by Jeff Miller of Artisan Family of Wines (Seven Artisans, Sly Dog Cellars, Red Côte)

Every Wednesday I post my recommendations of the best of last week’s postings concerning wine, whether blogs or news.  I list them in the order I read them, so you shouldn’t infer anything about the order in which I list these posts.

Global wine shortage could be good news for struggling wineries

Steve Heimoff

http://www.steveheimoff.com/index.php/2013/05/14/global-wine-shortage-could-be-good-news-for-struggling-wineries/

Hopefully this is true.

Terroir: Do We Have Evidence?

Erika Szymanski

http://palatepress.com/2013/05/wine/terroir-do-we-have-evidence/

This is a pretty interesting article on the whole subject of terroir.  But as I read it, I couldn’t help but think that when it comes to terroir many people just can’t bring themselves to accept that the whole idea is balderdash.

For keeping up to date with what’s going on the in wine world, the best all around source is http://winebusiness.com.

by Jeff Miller of Artisan Family of Wines (Seven Artisans, Sly Dog Cellars, Red Côte)

Every Wednesday I post my recommendations of the best of last week’s postings concerning wine, whether blogs or news.  I list them in the order I read them, so you shouldn’t infer anything about the order in which I list these posts.

Rosé rising

Steve Heimoff

http://www.steveheimoff.com/index.php/2013/05/09/rose-rising/

After judging at a Rosé tasting last week, this discussion of rosé by Heimoff couldn’t help but catch my attention.  It’s worth noting that his preference (pretty much a requirement) that rosés be dry is just that, a personal preference, one that many others (including me) don’t share.

“Context-sensitive” wine tasting

Steve Heimoff

http://www.steveheimoff.com/index.php/2013/05/07/context-sensitive-wine-tasting/

Heimoff discusses the three main ways you can go about tasting wine:  double blind (you know nothing about the wines you’re tasting and go only on what you taste), single blind (where you know something, such as you’re tasting Napa Cab, but the identify of the wines are not known), or open (you know what you’re tasting).  My views on this are pretty clear—double blind is best, single blind is ok, and open is worthless.  Heimoff notes that the results of double blind can’t be repeated in other tastings, even by the same judges, which really goes to show how much a wine’s popularity is based on other things, such as pedigree, or even things such as label design.  I think a lot of what passes for a defense of open tasting is just an excuse to perpetuate a system (i.e., that wine judging has any validity at all) that, if objectively judged, falls flat on its face.

Turning up the sizzle on an already hot commodity ~ Petite Sirah Symposium

Wine Blog

http://www.wine-blog.org/index.php/2013/05/06/turning-up-the-sizzle-on-an-already-hot-commodity/

Petite Sirah has gone from a sideshow to something close to mainstream, even if it’s not quite there.  The Petite Sirah symposium, and the organization that sponsors it, P. S. I Love You, is in large part responsible.  Petite Sirah is a love it or hate it wine.  I love it, but for those who like their wines lighter and less tannic, I can understand why this wine is a pass.  But for those who like big and brawny, Petite Sirah is one of the best wines out there.

Winebits 280: “Value” wine, blind tasting, wine scores

The Wine Curmudgeon

http://www.winecurmudgeon.com/my_weblog/2013/05/winebits-280-value-wine-blind-tasting-wine-scores.html

Apropos of Heimoff’s post is this succinct summary of the power of blind tasting, which I quote in full: “The power of blind tasting: Mike Veseth at the Wine Economist talks about several recent tastings, where “where the wines easily fooled us (or perhaps we just fooled ourselves). ..” The point being that the tastings were done blind, and the results did not jive with what was expected. Wrote Veseth: “Our perception of wine is sometimes less about truth and more about  context and expectations than we might want to think. That’s not the conclusion I thought I would find when I set up this tiny experiment.” He also writes interestingly about the power of cheap wine (in this case, Two-buck Chuck) to skew the results. This is why blind tasting is the most powerful tool the reviewer – or any wine drinker, for that matter – can use.”

How Much Do Wineries Really Make?

SVB on Wine

http://svbwine.blogspot.com/2012/08/how-much-do-wineries-really-make.html#more

The answer:  not enough.  And his data is abased on larger wineries.  Smaller wineries I’m sure fare even worse.

For keeping up to date with what’s going on the in wine world, the best all around source is http://winebusiness.com.

by Jeff Miller of Artisan Family of Wines (Seven Artisans, Sly Dog Cellars, Red Côte)

Every Wednesday I post my recommendations of the best of last week’s postings concerning wine, whether blogs or news.  I list them in the order I read them, so you shouldn’t infer anything about the order in which I list these posts.

The Seven Percent Solution Tasting: May 11, Healdsburg, CA

Vinography

http://www.vinography.com/archives/2013/04/the_seven_percent_solution_tas.html

This group is dedicated to the wine grapes that aren’t the usual suspects, but should be.  Just because a wine grape is relatively obscure doesn’t mean it isn’t every bit a good as the ones that are more well known.

Which is more important for fine wine, terroir or technique?

