I've sympathized with the French wine community over a variety of issues as well as mocked them over others. I think their various laws on how wine can be produced are archaic enough to hold back creativity as well as the production of good new wines. But I've also noted the absurdity of laws that prohibit wine and other alcohol related companies from promoting their products on the net. But here's a little tidbit that that really made my jaw…

It became clear that sensible minds reside in the state of Michigan when we saw Judge Denise Page Hood rule earlier this month that a Michigan law barring Michigan residents from buying and having shipped to them wine from out-of-state retailers was unconstitutional. There is even more evidence of common sense coming out of Michigan. It’s demonstrated in the pages of the Grand Rapids Press. An editorial in that newspapers makes a clear and concise argument that the state ought,…

It has been a battle. For no other reason than I have ties to the country and I love the language, I’ve been trying to convince my kids that they should take and learn French in High School. I finally convinced my daughter, who is not yet in High School. I got to her by appealing to her appreciation of beauty and foreign adventure. The son has been a bit of a challenge, however. None of the arguments I’ve tried…

Yeah, the Wine Spectator got used. Toward what purpose I’m not sure. But they did get used by granting an wine list award to a fictitious restaurant. The upshot is that the Awards will be more closely monitored. I’m not real up in arms over the "scandal". But that’s just me. As Steve Heimoff points out, "The reaction has been fast, furious and worldwide, with the weight of opinion running heavily against Wine Spectator." Not a surprise. Everyone appears to…

I’ve always enjoyed taking in a good battle between reason and superstition. They’ve been going on regularly now for quite some time, dating at least since Francis Bacon threw down the gauntlet with "Novum Organum" in 1620. The battles seem never ending and that’s just fine with me since they provide loads of entertainment value, particularly when the waring parties find themselves at the end of their arguments and, surprise, the opposition is not convinced. And even as we sit…