Napa Valley Wine Blog

Ballentine Vineyards – Nice Change of Pace in the Napa Valley

joe — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:56:30 +0000

Would you like to try something a little different than the usual wine-tasting fare of the Napa Valley? Try Ballentine Vineyards! It’s a little more on the old-fashioned side, with down-to-earth folks running the winery and keeping a very low profile. The winery is just north of downtown St. Helena and almost directly across the street from the more notable St. Clements Vineyards. It is easy to miss because the winery sits back from the road and is not very visible. We have visited Ballentine a few times, and had the chance last week to revisit and have a tour and tasting with owner Van Ballentine and winemaker Bruce Devlin.

Van Ballentine and his father began making wine in 1944 across the Valley in Deer Park. Vineyards were purchased over time and presently there are 90 acres of vineyards planted in St. Helena and nearby Calistoga. They eventually sold the first winery building and moved Ballentine to its present location in 1992. Van has worked an unbelievable 60 harvests and I would have to think that is a record for the Napa Valley. Remarkable! Bruce Devlin was hired in 1999 as winemaker, and interestingly his wife Danielle is the head winemaker at St. Clements Vineyards directly across Highway.

Van Ballentine and Bruce Devlin

The tasting room is small and quaint and there is no merchandise for sale. It is all about the wine. The tasting fee is $5 and the wines are priced at very reasonable prices, no cult Cabernet, nor exorbitant prices, to be found anywhere. Because this area of Napa Valley has the warmest climate of the Valley, the wines produced tend to be full bodied and loaded with fruit flavors. That is what we found in most of the Ballentine reds. We particularly enjoyed the Old Vine Zinfandel and the limited production Petite Sirah. One of the most interesting wines, and one definitely not to be missed, is the Chenin Blanc. This wine was once widely produced in California and is now a rare commodity in these whereabouts. The Chenin Blanc grape is from the Loire Valley in France, where it remains today a very popular wine. It is a wonderful wine to have with a picnic lunch, no matter what the weather. It is light and refreshing and such a change-of-pace from the usual and always available Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Give it a try at the Ballentine tasting room your next visit to the Napa Valley.

Wine Adventures in Yountville

joe — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:16:45 +0000

Sometimes you just need a quick getaway to cure the doldrums of the winter months. And that is what we just did with a one-night getaway to Yountville in the Napa Valley. We booked a room at the Napa Valley Lodge for $149 at their special winter rate. The Lodge is very comfortable and within walking distance of the restaurants, tasting rooms, and lots of boutique shops. Although on this day it was grey and damp, it was a delight to drive along the Napa Valley floor and take in the beautiful scenery of the mountains and vineyards.

We arrived just in time for our 12:30 lunch restaurant at Redd Wood, the newest restaurant in town, owned by Richard Reddington of Redd Michelin fame in Yountville. The restaurant is located in the North Block Hotel, formerly the Hotel Piero. Redd Wood is a pizzeria with causal dining in a pleasant and relaxing atmosphere. The specialties, of course, are pizzas but there are many other menu items. There were four of us for lunch. Two shared a pizza and a salad and thought they were both just okay, nothing spectacular. Janelle and I shared a pear and wintergreens salad and a sandwich with rosemary foccacia, prosciutto cotto, and crucolo cheese. They were both excellent. The Sommelier was very cool, answering my questions about a few wine choices on his wine list, and recommended a Docellto/Barbera from Piedmonte in Italy that was very tasty, medium bodied, and perfect with our meals. The Wine list is good with a wine selection at $38 and above.

Redd Wood Pizzeria

You can just hang out in Yountville and go wine tasting at as many as 12 tasting rooms. We received three complimentary tasting coupons from the Napa Valley Lodge for Yountville tasting rooms, but decided to take a ride north to visit Ballantine Vineyards, a sleepy winery just across the road from St. Clements Winery. There will be more about Ballantine in my next blog post. The winery deserves a full article, because it is very different compared to most Napa Valley wineries.

Later in the afternoon we returned to Yountville and strolled along downtown streets. With a free tasting, how could we pass up Cornerstone Cellars? It is a quaint and beautiful tasting room with comfortable sitting at the bar, on couches, or at tables. They have two flights of tastings, and with four of us we did a combination of both. All the wines were delicious but the three Cornerstone Cabernets with magnificent. We ended up with a big splurge purchase of a $70 Howell Mountain 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon to be enjoyed later that evening with dinner at the Bottega Restaurant.

