Soulussion are very proud to announce a gig at the newly refurbished Cramond Brig, Queensferry Road, Edinburgh. Starting at 9:30pm on Saturday 7th November 2009 they will play a set of popular tunes and all time soul classics.

Why not come early and enjoy a delicious meal from the Cramond Brig’s new menu, complemented by a bottle of wine from their extensive list?

Soulussion and the team at the Cramond Brig look forward to welcoming you to an evening of great food, fine wine and top class entertainment.

Great news for wine lovers in (or visiting) Vancouver!  Vancouver City Council has revised the new proposed bylaw to state that establishments under a restaurant license must offer their full menu while alcohol is being served.  This is a much more lenient limit to the original 50/50 ratio that was proposed.

Here are links to articles posted by the Vancouver Sun and News 1130 for more information.

See my original post here.

Unfortunately, the circumstances prevented me from writing a proper restaurant review of Casa D’Oro, an Italian restaurant at the Hotel Indonesia Kempinski in Jakarta. I have to go back, eat there and write a proper review. A friend of mine says it’s the best Italian gourmet dining in Jakarta. It’s chef de cuisine, Francesco Greco, is a well accomplished master of fine cooking being just awarded the “Best Chef of 2009 in Shanghai” award.

But I can write about the wine, we had with our quick dinner. I selected a ‘2004 Barolo’ by Paolo Scavino, from Piedmont, Italy and one of the best producers of Barolo in the world. Made from Nebbiolo grapes grown in the cool climate of the Piemontese hills at the foot of the Alps, this wine has a deep red colour and is characterized by an elegant nose. Dried roses, cherries, and plums can be tasted together with herbs and dusty vanilla notes. The long finish is very impressive. The wine is of medium-body, very smooth and very well balanced. Wine experts award it 91-92 Parker points. I thoroughly enjoyed this wine.

I am so happy that I had spotted this wonderful wine on the extensive wine list of the hotel. I can only highly recommend it. Moreover, the wine was very reasonably prized.

Lesson to Learn form the River

Fine Wine Investment Tips   -   click here – ” Wine Video Tips”

Time Equals ” =  ”  Money- ‘Y’ River investing 

Imagine as in the diagram above there are two persons trying to journey on their respective boat’s from the Starting point to reach their final Objective & Destination  that is the End point[refer to map above].

Now assume or choose who you are at the moment, whether a Young Lady or Man or an Older woman or an Older Man, the choice would be totally at your discretion as even though you choose to be young someday you will reach old age as well. Kindly play along and choose who you wish to be Young or Old at this present moment.

As stated in the diagram above when the journey starts the river is SLOW & smooth sailing  and is easily managed for both young and old, that is until Point ‘Y’ of the diagram is reached where the river splits in two different directions. Both directions after the split still flowing smoothly & slowly until it reaches & merges with another river [Point 'Z' in map above ]

The choice now lies with which path you wish to choose at Point ‘Y’ [ refer to map above], The path is still slow and manageble to both parties. As the river splits further up at Point ‘Z’ a faster moving river or rapid will definitely have greater benefits as you will be able to get to your destination much sooner and accomplish more things. You could ride on the swift rapid and navigate your way but you may need effort due to the swift currents. Time = Value. If you choose the river with a slower pace the journey maybe longer and may take more effort out of you, maybe even paddling your way through the whole journey. You will definitely reach your destination later. 

There are no Right & Wrong answers in the question we are about to ask you . So which path are you prepared to take whether old or young? 

Note : At point ‘Y’ you do NOT know what lies ahead. We NEVER know what God’s plan’s are for us or what the Future &  Fate lies ahead for us just as in Point ‘Z’ where the river is fast flowing with dangers that could change or destroy our lives completely forever.

Let’s say both Old & Young choose the swift flowing rapids. What are the chances for survival if the boat capsizes or tilts? 

As for the Older person chances are he\she may not be able to survive as he\she may not have the strength & stamina to navigate out of the swift flowing rapids. With experience though he\she may or may not be able to live the tale of their journey. The younger person without any experience on the other hand has the strength & stamina to maybe swim to the side of the rapids and get out of the river to rest and find another way to reach his final destination. He may have that opportunity to fight the battle another day.

 Choosing a slower path doesn’t guarantee that you will reach safely though normally it will get you there without much hassles.

 In the Art of River Investing the lesson we wish to point out is you got to know your weaknesses and your strengths. You also have to ask yourself honestly what are your risks profiles and are you prepared to abuse them.

 If you are young and you fail in your investment decisions you at least have an opportunity to swim to the side and learn from your mistakes & do proper research before entering the waters again. You may have another 20 or 30 years ahead to gain more experience and be a savvier investor and if you haven’t learnt life’s important lessons you might be swept away with your losses. Time is on your side but what good is it if you don’t use it carefully and wisely. 

