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Learn How To Easily Find Wines Of $50 Quality For $10 Or Less. Impress Friends With Your Expanded Wine Knowledge. Eliminate Your Dependence On Wine Salespeople. And Take The Hassle Out Of Buying Wine.
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How To Build Your Own Home Wine Cellar To Store Your Wine In Optimum Condition ... 100% Guaranteed.
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[11/11/2008, 16:35]

One Glass a Time: Sweet! (Wine Spectator)

I have been traveling in the past week with a dining partner who can not drink much. Rather than ordering a whole bottle, which would inevitably require leaving some behind so I could drive back to the hotel safely, I have been choosing several different wines by the glass over the course of the meals.


[11/06/2006, 21:58]

Great Wine Bars In San Francisco

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.

[08/11/2008, 00:00]

Drink-Drive deaths down 18%

Last year fatalities resulting from drink-drive accidents fell by 18% according to Government statistics.
[10/30/2008, 01:10]

lignier-michelot 2004 chambolle les gammaires

2004 Lignier-Michelot, Chambolle-Musigny Les Gammaires Medium, medium-plus cherry-red colour. The nose is understated but shows good depth and there’s no ‘2004 character’. In the mouth it’s serious, with good mid-palate dimension and a good persistence of ripe flavour. Very nice - I bought some more. Rebuy - Yes a lignier-michelot 2004 chambolle les gammaires
[07/25/2008, 07:24]

Electronic menu

by Martin Field The chief boffin in our R&D department is about to patent a design for an electronic menu. Basically, the E-menu (as she likes to call it) is designed to increase efficiency of ordering, to provide detailed information to diners, to minimise the unwanted attention of pushy waiters and sommeliers and thereby to reduce the number of floor staff. There are obvious cost savings related to this latter aim. The wi-fi menu can be permanently installed in dining tables, one at each setting or, as a less expensive alternative, can take the form of a menu folder to be handed out to individual guests.
[07/27/2007, 17:04]

BC?s Feast of Festivals

The secret is out: there?s always something to celebrate in British Columbia, particularly in the regions famed for their wine and food: Vancouver, Whistler, the Okanagan Valley and Vancouver Island. Eat, drink and be merry at ten of the most...
[07/17/2007, 17:43]

Advertise on the Women Wine Critics Board

Advertising on the Women Wine Critics Board ABOUT US This blog is compiled and edited by Mary Baker, co-owner of Dover Canyon Winery in Paso Robles, California. Mary has considerable experience in the California wine industry, and the blog is open to all writers who are passionate about wine. It is updated at least three times per month with guest articles and wine news. OUR READERSHIP The Women Wine Critics Board attracts an audience interested in fine wine, wine-related travel and wine appreciation experiences. As of June 2007, the number of unique visitors coming to the site on a monthly...
[08/25/2008, 19:49]

Wine Spectator Award scandal?yeah, so?

beer wine liquor new york cityImage via Wikipedia

OK, so there’s alot of hub-bub about that the Wine Spectator expose that happened by blogger Robin Goldstein.  And first let me say a couple things.  Bloggers are extraordinarily important to the world and this is just the latest example of some good citizen journalism.  Bravo to Robin for the work on setting up this sting.  Nice, ethical, and well executed.

As a marketing professional for a decade and a half I’ll say this though - what did you think the award was?  Wine Spectator is a “for profit” private entity that has what, 100 employees?  I’ve dealt with many many awards for the rediculous number of products and companies I’ve launched and I’ll tell you this, whenever there is a for-profit entity involved then you’re going to pay-to-play.  And if you pay-to-play then you’re probably getting an award!  There are several technology related firms that have pay for entry, then I win the award, then they call me back and pitch me Ad space, and then tell me to be involved in the award ceremony I have the great opportunity to present my product/company at a high profile industry show…for yet another fee.

