Rather moody impression of the BioAlloy Wine Fabric

From the site:

Imagine a fabric that grows…a garment that forms itself without a single stitch!

The fashion that starts with a bottle of wine…

Micro’be’ fermented fashion investigates the practical and cultural biosynthesis of clothing – to explore the possible forms and cultural implications of futuristic dress-making and textile technologies.

Instead of lifeless weaving machines producing the textile, living microbes will ferment a garment.

Not at all sure about their obsession with the fabric as flesh-like (zombies? surgery room? WTF??) but the concept of bacteria and other organisms being able to ‘grow’ fabrics is certainly interesting, especially if it could come from waste materials from wine-making.

If you happen happen to want more background on how this ‘fabric’ is made, this is from the technical paper:

In contrast to the ‘Fibre Reactive’ living material, Microbe fermented wear will be produced by biological fermentation. This consists of a colony of bacteria (Acetobacter) that ferment wine into vinegar. This activity’s by-product is the synthesis of large quantity micro fibrils of cellulose (synonymous to plant based cotton). It is this process that will be used to fashion the garments

yum!

Click on image for further images

I just came across this link via the excellent packaging blog The Dieline, although this is actually a 2 year old project by Cibic Workshop on behalf of Vinitaly.

Let me start by saying that I LOVE Italy. Honestly I do. I grew up there and for many years was more Italian than British, but I think I love the IDEA of Italy more than the actual place (PLEASE do take the time to watch the excellent documentary film: “Girlfriend in a Coma” on this subject which prompted me to be thinking about Italy).

This wine concept just says so much about what appears to be wrong with the country today.

The design is minimalist and elegant, Italy does design well, yet it is also arrogant, sexist and self-indulgent.

The effect is at the simultaneously minimal and overdesigned. It is elegant, but it also feels like it is trying just a bit too hard to be cool. The illusion is easily shattered.

The wine themselves are each blends of 20 indigenous varieties which sounds like a good idea, but makes you wonder what you get out of the experience when it says little about the real wines of Italy. The irony is that these wines fall foul of all the MANY (DOCG, IGT, etc.) laws in place intended to uphold the quality of Italian wine.

Where is the information that informs the owner of the bottle? Where is the pride in Italy, its history and culture? All you get is a tiny label with the bottle number, the dates (1861 – 2011) and the prosaic “Red/White Wine of Italy”. Minimalism is taken to an extreme that implies there is nothing else that can, or needs to be, said.

Is it actually more likely that there is nothing else that they could agree to display? Is it arrogance, or evidence of lack of real cooperation and understanding? Is the message of the bottle marking unification that the country is actually still highly divided and mistrustful?

The bottle shapes are also typically sexist ideas. To quote from the release:

“The couple is the symbol of unity itself, the two bottles evoke a male and a female, and so the red wine bottle is a strong man and the white wine bottle is a elegant and slender woman.”

Yawn! Another strong male and his slim, attractive female partner. Seems that sexual politics have not changed that much since 1861 then?

Then to self-indulgence.

“To open it you need a key, an instrument that symbolizes the precious wine in it.
The key is the archetype of loyalty and trust towards the people they are entrusted to.”

Does the key symbolise loyalty and trust? I would have thought the opposite. You lock it away because you can’t trust anyone.

No, the key is a symbol of the fact that what might be good about Italy is being designed to death, layered with expensive trappings, then locked away from the world so that it remains aloof and unreal, a collectors’ item for those with lots of money and not interested in the realities of where this comes from. Is this the real message?

Sorry Italy. This is not what I remember or fell in love with.

What can you say about wine in 3 minutes and 14 seconds?

BBC Food & Drink – rushing their wine

The BBC has relaunched the Food & Drink programme, and to their credit have recruited not only a highly regarded, skilled Chef in Michel Roux Jr. but, unlike other food programmes, also hired a permanent wine presenter, Kate Goodman.

In the first episode I was excited to hear Kate present and discuss Dao wines from Portugal, and stand up for German Riesling. Each region got a decent, if rather general, coverage.

This week, we had sparkling wines from two regions side by side, Prosecco and English Sparkling wine, and the merest whiff about Madeira (though enough to make me wish I had some at home).

As I said on twitter, I will not complain about the choice of wines (I think they are fine in fact, even if one could argue that there are many other styles of sparkling wine that might go well with Afternoon Tea) but it was obvious that the coverage of the wines was rather limited and even more general.

