August, 2011

News August 15, 2011

Last Week In Wine….Because I Didn’t Get Chance To Post Yesterday…

    Car that Runs on Wine and Cheese Showcased at Eco-Rally Wine, cheese, chocolate and human sewage are just a few of the eccentric alternative fuels showcased at the Eco-Rally. The specialized Lotus Exige (pictured) is capable of running on an ethanol fuel that is made from wine, or whey, which is also a byproduct of the cheese or chocolate-making process. It was one of several new cars showcased last week at an eco-rally…

Read More
Reviews August 11, 2011

Dante Robino Syrah, Mendoza, Argentina

    Grape 100% Syrah   Facts In France, Syrah dominates the Rhone region where it’s often blended with small amounts of Viognier (a white grape) in order to add “aromatic complexity”, and mellow the wines out a little.   Dante Robino was born in Canelli in the Piedmont region of North-West Italy in 1885. After learning the art of turning grapes into wine, he emigrated to Argentina, starting his own winery in 1920.  …

Read More
Pairings August 8, 2011

Postales Sauvignon / Semillon Paired with Sea Bass with Tomato and Black Olive Salsa

“Do you want us to filet it for you?”, said the helpful fish monger at my local fish shop. “Nah, that’s alright mate! I got it!”, I confidently replied, knowing full-well that I can’t remember the last time (if ever) that I filleted Sea Bass. Work seems to have been so crazy for me lately, that putting the time into making a good home- cooked meal meal has kind of been put on the backburner….

Read More
News August 7, 2011

This Week In Wine 8/7/11

    Fiji water’s owners buy Sonoma’s Landmark Vineyards Fiji Water’s owners announced this week the company’s second California winery acquisition in less than a year. Fiji Water and parent company Roll Global are buying Sonoma’s Landmark Vineyards, known for high-quality Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah (a winery featured on this website). The deal includes the winery, inventory and an 11-acre vineyard. The sale price was not disclosed. In December, Roll Global purchased its first…

Read More
Facts, News August 5, 2011

How to Spot a Good Wine List.

Everyone has their own idea of what they deem a “good wine list” to be, but here’s what I look for…   Diversity A decent wine list should have representation from the majority of the worlds major wine producing regions. Fair enough, a French restaurant isn’t expected to carry a huge Chilean selection, if any at all; but they should at least consider a few wines from outside of France. The main place where I…

Read More
Facts, News August 4, 2011

Torrontes: The Little Grape That Could!

The Story Torrontes  [Tohr-ron-tez] is quite easily the most widely planted white grape variety in Argentina with Chardonnay in a distant 2nd; and with the recent upsurge in sales over the past couple of years, it’s likely to stay that way for a while! Most folks in the wine community are already on-board with the idea that Torrontes has the potential to become as popular in Argentina, as Pinot Grigio is in Italy. It’s not…

Read More
Reviews August 2, 2011

Dante Robino Torrontes, Mendoza, Argentina.

  Grape 100% Torrontes [Tohr-ron-tez]   Facts Torrontes is to Argentina, what Pinot Grigio is to Italy. Not quite as famous yet, but certainly has already become the signature white grape of the country. Torrontes is the most planted white grape in Argentina, leaving Chardonnay trailing waaaay behind.   The current vintage of Dante Robino Torrontes is 2010, meaning that this wine (and Torrontes in general) is meant to be drank in its youth, and…

Read More