Source: http://thecaveman.blogspot.com/2009/05/76-wynns-cabernet-sauvignon-1957.html
Leoville Poyferre Les Forts de Latour Les Tourelles de Longueville l\\\'Evangile l\\\'Interdit de Valandraud
Monday, February 28, 2011
Tuesday March 1st: Dunn Vineyards Tasting at The Urban Grape
Dunn produces two Cabernet Sauvignons -- one from Howell Mountain and another labeled as Napa Valley. The Howell Mountain is said to be a bigger wine - massive fruit and tannins. The Napa Valley wine is 85% Howell Mountain fruit/15% from the Napa Valley floor and is softer and more approachable.
The wines are tough to find at retail in Massachusetts. The Howell Mountain typically sells for around $120/btl and the Napa Valley falls somewhere around $75/btl. The 2007s will be available at the tasting at a one-day discount price.
More info on The Urban Grape's event's page.
Also - I hear there are just a few seats remaining for their Thursday Barolo/Barbaresco dinner at The Capital Grille. Jump on that now if you're available and interested because space truly is limited for their dinners.
Further Reading:
- A store review of The Urban Grape
- An event report from their Quintessa wine dinner at The Capital Grille
The Urban Grape
7 Boylston Street
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
617-232-4831
Giscours Rare Signed Marie Jeanne Gloria Gomerie Grand Puy Ducasse Grand Puy Lacoste
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/
Langoa Barton Larcis Ducasse Larmande Larrivet Haut Brion Lascombes
Women of Washington Wine: Hillary Sjolund of Sonoris Wines
Today?s post is part of a series featuring the Women of Washington Wine. In an industry once dominated by men, more and more women are joining the ranks as winery owners, vineyard owners, and winemakers. Being a woman myself, I am fascinated by these women and what they have done and continue to do. Through [...]
Women of Washington Wine: Hillary Sjolund of Sonoris Wines 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/VgLDkdX1XDw/
Lynch Bages Lynch Moussas Magdelaine Magrez Fombrauge Malartic Lagraviere
Dry Comal Creek Vineyards ? Order of the Purple Foot? Grape Stomp
Time is getting near for Dry Comal Creek?s 8th Annual Grape Stomp at Dry Comal Creek ? Aug 7-8 & 14-15 As of this post the Sat Aug 14 day has been sold out as per their web site. Sat Aug 7,8,15 are still open. What a great way to spend a weekend get away [...]
Dame de Montrose d\\\'Angludet d\\\'Armailhac De Chevalier De Fieuzal
Wine Accessory Review: Wine Shield
It comes packaged like a condom sized for the Jolly Green Giant and it preserves your wine. With that incongruent image now seared into your mental retina, you’d be doing yourself a favor to check out a newcomer to the wine preservation market – Wine Shield.
Packaged for retail in packs of six and 10, Wine Shield is a food grade quality plastic disc that is approximately the circumference of a bottle of wine. Using a provided prong applicator, the Wine Shield is inserted into a bottle of wine where it floats on top of the remains of the bottle and acts as an oxygen barrier preserving the integrity of the wine for up to a week according to its inventors – an Aussie group called Wine Preserva.
Distributed state side by the same folks who sell WineSkin (the bottle transport bag), additional benchmark lab tests were conducted by ETS Laboratories in Napa. Using a Wine Shield against control bottles with no preservation method, ETS found a marked difference in the quality of wine preserved with a Wine Shield as indicated by oxidation over a period of three to seven days. Wine Shield, in their marketing materials, splits the difference and claims it, “Will preserve the taste and aroma of the wine at restaurant quality for up to five days.”
While lab tests are great, they are no match to kitchen counter testing so I set out to do my own trial. Using two bottles of an identical red blend (the appropriately called HOUSE WINE from The Magnificent Wine Company), I put a half bottle under the Wine Shield for five days and tasted it against a freshly opened bottle.
Color me surprised. I’m an avowed Vacuvin and refrigeration guy, so the notion of keeping a bottle of wine out on the countertop created more than a hint of skepticism. Yet, five days later not only was the wine preserved by the Wine Shield perfectly potable, but I’d dare say that is had imperceptible levels of degradation. It merely tasted as if it had been nicely decanted next to the freshly opened bottle. The nose was still delightfully intact, the fruit was abundant and the tannins had softened to a smooth, fine grain.
Yet, the Wine Shield is not without room for critique– the application process with the prong thingamajig is awkward and for the average wine enthusiast a Wine Shield is probably more of an occasional use item for expensive bottles of wine that won’t be finished in one sitting. Yet, at an inexpensive $5.95 for a six-pack and $6.95 for a 10-pack, I’d have a stash sitting around for when the need arises.
Where the real opportunity exists for Wine Shield, in my opinion, is in restaurants that serve wine by the glass, but don’t have earnest wine programs. We’ve all been to a Thai joint and ordered a glass of Riesling that, to put it mildly, was way over the hill. Here, where argon systems and wine preservation aren’t on the restaurant priority list, the Wine Shield would do wonders.
