Wine news May 16, 2017

Eric Asimov in the New York Times believes bad wines are bad. "Finally, the notion that manipulating cheap wine to mimic high-end bottles benefits consumers is laughable."

Food and Wine on a bill moving through congress could lead to boozier wine. "Currently, the federal tax on wine at 14 percent ABV is significantly lower than the tax on wines with an ABV between 14 and 16 percent."

GQ says this celebrity wine is good. "Considering the fact that Wareheim—who co-created Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! and plays Arnold on Master of None—spent about a year posting photos of wine and calling it piss, the jokes aren’t much of a surprise."

Amanda Barnes in Decanter on the Chilean wine harvest. "While the affect of smoke taint is still being measured by vintners around central and southern Chile, the character of the fruit this year is reflective of a warm and sunny vintage."

The Drinks Business on a wine fraudster jailed in France. "Seven people altogether were arrested in the Europol operation, which spanned five European countries. The value of the Burgundy faked by the counterfeiters was put at €2.5 million and although many bottles were seized it is not known how many might have found their way onto the international marketplace."

Zachary Sussman in Punch explores the wine cellar at Union Square Cafe. "Just as we might not immediately appreciate how revolutionary the restaurant was at that time, now that its influence has become so ubiquitous, wines like these might strike us as familiar—even expected—reference points."