Wine scanner used for TSA explosives screening

Wine scanner used for TSA explosives screening

It’s not quite a porno-scanner (backscatter x-ray), but it’s still awesome wine science. Right now you can only bring 3 ounces of a liquid in your carry-on. The reason is it’s too difficult for airport screeners to determine what liquid you are...
Wine Vintage Voodoo

Wine Vintage Voodoo

The most difficult part of winemaking may be waiting for the wine to age.  When you make a wine, it can be years before it is ready to drink.  Just like death, man has come up with different (and weird) methods to cheat the waiting process. Deep Six Your Wine Here is...
French plan to expand Champagne appellation

French plan to expand Champagne appellation

What’s in a name?  Nothing and everything if you’re planting champagne grapes. I find this bizarre and somewhat annoying.  Everyone knows “true champagne” comes from the Champagne region in France.  Everything bubbly outside of this area is just sparkling wine.  For...
French steal Swiss town’s Champagne identity

French steal Swiss town’s Champagne identity

This is the exact problem facing a Swiss town.  The town of Champagne, Switzerland, was told to phase out their name by 2004.  In what might possibly be the only known surrender to France in modern history, the Swiss government ceded the name to the French in 1999. ...
The $7.9 Million Schnoz

The $7.9 Million Schnoz

Ilja Gort’s nose is worth $7.9 million dollars (5 Euros), at least according to his insurance policy.  Jonathan Thomas, the lead underwriter for the policy, stated that the nose could distinguish millions of different smells.  This ability was important to guarantee...