Eve's Wine 101

Cork Genius Unveils the Smart Way to Pop the Cork

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SAN DIEGO (PRWEB) – Cork Genius, the new no-screw wine opener, is taking the industry by storm, using a blend of chemistry and physics to create an innovative product line making it easier to enjoy a bottle of wine. The device ejects the corks from inside out using air jet technology, resulting in no broken corks or required force.

The team turned to science to reinvent the way to open wine with a screwless method meant to prevent common mishaps and help with the longevity of each bottle.
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Frustrated by ineffective tools on the market and prevailing wine snobbery, they used a non-coring needle to pierce the cork and injected air underneath, causing it to pop out easily and quickly. Eliminating the need for corkscrews, Cork Genius was born.

“Cork Genius is the smart way to open a bottle and the perfect gift for wine-loving friends,” said Kevin Mach. “No more broken corks, leaks, or spills to worry about any longer. It’s so much faster than a corkscrew and no batteries or chargers are required. After all, you have better things to do, like enjoy that glass of wine!”

The brand offers a variety of options to help consumers find the best selection for their wine drinking pleasure. The air jet wine opener is available as a single purchase or with a Genius Wine Set that includes other accessories, such as a vacuum wine sealer, instant aerator and platinum wine cutter.

The wine opener has a lifetime warranty, with over 200,000 units sold and a five-star rating by thousands of customers who have experienced the ease of use whether they are right or light-handed.

For more information, visit https://corkgenius.com.

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About Cork Genius:
Cork Genius is a non-corkscrew wine opener that uses a needle to pierce the cork and injects air underneath, causing it to pop out easily and quickly. Science Powered, Snobbery Free. Turn to the brand for a complete line of wine accessories.

Wine Store Earns 1st Place Blue Ribbon

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OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (PRWEB) – TopConsumerReviews.com has awarded their highest ranking to Wired for Wine, an industry leader among Wine Stores.

Finding the perfect wine to pair with a meal or an occasion has never been easier. There’s no need for wine enthusiasts to spend their time at a local liquor store when the world’s best selection is available through online Wine Stores. Most of these retailers go to great lengths to ensure that the wine they offer is carefully selected from top producers, accurately described to for the best pairings, and competitively priced. Whether shopping for themselves or as a gift for a special someone, wine lovers will appreciate the convenience and quality of using an online Wine Store for their purchase.
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“Wired for Wine excels when it comes to domestic and international wines for every occasion,” according to Brian Dolezal of TopConsumerReviews.com, LLC. “Every wine they offer has been individually selected for quality and flavor, and they even offer award-winning varieties honored by industry experts like Wine Spectator. When it comes to price, Wired for Wine can’t be beat – especially with their Best Price Guarantee that will match any US-based Wine Store’s pricing. Wired for Wine carries a wide range of extras as well, from corkscrews to wine glasses and much more.
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Finally, no other online Wine Store can compare with Wired for Wine’s return policy: 30 days, for any reason. For all of these reasons, Wired for Wine earns our first-place rating among online Wine Stores in 2019.”

To find out more about Wired for Wine and other Wine Stores, including reviews and comparison rankings, please visit the Wine Stores category of TopConsumerReviews.com at https://www.topconsumerreviews.com/wine/.

About Wired for Wine
In business since 2009, Wired for Wine does things a little differently than the rest. As self-proclaimed foodies, the store’s creators focus on only selling a few acclaimed wines, well-curated and discounted, and (almost) always paired with a great meal. Almost all Wired for Wine clients get free shipping because they keep the threshold required for free shipping very low.

About TopConsumerReviews.com
TopConsumerReviews.com, LLC is a leading provider of reviews and rankings for thousands of consumer products and services. From Wine Stores to Cheese Clubs and Gift Baskets, TopConsumerReviews.com delivers in-depth product evaluations in order to make purchasing decisions easier.

Wine in a Can vs. Wine in a Bottle in Blind Taste Test

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NAPA, Calif. (PRWEB) – Essentially Geared Wine Co., which exclusively makes wine packaged in cans, is addressing the big question that all wine drinkers ask before cracking their first can: how does it compare to traditional wine that comes in a bottle? The answer emerges in a blind taste test where consumers are asked to taste two comparable wines–same varietal, similar price point, equally chilled, served in a traditional wine glass. Captured on video, it quickly becomes clear that, while most people may prefer the taste of Essentially Geared’s rosé, chardonnay, and sauvignon blanc compared to comparable bottled wines, literally not one person can tell that it came from a can.