Overall, the Wine Shield is a winner and a little slice of genius when you consider how simple of an idea it is. Even the most jaundiced of wine enthusiasts will be pleasantly surprised at its performance. Consumers can buy it here and on-premise can buy wholesale here.
Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/wine_accessory_review_wine_shield/
Guadet Saint Julien Haut Bages Liberal Haut Bailly Haut Batailley Haut Batailley Rare Signed Marie Jeanne
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Ignorance, Bias, Hipocrisy, Self Service?Wine Wholesaler Style
It's so rare that opponents of regulated consumer access to wine are so willing to demonstrate their ignorance, bias, hypocrisy and self serving intentions. Yet, thanks to Paul Mabray's VinTank interview with Wine & Spirit Wholesalers Association President Craig Wolf...
Cantenac Brown Carillon d\\\'Angelus Caronne Ste Gemme Carruades de Lafite Certan de May
Mapping Out My Cocktails
In SAN FRANCISCO...my right drink is an OLD FASHIONED In NEW ORLEANS...my drink is the SAZERAC VEGAS...its all about CHAMPAGNE PARIS...has always called to me with PASTIS But NEW YORK...the Center of the Universe...it's all about the greatest cocktail there...
Clos Cantenac Clos de l\\\'Oratoire Clos de Sarpe Clos des Jacobins Clos du Marquis
Wine Publicists Promoting...Themselves
This particular irony will have gone unnoticed by most people: Publicists aren't particularly good at promoting themselves, their businesses, their capabilities and their success. Today, I spoke with a fellow publicists who was wondering, essentially, "what's the best way to...
Certan de May Charmail Chasse Spleen Chateau Hermitage St Emilion Chauvin
Preview: 20th Annual Boston Wine Expo
The first couple of times I went to the Expo I thought I'd map out a list of specific wines I wanted to taste. Although I identified a few favorites and was able to taste them, that game plan went out the window about as fast as a strategy on Top Chef. That is to say the strategy didn't last very long. I had a game plan and after hitting a couple of them I went into survival mode and sought out tables with short lines and headed out when the crowds got too dense.
A few strategies that play well in any event like this:
- Plan your dinner reservations ahead of time (here's an option nearby the Expo)
- Arrive with a full stomach
- Spit as many wines as you can bear
- Spend time talking to winemakers
- Take time out for one of the free Celebrity Chef demos (schedule here)
- Nominate a designated driver, take mass transit, or hire a ride home
One thing I liked about The Wine Riot was their mobile application that lets you rate wines via your cell phone and see what wines are popular with other attendees. Great news on this front: The Boston Wine Expo is leveraging the same exact technology from the company that puts on Wine Riot. When you're at the event (or prior so you can register via your full-sized keyboard) point your browser to: m.secondglass.com
One thing I didn't like about past Expos is the lack of substantial food. After a while you were scavenging around trying to make a meal out of chocolate bar fragments and gourmet cheese samples. Good news: Looks like they've improved that dramatically! Here's a list of restaurants that will be dishing out free samples.
If you've got tickets to the Grand Cru Lounge, be sure to check out The Original and Authentic Wine Tasting Cookie. You've heard of wine tasting crackers but have you heard of wine tasting cookies? The cookies provide a delicious way to cleanse the palate between wines you're tasting. The Wellesley-based company is launching at the Expo and sampling their cookies in the Grand Cru lounge. I'll be doing a full story on them next week but for now, especially if you're a retailer and would like to carry them in your store, check 'em out:
Looking forward to seeing you there. I'm planning to attend during media hours tomorrow morning and at the Grand Cru Lounge Sunday afternoon.
Armagnac Baron de Sigognac Armagnac Baron de Sigognac ans Armagnac Chateau de Laubade NV Armagnac Clos des Saveurs Armagnac Magnol (Cracked Seal)
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 by region and not varietal, and are poured in chatea�s beckoning you with long dusty [...]
Ducru Beaucaillou Duhart Milon Duhart Milon Rothschild Exception de Quinault Ferriere
Best Kept Secret in Boston Wine Value Eyes Expansion into Waltham
Most people who shop at the BJ's Warehouse locations in Danvers and Stoneham, MA probably don't realize the liquor stores within these locations aren't run by BJ's. At first glance they look like a typical liquor area within a warehouse club, but to wine value hunters like myself these stores represent one of the best kept secrets in the Boston area.
The stores are owned and operated by Boston-based RWJ Beverage Management in a model similar to what KH&H Liquors has done at Costco locations. Two unique laws cause warehouse clubs to operate this way:
Sure they have Kendall Jackson Chardonnay at $9.99 but they also have the 2007 Cakebread Cabernet at $59.99. They've got the Annabella Pinot Noir at $11.99 and they've also got the 2007 Chappellet Pritchard Hill Cab Franc for $39.99. And the 2005 Robert Foley Merlot for $24.99. And the 2006 Nicolas Potel Volnay for $24.99. These are, for my interests, unbelievable values.
