Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2012/03/29/jet_tilas_the_charleston_opens_tonight.php
Saturday, 31 March 2012
Wine circa 1933, LOLz, Cheval Blanc ’47, lite beer — sipped & spit
SIPPED: circa 1933 Fortune.com republished a lengthy archive article from 1934 over the weekend. There’s lots to savor: the author suggests American wine can handily undercut French wine on price, urges an Eastward expansion of vineyards in the US, and notes that Champagne wasn’t considered wine by government policy. SIPPED: LOLz “Jay McInerney writes for [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/OGA26UH6yh0/
Bringing Focus and Attention to Jazz and Wine
< Branford Marsalis, the great jazz saxophonist and member of the remarkable Marsalis jazz family, is coming to Napa Valley. He along with his longtime pianist partner Joey Calderazzo will play the intimate Napa Valley Opera House on March 29th....
Luxury Gift Baskets
Every year with Uncorked Ventures Matt and I want to make improvements in both the way we handle our business (the processes involved) as well as the offerings we have. On the wine, simply continuing to grow our customer base as well as continuing to build relationships with wineries and vineyard owners will do the [...]
Good Grape Goes on Hiatus
“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans” said a very wise John Lennon and that’s exactly what has happened with me. My life has kept apace, even as I’ve made plans to be a respected wine writer.
By most standards, 2011 has been a very good year. I was a three-time finalist in the Wine Blog Awards, earning notice in the Best Overall Wine Blog, Best Industry Blog and Best Writing categories. I started contributing a wine column to Forbes.com. This site was named the 2nd most influential blog (and most influential wine blog) out of 4,000 blogs in a 2011 Wine, Beer and Spirits study by eCairn, a software company specializing in community and influencer marketing. I was a panelist at Vino2011 in New York City, I won a scholarship to the Wine Writer’s Symposium in Napa Valley, and I turned down enough worldwide wine trip offers to fill a two-month calendar.
Yet, wine writing has exacted a toll. I approach anything I do with a zeal and fervor that ensures me the success that I want and I’ve treated my wine writing as a full-time second job, to go alongside the job that I already have that requires 50 + hours a week.
Balance isn’t something that I’ve ever been very good at—possessed of an unassuming mien, a Midwestern work ethic, and a mental make-up whereby I cast myself as the underdog means that I am continually trying to prove something to myself, often times at the expense of real, true priorities.
Even more challenging is the fact that my standards for myself have been raised even as I’ve honed my writing chops. Instead of figuring out a system to find time shortcuts, the amount of time it takes for me to write has become more deliberate and expansive while my interest in writing has become more professional in nature – less blogging and more credible journalism requiring more work to exceed the bar that I’ve set for myself.
The net result of this, after full-time job plus wine writing, is the rest of my life has received scant attention for nearly seven years and I’ve created a nearly untenable situation for myself, a set of internal expectations that I can’t live up to, requiring a time commitment that I can’t manage.
However, most importantly, the expectations and time commitments that I have assigned to my wine writing isn’t fair to the other people in my life – notably, my incredibly supportive wife, Lindsay. She has been a saint the past six years, my blogging encompassing nearly the entire duration of our 6.5 year marriage. But, she is long overdue a husband that takes the trash out without prompting!
I’ll be around the Internets – commenting on wine blogs, doing the Twitter thing, staying connected on Facebook and I’ll probably start engaging more actively on CellarTracker and on the WineBerserkers message board, but I’m taking a hiatus from wine writing to recalibrate, shifting my time to the things that are the most important to me: Family and career.
Jeff
Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/good_grape_goes_on_hiatus/
Field Notes from a Wine Life – Media Edition
Odds and ends from a life lived through the prism of the wine glass…
Rex Pickett
If you’re not reading Rex Pickett’s (author of Sideways and Vertical) blog, you are officially remiss.
Pickett is a gifted writer who cranks out perfectly incubated long-form posts with turns of phrase that are both wry and rich, offering insight into the machinations of publishing, film and stage that few culture vultures grasp.
Pickett recently wrote an extensive (3900 word) post on the reasons why a film sequel to Sideways (directed by Alexander Payne) would not be made from Vertical, Pickett’s book sequel. In doing so, Pickett offered a discursive meditation on Payne’s artistic pathos and the factors that may be playing into Vertical’s stall on the way to celluloid.
Unfortunately, Pickett removed the post after re-publishing a second version that deleted much of the armchair psychologist rumination he originally channeled from Payne’s psyche. An email inquiry to Pickett on why he removed the post (in either iteration) has gone unanswered.
