Hong Kong auction pulls in $8 million

Interesting what a tax break can do.

Acker Merrall & Condit Co., the world's largest wine auctioneer, sold $8,200,000 US of wine in Asia's biggest wine sale in Hong Kong -- after the city abolished taxes on wine.

A dozen bottles of 1990 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti brought in the highest lot price, 1.89 million Hong Kong dollars, or about $242,000 US, an auction record for a case of Romanée-Conti.

The buyer was a collector from Singaporean whose second bid of 1.56 million Hong Kong dollars or about $200,000 US won the lot. The final price includes a 21% buyer's premium that the auction firm will donate to helping victims of the May 12 earthquake in China's Sichuan province.

The Hong Kong government abolished duties on wine in February in a move designed to win a part of the market for trading, storing and shipping wine. Most Asian wine investors currently buy and store rare wines in London.

A lot of three magnums of Dom Perignon (1966, '73 and '76) sold for $93,000 US, an auction record for champagne.

According to Hong Kong's Trade Development Board, Asian wine consumption rose 60% percent to $7.4 billion from 2002 to 2007.

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Korean consumers turning to wine

Soju, the liquor traditionally beloved by Koreans, isn't as favored as wine these days.

Sales of wine brought in $23.6 million in the first five months of the year, moving it into the No. 2 position among Korean consumer right behind beer and just ahead of soju, according to the discount giant E-Mart.

Soju is usually regarded as Korean vodka, although it is a sweeter-tasting distillation. It historically was distilled from rice or tapioca -- known as dangmil -- but sweet potatoes have become more popular in recent times. It varies in potency from about 20% to about 45% alcohol by volume (ABV), with 20% ABV being most common. In common U.S. parlance, that's about 40 proof.

The statistical report means wine sales have more than doubled at E-Mart, the largest seller, since 2005 when wine was in fifth position. That year, only 41 bottles of wine were sold for every 100 bottles of soju sold.

Wine is the only kind of liquor for which sales have been constantly on the rise over the past few years while soju sales have stagnated, the company told the Korea Times.

"This is the outcome of rapidly growing demand for wine of late," an E-mart official said. "We expect wine to be neck-and-neck with beer sales sooner or later with this growth."

The wine boom is ascribed to the influx of brands with reasonable prices from such producer countries as Chile, helped along by Korea's free trade agreement with that country.

The less costly wines are the most popular at the moment, with those selling for less than $10 moving fastest and accounting for 34.1% of overall wine sales, followed by those between $10 and $20 a bottle accounting for 30.1%, according to E-Market statistics. Discount stores have a 40% share of the wine sales nationwide.

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Apples not just for juice anymore

This might seem an odd time to think about apple ciders and apple wines, but don’t be surprised if you end up serving some at your Fourth of July backyard picnic.

The ancient libations, habitually the object of consumer attention in the fall when apple harvests take place, are part of a growing niche in the U.S. and elsewhere as more and more entrepreneurs look for products that will endear them to those consumers.

And it’s not just boutique American cider- and winemakers who are making their presence felt. Larger foreign producers, particularly from the United Kingdom, are targeting the U.S. market with their latest apple-based products.

They no doubt became emboldened enough to plan such a market expansion when a year ago a Nielsen market survey reported that cider had experienced the biggest year-over-year increase in UK beverage sales, jumping 29% to make it the No. 5 product there after wine, lager beer, blended whiskey and vodka. And, the same report said, cider outstripped beer among UK consumers buying an alcoholic beverage for the first time. So, why not the huge U.S. market?

As a result, Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Organic Cider is going national in the U.S. this month. It is a product of the oldest brewery in Yorkshire, England, which is celebrating its 250th anniversary this year.

As the company explained in an announcement, "Apple juice used to produce cider contains a mix of apple varieties selected to balance fresh apple flavor with tartness, acidity, and sweetness. Samuel Smith's uses a wine yeast strain to ferment their cider, providing a clean finish and allowing pure apple flavor to shine through."

The naturally gluten-free beverage is 5% alcohol by volume (ABV), equal to 10 proof. It also is high in antioxidants and is certified organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

From north of our border, Domaine Pinnacle also has gotten in on the act. The Canadian orchard and winery that produces some of the world's top-ranked iced apple wines has just introduced what is believed to be the first sparkling ice apple wine.

It is made from a blend of six different types of apples, hand picked after the first frost. Once the frozen water is removed, the remaining juices are cold fermented for up to eight months. Production of the 12% ABV apple wine is limited to 30,000 cases.

"Pinnacle Ice Apple has already proved ... a superb quality alternative aperitif or dessert wine which is growing in popularity ... ," said Cyril Camus, president of the Camus firm that is distributing the ice wine.

Domaine Pinnacle, founded in 2000, is located on a 430-acre property on the slopes of Pinnacle Mountain near the village of Frelighsburg in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, near the Vermont border. In fact, its cidery and retail shop are located in the property's original 1859 farmhouse which offers views of Quebec, Vermont and New York State.

Pinnacle is owned and operated by Susan and Charles Crawford, with the wine- and cider-making handled by Christian Barthomeuf, the French emigré who pioneered ice wine making in Quebec.

Despite these newcomers, the market does not belong to the imports.

Farnum Hill Ciders, at Poverty Lane Orchards in Lebanon, NH, has been growing heirloom apple trees for 16 years and making ciders in a very traditional (i.e., English) way.

Rather than the Macintosh, Delicious, Jonathan and Braeburn apples we see in stores, traditional ciders from Farnum and some other growers rely on such varieties as Esopus Spitzberg, Yarlington Mill, Kingston Black, Medaille d'Or and Dabinett to turn out a wide variety of ciders, each with its own nuances. These varieties that were cellar staples in colonial times or in common usage in Europe, but now are rarities here.

Apple-based ciders and wines are becoming a steadily increasing slice of business for a cluster of producers in the area where New York, Massachusetts and Vermont come together near Albany, NY.

The Brookview Station Winery at the Goold Orchard in Castleton, NY, turns out a line of apple wines. The North River Winery of Jacksonville, VT, offers 18 different wines made from apples as well as other fruits. And, nearby in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts, the Furnace Brook Winery at Hilltop Orchards makes wine and cider from apples to supplement its line of grape wines.

In various winemaking competitions, apple cider and apple wine products have been winning medals.

At the latest Hudson Valley Commercial Wine Competition held in upstate New York, the Cornell Cup for "Best Hudson River Region (AVA) Wine" went to Brookview Station Winery's 2006 Semi-Dry Apple Wine, and the gold medal for best sparkling fruit wine went to Doc's Hard Apple Cider, produced by Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery which is located just an hour’s drive north of midtown Manhattan.

And, in an otherwise grape-centric region of upstate New York, judges at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition awarded a gold medal for under-7% ABV cider to Petit Pomme Cidre Leger 2006 from Les Vergers Petit et Fils of Quebec.

When shopping for cider, it is important to understand its definition. While some people refer to apple juice as cider, true cider must be fermented to release alcohol. “Hard cider” runs anywhere from 3 to 15% ABV in traditional blends. And, although it usually is made from apples, there also is a pear cider, known in England as perry and still popular across the English Channel in the Normandy region of France as well as up north in Sweden.

