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Endelig hjemme! ble forsinket et par ganger i går, og vi var ikke på land før 0045 i natt. Heldigvis hadde jeg fått ordnet hotellrom i Kristiansund, så det ble tid til noen timer på ryggen før det bar opp og avgårde for å komme hjemover. Torgrim var ansvarlig for å bestille drosje, og vi var klar utenfor hotellet 0800. Kristiansund har verdens dårligste taxi-tilbud, og det tok hele 26 minutter fra vi bestilte til taxien kom. Vel fremme på flyplassen var det et salig kaos av familier og andre ikke-r
Kunstnere åbner eget billetsalg kunstnere åbner MobilBillet.dk for alle. Målet er at skabe mange flere arrangementer landet over og få mere gang i kulturen.Enhver kan nu arrangere koncerter, foredrag og events og sælge billetter via mobiltelefon. Danske kunstnere åbner MobilBillet.dk for alle. Målet er at skabe mange flere arrangementer landet over og få mere gang i kulturen.Organisationen bag MobilBillet.dk er DiGiDi – Digital Distribution, der er et andelsselskab for kreative med over 1.300 medlemmer. Flertal
Das Netz und das (Lehrer-) Leben. Köhntopp beschreibt eine Besonderheit des Internets : »Diese beiden Eckpunkte ? subjektive Kostenlosigkeit und Fairness ? erzeugen etwas, das in der Welt außerhalb des Netzes weithin unbekannt ist und sehr selten gesehen wird: Sie erzeugen Überfluß und aus dem Überfluß Kooperation, und dadurch noch mehr Überfluß: Wenn ich (erstens) von was auch immer genug für mich habe und ich (zweitens) durch das Teilen keinen Aufwand habe und ich (drittens) bemerke, daß ein anderer mein Teilen nicht
Sugarland with a Very Sassy Version of So Long! out Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland rock out playing the piano and singing the very sassy new song So Long! She definitely puts the SSSS in Sasss! You can even hear the band put in their 2 cents as a horn section. Post via the Sugarland Music Videoblog where you can get all [...] Post via the Sugarland Music Video blog where you can get all the latest Sugarland Music News about your favorite duo Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush. Sugarland with a Very Sassy Version of So Long!
Cancer101?s Greatest Show On Earth At The Bowery Hotel by DAVID X PRUTTING for PMc ] Go HERE for more photos by J.T WHITE and TAG YOURSELF and YOUR FRIENDS! Cancer101 sort of sounds like an ill fated biology class from college, no? Well, Cancer101 is in fact a non-for-profit organization whose mission is to ?empower patients, survivors, caregivers and those affected by breast cancer to take control of their diagnosis by providing them with the necessary armor to fight the disease.? On June 30, Cancer101 hosted ? Big Top At
Hjemreise i morgen morgen skal jeg hjem. Normalt skulle jeg vært her helt til mandag, men siden jeg skal på Jafnadhr, tar jeg ut avspasering jeg har til gode. Det er en fantastisk fin tanke å vite at jeg snart skal hjem, men jeg er allikevel litt pessimistisk.De siste dagene har det vært veldig tykke tåkebanker forbi her, og det har ødelagt helikoptertrafikken både i går og i dag. Nå har det seg jo slik at når flighter blir kansellert blir de lagt bakerst i køen når de kan begynne å fly igjen, så de ordinære fli
Missouri Receives a ?C? on Sharing Lawmakers Personal Finances (KSMU Ozarks Public Radio) you ever wondered about the personal finances of your lawmakers and how that relates to what they stand for in government? A Washington D.C.-based investigative news organization has rated Missouri 19 out of all 50 states on how much information Missouri lawmakers shared about their personal finances. KSMU's Kristian Kriner repor...
I?m just a girl who loves u photo : Kristian Schuller Ce matin, on me demandait de lister mes blogs préférés? A ma grande surprise, il y avait plus de blogs de garçons que de blogs de filles ! J?aurais pas cru tiens? En repassant chacun d?entre eux ce soir, je me suis aperçue que j?en avais oublié un certain nombre. Ma dernière découverte est le blog d?un Unknown Hipster, un illustrateur ? dans la vraie vie ? avec qui j?ai échangé deux trois mails cette semaine pour raisons professionnelles (et autant vous dire que
Social Life Magazine And Day & Night Suit Up For The Hamptons Launch And Trunk Show Of Jogo By Pooneh photos by ADRIEL REBOH for PMc ] Go HERE for more photos by STEVEN EKEROVICH and TAG YOURSELF and YOUR FRIENDS! Day & Night transformed into a poolside runway Saturday afternoon as the brunch party went beach chic with the Hamptons Launch and Trunk Show for Jogo by Pooneh hosted by Social Life Magazine and Moet & Chandon . New York City socials and Hamptonite party-goers included Kristian Laliberte who kicked back cabana style with Annabel Vartanian while Dev
Lunsjpause sitter jeg på jobb og har lunsjpause. Det var ikke noe festlig til lunsj i dag heller, så det ble bare brødskiver og litt juice. Fruktdesserten vi vanligvis pleier å ha var heller ikke der i dag, så det ble en lunsj litt utenom det vanlige kan man si.Jeg drar hjemover førstkommende torsdag. Med tanke på hvor fint vær det er hjemme nå, kommer hjemlengselen krypende fort. Så fort jeg kommer hjem skal jeg inn til Porsgrunn og hente bilen min, som får bygget inn et nytt lydanlegg på torsdag. Det
Sugarlands Kristian Bush Podcast Interview music hitmaker Sugarland comes to Roanoke Friday The successful band playing Roanoke on Friday is aiming for pop domination. By Tad Dickens There?s no room for doubt that Sugarland ? after five years, three platinum-selling albums and armloads of major music awards ? is a country music success. So it?s kind of funny to hear band member Kristian Bush say the band is ?still waiting? for its ?big chance.? He?s dead serious, though. Bush and Sugarland partner Jennifer Nettles w
Get a Sneak Peak of Sugarlands Soundstage Performance a Sneak Peak of Sugarlands Soundstage Performance including Sugarland photo gallery, video, set list and a sneak peak of the full version of It happens from the show. Here is a little of what the folks at soundstage had to say: Jennifer Nettles? voice can hold its own in any setting, but exceeds expectations alongside partner Kristian Bush?s mandolin strumming at the Grainger Studio. During this sensational hour, Sugarland presents a versatile set that gains momentum with each song.
Stay Sugarland Escape Together World Tour 2009 Sugarland Escape Together World Tour 2009 Post via the Sugarland Music Videoblog where you can get all the latest Sugarland Music News about your favorite duo Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush. Stay Sugarland Escape Together World Tour 2009 Related Sugarland Music News:Blood On Snow Sugarland Escape Together World Tour 2009 Blood On Snow - Sugarland *Escape Together [...] Post via the Sugarland Music Video blog where you can get all the latest Sugarland Music News about your favorite d
VIDEO - HERSTORY: Kristian Shares Her Motivation For Sharing Her Uterine Fibroid Story explains her motivation for sharing her uterine fibroid experience with other women. Embed Code: Transcript: Kristian: When I found out that I had fibroids, I didn?t know, once I started talking about them, a lot of women had them and shared the story too, and I know two or three women who had hysterectomies who probably didn?t have to have them. Just educatio
VIDEO - HERSTORY: Kristian Shares How She Feels Since The Uterine Artery Embolization describes how she feels since her uterine artery embolization procedure to remove her uterine fibroids . Embed Code: Transcript: Kristian: I had it about eight weeks ago. So, I went for my follow-up. Everything looks great and I feel wonderful. I feel really good; finally, I can say that. View More Videos On Uterine Fibroids: http://www.empowher.com
VIDEO - HERSTORY: Kristian Shares Her Worst Moment Suffering With Uterine Fibroids recalls her lowest moment while suffering from uterine fibroids . Embed Code: Transcript: Kristian: The lowest moment would be when, just, when I became symptomatic, or the symptoms were stronger than normal, was just feeling like, like I knew in my heart there was something wrong, but not being able to have anyone tell me that?s what it was, and just, just s
Lutzka K swiss + Supercharged + Justin Eldridge+ Dennis Durrant video+ Live The Goat+ Kristian's video goes on K Swiss. + Etnies is doing a documentary about Tim Brauch called Supercharged. Trailer here + Blackbox video withChris Cole, James Brockman and Donovan Piscopo here + Ledge video with Justin Eldridge via here Crailtap + Elwood et Relay for Life demo here on the blog Adio + 5 boro team in Florida on video here + Part Friend from the Toebock crew here + Michael Mackrodt (at the Philly's Ghetto park?) on skateboardmsm here
200925JunFalscher Planet, falsches Jahrtausend Köhntopp schreibt seit vielen Jahren in verschiedenen Medien und hat auch einen Weblog. In diesem fand ich gestern den folgenden Beitrag der sich mit Wissen unserer aktuellen Politikerkaste auseinander setzt. Ich finde man kann es nicht besser beschreiben: das fast ohnmächtige Gefühl von routinierten Internetnutzern wie uns. Wenn man sieht wie die Generation von Politikern, die stolz darauf sind zu wissen wie man am Handtelefon eine SMS versenden kann. Damit dann aber im Bereich mobile
This is a premium Montenegrin red wine made from the indigenous Vranac grape. The Reserve is produced from particulary good years, in small quantities, aged in barrels for several years. It is also aged in bottles for one year before being released to the market.
