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This is the logo for Examiner.com, a multi-topic Web site created by the same company that started the free-distribution Examiner newspapers in major U.S. cities.

I've been signed as the Web site's National Drinks Columnist, and I'm inviting you to join me here as well as on this site, for all the latest in beverage news and views -- spirits, wine, brews, non-alcoholic drinks.

(Bonus for those of you interested in the Upstate New York restaurant scene: I'm also Examiner.com's columnist for that topic. You can find it here.

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Mmmm, birch sap vodka and wine

• From Farm Focus of Atlantic Canada

As the cork is removed, hints of fruit are released, and once it's poured into a wine glass and lifted to one's lips, a semi-sweet taste with apple hints are followed.

That's according to the description for Lady of the Woods, a birch sap wine.

Craig Lewis, the brainchild behind the idea and the company Sap World, said he came up with the concept after reading an article about birch sap and its markets.

"When I read that article, something clicked," he said. "I did a bunch of research, invested $10,000, and on Baie Verte highway (Newfoundland) we ended up tapping 191 trees.

"(We) collected 500 gallons, took that to Rodrigues Winery and they produced 172 cases. We had that on the market and we sold that in three months."

[Go here for the full story.]

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Despite May frost, NY grape crop may be ample

William M. Dowd photo

Bad weather, including a May frost that whacked the Concord grapes in the Lake Erie region, didn't stop New York from producing what looks to be a bumper crop this year. The question will be, what is the quality of the grapes?

However, much of that is up to what the winemakers do with the fruit. At the moment, assessments are being made on the tonnage of grapes and what to do with them.

"It looks like it’s going to be mixed in terms of quantity," says Jim Trezise, president of the New York State Wine & Grape Foundation (NYSWGF).

"While wine grapes look so plentiful that a surplus is expected and new markets are being sought, the Western New York Concord crop loss is so severe that Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer have asked Gov. David Paterson to request federal disaster relief from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. However, wine grapes are grown primarily in other regions and suffered virtually no damage, with the vines progressing normally and a potentially large crop."

The NYSWGF is partnering with Cornell Cooperative Extension on a system to attract wineries from other states that may be interested in purchasing New York grapes. The core of the program is a "matchmaker" Web site showing grapes, or juice, or bulk wine for sale, or wanted. Neither NYWGF nor CCE are involved in any transactions.

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Belhurst Riesling takes NYS Fair top honor

Belhurst Winery's 2008 Semi-Dry Riesling won the blue ribbon for "Best In Show" at this year's New York State Fair Commercial Wine Competition.

As a run-up to taking that honor, the wine took "Best of Category - White" double gold as well. Not a terribly surprising decision, considering rieslings' preeminence among New York wines. This year, 61 New York wineries entered 390 in the contest.

The competition was held at the Wegmans Pride of New York demonstration kitchen at the fairgrounds in Syracuse. Competition for fair ribbons are held in categories ranging from dessert cakes to dairy cattle, most of which will be decided during the Great New York State Fair scheduled for August 27 to September 7.

However, commercial wine judging traditionally has been held well before the fair to allow winners to use the results in summer marketing. The award-winning wines are featured in a special display in the Horticulture Building during the fair.

Belhurst is located near Geneva, overlooking Seneca Lake. It is dominated by Belhurst Castle, a stone building dating to the 19th Century which is part of a year-round lodging complex that includes White Springs Manor, a Georgian Revival Mansion with period guest rooms, and the Vinifera Inn.

Other best in category selections:

• Red: Peconic Bay Winery Merlot 2005
• Sparkling: Chateau Frank Blanc de Blancs 2002
• Fruit: Montezuma Winery Cranberry Bog NV
• Dessert: Ventosa Vineyards Tocaice 2007
• Rosé/Blush: Anthony Road Wine Co. Dry Rosé of Cabernet Franc 2008
• Fortified: Goose Watch Winery “Finale” White Port 2007
• Specialty: Montezuma Winery Rhubarb NV
• Mead/Honey Wine: Earle Estates Meadery Raspberry Reflections NV

Other double-gold winners (unanimous gold of all panel judges):

• Belhurst Winery Dry Riesling 2008 Double
• Chateau Frank Blanc de Blancs 2002
• Chateau Frank Blanc de Noirs 2002
• Chateau Frank Celebre Rose NV
• Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards Gewürztraminer 2008
• Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars Semi-Dry Riesling 2008
• Lucas Vineyards Chardonnay 2007
• Ventosa Vineyards Tocaice 2007

Other gold winners:

• Americana Vineyards & Winery Chardonnay 2007
• Anthony Road Wine Company Dry Rosé of Cabernet Franc 2008
• Anyela's Vineyards Semi-Dry Riesling 2008
• Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard Riesling 2008
• Bashakill Vineyards Black Bear 2007
• Chateau Lafayette Reneau Dry Riesling 2008
• Dr. Konstantin Frank Riesling Dry 2007
• Goose Watch Winery "Finale" White Port 2007
• Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards Homestead Riesling 2008
• Heron Hill Winery Semi-Dry Riesling 2007
• Heron Hill Winery Semi-Sweet Riesling 2007
• Hunt Country Vineyards Seyval Blanc 2008
• Peconic Bay Winery Merlot 2005
• Swedish Hill Winery Vidal Blanc 2008
• Swedish Hill Winery Svenska White NV
• Thirsty Owl Dry Riesling 2008
• Young Sommer Winery Semi Dry Traminette NV
• Anthony Road Wine Co. Semi-Dry Riesling 2008
• Anthony Road Wine Co. Semi-Sweet Riesling 2008

Go here for the full list of all medal winners.

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Delaware wine/beer sales bill tabled

Well, that didn't last long.

A bill just introduced in the Delaware state legislature that would allow supermarkets to sell beer and wine (see earlier story) has been tabled by a House committee.

House Bill 193, sponsored by Rep. John J. Viola, D-Newark, would have made Delaware the 46th state to allow stores other than package stores to sell beer and wine. He said the licensing fee -- $100,000 for the first year and a $5,000 biennial renewal fee -- could have raised up to $10 million the first year “and substantial revenues after that.”

However, Siobhan Sullivan, director of the state Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement, told the committee the division would have to hire 12 new agents at a cost of $700,000 to enforce the bill.

DelawareOnline reported that Viola, who chairs the committee, wasn't happy with being unable to fend off the vote to table. Had that happened, he said, he would have been able to address the arguments against it “backed up by data and facts.”

The bill also was opposed by package-store owners, who packed the House chamber for the hearing. Tabling makes it unlikely it will be considered before the June 30 adjournment deadline.

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Which wine goes with iPhone?

Selecting the perfect wine for the occasion is an age-old practice. But, as with most things, technology has gained a foothold.

"Hello Vino," a free app available through iTunes, delivers personalized wine recommendations to an iPhone or iPod Touch.

The free app, available through iTunes, selects the perfect type of wine to go with a meal or occasion, or to give as a gift. Wine shoppers need only install the app, and answer a few simple questions to get a specific wine recommendation. Hello Vino offers beginning wine consumers an easy way to make an educated wine purchase both in the store and at a restaurant.

"Buying wine can be very intimidating," says Rick Breslin, Hello Vino CEO. "You're standing in the store, looking at a wall full of hundreds of bottles, and you have no idea which wine to buy. Hello Vino takes the pressure off."

The app recommends wine varietals as well as specific brands. Ratings and information including pricing and reviews help consumers pick the ideal bottle. It can be used with or without an Internet connection.

Video demonstrations are available here. You can download the app here.

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A celebri-quote: Danny Wegman

• Danny Wegman, 62, is an entrepreneur, philanthropist and head of the Wegmans supermarket chain, which owns 72 stores in five states as well as an emerging restaurant concept connected with some of the market sites. Wegmans will open three stores this year -- two in Virginia and one in Pennsylvania -- and has plans for new locations in Maryland and Massachusetts as well. He was interviewed by his hometown Rochester Democrat & Chronicle.

Q: What's your take on the issue of wine in supermarkets? Why didn't it get approved in New York State this year?

A: Well, when seven out of 10 people want something and it doesn't go through ... there are obviously some special interests in there somewhere.

The whole wine and liquor industry is a very strange subset of America that plays by totally different rules. Competition is synonymous with every other part of America except for wine and liquor.

We happen to think that wine is part of food, so we'll probably keep working to try and see if we can't make that happen.

[Go here for more celebri-quotes.]

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Wine Institute picks new chairman

• From the San Francisco Business Times

The Wine Institute, which represents California wineries that produce 85% of U.S. wines, elected Ray Chadwick of Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines as its chairman for fiscal 2009-2010.

... Chadwick, who has been Napa-based Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines’ president and CEO since 2001, steps down July 1 to become a non-executive member of the DC&E’s board, according to the Institute and Diageo. That move was part of a broader reorganization announced in early March.

Also elected to the group’s board were Tom Klein of Healdsburg’s Rodney Strong Vineyards as first vice chairman; David Kent of the San Francisco- and Livermore-based Wine Group as second vice chairman; Kathleen Heitz Myers of St. Helena’s Heitz Wine Cellars as treasurer; and José Fernández of Constellation Wines U.S. as secretary.

[Go here for the full story.]

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Hugel, Alsatian wine giant, dead at 84

• From SFGate.com

Jean Hugel, a leading force in resurrecting the Alsatian wine trade after the devastation of World War II and the longtime head of one of the best-known and oldest producers in Alsace, died Tuesday in Ribeauville, Alsace, France. He was 84.

