I can see how a single serve can of wine has some utility for picnics and the like. Personally I prefer glass.

Winemakers can buy it and investors can get more information here <link>

Interested in Australian wine? Then you only need visit one site. James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion.

Here, for example, is his excellent list of the top wines <link> which he nicely introduces with, “I wish you good drinking within the National Health and Medical Research Council recommended limits of four standard drinks per day for men, and two for women.”

As we holiday in Northwest Tuscany  fairly regularly (but outside the Chianti region) and we’re off there again in a month, this article by Jancis Robinson in the FT on Chianti caught my eye. <link>

Apparently, this is the first year that “white wine grapes have been outlawed” from the making of Chianti Classico.  Up until 2006, Chianti was a blend of white (mostly Trebbiano) and red (mostly Sangiovese) grapes. I knew white grapes were used in Rhone wines but didn’t realise they were used in Chianti.

I really recommend the article and the column. It’s always a very good read. Here’s Jancis’ list of recommended 2006 Classicos.

Taste of Tuscany: Classic Classicos

RECOMMENDED 2006s
●Badia a Coltibuono
●Carpineto (£)
Fonterutoli
●Collelungo (£)
Montecalvi
Principe Corsini, Le Corte (£)
San Fabiano Calcinaia
●Villa Calcinaia

SUPERIOR 2005s
●Castello di Ama
●Castello di Meleto (£)
●Casanuova di Nittardi
●Fontodi

A GOOD VALUE 2004
●Il Poggiolino (£)

●denotes a particularly traditional, lively style
(£) denotes especially good value

As this writer correctly says, “Wine tasters love to talk about wine, and they often use terms and descriptions that can be a bit confusing or intimidating to beginners”. So they created a list of the words frequently encountered at wine tastings or in publications that cover the subject. Well done; a fine introduction to the jargon. <link>

Perhaps not the classic glass I was expecting. Made me smile though and that’s worth a post. They’re designed by Maxim Velčovský and you can buy them here <link>

Wild Earth Wines, a Central Otago winemaker, has been awarded the Trophy for Top International Pinot Noir at the International Wine Challenge in London. The trophy winning 2006 pinot noir was only the third vintage for the young winery.

With almost 10,000 wines competing, International Wine Challenge is the world’s largest wine competition. The Wild Earth Pinot Noir 2006 took four trophies in total at the event, adding these to its recent trophy at the Decanter Awards.

One way to remove a cork. I found it here, thanks girl in the green dress <link> but there is a long trail back to the designer.

The fine people at Berry Bros have created these excellent online vintage charts for French and World wines <link>

The theme is that with Pinot Noir you get what you pay for.

“It’s like the difference between words and poetry. As a New York Times critic once wrote, “Poetry is ordinary language raised to the nth power. Poetry is boned with ideas, nerved and blooded with emotions, all held together by the delicate, tough skin of words.” And when you put it like that, £20 doesn’t seem too much to ask for pinot noir poetry.”

The top wine reviewed is Martinborough Vineyards Pinot Noir 2005. Full story here <link>

Wine lovers would prefer to give up sweets, chocolate and beer rather than reduce spending on their favourite tipple.

Research commissioned by the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) found that 60 per cent of the 1,000 wine fans surveyed would ditch other luxuries before considering dropping their wine intake.

The Wine Intelligence survey also revealed that when buying for the same type of occasion men spend more on a bottle of wine than women and that wine drinkers aged under 35 spend more on wine than those over 55.

I found this in The Publican. <link> I should have realised there’d be a publication of this name.