Some grapes are just tougher than others to grow. While some varietals can do well in cold, moderate and hot climates (albeit with changing characteristics), other grapes are very finicky, and as such can be expensive to grow and heartbreaking when they don’t.

So it seemed a bit of a coincidence when I received my daily quiz from Crushpad today after having contacted a local winery to inquire about the harvest and to volunteer to help.

First the quiz:

Which grape/varietal is often referred to as the “Heartbreak Grape”?

• a. Pinot Noir
• b. Riesling
• c. Sauterne
• d. Tokaji

The answer of course  is a. Pinot Noir.

Here is the explanation:

“While all grape varietals present unique challenges, Pinot Noir has earned the nickname of the “Heartbreak Grape”. Pinot Noir possesses thin skins which easily break, making the varietal very susceptible to damage from fungus and mold.

Adding to the problem is that clusters tend to be tightly compact. Rains near / during the harvest season can cause the berries to swell and split. The tight clustersalso make it difficult for winds to dry clusters off.”

So it was with a bit of concern that I called Diamond Hill Vineyards, a small winery that produces Pinot Noir as well as several fruit wines (apple, peace, cranberry, blueberry), located in Northern Rhode Island. This winery has been owned and run by the Berntson family who planted their first grapes in 1976. 

 The reason for my concern?  Weather on the East Coast in 2009 has been rather unusual – lots of rain and cooler than normal temperatures. Exactly what is not good for growing and ripening Pinot Noir.

Unfortunately, my fears were well founded.  When I asked about the harvest I was told there won’t be one this year. This ‘Heartbreak Grape” has struck again. After all, this is an agricultural product and each vintage has its challenges, and this particular varietal has more than others.

So suffice it to say that Diamond Hill has been hit by a double whammy – the worst recession since the Great Depression and no Pinot Noir harvest this year. The only thing to be done is to drop the fruit and tend to the vines hoping for better luck next year.

My heart goes out to anyone that works the land and then finds the “fruit” of their labour is not forthcoming. I can say that when I spoke to the winery,  they had a very positive attitude and thanked me several times for calling and volunteering to help, looking instead to next years harvest.

If you are in the area, stop by… they still have plenty of wine from past vintages. This is one tasting room where the owner will greet you personally and gladly offer you a taste of their wines.

As for me, I give them my best wishes for a better than normal harvest in 2010, ….and I’ll call back to see if I can help bring it in.

Should you be in the area here is their information:

• Diamond Hill Vineyards
• 3145 Diamond Hill Road
• Cumberland, RI 02864
• (401) 333 – 2751

In a newsletter last evening from WineSpiritsDaily.com there was a short article on car ignition interlocks as follows:

“CONGRESS TO CONSIDER MANDATORY IGNITION INTERLOCKS
 
The issue of ignition interlocks for first time offenders is gaining traction in the U.S. as Congress is set to debate a bill on the subject this fall, according to an article in USA Today.  The latest federal transportation funding bill would require all 50 states to mandate the device for anyone convicted of drunk driving.  If not they face losing federal highway money, similar to when Washington pressured states to change the legal drinking age from 18 to 21. 
 
If the bill were to pass, it would require about 1 million devices in the U.S.  A total of 47 states and Washington D.C. have interlock ignition laws for at least some offenders, while Alabama, South Dakota and Vermont have no ignition interlock laws.  So far only 11 states require all offenders to install ignition interlocks, including first time offenders.
 
Of course there are (many) critics of the legislation.  “As this creeping mentality about ‘don’t drink and drive’ as opposed to ‘don’t drive drunk’ takes over, you’re seeing more officers inclined to arrest people” below the legal limit for intoxication, stated managing director of the American Beverage Institute Sarah Longwell.  The cost of ignition interlocks could also prevent some Americans from seeking treatment, claimed Carl Wicklund, executive director of the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA).
 
It looks like we could be headed for a big battle in the coming months.  Stay tuned… ”

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Get ready.

Expect this to be the norm.

See how much your money won’t buy anymore.

The tax man cometh.

