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Points at Infinity is the second collaboration between the UK?s most infamous doom/sludge metal band, Atavist, and the most prolific and respected act in experimental/drone/doom/ambient music today, Nadja.
The first collaboration, titled 12012291920/1414101 and released last year through Invada Records (owned by Portishead main songwriter Geoff Barrow), was merely an experiment?one that was actually initiated by Profound Lore Records. This second collaboration presents a sound picture with significantly more substance and depth; while still experimental in nature, Points at Infinity exemplifies growth and expansion by both of these enigmatic bands.
PRAISE FOR 12012291920/1414101:
?This collaboration between the UK?s Atavist and Canadian doom mongers Nadja is a rare old treat. Across two lengthy pieces, the bands square up to deliver a disc?s worth of bottom-heavy sludge and floating drones. Far from being a cold-hearted excursion into dark metal, the resultant pieces are a surprisingly warm blend of distortion, glacial chord changes and nebulous atmospherics. Opening with ?Twentyfour:Sixteen,? the collaborators launch themselves into an unexpectedly melodic domain only to soak up more challenging sonic elements as the piece progresses; by about halfway through you?ll hear glistening feedback tones beginning to intrude, and by the time we arrive at the half-hour long second track, ?Twentynine:Thirtyseven,? the bands are bathing their sound in oceans of noise and hollowed-out electronic tones with a distinct emphasis placed on the lowest end of the frequency spectrum. By its close, the piece gathers a sub-bass-driven weight that Stephen O?Malley could be proud of, all cloaked in a sense of warmth usually absent from the genre.? ?Boomkat Info stolen from; Alien8 Recordings
The 2004 vintage of this wine received a bronze medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards last year (2006). I’ve only been able to find the 2005 vintage in Belgrade wine shops. It has an intensive and complex aroma with hints of flowers. Dominant tastes are those of melon and slightly of apricots. However, I wasn’t impressed, perhaps I expected more due to all the hype. Or perhaps there’s a significant difference in the two vintages. We should note that this winery has a good reputation. The Simcic Sivi Pinot 1990 was awarded the Cordon d’Excellence; their Chardonnay has won two gold medals at the Ljubljana Wine Fair and the 1994 vintage was declared Champion by the Knights of the Burgerland-Pannonian Order.
I don't heart gimmicks (and neither does the Chef), which is why we let the Il Cuore 2000 Rosso Classico (about $11) sit in our cellar for the last year without a second thought.
You see, there's a big heart on the label and a quote to go with it: "A heart can only be held by a heart the fairest setting of the loveliest jewel." Yeck.
The bottle was a present from a friend about the time of our wedding and it came with a disclaimer: "It was a cheapie; I got it for the heart." In other words, appreciate it for the sentiment, not the quality. And we intended to.
In fact, I'm not sure we ever planned to open it, but I'm glad we did. The blend of carignane, zinfandel, grenache, sangiovese and charbono from Mendocino County has an Old World sensibility, plum and cherry fruit, and a well-integrated (13.6 percent) alcohol.
I am a big fan of Rosenblum zins so when I saw this one in a store next to the ubiquitous "Vinter's Cuvee" I grabbed a clerk and asked how much? The led to a 20 minute hunt to figure out where the wine cam from as they had no record of it, and neither they, nor I had ever heard of it. It was determined that it was mispacked in with a case of the other zin mentioned so they gave it to me for the price of "Vinter's Cuvee." I grabbed two bottles at $10 each and thought I probably scored a "find."
Well, I was wrong! It is a lighter cherry red hue with raspberry and berry nose. Palate is watery with fleeting flavors that are just so, so. My wife said thee was loads of charcoal and smoke. At any rate, this is a wine to be passed up! But don't let that discourage you from trying any one of the many Rosenblum single vineyard Zins. They're delisicious!
The French wine appellation of Gigondas tends to get overshadowed by its flashy and better-known cousin, Chateauneuf du Pape. However, the smooth red wines of this Rhone Valley region have a charm and complexity all of their own. Like Chateauneuf, they are made with primarily Grenache grapes, but the similarity ends there as James Molesworth of "Wine Spectator" magazine illustrates in the video below:
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SIPPED: too much As G-20 leaders met in Washington this weekend while the economic world burns, they sipped Shafer Hillside Select 2003, a $250 Napa cab (find this wine). This raised the hackles of bloggers at CNN (perhaps because they could only find it for $500?). The era of the teatotaler-in-chief is soon over! (Thanks, Arthur!)
