Yesterday, the finalists in the 2013 Wine Blog Awards were announced – and Terroirist made the list for Best Overall Wine Blog! If you have a chance, we’d be grateful for your vote! Huge congratulations to everyone who made the list! 

“This is such exciting — and yes, eclectic — stuff. These wines have become sommeliers’ darlings and are largely sold to restaurants and mailing-list subscribers.” Wine Review Online’s Linda Murphy attends The 7 Percent Solution. 

“Obviously the USA’s greatest living ampelographical researcher and a former long-term winemaker for Robert Mondavi weren’t going to stuff up their home brew, but even so I was impressed with the freshness, purity and liveliness of the [wines].” Andrew Jefford spends some time with Carole Meredith and Steve Lagier.  

John Atkinson MW convincingly argues that “The 1855 Classification is the Antithesis of the French Concept of Terroir.” 

“While Drouhin makes a large range of affordable wines in its négociant capacity, the wines it makes from its own vineyards are prized by connoisseurs.” In the Wall Street Journal, Jay McInerney profiles the Drouhin family. 

“Of course there’s a Parkerized style… [The] era of Robert Parker has resulted in wines of higher alcohol, greater fruity extract, stronger oak influence, and a sweeter finish.” Steve Heimoff defines “Parkerized.” 

In which Lil Wayne enjoys a 1902 Madeira “carefully, thoughtfully and quickly.” 

In the interest of transparency and full disclosure, the HoseMaster has decided to list “the ingredients and processes that go into each piece.” 

In Bloomberg, John Mariani praises Spainish winemakers for offering “better quality and more attractive pricing” in recent years.

“It is essential to have a cooler and/or insulated bag in your car at all times when you travel.” A good reminder from Richard Auffrey.

Rowdy & Dirty, respectively, who make Mourvèdre from Shake Ridge.

“Sure there are a lot of very well developed vineyards, but what Ann Kraemer and family have accomplished at Shake Ridge Ranch is awesome.” In Appellation America, Roger King writes a wonderful profile of Shake Ridge Ranch.

“For the red wine lover looking to choose a wine that possesses more finesse than power, Volnay on the label offers a good signpost.” In the Wall Street Journal Europe, Will Lyons explains why he so enjoys the wines of Volnay.  

From Alfonso Cevola, “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Valdobbiadene.” 

Over on the blog for Dickenson, Peatman & Fogarty, a Napa-based law firm, John Trinidad writes about the TTB’s new guidelines on social media and alcoholic beverage advertising. 

“Until recently most of the wine grown in the Hautes-Côtes was pretty thin stuff, but this is changing — partly because summers are getting warmer, and partly because of people such as Olivier Jouan… [who] seems even more determined to make great wine than his counterparts downhill on the Côte d’Or.” Jancis Robinson writes about climate change and the wines of the Hautes-Côtes.”  

In the Telegraph, Victoria Moore praises South Africa’s boutique wineries, crediting “a younger generation that appears to have almost boundless energy and ‘a huge confidence in what it’s doing.’” 

From the Huffington Post, “The 10 Most Over-The-Top Wine Cellars That Money Can Buy.” 

“I had no clue what to expect from a skin-contact Vermentino from California so it was with complete curiosity that I poured my first glass.” Aaron Nix-Gomez explores some wines from Ryme and Verse. 

Wine Spectator has just launched its 7th annual video contest. 

Vare Vineyard Ribolla Gialla.

“At events like the 7% Solution, I find myself wondering if there are enough vineyard owners who have the vision and daring to follow in George’s footsteps. People who are willing to take a gamble on unknown grape varieties even though they could get more dollar-per-acre or ton for Cab.” John Trinidad returns to wine blogging with a thoughtful post about “farmers and vineyard owners… the unsung heroes of the ‘new’ California.”

On the blog for Tablas Creek, Robert Haas looks back at a time “When Terroir Was a Dirty Word.”

“I think that my taste is more complicated and more varied to be defined in such a black and white way.” Robert Parker recently sat down with French magazine Terre de Vins. Wine-Searcher has the highlights. 

Elsewhere in Wine-Searcher, Amanda Barnes chats with Uruguayan sommelier Charlie Arturaola, who was named the “Communicator of the Year” at the 2012 International Wine and Spirit Competition. 

“Just be honest with us. That’s all we ask.” W. Blake Gray urges wineries to label alcohol percentage accurately. 

“Researchers are breeding grapes that can survive frigid, cold temperatures and make delicious wine. They’re hoping names like Frontenac and Marquette will role off wine enthusiast’s tongues just the way Cabernet and Merlot do today.” On NPR, David Greene profiles the efforts of a dozen universities that are collaborating on an “extreme winemaking project.” 

