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I think Frank is having an affair. He mutters her name constantly ? sometimes lovingly, sometimes not so much so. Her picture appears in books on the coffee table, on the dashboard in the truck, even pinned on the bathroom mirror with some unintelligible scribbles and notations below it. I know he sometimes even takes her to bed.
Like all relationships, there is a definite up and down cycle to his infatuation with this woman. As his WSET exam gets closer he finds her more frustrating. At other times, he finds her charming, witty, and distinctly sexy. But he relies on her totally and without reservation. ?I just can?t be without her,? he?ll sometimes confess.
I suspect that if Frank ever actually met her face to face and in person, he would give her the traditional European greeting ? three kisses on alternating cheeks ? right, left, right. He might even hug her.
Tonight Frank writes the vinticulture portion of his WSET Diploma exam. Perhaps when he?s done and the marks are tallied, he will close the Oxford Companion to Wine and Jancis Robinson will be forgotten for a short while. Perhaps. At least until it?s time for the next exam.
Tightly wound, offering firm mineral, dried berry and currant flavors, with a touch of graphite, ending with cedary, earthy notes. Drink now through 2010. 15,000 cases made.
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.
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Au Jardin Les Amis (”The Friends, In the Garden”) is situated in the tranquil Singapore Botanic Gardens, on the second level of an 1920s home. We were seated on a glass enclosed balcony with a relaxing view of the gardens. It is a wonderful setting and was a great place to spend some time on my last day in Singapore.
The service was attentive, professional and was invisible except when needed. The food was very good, it wasn’t innovative - but with clean, elegant and pleasing flavour profiles it was memorable for the taste and technique. I have read that this venue can have good and bad days, and I think this must have been a good day as everything seemed to go well.
Like Iggy’s, the price was more than fair - the meal consisted of an amuse bouche, an entree, consommé, main course, dessert, les mignardises and coffee and cost $52 AUD (including 7% GST and a mandatory 10% service charge) per person plus wine. I guess when every corner of the city has wonderful (and cheap) food, you have to be fair to stay alive.
The wine;
The wine list is extensive and full of very special bottles, as well as being generally well above my budget!
Donnhoff Oberhauser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett 2006 (Nahe, Germany) - 8.5% alcohol - Donnhoff is very quickly heading toward the top of my favourite Riesling producer list. This had aromas of sea salt, pears, tea leaves and mandarin. Delicate and long on the palate, there is some lovely fruit sweetness balanced by superb acidity. Lovely drinking now, but will age well over the next 10 years. 91/100
Bonneau Du Martray Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru 1992 (Burgundy, France) 375ml - 13% alcohol - Golden straw coloured. Butter, sesame, toast and honey aromas on the nose. Rich and creamy mouthfeel, with enough acid to keep the palate from being flabby. Very good length and texture. Drink now and over the next couple of years. 91/100
The food;
Prawn with Basil and Berry Foam with Apple juice
Cougette blossom stuffed with crab meat
Hon maguro with horseradish and roasted sesame dressing
Vine ripened tomato consomme with basil
Lightly smoked ocean trout with apple and fennel salad
Roasted flank steak and braised oxtail in red wine with seasonal vegetables
A16 tops the list of the best wine bars in San Francisco. The owner-sommelier Shelley Lindgren?s wine list is focused on Southern Italian varietals. This wine list is an integral part of the A16 experience and what makes it the best of the wine bars in San Francisco.
Andalu on 16th Street is another one of San Francisco?s finest wine bars. They are awesome because they offer small plates with big flavors. This is one of the San Francisco wine bars that has an approachable wine list and offers 35 wines by the glass. The crowd there is mixed and energetic.
Wine bars don?t usually come as good, or as small, as Bacchus on Hyde Street. Bacchus has knowledgeable bartenders that make innovative saké cocktails and they pour over 50 wines that range in price from under $10 a glass to more than $200 a bottle. The signature drink at Bacchus is their sake-version of the mojito.
Cav is one of the wine bars in San Francisco that takes itself extremely seriously. Cav has a well-chosen wine list of over 300 international wines. Some of the wines on the list are offered by a taste, or the glass. The chef has crafted unique takes on lots of dishes and Cav actually offers a cheese course that is served at the proper temperature and is on par with some of the finer restaurants in San Francisco.
Wine bars like Piccolo on Fillmore street handpick the wines on their wine lists. Piccolo is one of the wine bars that choose limited availability and small production wines. They prefer to concentrate on Italian wines. The owner of Piccolo has wonderful antipasti on his menu. There is fierce competition between wine bars to have the most excellent food to accompany their spirits.
Varnish Fine Art is both an art gallery and one of the top wine bars in San Francisco. The atmosphere at Varnish Fine Art is comfortable and it draws a post-work crowd for beer or wine during happy hour. The wine list at Varnish Fine Art is well chosen and features a number of delicious fine wines, as well as soju and saké cocktails.
I'm on the road for work, which means that I'm reading The Wall Street Journal. This paper is everywhere business travelers are: in lounges, planes, and hotels. I don't subscribe at home, but as it's Friday and the paper was outside my door, I turned to the "Tastings" column written by Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher to read what two of my favorite wine critics had to say. (photo by filtran)
Essentially, they said that expensive wine was so five minutes ago. And then they made a surprising recommendation for this year's "holiday gift pick."
It's not expensive. It's not hard to get. But it will leave you wondering if America's expensive wine habits are on the brink of changing--for the better. What do I think? For my thoughts on their story, click over to Serious Grape, my weekly column on the excellent food site Serious Eats, and get all the details.
POME1998 calvadose and apple juice apertife, It was a limited bottling of 5000, it is apple juice from Normandy aged for seven years in oak then blened with calvadose It is quite dry, with abv of 17 percent, it doesn't have a very strong taste of alcohol, there is a obvious apple taste but there is also a bitter lemon rind flavor, and some pine wood, a slight melon flavor. This is not as good as the 96 that I have but I do really like it and over the last two years it has improved a lot. I have one more I am going to wait another two years to try it, I think I will have the 96 on my nest b-day. not sure though we will see.
A. How can we believe a man who would sell out his friends? B. Who else are you supposed to sell out? You can't betray enemies!
I must admit, there is something about the persona of Luca Zaia that lends well to a merry pasquinade. Maybe it was the Chianti I had tonight. Or maybe it was the fava beans.
When I read DoBi?s recent post, for some reason I just got into a riff and before you know it, we were breaking out the Time Machine and Photoshop and having a fine old time making light of the latest developments in Montalcino.
You can read all about it on DoBi?s blog and on Vino Wire. I'm taking the road less traveled to investigate the strange coincidence of similarities between Dr. Zaia and some famous folks from Hollywood. After all, he is loving the limelight, so why not cast him in the true light of celebrity and exult his magnanimousness?
Being born with a pair of beady eyes was the best
thing that ever happened to me. - Lee Van Cleef
Whether it's threatening winemakers or tending to mad cow disease, celebrity-heroes always have to be seen in action, doing things, making decisions. Don?t forget to bring the blackberry along in case something more important needs to be dealt with, like altering the nature of Brunello or making specific wine more universally nondescript.
Thank you Dr. Zaia, for going after weak insipid Brunello in Montalcino, rather than looking for tainted milk from China in Italy.
The Lone Ranger: Only you, Tonto, know I'm alive. To the world,
I'm buried here beside my brother and my friends... forever. Tonto: You are alone now. Last man. You are lone ranger. The Lone Ranger: Yes, Tonto, I am... the Lone Ranger
No, Dr. Zaia, you are the Lone Ranger. Um, that right, Kemosabe.
I have hunted you so long, I have become you.
Dr. Zaia, you have become a modern day Zed Zed: What is it you want? Zaia: Sweet death. Oblivion. Zed: For yourself, or for the whole Vortex? Zaia: For Everybody. An end to the human race. It has plagued this pretty planet for far too long. Zed: You stink of despair. Fight back! Fight for death, if that's what you want. Zaia: I thought at first you were the one to help. But it's hopeless. All my powers have gone.
I think what I think. I hate you all.
I hate you all. I hate you all. Including me...
Zed: We've all been used... Zaia: ...and reused... Zed: ...and abused... Zaia: ...and amused! Zardoz: Zardoz is pleased.
How many times do I have to tell you?
Wear your gloves when you handle humans!
Zaia: A planet where rich red wine evolved from light, delicate Sangiovese grapes? There's got to be an answer. Zaius: Don't look for it. You may not like what you find.
Zaius: Have you forgotten your scripture, the thirteenth scroll? "And Proteus brought the upright beast into the garden and chained him to a tree and the children did make sport of him." Zaia: Green grapes are good, all grapes are good, all grapes are Brunello. Zaius: The Forbidden Zone was once a paradise. Your breed made a desert of it, ages ago.
