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A Visionary Robot I don?t know how to call this creation. Maybe a robot, or a ? man ? or maybe it is the self portrait of Jeremy Mayer, as one of these picture?s title suggests. Let?s call it the Typewriter Robot. (more?)
The Choirboys Choirboys cromelody | 2007-11-24 (+8) Download 320/bitrate http://www.filebox.ro/download... Download 128/bitrate http://www.filebox.ro/download... ?????? About The Choirboys ?????? The boys spent part of their summer holidays recording their first CD at All Saints Church in Tooting with the Englis
Robot fabricado con piezas de máquina de escribir Siempre he sentido cierta nostalgia por las viejas máquinas de escribir. Por alguna razón me parecen fantásticas y no es precisamente porque en ellas podría trabajar. No, no he perdido la cabeza y me volvería loca escribiendo en una hoja nueva cada vez que me equivoco. Definitivamente, no hay como el ordenador a la hora de llevar adelante las tareas y no imagino como los periodistas del mundo han trabajado con ellas durante tanto tiempo. He pasado años en redacciones de revistas y conozco de
99-100 Parker: "Domaine de Pegau?s magical 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee da Capo is a magnificent offering. Tipping the scales at 16.1% alcohol, it boasts a blockbuster nose of dry vintage port intermixed with pepper, herbes de Provence, and roasted meats. Frightfully concentrated with layers of glycerin and fruit, it should prove to be one of the appellation?s greatest classics. More backward than either the 1998 or 2000 Capos, it is an enormously endowed, hugely concentrated, exhilarating effort that will last for three decades or more. It is a strong candidate for the ?wine of the vintage.? Anticipated maturity: 2010-2035+. When I asked Laurence how she would describe this beauty, she said, ?It consists of 80% of a great vintage of Chateauneuf du Pape, 20% a vintage port, and the rest some Syrah and other things we throw in for complexity.?
There are lots of things going on in my life these days. Very busy times. But for now, its a good busy…
My second daughter is due any week now (officially March 4th, but the last Dr visit said the baby was already 6 lbs and Kelly is petite so she won’t be in there too much longer…).
In my life I find I draw inspiration from many places. Usually my family and friends. A few weeks ago the wine community inspired me. I’m hatching an idea. I’ve spoken to a few of you about it and I’ll more than likely speak to a few more. But for now, I’ll use the pages of WLT to chronicle what I’m doing with my idea and its evolution.
Its amazing the what the meshing of a passion with a profession can accomplish. Its a powerful thing when that gets match with inspiration.
Frankly, we were disappointed with our first visit to the Restaurant at Auberge du Soleil. There are many good choices for an expensive dinner in Wine County; this one doesn't make our list.
Ringing in at 13.5% alcohol by volume, this cheap wine was an equal match to the FishEye Merlot. From Ripon, California, this wine lets the fruit speak for itself. Along with the dark plum taste, I also experienced a little pepper in the nose.
At only 8 dollars a bottle, I found this to be a great wine. I had mine with Spicy Montreal seasoning. Try it! Rating: 7/10 Price: 7.99 Place of purchase: L&L Grocery Vineyard Info: FishEye Winery Ripon, CA www.fisheyewines.com
Well I popped up to the Hunter the other week and of course no visit is complete without a quick hop in to the Boutique Wine Centre. As usual big Garth Eather got me in an ear-lock but before I escaped he slipped a bottle of this into my box. I don’t generally keep many tasters at home but this one was handy..and as the old saying goes..’If you can’t be handsome, be handy’…although of course everyone knows that I am very handsome so this does not apply to me.
Aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry, BBQ sauce, mint, toasted coconut, lemon, cedar and tobacco. A curious smelling wine but most certainly an attractive and engaging one. On the palate medium to full bodied with blackcurrant, blackberry, spicy BBQ sauce and more earthy tobacco flavours. Tannins are fine, dry and lightly grainy and there is a slight citric acidity that adds freshness. Finishes with spicy tangy blackcurrant flavours. Packed full of flavour and interest. This is a highly slurpable and very tasty wine.
In terms of export trends, it seem as though higher-end Argentine Malbec/Cab types of blends imported to the North American and UK markets have garnered better consumer reception than single varieties.Don?t get me wrong, I have enjoyed many of these and will continue to do so, though recently I must confess that I?ve been feeling a bit bored.This is precisely when I need to turn to a winemaker who can think outside the box and take me somewhere different than the usual Cab/Malbec blends.Who could I turn to?
