Mosel Valley Rieslings Touted by Harry Eyres at The Telegraph, Saddened by High Bridge over the Moselle River (Hochmoselübergang)

Harry Eyres is a real fan of Mosel wines but, as far as the monstrous bridge in process of construction over the Moselle River Valley, Eyres writes at The Telegraph in Rieslings from the Mosel valley:

"[Y]ou can’t help feeling that Germans in general do not value their 1,700-year-old wine heritage."

Hat tip to CaryGEE.

New Stricter Rules for Labeling Wine Proposed by U.S. Treasury Department Agency, The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau: How About Green Wine?

The long arm of the law is everywhere, also in wine-growing.

Michael Doyle McClatchy/Chicago Tribune News in Stricter wine labeling rules? Put a cork in it! reports that the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, an agency of the Treasury Department that regulates wine labeling, is considering tighter rules for wine label and wine label definitions.

Some U.S. vintners would welcome more exact limitations on who can use terms such as "estate" on their wine labels. The term "estate bottled" -- for a wine from an estate that controls the entire process from growing grapes to bottling the wine -- is quite strictly defined, whereas the term "estate" itself is not legally defined, permitting such labels as "estate grown", which may be misleading.

There are also differences between wine labeling depending on country.

For example, what about sulfites in wine? what about wine made from organic grapes?

Read Heather Stober Fleming of Grape Expectations at SouthCoastToday.com in
There's white wine, red wine, and now, 'green' wine.

Best Wine Competition in Germany

Wein-Plus Magazine in Competition for wine by the glass writes that wine competition is underway in Germany. Go there for info in English about the Mosel region competition.

For more information in German (only), see also derbesteschoppen.de, which has divided Germany into the various wine regions for purposes of the competition, not just the Mosel region, but also including Mittelrhein, Rheinhessen, and Pfalz. The Ahr and Pfalz are pictured on the map but not currently clickable.

Wine Connoisseurs Around the World: Please Write to the German Chancellor Now to Tell Her The Politicians Have Gone Too Far with the Planned Monstrous Mosel Bridge

Wine pope Hugh Johnson wrote last year at Decanter.com about the planned monstrous Mosel Bridge to run through the middle of one of the world's greatest wine-growing regions, calling it "a bridge gone too far".

See The Mosel: A bridge too far .

Johnson recommends that all lovers of wine around the world write to the German Chancellor Angela Merkel to tell her that this planned bridge is a big mistake:

"Every wine lover should stand up and protest. If you agree with me, contact the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel (write to her at angela.merkel@cdu.de), and open a bottle of Urziger, Graacher, Wehlener… you choose."

The Upscale Wine Thief in Buffalo, New York

Paul Stephens in a special to the Buffalo News, New York State, features the upscale Wine Thief Bar and Bistro in Buffalo that offers an endless selection of wines.

Goldman Sachs and other Wealthy American Oenophiles Buy into the Vineyards of French Burgundy

At the Wall Street Journal Life and Culture blog ON WINE Jay McInerney Visits Becky Wasserman, the Earth Mother of Burgundy and weaves of tale of wealthy American oenophiles from Goldman Sachs and other US backgrounds who have invested in vineyards in France.

As McInerney writes inter alia:

"Last month, a group of American investors assembled by former sommelier Robert Bohr purchased Domaine René Manuel, about 20 acres of prime Meursault vineyards for some €13 million ($18.5 million), sealing a trend whereby wealthy American oenophiles buy into the fabled vineyards of Burgundy."

Read the whole intriguing article here.

Red Wine in Germany: German Pinot Noir (Spätburgunder) a Rising Star Says Brad Prescott at IntoWine.com

Best German Red Wine - Wine Recommendations | Into Wine

"Germany is the new rising star of Pinot Noir – called Spatburgunder in German."

How to Read a German Wine Label

Some of the best wines in the world are grown and bottled in Germany. To learn how to read a German wine label see GermanWineUSA.com

Vintners of the World: Amy Wallace at the New York Times on Emilio Estevez, the Budding Vintner

Amy Wallace has a nice piece at the New York Times on Emilio Estevez, the Budding Vintner

When Talking About Wine, What About Spatburgunder (Spätburgunder, Pinot Noir)? Three Recommendations from the San Francisco Examiner

Spatburgunder (Spätburgunder, Pinot Noir) anyone? Pamela S. Busch in a Special to The San Francisco Examiner writes about Wine: Try Spatburgunder, a gentle red from Germany, recommending three wines, one of which, Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler Estate Pinot Noir, 2007, stems from the Mosel River Valley, where we are domiciled.

From Lawyer to Vintner: The 'Boss' at St. Francis Winery and Vineyards

The New York Times relates the story of Christopher Silva who went From Lawyer to Vintner.

Finger Lakes Wines Realizing the Potential that was First Recognized in the 1990's

See Finger Lakes Riesling Festival shows wine's chameleon character at Democrat and Chronicle.

Virginia State Wine Travel and Tourism Promotion Tweets Win Award

The Local Digest at The Washington Post reports that the State of Virginia has won a national Mercury Award for Niche Marketing from the U.S. Travel Association for its wine travel and tourist promotion tweets at Twitter.

Josko Gravner Wines - WSJ.com

The Wall Street Journal has an online article by Will Lyons about Josko Gravner Wines, which are made according to ancient methods:

"After harvest from his 18-hectare site near Oslavia, he fills ... amphorae with grapes. Fermentation is ignited through purely wild yeasts, without temperature-controlled fermentation. He then leaves the grapes to macerate for seven months before transferring them to large old-oak barrels. The wines then rest in these barrels for two years and are bottled without filtration."

Will Lyons writes that he was "amazed" by the results.

Wines of the Times at the NYTimes: Mosel Kabinett Riesling Captures Spring

Eric Asimov at the New York Times reviews some Riesling wines in Mosel Kabinett Riesling Captures Spring.