Source: http://familylovewine.wordpress.com/2010/03/08/social-media-quick-tip-introduce-your-twitter-team/
Saturday, 31 December 2011
Social Media Quick Tip: Introduce Your Twitter Team
As you know, social media engagement is all about personal touches.� Remember this when thinking through your social media presence, including Twitter.� As much as possible, introduce and humanize your Twitter team.� Here are a couple of great examples of� brands who have added special touches to their Twitter strategies, going beyond a standard Twitter [...]
Robert Parker and the End of an Era in California
My recent interest in the work of Robert Parker flows from the recognition that in my 20 years working in wine marketing, this critic has ranked among the most influential forces in the American marketplace. It's a remarkable story insofar...
Sparkling White Wine Rose Alex. Vall. Vyds Andrew Murray Arrowood
Escaping the Napa Valley Crowds
Another frequently received email to WineCountryGetaways.com asks: ?How can I avoid the crowds when we visit the Napa Valley?? Continue reading
Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/napablog/escaping-the-napa-valley-crowds/
Australian Shiraz Blends for Your Cellar or for the Holidays
As I?ve said before, in 2005, we took the trip of a lifetime to Australia. We fell in love with the country, the people, and the wine. While Australia is quite versatile in the number and quality of wines it can successfully produce, it is best known for Shiraz. When you visit Australia, you quickly [...]
Australian Shiraz Blends for Your Cellar or for the Holidays was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/CMi26yJnUiU/
Escaping the Napa Valley Crowds
Another frequently received email to WineCountryGetaways.com asks: ?How can I avoid the crowds when we visit the Napa Valley?? Continue reading
Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/napablog/escaping-the-napa-valley-crowds/
Friday, 30 December 2011
Rockin? at Wine & Cars
Everyone had a great time at Wine & Cars Under the Stars last weekend. Don’t believe me? Check out the video: The evening was a great success, netting nearly $50,000 for the foundations at Fairplex and their programs. If you missed Wine & Cars, you can taste the award-winning wines of the Los Angeles International [...]
Wine Clubs
I was asked earlier today to describe my wine clubs and what makes them different than all of our competitors. I talked some about our differing price points ($20, $50 and $100 per bottle) and how we refuse to include shipping in the prices charged for our wine clubs. Unlike many of our competitors we [...]
Good News Spreads Fast
Word on the winners of the Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition is spreading like wild fire! A preview tasting for the media last week in Beverly Hills has generated a lot of buzz that we are really excited about! Take a look at some more posts: http://gastronomy-101.blogspot.com/2009/06/event-la-wine-competition-preview-and.html http://thirstyinla.com/2009/06/19/2009-la-wine-spirits-competition/ http://lablips.dailyradar.com/story/los_angeles_international_wine_and_spirits_2009/ http://www.womenwine.com/posts/journals/18487-winners-of-the-2009-la-international-wine-competition
Talking about influence, elitism and wine
On a highly unusual day in London recently I was lucky enough to be interviewed twice on similar topics – the coming together of wine, blogging and some measure of influence. This blog, in large part thanks to its longevity but also some very active and loyal followers, regularly appears on lists of “top wine [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/onS0Fhb3w2s/
Rockin? at Wine & Cars
Everyone had a great time at Wine & Cars Under the Stars last weekend. Don’t believe me? Check out the video: The evening was a great success, netting nearly $50,000 for the foundations at Fairplex and their programs. If you missed Wine & Cars, you can taste the award-winning wines of the Los Angeles International [...]
A community of wine lovers and friends at the EWBC
“My nerves were getting to me. After all, I had no formal wine training, no valuable old bottles to bring, and was just wearing jeans in this incredibly chic venue! … Equipped with spit buckets galore, people start rushing around like some sort of speed dating game with bottles in hand. I realized I had [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/CCtwqGNe_L8/
Thursday, 29 December 2011
You enjoy royal luxury at the Copacabana Palace like its kings did earlier
Along the Atlantic coastline of Brazil, in the beautiful Rio de Janeiro nestles the most fabulous and luxurious retreat of the city, The Copacabana Palace on the Copacabana beach. This grand Mediterranean style building in South America is a landmark of this region and was once built as the meeting point for royal families. This [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vagablond/ysSN/~3/gjUj80Glcxc/
@BVWines protecting minors from the existence of wine, since Nov 18th 2012
View the story “@BVWines protecting minors from the existence of wine, since Nov 18th 2012″ on Storify]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/RnCM5AMpGnE/
Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc Riesling Chenin Blanc Pinot Grigio
Field Notes from a Wine Life ? Cover Story Edition
Odds and ends from a life lived through the prism of the wine glass…
The Wine Spectator Affect
When I received my November 15th issue of Wine Spectator on October 11th, featuring a cover shot of Tim Mondavi and an feature article on him and his estate winery Continuum, I captured some online research reference points so I could have a baseline to measure the effect that a flattering Wine Spectator cover story might have on a winery in the digital age.
