Links on my desktop today

Through a Glass Darkly (The New Yorker)

Somewhere in the middle pages of “1984,” Winston Smith is being inducted into the shadowy and, as it turns out, nonexistent “Brotherhood” of resistance to Big Brother, and, to celebrate, the Inner Party member O’Brien pours him a glass of wine. Winston has never had wine before, but he has read about it, and he is desperately excited to try it, since he expects it to taste like blackberry jam and to be instantly intoxicating.

California Adds the San Bernabe Appelation (Business Wire)

NAPA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 30, 2004--America's newest American Viticulture Area (AVA) became official today. "San Bernabe," as the AVA is officially named, was approved by The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). The appellation is located in Southern Monterey County, framed by the Salinas River on its eastern border, the Santa Lucia Range on its western border, Pine Canyon to the north and San Lucas to the south. Delicato Family Vineyards applied for the 24,796-acre area that includes its San Bernabe Vineyard property which is home to the Delicato-Monterey Winery and several Delicato wine brands.

Grapes of Math (San Luis Obispo Tribune)

For San Luis Obispo County growers, the wine-grape glut appears to be coming to an end.

Tonnage is lighter than in past years, and quality is good, following a statewide trend. The result could be more grapes being sold and at higher prices, said Dallas Holt, founder of the Independent Grape Growers of the Paso Robles Area.

U.S. Finances Vineyard on National Parkland (WashingtonPost.com)

Northeast Ohio is not famous for its viticulture, but now a public watchdog group has turned its spotlight on a winery on the grounds of Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

That's because the National Park Service has, since 1999, spent more than $475,000 to fund the winery, along with two organic vegetable and free-range chicken farms and other activities on park grounds, according to documents released Wednesday by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER).