A Scary Wine List for Halloween

Here are some holiday-appropriate wines that won't have you saying, "Blah! Blah!" like Dracula.
Texas Tribune writer David Dickson pays homage to some spook-tacular out-of-state wines that offer a truly scary state of mind. Dickson writes:

"Sinister Hand, Hocus Pocus and Seven Deadly Zins are scary wines, or at least wines with scary names. Yes, it's time to dust off the vampire fangs and get ready for Halloween. Unfortunately, the scariest thing at some Halloween parties is going to be the wine. Why is it that some people (who will remain nameless unless you ask me) are willing to serve a wine to 20 guests at a party that they wouldn't be caught dead serving to two guests for dinner? Sure, you don't want to spend a fortune on party wine, but with just a little effort you can find some perfectly acceptable wine for about the same cost as that really scary stuff we've all been served at parties. You can dress up your Halloween party this year with some real scary wines like Bulls Blood and Vampire. The good news is that despite their scary names, these are wines that you don�t have to be afraid to serve.

"What could be more appropriate for Halloween than Vampire Wine? That's right, Vampire Wine. Would I kid you about something like this? There are five varietal wines offered by Vampire: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay. These wines come from various places, including Transylvania, but Vampire Wine is based in Paso Robles, Calif. half-way between Los Angeles and San Francisco. While the name implies otherwise, Vampire appears to be a serious winemaker, producing inexpensive, yet drinkable wines."

Read the rest of the article here, if you dare.

Global Financial Crisis: Wine Owners Cashing In Cellars

The global financial crisis isn't sparing private collections any more than it is your 401(k). From Wall Street to Colorado to California, suddenly-strapped wine aficionados are liquidating their cellars for a quick infusion of cash. According to Reuters, "Wine Collectors Eye Cellars for Liquidity," to pay down debt, stay afloat or to use as self-funded "bridge loans." Or so writes Reuters Reporter Lisa Baertlein:

"LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Wine cellars have been taking a hit from the global credit crisis and it isn't because the owners of rare bottles are drinking more -- it's because they have been selling to raise cash.

"The selling started with mortgage brokers and has moved to Wall Street as owners turn their collections of coveted vintages into liquid assets.

"'People need money. Even richer people need money sometimes,' Vinfolio.com founder and Chief Executive Stephen Bachmann told Reuters on Monday.

"In the last few weeks, private collectors submitted offers to sell $10 million worth of wine to Vinfolio, a San Francisco-based company that buys and sells wine online. Normally the company has about $6 million offered to it.

"Among the wines that that recently have come into Vinfolio's possession are a 6-liter Imperiale of 2003 Chateau Margaux that retails for almost $15,000 and a bottle of 1990 Romanee-Conti that lists for around $11,000.

"One Aspen (Colorado) collector is looking to sell $750,000 worth of wine and another individual from the private equity world is offering up wine worth about $500,000 from his collection, he said."

You can read the rest of the article here.

Uncle Bob's Excellent Adventure, Part 3

So, to bring you up to speed: Palisade Tribune Editor Bob Dougherty stayed with the Wine Country Inn for four nights in September. Dougherty described his visit in his weekly column, "A Visit with Uncle Bob." To set the stage, Bob has just watched a winning Broncos game. Flush with vicarious victory, Uncle Bob slept soundly through night, and has just entered the lobby the next morning, very hungry:

"Breakfast at the Wine Country Inn is an elaborate affair, served buffet-style. There were waffles, scrambled eggs, bacon, hard boiled eggs, fruit salad, muffins, toast, fresh orange juice, pastries, granola, Cheerios, oranges, bananas, coffee, milk, etc., a variety of jellies and marmalades.

"My first floor north-facing room in the three-story Guest House had a patio, which was a wonderful treat. Sitting there provided a perfect vantage point to study the Palisades and Mt. Lincoln, and to watch the cars and semis roll by on the Interstate. For the life of me, I can't understand what is keeping some of those rocks in place. It looks as though they will start tumbling down at any minute.

"On the weekend ahead, the hotel will host its first wedding, then another one a week later. There is a trellis structure, a pergola, which is affectionately known as the 'bridal launching pad.' The bride and bridesmaids will march from there to the pavilion, where the ceremony will take place."