If you are Old though you may have the necessary Experience & Skills  but you actually don’t have Time on your side and as such you may not be able to hold on to your assets to see potential growth down the road. To make matters worse with age comes additional problems e.g. loss of income or job, health & medical issues & costs, bills etc…

 Tune in to our other article on River Investing ………Continuation.

Click here to View ” Wine Video Tips” on Fine Wine Investment & Risks, Interesting info..

I’m sure most of you have already heard about this new proposed bylaw; however, thought I should post it just in case you haven’t.  If you live in the Vancouver area and drink BC wine at restaurants, this could definitely affect your nights out.  The bylaw is supposedly up for revisions before becoming official, so no need to panic yet.

The proposed bylaw is aimed at restaurants that operate as bars and requires restaurants to maintain a maximum 50% of their total sales from liquor sales.  However, the unintended impact will be on sales of finer wines.  Say, for example, you go for dinner and order with your spouse and each order a $25 entree and are looking at a $60 bottle of wine on the menu.  In order to be able to order the wine, you would also have to order a $10 appetizer to achieve the 50% maximum requirement.

While the bylaw does not require the 50% maximum to be enforced on a table by table basis, it does require the ratio to be achieved for every 8 hour window.  So if everyone in a restaurant stays within the 50% maximum, and one table orders a $150 bottle of wine and a $10 appetizer, subsequent tables may be limited to below the 50% maximum in order for the 8 hour period to as whole to meet the requirement.

For more information, this article was posted today in the Vancouver Sun today.

Additionally, here is the discussion (on page 10) that was discussed by the City of Vancouver P&E Committee in their October 8, 2009 Agenda.

This is the time of the year we are all working towards, the fruit of our labor. The fall season brings with it the busy activity of harvesting the ripe succulent fruits from the vines. With that activity comes the pressing and crushing of the grapes and the exciting fermentation process with this years fabulous crop of grapes.

It is a time of hard work and long hours. It is important to get the grapes processed as quickly as possible so they can begin the fermentation process under controlled conditions. The grapes this year are in fabulous condition. This going to result in some of the finest wines ever made from the Pentage Winery.

There is lots going on here with new additions to the team coming on board very shortly. Being this is the first installation of this blog, it will be a work in progress. We will be presenting news as it develops as well as interesting tidbits from the wine world.

In the meantime, sit back and enjoy a glass of fine Okanagan wine with dinner this evening. You’ll be glad you did.

Evan

Sotheby’s Fine Wine Auctions Sell $8 Million Over The Weekend As Chinese Collectors Dominate In Hong Kong

Hong Kong is now the world's top wine auction market, having surpassed London and New York

This weekend, Sotheby’s began a five-day string of auctions in Hong Kong — continuing until October 8 — with auctions of fine wine from the cellars of two anonymous American collectors. Though one of the world’s newest hubs for wine, due to a combination of ending wine duties, encouraging mainland buyers to take part in wine auctions, and growing demand both in Hong Kong and in mainland China, Hong Kong has within a few short years become the world’s #1 auction market for wine, overtaking traditional leaders London and New York. From James Pomfret in Reuters:

“Asian buyers represented 99 percent of buyers in this two-day sale,” said the head of Sotheby’s international wine department Serena Sutcliffe. “Hong Kong has become Sotheby’s most important wine center, ahead of very successful auctions in New York and London,” she added in a statement.

…

Last month, U.S. wine merchant Acker Merrall & Condit sold $6.4 million worth of fine wine in a Hong Kong sale which Acker’s president John Kapon said indicated Hong Kong’s role as “arguably the fine wine world’s most important market.”

Christie’s said Asian buyers accounted for 61 percent of its global wine sales in New York, London and Hong Kong this spring, up from just 7 percent in 2005. Of these, buyers from greater China — including Hong Kong, Taiwan and China — grew over 200 percent between fall of last year and this spring.

David Elswood, Christie’s international head of wine, told Reuters that with the U.S. market still weak, its nascent Hong Kong sales were encouraging. Average lot values of wines sold in Hong Kong were now relatively high at around $19,000, though sales volumes were not yet up to the West.

It’ll be interesting to see how the auction business in mainland China develops, in terms of wine sales, in coming years. Although foreign auction houses are not allowed to operate in the mainland, home-grown auction houses like Poly and Guardian could — feasibly — start their own wine sales in the future. With domestic wineries and joint ventures like Chateau Lafite/CITIC working towards producing export-quality vintages inside China, the idea of Western and Asian collectors stocking up on Chinese wines as future investments — a farfetched idea just a few years ago — could become reality.

We all know the terminology boutique hotels – stylish, intimate, exclusive and perfectly put together – well Franschhoek is a boutique town.

