Perhaps you also have been experiencing technical difficulties what with the storms we’ve been having around Beantown this month (feels more like July/August, no?). Nevertheless, we’re going to try to get back on our game here at Pour Favor for some more regular wine fodder – internet outages be damned!

This week we have some wine for thought the queue, so we’ll keep things briefer on this end.

Check out this new company/wine tasting program out in California. The Tasting Room offers consumers a chance to sample uber premium wines before taking the plunge and buying a full 750ml bottle. Of course this service isn’t on offer in Massachusetts what with our liquor laws, no doubt. But the idea raises a couple of interesting questions. Do you think you’re more apt to buy a full bottle after sampling wines you have to pay for? Here in MA it is illegal for retail shops to charge for wine tastings so you still have the option to sample for FREE and then make a purchase. Is their program too contrived because there are only certain producers who participate?

And then there is the age-old (lol) question of what the heck the deal is with “Old Vines”. Does it matter how old the vines are? And how old does the vine have to be to be old enough? Etc. Etc. Matt Kramer does a good job of starting the dialog on this tricky topic. Check it out! We might have to weigh in one of these days on our own….

What do you think constitutes “old vines”? Are you more apt to buy a bottle if it claims as much on the label?

Abe Lerner of the Blanchard’s JP branch is one of Pour Favor’s favorite wine folk. The man is schooled in the fine art of wine, has travelled the world frequently and has an authenticity about him you can’t duplicate. But it is perhaps his approach to buying that is his greatest asset; he is one savvy gent! Ask him his personal philosophy on finding wines for his shelves? He’ll say “it’s easy to find a trophy, but to find a value that tastes like a trophy, that’s the challenging task.” Ok, fine.

It’s easy enough to talk the talk, but can he walk the walk? Indeed. Pop on over to Wicked Local to get a few ideas from Abe to enrich your Memorial Day festivities!

Which of Abe’s selections is most likely to whet your whistle this Memorial Day?

Ok, ok. So I’ve been off traveling the Southern Cote du Rhone and relishing the “in person”, “hands on” experience. That doesn’t mean I didn’t give great thought to and select May Wickeds before I left! Check ‘m out here.

Which of these are you likely to try?

Much of the time we don’t think twice about where something comes from – especially when it is always there. Take, for example, the Boston area water “crisis” last week. Before then, did you give much thought to where your running water came from? Probably not. Well, everything comes from somewhere, or by way of something – and sometimes knowing that little tidbit is power!

Pop on over to Wicked Local for some quick tips on navigating your wine shelves, particularly when you’re traveling about and don’t have access to your everyday wine buyer!

Do you pay much attention to “where” your wine comes from?

Last year we waited, and waited, and waited for warmer days to come. Rosé wine, one of the best ways to enjoy said weather, took a kind of backseat amidst the dreary doldrums we experienced here in New England. It wasn’t until August that I finally had the inclination to write about how gorgeous (and not sweet) rosé wines are – and offered them as a solution to the hot and humid days of summer.

This year we’re off to a much better start – and the 2009 roses are starting to come in! Pop on over to Wicked Local to get a refresher course on these lovely wines and a few recommendations to kick off your 2010 rose travels.