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Mini-reviews 36: Ribera, La Vieille Ferme, Rodney Strong, Sledgehammer
Published on 2012-05-25 06:00:00
Reviews of wines that don’t need their own post, but are worth noting for one reason or another. Look for it on the final Friday of each month: • Bodegas Peñalba López Monte Castrillo 2009 ($13, sample): Spanish tempranillo from... > read more
Boy, you really don't like rose, do you?
Published on 2012-05-25 05:52:17
As noted in yesterday's post about rose, it's far from the most popular topic on the blog. But not even the Wine Curmudgeon realized how little wine drinkers like rose. Hardly anyone showed up to read it -- my visitor... > read more
Wine of the week: Massamier La Mignarde Cuvee des Oliviers 2010
Published on 2012-05-23 06:00:00
The name of this wine is a very long and very French way of saying that this is exactly the kind of rose that makes the Wine Curmudgeon smile. It’s cheap and it’s dry, but more importantly, it”s full of... > read more
Winebits 230: Italian wine, wine fraud, screwcaps
Published on 2012-05-22 06:00:00
• Those were the days: The Italian Wine Guy remembers when no one had heard of Santa Margherita pinot grigio. Hard to believe, no? His point, and he makes it well, is that the Italian wine world (and, by extension,... > read more
Five wine facts that aren't necessarily facts
Published on 2012-05-21 06:00:00
The wine world is full of people who know exactly what they’re talking about, even when they don’t. My pal John Bratcher loves to tell the story about the guy at a wine tasting who said in no uncertain terms... > read more
The Beard Awards and regional wine
Published on 2012-05-18 06:10:14
The Wine Curmudgeon has always had a middle of the country perspective when it comes to the Beard Awards, the food business' version of the Academy Awards. That is, the winners always seem to be from either coast, and especially... > read more
Direct shipping and underage drinking
Published on 2012-05-16 09:00:44
Rebecca Williams may have taken on Big Tobacco, but that experience didn't prepare her for her recent adventure in the wine business. Williams is the lead author of the May study that looked at whether minors could buy alcohol on... > read more
What does Bed Bath & Beyond know about selling wine?
Published on 2012-05-11 07:13:34
Will we be able to use these 20 percent coupons to buy wine at World Market? We're about to find out, since the housewares superstore chain has bought Cost Plus World Market, best known to regular visitors here for its... > read more
Mother's Day wine 2012
Published on 2012-05-08 06:50:29
Doesn't Mom deserve wine for Mother's Day? Buy Mom wine for Mother's Day. She'll appreciate it. Right, Mom? Or, failing that, buy her wine for Mother's Day brunch. Whatever you do, though, keep our wine gift-giving guidelines in mind --... > read more
Wine terms: Wine glasses
Published on 2012-05-04 08:22:17
Pretty pictures notwithstanding, wine glasses affect the taste of wine. This may seem like a silly topic for a post. How are we supposed to drink wine unless we use a glass? Would that it were that simple. The concept... > read more
Wine prices in 2012, one more time (but no more, I promise)
Published on 2012-04-30 14:21:09
Will we need a bag of money to buy wine in 2012? Who knew what fun we'd have after my trio of posts about the direction for wine prices in 2012? Since then, the cyber-ether -- as well as the... > read more
DLW 2012 and the change in regional wine
Published on 2012-04-30 10:52:26
Four years ago, when we held our first DrinkLocalWine conference in Dallas featuring Texas wine, no one was quite sure what would happen. Was regional wine ready for the kind of spotlight we were going to shine on it? Would... > read more
DLW 2012: Colorado ends on a high note
Published on 2012-04-29 07:28:51
If the buzz in the cyber ether during Saturday's Nomacorc-Colorado Twitter Taste-off was any indication, this was the most successful event in DrinkLocalWine's four-year history. Which is saying something, since the first three events went pretty well, too. Those of... > read more
Say, Gov. Hickenlooper, can you talk to Rick Perry about local wine?
Published on 2012-04-28 06:36:27
Imagine my surprise when Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper stopped by the DrinkLocalWine 2012: Colorado media dinner last night. On his way to officate at a wedding, no less. I was surprised, of course, because Texas' elected officials have been less... > read more
Maybe it was the fedora?
Published on 2012-04-27 13:16:38
Hats were the order of the day -- the WC and DrinkLocalWine's Michael Wangbickler Saying that the Wine Curmudgeon was overwhelmed last night at the Colorado wine tasting we held to promote DrinkLocalWine 2012 would be an understatement of the... > read more
DLW 2012: Colorado
Published on 2012-04-26 07:11:28
DrinkLocalWine will hold its fourth annual conference this weekend in Denver, focusing on Colorado wine.You can follow the fun -- because, every year, we do have a tremendous amount of fun -- on Twitter at #drinklocal and #colwine, as well... > read more
Comment moderation is on
Published on 2012-04-23 12:02:19
Noon update: Whatever is going on does seem to be bot-driven. My metrics show what looks to be an attack on the blog from Facebook. There are about 1,000 percent more links from Facebook to the blog than usual. I'm... > read more
Costco and its role in the wine business
Published on 2012-04-18 16:29:26
CNBC, the cable network, is running a documentary later this week about what it calls "The Costco Craze: Inside the Warehouse Giant." Part of this is a very quick look at the part Costco plays in the wine business as... > read more
Wine trends 2012: What we're drinking
Published on 2012-04-18 09:42:29
Does this woman know that the wine she's drinking is inferior because it's cheap and popular? There are two wine communities in the U.S. -- the regular, ordinary wine drinker, who buys almost all of the wine sold in the... > read more
Winecast 18: DLW 2012: Colorado
Published on 2012-04-15 13:25:13
What better way to get ready for DLW 2012: Colorado next week than with a podcast featuring Dave McIntyre of the Washington Post and the Wine Curmudgeon, DrinkLocalWine's co-founders? We talk about the conference's history, what we'll be doing in... > read more
Winebits 225: Organic wine, wine investments, wine prices
Published on 2012-04-15 07:44:23
• Whither organic wine? Dave Falchek looks at organic wine, and offers new perspective on something that has raditionally been much less important in wine than elsewhere. "Once the vinous equivalent of an unkempt grunger, these wines now have more... > read more
Book review: Beyond Jefferson's Vines -- The Evolution of Quality Wine in Virginia
Published on 2012-04-12 09:25:18
Who knew that the next big thing in wine books would be regional wine? But that's the case, with publishers scrambling to find writers who can do justice to the subject. In this, Richard Leahy's publisher found the perfect author.... > read more
Wine and Tax Day 2012
Published on 2012-04-12 07:24:55
Uncle Sam can't believe the criticism that cheap wine gets these days. Tuesday is Tax Day, the deadline for U.S. residents to pay their state and federal income taxes. Which is an ideal opportunity for the Wine Curmudgeon to remind... > read more
Wine prices: Is it time for another update?