Cornerstone Tasting Room

Dinner at Bottega was outstanding. The food, the service, and atmosphere were just perfect. We had a lovely and leisurely dinner over the course of three hours. My wood-grilled, grass-fed lamb was amazing, and after sharing a few bites all agreed. Bottega is in the V Marketplace and owned by chef Michael Chiarello.

The morning brought us a new day of clear air and wonderful sunshine. What a time for a walk or a jog along Yount Mill Road. On the way back I took a walk down Washington Street, and lo-and-behold the was a camera crew taking shots of the French Laundry restaurant and world-famous chef Thomas Keller. I got a couple of great shots myself.

Thomas Keller in his French Laundry vegetable garden

Following our buffet breakfast we checked out and visited shops in Yountville and Napa. We left the Napa Valley and headed back home refreshed and rejuvenated. At this time of the year, the Napa Valley is very quiet and serene. There are few crowds and everything seems to be moving at a very relaxed pace.

Monticello Vineyards experiments with wine flavored cheese

Ray — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:13:10 +0000

This is a guest blog post by Vintage Wine Taster and good friend Ray Conti. Ray and his wife recently took a trip to the Monticello winery on Big Ranch Road in the Napa Valley. They escorted two friends who own a dairy near Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Their two Santa Fe friends, Ed & Michael Lobaugh, own The Old Windmill Dairy® just outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico. They make a wonderful variety of artisan goat and cow cheeses. At a Wine & Cheese festival in Carlsbad, Monticello Vineyard’s Stephen Corley approached them and indicated the winery might be interested in combining the Monticello wines with their Gouda cheeses. Monticello sent a case of their wines containing three varietals: Estate grown Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

About Monticello Winery

Monticello is a small winery by Napa standards (15,000 cases), but their quality makes up for the small quantity. Jay Corley founded the winery in 1970 and today sons Kevin, Stephen and Chris Corey are operating the winery. Kevin oversees the operation, Stephen is in charge of sales, and Chris is the winemaker. The winery lies just above the town of Napa. It is on Big Ranch Road that can be accessed from Oak Knoll Road. They have three lines of wine: Corley Reserve, Corley Family wines, and Monticello Reserve wines. Their specialties are Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Chardonnay. The friendly tasting room is opposite a 1/3 scale replica of Jefferson’s Monticello; a tribute to America’s first serious wine collector. This is a fun place to start a wine tour of the Napa Valley

Monticello Vineyards

About the Cheese Project

Monticello Estate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, & Cabernet Cheese

This is the process used to infuse the Monticello wines into the Gouda cheese. After the initial stages to develop the curd from the cow’s milk, the mixture is pressed into wheels. After 12 hours the cheese hardens sufficiently it is removed from wheels and is transferred to a vat brine mixture of wine, salt and purified softened water. After several days the cheese is then removed and dried on a rack at room temperature. All these steps are done by hand and the length of time is determined by how the cheese feels to the touch and how it tastes and smells. Once the cheese develops an oily dark surface, it is hand waxed with a clear wax and than a dark red wax. After the wax is dry, the cheese is transferred to an underground cellar and aged at a temperature of 54 degrees Fahrenheit. The Monticello cheeses were aged for 60 days. The flavor results in a moister, creamier yet mild flavored Gouda. When aged for approximately 5 months, the cheese will develop a more robust flavor. Each of the Monticello wines will create a very different flavor in the Gouda cheese.

This is an ongoing project with much experimentation to get the perfect wine-flavored Gouda cheese. Ed & Michael Lobaugh are eagerly waiting to see what the Corley family thinks of this young batch of Gouda. The hope is that the project will result in cheeses the Corely family will want to feature in their tasting room and possibly sell to Napa Valley restaurants. We will be sure to get back to you when the results are in and indeed if this Gouda is available for sale.

