Fermentation: The Daily Wine Blog

The Mission of Family Winemakers

Family Winemakers of California is best known as the host of the most diverse and comprehensive wine tasting in America: The annual Family Winemakers Tasting in San Francisco.

Yet, the organization's true mission is to support smaller, family-owned wineries. That was the mission when a small group of vintners such as Bill MacIver of Matanzas Creek Winery, Brice Jones of Sonoma Cutrer and Patrick Campbell of Laurel Glen, all dissatisfied with the orientation of the California Wine Institute, choose to break off and start a new organization that would promote values important to smaller wineries.

Based on the editorial I read today in the Orlando Sentinel by Family Winemakers Executive Director Paul Kronenberg, that mission is alive and well:

"We believe distributor middlemen should compete based on delivering service and value and think it is wrong that the distributors are telling consumers which wines they can and cannot enjoy. America's 3,500 wineries produce more than 10,000 new wines each vintage, more wines than distributors can stock and sell. So why are distributors restricting consumer access and threatening winemakers? One word, greed."

Paul's editorial was in response to a wine wholesaler-supported initiative in Florida that only allow wineries under a certain size to ship wine direct to Floridians. It is a wholesaler protection law, as they all are.

And Paul is right. Wholesalers should be forced to compete based on the services and value they can deliver, rather than under the auspices of a state-mandated three tier system that amounts to state welfare for huge wine distribution companies.

State of the States: Money, Wine & Politics

Continuing FERMENTATION's look at money, wine and politics, we turn in this post to the money spent on political campaigns at the state level. It is here, in the individual states, where nearly all legislation and regulations concerning alcohol, its production, its sales and its distribution is undertaken.

Between 2004 and 2006, contributions to state level political campaigns from beer, wine and spirit concerns totaled $21,362,727.

The overwhelming majority of this money comes from distributors and wholesalers of alcohol.

This fact makes sense. Wholesalers and distributors have more to protect in terms of wealth related to alcohol than any other industry, including producers. They are also concerned with protecting their privileged place within the 3 tier system, that model of sales that exist in most states that mandates nearly all alcohol sales, including wine, go through the hands of a wholesaler.

In addition to cash contributions to political campaigns in the states, many of the wholesaler organizations retain lobbyists and lawyers to represent them in the legislatures. In nearly every state, less California, wholesaler influence from campaign contribution outnumbers contributions by wine producers by many fold.

Below is a chart of the amount of campaign donations from the Beer, Wine and Liquor industries given to state political campaign between 2004 and 2006.

STATES: They are listed in alphabetical order
CONTRIBUTION: The total amount given by the beer, wine & liquor industries, 2004-006
PER CAP CONS: The per capita consumption in the state
POPULATION: The population of the state in 2003
$ PER PERSON: Amount of contributions per capita for that state.

The above figures were culled from The Institute on Money and State Politics

Why Are Drinkers Smarter?

Why are drinkers smarter?

That's the conclusion of a study I read about recently.

"A study of more than 6,000 Londoners ranging in age from 40 to 68 found that drinkers in general performed better than teetotalers on tests measuring such things as verbal fluency and inductive reasons.

The study indicated drinkers performed better whether they had one drink a week or 30-plus drinks a week. Even occasional drinkers did better on the tests than non-drinkers, leading the researchers to write, "In terms of cognitive function, we found that frequent drinking may be more beneficial than drinking only on special occasions."

The researchers apparently have no explanation a to why drinkers do better on tests of verbal fluency and inductive reasoning. Does it actually have something to do with the reaction of the chemical compound that is alcohol and the functioning of the brain? Or, should we instead be contemplating the disposition of the teetotaler.

I remember when the first studies started to emerge suggesting that wine in particular made you healthier, or at least less likely to die below the average age. Then, and even now, I suspected it had more to do with the lifestyle of the person likely to have a couple drinks of wine a day than with a magical influence of the properties of the grape and grape skins as many point to now. I still believe this plays an important part in it.

