The other week, the Wine Media Guild hosted a Vertical Tasting of three chateaux from Bordeaux–a luncheon at Felidia‘s that began with a one-hour self-pour tasting of twelve wines, before everyone sat for lunch. Wine Reviews Wine Stories Wineries Bordeaux Chateau Angelus Chateau Figeac La Conseillante Wine Media Guild MORE >>

In 2006, Parker’s assistant, Joan Passman, told a New York Times reporter that Parker purchased bottles “on occasion” but that “by far the largest portion” of wines he sampled were free samples. By “invited to participate,” Parker was presumably saying that Montelena and Dunn had been invited to submit samples. MORE >>

What happens when a reviewer tastes a good bottle, but some consumers buy what appears to be a completely different product? Kenney wrote last week that “During a ten month period I had exchanged seven emails with DrBigJ, reminding/imploring him to taste the sent bottle…to no avail.&#. Think it couldn’t happen? Big mistake. MORE >>

Or just for keeping all your tasting notes handy and organized? The IntelliScanner ($249, with software), which I received as a sample, comes in a wooden box big enough for a wine bottle yet is only the size of a matchbox. The on-stage demonstration Google held at the launch even included a wine bottle that generated tasting notes. MORE >>

have already tasted two of the Octavin Home Wine Bar artisan white wines and did review the Sauvignon Blanc from that collection and was looking forward to trying the Zin, but not necessarily writing a review. Disclaimer: I received this wine as a sample from the PR folks representing the brand. Best of all is the price. MORE >>