Date: Mon 10-Mar-1997

By Previous Employees

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: CAROLK

Location: A10

Quick Words:

Wine-Wisdom-Sips-Swallows

Full Text:

(Wine Wisdom: Sips & Swallows From Around The Wine World, 3/7/97)

Wine Wisdom-

Sips And Swallows From Around The Wine World

By Steve Small

In 1987, California wines represented the largest percentage of my fine wine

business. Today they are still extraordinarily popular.

The wineries that anchored the California wine business in 1987 included such

familiar names as Robert Mondavi, Beringer, Simi, Kendall-Jackson, Sterling

and Clos du Bois. These wineries built their reputations on tasty varietal

wines like Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon for around $10 a bottle.

Today that $10 price range is ancient history for many of California's

well-known wineries. As prices for some of these wines approach $20 a bottle,

I am curious if prices will stop increasing and when that may be. There are

still plenty of good wines available for under $10 a bottle. However, more and

more of them are coming from other parts of the world like Spain, Southern

France and South America.

For now, the demand for most of the well-known California wines still outpaces

the supply. As prices continue to rise, I will be watching to see how long

this trend continues.

The one California wine varietal that still offers tremendous value is

Sauvignon Blanc. Sauvignon Blanc is often blended with another white grape

called Semillon. It also can be found under the name Fume Blanc or White

Meritage.

I have tasted a number of excellent Sauvignon Blancs available for around $10

a bottle. Wines I have enjoyed include Concannon, Kunde, Geyser Peak, Hanna,

de Lorimier and Dry Creek.

Sauvignon Blanc is a versatile white wine that is excellent with chicken or

fish, but also flavorful enough to drink by itself. As Chardonnays continue to

rise in price, Sauvignon Blancs have become an economical and tasty

alternative.

I have always been a fan of California Champagnes; or as our friends from

France would prefer - sparkling wines. Two of the principal grapes used to

make sparkling wine are Pino Noir and Chardonnay.

Unfortunately, it seems these grapes sell better as red and white still wines

than as sparkling wines. Taittinger's Domaine Carneros, Roederer Estate,

Scharffenberger and Jordan "J" are all delicious California sparkling wines. I

sincerely hope the demand for these well made sparkling wines is strong enough

to insure a steady supply.

(Steve Small is the proprietor of Steve's Liquor Store, in Ricky's Shopping

Center at 71 South Main Street/Route 25 in Newtown.)

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The Way We Were

Well that is some spin. The Democrats have a super majority on the LC and passed the Education Budget without serious consideration of if the voters could afford the multi million dollar increase. "Was the request justified?" rather than "is this needed?" and "can the voters shoulder yet another large increase?" The voters rightly sent it back. Then for some reason all the discussion around reductions to the increase seemed to be coming from the classroom, rather than administration and overhead costs. Is this a coercive tactic to manipulate parents into supporting the budget like tacit threat of cutting freshman sports was two years ago? Who believes the Democrats did not caucus privately before the meeting and came in with a number already worked out? This is the Dems budget, they own it.

Education Cuts: Who Voted For What

I think it is important that we do not villainize every black box seen around a home, business, farm, or municipal property. A black exterior station does not always mean rat poison is being used. These stations can hold a number of different products, including monitoring blocks, snap traps, non-toxic bait, anti-tick bait stations, organic salt- or cornmeal-based control products, and newer fertility-control approaches intended to reduce rodent populations without traditional poisons. The better conversation, in my opinion, is not simply “black boxes are bad,” but rather: what is inside them, who is maintaining them, and whether the rodent issue is being managed responsibly. Exclusion, sanitation, trapping, habitat reduction, and careful monitoring should all be part of a responsible IPM strategy. To be fair, on my own property I do use rodenticides, including Bromethalin and Bromadiolone, in secured bait stations. But that is a choice I make for my property, based on my circumstances and the risk I am trying to manage. I also believe property owners should understand the tradeoffs and be encouraged to use the least harmful effective method whenever possible. I support protecting Newtown’s wildlife. I also support giving residents accurate information and not assuming that every black box represents reckless or unsafe pest control. The goal should be responsible rodent management, not fear of the box itself.

Discusses Policy Against Rodenticides

Debora, thank you! I accidentally doubled the project prices by adding the bond to the appropriation. Thank you so much for catching that and pointing it out. With the corrected numbers, the voters approved a combined $1.32 million for a salt shed ($600k) and library pavement ($720k), while rejecting the $1.12 million replacement turf. Regarding the 80s, I truly respect the hurdle of 14% mortgage rates. My point is simply that the math has shifted: in 1980, while the rates were higher, the price of a home relative to earnings was significantly lower. We are facing a different, but equally crushing, financial wall. Ultimately, it is disheartening that voters who recognized safe sidewalks and parking lots as essential, dismissed a playing field in the exact same condition. The turf has passed its life cycle and is just as much of a liability as the library’s pavement, the only difference is that this safety concern affects thousands of children who, coincidentally, cannot vote. These are apples-to-apples needs. I was hopeful our community would agree that all Newtown residents deserve safe conditions, regardless of which facility they utilize. Again, I would be remiss not to mention that when 82% of residents don’t show up, we have to deal with the interests of those who did. Hopefully, the next referendum will have a bigger turnout.

The ‘Me’ Generation

Thanks for the reply. I meant the numbers you presented in your letter. I found one place where other numbers were listed: https://www.newtownbee.com/04232026/get-out-and-vote-on-the-2026-27-proposed-municipal-and-school-budgets/?q=\\\%22advisory%20questions\\\%22. In that article, the numbers were cited as: Treadwell field: $1,125,000 Library: $720,000 Salt Storage: $600,000 As one who started out in the early 80's when inflation was double digits, my 1985 mortgage rate was 14%, and child care costs were comparable (in present value), I shared your grief but never considered the voters ironic or shameful. PS. I agree college tuition is ridiculous. Thankfully, universities are offering (or considering) waiving all or most tuition for middle class families (upwards of $200,000 incomes). Hopefully, they'll also reconsider their need for those funds in the first place.

Sure! Child care costs: https://www.ffyf.org/2022/10/13/data-child-care-prices-continue-to-rise-ahead-of-midterm-elections-outpacing-inflation/ (also from 2021-2025 we had 2 children in a local daycare in Newtown and it cost us $3200 a month, so that's a number I am very familiar with) Home price / median price vs income source: https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/home-price-income-ratios Tuition increase vs inflation: https://feed.georgetown.edu/access-affordability/noting-a-decline-in-middle-class-students-colleges-provide-more-aid/ Hope this helps :)

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Date: Mon 10-Mar-1997

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