Montes , the Chilean Winery who produced a few wines reviewed by this blog has been chosen to represent Chile at the Terroir Gallery of the landmark exhibition How Wine Became Modern at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Specifically, the wine chosen was the Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon. MORE >>

"Do you know the significance of a golden carrot? Especially when 14 people are dining with you?". The spell-like meaning of a carrot with a gold sauce, served to 14 people, is luck. Perhaps today at En Primeur with the tasting of Haut Medoc and Pauillac and Saint Estephe it means "luck for the vintage" for the very important Asian market. Spice. MORE >>

Registration is now open for the next session of my six-week wine class at NYU. Calvin Trillin has a hilarious post on ACI , a measure with false precision akin to the wine score. Here’s a snippet: “Among people who think of themselves as wine connoisseurs there’s a 61 percent ACI.” What is ACI? NYTimes.com ]. scps.NYU.edu ]. MORE >>

Consumers have filed a class-action lawsuit in California against E&J Gallo over the faux pinot, Red Bicyclette. SPIT: volume (how vial!). Two companies have developed oxygen-free, trial-sized bottles, 50ml in size (1/15th of a normal bottle). The goal is to send samples more easily from wineries to consumers. Ziploc, anyone? MORE >>

Baccarat 's presentation of their beautifully designed crystal wine glasses was matched only by the vertical tasting of 3 vintages of Chateau Rauzan-Segla Gran Cru Classe-Margaux. Chateau Rauzan Segla 2006 Gran Cru Classe-Margaux 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, aged in 50% French oak barrels for 18 months. MORE >>