Mar 10, 2009
It looks as though the French wine industry and common sense dodged a barrel, according to Decanter The French National Assembly passed a healthcare law that DID NOT include a ban on alcohol advertising on the Internet and DID NOT ban promotional wine tastings at Chateaux, wine festivals and promotional events. On the other hand, 16 and 17 year olds may no longer buy alcohol. France is in the midst of what we would call in the United States a…
Mar 3, 2009
Publicists are notorious Jacks-of-all-Trades. And I would say the same for myself. Though I think of myself primarily as a professional publicist working primarily in the wine industry, my work has taken me in a variety of directions. Being a blogger has complicated this broadening of views even further. On Thursday I'll be heading down to Pismo Beach to attend World of Pinot Noir, a festival in that town that focus entirely on Pinot Noir, the varietal's various incarnations, the…
Feb 20, 2009
In honor of the 46th anniversary of my birth, I present 46 things I want: 1. A time machine2. A full vertical collection of all Stony Hill Chardonnays3. A wine cellar with a couch in it4. A doubling in Fermentation's readership5. A national policy on wine direct shipment laws6. A fig tree7. A 1963 Warres port8. A marching band playing happy birthday using wine glasses and spoons.9. A new collection of heavy bottomed tumbler glasses10. One week in Burgundy11. One…
Jan 20, 2009
Pursuits, hobbies and interests are constantly being categorized across the Internet. Invariably, "Wine" ends up being categorized under "Lifestyle". Occasionally you see it under "Culinary" or "Home". But it's "Lifestyle" under which the consumption of fermented grapes appears most often. It's no surprise then that the "Wine Lifestyle" is so often combined with other "lifestyle" pursuits to create unique and interesting events that the organizers hope will extend its attraction. The most interesting example of this I've seen lately is…
Jan 12, 2009
I am starting to be a bit concerned with the mountains of hope that are being heaped upon our president elect. Besides the hope that he will be a new kind of president, a war ending president, an economy mixing president, a health-care fixing president and truly green president, it also appears there is hope running around the wine industry that he will be a "Wine President". The evidence that Obama is something of a connoisseur or even a simple…