Friday, July 28, 2006

Big News!
Okay, I was trying to keep this one under wraps but it seems a few people have already found out and, well what better place to announce it than here right?

As of August 7th I will be back at the Wine Warehouse full time drinking for my living. I am very excited and can't wait to get back in the game.

Also
My friend Andi got a new job at the O'Henry Hotel and I wish her mucho success in all of her endeavors. I will miss her.

Cheers to my new job!

Thursday, July 27, 2006

Wedding Bells



Don Ziraldo is the founder of Inniskillin Winery in Canada and is credited with bringing ice wine to the forefront. If you’ve never had it, you should try it. It’s expensive ($100 for a half bottle) but OMG it is divine. I had the Cab Franc Icewine and it tasted like a liquid strawberry shortcake. Anywho, Ziraldo got married this past week to Anna Netter. But here’s the good part. The couple did a press release and here are just a few snipits from their article.

The 58-year-old Mr. Ziraldo met his bride on the ski slopes of Whistler, but they lived apart for some time, "each continuing to travel and learn from other cultures. Gradually, thanks to their mutual interest in Buddhism, both learned that "there is no fear, only love." At the 2004 Olympic Games in Greece the couple exchanged eternity rings.

Remember that kids “there is no fear, only love”. WTF? I love it, they exchanged “eternity rings”. Is that just basically what millionaires call a wedding band? And OMG, that hat and those shoes do not scream millionaire. I do like her dress though.

More details on the wedding: It took place at the jet-set Hotel Traube-Tonbach (Traube means grape in German), which "prides itself on its strictly enforced peace and quiet, and the glamour of its very upscale clientele." The wines were Inniskillin -- natch -- and the dinner menu featured venison and pike. The couple is honeymooning in the Bahamas with friends.

Does it strike anyone else as odd that they took “friends” on their honeymoon?

Well, we wish you all the best. Cheers Mr. and Mrs. Ziraldo!
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060727.RNOBODY27/TPStory/Business
I smell something fishy

Fact #1
JD Wetherspoon’s is a chain of pubs in England. There are 650 in operation.

Fact #2
Constellation Brands is a wine GIANT. They sell more than 80 million cases a year. They own Alice White, Almaden, Arbor Mist, Cook's, Covey Run, Inglenook, Vendange, Dunnewood, Farallon, Great Western, J. Roget, Marcus James, Paul Masson table wines, Taylor California Cellars, Viña Santa Carolina, Banrock Station, Hardys, Leasingham, Barossa Valley Estate, Chateau Reynella, and Nobilo just to name a few. Seriously, they own hundreds of wineries.

Fact #3
Constellation often does “private labels”. This means that they take one of their wines, let’s say Alice White for example, and they put it in a bottle with a different label on it. So, if you were a mega retail store *cough Total Wine cough* you could take that Alice White and call it Blue Flame *cough ass in a glass cough* and when people want more, they can only get it at your store b/c the consumer doesn’t know it’s Alice White….for example.

Fact #4
JD Wetherspoon’s let several different companies compete for their house wine. Whatever wine was the most popular for the trial period would win an exclusive with all of the pubs for a contract valued at nearly 150 million dollars.

Okay, now that we know the facts, let’s look at what really happened. It seems that an email was leaked from the Boss of Matthew Clarks Brands (a division of Constellation Brands) to all of their employees (around 300 people).

Wine distributor Matthew Clark emailed staff asking them to buy up to eight bottles of wine each at JD Wetherspoon's pubs in Bristol - and then claim it back on expenses.
Employees were told to buy Nottage Hill Chardonnay and Shiraz, and Echo Falls - all of which are produced by Matthew Clark parent company Constellation Europe.
If each of the firm's 300 employees had "done their bit" and splashed out on eight bottles of wine, it would have increased sales by 2,400 bottles in the city's pubs - potentially tipping the balance in its favour.
The plan to artificially enhance the wine's popularity was devised as Constellation battled with rival firms for the exclusive rights to supply wine to JD Wetherspoon's 650 pubs.

