A sold-out crowd of Hip Tasters showed up at vintage cool venue Pink in SF for the much-anticipated Rock & Roll Tasting. Sushi rolls & rock tunes were out in force, as was some serious style and - as usual - good people having a ridiculously good time.
Dang it, just when I thought wine was winning the booze battle hands-down, I get wind of the latest Gallup poll results, which show preferences among folks 30-49 years shifting - for the first time since 2002 - from wine back towards beer. In fact, the most recent results show beer in a double-digit lead over wine for the first time in years, something that makes me sad, since wine was doing SO WELL in its impressive march upwards in US consumer preferences in recent years. Even more of a bummer? Beer is the clear preference over wine among the 20-something set,
Okay, so the goose doesn't exactly make the Pinot, but Toulouse Vineyards' mascot is most definitely a goose, and their Pinot is without a doubt off the charts (though admittedly made by human hands). I absolutely loved the 2006 Toulouse Anderson Valley Pinot Noir my sister picked up in Mendo recently, and which I had the pleasure of quaffing a few days ago in the baking hot Central Valley, where I'm visiting my family. The newish operation (their first vintage was 2002) is run by Vern and Maxine Boltz, a retired Oakland fire chief and United airline stewardess, respectively, and Toulouse Vineyards represents
I've never picked up a wine book I wanted to quote more than Lawrence Osborne's deliciously entertaining tome, The Accidental Connoisseur: An Irreverent Journey Through the Wine World. In it, the Brit - who right up front gamely cops to a serious distrust of his own sense of taste - sets out to visit several of the world's foremost wine regions in search of answers to his own burning question - what exactly is taste? - as well as more (less?) controversial issues like "why do men fetishize wine, and woman don't?"
We've done Green. We've done Grill. Heck, we've even done Saints & Sinners, Salty & Sweet and All White. But we've never rocked like this before.
Join a whole bunch of Hip Tasters at vintage-cool SF night spot Pink as we party to the sounds of updated arena rock (think Def Leppard's Pour Some Sugar On It) while noshing on sushi rolls and sipping summer-appropriate whites, pinks and bubblies. And with our first-ever dance party going down from 9pm-10pm, this will be a Hip Tastes you definitely won't want to miss. PS: the 3 best dressed (as in rock dressed) Hip Tasters will go home with Best Dressed honors and a free gift. Booyah! See you there.
Given the surge of interest in so-called adventure tourism, it's no surprise that extreme activities have finally made their way to wine country. From mellow outings like deep-sea fishing and balloon rides to truly adrenaline-pumping options like skydiving and trapeze training, the options themselves are as varied as the highs they inspire.
Baby You Can Drive My Car
One of the most hair-raising things you can do in wine country is get behind the wheel of an Audi R8 and brave the hairpin turns and dramatic elevation changes at Infineon Raceway just south of Sonoma. We like Audi's all-inclusive package, which encompasses a wine country back roads tour, two nights' five-star lodging for two, catered meals and a day of racing along the breathtaking...
Hey folks, if you're in or around Napa tomorrow please come out and join me along with four other wine authors as we chat and sign our wine books published in '07. Part of the St. Helena Public Library's 1st Annual "Books on Wine Festival," the event will be the first of its kind for St. Helena, and I'm totally tickled to have been included! Refreshments start at 6, author presentations are at 7 and author signings begin at 8:15. Besides Hip Tastes, other titles featured include "A Moveable Thirst," "New Classic Winemakers of California," "The Art of Terroir" and Small Plates, Perfect Wines." More info at shpl.org - I'd love to see you there!
Texas has long been known for many things - BBQ, the Alamo, Dynasty, a fantastic music festival called South By Southwest (to name just a few) - but until recently something the Lone Star State most certainly was not known for was its wine. On the heels of this year's well-attended Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival, however, that's all changing.
