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[12/14/2007, 01:34]

Wine in the Digital Age: Cyber Surfing Nightmares

free australian nude partiesI?ve just spent a few hours researching some wines Susan and I are tasting next week. Well, attempting to research would more appropriately describe this exercise in frustration. I?m still astonished how many winery websites are hard to find, poorly laid out, and then give little or no information. Sometimes I dig through page after page after page and finally discover a two-line tasting note ? how exciting.

To all you wineries, if you think this amount of information will have wines flying off the shelves, think again. First of all, by the time most consumers are looking up a wine on the Internet they?ve already tasted it, so they?re after more detail than ?black cherries and leather.? And could you include just a few words on your different vintages? Your 2001 tasting notes are getting a little dated. Besides, I?m free australian nude partiessure your 2006 will taste different ? different weather, different harvest conditions, different wine.

How about a little technical information? French Oak or American Oak for example. A few lines covering pH, harvest dates, Brix at harvest, and residual sugar would be nice. Wine geeks will love you and talk up your wines ? free promotion.

I?d also think you would have your labels available for download ? after all, your design person?s already done the graphics in digital format, so just get a copy. Buyers could then print the label and take it to their favorite store as a reminder of what they?re looking for. Wine reviewers would be able add a label to their review or blog ? more free promotion. People could share copies with their friends and family: look at this great wine I just found. Even more free promotion.

People viewing your site aren?t usually there to read all about the owners and how wonderful they are ? at least not at first. Surprise ? top of most people?s hit list are the wines themselves. What grape varieties? What quantities in your Bordeaux style blend? Can we have a little story on the style of wines you are trying to produce? Who is the winemaker and what?s their philosophy, experience, and technique. What does your winery look like ? a picture or two might be nice especially for the folks buying your wine who live across the country.

Oh, and some way of getting a hold of you would be nice ? an email address or phone number would be cool. How can you except to answer questions ? like ?where do I buy your wines?? Or maybe you just like seeing your wines sitting in the warehouse.

None of this actually takes that much effort. Really, it doesn?t. All you need to do is spend a little time and money on your website to make it stand out free australian nude partiesamong the rest. If you want to see what I mean, here are links to a couple of websites that get it right.

free australian nude partiesArrow Leaf Cellars in BC?s Okanagan has a site that?s easy to negotiate and includes a contact list, newsletter, pictures of the vineyard, and a great tech sheet. There?s even info on screw caps with a link to the New Zealand Screwcap Wine Seal Initiative ? just in case you haven?t been converted yet.

Down under, Peter Lehmann Wines has another fantastic site ? history, descriptions of the area, info about the winemakers and the wines. After spending time on the site, you want to buy rush out to the store and buy a bottle or two.

And to the winery in Australia who will not put info on their web site because it is too ?techie,? it?s time to get with the Digital Age. You say you?d rather have people come to the cellar door to get info than surf the Net. Yeah, right. I?ll just hop on a plane from Canada right away. Lots of luck selling wines in our local market and no reviews from this quarter.

SUSAN'S NOTE:


I confess, I have a severe love/hate relationship with the web. I admire Frank?s ability to search through layers and layers until he comes up with some nugget of information, but I certainly don?t share it. No results after a couple of Google searches and I?m on to something else. And sites that give me no contact information put me into orbit ? Frank usually doesn?t even bother telling me about them any more because then he has to listen to my usually loud, always colourful verbal tirades.

However, one interesting thing did come out of his visit to the ?We don?t believe in an Internet presence? Aussie site. Our debate on whether the owner was simply stupid or was being blatantly arrogant was lively, thoroughly entertaining, and will certainly keep them at the top of our ?Do Not Visit or Buy From? list for a long, long time. FYI: arrogant won hands down.

Note: Photos show the Arrow Leaf Cellars' vineyards and porch area. Wine bottles show Arrow Leaf's Zweigelt and Peter Lehmann's Semillon. Enjoy.


[11/05/2008, 16:11]

Bartending Like Mom Used To?

…Ok, well my mom anyway. I for one, am not a fan of half the pompous, skinny tie types littering up the well these days. I prefer someone who doesn’t judge and knows when to push another cocktail on me. …WITHOUT regaling me (nay, really just them) with tales of their molecular gastronomic experiments with [...]
[08/16/2007, 18:22]

Shanghai Nights

Greetings from Asia. I have begun my first tour of duty here in the Pacific Rim, and I started my trip off with a weekend in Shanghai. The fourteen plus hour flight did not seem so bad since I was able to sleep for close to nine hours of it; of course, that was only [...]
[11/16/2008, 18:05]

Howard Park Chardonnay 2005

free australian nude partiesGreat Southern, Western Australia. 13.5%. Chardonnay. Screwcap. Approx $A35.