17038564_654503208084816_6009984552981207515_oTHE TASTE CHALLENGE
While a blind wine taste test is nothing new, wine in cans is a new concept to most, and many are skeptical. What’s the quality like? Will it taste like a can? Um, why cans? Essentially Geared decided to take the oldest wine quality measurement tool in the biz–the blind tasting–and test its wines with wine drinkers of all sorts, from novices to industry professionals. They ask each participant to taste wine A, then taste wine B, share their thoughts, and lastly pick a favorite. With reactions ranging from “Whaaat?!,” “In a can?,” to “Can I shotgun this sucker?,” participants are drawn to the new packaging concept and immediately begin answering the “Why cans?” question for themselves:

  • “Convenience.”
  • “You don’t need a corkscrew!”
  • “Bottles are a pain in the a** to deal with.”
  • “It’s just easier to pack a can.”
  • “[Bring it] where you’re not allowed to bring glass.”
  • “So you don’t look hoity-toity when the guys are drinking beer.”
  • “Would anybody even know if I was drinking wine at a park? Just saying.”

WHY CANS?
So, how does Essentially Geared, a wine company that packages their wine exclusively in cans, answer the “Why cans?” question? “We like our wine like we like our lives: delightful, simple, no pretense,” says co-founder and winemaker Grant Hemingway. “I set out to show the world what I’ve always known about wine: high quality doesn’t have to come with a high level of fuss. When you think about it, cans are actually the perfect wine vessel. They’re durable, lightweight, easy to open, lightproof, and airtight. Aluminum is hands down the most sustainable beverage packaging out there, and that was important to us.”

Weighing in at 1/20th of the weight of glass, each can is made of 70% post-consumer recycled material and is more than twice as likely to be recycled into a new can compared to glass. And the aluminum in a used can will enter the product life cycle again as a new can in just 60 days. Plus, they’re real hard to break. (Try it.)

Wine quality will always be a subjective measurement. That’s why we have things like points and scores and sommeliers and tasting notes to give us guidance in this great big world of fermented grape juice. But the notion that quality is dictated by traditional packaging alone is outdated. Great wine comes in a bottle, true. But great wine also comes in a can. And cans are a lot more convenient.

#screwcorks

ABOUT ESSENTIALLY GEARED WINE CO.:
Essentially Geared is a wine company based in Napa, CA whose motto is to “Seek the Everyday Uncommon.” Founded in 2017, EGWC produces rosé, chardonnay, a red blend, sauvignon blanc, and Bubbles (a chenin blanc-based carbonated wine) exclusively packaged in 375mL and 250mL aluminum cans. Distributed nationwide, their goal is to make great wine in a practical and sustainable package.

Follow the story: @egwineco

Eve’s Wine Pet Peeves, Again

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Awhile back I did a few things, I wrote Wine Service at Your Home, an Event, Bar, Winery or Restaurant, another on Bad Somm Service and compiled a little 99 cent e-book called Wine Etiquette For Everyone: How To Feel Like A Pro In Any Situation Involving Wine. Fast-forward a couple of years and as it would turn out, my level of detecting aromas and flavors has also identified more BS in the wine community. Check it out, though I may have a couple or repeats in here as some things still really bug the hell out of me:

restaurant-449952_960_720I recently dined at a restaurant that served wine and allowed BYOW (Bring Your Own Wine). The waitress took the bottle I had brought in, opened it up out of my view (guessing there is one corkscrew in the place) then returned with the bottle, and presto, the cork was removed right through the now ripped foil. I had no choice but to remove the jagged remains from the top of the bottle myself. Why they would serve wine this way I don’t know. It’s just plain ugly and the diner has to do the work.

This is one a few people mentioned to me on Faceboook: Attending a catered party, complete with hired bartending services, and the bar ends up being low on basic supplies and the server is ill-trained.

Holding the wine glass by the bowl instead of the stem is only appropriately called for if the wine is too cold and the aromas are closed off. (I’ve been known to cup a frosted glass – another pet peeve – of white wine as I can’t detect a damn thing when the wine is served icy cold.) The stem is there for a reason, please use it. It allows you to easily swirl your wine so you can enjoy its color and aromas.

Anyone with the inability to handle a cork mishap hasn’t been trained properly. I’ve actually had to step in to rescue a broken cork from a bottle, or to wipe down the inside or outside of the neck of broken cork remnants.