What am I talking about? As expected, with the shortfall in revenue across the United States it is not surprising that many States are enacting new tax legislation to fill the gaps. And again as expected, beer and alcohol are easy targets. So it should come as no surprise that Massachusetts has enacted (as of August 1) a jump to its sales tax rate from 5% to 6.25%.

Until now, beer and wine was exempted from the sales tax.

Oh… wait, I didn’t mean it wasn’t taxed!

It was already subject to Federal, State and Local taxes and fees to the tune of approximately 1/3 of its value. So  what does this mean moving forward?

For a $9.99 bottle of wine, $3.55 or 35.5% will go to pay taxes.

Will this stop people from having a glass of wine? Likely not. People will still buy wine – Prohibition couldn’t even stop that!

But it will mean that to get a bottle that is worth drinking the price paid will be more, which likely means one of two things:

1. People will drink just as much, but now the quality of the wine they drink will be much less. So.. let’s do the math. If a bottle of wine for $10 will have a tax of approximately $3.55 (counting excise and sales tax), then the value of the contents is really only $6.45 in the sales channel. Assuming you have a grower, producer (winery), a wholesaler, and a retailer in the chain, how much profit do you think a bottle at that price level has to the sales chain? Not much.
2. People will drink less but pay more. This will be a drain on the wine and hospitality industries at large – from the producers, the wholesalers, retailers, restaurants, etc. The likely effect will be less business, which will mean less taxes collected (OK.. anyone see the irony in this?)

What will happen? (Here’s my prognostication:)

• Massachusetts liquor stores will have some big sales between now and August 1! (Well ..  some good news!)
• Consumers of alcohol in northern Massachusetts will head to New Hampshire after August 1
• Massachusetts retailers will see a drop in business and will be trying to find ways to lesson the negative effect of the tax
• The State of Massachusetts will use the proceeds to fund various programs – not just abuse programs, which means the tax will never go away
• I’ll make more wine (I only pay taxes on the grapes or must… not on the finished product

All I can hope for is that the citizens of the great State of Massachusetts  have a Boston Wine Party .. and when they throw it over the side …I’ll be there to collect as much as I can!

Eat this not that. Drink, don’t drink. Don’t smoke. Fish is good for you …. oops, but not these fish they might have mercury. Eat your vegetables… wait .. did you wash the insecticide off ?

How many times have we read conflicting stories about what to do or not do in order to be healthy?

Now I am not one to suggest that all studies are flawed or the opposite, all are well conceived and executed. But, I am getting to the point that I take everything I read with a grain of salt.

Case in point: An article in the NY Times today entitled: Alcohol is good for you? Some scientists doubt it.

The article goes on to discuss concerns by several scientists that “there has not been a single study done on moderate alcohol consumption and mortality outcomes that is a ‘gold standard’ kind of study — the kind of randomized controlled clinical trial that we would be required to have in order to approve a new pharmaceutical agent in this country” (stated by Dr. Tim Naimi an epidemiologist).

The main issue seems to be concerning a better understanding of moderate drinkers versus those that abstain. What are their habits, their lifestyles, etc.

I find it interesting that in a world where we cannot accurately predict the reaction for everyone to an aspirin (after having studied its use and drawbacks) for decades, or any major drug, that we feel we must have a definitive answer regarding whether a glass or two a day is good or not.

I have two words to say on this subject: Think and Moderation

Ancient Wine Goblet

Think: Wine has been a part of the human diet for thousands of years. It has a place in history as a medicine. It also has its place in religion.  Add in culture, agriculture, the economy, travel .. you name it. Here is a drink that has brought pleasure to countless millions over the centuries paring well with foods and increasing overall enjoyment.

Unfortunately it has and will continue to be abused as well, which brings me to the second word: Moderation

For most things in life, moderation is the word that separates healthy from unhealthy. The consumption and enthusiasm for wine for me has never been about whether it is healthy or not. It has been about the grapes, history, culture, language, geography and finally, simply something I very much enjoy to drink.

So I will leave you with the last paragraph from the article: “But this is a really important question,” he continued. “Because here we have a readily available and widely used substance that may actually have a significant health benefit — but we just don’t know enough to make recommendations.”

Da .. I knew that!