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In Inghilterra sono in aumento le vendite di Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Nel Regno Unito le vendite di Prosecco Conegliano Valdobbiadene sono aumentate del 25% dal 2003 al 2007 grazie alla doc e ai controlli effettuati dal Consorzio di Tutela. Un successo confermato da Vino in Villa London, evento organizzato dal Consorzio di Tutela con il contributo della Regione Veneto. Trecento ospiti fra giornalisti, importatori e operatori del trade e 37 aziende si sono dati appuntamento per conoscere meglio la doc. A Vino in Villa il vino è divenuto anche un traino per tutto
How could I omit the two intelligent value Godello picks? I chose these two because they convey distinct interpretations of the variety, in spite of the two D.O.?s not being terribly far apart. Taste them together to see the immense differences evident in each Godello within what would amount to a short bus ride from Bierzo to Valdeorras. It?s quite hard to argue that neighboring wine regions cultivating the same variety aren?t little miracles, with this sentiment growing even more potent for the wine lover within single vineyards with many producers, though that?s another topic altogether.
Enjoy this, one of many examples of all new things Spanish that will slowly become more prevalent in the U.S. market over the coming six months or so?Godello.
Before I forget, speaking of the next wave of imports from Spain, if you haven?t been paying attention to Telmo Rodríguez in the past few years, I would try his Godello and watch this video. Aside from being a fascinating Spanish entrepreneur, he exudes passion for well-crafted, regional wines. The video is eight minutes in length, though for some reason, it winds up being 3 and change. Nevertheless, listen to Mr. Rodríguez introducing his wines on a recent visit to Toronto?s Lifford Wine Agency. In essence, he is responsible for affordable little masterpieces from various Spanish D.O.?s. His progressive outlook in terms of production methods is matched by an ability to reinvigorate production of traditional varieties in the regions where he owns vineyards. This in turn, yields intelligent value wines from various Spanish D.O.?s that much like Susana Balbo?s wines in Argentina, seem to be produced in a manner which never sacrifices regional character for novelty or the wrong type of market's tastes. What with how things are going nowadays in the wine business, what a refreshing point of view!
Los vinos: 2007 Pilgrim Godello Bierzo D.O.
This wine is clean, pale straw and unassuming at first sight. The nose is vibrant, driven by wild flowers, citrus, treefruit and stone minerality. Complex mouthfeel, with a crisp, racy shot of acidity (pink grapefruit), alongside rich treefruit and distinctive mineral notes.
This wine is produced by Viñedos Agribergidum in Bierzo, located at the westernmost outpost of León bordering Galicia. The Godello vines are an average of 40 years old, with the variety purposely farmed to very low yields.
Imported by Beacon Wine Company. 2005 Gaba do Xil Godello Valdeorras D.O.
A really nice pale gold in the glass. The nose is clean and pronounced, with perfumey floral element, lush green pear, peaches, honeydew melon and touch of sweet spice. Complex but never overwhelming medium-bodied white with great balance of ripe fruit flavors and medium citrus acidity. Love the soft spice undertones that follow the lovely fruit into the aftertaste.
I got back into sherry about the same time the price of cocktails went through the fracking roof. Ounce for ounce, and dollar for dollar, few things pack the nuance, aroma, and mouthwatering reaction of an off-dry sherry. Amontillado: Symphony In Amber in this issue of the Seattle Weekly
We get a lot of requests for reviews of places, wines, and occasionally, a hotel or two. However, the new chic wine bar in downtown Barcelona called Monvinic, takes the cake. A few months ago, we started receiving requests to review this swanky wine bar. And from what little I had read online, as the website is less than informative, it appeared to be interesting and innovative place for a wine geek looking to explore fine wines. But due to the EWBC, and various prior engagements, it wasn’t until a few weeks ago when we could actually check out the place, with a group of friends in tow.