---

MAKING YOUR OWN HARD CIDER

If you’re ambitious you can always make your own hard cider. Directions are available online from various do-it-yourselfers, ranging from hobbyist to professional sites. Here is a step-by-step procedure culled from such sources:

SUPPLIES

• If you can obtain a clean wooden barrel, that is best since it allows the liquid to breathe. However, you can use clean five-gallon glass or plastic jugs.

• You will need an air lock to keep out air and let in gas produced by the chemical reaction. It is available from vendors dealing in winemaking supplies. Or, you can drill a hole in the bottle stopper or cap then insert a clean plastic tube that fits snugly into the hole. One end of the tube will go into the container and the other into a separate container of water to allow gas to bubble out and keep air from getting in.

• Begin with commercial apple cider as your base, preferably one made of three or more types of apples and definitely without preservatives. You can obtain this from a local cider mill. Ask if the cider has been cold pasteurized, which kills unwanted microorganisms with ultraviolet light rather than heat which would affect the taste.

• If desired, you can use yeast in your process although it is not mandatory. Dry wine yeasts can be used to help ferment your cider.

PROCESS

• To make a dry hard cider, add one pound of sugar per gallon. For a sweeter liquid, add 1 ½ pounds per gallon.

• Put the air lock on the container and store at 60 to 70 degrees for 8-10 weeks. (The sugar will take longer to turn to alcohol if stored at lower temperatures.)

• After the aging period, siphon the cider from the container into a clean container, wash the original container, then return the cider to it. Be sure to avoid touching the sediment in the original container with the siphon hose.

• Store cider at 40-60 degrees for six months to as long as you wish to age it, particularly if you use a wooden barrel.
in a wooden barrel.

NOTE

You can get details of additional steps to create different expressions of hard cider to fit your taste, available time and finances from these online sources:

• Mother Earth News
• Cornell University horticulture
• Virtual Orchard

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And now, an apple ice sparkler

Domaine Pinnacle, the Canadian orchard and winery that produces some of the world's top-ranked iced apple wines, has introduced what is believed to be the first sparkling ice apple wine.

The venue was the Tax Free World Exhibition in Singapore last week.

The wine is made from a blend of six different types of apples, hand picked after the first frost. Once the frozen water is removed, the remaining juices are cold fermented for up to eight months. Production of the 12% ABV wine is limited to 30,000 cases.

"Pinnacle Ice Apple has already proved ... a superb quality alternative aperitif or dessert wine which is growing in popularity ... ," said Cyril Camus, president of the Camus firm that is distributing the ice wine.

Domaine Pinnacle, founded in 2000, is located on a 430-acre property on the slopes of Pinnacle Mountain near the village of Frelighsburg in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, near the Vermont border. In fact, its cidery and retail shop are located in the property's original 1859 farmhouse which offers views of Quebec, Vermont and New York State.

Pinnacle is owned and operated by Susan and Charles Crawford, with Christian Barthomeuf, a French emigré who pioneered ice wine making in Quebec.

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U.S. wine consumption closing in on France's

From Wine Spectator:

In spite of a sluggish economy, U.S. wine consumption registered its 14th consecutive annual gain in 2007, as Americans drank more wine than Italians for the first time ever and now trail only the French in total wine consumed.

After a solid 4% gain last year, U.S. wine consumption stood at a record 301.5 million 9-liter cases, according to the recently released 2007 edition of "The Global Drinks Market: Impact Databank Review and Forecast." American consumption is expected to further increase in the foreseeable future, and at current rates, the United States will surpass France as the world's largest wine-consuming market within five years.

In per-capita terms, Americans still lag far behind the French and Italians, consuming less than 9 liters per adult in 2007. Per-capita consumption in France and Italy, by contrast, stood at 52 liters and 46 liters, respectively, last year.

China was the world's fastest-growing wine market in 2007, and the Chinese represent a tremendous upside for consumption as their per-capita level stood at only a half-liter last year.

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English organic cider hitting U.S. market

Samuel Smith's Organic Cider is going national next month.

Cider is a gradually growing niche in the U.S. low-alcohol beverage field. This particular one is an English import from Samuel Smith's Old Brewery -- celebrating its 250th anniversary this year -- and is being handled by Merchant du Vin of Seattle.

As the company explained in an announcement, "Apple juice used to produce cider contains a mix of apple varieties selected to balance fresh apple flavor with tartness, acidity, and sweetness. Samuel Smith's uses a wine yeast strain to ferment their cider, providing a clean finish and allowing pure apple flavor to shine through."

The naturally gluten-free beverage is 5% alcohol by volume, or 10 proof, for those of you who prefer that measurement. It also is high in antioxidants and is certified organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

(Go here for a look at a good line of American ciders made in the traditional way.)

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Study: Aussie wine grapes will survive drought

Despite concern over the drought in Australia, the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE) says not to worry about wine grapes.

Total wine grape production is forecast to increase by 19% in 2007-08, as a result of improved growing conditions in key production areas, according to a just-released ABARE report.

“Forecast production in 2007-08 is higher than early-season estimates because of greater than expected resilience of vines suffering from drought stress, and water purchasing by growers in drought-affected irrigation areas,” said Philip Glyde, ABARE executive director.

Despite the better than previously expected outcomes, however, production will be well below the record 1.9 million tonnes achieved in 2004-05. Production should reach 1.67 million tonnes in 2007-08.

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RIP wine pioneer Robert Mondavi, 94

Robert Modavi, 94, a giant of the American wine industry, died Friday.

He was the prime force in moving California from a mediocre source of wine to a world-class wine region, particularly in the 1970s. His family said he died peacefully at home in the Napa Valley.

The official obituary:

OAKVILLE, CA (May 16) -- Robert Mondavi of Napa Valley, the founder of the modern U.S. fine wine industry and a global symbol of American wine and food, died today. He was 94. The Mondavi family stated that the legendary vintner died peacefully at his home in Napa Valley.

Robert Mondavi changed the landscape of the U.S. wine industry when he founded his eponymous winery in 1966, inspired by his belief that he could produce world-class wines in Napa Valley. Since that time, the Robert Mondavi Winery has become known as one of the world's leading innovators, producers and marketers of fine wine, firmly establishing America’s rightful place on the world wine stage.

Born in Virginia, MN, to parents who emigrated from Sassoferrato in the Marche region of Italy, Robert was greatly influenced by Old World traditions of the pleasures of wine and food. The family moved to Lodi, California, during Prohibition and he attended public schools there.

A 1936 graduate of Stanford with a degree in economics and business administration, Robert understood that marketing was as critical as winemaking expertise in achieving success in the wine industry. He joined his father at Sunnyhill Winery in St. Helena, CA, a bulk wine producer. After convincing his father to purchase the Charles Krug Winery there, he upgraded the
technology, determined to raise quality—a commitment which never faltered. He began to offer public tours and tastings in the 1950s, something unheard of in Napa Valley, and not even done in the established wineries of France.

