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June 22, 2009

First U.S. Krug Room Opens at Restaurant Guy Savoy

Restaurant Guy Savoy at Caesars Palace has recently made itself an even more exclusive dining destination in Las Vegas with the opening of the fourth Krug Room in the world, and the first of its kind in the United States. At the restaurant, guests are led down a sleek hallway to a discreet door, which opens to a private dining room featuring Champagne Krug’s entire product range and a changing seasonal menu.

For the summer, Restaurant Guy Savoy offers a six-course meal, requiring six people minimum and costing $750 per person. Dishes include caviar, crispy sea bass with delicate spices, and artichoke and black truffle soup, all paired to various Krug vintages between 1985 and 1995. The other Krug Rooms are located at The Dorchester (London), Mandarin Oriental (Hong Kong) and Restaurant Tanga (Tokyo), with each location individually styled to give an intimate ambience.

June 8, 2009

Auction Napa Valley Soldiers On

A gloomy economy didn’t diminish the fun at the 2009 Auction Napa Valley, which ran from June 4-7, raising more than $5.7 million for regional healthcare, youth and housing-related charities. The Napa Valley Vintners-sponsored weekend encompassed Friday’s Taste Napa Valley held at Robert Mondavi Winery, where approximately 2,500 visitors bid on 120 barrels of wine futures, yielding nearly $1.1 million. The online E-Auction—live since May 22—brought bidders from as far away as China who competed in real-time with bidders on site. Attendees enjoyed samplings from dozens of wineries, artisanal food purveyors and local restaurants, such as The French Laundry and Bounty Hunter.

On Saturday was the Live Auction and dinner at Meadowood Napa Valley, where acrobats, dancers, winemakers and a live band entertained the event’s 800 guests. The top lot of the night, an offering by Antica Napa Valley-Antinori Family Wine Estate, garnered more than a million dollars. Some of the country's finest chefs prepared the evening’s dishes, including Charlie Trotter (Charlie Trotter's), Dean Fearing (Fearing's) and Joachim Splichal (Patina).

* Image from Napa Valley Vintners

May 26, 2009

Global Population Drinking Less Wine

According to the upcoming 2008 edition of The Global Drinks Market: Impact Databank Review and Forecast, the world’s per-capita wine consumption rate fell for the third consecutive year in 2008 to an average of 3.5 liters, a full liter less than 1990, and is expected to continue to fall over the next several years.

The report, which analyzes trends in the alcoholic beverages industry worldwide, states that wine drinking is at its lowest level in at least 40 years, in part from the global recession and the changing lifestyles of Europeans, who are increasingly opting for juice, bottled water and soft drinks instead of vino. France and Italy, together accounting for 45 percent of global wine consumption in 1980, only accounted for 24 percent in 2008. Likewise, between 1995 and 2008, the European Union’s average consumption fell from 30 liters to 28 liters. Americans drank an average of nine liters per-capita in 2008, contrasting with the French’s 51 liters and Italians’ 44 liters during the same year.

May 11, 2009

Bubbly with Leverage

The traditional party-going danger of rocketing Champagne corks (and artful and cumbersome opening acrobatics) may soon be replaced by a safer alternative: an easy-to-open metallic stopper. The device, called Maestro, was recently unveiled by Alcan Packaging Capsules, and consists of a plastic-gripped aluminum crown cap—similar to those on beer bottles—with an attached lever used to pop the top.

Champagne Duval-Leroy will be the first to use the new seal. The family-owned Champagne house, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, will test market reaction by introducing Maestro on a limited number of bottles of its premium cuvée, the 2004 Clos des Bouveries. According to Alcan, the stopper is safe, provides no risk of cork taint and, perhaps most satisfyingly, preserves the usual popping sound when opened. Maestro is the result of a €1 million investment and three years of research and development.

* Image from Champagne Duval-Leroy

April 27, 2009

Lunar Libations

Astrologers may not be the only ones convinced that the Moon’s influence goes beyond the tides. Two of Britain’s largest supermarket chains, Tesco and Marks & Spencer, recently revealed that they schedule their wine tastings for the days rated most favorable according to a lunar-based biodynamic calendar, which has been published for the last half century by a German named Maria Thun.

