I've long suspected that there might be an upside - at least a temporary one - to global warming when it comes to wine production in some parts of the world.  Marginal climates, after all, yield some of the world's most sought-after wines (think Champagne, Bordeaux and much of Germany), but these areas are also known for their penchant for producing lackluster wines in years when the weather doesn't get warm enough to make decent juice.

As reported in Decanter, Château Margaux general director Paul Pontallier recently spoke to this phenomenon when he announced, "We are so fortunate with global warming. Look at the number of great vintages we have had [in Bordeaux] in the last 12 or 13 years. It is absolutely amazing."  Counterintuitive though it may sound, Pontallier's statement speaks to the benefits of warming temperatures in spots like Bordeaux, where vintners often struggle to obtain fully ripe fruit each year.  However, a far more chilling effect of global warming was proposed by renowned viticulturalist Richard Smart at a recent climate change workshop in Spain, where he asked attendees, "Have you thought about the fact that in Bordeaux, we may have already seen the best vintages of Cabernet Sauvignon?"

Weighing In

Chilling, indeed.  Not to mention the implications of this news for wine regions on our own shores, many of which have warmer average temperatures than their European counterparts.  We'd love to hear from vintners stateside about the onslaught of global warming and how it's changing their wines and making practices.  Could there be - as the Bordelais suggest - an upside to our own battle with the phenomenon?  Or is the future of wine in our own backyard at serious - and imminent - risk?  We hope you'll take a moment to comment. 

Fresh back from Miami, I have to say that the sunny spot is without a doubt a city that knows how to party. And so I wasn't surprised to learn today that charismatic designer Christian Audigier - who shot to fame in the '90s as the man behind the eponymous Von Dutch brand, a favorite among celebrities and musicians, and who now oversees Ed Hardy clothing - chose Miami as the spot to debut his new wine brand, The Cool Wine (http://myspace.com/thecoolwine), at a star-studded affair late last year.

With juice coming from vineyards in Audigier's native France and distribution taken care of by Southern Wine & Spirits, The Cool Wine seems to have all the pieces in place for success as a traditional wine brand. But with packaging comprised of screw cap-topped bottles and boxes covered with colorful tattoo-inspired artwork, The Cool Wine is as much eye candy as beverage, as much fashion statement as libation - hardly traditional attributes in this long-staid industry. Watch for versions of the trendsetting stuff made from Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay and also a Rosé on store shelves and (naturally) bottle lists in nightclubs soon.

You've read in this space about my efforts to espouse the benefits of living "green" whenever possible. And when that can include drinking green, all the better. The wine industry has noisily been getting into the act, cleaning up their vineyards to reduce environmental impact, and putting wine in bottles that are being called "organic" or otherwise good for the environment.

In Ukiah, Parducci Winery is not just talking the talk; they are walking the walk - in a big way, apparently. The winery, which has long been a leader in biodiversity and organic grape farming, announced recently that they have become "carbon neutral" in their wine production process--the first U.S. winery to achieve the status. That's very impressive, in my view, and not easy to do, from what I know of it. To get "neutral," Parducci worked closely with the California Climate Action Registry, which enabled the winery to calculate greenhouse gas emission helped them take step to offset or mitigate that harmful output. It took three years to accomplish and included such arduous steps as increased use of solar power, use of bio-diesel in farm equipment, and simple steps like switching to compact fluorescent lights in the winery.

But the results have been impressive and I commend Parducci on the effort to set higher standards for the wine industry. Perhaps I'll toast to the effort with a biodegradable paper cup full of their always-zippy Signature zinfandel--one of my personal favorites.

In what strikes me as a very smart move, San Francisco-based technology company BuzzLogic (buzzlogic.com ) recently launched a video blog (that's "v-log" for you techies) dubbed "The BuzzLogic Vino Diaries" in which a company staffer interviews guests while sipping wine. Shot in wine bars in San Francisco's tech-centric SoMa district, episodes explore social media topics such as blogging and online communities against the backdrop of a wine tasting.

And while some may dismiss BuzzLogic's use of wine tasting in its videos as a gimmick to make tech talk seem sexier, I see it as a clever move to differentiate the company's v-logs from the many other tech-themed videos that hit the Web each day. You can judge for yourself any time by perusing completed episodes online, or wait just a couple of weeks and check out an interview/tasting with yours truly. That's right, I'll be a guest on an upcoming episode that's being shot this week, and you can check back here for a link to watch it when it's live. And in a move befitting the social networking bent of BuzzLogic, their editor found me - but of course - on Facebook.

Okay first things first. In light of recent news about books being published by authors who simply make things up and claim them as real, I'll admit: I've never been wine tasting in Georgia. But I'll also admit, the Wine Highway Weekend they've got scheduled for March 29 and 30 sounds like something I need to do. Yes, wine tasting in Georgia. And what better way to discover the wines of the Peach State than during an official event designed to garner awareness for the region's burgeoning wine industry?

Like California's, Georgia's wine industry has its roots in the 1800s, before being crushed by Prohibition. But its favorable grape-growing climate, with steep, well-drained hillsides, excellent soil qualities, and warm summers, remained. It wasn't long before grape growers returned and got vines in the ground and by the 1980s, the industry began to blossom again. Today, the Winegrowers Association of Georgia counts ten member wineries, located along the Wine Highway, north and west of Atlanta. During the special event weekend, member wineries and affiliate members will each feature open houses, including barrel tastings, food pairings, and live music.

It may be time to start thinking about heading south for Spring. For information, visit www.georgiawine.com.

As further evidence of wine's inexorable march to the fore of America's pop culture consciousness, Estancia today announced its official sponsorship of the new LeAnn Rimes video, Good Friends and a Glass of Wine. The video - which features the famed country chanteuse and a bevy of her real-life friends relaxing while sipping Estancia Pinot Noir and Chardonnay - celebrates the role of wine in creating an atmosphere of reflection and rejuvenation after a hard day's work.

