Wine News: What I’m Reading the Week of 9/23/18


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.

The Wine Industry Doesn’t Have An Education Problem, We Have An Engagement Problem
Paul has interesting thoughts, as always.

The other Sadies
Quality runs in the family, says Jancis.

New Rioja Classification ‘Isn’t Strict Enough’
Progress, but not enough for some.

In Italy, debate over copper fungicide grows increasingly ugly
Sparks flying, says Jeremy Parzen.

Large Wineries Are Rejecting Smoke Exposed Lake and Mendocino County Grapes
A class action lawsuit waiting to happen, some say.

Running the Numbers on Rudy’s Fake Wines
Lots and lots and lots, but maybe not as much as some say.

Napa is Luring French Winemakers to Leave the Old World
Sara Schneider makes a partial inventory.

Red Mountain’s Wine of the Future
Blake Gray dishes on an interesting project.

Tasting Room Encounters Gone Horribly Wrong
The horror. The horror.

Argentina’s White Wine Revolution
When was the last time you had an Argentinian Riesling?

The Prestige of Pre-Phylloxera Vines
Treasures you can taste.

Japan’s Oldest Winemaker Readies for European Grape Onslaught
Ready for the rise of Koshu?

Sicily – A Wine Region That’s An Island Apart
Tom Hyland reports.

Welcome to Paris’s Delicious, Wine-Soaked, Never-Ending Block Party
Sounds like fun!

Never Heard of Bolivian Wine? That May Be About to Change
Definitely on the bucket list.

Oregon moves to protect wine from false out-of-state labels
Now the politicians are involved.

Is the Term “Natural Wine” Still Useful?
Never was.

The Science Behind Decanting Wine
Rémy Charest lets the ideas swirl.

Female Winemakers are Making Waves
Michelle Williams talks with winemakers at TexSom

Felton Road: Biodynamics Takes Seven Years to be Reflected in Vineyard
Anything good is worth waiting for.

The scent of money
Robert Joseph has a point of view, as always.

American Saké Takes Flight
But it doesn’t need a diacritical to do so.

Wine grapes become alternative crop in dry conditions
Wine, not cotton!

Wine heads further north
This conference brought to you by…climate change.

Creating an international language of wine
A very interesting article.

Tracing the Origin Story of Grower Champagne
David White digs into the history of Farmer Fizz.

The Art of Winemaking on the Cheap
John Lockwood gets some well deserved press.

At Petaluma Gap, California’s newest American Viticultural Area, wind defines the wine
Linda Murphy reports.

The Secret World of Hollywood Wine Clubs
Famous friends getting together for wine.

How Hollywood’s Top Real Estate Agents Lure Buyers With Wine
Throw in a bottle of DRC.

Turning Wastewater into Wine in Valle de Guadalupe
Matt Kettman reports.

A wine blend: Washington state vineyard to aid Montgomery County’s Firefly after theft
Kindness across the continent.

The Contents of Your Wine Glass Reconsidered
Pour yourself some story.

Did winemaker Joe Wagner misrepresent where his Oregon Pinot Noirs came from?
Ah the wild world of wine marketing.

The truth about animal-free wines
Jancis educates on vegan wines.

A Wine Poured from Napa’s Longest-Growing Region
Sara Schneider on Mayacamas.

The Two Unsung Grapes Putting Virginia Wine on the Map
An interesting duo.

Father-Son Duo Turns Ruined Grapes Into Tasty Aid For Napa Fire Victims
Brilliant idea.

American Wine Importers That Changed the Game: Part 1
Kelli White does some digging in history.

The Mondavi and McCrea families continue the legacies in California wine
Bill Ward shares some history.

Elevating Expectations in Washington State
Sean Sullivan watches the elevation.

To learn about wine, drink it — but there are other ways, too
But drinking is the most fun.

A Beginner’s Guide to Natural Wine
All over the place

Why Wines of Bulgaria, Romania and Moldova Are A Hot Topic
Eminently affordable if you can find them.

Beware: Wine Fraud is More Common Than You Think
T&C Profiles Maureen Downey.

There’s a Line Forming for La Pelle, Napa’s Newest Label
Sara Schneider introduces a new addition.

Cyprus toasts harvest of the ‘wine of gods’
The famous Commandaria.