Kris Chislett

News February 7, 2012

Michel Rolland Turns Wine To Water in Africa

The man with the golden-palate: world-famous winemaking consultant Michel Rolland, who built his reputation on working his magic in the cellar, is now doing miracles of a different sort, by turning his South African wine into water for Ethiopians in desperate need. Recognizing this urgent need and the critical role that water plays in the production of fine wine, Michel Rolland has partnered with CNN Hero Doc Hendley, founder of Wine To Water, and Montesquieu…

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Reviews February 6, 2012

Bollinger La Grande Annee 1999, Champagne, France.

  Grape 63% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay   Facts I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: you (we) don’t drink Champagne often enough! With that being stated from the get-go, I should probably point-out that what we’re dealing with right here isn’t exactly a once-a-week kind of bottle! I’ve been saving this bottle of Bollinger La Grande Annee for a special occasion, and that occasion was last Friday. So what was the occasion?…

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Reviews February 2, 2012

Luigi Righetti “Capitel de Roari” Amarone, Valpolicella, Italy, 2008

Grape Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara (%’s unknown)   Facts I’m turbo-passionate about Amarone, and if I could afford to drink it every day, I promise you I would! Amarone is stylistically very different than anything else Italy puts out, and is the king of wines from North-Eastern Italy. If you’re basing your opinion of Italian wine solely on Chianti, make sure you keep reading…  The Luigi Righetti winery is family owned and operated, and has been…

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Pairings February 1, 2012

Chicken Breasts with Spinach, Leek and Saffron Sauce Paired with Freemark Abbey Napa Chardonnay 2010.

“Chardonnay paired with Chicken? Teach you that one at Sommelier school, did they?” Ok, so I won’t say that this is the most adventurous pairing the world has ever seen, but it’s one of only two (I believe) white meat and Chardonnay pairings that I’ve ever posted. As crazy as it sounds, we very rarely eat chicken in my house…chicken wings (of course) being the one BIG exception. It’s not that I don’t like chicken,…

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Facts February 1, 2012

The Rule of Thumb

Before thermometers were invented, winemakers and brewers would dip a thumb or finger into the liquid to determine the ideal temperature, either too hot or too cold, for adding yeast. That is supposedly where we get the phrase "rule of thumb."

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News January 31, 2012

Romance is Dead: The Demise of the Quarterly Review of Wines Magazine.

The Quarterly Review of Wines is calling it quits for its 145,000-circulation magazine after more than thirty years. “No one really wanted to go, but we all knew it was time,” said publisher/owner Richard Elia.  The QRW has been checking out vintages and profiling winery owners since 1977. Elia decided it was time for last call because of an aging staff, declining ads and readership and an industry that’s not much fun to cover any…

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News January 31, 2012

Chapoutier Calls Natural Winemakers “Hippies from Another World”.

Renowned Rhone producer Michel Chapoutier has added his own comments to the natural wine debate by denouncing natural winemakers as out-of-touch hippies making defective wines. Interviewed in the current issue of Decanter, Chapoutier tells John Livingstone-Learmonth the practice of natural winemaking – that is, using no sulphur dioxide to stabilize the wines – is a con. ‘It is a connerie. It is rubbish. It’s like making vinegar, bad vinegar. How can anyone allow toxic yeasts…

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Events January 31, 2012

The New York Wine Expo: March 2nd–4th.

Add a little sunlight to your weekend and treat yourself to a first class trip around the world of wine at the 5th Annual New York Wine Expo, March 2nd – 4th.  The Grand Tasting offers attendees a chance to sample wines from nearly 175 wineries from around the globe. The Expo is also a great opportunity to talk directly with winemakers and pick up tips on serving, pricing and selecting the right vintage. For…

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Reviews January 30, 2012

A to Z Pinot Noir, Oregon.

Grape 100% Pinot Noir   Facts I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest the problem that people have with Oregon Pinot Noir, is that for the most part it tends to be quite “pricey”. With that out of the way, I’m not exactly setting myself up for success by starting this review with a slur against Oregon, so maybe I should explain myself a little deeper before I start getting angry hate-mail:…

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