On the 25th of this month, Argentina will celebrate 200 years since the Revolution of May opened the way to her Independence. As part of the celebration, Central Market will host some of our favorite winemakers in Texas stores, May 12-25, 2010, for “Passport to Argentina” a festival celebrating culture, food and wine.
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HR 5034: What if Wine Were Peaches …
All the people in other states still want your peaches. But they will not have the freedom to buy them. They will have no choice but to buy peaches from their own states, or whatever the peach distributors want to sell them. They will have no competition, so they can charge peach lovers as much as they want for their peaches.
Continue readingIf Passed, HR 5034 will Cheat Wine Consumers
While most consumers hurried to finish taxes by the April 15th deadline, something sinister was afoot in the United States House of Representatives. A move to take away your rights to buy wine directly from the winery. To limit your choices to whatever is sold in your local store.
Continue readingA Really Twisted Winery Owner
Located in the Sierra Nevada Foothills of California, Twisted Oak is a terroir-based winery that specializes in delicious handcrafted wines made in the shadow of a 350-year old California Blue Oak tree. Not only is the tree the winery’s namesake, but its likeness appears on the label of Twisted Oak bottles. But it’s not just good wine that has made Twisted Oak so successful, but Stai’s clever use of a bit of “The Princess Bride” influenced themes in creating and promoting a wine persona that includes pirates, debauchery and rubber chickens.
Continue readingAnother Wine Byte 16: A Little Bit of Blarney
Many a sommelier student has heard that Haut-Brion was named such by an Irishman named O’Brian or O’Brien, who wanted to make wine but knew that no Frenchman would consider wine made by an Irishman worthy of his palate. So he adopted a French spelling and pronunciation of the name.
Continue readingEarthquake wreaks havoc on Chile’s Wine Industry
Early estimates put the loss at $975 million due to spillage from barrels and storage tanks damaged in Saturday’s 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Chile. Not since Prohibition has this much wine been spilled in one day alone.
Continue readingAre Wine Reviews Compromised?
I see this relentless need to beat a dead horse as posturing and turf battles between bloggers who see themselves as citizen journalists, giving their opinions to those yearning for knowledge and entertainment, and writers, whose livelihood is threatened by the “insurgent” bloggers.
Continue readingNot Just Another Wine Sample
It doesn’t just apply when you’re promoting wine. Think of an e-mail like a knock on the door. The person on the other side may open the door just to see who it is, but she’s more apt to talk with you, and let you give your pitch if you at least appear to be interested in her, the person.
Continue readingThe Wine Review: Is it All Just Smoke and Mirrors?
Does this mean we’re all victims of our emotions? Does it mean that wine and food critics are completely full of it and you shouldn’t trust anything we say? Because I’ll guarantee if the restaurant or wine bar knows there is a critic in the house — the critic will be fawned over like the Jonas Brothers in a room full of 14-year old girls. There is something more to consider, and it’s all about you.
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