A Tough Reminder

As I sit in the middle of what has to be referred to as the holiday rush, there are still signs that the wine industry as a whole has some issues. Outside of the standard complaints about big distributors and their affect on smaller production wineries, the direct shipping assault led by wholesalers through HR [...]

Source: http://winewithmark.info/archives/624

Kelly Brook Kelly Carlson Kelly Clarkson Kelly Hu

2007 Sauternes & Barsac

Here you find the ratings of the 2007 Sauternes and Barsac wines from Robert Parker, Decanter and Wine Spectator: Sauternes & Barsac Decanter Wine Advocate WineSpectator Price Chateau d’Yquem ***** 19 96 - 98 97 - 100 Chateau Guiraud **** 17,5 92 - 94 91 - 94 Chateau La Tour Blanche **** 18 86 - 88 90 - 93 Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey **** 18 91 - 93 91 - 94 Chateau de Rayne-Vigneau ***** 19 91 - 93 92 - 95 Chateau [...]

Source: http://www.wine4freaks.com/41/2007-sauternes-barsac/

Lindsay Lohan Lindsay Price Lisa Marie Lisa Snowdon

Tasting Alert: Albino Rocca at Vintages Belmont, MA


Coming this Friday, June 10th to Vintages in Belmont, MA is a free tasting of wines from Albino Rocca. Angela Rocca himself along with his daughter Daniela will be on hand pouring and describing their wines. It's an event not to be missed. Click here for more information about the tasting.

I first discovered the wines of Albino Rocca at a blind tasting at Adam Japko's last fall arranged by Vintages owner Eric Broege. We tasted through the following 6 Barbareschi - the ones in bold stood out to me as particularly noteworthy:

  • 2004 MARCARINI Barolo "Brunate" (La Morra)
  • 2004 ALBINO ROCCA Barbaresco "Brich Ronchi" (Barbaresco)
  • 2005 ALESSANDRIA Barolo "Monvigliero" (Verduno)
  • 2005 CANTINA del PINO Barbaresco "Albesani" (Neive)
  • 2006 SOTTIMANO Barbaresco "Pajore" (Treiso)
  • 2006 Burlotto Barolo "Cannubi" (Barolo)
I'd rate the 2004 Albino Rocca Brich Ronchi 94 points - outstanding. Last Friday in anticipation of this tasting I cracked open a 2003 Brich Ronchi:

2003 Albino Rocca Brich Ronchi Barbaresco
$68 Release Price
1,500 cases produced
Purchased at Bin Ends Wine

A massive wine of surprising depth for the region. As soon as I opened it, the room was filled with aromas of rustic fruit. On the nose I get signature Nebbiolo minerality, deep rich red fruit and menthol. The mouth feel is rich and supple. The finish goes on for minutes. An outstanding wine from a fantastic Barbaresco producer.

85 Wine Spectator
94/100 WWP: Outstanding

The wines of Albino Rocca have consistently impressed me so I'm looking very forward to attending this tasting. Too often as I'm exploring a new wine category I make the mistake of "nibbling at the low end". What better way to see if you like the wines from a certain region than starting at the high end - for free! I hope to see you at the tasting Friday.

Subscribe to the Wellesley Wine Press and I'll let you know how it goes.

Question of the Day: Have you had Albino Rocca Barbaresco? What are some of your favorite producers in Barbaresco?


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/1wltpSbLPRA/tasting-alert-albino-rocca-at-vintages.html

Lorri Bagley Lucy Liu Luján Fernández Magdalena Wróbel

Nominations are Now Open for the 5th Annual Wine Blog Awards

A little over a year ago, Tom Wark (PR whiz, wine shipping advocate, blogger at Fermentation and founder of the Wine Blog Awards), and I had an email exchange in which I noted that there seemed to be a, “Been there, done that” sense in the online wine writing scene.  My contention was that the genre hadn’t advanced enough and was, “Running to stand still,” to borrow a phrase.

Tom didn’t respond to my thoughts specifically, a pocket veto of sorts.  Flash forward 15 months and not only was my observation off base, it was off the map.  Tom was right.

Today, online wine writing offers an incredible panoply of voices, niches, and quality, ever-growing and impossible to keep up with.  Whatever your wine fetish, you’re going to find a community within a community and quality writing that will educate and entertain with personality and verve.

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To wit, already populated by great diversity, the 5th Annual Wine Blog Awards are currently accepting nominations until May 31st.  Ceded by Tom for the greater good and now organized by the same group of people who organize the Wine Bloggers Conference, the principal complaint against the Wine Blog Awards has been that they are insider-ish and don’t represent the diversity of writers and voices who are toiling at a high-level in pursuit of the good grape.  I have a hunch that won’t be the case this year; the entire contest could be marked by nominated finalists and winners who haven’t previously been acknowledged by these awards.

To nominate your favorite online wine read, please hit the links below.

Best Overall Wine Blog

Best New Wine Blog

Best Writing on a Wine Blog

Best Winery Blog

Best Single Subject Wine Blog

Best Wine Blog Graphics, Photography, and Presentation

Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/nominations_are_now_open_for_the_5th_annual_wine_blog_awards/

Maria Sharapova Mariah Carey Mariah OBrien Marika Dominczyk

Competition Winners Announced

The winners of the 70th annual Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition were announced today and the list is an impressive one! A box wine, a Scotch whisky, repeat winners (Armida Winery and baseball legend Tommy Lasorda) and so much more! Take a look at the winners here then check out the buzz on [...]

Source: http://blogs.fairplex.com/blog/wine/?p=78

Saira Mohan Salma Hayek Samaire Armstrong Samantha Mathis

Department of Trading Up: Weight Watchers edition

Even the recession did not lay waste to Americans’ love of wine: per capita consumption continued to increase the past couple of years even if the average per bottle price declined. Over the holiday, I found a curious cause of cutbacks that actually led to trading up: the waist. A relative told me that he [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/WqgCqLWr7Vs/

Rebecca Mader Rebecca Romijn Reese Witherspoon Rhona Mitra

HOW TO: cut a wine bottle and save $249

I got a catalogue in the mail the other day from something called Napa Style. I don’t know if it’s 100% from Napa or just sort of a Fred Franzia Napa style. But they had the item shown above listed as “big bottle wine hurricanes.” Yes, empty bottles, albeit big bottles, priced $99 – $249! [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/QkIH8ZhUxOw/

Scarlett Chorvat Scarlett Johansson Selita Ebanks Shakara Ledard