text:
Panchsheel Balak Inter College is located at Sector-91. Contact information of the school is O
Gautam Budh Balak Inter College is located at Amnabad, Bisrkh,Greater Noida. Contact informati
DEWAN PUBLIC SCHOOL is located at OPP ROADWAYS BUS STAND MEERUT ROAD HAPUR DISTT GHAZIABAD UTT
SUDITI GLOBAL ACADEMY is located at VICHARPUR,AGRA ROAD,ETAWAH. Contact information of the sch
NAVAL'S NATIONAL ACADEMY is located at KUSHMI GORAKHPUR UTTAR PRADESH. Contact information
K.D.S INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL is located at Near Jaigurudev Temple Salempur Road. Contact informa
The Vishal International School was born out of the ideology that children must be given an en
VANASTHALI PUBLIC SCHOOL is located at DELHI ROAD BARAUT DISTT BAGPAT UP. Contact information
CENTRAL ACADEMY is located at K I BLOCK AASHIANA LUCKNOW UTTAR PRADESH. Contact information of
ARMY SCHOOL is located at KUNRAGHAT GORAKHPUR UTTAR PRADESH. Contact information of the school
OXFORD PUBLIC SCHOOL is located at NEAR TARA MANDAL ROAD, KAJAKPUR. Contact information of the
SANSKRITI PUBLIC SCHOOL is located at RANIDIHA,Near Divya Nagar,Deoria Road,Post-Khorabar, Gor
In 1983 Shri C.P SINGH laid the Foundation of Lucknow
LUCKNOW PUBLIC SCHOOL is located at NAV ABAD ABUL HASAN NADAVI COLONY AHIYA RAIPUR RAE BARELI
The Project is launched by eminent personalities of the city. The mission is to give the
Salwan Public School, Tronica City is located at Sector C-7, Tronica City, Loni Ghaziabad U.P.
Welcome to Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Mathura. Sincce its establishment in 1988, it has been
Air Force School, Sarsawa was established in 07 Jun 1975. Air Force Scho
The Delhi Public School Society is recognized throughout the academic world for its progressiv


text:
Dangerous Rails is a great adventure platform game in which you transfer to the Future 2020, when it was at the bottom of the diamond mining uses new technologies to remove rocks. Unfortunately, there was a tragic accident in which all the miners were killed and creatures who lived here turned into bloodthirsty mutants. Take the role of a brave hero of the mine and try in each round to collect all the diamonds and using the flamethrower to kill mutants.
adventure bomb dark kill mining mutants

subset: commoncrawl


text:
There are two reasons why I propose to make myself thoroughly and unashamedly happy by talking about myself. The first is that on several occasions, both in England and America, I have been told that I am a legendary character.
When I was at Manchester, where there was a modern swimming pool, I was looked on as a great man, not for so trivial a reason as being an FRS, but because I used to dive off a five-metre board.
In 1912 I attended an international mathematical congress held in Cambridge. I went into the buffet room where all the distinguished mathematicians were gathered and I thought to myself, "What an odd looking lot they are."
All I remember about the examination is that there was a question on Sturm's theorem about equations, which I could not do then and cannot do now.
[said at age 80]
I am the world's worst good bridge player.
Quoted in D MacHale, Comic Sections (Dublin 1993)
Mathematical study and research are very suggestive of mountaineering. Whymper made several efforts before he climbed the Matterhorn in the 1860's and even then it cost the life of four of his party. Now, however, any tourist can be hauled up for a small cost, and perhaps does not appreciate the difficulty of the original ascent. So in mathematics, it may be found hard to realise the great initial difficulty of making a little step which now seems so natural and obvious, and it may not be suprising if such a step has been found and lost again.


text:
Share this page
Co-Op Theatre East Debuts a staged Reading of Building A Real Boy, A New Documentary Theatre Play About the Life and Work of Computer Prodigy and Activist Aaron Swartz
Devised collaboratively by Co-Op Theatre East ensemble members Tyrus Holden, Ashley Marinaccio, and Michael Rehse, through Swartz's own writings, Building A Real Boy is a multimedia theatrical telling of the life and work of computer activist Aaron Swartz who died tragically at the age of 26 while facing forty years in prison for downloading academic journals. Building A Real Boy sheds light on critical issues surrounding freedom of information, and internet privacy, in addition to the power of youth in fighting oppressive political systems.
Thursday, June 28th at 5:30 pm
LATEA Theatre
Follow us


text:
East Gippsland Adventure Challenge
Saturday, 30 November 2019 to Sunday, 1 December 2019
Lakes Entrance, VIC
The East Gippsland Adventure Challenge is an exciting weekend of racing, orienteering, and navigation for all adventure loving families at Lakes Entrance from Saturday, 30 November to Sunday, 1 December 2019.
The multisport race is designed for different levels of athletes, whether it's your first time or you're an experienced racer, and you can choose to do it on your own, as part of a relay team or you can also compete in the AR Duo category, where you and a mate stay together for the entire event and kayaking gear is supplied.
The Kids Challenge is a short adventure race, specifically designed for kids. This race is a great way of engaging kids in sport from an early age and promoting a healthy lifestyle. This will be a great way to introduce your little ones to the world of adventure racing!
The O-Duathlon has been designed keeping adventure racers in mind, combining mountain biking and trail running with orienteering and navigation skills. It's designed for anyone with sense of adventure.
Kids adventure race: running, orienteering, obstacles, kayaking
Multisport race: 31km MTB + 16km trail run +15m paddle
O-Duathlon (navigation based duathlon): 6km run + 15km MTB


text:
Turkish gymnasts led qualification on seven of the 10 events at the Mersin World Challenge Cup, held Friday and Saturday in the Mediterranean city.
The competition is the first World Cup event held in Turkey, and is taking place at Mersin Gymnastics Hall, constructed for the 2013 Mediterranean Games.
The event, the final World Cup competition before the Olympic Games, attracted a small field of gymnasts from Austria, Azerbaijan, Colombia, Hong Kong, Iran, Jordan and Uzbekistan. All gymnasts advanced to Sunday's apparatus finals, as eight or fewer gymnasts competed each event in qualification.
Turkish gymnasts qualified first on three of the four women's events, with Demet Mutlu first on uneven bars and Tutya Yılmaz leading balance beam and floor exercise.
Austrian veteran Lisa Ecker qualified first on vault and second to the other three finals. Uzbekistan's Oksana Chusovitina, headed for a record seventh Olympic Games, scored a 0.000 on her handspring double front but still advanced to the vault final. Chusovitina, who turned 41 on June 19, qualified third on uneven bars and balance beam.
Four Turkish gymnasts topped the men's qualification: Ahmet Önder (floor exercise) İbrahim Çolak (still rings), Ferhat Arıcan (parallel bars) and Ümit Şamiloğlu (high bar). Arıcan earned the highest mark of the qualification with his 15.800 (6.9 Difficulty).
Colombian Olympic qualifier Jossimar Calvo led competition on pommel horse and men's vault and qualified to all six finals. Calvo, who arrived in Turkey after last weekend's World Cup in Anadia, was at the Atatürk Airport in Istanbul at the time of the June 28 terror attack that killed 44 and injured hundreds. Calvo was fortunately uninjured.
Competition concludes Sunday with the apparatus finals.
External Link: Official Website
2016 FIG World Challenger Cup
Comments (1)
Ellyy said:
Write comment


text: Carnifex releases new lyric video to song "Dark Days" February 21, 2014Micah No Comment Deathcore band, Carnifex released earlier today through Nuclear Blast Records a new lyric video for the song "Dark Days." The song is taken from Carnifex's upcoming album Die Without Hope which is set to release March 3, 2014. This song is also a new song that has been released to the album as well. "Dark Days" is still as crushing as previous Carnifex songs, but they do mix in some orchestral sounds throughout the song. NewsShare : Tweet ‹ Shores releases full EP stream of their new EP Life/Lost Shokran releases new album "Supreme Truth" a day early ›


text:
You're in a major transition and it's time for a change..your next phase…the REINVENTION. Hi, I'm Pooja Dang and I'm here to help you do just that. I know first hand what you're going through. Let me guide through the exact steps that I took to restart my life after my divorce – the same techniques I used to leave an unsatisfying career and create my dream job. I KNOW how to do this. The best part? It's easier than you think. We'll celebrate the past and then recreate your future. You're in control now. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Are you ready to REINVENT yourself?
Go after everything you've ever wanted…and reclaim who you are. Determined. Passionate. Courageous. I know you're a FIGHTER. I know what you're going through. I've been there. For the past 5 years I've helped numerous clients just like you make a fresh start. It's time to stop thinking about what was….and what could have been….It's time to think about what comes next. It's time to CREATE the future. Are you ready to REINVENT yourself?
"It's important to find a coach who is invested in excellence, productivity, positivity, and in YOU. I am so thankful to have Pooja as my cheerleader and guide when I need it most!"
"I guarantee you, one session with this gal will not only have you writing motivating notecards to stick around your house, but realizing you have not only one, but two or three goals that mean a lot to you. Time with Pooja makes you want more out of life. I HIGHLY recommend her :)"
"If you are looking for a coach that will meet you where you are and gracefully and enthusiastically coach you where and how you wish to be, give her a call and schedule a session! "Living your awesome" is exactly who she is and how she knows you can live with the right support and encouragement."
"Whether you want to take your life in an entirely new direction, or you want to achieve a short term goal, Pooja is a fantastic resource to get your brain moving in the right direction. It's rare to find someone of her integrity and strength and I'm very fortunate to work with her. "
"Pooja is a stellar life coach! With a personality that is contagious, she has the ability to connect, share her personal stories and inspire your path in life. I encourage you to reach out and experience Pooja's strength and knowledge. Invest in yourself. Find your awesome."
"Pooja is very honest and analytical, and has helped me stay balanced. It's great to frequently check in with someone who's smart, encouraging, and high-energy - and who takes the time to prepare for sessions, respond to emails, and offer up new ideas. "
"Pooja is intelligent, trustworthy, empathetic, has a great energy and just has this knack for helping you identify what you want and how to get there. I really appreciate her ability to come up w/ realistic and manageable steps that I can take to reach my goals."
"Pooja's an absolute pleasure to work with and expect that you'll laugh at yourself a lot when you work with her. Oh, you'll cry too, but in the end you'll also walk away deeply moved by something she's changed in you."
"Pooja is a wonderful person, who's optimism can pick you up regardless of how your day's going. She has the ability to cut through the mess and focus on what's getting to you, and importantly, how to think about *thinking* about going about solving them. Highly recommend."
"Pooja's frankness about her personal and professional journey makes our problemsolving sessions practical, and her excitement for life brings me encouragement for change. Pooja is helping me achieve my goals and reignite my excitement for life!"
"Pooja is amazing!! She truly changed my life. Working with Pooja helped me to realize things about myself and what I wanted out of life that I really don't think I would have come to realize on my own."
"Pooja has a lot of heart, works with multiple tools and techniques and is very present when she works with her clients. I love her authenticity, sense of humor, and her passion to help you go there. I highly recommend working with Pooja!"
"Pooja is a woman on fire. She's enthusiastic, direct and on point. She is strategic in identifying obstacles and then designing ways to overcome them. If you're ready to take charge of your life and make some serious changes then Pooja is the right fit for you! "
Have any questions or just want to say hi? I'd love to connect with you! Just fill out the form to the left or contact me at the email address below.


