FrogBlog

Monsoon Come

2010-11-02T09:19:00.001-07:00

Trip Through Sedona ~ Springtime in the Desert

2010-05-22T08:28:00.001-07:00

Classic Jerome Arizona

2009-07-05T10:17:00.001-07:00

A series of nine photos I picked out of many I took on our field trip to Jerome. I have more of the women I went with, but I'd have to ask all their permissions before I post those....

Get 10% OFF the Cabernet you wanted anyway...

2009-03-05T16:55:00.001-08:00

2005 GustavoThrace Cabernet Sauvignon

A Napa Valley Wine ~ $70.

From the Winemaker:
"This is the first time that we have sourced Cabernet from the Atlas Peak area of Napa. This vineyard is at the base of Atlas Peak. We brought in 4 tons of fruit, producing just 240 cases. The harvest was interrupted by the rain that year so we harvested on two different days and then blended the finished wines together when they were both through fermentation. It was aged in new French oak barrels for 30 months. It is a big, fruit-forward wine. The lush nose opens up with aromas of cherry-cola, dark chocolate and licorice. There is a full mouth that finishes with just the right tannin management to leave your mouth dry but full of flavor, ready for the next taste. This wine will continue to improve in the bottle for the next 10 years."

This wine is very limited, however, for a short time only, you can get 10% OFF the retail price by using this link to email the winemaker - GustavoThrace

Pahrump in the Winter of 2009

2009-02-24T08:13:00.001-08:00

Here we are in Pahrump, at the Seven Palms RV Park and Campground. Last night I came to realize the severity of the chemtrails that are being put into our skies. I watched an educational video on the subject after watching them criss cross the sky with their poisons. They explained the science of clouds and air, or what used to be our air. They also had analysis of the STUFF that was in those trails, ew, yukky, pew. Anyone with even the slightest curiosity, please watch this video:

Detail of Dewdrops on a Mushroom

2009-02-16T10:44:00.001-08:00

Do you believe it? Perfectly aligned dewdrops... like they were placed there. Colored, no PhotoShop filters were used in this photo. Nature made this pattern. Something about mushrooms intrigue me. The zoom out:

Camp Pussy

2009-02-01T12:03:00.001-08:00

So, who was that, got up at 4:30am and started their car at the campground? Camp Pussy did, you d'camp pussy? When your bones are so cold that you can't even sit still and you can't build a fire in the dark, you go warm up the car... Start d'car! Warm that sucker up and you can finally thaw out and relax, dang, frozen fucking fog? I be d'camp pussy, in d'car. When the leaves crunch when you walk on them and your tears of laughter are making ice cubes on your eyelashes, you'd be d'camp pussy too. Burn some petrol and warm up or else you be d'ignorant camp pussy and I'd much rather be a warm pussy than clenched up frozen pussy. The sun is coming up and warming everything on this magnificent day, but not soon enough for my pussy dog and me. We're somewhere near the Merced River with all the ducks and geese. Not many campers out this weekend, pussies.

Camping photos.

Champagnes Anyone?

2008-12-26T16:30:00.001-08:00

So, if you're going online to get your champagnes for the new year, you might as well get them at personalized wines. This place will customize your wine with labels that say anything you want them to. You can even customize your own personal label with graphics. They ship to most wine destinations, and their website is very comprehensive. The good life at a great price, what could be better?

Art Gallery Review

2008-12-24T06:03:00.001-08:00

This is the kind of thing that is hard to take one photo of because this sculpture is a holographic 3D animated fractal fucking THING that is huge and ever changing. I find myself gazing at it for unknown minutes, and I've never seen it the same, so if it's looping, it's a REALLY BIG loop. So I shot five:

The artist is Gleman Jun and his Gallery in Second Life is in a place called Hazel. I've spoken with him, a very nice young Italian man. I'm hoping to ask him more questions about his art the next time I see him.

That's me posing in my new dress, the first one I've made. I bought a dress kit and apply my paintings to the fabric and I'm experimenting with scripted clothing. I know, I must have better things to do, right? This is MY spare time and believe me, inspiration in any form is welcome.

What are fractals? What is fractal art? (by Second Life artist: Spiral Silverstar)

Simply put, fractals are shapes which show similar features at different sizes. Much as a very close inspection of a rock can show similar features to an aerial view of a mountain, fractal shapes are characterized by this property of self-similarity.

Much of what goes into fractals is based on mathematics. Sometimes the math is complicated; sometimes it isn't. But you do not need to know or understand the mathematics behind the art to appreciate it. The basic images are created using fractal generating software.

There are some who will feel that if this is all just based on mathematics, that it cannot be art. Fractal art does not pop out of nowhere, mathematics notwithstanding. To produce an aesthetically pleasing fractal image requires enormous input on the part of the artist. It also requires patience, and an eye for form and color—skills that are required for virtually any artistic discipline. (Damien Jones)

Can't Anyone produce fractal art? The simple answer is Yes. However, Anyone can buy a camera and take snapshots, but very few can produce photographs that can be appreciated as art.

The images created in this gallery were made using the Ultra Fractal and Fractal Explorer software programs, with post-processing work done in Photoshop.

I hope you enjoy my work and realize that the finished products here are not simply the result of clicking a few random buttons. Thanks for taking an interest in my art, my passion.

