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?

But before we get into all that, check out this link to get more info about a wine and food festival fundraiser for the York Education Foundation up in Maine this Saturday, May 8th.

Ok, now it’s time to settle in to the “meaty” stuff….

Here Slate presents a piece on global warming and the world and the world of wine. Something to bear in mind as you read it: there is NO replacement for a place’s unique terroir. I’ll say it again, European nations (and specifically their respective wine areas) in particular offer a distinct terroir that is unquestionably irreplicable.

Next, go here to take in this Wall Street Journal article on cork closures. It’s a well written piece that captures BOTH sides of the cork debate. Which side do you land on? Are you pro-cork or pro-synthetic?

Next up we have an article that three different friends sent to me (from two different sources), to ensure I didn’t miss it: the latest in wine health news reports suggests that women who drink have a better chance of avoiding obseity. Egad, will these studies ever cease? An entertaining read if you, like me, don’t mind another guilt-free reason to keep pouring your nightly glass of wine.

Last but not least, we have a fun Old World vs. New World showdown on The Tasting Docit! On Friday March 19 you and other foodie nerds at WGBH can enjoy the fun for a mere $25. And there will be music to further enrich your tasting experience. Check it out!

Pop on over to Wicked Local today to get my take!

Have you experimented with these new aeration tools, i.e. not decanters? Which one have you tried and did it win your favor?

I’m a visual, tactile person so I usually embrace every opportunity to better engage my senses to remember something. In the wine world, that usually means taking my time to engage ALL of my senses as I evaluate a wine. But can aromas be visualized? Do we need them to be?  For better or worse, the folks at Aromicon are taking this idea for a test drive. Check out this article at Springwise to get the scoop!

I couldn’t find my related post about pests in the vineyards (sometime last year, I believe), but there’s a shocking bit of news coming out of UC Davis regarding work to mitigate – or eliminate – the nematode problem perplexing California vineyard managers and winemakers. Apparently the Dept. of Nematology at Davis is being shut down, despite the fact that the problem has yet to be resolved. Wines & Vines didn’t report on the politics or economics or whathave you happening behind the scenes there. But here’s an update on the situation plaguing Northern California in particular. If you know a bit more on this, please weigh in below!

In other news, somehow I missed last year that Boisset decided to ship Beaujolais Nouveau in plastic bottles – to reduce costs of shipping the historic, annual November wine. (I wonder why they chose plastic over bag-in-box…). And, it seems this year Japan is taking things one step further by selling the wine as such – without re-bottling it in glass first. Did you see or hear any further news on this plastic-ization of BN last year – or more recently?

Ever experienced a tin-foilesque aftertaste having paired red wine with fish? There is new information this week about why red wine and fish are not such a great pairing. Read more here.

Then, in case you missed this year’s Boston Globe Plonkapalooza, check out this year’s top wine picks!

For those of you looking to stretch your legs and travel the wine world a bit, consider joining Bon Vivant Wine Company (Randolph, MA) as they wine and dine with you at some of Long Island’s best vineyards on November 21. Tickets are available here.

What do you think of Amazon’s decision?

But are these attributes beneficial for the enjoyment of sparkling wine, also?

Head on over to Wicked Local today to find out!

What do you love about Champagne?

France is proving a bit fickle in their health/wine reports these days. Check out this Decanter article to learn which way they are flipping (or flopping?) this week.

And South Africa proves a tempting ground – for theft! Did you hear about this major wine heist?

Finally, don’t forget to get on the tasting bandwagon yourself in the next week or so! Remember there are a couple of events you should consider attending:

Sept 25-27

Newport Mansions Food & Wine Festival Here’s what they’re saying about it: “Presented by Food & Wine, this spectacular event will feature more than 400 wines from around the world and cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs Jacques Pépin, Joanne Weir, David Burke and more culinary experts.” Click here for more info and to get your tickets today (and be sure to poke around the web for discount codes…).

Sept 29

All New England 3rd Annual Farm-Fresh Funky Feeding Frenzy @ Craigie on Main. From their lips to our ears, here’s what to expect:  “a 5-course dinner with wine pairings. We have thrown down a challenge to ourselves and pledge to meet it: every single offering on the menu will have been grown, raised or caught within our New England borders.”

Have you sipped and sampled at all this fall? Where abouts?

Further evidence of this quiet month is just how little truly newsworthy wine “news” is out there these days. No less, Decanter comes through for us once again this week! Here are three articles that rose to the top for me:

Wine from Finger Lakes wins top prize. (Do they really think any other region can compete?)

Find out what “The Terminator” is doing to get CA back on the consumer radar…

Sad news for wine professionals… Our beloved Wine Report is going off-line.

What’s your reaction to these news tidbits?

Here’s a preview:

Reservatrol, the compound found in red wines that often gets plugged for its health cache has made headlines once again – as having anti-inflammatory properties. But does everyone agree? Find out here.

I’m more likely to be watching the Red Sox or Sports Center than any mainstream TV program. But I am a sucker for Top Chef and Project Runway, and this fall I may have to add another one to my list of “must-sees”: The Winemakers!

Last but not least, as we continue to watch Aussie wine sales dwindle at the shop (it seems the public might be over “it” and onto South America for cheap, satisfying wine finds) some wines from down under are proving quite tasty, albethem at a higher price point. Now it seems a concerted effort will be made by top wineries to establish Australia as something much more than plonk-worthy. Read more here.

Will you be tuning in to “The Winemakers” this fall? What’s your take on Aussie wines these days?