Friday, 31 August 2012

No Go on Massachusetts Direct Wine Shipment in 2012

An unfortunate but expected update from Free the Grapes: Massachusetts House Bill 1029 won't be passed this legislative session. First introduced in 2011, the bill provided a framework for the direct shipment of wine from out of state wineries direct to Massachusetts residents.

A 2010 federal court ruling determined the state's current laws were unconstitutional because they discriminated against large wineries. HB 1029 would have lifted this large winery restriction, established mechanisms for licensing out of state wineries, provided a means for excise tax collection, and perhaps most importantly, defined a reasonable fee structure for FedEx and UPS to ship wine within the state.

What Happens Now? 

 

It's back to the drawing board. Expect a new bill to be introduced in 2013. The legislative session in Massachusetts runs for two years so let's hope a new bill can be introduced that provides not only for winery direct shipments but for retailer shipments as well.

What Can I Do To Help?

 

In talking with my state representative about this issue, I learned that they're not hearing from a lot of consumers about their support of direct shipment of wine. Send your representative a sincere email asking where they stand on the issue and ask them to help push the issue along at every opportunity. Don't know who your representative is? A list can be found here.

Also consider dropping Representative Theodore Speliotis an email expressing your displeasure with the fact that committee he chairs failed to act on this bill for two years. Ironically, the committee is named the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure. As a consumer I hardly feel protected by the lack of passage of this bill. In fact I feel like my rights as a consumer are being trampled upon in favor of a few who want to keep Massachusetts in the dark ages of commerce.

Further Reading

 

Why every Massachusetts resident should be in favor of the direct shipment of wine

Subscribe to the Wellesley Wine Press for updates on this issue


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Castoro Caymus Ch. St. Jean Ch. Souverain Dehlinger

Thoughts from the AccessZone

“How the Internet Changed my Business” is a great introduction for some thoughts on the excitement of the Access Zone at the London Wine Fair last week. Not only is this something that we at Vrazon talk about a lot, but it was also the first session and one that we got some great feedback [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/NHZ6XAd3-aQ/

Beringer, KV Buehler David Bruce Buena Vista Cain Cuvee

Public Service Announcement: Passwords Protect All of Us

Hacked. All files lost. Computer hard drive wiped. Phone dead. Twitter account hijacked. Think it couldn’t happen? Think again. Listening to the frightening details�on this podcast�about being hacked�that made me realize every niche community needs to hear a few basic facts on passwords. In a world where we all are supposed to remember details for [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/hcWq5-W4iDU/

Dehlinger Eno Far Niente Field Stone Firestone

Who are the RAW Wine Fair?s Natural Consumers?

Our first day at the RAW Fair�in London, the artisan wine fair focused on organic, biodynamic and natural wines, was eye-opening in many ways. First, the space at the Truman Brewery at the top of Brick Lane, and its incongruous industrial past, seemed vast and empty when we arrived to see row upon row of [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/k7Cgiu-fzfc/

Keenan Chard Kenwood Laetitia Lagier Meredith La Jota

Designer Neck Tie Creates Record in Price

There are different opinions that you will get to see when they will talk about neck ties. To some, a necktie represents success or authority. To others, it can be seen as a restraint. In opinion of some, only men should wear them and for others the tie as unisex. In spite of what you [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vagablond/ysSN/~3/t-l6HI1i0uI/

Riesling Chenin Blanc Pinot Grigio Sémillon Gewürztraminer

Berlin Tasting in Copenhagen

Berlin Tasting in Copenhagen" might sound a little confusing? However the Berlin Tasting is a reference to a famous tasting held in Berlin the January 23. 2004. It was held by the Chilean wine producer Eduardo Chadwick from Errazuriz and he had invited 66 wine journalists from all over Europe to taste the best Chadwick wines from Chile against the supernames from Bordeaux and Tuscany. 16 wines were tasted from the vintages 2000 and 2001, among them 2000 Chateau Latour, 2000 Chateau Lafite and 2000 Chateau Margaux.

Source: http://www.wine4freaks.com/37/berlin-tasting-in-copenhagen/

Alex. Vall. Vyds Andrew Murray Arrowood Beckmen Benziger

Alan Kerr?s Vintage?s April 14th Release ? Tasting Notes

Just a few notes this week on the release for April 14th as the board was a bit stingy with the wines shipped to taste. One or two do stand out as being stellar and are priced under twenty bucks. Please read on. ONTARIO 149302 FEATHERSTONE CANADIAN OAK CHARDONNAY 2010 Niagara Peninsula, Ontario $21.95 Plenty [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gangofpour/uncZ/~3/BAKW4LL8EmY/alan-kerrs-vintages-april-14th-release

Groth Keenan Cab Keenan Chard Kenwood Laetitia

Source: http://thecaveman.blogspot.com/2009/02/scallop-entree-jasnieres-2004.html

Sauvignon Blanc Riesling Chenin Blanc Pinot Grigio Sémillon

Thursday, 30 August 2012

SEE-LA hires new executive director

Source: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2012/07/see-la-executive-director-hollywood-farmers-market.html

Pine Ridge Phelps Pastiche Ritchie Creek Rochioli Rosenblum

Sustainability by the wine trade

Everyone uses the term ‘sustainability’ these days, but what it means to everyone can vary enormously. From simple carbon reducing measures, such as using lighter glass bottles and renewable energy, through changes to vineyard practice including organics, and even wholesale regional programmes, the term covers many issues and different levels of commitment. When the issue [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/3FXnf5izCjI/

Sauvignon Blanc Riesling Chenin Blanc Pinot Grigio Sémillon

Return to Woodrose Winery

Woodrose WineryWinery 2012 Woodrose has been one of our favorite growing wineries over the past several years.� This year?s visit provided some unexpected pleasures.� The last time we visited at Woodrose they were just completing construction on their special events building.� This time we found the center was done and open for business.� Tastings were … Continue reading »

