AlaWine.com Blog

Wines that couples could fall in love with on Valentine's: I presented this description of Valentine's Day wines to several area merchants and got their suggestions for bottles that fit the bill.
Bordeaux's a Bargain, and Here's Why: The idea that Bordeaux has lost its distinctiveness has been woefully exaggerated.
Fine Food to go With That Special Wine - WSJ.com: You've selected that cherished bottle of wine to uncork on Open That Bottle Night. But what to eat with it? Past OTBN revelers offer some suggestions.
Lodi International Wine Awards challenges winemakers: Research shows that different physiology creates different wine style preferences among wine drinkers.
Call for tax freeze as wine costs rise - FT.com: The price of a bottle of wine could rise by 50p this year due to rising costs of glass, grapes and shipping, the Wine and Spirit Trade Association warned yesterday as it called for a tax freeze in this year's Budget.
Millions for cool climate wine research: Tasmania's wine industry is celebrating a $1.8 million grant, the largest amount ever dedicated to cool climate wine research in Australia.
'Chocolate wine' best describes this heavenly Valentine's drink: Lovers of dark chocolate will swoon over this ambrosial Valentine's drink which is best described as "chocolate wine."
Choosing the right Valentine's Day wine: Choosing the right wine may be important so which wine will best set the mood? Which hedonistic wine will seduce and tantalize? How can you impress the one you love?
Wine to come in red, white and ... green: Kiwi wine is turning green with a new tool for calculating the carbon footprint of vineyards and wineries.
Valentine suggestion box - San Jose Mercury News: If you're in the mood for some Class A-style seduction, or perhaps a flirtation you won't soon forget, you may want to pick up a bottle of O'Brien Estates made-for-Valentine's Day wines.
South African Wine News: The South African wine industry ...has to realize that wine tourism is an integral part of any sustainable wine industry.
Wine, chocolate a great pair: Both are among life's most simple pleasures and can be even more enjoyable together.
Travel broadens the wine: ...it's the margins on drinks as well. Those mark-ups also pay for the glamorous glassware, the well-informed sommelier and the glorious view that all help make a good wine magical. That's good for the people drinking the wine and good for the people who make it, too.
Costco Loses Long Fight to Reform Wine Distribution Laws: Wine prices will remain higher for consumers in Washington, as a federal judge upheld the state laws that reduce competition at the wholesale level
Another credit crisis victim: wine prices: Concerns about the economy, lower interest rates, rising oil prices and a weak dollar are expected to push the price of wine higher by the end of the year.
The Chronicle Wine Selections: Carneros Pinot Noir: Carneros is a great place to grow Pinot, but vintners need to stay sharp and focused to remain in the game.
India wins WTO wine, spirits dispute vs US: Officials: The World Trade Organization has rejected a U.S. complaint that Indian import duties unfairly discriminate against products such as Napa Valley wine...
Washington Is The 2nd Largest Wine Producer In The Country: The study found Washington wine and grapes contribute $3 billion each year to the state economy, and $4.7 billion to the country.
Red-wine diet does a body good: It is widely accepted that red wine can improve your cardiovascular health. However, few people fully understand why it is so good for you and how to maximize the beverage's health benefits.
Growth of Wine Exports On the Rise: SA's wine exports have bounced back after taking a severe knock two years ago...
Costliest Indian wine ferments profits: When the husband-wife duo of Yatin and Kiran Patil inherited a 200-acre grape farm, they decided to enter the wine business and position the brand at the top of the price pyramid.

February 4, 2008

Enobytes Wine Regions of the World: Welcome to our series, "Wine Regions of the World!" As part of an ongoing series, we will take you on a journey throughout the world to learn about appellations and sub-appellations, region varietals and winery information, most of which will be graphically displayed with the use of satellite imagery, maps, terrain data and 3D buildings using Google Earth technology.
Three bottles of SA wine sell for $145,000 in the US: The Barossa Valley Ares Shiraz, Aphrodite Cabernet Sauvignon and Aerope Grenache - all produced by Two Hands Wines - fetched a total of $US130,000 ($A144,260) at the Naples Winter Wine Festival in Florida.
Wine consumption booms in Asia: Wine consumption in Asia is growing at more than seven times the global average, according to new research from Vinexpo.
Forget Wine Snobs; Duckhorn Gives Merlot Its Due: No one imagined they could make a great wine like Bordeaux's Chateau Petrus (now about $1,000 a bottle), even though it's predominantly merlot. But that night at the Four Seasons was a moment when the wine world was shaken, with delight.
These dessert wines are sweet for your sweets: ...many readers ask for a dessert wine they can have after dinner with chocolate, so we prepared for our wine-tasting group a flourless chocolate mousse cake made with semisweet chocolate. Then we compared five dessert wines with the cake. ...The results ...follow.

