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10:35 PM

April - Merlot Wine

The Best Articles on Merlot Wine

Marketing Wine on the Internet


The Australian Wine industry is experiencing a tough time as oversupply of product is creating downward pressure on prices. Large producers have had their well publicised problems, leading to merger and takeover activity. Small and medium producers are feeling the pinch.

Over the past twelve months I have discussed internet marketing with quite a number of smaller winery operators. The overwhelming experience seems to be "We have a web site but it doesn't generate any sales."

This experience mirrors that of other small business where the overwhelming majority fail to get significant benefit from their Internet presence. During the research I conducted as background to developing my own website I have visited several hundred wine related sites. It is not hard to see why they are not succeeding in generating sales.

Despite this gloomy record I feel that the Internet has lots to offer small to medium wineries in their marketing efforts. Some people are making sales through the internet: the challenge for the others is to get their sites going.

Small and medium wineries have several advantages that they can exploit to enhance their sales. Many are growing alternative varieties, and thus have a natural point of difference to build their marketing around.

Tourism is a booming industry and wine is an integral part of the tourist experience in most regions. An intelligent and integrated approach can exploit powerful marketing synergies.

For several reasons the Australian wine industry stands to reap great benefits from the internet, at least for those who are able to use it effectively.

My optimism is based on several emerging trends

  1. There is obviously a much greater volume of wine being produced, both by the big wineries and the plethora of small and medium producers, new and old. The success the export trade has thus far kept problems of oversupply to a minimum, but the environment for marketing Australian wine is certainly becoming much more competitive.

  2. There is increased diversity in the wine produced in Australia. New varieties have been introduced into emerging regions, the Rhone varieties into the Nagambie Lakes region and the Italian varieties into the King Valley, to name just the more prominent.

  3. A growing number of consumers are looking for something new. There is a limit to how many marginally different chardonnays or shirazes they can drink and still remain interested.

  4. Wine consumers are faced with more choice which is driving a thirst for knowledge about new wine experiences.

  5. The Internet is primarily an information distributing medium, and consumers seek information about wine more than most other products

  6. E-commerce is growing as more consumers are becoming comfortable with the internet. Warning! There is much more to e-commerce than having a website with attractive graphics. Too many businesses are overspending and underacheiving on the internet.

  7. There is still a wide gap between those are producing something new and those who want to find something new.

Like any transforming technology the effects of the internet will take many years to unfold. There are hundreds of lessons still to be learnt. But with persistence, some Australian wineries will gain great benefits from marketing their wine on the web.

About The Author

Darby Higgs is an expert on alternative grape varieties and the wines made from them in Australia. He is webmaster of Vinodiversity at http://www.vinodiversity.com

Merlot Wine and More

Wine and Dine Your Way to Writing Success


Explanation of what a food critic does and how to get this divine job. As a food critic, I can think of no better way to spend the work day than dini...


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Merlot Wine Items For Viewing

Concerto Wine Saver System - Black


Just insert pump and listen. That's all it takes to preserve an opened bottle of wine with the exciting new 'Concerto' from Vacu-Vin. Elegantly shaped wine saver features a special vacuum indicator that makes a clicking sound exactly when the correct vacuum level has been reached. New stopper maximizes the vacuum seal. 5-3/4'H


Price: 19.95 USD



Current Merlot Wine News

Australia Travel Log: Day Ten

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:03:00 PDT
Yeah, another day of touring. After this, I'd like to not get on a bus for a good while. Picked up at the hotel; full bus two and a half hour ride up to the Hunter Valley. Raining pretty hard, but out guide/driver is a pro. Within a few minutes of getting on the bus, I regret it a little. There is a group of about 8 people touring together and it really doesn't matter what country they are from because I am not into perpetuating stereotypes and frankly, they could have been from anywhere. But

Ask and Ye Shall Receive

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:08:47 PDT
Lisa at Take 90 West did this neat meme and I thought I'd do it, too. Where is your cell phone? In my car; charging. I charge it every night. Except for last night when I plugged it in but not far enough, and the battery was nearly dead today. Your significant other? Red. Hot. Smokin'. On the deck drinking red wine. Your hair? On a scale of 1-10 about an 8. It was a 9 this morning before all the running around. Since I got my Spornette brush and Chi flat iron last week, I've had some really

