Wine-Flair

Ever felt awkward when ordering wine at a restaurant? Ever walked into a wine store and had no idea where to begin, what to buy or how much to pay? Ever looked at a European wine label and wondered what’s in there? Wine-Flair.com is just for you. It’s all about wine education and appreciation, written in plain language. NO WINE SNOBS HERE!

We also offer wine classes, tasting parties and seminars in New Jersey and the greater NYC Area. Email me and let’s talk!

WINE SHORTS

Find Your Lost Wine

Had a great wine somewhere but don't remember the name, or where it was from, or the winery? Well, winelabelworld.com has a collection of labels, sorted by country, style, wine color and other distinguishing features. Find the one you're missing, or add your own.

Irish Wine? No Way.

Way! I've had Mead, which is really not wine at all, and really...sweet and disgusting if you ask me. Sorry. But Ireland now has a real winery making authentic, and from all accounts, quaffable if not transcendent (!) table wines including Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay. This is the day to read about the winemaker, here.

Miles' Merlot Makes a Move...Upward!

If you saw Sideways, you know that Miles didn't want to drink any "f***ing Merlot!" He had good reason. As the WSJ Online points out, way too much American Merlot has been, well, lousy - sweet, over-oaky, reeking of vanilla, and flabby; that is, lacking the acidity needed to taste fresh and to keep your mouth as well as your nose interested. Some producers are doing something about that, even at the <$10 price point, a real sweet spot in a down economy. Napa's Charles Krug winery is singled out for recognition, although its offering is closer to $20. Have a look.

A Rosey Future?

Except for Champagne and sparkling wines, French wine laws (and they got a lot of 'em) prohibit making rose wines by adding a bit of red to a white base wine. The same holds true across the European Union (EU), and popular wisdom is that that's a good thing - superior rose wines are made from red grapes, with the juice held on the skins for as little as a few hours. But there's a rule in the works in Brussels to change that, which supposedly would open the market to a lot of inferior plonk, and the French in particular, are seeing red about it.

posted by David Gaier # 8:09 AM