West Sonoma Coast Becomes America's Newest Viticultural Designation
Image Source: John Storey
It took 11 years, but "West Sonoma Coast" is now officially recognized as an American Viticultural Area (AVA) by the US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. These California wines are some of the most sought-after on the market, and they can now trumpet their appellation, joining other established AVAs such as Oregon's Willamette Valley and upstate New York's Finger Lakes region.
How To Pour Wine Without Spilling A Drop
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Ok, this isn't news. But if you've struggled with wine-stained tablecloths, here's a pouring primer from the pros, including notes on how many ounces go into a standard pour and the official name of that little dent in the bottom of the bottle.
Study Reveals How Alcohol Shrinks Your Brain
Image Source: UPenn Today
Most people know that heavy drinking (2+ drinks a day) can increase risk of disease and cognitive impairment. But a new study of more than 36,000 adults shows that even light-to-moderate drinking might reduce your overall brain volume. For example, among 50-year-olds, researchers found that as drinking increased from one alcohol unit (half a beer or glass of wine) to two units (a pint of beer or full glass of wine) per day, there were associated brain changes equivalent to aging two years. Going from two to three alcohol units a day was like aging three and half years. Hm...where did I put that mocktail cookbook?
Image Source: Reuters/Ardee Napolitano
Beer innovations never cease. The French brewer Hoppy Urban Brew (HUB) recently partnered with a local producer of spirulina (blue-green agae) to make blue-colored beer. Called "Line," the beer sold so well that HUB is ramping up production to meet growing demand. Only the blue "phycocyanin" pigment of spirulina is added to the brew, which tasters describe as light, hoppy, and fruity without a hint of pond scum.
It's Increasingly Likely That Your Fancy Bourbon Is Counterfeit
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In 2018, lab tests showed that more than 30% of rare Scotch on the market is fake. Now counterfeiters have jumped on the bourbon bandwagon. Buffalo Trace, maker of coveted bourbons like Pappy Van Winkle, Blanton's, and Double Eagle, issued a statement warning customers be on the lookout for fakes. The company hopes to avoid scams like the one that befell Acker Wines, America's oldest wine shop, which unwittingly sold a fake bottle of Colonel E.H. Taylor Four Grain bourbon for $1,000.
