Champagne is one of the few wine regions where the permitted yield is modified almost every year. This is done in an effort to manipulate supply and demand and the prices that champagne sell for.
The Swedish monopoly retailer Systembolaget has cancelled sales of a wine brand called Wacky Chicks whose label is covered with pouting lips or lipstick prints, according to www.wownews.se. The monopolist considers the label to be
A few years back all EU countries agreed to a reform of the agricultural policies concerning the wine sector. One element was to abolish the existing system with planting rights, that decrees that a grower
Or: “A Prima Donna shouts too loud”? – A Portuguese challenge First of all I want to apologise to all my Portuguese friends, winemakers and others. And to all other who love Portugal and its
Condom is, believe it or not, the main town in the Gascogne region that produces the delicious spirit called Armagnac. It is a three hours’ drive south from its cousin Cognac. But Condom is of
A few years ago the EU countries agreed a big reform of the wine production sector. A big part of this was the abolishment in time of the “planting rights” system. (It was also suggested
Some areas in the Languedoc, that fulfil certain criteria, will be classified as Grand Cru according to a new proposal from the producers association, the CIVL. They want to have two levels: Grands Vins du
Some of the world’s most expensive wines come from Domaine de la Romanée Conti in Burgundy. They can go for around 4000€. Per bottle. The Swedish monopoly Systembolaget received its allocation of the 2006 wines
Coteaux du Tricastin is a relatively well known appellation in the southern Rhone valley. However, it has now changed name to Grignan les Adhémar. Within France Tricastin is better known for its nuclear power plant
We read in The Guardian a long (it feels) article about a wine expert called Tim Hanni who, according to what the Guardian says, recommends that wine consumers should ignore what the wine critics say
In the newsletter WoW News we read that several catastrophe relief organisations in Sweden have refused or returned donations from wine importers who have wanted to support the work in Haiti. SOS Children’s Villages is
Dom Pérignon, the luxury champagne brand made by Moët & Chandon, i.e. the luxury products group LVMH, has launched a special packaging of the Dom Pérignon bottle for night clubs. It is called “lightskin” and
Dr. Vino is a wine blogger with a talent to unearth unusual and intriguing stories. He has found this month’s wine accessory that one should definitely not be without: a “cork screw” for bottles closed
The French sometimes put too much stock in the magic of words and in the value of appellations, as this story, just one of several about AOC and name wrangling, shows: In 2003 a new
No doubt it can contribute to the sales. The producer is called Domaine de l’Abbaye de Saint Hilaire. The monastic style seems to have been lost a long time ago, judging from their communications. A
We read in the newsletter WoW News (no, it’s not about computer games!) that Absolut Vodka is launching a new marketing campaign: Naked Absolut: ” In An Absolut World, There Are No Labels” with e.g.
AOC Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur are one of several regions that have a difficult time. 2008 was a small harvest and some areas were seriously hit by hail in 2009. Export and demand in general
Well, that would depend on what one is looking for and one’s taste you may think. But not so for wine perhaps? Many people have some kind of belief that there is an absolute scale
According to a press release from Vignobles Investissement they have been tasked by the Film Commission of Luberon Vaucluse to find a suitable winery location to record a series of reality shows. It is the
Chateau Angélus in Saint Emilion, Bordeaux, is not making hand sewn shoes but something of the sort – haute couture. They destem their grapes by hand. When you make red wine in nine cases out
AREV (l’Assemblée des Régions Européennes Viticoles https://www.arev.org/) is some kind of collaboration organisation between some European wine regions. In their latest press release they underline the importance of fighting the EU reform that will abolish
There have been lots of discussions in champagne this year on how much the growers will be permitted to harvest. Curiously, the limit is not set until the beginning of September. Wit the crash in
There are of course many ways, but sometimes you wonder over the imagination of the marketers. On prize winner contender is The Naked Winery (https://www.nakedwinery.com). Can there be any other motivation behind that name than
Well, you cannot call it much else but a circus… At the beginning of July a court decided that the ‘new’ Saint Emilion classification should be annulled. This was the third court to deal with
Someone in Switzerland called wineman (or winegirl) has collected a wealth of more or less odd wine labels: www.winegirl.ch/Languages/English.html. The collection is organised according to theme, some rather surprising. For example: uniforms, bulls (Bull’s Eye
Dr. Vino has created an entertaining (?) competition: Which is the world’s worst (ugliest, most tasteless…) wine label? There are many, many poor wine labels but few are truly awful. Dr. Vino has found some
