So has the recession affected wine sales? Yes and no. It has affected the dollar amount of sales but it has not affected the volume of sales.

People are still buying wine, but now the emphasis is on choosing bottles that represent quality received for value rendered. In other words, consumers are now looking for a good buy.

A few years ago people were buying $20-$40 bottles of wine without a second thought. Today, the $8, $9, and $10 bottles of wine are leading the market. The hottest items on wine store shelves in the past few years have been the $7-$10 “fighting varietals”.

Per capita wine consumption is about the same now as it was last year, but the highly priced wines are finding few takers. It’s all a matter of finding balance. The yuppie-inspired spend, spend, spend mentality of the 80’s is being replaced with a more prudent attitude toward spending as we move into the 2000’s. Ultimately this will be for the best because it indicates that a balance will be found which will bring things back into perspective.

As a consumer, you should know that you can trust the judgment of the clerks at Crazy Billy’s. We go out of our way to find quality wines at affordable prices so that you will be satisfied with your purchase.  Any time you want to ask questions, please feel free to do so.

Do you know that grapes were planted in France back when it was known as Gaul and part of the Roman Empire? In the second century B.C.  there was a thriving wine business from the Greek colony of Massilia, now known as Marseilles. Two great trade routes by river and road were already established. One went north up the Garrone river to Gironde where goods were shipped across the channel to England. The other went up the Rhone and Soane rivers to the Moselle River and points north or across land to the Loire river Valley.

In those days wine was shipped in earthenware pots called amphora. Wrecked ships loaded with amphorae have been found on the bottom of the Mediterranean with jars that contain a liquid that was new wine from the years before Christ was born.

As hardier grape varieties were developed, viticulture spread northward. In the early middle Ages, Rouen was an important port and French wines were shipped to England as well as Spain and Portugal. In those days, many of the vineyards in France belonged to the church – the monks took almost as much pains to spread the vine as they took to spread the word and their wines became an important source of revenue.

By 1750, commercial wine houses were established and they have been exporting French wines ever since –  some of which continue to this day. Of course you can find the wines they export at Crazy Billy’s.

Did you know that every year the first glass of Sake that is produced in Japan is reserved for the emperor?

Each year when the new harvest of Sake is ready, a ceremony is held at the emperor’s palace. Sake lovers from all over the island gather to observe the event and to vie for the honor of being among the first to taste the new wine. After the emperor has tasted the first glass, he places it on a shrine and in a simple ceremony thanks the gods for providing a bountiful harvest.

Sake truly is the universal drink of Japan. It is served at family gatherings and offered to friends who drop by. They seal business contracts with it and use it to cement quarrels. At christenings and weddings it is used to propose toasts that will assure good fortune, good health and abundant wealth.

Sake has traditionally been associated with women and the ancient Japanese word for wine master is Toji which means “woman of the house.” An ancient maxim states that, “Sake should be served warm…and by a warm hearted woman.”

If you are looking for something different to offer your family and friends, why not plan a traditional Japanese dinner complete with Sake? And don’t forget that the best place to shop on Long Island for Sake is at Crazy Billy’s.

Premium wines from Chile? Indeed so, say the expert wine tasters. French and American winemakers are looking to Chile for new terrain in which to expand their already successful wine making operations.

Chile’s winemaking valleys lie between the towering Andes and a small foothill range where hot, dry summers and abundant snow melt create a climate comparable to the Napa Valley in California and the Bordeaux region in France.

Varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grow so well in Chile that Bordeaux’s Mouton Rothschild has invested in a 250-year old wine estate near Peralillo. Robert Mondavi, a prominent California winemaker, is involved in a winemaking venture with the 125 year old Vina Errazuriz. In fact, for the past ten years, foreign winemakers have invested millions of dollars in Chile’s estate wineries, improving production techniques and thus improving quality.

So move over Pomerol, Loire, Napa, Sonoma and Monterey. It’s time to make way on the wine shelves for names such as Santa Rita, Aconcagua Valley, Casa Lapostolle Colchaqua, Villa Montes Curico, and Errazuriz Don Maximiano.

Chilen wines tend to be affordable, hearty, spicy, fruity, sturdy and great for simple meals like hamburgers or barbeque.

And don’t forget that we stock the best imports from all over the world at Crazy Billy’s.

Legend has it that Baptist minister named Elijah Craig was the first distiller in Bourbon County Kentucky to make whiskey.

This historical fact can be traced to an entry made in a volume called the History of Kentucky that was published in 1874. Author Richard Collins wrote, “The first Bourbon Whiskey was made in 1789 at Georgetown, at the fulling mill at the Royal spring.”

Now Elijah Craig was a unique individual. He had a following of religious devotees but for some reason they were chased out of Virginia and migrated to Lebanon Town in Kentucky in 1786.

A year later, the name was changed to Georgetown to honor George Washington. In 1787 Reverend Craig founded the school that has become Georgetown College. In 1789, he established the first fulling mill for making cloth. In 1793, he opened Kentucky’s first paper plant. In 1795, he started a shipping business on the Kentucky River.

On September 26, 1798 he and 177 of his neighbors were found guilty of making whiskey without a license and fined $140.

So whether the elusive Reverend Craig was really the first Bourbon-maker is disputable. But that he was Kentucky’s first big time entrepreneur is not.

And I say “Hat’s Off!” to whoever invented Bourbon. It is America’s favorite whiskey to this day. And don’t forget that you can pick up your favorite brand at Crazy Billy’s.

Word from the California and Oregon wine country is that the 1994 vintage Pinot Noirs are superb. For decades American made Pinot Noirs could not compare with French Burgundies made from the same grape. For some reason, the elusive earthy delicate quality of the Pinot Noir grape was lost by American wine makers.

Then Oregon began to produce some excellent Pinot Noirs during the 1970’s due to the fact that the northerly latitude allowed the grape more cool temperatures to develop. The grape is so delicate that it gets wiped out in hot climates like California’s central valley.

During the 1980’s many northern California wineries devoted themselves to producing quality Pinot Noirs and connoisseurs all over the world now acknowledge their successes.

1985 was regarded as the “Vintage of the Century” until 1994 came along. The 94’s show deeply concentrated fruit and extract along with a friendly open personality that gives Pinot Noir the advantage over all other American made reds.

So whenever you want a fine bottle of California or Oregon Pinot Noir to accompany lamb, turkey, pork or beef, ask for a recommendation from one of the friendly wine clerks at Crazy Billy’s.

Do you know that Abraham Lincoln’s father worked in a distillery? Legend has it that young Abe used to deliver his father’s meals to him and help out around the place.

Our 16th president was born on a farm near Hodgenville, Kentucky in 1809. His father, Thomas Lincoln, had bought the 348 acre Sinking Spring Farm the year before for $200. In 1811 the family moved ten miles away to a farm on Knob Creek.

Just down the road was the Boone Distillery founded by Waddie Boone who was a “near relative” of Daniel Boone. Waddie claimed that he was one of the first distillers in Kentucky having started in 1780.

By the time Thomas Lincoln came on the scene, the distillery was owned by Waddie’s sons, Charles and Johnnie Boone. Thomas would work at the distillery on days when he wasn’t tending his farm. Later in life Lincoln wrote, “My earliest recollection is of the Knob Creek place.” A replica of the Lincoln cabin is now a favorite tourist site.

Knob Creek almost changed history. Apparently the future president fell into a rain swollen current and almost drowned. A schoolmate named Austin Gollaher pulled him from the water.

