Mar 1, 2006
We are going to try something new here at FERMENTATION:Q & A Thursday I get a number of questions asked of me, but usually by e-mail. Let’s bring them out in the open. Go ahead and ask any question in the comments section of this post. Assuming there are not a jillion of them I’ll do my best to answer them or I’ll find an industry expert who can and we’ll post the answers to the questions on Thursday. What’s…
Feb 28, 2006
The International Pinot Noir Celebration is the grandaddy of American Pinot events. It’s also the best wine fest I’ve been to. This year’s IPNC is the 20th. I put out this announcement fairly early because the event always sells out fast. The IPNC is held at Linfield College in McMinnville in Oregon near the Willamette Valley. It’s a beautiful location surrounded by vineyards and wineries. But it’s the tone of the festival that has always struck folks who attend. Those…
Feb 28, 2006
Show me one wine blogger who wouldn’t want to do THIS . Taj James, the blogger behind "Cork & Demon Wine Blog" is ready to embark on a wine blogging road trip she’s appropriately named, "The Cork & Demon Western Wine Tour 2006". The idea? Travel through as many western U.S. wine areas talking to wine people and live blogging it. She explains, "I’m in search of America’s finest Wine People. People at all levels of winemaking, selling and growing,…
Feb 28, 2006
Sometimes you have to wonder how wine wholesalers can even walk straight given the enormous size of their balls. This from a press release issued yesterday by the Indiana Wine & Spirit Wholesalers: "Under their special niche within the regulatory structure of Indiana’s three-tier system, farm wineries in Indiana had enjoyed a special status (being allowed to sell direct to consumers and retailers)." "Special Niche"? "Special Status"? This from the wine wholesalers who have the most special of niches and…
Feb 27, 2006
Ken Garret has an interesting article in the Australian paper The Courier-Mail in which Terroir is the topic. Early on, Garret goes on about the various ways terroir is defined and it struck me in reading that one can tell a lot about the person by understanding how they define "Terroir". Consider the following definitions of Terroir…and what they tell us about the Definer 1. Real Terroir Only Exists in FranceMeaning: They own a French Vineyard or only drink French…