Harvest Report: Pinot's Flowering in Carneros

Peter Brehm, who sells premium frozen grapes through Brehm Vineyards, sent out an email today with an update on the Harvest 2002. He says, "In the Carneros, the Pinot Noir grapes are flowering at 50%....

Topped off home wines

Last night, I topped off my home wines with about 600 ml. of 2000 Firestone Chardonnay. Due to the mild heat wave, the ambient temperatures were about 68. Slight thermal expansion but nothing went through...

Brewer-Clifton Profile

Straight Out of Lompoc (registration required) Parker raves, and a tiny winery is propelled to fame By RUSS PARSONS TIMES STAFF WRITER May 29 2002 It all started with a single sentence. Robert M. Parker...

Clos du Val Restructuring & Repositing

Today, Clos du Val announced it is going to reposition itself and has hired a seasoned team to accomplish the following business goals: -- re-focusing the product portfolio, concentrating primarily on Estate wines -- adjusting...

Who's Vintner to America? One Hint: Volume Is the Key

Noteable quotes: Costco customers — whose average age is 48 and whose median household income is $74,000, according to a study by Hebert Research Inc. , are wine drinkers with potential for more sophistication and much deeper pockets.

The Winemaker and the Weatherman

MAY 28, 2002 MOVEABLE FEAST on BusinessWeek Online By Thane Peterson Economist Orley Ashenfelter has long said the former relies on the latter. Now, he says that wisdom is becoming conventional Not many practitioners of...

New Gallo Pinot 'will be classed with Burgundy'

by Adam Lechmere Decanter.com 23 May 2002 Gallo – the world's biggest winemaker – is about to release a Pinot Noir that it says will hold its own against the finest Burgundy. Gina Gallo (pictured)...

Napa's Migrant Workers Await Harvest of Housing

By Rene Sanchez Washington Post Sunday, May 26, 2002; Page A03 ST. HELENA, Calif.--They sleep along riverbanks, because shelters are full. They live under bridges, because rents are so high. They camp on church doorsteps,...

The Art of the Wine Label

By Robert Morgan - November 1997 As collectors of wine labels we all know that some are colourful, others are humorous and some are distinctly boring! However, every now and again we come across a...

Interview with Wayne Dutschke

Once upon a time, many years ago, around the end of the 19th century, this 72 acre patch of real estate included only a few acres of vineyard, with most of the area being dedicated to cropping and dairy cattle. At the start of the 1930's Oscar Semmler, Wayne's grandfather, bought the block and more vineyard was planted, but it remained primarily a grazing area for dairy purposes. Oscar's Dad referred to the dirt as a "wonder of creation", a fact borne out by the wine now coming from it. The vineyard of that time, while reflecting the fortified market of the day, did not predict the potential to produce the rich varietal flavours found in current production

Differentiating oak and lees, especially in Chardonnay

An article on West Coast Wine Network by Greg La Follette on the differientiation between oaking and lees....

Interview with Stephen Tanszer

Adviser Q&A Bordeaux Bubble? Missy Sullivan, 05.17.02, 1:30 PM ET Stephen Tanzer Stephen Tanzer, editor of International Wine Cellar newsletter, says his greatest fear is catching a cold. "It's like having two broken legs,"...

Christopher Carpenter Named Winemaker for Cardinale; Continues as Lokoya Winemaker

from: BUSINESS WIRE OAKVILLE, Calif.--May 22, 2002--Christopher Carpenter has taken the helm at Cardinale succeeding veteran winemaker Charles Thomas. Thomas will continue as consultant to Carpenter on the Cardinale wines. Carpenter will retain his role...

Inflated Wine Prices

by: PAUL FRANSON on: Napa News In the latest issue of the Wine Spectator, respected long-time editor and Napa resident Jim Laube laments that many $80 wines are really only worth $20 except that their...