Thanks to the Gallo Family Vineyard, a romantic Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to break the bank. Some inexpensive–but good!–wine and homemade dessert can make your evening sweet and sensible. The Moscato, a light-bodied wine with flavors of peach, honey and citrus, and Sweet Red, a light to-medium-bodied wine with flavors of apple, pear and tropical fruit, are just $5 a bottle, and pair perfectly with the below Gallo Family Vineyard’s signature recipes.

Fresh Pear Torta

NEW YORK — We enjoy wine and the camaraderie it inspires. Gathering to share a bottle, we forget our differences and revel in our similarities. But we’re also Bostonians, which means we can’t pass up the opportunity to participate in the time-honored rivalry of comparing anything in Boston to anything in New York. So when we found out that Second Glass Wine Riot, a wine-tasting event that began in Boston, was branching out to other cities (Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, and Washington, D.C.), we simply had to see how Wine Riot New York stacked up to our experiences in Beantown.

Wine Riot New York took place Sept. 23 and 24 (two evening sessions and one afternoon session, which we attended) at Skylight One Hanson in Brooklyn, the site of the former Williamsburgh Savings Bank. The venue was easy to find and very accessible to public transportation, even for outsiders like us. As an event space, it seemed right in line with the look and feel of the venues used for Wine Riot Boston: the Cyclorama at Boston Center for the Arts and the Park Plaza Castle.

One difference in New York was that the winery booths were spread out between two levels, which at first seemed inconvenient but later proved to be an advantage. Each floor had its own vibe, and the layout helped to break up wines by regions, which included France, Italy, Germany, California, New York and South Africa. Being packed into just one level in Boston, we felt somewhat overwhelmed and crowded, but in New York we felt there was plenty of space to explore and taste every wine.

The bathrooms were a bit lacking in New York — with just a few stalls in one ladies’ room, the lines (particularly later in the four-hour session) were rather long. We discovered that a men’s room had been converted to a ladies’ room in an attempt to alleviate the problem — which, although unfortunate for male attendees, speaks to the event staff’s attentiveness.

Second Glass goes out of its way to make Wine Riot fun and accessible. In both Boston and New York, the event staff was readily available and very helpful. We enjoyed the funky perks that make Wine Riot ideal for the young, hip oenophile: Free snacks (Pretzel Crisps and Cabot cheese). Food vendors for those who want something a bit meatier to accompany their sipping. “Crash Courses” for learning more about what you’re drinking. Temporary tattoos (we both emblazoned ourselves with the design of a tiger encouraging all to “Drink more wine!”). A DJ spinning an upbeat soundtrack. And to make sure your Wine Riot experience is forever preserved, a photo booth — where you’ll put down your glass only for a moment to throw on a feather boa or captain’s hat and pose with your friends. Not only is your photo posted online for you to share with everyone you know, but you also have the convenient option (new to the event this year) of receiving a glossy printout within seconds.

One of Wine Riot’s major features is friendliness with technology. Second Glass developed its own mobile app, which allows you to rank the wines you taste and remember them later when shopping or dining. We found that in New York, as in Boston, the app was easy to use and a great help in making the event truly interactive, although on the basement level of the New York venue, a lack of cellular signal unfortunately made the app unusable.

We recommend that if you attend a Wine Riot in any city, it’s best to plan ahead. Second Glass makes this easy by posting maps of the venue layouts and lists of the participating wineries on the website. Four hours is enough time to see (and taste) everything, but to use it most effectively, think ahead about what wines and wineries intrigue you most, so you can be sure to visit their booths first — lest you get caught up in the Wine Riot spirit and end up chatting with one purveyor the entire time.

Overall, we really enjoyed our Wine Riot experience as Bostonians in New York. Alhough we always can (and will) lay claim to its origins, we see no problem with sharing “our” great event with other cities. That said, as Wine Riot seems to only be growing, we highly recommend you not rest on your laurels (or grapes, as it were) when it comes your way next year. We’ve seen tickets sell out in Beantown. Grab yours while you can!

For more information:secondglass.com/wineriot.

Frank Zoll at work. (Courtesy of Zoll Cellars.)

On Wednesday, the Boston Center for Adult Education (BCAE) will be hosting Frank Zoll of Zoll Cellars in Shrewsbury as part of a two-part winemaking class. The two classes will feature Frank, who is the owner and primary winemaker at his vineyard, directing students in the creation of wine, from the crushing of grapes to the bottling of their very own homemade bottles.

Zoll’s passion for food and beverage began as child, when he would make bread as a hobby and continued when he attended Johnson & Wales in Providence, Rhode Island, graduating in 1997. In 2001, while he was pastry chef at The Marriot Marquis in New York City, often cooking for up to 3,000 people, Frank began making wine in his parents’ kitchen. Starting with grapes he’d procure from California, Massachusetts, and New York, Zoll began making more and more wine until, in 2008, he planted his first vineyard in Shrewsbury. The next year Zoll Cellars was a genuine winery and has continued to grow since the first Zoll Cellars bottles were introduced to commercial market in late 2010.

Zoll Cellars grows roughly 25 percent of the grapes they use for the wines in their repertoire. The varietal grown in Shrewsbury is Traminette, which is a French-American hybrid that shares many characteristics with a Gewurztraminer, strong and heady with a heavily perfumed scent of grapefruit, honey, and peach. Frank contracts most of the other grapes, including Riesling and Cab Franc, from other states.

Wines produced on the East Coast and in the middle of this country do not have a reputation for yielding the highest quality wines; that distinction has been bestowed upon California, Oregon, and Washington, but Zoll is looking to open people’s eyes to the growing quality of local wines.

“I want to show people what is growing around them, we can make good wine in this region,” he said. “We have an Alsatian like terroir with an elevation of 500 or so feet. It is similar to a Zone 5, French varietals grow well in Massachusetts.”

Currently Zoll Cellars distributes to nearly 20 wine and liquor stores across Massachusetts and is expanding. In 2011 they have sold over 500 cases.

Zoll is teaching the wine class at BCAE because he has noticed how much people enjoy consuming wine and that there has been a rising interest in the industry as a whole. On October 12th at 6:00pm Zoll will bring in a between 400 and 500 pounds of Riesling and a 30 gallon ratchet-press to the BCAE and instruct the students while they crush the grapes by hand. “We’re going to put the Riseling into fermentation for four weeks at room temperature, then bottle it in November,” says Zoll. “Each student will take home six bottles just in time for Thanksgiving.”

The second class, on November 15, will involve the bottling of the wine. Zoll chose Riesling because it pairs well with the traditional Thanksgiving Dinner. “It’s similar to a nouveau style of Riesling,” he said. “It goes very well with both roasted turkey and butternut squash.”

You can sign up for the class online at the BCAE website.

I like FlipFlop wine right away, because every time I buy a bottle, someone gets a pair of shoes in a third world country through the Soles4Souls charity.

As an Italian, when I do drink white wine, it’s usually pinot grigio, and FlipFlop makes a good one.

It’s crisp, like biting unto an apple. The taste does not overpower. In fact, I’d label FlipFlop Pinot Grigio very light. There is a citrus overtime and clean finish. It’s the kind of wine you want to serve ice cold outside, during one of those last hot days before fall truly kicks in.

On that note, the wine pairs excellently with summer foods like eggplant and acidy Italian foods like tomato bruschetta or a spicy chicken dish.

It’s not going to impress your wine connoisseur friends who are used to $50 bottles. At just $7, it’s a picnic wine, best served at parties and barbeques where quantity beats out swishing and sipping.

Boxed wines have many environmental advantages over bottled, but some of the plastic bags inside the boxes contain BPA, a synthetic chemical that has been linked to a range of human health problems. Bota Box, pictured here, and many other box wines come in BPA-free packaging. The simple way to know is to read the labels when you’re wine shopping. (Peter Knocke via Flickr)

Does boxed wine use BPA-free plastic?