text:
Wait Entertainment: Wassn't too bad since we went with the speed pass. Made it a short wait.
Length of Event: Only went thru the spook trail. I think it lasted 40-45 mintues. Had a great time, kind of lost track of the time.
Actor Performance: Everyone I seen was did a great job. Was really fooled by a zombie/undead guy that looked like he was cut in half. Thought it was a prop until he lunged out at me. I about peed myself. Another great one was in the house that had a guy walking a short wall inbetween two pop up props. He looked really good too. They was just so many great areas this year.
Patron Flow Inside Attraction: The flow of the crowd was good until we got around to a house on the trail. We almost wanted a speed pass there too. But once inside, it was worth the wait.
Appropriate Ages: Most of it seens good for all ages. The cemetery and the house would scare most young kids, but they need to get used to it too.
Props / Special FX: The last house on the trail had great props. Loved the werewolf plus many more things in there that would bring you back for the next year. The cemetery had some good props and the prop that wasn't really a prop. I bet it got many people of guard like it did to me. The old house on the trail had some very good props.
Costumes / Make-up: To much to list here. Just a over all great looking haunt.
Summary: To sum it all up. The cemetery with the zombie/undead was great. They did a great job and I felt like I was in a old cemetery. The old house on the trail was done well. Even thou we had to wait in the line to get into it, it was well worth the wait and they did a great job on it too. Then the last house on the trail was unreal with all the special FX that was going on in there. The spot where you could take you picture was a great idea in the area too. I will be sure to come back next year. I hope it is bigger and better cause I love a good scare.
Wait Entertainment: None that I could see.
Length of Event: 40 min for the woods and 10 for the house.
Actor Performance: The woods were great, loved the zombies and the guy with the flashlight.
Patron Flow Inside Attraction: Caught up to the people ahead of us at every house. Same goes for the people behind us.
Appropriate Ages: 10 and up
Props / Special FX: Didn't much care for the smoke house but did get a good scare when I touched someone that I didn't see.
Costumes / Make-up: Both
Summary: I liked this haunt alot better than last year. I didn't like the house with the striped lines and strobe light, only because I couldn't walk straight and kept bumping the walls. There is lots to see on this trail, even the cops will scare you. Great long walk in the woods with some really good scares. The house was ok, I did scream a few times, and the jungle look was cool. Did have problems with the ticket lady, she was rude and nasty. Both ladies in the ticket booth had no clue what the other was doing. One was charging one price and the other was charging a different. Just need to get on the same page in the ticket booth. But overall the haunted trail was great, just a very long wait to get to the front. So go early.
Wait Entertainment: Did not see any. Course we opted for the speed pass.
Length of Event: Trail- 40 min. and House 12-15 min.
Actor Performance: Great on the trail, everyone stayed in character. In the house we heard talking and even walked into a room where the actors were standing there without masks on and talking.
Patron Flow Inside Attraction: On the trail you did see a few groups every once in a while; but there were checkpoints in the haunt that they seperated groups. In the house we ran into a few groups.
Appropriate Ages: 8+
Props / Special FX: Trail: Loved the house this year- really added alot. Nice sounds. House lacked a lot this year as well as in the past. Animatronics in both house and on the trails.
Costumes / Make-up: Great job in this area a mixute of both! Nice job guys!
Summary: In all, I love the trail, it gets better each year! There are tons of scares jumping out of everywhere! It winds you around the woods and gives you that lost feeling. This is an event that guys seem to get better with each year. The house lacks actors and there is nothing scary about walking through tons of black plastic. I would add more actors in the house. Its just rather annoying. These guys always do a great job with the scares. My biggest concern was the ticket sellers. We could not hear them and they could not hear us. Plus they were selling tickets out of each window at a different price. After we pointed it out one seem to get mad at us and shove the ticket at us out the window. But overall- Great Job! This is a favorite of our group that travels around of ex-haunters.
Wait Entertainment: No scary people that I saw. Tons of people were there. So I entertained myself by staring at other people.
Length of Event: Trail - 40 mins or so. It was long!
Actor Performance: Terrific!! They had some great hiding places. Can't tell you how many scares got me and they were standing right in front of me and I never saw them. Actors did a really great job. Namely, the zombies. Tough job, but it worked!
Patron Flow Inside Attraction: Backed up at the houses. Didn't bother me a bit. Gave me time to catch my breath. I liked having time to look around the woods.
Appropriate Ages: Small children are a no-no in any haunted attraction that isn't specifically for small children.
Props / Special FX: Lots o props! Masterful set decoration and really authentic woods setting. I really believed I was walking through the woods! A very simple prop was the best in my opinion. I couldn't figure out how a cat could move that fast!
Costumes / Make-up: Excellent, wonderful, great!
Summary: The Haunted House portion was disappointing. The guy yelling about the cookie. Just stupid and annoying. Not scary or even funny. The trail is amazing! Go there. Ok, so now I am going to tell you a bit about the ticketing. There were four of us. We wanted speed passes for both events. We were charged three different prices. I still have no idea what the real charge should have been, but if it was $33 for both events, that is just too much. However, I do have a suggestion. Get the speed pass for the trail for $20 (because that line was LONG)and skip the haunted house portion. I think the ticket people could agree on that amount. The ticket people need to get their act together. 2 windows, 2 ticket people, 3 prices. What? And one was an angry ticket lady. Not my fault they can't figure it out.
Wait Entertainment: a few monsters making the rounds..and lots of food!!
Length of Event: 10 minutes for the house. 40 minutes for the trail
Actor Performance: Fantastic actors on the trail, excellent hiding places. So many good ones, but have to give kudos to the zombies in the house on the trail with the little girl, look out when it goes dark!! The actors in the "Spook House" were talking, and caught one with the mask off walking around his room when we entered.
Patron Flow Inside Attraction: We ran into groups waiting to get into the houses on the trail, but it works, you are stil out in the spooky woods. Not so much in the "spook house", we ran into groups inside.
Appropriate Ages: 7+
Props / Special FX: Nice job on the trail, so many things to look at.
Costumes / Make-up: Everyone looked great.
Summary: This event has two places. "Spook Hollow" and a "Spook House". "Spook Hollow" is a fantastic must see..took us 40 minutes to get through. We gave the "Spook House" a second chance this year and sorry we did. One note: AN EXTRA $20.00 for the speed pass is ridiculous. I am a fan of the speed pass and never mind the extra, but this is unreasonable considering the house is so weak. Do not miss "Spook Hollow". So far the best of the 15 haunts we have seen so far.
Wait Entertainment: Some people working the crowd in creature masks and dress.
Length of Event: 40+ minutes on the trail with no dull moments. Haunted house was about 15 minutes or less, but nice.
Actor Performance: Actors all well done and stayed in character to the letter. It been some time since I saw performances go off the clean and without problem, NICE JOB.
Patron Flow Inside Attraction: Haunted trail flow was acceptable with most flow good, a few bottle up expected as you enter other houses and buildings along the trail. Haunted House moves along good with no bottle ups.
Appropriate Ages: Most events on the trail could jar some younger children, age depends of the childrens reaction to shock. Nothing above average in age for the haunted house, most kids could handle this.
Props / Special FX: Trail props and effects are very good, lots of animated electronic professional props which pop off as you walk through the woods. This attraction has more electronic "pop" props than any other haunted attraction I seen outside of Chicago or St. Louis. Not a lot of special effects used on the trail but its not needed here. The haunted house has fair props with no actual special effects to speak of.
Costumes / Make-up: Costumes throughout this attraction are very well done and all detailes perfect. make-up and masks are all very high perfessional quality, nothing cheap here!
Summary: Were to start, the trail is the best overall trail I have seen in some time. The trail is nice and long (45 mintes plus) with 4 different houses on the trail. Each house event is very entertaining and very well done, highest quality possible. The trail is full of great supporting cast, no actors are short here. Everything went off exactly as designed and was a pure joy - might try again if I have time. Haunted house attraction is fair, but the main ticket here is the trail. Extra hay-rack ride at no cost, but no a fright attraction here - just a nice dark ride throughout the little town and around a large grass hilly area. A very nice and enjoyable night here.