Well, Clarice - have the lambs stopped screaming?
Sangiovese, blood of Jove. Isn?t that enough to make Brunello a winner? "I do wish we could chat longer, but I'm having an old friend for dinner."
A superb recent dinner at Azuma. The food was some of the very best that I’ve had anywhere in Sydney and I would highly recommend trying it if possible.
-Pacific Oysters with Ponzu dressing -Prawn Tempura served with curry salt
1982 Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque Light straw gold colour belies the age of this wine. The nose showed aromas of citrus, honey, vanilla and nuts. The palate is fresh, with remarkable vibrancy and acidity. The depth and the length were both outstanding. Superb - looked after bottles will probably get better over the next 6-7 years as well! 95/100
1996 Philipponnat Clos des Goisses Doughy, citrus, talc, raspberry and with some time in the glass some light nutty characters. The palate is undoubtedly powerful, with a rich and creamy mouthfeel. Great length. As it had time to breath in the glass it unwound and just got better and better. Bursting with potential, I was glad to try this young and I hope I have another encounter with it when it has aged. 94/100
2000 William Fevre Chablis Les Preuses Delightful nose of flowers, minerals, honey and a touch of vanilla. The palate has great structure and balance, with fine acidity along its length leading into a long finish. One of the best Chablis I have tried this year, this will get better and I think be close to peaking over the next 5 years. 93/100
2001 Leflaive Chevalier Montrachet Gunflint, florals, chalk and some light oak on the nose. Bold palate with massive intensity and depth of fruit that is tamed by an excellent line of acidity. Well textured and superbly long. Very primary at this stage, I would like to see another bottle in 10 years time. 93/100
- Grilled Chicken Fillet marinated in garlic miso - Grilled Chicken Balls served on skewers - Twice Cooked Duck Breast with teriyaki sauce and yuzu citrus pepper
1990 Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Beze Concentrated and deeply coloured, the nose is expressive and had aromas of redberries, earth, black cherry and dark chocolate. The palate was more refined than I thought it would be based on the nose, it showed some intense fruit but also a lot of class and structure. Beautiful length and quite delicious to drink. Set to improve over the next 5+ years. 94/100
1990 Mommessin Clos de Tart This showed strawberry, cherry, earth and some red floral characters on the nose. The palate is pleasant except for some tannins poking through abruptly on the finish. Based on this bottle, close to its peak. Still a very good wine and I was happy to experience it. 90/100
2000 Leroy Romanee St Vivant Densely coloured. Earthy, spice and black pepper. Brilliance is evident on the palate - textured and layered, there is plenty of complexity here even though the wine is young. Long and balanced, this was delicious now but also has a bright future. 95/100
- Kakuni ? Braised Bangalow Sweet Pork Belly - Wagyu Beef Sirloin Steak served with garlic soy sauce
1995 Ausone Chocolate, cedar, blackberry, minerals and cassis aromas. Rich, deep fruit on the palate. Great balance and the components seem well integrated even at this early stage. Has the structure and depth to improve for the next 15+ years at least. 93/100
1995 Cheval Blanc Seductive nose of musk, cinnamon, red berries and cherry. Silky on the palate, with good complexity and weight. Impressive balance and length. Despite its alluring nature now while young, it does have very good structure and will improve over the next 10 years. 94/100
1995 Lafite Dark purple in colour. Cassis, pencil shavings, chocolate and smoke on the nose. Powerful palate with incredible quality fruit. Balanced, with nothing out of place. Outstanding persistence. This is a brilliant wine, with the potential over the next 20 years to develop into something very special. 96/100
1995 Petrus Powerful blueberry, cedar, tobacco, liquorice and coffee bean aromas comprise the nose. The palate is bold, rich, deep, intense and yet also balanced - with each component in proportion to the other. Layers of flavour and complexity. A great experience. Will improve over the next 15+ years. 95/100
- Vanilla Crean Brulee - Green Tea Ice Cream - Japanese Kyoho Grapes
2001 La Tour Blanche Tropical fruit, ginger, botrytis and citrus peel on the nose. Balanced palate with medium sweetness and lovely crisp acidity. Good length, drinking really well at this young stage. This should develop very well for those that can resist it over the next 15+ years. 92/100
Mahakali is an Indian goddess, the feminized version of Mahakala or Death. Often considered a destroyer goddess in the Hindu tradition and a greater form of the goddess K?l?, Mahakali is often depicted as a sort of warrior mother fighting against hostile forces. She is the Mother Divine.
