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Wine Ebooks:
| | The Complete Grape Growers Guide. |  | | A Complete Guide For Growing Grapes. Converts Very Well At A Reasonable Price! Growing Grapes And Making Wine Is A Very Popular Topic Right Now.
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| | Fool-Proof Wine Values. | | | Learn How To Easily Find Wines Of $50 Quality For $10 Or Less. Impress Friends With Your Expanded Wine Knowledge. Eliminate Your Dependence On Wine Salespeople. And Take The Hassle Out Of Buying Wine.
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| | Making Wine From Home. | | | A Fun And Very Informative Book On Home Wine Making. The De Facto Standard For All Home Wine Enthusiasts With Recipes, Advice And Tricks.
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Blogs & Sites:
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| [11/29/2007, 20:19] | Ohm Shanti | | I somehow weaseled my way into a Vegan cooking class this weekend to give a talk about organic wines. Shameless self/company promotion? Why do you ask!  SO, if you have nothing to do between 1:30 and 3 on Sunday, December 2nd, feel free to register to learn how to cook all sorts of yumminess (which is, apparently, a heavily-used wine descriptor) sans animals or animal by-products. I don't claim to be vegan (as the mountain of cheese in my belly can attest) but I do agree with the principles of it all.
Anys. Come to Shakti Yoga Studio at 220 Lexington Ave this Sunday to hear me and to get your vegan feedbag on. I think it's $20 per person. Call 716 884 YOGA to register. I'll be the one with a cork in my hand stinking of butter. | | | |
| [05/15/2008, 07:22] | Pair of Fives | |  Brilliance is a word that can mean many things: luminosity, intelligence, perfectly executed and, when it comes to flavor, lively and electric. All of those things come together in these two seductive, brilliant wines that are great values to boot coming in at under $25.
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2005 Clos de la Roilette, Fleurie, Imported by Louis/Dressner Every time I’ve served this wine each person at their first sip is taken back for a second as they ponder what has crossed their palate. Each knows that they have experienced something special. This is an extraordinary wine is that is is just so alive that it makes you take more pleasure in living. Concentrated elegance and finesse. -
2005 Bourgogne, Pinot Noir Vieilles Vignes, Domaine Joseph Voillot. Imported by Vintage ‘59 Imports – Anybody who thinks there are no great values coming out of Burgundy be prepared to be proven wrong. This racy, bright pinot noir also comes packed with loads of flavor and complexity on its rather electric acid frame. Here’s a pinot that can both sing and dance. A short stint in your cellar of two or three years will give you quite a bottle of pinot. A pair of 5’s may seem a long shot to those that think a lot of chips are required to get great wine, but sometimes a pair is all you need. These days it’s hard to imagine such a winning hand at this price range from anywhere other than France. | | WorldWine Tags: wine, Beaujolais, Burgundy, | | | |
| [02/12/2008, 11:02] | Italians and Others | | Some short notes from a long, vaguely Italian themed lunch. N.V. Laurent-Perrier Champagne Grand Siecle:
Probably around 7-10 years bottle age and it shows on the nose with aromas of honey, citrus, quince paste and some sherry. Complex and with good presence on the palate, there is also acidity coming through strongly to keep things fresh.
91/100 2005 Livio Felluga Pinot Grigio:
Appealing nose with straw, citrus peel, mango and white chocolate. Surprisingly persistent creamy flavour balanced nicely by restrained acidity.
89/100 2000 Isole e Olena Chardonnay Collezione de Marchi:
Nutty old oak aromas, with some citrus as well. Clean flavours on the palate, it is a little bit straightforward but enjoyable regardless.
87/100 2000 Lake’s Folly Chardonnay:
Initially there were some onion skin aromas but these lifted with time in the glass, there were only some butty and resin aromas underneath. Rounded mouthfeel, alcohol sticking out a bit on the finish.
82/100 1986 McWilliam’s Semillon Mount Pleasant Elizabeth:
Typical aged Semillon aromas of honey, toast and lemon. Toasty flavour to the palate with excellent length. Balance is superb. This was at its peak and while not quite hitting the same highs as the Lovedale of the same year, it was delicious.
90/100 1995 Gérard Chavy & Fils Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières:
Blue cheese, oxidative notes and some old oak. A bit tired on the palate as well, you can see some quality there behind the tiredness and it actually lifted a little bit with some air time.
