Tuesday, August 10, 2010

2008 Rielle Chardonnay, on the vine

Sonoma growers face nervous wait

http://www.decanter.com/news/300816.html

Wine growers on the Sonoma Coast and in the Russian River Valley face a nail-biting wait to discover if 2010 will be a great vintage – or ruined by rain.

A low pressure system sitting off California's north coast has created highly unusual weather conditions in the area this summer, with coastal fogs and temperatures in the 60s and 70s Fahrenheit, rather than the more normal 80s and 90s.

As a result, grapes have ripened slowly, giving the potential for exceptional quality – but growers are concerned that they might not be able to finish the harvest before the onset of October rain.

'We pride ourselves on growing grapes in the cool climate of the Russian River Valley,' said John Erbe, viticulturalist at J Vineyards & Winery, which farms throughout the Russian River Valley.

'But this cold summer weather has put the brakes on a harvest that typically would have already started.'

Speaking last week, Erbe said veraison was only now taking place in most of the company's Pinot Noir vineyards, leaving another 30-45 days before a likely harvest date, some 2-3 weeks later than usual.

But he added: 'Our concerns will ease should a warmer summer weather pattern arrive.'

Female wine drinkers overtake men — who still get the wine list

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/living/2011770215_wine06.html

Female wine drinkers overtake men — who still get the wine list

Only 13 women are certified as master sommeliers out of 130 worldwide.

Bloomberg News

By John Mariani

I was surprised to read that 53 percent of wine drinkers in the United States are women, according to the Wine Market Council. And last year, women matched men as "core drinkers," those who drink wine at least once a week.

That trend may accelerate if women heed the results of a recent survey of 20,000 women over 13 years by Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital. The poll showed that women who regularly drink a moderate amount of alcohol, particularly red wine, are less likely to have long-term weight gain than non-drinkers.

Nevertheless, when a man and a woman sit down to dinner in a restaurant, it's usually the guy who grabs or is handed the wine list and chooses the bottle.

Wine May Reduce Both the Risk and Severity of Arthritis

http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/43326

A U.K. study finds people who drink more than 10 days a month are less likely to develop the painful disease
Jacob Gaffney
Posted: August 9, 2010

A new study suggests that regular alcohol consumption decreases the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis and can lessen the symptoms of the disease for those who already suffer from it. The authors of the study, a team of doctors at the University of Sheffield U.K., caution that the results are limited, but the findings could lead to valuable new research for limiting this painful, often disabling condition.

Arthritis affects an estimated 1 percent of the world's population, attacking joints with painful inflammation. The cause is unknown. Moderate consumption of alcohol is known to help reduce inflammation, and previous studies have shown that alcohol can reduce the risk of arthritis in rodents.

Crush Barrel Wine Market Saturday, September 25, 2010 at 12:00pm

Fort Mason, Fleet Room Building D Marina Blvd. and Buchanan St. (99 Marina Blvd. San Francisco 94123) San Francisco, CA 94123

Saturday September 25th, 12:00 - 5:00pm

http://vinomoda.com/event/crush-barrel/

The Crush Barrel Wine Market is the first of its kind to offer the consumers $10 instant rebate towards the purchase of wine. This one day indoor event takes place at Fort Mason Fleet Room Building D. Northern California’s premiere wine tasting & wine market, celebrating the Bay Area’s vintners, food purveyors, specialty vendors, live music and more. Lauic Paiva a Brazilian Singer & Acoustic Guitar Player, with a very sweet voice, she creates a delightful tropical atmosphere everywhere she performs, making everybody feel like they are on some beautiful sunny beach in Brazil.

Event Information:

Location: Fort Mason, Fleet Room Building D

Marina Blvd. and Buchanan St. (99 Marina Blvd. San Francisco 94123)

San Francisco, CA 94123

When: September 25th, 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Live Music: Laucia Paiva & Brian Byrnes - Bossa Nova ( Brazilian Jazz ) & “MPB” Popular Music is her style, singing many hits from famous Brazilian Composers and Singers, like Tom Jobim, Joao Gilberto, Joao Bosco, Vinicius de Moraes, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Elis Regina, Marisa Monte and many others.