In 1966, at age 53, he established the Robert Mondavi Winery, the first major winery built in Napa Valley since the 1933 repeal of Prohibition. Robert hired architectural designer Cliff May for his fledgling winery, which he intended as an enduring landmark to California history, reflecting this in its iconic, mission-style architecture. Using an architect was already enough to raise the eyebrows of locals, but to their amazement, Robert also included public spaces for education and entertainment, which completely bewildered his neighbors.

At his winery, Robert pioneered many fine winemaking techniques in California, including cold fermentation, stainless steel tanks and the use of French oak barrels. As a marketing leader, he initiated blind tastings of Napa Valley wines with other world-class wines, allowing consumers and the trade to evaluate wine quality and value. By the l970s, Robert Mondavi wines were recognized for their quality internationally, and California’s fine wine industry benefited from Robert’s pioneering work in the export market.

Dedicated to fostering a wine culture in America, Robert also expanded his educational tours and wine tastings. Under his tutelage, and with his wife Margrit, for four decades the winery has celebrated the pleasures of wine, food and the arts; and provided creative settings for jazz and classical concerts, art exhibits and comprehensive cultural and culinary programs
including the Great Chefs program, which has featured such luminaries as Julia Child, Paul Bocuse, Alice Waters and Joel Robuchon.

Never one to rest on his laurels, in l979, Robert joined forces with Baron Philippe de Rothschild, creating the Opus One Winery in Oakville. An immediate international success, Opus One created a world sales record for California with a $24,000 case price at the first Napa Valley Wine Auction. He and his wife, Margrit, were among the founding members of that auction, which is now recognized as the major wine auction in the U.S.

Firmly committed to the everyday enjoyment of wine and food, Robert wanted to see a bottle of wine on every American table. To that end, in 1979 Robert bought a winemaking cooperative that he named Woodbridge, after a nearby town. Innovations at Woodbridge included the first value-priced US wines with barrel aging; traditional cork finishing; a gentle, direct-to-press method for white wines; the first US premium varietal wines with vintage dating; and the first winery to operate Quality Enhancement Teams with a “small lot” program, through which grapes are kept individual vineyard lots during fermentation.

Robert further expanded his horizons through international partnerships with the Frescobaldi family in Italy and Eduardo Chadwick of Viña Errazuríz in Chile.

During the late l980s, Robert launched the Mission Program to counteract anti-alcohol campaigns that were gathering force around the world. The Mission educated media, trade and consumers about the cultural and health benefits of moderate wine consumption. This program was the stimulus for CBS' “60 Minutes” program on wine and health, which changed America's
view of wine.

In 1994, Robert introduced Robert Mondavi Private Selection, a line of high quality, affordable fine wines that reflect the distinctive vineyards of California’s Central and North Coast appellations.

In recent years, Robert was a major benefactor of cultural and educational institutions. COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts, a world-class pioneering cultural center, opened in 2001. With a history of extraordinary contributions to California's wine industry, Robert and his wife made a substantial personal gift in 2001 to the University of California, Davis to establish the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science and to name the campus' new Center for the Performing Arts, which opened in 2002. He also made significant gifts to the Oxbow School and the Cantor Center of the Arts at Stanford University.

An uncompromising perfectionist, Robert believed that if you wish to succeed, "...you must listen to yourself, to your own heart, and have the courage to go your own way." These and other lessons from his life are the subject of his autobiography, "Harvests of Joy," published in l998 by Harcourt, Brace & Co. He was honored by countless national and international institutions, including France's Legion of Honor (2005), the government of Italy and many U.S. institutions including being the first “Pioneer” inductee in the founding year of the Culinary Institute of America’s Vintners Hall of Fame in 2006. In August 2007, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced Robert Mondavi’s induction into the California Hall of Fame at The
California Museum for History, Women and the Arts. Robert remained an active ambassador for the winery until his death.

While services will be private, a remembrance book will be available in Le Marche, the winery’s visitor center, and at the visitor center of Woodbridge winery in Lodi, CA for the next four weeks for anyone wishing to share a message or condolence. The books will be given to the Mondavi family.

In addition to his wife, Margrit Biever Mondavi, Robert Mondavi leaves three children, Michael, Marcia and Timothy; nine grandchildren; and his brother, Peter. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to COPIA; the University of California at Davis; The Oxbow School; and Stanford University.

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A cider tasting: Getting back to basics

William M. Dowd photo

There are few plants on the Earth that somewhere, some time, somehow, someone hasn't tried turning into an alcoholic beverage.

From Egyptian pharonic dynasty beer that was thick with fibers and seeds to today's multiply-filtered, pasteurized craft brews. From accidentally fermented grapes and other fruits that led us to today's fine wines. From rough, raw alcoholic drinks to today's premium spirits. And from semi-sweet to extra dry fermented apple cider of the Middle Ages to -- well, to the semi-sweet to extra dry fermented apple cider of today.

Let's talk about that.

Cider is truly an ancient drink. It is neither wine nor apple juice nor what today passes for commercial cider in the United States, that overpowering stuff made from sweet dessert apples, often goosed up with bittersweet apple concentrate and loaded with high fructose corn syrup in the manner of most soft drinks. In the U.S. we tend to call the original version "hard cider" to differentiate it from the non-alcoholic version. Elswehere, it's just plain cider.

Traditional cider, higher than beer in alcohol content but lower than wine at about 6.5 to 8.5 percent -- meaning in the 13 to 17 proof range, is made in various parts of Europe from apple strains with which the average consumer is not familiar: Somerset Redstreak, Medaille d'Or, Bulmer's Norman, Kingston Black and Dabinett, for example. You won't find such popular eating apples as Macintosh, Delicious, Granny Smith, Cortland and the like in anything considered a fine cider.

There even is a pear cider, known as perry, much less popular but traditional nevertheless. It has been made for centuries in Britain, particularly in the west and in Wales, and remains popular across the English Channel in the French region of Normandy and up north in Sweden. It is made virtually the same way as apple cider, usually with an 8 percent alcohol volume, which means 16 proof. The most common UK cider pear is the Blakeney Red, not an appealing eating fruit but just right for cider.

A mutual acquaintance put me onto Farnum Hill Ciders, made at Poverty Lane Orchards in Lebanon, N.H., near the Vermont border. He touted it as an excellent example of traditional European cider making, "not at all sweet like the usual ciders you get in supermarkets. More like a selection of wines."

Farnum Hill, owned and operated by Stephen Wood and Louisa Spencer, has been growing what they refer to as "real cider apple trees" for the past 16 years. Their crops are heirloom variety apples that were cellar staples in colonial times or in common usage in Europe, but now rarities here. Esopus Spitzberg, Yarlington Mill and the aforementioned Kingston Black, Medaille d'Or and Dabinett allow Wood to turn out a wide variety of ciders, each with its own nuances.

I convened a four-person panel to sample and evaluate a quartet of Farnum Hill ciders -- a sparkling trio of Farmhouse, Semi-Dry and Extra-Dry and an Extra-Dry Still.

Cider makers tend to speak of their products as winemakers do of theirs, and urge them to be consumed with food. We set up our tastebuds with a light tapas assortment -- chicken satays with spicy peanut sauce or dots of wasabi, stuffed mushrooms and assorted cheeses (an eight-year-old Canadian cheddar, a raw cow's milk gruyere called L'Etivaz from Switzerland, and a raw whole sheep's milk Abbaye de Belic from the Aquitaine province in the south of France).

