2015 Wine Blog Awards

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Today I received awesome news: Crush Counsel has advanced to the finals in the Best New Wine Blog category of the 2015 Wine Blog Awards competition. I'm honored and excited to be recognized by the judges, who did the tough job of narrowing the field for the next round: public voting.

Like most bloggers, I put a lot of heart and soul into my posts, some of which take days to research. I geek the hell out, and it's gratifying to know that people who have more experience than I do appreciate that. It's also humbling to be among so many great bloggers. Seriously, you should check them out, vote, and wish me luck!

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Tracie Robinson

WTO Ruling Might Impact U.S. Wine Exports

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On May 18, the World Trade Organization (WTO) issued a report finding the U.S. in violation of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT). On May 29, the body concluded its proceedings. On June 7, Canada's agriculture and international trade ministers released a statement threatening to impose tariffs on American products. These fighting words are the latest development in a six-year, multinational dispute that arose when the U.S. Department of Agriculture adopted rules requiring country of origin labeling (“COOL”) of muscle cuts of meat, including beef and pork. So how did an argument over bovines and swine get us to the point of retaliatory tariffs on wine? What’s at stake (no pun intended) here?

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Empire Wine Perseveres

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In the ongoing Empire Wine-New York State Liquor Authority saga, an acting state supreme court justice has ruled that the Colonie wine retailer can question NYSLA employees regarding its enforcement of the Alcohol Beverage Control (“ABC”) Law. Justice Gerald Connolly ordered NYSLA to comply with subpoenas issued by the retailer during the course of a protracted license revocation proceeding. As you may recall, NYSLA issued Empire a citation in August 2014 for “improperly” shipping wine to customers in 16 other states. This proceeding, which is an administrative process, has made several detours into state court and even into the legislature.

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Somm School and the *Other* Bar Exam

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Somm School and the *Other* Bar Exam

I have a friend who is great at ordering wine. He left New York more than two years ago, but before he did, I could trust every wine decision to him. At restaurants he’d order a delicious Italian vino, and I, despite my best efforts, would order a glass of something not so delicious. Ever the gentleman, my friend would switch wines with me, telling me a little bit about his wine as he slid it across the table. My friend, of course, is Italian. I want to be like him when I grow up.

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