This is very common: not pouring a taste when you BYOW to a restaurant. Any bottle can be corked or deemed undrinkable. Why not show the courtesy, and if the bottle is not up to par, there you are ready to offer a suggestion for replacement. Seems like a no brainer to me. When I’m hosting a party or working a wine event I always taste the wines before serving.

Please taste through your wines before subjecting a diner or guest to a pairing. Wine and cake is not my favorite pairing. Neither are cocktails and cookies. Like and like works with food: a good example is a big Cab with firm tannins will help break down fat in a big steak. But a sweet wine with an equally sweet dessert isn’t for everyone. Port alone or with a little chocolate is good, while a Sauterne is nice with a blue cheese, the rest you can keep to yourself.

Bad glasses: if you really don’t like the glasses offered at a restaurant enough that it negatively changes your experience, bring your own. A restaurant may not carry the latest Riedel or crystal glasses for the sole reason that they are expensive, highly breakable and not the easiest to fit in their dishwasher. Get over it or pack up and bring in your own.

If you serve wine in individual carafes please don’t empty the entire carafe into the wine glass. It’s not a show. Pour about two ounces, or up to the widest portion of the glass. Overfilling the wine glass won’t allow for swirling.

Ignoring a drip: really? Come prepared with a cloth napkin nearby when you serve wine. The diner shouldn’t be responsible to wipe up a drip. Or, if left unnoticed, have their clothing stained.

Over chilled white wines: I understand the majority of people like wine bucket service for their sparkling. It’s a nice show. But unless it’s 90+ degrees out I would rather discern the serving temperature myself of a white wine. If a white is served too cold aromas are shut down.

This should be obvious but while guests watch a server opening a wine they will notice dirty fingernails. Please clean up before serving. Egads people.

Not a biggie but the foil capsule is the bottle’s “dressing” and shouldn’t be completely removed. I’ve been told it’s easier for the staff, among other reasons, but it’s not supposed to be served that way and a wine person will only presume that you just don’t know any better.

Many a time a bottle is presented and poured with the label hidden in the palm of a hand. Please turn the bottle around, holding with one hand by the back and the punt, and confirm it was the correct one ordered. The bottle should then be shown to all of the guests at the table if possible.

This is fun to watch but not appropriate: holding the bottle between your knees or under your arm to retrieve the cork. If you simply can’t maneuver it, then place it on the table to help you balance the bottle while opening.

This happened to me once in a very high-end restaurant: The waitress and I both watched as the sediment slid out of the bottle and into my glass. Really? Stop pouring and replace the wine. She didn’t.

Snobs, I’ve touched on this one before but have since have to add: please be careful on social media. Your “expert’s rant” is subject to commentary so unless you know something to be a fact, and of value to others, keep it to yourself. Expressing an “elevated view” of wine makes you look like a snob, some of your followers may feel like veritable idiots and is a complete disservice to the wine community.

This video from Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) on opening wine is valuable, and if you want more there are four in the series you can watch here.

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Visiting Greece, Via Ktima Gerovassiliou

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Cori Solomon, organizer of #LAWineWriters, recently arranged for our group to meet with Thrass Giantsidis of Greece’s renowned Ktima Gerovassillou all-estate winery. The plan: To boldly go where…wait…to be led through a tasting of his highly-awarded wines along with some small plates at Downtown LA’s Ledlow restaurant.

I did a little research on Ktima Gerovassiliou before the luncheon, and besides learning that they make a wide range of whites (including a Viognier) and reds (hoping to try the Syrah), the winemaker Vangelis Gerovassiliou has created a Wine Museum at the winery filled with all types of tools used in viticulture…including an impressive collection of corkscrews. I was starting to look forward to tasting and learning more.

Greek Wine Lesson

Giantsidis began by explaining a little about the range of climates in Greece. Some vineyards that are close to the sea are in the Mediterranean region (Ktima Gerovassiliou is in this group) while some regions are warm. The land “is mountainous” with 66,000k hectares growing vitis vinifera. However, there are more table grapes than wine grapes being cultivated. It’s just a small portion (3.9 million hectares) of the whole of Greece that is devoted to grape cultivation. And there are more than 300 species of their own native grapes made into wine. (Note: 2.5 acres is equal to 1 hectare.)

More:

Winemaker Vangelis Gerovassiliou saved the Malagousia grape from extinction. It is known for its aromatics. 50% of this grape is in their Estate White blend.

Vangelis Gerovassiliou was with Greece’s Porto Carras for decades.