Published on 2012-04-11 07:48:08
One of the best things about new media is that it doesn't require a lot of bureauacracy or capital investment to do a story. In other words, when I need to write about something, I don't have to clear it... > read more
"Wine writers -- donkeys that most of them are"
Published on 2012-04-08 08:23:16
As long as we're on the subject of wine writing and its various deficiencies, consider this video. It pretty much puts everyone in the wine business in their place, from consumers to wine writers to retailers to restaurants to producers.... > read more
Expensive wine 38: Inniskillin Pearl Icewine 2007
Published on 2012-04-06 06:14:41
This is one of the most expensive wines ever reviewed on the blog -- $50 for a half bottle, assuming you can find it. Icewine requires bitterly cold winter temperatures, and the past couple of winters have been so mild... > read more
Judge to Gruet: Pay $4 million
Published on 2012-04-05 06:40:01
The final tally -- as well as some incredibly juicy details -- is in, and the soap opera that was New Mexico's Gruet Winery's attempt to buy Texas' bankrupt Cap*Rock Winery is apparently over. Regular visitors here will recall that... > read more
What we're drinking, and why no one wants to write about it
Published on 2012-04-04 09:03:01
Two of the leading wine tracking consultancies have released their 2011 top brands surveys, at more or less the same time that one of the most influential wine bloggers in the cyber-ether asked if it's true that wine writers don't... > read more
The Wine Curmudgeon on #winechat
Published on 2012-04-03 08:27:59
That's at 8 p.m. central on Wednesday night, where a crowd of people -- representing wine from Texas, Maryland, Florida, and Virginia -- will talk about what's going on with the drink local movement as well as DrinkLocalWine's upcoming conference... > read more
$640 million worth of wine
Published on 2012-03-31 12:22:51
Frankly, $640 million is probably more than I want to spend on wine. The Wine Curmudgeon did not win the world's largest ever lottery jackpot, some $640 million. One has to buy a ticket to win, and I'm entirely too... > read more
Win tickets on the Colorado wine train
Published on 2012-03-30 06:37:31
Not bad scenery for a regional wine state, no? Who says regional wine can't be any fun? Obviously, people who don't read the blog -- or who have never enjoyed the Colorado wine train, which travels between Denver and Grand... > read more
Alabama's wineries and the end of the three-tier system
Published on 2012-03-29 10:37:37
No, this isn't what Alabama's three-tier system would look like if its wineries got self-distribution, despite all the fear-mongering. The Wine Curmudgeon long ago made his peace with three-tier, the system of state laws that governs alcohol distribution in the... > read more
Wine of the week: Edna Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
Published on 2012-03-26 08:35:15
It's not easy finding cheap cabernet sauvignon that tastes like cabernet sauvignon. Too many of them are fruity and sticky, without the heft and tannins that cabernet is supposed to have -- call them cabernet lite. Or, if they taste... > read more
Winebits 222: Robert Parker, direct shipping, regional wine
Published on 2012-03-26 07:41:41
• The maestro speaks: The Winestream Media has been abuzz with Robert Parker stories, as he makes the rounds of the various big-time wine events this spring. The most important person in the wine business has hinted at retirement, has... > read more
Riunite on ice -- so nice
Published on 2012-03-23 06:38:31
The Wine Curmudgeon's recent foray into sweet red wine brought Riunite to mind, which those of us of a certain age will remember (how fondly depends, of course, on how much Riunite one drank in those days). Riunite was one... > read more
The Wine Curmudgeon on the radio this weekend
Published on 2012-03-23 06:35:39
Dave McIntyre and I will be live on The Wine Show, hosted by Tom McNally, on New Orleans' WIST-AM at noon central on Saturday. We'll talk about the upcoming DrinkLocalWine conference April 28 in Denver and regional wine in general.... > read more
Mythmaking and wine palates
Published on 2012-03-22 06:25:34
Do you have to be a super taster to enjoy wine? The latest research seems to confirm the newest trend in wine -- that some of us are better at tasting wine than others. The study, conducted by researchers at... > read more
Soda drinkers to restaurants: Drop dead (and why this matters to wine drinkers)
Published on 2012-03-21 07:38:29
Water is becoming the beverage of choice for more and more restaurant patrons. Too many restaurants have long alienated wine drinkers with lazy winelists and greedy markups. Now, it looks like they have even alienated people who don't drink wine.... > read more
Wine of the week: Jean-Louis Trocard Bordeaux Blanc 2009
Published on 2012-03-16 07:28:06
Where does the Wine Curmudgeon begin to praise the Trocard ($10, purchased)? Cheap wine does not get much better than this: • It's a previous vintage, and it's still yummy. • Classic white Bordeaux, made with sauvignon blanc. That means... > read more
Winebits 221: California wine, counterfeit wine, chocolate wine
Published on 2012-03-15 09:01:43
• Ouch, that hurts: Lest anyone thinks that the Wine Curmudgeon is especialy cranky about California wine, consider this from Anthony Gismondi in the Vancouver Sun: "There isn’t much California wine under $20 of any interest in this market unless... > read more
The Wine Curmudgeon on iWineRadio
Published on 2012-03-13 07:35:19
Lynn Krielow Chamberlain of iWineRadio has long been an ardent supporter of regional wine, and it's always a pleasure to do an interview with her. This one talks about our upcoming DrinkLocalWine conference in Denver and the Colorado Blind Challenge.... > read more
Joe Pollack, 1931-2012
Published on 2012-03-12 05:57:43
Last year, when we held our DrinkLocalWine conference in St. Louis, one of the first people I called was Joe Pollack. Joe was not only one of the best wine writers in the state, but an honest, fair and open... > read more
Do we really need wine writers?
Published on 2012-03-02 08:17:20
Wine writers? We don't need no stinking wine writers. Tired of snotty wine writers? Tired of indecipherable wine reviews? Tired of trying to figure out whether a 90-point wine is actually better than an 88-point wine? Have no fear. The... > read more
Wine of the week: The Stump Jump 2009
Published on 2012-02-29 05:52:37
Yet another Australian wine featured on the blog? Hey, the Wine Curmudgeon calls them as he sees them, and if it means changing his mind and admitting that he doesn't know everything that he thinks he knows, that's what makes... > read more
Update: Wine prices in 2012
Published on 2012-02-25 10:39:55
Remember January's post about wine prices in 2012 (the one with the crummy graphic)? That's the post that said wine prices may finally be firming after four years of declines, and that consumers may not be able to find as... > read more
Winebits 218: Bonny Doon, Skinnygirl, wine tastings
Published on 2012-02-22 15:41:50
• Whither the family-owned winery? Bonny Doon's Randall Grahm takes to his award-winning blog to ponder the future of the family winery, and more specifically his winery. Those of us who care about these things should be especially concerned when... > read more
The Dallas Morning News and TexSom Wine Competition 2012
Published on 2012-02-22 07:44:07
This year's competiton, the 28th annual, was held Sunday and Monday. The biggest news, at least from where I was judging, was that the quality of the California wine did not hold up to the quality of the U.S. wine... > read more
Mini-reviews 33: Grgich, Leese-Fitch, Edna Valley, Colby Red
Published on 2012-02-18 12:49:23
Reviews of wines that don’t need their own post, but are worth noting for one reason or another. Look for it on the final Friday of each month: • Grgich Hills Fumé Blanc 2010 ($30, sample): This is about as... > read more
Sweet red wine, part II
Published on 2012-02-18 12:09:19
This is the second of two parts looking at sweet red wine, which could become as important to the wine business as white zinfandel once was. Today, a look at sweet reds and what they taste like. Part I on... > read more
Wine of the week: Villa Farnia di Farnese Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2010
Published on 2012-02-17 07:32:31
This wine cost nine bucks. How do the Italians do it? Their economy is in shambles and the euro is killing the dollar. If this was French wine, it would cost $15 or $18. The Wine Curmudgeon is not complaining,... > read more
Winebits 217: Organic wine, wine snobs, regional wine
Published on 2012-02-17 07:03:36
• Crummy organic wine? One reason why organic wine has never taken off, in the way of other organic products, is that the consumer doesn't see a difference in quality. And that, says a top natural-leaning winemaker, is holding back... > read more
Why I don't do celebrity wine stories
Published on 2012-02-16 11:07:38
Drew Barrymore is doing a wine. We'll ignore for the moment that she is a recovering addict, and the complications that brings to a wine brand. Or that selling wine requires a different image than selling cosmetics. But do you... > read more
