REMY XO COGNACPaired with final details in advance of walking down the aisle. The smooth spirit was made available by the Best man and carried in the traditional wedding flask. Looking quite dapper in a suit crafted from chocolate brown linen procured in Bangkok, the Best Man's cognac was the perfect accompaniment to the ceremonial witnesses signing a marriage certificate. Again, the Best Man, along with the Maid of Honor—the stunning Jessica— put signature to form in the main room…
The International Pinot Noir Celebration strikes me as an act of homage not too subtle. I find this somewhat ironic given that one of the things most of us love about Pinot Noir is it's nuanced and often subtle arrangement of flavors and aromas. But more to the point and more important than this observation is that I'm leaving tomorrow to attend this homage to a grape that, if past experience and program details are any guide, should be a…
In July, I'll be heading up to McMinnville, Oregon to attend and cover the 24th Annual International Pinot Noir Celebration—arguably the granddaddy of the ever-increasing selection of varietal-inspired celebrations/conclaves for industry and enthusiasts. I'm excited to be invited to attend the event. The last time I went I was in work mode. This time, I'll be in "soak-it-up-and-observe-and-listen-and-ask-questions" mode. This happens to be the mode that most often results for me in both confusion and insight. The IPNC has an…
Sometime in the 1970s, people changed from ordering "white wine" to ordering "Chardonnay. Between 1990 and 2007, shipments of California Chardonnay rose from 9 million to 50 million cases. Today, Chardonnay production and consumption is far and away greater than the total production of all other white wine in California. So, what I'm wondering is this: What would have happened between the 1970s and today if Gewurztraminer was instead named "Gerdonnay" (pronounced with a soft "G"—it sounds nicer) If this…
It's important for me to note that I endorse THIS in no way. THIS only minimizes the serious nature of wine and wine drinking. In fact, THIS purports to be humor, but in reality THIS is just another blow to the industry when the industry needs nothing like THIS. Is THIS really what people want to read? Only a few years ago THIS sort of thing would never fly. THIS would have been condemned. THIS really is harmful to a…
