May 16, 2008
The Great One
The Great One Has Gone
Archive for the ‘Wine News’ Category
May 8, 2008
Fixing Stupid Laws
The somewhat recent revelation that it is technically illegal for home winemakers in California to hold public tastings and even competitions of their wines is one of those instances where a truly out-dated law of little or no value, previously unnoticed, comes to light and makes folks chuckle, shake their heads and get on with getting rid of it for the sake bringing laws and rules into line with reality and good sense. The move to change the law licketty…
May 6, 2008
The Future of Online Wine Sales
"He said: "I think the market has just tipped. All of a sudden, rather than being driven by 20-year-olds who were the early adopters [of the net], I’m starting to get emails from people saying ‘as a pensioner … The silver surfers have arrived." This comes from a news story put out by Off License News. Just how significant is this finding that older drinkers are coming to the on-line wine sales channel? I think it must be significant. Despite…
Apr 28, 2008
Totalitarianism and Gigantism in Napa Valley?
James Conaway is wrong about Napa Valley: While at the California Preservation Foundation Conference in Napa Valley, Conaway said about Napa Valley (Quoting from the Napa Valley Register): "Conaway said the undoing of the Napa Valley may be the sprawl of boutique wineries by rich newcomers who would sacrifice our natural and architectural heritage in the name of “showing off.” First, would it be different if the sprawl of boutique wineries were being built by middle class, old-timers? Second, the…
Apr 22, 2008
Bring On the Swim-Up Wine Bar
Ok…so Francis Ford Coppola got shot down on his desire to erect two lovely lighted pyramids on his Rosso & Bianco Winery (formerly Chateau Souverain) in Sonoma County. (Personally, I think the demise of this particular aesthetic element of his new Sonoma winery is a shame…Who doesn’t like a lighted pyramid?) However, it’s not as though the director of the greatest American movie ever made, winery owner, restaurateur and father of the woman that ruined Godfather III doesn’t retain big…