Source: http://thegrapesaroundtexas.com/2012/07/03/return-to-woodrose-winery/

Malbec Red Wine White Wine Champagne Sparkling White Wine

Chicago chefs pair with farmers at Localicious festival tonight

Source: http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/thestew/2011/03/chicago-chefs-pair-with-farmers-at-localicious-festival-tonight.html

Rose Alex. Vall. Vyds Andrew Murray Arrowood Beckmen

Source: http://thecaveman.blogspot.com/2009/03/mencia-bierzo-2005-pittacum-this-is.html

David Bruce Buena Vista Cain Cuvee Castoro Caymus

Eater Tracking : Clusi Batusi's Custom Pizza to Sawtelle Next Week

Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2012/08/24/clusi_batusis_custom_pizza_to_sawtelle_next_week.php

White Wine Champagne Sparkling White Wine Rose Alex. Vall. Vyds

Wednesday, 29 August 2012

Gift Baskets

It seems that every year the gift basket business gets bigger and bigger. From corporate gift baskets to those of us who simply don’t know exactly what to buy for our loved one’s…..gift baskets offer a real alternative and the industry is growing as a result. While I can appreciate that every business (like every [...]

Source: http://winewithmark.info/archives/668

Lagier Meredith La Jota Loring Lyeth Markham

Event Report: 2012 Wine Spectator Grand Tour Las Vegas

This is a guest post from my friend Joegish from CellarTracker.

Being an avid reader of the WWP and a fan of Robert on Cellar Tracker, I offered up to write a few notes for him on the recent Cinco de Mayo Wine Spectator Grand Tasting event held in Las Vegas at The Mirage.  My wife and I attended the event with 2 other couples (one from Connecticut and one from California) who are all wine enthusiasts.  We approached this event with 2 objectives:
  1. Taste wines that are not available or that are too expensive for our budget (I am a big fan of the WWP QPR tool)
  2. Taste wines that are either vertical extensions or from a winery whose products we like or may want to purchase.

Pre-Tasting 


Because our group decided wine was our focus and food was secondary, we chose not to rely on the food at the tasting.  This decision was also influenced by the unknown of how The Mirage would handle the event, given that this was a new venue.  There were also some comments written on Cellar Tracker that made us wonder how crowded the event would be.

The information provided by Wine Spectator was very limited before the tasting.  The only real information available was a list of participating wineries, with the actual wines being poured not disclosed before the event.  Given that this was the third (and final) Grand Tasting event, some of the wines being poured were disclosed in other blogs, but the information was sketchy at best.  This severely limited our ability to plan specific wines to taste.  Personally, I view this lack of information as the only significant opportunity for improvement for the event.

The Wait and Entry 


We arrived about 35 minutes before the event started and were approximately 400 people behind the front of the line.  Although the ventilation was lacking, we survived the wait and entered the tasting hall with no issues.  The entrance was actually rather speedy, considering the logistics involved.  We were given a pen, a handy notebook with all the wineries and wines being served, and a souvenir Riedel glass upon entrance. 

If you have ever been to a trade show, you know how this event was set up.  Two hundred 8x10 booths set up in 8 aisles.  A very logical organization by region and varietal made it simple to understand and find wines.  Food and tables were at the one end of the enormous hall.  Other than the entrance wait, the only real crowd to be found the rest of the night was for the 1999 Ch. Margaux being poured.  I am sure it is delicious; however, we skipped that line for the entire evening.

We quickly discovered that there was plenty of time to taste whatever wines you wanted, so there was really no need to hurry.  The food was set up as a buffet, and was rather generous with carving stations, pasta stations, etc., set up in a logical perimeter around the tables.  There was no need to eat beforehand and the quality of the food seemed rather excellent.

The Wines


After a quick review of the notebook, we found at least 6 wines for our ?must taste? list:

2009 Ch. Pontet-Canet Pauillac  (WS 96 $180)
Very nice young Bordeaux. Lots of complexity and fruit. I would give this a 92 (interesting to me, this is the same as I rated the 2009 Ch. Lillian Ladouys at $24/bottle).

2009 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Special Select (WS 93 $130)
I was very excited to see this wine as I bought a few bottles of it, but had not tried it.  Wow, what a fruit bomb.  Rather shocking for a Caymus Special Select ? I hope the fruit fades and other flavors develop over time.  Hardly even tasted like a cab blend to me.
Editor's Note: This aligns almost exactly with my notes on this vintage from a recent retrospective tasting of Caymus Special Selection.

2008 BV Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Georges Latour Private Reserve (WS 93 $125)
I have tried these in the past and always thought them to be over-oaked.  Same with this vintage. Pass.  Maybe after 10 years in the cellar.....

2008 Merus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2008 (WS 93 $135)
I had read good things about Merus and wanted to try their cabernet.  This wine did not disappoint.  Complexity, depth, finish - what a cabernet.  This was the first wine I tasted that I would have rated higher than WS.  My WOTN. A 95 in my book and worth seeking out.

2010 Kosta Browne Russian River Valley Pinot Noir (Not yet rated)  
This was the only wine I noticed that had not been rated yet by WS.  I'll forgive WS, given that KB produced their WOTY last year.  Nice pinot noir, full bodied and relatively complex.  I would buy some if it were available under $50...but would probably pass on it at a higher price and would definitely not stock up on it.  I'd rate it a 92.

2008 Joseph Phelps Insignia (WS 94 $225)
Way too young to drink yet.  Some complexity and the finish was pleasant, but the fruit was overwhelmed by oak.  Would not drink for at least 8-10 years.

Other Wines that Caught my Eye


2007 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino (WS 94 $110)
I have a bottle of this in my basement.  Now I know why I wrote a 2020 on the bottle tag. Perhaps I should change that to 2030 or save it in my will for one of my children....talk about tannic.  I could not drink it.

