Red Is Life

Must Read

090307 - The Jefferson Bottles - How could one collector find so much rare fine wine? - Patrick Radden Keefe - The New Yorker  - on the surface - the story of ultra rich wine collectors - buying ultra rare - massively expensive - fine wine - when in fact the contents of the bottles may not be what's on the label - or - in the case of the Jefferson bottle - etched into the glass -

Moving down to the level of mere mortals - its the story of expert tasters - including Robert Parker - with the $1 Million nose - having their esteemed judgments - questioned - if not actually being scientifically being proven wrong -

For anyone who collects wine - professes a certain expertise - participates in blind or double blind tastings -  or - just enjoys a good detective story - this is a must read -

Who Better To Know

Wonderful article on Winery_Times - The Experiences of an Old Wine Tour Limo Driver - entitled - Tony Coturri:Integrity, Honesty, Responsibility and Experience - nice stuff about a vintner who is true to his values - with a product that shows just that -

Enjoy -

Pinot Before Supper

Taking my own advise - bought a 13th bottle from Wades Wines to - drink on the veranda - my host's outdoor living room -

Miura - Pinot Noir-  Pisoni Vineyard - Santa Lucia Highlands - 2004 - 14.5 % -

94 points Robert Parker: "A thrilling ...fabulously complex perfume of flowers, forest floor, sweet red and black fruits, and a hint of wood...terrific fruit on the attack, mid-palate, and finish, full body, and nicely integrated acidity, tannin, and alcohol...(08/06)

Not the overwhelming fruit forward WOW that I was expecting (don't believe the header card) - on the first pour - crisp instead of lush - too much acid - after a half glass (always pour half glasses) - tried again - letting it sit for about 20 minutes - much better - but NOT the Pisoni experience that I had paid 80 bucks for - 

Yes - finished the bottle before supper - fellow house guests taking a few sips -

Yes - dinner was more wonderful - the Miura Pinot - had been a great prep - but the wine was 89 or 90 on my charts - not the 94 that Parker and the merchant raved about - more like a $50  -

Air Pizza

Jet Blue Terminal – NYC – passengers loading for Orlando – i.e. – Disneyworld –

Woman waiting on line – reacting to Jet Blue’s policy of not providing food beyond snacks and soda with the flight – holding pizza to eat on-board – not the usual single piece package – instead – full size 18” pizza – in full size pizza box –

Two quick thoughts –

Did she share it with her fellow passengers –

Did she leave off the anchovies –

International Outdoor Tasting

International for the diverse selection of wines brought to the tasting - Spain - France - CA - Hungary - Germany - Zimbabwe - yes - Zimbabwe

Outdoor in my back yard - the second time we have moved the bi weekly tasting away from the dining room table - perfect weather - a definite shift in consciousness - try it -

OMG

The square outdoor table beneath the white umbrella upon which I has just hosted a tasting of 10 bottles with seven participants was a forest of glasses and bottles rising from its surface - did we really drink that much - did we really use that much glassware - lets do the math -

7 Bordeaux glasses
7 Chardonnay glasses
7 Water glasses
5 empty Pelligrino bottles
10 empty wine bottles
5 empty decanter/carafes

40 plus vertical objects rising from the surface - backlit by the garden lights and scattered candles - a sight to behold - a fitting tribute to the evening's just concluded event -

 

Bricco del Sole's Inexpensive Sparkle

Can't be - Moscato d’Asti - “Bricco del Sole”- Morando - 2005 - .375ml -$25 ??? - in a restaurant ???

Yes - $25 !!! - in a restaurant !!!

On the wine list at Barbuto - perfect cap for a wonderful meal - light - sweet - flavorful - understated sparkle - served in a  tall - heavy - over-sized - shot glass - brings to mind - "effervescence" - via Piedmont - Italy - universal smiles at the table - and - for the price of a song - it sings - 

White House Threatens to Veto Water Bill

Unsuccessfully tried to rewrite this headline from The Times Picayune - 080107 - Washington - White House Threatens To Veto Water Bill - Bill Walsh -

In a major blow to Louisiana, President Bush threatened Wednesday to veto long-awaited legislation with billions of dollars to shore up hurricane protection along the Gulf Coast....the bill would authorize a 72-mile system of hurricane protection of levees and floodwalls to shield .....Parishes from storms sweeping in from the Gulf of Mexico......streamline project approvals within the Army Corps of Engineers...... provide enhanced hurricane protection levees for New Orleans and green-lighted coastal restoration projects.

After reading the article - the editors "unfortunately" got it right -