It's not just a matter of dishing out cheap wine. They host in-store wine tastings, they fulfill special orders, they support local charities and they're friends of the local wine community. They're anything but a seedy discount liquor store.
So why am I writing to tell you about these stores today? Well, to raise awareness of the value they offer in general but also to let you know they're seeking to open another location within the BJ's Wholesale in Waltham, MA.
Last year they acquired the license from the now-defunct Winecellar of Silene contingent on being permitted to transfer it by the City of Waltham. Their first request was denied, perhaps as part of an overall anti-big box sentiment associated with BJ's. The BJ's in Waltham is open now, without a liquor store, so I hope the city will permit this high-value retailer to set up shop.
There's going to be a hearing Tuesday night January 25th, 2011 in Waltham. Especially if you're a Waltham resident and like wine values close to home this is a hearing you may be interested in attending. Although I don't live in Waltham I'm thinking about swinging by to show my support. It really bugs me to see high quality retailers like this denied the opportunity to serve consumers.
If you have any questions about the store or the hearing contact Mike Reardon at 617-412-2858 or on Twitter: @WineCellarsMA
Your call to action:
The stores are owned and operated by Boston-based RWJ Beverage Management in a model similar to what KH&H Liquors has done at Costco locations. Two unique laws cause warehouse clubs to operate this way:
- In Massachusetts any single entity can only own 3 liquor licenses. That's why some Whole Foods and Trader Joe's locations don't sell wine in the state.
Here's a list of the grocery stores in the state that do sell wine.
This creates a situation where warehouse clubs have locations where they can't sell alcohol and instead allow a third party to operate within their locations so shoppers can buy alcoholic beverages. - It's illegal for an alcoholic beverage retailer to require a membership. Therefore, one need not have a membership to Costco or BJ's in order to purchase alcoholic beverages. This applies whether the store is managed by the warehouse club or not - a membership is never required.
Sure they have Kendall Jackson Chardonnay at $9.99 but they also have the 2007 Cakebread Cabernet at $59.99. They've got the Annabella Pinot Noir at $11.99 and they've also got the 2007 Chappellet Pritchard Hill Cab Franc for $39.99. And the 2005 Robert Foley Merlot for $24.99. And the 2006 Nicolas Potel Volnay for $24.99. These are, for my interests, unbelievable values.
It's not just a matter of dishing out cheap wine. They host in-store wine tastings, they fulfill special orders, they support local charities and they're friends of the local wine community. They're anything but a seedy discount liquor store.
So why am I writing to tell you about these stores today? Well, to raise awareness of the value they offer in general but also to let you know they're seeking to open another location within the BJ's Wholesale in Waltham, MA.
Last year they acquired the license from the now-defunct Winecellar of Silene contingent on being permitted to transfer it by the City of Waltham. Their first request was denied, perhaps as part of an overall anti-big box sentiment associated with BJ's. The BJ's in Waltham is open now, without a liquor store, so I hope the city will permit this high-value retailer to set up shop.
There's going to be a hearing Tuesday night January 25th, 2011 in Waltham. Especially if you're a Waltham resident and like wine values close to home this is a hearing you may be interested in attending. Although I don't live in Waltham I'm thinking about swinging by to show my support. It really bugs me to see high quality retailers like this denied the opportunity to serve consumers.
If you have any questions about the store or the hearing contact Mike Reardon at 617-412-2858 or on Twitter: @WineCellarsMA
Your call to action:
Fact, Reason and Resenting the Biodynamic Wine Movement
In Stu Smith's latest volley at his blog "Biodynamics is a Hoax", he delivers in his most succinct fashion ("succinct is not one of Stu's strong suits since he, like me, tends to like words and uses them in volume)...
Pinot Noir Cabernet Sauvinon Wine and Cheese Wine Rack French Wine
237-year Old White Wine Sold For $77,500
Most people think that only red wines age for hundreds of years but the truth is that some white wines are suited for extended bottle age. This is primarily due to the acidity of the wine and is mostly associated with noble varieties such as Riesling. But a wine made from the Savagnin grape in [...]
