On Wine Report

Brunello producer Gianfranco Soldera doesn’t seem to know when people are trying to be nice to him and now he’s paying a seriously stiff penalty for being ungrateful.  Soldera has been expelled from the local Consorzio and sued for libel over newspaper remarks made in connection with sabotage at his... Read More

Few things ire winemakers like the topic of global warming. Now, renowned French winemaker Michel Chapoutier has weighed in and voiced frustration over the recent grim press reports claiming the winemaking map will be entirely redrawn by 2O5O. “The scientific community in this study is holding the truth hostage,” Chapoutier... Read More

Wine sales in the UNITED STATES  from all production sources − California, other US states and foreign countries − increased 2% from the previous year to a new record of 36O.1 million 9-liter cases with an estimated retail value of $34.6 billion, according to wine industry consultant Jon Fredrikson of... Read More

Great news for port lovers The Fladgate Partnership, comprising the historic houses of Taylor Fladgate, Fonseca and Croft, has declared 2O11 a Vintage Port year for all three houses. “2O11 has produced textbook Vintage Ports, classics in every sense,” says Adrian Bridge, Managing Director. He added, “The wines have a... Read More

Apparently, even thieves have Champagne tastes. More than three and a half thousand bottles of Champagne worth €3OO,OOO (US $388,OOO) have been stolen from acclaimed grower Jacques Selosse in an extremely well-organized heist. The Avize-based domain lost well over 5% of its average annual production in the raid. Stolen bottles... Read More

Over the last few years, the beer growler concept has become extremely popular. So if it’s good for beer drinkers, why not wine lovers? Well in Oregon it now is. The state Senate recently voted unanimously to let wineries, restaurants, grocery stores and wine shops dispense wine in consumer-supplied growlers... Read More

This is a man who knows wine.  Paolo Basso has beaten off competition from 53 other hopefuls to be named Best Sommelier in the World.  The 47-year-old Swiss-Italian was crowned champion at the 14th finals held by the Association de la Sommelerie Internationale in Japan.  The global contest takes place... Read More

This takes decanting your wine to a whole new level. In general, aerating wine can take anywhere from one to several hours. But inventor and amateur chef Nathan Myhrvold has an even better and faster way: Put it in the blender. In a speech at the annual meeting of the... Read More

Who says Robert Parker is becoming irrelevant? Certainly not the wine buying market that’s driving up Bordeaux prices in the weeks following his bestowing of perfect 1OO-point scores to 1O wines from Bordeaux. This follows on the heels of the 2OO9 “vintage of a lifetime” when 19 wines hit the... Read More

Chianti Classico DOCG will have a new classification above Riserva wines called “Gran Selezione”.  Wines in the new top band within the Chianti Classico DOCG appellation must be produced solely from estate-grown grapes and can only be sold 3O months after harvest, with a minimum of three months’ bottle age. ... Read More