Anna Uncorked

Purato Nero d'Avola IGT `10 $14.99 **

2012-01-27T10:12:00.006-05:00

I'll admit to being sarcastic when it comes to the "Green" movement. I spent my childhood lugging wood for the wood-stove and looking at my mother's home canned green beans every time I took the stairs to the cellar freezer to get the home grown & butchered pork - you can't get much greener or "locavore" than growing up in an economically challenged farming community. But now, 30 years later, I live on the "Gold Coast" in Gatsby World. When I look at the $14.99 price tag on a $9.99 bottle of wine, I just have to laugh to myself - you've come a long way baby. (maybe it is time to go back)

JPH didn't buy this wine because it says: The label is made from 100% recycled paper, uses 100% vegetable ink to print and uses 100% recycled cardboard for shipping and an 85% recycled glass bottle. (Thank Goodness!) He bought it because he & S. like Nero d'Avola, and the overpriced wine shop proprietor recommended it. All ranting aside about being "Green", this is an ok wine. 100% Nero d'Avola, 13.5% ETOH.

I was remind to never judge a wine on the first pour from the bottle. I was greedy and wanted instant gratification, so I unscrewed the top, poured a glass and took a swig. shudder. You can't swig wine! I should know that! I set my glass aside and went back to the mise en place for dinner (or gossiping about how bad my day at work was... I can't remember) JPH was smart and pointed me to a nice sherry as an apéritif.

Half an hour later, the pasta sauce was bubbling, the filet was in the oven and I was ready to really try the Purato Nero d'Avola. It is young, bright and pretty good. It has a very aggressive fruit (tart blackberry)forward, and a spicy (almost peppery) middle, with a balanced finish. It really is easy to drink with a meal, but I don't really like it as a stand alone sipping wine.

Purato seems to be a fairly new venture from the Sicilian producer Feudo di Santa Tresa. There is nothing about this wine on their website, but it is clearly labelled as theirs. Made with Organic Grapes, and called "Eco Friendly" it is what it is: Ok wine with an interesting marketing twist.

Menu:
Tenderloin
Sauteed Spinach with Garlic
Tagliatelle with Mushroom Cream Sauce

La Mozza Morellino di Scansano I Perazzi DOCG `09 *** $19.99

2012-01-25T21:28:00.003-05:00

This is a great Tuscan blend wine with an all American foodie pedigree. I was biased. JPH bought it at our local "Luxury Priced" Wine Shop, and the proprietor told him that it was a "great value" at $19.99. Well, since I have a history with said wine shop, I know that "great value" means that JPH paid an extra $5.00 for the proprieter/sommeliere service - he does know his wine, and we do pay a markup for it. The value ended up in the flavor and drinkablilty - not the mark up.

This wine is the brainchild of Lydia and Joe Bastianich and Mari Batali. Icons in the American/Italian foodie world. And well...Mario knows his wine. (I feel like I should link to a famous Mario Batali Drinking Story, So I will)

On first sip, S. said "This is good wine". I smiled and followed suit. It is a really good, light red table wine that went perfectly with out Roast Chicken and Pasta with cherry tomatoes, scallions and chili peppers from Marcella Cucina.

An eclectic blend of 85% Sangiovese , 5% Syrah, 5% Alicante, 2% Colorino, 3% Ciliegiolo this is a really versatile wine. Fresh juicy fruit forward (cherry), the finish is mellow (a hint of smoke to add depth), and it is so easy to just have another glass. At 13% ETOH it is gentle for the week night. We finished the bottle before dessert. (I was a bit sad that my glass was really empty)

From Maremma, southwest Tuscany comes La Mozza Winery. They produce just two wines (so far), and it is a rather large production (10,000 cases of the I Perazzi) - but the flavor remains artisanal, like it is Old World hand crafted; that is special and really shows the talent of the winemakers Gabriele Gadenz and Maurizio Castelli. This really is a perfect wine for the American market. Not too overpowering, yet exotic enough to be very interesting. Normally I am not a fan of Sangiovese, but this blend brings out all of the good in the varietal.

Although it cost JPH $19.99 (it was worth the $$) It can be found between $13.00 and $15.00. I liked it a lot, and I am glad that our food icons have put their money and vision into a winery that lives up to their culinary reputations.

Scuttlehole Chardonnay, `09 $17.99 ***(*)

2012-01-23T15:29:00.001-05:00

I was visiting my non-wino friends who were just back from vacation. We caught up, did some shopping, a lot of laundry and I cooked up a rack of lamb and hand cut french fries for dinner. (as this was multicultural Manhattan, there was a bowl of fresh steamed edamame on the table for a veg)

I hadn't brought any wine, and I was expecting to go without, when low and behold we found a bottle of Channing Daughters Scuttlehole Chardonnay in the fridge. It was of indeterminate provenance ("Didn't YOU leave that there?" I was asked) and well, it was a crapshoot. I had never heard of the winery nor the wine. (and I thought that I knew the North Fork... I have a lot to learn.) As you can see from the four stars above, I got lucky. It really is a solid three star all around wine, but I gave it a fourth for being from a small producer on Long Island. The more I am exposed to small artisanal wines, the happier I am to be writing about them and sharing them with you.

C. opened it as I was searing the lamb. It was delicious. I love unoaked Chardonnay anyway, but this was special. It had some light fruit notes (namely pear) but a heavy, creamy finish that isn't too long. I want more. For anyone who does not like chardonnay (commonly called the ABC'ers "Anything but Chardonnay") I say try it, it will expand your world, and show you that we are making some really good wine just 80 miles from NYC. 100% Chardonnay, 13% ETOH.

Last summer, I wrote a piece for Snooth called Anna Bennett's New York State of Mind. For as long as I am living on Long Island, I feel like I should spend more time at local vineyards. My first stop of 2012 will be Channing Daughters Winery. They have some very interesting stuff going on out there! (and their wine is served at the Princeton Club.☺)

Book Review: Unquenchable by Natalie Maclean ****

2012-01-20T11:23:00.004-05:00

Unquenchable: A Tipsy Quest for the World's Best Bargain Wines is a multi-layered adventure into wine production, history & consumption wrapped in a narrative on the pure joy of living. In Unquenchable, Natalie takes you along on visits, meals and tastings at vineyards in Australia, Germany, New York, South Africa, Argentina, Portugal and France.

Unquenchable is well organized & referenced, and gives you so many tips that it is part Travel Magazine, Wine Lesson, Pairing Guide AND Biography. It is the book behind the blog, and as I see it, the future of wine publishing: a great read with links to more in-depth information on the web. NatalieMaclean.com may just be my own personal hero. She demystifies the industry and makes wine an accessible part of everyday life. (and gives us literary references... seriously, no one has ever recommended that I read The Egoist by George Meredith. It is a great book!)

Natalie writes like a good friend who also happens to be a wine expert. Don't let the blond tipsy persona mislead you, she is the total package (or should I say, don't discount this full case of premier cru in a Trader Joe's box). To quote her bio, Natalie is: "An accredited sommelier, she is a member of the National Capital Sommelier Guild, the Wine Writers Circle and several French wine societies with complicated and impressive names".

We travel with Natalie around the globe, through the days of the week from unsung wine region to wine region, sip by sip: "I didn't "forget" to spit; I meant to drink it all". With every turn of the page, you'll be entertained, and you'll learn something.

Unquenchable introduces us to the people who produce what should be our daily tipple. JJ Prüm's fourth generation winemaker Katharina Prüm said it better than I ever could "... the industry collects people who love life". Unquenchable shares that love of life with us. Thank you Natalie. (Now I am off to re-stock the wine-rack with your "Best Value Wine Tips")

Sassy Bitch Pinot Noir `10 $10.99 ()

2012-01-13T09:33:00.003-05:00

I went home to Maine for a post-Christmas visit, and low and behold there were two bottles of Sassy Bitch sitting ready for Sunday Dinner. They were gifts. YOU KNOW why they were gifts. Sassy Bitch is purchased for the label and the laughter. We did laugh, the four Sassy Bitches around the table. What can I say, I was raised by a line of strong women, and the next generation is improving on that strength.

Why is this wine like a Sassy Bitch? Because it is fun to look at, talk about and be around for a while. But just like that sassy bitch at a party, it has a bitter undertone and is really hard to take. It is rough, has some acid, not very well balanced, is just a bit too sassy, and a bit alcoholic at 14% ETOH. This Sassy Bitch is not going to age well. She is already a smoky old hag, and she was born in 2010. YIKES. (I have a bottle of their Cabernet Sauvignon waiting in the wine rack - We'll uncork her when we need a laugh)

Their website is full of sass, but no production notes. It is hard to take this Chilean wine seriously, it is a Pinot Noir novelty item. It was worth the $10.99 in laughter, but after the first sip, we drank something else with dinner. Just like the stereotype it portrays, this wine has its place. But it isn't relationship material.

I'll leave you with the vintage and the nouveau
Sassy Bitches in my life.
One has aged gracefully, a `30 Premiers Crus Bordeaux.
The other is a `93 New World red with a lot of potential.
I love them both.
Their Sass is well balanced with depth of character,
clarity and a finish that makes my soul glow.

Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut NV $13.99 ***

2012-01-01T06:58:00.004-05:00

My last bottle of wine for 2011 was this Gloria Ferrer. What a good, middle of the road, appeal to everyone in the crowd bottle of bubbly. It is light, creamy and very easy to drink.

I could easily make this my go to champagne style wine for entertaining. Creamy enough that Mum would like it, complex enough that my wino friends would like discussing the layered flavors (hint of crisp green apple and ripe honey pear) & slight bit of toast and cheap enough that the wallet won't complain too much if I splurged on a few bottles. Win/Win in my book.

Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut is 91.2% Pinot Noir and 8.8% Chardonnay. I served it with almonds and small bites on crackers: Salmon with a creamy dill sauce and pork rillette (from Thomas Keller's Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing). At 12.5% ETOH, there's not even a hint of a headache on New Year's Day. (did I already say win/win??)

Why did I choose Gloria Ferrer as my New Years Eve wine? Firstly because it is USA grown and produced: Gloria Ferrer Caves and Vineyards, Sonoma County, CA (a Freixenet company). Secondly, I liked their Blanc de Noirs when I tried it at WBC 11 ( I am sentimental that way); Third, you can't beat the price $13.99 a bottle.

It was a quiet night saying good bye to 2011. A year full of highs and lows; some great wine: Jacquesson Rose and the beginning of my love affair with Banfi. Travel: London (February), Maine (May, November), Virginia wine country, WBC 11 & Monticello, Colonial Williamsburg (August), Euphora in Greenville South Carolina (September) and then back to London (November). I am a very lucky girl.

I'm looking forward to 2012: What's to come? Some North Fork Long Island Vineyard visits(Spring); A week on a boat (July), Napa and my CSW exam (July), a trip to Oregon Wine Country (WBC12 August) and in between... many many sips of wine. Hopefully I'll be writing about them all along the way.

Cheers!

Anniversary Post: Four years, 326 bottles and more....

2011-12-24T09:28:00.000-05:00

Four years ago tonight, in an act of frustration and desperation, I started this blog. I was alone, staring at my dialysis machine thinking "What can I do" and then the light bulb flashed. That was Christmas Eve, 2007. I opened a bottle wine, cooked myself Christmas Eve Dinner and then blogged about it.

Little did I know that I was part of a much larger population. My friends over at Wine-Vine Imports.com gave me this graphic that puts it all into perspective. (click on it to make it bigger) As a nation, it is safe to sat, "Americans like wine!". Which my 2011blog stats show, you are not only drinking wine, you're on the net reading about wine and I am so happy to be a part of that.

That Christmas Eve four years ago, this was my review: Osborne Solaz `04 *** $3.99

What I wrote:
Spain, Tempranillo Cabernet Sauvignon

I bought this on the recommendation of one of the helpful sales clerks. I'm going to mull it. He said that it was an excellent choice - spicy , not too fruity. I'll let you know what I think...

There was more, but now, all I can think is "You've come a long way baby, and you have an even longer way to go".

Today I am driving to Connecticut to have Christmas with friends. I am bringing the wine for Christmas Dinner: two reds, two whites and two sparkling. I'll review them and describe WHY I chose the wines that I chose. Three were sentimental, and one was a Christmas present.

This is going to be a short post. I need to pack and get on the road. (a lot has changed in four short years!)

Sauvion Pouilly-Fume Les Ombelles `10 gift/$22.95 **(*)

2011-12-21T17:52:00.000-05:00

This was a bonus bottle when S. ordered a few cases from Sherry Lehmann in NYC. after looking at the back of the bottle, it looks like Sherry-Lehmann is the USA importer; I couldn't get very much information on the wine aside from their notes.

100% Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley. I can't find this wine on the producer Sauvion's website. It is an ok wine, around 13% ETOH. We over chilled it at first, and it was a full on mouthful of crisp, sour grapefruit. After it warmed up a bit, it became a richer wine with a more subtle citrus taste. We paired it with Shrimp and Grits (recipe from Stella's Southern Bistro in Simpsonville, SC).

After dinner was finished, we got on to an evening of tree trimming, along with drinking some of Tom's Homemade Eggnog. That stuff is deliciously lethal - and a highlight of the Holiday Season.

Château des Mille Anges Petit Santal Saint Germain De Graves`02 $9.99 ***

2011-12-12T21:51:00.002-05:00

This wine gave me something to crow about. First of all, it was deliciously juicy and fruity forward with a long saturated finish (stewed strawberries with background of dried cherry), very little tannin and for an `02, it was just juicy and beautiful. As the intense finish disappeared, it had the hint of being a little long in the tooth, but all in all, if JPH goes back to Coves Discount and gets us six more bottles, I can guarantee that they will be finished by mid-January (and that's ~~NOT~~ a hint).

We played "Guess the Varietal". I may have done a little Scooby Dance in my chair I was so happy that I was able to identify a couple of the varietals at least. When I first looked up the blend, I got 3 of four. I got Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc (I am still convinced that there is Petit Verdot in there) but all of my research says that it is predominantly Merlot. The producer Château des Mille Anges's website says: Merlot 60%, Cabernet Sauvignon 20% and Cabernet Franc 20%. But it did not have specific tasting notes for the `02, so I am going to cling to my Petit Verdot theory (and my Scooby Dance). The website doesn't have much more about the production of this wine. I won't fault them for it. It is a nice little gem that we enjoyed, and it didn't break the bank. Win/Win in my book.

At 13% ETOH, it is robust, smooth and easy to drink. It is great, and much smoother and more elegant than some other blends that we have had in this price range. It is a typical French table wine, and well, also a great example of why French wine has the reputation that it has. It was that good.

The Château des Mille Anges Petit Santal Saint Germain De Graves (or as JPH called it the "thousand Angels Wine") paired really well with tonight's dinner: Chicken and Parsley Pie from The National Trust Farmhouse Cookbook. Good comfort food, using the blackbird pie funnel that I brought back from London.

Layer Cake Pinot Noir `10 $11.99 ****

2011-12-04T14:53:00.005-05:00

Yes, four stars. Yes, we liked it THAT much. Hey for $11.99 what is not to like? Which leads me to qualify it as a four star $11.99 bottle of wine. If it were more expensive, it would lose a star. JPH bought it as part of a mixed case at Coves Discount, and pulled it from the rack to have with Sunday lunch.

S. and JPH had just been exploring the newest local Fairway Market in Douglaston and came home with some great food. Lunch was: Fresh French bread, sausages and cheese. We had l'ami du chambertin, a delicious (once you get past the smell and the texture) semi stinky, runny French cheese.

As we slathered cheese of bread, JPH commented "this is a good wine". In between sips I dismissively said "of course" and then went into a spiel about Jayson Woodbridge, his wines and homage to his Grandfather:

"“My old grandfather told me the soils in which the vines lived were a layer cake. If properly made, the wine from these vines was like a delicious cake layered with fruit, mocha and chocolate, with hints of spice and rich, always rich. Never pass up a good Layer Cake.”.

(I monologue like that sometimes...it is a nasty habit - spewing everything I know into lunchtime conversation) I was SURE that I had reviewed this wine. When I went back to see what I had written, I realized that I was wrong.

Now to correct that oversight....

Layer Cake Pinot Noir `10 is delicious. Full of fruit, deep flavor with a hint of leather/tobacco and no oak that I could taste. Cherry, deep cherry, and with a high 14.5% ETOH, all we wanted after a lunch of rich cheese, French sausages and this wine was a nap. I had chocolate instead and ran to write this review, S. is putting up Christmas decorations, and JPH is cleaning out the gutters with the help of the new puppy.

100% Pinot Noir from the California Coast Monterey vineyards at Arroyo Loma and Alta Loma which border the Santa Lucia Highlands. This wine shows that America really is on the world wine map. I was amazed at how well it paired with the flavorful French Cheese. S. reminded me that the buttery cheese was from Burgundy - it was absolutely screaming for a mouthful of wine like this Layer Cake Pinot Noir to pair it with.

Enjoy this full flavored, nicely priced, easy to drink wine and buy into the story of Layer Cake. The New York cynic in me wants to scream "Hokey marketing" BUT the happily buzzed, well fed writer in me says "Jayson really is on to something. He hit this one out of the park."

I'll leave you with Ginnie,
the latest addition to the household.

This is the picture that I fell in love with on Petfinder.com.

I'm lucky that S. and JPH are suckers
for long legs and a cute face!

She is a rescued puppy from Love Handlers Ranch in Tennessee.

You'll be seeing more of her in the future.

Jacquesson Dizy Terres Rouges Extra Brut Millesime Rosé `04 $90.00 ****

2011-12-03T08:15:00.003-05:00

I drink Champagne when I win,
to celebrate…
and I drink Champagne when I lose,
to console myself.

Napoleon Bonaparte

I was in London. Felix brought it home one night after work. We chilled it, popped the cork and enjoyed. It really is a celebration Champagne. Since I don't get to London very often anymore - we made it a weeknight celebration of my whirlwind 10 day trip (an early Christmas present from S. & JPH).

Jacquesson Dizy Terres Rouges Extra Brut Millesime Rosé is a remarkable deep rosé that on first sip is dry, (seriously extra brut) and then creamy with a taste of tart wild strawberries. Each glass became more magical. I think that we may have over chilled it at first. As I sipped and ran around the house looking for spots to take a picture, we ran a serious risk of having no wine to photograph. It is THAT good.

Historic, exclusive and delicious. Did you know that the house of Jacquesson was founded in 1768? Did you know that once upon a time, if you bought a brand new Aston Martin, it would be delivered with a case of Jacquesson in the boot? Did you know that this is the richest, driest and most elegant Rosé Champagne that I have ever tasted? Oh, and Napoleon liked it too. He bestowed his seal of approval on the house in 1810.

