Flickr, martinvarsavsky.

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. It’s non-alcoholic. But it’s clearly designed as a gateway drug.” W. Blake Gray highlights a Slovakian winery that’s “teaching kids to drink.” 

“I’ll just say that I finished the tour amazed, as always, at the variety you can find in wines that seem on paper to be pretty much the same, but aren’t when you taste them.” FirstVine’s Tom Natan heads to the Languedoc and realizes the trip is “A Refresher Course in Why I Like Wine So Much.” 

“I like a sure thing, which is why I like Napa Valley Cabernet nowadays: it’s drop dead gorgeous and sexy from the get-go, and whether or not it will go 20 years is pretty much irrelevant.” Steve Heimoff offers some thoughts on the ageability of California wine. 

In the Wall Street Journal Europe, Will Lyons drinks with David Gower, the former captain of England’s cricket team.

Want to avoid kidney stones? Drink coffee and wine.

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 picnic with no wine is not a picnic.” In the New York Times, Rima Suqi talks wine storage with Mirko Benzo, head sommelier for the Hélène Darroze restaurant at the Connaught in London. 

Jamie Goode offers some quick thoughts on Hedonism Wines, a new wine shop in London. 

“With more than 80 events throughout the three-day culinary extravaganza, the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen can be hard to navigate; luckily, our editors curated a guide to help you eat and drink your way through the blissful weekend.” Forbes offers a fantastic guide to the Food and Wine Classic in Aspen. 

From Wine Enthusiast, a handy map on state wine excise tax rates. 

Adam Carolla has expanded his “Mangria” line of wine beverages.  

From Alice Feiring, an important travel tip.

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 San Luis Obispo covers the surge in Tannat plantings in Paso Robles. 

On BeverageLaw.com, John Hinman explains how a California proposal could shut down a small winery after one sale to an underage drinker. 

“We sell a $40 pinot and $60 bottle of Pinot. We’re selling more of the $60 Pinot. We’re seeing an increase.” The USA Today reports that restaurant sales are increasing. 

“I like a squeeze of lemon juice for a little brightness, and maybe a slice of lemon or orange to dress it up. But purists might consider even those modest additions a little fussy.” In the New York Times, Rosie Schaap explains why the kalimotxo — eual parts red wine and cola — is “wonderfully refreshing.” 

Isaac James Baker tastes through four wines from Linden, one of Virginia’s best wineries.

Yesterday, the finalists in the 2013 Wine Blog Awards were announced – and Terroirist made the list for Best Overall Wine Blog! If you have a chance, we’d be grateful for your vote! Huge congratulations to everyone who made the list! 

“This is such exciting — and yes, eclectic — stuff. These wines have become sommeliers’ darlings and are largely sold to restaurants and mailing-list subscribers.” Wine Review Online’s Linda Murphy attends The 7 Percent Solution. 

“Obviously the USA’s greatest living ampelographical researcher and a former long-term winemaker for Robert Mondavi weren’t going to stuff up their home brew, but even so I was impressed with the freshness, purity and liveliness of the [wines].” Andrew Jefford spends some time with Carole Meredith and Steve Lagier.  

John Atkinson MW convincingly argues that “The 1855 Classification is the Antithesis of the French Concept of Terroir.” 

“While Drouhin makes a large range of affordable wines in its négociant capacity, the wines it makes from its own vineyards are prized by connoisseurs.” In the Wall Street Journal, Jay McInerney profiles the Drouhin family. 

“Of course there’s a Parkerized style… [The] era of Robert Parker has resulted in wines of higher alcohol, greater fruity extract, stronger oak influence, and a sweeter finish.” Steve Heimoff defines “Parkerized.” 

In which Lil Wayne enjoys a 1902 Madeira “carefully, thoughtfully and quickly.” 

In the interest of transparency and full disclosure, the HoseMaster has decided to list “the ingredients and processes that go into each piece.” 

In Bloomberg, John Mariani praises Spainish winemakers for offering “better quality and more attractive pricing” in recent years.

“It is essential to have a cooler and/or insulated bag in your car at all times when you travel.” A good reminder from Richard Auffrey.

Rowdy & Dirty, respectively, who make Mourvèdre from Shake Ridge.

“Sure there are a lot of very well developed vineyards, but what Ann Kraemer and family have accomplished at Shake Ridge Ranch is awesome.” In Appellation America, Roger King writes a wonderful profile of Shake Ridge Ranch.

“For the red wine lover looking to choose a wine that possesses more finesse than power, Volnay on the label offers a good signpost.” In the Wall Street Journal Europe, Will Lyons explains why he so enjoys the wines of Volnay.  

From Alfonso Cevola, “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Valdobbiadene.” 

Over on the blog for Dickenson, Peatman & Fogarty, a Napa-based law firm, John Trinidad writes about the TTB’s new guidelines on social media and alcoholic beverage advertising. 

