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Place—what is sometimes called “somewhereness”—is an ancient, central concept in wine. An onion is an onion wherever it grows, but great wine has a “place print,” as unique as a fingerprint. Yet place is also a frustratingly unknowable aspect of wine. Does it help us when a winemaker says of her wine that it tastes “of its place?” My Blog this week tackles the conundrum. Our Wine to Know is a stunning Chinon that’s wild and savory. If you love Cabernet Franc, this is a must try. It’s still summer out there, and WineSpeed readers know I love Sauvignon Blanc for all its cooling “good green” flavors. This week’s Steal is a perfect example. Don’t miss our Back-to-School Special (see Exceptional Opportunities). And finally the Numbers. One of which is heartbreaking for Bordeaux. And the other proves you cannot eat your cake and have it too.
—(Impatiently) awaiting fall, Karen
A. Pinot Noir
B. Viognier
C. Merlot
D. Sauvignon Blanc
Chinon is one of the most singular red wines in the world, rarely mistaken for anything else. The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
95 points Karen MacNeil / WineSpeed
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My Interview with Eric Asimov
Eric Asimov is the wine critic for The New York Times, a position he has held for 22 years. His columns on wine not only cover wine and wine regions, but also wine in culture, the contemporary wine scene in America, and what it means to be a wine drinker. Asimov recently wrote a powerful piece in the Times, entitled “Have We Forgotten Wine’s Place at the Table?” And in it, he suggests that we may have. In this far-ranging video interview with Karen, Eric Asimov talks about the connection between wine and food, the importance of good wine (vs great wine), the prohibitive prices of wines in restaurants, the need for wine to be taken down from a pedestal, and the impact that severing wine from food may be having in American society.
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With a reputation for captivating audiences and inspiring wine lovers around the world, Karen is available for keynote speeches, seminars, and custom events. Reach out to book Karen for your next event.
Fifty Pounds and a Gazillion Seeds
Lodi, the self-proclaimed “Zinfandel Capital of the World” (it produces over 40% of California’s zin), is also home to over 130 different grape varieties, more than any other California region. These include: The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Patrick, in my 40 years in the wine industry, I’ve sent a bottle back maybe four times. But I’ve sent wine glasses back probably 200 times. In many restaurants, wine glasses go through the dishwasher with plates that can have everything on them from scraps of salmon to crusted pork fat. Those aromas can get trapped in the glass, because of the way wineglasses are shaped and the inside of a wine glass is microscopically pitted. So with a wine that seems funky, the glass is often the culprit. In that case, I just ask the server for a fresh glass, explaining that the wine seems a little odd, but I think it might be the glass not the wine.
By the Numbers
17
Cost in US$ for a ticket to the new London pop-up wine bar Coq au Vin, a joint venture of the American fast-food giant Kentucky Fried Chicken and the French Rhône wine producer The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
1898
Year that the world’s oldest, still intact wedding cake was baked. The cake, a sugar-frosted 3-tier Victorian masterpiece, has survived The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
27
Percentage decline in land values in Margaux, one of Bordeaux’s most famous appellations, between 2018 and 2025, according to The Drinks Business. Once valued at more than The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Each week, my team and I will bring you a fascinating and fun dose of wine intel. You’ll find my top wine recommendations (for every one wine we recommend to you, we taste 50 to 100 wines), plus great wine and food quizzes, my takes on happenings in the wine world, and my (hopefully thought-provoking and helpful) blogs. Plus, as always, lots more!
~ Karen MacNeil