Sideways

Yes, but as I’m sure you know, that is 90% Blossom Hill and similar! No one’s denying that the US is good at marketing!

I’m not sure I know that at all. In any event it seems clear that it is not true that ";anyone in Europe will tell you"; it is difficult to find American wine worth buying, regardless of the price point. Rather, it seems clear that European consumers are indeed voting in dramatic fashion with their pocketbooks. For example, now 1 in every 7 wines purchased in the UK is from the US -- an over 40% increase in 2004.

But perhaps you are correct. After all, I suppose these are just European consumers who are unsophisticated about wine and are virtual mindless automatons in the face of slick American marketing tactics.

Given the general massive trend in the market in the Uk towards brands, I would say that the vast majority of this increase (over 90%m, without any question) is from branded varietal wine like Blossom Hill. Quality wine from the US simply is not good value for money over here!

Pinot Noir is the new Zin.

As a matter of fact, my good friend Chris Coad hs called most of what California Pinot growers peddle ";Zinot Noir,"; which seems to me to describe the wines perfectly. What else can you call wine made from Pinot Noir that is inky black, oaked to the nines and wears about 15% alcohol without shame?

And sorry, the movie wasn’t about Pinot Noir or Syrah. It was about two immensely screwed-up guys, one of whom happens to be a Zinot-and-Syrah-crazy wine geek...:-)

M.