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5 Common Wine Drinking Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)
2008-05-09 13:00:00
Whoops.Everyone makes mistakes. In the case of the Dude here, mistake frequency is pretty much daily. Thankfully, almost every mistake is an opportunity to learn.Fortunately for you, the Dude here has made plenty of mistakes when it comes to drinking and appreciating wine. That means that you don't have to make all of those same mistakes, my friend! You can thank me later (preferably with a bottle or two of `82 Mouton...).Anyway - following are Top 5 of the most common mistakes in wine drinking and wine appreciation that I've come across (or made myself) during my life dabbling in the wine biz. Hopefully these help you to avoid the same...The Over-pour. Far and away, the most common mistake that I've seen is over-pouring wine into your wine glass. Believe it or not, being skimpy in this case is not being wimpy - pouring the right amount of wine is what you need to do to allow you to really enjoy the wine in your glass.Filling that glass to the brim is being generous only in the ...

How to Take On a German Wine Label and Survive (WBW #45)
2008-05-07 14:30:00
In this ultra-exciting edition of Tales of the Purple Monkey, Dude and Plumboo face off against a German Wine Label, as part of Wine Blogging Wednesday #45 (this month hosted over at the venerable Winecast.net).AND LIVE TO TELL THE TALE!WARNING: This post contains German words. Proceed with EXTREME CAUTION!!To give you an appreciation of just how dangerous this mission was, we offer an excerpt regarding hunting the German Wine Label (GWL) from noted South African wildlife specialist Clive Walker's Signs of the Wild:"One should always approach a GWL with great caution. They have poor eyesight and hearing, but have a keenly developed sense of smell. GWLs are normally nervous and will not hesitate to attack if they are disturbed, especially when young. When threatened, they will prominently display their Amtliche Prüfungsnummer, and Winzergenossenschaft, if present. GWLs are dangerous if wounded or when continuously pursued, hunted, or annoyed. An experienced wine geek may be able ...

10 Free Wine Web Resources You Probably Aren't Using
2008-05-05 15:00:00
We're all short on cash in these times of recess -er, I mean, economic challenge. So the Dude has compiled a list of his 10 favorite wine resources on the web. All of the FREE. Each one will cost you exactly $0.00 to use. Bumpkis. Nada. Goose-eggs.You can thank me later, by clicking the "Make a Donation" button on the Left and sending me some cash. Oh... uhm... wait a second... never mind...Anyway, chances are that even if you're an experienced wine geek, you probably are not using some of these gems. I've found them to be extremely useful, or helpful in a pinch, and in some cases downright indispensable. Hopefully you'll find them valuable as well (look at it this way - you're almost guaranteed to at least get what you paid for `em!)...Wine Vocabulary: At a loss for words trying to find the right term to describe that wine you're tasting? Not anymore. With this handy aroma/tasting card from Vinography, you'll minimize the guessing and maximize the terminology in your ta ...

So You Want To Get Into the Wine Business? (How to Be a Wine Geek, Part IV: Interview with a Wine Retailer)
2008-05-02 13:00:00
Welcome to the next installment in the "How to Be a Wine Geek" series here at www.1Winedude.com!Many wine lovers have toyed with the idea of one day breaking into the wine biz. That's not just trying to jump into perceived (and relatively false) romantic cache factor of workin' the vineyard and making wine. Some would like to take a different approach to turning their hobby into their livelihood - in a way that doesn't involve the potential to run into farm animals on a daily basis.I thought it would be enlightening to get a view on what it's like to turn wine passion into wine profession. So I asked someone who has done it. Jill Bernheimer, owner of the on-line wine store and blog Domaine547, kindly agreed to give us her thoughts on 'life behind the bottle'.Jill has been featured in Entrepreneur magazine, and has garnered a reputation among the wine blogging community as someone who is not afraid to speak her mind. Another way of putting it, is that she's not afraid to say publi ...

