• THE COMING WINE WAR

    par | Juin 30, 2011

    By JAMIE GOODIE — THE WINE ANORAK — June 27th, 2011

    There’s a clash of cultures in the world of fine wine, and before too long it could become a war.
    On the one hand, we have the fine wine establishment, which is dominated by Bordeaux, but also includes the top Champagne houses, as well as a few others such as the super-Tuscans.  Wine as a luxury good or an investment vehicle.  It’s where the money is.
    On the other hand, the emerging terroiriste/natural wine movement.  This is somewhat counterculture, and its development as a category threatens the status quo of fine wine.

    As the message of authentic wine with a sense of place – made by people driven by passion rather than profit – gains traction, it is causing a degree of discomfort in the fine wine establishment.

    While things are currently very rosy-looking for the top Bordeaux properties, I wouldn’t be surprised if the more enlightened proprietors are casting an anxious glance at the success of events such as the three day natural wine fair held in Borough market this May, just as the large (and currently dominant) Champagne houses have been discomfited by the critical acclaim given to grower Champagnes.

    (suite…)

  • GREEK WINEMAKERS’ BEST CHANCE TO GRAB U.S. MARKET

    par | Juin 29, 2011

    From TALIA BAIOCCHI, Special to THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
    Mantineia, the Peloponnese, Greece — Sunday, June 26, 2011

    This should be the time to be a Greek winemaker.  The country is amid a quality revival of world-class wine regions from the islands to Greece’s northern border.

    But no matter the centuries since Sophocles ruled the stage, the Greeks still remain disposed to a good old ancient bout of reversed fortunes.  The trouble this time? The economy.

    Wine sales within the country are down more than 40 percent over the past 12 months, threatening a newly revived industry that, until recently, sold 90 percent of its production at home.

    Yet this pinch might provide a push for Greece to make a lasting impression elsewhere in the world.  Potential tragedy may well be averted.  « Before, Greek winemakers wanted to see wines exported, but there wasn’t enough of a reason to put that much effort in, » says Markus Stolz, an export agent in Greece who is working with several U.S. importers, including Oakland’s WineWise.  Now there’s certainly a reason.
    (suite…)

  • DOCUMENTARY – VINEXPO – DOCUMENTAIRE – VINEXPO – DOCUMENT

    par | Juin 17, 2011

    FROM JUNE 19 TO JUNE 23 AT VINEXPO 2011 DANIEL J. BERGER WILL BE INTERVIEWING SOME 50 WINE PROFESSIONALS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.  THE INTERVIEWS WILL BE INCLUDED IN A 90′ TV DOCUMENTARY ON WINE AND EUROPE TO BE SHOT NEXT YEAR AND BROADCAST BY ARTE CHANNEL.

    …JOHN UMBERTO SALVI MW (UK), MR. BAI — DYNASTY (CHINA), FRANçOIS LURTON (ARGENTINA & FRANCE), XAVIER LOGETTE — SALENTEIN (ARGENTINA), MAY-ÉLIANE DE LENCQUESAING — GLENELLY (SOUTH AFRICA), YAIR HAIDU (ISRAEL), PETER GAGO — PENFOLDS (AUSTRALIA), CÉLINE LU MW (CHINA), RODRIGO PLASS — ERRAZURIZ (CHILE), MICHAEL FRIDJHON (SOUTH AFRICA), THIBAULT PONTALLIER — CHÂTEAU MARGAUX (REP. IN CHINA), ROJITA TIWARI — AMBROSIA MAGAZINE (INDIA), AND MANY OTHERS…

    DU 19 AU 23 JUIN À VINEXPO 2011, DANIEL J. BERGER INTERVIEWERA UNE CINQUANTAINE DE PROFESSIONNELS INTERNATIONAUX. LA SÉQUENCE SERA INCLUSE DANS UN DOCUMENTAIRE TV DE 90′ SUR LE VIN ET L’EUROPE À TOURNER L’ANNÉE PROCHAINE POUR DIFFUSION SUR ARTE.

  • PLAVAC OU POSIP, LE BOIRE CROATE

    par | Juin 14, 2011

    CHRISTIAN MARTEL

    Nous rentrons d’un séjour en Croatie, la côte dalmate et ses îles.

    Je vous renvoie aux nombreux guides et sites traitant du tourisme, des plages, des îles et des villes magnifiques comme Dubrovnik pour me consacrer uniquement aux vins locaux dégustés : Plavac Mali, rouge, et Posip, blanc, sont sur toutes les tables et la matière abonde pour un voyage d’études…

    Les vins croates sont classés en trois catégories, par ordre de qualité croissante :
    — Vins de table : nous les avons goûtés sous forme de vin de la maison au verre ou en carafe et bien sûr ils sont à l’image du restaurant concerné, plus ou moins agréables.
    — Kvalitetno, de qualité intermédiaire où nous avons trouvé de très bonne choses dans un rapport Q/P correct : en rouge le Plavac de Tomic à Vhar, ou celui de Matusko sur la presqu’île de Peljesac; et en blanc, le Zlatan Otok de Zlatan à Vhar.
    — Vrhunsko, de qualité supérieure et dont les prix peuvent s’envoler : en rouge, les Plavak Mali de Rosic à Peljesac et le Zlatan Barrique de Zlatan à Vhar; et en blanc, le Posip Cara de l’île de Korcula, bu en deux lieux différents ! (suite…)

  • VINEXPO CONFIDENT IN A COME BACK IN AMERICA

    par | Juin 11, 2011

    By SUHBASH ARORA — from The INDIAN WINE ACADEMY Newsletter

     

    The latest buzz about Vinexpo, the biannual best known international wine fair to be held in Bordeaux from 19th June 2011, comes  from its CEO Robert Beynat who implied that following an eight year absence the show would be back in the USA in 2012.
    The last presence of Vinexpo in America was Chicago in 2004 at the time when the USA had invaded Iraq, and due to the opposition to the war from France there was a strong opposition in the US against France.  According to Decanter, the hostile feelings resulted in a minus 25% attendance as compared to the 2002 Vinexpo in NYC.  « It was not an auspicious time for Vinexpo to set up a trade fair in the US« , Beynat said. (suite…)