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Another Wine Byte 14: Attack of the Clones?
Whenever I hear the word “clone,” I remember silly references to “human-animal hybrids” and fears that Dolly the Sheep would lead to Gavin the Goat boy — or some such nonsense as that. But the cloning of grape varietals doesn’t occur in some dark laboratory with a mad scientist
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The Lost Art of Being Gracious
Likewise, sometimes a winery doesn’t see a visitor as a gift. Some of them even act as if they’re doing the person a favor just to allow you to be in their presence or taste their wines. They’ve lost the art of being gracious.
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Dear Thea, this is what you missed!
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Date Night with Ravenswood Zinfandel
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Wine Law: The Times They Are ‘A Changing
Advocates of the Three-tier System of Distribution continue to block changes in laws that would benefit individual consumers and wine drinkers seeking direct shipment of out-of-state wines.
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Wine Review: Chalone Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc
Rich and creamy with bright tropical and citrus notes, this is perfect for those who don’t like the average Sauvignon Blanc. Flavors of lemongrass and passion fruit, dancing with hints of lemon zest and grapefruit, this is a perfectly delightful wine to go with a fresh summer salad or flavorful Thai food.
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Wine Accessories: The Fine Art of the Corkscrew
While looking for images of sommelier tools, I came upon some interesting specimens; some that look particularly sinister (above) which reminded me of the first horror movie I ever saw, Edgar Allan Poe’s The Pit and the Pendulum, starring Vincent Price. So I started thinking; who invented the corkscrew or waiter’s tool, and when?
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Another Wine Byte 13: To Sur with Lie
Coincidentally, to pair with our cod and julienne vegetables, Joe chose a Muscadet from Chateau La Tarciere, that has on the label, and in raised letters on the bottle “Sur Lie.” If you haven’t studied wine making you probably have no idea what the aroma of “lees” or sur lie means. I know before Joe began his studies with ISG, neither of us knew either.
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The Complaint as a Gift: A Tale of Three Wineries
Research indicates that for every one complaint there are hundreds of customers who say nothing, and just take their business elsewhere. Is your business losing out to your competitors? Do you know wineries that haven’t a clue how to deal with bad reviews?
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To Hell with States’ Rights! – Part I
There are a number of states that make it next to impossible for a consumer to get wine direct-shipped to her. Most of these laws effectively protect the three-tiered system, that takes wine from the winery, to the distributor, to the retail establishment. And I would argue that there is a pretty strong lobby that seeks protectionism for its state-run wineries, and its distribution system.