posted October 26, 2005 01:56 PM            

King Tutankhamen was a red wine drinker, according to a researcher who analyzed traces of the vintage found in his tomb. Maria Rosa Guasch-Jane told reporters Wednesday at the British Museum that she made her discovery after inventing a process that gave archaeologists a tool to discover the color of ancient wine.

"This is the first time someone has found an ancient red wine," she said.

Wine bottles from King Tut's time were labeled with the name of the product, the year of harvest, the source and the vine grower, Guasch-Jane said, but did not include the color of the wine.

Several clues led scientists to believe the wine may have been red: drawings from the time of grapes being pressed into wine were red and purple, for example. But the color of King Tut's wine was impossible to verify until Guasch-Jane invented a process to detect a color compound not found in white wine called syringic acid.

To test her method, Guasch-Jane scraped residue from wine jars owned by the British Museum and the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Two of the jars came from King Tut's tomb, discovered by English archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922.

Patrick McGovern, an American molecular archaeologist, said he has discovered grape residue in northern Iran that dates winemaking to 5400 B.C.

Scientists believe the first wine discovered in Egypt, buried in King Scorpion's tomb in about 3125 B.C., was produced in Jordan and transported 500 miles by donkey and boat to Egypt, he said. Eventually, grapevines were planted in Egypt.

Research shows that ancient Egyptian kings and members of the upper class drank wine regularly, but common people consumed it only during festivals and special occasions, Guasch-Jane said.

Wine was offered to gods in ceremonies, and kings were buried with jars of wine and food similar to what they consumed when they were alive, she said.

posted November 09, 2005 01:56 PM            

The Associated Press

PARIS - French actor Gerard Depardieu, who owns vineyards, restaurants and a famously large appetite for the finer things in life, says in a cookbook being released in English this week that he always wanted to be a butcher.

“My eye will roam with equal pleasure over the face of a beautiful woman as it will over the cuts of meat displayed in a butcher’s shop window,” Depardieu writes in “My Cookbook.”

Depardieu, who grew up in the provincial town of Chateauroux, south of Paris, says his parents could only afford meat in the first week of each month — and then it was usually horse meat.

Depardieu’s love of food is legendary. He owns two Paris restaurants with his French actress-girlfriend, Carole Bouquet.

His favorite dish, says the “Green Card” actor, is jellied rabbit with a glass of cold white wine — for breakfast.

Wine lover and foodie
“Wine has a soul,” Depardieu writes in the 220-page book, replete with dozens of recipes and photos of the crooked nosed actor working in the kitchen and selecting chickens to cook.

The wine lover bought his first vineyard more than 30 years ago in Burgundy. He was reportedly tipsy when he insulted an unsympathetic critic of the French version of his cookbook on a talk show earlier this year.

“If I have an ambition still unrealized it is to tend the vines, to produce wine and work like a true artisan,” he writes.

Depardieu, 56, has made more than 150 films, and was a leading French actor of the 1980s and 1990s with such hits as “Jean de Florette” and “Cyrano de Bergerac,” for which he was nominated for an Academy Award.

His movie roles have included playing Vatel — the 17th-century chef who, according to legend, killed himself because the fish arrived late when King Louis XIV was coming to dinner.

posted January 06, 2006 09:10 AM            

Baltimore has been named America's fittest city, with Chicago overtaking Houston as the fattest. Last year's fittest city, Seattle, drops to No. 8 in the new list, released today by Men's Fitness magazine.

When the annual survey named Baltimore the fittest city in America, many Charm City residents had the same response: You gotta be kidding.

Sure, people here are known for eating lots of seafood, but are crab cakes and deep-fried lake trout the staples of a healthy diet?

"I think it's probably the most mis-fit city in America," said Charisse Bailey as she dug into a typical Baltimore lunch: fried red snapper on thick white bread, with a side of french fries and a beer.

The city's skyline is dotted with neon signs advertising Domino sugar, Utz potato chips and National Bohemian beer. And while many neighborhoods, such as Fells Point and Federal Hill, have been transformed by an influx of young professionals, a Friday night visit to either reveals a culture that revolves around drinking and greasy food.

Nevertheless, Men's Fitness magazine placed Baltimore at the top of its annual list of cities where fitness is king, ahead of Honolulu (No. 2 for the second consecutive year), San Francisco (No. 7) and last year's winner, Seattle (No. 8).

The fattest city in America for 2006 is Chicago, taking over the dubious honor from Houston.

