To see a sample of our Wine Map of Italy, please download our Wine Map of Sicily. It’s a fairly large pdf file (551KB) so please be patient. It’s also the freshest slice of Sicilian oenological cartography available anywhere!

It’s a little awkward, but we’re being quiet about the release of our much anticipated Wine Map of Italy for the first week. The company that does our order processing – The Wine Appreciation Guild – has an unforeseen backlog of orders, and we don’t want to compound the problem. Our official email announcement and [...]

note: the release date has been pushed back from the 15th to the 19th due to plant power outages in Upstate NY – sorry! Testing the limits of software, intestinal fortitude, bureaucracy and sanity (in no particular order), the Wine Map of Italy is now being printed and will be available on July 15th 19th. [...]

“Everybody knows the blackcurrant bush.” -Le Nez du Vin, Jean Lenoir Blackcurrant is the most common flavor descriptor of the most popular grape variety in the world: Cabernet Sauvignon. At least the British think so. American wine writers tend to use the term cassis, which is French for blackcurrant. You may be asking yourself: wait [...]

pu⋅ri⋅ty [pyoor-i-tee] 1. the condition or quality of being pure; freedom from anything that debases, contaminates, pollutes, etc.: the purity of drinking water. 2. freedom from any admixture or modifying addition. 3. ceremonial or ritual cleanness. 4. freedom from guilt or evil; innocence. 5. physical chastity; virginity. 6. freedom from foreign or inappropriate elements; careful [...]

Brettanomyces ‘Brett’ is a yeast with many strains that imparts a wide range of flavors. Fairly common, especially in red wines. Considered by some to add desired character to wines when at low levels. Telltale aromas: earthy, horsey, barnyard, sweaty-saddle, manure, leather, smoked bacon, cheese, band-aid, antiseptic (from De Long’s Wine Tasting Guides) I came [...]

If you’ve noticed your 5 year old swirling and sniffing his/her juice glass, you may want to pay attention to this story. Playmobil Wine Bar, one of Playmobil’s best sellers since it was introduced last fall, has hit a nerve with parents and trade groups nationwide. The Zirndorf, Germany-based company has previously courted controversy with [...]

We will sell no wine map before its time. I’m pretty sure that Paul Masson did not say that over a century ago, but the words do apply here. After many production delays our Wine Map of California is finally available. Thank you for your patience! In the spirit of shameless marketing and selling more [...]