Monday, 30 June 2014

Burgundy gets hammered (by hail) ? again

A violent hailstorm sprayed large hailstones over some Burgundy vineyards leaving many incipient grapes destroyed. Anne Parent of Domaine Parent in Pommard, described the violent storm as a “like a machine-gun attack” of the vines, even though it lasted only three minutes. While the damage has yet to be tallied across the region, some initial […]

The post Burgundy gets hammered (by hail) — again appeared first on Dr Vino's wine blog.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/ju4XTRz-YSY/

Arrowood Beckmen Benziger Beringer, KV Buehler

Examining Wine Blogging: The New Publishers

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FermentationTheDailyWineBlog/~3/HtQKji-boyU/examining-wine-blogging-the-new-publishers.html

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

Wired Tests Wine Preservation Systems, Picks Correct Winner

Private Preserve has been my choice for years. via Wired Wired Tests Wine Preservation Systems, Picks Correct Winner originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.

Wired Tests Wine Preservation Systems, Picks Correct Winner originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/jdtpv_fazm4/wine-preserve

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

Win Tickets to ZAP?s 2011 Grand Zinfandel Tasting at Fort Mason!

You heard correctly. Beyond Napa Valley is giving away 4 tickets to ZAP’s Grand Zinfandel Tasting at Fort Mason. All you have to do is write a Zinfandel-inspired Haiku. Click the link below for all of the details. We hope to see you at the Grand tasting in January. Win Tickets to ZAP’s 2011 Grand [...]

Source: http://www.beyondnapavalley.com/blog/win-tickets-to-zaps-2011-grand-zinfandel-tasting-at-fort-mason/

Castoro Caymus Ch. St. Jean Ch. Souverain Dehlinger

Will Vente Privee make a success of flash wine sales? Probably

French event sales site Vente Priv�e has added wine sales to its product offering in the UK, and they may be the ones to make this model really work. This felt more like a fashion event than a wine tasting. There’s a reason for that. Instead of the acres of table-tops loaded with glass bottles, [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/8d_zTSNbYzE/

Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc Riesling Chenin Blanc Pinot Grigio

The Liberty Hotel ? Boston, Massachusetts

Luxurious?yes. Elegant?yes. Comparable to any other hotel?nope. The Liberty Hotel is a perfect storm of all the elements you would expect from a historical landmark turned luxury hotel. The Liberty Hotel is ideally located in the heart of Boston?s Beacon Hill neighborhood near just a stones throw from the Charles River and its Esplanade. What […]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vagablond/ysSN/~3/_Sqo_DYxoxs/

Laetitia Lagier Meredith La Jota Loring Lyeth

This Saturday: Owner's Hours at Ansonia Wines in Newton, MA

Artisinal French wine purveyor and WWP sponsor Ansonia Wines is making it easier for Boston-area enthusiasts to taste their wines and pick up their orders. Each Saturday their Newton Depot is open for pick-ups and once a month they're holding Owner's Hours which means they'll have 4-6 wines open and owner Tom Wilcox will be on hand to describe the wines and help visitors make selections.

See also: Ansonia Wines, The Garagiste of the East?

This Saturday they're open from 10am-4pm.
Here's their schedule for the next couple months:

Upcoming Depot Schedule:

April 12: Pickup Hours
April 19: Owner?s Hours
April 26: Pickup Hours

May 3: Pickup Hours
May 10: Pickup Hours
May 17: Pickup Hours
May 24: Owner?s Hours
May 31: Pickup Hours

June 7: Pickup Hours

Tastings are free and there's a 10% discount on case purchases.

For more information on their Newton Depot:
http://www.ansoniawines.com/Newton

If you're not in the area, delivery is available.
http://ansoniawines.com

Subscribe to their email list for notification of new offers.
Follow @AnsoniaWines and ping them on Twitter if you're interested in learning more about their wines.

