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[11/05/2008, 16:11]

Bartending Like Mom Used To?

…Ok, well my mom anyway. I for one, am not a fan of half the pompous, skinny tie types littering up the well these days. I prefer someone who doesn’t judge and knows when to push another cocktail on me. …WITHOUT regaling me (nay, really just them) with tales of their molecular gastronomic experiments with [...]


[10/10/2008, 02:24]

Magic Wand Makes Wine - And Ego - Bigger, Bolder

zinhle mapumuloThe web site for Philip Stein - purveyor of the new Wine Wand - claims that thanks to this nifty device "The full bouquet and taste of wine can be enjoyed within minutes, not hours." That's a bold statement, but one that can be tested on your very own at home, for the bargain price of just $325. That's right, that's the price of the Wine Wand, which Stein's site describes loftily as "a breakthrough device that uses natural energy to aerate wine, enhancing flavors and aroma almost instantly." Okaaaaay, so where's the catch?

[11/22/2008, 05:00]

De Bortoli Viognier Yarra Valley Estate Grown 2007 $27 (Wine Spectator)

Lithe, silky and delicious for its pear, apricot, peach and spice aromas and flavors, weaving together harmoniously on the long, well-formed finish. Drink now. 3,000 cases imported.
[07/16/2006, 18:30]

zinhle mapumulo
The good wines of the small big companies.
The Malbec 2004 Marguery Family

"FAMILY MARGUERY" elaborates his wines in the locality of Cross of Stone, Mendoza, into Republic Argentina .

"Exclusively we are compromised by the production of wines of high quality "enologica" by means of the use of the last technological advances and in limited items. Our grapes come from ancient vineyards strictly selected of the localities of Uco's Valley (Mendoza - Argentina) seeking to express the peculiar characteristics of every "terroirs", says Marguery.

This wineries of Argentina was founded in the 2000 year. " We look for wines of good concentration, complex and expressive, for it and consistent with our vision, we work in this respect from the vineyard. Everything there speaks about the care and the dedication that we have with our plants wineries. There helps us very much the height that they have on the level of the sea (1.100mts.), the desert conditions of the climate, the poverty of the soil, the thermal extent, that is to say all conditions that favor the ideal development of the Malbec ".

Read more

[03/30/2007, 11:24]

New wine ezine launched

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.

[07/17/2008, 13:25]

More Godello

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.

Imported by Tempranillo, Inc.
[10/06/2008, 19:31]

What ? more punchdowns?

It’s sweatin’ time here again. We brought in the rest of our Pinot Noir last week, and processed about 35 tons in 3 days. We got through that, certainly, but then the monster that rears it’s head as a result is a *@!#-load of punchdowns….needless to say, I’m not very popular around here at the moment.
zinhle mapumulo

Maybe we should go back to doing it the old-fashioned way as it seems like it might’ve been more fun than modern times….at least the old-timers could drink some wine and hike up their skirts while mixing-up their fermenting must!

zinhle mapumulo

[07/27/2006, 17:43]

Thursday, July 27, 2006

Wedding Bells

zinhle mapumulo

Don Ziraldo is the founder of Inniskillin Winery in Canada and is credited with bringing ice wine to the forefront. If you?ve never had it, you should try it. It?s expensive ($100 for a half bottle) but OMG it is divine. I had the Cab Franc Icewine and it tasted like a liquid strawberry shortcake. Anywho, Ziraldo got married this past week to Anna Netter. But here?s the good part. The couple did a press release and here are just a few snipits from their article.
zinhle mapumulo
The 58-year-old Mr. Ziraldo met his bride on the ski slopes of Whistler, but they lived apart for some time, "each continuing to travel and learn from other cultures. Gradually, thanks to their mutual interest in Buddhism, both learned that "there is no fear, only love." At the 2004 Olympic Games in Greece the couple exchanged eternity rings.

