what is going on in the wine retailing and wine auction world at the moment. On the chance that Vinography might be one of your sole sources of contact with the wine world, let me bring you up to speed: the wine market is doing what the Dow Jones Industrial... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on November 28, 2008 9:58 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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E-mail Scammers Hit Wine Retailer
One of the latest e-mail scams going around the Internet appears to be targeted at the wine industry. This scam operates at a slightly more sophisticated level than the now famous Nigerian scam. That scam begins with polite greetings (usually in all capital letters) and ends with with promises to share in a large sum of money if the victim will only help with the transfer of a large sum of money out of [insert country name here]. This latest wine focused scam masquerades as request for a private wine tasting and dinner for a large group from "out of... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on November 14, 2008 9:31 PM
- Filed under: Wine News
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The Truth About American Wine Drinking
Looks like a piece of news slipped by me a couple of months ago. Every year I look forward to a report, which more than any other single piece of news, speaks the truth about the state of wine in America. Restaurant Wine magazine commissions and publishes a report every year on the top 100 wines and top 100 wine brands sold in restaurants around the country, from family diners to fine dining restaurants. Based on the simple measure of how many cases of each wine were sold at these restaurants, we get a picture of the most important person... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on November 11, 2008 10:50 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Three Cheers For a Wine Democracy
I've always privately believed that if everyone just drank a bit more wine, the world would be a better place. Who knows if that's really true, but apparently it's quite likely that if everyone drank more wine, the world would be more democratic. According to analysis by Jon Bonné, Wine Editor for the San Francisco Chronicle, Obama was elected by The Wine Vote. What's that, you ask? Wine drinking liberal elitists? Guilty as charged. But get this little statistic: Amount of wine produced in states that McCain won: 4.3 Million Gallons Amount of wine produced in states that Obama won:... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on November 6, 2008 9:06 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Dangerous Wine or Dangerous Reporting?
I look up to journalists. I really do. They actually get paid for doing what I play at here every day, and most of them are way better at it than I am. But every once in a while someone publishes a story that makes me wonder how we all manage to avoid riding journalists out of town on a rail. Witness the headlines that are rapidly rocketing their way across the internet: Heavy Metals Found in Wine, Metals in wine may be health danger, and Euro wines carrying potentially dangerous levels of heavy metals. If this is really true,... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on October 29, 2008 11:23 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Wine That Answers the Question: What is This Shit?
Amidst the tumbling financial markets, rapacious campaigning, and international crises of one form or another, we all need to slow down and have a glass of wine. Moreover, we all need to stop taking life quite so seriously. I normally don't look to French winegrowers for a source of amusement -- they are a famously unfunny lot -- but apparently desperate times have brought out some humor in some wine producers in the Languedoc. Faced with low demand for their cooperative produced wines in the face of their region's reputation for producing plonk, a group of winemakers have decided that... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on October 21, 2008 9:34 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Why Do Winemakers Hate Journalists?
Perhaps the only thing worse for winemakers than getting a below average review in a wine publication is being mentioned in any publication that describes itself as investigative. "Normal" journalists, namely those that don't normally focus on food, wine, or lifestyle issues, have a pretty lousy reputation in the wine industry, and sometimes for good reason. Especially when they publish pieces like this. Or when they try for a "new angle" on a particular issue. The issue of ingredient labeling on wine has been discussed at length in the United States, and it's apparently also under discussion in the EU.... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on September 19, 2008 8:50 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Robert Parker Watch Your Back
In the circles of wine lovers I travel in, many folks make a common observation about the evolving landscape of wine criticism. Namely that the era of Robert M. Parker, Jr. is coming to a close, and a new world of wine critics are emerging. I'm not sure I'd personally describe what I see happening in the wine world in quite those terms, but it's clear that Parker has been doing some succession planning in the past couple of years with many of the new additions to his staff. It's also clear that there are many new voices in the... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on September 11, 2008 8:57 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Are EU Lawmakers Going to Destroy the Italian Wine Industry?
