7:48 PM

2008 - Cheap Wines

A Featured Cheap Wines Article

Wine for Women Only - Oh, Please...

1. Wines For Women - Never!
2. Flash-in-the-Pan Gimmick Wine?
3. Ugh! No Vintage

Here I sit, in my favorite pink flannel, Lucille Ball Grape Stomping 'jammies, writing another column for the website. But I think this one's more an exercise in helping me sort through all the feedback we're getting on the Working Girl Wines as they're released across the country.

Wines For Women. We've had a lot of interest and media attention regarding the release of the Working Girl Wines beyond our winery doors. There has also been a flurry of articles about "Wine for Women." Our marketing tag line for Working Girl Wines used to be... "Created by Women, For Women, In Support of Women." I realized early on you couldn't create a wine for a gender so we dropped the 'For Women'. Everyone's tastes are too different. I like big, bold reds. In fact, I didn't personally drink the Working Girl wines until we came out with Handyman Red. But, the situation I'm facing is... here we are, three women, with labels that reflect our personality, our philosophy and approach to the wine industry, our life and our business. So I'm torn... But there's little time to twiddle and anyway, the upside... maybe we're still on the right track: woman-owned distribution companies around the country have found us and THEY want our wines! We'll keep on truckin'.

Gimmick Wines. Like any industry, gimmick products always pop up to grab attention during narrow "windows of opportunity." It's no different with wine. Cute labels are all over the place. And why not... it's the label that draws your eye and helps a wine "jump out" in a sea of choices. But a cutsy label often gets purchased once and then vanishes forever into the wine graveyard... unless the bottle content is memorable. Otherwise it's on to the next cute label that grabs your attention.

Our challenge is to get the Working Girl story out there. The "Girls" have been around since 2003 and their popularity has grown the old fashion way... grass roots word of mouth! The grapes must continue to meet our high standards or we won't bottle it. Our wines are built on a foundation of charitable and community support and it's our vision they will continue to support local communities they are sold in... via a Three-Tier Donation Network that is in the works. Stay tuned!

Ugh! No Vintage. Even though I'm an "industry insider" now, I'm not fixated on vintage designations (that's the calendar year you see listed on a bottle). I AM very serious about our wine... and want medals just like everyone else (most of 'em are only handed out to 'vintage' wines... it's just part of the 'traditions' that goes with this industry). Now, I know on average when certain types of varietals should get bottled after harvest. So when I look at a vintage on a shelf, I may be wondering, "Why is a wine this old still on the shelf," or "How come they bottled this one so soon?" But for most wines that fall in my "norm range" of vintages, I don't care. That's because I'm not a collector (I don't lay my wines down .... I'm sure that term did not originate with us gals.) I always find an excuse to drink that really good bottle of wine I purchased, after all I worked hard today and deserve it! I try a lot of wines for taste, style and food pairing basically because of reputation, medals, write-ups, etc. Remember, 4 years ago I was schlepping semi-conductors instead of wines! Market research, someone has to do it.

But what I've learned to TRULY love... is the power of blending wines! I'm told all the great French winemakers were master blenders.

I can't tell you how many times during our tasting and blending trials a blend wins out over the straight varietal. That's why if you don't consider vintages, whoa, things can get really fun!

The Working Girl wines are blends for two reasons. I just described one. The other is simply the economics of a small winery. We produce vintage varietal wines under our La Dolce Vida label in small, 150-200 case lots. And even though the same grape varietals go into our Working Girl wines, because we designate them as "non-vintage" we're not constrained to putting just one year's output into a bottle. We're free to make the absolute best wine we can make... even if it's a blend of 50% from one year and 50% from another! Now, the law requires us to call these "Table Wines" instead of a nice fancy vintage name (like Merlot) but for you it means just one thing... ENJOY... because the wine will be good! We've staked our reputation on it.

So what's this diatribe gotten me?

I guess a confirmation that Working Girl Wines are not just another cute label, trying to grab up new market share while trying to hide our age.

About the Author

Kathy Charlton founded Olympic Cellars Winery became the North Sound's first woman-owned and operated winery in 2001. Since that time, owners Kathy Charlton, Molly Rivard and Libby Sweetser (known affectionately to locals as the Olympic Women in Wine) have taken the winery in a new direction, turning out award-winning wines and the Working Girl Wine series that supports the physical and emotional well being of women around the country. c

Short Review on Cheap Wines

Wine for Women Only - Oh, Please...

1. Wines For Women - Never!
2. Flash-in-the-Pan Gimmick Wine?
3. Ugh! No Vintage
Here I sit, in my favorite pink flannel, Lucille Ball Grape Stomping...

Click Here to Read More About Wine ...

Featured Cheap Wines Items

The FTD Loving Remembrance Basket - Deluxe

In shades of pink, yellow and soft blue, accented with sprigs of green, this basket arrangement conveys your deepest sympathies. S32-3169D

Price: 85.99 USD

Headlines on Cheap Wines

Garlicoon - THE OPEN FOOD & WINE CLUB

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 06:11:38 PDT
Garlicoon - THE OPEN FOOD & WINE CLUB.A nice and new social network for people who like good food and fine wine.www.garlicoon.com

Food - Wine Pairing Tips For French and Italian Wines

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 02:10:20 PDT
Many people are intimidated by the task of selecting wine in a fine restaurant. This article is intended to provide a simple guide that will enable anyone to feel confident enough to choose a wine th ...