The short answer is: “It depends.” A fairly recent innovation in wine packaging, the so-called Bag-in-Box (BIB) dispenser makes use of a plastic bag with a nozzle surrounded by a corrugated cardboard box. The whole package sits easily on a shelf and usually features a built-in spout for easy pouring and resealing. The main benefit is that each box can hold about four bottles-worth of wine, and the BIB technology prevents oxidation, keeping the wine fresh for up to six weeks after the seal has been broken initially.

Besides costing less to manufacture than glass bottles, the Bag-in-Box apparatus, invented by Scholle packaging a half century ago, weighs significantly less, stacks more efficiently (meaning more wine can go with each container load) and will not shatter if dropped. As such, they are easier to transport, which keeps costs down and reduces the carbon footprint of the entire distribution process. While U.S. wine buyers traditionally have viewed wine in a box as cheap and unsavory, several American and European wineries are working to turn that view around by putting out award-winning vintages by the box. Eco-conscious yet no less discriminating wine consumers are helping to drive the growing demand for boxed wines in the U.S., which currently command about 10 percent of U.S. supermarket wine sales.

But boxed wine may have an environmental dark side: Some of the plastic bags inside the boxes contain Bisphenol-A (BPA), a synthetic chemical that has been in use for four decades to strengthen plastic food containers and other items but recently has been linked to a range of human health problems. “A growing amount of scientific research has linked BPA exposure to altered development of the brain and behavioral changes, a predisposition to prostate and breast cancer, reproductive harm, diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease,” reports the non-profit Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

The bags are made out of #7 plastic, a catchall category typically containing mixed types of plastic (“polycarbonate”), combined for various practical reasons. As more and more research comes to light, many environmentalists and public health advocates are warning consumers to avoid storing any food or drinks in containers made out of #7 plastic, as there is likelihood that BPA could be part of the mix.

Most wineries offering boxed wines make it clear if their plastic bags do not contain BPA. For one, Scholle Packaging, inventors of the BIB system and one of the largest wine box manufacturers, uses only BPA-free #7 plastic in their bags. Perini, Campo Largo, Bota Box and many other box wines come in BPA-free packaging. The simple way to know is to read the labels when you’re wine shopping.

Also, don’t think that by avoiding boxed wine you are necessarily avoiding BPA. Researchers have found that the plastic stoppers so many of us use to cap an unfinished bottle, not to mention the lining of concrete vats used to store wine at many wineries, contain and can leach BPA into your glass. That’s not to say that all wine contains BPA; quite the contrary, in fact, as most bottled wine still never comes into contact with plastic and as such does not carry any BPA-stigma. Regardless, the more you know, the safer you can be—so that the worst thing you get from your wine is a hangover.

CONTACTS: Scholle, www.scholle.com; NRDC, www.nrdc.org; Bota Box, www.botabox.com.

Historic Rhode Island charm. Breathtaking waterfront views. Gourmet food and wine. Shaded, outdoor lounges. Next weekend, wine enthusiasts will flock to the cool Rhode Island seashore for the second-annual Newport WineFest, a lush outdoor bash that boasts cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs, wine seminars, and hundreds of wine, beer and spirit tastings.

The founder and executive director of the Boston Wine School, Jonathan Alsop, will lead wine seminars, while locally loved food talent, renowned gourmet chefs, reality TV stars and cookbook authors share their secrets during cooking demonstrations.

Here’s a look at the culinary talent taking on this year’s WineFest:

It is not every day that one gets to sample wines within the walls of Fenway Park’s State Street Pavilion; rarer still is the opportunity to do so for a good cause. Yet on May 10, 2011, the Foundation for Fighting Blindness provided Bostonians with the opportunity to do just that. For the second consecutive year, Boston’s business community, civic leaders and philanthropists came together to raise their glasses and raise funds to support research to save and restore sight

From left to right, co-chairs of the event James Antonelli, Monique Antonelli, Laura Trainor, Erin Trainor, Kevin Trainor and Scot Trainor.

More obvious than anything else, the elegant event’s atmosphere was abuzz with interest. Curious guests looked over the myriad of items set out for silent auction. With packages ranging from designer watches to wine cork wreathes to sports jerseys, there was indeed something for everyone. Those not eyeing the auction were engaged with vendors and distributors who served up tastes of fine wines from locales that ranged from Portugal to Portsmouth, R.I.

At two years old, the annual wine tasting is a baby, but the Foundation for Fighting Blindness (FFB) is no neophyte when it comes to throwing events. In prior years the FFB hosted two separate large scale events, a gala in the spring and a golf tournament in the fall. The intention of the wine tasting was to unite the two. Considering the awe inspiring locale of the legendary Fenway Park and the chicness of the wine and hors d’oeuvres, it is safe to that the FFB was successful in doing exactly that.

When asked about the event’s biggest perk, co-chair Scot Trainor replied without hesitation, “Absolutely Fenway Park! You just can’t beat the venue.” Both Trainor and his brother were diagnosed with Usher Syndrome, the most common condition that affects both hearing and vision, as young children and have been involved with the  FFB for over a decade. Scot and Erin Trainor, Kevin and Laura Trainor, and Monique and James Antonelli all served as co-chairs for the night’s event.

Founded in 1971,  the FFB defines its goal as “driving research that would lead to preventions, treatments, and cures for the entire spectrum of blinding retinal diseases–including macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, and Usher Syndrome–that together affect more than 10 million Americans and millions more throughout the world.” The Trainor family was happy to note that nearly all of the funds raised at events such as this goes directly to research. Over the past 10 years, the FFB has raised $1 million to benefit institutions such as Massachusetts Eye and Ear.

This autographed jersey was one of the many items up for auction.

A speech given later in the evening by Trainor’s sister Monique Antonelli described the personal impact of retinal diseases. “Those suffering struggle in dimly lit places, and restaurants, bars and movie theaters are perennial obstacles,” she said. “There is a poignant  pain that accompanies the contemplation of a child who will never take in a starry July sky or know the thrill of playing Little League baseball.”

These sentiments were echoed in a conversation with Erin Trainor, Scot Trainor’s wife. To those suffering or coping with the diagnosis of a loved one, she advises, “Try and lead as normal a life as you can. Because you can.” Such a goal, so important and empowering, is moving ever closer to becoming the easy reality it should be through the efforts of the Trainor family and the FFB. When the FFB’s chairman of the board, Gordon Gund, was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa in 1971, there was absolutely nothing that could be done for his condition. Today, the FFB is the largest foundation of its kind in the world, funding research that is now allowing doctors to restore vision.

Upon hearing this, the emotion and support from the crowd was palpable. Looking around, it was clear why a wine tasting was more fitting than a gala or a golf tournament: with achievements as great as this being announced, it is only appropriate that those in attendance should be able to raise a toast.

This week through April 3, 16 of the top restaurants around the city will be participating in the second annual Boston Wine Week. During the event, which is the brainchild of restaurateur Babak Bina, diners will be offered select, high-end wines at the set price of $9 per glass and $32 per bottle during regular business hours. Some of the wines featured retail for up to $90 a bottle.

“We really hit it right with this concept,” said Bina, who owns Bin 26 Enoteca, BiNA Osteria/Alimentari and Lala Rokh. “You get to try these great wines at affordable prices.”

The success of the event is also predicated on the fact that people are truly interested in learning. If a glass of wine usually costs $25 and is discounted to $9, then it gives people the opportunity to see for themselves the nuance of a higher end wine.  “We are as much in the business of education as feeding and nourishing,” said Bina.

In celebration of Boston Wine Week, the Second Glass is hosting a Classy Boston Bar Crawl tonight, March 31, that stops at a group of the participating restaurants. The crawl starts at 6 p.m. at 94 Mass Ave and moves on to Back Bay Social and Brasserie Jo. On April 3 they will be hosting an Industry Night Classy Bar Crawl with stops at BiNA Osteria, Kingston Station, Petit Robert Central and Woodward at the Ames Hotel.

Boston Wine Week is an opportunity for both wine experts to find great deals and for those who don’t know much about it to learn, or be swayed.

Wine racks at Bin 26 Enoteca, one of Bina's restaurants participating in this year's Wine Week.