I'm pleased to hear friends of the WWP are among their better customers. Definitely check them out.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/Wa-XDyGIRSI/this-saturday-owners-hours-at-ansonia.html

Santa Barbara Shafer Shafer Firebreak Sinskey Smith Madrone

Tales of the Cocktail 2012: The Varnish wins Best American Cocktail Bar

Source: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2012/07/tales-of-the-cocktail-2012-the-varnish-wins-best-american-cocktail-bar.html

Caymus Ch. St. Jean Ch. Souverain Dehlinger Eno

Wine Bottle Art

Diane Selmi ? Wine Bottle Art If you’re looking for a special gift for one of your wine lover friends, an original wine bottle art painting by Diane Selmi might just be the perfect choice. Diane started painting unique wine bottles 10 years ago when she retired after a long career as a travel agent. […]

The post Wine Bottle Art appeared first on Wine Country Getaways.

Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/wine-bottle-art/

Girard Groth Keenan Cab Keenan Chard Kenwood

Examining Wine Blogging: The New Publishers

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FermentationTheDailyWineBlog/~3/HtQKji-boyU/examining-wine-blogging-the-new-publishers.html

Rosenblum St. Clement Staglin Stag\\\'s Leap Stags\\\' Leap

Dinner tonight! Grilled salmon salad

Source: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2012/07/dinner-tonight-grilled-salmon-salad.html

Stags\\\' Leap Santa Barbara Shafer Shafer Firebreak Sinskey

Sunday, 29 June 2014

Eataly Vino turns into a Nutella bar

Remember Eataly Vino NYC? Yes, the wine shop that is serving six months in the penalty box for liquor law infractions. Well, the at-grade storefront on the 23rd St. side of Eataly New York has been transformed at least temporarily into…wait for it…a Nutella bar! Eater reports that, building on the success of a Nutella […]

The post Eataly Vino turns into a Nutella bar appeared first on Dr Vino's wine blog.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/c47YD88RozE/

Shafer Firebreak Sinskey Smith Madrone Tablas Creek Talley

A random act of generosity at Woodberry Kitchen

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

Pine Ridge Phelps Pastiche Ritchie Creek Rochioli Rosenblum

Wine Bottle Art

Diane Selmi ? Wine Bottle Art If you’re looking for a special gift for one of your wine lover friends, an original wine bottle art painting by Diane Selmi might just be the perfect choice. Diane started painting unique wine bottles 10 years ago when she retired after a long career as a travel agent. […]

The post Wine Bottle Art appeared first on Wine Country Getaways.

Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/wine-bottle-art/

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

The wines from Pierre Usseglio I

Domaine Pierre Usseglio is first and foremost a maker of�Chateauneuf-du-Pape but has also a couple of vineyards just outside the appellation. From these they make a good value�C�tes-du-Rh�ne and�a Vin de Table, where Merlot makes up�80 % og the blend. �I gave the 2006�C�tes-du-Rh�ne 2006�88-89 p. which makes it a good value. It’s a sort [...]

Source: http://www.wine4freaks.com/44/wines-from-pierre-usseglio-1/

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

Source: http://thecaveman.blogspot.com/2013/05/after-somewhereness-comes-soulfullness.html

Pinot Noir Syrah or Shiraz Zinfandel Grenache Sangiovese

EaterWire: Meat District In Progress; Sammy's Studio City Dunzo

Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2014/06/23/meat_district_in_progress_sammys_studio_city_dunzo.php

Girard Groth Keenan Cab Keenan Chard Kenwood

Source: http://thecaveman.blogspot.com/2009/02/old-franc-chinon-1996-clos-de-lolive.html

Beckmen Benziger Beringer, KV Buehler

?A glass of wine a day will not harm your baby and may actually be good for a child?s development, researchers have found?

As with anything you eat or drink, moderation and common sense, not prohibition, often makes the most sense. via The Telegraph “A glass of wine a day will not harm your baby and may actually be good for a child?s development, researchers have found” originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.

“A glass of wine a day will not harm your baby and may actually be good for a child?s development, researchers have found” originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/6oLSMQqQ9Dk/A-glass-of-wine-a-day-while-pregnant-will-not-harm-your-baby.html

Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc Riesling Chenin Blanc Pinot Grigio

Test Kitchen video tip: Choosing a bread wash

Source: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2012/07/test-kitchen-video-tip-choosing-a-bread-wash.html

David Bruce Buena Vista Cain Cuvee Castoro Caymus

Rules & Regulations: The LA Times reports that the...

Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2014/06/27/rules_regulations.php

Cain Cuvee Castoro Caymus Ch. St. Jean Ch. Souverain

EaterWire: Warwick's Sailing Summer; dineLA launch at Palihouse

Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2014/06/27/warwicks_sailing_summer_dinela_launch_at_palihouse.php

SĆ©millon GewĆ¼rztraminer Muscat Viognier Roussanne

Saturday, 28 June 2014

Napa Valley Travel News

All the Napa Valley travel news that?s fit to make your Napa Valley wine country getaway a good stay. St.Helena Shuttle Did you know that the town of St. Helena has a shuttle service? This shuttle service works slightly different than the Calistoga shuttle that we mentioned in a previous article on our blog. During […]

The post Napa Valley Travel News appeared first on Wine Country Getaways.

Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/napa-valley-travel-news/

Lagier Meredith La Jota Loring Lyeth Markham

Switcheroos: Hermosa's Legendary Poop Deck Is Now Just The Deck

Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2014/06/24/hermosas_legendary_poop_deck_is_now_just_the_deck.php

Alex. Vall. Vyds Andrew Murray Arrowood Beckmen Benziger

Source: http://thecaveman.blogspot.com/2009/03/cahors-2005-le-combal-cosse-maisonneuve.html

Keenan Chard Kenwood Laetitia Lagier Meredith La Jota

Source: http://thecaveman.blogspot.com/2009/03/dinner-with-lou-early-spring-apero.html

Alex. Vall. Vyds Andrew Murray Arrowood Beckmen Benziger

Alsace and Biodynamics

Source: http://thecaveman.blogspot.com/2012/10/alsace-and-biodynamics.html

Arrowood Beckmen Benziger Beringer, KV Buehler

Book Club: Jeni Britton Bauer, who founded Jeni's...

Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2014/06/27/book_club.php

Markham Meeker Mondavi Pine Ridge Phelps Pastiche

Plywood Report: Steak 'n Shake's Third Street Promenade Plywood Up

Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2014/06/25/steak_n_shakes_third_street_promenade_plywood_up.php

Lyeth Markham Meeker Mondavi Pine Ridge

Sponsored Post: Get to Know the Creator of Knob Creek� Bourbon

Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2014/06/25/get_to_know_the_creator_of_knob_creek_bourbon.php

Dehlinger Eno Far Niente Field Stone Firestone

Source: http://thecaveman.blogspot.com/2009/03/cahors-2005-le-combal-cosse-maisonneuve.html

Muscat Viognier Roussanne Marsanne AlbariƱo

Quick Deal: 2008 Robert Foley Petite Sirah for $32/btl (MA only) [sold out]

Update (10:15am): They've sold through 5 cases of this wine and it is now sold out. Hop on their email list to catch the next deal.

Bin Ends Wine (with locations in Braintree and more recently Needham, MA) is offering up a strong deal this morning.

2 bottles of 2008 Robert Foley Petite Sirah for $64 ($32/bottle). Compared to a $60 release price that retailers don't often deeply discount this is a very good price.

Bin Ends has 60 bottles of this wine to offer. As of this writing they're down to 54. Better get on it!

I tasted through Robert Foley portfolio at a wine dinner at BOKX109 a few years ago and the Petite Sirah was a standout for me, drinking better than the much more expensive Claret and Cabernet Sauvignon.

And his Merlot is amazing too. I think both the Petite Sirah and the Merlot are the value plays at around $50. So to be able to find them for $32 fully loaded (no additional sales tax on wine in MA!) is a terrific deal.

Bin Ends offers delivery to MA addresses and will hold your wine for in-store pick-up at either of their locations.


Wine-Searcher

Question of the Day: Have you had Robert Foley's Petite Sirah lately? If so what did you think?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/cJjjpfYrNDw/quick-deal-2008-robert-foley-petite.html

Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc Riesling Chenin Blanc Pinot Grigio

The red wines from the 2013 vintage come into focus

Source: http://tablascreek.typepad.com/tablas/2014/05/the-red-wines-from-the-2013-vintage-come-into-focus.html

La Jota Loring Lyeth Markham Meeker

Friday, 27 June 2014

New Zealand?s 2013 Vintage hailed as ?Vintage of a Lifetime?: 2013 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc

Kim Crawford Wines, located in New Zealand, was founded in 1996 by owner/winemaker Kim Crawford and his wife Erica. In the beginning, Kim Crawford Wines was one of New Zealand?s first ?virtual wineries.? They sourced their grapes from growers across New Zealand, made the wine at other wineries, and managed their sales and marketing from […]

New Zealand’s 2013 Vintage hailed as ?Vintage of a Lifetime?: 2013 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc 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/LWCcssmuiq0/

Ritchie Creek Rochioli Rosenblum St. Clement

A Tale of Two �Querrys?

