I guess everyone has to eat, even in a recession. When the light appears at the end of the tunnel, though, appetites get bigger ... and more discriminating. In London, upscale eateries are seeing the investment banking crowd come back, and the wine is once again flowing. The cities top chefs are still worried about what will happen after Christmas, but for now, they're happy to see their creations gobbled up by the city's financial sector.

Marcus Wareing has had what he calls "a fabulous year." The waiting list keeps getting longer, and he says, "There's a good vibe." Tristan Welch's Launceston Place is seeing more wine flow, and demand is picking up. Pearl's Jun Tanaka remains cautious, "We'll really know in the first quarter 2010 if business has returned ... I don't know if it's a trend or a hiccup."

Across the city, there's a mix of optimism and trepidation. Le Gavroche, Wahaca and Le Café Anglais, for example, offer some variation of "Business is good" or "Business is booming, and Gordon Ramsay tells Bloomberg News, "There's an increasing air of confidence, which has been particularly apparent since the beginning of September." Michelle McGuire of The Palm said the restaurant had its busiest week three weeks ago since its opening in May, "with record takings." Sam Hart, of Fino, Barrafino and Quo Vadis, on the other hand, calls the improvement "fragile."

Nonetheless, this is a far cry from the angst that characterized the fine dining world a year ago. When people start to eat well, you know that things are turning for the better.

Whether you live alone and have trouble going through an entire bottle fast enough or find yourself with half bottles left behind after dinner parties or holiday gatherings, every wine drinker has been faced with the conundrum at one time or another of what to do with leftover, no-longer-drinkable wine.

The important thing to note is that although wine that's been opened for too long might not taste good for drinking anymore but that doesn't mean it's unsafe to ingest. You can certainly pour it out (many people do) but why not do some experimenting with it in the kitchen and try using it in some recipes or try your hand at making your own vinegar?

Ideas for using leftover wine:
- Add flavor and body to tomato-based sauces
- Deglaze pans after roasting meat
- Braise vegetables in it
- Cook it down for use as a sauce and glaze base
- Use it in fondue
- Use it as a marinade for beef, chicken, and fish
- Make your own vinegar by simply letting it sit or by following this recipe

Some argue that you should only cook with wine you would also be willing to drink, but much of what makes wine taste good originally gets lost in the cooking process anyway. It's really just about personal preference.

It's a question that's been tossed around for centuries, since the first cork was popped: How long does wine keep once it's been opened?

As with all things wine, it depends on many factors. Red wine, white wine, young wine, old wine, the list goes on. Oxidation is both a friend and an enemy. A freshly opened bottle often benefits from sitting open for a few minutes before serving in order to allow the oxygen to seep in and bring out the flavors and aromas in their full-bodied glory, but too much time exposed to the air and all those wonderful characteristics start to slowly turn unpleasant and eventually the wine will be dull, sour, and not nearly as fragrant. It's a slow process and it really comes down to personal taste, because no matter how long an opened bottle sits it won't become unsafe to drink -- just unpleasant.

The quick, very general answer on how long an opened bottle of wine keeps is 3 days. All wines will keep at least one day without changing for the worst, and many aged reds can last up to a week. Factors to keep in mind:

• The age of the wine The longer the wine was aged the longer it will retain its desirable characteristics after being opened. Young wine is more susceptible to the effects of oxidation.
• How much is left The fuller the bottle the longer the wine will last, due to less room for oxygen. Consider transferring leftovers into a smaller bottle
  
• Sugar and alcohol content Sugar and alcohol act as preservatives so dessert wines, ports, and sherries can keep much longer (up to a year in some cases).

When it doubt smell it and taste it. If you like it drink it! If you don't, either discard it or find another use for it. There are no hard and fast rules so make your own.

Eric Ripert, the chef/owner of the New York restaurant Le Bernardin, along with his wine director Aldo Sohm, has introduced the Avec Eric Perfect Pairings wine club.

Ripert is the host of a new show for PBS, Avec Eric, in which he explores his own vision of why we cook and where he finds his inspiration. Sohm, who oversees Le Bernardin's wine collection of over 15,000 bottles, recently received the 2009 James Beard Award for "Outstanding Wine Service" and was named "Best Sommelier in the World" in 2008 by the Worldwide Sommelier Association. Sohm is the first representative from America to win this title. Le Bernardin holds three stars from the Michelin Guide ,and has maintained its four-star rating from The New York Times for over 20 years.

