Bordeaux 2012: Full Decanter ratings
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Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Digital future for Wine Sales according to I.Robot: Max le Sommelier
Digital future for wine sales: Vinexpo
I, Robot: Max le Sommelier
Digital technology is driving a sea change in the way retailers engage with wine drinkers, said the Chief Operating Officer of research group Wine Intelligence, Richard Halstead.
Speaking at a briefing hosted by trade show Vinexpo, Halstead highlighted several techniques already being used by retailers around the world.
These include 'Max le Sommelier', who is navigating shoppers through mind-boggling wine aisles in French hypermarkets, and an initiative in Total Wine & More stores in the US, which allows drinkers to tweet live with a winemaker and view live link-ups to vineyards on screens.
Mobile phone apps and social media are also set to become much bigger tools for helping wine drinkers to decipher which bottle to pick.
'The internet is allowing consumers to access wine in an unprecedented way,' Halstead said. However, he also warned of the danger of 'information overload'.
In terms of actual online sales, China has the biggest number of drinkers who buy at least some of their wine via the internet, currently at 27%, according to Wine Intelligence data. This is set to hit 47% by 2020.
In comparison, by the same year, the UK will have 26% of wine drinkers buying online, while France is only expected to have 8%.
More generally, the briefing highlighted a trend away from drinking wine in bars, pubs and restaurants in several countries, including the UK, US and France.
The off-trade, which includes the internet, supermarkets, hypermarkets and specialist shops, already accounts for 60% of world wine sales.
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Thursday, April 11, 2013
LIPARITA and HOOPES VINEYARD are 'RARE' Wine Bargains from Napa Valley by Philip S.Kampe
In this day and age of ‘Price’, a real wine bargain from Napa Valley, Oakville, to be exact, has come to my attention.
Imported by Sherbrooke Cellars and sold online at: www.liparita.com and www.hoopesvineyard.com , the Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009, in this case is an outstanding wine that has not found the high price tag that dominates the industry.
At $55/$65 a bottle, both companies bring the consumer a wine that is both memorable and pleasing to both the palate and the pocketbook.
Winemaker Jason Fisher and partner John Healy explained to
me that wine owner, Spencer Hoopes, is not after what other Napa companies have done, that being, pulling
a high price from a hat and selling their wines at that random price point.
What we do, John explained, is to sell over-achieving cult wine at give-away price points.
What we do, John explained, is to sell over-achieving cult wine at give-away price points.
Yes, the wines have a past history. Liparita is known as a ‘ghost wine’, having disappeared
during prohibition. Spencer Hoopes saved the hundred year old vineyard and
winemaker, Jason Fisher, has started producing outrageous Cabernet Sauvignon on
the land, which is named after a volcanic archipelago off the coast of Sicily.
Spencer Hoopes says ‘When I came across Liparita in 2006, the brand was in disrepair. To reintroduce the brand, we wanted to take it back to its original roots at the ghost winery. We, also, wanted to use the original label. The latter’s original label in 1900 proclaimed, “Pure California Wine”. Today, under Spencer Hoopes, Liparita’s label declares, “Pure Napa Valley Wine”.
Both Liparita and the Hoopes Vineyard are labors of love. The passion for the land and the environment is the key to success. Winemaking for winemaking dominates versus winemaking for dollars, often a Napa problem.
The back label on the Hoopes 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon says it all:
’Our label is simple and light-hearted, but, our Cabernet is serious, complex, and earthy. The ‘Earth’ is our ten acre family vineyard in Napa Valley’s Oakville Appellation, surely one of the world’s most prized areas for growing Cabernet Sauvignon. Our very limited yields result in superb aromatics, strikingly rich and brilliant flavors with full soft tannins. Let us know if our wine pleased you’.
As you can see, the philosophy of the vineyard is to please the customer with a wine that wants to be seamless, complex and balanced without harsh tannins. Basically, their commitment is to make extraordinary wines at reasonable prices.
Spencer Hoopes says ‘When I came across Liparita in 2006, the brand was in disrepair. To reintroduce the brand, we wanted to take it back to its original roots at the ghost winery. We, also, wanted to use the original label. The latter’s original label in 1900 proclaimed, “Pure California Wine”. Today, under Spencer Hoopes, Liparita’s label declares, “Pure Napa Valley Wine”.
Both Liparita and the Hoopes Vineyard are labors of love. The passion for the land and the environment is the key to success. Winemaking for winemaking dominates versus winemaking for dollars, often a Napa problem.