The announcement marks another high note for wine as it continues to grow in popularity among Americans of all (legally appropriate) ages and socioeconomic backgrounds. It also comes across as a well-timed strategic move by Estancia - a long-established brand seeking to update its image by way of a staring role in a chart-topping song by one of today's most popular young musicians. Sounds right on key to me.

With its cultish following and flare for colorful tasting parties (think Prohibition-themed romps, elf-themed holiday fêtes and rowdy wine club shindigs in spots like New Orleans and Memphis), we're pretty sure Gundlach Bundschu's (gunbun.com) upcoming "Deed Day" celebration to commemorate the Sonoma winery's 150th anniversary will be an unforgettable affair.

Festivities get underway at California's oldest family-owned and -operated winery at 11:00am on March 12, with a special ceremony slated from 11:30am to noon to pay tribute to the Sesquicentennial anniversary of the signing of the original deed to the property in 1858. Special tastings and tours will follow, and discounts on wine purchases will be available throughout the day. And although "Deed Day" is scheduled to wrap up at 4:30pm, fans are invited to continue celebrating with the family throughout the year, since the 12th marks the kick-off to what they promise will be a yearlong anniversary celebration.

Given that it's "Gun Bun," we'd expect nothing less.

What is it about Zinfandel that makes people nuts? The feverish following the grape enjoys is bordering on obsessive. I'm willing to dismiss the argument that it's because zins typically have a higher alcohol content than other varietals, in favor of the more logical approach that the wine simply speaks to its advocates on a visceral level. Zins are not shy. They are not given to nuance. They tend to be bold and matter-of-fact, and that transparency, I think, is why so many people count the grape as their favorite. Hence, Zin Fests, held throughout the world in various zin-producing regions, are eagerly anticipated and widely (and wildly) attended.

From the Shameless Self Promotion Department I offer the following: the American Wine Blog Awards are accepting nominations until February 27^th. That means, you have by the time of this reading, probably already missed your opportunity to nominate Yours Truly for one of eight categories accepted for the awards acknowledging achievement in self-administered wine opinionating.

Forgive me if I appear cynical, but I came upon the news of these awards at first with some excitement. But that quickly gave way to disillusion as I realized my chances of winning anything - or even being acknowledged - were slim to nil. Because wine opinions are like noses (both the wine variety and the face variety): Every bottle's got one. And these days it seems everybody's willing to broadcast those opinions on the Internet in the form of a blog. The irony of me noting this phenomenon in the form of a wine blog is noted, by the way. But with nearly a thousand online wine-themed blogs to choose from, how does one even get close to recognize an exceptional effort? Well, I feel compelled to offer with a wink, you could just stop with this one. Still, I consider the wine blog phenomenon to be a good thing - an ever-current and contemporary means for wine discovery among those who care to explore; and a means for those who care to write about it for anyone who cares to read. And so perhaps it is all worth it, and perhaps next year, Yours Truly will take the stage to accept his Best Wine Blog award, placing me firmly among the bright shining stars of the blogosphere.

To know more about the awards, and their creator, visit (another blog) at www.fermentation.typepad.com

After 32 years helming winemaking duties for Beringer - during which the winery was twice recognized for producing Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year - Ed Sbragia has left the famed property to focus on his own wine project, Sbragia Family Vineyards in Healdsburg. The respected winemaker called his departure "bittersweet," but says the brand will be in good hands going forward under the stewardship of his longtime assistant Laurie Hook, known for her exacting standards and rigorous quality control.

Ever find yourself in that weird spot where you can't make it to Paso Robles but you can make it to San Diego but you'd rather be in Paso Robles on a wine tasting tour? Me too! And happily for people like us, you can get the full experience wines from "Paso"--as the locals like to call it--during the Southern California stop of the Grand Tasting Tour, scheduled for February 27^th at the San Diego Wine & Culinary Center (www.sdwineculinary.com).

The Grand Tour, which also has stop later this year in Houston (April 10), St. Louis (April 15), and Kansas City (April 17), is the Paso way of bringing their wine show on the road. I think the idea is brilliant, because frankly it's not always top on my radar when it comes to wine-related destinations. That's mostly because it takes a bit of doing to get there, situated as it is on some 26,000 acres  about midway between LA and San Francisco and their respective major airports. But it's worth discovering--as the Grand Tour promises to prove. The event features the wines of more than 35 Paso Robles vineyards (a sampling from the more than 170 in the region). The Tour also presents an opportunity to meet with and talk to the wine makers and winery operators from Paso, who will no doubt make it clear that soon you'll be coming to visit them, rather than the other way around. For more info on the Grand Tour, check out www.pasowine.com

I guess Blackstone fans never saw Sideways...

Ceja (pronounced SAY-ha), is an excellent local story to begin with -  a Latino family-owned winery founded by Amelia, Pedro, Armando and Martha Ceja, who are first generation Mexican-American winegrowers in the Napa and Sonoma valleys. Today, the winery produces more than 10,000 cases of premium-quality wines that include Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah, as well as such individual specialties as Vino de Casa Blanco, Vino de Casa Tinto, Dulce Beso Late Harvest White Wine, and a soon-to-be-released Bella Rosa dry Rosé .

The Ceja family of wines can now be enjoyed with the familiar Ceja Family hospitality at their new downtown tasting room, which places guests within arm's reach of their great library of wines, and within an easy walk to the growing list of area attractions that already includes Copia, the beautifully restored Opera House, the River Walk, and the recently opened Oxbow Public Market. There are also several great restaurants and hotels downtown, making Ceja's decision to open a tasting room here as close to a sure bet for success as one can get.