So, I created AltoVino.  AltoVino is a consulting agency that provides small, family owned/operated Colorado wineries with representation in Colorado’s Front Range markets.  Most Colorado wineries don’t have the money or the manpower to get their wines into Denver and the surrounding markets.  AltoVino is here to change that.  So head on over to http://www.AltoVinoConsulting.com to check out what I’m doing.  And of course, find AltoVino on Facebook and Twitter!

For every liter of tequila produced, distilleries throw away 10 liters of hot liquid waste (called vinaza), as well as 5 to 6 kilos of fibrous agave plant (called bagasse).  Government rules are supposed to control how the vianza is properly disposed of, but there is very little regulation in effect.  When improperly dumped, the vianza is extremely acidic, and contains an oil that renders the soil impenetrable.  Eventually the vianza works its way down the cracks in the soil, and contaminates water tables.

In the wine world, vintners are very respectful of their surrounding environment.  In fact, they have to in order to produce quality grapes vintage after vintage.  So think twice about ordering that frozen margarita.

Well, here’s why this blog is just as reliable as your favorite wine shop or restaurant. I am that guy behind the counter, and I’m also the guy making recommendations in restaurants. Since the inception of AdamsWineGuide, I have had multiple Sommelier positions in both restaurant and retail settings.

I don’t just make recommendations to my readers based upon the last great bottle I drank. I base my suggestions on what I like, but more importantly what most customers like as well. And what sells. My recommendations always factor in price, quality and availability.

So you can feel safe here. I only have your best interest in mind. This is why I have added the “Facebook Recommend” option to my site. On every page and post, you have the option to recommend the page/post to your Facebook friends. And you can also see how many others have recommended things to their friends. So let the people speak, you can think of the Facebook recommendations (and comments) as a “vote” for approving the page or post. Or liking my wine review/recommendation.

If I do recommend something you don’t approve of, please let me know by commenting. It’s the only way I can get to know my readers better

You can find the original “wine blogger trust” story here.

FLASQ is the first domestic wine to be bottled in these 100% recycleable, quick-chilling aluminum containers.  FLASQ is a product of JT Wines, based out of St. Helena, California.  JT Wines says these new bottles are targeting “Millennials, Generation Xers, and Baby Boomers with active lifestyles who desire convenient and portable packaging—all with a modern flair.”

I doubt I would ever purchase wine in an aluminum bottle, although there is a revolution with craft beer makers bottling in aluminum.  A couple of my favorites are Maui Brewing Company (Maui, HI) and Oskar Blues (Lyons, CO).  We’re seeing more and more craft beers in aluminum cans as the smaller breweries adopt the technology.

Although environmentally friendly, this is one bottle you won’t find on my table.

Most wine geeks would consider it common knowledge that Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc are all practically identical, aside from slight genetic mutation. But it looks like most wine grapes might be more closely related than I thought.

A recent study (conducted by Sean Myles, a geneticist at Cornell University) found that most Vitis Vinifera are in fact very similar.

“Thus merlot is intimately related to cabernet franc, which is a parent of cabernet sauvignon, whose other parent is sauvignon blanc, the daughter of traminer, which is also a progenitor of pinot noir, a parent of chardonnay.”

Due to the fact that most Grape vines are cloned, there is little room for natural genetic adaptation.  The results of the study showed that 75% of all grape varieties are as closely related as parent to child, or brother to sister.

Why is this bad?  Essentially most grape species have stopped evolving (or are evolving slower than is natural), which means they are not building new immunities to pests and other diseases.

You can check out the original article from the NY Times.

Cabernet Sauvignon glass

I first started becoming aware of wine glass shape from Riedel, a popular producer of Austrian crystal.  They were the first to commercially release a line of stemware that had different shaped glasses for different grape varietals.  The basic concept is this: some grapes are fuller bodied than others, and have more pronounced aromas (such as Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon).  These grapes need a glass with a wider mouth, so the aromas can dissipate.  This allows you to pick up subtle nuances in a wine.

For wines with a lighter nose, you need to capture the aromas.  Stemware

Pinot Noir glass

for grapes like Pinot Noir have a thinner mouth, and a wider body.  Riedel has also accounted for where they want the wine to hit your palate.  The different curves of the stemware’s lip will place the wine in a specific spot in your mouth.  Many beer glasses are also available for specific types of beers, made with the same concepts in mind.

Don’t believe me?  Test it out for yourself.