text:
Last standard shipping dates: UK 17 Dec/ ROW 16 Dec
Sorry, we couldn't find any results for your search.
- Suggested Searches
- EF Education First
- Shoes
- Socks
- Water Bottle
- Merino
Rapha and L'Etape du Tour
A chance to emulate your cycling heroes and push your physical limits, the Etape du Tour is one of the greatest sportives in the world. As the pros take on the same stage this weekend, we recap the 2019 event and explain why it's best when ridden with the Rapha Cycling Club.02 June 2019
From the moment you arrive to long after you've crossed the finish line, a dedicated Rapha Cycling Club team is on the ground at the Etape to take the strain and help members focus on the task at hand.
Click below to find out more about the three aspects of the Etape weekend our members enjoy most. Or, to discover just how invaluable RCC membership is at the Etape, keep scrolling for a full round up of all our activities throughout a sunny weekend in the Savoie.
A full account of the weekend from a Rapha Cycling Club member and now proud finisher of the Etape du Tour.
Pre-ride relax
Arrive at the Etape village. Head straight to sign in as a member with Rapha. Don't worry, the tent and member's area is easy to spot with its huge balloon.
Met some new friends from far flung RCC Chapters and discussed the route for Sunday.
Early start for the RCC warm up ride. No need to stress about the route, all in the capable hands of my ride leader. Ended up on a great 45-kilometre route up the quiet Col de Tamié.
Cafe stop on the route and a great chance to speak to clubmates from beyond my local Chapter. Plus, a coffee on the house for good measure.
Back at the event village and it's time to pick my race number up. Easy to find, just a short walk from the Rapha tent. Wondering where I stored my bike? There's secure bike storage on site and, with an RCC wristband, I can skip the queue and save some time.
Hotfooted it back to Rapha in time for an exclusive event in the RCC member's area: hints and tips from CANYON//SRAM aces Alexis Ryan and Alice Barnes. They weren't the only pros either, you never know who you might see here.
Now, time for a little self-indulgence. I want to make sure I'm ready for tomorrow and, with a team of massage therapists on hand in the members' area, it would be rude not to.
For a special ride, a special jersey is in order. Though many people stopped by the stand to look at the RCC Etape Jersey, they're only available to members. I'll be recognisable on the road.
There's time to watch today's stage of the Tour. It's shown live from Rapha's Mobile Clubhouse and there's top grade coffee on offer too.
One last thing to do on Saturday before resting up. Leave a bag of spare clothes with the RCC with the provided name tag attached and they'll take it to the finish line, ready for when you need it most.
Post-ride party
After an amazing day on the bike, the finish line has finally hoved into sight. What awaits the other side? The warmest welcome possible, courtesy of the RCC.
Just a short walk from the finish line, the RCC area awaits. RCC staff guide you there, take your bike and hang it on the bike stand. All you have to do is keep walking until you find a chair into which you can collapse.
Top priority, food and plenty of it. Outside the Mobile Clubhouse there's a selection of freshly prepared food, lots of it savoury. The perfect antidote to sugary sportive gels and bars.
Now for another massage. It's easy to book a spot and easier still to fall asleep on the massage table. Nothing like a cold beer to wake you up though.
Time is ticking on and it's time to get off the mountain. Whether you're wrapping up and riding back to the hotel or getting a shuttle bus, the RCC will help you get there. What a weekend it's been, with friendships forged and memories made.
Inspired by the cols and designed to conquer them, the Etape collection consists of lightweight clothing that's comfortable on hot days in the mountains.
Select Region
Rest of World
US Dollars
Australia & New Zealand
AUS Dollars
Taiwanese Dollar
Rest of Asia
US Dollars


text:
Minutes for July 9, 2016, Monthly Business Meeting for World University and School
Present: Larry Viehland and Scott MacLeod (clerk and recording clerk)
Minute 1 –
WUaS will seek to get our student application form/course catalog working emerging out of Wikidata by September 1.
WUaS heard back from Wikidata's Lydia Pintscher ":) Do you already have a candidate {lead developer}? Do you already know what exactly they should be working on? And what would be needed from the Wikidata community or the development team?"
Minute 2 –
Rainey Hancock, Jr., will no longer be on the WUaS Board of Advisors.
Thank you, Rainey, for suggesting raising the level of World University and School's networking
Minute 3 –
Scott has applied for a MIT Media Lab junior faculty position and concerning developing World University and School as well as his actual-virtual Harbin Hot Springs' ethnographic research.
Agenda, Announcement & News for WUaS's July 9, 2016 Monthly Business Meeting,
see: http://worlduniversityandschool.blogspot.com/2016/07/agenda-announcement-news-for-wuass-july.html
The next, open, hour-long, WUaS, monthly business meeting is on Saturday, August 13th, 2016.
- Scott MacLeod - Founder & President
- Please donate to tax-exempt 501 (c) (3)
- World University and School
- via PayPal, or credit card, here -
- or send checks to
- PO Box 442, (86 Ridgecrest Road), Canyon, CA 94516
- World University and School - like Wikipedia with best STEM-centric OpenCourseWare - incorporated as a nonprofit university and school in California, and is a U.S. 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt educational organization.
World University and School is sending you this because of your interest in free, online, higher education. If you don't want to receive these, please reply with 'unsubscribe' in the body of the email, leaving the subject line intact. Thank you.


text:
This year the Council of Fashion Designers of America add a new prize to the famous CFDA Awards. In recognition of the relevance of fashion blogging photography on Instagram, the Fashion Instagrammer of the Year award, will reward the best among eight users of the social network.
For their prize the winning photographer will not be on stage to receive an award, instead they will be given the job of photographing the entire event. During the ceremony they will represent the association, act as correspondent on Instagram and document every moment in front of and behind the scenes on the social network. The prize is a novelty not only because it rewards a sub-segment of fashion, but also for the voting of this award to be in the hands of the public. "It is precisely for this reason that the CFDA have chosen Instagram… the democratic approach is the leitmotif of this initiative, "said Kevin Systrom , CEO of Instagram.
According to Steven Kolb , Executive Director of CFDA, Instagram was chosen from among the other social networks because it helped the CFDA to intercept the emerging trends among users.
The eight nominees who were chosen by a panel of judges including Rachel Zoe, Stephanie Max from The Coveteur and The Editorialist's Stefania Allen and Kate Davidson Hudson are @donalddrawbertson, @dapperlou,@aguynamedpatrick, @paridust, @troprouge, @amy_stone, @hokaytokay and @bessnyc4 .
The 2014 CFDA awards will be held on June 2 at Lincoln Center in New York.
We'll be reporting on the event so sign up to our newsletter to stay informed of all important fashion events and news.


text:
Her shoulder length red hair, her constant need to moisturize her page-worn fingers and that confident mastery of the Dewey Decimal system...
Man, talk about hot.
I love librarians.
I love the glasses they wear and the way their eyes search behind them finding exactly what you want, what you're looking for. Those eyes, those glasses looking out and gathering what you need.
It's not just the glasses or the hair tied neatly in a bun --man, that smoldering look, that control, that, that, that....that way they hold a single finger to their pursed lips and exhale "Shhhh..."
I think it's their total sense of control that gets to me. Their books, on their shelves in that special order that only they really understand.
They have the information you want. They know how to get it and if you ask in the right way--they'll help you.
But it's the way they lend a hand. Quietly, never rushed--librarians take their time, they do it right, they do it thoroughly and when they're done, well, perhaps a half smile, a nod and that knowing look letting you understand that they are the only ones for this kind of work.
I spent last weekend at the New York Library Association Convention and in two weeks I'm hosting a panel at Murder and Mayhem in Muskego--a library sponsored event.
I also found out this morning that some library way out in Portland, Oregon just ordered six copies of On The Ropes.
It's not just the glasses.


text:
As Google Grows, So Too Do its Antitrust Issues
"Hire some antitrust lawyers." If Google's head lawyer David Drummond hasn't long ago crossed those four words off his to-do list, he might want to get to it.
The search-engine company's name keep surfacing in antitrust-related stories. The latest actually involves an antitrust challenge posed to Google rival Microsoft, which will argue against a European Commission proposal that it promote competing browsers in its Windows operating system. Microsoft plans to turn the tables on Google, arguing that such a requirement would only lift Google's dominance in the global search-advertising market. Click here for the story, from the NYT.
According to the NYT, Microsoft will . . .


text:
CUTform is proud to announce it is now certified with ISO 3834-2:2006. CUTform was audited by TÜV Eesti OÜ, a member of TÜV Nord Group who are highly recognized in this field of activity. This part of ISO 3834 defines comprehensive quality requirements for fusion welding of metallic materials both in workshops and at field installation sites.
This International Standard covers welding consumables, storage of parent materials, inspection and testing of material, calibration and validation of measuring, inspection and testing equipment and identification and traceability of welded metallic materials.
CUTform's welding management system meets or exceeds the requirements set out by the International Standard Organization. It provides competitive edge, along with trust and commercial value for our clients, plus demonstrating an additional tier of welding excellence.
To view Certificate please click here


text:
Summer of Sports (SOS) is an outreach training program that uses a variety of team sports as a tool to share the gospel. The first few weeks of the program will be spent in Lakeside, Montana where you will train, attend lectures, and hone your skills in a number of different sports. Topics during the lecture phase include 'Basics of the Faith', 'Bible Study', 'Character and Nature of God' and more. The next weeks are spent on an overseas outreach which will enable the students to utilize their gifts and skills in sharing the Gospel cross-culturally. Each outreach concludes with a debriefing time designed to help students process through their entire experience.
Students in Summer of Sports will not only be equipped spiritually, but will gain skills training in athletics as well. During the afternoon portion of the lecture phase, students will spend time in weight training, skills training, and physical conditioning, 4 hours a day, 5 days a week. The program will serve to give the students the ability to continue in an intensive athletic lifestyle.
The Summer of Sports seeks to use athletics as a door into the lives of people who may have never heard the good news of Jesus. You will be equipped to evangelize and disciple while using the athletic talent and passion that God has given you for sports. Sports can provide an open door to the hearts of people who might otherwise be closed off to hearing the Good news of Christ.
Find out more about the Summer of Sports


