cabernet-sauvignon « WordPress.com Tag Feed

Eyecare / Hemifacial Spasm : Medication-induced Non-stop Persistent Eyelid-twitching - How I Eventually Get It Totally Cured By Acupuncture & Other Medical Details

vikas1985 — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:25:37 +0000

Note : The following article is only meant as a reference material to the intended recipients and advices should be sought from the medical experts to establish the authenticity of its contents. For your information, I get this non-stop eyelid twitching sickness which is diagnosed as one of the symptoms of Tardive Dyskinesia (neuroleptic medication-induced repetitive, involuntary, purposeless facial muscle movements), while living abroad indirectly from depression (Schizophrenia) through subsequent allergy and overdosage of the related-medications (Risperdal) and I hope that the information given below will be useful to the intended readers.

Non-stop Eyelid twitching, which is lately referred to as Blepharospasm or Myokymia is actually a symptom of involuntary and uncontrollable movements in the muscles around a person's eyes which in turn make them appear like 'blinking non-stop' to other people.

Generally, the movements of one's muscle is controlled by the nerves around them that in turn receive signals from the brains which ultimately dictate the variety of 'ways' in which such desired movements are to be conducted based on a person's will.

The causes of such non-stop eyelid twitching symptom in most common cases may just due to short-term stress, over-tiredness, over-straining of one's eyes, occasional anxiety, temporary panic fits and nervousness which in turn can be easily relieved and recover naturally by a good rest, more relaxation and trying to calm oneself down to stop getting anxious, panic and worried and stressful over certain things. In this regard, such phenomena tend to be quite common among certain students and other professionals.

However, in the cases of a persistent uncontrollable non-stop twitchings of the eyelids which only get aggravated rather than improved over time and last for months and even years, it may just probably imply that the nerves around the eyes organ are simply not 'properly functionable' enough to bring about the desired movements of the muscles based on the mental instructions from the brains of a person.

Except for any brain and other eye muscle damages/eye muscle disorders caused by permanent lack of certain nutrients and minerals etc or other irritations to that organ like dry eyes, sore eyes, bacteria infections etc, such a chronic eyelid twitching sickness may likely be caused by certain disturbances and disorders that affect or weaken the functionality of the nerves around the eyes to bring about the desired movements of this organ based on the person's will.

In this regard, the possible reasons of such chronic eyelid twitching sickness may probably due to the causes as mentioned above which is experienced by a person over a considerably long period of time rather than just temporarily. Apart from that, other likely causes maybe be certain traumas, especially the emotional ones, allergy to or overdosage of certain medications that carry such side effects as muscle spasms, particularly photophobia in the case of non-stop eyelid twitching symptom.

In fact, I myself have also been suffering from such a sickness due to allergy and overdosage to such medications like Risperdal and other similar drugs (of which I have stopped taking and replaced with something else so as not to further worsen the non-stop eyelid-twitching problem and to prevent a relapse of that sickness after I get healed). As such, I would very much like to share my own genuine personal experience with you over the course of my treatment of such a sickness and I hope that it will somehow be helpful to a certain extent especially to those who have been having the similar experience as mine and I would to emphasize that it again only is meant as a reference material to anyone reading it.

For your information, I have been suffering from this sickness in the past few years whereby my eyelids also tend to twitch both continuously and uncontrollably without me being able to do anything to control the non-stop twitchings at all. As a result, my eyes would seem like blinking all the while to anyone who looks at me and I totally could not drive, look directly and persistently at the pc or tv screens and most of the times, I simply can’t read any books or newspaper properly.

And I have sought lots of medical treatments and advices as well as apply various kinds of eye drops, taking various types of vitamins, mineral pills as well as many types of anti-muscle spasm medications from lots of eye specialists, neurosurgeons and psychiatrists (who explain the medical theories mentioned above to me), ENT specialists and other general practitioners, and even have the MRI examinations taken to get my eyes cured , but these efforts turn out to be in vain as they fail to yield any positive results and my eyes still keep on blinking non-stop.

Luckily, just about a year after I suffer from such a sickness, I come across an acupuncture expert who studied and observed closely about my problems and then administer a therapy needle on the part of the flesh at the back of the palm of my right hand which is about 1.5 cm (applicable to the average grown adults only) vertically
from the point of intersection (that would appear visibly when the fingers are closed loosely together) between my thumb and my forefinger (as per attachment added below) to strengthen the weakened and sensitive nerves around my eyes. Kindly take note that this point is located at a much 'fleshy instead of a much 'boney' area - perhaps you would need to briefly explore that part of your right hand at the same time to locate that point, and I hope you will understand that the hand structures of each person differ from one another. After that, he just ask me to press (using just mild force) onto the surface of that acupuncture point using such objects like toothpick /normal writing pen (which is the out-of-ink one of course) or anything with a blunt-pointed end for at least 2 hours a day and then consistently for about 2 months. Having done that persistently based on his order, my eyelid twitching that makes my eyes blinking all the while just totally recover in time and I can drive, work with the pc screens, watch tv, movies and read as well as work like any other normal persons.

For your further information, I have also come across quite a couple of people in my real life annoyed by such an eyelid twitching problem of different causes and degrees of severity, and accordingly, I just recommend the method as mentioned above to them and within weeks, they just experience significant improvements to their conditions after applying this therapy, and after a few months , they just recover totally from this sickness. . And I hope that by contributing this piece of article to you, it will somehow help you to in at least getting a clue about this sickness.

Lastly, I sincerely wish that the ones troubled by such an annoying eyelid twitching sickness can recover finally from their illness. Thank you.

Attachment File.gif: 395 Time(s) Viewed, 4.44 KB

Further In-depth Details & Extra Information About The Acupuncture Technique Recommended For Non-stop Eyelid-twitching Sickness

vikas1985 — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:24:05 +0000

The information given below is only meant as reference materials to the intended recipients.

In fact, my confidence in the effectiveness of this acupuncture technique that I recommend in this website is built upon the very fact of the final recovery (which can be observed within weeks & a few months ) of dozens of such people in my real life over the past few years who have suffered persistently from such non-stop eyelid twitching problems, especially the ones who get this sickness in the first place from the muscle spasms side effects of certain medication, long-term emotional traumas that affect their central nervous system etc, who in turn get almost an observable obvious immediate relief (within a few days time), of which I have witnessed these myself, from the acupuncture method I recommend personally to them.