But in this case we are talking about drinkers vs. non drinkers. Again, I think the emphasis might properly be placed on the teetotaler in this study. What do we know about the person who has decided, not because their doctor has told them too, but for ethical reason, not to drink? I could be wrong, but I think we are talking about people who 1) are driven to severe and judgmental action by philosophical or religious inspiration, or 2) fear their own ability to react well to the slightest  change in body chemistry, or 3) have probably been driven to teetotaling by an incident or situation that once scared them.

I could be wrong about these kind of generalizations. But let's say I'm not.   Let's entertain the idea that teetotalers tend more than drinkers to be driven in their daily lives by types of fear and admonitions than by what I think drives people to drink: the enjoyment and social factors as well as the appreciation of the buzz.

What marks the drinker as different from the non-drinker is an element of curiosity and optimism that seems absent in the teetotaler.

Is the explanation why teetotalers don't perform as well on intellectual acuity tests that they are somehow affected by having shut down their natural curiosity and have an outlook on life less disposed to optimism.

Let's step out of the generalizing limb and consider that I've observed that serious wine drinkers, real wine aficionados, do tend to be brighter. These people also tend to be far more curious than your average person and your average drinker, in my experience. And, they tend to be optimistic, looking forward to the next experience, the next vintage the next vinious revelation.

Or, it could be simply the chemical compound that is alcohol reacting with our brain. In that case, let's make a pill and distribute it.

Money, Wine & Politics: The Wholesalers' Moneybags

No single wine related organization in America contributes more money to political campaigns than the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers Association. A national association representing 90% of America's wine wholesalers, WSWA is a strong and powerful proponent not just for its members across the United States but for the entrenched three-tier system.

WSWA has been instrumental in crafting and delivering the message that minors can and are put in danger by direct shipping to consumers. WSWA was instrumental in getting passed in Congress the 21 Amendment Enforcment Act that allowed State Attorneys Generals to prosecute winemakers in Federal Court. WSWA has promoted front organizations that claim to be "citizens group" opposing direct shipping because it would harm kids. WSWA's CEO and Executive Director, Juanita Duggan, formerly represented elements of the Big Tobacco as well as Big Chemical. Recently, WSWA has wieghed in via the media on varioius state battles over direct shipping and the rights of wineries to self distribute.

Clearly, WSWA's primary strategy to gain access to the political process as well as to influence legislation is via campaign contributions.

Since 1998, WSWA has contributed $2.84 million to candidates for federal office and other PACs.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO FEDERAL CANDIDATES  & PACS
FROM WSWA BY ELECTION CYCLE
1998: $305,701
2000: $400,677
2002: $658,973
2004: $913,018
2006: $571,914

The current 2006 election cycle is far from over, meaning the 2006 number cited above is likely to increase. However, WSWA has been busy donating to federal candidates during 2005 and 2006. WSWA tends to give more donations to Republican candidates. For the 2006 campaign cycle, WSWA has bestwoed 73% of their donation upon Republican candidates.

Contributions by WSWA to federal candidates and PACs in 2005 and 2006..
(Sorted By Amount)

