Learn How To Easily Find Wines Of $50 Quality For $10 Or Less. Impress Friends With Your Expanded Wine Knowledge. Eliminate Your Dependence On Wine Salespeople. And Take The Hassle Out Of Buying Wine.
Earn $6.17 / Sale! %75 Commission! The Ultimate Resource For Anyone Who Wants To Learn How To Make Outstanding Wines & Spirits From Their Very Own Home!
The Keys to the Cellar always wondered what really goes on in a moravian wine cellar? Moravia abounds in wine cellars and hospitable accommodation; and Czechs seem instinctively to know just where to go and what to do (or not) to capitalize on the benefits of their annual wine harvest. For the rest of us, though, the idea of surrendering our sobriety to a strange host in a strange cellar in a strange language can be a little intimidating. So here are just a couple of sure bets when you want to sample the true tas
Napa Vacation - Courage - Three Cups of Tea I am still in Napa. Last night I walked down to the vineyards while Cody laid by the pool (overlooking the vineyards) at The Wine Country Inn. I sat under a tree. It was wonderful to hear the birds chirping, the crickets to my left and to my right was a large rabbit moving about the vineyard. The sounds of nature, the breeze and the visual beauty was so peaceful. Cody and I listen to stories of courage from people all over the country. It is always good to get away and renew perspective. I
The Circus, the Symphony, Fall Music Festival, Morton Pumpkin Festival, Miss Saigon, HSM2 & More! Congratulations to Don Baker, Marcy Jo Zacher and Teresa Mack, our winners of a pair of tickets each to the Fall Music Festival on Sat. Sept. 13 at Glen Oak Park valued at $20 each. ______________________________... Eastlight Theatre?s Youthlight presents Disney Channel?s smash hit musical, High School Musical 2 continues tonight, Friday & Saturday at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $16 for adults and $8 for students 18 & under. Call 699-SHOW to purchase tickets.
Luxury Motor Coach Balcony - Country Coach Veranda Series those of you who are always looking for the next luxury product to one-up your friends, you may be interested in the newest addition to Country Coach?s line of luxury motor coaches. A high-end motor coach is the Rolls Royce of the RV industry. I?m sure you?ve seen those opulent homes on wheels that give [...]
Hummingbird Central There is something about this piece of land here at Heritage Oak that attracts an impressive variety of wildlife. It has a lot to do with the presence of the Mokelumne River, which boarders the property for a mile on the south and south-eastern sides, and our twenty acres of native oak woodland. Wildlife is so prolific here that one Mothers? Day a few years back, I spotted and listed over fifty species of birds alone. For me, however, the most incredible wildlife population is not along the
Blackberries are ripe! This past weekend we had a Hoffman Family reunion here at the winery. About 60 people from all over came to the event. It was great to see all the aunts, uncles, cousins, their children and their children?s children. After lunch, most of them went down to the beach with the intention of floating down the river and playing baseball out in the meadow. But almost everyone got side tracked by the blackberries. It was fun watching them get buried in the blackberry bushes while they gorged themse
The Cottage at Paradise Ranch I had the good fortune to photograph The Cottage at Paradise Ranch recently. It?s the perfect place for a quiet stay in Paso Robles. Located just 10 minutes or so east of town, near Creston and Geneseo, The Cottage is country living with the near-by convenience of Paso?s great restaurants, wineries and shopping. Paradise Ranch is the home of Robert and Nancy Woodrum. The Cottage is a separate, 2-bedroom house that?s available through Paso Robles Vacation Rentals. To inquire about a short- or lo
From the Album ?The Best of Buzz Carlton? the Album ?The Best of Buzz Carlton? Posted in Country, Singer/Songwriter, Blues, Country Folk, Music, Buzz Carlton, Get it at I-Tunes, Best Song of 2008, Fastest Rising New Star, Fastest Rising Star, Buy Buzz's New Album, Buy Buzz's Album, Sun Sessions Again, Rascal Flatts, George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Johnny Cash, June Carter, Carrie Underwood, Tim Mcraw, Brad Paisley, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Neil Young, Toby Keith, Jimmy Buffett, Taylor Swift, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Alison K
The Star-Spangled Banner Star-Spangled Banner May 2nd, 2008 by millhouse Edit | Get your copy of ?The Star-Spangled Banner? as performed by Buzz Carlton.