Last year, Baltimore was closer to Houston than it was to Honolulu, checking in as the 25th-fattest city in the Men's Fitness tally.

How could such a turnaround be possible in the span of a year? Men's Fitness editor Neal Boulton is quick to point out that the survey is far from scientific, and he says it took additional factors into account this year that worked in Baltimore's favor.

Among them: the amount of public park space, access to health care, air quality, the relatively small number of fast-food restaurants and the leadership of Mayor Martin O'Malley. Boulton says Baltimore has become safer, more prosperous and more conducive to fitness.

"Baltimore is a paragon of urban renewal. That's why it's the fittest city, that's why it's the comeback city," he said.

Boulton says he also reduced the importance of climate in the survey, which is one reason Baltimore squeaked ahead of Honolulu.

Rival magazine Men's Health had a different take on Baltimore. In its current issue, the magazine ranks Baltimore 93rd on its list of the "100 Best Cities for Men," with grades of "F" in health and quality of life and "C+" in fitness. San Francisco tops the Men's Health survey, and Honolulu is No. 2.

Baltimore residents seemingly would have had an easier time believing the Men's Health ranking. When told of the Men's Fitness honor, they invariably reacted with shock, bewilderment or outright laughter.

"Baltimore lives on junk food. That's why we're all standing here," said electrician Mark Smith as he surveyed the scene at Lexington Market. The popular downtown lunch spot has dozens of kiosks selling fried chicken and cheap Chinese food.

"I've been eating here for 21 years," Smith said. "I walk around and think, 'What's the lesser of the evils?'"

While the city has seen significant reductions in violent crime, large sections remain plagued by poverty and drugs, and residents of less prosperous neighborhoods often have to depend on convenience stores and takeout food for sustenance.

"We don't eat well at all," said Tremonteria Morgan, a vegetarian. "We eat a lot of fried foods — fried chicken and soul food. For myself, I have to search high and low for a health food place. We have a lot of obesity here in our city."

The mayor looked on the bright side, attributing Baltimore's increasing fitness to its economic revival and the end of its precipitous population drop.

"You see some neighborhoods starting to grow again, and attracting younger people. With those younger people coming, there's a number of gyms now," O'Malley said. "In every growing neighborhood, you look for two leading signs — one is a gym and the other is a Starbucks."

___

The fittest and fattest cities in America in the annual survey by Men's Fitness magazine, with cities in order of ranking, and 2005 rankings in parentheses. Some were on the opposite list:

TOP 25 FITTEST CITIES:

1. Baltimore (25 fattest)

2. Honolulu (2)

3. Virginia Beach, Va. (12)

4. Tucson, Ariz. (8)

5. Milwaukee (15)

6. Colorado Springs, Colo. (3)

7. San Francisco (4)

8. Seattle (1)

9. Louisville-Jefferson, Ky. (not ranked)

10. Boston (11)

11. Sacramento, Calif. (7)

12. Nashville-Davidson, Tenn. (25)

13. Albuquerque (10)

14. Tulsa, Okla. (22 fattest)

15. Phoenix (12 fattest)

16. Atlanta (23 fattest)

17. Portland, Ore. (6)

18. Washington (23)

19. Oakland, Calif. (20)

20. Denver (5)

21. Minneapolis (13)

22. Arlington, Texas (22)

23. Austin, Texas (19)

24. Jacksonville, Fla. (18)

25. Omaha, Neb. (16)

TOP 25 FATTEST CITIES:

1. Chicago (5)

2. Las Vegas (9)

3. Los Angeles (21 fittest)

4. Dallas (6)

5. Houston (1)

6. Memphis, Tenn. (4)

7. Long Beach, Calif. (20)

8. El Paso, Texas (11)

9. Kansas City, Mo. (18)

10. Mesa, Ariz. (15)

11. Indianapolis (13)

12. San Antonio (10)

13. Fort Worth, Texas (14)

14. Miami (19)

15. Detroit (3)

16. Columbus, Ohio (16)

17. Oklahoma City (21)

18. Cleveland (24 fittest)

19. Wichita, Kan. (17)

20. Charlotte, N.C. (24)

21. San Diego (9 fittest)

22. Fresno, Calif. (14 fittest)

23. Philadelphia (2)

24. San Jose, Calif. (17 fittest)

25. New York (8)

SOURCE: Men's Fitness

posted January 12, 2006 08:41 AM            

January 12, 2006

California vintners don't like what they're hearing through the grapevine: American consumers prefer wines from Italy and Australia.