I spent some of last week practicing and refreshing my very rusty resuscitation skills. Disconcertingly the manikins could bleed and I soon discovered I kept forgetting to count cardiac compressions. This of course makes following protocols very problematic. . .

No such problems with the Howard Park, which is bright and remarkably consistent. It's tight, lean and sappy (like a Macon) with a trace of smoke, flint and white nectarine.

Very good.
92.
Now - 2011.

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[09/05/2008, 22:13]

Free Downloadable Wine Book

i

Best Deal Magazines is currently offering "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Wine" as a downloadable version for free. The guide is currently off of print in bound form, but is loaded with good advice on how to select, taste, and collect wine. Although aimed at the beginning wine lover, there's sure to be something of interest to the experienced sipper also.

To download your copy, visit the Best Deal Magazines Web site. See full article.

Related Entries:

Free Web Wine Club - 30 August 2006

Wine Party in Budapest - 02 September 2006

Hot New WINE Gadget: CATANIA Wine Enhancer - 18 May 2007

Vinturi Helps Wines to Breathe Faster, Taste Better! - 03 October 2007




Contents of this feed are a property of Creative Weblogging Limited and are protected by copyright laws. Violations will be prosecuted. Please email us if you'd like to use this feed for non-commercial activities at feeds - at - creative-weblogging.com.
[11/07/2008, 15:44]

Morris Zwick's Terrapin Station Winery is First Small Winery Wine-in-a-Box in East

i

Morris Zwick began his winemaking career small, learning the trade as a home winemaker, building his craft slowly through a mix of reading and interaction with other winemakers. With a background in chemical engineering, he improved his craft over twelve years before deciding to open his own winery, Terrapin Station, which is named after Maryland?s state reptile.

Before deciding to open a commercial winery, however, he began as a grape grower, planting his seven acres of vines in 2003. Today he grows several varieties, such as Traminette, Cayuga, Cabernet Franc and Vidal. He enjoys experimenting with new types of grapes such as St. Vincent, of which he is currently the only Maryland grape grower.

The most noticeable thing that sets his winery apart from other state wineries is the containers in which he sells his wine. He decided to try something new to the state of Maryland and began selling the state?s first quality boxed wine.

?They started out as a preventative measure against corked wine, but as I experimented with the design I realized all the advantages of boxed wines,? says Zwick. ?They are much lighter than traditional wine bottles, are easy to pour for a single serving and are much easier to recycle.? In addition to all of these benefits, Terrapin Station Winery donates $1 from each purchase to help the diamondback terrapin, an endangered animal native to the Chesapeake Bay.

His greatest challenge has been overcoming the stereotype that boxed wines are poor quality, but says companies like Black Box Wines and Banrock Station have begun to push the idea of quality boxed wine.

?I think what Morris is doing is innovative and fun and he is really helping to pioneer the way for new winemaking techniques in Maryland?s growing wine industry.? says Mark Emon from St. Michaels Winery.

Go to their website and see it all for yourself:
http://www.terrapinstationwinery.com
[11/07/2008, 09:17]

2002 Botromagno Gravina

After weeks of fiddling around with game, organ meats and arguing in Spanish about whether or not the package contains gizzards and hearts, I felt like taking things back to basics. Roasted chicken with creamed spinach, cornbread, and macaroni and cheese, the sides coming from Fresh Market.

iI used the "Stretch's Chicken" recipe from the latest issue of Saveur, which involves putting a hard cheese/herb paste on a cut-up chicken and browning the parts in a cast-iron skillet before roasting it all at high temperature in the oven. For simplicity and because it's my favorite for this kind of cooking, I just used a pack of leg/thigh quarters. Defat the pan and deglaze with red wine vinegar and you've got a tangy sauce to go with the chicken. It's ridiculously simple but really flavorful.

For the wine I took a gamble with the 2002 Botromagno Gravina from the bootheel of Italy in Puglia. $15, 12% abv, 60% Greco, 40% Malvasia. I'm not sure how long this wine was supposed to age, but it's become amazing over the years. There are rich aromas of dates and golden raisins as well as violets. Flavors of dried apricots with a foundation of lemony acidity round out the package, and it's got a beautiful amber hue to it.