Woop, looks like another celeb designer has gotten in on the wine design thang. Busy Italian designer Roberto Cavalli - famous for his flamboyant, figure-hugging frocks worn by adventurous celebutantes on many a red carpet - has just released Roberto Cavalli Selection, a Tuscan IGT made with the assistance of Italian wine guru Carlo Ferrini. Just about 5,000 bottles were made of the debut vintage, 2004, a portion of which come in this appropriately flamboyant box covered in leopard print used in the designer's 1996 Spring/Summer collection and...
As part of the promotion for the recent Uncorked! Wine Festival at Ghirardelli Square - at which I gave a food and wine pairing seminar to a packed room at Cellar 360, so fun! - I appeared on the Bay Area's popular day time talk show, ABC's View From the Bay. In this clip also featuring View From the Bay's Nick Smith and local chef Kasey Passen, I chat about the festival and wine pairings for two delicious dishes prepared by Kasey - a summer salad and super rich chocolate dessert. Pictured here, a very funny moment at the end of the segment when Nick couldn't fit his hands into the gloves they gave him to roll the chocolate - we were all cracking up.
The clip should be live for about 60 days. Enjoy! Click on "continue reading" for the link.
The 2022 wine harvest is underway! I’ve been reposting some winery photos and videos over on my Instagram account as stories. This wine harvest incredibly early: mid-August for some grapes in Northern California, the third week in August for Champagne (incredible for one of the most northerly wine regions), and some pinot nero in Piemonte. […]
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The 2022 wine harvest is underway! I’ve been reposting some winery photos and videos over on my Instagram account as stories. This wine harvest incredibly early: mid-August for some grapes in Northern California, the third week in August for Champagne (incredible for one of the most northerly wine regions), and some pinot nero in Piemonte.
In case you haven’t been outside this summer, it has been incredibly hot and dry–everywhere. Nazi ships that sunk long ago have reappeared in the Danube because the water level has receded so much, the Rhine has been almost impassible, there’s even a drought in southeast England, and the Loire is showing way too much sandy bottom. And we haven’t even gotten to the wildfires that have battered Spain, Portugal and even Bordeaux…
We’ll have to see ultimately what this means for the quality of the vintage. But fingers crossed and best of luck to all those vignerons! The past three years have all been crazy, one way or another.
And just in case you think you’ve got the 2022 wine harvest made in the, er, shade, there seems to be a heatwave looming for Northern California (and beyond). Holy phenolic ripeness, Batman!
PS – harvest happens once a year, which is more frequent than posting on this blog! LOL
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I’ve been leading a ton of Zoom tastings during this quarantine period–a Zoom boom, if you will. We had this pair with a group recently and they really hit the ball out of the park: Pierre Peters, “Cuvée de Réserve,” Champagne and the 2019 rosé from Domaine du Bagnol in Cassis. (Find these wines at […]
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I’ve been leading a ton of Zoom tastings during this quarantine period–a Zoom boom, if you will. We had this pair with a group recently and they really hit the ball out of the park: Pierre Peters, “Cuvée de Réserve,” Champagne and the 2019 rosé from Domaine du Bagnol in Cassis. (Find these wines at retail)
The Pierre Peters has incredible depth of flavor and is on my shortlist for best mulitvintage Champagnes. As Rodolphe Peters explained to me in my visit last year, it is entirely from the estate’s 19.98 hectares–fully half the fruit comes from the famed Les Chétillions vineyard. It has a big helping of the reserve wine, which is from a “perpetual reserve” (solera) started in 1998. Rodolphe said that he really wants this “flagship wine” to be “exceptional” because it will be most people’s first experience with their wines. Based on our Zoom call over the weekend, he just made a lot of people happy.
Rounding out our Mother’s Day duo, we had a stunner from the minuscule appellation of Cassis. Snuggled right on the Mediterranean between Marseille and Toulon and a national park, the tiny appellation has only 200 hectares (500 acres) of vineyards and a dozen producers. Domaine du Bagnol’s 7 hectares (17 acres) lies a short walk from the charming fishing village, under the spectacular bluff of the Cap Canaille. The estate has been certified organic since 2014 and this wine draws on grenache (55%), mourvedre (31%), and cinsault (14%). Although 2019 was a hot vintage, the wine is really stunning. It opened a lot of eyes to the potential of rosé being a wine of substance, rather than a toss-it-back quaffer. According to Rosenthal, the importer, only 500 cases of this make it to our shores. Run, don’t walk!