Two studies of the U.S. wine market this week found that California was losing out to foreign competitors in both market share and consumer perception.

A study by the Wine Market Council found that consumers liked foreign vintages for two reasons: taste and price. American consumers scored Italian wines higher than the state's varietals on a measurement of satisfaction. The same wine drinkers said Italian and Australian wines were of better quality, while Australian wines were deemed the best value.

The study, released at the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena, Calif., during a presentation Wednesday about attitudes of U.S. wine consumers, followed a report by New York brokerage Merrill Lynch & Co. this week that said California was slowly losing market share to imported wines in grocery store sales.

"This is something that should be a real wake-up call for California's wine industry," said Michaela Rodeno, chief executive of St. Supery Vineyard & Winery in Napa Valley and the council's chairwoman. "California used to have 90% of the business in the U.S. and now it is down to 74%," including restaurants and other places that sell wine.

The findings in the trade group's study also noted increasing consumer frustration with the prices that restaurants charge for wine, especially when sold by the glass.

"Quality and value is what really drives people, and it is not tipped in California's favor," said John Gillespie, executive director of the Wine Market Council, which represents grape growers, wine producers, distributors and retailers. But he said that the differences between California's wines and those of other countries' were narrow.

The survey of 1,398 wine consumers conducted by Merrill Research of San Mateo, Calif., which is not related to Merrill Lynch, found that Americans were drinking more wine — a record 243 million cases in 2004. Annual per capita consumption stands at 2.77 gallons, also a record, the trade group said.

Yet, boosting consumption won't entirely overcome inroads by imports, Rodeno said. "Yes, there's a rising tide," she said, "but it won't be high enough to float all boats."

Consumers' gravitation toward foreign vintages is more pronounced outside of California, the council's study found.

Jason Kohn, a 27-year-old documentary filmmaker in New York, said he was partial to wines from Italy, France and Argentina. "I am always surprised that the California wines seem to be more expensive here in New York," he said.

A review of supermarket scanner data by Merrill Lynch found that California's share of the U.S. wine market by volume slipped 0.7 percentage point to 71.4% in 2005. Australian wines picked up 0.7 percentage point to hold 7.7% of the market.

The industry took hope from the adoption of wine drinking by young adults — up to 28 years old — whose consumption is one major driver of the wine market's growth. Members of that group drink more wine at parties and other events than older adults do and purchase a higher proportion of imported wine, most likely red, according to the study.

"My favorite wine is a Spanish Rioja," said Amanda Price, a 27-year-old Hancock Park resident who drinks wine four to five times a week. "I recently bought a California Cabernet. It was nice but it didn't make me want to change my drinking habits."

California winemakers should start to listen to younger tipplers, the wine council's Gillespie said.

"If I see that younger people pick imported wine when they drink, then I need to do something about it to protect my market," he said. "California needs to address the younger segments of the consuming public because that is where they are losing market share."

Young people have helped turn slickly marketed, more whimsically labeled wines from Australia into big sellers, said Peter Huwiler, chief executive of Merryvale, a St. Helena winery.

Australia's Yellow Tail, with its distinctive hopping kangaroo label, is the largest-selling brand by dollar volume in U.S. food stores, winning prominent displays in supermarkets that make it an easy purchase for consumers running to the store for a bottle of wine. It sold 7.5 million cases last year, according to wine consultant Jon Fredrikson of Gomberg, Fredrikson & Associates in Woodside, Calif.

"Young people like these types of labels and the price and value is very good," Huwiler said.

A bottle of Yellow Tail sold for an average of $6.29 last year, according to Merrill Lynch. Among California labels, that price compares with $11.52 for Kendall Jackson, $10.70 for a bottle of Fortune Brands — which makes the Geyser Peak label — and $6.76 for Beringer Blass.

"Australian wines have been beating us up at the lower price points," said Nat DiBuduo, president of Fresno-based Allied Grape Growers, the state's largest wine grape growing cooperative.

But DiBuduo said California's industry was not about to concede the low end of the market. "We are going to fight this battle," he said. "We are not backing off from producing good quality wine that is priced competitively."

The state's wine industry had mixed reactions to the council's report.

The Wine Institute, California's largest wine trade group, said its own surveys showed that the state's wine beat wine from every other region in comparisons of taste, value and quality.

"We are in a good position, we have the majority of market share but we know we need to get a cohesive message out about California," institute spokeswoman Nancy Light said. "It is a very competitive global market out there."