update: On side note for the history books.  In the late 1990s, what I call “Bubble Days” of tech, pay-to-play got ridiculous.  There were analyst firms that would take EQUITY in a startup and then write a positive report.  Subsequently, these firms would go public and thanks to the Tech Bubble some people got very rich for their “award” or “positive outlook”…nuts…

This Wine Spectator debacle is nothing new or unexpected.  They’re leveraging their brand, which has the power today to make a $20 wine into a $100 wine overnight, to make more money.  What is unexpected is the fact that they were complete IDIOTS about it and obviously do zero vetting not a very thorough job vetting applicants.  Dumb dumb dumb.  But I’m not surprised the award is the way it is.  Not at all actually.  Maybe thats part of the marketer’s secret code or something but thats how these things go.  If this didn’t happen (the dumb non-vetting move being exposed), who wouldn’t pay $250 for this “Excellence” award, hence “profit” opportunity.  Look, even now, if you have a real restaurant whats to stop you from fudging the wine list?  The sting was a totally fake place, but what stops you from doing this again?  Pay-to-play, thats how it works.  Its a revenue generator for the company, thats all.

Now, I do want to point out something in stark contrast.  The “American Wine Blogger Awards“.  Whenever they come around everyone gets in Tom Wark’s grill about “who are you to judge me” and “what makes you think this award is valid at all”, and so on.  I mean he gets HEAVY criticism.  Well guess what - its decided on by people submitting nominations, then the finalists are chosen by a panel and voted on by the people again.  Oh yeah, and it FREE.  In fact, when I offered to sponsor the AWBAs Tom turned that down.  So even though its not perfect I view it kind of like how I view the American Democracy - its not perfect and sometimes its not fair (just look at my tax bill every f’in year), but its about the best you’re gonna get!

Cheers!

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[10/13/2007, 17:17]

October 13, 2007 - Pouilly Fuisse

Pouilly Fuisse should not really be mixed up with Pouilly Fume although it happens. While both are white wines Pouilly Fuisse is rightfully Chardonnay and Burgundian. The other Pouilly is from the Loire Valley and is made from Sauvignon Blanc ( to be covered someday!).
While Pouilly-Fuisse is an appelation on to itself it would be a shame not to give the individual terroirs recognition also. There are 4 villages in the appelation: Vergisson, Solutre-Pouilly, Fuisse and Chaintre and arguably 5 terroirs as Solutre and Pouilly are distinctive.

From a distance the twin rocks of Vergisson and Solutre are a clear giveaway that you have arrived. The certain soil zones around these rocks are limestone and give the wines that mineral taste which is lacking or more subdued in the other communes outside of Vergisson, Solutre and Pouilly.

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The 5 terroirs within Pouilly-Fuisse are :

Vergisson - mineral driven, punchy with acidic backbone.
Solutre - mineral driven but softer with pronounced acidity.
Pouilly - Good harmony of mineral and fruit - most balanced.
Fuisse -
More fruity, does not have the minerality of previous 3.
Chaintre -
Fruit dominant.

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The next time you try a Pouilly-Fuisse take a closer look at the label and see where it comes from - there should be a difference. Personally my favorite is Pouilly proper. It seems to have the right balance of fruit, minerality and lively acidity. The other all have their unique characteristics but not in the harmonious balance I get in a benchmark Pouilly.

Not a comprehensive list by any measure but the wines I liked were made by:

Domaine Carrette
Domaine Nadine Ferrand
[08/02/2006, 19:21]

Wednesday, August 2, 2006

Heaven, I?m in heaven

So, when Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston split, he had to sell his Frank-Gehry designed wine cellar. But, he?s not moping around.

beer wine liquor new york city It's rumored that the movie star, who was adept at stomping people in Fight Club and Troy, could soon be stomping grapes, thereby putting him among the ranks of celebrities with their names on wine labels.

Pitt stayed in a village in the Piedmont (Italy that is) and visited 2 different wineries that were for sale.