This is a dry wine, with a pleasant fruity nose. However, the impressions are far lower than it’s price. If you want to experience the Vranac variety the Montenegrin way, go for a regular Planta?e Vranac or their Vranac Pro Corde. They are much cheaper and the experience is almost the same.
Wines of the Vranac variety are produced throughout the region, apart from Montenegro, you can find them in Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia and Herzegovina.
Well, here's a chance to explore your creative side and score a case of a soon-to-be classic red wine - Juice Crew Red.
So far, the J.Crew has nicknamed our maturing vino, "The Mighty Brick." I think we'd like the label to reflect her personality (perhaps listening to a little Rick James could inspire potential label designers out there):
"So all and all, the blend has resulted in what we wanted - a rich rhone style wine with some backbone. The different varietals playing nicely in the sandbox. Great dark color, long sexy legs and built to party"
Here's the deal - submit a label design, which reflects our sexy Rhone brickhouse and you could win...1 case of JC Red. Now that's what I call a case for creativity!
Details: Submit* your design entry by November 15, 2007. The editor will select 3 designs to be voted on by Juice Crew members and Basic Juice readers. The winning designer
will receive the case of Juice Crew Red when it's released (we award no wine before its time).
*by submitting a design, designer retains no rights to design, but will be credited by name
Errol at Washington Winemaker in Bellevue, Washington relates the story of three women winemakers being threatened by the U.S. Olympic Committee for daring to use the name 'Olympic Cellars' for their winery, which is located on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State'. Gee fellas, I think the Olympic Mountain range has been around longer than your trademark. The mountain range name was made official in 1864 and was in common and published use before that.
There isn?t a day that goes by when I don?t think of Abruzzo from my first visit there in the early 1980?s, when they adopted me as one of their native sons, to the years of friendship and collegiality among the many winemakers there.
The Gran Sasso, the Great Spirit Mountain that looks over the area, is as much a product of the trembling earth of the millions of the year, as the people now trying to rebuild their lives.
The land oozes soul; the grapes burst their energy forth for lively wines. When one hears about all the tankers of Montepulciano that move north at night to vivify weaker wines in the north, this is an unsung hero of a region.
My friends at Illuminati, not trampled by the crashing bricks or rumbling dirt, but none the less affected by their neighbor?s cries of pain. Over the years their wines have changed, like their labels, but always for the better. Today they are a success story for Abruzzo. Some of their neighboring wineries near Aquila are searching for their way through back to the future.
Some day they will open bottles of sparkling wine to celebrate a gathering, a success, a landmark.
For now, we remember those whom we have given up to the Greater Power.
How bittersweet it is to be so blessed to live in Italy and then have to die and say goodbye to all of that beauty.
My wife has a saying, something along the lines of, “Don’t Boo my Wow.” She likes to convey the equivalency of “Don’t Rain on My Parade” particularly when my sunshiny and warming brand of pragmatic idealism dances the fine line of disdain.
Depending on the perspective, it happens either very seldom (my perspective) or all the time (her perspective).
Understanding that, I hate to be a party pooper, but “wow” am I experiencing Murphy-Goode fatigue.
This program has officially turned into the boorish, loud-talker at the cocktail party that goes on for an hour talking about their boy-genius 1st grader, but fails to ask you your name.
Is this Murphy-Goode thing a promotional earned media opportunity or a genuine social media engagement program?
I honestly can’t tell which it is.
Murphy-Goode has gotten so much ongoing, persistent press out of this deal it almost obscures the fact that some really good, really talented people genuinely want the opportunity to work for them.
It’s almost like the Super Bowl when you realize on that early February Sunday that, yes, besides the hype and the commercials, there is actually a game to play.
And, in playing this game, the Murphy-Goode winner has to relocate, effectively leave their existing life and earn good money (not great money) for a six month temporary gig.
At the end of the day, it’s presented as a temp. job.
I dunno. Maybe I just don’t have enough vision for how that six month gig might parlay itself into something better. Maybe I’m not in tune enough with the zeitgeist that makes this so newsworthy.
And now VinTank layers on by offering $100K worth of pro bono consulting. To be fair, I like Paul Mabray from VinTank, I used to work with him, and I think he is a classic entrepreneur – he has a vision for things that are still 250 miles away and very, very hazy for people until much closer to the destination.
That said, Paul is also a born marketer who knows when to catch a wave and when to beg-off on snaking a wave.
He also doesn’t shrink from a dissenting viewpoint which is why I don’t have a problem calling “bullshit” on the consulting offer, his catching a wave, so to speak.
I’d rather see him offer $10K of pro bono consulting to 10 wineries then to pile on this Murphy-Goode media reach-around. It shouldn’t be hard – Paul can check out his Twitter followers for wineries that don’t also have a blog and/or a Facebook fan page, those that are toe-dipping and not fully engaged, and really help them grow a focused presence based on some actionable planning and in doing so measure their mindshare and sales increase.
That would be genuinely helpful to the wine industry, spreading the seeds of positive progress. It also helps build measurable case studies which the wine industry desperately needs, with many wineries adopting Missouri’s unofficial state motto for most things.
Maybe it’s appealing to me because I love Barolo but only get to drink it every full moon during a leap year. Maybe it’s because the opportunity to penetrate the secret society of high-end collectors while acting as the equivalent of a trusted financial advisor is fascinating to me. Regardless, Italian Wine Merchants (who didn’t respond to several inquiries for comment on the job posting) seems to have a good opportunity, natch, a great opportunity for the right candidate.
To boot, it’s a permanent position with openings in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Connecticut, Seattle, Dallas, Houston, Washington DC, Hong Kong, Mexico City and London. So, it’s in a neighborhood near you.
They are looking for (according to the job posting):
Ambitious, self-motivated and industrious sales professionals. The successful candidate will have a proven record of success in fine wine, luxury goods, wealth management, financial trading or exclusive real estate sales. The candidate will be responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with high net worth individuals, while simultaneously managing a portfolio of fine wines and other luxury products and bringing them successfully to market.
With the following attributes (edited):
• Highly motivated individual; thrives in a competitive environment
• Active learner with initiative, drive and salesmanship
• Demonstrated professional demeanor
• Refined communication skills, both over-the-phone and face-to-face
• Strong knowledge of, or interest in the fine wine industry
• Experience making phone/face-to-face sales calls (cold calls included)
• Capacity to work with a client base of high net worth individuals and to grow that client base
• Ability to identify high-level clients from large lists of leads
• Strong presentation skills to both small and large groups (20 — 100 people)
• Ability to formulate, present and implement selling plans and work within a CRM system
You can tell from the job posting that this is a serious job, for serious candidates, with the opportunity to make serious money, while being immersed in the wine business. The previous job history they are looking for in a candidate virtually ensures a six-figure income opportunity.
Call me crazy, call me Shirley, call me whatever you want, but the longer this Murphy-Goode thing goes on with the stroking of the press, and the candidates inducing themselves into a Darwinian game of social media chess, the more my skepticism (and my empathy for the participants) increases.
They won’t be a social media consultant, they’ll be a monkey in a Twitter zoo.
If the 500 or so Murphy-Goode candidates are serious about a career in wine, the opportunities exist for a really goode permanent job, no gimmicks attached.
Did I say normal service would be resumed? Well Friday evening’s bottle didn’t quite go to plan – it was horribly corked… (I hope tomorrow’s Mazis fares better!) a a corking corton
The 2004 vintage of this wine received a bronze medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards last year (2006). I’ve only been able to find the 2005 vintage in Belgrade wine shops. It has an intensive and complex aroma with hints of flowers. Dominant tastes are those of melon and slightly of apricots. However, I wasn’t impressed, perhaps I expected more due to all the hype. Or perhaps there’s a significant difference in the two vintages. We should note that this winery has a good reputation. The Simcic Sivi Pinot 1990 was awarded the Cordon d’Excellence; their Chardonnay has won two gold medals at the Ljubljana Wine Fair and the 1994 vintage was declared Champion by the Knights of the Burgerland-Pannonian Order.