Part of Greater Stellenbosch, this small town in the Western Cape Province is one of the oldest towns in South Africa and one of the most captivating.

French Huguenots

In 1685, hundreds of so-called French Huguenots fled their homeland. 277 of them arrived by ship at the Cape of Good Hope. Many of them were given land by the Dutch colonial government in a valley called Oliphantshoek (Elephant Corner) – so named because of the vast herds of elephants that roamed the area. Soon after they settled here, it became known as Franschhoek (French Corner).

Franschhoek Valley - International Cuisine and Fine Wines

The Franschhoek Valley, today is a place where fine wines are grown and where some of the top chefs of the country create international cuisine at their restaurants.

The Huguenot Monument

At the foot of the mountains that ring the village, the Huguenot Monument stands proudly at the top of the village that still has a distinct French flavour with B&B’s and auberges; antique and bric-a-brac shops and wonderful coffee shops.

Surrounding the village are wine estates with French names and grand gabled cape Dutch homesteads.

I liked the Franschhoek Wine Valley and Tourist Association’s 10 Reasons to Visit Franschhoek. Having recently been there and having eaten the food of a few of the chefs, I can personally assure you that one could spend an entire holiday in Franschhoek and never tire of the tranquility and grace of this beautiful little town.

10 Reasons to visit Franschhoek

1.    Franschhoek is the most beautiful wine valley in the world.
2.    It is the food and wine capital of the country.
3.    There are more award-winning restaurants concentrated here than anywhere else in the land.
4.    Franschhoek’s French heritage of more than 300 years is evident in the wine and food tradition. The magnificent Huguenot Museum and monument are worth a visit.
5.    There are 101 interesting things to do in this picturesque village.
6.    You can taste the wines of the valley more than 40 extraordinary wine cellars.
7.    Franschhoek is a town for all budgets.
8.    It is centrally located to enjoy the wonderful pleasures of the Western Cape – from the winelands to whale-watching to exploring the mother city.
9.    The culturally diverse people are friendly and welcoming.
10.    The galleries and shops in the quaint main street provide hours of interesting browsing and shopping.

Some of you are familiar with my wine article series “I Love Italian Wine and Food, ” similar French and German series, and travel articles that always manage to discuss local wine and food. It’s true; I really do love wine and food from Italy, France, Germany, and other countries as well. But I also hate wine and many aspects of the wine scene. Let me explain my top ten reasons for this love-hate relationship.

The unconscionable expense. Don’t let anybody kid you. Good wine is expensive. Great wine is of course even more expensive. There are bargains, but finding them is like kissing scads of frogs to find a prince. You have to kiss a lot of frogs (yechh) before you get to kiss a prince. Believe it or not, I have absolutely no desire whatsoever to kiss any princes.

I do, however, want to drink fine wine. And I find that the more fine wine I drink, the more fine wine I want to drink. Before I started writing wine reviews, twenty dollars was more or less my limit for a bottle; now I almost feel like apologizing when I spend less than twenty. Having tasted some excellent wines in the forty-dollar range, I am dying to know how sixty-dollar wines taste. Needless to say, some of them will be disappointing. But in some ways it is worse to find an excellent sixty-dollar wine. As much as I want to, I can’t spend sixty dollars a bottle on a regular basis.

My wife gave me her generous permission to buy a single one hundred dollar bottle of wine per year. Such a bottle will cost me at least two hundred dollars; my wife is not a wine lover, and in all fairness she will want a one hundred dollar item for herself. But that’s by no means the end of my wine expense problems. One of the most wine-savvy people I know recently described the pleasures of a $600 bottle of Chateau Petrus; a top of the line French red wine. I gingerly asked him if it was worth the money. His response was short and sweet, absolutely. I am still far from that stratospheric price point, but…

Here are the other reasons:
The embarrassing lack of knowledge
No wine cellar
I can’t get the … bottle opened
The insomnia
Food problems
Wine snobs
Those smells and those tastes
Those colors
Home brew
One more problem and yes
The Solution

• 2006 Ridge Lytton Springs                               $28.99

Immediately after opening this wine you are greeted with freshly picked, perfectly ripened blueberries. Hints of white pepper and milk chocolate add depth and complexity to the wine and with a finish of dill and lavender you will know that you are drinking a world class wine.

• Rosenblum Carlas Reserve                               $24.99

One of the most exotic Zinfandels in Rosenblum’s portfolio. Lively notes of black pepper and cinnamon mingled with spiced plum linger on the nose.

On the palate, soft and round tannins support flavors ripe black cherry and star anise.

