I decided to do some research on wine and mortality and the aging process. I went back to the 1700’s and 1800’s. I researched Benjamin Franklin who lived in the 1700’s. He loved wine, and has a wine quote from Beekman Wines and Liquors in Glen Rock, N. J. “Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions and more tolerance.” —- Attributed to Benjamin Franklin. Go to www.beekmanwine.com/factsquotes.htm to read all the wine facts and quotes.  I agree with Ben Franklin. When I have a glass or two of wine, I feel calmer and ready to solve some of my problems. Benjamin Franklin lived in the 1700’s, born in 1706 and died in 1790. This was before modern medicine, and the life expectancy was age 41. Benjamin Franklin lived to the ripe old age of 84; this was twice the life expectancy age of 41 years old. Back then, life was filled with disease that shortened the average person’s life span. The wine in which Ben Franklin drank, I’m assuming was a Bordeaux or red wine.   We now know that there is a molecule that is an active ingredient in red wine called reservatrol. This is called the wonder substance to work the same way as does calorie cutting. The dramatic reduction in calories has been shown to increase the life span of mice, rats, and monkeys. Go to www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2003/09.18/12-anti-aging.html.  So, it could be that, the red wine made old Ben Franklin out live his peers!  And maybe that’s why he was an inventor. I know that when I drink I think and when I think I drink. So, the wine has some advantages.

Another historical person to take note of is Thomas Jefferson our third President of the United States of America. Thomas Jefferson was born in 1743 and died in 1826. He loved wine; he even tried to grow grapes, to make wine on his estate, Monticello. He brought plantings from Europe, and really wanted to have a vineyard. But, unfourtantly it did not work. But, nevertheless, he had the resources to obtain and cellar great wines for his and his quests consumption. He too lived in a time before modern medicine in the 1800’s, when the life expectancy jumped to the age of 50 versus 41 in the 1700’s. A wine quote from Thomas Jefferson, “No nation is drunk where wine is cheap, and none sober where the dearness of wine substitutes ardent spirits as the common beverage.”

So, maybe the red wine helped him live to the ripe old age of 83. And let us not forget he fathered many children, so the wine may have increased his virility? Who knows, but it is fun to think the wine helped make all those children. The only one who knows is God and his wife and black mistress (Sally).

Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin were friends and wine buddies. There is a book, An Evening with Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson:  Dinner, Wine, and Conversation by James M. Gabler.  Visit www.thomasjefferson.net/bacchuspress.html to obtain information on purchasing the book.

I would have loved to see the lavish table settings, the wine and food pairings and heat the literal words from the lips of these two highly historical, wine loving men.

There have been so many claims to red wine being the magic anti-aging food that I’m starting to believe it. All things should be done in moderation. A great steak with a glass or two of red wine sends me into seventh heaven if they are both of a good quality.

On my Yahoo homepage, red wine was listed as one of the seven best ant-aging food sources. They listed, chocolate, nuts, olive oil, wine (red) yogurt, fish and blueberries. I eat most of these things on a regular basis. But, I must confess that I bought blueberries to put in a blueberry martini. I bought some Stirrings Blueberry Martini mix from Dillard’s. It happened to ring up under $3.00 so I bought some and a bottle of Stolichnaya, Stoli  Blueberi, Blueberry Flavored Vodka. I really don’t care for vodka, but his was so smooth, I went for it and loved this martini!  I had a chance to use my Waterford crystal martini glasses that I rescued from Hurricane Katrina. The vodka has a berry smell, which is so refreshing. The blueberries were my garnish for my martini. I used the rest of the berries in a fruit salad. So, I guess I will buy some more blueberries, nuts, yogurt, chocolate, olive oil, fish and red wine to live a long and healthy life. I’ll drink to that!

Now, I will give you one of my wine quotes, “Wine is a lifestyle that chooses you, then you marry.” And that is my philosophy about wine. Wine is a libation made from grapes, and hard work. The winemakers have to be skilled and the soil and weather conditions have to be good to produce great or good wine. The dedication to the land, farming and harvesting grapes are a labor of love; and to the vineyard owners, wine makers, grape pickers and all involved in the process, I thank you!

Wine is not a tool for one to be a wine snob, but it is a libation, that has a life of its own.

To me it is like a Jeanie in a bottle, you don’t really know what its character is or what it tastes like, until you open the bottle.  That is why I love wine; there is always the element of surprise.  A few other wine quotes are worth stating, “Wine is the most civilized ting in the world—- Ernest Hemingway.

“If food is the body of good living, then wine is the soul.”— Clifton Fadiman

“Wine makes every meal an occasion, every table more elegant, every day more civilized.”—Andre` Simon

Lorrie LeBeaux writes Life’s Little Luxuries Newsletter @ lifeslittleluxuriesnewsletters.com

This Cabernet Franc is filled with dark cherry flavors, with raspberry, a floral note of violets with a sweet vanilla oak finish.