SPIT: too little An eagle eyed publicist at Kendall-Jackson spotted a mention of their Chardonnay in an interview the Obamas did with People magazine. The maker of this supermarket staple then sent “a few congratulatory cases of the brand” to the Obamas, care of the Democratic National Committee. Celebrate a historic victory such as his with a $12 chardonnay? But what did Shafer send them?
SPIT: Sauvignon blanc NYT restaurant critic Frank Bruni goes public about his dislike of Sauvignon Blanc as he tasted one from California, “he offered a grimace and a cry of anguish.” And what did his colleagues do to him after that. Why, laugh at him. Get the full story and their wine picks for turkey day in Eric Asimov’s column.
SPIT: 2008 Hospice de Beaune The climate, both meteorological and economic, put a damper on the annual charity auction for barrels of red Burgundy. [Reuters]
SPIT: celebrity wine Michael Vick’s 22 dogs will appear on a new wine line called “Vicktory Dogs.” A portion of the proceeds benefit the shelter in Utah where the dogs now reside. [ESPN]
clouds came into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storms, but to add colour to my sunset sky - rabindranath tagore indian playwright, poet and essayist.
You can read a little more about me if you visit Rosella in Italy. She interviewed me about my foodies travel experiences.
Perfumed nose of cherry, rose blossom, plum sauce, charcoal, and spice
Plush texture on the palate
Long finish of wild berries, black currant, cocoa, and tar
No kidding- this wine has a lot going on! While a precise description of all the layers might be elusive, there's clearly nice depth here. I'd summarize this wine by saying there's a bright fruit and floral quality that is offset by a dark, smoky quality. Amazing combination!
Great Southern Rhone wines can pull this off. Grab a bottle of Chateauneuf-du-Pape or Gigondas. Gigondas is simply another classified area near Chateauneuf that is considered a kissing cousin at lower prices. I paid $22 for this wine, which is the equivalent of stealing. A Chateauneuf of this caliber is $50 or more. I believe Wine Spectator awarded 93 points here. Raise a glass!
The best kinds of cheap wines are the kinds that have a rich story behind them. Well, The Tillerman White wine brought to you by the Hook & Ladder Winery certainly fits the bill. At first glance this wine label made no sense to me… Hook & Ladder? The Tillerman? After doing some research, I feel enlightened knowing the origins of this fine cheap wine, so I’ll share:
The owner of the family-run Hook & Ladder, Cecil De Loach used to be a firefighter! “Hook and Ladder” is just another name for a firetruck. And The Tillerman is guy who drives the back end of a firetruck. A firefighter and a wine-maker! What a life!
I sampled several bottles of The Tillerman White, and I am glad I did. Not being a fan of white blends with a lot of oak, I enjoyed everything about this wine. The peach/apricot aroma was the most prominent feature of this wine as it approached my nose. The wine was very dry, tasty, had an awesome finish. Just a perfect all-around table wine. For about 16 bucks or less, this Sonoma County wine is a steal. If you see it in your supermarket, snatch it up! I look forward to trying some of their many other varietals. This same vineyard, the Russian River Valley produces Chardonay, Gewurztraminer, White Zin, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and the “Third Alarm” Reserve Chardonnay. Oh, how I would love to visit the vineyard one day. Rating: 9/10 - Excellent! The only reason I’m not giving it 10 is because I promised my readers “cheap wines less than 15 dollars” and this wine retails for 16. Look around though, I’m sure you can find a good deal! Even if you can’t, it is worth the extra dollar.
Extra Info:Hook & Ladder - Founded in 2004 2027 Olivet Road Santa Rosa, CA 95401 phone: 707-546-5712
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM). Started by First Lady Betty Ford, a breast cancer survivor herself, and her daughter Susan in 1985, NBCAM has made great strides both by increasing early detection of this disease and erasing the stigma that was once attached to it.
A number of pink ribbon products are promoted during October with a portion of the proceeds going to help eradicate breast cancer. One that's particularly attractive for wine lovers is this wine opener and wine glass set from The Wine Enthusiast. The set includes two Riedel Vinum Pink Rose Wine Glasses and the all-in-one lever style Pink Rabbit Corkscrew Kit. Fifteen percent of Riedel's proceeds are being donated to the Living Beyond Breast Cancer Foundation. Five percent of Metrokane's proceeds are being donated to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
To learn more about NBCAM and to download a variety of free material, visit the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month Web site.