Artist's Statement

2008-12-17T07:13:00.001-08:00

My art is an interpretation of something that flows through me, so the art neither begins nor does it end with me. The viewer might say something about it to someone else or use it to illustrate a love letter, etc. It is my belief that the art itself - has a life of its' own and just uses me like the epicurean whore that I am as it flows in from the top of my head, down through my arm, into my fingers and out through the brush.

Painting Art Outside in the Garden

2008-09-20T06:03:00.001-07:00

I've painted a series of color images that stand outside the front of my house, I wanted to do something BIG ever since we did the 140X140 street painting at Copia in Napa so I started painting the big boards in my backyard.

This is the first one. I liked it, so I moved on:

This one is upside down, I'm not sure why I do that, but I do it all the time to look at them differently.

This one may not be finished yet. I think I'd like a circular light shape behind the plant, in front of the background, transparent. And then I painted this:

I call it "Blue Turmoil" I have a fifth board to paint and will post it here. Thank you for looking!

On Blogging

2008-08-25T18:12:00.001-07:00

Have you read a good blog post recently? Why not help another blogger out with traffic by giving a review and a link to their post? This will gain you good karma in the blogging world, and let readers know that you want to provide them with the best content, regardless of whether you were the one to produce it.

OK - This thought was courtesy of http://kikolani.com Thanks for sharing

Wi-Fi Hot Spots

2008-08-25T06:27:00.001-07:00

Just this morning I was wondering where to meet my girlfriends where we could get a minute of free wireless access. Where to go? First thing to do was to search current hot spots in downtown Napa: http://jiwire.com - plug in your zip code and viola! They give you maps with pins or lists with websites. In planning our trip across country on a train, we'll have this in our favorites and I think it will really come in handy.

Also, I could register my own hot spot. If I signed up to register my service (if I activated my account) as paid wi-fi access, people would have the option to pay ME to use the internet while they were in my space. Just trying to think of ways for little dollars to find me. Also, jiwire has a free download that works with Skype.

travelling.grannie (my skype name)

Blogging the Train

2008-08-17T20:03:00.001-07:00

Yes, we were thinking of taking a train across the USA and blogging it on the way, kinda like a Travel Channel for the Internet - YouTube style videos, GPS, etc. I'm on the test run, going from Napa Wine Train Station to the Hanford/Lemoore Station on the San Joaquin Valley Train. It's nice! I have a great bus driver that doesn't mind talking to me all the way down to Martinez.

Really helpful people and especially patient with old ladies like me. Now arriving in Antioch. Nice day, by the water. We have that bay breeze thing happening. I might have to move cars, there's an overwhelming smell of cheap men's cologne. Guys, when you ride public transportation with other people, PLEASE lighten up on the scents.

Orchards, grapevines, a lot of agriculture in this valley. This time of year, the corn is REALLY big, up past the windows in some places. Real estate by the tracks isn't always attractive. Only certain kinds of people can live by railroad tracks. That's why it makes sense to have agriculture by all that noise, but as you get closer to city centers, you look into where backyards go to die.

So I call this guy in Chicago, at the Amtrak media relations department and I asked permission to blog the train. He was so nice to me, even giving me his number and telling me to call if I need anything, sent me a letter of introduction in case anyone asked for it while I was underway and live blogging. Yep, we'll be blogging our way across the USA! I want to have maps, with pins online. What a way to go.

Fresno Station, WOW! I didn't realize how hot it was out here until I got off the train for a smoke. The train is cool, air conditioned, so menopausal old ladies can ride in comfort, gazing out on the hot fields. And before you know it, it's time to disembark. My trip just flew by. I have never encountered an unfriendly Amtrak employee, they're all just so nice that it must be a requirement. Even the passengers seem nicer than the general public, babies and children really love to ride the train.

And! For your viewing pleasure, we're going to have a train video on YouTube with footage from trip. Stay tuned, I'm also going to post more on the return trip. This is just a practice post for when we're REALLY bloggin the train.

The LOVE Basket

2008-08-15T06:54:00.001-07:00

Artichoke Flower & Antique Fire Truck

2008-08-03T07:53:00.001-07:00

The trucks were outside the museum being washed when I caught engine number five in all it's glory. This truck is OLD, amazing that it still has the old black and yellow plates from back then, but I've never seen one with the official "E" on it!

And then I have an artichoke flower, it's that season. I just liked the fuzzy purple hairs on it:

Want FIRST DIBS?

2008-07-25T07:46:00.001-07:00

2005 Opus One Napa Valley ~ PRE-RELEASE, we expect shipments to begin September 1st 2008 - order 6 bottles or more for special price, $159.95/bottle or get one for $169.95 I know, it's expensive, but it's Opus. It's not just fabulous Napa Valley red wine, it's an investment, it's art, history in a bottle.

BUY IT NOW

Simple Email Marketing

2008-06-27T20:19:00.001-07:00

You know those pretty e-cards you admire that come to you in your email? A lot of them are coming from here, Vertical Response. You can go online and play around with their creation wizard and sent a test to yourself.

I was walking down the street in Napa one day...