82/100 1993 La Pousse d’Or Santenay 1er Cru Clos Tavannes:
The nose is quite open and giving with red cherry, forest and earth. A little bit thin on the palate, but it didn’t detract too much from the wine as a whole. Will probably improve with a few more years in bottle.
88/100 1986 Prunotto Barbaresco Montestefano:
Smoke, cherry, rose petals and some bacon fat. The tannins and acid are still at the fore of the palate but it works and it is very nicely savoury and the texture is very good.
88/100 1998 Giacomo Borgogno Barolo Riserva:
Corked.
NR/100 2006 Cape Mentelle Sangiovese:
Blue bubblegum and black cherries on the nose. Sweetly fruited palate with some spice laid over the top. Very approachable and nicely drinkable.
88/100 1999 Isole e Olena Cepparello:
Some earth and pepper to the nose, but otherwise quite bright and floral with some red berries as well. Nice balance to the palate, there is a rush of flavour along the length but it never seems over the top. I think this will be drinking very nicely over the next 7-10 years.
90/100 1988 Antinori Tignanello:
A nose of tobacco, smoke, cherry, red berries and with earthy undertones. The palate is superb, with long savoury flavour and great complexity and interest. This bottle seemed to be right at its peak.
94/100 1998 Antinori Tignanello:
A juicy nose of red berries, graphite, cedar and some floral and earth notes coming through as well. Intense and flavourful on the palate with the tannins needed food to be tamed. Clearly very good and noticeably of a similar bloodline to the ‘88 had by its side. It was approachable now, but will be better in 4-5 years.
91/100 1997 Hugel et Fils Gewürztraminer Sélection de Grains Nobles “S”:
140 cases made. Produced only in selected years (89, 97 and 00 so far), by special strict separation of fruit at the same time the regular SGN is picked. Intoxicating lifted nose of honey, spice, mango, quince and botrytis. Has the identifiable unctuous oiliness of Gewurtraminer as well as intense sweetness but also some amazing acid to cleanse and somehow harmonise the elements and leave the palate refreshed for the next sip. Among the top dessert wines I had last year, if not the best.
97/100 1992 Winzerkeller Leiningerland eG Grunstadter Roth Scheurebe Eiswein:
Mango, guava and pineapple aromas on the nose. Palate is round with lingering, intense sweetness. Simple but delicious, and a great end to a great day.
91/100 | | | |
| [05/07/2008, 17:18] | Interview with Ed Lehrman of Vine Connections: First Installment | | 
Following the theme of my last post about Americans? increasing awareness of the quality wines that many artisan producers of Argentina are exporting, I?m pleased to post the first installment of my interview with Ed Lehrman of Vine Connections. Along with his business partner, Nick Ramkowsky, they formed a company that not only imports the wines of artisan Mendoza producers, but selectively forges meaningful, long term relationships with them. As Ed Lehrman explains in the interview, this type of involvement encompasses much more than shipping and distribution, extending into representation, consulting, label design and many other crucial aspects which in the end, bring American consumers the types of genuine artisan wines that multinationals couldn?t even conceive of delivering.
Based out of Sausalito, CA, Vine Connections has been at the forefront of the changing of the guard, in terms of tastes, that I described in my last post. Their portfolio includes excellent California, New Zealand and Japanese Saké producers, alongside the wines of star Mendoza winemakers Susana Balbo and Pedro Marchevsky, along with others to look out for, such as Mapema, Tikal and La Posta del Viñatero. If you really want to know what Argentines really like to have at the table and moreover, the breadth that Argentine wines are capable of achieving, I encourage you to explore the types of artisan producers that Vine Connections represents and whose work, over the coming years, will ultimately triumph over the characterless, corporate-backed South American wines saturating our shelves.
I would like to thank Ed Lehrman for taking the time to provide his in-depth responses concerning Vine Connections, its vision and inspiration. Our conversation unfolded over e-mail:
*What is the vision behind your company and what were some of the key experiences that led you and your business partner to get started?