Arriving early, while the rest of group was maneuvering the various train schedules, my first impression started off poor. Walking up to two large, what appear to be, glass windows, I searched in vain for an entrance. Walking back and forth, I searched for a way to get in, even going so far as walking into the adjacent apartment building, hoping to find a side door. No luck. And just as I was about to give up, I decided to give it one last shot. Peering into the window, slowly inching my face towards the glass, the huge window/door slide open. As if this wasn’t frustrating enough, the employees were watching me search for the entrance, and just stood and stared without helping me. UGH, strike one!
From the moment you walk in, you immediately realize that this is to be an UBER-modern experience. From the front entrance halfway down the left side, you have a unique glass library of sorts with a wide range of wine books lining the room. I suppose this is very nice and interesting, but I’m not sure a lot of people come out for a drink with the intention of picking up “The Oxford Companion to Wine“. Then again, this is not a fault. Actually, some of us bigger wine geeks might enjoy having a place like this to meet and talk.
However, in an obvious state of confusion, it took quite awhile before anyone decided to talk with me, as I wandered looking for either my friends or a place to sit down. Eventually, I was greeted in English, which moved to Spanish, and guided to a bench on the right side of the room with modular cubes and tables that worked to create an organic setting depending on your group size. Handed a tablet computer, the waitress explained that all the wines can be searched by style, price, color, grape, region, soil….etc, etc. It was fun to see wines I had not seen in Spain before, such as a Turley Zinfandel and obscure South African wines. I was also impressed by the choices and enjoyed browsing through the menu. The only flaw I noticed was as you navigated inwards, you occasionally hit dead ends.
The list is wide ranging, and for someone who lives in Spain, this is a treasure since it’s unusual for us to have so many choices. That said, for anyone visiting from abroad, you come to Spain to taste Spanish wine, don’t you? The Spanish selection was decent and included wines from regions that you don’t usually see on a menu, but wasn’t anything to write home about. That said, I won’t criticize them on this aspect, and instead, emphasize the fact that they have a great wine list for a wine geek.
Yet despite the modern sleek design and diverse wine menu, I most likely will not return. When our group had all arrived, we decided to start off with a bottle of white. Turning to the electronic menu, I chose a 2006 Clos Nelin from Clos Mogador, an interesting Spanish white, big in body and unique in style, from the Priorat region. My idea was to give my visiting guests something they wouldn’t expect. Made with Viogner, Pinot Noir and Granatxa Blanca, it’s a wine without peers.
Having taken our order, the waiter promptly prepared a large square fish tank with ice and water; a bit of an overkill, but stylish nonetheless. Approximately 10 minutes later, nice glassware was placed before us, followed by the wine, which was taken out of the large fish tank and poured into my glass. Following the tradition, I quickly took a sniff, but before I could even taste the wine, he began filling the rest of the glasses without even looking at me. Clearly, I was a bit shocked, but decided to let it go. I’ve been to places with much less style, who at the very least, had a serving protocol in place. It seemed rather strange to not allow the person who ordered the wine, sample it, especially on a bottle that ran 50+ euros. But sadly, that wasn’t even the worst of it. When I tasted the wine, it was warm. Clos Nelin, from the Priorat, is an elegant wine that needs to be chilled to show off its complexity, due to it’s 14.5% alcohol. This wine was served at red wine temperatures, and consequently, was disjointed, out of balance and hard to swallow.
But I had no fear, because I was in a wine bar, where despite their slip up on their wine service, would clearly understand the issue with temperature. After a struggle to get his eye, the waiter finally made his way back to us. And after I explained the problem, one that could have been solved if I had had the chance to taste the wine before he poured, I was promptly told I was wrong. “But sir, the wine came from the cellar at the right temperature.” Strike 2 and 3.
After our server left, we continued talking, while the remaining half of the bottle cooled down in its glass fish tank for approximately 15 minutes. And sure enough, it was a wonderful wine when served at the right temperature. Worth every penny! But next time, I’ll bring it home and serve it myself.
