Category: Musings

Musings – just what it sounds like. Dr Booze muses on …

Terroir

When you meet a vintner or a salesperson these days they will immediately start to effuse about their “terroir.” If you have yet to figure this out, the French came to the conclusion around 1800 that the best wines were made in very particular vineyards for reasons they did not quite understand. They therefore awarded… Continue reading Terroir

The Wine Condom – a perfect solution

Today I found the perfect solution to several problems simultaneously. Best of all, unlike my usual perfect solutions, this one is affordable. Meet the Wine Condom. Cheekily named after its inspiration, it comes in a box of 10 with suitable instructions, for those of us unfamiliar with condom usage. It is as you’d imagine a… Continue reading The Wine Condom – a perfect solution

How to earn a “Classic” score from the Wine Spectator

Pictured on the right are four acuvin test strips for residual sugar.   The top strip is Coudoulet de Beaucastel 2010, a wine of some repute. (15.5 by Jancis Robinson)  This particular version is low on Syrah, only 20%, which probably accounts for the slightly lowish score.  Robinson gave the ’11 a 16. Ogier Heritages [corrected… Continue reading How to earn a “Classic” score from the Wine Spectator

Bad Ego, Bad Science Bad Wine Ratings

Last June,The Guardian newspaper posted a story about the inaccuracy of wine ratings, specifically the inaccuracy of tasters’ – trained tasters, professionals – ratings. So far, rather to my amusement the article and the research behind it has been greeted by stony silence from wine writers. To be brief here are the facts: – the… Continue reading Bad Ego, Bad Science Bad Wine Ratings