Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vagablond/ysSN/~3/wpovV2TUKjM/
Gisele Bündchen Giuliana DePandi Giulianna Ramirez Grace Park Gretha Cavazzoni
Friday, 31 August 2012
Musha Cay – Romantic Getaway For Honeymooners
If you spend your vacation on an private island in a most magnificent way then, Musha Cay, a gorgeous private island with over 150 acres of perfect tropical environment, dazzling white sugar-sand beaches, translucent turquoise waters, superb chic accommodations, and a 30 odd staff to attend to your every need, will be perfect choice for [...]
Field Notes from a Wine Life – Story Edition
Odds and ends from a life lived through the prism of the wine glass…
Words aren’t enough
I give to thee…the worst wine ad of all-time and that’s without delving into the ponderous name of the wine or, why, inexplicably, the back of the laptop in the photo has a big sticker for Ass Kisser ales…
…In the main visual, three people are huddled around the boss giving him “Ass Kisser” wine…Isn’t the point of being a brown-noser to do it subtly? Who randomly gifts their boss right before their employee review?
Even if you view this ad as schlocky hipster irony, it’s still bad and makes you wonder if the advertising sales guy at Wine Enthusiast couldn’t do a solid for his client and suggest creative that, well, actually makes sense.
Or, maybe being horrible was the plan – like a movie that becomes a cult hit a decade hence…so bad that it becomes a lofty ideal for bad, enjoying a following because of its campy nature.
Bad Week for Eric Asimov?
On both Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, Eric Asimov, the New York Times chief wine critic was taken to task for different reasons by Matt Kramer at Winespectator.com and Steve Heimoff at his blog of the same name.
This is interesting because wine writers of a certain stature very carefully call their shots amongst their peers.
Normally the shots are fired up (Parker) or down (bloggers), but usually never sideways amongst writers in the same strata.
To watch Asimov, as seemingly decent of a guy as you’ll find, called onto the rug by two notable wine writers, to me, speaks to something much bigger.
With Parker stepping aside and Antonio Galloni receiving glancing admiration for hitting a stand-up triple by dint of his current position at the Wine Advocate, at the same time that the wheat and chaff are separating with wine bloggers, somebody has to step into the fray as a public foil for other wine writers to target.
Unwittingly, it might be Asimov for reasons entirely opposite of Parker’s hegemony. Asimov’s palate for wine seems food-friendly and balanced; he takes an egalitarian approach to wine for the people without pretense and he doesn’t score wines.
In other words, Asimov is bizarro Superman to Parker’s swashbuckling empiricism and, perhaps, even a greater danger to the Ivory Tower of legacy wine media than the mere jealousy that passed for poking at Parker.
Just a thought…
It’s all about the story
The wine business has always been excellent at storytelling. Virtually every winery has their origin story and that of their dirt down pat, even if not very compelling.
So, it is with interest that I’ve been watching Facebook’s recent changes keeping in mind that founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has emphasized emotional resonance, narrative and storytelling – factors that extend well beyond consumers using Facebook to “Tell the story of their life,” as Zuckerberg noted. This will be inclusive of the brands that use Facebook for engagement, as well.
I was further intrigued after reading parallel news reports that Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), is singing the same song.
He notes in an article in Advertising Age, “Technology innovations are irrelevant to the future of advertising and marketing unless a more fundamental activity is understood, honored and advanced: the craft of storytelling.”
A quick Google search for “Mark Zuckerberg F8 Keynote” and “Randall Rothenberg MIXX Keynote” will yield a number of stories all occurring in September. There’s no question about Facebook’s influence and the IAB is the thought-leader for digital advertising. Between the two of them, they present an imposing shadow of influence on digital marketing.
If I were a winery with an understanding that digital marketing is a tsunami of change that is important, I might start revisiting my winery story for some fine-tuning…
Two books that I recommend to bone-up on the elements of good business storytelling are: The Story Factor and Made to Stick.