If I were a muckraker, I would publish the post because Pickett’s deletion of the post from his site did not delete the post from RSS feed readers like Bloglines or Google Reader. But, I’m not a muckraker…
Hopefully, Pickett will revisit the topic in a manner that is less confessional and more elucidation because it was worth the extended read time. Until then you can read the other posts on his site and gain tremendous insight into the vicissitudes of the publishing process, what the afterglow is like after capturing the cultural zeitgeist and how he’s helping bring Sideways to the theatre with a stage version.
It’s definitely recommended reading.
A Discovery of Witches
While we’re on the topic of books and authors (and with Halloween around the corner), a reinforcing mention goes to Deb Harkness of Good Wine Under $20. Earlier this year a little book she wrote called, “A Discovery of Witches” was published and immediately shot up the best sellers lists. The movie rights were acquired this summer by Warner Bros, likely securing Harkness’ financial future in the process.
While I read fiction infrequently (the last fiction book being Vertical by Rex Pickett), those that I know who can tell the difference between kindling and a classic call A Discovery of Witches “mad genius.”
Any conversation about a wine blogger doing good should begin with Deb Harkness who is now dabbling in rarified air. Pick up her book if you haven’t yet.
Bargain Wine Books
There’s little doubt, in the prolonged US economic malaise we’re experiencing, that “value wine” and “bargain wine” are hot topics. Heck, an entire channel of business has been defined with “Flash” wine sale sites. Given that, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that a couple of wine books would be published with this specific focus.
What is a surprise is that the books are authored by wine writers with real chops engaged in offering a deeper narrative than the slapdash compendiums of wine lists that has passed muster in years gone by.
Just in time for the holidays, Natalie MacLean has Unquenchable: A Tipsy Quest for the World’s Best Bargain Wines publishing on November 1st and George Taber, a wine writer on a tear with his fourth book in six years, has A Toast to Bargain Wines: How Innovators, Iconoclasts, and Winemaking Revolutionaries Are Changing the Way the World Drinks publishing on November 15th.
An Idea worth Duplicating?
Celebrity deaths come in threes and new wine ideas come in twos.
We’ve seen this duplicative market entry in recent years with winery reservation systems CellarPass and VinoVisit and now we’re seeing it with quasi-wine search engines.
WineMatch and VinoMatch are both in the early stages of launch purporting to help a consumer match their likes with wines they might enjoy.
Meh. The problem with these sites isn’t that consumers don’t need help finding a wine they like, the problem is that most wine consumers don’t understand what kind of wine they like. Yes, it’s the tannins that dry the back of the mouth and its residual sugar that makes that K-J so delectable…
By the time consumers figure out their likes and dislikes graduating beyond the “go-to,” they don’t care about having somebody help them “match” their wines to their tastes because they’re on their own adventure.
It’s just my opinion, but these sites face looooong odds of finding consumer success and short of the slick willy seduction that happens with some wineries who haven’t been bitten and as such aren’t twice shy, they won’t find *any* success. But, I’ve been wrong before, at least once.
Pictures and Pithiness
While we’re on the topic of online wine services, I’m not sure whether I should be happy or aghast that I’ve been a habitué of the online wine scene for long enough to see a derivative – it’s like watching a remake of the movie Footloose when I was saw the original in the theatre.
There’s a new wine site called TasteJive that takes the concept of a wine blog called Chateau Petrogasm, popular in 2007 and 2008, to new heights.
Around the premise that a picture is worth a thousand words even if that picture has nothing to do with wine, they have created a site that provides nothing but visual metaphors with a 140 character description for finding wines you might like.
I loved the idea of Chateau Petrogasm, I like the idea of a perfectly crafted 140 character slug, but I’m very uncertain about the community aspect of TasteJive—the users who control the uploading of pictures and descriptions.
As noted mid-20th century photographer Diane Arbus said, “A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you the less you know.”
Not exactly a recipe for success in bumping into a wine.
Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/field_notes_from_a_wine_life_media_edition/
Brian Carter: A Master of Blending
Brian Carter has over thirty years of winemaking experience in California and Washington. He arrived in Washington State in 1980 to be winemaker for Paul Thomas Winery and has since founded Apex Winery and served as consulting winemaker for a number of other wineries. He officially opened his own namesake winery, Brian Carter Cellars, in [...]
Brian Carter: A Master of Blending was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/RVMvqtHcGcM/
If It's Not Natural Wine, It's Fake Wine
At the risk of beating on a horse that is live and well, I'm compelled to remake a few points about the Natural Wine Movement that very much need to be driven home. The movement, which some will say does...
The experts strike back?
There’s something of a cottage industry that has emerged in trashing the reputation of wine experts. Richard Quandt of Princeton wrote an hilarious essay entitled “On Wine Bullshit.” Bob Hodgson had his two devastating papers about wine competitions. The Wine Trials books suggest high-volume, low-priced wines are all that you’ll ever need. The WSJ got [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/y8CYKUau4mY/
Friday, 30 March 2012
Tasting Report: 2009 HALL Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
In general, the pros are expecting 2009 to continue a string of outstanding vintages from Napa. With the exception of 2007 (which was exceptionally good) 2005-2009 are all outstanding Napa Cab vintages which elude quick bookmarking as being universally better or worse than one or another. Look for wineries whose style you enjoy and 2009 will likely satisfy.