Wood suggests, "When you taste, it might be best to avoid interspersing our ciders with sweeter ones, either European or American. Certain juxtapositions could be cruel to some or all."

While I understood his concern about interspersing, I disagree that there should be no comparison. We had small glasses of another New England product with our tapas, a tasty, sweet sparkling "American Cider" called Johnny Mash. It's a 12-proof, oak aged beverage created in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts by Furnace Brook Winery at Hilltop Orchards near the village of Richmond. Because it is more akin in taste with commonly-found American ciders, it offered a good baseline for comparison of the dry European-style Farnum Hill ciders. And, it has performed exceedingly well in cider competitions for more than a decade.

Our tasting notes:

• Farmhouse Cider: This is a pale gold, light bodied slightly sparkling cider. It wasn't overwhelmed by the tapas and cider that came before it, but it put our panel in the right frame of mind: i.e., don't expect a big apple bang on the palate the way we've been conditioned to expect from American-style ciders. Mid-palate apple taste, but not from start to finish. Farmhouse would be nice with mild foods, but overwhelmed by anything spicy.

• Semi-Dry: A slightly more apple-y taste, but with hints of tropical fruit. Tarter than the Farmhouse, very subdued nose. If you fool with it long enough, you begin to extract more taste. Although the maker calls it "a happy companion to most foods," our panel disagreed, noting it worked best with a bit of sliced apple and the gruyere that helped coax out the flavor.

• Extra Dry: This one was a hit with all involved, possibly because of the more forward taste of apple, a fragrant nose one of our tasters said is "closer to the kind of balance you'd expect from a good wine." Here again, we disagreed with the maker's evaluation that it would be "a palate-cleansing friend to most foods, except perhaps desserts." We felt it would go well particularly with desserts because, of the four Farnum Hill ciders we tried, this one stood up best in all categories -- golden color, full nose and body, and a long, pleasant aftertaste.

• Extra-Dry Still: Not a hit with anyone. We found it pallid by comparison to its companions, too acidic and, as one put it, "it would benefit from a spritz."

Farnum Hill has seven different ciders, some of them seasonal. Because apple quality varies season to season, there will be some variations in the ciders from year to year, much like grape quality affects wine whereas other alcoholic beverages are far less beholden to the crops used in their creation.

In essence, this tasting went about the same way most do. Individual values and tastes created some division among the panelists, but the best was deemed best by all and the weakest weakest by all.

One other thing we all agreed on was that cider should be anything but a forgotten beverage of choice when it comes to food pairings, no matter the season. It deserves being returned to the esteem in which it once was held in this country, and offers a distinct alternative to the everyday drinks we consume.

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A celebri-quote: Jessica Alba

• Actress and mother-to-be Jessica Alba commenting to Gossip Girls.com on how pregnancy has changed her beverage choices.

"Sometimes I want a few glasses of wine. I get half a glass maybe once a week and I don’t even like it. It tastes different. My taste buds are different.

"I miss Scotch, too.”

You can get information on the affects of alcohol on pregnancy at the American Pregnancy Association Web site.

[Go here for more Celebri-Quotes.]

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Finger Lakes International topped by trio

A trio of wineries earned a pair of double gold medals each in last Saturday's Finger Lakes International Wine Competition.

The double gold status, which means a unanimous vote of the judges sampling the particular wine, went to two entries each from Adobe Road Winery of Petaluma, CA, Hagafen Cellars of Napa, CA, and Penguin Bay Winery of Hector, NY.

The competition is an annual fundraiser for Camp Good Days and Special Times, is a non-profit organization that provides a camping experience and more for children and adults facing the toughest challenges of life such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, and violence.

Here is the complete list of double golds. All other results are available elsewhere online.

• Cabernet Sauvignon: Adobe Road Winery, Petaluma, CA, Adobe Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2003.
• Zinfandel (Red): Adobe Road Winery, Petaluma, CA, Adobe Road Zinfandel 2005.
• Traminette: Beans Creek Winery, Manchester, TN, Traminette NV.
• Baco Noir: Benmarl Winery, Highland, NY, Benmarl Baco Noir 2006.
• Chenin Blanc: Biltmore Estate Wine Co., Asheville, NC, Biltmore Estate Chenin Blanc NV.
• Cabernet Franc: Blue Sky Vineyard, Makanda, IL, Cabernet Franc (75% Cabernet Franc, 25% Chambourcin) NV.
• Icewine (naturally frozen): Casa Larga Vineyards, Fairport, NY, Casa Larga-Fiori Vidal 2005.
• Red Varietals: Chameleon Cellars, Saint Helena, CA, Chameleon Cellars Carignane 2005.
• Late Harvest White: Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Woodinville, WA, Chateau Ste. Michelle Ethos Late Harvest White Riesling 2006.
• Niagara: Earle Estates Meadery, Penn Yan, NY, Earle Estates Niagara NV.
• Riesling Sweet (>4.0%RS): Hagafen Cellars, Napa, CA, Hagafen Riesling 2007.
• Cabernet Sauvignon: Hagafen Cellars, Napa, CA, Prix Cabernet Sauvignon 2003.
• Merlot: Jarvis Winery, Napa, CA, Jarvis 81% MR /13% CF 6% CS 2005.
• Viognier: Jefferson Vineyards, Charlottesville, VA, Jefferson Vineyards Viognier 2007.
• Cider (< 7% Alcohol): Les Vergers Petit et Fils, Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, Petit Pomme Cidre Leger 2006.
• Merlot: M.A. Marketing, Tishbi Estate Winery, Zichron Yaakov, Israel, Merlot 2005.
• Zinfandel (Red): Maryhill Winery, Golendale, WA, Maryhill Classic Zinfandel 2005.
• Ice Wine (naturally frozen): Mountain Road Wine Co., Beamsville, Ontario, Mountain Road Wine Co. Vidal Icewine 2003.
• Ice Wine (naturally frozen): Oliver Winery, Bloomington, IN, Creekbend Vidal Blanc Ice Wine 2005.
• Riesling Semi-Sweet (2.0-4.0% RS): Penguin Bay Winery, Hector, NY, Penguin Bay Winery Riesling NV.
• Valvin-Muscat: Penguin Bay Winery, Hector, NY, Penguin Bay Winery Valvin / Muscat 2006.
• Rosé: Pinnacle Ridge Winery, Kutztown, PA, Pinnacle Ridge Winery Brut Rose Pinot Noir NV.
• Ice Wine (naturally frozen): Reif Estate Winery, Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario, Reif Estate Winery Vidal Ice Wine 2005.
• Ice Wine (naturally frozen): Royal DeMaria Wines, Beamsville, Ontario, Royal DeMaria Ice Wine Cabernet Sauvignon 2002.
• Chardonnay: South Coast Winery, Temecula, CA, South Coast Winery Chardonnay Sans Chene 2007.
• Sherry: Summerside Vineyards & Winery, Vinita, OK, Summerside Vineyards Sherry NV.
• Riesling Dry (0.0-0.75% RS): Swedish Hill Winery, Romulus, NY, Swedish Hill Winery Dry Riesling 2006.
• Traminette: Tabor Hill Winery, Bridgman, MI, Tabor Hill Winery Traminette 2006.
• Lemberger: Torrey Ridge Winery, Penn Yan, NY, Torrey Ridge Winery Lemberger 2006.
• Cabernet Sauvignon: V. Sattui Winery, St. Helena, CA, V. Sattui Winery Preston Vineyard Cabernet 2005.
• Late Harvest White: Vignoble du Marathonien, Havelock, Quebec, Vignoble du Marathonien Vidal 2006.
• Vidal Blanc: Wagner Vineyards, Lodi, NY, Wagner Vineyards Vidal Blanc Ice 2006.
• Late Harvest White: Weingut Anita & Hans Nittnaus, Austria, Weingut Anita & Hans Nittnaus 50% Chardonnay / 30% Pinot blanc / 10% Sauvignon blanc / 10% Riesling 2004.
• Other White Varietals: Weingut Werner Anselmann, Edesheim/ Weinstrabe, Germany, Anselmann Ortega rockenbeerenauslese Ortega 2006.
• Late Harvest White: Whitewater Hill Vineyards, Grand Junction, CO, Whitewater Hill Late Harvest Chardonnay 2007.
• Marechal Foch: Winehaven Winery and Vineyard, Chisago City, MN, Winehaven Winery Marechal Foch St. Croix 2006.

