Since I've been involved with both public television, radio and the wine industry for many years, I was greatly intrigued when a sample of PUBLIC RADIO wine arrived. It has nothing to do nor is associated with NPR or PBS but has everything to do with creative and high quality wine production. If you're looking for a semi-splurge bottle put this one on your list. Winemaker Josh Phelps uses Paso Robles grapes to create a sumptuous Rhà´ne style blend . The Grenache, Syrah and Petite Sirah mix offers up tempting aromas and juicy flavors of raspberry mulberry and spice. Bold but smooth this dry red just gets better and better with each sip. One of my tasting notes was "slurp worthy" as the rich full bodied flavors linger on and on. Priced in the mid 20's it's probably not going to be your every day bottle but when you're looking for satisfaction in flavor and style, or a bottle to pair with summer grilling goodness, it's worth the investment. www.groundedwineco.com

MORE Broad Ripple area businesses are showcasing the work of local artists on their walls. Hurray! The latest: Gallery Pastry Shop in the 54th and Monon shopping area. This month the cozy sweet and savory restaurant sizzles with the vibrant and passionate work of Indianapolis artist Mirvia Rivera Eckert. Mirv brings her passion for life and appreciation of beauty into each exquisitely painted acrylic canvas. Her portraits reveal the emotion and purpose of the subject in fine detail and fluid emotion. Her work is eye pleasing, heart warming and would make the perfect gift for someone you care about. She takes commissions for portraits and subjects as well. Be sure to stop and see her work through the end of March. www.mirviasol.com

Another hidden gallery gem is on the second floor of the Michael Evans Health Sciences Center on the Marian University campus. The Art and Design department is housed here and regularly shows work from local and regional artists as well as students and faculty. Anderson University art educator and gallery curator Tai Lipan's latest work is on the walls this month. Tai is fascinated by weather and nature and how it affects the human spirit. In this beautifully curated show, she creates large collages from hand cut and painted balsam wood. Her cool colors, abstract falling raindrops and arches seem to caress the landscapes sheltering them from sudden swaths of jewel tones and bursts of metallic paints that could be wind or water or fire. Let your imagination PLAY and go see this show which is up through March 27th. www.tailipan.com

My friend Jim Trezise is president of WINE AMERICA-- a group that creates and curates legislation for the US Wine industry. His weekly newsletter is chock full of important information. This week's included the coronavirus impact on the international and US wine markets. Here is an excerpt.

"Last week I lamented the natural disasters in Australia--fire, rain, lost crops--and on top of that there's now a trade disaster having nothing to do with tariffs. Australian wine exports to China--their major export market--have dropped 90% since the coronavirus outbreak. Why? Primarily because Chinese bars and restaurants have been either closed by law or, if open, are not being patronized because people fear physical contact. To make matters worse, the distribution system has been disrupted, as it has for other products as well, so the wines can't get to market even if there was one.

VinExpo Hong Kong, scheduled for late May, has been delayed until mid-July. Across the globe in Germany, the massive ProWein wine trade show scheduled for this month has been cancelled altogether for this year. ProWein, which I've attended several times, is among the world's largest wine trade shows, attracting 6,000 exhibitors and 60,000 attendees from 64 countries--a dangerous place to be when the coronavirus is out and about. Vinitaly, for now just postponed, draws 125,000 visitors from 145 countries--perfect conditions for a human petri dish spawning a global pandemic."

www.wineamerica.org