France, you get a free pass today. The European Common Market Organization is my newest punching bag when it comes to idiotic wine regulations. I can hardly believe it, but new wine industry reforms proposed by this body apparently will result in the elimination of Italy's DOC and IGT designations for wine. WHAT!?!? If that doesn't make your blood boil, then you're not paying attention. These reforms, which would go into effect in 2009 if adopted, seem to suggest the equivalent action to taking all of the individual Bordeaux appellations and replacing them with just two: "Left Bank" and "Right... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on September 6, 2008 10:12 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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A Real Nigerian Wine Scam
Anyone who has an e-mail account and has checked it at least once in the last 10 years has probably received an e-mail that begins: DEAR SIR, CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS PROPOSAL HAVING CONSULTED WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND BASED ON THE INFORMATION GATHERED FROM THE NIGERIAN CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO REQUEST FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE TO TRANSFER THE SUM OF $47,500,000.00 (FORTY SEVEN MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) INTO YOUR ACCOUNTS. Known as the Nigerian Scam, or more properly an Advanced Fee scam, this sort of fraud has been incredibly successful, despite what may seem... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on September 4, 2008 7:17 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Church Attendance Down? Try Installing a Wine Bar.
At one point in the glorified history of Western civilization, people were beaten or berated if they failed to show up for religious services. You didn't simply put money in the collection box, it was taken from you. But we're in the 21st century, and the church must rely less on force and more on marketing if it wants to hold onto its market share in an increasingly competitive marketplace. In a move that may have been inspired by scripture itself ("Wine was created from the beginning to make men joyful, and not to make men drunk. Wine drunk with... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on August 30, 2008 10:49 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards Exposed as a Total Farce
My colleague Jim Gordon who currently edits Wines & Vines magazine just pointed me to an article on their web site that made my jaw hit the table. Reporting from the recent meeting of the American Society for Wine Economists, writer Peter Mitham describes a presentation by researcher Robin Goldstein, who seems to have performed a sting operation on the Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards and exposed them as a total farce, as part of his ongoing investigations on the perceptions of value and quality in wine. In summary: 1. Researcher invents fake restaurant in Italy. 2. Researcher builds web site... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on August 19, 2008 8:02 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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When is The Right Time to Establish Wine Appellations?
The birth of a wine region is a fascinating thing to watch, and I'm sure an even more fascinating process to be a part of. Much of the wine that we drink comes from regions that have been established anywhere from decades to centuries ago, but the quest for great wine and great places to grow it (not to mention the changing whims of the global climate) means that there are always new frontiers when it comes to wine growing. All new wine regions begin the same -- with a pioneering spirit and a hell of a lot of determination.... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on August 16, 2008 8:11 PM
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When Wine Isn't Enough of a Cash Crop, Grow Marijuana
Who knows where this stuff comes from? Or why the first place I find out about it is some newspaper in the UK. But apparently times are tough for some grape growers in Washington state, so instead of putting the hard work in to grow wine grapes, they're turning to Marijuana instead. Or perhaps more accurately, they're selling out to friendly people who show up willing to pay cash for their vineyards. Apparently several former vineyards have been converted to Ganja fields in the last year or two. But one has to wonder at the wisdom of such an approach... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on August 9, 2008 10:19 PM
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Hear That? It's the Sound of a Billion Wine Corks Pulled in China.
It's no surprise that with the Olympics going on, all manner of news media have turned their eye on China. The wine media have taken this opportunity to explore and explicate the rapidly growing interest in wine that seems to have arisen in China in the last few years. Much of this coverage is quite superficial, but increasingly journalists are actually exploring China's wines, wine regions, and wine culture. Two recent articles are worth reading for their thoughtful commentary on China's burgeoning wine culture. The first, from the ever articulate Mike Steinberger at Slate, draws on his experience living in... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on August 8, 2008 3:32 PM
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Italy Gets it Right. Scotland Gets it Very, Very Wrong.
There are those of you who believe that one of my favorite things to do here on Vinography consists of bashing the French government. Believe me, I wish I had no cause to do that whatsoever, but they just keep inviting it. Today, however, I'm happy to prove that I'm an equal opportunity mudslinger, as I pronounce the latest proposals on alcohol regulation by the Scottish government to be profoundly and malignantly ridiculous. The UK, it seems, has a problem with binge drinking, or so the government claims, and with the best intentions, has set out to do something about... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on August 6, 2008 11:55 PM
- Filed under: Wine News
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How Simple Should Wine Get?
