Free Republic

Volunteer harvesters from the United States and Canada, have local Jewish vintners in Samaria, otherwise known as the West Bank, wondering if not just the grapes, but also the times - are ripening. The Hebrew prophet Isaiah predicted that close to the time of the Messiah's coming, the sons of foreigners would be their vinedressers. "Our sages have taught us that during the times of the final redemption, which we are right now in, other nations will come to help build the land of Israel, to help the Jewish nation, to fulfill all of the prophesies," said Yonatan Behar, the...

PARIS (AFP) - Scientists in France and Italy have deciphered the complete genetic code for the plant producing wine grapes, according to a study published Sunday. While the findings will do nothing to enhance the mystique of winemaking, they could pave the way for gene-based manipulations to boost flavour and improve resistance against disease. Dozens of researchers analyzing the Pinot Noir varietal of Vitis vinifera, the core species from which virtually all grape wine is made, found twice as many genes contributing to aroma than in other sequenced plants, suggesting that wine flavours could be traced to the genome level....

In the fog-shrouded forests of California's remote North Coast, winemakers believe they've found the perfect terrain to grow the notoriously fickle pinot noir grape prized by connoisseurs. Vineyard developers are snapping up thousands of acres of redwoods and firs in Sonoma County, with plans to clear the trees and plant the once-obscure varietal made famous by the wine-fueled road trip film "Sideways." Environmentalists and residents in Annapolis, a tiny town about 140 miles north of San Francisco, are trying to rein in the pinot lovers. "If you've seen the movie, you've seen the glassy-eyed stare they have when they talk...

Houston wine lover Ron Nichely is so partial to Boeger Winery's offerings that family visits to nearby Stockton find him cramming his luggage with bottles. His "personal best": two cases of wine into one bulging suitcase. But on Monday, Nichely tried something new. He simply called the small winery and ordered a case of its well-regarded Tempranillo for $14 a bottle, aided by a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision and a change in Texas law allowing consumers to buy directly from out-of-state wineries. "I prefer to get all my wines direct from the winery," said Nichely, an engineer in the...

The origins of Trader Joe's and why Americans don't drink more wine By PAUL FRANSON Register Correspondent At the recent Unified Wine and Grape Symposium in Sacramento, some of us had the pleasure of meeting the real Trader Joe and hearing how he started the cultish chain. To celebrate its 30th Anniversary, the California Association of Winegrape Growers invited Joe Coloumbe to address at its annual meeting. Telling a tale worthy of PBS's "Nova," he enthralled the audience about why the Little Ice Age kept Americans from drinking wine, how the breakdown of an international monetary agreement affects the wine...