Five years ago, vinter Fred Franzia (nephew of wine legend Ernest Gallo) began producing Two Buck Chuck under the label of Charles Shaw Wines. Available only in Trader Joe's grocery stores for the bargain price of $1.99 (hence the name), Charles Shaw wines accounted for at least 8% of California wine sold in-state.

Michael Mondavi, son of wine pioneer Robert Mondavi says, "I think Two Buck Chuck has helped to make people aware that wine is not just for special occasions." Mondavi believes that those who begin by buying the wine will eventually trade up to higher quality wines within a year or two.

Franzia's wine history goes back to his grandfather, Giuseppe Franzia, who immigrated from Italy to America and opened the Franzia Brothers Winery in 1933. That winery was sold in 1973 and Fred, his brother Joseph and cousin John, started Bronco Wine Company. The bag-in-box wine sold under the Franzia name, actually bears no connection to the Franzia family.

While predominantly located in California, Trader Joe's has locations across the country. If you happen to have one close to you, stop in and try a bottle of the Two Buck Chuck. While it may not be the best wine you've ever tasted, I know quite a few people who swear by it as a daily table wine.

I wanted to be sure to remind everyone that this coming Saturday is the Manitou Springs Wine Festival. From 12pm to 6pm in Soda Springs Park, twenty-two Colorado wineries will be pouring samples. Live entertainment will be provided throughout the day by Me and Julio, The Brad Easton Trio, and Johnny Grave and the Blue Waves. Wine tastings will be $25, which includes a glass and tastings from all the wineries.

Specialty food and gift booths will also be located throughout the park, and wine will be available for purchase by the bottle and case from the wineries.

It's truly amazing what some people think of to do with their old wine corks. Check out this site for more pictures. Maybe you'll get some ideas for your own corks.

Kendall-Jackson's blog featured a posting yesterday about a new coffee table book to celebrate the winery's 25th anniversary. The Art of Terroir is a 110-page book of photography by Kendall-Jackson's Vice President of Public Relations George Rose, with commentary by US wine writer Rod Smith. The book also includes a foreword by Kendall-Jackson founder and proprietor, Jess Jackson. For those that aren't able to travel to California, the book offers a look at 14,000 acres of vines located in Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake, Santa Barbara and Monterey Counties.

Before joining Kendall-Jackson, George Rose was a photographer for the Los Angeles Times, where he was twice nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. His work has also appeared in Time, Newsweek, and Rolling Stone magazines. Rod Smith is a wine columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle and Los Angeles Times.

Terroir (pronounced tuh-waar) is a french term that meaning "the growing environment." It refers to the special characteristics of geography that make wine distinct and unique. In the European wine world, location is very important. As can be seen by the fact that their wines are not typically labeled by varietal, but instead by location.

This weekend I took the International Wine Guild's Wine Sommelier certification class. It consisted of 12 hours of instruction and tasting 28 different wines. The class is offered to both those involved in the wine trade,

as well as those that are just wine enthusiasts. I have to tell you the class was really fantastic. Clyde, the founder of the guild, taught the class and it was incredibly informative and easy to understand. Clyde truly posseses a wealth of information, and knows lots of historical stories to help students understand the reasons behind things.

Check out their website if you're interested in taking a class. And if you happen to live out of state, they also offer intensive classes that can be done in a week or weekend. In just my class there were three people from out of state.

I just got through watching Harvest Young, a new independent film focusing on the wine industry's lack of acknowledgement for young adults. I was extremely interested to watch this film because making wine seem accessible to younger generations is one of my passions. So when I heard about this film, I quickly got in contact with the director to see if I could get a copy for viewing. And I have to say I'm extremely glad I did.

The film begins with director Scott Hardie interviewing several prominent individuals in the wine industry to get their take on how or if wine is being marketed to "millenials" (the generation after GenX). Interviews include Darryl Roberts, publisher of WineX Magazine, and Tina Caputo, of Wines & Vines Magazine. Then the film uses an assortment of fantastic old clips to illustrate the type of marketing wineries seem to lean toward, all of which have a sense of snobbery or at least seem quite old fashioned.


