Jan 16, 2008
"While wandering the aisles of a Lithuanian supermarket recently…" If you aren’t willing to at least investigate a wine blog that begins a post like this then you really shouldn’t be in the business of open minded wine inquiry. It has been a while since I recommended a new wine blog. But Reign of Terroir, written by three highly educated wine lovers and educators, is well worth a recommendation if only for the intellectually rigor and thoughtfulness they put into…
Jan 10, 2008
My pilgrimage to Murray’s Cheese Shop in New York City was worth every minute it took to find a parking space in the vicinity. It was the one and only personal trek I made when in the city for two days last week. I can report back that Murray’s is indeed a shrine to smelly goodness. Besides wanting to see what a huge cheese counter looked like up close, I was mainly interested in learning more about the folks who…
Dec 14, 2007
Upon reading my last post about my status as Wine Czar, Harold Baer, publisher of the Colorado Wine News, passed on to me a very interesting initiative carried out by Yalumba, Australia’s oldest family owned winery. Yalumba has created an "Old Vine Charter". What is it? OLD VINE = a vine that is 35 years of age or olderANTIQUE VINE = a vine that is 70 years of age or olderCENTENARIAN VINE = a vine that is 100 years of…
Dec 12, 2007
Inspired by Paul Gregutt’s excellent story on the meaning of wine terms, I began fantasizing about being named the American Wine Czar and being given complete control over wine regulations in the United States. I’ve fantasized about this before but given the wonderful fantasy it is, the topic deserves an update. My first set of acts as the American Wine Czar are: THE OLD VINE" REGULATIONAny wine produced in the United States that carries the term "Old Vine" or "Ancient…
Nov 26, 2007
For some time now a controversy has been brewing over the system of American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). Russian River Valley, Sonoma Valley, Napa Valley…these are all AVAs, geographically delineated areas created/approved by the Federal Government’s Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) that in theory possess unique climate and geologic aspects affecting grape growing. AVAs are akin to Europe’s well-established appellation system. Unlike in Europe, America’s AVA’s do not come with rules on what grapes can be grown, how…