Coming Soon: Tailor-Made Wine Yeasts

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    In a world first, scientists at The Australian Wine Research Institute have cracked the genetic code of a wine yeast, The Border Watch reports.

     The breakthrough paves the way for development of improved wine yeast -- a key component in winemaking.

     "Availability of improved wine yeast will put winemakers in a stronger position to control fermentation and develop wines with...

10 Wines for Your Home Wine Rack

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    Many of us don't have room in our homes for big, temperature-controlled wine cabinets.

     Particularly among apartment or condo dwellers - or families that are downsizing their homes as their kids go off to college or get married - space can be at a premium.

     During the past year, we received countless emails and phone calls from members regarding what kind of wines they should have on hand when...

Thumbs Down on Topping Up

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     There are only three possible reasons for a server in a restaurant to regularly "top up" customers' wine glasses:

     1) The server is trying to drain the bottle with the hope of selling the diners another.

     2) The restaurant is extremely busy, and the server is trying to "turn over" the table as...

Vintners to Get Expanded Lab Space

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    Italy's largest producer of natural cork wine bottle stoppers is planning to double the size of its North American distribution hub to have more room for quality control and increase efficiency, the North Bay Business Journal reports.

     Ganau America, a subsidiary of family-owned Sugherificio Ganau S.p.A. of Sardinia, purchased 2.8 acres of land in late May and plans to build a 40,000-square-foot facility about a half-mile away from its current location at 21750 Eighth St. East in Sonoma. The new location is in Carneros Business Park, a 53-acre, newly approved development just north of the intersection of Eighth Street East and Highway 121.

     The goal is to open the...

Keeping Your Wine Safe

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  There are many elements that can negatively impact the flavor of your wine.

     Whether you're a serious collector or a casual drinker, you'll want to protect your investment and try to reduce or eliminate the forces of these elements. Many wines (especially reds) will improve with age. This means that any wine enthusiast will need to store some wine for some length of time.

     Here are some key factors to consider when planning a...

9 Facts About Winegrapes

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    How many times have we heard that it takes great grapes to make great wine?

     That being the case, here are nine fascinating facts about winegrapes...

     1. The Chardonnay variety is a classic white wine grape. Its original fame comes from its success in the Burgundy and Champagne regions of France. Chardonnay takes oak well, and many higher...

To Oak or Not to Oak: That Is the Chardonnay Question

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    We have grown so accustomed to drinking big, buttery, oaky Chardonnay that some people have never experienced what the grape variety actually tastes like.

     So, the first sip of an "Unwooded" Chardonnay - as Australians like to call their renditions that see no time at all in oak barrels - can be somewhat confusing.

     "Unwooded Chardonnay is a bit like a chip without salt or a sausage without sauce," observes Michael Fragos, the chief winemaker for Chapel Hill Winery, which is located atop one of the...

Bonny Doon to Reveal All Ingredients on Wine Labels

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    Bonny Doon Vineyard labels will disclose all wine ingredients beginning with the 2007 vintage white and 2006 vintage red wines.

     As of 2008, consumers will note that all ingredients are listed in two sections on the back label of each bottle of Bonny Doon wine. The first section highlights the wine's basic ingredients, i.e. grapes and sulfur dioxide (a preservative). The second section will point out ingredients used in the production of the wine such as...

The Cellar Secrets of Bryan Davison

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    We asked Angeline winemaker Bryan Davison to share his keys to winemaking success.

     Davison replied by listing three things: the grapes, the growers and the winemaking process itself.

     Obviously, the grapes and the growers go hand in hand. Davison works with growers in Sonoma County, Napa Valley and the...

Creative Cooking With Wine

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    I love to cook with wine almost as much as I love to drink wine.

     The latter is for pure pleasure, of course. But the former is very satisfying for me because it involves creativity, attention to detail and using my hands.

     It also involves a little bit of decision-making, because the typical recipe that calls for wine is non-specific about the type of wine to use. It will indicate "white wine" or "red wine," but what type of...

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