As reported last January, we were quite fond of Bonny Doon?s 2011 �Querry? Pear Apple Quince Cider when we tried it, so when we got our hands on their new 2013 version, we were geeked to have a go at that one too. It was produced in a different manner than the previous model, as [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gangofpour/uncZ/~3/Hlr4mqxoR2Q/a-tale-of-two-querrys

Fisher Foxen Girard Groth Keenan Cab

Five Easy Winter Projects for Winery Marketers

It’s November, post-Harvest and going into slow season for winery marketers. �Thought I would put together a short list of projects that may make your life easier in 2011 with a little time put in during the winter. 1. �Claim your winery on location based services and review sites. Even if you don’t use the […]

Source: http://familylovewine.wordpress.com/2010/11/21/five-easy-winter-projects-for-winery-marketers/

Smith Madrone Tablas Creek Talley Whitehall Lane Chardonnay

Examining Wine Blogging: Responsibility

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FermentationTheDailyWineBlog/~3/Vh9DCgdAY1M/examining-wine-blogging-responsibility.html

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

With an early flowering, we start the clock on the 2014 harvest

Source: http://tablascreek.typepad.com/tablas/2014/05/with-an-early-flowering-we-start-the-clock-on-the-2014-harvest.html

Beringer, KV Buehler David Bruce Buena Vista Cain Cuvee

How sharp are your kitchen knives?

Source: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2012/07/how-sharp-are-your-kitchen-knives.html

Fisher Foxen Girard Groth Keenan Cab

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…

image

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/

Castoro Caymus Ch. St. Jean Ch. Souverain Dehlinger

Source: http://thecaveman.blogspot.com/2009/02/science-of-smell-dear-caveman-when-i.html

Tablas Creek Talley Whitehall Lane Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc

Source: http://thecaveman.blogspot.com/2009/02/bandol-2000-chateau-pradeux-shitake.html

Pinot Blanc Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Pinot Noir Syrah or Shiraz

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.

image

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/

Laetitia Lagier Meredith La Jota Loring Lyeth

Thank You From the Bottom of My Heart

I’m sitting here in my new home office with a fresh perspective and a touch of the misties, as in misty-eyes.� Rich and I have been moved into the place for just over a month and it has made a huge difference in how we feel about things.� I now recognize that we were both […]

Source: http://familylovewine.wordpress.com/2010/08/13/thank-you-from-the-bottom-of-my-heart/

Rochioli Rosenblum St. Clement Staglin Stag\\\'s Leap

Food FYI: Actors reading Yelp reviews

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

Cain Cuvee Castoro Caymus Ch. St. Jean Ch. Souverain

Thursday, 26 June 2014

Source: http://thecaveman.blogspot.com/2009/02/science-of-smell-dear-caveman-when-i.html

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

Field Notes from a Wine Life ? Story Edition

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

Words aren’t enough

I give to thee…the worst wine ad of all-time and that’s without delving into the ponderous name of the wine or, why, inexplicably, the back of the laptop in the photo has a big sticker for Ass Kisser ales

…In the main visual, three people are huddled around the boss giving him “Ass Kisser” wine…Isn’t the point of being a brown-noser to do it subtly?  Who randomly gifts their boss right before their employee review? 

image

Even if you view this ad as schlocky hipster irony, it’s still bad and makes you wonder if the advertising sales guy at Wine Enthusiast couldn’t do a solid for his client and suggest creative that, well, actually makes sense.

Or, maybe being horrible was the plan – like a movie that becomes a cult hit a decade hence…so bad that it becomes a lofty ideal for bad, enjoying a following because of its campy nature. 

Bad Week for Eric Asimov?