As a matter of fact, I tried numerous tannic oak bombs that are just not my style (2009 Ornellaia2005 La Poderina, 2009 Setti Ponti Oreno, et al.  These are just way too young to taste...I really do not understand how people can rate these wines in their youth and I found them generally undrinkable at this point.  Bummer.

Being a pinot noir fan, I think I tried all of the pinots at the tasting.  A couple that stood out for me were:

2010 Siduri Santa Lucia Highlands Rosella's Vinyard - in my book as good as the Kosta Browne served in the booth next door.

2008 Domaine Drouhin Laurene - my favorite Oregon wine of the night

2008 Domaine Serene Evanstad Reserve - I have a few bottles of the 07, and the 08 is still a little rough at this point.

2009 Elk Cove Willamette Valley - quite nice, but pretty standard.

2008 King Estate Eola-Amity Hills Roserock Vineyard - I really liked this one, but found it odd that only three hundred  6 packs were produced...why would you feature this at a WS Grand Tasting?  FYI, WS rated this one a 95. 

Other Wines I Thought were Very Good


2008 Chateau St Jean Cinq Cepages

2008 DeLille Doyene

2005 Yalumba Shiraz Barossa The Octavius

2009 Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Jack's Masterpiece - this was my #2 WOTN.  We learned it actually comes from the Sacrashe Vineyard in Napa Valley.  We have enjoyed many cabernets from that vineyard in the past.

2009 Two Hands Lily's Garden McLaren Vale Shiraz Delicious.  Personally, I would probably still go for the 09 Angel?s Share and Gnarly Dudes from Two Hands.  Those 2 are both delicious and very drinkable right now.

We did not try many white wines (one of our friends did love the 2010 Vina Nora Rias Baixas Nora de Neve), but did manage a few trips over to the Champagne and dessert wines rows and tried a few of these as well.  The favorites of the night were the Schramsberg Reserve North Coast 2004, Luis Roederer Brut Champagne Premier NV, Veuve Clicquot Brut Champagne 2004, and the Moet & Chandon Brut Champagne Imperial NV.

Conclusions and Recommendations


Although we tried to pace ourselves, spit when possible, and utilized the full 3 hours, we still only tried about half of the wines we would have liked.  It was a little frustrating to think of the many, many highly rated wines that we just could not taste.  Perhaps next year, our goal will be to try 30 wines we know nothing about...

A lot of the WS staff attended and were fun to talk with.  Tim Fish, Thomas Matthews, and James Laube were all there and chatting it up with attendees.  We met a lot of interesting people and winemakers.

Overall, the opportunity to try many different styles of high scoring wines was pretty amazing.  The venue was very comfortable and I would recommend attending - the $200 was money well spent.

Further Reading: 2011 Wine Spectator Grand Tour Boston Event Report

Editor's Note: My sincere thanks for this guest post! I think a lot of you will agree - it's hard to tell his writing style from mine and this provided excellent insight into an event we all would have enjoyed.

Question of the Day: Did you attend any of the Wine Spectator Grand Tour events this year? They were also held in New York City and Washington DC. If so, what did you think? If not, where do you think Spectator should visit next year?


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/1WQJHgnGufk/event-report-2012-wine-spectator-grand.html

Phelps Pastiche Ritchie Creek Rochioli Rosenblum St. Clement

Designer Neck Tie Creates Record in Price

There are different opinions that you will get to see when they will talk about neck ties. To some, a necktie represents success or authority. To others, it can be seen as a restraint. In opinion of some, only men should wear them and for others the tie as unisex. In spite of what you [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vagablond/ysSN/~3/t-l6HI1i0uI/

Ch. St. Jean Ch. Souverain Dehlinger Eno Far Niente

The Real Reason Wine Bloggers Are Not Relevant To Advertisers

Almost all of us don’t treat blogging as a business. And those few who do find building a community around a wine blog very, very difficult. Without hundreds of thousands of pageviews a month, advertising on blogs of any topic is not a viable business. Source: Typepad Via: FERMENTATION There are are a grand total [...]

The Real Reason Wine Bloggers Are Not Relevant To Advertisers originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.

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White Wine Champagne Sparkling White Wine Rose Alex. Vall. Vyds

Charles Shaw: What A Long Strange Trip It?s Been

This week stories about the 10 year anniversary of Charles Shaw wines began to hit the news. If there is a single wine brand I get asked about by people not into wine, it’s this Trader Joe’s success story. The funny thing is the story of Charles Shaw started over 35 years ago but few [...]

Charles Shaw: What A Long Strange Trip It’s Been originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.

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Buehler David Bruce Buena Vista Cain Cuvee Castoro

Ten @ 10: Food so good they have to dance

Source: http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/thestew/2011/03/dancing-people-lovin-food-commercials.html

David Bruce Buena Vista Cain Cuvee Castoro Caymus

College Level Philosophy: The Wine Edition

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Buena Vista Cain Cuvee Castoro Caymus Ch. St. Jean

Last Chance for Massachusetts Direct Wine Shipment Bill

Boston State House
Photo by James Trosh

A bill that would enable wineries to ship directly to Massachusetts residents appears to be down to its last out with nobody on in the bottom of the 9th inning. And 2 strikes against it with nobody interested in coming to the plate. With the end of the 2012 legislative season coming soon and lawmakers are focused on other action.

Sound bleak? It is.

From Free the Grapes:

HB 1029, a positive direct shipping bill, was put on a second ?extension order? in May for consideration later in the year. But industry representatives warn that the bill will be shelved unless it moves by the end of this month. There appears to be support for the bill if it can get a vote in the Assembly and Senate. But a squabble over unrelated bills stymies progress.
This situation should sound familiar to Massachusetts wine enthusiasts. It's the same thing that happened to HB 4497 in 2010 which would have similarly enabled direct shipments.