Monica Tavella, spokeswoman for the Fontanafredda estate in Piedmont, told the newspaper that Pitt stayed there after the Winter Olympics and expressed interest in the art of winemaking and viticulture.

Holy Jesus. Brad Pitt and super exclusive cult Barolos?? Shhhh?. I need a moment to myself.

Okay, let's move on............

A Votre Sante

In France when you want to ?cheers? you say A Votre Sante which translates ?to your health.? Over the past 5 years we have heard a lot about compounds in red wine which are beneficial to your health, specifically resveratrol. Studies have shown that moderate consumption of red wine can reduce the likelihood of a heart attack. But check out the other things they are testing it for look at how good it actually is. Also, in the quote below MDWD refers to a moderate daily wine drinker.
While our doctors and government don't recommend wine, British health officials routinely do. A growing mound of studies, reflecting sources such as the American Heart Association and The New England Journal of Medicine, confirms wine to be precisely the potent and nutritious medicine our ancestors assumed it was. Besides the magic in polyphenols, which you could get from grape juice, and in alcohol, which you could get from gin, wine adds up to more than the sum of its parts.
In contrast with bingers and abstainers, as well as beer and spirits drinkers, moderate daily wine drinkers (MDWDs) are better-educated and earn more. Their higher cognitive skills propel them through the Alzheimer's years with a 50 percent lower risk of dementia, one reason they're half as likely to end up in nursing homes even though they live longer, succumbing to cardiovascular diseases at half the rate of abstainers and heavy drinkers.
Since moderate daily wine raises "good" cholesterol and reduces inflammation and clotting, MDWDs recover better from heart attacks and surgery and have a lower risk of stroke. They also have a 30 percent lower rate of Type 2 diabetes.
Both red and white wine pack powerful, cancer-fighting antioxidants. Incidence of endometrial cancer is 83 percent lower in female MDWDs. Wine with meals halves your risk of colorectal cancer. Wine even eases blood-vessel constriction in smokers, while its polyphenols alleviate certain lung diseases.
MDWDs get fewer colds with lighter symptoms. Their bones are denser, and they have nicer teeth, due to wine compounds that zap gum-disease bacteria.
But wouldn't all that alcohol play havoc with your liver and kidneys? Nope. In fact, MDWDs have 30 percent lower risk of kidney dysfunction, and liver disease decreases as wine consumption rises.
MDWDs have narrower waists and half the obesity rate of bingers and abstainers. Mysteriously, adding wine to a diet appears to melt pounds. It could be antioxidants and flavanoids speeding the breakdown of fat. It couldn't hurt that red wine, at 1.37 grams per liter, provides 8.5 percent of recommended daily fiber. It might have to do with metabolism or pleasure centers, which might explain why wine also helps with anorexia.

Craziness. Not only are wine drinkers cooler, more educated, and more successful, we?re also tons healthier. Now, drink up!


English Lit, Geometry, and Vinology?

beer wine liquor new york city How cool is this? In Australia high school students can actually take a class to teach them how to make wine. The rules are that they cannot taste or drink wine at any point in time during the class, nor can they attend events where their wines are tasted out (bummer). But they actually get to go through the process from start to finish of making their own wine. Even cooler is that the school has now gotten their proper licenses so that they can sell and market the wine to the public. At my school the electives were art, French, and agriculture class.

Viticulture started at the school in 2000 with the planting of 450 vines on four old sand tennis courts, comprising 215 durif vines, 175 shiraz vines and 70 viognier vines.
The course, designed for year 11 and 12 students, was developed by the Wine Industrial National Education Training and Advisory Council and is competency skills-based with students achieving an Australian Qualification Framework Certificate I in Food Processing (wine).
Mr Adamson said students worked in the school vineyard and then did placements at local vineyards.
Wine is stored in barrels at the school and bottled at Cofield?s.
Mr Adamson said the proceeds from the sale of the wine would be used for further equipment for the course.beer wine liquor new york city

He said the course had plenty of success stories to day with graduates doing well in the field.
One is former student, David Whyte, now assistant winemaker at Cofield?s.
?David is our technical adviser and I take samples to him for advice when we make our wine,? Mr Adamson said.
?Now he?s the teacher and I?m the student.?