It was like a freaky safari. There we were, winemaker Neil Collins and me, stalking chickens running loose on the property. No, not for dinner. Collins wanted to show me the benefits of using the feathery flock in the vineyard.
I expected them to scatter. But as we got closer they paid no attention to us. They were too busy chomping away at the green stuff planted between the vineyard rows: gourmet grasses, wild flowers and their favorite treat - the spiky Yellow Star Thistle.
Collins explained the idea behind using chickens is based on the concept of biodiversity. The chickens eat the natural material, process it, then put it back as a rich type of, well, specialized manure. Eventually the manure and cover crops are softly tilled into the ground and serve as a natural soil fertilizer. In springtime, packed with powerful nutrients, the mixture acts like a sort of alarm clock, waking the vines and energizing them from their dormant winter snooze.
Believe it or not, the chickens are an upgrade to how vineyard farming has been done for the past 50 years. Since World War II, most growers have gone the easy route - purchasing synthetic chemical fertilizers packaged in commercialized plastic bags. But things are changing now as more natural, eco-friendly farming techniques have come back in style.
"For quality wine, grapes should be an expression of the soil and the vineyards where they’re grown," Collins says. "Using synthetic chemicals means there’s something missing from the wine as far as authenticity or natural personality is concerned."
Certified as organic in January 2003, Tablas Creek Vineyards is a member of a new wave of premium U.S. wine producers recognizing the benefits of using old-fashioned farming methods. The concept is simple: work closely with nature instead of against it.
What Does Organic Mean?
By definition, organic agriculture refers to fruit, vegetable and other food products cultivated without the use of toxic pesticides, herbicides and synthetic fertilizers. Like a touch of TLC from Mother Nature, the main goal is to build healthy soil and healthy plants, and to protect the surrounding environment and workers in the most natural way possible.
Over the past decade, more than 15,000 vineyard acres in the U.S. have been farmed organically, an amazing increase from only 200 acres in 1989. California is a hotspot for this movement. There are nearly 7,000 acres of certified vineyards planted by 113 producers in the state. Many others do it without applying for certification. "No compromise!" is the shared bravado.
For a vineyard to become certified, the land must be farmed for three years without the use of chemicals. The vineyard is inspected twice within that period by the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), the state’s regulatory certification organization. Monitoring is yearly after certification.
Gettin’ Down With Nature
Okay, let’s set things straight. The general problem with synthetic chemicals is that they eat the natural nutrients and minerals in the soil. Conversely, the organic approach adds natural resiliency to the soil, thus strengthening the plants.
To make this happen, organic soils are nourished with a variety of natural ingredients, like cover crops, manure and powerful compost made with recycled materials such as pomace (grape skins), straw and other landscape debris. The idea is to have as much commotion - otherwise known as energy from microorganisms - moving around in the soil as possible. Near the vineyards, flowers, herbs, vegetables and fruit trees are planted to create additional activity that’ll benefit the native flora and fauna. In other words, it’s all about raw material, baby!
John Williams, winemaker at Frog’s Leap Wine Cellars in Napa Valley, is a true believer in the power of organic farming. All vineyards comprising the Frog Farm property have been certified organic since 1999.
Williams offers this analogy, which addresses use of conventional chemicals as a "quick fix" in the old days: "It’s like if your kids are on a soda and candy bar diet: response is impressive, sustainability is not. Our goal is to make sure that our soil has a balanced diet at all times. Financially and as far as quality is concerned, it’s a very viable situation."
While sustainable farming practices have quickly caught on with many grape growers, controlling pesky weeds remains a main obstacle that keeps many from taking the organic plunge. As a result, most grape growers still rely on annihilating the green material with toxic products.
Organic producers, however, have found ways of getting around this. Techniques include mulching vineyard rows to suppress weeds; using the pyrotechnical alternative ("fire, fire!" as Beavis once said) to burn them with propane torches; or employing small tractors with soft rubber bumpers to cut the weeds without harming the vines.
Another difficult matter has been the ongoing battle with insects that can cause serious vine damage. However, instead of using harmful conventional sprays, organic converts focus on creating unique insectaries that feature a variety of flowers, shrubs and trees. The idea is to attract beneficial insects that’ll eat the problematic vine pests.
Mendocino and Beyond
The birthplace of this organic wine movement was California’s Mendocino County. Today, more than 3,000 acres of grapes grown in the county are farmed organically.
Charlie Barra, whose family owns the Barra and Girasole brands of organic wine, has been working with grapes in Redwood Valley since he was just nine years old. "Most of us were farming organically for as long as I can remember," said Barra, 78. "We couldn’t afford chemicals back then, and we still don’t need them today. There just wasn’t a name to call this practice until the last 25 years."
While Redwood Valley’s Frey Vineyards was one of the first to have certified vineyards in the U.S., it was the more recognizable brand - Fetzer Vineyards - that ultimately became the prototype for sustainable agriculture in the mid-1980s. In 1989, Fetzer began its eco-friendly commitment by converting 1,600 vineyard acres to organic.
Natural Flavors
Until recently, the concept of organic wines left a sour impression on critics and consumers. Most of this was due to bad winemaking or bottling techniques. But thanks to new, innovative farming methods, including reducing the amount of water used, minimizing crop load and hand harvesting, as well as new technology used in the winemaking process, the overall quality of wines - both organic and conventional - have improved significantly in the past decade. As a result, the lingering hippy cliche or "stigma" commonly associated with organic wines has started to fade, being replaced instead with images of more racy, premium style wine.
Moon Mountain Vineyards, located on the rugged Mayacamas mountain range overlooking Sonoma Valley, began its conversion to organic farming techniques in 1998. Winemaker Randall Watkins has been impressed with how much more concentrated the fruit flavors have become since chemicals are no longer used. "The vineyard now speaks for itself," Watkins says.
Granted, there are many producers like Moon Mountain that grow grapes organically but are very discreet about it, meaning they don’t say much about it on their labels. Those that do feature it fall into two general categories: "Organic Wine," for wines that contain no added sulfites; or "Made with Organic Grapes," for wines that contain a small percentage of sulfites.*
Signs of such producers’ success are evident in the marketplace. For example, Whole Foods, Cost Plus and specialty wine shops now feature organic wine sections on their shelves that cater to a growing number of environmentally conscious consumers.
Want to know more? Read Nudist Camp Part II in the next issue.
* Sulfites are natural by-products of fermentation. It’s impossible to have no sulfites in wine. However, winemakers can choose not to add sulfur (which eventually turns into sulfites) to their wines during the winemaking process, thus minimizing the amount of sulfites in the finished product.
Eco-Friendly Ladybugs
Lolonis Winery, located in Mendocino’s Redwood Valley, farms 250 acres of organic vineyards, including a large number of old, gnarly vine plantings of zinfandel, petite sirah and carignane. The saving graces on the property have been ladybugs.
Each year, Lolonis purchases millions of these little critters and releases them in the vineyards to combat harmful pests. "We’re looking for consistent quality and not variability," says Philip Lolonis, a third-generation member of the Greek family that planted the original vines in the 1950s. "We’ve harnessed the power of the ladybug to help us get there. They’re not only cute, but very effective!"
Drawing on the New Yorker profile of Fred Franzia, champion of wine under $10, last week we pondered the puzzle of why so few low-cost wines–say under $10 (or, perhaps, $15)–made in America are just not tasty. By contrast, several imported wines in the price range have appeal despite having to be transported and pass through the importer’s company as well.
Over 30 of you had your say in the post from last week. So I decided to put the question to several people in the trade. Today, we hear from Patrick Campbell and Veronique Drouhin Boss. Patrick Campbell of Laurel Glen Winery in Sonoma makes a tasty $10 California wine, REDS, billed as “a wine for the people.” Veronique Drouhin Boss is the winemaker at Domaine Drouhin in Oregon and is co-winemaker at her family’s negociant house in Burgundy, Maison Joseph Drouhin, which a Beaujolais Villages that is particularly lip-smacking in 2007 and is widely available for $9.95. Tomorrow, we will hear from an American wine importer with his views.
Question: why are there so few good American wines under $10 (or slightly higher) while there are many more imports at that price point?
Patrick Campbell, Laurel Glen and maker of REDS (find this wine)
I think the answer is pretty easy: we begin with vineyards rather than bulk wine.