Better living through wine refrigerators
Published on 2012-02-16 06:59:31
Yes, I agree: White wine goes better with hibernation. Three Chicago-area environmentalists have likely saved hundreds of endangered snakes by moving them to a 6-foot tall wine refrigerator -- maybe just like this one. The story, as reported by the... > read more
Wine of the week: Columbia-Crest Grand Estates Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Published on 2012-02-16 05:12:26
When I told a friend I was going to taste this for a possible wine of the week, she said, "Good luck. I've had it more than a few times, and I don't remember it fondly at all." Which is... > read more
Sweet red wine, part I
Published on 2012-02-15 07:07:30
Today's sweet red wines are much different from sweet reds like Manischewitz. This is the first of two parts looking at sweet red wine, which could become as important to the wine business as white zinfandel once was. Today, a... > read more
Winebits 216: Entwine, wine scores, wine snobs
Published on 2012-02-12 07:40:43
• A first-year hit: How do you sell a wine with a minimum of reviews, little retail placement outside of grocery stores, and a lousy name? Make it the house wine for The Food Newtwork. That's the story of Entwine,... > read more
Happy birthday, Two-buck Chuck
Published on 2012-02-12 06:44:35
This year is the 10th anniversary of one of the most important developments in the U.S. wine business, almost as important as Robert Parker and the 100-point scoring system. Two-buck Chuck made its first appearance in a Trader Joe's store... > read more
Wine review: Mandolin Syrah 2009
Published on 2012-02-09 06:28:04
This is a good news and bad news wine. The good news is that it's a tremendous value, another Mandolin wine that is much better than its price. The bad news? Availability, of course. It's not sold in the Dallas... > read more
Why there isn't any health news on the blog
Published on 2011-06-30 15:22:01
Several years ago, when Italian researchers reported that women who were drunk were easier to seduce, the Wine Curmudgeon banned all health news from the blog. Haven't regretted the decision one bit. Because that means we don't have to read... > read more
Winebits 187: Blog awards, screwcaps, African wine
Published on 2011-06-28 06:44:38
• Wine blogger awards: The finalists for the 2011 awards, which honor the best U.S. wine blogging, have been announced. The great Randall Grahm has been nominated in two categories -- best writing and winery blog, while a couple of... > read more
Winebits 186: James Bond, wine retailers, Indian wine
Published on 2011-06-28 06:43:09
• James Bond drinks South African wine: Yes, that's difficult for those of us who have struggled with pinotage to believe, but the most recent Bond, Carte Blanche, sees 007 seducing Felicity Willing with a bottle of Warwick's Three Cape... > read more
Wine review: Pillar Box Red 2008
Published on 2011-06-26 09:58:02
This is yet another wine that the recession has turned into a tremendous value. When the Wine Curmudgeon first came across the Pillar Box, it was about as hot as a cheap wine could be -- an Australian shiraz blend... > read more
Fourth of July wine 2011
Published on 2011-06-24 07:29:35
A few thoughts about wine and the Fourth of July, which too often isn't seen as much of a wine holiday. But, as the Wine Curmudgeon always points out, every holiday is an occasion for wine. One just needs to... > read more
Wine of the week: Marietta Old Vine Red Lot Number 53
Published on 2011-06-24 07:13:04
Twenty years ago, when the Wine Curmudgeon started writing about cheap wine, there were dozens of red wines called field blends. The term dates to the early days of California wine making, when the same vineyard was planted with different... > read more
Wineries aren't the only ones who are silly about trademarks
Published on 2011-06-23 15:14:08
Regular visitors here will remember the Wine Curmudgeon's pique when Cristalino lost a lawsuit and had to re-do its label because the company that owns Cristal (and which will never be named on the blog) said consumers would be confused... > read more
Decanter gives a shout-out to wine bloggers
Published on 2011-06-23 07:41:31
Decanter magazine's biennial list of the 50 most powerful people in the wine business took a lot of criticism. As one wine type told me after reading the rankings: "Who are these people?" Lewis Perdue, the editor of Wine Industry... > read more
A tale of three rieslings
Published on 2011-06-23 07:09:42
Rieslings are among the world’s great wines, sharing many of the qualities that great wines from other regions of the world have: high prices, long aging, and sublime taste. So why do rieslings have such a poor reputation with U.S.... > read more
Mini-reviews 26: Fat Bastard, Sangre de Toro, Irony, Carmel Road
Published on 2011-06-21 09:31:28
Reviews of wines that don’t need their own post, but are worth noting for one reason or another. Look for it on the final Friday of each month. • Fat Bastard Chardonnay 2010 ($10, purchased): Much oakier than I remember... > read more
Wine of the week: House White 2008
Published on 2011-06-21 06:29:28
The Wine Curmudgeon read one of those expert prognostications last week, reassuring the wine business that all would be soon be well with the world again. Which, for the wine business, means that consumers will stop buying cheap wine, the... > read more
Winebits 185: Bordeaux prices, direct shipping, Chinese wine
Published on 2011-06-21 06:07:01
• French government weighs in: The controversy over skyrocketing prices for red Bordeaux increased this week when the French foreign minister said prices for the wines "are actually great value." The Bordeaux pricing mess has turned into great thea > read more
Happy Fourth of July 2011
Published on 2011-06-20 14:39:30
The blog is mostly off today for the holiday. But that doesn't mean you won't enjoy yourself if you've stopped by. The video -- with B.B. King, Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, and Jimmy Vaughan -- is just as amazing as... > read more
Expensive wine 28: Robert Mondavi Reserve Chardonnay 2007
Published on 2011-06-19 18:32:05
Robert Mondavi sold his self-named company to Constellation Brands in 2004, which means that at least a generation of wine drinkers knows Mondavi only as a name on a bottle of wine they see at the grocery store. Such are... > read more
Wine writer certification: The cyber-ether is revving up again
Published on 2011-06-15 07:32:07
Got an email from my pal Dave McIntyre at the Washington Post after the short item on Tuesday's blog about Slate's Mike Steinberger and wine writer certification. "Check out the comments," wrote Dave. "The certification police are out in full... > read more
Wine review: Wakefield Promised Land 2008
Published on 2011-06-15 07:12:59
Yellow Tail has skewed the public's perception of not just expensive Australian wine, but all Australian wine. The high-end producers lament that no one knows the Aussies make wine that doesn't cost $7 a bottle, while the popularly-priced producers ( > read more
Father's Day wine 2011
Published on 2011-06-12 09:04:04
A few thoughts for the wine-loving Dad in your life, and remember the wine gift-giving guidelines. The most important? Buy wine that Dad likes, not wine that you think he should like: • d'Arenberg The Hermit Crab 2009 ($14, sample):... > read more
Wine of the week: Evodia 2009
Published on 2011-06-12 08:21:13
A regular visitor to the blog suggested the Wine Curmudgeon try this Spanish red, so I bought it and brought it home. It was only then that I noticed the alcohol level: 15 percent. Gulp. But, because I firmly believe... > read more
Winebits 184: Wine writing, cava, wine prices
Published on 2011-06-12 08:00:36
• Certifying wine writers: Slate's Mike Steinberger weighs in on this winter's cyber-controversy about credentialing wine writers at the end of a longish piece about the value of earning the Master of Wine title. Says Steinberger, who does a better > read more
Wine my brother drinks 3: Quintessa 1997
Published on 2011-06-12 07:19:52
My brother Jim is a wine aficionado of some repute, though he hangs out in much more rarefied wine circles than I do. His thoughts on Quintessa, a big-deal Napa red wine not usually seen around these parts. It's part... > read more
Lone Star International Wine Competition 2011
Published on 2011-06-08 13:16:13
The Wine Curmudgeon endures much criticism because he doesn't really care for merlot and because he wishes California producers weren't so obsessed with high alcohol wines. So what were two of my favorite wines in this week's Lone Star competition,.. > read more
Winebits 183: Law & Order, Hispanic drinkers, wine sales
Published on 2011-06-07 06:25:29
• Wine glasses by the stem: The most recent episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent was loosely based on the controversy surrounding Robert Parker and a German wine collector. How loosely? Only a major wine geek would have noticed.... > read more
AWS Colorado Winemaking Competiton 2011
Published on 2011-06-06 06:38:12
