Team C&J
Forbes – Wine Cork Psychology: Packaging Changes Customer Perception
A nice article on Cork vs. Screw cap. If you are interested in the subject, we highly recommend the book To Cork or Not To Cork: Tradition, Romance, Science, and the Battle for the Wine Bottle by George Taber. It seems like it wouldn’t be such an interesting subject, but we found the book fascinating. From the article:
Many consumers, even those who aren’t wine snobs, experience a twinge of doubt when confronted with a screw top. That’s especially true when selecting a bottle to give as a gift. The truth is both screw caps and natural corks can effectively preserve wine, even for extended periods of time.
Decanter – Vandals Target French Wine Estate As Protests Escalate
Some angry French winemakers are at it again. The (Viticultural Action Committee). Has been resorting to vandalism to promote their cause. Not the best tactic in our opinion. From the article:
Last month, growers smashed bottles of Côtes-du-Rhône wine outside Lidl stores in the Rhône valley. They were angry at wines being sold for just €1.69 per bottle, arguing that supermarkets like Lidl are ‘destroying viticulture.’
The following week, growers blocked a motorway near the border with Spain, intercepted lorries containing Spanish wine, and emptied the tanks onto the road.
Union members have also been planning blockades of large distribution centers across the Languedoc-Roussillon region.
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The Wine Enthusiast 100: The Best Wines of 2024
What an interesting and very different list for the Top 100. First of all the #1 is a sparkling wine from Oregon, the Roco 2013 RMS Brut Delayed Disgorgement 10-Year Sparkling, they give it 98 PTS, and at $110, I do hope it is special. The #4 pick is one of our favorite Paso Robles wineries, Epoch Estates. They loved their Epoch 2021 Veracity Red, giving it 99 PTS. At $75, this would be a bargain. The price points on this list are sure to fit every pocketbook. Worth a look.
Harpers – Tim Atkin MW: Can you taste terroir?
Can you taste a wine and tell me where it comes from? Yes, you can—nice article on the subject from Master of Wine Time Atkin. Fun read, and not snobbish in any sense of the word. From the article:
Pedro Parra, the Chilean author of Terroir Footprints, explained his position to me by phone. For someone with a PhD in the subject from one of the best academic institutions in France, he’s surprisingly open-minded. “It’s intellectually complicated but sensorially obvious,” he told me. “Minerality exists but you need to have the tasting experience to identify it. The best machine is your palate.”
And that is what it really boils down to. You just have to taste a lot of wine from different regions. Sounds like fun.
Gundlach Bundschu Winery in Sonoma, CA
Gundlach Bundschu Winery, affectionately known as “Gun Bun,” is a cornerstone of California’s wine making heritage. This historic Sonoma winery has been family-owned for six generations, making it one of the oldest continuously operating wineries in the United States.
Whether you’re exploring the underground wine caves, embarking on the adventurous Pinz Excursion, or simply savoring a glass of their award-winning Gewürztraminer on the patio, every moment at Gundlach Bundschu is unforgettable and why we gave a 5 star rating.
2022 Hartford Court Land’s Edge Vineyards Pinot Noir
This bottle brings together a balance of vibrancy and structure, reflecting both the skill of winemaker Tiaan Lordan and the coastal terroir. Priced at $40, this Pinot Noir offers exceptional value with a Cork and Journey Tasting Panel score of 93 points and a Vivino rating of 4.3. Pick up a bottle and you won’t be disappointed.
Candé Restaurante in Cartagena, Columbia
Candé has been called the best restaurant in Cartagena, and once we stepped through the restaurant’s doors, we understood why. This popular restaurant, whose lively atmosphere reminds us a bit of the restaurant we love in Mexico’s Valle de Guadalupe, serves authentic Colombian food with a large selection of fresh seafood dishes, soups, stews, and grilled meats, and the ambiance is like walking into a well-traveled foodie’s Instagram. In a word, we couldn’t have been happier to sit down and experience everything that this restaurant had to offer.
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