The Spell Reaper, Chapter 2 (Fantasy -- 2,352 words)

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:30:02 PDT
Here's chapter 2 of The Spell Reaper. Please read chapter 1 if you haven't yet, or this will make very little sense. Any critiques are welcomed. Thanks! ---- Neilin lay on his belly, crouching among the thorny bushes. Dark patchwork clouds, like shredded bits of sackcloth, obscured the half-moon. Waving treetops creaked at the urgency of the wind in his face, a wind bearing the stink of cool moisture that preceded a storm. Rain is good. Prey beds down. Easy to kill. He slunk on

13 Songs I'll Hit "Repeat" for on my MP3 Player

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:33:47 PDT
In no particular order . . . Johnny Winter, "Dallas"Son House, "Death Letter Blues"Stevie Ray Vaughan, "Little Wing"Bob Dylan, "Tangled up in Blue"Wilco, "Flowers"Ugly Duckling, "Introduckling"Iron & Wine, "Birds Stealing Bread"Canned Heat, "Rolling and Tumbling"Eric Clapton, "Walking Blues"Robert Johnson, "Hellhound on my Trail"Beastie Boys, "3 Minute Rule"Chris Thomas King, "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues"Buddy Guy, "First Time I Met the Blues"

Heady Links | Festival Additions Edition, Take II

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 20:27:31 PDT
The festival announcements and add-ons just keep piling up here at LMB, so you know what that means....another round of festie Heady Links for that ass: Yet another new festival joins the 2008 Season? The 80/35 festival (apparently named for the cross-section of interstate routes in Iowa) will launch this July 4-5 at Western Gateway Park in Des Moines. The lineup so far includes: the Flaming Lips, The Roots, Yonder Mountain String Band, Girl Talk, Drive-By Truckers, and a bunch of local Iowa

Feast of St George, Principal Patron of the English People

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 02:14:14 PDT
From the Golden Legend Of S. George, Martyr, and first the interpretation of his name. George is said of geos, which is as much to say as earth, and orge that is tilling. So George is to say as tilling the earth, that is his flesh. And S. Austin saith, in libro de Trinitate that, good earth is in the height of the mountains, in the temperance of the valleys, and in the plain of the fields. The first is good for herbs being green, the second to vines, and the third to wheat and corn. Thus the

Sun Kil Moon - April

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 03:00:41 PDT
John Fahey was one of the first adulatory notes printed with the 1997 reissue of the Anthology of American Folk Music. He wholeheartedly acknowledges the superseding authority that Harry Smith’s Anthology has over any other modern information compendium of equal class (i.e. – the Dead Sea Scrolls). Even more remarkable are the comments that follow. Fahey notes, probably with a crafty grin, that the hirsute folk musicians considered ‘the folk’ by Smith in 1952 are such because “scholars who w


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4:26 PM

April 2008 - Vintage Charts

Vintage Charts For Your Reading Pleasure

Take A Trip Into Fantasia At The Cape Winelands



It's easy to forget you're that you're still in South Africa while standing with your feet on the plush green valleys of the Cape Winelands. The historical backdrop of gabled Cape Dutch villa's and leafy vineyards creates a setting like something from a fantasy flick. Stellenbosch, Paarl, Wellington, Franschhoek and Pniel are home to the finest and most distinguished wines of the world, it's hard to believe it's only a 45 minute drive away from Cape Town.



The Cape Winelands currently ranks as the most prominent wine-producing location in the Western Cape. It boasts a collection of more than 200 cellars each heaving with century old bottles of classics. It's no wonder many tourists still refer to the winelands as South Africa's best kept secret.



The Famous Four

Enclosed by a mountain valley and dazzling scenery, Stellenbosch boasts a picturesque view of the Cape Winelands. It is the second oldest town in the country and many of the historical effigies can still be found present in the town today. The Toy and Miniature Museum has become a trademark for the fruitful town being the only one of its kind in South Africa. On your list of wine estates to visit be sure to add Spier right at the very top, it's a popular one and certainly a must see!