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The global nightmare known as coronavirus has brought enormous tragedy, uncertainty and change to the way we live. In the pre-2020 part of my life, I led lots of wine tastings, large and small, in real life. They were fun and informative! Now that we are all in a pants-optional world of Zoom, it’s no […]
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The global nightmare known as coronavirus has brought enormous tragedy, uncertainty and change to the way we live. In the pre-2020 part of my life, I led lots of wine tastings, large and small, in real life. They were fun and informative! Now that we are all in a pants-optional world of Zoom, it’s no surprise that wine tastings are happening “virtually” now.
I have led a couple of dozen during the quarantine, mostly for private groups and corporations looking to reconnect. While they do have certain limitations, namely, the fact that it’s hard for most people to open more than two bottles a night, they do have advantages including being able to display maps and photos and videos more easily than in many group settings.
One other huge advantage is that we can be joined by winemakers! Such is the case for a public tasting I am leading on Thursday, 5/28 at 6 PM eastern. Anthony Filiberti, winemaker at Anthill Farms in Sonoma, will join us. I ask him a few questions, then we will taste the elegant Anthill, Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir 2018 together and have a general discussion. (find this wine) So grab a bottle if you can, or even if you can’t, join us on Zoom!
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Tariffs of 100% may soon hit European wines in America. The price of some wines will double. But mostly it will mean that many of the most coveted wines will no longer be available. The comment period ends today at midnight over at the site of the United States Trade Representative. Fully 24,071 people have […]
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Tariffs of 100% may soon hit European wines in America. The price of some wines will double. But mostly it will mean that many of the most coveted wines will no longer be available. The comment period ends today at midnight over at the site of the United States Trade Representative. Fully 24,071 people have submitted comments. Add yours! My take on the situation is that it’s a code red: after “big, beautiful” negotiation with China and a new agreement in North America, the administration is more likely to turn to Europe. Hopefully, cooler heads will prevail…Anyway, I made a pie chart! It shows that more American businesses profit from a bottle of European wine than the producer. Overly simple, but trying to make the point that these tariffs are an own goal.
Here are three pieces I wrote on tariffs for Wine & Spirits magazine last month. And here’s my letter to the USTR:
January 13, 2020
Ambassador Robert Lighthizer,
I am writing to express my concern regarding the escalation of tariffs on wine.
The matter is the Section 301 in the Large Civil Aircraft dispute. On October 18, the tariff was raised to 25% on a variety of European wines; the prosed escalation would put that tariff at 100%. I am the author of two wine books, including one called Wine Politics.
Wine is popular in America today. Sales of wine have risen on a per capita basis for 25 consecutive years. European wines provide many of the most expensive wines in the market. But they also account for almost a quarter of the best selling wines at Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board shops. So it affects consumers of wines from the top shelf to the bottom in all 50 states.
While the intent is to inflict economic pain on Europeans in the context of the aircraft dispute, the most immediate effect would be (and has been since October) felt on American businesses. The proposed 100% tariff would effectively shut European wines out of the US market. An unintended consequence of the action would be to devastate small distributors. These same distributors who sell small production wines from Europe also sell small production wines from the US. The repeal of Prohibition set up a so-called ?three-tier system? that compels domestic wineries (as well as imported wine) to use a distributor to sell their wines out of their home state. Inflicting economic damage on the distributor tier through tariffs would also limit outlets for some of the most exciting American wineries.
For a European wine that sells for $20 on the shelf in, say, Wisconsin or Michigan, only about $8 of that goes to a European winery. Thus more than half goes to American businesses. And when that wine is sold in a restaurant in, say, Ohio, the profit for American business is even more because the restaurant depends on wine to be a draw for guests as well as a center for profits.