Looking at this plate, you could easily find the ingredients in a TV dinner or cafeteria lunch menu. Just put a little love and attention in the preparation and find the right wine to make it special. And, of course, eat it at the table surrounded by friends.
[11/15/2008, 06:31]

E-mail Scammers Hit Wine Retailer

One of the latest e-mail scams going around the Internet appears to be targeted at the wine industry. This scam operates at a slightly more sophisticated level than the now famous Nigerian scam. That scam begins with polite greetings (usually in all capital letters) and ends with with promises to share in a large sum of money if the victim will only help with the transfer of a large sum of money out of [insert country name here].

This latest wine focused scam masquerades as request for a private wine tasting and dinner for a large group from "out of town."

Here is the text of the e-mail recently received by a San Francisco wine retailer:

I am Bernie James.I want to book for a group of 10 persons arriving from London for the month of November.They will all come in your place as from November 17th,18th, and 19th each for wine tasting and dine .if you are available for my date,send me details about what you offer and pricing. Contact us via berniejames101@yahoo.co.uk Best regards, Bernie James +447045752007

Innocuous enough, no? When the retailer in question wrote back with a quote, this is what they received in response:

Hello , Thanks for your reply and assistance so far. Base on trust and confidence, I will make a payment of $2,000.00 to you in advance, this is because I m not sure of what the guests might like to eat and drink as such will cover the cost of their meals, and their transportation arrangement to your place.

Moreover, we were able to make an arrangement with a pre-paid car hiring agent who will supply the guests with vehicles and drivers and other logistics prompting and arrangements for the group, which they will be using in going to your place . So in order not to share the credit card information with a third party, I have decided that only one person will have to handle the credit card information.

More so, the prepaid agent is not yet a credit card merchant therefore cannot charge credit cards. On my own side, i would have sent him his money direct. So once you are in receipt of my credit card details,you are required to charge $8,000.00 in your account then deduct $2,000.00 as initial deposit and transfer $6,000.00 to the prepaid car hire agent whose information I will forward to you once this is confirmed.

NOTE: That the Agent will be providing cars and drivers, purchase of flight ticket and visa, luggage handling, security and other logistics prompting and travel arrangements,
Confirm this message and provide me with your
(1) YOUR FULL NAME
(2) FULL ADDRESS
(3) PHONE NUMBERS for office record.
All checks and balances shall be done with the group leader on the final day.

Get back to me immediately.

Regards,
Bernie James
+447045752007

Luckily the retailer in question smelled a rat and stopped communicating with Mr. Bernie James, but he is no doubt busy sending e-mails to other retailers or wineries each day.

It goes without saying, but any requests to transfer money should be looked upon with great suspicion and under no circumstances should companies or individuals give out their bank account numbers, routing numbers, or credit card numbers to prospective "customers." Even if they do have UK cell phone numbers instead of Nigerian ones.

For more information on how to spot fraudulent e-mails, please see this handy guide provided by Microsoft.

[10/06/2008, 16:07]

Wired NextFest 2008

iWe hopped in the car with some friends yesterday and went on a little day trip to Chicago to take in WIRED magazine?s 2008 NextFest , an annual exhibition of emerging technologies.

While not nearly as grand in scale as the 2005 event on Navy Pier, this year?s show in Millennium Park still packs a lot of wow factor in its exhibits ? and admission is free. We were greeted outside the tent by a whimsical, grass-clipping electronic sheep (which later had to be corralled inside after a light rain began to fall). Once inside, there were exhibits relating to about every aspect of modern life, including clothing, art, design, health, transportation, communication, entertainment and the environment.

Toyota, which along with Xerox and Citi is one of this year?s major sponsors, brought along a range of transportation exercises ranging from personal vehicles (imagine a luxurious Segway) to its plug-in Prius, a pre-production model that is currently undergoing real-world shakedown tests. Toyota also is showing its 1X concept vehicle , a lightweight (980 lbs.), fuel-sipping (90 mpg) four-passenger vehicle suitable for urban environments.

Xerox focused on green technology, including its solid-ink printer technology that reduces waste by 90 percent and is much more cost-effective than conventional color printers and a paper that printing fades from over a 24-hour period so that it can be reused. Those who value the permanence of print might find this a strange product, but Xerox was motivated to develop it after determining that more than 40 percent of office printouts are discarded the same day they are printed. Obviously, the potential savings in money and resources made possible by such a technology are enormous, particularly for school systems, large corporations and governmental entities.