237-year Old White Wine Sold For $77,500 originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/U9lLxezVYnI/
La Conseillante La Couspaude La Croix de Beaucaillou La Croix du Casse La Fleur Cardinale
Profiling Robert Parker's 100 Point Wines
Yes, the 100 Point rating scale is not perfect. OK, with that out of the way, I find the 100 point rating system fascinating on a number of levels. Most fascinating of all is the degree to which it effects...
d\\\'Angludet d\\\'Armailhac De Chevalier De Fieuzal De l\\\'Eglise
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Where in the wine world are we? Rocky vineyard edition
My vacation rages, and so do our mystery photos! This one, not one of my photos, is from a rocky vineyard that produces a limited quantity of fruit. But the juice it produces is quite coveted, if little known…Anyway, enough with the hints! Hit the comments with your thoughts as to just where in the [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/G7lDAFUIDjU/
Latour a Pomerol Laville Haut Brion Le Gay Le Moulin Le Moulin Pomerol
Davis Bynum, Pinot Noir 2008
Davis Bynum is a�venerable name in California Pinot Noir having made their reputation back when Joseph Swan was still with us. Founded in 1973, Davis Bynum was the first to produce a single-vineyard Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley; from the now legendary�Rochioli Vineyard. And this heritage lives on even after the sale to [...]
Davis Bynum, Pinot Noir 2008 originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/6sxRm_z4EEU/
Wine Word of the Week: Pruning
This week?s Wine Word of the Week is pruning. Official definition from Jancis Robinson?s The Oxford Companion to Wine: Pruning of vines involves cutting off unwanted vegetative parts in the form of canes in winter. ?. Winter pruning is a vineyard practice developed primarily to produce fewer but larger bunches of riper grapes and is [...]
Wine Word of the Week: Pruning 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/aqm-HKeJfMs/
Bahans Haut Brion Barde Haut Baronat Mouton Baron Philippe Batailley Beau Sejour Becot
Rockin? at Wine & Cars
Everyone had a great time at Wine & Cars Under the Stars last weekend. Don’t believe me? Check out the video: The evening was a great success, netting nearly $50,000 for the foundations at Fairplex and their programs. If you missed Wine & Cars, you can taste the award-winning wines of the Los Angeles International [...]
Source: http://blogs.fairplex.com/blog/wine/?p=100
Croix de Labrie Croizet Bages d\\\'Agassac d\\\'Aiguilhe Dame de Montrose
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/
La Gaffeliere La Garde La Gomerie La Lagune La Mission Haut Brion
Wine Publicists Promoting...Themselves
This particular irony will have gone unnoticed by most people: Publicists aren't particularly good at promoting themselves, their businesses, their capabilities and their success. Today, I spoke with a fellow publicists who was wondering, essentially, "what's the best way to...
Larmande Larrivet Haut Brion Lascombes Latour Latour a Pomerol
How To Survive ZAP
Today starts the annual Zinfandel Advocates & Producers Festival for me in San Francisco. It’s been a few years since I’ve attended so I have been thinking about the best strategy to cover the grand tasting tomorrow. Back before my first ZAP, I asked pioneer wine blogger and ZAP veteran Alder Yarrow of Vinography for [...]
How To Survive ZAP originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/scmsd40ZewE/
Where in the wine world are we? Rocky vineyard edition
My vacation rages, and so do our mystery photos! This one, not one of my photos, is from a rocky vineyard that produces a limited quantity of fruit. But the juice it produces is quite coveted, if little known…Anyway, enough with the hints! Hit the comments with your thoughts as to just where in the [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/G7lDAFUIDjU/
Loire: 2008, 2009, 2010 and more!
The Loire has such diverse wines–red, white, pink, sparkling, sweet–that there’s enough to keep a wine enthusiast’s attention for a long time. Add to that a refreshing level of acidity in the wines and there’s a lot to interest a foodie too since the wines pair so well with food. And of course they offer [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/iLdmhU2LaXA/
Ducru Beaucaillou Duhart Milon Duhart Milon Rothschild Exception de Quinault Ferriere
A Visit with Winemaker Vince Tofanelli
It is such a wonderful change of pace to visit a winemaker like Vince Tofanelli. Too often when we visit the Napa Valley we get caught upby the big and the fancy wineries and tasting rooms and tend to overlook the smaller names of the Napa Valley. Continue reading
Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/napablog/a-visit-with-winemaker-vince-tofanelli/
d\\\'Angludet d\\\'Armailhac De Chevalier De Fieuzal De l\\\'Eglise
Friday, February 25, 2011
New Years Eve 2011 @ CrossRoads Winery Frisco Texas
Counting down the hours till the new year. Next year will be great. I will be doing more with my blog on Texas wine and I hope to visit more and different Texas winery’s this new year. To start off the year what better way to check out and revisit a local winery here [...]
Source: http://thegrapesaroundtexas.com/2010/12/29/new-years-eve-2011-crossroads-winery-frisco-texas/
Calon Segur Cambon la Pelouse Canon Canon la Gaffeliere Cantemerle
Nine East Wine Emporium: 25% Off 12 Bottles of American Wine
The closest wine shop to the west as you head towards Natick is Nine East Wine Emporium. I don't think I've mentioned them a lot since starting this blog a few years ago and that has primarily to do with one thing: Their pricing model. They typically offer 25% off 24 mixed bottles of wine, which brings the prices down out of the stratosphere, but forces me to buy 2 cases. That's more than I like to buy at a time - since I'm typically interested in just a few specific wines they carry. I prefer a model where the first bottle is sold at a good discount so I can buy as many (or as few) wines as I really want and don't have to "pad" my purchase with extraneous bottles.