Actually these people shared almost the same painful experience as me from such debilitating sickness and for your information, there were many of them who were not so well-to-do, and hence they could not afford such expensive medical bills of seeing the medical specialists or to get Botox injections / surgical treatment to deal with their non-stop eyelid twitching problems. Therefore, when I recommended such an acupuncuture technique to them, I did it out of charity, sympathy and compassion, and thank God that it worked on each and everyone of them.

Since I am not belonging to the medical field or an acupuncturist myself, I thus would not know whether such an acupuncture technique would actually work in the case of genetical eyelid twitching sickness, and honestly speaking, out of so many people to whom I have personally recommended that acupuncture treatment, I have not yet come across any of such cases before. Nevertheless, I am pretty sure that most of the people with non-stop eyelid twitching problems actually get this sickness from other post-birth causes rather than genetically, and I believe that once the acupuncture point is clearly identitified, the recommended technique would work effectively to provide reliefs to the ones suffer from post-birth causes-induced non-stop eyelid twitching sickness.

However, I still have to admit that although I have recently received some reply emails from the intended readers who say that this acupuncture technique actually works effectively on them to deal with their non-stop eyelid twitching problems, I would still strongly advise the ones interested in the acupuncture treatment to seek consultancy about its validity & the very acupuncture treatment for this sickness from the licensed acupuncturists in view of the very fact that I could not personally point out to them the exact location of such acupuncture point.

Another thing is that since the ones to whom I have personally recommended such acupuncture treatment for the treatment of non-stop eyelid twitching sickness are actually all grown adults, the "1.5 cm measure" mentioned in these articles mentioned above would thus definitely not be applicable to the young children whose hand structures are naturally very much smaller. Next, given that the skin textures of small children tend to be very much delicate and tender, and hence more fragile than that of the adults, they thus should definitely be attented to by the licensed acupuncturists to deal with their eyelid-twitching problems in the case where they choose this choice of therapy.

In addition, I would like to tell you very frankly that in the very first place when I was treated by my acupuncture physician to deal with my own non-stop eyelid twitching sickness, I was actually annoyed by such needle-based therapy and as a matter of fact, I really feel very uncomfortable with both the prospect and the very circumstance of getting my hand stuck with such acupuncture needles that are pierced right into the flesh through that acupuncture point for such acupuncture therapy. Furthermore, given the fact that his acupuncture clinic is located distant away in the other state from the place I live, I thus have requested him to provide me with an alternative acupuncture method to deal with my non-stop eyelid twitching sickness. And as a matter of fact, that alternative acupuncture method which requires the use of blunt-pointed object rather than sharp-pointed acupuncture needle and involves only pressing (using just mild force) onto the surface of the identified acupuncture point rather than piercing of acupuncture needle right into the flesh, did make me feel a lot more comfortable and mind-easing.

Besides, given that I could administer this simple therapy on my own without having to travel all the way to look for the acupuncture physician to get follow-up treatment for my non-stop eyelid-twitching sickness, it thus tremendously affords me a great deal of flexibility as well as time-and- cost-saving conveniences in helping me to deal with this sickness and get it cured in the end (I personally have applied this therapy for about 2 months and stopped that until now once I get cured.). Thank you.

Beer Brands

latestwineinfo — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:01:12 +0000