Perhaps post-punk vocalist Jarboe is another sort of destroyer goddess. After 14 years in front of musical pioneers Swans, her solo career has twisted and turned down darkened hallways and attractive mountaintops with little consideration given to how things appear or how things seem. Instead, Jarboe?s consideration was entirely focused on The Real.
From a milieu of diversity, including snake-handling rituals in the Mississippi delta as a little one and parents who served in the FBI, Jarboe sprang out with a folklore all her own. As she grew into an artist, her ideals of connectivity and united experience never wavered.
Coming after the release of her intense collaboration with Jesu?s Justin K. Broadrick on J2, Jarboe?s MahaKali is an epic journey built around themes of power, restraint, control, and destruction.
Jarboe?s penchant for using her voice to embody various characters bleeds life all over MahaKali. This is less a concept album and more an experience album, leading the listener along a path less traveled. With many similar records, the path less traveled is less traveled for a reason. Such is not the case here, as the versatile vocalist has assembled a collection of tracks of inconceivable importance and significance.
The journey of MahaKali swirls and winds through fabrics of metal, noise, ambience, and orchestral arrangements. By enlisting the likes of Philip Anselmo of Pantera and Attila Csihar of Mayhem, Jarboe?s collective of instrumentalists and power players extends its depth and range considerably. The resulting squall is ferocious yet elegant.
?MahaKali, of terrifying countenance? introduces us to the squall with large textures of sound, unfolding with simple keys over a foggy surface. It is serene, yet something doubtlessly lurks below the water willing to suck us in for all we?re worth. Such is the mystique of Jarboe: there is always something more. As she unleashes her eclectic vocals on the track, the surface gives way to something paranormal, something intoxicating. Info stolen from; blogcritics.org
Sometimes the deals are all about knowing what’s right next door, and sometimes it’s worth asking, “Yeah, but does she have a sister?” Viognier’s Pretty Stepsisters in this issue of the Seattle Weekly I feel bad that there wasn’t room to talk about their BFF, Bourblanc.
India does indeed have a wine industry. It is still nascent at this point, but it is certainly promising. I have tried a Zinfandel that was passable, although it suffered from poor storage, a red Pinot blend that was simple but decent, and a Cab/Shiraz that was very good.
The Cab/Shiraz came from Grover Vineyards which is associated with the Bordeaux wine star, Michelle Rolland, and it showed.
As with China, another country that has had little modern wine experience, India will probably find early success with joint ventures with those from more traditional wine producing regions.
Again, like China, the local population has little to no expectation of what wine should taste like, or in some cases even exactly what wine is. The local wine store we went into actually had no wine. They probably just liked the sound of it on their sign. Our hosts where we are staying have never tasted any wine, and one of our friends asked if it was similar to Tequila. The restaurant we went to last night was decorated with wine motifs, but did not actually have any wine for sale. A decent Riesling would have been a great addition to the meal.
Dry reds remain the wine of choice among those who fancy themselves to be wine lovers, but considering the spicy foods and the difficulty in learning to enjoy something truly foreign, it is probably the slightly sweet wines that will first win over the population here. We saw a program on local TV that featured Grover Vineyards, and the host was unnecessarily apologetic about the residual sugar in the Sauvignon Blanc only to gush about the dry red.
Once more drawing a parallel to China which has a much more mature wine industry, one of the largest hurdles will always be price, but those with ability to afford luxuries always turn to wine first as a status symbol, and eventually for the pure love of it. The attitude towards wine, even among those that have never tried any sort seems to bear this out.
I think it is no coincidence that a country's wine evolution so closely resembles an individual's. It may take a decade or more, but the love of wine is sure to be part of India's culture eventually.
Assuming I can actually find another bottle of wine or three, I will bring you further updates.
If you're not a subscriber to The Wine Front you don't get to see the reviews that are added to the site on most days. In the past seven days the following wines have been reviewed in the Subscriber Only section of this website.
