OBITUARIES
BARON ELIE ROBERT DE ROTHSCHILD, 9O, who helped France’s renowned Rothschild winemaking and banking dynasty recover from the ravages of World War II, died August 6 while vacationing at his Austrian hunting lodge. He had been on a hunting trip at his lodge near the Alpine village of Scharnitz outside... Read More
The JUICE BOX for ADULTS
WHEN THINKING OF FRENCH BORDEAUX, a tetra pack with a straw is not generally the first thing that comes to mind. In fact, the notion of Bordeaux being packaged in a mini tetra pack with a straw might sound downright gauche, but French wine merchant Cordier is currently selling 1OOO... Read More
RATS!
THERE WILL BE NO Ratatouille Chardonnay after all. Walt Disney Co. has shelved its plan to offer a Chardonnay in honor of the star of its latest movie. Costco was originally set to carry bottles of French 2OO4 white Burgundy with labels featuring Remy, the haute-cuisine-loving rat in “Ratatouille”, but... Read More
VIVE le COME BACK!
TIMES HAVE BEEN TOUGH lately in the French wine business but things may be on the upturn. After years of watching foreign taste buds respond to innovative New World wines, French wine and spirit makers appear to be making their way back into the global market. Exports in the first... Read More
WHAT a DIFFERENCE a LABEL MAKES
IT’S TRUE: we are a nation of label snobs. Changing the label on a wine changed diners’ opinions of their wine, opinions of their meal, and their decision to return to the restaurant, according to a recent Cornell University study. In the experiment, forty-one diners at the Spice Box restaurant... Read More
The ITALIAN GANG
IT MAY SOUND HARMLESS enough but wine counterfeiting is no laughing matter. Over the last few years the business of faking wine bottles and labels has grown substantially and become a very lucrative industry. The problem is so serious that twenty-five members of the Italian military police recently became qualified... Read More
CRAFT is KING
WHERE WOULD THE BEER industry be without craft brewing? It may only make up a small percentage of the industry but the craft beer segment has largely been carrying the weight of the beer category on its shoulders. The Brewers Association reported recently that the volume of craft beer sold... Read More
IT’S BEER by a BUBBLE
AFTER A RATHER DISCOURAGING couple of years, beer has something to cheer about. The annual Gallup Poll recently reported that beer edged out wine as the adult beverage of choice in the US. The percentage of Americans who drink any type of alcohol is stable, though the poll shows that... Read More
COURVOISIER EXCLUSIF COGNAC
Aged between six and twelve years, this new super premium cognac is a blend of grapes from the Grande and Petite Champagne, Fin Bois and Borderies regions. Designed to be mixable, it has a floral aroma and the flavor has notes of spice, vanilla and gingerbread. The body is smooth... Read More
HIRAM WALKER PUMPKIN SPICE
The latest flavor to join the line, available though November, is made with all natural flavors of graham cracker, vanilla, cinnamon/nutmeg, and pumpkin pie with a deep orange/brown color. The launch will be supported with various marketing initiatives including trade advertising, sampling, POS materials including recipe neckers and case cards... Read More