Michael Pinkus Wine Review - On the Road with the Grape Guy

Report from - California Wine Fair 2011 ... April 4, 2011

29 May 2011

Details: Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy

Lots of glad-handing and back-slapping on this day … the LCBO thanked California wines for making them so much money … California wines thanked the LCBO for making them a lot of money … and it was quite a different lunch time keynote than I expected. In past years it has been a winemaker or winery owner with vision or insight (or both) speaking about the past, the present and/or the future of the California wine industry. Instead, today’s lunch featured Lindsey Gallagher (Director of International Marketing) who told us what is to come in the marketing of California wines as the Californians strive for world domination (when it comes to wine anyway); instead of just being satisfied with their number one status in the LCBO’s Vintages section (first time ever that France has not been top of the pops). I found this year’s lunch and speech disappointing, but the wines I tried more than made up for the mediocre lunch and sis-boom-bah rah-rah-rah-Cali.Forn.Ia talk.

With well over 450 wines in the room there was no way to try everything, but I tried something from each table (or so I though) and here are my findings, listed alphabetically by winery (with selected notes) …
(Click thru to see the list of preferred wines - of the ones I got to taste)

To read about more interesting adventures thru the world of wine check out the On the Road With the Grape Guy blog.

Report from - The Green Living Show, Bio Vino Expo ... April 15, 2011

29 May 2011

Details: Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy

The Green Living Show was not all about wine, it's about living life without leaving a big carbon footprint behind, it's about sustainability, bio-dynamics, organics, living lightly on the land, living off the land, giving back to the land ... oh heck, for me it was about the wine ... there weren't as many on display for tasting as there were last year and that's probably best because last year got a little over-whelming; this time out there was a nice manageable number of wines - and some really good ones, many garnering 3 1/2 stars or higher ... here were my top international Bio Wine selections: (find out the Top Ten Bio wines and some great beers for summer - click here)

To read about more interesting adventures thru the world of wine check out the On the Road With the Grape Guy blog.