“At the end of the day the bottom line is there is a difference between wines, and our goal is to facilitate appreciation and a better understanding,” said Bina. “I went on the Classy Bar Crawl last year and there was a man there who told me that he was a beer connoisseur who wasn’t a wine drinker. He told me that he felt kind of enlightened and it was a great experience. To have someone who is a beer drinker appreciate wine, that is perfect.”

For tickets to tonight’s Classy Boston Bar Crawl or the Crawl on April 3, go here. For a complete list of participating restaurants, go here.

Wine lovers on a budget have a reason to celebrate this holiday season: Italy’s Cantina di Soave winery has released two new wines that are now available in Massachusetts and across the country. The best part? They both cost just $9.99.

The new Re Midas Soave 2009 and the Re Midas Corvina 2009 wines are produced in the small Italian village of Soave, and are made with 100 percent Garganega and Corvina grapes grown in the region’s rich volcanic soil.

Re Midas Soave is a light-bodied white with a floral and lemon aroma and flavors of citrus and toasted nuts. It pairs well with seafood, shellfish, grilled vegetables, grilled chicken and pork.

Re Midas Corvina is a medium-bodied red with a spicy aroma and the flavors of ripe cherries and fruit. It pairs well with grilled beef, pasta and risotto dishes and mild cheeses.

The new Re Midas wines are sold at the following locations in Massachusetts:

Community Package

Domaney’s Liquor

Fallon’s Wine & Spirits

Spirited Gourmet

Yankee Spirit (all  three locations)

Dear EarthTalk: I see more and more organic wines on store shelves these days, but what options are out there today for organic beer? — Ken Strong, Wichita, Kan.

Some 80 million Americans drink beer, yet organic beer represents still only a sliver of the $7 billion U.S. craft beer market. But this sliver is quickly turning into a slice: Between 2003 and 2009, according to the Organic Trade Association, U.S. organic beer sales more than quadrupled from $9 million to $41 million.

According to Seven Bridges Cooperative, which has been selling organic brewing ingredients for a decade already, organic beers tend to feature exceptional clarity and a clean, flavorful taste. “On a more technical side, organic malts on average have a lower protein content which produces a clear mash and less haze problems in the finished beer,” reports Seven Bridges. “Organic malts and hops have no chemical residues to interfere with fermentation to give the organic brewer a clean, unadulterated beer.”

Seven Bridges mail you all the ingredients you need to brew your own organic beer at home, but most of us would rather just enjoy the finished product. Depending on where you live, you might have dozens of organic beer brands available in bottles and even on tap at your favorite watering hole.

One of the most visible is Fortuna, California-based Eel River Brewing Company, founded in 1996. Eel River has the distinction of being America’s first certified organic brewery. Their IPA, Pale Ale, Porter, Amber Ale, Blonde Ale, Old Ale and Imperial Stout are all crafted from organic hops from New Zealand and organic grains from the Pacific Northwest and Canada.

Butte Creek Brewery, established in 1998 in Chico, California, brews organic Pilsner, Porter, Pale Ale and India Pale Ale. Their award-winning beers are distributed internationally. Olympia, Washington-based Fish Tale Organic Ales has been brewing ales, porters and stouts to rave reviews since 1993, and introduced its first certified organic beer in 2000. And Otter Creek Brewery in Middlebury, Vermont produces a line of organic ales called Wolaver’s, which includes an Oatmeal Stout and a Pumpkin Ale.

The UK’s Samuel Smith Brewery turns out a full line of acclaimed organic ale, lager and fruit beers. Other popular choices include Pinkus Organic Munster Alt, Peak Organic, New Belgium’s Mothership Wit Wheat Beer, and Lakefront Organic ESB, among others. And Whole Foods Markets now produces its own private label organic beer called Lamar Street, which is known for its rich flavor and low cost.

Not surprisingly, even the big boys are beginning to jump in. Anheuser-Busch is pushing its Stone Mill, Wild Hops and Green Valley organic beers. And Miller’s Henry Weinhard’s Organic Amber, on store shelves since 2007, is brewed with local ingredients by the Full Sail Brewery in Hood River, Oregon.

One way to sample dozens of organic beers at once is to attend the North American Organic Brewers Festival (NAOBF), held every June in Portland, Oregon. Whether you clue into organic beers at this event or just at your local pub you can’t go wrong by spreading your eco-consciousness to your beer drinking.

CONTACTS: Organic Trade Association, www.ota.com; Seven Bridges Cooperative, www.breworganic.com; Eel River Brewing, www.eelriverbrewing.com; Butte Creek Brewing,www.buttecreek.com; Fish Brewing, www.fishbrewing.com; NAOBF, www.naobf.org.

Environmentalists want to put a monetary value on the negative impacts of industrial activities, such as polluting, and to force offending companies and utilities to compensate society for the harm they do (Thinkstock Image)

Dear EarthTalk: In my business courses in college, we were taught that ecological degradation was an “externality”—something outside the purview of economic analyses. Now that the environment is of such concern, are economists beginning to rethink this? -- Josh Dawson, Flagstaff, Ariz.

By definition, economic externalities are the indirect negative (or positive) side effects, considered un-quantifiable in dollar terms, of other economic acts. For example, a negative externality of a power plant that is otherwise producing a useful good (electricity) is the air pollution it generates. In traditional economics, the harmful effect of the pollution (smog, acid rain, global warming) on human health and the environment is not factored in as a cost in the overall economic equation. And as the economists go, so go the governments that rely on them. The result is that most nations do not consider environmental and other externalities in their calculations of gross domestic product (GDP) and other key economic indicators (which by extension are supposed to be indicators of public health and well-being).

For decades environmentalists have argued that economics should take into account the costs borne by such externalities in order to discern the true overall value to society of any given action or activity. The company or utility that operates the polluting factory, for instance, should be required to compensate the larger society by paying for the pollution it produces so as to offset the harm it does.

So-called “cap-and-trade” schemes are one real-world way of monetizing a negative externality: Big polluters must buy the right to generate limited amounts of carbon dioxide (and they can trade such rights with other companies that have found ways to lower their carbon footprints, thus creating an incentive for polluters to clean up their acts). While cap-and-trade was invented in the U.S. to clean up acid rain pollution, it is a model used in Europe but not yet in America, which has yet to pass legislation mandating it. Until Congress acts to regulate the output of carbon dioxide in the U.S.—via cap-and-trade means or others—such emissions will remain “external” to the economics of carrying on business.

Recent news that has many greens excited is that the World Bank, the leading financier of development projects around poorer parts of the globe, is starting to think outside the traditional economic box. This past October, World Bank president Robert Zoellick told participants at a conference for the Convention on Biological Diversity (an international treaty signed by 193 countries—not including the U.S.—that went into effect in 1993 to sustain biodiversity) that “the natural wealth of nations should be a capital asset valued in combination with its financial capital, manufactured capital and human capital.” Zoellick’s comments are the first sign from the World Bank of its recognition of the need to consider externalities in any overall economic assessment. “[We] need to reflect the vital carbon storage services that forests provide and the coastal protection values that come from coral reefs and mangroves,” he added.

Critics are still waiting to see if the World Bank will walk its talk. “It’s a fine rhetorical start,” says the New York Times’ Andrew Revkin in his blog. “But the  announcement by the bank of a $10 million ‘Save Our Species’ fund, with the United Nations Global Environmental Facility and International Union for Conservation of Nature, seems quite piddling in a world where money flows in the trillions,” he adds. Indeed, we may still be a ways off from including our environmental impacts into our measures of social wealth and health, but at least the World Bank has gone on record as to the need to do so, and you can be sure that environmental advocates will be working to hold its feet to the fire.

CONTACTS: World Bank, www.worldbank.org; Convention on Biological Diversity, www.cbd.int.

When it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, it seems that everyone’s focus is on the turkey, the stuffing and the pumpkin pie. But what about what you drink with the meal? Put away that six pack of Bud and that sugary wine cooler and give your palate some respect. WineNation, a family-owned superstore in Massachusetts with more than 7,000 wines and 1,000 beers from around the world, has put together a list of their top five unique wines and beers to pair with turkey. The best part? They’re super affordable!

White Wines

Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand): Aromatic and crisp with acidity.

Trimbach Riesling (France): Versatile and refreshing with fruit and spice.

Chateau Ste Michelle Gewurztraminer (Washington): Light-bodied and aromatic with spicy notes.

Red Wines

The Last Syrah Syrah (California): Ripe, dark fruit flavors framed with vanilla oak.

Canterwood Pinot Noir (California): Light-bodied and elegant with crushed red fruit.

Beers

Saison Dupont: Rich, complex ale full of spice and late season fruit.

Duvel, Belgian Golden Ale: Light in color but complex in flavor.

Avery Brown Dog: Deep russet brew with sweet and nutty character.

Anderson Valley Amber Ale: Pale ale with robust head and caramel malt flavor.

Ommegang Rare Vos: Creamy head, aroma of spicy orange blossoms, and a dry, hops finish.

Free wine samples? Complementary hors d’oeuvres? A little vino education? Yes, please!

Thanks to chef and owner Antonio Bettencourt of Salem’s 62 Restaurant and Wine Bar, you can have all of the above every Wednesday night from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. During this ongoing series called “Bread, Salt, Wine,” experts from Boston Wine School, Red White Boston, Second Glass, Local Wine Events, and Boston Uncorked will enlighten guests with information about the night’s wine samples. Those who buy a bottle of wine during the tasting will be rewarded with free tapas-like bites called “sputini.”

Of the series, Bettencourt said, “We wanted to create a fun, unpretentious environment where diners could come in, try amazing wines, eat great food, socialize, and learn from these amazing Boston resources.”

Upcoming schedule

October 20 — Red White Boston

October 27 — The Second Glass

November 3 — Boston Wine School

November 10 — Boston Uncorked

November 17 — Local Wine Events

To RSVP, contact press@62restaurant.com.

Many oenophiles look down their noses at anyone attempting to gain knowledge about wine. Unless the term varietal or terroir are a fluid part of one’s vocabulary they do not want to participate in any sort of dialogue, as if to avoid any of the roguish qualities of a layman wearing off on them. Thankfully, this is not the case with Babak Bina.

The distinguished owner of Bin 26 Enoteca, BiNA Osteria, BiNA alimentari and Lala Rokh leans forward and speaks with a measured tone and wide open eyes when discussing his love for wine.

"I had ancestors who were winemakers,” Bina said. "Winemaking started in Persia, so I guess you can say it is in my blood. Family, wine, and food are the water of life."

This sort of passion makes it clear why Bina decided to put together the first Boston Wine Week. At many of Boston’s top restaurants, diners will be offered select, high-end wines at the set price of $9 per glass and $32 per bottle through Sunday during regular business hours. Some of the wines featured retail for up to $90 a bottle.

Bina, who had organized the Taste Beacon Hill and the Taste of the South End in the past, thinks it is a perfect time for a wine event. "People have a misconception about wine. They think that ordering an expensive bottle simply means it costs more. An event like this will get them to realize that expensive wines cost more because of quality", Bina says.

One of the wines featured at BiNA Osteria this week is the 2006 J Hoffstatter Gewurtztraminer (Alto Adige, Italy), which is usually $75/bottle. This is a complex wine that is deep golden in color and full bodied. The wine is slightly buttery and gives off a tropical scent. Bina says, "Most people assume Gewurtztraminer’s to be sweet, when in actuality it is a great food wine." Other interesting wines featured during the week are a 2007 Sottimano Langhe Nebbiolo, a 2007 Broglia ‘La Meirana’ Gavi di Gavi, and a 2001 Soave Classico made by Castellani.

In celebration of Boston Wine Week, The Second Glass is hosting a Classy Boston Bar Crawl on Thursday, September 23^rd that stops at a group of the participating restaurants. The crawl starts at BiNA Osteria at 6:00 pm and moves on to Kingston Station, Petit Robert Bistro Central, and Woodward at The Ames Hotel (with some bonus stops along the way).

For a complete list of restaurants visit: http://bostonwineweek.com/restaurant

For tickets to the Classy Boston Bar Crawl visit: http://secondglassclassybarcrawlboston.eventbrite.com/

Dear Mom,

After all the things you’ve done for me (like paying that credit card I ran up back in my first year of college) I figured I’d do something different this Mother’s Day.

Instead of the usual flowers and a card, I wanted to find you a present that’s both useful and works as a reminder that you’re a hip, cool mom who’s not afraid to crank her iPod — and all that awful, awful music that was popular in the 70s.

So I put some thought into it this year and found five fun tech toys that I think you’ll enjoy. Gadgets aren’t just for Father’s Day, after all.

You know how you’re always concerned about germs and making sure me and my brother wash our hands before every meal? Time to return the nagging — err — favor.

You’ll love the iSkin Microban iPhone and iPod case. ($24.99 to $34.99 at the Apple Store) It’s antimicrobial and prevents the growth of germs and bacteria and can be washed with soap and water.

While we’re on the topic, you’ll also love this iHome iP39 Stainless Steel iPod/iPhone dock. ($99.99) It’s has a built-in kitchen timer, so it’s perfect for jamming out to your Celine Dion songs while waiting for those amazing blueberry muffins you make when I come to visit. I think this one’s a win-win for both of us.

For Christmas, dad bought you that cool, pink digital camera. The CEIVA Pro 80 digital picture frame ($147.99) will let you display all your new digital snapshots. It comes with the "Dazzle Crystal Kit" of Swarovski crystals you can use to decorate the frame anyway you like. I’ll leave that to you, but I’ve always pre-loaded the fame with photos of your two wonderful sons and doting husband.

Now I’ve noticed that you and dad have been stocking the wine rack lately with healthy reds and sweet whites. Take the Skybar Wine Traveler ($19.99) along on your next picnic. It’s insulated and keeps pre-chilled wine at the perfect temperature. The convenient carrying handle makes it easy to lug around to parties and cookouts — like your amazing annual Memorial Day picnic where you and dad spend all day cooking every imaginable dish from smoked ribs to macaroni salad.

Before you go out, I know you like to make sure your hair is done just right. That’s why you’re getting a T3 Giftset. ($200) It comes with the featherweight T3 hair drier with brushes, sectioning clips, and conditioner. The T3 is high-efficiency. It uses very little energy, and its ionic infrared heat will dry your hair 60 percent faster than a normal drier.

The Rundown

FOR THE IPHONE MOM

The iSkin Microban iPhone cover It’s an iPhone case that protects against germs.

Why: Your mom will appreciate that all those hand-washing lessons have rubbed off on you.

FOR THE WINE DRINKING MOM

The Skybar Wine Traveler It keeps chilled wine cool for hours so the wine is ready to enjoy when you are. A convenient carrying handle makes it perfect for toting wine to dinner parties, picnics, or evenings out on the town.

Why: Your mom shouldn’t have to drink warm white wine on a hot summer’s day.

FOR CHEF MOM

The iHome iP39 Stainless Steel iPod/iPhone docking stereo, alarm clock, and kitchen timer Perfect for listening to music in the kitchen.

Why: Her favorite songs put mom in a good mood. Good moods lead to cookies and pies and other delicious treats.

FOR MOM’S HAIR

The T3 Giftset The T3 ultralight, high-efficiency hair dryer with brushes, sectioning clips, and conditioner.

Why: Because your mom deserves to look fabulous.

FOR THE SHUTTERBUG MOM

The CEIVA Pro 80 Digital Picture Frame decorated with Swarovski Crystals

Why: Your mom needs a stylish method to display her favorite photos of you.

FOR MOM’S JEWELRY

Brookstone Ultrasonic Jewelry and DVD Cleaner.

Why: It cleans your mom’s jewelry and movies with ease and without any chemicals. And it’s on sale for $39.95.

If it’s pink I drink. I may have been a few drinks in when I coined the phrase at a food and wine festival, but I really did mean every word. I am not a big fan of wine. Red wines taste like moldy feet to me, and white, well it’s OK, but I probably won’t be caught running out at 10 p.m. on a Friday night to pick up a bottle.

Pink wine, however, is a whole other story. It’s fruity and sweet and so wonderfully not like wine that, well it had me at hello.