What Makes a Wine Great? Maybe Not What You Think!
2008-04-30 14:00:00
What makes a wine great?I don't mean great as in "pretty tasty, I like it, it's got a nice beat and I can dance to it" great.I mean eye-popping, life-changing, "the heavens opened ancient mythology style" great.That's a tough question, even for those of us in the wine biz, because so few of us have actually tasted a truly great wine.I'm going to tell you what I think makes a wine great. And it's probably not what you think.But before I do that, I need to set the record straight about how I think greatness is judged in the first place...Winemaking is more art than science. If you disagree with me on this one, then I invite you to read my previous post on the subject.If you still disagree with me, then you might want to skip the rest of this article entirely, because the rest of this post will be drawing parallels between winemaking and art. For those of you who couldn't stand art class, I apologize in advance!Personal preference doesn't matter. I don't like pilsner beer. Does that ...

Book Review: Noble Rot (A Bordeaux Wine Revolution)
2008-04-28 14:25:00
Book Review - Noble Rot: A Bordeaux Wine Revolution by William Echikson"...the soil of Yquem is like that of a Stradivarius"- Lur SalucesThe second edition of the on-line Wine Book Club is being hosted by Tim over at the venerable Winecast.net blog. For more information on the WBC, or to jump on in and participate yourself in a book review, check out the official Wine Book Club website and the the Shelfari WBC reader group.This time around, Tim has chosen Noble Rot: A Bordeaux Wine Revolution by William Echikson. The book is not short on accolades, having been a James Beard Foundation Award finalist. Echikson is also no slouch of a writer, having worked for Dow Jones, the Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, and written a handful of other well-received books (on wine and other topics).The Low DownNoble Rot centers (for the most part) on the history (ancient and recent) of Chateau Yquem, the Sauternes-based makers of some of the sweetest, most expensive, and most intoxicating elixirs ...

Pouring Wine for One of The Greats (Guest Post)
2008-04-25 13:30:00
(images: allposters.com, ladv.org, vroma.org)The following is a guest post from Jason Whiteside. Jason was previously a Sommelier & Wine Consultant on the Dutch/French Island of St. Martin, and was the original Wine Director of Cosimo Wine Bar in Malvern, PA. He is part of the Wine Educator staff at ChaddsFord Winery, and holds the Level 3 Advanced Certificate in Wine & Spirits (with Distinction) from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. He is a member of the Society of Wine Educators, holding their Certified Specialist of Wine qualification. Most importantly, he is my partner in crime over at 2WineDudes!Lloyd Flatt’s Last Party On February 22nd, a memorial party was held to celebrate the life of Lloyd Flatt. He was a very successful aerospace designer/consultant, and at one time had one of the largest wine collections in the world. His cellar and his wine buying strategies were the subject of an article in Wine Spectator. The wine parties he hosted were legendary, ...

So You Want To Own Your Own Vineyard? (How to Be a Wine Geek, Part III: Winemaker Interview)
2008-04-23 15:00:00
(images: delawaretoday.com, gophila.com, vinology.com, newdaleville.com)"It is my life's work to identify and bring out colors, smells and flavors that not only typify my region but are also delicious." - Eric Miller, Chaddsford WineryA few months ago, I started a mini-series of posts about how to become a 'wine geek' (see Part I and Part II for more background). This post is the (long overdue) third installment of that series.The ultimate wine geek is probably the winemaker - what budding wine geek hasn't (at least for a minute or two) entertained the thought of growing their own grapes, and making and selling their own wine?I went to the source to get an insight into what it's like to run your own winemaking operation. Following is a short interview with winemaker Eric Miller, proprietor of PA's most celebrated winery, Chaddsford.I asked Eric to reflect on winemaking after celebrating Chaddsford's 25th year. The result is a fascinating look into what it really takes - passion, kno ...

The Masters of the Universe (Guest Post)
2008-04-21 13:15:00
(images: eyesonafrica.ne, shebeenpub.com, news.aunz.yimg.com, experienceholidays.co.uk)Following is guest post from Henré Rossouw. Henré is the social media strategist and blog author of WineCountry.co.za, an umbrella wine, food and lifestyle portal dedicated to the Paarl Wine Region. Paarl’s rich history, quality wines and breathtaking scenery makes it one of the wine landmarks of South Africa.The Masters of the Universe From sunny South Africa, the country that brought you Pinotage, Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom, Oscar winning performances by the monstrous Charlize Theron and talented Gavin Hood, sporting icons such as Gary Player and Ernie Els and now, the US Masters Champion of 2008, Trevor Immelman, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all of Joe’s readers. While Joe and his wife care for the most precious little thing on earth, he has granted me the opportunity to grace you with some wine flavoured news from my country.Of course, very few articles about ...