Kevin Corley - Monticello Vineyards

A Napa Valley wine trip down memory lane

joe — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:09:01 +0000

There are some 400 wineries in the Napa Valley that one can visit. The majority of those wineries were established after 1990. Why not take a trip down memory lane by visiting one or more of the handful of wineries that have been in existence in the Napa Valley for 100 years or more? Most of these wineries have tours and memorabilia that will give you a glimpse of what life in the Napa Valley was like way back when. Here are a few suggestions with a map below should you need it.

Nichelini Winery
Well off the radar of most travelers is the Nichelini Winery. This winery has had 121 consecutive harvests and is in the 5th generation of ownership. It is said to be the oldest continuous family-run winery in the Valley. The winery began making wine in 1890 and weathered prohibition by making sacramental wines, and perhaps a little more, under the table for various “important” clients. The winery is up on Sage Canyon Road about 10 minutes from the Valley floor. The winery is open Saturday and Sunday 11 am to 5 pm or Monday through Friday by appointment.

Nichelini on Sage Canyon Road - Highway 128 East

Beaulieu Vineyards
Beaulieu Vineyards began in 1900 and was founded by George de Latour. The winery was able to continue to operate during Prohibition, making sacramental wines. In 1938 George de Latour traveled to France and hired winemaker André Techelistcheff. Andre died in 1994, but his legacy lives on and he remains today the most influential winemaker in the Napa Valley. The winery is owned by Diageo Wines. The Tasting room is open daily 10 am to 5 pm.

Inglenook
Inglenook is one of our favorite wineries to visit. We just love to sit out by the fountain at the entrance and gaze at this beautiful Chateau. Inside, of course, you can taste wines and take a wonderful tour to learn the history of the winery and the Napa Valley. This past year, owner Francis Ford Coppola was able to purchase the Trademark name of Inglenook, and now the winery is back to its original name. The winery is open daily beginning at 10 am.

The Inglenook Chateau

Charles Krug Winery
This is one of the first wineries I visited as a very young wine drinker back in the late 1960’s. The winery celebrated its 150-year anniversary in 2011. Charles Krug Winery is said to be the first winery established in the Napa Valley. Cesare Mondavi purchased it in 1943. You may recall the famed argument between Cesare’s sons, Robert and Peter. Although Peter may have lost the battle, he won the winery. He is still going strong at 96, running the winery along with his two sons, Marc and Peter. The winery is open daily 10:30 am to 5pm.

Beringer Vineyards
Beringer is another favorite. We love the Rhine House built in 1884 and the drive there is beautiful, just north of downtown St. Helena. You will be able to see the caves that were built by Chinese laborers in 1877 plus many other historic features. Today Beringer is owned by Treasury Wine Estates. The winery is open daily beginning at 10 am.

Rhine House at Beringer Vineyards

View map of wineries and plan your trip

Nichelini Winery – 121 Consecutive Harvests

joe — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 22:05:21 +0000

This is the final article on our recent visit to three very different mountain wineries in the Napa Valley. Our first visit was to the Stony Hill Vineyard on Spring Mountain, then on to Ladera Winery on Howell Mountain. Our final winery visit took us south of Howell Mountain to Chiles Valley and to one of Napa Valley’s oldest wineries, Nichelini Winery, atop Sage Canyon Road.

This little hidden winery in the Napa Valley may perhaps be best described as the “The Little Winery That Could.” Through the prohibition era this winery kept chugging and chugging, making wines. Prohibition forced many wineries out of business and a few others survived by making sacramental wines. The Nichelini Winery kept making wines and rumors say that none of it was for the Church. Rumors abound regarding who the Nichelini clients were, and how the family managed to elude the law. Whatever this means, the winery has had 121 consecutive harvests and the family has proclaimed that they are the oldest continuous winery in the Napa Valley.

Nichelini on Sage Canyon Road

Most travelers to the Napa Valley will never get near Nichelini. First, it is well off the beaten path, 15 minutes from the Valley floor; and perhaps the biggest reason, they have never heard of the wines of Nichelini. The winery does little promotion and relies mostly on word-of-mouth. That may all change soon as the Nichelini Family is planning to bring production from 1800 cases annually to 4000 cases within the next five years. Leading the way is Aimée Sunseri, who is a member of the 5th generation of the family and recently became the seventh head winemaker at Nichelini. In the tasting room and doing PR work is family member Kenny Wainright. With these two key members of the Nichelini team, look for the winery to embark on new territory in promoting the Nichelini brands.

