Japanese beetles have arrived

I found a half-dozen of these criminals on my vines today. I had planned to take a picture of one of them, nut my impulse to crush it between my thumb and index finger intervened. I suppose I'll have to cover my vines once again to shield them from ruin. I feel that the shiny blackguards have arrived later than they did last year. Has anyone else seen them? If so, please report.

New title reflects what this blog is all about

Ed Said has given way to The Wine-Jazz Nexus, a title that properly reflects what this endeavor has become. The Twitter companion to this site is @WineJazzNexus.

Meanwhile, EdPeaco.com (along with @EdPeaco on Twitter) has arrived to represent my freelance writing practice.

Alex Trebek disses Catawba wine

On Tuesday evening, Jeopardy presented an answer, the question for which was What is Catawba? The reference was to both the Native American tribe and the wine. As I recall, none of the competitors buzzed on this one. Alex Trebek gave a little explanation along with the correct response, and he ended with his opinion of the wine: "A very harsh wine," he said.

That assessment, of course, is false. The evidence of appealing Catawba can be found Whispering Oaks, Meramec Vineyards, and many other Missouri wineries. With that remark, Trebek's credibility as a wine analyst seems have been jeopardized ...

Stone Hill Vidal

I bought a bottle of Stone Hill Vidal for $6 or $7. I've always liked this wine for its slightly fruity, slightly citrus effects, which are perfect for hot weather. However, after tasting many Vidals during our mid-Missouri wine tour, I realize that Stone Hill has subdued its Vidal in a bath of biochemistry that smooths it out into something like a California Sauvignon Blanc. In contrast, a real Missouri Vidal is slightly odd, a little too fruity, and more citrus than the polite sipper would want to tolerate. I'm not complaining; I'll eagerly go back for more. But it's not a real Missouri Vidal.