So there you have it, a first hand account from Uncle Bob of many of our hotel's amenities. Please feel free to visit and add your own first person accounts!

Uncle Bob's Excellent Adventure, Part 2

After a four night stay, Bob Dougherty of the Palisade Tribune wrote some very nice things about the Wine Country Inn. In his weekly column, "A Visit with Uncle Bob," Dougherty wrote:

"My room had a king size bed with an extra thick mattress and box springs, so much so that I actually had to get (up) into bed, rather than just sit down on it. I slept straight through like a baby. That's of note because I usually find it takes a couple of nights to become comfortable in strange surroundings.

"On three of the nights, I went downtown to either the Red Rose Cafe to Inari's. But on the fourth night, I was glad the room was equipped with a microwave. AT this point, non of our restaurants are open on Mondays. The room also had a refrigerator/freezer, coffee pot, and an iron and ironing board. Add in a flat screen, high definition, plasma TV.

"And talking about TV, can you believe what the Broncos did that Sunday? The hotel has a wine tasting from 4:30 to 5:30 pm every day, and I watched the game in the comfortably furnished breakfast/tasting room with a small but boisterous contingent of Denver fans. After the uproar died down after the two-point conversion won the game, I said, 'Not artful, but we'll take the win.'"

Go Broncos! And look for Part 3 of the column tomorrow.

Uncle Bob's Excellent Adventure, Part 1

Bob Dougherty of the Palisade Tribune recently stayed with the Wine Country Inn for four nights. Since then, he has written prolifically about his experience. In his column, "A Visit With Uncle Bob," Dougherty called his stay, "An Abode, a Home Not So Very Far Away From Home:"

"I had an interesting experience last week. I spent four nights at Palisade's new hotel, the Wine Country Inn. Insamuch as my home is only about ten blocks away. I felt a little bit weird. However, my shower at home was being rebuilt, so there was a good reason to stay at the hotel.

"It was something like a mini-vacation. I took advantage of the hot tub a couple of nights, and that was a delight. I had almost forgotten how restful and soothing the water was, and the jets took the kinks out of my muscles.

"The Tally family -- Richard and Jean, their son Greg, and their daughter Anne -- were marvelous hosts. General Manager Scott Meyer has assembled a wonderful staff of pleasant and attentive people.

"Over the years, I've been blessed by being able to stay at some of the world's most renowned hotels, including a couple of Ritz Carltons, generally recognized as being the best in the industry. Well, the Wine Country Inn doesn't take a back seat to any of them."

Wow. Thanks, Uncle Bob. More of this column tomorrow.

Major Wine Magazine Relocates to Denver

Many of the major food and wine publications are located in L.A. or New York City, right? Wrong. One prominent magazine and trade show is based right here in Colorado.

Under the headline, "Wine Country Network Helps Put City on Wine Map," Denver Daily News Reporter Joshua Wolpe writes:

"Of the many consequences felt around the country and the world on Sept. 11, 2001, the emergence of Denver to the international wine scene was an extremely unlikely one.?

"But it was shortly after that day that Christopher and Darcy Davies began to think about relocating from New York City.

"The Davies also wanted a different city to raise their children in and a better location between the two coasts to do business.

"The Davies started their business, Wine Country Network, Inc. (WCN), in New York in 2002 and moved to Colorado in September 2003.

"'Colorado is a great place to be positioned between New York and California,' Christopher said. 'It?s the best move we could have made.'

"WCN is a multi-platform media and event company that publishes the nationally distributed 'Wine Country International Magazine,' produces 'Travel, Wine and Cuisine' radio and several International wine festivals. WCN has also been appointed exclusive worldwide sales and marketing agent for Wine Trails GPS, which is custom software designed for enhancing touring in wine countries."

You can read the rest of the story here.

2008 Palisade Grape Harvest LargerThan Ever

It's bigger and better than ever before, if somewhat tardy. We're talking about the 2008 Palisade grape harvest. It's been a common sight during September and October: the grape varietals are being loaded into overflowing plastic bins and carted around on flatbeds behind chugging tractors all over Orchard Mesa. This blogger was privileged enough to taste fresh Semillon juice right off the press, warm and sweet, with small grape leaves swirling around inside the mug. Amazing!

Under the headline, "Grape Harvest Starts Late, Up 11.44 Percent," the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel staff wrote:

"Mirroring a season that started two weeks behind, the wine grape harvest in western Colorado finally is off and running.