However, right now they're running a special where any 12 bottles of American wine qualify for the 25% discount so I thought to stop in and check out their selection. As is typical, items on sale and non-American wines count towards your twelve but don't qualify for the discount.
Here's what I found:
2008 Adelsheim Pinot Noir Willamette Valley
90WS/$30 Release Price
$27.99 Retail/$20.99 After Discount
This was the primary wine I was interested in trying. I still don't feel like I've found the values in 2008 Oregon Pinot Noir I was hoping for and this is one that's been on my list. Unfortunately, this wine was an utter disappointment and I wouldn't recommend it:
This wine is a poster child for why I think 2008 Oregon Pinot Noir is the most over-rated vintage in recent memory. Starts off with twangy/green/stemmy aromas. Reveals a bit of fruit on the palate but ultimately falls flat. Lacks acidity. It may have some aftertaste but lacks finish. I can find a nice red Burgundy for under $30. This wine retails in the upper $20s and presents a poor value to the consumer. If this is the best Oregon Pinot Noir has to offer I'm not buying.
84/100 WWP: Good
2008 Educated Guess Cabernet Sauvignon
(2007 Vintage 88WS, 2008 not yet rated)/$20 Release Price
$22.99 Retail/$17.24 After Discount
I've tasted this wine so many times, but I've never had a bottle of it at home.
Wow. This wine is not for purists, Bordeaux fans or those opposed to a little sweetness in their Napa Cab. The effects of oak treatment are quite evident I think. Butterscotch, caramel, movie theater popcorn on top of some vague red fruit in the background. Minimal acidity. Some savory notes save it from being dismissed as a tutti-fruity candy wine. But in the right situation this wine works for me. It's not at all challenging but it is delicious. At least for my palate.
88/100 WWP: Very Good
2007 Honig Cabernet Sauvignon
92 WS/$40 Release Price
$37.99 Retail/$28.49 After Discount
I think this is the value play of the highly regarded 2007 Napa Cab vintage. I've had this wine a number of times at home and at restaurants and it has absolutely delivered every time. Highly recommended and at a great price here after discount.
This wine so completely aligns with the flavor profile I'm looking for in a Napa Cab- I love it. Ripe blackberries that fade into deliciously savory dusty tannins. The finish is a bit short but it tasted so good I didn't care.
93/100 WWP: Oustanding
2009 Sean Minor 4 Bears Carneros Pinot Noir
$19.99 Retail/$14.99 After Discount
I tried the 2008 vintage of this wine recently and rated it 88 points. A friend who was shopping there raved about this 09 so I picked it up. I've got a good feeling about this one.
I rounded things out with 2008 Torii Mor Oregon Pinot Noir, a 2006 Hendry Cabernet HDR and a 2009 Block Nine California Pinot Noir.
Definitely chat up Harry Zarkades if you stop in. He's got deep knowledge and a great palate.
Check 'em out:
Nine East Wine Emporium
Route Nine East, Wellesley/Natick Line
508-653-6221
Royal Villa at the Grand Resort Lagonissi
Have you ever given it a thought that how about going by a private jet and staying at the luxurious and most expensive hotels of the different countries? Royal Villa at the Grand Resort Lagonissi in Attica, Greece is considered as one of the most expensive resorts of the world. It provides its exclusive list [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vagablond/ysSN/~3/iTlUgpeL1Oo/
Haut Batailley Rare Signed Marie Jeanne Haut Brion Haut Marbuzet Haut Sarpe Hosanna
The G Spot, The Titanic, Verdehlgold ? punny French labels!
All too often, French labels are stuffy. However, when it comes to good vin de table wines, puns and word play abound. Consider these from the Loire: This is a tasty yet tannic (thanks six-month maceration!) gamay from Emile Heredia of Domaine de Montrieux in the Coteaux du Vend�mois. It’s labeled simply “G.” With a [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/1X6rWCrQ45E/
Gazin Giscours Giscours Rare Signed Marie Jeanne Gloria Gomerie
Where in the wine world are we? Barrel room edition
Where in the wine world are we? We haven’t done one of these for a while….but look for clues in the photo, then hit us with your thoughts in the comments. Win a gold star! Partial credit if you show your work. There is a bit of a story here to check back later for [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/BfXz03Q5Z7w/
Napa Valley Golf Courses ? Any Good?
Every now and then we receive an email request asking that we recommend a good place to play golf while visiting the Napa Valley. I guess people do like to do other activities besides taste delicious wines and enjoy gourmet meals when in the Napa Valley. Continue reading
Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/napablog/napa-valley-golf-courses-any-good/
Batailley Beau Sejour Becot Beau Site Beaumont Beausejour Becot
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/
Armagnac Clos des Saveurs Armagnac Magnol (Cracked Seal) Armagnac Vieil Sempe YO Armagnac XO Lauboude NV Croix de Salle Armagnac
The G Spot, The Titanic, Verdehlgold ? punny French labels!
