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Getting the manga scene with Manga Genba Another 3 day weekend meant time to reconnect with some discs lying around. My good friend Yue occasionally shares with me some video files she gets from friends online or from Nico Nico. This time, her disc contained something called Manga No Genba1, an NHK BS2 show that reviews manga and introduces viewers to the people and the inspiration behind some manga. The show?s hosted by a Amano Hiroyuki and just recently, Ooshima Mai of AKB48. The show?s got a laidback feel of featuring interesting
Getting the manga scene with Manga no Genba Another 3 day weekend meant time to reconnect with some discs lying around. My good friend Yue occasionally shares with me some video files she gets from friends online or from Nico Nico. This time, her disc contained something called Manga No Genba1, an NHK BS2 show that reviews manga and introduces viewers to the people and the inspiration behind some manga. The show?s hosted by a Amano Hiroyuki and just recently, Ooshima Mai of AKB48. The show?s got a laidback feel of featuring interesting
Kami no Shizuku: Bae Yong Joon?s possible new project My korean teacher was telling me about this over the weekend, but I couldn?t quite catch the name of the manga: in chinese it?s ????, in japanese it?s ??? , in Romaji Kami no Shizuku, but i still don?t know what it is in Korean! So I was very glad to read about it in today?s papers: The theme is : Wine! It will apparently do for the sophisticated world of wine, what Nodame Cantabile did for the sophisticated world of Classical Music! Yes after watching that drama (which I couldn?t get th
The wines of France’s Bordeaux region have long been a benchmark for quality due to a combination of tradition, terroir and mystique. William Echikson’s “Noble Rot: A Bordeaux Wine Revolution” attempts to lift the veil and show the inside of the Bordeaux wine trade which makes for some fascinating reading.
Mr. Echikson is the Brussels bureau chief for Dow Jones Newswires and a wine columnist for the Wall Street Journal Europe but his narrative here stays closer to the business side of things in his account of the 2001 growing season. Along the way, we are introduced to the movers and shakers of the Bordeaux wine scene, including critic Robert Parker, consulting winemaker Michel Rolland and garagiste Michel Gracia, but the central story is of the Lur-Saluces family of Chateau d’Yquem.
The wines of Chateau d’Yquem are well known to wine lovers as the standard-bearer of Sauternes, the late harvest desert wine made in Bordeaux. The fungus on the grapes, known as “noble rot”, concentrates the juice making the resulting wine lusciously concentrated and sweet but still has plenty of acidity to make you come back for more. My own experience with d’Yquem is nothing short of phenomenal; this is one of those wines you want to just keep your nose in the glass for hours at a time.
As it turns out the Lur-Saluces family is as complex as their wines and much of Noble Rot is devoted to telling their somewhat tragic story. While interesting, I found this part of the book a bit gossipy and liked the vignettes of other characters in Bordeaux better. But at just under 300 pages, Noble Rot makes for a quick weekend read and one I hope more wine lovers will check out.
Richard, The Passionate Foodie, commented on how winemakers need to adapt to change or face the consequences in his review. Good insight into the tradition-laden culture of Bordeaux.
The Dude checked in with his thoughts on Noble Rot and gave it a thumbs up for, “…a) You love you some Bordeaux wine, b) You prefer your history shaken, & with a twist of gossip, c) You are in the wine industry.” Well played, Dude.
Farley came out from Behind The Vines to post her review and highlight the educational aspects of Noble Rot. I, too, learned a lot about what makes Bordeaux tick and why they are able to command such prices in the international marketplace.
Kori from The Wine Peeps gave a rundown of several juicy quotes from the book in her review but concluded that, “…If you are interested in learning more about Bordeaux, the people, places, and history, this could be a book for you, and you can head over to Amazon or your book retailer of choice to pick up a copy. However, if you are looking for a wine guide or basic wine information, I would suggest that you look elsewhere.”