It's getting a little comical (in a tragic way) that the state still isn't in compliance with a 2010 Federal Court ruling that the state's current laws, which restrict shipments from any winery producing more than 30,000 gallons, were unconstitutional.

HB 1029 would bring the state into compliance with that court order, but more importantly it would bring common sense to a situation that's currently non-sensical.

The bill would address onerous restrictions currently in place that make it cost-prohibitive for carriers like FedEx and UPS to ship wine into the state. It would also outline how wineries obtain a license to ship directly and how they remit taxes to the state.

But most importantly, to me, it would prioritize the interests of the citizens of the state over wholesalers.

The tension in this situation lies between Massachusetts wholesalers, out of state wineries, and Massachusetts wine enthusiasts. But every citizen of the Commonwealth would benefit from direct shipments. Here's why...

When a wine enthusiast in Massachusetts wants to buy a specific wine directly from an out of state winery it's because that wine isn't available at retail in Massachusetts. Every bottle of wine sold in Massachusetts, whether it be at retailer or in restaurants, needs to pass through a Massachusetts distributor.

When a wine isn't available, the consumer doesn't substitute that wine with a similar bottle which is available from in-state retailers. The consumer usually decides to go to great lengths to have the wine shipped to a neighboring state with more sensible direct shipment laws.

Like New Hampshire. Which famously doesn't have sales tax, but shrewdly (and aggressively) collects 8% tax on direct wine shipments on top of charging wineries hefty annual fees for the right to ship to the state.

Did you catch what happened there? Our laws generated a nice bump of revenue for a neighboring state and inconvenienced Massachusetts residents. And every Massachusetts citizen lost revenue.

Making matters worse, Massachusetts retailers aren't allowed to ship wine out of state. Thanks to this restriction, state wholesalers are missing what could be a healthy boost in business. And every citizen is missing out on collecting excise tax as wine passes through the distributor.

All of this fighting is just about winery direct shipments. It doesn't cover retailer direct shipments which would be even more advantageous to Massachusetts wine enthusiasts, and an even larger source of revenue for the state.

Look at Virgina for an example of how this should be done. Since changing their laws to allow direct shipments they now enjoy a revenue stream of over $3 million dollars a year. Next time someone mentions a state budget deficit I suggest they consider this opportunity.

On his Fermentation wine blog, Tom Wark points out this retailer restriction:
The bill is in fact not a very good one. Under its provisions, consumers in the state would be prohibited from having imported wines shipped to them from out of state. That means no French, Italian, German, Austrian, Spanish or any other imported wines could be ordered by consumers since the bill does not allow out of state retailers to ship into the state. Rather, only out-of-state wineries would have the privilege.
I agree the bill doesn't go far enough. But it's a step in the right direction and one that Governor Patrick said he would sign if it came to his desk.

So let's do the right thing and get this bill passed.

Right now it's stuck in the Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure. When the committee heard arguments on it two years ago I was in attendance. This bill was just one item of many related to alcohol the committee was considering, and the speakers were primarily lobbyists from both sides.

I stopped by and talked to Representative Theodore Speliotis after the hearing. I think he was surprised to see a consumer at the meeting. I was disappointed there was no decisions or even meaningful discussion for the most part at the meeting. I explained to him my interest in receiving direct shipments of wine and asked him what I could do. He recommended I send him and others a message of support for this bill.

Our representatives needs to hear directly from us. So here's your call to action:

Visit the Free the Grapes website to send an email to Representative Speliotis and others explaining why you favor the direct shipment of wine.

Do it now. Thank you.


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/BXyybyXGmq8/last-chance-for-massachusetts-direct.html

Syrah or Shiraz Zinfandel Grenache Sangiovese Gamay

Littorai Visit and Tasting Report

 
Littorai is a Sonoma based winery focused on the sustainable production of high end Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Founded in 1993 by Heidi and Ted Lemon, they seek out sites with outstanding potential then let those vineyards reveal their unique character in the wines they produce.
 
I visited Littorai a month or so ago and got a chance to see first hand what makes them special. When you talk about "off the beaten path" in Sonoma it has an entirely different meaning than in Napa. If you think a small mailbox with a family name is charming, try visiting Littorai. They take take it to the next level. Ask for a visit and you'll be greeted with directions and a gate access code for a property you'd never find on your own with no signage whatsoever.
Founder, owner, and head winemaker Ted Lemon can seem like the grown-up in the room when extolling the virtues of terroir driven wines, balance, and the potential for California Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. What resonated with me about his message is that he's not looking simply to emulate Burgundy in California. He's looking to embrace the unique characteristics and capabilities of each site and deliver wines that speak purely to that site.
 
When I visited I met with assistant winemaker John Wilson who most recently worked with highly regarded Thomas Rivers Brown of Schrader/Outpost/Rivers Marie fame. He took me for a tour around the thirty acre site - only three of which is dedicated to vines in the form of The Pivot vineyard. The site is also home to Littorai's winery which is built with hay bale walls and features gravity flow wine movement.
 
 
We tasted through the Littorai Chardonnays first. Ted Lemon has a great line in the video embedded below along the lines of "Chardonnay's first duty is to make you forget red wine." These white wines were brilliant and delicious and made me think I should drink more white wine - especially Chardonnay of this style. They're flavorful and powerful yet elegant and light. Really pretty.
 
The Pinot Noirs showed fabulously as well, each with different characteristics that rang true to the Littorai focus of letting sites speak for themselves. All of the Littorai single vineyard Pinot Noirs are made exactly the same way. The only difference is the site.
 
My only complaint with the tasting experience is that it was a little chilly so it was hard to differentiate the Pinots as much as I'd have liked to. The room felt south of 55F and I like to taste Pinot in the low to mid 60Fs.
 