“It’s going full-blown right now,” said Horst Caspari, state viticulturist at the Colorado State University research station on Orchard Mesa.

“Winemakers have been playing catch-up the last couple of weeks,” Caspari said late last week. “But most of the varieties are ready to go.”

Chardonnay and merlot should be finished by this weekend with some viognier and early sangiovese coming in next.

"Cabernet sauvignon might be another week or so off, but the syrah is nearly ready, Caspari said.

"A stop Saturday for some syrah grapes at Pat Brennan’s vineyard on Orchard Mesa found Brennan and his workers going full speed to keep up the mixed harvest of grapes and apples.

“'We have some cabernet sauvignon, merlot and riesling still hanging along with a couple other varietals,' Brennan said, standing in a shed surrounded by boxes of Golden Delicious apples while bags of MacIntosh and Galas were stacked nearby. 'We’ll pick them when (the winemaker) wants us to.'

"At this stage in the grapes’ development, growers and winemakers now are watching sugar and acid levels."

You can read the rest of the column here. And what are your harvest time experience with fresh off the vine grapes? Please tell us; we're dying to know!

Mild Winter, Economic Crisis Weigh Heavily On Minds of Local Ski Resorts

This article was written in the good old days of summer, when high fuel prices and a sluggish economy were all Americans had to worry about. Now, in a post Wall Street crash world, this piece on a mild winter, high airfare costs and high prices takes on a new intensity.

It is important to point out that American Airlines has some pretty sweet deals to Grand Junction and to our area ski resort, Powderhorn. Rather than break the bank this winter on Aspen or Vail, why not choose Colorado's Wine Country and the Wine Country Inn instead. Tough economic times doesn't mean you have to skip the champagne powder.

Under the headline, "Mild Winter a Chilling Thought for U.S. Ski Resorts," Scott Malone writes the following analysis:

"BOSTON (Reuters) - With the U.S. economy stuttering, the owners of the nation's ski resorts get chills worrying if a mild winter and the growing hassles of airline travel will leave their slopes bare this year.

"The nation's 10.6 million well-heeled downhill skiers and snowboarders typically find a way to get out on the mountains when snow falls, data shows. But current worries about the economy may prompt some, particularly in the Northeast, to drive to nearby mountains rather than flying to destination resorts in Colorado and Utah this year.

"That could leave resorts light on guests during the off-peak weekends, when traffic is not boosted by school and work holidays.

"'The concerns this year may center on the higher cost of air travel, the nickel-and-diming by the airlines,' said Hayley Wolff, senior research analyst at Rochdale Research, who follows the tourism sector.

"Rising airfares, not to mention moves by carriers including American Airlines (AMR.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and United Airlines (UAUA.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) to hike fees for checked luggage, could turn off skiers, who travel with bulky equipment."

You can read the rest of the article here.

Forget Black Holes; Particle Accelerators Good For Dating Wine

You may have heard some of the recent controversy over whether or not the massive particle accelerator underground beneath the Swiss-French border will generate a tiny black hole with enough gravitational pull to swallow the earth. (Seriously, folks, go Google it). While most physicists including the inestimable Stephen Hawking scoff at this Doomsday scenario, and the massive particle accelerator itself suffers from chronic technical difficulties and delays, French scientists have discovered, in our humble opinion, a far superior use for particle accelerators. Why use it for quantum physics and discovering the building blocks of the Big Bang when you can it to date wine?

In a recent piece headlined, "Scientists Use Particle Accelerator to Date Wine," the Reuters wire service wrote:

"PARIS (Reuters) - French scientists have devised a way of using particle accelerators to authenticate vintage wines, one of France's top research bodies said this week.

"The new method tests the age of the glass in wine bottles by analyzing X-rays emitted when the bottles are placed under ion beams produced by a particle accelerator, the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) said in a statement.

'"This enables the age of bottles and their origin to be verified and thus a vintage to be authenticated, a bit like the signature of a painter on a masterpiece, all without opening the bottle and without affecting in any way the content,' it said.

"By comparing the results with a database containing detailed information on 80 bottles from the Bordeaux region from the 19th century to the present day, the tests can help indicate the vintage of many wines."

