• Travel to Tuscany: The Wine Curmudgeon does not usually plug wine trips, but this one is an exception. It is being led by Portland's Paul Gerald, who is not only a dog-sitter extraordinare, but a top-notch tour guide. The 12-day hiking trip is affordable as these things go, and hits some intriguing and not as well known high spots. Dates are April 27-May 11, 2011. Paul has even posted a video to YouTube.
• Argentine imports pass Chile? There's a great little tussle going on between Chile and Argentina over which country sends more wine to the U.S. Traditionally, this has been Chile, but an Argentine study says that country has passed Chile -- which the Chileans, of course, find humorous. Sniffs one Chilean official, noting that the difference can be traced to in upsurge in malbec sales: "Malbec is a fad." I wonder if something in his comment was lost in translation.
• The Millenial wine palate: Tom Johnson at Louisville Juice has already weighed in on this (he offers a nifty aside to Homer Simpson's favorite band in the process), and questioning whether this is much ado about nothing. But what's worth noting from the story, as confusing as it is, is that while more younger people -- the wine industry's beloved Millenials -- are drinking wine, most of those who tell them what to drink are a bunch of old farts. This is actually something that the industry, which is placing its hopes for continued riches in the Millenials, is going to have to come to grips with. The system of wine advice from on high, which it has nurtured and protected for more than a generation and which the Baby Boomers have adored, is going to be a lot less relevant after all of us die.
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