From Buzzfeed, “the sleaziest wine commercials ever produced.” Wow. Not quite safe for work. 

In the Wall Street Journal, Lettie Teague investigates corkage fees in New York City. 

Wine & Dine Magazine profiles Leslie Sbrocco. 

Jeff Siegel explains why lowering the legal drinking limit isn’t the best way to solve the drunk-driving problem.  

In Palate Press, Tom Mansell reviews The Science of Sauvignon Blanc, the latest book from wine writer Jamie Goode, Ph.D.  

The TTB has issued guidance on the “Use of Social Media in the Advertising of Alcohol Beverages.” 

Flickr, Wyoming_Jackrabbit.

“Now Bisson and her UC-Davis colleagues are questioning the conventional wisdom that brett is bad. Or at least that all brett is bad.” Dave McIntyre writes a wonderful column on the latest research surrounding brett. 

Alder Yarrow explains why wine tasting isn’t “bullshit.” 

“It can’t go on forever as it has up to now.” Mike Veseth predicts a “Crisis in Argentinean Wine.” 

“There is a powerful effect to throwing out a day’s itinerary and replacing it with a simple curiosity about small towns, their people, and their produce.” In Palate Press, Evan Dawson urges wine travelers to “slow down once in a while.” 

Lily-Elaine Hawk Wakawaka visits Shake Ridge Vineyard. Wow. 

Steve Heimoff defends the tasting note.

In the Portland Press Herald, Joe Appel profiles one of my favorite winemakers, Melanie Pfister. 

In the Wine Spectator, Augustus Weed reports that “Bacchus Capital Management, a private equity firm with six wineries and brands in Oregon and California, is placing a big bet on wine in the Pacific Northwest with two new deals.” 

In the Sacramento Bee, Mike Dunne explains why the Dry Creek Heritage Zinfandel offers “another way to honor California’s long and respected history with the varietal.” 

Aaron Nix-Gomez attends the latest portfolio tasting of Robert Kacher’s wine imports. 

Wine bloggers headed to this year’s North American Wine Bloggers Conference might face some challenges at the border.

Two midwest wine geeks, Marcus and Emily Taplin, are raising money to produce a documentary on wine in Minnesota and Wisconsin. They’ve just launched a kickstarter campaign — check it out!

Not that orange...

“The question, then, of whether so-called Orange wines express terroir, would seem to rest not only in the technique itself, but also in the source of the wines’ fruit.” Lily-Elaine Hawk Wakawaka publishes the fourth installment of her series on skin-fermented whites. It’s an excellent essay.

In Palate Press, Erika Szymanski writes a thoughtful (and geeky) essay exploring whether or not we can actually taste terroir.

“When people are uneasy, they seek validation.” W. Blake Gray writes a passionate (and correct) criticism of the blog post heard round the world, “wine tasting is bullshit.” 

Meanwhile, in Wine-Searcher, W. Blake Gray profiles Jean Bourjade’s “quest to develop a classification system for Beaujolais.” 

The National Transportation Safety Board has recommended that the states reduce the allowable blood-alcohol concentration to 0.05 percent. Sarah Longwell of the American Beverage Institute has called the idea “ludicrous.” I agree. 

Trevor Butterworth writes a brutal takedown of Pennsylvania’s anti-alcohol minions. (H/T: Tom Wark.)  

This could be big. Spanish and Swedish engineers have “devised what they call an ‘electronic nose’ that they say detects fruit odors more effectively than the human sense of smell and could someday be used in the winemaking industry.”  

“Even as Europe remains South Africa’s biggest export destination, with between 60 percent and 70 percent of sales, Vanderspuy said the market on both sides of the Atlantic is changing amid demand for higher-quality wines.” In South Africa, wine exports are predicted to hit a record high this year. 

Steve Heimoff predicts that the “global wine shortage could be good news for struggling wineries.” 

Rupert Murdoch has purchased Moraga Vineyards, a 16-acre estate winery in Los Angeles’ Bel Air area. The asking price? $29.5 million.

Aaron Nix-Gomez shares his tasting notes from MacArthur Beverages’ annual California futures tasting.

From Wikimedia Commons.

A recent week in London provided Jon Bonné with “some upbeat signs about what California can accomplish — and a few stark reminders about how the world has perceived its wines of late.”

“There is no great wine without a great forest.” In the International Herald Tribune, Eric Pfanner writes about an issue that gets wine enthusiasts all worked up — “whether to ferment or age wine in wooden barrels, usually made of oak.” His focus? The wines of Champagne Henri Giraud. 