Two things to note about this competition, which was held in Denver last week: I got to assess the quality of Colorado wine with DrinkLocalWine.com visiting Colorado next year, and the event takes the recent criticism of wine judging quite... > read more
The Gruet-Cap*Rock saga continues
Published on 2011-06-03 06:57:31
Texas gave the world the TV show Dallas, which taught reality shows how families should fight. And let's not forget the Texas cheerleader murder plot or the Texas cadet murder case. So why is the Wine Curmudgeon not surprised that... > read more
Regional wine and the Wine Curmudgeon in Palate Press
Published on 2011-05-31 08:28:55
The Wine Curmudgeon's take on what's going on with regional wine and what it all means is currently the lead feature in Palate Press, the on-line wine magazine. The article is the magazine story version of a regional wine blog... > read more
Wine review: Greg Norman California Estates Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Published on 2011-05-31 07:42:27
Those of us who want to do more than just write reviews of wine samples face a dilemma. The samples are mostly wines from the big wine producers, but they tend to be a bit overpriced and not always very... > read more
Wine of the week: Pasa A Paso 2009
Published on 2011-05-30 08:30:39
The Wine Curmudgeon needed two wines to go with the paella he was making (and which didn't turn out well at all, a story for another time). I knew which red I wanted, and which will show up here as... > read more
The next big thing in wine
Published on 2011-05-29 08:57:07
Talk to people in the wine business, and the subject always comes up: "What's going to be the next big thing in wine?" The catch, of course, is that people in the wine business are rarely right in making these... > read more
Wine of the week: Fattoria dei Barbi Brusco 2008
Published on 2011-05-27 07:15:12
Don't let the longish Italian name intimidate you -- this is well-made, wonderfully priced red wine from a top Italian producer. The producer is Fattoria dei Barbi, which has been around Tuscany for centuries and makes very well-regarded and expensiv > read more
Winebits 192: Private labels, wine critics, Decanter awards
Published on 2011-05-27 06:46:14
• What's in a private label? We've had discussion here over the years about the difference between national brands and store brands and private labels. This article, from an Alabama newspaper, is a sound, easy-to-follow explanation of private label > read more
Mini-reviews 25: Moet, El Coto, Martin Codax, Pecorino
Published on 2011-05-23 11:54:55
Reviews of wines that don’t need their own post, but are worth noting for one reason or another. Look for it on the final Friday of each month. This month, a couple of roses to close out rose week. •... > read more
Memorial Day and rose, 2011
Published on 2011-05-23 11:30:14
Memorial Day weekend means it's time for the annual rose post -- where you won't have to spend much more than $10 to have a good time. Surprisingly, despite the weak dollar and the passage of all that time, that... > read more
Four French wines you can afford
Published on 2011-05-23 05:47:36
The biggest problem with Friday night's Planet Bordeaux Twitter tasting was that the Wine Curmudgeon couldn't drink the four wines over four nights, one night at a time. It was a shame to have to do them all at the... > read more
Memorial Day 2011
Published on 2011-05-22 10:20:24
The blog is mostly off today, as the Wine Curmudgeon prepares to judge the Colorado Winemaking Competition and to scout locations for DLW 2012: Colorado. Enjoy the holiday and this video, which puts a new twist on food and wine... > read more
Wine of the week: Toad Hollow Pinot Noir Rose 2010
Published on 2011-05-22 09:55:38
The Wine Curmudgeon appreciated this wine the first time he tasted it, in those long ago days of newspaper wine columns. It's cheap, it's consistent, and it comes from a producer that cares about the quality of its inexpensive wine.... > read more
Winebits 181: Rose, Madoff, screwcaps
Published on 2011-05-22 09:25:41
• French gulping down rose: The French, who have cut wine consumption by more than 20 percent over the past decade, like rose more than ever before. Journee-Vincole reports that 1 out of 4 bottles of wine sold in France... > read more
Judgment of Paris author: Cheap wine matters
Published on 2011-05-17 09:04:40
George Taber chronicled the most important wine event in modern times, when California wines beat French wines in a blind tasting. Now he has turned his authorial sights on cheap wine -- and he likes it. "For years friends and... > read more
Wine review: Sangre de Toro 2008
Published on 2011-05-17 07:27:44
As much as the Wine Curmudgeon appreciates this wine, both for how little it costs and its sentimental value, I don't do much with it on the blog. It's one of those wines that I seem to get around to... > read more
Expensive wine 26: Chateau Lafon-Rochet 1995
Published on 2011-05-16 06:53:36
What better way to describe this wine than with a quote from my pal Jim Serroka. Jim drinks wine, but is not as serious about it as the Wine Curmudgeon. As such, he often provides much needed perspective. Said Jim:... > read more
Wine of the week: Domaine du Tariquet Classic 2009
Published on 2011-05-14 08:57:34
The good news: This is still great cheap wine, and a member of the $10 Hall of Fame. The bad news: The 2009 isn't as interesting as the 2007 and 2008. I'm not sure if it's because the vintage was... > read more
Winebits 180: Riesling aroma, solar wine, Robert Parker
Published on 2011-05-14 07:43:09
• Riesling and petroleum: For years, we've been told that fine riesling should have a bit of a petroleum smell -- nothing off-putting, but enough to be recognized. The Wine Curmudgeon used that fact to score some points at a... > read more
Wine of the week: Hayman & Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Published on 2011-05-11 06:22:21
During the Australian wine boom last decade, one of the big wine companies thought it would be clever to pair a top Aussie winemaker with a leading California winemaker. The result was the $15 Hayman & Hill line. I got... > read more
April 2011: Best month in blog history
Published on 2011-05-08 19:29:47
More visitors -- 1.3 percent more than in December 2010, the previous record holder. As part of that, the blog's Technorati authority is at an all-time high, and that puts the blog 260th among the food and wine sites that... > read more
Winebits 179: Consumer spending, corporate wine, surgeons and wine
Published on 2011-05-08 19:28:32
• Bring on the booze? The economy is picking up, so we're getting ready to spend more money on wine, says a study from business advisory firm AlixPartners. Almost 9 out of 10 of us -- up from 7 of... > read more
Expensive wine, better wine and wine writing
Published on 2011-05-08 18:35:48
Buried at the bottom of post on a Wired science blog, which recaps research on the expensive wine/better wine issue, is this: If the only story we can tell about wine is its price, then our pleasure will always be... > read more
$200 worth of wine
Published on 2011-05-08 12:08:03
Don't fear, regular visitors. That's not one bottle of wine, but the result of a recent Wine Curmudgeon shopping expedition -- 13 bottles, only two of which cost more than $16. And there wasn't a stinker in the bunch. The... > read more
High alcohol: The controversy continues
Published on 2011-05-05 07:26:59
What kind of a stir would a food magazine cause if it said it was going to list the ingredients in its recipes? None at all. But the wine business is not the food business. Only in wine would a... > read more
Mother's Day wine 2011
Published on 2011-05-01 11:13:24
Want to buy Mom wine for Mother's Day? Or serve something she'll enjoy for brunch? The Wine Curmudgeon is ready, willing, and able. Keep in mind our wine gift-giving guidelines ("Don't buy someone wine that you think they should like;... > read more
Winebits 178: Wine sales, mommy wines, wine and doughnuts
Published on 2011-05-01 10:45:38
• Premium wine sales increasing? That's the forecast from the Silicon Valley Bank, which lends money to the wine business. It says sales of wine costing more than $20 a bottle could increase as much as 12 percent in 2011... > read more
Virginia wine business to Texas: Drop dead
Published on 2011-05-01 09:37:15
Russ Kane at the Vintage Texas blog has the details -- the Virginia wine business has called out the Texas wine business, and the latter is nowhere to be seen. The Virginia agriculture secretary doesn't mince words: Two of our... > read more
Wine of the week: Casteller Brut Rose NV
Published on 2011-05-01 09:04:01
The two most unappreciated wines in the wine world are rose and sparkling wine. Don't believe me? Let the Wine Curmudgeon quote from sales data: Nielsen doesn't even track rose, which is apparently lumped in with blush wines, a category... > read more
Mini-reviews 24: J.J. Vincent, Benessere, Tour Coutelin, Faiveley
Published on 2011-04-29 06:37:30
Reviews of wines that don’t need their own post, but are worth noting for one reason or another. Look for it on the final Friday of each month. • J. J. Vincent Crémant de Bourgogne Brut NV ($20, sample): Yummy,... > read more
Wine Curmudgeon TV?
