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Premium Wine and Spirits Louisiana!

A new concept on the best places to by wine and spirits: For the last 15 years Town Crier has been known as a importer of cigars and fine tobaccos. Now, we are using industry knowledge and experience to bring you the finest spirits and wine available in the world. The best part is the pricing. Come see for yourself!

Having a party or crawfish boil?
We work with our customers on a personal level to make sure you get all the beverages you need to make sure your guest are taken care of. Contact us for party pricing on all wine and spirits.

Hot Deal:
Now that we are enjoying the spring weather in Louisiana. We know that the sweltering heat will be upon us soon. Town Crier is offering all Chateau St Jean varietals for $10.89. Local grocery stores and independent stores have advertised Chateau St Jean for $14.99 or more. Don't miss you chance to stock up on this great wine!

Biltmore Wines now available close to home:

The award winning wines from the Biltmore Estate are now available at Town Crier. Biltmore is the most visited winery in the US, and it isn't located in California. Its located in the mountains of North Carolina. Over 1 million people visit the winery each year. Stop by Town Crier to find out more about Biltmore Wines! Check out or locations page for directions: http://www.thetowncrier.net/locations.aspx


7 Great Wines for Spring and Summer:

1. Kiona Riesling- A sweet, spicy, crisp wine with hints of melon. Great paired with any meal. Perfect to cool down those spicy crawfish.

2. Chareau St Jean Fume Blanc- Fruit forward flavors. ripe melon, fig, lemongrass and herbal notes. A perfect compliment to an outdoor barbeque.

3. Biltmore Pinot Grigio- Refreshingly crisp with a spicy citrus finish, this award-winning wine has flavors of lime and ripe pears.

4. Gloria Ferrer Chardonnay- The wine shows supple textures, rich apple and lemon flavors with a touch of oak spice on a lush yet vibrant finish. A personal favorite!

5. Meridian Chardonnay- Chardonnay grapes grown in the Santa Barbara region. Its exotic aromas mingle pleasingly in this wine and include notes of fresh cut flowers, lychee, vanilla and nutmeg.

6. Bohemian Highway Sauvingnon Blanc- A bright and delicious Sauvignon Blanc, offering guava and lychee aromas. Citrus flavors and a clean, crisp finish round out this well-balanced wine. Perfect for a Sunday afternoon.

7. Banfi San Angelo Pinot Grigio- An Italian specialty. This wine comes from the Tuscan region with intense, fruity aroma and a clean, rich taste. Pair with poultry and veal.

More at: http://www.thetowncrier.net

Take action on Tobacco Taxes Louisiana

March 17, 2009

Take Action Now!

I'm sorry to inform everyone that Louisiana will be introducing a tax increase of $1 per pack on cigarettes. The legislature does not start until April 26th, 2009 so we still have time. I've included a alternate tax proposal created by Town Crier. Also, listed are the email addresses of all reps. and senators for the State of Louisiana. Please, take the time to copy and paste the address into an email and voice your opinion. Please, check back to www.thetowncrier.net for up to date information. To: Louisiana Lawmakers This has been a trying time with the economy the way it is. To make matters worse we are on the eve of a federal tax increase and possibly a state tax increase on tobacco products. We are a small multi-store company operating in four parishes of Louisiana. We employ almost 50 citizens in those four parishes. This is not the time for another increase on the tax of the products we sell. I can guarantee those 50 citizens will not have jobs by the end of 2009 if this industry has another increase. I’m writing to offer an alternative to increasing the tax on tobacco. Precedent has shown us that making the product more expensive is not going to greatly reduce its consumption. It will make it more dangerous for retailers and citizens to be around, and drive consumers to alternative methods of getting the products. I think it's time we talk about ways to keep cigarettes and tobacco products out of our kids’ hands while preserving the revenues Louisiana receives from tobacco. A little over two years ago the Louisiana Smoke Free Air Act was passed. This act was designed to keep second hand smoke away from our citizens and our children by limiting smoking to areas where adolescents (under 18 years of age) can not legally frequent. Now, is the time to go one step further? We need to make it a crime to ship tobacco products in the state to individuals, and we need to limit the stores where tobacco products can be marketed inside our state. It is time to limit tobacco sales to locations that do not allow anyone under the age of 18 into their establishment. It is time to remove cigarettes and tobacco products from the counters and point of sale back drops of gas stations, grocery stores, pharmacies, and anywhere that allow persons under the age of 18 to enter. Louisiana needs face to transactions for tobacco products. It's the only way to be sure the consumer is of age. Safe and responsible tobacco retailing is something we pride ourselves on. According to the Office of Alcohol and Tobacco website there are over 6,000 current permits issued in the state of Louisiana allowing individuals to sell tobacco products. That is a lot of places for underage individuals to seek tobacco products or even be influenced by the marketing when they get food, gas, or even medicine. A $1 increase on the a pack of cigarettes would cost consumers an extra 277%. If we taxed gas prices at the same rate, it would be a no-brainier veto costing consumer over $6 a gallon. Increasing the taxes will just entice the criminals into marketing the products to our children.
--
Jonathan Drott
http://www.thetowncrier.net