Scott visits several wineries in the film, starting with Roshambo Winery in California. Naomi Brilliant, the owner of the winery, has a wonderful take on what wine should be. On their site it reads "You don't need to know the difference between acrylics and oils to buy a piece of art...so why are we pressured into understanding malolactic fermentation, the difference between a Bordeaux and a Meritage, the art of barrel aging, and the taste of slate in order to have a glass of wine?" Even the vineyard's name suggests a playful and unpretentious nature. The film also captures Roshambo's annual Rock Paper Scissors tournament, that looks more like a rave than a wine event.

Perhaps the most interesting segment in the film for me was Scott's attempt to see how far $20 would get him in Napa and Sonoma respectively, and following along with that, how he was treated in each of the two areas. This segment highlighted a problem that I've experience many times over myself. As a twenty-five year old woman, I have been overlooked countless times by people that assume I don't know what I'm doing.


While this film may not yet be well known outside of the wine world, it's a film that should be seen by everyone in the Millenial generation. Scott has done an incredible job guiding viewers through the world of wine from the perspective of a twenty-something, and the views expressed by the Millenials in the film are all too easy to identify with. If the film happens to be showing in your area, I highly recommend taking the time to go see it. It would be well worth your time.

Be sure to check out the trailer.

The very first spa in the world to be developed fully underground, opened today in Napa Valley. Spa Terra at The Meritage Resort at Napa is a 9,000 square foot underground spa featuring stream grottos, soaking pools, water walls, and private treatment rooms.

The Spa's signature experience, Solo Vino, is an "exfoliating grape seed scrub, an invigorating jet shower rinse, hydrating body wrap with a wine cave mud mask and Terra massage; and includes a wine and cheese selection to round out the two-hour treatment." Check out the entire spa menu at www.spaterra.com.

I've always wanted to go to the Meritage Resort, but now I definitely think I'll have to save up and take a trip.

It's taken a lot of work and some ingenuity, but winemaker João Santos has developed the Dão Sul vineyard into one of the most successful tropical vineyards ever. And all in only four years time.

"For years we have drawn two bands around the globe, roughly between latitudes 30 and 50, to denote those parts of it deemed suitable for viticulture," Jancis Robinson, a British wine expert says. "But all this is changing fast." Brazil is not a typical climate for growing grapes, it's land is flat and arid. While this makes for a perfect condition for growing coconuts, it can necessitate things like irrigation piping. Something Dão Sul vineyards has laid hundreds of miles of to reach a nearby river.

There are also benefits to vineyards in Brazil though. With 300 days of sunshine, winemakers can harvest grapes year-round. The land in Brazil is also significantly cheaper than in places like France or Napa Valley.


On the other side of the world, Siam Winery in Thailand has floating vineyards on the Chao Phraya Delta. These technique has been used for many years by farmers in the area, and prevents any need for irrigation. The Winery was founded in 1982 by Chalerm Yoodvidhya for the purpose of creating a world class wine that would complement and Thai cuisine.


Sula Vineyards is located 180 km northeast of Mumbai in the Nashik region. The climate in Nashik is surprisingly similar to the wine growing regions of Northern California, Spain, and Australia and provides a perfect climate for growing grapes. Founded in 1993, Sula quickly established itself as India's leading premium wine blend.

As an avid traveler, I find this unique vineyards to be extremely interesting, and I wanted to share with you all how winemakers around the world have discovered ways to grow grapes where they would normally never grow. It just goes to show the ingenuity of the human spirit, or at least a strong desire to have wine available!

The Napa Valley Register had an article this week highlighting several new "wine" books. Here they are:

Educating Peter: How I Taught a Famous Movie Critic the Difference Between Cabernet and Merlot, or, How Anybody Can Become an (Almost) Instant Wine Expert"
In this new book Lettie Teague, the executive wine editor for Food & Wine, chronicles the lessons she gave to her close friend Peter Travers. The Register says, "it's a book that abandons the 'idiot-oriented' style for a witty narrative that follows Travers as he learns the essential facts of wine."

