Mick Fleetwood has a collection of wine called Mick Fleetwood Private Cellar.  Founded in 2001, the grapes come from California and Washington.  www.mickfleetwoodprivatecellar.com

 Dave Matthews owns Blenheim Vineyards, which is located 20 minutes southeast of Charlottesville, Va. He purchased the historic farm property in 1999.  www.blenheimvineyards.com

 Olivia Newton-John founded Koala Blue Wines in 1983 with partner, Pat Farrar.  Their wines are said to be “characteristically Australian.”  www.koalabluewines.com

 Boz Scaggs owns Scaggs Vineyards in Napa Valley with his wife, Dominique.  They started planting grapes in 1996 and released their first wine in 2000.  www.scaggsvineyard.com

Several musicians and music groups including Madonna, Barbra Streisand, Kiss, and the Rolling Stones have private labeled wines – several of which are named for their songs.  These are available at www.celebritycellars.com.

 An inventive winemaker in Tuscany has taken the wine and music connection in another direction.  Giancarlo Cignozzi plays classical music through loudspeakers around his vineyards and says the melodies have made his grapes healthier and stronger…and, it seems, grow faster.  He serenades his grapes with Mozart and Tchaikovsky and Verdi.  www.alparadisodifrassina.it

Years ago we had the opportunity to interview the inimitable conductor Kenneth Schermerhorn on our radio program.  He confided to us that he hated going to restaurants where classical music was played.  The food could never win his attention over the music.  Unlike the Maestro, most diners are unaware of the influence classical background music has on them. 

Studies have shown that they order more expensive wine when classical music is played than they do with either pop music or no music at all.  Ditto for wine shops.  Buyers made bigger purchases – not because they bought greater quantities of wine but because they opted for more expensive bottles.  Chopin beat out Fleetwood Mac every time.  Sorry, Mick.

 Cheers!

Barbara and Beverly

The Saucy Sisters are wine and spirits experts with a twist. A twist of humor, that is. This Saturday, Jan. 21, they are chairing a free event, the 12th annual January Chase-Away-The-Blahs Party and Auction from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Watercolor artist Gail McDaniel hosts this fun outing at her home/studio that raises money for art supplies for the public schools of Davidson and Williamson Counties.  The event will be held at Gail’s studio at 529 Bancroft Way in Franklin.