• Rosenblum Petit Syrah                                    $19.99

When thinking of petit syrah the first word that comes to mind is “Beast” – not so with this beauty. While the tannins are prevalent they have softened with age and are drinking extraordinary smoothly. This wine will have you dreaming of black raspberries dipped in dark chocolate while enjoying a cup of dark roast coffee.

• Stags Leap Chard                                            $29.99

A perfect balance of minerality and acidity make this wine a pleasure to drink. On the nose cantaloupe and honeydew melons jump out of the glass with freshly squeezed lemonade on the back end. Once you get to the palate you will be surprised to find dense banana and papaya with a long finish of lilies and honeysuckle.

• Chateau St. Jean Belle Terre Vineyard          $22.99

This Russian River single vineyard wine is a real jewel.  An excellent example of chardonnay, with toasted caramel and rich butter on the nose and ripe peach and pear on the palate this wine is what California chardonnay is all about.

We had a great tasting last night!  Ivan Thornton came in to taste us on a great collection of new world wines.

We started with the 2004 Bisou Cabernet Sauvignon
by winemaker Thomas Brown – $89.99   
A fun wine full of power and richness. The chocolaty core showed through to a candied cherry and red twisler finish.

Second on the list was the 2005 Garric Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
by winemaker Pam Starr – $69.99
The brilliant deep purple color of the wine foreshadowed the rich plum and current on the pallet backup up by a violet bouquet and espresso on the finish.

Our mid course was the 2005 Versant Cabernet Sauvignon
by winemaker Robbie Meyer – $86.99
The nose of this wine carried subtle anise and crushed dry rose pedals with notes of leather and earth combined with cassis and blackberry on the palate with a long finish of berries and vanilla.

Fourth was Realm Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
by winemaker Mike Hirby – $109.99
A silkier style of wine with mint overtones and a powerful black berry punch combined with cherries and licorice made this wine my favorite of the night.

Fifth we enjoyed the 2006 Charter Oak Zinfandel
by winemaker Rob Fanucci –$47.99
This was a spectacular example of California Zinfandel with jammy ripe blackberry and exotic spices filling this wine to the brim.

Last was the Erna Schein 2006 Syrah
by winemaker Les Behrens – $74.99
This wine was an eye catcher with notes of honey and violets on the nose and the distinctive sweet spiciness of Chinese spareribs on the palate.

On Friday, 25 September 2009 we are holding an Italian Evening.

Details of the menu for this special evening can be found on the menu below.

As the British summer comes to an end, the Kings will be set to capture the atmosphere and vitality of the Mediterranean.  Please make your reservations as early as possible for what will be a very special evening.

If you are looking for fine French wine and food, consider the Rhone Valley region of southeastern France. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you’ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review one the area’s best-known wines, a white Chateauneuf-du-Pape that comes from some of the stoniest vineyards you’ll ever see.

The Rhone Valley ranks second in acreage among France’s eleven wine-growing regions. It’s really a question of two separate areas with very different wines. The narrow northern Rhone Valley produces only a small fraction of the Rhone wines. Its major red grape is Syrah, and its major white variety is Viognier. Traditionally wines in the southern Rhone Valley are blended. For example, both the red and the white Chateauneuf-du-Pape AOC wine may include over a dozen different grape varieties. The white Chateauneuf-du-Pape reviewed below includes four varieties, White Grenache, Rousssane, Bourbuolenc, and Clairette. With the exception of Roussane, these are not considered particularly high-quality grapes. Many of the other permitted varieties are also pedestrian grapes. But Chateauneuf-du-Pape is certainly considered a fine wine. You will never see it on a $10 wine list. Only once in a while you will see it on a $15 wine list.

The village of Chateauneuf-du-Pape is home to about two thousand people and some very well-known French wines. During the Fourteenth Century seven French Popes made their home in nearby Avignon and they got their table wine from the town named new castle of the pope. You may want to visit the Musee des Outils de Vignerons Pere Anselme (The Father Anselm Museum of Winemakers Tools) or the ruins of the Chateau. The nearby city of Orange has a great Roman theatre and even an Arc de Triomphe, much less visited than its Parisian namesake.

Before reviewing the Chateauneuf-du-Pape wine here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Soupe de Lentilles Proven?ale (Provencale Lentil Soup). For your second course savor Pates aux Coquillages (Seafood Pasta). And as dessert indulge yourself with Fougassette (Sweet Bread with Orange Flower Water).

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Fiole Blanc 13% about $22.50

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Tasting Note: Pale gold; aromas of mineral and grapefruit, crisp and dry with a mineral flavor. Serving Suggestion: Serve with fish or seafood.

In the first sips I tasted honey and minerals. The wine was mildly sweet. The first pairing was with a Middle-Eastern dish called kube (or kibbe) consisting of ground beef in jackets made of crushed wheat, slow-cooked in a peppery tomato sauce. The wine tasted of grapefruit. It was nicely long and fairly powerful.