text:
The Effect of Dieoffs of Asian Clams (Corbicula fluminea) on Native Freshwater Mussels (Unionidae)
Scheller, Jennifer L.
MetadataShow full item record
There is a great deal of concern about the declining freshwater mussel fauna of North America. Although deteriorating water quality and habitat degradation may account for much of the decline, it has been suggested that the exotic Asian clam, Corbicula fluminea, may be having an effect on native unionids. Negative impacts may result directly from competition or indirectly, because of Corbicula population crashes that release ammonia and reduce dissolved oxygen in the sediment. Laboratory tests were conducted to determine the relative sensitivity of native mussel and Asian clam life stages to unionized ammonia, and mussel glochidia were the most sensitive (24-hr LC50 of 0.11 mg/L NH3-N). Juvenile and adult mussels were similarly sensitivity, with average 96-hr LC50's of 0.49 and 0.52 mg/L NH3-N, respectively. Adult C. fluminea were the least sensitive, having an average LC50 of 0.80 mg/L NH3-N. The EPA standard test organism, Ceriodaphnia dubia, had one of the lowest LC50's (0.07 mg/L NH3-N) of the five species, and the fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas, had the highest (1.18 mg/L). The differing sensitivities of the various life stages are important when trying to determine the impact of an Asian clam dieoff. If a dieoff occurs at a time of year when the more sensitive life stages, such as glochidia are present, then the impact on mussel recruitment may be greater. Two miniature artificial stream tests were used to determine the effect of clam density on dieoff rate, ammonia production and dissolved oxygen levels. Only clams at the highest density of 10,000/m2 experienced 100% mortality. Unionized ammonia levels exceeded 4.0 mg/L, and dissolved oxygen levels dropped below 1.0 mg/L during the dieoff. The amount of unionized ammonia produced was twofold greater than the concentration that produced an LC50 in adult C. fluminea and ~40 times greater than the LC50 for V. iris glochidia. Factors thought to have contributed to the C. fluminea dieoff were flow rate, low dissolved oxygen levels, temperature and perhaps ammonia. A complete dieoff did not occur until flow was stopped and dissolved oxygen concentrations began to drop. One-hundred percent mortality occurred in 38 days for the first test, and 21 days in the second test. Higher water temperatures in the first test (26° C) compared to the second test (average = 21.7°C) are thought to have resulted in the faster dieoff.
- Masters Theses [19408]


text:
In order to simulate the most difficult WiMax reception scenario, Motorola and Sprint took reporters and analysts on a Chicago River (booze?) cruise. The service, which officially be ready for "pre-commercial" service by the year end, performed excellently, in spite of deliberate obstacles:
"Motorola has reached a significant milestone in the industry by proving through these demonstrations that mobile WiMAX is real and ready for commercial deployment," said Fred Wright, Motorola senior vice president, Home & Networks Mobility. "We tackled one of the most challenging environments — a river lined with tall buildings, 30 feet below street level, and crossed by numerous steel bridges — to bring this WiMAX experience to life."
Another portion of the test involved using WiMax while travelling 50mph in Chicago's El train. More technical details in the press release. [Press Release


text:
Race 4:
Spring on Curlin (#1)
Took plenty of money in both starts last winter.
Was fairly green in those races, but ran in spots.
Charlton Baker gets an 87 trainer rating off layoffs of this type.
15/1 on ML
Race 8:
Race 8:
Sympathy (#6)
Was used as a rabbit last time; throw out that effort.
Was never on the rail two back in a race dominated by horses that rode the hedge.
Has handled turf courses that have taken some rain.
5/1 on ML


text:
You can, but I wouldn't put them in the same RAID group. If you put the 18's with the 36's in a RAID group, you'll lose 18 GB from each of the 36 GB drives. I'm not absolutely sure what happens when you mix drives of different speeds in the same RAID group.
Register Hereor login if you are already a member


text:
In addition to developing the technical and content requirements and design for the OSEHRA VistA Visualization tool, this group will also control the production content and addition of features to the production tool. This group will also coordinate with other relevant groups such as the DBA group and the Forum project group on the underlying database and interface requirements.
Email Distribution List: firstname.lastname@example.com
VIVIAN (Visualizing VistA And Namespace) Demonstration Site: http://code.osehra.org/vivian
ViViaN User Guide: User Guide
ViViaN Repository: https://github.com/OSEHRA-Sandbox/Product-Management/
Issues Tracker: http://issues.osehra.org/browse/VIVIAN
Visualization Open Source Project Group
Webex Event Address: https://osehra.webex.com/osehra/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=665170376
Weekly from 1pm to 3pm on Thursday Eastern Time
Dial-in: 1-650-479-3207
Access code: 665 170 376