Of course we all know that history was changed by the many distillers in Kentucky who invented Bourbon. Where would we be without it? And don’t forget that you can find your favorite at Crazy Billy’s.

Quick! Tell me, what’s an Ampelography? You don’t know? Why an Ampelography is a book that describes the structural characteristics of different grape vines. It is used to identify various varieties of vines.

“Ampelos” means vine and “graphe” means description. An Ampelography will describe all of the distinguishing earmarks of a given grape variety. To an untrained eye, all grapevines look the same but not so when you examine the specifics. Grapevines are as different from each other as Chinese are from Americans or Italians or South Africans. Each grape variety has distinguishing characteristics by which it can be identified.

An ampelographer looks at the vine’s shoots and canes, its growing tip and its flowers. He or she will also examine the young leaves and both sides of the mature leaf including shape, size, lobes and sinuses, color, surface, textures and contours. They will also look at the size, shape, color and density of the grape clusters and the number and size of the seeds.

When all this information is cataloged, an experienced vineyardist should be able to identify a given grape vine.

Of course we are experts at identifying the wine from given grape vines and we can help you make a good choice for whatever meal you are planning. Stop to see us whenever you are near Crazy Billy’s.

Do you know that scientific research suggests that red wine may help prevent cancer?

Quercetin, one of nature’s most potent cancer fighting compounds, has been isolated from onions, garlic and red wine. Quercetin has the ability to block the action of the human cancer gene known as H-RASand keep it from converting normal cells into cancerous ones.

Research studies in 1991at the University of California in Berkeley and Georgetown University in Washington D.C demonstrated the effect if quercetin on cancer cells. Apparently quercetin is inactive as found in food but becomes activated during fermentation (as happens during the wine making process) and when it interacts with “friendly” bacteria located in the human intestinal tract.

Researchers at Cornell University demonstrated the same phenomenon in an experiment with laboratory mice. The administered ethyl carbonate mixed with water, plain alcohol, white wine and red wine. The mice that received the ethyl carbonate in water or alcohol had higher levels of cancer than the control animals. Those receiving it in white wine had lower levels of cancer than the control animals and those receiving it in red wine had the lowest levels of all.

As you know, I have long advocated moderate drinking as part of a healthy lifestyle. When you want to check out the latest red wines, stop by Crazy Billy’s.

“I’d like a dry martini, please.” These words are repeated thousands of times a day. But just how dry is a dry martini? That depends on who you ask.

“Dry” in martini lingo means how much vermouth is added to the gin or vodka that makes up the main portion of the drink. Early recipes called for equal amounts of gin, sweet vermouth, and dry vermouth but today’s recipes prefer only dry vermouth.

The martini has been called the “quintessential American cocktail.” During the 40’s and 50’s almost every movie featured a romantic hero sipping at the contents of a stemmed glass with an olive at the bottom. The martini faded from popularity during the 60s and 70s but is now making a comeback along with other 50s nostalgia.

But back to the definition of “dry.” Some bartenders will use a splash of dry vermouth. Others carefully measure out a quarter of a jigger or less. Some will use only one or two drops. Others will dip the ice cubes in the vermouth and let it go at that.

Nick Charles of Thin Man fame reportedly sprayed his vermouth with an atomizer. One bartender reports that his customers ask him to turn around and just look at the bottle of vermouth. Extra dry martinis are made with no vermouth at all.

However you like to mix them, whether with the classic gin or the new fangled favorite, vodka, you can be sure to find what you need at Crazy Billy’s.

Do you know that one of the largest collections of Rothschild wines can be found in England? Yes, I said England. It seems that Lord Jacob Rothschild of the English arm of the famous financial family has been restoring Waddesdon Manor, a French style palace near Aylesbury, an hour north of London.

The manor was originally commissioned by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild in 1874. It features a writing table used by Marie Antoinette, portraits by Reynolds and Gainsborough, priceless carpets commissioned by Louis XIV for the Louvre and wooden paneling from the Paris home of the Duc de Richelieu.

The wine cellars contain the largest collection of Rothschild wines in the world. 11,000 bottles from Chateau Lafite Rothschild and 3,000 bottles from Chateau Mouton-Rothschild. Rothschild wines from Portugal, Chile and California complete his selections.

One historic bottle, now empty, dates from 1787 and features the initials of Thomas Jefferson.

Six rare bottles of Mouton from 1867 to 1896 were a special present from Baroness Philippine to her cousin, Lord Jacob. Also featured is a display of the distinctive labels designed by artists such as Picasso, Daliand Chagall that have graced Mouton bottles since 1945.

And don’t forget, Crazy Billy’s is the best place to shop for wines- rare or otherwise.

Do you know that the distillers of single malt Scotch whiskey claim that the size and shape of their pot stills determines the individual style of their product? So much so that if a new still has to be purchased, it will be made to the specifications of the old still, dents and all!

Single malt Scotch whiskies originate in a 15 mile area at the mouth of the Spey River which empties into the North Sea. It is a rugged country that gave birth to a rugged whiskey. Most scotch that is exported to other countries is blended with neutral spirits to soften the taste, but if you wants scotch as the Scots drink it, you must try a single malt.

A single malt means that the whiskey was made at one distillery. Each distillery has its own style of single malt but they all share an unmistakable style that combines elegance with the style of a thoroughbred race horse.

Names such as Abelour, Glenfarclas, Macallan, Knockando, Cardhu, Glenlivet and Lochneger are a few of the 100 distilleries located around Speyside.

Prices range from $40 for a 10-year old bottle to $400 for a 25 year old bottle. Not for the weak of heart, the single malts are an acquired taste, but one you will never forget.

Of course we feature a selection of blended Scotch as well as single malts at Crazy Billy’s. Why not stop in soon and pick up your favorite?

Sauvignon Blanc sounds exotic and hard to pronounce. (Not so, with practice. So-ve-nynon Blan. Try it! You can do it!)

But I digress. This luscious varietal often takes a second seat to the ever popular Chardonnay but it is definitely a wine you should consider if you are looking for an elegant white to serve with your elegant white meat entrees.

Sauvignon Blanc is one of two grapes (the other is Semillon) grown in the famous Bordeaux region of France. It is used for the sweetest Sauternes as well as the driest Graves. It also grows in the Loire Valley where it is used to produce Sancerre and Pouilly-sur-Loire. Known locally as Blanc Fume the name translates as “white smoke.”

Sauvignon Blanc is a grape with breed and distinction. Fruitier than Chardonnay, it is less austere and more suitable for pasta, seafood, chicken or fish entrees. It can be enjoyed before, during and after dinner. Light enough to be refreshing but flavorful enough to be satisfying, it is the perfect choice for most white wine occasions.

Drink it slightly chilled but not cold so the full range of flavors can be enjoyed. This is a wine to savor, to sand to sip gently as you gaze into the eyes of your beloved on the other side of the table.

If you aren’t familiar with this romantic wine, why not pick up a bottle the next time you shop at Crazy Billy’s?

The French Paradox. It sounds like the title of a romantic comedy playing at the local movie theater. Not so. The French Paradox has been termed the nutritional puzzle of our time.

Scientists have observed, but can’t explain, the fact that the French eat a diet heavy in red meat, rich cream sauces, assorted cheeses and buttery pastries yet they have the lowest rate of heart disease in the western world. Why so? Some suggest that the consumption of red wine provides the answer.