In the energy and environment section, a technology that rapidly makes diesel fuel from algae and ultra-efficient photovoltaics that convert 40 percent of the sun?s energy to electricity ? up from 15 percent for conventional solar panels ? were the standouts. For photographers, the Gigapan technology developed by NASA and Carnegie Mellon University is exciting, and apparently will be surprisingly affordable. And while it seems unlikely that you?ll ever see them at Bed, Bath and Beyond, the food-delivery systems created by designer Martin Kastner for chef Grant Achatz will give foodies something to drool over.

Nextfest?s run will continue October 7 through 12 (the show is closed on Mondays). If you get there early, you could have time to wander through the Art Institute across the street or head down to the Museum of Science and Industry to tour the modular, green smart home which will be on display through January 4 of next year. If your route to Chicago takes you up I-65, be advised that major highway construction will cause you to take a detour , whether your preferred route is the Tollway or I-80/94.
[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...
[07/04/2008, 00:20]

Recipe: Pork Tenderloin with Dukkah

i
Joanne's pork tenderloin recipe is easy to prepare and makes for a delicious main course.
[11/23/2008, 17:56]

Charles Sturt University Chardonnay 2007

iOrange, NSW, Australia. Chardonnay. 13.5%. Approx $A13.

I've consumed a handful of cheaper wines this weekend, and whilst the 2005 Wyndam Bin 555 Shiraz was quite good, this puts them all to shame.

Charles Sturt University (home to Australia's leading wine school) sounds like a progressive and interesting place to study. This incredibly cheap but delightful chardonnay is compellingly direct and brisk. Pale with a flash of green, this is pert and laden with stonefruit and crisp acidity.

Very good.
91.
Now.

technorati tags:
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[10/15/2008, 01:20]

Bianchi 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon

i The Award-Winning Wine:

Bianchi 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon

Reason for Reviewing:

Bianchi 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon is one of...

[10/02/2008, 02:28]

A good customer service story

Recently I opened a bottle of Rosemount Estate Show Reserve Shiraz 2002 which was sadly corked. The next day I followed this up with the producer via their website, which led me up submit my request about replacement of corked wine via their online email form.

Flash forward a couple of weeks and I realised I had not received a response and the offending bottle had long since vanished, presumably down the sink. I called up the customer service line explaining the situation, and to cut a short story shorter, a replacement bottle from the current vintage is on its way - bravo Rosemount.

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[11/03/2008, 01:05]

I Wish I Could Tell You

i
I wish I could tell you I'm free of cancer.
I wish I wasn't starting more chemo tomorrow.
I wish I wasn't afraid of the side effects.
I wish I didn't have to see the fear in my children's eyes.
I wish I didn't have to hear my son say 'I feel so helpless'.
I wish Bryan didn't have to cook dinner 'cos I know he doesn't enjoy cooking.
I wish I had an appetite.
I wish I didn't have to cancel lunch in Sydney with Fatemeh.
I wish I'd been able to swim in the ocean with my sister last week when she visited.
I wish I didn't know words like Folfox and Avastin.
I wish I didn't know my CEA.
I wish I didn't have  blood tests every week.
I wish I didn't have to press the button in the elevator marked Oncology.
I wish I could beat the cancer.
I wish I didn't think about my children's future which may not include me.
I wish Bryan and I will grow very old together.
I wish the will to live was enough to overcome my genetics.
I wish I will have the energy to continue blogging.
I wish you will understand when I am too sick to reply to your comments and emails.
I wish you will understand when I visit your blog and don't leave a comment.
I wish one day I could tell you I'm free of cancer.

Thanks to Maryam for helping me find a way to tell you my wishes.
[11/13/2008, 18:22]

No Merlot moving to Urbania.us

http://www.urbania.us

We are moving this blog to Urbania.us. If you would like to write wine reviews for Urbania, visit this link. Write Wine Reviews

[09/05/2008, 22:13]

Free Downloadable Wine Book

i

Best Deal Magazines is currently offering "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Wine" as a downloadable version for free. The guide is currently off of print in bound form, but is loaded with good advice on how to select, taste, and collect wine. Although aimed at the beginning wine lover, there's sure to be something of interest to the experienced sipper also.

To download your copy, visit the Best Deal Magazines Web site. See full article.