text:
As many of my friends know, my favorite game after a day of wine tasting is to go, person by person, through a series of questions about what stood out. For me, talking about wine is a big part of the fun. The questions inevitably go like this – What was the wine of the weekend? What was the winery of the weekend? What was the most exciting new winery we visited? What was the biggest disappointment?
For Walla Walla Fall Release 2009, you can see my thoughts on these and other questions at Walla Walla Wine News. Look for a full write-up of the weekend including tasting notes in December.
Walla Walla Fall Release 2009 Wine Game
As many of my friends know, my favorite game after a day of wine tasting is to go, person by person, through a series of questions about what stood out. For me, talking about wine is a big part of the fun. The questions inevitably go like this – What was the wine of the weekend? What was the winery of the weekend? What was the most exciting new winery we visited? What was the biggest disappointment?
In tough times, we continue the search for good, inexpensive wines…
More hits than misses this month.
At over 1.7 million cases per year, Columbia Crest is by far Washington's largest producer. That said, the winery, which is located in Paterson, consistently produces high quality wines that are exceptionally well priced. Ray Einberger has served as winemaker since 2002. This month we sampled wines from two of Columbia Crest's four tiers.
The first Columbia Crest wine is the recently released 2007 H3 Cabernet. This wine was November's Virtual Tasting wine. The H3 label is Columbia Crest's middle-tier. This label, which Columbia Crest took nation-wide last year, is named after the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. The 2007 Cabernet is an excellent value Cabernet.
The second wine is the 2007 Two Vines Red Wine Vineyard 10. Two Vines is Columbia Crest's entry-level tier. Vineyard 10, which is located by the Columbia River, is one of Columbia Crest's original estate vineyards. This wine – a big time value wine – is an interesting blend of Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese, Grenache, and Mourvedre. I was honestly expecting a Cabernet-Merlot blend when I bought this wine, so I was taken completely off-guard on first sip. That said, the wine completely won me over. This may be the under $10 wine of the year. Note that folks looking for a wine with oak and alcohol should look elsewhere.
After spending a good deal of time contemplating how Columbia Crest consistently produces such excellent values, I have come to the only logical conclusion that Einberger has sold his soul to the devil. Fear for your immortal soul while you enjoy two these wines.
Dusted Valley is located in Walla Walla, although the winery recently opened a tasting room in Woodinville. Boomtown is Dusted Valley Vintners' entry-level wine. This is the second wine I have tasted from this label with the Cabernet also providing excellent value.
Corvidae Wine Co. is a new winery from David O'Reilly of Owen Roe. The winery gets its name from a family of birds that includes crows. The Corvidae label focuses on value. The back label of the Corvidae Crowe White Wine, sampled here, reads "To the crowe (sic), her own chick is white" - Old Irish Proverb. This wine is an interesting blend that doesn't entirely come together but shows more than enough to fascinate on the nose and taste. No website unfortunately, just wine here.
Eliseo Silva came to Washington at age fourteen, the youngest of twenty children. Now an adult, he is vineyard manager for Tagaris Winery's vineyards. Frank Roth serves as winemaker. Roth previously worked as cellar master at Barnard Griffin winery. He also makes the wine at Tagaris, Eliseo Silva's parent winery. This wine is interesting but a bit too herbal. Demerits for the website listing the 2005 Merlot rather than the 2007 Merlot sampled below.
Let me know if you have a favorite under fifteener and I'll give it a try.
Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Hills 2007 $15 Rating: *
A dark, rich color. Nose shows a lot of cedar, spice, dust, and powdered chocolate with layers of black cherry beneath. Taste is round with a smooth entry that builds up to a crescendo on the mid-palate. Fairly dry with a healthy dose of tannins. Overall, the nose is engaging and the taste is beautifully balanced with acid, tannins, and fruit. The finish is the only thing that leaves me a bit wanting. 14.5% alcohol. 30,000 cases produced. Purchased at Pete's Bellevue for $12.
Columbia Crest Two Vines Vineyard 10 Red Wine Washington 2007 $8 Rating: +
Wowzer there are a whole lot of Syrah aromas on this very enticing nose, including blueberries, violets, smoke, and traces of game. Over time the Grenache comes out with strawberry, pepper, and other red fruit. Chocolate also comes in and out. The palate has a lot of fruit with the Grenache and Mourvedre leading the way. Not a whole lot of oak to get in the way, and the alcohol is pleasantly restrained. A nice dose of acidity caps it off. This wine is straight down the fairway. An exceptional value wine. Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese, Grenache, Mouvedre. 13.5% alcohol. 50,000 cases produced. Recommended. Purchased at Esquin for $8.
Boomtown Syrah Columbia Valley 2007 $15 Rating: +
An attention-getting nose with chocolate, smoked meat, and a very intense fruit aroma. Up front on the palate and then has a smooth descent down. The nose is a knock-out. The taste is a bit thin at times but with a lot of light chocolate notes. Overall, a superb nose with a taste that doesn't live up to it but still provides a lot of value. Recommended. Purchased at Esquin for $15.
Corvidae Wine Co. Crowe White Blend Columbia Valley 2008 $10 Rating: +
A lively, appealing nose with toffee (initially), white grapefruit, pineapple, and lime. As it opens up, the Muscat comes forward with Mandarin oranges drizzled with honey. Crisp and tart on the taste with a lot of apple and lime flavors. Hangs around for a pleasant finish. Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat, Riesling, and Pinot Gris. 13% alcohol. Recommended. Purchased at Esquin for $9.
Eliseo Silva Merlot Columbia Valley 2007 $10 Rating: .
Brick-colored with some browning on the edges. Initially the nose seems to show a lot of oak and alcohol (I say seems because for a $10 wine I can't believe it has seen too much and the alcohol level is low). This gives way to cherries, vanilla, licorice, a touch of cardamom, and a lot of herbal notes. The taste is loaded with fruit but lacks lift in the mid-palate. Also shows a lot of herbal flavors. 13.5% alcohol. Purchased at Esquin for $10.
Seattle's Local Vine celebrates Washington winemakers
Thursday December 3rd, The Local Vine in Seattle with be hosting a group of Washington winemakers. Participating wineries include: Airfield Estates, Animale, Cuillin Hills, Darby, DeLille, Efeste, Fidelitas, Guardian Cellars, Hedges, Hestia, JM Cellars, Obelisco, Long Shadows, Matthews, Pomum, Trust, William Church, and Zero One. The event costs $40. Read more about it here.
Woodinville's St. Nicholas Day Open House Dec 5th and 6th
Woodinville's St. Nicholas Day Open House is coming up on December 5th and 6th from 11:00am to 4:00pm. Tickets for both days are $50. Sunday-only tickets are $35. Tickets are available here. Participating wineries include:
|Adams Bench
Anton Ville Winery
Baer Winery
Brian Carter Cellars
Challenger Ridge
Chandler Reach
Chateau Ste. Michelle
Columbia Winery
Covington Cellars
Edmonds Winery
Gifford Hirlinger Tasting Room
Guardian Cellars
Hestia Cellars
Hollywood Hill Vineyards
Isenhower Cellars
| J. Bookwalter Tasting Studio
JM Cellars
Maison Bleue
Mark Ryan Winery Tasting Room
Matthews Estate
Northwest Totem Cellars
Page Cellars
Patterson Cellars
Red Sky Winery
Ross Andrew Winery Tasting Room
Silver Lake Winery
Stevens Winery
Tefft Cellars Tasting Room
William Church Winery
Woodhouse Family Cellars
Woodinville Wine Cellars
XSV Winery
Washington Wine Round-up: November 15th to 21st
A round-up of stories on Washington wine from November 15th to 21st.
The big news this week was Wine Spectator's awarding the number one position in their annual Top 100 to the Columbia Crest 2005 Grand Reserve. Nine Washington wines were in the Top 100. See a video from Spectator.
From the locals: The Tri-City Herald, KNDO, Puget Sound Business Journal, Wenatchee World, OPB News, KIRO, KOMO, and KPLU write about it.
From the blogosphere: Paul Gregutt, The Examiner, Schiller Wine, The Big Blog, Twisting Vines, and Wine and Beer of Washington State write about it.
From around the country
CBS News writes about Pursued by Bear.
The Indiana Herald Bulletin recommends Washington Riesling for Thanksgiving as does New Jersey's Star Ledger.
Annapolis' The Capital recommends the Eroica Riesling for Thanksgiving.
From the blogosphere
Wine Peeps writes about its coverage of Washington wine. They also write about Ch. Ste. Michelle's 2008 Pinot Gris and two Washington Syrah from Kerloo Cellars and Syncline.
Through the Walla Walla Grapevine writes about Tru Cellars.
Paul Gregutt takes a look back at Wine Trails of the Pacific Northwest.
My Ballard writes about Domanico Cellars.
WAwineman checks out Columbia Winery's 2007 Lapis.
Wine and Beer of Washington State gives a review of Fall Release in Walla Walla.
WINO Magazine writes about the 20-something event in Fremont. They also write about Vin du Lac.
Washington Wine checks out the 2007 Covey Run Dry Riesling and Ch. Ste. Michelle's 2007 Dry Rose.
Wine Foot writes about the NW Food and Wine Event.
Midtown Stomp writes about Day 4 of a Washington wine trip.
Write for Wine writes about a contest at William Church.
Wine and Food writes about Kana's 2004 Katie Mae.
Eric Rivera's Cooking Blog gives a look at Seattle's new wine tasting bar, Sip.
ChrisinSunnyside checks out Alexandria Nicole's 2007 Quarry Butte.
Wine Basket Guide.com writes about Washington wine.
Gene Stout writes about Geoff Tate's new Insania white wine.
From the locals
The Tri-city Herald writes about L'Ecole's work to go green.
KING 5 reports on eastern Washington wineries making the move east.
The Fife Free Press writes about a pre-holiday wine event.
Oregon Live.com writes about Walla Walla.
The Bellingham Herald recommends some white wines for Thanksgiving. They also write about Dakota Winery.
The Walla Walla Union Bulletin writes about the expansion of the local community college.
That's all folks!
Rusty Grape Vineyard 2007 Pinot Noir
Rusty Grape Vineyard is located in Battle Ground, Washington about thirty miles north of Portland, OR. In describing the name for the winery, winemaker Jeremy Brown who owns the winery with his wife Heather writes "We had thought of many different names for our winery, but ended up choosing this one. I guess we liked the sound of it." Rusty Grape makes Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah, Sangiovese, and Pinot Noir. The winery, which also makes strawberry and blackberry wine, produces approximately 1,200 cases annually.
While Pinot Noir has flourished in Oregon, the grape is one of the few that has struggled to date in Washington. While many Washington vineyards and wineries have experimented with Pinot, few have had success. Many wineries that do produce Pinot Noir currently source their grapes from Oregon. Several wineries in the Lake Chelan AVA, Washington's newest, are hopeful about the grape's prospects in the area. Time will tell.
Why has Pinot struggled in Washington? As the character Miles famously describes in the movie Sideways "It's a hard grape to grow. It's thin-skinned, temperamental, ripens early. It's…not a survivor like cabernet, which can just grow anywhere and thrive even when it's neglected. No, pinot needs constant care and attention…And, in fact, it can only grow in these really specific, little tucked-away corners of the world. And only the most patient and nurturing of growers can do it, really." Washington has more than its fair share of patient, nurturing growers and winemakers. Rather Washington's struggles seem to be climatic. No doubt having an abundance of exceptional Pinots produced in Oregon dissuades some from trying to find the key that will unlock the grape's charms here.
