Another amazing vintage came to Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Napa Valley in 2005. It was pretty close to perfect. As was 2009. All the while, a new phenomenon arose on the other side of the planet: the Asian awakening to wine, led by China. It hit the
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Wine in the 1990s and Early 2000s
In Europe, the 1990s started out bleakly, with several subpar vintages—while Robert Parker and other critics lauded the wines coming out of Napa. Bordeaux saw much-improved conditions in 1994, and then in 1995 which was considered close to perfect
Fine Wine in the 1980s
The wine market got an added, welcome boost from the incredible growing seasons and harvests in France in 1982 and 1983. The winemakers of Bordeaux had suffered tremendously in the previous decade. Conditions have to be perfect for a great vintage
Warren Buffet Seeks Inroads to Texas Distribution Market
Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway company is currently hammering against the alcohol laws and regulations in the state of Texas, and to the casual observer, the situation might seem confusing. As a Texas-based company, we have a keen interest in th
Blue Chip Wines from Araujo Estate
If the United States had a classification system similar to that of Bordeaux, the Eisele Vineyard in Calistoga would certainly be named a First Growth. After purchasing the site in 1990, proprietors Bart and Daphne Araujo displayed an almost fanatic
The Judgment of Paris and the Rise of Wine Critics
In 1976, noted wine critic Steven Spurrier organized a blind taste test in Paris, with French judges selected to assess the quality of the top California Cabernet Sauvignons and Chardonnays against the best wines from Bordeaux and Burgundy. Each e
The Rise of the American Wine Market in the 1960s and 1970s
Returning for a moment to the unintended consequences of Prohibition in the United States, the segment of the alcohol industry that struggled the most after repeal was the wine business. Beer and liquor rebounded relatively quickly, but American
Boutique Wineries and the Three-Tier System
In the wake of prohibition, a jumble of conflicting alcohol distribution laws arose across the country, which to this day makes doing business at times confusing and burdensome. For example, Pennsylvania and Utah monopolize all distribution and re
Prohibition in the United States and its Consequences
Drinking wine from a box is one thing, but have you ever heard of a wine brick? During Prohibition, which was enacted in 1920, California vineyards used wine bricks to work around federal laws and sell alcoholic beverages. Wineries would ship tigh
Wildfires Still Raging in California Wine Country
First and foremost, we wish to extend our sincere condolences to the families who have lost homes, businesses, and loved ones as a result of the wildfires that are currently ravaging Northern California. Natural disasters have been an all too frequen