Related Entries:

Free Web Wine Club - 30 August 2006

Wine Party in Budapest - 02 September 2006

Hot New WINE Gadget: CATANIA Wine Enhancer - 18 May 2007

Vinturi Helps Wines to Breathe Faster, Taste Better! - 03 October 2007




Contents of this feed are a property of Creative Weblogging Limited and are protected by copyright laws. Violations will be prosecuted. Please email us if you'd like to use this feed for non-commercial activities at feeds - at - creative-weblogging.com.
[10/01/2007, 21:46]

Oregon Pinot Harvest Delayed by Weather

The Pinot Gris harvest in Oregon's Willamette Valley was set back even further by rain, and even some hail last weekend. On Sunday alone, it rained over an inch in parts of the Willamette Valley. It also hailed in various locations. While any widespread damage to the grapes is unknown at this point, the continued cool, soggy weather can't be good for the grape development at this late stage.

Grapes need to attain a certain sugar level (measured in Brix) to achieve proper ripening and balance.
[11/16/2008, 08:20]

Alfredo Roca Mendoza Pinot Noir 2007

i
You might have to walk past this one a few times before you pick it up. The small black and white vineyard scene on the label depicts terroir, but it does so in a quiet way. You eventually pick up the bottle. After all, it's an affordable Pinot Noir, and you're curious about its roots in Argentina. Flipping to the back label, you read the description and discover this is one of Dan Kravitz' Hand Picked Selections. That closes the sale on the first of many bottles.

At any given time, if you find an importer that you can trust, that's great. If that importer is finding real bargains, you have a personal shopper. There are so many labels and so much good wine out there, a solid importer like Dan Kravitz can help you cut through a lot of clutter.

Alfredo Roca Mendoza Pinot Noir 2007 is a versatile red with nothing to hide. Though terroir is a difficult term to define, this wine embodies it. Beneath the bright garnet color, you begin to pick up some rocky overtones in addition to the prevailing black cherry, vanilla and roasted aromas that conspire to stimulate your appetite. Then plum and red currant preserves, herbal and earthy flavor notes carry through to a warm and rustic dry finish. There's a nice complexity here and not an overwhelming sense of oak or alcohol in the way of the fruit of the vines.

Good as a starter, you can pair this Pinot Noir with a wide variety of dishes. We can vouch for roast chicken, pork tenderloin medallions in a savory gravy, and pan grilled wild salmon. This sort of versatility makes it a candidate for the holiday table.

Price: $12 (Nashville). Closure: Nomacork. Alcohol content: 13%.

[10/15/2008, 19:38]

2008 Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition

The 4th Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition invited 800 Eastern wineries from Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New...

[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.


i

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

i 

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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[09/03/2008, 21:06]

Exciting Announcement - The DeLong Iberian Wine Map - with help from Catavino

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Since day one, I’ve wanted a map of the wine regions of Spain and Portugal. Seems like a simple request, and if I couldn’t have one of Iberia, at least you would think that there would be one of Spain and another of Portugal. You would think. You would also be wrong, sort of. Announcement

Interestingly, there are no good maps of the peninsula we call Iberia, or at least as it relates to wine. Wines of Spain, the bureaucratic agency in charge of promoting Spanish wine, does have an outdated map, but you can’t get a copy of it. I had a prominent tour guide friend of mine once ask to buy a few copies to give to her clients, all of which were on wine tours, and she was told it was not possible. Hence, I’m not sure why they made it. We had to steal a few copies from a regional government’s office, and while we use them occasionally, in truth, they are worthless.

That said, Portugal is no better, and I have yet to find a map that accurately sums up the many nuances in a very confusing set of regional wine laws. And considering that there is little consensus among differing governmental maps, it is clear that one concise and accurate map was desperately in need to be created.

Enter the DeLong wine company, creator of such treasures as the Wine Varietal Table. Having encountered way too many inaccurate regional wine maps around the world, Steve decided to fix the problem by making his own map. Smart guy! The best part for us is that he asked us to help him out. Now, we can’t claim much in the way of contributions to this map, but we did make sure he included some important landmarks and we worked with him to make some editorial decisions on how to handle certain place names and regional identities. I asked him a few questions about how this map came about:

Why did you choose to start with Iberia?

We started with Iberia for three main reasons: 1. It’s the most dynamic (and constantly changing!) area in the wine world - but you already knew that! 2. There wasn’t a good map available (for France there are a few) 3. It’s a great looking land mass.

Which regions are next on your list?