Colin from the Grapefan’s Wine Adventures blog in the UK posted a mixed review of Noble Rot commenting, “…I’m still not sure what to make of it.” He thought the book might be best suited to Americans but ended up giving the work an 84 on the 100 point scale.
I know other bloggers started the book and hope they finish and post their reviews. As they do, I will update this post. Please send me your link if I missed your review or if you post a bit later than my tardy effort.
Thanks again to Dr. Debs for letting me host Wine Book Club on it’s sophomore edition. I’m hoping to see a better turnout on the 3rd outing to be announced next week.
Te Whare Ra ( "Tee Faree Ra" is supposed to mean house in the Sun in Maori)is based in Marlborough New Zealand. This is on the south Island in the town of Renwick which is host to quite a few wineries including Cloudy Bay, Montana etc...
Established in 1979, this small boutique winery probably has some of the oldest vines in the area. In 2003, the husband and wife team of Jason & Anna Flowerday took the helm and have significantly upgraded various aspects of the winery. Although offering a Pinot Noir, IMHO they are a white wine producer with offerings mainly from Sauvignon Blanc, Reisling, Gerwurztraminer and Chardonnay. It's their aromatic wines which to me show their stuff here. Current size of the vineyards ~9 hectares with many coming from the older vines planted in 1979 ( almost 30 years ago) - I was told the Gerwurztraminer. Fruit is basically hand sorted and picked - now we are talking.
Cutting to the chase, my favorite wines from their lineup would be the "Toru" bottling and their Gerwurztraminer.
The "Toru" is a blend of several aromatic grape varietals consiting of Riesling, Gerwurztraminer and Pinot Gris. While tasting this wine, images of a picnic & grilled seafood keep popping up - probably my mind telling me that's where I should be with this. 89 points The 2007 Gerwurztraminer to me is a standout here. The concentration and flavor in here just screams of old vines and low yields. The typical Lychee notes were present although not overpowering, minerals, hints of sweetness from the fruit with 22g/l of residual sugar - nice finish ( the wine was still going strong after being opened more than 24 hours). The best thing to compare this to would be an Alsatian Gewurtz VT. 92+ points
For those who have been around the wine blog-o-sphere for a few years, the Caveman's blog was a gem. Bill Z. offered world class wine knowledge with a down-to-earth attitude. Like many blogs (this one included) the Caveman posted less regularly, and then poof! it became frozen in time (kind of like Han Solo in Empire).
Well, my pal Bill, the Caveman, is back and writing for the Montreal Gazette. It's good to see his voice is being appreciated by those lucky folks in Quebec.
"It was my first evening back working the floor as a sommelier. I was invigorated after an exceptional week touring and tasting wine in France's Languedoc-Roussillon. My second table that night was a couple from France, so I started going on and on about the place, even recommending to them one of my favourite wines from the region. They looked at me and said, "Yes, it's beautiful there, but we would never drink their wines."
If you're not a subscriber to The Wine Front you don't get to see the reviews that are added to the site on most days. In the past seven days the following wines have been reviewed in the Subscriber Only section of this website.
You know those cool “Digg This” badges on a whole bunch of sites? Pretty nice viral marketing huh? What they serve to do is create a way for cross promotion. We’ve had success using the Feedburner “Toast This!” link but it has cause problems that require attention from time to time (you may notice them disappearing occasionally).
Well, I’ve created a WLT Chicklet/badge gallery that I’ll be adding simple Javascript code and badges to. This will allow you to add WLT vote counts and links into every post. I’m also working on a Wordpress plugin to make this a no-brainer for Wordpress. I’ve also e-mailed “AddThis.com” to see if I can get into that little widget they have. We’ll see about that.
I have to give credit to Strumerika on the small chicklet design. Her graphic was cool. I haven’t reached her yet so I may be violating some kind of copyright in which case I’ll take it down (you won’t have to do anything, the graphic is server-based) and change it.
If you want a custom one, they’re pretty easy for me to change. Just make one in Photoshop (including the words), send me the source files, and I can implement it pretty quickly.