RNC Joint Candidate Committee, Washington, DC      $35,000
Republican National Committee, Washington, DC     $15,000
Democratic Congressional Campaign Comm, Washington     $7,500
Democratic Congressional Campaign Comm, Washington     $7,500
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Washingt     $7,500
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Washingt     $7,500
National Republican Congressional Comm, Washington     $7,500
National Republican Congressional Comm, Washington     $7,500
National Republican Senatorial Comm, Washington, D     $7,500
National Republican Senatorial Comm, Washington, D     $7,500
America's Foundation, Washington, DC     $5,000
American Success PAC, Washington, DC     $5,000
ARMPAC, Washington, DC     $5,000
Blue Dog PAC, Washington, DC     $5,000
Cantor For Congress, Richmond, VA     $5,000
Congressional Majority Committee, Alexandria, VA     $5,000
Eric PAC, Richmond, VA     $5,000
Freedom Project, Washington, DC     $5,000
Friends Of Kent Conrad, Bismarck, ND     $5,000
Friends Of Kent Conrad, Bismarck, ND     $5,000
Friends Of Robert C Byrd Comm, Washington, DC     $5,000
Glacier PAC, Washington, DC     $5,000
Great Plains Leadership PAC, Washington, DC     $5,000
Hatch Election Committee, Salt Lake City, UT     $5,000
HAWKEYE PAC, Des Moines, IA     $5,000
Hoosiers Supporting Buyer For Congress, Monticello     $5,000
Hoosiers Supporting Buyer For Congress, Monticello     $5,000
House Conservatives Fund, Arlington, VA     $5,000
KOMPAC, Washington, DC     $5,000
National Leadership PAC, New York, NY     $5,000
New Republican Majority Fund, Alexandria, VA     $5,000
Pryce Project, Alexandria, VA     $5,000
RELY ON YOUR BELIEFS FUND, Washington, DC     $5,000
RELY ON YOUR BELIEFS FUND, Washington, DC     $5,000
Reynolds For Congress, Victor, NY     $5,000
Searchlight Leadership Fund, Washington, DC     $5,000
Senate Majority Committee, Washington, DC     $5,000
Talent For Senate Exploratory Committee, St Louis,     $5,000
TOMPAC, Arlington, VA     $5,000
Trent Lott For Mississippi, Jackson, MS     $5,000
Victory In November Elections PAC, Washington, DC     $5,000
VOLPAC, Nashville, TN     $5,000
CPC-PAC, Washington, DC     $4,000
Hastert For Congress Committee, Batavia, IL     $4,000
Jon Kyl For U S Senate, Phoenix, AZ     $4,000
Leadership PAC, Alexandria, VA     $4,000
McCrery for Congress, Shreveport, LA     $4,000
Prosperity PAC, Alexandria, VA     $4,000
Tom DeLay Congressional Committee, Stafford, TX     $4,000
Tom DeLay Congressional Committee, Stafford, TX     $4,000
Restore America Leadership PAC, Alexandria, VA      $3,500
Friends Of Craig Thomas, Casper, WY     $3,000
Honorable John Ensign, Las Vegas, NV     $3,000
People With Hart Inc, Wexford, PA     $3,000
Trent Lott For Mississippi, Jackson, MS     $3,000
CAMPAC, Midland, MI     $2,500
David Scott for Congress, Atlanta, GA     $2,500
Freedom Project, Washington, DC     $2,500
Friends Of Clay Shaw, Fort Lauderdale, FL     $2,500
Friends Of Mark Foley For Congress, Chantilly, VA     $2,500
Friends Of Rahm Emanuel, Chicago, IL     $2,500
Jim Gerlach for Congress, Arlington, VA     $2,500
Kentucky PAC, Louisville, KY     $2,500
LINC-PAC, Washington, DC     $2,500
LINC-PAC, Washington, DC     $2,500
Mary Bono Committee, Palm Springs, CA     $2,500