Start your stopwatches

In the interests of research, I timed any mention of “drink” (covering not only wine) in the programmes to see what percentage of the show was dedicated to the “& Drink” part of the name, not just “Food”. The results were:

• Episode 1: 4 minutes, 11 seconds (or 14% of the running time of 30 minutes) – including discussion of spiced apple juice and cider
• Episode 2: 3 minutes, 14 seconds (or 11% of the running time of 30 minutes) – including 46 seconds about tea

Several people I spoke to on Twitter mentioned how brief the wine coverage seemed to be in this format, and it seems a waste to have a co-presenter who is so under-utilised.

Let’s hope the format develops, including getting extra air-time and therefore more scope to include useful details on wine.

BBC Food & Drink; Michel Roux Jr, Kate Goodman and Tom Kerridge enjoy wine

The original programme was the one responsible for bringing Oz Clarke and Jilly Goolden together to entertain, beguile and confuse us regarding the wines of the world and was thus an integral part of the explosion in (quality) wine consumption in the UK.

The new programme has an issue though, but they may have turned the weakness into an opportunity – or at least partly.

The BBC is enforcing its guidelines to avoid mentioning or endorsing specific brands, and while that may be OK for a cut of pork, or balsamic vinegar as a cooking ingredient, it is not helpful for wine. Consumers expect to know what wine is being drunk and tasted so they might find it and buy it.

Other programmes, such as Saturday Kitchen, also include wine content, and presenters such as Olly Smith, Tim Atkin, Susie Barrie and Peter Richards show a single bottle and because of this, it is almost exclusively selected from UK supermarket shelves so that it is available to a majority of the show’s audience.

Food & Drink gets around the issue of where to select wines from by having Kate Goodman focusing on the provenance of the wine itself, educating the audience (in a gentle way) about styles of wine rather than promoting individual bottles – and therefore studiously ensuring the brand is not shown, but being able to use wines only available in smaller merchants, and at a much higher average price point. Last night’s wines were a £13 Dao red from Portugal and a £13 German Riesling.

[if you want to know what I believe the wines were, visit my That Wine on TV site - just a play-thing at the moment]

Certainly the cookery content was aimed at a more basic level than many other programmes, covering roast pork and potatoes, and a relatively straightforward vegetable tarte tatin (which looked lovely). This was for a very wide audience indeed.

The effect, of course, is that the audience then clammered (on twitter, facebook, etc.) for information on what the wines were so that they might buy them, which I believe creates an interesting opportunity if not for the BBC, for an enterprising UK wine blogger (more of that later).

In theory at least, it means consumers are not just noting down a brand name on their shopping list, but concentrating on something like the regional name in order to help them buy better more generally. A laudable aim. Certainly the Dao and Mosel Riesling deserve better consumer awareness.

But will it work? Were people too distracted trying to work out what the wine was? Is there much value in giving totally generic advice about the style of wine from diverse regions such as these (not all Daos are fruity and the variety of Mosel riesling would make your head spin).

It will be interesting to see how this format develops and whether they can continue to avoid mentioning specific wines, or if they need to concentrate a little more on individual wines or producers rather than regions in order to have an impact. It might also allow others to develop related sites to help consumers which I discuss on “Wine on TV comes to a Second Screen”

In any case, I shall be watching the series to see what other wines are featured and try to work out what they were, and opening a bottle of Dao and Mosel Riesling to celebrate with fellow wine lovers that wine is getting more TV coverage.

Cover of Sleeper

This is fairly normal.

There are a few, and I fall ever-so-slightly in this area, for whom the ‘taste’ of wine actually has another dimension. In my case it is colour. I sometimes get a sensation, not from the sight, but from the smell, that a particular wine is ‘blue’ or ‘yellow’ or some other colour, but this is just a fleeting impression and not that defined or helpful.

“Synaesthesia – a condition in which the senses mix together so that sensations we normally consider separate start to intermingle. (Studies from the University of Edinburgh suggest 4% of the UK population could be affected by this blurring of the senses.)” BBC News

Imagine, therefore, those for whom this is full-blown? Would you want “girlfriends … flavoured of rhubarb and melted wine gums.” (you need to read the BBC article to understand that one)?

Imagine tasting a wine and it evoking all sorts of images, sounds, memories and feelings? Sounds exciting, and potentially uncomfortable.

Unfortunately we don’t seem to know how it happens yet, but the article on the BBC made me think. What if we could do this BACKWARDS and engineer that certain sounds or sights evoked the taste of certain wines? Is that the future of wine appreciation?

