2009年12月19日 星期六

Last call for German schnaps?

Inside Europe | 19.12.2009 | 22:05

Last call for German schnaps?

bottles of schnaps
Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: There is a large variety of schnaps

One of the preferred methods of washing down a belly full of food in Germany is a small glass of schnapps.

Farmers in south-west Germany have a long and rich tradition of making schnapps from fruit grown in their orchards. However, many of these small-scale fruit growers can only survive thanks to a government subsidy for agricultural alcohol - a subsidy the EU has ruled is illegal and has to be phased out. Germany has decided to fight the ruling, arguing that the end of subsidies will not only spell the end for one the country's cultural practices, it will also further endanger traditional orchards tended by the farmers.

Report: Kate Hairsine, Karlsruhe

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2009年12月10日 星期四

熱紅酒

酒國大使王靈安特調的「熱紅酒」

甜蜜熱紅酒- Daju's hut - udn部落格

熱紅酒在奧地利和德國一帶是滑雪聖地的最佳飲品,滑完雪後來杯溫暖的熱紅酒坐在火爐邊是最好的享受,還記得這是好多年前一位漂亮的奧地利交換學生就在火爐邊教我煮的, ...
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2009年10月31日 星期六

testing the best German red wine

Audios and videos on the topic
Audio: Listen to: Tasting Germany's best red


Inside Europe | 31.10.2009 | 07:05

The trials and tribulations of testing the best German red wine

Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift:

It was a tough assignment for a panel of jurors here in Germany. They've just tasted their way through more than a thousand wines to uncover the county's best reds.

The annual German Red Wine prize is one of the most prestigious in the country and it's awarded by the European wine magazine, Vinum. Our reporter Kate Hairsine decided to put her taste buds to the test and sent us this report.



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2009年10月5日 星期一

神之雫

神之雫風靡台港韓 大掀紅酒熱

編譯陳成良／特譯

在法國波爾多梅多克葡萄酒區小村莊巴集的圓石廣場上，12位舉足輕重的酒莊主人身穿紅袍，準備引介兩位日本漫畫家加入他們採取嚴格會員制的葡萄酒兄弟會。 這對姊弟檔漫畫家樹林優子及樹林伸，以共同筆名「亞樹直」創作「神之雫」（中文譯為「神之水滴」）系列漫畫，不但帶動日本和南韓的紅酒銷售量，其影響力甚 至大到足以左右亞洲各國紅酒市場的銷售。

「神之雫」已集結出版到第21集，4年來估計在日本已狂銷600萬冊，在台灣、香港及南韓等地也大賣300萬本，如今在葡萄酒王國法國也掀起熱潮，出版9 集便暢銷35萬冊，當地漫畫迷熱切等待即將在10月出刊的第10集。出版商費朗德指出：「本書在兩個文化間建立真正的橋梁，讓漫畫迷發現葡萄酒，葡萄酒愛 好者發現漫畫。」

「神之雫」故事描述日本知名葡萄酒評論家神咲豐多香過世時，在遺書中要求兒子神咲雫和養子互相競爭，誰能先找出他選出的13種酒的名字與年份，就能繼承他 價值不菲的葡萄酒收藏。這13種酒分為兩部分，前12種是「使徒酒」，也是神咲豐多香眼中的偉大葡萄酒。第13種酒是集前面12種酒優點於一身的夢幻葡萄 酒，就叫「神之雫」。

波爾多傳奇葡萄酒莊園主卡茲釀造的1983年份「Chateau Lynch Bages」，和他的豪華莊園出現在第5集，令他驚訝不已。他表示：「漫畫不屬於我的文化，但是我看到這部作品將葡萄酒闡釋得非常好，讓人們透過漫畫學到有關葡萄酒的知識。」

事實上，漫畫主角神咲雫一開始對紅酒涉獵不多，因此讀者是和他一起學習，一步一步深入了解紅酒，讓這部漫畫成為許多人的紅酒入門書，也讓數百萬讀者成為未來潛在顧客。

「神之雫」出版第一年，日本紅酒銷售業績就狂升130％，南韓主要紅酒商店的業績也暴增150％。

（取材自法新社）
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2009年7月24日 星期五

passito

Word of the Day:

passito

[pah-SEE-toh] An Italian term used both for a method of making sweet wines and for the sweet wines made this way. Passito wines begin by laying freshly picked grapes on mats (or hanging them in bunches) so that they can partially dry. This process eliminates much of the grape's water and concentrates its sugar and flavor components. Depending on the technique used, the drying time can vary from several weeks (in the hot sun) to several months (in a cool ventilated room). When the grapes are crushed and fermentation begins, the sugar content is usually high enough to take the wine to a reasonable alcohol level (see alcohol by volume) and still end up with enough residual sugar to make these wines fairly sweet.
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2009年7月23日 星期四

liquoreux

Word of the Day:

liquoreux

[lee-koh-REUH] A French wine descriptor meaning "rich and sweet," generally used when referring to dessert wines, such as those of sauternes.

(© Barron's Educational Series, Inc.)
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2009年6月17日 星期三

Basking With Rosés

Basking With Rosés


By ERIC ASIMOV
Published: June 9, 2009

IT began seemingly as a brief flirtation more than five years ago, this American affection, if not passion, for rosé wines. It was something new, something different. Fashion magazines and other arbiters of cool zeroed in on rosé like a rising hemline and anointed it the “It” wine.

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Tony Cenicola/The New York Times

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Tasting Report

The wine panel was encouraged by how many bottles in the tasting were actually dry, without the soda-pop dollop of sugar that can turn a rosé into a wine cooler.

  • 1. Robert Oatley
  • 2. Jean-Paul Brun
  • 3. Wild Rock
  • 4. Commanderie de Peyrassol
  • 5. Domaine de la Courtade
  • 6. Château d’Oupia
  • 7. Château du Rouët
  • 8. Commanderie de la Bargemone
  • 9. Ameztoi
  • 10. Jean-Maurice Raffault
Tasting Coordinator: Bernard Kirsch
Best Value

Related

Pairings | Pan Bagnat ‘Sliders’ (June 10, 2009)

But “It” wines are fleeting, like a whiff of a captivating perfume, or the beads of condensation on a cool glass in the afternoon sun.

This thing with rosé has evolved into a long-term relationship that shows no signs of fading.

It used to be that when warm weather rolled around, critics would try to talk up the virtues of rosé as a wine that deserved a place at the table, better yet a lunch table, best of all a lunch table outdoors, near the water, with pale blue skies, the smell of the sea and whitewashed walls thrown in for atmosphere.

Few Americans took rosés seriously, though, and the wines languished, except in their bastardized “blush” guises as sweetened wine confections that may have a place, yes, though rarely at the table.

But when Americans took that fashionable leap, they discovered what Mediterranean cultures knew all along: rosé is the quintessential daytime wine, perfect for outdoors, wonderful in the summer.

