DISCOUNT WINE CELLARS

There was a bottle lined-up with the other Californian offerings at the store, and I thought I had heard of it somewhere before. Chablis. The name resonated way back to my pre-wine consciousness. Why was that name so familiar? I don't recall every tasting any. Then I read-up on the wine I was planning to drink, discovering that 'chablis' has long been synonymous with 'white wine'. I must have heard reference made to chablis in movies, on television, and at my parents' parties. Now often associated with cheap wine, its value has deteriorated over the years. Actually, my choice was very cheap which was why I bought it.
According to Jordan Mackay this is unfortunate and ironic since Chablis comes from the Burgundy region of France. That is, one of the most famous wine regions in the world, known for producing high-quality products, bottles suitable for the wine cellar. Moreover, chablis is actually chardonnay. The only differences are that chablis is bottled without oak, and usually misses the tropical qualities of a chardonnay which would likely be produced in a hotter climate. Without oak, vanilla, toast, and spice or also supposedly gone. Instead, chablis relies on the flavors of the grape itself: green apple, lemon and pear. Sounds alright to me. I don't mind the sound of mineral undertones either, but the grainy texture I'm expected to experience does nothing to excite me.
Then again, the bottle in front of me is from California, which is where we get so much of that tropical, fruity, oaky chardonnay. Perhaps it isn't best to have any expectations. I'll just drink and enjoy.

Labels: Burgundy, California, chablis, Chardonnay, cheap wine, Discount Wine Cellars, France, wine cellar, wine cellars

L'Espalier is one of the most expensive restaurants in the United States. Located in Boston, a meal there can cost dearly. Chef McClelland's tasting menu costs $185 per/person. For those of you willing to splurge on the tastes of a great restaurant and the skills of a sommelier, L'espalier offers some interesting events which cost quite a bit less (though you may still need to go for a burger later or sell a kidney on E-bay.)
Every Monday, this Boston gem offers a themed 'wine' night. Apparently, the chef and the wine director get together in the cellar, open bottles, talk about combinations of food and wine. Sounds unrealistically civilized, but beats sitting in the pub listening to some guy tell jokes about a Scotsman, an Englishman, and an Irishman. These wine-tasting events are meant to be casual, to encourage conversation between participants, and are hosted by Erich Shliebe, the sommelier. Everyone is welcome: you don't need to be an expert, just rich enough to afford $60 for the privilege. For this money participants will also enjoy a 4 course tasting menu 'composed' by Chef McClelland, from which some items eventually find their way to the main menu. You could be a high-flying guinea pig. Upcoming themes include the Loir and the Rhone; Spring Fling; March Madness; and for Easter, rose colored glasses.
I was taught to know that when no price is indicated on an item, I cannot afford it. Cheese Tuesday at L'Espalier does not show a price, at least not on the website, so I guess I couldn't even peak there. I might get charged an eyeballing fee. Here, sommelier and fromager combine their talents to offer a 'grand cheese tasting' along with music and a 3-course meal with paired wines. The next series is New England Cheeses from the Shy Brothers (March 23rd). After that, try cheese and chocolate. I would, except for the cheese. I'd have double the chocolate, though.
Oh yeah, I can't even afford oxygen in L'Espalier. Oh well.

Labels: 48 bottle wine cellar, Boston, Discount Wine Cellars, gourmet food, lead free crystal, wine cellars

There are two reasons for wine-lovers to purchase bottles for their wine cellar: one is to drink later; the other is to sell later for a profit. Usually, both of these reasons come into play. A bottle of wine can rise in value exponentially over fifteen or twenty years if the wine and the vintage are very good. Investors will look to reliable wines which have historically proven to be profitable. These have usually been French Bordeaux wines, but other countries are emerging as high-quality retailers as well.
For example, Screaming Eagle is a Californian 'cult' winery, meaning that it only produces a tiny amount of its wine each year. This wine is Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Screaming Eagle has a waiting list of people wanting to buy their wine in spite of the fact that a 2007 is currently listed at $1234.83Canadian.
A more reasonable purchase which will grow in value to be well worth the price you pay now is something such as the Italian Sassicaia. A 1995 375 ml example is priced at $129.17, but earlier examples are worth 10 times that amount. The Sassicaia is dominantly made up of Cabernet Sauvignon, and a small amount of Cabernet Franc. The wine is French-oak aged for 24 months then bottle-refined for 6 months.
Another reliable option is Vintage Port, and familiar names enter this list such as Fonseca and Croft. One important point to note is that wine (if purchased wisely and using only reputable dealers) is more reliable an investment than the stock market, as long as you keep the temperature correctly controlled and insure your investment.