- My partner, Nick Ramkowsky, and I have both been in the wine business since 1986 (we started very young), and we could have done any number of things together. Nick was a small California distributor at the time, and I had just sold my direct-to-consumer wine business where he had been one of my suppliers. A fateful trip together in May of 1999 launched us into the importing/national sale & marketing business. We spent about a week in Mendoza on that trip tasting wines from bottle, barrel, tanks?you name it?and we met some incredible winery owners and winemakers. By the end of the week, we were looking at each other and asking, ?How does the 5th largest wine producer in the world hide incredible wines like these from the US?? It seemed like this must be the opportunity of a lifetime for wine guys like us to lead the charge in introducing Argentine wine to the US, and in a way that they would be fully appreciated for their quality and authenticity, and not just their price. As an aside, of the first 12 wines we imported from Argentina, the LEAST EXPENSIVE wine was $22 retail! So in fact, Vine Connections was originally formed in order to be an Argentine wine importer.
*Compared to other importers, what is the depth of Vine Connection's involvement with the producers its represents? (in terms of consulting, marketing, other assistance, etc.)
- It is hard to speak about other importers, since some do quite a lot and some just taste and buy. As for us, we take the approach that we are the winery?s own sales & marketing department and they can use us for as little or as much as they need. That may mean writing back label copy, helping with label design, or determining whether a new blended wine is even a good idea to add to their portfolio.
For all of our wineries, we do the copywriting for all printed materials since we can communicate their stories in English more effectively, and along the same lines, we handle most press relations since we are here and readily available. And I guess the most valuable thing we do would be called ?consulting? since we offer our advice on many topics based on our 40 years of working in the U.S. wine biz.
*How does your company forge relationships with producers? In this vein, what is the process like for you when considering an addition to your portfolio? Do the producers come towards you in the way of trade events, do you travel to areas to scout, so to speak, or some combination thereof?
- We are very careful in this regard since our objective as an importer is to build brands and not just sell wine. That requires long-term relationships, so besides tasting backwards and forwards through a winery?s production, we spend as much as time as we can with the owners and the winemakers to see whether there is a good fit for working closely together. When we meet people who already think they know it all about winemaking, marketing, etc., we politely walk away no matter the wine quality. Our initial screen is the wines?they have to be particularly good since that is what we are known for importing. Then we start talking about their philosophies, their dreams, their business objectives, and where we should all eat dinner together (a meal with a potential supplier is always a good way to gain more insight).
This process means that while we have run into some wines that we like, we have sometimes been unwilling to take the winery on. The most common stumbling block for us seems to be that the winery lacks a strong winemaking philosophy, and often because they have abdicated this cornerstone to a consulting winemaker (and most often to foreign winemakers). As time has passed, we have pretty much settled into the idea of only representing wineries owned by Argentines and with Argentine winemakers since the winemaking vision is usually clearer and more grounded in expressing what makes Mendoza so special compared to other regions.
From the first moment that we meet a winery team, it usually takes about 18 months before we come to an agreement, do the ground work, and then start selling the wines in the U.S. It seems to work--we have never lost an Argentine winery and every brand that we represent has achieved a significant level of success.
I wish I could say that finding these producers followed a particular recipe, but in truth, all of our brands have come to us via different sources. The key is to have your radar on all the time so that the best ones don?t slip by accidentally.
*You represent Susana Balbo and Pedro Marchevsky's Dominio del Plata Winery?how did that relationship come about and how far back do you go?
- Well, if it weren?t for the ?dynamic duo? of Mendoza, we may never have been Argentine wine importers. We met them on our first trip to Mendoza in 1999, and they were so obviously talented and knowledgeable that they got us thinking a lot about the possibilities. We also formed a trusting relationship so quickly that it became obvious that we would work together, and together push forward a common vision of making Argentine wine part of the daily American fine wine conversation. That seems like an ominous task looking back now?we had no company yet and they were renting a very small winery at the time?but at the time it just seemed like destiny. | | | |
| [04/04/2008, 00:51] | GrapeRadio Tops American Wine Blog Awards | | 
GrapeRadio is proud to announce that it has won the award for “Best Wine Podcast and Video Blog” from the American Wine Blog Awards. A panel of wine industry insiders selected the finalist in each category and the winners were then selected by popular vote of the listening public. So thanks again to all of our listeners. Summary of all Winners: BEST PODCAST OR VIDEOBLOG
Grape Radio
The crew that produces Grape Radio deliver one of the finest wine radio shows in America. And they have for quite some time. In my mind, what sets them apart from other wine related radio broadcast, be they originating on the Internet or via broadcast, is their willingness to treat their listeners with the respect they deserve, not talking down to them and not assuming they all need remedial education. The American Wine Blog Awards is hardly their first piece of recognition. The Grape Radio crew is now twice honored as a James Beard Award Nominee. BEST WINE BLOG WRITING