Using Wine-Searcher, CellarTracker and Google Keywords search data to track various data points, the results, while not directly linked to conclusions, do indicate a small bump in interest as a result of the cover piece.
For example, Wine-Searcher data indicates that the average bottle price, an indicator of supply and demand, rose $2 month over month, from $149 a bottle to $151 a bottle.
In addition, the Wine-Searcher search rank (always a month behind) indicates that Continuum was the 1360th most popular search in September. By Friday, November 11th the Continuum search rank had increased to 471st for the month of October. (See the top 100 searches for October here).
Likewise, interest at CellarTracker increased, as well. The number of bottles in inventory from October 11th to November 11th increased by 177 bottles, likely no small coincidence.
Finally, Google searches increased fivefold from an average of 210 monthly searches to approximately 1000 monthly searches.
What does this all mean? Good question. The truth is, a Wine Spectator cover appears to have moved the needle a bit, and while the easy route is to take a righteous Eeyore approach to mainstream media and its blunted impact in the Aughts, as contrasted to what a Spectator cover feature or glowing words from Parker meant just a decade ago, I believe a more tangible takeaway is to realize that these sorts of cover stories don’t happen in a vacuum and that Wine Spectator cover and feature was likely a result of weeks, months or even years’ worth of effort from a PR professional.
In an attention-deficit, social media-impacted, offline/online hybrid world of information consumption with mobile and tablets proliferating, in order to break through to (and ultimately assist) the consumer, the value of the PR professional, an oft neglected part of the marketing hierarchy, in reaching out and facilitating the telling of a winery’s story seems to be more important than ever.
It’s not about press releases, it’s about people supporting and telling the winery story, repeatedly, as a professional function – that leads to media notice, and that leads to 14 cases of wine being sold and inventoried at CellarTracker in a 30-day period of time. It’s perhaps obvious, but not adhered to.
Wine Labels
To me, a wine bottle is a blank canvas that can either inspire in its creativity or repel in its insipidness. While I have a reasonably conservative approach to the kinds of wine I want to drink relative to technological intervention, I am unabashedly progressive when it comes to the kind of wine labels that appeal to me. In support of my interest with wine packaging, I keep an eye on The Dieline wine blog to see what’s happening in wine label design (another example from The Coolist here) and I also pay attention to the burgeoning field of wine label design contests.
What say you about progressive labels? Like ‘em? Loathe them? I placed a poll to the right.
Below is a slide show of winners from the recent International Wine Label Design competition.
Reconciling the Contradiction
I will lobby the nominating committee of the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences on behalf of anybody who can help me understand how it is that in the span of a week I can see multiple research reports (here and here) on a revived sense of fiscal austerity by consumers yet other reports (here and here) indicate that wine above $20 is the fastest growing segment this year.
These two clearly don’t jive with each other, yet I’m witless to understand why wine is “trading up.” Help!
Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/field_notes_from_a_wine_life_cover_story_edition/
Reminder: WBW 71 Is This Week!
It seems like is was just a few days ago that I announced the next edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday but it has been nearly 3 weeks. So just a friendly reminder that WBW 71, “Rhones Not From The Rh�ne,” is in just two days. And it’s easy to participate; just pick up a wine [...]
Reminder: WBW 71 Is This Week! originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/P5Lljfs40TQ/
Wednesday, 28 December 2011
TasteCamp East:Bloggers Arrive in the Finger Lakes
This is one of my favorite times of the year.� I’m fortunate enough to be included on the list of wine bloggers and writers who get asked to attend TasteCamp East, organized by Lenn Thompson and Evan Dawson at The New York Cork Report. Last year, Long Island Wine Country hosted our group and although [...]
Source: http://familylovewine.wordpress.com/2010/05/06/tastecamp-eastbloggers-arrive-in-the-finger-lakes/
A Wine Publicist's Vow of What He'll Never Do
As a publicist working in Northern California in the wine trade, there are certain things I come to vow never to do. While many have to do with my trade, others have to do with the result of working in...
Tuesday, 27 December 2011
Wine-derful
Judges completed the first day of tasting the finest vintages the wine world has to offer at the 70th Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition. Stepping into the Millard Sheets Center for the Arts, where judging is taking place, the aroma is musky, flowery, fruity, nutty. Pretty powerful! Judges gather around round tables comparing [...]
Petite Sirah Celebrates 50 Years As A Varietal
I have been on this planet for a shade longer than a half century since my birthday this past November. But there is a wine variety that I think is underrated that has also just turned the big 5-0 as a varietal, Petite Sirah. I even included this grape in a rough draft of my [...]