It seems that red wine contains phenolic flavonoids which are anti-oxidants that prevent clogging of the arteries. Apparently a glass or two of red wine taken during a rich or fatty meal will counteract the adverse effects of the fat. It has also been shown that alcohol seems to keep the blood from clotting thereby minimizing the chance of strokes.

However, there are other factors. One is that the French get more exercise than Americans. They typically walk to the store or to visit neighbors. They eat more fruits and vegetables and don’t overcook them. Their biggest meal is at noon so most of the calories are burned during the course of the day. They also take meals seriously. They sit down to eat and enjoy their food. And their wine. And they drink in moderation.

If you want to improve your lifestyle and your health with red wine, you can find your favorites at Crazy Billy’s.

Have you noticed that restaurants are going up-scale with their house wines these days? Gone are the days when an ubiquitous gallon of “red” or “white” wine would hang out in the kitchen filling the glasses and carafes taken to tables in the dining room.

Today, a restaurant may pay as much attention to picking a quality house wine as it pays to buying premium beef and fresh produce. In recent decades, the quality of wines from California have increased tremendously and even come of the bulk bottling offer auspicious wines.

Cabernet Sauvignon is the “premium” grape of choice for reds while Chardonnay is still the leader in favorites for the whites. White Zinfandel has replaced “pink chablis” as a rose-colored favorite. Made from red zinfandel grapes that are normally vintified as a heavy bodied red wine, White Zin is produced by removing the skins from the fermenting wine before they have a chance to color the wine. That is why white zinfandel has a more full-bodied flavor than most rose wines.

Of course we carry all of your favorites at Crazy Billy’s. When you need a white wine to compliment fish or chicken or a red wine to compliment beef or lamb or a rose wine to compliment pork or turkey, we can help you find the bottle that best meets your needs. Please stop in soon.

Do you know that Thomas Jefferson once stated, “Wine, from long habit, has become indispensable for my health.”

Jefferson knew two centuries ago what medical scientists are now demonstrating statistically- that a moderate amount of wine everyday can be beneficial to your health. Notice that I said moderate. The negative effects of excessive use of wine or any alcoholic beverage have been well documented. But not as well known is the fact that a moderate use of wine with meals can enhance a healthy lifestyle.

An editorial recently published by the Journal of the American Medical Association estimated that 81,000 more deaths would occur each year if the entire adult population abstained from moderate alcohol consumption.

It seems that the moderate intake of wine has a beneficial affect on the heart and statistically reduces the chance of a heart attack, the number one cause of death in the United States.

So if you want to feel happy and healthy, consider making wine a normal part of your evening meal. We can help you choose quality wines at affordable prices. A small glass of wine with dinner can help you unwind from the activities of the day and pave the way for entertaining activities during the evening.

Of course you can find a helpful staff of trained wine experts at Crazy Billy’s. We talk wine to everyone willing to listen.

Do you know that the Roman poet Horace once praised the merits of an Opimian Falernian wine that was 160 years old?

Now this was no small accomplishment, because it is not easy to age wines for that long without having them deteriorate in quality. Up to a point, wines improve with age, but if they are not stored properly, they can develop off-flavors. Even with modern technology, aging wines more than 20 or 30 years can be difficult, so it is amazing that the Romans were able to do so, given their limited knowledge of the chemical changes that occur as wine ages.

The Romans did learn, probably by trial and error methods, that heating wine in smoke filled rooms would discourage spoilage. This was an early, albeit primitive form of pasteurization, but it must have worked if Horace is to be believed.

2000 years later Louis Pasteur used a microscope to observe wine spoilage chemicals at work and he invented the method of pasteurization to control the spoilage. Today, most bulk wines are flash pasteurized before bottling so wine spoilage is almost unknown in today’s quality controlled wineries.

Now we don’t have any ancient Roman wines at Crazy Billy’s, but we can give you advice on wines that are suitable for aging that can be enjoyed ten or twenty or 160 years from now.

Have you ever wondered where corks come from?

Although cork looks like a synthetic material of some kinds, it is actually a natural product. Cork grows as the bark of a species of oak tree that thrives in Portugal and southern Spain. There are two distinct layers of bark on a cork oak tree. When the outer layer of bark gets thick enough to peel off, the inner layer of bark will protect the tree while it grows a new layer of outer bark. It takes eight to ten years for this outer layer of bark to get thick enough so that a “crop” of cork can be harvested.

Some cork oak trees are hundreds of years old and they are still producing a crop of cork every ten years. At first, the cork that is harvested from the trees tends to be soft and mushy, but as the tree grows, the cork becomes firmer. A tree must be 50 or 60 years old before it produces cork of a sufficiently dense quality to be of use in stoppering wine bottles.

After a layer of cork is stripped from the tree, it is taken to a factory where it is boiled in a copper kettle for 30 minutes to remove any impurities. Then the sheets of cork are forced into revolving dyes which stamp out corks of the desired length and diameter.

The next time you pull a cork from a bottle of wine, you not stop a moment to thank the unknown genius that first experimented with placing corks in bottles to preserve wines. Of course we can help you choose a bottle of fine wine at Crazy Billy’s.

Fanleaf, Pierces disease, phylloxera, corky bark, leaf roll, mosaic complex, powdery mildew, black rot, grape berry moths, acariose, cochineal bugs and eelworms. These are just a few of the many parasitic ailments that can affect grape vines.

Some of the blights are specific to individual countries; others are common around the world. The infamous phylloxera, for instance, was unknown in Europe until grape vine cuttings from the United States were taken to France in the 19th century.

So what to do? How to keep unwanted pests out of your country or vineyard? The University of California at Davis, which is the leading winemaking school in the United States, is developing a multi-million dollar grape rootstock inspection facility. It will provide rootstock quarantine services for viticulturalists importing grape stock from other parts of the world.

Viticulturalists who want to use the National Grape Importation and Clean Rootstock facility must pay a fee for the services. A full time plant pathologist will study each imported vine to make sure that it is healthy and will not spread any diseases in its new home.

Of course we have wines from California and France and Australia and from all parts of the world at Crazy Billy’s.

“Peach blossoms” is the best way to describe the bouquet. “Long and lingering on the palate” describes the taste. “Crisp and dry and perfect for a summer evening.” What are they talking about? Why the wines from the Association of Charta Estates, of course.

So what is the Association of Charta Estates, you may ask? It is a group of 44 wineries from the Rheingau district of Germany. An hour’s drive west of Frankfurt, the Rheingau has been famous for white wines since the middle ages. The wineries that form the Charta (pronounced CAR-ta) Association are willing to meet certain stringent requirements for their wines. To bear the Charta label, the wine must be made from 100% Riesling grapes. It must be dry or semi-dry and made to serve with meals. It must be aged for at least 18 months before being released, it must be made from fully ripe grapes and it must meet certain laboratory tests for amount of acid and residual sugar.

Charta wines come from wineries with such exotic names as Diefenhardt, Johannishof, Georg Breuer, Hans Lang, Balthasar Ress, Schloss Vollrads and Geheimrat Wegler Erben.

The types of wine are designed by even more exotic names such as Geisenheimer Rothenberg spatlese, Johannisberger Goldatzel kabinett and Martinsthaler langberg halbtrocken.

This summer when you plan your evening barbeques, why not try a bottle or two of crisp white German wine? There’s nothing like it. And of course we have German wines galore at Crazy Billy’s.

Once upon a time the wine and food pairing rules were strict. Serve red wine with red meat. Serve white wine with fish. Don’t serve wine with artichokes, eggs or salad. And most of all don’t serve wine with chocolate!

