Would you like some Cheese to go with your Whine?

I was reading the latest edition of the Economist when I came across an add by a consortium of wine growers, lovers, and experts centered around the dastardly practice of mislabeling and therefore misguiding consumers. After all it can only be Champagne if it's from Champagne France right?

Well apparently - according to the advertisement - some US trade laws allow for Appalachian Champagne... Check out the website if you'd like to sign the petition.

On the site you can learn about Terroir which "refers to all aspects of climate including temperature range, sunlight, rainfall and wind, as well as all aspects of the soil..." I never realized there was such a study of condition.

They even give the etymology of Appellation. It is from the Middle English appelacion, from Old French appelation, from Latin appellti, appelltin-, from appelltus, past participle of appellre, which means to entreat?

There is a section on pairings for Champagne. One interestingly name recipe is Eggs in Purgatory. With a name like that it's time to quote the family guy:

Peter: [on taking a family vacation] "We could always go to Purgatory like we did last year."

{flash back}

Lois: "This isn't bad. It's not good, but it isn't bad."

Brian: "So So"

Peter: "More or less"

All of this of course over wine - seems like someone or somebodies have a lot of free time to be ever so snobby - oh wait, it's the French who started this.

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