Budweiser Family
	Budweiser Brewed and sold since 1876, Budweiser is the classic American-Style Lager. Budweiser is brewed with time honored methods including Beechwood aging and only the finest ingredients, resulting in unparalleled balance and character.
	Bud Light Introduced nationally in 1982, Bud Light is brewed using a blend of premium aroma hop varieties, both American-grown and imported, and a combination of barley malts and rice. Its clean and crisp flavor makes it the world’s favorite beer.
	Budweiser Select Budweiser Select is a special kind of beer brewed for a crisp taste that finishes clean. Budweiser Select was developed using two-row and roasted specialty malts for a rich color. It offers bold flavor and a clean finish.
	Bud Dry Bud Dry is brewed with balanced hop character offering full flavor but a very clean, less-sweet finish.
	Bud Ice Introduced in 1984, Bud Ice is a smooth-tasting ice beer. Bud Ice’s ice-brewing process creates a slightly sweet taste, with a smooth finish.
	Bud Ice Light Bud Ice Light was introduced in 1994. Bud Ice Light combines Bud Ice’s unique taste profile with fewer calories.
Michelob Family
	Michelob Super-premium Michelob was developed in 1896 as a "draught beer for connoisseurs." Michelob is brewed with a superior ingredient blend for fuller body with a clean finish, using 100% European-imported hops for full flavor and refined character.
	Michelob Light Introduced in 1978 as the country's first super-premium light beer. Brewed with 100% imported hops for a unique and refined flavor and character in a beer with surprisingly few calories.
	Michelob ULTRA Michelob ULTRA is brewed using the finest barley malt, select grains and all-imported hops. The special choice of grains and unique brewing process produces a smooth, refreshing beer with fewer carbohydrates and the flavor you’d expect from Michelob.
	Michelob ULTRA Amber Michelob ULTRA Amber features a beautifully rich, deep amber color with a complex, malty, full-flavored taste that is also low in calories and carbohydrates.
	Michelob Honey Lager Anheuser-Busch brewmasters combine two-row and caramel barley malt, a blend of imported and premium American-grown aroma hops, and a touch of honey to produce a full-bodied, slightly sweet beer.
	Michelob AmberBock An American-Style Bock beer with a rich, malty and smooth taste that is hearty and full-bodied, yet finishes cleanly. Anheuser-Busch introduced this premium-plus beer nationally in 1995.
	Michelob Golden Draft Introduced in 1991 and distributed in select U.S. markets. Unique bottle and can packaging features exclusive faceted edges. Michelob Golden Draft is cold-filtered for a smooth draft flavor.
	Michelob Golden Draft Light Michelob Golden Draft Light also made its debut in 1991 and was Anheuser-Busch's first entry into the clear-bottle, packaged-draft market. Michelob Golden Draft is cold filtered for smooth draft flavor in a light beer.
Imports
	Grolsch Sold in more than 60 countries around the world, Grolsch is the No. 2 lager in the Netherlands and the No. 11 premium import in the United States. Grolsch is brewed using the finest natural ingredients, a traditional lager process and a combination of two European hops with a characteristically creamy head and a smooth and full-bodied taste.
	Harbin Lager Harbin Lager is brewed with a blend of select traditional Chinese and European hops, old-world-style yeast and the finest malt.
	Kirin Kirin is Japan’s largest and most prominent brewer. Its history dates back to 1888 and in that time, the Kirin name has become synonymous in Japan and around the world with beer of the highest quality. Its leading brand, Kirin Ichiban, is noteworthy for being brewed only from the first wort, which reduces bitter tannins and creates a beer with refined depth and a straight finish without a cloying aftertaste.
	Tiger Beer Tiger Beer has long been the No. 1 brand in Singapore and a leader in Malaysia. It is also one of the leading brands in Vietnam and Cambodia and the No. 1 imported Asian beer in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Tiger Beer is a full flavored beer with a crisp, clean taste.
Specialty Beers
	Redbridge Redbridge is a rich, hearty, full-bodied lager brewed with sorghum (a safe grain for those allergic to wheat or gluten), water, yeast, imported Hallertau and domestic Cascade hops and corn. The result is a rich, full-bodied lager with a moderately hoppy taste. No wheat or barley is used to make the beer.
	Rolling Rock Anheuser-Busch acquired the Rolling Rock brand in 2006. Rolling Rock is a classic pale American-style lager with a rich malt character that lends to its distinctive taste and subtle hops.
	Bud Extra Bud Extra takes beer to a new level – combining the drinkability and broad appeal of beer with caffeine, ginseng and guarana, Bud Extra is a beer remixed. Well-balanced beer with unique aromas of blackberry, raspberry and cherry, Bud Extra offers a lightly sweet and tart taste – with a “wow” factor in the finish.
	Bare Knuckle Stout Traditionally brewed using a blend of roasted barley, pale and caramel malts, Bare Knuckle Stout is balanced with robust hopping to provide a rich and flavorful stout, with a smooth and creamy head.
	Anheuser World Lager Rolled out in May 2003, Anheuser World Lager is a classic pilsner beer with a distinctive hop note and full-malt flavor – an import-style beer made in the United States.
	ZiegenBock An easy-drinking, American-Style bock beer, available only in Texas, since 1995.
Nonalcohol Brews
	O'Doul's This nonalcohol brew contains less than one-half of 1 percent alcohol by volume and is marketed to those who want the great taste of Anheuser-Busch beer in a nonalcohol brew. O'Doul's was introduced nationally in 1990.
	O'Doul's Introduced in 1997, this brand is brewed using two-row and specialty caramel malts with a blend of the finest imported and premium American-grown aroma hops, to create a full-bodied nonalcohol brew. O'Doul's Amber offers consumers the look and richer taste of an all-malt specialty beer in a nonalcohol beverage.
	Busch NA The company's first value-priced, nonalcohol brew debuted in 1994.
Busch Family
	Busch Introduced in 1955, Busch has a smooth, clean taste and is the country's largest-selling value-priced beer in all major demographics.
	Busch Light Introduced in 1989, Busch Light is already the eighth best-selling beer in the United States.
	Busch Ice In 1995, Anheuser-Busch introduced this smooth-tasting ice beer to satisfy consumer demand for a robust, value-priced beer.
Natural Family
	Natural Light Naturally brewed and less filling, low-calorie Natural Light was introduced in 1977 as Anheuser-Busch’s first light beer.
	Natural Ice Anheuser-Busch introduced Natural Ice in select markets in 1995 and took it national in 1996. This value-priced ice beer, with 5.9 percent alcohol by volume, has a smooth taste.
Malt Liquors
	Hurricane Malt Liquor This full-bodied, robust, slightly sweet-tasting malt liquor has 6 percent alcohol by volume. It was introduced in select test markets in 1996.
	Hurricane Ice “Ice-brewed” with a special combination of malt and premium American-grown hops for extra smoothness and body. It was introduced in 1997 and is available only in the Pacific Northwest.
	King Cobra A naturally brewed, full-bodied malt liquor, King Cobra was introduced in 1984.
Specialty Malt Beverages
	Bacardi Silver Peach Bacardi Silver Peach offers the juicy aroma of fresh peaches in a less sweet-tasting, but more refreshing flavor. Bacardi Silver Peach is the first peach-flavored malt beverage available nationally.
	Bacardi Silver Watermelon Bacardi Silver Watermelon has the subtle, juicy taste of fresh summer watermelon.
	Bacardi Silver Raz Bacardi Silver Raz has a refreshingly clean and effervescent taste with the natural flavor of raspberry
	Bacardi Silver O3 Bacardi Silver O3 offers a blend of exotic orange flavors created with three orange varieties: mandarin, valencia and tangerine, and resulting in a crisp, refreshing, yet not-too-sweet taste - the first orange-flavored, spirit-branded flavored malt beverage.
	Bacardi Silver Big Apple Crisp orchard-picked Granny Smith apple taste provides Bacardi Silver a tart, palate-cleansing bite.
	Bacardi Silver Strawberry The natural flavor of early-season strawberries are complemented by a hint of ripe melon to enhance the red-ripe strawberry flavor of Bacardi Silver Strawberry and create a smooth, clean finish.
	Bacardi Silver Bacardi Silver is a clear malt beverage made with natural citrus flavors and features a crisp, refreshing taste.
	PEELS PEELS are lightly-carbonated, slightly-sweet premium alcohol beverages made with pure fruit juice. PEELS are available in Pear Lemon, Strawberry Passion Fruit, Blueberry Pomegranate and Cranberry Peach flavors.
	Spykes Spykes is a colorful and unique shot with caffeine, ginseng and guarana available in 4 “sweet-hot” flavors: Spicy Lime, Spicy Mango, Hot Melons and Hot Chocolate. Spykes mixes well with beer to add alcohol, caffeine and unique flavor or can also be chilled and consumed straight as a shooter or over ice.
	Tequiza The nationwide rollout of Tequiza in 1999 was one of Anheuser-Busch's most successful new-product introductions ever. Tequiza is the first American-made malt beverage combining lager beer with real blue agave nectar and the natural flavor of lime.
	TILT TILT is a lightly carbonated and well-balanced malt beverage, with a bold berry flavor and orange color. Brewed as a malt beverage, TILT is infused with raspberry flavor, caffeine, guarana and ginseng.
Specialty Organic Beers
	Stone Mill Pale Ale Stone Mill Pale Ale has the perfect balance of maltiness and hop bouquet resulting in a classic, fruity pale ale. Stone Mill Pale Ale is brewed with organic ingredients in a certified organic brewery.
	Wild Hop Lager Wild Hop Lager is a classic, European-style lager. It has a signature body with Cascade hop aroma and hints of caramel sweetness. It is brewed using organic ingredients in an organic brewery.
Alliance Partner Products
	Redhook Ale As part of an equity investment in the Redhook Ale Brewery in Seattle, Anheuser-Busch wholesalers have distributed Redhook's superior microbrewery products since 1994 in select U.S. markets. Brands include Redhook Extra Special Bitter (ESB) Ale, Ballard Bitter Ale, Blackhook Porter and Wheathook Ale, among others.
	Widmer Brothers Anheuser-Busch expanded its participation in the microbrew segment by signing a distribution and equity agreement with Widmer Brothers Brewing of Portland, Ore., one of America's leading microbrewers. The alliance allows Anheuser-Busch to expand its participation in the craft/specialty beer segment while providing Anheuser-Busch wholesalers with a unique set of beverages to sell in their local markets.
Energy Drinks
	180 Blue 180 Blue is the first packaged energy drink launched by a major beverage company in the United States to contain the Acai (pronounced Ah-sigh-ee) berry. Discovered in Brazil, the Acai berry itself is a small, dark, purple fruit from the palmberry tree and is considered to be one of the world’s superfoods. In addition to juice from the Acai berry, 180 Blue contains guarana, red grape and blueberry juices and vitamins B-6 and B-12. 180 Blue has a subtly sweet berry and grape flavor that’s the result of the natural ingredients used in creating the beverage.
	180 Sport Drink 180 Sport represents Anheuser-Busch’s first venture into the enhanced water segment. 180 is available in lemon-lime or orange-citrus flavor and contains vitamins B-6, B-12 and C, folate, niacin, calcium, potassium, zinc and magnesium.
	180 Energy 180 Energy uses only the highest quality, FDA accepted ingredients including water, vitamins B-6, B-12 and C (all vitamins at 100 percent recommended daily allowance) and natural citrus flavors. It also is enhanced with natural guarana, which gives 180 Energy its “boost.”

