Moderation, Canadian chardonnay, Chianti, ladybug taint – sipped and spit
SPIT: causation!
Does moderate alcohol consumption make people lead healthier lives? That’s what research has suggested since as early as 1924. But now some researchers are now suggesting that otherwise healthy people might just enjoy a glass of wine every night making it correlation not causation. Eegad! Time to pour a glass of wine to mull this over. [NYT]
SIPPED: Hannibal Lecter
A study of 2,000 US and 1,000 UK wine consumers found strong knowledge of Bordeaux, Champagne and Burgundy but recognition of the Barossa Valley in Australia and Marlborough in New Zealand was weak. When participants were asked to free associate when presented the name “Marlborough” most American respondents said “cigarettes.” And when shown “Chianti” many replied “Silence of the lambs.” Hannibal Lecter FTW! (See the full presentation here as pdf)
SIPPED: Canadian Chardonnay
Stephen Spurrier presided over a blind tasting in Montreal akin to the Paris Tasting of 1976 that pitted American wines against French wines. The Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) organized the event, inviting “Quebec’s top wine writers and sommeliers” as judges to reenact the Paris tasting. But they threw in come ringer wines from Canada, Australia and New Zealand in the Chardonnay category–and the Canadian Chardonnay, Le Clos Jordanne from the Niagara Escarpment, came out on top. “The result may redraw the global wine map, just as the Judgment of Paris did 33 years earlier,” opines CNN/Fortune. Le Clos Jordanne is owned by Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ).
SPIT: Ladybug taint
Have you ever had the dreaded ladybug taint? Perhaps you know it as methoxypyrazines. Well, anyway. Scientists have now found that wine in Tetra Pak (aseptic cartons) can reduce that aroma. But, caution: the packaging is not good for aging! [NewScientist]
In Memorium: Johnny Hugel (Hugel) and Paul Avril (Clos des Papes)
On June 16th, 2009 at 8:41 pm ,Weston wrote:
Its nice to Hear about the Canadian Chard winning, even if its from Niagara Region hah. That being said I asked a friend who lives out there to see if he could find me some so I could at least taste it. (Because you ain’t going to find really any Ontario wine in BC. And he said they were all sold out, Wine access Canada magazine gave there Pinot Noir a 91 Pts.
On June 16th, 2009 at 11:22 pm ,Slurping Soba for Grace and Wine for Life « WineZag wrote:
[…] have the next largest amount of supportive research. Still the New York Times and a summary Dr. Vino post suggest that it is possible that healthy, exercising, non smoker people drink wine in […]
On June 17th, 2009 at 2:21 pm ,Dr. Vino wrote:
For further reading, the Economist also weighed in on the research about wine in cartons, concluding “”Cartons might thus assume an important role in the wine market.”
On June 18th, 2009 at 6:31 am ,Grant wrote:
Re the Canadian Chardonnay comp- who will be the first to produce, ‘Le Montreal-chet’ ? 🙂
Cheers
On June 18th, 2009 at 7:11 am ,Dr. Vino wrote:
haha nice one, Grant!
On June 18th, 2009 at 8:49 am ,David Fang wrote:
Weston,
It is near impossible to find Le Clos Jordanne outside of Ontario, as production is very limited. You’d have a better chance searching for restaurants who carry it. The wine that won was the Claystone Terrace Chardonnay. This vineyard produces more richer, denser wines – no doubt keys to standing out in blind tastings.
There’s always going to be snickers about Niagara wines, as if we’re all back-country peasants who don’t know wine from vinegar. Don’t get too high on yourself please, without even tasting the wines here. BC’s has only one notable wine is Osoyoos Larose, itself a French-backed investment and not too consistent. The 2005 has all the tarry, insipid qualities of over-cropped, vegetal wines that only the locals would enjoy.
On June 18th, 2009 at 2:00 pm ,Dylan wrote:
A friend once said to me “take everything in moderation, including moderation.” I thought it was a fitting addendum to the usual adage. Splurge on a rich dessert every once in a while or try one more glass on a special day, it won’t be the end of the world, just a break from routine.