Jacquesson et fils produces Champagne Grand Cru in various forms. Since 1798 they have given each blend an individual number, starting with No 1. On their website, I can see #725. They now call it the 700 series. Jacquesson produces an award winning Avize Grand Cru Recolte and some very exclusive Grand Vin Signature bottles. All are priced accordingly as rare gems in the champagne world. If you get a chance, try a sip and see what Napoleon was going on about.

Let me rave about the label as well. It is in English; beguilingly simple and straightforward. Easy to read and tells me everything that I need to know as a consumer about the production. It really is exclusive. Only 4,520 bottles were produced that year. It is a blend of 71% Pinot Meunier, 29% Pinot Noir. The wine sat on the lees for 5 years and then was disgorged in 2009. Even at 12% ETOH, it has a miniscule 5g of sugar per liter. The grapes were grown on the lower slopes of Dizy, a village in the Champagne region of France. (there is even a lovely rose colored map of DIZY on the front label for the directionally challenged (like me))

Jacquesson Champagne quietly exists in a rarefied world. Beyond artisanal, it is a classically produced Grand Cru that has withstood the test of time. You won't see it advertised, you won't see it being swilled by a rock star or celebutant in People Magazine. You'll see it on the best wine lists, in discrete multimillion dollar wine cellars, and maybe (if you are lucky) in a gift bag presented to you by a generous friend with great taste.

Heidsieck Heritage Brut Champagne NV £14.24/$21.93 ***

2011-11-26T05:36:00.065-05:00

London. This wine made me re-think my star system. This has been my favorite champagne of the week so far and it has been the lowest priced. (what does that say for my taste-buds?) It was poured for our "Thanksgiving in Knightsbridge" Dinner.

This Heritage Brut is a great example of an off-dry Champagne. It has a slight hint of sweetness. (just a bit of residual sugar). I have an American palate, to quote Laura Williamson, MW from the seminar "Bubble Mania" at euphoria "We talk dry, but we drink sweet". It is true. I have a semi-sweet tooth and I have decided to embrace it. Now I have to go back and review a few of my champagne posts - there really were some very dry Champagnes that I like, but to be honest, I prefer a hint of sweetness.

Heidsieck markets this as their entry level into fine Champagne. I don't really get designer labels (which is why most of my clothing comes from LL Bean). But I do understand quality. This really is a good Champagne and for the money, it was a GREAT Champagne to serve as an apéritif at our Thanksgiving Dinner. Even though it is impossible for me to navigate Piper- Heidsiek's website, I was able to get some winemakers notes: Pinot Meunier / Pinot Noir / Chardonnay 12% ETOH

What is amazing is that VCE is able to buy great Champagne on offer (sale) from her computer on the kitchen table. She can research and order on-line then have it delivered to the doorstep. This bottle came from Waitrose's (a local Supermarket) Wines Direct. Because of this service, we are tasting quite a few varied Champagnes this week, which is great for multi-tasking. We're efficiently ordered from the computer on the kitchen table while catching up on the latest Downton Abbey and Desperate House Wives episodes on telly.

As for pairings, Champagne goes with almost anything. In the case of this bottle, it was opened while I was cooking. I had to pace myself, as we had already been into the Gin and Calvados. As VCE handed me a glass, I was making stuffing. Careful not to get over imbibe too early, I took a delicious sip, tossed the rest of the glass into the bowl with the stuffing, along with the balance of my Calvados Cocktail. I gave the stuffing a final stir and popped it into the oven for an hour. Then I poured myself a second tall, cold bubbly glass of the Heritage and moved on to making the candied yams. (The stuffing was the first empty serving dish at dinner!)

Taittinger Brut Reserve NV $40.51 ***

2011-11-23T08:34:00.001-05:00

I am still in London and it's Champagne week for me. This was the choice to drink for nights three and four. It is dry and very sparkling. As a stand alone sipping wine after a long day of shopping by 6PM this took the edge off. It is festive in an adult sort of way. I've converted the case price of 26 British pounds to the $$ price above.

12% ETOH with a blend of 40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, 30% Pinot Meunier. This is a refined, elegant champagne. You really can't go wrong if you like a dry champagne. It isn't cheap though.

Piper-Heidsieck Monopole Blue Top NV $35.00 ***

2011-11-19T15:13:00.001-05:00

I am in London. Tonight, before we go to dinner, we've opened a bottle of this classic Piper-Heidsieck Monopole Blue. It is a crisp, bright, with a slight yeastiness (brioche) Champagne. Refreshing and easy to drink.

Legend has it that Monopole Blue was the official Champagne of the Titanic. All I can say to that is serve it well chilled : ).

24% Chardonnay, 48%, Pinot Noir, and 28% Pinot Meunier; 12% ETOH .

It was great with Maria's Spanikopita.

This may be a week of champagne reviews.

cillar ey silos ribera del duero D.O. `03 **** $15.99

2011-10-31T21:03:00.003-04:00

This is the best Tempranillo that I have ever had (Maybe it is the rich uncle to all of the cheap and cheerful tempranillo that I have tasted in the past few years?) and it was simply because we didn't know what to open for dinner. Lurking in the wine rack along with a few other dusty bottles was this `03. JPH didn't even know where or when it came from.

This dark complex tannic wine mellowed into a deep, rich smooth delicious dark/dried raspberry wine with a high ETOH (14.5%) It makes me want to buy a bunch, leave it in the cellar and be happily surprised in 8 years.

Cillar de Silos of Ribera del Duero, Spain has a reputation for putting out good wine. This dusty bottle proves it.

It was tight and concentrated on my first sip. Which made me comment "This needs the Nuance" but I was caught up in making Macaroni and Cheese and the wine had to aerate in the glass and bottle - as S. and I sipped away. After about 10 minutes, the wine opened up, became smooth and velvety and went perfectly with our Roast Chicken, Fava Beans a la Marcela Hazan and Swiss Style Macaroni and Cheese.

Tiburzi Montefalco Colle Scancellato `09 IGT $10.99 ****

2011-10-25T07:45:00.001-04:00

There is fresh new take on Italian red table wine and this Tiburzi Montefalco Colle Scancellato is it.

Umbria, the heart of Italy, at a vineyard owned by Gustavo Tiburizi, this wine was made by Tiziano Vistall. It is a blend of 80% Sangiovese, 20% Ciliegiolo. Really the heart of Umbira, both of these varietals are bright, fruit forward and where the Sangiovese give a deep dark fruit taste, the Ciliegiolo brightens the wine and gives it life. Some acid, very little tannin, 14% ETOH.

We've had this a few times now, first in the picture above with a leek and ham pie JPH recreated a delicacy that he had at the George & Falcon gastropub in Warnford Hampshire, UK in September. It was perfect with the saltiness of the ham and the richness of the creamed leeks in the pie. The fruit elevated the meal. S. and I agreed, this may be a new "house" wine for us.

Then the next day with lunch, we had it with BLTs on fresh baked bread. Then, we brought a bottle to K's for a Sunday dinner of grilled NY strip steak and creamy potatoes. It was excellent with the steak. One guest (who knows his wine) was adamant that it was very similar to Chateau Simard Saint-Emilion - a Bordeaux Cabernet Franc/Merlot blend. That comparison just spoke volumes to me. Here we had a lovely Italian table wine that was being compared to a classic French blend. Sangiovese is no longer the wine of the worker. It is being elevated by vineyards like Mr. Tiburizi's and winemakers like Tiziano Vistall. In a blind taste test, I don't think that I would have pegged it as Italian. I think that we are looking at a new world of wine, where stereotypes are being thrown out of the window and are being replaced by wines that simply taste good. (just wait 'til I review that Nebbiolo from Virginia!)

JPH is busy looking for a case of this wine- he already bought out Greenvale Grape's supply.

Review: Wine Shield 6-Pak $5.95 (sample)

2011-10-21T12:39:00.000-04:00

Newsflash... There is a certain someone who will be getting a six pak of wine shields in their Christmas Stocking! I've been trying to review the Wine Shield Wine Preservation System since August. The problem is, now that I don't live alone, we don't have ~~much~~ any leftover wine. While we are able to enjoy wine by the bottle, my poor vinegar barrel is starving.

In late August, I grabbed a bottle of our standby Dominio de Eguren Protocolo `08 $7.99 ***(*) and by day three with the Wine Shield, it was still great and I declared the Wine Shield a success. It really is such simple technology, a food grade barrier that floats on top of the wine and protects it from oxygen and oxidation.

I wanted to REALLY put it to the test, so last week I grabbed a bottle of another standby Almez Garnacha and started trying to see what the outer limits of the Wine Shield would be (I hid the bottle in the baking cabinet to try and avoid finishing it on the first day). By day three, the garnacha was good to the last drop. (oops - so much for testing longevity. This is why I am not a scientist - No impulse control. Oh, and the math...)

Why the Wine Shield will be a great stocking stuffer/hostess gift:

As popular as wine is, most Americans are very casual wine drinkers. Over the weekend, I was visiting some friends who like wine but don't open a bottle very often, usually only for special occasions. They have great taste and know their wines, but they are so casual that when we went to pull out a bottle from their rack, they could not remember when the '06 Merlot had been given to them "Was it when the second or third child was born?" (the kids are all in school now)

When we opened the bottle, the cork broke (so much for recorking). From the lonely corner of a dark cabinet, I dusted off their beautiful red wine glasses and we poured the wine.

Over some great Merlot, we looked through baby pictures and reminisced. But then the kids had to be put to bed and we needed to get some sleep. I went to cork the bottle and realized that they had NOTHING to re cork the bottle with.

I was kicking myself for not having a Wine Shield with me. There was nothing smaller to decant the left over wine into. There was no vacuum pump system. Even when they rifled through the cabinet and found other dusty wedding presents, all we could find was a beautiful silver and horn corkscrew still in the box.

I ended up shoving a plastic baggie into the bottle to try and save it for the next day. Seriously, for a casual drinker who wants to keep a bottle and not invest in sealing systems, why not just have a six pack of wine shields in the liquor cabinet. They are simple to use, they work and they don't take up much space. Stocking stuffer? Hostess gift? I wish that I had thought to throw one in my backpack - we could have saved a great bottle of Merlot.

Here are three great reasons to be too busy to drink wine....
(which is why mommy needs wine shields for Christmas.
No wine should EVER go to waste!)

Cantina del Taburno Falanghina `09 DOC $14.00 ****

2011-10-20T09:46:00.000-04:00

Unique, interesting, delicious. Long finish. Fruity, yet dry. Crisp, with the ghost of effervescence that tingles the sides of my tongue. I'm loving it.

This was my second venture into the world of Falanghina, and so far both have been great wines.

JPH bought this Cantina del Taburno Falanghina at Greenvale Grapes to go along with a sword fish/bluefish riff on a classic zuppe de pesce Marcella Hazan recipe that he cooked for dinner (I made the saffron rice). It was great in the dish and in our glasses.

As we talked about the wine and compared tasting notes, S. reminisced about Naples, I got hung up on Vesuvius, and JPH pondered Benevento. For one meal, via the sense of taste, we were transported to Southern Italy - even though we were in suburban NY on a cold, wet Fall evening.

For over 15 years a little white dog was there,
watching dinner being cooked, hoping for leftovers.

Nell was a companion, a critic, a calamity and
a reluctant comedienne.
Countless times after a few glasses of wine,

we would "talk" for her in funny voices.
When we gave her voice, she sounded goofy but loving.
When she protectively barked in her own voice,
she could be intimidating (many a FedEx Man kept clear).
Nell sacrificed a few wine bottles
when digging under the wine rack to get at the cat's food.
(No chardonnay would go unbroken
in the pursuit of Queenie's Fancy Feast )
She haunts this blog as a recurring character in so many posts.
We miss you little white dog.
R.I.P

The Sunday Supper #euphoriagreenville

2011-10-14T11:51:00.000-04:00

If I marked my lifetime by meals, there would be a few highlights: My mother's Thanksgivings; Maine lobster, steps away from where it was hauled in from the sea; a birthday dinner of fillet and Cabernet Sauvignon in a DC hotel; exotic Sunday family table dim-sum meals when I was the lone 白种人 at the table; and those nights when the larder seems bare, but we are able to find something to throw together and it always ends up delicious. Magical, memorable meals that are milestones along the way. Which brings me to euphoria's Sunday Night Supper - that's on the list now.

I went to euphoria alone. Sure, I knew a few people from the industry, got to hang out with some great folks, had a terrific time at all of the events, but little did I know that at the Wyche Pavillion - the shell of one of Greenville's oldest commercial buildings, on the banks of the Reedy River, I would have one of the most sublime meals of my life.

In a cosmic act of serendipity I found a seat next to Donna, a retired restaurant critic and across from my new foodie guru, Glenda McDaniel and her family. Glenda, a realtor by trade from Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia, knows NYC restaurants and chefs better than I do. She parties with Daniel Boulud - "Danny". Glenda is a High Priestess in the foodie world, Chef Brock's publicist came over to the table to greet her (they are old friends). Together with husband Terry and mother in-law Edna, they travel all over the world tasting their way through life. They gave me tips on visiting the Bocuse d'Or; Manhattan's premier Bordeaux tasting event; and Knoxville's Baconfest! (and about the "Party like it's 1699" Night in Manhattan? I am simply green with envy!) I want to start a blog and just call it "Following Glenda".

Le Creuset was the sponsor of the Sunday Supper and each serving dish was a beautiful example of their products. I wanted one of each, and we all were sent home with an autographed Mini Cocotte (mine is purple!)

Let's get on to the food, music and drinks... I could hear the Weasel Creek String Band as I was walking to the pavilion. It was sunset, and well, perfect. With Dean Watson on clawhammer banjo and vocals "The only banjo playin' stockbroker in SC!"; Steve McGaha on guitar and vocals; Susan Cook rocked it on standup Bass; and Marion Boatwright almost stole the show on fiddle and vocals. I don't know the name of the man playing washboard, he was the rhythm section, and he was excellent! This was "Heritage" music at its finest. Bluegrass, mixed with some old time folk, and some rollicking popular standards from centuries past. My feet were tapping even before I had taken a sip of anything alcoholic.

Drink: I was met at the door by a waitress who handed me a Bernheim Champagne Cocktail (Bernheim wheat whiskey, ruby red grapefruit juice, Finest Call orgeat syrup, Fee Brothers cherry bitters and LaMarca Prosecco, garnished with a fresh sprig of rosemary) My first sip was delicious, but then I realized that it was the first time that I had tasted real grapefruit in three years. I had to force myself to put my drink aside, because people with kidney transplants should not drink grapefruit juice - it messes with my immunosuppressives - so I switched to straight bourbon.

The waitstaff were amazing; a professional team who circulated with beer, cocktails and bourbon - Evan Williams Single Barrel Reserve. They were cool and efficient (and I think having a pretty good time too!)

The food: A South Carolina Low Country feast by Sean Brock, a James Beard Award Winning Chef; Mike Davis from Terra in Columbia SC; Frank Lee from Maverick Southern Kitchens and the team from Greenville's High Cotton Maverick Bar and Grille. There was some serious culinary power in the kitchen and it showed on the plates that were set before us. These were classic low country comfort foods elevated to haute cuisine with a down home twist.

Crispy Chicken Skins with hot sauce and honey.... I officially endorse crispy chicken skins. They are like potato chips on crack. Seriously, that sauce was tingling and mouth wateringly sweet. Crunching it with deep fried chicken skin - WOW!

Salt and Vinegar Pork Rinds. You know what, they go GREAT with Single Barrel Bourbon!

Crispy Pig Ears. I will admit to having no idea what was on the platter as I chowed down. To me, it was an Asian inspired lettuce wrap. Glenda's husband Terry clued me in, and then I had a second one. My first pig ears. They aren't just dog treats after all...

Vegetables from GRB Farmer's Market. Ok, so after all of that deep fried goodness, we had some veggies. They were a crunch of a different kind and most welcome!

Assorted Charcuterie & Home Made Pickles (dilly beans, sweet and spicy red bell peppers, watermelon rinds and pickled Okra).... mmmm the contrasting flavors of the meat with the crispy sweet and sour of the pickles. Delicious!

Kimberly's Corn Crab Salad. I want more. I want more right now, three weeks later. I want this salad at least once a month for the rest of my life. (it's good to want right???)

In the picture you can just see the Pama Manhattan cocktail pairing (Evan Williams Single Barrel Reserve Bourbon, Pama Pomegranate Liquor, Finest Call Simple Syrup, Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters) I will maybe admit to having two of these delicious Manhattans over the course of the evening.... (I came back from South Carolina with a new found taste for Bourbon)

It got better. Cornmeal Dusted North Carolina Catfish atop fried cabbage and pickled peppers. I am still boggled at how the cook staff and wait staff were able to cook and serve all of us and have this taste like it just came off the stove at Grannie's house (Granny is one of the best cooks I know). It was crispy AND melt in your mouth delicious. (Since I am writing this weeks later, that is NOT the bourbon talking!)

Our side dishes were beautiful. Yellow squash casserole and Collard Greens.

There were pit beans! Delicious, satisfying pit beans (after all, I am a yankee, and the culinary cousin to the Pit Bean, Boston Baked Beans are a go to comfort food for me). We were all getting into the spirit of the meal. Glenda and Terry indulged us as we took pictures, gave hints on what would look good and were the best possible table companions a blogger could have. We shared just one meal and I miss them.

Crackling Cornbread and White Lily Biscuits - they tasted just as good as they looked.

Roast Berkshire Pork Rack with Charleston Gold Rice Pilaf and Tomato gravy. By the end of the evening the sun had set, we were stuffed to the point of bursting, but we found room for more. The pork was delicious. You can tell that we were fading, the picture isn't very good. The amazing food, company and bourbon were catching up with me. Donna was smart, between courses, she would take a walk around the pavilion. I learned so much from my dining companions.

I squeezed in some Peanut Butter Pie for dessert paired with Smoke Chocolate Milk Punch (Evan Williams honey bourbon, nutmeg, olive clove and smoked chocolate). Hugs were given all around and sadly the evening came to an end.

The music and the food never stopped. It was an amazing evening, one that I will recall fondly for the rest of my life. And there was dancing...

A Slide Show:

Jazz Brunch #euphoriagreenville

2011-10-10T12:59:00.000-04:00

Imagine that you have some great friends with a huge backyard, they're amazing cooks, have a well stocked bar, AND play instruments. There you have the euphoria Sunday Jazz Brunch in a nutshell. An informal yet spectacular representation of everything that we are craving, and some that we didn't even know we wanted? (Bacon Bloody Mary anyone?)

