Come Over October is an international celebration of—and with—wine as the beverage that brings us together—family, friends, colleagues, entire strangers—to toast all that is good about life. The promotion was created by noted wine communicators Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible, plus Kimberly Charles and Gino Colangelo, both of whom have their own wine-focused agencies … Read more
Missouri has a long history of grape and wine production, mostly due to Germans who settled in Hermann and other communities starting in 1837. In the 1870s, when French vineyards were being devastated by the root louse phylloxera, Missouri sent large amounts of resistant rootstock to help save that industry. Before Prohibition, Missouri was the … Read more
DC Updates Members of Congress wanted to get home to the campaign trail, an incentive that helped them come together to avoid a potential government shutdown. They basically kicked the can down the road with a “Continuing Resolution” (current spending levels) through December 20, when they will again play chicken right before the holidays. What … Read more
Mississippi winegrowers must be intrepid, putting down roots in a state that is perhaps the least hospitable both politically and viticulturally. Even though wine was already being made when the state officially joined the United States in 1817, it banned the manufacture and sales of Mississippi wine 13 years before Prohibition started—and didn’t repeal the … Read more
Shutdown Showdown (The Sequel) After yet another recess, Congress returned to DC on Tuesday to continue fighting about how to prevent a government shutdown in 10 days when the fiscal year ends and the money runs out. This being an election year, the posturing and politics are particularly intense, but as usual, it is expected … Read more