CABERNET SAUVIGNON PAGE ( http://www.ancientpeaks.com/ )

Our 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon and other wines reflect our commitment to crafting fine wines from our estate Margarita Vineyard in the Paso Robles wine country. We endeavor to craft the best California wine possible from each vintage, showcasing the flavors of Margarita Vineyard and the larger excellence of Paso Robles wine.

Cabernet Sauvignon thrives in our estate Margarita Vineyard, where the varietal benefits from one of the longest growing seasons in the Paso Robles appellation. Here, eight miles northeast of the city of San Luis Obispo and just 14 miles from the Pacific Ocean, our California Cabernet Sauvignon grapes achieve full ripeness while maintaining exceptional balance and structure the defines the resulting Cabernet Sauvignon wine. The 2006 vintage has earned numerous positive wine reviews and was called a “great buy” by the Wine Spectator Online as one of their best wines under $20. Other Cabernet ratings include a “Good Value” designation from the Connoisseur’s Guide to California Wine.

Our Cabernet vineyards were first planted by Robert Mondavi, whose Cabernet Napa Valley is known as a benchmark cab wine. Our Cabernet wines are naturally different from the Cabernet Robert Mondavi, due to the unique location of our Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards. However, we are proud of their link to one of California’s pioneers of fine red wine.

We invite you to taste and buy Cabernet at our tasting room in Santa Margarita. We even have discount wines available during special events, and we offer vineyard tours on the first and third Saturdays of each month. You may also join a wine club—specifically, our A-List wine club. We focus on Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc, but our tasting room is also a great place to find a California wine gift, California wine map, Cabernet Sauvignon wines and even unusual wines such as Malbec and Petit Verdot.

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As the owner of a winery and a restaurant, I am often asked many questions about wine and the wine industry in general. Here are some facts the great world wine.

1. There are 20 million hectares planted with grapevines in the world.

2. Among the fruit crops of the world, wine grapes rank number one in the amount of acres planted.

3. 164 countries import California wines.

4. Prunes were the primary fruit crop in Napa Valley during the 1940s.

5. 30 million gallons of wine were lost in the 1906 Earthquake in San Francisco.

6. On August 19, 1873, phylloxera, an insect pest, was discovered in California.

7. 10,450 hectares of vineyards in Napa County have been replanted, over the last 15 years, because of phylloxera.

8. 4450 acres of Napa County vineyards will need replacement.

9. It takes 4 to 5 years to harvest a commercial crop from newly replanted grape vines.

10. 10,000 varieties of wine grapes exist worldwide.

11. It costs about $1 per bottle to age wine in barrels of old French oak.

12. It costs about $3 per bottle of wine to age in barrels of new French oak.

13. When was the first known reference to a specific wine vintage? Answer: The Roman historian Pliny the Elder rated a bottle of wine from grapes harvested in 121 BC as "a vintage of the highest excellence. "

14. How old was the wine being a "reviewed"? Answer: 200 years! Pliny the Elder wrote history of the Roman Empire around 70 AD.

15. A bottle of opened wine, stored in the refrigerator, lasts more than 6 to 16 times longer than it would, if stored at room temperature.

16. There are 400 species of oaks.

17. 20 of them are used in making oak barrels.

18. Only 5% percent of an oak is suitable for high grade wine barrels.

19. The 1996 harvest of grapes in the Napa Valley was down 20% – 25% of normal.

20. California, New York and Florida are the top three U.S. states in terms of wine consumption.

21. 58% Percentage of Americans of drinking age, contacted in a Nielson telephone survey, drink wine.

22. 55 Percentage of restaurant wine sales are red wines.

23. $2.64 is the average cost of the grapes used to produce a bottle of $20 wine.

24. Dom Perignon (1638-1715), the Benedictine Abbey (at Hautvillers) cellar master who is generally credited with "inventing" the process of making Champagne, was blind.

25. Thomas Jefferson helped stock the wine cellar of the first Presidents of the United States and was very partial to fine Bordeaux and Madeira.

26. To avoid a sparkling wine from foaming, first pour an ounce into a glass, which will settle quickly. Now pour the remaining portion, it will not foam as much.

27. Old wine almost never turns to vinegar. It spoils by oxidation.

28. In Egypt, in the time of King Tuta (about 1300 BC), the commoners drank beer and wine drinking was reserved for the upper class.

29. It is believed that wine ages more slowly in larger bottles, since there is less oxygen per volume of wine in big bottles. Rapid oxidation, as with a leaky cap, can spoil wine.

30. Before harvest, the canopy of leaves at the top of the vine is often cut away to increase sun exposure and increase the rate of maturation.

We hope you enjoyed these facts.

Ian Macdonald as founder and owner of Macdonald’s Gourmet Burgers. He combines his passion and knowledge of food, wine and nutrition with savvy business tactics. He is also the MD of a corporate consulting firm that advises on strategic negotiation, dispute resolution and workplace change. Clients are mainly from top 100 corporations. For lots of free resources from their extensive website go to: http://www.MacdonaldsGourmetBurgers.com.