Vinography
www.vinography.com
Last year Alder Yarrow’s Vinography took the prize for Best Wine Review Blog. I consider this award offering even broader recognition to what has become the standard bearer of the wine blogging effort. Alder has not built a substantial readership based on marketing and promotion. He’s earned it through his thoughtful, insightful writing and analysis. BEST SINGLE SUBJECT BLOG
Good Wine Under $20
www.goodwineunder20.blogspot.com
Deb Harkness, aka Dr. Debs, the LA college professor and wine blogger has probably been the most newly noticed wine blog of the last 12 months or so. This is all due, as far as I can tell, to her enormous passion for both wine and her readers’ passions for wine. Her subject matter has of late broadened beyond recollections of her search for good wines under $20. This is very good news because she is quick witted and has an excellent eye for the curious and newsworthy. Yet her focus on value remains true and will likely be what delivers even more readers to her outstanding blog. BEST WINE BLOG GRAPHICS
Chateau Petrogasm
www.chateaupetrogasm.com
Benjamin Saltzman and Andrew Stuart have done something remarkable. They created something new and very, very good in the world of wine reviewing. When I first came across Chateau Petrogasm I was knocked by in my chair by their graphic approach to reviewing wines. How simple. A single picture to convey their impressions of a wine. The approach is both highly cerebral as well as arresting due to its implications for how sophisticated and precise the simplest form of communication can be. There is no doubt a coffee table book in the Chateau Petrogasm’s future. BEST WINERY BLOG
Tablas Creek
www.tablascreek.typepad.com
Tablas Creek has one of the longest running winery blogs. Any really good winery blog must impart the experience of working at a winery and running a winery. The Tablas Creek blog not only does this but is able to do so by also imparting the excitement they possess for being in the business, the seriousness with which they take their efforts and with the occasional self deprecating approach. It is a joy to read that takes one inside the head of someone who thinks clearly and communicates clearly about the business and fun of growing grapes and making wine. BEST WINE REVIEW BLOG
Good Wine Under $20
www.goodwineunder20.blogspot.com
This was for me by far the most interesting group of nominees in this year’s awards. All four nominees do give their readers an educated and passionate glimpse into their view of the world of wines. Deb Harkness of Good Wine Under $20 did not necessarily win this category running away, but she did win it convincingly, with both the public and the judges. Why? I think it’s because voters and judges see in her reviews exactly what we all want when we encounter a wine we’ve not tasted: an excitement stemming from true discovery. Dr. Debs is clearly becoming an important person in the world of wine blogging and wine reviewing. BEST BUSINESS BLOG
The Wine Collector
www.vinfolio.com/thewinecollector
The raise to win Best Business Wine Blog was easily the closets of them all. In the end, Steve Bachmann’s The Wine Collector took the prize, actually garnering the most votes from both the public and the judges. The Wine Collector was the winner of last year’s prize for Best Single Subject Wine Blog. This year it was honored for what it does best: deliver exceedingly high level analysis of the wine market and wine selling from the perspective of someone who knows markets and knows about selling wine. Steve’s blog posts, however, are not so far in the air above people’s heads that they won’t appeal to a broad market. What accounts for this is the straightforward nature of his writing. The Wine Collector is a deserving winner. BEST WINE BLOG
Vinography
www.vinography.com | | | |
| [11/06/2006, 23:58] | Great Wine Bars In San Francisco | | A16 tops the list of the best wine bars in San Francisco. The owner-sommelier Shelley Lindgren?s wine list is focused on Southern Italian varietals. This wine list is an integral part of the A16 experience and what makes it the best of the wine bars in San Francisco. Andalu on 16th Street is another one of San Francisco?s finest wine bars. They are awesome because they offer small plates with big flavors. This is one of the San Francisco wine bars that has an approachable wine list and offers 35 wines by the glass. The crowd there is mixed and energetic. Wine bars don?t usually come as good, or as small, as Bacchus on Hyde Street. Bacchus has knowledgeable bartenders that make innovative saké cocktails and they pour over 50 wines that range in price from under $10 a glass to more than $200 a bottle. The signature drink at Bacchus is their sake-version of the mojito. Cav is one of the wine bars in San Francisco that takes itself extremely seriously. Cav has a well-chosen wine list of over 300 international wines. Some of the wines on the list are offered by a taste, or the glass. The chef has crafted unique takes on lots of dishes and Cav actually offers a cheese course that is served at the proper temperature and is on par with some of the finer restaurants in San Francisco. Wine bars like Piccolo on Fillmore street handpick the wines on their wine lists. Piccolo is one of the wine bars that choose limited availability and small production wines. They prefer to concentrate on Italian wines. The owner of Piccolo has wonderful antipasti on his menu. There is fierce competition between wine bars to have the most excellent food to accompany their spirits. Varnish Fine Art is both an art gallery and one of the top wine bars in San Francisco. The atmosphere at Varnish Fine Art is comfortable and it draws a post-work crowd for beer or wine during happy hour. The wine list at Varnish Fine Art is well chosen and features a number of delicious fine wines, as well as soju and saké cocktails. | | | |
| [05/03/2008, 04:29] | WBC 2: Noble Rot | |  The wines of France’s Bordeaux region have long been a benchmark for quality due to a combination of tradition, terroir and mystique. William Echikson’s “Noble Rot: A Bordeaux Wine Revolution” attempts to lift the veil and show the inside of the Bordeaux wine trade which makes for some fascinating reading.
