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March's Contributors A W. Blake Gray n opinionated blogger at The Gray Report, veteran journalist W. Blake Gray can be counted on to encourage heated debate about wine industry topics. In the Viewpoint column on page 82 of this issue, Gray asks, "What if the FDA takes over the regulation of winemaking?" Many vintners will not agree with his views about changes in ingredient and alcohol labeling that might accom- pany this switch, but he speaks as a tuned-in observer, and his views probably reflect many of those in the wine-consuming public. Gray is chairman of the electoral college of the Vintners Hall of Fame. Previously wine writer/editor for the San Francisco Chronicle, he has contributed articles about wine and sake to The Los Angeles Times, Food & Wine, Wine & Spirits and a variety of other publications. Richard Carey othing makes you an expert on winery hoses like dragging them around cellars for the duration of a long career. That's why Dr. Richard Carey, a winemaker in Pennsyl- vania and a frequent contributor to Wines & Vines, got so excited when he spotted a visibly different transfer hose manufactured in Eu- N rope. As owner and winemaker at Tamanend Winery in Lancaster, Pa., and a consulting winemaker for many years, Carey was happy to find a new piece of equipment that made his workday easier and his wines potentially better. Read his review of the new hose on page 77. Tamanend sells its own sweet and dry wines in bottle and bag-in-box formats and offers several custom crush and wine- processing services to other wineries. Tim Patterson he author of our monthly Inquiring Wine- maker column, Tim Patterson, writes in this issue that the state of grape-quality measure- ments used by growers and winemakers so they can agree on viticulture practices and harvest times is outdated. As Patterson puts it in this month's column, beginning on page 50, "Com- T pared to the pace of development of miraculous new enzymes, tannin tougheners and yeast corpse byproducts, changes in grape quality measurement are a very slow slog." Considering that a joint understanding of grape quality is critical to the grower's financial success and the winemaker's quality goals, one would expect more clarity around the issue. Patterson says that purchasing and picking decisions remain largely old-fashioned in spite some progress in this field. of March's Cover Wine East editor Linda Jones McKee snapped this month's cover image while reporting on the functional hillside home of Blair Vine- yards in southeastern Pennsylvania. The site not only offers southern exposure for the vines, it provides ambient cooling for the cellar and allows gentle, gravity flow for the owner's favorite variety: Pinot Noir. 4 Wines & Vines MARCH 2012 A Member of Wine Communications Group Inc. EDITORIAL Editor Jim Gordon Managing Editor Kate Lavin Staff Writer Andrew Adams Contributing Editor Jane Firstenfeld Senior Correspondent Paul Franson Northwest Correspondent Peter Mitham Winemaking: Tim Patterson, Clark Smith Grapegrowing: Cliff Ohmart, Glenn T. McGourty Columnists Editors: Hudson Cattell, Linda Jones McKee; Writer: Richard Carey Contributing Writers Wine East Laurie Daniel, Jamie Goode, Chris Stamp, Thomas Ulrich, Wayne Wilcox, Stephen Yafa PUBLISHING President & Publisher Chet Klingensmith Hugh Tietjen Chairman Publishing Consultant Ken Koppel WEST: Jacques Brix, Vice President & Director of Sales (707) 473-0244, jbrix@winesandvines.com ADvERTISING MIDWEST: Hooper Jones Associates Inc. (847) 486-1021, hooperhja@aol.com (215) 794-3442, marshatabb@comcast.net EAST: Marsha Tabb INTERNATIONAL: Dave Bayard (973) 822-9275, dave@bayard.com Advertising Manager Christina Ballinger ADMINISTRATION Events & Projects Planner Stephanie Papadakis Publishing Assistant Caroline Shakeshaft CIRCULATION & DATABASE DEvELOPMENT Database Manager Lynne Skinner Circulation Manager Emilee Schumer Circulation Assistant Alia Vander Lind Research Assistant Allison Bowser WEBSITE James Rust, Peter Scarborough DESIGN & PRODUCTION Web Developer Design & Production Manager Bridget Williams Ad Prepress Deborah Roberti Publishing Information Volume 93, Number 3 Wines & Vines, ISSN 043-583X, a member of Wine Communications Group, Sonoma, CA, is published monthly. Periodicals postage paid at San Rafael and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster Send address changes to our publication office: Wines & Vines, 65 Mitchell Blvd., Ste. A, San Rafael, CA 94903 Customer Service (866) 453-9704 • subs@winesandvines.com • www.winesandvines.com Subscription Rates U.S., $38.00; Canada/Mexico, $48.00 All other countries, $85.00 (for airmail add $85.00) Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited. Wines & Vines does not assume responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or materials. Contributors are responsible for the proper release of proprietary and/or classified information. Wines & Vines is distributed through an audited circulation.