About that Brunello problem ...

The U.S. government's concern over improper blending of several Italian wines, including by some makers of the popular Brunello di Montalcino, has not been resolved.

Italy requested a meeting with U.S. officials to discuss its ongoing investigation of the situation. Giulio Terzi di Sant'Agata, Italian ambassador to the U.S., and Luca Zaia, Italian minister of agriculture, told officials of the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade (TTB) board that they are taking full responsibility for the integrity of all 500 Italian wine denominations.

They said none of the mislabeled products that have been the subject of numerous press reports remain on the market. They also cited heightened quality control mandates and an oversight role for the Ministry of Agriculture.

Nevertheles, the TTB said it is continuing to enforce the certification requirement and has no plans to lift it. Industry observers have speculated that court cases against violators taking place in Italy will have to be resolved before the restrictions will be eased.

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

California wine center on the block

April L. Dowd photo

COPIA, the Napa, CA, wine and culinary center that teetered on the edge of insolvency through much of its brief history, is up for sale.

The owner is seeking bids for the shuttered facility that declared bankruptcy last December after running out of cash. Bidders have until Nov. 12 to submit proposals for the 17-acre property, according to a real estate company handling the sale.

The $78 million complex offers “an exciting opportunity for a new owner to develop a vibrant and valuable commercial and tourism destination,” he said.

ACA Financial Guaranty Corp., which controls the property, put it on the market. ACA insured the bonds issued to pay for COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts. Proceeds from the sale will go to repay the bondholders. The property is worth $25 to $35 million in the current market, according to estimates in bankruptcy court filings.

COPIA was the brainchild of wine pioneer Robert Mondavi, who died last year at age 94. It was financially troubled since its 2001 opening as a facility that included museum exhibition space, a restaurant, expansive gardens, meeting rooms and art galleries.

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

Vin de Table becomes Vin de France

It may not mean much to the average wine buyer at first, but the denomination "vin de table" now is "vin de France."

The change comes as a result of the reform of the Common Market Organization (CMO) of the wine sector in Europe and the new category "Vin de France." In the change, ANIVIT (the acronym for National Wine Council of Vins de Table and Vins de
Pays) officially became Anivin de France (National Council of Vin of France).

The new category replaces Vin de Table, and, for the first time, allows the mention of varietal and vintage on the label.

The new wine councail says its missions "are entirely centered on the development of the new category Vin de France -- wines without geographic denomination, conforming to the missions defined by the CMO of the wine sector." In plain English, that means specifically:

• Ensure a permanent and ongoing association among the different professional bodies of producers and trade professionals.

• Improve the knowledge of the organization and regulation of the markets.

• Develop the exposure, accessibility and penetration of Vin de France, primarily through public relations, tastings and trade exhibitions, publicity, advertising and sales promotion.

• Promote moderate and responsible consumption, notably within the association Vin et Societe. Vin et Societe is a group whose missions are also to promote moderate consumption and to convey the economic, commercial and cultural values of wine.

• Participate in national or regional Research and Development programs, and in collective action by the wine sector as a whole.

The board of directors of Anivin de France was named by the four founding organizations: AGEV (the General Union of French Wine Producers), CFVDP (French Federation of Vin de Pays), VIF (Independent Winegrowers of France) and CCVF (Federation of French Wine Cooperatives) to drive the new category of Vin de France, with or without the mention of varietal and vintage.

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

Report slams NY liquor authority

The official word is out concerning the embattled State Liquor Authority, a bumbling bureaucracy that has been assailed on many fronts. Not surprisingly, it reinforces most of the long-standing criticisms of the authority.

The first part of the New York State Law Revision Commission's two-part report on findings and recommendations notes:

The SLA's current nine-month backlog of license applications reflects a failure in the licensing process, jeopardizes public health and safety, and exacerbates the economic crisis currently plaguing New York. Small business owners, and some large ones as well, are forced to suffer ever-mounting expenses for months on end without the income generated from having these licenses. The situation deprives the state of new revenues from sales and income taxes, and it depresses the growth of new jobs in local communities.

Despite that sweeping condemnation, apparently the SLA was not found guilty of The Great Train Robbery, the hanging-chad controversy in George Bush's election, or the disappearance of Amelia Earhart.

The SLA itself was not alone in being chastised by the Commission. In a slap at some in other branches of state government, the Commission said:

"Some people, including those quite familiar with the SLA's budget, have remarked about the backlog: 'What's the big deal, the state has already banked the license fees, the applicants can wait.' This shortsighted view, to be kind, is nothing less than foolish. The 'What's the big deal‚' advocates both in and out of government basically view the SLA as a 'cash cow‚' and care little about the importance of an expeditious, careful and fair licensing process dedicated to the well-being of New York's citizenry and the State itself. ... A New York County [Manhattan] grand jury is in the midst of concluding a criminal investigation into the bribery of SLA licensing examiners by corrupt 'expediters' that is expected to be completed by the end of October. The State Inspector General is also expected to issue a report in the near future detailing the corruption and other problems in the agency."

Among recommendations made by the Commission:

• The SLA should have the authority to declare a moratorium when it deems that the backlog of licenses has ended.
• Give the SLA the needed number of employees to allow it to carry out its mission.
• The SLA should create two positions of regional manager (one for New York City, and one for Albany, Syracuse and Rochester) to oversee daily administration ... including customer service.
• Develop policies that ensure that enforcement focuses on serious violations with an impact on public safety, and more closely monitor businesses with a history of complaints and violations.
• Investigate non-economic incentives such as those adopted by other State agencies to motivate and reward staff and alter the negative agency culture that has evolved over time."
• Owners of restaurants that have a wine, beer or full liquor license pending should be eligible to secure a BYOB (bring your own bottle) permit.

You can go here to read or download Part 1 of the report. The Commission said it "will evaluate the current structure of the SLA in Part 2 of its report."

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.

Cider: Is there a comeback in the making?

William M. Dowd photo

Over the years, I've occasionally written about cider. Not that sickening sweet diluted stuff sitting in bottles on your supermarket shelf, but real cider. The sort of beverage enjoyed throughout Europe for centuries and in this country until the 20th. (For example, 'All things cider and how to taste them' back in December.)

Brian Palmer, writing for Slate.com, has an interesting take on the topic of cider and speculates on whether it is making a comeback in this country. Here's how he begins:

"During the 1840 presidential election, opponents of William Henry Harrison portrayed him as a hard-drinking bumpkin. In a savvy act of political jujitsu, Harrison embraced the charge, branding his campaign paraphernalia with a portrait of pure Americana: a log cabin and a barrel of cider. Harrison rode the image to a 234-60 Electoral College victory over incumbent Martin Van Buren.

"Shortly after the Harrison landslide, Americans would begin to drift away from his beloved libation. ... A century later, cider would be almost completely forgotten. Most Americans now consider cider -- if they consider it at all -- to be in the same category as wine coolers or those enigmatic clear malt beverages: chemically suspect, effeminate alternatives to beer. And who can blame them? America's mass-market ciders are comically weak and inexplicably fizzy. Many are made not from cider apples but from the concentrated juice of eating apples, which is a bit like making wine from seedless table grapes. ... Let's get back to our roots."

Go here for the full essay. And, go here and enter the word CIDER in the search box for a list of related stories.

To Dowd's Spirits Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Non-Alcohol Drinks Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd On Drinks home page.