Mr. Echikson is the Brussels bureau chief for Dow Jones Newswires and a wine columnist for the Wall Street Journal Europe but his narrative here stays closer to the business side of things in his account of the 2001 growing season. Along the way, we are introduced to the movers and shakers of the Bordeaux wine scene, including critic Robert Parker, consulting winemaker Michel Rolland and garagiste Michel Gracia, but the central story is of the Lur-Saluces family of Chateau d’Yquem. The wines of Chateau d’Yquem are well known to wine lovers as the standard-bearer of Sauternes, the late harvest desert wine made in Bordeaux. The fungus on the grapes, known as “noble rot”, concentrates the juice making the resulting wine lusciously concentrated and sweet but still has plenty of acidity to make you come back for more. My own experience with d’Yquem is nothing short of phenomenal; this is one of those wines you want to just keep your nose in the glass for hours at a time. As it turns out the Lur-Saluces family is as complex as their wines and much of Noble Rot is devoted to telling their somewhat tragic story. While interesting, I found this part of the book a bit gossipy and liked the vignettes of other characters in Bordeaux better. But at just under 300 pages, Noble Rot makes for a quick weekend read and one I hope more wine lovers will check out. That’s why I chose this book for the second installment of the Wine Book Club created by Dr. Debs of Good Wine Under $20. In Deb’s review of this book, she focuses on the Bordelaise wine culture and the historical aspects of the story, not surprising for an esteemed history professor from USC. Richard, The Passionate Foodie, commented on how winemakers need to adapt to change or face the consequences in his review. Good insight into the tradition-laden culture of Bordeaux. The Dude checked in with his thoughts on Noble Rot and gave it a thumbs up for, “…a) You love you some Bordeaux wine, b) You prefer your history shaken, & with a twist of gossip, c) You are in the wine industry.” Well played, Dude. Farley came out from Behind The Vines to post her review and highlight the educational aspects of Noble Rot. I, too, learned a lot about what makes Bordeaux tick and why they are able to command such prices in the international marketplace. Kori from The Wine Peeps gave a rundown of several juicy quotes from the book in her review but concluded that, “…If you are interested in learning more about Bordeaux, the people, places, and history, this could be a book for you, and you can head over to Amazon or your book retailer of choice to pick up a copy. However, if you are looking for a wine guide or basic wine information, I would suggest that you look elsewhere.” Colin from the Grapefan’s Wine Adventures blog in the UK posted a mixed review of Noble Rot commenting, “…I’m still not sure what to make of it.” He thought the book might be best suited to Americans but ended up giving the work an 84 on the 100 point scale. I know other bloggers started the book and hope they finish and post their reviews. As they do, I will update this post. Please send me your link if I missed your review or if you post a bit later than my tardy effort. Thanks again to Dr. Debs for letting me host Wine Book Club on it’s sophomore edition. I’m hoping to see a better turnout on the 3rd outing to be announced next week. ShareThis | | | |
| [05/14/2008, 03:04] | european wines | | I will be traveling to europe and am wondering, which wines (or beers..:P) should I try? Im a wine novice and love muscato d'asti, though dont mind trying other types. So I will be going to:
amsterdam
berlin
vienna
prague
rome
barcelona
paris
thanks and I hope this post isn't too stupid. | | | |
| [05/01/2008, 18:01] | Quattro Mani Montepulciano 2006 | |  Big, mouthfilling, smooth and satisfying describe the Quattro Mani Montepulciano 2006.