1) We pick out vineyards we want to farm, and which, based on experience, we know will work together in the final blend. The vineyards can’t be located in the prestige areas, because their fruit would be too costly. So we scout out other areas, particularly in Lodi, where the grapes are affordable, the vineyards well established (one vineyard we farm is 120 y/o), and the production limited by the good farming practices. 2) We avoid expensive grapes like cabernet or pinot noir 3) We ferment the grapes in rented facilities, so we avoid overhead costs. 4) We age the resulting wines in rented facilities, ditto. 5) We use neutral barrels, at $50 per barrel, rather than new barrels at $500 ? 1000 each. 6) We make big enough volumes (about 12,000 cases a year) to secure reasonable costs on supplies.
Why don’t we use bulk wine like most copycat RED-themed labels or brand du jour bottlers do? 1) because we want consistency of style, not some concoction of whatever mélange of grapes is currently in over-supply on the bulk market 2) I like working with vineyards, and I really dislike tasting through hundreds of samples of bulk wine to find a few tolerably good wines, that may have already been sold by the time I got the samples 3) And so on??
I am not sure I have an answer to your question but reading through the various comments I didn?t see anyone, except Paul Gregutt, mention the importance of where the grapes actually grow (we call it terroir) and vineyard yields.
All over France great wines are being produced, many different varieties but all growing in the region they should grow or do well. The home of Gamay is Beaujolais, the home of Pinot is Burgundy. This is an important fact to start with. Secondly: it is no secret that the more you ask a vine to produce the less good the wine will be. I believe when money drives everything then to produce a $10 bottle of wine expecting high return you need big yields. Quality can?t be there. In France, by law, yields are controlled. In a given area of production you can not produce more than what is allowed. To my knowledge it is not the case anywhere in the US, or any new world producing regions.
So the trick to produce a good $10 bottle of wine is: choose the right place, control your yields, the cost of production and do not expect to make big margins.
A16 tops the list of the best wine bars in San Francisco. The owner-sommelier Shelley Lindgren?s wine list is focused on Southern Italian varietals. This wine list is an integral part of the A16 experience and what makes it the best of the wine bars in San Francisco.
Andalu on 16th Street is another one of San Francisco?s finest wine bars. They are awesome because they offer small plates with big flavors. This is one of the San Francisco wine bars that has an approachable wine list and offers 35 wines by the glass. The crowd there is mixed and energetic.
Wine bars don?t usually come as good, or as small, as Bacchus on Hyde Street. Bacchus has knowledgeable bartenders that make innovative saké cocktails and they pour over 50 wines that range in price from under $10 a glass to more than $200 a bottle. The signature drink at Bacchus is their sake-version of the mojito.
Cav is one of the wine bars in San Francisco that takes itself extremely seriously. Cav has a well-chosen wine list of over 300 international wines. Some of the wines on the list are offered by a taste, or the glass. The chef has crafted unique takes on lots of dishes and Cav actually offers a cheese course that is served at the proper temperature and is on par with some of the finer restaurants in San Francisco.
Wine bars like Piccolo on Fillmore street handpick the wines on their wine lists. Piccolo is one of the wine bars that choose limited availability and small production wines. They prefer to concentrate on Italian wines. The owner of Piccolo has wonderful antipasti on his menu. There is fierce competition between wine bars to have the most excellent food to accompany their spirits.
Varnish Fine Art is both an art gallery and one of the top wine bars in San Francisco. The atmosphere at Varnish Fine Art is comfortable and it draws a post-work crowd for beer or wine during happy hour. The wine list at Varnish Fine Art is well chosen and features a number of delicious fine wines, as well as soju and saké cocktails.
A rosé by any other name is Leonardo. This little guy, who looks strikingly like his handsome dad, Giulio and beautiful mom, Stacy and sister Gia, is Leonardo Galli. He came into this world not long after Jan 1 of this year, but way before he was ?due.? At a little less than 2 pounds, little Leo, the young lion, roared into this world. On Mother?s Day weekend, he finally came home to live with his mom and dad and sister in San Antonio. Welcome to the world, Leo! We are so glad to see you, growing up so fast and healthy. I?m going to cry now.
But they?ll be tears of joy.
Somebody open up a bottle of Franciacorta Rosé, preferably Contadi Castaldi.
Good Times!
Little Leo with sister Gia and proud Papa
Leo the Warrior with Papa's wedding ring on his arm - long before he came home
Papa Giulio with a cold bottle of Maremma Rosé at Stout Vineyards in Blanco, Texas
Papa Giulio and sister Gia under the portico at Stout Vineyards in Blanco,Texas
Papa Giulio, sister Gia, Devin Broglie and IWG kicking back at Stout Vineyards in Blanco,Texas
It is rare that you see mainstream critics write about so-called “industrial wines” and most unusual when they actually say good things about them. So I was surprised to see Wine Spectator critic Jim Laube blog about an $8 California Pinot Noir a couple weeks ago. Naturally I was curious to taste the wine myself and see how close my experience would be to Mr. Laube’s. The wine in question is from the Cecchetti Wine Company marketed under the RedTree brand. I picked it up on the end-cap at my local wine store for $5.50 on sale.
I am somewhat familiar with RedTree from their Zinfandel I tasted recently. You don’t often see Zin in the less than $10 range so when I see a new entrant I try it to see if they will be giving Ravenswood a run for their money in this price category. Sorry to report that the RedTree Zin didn’t live up to expectations with over ripe blackberry fruit overwhelmed by alcohol (listed at 14.5% ABV but likely over 15%). So how could their Pinot be anything other than a light generic red wine?
I’m not sure how they did it but the 2008 RedTree Pinot Noir is an unbelievable value at the less than $6 I paid for it on sale. Even at $12 this wine would give Mark West Pinot some serious competition. Darker than most Pinot, the wine smells like you would expect with strawberry and red cherry fruit with just a hint of the earthiness associated with Pinot. Red cherry and strawberry fruit flavors complete the package finishing with supple tannins. Surprisingly correct varietal character for a Central Valley wine.
12.5% ABV Screw Cap closure Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
My buying advice is to pick up a bottle yourself and then get a case or two if you concur (my retailer had a mail-in rebate for case purchases). I don’t expect to see the same value in the next release but will definitely give it a try next year. In the meantime I’ll be buying some Petite Sirah to see if the Zin was a fluke or trend with heavier bodied reds. They also make a Cabernet, Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio.
The ’standard’ Flametree cabernet merlot won last year’s Jimmy Watson Trophy and lo and behold, they have a higher grade cabernet (or at least higher-priced). I hope they stood up at the award ceremony and said, You call THAT a cabernet? THIS is a cabernet … You need a subscription to The Wine Front to see [...]
I've often wondered why New Zealand was anointed/anointed itself as the land of Sauvignon Blanc. To be sure, NZ SB has been quite successful as an import to the US wine market (and certainly names like 'Monkey Bay' don't hurt its mass appeal to the garanimal-wine-loving crowd). However, I think this success has come at a price. Kiwi Blanc has overshadowed every other grape variety. And this is a very sad thing.
Think about it. When was the last time you sampled a New Zealand Riesling or Gewurztraminer? These grapes have found a very cozy home on the Islands way down under. In fact, while I find most New Zealand Sauvi Blanc, easy-to-enjoy, I also find it a tad bit uni-dimensional (see here for a great descriptor of NZ SB). I have discovered extraordinarily sublime Riesling and intoxicating (in the figurative sense of the word) Gewurz. Think I'm nuts. Take this little NZ non-SB challenge:
Huia Gewurztraminer 2006 - A chewy, thick wine, which echos the Alsatian style but with a bit less earth
Villa Maria Riesling 2005- A remarkable feat of a wine. This Riesling stews together new world heft with teutonic crispness.
Am I alone in thinking the OenoKiwis might want to diversify their white wine portfolio?
This week has been the most important in the British wine trade calendar, especially for those members of the Circle of Wine Writers. The three day London International Wine Fair with its accompanying flurry of parties, private tastings and get-togethers was held at Excel in London and the Circle of Wine Writers held their annual dinner and a pre-dinner Wine and Charcuterie Tasting last Monday.
Just one day at the London show for me but plenty of wines tasted and lovely people met, one after show party (a Bisol Prosecco Aperitivo tasting at the Wine Theatre, Southwark) and of course the Circle's dinner and tasting. Sorry the pictures are not that great - low light being the main culprit.
Then the Circle Dinner. Here we have Fiona Beckett (matchingfoodandwine) on the right and Gabriella of Catavino on the left over looking a particularily fine chunk of aged Gouda.
