Count Bobulescu

Since the Irish Border Backstop will now be Topic A, until it's not, anyone wanting a better understanding could do worse than listen to this 13 min presentation by Sabine Weyand the EU's Deputy Chief Negotiator, the person who actually runs the show, and who rarely speaks. She ranges beyond the backstop. Even some hardline Brexiters are conceding she may have a point, and maybe more than one.

The CGT Happy Hour Pricing Bill passed the Va House 90 - 04.

Westminster today considered 7 amendments to T. May's proposal that was roundly defeated two weeks ago. Only one passed, a conservative proposal to send May back to Brussels to reopen negotiations on the Irish border backstop. The purpose of the backstop is to prevent a hard border in Ireland for fear of reigniting violence. The first car bomb in about 20 years exploded at night in front of a courthouse close to the border on Jan 19. The EU said to May tonight, don't bother, no chance, and the Irish government is not as they say "best pleased". Westminster today voted down amendments that would have sought an extension of time for negotiations, and would have prevented a no deal crashout, which everyone says they are against. Go Figya.

Agreed, but if it weren't for them there interwebs we'd likely be debating which was the better mag. I've read or subscribed to most at one time or another, and now the only one I still subscribe to is the first one I was exposed to, Decanter, even though maybe 50% of the wines reviewed are not available in the US. Old habits die hard. Off topic, but not worth a thread. it looks as if DC's Atlas brewing has won their 1st Amendment fight with the Feds who seem to have given them preferential treatment and speeded up their label approval that was the subject of a lawsuit

Just saw a ref to this and love the idea. Have no experience with it. Don't know if they grow under contact for rests and grocery only, or have public markets, but worth keeping an eye on. Up Top Acres

I suspect you're referring to a variation on the UC Davis Wine Wheel. Good for academic use, but personally I find it overwhelming to attempt to discern how many components I could identify in any given wine.and prefer to rely on my honker and taste buds, neither of which is particularly sensitive. So don't take my advice. Good ( age worthy ) wine should have an appropriate balance of acid, fruit, and tannin. After that it becomes very subjective. UC Davis Wine Wheel

Having trouble with the bits & bytes, ones and zeroes? 😀

Had never heard of them before, wondering if anyone has tried and has comments. $6 lunches that you pick up or eat in, with a portion of proceeds going to charity. Seems like a win win especially as it adds restaurants. You have to work or live near a participating restaurant to make it worthwhile. They've been selected as a "Finalist Alternative" whatever that means, at SXSW. https://www.twentytables.com/

Perish the thought that I might be a math pedant or anything like that. 😀 20 varietals at 3 price points = 60 wines, leaving lots of room for sparkling and BTG. Agree with you on Ole.

On the 3x wholesale principle, three price points, $50, $75 & $100, times 15 to 20 grape varietals covers a lot of ground.

Attended the court hearing yesterday. I'm more optimistic now for CGT, who turned up in his whites. (It crossed my mind that was risky because the court rightly or wrongly could consider it a lack of respect. Best not to risk alienating the judge. How long does it take to change?) Judge was more skeptical of Va ABC than CGT position. Bills are pending in Richmond that if they become law would permit the advertisement of HH pricing, and render moot part of the CGT claim. Short session this year in Richmond ends 02/23. Judge simply said he would render decision ASAP.

Once again, I'm glad to see that a lawyer has a more optimistic outlook than I have. The checkerboard justice argument is appealing. Oral Argument Analysis

Can you think of any other A's that fit the bill?

That distinction between Meiomi and Duckhorn is exactly what I had in mind.

The wines I had in mind when suggesting this list, were mostly once admired independents who either got swallowed up by corporate wine, or just failed to stay relevant to their consumers. I haven't had any of these wines in twenty years, so I'll be interested to see where people might disagree, or where they think the a wine/winery/brand is finding its roots again. That's always a pleasant surprise. I'll start with the A's, and I realize I might be too harsh here, and exceptions prove the rule etc. Acacia, Arrowood, Archery Summit, Au Bon Climat.

I'm with you on Constellation & Co, but I disagree on Meiomi, because I believe it's simply a brand that never achieved any critical acclaim. I'm thinking more about once respected independent wines/brands that were bought by Big Wine, and then screwed up by ramping up production at the expense of quality, in an attempt to recover the overpayment. Etude, and similar come to mind in that category.

Might be a fun exercise to create a list here, of wines, like Silver Oak, mostly Californian I would suspect, but not forgetting Cloudy Bay, and Santa Margherita, that are no longer cutting edge, but continue to trade on past glories. Wines, that if you see them on a list, make you think, if they took this little care about their wine selection, should I really be eating their food.....

Indeed, and I think that list falls victim to that line of reasoning. When I looked at it the first thing that jumped out at me was in the white section with 19-20 wines, there were six Rieslings and four Chenin Blancs. Two varietals accounting for 50% of the selection. Allowing that Riesling is a versatile grape etc..........I think they could have found space for several others that are not represented at all.

Every time a somm recommends Silver Oak Cab to me with seafood, I always insist on getting it in white.

@PB Not sure if there is any precise definition of microlist. We could probably debate that for a few years....... When I said 4-6 per menu item I wasn't applying that to micros, but to lists more generally. The 75 item Trailblazer list referenced in the piece I posted doesn't really cut it as "micro" in my book. That menu has 25 items and 75 wines, so in one sense it kinda does cut it, 3 wines per menu item, but if I were the ruler of all wine lists I'd say 50 max, 35 better, to qualify for micro. You can cover a lot of ground with 15-20 grape varietals and 2-3 price points each. I think diners generally, and American diners in particular, are much less interested in who makes the wine, and where does it come from, than will I like it, and is it reasonable value.

Two posts this morning by the same person on a UK forum illuminate the John Bull attitude.....and there's a lot of it about....... Ignores the fact that if it weren't for US help, and death of twenty million Russians they might very well be speaking German in Blighty today. .

I think 4-6 wine selections per menu item is more than adequate. 12 apps & 8 entres =100 wines. 6-10 of same BTG.

Point taken, but I suspect you are in a minority there, and a small one too.

T. May generally sounds more grounded and rational than Donny T. but when you see a report like this you have to wonder........ No Surrender, Not an Inch At least some MP's are stirring. #10 Worried Rank & File Will Usurp Authority

Agreed. While recognizing the attraction of margin wine offers, I've always found it somewhat incongruous that fine dining restaurants that typically limit menu choices to less than ten per course, go in the opposite direction with wine.