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Welcome      July 2003
The World of Wine According to Jason
In today's North American society, wine has become more and more a part of everyday life. We now even have doctors telling us what European families have known for centuries; "Wine in moderation is good for you". We do, however, have one large problem and that is consumers and purveyors who have an extensive knowledge of wine, tend to look down and can even be condescending towards those who perhaps do not have a firm grasp on wine. This is where OnWine steps in to say "NO MORE!" With the creation of OnWine, consumers in search of wine knowledge can come to this site and learn about wine, from the basics to the most trivial point that would even make the wine aficionado look up and say "huh?" There is no attitude, no pomp or circumstance, merely knowledge shared freely with those who wish to learn. In the coming months, I will be going through the basics of vinification (the production of wine from plant to bottle), major grape varieties and predominant wine growing regions. From there we'll get into different and more in-depth topics about the facinating world of wine. Enjoy the journey, it's going to be a fun one!

Jason Ernst

July's Feature Producer VINA CARMEN of CHILE
Vina Carmen, located at the Andes foothills, is the oldest wine house in Chile. It was founded in 1850 by Christian Lanz and named in honor of his wife. Carmen's philosophy is that excellence in quality depends on the excellence in grape selection. They have carefully selected vineyards in the best valleys in Chile: Maipo, Casablanca, Rapel, Curico, Lontue and Apaita valleys. Focused primarily on high quality markets, Carmen is internationally acclaimed as a premium "New World" wine producer.

2001 Chardonnay
Retail price $9.95

This wine from the Bio-Bio and Casablanca valleys has a bright yellow straw color with intense fruity aromas of pineapple, melon, pears and citrus. The flavors that come through on the palate are of fresh fruit with good balance and a lingering finish. Serve with rich seafood dishes, cream based pastas or citrus scented white meats.

2000 Merlot
Retail price $10.95

This bright ruby red wine from the Rapel, Maipo and Maule valleys exhibits aromas of cherries and strawberries. The fruity flavors are well balanced with soft tannins and a lengthy finish. Serve with grilled meats.