Susana helped me think outside the box?Susana Balbo, that is.One of Argentina?s premier winemakers, her Syrah-Bonarda blend is one of various compelling examples of her brilliance.It?s an intelligent value steal and as a bonus, it is meant to be consumed more or less young.Argentine Syrah as a whole doesn?t get all of the credit that it deserves?combined with the second most planted red, Bonarda, you get this beauty, with meaty tannins and lots of dark fruit/red fruit complexity.My favorite aspect of this one revolved around the irresistible, concentrated plum, cherry and black raspberry flavors, with the Bonarda contributing the nice red berry acidity.The oak and warm spices are a great, subtle backbone that won?t overwhelm with one of those cheap death-by-vanilla finishes.As with a great deal of grapes harvested from the Andean foothills (elev. about 2300ft), both components of this 50/50 blend were hand-harvested from vines in Mendoza?s Rivadavia department that are on average, 40 years old.
What a wonderful blend to try with grilled meats now that the weather is improving.Yet another excellent example that shows what finesse Mendoza blends can have without Malbec involvement.
Susana Balbo?s Crios wines are made available by Vine Connections, the premier boutique Argentine wine importer out of San Francisco.If you?re having trouble finding it in your area, try Wine-Searcher or the importers themselves.
SEE THE VIDEO ON NEWSCHANNEL 4 WEBSITE!!! URL: http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/16178464/detail.html
Local Wineries Have Lots To Offer POSTED: 4:57 pm EDT May 6, 2008 UPDATED: 6:37 pm EDT May 6, 2008
While Pittsburgh residents have enjoyed warm weather and sunshine, a blast of cold air in California might have put your summer wine selection on ice.
More than 20 nights of frost damaged some of the Napa Valley's world-famous merlot grapes. But finding a good glass won't be a problem in Westmoreland County.
WTAE Channel 4 Action News reporter Jennifer Miele went to some local wineries to find out what their picks are for a merlot replacement.
There is a delicious selection at Stone Villa in Acme, Westmoreland County. Merlot lovers flock to one called Vistonia, which has a blend of red grapes developed by owner Randall Paul.
"We have some of the cabernet grape in there," said Paul. "We also have a little shiraz grape and it's a semi-dry wine, and merlot drinkers seem to like it."
Randall and his wife, Debbie, said Pennsylvania wines should be on your table. Their grapes are just starting to bud, but in California, the nation's best merlot grape growing state, the effect of two-dozen chilly nights could bring the harvest there down substantially.
"We grow about 15 percent of the grapes we use to make wine," said Paul. "The rest of the grapes we use are grown in Pennsylvania throughout the state."
The same thing goes for the Greenhouse Winery in Rillton, Westmoreland County, the Heritage Wine Cellars at the Grove City outlets in Mercer County, the Paterini Winery in Ellsworth, Washington County and La Casa Narcisi in Gibsonia, Allegheny County.
Martinborough, New Zealand. 13.5%. Screwcap. Approx $A65.
The back label of the bottle states: The superb 2006 vintage has delivered a dream wine. Meanwhile, Bob Campbell MW writes*: This is probably the best Ata Rangi pinot that I have tasted. He finishes his note with the words Kiwi Musigny.
This really is a beautiful wine. Prettier and more refined than the previous vintage, though the descriptors and traits may be similar. Flowing, shapely and full of life, it is seamless, complex and utterly compelling. Succulent and pert, this is classically formed and enduring.
Excellent. 95. Now - 2016.
* Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine April/May 2008.
The James Beard Foundation Awards are the nation?s preeminent honors for culinary professionals. More than 60 awards are given out each year in the categories of cookbooks, restaurants and chefs, design and graphics, broadcast media, journalism, and achievement. Nominees and award winners are selected by their industry peers, with more than 600 culinary professionals involved in the voting process.
Thank you to all of our fans who have given us such great support over the years.
Feb 26th-Mar 19th 2005, Los Angeles CULINARY BASICS II No Prerequisite! Sat 2/26/05-3/19/05 3:00pm-6:00pm This series meets weekly, 3 hours per day, for 4 weeks.
You don't have to live in the deluxe downtown Fort Lauderdale condominium The Waverly to enjoy the 'opulent lifestyle enjoyed by a privileged few' being advertised.
This is from Stonewell in the sub-region of Marananga. The winemaker is Barossa superstar Troy Kalleske and the executive producers are brothers Pierre and Bert Werden. The name JaJa is an acronym derived from the names of their four children - Jake, Andrew, Jordan and Alana. Bert has had another kiddy called Tara since so maybe they should call future releases JaJaTa…which sounds a bit like a cracker and could be wholly appropriate based on the quality of this first release.
