Editor:

The "Glossy Buying Guides" article (Off The Vine, July 2006) was fascinating. Thanks for it.

One thing I think is extremely important that you don't address: What are the criteria used by each glossy in determining the wine's score? In particular, to what degree does the price influence the score?

For example when I see a score of 94 points on a $16 Shiraz, I always wonder to myself, "Is that really better than the $80 Shiraz that scored 92 points from the same publication?" Or is the quality lower, but because the value is better, the reviewer gave it the higher score of 94?

s/ Brett Roush
via e-mail


Editor:

Enjoyed your article about changes in Alsatian wines (by Norm Roby, May 2006). Hurrah for dry Pinot Gris; that's the way it's supposed to be.

I remember when tasting with the Connoisseur's Guide, Steve Elliott and I, as diabetics, could always taste residual sugar in wines, but were fooled by the Alsatian wines that tasted with a sweet finish but tested dry.

Keep up the good work.

s/ Bob Kozlowski
former Kenwood winemaker
San Francisco, Calif.
via e-mail


Editor:

My family and I own and operate Still Pond Vineyard and Winery in Southwest Georgia. We have 160 acres of Muscadine grapes, which are our livelihood and have been for three generations. We really appreciate the light that Gregory McCluney shed on Muscadines in his recent article (June 2006). It was very informative, and could do nothing but help our industry.

s/ Charlie Cowart
via e-mai