2008-06-25T12:14:00.001-07:00

when I had to stop. Several seconds went by before I realized exactly what this was. Several more had to pass as I overcame spontaneous hysterical laughter. There is was, mounted atop a lofty post. One photo just won't do.

Fish head on a post. This is the detour route by the Oxbow school and the fairgrounds, Third Street, the OTHER side of the wine train tracks. Two photos just wouldn't do. Let's get a close up.

I do believe it's a Salmon head, let's see, what does THAT pair with? This one is going into the library of never will happen again photos. Perhaps a buttery bacon fat Chardonnay?

Video Test

2008-06-23T11:11:00.001-07:00

Great Wines ~ $25. and under ~

2008-06-17T12:34:00.001-07:00

2002 Safari Cabernet Sauvignon $24.95
2003 Boodeaux Syrah $16.95
2004 Borra Fusion Red Wine Lodi $16.95
2004 Capolan Merlot Sonoma $13.95
2004 Claudia Springs Zinfandel Ricetti Vineyard $23.95
2004 Graff Family Chalone Consensus $24.95
2004 Latour Ardeche Chardonnay $19.95
2004 Point Concepcion Encantado Syrah $19.95
2004 Robert Foley Charbono Half Bottle $19.95
2004 Work Vineyards Reserve Syrah Sonoma Mountain $24.95
2005 Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $14.95
2005 Balletto Estate Chardonnay $15.95
2005 BV Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $14.95
2005 Byron Chardonnay Santa Maria Valley 93 pts (WS) $19.95
2005 Core Red Blend $19.95
2005 Dylan Sauvignon Blanc Oakville Napa Valley $13.95
2005 Ed's Red Wine Napa Valley $14.95
2005 Educated Guess Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $23.95
2005 HMV Chardonnay Napa Valley Howell Mtn $17.95
2005 J Winery Russian River Pinot Noir $24.95
2005 Jelly Jar Zinfandel Nova Vyd Lake County $22.95
2005 Jorian Hill Viognier Santa Ynez $24.95
2005 Michael Austin High Flyer Viognier Borra Vineyard $16.95
2005 Morro Bay Cabernet Sauvignon Split Oak Vyd California Red Wine $14.95
2005 Parcel 41 Merlot Napa Valley $16.95
2005 Pellegrini Russian River Chardonnay $13.95
2005 Praxis Lagrein $15.95
2005 R Wines Boarding Pass Shiraz 92 pts (RP) $17.95
2005 Ramsay Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $14.95
2005 Sierra Vista Fleur De Montagne Red Wine El Dorado $19.95
2005 Sonoma Cutrer Chardonnay Sonoma Coast $21.95
2005 Tamas Estates Sangiovese $13.95
2005 Three Saints Syrah Santa Ynez Valley $16.95
2005 Trou de Bonde Pinot Blanc $16.95
2005 Twenty Bench Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $16.95
2006 Ancien Pinot Gris Carneros $21.95
2006 Balletto Gewurtztraminer $15.95
2006 Balletto Pinot Gris $10.95
2006 Balletto Pinot Noir $17.95
2006 Beringer Alluvium Blanc Knights Valley 92 pts (WS) $14.95
2006 Bridesmaid White Wine Napa Valley $18.95
2006 Broadside Cabernet Sauvignon Margarita Vyd $19.95
2006 Caymus Conundrum White Blend $21.95
2006 Cellars Can Blau Red Blend Montsant Spain 92 pts (WA) $14.95
2006 Cliff Lede Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley $21.95
2006 Cloudline Pinot Noir Oregon $18.95
2006 Diamond Oaks Pinot Noir Carneros $17.95
2006 Easton Zinfandel Amador County $14.95
2006 Ferrari Carano Fume Blanc Dry Creek $14.95
2006 Flora Springs Chardonnay Napa Valley $23.95
2006 Graff Family Chalone Mourvedre $18.95
2006 Handley Gewurztraminer 93 pts (Wine Spirits) $16.95
2006 Hayman Hill Pinot Noir Reserve Selection $12.95
2006 Heitz Grignolino Rose Napa $17.95
2006 J Winery Pinot Gris Russian River $18.95
2006 Joseph Carr Chardonnay $15.95
2006 Justin The Orphan Red Wine Paso Robles $15.95
2006 Lazy Creek Anderson Valley Reisling $23.95
2006 Lazy Creek Estate Gewurztraminer $23.95
2006 Lee Family Farm Verdelho $14.95
2006 Mark West Pinot Noir $12.95
2006 Marquis Phillips Roogle Red 90 pts (RP) $8.95
2006 Marquis Phillips Sarah's Blend 91 pts (RP) $13.95
2006 Marquis Phillips Shiraz 92 pts (RP) $14.95
2006 Marshall Family Pinot Noir Barry's Blend $24.95
2006 Mauritson Sauvignon Blanc Dry Creek $19.95
2006 McPrice Myers White Wine $23.95
2006 Molly Dooker Two Left Feet Shiraz 93ptsRP 90ptsWS $19.95
2006 Morro Bay Chardonnay Sur Lie Split Oak Vyd Central Coast $11.95
2006 Patassy Pinot Noir Russian River $23.95
2006 Pavi Pinot Grigio Napa Valley $14.95
2006 Pink Girl Wines Rose $16.95
2006 R Wines Chris Ringland Ebenezer Shiraz 93 pts (WA) $19.95
2006 R Wines Luchador Shiraz El Jefe 92 pts (WA) $16.95
2006 Robert Keenan Chardonnay Summer Blend $21.95
2006 Robert Mondavi Moscato D'oro 375ml Half Btl $15.95
2006 Rosenblum Zinfandel Contra Costa $14.95
2006 Saintsbury Pinot Noir Garnet Carneros $18.95
2006 Santa Julia Tardio Late Harvest Torrantes 500 Ml $12.95
2006 Schild Estate Shiraz Barossa $24.95
2006 Schug Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma County $19.95
2006 Seresin Pinot Noir Leah Marlborough 91 pts (RP) $24.95
2006 Sierra Vista Fume Blanc Sierra Foothills $11.95
2006 Six Sigma Sauvignon Blanc Rooster Lake County $18.95
2006 Solorosa Rose Napa Valley $13.95
2006 St Innocent Pinot Blanc Freedom Hill Vineyard $18.95
2006 Stony Hill Gewurztraminer $19.95
2006 Stony Hill White Riesling $19.95
2006 Taz Pinot Gris Santa Barbara $14.95
2006 Taz Pinot Noir Santa Barbara $19.95
2006 Tom Eddy Tenz Sauvignon Blanc $17.95
2006 Vinum Cellars Its Ok Rose $9.95
2006 Work Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Napa $23.95
2007 Balletto Rose $15.95
2007 Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley $23.95
2007 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand $24.95
2007 Etude Pinot Gris Carneros $23.95
2007 Etude Rose of Pinot Noir $18.95
2007 Frog's Leap Rose $11.95
2007 Frog's Leap Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley $18.95
2007 John Anthony Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley Carneros $19.95
2007 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 91 pts (WS) $13.95
2007 Laird Family Estate Pinot Grigio Cold Creek $16.95
2007 Lazy Creek Rose of Pinot Noir Anderson Valley $23.95
2007 Londer Gewurztraminer Anderson Valley $24.95
2007 Luli Chardonnay Santa Lucia Highlands $19.95
2007 Man Chenin Blanc South Africa $9.95
2007 Molly Dooker Verdelho Violinist 90ptsRP $18.95
2007 Pey-Marin Reisling The Shell Mound $21.95
2007 Provenance Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc $16.95
2007 Quivera Sauvignon Blanc Fig Tree $14.95
2007 Robert Foley Pinot Blanc $24.95
2007 Robert Sinskey Carneros Pinot Blanc Half Btl 375ml $18.95
2007 Robert Sinskey Vin Gris of Pint Noir Carneros $21.95
2007 Two Wives Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley $16.95
2007 Walter Hansel Sauvignon Blanc Russian River $16.95
Blind Tasting Kit $14.99
Deluxe Bottle Stopper Set $17.95
Finding Wine on Highway 29 (CD) $14.95
Gift Box - Green $4.95
Marietta Cellars Old Vine Red Lot 45 $14.95
Napa County Wine Country Map $6.95
Prager Winery Sweet Claire Reisling Blend 375ml Half Btl $19.95
Private Preserve $7.95
Roederer Estate Brut $19.95
Soiree Wine Aerator $24.95
The Duet $19.95
Trentadue Chocolate Amore 375ml Half Btl $24.95
Wine Duffel $8.95
Wooden Box 1 Bottle $9.95
Wooden Box 3 Bottle $19.95