The Top 30 Beer Brands of 2006

latestwineinfo — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:00:09 +0000

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The IRI Beer, Wine and Spirits Practice today announced its highly-anticipated “Top 30 Beer Brand Performers in 2006,” a revealing industry look at the 30 fastest growing beer brands across the beer market. IRI also unveiled its “Top 15 New Beer Brands in 2006,” a list of emerging new brand entries.

For the Top 30 Beer Brand Performers ranking, IRI analyzed volume growth, share of segment trends, everyday base pricing, and incremental sales growth in 2006 versus 2005 to determine the brands with the strongest performance in the beer industry.

“The outstanding group of beer brands in this year’s top 30 ranking is a great representation of the big trends in 2006,” said Bump Williams, general manager, IRI Beer, Wine and Spirits Practice. “Consumers are definitely willing to pay premium price for their favorite brands, with 21 of the top 30 performers being high-end brands that include 14 imports, 6 craft brands, and one malternative. Manufacturers are also meeting the ever-changing tastes of consumer demands with their new product innovations. The key now is getting the proper amount of shelf space and distribution in the right stores to support these power brands.”

Notables, such as Bud Light, Pabst Blue Ribbon and Coors Light are on the list, but the coveted No. 1 brand goes to import beer, Newcastle Brown Ale, brewed by Scottish and Newcastle Importers. Import beer brands have a very strong showing in the ranking this year with such brands as Modelo Especial, Stella Artois, Corona Light, Guinness Draught and Beck's. Craft beers also remain popular with Samuel Adams Seasonal, New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Shiner Bock among the brands making the list. Of course, domestic brands will never go out of style. Busch Light, Natural Light, Yuengling Traditional Lager and Steel Reserve High Gravity Lager remain strong brands.

The Top 30 Beer Brand Performers ranking is designed to highlight the brands that experienced significant year-over-year growth across total U.S. supermarkets in 2006. In addition to looking at volume and dollar sales, IRI also examined pricing, share growth and incremental volume and dollar contribution.

IRI Top 30 Beer Brand Performers in 2006 Total U.S. Supermarkets
Rank		Beer Brand
1		Newcastle Brown Ale
2		Modelo Especial
3		Samuel Adams Seasonal
4		Blue Moon Belgium White Ale
5		Stella Artois
6		Corona Light
7		Smirnoff Twisted V Variety Pack
8		Guinness Draught
9		Corona Extra
10		Pacifico
11		Red Stripe
12		Keystone Light
13		Dos Equis XX Special Lager
14		Negra Modelo
15		Busch Light
16		Yuengling Traditional Lager
17		New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale
18		Natural Light
19		Bud Light
20		Samuel Adams Boston Lager
21		Heineken
22		Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
23		Shiner Bock
24		Widmer Hefeweizen
25		Steel Reserve High Gravity Lager
26		Beck’s
27		Saint Pauli Girl
28		Pabst Blue Ribbon
29		Coors Light
30		Guinness Extra Stout

Minimum of 500,000 cases sold in total U.S. supermarkets for 52 weeks ending Dec. 31, 2006

“To have Newcastle Brown Ale be ranked as the top-performing brand in supermarkets by IRI is just an unbelievable achievement,” said Kevin Moodie, president, Scottish & Newcastle Importers, Co. “The off-trade, specifically chain grocery, has exploded for us in the past few years and for the first time is now more than 50 percent of our business. While our company historically has been on-trade led, selling pints in U.K. pubs for the past 250 years, the off-trade now commands so much of our focus and attention. It's an incredibly competitive environment, and we're immensely proud that for the past several years we've enjoyed the success we have and for 2006 were deemed the No. 1 performer in the sector.”

Providing forward-looking insight about key brands to watch in the year ahead, IRI also announced the following Top 15 New Beer Brands in 2006:

IRI Top 15 New Beer Brands in 2006 Total U.S. Supermarkets
Rank		Beer Brand
1		Captain Morgan Parrot Bay Wave Runner
2		Captain Morgan Parrot Bay Sunset Surf
3		Leinenkugel Sunset Wheat
4		Captain Morgan Parrot Bay Matava Blue
5		Mike’s Hard Crisp Apple
6		Mike Arita
7		Sparks Plus
8		Zima XXX Hard Punch
9		Bacardi Silver Peach
10		Deschutes Inversion IPA
11		Budweiser Happy Holidays
12		Widmer Broken Halo
13		Smirnoff Twisted V Artic Berry
14		Mike’s Frozen Lemonade
15		Jack’s Pumpkin Spice

New brands did not report any IRI sales data prior to Jan. 2, 2006

“We saw a number of exciting new product introductions in 2006,” said Bump Williams, “Malternatives, due almost exclusively by new flavors, are definitely hitting the right note with consumers and captured eight spots in our ranking. A new segment—premium malt cocktails—is also doing well by capturing two spots.”