When I got home I had a chance to sit down and spend some quality time with a 2010 Littorai Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. It was a beauty. Here are my thoughts on that wine:
 
2010 Littorai Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
13.3% alcohol
$38
 
Aromatically expressive immediately upon opening with rounded edges of strawberry and raspberry fruit, spice box, and tea notes. Elegant on the palate with a touch of acidity and tannic grip, it's a pleasure to drink.
 
Serious, but not overly so. This wine succeeds in finding the intersection between being terroir-driven and letting the site speak for itself and revealing the California sunshine. A tremendous introduction to the producer.
 
93/100 WWP: Outstanding
 
Lemon was named winemaker of the year in 2010 by The San Francisco Chronicle. Check out this excellent piece by Jon Bonne.
 
Check out this outstanding video with wine director Raj Parr of Sandhi Wines and Ted Lemon from Littorai:
 
 
(try http://vimeo.com/39280943 if the video doesn't embed sucessfully)
 
Littorai's wines can be hard to track down. You can do a wine-searcher.com search for retailers in MA that sell the wine but you won't currently find any. But check out The Urban Grape in Chestnut Hill if you're in the area. They've got a bunch of 'em. Case club?
 
You can sign up for their mailing list by visiting their website: http://littorai.com

Question of the Day: Have you visited Littorai or tasted their wines? If so, what did you think? Either way, what are some of your favorite terroir-driven California producers?
 


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/MJxhf7iNlg4/littorai-visit-and-tasting-report.html

Rose Alex. Vall. Vyds Andrew Murray Arrowood Beckmen

Tuesday, 28 August 2012

OTBN 13: A Night of Regret & Discovery

Although I was an avid and longtime reader of Dottie Gaiter and John Brecher’s weekly Wall Street Journal wine column, I never have participated in Open That Bottle Night (OTBN). Started in 2000, the event was created as an excuse to open a special wine that remains for whatever reason languishing in your cellar. I [...]

OTBN 13: A Night of Regret & Discovery originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.

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Loring Lyeth Markham Meeker Mondavi

Good Grape Goes on Hiatus

“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans” said a very wise John Lennon and that’s exactly what has happened with me.  My life has kept apace, even as I’ve made plans to be a respected wine writer.

By most standards, 2011 has been a very good year.  I was a three-time finalist in the Wine Blog Awards, earning notice in the Best Overall Wine Blog, Best Industry Blog and Best Writing categories.  I started contributing a wine column to Forbes.com.  This site was named the 2nd most influential blog (and most influential wine blog) out of 4,000 blogs in a 2011 Wine, Beer and Spirits study by eCairn, a software company specializing in community and influencer marketing.  I was a panelist at Vino2011 in New York City, I won a scholarship to the Wine Writer’s Symposium in Napa Valley, and I turned down enough worldwide wine trip offers to fill a two-month calendar.

Yet, wine writing has exacted a toll.  I approach anything I do with a zeal and fervor that ensures me the success that I want and I’ve treated my wine writing as a full-time second job, to go alongside the job that I already have that requires 50 + hours a week.

Balance isn’t something that I’ve ever been very good at—possessed of an unassuming mien, a Midwestern work ethic, and a mental make-up whereby I cast myself as the underdog means that I am continually trying to prove something to myself, often times at the expense of real, true priorities.

Even more challenging is the fact that my standards for myself have been raised even as I’ve honed my writing chops.  Instead of figuring out a system to find time shortcuts, the amount of time it takes for me to write has become more deliberate and expansive while my interest in writing has become more professional in nature – less blogging and more credible journalism requiring more work to exceed the bar that I’ve set for myself.

The net result of this, after full-time job plus wine writing, is the rest of my life has received scant attention for nearly seven years and I’ve created a nearly untenable situation for myself, a set of internal expectations that I can’t live up to, requiring a time commitment that I can’t manage.

However, most importantly, the expectations and time commitments that I have assigned to my wine writing isn’t fair to the other people in my life – notably, my incredibly supportive wife, Lindsay.  She has been a saint the past six years, my blogging encompassing nearly the entire duration of our 6.5 year marriage.  But, she is long overdue a husband that takes the trash out without prompting!

I’ll be around the Internets – commenting on wine blogs, doing the Twitter thing, staying connected on Facebook and I’ll probably start engaging more actively on CellarTracker and on the WineBerserkers message board, but I’m taking a hiatus from wine writing to recalibrate, shifting my time to the things that are the most important to me:  Family and career.

Jeff

Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/good_grape_goes_on_hiatus/

Laetitia Lagier Meredith La Jota Loring Lyeth

The Art of Wine Criticism and Robert Hughes

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FermentationTheDailyWineBlog/~3/l4s-qosWdT0/the-art-of-wine-criticism-and-robert-hughes.html

Ritchie Creek Rochioli Rosenblum St. Clement Staglin

Fun Napa Valley Wineries to Visit

And we certainly don?t mean a hoity-toity, la-di-da atmosphere that is all too often the experience a visitor gets in many a Napa Valley tasting room. By fun we mean a winery that has a tasting room that is casual, inviting, friendly, and has hosts who are very happy to see you walk in. Continue reading

Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/napablog/fun-napa-valley-wineries-to-visit/

Meeker Mondavi Pine Ridge Phelps Pastiche Ritchie Creek

First Look : 3Dog Cantina, A Mexican Sports Bar in Hollywood

Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2012/08/21/3dog_cantina_a_mexican_sports_bar_in_hollywood.php

Eno Far Niente Field Stone Firestone Fisher

Food FYI: Actors reading Yelp reviews

Source: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2012/07/food-fyi-actors-reading-yelp-reviews.html