And although I haven’t been able to give them a chance to redeem themselves, Gabriella did go back a few nights ago, having ordered a few whites ‘by the glass’; but unfortunately, her review wasn’t much better. The wine service was similar to our first experience, and when she had tried to find the bathroom, she passed it three times in vain, as it too was a sliding wall. Tricky! But rather inconvenient when your single desire is to simply find, and use, the facilities.
Here’s my recommendation. If you want to appear to know a lot about wine, wile sitting in a “stylish new bar”, this place is for you. If you want, on the other hand, to fall in love with wine, go elsewhere. After our Monvinic experience, we stood in line at C24, a small restaurant just a few blocks away and ordered a few fantastic tapas and a bottle of MestresVisol Cava, which was served at the correct temperature, despite the busy night. If you stop in, try the rabbit ribs, as they’re amazing! Not to mention, in the middle of what was an incredibly crazy and hectic Tuesday night at C24, they took the time to pour me a sample of the wine, asked what I thought of it, and above all, smiled. Home run!
Shortly after 1 died Sept. 19 at 78, I got a message from Gavin Speight, his U.S. importer. He said that he would like to celebrate Carrodus' life by dipping into his own personal cellar to open a few of the iconoclastic winemaker's older 1 bottles. Earlier this week I met Speight, who imports some of Australia's finest and most venerable artisanal wines, at Cavallo Point, the new resort near Sausalito.
Although I spend a reasonable amount of time (how much is reasonable?) thinking about which wine to enjoy with a meal, quite often I'll find that even if it's not perfect it is still entirely serviceable and rather than wail hysterically while tipping the bottle down my throat, I can enjoy both food and wine while making a mental note to try something else next time.
But then, when you most want to find just the thing to do justice to the efforts of the chef, you go and make an absolute clanger. Of course it is also about doing justice to the effort that has gone into the production of the wine so showing it off in the most flattering company is desirous in absolute propotion to the amount of effort it is to procure a bottle and how lovingly you cherish it.
I haven't gone too far out of my way to scout out the perfect steak to show off my £5.49 Argentinian Cabernet Sauvignon. Although they would be more laidback company than some, more intricate, menus.
Had the most wonderful meal a couple of nights ago courtesy of a former Masterchef contestant. We kicked off the evening with some Champagne Drappier Brut Carte d'Or NV. A very biscuity nose with a fresh, light and clean apple palate with a broad, creamy bottom layer with an enthusiatic but not overwhelming mousse and very decent length.
The first course was mushroom ravioli in a wild mushroom (girasol) broth in which the woodland flavours sang out in operatic fashion. We matched that with a Louis Latour, Domaine de Valmoissine Pinot Noir 2002 from Provence. Very light crimson this was correct and tasty. Already quite evolved but still lots of fruit, just not the concentration I'd hoped for. Made a great pairing with the mushrooms though and the lightness and acidity in the wine lifted the earthy tones and richness of the ravioli.
The fabulously elaborate meal continued with roast duck cooked in red wine with cherry sauce. For the duck I had brought along a Feytit Clinet 2000 from Pomerol having enjoyed right bank Bordeaux with duck on many previous occasions. Here though the intensity and sweetness of the cherries and the reduction glaze reduced this otherwise rather lovely wine to thin, metallic, short nastiness. Really very sad!
We tried opening an Eldridge Blue Chip Shiraz 2003 from Clare Valley in South Australia, which alone was sweet, unctuous and jammy but this too couldn't take on the cherries.
Which came first - the cherry or the Feytit Clinet? They both lost that night. Tant pis...learn from mistakes. Next time before rummaging through the cellar, I'll ask for an exact breakdown of the recipes from my host - NO, not really! This is just for fun.
Last week, I was joined by an adventurous group of diners and drinkers for a completely unique meal at Manresa Restaurant in Los Gatos, California. The result of months of discussions and planning between myself, Chef David Kinch, and Wine Director Jeff Bareilles, The Sake Dinner was an extraordinary experience.