On Sweet Wines
In an article this week from the San Francisco Chronicle called “Beginner drinkers get a crush on sweet red wines,” E.&J. Gallo VP of Marketing, Stephanie Gallo, noted: “There is a major shift going on in the U.S. wine drinking culture. First, we noticed that regional sweet red blends were doing particularly well in Indiana, Texas and North Carolina. Second, our consumers were asking if we produced a sweet red wine after tasting our Moscato at events.”
Good Grape readers had the scoop on this months ago when I wrote:
How Sweet it is – The Growing Sweet Wine Trend in early October, 2010
And
Move over Moscato and Make Way for Sweet Reds in February of this year
Just saying…
Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/field_notes_from_a_wine_life_story_edition/
Wine Bloggers’ Wines from Oddbins
So, do wine bloggers have any idea what wines others should drink, or are they just good at telling us about the stuff they like? I have to admit to being very afraid of the idea of being responsible for choosing wines for other people I do not know. The idea of being a “Wine [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/0KjB-LdU1U0/
Ana Hickmann Ana Ivanovi Ana Paula Lemes Ananda Lewis Angela Marcello
WineTasting.com Friends and Family Sale
WineTasting.com is offering a friends and family sale with savings "up to 70% off". To see the wines offered and pricing you'll need to register on their site. I'll respect their terms and not list specific prices and comparisons to nationwide bests here, but I'll say I spotted some nice deals from producers like Davis Family, Nickel & Nickel, Whitehall Lane, Twomey, Delectus, and more.
Shipping terms are quite favorable so all in all a nice sale.
To visit their site and register to see the deals: http://www.winetastingsale.com
Question of the Day: See any nice deals there I may have missed?
Shipping terms are quite favorable so all in all a nice sale.
To visit their site and register to see the deals: http://www.winetastingsale.com
Question of the Day: See any nice deals there I may have missed?
Posted with Blogsy
Jennifer Scholle Jennifer Sky Jenny McCarthy Jessica Alba Jessica Biel
Official: Toyota announces new four-cylinder Camry SE Sport
Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Toyota
There are plenty of great reasons to look forward to the upcoming three-day Labor Day weekend, but is a Toyota Camry one of them? While a special-edition Camry might not sound as exciting as the numerous parties or cookouts taking place this weekend, Toyota is giving its dealers a special way to celebrate with the new SE Sport Limited Edition added to the 2012 Camry line equipped with the four-cylinder engine.
Essentially, this car is a more attractive value package that combines a few popular options bundled together for a low(er) price. The 2012 Camry SE Sport Limited Edition will have a starting price of $25,995 (*not including delivery charges) which is about a $2,700 premium compared to the 2012 Camry SE. The package will include added equipment such as navigation, Toyota's Entune infotainment (a $2,405 option on its own), power sunroof and power driver's seat.
Toyota livened this package up a little more with exclusive features like the 18-inch, smoked-finish wheels and a Blizzard Pearl paint that will only be produced between September 12 through November 12. The Camry SE Sport that shoppers can find in dealers this weekend will come in Barcelona Red and Attitude Black. Read the official announcement below.
Continue reading Toyota announces new four-cylinder Camry SE Sport
Toyota announces new four-cylinder Camry SE Sport originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 09:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/31/toyota-announces-new-four-cylinder-camry-se-sport/
Charles Robert Hamilton V Kevin Michael Harvick Virgil Ernest Irvan III Kenny Dale Irwin Jr Dale Arnold Jarrett
Australian Wine: The Once and Future King?
You’ve never heard of Campbell Mattinson: He’s a young, urbane Australian wine wordsmith who forsakes the academically erudite and plaintive wine writing style of legends past for a muscular writing style that is jocularly loose yet incisive, showing every bit of the wunderkind talent of his global English-language contemporaries, Jamie Goode and Neal Martin.
Likewise, you probably haven’t heard of Mattison’s *new* wine book, Thin Skins: Why the French Hate Australian Wine first published in Australia in 2007 and now just released in America.