With few exceptions, rosés are simple wines, but that simplicity enhances their allure. As with cooking over a grill, drinking rosé emphasizes the elemental, uncomplicated appeal of the fresh, raw material, which makes them generally undemanding wines. Anything wrong with that? Of course not. Most rosés are like beach reading, but as anybody who has ever been stuck seaside with a dull book knows, a bad rosé is no picnic.

To assess this summer’s offerings, the wine panel recently sampled 25 bottles of rosé. Our only restriction was price: We wanted to spend $10 to $20 a bottle, but no more than that.

For the tasting, Florence Fabricant and I were joined by Mark Lugo, the sommelier at BLT Fish in New York, and Karen King, a former sommelier who is now a sales manager at Winebow, an importer and distributor.

In that price range we could have found hundreds of bottles. So just to be clear: The list of the top 10 wines in our tasting represents only those we liked in that small sample, although I think it offers an accurate cross-section of what is generally available.

For consumers, the news is good. We were encouraged by how many wines in the tasting were actually dry, without the soda-pop dollop of sugar that can turn a rosé into a wine cooler.

The wines we liked best were not overly fruity nor were they obvious. Instead, they emphasized mineral flavors, along with floral and herbal aromas. They were savory. In fact, that was the word that came to mind in describing our No. 1 wine, a counterintuitive choice in every way.

The wine, a 2008 Robert Oatley, came from the Mudgee region of Australia, which is not exactly a rosé destination, and was made from the sangiovese grape, which you don’t often see contributing to a rosé. Nonetheless, it had that savory quality we really liked, along with restrained flavors, a tangy presence and an inviting texture.

Texture — how the wine feels in the mouth — was a crucial ingredient in the bottles we liked best. As I said, these were not obvious wines, conveying powerful fruit flavors and aromas. They were more evocative, with their allure stemming from their ability to transport.

In previous rosé tastings, we very much liked American, Spanish and Italian wines. But in this tasting, French rosés dominated, taking 7 of the top 10 spots. These included rosés in many different colors and styles.

Our No. 2 bottle, the 2008 Beaujolais Rosé d’Folie from Jean-Paul Brun, was made entirely from gamay. It, too, had a wonderfully delicate texture with unexpected nuances in the flavor. Our No. 4 wine, the ’08 Château de Peyrassol from the Côtes de Provence, was a more typical southern French rosé, made of grenache, cinsault and syrah. It is pure pink with floral aromas and pleasing mineral flavors.

Meanwhile, our No. 5 wine, the 2008 L’Alycastre from Domaine de la Courtade, also from the Côtes de Provence, made of grenache, mourvèdre and the obscure tibouren, was an archetype rosé — chill, pour, drink and enjoy. Our No. 6 wine, the ’08 Château d’Oupia from the Minervois, was a spicy, peppery wine. At $13 it was our best value, though in this $10 to $20 range none of our favorites were bad values.

It’s the rare rosé that benefits from age. Two that come to mind are the Rioja from Lôpez de Heredia and the Palette from Château Simone. Both are superb wines, but out of our price range. All of our favorites were from the 2008 vintage.

The most unusual in the bunch was our No. 9 wine, a 2008 Txakolina from Ameztoi in the Basque region of Spain. Dry white Txakolinas have grown highly popular in the last few years, but you don’t often see a rosé. This wine had a bit of effervescence, and surprising flavors of tropical fruit.

The Txakolina was made by blending the red hondarrabi beltza grape with white hondarrabi zuri grapes, a method that may be ancient in the Basque region but is prohibited in much of Europe. Otherwise, all of our favorites were made in the traditional manner of crushing red grapes only and allowing the juice to macerate only briefly with the pigment-bearing skins.

The European Union had proposed relaxing these rules, which would have allowed producers everywhere in Europe to blend red and white to make rosé. But after heavy lobbying from rosé producers, who feared that their more painstaking methods would give way to cheap blends of poor wines, the union on June 8 withdrew the proposal.

Good rosé may well be more than a fleeting memory.

Tasting Report: Sipping Under the Sun

Robert Oatley

$16

★★★

Mudgee Australia Rosé of Sangiovese 2008

Bone dry with lovely texture and balanced, savory mineral flavors.

(Importer: Oatley Wines, Petaluma, Calif.)

Jean-Paul Brun

$15

★★★

Terres Dorées Beaujolais Rosé d’Folie 2008

Rich yet delicate with restrained fruit flavors and plenty of nuances. (Louis/Dressner Selections, New York)

Wild Rock

$15

★★ ½

Hawkes Bay New Zealand Vin Gris Rosé 2008

Crisp and tangy with dry, refreshing flavors. (Kobrand, New York)

Commanderie de Peyrassol

$15

★★ ½

Côtes de Provence Château de Peyrassol 2008

Pink, dry and surprisingly rich with pleasing floral aromas.

(Rosenthal Wine Merchant, New York)

Domaine de la Courtade

$14

★★ ½

Côtes de Provence L’Alycastre Rosé 2008

Dry, earthy and straightforward; chill, pop, pour and drink.

(Winebow, New York)

BEST VALUE

Château d’Oupia Minervois Rosé 2008

$13

★★ ½

Floral aromas with round, peppery fruit flavors.

(Louis/Dressner Selections, New York)

Château de Rouët

$13

★★ Côtes de Provence Coeur Estérelle 2008

Delicate and straightforward with dry, gentle citrus and berry flavors. (Village Wine Imports, New York)

Commanderie de la Bargemone

$16

★★

Coteaux d’Aix en Provence Rosé 2008

Dry and earthy with intriguing floral and berry flavors.

(Hand Picked Selections, Warrenton, Va.)

Ameztoi Getariako Txakolina Rubentis 2008

$20

★★

Dry, tangy and lightly effervescent, with crisp, almost tropical fruit

flavors. (De Maison Selections, Chapel Hill, N.C.)

Jean-Maurice Raffault Chinon Rosé 2008

$17

★★

Tangy aromas and flavors of earth, herbs and almonds.

(V.O.S. Selections, New York)

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2009年6月15日 星期一

Rum



Yo-Ho-Ho and a Bottle of Appleton


By STUART ELLIOTT
Published: June 15, 2009

One of the biggest hit songs of the 1940s was a comic tune performed by the Andrews Sisters, “Rum and Coca-Cola.” Decades later, a brand of premium-priced rum is suggesting that rum drinkers forgo the Coke — or any mixer, for that matter — and also say no to garnishes and other embellishments.

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Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum is urging consumers to “Sip up.”

In a print and outdoor campaign, with a budget estimated at $7 million to $8 million, Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum is urging consumers to “Sip up.” The goal of the humorous campaign, by DeVito/Verdi in New York, is to woo those who typically drink so-called brown goods like pricey Scotches and whiskys by presenting two varieties of Appleton Estate brown rums as good enough to imbibe on their own.

“To all Irish whisky drinkers, today is your lucky day,” the headline of one ad declares. A second ad carries this cheeky Q & A: “Looking for a good Scotch? May we suggest a rum.”

Other ads in the campaign assert that Appleton Estate is “the rum that needs nothing.” That idea is brought to life with illustrations showing, for instance, a twin straw in a glass of rum turning into a double-barreled shotgun, blasting away at a piece of pineapple trying to join the drink.