You will be happy to know that all of these rules can now be broken.

This wine and drinking code was established in the 19th century in France and England when wine choices were limited to heavy bodied reds and light acidic whites. Now, thanks to modern technology, there is a plethora of wine flavors available and one of them can be just right for whatever dish you are serving.

Here’s the good news on serving wine with chocolate. Champagne can be a good choice, but if it was served earlier in the meal with an appetizer, you may not want to use it again.

A genuine French Sauternes with its rich and creamy texture will hold up with any dessert, chocolate or otherwise. So will a foreign or domestic late picked Muscat that is rich and sweet in fruit with orange rind overtones.

Exotic, but not impossible to find, is a Banyulis Domaine du Mas Blanc, a fortified wine similar to port from the southern part of France. It has a chocolate like taste complete with a vanilla bean flavor making it delightful with chocolate.

Whenever you need to choose a special wine, please ask our advice at Crazy Billy’s.

Wine writers, including this one, are fond of saying that man has been making and enjoying wine since 2500 B.C.

Now it seems that that date has been pushed back by at least 1000 years. Archeologists have made recent discoveries that indicate wine has been around since 3500 B.C. That’s almost 5500 years of wine drinking pleasure!

Archeologist digs at the Godin Tepe site in Iran have excavated pieces of earthenware jars that they believe were used to hold wine. Scientific analysis of the pre-Bronze age vessels reveals deposits of tartaric acid, which is one of the principal components of grapes.

Also discovered at the site was a large mud bin, thought to have been used to stomp grapes, and a range of drinking vessels in assorted sizes.

A large clay stopper was found near the wine jars, probably a primitive version of a cork.

At the same site, excavators found a stone necklace and a marble bowl, both indicative of an affluent culture. The archeologists feel that the finds indicate a society that was complex enough to grow grapes and engage in foreign trade.

Aren’t you glad that we live in a society that grows grapes and engages in foreign trade? The next time you need a bottle of wine, foreign or domestic, why not shop at Crazy Billy’s?

Do you know that the Greek word ya-win which translates as “wine” appears in the Bible 133 times?

In Psalms 104:15 we find a reference to the abundance of the earth.

“He causes the grass to grow for the cattle,

And vegetation for the service of man,

That he may bring forth food from the earth,

And wine that maketh glad the heart of man.”

In Pauls first letter to Timothy, we find the words,

“No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your

frequent infirmities.”

Judges 9:12 reads;

Then the trees said to the vine,

‘You come and reign over us!’

But the vine said to them,

Do you know that grapes were planted in France back when it was known as Gaul and part of the Roman Empire? In the second century B.C.  there was a thriving wine business from the Greek colony of Massilia, now known as Marseilles. Two great trade routes by river and road were already established. One went north up the Garrone river to Gironde where goods were shipped across the channel to England. The other went up the Rhone and Soane rivers to the Moselle River and points north or across land to the Loire river Valley.

In those days wine was shipped in earthenware pots called amphora. Wrecked ships loaded with amphorae have been found on the bottom of the Mediterranean with jars that contain a liquid that was new wine from the years before Christ was born.

As hardier grape varieties were developed, viticulture spread northward. In the early middle Ages, Rouen was an important port and French wines were shipped to England as well as Spain and Portugal. In those days, many of the vineyards in France belonged to the church – the monks took almost as much pains to spread the vine as they took to spread the word and their wines became an important source of revenue.

By 1750, commercial wine houses were established and they have been exporting French wines ever since –  some of which continue to this day. Of course you can find the wines they export at Crazy Billy’s.

Wines from Colorado? Now I’ve heard of wines from California and wines from New York and Oregon and even wines from Ohio, but wine from Colorado?

Indeed, Colorado wines are the new kids on the block. Winemakers are finding that grapes like chardonnay and merlot thrive in the highest vineyards in the country.

It is said that the best wines come from grapes that have to struggle to exist, and Colorado vineyardists are finding that their cool summers produce grapes that make wines with a crisp and flinty finish. There is no hint of modernization, or over-ripeness caused from too much sun, in these wines. They are austere, cool, clean and sharp and reminiscent of the wines from the Rhine Valley in Germany where grape vines cling to the sides of mountains like climbers scaling a peak. The taste has no hint of a mushiness that can be caused from too much sun and the color is clear with no hint of brown overtones suggestive of rosined grapes left on the vine too long.

Wine drinkers who appreciate austerity will be delighted with the latest offerings from Colorado. What better way to beat the heat of summer than with a cool and refreshing wine from the top of the world.

And don’t forget that the best place to find wines from all 50 states is at Crazy Billy’s. We talk wine and our knowledgeable clerks are always willing to answer your questions. See you there!

Do you know that no one is allowed to enter the vineyards at the famous Chateau Lafite Rothschild during the month of August? After the grapes start to ripen, workers and visitors are forbidden to enter the fields lest the grapes become bruised.

Chateau Lafite is located on the highest knoll in the Bordeaux region of France. Bordeaux is located in the south west corner of France close to the Atlantic Ocean. On a clear day it is said you can see the smoke from ocean-going vessels from the veranda of the main house. The name is derived from an old Medoc word lahite, which means “the height.”

Chateau Lafite has eight centuries of wine making experience behind it. It was founded in 1234 by Gombaud de Lafite and within a hundred years had established its reputation for elegance and prestige. In the 18th century, it was a favorite of Madame de Pompadour, Madame Dubarry and Thomas Jefferson.

Dessert wines are in a category by themselves. Every gourmet chef knows the value of concluding a meal with the proper sweet treat and matching wine.

Port served with blue cheese and walnuts is a classic after dinner offering.

Sauternes is a sweet white dessert wine from France. The grapes grow next to the seacoast and become affected with a mold known as botrytis, which gives the wine a taste of rich honey. It is best served with a simple dessert such as pound cake or banana nut loaf.

A sparkling sweet wine like Asti spumante will go well with fruit, cheesecake or plain cookies.

The most important thing to remember is to choose a wine that that is sweeter than the dessert. If the dessert is too sweet, it will make the wine taste sour and astringent.

Dessert wines are almost always served chilled except for port, which is served at cool room temperature. Use a small glass, NOT a tiny liquor glass that will hold about 3 ounces of wine.

Try to choose wines that compliment the dessert. A heavy dessert like chocolate torte calls for port or other heavy dessert wine. A general rule to use, like the white wine with the white meat, red wine to red meat rule, is to serve white wine with yellow foods like peaches, lemon concoctions or vanilla cakes. Dark wines like port go best with dark foods like chocolate, nuts and caramel.

Of course you can always ask questions about any dessert wines at Crazy Billy’s.

Living in wine country one can watch the rhythm of the year as it is reflected in the life cycle of the grape vines.

Autumn. The grape harvest starts in early September and can last until late October or early November because different grapes become ripe at different times. After the harvest, the vineyards are cleaned and plowed. The loose dirt is raked in place to cover the sensitive graft zones of the vine against the cold of winter.

Winter. Pruning goes on all through the winter months.  Grape vines are pruned very drastically. Most of the year’s new growth is cut back to the center branch. One or two canes are left in place to regenerate the new growth.

Spring. Any vines that may have died during the past year are replaced. Another ploughing occurs and any suckers that are growing below the gaft line are removed. Excess buds are cut from the vine by hand.