This easy-to-drink Italian starts off with dark berry, leather and smoke on the nose. The dark berries continue on the palate and are joined by dried cherries and a little more smokiness.
This robust, full-bodied wine is enjoyable by itself, and its smoky component would make it a good match for burgers, barbecue and grilled meats. Its price is a very reasonable $10 per bottle. | | | |
| [12/29/2007, 15:31] | Recent Tasting Notes | | 2004 Bass Phillip “Estate” Chardonnay:
Cloudy light golden colour. Oatmeal, nutty characters, soap and citrus peel on the nose. Rich and round palate with acidity that seems a little bit prickly. I think it was better than I’ve made it sound, but I can’t muster a whole lot of enthusiasm for it.
87/100 2007 Primo Estate “d’Elena” Pinot Grigio:
Very pale colour. Banana and tropical fruits (mostly pineapple) aromas. Texturally interesting, but there is also a bit of alcohol heat on the palate that I found distracting.
85/100 1997 Paringa “Estate” Pinot Noir:
Dark ruby colour, a little bit murky as well I thought. Cherry, raspberry, stalks and damp soil. The acid is sticking out, but I thought the rest of the flavour on the palate carried well. May have looked a bit better a couple of years ago.
87/100 1986 Domaine Jacques-Frederic Mugnier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses:
Light red, with some orange tints around the rim. Yeasty and baked aromas on opening, we feared that it may be dead. We moved on to another wine to give this some time to see what happened and the recovery was pleasing. After around 60 minutes there were some earthy, dusty aromas coming through. Then another look after 90 minutes showed some spice, cherry and perfume like aromas. Palate never shed its dominant tannin, but it was quite drinkable anyway. It didn’t hit any great heights, but the recovery was remarkable and it ended up a nice drink.
87/100 1996 Domaine Bart Bonnes Mares Grand Cru:
Medium purple coloured. Nose was very shy throughout the time we spent with it - there were fleeting scents of dark cherry, mocha, rose petal and some other floral notes. The palate is lovely though, it is quite youthful but layered, balanced and very long. Plenty of potential in this wine over the next 10 years.
91/100 1977 Graham Vintage Port: (375ml)
Light crimson colour. Earth, spice, roast nuts and mint on the nose. There is a pleasing brown sugar style flavour to the palate, but it is noticeably lacking in depth. Not really what I expected in terms of richness and complexity, would like to know how it looked on following nights.
88/100 | | | |
| [05/21/2008, 15:17] | The weather so far | | | In NE Italy the spring has been very rainy and cooler than normal. A far different situation from last year's, when producers were dealing with dry soil and hot temperatures that accelerated grape development. Producers have told me that vines are behind in their development; some express concern that the rain may not end soon enough to have a serious effect on the quality of the grapes. "It rained all of April," one told me. "We had a spell of sunny weather in May, but more gloom than warm sun... | | | |
| [01/01/1970, 02:00] | Anise Biscotti with Red Wine - a bite of heaven! | | | That's the combination Sweet WillYum's owner and baker Sue Kershner suggests for a quiet evening. Personally, I think Uncle Eric's Granola Biscotti would go just as well with a mellow wine. What would you pair with Will's Chocolate Chip Cookies? Or Chocolate Peppermint Dr. Patti's? Visit www.SweetWillYums.com today to order your ... | | | |
| [06/21/2007, 13:19] | 1947 Bordeaux | | | Kansas City, there I came, for an evening of 1947 Bordeaux assembled by one of the Midwest?s top connoisseurs, Mark. When it comes to Kansas City and wine, there is only one Mark. It was actually a wine weekend, but I could only get away for a Saturday night due to a June catalog production [...] | | | |
| [05/11/2008, 14:47] | Merlot Made From Hamptons Vineyard for $100 Beats Saint-Emilion | | 
Merlot Made From Hamptons Vineyard for $100 Beats Saint-Emilion
By Gillian Wee
URL: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601093&sid=a4UjlGU.8GKw&refer=home
May 9 (Bloomberg) -- After making wine since 1992 surrounded by the mansions of the Hamptons, Roman Roth got the ingredients for the ideal vintage last summer: steady sunshine and little rain.