Her calendar, subscribing to the idea that liquids respond to the rhythms of Earth’s largest satellite, divides the days of the year into fruit, flower, leaf, root and unfavorable categories, with the days being ordered from best for drinking wine to the worst. According to the The Scotsman, Tesco has already been arranging its tastings this way for two years. Skeptics point out that a drinker's mood and other factors, such as atmospheric pressure, are a more likely explanation for the differences in a wine’s day-to-day expression.

April 13, 2009

An Elixir for Every Budget

For people with the means, this recession is yielding real bargains as an increasing number of companies cut special deals to generate sales. Now even spirit enthusiasts with a longing to try some of the world’s most expensive Cognacs can catch a break.

Prestigious Cognac house Rémy Martin recently announced that for 2009, it will be offering “The Perfect Pour,” a program at 550 select bars, restaurants and hotels nationwide where customers can purchase servings of either the Louis XIII or the Louis XIII Black Pearl Magnum in three different sizes. Bottles of the Louis XIII (750 ml) and Louis XIII Black Pearl Magnum (1.75 L) cost $1,800 and $32,000 respectively. However, through the program, a taste of Louis XIII will sell for $50 a half-ounce, $100 for an ounce, and $200 for two ounces; the Louis XIII Black Pearl Magnum will sell at the same size increments for $750, $1,500 and $3,000.

Read more about The Perfect Pour.

March 30, 2009

The Zion Curtain Falls

In a bid to boost its $6 billion tourism industry, Utah lawmakers recently passed a bill to revise the state’s liquor laws for the first time in 40 years. The changes, expected to be signed into law by Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., will do away with Utah’s unusual private-club system, which defines bars as private clubs and requires bar patrons to fill out an application as well as pay the establishment an annual membership fee before purchasing alcoholic beverages. Under the current set-up, bartenders also have to serve drinks from behind a glass barrier nicknamed a “Zion curtain,” a reference to the state’s teetotaling Mormon heritage.

While the bill simplifies the process of buying drinks, it does come with a few stipulations, including the required scanning of IDs for people who appear younger than 35 years old, stricter DUI laws, and obliging bartenders at new restaurants to mix drinks out of the view of children. The changes would go into effect on May 12 for restaurants and July 1 for bars.

March 16, 2009

U.S. Wine Exports Exceed $1 Billion

The world’s economy may have taken a nosedive in 2008, but U.S. wine exports kept growing, breaking the $1 billion mark for the first time ever. According to The Wine Institute, a San Francisco-based public advocacy association of California wineries, American vino generated a total of $1,008,259,000 in winery export revenues in 2008, a six percent jump from 2007’s total of $954,512,000.

The 2008 numbers come after a steady increase of wine exports over the last fifteen years; in 1994, exports brought in $196 million. From 2007 to 2008, volume shipments increased by eight percent to nearly 130 million gallons of wine (55 million cases). California made up 90 percent of 2008's U.S. wine exports by volume. Approximately half of U.S. wines shipped abroad went to the European Union, earning winemakers $486 million. The next leading markets were Canada ($260 million), Japan ($61 million), Hong Kong ($26 million), Mexico ($23 million) and China ($22 million).

March 2, 2009

Toast Your Stock Market Losses

Crushpad, a San Francisco-based winery that helps people create custom premium wines, is offering its own stimulus package to combat the gloomy economic forecast. The company is selling futures on its 2007 Bailout, a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that will be discounted according to the Dow Jones Industrial Average’s performance.

Buyers can reserve a bottle of the wine for $39, and for every 100 points that the Dow loses between the purchase date and August 14, 2009, when the wine is bottled, Crushpad will refund the customer $2 (to a minimum total price of $9). Don't worry, though, you won't pay any more than the original $39 if the stock markets actually increase in value. Everyone who buys the Bailout will be entitled to either participate in or watch the wine’s springtime blending session, which will consist of combining various amounts of 2007 vintage Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec.