But even as wine grows in popularity, consumers are increasingly voicing dissatisfaction with the price of the drink in restaurants, Gillespie said. Five years ago, half of frequent wine drinkers said buying a glass of wine at a restaurant represented a good value, but only 38% of the respondents agreed with that statement in the latest survey.

The wine council predicted that consumers' increasing resistance to high wine prices, particularly at restaurants, may be a bigger threat to sales growth than is competition from other types of beverages.

"There is no excuse why restaurants don't have a $2 to $2.50 glass of wine on their menus," said Fred Franzia, co-owner of Bronco Wine Co., which popularized the $1.99-a-bottle Charles Shaw label, known as Two Buck Chuck. "They could still make a fair markup."

*

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

In a squeeze

California wines are perceived as lagging behind foreign brands in flavor, quality and value and are not known widely as having an identity unique to the region, according to a survey.

Statement: Wine is unique to region where it was made

Percentage of people who agree with statement about wine from these regions:

California: 45%

Italy: 61%

Australia: 55%

France: 64%

*

Statement: Better flavor

Percentage of people who agree with statement about wine from these regions:

California: 56%

Italy: 59%

Australia: 56%

France: 52%

*

Statement: Better quality

Percentage of people who agree with statement about wine from these regions:

California: 50%

Italy: 52%

Australia: 52%

France: 46%

*

Statement: Better value

Percentage of people who agree with statement about wine from these regions:

California: 56%

Italy: 46%

Australia: 58%

France: 32%

posted January 19, 2006 04:30 PM            

LiveScience.com

A new study reveals the chemical in chocolate that produces known heart-healthy benefits.

The research found that epicatechin, one of a group of chemicals known as flavanols, is directly linked to improved circulation and other hallmarks of cardiovascular health.

The discovery was detailed in the Jan. 16 online issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"Although previous studies strongly indicated that some flavanol-rich foods, such as wine, tea and cocoa can offer cardiovascular health benefits, we have been able to demonstrate a direct relationship between the intake of certain flavanols present in cocoa, their absorption into the circulation and their effects on cardiovascular function in humans," said biochemist Hagen Schroeter of the University of California, Davis.

The study relied on volunteers from the Kuna Indians, who live on the San Blas islands off the coast of Panama. High blood pressure and other signs of cardiovascular disease are rare among the Kuna. And they are known to consume large amounts of flavanol-rich cocoa—three to four cups a day.

Previous studies found that Kuna who migrated to the suburbs of Panama City on the mainland drink only about four cups of cocoa per week and do not enjoy the same level of cardiovascular health.

The islanders have twice the level of urinary nitric oxide, a chemical associated with healthy flow of blood through the arteries. And those who drank cocoa with more flavanols had higher levels of nitric oxide.

Also, higher levels of epicatechin in the bloodstream were accompanied by improved blood flow. Lab tests showed that flavanols allow vascular tissue to relax.

Finally, tests showed that pure epicatechin consumed by people had much the same effect as flavanol-rich cocoa.

"The results of this study provide direct proof that epicatechin is, at least in part, responsible for the beneficial vascular effects that are observed after the consumption of certain flavanol-rich cocoas," Schroeter said.

Hot and Healthy Winter Drinks Good-Hearted Women Fail to Deal with Bad Hearts Cancer Takes Over Top Spot as Killer of Americans Under 85 Coffee: Does a Body Good?

posted February 10, 2006 04:22 PM            

Starbucks Corp. (Nasdaq:SBUX - news) on Friday said it would stop selling Chantico, a rich chocolate drink introduced with much fanfare last year, because it was not adaptable to different customer tastes.

In a rare flop for the fast-growing No. 1 coffee shop chain, Chantico was pulled from Starbucks' menu in January, a year after its introduction, spokesman Alan Hilowitz said.

Described as "a drinkable dessert," Chantico resembled the thick, sweet hot chocolate found in European cafes but was only available without any variations in a 6-ounce size.

In the end, that limitation irked customers who are used to dictating not only the size of their lattes and cappuccinos, but also whether they want regular or decaf coffee, non-fat, whole or soy milk, sugar-free or regular flavor shots, and even extras like whipped cream and caramel.

"It was something that customers did like, but they wanted to be able to do something else with it," Hilowitz said. "We wanted to go back and give customers what they are looking for."