Kenny Wainright - Pours, does PR, plus much more for Nichelini Vineyards

The vineyards are estate owned and some date back to 1928. All the wines are reasonably priced between $15 and $30. We liked the wines we tasted but none was an absolute standout. We did like the Primitivo very much and the Zinfandel but they were sold out. We also were enamored with the Old Vine Muscadelle. Have you heard of it? It’s made from the Muscadelle grape, also known as Sauvignon Vert. We liked it very much and I do not believe any other winery in California is making this varietal of wine. It is similar in character to a Sancere style Sauvignon Blanc. Nichelini is one of the very few wineries without a tasting fee. How nice!

During the winter months the tasting is done in the main area of the original Nichelini home. During the warm weather the tasting is moved below to the barrel room. Just below the barrel room, a stairway leads to a very nice secluded picnic area and a Bocce court. The only knock on this winery is the parking. As you can see from the photo above, this is a two-lane road the leads from the Napa Valley to the Lake Berryessa area. The parking is on the shoulder of the road and cars generally travel too fast along this stretch. But don’t let that deter you from visiting. After all, how often do you get to visit a winery that has had 121 consecutive harvests? We highly recommend a visit to this historic winery in the Napa Valley. The winery is open on weekends or by appointment during the week.

Ladera Winery on Howell Mountain

joe — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 22:34:21 +0000

This is the second of our three-part series on visits to mountain wineries in the Napa Valley.

We left Stony Hill Vineyard on Spring Mountain and traveled across the Valley on Deer Park Road, then up the mountain turning left onto White Cottage Road to Ladera Winery. Talk about opposites in wineries! Stony Hill’s first vintage was 1952, Ladera’s was 2000. At Stony Hill the winery is still hanging on to equipment used when the winery was first established with no signs of any high-tech equipment anywhere. At Ladera, it is quite the opposite with no expenses spared in this state-of-the-art winery facility. Here you find beautiful stainless steel fermenting and aging tanks, gravity floor crush equipment, and a beautiful and elaborate cave system lined with oak barrels.

One of the most fascinating aspects of Ladera is the renovation of the original stone winery built in 1886. Irene W. Haynes describes it in detail in her book “Ghost Wineries” on page 61. It was originally called the Howell Mountain Winery and closed it doors during prohibition. The winery has been a mixed bag since then, owned by several people until rescued, so to speak, by Pat and Anne Stotesbery in 2000 and renamed Ladera. The winery building has been restored, retrofitted, and made to look like as it was in 1886. Currently the tasting is done in the cellar where it was very chilly on our visit in December, but there are plans to build a visitor center. The surrounding grounds and vineyards are beautiful, with the old stone winery as the focal point.

The wines are mainly sourced from two vineyards. One is on Howell Mountain and the other, Lone Canyon Vineyard, on Mount Veeder to the south and across the Valley. Recently the winery purchased a Pinot Noir vineyard from Dan Duckhorn and is producing a small amount of Pinot Noir.

We tasted several wines and thought there were all delicious and well made. The Sauvignon Blanc was quite good, but I think too expensive when compared to the many delicious same style S.B.’s you can get for less than $20 a bottle. It is barrel fermented and a percentage is aged in neutral barrels, giving the wine a unique character.

The two best wines we tasted were the Howell Mountain Cabernet at $70 and the Lone Canyon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon at $65. Both were delicious and show great aging potential.

Tasting at Ladera is by appointment only from 10 am to 3:30. There are estate tours at 11 am and 2 pm daily.

You might want to watch this tongue-in-cheek video on Ladera’s take on how wine is made in the vineyards.

Mike Chelini – Longest tenured winemaker in the Napa Valley – Stony Hill Vineyard

joe — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 23:03:51 +0000

Last week we toured three completely different Napa Valley mountain wineries. We visited Stony Hill Vineyard on Spring Mountain, Ladera Winery on Howell Mountain, and Nichelini Winery at the summit of Sage Canyon Road. This will be the first of three posts comparing these Napa Valley mountain wineries.