Not exactly discovering the vintage of the origin of the universe, but a darn good way to date your glass!

You can read the rest of the article here.

Wine Consumption Up Globally

In her August 26 article, "Current Trends in and Around the World of Wines," blogger and Wine Examiner Leslie Cramer scrutinized the increasing numbers of wine consumers globally. Of course, this was written before the scary, scary days of a market meltdown and severe recessionary fears. But we've heard in other quarters that one of the few commodities that's recession proof is alcohol. People gotta drown their sorrows somehow.

Cramer wrote:

"In the second of a series of articles related to trends in the online wine industry, Global Wine & Spirits is now taking a look at who drives wine consumption worldwide and what the role of the Internet is in market growth.

"World wine consumption is up, slightly. According to Vinexpo 2007, this represents a 1 percent yearly growth in expected volumes and 2.3 percent in expected value between 1999 and 2009. While the news is better for higher-valued wines overall, this growth is not happening everywhere and the US market has been the main engine for this growth. In fact, according to Adams Handbook, wine volumes grew a whopping 46 percent between 1996 and 2006 for the American market.

"Taking a closer look at these consumers and their drinking habits, and based on a study of the Wine Market Council, it is interesting to note that a core group of drinkers is driving consumption and therefore growth. This core group of drinkers according to the same study represents 17.4 percent of the population, but consumes 92 percent of volumes. These consumers are going online too: while 5 percent of these core drinkers had bought online in 2000, this number was up to 20 percent in 2006! They have also been buying from wineries: While 6% had bought from a winery site in 2003, 17 percent had bought from a winery website in 2006.

"One wonders if this trend will spread outside the U.S., and what impact this will have on the online wine industry. A way to answer that is perhaps to look at generational behavior. The under 30 population (Millennial Generation) are heavy Internet users. There is no doubt that they are a force to be reckoned with and that their consumption behavior for wines will mirror trends observed in their consumption patterns elsewhere."

You can read the rest of this article here.

More Press Coverage for the Wine Country Inn, Part 2

In the second half of his article, "A Four Day Vacation at an Exquisite and Elegant Inn," Palisade Tribune Editor Bob Dougherty wrote:

"The landscaping of this property has a mature look about it with large trees, rose bushes, planters and hanging baskets. They blend so well with their surroundings that one imagines the botanical gardens have been transplanted

"Spending time after dark, watching the rooster [weather vane], there are moments when his eyes catch the light; they sparkle and seem to be glaring right at you. Someone needs to give the poor fellow a name. Ten Acre Red seems appropriate, after one of the inn's wines.

"This hotel is serene, peaceful and exciting. Visitors from Germany and France mingle with Coloradans from Colorado Springs and Centennial.

"One evening during the 4:30-5:30 p.m. wine tasting, Anne Tally made a delicious Peach Bellini of white wine, a prepared mix (you can buy it in the gift shop), and Peach Rimming Sugar. She served it to all the guests.

"One funny thing happened. The hair dryer had a terribly short cord, which called for some ridiculous gyrations in the mornings. Then I found out the cord was retractable. Duh.

"The housekeeping is meticulous, and the staff is first rate. The towels alone, their size and number per room, are worth a stay.

"Treat yourself to a visit soon."

Thanks, Bob. You're welcome to stay with us again any time.

More Press Coverage for the Wine Country Inn, Part 1

Our ears must be burning because someone is talking about us again. Bob Dougerty, Editor of the Palisade Tribune, stayed at the WCI for four nights in September. He described his experience in the Tribune. Under the headline, "A Four Day Vacation at an Exquisite and Elegant Inn," Dougherty wrote:

"High atop Palisade's Wine Country Inn a majestic rooster weather vane captures light from the moon, I-70 traffic and the lighting on the grounds, as it stands sentinel over the four hotel structures and adjoining 13 acres of vineyards.

"A stay here is to experience elegance, from the pool and spa and the gardens, to the breakfast and wine tasting room.

"The veranda of the Vintner's House (suites) offers inviting stark-white Kennedy-style rockers and cushiony wicker chairs, as does the surround outside the ballroom and reception area. Off the lobby is an amazingly well equipped gift shop. You can buy well-chilled or room temperature wines there, as well as snacks, candies and other beverages. Check out the nearby business center, too."

Look for part two of this article tomorrow. To Be Continued...