Pick Up Good Ideas and Fine Wine to Pair with Your Healthy Lifestyle! Red wine?s reservetrol, and the relaxation that results from a glass of wine continue to make the news. It?s been reported in magazine articles, Internet, radio and television news, blogs ? just about everywhere that wine has positive health benefits. This Saturday, at the Wine and Healthy Living Dinner and Discussion at Tassel Ridge Winery, you can enjoy a savory food and wine pairing, and pick up some ideas ? and good wine ? to pair you?re your healthy dinners at home. Nutritionist
After an initial wave of entangled, bowed-string dissonance, you'll soon find yourself struck by how closely this album orbits the Current 93 sonic globe, with Stef Irritant's vocals all-but imitating David Tibet's devilish delivery. There's less of an obvious folk influence at work here though, and 'Between Skylla And Charybdis' is a more of a diabolic avant-rock incantation than doom-folk prophecy. Next comes the medieval organ tones and ceremonial repetitions of 'Dyptich', whose title, in conjunction with those contrivedly silly vocals invites some sort of joke involving the word 'dipstick'. Finally, 'Miserere' arrives at the sinister, pagan folk recipe Nebulous Dreams has been hinting at all along, installing some bells, fingerpicked acoustic guitar and (more likely than not) a Maypole. Info stolen from; Boomkat
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.
After having a look through the supermarket shelves for the first time in ages I was actually pleasantly surprised that there were quite a few decent mid-range wines on offer.
I don't think that makes up the majority of wine sold to their customers and if you regularly go to just one supermarket branch I think you'd get bored quickly.
However the point is that there are some good even great wines being offered. I have been especially impressed with Tescos and Sainsburys premium own brands which have gone to specific regions and made authentically regional wines. Sounds easy but too often I have drunk a winemaking- rather than wine- style.
Over the past three weeks Waitrose put on their annual press tasting showing their 270 wine range. For the first time all the fine wine was shown together with the everyday drinkers. This was an admirable show of confidence in all of the wines but did lead to a couple of unfairly marked contrasts - a 2005 Fitou after a 2003 Ch Mouton Rothschild 1er cru Pauillac (delicious, by the way). However despite this I think it was a brilliant way to show the wines and a thoroughly enjoyable tasting.
It would be too long to list all the wines here so I will add a new section to the site for tasting notes from various merchants etc and publish them all together. As soon as time allows. Highlights though for me, apart from the Mouton Rothschild were Corton-PougetsGrand Cru 2003 from Louis Jadot, Ch Lagrange2000 St Julien, Ch Rauzan-Ségla1998 Margaux, Ch Cos d'Estournel2003 St Estèphe.
Yes ok, not exactly hard to have picked those out, there were also lots of more affordable lovely reds, Ch d'Aiguilhe2002 Côtes de Castillon - a former neighbour of mine though I didn't hang out with the Count, Cuvée Constance 2004 VdP des Côtes Catalanes + lots more - 2004 Gigondas from Gabriel Meffre, CNdP 2004 from Perrin et Fils and I haven't even left France yet. Ormanni Chianti 2003, Viña del Olivo2001 from Contino in Rioja, Columella2004 from South Africa, Craggy Range Le Sol Syrah2004 from New Zealand, Cape Mentelle Cab/Merlot2004 from Margaret River in Western Australia and the fabulous O'Leary Walker duo with their Claire O'Leary Reserve Shiraz 2002.