The chain is testing other kinds of chocolate beverages and food offerings, Hilowitz said, but added that they were unlikely to resemble the now-defunct Chantico.

posted February 28, 2006 11:02 AM            

Tuesday, February 28, 2006

CHICAGO — Leave it to the Dutch to help demonstrate the health benefits of chocolate. A study of older men in The Netherlands, known for its luscious chocolate, indicated those who ate the equivalent of one-third of a chocolate bar every day had lower blood pressure and a reduced risk of death.

The researchers say, however, it's too early to conclude it was chocolate that led to better health. The men who ate more cocoa products could have shared other qualities that made them healthier. Experts also point out that eating too much chocolate can make you fat — a risk for both heart disease and high blood pressure.

"It's way too early to make recommendations about whether people should eat more cocoa or chocolate," said Brian Buijsse, a nutritional epidemiologist at Wageningen University in The Netherlands, who co-authored the study.

Still, the Dutch study, supported by grants from the Netherlands Prevention Foundation, appears to be the largest so far to document a health effect for cocoa beans. And it confirms findings of smaller, shorter-term studies that also linked chocolate with lower blood pressure.

The findings, published in Monday's Archives of Internal Medicine, are based on data collected for more than a decade on Dutch men who were ages 65 and older in 1985. The long-running Zutphen Elderly Study has been used by other researchers to look for risk factors for chronic disease.

This time, researchers examined the eating habits of 470 healthy men who were not taking blood pressure medicine. The men who ate the most products made from cocoa beans — including cocoa drinks, chocolate bars and chocolate pudding — had lower blood pressure and a 50 percent lower risk of death.

The men ate the equivalent of about 10 grams of chocolate a day.

Cocoa beans contain flavanols, which are thought to increase nitric oxide in the blood and improve the function of blood vessels.

"This is a very important article providing epidemiological support for what many researchers have been observing in experimental models," said Cesar Fraga of the University of California Davis, who does similar research but was not involved in the new study.

Buijsse noted the men eating the most cocoa products were not heavier or bigger eaters than the men who ate less cocoa.

Could the study results apply to women?

posted March 09, 2006 09:56 AM            

The Associated Press
Updated: 9:59 p.m. ET March 8, 2006

Some prominent nutrition experts put out new guidelines Wednesday urging Americans to cut back on calorie-rich sodas while allowing more leeway for alcohol and lots of room for tea and coffee -- up to 40 ounces a day.

That's more than three tall cups at Starbucks, although that might bust suggested limits on caffeine.

They also allow men three times as much beer as sugary soda.

The report was paid for by the corporate parent of Lipton Tea, which is now using the scientists' advice to advertise tea's benefits.

The nutritionists say they didn't know the extent of Lipton's marketing campaign, and the company didn't play a role in the recommendations, which generally urge people to drink more water.

But beverage industry spokesmen and other nutritionists found fault with several of the guidelines. For example, whole milk is out, but moderate alcohol is OK.

In fact, the scientists say men can drink as much as 24 ounces of beer a day -- more than the 16 ounces of low-fat milk or soy drinks they suggest, and three times their recommended limit for fruit juice.

The beverage industry also seized on the accompanying marketing campaign by Lipton, a part of Unilever Health Institute, which gave about $40,000 to finance the report. The company plans full-page ads in USA Today featuring the guidelines with a coupon for $2 off tea.

Among the scientists who wrote the guidelines is Dr. Walter Willett, chairman of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health and a widely quoted expert on numerous nutritional topics. He said he was unaware of the details of the marketing effort and wished it had not included such blatant promotion.

"This was sort of a new experience," he said of working with a private sponsor, whose $4,000 share of the fees he turned over to charity. Willett said the company had no role in what the scientists recommended.

"This was done with complete freedom to come to whatever conclusions we came to," he said.

The guidelines were published Wednesday in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. In general, they urge Americans to drink water and limit both sugar-sweetened and naturally sweetened drinks. Unsweetened tea and coffee are seen as acceptable substitutes for water.

Americans should limit beverages to 10 percent to 14 percent of their total calories -- half what they comprise now, the group advised.

The panel of six scientists was assembled by Barry Popkin at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, a longtime advocate of curbs on soda. He said he did so because federal dietary guidelines, including the food pyramid, focus on food and miss a significant contributor of calories.

One of every five calories in the average American's diet is liquid, something that doesn't produce the sense of fullness that food does. The portion of daily calories coming from sugar-sweetened drinks has roughly doubled over two decades, contributing to the nation's obesity problem, the report contends.

"We were quite dissatisfied" that federal guidelines and other advice focus on foods and general topics like dairy products, but don't spell out how much people should consume of each type of beverage, Popkin said.