Um, is it just me or do they look like something more than just "student and teacher"? Cool concept, gay picture.

I, for one, think that it is incredibly important and hip as hell to be teaching these kids a craft that they can take into the real world and be successful with. I wish they would do that more in American school systems. If there was such thing as a mini-homebrew kit for toddlers I know that my husband would have already bought one for my son. Hmmm? maybe we can just send him to school in Australia. Ha!



Anheuser Busch? new seasonal beers?
The latest trend in beer drinking in America has been that drinkers are opting for hand crafted, more flavorful beers from micro-breweries. With that, Anheuser-Busch? market share has decreased so we knew it wouldn?t be long before they tried to up the ante.

Budweiser. Michelob. Natural Ice. Busch.

What do these beers all have in common? They are all brewed by Anheuser-Busch and are beers most craft beer drinkers would not think of imbibing unless there was absolutely nothing else available.

I?d go for water first.
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But Anheuser-Busch, at least on a small scale, is trying to change the minds of craft beer drinkers.

They have released Demon?s Hop Yard IPA, brewed in the company?s Portsmouth, N.H., brewery and only sold in New England on tap.

McGualey said, "These are just a fun way to let people take a peek inside what our company is doing. It?s all about consumers today. I think consumers are looking for products like these."

I don?t know about you guys but the tap handle alone is frightening. I can?t imagine what the beer is like. I mean on one hand I?m glad that they are paying attention enough to know they need to step up their game, but on the other hand, my opinion of their company is so innately flawed that I probably won?t even try their new seasonals. Oh, BTW the new seasonals are the Jack?s Pumpkin Spice Ale, the Winter?s Bourbon Cask Ale, the Spring Heat Spiced Wheat and the Beach Bum Blonde Ale. If any of you get to try them email me with info. I am super curious about them.



Today is hump day and I am on coast until I get outta here. My last day is tomorrow so as soon as I finish some filing I'm done!! I've got some web surfing to do do I'm out!
Cheers!
[10/22/2008, 04:50]

Turkish Delight - ful

A box of rose pink turkish delight had me thinking about posting a few things pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month.  All our desserts this month have had a pink tinge.

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TURKISH DELIGHT ICE CREAM WITH RASPBERRIES

Vanilla Ice Cream and a few drops of rose pink food colouring

Turkish Delight chopped into small squares

Raspberries and raspberry jam

Sweet shortcrust pastry, cut into desired shape and cook in oven. Cool.

To Make

Soften vanilla icecream a little, blend in food colouring and add half chopped turkish delight. Work quickly so ice cream doesn't melt completely.  Place into moulds lined with plastic wrap or muslin. Return to freezer to harden.

Heat raspberries and jam in a small saucepan. Push through a sieve to remove seeds. Cool.

To Serve

Remove ice cream from freezer and upend onto plate. Decorate with raspberry sauce, remaining turkish delight and pastry shapes.

Variations - You could use any flavoured icecream in place of the coloured vanilla. I did it this way as I wanted the rose pink colour but with a vanilla taste.

Amounts will depend on how many you are serving.


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TURKISH DELIGHT TRUFFLES (makes 10 truffles)

100 grams dark chocolate, chopped into bite size pieces
130 ml pure cream
75 grams turkish delight, chopped into small squares
cocoa powder and icing sugar for rolling truffles in.

Place cream into a small saucepan and heat.

Pour cream over chocolate and stir until it melts.

Cool and then stir in turkish delight.

Place in fridge and allow mixture to thicken.

