Blog Hiatus till November

Published on September 21, 2020

Hey guys, Sorry that it has been a while since my last post. I’ve been busy learning first hand how difficult it is to move countries in the middle of a pandemic–and I’m far from done yet. Earlier this summer, the wife accepted a new position in London. While I love being in Paris, I’m super excited about this move as London is the heart of the global wine trade. It’s also the base of…

Published on September 21, 2020
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The New Wall of Wine & Why Some Wineries Aren’t Even Making it to the Shelf

Published on August 16, 2020

By now, I’m sure a lot of folks have heard about the viral video of two brothers reacting to hearing Phil Collins’ ‘In the Air Tonight’ for the first time. If Tim and Fred Williams want to continue their tour of 80s hits, one song that the wine industry could certainly use a blast from the past of is Lionel Richie’s 1983 classic ‘Hello (Is it Me You’re Looking For?)‘. That’s because as we stare…

Published on August 16, 2020
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What’s the Future of Virtual Wine Tastings?

Published on July 28, 2020

While the present is still grim in some areas (such as South Africa), many wine regions have open up their tasting rooms even in a limited, socially distant capacity. That’s been sure relief for cash-strapped wineries and a welcome respite for wine lovers who need to digitally detox. (Provided they feel safe and welcomed.) But make no mistake. There is still a lot of value and a healthy market for online wine events. The folks…

Published on July 28, 2020
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60 Second Wine Review – Domaine of the Bee

Published on July 24, 2020

Note: This was a sample wine. A few quick thoughts on the 2017 Domaine of the Bee red blend from the Côtes du Roussillon-Villages AOC. The Geekery Justin Howard-Sneyd is a Master of Wine who, after a long career as a wine buyer for Safeway/Morrison’s, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Laithwaites, founded Domaine of the Bee with his wife, Amanda, and friend, Philippe Sacerdot. From the first vintage in 2007, the flagship red is a blend of…

Published on July 24, 2020
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Wine and Syrup Bottles – It’s time to do more

Published on July 3, 2020
by  in General
There’s been a lot of talk lately about the need for change and diversity in the wine industry. Many folks have stood up to put that change into action–most notably Julia Coney’s Black Wine Professionals resource page and DLynn Proctor, Martin R. Reyes MW & Mary Margaret McCamic MW’s Wine Unify mentorship platform. However, there’s so much more that still needs to be done. The obstacles in the wine industry that hinder the growth of…
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Talking Virtual Wine Events Next Week at FOMENT 2020 and on IG Live with Tablas Creek Vineyards

Published on June 27, 2020
by  in General, VirtualWineEvents.com
It’s been a busy spring and early summer for me since the launch of VirtualWineEvents.com. I’ve been invited to several interviews and panels, mostly to talk about the industry’s adoption of these new digital tools. Two exciting ones coming up is the FOMENT Conference this Tuesday, June 30th, which I’ll follow the next day with by joining Jason Haas of Tablas Creek Vineyards for a chat on his weekly Instagram live broadcast. I’ve posted the…
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60 Second Wine Reviews – 2016 Domaine de Cébène Felgaria

Published on June 25, 2020
by  in 60 Second Reviews
Note: This was a sample from the Languedoc Outsiders. A few quick thoughts on the 2016 Domaine de Cébène Felgaria from Faugères. The Geekery After working many years with Jean-Luc Thunevin of Chateau Valandraud in St. Emilion, Brigitte Chevalier founded Domaine de Cébène in 2006. Most of the Languedoc sits on a broad alluvial plain, but it was the unique schist soils of Faugères that caught Chevalier’s attention. For Grenache and Syrah, Chevalier focuses on…