I was fairly decided about my pink-only stand with wine when I stumbled on Barefoot Moscato Spumante Champagne at the wine festival. It was not pink, but I drank every last drop.

Barefoot Moscato Spumante champagne has the perfect blend of bubbles. The flavor is sweet and fruity unlike most champagne that I always felt had a sort of bland flavor. Skip dessert and try this wine. It would also be the perfect accompaniment to cheese and crackers in my professional non-wine person opinion. The saltiness will offset a bit of the sweet and compliment the evening wonderfully.

My favorite part of this delightful drink is that it only cost $8.99. For that price inviting a few friends over for an evening of bubbly has never been more accessible. Or you could just drink it all yourself. Trust me, I would completely understand.

Now thats Italian! -- Joe Piantedosi of Piantedosi Baking takes a taste from Jose Duarte, chef/owner, Taranta at 2008s Taste of the North End.

Where will the Boston foodie elite be congregating on Friday May 14 7 p.m. to Midnight? The 16th Annual Taste of the North End Celebration at the Boston Aquarium, that’s where! After a one-year hiatus due to aquarium construction, this year’s food and wine event is sure to be better than ever.

This evening featuring exclusively North End restaurants and vendors benefits The North End Community Health Center, as well as the schools and recreation centers of the North End providing services to children and neighborhood senior programs.

Participating restaurants and wine distributors include: Accardi & Son, Al Dente, Antico Forno, Antinori/St. Michelle Wine Estates, Artº Rosticceria & Trattoria, AV Imports, Bricco, Cantina-Italiana, Don Sebastiani & Sons, Espresso Plus, Filippo Ristorante, Fiore, Il Panino, La Summa Ristorante, The Living Room, Lucca, Lucia Ristorante, Mamma Maria, Massimino¹s Cucina Italiana, Mike¹s Pastry, Modern Pastry, Neptune Oyster, J. Pace & Son, Pagliuca¹s Restaurant, Paul W. Marks Co., Inc., Perkins, Piantedosi Baking, Piccola Venezia, Prestige Imports, Taranta, Terramia, Tresca, Vin Divino and Vias Import.

Food stations will line the center tank at the aquarium with dancing and dessert in the tent for the rest of the night. KISS-108 and NECN¹s TV Diner host Billy Costa will emcee the evening. Tickets now on sale: $99 per person. Please call 617-643-8106 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              617-643-8106      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or visit TasteOfTheNorthEnd.org.

Winos flocked to the Seaport World Trade Center this weekend for a truly intoxicating time as the 2010 Boston Wine Expo took over town. Over 1,800 wines were available for sampling, along with mouth-watering bites to soak up that oh-so-addicting alcohol.

Experts were on hand to teach seminars such as Wine Spectator’s "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Wine, but Were Afraid to Ask," and "The Wines of Loire Valley." The Culinary Theater boasted live demonstrations by some of Boston’s hottest chefs. It was truly heaven for all food and wine enthusiasts.

Blast’s favorite wine expert, Kevin Zraly, was also in the crowd. What featured vinos did he delight in the most? "Nada," the author of “Windows on the World Complete Wine Course,” admitted.

But, he corrected himself; one winery did stand out. Chateauneuf Du-Pape pairs perfectly with Dan Brown’s new thriller, “The Lost Symbol.” That’s right, this wine doesn’t need to be enjoyed with a light fish or a flank steak. Rather, Zraly recommended curling up with a good book when sipping this wine.

"To me, everything is about a story," he said. His new suggestions match a glass of wine with a book you can enjoy while drinking. The Lost Symbol is a good match here, he explained, because of something to do with the Pope. Frankly, the story was too complicated for us buzzed Blasters to follow…but we were willing to taste test the wine (shocking!). The verdict? Just as we suspected, Zraly is The Man.

But he wasn’t the only celeb wine-ing away at the expo. Believe it or not, Blast was lucky enough to chat with Germany’s very own Wine Queen (she was happy to correct us when we mistakenly referred to her as a "Princess").

The Wine Queen has been a German tradition for 50 years. Each of the 13 wine regions has one. Anna Saum was in Boston after beating out hundreds of hopefuls for the title of "Frankische Weinkonigin 2009/2010."

She travels the world drinking wine and looking beautiful, and she does it way better than Paris Hilton. She’s beautiful, smart, funny and charming — all qualities the Wine Queen must possess. When we practically forced her to let us take a picture, she didn’t forget her royal duties for a second. "Let me get my crown," she said.

We found some favorites and learned a bit about the local talent, but you’ll have to stay tuned for all that. February’s Put A Cork In It wine column will be full of expo info, and special articles are to come. For now, sip slowly and dream about being a Wine King or Queen. "It’s a pretty good job," Saum said.

Um, duh.

Blast editor John M. Guilfoil contributed to this report

Wine has been around for a long time, and I’m not talking about that half-consumed bottle of Merlot you’re still saving for when your current love interest kicks you to the curb (have some confidence!). We don’t know when wine was first made, but we do know that it has been enjoyed by everyone from the Greeks to the ancient Egyptians to the Babylonians, who even ran a type of wine shop. But only now is wine becoming as popular in the U.S. as it deserves to be. It’s time for everyone to educate themselves about something so rich in history — and flavor — since it’s quickly becoming a part of American culture the way it always has been in Europe.

This month, Blast asked Julie Bonaventura, the creative director of Busa Wine and Spirits, to help us get down to the basics of vino.

Lesson One: Choosing and buying a wine

"All you have to do is just sip and see what you like," said Bonaventura. It’s that simple. Once you’re aware of what flavors you tend to like, let the experts take it from there. Most stores, like Busa, have educated wine experts on their staff who are happy to help. Tell them what flavors you enjoy, specific wines you like, and your price range.

"Say, ‘I don’t want red wine.’ Then you’ve eliminated half of the search. Then let them know, ‘I like spicy’ or ‘I like fruity.’"

If you choose to go it alone, consider trying different wines from one brand you know you like, suggests Bonaventura. They’ll most likely carry a range including a pinot grigio and a chardonnay and then move to red with a Shiraz, a Merlot and a Cabernet. This way, you’ll be comfortable with both the brand and the price.

When picking out a bottle, don’t be sucked in by a sexy label. "People tend to go for a fun label or something that they know, and really the best thing to do is just flip that bottle around and read the back, because the back is going to tell you what it goes well with and what kind of flavors the wine will bring to you," said Bonaventura. She noted that if you’re shopping for a dinner party, make sure you have a sense of what you’ll be serving so you can pair the food and wine accordingly.

If you’re picking out a gift or something for a holiday party, go for a nice neutral wine. Bonaventure especially loves the Coppola’s line — as in Francis Ford. They have a nice variety with nothing too overbearing. She raved: "I love his movies, and I love his wine!"

Also, be sure to look at the points a wine has been given. Many stores advertise the wine rating. Only buy wine with a rating of 90 or above — you’ll be able to find every price range.

"I don’t feel you have to be an expert to buy wine; I don’t feel you have to be an expert to buy the best wine either,” Bonaventura said. “The best wine is whatever you enjoy. You don’t have to buy a $40 bottle of wine to think it’s the best. You might buy a $50 bottle of wine and not enjoy it.”

Lesson Two: Drinking at dinner

When you’re serving wine at home, be sure you’re serving it properly. A white wine should be chilled for at least 20 minutes before you serve it. A red wine should be decanted right before your guests arrive. "It’s breathing, just how you and I breathe," said Bonaventura. "Air is going in and air is coming out." You can buy a decanter at places like Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, and HomeGoods.

Before you sip, cleanse your palette. You don’t want any other flavors interfering with the taste of the wine. Water works fine. Then take a sip and let it sit on your tongue. It should tingle and taste all the different flavors. Never gulp your wine. Next, take a bite of food and then another sip of wine. "If it’s a perfect pairing, you’re actually not even going to notice a change,” said Bonaventura. “If there’s a difference in the wine — if it strikes you differently — then that’s a negative reaction."

When pouring wine for your guests, only fill the glass halfway. Red wine glasses are made bigger and rounder so the wine can breathe, with the intention that it will not be decanted.