Summer. Weeds are removed and shoots are trimmed if they are too long. The shoots are tied to supporting wires and the vines are dusted with sulfur to discourage mold and mildew. A final ploughing eliminates summer weeds and the grapes are left to ripen.

Autumn. When the grapes reach maturity, the harvest starts. After the grapes are picked, the cycle begins once again.

The grapes that were picked are made into wine, which finds its way into bottles that find their way to the shelves at Crazy Billy’s.

White Zinfandel has been all the rage for the past few years, so much so that we may have forgotten the delights of Zinfandel as it was traditionally vinified.

Zinfandel is a hearty red grape that thrives in California. Its European origins have become lost so it is often called the mystery grape of California. But when it is made as a hearty red wine, there is none better or tastier to serve with a hearty meal or a flavorful barbeque.

When Zinfandel is produced as its hardiest, it can be a wine for those football fans who like to pull off their shirts during blizzards in Buffalo or Chicago. Big and blustery with a taste as dense as valley fog, the heartier versions are rich in the taste and smell of raspberries, cherries and black pepper with just a hint of chocolate overtones.

When Zinfandel grows in the warm inland valley regions that push up against the Sierra foothills, grapes can become so ripe that they yield wines with 14 or 15% alcohol. Combined with the rich and full flavor of the natural fruit, this can be a bracing quaff indeed. If the wine is aged in new oak barrels, the fullness of flavor can be downright awesome.

So don’t think that Zinfandel grapes are for white wines only, they also make some of the best red table wines available.

And don’t forget that we have Red and White Zinfandel wines from every major wine growing area in California at Crazy Billy’s.

Some experts say grape vines will produce higher quality wines in soils where they have to struggle to survive. Other experts recommend planting grape vines in rich loamy soils that have an abundance of nourishment. So who is right?

In the rich soils debate, evidence suggests that grapes do well in many different soils. In the United States, we tend to assume that soils in Europe are undernourished, but such may not be the case. France and Germany get much more rain in the summer than California does so in that regard, the European vines receive more nourishment than most California vines.

The belief that vines that struggle to exist produce better vines apparently started in Germany where grape vines cling tenaciously to the sides of steep hills in the Rhine Valley. The Yield from these vines is low but the taste and quality is high. In California, modern winemakers want to optimize their yield-per-acre so they use fertilizers and year round cultivation techniques to assure an abundant crop.

Many things go together to produce a great vineyard including climate, the types of grapes that are planted and the way the vineyard is managed. Choosing the right grapes for a given location may well be the most important consideration and is an art as well as a science.

When you need a wine from Europe or California, you can choose your favorites at Crazy Billy’s.

Commanderia. The name sounds romantic. The wine tastes delicious. The legends are legion. So what is Commanderia, you may ask?

Commanderia is the legendary wine from the island of Cypress that has been made since the dawn of history and enjoyed by wine lovers from Egypt to France to England and the United States.

Back in Roman and Greek times, the wine was known as Cypriot Nama. It was re-named Commanderia by the Knights Templar who were given custody of the island in 1191 by King Richard I of England.

Commanderia is a lusciously sweet dessert wine that is made from sun-dried red and white grapes blended together. It is aged in earthenware jars coated in the earth, often for several years.

In 1352 Henry Richard, Master of the Vintners Company in London, served a banquet in honor of King Peter I of Cypress. The event has gone down in history as “The Feast of Five Kings” because it was attended by King Edward III of England, King David of Scotland, King John of France and King Waldemar of Denmark as well as King Peter. According to the guests, the Commanderia after dinner was the hit of the evening.

The next time you prepare a banquet, even if it isn’t for five kings, remember that we have a complete selection of dessert wines at Crazy Billy’s.

Do you know that Washington State is giving California major competition in the popularity of its wines?

Now it used to be that California had the spotlight when it came to wines from the United States, but no more. Other states are finding that they have ideal growing conditions for grape cultivation and they are getting in the act.

The vineyards in Washington are east of the Cascade Mountains in a part of Washington that has a climate similar to the Burgundy region of France. Unlike California, the rainfall is light (7 to 8 inches a year) and the winters are cold, resulting in dormant vines, late budding and 40-degree shifts in daily temperatures during the growing season. They also have more daylight (as much as two hours) and a longer harvest period. The end product is a wine with strong fruit flavors and intense varietal characteristics.

Chardonnay, cabernet and merlot all grow well under these conditions. Whether red or white, the wines of Washington State demonstrate unique properties- accessible, rich in fruit flavor and deserving of equal being with California in wine quality.

Of course we have wines from Washington State at Crazy Billy’s. We want to give our customers a selection of the best wines the country has to offer. Why not stop in soon and talk wine to the knowledgeable clerks who work for us?

Do you know that merlot is the wine of the moment, based on a restaurant survey conducted by Wine and Spirits magazine?

Every year the magazine polls the most popular restaurants listed in the Zagat Restaurant Guide. Forty restaurants in each of eighteen different cities are asked to participate. The results indicate the most popular choices of diners in exclusive restaurants, but not necessarily what middle class America is drinking. The wines were generically in the price range of $25 to $40 per bottle.

Chardonnay is still the most popular restaurant wine, but red wine sales have grown from 38 percent last year to 44 percent this year. And it isn’t cabernet that has accounted for the increase, it is merlot. It seems that people are moving away from white wines and looking for heavier bodied red wines, but are not yet ready to take on the full flavor of a cabernet or pinot noir.

Now restaurant wine sales do not necessarily reflect wine sales in stores and of course that is the delight of choosing wines to serve in your own home, you can choose what you like!

So don’t forget that we have merlot wines and chardonnay wines and cabernet wines right here in your neighborhood Crazy Billy’s. Why not stop in soon and ask any questions you may have on any aspect of choosing wines or serving wines? We are always happy to help.

Do you know that Cointreau was originally marketed as Triple Sec White Curacao? So how did it get the name Cointreau, you may ask? That’s simple. It is produced in the town of Angers in France by a family named Cointreau.

So what is the difference between Cointreau and Curacao you may ask? Curacao was originally the name of a Dutch liqueur flavored from the skins of dried green oranges which grow on the Dutch island of Curacao off the coast of Venezuela. Curacao became so popular during the 19th century that many firms began making it. It is thus now a generic term rather than a proprietary name. Triple Sec is likewise a generic term that refers to any orange flavored liqueur.

Grand Marnier is an orange flavored, brandy based, very sweet proprietary liqueur that is made in France by the Establishments Marnier-Lapostolle in Chateau de Bourg.

Cointreau, Triple Sec, Curacao and Grand Marnier can all be used as after dinner cordials served in small liqueur glasses. Or they can be mixed with other ingredients to make cocktails such as margaritas, side cars, or presidents. They can also be added to cooking to flavor soufflés, cakes, puddings or pies.

Of course we have Cointreau and Grand Marnier as well as Triple Secs and Curacaos at Crazy Billy’s.

Do you know that wine has been exported from the island of Cyprus for more than 3000 years? Cypriot wines were prized in the courts of Egypt as well as in classical Greece and Rome.

Cyprus is located in the Mediterranean about sixty miles from the coast of Lebanon. Almost half of the 64,000 farm families on the island devote their lives to growing grapes.

There is a story that a taste for Cypriot wines influenced the Turkish sultan Selim II to conquer Cyprus in 1571. He was a connoisseur of fine wines so he summoned the commander in chief of his army and ordered him to take the island with the words “Within the island there is a treasure which only the King of Kings is worthy of possessing.”