Domaine Gerovassiliou has 63 hectares of estate grapes.

These wines, a little costlier than other Greek imports, are a quality we may have not yet seen.

The estate is sustainable and all work is done by hand.

A majority of the Greek wineries use indigenous grapes.

All wines have received “lots of distinctions”, according to Giantsidis, and the entire portfolio is estate grown.

The average person visits historical sites such as Athens, however, the wines of Greece are not found in the normal tourist spots.

The North is more red producing while the South makes more white.

greek wines

Greek Tasting (As usual my notes on aroma and flavor are divided by “;”)

2014 Estate White

Malagousia an Assyrtico

Limeade, pear, Meyer lemon, jasmine, steely; white peach, lemon-lime, lovely mouth-feel, medium acid. Wanted a chilled seafood salad with this. 90 Eve pts.

2014 100% Malagousia

White peach, pears in light syrup, pink grapefruit, reminds me of a Viognier on the nose, honey; mouthfeel, again a medium acid, more lemon, grapefruit, more Sauvignon Blanc on the palate. (This wine had some time in “seasoned oak” which meant that the barrel had been “seasoned” by being filled with wine before. What is also referred to as “neutral” oak. Both distinctions mean that the wine will not have any predominate oak characteristics.) 90 Eve pts.

2013 Fume Sauvignon Blanc

(As this had some time with oak that’s why the word “Fume” is used in its name.) Bruised golden delicious apples, honey, white honeysuckle flowers, toast; fruit cocktail, lemon hard candy, medium acid again and a nice mouthfeel, again.

89 Eve pts.

2014 Chardonnay

(most planted of the foreign varietals in Greece.) About 800 cases per year. Lemon butter, oak, perfumy, white pepper; toasted oak, cream, lemon. 88 Eve pts.

2010 Viognier

Color – golden yellow – that is indicative of some age. Can you say HONEY, wow, I sure could! Smells like a late harvest wine with cling peaches also on the nose; not as sweet on the palate as it is in the aroma, with citrus, tang, stainless steel, medium-high acid. 88 Eve pts.

2010 Estate Red Blend

Syrah, Merlot and Limnio

Dusty, black fruit, black cherry, mushroom, velvety, milk chocolate, pepper; nice tannin structure, my whole tongue wanted more, blueberry, blackberry. 90 Eve pts.

2008 Avaton

Limnio, Mavroudi and Mavrotragano

The wine’s name, Avaton, means “inaccessible and impossible to reach.” This was the first wine that they made with indigenous Greek wines. Also to know, the word Mavro means black. Stewed plums, dried cherry, clove, tri-color peppercorns, mulled wine, charred steak; dark and dry fruit, balance is dead on even with extra firm tannin, oak, same black fruit. Need charred steak to have with this. 90 Eve pts.

2008 Evangelo

Petite Sirah, 92%, the balance is Viognier. Malolactic fermentation, and some oak – 15 months.

Gerovassillou explained that the Viognier stabilizes the color and makes it a “feminine wine” style. The whole barn is in your glass! It was rich, thick, earthy, gamey, minty, and with a hint of chocolate covered berries; more youthful on the palate than expected, red to black fruit, spice, tannic, dry. 92 pts.

2009 Late Harvest Malagousia

Caramel covered apple, peaches in heavy syrup, white pepper, Monet’s Garden; huge mouthfeel, lovely long finish, potpourri, and local honey. 91 Eve pts.

About Ktima Gerovassillou

From the website: Deep knowledge and use of up-to-date technology combined with more traditional and conventional wine-making methods lead to the production of high-quality wines with distinct micro-climate (terroir) characteristics. All Ktima Gerovassiliou wines are produced from grapes cultivated in the privately-owned vineyard. Every year the Gerovassiliou wines gain significant international distinctions for their high and consistent quality. 30% of Ktima’s production is exported to other European countries, the USA, Canada, Japan, Brazil, Australia and Singapore… The efforts of Vangelis Gerovassiliou and his partners’ along with the high and consistent quality of Gerovassiliou wines are recognized with European and global distinctions. Ktima Gerovassiliou is included in the 100 top wineries for six years, Vangelis Gerovassiliou is among the six best wine-producers worldwide and the Gerovassiliou wines receive every year very important distinctions.

http://www.gerovassiliou.gr/

http://www.gerovassiliou.gr/en/shop

http://www.gerovassiliou.gr/en/museum

Eve Bushman has been reading, writing, taking coursework and tasting wine for over 20 years.  She has obtained a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, has been the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and recently served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits that may be answered in a future column. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Vintage Beacon April/2011: Goddess Night

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There was more than one Goddess braving the SCV cold in nothing but a toga and a ceremonial grapevine headdress on one recent Friday night.