Labels: 144 bottle instant wine cellar, aging wine, cooling units, Discount Wine Cellars, wine cellars

According to the 'Palate Press' (who write about other stuff besides the Haiti auction by the way), Quady of Central California was voted as best US Winery in the 2009 London International Wine and Spirits Competition. Quady himself was surprised, but apparently these dessert wines do well in the UK. I was especially surprised to see that a mainly dessert-wine producer won this award, coming out of California, as California is better known for its Napa wineries, chardonnay, and pinot noir (among others). Dessert wine rarely gets the recognition that these drier varieties enjoy.
A quick look over their website shows that Quady is moving from purely dessert wines into muscat, port, vermouth, sherry and apertifs. These include the new Palomino Fino, an Amontillado style sherry which is biodynamically grown from Palomino grapes. Biodynamics is one of the more sustainable forms of agriculture, relying heavily on composting and an 'holistic' approach to the job. In the nose, the Fino gives off hazelnuts (I love hazelnuts). The finish is light and smooth. Another new bottle is Deviation, a sweet drink yet with a dry finish. On the page for this offering you will find recipes for cocktails to make with Deviation.
There are other wines too, but what I found fun about this website is the way it incorporates wine with food. They accessorize each other. There is a recipe section embedded right in the website. Clearly, these people enjoy a meal in the same holistic sense that they look after their vineyards. I also enjoyed the colors and designs of the wine bottles which were a fireworks display of joy. I would almost call it a 'passionate' website, if computers can do that word justice. Any of these bottles would add a beautiful splash of color to your wine cellar.

Labels: dessert wine, Discount Wine Cellars, sherry, wine cellar, wine cellars

Each year, pundits consider social and consumer behaviour of the previous year to come up with what they suspect will be the trends for the coming twelve months. This year, the people at 'Fine Wines' have singled out ten of the many trends, some of which can be easily associated with the habits of consumers out to fill their wine cellars.
If your choice is between several bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon and they all look good, experts suggest that you will likely pick the bottle which was either made with some recycled glass, comes in an eco-friendly container, is associated with a charity, or a combination of these. Many businesses may not see the value of limiting choices when it comes to environmentally friendly packaging, but shoppers have the right to 'vote with their feet' as my husband always says. What this means is that if you don't like the practises of one winery, don't buy their wine. Put your money where your mouth is. This year, consumers will be doing this more than ever.
They also want to see that the purchase of their perks will be helpful to someone else, be it a penguin or a child in need. Right now, Tinhorn Creek is donating part proceeds from their wines to Boys and Girls Clubs from Victoria to Calgary. They also use up to 50% recycled glass, prevent rodents from damaging their vines with non-toxic measures, and are heavily into composting. The Little Penguin supports the Penguin Foundation of Australia, and donate some proceeds of sales to this organization.
All of this means that doing something which you enjoy - ie. drinking wine - will feel better than ever.