Through the centuries, Cyprus has exported not only wines, but the grape vines themselves. Vine cuttings from Cyprus were chosen by Captain Juan Gonsalves Zarco from Portugal after he burned the native vegetation from the island of Medeira in 1418, but that’s another story.

Cypriot grapes were also carries to the island of Sicily where they are still grown to produce Marsala, the famous sweet dessert wine of Italy. The grape cuttings even found their way to Hungary where they are used to produce Tokay.

Now we have wines from around the world at Crazy Billy’s, so you don’t need to venture far and wide to buy wine.

The wine taster selects a glass of wine from the table. He holds it up to the light and swirls it gently. He watches it carefully as it runs down the sides of the glass, making an evaluation of the wine’s “legs”.

He then puts his nose into the glass and inhales to savor the aroma and bouquet. Finally, when he is ready, he takes a small sip and swirls it around inside his mouth to release the hidden flavors.

A wine ritual yes, but note the first (and some feel the most important) element that was checked. The color.

Any hint of cloudiness whatsoever in a wine is regarded as a flaw and will automatically down-rate it. A wine’s color should be clear and even throughout.

A dry white wine should have a greenish-yellow tinge and the sweeter types a golden hue. A brown tinge is a bad sign that indicates the wine has oxidized or maderized.

Red wines should have a purplish hue while they are young and acquire a more brownish tone as they age. Pelure d’oignon, or onion skin, is a term that refers to a thin, light brown band that is visible around the rim of healthy, well aged wines.

Beware of any wine that has a muddy appearance. Sediment can make the wine taste harsh and unpleasant.

And remember when you need help in choosing a crystal clear wine that we can help you at Crazy Billy’s.

You have a special bottle of fine brandy or cognac. You pick the biggest brandy snifter you can find and pour a sizable amount into the bottom of it, right?

Wrong! So says Georg Riedel of the Riedel Crystal Company in Austria. And he ought to know, because the Riedel family has been making wine glasses since 1756.

Snifters “only show the alcohol,” who was quoted in The Wine Spectator. “You will have very little fruit emphasized.” He recommends a 4 ounce Schnapsglaser flute for serving brandy or spirits. He says that every single glass shape offers different elements in every wine. Choosing the correct glass for a given wine is part of the art of fine wine service.

Another rule in choosing wine glasses is to select only clear glasses. Tinted glassware or cut crystal will make it difficult to judge the clarity of the wine. The purpose of a wine glass should be to amplify the quality of the wine, not disguise it.

When it comes to glasses, bigger is not necessarily better. Riedel clearly demonstrated that the same wine can taste and smell radically different in different sizes and shapes of glassware.

Whenever you need help in selecting glasses or glassware, remember that our friendly clerks are trained to answer questions.

Do you know what the oldest known wine trademark is?

The name “Vesuvinum” was found on wine jars during the excavation of the town of Pompeii that was buried in volcanic ash after the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D.

Do you know there is a club for people that collect corkscrews?

Known as the International Conference of Corkscrew Addicts, the club meets once a year to exchange corkscrews and tell wild corkscrew tales. Auctioned at one of the recent meets was an antique corkscrew that was reportedly owned by Chicago gangster Al Capone.

Do you know that there are a number of exclusive wine clubs around the world where wine aficionados can gather to share food and taste fine wines?

The oldest, founded in Paris in 1248, is the Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs. More recently founded, in 1933, is the International Wine & Food Society. Then there’s the Commanderie de Bordeaux, the Medical Friends of Wine and the small but important, Society of Bacchus.

Do you know that the best place to shop for wine is at Crazy Billy’s? Our selection of wine as well as spirits and liqueurs are all chosen because they offer quality at affordable prices. Just because you love fine wine doesn’t mean you have to pay high prices.

If you have any French friends, don’t let them in on this top-secret information. I’m told it is classified.

It seems that French housewives are buying California wines!

For years, France has been the unchallenged harbinger of fine wine making. Now suddenly merchants in France are realizing that they have a new product to sell, wines from California. California wine tends to be heartier and more heavily oaked than French wines and it seems that French homemakers like the California style.

About 65 percent of all wine sold in France is sold in supermarkets and most customers in supermarkets are women. And judging from what they buy, it appears that French homemakers like their white wines full and oaky and their red wines concentrated and tannic.

California wines have the same characteristics as wines from the southern part of France, rich, suave, low in acid and very robust. Now no self-respecting French winemaker will admit to imitating California wine styles, but many have been heard to remark that they understand their neighbors are doing so.

The heartiest and the most robust of all the California wines can be found right here in New York at Crazy Billy’s. Why don’t all you housewives make it a point to stop in soon?

Do you know that the same wine can smell and taste markedly different in different wine glasses?

The selection of wine glasses can be a science as well as an art. For instance, it has been noted that a Chardonnay served in an 11 ounce glass with sides that taper inward will taste fuller and richer than if it is served in an 8 ounce glass that has an outward tilting lip. These glasses are designed to serve Riesling wines that are fruitier and more delicate than Chardonnays.

The aroma of a well made Cabernet Sauvignon should almost jump out of the glass as you move your nose toward it. It will do just that in a tulip shaped 22 ounce Bordeaux glass, but the nose will be far less pronounced in a small 7 ounce glass or in a larger 37 ounce glass that is designed to serve Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir will show better in a large glass because it is a more delicate grape with fruity and aromatic overtones.

Acquiring a collection of proper glassware can be as important as acquiring proper wines. The serious wine lover should pay as much attention to matching the proper wine with the proper glass as to matching the wine with the proper entrée.

Of course we can help you select appropriate glassware or wine at Crazy Billy’s.

Some things change, but food and wine combinations seem to be eternal. Case in point; a menu from 1918 from the Hotel Havlin in Cincinnati. On the front of the menu they offered creamed scallops for 60 cents. On the back an extensive wine list(including an 1899 Mouton Rothschild for $5) suggested, “With your oysters, fish or relishes, try a split or white Delaware wine, 20 cents.”  This Native American varietal, probably very sweet, was the White Zinfandel of its day.

A 1908 menu from the Bismarck café in San Francisco featured a full page listing of French wines identified by region. (Prices ranged from 75 cents for a half bottle of Moselle to a high of $5 for a Clos de Vougeot from Burgundy.)

By 1945, information on menus was getting more specific. A menu of unidentified dated January 17, 1945 suggested “light dry Sherries” to accompany appetizers and “a good bottle of sound Moselle, Rhine, Claret, Burgundy or Champagne” with main courses. The more than 100 selections on the wine list included a “very dry, light” 1933 Chablis and a “sweet luscious” Chateau d’Yquem from 1928.

Times change but wine remains the same. Whenever you want advice about food and wine combinations, feel free to ask your questions at Crazy Billy’s.

Finesse. The word itself sounds elegant. The quality is hard to define. To Webster, it is “delicate skill; subtle discrimination; refinement.”

When the word is used in conjunction with wine, it refers to the breeding or style of the wine. Finesse is a French term meaning exceptional elegance.

It is a very subjective term that attempts to combine the qualities of body, color and finish. Finesse is that highly elusive element that is found in a superior wine as opposed to a very good or excellent wine.

Finesse implies the absence of any flaws. Flaws in a wine can include a musty nose, which means there is a smell of mildew or mustiness from a leaking cork. An odor of sulfur from the bottling process will also flaw a wine.

Wine must be crystal clear. If there is any hint of sediment, points are automatically subtracted from its rating.