Remember that kids ?there is no fear, only love?. WTF? I love it, they exchanged ?eternity rings?. Is that just basically what millionaires call a wedding band? And OMG, that hat and those shoes do not scream millionaire. I do like her dress though.

More details on the wedding: It took place at the jet-set Hotel Traube-Tonbach (Traube means grape in German), which "prides itself on its strictly enforced peace and quiet, and the glamour of its very upscale clientele." The wines were Inniskillin -- natch -- and the dinner menu featured venison and pike. The couple is honeymooning in the Bahamas with friends.

Does it strike anyone else as odd that they took ?friends? on their honeymoon?

Well, we wish you all the best. Cheers Mr. and Mrs. Ziraldo!
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060727.RNOBODY27/TPStory/Business
I smell something fishy

Fact #1
JD Wetherspoon?s is a chain of pubs in England. There are 650 in operation.

Fact #2
Constellation Brands is a wine GIANT. They sell more than 80 million cases a year. They own Alice White, Almaden, Arbor Mist, Cook's, Covey Run, Inglenook, Vendange, Dunnewood, Farallon, Great Western, J. Roget, Marcus James, Paul Masson table wines, Taylor California Cellars, Viña Santa Carolina, Banrock Station, Hardys, Leasingham, Barossa Valley Estate, Chateau Reynella, and Nobilo just to name a few. Seriously, they own hundreds of wineries.

Fact #3
Constellation often does ?private labels?. This means that they take one of their wines, let?s say Alice White for example, and they put it in a bottle with a different label on it. So, if you were a mega retail store *cough Total Wine cough* you could take that Alice White and call it Blue Flame *cough ass in a glass cough* and when people want more, they can only get it at your store b/c the consumer doesn?t know it?s Alice White?.for example.

Fact #4
JD Wetherspoon?s let several different companies compete for their house wine. Whatever wine was the most popular for the trial period would win an exclusive with all of the pubs for a contract valued at nearly 150 million dollars.

Okay, now that we know the facts, let?s look at what really happened. It seems that an email was leaked from the Boss of Matthew Clarks Brands (a division of Constellation Brands) to all of their employees (around 300 people).

Wine distributor Matthew Clark emailed staff asking them to buy up to eight bottles of wine each at JD Wetherspoon's pubs in Bristol - and then claim it back on expenses.
Employees were told to buy Nottage Hill Chardonnay and Shiraz, and Echo Falls - all of which are produced by Matthew Clark parent company Constellation Europe.
If each of the firm's 300 employees had "done their bit" and splashed out on eight bottles of wine, it would have increased sales by 2,400 bottles in the city's pubs - potentially tipping the balance in its favour.
The plan to artificially enhance the wine's popularity was devised as Constellation battled with rival firms for the exclusive rights to supply wine to JD Wetherspoon's 650 pubs
.

Nice. I?d love to buy wine and expense it back to my boss. Somehow I don?t think he?d go for it. I have to say though, this doesn?t shock me so much. I wouldn?t put anything past Constellation Brands. So I guess my point here is know your brands, and know what you are buying.
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article1200200.ece


When pigs fly?I mean drink beer

zinhle mapumulo
So, in Tasmania (off of the coast of Australia) there is a local tourist attraction that has been getting a lot of flack lately. If you go to the ?Pub in the Paddock? you will find Prescilla and PB and they chug beers. But get this, Prescilla and PB are pigs. Yep, people can pay to ? and I quote ? ?pour bottles of beer down the willing throats of resident pigs?.

Dude, I would totally pay to see that. But PETA would like to go on the record and state that they are not down with it and they want to have the pigs rescued.
zinhle mapumulo

"Whilst it is a difficult pill to swallow ... it's certainly not cruelty, unfortunately," RSPCA state chief executive Rick Butler told PETA.

Pub owner Anne Free said Wednesday she was outraged that the tourist attraction had been attacked as cruel in the latest edition of a magazine published by animal welfare group Choose Cruelty Free.
"When it's very, very quiet, I often actually have to go over and give them a couple of drinks because, yeah, they do look forward to it," Free told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio.