This is another great wine from the WinEco winery (Podrum Radenkovi?) from Southern Serbia. It is a not-very-dry Chardonnay, without a strong nose, but with an exceptional balance of fruity and barrique aromas. It is easy going, with a full taste, definitely one of the wines to accompany your lighter meals. It’s barrique traces make it a great complement to slightly smoked fish or cheeses, but it’s also great on it’s own.
In general, Chardonnay is particularly suited for the barrique (oak aged) treatment. Chardonnay Barrique develops a pronounced cognac aroma and becomes a truly full-bodied wine - all hints of fruity flavours become very subdued.
Score 9/10 Price: 800 RSD (?10) Retailer: Super Vero
A 300 year history permeates Vergelegen; one of South Africa's most prestigious, reknown and visited wineries in the Cape. The original homestead was built in 1700; originally a barren wilderness it was transformed into a vibrant farm with fruit orchards, orange groves, oak trees, vines, cattle and sheep. Passing through a succession of owners the estate was eventually purchased by Anglo American Farms in 1987. The last 21 years have seen a renaissance.
It is a wonderful spot for visitors; even if you have only a passing interest in wine - there's the oldest oak tree in Africa (a hollow Old English Oak believed to be 300 years old) and gardens aplenty (rose, herb, camellia, fynbos, hydrangea). The homestead is open to visitors and is full of classical Cape Dutch furniture and there are picnic areas too (although you don't bring your own food but buy pre-packed boxes at the estate) and, for posher-nosh, the Lady Philips Restaurant.
We were there for the wines though. A pouring of the Sauvignon Blanc was served alongside fresh oysters - to general acclaim of my compatriots, but not moi as I 'don't do' oysters. But my 'line fish' in the Lady Philips restaurant, later, was beautifully moist and accompanied the lightly oaked Vergelegen Chardonnay 2008 superbly [picture].
Review0.3 Wine Tasting Note: Vergelegen Sauvignon Blanc, 2008, Western Cape, South Africa. [More: Adegga / Snooth] 97% Sauvignon with the remainder being Semillon. Lovely crisp, frim fruit, fresh. Touches of fig, gooseberry and a pleasant leafy-ness (straw, green peppers, peas) Alcohol 13.5%. Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 88/100 [3.5 out of 5]
Review0.3 Wine Tasting Note: Vergelegen Chardonnay, 2008, Western Cape, South Africa. [More: Adegga / Snooth] Medium bodied by design, 60% in oak giving a subtle oak-complexity, not too heavy either (medium bodied). Pear, cream, apple flavours; a typicla Chardonnay. Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 88/100 [3.5 out of 5]
Review0.3 Wine Tasting Note: Vergelegen Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, 2008, Stellenbosch, South Africa [More on Adegga / Snooth] A single vineyard wine - the 2 hectare vinyard on the lower Schaapenberg. More complexity here with a little lees contact giving a creaminess to the flavour and a more rounded texture. Floral touches enliven the herbaceous palate. Minerals, peach stones and citrus play around too. Beautiful. Alcohol 14.5%. Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 92/100 [4 out of 5]
Review0.3 Wine Tasting Note: Vergelegen Cabernet Reserve, 2005, Stellenbosch, South Africa. Price: £9.99 [More on Adegga / Snooth] Cabernet dominates here (91%) with Cabernet Franc and Merlot splitting the remainder. Superb berry aroma - very, very Bordeaux-like. Savoury depths, touches of herbs. Firm palate, but smooth until the great burst of tannin led blackfruits hits the tastebuds. The grapes were selected from Vergelegen's Stonepine, Rondekop, Rooiland and Kopland Vineyards. Alcohol 14.5%. Age worthy; a 2004 was also sampled. Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 92/100 [4 out of 5]
2003 Embriux Priorat de Vall Llach $35 Wine label said: Wrong language! The bottle is no help! Vineyard66 says: This another of my series of Spanish wines, as we will be there next year and I’m doing my homework. The web tells me that Embruix means “betwiching” in Spanish, but also that it is primarily Cabernet and Grenache blend [...]
I’m a big fan of brevity, probably why Twitter suits me so well. Here: Paul Ford’s 1000+ 6-word reviews of songs by bands attending SXSW. I don’t really care about most of these bands, but the sheer number of bon mots in this little document is worth a scan. For example: “Finally, Swedish bluegrass I can [...]
Treana Red 2004 $36.99 Wine Label says: Treana Winery is located in Paso Robles, at the center of California’s Central Coast. Having spent more than two decades developing vineyards in and around Paso Robles, the Treana Red blend reprewsnet grape varieties best suited to the region’s unique calcareous soils and distinctive climate. The Treana vineyards are [...]
Catavino has traveled more this year than ever before, and just when life has settled to a peaceful calm, we’re off again. This past weekend we visited Benidorm, Spain, a place that you should see at least once in your life; not for the wine, mind you, but for the odd combination of location, tourism and the sheer mass of humanity.
We attended the inaugural conference of Road Web TV, and having very little concept of what we were walking into, we were especially impressed by the results of the event. The idea was simple: get everyone related to webtv in Spain in one location and see what happens! What happened was a considerable amount of conversation, brainstorming and networking. It was exciting to see so much fervent energy and creativity around video blogging in Spain, while truly promoting it as a valid and an incredibly affective tool in new media. Thanks to everyone who took the time and energy to make the conference such a success, and if you want to see some videos about the importance of wineries embracing video on the web, make sure to check out our blog at: http://catavino.net/services/blog/
Chardonnay in Rioja
In other news, Chardonnay is now an official variety in Rioja. I personally file this one in the “do I care” category. Rioja, as of late, is still riding the wave on the success of its own name. No innovation, no change, just a move to allow varietals that many wineries have already planted long ago in anticipation that this change would occur. And now that the regulation has passed, all Chardonnay vines that currently exist will make wines for the current vintage, rather than waiting the normal 5 years it takes for a new vine to contribute. This quote is a gem though:
Ricardo Aguiriano San Vincente, director of marketing for Rioja’s Consejo Regulador, told decanter.com: ‘With these new varieties we are trying to make Viura more fruity and fresh as that is what consumers want.’
Have you ever had a Lopez de Heredia white wine? We still have a few bottles of 1989 vintage laying around, and if you try one, you will see that Rioja doesn’t have a problem with its white wines. This wine is amazing, but it takes a long time to make and few people have the patience. Hence, the quote above should read: “With these new varieties, we are trying to avoid having to do any real work to make great wines from the grapes we already produce.” In other words, quality whites from Rioja take effort. Adding Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Verdejo, as well as the native Maturana Blanca, Tempranillo Blanco, and Turruntés just makes it easier to make commercial wines faster. Then again, bodegas like Tobia and Dinastia Vivianco in recent years have proven that you can make great whites if you have a little patience. Their recent releases have been crowd pleasers and still adhere to tradition.
Catavino Spanish Wine Education Scholarship
Please let us know if you want to enter! Classes start next week in Denver, and throughout the rest of the US following this schedule. We would love to see bloggers, not just wine bloggers, attend this certification, as it is a great opportunity to learn about the wines we adore! To make the deal even sweeter, we’re going to offer a free DeLong Iberian Wine Map to the first person to send in a post for the contest! So make sure to leave a comment and link here to enter! All it takes is a post answering the following: why do you want to learn more about Spanish wine? You can write an article, make a video, take a descriptive picture, or record a podcast. If you can’t find a date that works, please pass on the information to people who you think can! Don’t let this opportunity slip by!
Bodegas Mendoza Tasting
Finally, at the Road Web Tv Conference, we had the chance to participate in a small casual tasting. Bodegas Enrique Mendoza contributed the wines, and we tasted the 2005 Shiraz and the 2004 Santa Rosa. Gabriella and I both found that the Shiraz was either not showing well or had a fault. Our first glass was bitter and acrid, and the second while better, still did not do anything for either of us. That said, the Santa Rosa was very nice, rich and complex, though sadly, we were drinking out of cheap bar glass, so the wines did not have time to breathe. Interestingly, earlier in the day, we also tasted their Chardonnay and a 2008 off-dry Moscatel. The Chardonnay was nice, though a bit austere, and lacking the weight I was I looking for. That said, the Moscatel was a brilliant balance of sweetness and acidity, which combined beautifully with a light perfumey nose. This is a highly recommended treat!
With all of the ongoing talk about the calamitous state of affairs in the U.S.—auto manufacturers filing for bankruptcy, the state of California facing very real financial peril, nuke testing in North Korea (and that’s just the last couple of days), is it any wonder that the pull for mental respite, escape, seems, well, inescapable?