Aromas of blackberry, plum, raspberry, aniseed and meaty malty coffee oak with just a suggestion of fresh mint. On the palate full bodied and packed with an array of lush blackberry, dark cherry and raspberry fruit backed with savoury meaty toasty oak. Beautiful ripe textural tannins here. The mouthfeel is outstanding. Finishes long with blackberry/raspberry and toasty espresso flavours. This is a classic Barossa shiraz offering deep yet vibrant fruit and altogether too much value for money.
In January, for those of you who weren’t following our play by play of the II International Conference on Climate and Wine, Catavino spent three days cornering wine celebrities, in order to get a better sense as to how wine is being affected both now and in the future by the fluctuating climate conditions. Stubborn and wonderfully determined people such as Richard Smart, Bruno Prats, Miguel Torres, Pancho Campo, Carlos de Jesus of Amorim, Dr. Gregory Jones, and of course, Al Gore, all vented their fears and frustrations with the current lackadaisical attitude held throughout the wine world regarding the impact of climate on wine. Each passionate in their own right, but there was one in particular that I had been pining to interview for months.
Having been previously introduced to Oz Clarke through his books and articles, it wasn’t until I saw his charismatic nature in Oz and James’s Big Wine Adventure that I was hooked. This BBC television program, first aired in 2006, and was undoubtedly one of my favorite wine programs, if only to see Oz flirt with yet another woman. His coy and passionate nature was fun and made learning about Bordeaux and Languedoc-Roussillon entertaining, rather than intimidating. Therefore, to have the opportunity to not only see him in person, but to interview him, albeit a little daunting, was great fun. Add a camera and question that impassions him, and Oz will keep going for hours, interweaving personal stories and jokes with highly specific wine facts that will eventually leave your head spinning.
That said, we would like to thank Richard Gillespie for filming and producing our interview, and hope you enjoy the clip! Next up a special interview, but will share that one with you later!
If you're a wine-loving meat-eater, you'll want to pay a visit to the new Fogo de Chão Brazilian steakhouse that just opened in downtown Indianapolis. (Welcome, race fans!)
Located in the newly-renovated Broadbent Building at 117 East Washington Street (aka The Building Formerly Known as The Zipper), the restaurant is contemporary and elegant, with a large central dining area, a bar and a private dining room. This Fogo de Chão (which translates to "fire of earth") is the eleventh link in a chain of restaurants started by two brothers in Porto Alegre, Brazil in 1979. They opened their first U.S. location in Dallas in 1997; by the end of this year there will be 13 Fogos in this country and five in Brazil.
In the approximate center of the dining area is a massive salad bar brimming with all kinds of greenery, fresh vegetables, cheeses and a few meats. An entire wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano, carved out and filled with chunks of itself, anchors one end.
After the buffet comes the main event: Meat, and lots of it! Each diner is provided with a small round disk that is green on one side and red on the other. Turning the green side up provokes a flurry of service, as waiters armed with skewers of various flame-grilled meats descend, asking "rare, medium rare or medium?" Some customer participation is occasionally required, as some tongs are provided so the diner can grab meats that are sliced off the skewers. It doesn't take long to figure out that the best plan is to flip the disk to red after two or three items accumulate on your plate ? which is to say about a minute or two.
There are 15 different meats to sample, including various cuts of beef, lamb and pork, as well as chicken legs and bacon-wrapped breasts and some fabulous little pork sausages called linguica. If you identify one thing in particular you want to focus on, all you need to do is make your wishes known and an entrée-sized portion will appear on your plate. Bread and side dishes of garlic mashed potatoes, a yummy polenta and grilled bananas are served family-style.
Wine lovers should be delighted with the selection and service as well as the dining room decor, which consists mainly of the restaurant's wine collection, much of which is on display. Chances are you'll be able to find something suitable for your taste and budget on the extensive and well-organized list, from a glass of White Zin ($7.25) to a bottle of Château Haut-Brion Pessac Leognan ?00 ($925). As you would expect at a steak house, there are twice as many reds on the list as whites, including no less than a dozen from Bordeaux. There are also 11 splits available (reds and whites) and several by-the-glass selections. We drank glasses of Cono Sur Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile (also available at $28 per bottle), which turned out to be an excellent match for the flame-grilled meats. Wine pricing is fair at about twice retail for most wines, and as you move up the list in price the markup moves down. Their wine glasses are of high quality and generously sized ? a good thing, since a by-the-glass pour is a quarter of a bottle. This restaurant has earned six consecutive Awards of Excellence from the Wine Spectator for a good reason!
