Feb 29, 2008
John Gavin, best known as the author of Quaffability Blog and popular web designer to the wineries is on a roll with two new and innovative websites that wine lovers probably should be aware of. WEB TASTING ROOM It’s a video blog. It’s a source of excellent deals. It’s a message direct from the winemaker. What John has done here is create not just a web site the provides access to good deals on wines, but gives you much deeper…
Feb 27, 2008
Let me see if I have this right… On the one hand, wine retailers across the United States are telling alcohol regulators in every state that they’d like to enhance their operating budgets by paying an annual fee to ship wine to consumers in those states. They’d like to help fill their state’s coffers with funds resulting from the remittance of taxes on the wine they sell and ship to consumers in their state. These retailers would like to voluntarily…
Feb 5, 2008
Let’s go into the heart of darkness. Let’s examine the center of cynicism in the world of wine: "It is cynical to say you support people just because of the power shift," he said. "But clearly when the power in Congress changes, there is a tendency to support those who wield authority."-CRAIG WOLF, CEO, Wine & Spirit Wholesalers Association This is Mr. Wolf’s commentary on the fact that his organization has "decided to shift his group’s donations so that two-thirds…
Jan 30, 2008
"most Americans were satisfied with the system as it is except for a small, very vocal segment who say they can’t get their bottle of 1997 whatever.” Count me in as part of that small, vocal segment of folks who really do love the "1997 Whatever". What a great wine that was, huh! I’d loved it’s fruity component of So What. And who can forget that wine’s firm and crisp Too Bad. And the wine was legendary for it’s long,…
Jan 9, 2008
The issue of direct shipping brings out the best and the worst in folks, no doubt about that. But I also think the Direct Shipping issue is the kind of topic that can demonstrate the power of online media and the power of blogs. First the good in people. Alder’s post on the Wine.com Stings has resulted in a remarkably coherent and well thought out set of comments on the issue. I can tell you that people are reading them…