Author Archives: intoxreport

Lyrical Lirac: Rhône’s Sleeping Beauty

Posted on June 25, 2015 by intoxreport

What do Lirac and Châteauneuf-du-Pape have in common?  Other than grapes, climate, tradition and soil structure, not much. And other than price, just about everything. Rodolphe de Pins, winemaker at Château de Montfaucon, in town to accentuate the positive, made … Continue reading →

Posted in FRANCE, Rhône | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Hybrids on the Down Low

Posted on June 23, 2015 by intoxreport

The vines to Tony’s Ciccone’s left are producing some flop sweat, but not many grapes.  The rows are showing unmistakable signs of desperation.  The trellises are in DEFCON 3, as though the hassles, deadlines and frustrations of producing commercial quantities of … Continue reading →

Posted in Leelanau Peninsula, Michigan | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Wine and Vegan Soul Food

Posted on June 21, 2015 by intoxreport

Let me take a brief pause from not writing about wine in my wine blog and instead, avoid writing about wine in the context of wine. Are you with me? Wine pairing columns are legion, but they tend not to … Continue reading →

Posted in GENERAL | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

There’s A Boner-Jam of Sommeliers… And Nobody Can Pronounce The Word

Posted on June 16, 2015 by intoxreport

We all have our pet peeves, don’t we?  Whether it is people talking on cell phones at checkout counters, forms you have to fill out that don’t give you enough room to answer the questions, duck-face selfies and/or people who … Continue reading →

Posted in GENERAL | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

The Funnel Of Snobbery: Here’s How It Works

Posted on June 10, 2015 by intoxreport

In order to simplify elaborate concepts, certain ‘wine blogs’ rely on fancy graphics and colorful charts and educational posters and shit, and that’s just coolaballoolies: If you need life distilled to a See Dick Run picture book before you can … Continue reading →

Posted in GENERAL | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

What’s Wrong With New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc?

Posted on June 4, 2015 by intoxreport

Same thing that’s wrong with Napa Chardonnay.  Nothing—except that it isn’t French. I know, I know; Oz Clarke once said, “New Zealand Sauvignon blanc is arguably the best in the world.”  But that merely underscores my point while highlighting the … Continue reading →

Posted in Marlborough, NEW ZEALAND | Tagged , | 1 Comment

The News For Wine Bloggers Is Even Gooder Than Great

Posted on June 1, 2015 by intoxreport

Finally, some good news arises from the Wine Bloggers Conference people. I’m not talking about the conference itself—that’s pretty much standardized, annual good news, like the swallows returning to Capistrano or the onset of Christmas decorations in September or some … Continue reading →

Posted in GENERAL | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Bowers Harbor: The House That Jack Built

Posted on May 29, 2015 by intoxreport

The yellow brick road that led to  Michigan’s top selling Pinot grigio began inside a stockbroker’s office, and the story gets stranger from there. Start with the winemaker and proprietor, Spencer Stegenga.  A lot of local agriculture families have made … Continue reading →

Posted in Michigan, Old Mission Peninsula | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Jack Off All Wines, Master Of None

Posted on May 22, 2015 by intoxreport

The titular pun is ‘me all over’—as immature as sniggering at the word ‘titular’. From time to time, of course—snarky, sarkie satirical sibilance aside—those of us whose lowly role in this veil of tears and sin is wine critiquery (not … Continue reading →

Posted in GENERAL | 4 Comments

Dan Matthies and Chateau Fontaine: Please Exit Through The Gift Shop

Posted on May 21, 2015 by intoxreport

I want you to take the following statement with a grain of salt, and then I want to sell you a desalination plant: Salesmen are born, not made—and Don Matthies was born to be a salesman. Whether he is hawking … Continue reading →

Posted in Leelanau Peninsula, Michigan | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment