Facts

Facts, Funny September 30, 2011

James Bond and Champagne – Best Not Shaken or Stirred.

James Bond, Ian Fleming’s fictional spy character, is portrayed as a frequent drinker of Champagne. A count reveals thirty-five occasions in which the character was portrayed drinking champagne in Bond films. The favorite Champagne of Mr Bond? That would be Bollinger.   List of Bollinger Champagnes used in James Bond movies: Live and Let Die: Bollinger (year unknown) Moonraker: Bollinger RD ’69 View to a Kill: Bollinger ’75 License to Kill: Bollinger RD ’75 The…

Read More
Facts, Funny September 23, 2011

How to Order Wine Without Looking Like an Amateur.

No-one likes to look like a total novice when choosing a wine in a decent restaurant. A book could probably be written on the subject (and I’m sure there is); but at least for now, I’ve put together just a few quick tips to help you avoid embarrassment the next time you’re “somewhere nice”, and faced with choosing a bottle..   1. Have a Plan. Oh, what a crazy technological age we live in!  Most…

Read More
Facts, Funny September 22, 2011

White Zinfandel – Accidents Do Happen…Unfortunately…

The story goes that the history of White Zinfandel began by accident at the Sutter Home Winery. When a tank of Zinfandel didn’t ferment as dry as expected, winemaker Bob Trinchero decided to create a blush wine, and they began selling it out of their tasting room – it became an instant success amongst people with no taste buds everywhere. Just kidding! We know we’ve all had it at one time or another!

Read More
Facts September 14, 2011

The Origin of the Booze Cruise

National Prohibition (1920-1933) led to a huge boom in the cruise industry. By taking what were advertised as “cruises to nowhere,” people could legally consume alcohol as soon as the ship entered international waters where they would typically cruise in circles. The cruises quickly became known as “booze cruises.”

Read More
Facts August 16, 2011

The Whistler Tree

The world’s largest cork tree is The Whistler Tree, (so named because of the songbirds which occupy its huge canopy), and is located in the Alentejo region of Portugal. The tree is 230+ years old, and has been producing corks since 1820. It was five years old when the first English settlers arrived in Australia, and six years old when the French Revolution began in 1789. Bottles of wine sealed with cork in that same…

Read More
Facts, News August 5, 2011

How to Spot a Good Wine List.

Everyone has their own idea of what they deem a “good wine list” to be, but here’s what I look for…   Diversity A decent wine list should have representation from the majority of the worlds major wine producing regions. Fair enough, a French restaurant isn’t expected to carry a huge Chilean selection, if any at all; but they should at least consider a few wines from outside of France. The main place where I…

Read More
Facts, News August 4, 2011

Torrontes: The Little Grape That Could!

The Story Torrontes  [Tohr-ron-tez] is quite easily the most widely planted white grape variety in Argentina with Chardonnay in a distant 2nd; and with the recent upsurge in sales over the past couple of years, it’s likely to stay that way for a while! Most folks in the wine community are already on-board with the idea that Torrontes has the potential to become as popular in Argentina, as Pinot Grigio is in Italy. It’s not…

Read More
Facts July 6, 2011

Wine Lingo – Chewy

“Chewy” when used as a wine-descriptor often refers to juice which is rich, dense, intense, and full-bodied in character. Chewy wines are usually red, and give a mouth-filling impression that make them seem almost thick enough to chew. The terms fleshy and meaty can also be used.

Read More
Facts May 25, 2011

The Difference Between Chianti, Chianti Classico and Chianti Riserva

First-off, I don’t know where the above photo was taken, but once I find out I’m booking a plane ticket!!! So last night, I found myself hosting an informal wine class for a discerning group of tasters here in Jacksonville. The theme of the night was Tuscany, and so I decided to put a heavy emphasis on Chianti, as it goes without saying that it’s Italy’s most famous wine (possibly their most famous export). As…

Read More