Welcome to my weekly roundup of the wine stories that I find of interest on the web. I post them to my magazine 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 smoke effect: Napa winemakers battle with the legacy of wildfire
Adam Lechmere checks in on smoke.
Farming Robot Kills 100,000 Weeds per Hour With Lasers
Glyphosate, the robot overlords are coming for you!
Which California cult wine is the best investment?
Do not take this as investment advice. And the one they chose isn’t a cult wine.
The Regenerative GM: Tablas Creek Vineyard’s Inspiring Circle of Life
A deep dig into what’s going on at Tablas Creek.
Santorini wineries see sales collapse during Covid lockdown
Time to drink up to support them.
The environmental hangover from NZ’s winemaking
Quite an in-depth look into something most people don’t even think about.
Finding New Life for Wine-Grape Residue
But does UC Davis has the hangover cure for New Zealand?
10 New York State Wines to Drink Now
Eric Asimov keeps it close to home.
Have South African wines reached collectable status?
Unfortunately, collectable in this instance is about $$
Book Review – Château Lafite: The Almanac
Hard to tell whether this reviewer thinks it’s worth the tariff.
“How can I tell if the wine I’m buying is sustainable?”
A complicated question, and a complicated answer.
The Birth of the Wine Connoisseur
An excellent bit of scholarship.
Why the Wine World May Depend on Regenerative Agriculture — Starting Now
Sophia Bennett scopes out some practitioners.
Interview with Winemaker Vanessa Wong of Peay Vineyards
Emily has some questions, Vanessa has some answers.
What Wholesalers’ Inventory Depletions Reveal About Industry Recovery
The canary in the wine cellar.
Wine Consumption In 2020 Was Up In Brazil, Down In China And Flat In U.S.
That’s one way to describe the data.
Global Wine Consumption Hits a New Low
Here’s another.
We Consumed the Least Amount of Wine in Nearly Two Decades Last Year
Or another.
Wine Consumption Collapsed Last Year to Its Lowest Level in Two Decades
And another.
An 11-Step Guide To Responsible Wine Buying
The fact that there are 11 steps should worry all of us.
California’s droughts sometimes make better wine – but they’re bad for the industry overall. Here’s why
Esther has a dry wit.
California Wines Made With New Hybrid Grapes Hold Promise, If Anyone Will Drink Them
They might be disease resistant, but how do they taste?
She’s A California Winemaker Leveling The Playing Field for Women in Wine
Katy Wilson in her own words.
Wine’s Invisible Cities
A somewhat heady essay.
Black Wine Entrepreneurs Find Passion, Racism And Legacy In The Industry, Study Shows
And no one should be surprised.
Record-setting Date for Late Frost in Texas Vineyards
And this after the deep freeze of February.
Snow, Freeze Events Hit Vineyards in the Midwest and East
And not just Texas.
Europe’s 2021 vintage shrunk by frost
Jancis reports on the devastation.
Frost damage could cut French wine output by a third
30% is brutal.
Champagne “lucky” with frost compared to other French wine regions
Bubbles got a break.
The Complete Guide to Fighting Frost
Cold comfort, presumably for those affected.
Trends in Winemaking: Two New Approaches to Smoke Taint Mitigation
Pretty technical stuff we’re going to be hearing a lot about in coming years.
Winery DTC Shipments Up 16% in Value
We’re buying more but not drinking it?
Neutral Oak
Craig is trying hard to stay neutral.
How a tiny urban vineyard in San Francisco is trying to transform California wine
Pinot Noir + Social Justice = Awesomeness.
NZ’s small but perfectly formed 2021 vintage
What will the world do with a Sav Blanc shortage?
Germany Introduces A New Wine Hierarchy Based On Geography
And it’s a doozy.
German wine creates ‘uncrackable’ new classification system
Truth is stranger than satire.
Senses dulled by COVID-19, French wine tasters fear for livelihood
How nice to live in a country that might actually do something for them.
The Ancient Greek Varieties Making Thoroughly Modern Wines
Love me some Limnio and Liatiko.
New Zealand Man Arrested For Smuggling Cocaine In Wine Bottles
If your Savvy is looking a bit Cloudier than normal…
Drought Emergency for Northern California Wineries
It’s looking pretty bad.
How the Pandemic Has Changed Wine Tasting in Sonoma
Linda Murphy checks in with some producers.
Nova Cadamatre: The busy life of a bi-coastal winemaker
Profile of a mover-shaker.
Proof of Terroir? Researchers Dig Deep into Argentine Malbec
Spectator reports on the Catena findings.
Champagne without bubbles? On the charm of still wines
Jancis on the still wines of Champagne.
Why Colorado Winemakers Are Betting on Riesling
I love me some CO wine, but Riesling is not the horse to bet on.
Brexit Batters British Wine Trade
Chaos is a commonly used word.
These photographs celebrate winemaking all around the world
Winemaking, and beauty.
Another Italian town is selling houses for one euro
I want me a palazzo there for $5k. For sure.