The whites, tasted the week before, were of a similarly high standard. There was a consistent level of quality and of typicity across the range. Again some fabulous Burgundy leading ladies but also a Ch Jolys Jurançon Sec 2005, another VdP des Côtes Catalanes Matassa Cuvée Marguerite 2005, CVNE Monopole Rioja Blanco 2005 a super food wine, Cono Sur's dependable Limited Release Gewurztraminer 2006, Villa Maria Single Vineyard Graham Sauvignon Blanc 2005, Torbreck Woodcutter's Semillon 2003 - outstanding, I thought. O'Leary Walker Polish Hill River Riesling 2006, Paul Blanck Riesling Grand Cru Schlossberg 2002 from Alsace.
Some of the top wines are only available in a very few stores, even only one store in a couple of cases and clearly there are limited stocks. However Waitrose are taking themselves very seriously as wine merchants and are doing a better job than any of the other supermarkets on current evidence. Their new winelist is as good as anything a very good independent merchant would produce with introductions to countries and regions, tasting notes and lots of helpful information.
It is no surprise that this year they scooped two top awards : the International Wine Challenge Supermarket Wine Retailer of the Year 2006 and Decanter World Wine Awards Best Supermarket 2006. Congratulations.
If you have a Northern English twang to your voice then “The Aunts” sounds like “The Ants”. It can be quite confusing. In the past I’ve asked for certain drinks at the bar only to be met with a blank stare and incomprehension. Luckily I now sound quite Australian, all things being equal, so now [...]
Dave Sclarow has been spotted in recent weeks at the Brooklyn Flea in Fort Greene, toting a homemade brick-and-concrete pizza oven mounted on a boat trailer.
Some food and wine connoisseurs have made food and wine pairing so rigid that they are missing the point completely.New food and wine pairings are all about bending the rules to suit your palate
You cannot have a better match with a plate of salumi than with this wine. Chill it up a little bit, and start your engines. From the Grasparossa grape, I took a bottle over to a chef from Emilia-Romagna the other day. He has known me for years, but has rarely if ever acknowledged my presence in his world. When I handed the bottle to his son to give to him, you?d think I was his long lost cousin. His eyes lit up, he smiled, he liked me. He really, really, liked me. I owe it all to this friendly little Lambrusco.
Served slightly chilled, it is frizzante, and enters with a burst of slightly under-ripe dark cherry notes. Then the fruit kicks in and there, all of a sudden, you have a party on your palate.
Note: this wine is bone-dry.
Get yourself hooked up with a Lambrusco like this. It takes the snob off the table. It?s subtle and bold, delicate and a romp. It?s a serious wine that laughs at itself. Go get yourself some.
One of New York?s most renowned and important collectors celebrated his 50th birthday in fine fashion recently at Bouley?s private ?Test Kitchen? here in New York City. David was at the top of his game for the twenty-some-odd courses that came out. Although the tables were set, it ended up being more of a cocktail [...]
Light and spicy, with clove and pepper overtones to the lime and green apple flavors, persisting on the lively finish. Drink now through 2010. 23,000 cases imported.
This is a relatively small production wine that I've never seen in a store. While on a recent business trip, I spotted this wine on a restaurant wine list and decided to check it out.
All the big, bold fruit of Napa is on display along with some well-integrated signs of oak. I really enjoyed this wine. Thanks to Philippe and Cherie Melka who put a lot of attention into this wine and have named it after their two children.
If you happen upon this wine, you'll probably see it priced around $45 or so. I paid $83 in a restaurant which was money well spent. Raise a glass!
After a few days in the rarified air of Marfa, Texas, I have had a few moments to do a little navel gazing. Take this one or leave it, as it applies to you. Or doesn?t. That being said, don?t we all have, at one time or another, moments where we look around our environment and notice the world that we have landed in and ask ourselves if this is what we intended to do?
Mind you, this isn?t a crisis post. I?m not telegraphing back to home base that I won?t be returning. Well, maybe a part of me won?t ever be back. But every time I get on the wine trail a part of me is left behind and a newer segment grows in its place.
