11:16 AM

December 2008 - California Wine

California Wine For Your Reading Pleasure

Join the Club: Wine Clubs

One of the best ways to get access to great, and sometimes less accessible, wines is to join a wine club. These clubs are free to join and can result in you enjoying a greater variety of wines. Whether retailer operated, or direct through the winery, wine clubs will enhance your wine drinking pleasure.

The first consideration for most consumers is price. Just know that there are a range of wine clubs to meet most consumer tastes and budgets. Being in a wine club does not necessitate spending big money. As an example K&L Wine Merchants in San Francisco has a wine club that will ship you 2 bottles of wine per month for $17.95. For that price you have the advantage of knowledgeable experts picking out wines that they feel represent excellent value.

At the other end of the range is Vintners Collective in Napa. Their wine club, the Collectors Club, ships 8 bottles of wine 5 times per year for $290 per shipment. This wine club specializes in smaller production wineries (generally under 1200 cases per year) with whom they have excellent relationships. The result is wine from vintners that you will likely not see on the shelf of your local wine retailer.

Another consideration is whether to go with a winery direct club vs. a retailer. Ideally, budgets permitting, we recommend both clubs that are owned and operated by the winery and clubs that are run by retailers. We like the idea of getting a preferred spot on one of our favorite wineries distribution lists in addition to the variety that the retail club offers. As an example, let?s look at Justin Vineyards and Winery. This Central Coast maker of excellent red and white wine has a few different wine clubs. They offer a choice of red only or white only or mixed cases and will give you access to wines that disappear quite quickly. As an example we recently received a shipment containing one of our favorites, Justin Justification. This wine was sold out even prior to the wine shipment. So in this case only wine club members had an opportunity to receive this great wine which was available only in limited supply.

In the case of a retailer wine club, we like the idea of knowledgeable experts selecting great wines that have excellent value. Most times these are wines that would never appear on our radar no matter how much we read to keep up. Retail wine clubs often have connections with wineries that provide exceptional values. As in example K&L Wines recently offered a 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon from a well respected Napa producer for under $35. This same wine at the winery was $100. We like the idea of being able to buy an outstanding vintage, 1997, from an outstanding vintner at a most fair price. The case outlined here would not be possible outside of the wine club.

Before committing to a wine club make sure you understand the frequency of the shipments and the length of the commitment. Some clubs welcome your membership on an annual basis and will ship four times per year. Other clubs will accommodate monthly membership, frequently with a minimum number of months. Choose the club that best fits both your budget and your consumption. If you have limited storage space and your frequency of delivery is too high from too many clubs?..well you may have a great problem!

Additional perks of wine clubs often include: free shipping (depending on the state), discounts on retail purchases and/or future wine purchases, first access to newly released wine, admission to special events reserved for wine club patrons, complementary wine tasting, and discounts at local hotels, inns or restaurants.

Wine clubs present beginners and collectors access to great wines, selected by professionals, at a host of price points that will only enhance your wine experience.

R. Adam Shore writes about California Wines from a consumer point of view. A collector of California Cabernet and a resident of the Golden State he has assembled hand selected articles about wine. They are cellared at California Wine Articles. Also visit Physical Fitness Articles to read important articles that will assist you in burning away those new Wine Club calories!

Another short California Wine review

Join the Club: Wine Clubs

One of the best ways to get access to great, and sometimes less accessible, wines is to join a wine club. These clubs are free to join and can result ...

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California Wine Items For Viewing

Wine Enthusiast QuickSilver Deluxe Lever Style Corkscrew 4 Piece Gift Set

New and improved! The sleek ergonomic chrome design is die-cast and zinc-plated to provide the extra weight needed for better leverage. Works on all sizes and types of wine bottles. Strong non-stick coated screw. Set includes corkscrew foil cutter wax remover and a display base that doubles as a wine bottle coaster. Gift boxed.

Price: 59.95 USD

California Wine in the news

Wednesday, 10th December 2008 (Sussex Express)

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:17:16 -0800
BARCOMBE FOOTPATHS SOCIETY: On Sunday at Hamsey Church, Carols by Candlelight. Meet in the car park field at Hamsey church at 2pm for a short walk before the carol service at 3pm. Please remember to bring a candle in a jam jar. Leader Dilys Skan.

BEN column (Bridgeton News)

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:17:36 -0800
Good morning! Until this cold front gets out of here, worry more about snow than rain. There's a chance of snow showers Thursday afternoon and a chance of flurries on Friday.

Detroit Three plead for money, but is anyone listening? (CTV Winnipeg)

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:42:29 -0800
The head of the Canadian Auto Workers is calling on Canada and the U.S. to step in and save the Big 3 automakers, saying a failure would be "devastating" to the nation's economy.

Step back in time at the Dennis Severs' house in London

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 10:00:00 -0800
As I arrived at the Dennis Severs' house in the Shoreditch neighbourhood of London, there was not much to distinguish it from the others in this Georgian Terrace, surrounded by modern office blocks. One of the guardians of the house was waiting just outside and gave us a few words of introduction, requesting that we walk around the candle-lit house in silence to soak up the atmosphere. The house is a cross between a stage set for an 18th century costume drama and a living museum, where the ghost

Guy Buffet Wine Caddy - Wine Carriers Accessories

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 18:35:08 -0800
Wine Carriers Wine Accessory. Guy Buffet’s classic wine caddy portrays the most recognized waiter in the world. Who better should you entrust with delivering a stylish gift presentation? USD 6.00 | Wine Carriers | Read more...

