It’s a barmy-sounding claim, but a number of experts in the wine industry are starting to believe that the lunar cycle has an influence on the taste of wine.
A moon wine calendar has been produced by specialist Maria Thun and her son Matthias, called When Wine Tastes Best: A Biodynamic Calendar For Wine Drinkers. Many who have tested the wine on different days and then referred to the calendar have noticed a considerably different taste.
Even Marks & Spencer are on board with the idea, one winemaker Jo Aherne saying:
“Someone checked the calendar and we found that the first day had been a fruit day, when the wines were expressive, exuberant and aromatic, and the second a root day, when they were closed, tannic and earthy. Further rather unscientific tests have confirmed our view.”
Filed under: General on May 26th, 2010 | No Comments »
Possibly one of the most important events for the wine industry is coming to London in just two weeks time, and excitement is already starting to mount.
The London International Wine Fair 2010 is a strictly business affair, designed to bring the leading industry players together for one of the most important wine events on the planet. Everyone from wine merchants and producers to restaurateurs and sommeliers will be there, enjoying more than fifty seminars, tastings, masterclasses and of course, networking opportunities.
The event takes place on May 18th – 20th and entry is free provided you register as a trade visitor.
Filed under: General on May 20th, 2010 | No Comments »
According to a report by wine banking service Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), wine sales in the US are predicted to soar by as much as 12 per cent in 2010.
SVB provides commercial banking for fine wine companies as well as predicting future trends in wine sales and consumer buying behaviour. Its annual ‘State of the Wine Industry’ report predicts that the end to extreme price cuts in US wine is coming to an end, and that fine wine sales will subsequently flourish.
The report explained how large-scale producers and established big-name brands with wide distribution are expected to benefit, but that smaller scale wineries may find 2010 a little tougher.
Filed under: General on May 14th, 2010 | No Comments »
Celebrity chef and all-round angry man Gordon Ramsay is on the receiving end of a lawsuit after a wine merchant in the US claims he racked up more than £27,000 ($40,000) in unpaid bills.
Mr Ramsay used the Wineberry America merchant to supply his prestigious restaurant in Manhattan’s London hotel. In the lawsuit, the wine merchant claims he was ‘fraudulently induced’ to supply the two-Michelin-starred restaurant with alcohol, also believing that Ramsay never intended to pay for any of it from the start.
Ramsay made a statement to the press saying that all unpaid bills will be sorted out and paid as soon as possible.
Filed under: General on May 10th, 2010 | No Comments »
Now in its third successful year, the Bristol Food and Wine Fair is planned for summer 2010 with many exciting events and activities on the menu. The event is held at a Harbourside site just minutes away from Bristol City Centre.
Events to interest wine fans and connoisseurs include:
• More than 18 tasting lectures and seminars, including ‘The Wines of New Zealand’ by Tim Atkins and ‘Wines of Portugal’ by Charles Metcalfe
• The Wine & Food Tasting Lecture Theatre
• Appearances from Brown Brothers Wines, Bodegas Moralia (traditional vineyard cultivators), Codorniu (Spanish sparkling wine producers) and Wines of Chile.
The event will run from July 2nd – 4th 2010.
Filed under: General on May 6th, 2010 | No Comments »
Supermarket chain Asda had great cause for embarrassment recently after a number of their customers managed to buy bottles of wine for just 5p after what they call was a ‘pricing error’. A few lucky shoppers managed to actually purchase bottles of rioja for just 5p online, but most trying to take advantage of the seemingly amazing deal were told that a mistake had been made and were refused the goods by Asda staff.
The rioja normally cost £7 a bottle, but was advertised on a discount deals website as costing just 5p. Understandably, the orders started flooding in on the Asda website, but most were told that the product was out of stock. Disgruntled customer Diane Bowler said:
“If an item is out of stock, surely you shouldn’t be allowed to order it. I feel let down.”
Filed under: General on April 30th, 2010 | No Comments »
New research conducted by scientists at the John Hopkins University School of Medicine in the US city of Baltimore claim they have found another health benefit offered by red wine – protection against brain damage after a stroke.
Researchers say that a compound found in the skins and seeds of the grapes used to make red wine –called resveratrol – can actually protect the brain against stroke damage by raising the level of a nerve cell shielding enzyme called heme oxygenase. A researcher from John Hopkins has said of the discovery:
“Our study adds to evidence that resveratrol can potentially build brain resistance to ischemic stroke,”
Despite the many alleged health benefits of drinking red wine, John Hopkins researchers still warn that the consumption of alcohol is never completely ‘good for you’.
Filed under: General on April 27th, 2010 | No Comments »
One of the world’s top vineyards, Pontet Canet in Bordeaux, has decided to embrace both old and new methods to making wine as part of a ‘green’ experiment. The owner, Alfred Tesseron, believes that natural soil, nutrients and minerals makes a superior wine, so has subsequently made the following changes to his vineyard:
• Replacing noisy, polluting tractors and ploughs with horses pulling colourful, lighted carts
• Eliminating the use of artificial pesticides and fertilisers
• Installing solar panels to generate energy
The big question is: will this experiment work and more importantly, will all these changes make the wine taste better?
Filed under: General on April 23rd, 2010 | No Comments »
According to new research conducted for the launch of the iPhone WINEfindr app, British wine lovers have no idea at all what they’re talking about, or what they’re drinking.
During the survey, two-thirds of the so-called ‘wine connoisseurs’ asked admitted to not understanding or ignoring the advice of sommeliers in restaurants, choosing to bluff their way through the occasion instead.
The survey also found that:
• 25% of those asked always choose the cheapest wine on the menu
• The average price people spend on wine in restaurants is just £12.64
Thank God, we can all finally admit it!
Filed under: General on April 14th, 2010 | No Comments »
In a move that would never happen here in the UK, the French Government has apparently approved plans to add wine tasting to university curriculums. According to a government report published in Decanter magazine, proposals have been submitted which detail how wine tasting sessions could be run in university canteens.
Those in favour of the idea have said that in moderation, wine tasting lessons can teach students to enjoy wine responsibly, appreciating its flavour and its place in national heritage. Those opposed to the scheme have said, in what would be the argument if someone proposed the idea here in England, that it will do nothing to prevent problems with binge drinking.
Filed under: General on April 6th, 2010 | No Comments »