MINT PAC, Alexandria, VA     $2,500
NELSON 2006, Washington, DC     $2,500
NEW PAC, Visalia, CA     $2,500
Reform PAC, McLean, VA     $2,500
Senate Victory Fund, Alexandria, VA     $2,500
The Bluegrass Committe, Washington, DC     $2,500
The Bluegrass Committe, Washington, DC     $2,500
The MikeR Fund, Arlington, VA     $2,500
The Republican Majority Fund, Washington, DC     $2,500
Whitfield For Congress Comm, Hopkinsville, KY     $2,500
Whitfield For Congress Comm, Hopkinsville, KY     $2,500
Bill Thomas Campaign Committee, Bakersfield, CA     $2,000
Blackburn for Congress, Franklin, TN     $2,000
Chris Chocola For Congress Inc, South Bend, IN     $2,000
Dreier For Congress Committee, Upland, CA     $2,000
Friends Of Conrad Burns, Billings, MT     $2,000
Friends of Mike Sodrel, Jeffersonville, IN     $2,000
Friends Of Roy Blunt, Strafford, MO     $2,000
HALPAC (Help America's Leaders PAC), Washington, D     $2,000
Hatch Election Committee, Salt Lake City, UT     $2,000
Jon Kyl For U S Senate, Phoenix, AZ     $2,000
Mchenry For Congress, Cherryville, NC     $2,000
Mike Ferguson For Congress, Red Bank, NJ     $2,000
Nunes for Congress, Pixley, CA     $2,000
Re-Elect Nancy Johnson To Congress Com, New Britai     $2,000
Rogers For Congress, Brighton, MI     $2,000
Santorum 2006, Alexandria, VA     $2,000
Santorum 2006, Alexandria, VA     $2,000
Sue Myrick For Congress, Charlotte, NC     $2,000
TENN PAC, Alexandria, VA     $2,000
Texas Freedom Fund, Alexandria, VA     $2,000
Trent Lott For Mississippi, Jackson, MS     $2,000
Western Action PAC, Alexandria, VA     $2,000
Charles Boustany Jr For Congress, Lafayette, LA     $1,500
Freedom Project, Washington, DC      $1,500
Friends Of Conrad Burns, Billings, MT     $1,500
House Republican Campaign Committee of PA (HRCC),     $1,500
Re-elect Bobby Jindal, Metairie, LA     $1,500
Ted Poe For Congress, Humble, TX     $1,500
The Republican Majority Fund, Washington, DC     $1,500
Upton For All Of Us, St. Joseph, MI     $1,500
A Lot Of People Who Support Jeff Binga, Falls Chur     $1,000
Anne Northup For Congress, Louisville, KY     $1,000
Anne Northup For Congress, Louisville, KY     $1,000
Anne Northup For Congress, Louisville, KY     $1,000
Ben Cardin For Congress, Baltimore, MD     $1,000
Berkley 2004, Las Vegas, NV     $1,000
Bill Nelson For U S Senate, Tallahassee, FL     $1,000
Bill Nelson For U S Senate, Tallahassee, FL     $1,000
Bill Shuster For Congress, Hollidaysburg, PA     $1,000
Bob Beauprez For Congress Committee, Wheatridge, C     $1,000
Bob Ney For Congress, St Clairsville, OH     $1,000
Boyd For Congress, Washington, DC     $1,000
Brown-Waite For Congress, Brooksville, FL     $1,000
Burgess for Congress, HIGHLAND VILLAGE, TX     $1,000
Cantor For Congress, Richmond, VA     $1,000
Cardoza For Congress, Sacramento, CA     $1,000
Chandler For Congress, Lexington, KY     $1,000
Charles Boustany Jr For Congress, Lafayette, LA     $1,000
Charlie Melancon Campaign Committee Inc, Napoleonv     $1,000
Charlie Melancon Campaign Committee Inc, Napoleonv     $1,000
Chris Chocola For Congress Inc, South Bend, IN     $1,000
Coble For Congress, Arlington, VA     $1,000
Coble For Congress, Greensboro, NC     $1,000
Comm To Elect William J Jefferson, New Orleans, LA     $1,000