Steve Heimoff

http://www.steveheimoff.com/index.php/2013/05/03/which-is-more-important-for-fine-wine-terroir-or-technique/

Pretty interesting idea:  divide up a load of grapes into thirds, send it to three different winemakers, and see if the resulting wines are more different (due to different winemaking) or more the same (due to the common grape source).  No clear result here, except that they both seem to be pretty important.

The new Cali acreage report: Chocolate, vanilla and strawberry continue to rule

Steve Heimoff

http://www.steveheimoff.com/index.php/2013/04/30/the-new-cali-acreage-report-chocolate-vanilla-and-strawberry-continue-to-rule/

Grape acreage isn’t changing very fast, and the main varieties continue to dominate.

For keeping up to date with what’s going on the in wine world, the best all around source is http://winebusiness.com.

by Jeff Miller of Artisan Family of Wines (Seven Artisans, Sly Dog Cellars, Red Côte)

Every Wednesday I post my recommendations of the best of last week’s postings concerning wine, whether blogs or news.  I list them in the order I read them, so you shouldn’t infer anything about the order in which I list these posts.

Are vineyard designates better than blended wines? Not necessarily. So why do they cost more?

Steve Heimoff

http://www.steveheimoff.com/index.php/2013/04/24/are-vineyard-designates-better-than-blended-wines-not-necessarily-so-why-do-they-cost-more/

It is unfair, though not exactly unexpected, that vineyard-designated wines are more highly regarded than blended wines.  Are they any better?  Probably not, but when has that ever mattered.

The mystery of soils and wines, part 5

jamie goode’s wine blog

http://www.wineanorak.com/wineblog/uncategorized/the-mystery-of-soils-and-wines-part-5

This is apparently the last in the series on soil, but probably the best.  More than anything the thing that counts is an alive, healthy soil.

Would a price increase take the wind out of malbec’s sales?

Dr. Vino

http://www.drvino.com/2013/04/17/would-a-price-increase-take-the-wind-out-of-malbecs-sales/

Argentine Malbec has had a great run, but with the exchange rate for the Argentine peso becoming more and more unfavorable, Dr. Vino see price increases coming, which could end this run.

For keeping up to date with what’s going on the in wine world, the best all around source is http://winebusiness.com.

by Jeff Miller of Artisan Family of Wines (Seven Artisans, Sly Dog Cellars, Red Côte)

Every Wednesday I post my recommendations of the best of last week’s postings concerning wine, whether blogs or news.  I list them in the order I read them, so you shouldn’t infer anything about the order in which I list these posts.

That climate change report? Let’s look at the facts

Steve Heimoff

http://www.steveheimoff.com/index.php/2013/04/12/that-climate-change-report-lets-look-at-the-facts/

Heimoff recognized that climate change isn’t going to hit every place equally.  Some areas will be hotter, others cooler, and other will pretty much stay the same.  So it’s impossible to say that Napa is going to be too hot to grow the best grapes in 50 years, or anything like that.  And none of this takes into account the affect that human adaption can have on grape quality.

Chardonnay clones: how much do they matter?

Steve Heimoff

http://www.steveheimoff.com/index.php/2013/04/08/11889/

How much difference do clones make?  Bottom line, it’s pretty hard to say, but it’s an interesting topic.

Back From The Dead: Casca Wines Battles To Save Ramisco

1 Wine Dude

http://www.1winedude.com/back-from-the-dead-casca-wines-battles-to-save-ramisco/#more-10087

in a world awash with Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, I’m always interested in a some obscure grape that produces wonderful wine, especially if it’s really really different.

Texas wine — 10 years after (part I)
The Wine Curmudgeon
http://www.winecurmudgeon.com/my_weblog/2013/04/texas-wine-10-years-after-part-i.html#more#ixzz2QU55t5Ze

I can’t say I know very much about Texas wine.  I had a few some years back and thought they were pretty awful, but apparently things are changing for the better.

The mystery of soils and wines

jamie goode’s wine blog

http://www.wineanorak.com/wineblog/uncategorized/the-mystery-of-soils-and-wines-part-2

http://www.wineanorak.com/wineblog/uncategorized/the-mystery-of-soils-and-wines-part-3

http://www.wineanorak.com/wineblog/uncategorized/the-mystery-of-soils-and-wines-part-4

Goode discusses various aspects of soil and its affect on wine, and why.  It’s interesting reading, even if there’s a lot of confusion on the subject.

Bovine Excrement & Global Warming

SVB on Wine

http://svbwine.blogspot.com/2013/04/bovine-excrement-global-warming.html#more

This post is on the same subject as one of Heimoff’s, namely the report that is read by others to question the continued ability of many grapegrowing regions to produce world class grapes in 40 years.  But this post really lambasts the media reporting which focused on the “demise” of Napa when the report really said no such thing.  But a technical report of somewhat ambiguous findings doesn’t sell newspapers and magazines.  Demise of Napa does.  So that’s what we get.

For keeping up to date with what’s going on the in wine world, the best all around source is http://winebusiness.com.