One last tip for your holiday parties: Red wine spills can be tough to battle. So what’s the one thing that always gets out red wine? White wine! Just get to it right away.

Okay, so now you’re the perfect host, but you’re still overwhelmed when you crack open the extensive wine list at your favorite restaurant.

Remember: Go with what you know you like and take your time ordering. Asking your waiter is the best way to navigate the list. One thing you should always do is ask for a taste. Most restaurants offer tastes of any wine offered by the glass. "There’s nothing wrong with doing it. It’s perfectly free, and more people need to take advantage of it," said Bonaventura.

But, go for the bottle over the glass. There is a massive markup on wine in all restaurants, so you’ll get more for your money this way. Don’t think you’ll drink it all? No problem — most places will re-cork the bottle for you and let you take it home.

Most importantly, consider your meal when ordering wine. Ask your waiter what pairs best and check to see if the menu offers suggestions for each entr©e. "I think a lot of people don’t realize that wine can actually ruin your food, too,” said Bonaventura. “If you choose a wine that’s not complementary to the food, the wine will change its flavor. So, you might think the wine has gone bad, but really it’s not the best pairing."

Lesson Three: Rules are made to be broken

It’s extremely important to pair wine and food accordingly. You’re probably familiar with the old “white goes with fish, red goes with meat” rule. Disregard it completely. Nowadays, it totally depends on the wine. Many whites are heavier and can nicely complement something with cream or meat. Reds have so many different varieties these days, and many lighter ones pair beautifully with fish. Try a wood smoked salmon with a heavy, oaky chardonnay, then try it with a medium-bodied oaky red. Both will pair nicely. "I definitely don’t think those rules are valid anymore, and rules are always made to broken — especially with wine," said Bonaventura.

Other rules to ignore?

One of the biggest misconceptions about wine is that it always gets better with age. In fact, most wines are meant to be drunk within a couple of years. A great example of a wine that breaks all the rules is Beaujolais Nouveau. This wine is released annually on the third Thursday of November and offers a glimpse at the European vintage (this simply means the year — in this case, 2009). It’s bottled as soon as the grapes are squished. Beaujolais Nouveau is recognized around the world as a fantastic wine. This year, especially, it is being praised. Head to your local liquor store and pick up a bottle for about $8.99. Yup, you can get a wine lauded by connoisseurs for under $10. This red wine also pairs nicely with a salad or fish. "It’s great tasting, it’s really, really fresh, and you can taste that in your glass of wine. I don’t think for beginning wine drinkers that it’s important to look at the date or to see when it’s bottled. They really need to focus on what they like," said Bonaventura.

Another rule some people blindly follow is to throw out a bottle when the cork breaks. Bits of cork floating in your wine do not mean the bottle is “corked.” It’s fine. An actually “corked” bottle of wine means the wine has been contaminated with something called TCA — and you’ll smell it. (Don’t worry about what TCA is. It involves fungi and mold — ew.) To avoid corked wine, winemakers are using plastic corks and screw tops more and more. These don’t mean the wine is cheap or crappy. You just don’t have to worry about your bottle being corked!

More winemakers are also doing boxed wine. Again, this doesn’t mean the wine is of poor quality. When wine is boxed, it’s vacuum sealed so the flavor is locked in and your wine lasts longer. It’s also not breakable (perfect for those out-of-control wine ragers).

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to wine. As the industry evolves, everything changes. Not sure what to believe? Comment below and we’ll de-mystify the myth.

Lesson Four: Learning about wine

Taking a class is, of course, a great way to learn. But if you’re looking for something a little less expensive, you can’t go wrong with wine tastings. They’re free to attend. You can go online to find out when their next tasting is. Experts are always on hand to answer any questions you have.

Bonaventura also recommended keeping a wine journal. Tear off labels and paste them in your book. Record your thoughts on the wine — how it tasted, smelled etc. Many wines have easy tear-off labels for this very reason.

There you have it! Now that you really have the basics down, we’ll step it up a notch next month. Happy New Year. Cheers!

Busa Wine and Spirits has six independently owned and operated locations in Salem, Reading, Woburn, Burlington and two in Lexington.

Last month’s column established a major point regarding our wine knowledge: we don’t have any. But, like all good semi-alcoholics, I crave understanding about my hobby as much as I crave the magical elixir itself. In order to gain some basic knowledge, Blast spoke to international wine expert Kevin Zraly, author of the eternally best-selling book “Windows on the World: Complete Wine Course.” He wants us all to know a thing or two:

1. Taste what you like

“The biggest thing I learned in my early days was that no one tastes anything alike. There are no standards, so to speak, of taste,” Zraly said. He stressed that following the tastes you like will lead to a better appreciation and understanding of wine. Drink the type of wine you think simply tastes the best. Go with whatever region you like.

“Whatever you like, you like. If you like white wine, stick with it. If you like red wine, stick with it.”

Zraly also noted that 95 percent of taste is smell. Your sense of smell peaks at around age 32, so consider these your rookie wine-tasting days. You will get better. Even Zraly, who just finished touring the world and visited over 100 wine regions, tasting 5,000 wines, admits he still can’t discern all the flavors in a sip of wine.

2. Know your terms

But don’t get bogged down in useless lingo. There are four major components in a bottle of wine that you should be familiar with: fruit, acidity, sweetness and tannins. Obviously, you’re looking for that fruit flavor. You can taste acidity off to the side of your mouth and sweetness on the tip of your tongue (though most wines don’t have much sweetness at all).

Tannins are important. They come from the skins, pits and stems of the grape, as well as the oak barrels the wine is aged in. Certain kinds of oak give off more tannin, such as French versus American oak. Newer and smaller oak barrels create more tannin, which are often more prevalent in expensive wines.

If you’re looking to be super savvy, know that the best new value wines are coming from Chile and Argentina these days. Zraly also counts South Africa as a current hot spot.

3. There’s a lot of good and not much bad

Just don’t call them cheap. Value wines combine quality and a good price — and a connoisseur can appreciate them just as much as we can. According to Zraly, the best value wines are within the ten to 20 dollar range. There are $20 bottles out there that taste like a good $50 bottle. “There are some masterpieces in that 10 to 20 dollar range,” Zraly said.

So what makes a wine bad? It’s obvious. “Poor wine making, start with that. If you want to go further, bad grapes.” In addition, if a wine smells oxidized or like vinegar, it’s “corked,” which means the cork is no good. It doesn’t have anything to do with bits of broken cork in the wine. “I very rarely come upon what I would call ‘bad wine’ anymore. I think that the modern technology of stainless steel fermentation tanks have saved the day,” Zraly said.

If you’re looking for good, yet basic or cheap wines, Zraly has one tip: “The best suggestion is to find the best retail store. I would say that’s like you’re finding the best grocery store. You’re going to the best place they cut your hair. Put your faith in the retailer. Now, 20 years ago I wouldn’t have said that. Twenty years ago they didn’t know what they were doing. But today’s wine retailer is much savvier than they’ve ever been.”

4. Wine is food. Eat!

“I grew up starting with wine as a food,” said Zraly. “It is a food. Wine is a food and it deserves to go with food. Wine will make food taste better and food will make wine taste better.” We’ve heard this before, but is it true? We’ll test all the wine-with-food rules in an upcoming column, but for now, take Zraly’s word for it. “If I went to a bar, I’d probably have a beer, but when I have food, I’m always having a glass of wine or two,” he said.

Don’t put so much pressure on it. Wine isn’t as complicated as you think. You don’t need to buy expensive bottles and put them away for years. In fact, only about ten percent of all wines should be kept for more than year. You should drink 90 percent of what you buy right away! Sure, it’s fun to savor those few special bottles, but don’t worry about that now, says Zraly. “Most people in their 20s, they’ll drink the wine. In their 30s, they’ll start thinking about putting it away because now they’re getting more disposal income.”

5. Relax, it’s just wine

Wine is wine. Even Zraly isn’t a wine snob, so we certainly don’t need to be. “Have a good time. Don’t get caught up in all the lingo. It’s just a bottle of wine. 86 percent of a bottle of wine is water to begin with, so now you’re left with 14 percent of other good things,” said Zraly.