El Vino Cheapo, Parte Dos
2008-04-18 17:00:00
(image: kyledesigns.wordpress.com)Last week, I posted an article with my Top 10 Budget Wine picks. In the dreamy, sleep-deprived bliss of fatherhood, I totally missed the opportunity to invite you to submit YOUR favorite low-cost wines.Blame it on the magic of having a new baby in the house - the kind of special magic that wakes you at 3AM and keeps you up until 6AM soothing a small, crying human being and saying things like "Aaaaaawwwwwwww.... What's the matter sweet lil' munchkin?"Anyway, let's make up for this gross oversight!Got a great "budget wine" recommendation? Shout it out in the Comments!The criteria:1) You have to think the wine is good2) The wine needs to be widely accessible3) The wine needs to be cheap (ideally under $15 USD, but certainly not more than $20 tops).In other news: My stint in "new baby-land" continues, and so far I am really digging being a dad. To help me out and give me some extra diaper-changing time, there will be more interesting guest posts for you ...

It's Spring - Drink Whatever the Hell You Want!
2008-04-16 14:20:00
(images: Joe Roberts)Ah, Spring.That time when a young man's fancy turns to love.And to thoughts of what wines are best to get that love just a little bit tipsy. Or maybe a lot tipsy, depending on the moral stature of the young man.Although the weather here in the Mid-Atlantic/NE has been a bit unpredictable lately, I know for certain that Spring is finally here. I am sure of it, because I receive regular calls and post mail from Chemlawn asking if I want to participate in their lawn care program (apparently, it's Spring and my lawn looks like crap).I had originally planned to write a nice, conventional little post about Wines for Spring. I was even going to call it "Rite of Spring" (get it?) which sounded cute to me (despite the sacrificial death portrayed in the ballet of the same name).Then the Dark Side took over. Literally...You see, Quite a bit has been written (very well, I might add) already on the subject of lighter wines for lighter-weather times. For example, WineLove ...

Meditation By The Glass: The Mindfulness of Wine Appreciation
2008-04-14 17:00:00
(images: all from Joe's house!)Although I was raised in the shadow of Roman Catholicism, I am not by any stretch of the imagination a religious man.In fact, after attending an Oblate grade school, a Franciscan high school, and a Jesuit university for undergrad, I ended up totally religiously-confused. Not exactly a poster-child for American religious education.Still, despite being (more-or-less) totally religious-averse, I would consider myself a spiritual person. Over the last few years, my wife has introduced me to Zen and Buddhist principles that we have tried to integrate into our lives, with some great results. I don't claim to understand any of the universe's mysteries, but there is no denying (for me, at least) the powerful & moving experiences of communion I've felt when meditating."This small word - witnessing - contains the whole of spirituality." - OshoAnd by "meditating" I don't just mean the familiar image we have of someone sitting on a pillow silently exploring t ...

1WineDude's Top 10 Budget Wine Picks
2008-04-11 15:00:00
(images: piperreport.com, amazon.com, storeappeal.com)It is with much trepidation that I publish this post.Not that I don't enjoy giving wine advice. I love it, acutally.I especially love when people tell me that they truly enjoyed a wine that I recommended to them. When I hear that those wines opened people up to new culinary and epicurean levels of enjoyment, I am one very happy wine dude.It's just that I prefer to give this advice one-on-one, and tailor it to an individual's or business' specific needs. Once I publish this sort of stuff in one way or another, I invariably get flamed from people who feel that I snuffed/ignored/disrespected their favorite budget wine pick.BUT... you folks keep asking me for it, so I'm gonna bite the bullet and go ahead and give you -1WINEDUDE'S TOP 10 BUDGET WINE PICKS...To make the cut, the wine needs to a) have a decent enough amount of production / distribution that most people won't have a difficult time finding it, b) offer a consistent level o ...

