September, 09, 2015 Sierra Foothills Report Small Harvest

(Wines&Vines) - An informal survey of winegrowers in the Sierra Foothills tells a generally optimistic story of the 2015 vintage. As with other California regions, a hot, dry season brought an early onset of harvest and smaller than typical yields, but winemakers describe quality as good. So...

September, 05, 2015 ARE WINE WRITERS AND CRITICS JOURNALISTS OR WHINERS? (PUN INTENDED)

(Seattlepi) - I just finished reading a blog post by Steve Heimoff titled  “18 tips for wineries on better communication.”  What it should have been titled is…”Wineries… Wine writers are lazy, please make it easier for all of us!” I guess, since ...

September, 04, 2015 In California, pricey wines cost the environment, too

(Sciencemag) - If Napa Valley is the king of California’s wine regions, then the town of Lodi 100 kilometers to the east is its charming but lesser-known kid brother. Most drinkers will pass up bottles from this sunny Central Valley town in favor of vintages from its prestigious elder s...

September, 04, 2015 What’s the Point of Scoring Wines?

(WSJ) - PICTURE THE SCENE:  It’s early September and the day is drawing to a close, but there is still enough summer in the air to enjoy supper outside. In front of you is a plate of juicy prawns, sizzling away in a garlic sauce. Next to it is a glass of chilled white wine, nothing part...

September, 04, 2015 Fine wine scam: Director of Capital Bordeaux Investments banned from running businesses for 11 years

(Cityam) - A man who scammed £60,000 claiming he ran a fine wine investment firm has been banned from being a director for 11 years.   Scott Andrews – the sole director of Capital Bordeaux Investments Limited – used false and misleading advertising material to “...

September, 04, 2015 New wine movie to open Napa Valley film festival

(Decanter) - A new wine film claiming to 'raise the curtain' on how wine is produced is set to open the Napa Valley film festival this year.    Napa Valley  film festival organizers said their screening of  Somm: Into the bottle  would be the wine film’s world pr...

September, 04, 2015 2015 French Harvest Kicks Off In Earnest

(Wine-Searcher) - Optimism is the dominant mood as picking begins around France. After a hot and dry summer, vintners across France are embarking on a harvest that many are hoping will equal some of the best of the century – and all have their fingers firmly crossed. In Champagne in par...

September, 04, 2015 'Normal' Wine Harvest Anticipated in N.Y.

(Wines&Vines) - After two consecutive difficult winters, growers in the Finger Lakes were uncertain what the overall effects would be on the size and quality of the grape harvest this fall. According to Dr. Tim Martinson, senior extension associate at Cornell University’s Department of Ho...