Daily Wine News: Need To Know

Posted by | Posted in Wine News | Posted on 04-30-2014

WBAThe 8th Annual Wine Blog Awards are now open for nominations.

In Food Republic, Chad Walsh lists “The 9 People You Need To Know In American Wine Right Now.”

“”Dan Petroski is… part of a wave of restless, sometimes radical winemakers expanding Napa’s repertoire beyond big, powerful reds.” In Wine-Searcher, Elin McCoy suggests five “alternative whites for spring” from California.

In Wine-Searcher, W. Blake Gray wonders whether the French Laundry has the world’s highest corkage fee. Bill Ward comments, saying, “what’s especially galling about this snotty arrogance is that the markups on the Laundry’s wine list are truly beyond obscene.” Tom Wark tries to imagine how it’s justified.

“Four lady somms. Four bottles of txakolina. Two porrons. One big city. Meet Jordan Salcito, Ashley Santoro, Pascaline Lepeltier and Michelle Biscieglia. Watch them perform the feat of urban porroning.”

Ben O’Donnell offers some thoughts on “How to Buy Bordeaux Bordeaux.”

Reporting from the Pebble Beach Food & Wine, Lily Elaine Hawk Wakawaka celebrates Bob Travers’s tenure at Mayacamas.

“This Mother’s Day, sommeliers will be on hand to help you select just the right wine to go with that special meal out. And some of those somms will be moms.” In the Associated Press, Michelle Locke reports on the growing number of female somms.

On Slave to the Grape, Mick Cameron chats with Marcus Garcia of Fleur de Lys in two segments (Part One; Part Two.).

Drinking Wine in Bourbon Country

Posted by | Posted in White's Wines | Posted on 04-29-2014

From Wikimedia.

From Wikimedia.

As regular readers know, I write a free, twice monthly wine column that’s distributed to newspapers across the country.

These columns are hosted by Grape Collective. If you don’t see my column in your local newspaper, please send an email to your paper’s editor and CC me (David – at – Terroirist.com).

In my latest column, I explain why sometimes, trips to wine country are so inspirational that lives are forever changed.

Drinking Wine in Bourbon Country

For two minutes each May, the world turns its attention to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby.

Wine enthusiasts visiting Louisville for the race might expect a city that’s fueled by bourbon, bourbon, and more bourbon — along with some fresh mint and sugar for the occasional julep, of course. But like a growing number of small American cities, a vibrant wine culture has emerged.

“The Louisville wine scene has evolved dramatically over the last 10 years,” said David DuBou of Vintner Select, one of the region’s top distributors. “Louisville has come a long way from mostly being about big-name California brands. The embrace of the independent producer who makes unique, terroir-driven wines has slowly taken center stage.”

On a recent visit to Louisville, I was floored by the city’s wine offerings. Louisville’s retailers, sommeliers, and consumers seemed eager to drink with an open mind and an open palate.

Check out the rest of the piece on Grape Collective!

Daily Wine News: Worst Vintages

Posted by | Posted in Wine News | Posted on 04-29-2014

1982-bordeaux“I sloshed up the driveway on a frigid, rainy day at the end of January to be met by general manager Marc Perrin, who suggested we do something a little different when it came to tasting that morning.” Alder Yarrow visits Château de Beaucastel, where he tastes “a few of the worst vintages on record.”

Alfonso Cevola details which wines he would buy today if he were 30 years younger.

Robert Joseph is “losing patience with winemakers who lament the fact that no one cellars their wine any more.” As he asks, “if they believe it’s worth cellaring, why don’t they put their money where their mouths are and do it themselves?”

Alice Feiring blasts Michel Bettane for his “seeming ignorance of the beauties that do exist in Loire’s region of Anjou.

Jon Bonné details a handful of “successful California red wine blends.”

Jamie Goode really enjoyed the wines at London’s New California tasting.

“What began as a joke five years ago has grown into promising wine careers for music producer Will “Tell” Davis and rapper Sadat X.” In Wine Enthusiast, Scott Hickey chats with the two men.