The wine must be well balanced. This means that it should not be too high or too low in alcohol/acid balance must be just right. Just right can vary from wine to wine, but wine tasters know when the balance is off.

When you want your dinner party to be just right, ask a clerk at Crazy Billy’s to recommend a wine that has finesse. We know quality and it shows!

Fanleaf, Pierces disease, phylloxera, corky bark, leaf roll, mosaic complex, powdery mildew, black rot, grape berry moths, acariose, cochineal bugs and eelworms. These are just a few of the many parasitic ailments that can affect grape vines.

Some of the blights are specific to individual countries; others are common around the world. The infamous phylloxera, for instance, was unknown in Europe until grape vine cuttings from the United States were taken to France in the 19th century.

So what to do? How to keep unwanted pests out of your country or vineyard? The University of California at Davis, which is the leading winemaking school in the United States, is developing a multi-million dollar grape rootstock inspection facility. It will provide rootstock quarantine services for viticulturalists importing grape stock from other parts of the world.

Viticulturalists who want to use the National Grape Importation and Clean Rootstock facility must pay a fee for the services. A full time plant pathologist will study each imported vine to make sure that it is healthy and will not spread any diseases in its new home.

Of course we have wines from California and France and Australia and from all parts of the world at Crazy Billy’s.

“Peach blossoms” is the best way to describe the bouquet. “Long and lingering on the palate” describes the taste. “Crisp and dry and perfect for a summer evening.” What are they talking about? Why the wines from the Association of Charta Estates, of course.

So what is the Association of Charta Estates, you may ask? It is a group of 44 wineries from the Rheingau district of Germany. An hour’s drive west of Frankfurt, the Rheingau has been famous for white wines since the middle ages. The wineries that form the Charta (pronounced CAR-ta) Association are willing to meet certain stringent requirements for their wines. To bear the Charta label, the wine must be made from 100% Riesling grapes. It must be dry or semi-dry and made to serve with meals. It must be aged for at least 18 months before being released, it must be made from fully ripe grapes and it must meet certain laboratory tests for amount of acid and residual sugar.

Charta wines come from wineries with such exotic names as Diefenhardt, Johannishof, Georg Breuer, hans Lang, Balthasar Ress, Schloss Vollrads and Geheimrat Wegler Erben.

The types of wine are designed by even more exotic names such as Geisenheimer Rothenberg spatlese, Johannisberger Goldatzel kabinett and Martinsthaler langberg halbtrocken.

This summer when you plan your evening barbeques, why not try a bottle or two of crisp white German wine? There’s nothing like it. And of course we have German wines galore at Crazy Billy’s.

Once upon a time the wine and food pairing rules were strict. Serve red wine with red meat. Serve white wine with fish. Don’t serve wine with artichokes, eggs or salad. And most of all don’t serve wine with chocolate!

You will be happy to know that all of these rules can now be broken.

This wine and drinking code was established in the 19th century in France and England when wine choices were limited to heavy bodied reds and light acidic whites. Now, thanks to modern technology, there is a plethora of wine flavors available and one of them can be just right for whatever dish you are serving.

Here’s the good news on serving wine with chocolate. Champagne can be a good choice, but if it was served earlier in the meal with an appetizer, you may not want to use it again.

A genuine French Sauternes with its rich and creamy texture will hold up with any dessert, chocolate or otherwise. So will a foreign or domestic late picked Muscat that is rich and sweet in fruit with orange rind overtones.

Exotic, but not impossible to find, is a Banyulis Domaine du Mas Blanc, a fortified wine similar to port from the southern part of France. It has a chocolate like taste complete with a vanilla bean flavor making it delightful with chocolate.

Whenever you need to choose a special wine, please ask our advice at Crazy Billy’s.

Wine writers, including this one, are fond of saying that man has been making and enjoying wine since 2500 B.C.

Now it seems that that date has been pushed back by at least 1000 years. Archeologists have made recent discoveries that indicate wine has been around since 3500 B.C. That’s almost 5500 years of wine drinking pleasure!

Archeologist digs at the Godin Tepe site in Iran have excavated pieces of earthenware jars that they believe were used to hold wine. Scientific analysis of the pre-Bronze age vessels reveal deposits of tartaric acid which is one of the principle components of grapes.

Also discovered at the site was a large mud bin, thought to have been used to stomp grapes, and a range of drinking vessels in assorted sizes.

A large clay stopper was found near the wine jars, probably a primitive version of a cork.

At the same site, excavators found a stone necklace and a marble bowl, both indicative of an affluent culture. The archeologists feel that the finds indicate a society that was complex enough to grow grapes and engage in foreign trade.

Aren’t you glad that we live in a society that grows grapes and engages in foreign trade? The next time you need a bottle of wine, foreign or domestic, why not shop at Crazy Billy’s?

Last year I wrote a column about Carlos Herrera who invented the Margarita at his bar in Tijuana and named it in honor of Marjorie King, a popular actress and showgirl in the 1940’s.

Not so, says Margarita Sames of Fort Worth, Texas. She claims that she invented to Margarita and first served it to a group of Hollywood guests at her vacation home in Acapulco. The year was 1948 and the season was Christmas and she wanted to create a daytime cocktail that could be served by the pool. She tried it first with rum, but that didn’t work, so she tried tequila. Voila! The guests loved it and she has been serving it ever since.

Her recipe calls for one part freshly squeezed lime juice, one part Cointreau, and two parts tequila poured over ice in a salt rimmed glass.

Margarita reports that her husband named the concoction a Margarita. Before that time it was known simply as “the drink.” One day her husband presented her with some champagne glassware etched with the name “Margarita” and from that day on, the drink was called a “Margarita.”

I don’t know. Maybe both stories are true. I know that in the field of science, an invention will often be discovered almost simultaneously in two different parts of the world.

But no matter who invented it, it is still one of the most pleasant cocktails available. And don’t forget that we have Cointreau and tequila in all varieties at Crazy Billy’s.

Festive occasions. Weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, christenings. Any event where you want to celebrate. What do you think of first? Why a bottle of Champagne of course.

But how to choose? You go to the store and there are so many. How do you know which ones are good?

In my experience, it’s hard to find bad champagne. The bubbles themselves are so much fun that it seems the winemaker can’t go wrong.

The more expensive Champagnes come from France and are made by time-honored traditions that consume enormous amounts of time so the prices tend to be higher than domestic sparkling wines. The good news is that wineries in France have cut their prices on expensive wines in order to stay competitive.

One way to check for quality on a wine label is to look for the words “method champenoise” whether the wine was made in Australia, Spain, California or France.

Whether the wine is called “champagne” or “sparkling wine” makes little difference. All can be good and most of them are made from quality grapes like pinot noir or chardonnay.

If you have a special occasion that demands a special bottle of wine of champagne, please feel free to shop and ask questions at Crazy Billy’s. Our clerks are trained to be helpful.

You’re serving an elegant meal with chicken or fish as the main course. You want an elegant white wine to accompany it. You go to Crazy Billy’s and pick out a premium chardonnay from a well-respected winery right?

Not necessarily. Before you purchase the Chardonnay, you might consider that other “noble” grape, namely Sauvignon Blanc.

Sauvignon Blanc has not had the publicity accorded to Chardonnay, but it can be just as elegant if it is vinified in the same way, barrel fermentation, malolactic fermentation, long time aging on the lees in a cask or barrel. Sauvignon Blanc has an assertive herbaciousness but also carries refreshingly tangy notes of peaches and melons.