Mark Rapp (Trumpet & Didgeridoo), Wycliff Gordon (Trombone) and their band-mates provided a brunch soundtrack of mixed modern and classic jazz (a didgeridoo was involved). The tents were humming with food stations, coffee stations, a Bloody Mary Lounge, and such a variety of food theater (they were just setting the stage for the Cook -Off). It was a great, relaxing Sunday Morning. I didn't stay long enough to hear Clemson's Gospel Choir. This was a brunch that lasted from morning to afternoon... I was one of the early birds - I missed a lot.

There were two tents full of delicious food; here are just a few examples:

Ruth's Chris Steak House: Shrimp and grits. (I can never get enough Shrimp and Grits)

Duvall's Catering and Event Design had a crepe station. I was enthralled.

Tito's Handmade Vodka had a Bloody Mary Lounge. mmm Bacon Bloody Mary! (who knew?)

Rockstar Chef Daryl Schular (he catered Thursday night's Songwriter's Recipe ) and his team at Performance Food Service Milton's outdid themselves with maple cured bacon wrapped tenderloin of pork with creamy stone ground grits and crumbled goat cheese and truffle eggs.

Iced The Upstate Cupcake Cafe had a display of mini cupcakes that made me wish that I could eat all day...

As if cupcakes weren't enough, pastries from The Sugar Studio Bakery rounded it us all out...

So much food, so many amazing things to see, I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking...

Doc's Draft Original Hard Apple Cider $4.99 ***

2011-10-10T09:45:00.001-04:00

Fall 2011. It is Cider Season. While at Fairway, JPH picked up a couple of bottles of Doc's Hard Cider: The 22oz original version (left) and a 22oz bottle of Doc's Draft Hard Pear Cider (our favorite - sorry, no picture).

We taste tested both as JPH was baking pumpkin pies for Sunday night's dessert. The Original Hard Cider was dry, crisp, slightly sparkly and 5% ETOH. Easy to drink - a hit. But then we tried the Hard Pear Cider - it was sublime, fragrant and had just a hint of sweetness; hands down was the winner for the day (after the pies that is...).

I'll be writing a lot about Hard Cider this Fall, because Adventures in Home Brew continues. We have a three gallon carboy of Soon's Orchard and Farm Market's Apple Cider in the basement bubbling away. Details to follow....

Pairing Dinner: The Lazy Goat/Saintsbury Vineyard #euphoriagreenville

2011-10-08T17:51:00.001-04:00

It was a beautiful evening. As the sunlight faded, we sat on the patio overlooking the Reedy River and Wyche Pavillion, sipping Cava and eating passed Hors d'oeuvres of Chorizo Empanadas and skewers of Salami, Cheese & Olives. Just inside, a tuxedoed chamber ensemble from the Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities were playing ; some of the proceeds from euphoria are funding their upcoming tour - these are some very talented high-schoolers.

Inside, our tables were set for groups of ten. We sat down relative strangers, and by the end of the evening walked away as friends. There is something about sharing a meal with people. A meal with wine by candlelight? That is almost transcendent. As each course and pairing was introduced we got to know a bit more about each other.

First course: Delicious and intense Butternut Squash Soup, from Chef Rory Golden of the Deerhurst Resort in Ontario, Canada. Phillippa Ward, Partner (and daughter) at Saintsbury Winery introduced us to the pairing for the course: their Saintsbury Carneros Chardonnay `09 $20.00. A rich, buttery soup with a hint of maple sweetness paired with a crisp, fruity California Chardonnay - the meal had begun. Our conversations were just starting too - from health care, to America's Cup Racing, to NASCAR to religion (but then again, isn't NASCAR a religion?); we were a diverse, yet single minded crowd - we were all there for the food and wine. Me from NY, Jodie Jacobs from Chicago, a couple from Southern California who had read about euphoria in an in flight magazine, and three foodie couples from South Carolina. All came for the food and wine; the fact that we had a wonderful evening was simple math: good food + good wine + good company = wonderful memories.

Second course: Haley Bitterman, Corporate Executive Chef, Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group gave us Crispy Petit Soft Shelled Crab with corn maque choux, pea tendrils and roasted red pepper remoulade sauce, paired with our "rosé" for the night Saintsbury Vin Gris of Pinot Noir `10 ~~$14.99~~ (sold out). Pairing the bright, fresh strawberry hints in the wine with the richness of the crab was an interesting experience. When I looked to the woman on my left (she and her husband were from South Carolina and were serious foodies) we both admitted that we had never eaten soft shelled crab before. It was a bonding moment. The crab was intense and the vin gris was well matched.

By now, we had all been chatting, and my picture taking was under scrutiny. (I'll admit to being lazy and using my blackberry over the Nikon) BUT it was great to know that at the end of our table hailing from Southern California was a serious amateur photographer, and she styled plates for us. It was so much fun and almost like being at home, having the whole gang in on it. (I am so sorry that I did not write down names)

Third course: Bouillabaise with petit rouget, royal red prawn & cockels, preserved orange and saffron broth, rouille from the Lazy Goat's Executive Chef Victoria Moore. This is where we went modern. None of us have ever had Bouillabaise with 1oz of broth. It was more like a spritzing on the fish (The picture was taken AFTER the broth was poured). It was amusing. Phillippa paired it with their Saintsbury Brown Ranch Chardonnay `07 $37.00. Intense, provocative and conversation starting, this is when our table really got their foodie on.

Fourth Course: The hands down hit at our table for the night. From the home team at the Lazy Goat, under chef Victoria Moore: Goat's Milk Ricotta Cheese Gnudi over sokey braised goat, ahi dolce peppers sultanas and pine nuts. Let's start with: what is Gnudi? I'll just say a delicious goat cheese dumpling/gnocchi and leave it at that. The shredded goat soaked in sokey? We, serious foodies were perplexed. And finally, two weeks later, I realized we were flying too high on Saintsbury wine to realize that it was a typo in the menu. Smokey braised goat not sokey braised goat... even though it wasn't as exotic as we thought, it was still delicious. Paired with Saintbury Pinot Noir Carneros `08 $28.00, WOW.

Fifth course: Seriously, did we think that Louisiana's Haley Bitterman, was going to top that Goat Cheese Gnudi? Some at the table feel that she did with this Spice Rubbed Duck Breast with a citrus and cherry confit, mache, rich duck demi-glaze (would that rich duck be Scrooge McDuck perchance?) and a blood orange gastrique. Seriously, those were some intense flavors to go with the duck. Paring it with the dark and spicy Saintsbury Lee Vineyard Pinot Noir Carneros `08 $40.00 worked really well. The dark plum and tobacco undertones in the wine worked with the citrus and cherry on the duck. Even better was that we could had a vertical comparison between the previous Pinot Noir and this "fleshier" cousin.

Dessert: We were bursting. In a touch of lightness, we were brought Musoka Maple Mousse with a bala cranberry biscotti and a raspberry port reduction. It was the perfect (not too) sweetness, and the textural differences were fun.

We ended the dinner with a quick twitter tutorial over dessert. I was sitting next to Amy and Dr. Carson Rounds; we bonded over Twitter, BMWs and wine. Here they are: two euphoric faces of the evening, Dr. and Mrs. Rounds

Finally, the chefs came out to say hello. We thanked them for a wonderful evening with a hearty round of applause. I can't wait until next year, and I can't wait until the Lazy Goat Cookbook comes out. I would love to make Gnudi, just to say that I made Gnudi....

A slideshow:

Tasting Showcase #euphoriagreenville

2011-10-07T10:48:00.000-04:00

After a full day of wine seminars, I didn't make it on time for euphoria's Tasting Showcase. The event was officially over; it had been from 11am - 4pm. Even though it was well after 4pm when I got there, I was welcomed warmly by the diehards as they were breaking down the event. I was famished, thanks to Soby's table, I had a delicious slider. There were even pecan turtles to be had at another table. I scavenged some delicious food.

The wine and beer tents were bursting with hospitality. I had been tasting wine all day, and I had a pairing dinner that evening, so I refrained from drinking. (you won't see me writing THAT very often!) With 27 wine tables still surrounded, I stopped by at just a few old friends to say hello: Pellegrini Winery, Freixinet USA and Flowers Winery.

I may not have done any tasting, but I did get some pictures.

Slideshow:

Wines of the Earth Seminar #euphoriagreenville

2011-10-05T18:03:00.001-04:00

"Wines of the Earth" is an excellent play on words from the brilliant mind of Wayne Belding, MS. I knew that we were in for a treat when I walked in and say the power point set up. How many times in your life did you wish that you could drink wine while sitting in a power point presentation? Well, if Wayne is your instructor, you'll be in good hands. (and drinking good wine)

Those eight glasses in the picture above represented a world tour. There were some rock stars among them, notably the Amarone that was mistakenly shipped and replaced #5.

Wayne wrote the book Diving Into Wine - I haven't read it yet, but will link to my review once I do. It is great that he is a geologist by training. How else would I have known about the secrets of Kimmeridgian soil? He gave up maps & explanations, and then we talked wine:

Joseph Drouhin Chardonnay Premire Cru `08 $39.99
We start in France, Chablis, in the classic style. Nuanced, with bold acid and a bit tart. No oak, I loved that. Hints of citrus (grapefruit? lemon), but also unripe pineapple. This was a nice Chardonnay to sip as Wayne described the limestone in Kimmeridgian soil.

Allan Scott Millstone, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc `10 $14.99
From the famed Marlborough region of New Zealand, this was a mineral, yet grassy wine with a sweet finish. It was great to taste the wine as Wayne discussed the growing areas and why wines tasted the way that the do.

Husch Gewurztraminer`09 $14.00
Anderson Valley, CA This was an interesting "spicy" wine. It was aromatic, had a substantial taste when I sipped it, but was not sweet. It was dry. It was an interesting example of a California Gewurztraminer. A classic match with Asian food, it smelled like lychee, but the taste was more dry, and prepared to tone down/compliment spicy Asian food.

Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Kabinett `06 $23.00
Of course, I loved this. It was rich, sweet and slightly effervescent. (I guess that the pros would call that a minerality) This was where Wayne explained German naming. (I wish that I had taken better notes - but I was too busy drinking this wine!) Seriously, I dare you to walk into your corner wine shop and ask for a bottle of "Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Kabinett". (if they have it, you won't be disappointed.)

So we had been around the world in white wine. (Although I was firmly still sipping in Germany) It was time to enter the bonus round of our class, the reds, where a shipment error can sometimes be in our favor!

Tedeschi Amarone della Valpolicella `06 $48.00
(30% Corvina, 30% Corvinone, 30% Rondinella, 10% Molinara, Rossignola, Oseleta, Negrara, Dindarella) 15.5% ETOH
From the Veneto. Wow. This was the first time that I have ever tasted Amarone. I've read about it, I have friends that love it, but I had never tasted it before. Dry, smells of fruit and alcohol.Wayne had some great pictures of grapes going through the drying process. He had some great stories about the making and exclusivity of Amarone; being made by using only the "Ears of the bunch" I never thought about the anatomy of a bunch of grapes but from now on, I will.

Elk Cove, Mt Richmond Pinot Noir `09 $45.99
Willamet Valley, Oregon (I'll be there next August!)
Wayne taught us why the Willakenzie soil in the Willamet Valley makes for good wine. (my word for the day... Jory Soil) This was a very light, dry Pinot Noir with very subtle fruit.

Mil Piedras Malbec `08 $9.99
I am a fan of Argentinian Malbec. Wayne helped me to understand why. Ripe, big, tannic, this wine was a great example of the region. It was delicious. It is the growing region, the sun and the heat that produce thicker skins and more color. What better to have with a luscious Argentinian Steak than a big, bold Argentinian Malbec? And you can't beat the price!

Finally, I have to admit that I sipped and dashed on this wine. Which was unfortunate, because it came from my favorite region in the world, Piemonte, Italy. But I was running late for euphoria's Grand Tasting, and I had just done six hours of wine tasting with no lunch... Sorry Wayne, I did not mean to run out on you.

My last wine of the afternoon:
Renato Ratti Barolo Marcenasco `07 DOCG $49.99
This is a celebration wine. A wine that we could easily be drinking 18 years from now. 14.5% ETOH, with deep dark tobacco flavor, and a dark fruit forward. This wine is all about overwhelming your taste-buds. A classic representation of the area, is it wrong that I just wanted to keep my glass, grab the bottle, kill a wild boar and eat it with fresh truffles in between sips?

Instead, I dashed across the street for the last 15 mins of the Grand Tasting....

A slideshow from all the seminars that day:

Long Live the King! Cabernet Sauvignon Wine Seminar #euphoriagreenville

2011-10-03T11:02:00.002-04:00

I love wine seminars. They suit me. Bonus points to euphoria, because they hosted three seminars in one afternoon. I started my morning with Bubblemania, (sparkling wines in all their glory) and then went upstairs to the Gold Room at the Westin Pointsett where J. Scott Carney, MS was going to talk to us about Cabernet Sauvignon.

When walked into the room, the tables were set and the wine was poured. The smell was incredible. Imagine hundreds of glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon wafting through an otherwise empty room. I watched as participants stepped through the entrance, stopped, inhaled, and smiled. It was a great reminder that enjoying wine includes taste and smell.

Scott has the presence of a college professor. (which is good, because he teaches at CUNY) Not the stuffy kind of professor that you dread, but the cool kind of professor that recommends movies "Bottle Shock. You can get it on Netflix"; and says things like "When I first read 'Long Live the King, J. Scott Carney', I though gee, thanks euphoria, but that is a bit much..." The group laughed along with him and then we got down to the business of Cabernet Sauvignon.

There were six glasses set before us:

Trig Point `08 $20.00 Diamond Dust Vineyard, Alexander Valley
A light wine with a very slight tannin, this wine was a good starting point. We tasted and discussed the changes in color that happen as a wine ages. We held this glass up and looked at the color. "Color loss begins at the rim" was what Scott said. It was a nice, easy to drink wine, with a good hit of blackcurrant, a classic Cabernet Sauvignon flavor. This wine still had its primary aromas; as it ages, secondary aromas will develop, creating the bouquet. This wine is a 10-15 year wine as far as drinkability. It will develop complexity in years to come, but it is also good to drink right now.

This was also a good time to start discussing ETOH content in wines. Did you know that "claret" the wine that I am often invoking when I write about Jefferson, was generally a low alcohol red wine. It was only 12% ETOH. Note to Self: I may need to re-do my presentation "Our Drunken Founding Fathers" and rename it "Our slightly tipsy Founding Fathers". Scott was great at putting into words how ETOH affects us "You can feel it in your chest and in your throat". He also reminded us that we were at a disadvantage, because "Cabernet needs food." We were tasting wine straight up, and the nuances really do develop better when they have other flavors to play with. Scott mentioned a nice steak and my mouth watered.

CrossBarn by Paul Hobbs `08 $39.99 Napa Valley
(96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc)
With the second wine, Scott discussed the wine maker as well as the wine. Paul Hobbs is a legend in the business. One of the "Flying Winemakers" he works his craft in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres because the Napa harvest is in October, and the South American harvest is in March.. Pretty cool to be doing what you love in two hemispheres and creating a great product along with it. This wine has a sweet smell. Scott pointed out the nostalgia in wine, "A sense of smell warps space an time". (see, I told you that he was like a very cool college professor! - well duh, he IS a college professor. I felt very lucky to be sitting in his "class"). CrossBarn is a rich wine, that brings a textural concept to the palate.

This is where we discussed tannins. "Tannins are the acid that put the breaks on". Again, we lamented not having a steak dinner in front of us, but I was learning so much! Tannins in wine set your palate for other textures. Imagine the contrasting fattiness of a nicely seared steak with a tight, fruity, tannic wine - I am sure you can.

Manifesto North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon `09 $21.00 North Coast AVA
This was a dry, light wine. ETOH 14.4%. "Pink on the edge, a very young wine" (By now, I was getting so good at looking at the edges of wine, I could snap a picture while holding!)

Château Sénéjac Cabernet Sauvignon`05 $30.00
Now to France, ancestral home of Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux, Haut-Médoc. This was probably the closest resembelance to the "Bordeaux Claret" that I write about. It is a low alcohol (13%ETOH), spicy (baking spices - clove, cinnamon, nutmeg), subtle wine. With its age (`05), it is developing secondary aromas, cedar? menthol? To me, it was a very light wine, and a bit sour. But I am imagining that paired with the right food, this could be amazing.

Regusci Cabernet Sauvignon `08 $58.00
(92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc)
By far, my favorite wine of the day. It was a full flavor, jammy wine, with a lovely "toasted oak" flavor (vanilla). And oh so smooth.... I just wanted to grab a bottle and run next door to euphoria's "Grand Tasting" tent. I was very proud of my self control. There may be a case of this wine in my future.

Back to the wine. From the Stags Leap District, it is one of Napa's few "Ghost Wineries" which is a great story, involving California, Italy and prohibition. I won't tell it here. It is a story to be told while sipping a glass of this wine while sitting around the fire-pit.

Shafer One Point Five Cabernet Sauvignon `08 $70.00
(98% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Petite Verdot, 1% Malbec)
At 15.1% ETO, this is a powerhouse wine from Shafer Family Vineyard in Napa's Stags Leap District. A classically dark forest fruit flavored, tight, dry Cabernet, I wonder what it would be like aerated and served with an amazing crown roast.

Thank you Scott for walking us through these great representatives of Cabernet Sauvignon. It truly was a Master Class on Cabernet Sauvignon.

My slideshow from all the Wine Seminars:

Bubblemania Wine Seminar #euphoriagreenville

2011-10-02T10:31:00.000-04:00

11am Saturday morning. I took my seat at the back row in the Westin Hotel's Poinsett Room and watched as dedicated euphoria volunteers poured sparkling wine for us.

It was a beautiful sight to behold. Bubbles, blithely bouncing bubbles bursting to the top of our glasses.

Laura Williamson, MS, CWE introduced us to each glass. The smells, the tastes, the processes that brought them into this world. When to drink them: "You don't want a five year old prosecco". What the grapes bring into the flavor process: "Pinot Noir gives the earthy dimension". What is it with aging anyway?: "Acidity is the key component for ageability".

For me, Laura's gem statement of the day was "We talk dry, but we want sweet". With regard to wine sold in the United States, that is so true. No wonder our best seller is Riuniti Lambrusco. There is a huge market for sweet. But we love to discuss other nuances. When I read people writing about wine, it is like our national sweet tooth is a dirty secret. Well, I'll say it, I LIKE sweet wine. I drink it, I write about it, and I won't hide it. After all, I was raised on Boone's Farm Tickled Pink. (but I still love my Tempranillo!)