All too often, French labels are stuffy. However, when it comes to good vin de table wines, puns and word play abound. Consider these from the Loire: This is a tasty yet tannic (thanks six-month maceration!) gamay from Emile Heredia of Domaine de Montrieux in the Coteaux du Vend�mois. It’s labeled simply “G.” With a [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/1X6rWCrQ45E/
Clerc Milon Climens Clinet Clos Cantenac Clos de l\\\'Oratoire
Grape Radio Interviews Author Rex Pickett
My friends at Grape Radio have posted a great interview with Rex Pickett, the author of ‘Sideways’ and its sequel ‘Vertical.’ Although the guys spend much of the podcast talking about ‘Sideways’ Pickett does work in plenty of details about his latest novel. Between this and the written interview posted recently by Blake Gray, I [...]
Grape Radio Interviews Author Rex Pickett originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/sjlaqqM3PSg/
Lynch Moussas Magdelaine Magrez Fombrauge Malartic Lagraviere Malescot St. Exupery
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Mustard Festival Won?t Continue ? What to do instead
This was to be the 20th annual Mustard Festival but the event is taking a ?hiatus? as it states on the Mustard Festival website. I must admit the only event I ever participated in was the mustard photo contest. All the other official mustard events sounded like fun but they were way too expensive for my pocket book. Just because there is no official Mustard Festival this year, don?t let that stop you from enjoying the wild mustard and visiting the Napa Valley. You can always make up your own Mustard Festival activities. We love this time of the year and here are a few of our favorite mustard activities that will be easy on your budget.
Continue reading
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Afros Wine ? a sensory experience
What helps a winemaker make a really interesting wine? Is it the tools, technology and modern training received from experts at the best wine colleges? Or might it be the fact that when they walk through a grove, crunching the remains of Autumn leaves underfoot, to the sounds of the local church bell down the [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/XhODua94tBc/
TasteCamp East:Bloggers Arrive in the Finger Lakes
This is one of my favorite times of the year.� I’m fortunate enough to be included on the list of wine bloggers and writers who get asked to attend TasteCamp East, organized by Lenn Thompson and Evan Dawson at The New York Cork Report. Last year, Long Island Wine Country hosted our group and although [...]
Source: http://familylovewine.wordpress.com/2010/05/06/tastecamp-eastbloggers-arrive-in-the-finger-lakes/
Branaire Ducru Brane Cantenac Brown Calon Segur Cambon la Pelouse
Field Notes from a Wine Life ? Vino 2011 Recap Edition
Odds and ends from a life lived through the prism of the wine glass …
Millenials
At the 6th annual presentation of U.S. wine consumer trends given by the Wine Market Council (WMC) at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City on January 25, 2011, President John Gillespie said everything and said nothing when pressed about “What should wineries do” in regards to Millenials and marketing. Gillespie noted in response to the query, “It’s so complicated. But, you can’t ignore it. Or, you ignore it at your own peril.”
With that, wineries everywhere heaved a labored sigh. “Complicated” is right and “Ignore” is exactly what I think is happening.
“Twenty something’s.” “Generation Y.” “Millenials.” “Social media.” By now, these are titular reference points that I suspect most people are sick of hearing about, joining me in phraseology weariness.
It’s nothing personal; I grow weary of other phrases that collapse under the weight of cultural overuse, too. The next time I hear somebody say, “Thrown under the bus” I’m going to gather them up by the shirt collar and throw them in front of, well, the next passing bus… In addition, the irony is that for all of the so-called, “Sense of entitlement” that Millennial’s possess, our information culture has done a good job of making this generation feel like they are special by constantly keeping them in the headlines, particularly with the use of social media as some sort of marketing elixir (note: I didn’t use the overused phrase, “Silver bullet”).
Despite the omnipresent awareness of Millenials and social media, after having spent a couple of days in New York City this week at the Vino 2011 conference, I can’t help but point out that my sense of Millenial marketing, social media and the wine business writ large is that people have tuned out—just as I’ve reasonably tuned out, as well.
I sense that most producers in the global industry played out in the U.S. know that Millenials are important to the future of wine; they know that Millenials have taken to wine, yet they don’t sense the imperative and they really don’t know what to do to appeal to this youngest generation. And, of course, my sense of the situation is compounded by the fact that producers have been beaten to a bloody nub with the importance of Millenial marketing from the braying pundits who don’t have proverbial, “Skin in the game.”
In this case, it feels almost like a reverse case of the Preacher’s Kid – or “PK” in a Midwestern abbreviated colloquialism. As a strict parent if you tell the PK over and over that drinking, smoking and screwing is awful and horrible, the kids are going to do it out of defiance. Played out in the wine industry, a placid lull seems to have taken place whereby a non-focus on Millenials is manifest almost as a narcoleptic rebellion against conventional wisdom.