We’re working on France and Germany right now, which will be available early next year. Then on to Italy, and finally, the New World!

What makes this map different from other wine region maps?

The one very simple thing that distinguishes these wine maps from others is that the wine regions don’t stop at the border. In reality, the wine regions reflect the regional differences that underlie the country borders. Catalunya and the Basque Country, which both overlap France and Spain, are just two examples.

Hence, this is just the start of a much bigger plan to cover the planet with quality wine resources - something that is SORELY needed! We hope that this first map is a resource that we can not only learn from, but can also use when reading about Catavino’s adventures throughout Spain and Portugal.

And best of all, if you click here and buy the Iberian wine map through the Catavino website, a small portion of the sale will come back to us - something we would appreciate! Also, if you are in Spain and want to see this in Spanish, please let us know. We are considering translating it into Spanish and Portuguese if we find enough interest. Also, if you have a wine shop and would like either English or Spanish versions of this map, just send us a note at map(at)Catavino(dot)net, and we’ll tell you about additional opportunities to buy larger quantities.

We’re very excited about this and feel VERY privileged to have Iberia be the first map of the series, a testament to the importance of this rich and exciting wine region. We hope that if Iberian Wine interests you at all, you’ll pick one up and let us know what you think.

Cheers,

Ryan Opaz

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All content protected by a Creative Commons License2005-2008. Catavino.net.

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[08/19/2008, 00:15]

Home Depot Scam

iImage via Wikipedia

Since I don’t want to SPAM my friends over e-mail I thought I’d relay this joke on my blog and let people opt-in to reading it… I thought it was funny!

Home Depot Scam

Be Careful - A ‘heads up’ for those men who may be regular Home Depot customers. Over the last month I became a victim of a clever scam while out shopping. Simply going out to get supplies has turned out to be
quite traumatic. Don’t be naïve enough to think it couldn’t happen to you or your friends.

Here’s how the scam works:

Two very hot 20-21 year-old girls come
over to your car as you are packing your stuff into the trunk. They both start wiping your windshield with a rag and Windex, with their breasts almost falling out of their skimpy T-shirts. It is impossible not to look. When you thank them and offer them a tip, they say ‘No’ and instead they ask you for a ride to Lowes. You agree and they get in the backseat. On the way, they start undressing. Then one of them climbs over into the front seat and starts crawling all over you, while the other one steals your wallet.

I had my wallet stolen March 4th, 9th, 10th, twice on the 15th, 17th, 20th, 24th & 29th.  Also April 1st, 4th, twice on the 8th, 16th, 23rd, 26th, 30th, three times last Saturday and very likely again this upcoming weekend.

So tell your friends to be careful.

P.S. Walmart has wallets on sale 2.99 each.

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[11/15/2006, 11:53]

Don't blame it on the cork

iMany people would be able to identify a bottle of wine that was truly faulty and, in a restaurant, ask for a replacement. But would you be able to tell what the fault was or what to blame for it? It is all to do with perception threshold. Different faults require different parts per thousand or even million to be perceived.

Some people are more sensitive to certain faults than others so while the host, who may taste the wine as it is brought to the table, is happily quaffing, one or more guests could be secretively retching into their napkins. Depending on how well you know your host and judging, diplomatically, how much of an ego dent your comments could produce, it might be worth discreetly asking people to have another careful sniff.

 At a wine faults workshop this week, it was made clear that a fault is only a fault if the people drinking the wine consider it to be. For example the "fault" brett - produced from brettanomyces yeast acting on the phenolic acids of the grape - is a characteristic that some tasters love and some winemakers deliberately introduce. It can produce strong animal characteristics that enhance a wine's complexity and increases some people's pleasure.

Of course it is very important to get the balance right because the smallest increase tips a wine over from animal (yum) to bretty (yuck).  And even in the lower doses some people adore the fragrant pong while others will recoil in horror at the filthy stench. Perception is all.

Then there is actual corkiness. Produced by TCA, TBA and TeCA it has various origins like the high levels of chlorine used to clean the winery and equipment, the breakdown of other cleaning agents by funghi in the winery - low ventilation and high humidity contibuting to high levels in the atmosphere.

The cork industry is keen to point out that it is not something inherently present in the corks more of a contamination at the winery. The plastic in alternative closure linings etc are equally susceptible to this contamination. With increased awareness, far higher standards of hygiene than ever before and alternative cleaning solutions available the problem should be getting better. However despite some high profile cases in California back in 2004, there are still many wineries taking the easy