In another such ad, tiny plastic swords inside a glass of Appleton Estate stand, points up, ready to repel a cherry that wants to get into the act.

The campaign is the first from DeVito/Verdi since the Kobrand Corporation awarded the agency the Appleton Estate account in December, for tasks that include creative development, media planning and buying, events and nontraditional advertising.

Kobrand became the United States sales and marketing agent for the Appleton Estate rums in May 2008 after reaching an agreement with the brand’s owner, the J. Wray & Nephew Group of Jamaica. The Brown-Forman Corporation had handled Appleton Estate in this country from October 2001 through April 2008.

The campaign concentrates on Appleton Estate Reserve, which is 40 proof, and Appleton Estate 12-year-old, which is 43 proof. The former sells for $25 to $29 for a 750-ml. bottle; the latter is priced in the low $40s.

The campaign is trying to do for rum what has already been done for vodka and tequila: Expand drinkers’ perceptions of the quality of certain brands of distilled spirits to the point where they are willing to pay more for liquor in those categories than ever before.

DeVito/Verdi has some experience in that realm, having created campaigns for Grey Goose vodka when it was owned by the Sidney Frank Importing Company, which sold the premium-priced brand for more than $2 billion to Bacardi Ltd.

In one of those funny ways the ball sometimes bounces when it hits the pavement on Madison Avenue, by claiming that Appleton Estate is tasty enough to never see the inside of a blender DeVito/Verdi is differentiating the brand from the Bacardi Ltd. flagship, Bacardi rum, which has built its leadership in the category on ads that pair it with mixers like Coca-Cola, orange juice, tonic water and club soda.

“Bacardi is the 800-pound gorilla” in the rum market, acknowledges John Pennacchio, director for spirits at Kobrand in Purchase, N.Y., “and with the addition of flavors its share of the category has grown.” His reference is to new flavored Bacardi varieties like lemon, vanilla and apple.

“Rum is the second largest category after vodka,” Mr. Pennacchio says, and like vodka it is “an ingredient category,” in that it is known for being part of mixed drinks and cocktails.

If you go out for a drink and “you say, ‘rum and Coke,’ you’re not going to get yelled at,” he adds.

And then there are rum drinks like daiquiris, mojitos, piña coladas and Mai Tais, just as with vodka the cocktails include martinis and bloody Marys.

But at the same time there is a counter-trend, Mr. Pennacchio says, in that many consumers “are looking for more complex tastes in their foods, in what they drink,” compared with what he calls “the liquid candy” of sweet drinks.

“The sipping and the savoring” embodied by the “Sip up” theme become a call to action” to those drinkers, Mr. Pennacchio says, adding: “We’re not against mixability. We’re saying rum is on par with the classic spirits” like single-malt Scotch, small-batch bourbons and Cognac, which can be enjoyed without accompaniments.

“Taste tests give us very good confidence there’s something there,” Mr. Pennacchio says, referring to work done before the campaign was introduced.

And “the ad that gets the most reaction,” he adds, is one for the 12-year-old variety of Appleton Estate. “It spent 12 years in a barrel,” the headline says. “The last thing it wants to see is the inside of a blender.”

Other ads express that sentiment in similar fashion. “Sorry, Coke,” one headline reads.

Another ad urges rum drinkers to realize that “the aroma of butterscotch, orange peel and vanilla should enter your nose. Not a cocktail umbrella.”

Then there are ads that seek to establish the upscale credentials of Appleton Estate in a cheeky fashion typical of ads from DeVito/Verdi.

“Considered Jamaica’s finest legal export,” one headline declares slyly. The headline of another ad pokes at a competitive brand fronted by a pirate: “A rum well beyond the rank of captain.”

A tongue-in-cheek approach is important, says Brad Emmett, creative director at DeVito/Verdi, because to so many drinkers “rum is fun.”

“We didn’t want to take it to a stuffy place, to say, ‘There’s no more fun in rum now that it’s in the world of sipping like Cognac,’ ” Mr. Emmett says.

“You look at these ads and they bring a smile to your face,” he adds, particularly the ones in which the straws and swords “are knocking out anything that doesn’t need to be in the drink.”

To underline the message, “we kept the ads clean, we kept them simple,” Mr. Emmett says, featuring only a glass and a bottle posed on plain white backgrounds.

That also serves, says Andy Brief, director for account services at DeVito/Verdi, to help the campaign in “shedding the existing conventions” of rum advertising like depicting sunny beaches.

“There’s such an ingrained image of rum,” he adds. “And because it’s consumed with various mixers, the actual flavor of the rum goes unnoticed.”

“There has always been a feeling this category could use a different direction,” Mr. Brief says, “and along comes Appleton with this aging story similar to those you’d find with other brown goods” like Scotch, bourbon and Cognac.

To someone who is “used to drinking rum with a paper umbrella sticking out of it, it may be difficult” to accept rum as something to sip, he adds, “but to those used to brown drinks, it’s a discovery process.”

The print ads in the campaign are running in magazines like Black Enterprise, Esquire, Fast Company, Golf Digest, GQ, Men’s Journal, Out, The Robb Report and Wired. The outdoor ads are appearing on buildings, bus shelters and phone kiosks.

DeVito/Verdi and Kobrand are considering ideas for commercials, which would run on television and online.

•

If you like In Advertising, be sure to read the Advertising column that runs Monday through Friday in the Business Day section of The New York Times print edition and on nytimes.com.
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Mine All Malt (smooth, 5 percent ABV)

Greetings from Taiwan: weather hot, beer cold

It was a killer flight, something like 20 hours from Baltimore to Taipei, but after some naps and several beers, I am up and about.

So far, I have sampled a Mine All Malt, a Taiwan Beer, a Tiger and an unidentified draft beer (it tasted like Bud) served by a unique machine at the Toyko airport.

Parked in the airport lounge waiting for a flight, I placed a chilled glass in the holder of this beer-dispensing machine. When I pressed the start button, the machine grasped the glass, tilted it, then filled the glass about three-quarters full with lager. Finally, a second spout topped the glass with foam.


It was terrific theater. Small children watched in amusement as their fathers got brews. The trouble was the beer was weak and watery.

So far my favorite beer is the Mine All Malt (smooth, 5 percent ABV) . Also, I tell myself after experiencing this humidity, I will temper my complaints about Baltimore weather.

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2009年4月5日 星期日

decant

pronunciation The host remembered to decant the wine before serving it to his guests.