95 points Parker: "Backward, powerful, and extremely tannic, the dense purple-colored 2003 Mouton-Rothschild, a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, fashioned from yields of 28 hectoliters per hectare, with
96 points Parker: "Aged in new and one-year-old American oak, and made in a completely different style, the 2005 Shiraz The Bogan (from 25- to 105-year-old vines) is a dense purple-colored effort displaying an exuberant nose of toast, blackberries, cassis, cherries, and damp earth. It is full-bodied and powerful with fabulous purity and texture as well as a blockbuster finish. This is a classic example of Barossa Shiraz at its finest. Enjoy it over the next 12-15 years."
Pink is hot this year! There are blogs dedicated to hot pink dresses, pink dog jerseys for your prancing little toy poodle, brilliant pink hair, pink party squares, and of course, pink wine. Pink is so cool, that even our emotional unbalanced and slightly obsessive swine, Ms. Piggy, has made her comeback on backpacks and t-shirts. I’m not sure that’s a good thing, but at least you can rest assured if you’ve got a few bottles of rosé hanging out in your fridge that you’re officially in the “cool crowd”. And you’re not alone, as Croft has also gotten in the Pink bandwagon by launching the first ever, pink port.
So, where did this crazy and insane idea come from? According to Nick Heath, the Marketing Director for The Fladgate Partnership, it came from the head honcho and CEO, Adrian Bridge, “He set the task to our winemaking team - led by David Guimaraens - of producing a premium quality ‘pink’ port. The team subsequently developed a technique to extract fresh, fruity flavours and a delicate pink colour from limited contact with the skins of the classic Port grape varieties.”
Adrian goes on to say that, “The port industry needs innovation to raise awareness of port as a contemporary product which is why, three years ago, I came up with the idea of producing a lighter style of port. This will attract new consumers to the port category and at the same time de-seasonalise consumption. It has been a lot of work for the winemaking team but they have now produced this outstanding new wine.”
Is this a good idea? Should port be made into a rose or have we already reached the pinnacle of port’s expression?
My first experience with this oddity occurred last January at the II International Climate and Wine Conference, and at the time, I enjoyed it. It was an easy drinking wine with plenty of candy cherry aromas and a dense, lush mouthfeel. I walked away suggesting the wine to friends as a fun summer drink you could spritz up with a little soda and lime. But after trying it again today, it definitely didn’t hit the mark. Although I still appreciate the bold cherry aromas, the alcohol takes center stage, and I find my nose cringing at first sniff.
So if this isn’t a great wine, should we be supporting Croft’s efforts? In the February 1st edition of Harpers Magazine, British wine writer, Charles Metcalfe voiced his support of Croft’s willingness to break the mold, “I think it’s a brilliant idea. I’ve never been a fan of white port, unless you dilute it with tonic water and lemon. It lacks finesse and elegance and there’s a lot of forgettable red stuff too. This is much more in tune with the times. I don’t know why no one has thought of it before? Port desperately needs to appeal to a younger generation.”
What Charles brings up is a point I think we all need to consider. Regardless of whether this style of port is fantastic, or rather mediocre, it’s a first try. Croft did a little experimentation to promote something new and different. No one ever says that the first trial will be the best trial, but at least they gave it a shot, which has unfortunately led to some rather controversial feedback.
When asked if Taylor’s received any negative criticism from the market since Croft Pink’s release, Nick Heath’s response was, the “reaction to Croft Pink has been very positive, both from trade, consumers and also from our colleagues in the port sector. We certainly haven’t seen any backlash.” Unfortunately, you can’t Google Croft Pink without coming up with a series of negative commentary. It’s impossible to ignore the wide range criticism from its lack of integration to its perceived targeting to women (many of whom are not pleased). On the flip side, their sales are increasing not only in Portugal, but abroad, as Pink Port is finding its niche market among the younger generation.
