• Those were the days: The Italian Wine Guy remembers when no one had heard of Santa Margherita pinot grigio. Hard to believe, no? His point, and he makes it well, is that the Italian wine world (and, by extension, all of the others) has changed significantly in the past four decades – sometimes, even more than we realize. Or, as he writes: “Anyone who complains about not being able to get an Italian (or any other) wine of their choice is either lazy, unimaginative or just plain silly. Go down the aisles of a local liquor store, and see the immense selection we have now that we didn’t have in 1977."
• Fooling the wine world: This epic story from New York magazine (more than 4,000 words) is entitled “Chateau Sucker” – which should tell you everything you need to know about the Rudy Kurniawan case. He’s the fellow who has been selling counterfeit wine to the experts for years, and is currently under federal indictment. Most of the big names in the wine business are in the story, and the question it raises is whether they wanted to be fooled – a question that speaks volumes about that part of the wine business.
• Yes, screwcaps are here to stay: In which another wine drinker wonders why they have to put up with those silly screwcaps.Though it does offer one of the best explanations of screwcaps, which the Wine Curmudgeon wishes he had thought of (and will now update and steal). Think of corks as music on CDs. Think of screwcaps as digital music. Doesn’t make the music any worse, does it?
While I agree somewhat about screw caps. I think you used a bad comparison! Digital music such as iTunes on an ipod is in fact inferior to a CD, just ask Neil Young. Of course to what degree, is up to the listener, much like the difference in palettes.
Of course when digital is all you hear, then that is what you know.
I still like to pull a cork on a good bottle of wine and enjoy the convenience of a screw cap for a daily quaff.
Posted by: Michael D | May 22, 2012 at 11:31 AM
Wow.. who knew I'd elicit such comments (plus a couple of emails) with the comparison between screwcaps and digital music.
The controversy over the sound quality of digital reminds me of the old days, when entire magazines were devoted to getting the best sound out of vinyl. And those of us who had record players were more than happy with that, hisses, screeches and all.
Digital sounds good to me compared to that, But what do I know? The Ramones sounded good on vinyl (cranked up to 11, of course).
Posted by: Jeff Siegel | May 25, 2012 at 05:51 AM