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AP 12/30/05
Distinguishing fine wine from plonk is usually left to connoisseurs and winemakers, who rely on their senses, rough chemical measurements and the whims of nature to produce an exceptional tipple. But a Carnegie Mellon University professor, working with industry scientists in Chile, is hoping that computer models will identify the traits of good wine to help vintners produce more of it.
Lorenz "Larry" Biegler, who teaches chemical engineering at the university, is working on mathematical formulas to automate the fermentation process, adjusting ingredients and conditions to ensure robust flavors and higher yields from grape harvests.
Scientists don't fully understand the delicate mix of compounds that emerge during fermentation and why they create such pleasing sensations for wine drinkers. Biegler's research focuses on yeast, which consumes sugar and produces alcohol.
"We would like to come up with a reasonably good model of how this yeast cell behaves ... then control this fermentation process so we can make better-quality wines," he said.
Much of the work is being carried out at an "aroma lab" at Pontifical Catholic University in Santiago, Chile, where industry-sponsored researchers are trying to isolate chemicals that produce desirable fragrances and flavors, Biegler said.
One goal is to help vintners avoid "stuck batches" — batches that spoil and are thrown away when fermentation stalls, leaving too much sugar.
Biegler hopes to make winemaking more efficient, consistent and, ultimately, profitable. Similar computerized systems are routinely used at chemical plants, oil refineries and pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities, he said.
The researchers have been collaborating for more than two years and are studying only white wines, since reds are more complex and contain solids that make them difficult to analyze.
Stephen Menke, an oenologist at Pennsylvania State University's Cooperative Extension, said sorting out wine ingredients is difficult "because it's a natural product and we don't really do much processing."
Researchers are trying to refine more traditional methods of assessing a wine's quality — tasting it, sniffing its bouquet — and monitoring production, Menke said.
Scientific efforts to unlock wine's secrets have generally met with little success, said Mark Chien, a wine grape specialist also at Penn State.
"I wish it were that easy," he said. "In a textbook sense, it should be, but it never quite is. It's a fascinating scientific exercise, but nobody's been able to prove you can do something like that."
That has not stopped some from trying.
One company, Enologix, of Sonoma, Calif., takes juice samples from grapes, analyzes them and, using proprietary software, recommends how to make wines that please leading critics.
Although technology has the potential to shape the winemaking process, "there's still an art to it in terms of preference and taste and some of those things we can't describe by listing the compounds in the wine," said Mario Mazza, an oenologist at his family's North East, Pa., winery.
For Biegler, controlling fermentation is a start. "It's the dream of seeing whether we can do that," he said.
The sooner the better, to give folks time to score the right bottle.
We're waiting for your wine selection!
A splendid opportunity to pick up shares at a sale price never to be seen again.
Go Carrie!!
Anybody invested in FLTL is violating almost every rule of investing as promulgated by Jim Cramer in his "Mad Money" TV show.
That said Dec 30 is the last day for tax loss selling. Downward pressure on the stock due to tax loss sales will abruptly end at end of the day. As of Jan 1 all transactions will be based on speculative ideas on the success or failure of the company.
I recall the last recorded comments of Mr. M. Kraselnick, the new chairman of the board and owner of more than 50% of the voting rights: (in his approximate words) one would have to be stupid not to make money in this business.
A couple Cramer rules not violated here include:
Time frame: 18 months
Listen to the teleconferences!!
I recall asking David just over a year ago as we searched for the lunch room at the pyramid in Las Vegas: "How many employees does FLTL have? His answer was less than than a handful, but that the picture would soon change and growth would be "big."
Thankyou. Very nice.
And a prosperous New Year to the whole Hartcourt community!!
I have no doubts that prosperity will bless all Hartcourt holders.
I received a nice 2-pack Xmas present of NY wine from my daughter, who has settled in Manhattan.
One was a 2000 Laurel Lake Vineyards (North Fork of Long Island) Merlot, which has just gone down very nicely with day old Italian sausage a la honey mustard and sweet potato.
I am left looking forward to #2, a 2000 Cabernet Franc from the same vineyard. Long Island reds, surprise, surprise!!
How can anybody not like a wink like that. If it was later in the evening I'd offer the following toast: May your blinkin' eyeball forever grace this board!!
I have run into a conflict for our 2nd online tasting scheduled for Jan 15. In light of this I would like to switch places with PDC, who is next in line, and reserve for myself the #3 position for perhaps the 2nd week of February (Feb 12).
If PDC agrees, he gets to select the wine for Jan 15.
A number of the others present at the SHM were not participants on this board and some came with spouses.
I do not mean to be a Grinch, but a lot of chit-chat on this board is way OT and just mundane chatter between 2 people. It makes for a big waste of other people's time to plod thru such irrelevant stuff. I would be happy to use the iggie, but then I would miss any of your possible quality postings. Why do you not use private posts for this stuff? Please remember that the primary purpose for this board is to exchange ideas on wine.
How was the '95 Stags Leap?
California zinfandels are quite popular. More fruity and less heavy than the cabernets.
I know what you mean. My mental notes always seem to quickly dissipate as each new wine appears during a party.
I do remember a very good 2001 Rodney Strong Cabernet, but that's because I saved it for a year before trying it with friends.