My next meal centered around a barbecued chicken breast in a caramelized sauce accompanied by potato salad and a Moroccan style tomato salsa with garlic that wasn’t very spicy. The wine was sweet like many a Riesling. It went well with the chicken’s sweetness. The acidity was light but increased as the meal went on. The Chateauneuf-du-Pape’s predominant flavor was grapefruit. In the presence of a sweet but acidic, high-quality French style lemon pie the wine was round but weak.

The final meal was broiled salmon filet in a soy and honey sauce with brown rice and zucchini cooked in tomatoes. The wine’s soft acidity was a great compliment to the softness of the fish. Once again grapefruit came out with the rice and zucchini combo. The wine’s acidity went well with the acidity of the tomatoes.

The first cheese was a Mozzarella. The wine was round, forceful, and frankly wasted. With a yellow Cheddar the wine was fairly tasteless. It just didn’t stand up to this fairly weak cheese.

Final verdict. I would buy this wine again but carefully watch what I pair it with. Never again would it be wasted with a pedestrian cheese. My idea of a great wine evening might be starting with this white Chateauneuf-du-Pape to accompany a salmon fillet followed by a red Chateauneuf-du-Pape with a leg of lamb or roast duck. And live a bit like those French Popes almost seven hundred years ago.

If you are looking for fine French wine and food, consider the Rhone Valley region of southeastern France. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you’ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review one the area’s best-known wines, a white Chateauneuf-du-Pape that comes from some of the stoniest vineyards you’ll ever see.

The Rhone Valley ranks second in acreage among France’s eleven wine-growing regions. It’s really a question of two separate areas with very different wines. The narrow northern Rhone Valley produces only a small fraction of the Rhone wines. Its major red grape is Syrah, and its major white variety is Viognier. Traditionally wines in the southern Rhone Valley are blended. For example, both the red and the white Chateauneuf-du-Pape AOC wine may include over a dozen different grape varieties. The white Chateauneuf-du-Pape reviewed below includes four varieties, White Grenache, Rousssane, Bourbuolenc, and Clairette. With the exception of Roussane, these are not considered particularly high-quality grapes. Many of the other permitted varieties are also pedestrian grapes. But Chateauneuf-du-Pape is certainly considered a fine wine. You will never see it on a $10 wine list. Only once in a while you will see it on a $15 wine list.

The village of Chateauneuf-du-Pape is home to about two thousand people and some very well-known French wines. During the Fourteenth Century seven French Popes made their home in nearby Avignon and they got their table wine from the town named new castle of the pope. You may want to visit the Musee des Outils de Vignerons Pere Anselme (The Father Anselm Museum of Winemakers Tools) or the ruins of the Chateau. The nearby city of Orange has a great Roman theatre and even an Arc de Triomphe, much less visited than its Parisian namesake.

Before reviewing the Chateauneuf-du-Pape wine here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Soupe de Lentilles Proven?ale (Provencale Lentil Soup). For your second course savor Pates aux Coquillages (Seafood Pasta). And as dessert indulge yourself with Fougassette (Sweet Bread with Orange Flower Water).

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Fiole Blanc 13% about $22.50

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Tasting Note: Pale gold; aromas of mineral and grapefruit, crisp and dry with a mineral flavor. Serving Suggestion: Serve with fish or seafood.

In the first sips I tasted honey and minerals. The wine was mildly sweet. The first pairing was with a Middle-Eastern dish called kube (or kibbe) consisting of ground beef in jackets made of crushed wheat, slow-cooked in a peppery tomato sauce. The wine tasted of grapefruit. It was nicely long and fairly powerful.

My next meal centered around a barbecued chicken breast in a caramelized sauce accompanied by potato salad and a Moroccan style tomato salsa with garlic that wasn’t very spicy. The wine was sweet like many a Riesling. It went well with the chicken’s sweetness. The acidity was light but increased as the meal went on. The Chateauneuf-du-Pape’s predominant flavor was grapefruit. In the presence of a sweet but acidic, high-quality French style lemon pie the wine was round but weak.

The final meal was broiled salmon filet in a soy and honey sauce with brown rice and zucchini cooked in tomatoes. The wine’s soft acidity was a great compliment to the softness of the fish. Once again grapefruit came out with the rice and zucchini combo. The wine’s acidity went well with the acidity of the tomatoes.

The first cheese was a Mozzarella. The wine was round, forceful, and frankly wasted. With a yellow Cheddar the wine was fairly tasteless. It just didn’t stand up to this fairly weak cheese.

Final verdict. I would buy this wine again but carefully watch what I pair it with. Never again would it be wasted with a pedestrian cheese. My idea of a great wine evening might be starting with this white Chateauneuf-du-Pape to accompany a salmon fillet followed by a red Chateauneuf-du-Pape with a leg of lamb or roast duck. And live a bit like those French Popes almost seven hundred years ago.