Note to self: If you ever go to Tasmania, you must go see the beer swilling pigs!
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/14035561/

Boozehounds

Heartland Brewery has just begun marketing their new beer called Slobber Lager. This non-alcoholic beef flavored beer is made specifically for dogs.

zinhle mapumulo "It's damn good," said Jon Bloostein, owner of Heartland Brewery, after taking a sip.
Polo, a Bichon Frise, took a sniff and slurped down the whole bowl in a few seconds.
Simba, a Shih Tzu, was more hesitant. After several whiffs and plenty of encouragement, he took a few gulps.
But Diva, a Rottweiler, couldn't get enough.
She finished one bowl and moved on to the next. Still thirsty, she sipped from a pint glass, then drank straight from the tap.
"She's a beer drinker!" said Allison Cardona of the ASPCA, who helped bring the dogs, all available for adoption, to the tavern for the taste test.



Um, I am sure the dogs love it but why is the brewer drinking it? Ew! Beef flavored beer? Count me out. My dog is fat enough as it is so he?s definitely not getting any.

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/438150p-369132c.html


How Much??

zinhle mapumulo Schramsberg has just come out with a new sparkling wine meant to compete with the likes of Krug, Dom P., and Cristal. It is called J. Schram Rose 1988 and there were only 800 cases produced. Rarely will you ever see an American Sparkler go for more than $75 but this one??$120.
"It appears in a world where Dom Pérignon Rosé is $200, and Cristal is probably $350. The Krug Rosé is certainly in that range as well," said Shramsberg head winemaker Hugh Davies. "This wine competes with those in terms of flavor, finesse and character.

Yeah, but it?s still Schramsberg and I doubt it competes with Krug. Strike that ? There is NO WAY it competes with Krug. If anybody out there can get a hold of some, I wanna know what it?s like. Ooooh I would love to have it in a blind tasting.
http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Features/0,1197,3361,00.html

Last night was our anniversary so Kipp and I got a babysitter and hit the town. First we went to Milner's in Winston Salem and I had a glass of Renard Rose. It was just kinda meh...
From there we proceeded to go to several different bars and I actually ran into an old sorority sister at Foothills. Anyway we came home at 8:30 (I know, were wild right?) and I fixed Steak with a mushroom and Humboldt Fog (bleu cheese) sauce. We had an '01 Spotteswoode with it. That review will come tomorrow. But for now read my review of Martinelli Pinot that I had at an impromptu wine dinner with Jon and Sam at my house on Sunday.

Martinelli '02 Moonshine Ranch Pinot Noir
The nose was earthy and powdery all at the same time. It also had a lot of blackberry with some hints of white pepper. The palate was all cherry cola and sweet black cherries. There was some hidden acidity on the mid-palate with a very sweet, very lush blackberry jam finish. Yeah, it was over extracted but damn, it was GOOD. I have one more bottle and I think I'll let that one sit for about 3 more years.

Cheers!
[11/19/2008, 15:10]

San Felice Il Grigio Chianti Classico Riserva 2004, Tuscany, Italy

zinhle mapumulo
Its a struggle drinking Chianti without food; insufferable punishment on the taste buds in fact. That sharp, acidic, slightly earthy finish is how the wine is supposed to taste but it's a struggle to consume more than a glass. Rasping if you are subjected to a poor quality bottle.

Add food and it's like drinking a different wine.

But, I hear the masses yell, that is what Chianti is designed for - drinking with food. It is like a television without an aerial; you can use it but it just doesn't work very well. You know you are missing out on the bigger picture.

Two bottles of this rather decent Chianti have been consumed over the last few days. A Sunday roast of beef and Yorkshires was fine. Further complexity was revealed in the flavour but there remained something lacking.

