June 2008

Great

* jamie goode's wine blog - Thierry Theise on reductionism in wine
There's a great article in the latest edition of the World of Fine Wine . Well, actually there are many great articles, but the one I'm referring to is by Thierry Theise, titled 'Wine and the unspeakable' (WOFW 20, p 128-131), and it's looking at the topic of beauty in wine in a thoughtful, slightly tangential way.

* Mano a Vino Montclair - Great Shiraz Laneway from Margret River
Here is another hit from Australia. This one from the Margaret River, one of Australia's many prolific wine regions located on the far west coast near Perth. I enjoy the winemaker Mark Lane's style in and outside the bottle. ...Winemaker Growing Area: Margaret River Accolades / Reviews Date: 2005 Reviewer: Royal Adelaide Show Result: Gold Date: 2007 Reviewer: James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2007 edn Result: 4 glasses, 90 points It has been a mere 40 years since the first vines were planted in the Margaret River region., and already the area is recognised as one of the world's great fin wine producers. There are some 200 vineyards in the region and 90 wineries. There wares are showcased at the Margaret River Wine Festival each May.

* Thoughts on Wine... - Variety...
The 2005 Jean Grivot Nuits-St.-Georges 1er Cru "Les Charmois" was stunning... lots of oak, but didn't overpower the wine. Just beautiful earth, clove, beet root, red cherry and a wonderful asian spice note to the wine. A great wine. The 1994 Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon was good, but nothing special. The 1999 Gaja Sugarille Brunello di Montalcino is a great bottle of wine... dusty earth, twigs, saddle leather, and sweet cherries. A long, long, long finish. I could smell the glass forever ala Lafite...Beer... Tusker Lager from Kenya is a pretty lager... a light-gold color with a lovely soapy head, smooth caramel and citrus notes. Nice!

* The Winery Web Site Report - 140-character Wine Reviews: WineTweets
Whenever you have a great wine, send a twitter message (tweet) like this: @winetweets chateau ducru beaucaillou 1978 has still got it. Not for much longer though That's all there is to it. Thanks to Fred Wilson for thinking this up .

* Dr Vino's wine blog - Reporting from the Wine Media Guild annual dinner
I joined the Wine Media Guild three years ago when I moved to New York and have found it a very convivial group with great opportunities to taste excellent wines. If you are a wine writer and interested in joining, poke around on their web site to see if you meet the minimum qualifications–we have welcomed three new members this year already. And if you’re interested in attending an event as a guest, befriend a member !

* Bigger Than Your Head - Drink Bordeaux 2005? Are You Kidding?
Acclaimed wine writer/critic, Robert Parker describes the 2005 Bordeaux vintage as “the greatest vintage produced during my 30 year career.” ... Brian also offers another worthwhile wine investment, “Since the buzz has been primarily focused on the 2005 Bordeaux, earlier vintage wines such as the 2004 Bordeaux will offer a great shorter term return.” Notice what’s missing here: Not a mention of when the Bordeaux from 2005 will be ready to drink, just when they might be ready to sell. No mention of the qualities of Bordeaux red wines, their potential for nobility, grace and elegance. No indication that when the Bordeaux from 2005 reach maturity they will drink wonderfully with a beef crown roast or venison, that they will bring to your table a sense of history and geography and artisanship. No reference to the wine’s ability to bring friends and families together in a shared moment of great wining and dining (and all the Bordeaux of 2005 are not extravagantly expensive).

* Do Bianchi - Breaking news: TTB backs off from Brunello lab analysis demand
 Evidently, following meetings last week between the Italian Minister of Agriculture, Luca Zaia , and his American counterpart, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer , the Americans have agreed to lift the requirement. This is great news. It came to me via a letter circulated by the National Association of Beverage Importers . Click here to read it. Frankly, I feel that the whole issue had been blown out of proportion by a series of misunderstandings and mishaps. I’m writing from the road today (stayed in Vegas last night) but will post more tomorrow on what this will mean for Brunello and for us Brunello lovers (an association of which I am a card-carrying member!).

* Wine Consultant - Back Home
I’ve had a great trip through France and Italy but it is nice to be home even if the weather isn’t particularly nice at present here in Auckland. Now it’s just a matter of getting over this jet lag. Bookmark It Hide Sites

* Dr Vino's wine blog - Billionaire’s Vinegar by Benjamin Wallace
Kip Forbes, dispatched by his father Malcolm to Christie’s auction house in London in 1985 to bring home a bottle of 1787 Bordeaux on the Forbes private jet, finds surprising competition from a then-upstart publisher: Marvin Shanken of the fledgling Wine Spectator. A spectacular bidding war ensues over the bottle that may have belonged to Thomas Jefferson and one of them takes the bottle back to New York in an extra seat on the plane, strapped to a mattress (read the book to discover which one) after winning it for $156,000. Such is a great scene near the beginning of the fantastic book Billionaire’s Vinegar: The Mystery of the World’s Most Expensive Bottle of Wine.

* Wilma's Wine World - Wilma Whines
Sometimes I wonder why we stay in this industry. Is it for the love of producing a great product that we thoroughly enjoy? Is it the thrill of creating something delicious and satisfying that enhances the dining experience? Or is it the sheer challenge of building something that has the power to endure long after we’re gone.