Map of Veneto

Amarone: Is there an inverse relationship with quality and quantity?

If I have to guess it would mean cheaper Amarone.

In 1997 Amarone producers bottled just under 1.6 million bottles of their famed wine. In under 10 years their estimating the 2007 vintage at 10 million bottles produced. Will we see better Ripasso? Get the whole story here.

Vosne Romanee Maps

Organic farming and the 06 Vintage in Burgundy, if Aubert does it....

Picture also from Jaime Goode www.wineanorak.com

This from Jamie Goode's Blog. From a Recent 2006 DRC tasting. Goode asked Aubert about his thoughts on the 2006 vintage, which lead into his thoughts on organic farming and its importance.

"'The wines show that one cannot speak of great vintages or small vintages any more', says Aubert. 'Take the last 10 years: each has had its own character. 2006 was more difficult, certainly, than 2005, but, finally, with a small yield and a lot of care at sorting you have a maturity - both phenolic and sugar - that is at the same level as 2005. The difference is in the style of the wines'.

Aubert says that being organic is very important, and has had an effect on the quality of the wines. The domaine has been organic for 25 years, and part biodynamic for a while. With the 2008 vintage it is fully biodynamic. Yet Aubert thinks the big quality gain is switching to organics from conventional farming, not the move from organics to biodynamics."- Aubert du Villaine of Domaine de la Romanee Conti

Cote de Beaune Map

Cote de Nuits Map (click on it to make it readable)

The Kevin Bacon of American pinot noir has been freed from his golden ball and chain!

Every once in a while in the wine business you cross paths with a wine maker who has found his Nirvana. He has a peaceful way about himself and he just tells you about what he knows and loves. Greg Follette is just that kind of winemaker. Although in the past he talked about his night job with a sparkle in his eye now Greg can finally start sleeping again due to an Atlantan with a pile of cash and a good palate.

This from Steve Heimoff's blog

"Greg La Follette on selling Tandem

I spoke with Greg right after the sale was announced. To quote from the press release: “Pete Kight, proprietor of Quivira Vineyards & Winery, has acquired Tandem Winery in Sonoma County in partnership with Tandem owner/winemaker Greg La Follette, who remains with Tandem and will focus on winemaking and viticulture.”

This is an important transaction, not only because Greg, who is De Loach’s executive winemaker and consults all over the globe, is an important winemaker, but also because it testifies to the financial difficulties facing so many family wineries, as well as the nation. On a more personal basis, Greg is a standup guy and an inspiration to an entire generation of younger winemakers."

Read the Interview: http://www.steveheimoff.com/?p=1708

When is bad news good?

From wine and spirits daily, a daily industry blast that is stock full of information.



"In the current economy, it seems like every news story is preoccupied with doom and gloom, but we prefer to look on the positive side. We’ll give you the statistics first, and then apply it to our own industry. As is widely reported, consumers weren’t spending money over the holidays, which prompted retail sales to fall for the sixth straight month in December. In fact, the National Retail Federation reported Wednesday that 2008 holiday sales for the combined November-December months fell -2.8%. Chances of an upswing in 2009 seem unlikely right now.

"This current situation is a reflection of a tough, tough environment," said chief economist with the International Council of Shopping Centers, Michael Niemira. "Consumers are buying only essential items. Credit restraints have really impacted sales of big ticket purchases."

However, other economists say the gloomy messages are overblown. Food and beverage sales dropped -1.4% while grocery stores logged a -1.3% sales drop in December. True, the numbers aren’t great, but food and beverages are doing considerably better than the overall retail environment. The wine and spirits industry is also proving much more resilient than other industries, with dollar sales of spirits growing 2.7% in the 52 weeks to November and wine up 4.5%, according to IRI food and drug scan data. We think as wine and especially spirits companies put more emphasis on advertising in the off-premise, they will continue to grow and compensate for a shift away from bars and restaurants."

Theise showers in killer wine......literially!

I found this wine doing my nightly reading on Dr. Vino's Blog. If it gets you to pay attention Terry theise then it was worth posting this!

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Many people in the wine trade are taking bath because of the economic crisis. But not importer Terry Theise: he’s taking a shower.

Digging through the piles on my desk I unearthed this card from the illustrious importer of boutique wines from Germany, Austria and Champagne. After winning a James Beard award last year, Theise decides to bare mostly all on his year-end card. His caption is: “Theise Wines: so fresh & clean! Swirl. Smell. Taste. Repeat.”"

Vino Wire and Angelo Gaja

If you've never been to vinowire.it its time you go. For my time its the most complete view into what the current conversation is in Italian wine.

This was recently posted on Vinowire.it

If there is anyone I'm willing to listen to babble about the DOC,DOCG laws its angelo gaja....

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The following essay was published in Italian Weds., January 7, 2009, at I numeri del vino. It has been translated here by the editors of VinoWire.

What does the Brunello affair teach us?

By Angelo Gaja

Unlike France, Italy specifies the percentages of each authorized grape variety that can be employed in the production of every DOC and DOCG. There is an entire series of provisions that have proven to be ineffective in preventing violation of these laws and in combating commercial fraud: analysis of the wine during cask aging, sensory evaluation, monitoring of a plethora of registries, the application of government seals and authenticity labeling, etc.

In the current investigation in Montalcino, the Siena prosecutor has recognized as valid the analysis method employed by Donato Lanati and the Enosis Laboratory: using this method, Lanati is able to ascertain the presence of grapes other than 100% Sangiovese in wines that have been impounded. Never before has this type of analysis been used by monitoring agencies to ascertain the varietal conformity of a wine

The same analysis method can also be used to ascertain whether or not percentages have been illegally stretched in DOC and DOCG wines in which 15% of other grape varieties are permitted.

The application of this analysis method on a large scale would create no small number of changes: before bottlers complete their bulk purchase of a wine, they would have the opportunity to verify its conformity to appellation regulations; the current farraginous monitoring system for DOC and DOCG wines would be simplified and improved; it would finally become possible to monitor the wines “downstream,” in other words, sample bottles could be taken directly from the market (and no one would have to wonder endlessly how in the world bottles of Chianti, Piedmont Barbera, and Nero d’Avola are sold to the public at obscenely low prices).

But another side to this story is a cause for worry: random monitoring could lead to the explosion of contention between monitoring agencies and producers; when oversight authority is transferred to Brussels [i.e., to the EU], pressure could grow to change appellation regulations believed to be too rigid; disinterest in DOC and DOCG wines could grow as estate-branded wines became more popular; the same analysis method adopted in Italy could be used by foreign laboratories to verify conformity to Italian appellation law in wines imported to their countries.

One thing is certain: with the precedent set by the Siena prosecutor, nothing can be the same for Italian DOC and DOCG wines.

Producers need to be aware of this and they need to embrace the necessary leap in quality (and price). They will need to find strength and unity in their intentions and they will need to help to find ways to make the necessary changes."