3 Things an Infant Can Teach You About Drinking Wine
2008-04-09 15:00:00
(images: firstrung.co.uk, www.2112.net/powerwindows, freelanceswitch.com, ecx.images-amazon.com)In a mere 2 1/2 weeks, my infant daughter has taught me a lot about life - how fragile, strong, miraculous, and "gritty" it can be, sometimes all at once.What I didn't expect is that she would also teach me something about wine appreciation.Now, before you go running for the phone to report me for child abuse, I'm not feeding this kid any vino. The most she gets of that would come from the residual bits in Mrs. Dudette's breast milk.What I'm talking about is watching her eat (er, is it "drink" right now?). It's actually made me reflect a bit on how we (as adults) normally eat and drink in our crazy, not-enough-minutes-in-the-day kind of world.And I can sum it up in three little words...SLOW DOWN, BABY.Actually, you can even shorten it down to two words (SLOW DOWN), for those of you who are really, really busy.My daughter (more or less) waits until she is pretty hungry, makes her "hungry fa ...

5 Reasons Why Smoking Kills Wine Appreciation
2008-04-07 14:30:00
(images: wiskirchengallery.com, farm3.static.flickr.com, smokingkills.com)Guess what?Smoking sucks donkey butt.Hardly a news flash, right?But what you might not know already is that, aside from the fact that smoking kills more people per year than alcohol & drug abuse, homicides, suicides, car accidents, fires, and AIDS-related deaths - combined - it also kills something else near and dear to our hearts.Smoking totally kills your ability to truly appreciate wine.You want to learn to appreciate wine like a pro? Then you'd better quit smoking, pronto...1) Smoking impairs your sense of smell.This is a well-known effect of smoking. Considering that almost all of your ability to taste wine stems from your ability to smell, this makes smoking pretty much the death knell of your wine appreciation pursuits. And it will stay that way until you quit smoking.2) Smoking impairs your sense of taste.According to TheScoopOnSmoking.org, "If you smoke, you won't be able to taste your food as wel ...

Shop Dude! Wine, Accessories, and Tools for Wine Learning Available on 1WineDude.com
2008-04-05 16:00:00
I've been getting some reader feedback that the various items we've got for sale via 1WineDude.com are arranged in a, let's just say, less than optimal fashion.Another way of putting it, is that the current layout is too friggin' confusing! So I'm offering this post to (hopefully) help clear up the confusion.Looking for Wine? Looking for Wine Gifts & Accessories? Looking to up your Wine IQ? Dude's got you covered!1WineDude.com has all manner of items for sale through our Affiliates.Checkout the links below and get yourself all wined-up!...Get WineDomaine547.com is an on-line place without pretensions, where you can drink, learn, & communicate about wine. 1WineDude.com readers get a 5% discount on their wine orders! Just enter the coupon code "dude" during checkout.WineQ.com offers hand-crafted wines sold by small, family-owned wineries in California. You can queue up your wine orders (a-la netflix) and shipping is free for orders over $35.TheWineSpies.com - Every 24 hours ...

Why Kids are Collateral Damage in the War for Your Wine Dollar (and What You Can Do About It)
2008-04-04 15:00:00
(images: tastephx.com, defendamerica.mil, green-talk.com)For those of you plying along at home, I'm a new dad - of only a few remarkable days. As you might imagine, you could change my handle to "1DiaperDude" and it would be an apt description, since I'm far more involved in baby-related activities at the moment than I am in vino sampling.As a new parent, I now find myself asking questions that, in my previous life (BC - Before Children), I would never have considered:This kid is *adorable* - is she actually mine?How much talk about poop is too much talk about poop?Do any criminal sex offenders live in our neighborhood?What's the best way to threaten my daughter's future teenage suitors when they eventually come to the house to take her on a date, without risking incarceration? Display a "wall of weapons"?Because I'm a wine geek, I've also been asking another question:How can I (eventually) introduce my family to responsible wine consumption?As I pondered that last question, I came ...