An additional point worth considering in international trade is that this action would be a win for China. The world?s top wines are produced in minuscule quantities where global demand far outstrips supply. So if the share reserved for the American market no longer comes to our shores, the Europeans will easily sell it elsewhere, such as China, and suffer no economic hardship whatsoever. Thus the Chinese would not only be eating our lunch, but also drinking wine intended for us.
I understand your frustration in the large civil aircraft dispute, which has been ongoing since 2004. But I encourage you to keep the action areas limited to aircraft, where the tariff rate is already lower than agricultural products. The EU may have the WTO rule in their favor and might then impose retaliatory tariffs on an assortment of US goods, including US wine.
Uncertainty as already led to a noticeable reduction in European wines in our supply chain. If tariffs are further escalated on wine?which I hope they are not?I strongly encourage you to at least set an effective date three to six months out, which would provide some stability and help mitigate economic hardship on American businesses.
Thank you.
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Another day, another wine tariff post… Last week, news trickled out that the US Trade Representative might raise the tariff on European wine to 100%. Oh, and the tariff on 31-pages of other items. Unsatisfied with progress in the aircraft dispute with Airbus, which was the cause of the 25% tariff imposed on some European […]
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Another day, another wine tariff post…
Last week, news trickled out that the US Trade Representative might raise the tariff on European wine to 100%. Oh, and the tariff on 31-pages of other items. Unsatisfied with progress in the aircraft dispute with Airbus, which was the cause of the 25% tariff imposed on some European wines on October 18, the USTR has threatened to take it to 100.
I discussed the issue with Blake Murdock of Rare Wine Co, Dixon Brooke of Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, and Rocco Lombardo of Wilson Daniels. Each of them is taking a different approach–I filed two stories for Wine & Spirits magazine that you should check out.
If you don’t want European wine prices to double next year in this country, make your comments heard over at regulation.gov. Comments accepted until January 13.
Ugh. How long will they last, if imposed? It’s anybody’s guess.
Full list of items in the federal register
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Late yesterday, the US Trade Representative unsheathed a champagne saber. But it wasn’t for sabering champagne in celebration; rather, it was for dealing it a blow by threatening tariffs of 100%. French sparkling wine (not still wine) as well as cheese, handbags, makeup and enamelware would be affected. (See the whole list here.) While that […]
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Late yesterday, the US Trade Representative unsheathed a champagne saber. But it wasn’t for sabering champagne in celebration; rather, it was for dealing it a blow by threatening tariffs of 100%. French sparkling wine (not still wine) as well as cheese, handbags, makeup and enamelware would be affected. (See the whole list here.)
While that would be very bad news for consumers as well as producers, there is some cause for guarded optimism. This was, after all, saber rattling, not actually putting the tariffs into effect. The core issue here is a “digital tax” that France has imposed on big tech companies, mostly American, doing business in France. France has threatened to retaliate if the tariffs announced yesterday (not the ones from October!–do try to keep up) are imposed so maybe it is all just a bargaining position? And there’s Trump’s relationship with LVMH founder Bernard Arnault, on display in Texas recently, which may have played a part in why champagne, handbags and cognac were not on the first round of tariffs.
But, of course, there’s also the case for pessimism: this is the self-proclaimed “tariff man” whose relationship with Macron has deteriorated. There’s a lot of uncertainty in trade these days. Importers may plan for the worst case and bring in boatloads (or planeloads) of bubbly as soon as they can to duck under the wire of a potential tariff. Sadly, if enacted, this will be fatal to the category of crémant wines, sparkling wines from France outside of Champagne. While many of them are very good wines, their main selling point is value, which the tariffs would obliterate.
Napoleon supposedly said about champagne that in victory you deserve it while in defeat you need it. An important corollary to that all-purpose reason for popping bubbly next year might be “providing you can afford it.”
A hearing is scheduled on the champagne tariffs for January 7 in Washington DC.