Comm To Elect William J Jefferson, New Orleans, LA     $1,000
Committee To Reelect Ed Towns, Bklyn, NY     $1,000
Committee To Reelect Ed Towns, Bklyn, NY     $1,000
Congressman Bart Gordon Comm, Murfreesboro, TN     $1,000
Cooper for Congress, Nashville, TN     $1,000
CPC-PAC, Washington, DC     $1,000
Crowley For Congress, Elmhurst, NY     $1,000
Dave Camp For Congress, Midland, MI     $1,000
Dave Camp For Congress, Midland, MI     $1,000
Delahunt For Congress Comm, Quincy, MA     $1,000
Delahunt For Congress Comm, Quincy, MA     $1,000
Demint For Senate Committee Inc, Greenville, SC     $1,000
Doris Matsui for US Congress, Washington, DC     $1,000
Earl Pomeroy For Congress, Bismarck, ND     $1,000
Earl Pomeroy For Congress, Bismarck, ND     $1,000
Engel For Congress, Bronxville, NY     $1,000
Friends For Cliff Stearns, Ocala, FL     $1,000
Friends Of Clay Shaw, Fort Lauderdale, FL     $1,000
Friends Of Craig Thomas, Casper, WY     $1,000
Friends Of Dave Reichert, Bellevue, WA      $1,000
Friends Of Dave Reichert, Bellevue, WA     $1,000
Friends Of Dave Reichert, Bellevue, WA     $1,000
Friends Of Dave Reichert, Bellevue, WA     $1,000
Friends Of George Allen, Alexandria, VA     $1,000
Friends Of John Conyers, Alexandria, VA     $1,000
Friends Of John Peterson, Pleasantville, PA     $1,000
Friends Of John Tanner, Union City, TN     $1,000
Friends Of John Tanner, Union City, TN     $1,000
Friends of Mike Sodrel, Jeffersonville, IN     $1,000
Friends of Mike Sodrel, Jeffersonville, IN     $1,000
Friends Of Ray Lahood, Peoria, IL     $1,000
Hastert For Congress Committee, Batavia, IL     $1,000
Heartland Values PAC, Sioux Falls, SD     $1,000
Herseth For Congress, Washington, DC     $1,000
Honorable John Ensign, Las Vegas, NV     $1,000
Hoyer For Congress, Mechanicsville, MD     $1,000
Hoyer For Congress, Mechanicsville, MD     $1,000
Hudson Valley Victory Fund, Katonah, NY     $1,000
Hulshof For Congress, Columbia, MO     $1,000
Hulshof For Congress, Columbia, MO     $1,000
Inslee For Congress, Seattle, WA     $1,000
J D Hayworth For Congress, Scottsdale, AZ     $1,000
JAZZPAC, Washington, DC     $1,000
Jim Ramstad Volunteer Comm, Minnetonka, MN     $1,000
Jim Ramstad Volunteer Comm, Minnetonka, MN     $1,000
John D Dingell For Congress Comm, Washington, DC     $1,000
John D Dingell For Congress Comm, Washington, DC     $1,000
Keller For Congress, Alexandria, VA     $1,000
Kenny Marchant For Congress, Carrollton, TX     $1,000
Larson For Congress, East Hartford, CT     $1,000
Lee Terry For Congress, Omaha, NE     $1,000
Lesley 'Les' Miller For Congress, Tampa, FL     $1,000
Lewis For Congress Committee, Redlands, CA     $1,000
Lieberman Committee, New Haven, CT     $1,000
Lieberman Committee, New Haven, CT     $1,000
Lincoln Diaz-Balart For Congress Committee, Coral     $1,000
Linder For Congress, Atlanta, GA     $1,000
Linder For Congress, Atlanta, GA     $1,000
Lot Of People For Dave Obey, Washington, DC     $1,000
Lot Of People For Dave Obey, Wausau, WI     $1,000
Mac Collins For Congress, Jonesboro, GA     $1,000
Mac Collins For Congress, Jonesboro, GA     $1,000
Mac Collins For Congress, Jonesboro, GA     $1,000
Marion Berry For Congress, Jonesboro, AR     $1,000
Mark Udall For Congress Inc, Westminster, CO     $1,000
