It’s Chile’s Time
IT’S REMARKABLE that despite a year of economic misery and with little optimism for a speedy recovery, the market for wine in the United States actually grew again in 2OO8. Per capita consumption surpassed three gallons for the first time ever and despite a palpable absence of demand in virtually... Read More
The Underappreciated Carmenere Grape
After making quite a splash as one of the promising new things under the sun in the late 199Os the Carmenere grape remains quite a mystery to most wine lovers. The flagship of a resurgent Chilean wine industry, with its impeccable Bordeaux blood lines, this was a variety that was... Read More
A First for New Zealand
This trend reversal should be understood in the context of a major overall downturn in the decades long pattern of increasingly more imported wines from all sources being shipped to the US as well as meteoric rises for several years running from New Zealand. The overall import decline in 2OO8... Read More
Champagne 2008
It should come as no shock that in the throes of an unprecedented global economic meltdown the US market for sparkling wine this year is about as moribund as it’s been in recent memory. Champagne has experienced its worst year since the post-Millenium hangover of 2OO1 and before the holiday... Read More
Serious Chablis
It’s not always obvious because of our rush to embrace whatever is new, but sometimes the classics are really the best. For instance, if you’re looking for quintessential seafood wine that is bone dry, minerally and understated in flavor, there is little to compare with Chablis. Grown on the calcareous... Read More
Value from the vine.
It’s no surprise perhaps that with all of the economic upheavals we’ve experienced, the first half of 2OO8 has seen some dramatic shifts in long term wine consumption trends. Whether or not we are in a recession or heading into one, it’s indisputable that the dollar is at one of... Read More
Muscadel de Sever
It is among the most underappreciated wines on the market. In a world where wines are starting to taste more and more alike regardless of origin, it’s certainly unique. If you appreciate the style, which I happen to, there’s nowhere else other than the Pays Nantais on the cool western... Read More
Champagne
2OO4 may be the definitive refutation for this view. Slow rate of job creation, political uncertainty, sluggish economies worldwide? Sales are up. How many American investors have been excited about their portfolio’s performance this year? We’re buying more Champagne. What exactly about our financial prospects is it that we have... Read More
Finding Greatness
Whether we’re discussing wine, food, literature, art, athletics, or life itself, there are virtually no clear, uncontroversial standards. Much like love, you can’t prove its existence, but most of us would say you know it when you feel it. The fact is though that “great” means something a bit different... Read More
Petite Sirah
And it’s not remotely Syrah either, although there is a genetic relation. So right off the bat the name throws most people off the trail as to the kind of wine it makes. But the grape, which used to be considered just cheap “workhorse†blending material, better suited for beefing... Read More