What the roast lacked was the sweet acidity of tomatoes to balance. Step forward a superbly thrown together lasagne. Combining mince beef, plenty of fresh parsley, a splash of red and a tin of chopped Italian tomatoes the wine shone like a beacon . The wines refreshing acidity makes it all the more drinkable. (I'm also thinking lamb would have been a better match, over beef, with the wines acidity cutting through the inherent fat beautifully).



zinhle mapumuloWine Tasting Note: San Felice Il Grigio Chianti Classico Riserva, 2004, Tuscany, Italy
Stockist: Everywine £257 for 12, Italian Wine Society £15.19 £182.28 for 12 [More on Adegga / Snooth]

A richness of dark cherry fruit leads into a twist of acidic bitterness on the finish. Smooth and robust with hints of leather and mixed herbs. but shines with food. Shown to both Slavonian and French oak barrels which adds complexity. 100% Sangiovese. Alcohol 13%.

Scribblings Rating - 90/100 [3.75 out of 5]

zinhle mapumulo zinhle mapumulo zinhle mapumulo zinhle mapumulo zinhle mapumulo
zinhle mapumulo
[11/21/2008, 17:21]

Journeys: Gordon Ramsay, Warm and Fuzzy

Mr. Ramsay is not actually in residence at his latest London venture, the York & Albany, but the place has all his hallmarks: professionalism, attention to detail and tweaks of idiosyncrasy.

[07/09/2008, 21:24]

Ponzi Vineyards Hosting July Event

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!

Visit their website, www.ponziwines.com for more info.
[11/04/2008, 07:26]

Madonna In Concert: Far More Sweet Than Sticky



So my big sister took me to see Madonna last night for my birthday. It's - ahem - a big one, and it's right around the corner. But I digress. Last night rocked, and here's why: Not long after we arrived at the Oakland arena, we stopped outside of our (nose bleed) section to fish out our tickets. As I reached for mine, a woman brushed by me and knocked my tall cup of water all over the floor right at the entrance to our section. Not wanting anyone to miss seeing Madonna on account of a broken neck, we called out for help from two hipster types standing nearby with "official-looking" passes around their necks. "We don't work for the venue" they shot back, and so we were on our own to mop up the mess until a kind woman who DID work for the venue showed up with a mop. As we made our way past these same two hipster-types on the way into our section, one of them followed us up to our seats and sat down right next to me. zinhle mapumulo

[09/19/2006, 02:15]

Big Daddy Merlot 2002

Part of becoming a connoisseur of cheap wines is knowing where to look for them. I’ll share with you one of my little secret places I attempt to seek out cheap wine: the “Reduced for Quick Sale” shelf at your local supermarket. At Meijer, my local super-mega-ultra-store, this shelf is usually located in the bottle return area. Not a very pleasant place to be searching for wines, but just think of it as a treasure hunt! You may find a bounty of cheap wines that you never knew existed.

While picking over the wines yesterday, a cartoon label caught my eye: Big Daddy Vineyards Merlot. I picked up the March 2002 vintage for about 6 dollars.

Why was this reduced for quick sale? Was it worth enduring the stench of the bottle return area to bring home this wine? Yes, yes it was. It’s almost sad that this wine traveled all the way from Argentina to end up in my bottle return area.

zinhle mapumulo

Big Daddy knows how to make a good cheap wine. Believe it or not, the first attribute of this wine I picked up on was the light hint of bacon. Mmm bacon. Who doesn’t love bacon? Big Daddy loves it, that’s for sure. Look at that belly! On top of the bacon was a strong berry with a leathery taste.

If you’re looking for a full bodied cheap red wine with a lot of character, give the Big Daddy Merlot a try.

Rating: 8/10 - High score for originality
Price: 6.00
Place of purchase: Meijer
Vineyard Info:
Big Daddy Vineyards
Mendoza, Argentina
www.bigdaddyvineyards.com

[07/27/2007, 02:31]

Happy Birthday Eddie

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 [...]
[05/12/2008, 17:55]

Interview with Ed Lehrman of Vine Connections: Second Installment

zinhle mapumulo
*What an unusual mix in terms of the international producers you represent?why Argentina, New Zealand and Japan?