Published on 2011-04-28 15:54:23
Wine has never been a big hit on television, if only because it's not all that exciting to watch a bunch of people drink wine. Unless you're drinking it with them, of course. Having said that, there's a new PBS... > read more
Six things you probably don't know about wine
Published on 2011-04-28 15:14:41
A couple of years ago, I wrote a post detailing some common misconceptions about wine -- average price, how much Americans drink, and the like. For some reason, I never updated it, which I'm fixing now. Check out the left... > read more
Call it digital: Wine writing in the 21st century
Published on 2011-04-28 07:45:26
Graduate students at the Institut du Management du Vin in Burgundy are trying to find out just how much blogging and the Internet have changed wine writing. And if their study hits the mark, we could well learn a lot... > read more
Test trackback
Published on 2011-04-25 09:29:39
Testing Jess Jackson trackback. > read more
Wine of the week: Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc 2010
Published on 2011-04-25 07:28:34
• The one thing I didn't like about the Villa Maria ($13, sample): It's not $9 any more. Stupid weak dollar. • Best thing about the wine besides the taste: The screwcap, of course. • So what did it taste... > read more
Winebits 177: Cork and closure edition
Published on 2011-04-25 07:07:14
Higlighting news in the world of corks and screwcaps: • Portuguese producer goes screwcap: Decanter reports that Portuguese producer Sogrape is putting one of its biggest wines, a $15 vinho verde, under screwcap. Given that Portugal in the world's > read more
Jess Jackson: 1930-2011
Published on 2011-04-25 06:32:41
Jess Jackson, who died last week, was one of the most important figures in the modern American wine business. If Robert Mondavi gave Americans a reason to love wine, Jackson gave them a wine to love. His Kendall-Jackson chardonnay is... > read more
English wine and the royal wedding
Published on 2011-04-21 07:29:47
Apparently, the Windsors aren't going to serve any English wine at next week's royal nuptials. Decanter, in its wonderfully English way, reports that the official bubbly will be Pol Roget (which seemed to annoy the writer, who was pushing for... > read more
Expensive wine 24: King Estate Pinot Noir Signature 2008
Published on 2011-04-20 06:33:52
What's better than an expensive wine that deserves a review? An expensive wine that is marked down from its suggested list price. The Wine Curmudgeon is a fan of Oregon's King Estate, which makes more expensive wines but almost always... > read more
Regional wine, and what comes next
Published on 2011-04-19 07:21:51
Those of us who pay attention to regional wine know two things: First, that most consumers aren’t aware of regional wine, and those that are know that it stinks -- and they don’t even have to taste it to tell... > read more
Wine of the week: Cline Cellars Zinfandel 2009
Published on 2011-04-19 06:16:20
The Wine Curmudgeon, as regular visitors here know, is quite skeptical about what he likes to call post-modern zinfandel. Those are the ones with higher alcohol, that feature way over the top fruit, and bear little resemblance to what passed... > read more
Winebits 175: Wine smuggling, ancient wine bottles, Bordeaux ratings
Published on 2011-04-18 15:18:49
• Protesting Canadian liquor laws: A former Mountie and broadcaster will launch a Canadian-wide convoy around May 4, in which he will carry wine across provincial lines, to protest what he says are his country's archaic liquor laws. The Vancouver.. > read more
Shocking news: We're buying less expensive wine
Published on 2011-04-18 05:45:48
This just in from the Los Angeles Times: People are spending less money on a bottle of wine! Patrick J. Comiskey, a big deal in the Winestream Media (he's a former sommelier and writes for Wine & Spirits magazine) reports... > read more
Wine and Tax Day
Published on 2011-04-12 07:53:51
Tomorrow is April 15, the deadline for Americans to pay their state and federal income taxes. Which we are famous for whining about (pun fully intended). So, as a public service, here are a few thoughts about wine and how... > read more
Donald Trump likes wine; why not the Texas Legislature?
Published on 2011-04-12 06:50:17
The Texas Legislature, despite my thoughtful and incisive analysis, seems hell-bent on destroying the Texas wine business. Everyone I've talked to over the past six weeks says the Legislature will almost certainly eliminate the $4.3 million in state > read more
Winebits 174: Israeli wine, Australian wine, asparagus wine
Published on 2011-04-08 06:50:53
• Best winery in the world? That would be Israeli, in case anyone was wondering. Golan Heights Winery, founded in 1983 in Katzrin in northern Israel, bested the field to take the top spot as the best wine producer in... > read more
Wine of the week: Ipsum 2010
Published on 2011-04-08 05:41:09
Sometimes, wine doesn't taste the way we want it to taste. When the Wine Curmudgeon first tried the Ipsum, a Spanish white blend, two years ago, it was a revelation -- fruit forward in a New World style, but crisp... > read more
Sangre de Toro's plastic bulls
Published on 2011-04-07 11:34:57
The Wine Curmudgeon got an email from a reader: Did I have any of the plastic bulls that come with the Sangre de Toro? That's the red Spanish blend from the Torres family that has been around for since the... > read more
Wine review: Prazo de Roriz Douro 2008
Published on 2011-04-06 06:28:00
Portuguese wines are all the rage. Quality has improved markedly over the past couple of years, as has availability. Sales are growing, and not just for the the most common wines, like vinho verde. Higher quality and even more expensive... > read more
Writing for free and the wine business
Published on 2011-04-05 08:28:35
One of the most common questions that people ask the Wine Curmudgeon (and it came up several times last weekend at DLW 2011: Missouri) is whether I get paid for doing this. And how I get paid. And if there... > read more
Wine my brother drinks 2: E. Guigal La Turque
Published on 2011-04-05 07:00:47
My brother Jim is a wine aficionado of some repute, though he hangs out in much more rarefied wine circles than I do. His thoughts on E. Guigal's 1994 and 1996 La Turque, two Cote-Roties from a venerable producer. It's... > read more
DLW 2011: Missouri -- Virtual tastings and the future of wine
Published on 2011-04-04 09:07:33
The scene was surreal. There were 21 Missouri wineries in the hotel ballroom, 100 or so people tasting wine, and a large screen at the far side of the room. The screen, changing constantly, was displaying real-time comments made not... > read more
DLW 2011: Missouri gets started
Published on 2011-04-02 07:42:46
A couple of quick notes before today's fun begins. I'll have more on the conference next week: • We do a media dinner every year on the day before the conference begins, and each dinner has been terrific. Last night's... > read more
April Fool's Day 2011
Published on 2011-04-01 06:01:37
It's April Fool's Day, so it's time for the annual California secedes from the United States to become its own wine country post. "I'll drink to that," says the Guvanator. And who'd have thought the post had a longer shelf... > read more
Live, on St. Louis radio, it's the Wine Curmudgeon
Published on 2011-03-29 14:59:17
Just a touch more shameless self promotion, and then I promise not to to do any more for months: I'm going to be on the legendary voice of the Midwest and home of the St. Louis Cardinals, KMOX radio, at... > read more
Winebits 173: Food and wine pairings, direct shipping, Blue Nun
Published on 2011-03-29 07:24:16
• Most wine drinkers aren't interested: In pairing wine with food, that is. The Wine Opinions consultancy says that what it calls high frequency wine drinkers drink more without a proper meal than with it. The Wines & Vines article... > read more
DLW 2011: Missouri is this weekend
Published on 2011-03-28 05:39:03
Years ago, when the Wine Curmudgeon was in the newspaper business, I didn't even know there was such a thing as event planning. These days, I get to do it. That's because DrinkLocalWine.com will hold its third annual conference this... > read more
Doug Frost and the Wine Curmudgeon -- cartoon versions
Published on 2011-03-26 09:23:25
Doug, the godfather of regional wine, and the Wine Curmudgeon were featured in the newspaper special section detailing this year's Dallas Morning News/TexSom wine competition. That's Doug on the right, the much more handsome one. Though that is one o > read more
Dallas Morning News/Texsom wine competition winners
Published on 2011-03-24 14:57:25
The link is here -- you can search the medals by category or download a PDF. My post, after judging the competition, noted: "Also impressive this year: The qualifications of the judges, which made the Wine Curmudgeon feel like a... > read more
Winecast 17: Peter Mondavi Jr., Charles Krug Winery
Published on 2011-03-24 07:53:19
Yes, that would be that Mondavi family. Peter's father, Peter Sr., ran Charles Krug with his brother Robert, who left in 1966 to start the Robert Mondavi Winery (now owned by Constellation Brands). And yes, there was controversy. Peter Jr.... > read more