The deal hounds among us have discovered HALL Wines' Napa Valley bottling as a reliable one worth seeking out. In the $40 range it's not cheap but it can run with the big boys costing $50-$80.
About HALL Wines
"At HALL Wines we offer an elegant and stylish approach to the wine experience that combines the art of winemaking, design and contemporary art," says owner and vintner Kathryn Hall.
In 2009 their winery in St. Helena was the first in California to receive Gold LEED Certification. In 2010 their vineyards were certified organic. Last year, their 2008 Kathryn Hall Cabernet Sauvignon ($90) received a 96 point rating and landed on the number two spot on Wine Spectator's Top 100 list.
The Kathryn Hall and Napa Valley bottlings are often confused. Remember that the white labeled wines are from their Napa Valley series and cost between $38 and $50 at retail. The Kathryn Hall bottling has a red label and sells for at least $70 and up at retail. I saw a guy at Costco last year filling his shopping cart with the white labeled Napa Valley bottling whispering to me (incorrectly) that it was Wine Spectator's #2 Wine of the Year. Not that the Napa Valley isn't a fantastic bottle of wine - just a word of caution be familiar with the bottlings in their lineup.
Here's what the track record looks like for the 2009 HALL Wines Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon:
| Ratings Pedigree | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
| Wine Advocate | NR | 90+ | 91-93 | 95 | 88 |
| Wine Spectator | 86 | 94 | 88 | 91 | NYR |
| CellarTracker | 88.8 | 91.1 | 89.5 | 91.5 | 90.8 |
| WWP | 89 | 91 | NR | NR | 91 |
The drop-off from a 95 point rating in 2008 from The Wine Advocate to an 88 point rating on the 2009 comes as the publication switched from Robert Parker to Antonio Galloni covering Napa Cabs. From this you might think Galloni doesn't like their wines - but you'd be wrong. Referring to their 2009 lineup he said:
"This is a thrilling set of wines from Hall. The estate favors a rich, extroverted style, yet all of these wines have distinct personalities and tons of sheer character. ... Simply put, I was blown away by what I tasted."
Here are my tasting notes for this wine:
2009 HALL Wines Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Varietal Composition: 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec, 1% Cabernet Franc
Barrel Aging: 16 months in 55% New French Oak
14.9% Alcohol
$48 Release Price (high $30s street target price)
100% opaque - mostly purple with ruby red in the background. Bright, high toned and fresh with lively fruit. Grippy mouth feel with cinammon and blackberries on the nose. On the palate I get coconut rum and cola. Needs time to settle down but I like what I see.
91/100 WWP: Outstanding
Look for Laube's rating (Spectator) to fall in the 90-93 range and continue a nice run for this Napa Valley bottling.
Find this wine for sale at retail on Wine-Searcher.com
Visit the HALL Wines website to learn more - they ship 6 or more bottles for just $1 and offer nice deals to club members.
Further Reading
Sample for review.
Question of the Day: Have you tried HALL Wines lately? If so, what did you think?
Steampunk wine opener, man’s cave, stars, wine bars – sipped & spit
SPIT: Metrokane’s The Rabbit Install a machine such as in the above video and you will really one-up your neighbors in the corkscrew department. SIPPED: reading What? That LA Times is dropping stars for restaurant reviews? I’m 99+ points on that. [LAT] NO LONGER SIPPING: wine bars Lou on Vine, the LA wine bar and [...]
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Wine Adventures in Yountville
Sometimes you just need a quick getaway to cure the doldrums of the winter months. And that is what we just did with a one-night getaway to Yountville in the Napa Valley. Continue reading
Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/napablog/wine-adventures-in-yountville/
Thursday, 29 March 2012
Wine Club Shipments
As always, the middle to the end of the month is an exciting time at Uncorked Ventures. This month finds more wine club shipments as well as the beginning of our plans for the holiday season. I was asked how to describe our wine clubs to someone who is a novice to online wine clubs [...]
Social Connections are still about people not stats
Small world story; as I walked towards my local coffee and sandwich shop, St. Davids in Forest Hill, I got an email to say my Foursquare mayorship had been lost to another user. I didn’t know this lady, but I have to admit I felt slightly affronted than I should lose this title, despite it [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/6a0cnyMjPEM/
A Wine for Tonight: 2010 Mercer Estates Pinot Gris
Would you like a quick suggestion for a good wine to drink tonight (or this weekend) that won’t break your budget and is widely available? Many of our readers have said this is something they would like, so here is this week’s selection, the 2010 Mercer Estates Pinot Gris from the Columbia Valley of Washington [...]
