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October 2011Don't Live With Leafroll
As a team of University of California research scientists working to develop strategies that may help California grapegrowers control leafroll disease, we were very concerned about Kerry Kirkham’s article “Live with Leafroll” in the June edition of Wines & Vines. In particular, we are concerned that readers who do not know very much about leafroll disease could easily be persuaded that this problem is easily overcome in the winery by technical manipulation.READ MORE »
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July 2011Viewpoint leaves reader flushed
For the 25%-50% (the figures are variously reported in medical literature) of Chinese with Oriental Flushing Syndrome or Asian Glow, wine will not awaken the sleeping tiger (“China Waits for the Sleeping Tiger,” May 2011 issue.) Hundreds of millions of Chinese have a mutation in the gene for aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 isoenzyme, ALDH2, which is needed to metabolize alcohol.READ MORE »
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June 2011Peek behind the curtain
Thank you so much for your column, “What Do Wine Writers Want?” (Wines & Vines, April 2011 issue.) It was extremely helpful to me, having been a publicist for more than 40 years, but with less than two of those years in the wine industry. I worked in music for the majority of my career, and I have found that the similarities between the wine business and the music business are pretty incredible. As you say in your column, wine writers don’t get paid much, and neither do music writers. I am still learning, and your column was a great step forward for me.READ MORE »
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May 2011The big picture on big, dry reds
I take issue with the idea of big, extracted, dry red wines being a fad. (“Big, Dry Reds: Just a Fad?” Wines & Vines, March 2011.)READ MORE »
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April 2011Reactions to flash sales coverage
Editor’s note: We received plenty of feedback about our new department, The Flash Report, and about Paul Franson’s related article in the February issue, “Leading Flash Sales Sites Identified.” Here is a sampling of reader comments.
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December 2010The end of an era
An era is coming to an end. Nancy Sutton, the first federally appointed American Viticulture Area (AVA) national program manager, has announced her retirement effective Jan. 1.
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April 2010Get paid to play by the Rules
I would like to compliment you on the article about certification programs for sustainable winegrowing (“California Wineries Get Certified,” winesandvines.com Headlines, Feb. 8, 2010). As one of the oldest organizations involved in the promotion of sustainable agriculture, the Lodi Rules Certified program was the first third-party certified sustainable winegrowing program. This program is available to anyone in the state. Lodi Rules, like the other programs, is a great way for growers to analyze their systems and improve them. In the process they may gain a little recognition for their low-impact, environmentally friendly, socially equitable and economically viable practices. We now have several wineries paying a tonnage premium to their growers if they enter the program. These wineries believe in the Rules: In spite of the tough times, the consumer is increasingly demanding that food and fiber be produced in the “right” way.
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March 2010Freeze hurt vinifera, not labrusca
The Ohio “Vintage Report,” January 2010, contains two errors. The first bullet-point states “An extreme January freeze damaged labrusca grapes in the Grand River Valley.”
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February 2010A toast to malolactic
Great article (John Ingraham’s “Hanzell and ML34,” January 2010). Hundreds of wine writers and reviewers mention “fermented in,” “followed by malolactic,” and “aged on lees,” taking for granted the important role these bugs play in turning simple grape juice into a beverage celebrated by Greek philosophers, French emperors and American presidents.
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January 2010Divergent Views of Monterey
Online response to “Does Ag Diversity Hinder Monterey,” winesandvines.com Headlines, Nov. 19.
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December 2009Feedback
Time for a tannin refresher course?
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November 2009Feedback
Three-tiers for morality
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October 2009Feedback
Cellar position
"Cellared in Canada Wines Under Siege" (winesandvines.com Headlines, Aug. 12), while attempting to provide a balanced story, inaccurately and negatively portrays a category that continues to play an integral part in a sustainable Ontario wine industry.READ MORE »
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September 2009Shining a light into barrels
Disparaging oak barrels under a "green" umbrella may feel good, but it ignores the reality of the situation (See "The Art of Oak, Part 2," June 2009). In my country, Hungary, sound ecological practices go back over 400 years, and legal frameworks protecting forests go back 200 years. Forests are harvested in a responsible manner, and sustainability is not a goal but a reality. Moreover, oak products shipped by ocean freight often have lower carbon footprints than products trucked across America.READ MORE »
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September 2009Terroir against the grain?
