Dr Vino's wine blog

A few odds ‘n ends from round the web:

Parker power
The Economist centers its review of three new wine books in the current edition around critics. The review includes:
Elin McCoy’s The Emperor of Wine;
Thomas Pinney’s History of Wine in America; and
Paul Lukacs’ forthcoming The Great Wines of America: The Top Forty Vintners, Vineyards, and Vintages.

Mike Steinberger also had a punchy review of the McCoy book on Slate.com arguing that Parker’s power has passed. Indeed, there is historical precedent that when a force appears to be at its zenith, it is actually on the edge of decline. When Nixon declared “we’re all Keynesians now” it was the final nail in the coffin of Keynesianism. Similarly, when low-carb beer appeared, it was over for the Atkins diet (the company is now in bankruptcy).

Tom at Fermentations has been keeping up on the power struggle in Michigan.

And also via Tom, the private label of British supermarket chain Tesco’s “champagne” won in a blind tasting. The emperor has no clothes?!? (It does sell for £15 though)