House of Representatives: (instructions-- copy and paste email address in the "to:" line. write your opinion in letter format or use our pre-composed one below)

abramson@legis.state.la.us, larep021@legis.state.la.us, armesj@legis.state.la.us, larep102@legis.state.la.us, auberte@legis.state.la.us, larep100@legis.state.la.us, badonb@legis.state.la.us,larep053@legis.state.la.us, barrast@legis.state.la.us,larep029@legis.state.la.us, billiotr@legis.state.la.us,burfordr@legis.state.la.us, burnsh@legis.state.la.us,larep089@legis.state.la.us, larep002@legis.state.la.us,carmodyt@legis.state.la.us, carters@legis.state.la.us,champags@legis.state.la.us, larep022@legis.state.la.us,chaneyb@legis.state.la.us, connickp@legis.state.la.us,cortezp@legis.state.la.us, cromerg@legis.state.la.us,danahaym@legis.state.la.us, dixonh@legis.state.la.us,larep010@legis.state.la.us, larep052@legis.state.la.us,larep012@legis.state.la.us, edwardsj@legis.state.la.us,ellingtn@legis.state.la.us, larep094@legis.state.la.us,larep013@legis.state.la.us, foilf@legis.state.la.us,franklina@legis.state.la.us, larep011@legis.state.la.us,larep035@legis.state.la.us, gisclait@legis.state.la.us,larep066@legis.state.la.us, larep040@legis.state.la.us,larep041@legis.state.la.us, guinnj@legis.state.la.us,hardyr@legis.state.la.us, harrisoj@legis.state.la.us,hazelc@legis.state.la.us, hendersr@legis.state.la.us,henryc@legis.state.la.us, hilld@legis.state.la.us,hinesw@legis.state.la.us, hoffmanf@legis.state.la.us,ahoney@legis.state.la.us,howardf@legis.state.la.us, larep104@legis.state.la.us,jacksong@legis.state.la.us, larep061@legis.state.la.us,johnsoro@legis.state.la.us, jonesr@legis.state.la.us,joness@legis.state.la.us, larep016@legis.state.la.us,larep036@legis.state.la.us, larep081@legis.state.la.us,larep096@legis.state.la.us, larep059@legis.state.la.us,landryn@legis.state.la.us, lebasb@legis.state.la.us,legerw@legis.state.la.us, ligit@legis.state.la.us,littles@legis.state.la.us, lopintoj@legis.state.la.us,larep062@legis.state.la.us, larep046@legis.state.la.us,monican@legis.state.la.us, montoucj@legis.state.la.us,larep001@legis.state.la.us, nortonb@legis.state.la.us,nowlinr@legis.state.la.us, pearsonk@legis.state.la.us,perryj@legis.state.la.us, larep093@legis.state.la.us,pontie@legis.state.la.us, poper@legis.state.la.us,pughs@legis.state.la.us, richardj@legis.state.la.us,richardc@legis.state.la.us, larep101@legis.state.la.us,larep075@legis.state.la.us, larep045@legis.state.la.us,royc@legis.state.la.us, schrodej@legis.state.la.us,simons@legis.state.la.us, larep088@legis.state.la.us,larep008@legis.state.la.us, larep56@legis.state.la.us,smithp@legis.state.la.us, larep060@legis.state.la.us,larep099@legis.state.la.us, talbotk@legis.state.la.us,templetr@legis.state.la.us, thibautm@legis.state.la.us,larep086@legis.state.la.us, larep097@legis.state.la.us,larep005@legis.state.la.us, larep064@legis.state.la.us,larep004@legis.state.la.us, willmott@legis.state.la.us, larep105@legis.state.la.us

Dear House Representative, I'm concerned about the government's recent attack on tobacco products. A $1 increase on the a pack of cigarettes would cost consumers an extra 277%. With the economy in a downward spirial taxing consumer goods is not good for our local economy. I’m writing to offer an alternative to increasing the tax on tobacco. Precedent has shown us that making the product more expensive is not going to greatly reduce its consumption. It will make it more dangerous for retailers and citizens to be around, and drive consumers to alternative methods of getting the products. It is time to limit tobacco sales to locations that do not allow anyone under the age of 18 into their establishment. It is time to remove cigarettes and tobacco products from the counters and point of sale back drops of gas stations, grocery stores, pharmacies, and anywhere that allow persons under the age of 18 to enter. Louisiana needs face to transactions for tobacco products. It's the only way to be sure the consumer is of age and the correct state taxes are being charged. Louisiana Citizen, [YOUR NAME HERE]

