Starbucks to sell wine - Richard Woodward, Decanter Magazine
29/07/2009 4:50:46 PM
Coffee chain Starbucks starts selling wine and beer in three Seattle outlets this week, part of an ongoing revamp aimed at turning around the company.
The new 15th Ave Coffee and Tea concept, said the company, was inspired by the original Starbucks coffee houses, before the chain expanded to the point of ubiquity.
The addition of wine and beer to the menu comes as the company continues to shrink, with up to 1,000 shops earmarked for closure around the world.
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A Starbucks spokesperson was unable to give any details of the number or style of wines on offer in the new shops.
'Starbucks decided to build a new type of coffeehouse that would serve customers throughout the day, and in the true spirit of a traditional coffeehouse this store would serve beer and wine,' she said.
'We have a short-term plan to open three stores in Seattle at this time. We know that we can learn a lot from these stores and hope to take these learnings and present Starbucks, in this new way, to our customers in other communities where it makes sense.'
The company said it had no plans for similar ventures in the UK.
The announcement came as Starbucks unveiled better than expected third quarter financial results, a profit of US$151.5m, overturning the company's first ever quarterly loss of a year ago.
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Vinexpo 2009 - Bordeaux
22/07/2009 4:22:29 PM
Vinexpo 2009 was recently held in Bordeaux. Vinexpo is one of the largest international wine shows, and draws a very large attendance from all wine producing countries. Guy Woodward, editor of Decanter Magazine takes us on a walk through this years Vinexpo. To view, simply click on this link... http://www.decanter.com/specials/285178.html , or cut and paste the link into your browser.
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Ice wine from Brazil - Decanter Magazine
22/07/2009 4:22:18 PM
Ice wine is being produced in Brazil for the first time.
The Perico Winery has begun producing the ice wine and plans to sell and export it in October 2010.
The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes used to make the wine were harvested at a vineyard located near the town of Sao Joaquim, which is about 1300m above sea level in the coastal state Santa Catarina.
In early June, temperatures there dropped to -7.5C.
'Temperatures can get very low here, so we realized that it would one day be possible to produce this,' said Jonas Nunes Tavares, a business manager at the winery.
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How to taste wine - with Steven Spurrier
22/07/2009 4:22:03 PM
Ever wanted to know how the experts taste wine? Simply click this link http://www.decanter.com/specials/285934.html or cut and paste this link into your browser, and follow Decanter Magazines consultant Editor, Steven Spurrier as he takes you on a complete journey from start to finish, in this brief and informative online video.
More wine videos to follow, including how to store & serve wine.
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John Vickery Retires - by Chris Snow
22/07/2009 4:21:53 PM
John Vickery, considered to be Australia's 'father of Riesling' and one of the country's greatest winemakers, has retired.
Vickery finished duties on 10 July after a 54-year career at Leo Buring's Chateau Leonay - now Richmond Grove - in the Barossa Valley and also at Rouge Homme at Coonawarra.
He had been a part-time, salaried consultant at Richmond Grove after relinquishing full-time duties in 1999.
Vickery, renowned for his attention to detail, produced globally-lauded Rieslings, beginning in the 1960s. Hallmarks of his approach were cool fermentation and inert gas handling.
He also produced Rinegolde sparkling, one of the wines credited in the 1960s with switching Australian drinkers from beer and fortified wines to still table wines.
While manager at Rouge Homme he changed the style of Coonawarra reds to the ripe, berry style wines produced today.
The 1980 St George Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon won the coveted Jimmy Watson Trophy at the Melbourne Wine Show.
Vickery, who graduated from Roseworthy Agricultural College in 1955, was also a leader of Australia's first attempt in the 1970s to introduce screw caps.
Stephen Couche, managing director of Orlando Wines, said that history would show Vickery to be 'one of the greats'.
Jeffrey Grosset, once a junior winemaker to Vickery and now a world-renowned Riesling producer, said, 'He's in the same league as Max Schubert and other great winemakers, most of whom are known for their reds.'
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