“Good things.” We like that. More good things? Taking wine classes — something that Zraly highly recommends. Check out The Cambridge Center for Adult Education or Boston Wine school. Visiting wineries will also help you learn what you like, and Mass has around fifty. The Coastal Wine Trail of Southeastern New England offers a variety to visit. Check out coastalwinetrail.com for more.

“The more that they do (visit wineries), the more fun it will be, the more educated they will be, the less money, in essence, it will cost them to get a good quality wine. And of course tell them to buy my book,” Zraly said. So, yes, buy it. And be sure to flip to the back for an extensive list of cheapies that taste better than you’d expect. Zraly’s wine journal is a great way to keep track of your tastings. Save your labels and paste them in the book, along with your rating.

So, there you have it fellow winos. Thanks to Zraly’s expertise, we can enjoy our next bottle with a little more knowledge of what, exactly, we are pouring down our throat (not that it really matters).

With more and more wineries offering organic varieties to lower their eco-footprint, it’s no surprise that they’re looking at the environmental impacts of their packaging as well. The making of conventional glass bottles (and the corks that cap them) uses significant quantities of natural resources and generates considerable pollution. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the process of manufacturing glass not only contributes its share of greenhouse gas emissions but also generates nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and tiny particulates that can damage lung tissue when breathed in.

Beyond manufacturing, the transport of wine in glass bottles across the country and around the world also takes its environmental toll. According to wine writer Tyler Colman, upwards of 90 percent of American wine is produced on the West Coast, but then shipped to the East Coast where the majority of wine consumers live. Trucking all these heavy glass bottles generates a much larger carbon footprint, ounce-for-ounce than the transportation of much lighter boxed wine. Almost half the weight of an ordinary case of wine comes from the bottles; about 95 percent of the weight of a case of boxed wine is the wine itself.

“A standard wine bottle holds 750 milliliters of wine and generates about 5.2 pounds of carbon-dioxide emissions when it travels from a vineyard in California to a store in New York” reports Colman, who blogs at DrVino.com. “A 3-liter box generates about half the emissions per 750 milliliters.”‚  He concludes that switching to wine in a box “for the 97 percent of wines that are made to be consumed within a year” would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about two million tons, or the equivalent of removing 400,000 cars from the roads.

According to the Wine Group, the third largest wine company in the world by volume and a big advocate for switching away from glass bottles, there are other advantages to boxed wine (which typically includes a plastic bag within a cardboard box). The vacuum packaging of boxed wines allows the contents to stay fresh for up to six weeks in the fridge once the seal is broken and the first glass has been poured. The Wine Group has launched the “Better Wines Better World” website in an attempt to curry public favor for technologically advanced, environmentally friendly and economically practical boxed wines.

Still, despite the benefits, boxed wine may still be a tough pill to swallow for many wine connoisseurs still bent on tradition. “Even those traditionalists who are coming around to the idea that maybe screw caps are fine for some wines, balk at the idea of a cellar full of cardboard boxes” says wine writer and vineyard owner Lee Asbell. “It is difficult to imagine how wine service at fine-dining establishments would handle such a change.” For now, boxed wine is still the domain of cheaper brands. But that could all change as more and more wine makers and drinkers take up the mantle of saving the Earth.

Here at Blast, we all have one thing in common: Class.

Because nothing says classy like primate sex, porn parodies and cocaine.

So maybe we are lacking a little bit in the area of sophistication, but that’s about to change. This new column is about one of my favorite things. It’s classy, sophisticated and delicious. I’ll drink it by the bottle, by the box — hell, I’d drink it by the can if I had to (again, class all the way). But, I’m actually pretty clueless about it, and I’m guessing many our age are as well.

We’re talking about WINE.

Now, I’m not looking to become a wine snob. I just want to fully appreciate my favorite alcoholic beverage. What should I drink with my favorite dish? How do I properly taste wine? Where is Bordeaux?

So, here is what most of us probably already know (or think we know):

• Red wine goes with meat. White wine goes with fish.
• We know which wines we generally like. For me, it’s Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling and Chardonnay
• We know whether we like our wine sweet, dry, fruity, etc.
• We know much we can afford to spend on a bottle (Trader Joe’s two buck chuck, anyone?)
• We know which countries produce our favorites (though some of us may still be hazy on this)

I’m right there with you, but that’s all about to change. Just for you, I’ll spend as many months as it takes sipping (okay chugging) wine and learning all there is to know (you can thank me later, it’s a tough job). We will be novices no more!

Coming in November, Blast has an exclusive interview with international wine expert and best-selling author Kevin Zraly. There is no one better to teach us about delicious vino.

So buy a few bottles, invite a few friends over (or don’t, we won’t judge) and get a taste for your favorites!

Cheers!

Do you have a burning question about wine? Comment below, and I’ll ask Kevin Zraly your question.

Fresh corn and cucumbers, strawberries, delicious bread and, this time of year, apple cider doughnuts. Pie, jam, cherries? No, this isn’t a random grocery shopping list. All of these items can be found at various farmer’s markets in Massachusetts. Fresh and local, farmer’s markets are often a great way to support farms and skip the middle man. You can even buy apple cider at the market. After all, if it’s made locally…

…Did we forget a certain type of locally made beverage here? Massachusetts boasts wonderful products from many local wineries, yet this is a product you can’t go ahead and grab along with those yummy fruits and vegetables at the market stand.

However, that may all change soon if the current push to change state law goes through. This would allow wine to be sold at hundreds of farmer’s markets, and it’s being supported by local winemakers and agricultural officials from within Massachusetts. Because current liquor laws in Massachusetts are more restrictive than some other states, this would mean that farmer’s markets would have to obtain liquor licenses from the town or state they are selling in, and enforce underage drinking laws.

But not all winery owners feel that this would be an easy feat.

“The bill as written now would require that wineries receive approval…for a liquor license and wouldn’t be workable for small wineries. (The bill) as written would not be beneficial to small wineries. We don’t have to go to the local towns to get liquor licenses we are licensed by the state to sell direct to consumers at the winery. It does not require approval as long as we are in a wet town. If it were to pass, the ability to sell at the farmer’s market would be moot” says Linda Shumway, owner of the Plymouth Winery.

As an example she states, “To sell in Newton, and to get a Newton license, the licensing process would be cumbersome just to sell at a farmer’s market. The ability to sell at farmer’s market would be terrific because we are local producers…It’s a great idea, (but there) needs to be a way for us to circumvent local control/approval” she adds, due to time, and legal fees that would stall the process.

Yet this opinion is not agreed upon by all.

Kip Kumler, owner of Turtle Creek Winery in Lincoln and chairman of the Massachusetts Farm Winery and Growers Association doesn’t agree. “Our members drafted this legislation…I don’t think there is any way to avoid allowing local jurisdiction of selling.” He explains.

Liquor store owners have been strongly opposed to the proposed bill, stating that wineries are not trained to pick out minors from purchasing alcohol. Many liquor stores were also opposed to the 2006 ballot question which offered the expansion of selling wine in Massachusetts supermarkets.

Kumler calls the opposition by liquor stores a ‘total red herring’.

“I think there’s two issues. One is, it’s not as if there are teenagers cruising farmers markets. People go there to (get quality)…its not the local package store, where someone is getting cheap alcohol for a friend.”

He adds, “you’ll find that package stores have almost all of the citations, wineries have almost zero to none. The real issue there is also…that the package stores are (feeling that) any additional opportunity to purchase wine will come at their own expense. I think they’re just burying their head in the sand.”

He explains that farmer’s markets operate less than a full year, one day a week, and that new markets for local wines should be of an interest to package stores. “They’re in place more often, if people want more of the wine, they will go to the package store. It’s a misrepresentation of reality.

Joseph Sullivan, one of the owners of the Chester Hill Winery in Chester, Massachusetts feels that the ability to sell at farmer’s markets would have helped his winery, which had been open for ten years and is now closed. Their website states that the Chester Hill Winery is closing not due to the economy, but “because it is time to slow down and “smell the roses.” However, Sullivan says that “it is very difficult for a small winery to exist, with shipping laws and other requirements.” He explains that other states allow the ability to sell under different venues under one license, and that the farmer’s market would have been a real help to the small winery, stating that “the ability to do that…would have been a real asset to the business”.