Seemingly stillborn upon its October publishing date in the states and updated with a scant epilogue where the author notes, “The headiness described in the early passages of this book is now long gone,” the book formerly offered in situ context on the boom and looming bust of the Australian wine landscape and is now something of an ipso facto think piece on the manifested reality.
With recency in absentia as one negative checkmark, Thin Skins as a body of work brooks no favors for itself either. Even when first published four years ago, it represented a compendium of articles and profile pieces, individually quite good, but collectively never quite transcending its constituent parts, especially one that supports the premise of the title. And, unlike its subject matter, time has not aged the book into cohesion.
Worse still, brought to the U.S. market by publisher Sterling Epicure, the book is likely supported with little more than the gas it takes a truck to drive a meager allotment of books to an Amazon.com warehouse and the dwindling number of Barnes & Nobles that still populate the landscape, a veritable line item in an editors’ fourth quarter publishing spreadsheet under the header, “wine.”
Thin Skins seems destined for a hastened half-life and quick retreat to the remainder bin at Half-Price Books…it’s an ignoble fate heaped upon by my damnation.
But, I’ve feinted purposefully, misdirecting by caveat because, despite everything I’ve mentioned having some inherent truth(including the author being very talented), Thin Skins is a wildly entertaining book that delivers on providing a teasing glimpse into a distinctly Aussie viewpoint on the factors that led to the Australian wine boom (Parker points, market forces, greed and drought) and in so doing the author makes three key points worth repeating:
1) The Aussie wine industry, save for its Gallo-like equivalents, is NOT happy about their country’s production being viewed globally as syrupy supermarket plonk
2) Our U.S. perception IS NOT reality regarding Australian wine; their wine industry has an abundance of refined, terroir-based wines from small vintners
3) The Aussie wine business will rise again on the international scene (in an entirely different form).
One key takeaway for me from the book is that Australia is remarkably similar to the U.S.
In the U.S., some reports indicate that 90% of the wine sold is “corporate” wine, the kind found at supermarkets across the country. However, what IS different is that 90% of our national conversation about wine focuses on the 10% of the wine production that ISN’T in the supermarket i.e. everything non-corporate – the boutique, artisan and interesting.
Yet, when it comes to Australian wine, we don’t continue our conversation about the small and beautiful. Instead of talking about the superlative, we view their entire country production through the lens of the insipid, the Yellowtail and other critters that cost $6.99 at Safeway.
American wine consumers would be rightfully indignant if the world viewed our wines not as we do, a rich tapestry, but as industrialized plonk from the San Joaquin Valley.
This is where Australian wine is at today—a ‘perception is reality’ mistake of colossal proportions.
While offering an abundance of stories from small producers along the way, Mattison suggests that while it may take time, with Australia having 162 years of winemaking history, the day will come, sooner rather than later, when Australian wine forsakes its near-term reputation and is viewed on the world stage as a wine producing country that can proudly stand next to its New World peers.
I wrote recently that I’ve noticed a slow change in tenor from American influencers regarding Aussie wine, they’re becoming more sympathetic, they’re starting to speak less dismissively and more optimistically and holistically about Australian wine, discussing the merits and great diversity in the land of Oz.
Recent Symphony IRI sales data bears this out as well. According to a Shanken NewsDaily report from this week, Australian wine in the $15 - $19.99 category rose 23% in September. In addition, growth is coming from varietals not named Shiraz (see also syrupy supermarket plonk). Instead, Semillon, Riesling and Pinot Noir are showing growth.
Still, it’s not the land of milk and honey here in the states for Aussie wine, as it once was. Overall sales are down by volume and dollars, but as Mattinson alludes the correction in the U.S. market isn’t going to be pretty, but it will be healthy and it’s quite possible that Australia will decrease in overall volume and dollar sales from persistent decline at the low-end for years to come as the high-end grows, but not at a rate to replace what was lost.
The net sum of that doesn’t balance a spreadsheet, but it does balance mindshare.