Nice. I’d love to buy wine and expense it back to my boss. Somehow I don’t think he’d go for it. I have to say though, this doesn’t shock me so much. I wouldn’t put anything past Constellation Brands. So I guess my point here is know your brands, and know what you are buying.
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article1200200.ece


When pigs fly…I mean drink beer


So, in Tasmania (off of the coast of Australia) there is a local tourist attraction that has been getting a lot of flack lately. If you go to the “Pub in the Paddock” you will find Prescilla and PB and they chug beers. But get this, Prescilla and PB are pigs. Yep, people can pay to – and I quote – “pour bottles of beer down the willing throats of resident pigs”.

Dude, I would totally pay to see that. But PETA would like to go on the record and state that they are not down with it and they want to have the pigs rescued.


"Whilst it is a difficult pill to swallow ... it's certainly not cruelty, unfortunately," RSPCA state chief executive Rick Butler told PETA.

Pub owner Anne Free said Wednesday she was outraged that the tourist attraction had been attacked as cruel in the latest edition of a magazine published by animal welfare group Choose Cruelty Free.
"When it's very, very quiet, I often actually have to go over and give them a couple of drinks because, yeah, they do look forward to it," Free told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio.

Note to self: If you ever go to Tasmania, you must go see the beer swilling pigs!
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/14035561/

Boozehounds

Heartland Brewery has just begun marketing their new beer called Slobber Lager. This non-alcoholic beef flavored beer is made specifically for dogs.

"It's damn good," said Jon Bloostein, owner of Heartland Brewery, after taking a sip.
Polo, a Bichon Frise, took a sniff and slurped down the whole bowl in a few seconds.
Simba, a Shih Tzu, was more hesitant. After several whiffs and plenty of encouragement, he took a few gulps.
But Diva, a Rottweiler, couldn't get enough.
She finished one bowl and moved on to the next. Still thirsty, she sipped from a pint glass, then drank straight from the tap.
"She's a beer drinker!" said Allison Cardona of the ASPCA, who helped bring the dogs, all available for adoption, to the tavern for the taste test.


Um, I am sure the dogs love it but why is the brewer drinking it? Ew! Beef flavored beer? Count me out. My dog is fat enough as it is so he’s definitely not getting any.

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/438150p-369132c.html


How Much??

Schramsberg has just come out with a new sparkling wine meant to compete with the likes of Krug, Dom P., and Cristal. It is called J. Schram Rose 1988 and there were only 800 cases produced. Rarely will you ever see an American Sparkler go for more than $75 but this one……$120.
"It appears in a world where Dom Pérignon Rosé is $200, and Cristal is probably $350. The Krug Rosé is certainly in that range as well," said Shramsberg head winemaker Hugh Davies. "This wine competes with those in terms of flavor, finesse and character.

Yeah, but it’s still Schramsberg and I doubt it competes with Krug. Strike that – There is NO WAY it competes with Krug. If anybody out there can get a hold of some, I wanna know what it’s like. Ooooh I would love to have it in a blind tasting.
http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Features/0,1197,3361,00.html

Last night was our anniversary so Kipp and I got a babysitter and hit the town. First we went to Milner's in Winston Salem and I had a glass of Renard Rose. It was just kinda meh...
From there we proceeded to go to several different bars and I actually ran into an old sorority sister at Foothills. Anyway we came home at 8:30 (I know, were wild right?) and I fixed Steak with a mushroom and Humboldt Fog (bleu cheese) sauce. We had an '01 Spotteswoode with it. That review will come tomorrow. But for now read my review of Martinelli Pinot that I had at an impromptu wine dinner with Jon and Sam at my house on Sunday.

Martinelli '02 Moonshine Ranch Pinot Noir
The nose was earthy and powdery all at the same time. It also had a lot of blackberry with some hints of white pepper. The palate was all cherry cola and sweet black cherries. There was some hidden acidity on the mid-palate with a very sweet, very lush blackberry jam finish. Yeah, it was over extracted but damn, it was GOOD. I have one more bottle and I think I'll let that one sit for about 3 more years.

Cheers!

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Today is my anniversary and Kipp and I have a babysitter so we are going out tonight. I'll make up for no blog today by posting one for Thursday!!
Cheers!

