Afternoon Brief, February 7th

Prohibition Era Over? State House Passes Bill to Legalize Sale of Liquor, Wine in Small Towns: The House passed a bill that would no longer prohibit Mississippi’s small towns from selling liquor and wine — a Prohibition-era carryover still enforced for municipalities in many “dry” counties...

“Malbec in the City!” Wine Event to Return to Oregon on Saturday, April 20 in Celebration of World Malbec Day 

Second Annual Malbec Event Will Bring Together 20+ Wineries Pouring Oregon Malbecs to Benefit Wine Industry Nonprofit, Our Legacy Harvested  PORTLAND, OR. – (Feb. 7, 2024) – The first Malbec […]

As the cellar master of Krug, Julie Cavil has one of the most revered and respected jobs in Champagne. She explains the creative process behind the flagship Grande Cuvée, how Krug evolves over time and how the 2022 vintage is shaping up. How did it feel to become Krug’s first female cellar master? Rather than saying I’m the first female cellar master, I’d simply say I’m the eighth cellar master in the history of the house. It’s my job to perpetuate the dream of the house’s founder, Joseph Krug, each year with a new Édition of Krug Grande Cuvée. I’ve been with Krug since 2006 and prior to becoming cellar master, I was winemaking director and a member of the tasting committee alongside former chef de cave Eric Lebel. The transition was seamless for us. I work with an immensely talented team on many projects, which keeps my job interesting.  Krug Grande Cuvée is made from a blend of up to 120 wines from more than

Afternoon Brief, March 15th

ChatGPT Just Passed Three of the Master Sommelier Theory Exams: OpenAI’s ChatGPT continues to confound with its seemingly endless scope – including passing three levels of the infamously tricky Master Sommelier exam...

Afternoon Brief, March 7th

French Politicians Wining on the Job: News publications across France went to town last week over reports of drunken and booze-based antics in the country's National Assembly...

Afternoon Brief, June 13th

American Pinot Noir Legend Josh Jensen Dies at 78: Josh Jensen, the founder of the Central Coast’s famed Calera Wine Company, a visionary leader in the American wine community, and the iconic pioneer of luxury California Pinot Noir died on Saturday, June 11...

Afternoon Brief, January 31st

The Next Normal—DtC Shipping Reverts to Pre-Pandemic Predictions: The 2022 Direct to Consumer Wine Shipping Report has been released, and the industry is likely breathing a collective sigh of relief. The report, an annual collaboration between Sovos ShipCompliant and Wines Vines Analytics, shows the industry slowly returning to its pre-pandemic state...