[dee-KANT-ing] Decanting is done either to separate the wine from any sediment deposited during the aging process or to allow a wine to breathe in order to enhance its flavor. When decanting an older wine, care should be taken not to disturb the sediment. A wine basket (also called cradle or Burgundy basket) can be used to move the bottle in a horizontal position from where it was stored to where it will be decanted. This position keeps the sediment from disseminating throughout the wine. If such a basket isn't available, stand the bottle upright for an hour so that the sediment can settle to the bottom of the bottle. Once the foil and cork are removed, gently wipe the mouth of the bottle. Then begin slowly pouring the wine into a decanter, placing a strong light (a candle is charming, but a flashlight is more practical) behind or below the neck of the bottle. The light lets you see the first signs of sediment, at which point you stop pouring. See also opening and serving wine at Home, page 593.


v. tr. - 輕輕倒出, 移入其他容器

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 静かに注ぐ, 別の容器に移す

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2009年4月4日 星期六

Burgundy wine

Burgundy can refer to:

Places

Present-day regions

Other

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2009年3月24日 星期二

日本威士忌封王

這我兩三年前的另外一blog就報導過ㄅ

日本威士忌封王 打敗蘇格蘭

  • 2009-03-24
  • 中國時報
  • 【林家群／綜合報導】

　▲觀光客在英國蘇格蘭的威士忌酒廠參觀並品酒，日本的威士忌近年異軍突起。（美聯社）

　日本酒類產業發達，清酒與啤酒早已遠近馳名，據《彭博通訊社》報導，如今日本威士忌的製酒技術更迎頭趕上威士忌酒鄉英國蘇格蘭，去年一項酒類評鑑中，日本兩大酒廠生產的威士忌打敗了蘇格蘭品牌，震撼全球酒界，如今這場西洋與東洋的威士忌大戰已經開打了。

　在英國《威士忌雜誌》（Whisky Magazine）評鑑中，最佳單一純麥（single malt）品項由朝日啤酒集團旗下的Nikka公司生產的「余市」（Yoichi）廿年威士忌，打敗蘇格蘭群雄奪冠；在調和式威士忌（blended whisky）品項，日本三得利（Suntory）公司生產的「響」（Hibiki）獲全球第一。

　名酒品評賽 東洋凌駕西洋

　日本威士忌經銷商「威士忌Ｅ」執行長克羅爾（David Kroll）說：「這是蘇格蘭酒廠的警訊，日本公司正開始出口更多威士忌到各國。」

　由於九○年代稅制改革，讓日本威士忌極為昂貴，原本喝威士忌的人改喝紅酒或其他酒類，威士忌銷售量大跌，因此產量佔日本威士忌酒市場九成的Nikka與三得利，希望藉出口來彌補國內市場的衰退。

　日本威士忌為何能打敗蘇格蘭同業，很值得探討。

　「余市」純麥 創造出口商機

　Nikka位於北海道余市的酒廠廠長荒谷幸雄說：「公司創辦人竹鶴政孝選擇余市蓋廠，是因這裡的氣候與蘇格蘭類似，日夜溫濕度差距大以及靠近海洋，每個因素都影響酒的品質」。

　Nikka自九○年代起全力生產單一純麥威士忌，使用蘇格蘭的大麥、日本的酵母及來自余市鄰近山區的乾淨水源蒸餾，再用美國白樺木做成的酒桶裝酒熟成，讓它的威士忌聞起來有少許堅果、松露、香草的味道，嚐起來又有燻木或淡煙燻味。

　找到特色 三得利「響」叮噹

　三得利位於京都南方的山崎酒廠有八十六年歷史，是「響」威士忌產地，首席調酒師輿水精一說：「我們過去被視為正牌威士忌模仿者，現在狀況不同了」。調和式威士忌品牌如「約翰走路」或「Cutty Sark」，因其口味一致性，較單一純麥威士忌更受喜愛。

　山崎酒廠在二次大戰時以亞洲橡木桶來裝桶熟成，讓酒有濃郁特殊的古廟風味。《日本威士忌：事實、數據與風味》一書的作者巴克斯魯德 （Ulf Buxrud）說：「日本酒廠如想在海外多搶些威士忌市場，必須強調其特色，這些特色讓威士忌的香味光譜更開闊。老實說，日本人已不再只會模仿而已」。

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2009年3月17日 星期二

In Lean Times, a Stout Dream

In Lean Times, a Stout Dream

By DAVID KESMODEL

The economic crisis has stifled entrepreneurial activity in many industries. But it's done little to dent the ambitions of those who dream of brewing their own beer and offering it to the world.

Surprisingly large numbers of entrepreneurs -- some let go from corporate jobs in recent years -- have been starting microbreweries or brewpubs. Schools that teach brewing are being showered with applications from people interested in getting into the business. At the same time, enthusiasm for interesting new beers remains strong; BeerAdvocate.com, a Web site for beer enthusiasts, says its traffic has reached one million unique visitors a month, and is rising as much as 12% each month.

Despite the economic slump, the demand for micro-brews is on the rise. Matt Rivera reports from Sixpoint Brewery in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Last year, even as a recession gripped the country, 114 microbreweries and brewpubs -- restaurants that make their own beer -- opened in the U.S., according to the Brewers Association, a Boulder, Colo., trade group. That marked the highest number since 1999. Openings are expected to decline this year, but start-up activity remains robust, says Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association. The group estimates 200 microbreweries and brewpubs already are on the drawing board for the next few years.

For some of the new entrepreneurs, the desire to make beer predated the recession. "I got into it because my wife said I could, and it just seemed it would be a heck of a lot of fun," says Steve Klotz, a 46-year-old former Dow Chemical Co. engineer who took a voluntary buyout in 2006 and plans this summer to open a microbrewery in Midland, Mich.

Beer entrepreneurs have also been emboldened by a long list of recent success stories in the small-batch, or "craft," beer arena, as well as statistics showing that Americans are consuming craft beer in increasing numbers. "It's the consumer that's creating the demand," Mr. Gatza says.

Beer has long proved more resilient in recessions than other industries. Total U.S. beer sales increased last year -- though just under 0.5% by volume, estimates industry newsletter Beer Marketer's Insights. Sales of craft beer, the industry's fastest-growing segment, rose 6% by volume, and dollar sales jumped 10.5% to $6.3 billion, according to the Brewers Association.

Beer is taking market share away from distilled spirits, and craft beer in particular is looking like an affordable luxury. "I'm finding that people who are used to drinking $15 martinis think a $5 pint of decent craft beer is pretty reasonable," says Tracy Hurst, who with her husband Doug founded the Chicago microbrewery Metropolitan Brewing LLC.

Craft brewers produce beer in tiny quantities, and they're known for an ever-increasing array of exotic ingredients, such as chocolate, coffee or berries. Craft brewing, led by companies such as California's Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and Oregon's Deschutes Brewery Inc., accounts for only 4% of total industry volume, but the beers provide distributors and retailers with high profit margins. At least part of the growing consumer demand stems from drinkers willing to pay a few dollars extra for beer that's often made close to home.

Starting a microbrewery or brewpub is by no means without risk. It costs roughly $450,000 to $800,000 to start a small brewery, say entrepreneurs, and finding distributors willing to take on unproven brands can be onerous. Brewpubs can cost a few million dollars, depending on their size.

Last year, 42 brewpubs closed in the U.S., the most since 2005, the Brewers Association reports. But only nine microbreweries shuttered, the lowest figure since 1995. Today, with the nation's restaurant sector mired in a steep decline, "it's very difficult" to launch a successful brewpub, says Darren Tristano, executive vice president of food-consulting firm Technomic Inc.