In an interesting twist, the wines were picked with specific recipes from the chef in mind. Each month, Ripert and Sohm choose two bottles of wine for their members with the intention of pairing them with recipes inspired by his new series. The members will receive the recipes, as well as the wines, in addition to detailed tasting notes written by Sohm. Members also gain access to monthly online videos of the duo explaining each pairing. The wines are a mixed selection of reds, whites and sparkling chosen to complement the proposed dishes.

Ripert feels strongly that great food does not need to be complicated or intimidating for the home chef. Each show starts out with a trip to a vineyard, farm or four-star kitchen but finishes with the chef in his home kitchen demonstrating recipes for the home cook and enjoying the perfect glass of wine to accompany his meal. A Votre Sante!

I've been following Amazon.com's battle to get into the wine business for the last year or two. Now it seems the story may have reached the end of the road. WineBusiness.com has learned that Amazon.com, may pull the plug on the project before it ever really got started. An email sent to wineries today said that the company has decided"not to resume shipping." As of this summer Amazon was attempting to work with New Vine Logistics, a Napa, California wine-shipping service. The plan was to create a consignment system through a specialized website, where wineries earned 47 percent of the retail price for wine when sold. But the logistics of the program and the fact that wine regulations vary widely from state to state may have doomed the program. The invite-only Amazon wine site remains up.

Chesapeake Energy CEO Aubrey McClendon may have sold off wine at an auction earlier this year but he still has cases and cases to go. The Wealth Report draws our attention to the "The Aubrey McClendon Collection" sale scheduled for November 21 at The St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point, California. Spectrum Wine Auctions will be simulcasting the sale in Hong Kong, which appears to be where the big spenders on vintage wine are these days. The sale will feature more than 3,000 bottles and may bring in as much as $3 million.

The auction website includes a video interview of McClendon conducted by Mario Sculatti, director of sales and consignments for Spectrum Wine Auctions. McClendon has signed an Imperial of 1990 Lafite Rothschild that will be offered during the auction with commissions earned to be donated to charity on behalf of McClendon and Spectrum Wine Auctions.

McClendon's collection spans a range of the most collectible wines. Particularly prized are two bottles of 1945 Chateau Latour. McClendon also collected large format bottles. The auction offers several six-liter Imperials (the equivalent of eight standard bottles) including a 1982 Cheval Blanc in the original wood case, a 1989 Haut Brion and several vintages from Chateau Mouton Rothschild. McClendon's wine philosophy is simple: "Like anything in life, if you're going to enjoy something you really ought to try to enjoy, I think, the best of the particular pleasure that you're seeking, and so I would encourage people to go after the best wines."

An AP story doesn't make it sound too appetizing (old wine bottles covered in black fungus anyone?) but the upcoming auction of wine bottles from the Tour d'Argent restaurant in Paris, France has oenophiles very excited. The restaurant, a landmark that traces its history all the way back to 1582, has a 450,000-bottle cellar and is selling 18,000 bottles at an auction in December. The auction through French auctioneer Piasa will include everything from modest 10-euro bottles of wine to those fungus-covered bottles of 1875 Armagnac Vieux (estimated at 400-500 euros) and other notable oldies.

The restaurant is paring down on its bottles and wants to modernize. Some of the usual suspects at fine wine auctions including vintages from Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Cheval Blanc and Chateau Margaux will also be up for sale and the grand total is expected to be over one million euros. The provenance of the bottles may also be a selling factor not just because the integrity of the bottles, which were bought directly from vinters, can be assured but also because the bottles bear the restaurant's insignia, the famous tower.

Twitter is partnering with custom wine producer Crushpad on a new charity-driven project, Fledgling Wine. The Twitter staff will work with Crushpad to make a Pinot Noir and a Chardonnay. The fundraiser, the Fledgling Initiative, will benefit Room to Read , a San Francisco non-profit organization that establishes schools and libraries for children in developing countries. Founded by former Microsoft employee John Wood, Room to Read has established 765 schools and filled over 7,000 libraries with more than 5.7 million books. The company says that $5 from every $20 bottle sold will go to Room to Read. Twitter users can follow the progress of the wines through @fledgling. The release date is planned for Fall 2010.