Beer enthusiasts don't fare as well, since just the usual suspects are available and no microbrews. However, at least one Brazilian beer (Xingu, I think) is on the list. The well-stocked bar includes several after-dinner drinks and a few single-malt Scotches. They also of course stock Cachaça, and although I didn't sample a caipirinha there, Feed Me / Drink Me reports that they make good ones.
For the quality and service (and potential quantity) that Fogo de Chão delivers, its prices are reasonable: $38.50 for dinner, $24.50 for lunch, plus drinks and dessert. The salad bar is available by itself for $19.99, so even the wayward vegetarian who happens to wander in should be able to leave happy and sated. And for the meat-loving omnivore, Fogo de Chão is simply a must-go.
Fogo de Chão 117 E. Washington Street Indianapolis, IN 46204 317-638-4000
Usually when people give a bottle of wine as a gift, it’s in one of those pricier velvet-style gift bags that get lost before it can get reused, or those metallic ones. The folks at Random House are offering a new, unique alternative and, best of all, if won’t break the bank.
These Wine Lovers Gift Tags run $13 for a pack of 50, and come in various shapes and sizes and even include the ribbon for tying it to the wine bottle. They might just add a little bit of humorous conversation to the next party to boot.
El Celler de Can Roca is one of my most memorable dining experiences, up there with Troisgros. At 279? for 2 people with 19 courses and 9 wines by the glass, one could also call it a bargain (the top menu is 100? per person). To read more about this experience, please visit Vinix, the wine social network site run by my friend Filippo Ronco. My complete article is there with some pictures taken on the cell phone.
The title of this post, rather, should have read ?outstanding Tempranillo in the Americas.?Turns out Familia Zuccardi of Argentina have been cultivating this emblematic Spanish variety in Mendoza for quite a while. Even then, we shouldn?t overlook the grape?s trajectory farther back?being one of the Spanish crown?s original Río de la Plata colonies, scores of 17th and 18th century settlers in the Andean Cuyo region wanted to replicate their wines from back home.In other words, unlike some of the other oddball varieties being cultivated under Familia Zuccardi?s ?new varieties program,? Tempranillo cultivation in the general Mendoza area has a profound socio-historical basis tied to criollo settlement.The question shouldn?t elude us, however?have Argentine Tempranillo wines been anything to write home about?
It wasn?t until the early nineties that Familia Zuccardi managed to become the first Argentine producer to export wines made from this variety.Although demand for fruit-forward Malbec cuvées and Cabernet have always outpaced that of Tempranillo wines?, Zuccardi did something quite praiseworthy?not allow foreign demand to solely dictate their wine styles and choice of projects.Case in point, I?ve happily recommended reviews of their Torrontés and other red wines, however, their Tempranillo went on to hold its own against similarly priced Rioja wines at UK-based blind tastings.
It is no surprise though, that I have always looked toward Zuccardi for innovation in Argentina?the kind that doesn?t involve foreign tasting panels, glossy-rag journalists and marketing gurus.Zuccardi has proven itself unorthodox and highly idiosyncratic concerning many aspects of its operations.Their ?new varieties program? consists of expanding their already exciting selection of rare varieties through vine nurseries; some of the exciting prospects include finding sophisticated Andean expressions of Barbera, Marsanne, Aglianico, Tannat and Mourvèdre, among other favorites of mine.In addition to this, they are obsessed with the importance of utilizing yeasts indigenous to their vineyards, rather than the standard strains.Other exciting offerings I would love to get my hands on would be their Malbec-based fortified wine and Torrontés-based dessert wine.
Don?t get me wrong. While I consider myself a bit more obsessed about rarer varieties than most, I have reverence and much appreciation for the way in which Tempranillo shows its pedigree in good examples of Valdepeñas, Rioja, Ribera del Duero and several other styles.Given this, it takes quite a bit for me to take the plunge and gush about a New World interpretation that does the variety any justice.Why do I appreciate Zuccardi?Because they haven?t simply produced an above-par Argentine Tempranillo, but because they have produced Tempranillo wines in Mendoza with an unmistakable personality of their own.While I recognized the variety?s general characteristics when tasting Zuccardi?s, I simply could not accuse Zuccardi of copying the style of any particular Spanish region?s Tempranillo expression, although I honestly tried.
