OPINION
Quality has flourished over the past decade, Times wine critic says
New York Times Apr 24, 08 6:00 PM CDT
(Newser)
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The dry rieslings Eric Asimov sampled a decade ago in Germany were “tart and shrill,” he writes in the New York Times. So "how did they get so good" since? Lower-quality wines aren’t shipped to America, hypothesizes one wine importer, who nevertheless concedes that the country's great dry rieslings are more plentiful than they were 10 years ago.
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Global economic downturn? What global economic downturn?
Reuters Apr 19, 08 2:14 PM CDT
(Newser)
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As the global economy falters, many people are fighting to make ends meet. And then there’s the Chinese billionaire who spent $500,000 for 27 bottles of wine today. The sale set a record for a single lot. “I don’t think he has bought this as an investment,” said an executive from the selling company. “He has bought it to drink.”
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Food & Wine takes a look at the freshest cooking talent the US has to offer
Food & Wine Apr 7, 08 1:58 PM CDT
(Newser)
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Food & Wine has posted its Best New Chef awards for 2008. Look for their profiles in the July issue, but take a peek at the winners here: Jim Burke: owner of James , a modern Italian restaurant in Philadelphia's Bella Vista neighborhood. Gerard Craft: owner and chef at Niche in St. Louis, where bacon and eggs sandwich and braised pork belly top the menu.
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Large majority of bottles in study contain hazardous substances
Daily Telegraph (UK) Apr 4, 08 1:51 PM CDT
(Newser)
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A large majority of European wines are tainted with pesticides and other toxic substances, a study by a consortium of environmental groups has found. Thirty-four of 40 bottles sampled, including grands crus from some of Bordeaux's most prestigious vineyards, contained hazardous pesticides, the Telegraph reports. But of the six organic bottles tested, five were clean.
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Wine's popularity booms in China
Portfolio Apr 3, 08 2:13 PM CDT
(Newser)
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The wine scene, long dormant in China, is booming in Shanghai, reports Portfolio . Chinese consumers were traditionally more passionate about spirits; if anything, only red wine was taken seriously. Not anymore: Shanghai's three premium-wine importers have multiplied to more than 100 since 1999, and wine bars abound. It's a trend expected to shift the figures in a country that consumes 25% of the world's liquor but just 2% of its wine.
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OPINION
Times oenologist, eying responsible drinking, leans toward giving sons a taste
New York Times Mar 28, 08 4:14 PM CDT
(Newser)
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Will letting your kids sip wine decrease chances of binges later, Eric Asimov wonders in the New York Times . “I can’t help hoping that my sons might share my taste in ball teams and politics. Why should wine be any different?” writes Asimov, who imagined raising his children European-style to teach them “wine is a wonderful part of a meal.”
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Larger Sonoma frowns upon high-end Valley
Reuters Mar 26, 08 2:54 PM CDT
(Newser)
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The friendly rivalry between California’s two leading wine regions has evolved into an out-and-out marketing duel, reports Reuters. Sonoma winemakers frown upon the more famous—and much pricier—wine made by their neighbors over the hills. Collectors covet Napa Valley’s exclusive vintages, paying from $400-$1,000 a bottle for cult brands, while many Sonoma wines are generally priced under $20, due to larger harvests.
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Good weather, high pinot demand have growers toasting bumper crop, again
Associated Press Mar 19, 08 4:07 PM CDT
(Newser)
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Thanks to good weather and rising demand, Oregon crushed a record number of grapes in 2007—good news for its 370 wineries. And despite selling 1.7 million cases worth $208 million last year, the state hasn't quenched thirst for its wine, the AP reports. "Fussy superstar" pinot noir has maintained its post- Sideways popularity, and Oregon's small wineries produced 15% more of the grape.
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OPINION
Times oenophile comes out of shell, tries vin rouge with his oysters — and lives!
New York Times Feb 29, 08 5:25 PM CST
(Newser)
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Oysters and red wine? "Why not?" asks Eric Asimov in the New York Times . Wine pairing as a science can drain a meal of its pleasure, while instincts and taste-testing add adventure. After Parisian waiters twice recommended red with a foodie blogger's oysters, Asimov traded the usual suspects (muscadet, Chablis, Champagne) for a lineup of non-fruity reds.
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Medical journal
weighs in with plan
to curb Brits' boozing
Guardian (UK) Feb 29, 08 3:45 PM CST
(Newser)
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Britons are downing too much wine, the British Medical Journal concludes, and it has a solution: smaller bottles. “Once two of us have had a glass each, it’s all too tempting to finish the bottle then and there,” wrote one doctor of the standard 750-mililiter size. One UK supermarket has already announced the introduction of 500ml (16.9 oz.) bottles.
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California vintners take advantage of a weak dollar to expand overseas market
Los Angeles Times Feb 29, 08 12:31 PM CST
(Newser)
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The dollar’s decline is a boon for California winemakers, who’ve turned the greenback’s challenges into opportunities, expanding exports of everything from top vintages to bulk table wines, reports the Los Angeles Times . California wine exports, 95% of the wine the US sends overseas, jumped 9% to nearly $1 billion in 2007. "American wines are a bargain,” said one analyst.
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Bottles cut from music video; critics cite moves toward religious law
Independent (UK) Feb 28, 08 6:47 PM CST
(Newser)
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Singer Aslizen Yentur thought it was a joke when Turkey's top music channel axed shots of a wine bottle-laden table from her video. It wasn't, and now Turkey's broadcasting watchdog is drafting a bill to make scenes that encourage drinking illegal—supposedly to align with EU norms, the Independent reports. But critics charge the government is really trying to steer Turkey toward religious populism.
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You don't have to have über-big bucks to spend like you do
Forbes Feb 21, 08 10:26 AM CST
(Newser)
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Middle-class millionaires are carving out a luxe lifestyle to define their 16.5-million strong group, Forbes reports. And while the $1 million to $10 million stashed in the bank doesn’t make them all that rich, that doesn't put much of a dent in lavish spending habits: Mega-home improvements, to the tune of $150,000 yoga rooms. Haute couture jewelry, complete with 11-carat diamonds.
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Vineyard owners, scientists gather to share new strategies
NPR Feb 12, 08 10:50 AM CST
(Newser)
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For vineyards, global warming isn’t a distant, theoretical problem—it’s hurting their products now. That’s why winemakers and scientists are gathering in Barcelona this week to hash out ideas for combating changing temperatures and harsher sunlight, NPR reports. Recent studies have shown that grapes are ripening faster and losing their complexity as vineyard temperatures have risen.
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