About IRI

IRI is the world’s leading provider of consumer, shopper, and retail market intelligence and insights supporting 95 percent of the FORTUNE Global 500 consumer packaged goods (CPG), retail and healthcare companies. Only IRI offers the unique combination of integrated market information, automated and predictive analytics, innovative enabling technologies, and domain expertise. With IRI, leading retailers and manufacturers are able to quickly discover breakthrough insights driving smarter decisions and actions across the enterprise for breakthrough results. Companies around the world depend on IRI for improved productivity, stronger brands, and dramatic revenue growth

All About Vodka Brands

latestwineinfo — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:57:05 +0000

Like everything else in life, we want to know which is the 'best' vodka. Which vodka is most superior to others. And like everything else in life, we realize that there is no one single answer. For example, I use the latest Intel Pentium Core Duo Processor, as I require it to power my media center, on the other hand, my Grandfather still uses a 11 year old IBM Thinkpad with 4 MB RAM running Windows 3.11 with Wordpad!

Anyway, back to Vodka. Vodka is defined as a neutral spirit devoid of any distinct characteristics such as odour, taste or colour. Considering the above definition all vodkas should be the same and the brand shouldn't matter. This is true to some extent, in the sense, that the final product of all the brands are more or less similar to each other and while mixed in a blood mary, there is little or no discernable distinction between them. However, if you plan to have them as shots, on the rocks or in a martini, then you are well advised to consume a premium brand.

There are a lot of vodkas out there. And each one is trying to catch your eye, with refreshing marketing, stylish bottles and happening events. This is because of the above noted fact, that the product is more or less same, and hence, marketing plays a big role.

Okay. Now since we are clear about what vodka actually is, lets look at some of the brands. (If you are interested more about the history and other nuances of Vodka, read my article 'All About Vodka') I am not affiliated with any of them and I have no particular favourite among them either. So be assured that whatever is said herein is completely unbiased and in the best interest of vodka.

Lets start with the world best selling vodka. Remember, the phrase is 'best selling', it doesn't make the best vodka on the planet. I guess every vodka drinker knows it. Smirnoff. Smirnoff was the first American brand of Vodka, which was bought over from Vladimir Smirnov of Russia. The Smirnoff No. 21 is the most widely sold vodka in the world and is an extremely good example of classical vodka. It has little discerning character, and does not pamper you with slight flavours or a mellow follow through. If you don't like to think too much and are on a budget, this is the vodka to go for. Have it chilled and experience the Russian in you. Smirnoff also comes in blue and black labels which are of increasing strength. It has also launched numerous flavoured vodkas such as Green Apple Twist, Citrus Twist, Lemon Twist and many more. They are great to have in martinis and light cocktails.

Next up, Grey Groose. Now this is on that has had its fair share of Hollywood exposure. You can hear almost every celebrity asking for a Grey Goose Martini. This vodka brand is truly a marketing brilliance. Winter wheat being distilled with natural spring waters in a French Distillery is surely going to make some heads turn. It is this approach to vodka, that has made Grey Goose a brand to reckon with. But, nothing to be taken away, this is really great vodka to have in your martini. It comes in three flavours: L'Orange, Le Citron and La Vanille. The Citron is great to have in a Lemon Drop Martini.

The third among the most marketed brands is Absolut. This Swedish vodka has the one of the largest number of flavoured vodkas in the market. Its global marketing strategy seems to have paid off in recent times and is considered to be a truly superior vodka in many places in the world. Its neutral variety comes in blue and red labels with increasing strengths. The red bottle (50 % vol) is a really smooth spirit with almost no discernarable taste of its own. The blue bottle mixes extremely well with almost all mixers and makes it great in most cocktails. The flavoured varieties too are very good and for the adventurous there are no dearth of varieties to try from.

Now, lets move onto the lesser marketed, premium brands. I'll start with what most vodka drinkers and experts consider a truly great and 'almost perfect' vodka. Stolichnaya is what it claims to be "a true Russian vodka". It was founded at the Cristill Distillery in Moscow and is now manufactured in ex-Soviet republics (Kazakhstan and Ukraine). It is quadruple distilled though quartz sand and finally passed through a woven cloth, to give you a vodka free from any flavours or odours. This one is great to have on the rocks.

Next on the list is Belvedere. This is a Polish vodka. However, unlike other Polish vodka this one is made from rye rather than potatoes. The experts are always confused about this one. Many hold it in high regard, while others suggest that the other brands mentioned here, are far superior. For the record, I like it. Still one could argue that with so many different brands with better marketing and “brand appeal”, this vodka still leaves you with something to desire more from.

Our last entry on this discussion would be Belvedere's sibling: Chopin. However, unlike its sibling, Chopin is made from potatoes; the way authentic polish vodka should. Even though for many years, potato based vodkas have been frowned upon by Russians as inferior, the truth lies in the fact, that with the right distillery, whatever be the ingredient, you can produce superior vodka. And Chopin is a great example of the same. This vodka is crisp and has a sweet and sour green apple tinge to it. It's the only potato based vodka that is held with such high regard and just for this sake, I urge you to try it at least once. Your Polish experience will definitely be worth it.

There are some other lovely vodka brands as well. Vox, Ketel One, Three Olives and Jewel Of Russia are just a few to name. Vodka, like other spirits, is full of tradition and variety. And to cover all would be an arduous if not impossible task. I hope not to offend anybody with my views. They are mine and others may not agree. As I always maintain wines and spirits are very personal in nature. The best wine or spirit is always the one you enjoy most! With that I humbly conclude this article. Hope you enjoyed it, as much as I need writing it.

Royal Stag

latestwineinfo — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:50:51 +0000

Royal Stag is an Indian-made foreign liquor. It is a blended whisky and is a blend of imported Scotch Malts and selected Indian Grain Sprits. Seagram’s markets it in India. It is produced in several distilleries, some are company-owned and others bottler-owned. One of the key reasons for the brand’s success is its quality that is always same. Seagram has launched this brand especially for Indian market and it’s a big hit.

