Lies, damn lies, and statistics: or is Robert Parker the god of wine?
It is always interesting when folks make assumptions about fields of which they have little or no knowledge and then make broadly dismissive claims about their assumptive knowledge.
This often happens when people apply statistics to “prove” their argument. A great example is a recent post on Vinography.
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Natural wine, and the search for identity
The first thing that you have to understand about natural wine is that there is no one “Natural Wine Movement”, no governing or regulatory body, no labeling guidelines, and no consensus. It seems that like beauty, natural is in the eye of the beholder and in this case the detractor as well.
While I will attempt to provide some clarity to the ongoing discussions, debates, and character assassinations that are taking place in the name of natural wine, remember that the wine community is still in the process of defining the idea of natural wine, which means things will continue to change.
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Biodynamic grapes, and the wines they make
I picked up a bottle of Deerfield Ranch Merlot the other day, and I noticed this logo on the wine bottle.
I always thought that biodynamics was just some sort of French organic gardening system similar to biointensive gardening, but there was a lot I did not know.
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Google favicon change (Nothing to do with wine!)
But, hey, we’re a website about wine on the internets, aren’t we?
I’m sure most everyone noticed how Google switched their favicon from 
to 
? A subtle change… only 16 by 16 pixels.
Google says the new icon was created to “scale better to some new platforms like the iPhone and other mobile devices”. Perhaps. But aside from the fact that it looks like a droopy figure-eight, my paranoid side hopes it’s not the start of Google’s “We’re Gentle and Can Be Trusted (Even Though We’re Becoming the Man)” marketing campaign.
Relate this to wine any way you like…
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Organic wine — What is it anyway?
Organic, biodynamic, and natural are three adjectives that are being applied to wine these days with increasing frequency. Many wine drinkers may not know what these terms mean or why some people seem to get so worked up over the issues surrounding them.
To try and shed some light on the subject, WineEnabler.com is offering a three part series exploring these compelling and sometimes controversial issues. The first of the three-part series starts with organic wine.
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The grapes Syrah vs. Shiraz vs. Petite Sirah — What’s the difference?
When I first started drinking wine (a very long six months ago), I tried hard to get a grasp on all the different wine varietals. This seemed an important step towards compartmentalizing the different tastes I was encountering. I wanted to learn what typical wines made from the famous grapes tasted like.
There are many grapes to work through, with many confusing moments, such as the difference between Syrah, Shiraz, and Petite Sirah.
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Is bottle variation in wine fact or fiction?
It seems like a dark little secret in the wine trade. No one ever talks about it. Instead we talk around it. We blame the closure. We blame poor handling, excess temperature, or bacterial contamination.
I know that many of these things can ruin or at least adversely affect the taste of a bottle of wine, but it is my experience that wine can vary considerably from bottle to bottle without any of these wine perils being involved – pure bottle variation.
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Rosé, a great summer and barbeque wine
Summer temperatures have come to Texas earlier than usual this year. The oppressive heat can make those Cabernets and Pinots we were drinking this spring not as appealing. Besides, summertime is barbeque time, and most reds have trouble with the sweet and spicy flavor of barbeque.
So what’s a wine drinker to do?
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Masi, Italian wine giant, to reduce prices in Austin
About a month ago, I posted a bit of a rant about Masi wine prices. You see, they had increased their prices by about 25% across the board for vintages that were already on the shelf.
It sure struck me the wrong way. I thought it was insulting to their current customers, and they put the wine shops that sell their wine in a bad spot. If the merchants increased their retail price, folks like me might not buy the wine. If merchants keep the price the same, they do not make any money on the vintage on their shelves.
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Great Chardonnay, old vine Zinfandel, and Pinot Noir from Davis Family Vineyards
It is rewarding to find small, well-run vineyards and wineries. It is even better if they happen to make good wine. Davis Family Vineyards is an excellent example. Located in high on a ridge in the Russian River Valley, Davis Family Vineyards is the work of owner and winemaker, Guy Davis. Guy’s 7 1/2 acres contain Zinfandel vines planted in 1896, as well as more recent plantings of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah. He also makes a Cabernet Sauvignon from grapes purchased from his neighbors, the Duttons.
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