Kris Chislett

Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken Paired with Palmaz 2007 Napa Valley Riesling

This recipe is my attempt at killing four birds with one stone; and by “birds” I mean my crockpot, chicken, my bottle of Palmaz 2007 Napa Valley Riesling, and my wife. What do the three have in common, and why do you want to kill your wife with a stone? Well… My slow cooker has been looking kind of sad lately. All lonely, stuffed away in a dark-corner of my pantry, covered in dust, giving…

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The Bitch is Back….and This Time She’s Spanish!

Aussie cult winemaker Chris Ringland has escaped from Australia and he has created a Spanish version of Bitch Grenache. The Bitch has been on a hiatus of sorts for the past few vintages. She (I presume it’s a she) was one of the Australian labels underneath the Grateful Palate umbrella that went into bankruptcy last year. Well, fans of the Bitch will be pleased to know that she’s back…and she’s switched her Australian accent for…

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Oogy Wawa!!! How to Say “Cheers!” in 51 Different Languages.

The very first record of “Cheers!” can be found in the 18th century as a shout of encouragement or support. Nowadays it has many different meanings, depending on which context it’s used in. As a toast, cheers became from “Good Cheer” in the early 20th century. Us English? Well, we just say Cheers as a form of thanks. Believe it or not, cheers is one of the most used expressions around the world, so who…

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This Week In Wine-10/9/11

    Hand-Picked Grapes ‘Compulsory’ for Burgundy Wine The makers of the most expensive Burgundy wines have changed the rule book to make grape-picking by hand compulsory in bid to defend the region’s age-old traditions. The domains, who say machines damage taste and are bad for vines, want other top Burgundy wine makers to follow suit, in view of a total ban in the region by 2014. For the past fortnight, thousands of seasonal workers…

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Chateau Ksara Blanc de Blanc-A Wine from Lebanon

Grape 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 25% Chardonnay, 25% Semillon   Facts That’s right, I said it! Lebanon!!! When you think of the top wine producing regions in the world, Lebanon most likely isn’t a part of that list. However; the fact that the country can even produce wine in such a place so torn apart by war, is nothing short of an absolute miracle!   Believe it or not, Lebanon is actually one of the oldest…

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Wine in Plastic vs. Glass – Another New Wine Debate!

Ahhhh, yes! Just what we need! Another long and tedious argument relating to wine packaging! I came to terms a long time ago with the fact that if I had to read another article on “cork vs. screwcaps”, I would probably just stab myself in the eye with a corkscrew.  I’ve therefore been ever-so-feverishly searching for the next big argument! Since the next debate that I predict will be wine in glass vs. plastic bottles,…

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The Wine Lovers Giveaway!

It’s been a little while since I did a giveaway, so I thought I’d GO BIG! Here’s what I have to giveaway: Soiree Wine Aerator – the ONLY way I aerate my wine! The Wine Lovers Journal – a very cool hard-bound notebook for your labels and tasting notes. Private Preserve – wine preserver to keep your wine fresh for longer. Wine Away – red wine stain remover. California Wine Map – large fold-out wine…

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Flying with Wine-The Definitive Guide

I often get asked about the rules and regs regarding flying (or just travelling in general) with wine, so I thought it was worthy of a post! Let’s start with the current TSA rules regarding travelling with alcohol: Carrying Alcohol In Your Checked Baggage Please note, you can’t take alcoholic beverages with more than 70% alcohol content (140 proof), including 95% grain alcohol and 150 proof rum, in your checked luggage. You may take up…

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This Week in Wine – 10/2/11

    Trump to Mark Opening of Trump Vineyard Billionaire real estate mogul Donald Trump will fete the opening of Trump Vineyard Estates in Albemarle County on Tuesday with a reception including his son Eric Trump, Gov. Bob McDonnell, first lady Maureen McDonnell and Patricia Kluge. Trump’s organization purchased Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard in April for more than $6 million and next week will celebrate the revamped operation with an invitation-only affair. The reality…

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I Have a Confession to Make…

There’s something that’s been weighing on my mind for quite some time now. Truth be told, the only reason I’m posting it here is that I was caught “in the act” by my wife; and now I’ve been shamed into telling the whole world, (or at least whomever stumbles across this website). Ok, here goes…. Whenever I’m drinking anything that I deem to be a decent bottle of wine (I deem “decent” to be most…

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