Record Cava exports have brightened up the Spanish sparkling wine’s bleak domestic market in 2011. Cava producers sold a record breaking 152 million bottles to foreign markets in 2011 – a 2% increase over 2010 – but poor domestic sales were mainly to blame for a 2% fall in overall sales in 2011. Taking into […]
The 2009 Bordeaux harvest isn’t being heralded as “the vintage of the century” … yet. Canny French marketers — the folks who that convinced Americans to eat snails and pay for water — wouldn’t cash in that time-tested banner with 91 vintages yet to ripen on the vine. But in an age with an under-abundance […]
China has become Tuscany’s third largest marker for white wines. According to Giuseppe Liberatore, director general of Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico, the market for white wines from Tuscany reached €1.9 million in China in 2011, accounting for 11.6% of the region’s total. “The export of quality white wines to China in 2011 is in net […]
Wine tastes better if a winery is difficult to pronounce, according to new research. In a study by Brock University professor, Dr Antonia Mantonakis, it found English-speaking wine consumers were more likely to buy wine from a winery with a difficult-to-pronounce name. Participants also rated wine more highly in a blind tasting, and were prepared […]
Organics and screwcaps could be the way forward for Chateau Margaux, according to new research by the Bordeaux first growth. The estate’s managing director and winemaker, Paul Pontallier, claimed that organic farming was the future direction for Margaux. ‘We are very close to organic farming. I think it’s a matter of a couple of years,’ […]
Recently I read a news item on WineSpectator.comthat reality TV star and former Real Housewives cast member Bethenny Frankel is launching a wine label called Skinnygirl. Oh no, just what we need, another wine brand pandering to women. Bethenny plays off the success of her Skinnygirl Margarita, which clocks in at 100 calories per five […]
About one-third of them are from San Luis Obispo County. Most others are from other parts of the state, but some will travel from as far away as New Zealand, New York and Florida. “Our guests are looking for an experience,” said Damon Miele, event coordinator. “We definitely draw a lot of industry people. The […]
The quality of Argentina’s white wine has risen dramatically in recent years, thinks Laurie Webster, CEO of Las Bodegas. Speaking to the drinks business he said: “Argentina has turned a corner with white wines. Three or four years ago I wouldn’t have thought about importing Argentine Sauvignon because I didn’t think the wines were able […]
The 2012 PGA Tour season is back in full swing, which means Unfiltered’s favorite final-round pairing of wine and golf will be on the DVR menu for many months to come. Last week, Beringer Vineyards, the official wine of the PGA, Champions and Nationwide tours, announced its newest partner, golfer Justin Leonard, who won the […]
After three years of drought (2007-09) and two wet years (2010-11) — this year is shaping up to be another very dry year. There were two decent rains that somewhat recharged the soil profile, unfortunately they occurred as the 2011 harvest was wrapping up. Those were followed by one rain in November and a shower […]