The New York Times has a great article about gewürztraminer being grown at two amazing wineries in my favorite place. I've mentioned the Anderson Valley before and right down the road from Husch, you'll find Navarro and Lazy Creek Vineyards. Both small, friendly places that produce some excellent wine. Sue and I had the good fortune to meet Josh Chandler, the co-owner of Lazy Creek where we enjoyed a great tasting and were invited to roam the charming grounds for as long as we wanted. The rusty gate, the dirt road and the turtle pond are some of my favorite memories.  I think it was the first time I ever heard Sue say she could deal with a "rustic" lifestyle.

Screw Atkins and South Beach, I'm going on the Red Wine Diet. Get the scientists working on a Red Wine and Chocolate diet immediately!

A new trend at the 2006 Chocolate Show is wine infused with chocolate. While I might be tempted by a Cabernet truffle, I think I'm going to pass on the mojito flavored chocolate. I certainly know more than a couple people who'd enjoy this private chocolate tasting that culminates in the creation of a set of chocolates tailored to your individual tastes.

As with most topics, Wikipedia has a great list of grape growing regions in the United States as defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. When you buy a bottle of American wine, you'll see one of these regions listed on the bottle. What's your favorite? I'm partial to Anderson Valley and Walla Walla Valley.

A new viticultural area earned federal approval this week. Tracy Hills consists of 39,200 acres in the Northern San Joaquin Valley of California. I've never had a wine from the region but I'm dying to try one. If you've sampled them, leave a comment!

 Navarro Vineyards, another great Anderson Valley winery, has released seven new wines.  These are all fairly small productions of between 3,000 and 150 cases. All good stuff at reasonable prices. Their whites are some of our very favorites. We've visited Navarro twice, ands it's a beautiful place with friendly people. If you can't get there, you can still get some of their wine!

Speaking of field trips, check out our neighbors to the north who now hold the Guinness World Record for the World's Highest Wine Cellar.

Thursday nights are about simplicity, for me at least. Medical drama TV and Yellowtail Shiraz, or maybe Little Penguin Chardonnay. Wine adventures are fun, but every now and then I find it's nice to slip into a comfy pair of sweats and just relax with an old favorite. John usually stays for the first half hour, but the last 2 are all mine!

The good people of Massachusetts have voted down a proposition that would have allowed grocery stores to sell wine. The opposition to the proposal raised concerns that it would increase drunk driving. We are talking about the state where Boston is, right? All those bars must be pedestrian only or they only server water. I'm not sure which. Also, when was the last time you drank a bottle of wine you bought at the grocery store before you got home? If your popping open that Cabernet in the store parking lot while tearing into that package of turkey, you've got a problem and not being able to get wine at the grocery store isn't going to solve it. Besides, why would you pair Cabernet with turkey?

The beauty of ordering wine futures is that you forget you did and then it feels a little like Christmas when the bottles arrive. Such was the case last Friday when our two bottles of 2003 Joseph Phelps Insignia arrived. As you may have noticed from other entries on this blog, we don't normally pony up over $100 each for a bottle of wine (as club members, we bought the futures for $95 each). However, there's something special about the Insignias we've bought and enjoyed over the past few years. The first one we received as a gift from friends who later visited the vineyard with us. We've been lucky enough to visit the winery three times, twice for the annual Insignia release party. You get to hang out with a large party of club members, eat great food and drink great wine all afternoon. We usually go straight for the Insignia, and after several glasses we tell ourselves we must purchase some - as well as several bottles of other great Joseph Phelps wine, of course. For us, the annual splurge is worth it not just because it's great wine, which it is, but because we have such wonderful memories of being there and drinking it with friends and family.

In a recent search for Ray's Station 2003 Cabernet, Sonoma County - one of the few cabernets John has given a thumbs up to (John G Ray DID believe that red wine is for men), I came upon Just Grapes at 560 W. Washington Blvd. in Chicago. A purchase was definitely in order. A day later my selection, along with a few others that rounded out the half case nicely, arrived at my door. I'm very excited to share them on Thanksgiving, and also eager to visit Just Grapes and behold the Midwest's first and only automated self-serve tasting bar. 24 different wines to taste at the push of a button! They also offer a private cellar for events as well as Wine Spectator classes and in store tastings. A visit is definitely in my future. Been there? Leave a comment!

If none of the other arguments on global warming have alarmed you, this one should. Scientists are now saying that climate warming could reduce the amount of land suitable for growing grapes in the U.S. by 50 to 80 percent by the year 2100. This isn't a new story but it just drives home the point that everything is connected.

In the proud tradition of lazy people everywhere, I've invited a new team of wine bloggers to join me here at VinoStory. That's right, from now on, you'll have more than just my endearing verbal stylings to look forward to.  I've managed to offload the real work onto others. Introducing Kristen, Lori, and Sue.  Three special ladies who I felt had the unique qualifications to join the VinoStory team. What qualifications you ask? They enjoy wine, know what they like, understand the magic of actually visiting a vineyard, and will write stuff for free. Oh, and I'm married to one and related to the other two. I sorta feel like Bosley.