The Good Life, A Chris Garrett Novel
In winemaker David G. White's first book, he tells the story of a murder mystery set in Napa Valley. The book is about a winemaker "whose winemaking skills are put to the ultimate test - solving a murder."

I opened up this bottle of wine because I wanted to have something to go with the steak that my fiancé had just grilled on our barbeque. The steak had been marinated in a mixture of spices, though it was mainly flavored with garlic. So to pair with it, I wanted a wine that had a bit of spiciness to it.

Sangiovese is a red wine from Tuscany in Italy, and is mostly known for being the main component in Chianti. The name means "the blood of Jove" (the roman name for Zeus).

This particular bottle had just the right flavors, and worked perfectly to pair with my steak. The wine's aroma is fruity and strong with a hint of strawberry. The taste possesses that same amount of fruitiness but with just a hint of spice to it. And with a it's gorgeous deep red color, it makes a perfect wine for summer bbq's or picnics.


Click on the image of the label to the left to purchase your own bottle.

What could be a better idea than having a nice glass of wine while watching an art house movie or this summer's newest blockbuster?

A recent article in the Boston Globe highlighted the Sommerville Theatre's newest addition of serving wine and beer.

"We have a very upscale audience. It's a mature crowd who can enjoy one or two beers or wine with their movie," says Ian Judge, the General Manager. "It's a sign of respect to the audience that we feel they can handle it."

A theatre here in Colorado Springs, Kimball's Twin Peak, also features a wine bar at the theatre. Kimball's features espresso drinks, Bristol Beers, and 12 varieties of wine by the glass. Located in downtown Colorado Springs, Kimball's shows a host of independent and foreign films (and sometimes a mainstream blockbuster). It's a great old style theatre surrounded by excellent restaurants and shopping.

Last night President Bush hosted Queen Elizabeth at the White House. Here's the menu they served:

Spring Pea Soup with Fernleaf Lavender
Chive Pizzelle with American Caviar

Dover Sole Almondine
Roasted Artichokes, Pequillo Peppers and Olives

Saddle of Springs Lamb
Chantrelle Sauce
Fricassee of Baby Vegetables

Arugula, Savannah Mustard and Mint Romaine
Champagne Dressing and Trio of Farmhouse Cheeses

The menu was served with these wines:
• Newton Chardonnay "Unfiltered" 2004
• Peter Michael "Les Pavots" 2003
• Schramsberg Brut Rosé 2004

Now you know what royalty drinks.

This picture was simply too great to not post. The picture was taken at the Hakone Kowakien Yunessun Spa in Japan. The spa bills itself as both an amusement park and spa resort. They offer a variety of bath types (including wine, sake, and green tea) as well as water slides, a game center, beauty and massage salons, and even a mall.

The wine spa features a huge wine bottle that is 3.6m tall. The wine is supposed to rejuvenate the body, and it's said that Cleopatra loved to bathe in wine. Sounds like it would be worth dropping by if you happen to be in Japan!

Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible, was honored by the Wine Appreciation Guild with their 2007 Wine Literary Award. Previous recipients include Robert M. Parker, Jr., Dan Berger, and Kevin Zraly. The award is given to authors who have made a substantial contribution to the literature of wine in the English language.

Tickets will be going on sale very soon for one of the largest wine events in Colorado. Colorado Winefest will take place from September 13-17, 2007 in Grand Junction, Colorado. There are a host of events planned, including a winery bike ride, Reidel Glass tasting, and multiple winemaker dinners and brunches. For more info and to buy tickets, check out www.coloradowinefest.com.

On April 30th, Governor Schwarzenegger signed a petition naming September 2007 as California Wine Month. The governor praised California's wine community for strengthening the state's economy and highlighting the ideal climate, beautiful scenery, geographic diversity and unparalleled expertise of its grape growers and the state's wine industry.

The Wine Institute is partnering with wineries, grower associations, retailers and restaurants to provide a calendar of wine events in September. Check out www.californiawineevents.com for listings of events throught the year.