May I Be Franc With You (WBW #44 - French Cab Franc Review)
2008-04-02 16:00:00
(images: nysaes.cornell.edu, artsci.wustl.edu, merchantwines.com)This edition of Tales of the Purple Monkey has Plumboo and I tasting a French Cabernet Franc, as part of Wine Blogging Wednesday #44. This WBW theme comes to us courtesy of the irrepressible Gary V. over at Wine Library TV.Before Plumboo and I head of to Chinon in France's Loire valley (more on that later) & get tasting, the Dude needs to give you a bit of French Cab Franc background, lest you navigate these waters all-uneducated-like and get burned picking up a bottle of wine that you hate. Similar caution should be exercised whenever tasting any wine with a French label on it - not because French wines suck (they most certainly don't), but because French wine labels (most certainly do) suck.In France, the Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) system guarantees a wine's place of origin. It (roughly) forms the basis of most other similar wine quality systems in many other countries. You may now be asking your ...

Fresh Takes on Organic Wine
2008-03-31 15:00:00
(images: wpsignsystems.com, organic.lovetoknow.com)Those of you who have been following the Dude's blog know that when it comes to organic wines I have been, let's just say, less than kind in the past on the quality and viability of these products.To provide yet another perspective in my ongoing love/hate affair with all things organic. my partner in crime Jason Whiteside has offered up some comments on the organic trends impact for wine consumers.Jason fully acknowledges the marketplace trends towards organic products, even though he is not influenced by it himself per se (according to Jason, "I am not a vegan. Whatever the opposite eating style to vegan is, that is what I am.").Organic-minded consumers should be aware of the hidden dangers in their wine bottles. According to Jason:"Along with the wave of social food consciousness, it is natural to wonder about the wine we drink. Is it organic? Is wine OK for vegans to drink? What do we really know about the contents of any given bot ...

More Moore Wine Reviews
2008-03-28 14:00:00
Well, after nearly two months, I've (finally) finished off my sample case from the fabulous Moore Bros. As for why it took me so long to review these - hey, there's a lot of wine to be had out there!As promised in a previous post, I've recorded my thoughts on each wine in my Wine Mini-Reviews, available on twitter.Below you will find the detail (such as it is on twitter, with its 140 character limit) on each wine. In summary, Mr. McDuff and friends certainly know their stuff; I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the majority of the wines in the sample case, especially when you contrast that with their relatively low price points.My favs? France did well with the Dude this time around, as both of my favorite picks from this batch were French:In the whites, I loved the `06 Touraine Sauvignon La Pointe from Domaine Ricard.Among the reds, the `05 Le Premier Pas Domaine Le Pas de l'Escalette came out on top for me.Read on for the twitter review round-up... 1WineDud ...

How 1+1 Can Equal 3: Making Every Wine Experience Exceptional (Guest Post)
2008-03-26 14:00:00
The following is a guest post from Jason Whiteside. Jason was previously a Sommelier & Wine Consultant on the Dutch/French Island of St. Martin, and was the original Wine Director of Cosimo Wine Bar in Malvern, PA. He is part of the Wine Educator staff at ChaddsFord Winery, and holds the Level 3 Advanced Certificate in Wine & Spirits (with Distinction) from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. He is also a member of the Society of Wine Educators, holding their Certified Specialist of Wine qualification. Most importantly, he is Joe's partner in crime over at 2WineDudes!(images: jupiterimages.com, www.csc.gov.sg) HOW 1+1 CAN EQUAL 3 In my business, I field a lot of questions about wine. The hardest questions to answer are the ones that start like this: “I was in Tuscany on vacation, and we had this incredible bottle of wine. We brought some home, and it doesn’t taste the same. Why is that?” The answer is difficult to explain. Different atmospheric pressures can a ...