What we're drinking: 2010's 30 hottest brands
Published on 2011-03-21 06:16:44
And it should come as no surprise to regular visitors here that almost all of the 30 brands in the Symphony IRI Group study are cheap, that almost none of them get big scores from the Wine Magazines, and that... > read more
Wine of the week: Gruet Rose NV
Published on 2011-03-20 12:55:19
The Wine Curmudgeon missed this last fall, which was quite a faux pas given how much I care about regional wine. New Mexico's Gruet Winery was named the best U.S. wine producer in 2010 in the quite prestigious International Wine... > read more
Time's regional wine story, one more irritating time
Published on 2011-03-20 12:16:17
Time magazine's notorious regional wine article has reared its patronizing head again, and just in time for DrinkLocalWine.com's third annual conference this weekend, DLW 2011: Missouri. The Balloon Juice blog, which seems to mix wine and politics, p > read more
Wine on TV and in movies
Published on 2011-03-20 09:43:14
Hollywood, whether in TV or movies, has never really been able to figure out wine. Of the two movies best associated with wine, Bottle Shock is uneven at best and Sideways is an acquired taste that the Wine Curmudgeon has... > read more
Peirano Estates: Quality wine that offers value
Published on 2011-03-16 09:20:07
Lodi's reputation in California is such that even people from the parts of the state that everyone else makes fun of make fun of Lodi (see Creedence Clearwater Revival's Lodi, written by John Fogerty, who grew up on the wrong... > read more
Winebits 171: Jess Jackson, U.S. wine consumption, alcohol laws
Published on 2011-03-16 08:09:51
• Has Jess Jackson retired? Apparently so, reports Forbes magazine. Jackson's wine empire, which includes Kendall-Jackson and more than a dozen other brands, is making do without its founder. The Press Democrat of Santa Rosa fills in the story: "Ja > read more
Winebits 172: DLW 2011: Missouri edition
Published on 2011-03-16 07:36:43
Regional wine notes this week, in honor of DrinkLocalWine.com's third annual conference this weekend -- DLW 2011: Missouri, April 2-3 in St. Louis. A few tickets are still available, through the DLW website. • Ohio college wine degrees: Kent State. > read more
Wine of the week: Montecillo Rioja Crianza 2007
Published on 2011-03-15 07:19:24
Let's get the full disclosure out of the way first. Maria Martinez-Sierra, the winemaker at Bodegas Montecillo in Spain's Rioja, is one of my favorite people in the wine business. She is talented, outspoken, and funny, and makes wine to... > read more
Wine of the week: Notorius 2009
Published on 2011-03-15 06:53:01
The Wine Curmudgeon has found a flaw with this wine. It doesn't have a screwcap. Otherwise, it's pretty close to a perfect $10 wine. Some two years ago, the Notorius was the first great, cheap Sicilian wine that I tasted,... > read more
Mini-reviews 23: Shoofly, Primaterra, Stag's Leap, Bella Sera
Published on 2011-03-15 06:27:44
Reviews of wines that don’t need their own post, but are worth noting for one reason or another. Look for it on the final Friday of each month. • Shoofly The Freckle 2008 ($14, sample): This Australian white Rhone blend... > read more
Wine review: Souverain Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Published on 2011-03-13 10:26:54
The Wine Curmudgeon has never felt comfortable with sauvignon blanc that has been aged in oak. Too often, the oak covers up the varietal character and the sauvignon blanc ends up tasting like chardonnay. Which seems to be defeating the... > read more
Restaurant wine sales in 2010
Published on 2011-03-11 08:45:34
There are a lot of interesting numbers to parse in Wine & Spirits magazine's 22nd annual restaurant wine poll, which covers 2010. The restaurants surveyed reported that wine sales have increased after a two-year slump, and that consumers seem to. > read more
Wine of the week: Layer Cake Primitivo 2008
Published on 2011-03-10 07:31:38
The Wine Curmudgeon is never quite sure what to make of the Layer Cake wines. A year-old review of the shiraz was one of the most popular posts on the blog in 2010, and it's still getting comments. Is it... > read more
Winebits 170: Wine competitions, alcohol ads, wine scores
Published on 2011-03-10 06:56:19
• How wine is judged: My DrinkLocalWine.com cohort Dave McIntyre has a nicely done description of wine competitions and wine judging in a recent Washington Post column: "For consumers, competition medals can serve as recommendations from a group of > read more
The Supreme Court and retail direct shipping
Published on 2011-03-07 15:27:16
The U.S. Supreme Court this week declined to hear an appeal of a Texas case, Wine Country Gift Baskets.com v. Steen. In doing so, it decided that the direct shipping law as it stands, which makes it all but impossible... > read more
Wine of the week: Bogle Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Published on 2011-03-06 12:42:29
Bogle Vineyards has been, for more than a decade, perhaps the pre-eminent cheap wine producer in the United States. The wines are not just well made, but have style and quality far exceeding the $10 that they cost. Bogle has... > read more
CellarTracker and the rise of social media
Published on 2011-03-06 09:58:06
When Eric LeVine came up with the idea for CellarTracker, the on-line wine inventory system, he thought it would appeal to wine geeks like himself and to people who needed to manage sizeable wine cellars. He never envisioned that he... > read more
Expensive wine 24: Signaterra/Benziger Three Blocks Sonoma Valley 2006
Published on 2011-03-04 13:16:47
I don't know that I've ever had an unpleasant wine from Benziger Family Winery, dating to the time when its sauvignon blanc (which is no longer made) was a regular in the $10 Hall of Fame. Benziger is a pioneer... > read more
Wine review: Dancing Bull Zinfandel 2009
Published on 2011-03-04 06:00:00
Want to see how wine changes over time, taking into account things like vintage difference and consumer preferences, and especially how the big wine companies see consumer preference? Then taste the Dancing Bull ($9, purchased), which is one of the.. > read more
Winebits 169: Fetzer sale, Yellow Tail lawsuit, women and wine lists
Published on 2011-03-03 08:00:58
• Chilean winery buys Fetzer: Concha y Toro, a Chilean producer whose products range from grocery store wine to the the pricey stuff, will buy Fetzer Vineyards from Brown-Forman, best known for booze brands like Jack Daniels and Southern Comfort... > read more
The New York Times, local wine and local food
Published on 2011-03-02 08:47:55
The New York Times travel section ran a decent enough article on Pittsburgh's best local food restaurants on Sunday, highlighting a quartet that emphasizes "what's fresh and what's local." Did any of this take into account whether any of the... > read more
Winebits 168: Airline wine, pinot noir, budget cuts
Published on 2011-03-01 12:32:45
• Airline wine quality: Yes, flights are oversold, the overhead bins are crammed, and the seats are uncomfortable. But know what's worse? The wine is lousy, reports the Baltimore Sun, especially for those of us who fly in coach. Which,... > read more
Wine of the week: Campodelsole Durano 2009
Published on 2011-03-01 07:17:46
The Italians continue to amaze. Much of the rest of their wine business may be in crisis, with too much expensive wine made to taste too much like it doesn't come from Italy, but the quality and quantity of cheap,... > read more
Dallas' Celebration restaurant and half-price wine
Published on 2011-02-25 07:09:21
Dallas' Celebration restaurant makes an honest effort with its wine list, including Texas wines. This is impressive, not only because its home-style Texas menu doesn't lend itself to wine, but because so few of its customers seem to drink wine.... > read more
Update: The Cristalino lawsuit
Published on 2011-02-25 06:24:30
What do you call Cristalino, the Spanish sparkling wine, after a federal court judge says that you can't call it Cristalino? What happens if you run a picture of the old Cristalino bottle, like the one on the left, after... > read more
Dallas Morning News and Texsom Competition 2011
Published on 2011-02-22 05:30:32
What's better than judging the 27th annual Dallas Morning News and Texsom Wine Competition? Judging hybirds and native grapes with Doug Frost, MS, MW who (though he hates this description) is the godfather of the regional wine movement in the... > read more
Wine terms: Terroir
Published on 2011-02-19 11:19:27
The most controversial term in wine is terroir. A sizeable portion of the wine world -- half, perhaps? -- says it doesn't exist, and that even if it does, it's irrelevant. The rest of us believe truly and deeply in... > read more
James Tidwell earns Beard semifinal nod
Published on 2011-02-18 06:41:59
And it's well deserved, too. Tidwell is the sommelier, beverage manager and overall wine guru for the Four Seasons in suburban Dallas, and is a semifinalist for the James Beard award for outstanding restaurant wine service for his work at... > read more
Do Cubs need some Clos Pujols?