The back label on the Hoopes 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon says it all:
’Our label is simple and light-hearted, but, our Cabernet is serious, complex, and earthy. The ‘Earth’ is our ten acre family vineyard in Napa Valley’s Oakville Appellation, surely one of the world’s most prized areas for growing Cabernet Sauvignon. Our very limited yields result in superb aromatics, strikingly rich and brilliant flavors with full soft tannins. Let us know if our wine pleased you’.
As you can see, the philosophy of the vineyard is to please the customer with a wine that wants to be seamless, complex and balanced without harsh tannins. Basically, their commitment is to make extraordinary wines at reasonable prices.
The 2009 Liparita Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon is a very
aromatic wine that focuses on dark berries, especially blackberries and
blueberries on the nose. My palate was dominated with upfront spice mixed with
white pepper and fig. The long, lingering finish reaped of vanilla overtones
followed by a licorice toffee finish. This wine was very pleasant on the palate
and grew in flavor from glass to glass.
The 2009 Hoopes Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is an outstanding wine that has a strong cherry and dark chocolate nose followed by a balanced, tannin free palate of tobacco and spice. The wine is a classic cabernet style wine that reaches heights of balance and finesse with each sip.
The 2009 Hoopes Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is an outstanding wine that has a strong cherry and dark chocolate nose followed by a balanced, tannin free palate of tobacco and spice. The wine is a classic cabernet style wine that reaches heights of balance and finesse with each sip.
Both wines are made in Limited quantities.
View their website for other wines that both Liparita and Hoopes Vineyard produces.
I believe, all wines from Liparita and Hoopes Vineyard are of ‘Superior Quality at Fair Market Prices’.
View their website for other wines that both Liparita and Hoopes Vineyard produces.
I believe, all wines from Liparita and Hoopes Vineyard are of ‘Superior Quality at Fair Market Prices’.
PHILIP S. KAMPE
Monday, April 8, 2013
2012 Wine Sales in U.S. Reach NEW RECORD by Philip S. Kampe and the Wine Institute
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Thursday, April 4, 2013
Lights out!! De Martino Estate Organic Wines Rock!! by Philip S. Kampe
Who would expect that the anticipation of a wonderful
evening of ‘online wine tasting’ would end up as an evening of drinking four
bottles of Chilean De Martino wine by flashlight?
Well, here is the story.
The apartment we rent in New Jersey is in a large building (35
floors). We have a large balcony and a skyline view of Manhattan and the George Washington bridge.
We are adjacent to the Hudson river, opposite 90th street.
We entertain often. I am from New Orleans and cook relatively well. My wife’s family is from the Isle of Capri and Genoa. Her family is in the restaurant business. She knows her way around the kitchen.
We are adjacent to the Hudson river, opposite 90th street.
We entertain often. I am from New Orleans and cook relatively well. My wife’s family is from the Isle of Capri and Genoa. Her family is in the restaurant business. She knows her way around the kitchen.
On this evening, we invited four friends (two couples) to
help us evaluate wines from Chile.
I have the good fortune of writing about wines and am often sent wines to
review.
On occasion, winemakers share their wines, online, with
selected individuals.
For this evening, I was one.
For this evening, I was one.
In the Mardi Gras spirit, at eight at night, SNOOTH www.snooth.com Editor-in-chief, Gregory Del
Piaz, would conduct an online interview with De Martino winemaker, Marcelo
Retamal www.demartino.com
The electronic age made it simple: Gregory was in New York and Marcelo was in Chile.
The electronic age made it simple: Gregory was in New York and Marcelo was in Chile.
Four wines from the De Martino Estate were selected for the
tasting.
Three reds: Carmenere, Cabernet Sauvignon and a Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon blend, plus one white, a Sauvignon Blanc. All wines are organic.
I decanted the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Malbec/Cab blend several hours before the guests arrived.
Our guests arrived at seven-thirty, half an hour before the online tasting.
My online job was to comment on the wines, online, with the other participants and question Marcelo, specifically, about the wines we were tasting together.
Three reds: Carmenere, Cabernet Sauvignon and a Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon blend, plus one white, a Sauvignon Blanc. All wines are organic.
I decanted the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Malbec/Cab blend several hours before the guests arrived.
Our guests arrived at seven-thirty, half an hour before the online tasting.
My online job was to comment on the wines, online, with the other participants and question Marcelo, specifically, about the wines we were tasting together.
