Archive for June, 2017

Food & Wine Pairing: Chimichur

June 30th, 2017

If your wine shop customers are gearing up for some grill time over the holiday and want an alternative to good old hot dogs and hamburgers, a mixed grill Chimichurri might be the answer they’re looking for. [level-members] Even better are the accompaniment choices. Though we’ve long been fans of slightly chilled Zinfandel – preferably […]

Wine Stories Worth Sharing: June 29, 20

June 29th, 2017

A near-death experience in the barrel room, myths of winemaking debunked, wine accessories interesting enough to be worth a few extra clicks, the world’s most wanted rosés, and it may be possible to make wine in space. [level-members] What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger. Even if it’s a full wine barrel. Scary story with a […]

What’s Your Wine Shop’s Back Stor

June 28th, 2017

It’s hard to overestimate the value of a good back story. What’s your wine shop’s story? [level-members] Whether you’re the third-generation proprietor or someone who left the corporate world after a vacation to the vineyards of Burgundy “changed your life” – or even something more prosaic, you should identify and make the most of the […]

Direct-to-Consumer Wine Sales Is Not Going Aw

June 27th, 2017

You can stick your head in the sand as a main street retail wine shop, but that’s not going to change what’s going on above ground. Direct-to-consumer sales are here and they’re growing. [level-members] And while I would love to tell you I have the sure-fire recipe for surviving this change, I don’t. Part of […]

Wine Industry News for June 26, 20

June 26th, 2017

Labor shortages and a sordid story from California wine’s past, hail hits again, beverage alcohol consumption trends worldwide, and more [level-members] Can a story from the 1850s be considered news? It can if it’s about labor in the wine industry. Rather a shocking story, and one I’ve never heard before. The history of labor in […]

Is Traditional Wine Retail Dyin

June 20th, 2017

Could be. If so, it’s a slow death, since we’re all still here and the article asking this question is something I unearthed from 2015! [level-members] This isn’t a story of big box retailers, online behemoths, and supermarket chains eating our lunch. This is much broader than that. This is the story of consumer expectations […]

Wine Industry News – June 19, 20

June 19th, 2017

Labor issues in the US continue, France negotiants face other problems, and you can now become a Master Interpener. Think Master Sommelier, but for pot. [level-members] The wine industry continues to face labor issues, mainly from the growing legal cannabis industry and the uncertain regulatory climate at the national level. Neither of those issues seem […]

Food & Wine Pairing: Cru Beaujola

June 16th, 2017

Hardly a fair headline, given the great variety of styles for cru Beaujolais, but that just means there are lots of good options. [level-members] One of my favorites is sushi, which works well with lighter cru Beaujolais. (Let’s be clear, though: we’re not talking about Beaujolais Nouveau.) Steak frite is a great dish for a more […]

Wine Stories Worth Sharing – June 15, 20

June 15th, 2017

Brain health and wine, pants-less drinking, getting geeky with vines, and the countries that drink the most wine.[level-members] Bad news about wine and your brain: one may not be quite as good for the other as has been widely reported. Does drinking without your pants on appeal? (See note above. It may be too late […]

Open Minds Make for Better Wine Shop Marketi

June 14th, 2017

Do you remember the band Kiss? Face paint. Fire. Gene Simmons and his tongue. My cousin made me blind-listen to Kiss to get my true opinion, since lots of “cool” kids thought they were stupid. I won that battle – I though they sounded stupid, too – but I think of that experience often when talking about […]