It looks like cows in Australia are getting grain soaked in wine. Its said that the wine enhances the meats color and shelf life. It also makes the meat taste sweeter. The cows receive a Cabernet-Shiraz-Merlot blend. These are no run on the mill cows, destined for your local hamburger stand. These are Wagyu herds destined for Japan. If you've ever tried Wagyu beef, I think you'll agree, they're doing something right.

What did we drink this weekend? I'm glad you asked:

• Husch 2005 Gewurtzraminer - absolutely fantastic and at the $11.20 club member price ($14.00 non-member) direct from the vineyard, we'll be ordering more. A great turkey wine for Thanksgiving.
• Husch 2005 Sauvignon Blanc - again, fantastic. A steal at $10.00 ($12.50 non-member) a bottle direct from the vineyard. If you really want the good stuff though, pony up the $14.00 ($18.00 non-member) for the Renegade which, in my opinion, is even better. You can't go wrong with either.
• Husch 2005 Carignane - this was really interesting. We had never had a 100% Carignane before and I have to say, I really enjoyed it. It's $15.00 and is a member's only selection.
• Columbia Crest 2003 Grand Estates Cabernet Sauvignon - We finished with a departure from the Husch wines to try something recommended by Consumer Reports. I have to say, for $10.99 at Wine.com, this is a really good weeknight wine. A treat from Washington state.

I haven't been able to sample the wine yet but, Maynard James Keenan, the singer from Tool and A Perfect Circle (two of my favorite bands) owns a vineyard in Arizona. In addition to having a really cool web site, it looks like they'll be taking online orders soon. I can't wait. I'll be sure to file a report if I'm able to get my hands on some of their wine. Oh, and a Caduceus shirt would be an extremely thoughtful gift for that blogging wine enthusiast/Tool fan on your Christmas list.

The Walla Walla Valley in Washington is someplace I've always wanted to visit. Maybe someday when the little one goes off to college. In any case, wines from Washington are finally getting the recognition they deserve. If you've never sampled a Walla Walla wine, you're missing out. Get yourself a bottle of Uriah and enjoy!

A great find at Trader Joe's is the 2004 Napa River Chardonnay and Merlot. They're a steal at $5.99 and make a great weeknight wine.

Trader Joe's, ever the source of cheap good stuff, has an excellent cheap weeknight wine. Tuscan Moon 2005 Sangiovese. It's $7.99 a bottle and makes an excellent accompaniment to pizza or spaghetti. 22,000 cases were produced so, you shouldn't have any trouble finding it. If you've never had a Sangiovese, try one! They pair really well with anything tomato based because, say it with me, Sangiovese has a naturally high acidity which allows it to stand up to tomatoes. A great combination and a great price.

Apparently not. Just because you grow organic grapes does not mean that the wine made from them is organic. This interesting article talks about the differences and what they mean for producers. It turns out sulfites make the difference. Most wine makers add them which means, they cannot label the wine as organic. While some sulfites occur naturally in wine, more is normally added to act as a preservative.

Apparently, the EU recently approved the use of wood chip in wine to mellow the flavor. The Italian Prime Minister disagrees and wants to ban the practice in Italy. I've never heard of this practice, I wonder if any US producers use it.

I'm starting with a great one right out of the gate. Husch Vineyards is a small winery tucked away in Anderson Valley. They produce 18 different wines including some truly excellent Zinfandel and Chardonnay. The tasting room is a tiny little barn built in the 1800's. You can find some of their wines in stores but its worth calling them and trying the rest. We've never been disappointed. If you're ever in the Napa Valley, get up early, get in your car, and make the drive north to Mendocino County. Some of the best wine in California is up there. Visit Husch. As an added bonus, they're right down the road from Lazy Creek, Green Ridge, Claudia Springs, Navarro and more. But more on those and Anderson Valley in general later.

One thing we've always tried to do is visit and support smaller producers. Some of the best and most reasonably priced wines we have ever had aren't available in stores. That doesn't mean that they're difficult to get. All you have to do is pick up the phone and call them. Assuming you live in one of the good states, the folks at the winery are more than happy to send you out a few bottles for a reasonable shipping cost. Sure, there are mass market wines worth drinking but, discovering the little gems is where the joy is. If you're really lucky, you'll have the opportunity to visit them and talk to the actual people who produce the wine. It's like having your own little secret treasure that you don't have to share. I'll always try to make a point of highlighting these smaller producers and the wines they make.

Landmark Research Suggests Wine May Fight Fat. Now that's a good headline and a great excuse to have a little red wine with dinner tonight. Thanks Lori!

Welcome to VinoStory, my new blog about wine. I decided to write about wine on a separate blog because not everyone that reads my main blog cares about wine and, not everyone that cares about wine wants to read about my boring life. So, if you see something you like, leave a comment. If you've found a wine you love (or a cheap one you sorta like), visited a great winery, or just want to say hello, leave a comment. Check back often and thanks.