May, 2011

Funny, News May 28, 2011

This Week In Wine – May 28th 2011

  English sparkling wine should be called Champagne, says Camilla English sparkling wine should be called Champagne, according to the Duchess of Cornwall. The quality of English fizz is so good the drink "is champagne" the Duchess declared, echoing what many in the English wine trade believe, but showing scant regard for complex and strict European food labeling laws. The Duchess’s comments came as she and the Prince of Wales toured the Denbies Wine Estate…

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Pairings May 27, 2011

The Mer Soleil Duo Paired with Coronation Chicken Salad with Mangoes and Almonds

Since today is/was #ChardonnayDay on Twitter, my day has been very much planned accordingly around the worlds most popular white grape. You’re forgiven if you aren’t yet clued in as to what #ChardonnayDay is actually all about; it’s new to me too! The event essentially revolves around Twitter, with wine drinkers throughout the Twitterverse (yes it’s a word) all gathering either online or at various organized meetups to drink and “tweet” tasting notes and opinions…

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Facts May 25, 2011

The Difference Between Chianti, Chianti Classico and Chianti Riserva

First-off, I don’t know where the above photo was taken, but once I find out I’m booking a plane ticket!!! So last night, I found myself hosting an informal wine class for a discerning group of tasters here in Jacksonville. The theme of the night was Tuscany, and so I decided to put a heavy emphasis on Chianti, as it goes without saying that it’s Italy’s most famous wine (possibly their most famous export). As…

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Funny May 24, 2011

The Silly Wine Tasting Notes Generator

Here’s something to help kill 5 minutes at work today! The Silly Tasting Notes Generator has been around on the Internet for a quite a while, and is perfect if you’ve ever fancied yourself as an aspiring wine connoisseur. Well maybe that’s a stretch for the use of this particular gadget, but it will certainly make for entertaining conversation at the dinner table! You can choose between Normal or Extra-Silly, and in a mere matter…

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Pairings May 20, 2011

Samuel’s Gorge Tempranillo from McLaren Vale, Australia.

Grape 100% Tempranillo Most often found in Spain, particularly in the Rioja wine region, the name Tempranillo is thought to be linked to the Spanish word “temprano” meaning “early”. The grape supposedly ripens weeks earlier than other varietals.   Facts So this would be my first Aussie Tempranillo, at least from what I can remember, but then again my memory is pretty horrible. Tempranillo has always been a grape that has fascinated me. It is…

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Facts, Funny May 20, 2011

What is Bottle Shock?

Nope, bottle shock isn’t when you jump out wearing a scary mask to surprise your favorite wine! Sorry to disappoint, although that would have been a fun topic! “Bottle shock” is actually very hard to describe scientifically, but it’s certainly very real. When a wine is reported to be suffering from bottle shock, it is said to be closed or muted on the palate. All the individual parts of the wine become disjointed, leaving you…

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News May 19, 2011

Gary Vaynerchuk and his Daily Grape

I can only guess that the majority of people who navigate toward my humble little website (thanks by the way!) have never heard of Gary Vaynerchuk. Well, for starters that’s him in the picture. Spitting. Let me give you a very quick background on Gary: – Born in Belarus in 1975. – Immigrated to the U.S. in 1978, where he already started showing entrepreneurial tendencies trading baseball cards as a kid . – Gary’s father…

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Pairings May 17, 2011

Chicken and Watercress Salad with Almonds and Feta Paired with M.Chapoutier Bila-Haut Blanc

I decided to switch things up a little with this pairing. I’ve been trying to do the “low carb thing” for the last few weeks, and also going forward into the next few months. I figured I needed to drop a lb or three! For this reason, the next few months worth of pairings will probably not feature any type of carb item. Just a friendly warning. I found the recipe for Chicken and Watercress…

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Facts May 17, 2011

Tinto or Tinta?

Tinto [Teen-toe] on the front of a wine bottle is a Spanish term just meaning red wine. However just to confuse you, Tinta [Teen-ta] means Tempranillo, the main red grape of Spain. Here are some examples, all of which just mean Tempranillo, but are used within various regions throughout Espana: Tinta del País, Tinta de Toro and Tinta Fino.

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Reviews May 11, 2011

After-Work Bottle of Damilano Lecinquevigne Barolo 2004

Grape 100% Nebbiolo, pronounced as it reads, neh-bee-oh-low. Nebbiolo is most certainly the king of red wines coming out of the Piedmont region of Italy. It isn’t debatable. It’s a fact. The name Nebbiolo is believed to stem from the Italian word nebbia, meaning fog. Supposedly fog usually sets into the region during grape harvest.   Facts Barolo’s typically aren’t your everyday after-work gluggers, but last night I was feeling fancy! Why wait for a…

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