Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/66137
Write Us: Please send us your opinions about wine industry issues as well as your reactions to any of our articles. Send e-mail to jim@winesandvines.com, Feedback or fax to (415) 453-2517. Items may be edited for clarity and brevity. viewpoint leaves reader flushed Syndrome or Asian Glow, wine will not awaken the sleeping tiger ("China Waits for the Sleeping Tiger," May 2011 issue.) Hundreds of millions of Chinese have a mutation in the gene for aldehyde dehy- drogenase-2 isoenzyme, ALDH2, which is needed to metabolize alcohol. ALDH2 is crucial to maintaining low F blood levels of acetaldehyde (which is very toxic and carcinogenic) during in- gestion of alcohol. High levels of acet- aldehyde, which can be reached quickly with low amounts of alcohol ingestion in susceptible Chinese, causes facial and body flushing, heart palpitations, reduced blood pressure, nausea, headache, drows- iness and the symptoms associated with a hangover. or the 25%-50% (the figures are vari- ously reported in medical literature) of Chinese with Oriental Flushing The Chinese with the ALDH2 mutation are at a significantly higher risk for esoph- ageal and oropharyngolaryngeal cancers. Acetaldehyde, which has been shown to be carcinogenic in laboratory animals, is produced in saliva when drinking alcohol. Although the potential market for wine sales among China's newly affluent consum- ers is large, up to half the population who suffer from the Oriental Flushing Syndrome will limit wine drinking in the populace. William (Rusty) Gaffney, M.D. The PinotFile at princeofpinot.com Tustin Hills, Calif. 'There are no smoking guns' found the comments by Devin Jones and Sean White interesting in the article "Grapegrowers Accused in Fish Kill" (winesandvines.com Headlines May 10, 2011, and p. 18.) We (NOAA) have been I USED BY THE FINEST WINERIES TO ACHIEVE THE BEST RESULTS Call Now to Schedule Design Appointments! LT™ & LT 2+2™ MOG Separators Fruit Receiving Systems Bin Dumpers Sorting Tables Belt Conveyors Screw Conveyors Vibratory Conveyors Peristaltic Pumps...... • Gentle • Durable • Highest Quality • Best Performance • Self Priming • Powerful The Good News? Your goal of perfection just became more attainable. The Bad News? Everybody wants one. READERS' MAIL nothing but upfront with all parties in- volved. There are no smoking guns, and we aren't hiding them. NOAA took the initiative to bring all parties together three years ago in spearheading the Frost Protec- tion Task Force. At our initial meeting, which involved numerous resource agencies, vineyard managers and water agency reps (includ- ing Mr. White), we discussed the specifics concerning the 2008 Hopland fish kill. We discussed the huge spike in flows, which everyone in attendance agreed was caused by frost pumping. The consensus at that meeting was unanimous; some- thing had to be done. NOAA chose to use the collaborative approach rather than seek prosecutions. When it was decided that there was a need to regulate water use, things changed dramatically, and now we are being criti- cized for our efforts to protect these fish. Funny how attitudes changed once the state water board decided to propose water use regulations. Nonetheless, our course won't change. Dan Torquemada BarrelsBest-Vadai_Jan11.qxp 12/9/10 2:57 PM Page 1 Assistant special agent in charge, NOAA Fisheries, Office of Law Enforcement Santa Rosa, Calif. VADAI BARRELS Lowest Factory Price in the U.S.A. French & Hungarian Style Barrels The Zemplen Forest Barrel Won the Highest Recognition in the Italian Competition for "The Best Tasting Wine" Against 10 French & 5 American Cooperages Membrane presses from 10 HL - 200 HL. Precise control in an exquisite machine. WINEPRESS 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 & 40 GALLON VINEGAR BARREL 1, 1.5, 2.6, & 5 GALLON PICKLE BARRELS 5 & 8 GALLON OAK CHIPS • BARREL BUNGS BARRELS 1/8 TO 265 GALLON World Renowned Quality "Winemakers in the USA & Other countries say they love the taste of their wine in Vadai Barrels better than any other barrel!" Santa Rosa, California 95403 P 707 573 3141 • F 707 573 3140 www.pnlspecialties.com 1650 Almar Parkway CA Contractor's #803431, OR Contractor's #180330, WA Contractor's #PLSPELS923BZ Check out WinePress.US for Comments SOLUTIONS • EXPERTISE • QUALITY • SATISFACTION vadaiwinebarrels.com L.A. OFFICE (626) 289-8250 vadaiworldtd@sbcglobal.net Wines & Vines JULY 2011 9