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Yes, I?m still here! Posting has taken a back seat to life and real deadlines lately (hi, Jim! hi, Eric!), but the resumption of a more regular pattern is on the horizon.
In the meantime, nibble on these tidbits:
The Center for Food Integrity reports that 60 percent of consumers are more concerned about food prices than they were a year ago. And the sales growth of private-label organically-produced foods is slowing, according to a recent study by the Nielsen Co.
Sales of craft beers continues to romp along at a double-digit pace, but a shortage of hops is almost certain to start pushing prices up. On the other hand, MillerCoors LLC has pulled the plug on Zima. In the unlikely event that you?re a fan of that particular beverage, existing stocks should be on shelves through December.
According to a recent story in Advertising Age (registration required), advances in product packaging technology have made it possible to offer animated product labels. Before too long, motion-activated store displays and even individual products may be audibly clamoring for your attention.
A panel of tasters assembled by the Dallas Morning News has sampled Wal-Mart?s $3 wines and pronounced them palatable. The non-vintage Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Grigio and Merlot are made by The Wine Group, which also produces wines under the Franzia, Concannon, Glen Ellen, Mogen David and Corbett Canyon labels, among others. Wal-Mart?s wine is sold under the Oak Leaf label ? not nearly as imaginative as some of the tongue-in-cheek suggested names.
This really tickles my funny bone. Deidre Woollard (luxist.com) writes:
We may all be cutting back, but at the the White House dinner Friday night for foreign leaders to discuss the global financial crisis, the meal was anything but spare.
The menu for around 24 global leaders gathered in the White House State Dining Room included, according to the AP, fruitwood-smoked quail? with quince gastrique; quinoa risotto?; thyme?-roasted rack of lamb?; tomato?, fennel? and eggplant? fondue?; a salad? course of endive?, baked Brie and walnuts?; and a pear torte. What's raising some eyebrows though is one of the wine selections, the Shafer Cabernet Hillside Select 2003, which runs for around $300 a bottle, if you can find it. This wine was served with the main course will more modest wines such as the Landmark Chardonnay Damaris Reserve? 2006 (around $40 a bottle, served with the appetizer) and the Chandon Étoile Rosé? sparkling wine? (about $30 a bottle, served with dessert) rounded out the rest of the meal.
The President pays for his own groceries in the White House but state dinners such as this one are paid for with taxpayer dollars. It is perhaps some comfort in this case? that at least two of those attending: President Bush and French President Nicolas Sarkozy are said to be teetotalers. Others in attendance included Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd; Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper; Chinese President Hu Jintao; German Chancellor Angela Merkel; and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Almost a hundred of Argentine warehouses will expose your products in the biggest Fair of Wine of Latin America.
This event - Wines and Warehouses 2006 - removes to end for the sixth year in a row. It will be realized in the Fairground Land of La Rural, in Buenos Aires, between the 14th to September 16.
This meeting of the industry of the wine incites the interest not only of the consuming public, but specially of merchants and distributors, places and foreigners who have opportunity to analyze in an alone place the variety of Argentine wines, produced both by big companies and by the warehouses called "boutique".
In the last years the Argentina realized a deep review of your position on the international market of wines and, thanks to the joint effort of the local butlers, the positioning of the mark is fortifying country in the different markets. Provided that your wines expire with all the requirements of quality and being relied on, likewise, by two varietales celebrated, the malbec and the torrontés, the Argentina marks a difference and manages to differ from other countries producers.
Wines and Warehouses 2006 foresees the accomplishment of business Rounds, where the local producers will be able to make concrete economic agreements with buyers of the whole world.