High Sulfite Versus Low Sulfite Content

They're "sulphites" in Britain and "sulfites" in America, depending on whether you say "sulfur" or "sulphur." Tomato, tom-mah-toh --- however you say it, sulfite has a nasty little reputation in wine making and is mired in controversy.

Sulfites are present in all wines and are formed as a natural product of the fermentation process. Sometimes sulfur dioxide gets added to wine to help preserve it. The level of added sulfites varies. Some wines with low sulfite content have been marketed as more "organic." It is largely believed that high sulfite wines can aggravate a person's asthma. So, other than closing people's breathing passages, what are the pluses and minuses of sulfite content?

Wolfgang M. Weber attempts to straighten out this sulfurated brouhaha in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Under the headline, "Reconsidering Sulfites: Progressive Vintners Weigh the Pros and Cons of the Controversial Winemaking Tool," Weber writes:

"On almost every wine label, a challenging subject is concealed behind an opaque, almost nonchalant warning: 'contains sulfites.'

"The term encompasses sulfur dioxide as well as many derivative forms of sulfur. Sulfites are present in all wines both as an additive and as a natural by-product of fermentation, and many countries require that their presence be indicated on the label.

"Long viewed as a necessary, if unromantic, tool by winemakers, and either ignored or completely misunderstood by consumers, the role of sulfur in wine has become a hot topic. From health issues to sulfur as a winemaking tool at a time when there's a push within the industry for wines made with minimal intervention, sulfur dioxide is in the spotlight like never before.

"Sulfur dioxide has been used in the production of wine for centuries - primarily as a buffer to keep wine from reacting with too much oxygen, but also to inhibit microbial spoilage (from bacteria or rogue yeasts) that could lead to off flavors and aromas, and as a winemaking technique to partly control fermentation."

You can read more about Weber's defense of sulfites here.

Archaeologist Recreates Man's First Alcoholic Drink

Back in the proto-dawn of humanity, long before the history books, our ancestors were fermenting grapes in clay pots as one of their first alcoholic drinks. Even before we had invented the wheel, we had discovered the value and quality of the grape. This is the claim made by one archaeologist to the Santa Fe New Mexican.

Under the headline, "Archaeologist Discusses History of Booze," Reporter Sue Vorenberg writes:

"Before brew pubs, before wineries, before human ancestors had climbed out of the trees and learned how to walk, there was booze.

"And it didn't take long for our ancestors to learn it was good.

"Primates of all types seem to have an unrelenting attraction to fermented beverages, which they find in nature in the form of degrading fruit, said Patrick McGovern, a molecular archaeologist at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.

"'It's a natural process,' McGovern said. 'If you have fruit or honey, and if you dilute it down, there's yeast that will ferment it. All animals appear to be attracted to that. We call it the drunken monkey hypothesis.'

"McGovern recently gave a public lecture about man's historic love of fermented beverages in Santa Fe.

"Modern humans have turned that love into an art form, but looking back at the history of fermentation can yield some lost and surprisingly good concoctions, McGovern said.

"'We've actually re-created the oldest known alcoholic beverage,' at least the one that was intentionally made, McGovern said. 'It's a 9,000-year-old Chinese drink we call Jiahu.'

"That drink is a combination of hawthorn fruit, grapes, honey and rice, or a mix of some or all of those, that scientists found traces of in old clay pots, he said."

To read the rest of the article, click here.

Wineries Face Rising Fuel Costs, Carbon Footprint

Wine makers face another piece of the global warming puzzle: namely, how to handle rising fuel costs, which could affect everything from the cost of bottle glass to operating farm equipment. Reuters is reporting this under the headline, "World Wine Growers Face CO2, Fuel Challenges." Reuters Reporter Ian Simpson writes:

"VERONA, Italy (Reuters) - World wine producers face rising challenges from global warming and soaring fuel costs but any resulting price rises will be bearable, the newly re-elected head of the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) said on Friday.

"More efficient producers will be the winners by finding out how to produce better wine even with rising costs, Federico Castellucci said shortly after being re-elected director-general at an OIV congress.

"'The carbon footprint will be eating into wine along with everybody else -- the cost of glass, the logistics costs. We do have some problems of water supply and climate change, particularly in some areas,' he told Reuters."

You can read the rest of the article here.