Using a teaspoon scoop out small balls of mixture and drop into cocoa/icing sugar mix.

Using hands roll into a smooth ball and place in serving cases.

If not serving immediately, store in fridge. Roll in cocoa/icing sugar mix again before serving.

Adapted from Saha by Greg and Lucy Malouf

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FLORENTINES WITH TURKISH DELIGHT

David Lebovitz is responsible for several major purchases I've made recently.  He mentioned Thermomix and I now have one, he mentioned the Ottolenghi cookbook and I now have one.  It is a beautiful book and this is the first recipe I've made from it. Because I'm reduced to typing with one hand this week I'll refer you to David's blog for the original  recipe

The addition of the turkish delight is an idea I found in another Greg and Lucy Malouf book. I added the turkish delight to the Florentines in the last minute of baking.

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[11/11/2008, 14:30]

The Wines of Tuscany

beer wine liquor new york cityTuscany is probably the Italian wine region that is best known among American drinkers. Hundreds of raffia-covered fiascos (you know what I'm talking about--the bottles that you use for candle holders when the wine is all gone) have entered hundreds of homes all over the country. (picture by dottorpeni)

But there's more to Tuscan wine than just Chianti. For the last two months of 2008 I'll be focusing on the wines from this region. Why two months? There's just too much good wine to spend only one month exploring.

beer wine liquor new york cityTuscany is a region that is known for more than wine, of course. Home to the great poet Dante, its also the region where Pisa's "leaning tower" is located. Pisa is not the only town in the region with stunning architecture, as any visitor to Florence, San Gimignano, or Siena knows. Rolling hills, groves of olive trees, fields of sunflowers and vines, and old houses dot the landscape as well, making Tuscany a feast for the eyes as well as the tastebuds. (photo by vigour)

And the grapes of Tuscany are just as diverse as the countryside where they're planted. There's Sangiovese, of course, but there's also rarer indigenous varieties like Toroldega, Vernaccia, and Canaiolo. And Tuscan vineyards have their fare share of international grapes in them like Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Tempranillo, and Cabernet Sauvignon, too. Merlot and Cabernet beer wine liquor new york citySauvignon are often blended with Sangiovese in the powerful red wines known as Super Tuscans that earn high scores from the wine magazines and command high prices in the wine shops. (photo by rayced)

Great wine demands great food, and as anyone who has been to Tuscany knows--these people can cook. Whether you're looking for a simple pasta dish with sauce made from butter and sage, a hearty soup thickened with bread and beans, grilled beef cooked to perfection as they do in Florence, or the small cookies made for dunking in your coffee or wine called cantucci, you can find a dish to suit you from among the region's traditional recipes. These dishes are perfect for winter temperatures and feeding large crowds at the holidays. Many of them are also either quick to prepare, or cook at low temperatures in the pot or oven so they are ideal for entertaining.

beer wine liquor new york cityWith so much to love about Tuscan food and wine, it seemed like the right moment to slow down and enjoy the end of the this year's wine journey through Italy. Those of you who have been following the series know that there are still regions I've not yet reached. So we'll pick up where we left off in January 2009 and continue to drink the wines from the remaining regions of Italy all through next year. (photo by davidanthonyporter)

I'll be back periodically over the next several weeks with tasting notes and food pairings for Tuscan wines. Yes, Chianti will be among them. So, too, will be Tuscan whites and a wine made with indigenous varieties. And the Tuscan wine theme will spill over into Serious Grape on Fridays as well, where I'll talk about Super Tuscans and compare the different levels of Chianti from the regular bottles to Chianti Classico and reserve wines. As always, I hope you will join in and share your Tuscan wine recommendations and experiences.
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[01/13/2006, 19:28]

Wine Blogging Wednesday 17 Results

Although I missed the boat on this one completely, the results are in for the latest Wine Blogging Wednesday over at CorkDork. This month’s objective was to try new red wines from New Zealand. 31 bloggers participated this time! Check it out!