- Not really if you consider that Argentina and Japan (Ginjo sake), and to some extent New Zealand, share the same common elements?there are great wines and sake being produced by highly talented winemakers and tojis (master brewers), and they are not getting recognized yet. The quality is already in the bottle?so why should these sell less or get less respect than wine from more obvious regions? We always say that we are really a ?national education company? since we usually explain more than we sell. Our job is to get people to taste these wines and premium sake, and the stuff inside the bottles takes care of the rest. At the heart of this idea is also the notion that in the end, it?s the people you work with who make the difference between mediocre and ?wow!?. We have been lucky, fortunate, and smart (maybe a little of each) to meet and represent some of the top talent in these regions:

Susana Balbo?Crios de Susana Balbo, Susana Balbo signature wines, Nosotros (with Pedro below)

Pedro Marchevsky ? BenMarco

Pepe Galante & Mariano di Paola ? mapema

Luis Reginato ? Luca, Tikal, La Posta

Roberto de la Mota - Mendel

Jose & Pepe Reginato ? Reginato sparkling wines

Guy Davis ? Davis Family Vineyards (Russian River, CA) and Gusto (NZ SB)

13 Master Brewers from all over Japan?each as talented as anyone we have met.

*As someone who deals so closely with Argentine producers, what types of obstacles, limitations and concerns have any of them expressed to you in terms of being able to export and promote their products abroad?

- Well, I want to stay out of trouble here since I travel to Argentina a lot, but let me just say that the Argentine government has historically been more of a hindrance than a help for wine exports. As an example, and hard to believe, they actually tax EXPORTS! Perhaps the bigger obstacle for Argentine wineries is that the economic and political situation is relatively unstable, and when you are in an industry that measures commitment and success over a decade or longer due to capital investment requirements, it is hard to deal with a system that usually looks out only 2-3 years at a time.

*In your eyes, what sets apart these Argentine producers you represent? What do their wines bring to the table of American wine consumers that large-yield, often conglomerate-backed wines simply cannot?

- I alluded to this a bit above when talking about who we represent and why. I think there are three main things that set our producers apart:

1) Our wineries are owned by and have Argentine winemakers who have lived in this unique climate and region for their entire lives. For us, that means that the wines that they make TASTE like Argentine wines, not like some random wine from somewhere in the world. And as talented as some of the flying/foreign winemakers are who are working in Mendoza, I have yet to taste a wine from them that thrills me the way our producers? wines do at the dinner table. And I taste everything from down there.

2) As good as they already are, they are still always trying to learn how to improve their wines, and in today?s wine world, that?s the only way you stay on top. It shows.

3) Obsessive attention to detail seems like an abused phrase, but in winemaking it is crucial and not as common as you would think. Our winemakers are also our close friends and in Argentina that is taken pretty seriously. They make sure that every step is done with the utmost care because they would never want to look their friends in the eye and say, ?uhh..I?m sorry but this wine is just ok because we weren?t really paying close attention when we made it.? Large wineries may be able to solve #1 above, but #2 and #3 are far harder to come by, and that?s probably as true in the US as it is in Argentina.

*Looking ahead?are there any regions Vine Connections is looking to expand its portfolio toward, and why?

- We made a strategic decision a few years ago that we would remain specialists in Argentine wine and Japanese sake. Some importers have gone in the opposite direction and are happy to sell one of everything from anywhere, but we?re just not built that way as people. We started as leaders in both of these categories and we feel the only way to stay out in front is to specialize. That?s why we spend almost a month per year in Mendoza and visit Japan for at least 2 weeks every year. It?s our own ?attention to detail? mantra, and we try to stick to it so that we can look our customers in they eye and say every time, ?This is really great Argentine wine and Ginjo sake?. Every time.

- Fortunately, we won?t be bored since there still plenty of regions and microclimates still left to discover in Argentina.