Pick-up Thin Skins if you want to get turned on to a great wine writer while also enjoying a greater understanding of Australian wine – where it has been and where it’s going—perhaps not as a future King, but definitely not in its current role as court jester.
Campbell Mattinson’s Wine Site: The Wine Front
Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/australian_wine_the_once_and_future_king/
Emma Stone Emma Watson Emmanuelle Chriqui Emmanuelle Vaugier Emmy Rossum
2010 Calera Central Coast Pinot Noir: QPR Alert?
The 2009 vintage was rated 92 points by the Wine Advocate, and combined with its modest $24 release price and relatively high production levels (around 10,000 cases) the wine seems destined to join the likes of Siduri and Loring as perennial Pinot value plays.
I was just browsing through the Wine Spectator rating database and man...I had a hard time finding a 93 point California Pinot Noir for $25 or less. I had to go back into the early '90s to a time when Pinot was in its infancy in California and producers were just getting started with the grape to find a Pinot this affordable and highly rated.
But when you're buying by the numbers you're hanging your hopes on one person's palate. In the case of Wine Spectator that's James Laube who has a reputation with some for preferring ripe wines - and he states as much in his tasting notes for the wine: "very ripe but still complex". [Spectator online subscription required]
If we consult the wisdom of the masses we currently see a Cellar Tracker community rating for the 2009 at 89.1 and the 2010 is currently averaging 90.3.
If we run these metrics through the WWP QPR Calculator (what's that?) we get a 2.5: A Very Good value.
The wine is also referred to as the 35th Anniversary Vintage - and there's some confusion and duplicate entries on Cellar Tracker for sure. But there's no special bottling to seek out. If you're buying the 2010 Calera Central Coast Pinot Noir you're getting the wine that Spectator rated 93 points. Here are my thoughts on the wine:
2010 Calera Central Coast Pinot Noir [35th Anniversary Vintage]
$24 Release Price
14.9% Alcohol
7,688 Cases Produced
Primary [very] ripe plum notes mug the otherwise nice Pinot characteristics lurking in the background. 14.9% alcohol (up from 14.2% in 2009) and it shows. The wine clings heavily to the glass and there's heat at the backend of every sip. An instantaneous aerator the first night and an evening of rest under stopper didn't help accelerate the aging process. Will this be better with time? I wouldn't count on it. But for $24 retail it's a decent wine I guess. I just can't see my way to 92 or 93 points.
88/100 WWP: Very Good
Where to Buy
In Massachusetts:
- TerraVino in Brookline
- Wine Cellar of Stoneham
Question of the Day: Have you had this wine? If so, what did you think?
Amanda Bynes Amanda Detmer Amanda Marcum Amanda Peet Amanda Righetti
Field Notes from a Wine Life – Story Edition
Odds and ends from a life lived through the prism of the wine glass…
Words aren’t enough
I give to thee…the worst wine ad of all-time and that’s without delving into the ponderous name of the wine or, why, inexplicably, the back of the laptop in the photo has a big sticker for Ass Kisser ales…
…In the main visual, three people are huddled around the boss giving him “Ass Kisser” wine…Isn’t the point of being a brown-noser to do it subtly? Who randomly gifts their boss right before their employee review?
Even if you view this ad as schlocky hipster irony, it’s still bad and makes you wonder if the advertising sales guy at Wine Enthusiast couldn’t do a solid for his client and suggest creative that, well, actually makes sense.
Or, maybe being horrible was the plan – like a movie that becomes a cult hit a decade hence…so bad that it becomes a lofty ideal for bad, enjoying a following because of its campy nature.
Bad Week for Eric Asimov?
On both Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, Eric Asimov, the New York Times chief wine critic was taken to task for different reasons by Matt Kramer at Winespectator.com and Steve Heimoff at his blog of the same name.
This is interesting because wine writers of a certain stature very carefully call their shots amongst their peers.
Normally the shots are fired up (Parker) or down (bloggers), but usually never sideways amongst writers in the same strata.
To watch Asimov, as seemingly decent of a guy as you’ll find, called onto the rug by two notable wine writers, to me, speaks to something much bigger.