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“Wine is geography in a glass,” Hugh Johnson said recently. He and Jancis Robinson were in town to promote the new edition of the World Atlas of Wine. He said that back in 1970, the publisher was unsure if a book of wine maps would really fly. So he had to impress upon the publisher […]
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“Wine is geography in a glass,” Hugh Johnson said recently. He and Jancis Robinson were in town to promote the new edition of the World Atlas of Wine. He said that back in 1970, the publisher was unsure if a book of wine maps would really fly. So he had to impress upon the publisher how wine and maps were a natural fit. The market shouted a reply: by 1973, the book had sold 500,000 copies. Lifetime, he said, the volume has sold more than 5 million copies.
The book gained a new lease on life when Jancis Robinson became a co-author in the fifth edition. Jancis and her team do the heavy lifting now and this eighth edition has been fully revised. The tome has added new areas of coverage such as the Savoie and the Judean Hills. In all, it has 300,000 words, 230 maps, 400+ pages and weighs almost five pounds. Even with all this heft, it is admittedly not going to be the last word on any region. But, because of its breadth, it is often the first word for many readers, particularly on far-flung regions.
Someone recently asked me what is the one wine book I would recommend: this is it. If you are trying to generally to learn more about wine and have a slightly more than casual interest, and are not looking for a edge-of-your-seat narrative, this is the one for you. I consult to a restaurant where I put together the wine list and work with the staff. I have this book on the shelf there. It is essential. I use it all the time to show where wines hail from. It’s useful to drill down from a country map, to a regional map and then even villages to let the staff and even some guests see where the wines come from.
There is really a ton of interest in wine maps. Many are available on the internet, but it is fun to really pore over a map in your hands, such as this World Atlas of Wine, or hang them on the wall. Steve DeLong has been making the latter for a decade now, blending his architect’s visual sensibility with his love and knowledge of wine. He has a kickstarter going now for a new product, “Wine Maps of the World.” This set of foldable maps blend cartographic precision with a good design aesthetic. His kickstarter campaign has raised/sold $50,000 and has four days to go.
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The Kincade fire has already burned 54,000 acres in Sonoma County, roughly the size of the area also under vine. There have been mandated evacuations of 180,000 residents and the 3,400 first responders have it only 5% contained. Strong winds have blowing sparks and embers huge distances but the winds are moderating. The governor has […]
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The Kincade fire has already burned 54,000 acres in Sonoma County, roughly the size of the area also under vine. There have been mandated evacuations of 180,000 residents and the 3,400 first responders have it only 5% contained. Strong winds have blowing sparks and embers huge distances but the winds are moderating. The governor has declared a state of emergency. Power outages have further disrupted many lives in the Bay Area.
It is terrible. Follow Twitter #kincadefire for the latest updates. Fortunately, for all the loss of property, no human lives have been lost. Please post in the comments about places where we can donate to help. Symbolically, buying a bottle of Sonoma wine could help show that we are thinking of them.
And then there are they Getty and Tick fires in Southern California…
Floods, hail, late frosts, and fire have all threatened vineyards around the world in recent years. The changing climate has really affected winegrowing dramatically.
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For those looking to explain the oddities of the recent tariffs on French wine, a clue may have come last week in Texas. But first, those oddities. It is not really going out on a limb to say that this administration has a haphazard, govern-by-tweet style of policymaking. So it should not be a surprise […]
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For those looking to explain the oddities of the recent tariffs on French wine, a clue may have come last week in Texas.
But first, those oddities. It is not really going out on a limb to say that this administration has a haphazard, govern-by-tweet style of policymaking. So it should not be a surprise that there were some head-scratchers in the wines affected by tariffs. since not all of the $2.1 billion of wines that the US imported from France last year were included. Notably omitted from the list was the high-value category of champagne (sparkling wines were all exempted). Cognac and French spirits were not affected, another large, high-value. (And neither were French handbags or fashion–by contrast, cashmere sweaters from Scotland were hit). And wines over 14% alcohol were not affected. And those in “containers” of over two liters. And Italian wines were exempted since Italy is not a part of Airbus–yet parmigiano reggiano was hit with a 25% tariff? Hmmm…
For a possible clue for explaining some of those loopholes, we take you to Johnson County, Texas
on Thursday of last week. There, in between a fundraiser and a rally, President Trump attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony at a new 100,000-sf facility for making handbags. Louis Vuitton handbags. And beside him was the LVMH founder and chairman, Bernard Arnault. And next to him Ivanka Trump.