The concept is great: Send wine samples to a group of
semi-influential media types, cook or buy food that pairs with the wines and
discuss the results, online, while watching Gregory interview, often with the
aid of our questions, De Martino winemaker Marcelo Retamal.
I explained the format to our guests and opened a bottle of Cava Paul Cheneau (demi sec) to whet our palates and discuss the wine, in regard to appearance, aromatics and flavor on the palate. We discussed what food we would pair the Cava with and so on. It was an easy exercise to start the festivities off.
I explained the format to our guests and opened a bottle of Cava Paul Cheneau (demi sec) to whet our palates and discuss the wine, in regard to appearance, aromatics and flavor on the palate. We discussed what food we would pair the Cava with and so on. It was an easy exercise to start the festivities off.
Shortly, the ‘De Martino Virtual Wine Tasting Experience’
would begin.
Eight o’clock was ten minutes away and we were all excited,
Suddenly, the lights go off, the hallway alarm blasts loud notes every five seconds and uncertainty fills the air.
We are in the dark, but, not panicked at all. We knew we had four bottles of De Martino wine to drink by moonlight, worst case scenerio.
The moonlight was romantic, but, the alarm kept blasting away. Eventually the sound became background music, while we were sampling the first wine, the 2012 Estate Sauvignon Blanc ($12) from the Maipo Valley in Chile. Our palates burst with lemon, grapefruit and melon. A crisp, juicy, ripe, fresh, balanced acidity took over and led our band of six wine tasters into euphoria. I found oysters on the half shell in the fridge thanks to my I-phones flashlight. We thought it was the perfect pairing with an outrageous wine that showed its grassy nose and crisp, delicious flavor.
Eight o’clock was ten minutes away and we were all excited,
Suddenly, the lights go off, the hallway alarm blasts loud notes every five seconds and uncertainty fills the air.
We are in the dark, but, not panicked at all. We knew we had four bottles of De Martino wine to drink by moonlight, worst case scenerio.
The moonlight was romantic, but, the alarm kept blasting away. Eventually the sound became background music, while we were sampling the first wine, the 2012 Estate Sauvignon Blanc ($12) from the Maipo Valley in Chile. Our palates burst with lemon, grapefruit and melon. A crisp, juicy, ripe, fresh, balanced acidity took over and led our band of six wine tasters into euphoria. I found oysters on the half shell in the fridge thanks to my I-phones flashlight. We thought it was the perfect pairing with an outrageous wine that showed its grassy nose and crisp, delicious flavor.
Next, I poured the 2011 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon ($14) from
the decanter. It was a little tricky, but doable thanks to the flashlight.
The aromatics were interesting, pepper and cherry followed by an earthy, spicy, vegetable flavor on the palate. Soft tannins balanced this elegant, organic, estate wine. We paired a beef goulash that was barely warm with the three red wines we sampled.
The 2010 Legato Reserva Cabernet/Malbec 50/50 blend was next. Aromas of tobacco, spice and vanilla dominated, while our palate found concentrated spicy fruit followed by vanilla notes. The wine was full-bodied, yet, still somewhat tight after airing for two hours. At $15, we all thought this wine was a real bargain and a wine to put away for a couple of years.
The aromatics were interesting, pepper and cherry followed by an earthy, spicy, vegetable flavor on the palate. Soft tannins balanced this elegant, organic, estate wine. We paired a beef goulash that was barely warm with the three red wines we sampled.
The 2010 Legato Reserva Cabernet/Malbec 50/50 blend was next. Aromas of tobacco, spice and vanilla dominated, while our palate found concentrated spicy fruit followed by vanilla notes. The wine was full-bodied, yet, still somewhat tight after airing for two hours. At $15, we all thought this wine was a real bargain and a wine to put away for a couple of years.
Last, but, not least came the 2011 Estate Carmenere ($14).
Since our tasting group rarely comes in contact with Carmenere, we thought this
would be a highlight and saved it until the end. There was a hint of tobacco
and spice on the nose. The palate was entertained with a cast of cherry,
cassis, black pepper and earthy notes. The tannins were light with a soft,
lingering finish.
'LIGHTS OUT or ON', the four organic wines that De Martino produces are extreme values in the $12-$16 marketplace.
Marcelo Ratamal knows how to make wine.
PHILIP S. KAMPE
philip.kampe@thewinehub.com
If you want to see the interview--I certainly want to, visit the Snooth website and find videos under the Explore column. Look for the De Martino Green Interview. Opici Wines import and distribute De Martino.
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