While I have the luxury of selective attention because I work in digital marketing by profession and can select what’s important to me based on what project I’m working on, the wine business has no such luxury regarding this key demographic.
Two elements brought this topic of Millenials, social media and the wine business back to front and center for me, giving me a, pardon the indelicacy, a “Holy shit” moment.
First, I was doing research in advance of my participation on a panel about Millenials and digital marketing when I ran across some astounding statistics from the Pew Research Center.
If reading through the technology adoption habits of the generations in the Generations 2010 research report released in December of last year doesn’t shake a wine marketer into a moment of despair when compared against their slate marketing plan tactics then I don’t know what will.
To wit, according to Pew, 95% of Millenials are online (the greatest percentage of any generation), 83% use a social network, and they lead in every category related to online usage.
As internet analyst Charlene Li has noted, “Social networks will be like air.”
Indeed.
The other key moment was information presented by Gillespie at the aforementioned Wine Market Council annual research review, co-presented with Danny Brager from Nielsen.
Unfortunately, in their finite discretion, the WMC chose not to provide a copy of the entire presentation, instead offering a peculiar abbreviated hard copy, leaving the meaty elements out of the distribution at the invitation only event. Despite the Three Stooges eye poke to the attendee’s, I did scribe some really critical statistics that should make any wine marketer sit up straight in their chair and adjust their somnambulistic gaze into focus with alacrity.
1) In 2010, wine represented the 3rd fastest growing consumer packaged good
2) Throughout the recession, Millenials have demonstrated the most consumer confidence of any generation
3) 91% of wine by volume is drunk by core wine drinkers
4) 51% of Millenials are core wine drinkers!!
5) 25% of wine consumed by Millenials costs $20 +
6) Of a total population of 71 million, 16M Millenials have yet to come of age
So, taken together, the fact that Millenials, essentially, live online, 1 in 2 is a “core” wine drinker, 1 in 4 bottles they purchase is over $20 and about 23% of them have yet to become 21, I would say that the implications are clear.
Get ye online, and get yourself in front of Millenials or, as Gillespie says with a paucity of detail, “Ignore it at your own peril.”
Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/field_notes_from_a_wine_life_vino_2011_recap_edition/
Haut Batailley Rare Signed Marie Jeanne Haut Brion Haut Marbuzet Haut Sarpe Hosanna
TasteCamp East: Voracious Wine Bloggers Taste Throughout the Finger�Lakes
This past weekend, I was among a group of wine bloggers who participated in the 2nd TasteCamp East, this year in the Finger Lakes.� The local wine industry is the inspiration for this blog and my business as I’ve mentioned to you before.� I had nothing to do with the selection of our region as [...]
Three Heart Warming Merlots: Waterbrook, Bolen, and Robert Foley
We got pounded with snow here in Massachusetts last week. As much as it sucks battling through a cold winter there's a certain amount of pleasure to be drawn from being snowed in with no place to go and nothing to do other than crack open a bottle of heart warming red wine.
A trio of Merlots found their way into the rotation during the week. They say if a winery is still making Merlot at this point they're probably making good Merlot. I don't know if that's necessarily true, but I find Merlot to be a value play compared to Cabernet Sauvignon from domestic producers frequently, and for immediate consumption Merlot can often run circles around Cabernet. It's kind of like Barbaresco to Barolo - if you're buying it for tonight Merlot and Barbaresco show a lot better than their rough and tumble counterparts.
Here are my thoughts on Merlots for your shopping consideration...
2007 Waterbrook Reserve Merlot
Release Price: $22
14.5% Alcohol
3,030 Cases Produced
Aromatically vibrant immediately upon opening with welcoming aromas of caramel on top of warm black cherry preserves. But there's a hole in this wine's soul - at least in this bottle. The initial attack on the palate is straight fruit, but things fall off right after that and never quite rise to the level the of the aromas. It's a bit of a let down because the nose on this wine is amazing.
88/100 WWP: Very Good
Purchased at: VinoDivino
2007 Bolen Family Estates Merlot
Release Price: $60
15.2% Alcohol
250 Cases Produced
Visually this wine is less opaque than you'd expect given its bold flavors. On the nose I get rich red and black fruit, mocha, and cinnamon. Floods the palate with a satisfying rich presence. Velvety mouth feel. Long finish. 15.2% alc and it shows at points. Overall - outstanding. Sample for review.
92/100 WWP: Outstanding
Sample for review.
2005 Robert Foley Merlot
Release Price: $50
14.6% Alcohol
1,000 Cases Produced
Dark fruit on the nose. Milk chocolate on the palate. Superb velvety mouth feel. Everything is well-integrated at this point. Nicely balanced.
91/100 WWP: Outstanding
Purchased at: The Wine Cellar of Stoneham
Question of the Day: What are some of your favorite domestic Merlots?