In their guidelines, the nutritionists recommend 20 to 50 ounces of water a day. If other beverages are preferred, they recommend these daily limits for adults:

Unsweetened tea or coffee, up to 40 ounces.
Low-fat or skim milk and soy beverages, up to 16 ounces.
Diet soda and other non-caloric sweet drinks, up to 32 ounces.
Beverages with some nutrients, such as juice, up to 8 ounces.
Alcoholic beverages, one drink a day for women and two for men. A drink equals 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, 1.5 ounces spirits.
Sugar-sweetened drinks like soda, no more than 8 ounces. (Standard soft drink cans are 12 ounces.)

"Fruit smoothies are usually high-calorie versions of fruit drinks and, therefore, are not recommended," the report says. Likewise for whole milk, which contains high amounts of fat.

Besides Popkin and Willett, other members of the group were Dr. George Bray of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La.; Balz Frei, an Oregon State University biochemist; Dr. Benjamin Caballero, an obesity researcher at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; and Lawrence E. Armstrong, a physiologist at the University of Connecticut. Frei is a scientific adviser to Unilever.

The American Beverage Association says the report "has many factual shortcomings that are at odds with the USDA Dietary Guidelines -- including the misguided suggestion that it's healthier to drink more alcohol than sweetened beverages and, in some scenarios, drink more tea than water."

"It also has a minuscule role for skim milk or low-fat milk in the diet," the association's statement says. "And there is no credible scientific rationale for limiting diet soft drinks to four servings per day."

Lisa Kadic, a dietitian and longtime consultant to the food and beverage industry, took issue with the report's contention that studies suggest some alcohol in moderation has health benefits.

"It did look like alcohol was being positioned as a better choice than (non-diet) soft drinks," she said.

While many studies have suggested some benefits from moderate alcohol, such advice has long been contentious because of alcohol's risks.

An expert on nutrition and food policy who had no role in the report, New York University biologist Marion Nestle, said the panel's recommendations generally make good sense.

posted March 16, 2006 09:26 AM            

(Southern Living) -- Texans consider seeing the bluebonnets abloom in the Hill Country a true rite of passage. For those of us merely passing through this time of year, the experience borders on pure joy.

Named for their tender bonnet-shaped petals, the flowers grow wild in the Lone Star State. Try as they might, experts can't always predict their exact arrival. Most years, the first blooms begin to freckle the roadsides and meadows in March and reach their peak in mid-April, though it's not uncommon for the blooms to last into May.

Finding the best blooms is akin to sport in Texas. Most locals will direct you to their favorite spots if you ask politely. The tourism folks will sell you maps that illustrate loops and trails that have been fruitful in the past. Or you can do what we did -- just get in the car, and explore at will.

In addition to bluebonnets, you'll also find those things that are quintessentially Texas -- barbecue joints, dance halls, and small towns filled with quirky characters. But we found some surprises. All across the region, sophisticated restaurants take Texas cuisine to new heights. Vintners plant new wineries every year. Well-established artists are generating a groundswell of interest in cutting-edge art.

So gas up your car, and head to the Hill Country. While you're following the trails where the bluebonnets grow, take some time to explore these unexpected pleasures.

Land of wine and wildflowers
"The Hill Country really sparkles this time of year," Richard Becker muses as he surveys the fields at Becker Vineyards near Stonewall. Even on this sleepy Monday, a steady stream of visitors drops by the tasting room to sample the dozen wines made here. It's a testament to the popularity of the Hill Country Wine Trail that features area wineries.

Visitors can pick up a brochure or visit http://www.texaswinetrail.com/ for a map and directions to the wineries. On April 21-23 and 28-30, the wineries will host a special Wine & Wildflower Trail celebration.

Because the Hill Country is one of the fastest growing wine-producing regions in the country, some believe the area is on track to become the next Napa Valley.

"That remains to be seen," cautions Richard. "It all depends on the quality of the wines we're able to produce. Right now, our wines taste really good, but only time will tell if we can consistently produce excellent wines."

A new taste of Texas
The Lone Star State has long been synonymous with barbecue, burgers and beer halls. But fresh produce and regional ingredients are now finding their way onto menus.

Locals and visitors alike embrace Cuvée, a wine bar, market and bistro that opened in Fredericksburg three years ago. Although the menu features some 300 wines, with 50 served by the glass, owner and sommelier Len White makes affordability a priority. "Anyone can get you a great bottle of wine for $100," says Len. "I try to get people interested in different kinds of styles of wine in the $18 to $28 range."