To my knowledge, no non-Japanese, U.S. restaurant of the caliber of Manresa has ever done a tasting menu exclusively to be paired with world-class sake as we did last Wednesday night. Chef Kinch created a special eight-course meal that drew on his deep love of Japanese cuisine and its influence in his cooking, while I provided some of the best sakes available in the United States.
The result was a tremendous meal, made all the better by what was a great group of folks who chose to join us.
Sweetbreads fried chestnuts, and soft cooked eggs over rice Nishida Shuzoten "Denshu" Tokubetsu Junmai (served warm)
Sweet red bean cake with pluots and coconut ice milk Kamoizumi "KomeKome" Sweet Sake, Hiroshima Prefecture
I've eaten quite a few meals at Manresa, but this was certainly one of my favorites, irrespective of what I was drinking.
The sea bream and caviar dish was simply tremendous -- one of the best things I've put in my mouth in months. The lobster dish had a remarkable little bit of young artichoke cooked in wood ash on it that was stunning. The autumn tidal pool (which sadly I forgot to take a photo of) was unbelievable, from the quality of the sea urchin to the rich smoky foie gras at the bottom of the dish.
Everyone who attended was interested in learning more about sake, so I started the evening with a brief explanation of how sake was made, and then answered questions throughout the evening after introducing each sake that was poured.
Large dinners like this are always different, and the nature of the experience rests quite squarely on the dynamic of the people who are attending. This was one of the best such dinners I have hosted at Manresa because of the conviviality and enthusiasm of those who attended.
I didn't capture every dish, unfortunately, but I did manage to get a shot of most of them.
Perhaps you'll join us for another of these dinners at some point in the future?
The Coca-Cola Company today reported third quarter earnings per share of $0.81, an increase of 14 percent versus the prior year quarter on a reported basis. After considering items impacting comparability, earnings per share in the quarter were $0.83, an increase of 17 percent. Earnings per share for the quarter included a net charge of $0.02 per share for restructuring charges and costs related to global productivity initiatives partially offset by a gain on the sale of a portion of the Company?s investment in the Pakistan bottler. Earnings per share for the third quarter of 2007 were $0.71 and included a charge of $0.03 per share, primarily related to restructuring charges, which was offset by a $0.03 per share gain primarily related to the sale of a portion of the Company?s investment in Coca-Cola Amatil Limited.
Fall is just around the corner and few wines are more enjoyable when the weather turns cool than Italy's Sangiovese wines. In the video below, Iron Chef Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich discuss how best to pair Sangiovese with food. Take a look:
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Leelanau Cellars markets this unique spiced wine as Witches’ Brew around Halloween, but let me assure you that it is a great wine to have on hand throughout the winter. This wine has two labels, the Halloween one (Witches Brew) and the label for the rest of the year, simply named Leelanau Cellars Spiced Wine.
If you’re looking for something fun and unique to bring to a holiday party this year, this is your wine! This wine is best served heated! Simmer in a pot over low heat until it is warm (the temperature of a witches’ tongue, if you’re celebrating Halloween). This spiced wine should not be served with dinner, but rather as dessert, with some good, dark chocolate. I suppose it could also be good before dinner, while folks are still arriving to the party. It would make a great ice-breaker!
Witches Brew is obviously a sweet wine, with aromas of cinnamon and cloves. It has very different characteristics when heated vs. room temperature. Try both!
Rating: 9/10 — Truly unique! Price: $5.99 Where can I get it? Many places in Michigan carry this wine, especially around the holidays. I found it at Meijer. You could always visit the Leelanau Cellars north of Traverse City to stock up!
Welcome to the 5th Edition of the Wine Book Club, the online book club for wine lovers who also like to read. I'm the host for this month's event, and for my theme I was inspired by the season. What better way to celebrate September and October than to read a book written by a genuine PhD (September is back to school month) about wine and politics (we are in the midst of an election)? This idea was even more appealing given that the author may be better known to those of you who read wine blogs as Dr. Vino, the award-winning wine blogger.