Just the other day I talked about the transformative effects of quiet solitude with an instrumental CD well paired with a bottle wine. Today, I am longing for armchair travel … the golden hour light that seems to occur at all hours in Sicily, making it seem like the place to be, even if presented on celluloid.
Perhaps the best movie that you have never seen is a sub-titled Italian film (takes place in Sicily), released in the U.S. in 2000 called, “Malena.”
Malena is a wonderful movie that transcends its box office success, or lack thereof; it’s a wonderfully shot, languid tale of boyhood coming of age, adult jealousy, and ultimate redemption with the beautiful Monica Bellucci and an amazing soundtrack.
I saw the movie at the Raven theatre in Healdsburg in 2000, a glorious venue to see a small indie flick, now a performing arts stage-oriented theatre. In Sonoma years back, watching the movie Malena was merely a side trip in between tastings to Quivera (pre-Biodynamic changeover), Dry Creek Vineyards, Teldeschi, Hop Kiln, A. Rafanelli and several other wineries. Yet, unlike dozens and dozens of other movies, it never quite left me even as memories of several of the winery stops did.
Owning the DVD, yet never actually watching it, collecting dust as a memento to time and place, I popped it in the other night and grabbed a glass. To pair with this movie, I chose the 2006 Frescobaldi Remole Toscana Rosso. Yeah, yeah, it’s not a Sicilian wine, I know. If I wanted to pair wine to movie accurately, I would have chosen a Sicilian Nero d’Avola, or the movie Under the Tuscan Sun, but my Remole and Malena worked just fine for me as a one hour and 32 minute vacation.
Put Malena in your NetFlix queue and give it a watch, it’s sub-titled so you’ll have to block out distractions. Grab a glass of wine and enjoy a brief vacation from our otherwise harried world, airline ticket not needed.
In an age of backlash against big-business agriculture and of increasing value placed on local, sustainable living, the phenomenon known as urban farming flourishes. From tiny planters on the balconies of chic lofts to reclaimed industrial lots, city dwellers in some of America's larger urban centers are finding joy and sustenance in growing their own organic food.
My friend, winemaker Bryan Harrington, has planted Pinot Noir in several places within the San Francisco city limits over the years and I know a couple of people who have a few vines in their back yards in the city, which they use to make tiny quantities of wine.
Urban viticulture may have just entered a new era, however, as a substantial commercial vineyard has been installed in the city limits of London. A joint venture between a local horticultural college and the urban farm that provided the land, Forty Hall Vineyards hopes to produce a commercial product in time for the 2012 London Olympics.
I wish them luck, if only because I'd love to see more of these types of experiments that can bring wine that much closer to everyone's back yard. With a little more global warming, I might just be able to put a couple of vines in mine.
I was a hobbit in a past life, I know it. If you can picture it in a tankard, I probably love it. Belgians, strong ales, and especially barleywine. Ages quicker and better than wine the same price, I can’t understand why it’s not the biggest thing since sliced bread. Barley Wines Offer a Safer Bet [...]
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Last Rays Vineyard The only thing that would improve this view of a Paso Robles vineyard at sunset would be the ability to enjoy it with a glass of wine in hand. Which, I suppose is the appeal of having a house in wine country. OK, maybe if you had a glass of wine in hand, AND you were sitting in a pool while enjoying this view.... Sigh. -- Alder Yarrow
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Following our discussion of why there are so few tasty low priced wines from America, particularly compared to imports, I put the question to wine importer Bobby Kacher. Robert Kacher Selections is strong in bargains from Southwestern France; I highlighted the Tariquet Sauvignon (find this wine) in my book with wine recommendations, A Year of Wine, as one of 10 great wines under $10 (REDS from Patrick Campbell was also included).
Question: why there are so few good American wines under $10 while there are many more imports at that price point?
Bobby Kacher: A related question is why do so many American wineries make such expensive wines? So many American wineries have developed new, highly-allocated wines from very young vineyards that sell for $150 or more a bottle. They are trying to sell you the spin of romance and lifestyle. I visited a winery in California once and calculated just how much it cost to make the wine using expensive techniques–new barrels, farming technique, plant material, labor–and figured it was about $10 worth of wine they were selling for $300. Sure, the land was expensive and they spent millions on the winery that is a shrine to themselves so all that comes to play in their corporate profitability objectives.
It’s a strategy of luxury cuvees. Let’s just say you’re going to open a restaurant: Would you want to charge $10 for a main dish or $30? The food costs are similar but the profits may not be. Take rose: Domaine Ott decided years ago that they wanted to be the Rolls Royce of rose. I can assure you that they are not farmed any differently than my $10 roses. Sure, the way they are made, they can age for two or three years.
But I actually like to drink wine, not worship it. Do you think a farmer in the Cote Rotie wants to put a bottle of his $50 wine on the table every day? No, he is buying a $5 wine for drinking every day.
I went out to a restaurant with one of my producers who was visiting recently. The restaurant had his wine on the list and he was going to treat me. But he saw it was $150 a bottle and he realized that he couldn’t afford to buy his own wine! And maybe, just maybe, there were other people who couldn’t afford to buy it either.
I try to bring in a lot of wines under $20 with a lot around $15. (Because of the dollar’s weakness, that’s really where the $10 wines from a few years ago are now). To find those wines as an importer, you’re going to have to go to some crazy places on the back roads. And sell the principle that “why shouldn’t you have a wine that represents value to the consumer–maybe something that sells for $13?” Certainly if you have the equipment to make a $75 wine, then you can make a $13 wine.
Ultimately, many of my producers have lower costs than their New World counterparts. The vineyards were bought generations ago and have no debt. They don’t have five flat screen TVs in their home. They don’t have a 5,000 square foot home. They don’t have the “lifestyle” with pools, guest houses, guest kitchens and so on.
In that regard, Fred Franzia has some similarities to them since his family bought lots of their acreage decades ago when land prices were a lot lower.
SPIT and SIPPED: Bordeaux 2008 After better-than-expected but still largely tepid reviews, Bordeaux 2008 took a shot in the arm form Robert Parker who raved about it. All the action is summed up nicely, with charts of price action, on FT.com’s Alphaville blog. Quotage from Simon Staples, aka BigSiTheWineGuy and a buyer at Berry Bros and Rudd in London: “He [Parker] went crazy about 2003 (all on his own) He missed 2005 (everyone else loved it) He?s now potty about 08(a few very nice wines)Plot?Lost?”
SIPPED: wine growing Wine in London, yes. But vines? Apparently so. But a terroir de double decker diesel may be avoided: Decanter reports that a horticultural college about 10 miles north of St. Paul’s has planted 1,500 vines.
SPIT: red wine stains A South African winery blog posts with the results of their tests on various red wine stain removers. The winner: hydrogen peroxide! It’s a cost-effective result considering hydrogen peroxide costs something like 99 cents a gallon at Duane Reade. [ht: Tasting Room]
SIPPED: plastique Wolf Blass, an Australian producer, announced two new wines in plastic (PET) bottles that resemble a traditional glass bottle.
SIPPED: fighting garden thievery The BBC reports that Hugh Johnson, renowned wine writer and avid gardener, had “a late 17th Century astronomical sphere and urns [stolen] from his historic garden.” He has posted a £1,000 reward for information leading to the return of the items.
Once a bartending necessity that reigned supreme in soda guns the world over, tonic water - and her friends club soda, Coke and 7Up - is fizzling in today’s hipster scene. What’s bubbled to the forefront? Energy drinks, which in a few short years have gone from mini-mart obscurity to VIP status behind the bars of even the hottest, Paris-Hilton-worthy nightclubs and restaurants.
As anyone who’s chugged Gatorade or Lucozade knows, energy drinks are nothing new. They’ve been around since the 1930s, are sold throughout the world and have traditionally enjoyed especially strong popularity in the Far East. (Think Pocari Sweat. Yum.) In their early incarnations, energy drinks were meant to quickly rehydrate the body and to provide energy through carbohydrates in the form of sugar. They were the savior of many exhausted athletes, lethargic kids with the flu and pathetically hungover frat boys.
In the mid-’80s, an Austrian businessman looking to cash in on the energy drink craze in Asia took the concept and gave it a decidedly modern twist. The result was Red Bull, a unique-tasting drink spiked with caffeine and the amino acid taurine, which pumps up the heart rate.
Red Bull’s slick silver mini cans, clever ad campaign and energy-boosting properties made it an instant hit among club-goers and those looking for a quick boost from something other than espresso (or a powdery South American import that might invite a sentence of five to 10). By the late ‘90s, Red Bull was available worldwide, had taken up sponsorship of popular new extreme sporting events and was well on its way to becoming a pop culture icon.