The market is a find for travelers too. The ever-changing gourmet takeaway menu features delights such as chicken-and-truffle lasagna, smoked beef tenderloin salad and roasted tomato soup. Len's wife, Stephanie, makes fresh-baked bread and homemade pastries and offers an array of cheeses, meats, and patés.

August E's has the look and feel of a great old Texas establishment, but the menu is nouveau Texas. The chink-and-mortar train depot was transported from Greeley, Colorado, and reconstructed about 5 miles east of Fredericksburg. On the back, there's also a westward-facing terrace that features a bar and two outdoor fireplaces.

You can get the traditional inch-thick aged Prime rib eye, grilled to perfection over a mesquite fire. But the menu also boasts Asian-inspired dishes such as the restaurant's signature Saigon Spring Rolls and Vietnamese-style mixed grill with duck, short ribs and garlic shrimp stir-fried with jasmine rice.

Unique crop of galleries
The Hill Country's vast skies and wide-open spaces seem to inspire the creativity in all of us. Recently, there's been a rising interest in fine art. In 2005, Italian artist Benini and wife Lorraine launched a series of events called Arts Encounters at their 140-acre ranch east of Johnson City.

On the last weekend of each month, the couple hosts noted artists from around the world and invites the public to attend free of charge. If they call ahead, visitors are also welcome to visit Benini's 14,000-square-foot gallery or drive through his Sculpture Ranch.

Debra Goldstein opened her contemporary art gallery in a restored turn-of-the-century limestone building in Johnson City.

"It always surprises me when people come in and go, 'Wow! What's this doing here?' " she confesses. "It's like it doesn't belong here. I think fine art belongs everywhere."

Goldstein admits it took locals a while to warm up to her gallery, Debra Goldstein Fine Art, but now she feels very much a part of the community. "This is a church-going town," she says. "There are more churches here than there are restaurants. But on Sunday afternoon, if people have visitors in from out of town, they bring them here to show off the gallery."

Cycle Texas
The Hill Country is a haven for cycling enthusiasts. A vast network of paved farm roads links ranches and creates a perfect surface for road riders. The region's abundance of natural areas also offers many opportunities for mountain bikers.

posted March 23, 2006 05:07 PM            

March 23, 2006: 3:46 PM EST

NEW YORK (Reuters) - It seemed like the perfect gimmick: a celebrity porn star would launch her own wine, with her alluring picture on the label.

Savanna Samson did just that. But when the wine received a score of 90 to 91 out of 100 from guru Robert Parker, the project became serious. It turns out Samson, the star of "The New Devil in Miss Jones," has produced an exceptional wine, becoming the toast of two industries: wine-making and pornography.

"I never wanted to just do gimmick. That would just happen with me being a porn star, me having a photographer shoot the label, how risque could I get on the label -- all those things," Samson, the stage name for 31-year-old Natalie Oliveros, said in an interview.

The seriousness of the idea was lining up a respected wine maker. So she convinced Italy's Robert Cipresso -- also a vintner to the Vatican -- to join the project.

Samson went to Tuscany and tasted dozens of Cipresso's Italian-grown varieties, then she selected a mix of 70 percent Cesanese, 20 percent Sangiovese and 10 percent Montepulciano. She ordered over 400 cases.

"I knew I wanted Roberto to make my wine -- I just love his passion for wine," said Samson.

The result is Sogno Uno, a 2004 vintage of an Italian red wine packaged under the Savanna name with a label of Samson in a see-through gown. It was launched last month.

Parker has been called the most influential wine critic in the world, and a score of 90 to 95 denotes "an outstanding wine of exceptional complexity and character."

"Trust me, I didn't add any points for Ms. Samson's personal presentation," Parker wrote in his review.

Naughty and spice
Samson is one of the biggest names in pornography, having won best actress in the Adult Video News Awards, the pornographic equivalent of the Oscars, and another AVN Award for a scene she shared with Jenna Jameson in last year's "The Masseuse." She has made two dozen porn flicks.

The wine "really represents who I am," said Samson.

"There's spiciness -- the Cesanese has the naughty side of me. And yet it's an elegant wine. I love the opera, and I'm a classically trained ballet dancer. And there is some chocolate undertone, which I just love. There's a little bit of sweetness. Like, 10 percent of the time I'm sweet," she said.

She is working on a white wine -- Sogno Due -- that could be out later this year, and also has ideas of expanding into champagne, ice wine and grappa.

