Roman wine discovered on the sea bed

Four Roman trading ships with their complete cargoes have been found near the Pontine Islands off Italy’s western coast.

The wrecks were discovered by the archaeological section of the Italian culture ministry and Aurora Trust a US seabed exploration company.

At a depth of nearly 100 fathoms, the ships have lain undisturbed by modern trawlers. Nonetheless, the 18 metres long wooden structures have been completely eaten away by marine organisms leaving only the cargo intact.

It is thought that at one time they would have contained wine, olive oil, and a pungent fish paste the Romans enjoyed from Spain, North Africa and Italy. It is unlikely that the amphorae will still be sealed, and even if they were, the wine would be undrinkable by now

As the small fleet is the second to have been found in the area in recent years, the island group is believed to have been used as a staging post for trade fleets sailing to and from Roman ports.

As Italy has signed a new UNESCO agreement they are obliged to leave the wrecks as they are, although further dives are permitted for archaeological purposes.

Thanks to the Drinks Business for this.

Posted via email from Personalised Champagne and Personalised Wine in the UK

Alcohol linked to lower risk of arthritis

Another bit of good news for us drinkers, scientists have found that regularly drinking alcohol both reduces the chance of getting rheumatoid arthritis and eases the symptoms if you do get it. Rheumatoid arthritis it an auto-immune disease where the body attacks itself and drugs are normally targeted at controlling inflammation. It is a painful progressive condition that can affect people of all ages, not just the elderly.

A team from Sheffield University, under Dr James Maxwell, a consultant rheumatologist at the Rotherham Foundation NHS Trust and Sheffield University, found that drinking on more than 1 in 3 days reduced damage, pain, inflammation, and disability.

The findings are published in the journal Rheumatology. See the Telegraph for a bit more info.

Posted via email from Personalised Champagne and Personalised Wine in the UK

Police officers who confiscate booze from teenagers and pour it down the drain are breaking the law!

According to the government watchdog The Environment Agency, this is a serious crime.
The action is polluting Britain's waterways because alcohol is poisonous - and offenders face a £50,000 maximum fine or 12 months in prison!
Police have tipped thousands of litres of booze, from cider to spirits, down drains to teach under-age drinkers a lesson since the Confiscation of Alcohol Act came into effect in 1997.

Embarrassed police forces say they will now dispose of the drink legally. So if you see a copper staggering around under the weight of drinks bottles, he is merely taking it back to the station for proper disposal.

Thanks to The Drinks Business for the heads up.

Posted via email from Personalised Champagne and Personalised Wine in the UK

WRAP's wine bottle environmental scheme Glassrite saves 35,000 tonnes of carbon emissions

Wrap's four-year Glassrite project for wine bottles has led to savings of almost 35,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year through a mix of packaging developments and bulk importing.

Launched in 2006, the Glassrite project's aim was to examine potential environmental and commercial savings in the UK wine sector, and Wrap hopes to build on this, in both the UK and internationally, through increasing bulk importing of wine for bottling in the UK. Bulk importing stops the build up of surplus green glass in the UK market, which has few alternative applications.

Nicola Jenkin, Wrap's drinks market key account manager, said: "We know that huge opportunities exist to use more lighter weight bottles and increase the use of recycled content in UK manufactured glass bottles.

"This is what will achieve a more resource efficient international wine supply chain."

Jenkin highlighted the work done to produce a 300g screwcap bottle as well as the research to introduce light-weighting to the heavier sparkling wine bottles.

"Internationally, almost 175,000 tonnes of glass savings could be made through using lighter weight bottles that are still fit for purpose," she said.

GLASSRITE RESULTS

35,000 tonnes CO2 savings
27,048 tonne reduction in glass bottle weight
44,295 tonne increase in recycled glass usage due to bulk imports

Posted via email from Personalised Champagne and Personalised Wine in the UK

Indian wine coming to the UK later this year.

The Bangalore-based conglomerate United Breweries Group plans to export its Indian wine brands to the UK, starting with three of its labels later this year.

The world’s second largest spirits manufacturer plans to duplicate the successful roll-out of its Indian lager counterpart Kingfisher, by distributing its red and white wines through Indian restaurants before moving to supermarkets in the UK.

The company has already signed distribution agreements with two importers and distributors and hopes to see the wines hit the market by this autumn.

United Breweries Group is owned by industrialist Vijay Mallya, who also owns Formula 1 team Force India.

Source: The Financial Express

Posted via email from Personalised Champagne and Personalised Wine in the UK

Adnams, the famous Southwold brewer, is moving into making gin and vodka

Adnams, the Suffolk

beer producer, has announced plans to start distilling. The ale specialists have unveiled plans for their own micro-distillery that will intially produce its own gin and vodka. Future plans include adding a Suffolk whisky.

Starting as a small-scale operation, the £500,000 distillery project will produce around 40,000 bottles a year. The initial target is to hit the Christmas trade by having the gin and vodka will on the shelves from November.

Posted via email from Personalised Champagne and Personalised Wine in the UK

Lambrini drinkers to be pivotal in the election? Surely not! #GE10 #GE2010

Lambrini Ladies are the new key demographic for the election according to its UK distributor! They are apparently the successors to Mondeo Man and Worcester Women as the quintessential voter for the 2010 election.

Can the typical Lambrini drinker, an airhead young women with no palate, really be who decides who governs us for the next 5 years? Ye gods.

More on this at The Drinks Business http://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=11135&Itemid=66

Posted via email from Personalised Champagne and Personalised Wine in the UK