We thought last Brief’s feature on lightly clad females promoting Chablis was a low water mark (Chablis Chic), but how wrong we were. The French association of terroir cheese producers have produced a calendar with
The latest innovation in wine e-commerce is called USBWine. It’s a small USB-key-like device that you plug into your computer. You then visit one of the participating wine web sites and you can directly download
Appellations and brand names? Does it serve any useful purpose to have appellations and classifications (by the way, do you know the difference between the two?)? Not an easy question to answer. Yes, it can
A palm computer and a subscription is all you need. Then you can register your tasting notes electronically. In addition, cooperating wine merchants (or other tasting organisers) can supply an electronic list of the wines
Champagne is one of the few wine regions where the permitted yield is modified almost every year. This is done in an effort to manipulate
The Swedish monopoly retailer Systembolaget has cancelled sales of a wine brand called Wacky Chicks whose label is covered with pouting lips or lipstick prints,
A few years back all EU countries agreed to a reform of the agricultural policies concerning the wine sector. One element was to abolish the
Or: “A Prima Donna shouts too loud”? – A Portuguese challenge First of all I want to apologise to all my Portuguese friends, winemakers and
Condom is, believe it or not, the main town in the Gascogne region that produces the delicious spirit called Armagnac. It is a three hours’
A few years ago the EU countries agreed a big reform of the wine production sector. A big part of this was the abolishment in
Some areas in the Languedoc, that fulfil certain criteria, will be classified as Grand Cru according to a new proposal from the producers association, the
Some of the world’s most expensive wines come from Domaine de la Romanée Conti in Burgundy. They can go for around 4000€. Per bottle. The
Coteaux du Tricastin is a relatively well known appellation in the southern Rhone valley. However, it has now changed name to Grignan les Adhémar. Within
We read in The Guardian a long (it feels) article about a wine expert called Tim Hanni who, according to what the Guardian says, recommends
In the newsletter WoW News we read that several catastrophe relief organisations in Sweden have refused or returned donations from wine importers who have wanted
Dom Pérignon, the luxury champagne brand made by Moët & Chandon, i.e. the luxury products group LVMH, has launched a special packaging of the Dom
Dr. Vino is a wine blogger with a talent to unearth unusual and intriguing stories. He has found this month’s wine accessory that one should
The French sometimes put too much stock in the magic of words and in the value of appellations, as this story, just one of several
No doubt it can contribute to the sales. The producer is called Domaine de l’Abbaye de Saint Hilaire. The monastic style seems to have been
We read in the newsletter WoW News (no, it’s not about computer games!) that Absolut Vodka is launching a new marketing campaign: Naked Absolut: ”
AOC Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur are one of several regions that have a difficult time. 2008 was a small harvest and some areas were seriously
Well, that would depend on what one is looking for and one’s taste you may think. But not so for wine perhaps? Many people have
According to a press release from Vignobles Investissement they have been tasked by the Film Commission of Luberon Vaucluse to find a suitable winery location
Chateau Angélus in Saint Emilion, Bordeaux, is not making hand sewn shoes but something of the sort – haute couture. They destem their grapes by
AREV (l’Assemblée des Régions Européennes Viticoles https://www.arev.org/) is some kind of collaboration organisation between some European wine regions. In their latest press release they underline
There have been lots of discussions in champagne this year on how much the growers will be permitted to harvest. Curiously, the limit is not
There are of course many ways, but sometimes you wonder over the imagination of the marketers. On prize winner contender is The Naked Winery (https://www.nakedwinery.com).
Well, you cannot call it much else but a circus… At the beginning of July a court decided that the ‘new’ Saint Emilion classification should
Someone in Switzerland called wineman (or winegirl) has collected a wealth of more or less odd wine labels: www.winegirl.ch/Languages/English.html. The collection is organised according to
Dr. Vino has created an entertaining (?) competition: Which is the world’s worst (ugliest, most tasteless…) wine label? There are many, many poor wine labels
We thought last Brief’s feature on lightly clad females promoting Chablis was a low water mark (Chablis Chic), but how wrong we were. The French
The latest innovation in wine e-commerce is called USBWine. It’s a small USB-key-like device that you plug into your computer. You then visit one of
Appellations and brand names? Does it serve any useful purpose to have appellations and classifications (by the way, do you know the difference between the
A palm computer and a subscription is all you need. Then you can register your tasting notes electronically. In addition, cooperating wine merchants (or other
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