Editorial Comments:  In the last edition of Deaf Grapevine newsletter, the comment stated that the USA ranks 33rd in consuming (drinking) wine per-capita, nose-diving low in the world's list.  However, my friend, namely Larry Petersen of Lake Forest, Washington, responded with the quotation from the Kiplinger's financial magazine (June 2007):

"VIVA VINO: By 2010, the U.S. will outpace Italy and France (editor's notes: number #1 and #2 respectively) in total wine consumption per year, says VinExpo, a wine consortium."

Fun fact:  Also in the last edition there was mentioned of two Italian Deaf brothers who own a winemaking business (their names are Giovanni and Paolo).  Several responses were received.  The location of their winery is in the Siena area, about 2 hours west of Florence.  A tour, guided by the Hands On Travel (www.handsontvl.com), visited this winery last September 2006 and the deaf group had a very enjoyable time.  See the picture of one of two Deaf brothers and their wine bottles:

     
Thank you, Shirley Gsell, for sharing these photos!

Answer to the trivia question from the last issue:  George Washington is known to: c) have consumed two quarts of fortified wine (port) everyday in his public life.  He even made his own whiskey and his fellow politician, John Adams, drank hard cider daily before he started work.  During the Constitutional Convention, 55 delegates decided to take a day off to party and they drank 54 bottles of Madeira, 60 bottles of wine, 22 bottles of port, and 8 whiskey.  Then they went back to work with a high buzz in their heads.  There they finished founding the new republic, very critical document with which our beloved United States was born!  (reference: the book, "The Joy of Drinking" by Barbara Holland)  Should our current Congress be encouraged to drink that much wine with similar success?  Especially when working on the foreign policy?  Our society would not be that tolerant, eh?!

Today’s trivia question:  Wine bottles are stored horizontally in order to:

a) permit sediment to collect on one side of the bottle
b) keep the cork moist
c) save space
d) prevent breakage as upright bottles can fall.
     (answer in the next Deaf Grapevine newsletter, September/October ‘07)

Wine of the Month:  -  SUMMER SPECIAL!     The BIG Question:  What Wines go with Barbecued Foods?
Good choice would be fruity and rich Zinfandel or Syrah/Shiraz for your barbequed steak.  For BBQed chicken, try white Zinfandel.  Grilled seafood and Sauvignon Blancs go together well.  I personally prefer Pinot Gris for my Kabobs.  You can try Pinot Noir for your hamburger or pork chops that just come off your GrillMaster.  Brats or wieners?  Forget wine, you hafta go get a beer for your hot dog!

Best all-around wine that goes with almost every food in the summer: SANGRIA

Don't buy Sangria that is already bottled.  Sangria is something you have to make yourself and be creative with any fresh fruit available at that moment.  Sangria is a popular and traditional home-made wine mix in Europe for hundreds of years old, started in Spain.  Try my favorite recipe from Vadja Kolombatovic, Jr. who used to live in Europe for many years:

Red Sangria

1 bottle red wine, Merlot, Rioja, or any fruity wine
Splash of orange juice
2 Tablespoons Grand Marnier (or more if so desired!)
2 Tbsp sugar
1 orange cut into wedges (or slices)
1 lemon cut into wedges (leaving out seeds!)
1 or 2 cans of club soda, ginger ale, or 7-up

Mix all ingredients except soda.  Cover and refrigerate several hours, allowing the flavors to really marinate into each other.  Add soda just before serving.  For bonus, add more orange slices in a chilled glass to give an impressive display.

(helpful hint: dip a glass in hot water, put it in a freezer and leave it there for an hour.  Nice frost will appear on the glass.  Ice cubes in your glass would only water down natural fruit and wine juice; that’s no-no)

Enjoy!