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The Court of Master Sommeliers has welcomed four new masters to its ranks! Huge congratulations to Christopher Bates (Hotel Fauchere, Milford, PA), Carlton McCoy (The Little Nell, Aspen, CO), Emily Pickral-Papach (Chappellet Winery, Napa, CA) and Christopher Tanghe (RN74, Seattle, WA). 

“Not so long ago, a sure-fire way of generating a heated argument between winemakers in Champagne (as in Chablis) was to talk about the virtues and pitfalls of making their best, purest wine in oak.” How things have changed. In The Drinks Business, Michael Edwards writes a fantastic piece about the use of oak in Champagne. 

“Accept your role, like Hemingway (without the looniness, hopefully). There are an almost infinite number of wine writers who wish they were in that position.” Jeff Siegel writes a letter to Robert Parker.   

“The social media definitions are a clarification that some in the industry think is overdue, but this does not mean it’s without its problems.” Sonoma News reports on the TTB’s new social media guidelines.  

“Bambino Party is natural juice — apple, peach or raspberry — made sparkling… and sold in essentially the same packaging as Hubert’s regular lineup. ...

From Wikimedia.

“Jon Bonne is Joe Roberts is Robert Parker is Jim Laube.” Tom Wark wonders, “seven years into the Wine Blog Awards, if there is any value or good reason in honoring ‘wine bloggers’ with these awards.”

“When they were three minutes out of my tummy they had some JCB rosé‎. Jean-Charles insisted. I didn’t get an epidural, so I almost said, ‘Give me that bottle!’” On Wine-Searcher, Tyler Colman chats with Gina Gallo. 

“Some of the most exciting wines being made in Oregon today are Chardonnays. These are not your grandma’s butter bombs; they’re taut, lean wines with terrific mouthfeel.” On Palate Press, W. Blake Gray goes searching for Oregon Chardonnay. It’s rarer than you’d expect. 

“Memorial Day is not the time to overanalyze your wine. Save that for a first-growth tasting or the next natural wine seminar. Summer is finally here, so just relax and enjoy.” On WineSpectator.com, Tim Fish offers some thoughts on Memorial Day wines. 

In Wine-Searcher, Claire Adamson profiles “an enterprising French copmany [that] has set out to supply [the] ever-growing demand for wine crates.” 

“People here drink like crazy. A ...

When the decision was made to hold the 2013 Wine Bloggers Conference in Canada, a unique opportunity presented itself, and that was to feature only wines of British Columbia during the Live Wine Blogging sessions of the conference. Thanks to a lot of coordination and support from the Wines of British Columbia, this opportunity is becoming a reality, and attendees of the conference will have a chance to taste a selection from 30 different B.C. wines during each Live Wine Blogging session!

There are 5 main wine growing regions within British Columbia: Okanagan Valley, Similkameen Valley, Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island, and the Gulf Islands. Over 60 varietals are planted on more than 9,800 acres of land across the Province, and of the 214 total grape wine wineries licensed in British Columbia, 132 of them are members of the BCWI representing 95% of wines sold.

The Wines of British Columbia website is a fantastic resources for anyone looking to learn about the regions, the varietals, planning a trip to the area, and exploring what B.C. wines are all about. The site is beautiful and expertly put together and organized. Here are some quick facts from the website based ...

If Dave McIntyre’s dog were a French winemaker, “he’d be at home in the Languedoc.” The reason? The region offers “adventurous wines for adventurous palates.” 

“We must learn to transmit the message that drinking wine or beer with dinner, or a cocktail before, is a part of a healthy, adult lifestyle.” W. Blake Gray comments on the proposal to lower the legal drinking limit. 

“Is juice box wine possible — wine pretty much stripped of variety and place of origin?” With Gallo’s Barefoot Impression, we’ll soon see how the market reacts. Mike Veseth, the wine economist, has the details. 

In the Wall Street Journal Asia, an inside look at ASC Fine Wines, “a five-story mansion in Shanghai’s leafy former French Concession area dedicated to wine connoisseurship.” 

The Institute of Masters of Wine has announced three new Masters of Wine. in the US and Australia, including only the fourth-ever double Master. 

On WineSpectator.com, Ben O’Donnell looks at all the millenial winemakers in Bordeaux and wonderfs “where will the next generation” will take the famous region. 

“The grape does indeed appear to thrive in Paso Robles.” The ...