Petite Sirah Celebrates 50 Years As A Varietal originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/HZJtR-3PI_M/
Stag\\\'s Leap Stags\\\' Leap Santa Barbara Shafer Shafer Firebreak
On the 5 Star System and the 100 Point Scale
If I were describing to you in person whether I liked it and how much I liked it I'd probably say "It was pretty good!" with enthusiastically raised eyebrows and an earnest head nod. I'd recommend it, but I wouldn't want to be held liable if you didn't like it. That being the case, and since it's a movie rather than wine, I'd rate it 3.75 out of 5 stars. But what does that mean?
When it comes to ratings systems for wine, I really like the 100-point scale because it's immediately intuitive and because it's the dominant system used for rating wine.
But the 5 star scale seems to be dominant in movies. And music. And apps. And for rating businesses on Yelp. Yet I'm more confused on how to use the 5 star scale than the 100-point scale. Why?
I think it may have to do with having more experience reading and relating to wine ratings using the 100-point scale. There's nuance built into the 100-point scale that's not immediately apparent. While I can look at a Yelp review for a Pho restaurant in Chinatown and tell that more people liked a 4 star place than a 3.5 star place, how do I decide whether to give a place 3 or 4 stars? I don't know.
Netflix describes the 5 star rating system as follows:
| 5 stars | Loved it |
| 4 stars | Really liked it |
| 3 stars | Liked it |
| 2 stars | Did not like it |
| 1 star | Hated it |
Using that scale as a reference, a 3.75 star rating for "Hereafter" feels right. I liked it. But did I "really like it"? Probably not. Two weeks from now I may not remember it.
If it were a wine I'd probably rate it 88 points. But how could that be? 3.75 divided by 5 equals 75. How can 3.75 mean "88"?
For starters the 100 point scale doesn't go below 50. You get 50 points just for turning in a bottle of wine. It's possible to get a 1-star review for a product on Amazon that really disappointed you. Or a restaurant you'd never go back to. But there's more to it than that.
The Meaning Behind the Numbers
One thing that's not immediately obvious when you see a numerical rating for a wine is how it fared compared to other wines. Anyone can tell that a critic likes a 91 point wine more than an 86 point wine. But what about an 82?
Wine Spectator describes their 100 point scale as follows:
- 95-100 Classic: a great wine
- 90-94 Outstanding: a wine of superior character and style
- 85-89 Very good: a wine with special qualities
- 80-84 Good: a solid, well-made wine
- 75-79 Mediocre: a drinkable wine that may have minor flaws
- 50-74 Not recommended
If we look at Spectator's recent ratings for 2009 California Pinot Noir only 1 wine out of 356 was rated less than 80. Only one! All of the wines were good. All of the children were above average.
That's not to say their ratings are useless. Far from it. You just have to look a little harder for the meaning in the ratings. Side note: Other publications have the same or even more optimistic curves so the phenomenon isn't specific to Spectator by any means.
What I'm looking for when I look at the chart above is to find the wines in the top 20% that are attainable for a reasonable price. Or the wines rated 90 or better than can be had for $30 or less.
I like the 100 point scale because it establishes a rank order and a bell curve. On its own a numerical rating doesn't mean much. But if I can find a wine a critic describes as being the best of the best I can find what they think are the best values and make buying decisions based on that. If it works out well I'll rely on the critic again. If not I won't.
But it's more complicated than that.
Should Cost Influence Ratings?
Movies pretty much all cost the same but with wine and restaurants costs vary. Should the cost of a wine or a restaurant play a part in how it's rated?
Wine ratings from the major publications do not include a component for value. They attempt to rate wine according to its quality. Yet I read wine reviews all the time that say something to the effect of "I'd rate this wine 86 points but since it's only 10 bucks I'll give it 90 points".
That seems strange because I'm expecting everyone to follow along with the same convention - that price shouldn't play into the rating. Yet I can understand why there would be ambiguity on the matter.
Rating According to Peer Group
Can a BBQ joint get a 5 star rating? Is there such thing as a 100 point White Zinfadel?
In wine there seems to be an unwritten rule that prestigious categories like Bordeaux, Napa Cab, Brunello and others should get the highest ratings. Things aren't normalized. The best Sauvignon Blanc never scores as highly as the best white Burgundy.
With hotels there is a measure of how excellent and full-service the establishment is baked into its 5-star rating. But when rating pizza places should I compare those side by side with my favorite fine dining establishments? Or should my favorite burrito joint get 5 stars like my favorite steakhouse?
Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down?
Film critic Roger Ebert touches on this subject in this piece. He points out that his former colleague Gene Siskel liked the definitive "thumbs up/thumbs down" approach. Did you like it or not? No sitting on the fence. I have to say, as a casual consumer of their recommendations I never had difficulty interpreting what "two thumbs up" meant.