This is the NEW stuff

2008-06-13T09:27:00.001-07:00

2007 Lazy Creek Rose of Pinot Noir Anderson Valley, Philo, Mendocino County ~ $23.95 This Rose is 100% Pinot Noir aged in 20 year old French barrels. The fruit is harvested from old vines of heirloom clones. The wine opens with aromas of tropical fruits and peach flowers. Acidity nicely balanced, making this a light, crisp, dry wine to enjoy with food.
	The Grasso’s designated Olive Ridge Vineyard is located on their Napa Valley Estate Compound, east of the City of Napa in the foothills of Mt. George. 2005 Grasso Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Olive Ridge Vineyard ~ $44.95 Lasting tannins mark the finish of a cellarworthy Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Only 525 cases made.

Pride Mountain Vineyards

2008-06-12T14:07:00.001-07:00

Take Pride in your wine. I couldn't resist using that image for this post, I mean it is stunning. Here are some Pride wines you can order online and taste the rich flavors with your celebrations, give Pride as a gift or stow it away down in the cellar with your other treasures.

2006 Pride Chardonnay Napa Valley ~ $39.95

2005 Pride Merlot Napa Valley ~ $59.95

2005 Pride Cabernet Sauvignon ~ $74.95

I'm not sure how many of these may be left by the time you read this, but you can try it. These jewels go FAST. The only thing more impressive than whipping out a bottle of Pride Cabernet, is dragging out one of these babies:

2003 Pride Cabernet Sauvignon MAGNUM ~ $249.95

2005 Pride Cabernet Sauvignon MAGNUM ~ $249.95

I'm On A Roll

2008-06-12T13:03:00.001-07:00

A blog roll that is and as a blogger, I just used all the golden key words in less than 12 words. I've been reading a lot of contemporary online marketing tips from the pros, what works for them and what fails. For one thing, people want plain language, honestly original stuff, not cut and paste posts. A recent survey showed that the number one thing that people were looking for when they were shopping, overwhelmingly, friendly people. That doesn't seem like much to ask. So, I've decided to be a "Friendly Blogger" email me and see, answers are FREE! I just used another obvious golden keyword to drive traffic to this article, can you tell what it is?

