Roots

My recent birthday trip as well as helping edit the article by David Brown currently featured on PalatePress.com, have me thinking about roots.

David argues in his article that a truly unique American (as in the U.S. of A) wine identity hinges on fostering a wine culture based on grape varieties indigenous to the lower 48. In fact, his article concludes with an exhortation to cultivation of more of these varieties and the production of wines from these vines. (more…)

Stop H.R. 5034

In the last month, an insidious piece of proposed legislation has been introduced for discussion in the House of Representatives.

H.R. 5034, the “Comprehensive Alcohol Regulatory Effectiveness Act of 2010” (cynically: “CARE”) is being sold as a Public Safety/Health and State’s Rights bill. It is not. It is an economic power grab by the National Beer Wholesalers and the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America.

The reason why this bill is important to all wine lovers (and to those who care about Central Coast wines) is that this bill will absolutely kill the small-production wineries which make up a large part of the Central Coast wine landscape. With that will go jobs and economic stability (or what ever semblance of it the Central Coast wine industry currently has). (more…)