managing your wine allocations mailing list

Stay on Your Favorite Winery’s Mailing List: Keeping and Managing Your Wine Allocations

So you finally get on allocations lists for two of your favorite California wineries, but when your wine options arrive, you discover that you don’t love every wine on the list. What do you do? This exact situation happened to a Chowhound forum writer, who says that he signed up for Rhys’ and Dirty &…

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wine certifications useful for collectors

Are Wine Certifications Useful for Collectors? When and Why You Should Take a Wine Education Class

In an opinion piece for Wine Spectator, wine writer Matt Kramer said, regarding wine certification, “Nothing about wine or — dare I say it! — accomplished wine service requires this pseudo-professionalization.” Kramer explains that wine certifications are as useless as they are elitist, and that too many professionals put emphasis on formal education over real…

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traveling with wine

Traveling With Wine by Plane, Train, or Automobile: Get Your Wine Safely from Point A to Point B

A couple of years ago, I attended a huge summer tasting event at a Washington winery with two friends. One of my friends brought along a wheeled wine carrier, tucking each new bottle he bought into its own little cubby inside. My other friend lightheartedly teased him about his paranoia, joking that his wine carrier…

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bring wine to a restaurant

The Corkage Conundrum: How to Bring Wine to a Restaurant Without Being Rude

For every incredible restaurant with a top-notch wine list, you’ll find at least 10 more with boring lists. Finding a fine restaurant that also offers an incredible array of diverse wines is a rarity, especially when cities like New York ban sommeliers from buying wines sold by private collectors. Wine Spectator’s Jim Fish suggests that…

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A group of friends holding glasses of wine at a party

Throwing a Party? Here’s How to Buy Wine for a Party That Everyone Will Love

MENTIONED IN THIS POST: Château Montrose Moët & Chandon Louis Roederer Château D’Yquem Clarendon Hills Aubert Tenuta San Guido Dominus  Colgin Château Canon When you’re a wine collector throwing a party, the pressure is high; your friends often expect you to pull the best wines out of your cellar, especially if your guests are wine…

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wine futures

Wine Futures vs. Pre-Arrivals: Knowing the Difference Takes the Stress out of Wine Presales

  You’re likely familiar with the phrases “Bordeaux futures” and “Burgundy pre-arrivals,” but do you know what these terms actually mean? Even well-educated wine collectors mistakenly assume that futures and pre-arrivals are the same thing. In reality, while both terms refer to buying wines “en primeur,” they represent two distinct styles of presales. The goal…

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