Wine
• Fed winery social media rules vague…to say the least
Addressing the lack of any regulation on alcohol brands in the exploding social media space, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) has issued new guidelines defining everything from blogs and social networks to video sharing sites and micro blogging services as “advertising.” And as such, any use of social media by industry [...]
• Goodbye Cork? Wineries Try New Plant-Based Closure
I just want to say one word to you. Just one word. Are you listening? Bioplastics. If you were remaking The Graduate in wine country this decade, there might be a great future in bioplastics. When organic, biodynamic and sustainable vintners look to bring their low-impact philosophies to their packaging, they often end up torn [...]
• Five Wines That Give Back To The Community
Looking for a feel-good syrah? A philanthropic pinot? Here are five wines with a charitable side, from a Washington chardonnay that helps send low-income women to college to an Australian syrah dedicated to environmental biodiversity. 1. O Wines 2011 Chardonnay (Columbia Valley, Washington) This white wine is crafted in that crisp, fruit-forward, refreshing style that [...]
• What Different Wine Colors Mean
What Different Wine Colors Mean Ever wonder if a Chardonnay you’re about to buy is going to be rich or lean? Believe it or not, the answer is right in front of your eyes. The clues lie in a wine’s color. Many “buttery” Chardonnays are more extracted, which means they’re usually a rich gold color. [...]
• Malbec-specific glass by Riedel proves big hit
The Malbec-specific glass developed by Riedel and Graffigna proved a big hit when it was unveiled at a Malbec tasting in New York. Riedel has created a number of glasses that have been designed to bring out the best of particular grape varieties, such as Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. The glassmaker partnered with [...]
• Vibrant Rioja! What’s Not To Love?
Ah, what’s not to love about well-priced wines that are ready to drink and, oh, by the way, really good? At a tasting recently, I had a chance to sample a whole lot of Riojas and came away with a new-found respect. They are approachable, have plenty of complexity to make them interesting and certainly [...]
• Grape expectations: How airlines pick high-flying wines
Roy Moorfield and Lau Chi-sun are in charge of one of Cathay Pacific’s most rigorous selection processes. Last week 140 candidates were brought before them and evaluated by appearance, body, character and even how bitter they are. “Any flaws or problems here on the ground just get magnified in the air,” said Moorfield in knowing [...]
• Oui, Virginie, time to take a road trip on Quebec’s wine route
Thirty years ago, no one in la belle province would have imagined that its wines would one day be coveted by Hollywood stars the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow. Back then, wine in Quebec was considered unpalatable or, at best, mediocre. Indeed, Bill Zacharkiw, sommelier, restaurant owner, and wine columnist for the Montreal Gazette, once consigned [...]
• Get Out Your Euros. French Government To Auction Cellar
The French government is to auction off part of its cellar as the state seeks to raise funds to battle the national debt. Over 1,000 bottles will be auctioned by Drouot in Paris on the 30 and 31 May, with Bordeaux and Burgundy being the main attraction. The sale is expected to realise €250,000. A [...]
• The next wine frontier: British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley
Some places seem to have all the luck. Take the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, with its sinuous blue lake, green hillsides, bright high-latitude sunlight, hot summers, and surprisingly rich soils. As if that weren’t enough, it all comes together to create great wine. It’s easy to appreciate the Okanagan Valley’s charms from the Terrace [...]
• Appassimento Winemaking: Quite a Different Kind of Wine
The appassimento style of winemaking — using dried grapes — can produce wines of depth and complexity, but not always. I first encountered the appassimento style of winemaking on a visit to producers of Amarone in the Veneto region of Italy in the mid 1990s. Back then, wineries that used this process, which consists of [...]
• Australia Unveils New Wine Tourism Initiative. Go Visit.
Australia is hoping to attract a different stratum of visitors to its shores by way of a new major tourism initiative. As announced by Tourism Australia, the Ultimate Winery Experiences of Australia programme will see award-winning wine producers opening their doors to overseas travellers to show off the best tipples available. Managing director of the [...]
India starting to get serious about wine standards
While European consumers have for generations been used to standards protecting the wines they buy, that has not been the case in India. However, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries has now revealed plans to introduce national wine standards, with the Indian Grape Processing Board calling on producers for their input.
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• Wine’s Tom Hanks: Why Everyone Loves Sancerre
CELEBRITIES, consumer brands and countless TV shows are deemed successes or failures based in part on their “Q Scores,” which measure familiarity and mass appeal. (Tom Hanks, for example, is a perpetual high scorer, while Lindsay Lohan ranks unsurprisingly low.) If wines were accorded similar ratings, I’m certain that Sancerre would top the list. Consider [...]
• Finally. Sommelier Evaluated: Best & Worst Celebrity Wines
“We asked a real wine pro to grade famous people’s fancy grape juice. What he thought might surprise you.” Some wines we wanted to try were basically impossible to find (what gives, Lil Jon?), but we did our darnedest. …and ask one of the country’s top sommeliers, Michael Madrigale, to ruthlessly evaluate them? …blind, of [...]
