Interesting Odds and Ends

}} I've recently discovered LocalWineEvents.com, a website which will keep you informed about wine events in your area.  It requires a free membership and offers additional services for a small fee.

}} Speaking of drinking wine locally, do you enjoy leisurely browsing the grocery store aisles like I do?  Wouldn't it be even nicer if you had a glass of wine in your hand?  If you shop at the Central Market at Westheimer and Weslayan or the Whole Foods Market at West Alabama and Kirby, you're in luck!

Though it isn't advertised, the coffee bar at the front of Central Market also sells wine by the glass, which you're welcome to consume as you shop.  They currently offer a Chardonnay, a Malbec (1919), and a Cabernet.  If you're more into beer, you can select one from the single-serve beverages near the salad/soup bar, and as long as you take it to the coffee bar to be opened, you may consume it on the premises.

At Whole Foods, head to the coffee/beer/wine counter near the bakery.  They do a better job of advertising what they have to offer, and usually have good selection of rotating wines and beers on draft.

Do you know of other stores in Houston that offer this?  Please share in the comments!

}} I came across a neat blog this week.  Kris at blogyourwine.com creates and posts some fun infographics and other "wine memes."  I encourage you to check out his site.

}} Mira Winery in California recently conducted an experiment with aging bottles of wine in the ocean.  When compared to the exact same wine aged in the usual way on land, the wine aged in the ocean tasted different!  Studies are underway to determine the exact causes (increased pressure? presence of saltwater? lack of oxygen? lack of light? temperature difference?).

Wine really does get better with age and a little saltwater (Fox News)
Ocean-aged wine is 'more complex' says Napa winery (Decanter)

}} Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan, MW, is producing a video series for greatwinenews.com on aspects of wine quality.  Two have been released so far.  It looks like there will be about 10 videos total, when the series is complete.  I'm excited to see the rest of these, because I think they will answer a lot of questions that people have about how to judge wine, and the end of the "Finesse" video suggests there will be some fun, interactive experiments coming up!  (You may recall she is also the author of The One-Minute Wine Master, which I recently reviewed.)

The first video introduces the series and lists specific aspects of wine quality - FBLICCAT!



The second video discusses the first aspect of wine quality, finesse.