Even if the variety came along with Spanish settlers centuries ago, it wasn?t until recently that Tempranillo in Mendoza achieved its very own stylistic idiosyncrasy.I especially recommend trying the Zuccardi Q Tempranillo to those who enjoy the prestige Spanish regions? Tempranillo-based wines, particularly if making comparisons to similarly priced $15-$20 range Rioja.
Visual/Aromatic Profile:Deep ruby and garnet in the glass.I would decant this one to let the gorgeous nose unfold for a nice couple of hours at least.It features very pronounced dark cherry, blackberry, currant and sweet orange peel.The oak is not an overbearing presence, with aromas of toast, vanilla, chocolate and soft leather.
Texture and Finish:Knockout balance and complexity. The wine was matured in medium toasted American oak barrels (new), and never clarified in any way. The style is dry, with medium acidity and high tannin structure holding up the full body.Flavors are nicely concentrated, with dark cherry, blackberry, toast, chocolate and smoky leather.Some of these more robust elements power on through to the lengthy finish, with dark chocolate, toast and soft leather.
While in Louisville recently, I had the pleasure of dining at Le Relais (French for "relay races") located in the original building of Bowman Field, built in 1919 and Kentucky's oldest civilian airport. Now it's mostly used for private aircraft, but a third of the building is devoted to a classic French restaurant. Not dressed appropriately? You can always sit outside on the deck, located right on the tarmac. Oh, please don't throw me in that briar patch. Don't make me sit right next to a lovingly restored biplane and a Lockheed Lodestar*.
Alas, I was properly attired and sat inside, where I got to gaze at vintage 1930s Air France posters while dining. I had the carpaccio of beef followed by the pheasant breast stuffed with a wild game mousseline and accompanied by roasted fingerling potatoes and carrots. This place has a huge wine list including a great selection of half-bottles that's distinct from the main list. I finally settled on a half-bottle of the 2005 Domaine Bosquet des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Still bright, a little tart with the cherry flavor, but increasingly mellow and delicate as it breathed. I later got hints of eucalyptus, a touch of tobacco, and a little stewed fruit underneath. The name of the AOC translates to the "new house of the Pope", a reference to the Avignon Papacy and the producer is something like the "thicket of the Popes".
Dining at Le Relais is a true joy: amazing food, intriguing location, and classy atmosphere. The light jazz on the music system helps contribute to an overall but not overwrought connection with Rick's Café Américain in Casablanca. Most importantly, if you visit I promise it will be the best experience you've had at an airport in nearly a decade. Due to my father I grew up around aviation both private and commercial. At times it's easy to forget that many of the smaller airfields in this country don't require heavy security and surrender of your dangerous 4 oz. liquids. For the first time in years I sat just yards away from aircraft and a runway, having a wonderful meal and watching the planes take off. And everyone around me was happy, relaxed, and smiling...
*Thanks to Dad for the ID on the Lodestar, a plane I clumsily identified as "a small DC-3 with the tail of a B-24".
by Martin Field So I?m sculling a tasty New Zealand pinot noir at Laguna Jacks and this guy comes up to me and asks me in an American accent how I like his wine. I learn that his name is Quintin Quider and that the pinot is from a Central Otago winery, Wild Earth that he owns with wife, Avril. He adds that he hails originally from California, came to Australia after a stint in New Zealand, and now lives in Noosa.
Ripe, fresh fruit flavors of black cherry and boysenberry mingle with toast and sweet vanilla notes from oak in this modern red. Has well-integrated tannins and lively acidity, with a lip-smacking finish. Monastrell (Mourvèdre) and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2014. 1,125 cases made.
A magnificent Malbec! It picked up a trophy at the inaugural Wines of Argentina Awards held in Mendoza in 2007, having wowed the international panel of judges - included among them wine expert Jancis Robinson, who gave it an impressive 17 out of 20. This mulberry and spice-flavoured red wine was made by Herve Fabre, who was originally involved in the Bordeaux wine trade, before he and his wife fell in love with Argentina and moved there to establish a boutique winery. Herve's experience in producing top quality wines shines through in this tremendously rich, silky-smooth wine. Ripe blackberry and bramble aromas merge seamlessly with spicy oak and vanilla flavours. Full bodied, yet seriously smooth and warming. This 89 Parker point wine is sure to survive for many years to come. Definitely a wine to enjoy with fine food ... try it with rare roast beef or a juicy steak.
"Wonderfully succulent, rich berry fruit with hints of spice box." (Parker). A must-have wine from this superb estate, once provider of the second wine of Cos d'Estournel. "Blackberries ... herbs ... hints of spices." (Wine Spectator)