Stony Hill Vineyard on Spring Mountain is one of the oldest wineries in the Napa Valley and one steeped in tradition. Fred and Eleanor McCrea purchased the land in 1943 and released their first vintage in 1952. In 1972, young Mike Chelini began his stint as winemaker at Stony Hill and he continues in that position to this day. He loves his work, the land, and the owners. As he says “Life is good here at Stony Hill Vineyard.” When we asked Mike if he is the Valley’s longest-running winemaker, he says: “I think I am tied with Bill Sorenson over at Burgess.” Bill Sorenson began his stint at Burgess in 1972, so who knows who started first. Nevertheless, these are impressive careers for both these winemakers.

Winemaker Mike Chelini

The winery is presently in the hands of the McCrea’s son Peter and his wife Willinda, and they continue to run the winery with the same tradition, making wines year after year that are consistent. Notably, the main character of the wines is that they are fermented and aged in neutral oak barrels. Their flagship wine, the Chardonnay, is quite different in style than most of the Napa Valley Chardonnays. No oak, but roundness in the mouth with good fruit flavors. Gewürztraminer and Riesling round out the table wine offerings, and a dessert Semillon is also offered. With a northeast exposure, the sun departs early in the day behind Spring Mountain leaving their vines in a much cooler climate than the rest of the Napa Valley. It is the ideal environment for these white wine grapes. Most of the wines are sold to their mailing list members (started in 1952) and to several local restaurants.

1952 first vintage at Stony Hill Vineyard

Something new is on the horizon at Stony Hill, a Cabernet Sauvignon. The Cabernet vineyard, planted six years ago, is located on an area of Spring Mountain that dips down and then elevates. The vines receive much more sun and the hope is that within a few years Stony Hill will produce a beautifully-aged Cabernet. For this wine Mike Chelini plans to age the grapes in new French Oak barrels. All he needs is a little more time for the roots of the vines to grow deeper into the soil. They have bottled some of this wine and for the moment have labeled it as Red Table Wine. When the character of this vineyard develops and the flavors are right, Stony Hill will release this as Cabernet Sauvignon.

A look inside the stone winery is a step back in time. I’m sure it looks very much the same as the day Mike Chelini stepped into the winery in 1972. There is no fancy equipment or a modern day crush pad or anything that smacks of high tech. It is all done the old fashioned way.

Stony Hill Vineyards is open by appointment only and guests are received at the McCrea’s original home just adjacent to the winery. To get there, you must turn into the Bale Grist Mill State Park a few miles north of St. Helena. Don’t go into the State Park, but turn left and head up the hill and follow the signs to Stony Hill. The climb is beautiful, sweeping through oak woodland forests. When you visit the winery, ask if you can take a walk down to the winery. Be prepared for a step back in time.

View from Stony Hill looking across the Valley

ZAP Changes Venue for Grand Tasting – We Have Two Tickets to Give Away

joe — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 18:28:15 +0000

Get ready for the huge ZAP Grand Tasting on Saturday, January 28, 2012, from 2 pm to 5 pm. This is your chance to taste Zinfandel wines from 400 different wineries and producers. What a bonanza for anyone who likes wine and especially Zinfandel. This is the 21st Annual Grand Tasting and this year the tasting will be at The Concourse in the South of Market area of San Francisco. What happened to Fort Mason and the Herbst Pavilion? In 2012 Fort Mason begins renovations in preparation for the America’s Cup yacht race. The Concourse in the South of Market of San Francisco is classy and modern, and public transportation is much more available. It will be a very exciting location with several nearby restaurants and other attractions.

We have a pair of tickets to give away for the main event, the Grand Tasting, and a pair of tickets to give away for the Epicuria Food & Zin Pairings event on Thursday, January 26 from 6 to 9 pm. We will take submissions on the comment section below. This contest will run through December 31. On January 3 we will announce our winners. First place winner has a choice of either two tickets for the Grand Tasting on Saturday, January 28 ($138 value) or two tickets for the Epicuria Food & Zin Pairings event on Thursday, January 26 ($250 value). Second place winner will receive two tickets to whichever event the first-placed winner doesn’t choose.

How to enter
We are going to make as easy as possible to enter. Just name your favorite Napa Valley Zinfandel wine in the comment section below this post. At the end of the contest, we will drop your name into a hat and have one of our grand daughters pull the two winners for a pair of tickets. No other costs are provided in this contest.

