California Wine Tasting Adventures Beyond Napa Valley - Tips For the Casual Wine Taster

If you, the casual wine taster, are looking for a way to impress your casual wine tasting friends, it would serve you well to know James Bond attache case in the world of wine, what has been referred to as the "Judgment of Paris" was an important triumph for California. A blind taste test competition between French and Californian wines was organized in 1976 by British wine merchant Steven Spurrier. It took place in Paris and was judged by a panel of French men and women. Spurrier, the judges, and the world were expecting the French wines to win; however, California wines took top positions in both the red and white categories. This significantly affected New World wine production, because California wine was given legitimacy, inadvertently, by the French Masters.

Today, California produces Weird Science of American wine; so much that if California were a country it would be ranked fourth, just behind France, Italy, and Spain in wine production. Napa Valley and Sonoma County are among the most well known places to get a taste of quality California wine, but it is less known that there are some appealing Superman further north.

Most wineries are still family owned and operated. Because they are not widely staffed, many are open only by appointment on weekends. This doesn't work out so well for the casual wine taster who would prefer a last minute drop by tasting, say, on a Monday. It is those tasters to whom this article is dedicated. There's room for you in the world of California wine!

Here, especially for you, is a list of wineries with more regular hours to cater to your casual wine tasting aspirations. You'll be the hero of your wine tasting party when you reference these accessible locations for California wine north of Napa Valley, especially if everyone was beginning to think you'd missed your opportunities. In no particular order, they are:

- Whispering Oaks Vineyard in Redding. Open 7 Days a week 8:30-3pm

- The Vineyard at Creekside Pecan Gardens in Palo Cedro. Open by appointment Monday through Friday 9-5.

- Salmon Creek Vineyard in Redding. Open Monday through Saturday 9am to 9pm with a call ahead.

- Creekside Cellars tasting room and store in Chico. Open Monday through Saturday 10-7 and Sunday 12-5.

This list is a very small representation of the great wineries in the North State. If you're reading this article with enough planning time to actually call ahead, consider doing some further research to find the venues that will best suit your plans.

The good news is, wine isn't only for wine snobs in California. It's for everyone; so long as you're of age, of course. However, if you're still looking to gain credibility among your friends, remember the story of California's 1976 victory and consider perfecting this French phrase before you get to tasting, "Wouah, ce vin est trs bon." (Sounds like: vwoa, say vah eeh tray bON.) You will appear much more impressive if no French speakers are within earshot when you chose to divulge your new phrase. If all else fails, just remember: even if you didn't know about the "Judgment of Paris," you know enough, and you're guaranteed to find a welcoming atmosphere at the All-American wineries in Northern California.

Amy Beth Beaver is a Tourism Information Specialist in the Shasta Cascade Region of Northern California. For a free visitor's guide and other resources for traveling in this region visit: href="shastacascade.com">shastacascade.com

Cheerleading Uniforms

Cheerleading uniforms come in a variety of colors, sizes, and designs, all worn to proudly represent Bandai Godzilla school or team they are a part of. Generally the colors are the same as the school mascot with the exception of cheerleading competition teams who arent affiliated with a school or sporting team. They select their own colors.

Most cheerleading uniforms have the same basic items. The tops can be with or without sleeves and in many instances they are very short. The skorts, a combination of a skirt with two separate leg wholes like a pair of shorts, is worn as the bottom half of the uniform. In areas where the temperature changes from one extreme to the other, the cheerleading uniform may be a short sleeved shirt with a skort one day and then a long sleeved shirt with matching sweatpants the next. Shoes and socks are also chosen to match the rest of the uniform. Pompoms and megaphones are often accessories used with the cheerleader uniform.

The cost of cheerleading uniforms can run several hundred dollars per individual on the squad. Most schools require the cheerleader to purchase her own but some of the larger schools with more accident no win no fee are able to cover the cost. To help offset the cost of cheerleading uniforms it is very common for them to hold various types of fundraisers in an effort to raise money. These fundraisers can be car washes, bake sales, or asking for donations from area businesses.

With the various moves and routines cheerleaders participate in, they have to be more than just comfortable and look great. The uniforms have to be durable and allow the individual the ability to stretch without any confinement. The shoes used for cheerleading have to be non-slip and they have to offer a great deal of support for the ankles.

Most small girls love the idea of being a cheerleader. It is one of the most popular Halloween costumes out there. It can then become an added item to their 1958 Topps baseball cards up box that they can wear over and over again. Cheerleaders proudly wear their costumes as a representation of their status among one of the most popular sports around.

Levels for the recognition of having the very best cheerleading squad out there.

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