Taking a break for the holidays

Holiday season is here. This blogger has decided to take some time off to relax and think about where the blog should go.

If you have any ideas, or suggestions, please email me. You can also let me know of your views of the blog so far.

Have a merry Christmas and a wonderful new year!

VERC makes the news

This seems to have been Viticulture and Enology Research Center, Fresno's week.

It is good to see that in being compared to "the" wine school, UCDavis, California State University, Fresno's Viticulture and Research Department is head-to-head. (Wine School Wars: Two of the best enology programs in the country are right here, but which makes a better winemaker, Davis or Fresno? -- sfgate.com)

Of course, for those of us who are working in Fresno, we are the best! Just check out our awards, if you don't believe me.

Chinese were first?

A new study coming out this week (China the Motherland of Booze? -- WCCO) is out to show that wine did not originate in Middle East as was previously thought, but in China.

The ceramics were dated to about 7,000 B.C. -- 9,000 years ago -- and the scientists analyzed residue that had collected inside the pots.

The results showed chemicals that matched residues from modern rice and rice wine, grape wine, grape tannins and ancient and modern herbs. There were also indications of hawthorn fruit.

On a remotely related note, check out "Chinese offered wine-tasting classes" from statesmenjournal.com.