Free Wine Barrels

Wineries are often looking to dump their old wine barrels. These can make great planters, end tables, etc...

I found the following post online. It looked to be about five months old at the time of this post, but they may have extra barrels periodically, so you might check with them if you are within driving distance of the vineyards.

Need more drums? Wente Vineyards in Livermore, California has about 60 used wine barrels available that can be made into taiko drums. If interested, call (925) 934-5817.

We think they're free, but you'll have to go pick them up yourself. :)
Posted 5 months ago #

Free Wine Labels

Wine Labels are a much sought after collectible for wine enthusiasts everywhere. Here is some information on how you can get some free wine labels for your collection.

Custom Wine Labels:
With every purchase of a wine kit, Grape Stompers will include some custom wine labels. You specify the design and text. Or, you can purchase 30 labels for around $8 if you don't want to purchase the wine kit.

Free Wine Labels:
The best way to get free wine labels is to soak them off the bottles themselves. You can make your own wine label soaker by cutting the top off of a 2-liter soda bottle. Then, fill the wine bottle with water to weigh it down, and set it in the plastic soda bottle. Put warm water in the soda bottle, and let this sit overnight. Hopefully, the label will come off easily. You may need to use an exacto knife to pry stubborn labels loose.

Another way to get wine labels is to contact the wineries directly. Many wineries keep their old excess labels after their bottling run for any particular vintage. You might be able to score some freebies this way.

In Tough Times, Winemakers Should Work Together

American winemakers should work closely in collaboration with other New World wine producers on a global basis, opening each other’s markets and uniting against protectionist policies of European Union countries in order to stave off the effects of the global recession.
There is no reason wineries should be working against each other; there is every reason they should be finding ways to work together, especially when it comes to surviving the current economic climate.
Australia should not be seen as the enemy of American producers in international markets; California and Australia have to become more collaborative, not enemies. U.S. winemakers also need to make a more serious effort at exporting. Very few American companies currently export wine because of the stringent international requirements.
American winemakers need to work together rather than separately in negotiating such agreements with the European Union, which has shown a policy of “divide and conquer” when it comes to trade agreements with New World countries.
If one country gives up the right to use the term ‘vintage’ because of the EU’s insistence that it is a historical European winemaking term, it will use that to force the same agreement from all the other New World producers.
In this difficult economic period, it seems certain that the world is facing a winegrape oversupply which will make successful exporting programs essential for all of the world’s key wine-producing countries.

Oregon Pinot Gris Harvest Better Late Than Never

Although the Oregon Pinot Gris Harvest is a little later this year than vineyard managers would like, good weather has ensured that this year's crop should be outstanding. The rule in Oregon has been that the even years (2004, 2006, etc...) are better than the odd years (2005, 2007), and it look as though the grapes will prove that theory right again.

A virtually rain-free summer with warm temperatures has slowly given the vines enough heat units to produce healthy fruit. There has been a lack of extended periods of moisture, or any other destructive types of weather. Last year's harvest was noticeably unfavorable, with several weeks of bad weather in September and October.

Ponzi Vineyards Hosting July Event

One of Oregon's better-known Pinot Gris producers, Ponzi Vineyards, will be hosting a wine event this Sunday, July 13 2008. Between 5:00 and 9:00 PM, Ponzi is offering wine, music and bocci ball --- that oh-so neglected game from our Italiano ancestral roots. The event takes place at Ponzi Vineyards' main estate lawn. There is no need to RSVP, but they ask that you leave any dogs at home, so there aren't any landmines left for the bocci players!

Visit their website, www.ponziwines.com for more info.

Pinot Gris - A Wonderful Grape Mutation

Pinot Gris is a grape varietal that is a mutation of the Pinot Noir grape. The Pinot Gris vine appears similar to the Pinot Noir, but it produces a grape that is coppery gray instead of the dark violet of Pinot Noir. In fact, the only certain method of differentiating the vines is by the fruit that they produce. Researchers have found that the DNA structure of Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir are virtually identical.

The Pinot Gris grape produces a delicious white wine with a rosy platinum color. This wine captures a perfect balance of acidity, fruit flavor and sweetness.

Local Events Website

If you've got a moment, check out Local Wine Events.



It's a great site that lists wine events for just about any state, country or region. Plus, they send out a Weekly Newsletter called The Juice which will notify you of upcoming events in your area.