So what does this mean? Is this a good idea? Honestly, I don’t know? I give Taylor’s a lot of credit for being the first, as it takes a hell of a lot of gumption to market a pink port in an old school and traditional arena. For centuries, Port has been seen as an upper-class drink only stodgy men enjoy, and to create a style of port that flies in the face of this tradition shows a little chutzpa. Therefore, I love the idea. But on the other hand, it doesn’t make up for the wine needing better integration. Maybe in the future there will be a great example of a well made pink port, but for now, I can only cheer Croft on to keep inventing and experimenting with new ideas.
Have you tried Croft Pink? Do you feel that it’s a mockery of port wine or is it an ingenious invention?
Cheers,
Gabriella
Gabriella’s Tasting Note
N.V. Croft Porto Pink - Portugal, Douro, Porto (5/8/2008) Beautiful light cranberry in color with a dusty cherry core. On the nose,the port immediately shows a fair amount of alcohol, followed by candy cherry aromas supported by lighter more restrained notes of cream, red rose and dried cranberry. Soft and round in the mouth, but lacking in acidity and complexity. Simple and straightforward, I see this port working perfectly as a mixed drink with soda and lime! 2.5/5
Ryan’s Tasting Note
N.V. Croft Porto Pink - Portugal, Douro, Porto (5/8/2008) Gorgeous red color, with a viscosity that clings to the sides. A bit alcoholic on the nose with some subtle cherry flavors in the back ground. In the mouth the flavors are simple and cherry is the most predominant. A simple wine with room to improve it is none the less interesting. With a sliver of ice it’s even better! 2.5/5
Pouilly Fuisse should not really be mixed up with Pouilly Fume although it happens. While both are white wines Pouilly Fuisse is rightfully Chardonnay and Burgundian. The other Pouilly is from the Loire Valley and is made from Sauvignon Blanc ( to be covered someday!). While Pouilly-Fuisse is an appelation on to itself it would be a shame not to give the individual terroirs recognition also. There are 4 villages in the appelation: Vergisson, Solutre-Pouilly, Fuisse and Chaintre and arguably 5 terroirs as Solutre and Pouilly are distinctive.
From a distance the twin rocks of Vergisson and Solutre are a clear giveaway that you have arrived. The certain soil zones around these rocks are limestone and give the wines that mineral taste which is lacking or more subdued in the other communes outside of Vergisson, Solutre and Pouilly.
The 5 terroirs within Pouilly-Fuisse are :
Vergisson - mineral driven, punchy with acidic backbone. Solutre - mineral driven but softer with pronounced acidity. Pouilly - Good harmony of mineral and fruit - most balanced. Fuisse - More fruity, does not have the minerality of previous 3. Chaintre - Fruit dominant.
The next time you try a Pouilly-Fuisse take a closer look at the label and see where it comes from - there should be a difference. Personally my favorite is Pouilly proper. It seems to have the right balance of fruit, minerality and lively acidity. The other all have their unique characteristics but not in the harmonious balance I get in a benchmark Pouilly.
Not a comprehensive list by any measure but the wines I liked were made by:
Mr Riggs is a brand that made a splash when it first appeared a few years ago but – as much sub-consciously as anything – I always thought it would hit and run pretty fast, and disappear after a few vintages. I say this even though the wines have generally been very good. And well packaged. And reasonably priced. Maybe it’s just me, but the brand name itself just seemed to have gimmick written all over it.
Or it did. Now it doesn't. It’s good to see that the brand is still alive and going strong. In terms of quality, the following wines are the strongest bunch I have seen under this label.
This wine is wild and untamed! It has an exotic taste of berries and herbs, and is still quite tannic. After decanting, the wine softened a bit but continued to be chewy and dense. It also has a striking dark purple color, that looked beautiful in the decanter.
From a tiny region in Southern France, Bandol is made primarily from Mourvedre. The grapes are extremely ripe, but there's an underlying herbal tone that makes some of these wine taste almost wild and this is no exception.
I paid $32 for the bottle, and have seen it for as much as $40. If you're ready to do some exploring in France's lesser-known regions, look for a Bandol. And raise a glass!
