Jacobs Creek champions wine regions

“Jacobs Creek has almost got a responsibility, as one of the major brands out of Australia, to teach the consumer about some of the great regions within Australia” – Bernard Hickin A refreshing point of view by Bernard Hickin, Chief Winemaker at Jacobs Creek. [apologies for the background noise, but it was busy] I was [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/iyQtLUqMPZs/

Cliff Griffith Georges Grignard Bobby Grim Romain Grosjean Olivier Grouillard

2012 Porsche 911 (991) ? Feature

25 Cars Worth Waiting For. Porsche?s next 911, known internally as the 991, marks a big change for the iconic model. Big, that is, in terms of size. While it rides on a thoroughly reworked version of the current 996/997 platform, it will be visibly larger. Set to be unveiled this fall at the Frankfurt [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/Eminrrk0Vuc/

Peter de Klerk Christian Klien Karl Kling Ernst Klodwig Kamui Kobayashi

MA State Representative Proposes Legislation to Reinstate Tax on Alcohol

Just when you thought the Massachusetts alcohol sales tax issue was resolved...

Massachusetts State Representative Kay Khan (D-Newton) has introduced legislation which would not only reinstate the sales tax on alcoholic beverages sold at retail - it would also increase the excise tax.

Here's a story from Kyle Cheney, State House News Services

And commentary from Garrett Quinn on Boston.com

Kahn's saying a discussion about reinstating the tax is "what people want to hear" is ironic since a majority of voters said they didn't want sales tax on alcohol just two months ago.

What's new here is how the increases are positioned.  Previously the sales tax on alcohol was said to be earmarked for behavioral health services.  In this proposal it's a classic sin tax increase aimed at increasing state revenue.

I have a couple of ideas for things the state legislature could do in the interest of their constituents instead:

  1. Take up the issue of direct shipment of wine that was proposed in the last sessions as H4497.  It's pro-consumer legislation that enables shipments that a federal court decided should be legal in January 2010.  It's January 2011 now and shipments still aren't occurring - a total disconnect between the intent of the law and what is occurring in practice.
  2. Propose legislation to allow Massachusetts retailers to ship out of state.  Currently, Massachusetts is the only state in the union I'm aware of that prohibits export of wine.  If state retailers were allowed to ship wine out of state, it would increase the amount of wine flowing through the state's 3-tier system and more excise tax would be collected as wine trades hands between Massachusetts distributors and retailers.  It would also enable state retailers to drive a higher volume of wine which could lead to more jobs in wine e-commerce in the state.
I'm fine with an examination of whether the excise tax rates need to be increased.  I suggested an excise tax increase when the question of whether to repeal the sales tax was being debated.

But the notion of disregarding the results of the Question 1 in November of 2010 which specifically asked the question of whether alcohol should be exempt from sales tax sold at retail is insulting.  Let's keep that off the table in newly proposed legislation.


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/m2Y6NpDqq1M/ma-state-rep-proposes-legislation-to.html

Beppe Gabbiani Bertrand Gachot Patrick Gaillard Divina Galica Nanni Galli

Rodney Strong, Pinot Noir 2009

Since today is Valentine’s Day I thought I would post a romantic wine. Red Burgundy is world-renound as a silky and feminine wine of grace and balance. And Pinot Noir is the variety of red Burgundy which has been transplanted all over the wine world. California Pinot Noir has come a long way in a [...]

Rodney Strong, Pinot Noir 2009 originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/RfxNKhPlt8k/

Brian Henton Johnny Herbert Al Herman Hans Herrmann François Hesnault

Red Bull Racing 2011 Australian Grand Prix - Day 2 Qualifying

Red Bull Racing 2011 Australian Grand Prix - Day 2 Qualifying Albert Park, Melbourne, Saturday March 26 , 2011 CHRISTIAN HORNER: "A great team performance. First and third for the first grand prix of 2011 is a very good start....

Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2011/03/red_bull_racing_2011_aust.php

Mike Hawthorn Boy Hayje Willi Heeks Nick Heidfeld Theo Helfrich

Pastorelli puts Lamborghini on pole

The All-Inkl Lamborghini team claimed its first FIA GT1 World Championship pole position ahead of tomorrow's season opener in Abu Dhabi. Nicky Pastorelli's best time of 1m51.668s in the final session of the three-part qualifying procedure gave him pole by nearly half a second. Team-mate Dominik Schwager had earlier topped the times in Q2 at the wheel of their Lamborghini Murcielago R-SV

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/3rdparty/pastorelli-puts-lamborghini-on-pole/

Heikki Kovalainen Kevin Harvick Armour Vienna Sausage Kroger Chevrolet Clint Bowyer Zaxby s Chevrolet