One of the fascinating aspects of being in Marfa during the run up to the Chinati Foundation annual hoe-down, is this congregating of intellectual and artistic energy that appears to have broken away from the bubble of the everyday reality we all seem to get trapped in. The Dow drops to 8500? Where is the wine for the governor?s dinner? 159,000 jobs lost? An installation for an artist is previewing in the desert today. The G7 is meeting in emergency session with the IMF? Artist Eugene Binder on the main street is moving his three vintage Porsche Speedsters out of his gallery so he can make room for the folks coming to town.
After a visit to a handful of accounts ( El Cheapo, Pizza Foundation and the Thunderbird Lounge) we headed out to Alpine, Marathon and Midland. In Marfa I had been invited to ?curate? a wine list for one of the local patrons, who also are big wine fans. They are also looking at a property in Montalcino to invest in, land and a winery. The wine trail winds and turns and points towards many destinations.
This week I had a Carbonara that folks anywhere would be proud of. Pizza that merited a second piece. Restaurants like Cochineal and Maiya's, with a passion for food and wine. And saw a love for Italian wine from the artists and intellectuals of a small west Texas town that I could only wish larger urban areas would aspire to. Go figure.
Maybe it is something about the confluence of a zone that attracts art and intellect that also is amenable to things Italian? I know this to be the case all over Italy, maybe Marfa is a vortex that squeezes a drop of Italy onto the canvas and exposes the native energy to the ancient? Or maybe I am just a kook?
Lesson learned this week: Do what you love, even if you don?t sometimes know why you do it or even what it is.
Repeat as needed. Repeat as needed. Repeat as needed.
First Press - the UK wine trade’s first fully-interactive Ezine, has just launched featuring an interview with JancisRobinson. First Press has been produced by Nicky Burston of World Wine Agencies. It has a lifestyle look and feel and is easy to download, or email directly to friends. Issue 1 of this new quarterly features wine celebrity interviews and podcasts, up-and-coming news and events and includes a prize draw for tickets to Old Trafford.
The Pride of New York Harvest Festival at the Desomond Hotel in Albany, New York was a wonderufl success. Many celebs of the New York wine world were seen walking the floor, including Hunt Country's Art Hunt, Fox Run's Scott Osborn, Matt Spacarelli of Benmarl, Chris Reno of Lafayette Reaneau, and many other winery owners and winemakers, as well as scurrying sales staffs.
Its been a good year for many wineries, and this event was a great mixture of New York gourmet foods and New York wine.
I helped out at a trade event in London devoted to Sauternes and Barsac the other week. Entitled ?Sweeties with Savouries? it set out to show how both Sauternes and Barsac can be drunk not only with the usual foie gras and desserts but also with all the courses of a complete meal. With courses ranging from roquefort crème brulee with figs (see picture) through roast Moroccan quail with sweet potato mash to blue cheese cheesecake, the food was absolutely wonderful. Attendees were then asked to vote for which wine made the best match with which course. There was quite a lot of agreement about which of the 16 wines went with which of the 5 courses but there were also many individual opinions. As with wine tasting there is no definitive answer in the area of food and wine matching.
Tasting through the 16 wines was an education in itself. Considering they were all the recently bottled 2005 vintage, there was a range of aromas from honey, peach, minerals and smoke to flavours on the palate of marmalade, peach, citrus and honey. There were also subtle but significant differences in the weight and texture on the palate. The differences can be understood when looking at the percentages of grapes with everything from 90% semillon and 10% sauvignon of the premier cru classe Chateau Clos Haut-Peyraguey through to the 70% semillon, 25% sauvignon and 5% muscadelle of Chateau d’Armajan des Ormes. The aging process whilst broadly similar in length of between 18 and 24 months, varies according to the percentage of new barrels used.
The key to good Sauternes and Barsac, apart from the terrroir, is the botrytis that is required to shrivel up the grapes and concentrate the sugar in the grapes. From talking to several of the producers the 2007 vintage was going to be a worry as the summer was cool. However the autumn was as hoped with cool misty mornings followed by sunny afternoons, the perfect environment for the ?mushroom? spores of botrytis cinerea to develop.