Rusty Grape's Pinot Noir fruit is 100% from Clark County where the winery is located. The wine shows both some of the promise as well as the problems of Pinot Noir in Washington. The wine has an engaging nose but a palate that is heavier than expected for a Pinot. Still, there are enough good things going on that it will be interesting to see the results as the vineyard matures and Brown gains additional experience nurturing this finicky grape.
Rusty Grape Vineyard Pinot Noir Washington State 2007 $22 Rating: +
A lively nose with red currant, raspberries, Mandarin oranges, cranberry relish, and stewed plums. Tart and fairly acidic on the palate with some herbal notes showing through late. A bit heavy with fruit. Citrus emerges over time. 13.0% alcohol.
Sample sent by winery
Final Update! Virtual Tasting - Columbia Crest 2007 H3 Cabernet
This month's Virtual Tasting is tonight and will be the 2007 Columbia Crest H3 Cabernet. This wine is widely available and retails for $15. Note that the H3 Cabernet recently had a vintage change, so some of you may still see the 2006 vintage on the shelves.
As usual, I will be opening the wine about 7pm Pacific Time and updating this post with my thoughts every 20 minutes or so. I will also be tweeting @wawinereport and using the hashtag #virtualtasting.
Please join us in trying this wine and posting your comments or tweeting your thoughts on the wine. To follow the comment thread on the post click on "Subscribe by email" in the bottom right in the Comments section.
7:00pm Update: And we're off!
First some background for newcomers on what Virtual Tastings are all about. There is nothing I enjoy more than drinking and talking about wine with other people. I love hearing people's thoughts on wine. I find I learn a great deal this way. Everyone has a different palate. While I am always interested to hear what people get in terms of aromas and flavors, I am most interested in hearing whether people like the wine or not. Their general impressions. My friends often make fun of me (mock me?) for saying "Can we talk about this wine?" in the midst of a group discussion. For me, this social aspect of wine drinking is a big part of the fun. For this reason, each month I select a specific wine and blog about it on a specific date and time and ask people to join in. In an ideal world, I would get us all in a room and we would try this wine together. Perhaps someday our avatars will meet in Second Life and we will sit down at a virtual table together. Until that time, we will share wine 'virtually' with comments, tweets, or whatever medium we can find. I hope you will share your thoughts.
7:10 Update: Some background on the winery. Columbia Crest was founded in 1983. At over 1.7 million cases per year, the winery is by a good stretch Washington's largest wine producer. The winery, whose first release was in 1985, is located in Paterson, Washington in the southern part of the state near the Columbia River. Part of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Columbia Crest is not only the state's largest producer, it is also one of its most acclaimed. The winery's 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve wine was recently named Wine Spectator's 2009 'Wine of the Year.'
Columbia Crest has four basic tiers of wine. The Two Vines is their value brand which constitutes the vast bulk of their production. These wines are priced under $10 and are good daily drinkers. Next up is the Grand Estates at $12 which consistently offers value far above its price point. About two years back the winery added the H3 label, one of which is tonight's Virtual Tasting wine. The wine is named after the Horse Heaven Hills AVA where the winery is located. These wines are priced around $18. Columbia Crest recently took the H3 label to nationwide distribution. Finally, at the top tier are their Reserve Wines generally priced about $30. At each tier, Columbia Crest offers good wine at exceptional values.
Ray Einberger serves as winemaker for Columbia Crest. Einberger joined Columbia Crest in 1993 and assumed the head winemaker position in 2002. Einberger had previously worked as part of the Opus One winemaking team as well as Silverado Vineyards and Round Hill Cellars - now Rutherford Ranch Winery - in Napa Valley.
On to the wine....
7:25 Update: Popped and poured. The wine is at 66 degrees. The bottle has a natural cork that is very lightly colored. The wine, however, has a dark, rich color. The nose shows a lot of cedar and spice with layers of black cherry beneath. I like the nose. Time for a taste...
7:40 Update: I like the nose but also find it fairly closed at the moment so I popped the wine into a decanter. A brief word about decanting wine. The purpose of decanting is to expose the wine to oxygen. This has a variety of effects that I won't go in to at the moment. All I want to say here is that you don't necessarily need to have a decanter to decant a wine. Pouring it in to any vessel (assuming you can get it out!) will have the desired effect.
More thoughts on the nose. A bit of dust and powdered chocolate. On the taste, my immediate thought is to be quite impressed. The taste is round with a smooth entry that builds up to a crescendo on the mid-palate. Fairly dry with a healthy dose of tannins that are still well-balanced. The wine is not as big and fruity on the taste as I imagined it might be. Personally, I am enjoying this about it.
8:00 Update: Background on Horse Heaven Hills...
Horse Heaven Hills received AVA status in 2005. The AVA has 8,400 planted acres and comprises approximately one quarter of the grapes planted in Washington. The AVA has more than 25 vineyards. Perhaps the most acclaimed of these is Champoux Vineyard whose fruit goes in to some of the state's best wines. Elevations in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA range from 200 feet to 1,800 feet above sea level. The area was named by a cowboy who, in the mid-1800s, proclaimed it "Horse Heaven."
8:20 Update: After a bit of time in the decanter, nose hasn't evolved quite as much as I thought it might. That said, I am still enjoying it. There is some type of spice that I just can't place. Time to start ripping apart the spice cabinet. A slightly smoky underlayer. Taste has filled out a bit.
8:45 Update: Just off a Skype session with some Virtual Tasters...
Time for some background information on the wine from the winery:
"Grapes were crushed at 20% whole-berry to retain fruit quality. Fermentation lasted 6-10 days on the skins to extract optimum fruit and structural components. The wine was barrel aged in 40% new American and French oak, and 60% older oak for 14-18 months. The wine was racked at three month and six month intervals during the 14-18 month barrel aging period."
The winery also provides the following technical information:
* Total acidity: 0.54 g/100ml
* pH: 3.74
* Alcohol: 14.5%
9:00 Update: Some tasting notes from the internet....
From winemaker Ray Einberger: "This intense, fruit-forward Cabernet Sauvignon delivers aromas of cherries and huckleberry jam, with a perfect balance of earthy tannins, great focus in the mid-palate and a soft, smooth cocoa finish."
From the major publications, Wine Spectator writes "Polished and silky in texture, with ripe blackberry, currant and mint flavors that keep sailing through the long, expressive finish. The tannins are beautifully integrated. Best from 2011 through 2017. 30,000 cases made. –HS, 90 pts". No reviews yet from Wine Enthusiast or Wine Advocate.
On CellarTracker, this wine has received an average of 87 points and a median of 86 points in 6 tasting notes left by members of the community.
Next up, some final thoughts.
9:15 Update: Final update but feel free to keep the comments coming.
Some final thoughts on this wine. Overall, I truly enjoyed this wine. The nose is engaging and the taste is beautifully balanced with acid, tannins, and fruit. The finish is the only thing that leaves me a bit wanting. It's not bad by any means. It just leaves me wanting a bit more.
I purchased the wine from Pete's Bellevue for $12. It retails for $15. I'm having a tough time off the top of my head thinking of other Washington cabernets that could stand up against this wine at this price point. Let me know if you can, and I will see if I can scare something up. Once again, Columbia Crest showing why it is the leader for quality and value in the state.
If you didn't have a chance to taste the wine tonight, feel free to try it at any point and get your thoughts up. Thanks to everyone who participated this month. We'll do it all again next month. Let me know if you have any suggestions on the wine. Thanks to the reader who suggested this wine.
Desert Wind Winery
Reminder that this month's Virtual Tasting will take place on Monday November 23rd. Read about it here.
Desert Wind Winery is located in Prosser, Washington. Visible from Highway 82, the winery was established in 2001 by the Fries and Jenkins families. Built at a cost of $3.5 million, Desert Wind's facilities are grand by Washington standards with a Southwest-inspired tasting room, a banquet room, an on-site restaurant, a demonstration kitchen, and a Bed and Breakfast. The 34,000 square foot facility was completed in 2006.
Greg Fries, a UC Davis graduate, serves as head winemaker. Desert Wind's wines are consistently well-priced and offer a high Quality-to-Price (QPR) ratio. The winery produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Barbera, Riesling, Semillon, Viognier, Chardonnay, and a Bordeaux-style blend called Ruah (Hebrew for spirit). This year, the winery has also added a Sangiovese to the lineup. Annual production is approximately 25,000 cases with capacity for up to 200,000.
All Desert Wind wines use fruit from their estate vineyards, Desert Wind and Sacagawea. Desert Wind, which is named after the surrounding climatic winds, is located next to Saddle Mountain in the Wahluke Slope AVA. The vineyard was planted in 1993 and encompasses 540 acres. The Sacagawea vineyard is 60 acres in size.
The wines sampled here continue Desert Wind's tradition of quality and value. The winery's signature wine, the Ruah, while increasing in price from $15 to $20 in the previous vintage, still offers a lot of wine for the money and can frequently be found on-sale. The only disappointment in the lineup was the Sangiovese. This was Desert Wind's first year making this wine and, while it shows some promise, it seems a bit thin at times.
Desert Wind Winery Ruah Wahluke Slope 2007 $20 Rating: +
Dusty earth along with pepper, red fruit and mocha aromas. Round and generous on the palate with a heaping of red fruit. A bit tart at times, especially on the back end. The Cabernet Franc comes through more than you would expect given the percentage. 48% Merlot, 36% Cabernet, 16% Cabernet Franc (Desert Wind Vineyard).Aged in French and American oak. Recommend an additional 3-6 months of age. 14.5% alcohol. 6,875 cases produced. Recommended.
Desert Wind Winery Barbera Columbia Valley 2007 $20 Rating:+
Fairly light in color. A fascinating nose that initially shows a fair amount of chocolate that quickly dissipates and is replaced by cranberry and candied orange peel. The taste is full along the edges and middle with a slightly weak mid-layer in between. An intriguing texture that coats the palate lightly with oak and hangs. Oak gets a little heavy handed at times. 94% Barbera, 5% Cabernet, 1% Merlot (94% Sacagawea, 6% Desert Wind vineyard). Aged in 100% American oak. 13.0% alcohol. 917 cases produced. Recommended.
Desert Wind Winery Viognier Wahluke Slope 2008 $15 Rating: +
Just a tinge of color. Ripe white peaches, a touch of hay, and mineral on a promising nose. The taste is clean and enjoyable but shows a fair amount of alcohol at times. 100% Viognier (Desert Wind Vineyard). Aged in 97% stainless steel, 3% barrel fermentation. No malolactic fermentation. 15% alcohol. 512 cases produced.
Desert Wind Winery Sangiovese Wahluke Slope 2007 $18 Rating:.