Colman's book compares the way that politics has shaped wine culture in France and America. One of the most striking things about the story he tells here is that, along with politics, there are two other "P"s that have played an equally active a role in determining what you drink: phylloxera, the louse that destroyed grape vines all over the world in the 1870s; and Robert Parker, the critic who began telling us what we should drink in the 1970s. Phylloxera, it turns out, led to such a collapse in the worldwide wine business that it opened the door to greater governmental control and intervention as people sought to limit fraud, graft, corruption, and lost income. And Parker helped people to wade through seas of indifferent wine with misleading labels at a time when Americans were still drinking like it was Prohibition and they'd rather mainline the hard stuff than drink a glass of wine with dinner. The ripples he sent out from his one-man business in Monkton, Maryland in the 1970s now threaten to engulf us in wave after wave of homogeneous wine made to please Parker's influential palate.
I consider myself reasonably knowledgeable about wine history, but I was surprised again and again by the nuggets of historical lore and sharp analysis that Colman includes here. Lately, I've been wondering why we don't buy wine in bulk here in the US like they do virtually everywhere else in the world. Turns out it's due to a combination of Prohibiton (and the resulting patchwork of legislation) and something called the Office of Price Administration that was established in World War II. Until then, wine was shipped in tanker trucks and on the rails to 1500 bottling facilities studded all over the country. And thus the enormous carbon footprint of wine began!
Colman's message is sobering, even though his book is a delight to read with its clear prose and fluid style. The bottom line is this: when money, egos, and bureaucracy collide--as they do in the wine business--it becomes almost impossible to do what is best for consumers, the environment, and the winemakers themselves. With everybody taking a cut in wine sales, from the bottle makers to the distributors to the retailers to the government, it really is astonishing that anyone bothers to make wine at all. And in case you're thinking the situation is better in France, let me assure you it isn't--it's just different.
If you enjoy Colman's blog, you are in for a treat since this book is written in the same direct, engaging style as his blog posts. The book has great graphic features (like a comparison of how politics shapes French and American wine blog labels) and informative sidebars that offer the reader opportunities to pause and consider the issues from a fresh perspective.
I highly recommend this book, especially if you find yourself wondering why you don't know what grape is in a French bottle of wine, or why it is that an American wine is labeled "Cabernet Sauvignon" when 25% of the grapes in it are Syrah. The answer to both questions is simple. Wine Politics. After reading this book, you'll never think about the relationship between the two in the same way again.
Tyler Colman's Wine Politics: How Governments, Environmentalists, Mobsters, and Critics Influence the Wines We Drink was published by the University of California Press, who sent a copy of the book to me for review. It retails for $27.50, but you can buy it on Amazon.com for $18.15.
If you are participating in this month's online club, please leave comments and/or links to your own posts below. You can also leave links at the Wine Book Club site, or on our mirror site on Shelfari.
I am sure you are tired of me cooing over Hunt Country Vineyards. Since the mid-1980s, when I first discovered them at Union Square Park, in New York City, I have been fascinated by them. But my admiration for them comes from my respect for their improved quality over the years, and their incredible growth, both of which are a great example of what one can accomplish in east coast wine.
At the Goold's Apple Fest I had the opportunity to chat with Art, but a few days later my lap top crashed, and my photos and videos were seemingly lost. Now recovered, I have the photos, but not the video. And I can file my report.
I tasted several of their red wines, and was very, very impressed.
Meritage 2006 - A blend of Cab Sav, Cab Frabc, and Merlot. Aged 14 months in French oak, flavors. Very nice!
Merlot 2006 - Beautiful hints of vanilla has strong cherry and pepper. Very, very nice!
Alchemy - A combination of Franc, Cab Sav, and Noiret. Big black cherry flavors. Some hint of spice. Not too much oak. Very nice. A great food wine.
Here's a picture of Art and Donna Pinell, also of Hunt Country.
These are wonderful reds. Art and Hunt Country are hoping to lay to rest the myth that the Finger Lakes should stick to Reisling....and these reds definitively prove fine red wines can be made in the Finger Lakes region too!