The aforementioned Afrikaans Language Monument is situated in Paarl along the 2km stretch of the Main Road. A mere 56km stretch from Cape Town, Paarl is the town rich in both architectural beauty and natural scenery. Paarl landed its name after a huge granite boulder rock, known as The Paarl Mountain, which overlooks the town.



Everything creative, artistic and culinary is best done in Franschoek. It's the town to stop at when you hungry for some rich cuisine and gourmet cheese. While driving into Franschoek you are able to see the spectacular Simonsberg and Wemmershoek Mountains. And yes, it's in Franschoek that our delicious Simonsberg creamy cheese spread originates from.



Wellington is synonymous with the scenic Bain's Kloof Pass. The Pass links Wellington to Ceres and the long, twisty road provides you with a breath-taking view of the large, open valleys.



Recreation At The Cape Winelands

Summers are always the most blissful times at the winelands. Fruit picking tours are open to the public and visitors are encouraged to leisurely pick their own strawberries, grapes, cherries or peaches fresh from the vineyards. And there are absolutely no limitations, as long as you pay for what you pick. After the tour your pickings are weighed and you can pay for it per kg. What better time to experience the true lifestyle than in summer when all the fruit are fresh, ripe and juicy.



Take a captivating trip into the distant past as you peep into the lifestyle of those who walked the oak-lined streets of Stellenbosch before you. If you're a history buff you might want to make a stop at the Hugenot Memorial Monument and Afrikaans Language Monument, they're rich in fascinating facts and sculptures of the winelands' colourful history. You'll learn some intriguing details like who founded the winelands, the first wine cellar and how the names for the villages were chosen.



But tours to the vibrant little villages are not all there is to do in the countryside. The winelands are surrounded by oodles of outdoor museums, open-air theaters and imaginative arts and crafts galleries that catches the eye of many a tourist.



Adventure also doesn't lie far back. Hiking, mountain biking, surfing, canoeing, abseiling and kloofing are just a few of the stunts the locals get up to in their leisure time. Go game viewing at one of the many game reserves at the winelands or make a splash in a tranquilizing rock pool, or if you really want to get the feel of the countryside in your bloodstream then hop right onto a horse-back safari tour for your own exploration pleasure.



Wining and Dining

How does sweet strawberry wine and creamy camembert spread nice and thick on a light, crisp cracker sound? The chef's in this beautiful place certainly know what they're doing when it comes to cooking. Some of the best restaurants in the country are located in the Cape Winelands and three of the country's top ten restaurants are based in Franschoek. You will be tempted to indulge when you've first treated your taste-buds to first-rate South African cuisine ranging from exotic buffets to conventional meals and home-made cheeses. Everything's a dish!



The Cape Winelands has become one of the best places to visit for tourists. It's the superb natural splendor, the rich cultural heritage and the world famous distinguished wines that make the Cape Winelands equivalent to all the best that South Africa has to offer.

About the Author


Villa Grande offers warm-hearted http://www.villa-grande.com/ guest house accommodation in Stellenbosch and is situated in the historic centre of the town in the beautiful Cape winelands(http://www.villa-grande.com).

Short Review on Vintage Charts

Wine and Cheese Gifts


The combination of wine and cheese has been around for many years now and is loved by almost everyone. In fact, it is considered to be the classic pai...


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Vintage Charts Items For Viewing

Riedel Sommelier Sauvignon Blanc/Pinot Grigio Wine Glass (1)


The Riedel Sommelier wine glass line is the top-of-the-line series of stemware from the legendary Riedel. Wine experts agree that glassware makes a profound difference on how wines taste. Riedel Sommelier wine glasses are the benchmark and the most successful series of hand-made glasses in the world. Each Sommelier wine glass is individually made of 24% lead crystal: the wine glass bowls are mouth-blown into a mould the stem and base are handcrafted using ancient glass-making methods. The Riedel Sommelier Sauvignon Blanc / Pinot Grigio Wine Glass is suitable for all styles of Sauvignon Blanc from the grassy mineral wines of the Loire to the oak-aged honeyed blends from Bordeaux as well as fresh and vibrant Pinot Grigio. The tall slim glass offers freshness and intensity on the nose a harmonious palate with an excellent balance of fruit and acidity and a minerally finish. Recommended for: Bordeaux (white) Chenin Blanc Fumé Blanc Gewürztraminer Loire (Blanc) Sémillon. 9-1/4'H 12-3/8oz. Attention California residents. Proposition 65 WARNING.