Extremely light in color. Quiet on the nose with light red currant, earth, and hints of flowers. A surprising amount of fruit on the palate given the color. Unfortunately, the fruit doesn't carry completely across the palate thinning out about 1/3 of the way through. The right food might help fill out some of the missing pieces. 85% Sangiovese, 14% Cabernet, 1% Merlot (85% Sacagawea and 15% Desert Wind vineyards). Aged in 95% French and 5% American oak. 13% alcohol. 485 cases produced.
Samples provided by winery.
Thanksgiving Recommendations
Reminder that this month's Virtual Tasting will take place on Monday November 23rd. Read about it here.
Well folks, it's time once again to make some Thanksgiving wine recommendations. Marcus and Melissa at EAT & DRINK In The Northwest covered rosés in their post earlier this month, so I will focus here on a few whites and light bodied reds.
In terms of white wines my personal preferences for Thanksgiving are Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, or Riesling. Chardonnay also works well. In terms of Semillon, two of the most enjoyable I have tasted this year are from Buty and Ardenvoir. For Buty winemaker Caleb Foster, this is the seventeenth vintage he has made this Bordeaux-style blend in Washington. It shows on this gorgeous wine that will go toe-to-toe with anything on your Thanksgiving table. Ardenvoir is the white wine label of Walla Walla's Chateau Rollat. Bowin Lindgren makes the wines and Bordeaux winemaker Christian LeSommer serves as consultant. I tasted these two whites during Fall Release Weekend earlier this month (full report to follow) and both are exceptional. In terms of Riesling, this is a varietal Washington does particularly well, so there is a lot to choose from. Two of my favorites on the shelves at the moment are these gems from Trust Cellars and Barnard Griffin. For Chardonnay, check out the latest released from Abeja, also sampled Fall Release Weekend.
In terms of reds, I like to go with lighter bodied wines to avoid overwhelming the food. Pinot Noir works quite well for Thanksgiving, but unfortunately doesn't seem to work quite as well in Washington. Given this, I have listed two red blends that are consistent favorites. Yellow Hawk Cellar is located in Walla Walla and always makes wine with food in mind. The Solstice is a red blend that is predominantly Sangiovese. I liked this wine at $25, but it is currently on close-out for $10 which is a steal. Yellow Hawk also makes a Sangiovese that is worth checking out if you don't see the Solstice. Syncline Wine Cellars is located in the Columbia Gorge. Their Subduction Red, made from a blend of Southern Rhone varietals, has been a long-time favorite. The 2008 vintage of this wine does not disappoint showing beautiful fruit aromas and flavors. People who enjoy acid-driven wines without much oak influence will enjoy this effort.
I have listed below Seattle-area as well as on-line retailers who carry these wines. As always, call ahead to ensure availability. Please leave a comment if you are aware of other locations in your area these wines are available or if you have wines you wish to recommend.
Buty Sémillon, Sauvignon and Muscadelle CV 2008 $24 Rating: *
Straw colored. A beautiful nose marked by lemon zest, touches of honey, mineral, and yeast. Floral notes emerge as the wine opens up. Fresh, tart, and lemon-loaded on the palate. 69% Sémillon, 26% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Muscadelle. Rosebud Ranches, Spring Creek, and Lonesome River Ranch vineyards. 13.8% alcohol. 1,050 cases produced.
Where Seattle Area: Esquin, Pete's
Where On-line: Winery, AvalonWine.com
Ardenvoir Sémillon Sauvignon Blanc 2008 $22 Rating: *
An alluring nose with lemon, yeast, wheat, and spice. Crisp and fresh on the palate. 92% Sémillon, 8% Sauvignon Blanc.
Where Seattle area: McCarthy & Schiering
Ardenvoir Sauvignon Blanc 2008 $19 Rating: *
Pale yellow. A gorgeous nose with light spices, lemon zest. Very clean on the palate. Overall a very French-styled feel.
Where Seattle Area: McCarthy & Schiering, West Seattle Cellars
Trust Cellars Riesling 2008 $16 Rating: **
A beautiful nose with sugared grapefruit and pineapple. Spectacular citrus tastes blend with other fruit flavors. Exceptionally well balanced with mineral and a light sweetness on the taste. 100% Riesling. 38% CS Farms (Wahluke Slope); 30% Pheasant (Yakima); 30% Evergreen (Wahluke Slope); 2% Ancient Lakes. 12% alcohol. 224 cases produced. Sampled at 54 degrees.
Where Seattle-area: Esquin, City Cellars
Where On-line: Winery, MadWine.com, AvalonWine.com
Barnard Griffin Riesling Columbia Valley 2008 $10 Rating: *
Aromas explode from the glass with butterscotch (which fades as the wine opens up), Honey Dew melon, and white grapefruit. This is a textured, layered wine with a great deal of complexity on the palate. Fruit flavors – predominantly white grapefruit - step forward and back, undulating on and on. Settles in to an extended finish. Caroway & Arête vineyards (Columbia Valley). 1.2% RS, .82g/100ml TA, 11.7% alcohol. 3,870 cases produced.
Where: Everywhere
Abeja Chardonnay 2008 $36 Rating: *
Pale in color. Nose marked by freshly sliced apples, mineral, and like spices. Crisp and spritely on the palate. Any oak that is there is far in the background. 100% Chardonnay. Celilo, Conner Lee, Gamache, and Kestrel vineyards. Aged in 100% French oak (50% new).
Where Seattle Area: Pete's
Where On-line: Winery
Yellow Hawk Solstice 2005 $10 Rating: *
A pleasing spiciness on the nose with black pepper and mineral. A nice, dry wine. 67% Sangiovese; 18% Cabernet; 15% Syrah.
Where Seattle-area: Esquin, City Cellars
Where On-line: Winery, MadWine.com
Syncline Subduction Red 2008 $18 Rating: +
Fairly light in color. An aromatic nose loaded with red fruit, particularly raspberries, strawberries, and red currant, along with a dusting of earth. As it opens up, violets, berries, and traces of game emerge. A light bodied, acid-driven wine that dances along the palate. Almost shockingly restrained with barely a trace of oak. Loses a bit of its rhythm about 2/3 of the way through but comes back together. A lot of wine for the money and a perfect wine to pair with food.26% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 24% Cinsault, 12% Mourvedre, 9% Counoise, 4% Carignan. Aged in 5-10% new oak. 14.1% alcohol. 1,770 cases produced. Recommended.
Where Seattle Area: City Cellars, Pete's, Fremont Wine Warehouse
Where On-line: Winery, AvalonWine.com, West Seattle Cellars
Washington Wine Round-up: November 8th to 14th
A round-up of stories on Washington wine from November 8th to 14th.
From around the country
The Scranton Times-Tribune names the 2007 Eroica Riesling their 'Pick of the Week.'
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel writes about recommends Seven Hills Pinot Gris and Riesling for Thanksgiving (see sidebar on right).
Montana's Great Falls Tribune writes about making wines from Washington state grapes (this seems to be an increasing trend with wineries from the east coast and Hong Kong doing the same).
Wine Business.com writes about Washington wine industry scholarships.
The San Francisco Chronicle writes about bargain wines with a callout to Hedges CMS white. They also write about Washington Syrah with callouts to Ch. Ste. Michelle, Amavi, Betz, Efeste, and Owen Roe.
Indiana's Journal Gazette writes about Washington's high volume facilities.
From the blogosphere
Wine and Beer of Washington State reviews the Tri-cities Wine Festival. They also write about Lantz Cellars.
Paul Gregutt writes about Cayuse Vineyard's Christophe Baron. He also writes about Fall Release Weekend.
Washington Wine checks out Washington Hills 2007 Cabernet. They also write about Silver Lake's 2007 Chardonnay.
Wine Peeps writes about their coverage of Washington state wines. They also write about Washington merlots with callouts to Fielding Hills and Stephenson.
Through the Walla Walla Grapevine writes about Fall Release. They also write about Plumb Cellars.
Woodinville Wine Update writes about the latest Woodinville tasting room openings including Maison Bleue and Isenhower. They also write about Halloween at Woodinville wineries.
WINO Magazine writes about DiStefano.
WAwineman writes about Sagelands 2005 Four Corners Merlot.
Washington Wine Guy writes tasting notes from Cayuse and Reynvaan. He also writes about the 2nd Annual Cayuse dinner at jimgermanbar.
Pepper Bridge Winery writes about Fall Release.
Blabbermouth.net says that Queensryche's Geoff Tate will be making an Insania white wine with Three Rivers.
Cellarmistress' Cellar Talk writes about the Charles Smith Velvet Devil Merlot.
Chickspeak writes about 14 Hands.
Under the Grape Tree writes about Gordon Brothers 2005 Syrah.
The Oregon Wine Blog writes about Yakima Valley with callouts to Gilbert Cellars and Kana.
Cheapwineratings.com looks at Bridgman's Cabernet.
Family Wines of Washington State gives some data on Washington wine.
The Examiner writes about Vin du Lac's new production facility.
Drinkhacker.com writes about Otis Kenyon's Matchless Red.
Lenndevours writes about the 2008 Poet's Leap Riesling.
From the locals
Woehler gives some Thanksgiving wine recommendations.
The Tri-city Herald writes that Horizon is cutting back one of its Seattle to Walla Walla flights. They also write about the Tri-city Wine Festival.
Winecation writes about traveling to Lake Chelan.
That's all folks!
November Virtual Tasting - 2007 Columbia Crest H3 Cabernet
In a nod to Columbia Crest and inspired by a reader comment, this month's Virtual Tasting will be the 2007 Columbia Crest H3 Cabernet. This wine is widely available and retails for $15. Note that the H3 Cabernet recently had a vintage change, so some of you may still see the 2006 vintage on the shelves. The 2006 wine was a previous Virtual Tasting wine in October of 2008 and was not a hit, but the 2007 has been well received thus far so look for it.
The Virtual Tasting will take place on Monday November 23rd. As usual, I will be opening the bottle about 7pm Pacific Time and posting my notes along the way. I will also be tweeting @wawinereport and using the hashtag #virtualtasting.
Please join us in trying this wine and posting your notes any time on, before, or after the 23rd.
Previous Virtual Tastings
October Virtual Tasting – Owen Roe Sinister Hand 2008
September Virtual Tasting – Novelty Hill Cabernet CV 2006
August Virtual Tasting – Barnard Griffin Cabernet 2007
July Virtual Tasting – Charles Smith Kung Fu Girl Riesling 2008
June Virtual Tasting - Waterbrook Melange Noir 2006
May Virtual Tasting - Charles Smith Boom Boom! Syrah 2007
April Virtual Tasting- Columbia Crest GE Shiraz 2006
March Virtual Tasting - Magnificent Wine Co. House Wine 2006
February Virtual Tasting - Hedges CMS Red 2007
January Virtual Tasting - Columbia Crest GE Merlot 2006
December '08 Virtual Tasting - Ch. Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Cab 2005
November '08 Virtual Tasting - Russell Creek Tributary Red 2006
October '08 Virtual Tasting- Columbia Crest H3 Cabernet 2006
September '08 Virtual Tasting - Tamarack Firehouse Red 2006
August '08 Virtual Tasting- L'Ecole No. 41 Recess Red 2006
Columbia Crest '05 Cabernet Spectator 'Wine of the Year'
This morning Wine Spectator published its Top 100 Wines for 2009. The list was published to subscribers and will be generally available Wednesday. Spectator publishes this list each year with what it considers the year's "most exciting wines." In choosing the wines for the list, Spectator focuses on the following criteria:
- Score
- Value, reflected by release price
- Availability, measured by case production or cases imported
- An X-factor which they call 'excitement'
In addition to recognizing excellence, the Top 100 list is also meant to stimulate sales, as anyone who has visited a wine store after the list has been published and witnessed the 'march of the shelf-talkers' can attest.
In 2009, Wine Spectator selected an astonishing 9 wines from Washington, including the 2005 Columbia Crest Reserve Cabernet as 'Wine of the Year.' This is the largest number of Washington wines ever picked and the first time a wine from Washington has earned the top spot (the Quilceda Creek 2004 Cabernet was #2 in 2006). The following is the list of wines and their associated rank on the 2009 list:
1. Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon CV Reserve 2005 95pts $27
26. Cayuse Syrah Walla Walla Valley Cailloux Vineyard 2006 95pts $65