The NYT sent fashion columnist Vanessa Friedman to the event and her article has some great color, including Trump saying in his remarks that Louis Vuitton (pronounced ?VOO-ton?) was ?a name I know very well. It cost me a lot of money over the years.? The article also asks what was LVMH getting out of it, balancing “the immediate brand equity risks” with “political rewards if Mr. Trump wins a second term.? The article points out that Bernard Arnault visited Trump after the 2016 election at Trump Tower.
In his remarks in Texas, Arnault said: ?I am not here to judge his type of politics. I have no political role. I am a business person. I try to tell him what I think for the success of the economy and the country, and the success of what we are doing.?
One importer asked about it suggested that champagnes already had to pay a higher excise tax so floated that as a reason for their avoiding the tariff hammer.
So maybe we have some clues to the exclusion of sparkling wine and cognac. And we can raise a glass to the fact they were not affected. But we are still left to ponder the 14.1% alcohol exemption and who had a hand in that. Maybe Robert Parker?!?
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Our post about the 25% tariff that will be imposed on the $.2.5 billion of wines imported from France, Spain and Germany as of October 18 raised some questions. We respond: Rick: How do you suppose this will affect futures orders that are in place? Dr. Vino: They will be hit by the 25% levy […]
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Our post about the 25% tariff that will be imposed on the $.2.5 billion of wines imported from France, Spain and Germany as of October 18 raised some questions. We respond:
Rick: How do you suppose this will affect futures orders that are in place?
Dr. Vino: They will be hit by the 25% levy if they arrive in the US after October 18. This could lead to the smart collector’s money either (A) diverting toward wines already in the US that are available at auction (they have the added bonus of being perhaps more ready to drink) or (B) perhaps the merchant that sold you the future is prepared to hold off on taking delivery until the tariffs are called off. This trade dispute can’t go on forever, right?!
Carol: Since Italian wines are not hit by tariffs, will this be a Prosecco New Year’s Eve?
Dr. Vino: Champagne somehow dodged the tariff bullet so your choice of bubbly will be tariff-free.
Carol, with a follow-up: So will wine prices be rising this holiday season?
Dr. Vino: It is unclear if there will be price hikes on store shelves (and restaurant wine lists as soon as December). Many shops or restaurants could conceivably buy now to insulate themselves and distributor warehouses are probably pretty full in anticipation of both year-end madness and perhaps this tariff move. One rep I spoke with said their distributor is not expecting price hikes for six months. But who knows–others may not be as well positioned and have to pass these tariffs on to consumers sooner.
Jade: Should I pre-buy my wine now for the rest of the year?
Dr. Vino: Sure! I never would tell you not to! There are so many great wines in the market right now plus a lot of stores offer discounts on 12+ bottles. And you know the holidays are coming…oh, and have you seen the news recently? Oh, man…might make you want to crack into your stash.
Juliette: so will French rosé next year be 25% more expensive?
Dr. Vino: If the issue remains unresolved and the tariffs are still in place, then yes. Any 2019 wine from these three countries would be impacted–even Beaujolais Nouveau!
Leslie: How exactly do the tariffs affect the auction market? If a past vintage passes from an affected EU country will that be subject to tariff? Do auction wines now become more valuable if they are unaffected by the tariffs?
Dr. Vino: Wines in the US before Oct 18 are not hit by tariffs. So, yes, there’s a chance that if futures buyers like Rick divert their funds to collectible wines that are slumbering in cellars across America now, then, yes, there could be a bump in the auction market for French (and German and Spanish) wines.
Okay, that’s all the questions for now. But I did want to reproduce the text of the directive on French wine tariffs (and Spanish and German and UK wine): “Wine other than Tokay (not carbonated), not over 14% alcohol, in containers not over two liters.”