[via SF Gate]

Organic wine has become more popular in recent years but for some wineries working in harmony with the environment is nothing new. Spottswoode in Napa Valley has been farming organically since 1985, and have been certified by the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) since 1990. The winery also makes use of cover crops, beneficial planting and many other organic farming methods.

Beth Novak Milliken of Spottswoode says that they have done many things to be the "best possible stewards of our 45-acre estate property." In addition to organic farming they have also installed solar panels at the winery and vineyard. They also actively conserve and recycle and use have bees and bird boxes on the property. The 25th anniversary 2006 Spottswoode Estate Cabernet Sauvignon sells for $130 a bottle and the 2008 Spottswoode Sauvignon Blanc is $36 per bottle. The winery is also a member of 1% For the Planet, a group that has pledged to contribute one percent of sales to environmental groups around the world.

When fall and cooler weather arrive we look for something special to sip by the fire; this season we'll be reaching for a bottle of fine Cognac from Pierre Ferrand. Ferrand, considered "Premier Cru du Cognac", is lauded as a Grande Champagne specialist and is one of only a handful of Cognac houses in France that specializes in old Cognacs from the coveted Grande Champagne region that are not blended with lesser varieties. It is also quite a small house by most standards; as Ferrand President and Owner Alexandre Gabriel notes, "We are the jewelers of Cognac. It takes us a year to produce what the biggest company produces in a day." A core belief at Ferrand is the that to produce an exceptional Cognac you must first create an exceptional wine. To that end, Cognac Ferrand is perhaps the only house that has a full-time oenologist trained in making premium wine in Bordeaux.

Cognac Ferrand is very vested in the vines and the vineyards and the wines used in the distillation of its Cognac come from the heart of the Grande Champagne, long considered the finest growing area. "To produce an exceptional Cognac, we treasure our grapes and treat the vineyard as a great vintner would," Gabriel says. "Then we distill it right, age it well and blend it with precision. Only then are we ready to bottle it. Quality cannot be rushed." The award-winning result is a complex, yet subtle, aromatic spirit reflecting a unique history and great attention to every detail of production. Pierre Ferrand Cognac is double distilled in small copper pot stills according to the traditional Cognac method – one cask at a time. It takes them 12 hours to produce just one cask with each pot still. At Ferrand's estate, dating from 1776, it then takes several years for the Cognac to reach perfection in Limousin oak barrels.



Ferrand (which also makes Citadelle Gin in the off season) offers a wide variety of bottlings, including Ambre, Reserve, Reserve des Dieux, Selection des Anges, Abel, Ancestrale and the Collection Privée Vintages, limited edition rare Cognacs of outstanding quality, including the 1914, 1970, 1971 and 1973. They recently unveiled the Pierre Ferrand Vintage 1972 Cask Strength Cognac, one of the only cask strength Cognacs available in the United States, which sells for $600 a bottle. Only two casks of this precious Cognac remained at the historic Ferrand estate, enough to fill a mere 600 bottles. We highly suggested getting hold of one if you can.

As wine collections increase in value, collectors should consider insuring a valuable collection. According to the experts at Fireman's Fund Insurance Company's Wine Collector Management Services, here are a few things to keep in mind before buying a policy (or renewing or amending one you already have).

Insure your collection separately if it is valuable
As a consumable that appreciates in value as it ages, wine is a unique asset. If your collection has great value, it should probably be insured separately from your general homeowners' insurance policy. If not, you may run the risk that it is under-insured. The average bottle cost in a wine cellar is often $100 or more; individual bottles can easily reach $700 to $1,000 for top wines. A cellar that contains, say, 500 to 1,000 bottles, can be worth between $50,000 and $100,000. Values can easily climb into the millions for larger collections.

Choose blanket coverage or itemized coverage, or a combination of the two
With blanket coverage, your entire collection is covered under one limit, with a single bottle limit of up to $50,000 (with a Fireman's Fund policy). Itemized coverage is recommended for wines valued at $10,000 or more and can be combined with blanket coverage to provide the best protection for your collection. There should be no deductibles on standard policies.

If you buy insurance, be sure it covers all risks
Buy coverage that spans a wide spectrum of causes of loss including fire and theft breakage, flood, and a range of others. You will also need coverage for loss due to power outage or mechanical breakdown of heating, cooling and humidity control equipment, all of which are critical coverages for oenophiles.