I found a really great site for custom wine racks. I found wineracks.com and I absolutely cannot decide which design I like best. They have a selection of smaller capacity wine racks that can store three to forty eight bottles of wine.
Wineracks.com has wine racks in both wood and metal. I?ve found several that suit my current needs and several that I wish my needs would suit! Some of the different styles are just simple stackable racks that assemble without tools. There are other wine racks that are elegant, solid oak racks with tabletop and stemware storage.
The twelve bottle modular wine racks are made of pine and can be configured in many different ways. There are kits available to add and expand these wine racks. Wineracks.com has this item listed for $22.50.
The Cha Cha Wine Racks sold by wineracks.com are made of colored plastic. They snap together with clips and come in four colors. The colors that the components for these wine racks come in are orange, light blue, green and white. Each color is sold separately for $22.50.
I was particularly taken with the Lisbon wall wine racks. They are black wooden wine racks that hold both bottles and stemware. Wineracks.com has the Lisbon wall wine racks listed for $69.00.
I am pretty sure that I do not want the Accordia wine racks that wineracks.com have for sale. My mother had one that looked like this when I was growing up and I always thought that it was ugly. I much prefer any other style.
The Bali fifteen bottle wine racks were inspired by contemporary Indonesian style. I like the wavy look of these wine racks. The price for the Bali wine racks is $96.00. These come in a natural color. There are also twelve bottle Bali wine racks that are $72.00 in either crimson color or black.
I do believe that my favorite wine racks have to be the cellar cubes. Wineracks.com has the cellar cubes in both unfinished Pine and Mahogany. The Mahogany cellar cubes sell for $59.95 and the Pine cellar cubes sell for $34.95. These wine racks require simple assembly and the holes are pre-drilled and the hardware is provided.
Marcella Says: Italian Cooking Wisdom from the Legendary Teacher?s Master Classes, with 120 of Her Irresistible New Recipes by Marcella Hazan (HarperCollins, $30)
When the maven of Italian cooking writes another cookbook, you best pay attention. This isn?t a spaghetti and meatballs book - this is Italian cooking from Italy, with Italian ingredients and a whole lotta straightforward Italian advice from Ms. Hazan. (You did see the word ?Master? in the title, didn?t you?) Be sure to try Baked Mozzarella, Tomato, Capers and Parmesan Crostini; Fennel and Goat Cheese Salad; Veal Shanks with Lemon; and Spaghetti ?Rotolo? with Zucchini and Bacon. It?s almost like graduate school for foodies. C?mon, you know you wanna bust Iron Chef Italian on home culinary turf. So don?t cut class.
Inspired by Ingredients by Bill Telepan (Simon & Schuster, $35)
New York City chef Bill Telepan loves fresh ingredients - so much so that he dedicated an entire book to cooking (and eating) seasonally. Telepan comes across as an enthusiastic guy who must have been a farmer in a past life. (Maybe even a Master Farmer.) Recipes range from easy to complicated, but there?s something for everyone - from Pan-Fried Summer Jersey Vegetables and a delectable Pea Soup, to Chilled Shrimp with an Autumn Slaw, to Grilled Dry-Aged Rib-Eye Steak with a Red Onion Cipollata and Herbed White Beans. Head to your local farmer?s market, grab some of-the-moment veggies and get Berkeley on everyone?s ass.
Off the Shelf: Cooking from the Pantry by Donna Hay (Morrow, $25)
Reasons why we love Donna Hay: the recipes are easy, the food?s tasty, and the books are paperback (read: lightweight) yet full of pretty pictures. This Aussie chef has come out with another must-have cookbook, and the only shopping involved serves to stock the pantry. For those nights when unexpected (read: uninvited) guests drop by, rest easy that you can now step into the kitchen and whip up dishes like Stir-Fried Prawns and Noodles; Baked Chicken, Lemon and Pea Risotto; and Pasta with Buttered Broccoli. She even throws in recipes for quick sweets like a Peach and Raspberry Tart; Honey Cakes; and Raspberry Sorbet. Off the Shelf will rescue even the most novice cook from take-out menus.