Maybe others are confused by the 5 star system as well. Here comes Stamped - which reduces the equation down to one question: "Does it deserve your friend?s stamp of approval?" Fast and simple. Quick and dirty.
Maybe I'm overreacting to be concerned a friend might think less of me if I "Stamp" a movie or give a restaurant "thumbs up" when it's just "pretty good". There's nuance in this stuff. But at the same time maybe you just want to give a quick review and move on.
140 Character Reviews
And that's why I've been seeking out a venue to post 140 character reviews of things. Yelp seems to want me to spend so much time writing a review that I feel like if I've spent that much time it's worthy of a blog post. And based on interactions I've had with Foursquare's founder on Twitter, they don't seem to be interested in the market either.
So I just tweet my thoughts and move on. If you know of a good site for sharing micro reviews of businesses let me know. Because I'd like to contribute. And I'd like to read the reviews. Because I'd like to know what 100 regular people think as much as what 3 heavy content creators think.
Rating Inflation and Compression
Bringing this back to wine, I think it's undeniable there's excessive enthusiasm for wines rated on the 100 point scale. If I had a nickel for every time I read a review describing an "excessively tannic wine" with "a bitter streak at the end" that was "hard to get through" and ended up getting dumped out yet received an 80 point (or better!) rating I'd probably have about $10 by now.
Yet I can understand why people give 82 point ratings to bad wines. Because they want their ratings to be normalized to the dominant wine critics in the field who they themselves are probably being excessively friendly to the wineries and importers who supplied them with samples.
It's a real dilemma. Do we as amateur wine critics normalize our ratings such that the meaning of our numerical ratings align with the pros? Or do we forge our own more conservative approach that aligns with the intent of the guidelines behind the ratings ranges that pretty much everyone agrees on? It's a tough question and I honestly don't know the right answer.
If nothing else, next time you write a CellarTracker review for a wine, try checking whether the numerical rating aligns with the tenor of your tasting note. Did you give an 80+ rating to a wine you didn't like? If so, why?
Quality vs. Personal Preference
I'd be remiss if I didn't point out something really interesting here and that's this: Movie rating scales invite critics (amateur and professional) to share how much they like something. Wine ratings invite everyone to assess a wine's "inherent quality".
In short - what a bunch of a bunk that is.
If critics are assessing wine according to its quality and they themselves can't find something to like or get excited about it's unlikely the ratings will serve what should be their primary purpose which is to give consumers actionable buy indicators? Not likely.
Conclusion
If I'm honest, flavor profile plays way too large a factor in the numerical ratings I assign to wines. People have different tastes so not everyone will agree on what tastes good. But such is life. All we can do is the best we can do describing to others how much we liked something and why.
What do you think? How should we be using the 5 star scale to rate things? What's the best way to concisely convey to someone else how much you like something? Does the answer depend on what's being rated? If so why?
Tablas Creek Talley Whitehall Lane Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc
@BVWines protecting minors from the existence of wine, since Nov 18th 2012
View the story “@BVWines protecting minors from the existence of wine, since Nov 18th 2012″ on Storify]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/RnCM5AMpGnE/
Crushing at CrossRoads in Frisco, Tx
The grapes are moving in and the crushing has began at CrossRoads in Frisco, Tx. Grapes are looking good and promising for the 2011 year. Hot Texas weather has made the grapes push for a early harvest and from the looks of it in North Texas looking promising. I had the opportunity to for just […]
Source: http://thegrapesaroundtexas.com/2011/07/24/crushing-at-crossroads-in-frisco-tx/
St. Clement Staglin Stag\\\'s Leap Stags\\\' Leap Santa Barbara
Monday, 26 December 2011
Boston Wine Expo 2012 Ticket Giveaway!
Click here to visit the Boston Wine Expo website and learn more about the event
Check out these options if you're in the trade, a potential exhibitor, or the media.
To enter the contest all you have to do is leave a comment on this blog post (http://www.wellesleywinepress.com/2011/12/boston-wine-expo-2012-ticket-giveaway.html if you're reading this via email or a feed reader).
If you'd rather not comment publicly you can drop me an email instead:
wellesleywinepress@gmail.com
Winner will be randomly chosen.
Deadline to enter is 11:59 pm Thursday December 15th.
Good luck!
Wine deals: what?s the best buy now?