February 3, 2008

Getting juiced at wine tastings: California vintners aim to cork the problem of limos and tour buses bringing partyers to their venues.
Research - Wine sales set for strong growth in Russia and China: Growth for wine in emerging markets, the possibility that European wine producers will regain some ground on the New_World, and continued consumer interest in healthier drinks are among the many forecasts for the coming year in the Euromonitor International 2008 industry review from just-drinks. Ben Cooper highlights some of the briefing's key predictions.
Wine glasses blamed for women drinking large alcohol amounts: Big wine glasses are being blamed for millions of women drinking much more alcohol than they realise. Wine drinkers are consuming up to twice as much as they think, according to a National Drug Research Institute study. And it also blamed differences in alcohol percentages.
Wine trade warns of tax 'quintuple whammy': [UK] "Increasing the excise duties on wine and spirits could run the risk of a quintuple whammy � leaving heavy drinking unaffected, reducing the enjoyment of innocent drinkers, encouraging illegality through smuggling, losing tax revenue and reducing GDP," says the study.
Manhattan Beach company offers hope with your bottle of wine: ...Jake Kloberdanz launched Hope Wine, a wine label that donates half its profits to charity.
Wine by the numbers: Although wine appreciation is very much a subjective pursuit, there are accepted ways of assessing different vintages in a systematic manner.
Robert Haas Honored as Paso Robles 2007 Wine Industry Person of the Year: Haas has played a leading role in the American wine industry for over half a century. From working alongside his father in his Manhattan retail business, to creating one of the nation's largest wine importing companies, to entering the California wine community with the creation of Tablas Creek Vineyard, Haas has experienced all facets of the wine industry.

February 1, 2008

Tastings: Why Sweet Wines Are a Great Choice For Celebrating Valentine's Day
Another sort of wine appreciation: Wine is so hot, with demand growing from new wealth centers and palates in China and Russia, that the prices of even some second-tier wines are rising at rates that make the Dow Jones industrial average look as if it's measuring the performance of low-risk municipal bonds.
Giant wine glasses at center of new debate over Britain's problem drinking: Super-sized servings of sauvignon blanc, giant goblets of grenache: wine glasses in Britain's bars are larger than ever before and deepening the country's problematic relationship with alcohol, lawmakers and health officials warn.
The Chronicle Wine Selections: Brut ros� Champagne and domestic sparkling wine: Brut ros� is one wine everyone enjoys. The panel tasted 29 - both domestic and from France's Champagne region - plus five blanc de noirs. Overall, the quality of brut ros� Champagne is pretty high across the board.
Winning Wines from the 2007 Dallas Morning News Wine Competition: Searchable database, By Classification, By Brand, By Category, By Region, By Country, By Medal, By Vintage, By Price,
I've Said Too Much: Jay Miller, a writer for The Wine Advocate handpicked by Robert Parker, fires out seven comparisons in a row to describe the aromas of the much-sought-after 2006 Mollydooker �Carnival of Love,� which he awarded a whopping 97 points:

December 22, 2007

The Top Wine Bargains of 2007: "...there have never been as many genuinely good wines available at low prices. The trick, in most cases, is to look beyond the usual suspects. ...wines that cost $10.99 or less rated Very Good or better. There were nine. ...Here are those nine wines."
Genetically modified wine | Unleash the war on terroir: Times have changed. Scientists have a clear duty. Following the lead of many world leaders, they must make it clear that they are not willing to negotiate with anyone who supports terroirisme.
A cluster of wine books is ripe for reading
How to Mull Wine: It's that time of year again: so many parties and so little time to prepare. Instead of buying many different bottles of wine for your guests, why not make a mulled wine or spiced apple cider for them to enjoy.
Inside a Wine Scam: 'John Nelson': "I will show you how the wine scam works, why it works, who the real criminals are, and who the front men here in the United States are. "
Here's what wine to take to party: Been asked to take wine to a brunch or dinner party? Here are a few suggestions.
Top Wine Trends for 2008: "This year will be an exciting year in the world of wine, from biodynamic wines to at home wine blending," Sritong said. The sommelier predicts that organic and biodynamic wines will become more popular, as will at-home blending parties. Another wine trend--unique wine names.
Save Money On Wine: Let's look at a few ways to reduce the cost of wine.
Brussels to drain wine lake: Europe’s wine lake should be drained within five years under reforms agreed on Wednesday aimed at equipping the industry to compete with New World imports.
Constellation Brands' buy targets finer US wine: Constellation Brands has consolidated its presence within premium wine production by acquiring the US winery portfolio of Fortune Brands for $885m, amidst growing demand for higher quality products in the country.
The Great Beyond: Am I seeing double, or have they sequenced the wine genome again?: At last we may start see some real world benefits of all this genome sequencing we're doing: better wine at better prices. An international team is announcing the second genome sequence of the pinot noir grape.
Give the gift of big, green wine: Last year at this time, I wrote a post called “Give the gift of big red,” which suggested giving wines big in flavor profile and in heavy bottles. However, since my research into the carbon footprint of wine, I’m reformed.

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