If aromas make up most of what we experience from wine, and aromas are chemical molecules (or their vibrations), and we can plug these into brains … I imagine future wine lovers like Woody Allen enjoying his Orgasmatron in Sleeper

See? I told you the science of life was going to become more important to wine lovers!

More information on Synaesthesia here

Professor Brian Cox, speaking at the Royal Institution, London, 26 November 2009 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hot on the heels of the discovery that I owe my life to a Proton Gradient [whereby I trap nicely ordered energy and transform it into chaotic one (wine can do that to you*)] I now discover my nose is not just a smell-receiver but an olfactory seismograph.

It seems that the science of life will be a major theme of the rest of our lives, whether it is genetic engineering or re-interpreting all the ‘knowledge’ we grew up with at school.

The latest impact of science on life, and in this case wine, is the proposal that we do not smell molecules for their chemical content and size, but for their “quantum vibrations“. This may not at first seem at all relevant to you or to wine, except that as wine lovers we are often asked to explain the issue of WHY wines, made only from grapes, taste the way they do (why we have to compare their aromas to other fruit or materials) and yet why they can taste so different from each other.

You can analyse the chemical content of a wine as much as you like, but as far as I know, no-one can tell you what it will smell like other than a few pointers to spoiled wine.

What is that terroir after all?

Well, maybe there is a new theory as to why that most under-appreciated human sense, smell, can distinguish these properties, and how the details of the soils and the weather that helped to produce the wine can lead to one wine being different from others.

Maybe we’ve been looking in the wrong place all along.

If any scientist wants to use my nose for experimenting further on the oscillation of wine molecules, please do get in touch.

* Personally, I suggest Prof. Brian Cox on the interesting new Wonders of Life BBC series, missed a trick with the comparison of conservation of energy to a waterfall. Surely you should have started with a nice, ‘orderly’ bottle of wine which I then consume and turn into amusing anecdotes, solutions to the world’s problems, a pleasant buzz, increase knowledge, broader experience … and a contribution to London’s sewer network. Nothing wasted.

The latest promotion is for a series of special weekend discounts for 4 groups of people who they believe deserve a little more love than others in 2013. Great idea!

“Sticks & Stones may break your bones, but words can break hearts”, so why not share a glass of wine to mend them?

Discounting is everywhere, especially in the new year, so we’ve come to expect it. How do you make your promotion stand out, and get shared? Well, focus it. Instead of making it a free-for-all, which really only results in making everyone expect discounts all the time and never pay full-price for a bottle again, it really needs to be about raising the brand profile, communicating some sort of personality, having a bit of fun. If you do get these right, you’ll hopefully have more customers seeking you out throughout the year rather than chasing the latest deals.

So who do Oddbins believe deserve this extra love? Well, how about:

• Mothers (4-6 January 2013 - oops, missed it!)
• Bankers & Journalists (11-13 January, 2013)
• Germans (18-20 January, 2013)
• Gingers (25-30 January, 2013)

… and “If anybody manages to pick up the discount every weekend and can prove it by way of receipts, they may be in line for some bonus extra loving…”

Interesting selection indeed! Sorry to the mothers who might have missed the recent promotion, but I’m sure there are some bankers, journalists and Germans out there ready to make the trip. As for the final category, I defer to the amazing Tim Minchin … and remind you that “only a ginger can call another ginger, ginger”

English: Turkey (bird) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Choosing wines for a Christmas with Turkey? How about something from … Turkey? An all-Turkey affair, after all the bird was named after the country, so it seems appropriate.

I’m not a great believer in “perfect matches” for wine and food so the best rule of thumb, is buy what you like to drink – the match will take care of itself.

Having just returned from an extended visit to the beautiful cities and wine regions of Turkey, I thought I’d find out which wines you could source easily in the UK, so here are a few suggestions.

Marks & Spencer

M&S was the first of the big supermarkets to list a Turkish wine (to my knowledge) and they’ve chosen an interesting pair of wines – and by the way, they’ve also taken the lead by listing wines from other countries like Croatia and Lebanon, so we should support them too.

Sevilen Sauvignon Blanc (Sevilen) 2011 - a crisp, fresh, attractive Sauvignon Blanc that does not suffer from the overblown aromatic style so popular in New Zealand. A great wine to kick off any meal, and don’t just take my word for it, Jancis Robinson picked it as one of her top 100 wines of 2012.