Lifehacker ran a piece that urged readers to buy wine after Thanksgiving and during the first two weeks of December to “lock in pre-holiday bargains.” Really? Perhaps I live under a rock but I hadn’t noticed seasonal discounting that disappears as the holidays approach. Have you? Instead, I see a parade of deal-of-the-day web sites [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/xPNLMU2bpAg/
The Tu-Tones @ Landon Winery McKinney, Tx
Tonight Was a date night. A weekend night to close the week of our vacation. With a little take out dinner from Spoons Cafe & Bar in Downtown Mckinney we cross the street to Landon Winery with some great food and dessert to some great wine and music provided by The Tu-Tones with a nice […]
Source: http://thegrapesaroundtexas.com/2011/07/09/the-tu-tones-landon-winery-mckinney-tx/
Escaping the Napa Valley Crowds
Another frequently received email to WineCountryGetaways.com asks: ?How can I avoid the crowds when we visit the Napa Valley?? Continue reading
Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/napablog/escaping-the-napa-valley-crowds/
Tasting Report and Free Shipping: Current Releases at The Wine Cellar of Stoneham
Reminder: Our Scoop the Spectator and Win a Kindle Fire Contest Ends this Friday
The other day, I mentioned The Wine Cellar of Stoneham to a colleague visiting from New Jersey as a good store to check out for wine deals. I've tried quite a few of the wines they carry so I thought it would be a good time to share my thoughts and point out what I thought were some of the better value plays currently available.
Right now, they're offering free shipping to Massachusetts on orders over $100 with Promotional Code "wwp". Have a look at the list below and take a look at their other selections on their website. And remember - there's no tax on wine in Massaschusetts. Free shipping, no tax, online shopping, and great prices. I like it.
2006 Cade Cabernet $39.99 ($68 release)
94/100 WWP: Oustanding
A beautiful Napa Cab that takes my definition of what I'm looking for in this category and pushes forward with a little extra. Drinking beautifully at this stage if you like your wine as it's just exiting its youthful stage - but hasn't yet settled into mid-life. I've had this wine at tastings before and have been impressed - but this was my first chance to sit down and get to know it.
Visually it's opaque dark red/purple. As I swirl it in the glass some mild sediment is revealed on the edge of the glass.
The aromatics were evident immediately upon opening, but reveals more with time. So much going on. Blackberry, black currant - deep dark fruit. Eucalyptus too, but in a mild supporting role. Savory notes. This wine is classic Napa/Howell Mountain fruit.
Very satisfying on the palate with ample acidity, chalky cocoa powder tannins, and a million-mile finish.
Don't see how I can rate this any lower. It's so well done. Wow - a beautiful wine.
2009 Patz & Hall Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir $29.99 ($42 release)
93/100 WWP: Oustanding
Medium-full bodied magenta. Aromatically beautiful with rich strawberry, red raspberry, and fresh clean earth which translates brilliantly to the palate. Silky texture balanced nearly perfectly with acidity and just a touch of tannic grip.
A benchmark California Pinot Noir from and iconic pruducer. Highly recommended.
2007 Robert Foley Petite Sirah $39.99 (95+ RP/$60 release)
93/100 WWP: Outstanding
A tremendous wine at a fantastic price here. I prefer the Petite Sirah and Merlot for near term consumption over the much more expensive Claret. They also have magnums of the 2007 Merlot for $79.99 - also outstanding. Super-high alcohol (16.2%! - but well concealed) powerful fruit-forward California wines.
2009 Miner Rosella's Vineyard Pinot Noir $39.99 (90WS/$60 release)
90/100 WWP: Outstanding
Light, elegant and layers of complexity. But somehow I was hoping for a little more at this price point. A plummy note feels out of place in a CA Pinot. Would love it at $25 but since it's more I doubt I'll be buying more. The wine is outstanding in my view but in this price range you can have some of the best CA Pinot Noir.
2006 Nicholas Potel Volnay Vieilles Vignes $24.99 (88WS/$46 release)
90/100 WWP: Oustanding
What a pretty wine. Light ruby in color and mostly transparent. Austere by new world standards but with food it shines. Sufficient round fruit on the nose that turns more tart on the palate. Wonderful mineral flavors with considerable acidity and a touch of tannic bite. Would like to check in on this wine in a couple years but even now - very elegant.
2010 Belle Glos Meiomi Pinot Noir $16.99
90/100 WWP: Outstanding
Very dark for a Pinot Noir. Darker than prior vintages of this wine I believe.
Almost brooding. Still tastes very primary but I have a feeling this will evolve quite well.
90+ for now. We'll see where this one goes. I'll be buying more. It's a great value, especially when you see it in the $16 range.
2008 Saint-Cosme Cote-Rotie $29.99 (90WS/$95 release)
89/100 WWP: Very Good
60% opaque but light on its feet. The aromas on this are so distinctive - white pepper, earth, red fruit, and minerality. Quite elegant. The mouthfeel is light and it could give a little bit more of a punch without betraying its origin. That said, I do believe this provides a viable window into the pricey category Cote Rotie is.