*Given the nature of the market here in the United States, what advice would you give to consumers who would like be aware of, as well as actually see, a dramatic increase in availability of premium Argentine wines such as those crafted by your producers?

- American consumers have helped their own cause a lot already by being very open to trying wines like Malbec, Bonarda, and Torrontes. I think they will help themselves even further by continuing to experiment with wines at many different prices, not just the ?great values? under $15. Nick and I firmly believe that well-made Argentine wines offer incredible value and over-deliver at all price points. A $12 wine is worth more like $16, and a $30 wine is worth more like $40 when compared to other wine regions of the world. And, of course, you can support quality-focused companies like Vine Connections by paying attention to the importer name or logo (like our compass) that appear on every bottle. As with other wine regions, a good wine importer can be your best friend when you haven?t tried a particular wine yet and would like some assurance that you are going to enjoy it?especially when spending more than $15 or so.
[08/14/2008, 00:00]

Top Gear's Whisky Car

Oz Clarke and James May run racing car on whisky...
[10/02/2007, 05:27]

2006 Muga Roija Blanco

2006 Muga Roija Blanco $12.99 Wine label said: Nothing much… it’s barrel fermented and imported by Jorge Ordonez. Whoopdeedoo. Vineyard66 says: As I am still researching Spanish wines, I’ve noticed that my good friend Bill from California has been spouting off about Muga Roija. Of course, he was speaking about the red wines the area is famous for. I [...]
[10/12/2008, 01:16]

Dogfish Head 90 Minute I.P.A (10.99 per 4 Pack, price varies wildly from state to state.)

zinhle mapumulo

Chateau Petrogasm’s resident beer nut and co-founder, Andrew Stuart, will occasionally be posting reviews of beers both domestic and foreign. We encourage all fans of beer and of Chateau Petrogasm to do the same. A note on the review: Dogfish Head’s 90 Minute I.P.A. has been hailed as perhaps one of the best I.P.A.’s being made in the United States. Brewmaster Sam Caglione is also considered to be one of the most talented and influential Microbrewers working in the beer industry today. I would love to hear feedback on this review, particularly whether or not you find it to be a positive or negative review, and your own thoughts on this beer.

 

-AMS

[12/22/2007, 20:22]

Four Vines The Peasant 2005

Four VinesThe Peasant 2005 $36 Wine Label says: Temprance, like chastity, is its own punishment. 40% Mourvedre, 32% Syrah, 17% Grenache, 7% Counoise, 4% Tannat Rabbi Tuchman says: This Paso Robles wine gets SIX thumbs up from our dinner group. This is not a subtle wine. The descriptors going around the table were “full bodied” and “sharp.” We also [...]
[11/21/2008, 20:28]

Bitten: Seven-P Pasta

A pasta dish whose seven ingredients all begin with the letter P. Weird? Yes. Any others?.

[09/25/2007, 22:40]

Wine Website For Sale

I wanted to let you all know that my Pinot Gris website (PinotGris.Biz) is up for sale. It is full of great, original wine content written by me. It also currently ranks highly with the major search engines:

#3 overall on Yahoo for Pinot Gris (search)
#4 overall on MSN for Pinot Gris (search)
Page Rank = 1 (Google)

I am asking $250 for the site, perhaps less to someone who just wanted the domain name. If I don't sell right away, I will continue to promote it.

zinhle mapumulo
My site is worth $282.
How much is yours worth?



If interested, please reply here
[10/30/2008, 01:10]

lignier-michelot 2004 chambolle les gammaires

2004 Lignier-Michelot, Chambolle-Musigny Les Gammaires Medium, medium-plus cherry-red colour. The nose is understated but shows good depth and there’s no ‘2004 character’. In the mouth it’s serious, with good mid-palate dimension and a good persistence of ripe flavour. Very nice - I bought some more. Rebuy - Yes a lignier-michelot 2004 chambolle les gammaires
[10/29/2008, 02:28]

Red Heads Studio "Yard Dog" 2006 wine review by (PB)

zinhle mapumulo
This Aussie (McClaren Vale) is an unexpected blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Verdot and Merlot presenting with a dark cherry pigmentation with bright red fruit aromas.

