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The British Royal Family is supporting the wine industry in England. According to an article published in Decanter.com, during May, three hectares of grapevines will be planted in Windsor Great Park. The article, Royal Vineyards Planted in Windsor, by Adam Lechmere notes the vineyards will be managed by Laithwaites. However the Duke of Edinburgh has taken an interest in this project and is overseeing it.
The vineyards will have Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. These are the grape varietals used in producing Champagne. All wine produced from these grapes will be sparkling wines. We look forward to watching the growth of the vineyards and their first anticipated vintage of 2013.
According to Lechmere, “The news that such a high-profile vineyard is being planted has given a massive boost to English sparkling wine, which is already riding a wave of popularity.”
Interest in English wines is growing. However as we learned while visiting wineries in England, there is a notable difference between English wine and British wine. If you want English wine produced with grapes grown in England be sure to ask for English wine. British wine is produced with juice imported from anywhere in the world.
If you are looking for quality sparkling wines produced in England, look for wines produced at Ridgeview Wine Estate in Sussex, England. Read a review of Ridgeview Wine Estate by Wine Trail Traveler.
HR 1161 – Potential Problems for Wineries and Consumers
Yesterday, I read a blog about HR 1161. This is a bill sponsored by Jason Chaffetz from Utah. HR 1161 is similar to last year’s HR 5034 that fortunately did not reach passage. Now with slightly different wording it’s introduced again with a different number. When reading the bill it almost sound innocuous but if one looks at what could happen in future years based on HR1161, it could change the landscape of wine distribution in terms of limiting consumers access to wine. It appears to limit or deny a citizen’s right to appeal to the federal government.
In an article by Bonnie Lewis, HR 1161 could deny wine lovers their wine clubs, imports on tucsoncitizen.com, she writes about the problems that could be created by the passage of HR1161. Lewis writes, “But Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) recently reintroduced the bill that, if passed, could bring an end to the direct shipment of alcohol in the United States, and severely hinder the chance of legal recourse within each State against such restrictions.”
You can find detailed information about HR 1161 at the govtrack.us website. Check out HR 1161 yourself and decide for yourself if the bill is necessary and who will the bill benefit if it is passed. Let your Congressional representative know your opinion now.
Cheers! Kathy