So weird that wine over 14% alc gets a pass! so all Chateauneuf du Pape comes in unaffected? To Juliette’s point above, maybe we will see some 14% alc roses? 
Also, game on for double mags of French wine! And champagne!
Also, final fun fact: $16 million of wine was imported from the UK last year! I knew it was, uh, small beer, but that is actually more than I thought!
UPDATE: this post was edited to reflect the fact that champagne will not be affected by the tariffs. Neither will cognac or handbags so a big wine for LV to the MH.
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Perfect party spirit p.i.n.k. vodka has teamed up with the exclusive nightspot, The Eldridge to create a slew of high-end cocktails.
Located in NYC?s hip Lower East Side neighborhood, the members-only establishment has a guest list that includes the likes of supermodel Kate Moss, actress Kirsten Dunst, reality star it-girl Whitney Port and Heatherette fashion designer Richie Rich.
In some cases producers employ water, sugar and sometimes hydrochloric acid to ensure their wine has a uniform taste and consistency.
The research into the quality of the 1.5 billion bottles consumed in Britain, for tonight's Channel 4 programme Dispatches, also cast doubt on the reputation of Champagne, with one expert suggesting that 70 per cent was not worth the premium price.
"Many, many wines are no better than a sort of alcoholic cola. You get artificial yeasts, enzymes, sugar, extracts, tannins, all sorts of things added," Malcolm Gluck, author of The Great Wine Swindle, said.
Sunday, September 28 ~ 10:00 - 4:00 pm
Immerse yourself in the charm of a traditional Italian street fair at this lively third annual festa. Sip a Limoncello and nibble some Frittata as you enjoy live music and entertainment in COPIA?s beautiful Edible Gardens. Learn Italian cooking from expert chefs in the new Viking Outdoor Demonstration Kitchen. Plus, try your foot at grape stomping and sample some of Italy?s great wines with classic Italian tastes. Buon appetito! read more
?DINNER AND AUCTION,? FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3RD - 6:00 pm
PART OF THE B.R. COHN CHARITY EVENTS & FALL MUSIC FESTIVAL WEEKEND
FEATURING ON SATURDAY OCTOBER 4 - TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE!
DOOBIE BROTHERS, KRIS KRISTOFFERSON, TODD RUNDGREN, THE TURTLES AND MICHAEL FINNEY
SUNDAY OCTOBER 5 - SOLD OUT
DOOBIE BROTHERS, ROBERT CRAY, DAVE MASON, THE TURTLES AND LARA JOHNSTON...
Two entomologists at the University of California, Davis, are newly selected Fellows of the Entomological Society of America (ESA), honors that mean they're among the top insect scientists in the world.
They are professors Michael Parrella, associate dean of the Division of Agricultural Sciences, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and former chair of the UC Davis Department of Entomology; and Frank Zalom, an integrated pest management (IPM) specialist and former vice chair of the department.
George Wine Company is pleased to announce its Vintage V (2007) release of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir.
Devoted exclusively to the production of Pinot Noir from Sonoma County, the goal at George is to acquire the best grapes available to create the highest quality wine.
To find out more, please click here to go to: georgewine.com
An independent report has backed the Rudd government's 70 per cent excise hike on alcopops but its author says a volumetric tax on alcohol is the way forward.
The report, commissioned by the Howard government in 2006, indicates the $15.3 billion annual social cost of alcohol could be slashed by half if interventions such as higher alcohol taxes, a ban on advertising and more random breath testing were put in place.
Wine 2.0, the innovator in social networking and events in the wine industry, announces the presenting Wine 2.0 companies for its upcoming Wine 2.0 New York event.
Bacardi Global Review Yields New Assignments for Flavors and Gold Rums
The Bacardi Group today announced that it has awarded the Y&R advertising agency two additional brand assignments for BACARDI Flavors and BACARDI Gold Rum. These new brands come on top of the global agency of record assignment for BACARDI Superior rum, which Y&R won in 2005.