“Until recently most of the wine grown in the Hautes-Côtes was pretty thin stuff, but this is changing — partly because summers are getting warmer, and partly because of people such as Olivier Jouan… [who] seems even more determined to make great wine than his counterparts downhill on the Côte d’Or.” Jancis Robinson writes about climate change and the wines of the Hautes-Côtes.”  

In the Telegraph, Victoria Moore praises South Africa’s boutique wineries, crediting “a younger generation that appears to have almost boundless energy and ‘a huge confidence in what it’s doing.’” 

From the Huffington Post, “The 10 Most Over-The-Top Wine Cellars That Money Can Buy.” 

“I had no clue what to expect from a skin-contact Vermentino from California so it was with complete curiosity that I poured my first glass.” Aaron Nix-Gomez explores some wines from Ryme and Verse. 

Wine Spectator has just launched its 7th annual video contest. 

Vare Vineyard Ribolla Gialla.

“At events like the 7% Solution, I find myself wondering if there are enough vineyard owners who have the vision and daring to follow in George’s footsteps. People who are willing to take a gamble on unknown grape varieties even though they could get more dollar-per-acre or ton for Cab.” John Trinidad returns to wine blogging with a thoughtful post about “farmers and vineyard owners… the unsung heroes of the ‘new’ California.”

On the blog for Tablas Creek, Robert Haas looks back at a time “When Terroir Was a Dirty Word.”

“I think that my taste is more complicated and more varied to be defined in such a black and white way.” Robert Parker recently sat down with French magazine Terre de Vins. Wine-Searcher has the highlights. 

Elsewhere in Wine-Searcher, Amanda Barnes chats with Uruguayan sommelier Charlie Arturaola, who was named the “Communicator of the Year” at the 2012 International Wine and Spirit Competition. 

“Just be honest with us. That’s all we ask.” W. Blake Gray urges wineries to label alcohol percentage accurately. 

“Researchers are breeding grapes that can survive frigid, cold temperatures and make delicious wine. They’re hoping names like Frontenac and Marquette will role off wine enthusiast’s tongues just the way Cabernet and Merlot do today.” On NPR, David Greene profiles the efforts of a dozen universities that are collaborating on an “extreme winemaking project.” 

From Buzzfeed, “the sleaziest wine commercials ever produced.” Wow. Not quite safe for work. 

In the Wall Street Journal, Lettie Teague investigates corkage fees in New York City. 

Wine & Dine Magazine profiles Leslie Sbrocco. 

Jeff Siegel explains why lowering the legal drinking limit isn’t the best way to solve the drunk-driving problem.  

In Palate Press, Tom Mansell reviews The Science of Sauvignon Blanc, the latest book from wine writer Jamie Goode, Ph.D.  

The TTB has issued guidance on the “Use of Social Media in the Advertising of Alcohol Beverages.” 

Flickr, Wyoming_Jackrabbit.

“Now Bisson and her UC-Davis colleagues are questioning the conventional wisdom that brett is bad. Or at least that all brett is bad.” Dave McIntyre writes a wonderful column on the latest research surrounding brett. 

Alder Yarrow explains why wine tasting isn’t “bullshit.” 

“It can’t go on forever as it has up to now.” Mike Veseth predicts a “Crisis in Argentinean Wine.” 

“There is a powerful effect to throwing out a day’s itinerary and replacing it with a simple curiosity about small towns, their people, and their produce.” In Palate Press, Evan Dawson urges wine travelers to “slow down once in a while.” 

Lily-Elaine Hawk Wakawaka visits Shake Ridge Vineyard. Wow. 

Steve Heimoff defends the tasting note.

In the Portland Press Herald, Joe Appel profiles one of my favorite winemakers, Melanie Pfister. 

In the Wine Spectator, Augustus Weed reports that “Bacchus Capital Management, a private equity firm with six wineries and brands in Oregon and California, is placing a big bet on wine in the Pacific Northwest with two new deals.” 

In the Sacramento Bee, Mike Dunne explains why the Dry Creek Heritage Zinfandel offers “another way to honor California’s long and respected history with the varietal.” 

Aaron Nix-Gomez attends the latest portfolio tasting of Robert Kacher’s wine imports. 

Wine bloggers headed to this year’s North American Wine Bloggers Conference might face some challenges at the border.

Two midwest wine geeks, Marcus and Emily Taplin, are raising money to produce a documentary on wine in Minnesota and Wisconsin. They’ve just launched a kickstarter campaign — check it out!

Not that orange...

“The question, then, of whether so-called Orange wines express terroir, would seem to rest not only in the technique itself, but also in the source of the wines’ fruit.” Lily-Elaine Hawk Wakawaka publishes the fourth installment of her series on skin-fermented whites. It’s an excellent essay.

In Palate Press, Erika Szymanski writes a thoughtful (and geeky) essay exploring whether or not we can actually taste terroir.

“When people are uneasy, they seek validation.” W. Blake Gray writes a passionate (and correct) criticism of the blog post heard round the world, “wine tasting is bullshit.” 

Meanwhile, in Wine-Searcher, W. Blake Gray profiles Jean Bourjade’s “quest to develop a classification system for Beaujolais.” 

