While some of you might take the post title to have other meanings since it is new year’s eve, we are being quite literal. Check out this photo…where in the world are we?
Hit the comments with your thoughts. The big reveal will follow soon!
Blog posts via email
One of the “fresh voices taking wine journalism in new and important directions.” -World of Fine Wine
“His reporting over the past six months has had seismic consequences, which is a hell of an accomplishment for a blog.” -Forbes.com
"News of such activities, reported last month on a wine blog called Dr. Vino, have captivated wine enthusiasts and triggered a fierce online debate…" The Wall Street Journal
"...well-written, well-researched, calm and, dare we use the word, sober." -Dorothy Gaiter & John Brecher, WSJ
Saveur, best drinks blog, finalist 2012.
One of the "seven best wine blogs." Food & Wine,
One of the three best wine blogs, Fast Company
On December 31st, 2009 at 10:24 am ,Susan Guerra wrote:
Spain (or Portugal)?
On December 31st, 2009 at 10:45 am ,Tim Buzinski wrote:
totally random….Umbria?
On December 31st, 2009 at 11:27 am ,Phil Ward wrote:
Hermitage hill in Northern Rhone Valley.
On December 31st, 2009 at 11:29 am ,Chuck wrote:
CorbiereMinervois region in southern France. Julie and I traveled down the Canal du Midi a few years ago and it looks similar to some of the areas.
On December 31st, 2009 at 11:34 am ,Patrick B wrote:
Loire Valley (or maybe Alsace).
On December 31st, 2009 at 11:35 am ,Meg Houston Maker wrote:
No way is that Hermitage. The picture would have to be tipped another forty degrees. Plus, there would have to be rocks, and lots of ’em. I’m going to say South America: Chile? Argentina?
On December 31st, 2009 at 11:39 am ,Matt wrote:
Greece?
On December 31st, 2009 at 12:02 pm ,gino wrote:
Tuscany
On December 31st, 2009 at 12:03 pm ,Carolyn Madson wrote:
Rumania? Near the Italian border?
On December 31st, 2009 at 12:21 pm ,BenjamÃn Berjón wrote:
Somewhere in Italy?
On December 31st, 2009 at 1:06 pm ,Ed Thralls wrote:
Georgia, the country not the state
On December 31st, 2009 at 1:06 pm ,Stephen Bonner wrote:
Burgundy?
On December 31st, 2009 at 1:45 pm ,Viinipiru wrote:
On the hills… Sicily gone biodynamic?
On December 31st, 2009 at 2:25 pm ,Summer wrote:
Zind Humbrecht!
On December 31st, 2009 at 2:37 pm ,Billy wrote:
Burgundy
On December 31st, 2009 at 3:23 pm ,jaded_wine_rep wrote:
Chile?
On December 31st, 2009 at 3:34 pm ,Patrick B wrote:
The horse drawn plow is (almost) a suggestion of a biodynamic estate.
On December 31st, 2009 at 4:16 pm ,Craig wrote:
Coonawarra?
On December 31st, 2009 at 4:51 pm ,Dr. Vino wrote:
Good guesses! But so far, none right.
Some clues: Nice to note the slope–and the flat beyond. And for the geologists, out there, can you see the crumbling? And for the viticulturalists out there (come on, I know you’re there, both of you), what do you think of the trellising, if any?
I don’t think the estate is Biodynamic. Traditional, however, yes.
On December 31st, 2009 at 5:42 pm ,broses wrote:
Pennsylvania? (the state not the country) 🙂
On December 31st, 2009 at 6:10 pm ,Philippe Newlin wrote:
Good chance this is Beaujolais.
On December 31st, 2009 at 7:39 pm ,Chris Dix wrote:
well he looks like a big Austrian, but then it could be Gerard Depardieu !
Looks like he’s got plastic vine sleeves, but no wires or irrigation. The vines look like they’ve been ripped out (must be Chardonnay !) and he’s got a fast red plough. Soil looks loamy rather than stoney and its flat to the south. Can’t see any registration plates on the horse, although its a nice well fed horse, and the vigneron has no beret, sombrero, or stetson. God I suck at CSI, but I reckon its Southern Rhone.
My wild card guess is Hungary!
On December 31st, 2009 at 11:32 pm ,MaryD wrote:
Albania.
On January 1st, 2010 at 4:06 am ,Bertrand wrote:
Could be Champagne, this is the New Year ! Isn’t it the white horse of Agrapart, Venus ?
On January 1st, 2010 at 6:02 am ,Loulou wrote:
In Alsace?
On January 1st, 2010 at 12:00 pm ,Erin Ennis wrote:
Ok, here are some assumptions.
The pic *was* just taken this week.
If they’re planing now, I’m guessing this isn’t Southern Hemisphere.
If they’re working in T-shirts (and planting now), I’m guessing we’re looking at somewhere arid.
So my out-of-left-field guess is Israel.
On January 1st, 2010 at 12:34 pm ,Laurie wrote:
Lebanon… near the Bekaa Valley?
On January 2nd, 2010 at 6:01 am ,Tom Betz wrote:
Montenegro?
On January 2nd, 2010 at 11:30 am ,jaime wrote:
not planting, plowing, fresh vines no, look at the small gnarled goblets in the fore ground
old area, gentle slopes, shirtsleeves, chunky soil, rhone area? southern logically,if not southern italy
On January 2nd, 2010 at 1:27 pm ,Bob K wrote:
The soil doesn’t look quite chalky enough, but the vista and the pruning make me think Jerez (sherry).
On January 2nd, 2010 at 3:21 pm ,Pablo Orio wrote:
Maybe it is Germany, Riesling vines.
Happy New Year from Spain.
On January 2nd, 2010 at 4:36 pm ,Dr. Vino wrote:
Well, thanks for playing along. The winner is…Philippe Newlin!
The (not current) photo is, in fact, from the Beaujolais subregion of Morgon, specifically, the Cote du Py where some of the tastiest wines of the region come from. Jamie gets partial credit for pointing out the gnarled en gobelet vines. In this case, they are 85 year old gamay vines.
The property belongs to Beaujolais legend Marcel Lapierre and the photo was reproduced here with his permission. You can see the original and other photos (and videos) and learn about his wine making methods over on his site:
http://www.marcel-lapierre.com/
As to BioDynamics the site says, “Furthermore, for 3 years, we are testing the bio dynamic on some lands of old vines.”
On January 3rd, 2010 at 10:01 am ,Mario wrote:
Looks like Spain.
On January 3rd, 2010 at 6:09 pm ,daveA wrote:
Arizona
On January 3rd, 2010 at 9:45 pm ,Steve wrote:
We had the pleasure of visiting the Lapierres last summer, and Marcel was kind enough to give us a tour of their properties, including the Cote du Py. This photo must be looking west, because, as M. Lapierre pointed out, looking east you can see the Alps from this location. Splendid wine, wonderful people. Thanks for reviving the memories!
On October 12th, 2010 at 10:17 pm ,Marcel Lapierre dies at 60 | Dr Vino's wine blog wrote:
[…] ready to drink now or later, with a few years age on them. They are made from organic (and horse-tilled) vineyards with minimal intervention, including sulfur. But what really makes them rare is that […]
On October 13th, 2010 at 9:42 pm ,Marcel Lapierre dies at 60 | Wines of Chile» | Wine Regions wrote:
[…] ready to drink now or later, with a few years age on them. They are made from organic (and horse-tilled) vineyards with minimal intervention in the cellar, including sulfur. But what really makes them […]