EAST COAST PALATE

So these things may be unrelated... maybe not. 
With the recent seismic shaking in the south island (Christchurch is just south of the Marlborough region by a couple hours drive), I've started thinking how Mother Nature can wreck anything she wants, any time she wants.  As a Marylander I really have no experience with earthquakes, and I hope to never get too familiar with these savage phenomena.  If I end up in Cali for wine work, though, I'll likely feel more than a few tremors.
The disaster in New Zealand also made me recall the Chilean quakes of last year.  This stuff had a huge impact on shipping and storage of wine for some facilities.  I wonder how the wineries of Marlborough and the Otago valley are coping. 
We are all at Nature's mercy, especially when our livelyhood is a product of the earth.  And now, a kick-ass Washington state Merlot:

Northstar 2006 Merlot...
If you want to taste wine that validates the hype about WA, look no further.  Without paying the price you would for a bottle of Leonetti, you get the solid structure, the plum, black fruit and mocha, the velvet tannins, and that deliciously lasting finish.  Great with steak, but also a good wine for pairing with chocolate and fresh blackberries.