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Nevada gets its first estate-bottled red

Nevada's oldest and largest winery has produced the state's first estate red wine, a first crush 2005 Zinfandel called "Nevada Ridge."

Owners Bill and Gretchen Loken's Pahrump Valley Winery usually produces wines from grapes purchased in California, specifically the Paso Robles, Monterey, Sonoma, Napa and Lodi grape-growing regions. "Nevada Ridge" was made completely from grapes grown on the Pahrump grounds.

In an interview with the local Pahrump Valley Times newspaper, Bill Loken said, "There's never been a bottle of wine ever made at the winery from grapes that were grown here -- ever."

However, "he qualified his remarks, adding it's 'believed to be' the first red estate wine ever grown in Nevada, since Frank 'Pop' Buol grew grapes in Pahrump in the 1930s. But little is known about Chateau Buol other than it was bonded by the federal government."

Pahrump Valley Winery currently produces about 10,000 cases of wine annually, or about 120,000 bottles.

About 1.5 tons of zinfandel grapes were picked in mid-August of 2005, which amounts to about four barrels. The first crush will produce about 100 cases, or about 1,100 bottles, which will be priced at about $75 a bottle.

"To my knowledge this is the first commercial red wine ever produced in the state of Nevada. It marks the beginning point for an industry that has potential," Loken said in the interview.

An estate white wine was produced at Churchill Vineyards in Fallon, NV.

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Brunello flap gets results

The investigation into Brunello di Montalcino production levels for at least four major vintners isn't finished. However, a Tuscan trade organization already is taking action to blunt criticism.

Count Francesco Marone Cinzano (right), owner of Brunello producer Col d'Orcia and president of the consortium of Brunello producers, told Decanter.com that producers now will test some 20-25% of wine each year after reports that hundreds of thousands of top Brunello were impounded and sale of the 2003 vintage suspended.

"We will be a lot more severe in our controls to guarantee and certify the good work of the majority,'' he told reporters for the wine magazine during a conversation at the Vinitaly trade fair in Verona, Italy.

Major producers including Castello Banfi, Antinori, Frescobaldi and Argiano were being investigated after it was alleged they had mixed small amounts of other grapes with the Brunello, a violation of commercial law.

You can read the full Decanter.com story here.

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This time the label really is important

Sometimes it's difficult to juggle wine glasses when you're being spontaneous and, perhaps, hoping to share a touch of the grape with a significant other while out on a stroll through a meadow.

If you have a bottle of the Vinho Verde created by Viktor Pucsek for the PapaMama Design Competition, no problem. Simply slip off the label, which converts to a couple of paper drinking vessels.

You'll have to figure out for yourself how to open the bottle, although a screwtop would come in handy for anyone who decides to seriously manufacture what currently is a prototype design.

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Brunello di Montalcino production probed

Sometimes in business you can be too productive.

Think not? Check with the prominent Italian winemaker Castello Banfi. The Tuscan vintner has had 600,000 bottles of its 2003 Brunello di Montalcino confiscated by Italian authorities as part of an investigation into alleged irregularities in the quantity of bottles produced.

Enrico Viglierchio, a Castello Banfi executive, confirmed for reporters a story in the Tuscan newspaper Corriere Fiorentino that police had seized wine produced by Castello Banfi and three other vintners -- Antinori, Frescobaldi and Argiano -- on suspicion the high-end products had been cut with other grape varieties such as Sauvignon, which would be commercial fraud if true.

"It seems we produced more" than the vintner could have produced based on the calculation of acreage dedicated to grapes for Brunello, Viglierchio said in remarks carried by Italian state TV.

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Psst, think Canberra wine

If you're interested in checking out what its producers think will be a singular wine, you'd better start working your Australian contacts early.

This year's wine harvest is so impressive it will be bottled for the territory's centenary celebrations, according to the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) government.

ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope told the Canberra Times that a riesling and a shiraz would be created using some of this year's best fruit and the top skills of the local wine industry.

"The wine will be released in our centenary year, 2013," he said. "I understand the (local winemakers') association is looking to make this process as inclusive as possible so that a number of winemakers in the district will have the opportunity to be part of the unique project."

The Canberra Region Wine District has emerged as one of Australia's premier wine producing regions in recent years. There are 35 wineries within a 35-minute drive of Canberra city. Overall, there are 140 vineyards in the ACT, with most of them small boutique operations.

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The ultimate 'carding'

From the Canadian Press:

EDINBURGH, Scotland — An Internet campaign to ban Britain's treasury chief from the country's pubs seems to be striking a chord.

Earlier this month, treasury chief Alistair Darling (seen at right) raised taxes on cars and cigarettes. But it is his new alcohol duties -- which raised the price of a pint of beer -- that have Britons' backs up.

So, when a pub landlord here in Darling's hometown barred the chancellor from his establishment, drinking holes across the country followed suit. Many are posting pictures of the white-haired, bespectacled treasurer above the big red word "barred."

Bar manger Andrew Little at the Utopia pub, which kicked off the campaign, says the poster is "tongue in cheek." But, he says, it seems to have "touched a nerve."

Hundreds have joined Internet groups devoted to running Darling out of every pub in the country, and establishments from the Tap & Spile in the north England town of Lincoln to the Plough Inn in Finstock, near Oxford, said Darling would not allowed to partake of their booze.

The government has raised taxes on alcohol by 6% above the rate of inflation, which translates to an extra four pence (about eight cents Canadian) for a pint of beer, 13 pence (around 26 cents) for a bottle of wine and 55 pence (around $1.12) a bottle for spirits such as whisky.

The duties are scheduled to rise by another 2% above inflation in each of the next four years.