Exhibitors' list:
Alta Vista - Bodegas La Riojana Coop.- Aristides - Lariviere Iturbe - Atilio Avena - Lavaque - Babco - Los Haroldos - Balbo Luigi Bosca - Barale Biurrun - Luis Segundo Correa - Bgas. Kaufman - Lurton - Bodega Altus - Morsella - Bodega NQN - Navarro Correas - Bodegas Borbore - Nesman - Bodegas La Guarda - Norton - Bodegas Lopez - Pcia. de San Juan - Bodegas Mayol - Porvenir de los Andes - Cavas de Santos - PR Argentina - Chacras del Sol - Putruele Hnos. - Chandon - R. J Viñedos - Clos de los Siete - Revista Club del Vino - Club del Vino - Dante Robino - Roca - Crotta - Ruca Malen - Del Fin del Mundo - Saenz Briones - Domingo Hnos - Sua - Don Cristobal - Telteca Winery - EAS - Tempus Alba - EAV - Terrazas de los Andes - El Rosal - Tittareli - Eral Bravo - Toso - Familia Nofal - Trapiche - Fantelli - Trivento - Fecovita - Valentin Bianchi - Finca el Retiro - Viña El Cerno - Finca Flichman - Viñas del Baron - Finca Las Moras - Viñas del Golf - Fincas Andinas - Vinecol - Flia. Schroeder - Wine 5 - Flia. Zuccardi - Xumek - Freixenet - Honda - Guime - YPF - Humberto Canale
Amazon.com, the online purveyor of books, apparel, and just about everything else, has announced its plans to enter the wine sales business. Beginning as early as mid-October, the online retailer will offer a selection of more than 300 wines from all over the United States to customers in 26 states. The company indicates that the selection will represent a wide cross-section of US producers, not just wineries in California, Oregon, and Washington State.
Shipping and taxes, as ever with online wine sales, will likely be an issue. Amazon says that customers of the Amazon Prime service (which carries a $79 annual fee) will get free shipping. Still, it's an intriguing development.
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Every year, millions of pumpkin-Americans are gouged with knives and subjected to having their innards scooped as they are crafted into Halloween Jack-o-lanterns. After their one big night, they?re eaten by squirrels, unceremoniously discarded, or splattered on the roadways. Those that escape the annual slaughter are allowed to live for another month until, if they are fortunate enough to be selected, they realize a pumpkin?s ultimate calling: being transformed into a delicious pie.
Pumpkins haven?t always played the role of Jack-o-lanterns. Long before the tradition came to North America, European Celts carved faces out of hollowed-out turnips and rutabagas and used them as lanterns to fend off malevolent spirits. The name is most commonly attributed to the legend of an Irish farmer called Stingy Jack who tricked the devil a couple of times and was cursed to wander the night forever with only a turnip lit with a candle as his only light. Jack-o-lanterns made the leap across the pond to the United States in the middle to late 19th century, and since pumpkins were plentiful, bigger and easier to carve, they got the job.
But a group of British, um, researchers has determined that a wide variety of fruits and vegetables can be pressed into service in the absence of or in addition to a pumpkin. They experimented with a pepper, a mango, an eggplant, an apple, a watermelon, a pineapple, a rutabaga and a butternut squash, as well as a control pumpkin. The fruit scoopings were utilized to make tropical rum smoothies, with no apparent adverse effect on the results of the experiment. The whole project was documented on a just-launched blog .
There must be something around here that would accommodate a candle ? I wonder if there?s still a cucumber in the fridge...?
The OCD Diet: Eating foods that rhyme
Here?s another apparently successful British experiment: The OCD Diet. Created and chronicled by b3ta denizen Oucheh (also known as Kate), this diet doesn?t require any calorie counting, carb avoidance, or any of those other tiresome details. All one needs to do is combine foods that rhyme ? beans and sardines, for example, or (shudder) Lamb?s Heart Treacle Tart. It seems to be effective ? Kate lost three pounds in five days. (And no wonder!)
Greetings from Asia. I have begun my first tour of duty here in the Pacific Rim, and I started my trip off with a weekend in Shanghai. The fourteen plus hour flight did not seem so bad since I was able to sleep for close to nine hours of it; of course, that was only [...]
Here is a really fantastic recommendation for those of you who may already enjoy Austrian whites, as this wine has the capacity to detonate or reignite even the faintest bystander?s interest in Grüner Veltliner. If you have had Grüner and did not think much of the variety, I highly recommend giving Hofer?s an honest chance.
