What’s Been Keeping Me So Occupied Lately!
January 26, 2013
Alrighty! Wow! It seems like so long since I’ve been on here!
Don’t worry I haven’t abandoned ship! I know my posts have been extremely scare these last few weeks, but I have a very good reason (actually about 50 different reasons) for my absence. But before I get into that, let me run something past you real quick…
The first major change I would like to report is that I’m switching-up my approach with the Blog Your Wine network (i.e. this website and the four other websites that link to it) a little.
The ultimate goal when I setup shop as a wine blogger/writer/reviewer (what ever you want to bloody call it) was to make this my living i.e. being paid to review wine. Some people called me crazy, saying that blogs will never generate any considerable amount of revenue, I even had one winery tell me that “bloggers should work because of a passion, and should never accept money” and that what I was doing was “unethical.” That’s ok. I think her plastic surgeon was “unethical.” :) (Buy me a glass of plonk and I’ll tell you the winery.)
What I will say is that proved all of them wrong. Over the past couple of years I’ve worked with some of the most amazing wineries (and indeed none-wine sponsors). Some producing under 50 cases a year, some wine brands producing over 1 million cases of a year. Never once did my integrity come into question, because..to be truthful…I don’t review wine the same way as too many others. I don’t care of you like a wine or not, and your shouldn’t care about my opinion. My goal has always been to tell the story of a winery, giving the reader as many facts as possible, and letting them be the judge.
Q&A Time!
So what’s the problem?
Well. It’s very simple. The work that goes into featuring a wine and telling their story online is exhausting, incredibly time-consuming and started turning into more of a labor of love. Literally, featuring a winery in exchange for the money I charge puts me at about minimum wage. Believe it or not, I actually don’t mind that…even though my bank/wife/cat will start to get pissed sooner or later…but it can’t be a full-time job.
Are you getting out of the wine industry?
What?!?! Are you kidding!?!? Never!!! I love wine, always will, and will tell you that if it wasn’t for me getting into the wine industry, which lead to me starting this website, I wouldn’t be doing a single one of the jobs that’s been keeping me active on a weekly/monthly basis. Also, the amount of free wine samples I receive is mind-boggling! :) A great perk of the job, no-doubt…but you can’t live on wine samples alone…not matter how hard you try!
So is this the beginning of the end?
Nope! Quite the opposite in-fact. The only difference is that I’m going to stop actively pursuing wineries/wine brands to talk about their wine online….although they’re more than welcome to approach me. The perusing was actually the hardest (and most unpleasant) part…
What this means is that, although the posts on this website will start to become a little more “sparse” in nature, it will allow my true voice to come out a hell-of-a-lot more, since I’ll have few accountabilities in terms of who I’m working for….not that I ever really censored myself anyway…
What’s been keeping you so busy lately then?
Rather than going into too much detail, and dragging this post out any further than I feel it necessary to, I’ll just give you a bullet-pointed list:
- In the past month I’ve been focusing the vast majority of my time on website/mobile website development. In-fact, I’ve taken on so many clients in these last 4 weeks, that I’m actually working alongside a full-time developer to help me out with my workload. I’m of the firm opinion that at some point I’m going to have to give this website an overhaul…but it’s doing the job it needs to for now.
- In February and March, I’m going to be the guest speaker at the TWGGA and EWE wine conferences. To say I’m excited about both of these conferences is a huge understatement! However, the prep has been a huge time-suck. Needless to say, I’ll be giving you a play-by-play of my travels, so make sure you’re following me on the relevant social media networks.
- My “behind-the-scenes” work with wineries/businesses on their social media and online optimization continues…not that you’d ever know it…because I can’t reveal who I work for/post on behalf of.
Thanks to everyone for following my progress over the past couple of years. It means a huge amount, and I’m glad that you’re here to see this transition! :) The best is yet to come.
Posted in News | Tagged Kris Chislett | 4 Comments //How I Got Here…
January 24, 2013.
Mega Purple to the Rescue!!!
January 15, 2013
No, Mega Purple contrary to what you might think, is not the worst super-hero of all time!
Mega Purple is 100% grape juice concentrate that is supposed to darken the color of a wine without adding flavor or aroma. It comes in white, pink, red and purple versions, and believe it or not, you have definitely consumed Mega Purple before, whether you’ve known it or not! This especially true if you’ve ever bought a bottle of grocery store Pinot Noir that’s under $10.
The main benefit behind the use of Mega Purple as an additive, is that you can add a small volume to wine without listing it on the label. Mega Purple is manufactured by Constellation Brands from not so well-known grape varieties such as Rubired and Royalty.
Now before you get all up in arms over Mega Purple and rioting in the streets, bear this in mind: YOU (the consumer) are the reason wineries use Mega Purple!!!
Imagine, if you will, that you’re a winemaker. You’ve just finished making your $25 retail Cabernet and it’s one of your best in recent vintages. But there’s one small problem: the color! Sure it looks fine to you as a winemaker, but you know full-well that American consumers are stuck on the idea that for wine, darker is better. So as a winemaker you have two options: add a smidgen of juice from some dark-skinned grapes (and depending on the quantity, be legally required to list it on your label and tech sheets), or buy some “Mega Purple” and save some cash!