Labels: 192 bottle instant wine cellar, Australia, charity, Discount Wine Cellars, environment, wine cellars

Everyone I've ever spoken to about New Zealand either really wants to go or has been and thinks it's fabulous. I'm very curious about this country, birth place of my favorite singer-songwriter Neil Finn (Split Enz, Crowded House). There are also a lot of very good wines coming out of New Zealand. You could taste some of these if you went to New Zealand for the Kia Motors Devonport Food and Music Festival, February 20th and 21st at Windsor Reserve, Devonport, Auckland. This is a fundraiser for their branch of the Rotary Club. Tickets cost $30 per/person, $55 per/family. That's NZ money, of course, so what that means in the northern hemisphere I have no idea.
Fifteen of the top New Zealand wineries will be at this event. I wondered as I read this: 'what are the top wineries in New Zealand?' It's hard to even know what is meant by the word 'top': top-selling? Award winning? I looked for some New Zealand wines and found a few award-winners.
'Melton Estate' produces under this name and also 'Front Row'. This is a boutique vineyard making sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, riesling and chardonnay. 'Waitiri Creek' offers a similar array of wines, as does 'Gibbston Valley'.
Matua Valley Winery is another award winning boutique winery offering the same range of wines as above, plus a few others such as viognier, merlot, and gewurztraminer. They have quite a selection to peruse.
I would go to New Zealand to thicken my CD collection, my wine cellar, and to experience all the rest of that beautiful country's charms. I know what my husband would say: 'if you want to us to be able to afford a trip to New Zealand, you'd better write faster.'

Labels: 63 bottle wine cellar, Chardonnay, Discount Wine Cellars, New Zealand, wine cellars

During a recent meeting for an upcoming fundraiser an interesting suggestion was made. Where items donated for auction were of a fairly small value, combine them to make bigger baskets that looked more exciting and might draw larger bids. Everyone at the table thought this was a very intelligent suggestion. Among the items were some wooden wine accessories valued at around $30Cdn. Hmmm, what would go with wine accessories?
Of course - wine! This yielded the suggestion of trying to get a bottle of wine to go with the basket. When I asked Recline Ridge for a wine at the wholesale price, they donated not just a bottle but an entire basket which will stand alone. So, back to getting just the one bottle. In the end we found one ourselves, a classy white that would pair nicely with the wooden items, and last a little while in a wine cellar. It's called 'Shuswap Serenade' and the name alone is suggestive of Valentine's Day, little stones thrown against a window, someone singing under a balcony to his true love.
A bottle of wine transforms any silent auction basket into a very classy item and adds at least a ten dollar value to it, sometimes more). I should know: Salmon Arm must be the 'silent auction' capital of the province, there's one somewhere in town every second week. I never have the winning bid though.
A basket is up for grabs at one of our two local malls, but not as part of a silent auction. It belongs to a 'sweetheart package' raffle which anyone can enter without purchase. Items have been donated by merchants to encourage shoppers into the place.
Of course, I entered. Watch this space to see if I win.

Labels: 48 bottle wine cellar, auction, charity, Discount Wine Cellars, dry white wine, wine accessories, wine cellars

Right on a beautiful stretch of river, frequented by swans and many other birds, in the quiet village of Mara is the Mara Station Retreat Centre. Here residential retreats are offered for people living with life-threatening illness and their partners or caregivers. Participants learn pain management techniques, meditation, nutrition and much more. The idea is to live with joy and meaning throughout life, no matter how little time one might have left.
The cost of retreats is high because of the professionals running seminars, the resources, the organic foods etc. The Society is non-profit. That's why they do fundraising, including a Chocolate and Diamonds Gala this Saturday the 13th in Salmon Arm, BC, at our elegant art gallery. There will be chocolate tasting, ballroom dancing, wine sold by the glass or the bottle by Recline Ridge (who are also donating a silent auction basket), a live auction, music, and the chance to win a diamond pendant.
I'm definitely going, but not because of the diamond pendant (worth $500 and donated by Enderby Jewellers), but because I'm on the fundraising committee and will be liasing with the MC, my friend Ron Langridge. I will also be dressing-up which is always fun, even when you're not a kid anymore. In fact, moreso because I hardly ever have cause to dress in anything but jeans and my favourite hoodie. I'll be wearing a low-cut strappy black dress, but don't let that scare you.
The communities of Salmon Arm, Enderby, Mara and others have been very generous in donating items for the silent and live auctions, plus goodies to taste. Most people relate to the Society's purpose since hardly anyone has not been touched by cancer, MS, Alzheimers or some other terrible disease. But even though the topic is serious, that doesn't mean we can't have fun, buy some great wine for our cellars, indulge in chocolate, or win a wonderful Valentine's Day gift for someone (just in the nick of time).
Which timing is usual for Valentine's Day, isn't it?

