Bench Grafts: What I’m Up To

Posted on Wednesday 22 October 2008

Just a quick post to outline some fun things that have happened recently and that will happen soon:

  • Arthur over at Wine Sooth has posted an exhaustive three part series on wild wine yeasts dubbed “Yeasts Gone Wild.” He even has a scandalous pic of a naked(!) yeast with its asexual organs partially exposed! It’s also where I’m quoted saying this:

    “The added complexity you get from 4 different yeasts shamelessly sharing a ferment trumps the routine consistency of a monogamous relationship with just one yeast strain, no matter how pure and virtuous.” (emphasis mine)

    Sex and wine. Is there anything better?

  • Wine: A Global Business, second edition by Liz Thach and Tim Matz was released recently. For those looking to break into the industry this book is peerless. It’s the standard text for a slew of classes at Sonoma State, and the list of contributors is long and distinguished. Well, that is except for one. This humble winery blogger contributed to the chapter “Direct to Consumer and Wine 2.0″ with Prof. Janeen Olsen, also of Sonoma State. Be sure to check it out.
  • Tomorrow I’ll be heading over to Napa to tape a segment on wine and the media that V&WM editor-in-chief Tina Caputo is working on. It’ll be tough trying to answer questions about Robert Parker’s influence on winemaking styles while wearing my “Robert Parker’s Bitch” tee shirt. But it’s a challenge I feel I’m up to. Hell, it’s a challenge I was born for.
  • Immediately after I’m off to CIA Greystone for the annual Robert Parker charity tasting. No costume change by the way, the shirt will stay! I’m hoping to get a photo with the great one while sporting the shirt. We’ll have to see. I’ll also post a lengthy report on the event right here, just like two years ago. The wines will be 2005 Bordeaux. Can’t. Wait.
  • Then on Friday the madness of the WBC will begin. I have the privilege of hosting three wine blogging luminaries at our vineyard house for the weekend: Lenn from Lenndevours, Craig from Wine Camp and Russ from Winehiker. There’s even talk of a late night after-party with a well chosen selection of Long Island and Oregon wines. Very good times.

Blogging should continue to be sparse for the near future, but when I do post I promise to make it count. :-)


3 Comments for 'Bench Grafts: What I’m Up To'

  1.  
    October 22, 2008 | 7:51 pm
     

    Josh, it’s good to see you hook up with Janeen, with whom I’ve spent a few happy hiking and biking miles. And wine miles! Janeen is good folk.

    And now, bring on the madness! After this weekend, we’ll never be the same…

    …thank you for hosting! See you mid-morning Friday, Josh.

  2.  
    October 22, 2008 | 7:53 pm
     

    Hi Josh

    Thanks for the mention and thank you for contributing to that series. I tried as hell to play up you double entendres but what I came up with was either lame or too raunchy.

    I’ll add that sex is like wine: sometimes great, sometimes its a good enough fix to keep you going for a while…

  3.  
    October 23, 2008 | 8:35 am
     

    Josh- living in Napa I thought I would have heard about the Parker tasting, thanks for mentioning it. $2000 per person is a bit too high rollin’ for me, I look forward to reading about the results here. Sure is a lot of hype about the vintage…

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