``It was a dream year,'' said Roth, 42, the German-born winemaker at Wolffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack on Long Island's South Fork, about 100 miles (161 kilometers) east of New York City. ``The growing conditions were close to perfect. You knew when you started picking grapes. So we made really ripe, great lush wines.''
Roth's most expensive product, a 2004 Premier Cru -- or first growth -- Merlot sells for $100 a bottle at his tasting room, which is preparing for its peak period from Memorial Day, the May 26 U.S. holiday marking the start of the summer season, to October.
The 2007 vintage follows one in 2005 praised by Wine Spectator magazine Executive Editor Thomas Matthews. They show that Long Island's boutique winemakers can compete with U.S. West Coast and European producers, Roth said.
``I think 2007 is going to be the exciting year,'' said Gary Vaynerchuk, 32, who runs Wine Library, a retailer in Springfield, New Jersey, and hosts a Web TV show on winelibrarytv.com. ``Weather has everything to do with everything when it has to do with wine.''
While New York is the country's third-largest wine-and-grape producer behind California and Washington, two-thirds of the harvest is turned into grape juice, said Jessica Chittenden, a spokeswoman for the state agriculture department. Long Island's vineyards produce only 1.19 million gallons of wine, worth about $100 million annually, equivalent to 0.2 percent of California's output, said Steve Bate, 49, executive director of the Long Island Wine Council.
3,000 Acres
Long Island's first vineyard was started with 17 acres (6.9 hectares) in 1973 by Louisa and Alec Hargrave. Sixty vineyards, many former potato fields, now cover about 3,000 acres. They benefit from growing conditions similar to the Bordeaux region, Bate said. Long Island's largest winery is the family-run Pindar Vineyards, sitting on almost 550 acres.
What sets Long Island wines apart from California offerings is how well they pair with food, said Jim Trezise, 61, president of the New York Wine and Grape Foundation. Grapes grown in New York's cooler climate produce vintages that are light and acidic, he said.
The island, known for its white beaches, relies on summer visitors who buy wine where it's made.
`Attractive Region'
``They are such an attractive region for tourism that they're able to sell a large percentage of production from the wineries,'' said Matthews, 54, whose favorites include offerings from Wolffer, Pellegrini Winery and Bedell Cellars, owned by Michael Lynne, a former head of Time Warner Inc.'s New Line Cinema. ``That has allowed them to flourish without being forced to compete on retail shelves and restaurant wine lists with wines around the world.''
Read the rest of the story at:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601093&sid=a4UjlGU.8GKw&refer=home | | | |
| [05/15/2008, 03:39] | Mouton Cadet (White) 2006 wine review by (PB) | | 
This lightly golden Bordeaux smells like a wonderful Riesling or Gewürztraminer on first sniff and then evolves quickly to a Sauvignon Blanc blend. Peaches and grassy notes are very nice on the swirl with flowery bouquet.
This wine is 40% S. Blanc 50% Semillion and 10% Muscadelle and it tastes precisely like what it is. This wine comes in at $7.50 and is food friendly, and okay as an aperitif. Raise a glass to be sure. | | | |
| [01/01/1970, 02:00] | "Wine, Food, and Eagles" | | Sun Feb 20th, 2005, Sandy Hook
Join us for eagle watching at the Shepaug Dam along the Housatonic River, wine tasting and hot chocolate at the Winery, and a 3 course lunch with wine at the Inn at Newtown. | | | |
| [05/12/2008, 18:55] | Interview with Ed Lehrman of Vine Connections: Second Installment | | 
*What an unusual mix in terms of the international producers you represent?why Argentina, New Zealand and Japan?
- Not really if you consider that Argentina and Japan (Ginjo sake), and to some extent New Zealand, share the same common elements?there are great wines and sake being produced by highly talented winemakers and tojis (master brewers), and they are not getting recognized yet. The quality is already in the bottle?so why should these sell less or get less respect than wine from more obvious regions? We always say that we are really a ?national education company? since we usually explain more than we sell. Our job is to get people to taste these wines and premium sake, and the stuff inside the bottles takes care of the rest. At the heart of this idea is also the notion that in the end, it?s the people you work with who make the difference between mediocre and ?wow!?. We have been lucky, fortunate, and smart (maybe a little of each) to meet and represent some of the top talent in these regions:
Susana Balbo?Crios de Susana Balbo, Susana Balbo signature wines, Nosotros (with Pedro below)
Pedro Marchevsky ? BenMarco
Pepe Galante & Mariano di Paola ? mapema
Luis Reginato ? Luca, Tikal, La Posta
Roberto de la Mota - Mendel
Jose & Pepe Reginato ? Reginato sparkling wines
Guy Davis ? Davis Family Vineyards (Russian River, CA) and Gusto (NZ SB)
13 Master Brewers from all over Japan?each as talented as anyone we have met.
*As someone who deals so closely with Argentine producers, what types of obstacles, limitations and concerns have any of them expressed to you in terms of being able to export and promote their products abroad?