One Product That Combines Putting Practice and Wine

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 19:54:40 -0700
Grab your miniature golf bag and get some putting practice in no matter where you are. If you actually choose to stop the practice and be sociable then you can leave the putting implements out and have a very cool wine caddy. The bonus is that you can have golf paraphernalia around you at all times. If you have yet to understand the allure of a game that gives you go carts to ride in for 5 hours on beautifully manicured grass with unbeatable scenery then you are missing out on something. Pro

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9:02 AM

October 19, 2008 - California Wine

The Best Articles on California Wine

The Flavors Of Wine

Although the four main flavors - sweet, salty, sour, and bitter are all your tongue is really capable of tasting, the long lasting impression that wine leaves in your mouth is far more complex. When you drink or taste wine, your taste buds and your sense of smell are involved, adding to the way you interpret wine overall. The flavors, aromas, and sensations that wine is comprised of provide the interaction that you taste when you sample wine.

Sweetness is something that wines are well known for. With most types of wine, grapes are responsible for the sweet taste. Grapes contain a lot of sugar, which breaks the yeast down into alcohol. The grapes and yeast that were used to produce the wine will leave behind various sugars, which your tongue will be able to quickly detect. Once your tongue detects these various sugars, the stimulation of sweetness from the wine will be ever so present in your mouth.

Alcohol is also present in wine, although your tongue doesn't really know how to decipher the taste of alcohol. Even though the tongue doesn't really taste alcohol, the alcohol is present in the mouth. The alcohol found in wine will dilate blood vessels and therefore intensify all of the other flavors found in the wine. After you have samples a few types of wine, the alcohol level can easily have an effect on your taste buds, making it hard to distinguish other drinks that you may have.

Another flavor is acidity, which will effect the sugars. With the proper balance of acidity, the overall flavor of wine can be very overwhelming. Once you taste wine that contains it, the flavor of the acidity will be well known to your tongue. Although acidity is great with wine, too much of it will leave a very sharp taste. With the right levels, acidity will bring the flavors of the grape and fruits alive in your mouth - providing you with the perfect taste.

Yet another effect of flavor are tannins, which are the proteins found in the skins of grapes and other fruits. If a wine has the right amount of tannins, it will give your tongue a great feel, and bring in the sensations of the other flavors. Once a wine starts to age, the tannins will begin to breakdown in the bottle, giving you a softer feel to the taste. Tannins are essential for the taste of wine - providing the wine has been properly aged.

The last flavor associated with wine is oak. Although oak isn't put into the wine during the manufacturing process, it is actually transferred during the aging process, as most wines will spend quite a bit of time in oak barrels. Depending on how long the wine is left in the oak barrel or cask, the ability to extract the flavor will vary. Most often times, wine will be aged just enough to where the oak taste is visibly there - and adds the perfect sentiment to the taste.

Although there are other flavors involved with the taste of wine, they aren't as present as those listed above. The above flavors are the most present in wine, and also the flavors that you need to get more familiar with. Before you try to taste wine or distinguish flavors, you should always learn as much you can about the components responsible for the flavors. This way - you will know more about what you are tasting and you'll truly be able to appreciate wine.

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A Short California Wine Summary

The Flavors Of Wine

Although the four main flavors - sweet, salty, sour, and bitter are all your tongue is really capable of tasting, the long lasting impression that win...

Click Here to Read More About Wine ...

California Wine Items For Viewing

Castello di Rampolla Sammarco

"For more than two decades one of the greatest Tuscan proprietary red wines has been Castello dei Rampolla's Cabernet Sauvignon/Sangiovese blend called Sammarco. What has always made this wine exceptional, especially in the top vintages, is its complexity and elegance. It is closer to a great Graves than any other wine I have ever tasted outside of France. The 1998 Sammarco, a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Sangiovese, reveals structure and tannin. Additionally, it possesses formidable underlying concentration and depth, along with that multi-layered mid-palate that always seems to separate exceptional wines from good ones. The 1998 Sammarco's deep, saturated ruby color is followed by a complex bouquet of charcoal, roasted herbs, smoke, hot gravel, black currants, and cherries. It is medium-bodied and deep, with high but sweet tannin, and extraordinary purity as well as delineation. This dry red Italian wine is a great gift to buy online! Anticipated maturity: 2003-2016." RP - 90 (Subject to Availability) CRS98 CRS98

Price: 165.99 USD

California Wine in the news

Biking Is Good For Detoxification - Part I

Sat, 18 Oct 08 20:40:42 -0700
Fabulous girls’s night out with Kelsey tonight! This afternoon I got some great studying done for Nutrition in the Lifespan. Learned all about infant nutrition. This class is so interesting. I had 2 cups of tea with milk while I studied and didn’t need an additional snack before I headed back out on bike for dinner. For the bike ride I bundled up with my quilted jacket, scarf and gloves - and even got a little warm on the way there! It’s about 30 minutes to get to SouthPark by bike, and it

Santiago - Santiago, Chile

Sat, 18 Oct 08 20:12:04 -0700
Jump to the full entry & travel map Santiago, Chile How time flies!! We've now completed our ten day South Pacific leg and have embarked on our final leg: South America. We arrived in Santiago on Sunday evening after a four hour flight from Easter Island. That Sunday morning, we woke up and went for breakfast only to find the hotel's breakfast room closed. We informed the manager and he told us that the clock had moved forward an hour in the early hours of Sunday morning so it was 10am, i

RED STATES VS BLUE STATES

Sat, 18 Oct 08 19:58:12 -0700
DEAR RED STATES, We've decided we're leaving. We intend to form our own country, and we're taking the other Blue States with us. In case you aren't aware, that includes California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and all the Northeast. We believe this split will be beneficial to the nation, and especially to the people of the new country of New California. To sum up briefly: You get Texas, Oklahoma and all the slave states. We get stem cell research and the

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