Senate Members: (instructions-- copy and paste email address in the "to:" line. write your opinion in letter format or use our pre-composed one below) adleyr@legis.state.la.us,alarioj@legis.state.la.us, amedeej@legis.state.la.us,appelc@legis.state.la.us, lasen15@legis.state.la.us,websen@legis.state.la.us, smithcheek@legis.state.la.us,crowea@legis.state.la.us, donahuej@legis.state.la.us,dorseyy@legis.state.la.us, duplessisa@legis.state.la.us,lasen20@legis.state.la.us, erdeyd@legis.state.la.us,gautreauxn@legis.state.la.us, lasen21@legis.state.la.us,grayc@legis.state.la.us, hebertt@legis.state.la.us,heitmeid@legis.state.la.us, jacksonl@legis.state.la.us,kostelka@legis.state.la.us, lafleure@legis.state.la.us,longg@legis.state.la.us, lasen17@legis.state.la.us,martinyd@legis.state.la.us, lasen29@legis.state.la.us,lasen23@legis.state.la.us, morrelljp@legis.state.la.us,morrishd@legis.state.la.us, lasen27@legis.state.la.us,murraye@legis.state.la.us, neversb@legis.state.la.us,quinnj@legis.state.la.us, risern@legis.state.la.us,shawb@legis.state.la.us, smithj@legis.state.la.us,thompsof@legis.state.la.us, walsworthm@legis.state.la.us

Dear Senator's, I'm concerned about the government's recent attack on tobacco products. A $1 increase on the a pack of cigarettes would cost consumers an extra 277%. With the economy in a downward spirial taxing consumer goods is not good for our local economy. I’m writing to offer an alternative to increasing the tax on tobacco. Precedent has shown us that making the product more expensive is not going to greatly reduce its consumption. It will make it more dangerous for retailers and citizens to be around, and drive consumers to alternative methods of getting the products. It is time to limit tobacco sales to locations that do not allow anyone under the age of 18 into their establishment. It is time to remove cigarettes and tobacco products from the counters and point of sale back drops of gas stations, grocery stores, pharmacies, and anywhere that allow persons under the age of 18 to enter. Louisiana needs face to transactions for tobacco products. It's the only way to be sure the consumer is of age and the correct state taxes are being charged. Louisiana Citizen, [YOUR NAME HERE]

See the letters I've exchanged at http://www.thetowncrier.net/newsletter.aspx

Tobacco Taxes for SCHIP fail citizens

March 27, 2009
Has the Government Taken the Tobacco Fight to Far?

Recently the federal government has increased the nationwide excise tax on all tobacco products. This tax comes with some hefty prices tags for consumers. The problem with the tax is that the people we are trying to protect are not the ones getting protection. As of two weeks ago the cigarette manufacturers increased the cost of cigarettes by almost $8.00. This was 3 weeks prior to the governments scheduled excise tax increase on April 1st. Where does that money go? It fills the pockets of the tobacco manufactures!

Most Americans don’t realize that with the increase to tobacco comes a floor tax. This means that everywhere tobacco products are stored or manufactured, including retailers, have to pay the tax for everything in-stock. As you can see the manufactures already have the tax covered, but what about the wholesalers and retailers? The increases have been passed through the supply chain to the consumer, but the floor tax has not. Will tobacco prices sky rocket on April 1st? Only time will tell.

I believe the government is picking on the weak, minority. They constantly talk about raising taxes to reduce consumption and keep the cigarettes out of our children’s hands. Recently, a Representative from the state of Louisiana proposed a $1.00 per pack tax on cigarettes on top of the federal tax. I sent her a letter:

“I think it's time we talk about ways to keep cigarettes and tobacco products out of our kids’ hands while preserving the revenues Louisiana receives from tobacco. A little over two years ago the Louisiana Smoke Free Air Act was passed. This act was designed to keep second hand smoke away from our citizens and our children by limiting smoking to areas where adolescents (under 18 years of age) can not legally frequent.

Now, is the time to go one step further? We need to make it a crime to ship tobacco products in the state to individuals, and we need to limit the stores where tobacco products can be marketed inside our state. It is time to limit tobacco sales to locations that do not allow anyone under the age of 18 into their establishment. It is time to remove cigarettes and tobacco products from the counters and point of sale back drops of gas stations, grocery stores, pharmacies, and anywhere that allow persons under the age of 18 to enter. Louisiana needs face to transactions for tobacco products. It's the only way to be sure the consumer is of age.