The label on this favorite of mine, in the spicy-white category, reflects Austria?s recent experimental appellation system of DAC?s, standing for the Latin, Districtus Austriæ Controllatus. Notwithstanding the seemingly imposing, archaic or superficially impressive appellation name (depends how you wish regard it), the crucial element to consider here is that Hofer?s wines are crafted seriously, so enjoying them turns out to be quite effortless. This Grüner sees time in stainless steel and is sourced from their Freiberg site in Weinviertel, one of Austria?s largest and most significant wine producing regions, in the northeast of the country. Should organic wines be of interest to you, Weingut Hofer belongs to Bio Ernte, a group whose producers operate on slightly different, some would argue higher, organic cultivation and production standards than even those dictated by say, the EU.
My notes: Pale, clear and golden. Clean nose with lovely stone fruit, spice, as well as mineral and floral elements. The palate is dry, with fresh, zesty lime acidity and slightly Riesling-like stone fruit, rocky minerality and spicy white pepper. These flavors, particularly the great peach/apricot flavors and white pepper, pervade the aftertaste.
Set your sights on wine, and you?ll set your eyes on some of the most incredible scenery in BC?s three main wine regions. Here are ten of the best scene-stealing sights and activities that insiders guarantee will tempt your palate...
The New Facility, open to the public--NOW! This Fantastic New Facility is Designed Exclusively for the Creation of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon; Featured at the Oakville Tasting Room are Vertical Tastings and New Offerings for all Guests.
Silver Oak Cellars, producer of Cabernet Sauvignon from both Napa and Alexander Valley, has announced the opening of its new winery and tasting room in Oakville. Re-built from the ground up after the original facility suffered a fire in 2006, the winery is designed to produce one wine only, the Silver Oak Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Its first grapes were received September 1st. The new timber-framed tasting room features reclaimed stone, oak and redwood and is evocative of the original tasting room built in 1981. Open September 29th, the winery is certain to remain a beloved Napa Valley destination.
Medium ruby hue with nice tart pie cherry bouquet, earthy, pipe tobacco and some structure.
Palate--sour cherry with steely mid palate, black pepper and light sour cherry flavors--needs to breathe!
With 45 minutes of air, cocoa predominates over the sour cherry. It is still a bit out of balance with respect to its tartness but steely light fruit is okay drinking. You'll pay around $15 for this wine and a different year would probably prove to be more rewarding. Raise a glass!
For our coverage of the 2008 Hospice du Rhône, we decided to put people on the spot. We came up with 5 of today’s Hot Topics, and posed the questions to winemakers, producers, importers, and attendees. No debate, no discussion, just right to the point. So, today, we wanted to know: What’s you favorite - Cork or Screwcap? What does “terroir” mean to you?
by Martin Field ?How did you become a wine writer?? It?s perhaps the most frequent question I?ve had from wine drinkers over the years. What they really mean is ?How could I go about becoming a wine writer?? In other words, they too would like a job they assume involves nothing more than the consumption of an endless round of free lunches and gratis wine samples. My life is nothing like that, I tell them. (I can lie like a politician when necessary.) The process My ticket on the gravy train was easy enough to obtain. The process really was as simple as follows and the dialogue is as accurate as memory will allow.
Celebrate Wine is pleased to be a part of a new wine-writing project called "Drink Local Wine." The site brings together wine journalists, sommeliers, bloggers, and other wine enthusiasts from 16 "non-west coast" states and Canada. The goal is to enforce the reality that North American wine is not just about California, Oregon, and Washington anymore.
At "Drink Local Wine," you'll find information about wines from Illinois, Maryland, Georgia, and Wisconsin...and, of course, my home state, Ohio. Be sure to take a look.
Tecnorati
The 2004 vintage of this wine received a bronze medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards last year (2006). I’ve only been able to find the 2005 vintage in Belgrade wine shops. It has an intensive and complex aroma with hints of flowers. Dominant tastes are those of melon and slightly of apricots. However, I wasn’t impressed, perhaps I expected more due to all the hype. Or perhaps there’s a significant difference in the two vintages.
SPIT: too little
Yes, I?m still here! Posting has taken a back seat to life and real deadlines lately (hi, Jim! hi, Eric!), but the resumption of a more regular pattern is on the horizon.
Every year, millions of pumpkin-Americans are gouged with knives and subjected to having their innards scooped as they are crafted into Halloween Jack-o-lanterns. After their one big night, they?re eaten by squirrels, unceremoniously discarded, or splattered on the roadways. Those that escape the annual slaughter are allowed to live for another month until, if they are fortunate enough to be selected, they realize a pumpkin?s ultimate calling: being transformed into a delicious pie.