Labels: 96 bottle instant wine cellar, British Columbia, chocolate, diamonds, Discount Wine Cellars, Valentines Day wine charms, wine cellars, wine charity

I don't know why, but New Hampshire wasn't the first place I thought of when considering where there might be a wine festival. Still, in retrospect, the location makes sense when I recall that it is January. Winter wine should be consumed at a wintery location. Their festival started mid-January but continues into mid-February, even encompassing Valentine's Day while they're at it.
If this gets you interested, then take note: the website shows many events sold out, and while Feb. 14th isn't yet, it probably soon will be so take your girlfriend/boyfriend/spouse/grandmother there before space runs out. The title is 'Veuve Clicquot Champagne Grand Vintner's Dinner with Chef Pierre Gignac of 98 Provence'. The reception is at 6pm with a four course dinner beginning at 7pm. A little late for me, but then if I was there, my stomach would still say it was only mid-afternoon, so perfect really. The cost is steep: $129.95 per/person, and although we on the west coast are behind by the clock, we count money the same way. Still, the plan is to create a 'Sweetheart Menu' which, at that price, has to include chocolate in some way. Otherwise what kind of a Valentine's gift would that make?
There are lots of dinners at the wine festival with high prices and gourmet chefs attached. There is also the chance to purchase wine at outlet prices if you arrive on February 7th from 1-4. Fill your wine cellar with the good stuff you can't normally afford. Another cheaper event is the regular 'Flight Night' happening every Tuesday-Thursay from 5-7pm at the Roosevelt's Lounge. Here you can sample free hors d'ouevres and have wine paired with them by guest professionals. The price is from $10-$18 per/night depending on the wines selected.
Then start counting down: spring isn't far away.

Labels: 192 bottle instant wine cellar, Discount Wine Cellars, gifts, gourmet food, Valentine's Day, wine cellars, wine festival, wine pairing

Now that I'm looking for them, the number of wine-related events across BC is astounding. Whether an individual is looking for education or a pairing of food and wine, there is always something to choose from. For example, Hester Creek Estate Winery in the Okanagan has a seminar series going, with 'Understanding Your Palate' coming January 28th. This event features Sommelier Jay Drysdale, VQA store liason. I don't know what he will break out for the tasting, but one bottle on the website caught my eye: the Trebbiano. Not only have I never heard of this wine before, but the tasting notes interest me: melon, honeysuckle, white peach and lavender in the nose; creamy with tropical fruit in the mouth. My kind of wine, and under $20 Cdn per/bottle, though only 1,000 cases produced. Definitely the topic for an upcoming tasting and article.
For a Victoria wine event, try 'Shopping for Wine 101' with Robin Granewell. Learn to choose, pair, and identify wine, and taste a bit too. Cost is $25, 6:30 to 8:00pm. Take this opportunity to plan how you will fill your wine cellar. Victoria is a beautiful city, the best-known area of Vancouver Island (the far west coast, with Tofino, Uclulet and Long Beach, is also stunning if less rich in modern cultural monuments). The Natural History Museum is a wonderful place for all ages to explore British Columbia through the centuries, including their rich First Nations history. We like the bug museum where my kids held a praying mantas and flinched at the sight of a bird-eating spider. They also have some creepy bug-related gifts.
Which is when a glass of wine will likely come in handy to steady the nerves. There is a harbour in Victoria, so be careful to go there first, drink after. There are massive squid in those depths which are scary enough viewed from behind glass when one is completely sober.