* Image from www.bailoutwine.com

February 16, 2009

California's Wine Grape Production Shrinks

According to a preliminary report from the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the Golden State’s 2008 wine grape crop was 3.05 million tons, a six percent drop from 2007’s total. Red varietal yields, accounting for the largest share of the total grapes crushed, fell by nine percent. This decline was owed in part to the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot crops, which decreased by 24 percent (85 million bottles) and 26 percent (66 million bottles) respectively. Pinot Noir, however, proved to be an exception with its yields increasing by 17 percent (13.1 million bottles).

Overall, white wine grapes fared better, marked by an only two percent decline. While Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc production took a dive, Pinot Grigio production actually increased by 14 percent (9 million bottles). Turrentine Brokerage, a wine grape firm, stated that while the grape crop shrank, wine sales continued to grow, particularly for those costing less than ten dollars.

February 2, 2009

Alcohol May Help Bedroom Performance

Good news for men set on sharing a bottle of romantic wine with their partners on Valentine’s Day: alcohol’s reputation for hampering male sexual performance may be undeserved. According to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Western Australia, men who regularly drink experience erectile dysfunction less often than do those who abstain from alcohol.

In the study, which surveyed more than 1,700 West Australian males, men who consumed between one and twenty standard drinks a week showed the best results, with an up to 30 percent less likely risk of long-term erectile dysfunction than non-drinkers. The study, recently published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, accounted for typical impotence risk factors such as age, smoking and heart disease.

Read about our Top 10 Valentine's Day Wines.

January 20, 2009

Cheers, Mr. President!

The wines served at today’s historic luncheon, celebrating Barack Obama’s presidential inauguration, were all from California. Alongside the first course comprised of a seafood stew, President Obama and guests enjoyed a 2007 Sauvignon Blanc from Napa Valley. The second course, a brace of American birds (pheasant and duck), served with a sour cherry chutney and molasses sweet potatoes was accompanied by a Goldeneye, 2005 Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley. Finally, the dessert course, an apple cinnamon sponge cake and sweet cream glacé, was washed down with a glass of Korbel Natural Special Inaugural Cuvée. A bipartisan committee, chaired by California Senator Dianne Feinstein, selected the food and the wines.

January 19, 2009

Super Bowl Wine Pack

Soda and beer need not be the only beverage choices available at this Super Bowl Sunday’s get-together. A Taste of Monterey—a regional wine shop, tasting room and visitor’s center—is offering football fans a special party pack featuring a dozen Monterey County wines.

Pairing well with grilled meat, chips and guacamole, the pack’s selections include Carmichael Grigio e Bianco, Faun Sauvignon Blanc, Line Shack Chardonnay, La Rochelle Chardonnay, Faun Chardonnay, Arroyo Del Sol Pinot Noir, Baywood Pinot Noir, Mission Trail La Mesa Seca Merlot, Desolation Flats Rustlers' Red, Pot Belly Charlotte's Red, Shale Ridge Merlot and Ventana Rubystone. The wine combo costs $129 for non-wine club members (discounted from its regular combined value of $239). Cheers to an informal wine tasting while watching the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals pummel each other in Tampa Bay, Florida.

Read more on Super Bowl XLIII.

* Image from www.tastemonterey.com

January 5, 2009

Wine Boosts Omega-3 Levels

Enjoy a literal toast to your cardiovascular health. A study published in the January 2009 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found a correlation between moderate wine drinking and elevated levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the blood. These fatty acids are typically found in oily fish such as tuna or salmon, and cannot be produced by the body alone.

Researchers led by Dr. Romina di Giuseppe of Catholic University in Campobasso, Italy, discovered that the body can, however, create omega-3 from ordinary vegetable oils with the help of alcohol. The study examined the dietary habits and alcohol consumption of 1,604 adults (between the ages of 26 and 65) in England, Belgium and Italy, and found that people who drank one to two servings of alcohol—particularly wine—had increased levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their body compared to non-drinkers, despite comparable seafood consumption.

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