- Well, I want to stay out of trouble here since I travel to Argentina a lot, but let me just say that the Argentine government has historically been more of a hindrance than a help for wine exports. As an example, and hard to believe, they actually tax EXPORTS! Perhaps the bigger obstacle for Argentine wineries is that the economic and political situation is relatively unstable, and when you are in an industry that measures commitment and success over a decade or longer due to capital investment requirements, it is hard to deal with a system that usually looks out only 2-3 years at a time.
*In your eyes, what sets apart these Argentine producers you represent? What do their wines bring to the table of American wine consumers that large-yield, often conglomerate-backed wines simply cannot?
- I alluded to this a bit above when talking about who we represent and why. I think there are three main things that set our producers apart:
1) Our wineries are owned by and have Argentine winemakers who have lived in this unique climate and region for their entire lives. For us, that means that the wines that they make TASTE like Argentine wines, not like some random wine from somewhere in the world. And as talented as some of the flying/foreign winemakers are who are working in Mendoza, I have yet to taste a wine from them that thrills me the way our producers? wines do at the dinner table. And I taste everything from down there.
2) As good as they already are, they are still always trying to learn how to improve their wines, and in today?s wine world, that?s the only way you stay on top. It shows.
3) Obsessive attention to detail seems like an abused phrase, but in winemaking it is crucial and not as common as you would think. Our winemakers are also our close friends and in Argentina that is taken pretty seriously. They make sure that every step is done with the utmost care because they would never want to look their friends in the eye and say, ?uhh..I?m sorry but this wine is just ok because we weren?t really paying close attention when we made it.? Large wineries may be able to solve #1 above, but #2 and #3 are far harder to come by, and that?s probably as true in the US as it is in Argentina.
*Looking ahead?are there any regions Vine Connections is looking to expand its portfolio toward, and why?
- We made a strategic decision a few years ago that we would remain specialists in Argentine wine and Japanese sake. Some importers have gone in the opposite direction and are happy to sell one of everything from anywhere, but we?re just not built that way as people. We started as leaders in both of these categories and we feel the only way to stay out in front is to specialize. That?s why we spend almost a month per year in Mendoza and visit Japan for at least 2 weeks every year. It?s our own ?attention to detail? mantra, and we try to stick to it so that we can look our customers in they eye and say every time, ?This is really great Argentine wine and Ginjo sake?. Every time.
- Fortunately, we won?t be bored since there still plenty of regions and microclimates still left to discover in Argentina.
*Given the nature of the market here in the United States, what advice would you give to consumers who would like be aware of, as well as actually see, a dramatic increase in availability of premium Argentine wines such as those crafted by your producers?
- American consumers have helped their own cause a lot already by being very open to trying wines like Malbec, Bonarda, and Torrontes. I think they will help themselves even further by continuing to experiment with wines at many different prices, not just the ?great values? under $15. Nick and I firmly believe that well-made Argentine wines offer incredible value and over-deliver at all price points. A $12 wine is worth more like $16, and a $30 wine is worth more like $40 when compared to other wine regions of the world. And, of course, you can support quality-focused companies like Vine Connections by paying attention to the importer name or logo (like our compass) that appear on every bottle. As with other wine regions, a good wine importer can be your best friend when you haven?t tried a particular wine yet and would like some assurance that you are going to enjoy it?especially when spending more than $15 or so. | | | |
| [01/01/1970, 02:00] | Cellar Troubles | | | It is the best of times. It is the worst of times. And right now I'm in between. About two years ago we decided to build a wine cellar in our house. I spent a lot of time with my wife choosing the various designs for the cellar, the ... | | |
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Here's a sure sign that Spring has actually arrived, and that Summer is on the way: The local farmers markets are beginning to stir. 