[10/10/2008, 21:14]

Cellar's Market: Fine Wine Investing On the Rise

It looks like the trend mentioned a few weeks back is still popular. Jennifer Waters (marketwatch.com) writes:

CHICAGO (MarketWatch) -- On a hot, sunny Friday here in September only days after the first Monday market meltdown, two well-heeled wine buyers battled each other at a private auction for the privilege of shattering a world-record price for a single case of 1982 Chateau Lafite Rothschild.
 
A Chinese buyer who flew in from Beijing for the Hart Davis Hart Co. auction won with a final bid of $54,970 -- a whopping $4,580.83 a bottle. At its release in 1984, a single bottle would have sold for roughly $100. A case of 1990 Romanee-Conti Domaine de la Romanee-Conti that was released at about $500 a bottle sold for $179,250, or $14,937.50 each. A case of 2000 Chateau Petrus was bought for $57,360, or $4,780 a bottle. At its release, the price was $750 a bottle.
 
Such dramatic price appreciation is not the norm for wine investments, but it does underscore how lucrative and resilient investing in fine wine can be -- particularly so at a time when market volatility is deflating 401(k) accounts and retirement nest eggs, and low interest rates are choking returns on cash and other investments.

Full Story

Tags: , , , , , ,

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WorldWine Tags: melgab, wine, investment, ROI, auction, south-africa, South Africa,
[01/10/2008, 00:52]

The "New " Cru

The Cru has a new home - you can visit it by clicking on the link below:

www.thecru.co.za

I hope you enjoy the new look and feel - cause that's all it is really - the ethos and style of The Cru commentary will remain the same!

So from now on I'll see you over at the new site - oh and one more thing - could I ask you to do the following once you get there:

  • Subscribe to the new Feed
  • Change all existing links to The Cru on your sites to www.thecru.co.za
  • Bookmark the new site!

Great stuff! Thanks and enjoy everyone - now let me go and find some champagne!!

Cru Master
[11/07/2008, 20:19]

Remembering an Aussie Icon With Wine (Wine Spectator)

Shortly after 1 died Sept. 19 at 78, I got a message from Gavin Speight, his U.S. importer. He said that he would like to celebrate Carrodus' life by dipping into his own personal cellar to open a few of the iconoclastic winemaker's older 1 bottles. Earlier this week I met Speight, who imports some of Australia's finest and most venerable artisanal wines, at Cavallo Point, the new resort near Sausalito.
[11/07/2008, 00:47]

Announcing Twitter Taste Live 5: Cameron Hughes

oI’ve been involved with Twitter Taste Live since the second tasting and will be participating again next time when the theme is “Bloggers Take Over.” In past tastings wineries have presented a selection of wines and wine lovers from around the world then posted their thoughts on Twitter while tasting the same wines simultaneously. But the next time out each wine blogger will be able to pick their wine(s) and give you the chance to pick them up and taste along with us on November 15th.

Consistent with my theme of Wines For Recessionary Times, I will be tasting two wines from Cameron Hughes, one of my favorite purveyors of extreme value wine.

I have selected Lot 92 2004 Margaret River Chardonnay and Lot 36 2005 Rutherford Cabernet for the tasting.

The Chardonnay is available for just $14 at the Cameron Hughes online store but Lot 36 is only available in Costco or Sam’s Club stores (I paid $12.88 today for Lot 36 at Sam’s).

So pick up one or both of these wines, friend me up on Twitter and taste along with me on November 15th. I’ll be posting a follow-up with the approximate time of the tasting next week and, of course, tweet about this too. I hope you will join me or at least follow along on Twitter Search using the hash tag #ttl.

o

o

o o o o o
[09/29/2008, 01:50]

Wine Set for the Cure

o

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM). Started by First Lady Betty Ford, a breast cancer survivor herself, and her daughter Susan in 1985, NBCAM has made great strides both by increasing early detection of this disease and erasing the stigma that was once attached to it.