Understanding the Pros and Cons of Blended Wines

What to make of blended wines that use a variety of grapes? Weekly Toast writer Zev Rovine explains the subtleties in his column in the Salt Lake Tribune. Under the headline, "Blended Wine: Are Two Grapes Better Than One?" Rovine writes:

"In the world of varietal labeling, there are both deceptions as well as limitations that come into play.

"First let's consider the deceptions. These are certainly not meant to be malicious in any way but they simplify the marketing of a wine so that the consumer has an easier time finding what he or she wants.

"In the case of American wines, a wine with a grape variety listed on a label must be comprised of at least 75 percent of the grape stated. That means there is 25 percent wiggle room for other grapes to be added. In the case of cabernet sauvignon this is almost always the case and merlot is usually added to soften the stiff tannins of its cab counterpart.

"Most grapes alone lack the balance to create great wines, but when blended with other grapes a symbiotic relationship is created that makes some of the world's greatest wines. In the case of Bordeaux, the left bank is dominated by cab-based wines that use merlot, cabernet franc, malbec and petite verdot to create the desired color, ripeness and balance."

You can read the rest of the column here.

Could Grape Seeds Fight Alzheimer's?

Here's another article on the restorative qualities of wine. Under the headline, "Grape Seeds May Combat Alzheimer's: Extracts found in seeds could be key in treating neurodegenerative diseases; clinical trials to begin," Wine Spectator is reporting the following:

"Compounds commonly found in red wine and grape seeds may help treat and prevent Alzheimer's disease, according to new research from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

"The research, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, found that polyphenols derived from grape seeds during red winemaking (a family of compounds such as tannins, lignins and flavonoids) may be useful in fighting and preventing the degenerative disease, which attacks the brain. A four-month study, headed by Dr. Guilio Pasinetti, professor of neuroscience at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, discovered that the polyphenols helped reduce the deterioration of brain functioning in the mice.

"Pasinetti and his team gave nonlethal doses of grape seed extract to genetically modified mice that had attributes of Alzheimer’s disease. In studying the cognitive functionality of the animals following treatment, the researchers found that the polyphenolic extract from grape seeds helped prevent the formation of a beta-amyloid, which can cause a blockage in the brain, or plaques that have been implicated in memory loss and Alzheimer's. Tested animals modified with Alzheimer's were found to retain their normal brain function after doses of the grape derivative."

You can read about the rest of the medical findings here.

Red Grape Fiber Helps Fight Cholesterol, Lower Blood Pressure

The medical evidence extolling the benefits of wine just keep on mounting. According to a recent article in Wine Spectator, researchers believe the fiber in red wine grapes can play a significant role in keeping a heart healthy.

Under the headline, "Tempranillo Found to Lower Blood Pressure and Cholesterol," Spectator reporter Jacob Gaffney writes:

"While the antioxidants in red wine are believed to contribute to better cardiovascular health, researchers in Spain say the grapes used to make it contain significant levels of fiber that also assist in strengthening the heart. They have found that the fiber and antioxidants in the Tempranillo grape seem to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol better than other sources of dietary fiber, specifically oats and psyllium.

"The study, which is published in the July/August issue of the journal Nutrition, is a followup to earlier experiments from the same team that found that drinking 300 ml of red wine a day could contribute up to 7 percent of the Spanish daily recommended intake of fiber."

You can read the rest of the article here.

Saving Portugal's Endangered Cork Oak Trees

According to Wikipedia, cork is harvested for commercial use primarily from the Cork Oak tree, Quercus suber, with Portugal producing 50 percent of cork worldwide. Cork is the perfect bottle stopper, about 60 percent of all cork based production used for making wine stoppers.

The problem is that, as global wine consumption increases, production far outstrips supply. These trees need about a decade to recover between harvests. Plus, saving the cork oaks is not simply an issue of industry. The forests must be preserved to cut down on deforestation and global warming.

Thus, a "Portuguese Cork Firm Uncaps Campaign to Save Trees." Or so reads the headline written by Reuters Life! reporter Andrei Khalip. Khalip writes:

"The world's leading cork maker has launched a campaign against the increasing use of screw caps and plastic stoppers in wine bottles, which it says is a threat to Portugal's forests of cork oaks.

