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Home > Blogs > Uncorked > Archives > 2005 > November > 20 > Entry
Wine News & Notes, Including a Special Delivery
— The “Napa Valley Style” (huh?) of growing grapes and making wine is going to China, according to the Napa Valley Register story on a trade agreement between the two countries. My question is: Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
— Dates have been set for the Cincinnati International Wine Festival: the grand tastings will be held March 24-25 in the city’s convention center, winery dinners will be held at various Cincinnati-area restaurants on March 23 and a charity auction and dinner will take place on Feb. 25 at the Hyatt Regency. Always a popular event that raises big money for several worthy charities, and worth exploring if you’ve never been to one. More details will emerge as the events approach.
— Read about how Santa Barbara County, which I visited in the summer of 2004 (BEFORE the “Sideways” craze hit, thankyouverymuch), is nurturing the next generation of winemakers in this San Francisco Chronicle story on the topic. It’s a happening place, to be sure.
— Was it just me, or was the Georges Dubeouf Nouveau Beaujolais a cut above its competitors this year, and also a cut above the usual nouveau wines? What do YOU think?
— Some of you Dayton and Cincinnati-area folks know Todd Nikolai, who works for Mason-based Vintner Select and served a wine retail dude for Dorothy Lane Market for a spell, where he was known as “Tall Todd” to differentiate him from DLM’s Todd Templin. Well, Nikolai became a father for the first time yesterday. Carina Ann Nikolai was born at 2:42 a.m. Saturday (11-19-05), all 7 pounds, 11 ounces and 20.5 inches of her. Mom, Dad, baby all doing well, according to Todd’s e-mail.
And to that I say: Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Comments
By Bob
November 23, 2005 4:14 PM | Link to this
I’ve been slow on here this week. I didn’t want to miss the chance to offer best wishes to the Nikolai family. Thanks for the news Mark.
By patty
November 22, 2005 10:39 AM | Link to this
The Santa Barbara article was well worth reading. As much as I like Melville’s wines, I would love to try his Syrah and others that were mentioned in the article. The camaraderie of the Santa Barbara winemakers is heartwarming. I hope that an influx of future less-expensive Chinese wines doesn’t impact the sales of the Santa Barbara wines. Or on a more positive spin, that the new Chinese middle class appreciate the wines of the small Santa Barbara wine producers.
By patty
November 22, 2005 9:39 AM | Link to this
I would agree that the gd was representative of drinkable Nouveau Beaujolais. My favorite was a 2004 Beaujolais nonfiltered small producer Beaujolais from Pierre Chermette opened by Arrow for grape comparison purposes. Black raspberries and a richer mouth feel within the same price range.
By cathy
November 21, 2005 4:06 PM | Link to this
Selling our wine-growing & producing trade secrets to China is not particularly a good idea, in my opinion; however, it may be better than some alternate endings to the story. Wine consumption in China is growing, and the Chinese are importing more & more US-made wines. The details of the trade agreement are vague (at least from the article Mark linked), so I don’t know what the Napa producers will get from the venture. I think that over time, this agreement will enable China to produce their own wines reducing their demand on US wines. On the other hand, I suppose if US producers hadn’t signed the agreement, some other country would have stepped in. Perhaps this venture was seen as a way to get in on creating a new world market. If the Chinese do really well at it, they may become competitors.