With Parker stepping aside and Antonio Galloni receiving glancing admiration for hitting a stand-up triple by dint of his current position at the Wine Advocate, at the same time that the wheat and chaff are separating with wine bloggers, somebody has to step into the fray as a public foil for other wine writers to target.
Unwittingly, it might be Asimov for reasons entirely opposite of Parker’s hegemony. Asimov’s palate for wine seems food-friendly and balanced; he takes an egalitarian approach to wine for the people without pretense and he doesn’t score wines.
In other words, Asimov is bizarro Superman to Parker’s swashbuckling empiricism and, perhaps, even a greater danger to the Ivory Tower of legacy wine media than the mere jealousy that passed for poking at Parker.
Just a thought…
It’s all about the story
The wine business has always been excellent at storytelling. Virtually every winery has their origin story and that of their dirt down pat, even if not very compelling.
So, it is with interest that I’ve been watching Facebook’s recent changes keeping in mind that founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has emphasized emotional resonance, narrative and storytelling – factors that extend well beyond consumers using Facebook to “Tell the story of their life,” as Zuckerberg noted. This will be inclusive of the brands that use Facebook for engagement, as well.
I was further intrigued after reading parallel news reports that Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), is singing the same song.
He notes in an article in Advertising Age, “Technology innovations are irrelevant to the future of advertising and marketing unless a more fundamental activity is understood, honored and advanced: the craft of storytelling.”
A quick Google search for “Mark Zuckerberg F8 Keynote” and “Randall Rothenberg MIXX Keynote” will yield a number of stories all occurring in September. There’s no question about Facebook’s influence and the IAB is the thought-leader for digital advertising. Between the two of them, they present an imposing shadow of influence on digital marketing.
If I were a winery with an understanding that digital marketing is a tsunami of change that is important, I might start revisiting my winery story for some fine-tuning…
Two books that I recommend to bone-up on the elements of good business storytelling are: The Story Factor and Made to Stick.
On Sweet Wines
In an article this week from the San Francisco Chronicle called “Beginner drinkers get a crush on sweet red wines,” E.&J. Gallo VP of Marketing, Stephanie Gallo, noted: “There is a major shift going on in the U.S. wine drinking culture. First, we noticed that regional sweet red blends were doing particularly well in Indiana, Texas and North Carolina. Second, our consumers were asking if we produced a sweet red wine after tasting our Moscato at events.”
Good Grape readers had the scoop on this months ago when I wrote:
How Sweet it is – The Growing Sweet Wine Trend in early October, 2010
And
Move over Moscato and Make Way for Sweet Reds in February of this year
Just saying…
Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/field_notes_from_a_wine_life_story_edition/
Giuliana DePandi Giulianna Ramirez Grace Park Gretha Cavazzoni Gwen Stefani
Return to Woodrose Winery
Woodrose WineryWinery 2012 Woodrose has been one of our favorite growing wineries over the past several years. This year’s visit provided some unexpected pleasures. The last time we visited at Woodrose they were just completing construction on their special events building. This time we found the center was done and open for business. Tastings were … Continue reading 
Source: http://thegrapesaroundtexas.com/2012/07/03/return-to-woodrose-winery/
Amanda Marcum Amanda Peet Amanda Righetti Amanda Swisten Amber Arbucci
Wine-derful
Judges completed the first day of tasting the finest vintages the wine world has to offer at the 70th Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition. Stepping into the Millard Sheets Center for the Arts, where judging is taking place, the aroma is musky, flowery, fruity, nutty. Pretty powerful! Judges gather around round tables comparing [...]
Source: http://blogs.fairplex.com/blog/wine/?p=62
Adrianne Curry Adrianne Palicki Aisha Tyler Aki Ross Alecia Elliott
Trip Report: Interesting Times at Kosta Browne
As I got to thinking about a good venue for a post about a visit to Kosta Browne, David White's Terroirist was the first that came to mind. David has been doing a tremendous job since launching Terroirist a couple years ago and I've particularly enjoyed his winery trip reports.