It is higher in acid, which makes it slightly crisper than Chardonnay. The taste is more pungent and rolls off the tongue with a vibrancy and vitality that can enhance a full flavored entrée.

Sauvignon Blanc can be just the right choice for certain entrees that need a spicier and fuller flavor than Chardonnay. So don’t think there is only one “noble” white varietal. Sauvignon Blanc may surprise and delight you.

Of course we have a superb selection of Sauvignon Blanc wines and Chardonnay wines from the most elegant boutique wineries in the world.

Why not stop at Crazy Billy’s as soon as possible?

Have you ever wondered about the proper way to open a bottle of Champagne?

Pointing the cork away from you and pushing with both thumbs may be dramatic, but it is not recommended in homes that contain breakable knick knacks. To say nothing of the fact that this technique often causes the Champagne to foam up and spill all over the floor.

To do the job properly, it must be realized that one is dealing with a delicate product. The wine must be handled as gently as possible so that the bubbles will not be released until after the wine is in the mouth.

If the bottle is very cold, as all champagne should be, it is advisable to wrap a towel around the bottle. Carefully remove the metal wire that holds the cork in place. Then holding the bottle at a 45 degree angle with your right hand, cover and hold the cork with your left hand. Gently twist the bottle, not the cork, until the cork pops out. Continue holding the bottle at an angle for a few seconds while the pressure inside the bottle equalizes with the pressure of the room.

To pour champagne, chilled glasses are recommended. It is advisable to hold the glass at an angle and pour the wine onto the side of the glass so that as few bubbles as possible are released. These techniques will guarantee that the “bubbly” will indeed be bubbly when the time comes to drink it.

And don’t forget that the bubbliest Champagne can be found at Crazy Billy’s.

Summertime. Picnics. Barbeques. Beach parties. Lazy Sunday afternoons in the backyard. What do all these have in common? They are all appropriate times to enjoy a bottle of ice-cold wine. What you need is  a quaffing wine. One that is fresh, fruity, spicy, tart and easy to drink.

White wines are ideal because they can be chilled as much as desired so they are very refreshing to drink in hot weather. Blush wines will also fill the bill. But light bodied red wines can also be served chilled if they are simple drinking wines rather than fine aged clarets or burgundies.

The best way to chill a wine is to leave it in your fridge for a few hours before leaving the house. It can be transported to the outing in thermal bags that are designed for the purpose. Or you can wrap the bottle in foil and roll it in several layers of newspapers and secure the package with rubber bands.

Cold chicken and potato salad can be accompanied by any number of white or blush wines. Hamburgers and barbequed ribs call for a red wine. Just be sure to pick a light bodied red that is easy to drink.  A French Beaujolais or a California Zinfandel is a good choice.

And if you want help in selecting just the right wine for any summer occasion, please feel free to ask the friendly clerk at Crazy Billy’s.

Rain, rain and more rain has plagued Northern California farmers this year, including wine growers in the Napa and Sonoma valleys. Word from the vineyard is that the grapevines are very little affected and there should be no compromise in the grape harvest this year.

Vines are dormant during the winter, so even though some vineyards are immersed in water, the vines will survive. As one wine maker put it, “you can’t drown a grape vine.” Indeed, grape vines are hardly plants that can survive lack of water ( as witnessed a few years ago during the drought) or heavy rain ( as is being observed now during the flooding).

Many premium vineyards are planted on hillsides, so they are protected from flooding, although soil erosion can wear down the topsoil. Some vineyards that are underwater are in a current of runoff water and floating logs or other debris can damage wire trellising that supports the vines.

The biggest anticipated problem from the flooding is the spread of phylloxera, a vine louse that attaches itself to the roots of grape vines. Many vineyards in Napa Valley have been attacked by the pest and floodwaters can spread phylloxera from one vineyard to the next. Many wineries are in the process of replanting their vineyards with phylloxera resistant rootstock to avoid problems in the future.

California wines of all types can be found in profusion at Crazy Billy’s.

Ernest and Julio Gallo are to wine making as Orville and Wilbur Wright are to airplanes and the Smith Brothers are to cough drops.

The brothers Gallo gambled their family savings to buy land in Modesto, plant grapes, bottle wine and market it to middle class Americans as the beverage of choice for the evening meal.

Market it they did and it did work because Gallo soon became the largest producer of generic wines in the country. Gallo Hearty Burgundy outsold all other reds and was the introduction to the intricate world of wine tasting by many now famous wine experts. Jug whites and generic reds were the main stay of frat parties across the USA and their sherry and port became a popular after dinner libations.

But times change and so does Gallo. The name Gallo will now be reserved for only the top of the line varietals coming from premium vineyards in Napa and Sonoma countries. The generic wines are being renamed and will appear as Sheffield, Fairbanks or Livingston Cellars. Quality will stay the same as will affordable prices, only the name will be changed to ass prestige to the Gallo name itself.

Of course we keep up with all the latest market developments at Crazy Billy’s. The next time you drive by, why not stop in and get acquainted with us? Our friendly clerks love to talk foreign or domestic wine.

Is expensive wine really better than inexpensive wine? Sometimes yes, Sometimes no.

The fabled 1990 Romanee Conti from Burgundy retails for a staggering $950 a bottle, if you can find it. Richebourg and LaTache are slightly less, only $400 to $600 a bottle and just as tasty. Some wines from California’s boutique wineries are now hitting retail stores at prices from $100 to $300 a bottle. So are they worth it?

Only if you are extremely wealthy and want prestige at any price. Sometimes people with a modest income will spend $200 on a bottle of wine just to brag about it. Some collectors buy well-known wines to add to their cellar but have no intention of ever drinking them. Such a collector would no more open a bottle of 1928 Chateau Haut-Brion than a stamp collector would use his 1919 upside-down Air Mail stamp to post a letter. It would create a hole in his collection.

At Crazy Billy’s we try to stock wines that offer quality AND value. The wines we feature are meant to be enjoyed now. One to five years of proper cellaring will often improve the quality of red wines, but it is not necessary to keep them for decades unless they are wines for a special occasion, like a bottle of wine from your wedding day saved for a 25th or 50th anniversary.

Stop in to see us if you are picking wines for a special event, we can help you choose right.

Cognac. The name itself sounds romantic. It conjures up images of the 17th century soldiers gathered around the lord of the castle raising a toast to the success of the battle planned for the next morning.

Cognac has the reputation of being the finest brandy in all the world. All Cognac is brandy, but not all brandy is Cognac. Genuine Cognac is produced only in the Charentes region of France which is north of Bordeaux on the Atlantic coast.

180 million bottles of Cognac are shipped around the world each year from the small town with the same name. Cognac is made from a white grape called St. Emilion. As a table wine, St. Emilion tends to be thin and acidic. In the 17th century, Dutch traders discovered that magic happens when the wine is double distilled in a pot still and aged in oak barrels from the Limousin and Troncais forests in Central France.

Through the years, the reputation of Cognac has grown so that today it is the standard bearer against which all other brandies in the world are measured. Vanilla, citrus, caramel, smoke, plums,nuts,heather,figs,cloves,honey,oranges,lemons,soft,silky, floral, earthy, woodsy, peppery,luxurious and harmonious are only some of the adjectives used to describe Cognac. It is used for a toast when only the finest will do.

To pick up a bottle of your favorite Cognac, why not stop by Crazy Billy’s?