DP anybody?

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/28660931]

Châteauneuf du Pape

HISTORY:  Châteauneuf-du-Pape roughly translates to “The new castle of the Pope” and, indeed, the history of this appellation is firmly entwined with papal history. In 1308, Pope Clement V, former Archbishop of Bordeaux, relocated the papacy to the town of Avignon. Clement V and subsequent “Avignon Popes” were said to be great lovers of Burgundy wines and did much to promote it during the seventy-year duration of the Avignon Papacy. At the time, wine-growing around the town of Avignon was anything but illustrious. While the Avignon Papacy did much to advance the reputation of Burgundy wines, they were also promoting viticulture of the surrounding area, more specifically the area 5-10 km north of Avignon close to the banks of the Rhône River. Prior to the Avignon Papacy, viticulture of that area had been initiated and maintained by the Bishops of Avignon, largely for local consumption.

Elegant Box Wine Dispenser

Box wine enthusiasts love the good parts of boxed wines: freshness for weeks after opening, minimal storage space, low environmental impact, and better-than-bottle pricing.  But box wine enthusiasts have to admit there are a few annoyances (beyond lacking the satisfaction of extracting a cork).  For one, getting the last glass or so out of the box requires extracting the inner bag and squeezing it into a glass.  Second, since the wine is dispensed by gravity, the spigot is at the bottom of the box – you either have to set the box on the edge of your counter or table or place it on some kind of platform to pour into a glass.  Boxxle may be the answer…