“There is nothing more fashionable in Australian wine at the moment than what they call ‘alternative varieties.” In the Financial Times, Jancis Robinson writes about the rising popularity of obscure grape varieties in Australia — despite all the work involved in getting “an imported vine cutting through quarantine and into production.” 

It’s self-promotional, to be sure, but Lyle Fass’s latest blog post – which explains how direct-sale importers are changing the game – is worth a read. 

“How much do wineries really make? 6.9% pretax at the 2012 year end. That’s a lot less than dreamy consumers imagine.” Silicon Valley Bank’s Rob McMillan provides some interesting data on the financial performance of the wine business. 

“The clincher: custom-made Semillon T-shirts!!” Stevie Stacionis of Serious Eats covers the apparently epic party known as #Semageddon.  

On Decanter.com, Chris Mercer reports that “Tasmanian officials are heading to Champagne to promote their island as a budding investment opportunity for sparkling wine.”  

In the San Jose Mercury News, Laurie Daniel predicts that the Uruguayan wines will become increasingly popular in the United States. 

In Bloomberg Businessweek, John Mariani names “several Spanish red wines” he plans to “drink through spring and summer.” 

From Bill Ward, “a not-to-do list for wine tastings.” It’s worth sharing with friends who are new to wine. 

“Hard cider sales are showing remarkable growth in the U.S. market.” Shanken News Daily has the details.

Alder Yarrow chats with Charles Banks about his acquisition of Mayacamas Vineyards and the future of Terroir Selections.

Uploaded to flickr by judepics.

“To me, a perfect wine leaves you speechless – at a loss for words as you try to describe the flavors and textures that swirl about the palate. The notepad is set aside, the pen put away as the search for words begins. And they don’t come.” On the blog for J.J. Buckley, Chuck Hayward writes a thoughtful essay on Torbreck’s “The Laird.”

“A decade ago, Finger Lakes wines weren’t discussed a lot outside upstate New York. But now that the wines have received glowing media attention, a book-length treatment, and choice placements on restaurant wine lists, some outsiders are asking, ‘What’s all the fuss about?’” In Wine-Searcher, Tyler Colman discovers the Finger Lakes. 

In the Wall Street Journal, Lettie Teague profiles Barbara Banke, chairman of Jackson Family Wines. 

“Everyone with a big cellar realizes in the end they don’t have enough friends to drink it all with.” The Guardian covers the sale of wine writer Hugh Johnson’s cellar, which goes on the auction block today. 

On Decanter.com, Louis Villard writes about sommelier Rajat Parr and winemaker Sashi Moorman and their plans to launch “Domaine de la Côte” in the Santa Rita Hills AVA of Santa Barbara County.  

In the Wall Street Journal Europe, Will Lyons praises Frances “distinctive Appellation Contrôlée system” for being “an easy-to-digest classification that categorizes wines based on their origin and production.” And he urges Italy to mimic it. Is France’s classification system really easy-to-digest?! 

In Slave to the Grape, Mick Cameron offers the second part of his interview with Boris Champy of Domaine Louis Latour. (In case you missed it, Part 1.) 

Aaron Nix-Gomez writes about “Vintage After Vintage of Moët & Chandon and Krug Champagne.” (As regular readers know, Isaac James Baker covered this event for Terroirist on Thursday.)  

In New York, Julie Ma sits down with Cheryl Durzy, the founder of MommyJuice Wines.

From Wikimedia Commons.

“Spring is a transitional season for wines. In the end, weight, not color, is the crucial factor in selecting bottles.” In the New York Times, Eric Asimov suggests “20 Great Spring Wines.”

In the Washingtonian, Jessica Voelker solicits mother’s day wine advice from four local wine geeks. I’m one of them! 

In the Wall Street Journal, Lettie Teague Visits the Yale Law School wine team. 

Lily-Elaine Hawk Wakawaka previews the Seven Percent Solution tasting, coming up this weekend in Healdsburg. It’s sounds incredible! (More details here.) 

The California Assembly has passed a resolution noting that “historic vineyards are beautiful and treasured survivors.” Wines & Vines has the details. 

“Until recently, serious restaurants in the United States were owned by celebrity chefs, creative developers… or corporate chains. But sommeliers have now begun taking the lead role.” In Shanken News Daily, a great article in the rising number of “celebrity” sommeliers and the restaurants they’re opening. 

Meanwhile, in Wine-Searcher, Tyler Colman chats with superstar sommelier Alpana Singh, co-owner of The Boarding House in Chicago. 

“A woman who has had a team assistant try to push her out of a room while naked men hurled insults wasn’t going to be fazed by a disagreement over strawberry wine.” Elsewhere in Wine-Searcher, W. Blake Gray writes a great profile of wine writer Linda Murphy, co-author (with Jancis Robinson) of American Wine.  