If you are looking for fine French wine and food, consider the Rhone Valley region of southeastern France. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you’ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review one the area’s best-known wines, a white Chateauneuf-du-Pape that comes from some of the stoniest vineyards you’ll ever see.

The Rhone Valley ranks second in acreage among France’s eleven wine-growing regions. It’s really a question of two separate areas with very different wines. The narrow northern Rhone Valley produces only a small fraction of the Rhone wines. Its major red grape is Syrah, and its major white variety is Viognier. Traditionally wines in the southern Rhone Valley are blended. For example, both the red and the white Chateauneuf-du-Pape AOC wine may include over a dozen different grape varieties. The white Chateauneuf-du-Pape reviewed below includes four varieties, White Grenache, Rousssane, Bourbuolenc, and Clairette. With the exception of Roussane, these are not considered particularly high-quality grapes. Many of the other permitted varieties are also pedestrian grapes. But Chateauneuf-du-Pape is certainly considered a fine wine. You will never see it on a $10 wine list. Only once in a while you will see it on a $15 wine list.

The village of Chateauneuf-du-Pape is home to about two thousand people and some very well-known French wines. During the Fourteenth Century seven French Popes made their home in nearby Avignon and they got their table wine from the town named new castle of the pope. You may want to visit the Musee des Outils de Vignerons Pere Anselme (The Father Anselm Museum of Winemakers Tools) or the ruins of the Chateau. The nearby city of Orange has a great Roman theatre and even an Arc de Triomphe, much less visited than its Parisian namesake.

Before reviewing the Chateauneuf-du-Pape wine here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Soupe de Lentilles Proven?ale (Provencale Lentil Soup). For your second course savor Pates aux Coquillages (Seafood Pasta). And as dessert indulge yourself with Fougassette (Sweet Bread with Orange Flower Water).

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Fiole Blanc 13% about $22.50

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Tasting Note: Pale gold; aromas of mineral and grapefruit, crisp and dry with a mineral flavor. Serving Suggestion: Serve with fish or seafood.

In the first sips I tasted honey and minerals. The wine was mildly sweet. The first pairing was with a Middle-Eastern dish called kube (or kibbe) consisting of ground beef in jackets made of crushed wheat, slow-cooked in a peppery tomato sauce. The wine tasted of grapefruit. It was nicely long and fairly powerful.

My next meal centered around a barbecued chicken breast in a caramelized sauce accompanied by potato salad and a Moroccan style tomato salsa with garlic that wasn’t very spicy. The wine was sweet like many a Riesling. It went well with the chicken’s sweetness. The acidity was light but increased as the meal went on. The Chateauneuf-du-Pape’s predominant flavor was grapefruit. In the presence of a sweet but acidic, high-quality French style lemon pie the wine was round but weak.

The final meal was broiled salmon filet in a soy and honey sauce with brown rice and zucchini cooked in tomatoes. The wine’s soft acidity was a great compliment to the softness of the fish. Once again grapefruit came out with the rice and zucchini combo. The wine’s acidity went well with the acidity of the tomatoes.

The first cheese was a Mozzarella. The wine was round, forceful, and frankly wasted. With a yellow Cheddar the wine was fairly tasteless. It just didn’t stand up to this fairly weak cheese.

Final verdict. I would buy this wine again but carefully watch what I pair it with. Never again would it be wasted with a pedestrian cheese. My idea of a great wine evening might be starting with this white Chateauneuf-du-Pape to accompany a salmon fillet followed by a red Chateauneuf-du-Pape with a leg of lamb or roast duck. And live a bit like those French Popes almost seven hundred years ago.

If you are looking for fine French wine and food, consider the Rhone Valley region of southeastern France. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you’ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review one the area’s best-known wines, a white Chateauneuf-du-Pape that comes from some of the stoniest vineyards you’ll ever see.

The Rhone Valley ranks second in acreage among France’s eleven wine-growing regions. It’s really a question of two separate areas with very different wines. The narrow northern Rhone Valley produces only a small fraction of the Rhone wines. Its major red grape is Syrah, and its major white variety is Viognier. Traditionally wines in the southern Rhone Valley are blended. For example, both the red and the white Chateauneuf-du-Pape AOC wine may include over a dozen different grape varieties. The white Chateauneuf-du-Pape reviewed below includes four varieties, White Grenache, Rousssane, Bourbuolenc, and Clairette. With the exception of Roussane, these are not considered particularly high-quality grapes. Many of the other permitted varieties are also pedestrian grapes. But Chateauneuf-du-Pape is certainly considered a fine wine. You will never see it on a $10 wine list. Only once in a while you will see it on a $15 wine list.