Labels: 72 bottle instant wine cellar, British Columbia, Discount Wine Cellars, Trebbiano, wine cellars

Returning to the Palate Press for an update on their 'Wine Auction for Haiti' has yielded some impressive results so far. Already, Lot 3, 'Twisted Oak Vertical', has sold for $350. This is $100 more than the retail value of this unique offering. Lot 3 is a vertical of all versions of 'The Spaniard' from 2002 up to 2007. Twisted Oak offered this Lot with free shipping, an added bonus. The highest bid for Sara Nelson print 'Wine Goddess', Lot 5, is $300 so far. Watch this one: at $500 retail value, this could be a great gift for someone.
Rodney Strong 'Rockaway', 6.0L, Lot 2, currently has a $350 bid. I wonder if anyone will get near the $600 value of this donation. Meanwhile, the 2004 Shafer Vineyards Hillside Select 3.0L, valued at $1032, is also hot. The last bid currently stands at $1100, with bidding due to close soon on this item.
Think Wine Marketing gave away one of only 18 Radio-Coteau Savoy Anderson Valley magnums ever made. Worth $125.00, the bidding currently holds at $200.
One item which really got my attention is the pairing of two wine cellar items: 'Vina Valoria Rioja', Spain 1968, and 'Balbach, Warsteiner Klostergarten Trockenbeerenauslese', Germany 1976. Together, Lot 19 is worth $700. Right now they can boast a bid of $400. The latter name alone made me pause for a long time, and certainly had me double-checking my spelling very carefully.
What all of these donations and bids shows is how emotionally involved we are over the devestation in Haiti, especially when seen as part of a larger trend. Today in our local mall, kids from one grade 5 class were selling homemade cupcakes for Haiti. Their Saturday off and these kids are spending it trying to raise money for people they've never met, yet feel connected to.
Twenty-five cents for a cupcake; $400 for a bottle of wine: whatever you do, however much you raise, however much money you donate, it all adds up, so keep going. They're going to need every gift you can give.

Labels: 63 bottle wine cellar, Discount Wine Cellars, Haiti relief, vertical wine tasting, wine cellars

Public service groups and charities always need volunteers. These include individuals who make and serve food in soup kitchens; minister to the emotional needs of the hungry or the homeless; support workers on crisis lines; administrators and door-to-door people with pledge forms. Charities also need gifts of money from supporters who, for whatever reason, don't get involved but who are glad to combine pleasure with philanthropy. Without them, food banks and shelters would go bust.
This is why something like 'The Main Event' on Vancouver BC's refurbished Main Street is such a good way to make money for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. I mean, sure, chowing down on gourmet food while people starve is ironic, but patrons are going to do that anyway. Why not make their money count? I'm involved in a fundraiser right now and the nail-biter is: will people show-up? On the other hand, a venue where your clientelle is already there makes for an effective fundraiser.
Restaurants all along this newly chic strip of Vancouver, with its art galleries and specialty shops, are offering prix fixe 3-course meals for $25-$45. Patrons alone, however, cannot make an event like this work. 'The Main Event' needs sponsors also.
Among these are two award-winning wineries: Peller Estates and Sandhill. Sandhill was recently voted winery of the year by Canada's National Wine Magazine, Wine Access. On top of that accolade were 21 medals, including White Wine of the Year for their Small Lot 2008 Viognier and Red Wine of the Year for their Small Lot 2007 Syrah. Peller Estates, like Sandhill, has won numerous awards, among them Gold medals from Tasters Guild International for two Family Series wines: 2008 Riesling and 2007 Cabernet Merlot.
There is also one winery I don't know much about, but which has a very interesting name: Funky Llama. I wonder if their wines are as funky as their name?
The Main Event started on the 18th of January, but there's still time to get to Vancouver and enjoy some mild winter weather until the event closes on the 24th. Your wine cellar can do without you this weekend for a good cause.