The lead sponsor of the bill in Massachusetts is Senator Jamie Eldridge, D-Acton, and the current legislation is mainly focused on wine, though the possibility of beer has been mentioned. Massachusetts has just about doubled in the amount of licensed wineries over the last decade.

Richard Auffrey, writer of the Passionate Foodie (http://passionatefoodie.blogspot.com ), and food/wine columnist for the Stoneham Sun newspaper, in support of the option to change state law to support wineries said, “We should support this small, local industry and allow them an additional chance to let the public see their products…(they) don’t have enough visibility in most local wine stores. Many local wineries also cannot afford to sell their products through wine stores because of the discount they must give to those stores. The primary opposition comes from wine stores, alleging it will make it easier for underage teenagers to obtain alcohol. But there is no evidence supporting that allegation”

All in all, Kumler doesn’t find the opportunity unreasonable.

“I think that farmers markets represent an important opportunity for wineries to increase their sales. There are 34 farm wineries in the commonwealth. There is already a lot of growth and interest in local wine…I think it’s very important.”

Spa Week has some fabulous giveaways this month with‚ something‚  for everyone, a $1,000 Spa Week gift card, a pair of Manolos, a case of wine, a free vacation to Peter Island Resort, beauty products, and more. Yes, you read it right.‚ 

Spa Week Media Group Ltd., ‚ an integrated boutique marketing and public relations firm that specializes in the niche spa industry was founded in 2003 by‚ Cheryl Reid of New York. By reaching spa owners directly and offering treatments, regularly costing hundreds of dollars for only $50 the concept of having a website promoting these deals grew at a great rate. At first only having 25 spas‚ participating, there are now‚ Spa Week chapters in more than 21 cities nationwide.‚ ‚ ‚ 

“In three short years, Spa Week has gone from one of Manhattan’s best kept secrets to a nationwide spa enthusiasts’ dream. ‚ My goal is to have Spa Week in every American city that has a high proliferation of day spas to accommodate eager consumers looking for affordable indulgence and a peek into the future of wellness. I’m confident that the future of Spa Week will assist in educating Americans on the importance of spa as a part of a new and improved healthy lifestyle campaign,” said Reid.‚ 

It is very easy to maneuver through the website, finding your city and spas offering deals near you. After booking your treatment you can check out the giveaways tab and enter to win as many goodies as you like, equally simple.‚ 

This month Spa Week and Rioja wine are bringing you a chance to win a pair of Manolo Blahniks or a case of delicious red wine. ‚ Heroes of the beauty industry like Chris McMillan and Pat McGrath, from Allure Magazine, reveal their secret beauty weapons this month too and give away the fabulous products and tools they speak of.

With the economy slowly settling, and your cuticles probably‚ suffering form those at-home manicures, you are better of booking an affordable treatment at Spa Week that will cheer you up and not leave your wallet empty. And if you don’t want to get a treatment, you should still enter to win those Manolos!

“In the last 20 years, the ‘outlaw biker’ image associated with Harleys has been replaced by a new demographic. Most bikers are now in their 40s and 50s, with steady careers and families. What they share is a love of the finer things in life, and an interest in good food, good times…and of course, good wine,” said a statement from V-Twin Vineyards

So, here’s a thought: What’s a good wine to pair with your bike?

“The motorcycle lifestyle is all about freedom, about enjoying life and enjoying your friends,” said Scott Del Fava, Brand Manager for V-Twin Vineyards. “Our first release, a 2004 Zinfandel, is really turning heads with the motorcycling community. The front label is emblazoned with skulls and a flaming v-twin engine — and the wine inside is damn good.”

The Zin is pretty good. It’s bone dry and very strong — a tough wine that lives up to its name.

“The V-Twin Vineyards team has decades of experience in the wine industry,” said Del Fava. “The grapes for V-Twin Zin have been carefully selected from an estate vineyard in the legendary Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County.”

V-Twin Zin is available on their website and thru select distributors. “Having a ‘virtual winery’ allows the V-Twin Vineyards team to focus on quality and marketing while building the brand,” said Del Fava. “Planned Releases include: River Run Chardonnay, Poker Run Cabernet, Redwood Run Zinfandel and Toy Run Rose.”

“These ain’t no sissy wines! Look for a tasting room in the not- too-distant future, with good wine, a little attitude, and plenty of Harley parking out front.

This is the 1990s-era Beenie Baby of drink ware. Lolita’s designs are carefully crafted and painted drinking glasses that double as chic collector’s items.

These crafty and whimsical glasses start at $24 (there’s also a jumbo martini glass for $49.99 that’s also useful as a candy bowl), but the amazing thing is the “retired editions” that go on Ebay for $150 and more!

“That’s because the artist, Lolita, puts such thought and detail into each design. And designs for this Hallow’s Eve are spooktacular,” said a company statement.

New for Halloween 2007, the “Wicked Witch” wine and jumbo martini glasses, “Mummy-tini” martini glass and “Fright night” wine and martini glasses. The glasses come complete with their own recipes (see photos.)

These babies make great gifts and are available at 10,000 locations nationwide.

Wine, vin, vino, wein. Fermented grapes have never been as popular as they are right now. The innocuous intoxicant is a vice living proudly in the mainstream. In a culture where smoking is prohibited indoors, 18-year-old’s sneak beer under the bleachers and online poker has attracted federal legislation, wine is not only accepted; it’s healthy!

Consider for your approval: the Michael-David wine family. Domestically produced in Lodi, in the heart of California’s wine country, wine maker Franck Lambert and the Phillips family have produced some very interesting concoctions.

Their seven sub-brands include: a reserve called Earthquake; 7 Heavenly Chards, a Chardonnay aged in seven kinds of French oak; 6th Sense Syrah; Windmill Estates, their premium label; Don’s Red, named for the owners’ father; Sparkling Duet, which is the first sparkling wine produced with 100 percent local grapes; and the two labels we took a look at—7 Deadly Zins and Incognito White.

The 2004 7 Deadly Zins is a 14.9 percent alcohol by volume red wine and is Michael-David’s primary Zinfandel. It is a very flavorful blend with an almost chocolate overtone. The bouquet combines raspberry jam, molasses and cinnamon toast flavors. This one has romance written all over it from the label to sensual flavors.

The wine is a blend of old vine Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Petite Verdot aged in American Oak.

Americans have become accustomed to bold, dry wine, so be ready for something different with the Zins. This is a sweet, velvety wine. Pair it with a medium rare porterhouse with a buttery sauce. Michael-David recommends BBQ’d salmon as well. It works just as well as an after dinner drink and goes great with dark chocolate. It goes for a reasonable $17.00 and you can find it at the Lodi Vineyards website.

Incognito 2005 Viognier uses a grape originally found in France. This white mixes pineapple and honeydew melon with orange blossoms and honeysuckle, yielding in incredibly sweet and fruity product. It clocks in at 15 percent alcohol by volume and finishes strong.

Michael-David recommends pairing it with brunch food or sushi. I’d also recommend trying it out with a fennel-roasted pork loin or pasta with a non-red sauce.

First impressions saw a few mixed results. It’s another very different wine that you may not be used to. It gave the impression of a premium fruit-flavored White Zinfandel. The crew of Blast reporters, editors and general well wishers preferred the red 7 Deadly Zins. Both have striking flavors and can pair well with meals. Incognito is quite sweet, so if that’s your pleasure, you won’t be let down. I tend to go for the drier side, but the 7 Deadly Zins struck me. This is a bottle you pull out for the significant other to give the homemade meal a fancy touch.

Michael-David Winery is a family establishment. According to the company, the two brothers handle the wine, father, Don tends vegetables, and their mother, Jeanne, tends the French gardens and a pumpkin patch that brings in children from throughout the region come October. They also collectively run a caf© on the grounds and offer wine tasting sessions constantly.

Give these a try, especially if you’re bored with the $10 liquor store special.