A Wine for Tonight: 2010 Mercer Estates Pinot Gris was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/jvfA7YnegOA/
Academy of Wine Communications-FLX: February Meeting this Thursday, 2/25/10
Update: February meeting canceled due to winter storm warning for the region. We’re working on setting up our next meeting for Thursday, 3/18/10. Watch here for more details. February’s meeting of the Finger Lakes Chapter of the Academy of Wine Communications will be held on Thursday, February 25, 2010 at Three Brothers Wineries & Estates [...]
Source: http://familylovewine.wordpress.com/2010/02/22/awc-meeting-this-thursday-22510/
The Goblet Project: A Program of Wine History
You just don't see much of it any more. Drive up and down the roads of America's wine regions and new vineyards are rarely being planted and trained in a head prunned or "Goblet" fashion. That wasn't always the case....
Wednesday, 28 March 2012
TMiW 2 – The Tastes They Are A-Changin’
Jeff Lefevere and I return to review the top wine stories of the past month including tongue-twisting wine names, a disturbing wine manifesto, trends in wine marketing, the stellar 2009 Bordeaux vintage and much more. Hosts: Tim Elliott and Jeff Lefevere Topics If the wine is hard to pronounce, is it worth more? Has wine [...]
TMiW 2 – The Tastes They Are A-Changin’ originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/iEGpZ5My1aY/
Deal Alert: 2009 Sanford Pinot Noir
Over the holidays I had a bunch of nice wines out to share with family. None drew more praise than a bottle of 2007 Sanford Pinot Noir.
Here are my notes on the 2007:
For me, this wine finds that elusive intersection between tasting really good and being high quality. Slightly darker than your average Pinot Noir. I get rich dark cherries, ripe strawberries, and slightly sweet baking spices on the nose. A really enjoyable mouth feel - ample presence but silky smooth. Higher than average viscosity: It's rich but has tremendous finesse. Never gets heavy. A real beauty. At 5 years of age, this is showing very nicely.
I liked it a lot. Guests went so gonzo for it I don't see how I could score it any lower. I don't think I've ever heard so many collective raves for a wine from this crowd [that appreciates wine].
93/100 WWP: Outstanding
It's hard to find this wine south of $30 regardless of vintage. In looking around a bit I found an amazing price on the 2009 vintage. 2009 is a great vintage for California Pinot and given the track record of this producer I'm willing to take a chance on buying some without tasting it first.
The price is $20.99/bottle at Esquin Wines, eligible for 5% off a straight 12 bottle case. Some retailers sell half bottles for more! (they assure me these are full bottles) Shipping costs vary depending on your location but top out at $44 for a case shipped to the east coast (they don't ship to MA, that would be illegal). $23.60 fully loaded or less depending on where you're located.
Esquin is based in Seattle and has a sister e-commerce site at MadWine.com. This wine is a newsletter special and isn't available online. The best way to order is old school over the phone:
Esquin Wine Merchants at 888-682-9463
Deal hound friends will note that this wine doesn't show up on wine-searcher.com without Wine Searcher Pro. Pro adds listings for retailers who don't sponsor their listings on Wine-Searcher and the ability to create email alerts for wines matching your desired criteria. For example you can create a listing for "2009 Kosta Browne Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir that ships to MA for less than $60". That search might never turn up anything but it's worth a shot!
I'd love if you subscribed to The Wellesley Wine Press if you like hearing about wine deals like this.
Question of the Day: What do you think of this deal? Find any other good ones lately?
Review of Chelan Ridge 2009 Chardonnay
Wine: Chelan Ridge 2009 Chardonnay Appellation: Columbia Valley (but sold in the Lake Chelan AVA area) ALC: n/a Price: $16 Haydn gives this wine: 96pts You can buy this wine: Give Chelan Ridge a call at (509) 687-4455. The website … Continue reading
Source: http://www.beyondnapavalley.com/blog/review-of-chelan-ridge-winery/
More on Rudy K’s arrest on counterfeiting charges
The story of Rudy Kurniawan’s arrest on charges of selling counterfeit wine has been all over the news since the FBI arrested him on Thursday. Here’s some of the recent action: * WineDiarist and Wine Spectator have published photos from federal prosecutors taken from the scene of the alleged crime; one of those, with stacks [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/7p5RO9Oz3R0/
Oregon Wine: Getting to Know Our Neighbors to the South
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. Today, Oregon boasts over 400 wineries and 16 AVA’s (American Viticultural Areas). With those AVA’s found in both warm and cool [...]