Holiday greetings to all on the wine board.
May this season fill your wine celler to the ceiling. If you do not have a wine celler may 2006 bring you one!
Washington state has been acquiring some respectability over the last few years for its red wines. I tried a 2001 Syrah this evening by Columbia Crest ($10). Very nice blackberry and black pepper tastes good to accompany red meat meals. Interesting that these 2 flavors are juxtaposed on the wine aroma wheel at the reverse interphase of fruity and spicy.
Products from the former Soviet Union countries are only beginning to find counter space in the US. Try to find a Russian deli in your area, or other deli featuring former Soviet Republic products. I bet you will find quite a few bargains, especially if you have any familiarity with their quizine. I will definitely pick up one of the Georgian or Moldovan wines next time around.
I stopped by this afternoon at a Russian deli on the western edge of SF to pick up some herring for Xmas. Interestingly the SF Bay is a major spawning ground for the fish, but it all gets exported, so I end up buying a Lithuanian Baltic import from a Russian deli.
Anyway I noticed some interesting wines from Moldova and Georgia (formerly of the USSR). The Moldova wines looked particularly interesting due to their extravagant sculpted glass bottles. The wines ranged from $10 to $22 dollars, semi-sweet reds, dry reds, whites, etc. Has anybody here tried any Moldovan or Georgian wines? I passed on the wine after picking up some very expensive smoked eel. I just finished the eel with some very cheep Sutter Home Sauvignon Blanc ($4.00 per bottle) and the combination was subdovious. The side dish was Lithuanian black bread with a little butter and a day old boiled potato. I had the salad at lunch.
I do not mean to be or to sound bossy. The order was established soon after Hoople came up with the idea of doing an online tasting. Your place in line is not the number of your 1st post, but rather your entry on the board relative to all the other posters. Not everybody may wish to take a turn. Sooner or later one of the moderators will have to post an order list.
Look thru the posts and count how many other people began posting before you. That gives you your line number.
No hangover. I arrived and left early due to other commitments and found 500 posts after 4 hours. Looks like a rousing success. The idea in a tasting is to explore the wine. Sips of water in between sips of wine keeps the palate fresh. Did anybody keep track of the number of participants?
The next tasting will be on a Sauvignon Blanc. I will announce the brand shortly. The date will be Jan 15, same time frame.
Welcome to all on this 1st I-Hub online wine tasting. This board has become a little daily treasure. This is possibly the world’s 1st online wine tasting and thus, maybe, a world record of sorts. A sudden commitment has struck and I must taste my Pierre Dupond Beaujolais Nouveau 2 hours early.
Nice light red in color. The fragrance is light berry on the nose, not very pronounced. I have my wine wheel in front of me. The taste is sweet, fruity, I would say blackberry, maybe strawberry. Nice after-taste.
Am really sorry that I can’t be online at the appointed time. I clink my glass to the monitor, may you hear the clink at your end, and wish a Good Tasting to you all. I look forward to each and every comment.
Cheers!!!
World Record Online Wine Tasting Agenda:
Date: 12/18/2005
Time 18:00 EST
Place: I-Hub cyberspace
If you plan to enjoy more than one glass of our selected wine, please assign a designated typist to get you through the online event and a designated driver to get you to bed safely.
1. Prior to logging on to I-Hub, uncork your bottle, pour a small sample and sniff deeply.
2. Log on at the designated hour and clink your glass to your monitor. The tingling harmonics of this mass action will quickly reverberate across the I-Hub community and inspire good cheer to which you should proclaim a personal toast.
3. Post your toast and proceed to evaluate your Beaujolais.
I wish it was, but actually I endured a bad thumb cut earlier in the day and it has made my bad typing even worse.
Here's an answer to my question on thermometers:
http://www.kitchenemporium.com/cgi-bin/kitchen/prod/46bj11200.html
"This one is simplicity itself and only $10. It and a few others are available on amazon.com"
http://in2wine.enterprisemerchant.com/Default.aspx
I like my reds to taste cool on the tongue, but not cold.
I like my whites cold on the tongue, not cool.
But then I prefer reds during cold weather, and whites on warm days. Often it doesn't matter and depends more on what's in the fridge or cupboard. If the fridge is empty and only a white is in the cupboard, the white goes to the freezer. If the cupboard is empty and the fridge is empty and the basement is empty, I curse my lack of foresight. If I forget the white is in the freezer, the temp will save me the trouble of uncorking the bottle, but I will have to wait for the thaw. I have not yet made this error with a screwtop white.
If anybody knows of a good low cost thermometer for wine, please post ASAP. For the World Record we should of course all be at the same temperature, how about 65, in honor the "The Great Society":
See: http://timelines.ws/20thcent/1965.HTML
I would rather think of the chart as a volcano in the early undetectable stages of getting ready to blow.
Local supplier ran out of George's Beaujolais.
Had to settle for Pierre Dupond's sample. The Parker rating on this one was a 90 vs. 89 for George. People better get out and hustle on this one. It may not be as easy to find anymore.
How much time do you thing we should allow the Nouveau to breathe before swirling and nosing the contents?
Do you want to set any ground rules... like no comments accepted after 4 glasses!!!