The village of Chateauneuf-du-Pape is home to about two thousand people and some very well-known French wines. During the Fourteenth Century seven French Popes made their home in nearby Avignon and they got their table wine from the town named new castle of the pope. You may want to visit the Musee des Outils de Vignerons Pere Anselme (The Father Anselm Museum of Winemakers Tools) or the ruins of the Chateau. The nearby city of Orange has a great Roman theatre and even an Arc de Triomphe, much less visited than its Parisian namesake.

Before reviewing the Chateauneuf-du-Pape wine here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Soupe de Lentilles Proven?ale (Provencale Lentil Soup). For your second course savor Pates aux Coquillages (Seafood Pasta). And as dessert indulge yourself with Fougassette (Sweet Bread with Orange Flower Water).

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Fiole Blanc 13% about $22.50

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Tasting Note: Pale gold; aromas of mineral and grapefruit, crisp and dry with a mineral flavor. Serving Suggestion: Serve with fish or seafood.

In the first sips I tasted honey and minerals. The wine was mildly sweet. The first pairing was with a Middle-Eastern dish called kube (or kibbe) consisting of ground beef in jackets made of crushed wheat, slow-cooked in a peppery tomato sauce. The wine tasted of grapefruit. It was nicely long and fairly powerful.

My next meal centered around a barbecued chicken breast in a caramelized sauce accompanied by potato salad and a Moroccan style tomato salsa with garlic that wasn’t very spicy. The wine was sweet like many a Riesling. It went well with the chicken’s sweetness. The acidity was light but increased as the meal went on. The Chateauneuf-du-Pape’s predominant flavor was grapefruit. In the presence of a sweet but acidic, high-quality French style lemon pie the wine was round but weak.

The final meal was broiled salmon filet in a soy and honey sauce with brown rice and zucchini cooked in tomatoes. The wine’s soft acidity was a great compliment to the softness of the fish. Once again grapefruit came out with the rice and zucchini combo. The wine’s acidity went well with the acidity of the tomatoes.

The first cheese was a Mozzarella. The wine was round, forceful, and frankly wasted. With a yellow Cheddar the wine was fairly tasteless. It just didn’t stand up to this fairly weak cheese.

Final verdict. I would buy this wine again but carefully watch what I pair it with. Never again would it be wasted with a pedestrian cheese. My idea of a great wine evening might be starting with this white Chateauneuf-du-Pape to accompany a salmon fillet followed by a red Chateauneuf-du-Pape with a leg of lamb or roast duck. And live a bit like those French Popes almost seven hundred years ago.

If you are looking for fine French wine and food, consider the Rhone Valley region of southeastern France. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you’ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review one the area’s best-known wines, a white Chateauneuf-du-Pape that comes from some of the stoniest vineyards you’ll ever see.

The Rhone Valley ranks second in acreage among France’s eleven wine-growing regions. It’s really a question of two separate areas with very different wines. The narrow northern Rhone Valley produces only a small fraction of the Rhone wines. Its major red grape is Syrah, and its major white variety is Viognier. Traditionally wines in the southern Rhone Valley are blended. For example, both the red and the white Chateauneuf-du-Pape AOC wine may include over a dozen different grape varieties. The white Chateauneuf-du-Pape reviewed below includes four varieties, White Grenache, Rousssane, Bourbuolenc, and Clairette. With the exception of Roussane, these are not considered particularly high-quality grapes. Many of the other permitted varieties are also pedestrian grapes. But Chateauneuf-du-Pape is certainly considered a fine wine. You will never see it on a $10 wine list. Only once in a while you will see it on a $15 wine list.

The village of Chateauneuf-du-Pape is home to about two thousand people and some very well-known French wines. During the Fourteenth Century seven French Popes made their home in nearby Avignon and they got their table wine from the town named new castle of the pope. You may want to visit the Musee des Outils de Vignerons Pere Anselme (The Father Anselm Museum of Winemakers Tools) or the ruins of the Chateau. The nearby city of Orange has a great Roman theatre and even an Arc de Triomphe, much less visited than its Parisian namesake.

Before reviewing the Chateauneuf-du-Pape wine here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Soupe de Lentilles Proven?ale (Provencale Lentil Soup). For your second course savor Pates aux Coquillages (Seafood Pasta). And as dessert indulge yourself with Fougassette (Sweet Bread with Orange Flower Water).

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Fiole Blanc 13% about $22.50

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Tasting Note: Pale gold; aromas of mineral and grapefruit, crisp and dry with a mineral flavor. Serving Suggestion: Serve with fish or seafood.