Since then, the energy drink market has exploded. New entrants include Rockstar (which contains liver-rejuvenating milk thistle), Monster, Socko, Full Throttle, Hype, Bomba (which comes in four flavors), Roaring Lion, Go Fast, Atomic X and Boo Koo. (The entertainment value alone - “I’ll have an Effen Boo Koo†- keeps us enthralled.)
Everyone from traditional soft drink marketers to celebs are getting in on the energy drink craze, scrambling to create new concoctions with fresh hype. Rap star Nelly is hoping to grab a piece of the market with his bright green, sweet sour-apple brew PimpJuice, which contains taurine, guarana and multi-vitamins. (No word on whether the nutrient properties of the drink will finally heal the boo-boo that lurks beneath his omnipresent Band-Aid. Or what test group approved of the name PimpJuice.)
Though all energy drinks are unique, they share in common some form of caffeine and sugar as key ingredients. Guarana, a natural source of caffeine, replaces the straight chemical in some brands. What gives energy drinks their rocket boost is the amount of caffeine and sugar they include: studies show energy drinks pack four times the amount of caffeine as soda and as many as 13 teaspoons of sugar in a single bottle.
Energy drinks also get an extra kick from ingredients such as ginseng and vitamins B12, B6, riboflavin and niacin. The most popular addition (and the one that put Red Bull on the energy drink map) is taurine, one of the most abundant amino acids in the body. It functions as a metabolic transmitter, has detoxifying properties and has been shown in studies to be beneficial to cardiovascular functioning. Mix these peace-and-love herbs and vitamins with some cutting-edge nutritional research, and the old standbys caffeine and sugar, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for a go-the-distance, 21st century good time.
Not long after these space age potions hit the shelves, smart consumers realized if energy drinks could keep them going as they burned the midnight oil or blasted through a road trip, they could put a whole new spin on a night of partying. Thus was born Red Bull-vodka. In the late ‘90s, European drinkers started a new trend in cocktails by marrying the recently released Red Bull with vodka, creating a mix packing a potent alcohol punch and a lift of herbs and caffeine, and enabling drinkers to get maximum pleasure out of a hard-earned weekend night of raving or pub crawling.
As more energy drinks were born, more cocktails were created. Bars around the world now stock energy drinks as mixing basics and look for innovative blends to create their own signature cocktails. While most drinkers still prefer flavored vodkas such as Stoli Citros or Skyy Melon to add intrigue to their energy drinks, more innovative experiments are being undertaken every day: how about an energy drink/Jagermeister mix? Perhaps a little Johnny Walker Black? (Any carpet fluff you might ingest later will simply add to the...mouthfeel.)
If mixing isn’t your thing, consider an energy/alcoholic drink that comes straight from the bottle. Zygo is a peach-flavored vodka blended with so-called “functional ingredients†taurine, D-ribose, guarana and yerba mate. Known as the “morning vodka†with a 35 percent alcohol content, it hits the spot with partiers still pounding the dance floor at dawn. Sparks, a sickly sweet, citrusy concoction with taurine, caffeine, guarana, Siberian ginseng and a 6 percent kick of alcohol, is becoming a popular party alternative, as are MoonShot, a (believe it or not) lightly carbonated, caffeinated beer, and XXL Orange, which packs 8.9 percent vodka, orange juice and caffeine into a curvy plastic bottle. (Frankly, that sounds to us like what a pimp would really be juicing.)
In a culture that’s dancing as fast as it can, it seems energy drink cocktails are the perfect libation for the new millennium. And who knows, tonic and club soda might even make a comeback - thanks to the recently released Hi-Ball Modern Mixers line, which offers classic mixers enhanced by B-vitamins, caffeine, taurine, guarana and ginseng. So grab a can of liquid energy, throw in the spirit of your choice and start channeling Don “The Magic†Juan. And remember, it takes seven to make a stable.
Black Magic Bomba Energy Drink
1 1/3 oz. vodka
2/3 oz. triple sec
2/3 oz. lime juice
Shake vodka, triple sec and lime juice together. Pour into chilled martini glass. Top with Black Magic Bomba Energy Drink.
Warning: Consume energy drink cocktails in moderation. Caffeine is a primary ingredient in energy drinks and can, when combined with the dehydrating effects of alcohol, lead to feelings of dizziness and faintness. In some cases, sensitivity to caffeine can also raise blood pressure and trigger potentially deadly heart reactions. Drink responsibly.
A 64-page softcover pocket guide that you can keep handy. Offers everything you've ever wanted to know about wine from A-to-Z. Learn about wine-production regions along with their maps major grape varietals storing pairing serving and selecting the perfect wine glass. Softcover 64-pages. Size: 8-'H x 3-'W
The Wine Bottle Glass Funnel is perfect for those instances when have a little wine left over in your decanter or even in your glass. The thinness of this glass funnel allows you to insert the funnel right into any bottle. Then easily and cleanly you can pour the wine back into the bottle for a later date.
The elegance of the Wine Enthusiast lead-free crystal 'U' Decanter enhances your wine experience with an inner dome to increase the oxygenation of fine wines. The finger-hold punt ensures controlled pouring every time. Gift Boxed. Recommend to hand wash. Size: 10-3/4'H 46 oz.
As Seen on Ellens 12 Days of Giveaways & Good Morning America The pocket-size electronic talking Wine Master offers a sleek and slim design easy control panel and over 10 000 wine and spirits reviews ratings and suggested retail prices at your fingertips. The newest version of the Wine Master is the most essential wine tool you can own. Bring along with you to wine shops and restaurants and never make another wine buying mistake again. Requires 2-AAA batteries (not included). Over 10 000 wine and spirits reviews ratings (100 pt. scale) and suggested retail prices from Wine Enthusiast Magazine Food and wine pairing guide Digital display screen with back-light and compressed text functions Talking navigation with on/off Type Varietal Winery or Vintage search option Handsome non-zipper black case Wine Master is a mighty wizard that gives you mastery over the most serious wine shop clerks and sommeliers. Brushed aluminum with chrome accents. The Wine Enthusiast 2008 Wine Buying Guide is also available. Size: 4-3/4'H x 3'W NOTE: The information included in the Wine Master is based on the reviews and ratings conducted by The Wine Enthusiast Magazine. For the 2008 edition we added 10 425 reviews. Therefore if you look at a review of a 2002 Caymus in 2007 and in 2008 the review will be the same. Since we cannot review all the wines produced in a year some wines may not appear with a newer year review which does not mean that the wine is discontinued but just that particular vintage (year) was not reviewed.
Always know 'whose glass is whose' with these wine cellar-themed charms! Set of 6 cast metal charms are finished in antique silver and dangle from 3 strands of glass-faceted beads. Magnetic closures make sure the these mini-medallions stay secure around the base of each guests' wine glass. Set of 6 charms includes a wine bottle corkscrew grapes wine glass chiller bucket and cheese wedge.
You needn't interrupt your enjoyment of the wine now to fuss with pumps and dispensers. Deliberately low tech our Wine For Later Set eschews pumps spray cans nitrogen gas canisters and complicated dispenser systems for the graceful time-honored process of decanting. When you uncork a bottle simply pour off the wine you wish to save for later using an elegant glass funnel. Top off either the 1/2 bottle or the 1/4-bottle decanter and seal it with our airtight glass stopper. Since no air comes in contact with your wine it remains unoxidized and unspoiled. Adorn the decanter with our ornate silverplated grape-cluster cork pin for easy identification. Only from The Wine Enthusiast. Gift-boxed 6-piece set includes: 2 Wine For Later glass decanters 1/2 bottle size and 1/4 bottle size. 2 airtight glass stoppers. A beautiful glass funnel. A silverplated cork pin.
Choose the right wine every time! From the editors of Wine Enthusiast Magazine comes the most current comprehensive and informative wine buying guide on the market. Based on tastings by a distinguished in-house panel this wine buying guide features qualitative ratings reviews and prices for more than 50 000 wines. Plus tips on when each wine is best enjoyed. Also includes expert advice on tasting and storing vintage wine charts and Top 10 lists. 990 pages. Softcover.
Pair your wine with top chef recipes! A memorable meal starts with the wine! Find over 80 delectable recipes organized by wine style. This first cookbook by the editors of Wine Enthusiast Magazine guides you in selecting the right recipe for your wine. Includes recipes from top chefs such as Bobby Flay and Rick Bayless along with expert wine pairing tips. Whether you're serving a light aromatic white or a big powerful red you'll choose the right dish here! 256 pages with full color photography. Hardcover. Take A Look Inside At Sample Recipes.