Six Perfect Pinot Noirs

2008-06-11T15:50:00.001-07:00

	2006 Diamond Oaks Pinot Noir Carneros Fruit sourced from the Hira Ranch in Carneros. Winemaker, Mark Fasi: Prior to joining the Diamond Oaks team Mark made wine for Sunstone in the Santa Ynez Valley, Bettinelli Vineyards, Robert Biale Vineyards and Robert Sinsky. This delicious wine is a terrific value and a staff favorite. $17.95/btl
	2006 Londer Pinot Noir Anderson Valley Medium ruby in the glass with bright rose glints. Aromas of cranberry-raspberry cocktail, cinnamon sticks, fresh raspberries and strawberries. Notes of pomegranate and cranberry dominate the palate and dark chocolate layered beneath. The finish lingers with notes of espresso and cherry. Vineyard sources: Londer, Valley Foothills, Ferrington, Donnelly Creek $33.95/btl
	2006 Kanzler Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast Medium-deep ruby color; deep dusty, forest floor and black cherry aromas; ripe, silky, intense black cherry flavors with some forest floor complexity, lots of sweet oak; good structure and balance; long finish. This Pinot's intense fruit nearly explodes on the palate. $53.95/btl
	2006 Road 31 Wine Co. Pinot Noir Looking for Green Truck Cellars? You've found it. Same guy, same wine, (same truck on the label), new name ... Road 31. winemaker notes: "It has notes of cherry, cola and coffee on the nose, with the oak a wonderful background note in the aromatics. In the mouth, it is initially lively, with a racy, spicy characteristic quickly melding into the smooth, juicy, sweet texture that has come to define my Pinot Noir." $38.95/btl
	2006 Mueller Pinot Noir Russian River Emily's Cuvee Has a deep, rich cranberry color. Aromas of ripe black cherry, smoky oak, and anise are balanced with cherry cola, blackberry and exotic spice flavors. Medium bodied with toasty oak, tangy raspberry flavors and balanced acidity. Tannins are soft and rich with a finish that is long and flavorful. Its rich array of flavors and aromas will age gracefully and become more complex over the next several years. $42.95/btl
	2005 Duckhorn Goldeneye Pinot Anderson Valley Exhibits dusty berry, cola and wild raspberry flavors in a complex, well focused style. Ripe and tannic, this shows nice fruit on the finish where the tannins provide traction. Drink now through 2012. $54.95/btl

These wines will speak for themselves

Local Artist Makes Good

2008-06-10T09:25:00.001-07:00

Right smack dab in the heart of downtown Napa, California. Over the past eight years I have been developing relationships with local small business and that means mostly winemakers, wine shops, wine web sites, etc... <wine></wine>

My primary motives in the marketing and promotion fields is to help all business that I come in contact with to thrive and prosper in these especially trying times. If you have new ideas about how you can grow your business, I want all my clients - new, old, large & small - to always know that I can deliver the most flexible and economical way to represent them online, to provide marketing print materials and always be there for them with backup files. Not just a webmaster, but your own personal art department, photographer, blogger, tag master! Maybe you just need a brochure, or a custom wine label design, I want to be included in YOUR prosperity plans for the future. I really love my job and sincerely thank you for all your support.

I've been keeping up with the technology, I'm using Live Writer for all my blogs, which makes my blogging time far more efficient. The new stealth shuttle craft laptop sings like I know it could. Editing web pages is easier than ever for me now, there's no reason for any tiny wine producers to go with out proper web presence, old pages or bad information. Take a look at our web site and see if you want us backing up your venture: Napa Valley Graphics

Wine Spectator | Articles | A Glass or Two of Red Wine May Keep the Heart Young

2008-06-09T16:07:00.001-07:00

A team of scientists report that the chemical resveratrol, commonly found in red wine, can help keep heart tissues young and delay aging—and at levels lower than previously expected, according to a study on mice released on June 4. The researchers found the health benefits at levels equivalent to three or four glasses of red wine a day in humans, but they believe that a glass of red wine a day might provide all the resveratrol the heart needs.

Wine Spectator | Articles | A Glass or Two of Red Wine May Keep the Heart Young

43 Things Tags: wines,cabernet,Napa Valley

California Cabernet Connection

2008-06-09T13:01:00.001-07:00

I see you're looking for wines with T names, here's a couple of California Cabernets you can get your teeth into. 2005 Turnbull Cabernet Sauvignon ~ $39.95 Ripe and fleshy, with generous plum, black cherry and red cherry fruit that’s intense and complex.
	If you like Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, you should give this one a try, at this price you can't loose. 2005 Twenty Bench Cabernet ~ $16.95 Twenty Bench Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is the side project of Jim Regusci of Regusci Winery.