Oregon Wine: Getting to Know Our Neighbors to the South was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/tqhPndo23f4/
Ten refreshing wines for after a ride – Bicycling.com
I love cycling. I live in the rolling country of Westchester County, NY and one of the perks of the freelance life is having the flexibility to rack up the miles on two wheels. I also love a good craft beer. As do the editors of Bicycling magazine who write often about many delicious brews [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/xFeumZ5L4Aw/
Tuesday, 27 March 2012
Money, Power and Wine—A Tale of $4.9 Million
Worrying that money might control politics is akin to being concerned that Burgundy is overpriced. That horse has left the barn. But what's true and what matters where money and politics is concerned is that money buys access to the...
SH*T WINE GEEKS SAY
We give him 80 points! He left out “this wine is corked!”
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gangofpour/uncZ/~3/0RXB-OqIUNk/sht-wine-geeks-say
Social Media Quick Tip: Introduce Your Twitter Team
As you know, social media engagement is all about personal touches. Remember this when thinking through your social media presence, including Twitter. As much as possible, introduce and humanize your Twitter team. Here are a couple of great examples of brands who have added special touches to their Twitter strategies, going beyond a standard Twitter [...]
Source: http://familylovewine.wordpress.com/2010/03/08/social-media-quick-tip-introduce-your-twitter-team/
Win Tickets to ZAP’s 2011 Grand Zinfandel Tasting at Fort Mason!
You heard correctly. Beyond Napa Valley is giving away 4 tickets to ZAP’s Grand Zinfandel Tasting at Fort Mason. All you have to do is write a Zinfandel-inspired Haiku. Click the link below for all of the details. We hope … Continue reading
Source: http://www.beyondnapavalley.com/blog/win-tickets-to-zaps-2011-grand-zinfandel-tasting-at-fort-mason/
Wine Event Announces Winners
The winners of the Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition were announced June 10 at a media roll-out in Los Angeles. Find the winners here.
Bordeaux: the biggest joke in the wine world?
Something about the 2011 campaign told me that the Mea Culpas would come out this year – and I have a feeling I might be right. ‘We were arrogant,’ says Chateau Lafite MD Christophe Salin of last year’s wine pricing (and ‘timing’ – for which read ‘handling’). And I think we can expect more of [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/DxEIGs3ffr8/
Social Media Quick Tip: Introduce Your Twitter Team
As you know, social media engagement is all about personal touches. Remember this when thinking through your social media presence, including Twitter. As much as possible, introduce and humanize your Twitter team. Here are a couple of great examples of brands who have added special touches to their Twitter strategies, going beyond a standard Twitter [...]
Source: http://familylovewine.wordpress.com/2010/03/08/social-media-quick-tip-introduce-your-twitter-team/
Marie Antoinette mirror from Boca Do Lobo resembles the mirror used in the Palace of Versailles
Are you aware of your true beauty, hidden behind your body and soul? If you want to see that real beauty, take a look at the reflection of your body on this Marie Antoinette mirror which is an exclusive piece made by the brand luxury house of home décor, Boca Do Lobo. This exquisite mirror [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vagablond/ysSN/~3/EQsOeeD7aCg/
Deep throat reveals Cameron state dinner wines
Even though the White House is no longer printing the names of the wines on the menu nor releasing them after the fact, it turns out that we had our own “deep throat” at the event: none other than the wine person of the last decade, founder of Cellertracker, Eric Levine. Sure enough, Eric posted [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/02cUrhnfufo/
Monday, 26 March 2012
Field Notes from a Wine Life – Autumnal Equinox Edition
Odds and ends from a life lived through the prism of the wine glass…
The Power of Intent in Biodynamic Wine
I wrote a heady post in September about Biodynamic wine. The story is too complicated to summarize here (link to post), but one of the things that I touched on (and that interests me on an ongoing basis) is the notion of “intent” in the vineyard particularly as it relates to viticultural quality and Biodynamic preparations.
They say that you can taste “love” in a food dish, so, while not scientifically quantifiable (at least not yet), it stands to reason that extra attention and loving preparation with BioD preps. might have a positive benefit on the vines and subsequently the wines.
This notion of intent isn’t my idea; I culled it from Voodoo Vintners, Katherine Cole’s Biodynamic-related book published earlier this year (she has a different supposition about ‘intent’ than I do). A passage from the book notes, “The belief is that the preparations aren’t merely herbal treatments for plants; they’re carriers of the farmers’ intentions, which have been swirled into them through the powerful act of stirring. While it isn’t a requirement for Demeter certification, intention is that little bit of witchcraft that separates the most committed practitioners from the unbelievers.”
My point in September and my point now is that “intent” isn’t witchcraft, its science – science that is still emerging and not completely understood.
To that end, I read an incredible, eye-opening, mind-bending article in the current issue of Time magazine about a new technology device called the BodyWave. An iPod sized device, the BodyWave is based on electroencephalography (EEG), the study of how brain activity excites neurons to emit brain waves that travel the central nervous system and can be measured.