There is a much history associated with the ownership of the chateau in Sauternes with many of them having been in the same family for generations. Check out the web site of Chateau Dudon if you want some history of a typical family owned Sauternes producing chateau.
There's nothing particularly hard about this. It's a play on the age old theme of sweet and sour. First cook your beets (I used 4 medium ones, scrubbed and baked for 90 minutes in an oven @ 200C), then once cool enough to handle, remove the skin and cut into bite size wedges. Segment two oranges and add to the beetroot. Then - add a few handfuls of walnut fragments, a scattering of fresh herbs (parsley plus or minus coriander), a splash of olive oil and salt and pepper as desired. Leave for a few minutes, so the colours can bleed and combine, then serve.
Today marks the start of the American Wine Blogger Conference. Joel Vincent, the unstoppable force behind the 2000+ member Open Wine Consortium, has taken it upon himself to create a 3 day Wine Blogger Conference to gather retailers, wineries, tradesman and wine bloggers alike to discuss the current issues surrounding the world of wine blogging. After having survived our own event, it’s strange how we look back at the first day of the European Wine Bloggers Conference and feel the same excitement, trepidation, joy and anxiety as we assume Joel is feeling now. There are no guarantees that an event will go smoothly, but the beauty of the AWBC is that it will be bringing together people who have already formed a relationship online, and who will now finally be able to put a face to the name. Honestly, the experience is amazing, and we can only wish Joel and all of the organizers the absolute best in making this conference everything they hope it to be.
GOOD LUCK and enjoy the ride! There really is something powerful about meeting with your virtual friends in an environment full of good food and wine. Our hats off to all the bloggers in attendance, and we can’t wait to hear all about it!
Iberian Map
Onto other news, Catavino is excited to be officially distributing the Delong Iberian Wine Map out of our small home in Terrassa, Spain. This was done to help reduce shipping costs from the USA, and for now, we’re only shipping to EU countries, though feel free to contact us if you live outside of the EU, and we’ll see what we can do! Having spent the better part of Monday going from wine retailer to wine retailer, the responses have been incredible. From “wow, this is really impressive” to “I had no idea there was a Vino de Pago there!”, it is a great reference to hang on your wall as you follow our adventures through our articles. If you live in the EU, order the Iberian Wine Map now! Supply’s are limited, or at least until we order more!
Wine of the Week
Some of you know Ryan was in La Rioja last week. He had a great time and posted a series of fun 12 second videos as they crawled for Tapas on Calle Laurel. He also had the pleasure of staying with Robert McIntosh and his lovely family, drinking a lot of fun wines! One particular wine literally shocked him, reinforcing one of the many reasons why he loves Spain. The 1998 White Wine (yes 1998) Gravonia from Bodegas Todonia, which they enjoyed at lunch time in the beautiful town of Briones, ran them a whopping 12.70 euros!!!!! No really, it did! That’s a 10yr old white from one of the most important wineries in Spain, and to top it all, it tasted like a 50euro Burgundy. Rich and full bodied with a huge amount of acidity, this wine was a wine Ryan could drink to no end. An hour later, after the wine warmed a touch, it was even better, with creamy touches and lemon balm notes. They ate it with suckling pig, and while the waitress opted to point out that it was white and not red, so that the foreigners wouldn’t be surprised, Ryan was pleased to see the acidity and richness of the wine paired wonderfully with the rich pig.
It’s a 100% Viura from their own vineyards, aged in barrels for 4 years, racked twice per year and fined with fresh egg whites. Labeled as a Crianza, it is only a Crianza in terms of what Todonia defines Crianza. If you want a value and great wine when ordering in Spain, you really can’t do wrong with Todonia wines. That said, this one is a treat, so definately seek it out!
Cheers and Have a Great Weekend!