On both Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, Eric Asimov, the New York Times chief wine critic was taken to task for different reasons by Matt Kramer at Winespectator.com and Steve Heimoff at his blog of the same name.

This is interesting because wine writers of a certain stature very carefully call their shots amongst their peers.

Normally the shots are fired up (Parker) or down (bloggers), but usually never sideways amongst writers in the same strata. 

To watch Asimov, as seemingly decent of a guy as you’ll find, called onto the rug by two notable wine writers, to me, speaks to something much bigger.

With Parker stepping aside and Antonio Galloni receiving glancing admiration for hitting a stand-up triple by dint of his current position at the Wine Advocate, at the same time that the wheat and chaff are separating with wine bloggers, somebody has to step into the fray as a public foil for other wine writers to target.

Unwittingly, it might be Asimov for reasons entirely opposite of Parker’s hegemony.  Asimov’s palate for wine seems food-friendly and balanced; he takes an egalitarian approach to wine for the people without pretense and he doesn’t score wines.

In other words, Asimov is bizarro Superman to Parker’s swashbuckling empiricism and, perhaps, even a greater danger to the Ivory Tower of legacy wine media than the mere jealousy that passed for poking at Parker.

Just a thought…

It’s all about the story

The wine business has always been excellent at storytelling.  Virtually every winery has their origin story and that of their dirt down pat, even if not very compelling.

So, it is with interest that I’ve been watching Facebook’s recent changes keeping in mind that founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has emphasized emotional resonance, narrative and storytelling – factors that extend well beyond consumers using Facebook to “Tell the story of their life,” as Zuckerberg noted.  This will be inclusive of the brands that use Facebook for engagement, as well.

I was further intrigued after reading parallel news reports that Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), is singing the same song.

He notes in an article in Advertising Age, “Technology innovations are irrelevant to the future of advertising and marketing unless a more fundamental activity is understood, honored and advanced: the craft of storytelling.”

A quick Google search for “Mark Zuckerberg F8 Keynote” and “Randall Rothenberg MIXX Keynote” will yield a number of stories all occurring in September.  There’s no question about Facebook’s influence and the IAB is the thought-leader for digital advertising.  Between the two of them, they present an imposing shadow of influence on digital marketing.

If I were a winery with an understanding that digital marketing is a tsunami of change that is important, I might start revisiting my winery story for some fine-tuning…

Two books that I recommend to bone-up on the elements of good business storytelling are:  The Story Factor and Made to Stick.

On Sweet Wines

In an article this week from the San Francisco Chronicle called “Beginner drinkers get a crush on sweet red wines,”  E.&J. Gallo VP of Marketing, Stephanie Gallo, noted:  “There is a major shift going on in the U.S. wine drinking culture.  First, we noticed that regional sweet red blends were doing particularly well in Indiana, Texas and North Carolina. Second, our consumers were asking if we produced a sweet red wine after tasting our Moscato at events.”

Good Grape readers had the scoop on this months ago when I wrote:

How Sweet it is – The Growing Sweet Wine Trend in early October, 2010

And

Move over Moscato and Make Way for Sweet Reds in February of this year

Just saying…

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

Ch. Souverain Dehlinger Eno Far Niente Field Stone

Alan Kerr?s Vintage?s April 26th Release ? Tasting Notes

April 26th release showcases wines from several of the lesser known regions within the vast area known as Bordeaux. In great vintages wines from these regions usually offer the consumer very good quality wines at a fraction of the price of their more affluent neighbours. Most of the wines in this release are from the [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gangofpour/uncZ/~3/xVtP6YetZno/alan-kerrs-vintages-april-26th-release

Pinot Blanc Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Pinot Noir Syrah or Shiraz

Calendar: Byzantine Cuisine, Served at Getty Villa on July 19

Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2014/06/26/byzantine_cuisine_served_at_getty_villa_on_july_19.php

Dehlinger Eno Far Niente Field Stone Firestone

Sponsored Post: Catch an All-New Season of Esquire Network's Brew Dogs

Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2014/06/24/catch_an_allnew_season_of_esquire_networks_brew_dogs.php

Meeker Mondavi Pine Ridge Phelps Pastiche

Wine & The Connected Consumer

Randall Grahm is one of the true characters of the American wine scene. A self-styled terroirist, intuitive branding genius and all around eccentric, Grahm has taken his Bonny Doon Vineyard on quite a ride over nearly the past 30 years. After setting out in 1983 to make great Pinot Noir in California, Grahm was drawn […]

Wine & The Connected Consumer originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/nrx_xWDCG2s/

AlbariƱo Pinot Blanc Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Pinot Noir

Field Notes from a Wine Life ? Media Edition

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

Rex Pickett

If you’re not reading Rex Pickett’s (author of Sideways and Vertical) blog, you are officially remiss.