Published on 2011-02-17 15:52:39
The Wine Curmudgeon, as regular visitors know, is a Chicago Cubs fan -- no doubt punishment for some horrific wine gaffe I've committed. The Cubs, of course, have not won a World Series in more than a century, and, as... > read more
Do consumers trust wine bloggers?
Published on 2011-02-17 06:10:44
Not much, if a report from the United Kingdom's Wine Intelligence consultancy is to be believed. The catch? The man whose company did the report said the results may be flawed. Wine Intelligence reported at the end of January that... > read more
The 1,001st post
Published on 2011-02-16 16:12:06
What's better than 900 posts? Why 1,000, of course -- and that was the La Clotiere review that ran on Feb. 16. Thanks to everyone who has read the blog since November 2007. The next milestone? I think 1,500 sounds... > read more
Mini-reviews 22: Bota Box, Raymond, Fess Parker, Freemark Abbey
Published on 2011-02-16 16:06:17
Reviews of wines that don’t need their own post, but are worth noting for one reason or another. Look for it on the final Friday of each month. This month, an all California lineup: • Bota Box Malbec 2009 ($18... > read more
Wine of the week: Falesco Est! Est! Est!!! 2009
Published on 2011-02-16 07:00:24
The Wine Curmudgeon does not approve of exclamation marks. If Hemingway didn't need them, no one else does either. Which should give everyone an idea about the quality of this wine, since it has five exclamation points in its name.... > read more
Winebits 167: Patty Bogle, grape prices, Champagne sales
Published on 2011-02-16 06:26:31
• Patty Bogle dies: Bogle, the matriarch of $10 wine powerhouse Bogle Vineyards, has died. She was 59. Patty Bogle and her late husband, Chris, built Bogle Vineyards from 18 acres of grapes into one of the best inexpensive wine... > read more
Wine of the week: Coteaux d'Ancenis La Clotiere 2009
Published on 2011-02-13 07:43:27
Here is why the Wine Curmudgeon loves wine. I was cutting through the wine department at my local Whole Foods, on my way to somewhere else, when I saw the La Clotiere on display. The label was unimpressive, it was... > read more
Is U.S. wine too bland?
Published on 2011-02-12 11:36:25
That's the conclusion of Dan Berger, the pre-eminent wine critic and author. U.S. producers, particularly in California and particularly with red wine, are dumbing down the way their wine tastes. "Will you find varietal character in most wines? No, n > read more
$8 wine from the Wine Spectator
Published on 2011-02-12 10:11:03
The Wine Curmudgeon is not making this up. Writes the Spectator's Tim Fish about Smoking Loon syrah, a fairly typical grocery store wine: "I thought it was juicy and lively and surprisingly complex for the price, with notes of cherry,... > read more
Winebits 167: Grape prices, Robert Parker, corks
Published on 2011-02-12 09:55:30
• Grape crush third highest ever: California crushed 3.7 million tons of grapes in 2010 -- the third-largest crush to date, reports WineBusinessNews.com. The good news for consumers? California grape prices fell by almost seven percent, and so wine > read more
Wine review: Araldica Vini Piemontesi Gavi La Luciana 2009
Published on 2011-02-09 06:51:31
Gavi is one of those mysterious Italian wines that is made with one of those mysterious Italian grapes, the cortese. It's a white wine that comes from the Gavi region in a corner of Piedmont, there isn't a whole lot... > read more
Wine of the week: Cave de Lugny Macon-Villages 2009
Published on 2011-02-09 06:00:00
The French may have many faults as a wine-producing nation, be it genuflecting in Robert Parker's direction or refusing to acknowledge the 21st century. But they still make the world's best chardonnay -- even grocery store chardonnay. The Cave de... > read more
Expensive wine 23: Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Published on 2011-02-07 07:02:18
The Wine Curmudgeon's feelings about expensive California cabernet sauvignon are well known: Over-oaked, over-extracted, over-ripe and over-priced. And then I tasted the Chalk Hill ($50, sample) and marvelled again at what talented winemakers can do > read more
Valentine's Day Wine 2011
Published on 2011-02-07 06:42:29
Ordinarily, the Wine Curmudgeon does not participate in the festivities surrounding The Holiday that Must not be Named. But this year, given the rough winter that so many of us are having, I figured, why not? Plus, it gives me... > read more
Super Bowl 7, Wine Curmudgeon 0
Published on 2011-02-07 06:22:39
So much for the theory that wine drinkers are a bunch of effete, intellectual snobs. More people visited the blog on Christmas Day than visited it Super Bowl Sunday yesterday. The other day recently that was as visitor-less? New Year's... > read more
Winebits 166: State budgets, global warming, screwcaps
Published on 2011-02-04 14:11:41
• Sunday booze as budget panacea: Since 2002, 14 states and numerous municipalities have repealed their blue laws banning Sunday alcohol sales in efforts to spur revenue growth for their governments. Now, 36 states allow such sales, and a host... > read more
Texas wine, the Legislature, and the state's budget crisis
Published on 2011-02-03 09:44:07
This Texas industry is recognized around the country as a leader and innovator, providing thousands of jobs and adding more than a billion dollars to the state's economy. Yet the Texas Legislature is about to strangle this industry by cutting... > read more
The Wine Curmudgeon's cava adventure, part II
Published on 2011-02-03 07:19:58
This is the second of two parts about cava, the Spanish sparkling wine -- reviews of many of the cavas I tasted. The first part, an overview of cava, posted Feb. 3. Mini-reviews of some of the cavas that I... > read more
The Wine Curmudgeon's cava adventure, part I
Published on 2011-02-03 07:17:31
This is the first of two parts about cava, the Spanish sparkling wine. The second part, short reviews of several cavas, will post Friday. Two things confuse wine drinkers about cava, the Spanish sparkling wine. First, they assume that because... > read more
Wine of the week: Segura Viudas Aria Estate Brut NV
Published on 2011-02-01 07:33:51
Cava, the Spanish sparkling wine, is a conundrum. It's significantly less expensive than champagne, the French sparkling wine, which immediately makes it suspect among the Winestream Media. Their thinking, of course, is that something that isn't pric > read more
Winebits 165: U.S. wine market, Far Niente lawsuit, Andrew Lloyd Webber
Published on 2011-01-31 09:11:29
• "Most lucrative in the world": Wonder why so many foreign producers want into the U.S. market (and send so much crummy wine over here in the process)? That's because we're "by far the most lucrative wine market in the... > read more
Cava update: Final
Published on 2011-01-31 07:49:34
I'll post a couple of items later in the week about the cava trip to Spain, but I wanted to hit some of the highlights today: • The Wine Curmudgeon appreciates any country where people drink wine at lunch, and... > read more
Cava update: Tuesday
Published on 2011-01-25 10:21:36
Call it Cuvee Cranky -- my entry in the informal competition between the writers on the cava trip to blend the best sparkling wine. We did the blending on Tuesday, and, believe it or not, Seguras Viudas winemaker Gabriel Suberviola... > read more
Cava update: Monday
Published on 2011-01-24 09:59:08
A couple of quick thoughts after a lunch of seafood paella and two kinds of Aria cava: • Toni Domenech, who does PR for Segura Viudas, is a native of the Penedes region, ewhre e picked cava grapes as a... > read more
DrinkLocalWine.com 2011 conference tickets on sale
Published on 2011-01-21 08:32:21
