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Number of years since the founding of W. & J. Graham’s, one of the top Port producers. Brothers William and John Graham started the company in 1820 and it remains independently owned by a single family—the Symington family. Graham’s is renowned for an outstanding range of Aged Tawny Ports, Vintage Ports and Quinta Vintage Ports. The Graham’s 1970 Vintage Port (which is still available on the market and costs a fraction of what it should) is thought by many to be one of the greatest Ports of the twentieth century.

Delicatessen is a grape variety.

Answer: True.

Delicatessen is a hybrid of the grape varieties R.W. Munson and Delicious and is known for its tolerance to heat and drought. Pioneering viticulturist Thomas Volney Munson created Delicatessen in 1902. Munson, who studied wild grapes native to North America, catalogued more than 300 grape varieties. Most importantly, his work helped to save the European wine industry in the 19th century, after phylloxera destroyed more than 6 million acres of vineyards. Vintners grafted European (Vitis vinifera) grape varieties onto Munson’s hybrid rootstocks, which were tolerant of the ravaging insect. Today, viticulturists are reviving Munson’s work and studying heritage grapes for their potential in adapting to climate change. We’re not sure why Munson named one of his hybrids Delicatessen. Personally, I like the ring of “Pastrami on Rye.”

Watson, Meet Robert Parker

Scientists in Australia have invented a so-called “electronic tongue” that can analyze and measure compounds in a wine and then mathematically formulate a “fingerprint” of the wine. According to Dr. Xavier Ceto Alseda, a research… Continue reading

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