Dr Vino's wine blog

Labor is not a subject that gets a lot of attention in the wine world. If California’s vineyard workers come from south of the border, where do New Zealand’s come from?

Why north of the border of course. In this case, about a thousand miles north of the border from the islands of Fiji.

With harvest winding down, vintners down under are in the most labor intensive part of the year. But a government plan to provide more seasonal work permits has failed to deliver enough vineyard workers, as stuff.co.nz reports labor shortages.

So as pruning season looms next, many vintners in Marlborough are thinking about offering Fijians one year contracts to reduce training costs and increase worker satisfaction. But their biggest obstacle to providing these pruners better contracts will be cutting through the red tape that places limits on foreign workers. Sounds a lot like California.

tags: wine | New Zealand wine | wine labor

There’s a new wine blogger in town and his name is Eric. By day, he writes about wine–for The New York Times! Yes, this new blogger is none other than wine columnist Eric Asimov and his blog is called The Pour. Wine blogging has hit the mainstream.

He promises a tasting note-free blog, writing mostly about the broader issues of wine –I’m all in favor of that. He also promises more personal details:

Along the way, you may meet some of the people I enjoy drinking with –— my family, of course, and friends like the Grand Crew, my martial arts food and wine group, which gathers regularly to eat, drink, cook and talk (more about them soon enough).

So check out the blog. I think it will be a great medium for him and there’s even space for comments. “Pour” Eric though since now he will have even more demands on his spare time. But will he be blogging in his pajamas like the rest of us?

tags: wine | wine blogs

When I left the Gambero Rosso tasting today in NYC, the line stretched around the block. The brief press/trade portion was already crowded enough but how did word ever get out to so many consumers? “It’s free,” came the reply.

While this tasting of over 150 of the top wines from Italy may have been ultimate free tasting (for the wines at least, but the not the crowds) there are many worthwhile free tastings. Our Senior Free Wine Correspondent rounded up some of the free tastings in Chicago here.

In New York City, I have signed up for the email lists of several shops including Appellation, Astor, and Crush–to name a few at the beginning of the alphabet. That way I can know about not only wine tastings but also any sales.

This week, Astor Wines is having a “Say Good-Bye to the Old Astor” extravaganza with free tastings every evening this week. Acker, Merrall is having a Jameson Irish Whiskey tasting on Friday (St. Paddy’s day). Sake on Saturday at Landmark Wines. Sat, Sun and Mon Le Nell’s in Red Hook is having a tasting of organic wines in honor of Earth Day (is it already Earth Day?). Mar 19 Mary Elke of Napa will be pouring her wines at September Wine and Spirit. Mar 20 Joe Dressner will assemble a merry band of naturalists at Crush. For more info on these stores, check my map of NYC wine shops.

Check localwinevents for more events near you! Try something new and get out of your groove!

tags: wine | free wine tastings

Catalonia wants more autonomy, boycott Catalan cava!

Such apparently is the rallying cry in Spain (ex-Catalonia) these days according to an article in today’s NYT. A separatist politician in Catalonia urged a boycott of Madrid’s failed bid to secure the 2012 Olympics, which sparked a cava boycott. When the Catalan regional assembly passed a measure for greater autonomy, the rest of Spain apparently seized on this to further the boycott of cava. Sales are down by seven percent.

Pity the poor wine maker who seems to always bear the brunt of diplomatic tensions! When the French announced nuclear tests in the South Pacific in 1995, what did the Australians do? Why boycotted French wine, of course.

Maybe Freixenet, the number one cava producer, needs to upgrade their marketing campaign from the 2005 use of Demi Moore–even though she does like ’em young and cheap (the cavas!).

* * *

The Times story included this unusual sentence: “The wine is Cava, which Catalonians describe as identical to Champagne, except for the source of the grapes.” Um, or the grape varieties for that matter! Champagne = Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay. Cava = Xarel-lo, Macabeo, Parellada.

tags: wine | cava | catalonia | Spain

“The European Union and the United States today in London signed a bilateral wine accord which will bring major benefits for EU wine producers,” reads the EU press release.

“This agreement provides our California wineries with long-term access to European markets so we can make marketing investments with greater certainty,” said Robert P. ‘Bobby’ Koch, President and CEO of the Wine Institute in their press release.

Who really won in this multi-lateral battle of the bottle? Read the press release of your choosing or this story. Either way, the Europeans will be allowed to use oak chips for the first time and the Americans will not be allowed to use “semi-generic” place names such as Port, Sherry, and Champagne any more than they already do. Negotiators go back to the (drinking?) table as a new round starts in 90 days.

tags: wine | wine negotiations

Vinum, Chenin Blanc, Stellenbosch, 2004. $11 Find this wine
As spring approaches and the weather improves, Chenin Blanc makes for a great spring transitional wine. And with temperatures in the high 60s today, spring is in the air. In the past week, I tried five Chenins and this cheapest one (and only new world one) stood up well, perhaps because the non-interventionist team in South Africa is headed by Frenchman Edouard Labeye. Light notes of flowers, a squeeze of lime, and faint vanilla infuse this snappy value vino. Serve it with fish or appetizers or wherever you would have had American Chardonnay 5 years ago. Importer: Vinnovative Imports, Charlotte, NC. 5,000 cases produced.

tags: wine | wine tasting note | Chenin Blanc

In a boon to couples in long distance relationships everywhere, researchers at MIT have developed glasses that can communicate with each other via wireless:

When either person picks up a glass, red LEDs on their partner’s glass glow gently. And when either puts the glass to their lips, sensors make white LEDs on the rim of the other glass glow brightly, so you can tell when your other half takes a sip. Following tests in separate labs, Lee says the wireless glasses really do “help people feel as if they are sharing a drinking experience together”. [New Scientist]

Now if they can work that into Riedel stemware, then wine lovers separated by walls or time zones will be able to rejoice (or live in fear while your spouse is out of town: “I hope that’s not the good stuff you’re drinking!”).

Link (check out the other suggested uses, quite hilarious.) Via boingboing

tags: wine | wine glasses | wine technology

Imagine my astonishment yesterday at the Kermit Lynch portoflio tasting when I couldn’t find Table 14. Thirteen? Check. Fifteen? Check. But where was Daniel Brunier with his Vieux Telegraphe at Table 14?

It turns out that he had been moved to the next room. Phew. So in the spirit of Jathan’s Wine Blogging Wednesday #19 entitled “when in Rhone” I post a couple of notes from these incredible Chateauneuf du Papes.

The 2004 red barrel sample is tannic (especially compared to the 2003, which is more approachable) but not the yeowza tannins that many Bordeaux barrel samples have. It has a serious tannin level that says “keep me in the cellar for a couple of decades.” But along with the tannins were the rich and complex notes common to the region’s red blends, yummy dark fruits, leather, beef drippings, and faint herbs. It fills the mouth and lingers long afterward. I later learned that it is available as a future for $43.50 a bottle, which seems to be a extremely reasonable price for a serious wine. (try to find this wine)

Another pleasure was the white CDP 2004 especially since it can be hard to find white CDP. The wine is refreshing, with aromas of white peach, flowers and perfume, minerality on the palate and an intense, lingering finish. It’s a blend of 40% clairette, 30% grenache blanc, and 15% each roussanne and bourboulenc. (find this wine)

When in Rhone…I drink Rhone! (at least this time around)

tags: wine | wine blogging wednesday | wbw | Rhone