One of the highlights of this session (besides the wine and the teacher) was that in the volunteer section was Alexandra from Devereaux's Restaurant. She had some GREAT pairing ideas and would come up and share them with us. She also had a cooking tip to share. "When cooking with dark meat, use black pepper. When cooking with light meat, use white pepper". Hmm, you wouldn't think sparkling wine with anything peppery normally now would you? But I bet that something with a bold flavor, like the German Raumland Pinot Blanc Brut Prestige or even The Gloria Ferrer would pair really well with a pork loin stuffed with cornbread, dried apricots, cranberries and raisins. (Great, now I am hungry.)

Laura said something that made my ears stand up: "There's great sparkling wine coming out of England". Wwhaaat? I asked myself. There are vineyards in England? How did I miss that? I must go now and find out where these English vineyards are. And so, this will be my 2012 wine project. (after I pass my CSW)

Here is a run down of what we tasted that morning:

Segura Viudas Brut Reserva, NV DO, Cava $8.99
A nice dry Spanish bubbly.

Mionetto IL Prosecco DOC di Treviso $13.00
I smiled. This was the last wine I tasted before my kidney transplant in `08. It was a lovely happy flowery memory. (the wine was flowery too!)

Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs Sparkling NV $20.00
Hello old friend! I love this California sparkling wine. It is one of my go to bubblies. I savored this glass.

Moët & Chandon "Imperial" NV $34.99
Yes, here we are in France with the big boys. Our first "Champagne" of the day. I've never been a label person. (unless I am labeling someone... but I digress) It was nice to taste one of the classics. This is the wine that replaced White Star.

Moët & Chandon "Imperial" Rosè NV $50.00
Pretty, strawberries. I liked it. Soft, creamy and elegant. Ok, this is what the money is for. What a great special occasion wine.

Raumland Pinot Blanc Brut Prestige `02 $65.00
My first vintage sparkling of the day, and it was from a small German producer that leaves the wine on the lees for 5-7 years. Now this is what a wine seminar is all about. There were only 500 cases of this wine produced. It is exclusive. Laura had it because she works for the distributor. It was the richest sparkling that I tasted for the day, and it had a long finish. Which is remarkable (to me) for a sparkling wine.

Umberto Fiori Moscato d'Asti DOCG $10.99
And we end our tasting in one of my favorite corners of the world Piemonte, Italy. This super sweet dessert sparkling is like drinking a luscious over ripe pear from a bottle. Crisply chilled, it is a magic elixir, and it is only 6% ETOH. All sweet, no hangover. (maybe a diabetic coma, but hey, what a way to go!)

Here's a slideshow from all three of the wine seminars of the day:

Media Breakfast #euphoriagreenville

2011-10-01T20:00:00.000-04:00

Executive Chef Brandon Lemieux at the Hyatt in Greenville, SC knows what he is doing. He was the creative force behind our Thursday evening Press Reception with unique, inspired foods. Two that stand out in my mind: Dessert Sushi and a beautiful salad of local sweet corn, asparagus & sweet potatoes with sweet vidalia onion vinaigrette.

Chef Lemieux pulled it off again on Saturday morning with hearty servings and great flavors for our intimate and casual Media Breakfast. He sourced as many local products as he could, and, bless him, I was a very happy girl - they were delicious!

Of course my heart skipped a beat when I saw the grits station. (Suber's Corn Mill, my heart is now broken, this New Yorker can't buy your cornmeal on line... sigh.)

Of course, I was so happy after I took these snapshots of my bacon, shrimp, onion and cheese grits being made, I forgot to take a picture of the final product. They were delicious - even if you can barely see them in the picture on the right.

The Hyatt is proving that "hotel food" can be taken to the next level. I had the same room service breakfast almost every morning (6am is prime writing time for me), their Steele Cut Oatmeal with fresh fruits is a really good breakfast.

The day I arrived, I was famished and ordered their in-room dining Corn Chowder with a side of hand cut potato chips. (right) I have NEVER had hand cut potato chips before, and now all I want is hand cut potato chips. Thanks Hyatt, I go to a music, food and wine festival and I come home with an addiction to hand cut potato chips. (I guess it could have been worse... that Sweet Tea Bourbon was really good!)

Meanwhile, back at the media breakfast... It was a great time for all of us to get to know each other. The room was full of people mingling and networking. At our table: Jodi Jacobs from The Chicago Tribune, Lain Bradford from The State Newspaper, Katie from O Magazine, and Malika Harricharan from Atlanta Restaurant Blog, and author of Food Lover's Guide to Atlanta .

euphoria's staff and administration were great at introducing us to who we needed to meet. I even had yet another chance to tell Christopher Barefoot, Estate Director of Flowers Vineyard and Winery how much I like their Pinot Noir. Really, I talk about it so much, I need to sit down and write a review already.

It was great to meet and chat with Philippa Ward from Saintsbury. They are the California vineyard that would be pairing their wines with my Chef's Dinner at the Lazy Goat.

Tim Todd, the Executive Director of Upcountry South Carolina (sponsor of our breakfast) spoke to us about the purveyors of the raw ingredients from our breakfast.

To name a few:

Goat Cheese from Split Creek Farms in our Breakfast Sliders: Beef tenderloin with a goat cheese & baby spinach souffle and a Bermuda onion marmalade (I had TWO!)

Grits from Suber's Corn Mill (see above... I really should do a Mill Tour of South Carolina one day, just to get some of their grits/cornmeal)

Amazing Breads from The Bakery by Sweet Creations

Fresh eggs from Deb Potter at Merciful Hearts Farm (I met her briefly at her stall in the Saturday Market) for the Low Country Benedict: Charleston style crab cakes, poached eggs, baby spinach, sweet corn relish and cajun spiced hollandaise.

It was great that many of the movers and shakers from euphoria joined us that morning.

Taryn Scher who heads TKPR, the public relations boutique that represents euphoria and so much more.

From Table 301: Carl Sobocinski and Gina Boulware. Carl is a partner at Table 301and one of the founders of euphoria (click on the link just to see the founders in "reading skirts"). Table 301 consists of many of Greenville & South Carolina's culinary heavy hitters: Soby's, Deveraux's, The Lazy Goat, Soby's on the Side, Table 301 Catering and the Loft at Soby's . After Mass on Sunday morning, Fr. Newman told me "I can be found at Soby's some week nights" - now how is that for a ringing endorsement? I'll be reviewing Soby's New South Cuisine Cookbook in November.

And sliding in for breakfast and a quick hello (in between signing autographs) was Edwin McCain one of the founders of euphoria, Edwin was sweet, funny and I can now say that he is the second musician that I have met who has been photographed wearing a skirt and playing a guitar. (seriously, you did click on the "founders of euphoria" link above, right? If you didn't, here it is again. I should not be alone in seeing this picture from the early years of euphoria - 2008)

And there you have it: Saturday's Media Breakfast. A sneek peek at what goes on behind the scenes; gathering press people together, showcasing all that is good and then turning us loose to do our jobs: soak up as much as we can and then write about it. Sharing with you, our readers the undiscovered gems that are out there. (did I mention that South Carolina has many, many waterfalls? I'll be back, and not just for the food, people and hospitality - I have a thing for waterfalls...)

My next stop on Saturday, wine seminars....

Greenville, SC: Saturday Market #euphoriagreenville

2011-10-01T10:32:00.000-04:00

8 am Saturday morning came pretty early when there was an after party on Friday night. But that didn't stop me. I was off to explore Greenville's Saturday Market - it was a mad dash and some quick photos with my Blackberry. (so I forgot the Nikon... oops - see what no coffee will do to me?) I had to be at the Hyatt for our Media Breakfast at 8:30. Luckily, after our breakfast I had a chance to grab the Nikon, go back and take proper photos of what I had seen and been enchanted by earlier.

A few blocks of Main Street are closed for the Saturday Market. I started on the north end and worked my way down. Over 50 local artisans and farmers chatted as they set up their displays. I secretly wished that I had driven and not flown to Greenville; I wanted to buy EVERYTHING. (here is a list of all participating vendors)

A Few Highlights:

It was 8am, I hadn't had coffee, Banana Mama was in the first stall on the left, she called over to me and gave me a sample of her rich, sweet and filling Banana Bread. All I can say is Banana Mama knows how to take care of you! Of course that was when I realized that I forgot the Nikon and when I came back at 11, her table was so crowded, I couldn't get a good picture.

Peppers: Chili peppers, beautiful, colorful peppers....

There were plenty of people purveying piles and piles of picturesque peppers. (it is safe to say that the people of Greenville like it spicy ☺ )

Artisan Crafts using Organic Materials:

Cutting/Serving Boards

Stephen Owen @ Sixteen acre wood is taking reclaimed hardwood and making beautiful cutting boards, kneading boards, smorgasboards, furniture and other works of art.

I first spoke with him at 8am, and by the time I saw him again at 11, he was sold out of almost everything. His one of a kind work is gorgeous, and I want one! (on my next trip to Greenville, I will be prepared) sadly (for us), he keeps selling out, so his online gallery is bare for now. Maybe you'll get lucky if you check it out.

The Gone Nutz Gourmet Shoppe, has beautiful Gourmet Cheese Boards made from local granite. (good nut brittle too!)

Pysansky by Pastor Steve Saxe. A local pastor has a side business decorating local eggshells in the Ukranian style. These are intricate patterns that make stunning ornaments.

Country Craft Gourds All I can say is WOW. Why have a plastic pumpkin when you could have this stunner for Halloween?

At Merciful Hearts Farms, Deb was not only selling her colorful wool, she was working it too. (she also sells their farm's eggs, little did I know that I was to have some of her fresh eggs at our Media Breakfast - they were delicious)

Fresh Fruit and Vegetables:

We are into harvest season. This was a great time to be at the market. There were so many tables of fresh, local fruit and veg. The slideshow below is more complete. (If I added all of the pictures to this post it would be really, really long)

Muscadine and Scuppernong Grapes from The Happy Berry. I couldn't bring home the fresh fruit, but I did snag two jars of jelly, one Muscadine and one Scuppernong (S. was very happy to see me unpack those. She has a Scuppernong addiction that I am just finding out about)

Red Fern Farm had a beautiful display of all things good for you. Imagining that I had just picked it from the garden, I just wanted to grab one of those green beans, hear a resounding snap as I broke it in half and pop it into my mouth, but I controlled my urges.

I had a great chat with Lannie Harte, who presides over Dayllies, LLC. A true southern lady who has jars and jars of popular salsas, jellies and preserves, ready to take home.

I could go on and on about the market. There was a man playing bluegrass ~~violin~~ fiddle, there was a booth run by the Childrens' Museum so they could make prints with fresh cut vegetables. I am going to stop gushing now and leave you to the slide show below.

A Taste of the South #euphoriagreenville

2011-09-30T20:00:00.002-04:00

My weekend at euphoria was about music, food, wine and Greenville, South Carolina. One of the highlights was Friday evening's "Taste of the South" at sunset along the Reedy River.

Where to start???? As I stood on the steps looking down at the Peace Center Amphitheatre, Maia Sharp was on stage with a friend, two women, two guitars and beautiful music.

To my left was the Wyche Pavillion filled with local restaurants showing off their interpretation of a "Taste of the South". My mouth was watering and I was on a mission: GRITS. To me, everything else was simply bonus. To my right were beer and wine purveyors; it was a feast and I hadn't even taken a bite yet.

I made my way to the pavilion. My first stop, Stella's Southern Bistro. I had made their Shrimp and Grits recipe last month and it was a BIG hit. They started me off right with a delicious Dirty Cheese Grit & Cornbread Souffle with Smoked Chicken Gumbo & Crispy Country Ham - now that was a mouthful!

Slowly, I worked my way around the Pavilion. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't eat everything. I was on a quest for grits, but other things tempted me along the way. Rick Erwin's West End Grille's Butternut Squash Pasty was a quick bite of happiness.

In a far corner, I found it, my holy grail, The Plaid Pelican's Shrimp and Grits. I smiled, was handed a plate and then ran off to a quiet place to savor each bite. (I was so into eating that I forgot to take a picture!).

Then I stumbled across Victoria Moore, Executive Chef at the Lazy Goat stirring paella. Cooking is theater and I was very happy to watch! But I knew that there were more grits ahead....

I hesitated when I saw that The Nose Dive Gastro Pub had Bacon Brownies and I'm kicking myself for not trying them, but I did grab one of their delicious Smoked Deviled Eggs with Smoked Trout.

I barely missed a stride though because just ahead at The American Grocery Restaurant, I saw a sign for Caw-Caw Pork Belly, Anson Mills Grits & Bourbon Maple. Thursday night's songwriter's recipe made me a fan of Bourbon, and, well, anything with pork.... (why don't you finish that sentence for me)

I watched as chef Joe Clarke drizzled the Bourbon Maple glaze on a dish. (I wasn't stalking, I swear!)

I patiently waited for a plate to make it to the table. (This was the longest line that I waited for, and I was third in line... those 30 seconds seemed to last for days...), then just as I did with my Plaid Pelican Shrimp & Grits, I ran off to savor the sweet, meaty, creamy porkbelly/grits goodness.

It was time for a drink. There were barrels of ice cold Fiji Water bottles everywhere, but there were also "adult libations". Oh the choices. Should it be beer? Should it be wine? A pouring from the cute volunteer bartender in the VIP section? I decided to try Sour Grapes Wine's Weingut Martinshoff Hans & Franz Keg Zweigelt Rose`10 from Weinviertel, Austria. This was my second foray into Zweigelt. hmmm. My next stop was the Belgian Beer Cafe, where I gave into the temptation of a Hoegaarden Original White Ale.

I stopped to listen to Will Hoge rock the sunset, chatted with some new friends then made my second trip to the pavilion for dessert.

Dessert was the highly recommended Spiced Carrot Cupcakes with Split Creek Farm Goat Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel from Stella's Southern Bistro. We'd come full circle, there are pictures below in the slideshow of everything that I missed. (which would be about 80% of what was on offer) I had to pace myself, and I was ready to sit down with some friends and listen to Edwin McCain sing.

I hadn't tasted nearly as much as I could have, but, my day started with a Historic Walking Tour, then to the BMW Performance Driving School (the adrenaline raced through my body all night!) and there was a VIP after party at the Cigar Warehouse... all I can say is what happens at the after party, stays at the after party! (a good time was had by all)

My "Taste of the South" slideshow:

Greenville, SC History Tour with John Nolan #euphoriagreenville

2011-09-30T10:42:00.001-04:00

The moral of the story is: Writing is important. It will change your world.

I was at euphoria Greenville last weekend. I feel as though I have been invited to a secret world, previously hidden to my NYC cynicism. The antidote to my world wariness? A weekend celebration of music, food and wine in Greenville, South Carolina.

John Nolan of Greenville History Tours took us for a mosey down Main Street, discussing the city's past, transformation and plans for the future. Rebirth and rejuvenation are alive, well, and thriving in Greenville.

How did Greenville go from the "Textile Capital of the World" to the city that spawned euphoria? To over simplify it, I'll just say a boy had a pen pal. (This is how writing can change the world)

Once upon a time, in Vienna Austria, young Max Heller met some girls from Greenville who were on a European tour. Mary Mills, one of those girls, became his pen-pal. Bad things started happening in Austria in the 1930's. Thanks to his pen pal and the community, young Max was able to escape to Greenville, SC. He stayed in Greenville, got married on Main Street, opened a business, and then in the 1960's became Mayor. I'll let John Nolan tell you the rest of the story - it's a good one with a happy ending. He'll tell you this story and much more as he walks with you down Main Street, pointing out the old, the new and the flights of whimsey that are tucked away almost everywhere. (At one point, he pointed out small bells in the trees above our heads, ringing softly in the breeze.)

John tells another great revitalization story: Mice on Main.

From the start of our tour, we were looking for mice. Not the NYC big scary kind of mice, but mice that read Good Night Moon. A high school boy came up with the idea, a local sculptor made the bronzes; now along Main Street, there are ten adorable mice just waiting to be discovered. They provide interactive entertainment for children as their parents stroll from shops to art galleries to restaurants and independent coffee shops.

As we moseyed, we saw larger statues of Founding Fathers co-existing with modern statues.

From Max Helller standing across from the Hyatt, to Vardry McBee (above) at Courthouse Square, who by day sits watching a courtyard and all the people passing by, but by evening is a gentle old grandpa statue that children can climb on.

Further down the street, Modern musicians play a silent flute and violin across from General Green standing in the fore court of the newspaper building, with the last "Mouse on Main" at his feet. For just a few blocks, you get a flavor of the history and a taste of the future all surrounded by the vibrancy of life.

This is what is great about weekend breaks. Sure, it is idealistic for me to say that everything is perfect - but for one weekend, it was. This blog post is a snapshot of a moment in time. A reminder to me, and maybe you, that to simply change your perspective you should walk along another path for a bit. My weekend at euphoria and walk down Main Street with John Nolan recharged my batteries and showed me what fate, passion and dedication can create.

We finished our tour at Falls Park along the Reedy River. Greenville is a town of waterfalls. There were water features all along our walk: Spots of beauty, reminders of the past, and great places to cool off from the heat.

Greenville is a young, kid friendly city (both chronological kids and those at heart). It is the only place where I've seen a closed off Main Street with a row of bouncy castles in the left lane, a live band playing good old Rock & Roll in the courtyard, and beer trucks lined up in the right lane for the grownups. A great combination of activities for the kids to blow off some steam and for parents to kick back, relax and enjoy their Friday night. During the summer, the city sponsors free concerts on Main Street, and Shakespeare is performed in Falls Park. This is a city that is begging you to spend time outdoors (and Reedy Park has free wi-fi! I may have sent a tweet or two...).

John was a great tour guide and he is rightfully proud of the city. Next year, I want to take his Greenville Culinary Tour - sampling some of the restaurants that have made Greenville a culinary destination. If it sounds like I am gushing about Greenville, I am. There is a lot to gush about. The secret is getting out - just remember, I told you about it first.

A slideshow from our tour:

Songwriter's Recipe: songs and stories from euphoria unplugged #euphoriagreenville

2011-09-25T16:28:00.011-04:00

Yes folks, wine and food were involved. (and I was introduced to Firefly Sweet Tea Bourbon...oh boy!) The concept behind euphoria Greenville is to showcase local talent, a blending of food, wine and music. Of course, it helps to have some international talent be from the area too.

Edwin McCain - what, you don't recognize his face? You will recognize his voice. euphoria lists him as "The Voice that has launched 1,000 marriages" - you know the song, 1998's "I'll Be":

I'll be your cryin' shoulder

I'll be love suicide

I'll be better when I'm older

I'll be the greatest fan of your life...

