Category: Uncategorized

5 Things you should know about sulfites in wine

How many times have you heard someone say they can’t drink red wine because the sulfites give them headaches?  While we all know that headaches and alcohol sometimes go hand in hand, the problem most likely isn’t sulfites.  A few facts about this much maligned substance: 1.   Some people are allergic to sulfites, but they […]

Read More

DON’T MISS “SOMM” AT THE GRAND DEL MAR

THE GRAND DEL MAR and SAMUEL GOLDWYN FILMS  INVITE YOU TO THE VERY SPECIAL SCREENING OF..    SOMM SUNDAY, JUNE 30th 3:30pm    The Grand Del Mar 5300 Grand Del Mar Court San Diego, CA 92130 3:30 – 5:00pm – RECEPTION with WINE TASTINGS and FOOD – Aria Lawn      5:00pm – SOMM VIP SCREENING (90 Mins) – […]

Read More

IT’S THAT (BORDEAUX) TIME AGAIN!

‘Tis the season.  The Bordeaux en primeur season that is, and many Bordeaux lovers are focused on release prices for their favorite clarets.  At the same time consumers are wading through the onslaught of interviews and articles telling us about the high quality–or lack thereof–of the ’12 vintage. During this time of hyperbole, it’s good […]

Read More

DON’T GIVE UP ON BORDEAUX!

In recent years, especially since Asia discovered fine wine,Bordeaux has become the punching bag for oenophiles frustrated by astronomical prices. And it’s true that prices for the top-ranked châteaux have gone through the roof (see graph). But while it almost seems that Bordeaux has become the wine people love to hate, it’s a mistake to […]

Read More

Wine Faults–Reduction

Ever put your nose into a glass of wine only to get a thoroughly unpleasant whiff of rotten eggs, cabbage, onion, or even tires?  These are sulfurous smells that most likely are the result of “reduction”.  Should you swear under your breath and dump the wine out?  Maybe not!  Simply put, reduction is the opposite […]

Read More

Saucy wine labels–Will the feds slap Mouton again in 2010?

Approval of  labels for wines produced in or imported into the US falls under the the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).  You would be excused for thinking that this function is the responsibility of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) but no, its the folks at TTB that decide what […]

Read More

A VERY EXPENSIVE VINTAGE YEAR

It looks like 2012 will be a difficult year for countries from Argentina to France as lousy weather severely reduced the size of the grape harvest.  Some forecast the smallest global vintage in 37 years with France’s production alone dropping more than 20 percent.  A picture is worth a thousand words…  

Read More

WINE COLLECTING TIPS

We’re always on the lookout for good advice for wine collectors.  With online buying becoming the preferred way to shop for collectible wines and the risks associated with buying wine from afar, it’s important to nail down the dos and don’ts.  And recent wine fraud cases make confirmable provenance a critical piece of information before […]

Read More

How to Decant Wine

Now that the holidays are upon us we look forward to sharing some of those older bottles with friends and family.  This can mean decanting wine off its sediment, and we thought we would provide a visual how-to that will walk you through the correct process. And to make sure we cover the bases, we […]

Read More

GIFTS FOR EVEN THE PICKIEST WINE LOVERS

It can be traumatic trying to buy wine for someone who collects wine and knows a lot about the subject, so sometimes the best advice is: don’t even try! Instead there are tons of interesting wine toys that will thrill your favorite wine enthusiast, whether they are just starting to enjoy wine or qualify as […]

Read More