All Saints Estate Chardonnay Viognier 2006 All Saints Estate Family Cellar Marsanne 2006 All Saints Estate Sangiovese Cabernet 2006 All Saints Estate Shiraz 2006 All Saints Estate Durif 2006 All Saints Estate Family Cellar Durif 2006 Aradon Rioja 2006 Casa Santos Lima Quinta Das Setencostas 2005 d'Arenberg Galvo Garage Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Petit Verdot 2006 Dog Point Vineyard Marlborough Chardonnay 2006 Dog Point Vineyard Marlborough pinot Noir 2006 Dog Point Vineyard Marlborough Section 94 2006 Grapes of RossBarossaValley Black Rose Shiraz 2006 Grapes of Ross Barossa Valley Old Bush Vine Grenache 2006 Henry Pelle Menetou Salon 2006 Les Nuages Organic Touraine Sauvignon Blanc 2006 LethbridgeGeelong Shiraz 2005 Longview Adelaide Hills Devils Elbow Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Maison Champy Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2005 MountHorrocksClareValley Shiraz 2005 Piana del Sole Salento Negroamaro 2004 Postcode 2320 Reserve Shiraz 2004 Postcode 2587 Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Punt Road Yarra Valley Shiraz 2005 Punt Road Yarra Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Rymill Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Scorpiiion Barossa Valley Grenache Shiraz Mataro 2006 Scorpiiion Barossa Valley Shiraz 2006 Scorpiiion Barossa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 The Berrio Sauvignon Blanc 2006 Torbreck Barossa The Struie Shiraz 2006 Torbreck Run Rig Shiraz 1995 Torbreck Run Rig Shiraz 1996 Torbreck Run Rig Shiraz 1997 Torbreck Run Rig Shiraz 1999 Torbreck Run Rig Shiraz 1998 Torbreck Run Rig Shiraz 2001 Torbreck Run Rig Shiraz 2002 Torbreck Run Rig Shiraz 2003 Torbreck Run Rig Shiraz 2004 Torbreck Run Rig Shiraz 2005 Tramin Alto Adige Pinot Grigio 2006 Villa terlina Gradale Barbera d’Asti 2004 ($35) VoyagerEstateMargaretRiver Cabernet Merlot 2004
A few weeks ago someone came in and said, ?I have this new wine from Armenia you have to try?. So, with much hesitation I went over and tasted this Armenian wine. I was even less excited when I saw the label and realized that it was a pomegranate wine. It was pretty nasty I must say. But, the folks in Isreal didn?t think so and they made their own version.
Several years before the trend got started, a family in Israel's Upper Galilee region began working to create a tastier and healthier version of the ancient fruit, only to cross their way into yet another huge food market. Their product: the world's first pomegranate wine fit to be sold to international wine connoisseurs.
The craziest part though, in my opinion, is that Pomegranate doesn?t have enough natural sugars to ferment to alcohol. The majority of the time it has to be tampered with to even get it to the alcohol content that it needs to be a wine.
In general, pomegranates don't have enough natural sugar to ferment into alcohol on its own," Leo Open, Rimon's director of international marketing, told ISRAEL21c. "In the past, some people have added alcohol to pomegranate juice to create a form of liquor, but no one has successfully made wine. Our pomegranates are the only ones in the world that have enough sugar to do so naturally."
Hmmmmm.
"Like with all wines, the fermentation process is totally natural," Open says. That being said, pomegranate wines clearly belong to a different class than the typical reds and whites, and Rimon recognizes that the market has to treat it as such, Open says. "We consider it a fruit wine, definitely not a liqueur, and it has to be appreciated in this way."
If you have to tell me that your wine is a fruit wine and not a liquor, that?s probably not a good sign. Here?s my advice, make wine from grapes. That?s it?.it?s simple. Wine= grapes!!
So, in Illinois a police chief has a big beef with big beers. Apparently 22 ounce beers are ending up as trash all over the city and the chief is fed up. He even goes so far as to say?
Police Chief Rich Miller wants to outlaw the sale of beer in 24- or 32-ounce cans, saying those sizes are preferred by trouble-making drunks.Miller says stores sell them in paper bags that conceal them perfectly and end up as litter, and that Granite City would be better off if stores just didn't sell such beers.
So, lemme get this straight, only drunks drink 22 ounce beers?? http://cbs11tv.com/watercooler/watercooler_story_254120050.html
Science Rocks!
Check it out. I found this clip on You Tube for a new robot created by Asahi that pours your beer for you. Sure I have no idea what it is saying (probably something like Americans are retarded) and it takes a little over 3 minutes to pour the damn thing but cool nonetheless. If you?re wasted, or if you?re name is Kipp and are obsessed with beer gadgets I am guessing that it is a necessity!