Edwin is home grown Greenville, SC. As a boy, he sang in the church choir, then he grew up, made it big (he says that his latest album Mercy Bound is "set to go cardboard next week" but I smell gold), and came home to raise a family (when he's not touring). This romantic soul who wrote the lyrics above is a great voice, a terrific musician, a natural, charismatic, storytelling family man and one of the driving forces behind euphoria. Lucky for us, he invited some talented friends to join him to perform "unplugged" at the warehouse theatre on Augusta Street for the night..

The Songwriter's Recipe was more than a concert - it was reception sponsored by J. Lohr and Firefly Vodka (reviews to come) with great food from Chef Daryl L. Shular (I loved the duck appetizer and the shrimp on a stick...), and a fun, memorable and intimate evening with Edwin McCain, Maia Sharp and Will Hoge.

With the stage softly lit and the oriental carpets draping the floors, it was like hanging out with amazingly talented friends in your chic, urban loft. All three went round robin with songs and stories. They played together and sometimes alone, and every song was perfect for the occasion. I am still singing "Red Dress" in my head, days later. (The image of Will walking out on stage in a sequined red dress as Maia and Edwin sang is burned into my psyche).

They were having fun, and when the people on the stage are having a blast, the audience is in on it too. Of course, my glass of J. Lohr Chardonnay and two Firefly Bourbon Sweet Teas helped to lubricate my Yankee reserve. Chef Shular made sure that we had delicious, satisfying food - we were sated on all levels.

Stories with punch lines like: "Tour Bus Stories aren't Dinner Party Stories."; or "My six year old told his teacher his favorite song was Johnny Cash's Cocaine Blues"; and "Whenever I sing this song, usually a glass of wine appears. (TWO glasses appeared that night!)

If you see Edwin out on tour, ask him about the teenagers in his neighborhood - he may just sigh and hang his head. It is wonderful to listen to stories told by a man who one day was surprised to find out that he is a grown up (albeit with the spirit of a child). We've all had those moments, when we are reminded that we are the grownups now, and when we see that our rock stars have those moments too... well, it just seems like we're still cool on some level. The novelty and freshness of their banter made their soulful, resonating music even more special.

Will Hoge rocked the house when he pulled out a harmonica, and Maia Sharp reminded us that the real talent behind our top 40 singers is usually the songwriter. Maia is an an amazing singer/musician, but she is also a busy and well respected producer and songwriter who is behind many familiar hits. It was great to see her on stage, playing her own songs. It is also great to know that even though she lives in LA, her favorite restaurant is Greenville's own The Lazy Goat. (Take that Spago!).

The concert was great, the food was amazing. The Rock & Rollers headed to the afterparty, and I hopped the free trolly back to the Hyatt. A good time was had by all.

a slideshow of the night:

euphoria 2011 Press Reception #euphoriagreenville

2011-09-23T11:49:00.009-04:00

After a short 90 minute flight from NYC, I found myself at euphoria 2011 a world class music, food and wine event in Greenville, South Carolina.

As we made the brief trip from the airport to the Hyatt, I chatted with Carliss, my volunteer driver about his forty five years living in Greenville. I quickly realized that I was in a special place. His parting words as he handed me my bag at the hotel: "You may not want to go back". I've been here less that 24 hours, and he may be on to something.

My first impression: Greenville feels intimate, exclusive and unique. Every person that I've met, from locals to Yankee imports have shown that "Southern Hospitality" is alive and well in Greenville. It is the North American Home to BMW (an event sponsor - I am going to their test track this afternoon) and has a wealth of local produce (I'll be at the Farmers Market on Saturday) and artisan producers (Firefly Bourbon Sweet Tea may be the death of me).

The Media Pool for euphoria is being arranged, wrangled and kept organized by Taryn Scher's TK Public Relations. We've been in e-mail communication since July; and now, the event is here. My credentials, agenda and overstuffed "Swag Bag" were waiting for me at the front desk when I checked in. It is going to be an exciting weekend. At the reception, I met Taryn for the first time, and Gina Boulware from Table 301 (creators of euphoria).


dessert sushi

NC trout roulade with pecan & cranberries
with a blueberry reduction

Our Press Reception on Thursday from 5:30 - 6:45, was a fantastic welcome and beautiful display of Southern Fusion Food, catered by the Hyatt. Have you ever tried dessert sushi? Well, I have.

local sweet corn, asparagus and
sweet potato salad with
sweet vidalia onion vinaigrette

We mingled - bloggers, print journalists and some euphoria administration. My companions for the evening were Lain Bradford, wine, beer and liquor reviewer for The State, South Carolina's largest daily newspaper, and Jodie Jacobs, a journalist at the Chicago Tribune.

Gina then guided us to the shuttle bus, and gave us a brief tour of Greenville as we made our way to the first official euphoria event of 2011: Songwriter's Recipe: songs and stories from euphoria unplugged.

A slideshow from the Reception:

Tin Barn Zinfandel Russian River Valley Gilsson Vineyards`09 **** sample #WBC11

2011-09-16T15:38:00.003-04:00

I ♥ Tin Barn Vineyards. In July, at the WBC11 "Meet the Sponsors" Reception, I tasted their 2010 Sauvignon Blanc. It was bright (citrus) with a fresh acid "clean" taste; refreshing and good.

Tin Barn is a Napa/Sonoma/Russian River Valley producer, that puts the growers at the forefront of their product, and it shows. The use 100% varietals (excepting their Cabernet blend) showcasing the land, climate and grapes. I was impressed with the Sauvignon Blanc, made some notes and grabbed a post card. Back at my hotel room, I happily dug into my "Swag Bag" and found a half bottle of their `09 Russian River Zinfandel. I read a rumor that Tin Barn produced these bottles for WBC11, and if that us true, well, then I ♥ them even more.

The day after the conference, I spent a night at Colonial Williamsburg, where I met a friend from the conference, WineBizNews's Barbara Keck who also writes Mountain High Wines and "Wine Adventures" at The Tahoe Weekly. We had a delicious dinner at the Kings Arms Tavern, then we had an end of evening glass of wine back at the parlor of the Chiswell-Bucktrout House.

Barbara brought out her half bottle of the Tin Barn Zinfandel Russian River Valley Gilsson Vineyards`09 (and she styled the photo on the left), we toasted a good dinner, great conference and new friends.

A half bottle of wine is PERFECT for two people who just want to share a drink at the end of an evening. It is a rich zinfandel, (15.7 % ETOH) with a deep, dry blackberry taste. Good for sipping and I was imagining what it would be like with food.

Cut to September, 2011. JPH and S. are off on a second honeymoon; MEH and I are holding down the fort. We planned the menu for the week, and on our "Steak Night" I decided that I would indulge myself with the Tin Barn Zinfandel. It was delicious paired with our grilled tri-tip steak, mushroom gnocchi, salad and mini eclairs (ok, not so much with the mini-eclairs. DO NOT pair Zinfandel with custard desserts - you can't say I didn't warn you!).

I didn't decant the wine, but I did swirl it a lot; over the course of the evening - from dinner to the post dinner Dr. Who episode, I carried around my glass & the half bottle and enjoyed every drop.

Blackberries. Intense, fruity blackberries, very few tannins and a long fruity finish. I love the concept of a half bottle, and I am so happy that this wine is delicious and full of flavor. This was yet another great thing to come out of WBC11. I'm already signed up for WBC12 . Tin Barn, I hope you'll be there too!

Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto d’Acqui DOCG NV $19.99 (Not TJ's) ****

2011-09-13T04:00:00.003-04:00

A Birthday Dinner in three bottles: #3 Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto d’Acqui DOCG

I have written about the Banfi Dynasty before - It really is the "House that Riuniti Built" But they offer so much more. On the top of that scale is this light, sparkling delicious sweet strawberry nuanced wine. JPH chose it as the pairing for dessert: Vanilla and Lemon Panna Cotta. S. & JPH first had Rosa Regale at a tasting dinner at the Banfi Estate in Old Brookville, not far from their house. I liked it from the first sip, and after devouring a couple of splits over the summer, we had this bottle waiting in the beer drawer for a special occasion.

From Piemonte, (just like the origins of Panna Cotta) this wine was a hit. It is sweet (everyone should approve), fresh strawberries with a hint of rose and bubbly with a dark pink/red color that just makes me think of Valentine's Day (which is a stretch, because normally, I think of Valentine's Day and want to eat a Lemon Meringue Pie all by myself, watch George Clooney in anything and then go to sleep, wishing that the day would be over... but I digress...)

Made from 100% Brachetto grapes, it is simply a great sweet/sparkling wine that you can drink to brighten up any occasion.

After we finished dessert, we went back to the terrace and enjoyed the fire pit in full blaze. We roasted some garlic grown in a family garden and simply relaxed and enjoyed the evening. Cognac may have been opened and enjoyed by the fireside, but what happens on the terrace, stays on the terrace. I am done blogging for this evening.

Cheers!

Calling All Corks! The California Wine Club Wants YOU.

2011-09-12T12:50:00.003-04:00

"Put a Cork in it!" Cork Drive until September 30, 2011.

For the longest time, I saved my corks. I just didn't want to part with them. I had a Champagne bucket that collected dust on my bar/bookcase. Maybe I dreamed of one day making a corkboard made from corks. But my OCD got the best of me, and one day, I threw them all out. I always threw out my corks and bottles (greenies, feel free to berate me in the comments - what can I say, I am more Miss Piggie than Kermit). But then I went to WBC `11 and watched two men almost get into a fist fight over... you guessed it, CORKS.

"Huh", I thought, what is up with this? And then I strolled over to the cork display and picked up some literature. Corks are controversial, but they are also a wanted commodity.

Are you like I was? Do you have a bunch of corks collecting dust somewhere in your home? Why not recycle them for free, and have a chance to win some prizes and earn California Wine Club Dollars.

The California Wine Club is running a Cork Drive in coordination with ReCORK. They'll send you a postage paid mailer, you can rid yourself of some dust collectors, maybe win something, and unburden your guilt for not recycling. (you know that you are never going to make that cork board - but if you do/did make that cork board (or cork coaster for that matter) send me a picture, I'll put it in a blog post, and admit that you did better that I ever could!)

If you are reading this after the California Wine Club's 30 September 2011 deadline or you are like us and don't have any leftover corks right now, (My OCD took over when I moved to the 'burbs - I've been throwing everything out). You can collect them going forward for recycling in the the future. Whole Foods has a program with Cork reharvest, and they have recycling boxes at all Whole Food locations in the USA.

If only I could interest someone in JPH's collection of beer caps...

Cave de Tain l'Hermitage Crozes-Hermitage Les Trois Lys `07 (not TJ's) Gift/$17.99 ***

2011-09-12T06:00:00.004-04:00

Birthday Dinner in three bottles: #2 Cave de Tain l'Hermitage Crozes-Hermitage Les Trois Lys `07

Dinner was about to be put on the table. JPH uncorked the second bottle, a gift from European cousins who enjoy a good table wine. This was a special occasion and it paired well with the menu win/win.

Cave de Tain is a big producer of French table wine from the birthplace of Syrah, the northern Rhône. From AOC Crozes-Hermitage, this easy to drink, medium weight slightly peppery wine is versatile, either as a sipping wine or a dinner wine and at 13 - 13.5% ETOH made it easy for us to pace ourselves for the celebratory evening. Popular in London as a table wine, it was listed in Enjoy wine without a hangover in the Sunday Times. (This was good, as we still had another bottle to go)

As we sat in the dining room, eating through the amazing fresh chanterelles, pheasant breast and spätzle, the wine went down smoothly. Glasses were easily refilled, and the discussion ranged from raising chickens (one firm NO) to upcoming local fairs (Count me IN for the 10/02/11 Annual Sea-Cliff Mini-Mart).

The wine was smooth, dinner was filling and the company was entertaining. Soon enough it was time for dessert and bottle #3 Banfi Rosa Regale NV

Chateau La Touche Muscadet `09 $14.00 ***

2011-09-11T16:56:00.006-04:00

A Birthday Dinner in three bottles.

Bottle # 1 Chateau La Touche Muscadet `07 was opened as the family started to arrive and the fire pit was lit. Made from Melon de Bourgogne grapes, this wine is light (12% ETOH), bright (hints of melon and a ghost of a taste of tart citrus - grapefruit) and refreshing; there is a crisp minerality that some say comes from proximity to the sea. AOC Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine is where the Loire river meets the Maine and the Sevre rivers in western France.

The sur-lie fermentation process produces a rustic, flavorful wine with the harvest pressings spending their first winter fermenting with the skins and dried yeasts. This adds a crispness and a real depth of flavor to the finished product. The wine was a perfect foil for the salty almonds, nuts and crackers that we nibbled on as the pheasant braised. At 12% ETOH, it was a great was to ease ourselves into the next bottle.

photo by MEH

This was JPH's Birthday Dinner, all hands were on deck. For the occasion, S. planned the menu, sourced the amazing ingredients from Marx Foods and brought out the good glassware; everything was perfectly in place as we sipped wine and watched the day turn to dusk.

Our Menu: Braised Pheasant, Spetzel and fresh Chanterelles sauteed in a butter cream sauce. For dessert, I made Panna Cotta.

As the fire started outside, the fire was about to start inside: JPH played with fire as I tried to snap a picture. On the right is what the stove looked like as he poured the flaming cognac onto the pheasant....

As we were about to plate, JPH opened Bottle # 2, our dinner wine: Cave de Tain l'Hermitage Crozes-Hermitage Les Trois Lys `07

Here is dinner just before it came off the stove:

Peter Lehmann of the Barossa Shiraz `08 $12.99 ***

2011-09-10T11:50:00.005-04:00

It is unofficially Fall. We've had gallons upon gallons of rain dumped on us and the sun finally decided to peek out from behind the clouds to say hello. We've been craving comfort food. For S & JPH, that would be Chanterelles (opening the box below made me go weak in the knees) and Andouillette (an S. & JPH favorite: French Tripe Sausage... I agreed to try one bite).

As the smell of sauteing Andouillette filled the kitchen, JPH suggested that I grab a "BIG" bottle from the rack to have with dinner. We agreed on this Peter Lehmann Australian Shiraz from a mixed case bought at Coves Discount . I love mixed cases - there is a discount (JPH declared this case averaged $12.00 per bottle), we get to try some new selections, and have some old favorites.

This Barossa Shiraz is now in the latter category - we will be having more in the future. At 14.5% ETOH, it was bound to be a prize fight in a bottle, and at first, it was. First pour straight after unscrewing the top, it was rugged; all you get is a punch in the mouth of flavor and an after-burn. As we cooked, it sat for a while. I didn't get a chance to aerate it, but time did the trick anyway. Between having time to "breathe" and a swirl in the glass, the magic of natural aeration had a chance to release the rugged concentration in the wine.

Our plates were filled with the powerful flavors of Andouillette with spicy mustard, fresh baked white bread, chorizo potatoes and garlic & bacon dressed with spinach (I called the meal "Pork Three Ways"). Paired with this Shiraz, the flavors worked really well together. By the time S. joined us at the table, it had become a robust, smoother wine - still with a punch of flavor, predominantly chocolate - but blackcurrant was there too. S. took a sip and declared it a good wine. It became a fruity, chocolaty Shiraz that tamed the wild beast of tripe sausage (well, my one bite at least). Between the three of us, the bottle was finished before the plates were empty.

Thank you Peter Lehmann, for being the champion of the Barossa Valley. In 1979, he saw an over production of grapes and a need for wineries. The original consortium was named Peter Lehmann Wines, and now, 31 years later, Barossa Valley is on the wine map and on my list of places to visit. This is a good Shiraz for a fair price. When you pair it properly and treat it with respect (let it get some air), it will make you very happy.

Anna Uncorked the leftovers: Bottled Vinegar

2011-09-05T08:00:00.002-04:00

My vinegar barrel is well traveled. It started in 2009 in the Bronx, NY. You can tell that was I new to all of this, in the picture on the right, the stand is upside down.

Now, it is 2011 and this weekend, I had my first bottling session in Monroe, Maine. Over the years, every time that I have not been able to finish a bottle of red wine (yes, that is possible) I have poured the remnants into the barrel and slowly, it has developed into a nice red wine vinegar. A few times while I was at JPH & S's house, I would tap the barrel and fill their red wine vinegar bottle and we used it in cooking.

Since I am home in Maine for Labor Day weekend and I have my vinegar barrel with me, I decided to buy some bottles and bottle up the majority of the little 5 liter barrel. Earlier that day, we had been in Belfast and I stopped by The Good Table and bought some bottles. Then we went back to Mum's little "Granny Flat" and I started cooking/bottling.

I brought the barrel in from the car and set it up in Mum's kitchen. Here she is in the picture on the right, working at her desk. At 81, she still works/volunteers. I think that it is her quiet strength and no nonsense work ethic that keeps me strong. She raised me after my mother died when I was 13, and has been an amazing influence. It was fun to share this bottling session with her. She supervised.

First, I sterilized the bottles with boiling water. Then I poured off just over a two liters of vinegar from the barrel, boiled it for a few minutes, then filled the 200ml bottles to give away.

Maybe by Christmas time, I will have created some labels. But I doubt that I will be bottling more vinegar for a while.

Savage Cabernet Sauvignon (not TJ's) $37.99 ****

2011-09-04T08:00:00.003-04:00

So maybe you heard, we had a hurricane. It was in the news. Mother Nature and I are on pretty good terms - I respect her, and in turn, she hasn't swept me away or crushed me with falling debris (so far); but I had to evacuate anyway. And when you are packing up all of your belongings and heading to non offensive ground (in my case, Kate's house), it important to take all of your good wine. I may have not packed any of my work clothing, but I remembered my wine and my vinegar barrel. (a girl has to have her priorities straight)

As I wrote a year and a half ago, this Savage Cabernet Sauvignon is for a special occasion. And what better occasion than being with friends in a hurricane. (after all, when surviving, it is all about who you share your foxhole with)

Right next to Chateau Montelena, is Savage Estate Win e. A family owned and operated, small producer (150 cases a year) of some fantastic Cabernet Sauvignon. If I had my way, one of those cases each year would be mine.

On a blustery afternoon, we had this `04. It came out of the bottle with a fruity power then mellowed into a subtle, smooth and sublime wine that paired perfectly with our cheese and crackers. As it opened up, it changed. I didn't decant it, because room air did that for us. A swirl in the glass and the wine woke up. Ten minutes in the glass and it became delicate and delicious.

Elegant and nuanced, this was the perfect foil for a hurricane that turned into a tropical storm.