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Solving a liquidity problem

From The Times of London's Web site:

"In a cold, dark cellar in Paris lie some of the world’s finest wines: 12 bottles of Château d’Yquem, a case of Château Margaux and a 1985 bottle of Romanée-Conti, estimated to be worth almost £4,000. [Nearly $8,000 US.]

“ 'Don’t touch it,' snapped a broad-shouldered warehouseman as The Times reached for the celebrated burgundy. “If you dropped it, the insurance wouldn’t pay.”

His nervousness was understandable, for this is the first time in history that a French pawnbroker has accepted wine as a security against loans for its customers."

Here's the rest of the story.

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N.D. backs off punishing make-your-owns

When it comes to alcoholic beverages, many state authorities exhibit an almost-pathological need to tax, regulate, stifle and otherwise interfere with a business enterprise.

The latest such news comes from North Dakota. Not a place one normally thinks of when the subject is wine, but, like every other state, there are wineries and winemaking interest there.

The North Dakota State Tax Commission has reversed its previous opinion on two key issues.

One affected a business called Vintner's Cellar, a make-your-own-wine company with locations in Grand Forks and Fargo. Owners Tony and Judy Osowski said in January they would close their doors because the Tax Commission wanted to revoke its domestic winery licenses, saying it did not meet ingredient requirements or pay an alcohol excise tax on its wine sales.

An audit conducted last fall claimed the winery’s private-label wines failed to meet a state law requiring the majority if its ingredients — grapes, fruit or other sources — be North Dakota products.

The other case involved Lisa Gibson Archive Vintner’s, another make-your-own-wine business in which customers are allowed to taste wines and purchase wine kits that are made in the store or in the customer’s home. This one differs in that it also makes it owns domestic wine under the Dakota Prairie label.

The state Tax Commission also claimed that the franchise owed back taxes from 2005 and 2006, based on policy that state excise and alcoholic beverage taxes must be paid on all wine sales.

Now comes word that both decisions were reconsidered and reversed.

In the case of the Osowskis' business, the state panel ruled that its winemaking kit "is not subject to the majority ingredient requirement.”

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NY Wine Month more than a mere motto

April is many things -- among them, New York Wine Month.

As opposed to the usual pale occurrence such theme months might be (think National Lollipop Month), this one involves more than 300 restaurants and wine shops in the state that will feature New York wines all month long.

There are more than 230 wineries statewide, and wines from 92 of them are featured as part of the promotion from New York Wines & Dines.

Its Web site has a list of participating restaurants as well as a collection of recipes, information on wines, food and wine regions throughout the state to support the month-long event.

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Perrier-Jouet all bubbly over the super-rich

The latest entry in the "world's most expensive blah-blah-blah" competition demands our attention in the champagne category.

A personalized, limited edition 12-bottle boxed set of Perrier-Jouet Champagne will go on sale Thursday with a price tag of 50,000 euros, or $78,944 U.S.

if that seems a bit pricey, consider a single bottle at 4,166 euros, or $6,576 U.S.

First, of course, you have to qualify for the privilege of buying the bubbly. Pernod-Ricard, which owns Perrier-Jouet, said sales will be limited to "a community of super-rich" consumers in the U.S., U.K., Japan, China, Russia, Switzerland and France.

"We are going to sell these box-sets to 100 people around the world who will have a chance to customise their own champagne, the ultimate luxury," said Perrier Olivier Cavil, head of communications at Perrier-Jouet. "Each buyer will come to Epernay (in eastern France) for a one-on-one meeting with our cellar master Herve Deschamps, and will personally add a 'liqueur' to personalise the bottles."

The special edition champagne is a combination of sugar and wines from different years, and the liqueur will put the finishing touch on bottles of Perrier-Jouet's 2000 Belle Epoque champagne.

The previous price record was held by a limited edition of Dom Perignon champagne, which went on sale in 2005 for 12,000 euros, or $18,957 U.S., per three-litre bottle.

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Letters: PA wine shipping is a pain

Mr. Dowd:

Is it possible to buy Pennsylvania wine via an Internet order to ship to California in one week?

If so, who/what would you recommend? I'm throwing a bridal shower for a bride-to-be from PA.

-- Kathy in California

Kathy:

Sorry, but it is illegal to ship wine from Pennsylvania to a destination outside the state.

Pennsylvania is one of the more restrictive states when it comes to interstate sales. In fact, it has a very cumbersome process for in-state shipping as well: You have to order the wine to be shipped to a state-licensed store, then pick it up there rather than having what you purchased sent directly to you.

Thanks for writing. And best wishes for the shower.

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Terroir-categorized wine competition results

"Terroir" is a term perhaps more understood in parts of the world with a longer history of growing wine grapes than in the U.S., a comparative newcomer to the field.

But terroir's impact is beginning to be recognized. The annual Grand Harvest Awards judging in Santa Rosa, CA, for example, bills itself as "the only wine-judging event in North America that is based on terroir -- a group of vineyards (or even vines) from the same region, belonging to a specific appellation, and sharing the same type of soil, weather conditions, grapes and wine making savoir-faire, which contribute to give its specific personality to the wine."

The idea of hinging a competition on such criteria is "to acknowledge the influence of terroir" compared to other competitions in which the factor is ignored.

Gold medalists in the recent event:

AUSTRALIA
• Barossa Valley: Peter Lehmann, 2005 Shiraz, $15.
• Clare Valley: Wakefield, 2005 Riesling, $16.99.
• South Australia: Wakefield Promised Land, 2006 Chardonnay, Unwooded, $12.99.
• Southeastern Australia: Black Swan, 2006 Shiraz, $8; Black Swan, 2006 Shiraz/Merlot, $8; Black Swan, 2006 Riesling, $8.

BRITISH COLUMBIA
• Okanagan Valley: Burrowing Owl Estate, 2005 Cabernet Franc, $33; Burrowing Owl Estate, 2005 Syrah, $38; Ganton & Larsen Prospect Winery, 2006 Vidal Ice Wine, $29.99; Mission Hill Family Estate Reserve Wines, 2006 Riesling Ice Wine, Mission Hill Reserve, $59.99.

ONTARIO
• Niagara Peninsula: Heritage Series, 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, $11.45; Hillebrand Trius, NV Brut, $24.95; Magnotta Winery, 2006 Sparkling Ice Wine, Limited Edition, $49.95.

NEW ZEALAND
• Marlborough: Kathy Lynskey Wines, 2006 Pinot Noir, Block 36 Reserve, Dry $39; Whitehaven, 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, $22.

SOUTH AFRICA
• Cape: Sebeka, 2007 Shiraz/Pinotage, Western Cape, $10.