An off vintage for Syrah-driven Northern Rhone so you can catch this one on a deal
2009 The Dreaming Tree Cabernet $11.99 (Dave Matthews collaboration wine)
87/100 WWP: Very Good
Medium to full bodied dark ruby red. Opens with substantial fresh plum and black currant aromas with supporting toasty oak notes. Enjoyable mouthfeel with a touch of acidity and blackberry flavors. A touch of sweet spice. A nice enjoyable wine.
2009 Conundrum Red $16.99 (First release of a red Conundrum - produced by Wagner Family/Caymus)
86/100 WWP: Very Good
Aromas aren't pronounced but are vaguely pleasant generic "red wine" markers. Significant black currant. Some Rhone-like/Syrah aromas in the background. On the palate it feels brambly. A reasonably enjoyable slightly sweet/early aspect. But it taste a lot like grape juice. I don't think there's any Pinot Noir nor Cabernet in this wine. If I had to guess the composition I'd say Syrah, Grenache, Petite Sirah, and possible Zinfandel.
Interesting. Not sure I'm ready to back up the truck on this one just yet.
If you poke around in person or on their website I think you'll see good values at every price point. Drop me an email or ping them on Twitter (@WineCellarsMA) for more buying suggestions.
Unfortunately, like all Massachusetts retailers they can't ship out of state. We'll need MA House Bill 1030 to repair that. Until then this deal is Massachusetts only.
Click here to visit their site and use the code "wwp" for free shipping to MA on $100 orders
Disclosure: The Wine Cellar is a WWP advertiser.
Question of the Day: What are some of the best deals you see at The Wine Cellar of Stoneham right now?
Right now, they're offering free shipping to Massachusetts on orders over $100 with Promotional Code "wwp". Have a look at the list below and take a look at their other selections on their website. And remember - there's no tax on wine in Massaschusetts. Free shipping, no tax, online shopping, and great prices. I like it.
2006 Cade Cabernet $39.99 ($68 release)
94/100 WWP: Oustanding
A beautiful Napa Cab that takes my definition of what I'm looking for in this category and pushes forward with a little extra. Drinking beautifully at this stage if you like your wine as it's just exiting its youthful stage - but hasn't yet settled into mid-life. I've had this wine at tastings before and have been impressed - but this was my first chance to sit down and get to know it.
Visually it's opaque dark red/purple. As I swirl it in the glass some mild sediment is revealed on the edge of the glass.
The aromatics were evident immediately upon opening, but reveals more with time. So much going on. Blackberry, black currant - deep dark fruit. Eucalyptus too, but in a mild supporting role. Savory notes. This wine is classic Napa/Howell Mountain fruit.
Very satisfying on the palate with ample acidity, chalky cocoa powder tannins, and a million-mile finish.
Don't see how I can rate this any lower. It's so well done. Wow - a beautiful wine.
2009 Patz & Hall Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir $29.99 ($42 release)
93/100 WWP: Oustanding
Medium-full bodied magenta. Aromatically beautiful with rich strawberry, red raspberry, and fresh clean earth which translates brilliantly to the palate. Silky texture balanced nearly perfectly with acidity and just a touch of tannic grip.
A benchmark California Pinot Noir from and iconic pruducer. Highly recommended.
2007 Robert Foley Petite Sirah $39.99 (95+ RP/$60 release)
93/100 WWP: Outstanding
A tremendous wine at a fantastic price here. I prefer the Petite Sirah and Merlot for near term consumption over the much more expensive Claret. They also have magnums of the 2007 Merlot for $79.99 - also outstanding. Super-high alcohol (16.2%! - but well concealed) powerful fruit-forward California wines.
2009 Miner Rosella's Vineyard Pinot Noir $39.99 (90WS/$60 release)
90/100 WWP: Outstanding
Light, elegant and layers of complexity. But somehow I was hoping for a little more at this price point. A plummy note feels out of place in a CA Pinot. Would love it at $25 but since it's more I doubt I'll be buying more. The wine is outstanding in my view but in this price range you can have some of the best CA Pinot Noir.
2006 Nicholas Potel Volnay Vieilles Vignes $24.99 (88WS/$46 release)
90/100 WWP: Oustanding
What a pretty wine. Light ruby in color and mostly transparent. Austere by new world standards but with food it shines. Sufficient round fruit on the nose that turns more tart on the palate. Wonderful mineral flavors with considerable acidity and a touch of tannic bite. Would like to check in on this wine in a couple years but even now - very elegant.
2010 Belle Glos Meiomi Pinot Noir $16.99
90/100 WWP: Outstanding
Very dark for a Pinot Noir. Darker than prior vintages of this wine I believe.
Almost brooding. Still tastes very primary but I have a feeling this will evolve quite well.
