Fraud, sugar, unbroken glass, distillation, RIP — sipped and spit
SPIT: fake wine
Italian police (these cops?) have made arrests in a case where about $1 million in cheap wine passed off as expensive. The scariest part is one official who says that the lack of border controls in the EU means that ‘It is illegal to transport unlabeled wine across European borders, but… it’s very difficult to enforce the law.” [Decanter]
SIPPED: beer writing
Michael Jackson is dead at 65–no, not THAT Michael Jackson. Instead, the British beer writer. Is he remembered for his tasting notes? Not so much. I liked this praise from a colleague in his NYT obit: “He was simply the best beer writer we’ve ever known. He told wonderful stories about beer, breweries and far away places. He told the story of beer through people, and he was humorous and erudite at the same time.” [NYT]
SPIT: 2007 vintage, Bordeaux version
Bordeaux may allow chaptalisation, or the addition of sugar to the wine to raise the alcohol level. Remember that rain I reported on in June? Seems like there wasn’t enough ripeness in the end. Funny, and we were all just thinking it was warming up–the Bordelais had been adding water in recent vintages to cut high alcohol levels. [Decanter]
SPIT: glass bottles
Fully 95 percent of wine bottles in the EU come from three manufacturers: Saint-Gobain, Owens-Illinois INC and Ireland’s Ardagh Glass. There’s already a shortage and importers and distributors are complaining to the EU, hoping to break the glass oligopoly. Why? Probably because price increases eat into their margins and can’t be passed on to the consumer. Think about the box, people! [AFX News]
SPIT: bulk wine
The EU puts the distillation of bulk wine up for a tender offer. [Reuters]
SIPPED: Indiana reform
Thanks to a federal court decision, things might just get better for Indiana wine consumers. [Indy Star]
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On September 4th, 2007 at 8:02 pm ,Joe wrote:
While this Michael Jackson seems most remembered for his beer writing, it is his book on Single Malts that I will always treasure.