Craig Camp

Shoddy examples of mass-volume wines have done no end of damage to Italy's image in Britain. So much so that several Italian-born sommeliers, chefs and former City traders have been inspired to set up small businesses to import better examples. Their strength is their ability to track down the kind of obscure, regional gems that rarely, if ever, appear on supermarket shelves.

How can Rolly Gassmann NOT be on the Tastings list?????

Marc Kreydenweiss, Bott Freres, Bott-Geyl, Albert Mann, Domaine Ostertag, Schoffit, Kuentz-Bas, Jerome Geschickt, Rene Mure...among others There is a lot of good wine in Alsace.

Grapes - the wine company in Rye, NY lists the 2001 Oreno at $56.99 Abalat in Petaluma CA lists a pre-sale on it at $52.50 with mags for $105.50 I can't find any Canadian listings on the 2001 yet.

I checked quite a few prices on Wine Searcher.com and those were the numbers I generally found. Have you been seeing higher prices?

The Ontario wine industry is using the latest in technology and scientific research to enhance, protect and advance the business of winemaking.

One of the most intriguing wine industry trials in years could offer a rare glimpse into the inner sanctum of some of the more veiled principals of Napa Valley wine.

PRIESTS in New Zealand, hit by a binge drinker's tax, have been forced to switch to a low alcohol wine in church services, and they complain it does not last long enough.

France's winemakers will hold emergency talks with the prime minister, Jean-Pierre Raffarin, tomorrow to demand urgent government action amid warnings that the country's most emblematic industry is plunging into crisis.

Click here for Raccolta: 2001 Tenuta Sette Ponti Oreno

This is the question isn't it. What the hell do you eat with those big, oaky, alcoholic, semi-dry, full-blown malolactic California chardonnay wines? It's easier on the palate to have a second Cognac than a second glass of one of these. The strange part about these California (Australia, Sicily, etc.) malolactic chardonnays is that then they have to ADD acid back in to get any kind of balance in the wine.

Retailers don't ALWAYS pay lower prices than restaurants. Certainly giant retailers and chains get maximum discounts on major brands because of quantity purchasing, but small independent wine shops and restaurants pay the same price. It is also worth noting that very high profile restaurants (like Citronelle Mark) get special discounts because the distributors are dying to have their wines sold there for several reasons: 1. Mark you and people like you sell a LOT of wine for the number of customers you serve. A high profile restaurant sells more of certain categories of wine than all but the largest wine shops. I am sure we could find a quite a few wines that you sell more of than anyone else does in your market. 2. The distributors suppliers beat the crap out of them to be sure their wines are sold in the best restaurants so they make price concessions just to make placements. Every month the distributor has to send the supplier a depletion report showing where their wines are sold and you can bet they are always looking for your name. Both the producers and distributors consider placements in high-profile restaurants to have a "billboard" effect that helps promote their brands. 3. Especially in California many wine producers consider the retail business somehow dirty as compared to the elegance of a fine dining restaurant. Let's face it - do winery owners enjoy their time more visiting MacArthurs or Citronelle. This anti-retail prejudice has led many wine producers demand that distributors sell over 50% of their wines to restaurants. This demand forces distributors to offer good prices to restaurants to be able to accomplish this requirement.

from the article:

New York diners may soon get to bring home more than just a receipt and a stomach full of food at the end of their meals. If a newly proposed bill is approved, they will also be able to bring home any unfinished wine.

Schiopetto has cut its overall portfolio almost by half, from 17 wines down to eight. The winery exports only its whites to the United States, so American consumers soon will find only six Schiopetto wines from the 2002 vintage, compared with eight from 2001.

Chardonnay comes in a remarkable range of styles, although most wine lovers -- at least those who enjoy the California version -- are familiar with it at or near the wine's headiest incarnation. The stylistic norm for California's Chardonnays dazzles by pulling out most of the stops at the winery, enabling the consumer to revel in the power and deep basso profundo of rich, buttery flavors, opulent fruit, heavy oak influence and a suggestion of sweetness on the finish. It's much like tuning the sound system to full bass and maxing up the volume.

Feudi di San Gregorio, one of the largest wine producers in the southern Italian region of Campania, is working on an Italian sparkling rosé with Anselme Selosse, owner of the small, family-run Champagne house Jacques Selosse. The bubbly will be made using three varieties native to Campania, primarily the white grapes Greco and Falanghina, with a small percentage of Aglianico, a red variety.

Viticulturists say it can be controlled, but only through heavy and regular applications of potent insecticides. That will prove a major problem in Napa and Sonoma counties, where increasing numbers of growers are switching to organic methods in a bid to maximize the value of their crops.

Only weeks after he stepped down as chairman of the family's worldwide wine empire, Michael Mondavi announced his intent Friday to take a six-month sabbatical leave from the Robert Mondavi Corporation.

As part of our review of the state of the US wine industry, Wine Business Monthly compiled its first annual ranking of the top 30 wine companies by US case sales. These wine companies represent more than 90 percent of the US wine market. In exclusive interviews with WBM, the leaders of these wine companies explained where their companies are heading, how they plan to get there and the challenges they face today. As the market leaders, they wield enormous influence so what they have to say is instructive. We've summarized the key points below.

As there are many professional wine buyers that both lurk and post on eGullet it would be helpful if we could post the names (and market) of excellent small distributors here so that serious buyers can better find them. Also for those not familiar with the three tier system of distribution you can read Wine Camp: Salmon and Merlot which outlines how the system works - or perhaps "doesn't work" is a better phrase.

1. Campari in all its forms. My favorite - shakerato. 2. Prosecco with a generous dollop of Aperol.

Michael made this post on another thread, but it is so outstanding I felt it deserved its own star billing on its very own thread - bravo Michael:

Click below for Wine Camp: The Wine Chain - Enological Darwinism and the birth of a new species Be sure to check The The Daily Gullet Home Page daily for new articles (most every weekday), hot topics, site announcements, and more.

IMHO this is more than enough of a reason ot open it! Open first - ask questions later. ...also the perfect situation - more for you.