I can see this wine paired with my juicy sage compound butter filled burgers, or a steak off the grill with a sage butter and/or olive oil finish. I’m also seeing a recipe for Lorrie’s Steak Bite’s, which will be a Rib Eye Steak cubed and marinated in Stubb’s Marinade, then wrapped in bacon that is cooked on skewers, then put on a platter for all to enjoy!

The price at Ironstone Vineyards is $10.00 a bottle which is a good deal! Here in AR, wines tend to cost a bit more; but I got my three bottles for $10.99 and got my 15% of on Thursday, because it is wine day at the Grapevine!

Lorrie LeBeaux writes Life’s Little Luxuries Newsletter @ lifeslittleluxuriesnewsletters.com

I met John D. Tarabini through an email on my computer. I opened the email, and could feel his warmth and sincerity at a glance. So, I asked him if he would provide me a bottle of his wine to review, and without hesitation he asked for my address. Well, he provided wine information and a brochure showing him and his lovely wife. I thought if the magic of their smiles was captured in their bottle of Syrah, I was in for a surprise! He sent me an email to decant for 30 minutes. I gave it a little more time, about 45 minutes to about 1 hour, and the magic began.

This wine is a deep plum color, with a dark fruit and floral nose (violets). The wine taste of dark fruit, meatiness, a hint of lead, and a smooth, long, balanced dark chocolate and spicy finish.

I paired this wine with a Porterhouse steak that was marinated in Stubbs Beef Marinade, grilled and finished with a sage compound butter and drizzled with French Olive oil. The sides were oven baked red potatoes, cubed, roughly tossed in French Olive oil with sea salt, black pepper and minced garlic. A grape tomato and romaine lettuce rounded out the meal.

The wine paired beautifully with this meal! Try the wine, with or without a meal; you will not be disappointed!

Lorrie LeBeaux writes Life’s Little Luxuries Newsletter @ lifeslittleluxuriesnewsletters.com

I think that wine is very primitive, mystic and has a life of its own. You can drink it out of a cup, a stem -less wine glass, an Italian tumbler, or my favorite Lenox Tuscany Classic stemware, and still enjoy the pleasures of the wine. The bears even appear to be swirling and admiring the nose of their red wine, holding the wine correctly, to savor it at its correct temperature! How smart are those bears; must be related to Yogi Bear, because he was not your average bear either! Some of you may be too young to remember Yogi, so ask your parents.

It seems that wine has become the snob’s way of uplifting him or herself in society. Wine is not a tool; it is a luxury at any bottle price. The bear in our economy reminds us wine lovers, how fortunate that we can drink a bottle or two with family and friends. The bears in the picture seem to be happy, stomachs full from the meal they have just eaten. They seem to be discussing and comparing tasting notes on the bottle they will finish, and reveling on how well the wine paired with their hunt of the day. Can’t wine lovers see that the bears have got the wine experience, in perspective? Wine is a byproduct of grapes, hard work and trying to bring it to people to experience and appreciate it.

Well, I hope that you get my point and realize snobbery can kill a wine experience or turn a new wine drinker away from a forum. People get on computers to blog and post to learn, share experiences and be a part of the wine community.

There were several wine quotes posted with the Wine Facts article at Beekman Wines & Liquor shop. Most were quite intriguing. I will share a few of the ones that I liked on their website.

“Wine is the most civilized thing in the world.”—Ernest Hemingway

[At his first sip of champagne] “Come quickly! I am tasting stars!”— Dom Perignon

“If food is the body of good living, wine is its soul.”—Clifton Fadiman

“Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions and more tolerance.” —Attributed to Benjamin Franklin.

To close, these are my own personal wine quotes:

“Wine is a lifestyle that chooses you, and then you marry.”—-Lorrie S. LeBeaux

“Wine is art in a glass, we all see and experience it differently, thus the palate.”—Lorrie S. LeBeaux

Lighten up oenophiles and let wine be wine, not a status tool or competition. Just let the wine flow…

Lorrie LeBeaux writes Life’s Little Luxuries Newsletter @ lifeslittleluxuriesnewsletters.com

I met Ms. Nicholls at a Napa Valley wine tasting in Uptown New Orleans in 2005. My dear friend Donna bought a ticket for me as a birthday gift, because of my love of wine and charities. It was a fundraiser for Save Our Cemeteries in New Orleans. She was gracious and kind when discussing and pouring their various wines. I talked with the representative of Markham Vineyards and let him review a rough draft of my newsletter and they agreed to send samples for me to review in my newsletter. I will never forget the genuine interest of my charge of wanting expand diversity in the world of wine.

Ms. Nicholls is also featured in my favorite wine book, Women of the Vine, by Deborah Brenner - which you can read my review here. Her story is amazing; I think it’s a good read for any oenophile.

I would pair this wine with fried seafood, or pasta dishes with a rich Alfredo sauce. The acidity of the wine will cut through the oil of fried food and the cream sauces over grilled fish.