------------------
The Product
------------------
The Royal Stag (RS) is one of the species of deer that is famous for its antlers soaring over all other species of deer. Like the deer this blended whiskey has emerged as one of the major players in Indian alcoholic beverage market.

It is a blend of the best scotches malts from Scotland and Indian grain spirits. ROYAL STAG Deluxe whisky is a full-bodied whisky. I like Royal Stag’s exceptional smoothness, taste and its malty-flavor. As per their advertisement they do not use any artificial colour and flavour.

This is one of the very few blended Indian whiskey in this category that can be taken on the rocks. Some of my friends even changed their loyalty from RC to RS. Its consistent smoothness and flavour uplifted its status in the market.

It is available in different packs. 750 ml bottle comes with pilfer proof dispenser. Only 750 ml bottle is packed in good card board box

-----------------------
Market Scenario
----------------------
Royal Stag is the leading whisky in the Indian market. It is placed in prestige category and priced to target the common man. As per their website it enjoys 27% of Indian market. Reasons behind its fast growth are Price and Quality. It is a Herculean task to match its price and quality. It seems to be the fastest growing brand in Indian market. Annual sales of Seagram’s Royal Stag whisky have crossed over one million cases.

Royal Stag is the only second brand from a multinational liquor house, after Green Label whisky, to achieve the `Millionaire’ status in Indian market for whiskey. It has made rapid progress in the Indian market in the last five years and pulled up its sales from around four lakh cases in 1997 to the present ‘Millionaire’ status. I do not have the exact numbers but seems to be near two million cases per year.

Seagram is now part of Pernod Ricard due to worldwide takeover. Pernod Ricard produces and distributes many prestigious brands in many categories of alcoholic beverage. Some of world famous brands of this group are: Ricard, Seagram’s Gin, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute, Larios, Clan Campbell, Havana Club, Jameson, Martell, Ramazzotti, Wyborowa, Wild Turkey, Jacob’s Creek and Wyndham Estate. These brands are either global leader or one of the top selling brands of a select market. This list is from their website, I have tested only the highlighted one.

Pernod Ricard group is marketing more than 100 famous brands around the globe. Royal Stag is one such brand being marketed in India and Nepal as per requirement of these markets.

----------------------
Serving Options
----------------------
Pour Royal Stag over ice in a whisky tumbler – On-the-Rocks is my choice.

Indian Stag - Pour a measure of Royal Stag over ice in a whisky tumbler and add soda water or just plain water.

Like to try Stag Cola? Pour 60 ml of RS in a Collins glass and top up with cola if you are not scared by those reviews on cola.

Mountain Stag – Just chill it in an icebox and serve.

Milky Mischief
Measure: 60 ml RS + 60 ml Milk + 1 or 2 Sugar Cube

Shake all above in a mixer with ice. Strain and pour into a Collins glass and garnish with nutmeg.

Royal Lemonade
Measure: 60 ml RS + 30 ml lemon juice + 1 tsp fine sugar

Mix whiskey, lemon juice and fine sugar in a shaker with ice. Strain into an old-fashioned glass over ice cubes. Top up with club soda and dress up with cherry.

Variation – use lemonade instead of lemon and club soda

-------------------
From the Net
------------------

Highland (Scotland) saying

One whisky is all right; two is too much; three is too few.

There are two rules for drinking whisky -

Rule 1 - Never take whisky without water, and

Rule 2 - Never take water without whisky

I do not follow any one of these rules. Choice is yours. My rules are

1. Enjoy the flavour and smoothness of the drink the way you want.
2. Never over drink. One should know the limit and drink within limit
3. Never drive after a drink
4. Be decent
5. Take care of others
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Enjoy Weekend

Purchase Price (INR):	around Rs.270/- price varies
Reason for Purchase:	I like its flavour
Occassion best suited for:	All times are bes

A growing interest in varietal wines?

latestwineinfo — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:40:47 +0000

When attending in Geneva the conference about women as wine consumers in Europe, I was surprised by a finding common to all women in every country: the first criteria to buy a wine was the varietal, even before the price or the origin. This is a very "un-European" attitude as the European wine traditions are based on origins more than on varietals.

I do remember a funny incident happening in a Paris wine store owned by a typical middle-aged man. I walked in and asked him a bottle of viognier. The man looked at me puzzled for a few seconds and answered: "You mean, a bottle of Condrieu?" My turn to be puzzled: "Viognier is grown in other parts of the world besides Condrieu. I drank a very good viognier in California." I'll spare you the long discussion on the merits of viognier from other origins besides Condrieu!

What could be the explanation? Without being really "new" consumers, women are newer in wine buying than men. They might have a different wine culture acquired through word of mouth and tasting: women are known for their practical mind and fine tasting buds! But certainly closer to reality is the fact that varietals are easier to understand and master than origins. After all Cabernet is available in many places worldwide but will be so different from one place to an other. That's what makes international drinking so fascinating: I love to buy 3 or 4 bottles of wine from different origins but of the same grape to taste and compare the differences. It's like drinking the culture of an other country and traveling in your living room!

Does it mean varietal wines are a new international trend? It could be. I saw a few days ago in a French supermarket a "collection" of varietal wines in half bottles - as if the wine maker wasn't quite sure of his wine "saleability". Price was reasonable and quality acceptable. Did he understand the future of the wine industry or is he surfing on a new trend? Europeans are always slow to catch up in the new trends: for 20 years, the "New World" sold varietal wines but is now working on analyzing the "terroir" of their wines. In California, Gallo created his line of Sonoma wines at a much higher price than his mass market brands, explaining to consumers that the Sonoma wines are crafted in the respect of their origins. Europeans are now jumping in the "varietal wagon" that is so loose in the New World and rejecting what was their signature for centuries, the origin of the wine. Who is right? Who is wrong? Future will tell us!

A growing interest in varietal wines?

latestwineinfo — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:40:31 +0000

Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 - Kosher Wine Review

kosherwine — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 03:15:18 +0000

Rating: 4

This Cabernet Sauvignon is part of a group of wines from the Jerusalem area; I'm in the process of putting together a group to taste them all at once, but in the meantime I couldn't resist opening this bottle.

When I first opened the wine, I was struck by the notes of citrus and plum; while this is definitely a dry wine, these notes were so forward that it rendered the wine almost sweet. The chalkiness that is a hallmark of Cabernet Sauvignon was absent, and one of my fellow tasters noted that the wine seemed unstructured -- that it was unclear what taste the vinters were trying to acheive.

I will return to this wine again; in the meantime, I find the wine to be quite acceptable and look forward to another bottle with anticipation.

