The event referenced in Mr. Heimoff?s blog post lined up wines that were utter nonsense and its organizer should be sentenced to a lifetime of drinking beer, or something worse: drinking American beer. The tasters (judges) were described as 20 non-wine professionals representing a broad array of nationalities. Although there is no right or wrong when it comes to taste, it?s logical that American tastes probably are different than what would be found in many foreign groups of tasters ? let?s face it, it was less than five years ago that Chinese wine drinkers were still mixing First Growth Bordeaux with ice and Coke. All tasters are reported to be well traveled (personally I don?t think traveling has much to do with wine - if French wine sucks for you and you travel to France, I don?t think you will be swayed by French wine in any case), and relatively wine-savvy (what does that even mean?), with open-minded palates (and doubly, what does that even mean??). If I asked a bunch of people, ?Hey if I lay out a couple thousand dollars worth of wine for you to taste, do you promise me you?ll keep an open palate?? How really stupid is that?

Here?s the issue: the 2009 Bordeaux vintage is again being touted as the most important, highest quality, best, incredible, unbelievable, fantastic, unrelentingly phenomenal year for the region since dinosaurs were roaming the earth. These nearly risible accolades are pouring in not only from the châteaux but also from critics, distributors, and retailers. It certainly appears complicit, especially when you consider all of them said the same thing about 2000, 2003, 2005 and now ?09. Four incredible years in one decade is pretty damn good, yes? Critics are going to have to soon raise the scale of their point system to ?11? (it?s one louder than 10, isn?t it?) just to accommodate successive vintages of ever higher quality wine. But really it?s like the ?boy that cried wolf? story, where eventually no one believes it anymore. We?re already seeing some backpedaling from critics on older vintages that were once sold to us as being better than sliced bread.

It is not every day you get to taste really well made, exceptionally well priced Pinot Grigio but July 20th was such a day. Really good Ribollo Gialla as well. By Kate

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And two days, tasting some sensational 2009's and rather horrid 2003's. By Kate

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We taste a quick line up of delicious, natural summer reds with Florian. By Kate

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We are still trying to get a visa for our second scholarship winner. It is becoming very trying. By Kate

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Jude and I go dancing in Dalston, with a magnum of Henri Milan Grand Blanc. By Kate

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The wine makers of Oregon launch a new initiative to highlight wines produced sustainably. We are impressed. By Kate

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Quite apart from our small contribution, this is actually a very thorough and well researched look at the state of the wine industry in the UK at the moment. By Kate

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These are not really buns, but they are very cheesy. By Kate

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And I taste a range of appropriately Spring-like wines! By Kate

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The team attend a lecture on Biodynamic viticulture hosted by Nicolas Joly in London on April 13th. We leave inspired! By Kate

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