Monday, July 24, 2006

Yeah, it was the antibiotics…

Okay, I admit that I watch some really bad tv. Last year I watched “The Surreal Life” with Jose Canseco, Janice Dickinson, and that random model Caprice. Do you guys remember her? She was the pretty blond who flirted with Jose and always had a glass of red wine in her hand. Well, it seems that the wine finally caught up with her. Caprice Bourrett was in court recently because she was charged with a DUI, but the best part is in the explanation. Caprice admits to having wine on 2 separate occasions during the day before getting a DUI at 3 in the morning.

The model, who sat barefoot in the dock holding a tube of lipgloss, said she drank a bottle and a half of red wine at a lunch in Soho which began at 11.30am on Dec 9.
She added that she also ate a salad.
Asked how she felt afterwards, she said: "I felt tired, I felt like I had had a drink."
Let me get this straight. She drank a bottle and a half at lunch and ate a salad and she felt tired???? Well, maybe in Europe tired means drunk. But, back to the DUI. After her lunch cocktail, she went back to her place and passed out. Later that night her friend called her and invited her to her place to have drinks and party. She claimed to not know how much she drank because her glass kept getting topped off.

District Judge Emma Arbuthnot said: "By the end of the evening, did it not occur to you for one minute that all the drinking you had done, that it might take you over the limit?"

She said she had been taking the antibiotic Cipro to tackle a urinary infection and that it affected how her body coped with the alcohol.

Oh, that’s it. It was the antibiotics that made her drunk, not the multiple bottles of wine she drank. Oh Caprice…..you slay me.

What a way to wake up.

In Australia, a man crashed his car through a couples bedroom while they were sleeping. The couple had actually snuggled up on the far side of their bed and the authorities actually claimed that being on that side of the bed actually saved their lives.

Unit owner Danielle Loy agreed the sleeping man was lucky to be alive. "They were sleeping on the other side of the bed, cuddled up," she said. "If he had slept like he normally did he'd be dead." "They've basically just cheated death."

But here’s the kicker. The man who actually crashed the car climbed out of the wreck and was overheard saying this….

"I'd better have another beer, I'm going to jail for sure."

Priceless!

The Blog

Unfortunately, I will no longer be able to do my blog at work so the posts (for now) will be a little late in the evening and maybe even a little less in content. Hang with me though people. I promise you that it won’t always be like this and you’ll hopefully find it worth it in the end. Wednesday’s blog will be full of stories from an impromptu wine dinner on Sunday night with Jon and Sam, and we’ll learn about Zorks and cool new beer openers. Stay Tuned!!!

Cheers!

Friday, July 21, 2006

Good looks and good wine?

Piers Morgan, who is a judge on America's Got Talent, used to be a newspaper editor in London. He also used to be good friends with Princess Diana . When she invited him to have dinner with her and her children here is how it went down...

"PAUL BURRELL (Diana's butler) asked, 'Would you like a glass of wine?' I said, 'I'd love a glass of wine, thank you,' and Diana said, 'I won't actually.' "Then William said, 'Well what about me...?' He's got a tabloid editor sitting opposite him... and Diana went, 'William, you know you don't drink,' and he said, 'You know I do, mummy.' "

Hmmm..Is that why his cheeks are always so rosy? I bet he drinks Krug and Romanee Conti. What? A girl can dream can't she? Let's all just take a moment and sigh.


Nice!

The government finally released their report on the spending that went on during Hurricane Katrina’s clean-up. Several military people have government issued credit cards for job related expenses. Unfortunately, some of those people chose to spend money on things that weren’t so necessary. But, I can see their argument on this one.

--A beer brewing kit and ingredients for more than $1,000 for a Coast Guard official to brew alcohol while on duty as a social organizer for the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. "The estimated price for a six-pack of USCG beer was $12," the investigators noted, adding: "Given that the six-pack cost of most beers is far less than $12, it is difficult to demonstrate that the Academy is achieving cost savings by brewing its own beer." The social organizer claimed in his defense that the beer would be a great conversation starter for their functions.

I hear ya brother! If the government makes you drink cheap beer, just use their credit cards to buy your own and make some that is better!