A number of pink ribbon products are promoted during October with a portion of the proceeds going to help eradicate breast cancer. One that's particularly attractive for wine lovers is this wine opener and wine glass set from The Wine Enthusiast. The set includes two Riedel Vinum Pink Rose Wine Glasses and the all-in-one lever style Pink Rabbit Corkscrew Kit. Fifteen percent of Riedel's proceeds are being donated to the Living Beyond Breast Cancer Foundation. Five percent of Metrokane's proceeds are being donated to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

To learn more about NBCAM and to download a variety of free material, visit the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month Web site.

(photo courtesy of The Wine Enthusiast) See full article.

Related Entries:

You Don't Have to Be a Woman to Support Breast Cancer Reasearch. It's As Easy As Buying a Cake! - 06 September 2007

Think PINK During OCT Breast Cancer Awareness Month - 04 October 2007

Pink October: National Breast Cancer Awareness Month - 02 October 2007

Drink for the Cure - 30 August 2008




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[10/09/2008, 12:20]

Vale Bailey Carrodus

by Martin Field Readers familiar with Yarra Yering wines will be saddened to hear of the passing of winery founder, Dr Bailey Carrodus, after a short illness, on 19 September 2008. A personal reminiscence I knew Bailey fleetingly in the late '70s and early '80s. He was a loveable if sometimes irascible character with an incisive mind. His wines were highly individual and did not always suit the prevailing palates of the day. Despite the critics, Bailey created his own unmistakable style and gained a wide international market. Strange that we were friendly. When we first met, (I was brash) I shared my considered opinion that some of his '70s wines were a tad too acidic. I got the inimitable Carrodus look...
[10/10/2008, 21:26]

Is it me or is this guy a TOTAL douche bag?

o

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

OK, so I’m trying to insure that the Wine Bloggers’ Conference in Sonoma has good, solid Wi-Fi access.  I’ve spent a decade and a half in the networking industry and the last 8 years designing wireless products so when I setup a conference for 160+ BLOGGERS, i.e. many many laptops in the same room, I have my concerns because of the physical limitations of Wi-Fi.

So the hotel hooks me up with the contact information for their service provider (the Wi-Fi is outsourced which is typical for a hotel).  I send him a message stating exactly my concerns and pointing out that I’ve setup many tradeshow demos as well as conference networks that got hammered by a techie conference.  Here is the email that he sends back to me (understand, I am the hotel’s customer and I am selling out their hotel for this weekend and giving them untold exposure through media the whole weekend).  Is it me or is this dude kinda of a douche?

Dear Sirs-

There are a total of 19 APs interspersed throughout the hotel, not including extra devices occasionally set up by catering.  Depending on the unit, they?ll support from 12-36 users on the wireless (multiple internals).  This has been the design at the Flamingo since its initial design and installation, almost as if we knew what we were doing?

Please inform the users that the codes will be bound to the MAC address of the NIC they use at the time of connection and entry of the code.  They cannot switch computers and use the same code.  The time in contiguous and not broken up to when they are using the connection, ie: 3 hrs ? 9 hrs of 15 minute usage periods.

Also, be aware that the total bandwidth for the Hotel Guests use is 6mb/3mb.  Therefore, this should not be a time for these ?HEAVY internet users? to download all the Richard Simmons or Jane Fonda videos as this type of abuse will naturally hinder the enjoyable experience that such a convention should foster, human dialogue and contact.

I hope that you enjoy your stay at the Flamingo and that all elements of your convention are a total success.

JJ

Maybe its me, I don’t know…

Updated: The hotel worked on the service provider to create a parallel network in the main conference area that will be supported by additional APs on non-adjacent channels and they committed to having staff on hand throughout the entire conference should this network shit the bed.  I feel better about the chances of success.

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