Sauvignon Blanc

Fiona Sims reports Last year wasn't a good one for wine. Not the harvest, you understand, but selling wine. Rampant discounting on the high street in 2009 made it even tougher for those in the on-trade to make their margins in the worst recession in decades, and the Government didn't help much on the duty front. We're drinking less in restaurants, and we're drinking cheaper - and average spends aren't likely to creep up in 2010 with an election looming, and exchange rates continuing to fluctuate. But with a few savvy moves and a dollop of enthusiasm you can cushion and even boost your wine offering. We asked industry wine experts to share their predictions and tips for the year ahead.

People are still very cautious and price-conscious, so this year will be about sourcing little parcels of wine at all price points. The industry needs to look at regions and varietals that are less well known, as they tend to offer better value for money.

I think people will be going back to the old school, with the classic regions seeing a revival - for us that is Bordeaux and Burgundy. And I expect we will see some wacky blends coming through this year that will push the boundaries.

Full Story: How will wine flow in 2010? - CatererSearch

Oz Clarke acknowledges that the New Zealand wine industry has taken steps to make sure the massive production of sauvignon in 2008 doesn't happen again.

But companies that export sauvignon blanc really have to watch their step in the next year or two, he says, adding that it's important they stick to producing sauvignon with bright fresh green flavours - which is what the British consumer loves.

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Full Story: Sauvignon exporters still on thin ice - expert - Radio New Zealand

jamessanford   Pity the poor copy editor who let this one slip by: If you casually glanced at t...

Nearly four decades ago the Trinchero family, proprietors of Sutter Home Winery, revolutionized the mass-market, entry-level wine business with the introduction of White Zinfandel, that omnipresent “pretty in pink,” easy-drinking, slightly sweet, wine made from the free-run juice of the red Zinfandel grape.

In recent years Trinchero Family Estates has expanded to include wines from several labels targeted at more sophisticated palates. Last week, the Greater Lansing Vintner’s Club had an opportunity to sample several of these more limited production wines. All prices are recent shelf prices at Goodrich’s on Trowbridge.

Full Story: A taste of Trinchero - City Pulse

Full Story: Star winemaker celebrates 30 years in Sonoma - Toronto Sun

After the wine panel tasting of Oregon pinot gris, however, we were left not so much with questions of identity. Our questions were about quality. In a column in 2007, I called Oregon pinot gris an excellent value .

It remains relatively inexpensive, and the wines we liked were indeed good values. But we did not like as many of the wines as we would have wished.

For more details, please read the column. One of the questions I was left with after the tasting, though, is what we should demand from moderately priced wines.

Full Story: What Should $20 Get You? - New York Times (blog)