Ah yes, Beaune in May – an ideal time to visit the Cote d’Or, don’t you think? Well, yes and no. With two national holidays in the first 2 weeks, many restaurants and domaines take an extended vacation. 
When it comes right down to it, the wine business is habitually slow to capitalize on new societal trends. This is because alcohol dulls the brain, though it does make you wittier and more attractive to immovable objects... 
My favourite week of the year has come and gone. The Decanter World Wine Awards was as logistically dazzling as ever: at the same prearranged date, and at one small point on the earth’s surface, 211 wine tasters and over 14,000 wines. 
Value-conscious wine consumers know to avoid marquee regions like Napa Valley and Burgundy. 
Hungarian Wine Judging. As some of you know, I've just spent the last few days holed up on top of a hill overlooking the plains of Hungary tasting several hundred Hungarian wines and passing judgement upon them. 
Oregon ranks third in the number of wineries and fourth in wine production in the United States. In its relatively short 40-year history, the Oregon wine industry has evolved into a world-class wine region. 
When, back on April 9th, Mark Nelson wondered if I was “amongst the well-paid wine elite”, I quietly chuckled to myself. 
Last week, Pancho Campo resigned from the Institute of Masters of Wine. An email from the Institute’s executive director said that “in light of his move into more sports and music events and away from wine, he has decided to resign his membership of the Institute of Masters of Wine, effective immediately.” The Institute had commissioned an independent investigation–the findings of that report were about to be released. 
Had a barbecue at home on SUN as the weather continues to be above the May’s average and it feels more and more like mid summer. As it was rather hot outside, I decided to choose a wine with ... 
2011 Beau-Sejour Becot wine tasting notes, ratings, reviews, technical information and photographs... 
Via email, Siobhan Turner told me that 20 people have resigned from the IMW since its founding in 1953, a figure that includes Campo. I was surprised the number was that high; 
"When was the last time you were in Toronto," I was asked. The answer was the summer I turned 5 and the Feirings-- parents, brother, Weimaraner --were on a mythical trip. 
Shortly after moving to France, I remember chatting to a Rhône wine producer about some minor issue, and hearing her say “Oui, mais on n’a pas le droit” (yes, but we don’t have the right to do that). End of conversational thread. |
When judging a wine, how much weight should you give your personal tastes? 
Santa Barbara County is one of the youngest wine growing regions in California, measured by both vine age and the age and experience of its winemakers. 
Domaine Marcel Deiss, Alsace: Current Releases. Alsace, the oft-contested and much-coveted skinny strip of land between northeastern France and its neighbor Germany, is an odd and unique place. 
About 50 or 60 wine lovers came together to celebrate Austrian wine the other night at Seasonal Restaurant in midtown Manhattan. Stephen Bitterolf, the Wine Director at Crush, conceived of this event with an eye towards the famous La Paulée Burgundy dinners... 
When talking about China and wine, “Château Lafite” is an inevitable topic, such big is the hype about this famous Pauillac estate. Some say the success of this Château in particular is linked to its uncomplicated name compared to other Bordeaux Chateaux’ 
Last week I had the pleasure of attending my very first Wine Spectator event. Having been a fan of the publication for several decades I thought it would be... 
I don’t think I’ve ever written about en primeur here on sourgrapes.ie, so as it’s starting to get into full swing over in Bordeaux, I thought it was high time. You may have seen the words en primeur, some Irish wine merchants are currently pushing it so let’s step back and see what it all means. 
There were many stand-out moments at this year’s Hospice du Rhône. For Damaris and I, our first Hospice, the entire weekend was special, with many opportunities to try new things. 
What is a natural wine? Don't ask. We'll be here for years. But I used to call these just "Alice Wines," before we all had to call them something. I still think of them as Wines Alice Likes. 
A review of the 2006 vintage for the Loire, in three parts, looking at climate data for the growing season, harvest details from the vignerons and technical analyses of the fruit. 
Reduction is, of course, a misnomer. It refers to volatile sulfur compounds produced by yeasts during fermentation, and it is perfectly possible to have a wine showing both volatile sulfur compounds (reduction) and oxidation. 
I'm flying home today from Portugal, where I just spent three days judging about 150 wines at Concours Mondial, Europe's biggest wine competition. I have to brag that I was a Jury President this year, the only one from the USA. |
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