In the first sips I tasted honey and minerals. The wine was mildly sweet. The first pairing was with a Middle-Eastern dish called kube (or kibbe) consisting of ground beef in jackets made of crushed wheat, slow-cooked in a peppery tomato sauce. The wine tasted of grapefruit. It was nicely long and fairly powerful.

My next meal centered around a barbecued chicken breast in a caramelized sauce accompanied by potato salad and a Moroccan style tomato salsa with garlic that wasn’t very spicy. The wine was sweet like many a Riesling. It went well with the chicken’s sweetness. The acidity was light but increased as the meal went on. The Chateauneuf-du-Pape’s predominant flavor was grapefruit. In the presence of a sweet but acidic, high-quality French style lemon pie the wine was round but weak.

The final meal was broiled salmon filet in a soy and honey sauce with brown rice and zucchini cooked in tomatoes. The wine’s soft acidity was a great compliment to the softness of the fish. Once again grapefruit came out with the rice and zucchini combo. The wine’s acidity went well with the acidity of the tomatoes.

The first cheese was a Mozzarella. The wine was round, forceful, and frankly wasted. With a yellow Cheddar the wine was fairly tasteless. It just didn’t stand up to this fairly weak cheese.

Final verdict. I would buy this wine again but carefully watch what I pair it with. Never again would it be wasted with a pedestrian cheese. My idea of a great wine evening might be starting with this white Chateauneuf-du-Pape to accompany a salmon fillet followed by a red Chateauneuf-du-Pape with a leg of lamb or roast duck. And live a bit like those French Popes almost seven hundred years ago.

Rare Wine Online at J.J. Buckley

Since 1999, JJ Buckley and its parent company have been selling wine online. With JJ Buckley’s extensive inventory of in stock ready to ship fine wine and rare wine, their customers get access to wine online you cannot find elsewhere. Further, JJ Buckley’s Price Match Guarantee means you get wine at the best prices on their purchases. Customers get world class wines at low prices – a winning combination.

JJBuckley.com is now JWineCommune’s wine retail arm. Their fine wine specialists provide clients with world class wine recommendations, private wine sales, and expert advice. The daily e-newsletter features cabernet, zinfandel, pinot noir and other top wines of tremendous value and the highest recommendations of fine wine.

JJ Buckley Fine Wines is an online retail wine store located on the beautiful shoreline of Oakland, CA. JJ Buckley originated as a website hosting free peer to peer wine sale auctions (WineCommune) out of a small apartment in Albany, CA, which has now grown to be the 35th fastest growing private wine company in America and number 1 in the San Francisco Bay Area (according to Inc 500 magazine). So, go online to buy fine wine at JJ Buckley, they are the top retail wine online sales company.
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Author: Todd Yudell

“A Serious Man”
a review by Darby O’Gill

Have you ever had a bad day? How about a bad week? Larry Gopnik is about to find out the answer to those questions and more, in the new Coen brothers movie A Serious Man. Joel and Ethan Coen are at it again, and this time they’re taking us to a small Midwestern Jewish community in 1967. Okay, right out of the gate I have to say that this is one of those subjective Coen brother movies. And with that said I’m trying to figure out the best way to review this film, without putting my take of the movie on you. So, here we go.

Larry Gopnik, played by Michael Stuhlbarg, is a physics professor that is trying to find clarity in his life as it slowly slips into chaos. He wants desperately to be a mensch, a person with a good strength of character, or a serious man if you will; but life seems to have other plans for poor Larry. What do physics, blackmail, a portable radio, twenty bucks, divorce, defamation of character, F-Troop, a nose job, anonymous letters, a bar mitzvah, Jefferson Airplane, the wisdom of three rabbis, tenure, Columbia House Record Club, dental phenomena, gambling, Sy Ableman, weed, antenna reception, bribes, a sebaceous cyst, nude sunbathing, and a simultaneous car crash all have in common? Well, Larry of course. Now, I can’t tell you what it all means, mostly because the answer is going to be different for everyone that sees it, but what I can tell you is that this is one of those movies that you like the more you think about it. Like a fine wine, it just takes a little time. I’m a big fan of the Coen brothers, and even I had to take a few days to totally let this whole movie sink in. At first the movie might seem to be about nothing, but I think it’s more about what the movie means to you in the end. I don’t want to get too philosophical here, but it’s true! The movie doesn’t make you think while you’re watching it, you just find yourself following the unfortunate turns of Larry Gopnik’s life. But, when the movie does end, and you find yourself saying, “What?!” And you will. Just try and not rush to judgment right away on your feelings of the movie on a whole. Let the message and the meaning set in on its own terms. I’m afraid this is going to be one of those Coen brothers movies that isn’t truly appreciated until a few years down the road, which is sad, because it really is a nice little movie.

Be sure to check back here in two weeks for my interview with the serious man himself, Michael Stuhlbarg.

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