The cause was cancer, his nephew Etienne Hugel said.

For people who began drinking wine in the 1970s and '80s, discovering the wines of Alsace, in their slender, fluted bottles, was no small pleasure. Thanks to Mr. Hugel's efforts to introduce his wines to the rest of the world, many of those bottles bore the name Hugel & Fils.

[Go here for the full story.]

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Tennessee direct-shipping now allowed

Back in January, a federal appeals court upheld Tennessee's ban on direct wine shipments to residents' homes. Now, a new line has been signed by Gov. Phil Bredesen that will allow it.

The law allows wineries that acquire a $300 license to ship up to three cases to Tennessee consumers per year. That raises to 36 the number of states that allow direct shipment of wine.

Bredesen earlier had signed into a law a bill allowing Tennesseans to buy and bring home up to five cases of wine at licensed out-of-state wineries. That was done to overcome the appeals court opinion that found existing rules designed to promote Tennessee wineries were unfair to out-of-state competitors.

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EU drops rosé labeling proposal

Concerns that European wines labeled "rosé" might be mere blends of red and white have been laid to rest.

EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel announced Monday she was withdrawing the proposed new rule. It had been strongly opposed by winemakers from Spain, France and Italy. Their contention was that mixing red and white wines would turn winemaking into an industry rather than a skill and put thousands of people out of work.

Traditional, quality rosé generally is made from dark-skinned grapes that otherwise would be used for white wine production. The clear juice from crushed grapes is allowed to remain in contact with the grape skins and seeds for a certain amount of time, during which it acquires the pale pink rosé hue before fermentation.

European Union labeling rules apply only to wines produced in EU-member countries. They have no effect on other countries' winemakers, some of which make what they call rosé by the blending method.

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Hong Kong's first winery in operation

You won't find any vineyards on the island of Hong Kong, but you will find wines made there.

A new enterprise, the 8th Estate Winery, has produced Hong Kong's first wine, using grapes that are shipped frozen from other countries. The winery is housed in a high-rise warehouse and has just released its first batch of reds, whites and ice wines.

"There is an initial novelty value, a little bit of a shock seeing a bottle which says 'Product of Hong Kong' because there has never been a wine bottle that has said that before," winery director Lysanne Tusar told the Reuters news service. "We always label where our grapes came from and we are quite proud to say where the varieties are sourced."

All the winery's grapes for 2007 came from Washington state. For 2008 wines, the grapes came from Italy. The white wines include sauvignon blanc and chardonnay, the reds merlot and cabernet sauvignon.

The winery has produced 100,000 bottles; 60,000 have been sold and the rest are being aged. They are being initially distributed to local restaurants and hotels, and thus use no preservatives.

8th Estate was created in response to Hong Kong's decision last year to eliminate taxes on wines in an effort to become Asia's wine hub.

The wine industry estimates that total spending on table wine in Asian economies, excluding Japan, is around $7 billion, which accounts for about 7% of the global market.

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NY political flap may kill wine sales push

The fallout from the shift in power in the New York State Senate yesterday -- what is rather hysterically being called a "coup" by many in the media -- will have to be assessed on an item-by-item basis. (Keep up with the quickly-evolving situation on the Albany Times Union's Capitol Confidential blog.)

One possible victim may be the well-thought-out proposal by Assemblyman Joseph Morelle, D-Monroe County, to allow wine sales in supermarkets. Unlike the earlier flawed proposal by Gov. David Patterson that went nowhere, Morelle's idea broadened the proposal to take into account opposition to such legislation by liquor store owners and others.

However, it remains a volatile and emotional topic that would need extensive debate and attention to go anywhere before the current legislative session is scheduled to end in late June.

If you're a betting person, don't lay any money on wine sales rules changing anytime soon.

[Go here for my earlier report on Morelle's proposal.]

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Delaware latest wine/beer-in-markets battleground

Proponents of a bill that would allow supermarkets to sell wine say it will raise more revenues for the state and give consumers more choice.

Opponents say it would cost more in closed small businesses and lost jobs than it would help in other ways.

The battleground? No, not New York State which is in the second round of debating different proposals. This time it's Delaware.

The difference is that while approval of such proposals would allow both wine and beer to be sold in supermarkets in Delaware, such vendors have sold beer in New York for ages.

Delaware State Rep. John Viola, a Democrat, says the legislation could raise up to $10 million in its first year because it would require supermarkets to pay a $100,000 license fee.

But package store owners claim that is an inflated figure, and that many small businesses selling wine and beer would fold, thus cutting into projected revenues.

One of the major opponents is the Asian-American Business Association, which was a major player in killing such a proposal in 2006.

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