January, 2011

Facts January 31, 2011

Oenophobia: The Worst Phobia Known to Man!

Oenophobia is an intense fear or hatred of wine. Supposedly, people who suffer from this phobia often do so because of the complexity that involves choosing and drinking wine.  Oenophobia is also referred to as a type of social anxiety disorder in which a person will avoid wine altogether, fearing they are not well-knowledgeable about the selection. Individuals may experience anxiety, nervousness, embarrassment, or slight perspiration. I’m NOT making this up I promise!   The…

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News January 31, 2011

Walgreens Launches New Wine Brand for American Heart Month

Walgreens is set to launch a new private label wine in the next few weeks. Colby Red is a California blend of Cabernet, Zinfandel, Shiraz, Merlot and Petite Sirah and will retail for $12.99.   The wine is dedicated to raising awareness for heart disease in association with the American Heart Association. Winemaker Daryl Groom was inspired to create the wine in honor of his 12-year old son, Colby Rex Groom, who was born with…

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Reviews January 28, 2011

Riondo Prosecco NV

  Grape Prosecco di Valdobbiadene [Val-do-bi-ad-en-ay]   Facts Prosecco is made using a much simpler method than true Champagne. Instead of fermenting in the bottle (as Champagne is), Prosecco grapes are fermented in large stainless steel vats. There are a couple of reasons behind this; firstly it’s cheaper, secondly if the wine was made in the same way as Champagne (and subsequently aged in the bottle), the wine would lose a lot of its freshness,…

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News January 28, 2011

The World Wide Wine Network

I’m very happy to say my blog is now being syndicated on the World Wide Wine Network! The network acts as a classified space for over 16,000 wine professionals, and is owned and operated by fellow wine blogger Richard Randall.   Check out the World Wide Wine Network on Facebook

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Funny, News January 27, 2011

The Bottoms Up Doorbell

Just when you thought you had everything! Some GENIUS comes along and invents a wine glass doorbell!!! The "Bottoms Up" doorbell uses the sound from two crystal wineglasses, hanging upside down on either side of a miniature hammer, triggered by a traditional electromagnet doorbell. I’m just sad I didn’t get one for Christmas! Oh well, maybe next year… Available for $216.00 from GSelect

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News January 25, 2011

Top 10 Mistakes Wineries (and Other Businesses) Make on Facebook–Part 2

Continuing on from my post yesterday, these are my top 5 mistakes wineries (and other businesses) make on Facebook.     5. Not Embracing the Human Element As the Internet is evolving, it is becoming inherently more human. You can’t just setup a website, or in this case a Facebook Page and hope people love you and your content! In order to embrace the human element, it is wise to show your audience what you…

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News January 24, 2011

Top 10 Mistakes Wineries (and Other Businesses) Make on Facebook – Part 1

This is a post that I have been wanting to write for quite some time, but am only just now getting round to it. First of all I wanted to use real examples to illustrate each point, and I knew that would take a certain amount of labor in order to collect each screenshot. I am using wineries as an example of the top 10 mistakes made on Facebook, but it can indeed be applied…

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Facts, News January 22, 2011

Champagne Terms – You Need to be Drunk to Understand Them…

It’s no secret that all the different terms used to describe the production, style and quality is mind-numbing! Here’s my guide to just about every term imaginable that you will ever find on a Champagne label.   Champagne / Sparkling Wine Dryness Levels Brut Nature – You don’t see this used too much, but it means totally dry, no dosage (sweetening) added (less than 3 grams of sugar per liter) Extra Brut (also less than…

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News January 21, 2011

Is Wine the Same as Pot or Cigarettes?

This caught my attention…     It really concerns me that it’s being taught in schools that wine is the same as illegal drugs and cigarettes. My opinion has always been that if kids are educated (both in schools and at home) about moderate alcohol consumption, there is a lesser chance for binge drinking and alcoholism in later life. Maybe this is due to me being born and raised in England, where you can order and legally…

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Pairings January 19, 2011

13 Gypsies and Biltmore Estate Blanc de Blancs

  Sometimes it’s hard for me to get to restaurant’s working the schedule I do. Some of the best places in Jacksonville are closed on Sunday and Monday (my usual days off), and most places are closed by the time I finish work. Dinner at 13 Gypsies has therefore been a long time coming! First off, let me start by saying that the place is tiny, and by tiny I mean 7 tables. It therefore…

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