Lorrie LeBeaux writes Life’s Little Luxuries Newsletter @ lifeslittleluxuriesnewsletters.com

The first newsletter went online in April 2005 and the last the first week in August 2005. From the beginning of my newsletter being published, I received support from the wine community because my mission was one of truth. I want to help create diversity in the world of wine. People of color do drink wine, and the numbers are growing. This fact was noted in a recent article in a wine publication. Wine is something to be experienced and enjoyed by all. This premise was key in my mission and the wine community understood this. I had a group of friends who, pre-hurricane Katrina, would meet with me once a month to taste wine and to experience wine and food pairings. My home was the guinea pig for the newsletter. Before Hurricane Katrina, my kitchen was a wine and food lover’s haven. It was custom built for myself, for my passion, and for the passions of my family six years ago. The under-the-counter KitchenAid wine cellar was my pride and joy, as were all my things needed to cook and entertain my family and friends. It was my laboratory for my monthly newsletter. The kitchen desk area in my home is where I met Carol Ricci of Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates. Talk about a “Taste of the Truth,” Jess Jackson and his wonderful staff are the real thing. From the beginning to the time of my relocation to Little Rock, AR, Carol Ricci, PR coordinator for the company, has been supportive of my project and me. They have supported every wine tasting for events in New Orleans and in Little Rock. Kendall-Jackson is the same as what wine is to me: a treasure.  Another major giant in the wine world is the Rodney Strong winery. Michele Prinz of Rodney Strong also believed in my project and added my newsletter to their new release sample list. She has also continued to contact me throughout the Hurricane Katrina ordeal.

Well, Hurricane Katrina may have ruined my home and almost everything that I owned, and the same for all those affected in the Gulf South, but it could not take away my love of wine, the kindness shown by the wine community, and the newsletter’s photos of my home and homes of the other New Orleans ladies who hosted wine tastings for my newsletter. In addition to those positive things, I met a wonderful woman, Lorri Hambuchen, in Little Rock. She writes a wine column titled “Uncorked” for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Shortly after my evacuation to Little Rock, I read her column and contacted her. She loved my newsletters and then sheepishly asked me if I needed help. I had never really needed any help before and had to realize quickly that, yes, I needed help. So, she asked me for a list, via email (the laptop was one thing I brought from home) so I sent her a list. She and her church helped my family and extended family in so many ways.

So I guess the blend of my 2005 Katrina Whine would be a blend of disaster, wine estate-inspired courage (newsletter), love, and hope. I think that is why I love wine. It transcends race, gender, and socioeconomic status; wine has a life of its own. It is like a person; some have love and integrity in every sip and some are lacking in every earthly and wine sense. Maybe the magic comes from those who craft the wines. Is that why I just wrote about two of the biggest giants in the wine world? Go figure!

Lorrie LeBeaux writes Life’s Little Luxuries Newsletter @ lifeslittleluxuriesnewsletters.com

You can put wine carriers/totes on wheel in the search engine of your computer and see all the styles, colors, features and price ranges of this type of wine carrier. For those who want to keep the wine at its correct temperature, and not break your wallet, there are Beverage Totes by Built NY at surlatable.com. This will give you that wine enthusiast image when you bring your bottles of wine to a gathering.  I’ve also found some beautiful wine gift bags at papermart.com.  These bags come in lots of ten, and are called Metallic Gold Fabric wine bags. I love the fact that you can see the actual bottle of wine and it lets the host or hostess know how much they mean to you. As they say in the “food” business, “Presentation is everything”.

So, I hope that this article is helpful, when choosing a wine carrier to fit your specific needs. Who knows, you may want to pick up all three of my picks. I also think if you want to add a little more fun to the party, check out my Crab appetizer recipe. This recipe engages all who want to help in the preparation of the appetizers. Not only will you be known as the person with the wine bag filled with great wine, but also as the person with the perfect pairings.

Lorrie LeBeaux writes Life’s Little Luxuries Newsletter @ lifeslittleluxuriesnewsletters.com

Included is a hinged Lucite case and stand which can be used to display your new Vertical Rabbit.

Made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc, this is a very crisp and pleasant wine. Its light yellow in color, with a bouquet of vegetables (asparagus really stands out here) and hints of citrus fruits. Vegetable flavors greet you on the front palate. Followed by stronger flavors of lemon rind, lime zest, grapefruit, granny smith apples, and minerals on the finish. A good acidic level leaves your mouth feeling fresh.

This is definitely one of my “go to” wines when I’m wanting (or suggesting) a nice no-fuss value priced Sauvignon Blanc.

[$9.99 / WS 89pts.]

I found this on Gizmodo and thought it was pretty cool. This is the Mini Clear Sound System DT-SA101. Its a mini table top sound system. Which, as you can tell, is fashioned after two wine glasses (the speakers) and a wine vat (the amplifier).