For 24 hours last October, the entire wine cellar at Fort Defiance, a restaurant-bar in Red Hook, Brooklyn, sat under water. So the restaurant decided to open all the bottles, at once, for adventurous oenophiles. In the New York Times, Robert Simonson tells the story. 

In Slave to the Grape, Mick Cameron sits down with Boris Champy of Domaine Louis Latour. 

“By the time owner Alfred Tesseron went onstage with a double-magnum of his Pontet-Canet 2010, valued at $1,200, bidders chased it to $6,000.” Wine Spectator covers the “charity extravaganza” known as Heart’s Delight. 

Panos Kakaviatos visits one of the top wineries in Alsace, Albert Mann. 

Robert Parker is now reviewing bourbon. On the 100-point scale. Retailers like K&L are giddy. Bloggers, though… (H/T: Clay Risen.) 

Right now, Austrian Wine is running a contest on Facebook and Twitter asking people to show off their “Grüner spot.” No details on the prizes, but the contest sounds fun!

U.S. prosecutors have won permission to videotape the testimony of Aubert de Villaine, Christophe Roumier, and Laurent Ponsot in their trial against Rudy Kurniawan.  

“We are talking to ourselves.” Charles Olken contends (correctly, I suspect) that most wine blog readers are “other bloggers and wine industry professionals.” 

“I do love buying and drinking wine. But I also love researching, weighing, sifting, winnowing and so forth. Is it any surprise that I… love Burgundy above all other wines?” Matt Kramer writes about the many different types of wine lovers. 

“On the east coast, and in the rest of the country, it’s a lesson on how to turn a local winery into a regional powerhouse.” Carlo De Vito writes a wonderful essay on Maryland’s Boordy Vineyards and the impact it’s had on mid-Atlantic wine. 

In First We Feast, Jonathan Cristaldi chats with Bar Boulud’s Michael Madrigale about “post-college parties, Lou Reed, and tweeting about jeroboams.” 

“Wine’s sixth genre can almost seem like a liquid food, not a wine at all.” In Decanter, Andrew Jefford discovers Georgia’s most fascinating wines.  

In the Oregonian, Katherine Cole explains how “Shea became the choice Pinot vineyard.” 

“Roy Moorfield and Lau Chi-sun are in charge of one of Cathay Pacific’s most rigorous selection processes. Last week 140 candidates were brought before them and evaluated by appearance, body, character and even how bitter they are.” CNN covers Cathay Pacific’s rigorous process of selecting wines. 

“After dinner: Go. To. Bed. That last round — or two, or three — isn’t ending up anywhere good tomorrow.” In Fortune, John Kapon of Acker Merrall & Condit offers some travel advice. 

In Eater Denver, Andra Zeppelin chats with Matthew Mather, the sommelier at Frasca, about “wine, mentors, and advice for wine lovers.” 

Aaron Nix-Gomez is impressed with Dirty & Rowdy”s 2011 Mourvedre. 

And finally, “26 Reasons Kids Are Pretty Much Just Tiny Drunk Adults.”

“Three glasses of champagne a week ‘can improve your memory.’” It’s science! (More here.)

“For a wine with genuine aging potential, one should look no further than vintage port, which will quite happily go on improving for 50 years or more.” Will Lyons writes a primer on vintage Port and praises the wines of 2011. 

“My observations… suggest that Bordeaux is favored by importers, traders, and speculators more than by consumers. Bordeaux’s success in China over the past five to seven years is built upon excessive optimism that is not backed up by consumer preferences and consumption trends.” In her first column for Wine-Searcher, Jeannie Cho Lee MW casts a skeptical eye over the Chinese wine market. 

Moet-Hennessy has announced plans for a new sparkling wine project – in the Nashik region northeast of Mumbai!

On the blog for the Connoisseurs’ Guide to California Wine, Stephen Eliot explains how he and Charles Olken continue remain enthusiastic about their jobs “after so many wines and so many years.” 

After tasting the the 2011 Massican Annia, “an exceptionally interesting and tasty blend of Tocai Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, and Chardonnay,” Kyle Schlachter ponders how important it is for wine regions to have “a signature variety.” 

“There isn’t volume at Copain; but there is artistry. Don’t miss it.” In the Newark Star Ledger, John Foy praises the wines of Wells Guthrie. 

Fredric Koeppel profiles Tablas Creek and tastes through the winery’s latest releases. 

Lily-Elaine Hawk Wakawaka and Hardy Wallace write about a party they threw this weekend, #Semageddon. Tom Wark confirms that it was awesome. 

In Outside, Eva Holland explores whether beer attracts bears. With camping season just getting started, it’s an important question! (H/T: Jeff Gordinier.)