Anfora Trio (Pamukkale) 2010 - an interesting blend of  Shiraz, Kalecik Karasi & Cabernet Sauvignon that is unoaked but is a robust, red berry fruit wine that I think would go well with your Turkey if you like lots of sauces with it. A good introduction to the Pamukkale winery’s range which I will write about separately soon as I had a very enjoyable visit there.

Laithwaites

Laithwaites has always championed unusual wine countries and regions, and so it is a good place to go looking for something different. They attended the EWBC this year and have committed to listing even more Turkish wines in future, but the good news is that they already have one to try.

Vinart Kalecik Karasi Syrah (Vinkara) 2010  - I enjoyed this wine at a tasting earlier this year, which I felt showed lots of red fruit and a plummy character. The Syrah rounds this out a fair bit, and I would love to see a 100% Kalecik Karasi wine listed as I believe it is a grape that will be very popular in future. It is not unlike Pinot Noir overall, and can make delicate, light reds (and roses) but also more robust styles with a peppery character.

The Wine Society had the Vinkara Kalecik Karasi 2009 in stock but it soon ran out and there is none left. Keep an eye on them as I hope they will find more Turkish wines in the near future

Other retailers of Turkish wines (and other drinks):

I’ve not tried this retailer before, but you can always explore them for a broader range of wines.

Taste Turkey - http://www.tasteturkey.com/default.asp

TasteTurkey claims to have more than 40 different Turkish Wines in their portfolio from Diren, Pamukkale, Mahlep, Doluca, Kavaklidere, Kayra and Vinkara (though many appear out of stock) but also Raki (if you are feeling adventurous).

Other Agents to Contact

Agents and wholesalers don’t sell directly to consumers, so you can’t call them to buy the wines, but you could contact them directly to find out if a shop or restaurant in your area stocks these wines.

Berkmann 

Yazgan, Mahra, Sultaniye / Emir (2011) – This is a blend of Sultana (yes, the one used for dried grapes) and the delicious Emir. A refreshing wine with a bit of a tropical twist.

Yazgan, Bogazkere (2011) – Another Turkish local and exclusive grape. Quite full bodied and spicy. Definitely worth a try.

Tees Limited - http://tees.co.uk/brands

They are an importer who are responsible for Turkey’s (rather refreshing) EFES beer, but also including Turkish Wine from Kayra wines, Kavaklidere wines and Doluca/SarAFIN wines

Thierry’s used to import an interesting range of Turkish wines from Kavaklidere but their site doesn’t have much information about whether they are still in stock after the recent changes there. Might be worth a call

If you do choose a Turkish wine to go with your Christmas meal, do let me know how it goes.

Selection of Spanish wines from Catavino for Christmas

My friends, partners and colleagues Ryan and Gabriella Opaz have always found interesting ways to share a passion for the wines of Spain and Portugal. Whether it was regular blog posts (when no-one had heard of wine blogs), virtual tastings or videos, they brought the wines to us, virtually.

Now I’m very excited to see two new collaborations for Catavino that will put great wines in the hands of wine drinkers – not just virtually, but physically.

1. The Catavino Holiday Off-Event Survival Kit: this is a case of fantastic wines that have been selected by Ryan and Gab to bring you a taste of Spain for Christmas. The innovation is that it is a six-pack for a fixed price, including delivery ANYWHERE in Europe (including the UK), for only €85 (or about £68).

The details of the Catavino holiday wine pack are on their site, but it includes a VIÑA TONDONIA RESERVA BLANCO 1997 (retail around £30 in UK) and RAVENTÓS I BLANC L’HEREU RESERVA BRUT 2009 (retail around £16 in UK) that together are worth most of the cost of the case; so this has to be worth buying. What are you waiting for?

2. Catavino have also teamed up with Nico James, a long-time friend, to run wine tours – so if you are heading to Barcelona and want to have a great wine experience, check it out.

I’ve recently become more involved with Catavino, writing and editing a few articles and I look forward to getting more involved in exciting projects like these.

Unless you too are a digital wine communicator this may have both been annoying and confusing. In my defence it is one of the best experiences of my life to take part in, and having played a part in creating, this community event – the #EWBC – Digital Wine Communications Conference

If you want to get a little taste of what it was all about, do watch the fab video that Carrie at Mad Cat Media has put together for us:

#EWBC 2012 – Wrap up from Vrazon on Vimeo.

* to have your social stream overwhelmed by hashtagged content