Tuesday tidbits 52: Wine scores, Beaujolais nouveau, red wine popularity

• Wine score uproar:  Steve Heimoff, a major U.S. wine writer, has lashed out at those of us who don’t like scores. “Just once, I’d like to meet someone who bashes wine magazines and doesn’t seem to have an ulterior motive — making money. Hasn’t happened yet.” Mr. Heimoff, give me a call. I’ll be happy to introduce myself and explain why scores are the wrong way to review wine. And no, I don’t make any money by saying that. In fact, it probably costs me money. But no one ever accused the Wine Curmudgeon of being a good businessman.

• Beaujolais nouveau: The 2008 edition will be released on Nov. 20 (that’s a week from tomorrow), and I’ll have a review here on Nov. 21 (no scores, of course). I don’t have high hopes for this vintage, mostly because the past several have been quite ordinary. But, as I always tell my wine students, drink the wine before you criticize it. It generally works better that way.

• More red wine? We likely drank more red wine than white in 2008, the first time that has happened in 32 years, according to a study from Impact Databank, which tracks wine sales. Among the projected big sellers? Pinot noir, expected to advance 12 percent; chardonnay, which should remain the most popular white wine; pinot grigio, which should increase 7 percent; and sauvignon blanc and riesling, where imports will rise at double-digit rates. The study attributes this change to two things – the decline in sweet pink wine sales and red wine’s supposed health benefits.

Technorati Tags: wine scores,Beaujolais nouveau,red wine sales,wine news,Steve Heimoff

Comments

[tish]

Nice post, Curmy. Does the Bojo Nuvo taste like pure carbon if you drink it hours after it hits the tarmac at DFW airport?

I am actually looking forward to trying the Boisset-import Nouveau in PET bottle.

[Jeff Siegel]

Mostly we get the Deboeuf here, which tastes like fruity soap more than anything else when it's not right. The retailers I have talked said it's too expensive and too much trouble to bring in any other BN. Almost no one buys it except me, and I'm not going to do it if it costs $15 or more.