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Armand de Brignac Is the Hottest Thing in Hip-Hop; the Weather in Bordeaux Is Just Plain Hot

“True pimps don’t need no bling!”

• Jay McInerney takes on gold-bottled Armand de Brignac Champagne and explores its rise in hip-hop prominence, care of Jay-Z. He fails to mention whether Mr. Carter might be profiting off the wine, but does say he “liked the bubbly better than [he] liked the bottle.” [WSJ]

• In France, wines have always been labeled and marketed based on region (Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhone) rather than grape (Pinot Noir, Cabernet, Syrah). But French winemakers are caving to pressures from the global market, which favors “varietal” wines, and they’re not very happy about it. [France 24]

• The number of wine-related apps for the iPhone and iPad has increased sixfold over the last eighteen months. [Press-Democrat]

• Put off by the crazy price increases of the 2010 Bordeaux releases, investors are looking back to older vintages. [Harper’s UK]

• In order to protect migrant farm workers and grape pickers from heat-related illness, California state officials will be conducting sweeps this summer to enforce worker-protection laws. [Central Valley Business]

• Soaring summer temperatures in Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne are leading to predicted harvest dates that are the earliest on record for the regions. [Decanter]

• Yes, wine is getting more alcoholic, even if the labels don’t say so. And the winemakers in charge of such dastardly doings know exactly what they’re up to. [Felix Salmon/Reuters]

Armand de Brignac Is the Hottest Thing in Hip-Hop; the Weather in Bordeaux Is