So, here’s the thing. Not only can this BodyWave device measure the fluctuations in the brain’s electrical activity, but when connected to a computer it can perform functions based on brain waves.
It’s a holy crap moment to realize that by focusing brain activity somebody can shut off a valve in a nuclear power plant, via computer, with the power of their mind, as elaborated on in the article.
The full Time magazine article is subscriber-protected (darn publishers that try to run a business…), but the intro. to the article is available here.
I’m a liberal arts guy, as far removed from science as one can get by education, vocation and lifelong learning interest, but I do have the ability to suspend my disbelief and it seems likely to me that in 10 years’ time the Biodynamic conversation is going to be around an entirely different set of conversational conditions than the current ‘bunkum vs. belief’ precept that we have now.
On Knowledge
I’ve never reconciled the “demystify” vs. “knowledge frees you” debate as it relates to wine. Many will say that wine is needlessly overcomplicated for the average consumer and the arcane aspects act as a barrier to entry.
Well, sometimes you find defining wisdom in the unlikeliest places.
Scott Adams, the creator of the cartoon Dilbert, noted in a blog post recently what I’ve thought, but have never been able to say quite so eloquently.
Indeed, you are what you learn. You don’t have to know much about wine to drink it, but it sure makes it that much more enjoyable if you lean into the door…
Thanksgiving Wine Recommendation
Thanksgiving is the wine world’s national holiday. I get that. It’s my favorite holiday, too. But, the attendant wine pairing articles are exhausting. Does it really matter what you drink with Thanksgiving dinner? Nope. If it did, somebody, anybody would care that I’ll be having Sparkling Rose, German Riesling and New Zealand Pinot, but, really, nobody cares. At the end of the day, the below picture encapsulates what really matters when picking a wine for Thanksgiving (Hint: Focus on the food).
It Was a Good Week for Lot18
My eyes bugged out like a virgin at a nudist camp when I saw that Lot18 secured $30M in additional funding. That money coupled with clarification from the California Alcohol Beverage Control (CA ABC) on some wonkiness in legalities, means the first week of November 2011 will go down as a watershed moment for Lot18.
Perhaps equally interesting to me is a passage noting, “Radical Transparency” in an email sent to Lot18 members from Lot18 (ostensibly founder Phillip James). The email noted:
As Lot18 moves into its second year of existence, our goal is to ensure that, with more money in the bank and compliance questions behind us, Lot18 can continue to deliver on its responsibilities to our suppliers and to our members alike. We must hold ourselves accountable to ensure we maintain trust with everyone who produces and consumes goods offered by Lot18.
We do this through a policy called Radical Transparency, which simply involves sharing more than was once considered wise. We believe in this because it drives our focus and ensures that all of our employees and our members feel that they have a role in shaping our future. Together we can create a service that will not only help you find great value, but also encourage you to spread the word to friends and family so that they may also share in the delight.
We’re all aware of “transparency” as an online buzzword the last several years. It’s a word that has been co-opted, commoditized and rendered meaningless, as well. It seems, transparency is really code word for faux sincerity and empathy and that makes adding the modifier of “Radical” to transparency all the more interesting.
These days, every new business success story comes with hagiographic mythologizing and I wouldn’t be surprised if, in this area, “Radical Transparency” is where Lot18 stakes their claim. After all, culture and customer service is already taken by Zappos.
Yet, radical transparency isn’t a new concept either. If you’re interested in seeing how a hedge fund called Bridgewater Associates (founded by Ray Dalio) has codified a brutally honest feedback loop see this profile piece from New York magazine and Dalio’s 123 page “Principles” document (worth the read).
Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/field_notes_from_a_wine_life_autumnal_equinox_edition/
No one wants to watch wine movies
Ok, so I got your attention. I’m sure some of you came racing over here to tell me I’m wrong. Sideways, Mondovino, A Good Year, French Kiss, and more … so many good, and not so good, films that speak of wine. I’m not here to debate the quality and accuracy of the films, but [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/HF9GUQWJLkk/
Academy of Wine Communications:Twitter Basics Immersion for Wineries
Our next meeting of the Academy of Wine Communications here in the Finger Lakes will be followed by an interactive Twitter Basics Immersion for Wineries for AWC members. The meeting and seminar will be held at Ravines Wine Cellars on Keuka Lake thanks to their offer to host us and let us utilize their wireless [...]
Field Notes from a Wine Life – Power Structure Edition
Odds and ends from a life lived through the prism of the wine glass…
Naked Wine and Occupy Wall Street
It’s not hard to notice the parallels between the natural wine movement and Occupy Wall Street - both are valid causes sorely lacking coherence and a rallying point that would move them from fringe head-scratcher to mainstream momentum.
