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Ben Feder Passed Away

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009 | Hudson Valley, New York, Wine News | No Comments

I am sad to hear of the passing Clinton Vineyards’ Ben Feder, who died last Thursday. Clinton was one of the first Hudson Valley wineries I visited several years ago, and is just minutes from my home. I always enjoyed talking to Ben when I’d see him at a wine event or at the Rhinebeck Farmer’s Market. He was quite a character and a memorable personality.

Ben and his wife Phyllis established Clinton Vineyards in 1977. I have not heard anything about what will happen to the vineyard. My sincerest condolences to his family.

Interesting Study on Drinking and Pregnancy

Friday, October 31st, 2008 | Wine News | 1 Comment

I think that pretty much everyone knows that it is recommended (at least here in the U.S.) that pregnant women abstain from alcohol during the pregnancy. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), alcohol abuse can have many negative effects on your baby including:

• Miscarriage
• Fetal alcohol syndrome, the most common cause of mental retardation in babies
• Physical defects
• Low birth weight
• Hyperactivity
• Decreased attention span

So I thought it was interesting to read about a study performed by the University College London that claims boys borns to mothers who drank lightly “are better behaved and score more highly in tests at the age of three than the sons of women who abstained.” The article does not define what constitutes a “light drinker.”

Here’s an excerpt:

Boys born to mothers who drank lightly were 40% less likely to have conduct problems and 30% less likely to be hyperactive, even when the differences between social and economic circumstances were taken into account. They also scored more highly in vocabulary tests and were better able to identify shapes, colours, letters and numbers.

The research has the authority of a large study - it involved 12,495 children - but is likely to further fuel the controversy over alcohol in pregnancy.

I’ve read other studies that claim a drink or two per week (mostly likely with a meal) won’t harm an unborn child, but of course there are plenty of other studies that show it is best to not drink at all. Interesting stuff, though.

Fat Bastard Wines Wear Pink Ribbon For 6th Year

Thursday, August 28th, 2008 | France, Wine News, Wines Under $20 | No Comments

For the sixth consecutive year, Fat Bastard wines will be donating a portion of its sales during the months of September and October to help in the fight against this disease. During these two months Click Wine Group will donate 25 cents from every bottle sold in retail stores and restaurants up to a total of $75,000. Over the past five years, the company has donated nearly a quarter of a million dollars to the cause.

In the past, money donated by Click Wine Group has helped pay for 25 months of rent, utilities and nutritious food for breast cancer patients in Southern California. It has also allowed the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center to participate in one of the largest breast cancer prevention trials ever conducted.

During September and October, Fat Bastard wines will have special “Live Large, Spread Hope” neckers around the bottle with an attached enamel pink ribbon pin for consumers to wear in show of their support. The wine retails for around $10.99 and are widely distributed.

Like a Deer in a Wine Shop

Thursday, June 5th, 2008 | Wine News | 1 Comment

A Fond-du-Lac, Wisconsin wine shop got an unexpected delivery of Stag’s Leap yesterday. That is, a deer jumped through the door of Cujak’s Wine Market (near the Cabernet section), as owner Sara Cujak was helping a customer choose a Merlot. According to fldreporter.com, the deer could not get good footing on the hardwood floor and staggered its way out the back door eventually. Incredibly, not a single bottle of wine was damaged. The same could not be said for the deer, unfortunately. The animal had to be put down due to the injuries it sustained when it crashed through the door.

Free Drinks on Select Virgin Flights

Saturday, May 17th, 2008 | Wine News | 1 Comment

Over the past few weeks, there have been several chances to score some free food. Let’s see… there were chicken breakfast sandwiches, chicken lunch/dinner sandwiches, ice cream, iced coffee, and more ice cream. But I know what you’re thinking: where is the free booze? Well, for obvious reasons it’s not so easy to get a free glass of wine or a free cocktail. However, Virgin America airlines have heard you and are ready to answer your request with SuperFly Wednesdays. Passengers aged 21 and over can enjoy two cocktails, on the house, if they are one one of these flights:

When:
Wednesdays, May 21st and 28th, June 4th, 11th, and 18th

Where:
Flt 313, JFK to LAX, departs 5:05 pm
Flt 1839, SFO to LAX, departs 6 pm
Flt 1777, SFO to LAS, departs 7:15 pm
Flt 1852, LAX to SFO, departs at 3:55pm

For more information and updates, visit Virgin America’s Promo Page.

[image credit: elvinstar]

A Toast to a True Wine Pioneer

Friday, May 16th, 2008 | California, Wine News | No Comments

Today Robert Mondavi passed away age 94. As a wine blogger and owner of a wine shop, not to mention a huge fan of California wines, I feel it is only right to raise a glass in his honor tonight.

Cork Recycling

Thursday, May 8th, 2008 | Wine News | 4 Comments

I love my corks. After we finish drinking a bottle of wine, I toss the cork (provided it’s not synthetic) into a basket. I can’t bear to throw them away for a couple reasons. First, a lot of the corks have fun memories attached to them (birthdays, holidays, a great dinner out, etc.). But also I fancy myself to be a crafty kind of girl and plan on using them to make a cork wreath later this summer, once I’ve acquired a handful or two more. But not everyone has a project in mind. Some people just put the corks in a bowl and before long they have amassed quite a collection and might not know what to do with them. What a shame to throw away all that cork!

