| Okanagan winery rated tops internationally - for food
An Okanagan winery has received a rare honour, but the recognition was not for its wine, but for its food. The February 2008 issue of Travel and Leisure Magazine, the largest travel magazine in the world, named the Mission Hill Terrace Restaurant as one of the top five winery restaurants on the planet. Chef Michael Allemeier told CBC News on Tuesday he was caught by surprise when his relatively new restaurant was included among some at the world's best-known wineries. "It's amazing when you look at the article because there are so many wine regions you recognize; Tuscany, Stellenbach in South Africa, Napa Valley in California, and then the Okanagan." The magazine describes Mission Hill, near Kelowna, as the centrepiece of the Canadian wine tourism industry, and the Terrace Restaurant as one of the most glorious dining experiences in the world.
Constellation, vine pest, Millennials to watch in 2008
NORTH BAY � 2008 likely will see Constellation Brands advance its position in the North Coast wines, increased attention on the vine mealybug vineyard pest and caution about fickle Millennial drinkers.
At press time, shareholders of New York-based Constellation Brands were set to consider the $885 million acquisition of Fortune Brands� Healdsburg-based Beam Wine Estates group, which includes Clos Du Bois, and 1,500 acres of local vines. Sales for the group totaled $214 million for 2.6 million 9-liter cases last year.
Constellation officials have said they don�t plan major changes to the 520-employee Beam group, but Constellation�s acquisition history has shown otherwise, namely the couple of hundred layoffs at Robert Mondavi Corp. in Napa.
As for vineyard pests, Napa County lifted the light brown apple moth quarantine that was imposed after two were found in May and August, but the difficult-to-locate vine mealybug is another matter.
Bringing in the bottles
Last summer Fred Franzia, of Two Buck Chuck fame, announced that he planned to build a factory in Napa Valley to make bottles for his wine.The factory would be built on an 80-acre site he owns near the Napa County Airport. When Franzia unveiled the idea, he talked about the positive ecological impact it would have. Namely, having a bottlemaker in the heart of wine country would eliminate the need for about 62,000 truckloads of bottles to Napa each year, or about 375,000 diesel-driving hours. This would decrease emissions by more than 32,000 tons, he said. In addition, he said it would add about 350 jobs to Napa County’s work force and money to the tax base. .
To invade Egypt, Napoleon said he wanted to be Muslim; it didn't work
Napoleon Bonaparte had an idea for winning the hearts and minds of the Muslim people he invaded: He told the Egyptians that he and his army wanted to be Muslims, too.It wasn't true, but that didn't bother Napoleon. What might have bothered him was that the idea didn't work. He delayed revealing that he had targeted Egypt until hundreds of troop carriers were plowing through the Mediterranean, vainly hunted by Britain's navy. Some in France already knew what he wanted. He thought Egypt could be the start of an empire rivaling the one Alexander the Great conquered 2,000 years earlier. .
Popular program saved after outcry from Upvalley employers
The news traveled fast when St. Helena Hospital officials announced plans to close the Napa and Upvalley branches of JobCare — an arm of the hospital that provides work-related injury care and more to thousands of winery employees and others each year.In a prepared statement, JoAline Olson, president and CEO of St. Helena Hospital, said the decision came after JobCare — which also provides physicals, drug testing and safety training — proved to be "a consistent money-loser." .
Report: Too many juiced at wine tastings
California vintners are cracking down on limos and tourist buses who cater to crowds who like to get juiced at wine tastings.
In Temecula Valley, 21 winery owners now require transportation companies to police the customers they bring for tastings, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday.
In Napa County, numerous wineries have posted "No limo" signs, said Michael Korson, an investigator for the California Alcoholic Beverage Commission. And in Santa Barbara County, the sheriff's department has a disheveled undercover investigator who gargles with Jack Daniels and spritzes it on his clothes before heading to wine tastings to see which vinters will, and won't, serve an obviously intoxicated person, the Times reported.
It's not unusual for people to get drunk at wine tastings and vomit in the shrubbery, shed their clothes and shout and run about, said Tomi Arbogast, director of the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association.
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