Red Is Life

Combined Notes

Combined notes from two tastings - always surprises - a few quite big - particularly Great Western -

Screw Kappa Napa

A fun article  - An Amusing Wine - from the Times Picayune on naming and label graphics - all in the name of marketing -

I'm a big fan of "the hand sell" - there are over 20,000 wine labels in the US alone - if you can get a wine customer to stop - look twice - ask about a crazy name - admire startling graphics - pick out the bottle for any reason - besides the price - "rock and roll"

And - the article is in the Times Picayune - direct from post-Katrina NOLA - i.e. - they need all the attention we can toss their way -

Enjoy -

Heads Up

9/21/06 - Earthtimes - Red wine may hold key to Alzheimer's prevention - Brian Holmes

Mount Sinai School of Medicine researchers may have the key to prevent Alzheimer's disease finding that consuming red wine could reduce the risk of contracting the disease.

...one drink per day for women and two for men, may help reduce the relative risk for AD clinical dementia -

Penfolds Only

A full blown wine dinner - exclusively Penfolds - at the University Club - a full house -

Side benefit of attending - provided by Penfolds representative's remarks - finally - an explanation of those obscure "Bin" numbers - that you always want to act knowledgeable about - but are afraid to ask about -
   
Bin numbers relate to the sections (or 'Bins') of the cellar in which the original wines were stored

As he carefully explained - they go back to the beginnings of wine-making at Penfolds and have nothing to do with the geography of the vineyards from whence the grape grow -

What we drank..............
 

What Treats

The bi-weekly - double blind tasting - is always a grab bag - in fact - to protect their identities - most bottles are brought in brown bags - or - plastic supermarket bags - or - newspaper secured by rubber-bands - or - my favorite - aluminum foil -

Lots of good - solid wines - an occasional corked bottle beyond anyones control - or something too old - or too young - and - every so often a winner - even a few superstars -

Last night was extraordinary - with not one - but two certifiable superstars - and several that bordered on the heavens - even if there was one that I did not like -

Sicilian Duo

Two winners last week - Firriato - Ribeca - 2003 - and its simplier sibling - Firriato - Harmonium - 2001 -

You've Got To Be Kidding

Sipping a Woodford at Absenthe in the Marriott (Boca Raton) - the tall frosted bottle - on the back shelf - with the word - bling - spelled out in sparkling crystals - caught my eye -

"What's that ?" - I asked the bartender -

"Bottled water" - he replied - handing me the bottle - encrusted with not just sparkling crystals - but Swarovski crystals -

"How much ?" - I asked the bartender -

"$40.00" - he replied with a tone of sarcastic incredibility -

"You've got to be kidding !!!!" - i blurted out in a knee jerk response -

My Bike For Your Cooking

From a NY Times blog - (see full posting at bottom) - a New Orleans resident - wiped out by Katrina - before moving to California - talks a chef/owner into cooking supper for his family in exchange for a bicycle that Katrina has missed - it was one hell of a meal -

What better restaurant recommendation for the first night in post-Katrina New Orleans -

Called The Pelican Club and asked if I could get a table - the hostess chuckled as she replied "no problem" -

Have To Touch Your Shoes

Many years ago – a retired restaurateur took a bet that he could defy the location – location – location – matra - considered essential for restaurant success -

Opening a little hole in the wall – Ballato – on Houston off the Bowery – 10 tables – wonderful home cooked Italian – John had the habit of pulling a chair up to your table – sitting down – asking – “what’s new?? – it was as if you were in the dining room of his home –

Last week – in New Orleans – I had a similar experience at Upperline – when as we thanked her for a wonderous dining  -  Owner JoAnn Clevenger bent down announcing - I just have to  touch your shoes ” – trademark velvet slippers adorned with skull and cross bones –

Its that unexpcted familarity that turns dining on its ass in New Orleans - taking food from sustanance to food as an experience - withther you at a breakfast joint (Bluebird) serving eggs and muffins - the waitress offering to add bitters your your seltzer to speed away the hang over (St. Charles Tavern) or at Upperline - which screams real New Orleans dining the moment you walk in the door -

La Petite Grocery

They stop seating at 9:30 - we walked in the door at 9:28 - it would have been a shame to have missed - La Petite Grocery -