As an advocate for wine, I try to help people enjoy wine more (or for the first time) in whatever small way I can. I recommend what I think are interesting wines that range in price from $10 to several hundred, and I'm always consciously careful about explaining aspects of winemaking or the wine business to my readers whenever they seem relevant or necessary. At the same time, however, I strive desperately not to dumb down wine. It is a complex beast in some ways, and part of its beauty is in its complexity. This desire to avoid oversimplifying wine... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on July 30, 2008 11:16 PM
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Breaking Wine News: Bordeaux's Cos d'Estournel Buys Napa's Chateau Montelena
To those of you in the wine world paying attention to the dollar's stomach churning lows against the Euro, this news may come as little or no surprise. This morning, Chateau Cos d'Estournel announced it's purchase of the historic Chateau Montelena in Napa. While not the first bit of investment from Bordeaux in the Napa Valley, it is certainly a significant one, given both the landmark historical status of Chateau Montelena as well as the prestige and success of Cos d'Estournel, whose star has certainly been rising in Bordeaux over the past decade. Exact details of the transaction aren't available,... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on July 22, 2008 8:45 AM
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That Smoky 2008 Vintage: California Wine and Wildfires
There were a few weeks in June when the last place a wine lover would have wanted to be was the ordinarily idyllic Napa Valley. A thick haze of blue-gray smoke hung in the air, as if the San Francisco summer fog had crept north and picked up every bit of car exhaust along the way between the Golden Gate bridge and Oakville Crossroads. Unless you've been hiding under a rock lately, you'll know that here in California we're having an unprecedented fire season. Somewhere over 3000 blazes in just the first month of the summer, when in some years... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on July 18, 2008 10:47 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Grand Jury Cru: Part Deux
I wrote a post over a year ago entitled Grand Jury Cru, which described the unfortunate plight of the wineries of St. Emilion in Bordeaux, who at the time had recently been told by a French court that the reclassification of the Chateaux (into Grand Cru, Premiere Cru, etc.) was null and void. At the time everyone, including myself, believed there would be a political resolution to the issue by the time the current vintage went into bottles. And indeed, the issue yo-yo'ed back and forth several more times as the French bureaucracy and the lobbying bodies tussled over the... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on July 13, 2008 11:57 PM
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Introducing the World's Best (FREE!) Wine Cellar Management Software
This constitutes the first and possibly the only time you will ever find me endorsing, recommending, and generally plugging a commercial product (that isn't a bottle of wine or sake) here on Vinography. There are two clear reasons for this. The first is that the product I am endorsing is free. The second is because I designed it. Those of you who know a little bit about me may be aware that by day I run an interactive design and strategy consulting firm called HYDRANT, which, among other things designs some of the best e-commerce and web applications in... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on July 9, 2008 10:05 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Red Wine and Charred Meat Cure Leprosy
I'm sorry about that headline. I couldn't help myself. Everyone else is doing it. When I first started writing about wine several years ago, I thought one of the things I might do was to help my readers keep up with the health news surrounding wine, so I started posting little tidbits every time I saw a news item about the health benefits of wine. After about three weeks it was clear that unless I was planning on writing the Wine and Health Blog, there was just no way I could possibly cover it all. There's a new bit of... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on July 7, 2008 11:33 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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The Myth of the Monolithic Wine Palate
If you have more than a passing interest in wine, you've no doubt heard some form of this common complaint: wine critic Robert Parker's palate, with it's emphasis for 'hedonistic fruit bombs,' has ruined the wine world, because now everyone makes (unappealing/monstrous/one-dimensional/sweet/spoofulated/choose-your-adjective) wines that taste the same and have the singular goal of a high point score from Parker. I have long maintained that this "sky is falling" point of view (perhaps best typified by the irresponsible polemic, Mondovino) and in particular the demonization of Robert Parker's palate as monolithic represents a sort of irrational fanaticism with little basis in... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on June 28, 2008 4:42 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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Terroir vs. Pleasure in Wine
How many times have I told myself not to meddle in the world of terroir? Having (or starting) discussions about the traditionally French notion of how wines possess unmistakable signatures of their place of origin is not unlike having discussions about religion and sexual orientation: you need to take care who you have them with. But here I am again meddling in the "somewhereness" of wines, to borrow writer Matt Kramer's favorite shorthand for terroir. The question of the day is whether terroir includes the "bad" flavors as well as good -- and if it does, whether such flavors should... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on June 18, 2008 9:19 PM
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Ethiopian Wine: A New Frontier in Africa
I'm a sucker for pioneers. Especially those that strike out into the wilderness to try making great wine where no one has tried before. This is why I was positively tickled when I learned about people making wine in Thailand a few of years ago. My latest source of delight in this regard is Ethiopia, which frankly is a much more likely locale for winemaking than Thailand. Thanks to the famine in the 80's, most people's mental picture of Ethiopia looks like this: Photo by Calips96 But Ethiopia is far from a flat wasteland. In fact, it is incredibly mountainous.... continue reading
- Posted by: Alder on June 8, 2008 10:27 PM
- Filed under: Ramblings and Rants , Wine News
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