Steely palate with good structure, red fruit and a juicy core that is easy to drink and just a nice, fruity wine that is well made. I noted "Buy more" and $10, why not?

Raise a glass!
[03/06/2008, 04:13]

Major accident at Wirra Wirra: CEO announcement

BREAKING NEWS: 10.54 PM AEST March 7 2008

Message from Andrew Kay - CEO, Wirra Wirra:

'An onsite accident occurred at Wirra Wirra yesterday following the collapse of a fermenting tower at our winery in McLaren Vale. A number of fermenters, tanks and a presses have been damaged, resulting in some loss to our 2008 vintage.

'We are currently working closely with the authorities and SafeWork SA to assess the full extent of the damage.

'We’d like to extend our thanks to all the emergency services whose quick action and professionalism were outstanding. Our thoughts are with our young cellar hand who is currently in a serious, yet stable condition at Flinders Medical Centre. We are pleased to hear that he is making positive progress.

'While it is difficult to determine at this time the full extent of wine lost, it is significantly less than has been reported. Some of the wine in tank may still be salvageable, while offers of fruit from growers to offset the loss have been coming in thick and fast. Whilst the loss of wine is important to our business, clearly the safety and welfare of our staff is of greatest priority at this time.

'Workplace safety for all our staff is of paramount importance at Wirra Wirra, and we are thankful no more serious injuries were sustained.

'We’d also like to extend our thanks to the winemaking community of McLaren Vale and our neighbouring districts who have rallied round with offers of help and well wishes; we have been extremely touched by their support and generosity.

Trott produced the first vintage of Church Block back in 1972 “with a little help from his friends”. It looks like history will repeat itself in 2008.'

BREAKING NEWS: 3.13PM AEST March 6 2008

McLaren Vale winery, Wirra Wirra, earlier today suffered considerable damage to its winery when a number of 45,000 litre fermenters collapsed, causing damage to some tanks and presses, and a significant loss of vintage 2008 must and wine.

One cellar hand sustained minor injuries, however no serious injuries have been reported.

The winery has temporarily been shut down, and staff are working with officials to ascertain the full extent of the damage.

Wirra Wirra is unable to determine when the winery will be up and running again.

[10/10/2008, 23:00]

Weekend Words - Sunset

zinhle mapumulo

clouds came into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storms, but to add colour to my sunset sky - rabindranath tagore  indian playwright, poet and essayist. 

You can read a little more about me if you visit Rosella in Italy. She interviewed me about my foodies travel experiences.

[11/20/2008, 20:00]

Ten Wines For The Thanksgiving Table

The holiday isn't the time to pair food and drink. It's to relax and enjoy whatever sips you like.
[11/22/2008, 05:00]

Poças Junior Douro Coroa d'Ouro Red 2005 $12 (Wine Spectator)

Firm, focused and juicy, with good density to the plum, berry and dark cherry flavors. The spicy finish features medium-weight tannins. Drink now. 20,000 cases made.
[10/16/2008, 20:34]

Paso Robles Harvest Wine Weekend Begins Tomorrow

Harvest Wine Weekend:
The celebration of the season starts tomorrow...
Begining Friday, October 17 Paso Robles Wine Country will kick off three days of celebration in
zinhle mapumulo recognition of the most important time of year - Harvest!

Have you made your plans to attend a wine maker dinner, open house, grape stomp, seminar, or any other unique opportunity during Harvest Wine Weekend? Click here to learn more about what activities are available to you this Harvest Wine Weekend. Or use the clickable buttons to the left for more information. It's not too late to get involved.

New this year:
Harvest your own wine country experience by bringing along a camera. Paso Robles Wine Country invites you to photo document your Harvest Wine Weekend experience and share them with your fellow wine enthusiasts. Simply a