European Wine Bloggers Conference Begins October 14, 2011

joe — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:51:25 +0000

This evening we set off to Italy for the European Wine Bloggers Conference IV. We are very excited because the agenda of conference sessions and wine country excursions are “molto fantastico.” We can only wonder how we will be able to manage the consumption of so much fine wine and food that the Italian wine consortiums have in store for the 216 wine bloggers that will attend this amazing wine soiree. The conference headquarters are in Brescia, Italy, which is situated in the heart of the Franciacorta wine territory, notably known for its fabulous sparkling wine.

The conference unofficially begins on Thursday night with a BYOB dinner. Each participant attending the dinner will bring to the table something from their homeland that is unique. Sorry to say, we are not bringing a Napa Valley wine as our BYOB wine. We believe that most participants at this conference have already tried Napa Valley wines. We wanted something a little different for the worldwide wine bloggers (34 countries represented) to experience. In our suitcases, packed inside a “Wine Skin,” is a bottle of Cedarville 2007 Syrah from the Fair Play AVA in El Dorado County and a Montemaggiore 2006 Syrah from the Dry Creek Valley. Both are scrumptious wines from small wineries owned and operated by a husband and wife team.

The theme for this year’s conference is Storytelling. Whether it be through a blog, a video, or a set of photos, the wine bloggers will be learning how to become master storytellers. I personally cannot wait to hear keynote Speaker George Taber. I just finished reading his book “Judgment of Paris.” George Taber was the only representative of the media (London office of Time Magazine) to attend the famous Paris blind tasting in 1976. His book is a vivid historic account of individuals like Mike Grgich and Warren Winiarski that put the Napa Valley on the map at the historic Paris tasting.

On Monday morning, October 17, this Italian wine adventure continues with post conference trips. We are among 35 lucky wine bloggers to head to Chianti Classico. The Chianti Classico Consortium sponsors this trip. An unbelievable agenda of activities is planned for us including tours and tasting at four wineries and culminating with a dinner at Solo Cicca in Panzano, prepared by butcher Dario Cecchini. Dario is an 8th generation butcher and world famous for his innovative meals with meat.

After Chianti Classico the wine bloggers conference ends, but Janelle and I will forge ahead. We have two days planned in Soave and then five days in Piedmonte. We love California Wine Country, and I am sure that we will learn to love the Italian wine country just as much. Salute!

Closures again

joe — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 16:56:34 +0000

I was watching CNBC News yesterday and they ran a short but informative segment on Portugal’s campaign to revitalize their cork industry. We know Portugal is in dire economic straits and needs a boost in their economy, and perhaps using their corks on bottles of wine will help. The TV segment prompted me to write this post. I’m very old fashioned when it comes to wine closures. Most of my 40-year career of wine drinking has involved opening wines with a real cork. I get a thrill each time I use my waiter’s corkscrew to open my wine. There is nothing like that popping sound when I pull the cork from the bottle. That sound has come to mean something very special to me, one that signifies I am about to embark on very pleasurable adventure.

On weekdays I usually enjoy wines well under the $20 range, so that means I am going to get many bottles of wine with screw tops or synthetic corks. My least favorite closure is the synthetic cork. I don’t like the texture or the smell, and I doubt if there is any possible way to recycle this product.

Screw caps are okay but they are for wines that I am not going to store in my wine cellar. I know there has been a lot of research about screw caps showing that they improve wine over time. But to my simple way of thinking, oxygen is not getting into the wine as it does with a cork. How is it able to do its magic on Cabernet Sauvignon wines and the like, that mellow and soften and fill your palate with wonderful characteristics as they age over time? It may be all in my head but I am not about to store any screw top wine and save it for more than a year. When I see a screw top on a wine bottle, my mind says drink it now, because it is not going to change for the better from one year to the next.

A few months back I attended the Silver Oak Winery’s event for wine bloggers. Winemaker Daniel Baron talked about wine closures and gave a very long and passionate pitch for putting a real cork on a good wine. Here is a little bit of what he said.

I do have a disclosure to make. Last month the Portuguese Cork Association placed an ad promoting corks on four of my Webpages on WCG. If the screw cap industry wanted to advertise on WCG, I would gladly accept their ads. I show no bias when it comes to making a little extra income so I can travel the wine world and buy better wines