Here's a snippet. Head on over to Terroirist to read the full article:
These are interesting times at Kosta Browne. In 2009, the winery was acquired by Vincraft for almost $40 million. In 2011, one of its wines was named Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year. And in 2012, one of its winemakers left the firm. But through it all, Kosta Browne’s Pinot Noirs remain the standard for bold domestic Pinot Noir. Read more...
Janet Jackson January Jones Jennie Finch Jennifer Aniston Jennifer Gareis
Celebrity wine advice, circa 1990 #video
“No one, but NO ONE puts ice in red wine!” Such is the gist of the opening scene of a mostly tongue-in-cheek video about wine from 1990, “The Celebrity Guide to Wine,” chock full of 80s stars including Steven Seagal, Dudley Moore, Herbie Hancock, Whoopi Goldberg and more. It’s the brainchild of Bernard Erpicum, who [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/p-EmNFU4fdY/
Anna Faris Anna Friel Anna Kournikova Anna Paquin AnnaLynne McCord
Napa Valley Happenings in May and June
Is the old Gordon’s Café and Wine Bar in Yountville set to reopen? We hope so! Remember, this was a popular spot among the locals but closed in 2007. Runners, walkers, and cyclists would convene here for their morning cup of java and other goodies. Continue reading
Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/napablog/napa-valley-happenings-in-may-and-june/
Genelle Frenoy Georgianna Robertson Georgina Grenville Gina Carano Gina Gershon
Winner Announced in Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival Giveaway
We received 20 entries via comments, and another 13 via email.
I assigned the entries received via comment the numbers 1-20 in the order they were received. Then I assigned the following numbers to email entries:
21. DD
22. MBr
23. MBot
24. MM
25. KQ
26. JS
27. MBod
28. ER
29. ML
30. NC
31. RS
32. RP
33. BW
34. LP
...then I generated a random number on random.org:
Elizabeth R!
"My husband and I would love to have the opportunity to attend! We love food and wine!"
Congratulations Elizabeth! Please email me at wellesleywinepress@gmail.com to claim the prize.
For more information on the event, visit the Newport Mansions Food & Wine Festival website.
Alecia Elliott Alessandra Ambrosio Alexis Bledel Ali Campoverdi Ali Larter
I have seen the future of artisan wine, and it comes in a can
This may sound odd, but there is a link between packaging innovation and the increasing focus on biodynamics and ‘natural wine’, it just isn’t a simple one. I am not suggesting that natural wine producers are better served choosing tetrapacks, paper bottles or aluminium cans for their wines (although they might), but sometimes the simplest [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/4sUTVA9ewao/
Amanda Swisten Amber Arbucci Amber Brkich Amber Heard Amber Valletta
TasteCamp East: Voracious Wine Bloggers Taste Throughout the Finger Lakes
This past weekend, I was among a group of wine bloggers who participated in the 2nd TasteCamp East, this year in the Finger Lakes. The local wine industry is the inspiration for this blog and my business as I’ve mentioned to you before. I had nothing to do with the selection of our region as [...]
Emmy Rossum Erica Leerhsen Erika Christensen Estella Warren Esther Cañadas
7 Reliably Outstanding Fruit-Forward California Pinot Noir Producers
It's no secret California Pinot Noir consumption has taken center stage here at The Wellesley Wine Press lately. But all of this research has to lead to something, right?
I thought it would be interesting to share a list of producers, mostly ones I'd consider to be at least somewhat fruit-forward stylistically, who when I open a bottle of their wines I have full confidence the wine is going to be outstanding.
