Recently read an article on fox news.com wanted to share it with you guys

Wine lovers rejoice. A study out of France has found that people who drink up to a half a bottle of wine a day are healthier than people who abstain from drinking, the Daily Mail reported.

Researchers from the Public Assistance Hospitals in Paris looked at nearly 150,000 people and concluded those who enjoyed low or moderate intake of alcohol tended to exercise more, have higher social status and suffer from less stress compared to people who never touched a drop or drank to excess.

The volunteers included more than 97,000 men and 52,000 women. Researchers split them up into five groups that consisted of no alcohol consumption, low alcohol consumption, moderate drinkers, heavy drinkers and former drinkers.

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Source: foxnews.com

“King Estate, celebrating 18 years of Oregon winemaking in 2009, is located southwest of Eugene, Oregon and produces Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and limited amounts of Chardonnay. Founded in 1991 by the King family, King Estate is committed to producing Oregon wines of exceptional quality using organic & sustainable farming methods, meticulous fruit selection, impeccable winemaking practices and judicious blending.

The beautiful estate of 1,033 acres is certified organic and includes 465 acres of organic vineyards, as well as 30 acres of fruits, vegetables, and flowers. The Estate is crowned by the charming, European-style winery, where the winemaking process is also certified organic.”

Organic wine match of the day: King Estate Domaine Pinot Gris & saffroned risotto
In Italy the Pinot Gris grape is called Pinot Grigio, and there it yields delightfully fresh, easy drinking dry white wines, in boatloads of quantity. As catchy, ubiquitous, or else annoying, as ABBA.

In France’s Alsace region, Pinot Gris is called Pinot Gris (yes, it’s a gris or “gray” mutation of the Pinot Noir grape), and there it is turned into fuller, softer, and considerably more viscous, minerally and aromatic white wines than that of Italy. Often as deep, multi-faceted, and crescendoing as, say, Dvorak.

In Oregon – probably the only other place on earth where the reddish-gray skinned Pinot is grown with import – the resulting white wines are usually as full as that of Alsace, as lively and tart edged as Italy’s, yet with its own, unique indentations on the grape profile. As bright, fresh, full and fragrant as, say, the Lovin’ Spoonful (think you and me and rain on the roof…).

Case in point: the 2007 King Estate Oregon Domaine Pinot Gris (about $25). If you know the Northwest, you can smell the after-spring-shower damp leaves behind its peaches, cream and citrus blossom nose, and taste the juicy fall apples – like a wet, damp kiss – in its full yet lively, fluid, citrus-crisp flavors, veiled in a sumptuous, creamy texture.
From the beginning the King family’s vineyards were farmed sustainably for the long-term benefits of ecological balance; and in 2002 the estate was certified organic by the rigorous third party standards of OTCO (Oregon Tilth Certified Organic). Yet in 1991, when King Estate first broke ground on its 1,033 estate and 110,000 square foot winery at the bottom edge of Oregon’s Willamette Valley, southwest of Eugene, there was plenty of fear and trepidation among the locals. After all, Oregon was, and still is, the home of the small, handcraft winery, almost by definition: longtime, nationally known producers like Eyrie, Rex Hill, and Adelsheim never producing more than 10,000, 14,000 or 20,000 cases respectively; whereas King Estate was built to produce over ten times those amounts.

Despite these anxieties, the vines in King Estate’s home vineyard began to mature to the point where, today, they are producing wines that are pretty much the class of Oregon Pinot Gris, and therefore of the U.S.; since nowhere else in the U.S. does Pinot Gris grow to produce a wine with as much classic finesse to match the grape’s fragrant, transparent freshness. In the end, as in all great growing regions, it comes down to terroir: at King Estate, the cool Northwest climate, and gently rolling, well drained slopes at 800-1,200 ft. elevations; and with 465 acres planted, one of the largest, single contiguous organic vineyards in the world.

Wines as finely balanced as King’s Domaine Pinot Gris are easy matches for virtually any “white wine dish,” but if I were to choose one, I’d choose some variation of a fresh saffroned risotto with shellfish (re this easily adjustable recipe for a seafood risotto) for several reasons: the citrusy acidity of the wine is particularly refreshing with shellfish; the creamy texture of rice cooked in butter and stock strikes a luscious note of similarity with the silkiness of the wine; and the earthy, briny, organic notes of saffron strike a resounding chord with the naturally minerally, damp earth qualities of the grape.

So why ask why? Just enjoy!

Also read read this article on: www.examiner.com

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Intercultural competence, foreign language skills, and the ability to think in networks and across disciplines are indispensable in today’s everyday and professional life. The Erasmus Mundus masters courses were created for both European and non-European students, to promote these skills in addition to academic excellence.
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