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Check out Australian Wineries, While Visiting Down Under

If you like to travel to wineries when you visit a country, don’t forget to check out Australian wineries if you are traveling to the nation continent. There are ancient lands that have been making wine for almost three thousand years, and Australia isn’t one of them. Still, there is an Ozzy wine making tradition that started soon after colonization by the British. Within 50 years, wine production had taken root in the Australian soils. Before long, vineyards were dotting the countryside, albeit, mostly in the southern region of the land.

During past century, the Australian wine industry has matured and it is worthy of your attention. The quality of the wine and the amount of production has risen, dramatically. At the beginning of the 20th century, the entire continent’s wine production less than five million gallons annually. But today, the vintners of Australia easily bottle a hundred million gallons of wines worth drinking.

For wine making, Australia is blessed with a variety of climate types and soil conditions. This has made it possible to cultivate many different grape varieties and ferment many types of wine. Regional and local climates range from cool and damp to very hot and arid. Some conditions mirror those of the best European wine regions, other spots remind one of Napa Valley and even upstate New York. And where the soil and sunlight are right, but there is not enough rainfall, vineyards are irrigated to help them produce wine grapes.

There’s a lot of clay and limestone in Australian soils, yet the specifics vary just as much as temperature and rainfall. Australian winemakers have, over the years, learned what the lands are like and now match the type of grape that best fits their local soil. The results are high quality grapes and the best yield for that variety.

Australian wine have been ignored by most of the wine drinking world for the majority of its existence. No one could believe that wine from down under could be worthwhile – in the late 19th century, some judges insisted that the Victoria district wines that they had just rated so highly, couldn’t possibly be Australian! Today wine connoisseurs know that Ozzy vintages can be among the best and over the last 25 years, the wine world had taken notice and Australian wines got noticed, and production skyrocketed.

There was another boom, too – tourist visiting Australian vineyards. While a walkabout wine tour is not done, travelers by car will find many delightful vineyards to visit with many delightful wines.

As the fourth largest wine exporter in the world, Australia has a lot to offer. Even major wine producers, like Spain, France and Italy, buy wines from this country’s producers. Known for its characteristics “GSM blends” – wines made from a blend of Mourvedre, Shiraz and Grenache, as well as many other types, Australia has been called the most powerful influence in wine today.

So, if you’re going to be visiting Australia on our next vacation (or even for business), don’t forget to take the time to check out some of its wine regions… At least try a few local wines. And wherever you are in the world, for a great wine for your table, don’t pass over the Australian section. There are some really amazing wines there, just waiting for you to discover them!

About the Author: Want to Try the best Margaret River Wines? The Madfish Winery’s philosophy is to produce wines that are without pretension or fuss and are approachable in their youth with flavors and freshness.

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On your next visit to Northern California, consider making some time to take a tour in Sacramento to see their famous wineries. Between the weather and scenery, the wine, and chance to even take a limo, Sacramento wine tours are an unforgettable experience. No matter where you are in the area, seeing the country and tasting vintage wines is always worthwhile adventure.

Sacramento is centrally located amongst some of the best wineries in the country and, with the sun shining almost all year, is a great place to grow grapes and for you to start a wine tasting journey. You can explore and sip California’s six varieties of wine:  White, red, fortified, non-varietal and blended wine, plus all the individual wines found in-between these types.

The Amador Cellers, located in Amador County, is great place to start. But any wine country tour that takes you to some of the thirty or so wineries in this county will work well for you. The area is famous for its Zinfandels, but there also produce excellent Syrahs, Chenin Blancs and Barberas. Most wineries can be found near mid-town Sacramento and one, Montevina, makes great Zins and Chanin Blane. Go to El Dorado for about 25 varieties of grapes and red wines like Cabernet and Merlot.

A single winery you could stop at, if you only have time to visit one, is Jodar, one of the best in all of Sacramento and worth a visit by anyone who has an interest in wine. Its red varieties are what make it so popular, but its whites are just as good. Of course, if you aren’t limited in time, go beyond a single winery and head to Napa Valley and Somona.

When you think of California wine, chances are one of the first wine regions that comes to mind is Napa Valley and its wineries. The three most popular wineries there are the Frank Family, Caymus and Chandon, all are worth a visit. Somona County is almost as famous a wine area with many premier wineries. It is known for the Carneros and the Alexander Valley.

A nice way to visit these Sacramento wineries is to hire a Limousine and let someone else navigate the back roads… There are many limo services that offer the comfort of an upscale ride to meet almost any budget. They are an ideal choice for those who want to visit several wineries, and your driver might even be able to plan a tour for you. Above all, after you’ve had wine at several different places, you will be better off with someone else at the wheel.

Even though limos can be very affordable, if you want to save costs, and look to cut down on miles and time you will need the service for, look for limo models that are cheaper than others. However, if you can, you should always try taking a limo. Somehow, the very special wines of Sacramento taste even better when you feel your own special treatment.

About the Author: => Add some style and luxury to the numerous Sacramento wine tours available by utilizing the proud Davinci Limousine Inc service. Added to the style and luxury, Davinci Limousine Inc will provide you with your own private tour guide. Go to http://www.davincilimousine.com to book your special Sacramento wine tour.