• Natural wine is about purity of wine expression—shepherding grapes grown without chemicals to the bottle with as little human manipulation as possible, representing the place where they came from in the process.
• Occupy Wall Street is about re-calibrating the world’s best economic system – capitalism—to preserve the middle-class, the labor force that has allowed the U.S. to create the most productive economy in the world.
Neither movement represents fringe radicalism as some would have you believe. I look at both as being valid inflection points and, at their core, about keeping a balance between big and small, allowing every man and woman an equal opportunity at pursuing success around their particular truth.
What reasonable person would deny the validity of either if not clouded by confusion?
One idea well-conceived and well-communicated can change the world, but, unfortunately, both the natural wine movement and Occupy Wall Street are prevaricating from their essential truth, rendering them both toothless and feckless.
No need to crib from Che Guevara, but appealing to base logic and the common denominator would do both movements some good.
Just one man’s opinion…
On the Aussies, Redux
A few weeks back, I noted how the Australian wine industry was poised for a rebound in public perception due in part to two things happening in concert – public backlash to Yellow Tail wine, what I call the, “Derision Decision,” and an unspoken coalition of influencers recognizing Australia’s artisanal wine production – the antithesis of Yellow Tail. I cited recent sympathetic mentions from Jay McInerney in the Wall Street Journal and Dan Berger, wine writing’s current patriarch, as proof points.
You can add to the list of sympathetic mentions about artisanal Australia with recent mentions from Jancis Robinson and James Suckling.
Don’t sleep on Australia. It’s making a comeback slowly, but surely in public perception.
Tim Mondavi and Wine Spectator
Thomas Matthews, the Executive Editor for Wine Spectator magazine (WS), has commented on my site a few times. Each of these instances has been to protect or project Wine Spectator around its editorial goals.
Good on Thomas for not being afraid to get in the ring. Certainly, WS takes its fair share of shots from the wine chatterati, mostly with grace and aplomb.
Lest I cast myself as anything but objective, I should note that James Laube’s article on Tim Mondavi and Continuum in the current issue of WS (November 15th issue) is everything right about what mainstream wine media can offer wine consumers that online wine writing (mostly) doesn’t –long-form, depth, first-person access and an effort that takes weeks and not hours.
Laube’s piece is excellent - well-written and balanced; acknowledgement thereof is in order.
Besides the Wine
Jordan winery has two wines – a Cabernet and Chardonnay, but they really have a triumvirate in terms of things to buy. Jordan focuses on food and wine as being partners at the table and, to that end, any purchase from Jordan should also include their olive oil. Wow!
The Jordan olive oil makes Trader Joe’s EVOO seem like Two Buck Chuck, comparatively speaking. A little whole wheat Barilla pasta, some homemade pesto using the Jordan olive oil and some artisan bread in five minutes a day and you’re assuredly living the good life. The rub is I wouldn’t pour the round Jordan Chard with the pesto, probably a Sauvignon Blanc, but don’t let that dissuade you from picking up their olive oil – it’s good stuff.
Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/field_notes_from_a_wine_life_power_structure_edition/
Ladera Winery on Howell Mountain
One of the most fascinating aspects of Ladera is the renovation of the original stone winery built in 1886. Irene W. Haynes describes it in detail in her book "Ghost Wineries" on page 61. It was originally called the Howell Mountain Winery and closed it doors during prohibition. Continue reading
Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/napablog/ladera-winery-on-howell-mountain/
Have breathalyzer, will travel
If you’re thinking of doing the rounds at en primeur in Bordeaux, or domaine hopping in Burgundy, forget the corkscrew: the one essential thing you’ll need if you’re behind the wheel is a breathalyzer. New legislation goes into effect in July (though enforcement with a $23 fine for not having one won’t begin until November) [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/1Y-tf_yh8yE/
Social Connections are still about people not stats
Small world story; as I walked towards my local coffee and sandwich shop, St. Davids in Forest Hill, I got an email to say my Foursquare mayorship had been lost to another user. I didn’t know this lady, but I have to admit I felt slightly affronted than I should lose this title, despite it [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/6a0cnyMjPEM/
A Wine for Tonight: 2008 Plantagenet Hazard Hill Shiraz
Would you like a quick suggestion for a good wine to drink tonight (or this weekend) that won’t break your budget and is widely available? Many of our readers have said this is something they would like, so here is this week’s selection, the 2008 Plantagenet Hazard Hill Shiraz from Western Australia. Our selection criteria [...]
A Wine for Tonight: 2008 Plantagenet Hazard Hill Shiraz was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/kYGVXoExrGo/
WBW 74 Wrap-up: 39 Sparkling Values
This is my fifth time hosting Wine Blogging Wednesday, our monthly virtual tasting event, but my enthusiasm has not diminished with the passage of time. In fact, since bringing back the event from hiatus it looks like the idea might be picking up some steam judging from the entires this month. While many of the [...]
