Enobytes Wine Blog

Marc and I are on overload right now so expect some possible delays in posting. No, it’s not the summer weather keeping us from our keyboards, nor is it bad news; it’s simply that we have a number of activities going on right now:

Cotes Du Rhone Google Map: I’ve been promising to finish the Cotes Du Rhone Google Map for a while now. This map is quite complex (and challenging) since the area spreads over 171 communes in six departments, 95 communes (18 named villages) and 15 local appellations. In all honesty, I am spending more time on this activity than expected. It’s a large undertaking but I am sure many will appreciate the map once it’s finally completed!

New Forum Feature! THE VINO EXCHANGE: Calling all Sommeliers, Winemakers and Industry Professionals! Our forum members are asking questions pertaining to wine techniques, trends and the industry as a whole and they are asking you, our wine industry professionals to educate them in a number of subjects. Hence, we created a new segment, "Vino Exchange" which is a new Enobytes Forum discussion to promote the exchange of ideas, opinions, knowledge and inspiration to a community of curious souls enabling open interaction between wine professionals, enthusiasts and consumers alike.

We will kick off this segment today with our first discussion (drum roll please): "New world vs. old world wines - is there really a difference?" Domain Drouhin’s Cellarmaster and Operations Manager Arron Bell will lead this month’s conversation. We welcome and encourage all of you (consumers and professionals alike) to participate in this discussion!!

Additionally, if you are an industry professional willing to lead a discussion (see upcoming topics below, or select your own topic) please respond to this post. This is an invaluable opportunity to voice your opinion and to educate your consumers. We need your expertise!

Upcoming monthly topics:

	California’s High Alcohol Wines - is this an increasing trend, and is that what we want?
	The new "face" of Bordeaux wines, Bordeaux Oxygene, wine for the "masses", not just for the elite.
	New techniques in viticulture and winemaking - is wine getting better?

U.C. Davis or bust! That’s right! I’m starting a U.C. Davis program to study winemaking at the Department of Enology and Viticulture - I’m so excited I can hardly contain myself! Many of you know that U.C. Davis is one of the country’s most respected universities for the study of winemaking and grape growing and I am honored to be part of their program. What’s amazing is the more I study the more I realize how little I know about wine! Hopefully what I learn will help me prepare for:

The Master of Wine Exam: It’s the most renowned, comprehensive and demanding professional qualification one might achieve in the wine trade industry consisting of passing four written papers, three 12-wine blind tastings and a 10,000 word dissertation on subjects including viticulture, winemaking, the business of wine, contemporary issues, and the history of wine. Hopefully that intro Sommelier course & exam I took years ago from the Court of Master Sommeliers will help prepare me! I’m sure it will be an extensive and rewarding journey. If you are in the program and want to share experiences or network, please contact me.

Site redesign: We are in the middle of a website redesign! We love our site the way it is, however, all of our tasting room reviews, restaurant reviews and wine reviews exist in a database outside of our blog platform and we need to integrate our reviews into the blog. We hope to give everyone an opportunity to see the new site before releasing it so that you can give us feedback.

Wine scoring methodology: Marc and I have discussed this subject in depth for a number of months (…and come to think of it, many years) and we anticipate this conversation will foster either a new scoring methodology for Enobytes, or at the very least, a mapping of various scoring systems in hopes of making everyone happy ;) This subject has been discussed in great lengths by industry professionals and bloggers alike. Although I’d like to believe we should all follow one type of scoring method, the likelihood of this happening is unlikely.

…and last but not least, Marc will have a little more time on his hands than I, so you will have to put up with Marc’s banter for a while as I adjust to school, focus on the maps and our new site design.

Stay tuned to be amazed (or not!)…

Pamela Heiligenthal