Laetitia Lagier Meredith La Jota Loring Lyeth

Monday, 27 August 2012

DEALFEED: Fraiche

Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2012/08/22/fraiche.php

Albariño Pinot Blanc Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Pinot Noir

Alan Kerr?s Vintage?s April 14th Release ? Tasting Notes

Just a few notes this week on the release for April 14th as the board was a bit stingy with the wines shipped to taste. One or two do stand out as being stellar and are priced under twenty bucks. Please read on. ONTARIO 149302 FEATHERSTONE CANADIAN OAK CHARDONNAY 2010 Niagara Peninsula, Ontario $21.95 Plenty [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gangofpour/uncZ/~3/BAKW4LL8EmY/alan-kerrs-vintages-april-14th-release

Lagier Meredith La Jota Loring Lyeth Markham

WBW 76: Barossa Boomerang

Not too long ago I drank quite a bit of Australian wine, particularly Shiraz. Given that this grape, also known as Syrah, expresses greatness in the Barossa Valley I could not pass an opportunity to revisit this region for this months’ Wine Blogging Wednesday. Our host, Adam from Wine Zag, proposed we look for any [...]

WBW 76: Barossa Boomerang originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/FS8LnHLmfVk/

Whitehall Lane Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc Riesling Chenin Blanc

Wine Tourism in Washington State

Washington State is second only to California in U.S. wine production; so if you like wine, you?ll want to visit Washington wine country. As people taste Washington wine, they also discover that the quality of Washington wine is second to none, and often at great prices, too. Where you go in Washington wine country will [...]

Wine Tourism in Washington State 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/S0zmEdsbUxs/

Sémillon Gewürztraminer Muscat Viognier Roussanne

Wine Word of the Week: Ullage

This week?s Wine Word of the Week is ullage. Official definition from Jancis Robinson?s The Oxford Companion to Wine: Ullage, which derives from the French ouillage, has had a variety of meanings and uses in the English-speaking wine trade. It can mean the process of evaporation of wine held in wooden containers such as a [...]

Wine Word of the Week: Ullage 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/ceaCacW82Zo/

Ch. Souverain Dehlinger Eno Far Niente Field Stone

2007 Pomerol

In this post you'll find an overview of the ratings of the 2007 Medoc 2. Grand Cru Class�. We have gathered all ratings from Robert Parker, Decanter and Wine Spectator.

Source: http://www.wine4freaks.com/34/2007-pomerol/

St. Clement Staglin Stag\\\'s Leap Stags\\\' Leap Santa Barbara

Are all Groupons created equal?

Source: http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/dining/reviews/blog/2011/06/are_all_groupons_created_equal.html

Pinot Grigio Sémillon Gewürztraminer Muscat Viognier

Sunday, 26 August 2012

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 [...]

Source: http://familylovewine.wordpress.com/2010/03/08/social-media-quick-tip-introduce-your-twitter-team/

Champagne Sparkling White Wine Rose Alex. Vall. Vyds Andrew Murray

ExpansionWire : Joe's Pizza Opening Two More Shops Plus a Pizza Truck

Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2012/08/23/joes_pizza_opening_two_more_shops_plus_a_pizza_truck.php

Ch. St. Jean Ch. Souverain Dehlinger Eno Far Niente

The Stew has moved

Source: http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/thestew/2011/03/the-stew-has-moved.html

David Bruce Buena Vista Cain Cuvee Castoro Caymus

SEO Services

It’s hard to find reliable SEO Services these days. Heck make a single seo related post on Twitter and you’ll magically find yourself with 25+ new followers all trying to sell you their seo services. Get yourself on the first or second page of Google and you’ll start getting phone calls. It’s annoying because if [...]

Source: http://winewithmark.info/archives/676

Keenan Chard Kenwood Laetitia Lagier Meredith La Jota

Farmers' Market is ON for Labor Day

Source: http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/dining/reviews/blog/2011/06/farmers_market_is_on_for_labor.html

Champagne Sparkling White Wine Rose Alex. Vall. Vyds Andrew Murray

New season of Masterchef starts tonight

Source: http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/dining/reviews/blog/2011/06/new_season_of_masterchef_start.html

Buehler David Bruce Buena Vista Cain Cuvee Castoro

Any minute now, meanwhile

Source: http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/dining/reviews/blog/2011/06/any_minute_now_meanwhile.html

Chenin Blanc Pinot Grigio Sémillon Gewürztraminer Muscat

How Wine Became Modern: Design + Wine 1976 to Now; an SF MOMA Exhibit

The wine world can basically be compartmentalized into two worlds: The New World & The Old World. The Old World is France, and basically any other country within a trebuchet’s throw of France. Wines have been ratified by treaties, classified … Continue reading

Source: http://www.beyondnapavalley.com/blog/how-wine-became-modern-design-wine-1976-to-now-an-sf-moma-exhibit/

St. Clement Staglin Stag\\\'s Leap Stags\\\' Leap Santa Barbara

Saturday, 25 August 2012

Cannot Unsee: People magazine, the nation's premier source...

Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2012/08/24/cannot_unsee.php

Foxen Girard Groth Keenan Cab Keenan Chard

Source: http://thecaveman.blogspot.com/2009/02/scallop-entree-jasnieres-2004.html

Sangiovese Gamay Nebbiolo Barbera Tempranillo

Source: http://thecaveman.blogspot.com/2007/01/boredom-breaking-midweek-meal-chicken.html

Shafer Shafer Firebreak Sinskey Smith Madrone Tablas Creek

Listage : Black Licorice Full of Lead; National Waffle Day

Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2012/08/24/black_licorice_full_of_lead_national_waffle_day.php

Stag\\\'s Leap Stags\\\' Leap Santa Barbara Shafer Shafer Firebreak

?Lafite is out, Conti is in.?