33. Novelty Hill Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2006 92pts $25
36. Efeste Syrah Red Mountain Ceidleigh 2006 93pts $29
38. Ch Ste. Michelle Cabernet HHH Canoe Ridge Estate 2006 92pts $28
60. Spring Valley Uriah Walla Walla Valley 2006 93pts $50
66. Barnard Griffin Riesling Columbia Valley 2008 90pts $8
72. The Magnificent Wine Company Syrah Columbia Valley 2006 91pts $20
74. Waterbrook Cabernet Sauvignon CV Reserve 2006 91pts $22
For Columbia Crest, which focuses on providing quality and value, having a wine recognized as 'Wine of the Year' is a tremendous achievement. The 2005 Reserve Cabernet received a 95 point rating prior to its release at the end of last year, shortly after the 2008 Top 100 list came out. The wine barely made it to the shelves as a result (Columbia Crest having one penny shipping helped). While I said at the time this wine was a lock for this year's Top 100, I never envisioned it would wind up at the top spot. Columbia Crest has been a regular visitor to this list this decade, having wines in the Top 100 in 2007, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, and 2001. The 2005 Reserve Cabernet was on my 2008 Washington Wines of the Year list (see my review of the wine here).
For Cayuse Vineyards having a wine appear in the Top 100 is a well-deserved and long overdue honor. Despite their high scores, Cayuse wines have not made this list in the past due to their limited availability (the wines are sold exclusively through a mailing list that has a years-long wait list). However, as I indicated last week when making my guesses at Spectator's top list, it was time.
In terms of Quality-to-Price Ratio (QPR in wine parlance), Woodinville's Novelty Hill consistently ranks toward the top. The wines are always excellent to exceptional at reasonable price points. Mike Januik – who has his own Januik Winery – serves as winemaker. Novelty Hill's Columbia Valley Cabernet previously appeared in Spectator's 2006 Top 100 list. The 2006 vintage on Spectator's 2009 Top 100 list was our Virtual Tasting wine in September.
Efestē is also located in Woodinville. Pronounced like the letters F-S-T strung together, the winery is named after the last names of founders Daniel Ferrelli, Patrick Smith, and Kevin Taylor. Brennon Leighton serves as winemaker (see a story on Leighton from WINO magazine here). When looking at the list of wines Spectator rated this year, I noted the high score for the Efestē 2006 Syrah but never thought the publication would pick this wine given it comes from a new winery with a fairly limited production. In a show of intelligent readership, Efestē's 2006 Jolie Bouche Syrah, a littermate to the 2006 Ciedleigh Syrah (pronounced kay-Lee), came in second last year in our reader survey of Wines to Watch.
Chateau Ste. Michelle regularly makes Spectator's Top 100 list so the 2006 Canoe Ridge Cabernet came as no surprise. For Spring Valley's Uriah, this is the fourth time the wine has been in the Top 100 list after previously appearing in 2002, 2003, and 2006. However, it is the first time the Uriah has been in the Top 100 list since Serge Laville took over winemaking responsibilities after Devin Derby's death. Spring Valley is now a Ste. Michelle Wine Estates holding (see my review of the 2006 Uriah here).
Barnard Griffin winemaker Rob Griffin first came to Washington in 1977 after graduating from UC Davis. In 1983, he and his wife Deborah Barnard started Barnard Griffin. Twenty-six years later, the winery has an annual production of approximately 75,000 cases. Barnard Griffin has two tiers of wine, their Tulip Series which the Riesling falls under and represents their value offerings, and their Reserve Series (see my review of the 2008 Riesling here).
The Magnificent Wine Company was started by Charles Smith in 2004. The winery, which serves as a complement to Smith's K Vintners and Charles Smith wineries, is now under the (large) umbrella of Precept Wine Brands. The label is best known for its 'House Wine' which was featured in our March Virtual Tasting. Waterbrook Wines is Precept Wine Brands' flagship winery. Waterbrook recently opened a new facility outside of Walla Walla that will house all of Precept Wine Brands' production (see my review of the Waterbrook 2006 Reserve Cabernet here).
Since 2000, Washington has had between two and seven wines in Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of the Year. The list has featured wines from Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Crest, Amavi, DeLille, and L'Ecole No. 41 among many others. Perhaps most prominently in recent years, Quilceda Creek's 2004 Columbia Valley Cabernet was ranked number 2 in the 2006 Top 100. Having nine wines on the list this year as well as earning the top spot is sure to gain Washington wine well-deserved additional attention.
So what does the 2009 Top 100 list mean to you? Should you run out and buy as many wines on the list as possible? It depends on your personality, budget, and palate. For folks who are point chasers, today is your Black Friday. Get thee hence. For folks on a tight budget, there will no doubt be a number of excellent, wallet-friendly wines on this list given that Spectator uses value as part of its consideration. That said, always trust your own palate. While the wines on this list are no doubt high quality wines, that is different than saying that you personally will like them.
In the past, I have used lists like this mainly to educate my palate by checking out producers, areas, and varietals I am not particularly familiar with. My thinking here is that the wines will generally be of high quality and representative of their area. I have generally focused on the wines that are budget-friendly, so that if I don't particularly care for the wine, I don't have that much invested in it. Using the lists in this way can be an excellent way to learn a bit without breaking the budget.
Later I'll comment on how I did and how the readers did in guessing wines on the list last week. Next month, as with last year, we will do our Reader Survey Wine of the Year. I will also publish my list of top wines of 2009.
The Grape Cup
You have heard of the Apple Cup, Washington's annual Husky versus Cougars football game? Peanuts. Welcome the first of what is sure to be an annual event - "The Grape Cup." Seattle Uncorked's latest wine event pits UW winemaking alums versus WSU winemaking alums. The event, which will take place at the Pickering Barn in Issaquah on Thursday November 19th, costs $35. Tickets are available at www.farmworkerhousingtrust.org. See who walks away with the bragging rights…until next time.
Participating Wineries:
Comparing Wine Advocate, Spectator, and Enthusiast: Part II
Recently I discussed some highlights from the latest Wine Advocate issue which includes the publication's annual review of Washington wine. I also looked at how Wine Advocate compares to its print peers Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast in terms of the breadth of coverage of Washington wines and how they rate the wines. Today I will compare the publication rate of Washington wine reviews for these three publications.
For publication rate, I looked at how often in 2009 each published reviews of Washington wine and the number of reviews they published. Wine Advocate releases six issues annually and reviews Washington wine in a single issue. The recent issue, #185, contained 566 Washington wine reviews. By comparison, Spectator releases fifteen issues per year and has reviewed 562 Washington wines throughout the year. Wine Enthusiast publishes fourteen issues per year and has reviewed 722 Washington wines (Note: Totals for Spectator and Enthusiast include web-only content; Advocate's reviews for Washington are all in print).
The number of Washington wine reviews in 2009 for Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast are summarized in the table below.
# of Reviews
# of Reviews
Mid Nov
Not released+
Early Dec
Not released+
Mid Dec
Not released
Year End
Not released
Not released
Grand total
Grand Total
+ While the print editions have been released, the on-line content has not been published therefore neither are listed here.
Note: The per-issue totals for Enthusiast include both print and web-only content. The per-issue totals for Spectator include only print numbers; a separate line item exists for web-only content. Spectator does not categorize its web-only content by issue; Enthusiast does. However, Enthusiast does not specify which reviews are web-only; Spectator does. These differences prevent an easy "apples to apples" comparison. However, as Enthusiast's web-only content requires no subscription whereas Spectator's does, the numbers are listed here.
Considering the Advocate, Spectator, and Enthusiast review numbers, what is most striking to me is the difference in approaches. Wine Advocate releases a single, 'big bang' issue on Washington each year. This gives the issue a bit more power and impact. The issue is released and wineries and wine buyers start scrambling. As a reader, I also appreciate being able to read Wine Advocate's take on Washington wine in one place in printed form.
Spectator, on the other hand, reviews approximately the same number of wines annually as Advocate (if one includes web-only content) but does so in drips and drabs. Spectator has also typically had an annual issue that includes a large number of reviews of Washington wine as well as a Buyer's Guide summarizing the year's reviews. For someone interested in Washington wine, Spectator generally has something in each issue. That said, usually not much. Additionally, if you subtract the web-only reviews which require an additional subscription, Spectator's print coverage of Washington looks anemic compared to Advocate's.
Wine Enthusiast, by comparison, has reviewed a larger number of Washington wines in 2009 than Advocate and Spectator but also does so in a different manner. Enthusiast reviews a substantial number of Washington wines approximately every other month. The large number of reviews provides a better experience for the reader than Spectator, in my opinion, as it gives a fair amount to chew on. Enthusiast also currently provides both its print and web-only content free of charge (registration is required and there is a delay in reviews appearing on-line).
While Advocate's 'big bang' approach has appeal, one of the issues for a reader is that some of the wines listed are in the past, some are in the present, and some are in the future. For example, the new Advocate issue is a mixture of wines just released (Va Piano's 2007 Syrah), wines released some time ago, wines that already had new vintages at the time of publication (Mark Ryan reds), and wines that will not be released for some time (Doubleback 2007 Cabernet). This is not the fault of the publication but rather a result of what wines were submitted by the wineries (and when), when the reviews took place, and what the publication date was for the issue. However, for consumers who see everything in the present, the mixture can be confusing.
Spectator's more frequent review cycle should, in theory, allow them to stay more current. However, Spectator struggles with the same issues with a number of the wines it has reviewed recently already on the next vintage at the time of publication. Enthusiast seems to do the best at staying current with few recent issues showing stale reviews. Note that in both Advocate's and Spectator's case, it is unclear whether these stale reviews are a result of the review/publication cycle, when the wineries choose to submit the wines for review, or something else.
In summary, Advocate, Spectator, and Enthusiast each take considerably different approaches in how frequently they publish reviews of Washington wine. These approaches differ in style and impact on the reader. Personally, and not surprisingly given that I subscribe to them all, I enjoy each of them in different ways.
That's all for today. I have another post or two comparing these publications before I wrap this up. As always, feel free to send along any thoughts, comments, or critiques. I would be interested to hear readers' perceptions of these publications' coverage of Washington wine or thoughts on the comparison.