In cyberspace, anything goes. If you search long and hard enough, you can find or buy pretty much anything ranging from a cadaver on eBay to a hammer on walmart.com. There’s also a whole helluva lot of useless info on wine. But since there’s no SAT test or wine certification required to put up a wine website, sifting through the morons and blowhards is no easy task.
But not an insurmountable one. The following is a list of favorite websites I use for reference, wine news, and wine geek fun.
www.yumyuk.comYumyuk brings wine education to the masses. With cool, down-to-earth verbiage and simple instructions, this website is invaluable for the dazed and confused. It’s user-friendly, interactive and educational. Do a fun “taste interview” which helps you figure out which wine reviewer on their site most fits your preferred taste profile. Then explore their recommended wine section with your newfound knowledge. Move on to the unconventional food and wine pairing section that might raise your eyebrows, but will certainly teach you a thing or two. This site could easily burn several hours of work time.
www.winespectator.comThis is the beefed up online version of the subscription-based wine magazine, The Wine Spectator. Although sometimes referred to as “The Wine Speculator” due to some alleged influenced-by-the-advertiser articles, this website is super useful for straight-up wine info. It not only gives you the magazine’s info for free, you can explore wine dictionaries, wine trivia, and pretty much anything else wine-related. The content is a bit high-brow (read: wine snob); the info is comprehensive and wine-geek entertaining.
www.wine-lovers-page.comA virtual playground of well-written, approachable wine information, the jam-packed Wine Lovers Page tempts everyone from the wine novice to the connoisseur to uncover nuggets of knowledge. Founded by wine writer Robin Garr, this comprehensive site is the assemblage of many years of fervent wine worship. I especially enjoy the “30 Second Wine Advisor” section that offers a brief synopsis of a recommended wine and its region. You can also sign up to receive this info in email. Armed with several wine columnists’ opinions, the site offers straightforward, non-snobby articles delving into different regions around the world, as well as varietal studies. Other entertainment includes surveys, wine label decoders, and a wine “questionary.”
www.wine.comWine.com provides direct shipping of wine to states where it has licenses. In the Southeast, they provide service for North Carolina and parts of Florida. The selection depends on your state, but they do carry some hard-to-find wines. It’s pretty easy to use, too. You can search by varietal, region or winery name and they stock cool gifts like unique corkscrews and fun wine books.
Wine Recommendations
Nino Franco Rustico Prosecco, Non Vintage A sparkling wine from Italy, the “non vintage” means a blend of several years of wine. This bottle smells like a yummy, yeasty beer on the nose, and bursts out with lime and lemon flavors in the mouth. $12 *** 1/2
Buena Vista 2000 Merlot Delicious fruit explosion in the mouth. Sexy and luscious blueberry and cassis flavors linger long after a sip is finished. Great value at $9. ****
Il Circo 2000 Uva di Troia “La Violetta” The first Italian/American joint effort by Bonny Doon Vineyards, this powerfully fragrant red wine meets and exceeds their reputation: fun, quaffable and fruity. Made from the indigenous ancient Italian grape Uva di Troia, the bottle bears its fancy name. $15 ****
E-mail corkscrew@creativeloafing.com or snail mail to Corkscrew, 1310 E. Ninth Avenue, Tampa, FL 33605.
This article appears in Nov 6-12, 2002.