What It Costs To Become A Sommelier

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:10:04 PDT
Does the thought of learning all you can about fine wines and tasting all of the different varieties sound like your ideal job? If so, then you may want to consider turning your passion into a career by becoming a sommelier. This enjoyable position, which consists of managing the wine in a restaurant, can be a rewarding and enjoyable...

Wine Cooler
Wine Label | Wine Labels

Labels: Wine Prints | Wine Producers

&type=page">

Posted by Larry Jackson | 0 comments

8:10 PM

April 2008 - Vintage Wine

A Featured Vintage Wine Article

Wine Tasting for the Average Joe

Going to a wine tasting can be a very fun and enjoyable experience.
However, many people do not attend for fear of not knowing exactly how to act or
what to do. There no great mystery to wine tastings, just a few things you
should remember.

As far as etiquette, usually the ladies are served before the
gentlemen. Some wine tastings offer you bottled water. Use this to
rinse out your mouth between tastings so your palate is clean for the next
wine. There is often unsalted and unflavored crackers and bread to help
palate cleansing as well. You should always handle the wine glass by the
stem. This helps avoid heating the wine with the warmth of your hands,
thus altering the taste. Avoid wearing strong perfumes and colognes to a
wine tasting. That may take away from not only your smell, but also that
of the other guests. Also, avoid smoking, gum, and mints before and during
a wine tasting to be able to enjoy the full flavor of the wine.

You can tell a lot about a wine just by looking at its color. When you
attend a wine tasting, the glasses should always be clear so you can get a good
look at the wine. The tables may also be covered with white tablecloths to
help you see the wine's color clearly. Do not let the wine name full
you. For example, white wines are not white in color. They may range
from yellow to green to brown. Red wines range in color from pale red to a
deep brownish red and often become lighter with age. Sometimes the color
of a wine may indicate age or flavor. You may be able to tell the age of a
red wine by doing a rim test. Tilt the glass slightly towards the rim of
the wine glass and look at the wine. If the color of the red wine is more
of a purple, it is usually a younger wine. If the color of the red wine is
brown, it is an older wine.

Another thing you may have seen people do before they taste wine is swirl it
slightly in the glass. This is to help open up the wine's flavor.
Remember that the wine may have been in a bottle anywhere from six months to
many, many years. When someone swirls a wine, it helps release the
flavors. Just like when you're cooking at home and stir the food to help
blend the flavors.

The color of the wine is just one aspect you will want to look at when you
attend a wine tasting. You will also want to smell the wine. After
swirling, this is the next step in the tasting process. You have probably
seen people smell wine before and wondered why they did it. Smell plays a
very important part in what we taste. Researchers have determined that
perhaps as much as 75% of what we taste is actually based on what we smell
first. You can smell your wine one of two ways: taking a small whiff
to get an idea of how the wine smells, then a deeper whiff or take one deep
whiff. After smelling the wine, take a minute to think about the
smell. You do not want to immediately taste it after smelling but
give yourself time to explore exactly what you smelled.

Finally, you will need to know is how to taste the wine properly. Your
tongue has taste buds in both the front and back. These taste buds can
detect bitter, salty, sweet, and sour flavors, but some are more sensitive than
others are. There are three steps in tasting a wine: the first
impression, the taste, and the aftertaste. The first impression happens
when you take your first drink and the wine actually hits your taste buds.
It should awaken your sense to the wine. After taking the first drink, you
should swish the wine around your mouth for a few seconds to let all your taste
buds discover the full flavor of the wine. Think about what the wine
tastes like. Is it light or heavy? Is the smooth or harsh? The
aftertaste is the sensation that remains in your mouth after swallowing the
wine. How long did it last and was it pleasant?

Before attending a wine tasting, it may help you feel more confident to read
about the different types of wines. This will give you a better idea of
what to look for as far as flavor and taste. Next time you are invited to
a wine tasting; do not be afraid to go. You may be missing a great
experience!

About the Author

Jason Connors is a successful writer and wine connoisseur providing valuable tips and advice on wine cellar design, wine making, and wine basics. http://www.about-wine.net

Short Review on Vintage Wine

Visit The California Wine Country

If you?re planning a trip to California wine country, there are many resources available that can make your trip fun and enjoyable. Many self-planning...

Click Here to Read More About Wine ...

Vintage Wine Products we recommend

The FTD Many Thanks Bouquet - Deluxe

Make a lasting impression with this beautiful bouquet of roses, lilies, daisies and more. Approx. 25.5H x 19W C4-3085D

Price: 129.99 USD

Current Vintage Wine News

Anchor KNTV fired loses reverse-bias lawsuit

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 10:35:05 PST
KNTV hired Hicks in 2000. NBC bought the station in 2002 and made it the network affiliate for the Bay Area. Hicks was then the 5 p.m. news anchor on weeknights, was a reporter for the 11 p.m. newscast and hosted "Wine Country Living," an entertainment and lifestyle program.

Sip and Spa in Niagara-on-the-Lake, North America's Best!

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 11:08:32 PST
SpasofAmerica.com rated the Top 30 Spas of America - two of the Top 10 can be found in Niagara on the Lake - not just wine country anymore! Find out more about 100 Fountain Spa and The Secret Garden Spa by Vintage Hotels - sip and spa, all at the same time!

Amazon to strat selling alcohol - US teenagers rejoice.

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 12:28:02 PST
Selling wine online in this country is pretty screwed up. Or, as the Financial Times so elegantly stated, it's "a business fraught with regulatory complexities and littered with the wreckage of previous failures."

Wine Recipes
Wine Accessories
Wine Glass