A Nose is A Nose is Splendor: Why Winemaking is Still More Art than Science
2008-03-24 14:00:00
(images: weblogs.nrc.nl, gizmag.com.au)The AP reported an interesting tidbit recently in the world of winemaking - interesting enough to be picked up by several other news sources, anyway:Ilja Gort, the flamboyant Dutch owner of Bordeaux's Chateau de la Garde, has insured his insured his nose (and sense of smell) with Lloyd's of London, to the tune of 5 million euro (which my sources calculate to be close to $8 million USD - but by May could be more like $4.7 billion, if the U.S. dollar keeps dipping at its current nasty rate!).Those of you who follow along with this blog even semi-regularly would likely deduce that the Dude here would be planning some blithe and pithy schnoz-related jokes about this topic, make you laugh a bit, and then be on his way.Understandably so!But you'd be way wrong...Sure, it would be a blast to spend a page or two pointing out Gort's insurance policy caveats that prevent him from doing some things that would look totally awesome on a resume (most notably, he ...

2008 American Wine Blog Awards - Get Voting, People!
2008-03-21 15:17:00
Blame it on the full moon, the equinox, or (purple!) monkeys from space... but strange things are afoot...The little dudette is coming a week early! Mrs. Dudette's water broke last night, so new 1WineDude.com content will likely be a bit slow in coming over the next two weeks or so. Never fear, Dude has lined up some interesting stuff and maybe a guest post or two for your enjoyment in the meantime!The 2008 American Wine Blog Award Finalists have been announced, and (as expected) 1WineDude.com, as expected, is not among them; remeber that technically I'm not eligible as a finalist, as I've explained in a previous post. But once again THANK YOU to all those that nominated this here blog anyways! It's still uber-important that you vote, and that your voices be heard. So head on over to the Fermentation Blog and Rock The Vote!If you're not familiar with the finalists and are wondering where your vote should be cast, I've made it more than clear in the past that I consider Alder's ...

In the News: Drinking Can Cut Risk of Heart Disease (+ Other Tidbits)
2008-03-20 12:00:00
(image: healingdaily.com)Mark Fisher, who writes the Uncorked blog at the Dayton Daily News, has posted an interesting piece this week with his thoughts on a recent American Journal of Medicine alcohol study.Mark's thoughts are always worth a read, and this article is no exception (and thanks to him as well for mentioning my previous post on the same overall topic of wine consumption and health).While the study itself highlights the positive effects of alcohol on middle aged baby-boomers, Mark uses the study to point out that the issue of alcohol consumption and health is not a simple one.I.e., trying to binge on wine in your 50s to make up for the booze that you didn't have when you were younger is not gonna help you reap any wine health benefits. That kind of thinking is more likely to fatally turn your liver into a large hunk of scar tissue.The good news is that the liver can recover from short-term damage - it just needs a break from the likes of coffee, medication, and especially ...

How To Navigate Wine on the Web (3 ways to Keep Up With Wine Online & Still Stay Sane)
2008-03-19 16:30:00
(images: epicurious.blogs.com, i.ivillage.com, chungkiddo.blogspot.com)In a recent post on her blog, the venerable Dr. Debs wrote about a recent survey commissioned by Constellation Wine Brands (a big, big conglomerate that own dozens of wineries, including Mondavi). The study concluded that more and more wine consumers are overly confused when it comes to what wine they should buy - enough so that Constellation cited increasing consumption by "Overwhelmed" wine consumers as their (Constellation's, that is!) biggest opportunity.This finding isn't surprising. There are over 7,000 wine brands available to consumers in the U.S. That's a sh*t-load of wine choices, and even the most over-educated wine geeks among us can get overwhelmed (especially if we're trying to understand German wine labels). In fact, it's one of the main reasons that I got "seriously" into wine in the first place - I sat the WSET Intermediate Certificate exam so I'd be better able to buy wine at my local store!Dr. ...

Wine Blogging Wednesday #43 - Wrap-Up
2008-03-13 22:47:00
Hey everyone - the wrap-up of articles for Wine Blogging Wednesday #43 has been posted over at the Wine Life Today blog. Check it out - the wine bloggers involved wrote some great stories and reviews for this WBW.The topic this time around was "comfort wines" and Joel over at WLT has done a great job summing up the submissions. I'm also very humbled by the kind words Joel offered up describing my article. Thanks, Joel!Apparently WBW #44 will be hosted by the venerable Gary V. over at Wine Library TV. God help us! J-E-T-S Jets! Jets! Jets! (just kidding, Gary).Cheers! ...

