Sunday, August 28, 2005
Vancouver Wine & Jazz Festival
Vancouver Wine & Jazz Festival History
The First Annual Vancouver Wine & Jazz Festival took place September 26-27, 1998 in downtown Vancouver. After nearly a year of planning, the Festival premiered to huge weekend crowd. By all measures, the Festival was an enormous success. The 1998 Festival was held on the site of the former Lucky Lager Brewery in downtown Vancouver. International jazz star and vocalist Dianne Schuur entertained a huge Saturday night crowd. 21 wineries, 6 restaurants and fine artists participated in the premiere Festival.
Over 400 people volunteered for the 7th Annual Festival in August 2004. The jazz lineup included Grammy winners and international jazz stars Blood, Sweat & Tears, Saxophonist David Sanborn, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, BeauSoleil, and Ernestine Anderson. 17 bands performed over the expanded 3-day schedule. More than 150 wines from 30 wineries were featured & over 50 fine artists from Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana displayed their fine art. 10 local restaurants cooked up great cuisine. An estimated 15,000 people attended the 2004 Festival!
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Red Wine and your health...
Drinking has long been associated with blurred vision, but new research shows moderate red wine drinkers are less at risk of developing cataracts than both teetotallers and those who imbibe heavily.
The five-year study was conducted in Iceland - not a place known for its good vintages. Up to a third of people in Iceland over the age of 70 develop cataracts, a cloudy white film over the lens of the eye which if left untreated can lead to blindness. The study claims as many as one or two glasses of wine a day, even a nip of brandy or whiskey helps provide protection for the eyes.
However beer increases the risk of developing cataracts.
Check out the link for the full story.
Friday, August 12, 2005
Monty Python Wine
"Wine is wonderful stuff," Cleese says by phone from his home near Santa Barbara, Calif. "But so many people are put off by the snobbery of it. You only need a little bit of knowledge to increase your chances hugely of getting a good bottle."
John Cleese's top three wine tips
1. Know what you like and trust your own taste.
"Don't let anyone tell you what you ought to like," Cleese says. "Some wines that some experts think are absolutely exquisite don't appeal to me at all."
2. Learn to describe wines that you like.
"A few words like 'sweet' or 'dry' or 'heavy' or 'light' are easily understood." He considers his favorite New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs "grassy" and "zingy."
3. Find a local wine shop and talk with the experts.
"They will help you identify more wines that you might like, at good values. You don't have to pay much."
In his own cellar
Peachy Canyon Zinfandel, Gainey Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc, other Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand, sweet white wines from the Mosel River valley in Germany, and Pinot Noirs from the Paso Robles, Calif., region.
"There's so many good people producing wine now," Cleese says. "It's just amazing. There's so much on the shelves. You don't have to go buy those overpriced wines."
Check out the link above for the full story.Monday, August 08, 2005
Yellow Tail - Shiraz
bottle. I was enjoying my wife's company when the waiter brought the bottle over and missed the embarrassing moment. I wonder if he got a second date out of his performance.Here's the real story behind the name:
The true namesake is the yellow-footed rock wallaby, a small, colorful breed of kangaroo that's known to roam the Casella vineyards.
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
Sonata Wine Tote