Well did you know that you can recycle your corks? Yemm & Hart is running an experimental wine cork recycling program. Their goal is to convert them into a self-sustaining product and raise awareness of the cork oak tree. Last year, almost 3,000 pounds of corks had been collected! (I wonder how many bottles of wine were consumed?) According to their Web site, 1,146 people have contributed their corks — some people several times. Yemm & Hart will produce cork tiles that can be used for walls, floors, or other projects. If you are interested, you can mail off your wine and champagne corks to:

Wine Cork Recycling
Yemm & Hart Ltd
610 South Chamber Dr.
Fredericktown, MO 63645

I think this is a pretty amazing project and if I find that I don’t have the time to make my own cork crafts I might separate out the really special corks and happily send the rest to Missouri! Just something to consider.

Kentucky: More Than Bourbon

Monday, April 28th, 2008 | Kentucky, Wine Events, Wine News | 1 Comment

I will be the first to admit that bourbon and horse racing are the first two think that spring to mind when someone says “Kentucky.” But did you know that the state has 47 wineries? The wine industry is being revived in the Bluegrass State. Prohibition nearly destroyed it but people are working hard to build it back up.

In a press release, Agriculture Commissioner and Kentucky State Fair Board Member Richie Farmer said, “The growth of our wine industry is generating economic activity in our rural communities. It’s also creating demand for grapes, which helps Kentucky farmers. The Kentucky Department of Agriculture, the University of Kentucky and the Kentucky Grape and Wine Council are working together to expand the industry and make the Commonwealth a producer of great wine.”

To draw attention to their home-grown grapes, this year there will be a commercial wine competition at the Kentucky State Fair. The competition will have 50 categories, and the competing wines must be made from at least 75% Kentucky-grown grapes (or other fruit grown in the state). The competition will be judged on Aug. 10, and each entry will be showcased during the Kentucky State Fair, which runs Aug. 14-24. For more information, visit www.kystatefair.org Entry forms will be available beginning May 12.

Flayvors of Washington Recipe Contest

Friday, April 11th, 2008 | Food & Wine Pairing, Wine News | No Comments

Last May, celebrity chef Bobby Flay entered into a partnership with Columbia Crest wines to promote their brand and show how people can enjoy food and wine together everyday. I think that it’s important for people to understand that wine really can be an everyday enjoyment, so I’m excited about a contest that Columbia Crest is sponsoring. “The Flayvors of Washington” recipe contest will be hosted on the Food Network site and challenges you to take inspiration from Washington State’s fresh ingredients and Columbia Crest wines and create an original recipe. The contest will begin on April 15, 2008, and all entries must be received by midnight on May 31, 2008.  To submit an entry or find out more about the “Flayvors of Washington” contest, please visit www.foodnetwork.com/columbiacrest beginning April 15 (note that the contest portion of the Food Network’s Web site does not seem to be live yet — check back when the contest officially begins).

The entries will be reviewed and the top ten recipes will be narrowed to a selection of five finalists by Columbia Crest Winemaker Ray Einberger and Seattle Times restaurant critic and local NPR food commentator Nancy Leson. Flay and Food Network Executive Chef Robert Bleifer will then judge the top-five recipes and select a first-, second- and third-place winner.

The grand prize winner will enjoy a trip to New York City, and get to cook the winning dish with ”Boy Meets Grill” himself at one of his restaurants. (Sorry Canadians, this contest is only open to residents of the United States.)

Staten Island Wine Country

Thursday, February 21st, 2008 | New York, Wine News | No Comments

Watch out, Long Island! Before long, you might not be the only show in town when it comes to southern New York state wine country. Staten Island is hot on your heels. According to an article in the NY Daily News, the borough is getting its own vineyard. While some people often compare the wines of Long Island to those of France (particularly Bordeaux), the plans are for the wine from Staten Island to have a Tuscan twist, reflective of the Italian-American population living there. Thirty-eight percent of people living on Staten Island have a little Italian in their blood.

The 2-acre Tuscan Garden Vineyard Project will be planted on a Snug Harbor hilltop by spring 2009, officials said yesterday.

“We’ll be creating, I’m sure, a serious wine,” declared winemaker Piergiorgio Castellani Jr., co-owner of Italy’s Castellani Wines. The Italian winery, near Pisa - as in leaning tower of - produces 18 million bottles of wine annually.

Castellani estimated the 2,000-vine organic plot planned for the Staten Island Botanical Garden will produce as much as 7,000 bottles a year. The vineyard is to complement the Tuscan Garden Villa at the botanic garden.

The wine that will be produced will not be sold at wine shops. The project leaders are hoping that it will be served at government functions. It seems that this venture really is part of a larger rebranding of Staten Island, which many people unfortunately associate only with the Fresh Kills landfill. Hopefully the project will be successful and the vineyard will draw tourists to the area.