[Beer Manufacturers] Anne Ryan for The Wall Street Journal

Chicago's Metropolitan Brewing, founded by Tracy and Doug Hurst, began selling its lagers this winter.

Even in good times, many brewing start-ups encounter difficulty raising money for the property, brewing equipment and other assets needed to start their business. And some are finding the challenge greater now as banks tighten lending terms.

Mr. Klotz, the former Dow Chemical engineer, sought private investors for his microbrewery, Artful Dodger Brewing Co., after banks expressed reluctance to provide loans. Bankers cited Michigan's deteriorating economy and some recent local restaurant failures, he says.

Mr. Klotz, who began home-brewing a few years ago, says he is "certainly" worried about the economy. In January, Michigan's unemployment rate climbed to 11.6%, the highest in the U.S. But he is hopeful that the microbrewery, which will offer food and beer on tap, will attract customers with fresh, high-quality beer and a smoke-free atmosphere. To draw community support, he plans to invite local artists to name the brewery's beers. "To be successful, I think you need to push and do some creative things," he says.

Joey Redner, 36, recently started Cigar City Brewing, a microbrewery in Tampa, Fla., but only after receiving financial support from his father, a longtime local businessman. The younger Mr. Redner says he has spent $585,000 to start the brewery, which is creating such beers as Jai Alai India Pale Ale and Marshal Zhukov's Imperial Stout. Most of the money came from bank loans for which his father put up business property as collateral. "He has stood back and sort of let us run and fall down as we may," Mr. Redner says of his father, Joe Redner.

Mr. Redner says he was able to quickly sign up with two local distributors in part because he is known for writing a beer column in the St. Petersburg Times and has worked in the industry.

To minimize his costs, Mr. Redner is initially relying on dozens of volunteers to help move beer, wash kegs and haul boxes. Free beer is the tangible reward. "It's the only industry I know where you can pretty much count on voluntary labor," Mr. Redner says.

In Chicago, Mr. and Mrs. Hurst are also relying on volunteers for Metropolitan Brewing, which began selling its German-style lagers to a few dozen bars and retailers this winter. The couple raised about $600,000, including money from private investors and a small-business loan.

"This is a lot of work," Ms. Hurst, 36, said on a recent afternoon while standing next to a row of stainless-steel fermentation tanks, each named for a secondary character on the original "Star Trek" television series. "It's 12-, 13-hour days."

Ms. Hurst previously ran a portrait studio. Her husband, 40, who wears a bushy goatee, earned a brewing diploma at the Siebel Institute of Technology & World Brewing Academy several years ago and left a career running audiovisual systems for corporate events. Now, the couple helps teach a class on starting a brewery at the school, which is based in Chicago and Munich.

The Siebel Institute, the University of California, Davis, and other providers of brewing training in the U.S. say they're seeing increasing numbers of applications from students who want to run a microbrewery or brewpub.

Adam Karaway, 31, who was laid off in late 2007 from his job selling corrugated steel to construction firms, is working as a bartender in Kenosha, Wis., and trying to scrape together enough money to enroll next year in the 27-week craft-brewing apprenticeship program offered by the American Brewers Guild in Salisbury, Vt. He recently took an organic chemistry class at a local college to qualify for the program. "I got to a point in my life where I kind of realized I should be going for something I am passionate about," says Mr. Karaway.



In Lean Times, a Stout Dream
The economic crisis has done little to dent the ambitions of those who dream of brewing and selling their own beer.
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2009年3月13日 星期五

mojito

林世煜：「 Hemingway 住古巴時最愛的雞尾酒─ mojito

我們請到王大師靈安先生蒞場調製

mojito 是西班牙文，請讀成mo[hi]to」
---{Mojito之夜 ─《在異鄉發現台灣》後記 } 的報告
 該報告（豐富圖文；你還可能垂涎）請參閱：

Mojito 之夜─ 《在異鄉發現台灣》後記

不過，這只是起點。

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2009年2月19日 星期四

Buying Wine On a Dime

By DAVID KESMODEL

A year ago, Rick Jelovsek regularly paid $20 or more for a bottle of wine at retailers near his Johnson City, Tenn., home. But after stock-market declines shaved 20% off the value of his retirement accounts, he began choosing bottles in the $12 range.

[Discount Wine] Reuters

A variety of wines are available in the $10-to-$20 range, but thrifty consumers must be selective.

"I'm making sure I'm going down in price, and I'm double-checking that it's either [rated] a good wine or I've gotten a recommendation," says the 64-year-old retired physician, who recently enjoyed a bottle of Spanish wine, Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha, for less than $12.

In Denver, customers "are drinking a little bit less, a little less quality, a little less expensive," says Clif Louis, owner of the Vineyard Wine Shop, which mostly sells boutique wines. His sales have been down about 9% in the past seven months.

As recession grips the country, drinkers are discovering fine wines on a beer budget. The wine industry is less vulnerable to the downturn than other sectors, but total U.S. wine sales rose less than 1% by volume last year, the slowest rate this decade, according to Jon Fredrikson, an industry consultant with Gomberg, Fredrikson & Associates in Woodside, Calif. The downturn is most acute in restaurants, where total wine sales fell 10% to 12% last year as Americans dined out less, Mr. Fredrikson says. "Consumers have reined in their spending and are looking for value," he says.

Moderately priced wines are drawing healthy sales. According to market-research firm Information Resources Inc., which tracks wine sales in food, drug and mass-merchandise outlets, sales of wines in the $11-to-$20 range increased 8% in dollar terms in the 52 weeks through Jan. 25. By contrast, sales of wines costing more than $20 rose a mere 1.6%, compared with 11% and 26% in the two previous periods, respectively.

The ample supply of quality wines for $10 to $20 has left some upscale wines, such as expensive Cabernet Sauvignon from California, collecting dust on store shelves. Still, thrifty consumers must be selective. "There are great values in the $10 to $15 range," says Lisette Sehlhorst, co-owner of the Wine Merchant, a Cincinnati retailer. "I also think there are a lot of junk wines in that range."

Howard Silverman, owner of Howard's Wine Cellar in Chicago, says his best-selling wine is the 2007 Monte Oton from Spain, a Grenache that he sells for $7.29. His top-selling white wine is 2007 Las Brisas Blanc, a Spanish blend, which he sells for $9.99.

The prices mark a trend toward less-expensive varietals, such as Malbec wines from Argentina and the red wines from the Rioja region of Spain, and away from more expensive wines from other regions, such as high-end French wines, according to wine merchants and industry analysts.

There are bargains for high-end wines as well. Richard Rey, 45, an insurance-industry employee in Franklin, Mass., recently bought some Cabernet Sauvignon from California at a local wine store for $80 that was normally priced at $100. The owner indicated the wines weren't selling much, so "he was giving me these great buys," he said.