For years I have loved you. I have sold your wine to people who don?t even know how to pronounce your name yet they always come back for more. I know the quote on your bottle ? ?Through this earth gate, this Torii Mor, we step, to make glad the soul with wine?. I have visited your winery and tasting room, I have bought your expensive single vineyard wines. I loved you Torii Mor. I loved you even after Patty Green left you to make her own winery but I should have known. I should have known that one day one of my undiscovered baby wineries in Oregon would sell its soul for cash. Premier Buying Group from Napa has been buying vineyard land in Oregon in a very deceitful manner and Torii Mor owner Jim Olsen has been the man behind the scenes. Expect a ?Mondavi? like venture that whores out cheap ass pinot noir in your near future.
I went to New York last week and had a great time. I went to the Bubble Lounge which is a restaurant that serves over 350 champagnes by the glass. I was in heaven. I drank the Veuve Cliquot MV "La Grand Siecle". Yep that's right MV - not NV. MV means that they blend vintages. This particular wine was '88, '90, and '95 vintages from Veuve single vineyards and it was well worth every penny I paid for it. Here's a picture. I'd post more pictures but the night went downhill from there and while the pics are very funny, they are also very telling!!!
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
Sometimes, we just don't know how good we have it. May 28th was such a day. An incredible lineup of wines. If that wasn't enough Alan Meadows aka the Burghound was present to talk us through these wines. I will not bore you with individual tasting notes but just suffice to say that there were some great wines - it's just that side by side you begin to split hairs.
Chambertin and Musigny are definitely a cut above Grand Echezeaux. Just more complex. This statement is probably heresy to some and completely obvious to others. Can't win.
Comte de Vogue Musigny is variable and I'm not sure it's quite all there. Something to mull over given the high prices.
On the other hand the 1990 Musigny is a butterfly finally coming out of it's 18 year cocoon. This will need another 7-10 years? - but it's a knockout.
Armand Rosseau Chambertin. Amazing wine, year after year.
Best white of the night '99 CM. Some people liked the '90 but to me that shouldn't be what a CM is about - a little too much flabbiness not enough acidity and minerality. The '96 was a close second - perhaps an off bottle but tonight at least the '99 won on the nose.
Best red of the night was '90 Rosseau Chambertin. On the other hand I think in due time the '90 Musigny will be incredible and possibly better.
Small Plates, Perfect Wines, a new cookbook from Andrews McMeel Publishing, featuring mouthwatering recipes and wine pairing tips, is now on bookstore shelves and available to order online.
Meze, tapas, antipasti, antojitos–no matter what you call them, small plates offer big flavor, and this is a style of dining and entertaining that has taken the country by storm.
Searching out those small dishes with big flavors, Wine Country cookbook author Lori Lyn Narlock presents more than 50 recipes by Kendall-Jackson Executive Chef Justin Wangler and the Culinary Team, with assistance from Lou Rex, Jackson Family Wines Director of Special Events. Wine tips are provided by Kendall-Jackson Winemaster Randy Ullom.
The book is divided into chapters on salads, vegetables, meat, seafood, and desserts, with each delicious recipe paired with one or two wines. The wine information is presented in a conversational fashion, and includes the basics of pairing wine with food.
Tecnorati
A. How can we believe a man who would sell out his friends?
Being born with a pair of beady eyes was the 
The Lone Ranger: Only you, Tonto, know I'm alive. To the world, 
I have hunted you so long, I have become you.
I think what I think. I hate you all. 
How many times do I have to tell you? 
Well, Clarice - have the lambs stopped screaming?
Never send a monkey to do a man's job.
I went to New York last week and had a great time. I went to the Bubble Lounge which is a restaurant that serves over 350 champagnes by the glass. I was in heaven. I drank the Veuve Cliquot MV "La Grand Siecle". Yep that's right MV - not NV. MV means that they blend vintages. This particular wine was '88, '90, and '95 vintages from Veuve single vineyards and it was well worth every penny I paid for it. Here's a picture. I'd post more pictures but the night went downhill from there and while the pics are very funny, they are also very telling!!!
Small Plates, Perfect Wines, a new cookbook from Andrews McMeel Publishing, featuring mouthwatering recipes and wine pairing tips, is now on bookstore shelves and available to order online.