The 2011 Viña Carmen Sauvignon Blanc Gran Reserva (available for $13-$15 in the market) is made from grapes grown in the Leyda Valley. It has vibrant aromas of grass, gooseberry, and that uniquely weird smell of boxwood that I often smell in Sauvignon Blancs from the southern hemisphere. This wine was green and leafy rather than citrusy, with a backbone of acidity that was neutral in flavor but kept your mouth watering for more. The midpalate was herbal, making me think 'this is what Cabernet Franc would taste like if it were white and not red.' Cool and refreshing, this stood up to the basil. If you have the wine with something less resolutely green, you may find that its assertiveness is a problem but if you have basil, this is a good wine to go with it--and it represents very good QPR.
I first enjoyed the Fish Eye Pinot Grigio in 2009 with my fellow wine bloggers at our annual conference (and wrote about that experience here). It was a humbling moment for many of us, who were a bit sniffy about the wine based on the cute label, its availability in large-format bottles and boxes, and because it was Pinot Grigio. There is a lot (and I do mean a lot) of terrible, cheap Pinot Grigio out there. So much of it, in fact, that I've stopped ordering it in restaurants.
Pinot Noir is a budgetary nightmare for most of us. Pinot is a finicky grape, which makes it difficult to grow, which translates into expensive bottles on the shelves. And that was before the movie that put Pinot Noir in everybody's glass, displacing Merlot.
2010 Casa Silva Pinot Noir Reserva (suggested retail $12) You might not expect to find Pinot Noir in Chile, but think again. This wine was much lighter in style, which some prefer, with pure raspberry aromas and flavors. You can't beat it for the price, this is a simple and delicious expression of the grape. Excellent QPR for a wine that will appeal to fans of more traditional Pinot Noir.
Wine is an adventure. At least that's what I've always thought. So many grapes. So many styles. So many countries to visit--even if it's only through the liquid in your glass.
There are all kinds of Cabernet Sauvignon out there. Some are too fruity for me. Some are too green. Some are too expensive. Some are too huge, with big alcohol and palate-punishing tannins.
2010 Echelon Cabernet Sauvignon (suggested retail $13.99; available for $7-$9 in the market) Another Cabernet built along classic lines, this bottle has some green pepper aromas and flavors among the cassis and cherry. There is good acidity, and tannins that area bit astringent in the mouth--which will make it a great partner for juicy beef dishes. Very good QPR (though if you find it for $7, consider this excellent QPR!)
If you are fond of aromatic food--including Thai, Moroccan, or Indian dishes--you might find them difficult to pair with wine. All those spices can overwhelm an ordinary white or red, and very tannic or very acidic wines can clash with what's on your plate. Often, I recommend Gewurztraminer or Riesling when there are lots of spices in a recipe (and I mean spicy, not necessarily hot).
I'm not sure why Syrah tastes like summer to me--but it does. And by 'tastes like summer' I don't mean it's the kind of wine you reach for in July: cool, fresh, and zingy. I'm talking, instead, about a wine that conjures up images of fruit ripening on the vine, dusty back roads, purple-and-red sunsets, and a garden full of herbs ready for picking.
Whether you love them or hate them, the next eight weeks are widely regarded as something of a challenge. Holidays. Family. Bad weather. Trips to the mall. Schlepping kids all over creation. Lots of turkey and mashed potatoes.
blackberry aromas. You'll find the same fruits in the flavors, along with a smoky, spicy aftertaste. The wine has fine tannins, giving it an impression that is fruit-forward, but not too jammy.
One of the great things about wine is that no matter how much of the stuff you taste, there is always a new adventure to be had on the shelves of your local store or at your local winery (and yes, most of us actually do have a winery somewhere within driving distance!) 
Once the darling of wine-by-the-glass programs around the country, and purchased by the gallon by people who didn't know what else to buy, Merlot has been relegated to the margins of wine culture. "You drink Merlot?" people have asked me with horrified expressions.
available for $7-$11) Another very good QPR Merlot for the price, with more structured rich plum and currant aromas. These fruits are evident in the flavors, too, which are nicely accented with spice. A reminder of the versatility or Merlot, and that the grape can be great if treated well.