It seems that the notion of quality is being built into an argument about grain versus terroir in French oak barrels (See "How French Are French Barrels?" winesandvines.com Headlines, June 26. Read it on page 34). As a winemaker and former cooperage research enologist, my opinion is that both issues are relevant, along with other factors as well.READ MORE »
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August 2009Feedback
Painful loss in Oregon
The loss of the Oregon Tasting Room is especially painful. ("Oregon Tasting Rooms Closing," winesandvines.com Headlines, June 12. Read an edited version on page 18.)READ MORE »
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July 2009Feedback
Three-tier terrorismREAD MORE »
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June 2009Feedback
A little goes a long wayREAD MORE »
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May 2009Readers' Mail
Going privateREAD MORE »
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April 2009Feedback
World-changing winesREAD MORE »
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March 2009Feedback
A lesson in history
I enjoyed your recent feature article on "Wines That Changed the Industry" (January 2009). The piece on David Lett, while largely correct, is somewhat misleading because of several key omissions.READ MORE »
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February 2009Feedback
In defense of the Adams-Harbertson assayREAD MORE »
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December 2008Thought-provoking commentrary from Wines & Vines readers
A jewel of an initiativeREAD MORE »
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November 2008Feedback
Cross currents
I liked the Morgan & Moore column "When Technology Becomes Tradition" (September 2008), and I agreed with much of it. I, too, see some wineries jumping on bandwagons prematurely. We are the exclusive West Coast distributors of Koch Membrane Systems. The authors talk about new cross-flow technology being used in the winery, but suggested that winemakers ask, "Should we buy a new cross-flow system when our old plate-and-frame or pressure leaf filter is perfectly adequate?"READ MORE »
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October 2008Feedback
Ageable wines: Old World or old-fashioned?
I think that you missed the boat on what I think is the key factor in ageability (Tim Patterson's Inquiring Winemaker, July and August 2008) -- to wit, minerality. I wish I could tell you with absolute certainty that older vintages of Bordeaux (and New World Cabs, for that matter) had a higher degree of minerality, measurable by physical means, than their modern counterparts.READ MORE »
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September 2008Feedback
Organic responseREAD MORE »
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August 2008Feedback
Reviewing the reviewREAD MORE »
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July 2008Feedback
Taming the wild grapeREAD MORE »
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June 2008Feedback
The yeast regard
Regarding "Going Wild In the Cellar" (April 2008): All that any winemaker can say for sure about a "wild" fermentation is that it is simply uninoculated. It is probably a little ambitious to assume a wine was fermented by indigenous yeast unless you have gone through some very sophisticated measures to support this. While indigenous yeasts are found in grape must, their influence--even early on in a fermentation--is far from established.READ MORE »
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April 2008Feedback
Against the grain
Kudos to Tim Patterson for an excellent article on American Oak, "Still Second Rate?" in the February issue. It was very refreshing to read a balanced, well- informed article on AO in the wine press. I'm sure Gary Eberle, Paul Draper and the others mentioned in the piece would love to get their hands on the wine writer who said that American oak had "no place in fine winemaking." Give me a break!READ MORE »
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March 2008Feedback
Belgium bashes California winesREAD MORE »
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February 2008Feedback
Enthusiast responseREAD MORE »
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January 2008Feedback
A truly dynamic topicREAD MORE »
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December 2007Feedback
Crazy aunt in the atticREAD MORE »
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November 2007Feedback
Labeling issues
I read the article by Jim Gordon ("Time to Comment on New Label Rules," Headlines, winesandvines.com, Sept. 20), and wonder why the press is not forcing labeling of fast foods, donuts and other junk food so that consumers can see it at the point of purchase. Maybe they would make a choice to buy something more healthy. Congress seems to be taking the easy route by going after labeling of wine, when the industries fattening up American children and adults are totally unaffected.READ MORE »
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October 2007Feedback
Wineries unwelcome in SLO?READ MORE »
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August 2007Feedback
Write Us: Please send us your opinions on wine industry issues, or your reactions to any of our articles. E-mail to edit@winesandvines.com or fax to (415) 453-2517. Items may be edited for clarity and brevity.READ MORE »
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August 2007Letters
Scoring Points
"To what degree does the price influence the score?"
Editor:READ MORE »
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August 2007Letters
To the PointREAD MORE »Feedback
June 2007Letters
What Really Happened in Virginia?
"It appears that Jefferson's vines did not live long enough to get phylloxera."
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May 2007Letters
Barrel Backers Bite BackREAD MORE »Feedback
March 2007Letters
More Millennial MadnessREAD MORE »Feedback
December 2006Letters
The AVA Process:
Not So Simple
"Simply frustrated and disappointed"
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November 2006Letters
Glossies: What Readers Don't KnowREAD MORE »Feedback
October 2006Letters
Wine Enthusiast RespondsREAD MORE »Feedback
September 2006Letters
The Glass Stands AloneREAD MORE »Feedback
June 2006Letters
Noninterventionist PolicyREAD MORE »Feedback
May 2006Feedback
Purple PassionREAD MORE »Feedback
April 2006Feedback
Patience And Deep Pockets RequiredREAD MORE »Feedback
March 2006Feedback
Clarifying The Zinfandel Project
"This is a very important topic, not only for Zinfandel but other popular varietals."
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February 2006Feedback