Another Honey Bee Post

2008-06-05T09:15:00.001-07:00

According to Albert Einstein, our very existence is inextricably linked to bees - he is reputed to have said: “If the bee disappears off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years of life left.” ~ Read the FULL article HERE

Without this army of migrant pollinators paying a visit for three weeks every year, the trees would fail to bear the almonds that are California’s most valuable horticultural export. Last year, they earned the state more than $1.9bn, double the revenue from its Napa Valley vineyards. Moreover, 80% of the world’s almonds now come from this pocket of the planet. But the supply of almonds in confectionery, cakes and packets of nuts is now threatened by a mysterious malady that is causing honeybees to disappear.

Hackenberg was the first beekeeper to report that his bees had vanished. On a November day 18 months ago, he checked the hives in his Florida bee yard to find they were empty. “They weren’t dead, they were just gone,” he recalls.

Since then, close on two million colonies of honeybees across the US have been wiped out. The strange phenomenon, dubbed colony collapse disorder (CCD), is also thought to have claimed the lives of billions of honeybees around the world. In Taiwan, 10 million honeybees were reported to have disappeared in just two weeks, and throughout Europe honeybees are in peril.

The Wine You Want

2008-06-05T08:29:00.001-07:00

I've been watching the stats, I see what you're looking for and I know where to get them at the lowest price online. 2003 Silver Oak Napa ~ $89. Daniel Baron, Winemaker 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot
	T-Vine Cellars is suprisingly popular. I thought maybe I was loving the wine because we love Greg Brown so much but I see there are a LOT of you out there that love the wine, too! 2005 T Red Meritage ~ $44.95 This is the best one and not always available "...bursting with berries, both black and blue."

Downtown Napa

2008-06-03T15:29:00.001-07:00

2003 Boodeaux Cabernet Sauvignon

2008-06-02T11:11:00.000-07:00

Hosier Daddy Cabernet ~ BOODEAUX vineyards has twenty seven hundered vines and averages two and one half tons per acre. The quality of this Napa Valley hand-made wine speaks for itself. If you love cabernet, you should try some BOODEAUX! Scott Becker is one of those winemakers that doesn't produce very much wine and the wine he does produce doesn't last very long. Seeing the wine industry in the Napa Valley transform poor farmers into gentlemen farmers, in 1997 he purchased 20 acres Capel Valley (just over the hill from Lake Hennessey) in which 3.5 planted to Cabernet and half an acre planted to Primitivo. With his trusty companion, Boodeaux (Rhodesian ridgeback) and the sage advice of Jeff Smith of Dusinberre Cellars & Bob Milat of Milat Vineyards, he has released his first wines. There are only about 50 cases of 2003 Boodeaux Cabernet left. $38. per bottle, but call Scott and ask him about a case discount.

Honeybees in Napa Valley

2008-05-14T08:03:00.000-07:00

In School & Out of School - LINK TO ARTICLE
High school students and parents work together to support honeybee population
Agency: St. Helena High School
Support Needed: $2,500
Purpose: Purchase beekeeping and honey extracting equipment

Students at St. Helena High School have an Apis mellifera in their bonnet. They are concerned about the vanishing population of honeybees. Populations of these insects are disappearing and dying at significant rates around the country, and California is among 24 states that has logged anywhere from a 30- to 70-percent decrease. The reason this is alarming: Honeybees annually pollinate more than $14 billion worth of seeds and crops--mostly fruits, vegetables and nuts--in the United States. In fact, it is estimated that one in every three bites of food is linked to the diligent work of honeybees. Obviously, in our agricultural Valley, honeybees are essential. At St. Helena High School, a handful of dedicated students, some parents and a science teacher (collectively known as the "bee gang") are finding and relocating new hives, carefully moving swarms of bees from where they may not be welcome (private homes, businesses, public parks) to places where they can thrive: hive boxes at St. Helena High School. A healthy hive can number in the tens of thousands. In the last two years the group has collected five hives from the highschool campus alone (most students on campus know about the honeybee project and inform the bee gang when they find a swarm, which literally looks like a ball of bees). This fall, another two hives were captured. The goal is to expand this effort to collect more than a dozen hives at multiple locations; the local nursery, a magnet for emerging swarms, has given the bee gang permission to collect any hives on its property. The bee gang also wants to extract the honey and comb from the hives, and sell the nectar at the St. Helena Farmer's Market. Income would be used to sustain the bee project. The bee gang's efforts allow for manageable care of the hive, as well as honey extraction. The hives also serve as living laboratories for students to easily observe the mechanics of colonial insects and the vital process of pollination. Budget for this project includes: 10 hive boxes ($93 each); 20 supers ($40 each); a honey extractor ($619); and a collection of hoods, gloves and smokers ($200). Your support would keep this unique science and environmental project buzzing along.

St. Helena High School
1401 Grayson Avenue, St. Helena, CA 94574
707.967.2740
Contact: Chris O'Connor, Science Teacher
Email: coconner@sthelena.k12.ca.us
www.sthelena.k12.ca.us/apps/comm.asp? Q=19&menutab=8

POSTED AS A PUBLIC SERVICE, AND BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN BEES

Cabernet From The Source

2008-04-08T15:44:00.000-07:00

Perata Vineyards 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Yountville, Napa Valley - The 2003 growing season was a balance of ample spring moisture and several heat spikes through the summer. Early September warm days accelerated ripening of some early varieties, while our Cabernet Sauvignon stayed on the vine well into October developing extraordinary flavors. The grapes were harvested at 26.6 Brix and fermented slowly under controlled temperatures. The wine was aged for 28 months in all new French oak and has been in the bottle 10 months. In tasting you will find hints of black cherry, ripe plum, blackberries with mild cedar and tobacco aromas to balance the fruit characters.