The Riedel Syrah Decanter is a great wine decanter to use everyday. It's perfect for Syrah or any other red wine. Crafted in Germany of lead-free crystal the Syrah decanter holds 49-ounces and stands 9-5/8' tall. Add to your wine decanter collection or give as a gift any season. Size: 9-5/8'H 49-3/8 oz.
Make wine your next party theme! Consider this your personal party planner! Step-by-step instructions and essentials make hosting a wine tasting easy. Includes 100 wine tasting sheets 6 cloth blind wine tasting bottle bags with embroidered letters A through F 6 wine tasting masts Wine Enthusiast Magazine vintage chart corkscrew and a 15% Off Coupon for Wine Enthusiast glassware. Sip save enjoy!
The Wine Clip uses principles of magnetics to improve the taste of wine as it is being poured out of the bottle. The effect is instantaneous and has been found by many wine professionals to result in a genuine improvement in flavor and mouth-feel especially when used on red wines. Using magnets to treat fluids water fuel wine etc. - is not a new idea and the technology has been applied successfully in many industries. What causes the effect has been the subject of some debate but it is generally thought that passing a conductive fluid through a properly designed magnetic field has an effect on the polar molecules in the fluid. In wine it is believed that the large polymerized tannins in wine that normally result in a high degree of astringency are broken up or otherwise affected resulting in a less astringent softer flavor. The Wine Clip may also accelerate aeration by drawing higher concentrations of oxygen to the wine as it is being poured. In contrast with most gases oxygen is highly magnetically susceptible and is attracted to a magnetic field. This would explain testimony from wine experts that The Wine Clip instantly produces the benefits of time consuming aeration. Lifetime warranty.
Learn how to host a tasting party! Host a great wine tasting party with this complete new essential wine tasting kit. Created by the editors of the prestigious Wine Enthusiast Magazine you'll find all the how-to's and essentials of hosting over 30 wine tastings. Kit includes: Wine Enthusiast Magazine Pocket Guide to Wine plus 2006 Vintage Chart 2 tasting checklist notepads 6 bottle bags 6 bottle stoppers 24 bottle tags a blank wine journal 2 wine label removers and a coupon for two free issues of Wine Enthusiast Magazine . Size: 6'H x 9'W x 3-'D
Luigi Bormioli Esperienze Wine Decanter is a complete innovation in the field of wine appreciation. Designed by Federico DeMajo the lead-free crystal wine decanter is a combination of technical skills and creative artistry. Made in Italy the interior base of the decanter is designed with ripples; tiered concentric circles that facilitate rapid wine oxygenation as the wine is poured into the decanter and flows down over them for an excellent wine tasting experiences. Dishwasher safe. Size: 9-1/4'H 88 oz.
Love your wine? Show your metal! Serve it with the help of this animated bottle holder handcrafted from recycled steel copper and wood. German artist Guenter Scholtz skillfully bends welds brushes and carves these materials to bring this whimsical wine taster to life a discriminating gent leaning on a wine rack fitted with a wine barrel. Holds most standard size wine bottles. Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity. No two Scholtz pieces are exactly alike. 12'H x 6'W x 5'D
A One-of-a-Kind GiftFor the wine lover that has everything a fun gift theyre sure to cherish. Weve matted and framed our Wine Enthusiast Magazine cover with your choice of tiles (Man Woman Wine Enthusiast or Chateau of the Year). Theres a careful 7 1/4' x 7' cut-out in the cover so you can slide in a photograph of your favorite wine enthusiast. Every wine lover on your list should have one. You can purchase it as a special package with a one year subscription to Wine Enthusiast Magazine and SAVE $16.95 off the regular subscription price. Size: 14'H x 11'W Framed Print
An elegant arc turns serving into ceremony. Geometrically designed Parabola wine decanter offers a unique shape to a classic wine accessory. This stunning mouth-blown wine decanter is visually exhilarating and optimally functional. Made of 24% lead crystal the Parabola decanter offers a unique handle and spout holding a full standard-sized bottle of wine and provides flawless aeration. Size: 10-1/2'H 56 oz. NOTE: Please use the recommended Decanter cleaning balls when cleaning the Parabola decanter.
Make the hippest wine bar in town yours! Three wines any time no waiting! This professional wine preserve and wine serve system keeps 3 opened wine bottles fresh for weeks and primed for pouringright at home! Spigots serve as both stoppers and dispensers of argon gas. Argon prevents wine from oxidizing and spoiling over time. Non-electric and compact. Black with stainless steel trim. Accommodates most standard-size wine bottles. Non-electric and compact. Black with stainless steel trim. The argon gas cartridges are hidden in a compartment underneath your wine bottles. The system includes two argon cartridges which will power 12 to 15 wine bottles each. Size: 11-1/2'H x 10-1/2'W x 5'D
Attract more wine loversglass by glass! Increase your bar or restaurant sales by offering a wider selection of premium wines 'on tap'. This professional preserve-and-serve system keeps 5 opened wine bottles fresh for weeks and primed for pouring. Spigots serve as bottle stoppers. With each pour argon gas is dispensed into each bottle to blanket the wine's surface from oxygen and prevent it oxidizing and spoiling over time. Wine Saver PRO's commercial grade quality is ideal for restaurants hotels bars and wineries or for any wine lover that enjoys serving wine. Wine Saver HOME also makes the ultimate addition to any home wine cellar. Accommodates most standard-size wine bottles. Non-electric and compact. Black with stainless steel trim. The argon gas cartridges are hidden in a compartment underneath your wine bottles. Available here and sold seperately argon cartridges will power 12 to 15 wine bottles each.
Inspired by furniture pieces originally found in Bordeaux and used by the regions expert wine makers for tasting sessions of their Grand Cru wines. Special guests wine merchants or the wine makers themselves would taste some of the finest vintages at the very foot of elegant furniture pieces such as this. EuroCaves contemporary version has been designed to accommodate the needs of todays wine connoisseur. The Elite Wine Buffet is ideal for entertaining and can be placed in any room. The ample display shelves are ideal for storing glasses displaying decanters keeping reference books and storing spirits. The storage drawers can hold other accessories such as corkscrews label savers tasting albums and much more. The Elite Wine Buffet can hold a maximum of up to 20 bottles. Sold seperately the wine cellar space can accommodate a EuroCave Performance 83. Size: 56-5/16'H x 54-5/16'W x 29-9/16'D. Light assembly required.
Tecnorati
This is a premium Montenegrin red wine made from the indigenous Vranac grape. The Reserve is produced from particulary good years, in small quantities, aged in barrels for several years. It is also aged in bottles for one year before being released to the market.
There isn?t a day that goes by when I don?t think of Abruzzo from my first visit there in the early 1980?s, when they adopted me as one of their native sons, to the years of friendship and collegiality among the many winemakers there.
The land oozes soul; the grapes burst their energy forth for lively wines. When one hears about all the tankers of Montepulciano that move north at night to vivify weaker wines in the north, this is an unsung hero of a region.
My friends at Illuminati, not trampled by the crashing bricks or rumbling dirt, but none the less affected by their neighbor?s cries of pain. Over the years their wines have changed, like their labels, but always for the better. Today they are a success story for Abruzzo. Some of their neighboring wineries near Aquila are searching for their way through back to the future.
Some day they will open bottles of sparkling wine to celebrate a gathering, a success, a landmark.
The 2004 vintage of this wine received a bronze medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards last year (2006). I’ve only been able to find the 2005 vintage in Belgrade wine shops. It has an intensive and complex aroma with hints of flowers. Dominant tastes are those of melon and slightly of apricots. However, I wasn’t impressed, perhaps I expected more due to all the hype. Or perhaps there’s a significant difference in the two vintages.
What Does Organic Mean?
Patrick Campbell, Laurel Glen and maker of REDS (
Why don’t we use bulk wine like most copycat RED-themed labels or brand du jour bottlers do?
Veronique Drouhin Boss, of Domaine Drouhin Oregon and Maison Joseph Drouhin (
A rosé by any other name is Leonardo. This little guy, who looks strikingly like his handsome dad, 
wine store for $5.50 on sale.
This is another great wine from the 
Catavino has traveled more this year than ever before, and just when life has settled to a peaceful calm, we’re off again. This past weekend we visited Benidorm, Spain, a place that you should see at least once in your life; not for the wine, mind you, but for the odd combination of location, tourism and the sheer mass of humanity.
Following our discussion of why there are so few tasty low priced wines from America, particularly compared to imports, I put the question to wine importer Bobby Kacher. 