Here are 7 reliably outstanding California Pinot Noir producers I've discovered:
Kosta Browne
A benchmark, bold, fruit-forward producer. Their appellation wines (Russian River, Sonoma Coast and recently added Santa Lucia Highlands) go for $58 and their single vineyard wines fetch $78. After a string of favorable ratings, their 2009 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir was named Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year. Rarely seen at retail, this one is mostly mailing list only with some availability in restaurants. A tough mailing list to crack but get on it and have patience. It's worth it. Sign up at http://kostabrowne.com
Sojourn
Some of their wines are rightfully described as "a Cab drinker's Pinot Noir" (Ridgetop, Gap's Crown) but others let the site speak beautifully for itself (Rodgers, Alder Springs). Their appellation wines sell for $39-$42 and they're fantastic. Their single vineyards go for $48-$59. One of the most favorable mailing lists on the planet. Sign up now at http://sojourncellars.com
Radio-Coteau
Gorgeous stuff that shows diversity from vineyard to vineyard. La Neblina and the newly-introduced Laguna are my favorites, Alberigi is leaner in style. You'll see some availability retail but rarely at a price better than what's available winery direct. That these spectacular wines are available in the high $40s is an example of why California Pinot Noir is one of the most exciting categories in wine today.
Dehlinger
Three years ago I'd never heard of Dehlinger. But after a friend introduced me to their wines and I've had a chance to try a number of their bottles and I've been blown away. An old school Pinot Noir producer, they show strength across a number of varieties. Prices are extremely reasonably considering the quality. Their Pinots sell for between $45 and $60. http://dehlingerwinery.com
Sea Smoke
They ruffled some feathers when they labeled their 2009s "Grand Cru", but they're undeniably one of the finest California Pinot Noir producers. There's quite a price gap between their Southing bottling (around $50) and the $100+ "Ten". I say go for the Southing. It ages nicely and can exhibit gorgeous earthy characteristics with just a bit of age. Their 2004 Southing was my wine of the year. Sea Smoke is always a nice bottle to break out for a special occasion. http://seasmoke.com
Belle Glos
Their appelation "Meiomi" bottling ($22 release and available for less at retail if you look around) provides a beautiful window into what they do with their single vineyard bottlings. Las Alturas and Taylor Lane are my favorites for their cherry pipe tobacco notes and polished, effortless richness. Beautifully packaged in wax dipped bottles with scripted lettering, these wines are a great value at $44. And even better when you find them for less at select retailers. So reliably delicious. Search for these at retail on Wine-Searcher.com
Black Kite
A relatively new producer from the Anderson Valley, Black Kite's Kite's Rest bottling has impressed me across a number of vintages. I tasted the 2008 blind against alongside a couple of nice Burgundies and thought to myself: "Now this is what Pinot Noir should taste like". What can I say - I love California Pinot Noir. I usually try to catch this one at specialty retailers due to tough shipping terms winery direct to the Northeast.
Question of the Day: Who did I miss? Who are the California Pinot Noir producers who, when you open a bottle, you're fairly certain it's going to be an outstanding, fruit-forward, enjoyable bottle?
Check back soon for a similar list of leaner, more terroir-driven producers. I'd love it if you subscribed to The Wellesley Wine Press to get new posts sent to your inbox.
Ana Hickmann Ana Ivanovi Ana Paula Lemes Ananda Lewis Angela Marcello
Napa Valley Travel News Update
A few forward-thinking wineries in the Napa Valley have installed electric car charging stations. Imagine driving up to a winery in your electric car and recharging your car while you recharge your palate with a taste of some of Napa Valley’s famous wines. Continue reading
Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/napablog/napa-valley-travel-news-update/
Making plans for the wine fairs
There are so many things going on in the next week, it is hard to keep track of everything. Here’s a handy summary and guide of some of the fun wine stuff we at Vrazon (that’s Ryan Opaz, Gabriella Opaz and myself, Robert McIntosh) are involved in. Why not add these to your calendar and [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/IaGwoBfRsDI/
Emma Watson Emmanuelle Chriqui Emmanuelle Vaugier Emmy Rossum Erica Leerhsen
Age Verification Comes to Twitter
It is a common occurrence to be barred from entering a wine related website until you have confirmed your birthdate, or at least confirmed you are of legal drinking age in your country. On Facebook it is already possible to stop under-age members from seeing certain content. However, until now this could not be done [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/TxMx5Vsz_Eo/
Jennifer Garner Jennifer Gimenez Jennifer Love Hewitt Jennifer Morrison Jennifer ODell
Napa Valley bashing at the Wine Bloggers Conference
Napa Valley wineries had its share of good-natured bashing from Oregon wineries at the 5th Annual Wine Bloggers Conference held in Portland, Oregon, this past weekend.