"Portugal's Amorim Corticeira argues that using only cork stoppers would ensure the survival of the forests and sustain their unique ecosystems, home to several endangered animal species such as the Iberian lynx.

"Portugal is the world's largest cork producer. Amorim does not grow the trees itself but buys cork from producers.

"The cork industry in general is under attack, one could say, from alternative wine bottle closures," Carlos de Jesus, Amorim marketing director, told Reuters.

"If cork growers lose the cash interest, they will plant something else, jeopardizing the sustainability chain."

"Cork oaks are not cut down but their bark is harvested every nine years in a tree's lifespan of more than 150 years.

"The campaign (www.savemiguel.com) followed a study by the WWF in June urging Portugal to expand its cork forests to prevent growing desertification caused by global warming.

"De Jesus said the proportion of cork stoppers in wine bottles had fallen to 70 percent from 90 percent in 12 years."

Read the rest of the story here.

Aftershocks from 'Judgment of Paris:' Wine Goes Commercial

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Wine Critic Dave DeSimone examines some of the far-reaching reverberations from the 1976 "Judgment of Paris," that now legendary blind tasting that had California wines triumphing over French wines. While the wines were Californians, the ramifications were global in reach.

Under the headline, "Tasting Accelerates Trends in Wine," DeSimone writes:

"On the negative side, wine was displaced in consumer perception as a humble meal-time beverage that springs naturally from the culinary and cultural context of native terroir. Instead, wine entered an insidiously expansive maelstrom of commercial competitions and comparative ratings.

"A new breed of American 'wine critics,' issuing pronouncements based on the infamous 100-point scale, fueled the change while diminishing the traditional wine writing approach of conveying context and winemaker backgrounds. Rejoicing retailers parroted facile numerical ratings for easy sales. Educating consumers about diverse wine styles, vintages and terroir became secondary.

"Ratings-besotted consumers, in turn, lapped up the hype. Firsthand, personal experience quickly faded as the bedrock foundation of confident judgment and taste in wine.

"A corresponding homogenized, "international" wine style emerged. Overly extracted, showy wines attracting consistently high numerical ratings came into vogue. Balance, elegance and finesse -- wine's traditional hallmarks of excellence -- were threatened as "blockbuster," 90-point wines commanded price premiums. Snobs exalted "trophy wines" in crassly commercial auctions while ignoring wine's age-old questions: How does wine taste, and do I like it?"

You can read the rest of the article here.

Electric Corkscrews and Other Geegaws

We may not be able to build a better mousetrap, but there seems to be no end to the number of devices for uncorking a bottle of wine.

At the Vail Trail under the headline,"Trends Watch: Uncorked," Nicole Inglis covers some of the latest devices. Inglis writes:

"If you always find yourself searching around your kitchen or junk drawers for a Swiss Army knife to open that next bottle of wine, or end up embarrassing yourself by breaking corks, you might consider investing in a sleek, new, technologically advanced wine opener. Kathy Rohlwing at the Kitchen Collage in Edwards showed us new manual and battery-powered products that will allow more time to relax and enjoy your wine instead of stressing over how to open it.

"Birambeau 9520 Rechargeable Cork Extractor - $45

"This electric opener is cordless and rechargeable, intended to prevent frantic battery searches in the middle of a dinner party. It opens 25 corks on one charge, slowly retracting the cork with the push of a button."

To read about these electric gee gaws, whats-its and other wine opening frippery, click here.

Climate Change, Part 2: A Liberal Perspective

Isabel Cowles at the liberal blog, Huffington Post, has written an interesting perspective on how global warming will drastically alter vineyards around the world. While she agrees with the CNBC article by Sam Harsop, which we published earlier in the week, Cowles takes an even more detailed, granular view of the future. Under the headline, "Sustainable Lessons from the Vineyard," Cowles writes:

"Another risk of global warming: befuddlement before the wine list. It's taken you years to sort through the distinctions between Argentine, Italian and Californian wines. You feel like you might finally be ready to hold court against the combative advice of the French sommelier. You thought you knew what vintages to trust, what terroirs would be peppery or sweet, what grape types would produce deep, rich reds, and which would make light citrus-flavored whites. But with global temperatures steadily climbing, everything you thought you knew about viticulture might change.