Mary Bono Committee, Palm Springs, CA     $1,000
McCrery for Congress, Shreveport, LA     $1,000
McCrery for Congress, Shreveport, LA     $1,000
Mchenry For Congress, Cherryville, NC     $1,000
Menendez For Congress, Union City, NJ      $1,000
Mike Thompson For Congress, Washington, DC     $1,000
Mike Thompson For Congress, Washington, DC     $1,000
Moore For Congress, Lenexa, KS     $1,000
NELSON 2006, Washington, DC     $1,000
Nunes for Congress, Pixley, CA     $1,000
Nunes for Congress, Pixley, CA     $1,000
Nussle For Congress, Manchester, IA     $1,000
Otter For Idaho, Boise, ID     $1,000
Oxley For Congress, Findlay, OH     $1,000
Pearce For Senate, Hobbs, NM     $1,000
People For English, Erie, PA     $1,000
People With Hart Inc, Wexford, PA     $1,000
People With Hart Inc, Wexford, PA     $1,000
Pete Sessions For Congress, Dallas, TX     $1,000
Pete Stark Re-Election Comm, Fremont, CA     $1,000
Phil PAC, Alexandria, VA     $1,000
Price For Congress, Roswell, GA     $1,000
Rangel For Congress, New York, NY     $1,000
Rangel For Congress, New York, NY     $1,000
Re-elect Bobby Jindal, Metairie, LA     $1,000
Re-Elect Harold Ford Jr, Memphis, TN     $1,000
Re-Elect Nancy Johnson To Congress Com, New Britai     $1,000
Reed for Lieutenant Governor, Duluth, GA     $1,000
Renzi for Congress, Flagstaff, AZ     $1,000
Reynolds For Congress, Victor, NY     $1,000
Richard E Neal For Congress Comm, Chevy Chase, MD     $1,000
Richard E Neal For Congress Comm, Chevy Chase, MD     $1,000
Richard E Neal For Congress Comm, Chevy Chase, MD     $1,000
Rocky Mountain PAC, Washington, DC     $1,000
Ron Lewis For Congress, Elizabethtown, KY     $1,000
Ryan For Congress, Janesvile, WI     $1,000
Ryan For Congress, Janesvile, WI     $1,000
Santorum 2006, Alexandria, VA     $1,000
Santorum 2006, Alexandria, VA     $1,000
Schakowsky For Congress, Evanston, IL     $1,000
Schultz Debbie Wasserman, Weston, FL     $1,000
Searchlight Leadership Fund, Washington, DC     $1,000
Sensenbrenner Committee, Menomonee Falls, WI     $1,000
Simpson For Congress, Blackfoot, ID     $1,000
Sue Kelly For Congress, Scarsdale, NY     $1,000
Sue Myrick For Congress, Charlotte, NC     $1,000
Team Emerson, Cape Girardeau, MO     $1,000
TENN PAC, Alexandria, VA     $1,000
Texans For Henry Bonilla, San Antonio, TX     $1,000
Texans For Henry Bonilla, San Antonio, TX     $1,000
The Congressman Joe Barton Committee, Ennis, TX     $1,000
The Freedom Fund, Washington, DC     $1,000
The MikeR Fund, Arlington, VA     $1,000
Thelma Drake for Congress, Virginia Beach, VA     $1,000
Tiahrt For Congress, Wichita, KS      $1,000
Tiahrt For Congress, Wichita, KS     $1,000
Tom DeLay Congressional Committee, Stafford, TX     $1,000
Tom Feeney For Congress, Oviedo, FL     $1,000
Tom Feeney For Congress, Oviedo, FL     $1,000
Volunteers For Shimkus, Springfield, IL     $1,000
Walden For Congress, Hood River, OR     $1,000
Wally Herger For Congress Comm, Marysville, CA     $1,000
Weller for Congress, Washington, DC     $1,000
Weller for Congress, Washington, DC     $1,000
Westmoreland For Congress, Sharpsburg, GA     $1,000
Westmoreland For Congress, Sharpsburg, GA     $1,000
Charlie Crist Campaign Fund, Tallahassee, FL     $500
Friends Of Conrad Burns, Billings, MT     $500
Mccaul For Congress Inc, Austin, TX     $500