And such a deal -- a Twitter Taste-off, plus winemaker reception, for just $35. And who says regional wine isn't a recession buster? The details are on the DLW Web site. Our third annual conference is April 1-3 in St.... > read more
The Chinese have boring palates
Published on 2011-01-20 06:13:13
Remember all the controversy surrounding the wines for the first Obama state dinner, with the prime minister of India? There won't be any of that after last night's state dinner with Chinese president Hu Jintao. The menu, at the request... > read more
Winebits 164: Argentine wine, Gruet, corks and screwcaps
Published on 2011-01-19 07:02:18
• Argentina ahead of Chile: Argentina exported more wine to the U.S. in 2010 than arch-rival Chile, which may have been the first time that has ever happened. Argentina ranks fourth, behind Italy, France and Australia, as a supplier of... > read more
Mini-reviews 21: Bin 36, Simmonet-Febrve, Moncontour, Rodney Strong
Published on 2011-01-16 11:24:43
Reviews of wines that don’t need their own post, but are worth noting for one reason or another. Look for it on the final Friday of each month. • Bin 36 Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($16, sample): A good example of... > read more
Wine of the week: Espelt Vailet 2008
Published on 2011-01-16 08:51:00
The Wine Curmudgeon had a revelation the other day, and the Vailet was the reason. Spanish white wine is undergoing a renaissance in quality and style, and I need to drink as much of it as possible -- so I... > read more
Update: Wine writers and certification
Published on 2011-01-16 07:49:09
The cyber-ether has been flaming since Thursday's Enobytes post about certifying wine writers. Who would have thought wine writers cared that much? Even the Wine Curmudgeon has been flamed, and right here on my own blog. Given that this is... > read more
Certifying wine writers and keeping the riff raff out of the business
Published on 2011-01-14 07:03:54
Imagine the Wine Curmudgeon's shock and surprise when he read this: "In all honesty, I think most readers would prefer to learn from those that were educated in a specialized field (wine) and those that have real hands on experience... > read more
Expensive wine 22: Columbia Crest Walter Clore Private Reserve 2007
Published on 2011-01-13 07:11:28
Columbia Crest is known, if it's known at all, as a grocery store wine producer. As such, there are probably more than a few people looking at the headline and wondering what the Wine Curmudgeon is babbling about. In fact,... > read more
Winebits 163: Organic wine, cheap wine, malbec
Published on 2011-01-13 06:40:25
• New Zealand group sets organic target: Organic Winegrowers New Zealand wants 20 percent of the country's vineyards to be certified organic by 2020. The 140-member organic group signed a memorandum of understanding last year with New Zealand Wine > read more
Spain, cava and the Wine Curmudgeon
Published on 2011-01-12 15:14:06
The Wine Curmudgeon will be in Spain next week, touring the cava region in and around Barcelona, plus a side trip to Priorat. I'll have a full report on my return, and will try to add a couple of updates... > read more
Wine of the week: Douro Altano 2008
Published on 2011-01-12 14:54:38
The first time I tasted this wine, a Portuguese red blend, it was from the 2003 vintage and it was an outstanding $7 wine -- almost $10 Hall of Fame worthy. The next vintage, the 2005, was less than impressive,... > read more
Wine terms: Food friendly
Published on 2011-01-12 08:12:58
The words "food friendly" crop up on the blog all the time (as well as in many other examples of wine writing. What's most interesting about the term is that it's not really official winespeak -- doesn't show up on... > read more
2011 wine price update
Published on 2011-01-11 09:23:20
Some thoughts to follow up on the December post about what the experts are calling consumer-friendly wine prices in 2011: • Italy invented pinot grigio as a wine to sell in the United States, but the recession may have helped... > read more
WC video 3: How to drink a glass of wine
Published on 2011-01-08 16:04:21
What, you say, you already know how to do that? Don't be so sure. And, for good measure, the Wine Curmudgeon throws in advice on holding the glass, smelling the wine, and even spitting it -- just like the pros... > read more
Wine review: Castello Monaci Piluna Primitivo 2008
Published on 2011-01-07 13:31:57
Yet another wine that the Wine Curmdugeon judged before tasting -- and was, as usual, completely wrong about. Though I had my reasons. Really. The PR materials that came with the Piluna ($13, sample) were, to be kind, a bit... > read more
James Tidwell on the dilemma of wine availability
Published on 2011-01-07 07:13:21
James Tidwell of the Four Seasons in suburban Dallas is one of the top sommeliers in the country, the co-founder of the TexSom sommelier wine education group, and a wine blogger. As such, his view of of the wine world... > read more
Winebits 162: Pacific Rim, sommeliers, nutrition facts
Published on 2011-01-07 06:18:19
• Grahm sells Pacific Rim: Randall Grahm has sold one of the last parts of his $10 wine empire, the Pacific Rim white wine brand, to the family that owns Banfi Vintners, a leading U.S. wine importer, and Italy's Castello... > read more
Wine of the week: Kanonkop Kadette 2008
Published on 2011-01-05 07:46:32
South African red wine has always baffled the Wine Curmudgeon. Its shiraz is often little more than an Australian knockoff, and its signature grape, pinotage, is, to be polite, an acquired taste. There is also the infamous burnt rubber aroma,... > read more
Anyone can write a wine review 3
Published on 2011-01-04 07:26:28
My brother Jim, as noted, is a wine aficionado of some repute, though he hangs out in much more rarefied wine circles than I do. So, when Jim emailed that he was opening a bottle of vintage Cristal for New... > read more
Wine I like
Published on 2011-01-03 08:15:49
The most common question people ask the Wine Curmudgeon is, not surprisingly, "What's your favorite wine?" My answer, also not surprisingly, usually disappoints them. I am, after all, the Wine Curmudgeon. That's because I don't have a favorite. One o > read more
Wine of the week: Volteo Viura + Viogner + Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Published on 2011-01-02 11:59:46
This wine should really be called Volteo Blanco, since it's a Spanish white wine blend. I'm assuming that the three grapes used to make it are in the name because most Europeans think that Americans only buy wine that has... > read more
Winebits 161: Constellation sale, Chinese wine fraud, Pennsylvania wine laws
Published on 2011-01-02 11:19:08
• Constellation exits Australia: The world's biggest wine company has sold its Australian labels as it continues to retrench in the wake of the recession. Constellation Brands is selling its 80 percent stake in a venture that includes Hardys and... > read more
Coming Monday: The 2011 $10 Wine Hall of Fame
Published on 2011-01-02 10:27:00
Seven wines in, four out, and an analysis of what happened with cheap wine in 2010 -- that's the 2011 $10 Wine Hall of Fame, which will post on the blog on Monday. Want to get a sneak peak? Browse... > read more
The 2011 $10 Wine Hall of Fame
Published on 2011-01-02 10:14:52
Six wines in, four out, and an analysis of what happened with cheap wine in 2010. That's the result of the 2011 $10 Wine Hall of Fame. For all of the great wine I found last year -- from Sicily,... > read more
Happy New Year 2011 from the Wine Curmudgeon
Published on 2010-12-15 07:20:13
The Wine Curmudgeon is celebrating New Year's today, but the blog will return on Monday with the 2011 $10 Hall of Fame. Until then, enjoy this, courtesy of ambervon at YouTube. A tip o' the Curmudgeon's fedora to Tom Johnson... > read more