Labels: 63 bottle wine cellar, breast cancer awareness wine charms, Discount Wine Cellars, wine cellar, wine cellars

The abbreviation VQA has always had me wondering: is this assurance supposed to really mean something? What do the letters stand for. This would make a good party game: what does VQA really stand for? Now, let's come up with some silly alternative? Very Questionable Age? Vast Quantities Accepted? Surely someone out there can do better, and I encourage your attempts (nothing crude, please).
'Vintner Quality Alliance' is the actual meaning of VQA, and it does give me some assurance. After all, those belonging to the monitoring board (used in BC and in Ontario) have standards to maintain which they are passing on to you. These include:
-a wine classified as 100% BC wine must be exactly that
-if a viticultural area is named, 95% of the grapes used must be from there
-if a date is specified, 95% of grapes must have been harvested in that year
-the board tastes the wine to ensure quality

Recently there was controversy over a wine which has been produced in in support of the Vancouver Winter Olympics coming this February. You may know the name as I've already reviewed one of their wines favorably. I'm talking about the Jackson-Triggs Esprit Series. It would appear that the Malbec I drank is likely to fit the above standards, though not all of their Esprit wines have done. One reason for this has been poor harvests in the years when their special series was first being established. They are making every effort they can to correct this problem to create a truly Canadian product.
Don't worry, lots of wineries use grapes from more than one location to produce a single vintage. Still, it doesn't hurt to ask yourself if a label tells you what you want to know. For those of you who are especially concerned about drinking wine from a particular region, or in knowing the location of the entire winemaking from growing, to harvesting, to your wine cellar, my advice is to read the small print. As far as I'm concerned, the controversy over J-T wines didn't change my verdict at all: their Malbec was still a lovely glass of wine. I just won't always be so satisfied as to the true origins of any wine until I do some checking first.

Labels: 192 bottle instant wine cellar, 2010 Olympics, British Columbia, Discount Wine Cellars, Jackson-Triggs, VQA, wine cellar wine cellars, wine cellars, wine glass

So far, at least in Canada, I have found three wineries who are officially supporting the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, Paralympics, and Canadian athletes through wine sales. I have already taken a look at the Jackson-Triggs Esprit Series. Now consider two more Canadian wineries: Sumac Ridge in Summerland BC and Inniskillin Wineries, located in Ontario and BC.
Sumac Ridge has produced a Non-Vintage Sparkling wine in the Methode Classique style, touted as smelling of citrus with tangy apple in the mouth. Inniskillin launched its Vidal Icewine Commemorative Edition on February 12th, 2009 in Ontario.
In the case of Inniskillin, the labels of their Commemoratice Icewine also depict art work by Canadian Gordon Halbran, making each bottle worthy of gift-giving and perhaps too precious to recycle (if you can afford a bottle at $59.95 Cdn, you don't need your 20c deposit returned). I'm not sure if one would wish to put this artistic bottle in a wine cellar, not to mention that the contents themselves are so ready to drink. With the sparkling white, one should probably only keep a bottle on the wine rack for a short time: this off-dry treat is meant to be enjoyed fairly soon after purchasing. Sumac Ridge even mentions pairing their Non-Vintage Tribute with buttered popcorn. You might want to remember that as you nervously munch away in front of the television in February, cheering on your team.

Labels: 2010 Olympics, 63 bottle wine cellar, British Columbia, Discount Wine Cellars, icewine, Ontario, sparkling, wine bottle gift box, wine cellars

There's a certain outdoorsy-ness about the Niagara Icewine Festival which makes me think icewine is very special stuff. Otherwise, why else would people endure Ontario outside in January and look like they're enjoying themselves? They could go to the liquor store and buy icewine there if they just wanted to fill their wine racks. If the fact that there is an ice carving demo during the festival doesn't tell you something, then you may want to go down to your wine cellar with a block of ice on your lap and train a desk fan at your head.
Apart from ice carving and the wine, another factor could be responsible for participants' bravery: food. Various events during the festival involve either the pairing of icewine with food, or recipes using icewine. Take, for example, January 23/24th at the Flat Rock Cellars skating pond. There one can enjoy icewine marshmallows by an open fire. Or 'The Heat is On', same days, where one can eat vegetable chowder and drink Cabernet Franc Icewine by East Dell Winery next to a two-story escarpment stone fireplace. The chefs at the festival are into the theme of cold plus wine with their 'Eskimo Kisses', a special icewine chocolate.
If you're not warmed-up by an outdoor fire, then got outside in the Heritage District of St. Catharine's on the 23rd to try some cocktails. That should do the trick.