“But while it started as an experiment in the 2003 and 2004 vintages, it didn’t take long for Baumard to commit.” James Molesworth tastes through the offerings at Domaine des Baumard after 10 years under screw cap.

The Wine Company, an incredible distributor in Minneapolis, experiments with decanting

San Pellegrino has named the “World’s 50 Best Restaurants.”

Daily Wine News: More Space

Posted by | Posted in Wine News | Posted on 04-28-2014

Flickr, Peter Forret.

Flickr, Peter Forret.

“With Parker’s influence waning and many consumers tiring of the strapping, high-alcohol wines that he prefers, there is more space for experimentation and stylistic variation.” Mike Steinberger contends that California has “gone back to the future.”

“Since it rains so much in Seattle, ‘You end up spending a lot of time indoors reading books.'” In the Wall Street Journal, Lettie Teague explains why so many sommeliers in Seattle are pursuing advanced degrees.

In a different piece, Teague visits New York’s hottest new wine bar, Racines.

“These wines… offer a rare insight into not only the Riesling that dazzled those 19th-century connoisseurs, but also a rare glimpse into how vines grew and interacted before globalization, mechanization, and greed impacted the wine trade.” In the Daily Beast, Jordan Salcito visits the Mosel to spend time with Ulli Stein.

For the past year, “the world of wine has been puzzled by the likely future of the Château Figeac wines.” Jancis Robinson gets some answers.

“The results are light wines characterized by freshness and low alcohol levels. In many ways… this is a return to a traditional style of red Bordeaux—albeit without the weight of a good vintage.” Will Lyons tastes through Bordeaux’s latest vintage.

Abe Schoener of the Scholium Project plans to open an urban winery in Los Angeles where he’ll make “single-vineyard South Coast wines.” Jon Bonné has the details.

In Wine-Searcher, Jane Anson offers “The Busy Wine Lover’s Guide to Rauzan-Ségla.”

“Tomorrow morning I’ll savor my coffee, and for the first time, I’ll ask the barista where the beans come from. Not because I’m an expert or a scold. Because I’m genuinely curious, and the more educated we are, the more connected we become.” In Palate Press, Evan Dawson wonders if coffee is the new wine.

Weekly Interview: Stephanie Pope

Posted by | Posted in Interviews | Posted on 04-25-2014

Stephanie Pope, Hess Associate WinemakerEach week, as regular readers know, we pose a series of questions to a winemaker. This week, we’re featuring Stephanie Pope, who heads up winemaking for The Hess Collection’s Mount Veeder projects.

Stephanie’s wine career began in 2004 after graduating from UC Davis with a degree in viticulture and enology. After working harvest at Trefethen Vineyards & Winery in Napa, she headed to New Zealand to work at Whitehaven Wine Company.

When Stephanie returned to the States, she re-joined the team at Trefethen before landing a position at Charles Krug as a senior lab technician. She began working with the Hess team in 2008 as an associate winemaker.

Check out our interview with Stephanie below the fold. Read the rest of this entry »

Daily Wine News: Drinking History

Posted by | Posted in Wine News | Posted on 04-25-2014

Flickr, jenny downing.

Flickr, jenny downing.

Levi Dalton has a few ideas on why “the sommelier of today is often younger than has ever been the case in America’s drinking history.”

“Small wineries and large wineries are plentiful in northern California, but mid-sized wineries are unusually rare, according to a statistical study published last week.” W. Blake Gray highlights a “near-impenetrable report” from this month’s Journal of Wine Economics.

Meg Houston Maker chats with Ed Thralls of the launch of his wine label, Thralls Family Wines.

“Traditionalists are now beginning to fear the widespread infiltration of corporate culture in the region, which they believe poses a threat to the very ideals that make Burgundy, well, Burgundy.” In Punch, Zachary Sussman looks at LVMH’s “Symbolic Move Into Burgundy.”

Tyler Colman profiles the efforts of Burgundian vintner Guillaume d’Angerville, in the Jura.

