Cellar notes #52: The joy of Sex

Sex sells. Not surprising then, that in the new edition of the 2005 Wine Report (Dorling Kindersley, £9.99), editor Tom Stevenson spotlights a Michigan fizz (yes, Michigan) nakedly called Sex.

Sex sells. Not surprising then, that in the new edition of the 2005 Wine Report (Dorling Kindersley, £9.99), editor Tom Stevenson spotlights a Michigan fizz (yes, Michigan) nakedly called Sex. What is surprising is that in a country that frowns on any sexual innuendo on the wine label, the producer of this pink sparkler has received an official OK to sell Sex in a bottle.

This is just one of the many stories in the latest vintage of this dip-in factfinder. Wine Report tracks the fast-moving world of wine from the perspective of 40-odd specialist contributors, supplying on-the-spot global reports ranging from serious developments through scandals to more salacious titbits.

Among the latest reports: Sir Cliff Richard breathes life into the Algarve with Vida Nova from his recently opened winery, Adega do Cantor. John Platter analyses the scandal surrounding a couple of bad apple sauvignon blanc producers in South Africa. Up-to-date findings in wine and health support the benefits of moderate drinking. A concise chapter sorts the organic from the biodynamic. The world's best and most popular wine websites, forums and retailers are listed.

A comprehensive run-down of the Top 100 Most Exciting Wine Finds from such diverse countries as Japan, Israel and Slovenia includes contributors' notes with succinct comments from Stevenson. "A lot of words for a decent Mondeuse", "let down by a lack of acidity" or "are we tasting the same wine?" are typical of his editorial flourish. The Sex isn't bad, by the way, just hard to come by.