Samson, who was raised Catholic in upstate New York, said it was pure coincidence that Cipresso also sells wines to the Vatican. She met him through her husband, a wine merchant.

"My priest said in Mass once, 'Violence or pleasures of the flesh. What is the greater of two evils?' I think we all know the answer. I felt like he was saying that toward me," she said.

Still, she never had her parent's blessing for her career choice as an adult movie star. "They were so devastated. They were terribly, terribly upset."

posted March 29, 2006 05:53 PM            

France's government said Wednesday it will soon allow vintners to flavor their wine with wood shavings — a moneysaving shortcut to help face off tough international competition, and a reform that immediately angered purists.

It was a sharp break in tradition: Flavoring wine with wood chips was, until recently, a technique that France's vintners were proud to have nothing to do with. But many vineyard owners, whose fortunes have flagged in recent years, now want access to the same techniques as their competitors.

Wood chips can be added to wines to give them an oak flavor without using expensive wooden barrels. Such cost-cutting tactics are already common across the rest of the winemaking world, including Australia and the Americas.

"The use of wood shavings is already authorized by the European Community and will soon be entered into national regulation," the Agriculture Ministry said in a statement after a meeting with representatives of winemaking regions.

The goal is to "open up the range of authorized winemaking practices," the statement said.

"It is a remarkable and very realistic advance — it's practically miraculous," said Roland Feredj, director of a Bordeaux wine council known by the initials CIVB. "In general, France always wants to give lessons to the rest of the world, and in winemaking we are realizing that the Australians and the Americans also have things to teach us about wine regulations."

The government announced a 90 million euro ($108 million) plan last week to help the French wine industry, which is suffering from overproduction, dropping consumption in France and competition abroad. Of that, 12 million euros ($14.4 million) will go toward boosting exports, Agriculture Minister Dominique Bussereau said Wednesday in parliament. The money will pay for studies and panels, as well as a new logo to promote French wines.

"We have to make wine for consumers, not wine that producers dream of," Bernard Pomel, the author of a wine report commissioned by the ministry, told Le Figaro newspaper.

Beyond allowing the use of wood shavings, the government also will permit broader use of techniques to lower wines' alcohol content, the ministry statement said.

Nicolas Ronceray, who works at a small wine bar in Paris, believes the reform will chip away at the very strengths of French wines: their timeless appeal despite fads, and their diversity.

"In the end, we are going to make wines like we make food at McDonald's," said Ronceray, whose bar specializes in wines from small, traditional vineyards.

posted April 05, 2006 09:44 AM            

California wine sales in the United States hit another record in 2005, a rise experts attribute to a combination of factors from the Supreme Court weighing in on wine shipments to the vino-centric movie, "Sideways."

"Wine is enjoying this wonderful moment of very favorable attitudes," said industry consultant Jon Fredrikson, who compiled the figures released Monday by the San Francisco-based Wine Institute.

California wine shipments to U.S. markets amounted to 441 million gallons at a retail value of $16.5 billion, said Fredrikson, publisher of the Gomberg-Fredrikson Report. That was up 3 percent from the 2004 record-setting 428 million gallons, which had a retail value of about $15 billion.

Total California shipments to domestic and international markets was 532 million gallons, up from 523 million gallons in 2004.

About two out of every three bottles of wine sold in the United States comes from California. Looking at sales of all wine, including other states and foreign producers, domestic sales grew by about 5 percent to 703 million gallons valued at $26 billion.

Sales have been growing ever since 1991 when CBS' "60 Minutes" did a story on the perceived health benefits of wine.

But the rate of growth picked up about four years, Fredrikson said, in part because of the introduction of "supervalues," such as Two Buck Chuck, the nickname of Charles Shaw wines that sell for $1.99 in California.

The success of the wine road trip movie "Sideways," which opened in the fall of 2004, and last summer's Supreme Court shipping ruling — forcing states to treat local and out-of-state wineries equally — added to the momentum, Fredrikson said.

"I characterize it as wine finally really getting traction with the American public," he said.

Looking at wine by price, sales of wines $7 and above grew 13 percent, while wines under $7 declined 2 percent. As in 2004, red wine edged out whites with 41.7 percent of the market versus 41 percent. Blush wine accounted for the remaining 17 percent.

At Joseph Phelps Vineyards in St. Helena, president Tom Shelton was glad to see sales on the upswing, but noted that U.S. consumption of wine still lags totals elsewhere.

"Clearly, there's a lot of room for wine to continue its consumption growth," he said.

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