Some drinkers are cutting back altogether. Jane Vawter, a 45-year-old wine drinker in Trenton, N.J., has slashed her spending on wine since a lucrative contract for her information-technology consulting business ended. In good times, she said, she orders wine futures -- wines that are sold several years before their release -- from Bordeaux. "At this point, I'm not purchasing much of anything," says Ms. Vawter, who is now working on a less-profitable contract. "I've stopped the mail order; I'm not ordering cases. I've also quit my wine clubs." The good news: She has a collection of about 100 wines in her home to tap into.

Related Wine Videos

The shift in consumer demand is creating concern among high-end winemakers and prompting some to revisit their strategies. Cameron Hughes, chief executive of San Francisco's Cameron Hughes Wine, which buys surplus wine from high-end producers and sells it inexpensively under its own labels, says he knows of several winemakers looking at retooling their business model to offer wines in the $9-to-$12 range. "A sea change" is under way, he says.

At Jackson Family Wines, the closely held wine giant in California's Sonoma Valley, sales of the Kendall-Jackson roster of wines, including its best-selling Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay, priced at about $14, remain strong, according to Lenny Stein, president of Jackson Family Enterprises. But some of its higher-end wines are seeing softer sales.

View Full Image

Discount Wine
Ilan Brat / The Wall Street Journal

As a result, the company recently cut its work force. "We need to be aggressively managing our costs, because the future is less predictable," Mr. Stein says.

The economic tumult has been a boon for large winemakers offering many bottles in the range of $8 to $15. For instance, wines made by E. & J. Gallo Winery posted 15 of the top 25 increases in sales volume for U.S. wines sold in food outlets last year, according to Mr. Fredrikson. Gallo, a closely held company based in Modesto, Calif., declined to comment.

In the end, retailers are recognizing they can get some good deals for customers. At Woodland Hills Wine Co., a wine merchant in Woodland Hills, Calif., the store's wine buyers cut back on inventory last year and are now buying wines selectively. Recently, for example, they negotiated with a distributor "sitting on a boatload" of a well-regarded Argentine wine, Achaval-Ferrer Quimera 2006, and offered it to customers for $29 a bottle, down from $40 previously, says wine buyer Kaj Stromer. "We probably sold two pallets worth of wine in a week," he says, "so people are responding as long as they know they are getting a bargain."

Write to David Kesmodel at david.kesmodel@wsj.com

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2009年2月14日 星期六

Pommery

Pommery's Winning Wintertime Champagne

Despite what seems like a marketing gimmick, Pommery's Wintertime champagne is a winner

By Nick Passmore



I am constantly amazed at the extraordinarily expensive lengths the large champagne houses go to in order to promote their product. Hugely extravagant parties for the launch of the most dreary new cuveé, and deep-pocketed sponsorship of upmarket cultural and sporting events are par for the course in the make-believe world of Champagne.


The trouble is we drink so little of the stuff compared to still wine that we really don't remember what the different brands taste like. Consequently our purchasing decisions are based as much on image as what's in the bottle, hence the multimillion-dollar marketing campaigns. (Pommery, founded in 1858, is now owned by Vranken Pommery Monopole Group (VRKP.PA), which is based in Epernay, near Reims in France.)

A Splendid Season

So it was with this cynical eye well-primed for derisive dismissal that I approached the latest offering from the excellent house of Pommery: four different cuveés, each corresponding to one of the seasons. Just another marketing gimmick, thought I, and boy, was I proved wrong.

Pleasantly wrong. Because the Wintertime edition—in a bottle with a ghastly pink label—is an absolutely delicious Blanc de Noir, an extremely unusual champagne made entirely from dark grapes, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, but no Chardonnay.

Bright gold in color, it has more weight and body than Pommery's traditional light and delicate nonvintage champagne, with a rich toastiness and subtle earthy elements that make it the perfect celebratory holiday fizz during this chilly season. It also boasts the added benefit of working extremely well with rich, festive foods.

So pop the cork on Pommery's Wintertime bubbly because for once the contents of the bottle more than justify the hype.

WOW Rating: Star Rating
When to Drink: Now
Breathing/Decanting: Not necessary
Food Pairing: Almost anything but the richest, heartiest dishes
Grapes: 75% Pinot Noir, 25% Pinot Meunier
Appellation: Champagne
Region: Champagne
Country: France
Price: $55
Availability: Good
Web Site: www.vranken.net

See more wines at www.nickonwine.com.

Nick Passmore is an independent wine writer and consultant based in New York. For five years he contributed a widely read monthly wine column to Forbes.com, in addition to which his work has appeared in such publications as Forbes, Discover, Town & Country, the Robb Report, the Wine Enthusiast, Saveur, Sky, and Golf Connoisseur. He is currently Artisanal Editor for Four Seasons magazine and contributes a twice monthly column to BusinessWeek.com. He is also a judge at the widely respected annual Critics' Challenge wine competition.



<– Back to results

length (TIME) Show phonetics
noun
1 [C] the amount of time something takes:
the length of a film/speech/play
He is unable to concentrate on his work for any length of time (= for anything more than a short time).

2 [C or U] the amount of writing in a book or document:
He's written books of various lengths on the subject.
All of your essays will be about the same length.

-length Show phonetics
suffix
of the stated amount of time:
a full-length movie (= one which has not been shortened)



DREARY
adj., -ri·er, -ri·est.
  1. Dismal; bleak.
  2. Boring; dull: dreary tasks.

[Middle English dreri, bloody, frightened, sad, from Old English drēorig, bloody, sad, from drēor, gore.]

drearily drea'ri·ly adv.
dreariness drea'ri·ness n.

cuveé
[koo-VAY] From the French cuve ("vat"), and referring to the "contents of a vat." In the champagne region of France, the word refers to a blended batch of wines. There, the large houses create their traditional house cuvées by blending several wines before the final sparkler is produced via méthode champenoise. A deluxe version is often referred to as cuvée speciale; a vin de cuvée is the wine from the first pressing. Outside Champagne, the term cuvée is also used for still wines (see wine), and may designate wines blended from different vineyards, or even different varieties.

still wine

A descriptor for wine that contains no carbon dioxide which would make it sparkling or effervescent.
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品質-木桶塑造美酒個性 烘托酒質讓好酒變名酒

如果我不喝葡萄酒，恐怕一輩子也不會關注這些橡木疙瘩，什麼Tronais、Allier、Nevers……一旦酒標上印了“Oak Aged”就好像臭豆腐瓶上有“王致和”幾個字一樣。不過，橡木桶的名聲也有狼藉的時候。比如某些釀酒師經常自豪地宣稱：“我的葡萄酒來自葡萄園，而不是 橡木桶。”好像他釀酒只要摘果子就夠了。還有的品酒師強調：“這酒里橡木不是太多。”陰陽怪氣地將這話當成了褒獎。

　　我深為橡木桶不平啊！據我所知，沒有哪種高品質的紅葡萄酒是不經過橡木桶陳年的，就連白葡萄酒也不例外，除了雷司令。法語里，葡萄酒在橡木桶中陳年的歲月被稱為ｅlevage，同時有養育孩子的詞義，可見，橡木桶是塑造葡萄酒個性的關鍵，差別只是好壞罷了。