Announcing "Tales of the Purple Monkey!"
2008-03-12 12:43:00
Inspired in part by El Bloggo Torcido's Take Your Rubber Chicken to Work Day, as well as Jill's plans to introduce a plush toy version of her wine bottle mascot at domaine547 - and, to be more honest, to give myself an excuse to play with my baby daughter's plush toys (hardly fair since I'm raiding them before she's even out of Mrs. Dudette's belly!) - I give you Tales of the Purple Monkey.From this day onwards, Purple Monkey will appear in all full-length post wine reviews here on 1WineDude.com, though it's not yet clear if PM can write the reviews or not. Who knows, I'm always lookin' for guest posts so I may give it a shot, or at least let him screech out his thoughts on the wine and note them after my review.And come to think of it, screeching monkey howls will actually make my goofy reviews appear more professional and traditional in comparison so in the interests of selfishness you gotta admit that one is too good to pass up!Purple Monkey does not yet have a name, so I'm opening ...

PLCB Manifesto (Oh! Glorious PLCB! Defender of Wine Monopolies!)
2008-03-11 00:52:00
(image: deviantart.com & leinz.co.uk - seriously edited by Dude)The follow excerpt is taken from an newly unearthed document, titled "The PLCB Manifesto" found unearthed under an old shed during a septic tank excavation in the outskirts of the PA state capital of Harrisburg. Or maybe not.A spectre is haunting Pennsylvania — the spectre of Monopoly Wine Sales. All the Powers of old PA have entered into a holy alliance to exorcise this spectre: Wine Maker and Consumer, Retailer and Oenophile, Chester Radicals and Philadelphian "grape-spies."Where is the party in opposition that has not been decried as Monopolistic by its opponents in power? Where is the Opposition that has not hurled back the branding reproach of Wine Monopolies, against the more advanced opposition parties, as well as against its reactionary adversaries?The history of all hitherto existing Wine Sales is the history of class struggles.Grape-grower and glass sipper, wine retailer and booze purchaser, vineyard owne ...

Weekly Wine Web Wrap-up: The "Hey, What Happened To Last Week's Edition?" Edition
2008-03-08 18:03:00
(images: toyarchive.com)Alright, alright, alright - so it's been a rough week, and rougher weekend, and Dude ended up totally missing last weeks' edition of W4. Maybe he had one too many brewskis. And maybe made some bad decisions at the bar while jammin' with his band homies.Let's just agree to get over this awkward moment together, and continue with our professional relationship as blogger and reader, OK? Cool.I give you the "Hey, What Happened To Last Week's Edition?" Edition of W4..."When the Dust Has Cleared... And Victory Denied..."When I say it was a rough week, I mean it - especially for our friends who are fighting the good fight against the three tier, monopolistic wine distribution industry. Wine and Liquor Wholesalers poured their big bucks into beating back legislation that would have allowed on-line wine sales in both Tennessee and Maryland. Never mind that both the public and the wineries of those states supported the legislation - what do they know about wine and t ...

WBW #43: Dude's Comfort Wine (or How I Survived My Brother's Heart Surgery)
2008-03-05 12:15:00
For Wine Blogging Wednesday #43 (this round hosted over at the fine WineLifeToday blog), we've been asked to review a "Comfort Wine" - and to explain why, like a good comfort food, this wine evokes some special, relaxing, or good-ol'-down-home feeling for us.First, let's start with my comfort wine. Then I'll lay the story on you - and to give you fair warning, this time the story is a bit intense. But I think it will be worth the read.The wine is Chateau Cabrieres Chateauneuf Du Pape. As always, Dude will provide a bit of history (and then a bit of his story).CDP (as wine geeks like to call Chateauneuf Du Pape) is a region in the Southern Rhone valley of France, it's name means "New House of the Pope" and stems from the 14th century (when Pope Clement V relocated the Holy See to France - a fascinating story in and of itself if you've got time to read it). CDP wines still bear the French papal insignia on their bottles.CDP doesn't so much have soil as it has rock. The vines literal ...

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