According to the Office of Alcohol and Tobacco website there are over 6,000 current permits issued in the state of Louisiana allowing individuals to sell tobacco products. That is a lot of places for underage individuals to seek tobacco products or even be influenced by the marketing when they get food, gas, or even medicine.

A $1 increase on a pack of cigarettes would cost consumers an extra 277%. If we taxed gas prices at the same rate, it would be a no-brainier veto costing consumer over $6 a gallon. Increasing the taxes will just entice the criminals into marketing the products to our children.”

The Representative responded with statements that confirmed my suspensions. In the very first lines of her rebuttal:

“Thank you for your thoughtful email and your creative suggestions to keep cigarettes out of the hands of our youth. Although these may be worthy goals, they don’t address Louisiana ’s budget shortfall. A tax increase will not only help fill the state’s current $2 billion budget gap with new revenue but, most importantly, it will reduce youth smoking and save lives.”

When it comes to the discussion of tobacco in the United States , no one talks about the issues of the government lying about the goals they are truly trying to achieve. This representative did not talk about the suggestions put forth; all she was worried about is tax revenue. Limiting the places where tobacco products can be sold would present problems and reductions in the budget gap she was trying to fill. A $1.00 tax would reduce adult consumption by 4%. A limit on where cigarettes could be purchased would more than double that. It would more than triple the reduction in adolescent smokers.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities concludes,

"State financial problems develop when cigarette taxes are used — and particularly if they are earmarked — to fund education, health services, or other programs that inevitably grow in cost over time as a result of inflation, population growth, and other factors. A revenue source that declines over time cannot support a program that naturally increases in cost over time. In addition, cigarette taxes — like all consumption taxes — are regressive; they represent a greater proportion of the income of poor and near-poor households than they do of higher income households. A study found that expenditures on cigarettes amount to 3.2 percent of the income of people in the bottom fourth of the income distribution, but only 0.4 percent of the income of people in the top fourth. Thus increases in cigarette taxes particularly burden the poor. The acceleration of the decline in consumption following cigarette tax increases can be highly desirable when viewed from the perspective of health promotion. From the point of view of those concerned about the adequacy of state revenues to maintain programs, on the other hand, the implications of the consumption decline are problematic. State revenues support state expenditures. State expenditures generally rise each year — even if no new programs are created — because population grows, inflation drives up the costs of everything government purchases especially health care), and state employee wages must be increased to be reasonably competitive with private sector wages. This means that state revenues have to rise each year if they are to support adequately the continuation of existing state spending policies. When cigarette taxes are a component of state revenue — as they are to some degree in every state — a problem is created. Even when specific tax increases do not drive down cigarette consumption, cigarette taxes do not keep pace with spending needs. Excise taxes, such as taxes on cigarettes, alcohol, and gasoline are levied at a specified rate based on the quantity of levied, for example, at $1.50 per pack. Thus if demand for cigarettes is not growing — that is, even if demand is stable rather than declining — the revenue yield from the excise tax does not grow. Unlike a general sales tax or an income tax, the cigarette tax revenue cannot grow in tandem with growth in the state economy. Moreover, as discussed above; the long-term trend in demand is not stable but rather declining."

We have let the government convince us the increase in taxes is good for society. As you can see above the legislators are producing future revenue problems. We need to find a new way to raise funds.
One discussion that never makes into the news is the possibility of Black Market Trade.
Here is an article written by Robert A. Levy, published by cato.org:

“Oozing self-righteousness, anti-smoking activists were quick to pounce on a guilty plea by an R.J. Reynolds affiliate charged with smuggling cigarettes into Canada . One might have expected -- to no avail -- a parallel admission of guilt by the activists who were responsible for the huge increase in Canada 's tobacco tax during the late '80s and early '90s. As a result, smuggled cigarettes accounted for an estimated 40 percent of consumption. Later, Canada was forced to lower the tax in order to keep smuggled cigarettes away from children.
Instead of drawing the obvious lesson from the Canadian experience, industry critics proclaim that tobacco companies will henceforth have "absolutely zero" credibility when they raise the black-market argument. After all, the critics say, those same companies partly caused the black market. If you don't quite follow that logic, here's a recap: (1) tobacco companies predicted that higher taxes would provoke black-market activity; (2) black-market transactions did indeed materialize, in which at least one tobacco affiliate participated; therefore (3) we should ignore any future speculations about black-market activity. Got it now?
We never seem to learn. Michigan, New York, California and Maryland hike their cigarette taxes, and the result is rampant smuggling -- not just from low-tax neighboring states, but from military bases and Indian reservations, even exports to Mexico that are smuggled back to the United States . With 23 billion packs of cigarettes sold here each year, a $1.00 bump in price will mean $23 billion in potential black-market profits -- about four times the U.S. net income of Philip Morris, Reynolds, Lorillard and Brown & Williamson combined.
Ask yourself why 44 million adult consumers of a perfectly legal product should have to fork up because retailers and 1 million kids break laws against sales to minors that are on the books in all 50 states. The way to keep cigarettes from kids is to enforce those laws -- demand proof of age, prosecute offending retailers and prohibit vending machine sales where youngsters are the primary customers. If instead we depend on price hikes to dissuade teenagers, we can count on illegal dealings dominated by criminal gangs hooking underage smokers on adulterated products without the constraints on quality that a competitive market normally affords.”

The alternative to the tax I presented you is the proper way to help reduce future health service costs effects of smoking. If it is the government’s policy to segregate one portion of the population by imposing a "sin" tax, I believe you should be fair to the citizens of the United States and call it as so. This is not a time for politicians to introduce "feel good bills". We need to fix problems not Band-Aid them.

Wine 101

Wine101
The thought of selecting the ‘perfect’ wine for a dinner party can be a stressful task. Before I get into the school of thought on selecting wine and tasting etiquette, I’ll let you in on the true secret… Great wines come for with in. If you like it, it’s a great wine! Wines don’t have to be expensive to be enjoyed. The true reason there are so many wines offered in the world is everyone has different tastes. It is okay to find a wine you don’t like, but you are sure to find one you do. Keep trying. Wine of course starts with tasting. The true pleasure of enjoying wine actually starts when you pour it into a glass. Oxygen is an important player in how the tastes and how it can go bad. More on that in a moment...
The Five S's of Tasting Wine (Well, in my opinion there's really six.)
See
Swirl
Smell
Sip
Savor
Swallow -don't forget #6 at home or in a restaurant. If you happen to visit a winery and are going to be tasting numerous wines, it's okay to spit.
First off let's talk about the cork. When you go to a restaurant and the waiter or server places the cork on the table, what are you supposed to do with it? The truthful answer is NOTHING. The cork didn’t do anything to you so leave it alone. If you must play with something while you are being served your wine, the cork was placed on the table to be inspected for it’s seal in the bottle. There should be a nice ring or stain of the wine evenly on the bottom. If you find that the wine is higher on the cork, the wine seeps close to the opening, this could be a sign of air getting into the bottle prematurely. You’ll know this as soon as you taste the wine anyway. A cork is porous be nature. Air may get in without signs showing on the cork.
Next, they're going to pour you a taste. I suggest that you do not forgo the taste. It's the only way of knowing if the wine has had air intrusion. This is not to be sure you actually like the wine. In most cases you are stuck with it until it's gone. Should the wine have a strong oxidized taste they will replace it with another bottle of the same.
Seeing the wine:
Hold the glass up to the light. Make sure it is clear and free from debris. Some wines are bottled without being filtered. It should be written on the label, but in this case there maybe pieces of grape skin and stems in the glass.
Swirl the wine:
Swirling the wine in the glass gives it flavor by allowing oxygen to mix with the wine. "Why did you say wine could go bad if air gets in the bottle," you ask? Just like things in real life there is too much of a good thing. Air inside a wine bottle causes the wine to oxidize. Just like a nail will rust when exposed to the elements. UCK! The sip portion is where you would tell if the bottle is 'bad' or not.
Smell the wine:
Sometimes this is referred to as 'on the nose' or 'bouquet'. These are eloquent was of saying, "What am I smelling?" The concept is just like smelling your food before eating. We are preparing the palette for what is to come. So, setting all adjectives aside. Do you like the aroma of the wine?
Sip the wine:
Fill your mouth about one third full of wine. Make sure it covers the tongue from the tip, on the sides, and all the way to the back. Wines have complex bodies and need to encounter all characteristic your tongue can handle: Sweet, Sour, Bitter, and Salty. Think about what is going on inside your mouth. Draw some air into the wine as you sip and as you let it sit on your palette.
Savor the Wine:
This happens before and after the Swallow. What happen to the initial flavors as you draw in air? It changes. You know see how important air can be when tasting. Think about the flavors that are present: apples in whites? Cherries in red?
Swallow the Wine:
Now, the fun part. This is where we talk about 'aftertaste' and 'finish'. Is the palette clean? Bitter? The possibilities are endless.