Blogroll
a real-time review of the most recent postings from our selected blogs
4 July 2008
Flying in China
We are about to get on a domestic flight in China from Guangzhou to Nanjing. As is usual with our group, the flight is delayed, so I have a little time to update my blog. China is a country of contrasts, they are obviously expanding at a furious rate, but at the same time a lot of the farming is being done much like it has been done for hundreds of years
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Posted on Barossa Grapegrower on 07/04/2008 21:23
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Livon Tiare Mate Merlot
Livon Tiare Mate MerlotLivon Tiare Mate Merlot is a 100% Merlot from the Friuli region of Italy (see, I got it right this time) and the last of our Merlot Month wines. Finally I have worked my way, painstakingly and without praise, through 10 of Italy finest Merlots recommended to me by friends, colleagues and even the Parker reviewer himself, Antonio Galloni
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Posted on Italian Wine Blog - Wine 90 on 07/04/2008 06:48
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The tattered Fourth
I won't get all worked up (again) over the state and the direction of thi country. I'll just point you to the most eloquent and clearest statement of our condition and the necessary direction for change that I have ever read. You may have read it the other day. Read it again. Here it is. And thank you, Mr. Friedman
...Continue Reading The tattered Fourth
Posted on Mondosapore on 07/04/2008 05:00
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Antinori Tignanello 2005
Antinori Tignanello 2005Antinori Tignanello 2005, our second most requested wine after Antinori Tignanello 2004, the 2005 bottling was hotly awaited following the 4th place Wine Spectator "Wine of the Year" ranking for the Tignanello 2004. Everyone is wondering if the 2005 vintage, a difficult Tuscan growing vintage is going to scoop similar accolades, so buying it up in droves before the prices go insane
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Posted on Italian Wine Blog - Wine 90 on 07/04/2008 02:00
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3 July 2008
An excellent Syrah from South Africa
Julien Schaal is a young winemaker from Alsace who also makes wine in South Africa. His home in the Cape is the Newton Johnson winery in Hermanus, but the grapes for this excellent Syrah come from Elgin, a cool-climate area not all that far away. It's really one of the best Syrahs I've tried from South Africa - perhaps not quite up to the Foundry, TMV or Columella level, but not far off
...Continue Reading An excellent Syrah from South Africa
Posted on Jamie Goode's wine blog on 07/03/2008 20:19
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Thirsty. Wine needed. Help.
A hot afternoon in a jacket and tie. In New Jersey. At and after a funeral. All the grief, all the quotidian chatter at the brief gathering at the daughter of the lovely lady who died. And not a dram of the happiness, if you know what I mean. These nice people aren't Irish or English for that matter. Ah indeed, me dear ones, I'd forego salvation for a cool glass of Fiano or Macon or even Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc right now. For the refreshment value, which would be high,..
...Continue Reading Thirsty. Wine needed. Help.
Posted on Mondosapore on 07/03/2008 12:45
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If I say Valencia, You say…..
Don't even tell me that you didn't think "Orange!! Orange!!" If you've ever been a kid in the USA, you are well aware of the famous Valencian orange. Like Kleenex, Q-tips and Chiquita bananas, the name has been embedded in our heads related as a juicy, sweet fruit. However, I would suspect that the majority [..
Into the Wilderness with Wine
The trunk contains a cooler. The cooler contains ten bottles of wine: three whites, two rosés, and five reds. In four hours I will be miles from nowhere. No cell phone coverage, no Internet access -- just the wife, the baby daughter, four days' supply of vino and a corkscrew. My oldest friend in the world is getting married outside of Yosemite this weekend and I'm a Bridesman, or whatever you might want to call it
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Posted on Vinography on 07/03/2008 08:36
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Avignonesi Desiderio Merlot
Avignonesi Desiderio MerlotAvignonesi Desiderio Merlot, or Avignonesi Desiderio Cortona Merlot (why can't anyone agree on a name!) is a cheeky entry that I have realised contains 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. This actually disqualifies it from my 100% Merlot list for Merlot Month. However, I've tried it now and so will write about it none the less. Avignonesi is a producer with a fine pedigree out of the Tuscany region of Italy
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Posted on Italian Wine Blog - Wine 90 on 07/03/2008 07:27
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More on the coffee pinotage, and Bertus 'Starbucks' Fourie
A few days ago I blogged, slightly tongue-in-cheek, about Pinotage and Diemersfontein's remarkable coffee-n'-chocolate example (although, of course, I was serious when I said Pinotage sucks and anyone who likes it lacks a decent palate). Well here's some more information on it, gleaned from a number of sources, including Peter May's excellent site here, Grape here, and Wine here
...Continue Reading More on the coffee pinotage, and Bertus 'Starbucks' Fourie
Posted on Jamie Goode's wine blog on 07/03/2008 06:45
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Vinography Images: The Vineyard Fence
The Vineyard Fence "One of the things I really enjoy about Michael's approach to Vineyard photography has to do with his willingness to avoid the traditional ways of looking at a vineyard in favor of the unexpected. Sometimes the vineyard almost becomes a minor detail in the overall landscape, but we are nonetheless drawn to it, however subtle
...Continue Reading Vinography Images: The Vineyard Fence
Posted on Vinography on 07/03/2008 00:25
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2 July 2008
A delicious Languedoc wine, blind
It had been quite a difficult evening (same old, older child), so as I was doing sentry duty after things had quietened down a little, Fiona brought up a glass of something blind for me to identify, and then enjoy.I'm afraid I wasn't good on the identification front tonight. It was a really classy red wine, with smooth blackberry fruit and a bit of spicy structure, all in a very harmonious package. But it could have been ultra-refined new world, or sleek, modern-styled old world
...Continue Reading A delicious Languedoc wine, blind
Posted on Jamie Goode's wine blog on 07/02/2008 20:45
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Ten independent winemakers on Forbes.com - and a Bloomberg story
Last week I shot some video with Eric Arnold of First Big Crush fame, now also of Forbes.com fame. The first video–and my video debut–is now live! I pick ten independent American wines for Independence Day. Head on over to Forbes.com for the story (with slide show) or cut straight to the video. What would [..
...Continue Reading Ten independent winemakers on Forbes.com - and a Bloomberg story
Posted on Dr. Vino's wine blog on 07/02/2008 20:16
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Shareacase dot com
A quick plug for a new venture, http://www.shareacase.com/. Fronted by wine writer Charles Metcalfe, the idea behind it is a good one: if you want to buy Bordeaux or Burgundy en primeur, but don't want to buy in case quantities, you can use Shareacase to mix and match, while still benefiting from the benefits of en primeur purchasing (namely cost and getting stuff that won't make it to retail shelves). I like the concept a lot
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Posted on Jamie Goode's wine blog on 07/02/2008 09:22
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