CALIFORNIA
• Geyser Peak Winery, 2007 Sauvignon Blanc, $12; Korbel Cellars, NV Champagne Chardonnay, $11; Pepi, 2006 Pinot Grigio, $11; Redtree, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, $8; Sutter Home, 2006 Pinot Grigio, $5; Sutter Home, 2006 White Zinfandel, $4; Trinity Oaks, 2006 Pinot Noir, $8.
• Alexander Valley: Wattle Creek Winery, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage Select, $85.
• Central Coast: Bonny Doon Vineyard, 2006 Le Vol des Anges, Beeswax Vineyard, $30; Bonny Doon Vineyard, 2007 Albarino, Ca' del Solo Vineyard, $20; Bridlewood Winery, 2006 Viognier, Reserve, $20; Bridlewood Winery, 2004 Syrah, Reserve, $24; Cycles Gladiator Wines, 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Dry, $9.99; Five Rivers Winery, 2006 Pinot Grigio, $9.99; Hahn Estates Wine, 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Dry, $14; Kendall-Jackson, 2005 Syrah, Alisos Hills, $35; Michael Grace Wines, 2004 Syrah, Paradise Vineyard, $22; San Saba, 2006 Chardonnay, $20; Saucelito Canyon Vineyard, 2006 Zinfandel, $23; Saucelito Canyon Vineyard, 2006 Zinfandel 1880, $68; Sunstone Winery, 2005 Merlot SBC, Estate, $28.
• Central Valley: Dancing Coyote Wines, 2006 Rhumba, $10.99.
• Cucamonga Valley: Rancho De Philo, NV California Triple Cream Sherry, $34.95.
• Dry Creek Valley: Dutcher Crossing Winery, 2006 Zinfandel, Maple Vineyard, $39.
• Lodi: California's Jewel, 2005 Merlot, $10.99; Earthquake Petite Sirah, 2005 Petite Sirah, $28; Hamilton Oaks Vineyard, 2003 Barbera, $27; Harlow Ridge Winery, 2006 Chardonnay, $6.99; Incognito, 2006 Viognier, $19.50.
• Los Carneros: Fleur de California, 2006 Pinot Noir Vin Gris, $13; Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards, 2004 Blanc de Blancs, $24.
• Mendocino: Bonterra Vineyards, 2006 Chardonnay, $12.99; Bonterra Vineyards, 2005 Merlot, $14.99; Brutocao Cellars, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Hopland Ranches, $22; Brutocao Cellars, 2005 Zinfandel, Hopland Ranches, $22; Claudia Springs Winery, 2005 Pinot Noir, $20; Claudia Springs Winery, 2005 Zinandel, Vassar Vineyards, .$24; Navarro Vineyards, 2006 Pinot Noir, Deep-End Blend, $52; Navarro Vineyards, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, $35;
Navarro Vineyards, 2006 White Riesling, Cluster Select, $59; Three Families Winery, 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, $16; Wattle Creek Winery, 2007 Sauvignon Blanc, $17.
• Napa Valley: Bell, 2006 Chardonnay, $26; Casa Nuestra Winery & Vineyard, 2005 Tinto St. Helena, $30; Napa Cellars, 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, $18; Rutherford Ranch, 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Dry, $48; Rutherford Ranch, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, $18; Ryham Estate Vineyards, 2005 Malbec, Ryhan, $14.99; Terremoto Cellars, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Asbill Vineyard, $35; V. Sattui Winery, 2006 Chardonnay, $24.
• North Coast: 39 Degrees, 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, $10; Brassfield Estate Winery, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, High Serenity Ranch, $23.99; Charles Creek Vineyard, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Las Pasiones, $39; Charles Creek Vineyard, 2005 Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon, Miradero, $32; Dutcher Crossing Winery, 2006 Chardonnay, Stuhlmuller Vineyard, $39; Geyser Peak Winery, 2006 Chardonnay Reserve, $23; Geyser Peak Winery, 2006 Chardonnay, $13; Hughes Family Vineyards, 2005 Syrah, Savanah Vineyard, $40; Leveroni Vineyards, 2006 Pinot Noir, $18; Little Vineyards, 2005 Cabernet, Little Vineyards, $40; Rosenblum Cellars, 2005 Syrah, Hillside Vineyards, $25; Shannon Ridge Vineyards & Winery, 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, $19; Shannon Ridge Vineyards & Winery, 2006 Chardonnay, $24; Shannon Ridge Vineyards & Winery, 2006 Wrangler Red, .$17; Stonestreet Alexander Mountain Estate, 2005 Chardonnay, $23; Trecini Cellars, 2005 Syrah, Ladi Vineyard, $25; Wildhurst Vineyards, 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, $11; Wildhurst Vineyards, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, $16.
• Paso Robles: Jeff Runquist Wines, 2004 Syrah, Three Way Vineyard, $40; Sculpterra Winery, 2006 Red Blend, Maquette, $40;
The Midlife Crisis Winery, 2005 Syrah, $22; Victor Hugo Winery, 2006 Viognier, Estate, $18.
• Russian River Valley: Amphora, 2006 Pinot Noir, Windsor Oaks, $45; Bogle Vineyards, 2005 Pinot Noir, $13; Hawley Wines, 2006 Chardonnay, $22; J. Lynne, 2006 Chardonnay, $19; Longboard Vineyards, 2006 Pinot Noir, $28; Longboard Vineyards, 2004 Syrah, $28; Pug Wine, 2006 Pinot Noir, Amber Ridge, $35.
• San Benito: Kenneth Volk Vineyards, 2005 Negrette, Caleri Vineyard, $24.
• San Francisco Bay: Sycamore Creek, 2005 Petit Verdot, Uvas Creek, $24.95.
• Santa Maria Valley: Kenneth Volk Vineyards, 2005 Chardonnay, Sierra Madre Vineyard, $24.
• Sierra Foothills: Bell, 2006 Syrah, Canterbury Vineyard, $26; Bray Vineyards, 2007 Barbera Rosato, $16; Conti Estate/Charles B. Mitchell Vineyards, 2005 Sangiovese, Bella Rossa, $18; Jeff Runquist Wines, 2006 Barbera, Dick Cooper Vineyard, $24; Mount Aukum Winery, 2006 En Fuego/Red Rhone Blend, $26; MV. Miller Vineyards, 2005 Barbera, Rancho Olivo Vineyards, $20; MV. Miller Vineyards, 2005 Petite Sirah, Rancho Olivo Vineyards, $35.
• South Coast: Callaway Vineyard & Winery, 2005 Opera d' Arte, $28.

COLORADO
• Grand Valley: Balistreri Vineyards, 2006 Cabernet Franc, Whitewater Hill Vineyard, $28.

ILLINOIS
• Lynfred Winery, 2007 Seyval Blanc, $18.

MICHIGAN
• Lake Michigan Shore: St. Julian, NV Seyval Vidal Blue Heron, $7.99; Tabor Hill Winery, NV Grand Mark, $28.95.

MISSOURI
• Crown Valley Winery, 2004 Fine Old Chandonel, Crown Estate, $16; Stone Hill Winery, 2007 Vignoles, $15.99.
• American: Crown Valley Winery, 2005 Meritage, Mc, $30; St. James Winery, NV Sparkling Blush, $7.99; St. James Winery, NV Friendship School White, $7.99; St. James Winery, NV Velvet Red, $6.99.
• Hermann: Stone Hill Winery, 2005 Cross J Norton, Estate Bottled, $24.99.

NEBRASKA
• Mac's Creek Vineyards, 2007 Edelweiss, $13.

