Here’s a video on how to sabre a bottle of Champagne:
And a LINK to an article about the history of this practice.
We’re Posted in #EnoTourism!
Check it out: Link- #EnoTourism under business.
WINE TASTING – JUNK SCIENCE?
In an article called Wine Tasting is Junk Science, David Derbyshire goes over the science of wine tasting. The results are not very good for those who rate wines. Follow the link above for the full and very informative article.
DRINK BETTER WINE – START A REVOLUTION
An interesting post! Link: Drink Better Wine, Start a Revolution
Drink Better Wine, Start a Revolution | Squid Ink | Los Angeles | Los Angeles News and Events | LA Weekly // // //
Quote: “I’ve spent most of the last 20 years selling and drinking and writing about wine. And I know so little. I am so far from being truly knowledgable that I’m quite confident I never will be. The idea of being able to smell a glass of wine and identify it out of the hundreds of thousands of bottles of wine that have been produced over the history of wine (which is what sommeliers supposedly are able to do, and which I think many of us imagine when we think of wine experts) is comical to me in its absolute impossibility. I have a hard time remembering names of producers. I’m not very familiar with the geography of France, or Italy, or any wine region, really. I kind of don’t care. I just want a good glass of wine.”
Another: “And so, Millennials of America, as well as anyone else who has found themselves drinking that bottle of Two Buck Chuck and realizing that you are basically only tolerating something that you know little about, not truly enjoying it, I implore you: Drink better wine. Make it imperative that Vons should have decent wine if they want your business. Or, better, hit up the small shops around town that really do all the work for you. Walk into Lou’s, or Domaine L.A., or Silver Lake Wine, or Bar and Garden, and tell them, ‘I’ve got about $45 and I need three bottles of wine and I’m sick of Trader Joe’s.’ I’m pretty sure they’ll hook you up with something amazing.”
A GEM OF A BISTRO NEAR DOWNTOWN FORT LAUDERDALE – AND A NICE SHIRAZ
Just off the plane during a visit to Fort Lauderdale, a good friend, Tom Schon, took me to Hardy Park Bistro, a very nice little bistro near downtown. It’s located next to an open air Crossfit Gym and across the street from Hardy Park, one of the oldest in Fort Lauderdale. There is inside and outside seating – we chose an outdoor table. This gem is definitely off the tourist track, and it is one of those places that is worth looking for.
The menu is short, fitting a small space, and there are a few specials. Tom had a Caesar Salad (he had been noshing and drinking Champagne earlier). I had the Caesar – very light and refreshing – very fresh ingredients, no anchovies, which I would have liked, but a hard-boiled egg with some treatment on the yolk, which added a nice touch; and a house burger, the H.P.B. – a statuesque beauty with Cheddar, Crisp Onion, Tomato Chutney and French Fries. The burger was excellent and the French fries were perfect, something I rarely say about restaurant fries. They were served with home-made catsup. Very nice.
The wine list at Hardy Park Bistro is short but very well selected. Most are available by the glass, and they mix California wines with selections from Australia and France. I selected a 2012 Two Hands Gnarly Dudes Barossa Valley Shiraz.
The wine was a perfect match for the burger. It has a spicy nose and a nice mixture of fruit (berries, cherry) and spice in the mouth. Very smooth, nice mouthfeel, and a pleasant finish. This wine, it seems, was made for burgers. It is modestly priced (the Bistro seems to have a low markup, although I was not familiar with all of the wines).
I really would like to see Hardy Park Bistro succeed. Ft. Lauderdale is a tough restaurant market, but this is a worth, if off the beaten path, entry. The also do a nice brunch. Our dinner check, with two salads, the burger and fries, and the bottle of wine was under $80 with tax.
FOLLOW THIS TRUCK – BUT NOT TOO CLOSELY!
FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE, WELL, NOT-SO-SUBLIME
THE SUBLIME:
Two nights ago, at another dinner with our friends Richard Clark and Mary Stec at their home, Richard pulled out two amazing bottles of wine – a 1992 Joseph Phelps Insignia and a 2007 Aubert Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay.
Two AMAZING WINES!!! The Insignia was rich, lush, fruity – it seemed young, rather than 22 years old. After sitting in the glass for about 15 minutes, it opened beautifully and rewarded our short wait with a beautiful wine experience. A couple of years ago, Dorianne and I went to an 11 year vertical tasting of Insignia, from 1995 through 2005. This wine would have fit right in, naturally.
The Aubert on the other hand, was perfect as soon as it was opened. There is a significant sense of sweetness, which I described as caramel, on the nose, with undertones of spice and fruit. This wine had a viscous mouth feel, not unlike the Insignia in this regard, and had a very nice finish. This was my first experience with this wine and winery. It ain’t cheap, but it offers a very special experience.