This really was a wine for a special occasion. It reminded me that we should drink the good stuff while we are alive and able to enjoy it. Thank you Michael Savage, I'll be buying more. You never know when you'll need to pop a cork and celebrate being alive.

Chateau Trinquevedel Rosé `08 AOP $16.99 ***

2011-08-19T10:09:00.006-04:00

Conundrum: Hamburgers need a wine that stands up to their meatiness, but summertime needs a wine that is refreshing.

Solution: A dry yet fruity classic Rosé. Chateau Trinquevedel fit the bill for dinner. It was delicious. Chilled with the flavor of slightly tart strawberries, with the ghost like finish of a dry red wine.

This wine is a great reminder that Tavel AOC is the Cradle of French Rosé.

Made from Grenache, Cinsault, Clairette, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Bourboulenc grapes, this amalgam of varietals is a great blend.

Menu:
Grilled Burgers, Fresh Corn on the Cob, Potato Salad, Roasted Red Peppers.

Cline Sonoma Coast Viognier `10 $13.99 ***

2011-08-19T08:27:00.004-04:00

Ever since I've been back from Virginia, I have been obsessed with two things - Grits with Shrimp, and viognier. I scour wine shops for viognier now. I found this Cline `10 while trolling the aisles of a suburban LI liquor store. We have had Cline Ancient Vine Zinfandel and liked it, I figured that their viognier would be a safe bet. It was.

Cline Sonoma Coast Viognier `10 is a rich, complex white wine with bright, fruity overtones (peach) and a refreshing acidic cleansing, with a faint hint of sweetness at the finish. I love the varietal, and this bottle was a true representation. With a slight minerality giving it depth, this is a good mouthful of wine. It is 14% ETOH, which packs a subtle whollop, so subtle that it is like a sucker punch, because it is so easy to drink, you can wake up in the morning thinking "what hit me?". If it is only a few of you for dinner, resist the temptation to open another bottle when the first one is gulped down. Or, pop them, keep filling your glasses and have a great night - but remember..."Anna warned you!"

We had it with Poulet au vin jaune. What do you ask? Some fancy French name??? Well, yeah. The night before, we had a bottle of wine that wasn't table worthy. The second that S. tasted it, a light went off in her head and she said "we can make Poulet au vin jaune with it". Then she ran to her computer, came back and handed us a recipe. This is where I tell you that S. speaks seven languages. Fluently. French is simply an extended part of her vocabulary. I speak menu French, and even then, I sound mentally diminished when I speak. S gave me a cursory run through of the recipe, assured me that she had full faith, and that was that.

The next day, JPH did the shopping - coming home with some beautiful dried morels that really were the crowing glory of the dish. I took a deep breath, poured my self a glass of wine and well, I cooked it. S. laughed at me when I balked at first. My year of living in Belgium paid off finally! The dish with the fancy French name really is just fricassee of chicken in wine with mushrooms. Ultimately, the house smelled amazing, the chicken was tasty, and the Cline Viognier went perfectly with it.

It was a triumph on all fronts. Well done Cline Cellars, and well done me.

The morel of the story? Just stew it! : )

This pic was styled by NS.
Just a reminder that not everyone is pairing wine with their dinners!

Willm Reserve Riesling `07 $11.99 ***

2011-08-16T15:00:00.000-04:00

I bought this as a safety wine. It was a safe bet! Good price, nice crisp apple taste, low ETOH (12%). It paired well with our dinner of Stella's Southern Bistro Signature Shrimp and Grits. After having them at Monticello in July at the Wine Bloggers' Conference, I have become obsessed with Shrimp and Grits. Since I am attending Greenville, South Carolina's euphoria from 9/22 - 25, it is all things Southern this summer. Well, except for this wine. This Riesling is from Northeastern France, Alsace AOC.

Bone dry with a hint of lime, this crisp, chilled white wine was an excellent foil for our Shrimp and Grits. I was given the recipe by one of euphoria's organizers, and the highlight of my day was making it. (of course, in true Yankee style, I cut the butter and cream in half) Even so, it was delicious, and I can't wait to go to Greenville and try the real thing. (lipitor in hand)

This Riesling was perfect with the buttery shrimp, the hint of Cajun spice in the ragout and the creaminess of the grits. It is safe, delicious and a excellent match for a rich seafood dish.

Originally, I had wanted to serve this dish with a Virginia Viognier, but I was stupid when I was visiting Breaux Vineyards last month, and didn't buy any.

Thank you Willm Reserve Riesling for saving the day.

And just so you can see the inspiration for my newly found shrimp and grits obsession, I give you Keswick Hall's Shrimp & Grits with Fresh Corn. I had it at Monticello with a Vidal Blanc, and I am dreaming of it still.

euphoria 2011: a higher state of food, wine and music in Greenville, SC 9/22-25

2011-08-15T14:14:00.005-04:00

One of the magical ways to experience life is to step away from your day to day existence and experience total cultural immersion. That is euphoria: a happening in Greenville, South Carolina showcasing Food, Wine, and Music - simply for the joy of it (and to benefit many deserving charities).

From Thursday, September 22nd to Sunday the 25th, I'll experiencing Greenville for the first time (and you never forget your first time); I'll write about the sights, sounds and tastes that for one magical weekend converge at Greenville, the secret destination of the foodie world. I expect that euphoria will be reached many times that weekend and I'll be blogging all along the way, but rather than read about it, come to Greenville! We'll all be there - from all over the world: Chefs, Musicians, Sommeliers and the people who love and appreciate them.

Greenville is for foodies. The whole city will be immersed in euphoria. Either as VIP or À la carte, it will be all right there. In a break from my normal blog policy, I am using euphoria's photos for this blog post, as I have never been before. What is great about euphoria is that many of this year's participants are in the ascendancy of their careers, they are working, have just started thinking about writing their cookbooks, and the sky is their limit. Like Justin Bogle from Gilt here in NYC, who earned two Michelin stars at 28. (Take THAT Gordon Ramsey - he was 31 when he was awarded two stars!) and Gilt has one of the most amazing wine lists I have seen. Gilt won Wine Spectator’s Grand Award for 2011. Their highest award for a restaurant wine list - it is safe to say that Justin knows pairings! I am just so excited to be going, and to be able to say that "I was there when...".

I arrive on Thursday, people will be moseying into euphoria, a laid back stroll of Greenville's Main Street merchant participants. I'll be easing my way into the weekend, remembering to relax and soak in the surroundings; trading a "New York Minute" for a "South Carolina Mosy", and I can't wait! That night, I'll be at Songwriter's Recipe: Songs and Stories from euphoria Unplugged listening, unwinding, meeting new friends, and tasting some wine. (J. Lohr Vineyards and Wine are pouring)

There are so many events going on that weekend, I can't possibly cover all of them. So, I have decided to focus on wine and take a few diversions along the way. First will be the VIP BMW Performance Drive on Friday morning, (JPH would never forgive me if I didn't show some love to BMW - I do drive their Mini-Cooper (in British Racing Green) after all!); then an afternoon tour with Greenville History Tours, after that, it'll be all food and wine, all the time for me. Of course, there will be parties and special events along the way. (I am wondering how I will squeeze in a trip to the Beer Garden) and the Spirits Dinner sounds amazing, but I need to pace myself.

Friday night is Taste of the South, downtown Greenville being serenaded and fed by the South's best and brightest from 6:00 - 10:30. This will be a marathon for me, but what a marathon to take part in! I will be on the hunt for Shrimp and Grits. (You'll be hearing a lot about my discovery of Shrimp and Grits over the next few weeks. It has become my obsession since I returned from the Wine Bloggers' Conference in Charlottesville, VA)

On Saturday morning, I'll be taking the Nikon to Greenville's Saturday Market. Their Farmers Market is local and seasonal, it'll kill me to not be able to buy things and go home to cook them, but I'll take plenty of pictures.

Then, an all day and night immersion in wine - I won't be pickled, but my taste-buds should come out of this better educated. I have learned more about wine from going to tastings - just by being there, sipping wine, and listening to the experts share their thoughts on what is being poured.

From 11 until 2:30, on Saturday, I will be at Wine Seminars led by three Master Sommeliers: Laura Williamson presenting sparkling wines, J. Scott Carney will discuss Cabernet Sauvignon and Wayne Belding will be talking about the big reds. These Master Sommeliers have built their careers by working with some of the world's best restaurants and wine importers/growers; I am so glad that they will be at Greenville to meet us, drink with us, and talk about their passions for wine - broadening my palate all along the way. I'll be blogging about it, but tickets are still available, come join me! I'll put your picture in the blog post ; ).

Photo by Stephen Stinson

On Saturday night, there are many Saturday Wine Dinners at top Greenville restaurants, featuring a guest Chef and winemaker. It'll be at The Lazy Goat. This should prove to be EPIC, Rory Golden of the Deerhurst Resort in Ontario, Canada (G8 Summit 2010) and Haley Bitterman, Corporate Executive Chef, Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group (Mr. B's Bistro, New Orleans) team up with The Lazy Goat's Executive Chef Victoria Moore. I can only guess what surprises the menu will have. Will we get famous New Orleans BBQ Shrimp? Pan Seared Loin of Elk that wowed world leaders? or Lamb Ribs or Lazy Paella? My mouth is watering as I type this.

On Sunday morning, in a totally random act of cosmic convergence, I will be going to Mass at St. Mary's Catholic Church. A great friend of S. & JPH's is Fr. J. Scott Newman. Priest, Princeton alum and part time blogger. I could not go to Greenville without a visit to St. Mary's - and as I have been to Mass before and nothing burst into flames, I figured this would be a nice time for a repeat visit.

Then on to a New Orleans-style buffet Jazz Brunch 10am - 2:00; while I am nibbling and listening, I will watch the Culinary Cook-off from 11:30am - 2:30.

For me, it all will wrap up with Sunday Supper, sampling bourbons and craft brews while I kick back to the sounds of southern blue grass with the Weasel Creek String Band.

On Monday, I'll head back to Long Island. The Nikon full of photos, my head full of memories and blog posts waiting to be written. You'll be able to read along with my trip to euphoria, or you can go yourself. Tickets are still available.

Don't forget, there will be dancing.

Bodegas Ramirez Rioja Reserva Ramirez de la Piscina `04 D.O.C $19.99 **** #riojabuzz

2011-08-14T06:00:00.005-04:00

I have a well documented love for Tempranillo, and over the years I have acquired a taste for Spain - especially the Rioja Region - this wine is a great ambassador for the country and region.

From the Ramírez de la Piscina Family Bodgea in heart of La Rioja Alta, this Rioja Reserva is a smooth, full bodied tempranillo that is easy to drink and very refined. To compare it with other more rustic Tempranillos, I'd say the subtle chocolate and leather undertones and great balance make it more like a bull fighter than a bar fighter. Elegant and at 13% ETOH, it is restrained, which accounts for a lot - after we polished this off, no headache the next morning.

We had it with pan roasted chicken with mushrooms, home-grown garlic, mushroom & pancetta pasta and sauteed spinach.
Here is the garlic, straight from TGH's mini farm in Locust Valley:

Death Match - Wine by the Cup: Copa DiVino $1.99 vs. Chateau LaVergne `08 $2.99

2011-08-13T11:00:00.000-04:00

We are all for convenience. One day JPH came home with a small plastic cup of foil sealed French Bordeaux, Chateau LaVergne `08 . He suggested that I pack it in my lunch box* for work. Well, wouldn't you know, I have a grown up job and I cannot bring wine to work. (I do get to bring some amazing leftovers though!). The cup sat on the counter waiting.

Then, one day, while on my way to Maine, I was at the New Hampshire State Liquor Store. Spurred by the thought of wine in a cup, at the check out, I grabbed both a white and a red of the $1.99 Copa di Vino Wine in a Glass (actually a plastic cup). When I got home to Long Island, they joined the Chateau LaVergne on the counter waiting... waiting... waiting - until today.

As we were laying out lunch, JPH looked me and said "It's time for a Death Match!". We grabbed the two reds from the counter and when S. came in for lunch, the Death Match commenced.

First pour: Copa Di Vino from Oregon. (100% Cabernet Sauvignon; 13.6% ETOH) This is a very light wine. "Well, there is taste before it disappears from the tongue"; "Juice"; "Hmmm.. not bad."; S. summed it up "I could see this for a picnic."

Since the only aerator that you can use when aerating from a plastic cup is the Vinturi, I dusted it off and gave the Copa a whirl. Meh - not much of a difference. Maybe a hint of bitter, but pretty indiscernible. That is a plus, this is a red wine that you really can just pop the plastic off, peel back the foil and sip - no need for decanting. It was perfectly palatable plonk for a particularly pleasing price.

We munched on some fresh rolls and crackers with french sausage, goat cheese brie (Yes, yummie goat cheese brie), rolled goat cheese, English Cheddar, mozzarella and fresh tomatoes (oh, and quince jelly, I can never forget the quince jelly!) - it really was an indoor picnic.

Next Up:

Chateau LaVergne `08 (Merlot 50% , Cabemet Sauvignon 40% , and Cabernet Franc 10% 12.5% ETOH). As light as the Copa was, this was a dark, deep wine with shades of dark brown. First sip, rough. Finish, rough. The French Sausage Helped. A lot. The fat in the sausage tempered the tannins and acidity of the wine. Then we had a discussion about French versus Italian sausage, then we sipped the wine a bit more. After a spin through the Vinturi: I ran to the sink and dumped my glass. Shudder. Bitter, bitter, bitter.

The Outcome: S. said, "Maybe we should lay in some of the Copa for the future" We all agreed. Even though it wasn't totally fair to pit a blend versus a 100% varietal. It was red versus red in picnic format, and Copa wins hands down.

* About my lunchbox.... Yes, I am a grownup, who goes to a grown up job with grown up responsibilities, and here is what I carry to work with me every day:

My lunch box and its contents make me very very happy!

Boxwood Estate Winery, Loudoun County, VA #DCsWineCountry

2011-08-12T15:02:00.016-04:00

This was our final Vineyard/Winery visit of the WBC11 Pre-conference tour of Loudoun County.

We all dream. Some dream of wealth, power or love. Some dream of drinking and making amazing wine. Sometimes, if you are very, very lucky, all those combine and that dream of making wine with those we love at a vineyard that has that expensive chateau style - well, for some, that is reality.

At Boxwood Winery, just outside of Middleburg, VA, everything is the perfect example of an ideal. Dedicated to red wine in the Bordeaux style, I knew that I was visiting the major leagues (well, more like the NFL, - Big, strong and apt - it is built and owned by John Kent Cooke, second generation past owner of the Washington Redskins - a great article: From Redskins to Red Wine) and really I don't even think that I will be alive when these wines come of age. Visiting Boxwood was an amazing experience for me.
Here is how it went down:
We were given the grand tour by Boxwood Manger/Executive Vice President (and Cooke step-daughter) Rachel Martin and winemaker/viticulturist (and Canadian) Adam McTaggart.

The Winery is a beautiful and functional design by architect Simon Jacobson, and consists of three separate buildings, connected by the Tasting Room. (I will always shout out to great architects, after all, "Anna Uncorked" was named by one).
We walked from the circular stainless tasting bar, through the spotless tank room, out to the sorting and stemming platform, it was like we were at Epcot for wineries. Impeccably clean & shiny with all of the latest technology.

Then we were escorted into the barrel room. It was more like a slumber party for amazing color coordinated French oak barrels. As my eyes adjusted to the low lighting, and Adam talked about their vintages, I hopped around taking pictures. Totally forgetting that we were in a sealed, climate controlled room, I tried to hop up onto the stone step leading out of the barrel room, only to forget that it was sealed by high strength glass. Imagine a very large, clumsy bird smashing into a window. Yes folks, I was the comic relief. With nothing injured by my ego, I stepped back into the group and humbly listened.

Next was the Bottling Room. This is where I need to note that Boxwood is keeping their production small and exact. As of Summer 2011, they only produce four wines. And with those four wines, they only plan to produce no more that 5,000 cases of wine annually. That is only 60,000 bottles of wine. That is not a lot of wine. Now for the price. All of the wines are VERY REASONABLE. Rose $14.00 and the reds, $25.00.

My whole outlook on this winery has changed since the day that we were there. Maybe, it is because I am reading The Billionaires Vinegar (recommended to me by by fellow blogger Michael Oudyn), maybe because what I saw needed to ferment in my brain for a while (it has been three weeks since we were there). But I can say now that I think I get it. My tasting notes from this tasting are useless, it was 100+ degree weather and we had just had a big lunch. I wasn't ready for this fairly young wine - but now, in retrospect, I feel as though these reds will age into great wine.

Boxwood Estate `09 $25.00 (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot) Their "left bank style" Bordeaux blend.

Boxwood Topiary `08 $25.00 (Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Malbec) Their "right bank" style Bordeaux blend.

I have better notes form the Rosé, I would serve both in a heartbeat. The prices are fantastic for such elegant wines.

Boxwood Estate Boxwood Rosé `10 $14.00 (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot) this is a refreshingly dry yet subtly spicy Rosé. Really nicely balanced and really nicely priced. Excellent value for a fresh, dry French style Rosé.

Boxwood Estate Topiary Rosé `10 $14.00 (Cabernet Franc and Malbec) This was my favorite wine of the tasting. It had all of the fruitiness of Cabernet Franc, and was deliciously light, with a bright finish. Again, very well priced for the quality.

I think that we have something new here at Boxwood, something that I will be able to say "I was there when...". They are dedicated to modern viticulture and classic tastes. And above all, they are dedicated to the community around them. Middleburg has applied for an AVA. I am going to buy a couple of their bottles for a proper review and then I am going to buy one of each of their reds, stow them in the cellar and update this post in five years. Boxwood is here for the long run. I can't wait to re-visit them.

Here is a link to all of my photos from this visit.

Kermit Lynch Guy Breton Morgon Vieilles Vignes `09 $35.99 ****

2011-08-10T21:00:00.008-04:00

Photo styled and taken by MEH

It was one of those nights. JPH was head cook and sommelier for the evening. After an ill fated Italian wine misstep, he grabbed this bottle from the wine-rack and said, "Why not open a good bottle, I guess you girls deserve it." (we will never speak again of the first bottle that we opened tonight. One sip, and I was running for the vinegar barrel.) S. and I smiled when he brought out this bottle - S. was willing to suffer through the the ill fated Italian that was opened. I was not so tolerant. JPH put the subject to rest, "Enough of the $7.99 wine - tonight we have the good stuff."