OK, so there’s alot of hub-bub about that the Wine Spectator expose that happened by blogger Robin Goldstein. And first let me say a couple things. Bloggers are extraordinarily important to the world and this is just the latest example of some good citizen journalism. Bravo to Robin for the work on setting up this sting. Nice, ethical, and well executed.
As a marketing professional for a decade and a half I’ll say this though - what did you think the award was? Wine Spectator is a “for profit” private entity that has what, 100 employees? I’ve dealt with many many awards for the rediculous number of products and companies I’ve launched and I’ll tell you this, whenever there is a for-profit entity involved then you’re going to pay-to-play. And if you pay-to-play then you’re probably getting an award! There are several technology related firms that have pay for entry, then I win the award, then they call me back and pitch me Ad space, and then tell me to be involved in the award ceremony I have the great opportunity to present my product/company at a high profile industry show…for yet another fee.
update: On side note for the history books. In the late 1990s, what I call “Bubble Days” of tech, pay-to-play got ridiculous. There were analyst firms that would take EQUITY in a startup and then write a positive report. Subsequently, these firms would go public and thanks to the Tech Bubble some people got very rich for their “award” or “positive outlook”…nuts…
This Wine Spectator debacle is nothing new or unexpected. They’re leveraging their brand, which has the power today to make a $20 wine into a $100 wine overnight, to make more money. What is unexpected is the fact that they were complete IDIOTS about it and obviously do zero vetting not a very thorough job vetting applicants. Dumb dumb dumb. But I’m not surprised the award is the way it is. Not at all actually. Maybe thats part of the marketer’s secret code or something but thats how these things go. If this didn’t happen (the dumb non-vetting move being exposed), who wouldn’t pay $250 for this “Excellence” award, hence “profit” opportunity. Look, even now, if you have a real restaurant whats to stop you from fudging the wine list? The sting was a totally fake place, but what stops you from doing this again? Pay-to-play, thats how it works. Its a revenue generator for the company, thats all.
Now, I do want to point out something in stark contrast. The “American Wine Blogger Awards“. Whenever they come around everyone gets in Tom Wark’s grill about “who are you to judge me” and “what makes you think this award is valid at all”, and so on. I mean he gets HEAVY criticism. Well guess what - its decided on by people submitting nominations, then the finalists are chosen by a panel and voted on by the people again. Oh yeah, and it FREE. In fact, when I offered to sponsor the AWBAs Tom turned that down. So even though its not perfect I view it kind of like how I view the American Democracy - its not perfect and sometimes its not fair (just look at my tax bill every f’in year), but its about the best you’re gonna get!
It would be hard to guess that this came from the same vineyard as the recent Faiveley Santenots. The Faiveley was more butch, and perhaps longer - an ‘hommage’ to the style of Lafon - but the width and complexity of fruit here seems more ‘Volnay’ though the oak needs to fade a little more. [...]
One of Oregon's better-known Pinot Gris producers, Ponzi Vineyards, will be hosting a wine event this Sunday, July 13 2008. Between 5:00 and 9:00 PM, Ponzi is offering wine, music and bocci ball --- that oh-so neglected game from our Italiano ancestral roots. The event takes place at Ponzi Vineyards' main estate lawn. There is no need to RSVP, but they ask that you leave any dogs at home, so there aren't any landmines left for the bocci players!
This one is not exactly a small winery and definitely a bit more flashy than many others. Woollaston Estates was formed in 2000 - with some creative passion. You can see that in the design of the winery building itself as well as the myriad pieces of art and sculptures around. This one is worth going to just to check out the architecture. While I cannot say that I was impressed with most of their offerings - one did stand out to me and that was their Pinot Noir. Vines are still young but there is a balance here which I find lacking in many others. This is one of the better Pinot if not the best I tried on this trip.
