January, 2012

News January 31, 2012

Romance is Dead: The Demise of the Quarterly Review of Wines Magazine.

The Quarterly Review of Wines is calling it quits for its 145,000-circulation magazine after more than thirty years. “No one really wanted to go, but we all knew it was time,” said publisher/owner Richard Elia.  The QRW has been checking out vintages and profiling winery owners since 1977. Elia decided it was time for last call because of an aging staff, declining ads and readership and an industry that’s not much fun to cover any…

Read More
News January 31, 2012

Chapoutier Calls Natural Winemakers “Hippies from Another World”.

Renowned Rhone producer Michel Chapoutier has added his own comments to the natural wine debate by denouncing natural winemakers as out-of-touch hippies making defective wines. Interviewed in the current issue of Decanter, Chapoutier tells John Livingstone-Learmonth the practice of natural winemaking – that is, using no sulphur dioxide to stabilize the wines – is a con. ‘It is a connerie. It is rubbish. It’s like making vinegar, bad vinegar. How can anyone allow toxic yeasts…

Read More
Events January 31, 2012

The New York Wine Expo: March 2nd–4th.

Add a little sunlight to your weekend and treat yourself to a first class trip around the world of wine at the 5th Annual New York Wine Expo, March 2nd – 4th.  The Grand Tasting offers attendees a chance to sample wines from nearly 175 wineries from around the globe. The Expo is also a great opportunity to talk directly with winemakers and pick up tips on serving, pricing and selecting the right vintage. For…

Read More
Reviews January 30, 2012

A to Z Pinot Noir, Oregon.

Grape 100% Pinot Noir   Facts I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest the problem that people have with Oregon Pinot Noir, is that for the most part it tends to be quite “pricey”. With that out of the way, I’m not exactly setting myself up for success by starting this review with a slur against Oregon, so maybe I should explain myself a little deeper before I start getting angry hate-mail:…

Read More
News January 28, 2012

“Somm” Chronicles the Preparation for the Nightmarish Master Sommelier Exam.

Access to the Court Of Master Sommeliers has always been strictly regulated and cameras have never been allowed anywhere near the exam…. until now! “Somm” is the story of four Sommeliers attempting to pass the prestigious and extremely rigorous Master Sommelier Exam, a test with one of the lowest pass rates in the world. Getting the title of "Master Sommelier" is not something that can happen overnight. In order to qualify, one must take an…

Read More
Facts January 27, 2012

Decoding Champagne Wine Bottle Sizes & Names.

It was the French Benedictine monk Dom Perignon (1638-1715) who proclaimed, “Come quickly! I am drinking stars!”, (NB: probably because Champagne makes everyone yell silly things) so it makes perfect sense that the range of Champagne bottles take their names from figures inspired by the bible. Before we get started, it’s worth pointing out that apart from magnum and jeroboam, very few of these names are ever been used seriously. However, I always seem to…

Read More
Giveaway January 27, 2012

Happy Friday: Win a Soiree Wine Aerator!

I woke up this morning in a “giving” mood, I don’t know why, I just did. Therefore, I feel an urge to offload one of the Soiree Wine Aerator’s ($25 value) that have been cluttering up my office! Since it’s Friday I don’t want to make you work any harder than you have to, therefore I’ve made it simple to win. All you have to do is the following task: Go to the Soiree Facebook…

Read More
News January 27, 2012

English Sparkling Come of Age, with a Little Help From the French.

The first English sparkling wine made by a French champagne maker is about to go on sale in England, signaling clearly that British “fizz” is starting to come of age. According to a report published in The Guardian newspaper, labeled as Meonhill, the British bubbles will be available early this year. It has been made from grapes grown from French rootstocks planted in Hampshire. The planned release of the first 5,000 bottles by Didier Pierson-Whitaker,…

Read More
News January 26, 2012

Kendall Jackson Boss Goes Undercover.

Rick Tigner, President, Kendall Jackson Wine Estates, the largest family owned luxury/ultra-premium wine company in America, goes undercover this Sunday in the third episode of Season Three of Undercover Boss. This is the first time the CBS show has focused on an alcoholic beverage company. It’s also rare for a major wine company to put its day-to-day dealings under such a public microscope. “My thought was the positives will outweigh the negatives,” Tigner said at…

Read More
News January 26, 2012

Scientist Who Studied Wine Accused Of Faking Data.

The University of Connecticut has accused Dipak Das, a professor and researcher who published studies touting the health benefits of consuming red wine, of falsifying data and is seeking his dismissal, according to a report in Wine Spectator. The university’s health center is citing extensive research misconduct in Das’ studies after a three-year investigation into research published in 11 scientific journals. “We have a responsibility to correct the scientific record and inform peer researchers across…

Read More