　　說得專業些，橡木桶還事關酒廠的財務狀況，一只新的高檔法國橡木桶要將近8000塊人民幣，就是美國貨也得一半的價錢。如果酒廠不善加利用，動不動就Overoaked的話，那就劃不來了。

　　加州的著名釀酒師Dave Ramey深諳此道。他曾經作了個實驗，是將5種霞多麗和設拉子葡萄酒放到Demptos制桶公司的橡木桶里熟成，而另外5種則使用Taransaud公 司的產品，橡木桶的原料來自法國和美國。經過同樣時間的陳年，Ramey發現法國桶中的酒區別不大，只是Taransaud桶里的酒更具結構感。而法國桶 和美國桶的區別就顯而易見了。美國桶里的酒要甜得多。盡管如此，Taransaud公司甚至都未在桶上標注木桶的產地。那為什麼釀酒師們一提到 Tronais或是Allier就眼睛發亮呢？是被賣桶的忽悠了？還是真的能讓酒出彩？

　　我到勃艮第參觀了Franois Frｅres的制桶廠，他家客戶遍布世界上種葡萄的地方，不乏Domaine Leroy 和Domaine de la Romanｅe-Conti這樣的大牌兒，所以每年都有各地的釀酒師來拜訪。Franois Frｅres自然不是浪得虛名。我在Tronais森林里遇到Fabien Henrion，他是公司唯三負責選材的人之一，這可以說是一個決定橡木桶命運的工作，木料紋理緊致通順，無疤癤，無瑕疵只是基本要求。從中再按比例選取 紋理最緊密的部分，因為這樣的木材能讓酒充分與氧氣接觸，這也是Tronais橡木桶賴以成名的不二法門。Fabien一做就是十多年，每天都要來森林， 現在閉著眼就能選中最好的木料。他的足跡遍布法國所有的森林，熟悉每一片林木的特點。這家伙“詭計多端”，他在相中的樹幹上留下記號，這樣在法國每年三次 的木材拍賣會上總能滿載而歸。

　　Age木頭也毫不含糊，Franois Frｅres比普通的公司多用了一年時間，3年，訂制桶的酒園還可以享受多Age1年的優惠。來到制桶車間更讓我吃驚，才早上9點，工人們已經幹了兩個多 小時了。因為勃艮第今年要提前收成，所以不能斷貨，即使如此，酒廠也保持每天150個桶的產量。“烤桶”是Franois Frｅres的另一絕技。不過這樣滿足不了各色的釀酒師，他們經常主動提要求，訂制烤成不同程度的桶。看來好的橡木桶和上品葡萄酒有很多相似的地方，比如 都需要精心選材、降低產量，還有就是手工的精雕細琢。那些不喜歡橡木味又盼著釀出好酒的釀酒師不知道遇到這樣的橡木桶會不會又動心了？

　　走出廠房，我看到了一座足有三層樓高的園木堆，有些是酒園送來加工成桶的，比如納帕的Pine Ridge，其中還發現了Domaine de la Romanｅe-Conti的貨。這讓我聯想到和Domaine de la Romanｅe-Conti的莊主Aubert de Villaine的見面。我問他橡木桶對葡萄酒的影響到底有多大。他的回答是：“酒在葡萄園里已經有了定數，橡木桶能使好酒成為名酒，而不能使壞酒變為好 酒。”

　　無論如何橡木桶都是葡萄酒的附屬品，它的作用只能是烘托葡萄酒的質量而不能喧賓奪主。它需要有睿智、經驗豐富的釀酒師靠著有良好潛質的葡萄酒來發揮其作用，否則適得其反。
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2009年2月6日 星期五

酒之風月─100種雞尾酒調法 ：鍾秀敏

酒之風月(CJ0002)──100種雞尾酒調法

類別： 飲食‧休閒‧娛樂>各式飲品
叢書系列：品味事典
作者：鍾秀敏
出版社：時報文化
出版日期：1998年05月12日
定價： 300 元 　售價： 255元
俱樂部會員價：234元
開本：菊12開／平裝／132頁
ISBN：9571325368


近來興起的雞尾酒，在國內亦引起一股流行的風潮，而調酒技術也在校園內傳開，因此有必要為酒增添一些藝術性、社交性與浪漫氣氛。本書即針對品酒藝術及調酒 方式，將帶有西方色彩的雞尾酒，溶入台灣的本土文化，作者精心構思每一杯雞尾酒的情境故事，透過印刷精美的彩色圖片，將100種雞尾酒調法以DIY方式輕 鬆呈現，你將體會不同於以往的另類享受！


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2009年2月4日 星期三

米酒稅率擬分級

mulled wine
*****

稅率擬分級 米酒可望降價

〔記者鄭琪芳、王孟倫／台北報導〕米酒稅額過高，導致國內私劣酒猖獗，財政部研議調整蒸餾酒（米酒、白蘭地、威士忌、白酒等）稅額，初步方向包括依酒精濃度訂定分級稅率，米酒可望調降售價。

財政部官員表示，根據菸酒稅法規定，蒸餾酒每公升課稅一百八十五元，一瓶零點六公升的米酒，成本大約五、六十元，要課稅一百一十一元，但一瓶成本約二千元的白蘭地或威士忌，也是課同樣的稅，凸顯蒸餾酒的稅率結構不合理。

台灣菸酒公司董事長韋伯韜指出，米酒的酒精濃度是二十度左右，但威士忌、伏特加高達四十幾度，課同樣的稅率，實在很不公平。韋伯韜說，蒸餾酒應依照酒精濃度的高低，訂立不同稅率，使蒸餾酒從原本「單一制稅率」，改為「分級稅率」。

財政部官員指出，由於稅額太高，我國加入ＷＴＯ（世界貿易組織）之後，國內米酒價格因此大幅攀升，市售一瓶零點六公升的米酒，目前價格在一百八十元以上，但國內米酒多用於料理，米酒價格過高，導致私劣酒問題嚴重，危害國人健康。

為此，財政部昨天開會討論，研議調整蒸餾酒稅額結構，由於調整菸酒稅涉及ＷＴＯ談判問題，因此前提是必須符合ＷＴＯ國民待遇及最惠國待遇原則，而且稅收損失不能太大。

財政部官員說，若要符合ＷＴＯ相關原則，就不能單獨調降米酒稅額，必須同步調降蒸餾酒稅額，但白蘭地、威士忌等烈酒，稅額又不宜太低，因此，未來可能參考日本做法，依酒精濃度訂定蒸餾酒分級稅額。

財政部說，待初步方案敲定後，再跟經濟部國貿局等相關單位討論，若決定調降蒸餾酒稅額，還要經過修法程序。
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2009年1月26日 星期一