Pickett is a gifted writer who cranks out perfectly incubated long-form posts with turns of phrase that are both wry and rich, offering insight into the machinations of publishing, film and stage that few culture vultures grasp.

Pickett recently wrote an extensive (3900 word) post on the reasons why a film sequel to Sideways (directed by Alexander Payne) would not be made from Vertical, Pickett’s book sequel.  In doing so, Pickett offered a discursive meditation on Payne’s artistic pathos and the factors that may be playing into Vertical’s stall on the way to celluloid.

image

Unfortunately, Pickett removed the post after re-publishing a second version that deleted much of the armchair psychologist rumination he originally channeled from Payne’s psyche.  An email inquiry to Pickett on why he removed the post (in either iteration) has gone unanswered.

If I were a muckraker, I would publish the post because Pickett’s deletion of the post from his site did not delete the post from RSS feed readers like Bloglines or Google Reader.  But, I’m not a muckraker…

Hopefully, Pickett will revisit the topic in a manner that is less confessional and more elucidation because it was worth the extended read time.  Until then you can read the other posts on his site and gain tremendous insight into the vicissitudes of the publishing process, what the afterglow is like after capturing the cultural zeitgeist and how he’s helping bring Sideways to the theatre with a stage version.

It’s definitely recommended reading.

A Discovery of Witches

While we’re on the topic of books and authors (and with Halloween around the corner), a reinforcing mention goes to Deb Harkness of Good Wine Under $20.  Earlier this year a little book she wrote called, “A Discovery of Witches” was published and immediately shot up the best sellers lists.  The movie rights were acquired this summer by Warner Bros, likely securing Harkness’ financial future in the process.

While I read fiction infrequently (the last fiction book being Vertical by Rex Pickett), those that I know who can tell the difference between kindling and a classic call A Discovery of Witches “mad genius.”
Any conversation about a wine blogger doing good should begin with Deb Harkness who is now dabbling in rarified air.  Pick up her book if you haven’t yet.

Bargain Wine Books

There’s little doubt, in the prolonged US economic malaise we’re experiencing, that “value wine” and “bargain wine” are hot topics.  Heck, an entire channel of business has been defined with “Flash” wine sale sites.  Given that, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that a couple of wine books would be published with this specific focus.

image

What is a surprise is that the books are authored by wine writers with real chops engaged in offering a deeper narrative than the slapdash compendiums of wine lists that has passed muster in years gone by.
Just in time for the holidays, Natalie MacLean has Unquenchable: A Tipsy Quest for the World’s Best Bargain Wines publishing on November 1st and George Taber, a wine writer on a tear with his fourth book in six years, has A Toast to Bargain Wines: How Innovators, Iconoclasts, and Winemaking Revolutionaries Are Changing the Way the World Drinks publishing on November 15th.

An Idea worth Duplicating?

Celebrity deaths come in threes and new wine ideas come in twos.

We’ve seen this duplicative market entry in recent years with winery reservation systems CellarPass and VinoVisit and now we’re seeing it with quasi-wine search engines.

WineMatch and VinoMatch are both in the early stages of launch purporting to help a consumer match their likes with wines they might enjoy.

Meh.  The problem with these sites isn’t that consumers don’t need help finding a wine they like, the problem is that most wine consumers don’t understand what kind of wine they like.  Yes, it’s the tannins that dry the back of the mouth and its residual sugar that makes that K-J so delectable…

By the time consumers figure out their likes and dislikes graduating beyond the “go-to,” they don’t care about having somebody help them “match” their wines to their tastes because they’re on their own adventure.