WBW 74 Wrap-up: 39 Sparkling Values originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/RXfMmVa_nZY/
Sunday, 25 March 2012
G-Max 2009 Riesling from Keller auctioned for €3,998.40 in Germany
The famous wine brand G-Max was named after George, the great grandfather of Klaus Peter Keller and his grandfather, Maximillian. The vineyard is grown on limestone soil, which produces a low yield like 25 to 30 hectoliters from each hectare. For its 2009 vintage, this brand has come up with 30 magnums, half dozen double [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vagablond/ysSN/~3/8c1YD4RjcpI/
The Case For Trying To Understand Wine Law
For those of you who appreciate the more arcane in the wine blogging world, for lawyers who like wine, for wine industry compliance professionals, for those inclined toward the politics of wine, and for those that just like to dive...
2007 Pomerol
In this post you'll find an overview of the ratings of the 2007 Medoc 2. Grand Cru Classé. We have gathered all ratings from Robert Parker, Decanter and Wine Spectator.
Yao Ming Retires
It hasn’t been often that I’ve either written about sports in this space as of late, or frankly updated this blog. That has a lot to do, of course with being largely responsible for writing our official company blog over at Uncorked Ventures. While I certainly enjoy the work, it isn’t easy to write two [...]
Wine Word of the Week: Sparkling
This week’s Wine Word of the Week is sparkling. Official definition from Jancis Robinson’s The Oxford Companion to Wine: Sparkling wine is wine which bubbles when poured into a glass, an important and growing category of wine. The bubbles form because a certain amount of carbon dioxide has been held under pressure dissolved in the [...]
Wine Word of the Week: Sparkling was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/IPWmCIOKJWY/
Money, Power and Wine—A Tale of $4.9 Million
Worrying that money might control politics is akin to being concerned that Burgundy is overpriced. That horse has left the barn. But what's true and what matters where money and politics is concerned is that money buys access to the...
WBW 74 Wrap-up: 39 Sparkling Values
This is my fifth time hosting Wine Blogging Wednesday, our monthly virtual tasting event, but my enthusiasm has not diminished with the passage of time. In fact, since bringing back the event from hiatus it looks like the idea might be picking up some steam judging from the entires this month. While many of the [...]
WBW 74 Wrap-up: 39 Sparkling Values originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/RXfMmVa_nZY/
Trends in the Wine Industry: A Tale of Two Types
It's reported in today's New York Times that marketing behemoth Omnicon is involved in starting a new agency aimed at spotting "emerging trends in popular culture and take advantage of them by creating and distributing content sponsored by brands and...
Saturday, 24 March 2012
Ceja Vineyard – Cute vineyard, great Pinot, inspiring story
In this season of Los Carneros, Amelia Ceja likes to sit outside instead of the comfortable tasting room the family has inside the house. Continue reading
Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/napablog/ceja-vineyard-cute-vineyard-great-pinot-inspiring-story/
Will China’s Influence Lead To Lower Alcohol Wines?
There was a news item last week that got me started on a long-ish post about who really determines wine styles; critics, winemakers or consumers. Long post short, I think ultimately consumers determine wine styles but it takes a bit of time for the industry to respond. That’s what makes this Decanter story so interesting. [...]
Will China’s Influence Lead To Lower Alcohol Wines? originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/zjMAPj8GGvA/
Six from Cornerstone – 2009 vintage
The more wines we taste from our friends at Cornerstone Cellars in the Napa and Willamette Valleys, the more we admire the great work they continue to do. Consider, if you will, the six samples from the 2009 vintage that we tried recently. Each exhibits the consistent high quality that we’ve come to expect from [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gangofpour/uncZ/~3/d8IGnj2pVRs/six-from-cornerstone-2009-vintage
In 2012 please bring the 99% something different
There have been a few “New Years” posts that have tried to peer into wine tinted crystal balls and extract ideas of what the new year will bring us. When I say us, I’m referring to the wine world and its future trends, sales and “movements”. Will Bio-D continue to be a force? Will China finally [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/JF3ns7Vl2WQ/
Berlin Tasting in Copenhagen
Berlin Tasting in Copenhagen" might sound a little confusing? However the Berlin Tasting is a reference to a famous tasting held in Berlin the January 23. 2004. It was held by the Chilean wine producer Eduardo Chadwick from Errazuriz and he had invited 66 wine journalists from all over Europe to taste the best Chadwick wines from Chile against the supernames from Bordeaux and Tuscany. 16 wines were tasted from the vintages 2000 and 2001, among them 2000 Chateau Latour, 2000 Chateau Lafite and 2000 Chateau Margaux.
Source: http://www.wine4freaks.com/37/berlin-tasting-in-copenhagen/
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