Johnny Depp, food pairing, resveratrol bonanza, tax - sipped and spit
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SPIT: carbon footprint of wine!
Johnny Depp, currently on location in Chicago shooting a 1930s gangster film directed by Michael Mann, had 10 cases of French wine flown to the set. “He is really enjoying filming but the only problem is that Illinois isn’t exactly famous for its vineyards and Johnny is quite particular about his wine. When he couldn’t put up with the local wine any longer, he decided to organise for a shipment of his own to be sent across as well as his favourite Bordeaux Petrus.” Ah, yes, French wine is so hard to find in Chicago many locals resort to having it flown in–on private jets if possible. Bonus: “Depp famously had a tattoo on his arm that read “Winona Forever” but was altered to “Wino Forever” after the pair split up.” (Thanks, Josh!)
SPIT: Picking wine for food!
Tired of wrestling with the wine list? Il Vino d’Enrico Bernardo, a new resto in Paris, lets you order the wine and then they bring you the food to match. But can you send the food back if it is corked? [Bloomberg]
SIPPED: Resveratrol!
GlaxoSmithKline agrees to buy Sirtris for $720 million. The pharmaceutical startup focuses on the anti-aging properties of the red wine component resveratrol. How will red wine hater David Sinclair celebrate his bonanza? [Bloomberg]
SPIT: out of state wine purchases?
In an effort to fund more pork barrel policies help the state’s Treasury, New York will start collecting sales tax from out of state retailers, such as Amazon in July. Will it erode the tax advantage of out-of-state retailers? [Buffalo News]
SPIT: Liquid gold
“Welcome to German wines!” The lede on this story about Riesling is hilarious. [Guardian]
One of the "seven best wine blogs." 
One of the three best wine blogs
On April 24th, 2008 at 3:56 pm ,jeff wrote:
“When he couldn’t put up with the local wine any longer…”
Haha, ouch. Rough times for making wine in Illinois.
On April 24th, 2008 at 5:16 pm ,wolfgang wrote:
Memo to Johnny Depp: these guys (http://www.samswine.com) have got your back in Chicago, along with numerous other great stores. Why, when I worked at Sam’s I remember the then managing director drove a chromed out black Lincoln Navigator (oh so carbon neutral, but nevermind) and his vanity license plate read: “Petrus”.
Also, Edward Scissorhands was so much better than Sweeny Todd.
On April 24th, 2008 at 7:02 pm ,Dr. Vino wrote:
Wolfgang,
My point exactly! When I lived in Chicago, I went to Sam’s once looking for an Illinois wine and I think that they could only come up with one. Which restaurants/hotels has Johnny Depp been hanging out at?
On April 25th, 2008 at 7:58 am ,caroline wrote:
lol lol lol
poor mr depp
I’d really like to know what was on that special shipment….
On April 25th, 2008 at 8:29 am ,Dr. Vino wrote:
Ha caroline. It could have been some of his own wine from Plan de la Tour.
Here’s a clip about his other wine preferences:
“Depp is known for his love of French wines, revealing last year that his favourite tipple is Bordeaux third growth Château Calon-Ségur.
Pétrus and Château Cheval-Blanc are also among the actor’s favourites.
‘With those wines, you reach nirvana’, he told Madame Figaro magazine.”