It’s just my opinion, but these sites face looooong odds of finding consumer success and short of the slick willy seduction that happens with some wineries who haven’t been bitten and as such aren’t twice shy, they won’t find *any* success.  But, I’ve been wrong before, at least once.

Pictures and Pithiness

While we’re on the topic of online wine services, I’m not sure whether I should be happy or aghast that I’ve been a habitué of the online wine scene for long enough to see a derivative – it’s like watching a remake of the movie Footloose when I was saw the original in the theatre.

There’s a new wine site called TasteJive that takes the concept of a wine blog called Chateau Petrogasm, popular in 2007 and 2008, to new heights.

image

Around the premise that a picture is worth a thousand words even if that picture has nothing to do with wine, they have created a site that provides nothing but visual metaphors with a 140 character description for finding wines you might like.

I loved the idea of Chateau Petrogasm, I like the idea of a perfectly crafted 140 character slug, but I’m very uncertain about the community aspect of TasteJive—the users who control the uploading of pictures and descriptions.

As noted mid-20th century photographer Diane Arbus said, “A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you the less you know.”

Not exactly a recipe for success in bumping into a wine.

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

Whitehall Lane Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc Riesling Chenin Blanc

Mission Impossible: $8 Wedding Pinot Noir

A WWP reader asks...

Hi there Robert,

I found you while browsing lists of inexpensive, yet great wines locally, and your top 8 list at Trader Joe's came up. I'm getting married here in California (northern) in August and we're looking to buy a couple of cases of good Pinot Noir at about $7-8 if that's even possible. Thought I'd give you a shout and see if that exists at any of the small to large stores like TJ's, Safeway, and the like. Hopefully not the stuff that will peel the paint! 

 
Thanks man.

Thanks for reaching out!

Like you sensed ("if that's even possible") it is tough to find good Pinot Noir south of $20. It's almost impossible to find even an enjoyable one for less than $10.

I do think California Pinot Noir is a nice pick for a summer wedding in California. It's versatile from a pairing perspective and lighter in weight than Cabernet Sauvignon. But if you find a good one, Pinot Noir can be effortlessly full of delicious flavor.

What you'll tend to find for around $10 at Trader Joe's is brands like Mark West, Castle Rock, and Trader Joe's private label wines. Occasionally these wines are enjoyable and some even show desirable Pinot Noir markings like aromas of fresh perfectly-ripened strawberries, supporting brambly notes, and orange oil aromatics. But they lack a certain personalized touch that I'd consider desirable for a wedding wine.

I was thinking back to the last really enjoyable, varietally correct California I had that was in the $10 neighborhood and one that immediately came to mind was the 2012 Ramsay North Coast California Pinot Noir. You can find it for less than $12 on the east coast.

Ramsay is a second label for Kent Rasmussen Winery. A second label typically means it's made by the same people that produce more expensive/prestigious wine but sold under a less expensive label. Kent Rasmussen Pinot Noir historically sold for around $35 whereas the Ramsay sells for $12. Second label wines aren't always as good as their more famous siblings (the grape sources vary, the oak regiment varies etc) but they can potentially be a source of good value.


Here are my notes on the 2012:

2012 Ramsay North Coast Pinot Noir

Inviting nose of ripe black cherries, strawberries, and supporting brambly notes. Smooth on the palate and very easy to drink. If there's a fault, it's a lack of depth and a somewhat short finish. But overall it's varietally correct and an amazingly strong effort in the $12 range. 13.5% alcohol. The perfect weeknight Pinot. Amazing value here.

89/100 WWP: Very Good

The best way to find a specific wine like this is through Wine-Searcher. It allows you to see which retailers have a specific wine for sale for shipment to specific states:

Here is a deep link to search for this wine for shipment to California

Ironically it looks like the best pricing for this wine is from retailers in New York and New Jersey. I'd be careful about shipping wine across the country since temperatures are creeping up and that can destroy wine in transit. I think they might have this at Total Wine locations in California so you may want to check there or at other local wine stores.

I think it's worth stretching from $7 to $12 per bottle to get a little bit nicer wine for your special day.
My best to you and your bride!

Hope this helps!

Question of the Day: What wine would you recommend for this situation?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/C_R2PZZW25E/mission-impossible-8-wedding-pinot-noir.html

Tablas Creek Talley Whitehall Lane Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc