I recorded the national news tonight so I could watch it after the kids went to bed.  Normally, I’d like to relax with something from the Discovery Channel or a movie my wife picked out.  But, given these times, I feel I need to pay attention to the markets and understand what is going on since we’ll all be impacted by these recent financial events.  These may prove to be tough times for a lot of people, but we need to remember that it’s the weathering of these tough times that makes us stronger.

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Popularity: 22% [?]

We hope everyone had a great Labor Day, and our thoughts go out to all those who weathered Gustav and are going to need to prepare for tropical storms Hanna, Ike and Josephine.

Most people see Labor Day as the symbolic end of summer.  With the weather we’ve been having recently it certainly does not feel like summer is over.  It’s a good thing that wine isn’t like wearing white; you can continue to enjoy your favorite wines like Chardonnay after Labor Day.  Chardonnay is great to serve at summer parties, but it’s also something I like to continue to drink throughout the year.

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Popularity: 31% [?]

This week we are looking at some wines from August Briggs.

August Briggs Winery is a small, family-owned Napa Valley winery in Calistoga, California. Joe and Sally Briggs make small lots of Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah and Zinfandel, all sourced from Napa and Sonoma.

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Popularity: 40% [?]

Californian wines made their mark on the world in 1976 at the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976, now known as the “Judgment of Paris”.  This event is being chronicled in the feature movie “Bottle Shock” that is coming out this august.  What was amazing at this event was that a red, Chateau Montelena, and a white, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, won at the same time.   This event put American wines on the map internationally and helped to kick start the American wine industry.

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Popularity: 56% [?]