WBW #28 and Hangin' with Kermit

The reports are in from Wine Blogging Wednesday #28 and the Culinary Fool has neatly compiled them for your viewing pleasure.

This was my first WBW, and it was everything I thought it could be and more. I’m honored to be in the company of such interesting and knowledgeable people. Other than the ego gratification of seeing my words in the blogosphere, writing a wine blog has made me a wine blog reader, which in turn has been a great learning experience.

And speaking of learning, I’ve been reading "Adventures on the Wine Route," by Kermit Lynch. It’s a fascinating tale of his journeys through France, tasting wine and meeting winemakers and growers along the way.

Although he can be a bit pompous at times, the stories are never dull and there is a wealth of information about the French wine regions. Overall, I like his perspective on wine and winemaking, especially his aversion to heavy fining and filtering. Seeing “bottled unfiltered” on a wine label frequently clinches my decision to try something.

He also makes an interesting point about the shipping of wine. He insists all his wines be shipped in refrigerated containers. I wonder how many of the wines I drink have been compromised by poor shipping conditions. The thought of a container full of wine sitting at the Port of Charleston in August makes me cringe.

Moore Brothers Wine Company, which has a location in my hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, touts that all their wines are shipped in temperature-controlled containers and their stores are as well (temperature-controlled, that is). It certainly makes sense, but there is the added cost to be considered.

It makes me even more militant about wanting more local wineries in the U.S. If the winery is a short drive away (or right down the street), there isn’t a need for refrigerated containers, not to mention the fuel expended on shipping.

Of course, I’ll always want wine from far away, but I’d like some local options as well.