Ryan and Gabriella Opaz
PS from Ryan: On a final note, I did return to Monvinic. If you read my last report, you can tell that weren’t impressed. Granted if you like a place that is highly designed, and chic, it?s right for you. That said, I went back to visit after receiving a comment on Catavino from one of the sommeliers apologizing for the service we received. I only stopped into talk and did not stay for a drink, but was privy to more information about the project.
Monvinic is funded by a wine lover with money. The aim is to build a monument, and center, to wine that allows one to simply enjoy a glass or become a member. Members can enter the wine library, which is indexed and searchable, containing a wide range of wine literature and leading wine rags. I love the idea, and I understand the yearly fee, though I would like to see this part opened up to the public in some way. If you really want to spread the word about wine then these tools would naturally do a lot of good in the hands of an amateur wine lover who is not willing/able to pay the annual fee, or even someone traveling through who just wants to quickly reference something. Maybe they can create a 5 day pass at some point or a limited membership? I know that it would appeal to me, since I read Parker about once a year, and don’t particularly need a monthly subscription!
To be honest, it?s a very nice place, and Isabelle the French sommelier who showed me around is a passionate woman with an open mind. I will go back, but it will take time for it to grow on me. Having been open since July, they are still working out the kinks. They are unique in that they have an amazing collection of wine, and a policy of buying wine at auction that has spent little time on the road. Hence, they don?t buy French wines in New York or South African wines in London. They figure that would be too much travel for such treasures. Then again, they do buy wine in New York and it does travel to Spain, so take it for what it?s worth.
One last point which is very important for all wineries, restaurants and retailers to take notice of: a sommelier from Monvinic actually took the time to comment on our site. Not only that, but they took the time to leave an apology, publicly, that not only led to me to revisit their business, but also gave me a deep understanding of what the internet can do for them. My article was somewhat harsh, but they played ball, as it were, and joined in. I want to compliment them for this and to thank them, otherwise, I might not have taken the time to give them a second chance.
I have a lot more to say about Monvinic, and we?ll see how often we return. Maybe in te future, I’ll take some wine geeks there for a dinner, as I have a feeling this is exactly what this restaurant was made for.
After a year hiatus in Aspen, Daniel Johnnes brought the glory of La Paulee back to where it belongs in New York City, and over 500 hundred of the country?s most eager and avid collectors descended upon Manhattan like phylloxera to old vines for a celebration of what many feel are the world?s most desirable [...]
The Saleschick of the Year Award has been awarded to me.
And here's why: At a tasting in a southern suburb of Buffalo yesterday, I sold over a case of a 2005 Altesse.
You read right: Altesse.
I began each pour with the caveat of "I have to warn you, this is a weird one.." I went on to describe the odd almond/cheese/metallic notes that make it a partner for fondue and therefore gravy. I know, the two have NOTHING in common, but it worked, and I honestly do think it would pair well. One woman even bought four bottles, putting back the Chardonnay she was going to serve at Thanksgiving.
In a search for a photo of Altesse to go with this blurb, I re-found one of my favorite sites: The Wine Info Site. In addition to having photos of some supremely esoteric varietals (y'all can find those Hungarian grapes there, if you guys are reading this!), The Wine Info Site is apparently out of The Netherlands and the English translations are sometimes hilarious. Case in point: Altesse is a full-bodied grape variety with plenty of taste, for white wine. It is grown in the Savoie, France. This grape is also called Roussette and produces strong wines with a pleasant dosis of acidity and a herbal taste with a touch of mineral.
I do totally agree about the herbal taste with minerality, but what the schmeck is a 'dosis'? Is that the Latin plural of 'dose'? And I adore that Altesse has plenty of taste "for white wine."
The mood was festive, as it always is, at the BCWAS Christmas party and tasting. Plenty of sparkles and bling were in evidence as our usual gang of suspects gathered to check out a selection of Christmas offerings from around the province.
Naturally, there was sparkling wine to start the evening ? Steller?s Jay from Sumac Ridge and as you can see at the right, owner Harry McWatters himself was pouring. Wonderfully yeasty and a perfect complement to the freshly shucked oysters that were part of the smorgasbord of delectable nibbles. And Frank said he was going to be late? snicker. So of course, I just had to check that particular pairing again on my own.