(Totals taken from Opensecrets.org and represent contributions up to January 31, 2006)

Biodynamicism: Rant Meets Reason

Yesterday's post on Biodynamicism, faith, gambling and viticultural techniques appeared to some (see comments) as a bit of a rant...perhaps even over the top. First of all I'm shocked, shocked I tell you, that anything that appears on FERMENTATION would be considered a rant. I much prefer it be considered "unhinged verbosity."

That said, There is a place where one can go to find a someone different, and perhaps more reasoned perspective on the state and nature of Biodynamic Viticulture.

Leave it to Fredric Koeppel at Koeppel On Wine to deliver not merely a fine commentary on Biodynamicism, but a series of reviews of wines produced with this.....approach.

Who Gives, Who Gets: Money, Politics & Wine

Over the past few months FERMENTATION has tried to cover a variety of political battes involving wine and wine distribution and sales in particular. We've been candid in our position that money usually sways the outcome of these battles. That is to say, campaign contributions tend to deliver not only access to office holders, but too often results in success in state houses across the country and in Washington.

With the 2006 campaign cycle roaring into high gear, we thought it time to take a closer look at money and politics and alcohol. This is the first of a series of posts concerning MONEY, POLITICS & WINE

We start with campaign contributions to candidates for federal office originating from alcohol companies. Below are two lists: The top 20 recipients of "alcohol dollars and the top 20 contributors to federal campaigns...

The figure represent amounts donated in 2005 up to the present time. The total amounts for this campaign cycle will not be totaled up and available until well after the election in November. This information was culled from the Open Secrets website.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

TOP 20 CANDIDATES RECEIVING CONTRIBUTIONS
FROM ALCOHOL RELATED COMPANIES (2005 - Present)

Rank, Candidate, Office, Amount
1 Thompson, Mike (D-CA) House $139,204
2 Talent, James M (R-MO) Senate $65,350
3 Allen, George (R-VA) Senate $36,400
4 Burns, Conrad (R-MT) Senate $31,699
5 Reynolds, Tom (R-NY) House $30,200
6 Kyl, Jon (R-AZ) Senate $30,099
7 Northup, Anne M (R-KY) House $29,700
8 McHenry, Patrick (R-NC) House $27,900
9 McConnell, Mitch (R-KY) Senate $27,100
10 Hatch, Orrin G (R-UT) Senate $26,000
10 Hastert, Dennis (R-IL) House $26,000
12 Santorum, Rick (R-PA) Senate $25,200
13 Feinstein, Dianne (D-CA) Senate $24,998
14 Nelson, Bill (D-FL) Senate $24,250
15 Gard, John (R-WI) House $22,652
16 Conrad, Kent (D-ND) Senate $22,575
17 Boehner, John (R-OH) House $22,500
18 DeLay, Tom (R-TX) House $22,000
19 Cantor, Eric (R-VA) House $20,100
20 Clinton, Hillary Rodham (D-NY) Senate $19,775
(Thomspson, number one on the list, represents the Napa and Sonma region. Jim Talent, number 2 on the list, hails from the home state of Anheuser-Busch)

TOP ALCOHOL-RELATED CONTRIBUTORS TO FEDERAL CAMPAIGNS (2005 - Present)

Rank, Contributor, Amount
1 National Beer Wholesalers Assn $1,491,250
2 Anheuser-Busch $448,868
3 Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America $291,500
4 Silver Eagle Distributors $77,584
5 Brown-Forman Corp $73,958
6 E&J Gallo Winery $71,501
7 Southern Wine & Spirits $54,900
8 Empire Distributors $45,500
9 Wine Institute $45,204
10 Reyes Holdings $43,250
11 Miller Brewing $42,000
12 United Liquors $40,905
13 Astrale E Terra Winery $39,400
14 Georgia Crown Distributing $37,500
15 Quintessa Winery $33,400
16 Constellation Brands $30,500
17 Abbe Ranch Vineyards $25,000
18 Molson Coors Brewing $22,799
19 Magnolia Marketing $21,700
20 Golden Eagle Distributors $19,350

Does Global Warming=Homegrown English Claret?

When considering the apparent rise in global temperatures, wine types tend to ask, what will be come of my Bordeaux or Napa Cab or German Riesling as the temperatures continue to rise? There is a worry that these wines, forced to be produced with grapes asked to thrive in warmer temperatures will just not be the same.

Decanter Magazine has an article concerning just his issue and how it was addressed at the recent World Conference on Global Warming and Wine held in Barcelona  on March 24-25. Here is an interesting conclusion from one of the presentations:

"Taking the Mean July Temperature of various regions he showed how their viticulture character would change if you add 2degreesC.

Santa Maria, with a MJT of 17.3C would become Napa, at 19.3, St Helena at 21.7C would become Stockton at 23.5C, Healdsburg would become Modesto, and Fresno, Bakersfield."

If you know anything about the California grape growing industry you know that the last thing you want is to grow just about any grapes meant for fine wine in the areas Modesto, Fresno or Bakersfield.