Price: 60.00 USD



Headlines on Vintage Charts

Hangover Treatment Options

Mon, 21 May 2007 11:26:29 PDT
The type of alcohol drunk makes a difference. Darker sweeter drinks have more congeners (complex organic molecules of which methanol is one). Therefore brandy, sherry, red wine and whiskey will give more of a hangover than white wine and vodka.

Coctails.org

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 21:32:58 PDT
Cocktail recipes for every occasion. Coctails.org has recipes for cocktails with beer, brandy, gin, rum, tequila, vodka, whiskey, wine, and much more!

Hallucinogenic Brandy and Cocaine Wine Through History

Fri, 10 Aug 2007 10:00:03 PDT
From the Cocaine-laced Wine of France in the 1800s, to the devastating addiction to Absinthe, and the little known Salamander Brandy from the Slavic region, this history of drug-booze is a fascinating one.

Black Star Farms a winery in beautiful Suttons Bay Michigan

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 13:47:56 PST
We are a small winery with a hand-crafted approach to winemaking located on the same 45th Parallel that runs through some of the great wine regions of the world. We produce classic varietal wines and fruit brandies of high character and balance.

Don’t Have the Holidays Without a Little Punch

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 17:51:00 PST
This basic recipe for Christmas Punch never steers a party wrong, with its combination of brandy, Cointreau, fresh oranges, and a large helping of Champagne or sparkling wine. It’s easy to modify to personal taste as well. Not fruity enough?...

Small Oak Barrels the Best Way to Store Your Port

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 23:14:26 PST
You can purchase small oak barrels, almost identical to oak barrels used in winemaking, only smaller, such as 4 litres or up to 25 litres. These barrels are fantastic for storing port or excess left over wine. You can gradually add to the barrel with spirit such as brandy and liquer, add some sugar and wine and viola, your own homemade port.


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10:26 AM

April - Iron Wine

A Iron Wine Artilce for Your Viewing

A Glimpse at Popular Wine Makers


For centuries now, vintners and great wine makers have been tirelessly fermenting grapes, other fruits and flowers to produce the wine that is served at feasts, parties and dinner tables. Cultivating an appreciation of wine is a growing trend in the US. Shops specializing in wine are appearing throughout the country, not just in the traditional vineyard regions of California, Oregon, and Virginia. People who may not have grown up around wine are now drawn not only to sampling but also to collecting it. Tasting parties and special wine pairing events are a common theme in restaurants and in the home. With this comes an increase in interest in home storage. While proper storage can help wines become even more exquisite, improper storage can lead to ruined wine.

There are thousands of varieties or types of wine to choose from. White, sparkling, red or rose wine are just some of the ?colors? that you can choose from.





Wine making is a very lucrative venture because there is a worldwide market. France, Italy, Australia, Spain, Chile and the United States have their share of the worldwide market and are the leading countries which export and produce wine.





Meanwhile, South Africa, Argentina, Portugal and Germany aren't far behind.





California is the state which boasts the most of wine producers in the US. Vineyards are mostly found in Sonoma Valley, Monterey, Paso Robles, Santa Ynez and Napa Valley.





Here are just some of the popular wine makers in the country:





1. Greenvale Vineyards & Winery





This vineyard is located in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. They produce red and white wines located from grapes which are locally grown. Chardonnays and Cabernets are produced from the fertile soils of Greenvale Vineyards.





2. The Mount Pleasant Winery





Located north of St. Louis in Augusta, the Mount Pleasant Vineyards and Winery produces the best wine out of quality grapes. With Chambourcin grapes, a Nouveau-like wine is aged and fermented. Chambourcin is a type of red grape grown mostly in states located on the East.





3. Domaine Drouhin





Located in the Red Hills of the Dundee in Oregon, this vineyard claims a sense of history since it is owned by the Drouhin family. Their wine has received worldwide recognition due to class and quality. The Pinot Noir wines that they produce have the distinct flavors of berries and vanilla for an exquisite taste.