90+ for now. We'll see where this one goes. I'll be buying more. It's a great value, especially when you see it in the $16 range.
2008 Saint-Cosme Cote-Rotie $29.99 (90WS/$95 release)
89/100 WWP: Very Good
60% opaque but light on its feet. The aromas on this are so distinctive - white pepper, earth, red fruit, and minerality. Quite elegant. The mouthfeel is light and it could give a little bit more of a punch without betraying its origin. That said, I do believe this provides a viable window into the pricey category Cote Rotie is.
An off vintage for Syrah-driven Northern Rhone so you can catch this one on a deal
2009 The Dreaming Tree Cabernet $11.99 (Dave Matthews collaboration wine)
87/100 WWP: Very Good
Medium to full bodied dark ruby red. Opens with substantial fresh plum and black currant aromas with supporting toasty oak notes. Enjoyable mouthfeel with a touch of acidity and blackberry flavors. A touch of sweet spice. A nice enjoyable wine.
2009 Conundrum Red $16.99 (First release of a red Conundrum - produced by Wagner Family/Caymus)
86/100 WWP: Very Good
Aromas aren't pronounced but are vaguely pleasant generic "red wine" markers. Significant black currant. Some Rhone-like/Syrah aromas in the background. On the palate it feels brambly. A reasonably enjoyable slightly sweet/early aspect. But it taste a lot like grape juice. I don't think there's any Pinot Noir nor Cabernet in this wine. If I had to guess the composition I'd say Syrah, Grenache, Petite Sirah, and possible Zinfandel.
Interesting. Not sure I'm ready to back up the truck on this one just yet.
If you poke around in person or on their website I think you'll see good values at every price point. Drop me an email or ping them on Twitter (@WineCellarsMA) for more buying suggestions.
Unfortunately, like all Massachusetts retailers they can't ship out of state. We'll need MA House Bill 1030 to repair that. Until then this deal is Massachusetts only.
Click here to visit their site and use the code "wwp" for free shipping to MA on $100 orders
Disclosure: The Wine Cellar is a WWP advertiser.
Question of the Day: What are some of the best deals you see at The Wine Cellar of Stoneham right now?
Sunday, 25 December 2011
2007 Sauternes & Barsac
Here you find the ratings of the 2007 Sauternes and Barsac wines from Robert Parker, Decanter and Wine Spectator:
Sauternes & Barsac
Decanter
Wine Advocate
WineSpectator
Price
Chateau d’Yquem
***** 19
96 - 98
97 - 100
Chateau Guiraud
**** 17,5
92 - 94
91 - 94
Chateau La Tour Blanche
**** 18
86 - 88
90 - 93
Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey
**** 18
91 - 93
91 - 94
Chateau de Rayne-Vigneau
***** 19
91 - 93
92 - 95
Chateau [...]
Sauternes & Barsac
Decanter
Wine Advocate
WineSpectator
Price
Chateau d’Yquem
***** 19
96 - 98
97 - 100
Chateau Guiraud
**** 17,5
92 - 94
91 - 94
Chateau La Tour Blanche
**** 18
86 - 88
90 - 93
Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey
**** 18
91 - 93
91 - 94
Chateau de Rayne-Vigneau
***** 19
91 - 93
92 - 95
Chateau [...]
Source: http://www.wine4freaks.com/41/2007-sauternes-barsac/
A Spitacular Competition!
For three days, our judges swirled, sniffed and spit their way through more than 3,500 wines from around the globe. Today they wrapped up by choosing the best of the best in each category. Results will be available next month, so stay tuned. In the meantime, enjoy this compilation of expert spitters:
Wine Word of the Week: Color
This week?s Wine Word of the Week is color. This particular term does not lend itself to a short ?official definition? because there are so many factors that can affect the color of wines. However, I just want to share with you a brief and very general ?layman?s terms? definition that will hopefully help you [...]
Wine Word of the Week: Color was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/P11awy0J5VQ/
The Finest Wines of Rioja and Northwestern Spain
After so much discussion of the Parker-Miller-Campo imbroglio (see a thorough recap from Monday here), it’s refreshing to read about the wines of Spain again without thinking of “no pay – no Jay.” The new book, The Finest Wines of Rioja and Northwestern Spain, made me do just that. Up-to-date, with gorgeous photos, the book [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/lVHGgjBfokw/
Saturday, 24 December 2011
Wine of the Month
The idea of a wine of the month has different meanings to different people. For my dad, that’s probably whatever box wine Costco has on sale. That’s fine, but not really my cup of tea if you know what I mean, no matter how much I like Bronco Wine Company or Franzia. For my wife [...]