A trio of Merlots found their way into the rotation during the week. They say if a winery is still making Merlot at this point they're probably making good Merlot. I don't know if that's necessarily true, but I find Merlot to be a value play compared to Cabernet Sauvignon from domestic producers frequently, and for immediate consumption Merlot can often run circles around Cabernet. It's kind of like Barbaresco to Barolo - if you're buying it for tonight Merlot and Barbaresco show a lot better than their rough and tumble counterparts.
Here are my thoughts on Merlots for your shopping consideration...
Release Price: $22
14.5% Alcohol
3,030 Cases Produced
Aromatically vibrant immediately upon opening with welcoming aromas of caramel on top of warm black cherry preserves. But there's a hole in this wine's soul - at least in this bottle. The initial attack on the palate is straight fruit, but things fall off right after that and never quite rise to the level the of the aromas. It's a bit of a let down because the nose on this wine is amazing.
88/100 WWP: Very Good
Purchased at: VinoDivino
Release Price: $60
15.2% Alcohol
250 Cases Produced
Visually this wine is less opaque than you'd expect given its bold flavors. On the nose I get rich red and black fruit, mocha, and cinnamon. Floods the palate with a satisfying rich presence. Velvety mouth feel. Long finish. 15.2% alc and it shows at points. Overall - outstanding. Sample for review.
92/100 WWP: Outstanding
Sample for review.
Release Price: $50
14.6% Alcohol
1,000 Cases Produced
Dark fruit on the nose. Milk chocolate on the palate. Superb velvety mouth feel. Everything is well-integrated at this point. Nicely balanced.
91/100 WWP: Outstanding
Purchased at: The Wine Cellar of Stoneham
Question of the Day: What are some of your favorite domestic Merlots?
Cambon la Pelouse Canon Canon la Gaffeliere Cantemerle Cantenac Brown
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Welcome to the Future
I won’t have a chance to get everyone an update on wider life for a few more days at the least (things are busy both professionally and personally, well definitely personally) but I was sad to see that social media darling Gary V has chosen to close Cork’d. Cork’d To Close It’s Doors It’s an [...]
Source: http://winewithmark.info/archives/632
Leoville Poyferre Les Forts de Latour Les Tourelles de Longueville l\\\'Evangile l\\\'Interdit de Valandraud
How To Find Values On A Restaurant Wine List
One of the most stressful moments for a lot of business travelers is not when the client has an objection or asks a difficult question but when they are handed a restaurant wine list. Depending on where you are dining this can be a selection of a few dozen to several hundred choices or even [...]
How To Find Values On A Restaurant Wine List originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/NvbXZpZUqCM/
Bel Air Lalande de Pomerol Belair Belgrave Bellefont Belcier Bellevue Mondotte
A letter About The Wine and Beer Wholesaler Protection Act
HR 5034, the bill introduced into Congress last year that would have altered the balance of power in the realm of alcohol beverage sales and consumer access to favor middlemen distributors, is still on the mind of many in the...
Clos du Marquis Clos Dubreuil Clos l\\\'Eglise Clos Puy Arnaud Corbin
How To Decode Sherry Bottling Codes
Today is Wine Blogging Wednesday 70 and I’ve chosen Sherry in keeping with the theme of Spanish wines we have never had before. Sherry has a lot of issues gaining mindshare with the American consumer but one of the most basic is turnover of stock since some Sherries ?�Fino and Manzanilla in particular ?�are best [...]
How To Decode Sherry Bottling Codes originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/9JTdUjQdJIQ/
Corbin Cos d\\\'Estournel Couspaude Couvent des Jacobins Croix de Labrie
Vandals, counterfeits, NZ, rack fail, new blog ? sipped & spit
SPIT: wine shelf Looks like they’ll need a mega cleanup in aisle 7! [Fail blog/youtube] DESTROYED: international treasure In Austria, vandals have uprooted and chopped to bits a 500-year-old vine. Hit the comments on what their punishment should be. [AP] UPGRADED: the wine blogosphere Mike Steinberger, wine columnist at Slate.com, has started a new blog. [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/14w8MH9FbyM/
Charmail Chasse Spleen Chateau Hermitage St Emilion Chauvin Cheval Blanc
Frank Bruni and the Comic Edge of High End Spirits Marketing
For those with a penchant for doubting the appeal of precious and pretentious marketing, I refer you to today's edition of Frank Bruni's "Tipsy Diaries" column in the New York Times. Today, writing under the headline, "Celestial Come-ons and Other...
Belgrave Bellefont Belcier Bellevue Mondotte Berliquet Beychevelle
The Italian Cloud Descends Upon Sir Harry
It's always a bit odd for me when I find myself securely in America, yet surrounded by a foreign language to the point of having english squeezed out of the picture. Of course one is accustomed to and expects this...
Pavie Pavie Decesse Pavie Macquin Pavillon Rouge du Margaux Pinot Noir
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