Barefoot in Paris: Easy French Food You Can Really Make at Home by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter, $35)
I love Paris? and I especially love it a la the Barefoot Contessa, otherwise known as Ina Garten. Ms. Garten manages to transform fussy French recipes into easy, do-it-at-home-in-under-one-week dishes. Her simple recipes include classics like Boeuf Bourguignon; Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic; Zucchini Vichyssoise; Loin of Pork with Green Peppercorns; and Blue Cheese Souffle. (And the Creme Brulee - ready to bake in 10 minutes, I swear - is a godsend.) Her conversational tone will ease any kitchen anxiety, and before you know it you?ve made an entire meal. Buy this book, kick off your Jimmy Choos, pour yourself a Kir Royale and browse through the glossy photos. It?s like Paris without the long flight and snooty customs officials.
Feast: Food to Celebrate Life by Nigella Lawson (Hyperion, $35)
Nigella, the British icon known for her sensual finger-licking television show and cleavage as much as for her culinary skills, is back with a book dedicated to holiday feasts. Impress your beloved with a dozen Love Buns or a Chocolate Raspberry Heart on Valentine?s Day, or liven up Halloween with Blood and Guts Potatoes and Ghoul-Graveyard Cake. For lesser-known holidays (like my-in-laws-are-coming-for-brunch-so-help-me-God), whip up Ms. Lawson?s tasty Banana Buttermilk Pancakes or a batch of Andy?s Fairfield Granola. New Year?s, Midnight Feast, Wedding Fest, Festival of Lights, Rosh Hashanah - they?re all here and they?re all fabulous. (There?s even a ?Meatless Feast? section for you veg-heads.) Start celebrating. Burning Man is just around the corner.
The Mosel was the first wine region I toured. It was back in the summer of 1971 when I was almost 11, so I was not tasting any wines. But the impact of that visit stuck with me when a decade later I first got into wine. The black cat label of Zeller Schwartz Katz became more common on the dinner table after this trip and when wine was present in my formative years, Riesling was more often than not the variety enjoyed.
But it probably wasn’t just this early exposure to the grape that compelled me to drink more Riesling; it was the complexity and potential for aging of the wines that make this my favorite white variety.
Like my second favorite white Roussanne, Riesling shows well in youth but takes on more complexity with age. I’ve tasted dry Rieslings almost 30 years old that still have youthful bouquet and flavors despite their tawny color. The wines seem to go through some sort of metamorphosis of fruit and floral to fruit, mineral and gasoline, noted by most wine lovers as “petrol.” In the best Rieslings, the wine is supported by a backbone of acidity that can make even a 9% alcohol wine hold up for decades.
Riesling travels but not as well as other noble whites such as Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. While those varieties can grow and produce good wines almost anywhere, Riesling is fickle and only shows it’s magic in specific microclimates.
That’s why I chose the Old World of Northern Europe as the place for this Wine Blogging Wednesday devoted to Riesling. It just seems that Rieslings of every price point are so much better there. I know that the variety can be great in Australia, Washington State, and parts of California, but to truly enjoy the essence of the grape you have to go to Europe.
My two selections tonight are from the Mosel region of Germany. I thought it would be interesting to compare what age does to the variety so each wine is similar in style but 5 years different in age.
Tasting Notes:
Max Ferdinand Richter, Riesling, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer 2006 ($14) - Pale straw-green in color with aromas of green apple, wet stone and lime. In the mouth, green apple and citrus flavors give way to a nice mineral note and good acidity. Although dry, the finish gives the impression of slight sweetness due to the vibrant fruit. A nicely done young Mosel
Tecnorati
The wines of France’s Bordeaux region have long been a benchmark for quality due to a combination of tradition, terroir and mystique. William Echikson’s “
My two selections tonight are from the Mosel region of Germany. I thought it would be interesting to compare what age does to the variety so each wine is similar in style but 5 years different in age.