Tasting notes for Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

Tasting Notes
color:	Ruby red
dryness:	Lightly Dry
alcohol:	12.5
rating:	4

Wine Information
wine:	Cabernet Sauvignon
vintage:	2004
winery:	Gedeon
country:	Israel
price:	$
buy this wine:	FinestWine.com
certification:	OU
passover:	Yes
mevushal:	Yes

Source: http://www.kosherwinereview.com/site/gbshvcs2004.html

Queen Esther Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon - Kosher Wine Review

kosherwine — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 03:28:29 +0000

Winery: Queen Esther (Hafner Weine)

Year: 2002

Type: Red

Country: Austria

Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Note: Aged for 12 months in oak barrels

Alcohol: 13%

Mevushal: No

Purchase: FinestWine.com

Color: 2 (of 3)

Note: A light garnet color. It's a good color but a little thin.

Aroma: 6 (of 7)

Note: Rich fruity aromas of plum and blackberry with oak and a little balsamic and pepper. Very good fragrance.

Taste: 7.5 (of 10)

Note: The Queen Esther is dry with full tannins and flavors of plum and blackberry. Sadly, there's very little evidence of the oak and not much else to speak of. The flavors in the aroma just aren't there in the taste. It's a bit thin, a little too tart at the finish and lacks the subtle complexities of better cabs. All that being said, it's a decent little wine but misses my list of recommended cabernet sauvignon's.

Total: 15.5 (of 20)

Food: I had it with a Caprese salad with roasted peppers, fresh mozzarella and cherry tomatoes from the garden. Unfortunately, the squirrels are attacking my garden and I may not have many more cherry tomatoes this year. Darn critters! I wouldn't mind if they just took some of it, but they'll strip the whole thing bare! Oh, well....

Source: http://www.kosherwineguy.com/r129.php

2005 Mayo Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon

thewinespies — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:12:16 +0000

Mission Codename: The Random Zone

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Return to Mayo Family Winery. Secure their highly sought-after Random Ridge Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Mayo Family Winery

Wine Subject: 2005 Random Ridge Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Michel Berthoud

Winemaker intel brief: Long-term Wine Spies Operatives know this, but newer Operatives should know that Michel Berthoud was formerly the winemaker for Arrowood Winery. A few months ago we featured an Arrowood wine here.

Backgrounder: Last month we featured another superb Mayo Reserve red. The wine was so well received by those that were able to get their hands on some that requests for a second May Family wine have been pouring in. In particular, their Random Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon seems to be the in-demand wine of choice among our thirsty Operatives. Read Agent Red’s tasting notes below, followed by the great experience that he had in meeting Jeffrey Mayo and his staff at the Mayo Reserve Room

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep garnet to burgundy with concentrated color right out to its ruby edges, and great clarity through its almost solid heart of garnet. When swirled, the wine settles fast, but then leaves behind thick and slow-moving legs

Smell – Deeply fragrant with a big intensity of ripe black fruits of blackberry, blueberry, smoky plum, cherries and soft oak with violet, anise, earth, mushroom and mildest cigar box rounding out the nose

Feel – Initially smooth and slightly round, them quickly grippy with big tannins, full-bodied with solid flavor intensity

Taste – Richly layered flavors of black and red fruit balanced with oak, dried herbs, subtle salty licorice and a mild minerality

Finish – Long, long, long, with lush and mouth-filling flavors that linger forever

Conclusion – This is an incredible Cabernet Sauvignon that is ready to drink now, but will reward the patient for years to come. If you love expressive and big Cabernet Sauvignon but don’t want your senses to be blown out by an over-the-top example, this wine is strongly recommended. Present here are beautiful aromas, rich and lucious flavors, a fantastic mouth-feel and a super long finish. These all add up to deliver a wine that is exciting to drink and a pleasure to share. We first encountered Random Ridge fruit (found in this wine, too) from Random Ridge Winery and wine legend, Bill Hawley, when we featured his wine earlier this year. Bill grows fruit at the highest-possible elevation in Napa, on his estate vineyards, at the tippy-top of Mt. Veeder. Bill’s influence and that of his incredible fruit are aparent in this wine. So, too, is the Mayo Reserve signature style; The wine has a bold and big character – kinda like our friend Jeffrey Mayo – but you also find a special lush quality to the wine. Is Jeff a lush? You’ll have to ask him!

Mission Report:

The following is a retransmisison of Agent Red’s initial visit to the Mayo Reserve Room, a mission that we suggest you also undertake:

I love you, Jeffrey Mayo! Thank you for ”tricking” me into into experiencing the wonder and deliciousness of your Mayo Family Reserve Room.

It began like this: On the recommendation, no, the insistence of a few dedicated Wine Spies Operatives, I made an appointment to visit with Jeffrey Mayo, who runs the winery. Appointment secured, I conducted my usual thorough background investigation. What I learned was impressive; The Mayo family, their winemaker and their wines were all very well respected. I looked forward to my meeting with Jeffrey, and the simple tasting that would accompany the meet.

I arrived on time at the winery’s Reserve Room, a unique place where wine lovers can enjoy a flight of Mayo Family Reserve wines along with food pairings created by resident Chef Billy Oliver. I assumed that Jeffrey had me meet him at the Reserve Room because it was convenient to his schedule. Instead, I found that he had planned a subtle subterfuge.

Jeffrey welcomed me when I arrived and immediately asked me if I wanted to experience the wine and food pairing that they were famous for. I politely declined, citing a recent lunch, but then Jeffrey told me that he had a ‘small wine emergency’ to attend to. He was apologetic and he assured me that he would be back after about 30 minutes, the perfect amount of time to enjoy the complete tasting. I accepted, knowing that it would, at the very least, be an interesting experience. Instead of interesting, however, it turned out to be incredible.

Firstly, the Chef Billy Oliver and the rest of the Reserve Rooms staff were all great – and they made me feel right at home.

Glasses lined up, four wines were poured. Then a beautifully presented plate of food samples arrived! I was given ample time to explore each Mayo Family Reserve wine before tasting its accompanying paired food. We tasted through the whites first and then came to today’s 2005 Reserve Petite Sirah, which was paired with a Creole-Molasses Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Red Wine-Blackberry Salsa. Firstly, the wine was exquisite! Big and bold and rich and layered with aromas and flavors, I wondered what the pairing would be like. I nearly fell out of my chair as bit into Chef Billy’s concoction! Delicious does not even begin to describe it. This was a pairing to die for.