China pivots to Burgundy. Source: Theatlantic Via: The Atlantic Thankfully, the wine market’s sour turn could also just be a sign of changing tastes. Eighty-six of the 100 bottles Liv-ex tracks are Bordeaux, the traditional king of fine wine. But as the Financial Times wrote in May, recent auctions suggest that Hong Kong buyers, perhaps [...]

“Lafite is out, Conti is in.” originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/fUtBR47grfE/

Arrowood Beckmen Benziger Beringer, KV Buehler

Age Verification Comes to Twitter

It is a common occurrence to be barred from entering a wine related website until you have confirmed your birthdate, or at least confirmed you are of legal drinking age in your country. On Facebook it is already possible to stop under-age members from seeing certain content. However, until now this could not be done [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/TxMx5Vsz_Eo/

Phelps Pastiche Ritchie Creek Rochioli Rosenblum St. Clement

Friday, 24 August 2012

On Self-Actualizing Wine Interest, Purple Pages, the Kindle Fire and Gutenberg

While it has been cited that we’re living in a “Golden Age” of wine writing, what is interesting to me these days is NOT the subject of wine writing.

My interest is in a broader understanding of the consumption of the wine writer’s output – self-identified wine interest by consumers who are seeking out wine information.  This is a seismic shift more important than the vagaries of who writes what, where, when and for how much.

Something much bigger and amorphous is at work.

It used to be that people self-identified by their job or some other affiliation that produced recognition from others, a status-marker of sorts—“I work for IBM, I have two kids and we’re Protestant.”

However, nowadays, people, principally online (which is moving center stage in our life), are self-identifying by their personal interests which, often times, diverges greatly from their profession and their family situation.

Look at Twitter profiles or a body of status updates from somebody on Facebook.  People are no longer duotone and defined by work and family. They’re multi-layered and complex and defined by their interests.  The modern day self-description goes something like this: “Passionate about wine and travel.  I build furniture, follow the San Francisco Giants, and work in a non-profit by day.  I also volunteer to ensure clean water for sub-Saharan Africans.  Dad to two wonderful kids”

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In diamond-cutting terms, it’s more Peruzzi than table cut and it seems we’re all on a journey to be the most interesting man person in the world.

This kaleidoscopic advancement in sense-of-self is a very important development because, on an individual level, we tend to project externally how we see ourselves in the mirror.  By stating publicly online that we’re a wine enthusiast, a foodie, a jazz lover, who does dog rescue and loves college football with a fascination for all things digital, it’s like writing down a goal.  A goal written down means something to most people and people are likely to actuate their activities around it, even if aspirationally.

This is a very subtle point and I hope I’m conveying it faithfully:  Societally, we’re changing how we view ourselves, we are stating how we view ourselves and consequently we’re more likely to pursue knowledge around those interests because we’ve put it out there.

In Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, we’re all self-actualizing.

So, when it comes to wine writing, while I’m very happy for Alder Yarrow’s assignment in writing a monthly column for Jancis Robinson’s Purple Pages, I also tend to look at it within a much broader context because there will be more Alder Yarrow Horatio Alger-like stories in the years to come.

More to the point however, and within a bigger picture, what Alder writes now and in the future on his own site or at Jancis’ site is likely going to be viewed by an increasingly larger audience who, based on the aforementioned self-actualization, have become more inclined to seek a wide-range of information that supports a myriad of personal interests, including wine.

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This online growth in information-seeking is, indeed, a very good thing particularly for the wine business who is caught up in a focus on Gen. Y, when the more important point is that there is a mass of people of all ages who have increasingly ready access to information online that allows them to easily pierce the veil of wine.  And, the implications for that for shouldn’t be understated because the view of the wine world is likely to be altered to be much more inclusive of all types of viewpoints – think the streets of New York instead of Pottery Barn.

The Kindle Fire tablet by Amazon.com may represent the next step in this evolution, driving the potentiality of mass on-the-move content delivery. No, it’s not as important as the printing press or any other God Complex hyperbole that is assigned to Steve Jobs, but it’s an important step forward nonetheless.

Where laptop computers are functional machines designed to execute work, and tablets (like the iPad) are a lightweight, portable device that act as a multi-functional hybrid between a smartphone and a laptop, here comes the Kindle Fire which is a device designed almost exclusively for content consumption, all kinds of content – blogs, digital magazines, digital books, videos, music, etc.

The Kindle Fire, to me, is a device that enhances the trend we’re seeing in the increased complexity of how we define ourselves because here’s a device that lets users pursue content around their interests anytime, anywhere and it’s reasonably affordable at $199, at least half the cost of other tablets on the market.

For example purposes, let’s say I have an interest in German Riesling, but I don’t really want to buy another paper-based book because I already have a stack of 14 books at my bedside that I haven’t read (or, perhaps, I don’t buy that many books, period).  Likewise, it isn’t convenient for me to read a book on my laptop because, well, that’s not really a form factor that works for me because I’m already hunched over my laptop for 12 hours a day.  In addition, I don’t want to print out a 150 page pdf because that’s paper I have to carry around.  Previously, with all of the aforementioned caveats, I would have let a deep dive into knowing more about German Riesling be a fleeting thought—an opportunity that would lay fallow.

Ah, but the Kindle Fire will let me consume this German Riesling content in a nice, portable, convenient, lightweight manner that is designed to do expressly that.  I’m now looking forward to pouring through Terry Theise’s 2011 German Riesling catalog and reading part II of Mosel Fine Wines 2010 vintage report.

All of this distills down to an essential takeaway:  When Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press with movable type, the tangible output was the ability to have ready access to print books.  However, the bigger impact was the spread of knowledge which led to the Renaissance period which inalterably changed the culture of the world.

That’s where I think we’re at now, particularly with wine and the spread of information.  The conversation can be about who is writing and where they come from, but the conversation with far greater impact is what the end game is for this mass adoption of personal nuance lived out loud.