During the course of the evening the food seemed endless and conversations delightfully varied ? wandering from the newest VQA stores in everyone?s ?hood to the emerging trend of creating strata housing developments amid the vines of established wineries to which grape varietals are best suited to BC and how that varies between the Okanagan and Vancouver Islands. But always, we came back to the main event ? the wines themselves. Picking a favourite was, as expect, a tough call, but by the time Frank got there, it seemed pretty much narrowed down to two.
From one of our favourite Gulf Island Wineries, Morning Bay, Keith (shown below with Francis, BCWAS' financial wizard) and Barbara had brought an unannounced bottle of their new release Bianco. Crisp and clean, with medium plus intensity of citrus with a hint of floral on the nose, Frank?s eyes took on that glint of appreciation when we went back to this one, and he was soon deep in conversation with Keith about the four strains of yeast used ? one for each of the grapes that make up this summer sipper blend: Schonberger, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, and a touch of Riesling. All are vinified separately with the Riesling adding just a touch of orchard fruit. Made in a bone dry, Alsace style, Frank?s first thought was oysters or shellfish ? especially if you can?t find a Muscadet. At that point I didn?t have the heart to tell him about the earlier nibblies he?d missed.
A highlight of the evening, one that had attracted a huge amount of anticipation was the 2004 Nota Bene from Black Hills. Considered something of a cult wine among BC wine fans, this Bordeaux blend (43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc) is filled with black fruit plus a hint of cherry with cedar and pencil shavings. We agreed it was well balanced with fine-grained tannins.
Unfortunately, if you?re thinking of nipping down to the store to grab a bottle or two, think again. This wine sells out year after year ? unless you?re on their list, you likely won?t find any unless you can snag a bottle at a local restaurant or visit their Okanagan winery for yourself. Admittedly it was quite delicious. Still, at $35 seemed a bit pricy and in many ways remains an example of one of the biggest issues many (both of us included) believe the BC wine industry in gen
Tecnorati
We hopped in the car with some friends yesterday and went on a little day trip to Chicago to take in 
You cannot have a better match with a plate of salumi than with this wine. Chill it up a little bit, and start your engines. From the Grasparossa grape, I took a bottle over to a chef from Emilia-Romagna the other day. He has known me for years, but has rarely if ever acknowledged my presence in his world. When I handed the bottle to his son to give to him, you?d think I was his long lost cousin. His eyes lit up, he smiled, he liked me. He really, really, liked me. I owe it all to this friendly little Lambrusco.
After a few days in the rarified air of Marfa, Texas, I have had a few moments to do a little navel gazing. Take this one or leave it, as it applies to you. Or doesn?t. That being said, don?t we all have, at one time or another, moments where we look around our environment and notice the world that we have landed in and ask ourselves if this is what we intended to do? 
Mind you, this isn?t a crisis post. I?m not telegraphing back to home base that I won?t be returning. Well, maybe a part of me won?t ever be back. But every time I get on the wine trail a part of me is left behind and a newer segment grows in its place.
One of the fascinating aspects of being in Marfa during the run up to the 
This week I had a Carbonara that folks anywhere would be proud of. Pizza that merited a second piece. Restaurants like Cochineal and 
Maybe it is something about the confluence of a zone that attracts art and intellect that also is amenable to things Italian? I know this to be the case all over Italy, maybe Marfa is a vortex that squeezes a drop of Italy onto the canvas and exposes the native energy to the ancient? Or maybe I am just a kook?
Attendees were then asked to vote for which wine made the best match with which course. There was quite a lot of agreement about which of the 16 wines went with which of the 5 courses but there were also many individual opinions. As with wine tasting there is no definitive answer in the area of food and wine matching.
The aging process whilst broadly similar in length of between 18 and 24 months, varies according to the percentage of new barrels used.