What intrigues me more, however, is not what will be come of the current top wine grape growing regions as the temperatures rise over the next 50 years, but rather which areas will be transformed into winegrowing meccas as a result of the temperature swing.

I wonder, will the rise in temperature finally give the English what they've always wanted, the perfect climate for producing claret on their own shores? Will German Pinot Noir break out of it's also ran status as these wines become richer and more endowed as a result of more heat? Will Oregon Pinot no longer be an "on the edge" sort of endeavor but rather a sure thing as in Russian River Valley?

The possibilities are endless.

In the end, if the warming trend continues, I suppose we will see our traditional growing regions slowly switch to more appropriate varieties for the hotter climate.

50wines/50states/50weeks

Nothing like a man on a mission!

Lenn of LennDevours Wine Blog has announced his mission of tasting and reviewing 50 wines, one from each of the 50 states, in 50 weeks.

It makes sense that Lenn would be the man to do this. His championing of NY wines, and his ability to stay on message at his blog makes him the rare wine blogger to focus on wines outside the major wine producing states of CA, WA and OR.

However, he does have a challenge. My guess is he'll have to have at least 40 or 45 of the wines shipped to him or he's going to have to go on a serious road trip.

What I'm looking most forward to his the review of wine from Alaska. I've never seen one or tasted one (how fascinating would it be to visit those vineyards and wineries). I've always wanted to try Sparkling Rhubarb wine.

Faith, Gambling and Technique in the Vineyard

The Associated Press' Michelle Locke has written a story about Biodynamic farming of wine grapes in the United States focusing on Benziger Winery in Sonoma Valley and Quivera in Dry Creek Valley.

It's very much like other Biodynamic-centered articles in which the personalities at the center of the story claim to have had great success with the system, yet prefer to either discount the somewhat loony alchemical aspects of the practice or speculate that these practices "must be doing something" in the vineyard.

You don't have to go back very far to see farmers applying mystical techniques to try to influence the creation of a better crop. They've used prayer, dances, and sacrifices in order to influence the outcome of their annual plantings. Biodynamics seems just about the same thing.

You have to remember, farmers are one part technicians, one part faithful and one part gamblers. The technicians in them employ the techniques in the vineyard they know help produce a better crop such as, in the case of wine grapes, particular irrigation regimes, certain trellising systems and the use of various crop covers among other techniques.

The faithful part of the farmer hopes, prays, looks to the sky and assumes this year will be like last year. Sometimes they help their faith along by employing somewhat odd practices such as many of the Biodynamic techniques that, well, are a bit odd.

The gambler in them is demonstrated by basing their living on the odds that the weather will be like it usually is, though they know that any number of natural disasters could arrive, without much warning, to wipe out their crops: Torrential rain at harvest, massive frosts during bud break, intense and extended heat toward the end of the growing season. While these aren't "likely" to occur according to odds informed by past performance of Mother Nature, you can't rule them out.

It's not difficult to understand why some vintners would succumb to their faithful part and employ all the facets and practices of Biodynamic farming.

Wine & Hissy Fits

Yea...Michigan State officials are throwing a real hissy fit.

They are apparently upset with the costs they are obligated to pay the attorneys that beat them at the Supreme Court last year in the Granholm v. Heald wine decision.

Their tantrum boils down to this: They don't like what it cost their opponents to beat them. Among their claims is that it was unnecessary to bring in Kathleen Sullivan, Dean of Stanford law School, to write the "merits brief" as well as to argue the case in front of the court.

"The hiring of Kathleen Sullivan to write the merits brief in the Supreme Court and to conduct oral argument was the result of political correctness, not legal necessity," Michigan officials claimed in a legal brief filed last week."

Or, it could have been that wineries defending their right to sell wine just wanted to have the best representation they could get in the biggest case they'd ever see.

Basically, they don't want to pay the legal fees. I suspect also that Michigan residents are a bit peeved that their government not only lost in their bid to prevent them from obtaining the products they want to buy, but that they now also cost the tax payers a decent amount of cash.

Michigan's officials are simply throwing a tantrum...I hate tantrums..