"Within the last fifty years subtle temperature increases have altered the harvests at vineyards across traditional wine producing regions. Wineanorak.com examines the findings of Dr. Gregory Jones of Southern Oregon University and his colleagues who analyzed 50 years of climate data from 27 wine regions. The group compared their findings with Sotheby's 100-point vintage ratings, 'looking for any trends in wine quality and growing season temperatures.' The group also projected temperature changes over the next 50 years, using an atmosphere-ocean general circulation model.

"Dr. Jones noted that regions from Southern coast of Europe like French Languedoc and Italian Chianti to vineyards in South Africa and central California will experience a temperature change of about 2 degrees centigrade -- which will seriously alter the grape-ripening time frame.

"Historically, vineyards were planted in regions where grapes were likely to ripen: sun-drenched, warm hills and fields. But with consistently increasing temperatures, grapes mature much more quickly than they used to, making it difficult for wine farmers to achieve the proper acidity balance needed to create a wine more complex than sugary Welch's grape juice.

"Despite the mounting dismay among winemakers on more temperate strips of land, successful vineyards have emerged in traditionally cooler areas like England and Northern California. The changing temperatures have altered what regions can produce certain types of wine.

According to The Washington Post, winemakers have begun to ponder what emergent regions will produce favored wines when their traditional vineyards no longer can: '[Will] the next Napa Valley be Sonoma's Russian River Valley, now known for chardonnay and pinot noir, or perhaps the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia? Or some sunny mountainside in Colorado with no history of viticulture? Will Burgundy become the new Bordeaux and Germany's Mosel the new Burgundy?'"

You can read the rest of the article here.

Shifting temperatures and climate patterns may mean a lot of grape stock gets ripped up and replanted, and perhaps that the "sunny mountainside in Colorado" mentioned by the Post is the Grand Mesa. From ski resorts to wineries to evergreen forests , rising temperatures are changing a lot of what Coloradans hold dear.

Global Warming Could Push Grapes to Higher Altitudes

As the planet warms, crops will struggle in climates where they once thrived. Grapes are no different. or so says CNBC contributer Sam Harrop, a Master of Wine, a winemaking consultant and co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge, the largest wine competition in the world.

"With climate change putting pressure on winemakers, vineyard owners are finding that to ensure a quality crop the only way is up," says Harrop. This means that mile high acreage like the Grand Valley will be better able to adapt to rots, blights and temperature variances than lower altitude terroirs. Longer growing seasons and higher temperatures might alter the Grand Valley into a full-bodied red wine producing region.

Under the headline, "Taking The High Ground," Harrop writes:

"As is the case with many industries today, wine production is being placed under unprecedented pressure from climate change: erratic rainfall patterns, storms of growing severity and drought pressures are all doing their bit to force winemakers to question not only their approach to winemaking, but also the long-term viability of their vineyard sites.

"While some regions previously thought to be too cool for viticulture are becoming more feasible, others deemed ideal are – because of climatic extremes – becoming less commercially attractive. But rather than packing up and moving to Denmark, winemakers with vision are planting at higher altitudes in their existing regions in an effort to counteract the effects of climate change. And the results? High-quality wine that is truly inspiring."

You can read the rest of the article here.

Atlanta to Colorado’s Wine Country Roundtrip for $280

Georgians are flying from Atlanta to Grand Junction on American Airlines, for the low, low price of $280. (Of course, Grand Valley residents could always reverse this trip and go visit the Peach State).

Budget Traveler Clara Bosonetto Maerz writes for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

“Today’s best travel deal comes from American Airlines and it’s a hands-down bargain of $280 round-trip to Grand Junction, Colorado. That price includes every extra fee, tax and surcharge.

“You’ll be in the midst of Colorado’s wine country, but if you didn’t know better you’d think you were in New Mexico or Arizona with a landscape of dramatic red rock formations. Grand Junction is a vacation paradise for golfers, hikers, mountain bikers and lovers of natural beauty.

“This extraordinary round-trip rate of $280 is valid through July of 2009 — making the offer more valuable to skiers and boarders looking for a new winter destination. Nearby to Grand Junction is the Powderhorn Resort (35 miles east) with 600 skiable acres - 70 percent of beginner and intermediate terrain.

“The airfare deal requires a 14-day or more advance purchase notice. Trips can be taken seven days a week, based on availability. There are no minimum stay requirements or blackout dates.”