This Beaujolais Cru is made from Gamay grapes, and it has aged just enough to have it be a smooth, deep(yet light) wine with dry fruit highlights (over ripe strawberries) and dark chocolate undertones. This wine and the skirt steak that we had tonight fell in love, and together they made me a very happy consumer. And at 13.5% ETOH, it was a gorgeous, light wine that won't give me a heavy head tomorrow morning. From the first sniff... mellow chocolate buried in fresh fruit, I was hooked. Gamay, when it is good makes an amazing Beaujolais, and this was it. I had to pace myself so that we had some wine left to have with supper.

Go for it, grab a well made Beaujolais Cru and have a perfect summer evening meal. From the first pour with it's bright raspberry color, to the flavorful finish with no tannins; it was worth the $35.99 splurge just to taste a wine that deserves every penny that was spent on it.

Our pre-dinner table conversation centered around "Who is this Kermit Lynch who quotes Jefferson "Good wine is a necessity of life for me" on his wine bottles?" - well, he is a California wine merchant and writer who has established some pretty amazing relationships with Vineyards/Winemakers over the years (wineshop established in 1972) - Guy Bret on is one of those French Vineyards, that produced this lovely, light yet flavorful Beaujolais Cru. Well done Kermit, you do deserve your name on the label.

Here is my view from the dinner table tonight.
I love it when the stars align, and everything works.
Tonight we were blessed with good food, good wine, and amazing weather.

Chrysalis Vineyards, Loudoun County, VA #DCsWineCountry

2011-08-07T10:00:00.006-04:00

This was our third Vineyard/Winery visit of the WBC11 Pre-conference tour of Loudoun County.

A blend of 60% individuality, 10% experimentation and 30% deep respect for history. This is one way that I could sum up Chrysalis Vineyards in Middleburg, VA; but the easier path to take would just be to say "I am now a card carrying member of the cult of Jenni".

Jennifer McCloud is the the charismatic, focused owner/operator of Chrysalis Vineyards at Locksley, a historic 209 acre Middleburg, Virginia Estate and the adjoining Cali Farms the home of the Locksley Estate Farmstead Cheese Company. Hers is a working empire devoted to wine, food and our cultural history. Chrysalis is the world's largest grower of the Norton Grape, an American varietal that once dominated wine production 19th century United States. Jenni is keeping it alive and well, together with iconic Winemaker/Vineyard Manager, Alan Kinne, they are creating easy to drink, nuanced New World wine both classic and experimental. What else would you expect from a vineyard that grows and experiments with over 20 grape varieties, including: Norton, Petit Manseng, Rubiana, Tannat and Albariño - all in the pursuit of creating great American wine.

After I split my capris wide open taking this picture (note to self, the diet starts tomorrow), we tasted 13 of their offerings that morning (I spent the rest of the day touring vineyards in bike shorts):

We split into 2 groups; I was in the Red Barrel Room with my writer friends and we had Kat as our educator. Kat was the perfect hostess, smiling at us, enthusiastically sharing pairing ideas and joking all along (after all, it was 10am, and I was standing there in torn capris). She not only told us the stories behind each bottle, but she shared with us her honest enthusiasm for wine.

Chrysalis Chardonnay `10 $17.00 This is a wine that could win over the ABC people (I am one) as Kat our educator said, "many people are ABC 'Anything but Chardonnay'". Tank fermented, with no oak, this wine had a strong minerality, much more like a French chardonnay than California. It is a nice middle of the road white wine.

Chrysalis Barrel Reserve Chardonnay `10 $24.00 This was their oaked Chardonnay. It spent all of its life in a combination of French and Hungarian Oak. I needed breakfast with this wine. Maybe a quiche? Maybe a Spinach and Cheese Croissant? At 10 am, I was not ready for a rich oaky Chardonnay.

Chrysalis Viognier `10 $29.00 This was the third Virginia Viognier that I had tasted, and I suddenly understood the subtle differences in terroir that so many Virginia wine people rave about. Even though we had not left Loudoun County, the Viognier was totally different between Tarara, Breaux and Chrysalis. This 24 hour horizontal tasting of three `10 vintage was a fascinating exploration in a single varietal. I liked all three, but for three distinct reasons. Tarara, with vineyards growing on relatively flat elevations next to the Potomac River, seemed to be in a classic European style, elegant, a bit concentrated/lush. Breaux, framed by the Blue Ridge Mountains, with farmland/slightly hilly terrain was more open, fruit forward, a touch of oak, with a hint of sweetness in the finish. My epiphany was with this Chrysalis Viognier, also grown on farmland, in the foothills of the Northern Blue Ridge & Bull Run Mountains makes a totally different wine, open and fruity, with hints of vanilla, yet the strength of minerality an amazing combination of both. The fruit (peaches?) was right there at your nose and on your palate yet it is a dry wine. This was an excellent way for me to get to know the varietal, and I think that Chrysalis with its unique terroir did the grape that made this wine proud.

Chrysalis Mariposa Rose `10 $ 15.00 This is a Norton Rose. My first taste of Norton. It is dry, in the European style, but fruity and concentrated. A trait of Norton? I think. This is a food wine.

Chrysalis Sarah's Patio White `10 A blend of Vidal Blanc and Traminette (a hybrid Gewürztraminer/Joannes Seyve 23.416). What a combo! It is refreshing and crisp, and fragrant, and an all around easy drinker. (Kat said that she brought three cases of this on family vacation) and I can see why. This is a patio wine. Invite some friends over, and pour a bottle or two, eat some light food and just enjoy. This is a casual celebration wine that can please a crowd. It is a bit sweet, but not too sweet. I dare to say that Sarah's Patio White has "Hit a Sweet Spot".

We were still on the chilled wine, and Kat poured us:

Sarah's Patio Red `10 $ 15.00 Hah! It may be 100% Norton, but I call it Lambrusco. It is not sparkling, but it is sooo easy to drink, and it is cherry flavored, and Kat told us a secret. When making Ghiradelli box Brownie mix, substitute 1/2 a cup of water with 1/2 a cup of Sarah's Patio Red and POW, you have one amazing brownie! My mouth is watering just thinking about a glass of Sarah's Red and some chocolate cake as I write this. This is what I love and was so unique to Chrysalis. They play with their varietals, and in this playing, mixing and fermenting, they come up with a really nicely styled wine. This is a fun everyday wine, just like its sibling, Sarah's Patio White.
Chrysalis has a tasting room, a patio (Sarah's* Patio) and a BBQ area (Jenni's Pavillion). And they have a Director of Culinary Operations, Chef Hump. You can see his weekend menu at the vineyard, or you can order from his catering. You see, Jenni has it all there, waiting for you.

*Sarah. Kat referred to Sarah, as the vineyard's "Resident Dead Girl". She has to be a great girl to have her own patio AND two wines named after her. I'll let a staffer at the vineyard tell you about Sarah. I'll keep her secrets.

Now, back to the living, and the tasting. One of the great things about having these "insider" views into a working vineyard/winery is seeing the whole operation. From the clean room (I dubbed it the wine laboratory)to the barrel room, and everything in between, there is always something interesting. That morning, I found her in the barrel room; She had just had a terrible summer haircut, and she was sulking. But she was sweet, and she wanted to play. (at 13, who wouldn't want to play?) It wasn't Sarah, it was Tresa Dora, and she loves to play fetch with a barrel cork. I'll admit that I spent an inordinate amount of time taking pictures of and playing with her, but, hey, what do you expect? I was the blogger with the giant hole in her pants.

We moved on to the reds.
Chrysalis Rubiana `08 $17.00 This is where you can tell I was distracted. I tasted this wine, made note that it was dry and slightly smoky, like my beloved tempranillo, and then I played with the dog. If I were a good wine scholar, I would give you better tasting notes. But it was 11 am, there was a cute dog looking at me, and well, I'll just say I had a good reaction to the wine, and you should try it yourself. Maybe go to Chrysalis, buy a bottle and have a BBQ picnic there.

Chrysalis Estate Bottled Norton `07 $17.00 Now this is a wine. It packs a fruit forward punch in the mouth with tannins that remind you that you should be eating something with this wine. Condensed blackberry flavor, with some dark cherry (Highlights?). Intense. It was when I sipped this that I made a decision; and this Vineyard, and this varietal would play a part in my decision**.

Chrysalis Petit Verdot `06 $35.00 This is their Bordeaux. A rich, lingering red wine that simply says "I am wine, take me seriously". Dinner, drinks with your University Professor, a sipping wine for the days when you just want flavor and a hint of bittersweet chocolate. Classic. European, very straight forward, and my bet is that this will still be an elegant wine twenty years from now.

Chrysalis Tannat `07 $35.00 my heart skipped a beat when I read that we were drinking a Tannat. I am smitten with a Tannat ever since I had the fortified Uruguayan Viñedo de los Vientos Tannat Alcyone NV. Now I was going to have Tannat as a wine, not as an after dinner drink. It is the subtle coffee flavor in this wine that is so unique and interesting. Vanilla and complex layers of flavor that makes this a wine and a quiz game all in one sip. On my next trip to Virginia, some of this is coming home with me. I am kicking myself as I write this for not buying some while I was there.

Chrysalis Papillion `08 $35.00 this Petit Verdot/Tannat blend is a robust, multi layered red wine that tastes of pepper and coffee. It is big, bold and fruit forward, and I can imagine will be a wine that will only get more complex with age. I love the blend, and I'd like to see more of this dynamic type of blending.

Norton Locksley Reserve `08 this was the wine that made me realize that I hadn't been dumping enough. Concentrated flavor. It is a mouthful, and has a long, long finish. This is a wine that you build a meal around. I think that as a vehicle to show the grandness and flavor of the Norton varietal, you can't get any more classic that a bottle of this wine. It had all of the flavor, concentrated and ready for your glass. I can imagine though that in a few years, it will mellow even more, and the spicy undertones will become more subtle.

At the end of the tasting, as a special treat, Jenni poured some of their sold out for VIP club Members only Petit Manseng Dessert Wine. It was a hit, and a troupe of bloggers finished their wine, and then walked out into the 100+ degree heat, traipsed up to the Chrysalys Tasting Room to purchase some wine to take home. (I went back to find the bus to change - sigh... it would have been nice to bring a bottle of the Tannat home with me)

Here is a link to all of my photos from the visit.

**My decision? This was part of a pre-conference tour of Loudoun County. Later that day, our tour bus was going to bring us to Charlottesville for the rest of the conference, and on Friday night, we were going to a wine reception at Monticello. I am a Thomas Jefferson geek. I am pretty much an American History Geek, and I am most definitely a wine geek. I had, packed in my bag, a copy of the Declaration of Independence, and as tasted this Norton, and listened to Kat tell the story of this Virginia Bred grape, I decided that I wanted to be sipping Norton when I crept away from the reception to read the Declaration of Independence (quietly, to myself) at Monticello.I can tell you that Jenni herself poured me that glass on the hilltop at Monticello, she also kindly noted that it was 106 degrees in the shade, and I was crazy to be drinking such a big wine in that weather. But I was on a mission, and she poured me a glass anyway. (in hind-site, Sarah's Patio Red is made from Norton too, but well... hind-site is 20/20). I am ending this post with a picture of my bag, glass and Declaration on a bench at Monticello.

Descendants Liégeois Dupont Syrah `09 $29.00 ****

2011-08-06T21:06:00.012-04:00

There is no other way to say it - they're making classic French Syrah in Washington State. S. & JPH went out to do the shopping today, and while they were at Marquis Wine & Spirits, Michael told them to try this Syrah from the Hedges Family Vineyard in Benton City, WA. It fit with the menu; tonight was going to be steak night: Rib-eye, farm-stand tomatoes, potatoes & corn, and voilà the fixings for a fresh summer dinner.

The label is classically French. You really have to study it to figure out what you are drinking. It is all there though, in script and fine print. AVA Red Mountain, 100% Syrah, Estate bottled, 926 cases; 14.2% ETOH. That is an American improvement on the French label! After he opened the bottle, JPH brought me the cork to smell, all I could smell was fresh jam. Deep dark blackberry jam. It was the smell of promise.

He poured S. a glass, and she smiled "MMMMM this is really good". He took a sip "Wow". and I soon followed. It really was a smooth, elegant flavor. Cassis was my first note. S. got the finish when she said "cognac". That was it, caramel. The finish was a whisper of caramel; and the smell... vanilla, just smelling it added to the joy of drinking it.

Then we tried it with food. S. put a dash of salt on a slice of Brandywine Tomato and said, "I know it sounds crazy, but try a bit of salt in a tomato, and then try the wine." I did, and she was right. "Wow". And with the steak and potatoes that JPH cooked on the grill, well, let's just say we ate and drank really well. This wine elevated an already delicious meal.

A strange thing happened though. As we contemplated just how much to buy, and we checked out the Hedges Family Estate Website to find out more about this wine, I thought, "Hey, if I am going to review this, I should try an aerated glass." It was the most dramatic aeration that we have ever done. It ruined the wine. As JPH said, "It sucked the fruit right out of it". We really wondered why, what is is about this wine that reacted so badly when it went through the Nuance? It didn't seem delicate, but we wondered how it would age if a simple aeration could render it almost unpalatable. I still don't understand the science of wine, but I do understand taste. All I can say is, buy a bottle of this wine, open it and enjoy it. It is fantastic - just don't aerate it.

Here is a late summer afternoon in our neck of the woods:
(I am a very lucky girl)

Breaux Vineyards, Loudoun County, VA #DCsWineCountry

2011-08-04T23:49:00.008-04:00

As the bus turned up the lane we saw that we were in lush farm county. At the end of the lane, up a slight incline was Breaux Vineyards, framed by the Blue Ridge Mountains, with a foreground of grapevines... acres and acres of manicured grapevines. There in the cul-de-sac waiting to welcome us: a videographer, a vase of flowers, a table holding chilled wine and Breaux Vineyard's chic Director of Marketing & Hospitality, Jennifer Breaux Blosser.

It was 100+ degrees outside and as the Virginia Wine TV crew got their shots and sound bytes, the chilled Breaux Sauvignon Blanc`10 called to us. How refreshing; a crisp, slightly tart, well chilled light wine in triple digit weather. Perfect. What a great welcome. If I weren't such a wine geek, I could have felt like a rockstar getting off the tour bus. It was a delightful welcome. Standing shyly behind the table of wine was Breaux's Winemaker, David Pagan Castaño - seriously, I felt like I had walked onto a movie set filming "Young, Glamorous and Running a Vineyard".

After brief introductions, Chris Blosser, General Manager and Jennifer's husband, took us on a hayride to look at the Vineyard. It was late afternoon and the sun was low in the sky. We gamely climbed up to our straw bale seats and had a guided tour of some of the vineyard. It was beautiful. Chris answered all of our questions and was a great host. (and I figured out what to do with an empty wine glass on a hayride!)

As we rode past the acres of Nebbiolo planted on the hillside, Malbec and Cabernet Franc grapes neatly trimmed along the flat, Chris told us the story of Breaux Vineyards. Truly a family affair, it was started in 1980 by his father in-law E. Paul Breaux, Jr., Now, the next generation is at the harvest. Jennifer and Chris have taken up the day to day running of the Vineyard. (He sweetly calls it a "Mom & Pop Operation"), and you can see touches of the family in everything. From the Nebbiolo on the slope in the background (The vineyard is growing Nebbiolo because Mr. Breaux had a conversation with a man in Italy and decided, "Why not grow Nebbiolo in Virginia?") to the three sisters on the labels of some of their wine. It is a family operation, they love their grapes, they love each other, and if you notice the Crawfish on the glasses in these pictures and on the labels of some of their wine, they love their Cajun roots. (more about that in the tasting notes)

We finished our hayride and Chris took us to join Jennifer and David in Breaux's tasting room. It is an inviting place that showcases their wines and awards, but our treat was waiting in the barrel room. We walked through the Tank Room, festooned with two of the classic colors of Mardi Gras. Originally chosen for Mardi Gras in 1872, purple represents justice and gold represents power. The Cajun roots of the Breaux Family run deep, and their wine is a testament to that.

The Barrel Room was waiting for us. I'll get straight to the tasting. I'll link retail bottles to a proper review (title is link) and I will leave barrel samples here.

#1. Breaux Vineyards Viognier `10 $24.00 #DCsWineCountry

#2. `07 Nebbiolo barrel sample. WOW, what a mouthful of wine. This wine exists because Mr Breaux had drinks with an Italian man (who spoke no English), and though, "we could grow this", and look, they did! I have a bottle of the `06, and I will do a proper review with food in the future. I can't wait to try it head to head. New World Virginia Nebbiolo and Italian Nebbiolo.

#3. Breaux Vineyards Meritage `07 $28.00 #DCsWineCountry

#4. Breaux Vineyards Cabernet Franc Reserve `07
I just wanted to smell this wine. Ohhh the smell. It was raspberry, and a hint of blackberry,and deep, deep dark fruit smells, slightly sweet, and so ripe that it is bursting. Of course, as I sipped it, I loved it. And when Jennifer told me that it was 16% ETOH, I just said "duh, guess who is forgetting to dump in the 'swirl, sip, spit/dump' world of wine tasting". I drank it all, and I am not ashamed! (I also can't find it on their website as for sale, so the review stays with the Vineyard blog)

#5. Breaux Vineyards Cabernet Franc`10 Barrel Sample
This is a young wine. I smelled the vanilla from my first sniff, and then of course, I kept on sniffing. I tried to imagine what the concentration would smell like in a year or so. I had only been to two Vineyards so far, but I was sure of one fact: Virginia makes some good Cabernet Franc.

#6. Breaux Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon `10 Barrel Sample
We ended the tasting with a taste of their latest Cabernet Sauvignon. The flavors of a generation yet to come. It was fresh, with a tight tannic taste. (how's that for ill-iteration?) This wine will age gracefully, I want to come back in a few years and taste those tannins then. All wordplay aside, David Pagan Castaño is a winemaker to watch. This wine gives a promise of good things to come. I'm looking forward to it!

I am very excited about Breaux being popular in London. I can't wait until I am home this Fall and we can have a "Virginia Wine Night" in Knightsbridge! Their Viognier can handle a chicken curry, I am sure, and I want to test that theory with a Marks & Spencer Chiken Tikka Masala and a well chilled bottle of Breaux Viognier.

As we left Breaux Vineyards, Jennifer and Chris walked us to our bus. The were gracious hosts, and I just want to thank them for sharing their wine and stories with us. Wine is about good times, friendship, and often good food. A visit to Breaux makes you feel as if you have made a friend, and a bottle of their wine will waft a little bit of magic every time you pop the cork.