(Don’t worry, we’ll include the recipe with your order!)

The rest of the pairing exercise was rife with much ‘ooohing’ and ‘ahhing’ and not just from me. A local innkeeper came in to enjoy the pairing as well. She’ll be insisting that her guests pay the Mayo Family Reserve Room a visit when enjoying their stay in her Sonoma County inn.

At the end of the pairing, I was well sated and very happy that I had indulged. Jeffrey returned and I could tell by the smile on his face that his mission was accomplished.

We chatted for a while and, right then and there, he agreed to allow our Operatives the opportunity to purchase all of his remaining 2005 Reserve Petite Sirah, as it was clearly my favorite of the afternoon.

Thanks, Jeff! I’m certain that our Operatives will love the wine, too.

Wine Spies Winery Check:

The Mayo Reserve Room, where Agent Red had his exquisite tasting adventure, can be seen in this satellite photo.

The Mayo Family winery main tasting room can be seen in this satellite photo.

Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 - Kosher Wine Review

kosherwine — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 03:37:59 +0000

Rating: 4

Every year I keep my eyes open for wines that I can serve at the Passover seder; this year, I'm going to recommend this Gedeon Cabernet Sauvignon for the first cup.

The wine has plenty of flavor, and even appeals to those who don't particularly care for dry wines. With a medium body and relatively low alcohol, it's not very challenging, and this relative lightness, along with its good flavor, make it an excellent choice for the first cup of wine at the seder.

I've served it to both sophisticated enthusiasts and casual drinkers, and both have enjoyed it. And it's both inexpensive and mevushal, an added bonus.

Tasting notes for Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

Tasting Notes
color:	Red
alcohol:	12.5
rating:	4

Wine Information
wine:	Cabernet Sauvignon
vintage:	2004
winery:	Noah
label:	Gedeon
country:	Israel
price:	$ 13
certification:	OU
passover:	Yes
mevushal:	Yes

Source: http://www.kosherwinereview.com/site/ngedcs2004.html

2004 Dynamite Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Red Hills Lake County

whynblog — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 01:38:49 +0000

Deep purple color. Palate is based around flavors of dark berries and a fair dose of American oak. Barely passable as an everyday wine but nothing very complex or overly exciting. This label used to be a very good and affordable Cabernet. It remains to be seen if it's simply a vintage issue or a continuing trend. Not recommended.

2005 Peter Murphy Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

thewinespies — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 04:02:11 +0000

Mission Codename: Debunking Murphy’s Law

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Acquire the latest vintage of Peter Murphy’s exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Peter Murphy Vineyards

Wine Subject: 2005 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Art Finklestein

Backgrounder:

The Cabernet Sauvignon (80%) in this wine hails from the Wilms Ranch vineyard near Aetna Springs in the Pope Valley region of unincorporated Napa County. Pope Valley is in the mountainous (Mayacamas) north-eastern region of Napa County. Technically on the other side of the eastern mountains, the region is predominantly known for the Sangiovese grapes grown here. As with all California wines, if the wine is more than 75% of a single varietal, it can be named for that grape. This wine also has 14% Napa Merlot and 6% Sonoma Cabernet Franc.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Lighter and more clear than your typical Cabernet, this wine is clear and luminescent garnet and ruby red with pinkish and brick hues along the edges. Slow medium thick legs creep down the side of the glass when swirled indicating a slightly viscous texture.

Smell – Medium bond flavors of black fruit including blackberries and currants with a distinct blackberry component at the end of the bouquet. Other flavors include an earthy forest floor aroma, oak and green and black pepper.

Feel – Youthful and dry with firm tannins, medium to full-bodied and slightly acidic that once opens smoothes dramatically.

Taste – Being a young wine, the flavors of are just starting to fully integrate with each other but you will taste tart fruit components of blackberry, dark cherry, green pepper and that herbaceous forest floor with hints of tobacco and oak as well.

Finish – This wine finishes long with lingering sweet tannins throughout the finish with hints of fruit, cigar tobacco and vanilla.

Conclusion – This Cabernet Sauvignon, while youthful shows great balanced flavors of fruit, oak and pepper. The acidity makes this wine exceptionally well suited for pairing with food; and if you have the patience to cellar this wine the flavor components will continue to integrate making this a wine you’ll want to stock up on now.

Mission Report:

The following is a mission recap, which retells the story of how Agent Red first became acquainted with Peter Murphy Vineyards:

Seemingly a million different influences affect the life of a wine. Wines start in the vineyards and, almost magically, they end up in our glasses. Along the mystical route so many things can go right or wrong – and these things all determine whether we’ll love a wine or not. Forces at work also determine whether we’ll even get to ever see, smell, or even taste a wine that we desire. If a wine is too good, chances are most folks will miss out, due to frenzied demand for the wine.

Today, The Wine Spies are able to bring you a wine that is headed for such greatness. Today’s wine, a perfectly balanced 2003 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from Murphy Vineyards, is not as over-the-top as some Napa Cabs, but it is fantastic!

Where some Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon can have too much intensity of flavor, this wine finds harmonious balance of fruit, flavor and feel. Where big Napa Cab can be almost chewy, clumsy or overly heavy, this wine has poise and grace – without being too dainty.

When we first learned of this wine from a field asset who we’ll call Major Majors, we were interested. After Major Majors passed vetting, we conducted an investigation of Murphy Vineyards. The first thing of note was that Peter Murphy was a man of the vineyards. In our opinion, it is in the vineyards where great wine is really born. Without great care in tending and managing, vineyards can turn out grapes that make sub-par wines. Peter Murphy’s life has been focused on vineyard care first.

On closer inspection of Murphy Vineyards, we learned that Peter had enlisted the masterful winemaking skills of his long-time friend Art Finklestein. You know Art well from a previous mission to Judd’s Hill Winery in May when we sold out of Judd’s Hill wine that we featured.

The pairing of these two wine-crafting legends ensures that all Murphy Vineyards wines are great. Today’s wine is really great, and we hope that you have a chance to enjoy some.

Be sure to sign up for our Daily Dispatch. We are certain to feature great wines from Murphy Vineyards in the future.

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the vineyards where the grapes for today’s wine were grown is Classified. This is a common practice in the wine industry, especially when a winemaker is given access to the highest of high-end grapes from wineries that charge $100 or more for a bottle of wine made from the very same grapes.

The location of Napa County’s Aetna Springs region can be seen in this satellite photo.