Continue reading
Continue reading
Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/napablog/napa-valley-bashing-at-the-wine-bloggers-conference/
Emma Stone Emma Watson Emmanuelle Chriqui Emmanuelle Vaugier Emmy Rossum
WBW 76: Barossa Boomerang
Not too long ago I drank quite a bit of Australian wine, particularly Shiraz. Given that this grape, also known as Syrah, expresses greatness in the Barossa Valley I could not pass an opportunity to revisit this region for this months’ Wine Blogging Wednesday. Our host, Adam from Wine Zag, proposed we look for any [...]
WBW 76: Barossa Boomerang originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/FS8LnHLmfVk/
Dania Ramirez Danica Patrick Daniella Alonso Danneel Harris Deanna Russo
Who are the RAW Wine Fair’s Natural Consumers?
Our first day at the RAW Fair in London, the artisan wine fair focused on organic, biodynamic and natural wines, was eye-opening in many ways. First, the space at the Truman Brewery at the top of Brick Lane, and its incongruous industrial past, seemed vast and empty when we arrived to see row upon row of [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/k7Cgiu-fzfc/
Anne Marie Kortright April Scott Arielle Kebbel Ashanti Ashlee Simpson
Wine Bloggers’ Wines from Oddbins
So, do wine bloggers have any idea what wines others should drink, or are they just good at telling us about the stuff they like? I have to admit to being very afraid of the idea of being responsible for choosing wines for other people I do not know. The idea of being a “Wine [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/0KjB-LdU1U0/
Angela Marcello Angelina Jolie Anna Faris Anna Friel Anna Kournikova
Wine Bloggers’ Wines from Oddbins
So, do wine bloggers have any idea what wines others should drink, or are they just good at telling us about the stuff they like? I have to admit to being very afraid of the idea of being responsible for choosing wines for other people I do not know. The idea of being a “Wine [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/0KjB-LdU1U0/
Angela Marcello Angelina Jolie Anna Faris Anna Friel Anna Kournikova
Inside Yountville
“Inside Yountville” is the first of a series of short videos designed to give the tourist a quick view of the major attractions of these localities: where to stay, dine, shop, and enjoy other very fun wine country activities. Continue reading
Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/napablog/inside-yountville/
Gwen Stefani Halle Berry Hayden Panettiere Haylie Duff Heidi Klum
A Spitacular Competition!
For three days, our judges swirled, sniffed and spit their way through more than 3,500 wines from around the globe. Today they wrapped up by choosing the best of the best in each category. Results will be available next month, so stay tuned. In the meantime, enjoy this compilation of expert spitters:
Source: http://blogs.fairplex.com/blog/wine/?p=74
Aubrey ODay Audrina Patridge Autumn Reeser Avril Lavigne Bali Rodriguez
Thursday, 30 August 2012
SEO Services
It’s hard to find reliable SEO Services these days. Heck make a single seo related post on Twitter and you’ll magically find yourself with 25+ new followers all trying to sell you their seo services. Get yourself on the first or second page of Google and you’ll start getting phone calls. It’s annoying because if [...]
Source: http://winewithmark.info/archives/676
Charlies Angels Charlize Theron Chelsea Handler Cheryl Burke China Chow
Thoughts from the AccessZone
“How the Internet Changed my Business” is a great introduction for some thoughts on the excitement of the Access Zone at the London Wine Fair last week. Not only is this something that we at Vrazon talk about a lot, but it was also the first session and one that we got some great feedback [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/NHZ6XAd3-aQ/
Hilarie Burton Hilary Duff Hilary Swank Isla Fisher Ivana Bozilovic
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