Labels: Discount Wine Cellars, icewine, niagara grapes, wine cellar, wine cellars

Labels: Discount Wine Cellars, wine cellars

Corks were in fact flying like popcorn projectiles back on September 5 when a cargo truck carrying tons of wine bottles collided with another vehicle in Wyoming.

Labels: custom design cellar, custom wine cellar, custom wine charms, discount, discount cellars, discount wine cellar, wine bottle opener, wine bottles, wine cellars

I love reading about recent archeological discoveries, especially when they involve beauty products, wine, or jewelry. Descriptions of these findings entice my mind to drift away into another realm, only to awaken at the tinkling sound of the two wine charms on my glass. This discovery inside a noblewoman's elegant tomb made me drift off for longer than I'd expect, likely due to my imagining this ancient woman sitting in her room preparing herself for the evening. I'm sure she looked much more elegant than I do while applying her nightly facial cream.

Labels: carbon credits, carbon footprint, discount wine racks, discovery, Etrusca, supreme wine cellar sale, tomb, wine cellars, wine cellars sale, wine charms sale

Well, actually the drama is persisting everywhere BUT the wine cellar. There is absolutely no drama where the wine cubes are offsetting carbon while looking stylish and functional. Most of this emotional turbulence is the result of carelessness, forgetfulness, and the beginnings of a full-blown mid-life crisis. I might as well rush out and buy Porsche 911 now. Wait, that's what the men are supposed to do, right? Perhaps I'll just stick to sipping Semillon near the wine coffee table while mumbling to myself about needing to exercise.

Labels: carbon neutral, discount cellars, environment, offset carbon, wine cellars

Everyone should have a mullet at least once in their life. I'm planning on getting mine when I turn 80 as part of my birthday celebration. Some people get a mandatory mullet for movies just as Kristen Stewart had to do for her upcoming role as rock star Joan Jett. For those who don't know who the heck that actress is--shame on you! She's the star of Twilight. Since she's still working on the teen vampire movies I sure hope they leave her righteous mullet alone. Can you imagine how awesome it'll be to see her playing Bella with a mullet? It's just too amazing for words, but you know it won't happen. I'll just have to sit here in my wine cellar and dream about a heroine with a hairstyle that is deemed "business in the front and party in the back."

Labels: discount, discount wine accessories, discount wine cellar, discount wine storage, Joan Jett, Kristen Stewart, mullet, music wine charms, Twilight, wine cellars

We here at Discount Wine Cellars would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year. We are choosing to celebrate by pulling out a tasty wine from our wine cellar. Now, what type of wine goes well with oriental food? I’m not sure so I might just go with the old standby, champagne.

Today is the beginning of the Year of the Ox. In many countries the New Year celebration lasts 15 days. During these days there is feasting, parades, gift exchanging, lighting of fireworks and firecrackers.

There are also a few superstitions that go along with the 15 day New Year Period. This is just a small sample.
For good luck:

• Opening windows and/or doors is considered to bring in the good luck of the new year.
• Sweets are eaten to ensure the consumer a "sweet" year.
• It is important to have the house completely clean from top to bottom before New Year's Day for good luck in the coming year.
• Wearing a new pair of slippers that is bought before the new year, because it means to step on the people who gossip about you.

For bad luck:

• Washing your hair is also considered to be washing away one's own luck.
• Talking about death is inappropriate for the first few days of Chinese New Year, as it is considered inauspicious.
• Avoid clothes in black and white, as black is a symbol of bad luck, and white is a traditional Chinese funeral color.
• One should never buy a clock for someone or for oneself because a clock in Chinese tradition means one's life is limited or "the end," which is also forbidden.

My Chinese zodiac symbol is the Tiger. According to the zodiac my characteristics are as follows: Unpredictable, rebellious, colorful, powerful, passionate, daring, impulsive, vigorous, stimulating, sincere, affectionate, humanitarian, generous. Can be restless, reckless, impatient, quick-tempered, obstinate, selfish.
I am not entirely sure if these are all correct although I can relate to many of them. If you would like to see what your symbol is click here.

Labels: celebration, Discount Wine Cellars, wine cellars