Happy 4th of July! Welcome to my weekly roundup of the wine stories that I find of interest on the web. I post them to my magazine on on Flipboard, but for those of you who aren’t Flipboard inclined, here’s everything I’ve strained out of the wine-related muck for the week.
Enjoy.
Vatican Priests & Nuns Are Drowning In Wine
This has been true for the past 15 years. But glad Francis is a wine lover!
Move Over France: English Sparkling Wines Competing in Quality
It’s in Newsweek, it must be true.
Georgian Wine Marketing: A Success Story, Or Not Yet?
A bizarrely written (or translated) article, but not without interest.
Does India have a wine culture? No, says this expert
Significant barriers exist and they’re not going away fast.
Castle Fit for a Prince
Guy Woodward tells the story of Haut Brion
Roussanne, a Rhône Valley white wine that’s both maddening and majestic
Patrick Comiskey on the wonders of Roussanne.
The Rise of the Hipster Somm – Part 3: Awesome Hair and the Death of Delicious
Stuart Pigott keeps grinding his axe.
Should You Sip and Cycle? The Pros and Cons of Biking Through Napa Valley
Lettie Teague considers it a success that she survived.
Mildew Threatens Sherry’s Grape Crop
80% loss is pretty devastating.
Winemakers Accuse Bank of Racism
Alarming allegations.
Synthetic Wine – Even Better Than the Real Thing?
Liza Zimmerman explores the idea.
Inside the Mind of a SommelierLaura Ness talk with top somms.
Anson: Here’s the Brexit reaction in Bordeaux
Jane Anson reports that the Bordelaise take the long view.
A Day with John Williams at Frog’s Leap in Photographs by Stephen Smith
Elaine Brown rolls in the dirt with John Williams
The Remarkable Contributions of Paul Draper Connoisseur’s Guide talks about Draper’s announced retirement
Co-operative efforts
Jancis and team talk about co-op wines.
There’s More to Rosé Than You May Think
Eric Asimov takes people on a brief tour of Provence.
Issue 5 of Loam Baby: Paso
Dig deep on Paso Robles with Loam Baby. Read the whole thing!
Wine collections worth more than $5m go missing in Hunter Valley
Worth reading just for the use of words like “ute” and “tube.”
Why You Should Serve Magnums at Your Next Party
Marissa Ross will drink from the bottle no matter what the size.
A Sommelier Comes Out of Retirement
Lettie Teague profiles Aaron Thorp
Merlots and Medals: Veteran Wine Judge Tim McDonald on the History and Impact of Wine Competitions
Michelle Locke talks with Tim McDonald
Brave, New Online Wine World
Liza Zimmerman digs into the impact of Amazon and Ebay
Winemakers Warn of a Coming Burgundy ‘Apocalypse’
Elin McCoy suggests weather and demand are a killer combination
Paul Draper of Ridge Vineyards to Retire
Definitely the end of an era.
Britain’s decision to leave the European Union has left many on the continent aghast.
Adam Lechmere on what Brexit means for wine.
Beaujolais crus ravaged by heavy hail storm
Burgundy can’t catch a break this year
Do we still need the three-tier system for alcohol?
The answer, most definitively, is no.