There's only one place I know of to buy this wine, HERE

Cigar & Wine Tasting

2008-03-25T14:27:00.000-07:00

I know about as much about cigars as I do about wine. [tobacco & grapes] I love the smell and taste of a robust cigar when I am sipping wine. A plan for the perfect evening often involves cigars & port on the patio after dinner. I was just thinking, what do men think of women who smoke cigars? My favorite cigar shop has two catagories for men, not a one for women but that doesn't surprise me, it's primarily a man's sport and usually men over forty. I did my shopping, I don't want to spend a lot of money, I just want to try something different, perhaps an assortment so I can do a sort of "cigar tasting" to see what I like. Problem solved:
Cuban Crafters Cigars ~ This amazing value includes 12 gourmet cigars in a box with the cutter!A $68.00 retail for $20! I don't know how long that will last.

I'll be posting my "cigar tasting notes" sometime after I get MY package. If you're a man over 40, tell me honestly what comes to mind when you see a woman smoke a fat cuban.

Before You Buy Wine Online

2008-03-23T09:31:00.000-07:00

or anything for that matter, I recommend setting up a seperate account online for that purpose. You can set up an online account easily at http://ingdirect.com/
Just make a deposit from your real bank account. This way, if anything BAD happens, it won't devistate your life.

One of the most popular online wine shops is:
wine.com

Fly Wine! Unusual Wines from Napa Valley

2008-01-15T09:39:00.000-08:00

Wines you can easily buy online. This is the new stuff:
2006 Lazy Creek Anderson Valley Reisling $23.95
2006 Lazy Creek Estate Gewurztraminer $23.95
2006 Schild Estate Shiraz Barossa $24.95
2006 Beringer Chardonnay Private Reserve $27.95
2006 Frank Family Chardonnay Napa Valley $29.95
2005 Michael Austin Bad Habit Red $34.95
2005 Walter Hansel Chardonnay Cuvee Alyce $34.95
2003 Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $36.95
2005 Snowden Cabernet Sauvignon "The Ranch" $37.95
2005 Walter Hansel Pinot Noir The South Slope $37.95
2004 Frank Family Napa Cabernet Sauvignon $39.95
2005 Walter Hansel Pinot Noir Cuvee Alyce $44.95
2005 Faust Cabernet Sauvignon $49.95
2004 Stag's Leap Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa $59.95
2005 Snowden Cabernet Savignon Reserve Napa $59.95
2004 Lancaster Estate Red Table $64.95
2005 Pahlmeyer Chardonnay Sonoma Coast $69.95
2005 Viader Proprietary Cabernet Blend $79.95
2004 Marston Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon $84.95
2005 David Arthur Cabernet Sauvingon $89.95
2003 Silver Oak Cabernet Napa Valley $89.95
2004 Viader V Proprietary Cabernet Blend $99.95
2004 Cain Five Red Blend Napa Valley $112.95
Valentine Wine Picnic Pack $129.95
2005 David Arthur Elevation 1147 Cabernet Sauvingon $149.95

Frog Recommendations:

2007-12-21T09:49:00.000-08:00

These are the most recently added wines to the collection. Too late for Christmas but there is always a reason to celebrate so I put the champagnes there below this list. With names like Silver Oak and Cakebread Cellars, you really can't go wrong. Cheers!

1996 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 6 Litre 92 RP $849.00

1998 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame, French Champagne $124.95

2004 Husic Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Dos Palmas $109.95

2004 Schramsberg Blanc De Blanc $29.95

2004 Paradigm Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Estate Napa Valley $59.95

2004 Paradigm Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Magnum Napa Valley $159.95

2004 Twomey Cellars Merlot $59.95

2005 Alcina Pinot Noir Ramondo Vyd Sonoma Coast 91 pts (WS) $44.95

2005 Cakebread Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $68.95

2005 Caldwell Proprietary Red Blend Napa Valley 92-94 pts (WS) BT $99.95

2005 Hanzell Chardonnay Sonoma Valley $62.95

2005 Martinelli Chardonnay Martinelli Rd Russian River 93 pts (RP) $49.95

2005 Melka CJ Cabernet Sauvignon $49.95

2005 Turnbull Cabernet Sauvignon 95pts(WC) $45.00

2006 Rudd Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley $29.95

2006 Marshall Family Pinot Noir Barry's Blend $19.95

2006 Robert Mondavi Moscato D'oro 375ml Half Btl $20.00

1995 Henriot Cuvee des Enchanteleurs French Champagne $129.95

1996 Veuve Clicquot Pucci Caprice $199.95

1998 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame, French Champagne $124.95

