As the translator, Elaine Trigiani describes, with regard to a true love or a perfectly harmonious wine, “It’s nearly impossible to describe or explain, but you now it when you’re in it.” This is a great encapsulation of Salvo Foti’s thinking and writing.
Read MoreLast weekend twenty judges from Europe, Russia and the US gathered in the name of wine at the inaugural Balkans International Wine Competition in Sofia, Bulgaria. Two days of judging followed by two days of wine festival called for frequent reaching across the table - and not just to pour wine. The discoveries were enticing for palates, engrossing for wine nerds and intriguing for history and politics buffs.
Read MoreFrom where did Nascetta originally come? Nascetta is the only white vine native to Langhe. Arneis is indigenous to Roero and Cortese comes from Alessandria.
Read MoreNext Wednesday I head to the Balkans International Wine Competition. So, what great timing to be invited this week to a Wines of Macedonia tasting? I couldn’t miss it. I wouldn’t miss it. I felt this way not only because I’m landing there in a week’s time. I’m always pursuing my relentless curiosity of lesser-known - and even unknown - varieties.
Read MoreLast week I met Davis Bynum. Davis was one of the modern pioneers of Russian River Valley. (The Russians who settled there in the early 1800s planted vines before the Gold Rush of 1849.) In fact, Davis was the first to produce a single vineyard Pinot Noir from the area AND indicate its origins on the label.
Read MoreThis past week, a bus filled with 20 Masters of Wine traveled 2,000 kilometers around Sicily. It was a phenomenal trip; I wish we were still there. Alas, we did leave, but not before saying grazie. The old guard was literary. They were also quite competitive. You didn’t want to be giving the last thank-you of the trip – so many grazie to top!
Read MoreTo meet Sir George was a great honor. This Kiwi legend comes across as a genuinely inquisitive, down-to-earth gentleman. Sir George’s venture into wine began more as a hobby than a career. He started in 1961 by leasing an acre of land from his father. Begun as a family venture, it remains so – in spite of the fact that Villa Maria is one of New Zealand’s three largest wineries and exports to over fifty countries!
Read MoreMy dining companions promptly answered this question. Both hold Ph.Ds. and both are German Pinot Noir, or Spätburgunder, enthusiasts. Another dinner date with wine geeks….
Read MoreNot a member of this simultaneously très sérieux and bon vivant group, I engaged them in two radically different seminars. First came the fun stuff – a competitive blending seminar using the components of the 2006 Lynch-Bages to try to reconstitute the grand vin. Second came the stinky stuff – a presentation on wine faults. After all, the last thing you want is to be uncertain whether your Cru Classé is in top form. The group sniffed cautiously through their glasses, trying to suss out the faults exhibited
Read MoreJudging many wine events, I was thrilled (no exaggeration) by his use of statistics to prove the coherency of our tasting results. Not only did he use statistics to prove inarguably whether or not our scores meant something, he imbedded two sets of eight blind wines in our tastings that were not Turkish wines to judge our consistency.
Read MoreFiguring out where these clones come from is a bit like researching a family tree before the internet. There’s a fair bit of uncertainty amongst the researchers themselves, so where does that leave the rest of us? Luckily, the chart makes it pretty easy to cross-reference with its column titled “Also Known As”, in which almost every clone other than the Dijon clones show at least one other name. From the US Perspective, the source of Martini 58 is Louis Martini in the USA. From the New Zealand Perspective, the source of Clone 13 is UC Davis, USA. The Australians indicate two origins for their G8V3: UC Davis, USA and Switzerland. Now that we’ve figured that one out, let’s look at the David Bruce Clone. Apparently it was cultivated first by Paul Masson and then by Martin Ray in the US…but way back when, it immigrated from somewhere in the Côte d’Or.
Read MoreI’m here to report that Texas grape growers and wineries are making some marvelous juice! I can’t wait to see the list of winners because I’ll be ordering many wines ASAP. I just hope they won’t already be sold out, as I know many are small-production wines.
Read MoreGiven my affection for Pinot Noir and Burgundy, and given the fact I’ve spent an incredible number of hours evaluating the quality of wines in order to pass the Master of Wine exam, I take quality references very seriously. However, within quality designations, there’s wiggle room. Last night provided a perfect example.
Read MoreI recently read a Geographic Expeditions newsletter that began with an excerpt from a Jonathan Keats piece titled “Why Wikipedia is as Important as the Pyramids” in Wired magazine. In it, Keats campaigns for Wikipedia to become the first digital World Heritage Site. His article debates the relevance of some of UNESCO’s 936 World Heritage Sites and outlines how UNESCO has grappled with the concept of intangible cultural heritage (for example, music versus monuments, mines or water systems). This brought to mind the bid by Burgundy’s Côte d’Or to classify its “climats”, or vineyards, among UNESCO’s hand-picked honorees. From my viewpoint, Burgundy’s climats cover both the intangible and the tangible angles of cultural heritage.
Read More“Paul really likes to use ‘heritage’ clones.” Calera, Swan and Mt. Eden are among their Pinot Noir selections and Wente, Bato and Rudd are among the Chardonnay plantings.
Read MoreFive years ago a friend gave me a book of wine-inspired cartoons from The New Yorker. It has been years since I flipped through it. So, when it caught my eye this weekend, I picked it up. Many are worth a hearty laugh and a surprising number of them are oriented to the "cork dork" crowd. Perhaps this shouldn't be surprising for a publication that appeals to erudite readers?
Read MoreI've assembled an ambitious line-up for wine reading in early 2012. In approximately this order, I'll be devouring these books!
Read MoreI read a number of great books this year. Some were good; some were tremendous. Excellent books can be like wines that shock you with their energy. You don't soon forget them.
Read MoreWhen it comes to wine, I'm thankful for it daily. And, realizing there are so many things that happen day-to-day to make wine what it is, I figure there's good reason to list a few of those now so that I might remember to be thankful for them throughout the upcoming year.
Read MoreI am thrilled and honored to be part of the new vintage honored this year, bringing the Institute's total living membership to 299 as of this writing.
Read More