WELCOME TO WINESPEED
Consider a wine that is dazzlingly dry and crisp. That is fresh, sleek and lively. That’s never heavy or oaky. And that goes with just about every food imaginable. Consider all that, and you find yourself at: Riesling. Until recently, very few good Rieslings came from California. But in this issue’s My Take, I share two top Rieslings that may be turning the tide. Our Wine to Know this week is from a tried-and-true producer in upstate New York’s beautiful Finger Lakes region. The deep cool glacial lakes of the Finger Lakes are a metaphor for the cool, vivid flavors of this sparkling wine. One of our Numbers this week is the BEST MEDICAL NEWS we wine drinkers have had in a long time. And another Number is especially surprising. A little pint of these for $35? OMG. And lastly, you go Kroger! We need more grocery store chains with wine tasting bars in them.
—From wine country, Karen
A. Red wines made in Tuscany from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes
B. Red or white wines made in Tuscany from any variety except Sangiovese
C. Red blends made in Tuscany from Sangiovese plus any other red variety
D. Red wines made in Tuscany in an “international style”
The beautiful vineyards of the Finger Lakes in upstate New York lie along seven narrow, deep, glacial “finger” lakes. The region is cool and pristine—perfect sparkling wine territory. And this sparkler is The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
94 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.
Renowned Author & Dynamic Speaker
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.
The Name Shiraz
International Shiraz Day was established by Australian wine companies in 2020 and has since been celebrated annually on the fourth Thursday of July. Herewith, some information on the name Shiraz. The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Don, it’s definitely okay. In hot and often humid places like Florida, red wines can taste especially dull and lifeless when they are served a bit too warm. A good rule of thumb is to serve all red wines at the temperature of an air-conditioned movie theater. That’s in the high 60s Fahrenheit, not the 70s (which is the temperature in many people’s homes.) In particular,
Pinot Noir and tastes much better when served on the cool side. Can you put a red wine in the freezer to chill the bottle? Actually it’s faster (and better for the wine) if you submerge the bottle up to its neck in ice water. Ten minutes should do it.
–Karen
By the Numbers
21
Percentage lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease for those who drink wine moderately compared to those who never or only occasionally drink, The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
4
Number of billions of individual containers of perishable raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries shipped around the world each year by The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
147
Number of Kroger grocery stores that will introduce a new elevated wine program, according to the Cincinnati Business Courier. These new spaces will combine 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