Don't transport your wine without checking with your insurer first
Before you transport your wine, ask your agent or insurer if this is a covered risk by your insurance policy. Be certain your wine is protected worldwide and while in transit.

Wine collections are growing, and so are their value, in many cases. Indeed, based on the results of a recent Sotheby's wine auction, held in Hong Kong in early October, the prices of collectible wines are breaking records.

One imperial (six litres) of Château Pétrus 1982 realized a world auction record price of $93,077, while a case (12 bottles) of Château Pétrus 2000 sold for $55,846. Three bottles of a 1992 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon, a winery in Oakville, California, sold for $27,923.

If you have a wine collection, or if you are thinking of building one, here's how to care for your collection, according to the experts at Fireman's Fund Insurance Company's Wine Collector Management Services.

Keep an eye on your climate control
A temperature of 55 degrees Fahrenheit and a relative humidity of 60% to 65% are ideal for long term wine storage. The cool temperature slows the aging process, while the humidity prevents moisture inside the wine bottle from moving into the cork and eventually evaporating into the air. Keep in mind that ideal temperatures do vary somewhat depending on the type of wine you are storing. Attics and garages are not ideal places to store wine, as temperatures can fluctuate greatly in these locations.

Limit your collection's exposure to light sources
A dark room is best for wine storage. Fluorescent light is not believed to be harmful.

Wines should be kept in a stable environment
Vibration is harmful to wine, as it disturbs the sediment. Keep the bottles in a horizontal position.

Back up your power supply
Your wine collection could be at risk during a sustained power outage. A permanent back-up generator will help protect your investment.

Consider renting a storage space
If you lack adequate space to store your collection, professional wine storage facilities are available in most major cities.

Art and dinosaurs may not be moving at auction, but in a tough market, you can count on people drinking. Sotheby's nearly sold out its entire auction in Hong Kong Saturday, raking in HK$61.5 million (US$7.9 million) from 1,010 lots offered. Only five lots failed to find a home at the auction – and they were later sold privately. The result obliterated the presale estimate of HK$47.8 million.

Much of the action came because prices were relatively low, but there was plenty of room for upward movement. A 6-liter bottle of Chateau Petrus 1982 sold for HK$726,000 (US$94,000), setting a record. The buyer opted to remain anonymous.

A mere 1 percent of the lots went to buyers who were not Asian. Mainland Chinese were responsible for most of the buying, followed by bidders from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore.

Hong Kong has carved out a place for itself at the top of the international wine auction market and is now providing competition to New York and London. Sotheby's and Christie's have been holding auctions in Hong Kong since February 2008, when the government nixed duties on wine.

The wine auction kicked off a week of gavel-pounding for Sotheby's, preceding a five-day auction of art and gems consisting of 2,300 lots. The estimate for the festivities is HK$780 million.

Every wonder what it is like to own a wine chateau? You can get a little closer with a new computer game, Wine Tycoon from Got Game Limited lets players create vineyards in France's most prestigious wine regions including Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne. Players have to build their winery, tend their vineyards, hire staff and then produce the wine. Players go through all stages of wine development from planting grapes to dealing with a virtual bottling plant. In order to succeed at the game, crops must be maintained and equipment has to be maintained. The game also includes a Wine Encyclopedia with a glossary of wine terms, grape varieties and wine regions. It will be available next month for $19.99.

[via Decanter]

It looks like Copia, the the American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts in Napa Valley, is finally down for the count for good. Its Napa site is being sold by Alvarez & Marsal Real Estate Advisory Services LLC which has been retained by ACA Financial Guaranty Corp. to market and oversee sale of the property. Copia closed last November and filed for bankruptcy. The prime real estate includees 17 acres on the Napa River over three contiguous parcels. It may be sold or leased as a whole or as individual pieces.

The Copia building is a two-story, 78,632-square-foot building that includes a teaching kitchen and rooms for exhibits and the grounds include expansive gardens. The Napa nonprofit was the dream of wine great Robert Mondavi who envisioned it as a centerpiece for the wine tourism industry in Napa Valley. No sale price has been listed and it's not clear if it will be used again as a tourist destination although the size and design of the facility doesn't lend it to many other purposes.