In simpler terms, the wine writer, like Descartes in the Renaissance era, had a great, lasting influence, but the Renaissance period was much bigger than Descartes.

The key for the wine business in this seismic shift in wine affiliation and the pursuit of information thereof is to decide whether they want to support the status quo and perpetuate business as usual or open themselves to all kinds of thought.

Wine writers already are and so are the consumers seeking out this information.

Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/on_self-actualizing_wine_interest_purple_pages_the_kindle_fire_and_gutenber/

Field Stone Firestone Fisher Foxen Girard

Field Notes from a Wine Life ? Autumnal Equinox Edition

Odds and ends from a life lived through the prism of the wine glass…

The Power of Intent in Biodynamic Wine

I wrote a heady post in September about Biodynamic wine.  The story is too complicated to summarize here (link to post), but one of the things that I touched on (and that interests me on an ongoing basis) is the notion of “intent” in the vineyard particularly as it relates to viticultural quality and Biodynamic preparations.

They say that you can taste “love” in a food dish, so, while not scientifically quantifiable (at least not yet), it stands to reason that extra attention and loving preparation with BioD preps. might have a positive benefit on the vines and subsequently the wines.

This notion of intent isn’t my idea; I culled it from Voodoo Vintners, Katherine Cole’s Biodynamic-related book published earlier this year (she has a different supposition about ‘intent’ than I do).  A passage from the book notes, “The belief is that the preparations aren’t merely herbal treatments for plants; they’re carriers of the farmers’ intentions, which have been swirled into them through the powerful act of stirring.  While it isn’t a requirement for Demeter certification, intention is that little bit of witchcraft that separates the most committed practitioners from the unbelievers.”

image

My point in September and my point now is that “intent” isn’t witchcraft, its science – science that is still emerging and not completely understood.

To that end, I read an incredible, eye-opening, mind-bending article in the current issue of Time magazine about a new technology device called the BodyWave.  An iPod sized device, the BodyWave is based on electroencephalography (EEG), the study of how brain activity excites neurons to emit brain waves that travel the central nervous system and can be measured.

So, here’s the thing.  Not only can this BodyWave device measure the fluctuations in the brain’s electrical activity, but when connected to a computer it can perform functions based on brain waves.

It’s a holy crap moment to realize that by focusing brain activity somebody can shut off a valve in a nuclear power plant, via computer, with the power of their mind, as elaborated on in the article.

The full Time magazine article is subscriber-protected (darn publishers that try to run a business…), but the intro. to the article is available here.

I’m a liberal arts guy, as far removed from science as one can get by education, vocation and lifelong learning interest, but I do have the ability to suspend my disbelief and it seems likely to me that in 10 years’ time the Biodynamic conversation is going to be around an entirely different set of conversational conditions than the current ‘bunkum vs. belief’ precept that we have now.

On Knowledge

I’ve never reconciled the “demystify” vs. “knowledge frees you” debate as it relates to wine.  Many will say that wine is needlessly overcomplicated for the average consumer and the arcane aspects act as a barrier to entry.

Well, sometimes you find defining wisdom in the unlikeliest places.

Scott Adams, the creator of the cartoon Dilbert, noted in a blog post recently what I’ve thought, but have never been able to say quite so eloquently. 

Indeed, you are what you learn.  You don’t have to know much about wine to drink it, but it sure makes it that much more enjoyable if you lean into the door…

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Thanksgiving Wine Recommendation

Thanksgiving is the wine world’s national holiday.  I get that.  It’s my favorite holiday, too. But, the attendant wine pairing articles are exhausting.  Does it really matter what you drink with Thanksgiving dinner?  Nope.  If it did, somebody, anybody would care that I’ll be having Sparkling Rose, German Riesling and New Zealand Pinot, but, really, nobody cares.  At the end of the day, the below picture encapsulates what really matters when picking a wine for Thanksgiving (Hint: Focus on the food).

image

It Was a Good Week for Lot18

My eyes bugged out like a virgin at a nudist camp when I saw that Lot18 secured $30M in additional funding.  That money coupled with clarification from the California Alcohol Beverage Control (CA ABC) on some wonkiness in legalities, means the first week of November 2011 will go down as a watershed moment for Lot18.

Perhaps equally interesting to me is a passage noting, “Radical Transparency” in an email sent to Lot18 members from Lot18 (ostensibly founder Phillip James).  The email noted:

As Lot18 moves into its second year of existence, our goal is to ensure that, with more money in the bank and compliance questions behind us, Lot18 can continue to deliver on its responsibilities to our suppliers and to our members alike. We must hold ourselves accountable to ensure we maintain trust with everyone who produces and consumes goods offered by Lot18.

We do this through a policy called Radical Transparency, which simply involves sharing more than was once considered wise. We believe in this because it drives our focus and ensures that all of our employees and our members feel that they have a role in shaping our future. Together we can create a service that will not only help you find great value, but also encourage you to spread the word to friends and family so that they may also share in the delight.

We’re all aware of “transparency” as an online buzzword the last several years.  It’s a word that has been co-opted, commoditized and rendered meaningless, as well.  It seems, transparency is really code word for faux sincerity and empathy and that makes adding the modifier of “Radical” to transparency all the more interesting.

These days, every new business success story comes with hagiographic mythologizing and I wouldn’t be surprised if, in this area, “Radical Transparency” is where Lot18 stakes their claim.  After all, culture and customer service is already taken by Zappos.

Yet, radical transparency isn’t a new concept either.  If you’re interested in seeing how a hedge fund called Bridgewater Associates (founded by Ray Dalio) has codified a brutally honest feedback loop see this profile piece from New York magazine and Dalio’s 123 page “Principles” document (worth the read).

Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/field_notes_from_a_wine_life_autumnal_equinox_edition/

Keenan Chard Kenwood Laetitia Lagier Meredith La Jota