In this example, we’re talking about a winemaker making a $25 retail bottle. But what about the guy making the $6-$9 retail bottle? Which option do you think he would choose..?
Mega Purple to the rescue!
There is another reason why wineries decide to use Mega Purple. States such as Texas that have a problem with grapes not fully ripening (due to a short growing season), can (of they wish) find a small amount of salvation in these types of products. That doesn’t mean to imply that all wineries in the colder States are using a wine additive such as Mega Purple, but the option is available to them, should they choose it. However, if a winery can’t get enough color in California, they are probably doing something wrong (picking their grape too early etc.) or using poor quality grapes (as with a sub $10 grocery store Pinot Noir). But wineries aren’t satisfied with enough color — they want Inky Black! Actually more specifically, the wineries don’t want it, the consumer is demanding it!
Personally I am divided on the use of Mega Purple. All too often, when I am pouring Pinot Noir at a tasting, I hear; “Wow, this is awfully light in color, isn’t it!?!?” It doesn’t matter what I say from that point on, the customer already has the perception that the wine in lacking in flavor due to the light color.
The other side of the coin is that undeniably there’s a certain amount of deception going on by any winery that uses Mega Purple, which opens a whole other can of worms regarding labeling ingredients. But I’ll save that for another time…
Posted in News | Tagged ingredients in wine, Mega Purple, What is Mega Purple, wine additives, wine ingredients | Leave a comment //French Winemakers in a Tizzy over Obama Inauguration “Champagne California”
January 15, 2013
In a move COMPLETELY UNCHARACTERISTIC of their nation, French winemakers have once again screamed “SACRE BLEU!!!” over a U.S. wine.
This time, it’s the wine that Mr. Barack Hussein Obama II plans to serve at his upcoming inauguration.
The problem all stems from the name of the wine and the order of its wording: “Korbel Natural, Special Inaugural Cuvée Champagne, California.”
Just so you know, I’ve actually seen another name for this wine in similar news articles, which name it as: “Korbel Natural Russian River Valley Champagne.” Either way, it’s still wrong, as it should be listed as “California Champagne” according to U.S. wine law.
Officials from the Champagne Bureau were very quick to jump into attack-mode, and have “voiced their concerns” (as the French do best) in a letter to New York Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer, chairman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies….otherwise known as the man with the world’s longest business card.
The Committee responded by saying that the wine way is in-fact labeled correctly, however it’s the menu that’s wrong and will be corrected before the big day.
Click here for the full article.
My Thoughts…
Yeah…and if you believe that, you’ll believe anything!
Call me a cynic, but I would put money on it that Korbel labeled the Champagne incorrectly, the French got pissed at Washington, Washington got pissed and called California; and as we speak, there’s some low-level intern at Korbel armed only with a Sharpie, correcting 1,000 bottles of California fizzy plonk…
On another note, I can’t WAIT till the day I get to write a story entitled “French winemakers SUPER PSYCHED over something winemakers in a another country have done!”…alas, I think that day may never come…
Posted in News | Tagged California, California Champagne, Champagne, Korbel, Obama, Obama Inauguration, Obama Inauguration Wine | 2 Comments //Honoro Vera, Monastrell, Jumilla, Spain.
January 9, 2013
Grapes
100% Monastrell
Facts
- I’m already a big fan of the wines coming from producer Bodega Juan Gil. I’ve found them to be easily some of the best value wines coming out of Spain, but this is my first time trying their organic Monastrell. This Mrs. bought the bottle because, and I quote: “It has a cute little ladybird on the label!” I’ve still got a ways to go with her…
- The Bodega Juan Gil was named after Juan Gil Gimenez. In 1916, Mr Gimenz (great grandfather to the guy doing the winemaking today), for reasons known only to him, decided he wanted to get into the wine biz and so he built a winery in the Jumilla region of Spain. And who can blame him!?!? It’s not too bad of a business to be in!
- Bodega Juan Gil has hired Aussie winemaker Chris Ringland to do some of their winemaking; however, he doesn’t make this particular wine. The Ozzie-influence certainly comes through the other wines from Juan Gil i.e. in their fruit-forward approach. Some would argue this isn’t necessarily “staying true” to their regions of origin…but hey….to each their own…
- You’re forgiven for having never/rarely seen the Monastrell grape mentioned before. He doesn’t get around too much, especially in Spain. Monastrell is otherwise known as Mourvedre, and is more commonly seen around Southern France. These particular grapes are also 100% organically farmed.
- Monastrell grapes are small with thick skins. The wines made from the grape therefore tend to be fairly aggressive, high in alcohol and with bags of tannins.
- Due to their thick skin, Monastrell/Mourvedre needs a warm climate to ripen to their fullest; and so in Europe, the grapes perform best in southern regions of France i.e. Languedoc and Provence.
Wine vs. Blood.
January 8, 2013
← Older posts Newer posts →
