Have you ever wanted to know the differences in the shapes of a wine glass?  Well, check out this article to learn the basics to the differences in wine glasses.  It should get you in the right direction.

The word is buzzing on the food & wine blogs this week…it would appear that Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence (y'know…those purple stickers you sometimes see proudly emblazoned on a restaurant window?) are nothing but a $250 sham.

Writer Robin Goldstein wanted to prove the theory that had long been suspected by those in the industry, and submitted an application for a fictitious restaurant for review - complete with a reserve wine list made up of nothing but wines that Wine Spectator themselves had granted their lowest of scores.

"As part of the research for an academic paper I’m currently working on about standards for wine awards, I submitted an application for a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. I named the restaurant “Osteria L’Intrepido” (a play on the name of a restaurant guide series that I founded, Fearless Critic). I submitted the fee ($250), a cover letter, a copy of the restaurant’s menu (a fun amalgamation of somewhat bumbling nouvelle-Italian recipes), and a wine list."

Was the restaurant accepted?  You betcha.  Read the full story here.

Goldstein is not the first writer to call attention to Wine Spectator's apparently dubious award methods.  In 2003, Amanda Hesser explored the Wine Spectator restaurant awards in an article in the Times entitled “A Wine Award That Seems Easy to Come By.” She concluded that the 3,573 restaurants who were bestowed the award that year earned Wine Spectator $625,275.

Poached salmon makes for a great light supper (especially when topped with a creamy mustard or dill sauce), and chilled overnight it makes a great simple lunch or salad topping. Here's our favorite method for perfectly cooked poached salmon fillets.

Perfectly Poached Salmon

2 salmon fillets, skin removed (ask fishmonger to do this for you!)
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
pinch of whole black peppercorns
whole sprigs of fresh parsley or dill
water or veggie stock to cover

Add the salmon fillets to a cold frying pan.  Add the next 3 ingredients to the pan, and then add additional water or stock until the poaching liquid just covers the salmon completely.  Turn the heat on medium, and bring to a very low boil.  When liquid begins to boil, remove pan from the heat, cover tightly, and let rest for 10 minutes.  Serve salmon hot, or chill overnight.

The annual Discover Virginia Music and Wine Festival is scheduled for August 30 & 31, 2008 from 11am to 6pm. 

Discover Virginia is the first festival in the area to showcase the many award-winning wineries of the nearby region. Located in beautiful Greene County, in close proximity to Charlottesville and the Washington, DC metropolitan area, Discover Virginia showcases fabulous food and wine, as well as regional artisans, against a backdrop of beautiful mountain scenery and fantastic musical entertainment.

Tickets for adults are available for $22, with designated driver tickets available at $15 a pop.  Visit Discover Virginia for a full list of the musical artists and wineries that will be in attendance.

The Garden State Growers Association will host the second annual Cape May Wine Festival, in Cape May, NJ on October 11th, 12th & 13th of 2008, Noon - 5pm.  In addition to award winning wines, the festival offers live music, crafters, seminars, gourmets foods, and a special "Kids Zone" for young attendees.

Held at the Cape May-Lewes Ferry Terminal, the festival will overlook the Cape May Canal and Delaware Bay.  Over 200 New Jersey wines will be available for tastings, with 30+ local wineries in attendance.  Free parking is available at the ferry terminal, and shuttle buses will be running from Victorian Cape May.  For more information, call 609-588-0085.

There's a new look at Rhino Wine Gear.  There's a much better navigation system, so finding great wine gifts should be a breeze.  So far the feedback has been awesome. Check it out when you have that spare minute. We have also added a ton of new products.  The new styles of wine totes and carriers are fabulous. Again the new navigation makes it easy to find a single, double, or triple bottle wine tote.

Big plans for the Holiday weekend?  We will be headed to a BBQ, and just may have a container of this party-friendly, warm weather treat in tow…

White Wine Fruit Cocktail

1 1/4 cups dry white wine
1/3 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1/2 cantaloupe, cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup seedless green grapes, halved
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and halved

Combine the wine and sugar in a saucepan. Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil; stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the mint; set aside. Combine the cantaloupe, grapes, and strawberries in a large bowl. Pour the wine mixture over the fruit; toss together until all the fruit is covered with the wine mixture; cover and chill. Store in the refrigerator up to 8 hours before serving.

Have a Happy 4th of July, everyone!

Is it wrong that I don't completely hate on Sandra Lee?  Sure, she's likely to still use Tang as an ingredient, and I am still getting over the great "Denim and Diamonds Tablescape" debacle of 2007, but you gotta admit, the lady throws a heck of a party.

I happened to catch an episode yesterday, and I was reminded of one of the reasons I can stand to watch Sandra Lee - she is very pro-alcoholic beverages.  I may skip the Wisteria tablescape that went with the Sangria she whipped up - but the recipe is a keeper.

Sandra Lee's Blueberry Sangria

1 bottle white wine - she used Chardonnay
1/2 bag frozen blueberries
1 container frozen pink lemonade
1/2 cup cognac
1 liter lemon-lime soda

In a large pitcher, mix the first 4 ingredients together.  Allow the flavors to marry in the fridge for a couple of hours.  Add the lemon-lime soda prior to serving over ice.

The Chateau Miraval wine estate in Provence, France is about to welcome some new tenants. Reports are in that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have selected the estate as their home for the months leading up to the birth of their twin daughters, due in August.  Rumors are that the Jolie-Pitts have selected the area in order to pay honor to Jolie's late mother, Marcheline Bertrand, who hailed from the region.

The deal has apparently marked a huge boost in sales for Miraval wines, with U.S. importers indicating that cases are nearly gone.

The Miraval estate is no stranger to celebs.  The estate features a recording studio, which has been used in the past by artists such as Sting and Pink Floyd.  Maybe a luxury birthing center is next?

Its a little hard to imagine enjoying red wine in this oppressive heat we've been experiencing in the Northeast (other than our go-to sangria), but I spotted a recipe this weekend that made me want to crack open another bottle.  Giada's Cantaloupe Red Wine Surprise is a cool and refreshing heat-wave treat.

Giada De Laurentiis' Cantaloupe Red Wine Surprise

2 cups light red wine, preferably Pinot Noir
3 tablespoons sugar
1 cantaloupe, halved and seeds removed
1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon chopped basil leaves

Warm wine in a shallow saucepan over low heat; it should be steaming but not simmering. Dissolve sugar in wine; remove from heat. Pour into medium glass bowl and allow to completely cool. Using a melon baller, scoop out balls of cantaloupe and add to the wine mixture. Thinly slice the outer peel from half a lemon into 4 strips; add to bowl. Add chopped basil. Stir gently. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Divide between 4 wine glasses and serve chilled.