60 Second Wine Review — Frank Family 2013 Blanc de Blancs
A few quick thoughts on the 2013 Frank Family Blanc de Blancs sparkling wine from Carneros. The Geekery While today Frank Family is known for big Rutherford Cabs and buttery Chardonnays, its origins were actually sparkling wine. In 1992, Rich Frank, a Disney exec, bought Hanns Kornell Champagne Cellars with Koerner Rombauer. Hanns Kornell was a German immigrant who survived the Dachau concentration camp during World War II before founding his eponymous sparkling house in…
Send Roger Morris to Mudgee
Note: The wines reviewed in this article were samples from the 2019 Wine Media Conference post-conference tour of Mudgee. Just after Thanksgiving in the US, Roger Morris wrote a firebrand piece on Meininger’s Wine Business, challenging the sacred status of Riesling among sommeliers. Reading the article, you would think that blaming consumer ignorance and the myth that “all Rieslings are sweet” was just a scapegoat. The real culprit for why consumers don’t adore Rieslings is…
Wine Shops’ Biggest Mistake
On Reddit, there’s an interesting thread by a retail manager seeking advice about what consumers want in a wine shop. There’s a lot of replies focusing on selection, staff training and holding frequent tastings–which all good wine shops should do. But the biggest mistake that wine shops make, regardless if they’re a boutique indy or big box retailer, is not hiring the right people. Too often wine shops think they need to hire either: A.)…
60 Second Wine Review — Bruno Paillard Première Cuvée NV Brut
A few quick thoughts on the Bruno Paillard Première Cuvée NV Brut Champagne. Note: This wine was a sample. The Geekery Bruno Paillard founded his eponymous house in 1981 when he was just 27 years old. Right away, Paillard forged his own path, pioneering the use of back label disgorgement dates in 1983. He also took a considerable gamble for a young house by forgoing the tricky 1984 vintage because the quality didn’t meet Paillard’s…