Learn the art of Wine Tasting





4. Savannah Chanelle Vineyards





Located in the mountains of Santa Cruz in California, the Savannah Chanelle vineyards produce Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir is mostly produced in the vast vineyards of Savannah Chanelle and are on the top of the list when it comes to this type of wine.





5. Chappellet Winery





California, being the wine-producing state in the US, includes the Napa Valley region.

This is where the Chappellet Winery is located and they produce Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. This winery produces wines which undergo as little processing as possible.





6. Sanford Winery





This vineyard is located in Buellton, California in the Santa Ynez valley. They make Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.





When deciding which wine to serve your family, consider the bottles produced by such popluar wine makers and you can't go wrong.









Art of Wine Tasting.







Wine Tasting for beginners

A synopsis on Iron Wine.

I Love Italian Wine and Food - Aosta Valley Region, Piedmont Wine


If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Aosta Valley region of northern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you?ll ...


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Featured Iron Wine Items

Wine Enthusiast Italian Waiter Style Corkscrew - White


Traditional waiter's style corkscrew used in many restaurants around the world.


Price: 6.95 USD



Iron Wine in the news

How to Become an Energy Drink Connoisseur

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 07:12:12 PDT
Energy drinks don't have the cachet of wine or coffee. There are no magazines, websites, or specialty stores to support your interest in sugary concoctions of taurine, guarana, ginseng and caffeine. On the other hand, analysts estimate energy drinks generate $10 billion in annual sales, with growth rates that far outstrip sodas, juice and water. And there's enough variety in the market that it's possible to become an energy drink connoisseur. Here are some tips on connoisseurship from "En

Giftable green goodies

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 09:00:55 PDT
Eco-friendly choices for earthly beings, reclaimed wine bottles turned into wine glass, sustainable shopping bags, handcrafted photo frames and 1,001 Ways to Save the Earth.

Burglars Rob Beauty Salons, Barber Shops Overnight (KMGH 7 Denver)

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 10:33:28 PDT
Police officers are searching for the burglars who robbed several beauty salons and barber shops overnight.

Bubble Time

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:10:23 PDT
Bubble Time Thirty Champagnes by the glass? What is Ali Mackani thinking? Big, again. Mackani, who in the fall of 2005 opened the electric Restaurant 55 Degrees along Capitol Mall, is close to launching his next ambitious project, Lounge on 20, where the beverage menu is to include 30 Champagnes by the glass. Lounge on 20, which Mackani hopes to open in early June, and possibly as soon as late May, will occupy the southeast portion of the MARRS building at 20th and K in midtown Sacramento. M

Love thy neighbour. Wouldn't it be better if I just gave them a cup of sugar?

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:03:18 PDT
Love thy neighbour. Wouldn't it be better if I just gave them a cup of sugar? I haven't been on friendly terms with my neighbours since I moved away from Dublin about seven years ago. In Dublin, people know if you fart in a different way to the way you did the day before and everyone feels like they know everyone. The whole neighbourly thing is just not the done thing in London where it's a cardinal sin to ask a stranger for directions nevermind acknowledge that there are people living next

Courvoisier to Open U.S. Pop-Up Shops (Display & Design Ideas)

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:23:58 PDT
Courvoisier Cognac, a division of Deerfield, Ill.-based Beam Global Spirits & Wine Inc., and lifestyle clothing brand Lifted Research Group (LRG) will bring the "Find Greatness Within" campaign to life with a temporary, co-branded retail experience called the "Pop-Up Shop." The shops will be featured in five major U.S. cities, launching on April 17 in Los Angeles.

Mix Restaurant (5/5) on Yelp.com

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:53:09 PDT
Mix Restaurant Categories: French, American (New) We splurged at Mix. And we splurged in style. The photos of the truly glamorous restaurant located on the 64th floor of THEhotel at Mandalay Bay speak for themselves: http://www.yelp.com/bi... The incredible views and stunning modern decor alone are worth the visit. The superb service, fantastic wine & cocktail menu and amazing food complete the experience. Our server, Lee Christopher, had a wonderful way about sharing his know


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