紙筒葡萄酒

紙筒葡萄酒 經濟又環保
加州酒商FOUR公司推出3公升裝的卡本內蘇維翁和小西拉品種的葡萄酒，特別的是，葡萄酒是用成本較低的紙筒裝。（法新社）

編譯管淑平／特譯

許多傳統派葡萄酒愛好者聽到釀酒業者以塑膠瓶塞取代傳統軟木塞已經嗤之以鼻，對那種用旋轉式瓶蓋的葡萄酒瓶更是悻悻然無法接受。這下，他們再聽到有釀酒業者甚至連玻璃瓶都不用了，改用「紙筒」裝葡萄酒，不知會有什麼反應了。

加州酒商FOUR公司推出3公升裝的卡本內蘇維翁和小西拉品種的葡萄酒，特別的是，葡萄酒是用成本較低的紙筒裝（見圖，法新社）。紙筒裝葡萄酒已行之多年，但都以廉價酒為主，FOUR公司說，他們是第一家加州高級酒廠打破傳統，捨棄玻璃瓶裝。

品牌經理萊剛說，紙筒更環保、成本也比玻璃瓶還低，而且開「筒」後氧氣進入較少，風味能保存的時間比玻璃瓶裝還久。

萊剛在葡萄酒領域過去已有過創新作法，例如25年前推出不含酒精的高級葡萄酒。他說：「在1400年或1500年代，玻璃瓶是種創新」，「如果我們正確的來做，就能改變傳統，讓它變得更好。紙筒裝也能成為傳統。」

不 過，不令人意外的，這種「創新」引起部分法國釀酒業者質疑。法國波爾多葡萄酒產區頂級的奧信酒莊（Chateau Ausone）負責人沃傑說：「我不認為這有道理……紙盒是來裝牛奶的。」他說：「一支好的葡萄酒需要深色玻璃瓶和高品質軟木塞來封裝。我也質疑紙盒的耐 用度。我們廠裡儲存了自1849年保存至今的陳年葡萄酒，紙盒是不可能保存這麼久的。」

沃傑甚至說：「2、3年就喝掉的廉價酒是可以用紙筒裝，但是需要擺上10年、20年甚至30年的高檔陳年葡萄酒是不能這麼做的。」

FOUR的紙筒裝葡萄酒高28.5公分、直徑13公分，容量相當於4支傳統玻璃瓶裝葡萄酒，紙筒包裝全部都能回收，而且製造商說重量僅玻璃瓶的6分之1，製造和運送成本都較低，消耗的資源也更少，因此可以每筒40美元價格出售，經濟又環保。

該公司說，2008年10月推出首批一萬支紙筒裝葡萄酒銷售表現不錯，今年1月再推出第二批6000筒。他們正與航空公司接洽，希望飛機上提供的酒品能改用紙筒裝。不過傳統葡萄酒經銷商、餐廳和酒吧都尚未鋪貨，顯然對這種包裝的市場接受度還很有疑問。（取材自法新社）
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2009年1月24日 星期六

昭仁的

Monsieur William 法國紅酒France rouge wine 由 Sergio Valente出品
待查
2008年昭仁的喜酒


CAMUS COGNAC XO ELEGANCE
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2009年1月19日 星期一

Charles Shaw known as "Two Buck Chuck."

2007年底，來自芝加哥的商人Colin Wu在義烏市場租下了12,000平方米的攤位，打算出售美國華盛頓州生產的汽車潤滑劑、加拿大瓶裝礦泉水以及加州的Charles Shaw葡萄酒(俗稱兩美元葡萄酒)。

Colin Wu當時想，由於中國出現了一系列產品質量問題，會有國內客戶願意多花些錢購買更安全、更健康的進口產品。然而天不隨人願，他說自己投入的1,000萬元（約150萬美元）幾乎都賠光了。Colin Wu租下的攤位現在只有約六分之一在使用，他正在考慮今年將生意全部停掉。

Colin Wu說，中國政府在幫助進口商開拓國內市場方面也做得不夠。他說希望政府能降低進口稅，這樣他的產品就能具有價格競爭力。Colin Wu說，在加上關稅成本後，他的“兩美元葡萄酒”差不多要賣十美元了。

Charles Shaw is a brand of "extreme value" wine. All from California vineyards, Charles Shaw wines currently include Cabernet Sauvignon, White Zinfandel, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Valdigue in the style of Beaujolais nouveau, and limited quantities of Pinot Grigio. These wines are sold exclusively by Trader Joe's grocery stores, and sell for $1.99 in California.

Charles Shaw wines are affectionately known as "Two Buck Chuck." Due to transportation costs and other factors, in other states the price can go up to around $4. As such, the wine is often referred to as "Three Buck Chuck" or "Four Buck Chuck" relative to the price.

Contents

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Ownership

Grapevines growing on the grounds of the Bronco Wine Company in Ceres, California, where Charles Shaw wine is produced. The winery can be seen through the tall trees in the far distance.

The Charles Shaw label is owned by the Bronco Wine Company, headed by Fred Franzia (formerly of Franzia Brothers wines). The Bronco Wine Company produces the Charles Shaw label at their Ceres, California winery, which is not open to the public.

There once was an actual, eponymous winery owned by Charles F. Shaw, which produced Beaujolais-style wines in the Napa Valley AVA. That winery went out of business, and the name was sold to Bronco.[1]

Awards

At the 28th Annual International Eastern Wine Competition, Shaw's 2002 Shiraz received the double gold medal, besting the roughly 2,300 other wines in the competition.[2]

Shaw's 2005 California chardonnay was judged Best Chardonnay from California at the Commercial Wine Competition of the 2007 California Exposition and State Fair. The chardonnay received 98 points, a double gold, with accolades of Best of California and Best of Class.[3]

Labor problems

On May 16, 2008, a 17 year-old immigrant worker named Maria Isabel Vasquez Jimenez collapsed and later died while pruning vines at a vineyard east of Stockton, CA owned by West Coast Grape Farming, a division of Bronco Wine Company.[4]

On June 8, 2008, an action call went out among bloggers to ask Trader Joe's in their areas to pull Charles Shaw wine until two conditions are met by Bronco Wine Companies:

  • "justice for Maria"
  • "ensured compliance with state mandated working conditions[5] for all of Bronco Wine’s employees."[6]

On June 23, 2008, the United Farm Workers sent a similar request to its mailing list members. The standard UFW petition asks Trader Joe's to:

  • "implement a corporate policy to ensure that your suppliers are not violating the law by failing to provide basic protections"[7]

References

  1. ^ Michael Chatfield (November 8, 2004). The story behind Two Buck Chuck. Gilroy Dispatch
  2. ^ 'Two-Buck Chuck' Snags Top Wine Prize
  3. ^ The judgment of California: Charles Shaw chardonnay is state’s best
  4. ^ Wikipedia article: Bronco_Wine_Company#Labor_problems
  5. ^ California Code of Regulations, Title 8, Section 3395 [1]
  6. ^ WOC PhD (pseudonym) Urgent Action: Worked to Death and No One Cares?! WOC PhD blog.
  7. ^ United Farm Workers (June 23, 2008). Take Action: Farm worker who died connected to 'Two-Buck Chuck'.

External links

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