A big Drink the Good Stuff thanks to you!

A big “thanks” to all of the Drink The Good Stuff readers that answered our wine survey! We thought you might like to know a little bit about what we found out.

With over 130 surveys filled out so far (there’s still time people!) here is what we have learned about the preferences and habits of wine shoppers everywhere:

• Somewhere around $15 - $20 is the sweetest of sweet spots for a bottle of wine.
• Some wine shoppers spend slightly more on gift wines but some spend less than they would spend on themselves – know who your friends are!!
• Price is not the driving factor in choosing a wine shop. It is a factor, sure, but not as influential as you might think.
• Once again, it’s all about location, location, location. Most people shop at their “nice” neighborhood wine store.
• There are a lot of self-proclaimed connoisseurs out there, followed closely by enthusiasts who are just discovering wine but like to be the first to try new wines. Many of these enthusiasts use the internet to search for wine information. Hmmm, sometimes market research makes good sense.
• People are lovin’ that fabulous juice from the great state of CalifornIA. France and Italy made a play for “favorite region” but both were ultimately left in the Rutherford dust (sorry, inside California wine lovers joke!)
• We were (justly, I suppose) chastised for at first not including Spain in the questions regarding wine regions. We added the region but sadly it never had the chance to catch up. Lo siento!

Lots of great stuff and tons of insightful commentary. Thanks again. We promise to use the information for good and not for evil. No, really! Cheers.

Euro For Your Thoughts

If you filled out our survey already, a big glass of thanks to you. If you have not yet had the chance, fret not there is still time!

A juicy tidbit: Initial survey responses show that the majority of wine buyers purchase wine for themselves in the $15-20 price range. This is unfortunately becoming increasingly difficult with wine prices rising and the collapse of the dollar versus the Euro. Does this reflect your wine purchasing habits? Let us know by clicking on the link below and weighing in.

HOW DO YOU SHOP FOR WINE SURVEY

Open a nice (inexpensive!) bottle of wine and share your opinion.

Bottoms up!

We Want Your Wine Opinion!

Help us out by answering our short survey on how YOU shop for wine. We are interested in your opinion. Answer all 13 questions or answer just one. Please remember, no personal information will be collected! Click on the link below and you are on your way...

How You Shop For Wine Survey

Thanks and Cheers!

Vino Girl and Winemonkey

Yes, California Does Sparkle

Lest you think that California has nothing to offer in terms of sparkling wine, you should know that the French think differently. If the terrain in Cali was not up to par to produce beautiful bubbly then highly regarded French brands such as Taittinger certainly wouldn’t associate themselves with sparklers from the Golden State.

Although Vino Girl must admit that it’s tough to measure up to “real deal” Champagne, it’s always nice to try something different every once in awhile. Domaine Carneros, owned by Taittinger, makes sparkling wines including Le Reve Blanc de Blancs, Brut Cuvee and Brut Rose that are much more than acceptable.

The Domaine Carneros vineyards are, as you might have garnered from the name, located in the Carneros appellation, a cool climate region overlapping with both Napa and Sonoma Valley. The wines are made using the same method as in Champagne and can be found for about $25 for the Brut Cuvee, $30 for the Rose and $60 for the Le Reve.

Here are some other California sparklers that are owned by or associated with French Champagne companies:

Domaine Chandon - Moët & Chandon

Mumm Cuvée Napa - G. H. Mumm Champagne

Scharffenberger Cellars turned Pacific Echo now Scharffenberger again - Veuve Clicquot

Roederer Estate - Champagne Louis Roederer

Piper Sonoma – Piper Heidsieck Champagne

Cheers!

The Bee's Knees

Apparently bees have such good sniffers that they can identify hundreds of different aromas. Bees are even being used to help sniff out bombs and are, in some circles, considered superior to bomb-sniffing dogs. If only they could communicate with us they might be able to help us pick out good wines and avoid the bad ones.

Well, leave it to the Aussies people! CSIRO, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization of Australia, is working on an electronic nose to distinguish between good and bad wine. They are using bee’s noses to research how best to develop the machine by blowing different scents at bees and measuring how they react. Something tells me the bees will be partial to floral aromas and honey-like smells. Sauternes anyone?