Grape Varietals In France

   Do any of you find French wines to be exceptionally confusing? 
   Well - they can be!  Unlike most wines from the US, New Zealand, Australia, etc., the French wine labels do not usually name the grape varietals. Instead, they list the country of origin, the region, the vintage, the estate, or "maker", the winery and/or vineyard, and occasionally the shipper or négotiant.
   This (very generalized!) list outlines the primary varietals found in a few important regions: 
Burgundy:
Reds: Pinot Noir
White: Chardonnay 
Bordeaux:
Reds: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec
Whites: Sauvignon Blanc, Semillion, Muscadelle
Loire:
Reds: Cabernet Franc, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon
Whites: Chenin Blanc,  Melon De Burgogne, Sauvignon Blanc
Alsace:
Whites: Gewuztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling
Rhone:
Reds: Grenache, Syrah, Mouvedre, Cinsault
Whites: Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Roussanne, Picpoul

A rebuttal regarding Obama

[The original comment I took exception to:]

C - "I too want our president to suceed.
The national pride we all should share in a color blind election where the most capable and competent person just happens to be black or a woman... is the epitomy of democracy.
And no, McCain was not that person. Maybe no republican could have been this year.
No it was Hillary's year but race and style trumped ability and everyone-even the fanatical gleam in the eye white hypocrites whose lack of self awarness to this fact does not excuse the reprehensible origins of their loyalty to Hussien-knows this and that's what makes it inexcusable."

[My comment in response]

E - What a load of hooey.

 

McCain would have beaten Hillary.  It was never her year as it will never be.  She would have won the Dem nomination, but she had too many people who hated her to win.  Males would have left the Dems, even after all this, in droves.  McCain would have never nominated a fluff like Palin and would have taken the White House.  You want to trivialize Obama's win or write it off with trite explanations, but it was simple: Best man for the job.  He was inspirational when the nation needed to be inspired, charismatic and an obviously driven leader when we were tired of what the ass in the Oval Office was trying to sell us.  He is intelligent and educated, and we wanted that after finding out Texas hokum doesn't work when running anything larger than a BBQ.  And while the problems we face seem like it would condemn an inexperienced man to failure in the election, America didn't want a 30 year Senator who helped get us where we are or a close connection to the past administration, tainted and full of scandal that it was.  He lost votes because he was black (as is evidenced by Dem areas in the south that voted for McCain) but won because he was young, intelligent, hard working, well spoken, committed, and basically the anti-Bush.  

 

Will he do as well as everyone hopes?  How could he possibly?  Will some of his plans be disliked?  Sure, as no one is ever pleased by everything.  What I may like, you may dislike (and vice versa).  But I think he has earned the right - through his own well run campaign and hard work as well as through the failures of the past administration - to give it a shot and have the support of the people.

 

The simple fact so many people now have hope in this country should tell you something about his ability to inspire and how desperate the populace is for the country to go in a different direction in many areas.  And his ability to inspire and bring 'hope' back to the people will do more for this troubled economy than any program he initiates or vetoes.