From the Blue Ridge Mountains of

Loudoun County Virginia,

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Here is a link to all of my photos from the visit

Breaux Vineyards Meritage `07 $28.00 #DCsWineCountry

2011-08-04T23:27:00.001-04:00

From a tasting and visit to Breaux Vineyards in July 2011.

This may be their "investment" wine - I'd buy a case of it to open over the years. a traditional red blend in the Bordeaux tradition that should only get more mellow and delicious with age. It was very easy to drink, and I got a big hit of fruit and a deep chocolate undertone. It is 15% ETOH, so of course, I loved it.
(my guess on the blend is: 60% Merlot, 30% Cab Sauvignon, 10% Cab Franc)

Breaux Vineyards Viognier `10 $24.00 #DCsWineCountry

2011-08-04T23:20:00.002-04:00

From a tasting and visit to Breaux Vineyards in July 2011.

This wine is a hit in London, and I know why. It is an interesting, easy to drink wine. It has some depth of body, with a little oak, but is mostly fruit forward, a slight hint of sweetness. I'd have it as a sipping wine or with seafood, or grilled chicken.

Tarara Winery CasaNoVA `08 $45.00 WBC11

2011-07-31T12:11:00.003-04:00

From the Commonwealth Collection

This is Tarara Winery's power wine. With so much fruit packed in the bottle, then aged in new Virginia oak, this bottle with change over the years. I expect that it will mature gracefully and carry with it all of the complex dried fruit flavor and tannic structure that define a Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon blend. We drank it fairly young, and it packed a whollop. This is the wine that the big boys drink with a steak and a cigar. The chocolate undertones are there, and the oakiness just screams for a fatty piece of steak.

(53% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 7% Cabernet Franc) 14% ETOH

I also wrote about this wine at the WBC Liveblogging Session: Red

This is my tasting review from the WBC2011 Pre-Conference Tour of Loudoun County, VA Wineries and Vineyards. Tarara Tour Post

Tarara Winery TerraNoVA `08 $45.00 WBC11

2011-07-31T12:07:00.002-04:00

From The Commonwealth Collection
This wine was developed to showcase the terroir of Loudoun County. During the tasting, I noted the full flavor, the berry smell with an overtone of eucalyptus and the tannins - they packed a punch. But there was plenty of local ham to enjoy with this wine and it tamed the tannins. The local land is lush and fertile farmland - land with promise and history. In this case, Tarara hit the mark spot on.

A bottle of TerraNoVA was gifted to each of us and I will do a proper review when we have it with dinner one night. I think that this bottle will age well, and it will be a great reminder of Tarara and all of the work and pride that went into making it.

(79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot, 10% Tannat) 14% ETOH

This is my tasting review from the WBC2011 Pre-Conference Tour of Loudoun County, VA Wineries and Vineyards. Tarara Tour Post

Tarara Winery Nevaeh Red `08 $40.00 WBC11

2011-07-31T11:58:00.003-04:00

From the undertones of leather to the bright hint of cedar, this full fruit red has a hint of sweetness and could be a great sipping wine. I put it on my shopping list for next spring. I also imagined this to me my "Thomas Jefferson Claret", an easy drinking all around versatile red wine that you could have when you just want a glass of wine when you are taking a break from garden planning or writing Declarations and such.

The history/genetics of these classic varietals and the easy hand in blending and aging them make this a great wine. When I started cooing over the Cabernet Franc notes in the wine, Liza from brixchicks.com (I hope it was you Liza, I am terrible with names!) sitting next to me said "Cabernet Franc is the Secret Sauce".

(71% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc)
14% ETOH Loved it!

This is my tasting review from the WBC2011 Pre-Conference Tour of Loudoun County, VA Wineries and Vineyards. Tarara Tour Post

Three2One Cellars Tranquility `09 $45.00 WBC11

2011-07-31T11:52:00.000-04:00

My notes say "Food and Age" Jordan had decanted this wine for 3 hours before we tried it. With the Virginia Prosciutto, I simply said WOW. We started our red tasting with a mouthful. This is a wine that will age well for the next few years. I can't wait to try it again in 2015.

This wine is the product of three friends getting together and making a blend. It is a great story that shows that in Virginia, they like and respect each other, and they want to make the best wine possible for their own enjoyment, and they are willing to share.

From Drink What You Like (check it out - with pictures and a great write up of the release party): a collaborative wine project of ‘Three Winemakers’ – Jordan Harris from Tarara Winery, Ben Renshaw from 8 Chains North, and Clyde Housel of Hiddencroft Vineyards – who have crafted Virginia’s newest blend from ‘Two Grapes’ – Cabernet Sauvignon and Tannat – from ‘One Vineyard’ – Tranquility.

Three2One Cellars Tranquility `09
(77% Cabernet, 23% Tannat) 13.5% ETOH

This is my tasting review from the WBC2011 Pre-Conference Tour of Loudoun County, VA Wineries and Vineyards. Tarara Tour Post

Tarara Winery Three Vineyards Chardonnay `09 $20.00

2011-07-31T11:46:00.001-04:00

This 100% Chardonnay, is from local Nevaeh Vineyards, Indian Springs Vineyards and Mountainview Vineyard. 13.5% ETOH. This wine proves that in a blind taste test, these local grapes make a Chardonnay that could be from France. It is a straightforward pure Chardonnay that holds no surprises. It showcases the three vineyards proudly and is an excellent example of honest wine.

This is my tasting review from the WBC2011 Pre-Conference Tour of Loudoun County, VA Wineries and Vineyards. Tarara Tour Post

Tarara Navaeh White `09 $30.00 #WBC11

2011-07-31T11:41:00.000-04:00

Tarara Winery's flagship variety Viognier (70% Viognier, 30% Chardonnay) 13% ETOH
This is a classic European style white. Elegant, and it made me feel like a grown-up while I was nibbling on the delicious spread of food on out table. This is a wine to impress someone with. It worked on me.

This is my tasting review from the WBC2011 Pre-Conference Tour of Loudoun County, VA Wineries and Vineyards. Tarara Tour Post

Tarara Winery Charval `09 $20.00 #WBC11

2011-07-31T11:33:00.002-04:00

This is my Tasting Review from my WBC2011 Pre-Conference Tour of Loudoun County, VA Wineries and Vineyards.

Tarara Winery Charval `09 (66% Chardonnay, 18% Pinot Gris, 9% Viognier, 7% Sauvugnon Blanc) 12.5% ETOH. This is their top selling white. It is a fun blend, with a great bright taste. On the table were some blackberries picked on the property half an hour before we arrived. If it hadn't been 106 degrees out, I would have grabbed the bottle and ran to the blackberry bush. The right combination can be magical, and well, it was magic from the first pour. (Post of my Tarara visit)

www.tarara.com

Tarara Winery, Leesburg, VA #TararaWinery, #DCsWineCountry

2011-07-30T22:29:00.024-04:00

Just an hour from Washington DC there are wineries and vineyards on beautiful farmlands producing really good wine. I was lucky enough to have a private group tour of Loudoun County, Virginia as a pre-conference junket of the 2011 Wine Bloggers' Conference. Our first stop, Tarara Winery , a producer of good artisan wine made from locally grown grapes, aged predominantly in Virgina Oak (when the varietal/blend calls for it).

I knew NOTHING about Virginia Wine, and I expected very little. What I found? In the shadow of our Nation's Capital, I found a thriving community of grape growers and wine makers who are living and producing the American Dream. Founded in 1989 by RJ (Whitie) and Margaret Hubert, Tarara Winery was built with passion and determination to make wine; great wine, that reflects the area (the more candid version is that in retirement, Whitie wanted to grow a few grapes, and his hobby got out of control - I love it when a hobby gets out of control and becomes time consuming yet fun! (my blog for example?!?)).

Tarara growers include Nevaeh (Tarara's estate vineyard managed by Ben Renshaw), Tranquility (in Purcellville, also managed by Ben Renshaw) and Honah Lee (in Orange managed by Wayne and Vera Preddy).

Our bus pulled up to Tarara headquarters just after 2pm on one of the hottest days of summer. We were to have a light lunch/tasting in the private great room of Tarara HQ. Winemaker Jordan Harris was our host and educator for the tasting.

All nineteen of us ogled the spread and then whipped out cameras, iPhones, blackberries, iPads and notebooks (we are bloggers after all!). What an nice introduction to Loudoun County and Virginia wine. As they say, you can only make one first impression, and Tarara, set the bar high.

We tried ten wines at the tasting, then four more in the cellar. I've pulled my tasting reviews out (consumer market ONLY), the titles are links.

#1 Tarara Charval `09 $20.00

#2. Tarara Viognier `10 $15.00 (wholesale only) 15.3 ETOH WOW, what a way to start a tasting! Of course, you are supposed to sip and then spit/dump you glass. (I did not master that until my 72nd glass during the conference) 100% Viognier grapes from Williams Gap Vineyard. Poured by Sonja and Katie, this would be my very first glass of Virginia Viognier. This is a very young wine, and Jordan recommended that we decant it (I had never heard of decanting a white wine), and drink it young. It was a refreshing entre into Virginia Viognier.

#3. Tarara Navaeh White `09 $30.00 For those of you into wordplay. Navaeh is Heaven in reverse. (ummm, you could take that two ways...)

A note on the food: We were given a selection of local cheeses, a trio of Virginia Ham (one done prosciutto style... droool), Blackberries, Tapanade and bread. It was a taste of some of the best Artisan food that Loudoun County offers and it was delicious. I didn't make note of all the purveyors (did I mention that I had yet to learn to sip/spit/pour? - I just drank, dug in and was fat and happy.)

#4. Three Vineyards Chardonnay `09 $20.00

#5. Tarara Chardonnay `97 This was a bottle that Jordan pulled from the library just so that we could taste an "old" Chardonnay. This was how I knew that Jordan has fun with his wine. I don't even think that he was out of school when this wine was bottled - let alone did he know that one day he would be making great wine in Virginia. I laughed about how many times we have found a bottle and opened it not knowing what to expect. It was a risk well taken. Even though it wasn't at buttery as I have had in an old chardonnay, it still showed that the area can produce wines that last (Well, more like survived - still, that is a lot to be said for aging well).

#6. Three2One Cellars Tranquility `09 $45.00

#7. Tarara Winery Nevaeh Red `08 $40.00 My favorite of the tasting.

#8. Tarara Winery TerraNoVA `08 $45.00

#9. Tarara Winery CasaNoVA `08 $45.00 The Commonwealth Collection
(We also tasted this at the Live Blogging Session: Red)

As Jordan was waxing about the Commonwealth Collection, and telling us that the play on words with NoVA being an acronym for Northern Virginia, Tom Plant from WINEormous, joked 'What next? Chevy NoVA?". This is why I love traveling with writers, there is always someone who can run with a theme. Jordan laughed, and noted that there may be copyright issues.

We also had a "Bonus Wine" while we were upstairs at the tasting. Jordan pulled out a `97 Tarara Cabernet. It was subtle, soft and silky. The tannins just went away. It had the flavor of cooked strawberries. It was a nice contrast to some of the bolder wines that we drank that day.

Then, we went downstairs, through the tasting room and into the cellar. I think of it more as Jordan and Jonathan's laboratory/play house.

Jonathan Boyle was waiting for us in the cellar. Jonathan is Tarara's other Canadian Winemaker, and he and Jordan have worked together for years .Jonathan had a table laid out with some of their newest wines (not yet released). Some of the tanks were fermenting, others waiting for this year's harvest, and the barrels were slowly fermenting their treasures.

We barrel tasted some fresh whites and then tapped a tank for a very special Viognier. It was nice to see such passion as they both discussed their wines. That passion shows in Tarara's current inventory.

I expect great things from them in the future. They are young, passionate (just get Jonathan started on the benefits of screw top wine) and marketing savvy. Jonathan is a blogger too, and the Winery uses all social media to bring their product to the next generation of consumers. From the QR codes on labels, the summer concert series, to the community involvement and "green" outlook/practices, Tarara has hit it currents trends on the head. Their media kit is in a biodegradable folder impregnated with flower seeds, we were all given a Tarara flash drive with digital copies of the media kit as well. I wonder if Whitie had any idea of what what his hobby would grow into when he planted those first acres of grapes in 1989? This is Artisinal Winemaking for the 21st Century; Jordan and Jonathan are part of the future of wine in the United States - blending ancient techniques with new media, marketing - and screwtops.

When you think Wine Country,
it shouldn't just be the West Coast anymore.
Virginia is on the map.
It isn't a well kept secret for just the cool kids anymore.

Here is a link to to all of my photos from our stop at Tarara.

Stepping Stone by Cornerstone Corallina Napa Valley Syrah Rosé `10 #wbc11 live blog

2011-07-28T20:19:00.001-04:00

Craig Camp presented up with this dry 100% syrah. Nice color, bright taste, floral, Stainless ferment. Easy to drink with a nice depth. I'd have it with veal or chicken. It really shows a lot of the varietal in this wine. It is really good! Notes of Fresh Strawberries. Delicious.

Stepping Stone by Cornerstone Thank you Napa for this delicious Rosé! You've really created an American Classic.

Emma Pearl Chardonnay `09 $17.99 #WBC11 live blog

2011-07-28T20:02:00.001-04:00

Nova Cadanatre is the winemaker who learned her trade at Cornell!

Central Coast of California Chardonnay. Asti Winery. Exclusive and in limited distribution. It is an elegant Chardonnay with a hint of Viognier. (90% Chardonnay, 10% Viognier)

This is a ladies who lunch, elegant salad wine. Grilled Chicken Cesar salad and pearls all the way. Thank you Emma! See you at the Plaza!!

www.emmapearlwine.com

CalNaturale Mendicino Chardonnay $12.99 litre/$6.99 500ml #WBC11 live blog

2011-07-28T19:55:00.000-04:00

Tetra pak

Mendicino Chardonnay. Andy poured for us and he is a big sell on Tetra Pak. 500ml, 2/3rds of a bottle in the tetra pak.

Wine maker is Heather Pyle originally from Mondavi. Central Coast Wine Services.

www.Calnaturale.com

The Climber Chardonnay Pouch NV $17.99 #wbc11 Live Blog

2011-07-28T19:53:00.000-04:00

Packaging: The Climber Pouch Chardonnay. 1.5L pouch; with a handle. Being sold in key markets. The bag is insulated, so chill it and go.

This was developed for campers to bring wine along with them. From the Cliff Family Winery the founders and makers of Cliff Bar.

I could imagine eating a cliff bar and drinking this wine by a campfire.

www.clifffamilywinery.com

Clos Pegase Mitsuko's Vineyard Chardonnay`09 $24.00 #wbc11 liveblog

2011-07-28T19:46:00.000-04:00

Napa. ETOH 14.1% I like it. 100% Chardonnay. This is a rich delicious wine. Some oak, but just enough astringency to make a clean sip. This would be great with a cheese board and quince jelly. Or some Scallops with a slight lemon butter sauce. Very well balanced. "a bipartisan wine" (not my quote, but I loved it!)

ClosPegase.com

King Estate Domaine Pinot Gris Estate `09 $25.00 Organic #wbc11 liveblog

2011-07-28T18:33:00.001-04:00

Sasha Kadey, Director of Marketing poured for us. King Estate Winery, Oregon. World's largest contiguous Fruits and Vegetables. Also a big farm producer Lavender etc, has a restaurant. No oak.

Creamy, slightly sweet, bright, yummie. Would go really well with salmon, and I would be daring and try it with pork. It is a big hit at the blogging table!

Notes on the repost: How drunk was I when I wrote this? It was very, very good, and my post does not do it justice. Sorry Sasha.

Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs Sparkling NV $20.00 #wbc11 live blog

2011-07-28T18:28:00.000-04:00

Parent Company Frexinet. It tickles my tongue. It is a strong wine. Medium body, but well chilled, and very easy to drink. (Hey JPH, can you bring some Leonetti's to C'ville?)

This is a really fun, elegant Blanc de Noirs. A good showing for American Sparkling Wine!

The table wants to save this bottle, because it is refreshing and fruity and well, just good. (it is 99 degrees here in Virginia. Perfect sparkling wine weather.)

Gloria Ferrer Caves and Vineyards, Sonoma County, CA

Barren Ridge Vidal Blanc `10 $15.00 #wbc11 liveblog:

2011-07-28T17:01:00.005-04:00

Presented by Pauline Dubier, Winemaker. She's French - from Toulouse and she has brought a French touch to Virginia's Barren Ridge Vineyard.

This is a very interesting, subtle yet beautiful wine. Fruit forward with a minerality that makes it elegant. It is like a Chanel suit made in Virginia. All of the classic touches of a sublime wine - I taste slight honeydew, with a Blue Ridge Mountain appellation. This is a go to cafe wine, or a great drinks wine when with friends.

Notes after the Live Blogging Session: This wine haunted me. I liked it, and it was different. It is made from Vidal Blanc grapes, and that was new to me. I was so impressed with Pauline and the woman who was pouring for her that when I realized that they were serving Crab Cakes at our reception at Monticello that night, I decided that theirs would be my dinner wine.

Of course they were pouring a different label: Tinkling Spring `09 (a $19.00 Viognier and Vidal Blanc blend) - also quite good, but I can easily say that out of all the whites that I tried in the live blogging session, theirs was the one I immediately thought of to go with my crab cake and that I ran back to get another taste of.

Rappahonick Cellars Viognier `10 $23.00 #wbc11 Live Blog

2011-07-28T16:44:00.000-04:00

This is a new world viognier. A nice rich wine. Jason Burrus the winemaker presented this wine.

www.rcellars.com

Days Later:
About this post: It was part of a speed tasting and blogging session. W were near the last table to be poured (out of nine, I think) and Jason didn't get much of a chance to present to us (his wine Virginia Grown and bottled wine spoke for its-self though). I didn't even know what vineyard he was from until I grabbed the bottle from him for this picture. It was a case of Blogger from New York meets winemaker from Virginia - sorry that there is such little information on this wine.

Artesa Chardonnay `10 $15.00 #wbc11 liveblog

2011-07-28T16:36:00.000-04:00

This is just me saying YES. I will be writing an in-depth review about Artesa from California in the next few weeks. I am smitten with their Pinot Noir, and I really like this Chardonnay, it is a GREAT food wine, but is also a sipping wine. It is versatile, and has a clean undercurrent that is slightly acidic. It just works.

Shindig White Vidal Blanc/Riesling `10 $15.99 #wbc11 live blog

2011-07-27T21:15:00.000-04:00

Finger Lakes NY: My marketing ROCKSTAR what a great personality. Now I'll try his wine.

90% Vidal Blanc. This is styled for sushi. Just grab a bottle and go for it. Andrew Stover

Now I want Sushi and a bottle to bring home.