Six from the Perrin Family
We?re always happy to taste new offerings from the Perrin family of Ch�teau Beaucastel fame, as they rarely fail to satisfy. We weren?t at all disappointed with the six we tried most recently, and here?s the full Rh�ne-down. 2010 La Vieille Ferme Luberon Blanc, 13% alc.: Perhaps the most appealing La Vieille Ferme Blanc bottling [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gangofpour/uncZ/~3/hXD9xMxEdaY/six-from-perrin
Social Media Quick Tip: Tag Your Favorite Wine Brands on Facebook
This is old news for some, but if you haven’t explored the status tagging feature (similar to photo tagging) on Facebook, take a few minutes and check it out. Status tagging can help your winery’s Facebook fan page to become more engaging and vibrant.� Facebook users can type the “@” symbol before a Facebook fan [...]
Friday, 23 December 2011
Hermes Diamond Crocodile Birkin with 784 diamonds sparkling on black
Luxury, vogue and classic - these are all words you can use to describe what you find in a prestigious leather bag from the brand house of Hermes Birkin. In its every style, sophistication and elegancy are the two elements that are found in common in its wide collection of handbags which cut across smoothly [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vagablond/ysSN/~3/STjCS5ossgw/
Alan Kerr?s Vintage?s October 29th Release ? Tasting Notes
The wines of Sonoma take centre stage in the release slotted for Saturday October 29th. I don?t have a lot of notes as so few wines were shipped, but those I tasted were, for the most part very good. Once again congratulations are in order for the team at Tawse winery, which has, for the [...]
Whitehall Lane Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc Riesling Chenin Blanc
Wine Word of the Week: Alcohol
This week?s Wine Word of the Week is alcohol. Official definition from Jancis Robinson?s The Oxford Companion to Wine: Alcohol is the common name for ethanol. Alcoholic strength, an important measurement of any wine, is its concentration of the intoxicant ethyl alcohol, or ethanol. It can be measured in several different ways, the most common [...]
Wine Word of the Week: Alcohol was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/P580YkDiyqQ/
And the Winner is...
28 people entered our drawing for a pair of tickets to the 2012 Boston Wine Expo - 25 via comments on this blog post and 3 more via email. I assigned the comments numbers 1 through 25 with the number 1 going to the first comment. Entries 25 through 28 were assigned to the email entries.
The random number drawn was "6":
Thanks for the participation everyone. For more information and to purchase tickets to the Expo visit their website.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/1mHyCI0wA28/and-winner-is.html
Phelps Pastiche Ritchie Creek Rochioli Rosenblum St. Clement
Thursday, 22 December 2011
A Wine Publicist's Vow of What He'll Never Do
As a publicist working in Northern California in the wine trade, there are certain things I come to vow never to do. While many have to do with my trade, others have to do with the result of working in...
@BVWines protecting minors from the existence of wine, since Nov 18th 2012
View the story “@BVWines protecting minors from the existence of wine, since Nov 18th 2012″ on Storify]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/RnCM5AMpGnE/
Wine Word of the Week: Alcohol
This week?s Wine Word of the Week is alcohol. Official definition from Jancis Robinson?s The Oxford Companion to Wine: Alcohol is the common name for ethanol. Alcoholic strength, an important measurement of any wine, is its concentration of the intoxicant ethyl alcohol, or ethanol. It can be measured in several different ways, the most common [...]
Wine Word of the Week: Alcohol was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/P580YkDiyqQ/
Signs of a Good 2012 in the Wine Industry
Trying to assess the state of an industry just on your own or within your peer group, one starts to look for signs; runes divining the direction of things. It's all very anecdotal. Here in Northern California in the wine...
Wednesday, 21 December 2011
The Perfect Wine ?App?
One of my favorite podcasts is NPR‘s Wait Wait, Don’t Tell Me. Wait Wait is a weekly new’s quiz show, based out of Chicago, that invites various guests to answer a series of satirical questions. This past week,�Ev Williams of Twitter�was invited onto the show as a guest, and he echoed a comment I happened [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/G6Ekl4oQQqw/
Stag\\\'s Leap Stags\\\' Leap Santa Barbara Shafer Shafer Firebreak
Wine Event Announces Winners
The winners of the Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition were announced June 10 at a media roll-out in Los Angeles. Find the winners here.
Tuesday, 20 December 2011
Wine of the Month Club
Are you interested in wine? Do you find that wine stores are too stuffy and pretentious for you to have an enjoyable shopping experience? If so, finding a quality wine of the month club might be a good fit for you to not only learn about wine, but also to have some truly outstanding wine [...]
Nothing Says ?Wine Geek? Like Star Wars Bottle Stoppers
A bargain at just $12. via Etsy Nothing Says ‘Wine Geek’ Like Star Wars Bottle Stoppers originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Nothing Says ‘Wine Geek’ Like Star Wars Bottle Stoppers originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/28UDp8ePRwA/
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