Me, as the temporary Goddess for Circle of Hope’s Vine 2 Wine event in June, and the Goddess of Wine, a fellow-wine blogger, wine educator, WSET Level Two Certified, lucky-for-me-she-lives-in-Burbank-and-can’t-take-my-peeps-home-with-her, buddy Denise Lowe.

971072_10152267819985340_809442161_n No, we weren’t really wearing togas. But I can tell you that we both carry waiter’s corkscrews, business cards, notepad and pen, wherever we go.

I’ve interviewed Denise before for the Beacon. While we both have blogging and the WSET certification in common, she does much more wine education and traveling than I do while I do more writing and marketing than she does. We learn a lot from each other, and we keep each other motivated. She also drives up, with her affable husband John Dickey, “JD”, every month to attend our Grape of the Night meetings.

This time, instead of an interview, I invited my pal to visit some of the wine bars in our fair city.

As we had taken our WSET classes at The Cellar together, and we attend Grape of the Night at Valencia Wine Company, I tried to squeeze in visits to some the wine bars she hadn’t been to.

So, with that in mind, I asked her to come to my house by 4:30 p.m. to get started. (I think she MAY have been motivated to see the new kitchen too!) From my place we drove over to Vino 100 Valencia for a tasting from Toolbox Wine Company that was set to start at 5 pm. And, as I had advertised the event on Facebook, and rsvp’d to a meet-up of “Wine-y Women”, I was sure to run into a few peeps to introduce Denise to.

Kathy Lockhart, the organizer for Wine-y Women had written this in her invite:

Toolbox Wine Company was created by three Napa Valley girlfriends who share passion and expertise in all facets of the wine industry. Their vision is to offer excellent (and fun) wines while raising awareness and money for Habitat for Humanity. With their catchy label, they prove that you cannot “judge a book by its cover”. They have successfully produced some wonderful, fun wines that are high quality and affordable.   Meet Katie Hamilton Shaffer, co-founder of Toolbox Wine Co., who is looking forward to sharing their story and passion for wine. Enjoy tasting several of their newest releases. Light, tasty appetizers will also be served.   HOPE YOU WILL JOIN US!

By 5:05 pm, we were well into the tasting and Denise had met both Lil LePore and Shari Frazier, the owners of Vino 100, some of the Wine-y Women (Kathy Lockhart, Rhona Jukes, Denise Van Arsdale-West, Kat Kombrinck, Pam Ingram…) and some pals of my own (Shipwreck Bob Schwemmer, Beth Greenwald, Kym Pease Cappi, Ray Tippet, Judy Penman, Shawneen Rubay…)

Of the line-up that was poured, the 09 Clarksburg Pinot Grigio, with .2% Muscat, was my favorite. The nose was a lovely mix of pineapple, apricot, lemons and lime. The taste, bringing some of that fruit forward, had high acidity with a nice mouth-coating viscosity. Short finish that just made me want more. We also enjoyed:

07 Oak Knoll District Napa Valley Chardonnay – Pale honeyed-yellow color, aroma of oak and green apple, with medium acid and a medium finish.

07 Napa Valley Merlot – 10% Cab and 90% Merlot, “Chianti-style” per co-founder Katie Hamilton Shaffer. Very dark edge on the color and opaque throughout, the aroma had tons of black fruit with a surprising blueberry-sweet nose. And the taste was dry, medium tannins with blackberry jam and a medium finish.

07 Cabernet Sauvignon – Plum color, fresh berries and pine on the nose, ripe berry flavors, dry with a medium length.

From there we moved onto Lee’s Wine Bistro for dinner. Denise selected a wine that is meant to be savored with a meal: 2006 Villamedoro Montepulciano D’Abruzzo. Owner Lee Yoon was able to come over to say hello and chat, but not for long, as it was soon growing into a busy Friday night.

Denise seemed to enjoy the place, as our laughter grew louder and louder to be heard over the music and other guests.