THE NOT-SO-SUBLIME:
Yesterday, we stopped at Trader Joe’s to get some groceries. I decided to get some wines for Thanksgiving (see earlier post – Link). The display of Nouveau Beaujolais was right there, so why not? I picked up a bottle of 2014 Georges Deboeuf to have with dinner last night.
It was probably a
mistake to have this wine the night after enjoying the superb Joseph Phelps Insignia and the Aubert Chardonnay. That said, the Beaujolais Nouveau is sort of like soda pop without the fizz. I actually found it to be more palatable than Dorianne did. I had the wine with some chevre and sourdough bread, then with a bowl of homemade chicken soup.
I found it more enjoyable as I drank it, although the first couple of sips were difficult (I think I was still in the thrall of the previous evening’s wines.)
So, we have done our bit for the Beaujolais Nouveau craze in 2014. Time to move on.
Oh, I bought two bottles.
Well – looks like an addition to the Thanksgiving table!
COMPARING THE SAME WINE SEALED WITH CORK AND SCREWCAP
I have never had the opportunity to try the same wine with different seals. Here is an interesting article from Jamie Goode’s Wine Blog. Follow the link below.
LINK: Cork or Screw Cap?
AFTER YOU SEE THIS, YOU’LL NEVER OPEN WINE ANY OTHER WAY
Link: The Most Hipster Way to Open a Bottle of Wine
Jonathan Ross, a sommelier at Eleven Madison Park, is responsible for resurrecting the old world tradition of using heated tongs to open wine.
Placing the red hot metal around the neck, it makes a clean break leaving the cork intact. The method originated in Portugal as an alternative to opening very old bottles of wine with corks that tended to crumble from age.
THANKSGIVING DINNER WINES – ALWAYS A CHALLENGE
As we plan for the US Thanksgiving next week, the topic of what wines to drink is always a challenge. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, Thanksgiving Dinner tends to last for hours of prep time, appetizers and snacking, football, the dinner itself, then desserts, etc. Eric Asimov of the NYTimes recommends going with wines that have less alcohol, given that you may be imbibing over a longer period of time.
Second, the kinds of foods served in many American homes runs a much wider gamut than on a normal day. I mean, how may other days do you serve sweet potatoes with marshmallows? So there are sweet and savory dishes on the table, plus whatever else has been laid out during the day. In Maryland, where I grew up, there was usually a bushel of fresh oysters in the garage or on the back porch from mid-morning on. By the time you get to the fruit and pumpkin pies, you have eaten a variety of foods.
So here are some ideas for wines – not specific wines, but varietals that will tend to serve you well with the chaos and wide variety of foods that you are likely to be served (or are serving). I also recommend less expensive wines for this day, unless you are having a relatively simple meal. Good wines can get lost in the mix of everything from those sweet potatoes to sauerkraut, to green bean casserole to well, whatever.
You will want red, white, and some bubbly for the day. Bubbly? Well, why not? Sparkling wines can be great for earlier in the day (like with those oysters) and for a toast to begin the main meal. Some of your guests may well prefer to have sparkling wine with dinner as well. I recommend Spanish Cava – very accessible both in terms of price and it’s flexibility to go with a variety of dishes. There are also some great California sparklers if you want to stick to American wines on this most American of holidays. Sparkling wine is great with dessert, as you do not want to add more sweetness to the end of a meal like this one!
As for whites, I think that this is a day for Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Torrontes, and Albarino. All of these are light, low in alcohol, and versatile. There are dozens of Sauvignon Blancs from California, France, and New Zealand that will fit your budget. The New Zealand wines will tend more to citrus notes, while the French produce wines with more floral notes. The Americans can be either – so ask you wine merchant if you have a preference for one style or another. Chenin Blanc is a French gem that is also becoming more and more popular with US growers up and down the west coast. Torrontes is the top white wine of Argentina, light and crisp and affordable. Albarino is a Spanish beauty that translates well with anything from fish to poultry. I think that you will be happy with any of these varietals on your holiday table.
Looking at reds, we want to keep the alcohol on the low side, which makes it tough to purchase most California wines that are in the affordable range (under $25 a bottle). You can find some Pinot Noirs and Merlots that fit the bill, but you may have to do some searching. Actually, I think that your best answers are France and Argentina or Chile. French Beaujolais is an excellent choice. The wines tend to be lighter, lower in alcohol, and there are a number of good wines in this category that are priced right. Malbec from Argentina can range from lighter to heavier; the lighter versions are great for the holiday table, as are some of the Malbecs being produced in California’s Central Coast reason. Chilean Merlot is a great bargain, just watch that alcohol level. I recommend a variety of reds and whites – let your guests explore.
I would figure a bottle per person, plus any other beverages that you will be serving. Of course, you can also have a similar approach for your Christmas Dinner, which in the US is often a repeat of Thanksgiving. If you are having a beef or pork roast, you may still want white and sparkling wines for earlier in the day or with dessert.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday and let me know you Holiday wine recommendations.
Jim Lockard On Wine 