Looking at a design of their winery it seems to be designed around letting gravity lead the flow through the winemaking process . This can only mean it was designed around the careful handling of Pinot Noir. To me, you can taste a big difference in quality between the Pinot and their other wines. It was as if the other wines were intended for bulk sale in order to finance the winery and perfecting the Pinot.
2007 Nelson Pinot Noir. Black cherries, some depth might be due to clay soil with "good/smooth" tannins and a decent finish. 89 points
We hopped in the car with some friends yesterday and went on a little day trip to Chicago to take in WIRED magazine?s 2008 NextFest , an annual exhibition of emerging technologies.
While not nearly as grand in scale as the 2005 event on Navy Pier, this year?s show in Millennium Park still packs a lot of wow factor in its exhibits ? and admission is free. We were greeted outside the tent by a whimsical, grass-clipping electronic sheep (which later had to be corralled inside after a light rain began to fall). Once inside, there were exhibits relating to about every aspect of modern life, including clothing, art, design, health, transportation, communication, entertainment and the environment.
Toyota, which along with Xerox and Citi is one of this year?s major sponsors, brought along a range of transportation exercises ranging from personal vehicles (imagine a luxurious Segway) to its plug-in Prius, a pre-production model that is currently undergoing real-world shakedown tests. Toyota also is showing its 1X concept vehicle , a lightweight (980 lbs.), fuel-sipping (90 mpg) four-passenger vehicle suitable for urban environments.
Xerox focused on green technology, including its solid-ink printer technology that reduces waste by 90 percent and is much more cost-effective than conventional color printers and a paper that printing fades from over a 24-hour period so that it can be reused. Those who value the permanence of print might find this a strange product, but Xerox was motivated to develop it after determining that more than 40 percent of office printouts are discarded the same day they are printed. Obviously, the potential savings in money and resources made possible by such a technology are enormous, particularly for school systems, large corporations and governmental entities.
In the energy and environment section, a technology that rapidly makes diesel fuel from algae and ultra-efficient photovoltaics that convert 40 percent of the sun?s energy to electricity ? up from 15 percent for conventional solar panels ? were the standouts. For photographers, the Gigapan technology developed by NASA and Carnegie Mellon University is exciting, and apparently will be surprisingly affordable. And while it seems unlikely that you?ll ever see them at Bed, Bath and Beyond, the food-delivery systems created by designer Martin Kastner for chef Grant Achatz will give foodies something to drool over.
Nextfest?s run will continue October 7 through 12 (the show is closed on Mondays). If you get there early, you could have time to wander through the Art Institute across the street or head down to the Museum of Science and Industry to tour the modular, green smart home which will be on display through January 4 of next year. If your route to Chicago takes you up I-65, be advised that major highway construction will cause you to take a detour , whether your preferred route is the Tollway or I-80/94.
The 2008 Miami International Wine Fair featured the usual aisles of wines and wine sellers, and the usual throngs of wine enthusiasts, and the usual clique of ink-stained wretches like myself who were there to ...
Despite the kazillion posts of tastings these days, it's not something I get to do nearly as often as I like. Sure, I do a lot of in-store tastings where I pour a couple of my wines to innocent by-standers, but a full-on tasting with some sort of reason to it is somewhat rare. It's for that reason that I get so! stoked! when one comes along.
Betty's, one of my favorite restaurants in Buffalo, is looking to expand their wine program. I spoke with Carroll, the owner, a few weeks ago about a staff training to go through their entire list and explain the differences between grapes and styles and what foods to pair them with. This was a pretty monumental task; everything they have is by-the-glass, and they have about 20 or so wines to get through. This may not sound like a lot, but since the staff was bent on not spitting, you can see the potential for mayhem. Anyway, I was over there last night and the chef prepared nibbles to go with the tasting. Predictably, the room got exponentially louder as we made our way through, but hopefully it was a good exercise to taste them all side-by-side, if for no other reason than to taste how awesome Sauvign
Tecnorati
We hopped in the car with some friends yesterday and went on a little day trip to Chicago to take in