Hello and 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.
Variety in the glass is great, but there’s a limit
A thoughtful piece.
Meet the New Generation of Canadian Winemakers with South Asian Roots
Fun stories.
The No- and Low-Alcohol Wine Category is Booming—and Retailers Should Pay Attention
They’re coming out of the woodwork.
New report rings a desperate alarm for wine: Attract younger drinkers, or sales will fall off ‘a cliff’
The danger is real.
The Ethics of Wine Criticism, Again
Tim Atkin muses.
The New California Merlot Crisis
Getting scarce.
Oregon’s Pinot Gris Is High Quality and High Value
An overview, of sorts.
Nicholas Molnar, an undersung hero of modern Napa wine, dies at 94
Nice remembrance.
How Do Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot Differ?
Two great tastes that taste great together.
Drinking wine could lower risk of Covid infection, study finds
Maybe why I haven’t caught Omicron.
Why Is Bourbon-Barrel Wine So Popular?
Count me on the side of “abomination.” But to each their own.
Anthony Barton, Legendary Bordeaux Winery Owner, Dies at 91
Wine Spectator obit.
Anthony Barton 1930–2022
Jancis remembers the man.
‘To a wine lover, it was like taking a call from God’ – remembering Anthony Barton
Henry Jeffreys remembers Anthony Barton.
Looking for a Light, Flavorful Red? Reach for Trousseau
Charming is the word.
Lorenzo Corino’s legacy
A little-noted passing of import.
Detroit Is Stepping Up Its Wine Game
Motoring.
World’s first ‘winery airline’ to launch in New Zealand
A gimmick to be sure. But clever.
Pop culture usually associates wine with whiteness. Three new TV shows are changing that
Let’s hear it for diversity.
What the new set of wine TV shows get wrong (and right) about California wine
Some giggles and gaffs.
The blossoming of Japanese plum wine
Good umeshu is a glorious thing.
The Names to Know in New Zealand’s Natural Wine Wave
Some excellent names there.
Orange Wines: A Genre With a Large Gray Area
Not to everyone’s taste.
How a 29 year-old CEO is strengthening a Spanish wine group
The brilliant energy of youth.
New Zealand’s best wines are being made by producers who don’t actually have their own vines
The estateless revolution for Kiwis.
This Is the Secret to Experiencing California’s Wine Country Without the Crowds
Cliff’s Notes: come now.
Funky Chateau: Straight from the gospel of natural winemaking
Fun story, though the author may not know much about wine.
Dutch retailers have pulled some Ports from the shelves over worries about how old they actually are.
From what I can tell, this is an argument over “average” vs “component” age.
Italy’s top wine consultants: the names and wines to know
Rogues gallery.
With Napa Cab Increasingly Out of Reach, Could It Be Sonoma’s Turn for the Spotlight?
And then prices will go up, and….
What Does ‘Brix’ Mean in Wine?
A primer.
Holierthanthou.com review site to put saintliness before scores
ROFL.
A Piece Of History
A familiar experience.
Flat Bottled Wines Make the World Go Round
There’s nothing to dislike about these bottles.
Behind the Idiosyncratic Wines of Clos Cibonne
Love these wines.
Wine, The Wallflower: Industry Honchos Plan Joint Marketing Push
It’s needed.
Sauternes – the longest-lived wine?
Jancis tastes some old ones.
Latest Research on Smoke Taint Revealed
You’ve heard of sunscreen? This is about smokescreen.
California insurance commissioner OK’s increased wildfire insurance limits for wineries, vineyards, ranches
Good news for the future. Doesn’t fix the past.
South Africa’s wine industry “must adapt to survive”
SA was hit harder than most.
A bottle of wine could cost $5 more this year as California winemakers grapple with a glass crisis
It’s a real thing.
We’ve Got Some Good News and Some Bad News—SVB 2022 State of the Wine Industry
The bad news is somewhat scary.
Who Will Pick America’s Wine Grapes?
Who indeed?
Natural wine moves into the mainstream
Now that there’s a club, will many refuse to join?
South Africa: Pinotage Turns Over a New Leaf
Fresh, aromatic? Sign me up!
100 Red Wine Icons: New World
That’s a pretty good list.