NEW YORK
• Oak Summit Vineyard, 2005 Pinot Noir, Estate Bottled, $49.
• Finger Lakes: Heron Hill, 2005 Riesling, Ingle Vineyard, $17.99; Hunt Country Vineyards, 2006 Vidal Blanc Ice Wine, Estate Bottled, $39.99.
• North Fork of Long Island: Lieb Family Cellars, 2006 Pinot Blanc, $19.

OHIO
• Grand River Valley: Chalet Debonne Vineyards, 2006 Riesling, Reserve, $11.99; Ferrante Winery, 2006 Riesling, Dry Siganture Series, $15; Ferrante Winery, 2006 Vidal Blanc, $10.

OREGON
• Rogue Valley: Volcano Vineyards, 2005 Syrah, Lakeside Vineyard, $32.
• Willamette Valley: Oak Knoll Winery, 2006 Pinot Gris, $14; Willamette Valley Vineyards, 2006 Pinot Noir, $25; Willamette Valley Vineyards, 2006 Pinot Noir, Estate Vineyard, $40; Winter's Hill Vineyard, 2005 Pinot Noir, $29.

SOUTH DAKOTA
• Prairie Berry Winery, 2007 Frontenac Gris, Lewis and Clark, $15.

VIRGINIA
• Gray Ghost Vineyards, 2007 Late Harvest Vidal Blanc, Adieu, $20.
• Broad Run: Pearmund Cellars, 2005 Viognier, $16.

WASHINGTON
• Columbia Valley: Basel Cellars, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Estate, $36; Chateau Ste. Michelle, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Indian Wells Vineyard, $18; Chateau Ste. Michelle, 2006 Chardonnay Canoe Ridge Estate, $24; Chateau Ste. Michelle, 2006 Riesling, Indian Wells Vineyard, $18; Coeur D'Alene Cellars, 2006 Viognier, $18; E.B. Foote Winery, 2006 Zinfandel, Wahluke Slope, $24; Gamache Vintners, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, Gamache Vineyards, $28; Jones of Washington, 2005 Merlot, Jones Vineyards, $18; Kiona, 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, $34.99; LaVelle Vineyards, 2006 Chardonnay, Wahluke Slope, $16; Mary Hill Winery, 2005 Cabernet Franc, Classic, $20; Mary Hill Winery, 2005 Grenache, Proprietor's Reserve, $26; Robert Karl Cellars, 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, $30; Saint Laurent Estate Winery, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Mrachek Vineyards, $28; Tsillan Cellars Winery & Vineyard, 2006 Riesling, Estate, $20.
• Walla Walla Valley: Cougar Crest Estate, 2006 Viognier, $20.

Go here for a look at the silver and bronze medalists in all categories.

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Brit pubs on endangered list

The iconic image of pubs as a part of England that will always endure is in trouble.

The number of pub closings last year hit a rate 14 times higher than the prior year, according to a new report just released by the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA).

The BBPA says 1,409 pubs closed in 2007, a rate of 27 per week.

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has published its own survey showing a slightly slower pace -- 57 a month -- but notes that 31% of those closed are being demolished, 36% are converted to shops, cafes and restaurants and 33% are converted to some other use, mostly residential.

It is this changeover that is concerning people who want to preserve the country's pub structure. CAMRA is pushing for changes to planning laws to prevent pub demolitions and change of use without planning permission.

So, what is causing the phenomenon?

BBPA Chief Executive Rob Hayward said he blames rising costs, falling sales and the impact of the smoking ban.

“These figures show the reality of the pub trade today," he said, "in contrast to the hype surrounding the myth of '24 hour drinking'."

BBPA statistics say beer sales in pubs are at their lowest level since the Depression in the 1930s. Today's pubs are selling 14 million fewer pints a day than they did when sales were at their peak in 1979.

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Marylanders still can't buy wine via 'Net

You may be able to enjoy a glass of wine while you're on your computer in Maryland, but don't try getting the two any closer.

As reported by Baltimore Sun:

ANNAPOLIS, MD (March 8) -- A House of Delegates committee yesterday rejected a bill that would let Maryland consumers buy wine directly from Internet merchants and wineries, as is permitted in at least 35 other states.

The bill was also debated yesterday in the Senate, though its chance of passage appears slim.

Wine lovers and Maryland wineries have been battling the state's liquor distributors for several years over the issue. Under current law, online direct-to-consumer sales of alcohol are largely prohibited because they circumvent the "three tier" regulatory system in place that requires producers to sell to wholesalers, who distribute cases of wine to retail stores.

Sen. Jamie B. Raskin, the Montgomery County Democrat sponsoring the bill, yesterday railed against "antiquated economic protectionism" that benefits liquor distributors and merchants. Though a self-described "teetotaler," Raskin exhorted his colleagues to "create a free market in wine. ... Free the grapes!"

Bruce C. Bereano, a lobbyist representing the Licensed Beverage Distributors of Maryland, argued that Raskin's bill would hurt Maryland wineries, reduce distribution-related jobs in the state, hamper tax collection and make it easier for minors to obtain alcohol.

"If you make it so profoundly easy for national wine brands to get their product directly to consumers, they're going to take out Maryland wineries," Bereano said.

The association representing state wineries disagrees.

"The ability to ship wine to a consumer is one of many methods provided by law in other states to encourage the growth and prosperity of small wineries," said Maryland Wineries Association executive director Kevin M. Atticks in his written testimony. Maryland's current laws are "frustrating for consumers and almost impossible to explain to customers," he said.

(You can see the rest of the story here on the Sun's Web site.)

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Letters: 'Crucifixion' wine?

Dear Mr. Dowd:

I was recently treated to a Ukrainian wine that had a rendition of the crucifixion of Christ as the label. Are you familiar with this wine?

It was wonderful (but) with the entire label unreadable to my American eye we have no idea what the name is or where it is made. Just wondering if you are able to shed some light.

-- Rebecca Reynolds, Salt Lake City, UT

Becky:

I've been researching your question, but haven't come up with a specific name. Several sources say putting such imagery on wine at certain times of the year is commonplace and not restricted to any one label.

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Seyval Blanc leads way for new NY designation

One of my favorite wines from New York's Hudson Valley is a Seyval Blanc from Clinton Vineyards in Dutchess County.

Obviously, Clinton Vineyards co-owners Phyllis and Ben Feder and other members of the Hudson Valley Wine & Grape Association feel strongly about the grape as well. So much so, in fact, that the group has selected Seyval Blanc (shown at right) as the primary grape for wines that will qualify for the new "Hudson Heritage White" designation, with Vignoles, Vidal or Cayuga White allowed for blending.

Seyval Blanc grapes have a long reputation as a good cool-climate fruit. The French-American hybrid is the second most planted vine in England, behind Müller-Thurgau. In the U.S., the regional appellations producing the most Seyval Blanc wines are the Hudson River and the Finger Lakes in New York, and the state appellations producing the most are New York, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Illinois, Maryland and Virginia.

The grape is an early ripener, usually mid- to late September. It is highly susceptible to botrytis bunch rot.

Seyval Blanc wine is a pale yellow color, with a light but fragrant nose, usually with hints of lemon, pineapple and a bit of acidic apple on the finish.

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