1999 Dom Perignon Champagne French Champagne $159.95

1999 Dom Perignon Champagne French Magnum $349.95

1999 Perrier Jouet Le Fleur Brut Champagne 90 pts (ST) $108.95

2000 Mumm DVX Napa Valley Sparkling Wine 91 pts (WS) $49.95

2004 Schramsberg Blanc De Blanc $29.95

Bollinger Special Cuvee Non Vintage 93 pts (WS) $39.95

Champagne Krug Grande Cuvee 93 pts (RP) $149.95

Charles Ellner Brut Rose $69.95

Henriot Brut Souverain Non Vintage $39.95

J Cuvee 20 Brut NV Russian River Valley $25.95

Mumm BLanc De Noir Napa Valley Sparkling Wine 90 pts (WS) $16.95

Mumm Brut Prestige Napa Valley Sparkling Wine 90 pts (WS) $13.95

Perrier Jouet Grand Brut Cuvee Champagne 91 pts (WS) $29.95

Rene Geoffroy Nv Cuvee Selectionnee Brut Champagne $49.95

Roederer Estate Brut $19.95

Veuve Clicquot Yellow City Traveler $59.95

Veuve Clicquot Yellow City Traveler & Glasses $84.95

Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut Champagne $42.95

Veuve Clicquot Yellow MAGNUM with Ice Jacket $117.95

FrogBlog Recommendations For This Year

2007-11-29T09:19:00.000-08:00

Buying wine online during the Holidays shouldn't be difficult, this is easy, just press one of the links that interest you and open an account. There is no obligation to buy anything. You can add or take away as many wines as you want, charge it and ship the wine in minutes. You must be at least 21 years old to have wine shipped to you.

I have found the best deal on fine wines online and here are my results for this Holiday season. Buy them individually or all together for the GREAT CASE.
2004 BV Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley - $14.95
2005 Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley - $14.95
2005 Ramsay Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley - $14.95
2004 Capolan Merlot Sonoma - $13.95
2006 Hayman & Hill Pinot Noir Reserve - $12.95
2005 Rosenblum Zinfandel Contra Costa Bay - $14.95
2005 Tom Eddy Elodian Sauvignon Blanc - $14.95
2005 Pellegrini Russian River Chardonnay - $13.95
2006 Chateau St. Jean Fume Blanc Sonoma - $12.95
2006 Saintsbury Carneros Vin Gris of Pinot Noir - $13.95
2006 Vinum Cellars Its OK Rose Napa Valley - $9.95
2000 Mumm Brut Prestige Napa Valley Sparkling - $13.95

$166.40

Get a really GREAT CASE of Napa Valley [and Sonoma] fine wines for the Holidays for less than a hundred and sixty-seven dollars [plus tax and shipping to your state].

These wines are all taste tested and the BEST value online. Any one of these wines would make a most welcomed gift! I did the shopping for you and got a little of each varietal. Three delicious Cabernet Sauvignons from Napa Valley, Sonoma Merlot, Russian River Pinot Noir, Contra Costa Zinfandel, [yummy]. Then, a selection of white wines. Tom Eddy Napa Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Chardonnay and Sonoma Fume Blanc. And then there's dessert! A Carneros Vin Gris and a complex Napa Valley Rosé, you can always save the bottle of champagne for New Year's Eve.
Now, check out these Holiday Sampler packs 3, 6 or 12 wines together. If you didn't see what you wanted in the above mixed case, you're sure to find it here:
Better Than Fruitcake 6 wines at a really great price - $92.70
Deck the Halls 6 wines with really BIG ratings - $569.70
Festive American Bubbles 3 U.S.A. Sparkling wines - $88.40
Festive French Bubbles 3 Champagnes from France - $122.85
Holiday Cheer A Pair of Wines, Red and White - $76.90
Holiday Crowd Pleaser 12 Wines from Napa and Sonoma - $343.40
Home for the Holidays 3 Wines for Holiday Sipping - $88.40
Jingle Wines Pair of Wines, Red and White - $29.90
Mistletoe Pinots 6 really great Pinot Noirs - $257.70
Tidings of Great Cab 6 really great Napa Cabernets - $409.70
Ultimate Bubbles Best Bubbles in the House - $595.85
Wine Winter Wonderland The Ultimate Case of wine - $1384.40

The Brick Angel

2007-11-28T11:19:00.000-08:00

From Napa Valley, Sauvignon Blanc and Rose of Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Yummy!

We drank them with our little Sushi Party, they were perfect.

Peju Province

2007-09-25T19:20:00.000-07:00

Yeah, right

15 Seconds of Fame

2007-09-25T18:31:00.000-07:00

Tonight I realized that in 2002 I was published on a cork. Here is the cork with my website published on it. You never find out these things in this business until five years later when you open your very own bottle of special wine...

2002 GustavoThrace Signature Zinfandel

Old Vines off the Nichelini Ranch, gosh - that's about the most GRAPES I've tasted in wine! You can really TASTE the grapes in this wine, French oak and dark berries...

This is romantic wine that you would drink with a lover. For under thirty bucks I say, goes perfectly next to a steamy hot tub with fresh picked local long-stemmed strawberries dipped in melty dark chocolate and a bit of natural vanilla scented oil candle.

I'm an artist and I have to recognize milestones in my life for future civilization. Something that will explain all of this that I'll be leaving behind me long from now, when geeks in the future recover all this data and start putting history together, they're going to have questions...