With August but days away, we’ll be signing off for some needed R & R for a few weeks – perhaps with the occasional insight or newsflash to whet your whistle until we get back into the full swing of things after Labor Day.

But we can’t NOT go out with Wicked splash first! Head over to Wicked Local today to find out about two more “Blanc” varietals you won’t want to miss this summer!  Giddy-up!

Which Chenin Blanc is your summer fav?

We figure there’s no time like springtime to select wines that may tend to hibernate otherwise without a little special attention, simply because they are lesser known. So this April we’re keeping things both familiar (staying closer to home with domestic wine picks) and more… interesting! Our red wine choices don’t exactly roll off the tongue, but with such powerful juice in the bottle, we know that’s about to change. Enjoy learning about these noteworthy April Wicked Wines on Wicked Local today!

Are you familiar with any of these more off-the-beaten path picks?

It’s amazing what happens when you have 30 minutes to catch up on your Google reader feed! I found some gems in the wine bloggosphere and newsfeed I can’t help but share. Good Friday, indeed! I’ve narrowed the playing field to just 3.5 for you to soak up:

1. A new take on the “nature” of wine – click! For all of my photographer and scientist/nerd friends and followers out there, I bring to you this very cool concept for a wine book… Seeing is believing!

2. The “Ick Factor”: smoke taint in wine. I found the timing of this article too perfect as just a couple of weeks ago my colleague and I had the chance to meet Dianna Lee of Siduri; she had been lamenting the challenge she and her husband faced making great Pinot Noir in a year inundated with forest fire. She said they ended up tossing wine made from certain vineyards where they source fruit (so you don’t have to worry about any of the Siduri gems tasting like an ashtray as they’ll never hit the market). Check out this WSJ article… Something for you to bare in mind when shopping for 2008 Anderson Valley Pinots this year!

3. Trader Joe’s latest “wine trick”, lol. I’m a bit cynical, it’s true, when it comes to national chains taking on such large scale wine projects to pass on great “value”. (Shop local, people! You’ll find great value, smaller production, artisan wines if you have a great wine shop.) But I am legitimately interested to hear if you’ve tasted this wine – and your impressions. (And yes, next time I land at TJ’s I’m going to see if there’s still a bottle on the shelf for me to bring home.) In the meantime, weigh in using the comments thread below!

I have a healthier than normal appetite, I’m told. But it seems South African baboons do, too! Check out this hilarious (but costly) piece on these “Thieving Baboons“.

The age-old question “does stemware really matter?” has a simple answer: yes. It’s because a good glass can really help display aromas and flavors by channeling them in a precise way to your senses. Riedel is the company that has set the bar on this technology. And so they took their a competitor to the mattresses recently when Eisch advertised a breathable glass. Read all about the outcome here.

Speaking of glass, looks like the Champagne Bureau is getting greener! Each bottle of Champagne will now weigh 2oz less than before. Discover the full implications of this move here.

Last but not least, I had the pleasure of meeting the famed Randall Graham of Bonny Doon vineyards a couple of weeks ago at a local trade event. Looks like I had the opportunity right before his celebrity really took off! Graham was just inducted into the Vintners Hall of Fame. Cool stuff.

Which wine headline caught your attention this week?

We’re keeping things closer to home and sticking to domestic hap’s in the wine world this week.

First up… it’s harvest time! And the reports from Napa are look’n good. Moderate summer temps have kept viticulturists and vintners happy with easy, early-ish picking. Not only are sugar levels lower (which is a constant struggle in California) but yields are manageable. (In a down economy, there’s always bound to be more juice available than consumers demand. This year there might actually be a fairly happy balance on that front!) Check out what some vintners are saying via Decanter’s recent article.

Next up… we have some new developments on the highly contested Massachusetts Direct Shipping Laws.  Check out this update via Wine Business!

Last, but certainly NOT least…. Here at Pour Favor we work with any wine shop that can supply the fine wines we select for a given wine tasting event. One of our favorites (and actually our first partner in crime) is Ball Square Fine Wines in Somerville. This Saturday, Oct. 17, they are hosting their annual Fall Grand Wine Tasting soiree. This is never an event to miss, but this year in particular you’ll want to get in on the fun: they’ve just expanded their shop! See how far along they are with the renovations at 716 Broadway while tasting 50+ wines.  The event will run from 2 – 5pm. Be warned! The early bird gets the worm…

Are you sick of the direct shipping madness in MA? What’s your take?