The National Transportation Safety Board has recommended that the states reduce the allowable blood-alcohol concentration to 0.05 percent. Sarah Longwell of the American Beverage Institute has called the idea “ludicrous.” I agree. 

Trevor Butterworth writes a brutal takedown of Pennsylvania’s anti-alcohol minions. (H/T: Tom Wark.)  

This could be big. Spanish and Swedish engineers have “devised what they call an ‘electronic nose’ that they say detects fruit odors more effectively than the human sense of smell and could someday be used in the winemaking industry.”  

“Even as Europe remains South Africa’s biggest export destination, with between 60 percent and 70 percent of sales, Vanderspuy said the market on both sides of the Atlantic is changing amid demand for higher-quality wines.” In South Africa, wine exports are predicted to hit a record high this year. 

Steve Heimoff predicts that the “global wine shortage could be good news for struggling wineries.” 

Rupert Murdoch has purchased Moraga Vineyards, a 16-acre estate winery in Los Angeles’ Bel Air area. The asking price? $29.5 million.

Aaron Nix-Gomez shares his tasting notes from MacArthur Beverages’ annual California futures tasting.

From Wikimedia Commons.

A recent week in London provided Jon Bonné with “some upbeat signs about what California can accomplish — and a few stark reminders about how the world has perceived its wines of late.”

“There is no great wine without a great forest.” In the International Herald Tribune, Eric Pfanner writes about an issue that gets wine enthusiasts all worked up — “whether to ferment or age wine in wooden barrels, usually made of oak.” His focus? The wines of Champagne Henri Giraud. 

“There is nothing more fashionable in Australian wine at the moment than what they call ‘alternative varieties.” In the Financial Times, Jancis Robinson writes about the rising popularity of obscure grape varieties in Australia — despite all the work involved in getting “an imported vine cutting through quarantine and into production.” 

It’s self-promotional, to be sure, but Lyle Fass’s latest blog post – which explains how direct-sale importers are changing the game – is worth a read. 

“How much do wineries really make? 6.9% pretax at the 2012 year end. That’s a lot less than dreamy consumers imagine.” Silicon Valley Bank’s Rob McMillan provides some interesting data on the financial performance of the wine business. 

“The clincher: custom-made Semillon T-shirts!!” Stevie Stacionis of Serious Eats covers the apparently epic party known as #Semageddon.  

On Decanter.com, Chris Mercer reports that “Tasmanian officials are heading to Champagne to promote their island as a budding investment opportunity for sparkling wine.”  

In the San Jose Mercury News, Laurie Daniel predicts that the Uruguayan wines will become increasingly popular in the United States. 

In Bloomberg Businessweek, John Mariani names “several Spanish red wines” he plans to “drink through spring and summer.” 

From Bill Ward, “a not-to-do list for wine tastings.” It’s worth sharing with friends who are new to wine. 

“Hard cider sales are showing remarkable growth in the U.S. market.” Shanken News Daily has the details.

Alder Yarrow chats with Charles Banks about his acquisition of Mayacamas Vineyards and the future of Terroir Selections.

Uploaded to flickr by judepics.

“To me, a perfect wine leaves you speechless – at a loss for words as you try to describe the flavors and textures that swirl about the palate. The notepad is set aside, the pen put away as the search for words begins. And they don’t come.” On the blog for J.J. Buckley, Chuck Hayward writes a thoughtful essay on Torbreck’s “The Laird.”

“A decade ago, Finger Lakes wines weren’t discussed a lot outside upstate New York. But now that the wines have received glowing media attention, a book-length treatment, and choice placements on restaurant wine lists, some outsiders are asking, ‘What’s all the fuss about?’” In Wine-Searcher, Tyler Colman discovers the Finger Lakes. 

In the Wall Street Journal, Lettie Teague profiles Barbara Banke, chairman of Jackson Family Wines. 

“Everyone with a big cellar realizes in the end they don’t have enough friends to drink it all with.” The Guardian covers the sale of wine writer Hugh Johnson’s cellar, which goes on the auction block today. 

On Decanter.com, Louis Villard writes about sommelier Rajat Parr and winemaker Sashi Moorman and their plans to launch “Domaine de la Côte” in the Santa Rita Hills AVA of Santa Barbara County.  

In the Wall Street Journal Europe, Will Lyons praises Frances “distinctive Appellation Contrôlée system” for being “an easy-to-digest classification that categorizes wines based on their origin and production.” And he urges Italy to mimic it. Is France’s classification system really easy-to-digest?! 

In Slave to the Grape, Mick Cameron offers the second part of his interview with Boris Champy of Domaine Louis Latour. (In case you missed it, Part 1.) 

Aaron Nix-Gomez writes about “Vintage After Vintage of Moët & Chandon and Krug Champagne.” (As regular readers know, Isaac James Baker covered this event for Terroirist on Thursday.)  

In New York, Julie Ma sits down with Cheryl Durzy, the founder of MommyJuice Wines.