“Portugal seems to be stuck in an unfortunate dichotomy in our mind’s eye: There’s cheap Mateus, the wine of unsophisticates — Saddam Hussein supposedly was a fan — and vintage port, the expensive postprandial tipple of the stodgy British aristocracy.” In the Washington Post, Dave McIntyre explains why Portugal is one of his favorite wine countries.

In the Los Angeles Times, S. Irene Virbila looks at a new documentary — “An American Wine Story” — which “recounts the stories of a dozen winemakers around the country who took the risk to shed their old lives and devote themselves to wine.

No time to stop at a wine shop? In a separate piece, Virbila suggests “10 wines to grab at Target.”

In the New York Times, Hiroko Tabuchi puts the spotlight on the rising number of fake wines.

“What this cruel 1984 law did is deprive young people of safe spaces where they could happily drink cheap beer, socialize, chat and flirt in a free but controlled public environment.” In TIME, Camille Paglia argues that “The Drinking Age Is Past Its Prime.” She’s right.

In Esquire, Aaron Goldfarb hangs out with Jim Koch, the co-founder and chairman of the Boston Beer Company, and learns how to “drink all night long without getting drunk.”

Daily Wine News: Brand Confusion

Posted by | Posted in Wine News | Posted on 04-24-2014

From wikipedia.

From wikipedia.

“There is clearly a lot to gain from the Fiorano name, and what seems like deliberate brand confusion on the part of Fattoria di Fiorano begs the question of whether or not Prince Alberico’s legacy is being exploited for commercial gain without actually fulfilling the promise of Fiorano’s name.” In Punch, Katie Parla writes about “The Feud Over Italy’s Most Mysterious Wine Estate.”

“He liked the trees and mountaineering — and after a tasting trip to Walla Walla, he fell in love with the wines, too.” In the San Jose Mercury News, Jessica Yadegaran profiles Sean Sullivan of the Washington Wine Report.

“For the past few years, a select group of winemakers and others in the food and wine world have been getting their cocktail on as members of FOAM (Friends of Ardent Mixology).” Michelle Locke gets behind the scenes in Palate Press.

In Italy, wine consumption continues to decline.

At Pebble Beach Food & Wine, Lily-Elaine Hawk Wakawaka tastes with Morgan Twain-Peterson and Tegan Passalacqua of the Historic Vineyard Society.

Becca Yeamans digs deep into the research to explore whether organic farming is “safer” for workers than traditional farming.

On the blog for Wine Direct, Karin Ballestrazze explains how wineries can take cues from Amazon.

“Move over, ‘Duck Dynasty.’ Traverse City wineries could be the next big thing in reality television.” The Detroit News has the scoop.

Fredric Koeppel details the etiquette of taking your own wine to restaurants.

In Eater, Amy McKeever chats with Nathaniel Dorn of The Restaurant at Meadowood about “Creating a Culture of Service.”

Heart’s Delight – Discount Tickets!

Posted by | Posted in Wine Events | Posted on 04-23-2014

heart's delightHere at Terroirist, we’re big supporters of Heart’s Delight, a four-day celebration in Washington, DC that brings together winemakers, celebrity chefs, gourmands, and wine enthusiasts to raise money for the American Heart Association.

The week culminates with a Grand Tasting Reception and Auction on Saturday, May 3rd.

Guests will enjoy wine from a host of outstanding producers. For fortification, attendees will be able to munch on delicious bites from exceptional chefs such as Chicago’s Graham Elliot, San Francisco’s Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski of State Bird Provisions, and local favorites like R.J. Cooper of ROGUE 24 and Michael Friedman of The Red Hen.

During the reception, guests can peruse the many wonderful silent auction items available for bidding. Later in the evening, a live auction will feature a number of impressive trips, experiences and of course, wine!

This year, Terroirist is very excited to be able to offer our readers tickets to the Saturday event for 50% OFF the regular price! Just go to the web site for Saturday tickets, enter the discount code TERROIRIST, and at checkout your price for the Tasting Reception & Auctions will be $125 instead of $250.*

So, if you live in the Metro Washington area — or want to make a weekend trip! — please consider buying a ticket and joining us for what promises to be another fantastic year of Heart’s Delight. We hope to see you there!