From there I drove across the street to Wine 661 to introduce Denise to Tanya Green, the owner, and to computer whiz Tony Wire, her boyfriend that is always at her side. Now it was time to order a wine by the glass, as we needed to slow down. We both had a blend by Trinitas Cellars in Mendocino. And, true to form, Tanya swirled the wine she poured into our glasses, making sure that our wine was ready for tasting. I also requested Tanya’s spa water – iced water infused with fresh cucumber – to cleanse our palates, and, eventually, move us Goddesses over from wine to water.

As we sipped and listened to the band, four last peeps made their entrance and met Denise. Tim and Erin Dixon, and, Mark and Ann Drexler, had stopped by to purchase a bottle to take home with them.

Funny, Denise lives in Burbank, as I mentioned earlier, and we have more wine bars in one small area that she does in her big city. It’s a wonder. Or, is it just our growing infrastructure, or demographics, meeting our needs? It doesn’t matter. When it comes to wine, it’s all good for Goddesses.

Book Review: Oz Clarke’s The History of Wine in 100 Bottles

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At first glance I thought wow, this is a beautiful book, with glossy pages and photos, this will be one I won’t be highlighting or making marks and notes in the margins on. Though it will be a lovely textbook of review, it looks like a book I’d pick up at an art museum. Now…to the reading!

My Review

baqdqif6qxeb1ij2vqmuWriter Oz Clarke gives a bottle-by-bottle retelling of wine’s most historical moments, one hundred of them, satirically most of the time so it’s a highly entertaining read. Along with that, he dedicates two pages – one filled with a photo or two and captions and the other with text – making it also an easy read. Some of the points, like the history of rules governing Bordeaux and Phylloxera, I’ve read (and possibly wrote about) before so I will share with readers just some of the interesting tidbits of knowledge I may not have shared before. Suffice it to say, you need to pick up your own copy for the full skinny.

Our story begins in 6000 BC with clay pot wine from the Republic of Georgia. Noah, yes that Noah, is credited as our first vineyard owner. In ancient Greece water was purposely used to dilute the flavor of wine. Between 300 BC and 200 AD a wine called Opimian was known to burst into flames if lit. The German wine, a 1540 vintage Steinwein, is the oldest known vintage of wine. (Oz has a theory as to why that’s the case.) The “steel worm” corkscrew, the grandfather of what we use today, appeared first in 1581. Louise XIV, and his conservative court, didn’t like bubbles in their Dom Perignon Champagne.

Why was there a straw flask wrapped around the bottle of your parent’s Chianti? (It wasn’t for appeal in making a candleholder.) Cork is shaven off of trees and regrows, so there is no harm and that’s why there seems to be an endless supply. The “Blood Vintages” in Champagne are 1914 and 1915…do you know why? Roederer Cristal Champagne comes in a clear bottle wrapped in orange cellophane to protect the contents from sunlight; I was surprised to learn the original reason for its use. During the 1940s Mateus was rumored to be more expensive and a better choice than Champagne. (Of course this is a rumor shared by our author – for our amusement or not?) Also during the 1940s, Hitler confiscated one half million bottles of French wines for his own cellar. Professor Emile Peynaud is credited for stopping the use of rotten grapes in wine production, cleaning up wineries, cooling down cellars, using new oak barrels and introducing secondary labels for lesser-quality wines from the same winery.

Boxed wine started in 1963 in Sweden? Gallo’s 1964 “hearty burgundy” was the best wine at the time? Why did a wine called Retsina have pine resin in it? Nouveau Beaujolais wine is made in 6 weeks? A 95 point score from critic Robert Parker equals a million dollars to a winery? The Garagiste movement began in France? A sparkling wine made in England was the best in the world in 1998? Yep, these tidbits of wine knowledge will be covered in the book as well as many others including wine fraud, prohibition, White Zinfandel, corks and screw caps.

Very much worth the time of any wine lover!

From the press release, “A former leading West End actor, Oz Clarke is one of the world’s best-known wine experts, whose formidable reputation is based on his extensive wine knowledge and accessible, no-nonsense approach. Known for his phenomenal palate, irreverent style, accurate predictions, and enthusiasm for life in general, Clarke is Britain’s most popular wine writer.”

The History of Wine in 100 Bottles

by Oz Clarke

Sterling Epicure

ISBN: 978-1-4549-1561-4

$24.95 ($27.95 Can)

Hardcover

224 pages

Publication date: April 28, 2015

Eve Bushman has been reading, writing, taking coursework and tasting wine for over 20 years.  She has obtained a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, has been the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and recently served as a guest judge for the L.A. International Wine Competition.  You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits that may be answered in a future column. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com