Ethics In the Wine-Blogging World

My esteemed wine-blogging colleague, Professor Bainbridge, raises an interesting point when it comes to the ethics of "schwag"  in the blogosphere, while linking to an article with one man’s opinions. Honestly, I never really thought much about it…especially because most of the samples I get are intended for my offline wine writing (though they always make an appearance here as well). I don’t see any disclaimers in print publications….does anyone else? Full disclosure is never a bad thing though. So, even though I know that I’m always honest with my reviews (regardless of where the wine comes from), I’m going…

Wine Blogging Wednesday #7 Announcement

After a successful trip to South Africa, Wine Blogging Wednesday is back, scheduled for March 9…this time hosted by none other than Andrew at Spitoon. The theme? Obscure Red Grape Varieties. What does that mean exactly? No Cabernet Sauvignon. No Merlot. No Pinot Noir. What about Sangiovese or Tempranillo? Those are out too…we’re talking obscure here people. (For a complete list of banned substances, check out Andrew’s post.) He does offer some suggestions on where to look and what to look for…so fear not! Scour your wine shops for something unique…something weird…something you’ve wanted to try but never have!

Taste Everything Festival: The Best Use of Unripe American-Grown Grapes by a German-Born Winemaker

Welcome to the First Annual Independant Food Festival and Awards. I was lucky enough to be included as a judge for this year’s festival…one of 29 people world wide. So, without further adieu…my award… The Best Use of Unripe American-Grown Grapes by a German-Born WinemakerWinner: Roman Roth, Winemaker, Wolffer Estate Vineyards Do you verjus? Literally translated as “green juice” and pronounced “vair-ZHOO,” it’s the fresh, unfermented juice of half-ripe fruit, most often grapes. While quite common in the Old World (especially winemaking regions), I wasn’t familiar with verjus until I moved to Long Island nearly six years ago.   On…

Lenz 2000 Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon

For obvious reasons, I enjoy my visits to The Lenz Winery in Peconic, NY even if I don’t actually own it, haha. Frankly, I used to be disappointed by the basic, second-label wines that they usually pour in their tasting froom. That all changed when I visited to tast their superb sparkling wines and had an experience I’d wish upon any wine lover. It was then that I could finally understand how some of their wines were rated better than Petrus in a blind tasting. Along with an impromptu vertical tasting of sparkling wines, winemaker Eric Fry popped open a…

Laurel Lake Vineyards 2002 Syrah

I’ve written previously about Laurel Lake Vineyard’s 2002 Chardonnay (see the post for more information on the winery) and I found it to be a pleasant wine at a great price. Their 2002 Syrah ($20) is extremely possible in their tasting room and the last vintage sold out sooner than they expected, so I was looking forward to tasting it. Lucky for me, they sent me a bottle…two actually (the first was "off" and they wanted me to review it again).

Discover Wines Without Breaking the Bank

(This column originally appeared in the 2/18 issue of Dan’s Papers) Discovering Wines Without Breaking the Bank I’ll admit it. I’m completely obsessed with wine. I love drinking it, talking about it, reading about it and, obviously, writing about it. Even thinking about it brings a smile to my face. Why has wine seemingly taken over so many aspects of my life? It’s a challenge, because no matter how much I know, there’s always more to learn. Every time I taste a new wine, talk to a winemaker or talk to a fellow wine lover, I pick up something new…

The Round Up — Wine Blogging Wednesday #6

First…let’s all thank Jeanne of CookSister for forcing us on a trip down to her homeland, South Africa, to enjoy a slurry of delicious red wines. Because she just loves to write so much (and is quite good at it), she broke the round-up post into two…the first batch and the second batch. 25 people participated…which is a good number given the quick turnaround from the previous edition! We’ll be traveling once again for the 7th vintage of WBW…stay tuned for the annoucement!

WBW #6 — Boekenhoutskloof Estate 2000 Porcupine Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon

When Jeanne of CookSister emailed me about hosting Wine Blogging Wednesday, I’ll admit I didn’t know much about her. Given her choice of themes, I quickly learned that she’s a South African living in the U.K. — and after reading her site I was hooked on her blend of knowledge, adventure and good humor. Her theme, South African Reds, takes us all back to her homeland. My entree in WBW #6 is 2000 Porcupine Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon from Boekenhoutskloof Estates. Boekenhoutskloof is a fairly well-known winery in the Franschhoek region of South Africa. Porcupine Ridge is actually winemaker Mark Kent’s second…