*Discount only applies to the Tasting Reception & Auctions ticket, not the other portion’s of Saturday’s event lineup. If you purchase a ticket at $125, it will not be tax deductible. You can purchase a full price ticket for $250 and $125 of the cost may be tax deductible. Consult a tax professional for guidance.

Daily Wine News: Lab Coats

Posted by | Posted in Wine News | Posted on 04-23-2014

From Wikimedia.

From Wikimedia.

“Winemaking may conjure images of sun-­dappled vineyards and grand châteaus. But a typical ­bottle of Napa Cabernet owes more to lab-coat-­wearing chemists than to barefoot grape stompers.” In Wired, Christopher Null looks “at the secret ingredients and behind-the-scenes manipulation that go into crafting the perfect pour.”

Mike Veseth wonders if Portugal can win the wine wars.

“When you think of money spent on traditional advertising and marketing then think of the money you would spend on a person for conversing in the social space, one or two ads in a major wine mag would have paid for two people.” Hardy Wallace chats with the North Bay Business Journal about “new media’s impact on wine and cutting-edge branding.”

In Grape Collective, Dorothy J. Gaiter interviews Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon Vineyards.

Atlanta wine collector Julian LeCraw Jr. is suing a London wine merchant, Antique Wine Company, and its founder and CEO Stephen Williams, for more than $25 million. The allegation? That Williams sold him 15 bottles of fake wine.

“At the Mexico City tasting two days before the Cabo San Lucas gathering, Ceja was impressed by the inquisitiveness of young sommeliers who stopped by her table.” California producers are optimistic about sales in Mexico.

In Wine Spectator, Harvey Steiman puts wine-and-oyster pairings to the test.

Go ahead. Drink a bottle of wine.

In Details, Anthony Giglio outlines “5 Reasons Why Lodi, California is the Next Napa Valley.”

VineTalk chats with Jeff Carroll, vice president of compliance and strategy for ShipCompliant.

Daily Wine News: Ease & Comfort

Posted by | Posted in Wine News | Posted on 04-22-2014

A vineyard in Madiera (Wikimedia).

A vineyard in Madiera (Wikimedia).

“I hope to inspire curiosity, promote ease and comfort with wine and provoke discussion and debate.” In the New York Times, Eric Asimov contends that “a wine critic’s realm isn’t a democracy.”

“I always find it strange how fortified wines – Sherry, Port and Madeira – are so often portrayed as drinks for vicars and old ladies. The reality is these are drinks for hardcore hedonists.” On Tim Atkin’s website, Matt Walls wonders if Paulo Mendes can save Madeira’s wine industry.

In Decanter, John Stimpfig profiles Maureen Downey.

In Grape Collective, Jameson Fink chats with Luke Whittall of Wine Country BC.

After seven years of work, nightmarish construction problems and a budget that ballooned 170 percent to more than $130 million, Marchesi Antinori’s flagship property opened last year on a hillside in Chianti Classico.” In his latest letter from Europe, Robert Camuto pays a visit.

“I’m sure he would be amazed and astounded by what has happened in Washington.” In Great Northwest Wine, Andy Perdue looks at André Tchelistcheff’s impact on Washington’s wine industry.

Elsewhere in Washington, Sean Sullivan looks at “the changing face of the Walla Walla Valley.”

In Decanter, Andrew Jefford contends that in “many generously solar southern hemisphere growing locations, white Châteauneuf would be a much better model than Chablis or Corton-Charlemagne.”

“Because the data is clear: when wine consumption goes up, violent crime goes down.” W. Blake Gray explains in Palate Press.

“There is not another book on the current market like it.” On Vinography, Stella Fong reviews The Essential Scratch and Sniff Guide to Becoming a Wine Expert.

Gallo Hearty Burgundy is Dan Berger’s wine of the week.

“There’s no question that winemakers who try to make more restrained wines… are balancing on a knife edge.” In the San Jose Mercury News, Laurie Daniel writes about IPOB.