This just in... as I was about to post today's blog I got an email about how the Coast Guard is fighting back over alleged misappropriations with the governments money. They are claiming that only $227.23 was misused on beer supplies and they are reimbursing the government for that.

She says a report released yesterday by a Senate panel that oversees the Homeland Security Department highlighted a purchase that was technically legal but did not represent a prudent use of funds.
She confirms that one of the beers had a label with a picture of Rear Admiral James Van Sice, the academy superintendent. She says there's no more beer brewing at the Coast Guard Academy.

Note to self: If you ever join the Coast Guard, make sure that you won't have a title that begins with "Rear Admiral"


This might actually entice me to clip coupons.

North Carolina has some bass-ackwards alcohol laws. We’ve known that for some time now. We just recently changed a law dating back to prohibition allowing us to buy beers with an alcohol content higher than 6%. But did you know that it is illegal for a retailer to offer coupons or free product? A grocery store can’t run an ad for $3 off a case of Miller (for example). They can advertise that Miller is on sale for $3 off but they can’t run coupons. Well, until now that is.

The bill, which now goes to the full House, would allow an exception to the rules if the retailer offers a discount coupon to purchase beer and wine or requires a customer to use the buyer's membership card, discount card or loyalty card to receive the discount. Free alcoholic beverages still wouldn't be permitted.

Let’s hope it passes and while we’re at it, can somebody get on that part of the law that would allow free alcohol??


Maybe she thought it was a drive-thru

In Canada an 82 year old woman lost control of her vehicle and crashed through the front window of a beer store. Three people were injured and taken to the hospital.

"One man in his 50s was pinned between the front of the vehicle and the conveyor system in the store, resulting in significant damage to his legs and pelvic area," Insp. Charles Green said.
"He was busted up pretty good," Green said. "I would say it's life-threatening."

If I saw someone with that type of injury I don't think "busted up" is how I would phrase it. Also, what about the beer tragedy? How many bottles met their fate as a result of this old lady driving. And, how was it possible for her to do this much damage with her car b/c we all know that old people don't drive over 15 mph?



Friday Funny

Oh My God!! I cannot tell you how many times this has happened to me. Just last week someone came in and said "I am looking for this wine I bought here 2 years ago and it was a red wine with a white label" I thought, seriously, are you kidding me?

Have a great weekend!
Cheers!

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Drinking my own words

So, Spectator’s newest wine dweeb..er…correspondent wrote an article on how cool the new champagne splits are that have been showing up all over the place. A few weeks ago I featured the Nicholas Feuillate splits that came with “hand leashes” that were great to take to the beach, picnic, or tailgate. But, as he got into the article he criticized the splits that came with straws.

However, Champagne producers aren't trying to please scruffy-looking thirty-somethings like me. Mostly they're trying to appeal to the hip, club crowd. Which is why the bottles all look like My First Champagne or the sort of thing Paris Hilton would give to her Chihuahua to play with. If you drink the wine through a straw, you lose the textural feel in the mouth. So to serious wine drinkers who would probably judge the book by the cover given their prior experience with Champagne, don't be dissuaded by the Mary-Kate-and-Ashley-looking bottles. These are great wines. And to clubbers already drinking these Champagnes: Please, either get a glass or at least drink 'em straight from the bottle (that’s what I do). You already know what to do with the straws.

Holy Ouchness!! Mary Kate and Ashley Champagnes?? It’s no secret that I love champagne, and one of my guiltiest pleasures is a split of Mumm on a Sunday morning with a hearty breakfast. Sadly, I must admit that I have been known to enjoy a split of Sofia on a hot day and I do use the straw. With that skeleton out of the closet, I decided to put their theory to the test.

Tonight I took a split of Sofia and had some in a champagne flute, as well as some out of the can through a straw. Here are the results:

Can
On the palate it was very creamy with a sweet lemon lime flavor finished with nice acidity on the middle of the tongue. Nothing too complicated, but nice.

Flute
The nose was all petroleum leading me to think I had poured the wrong wine in the glass. It was a pale straw color with hints of lemon meringue. On the palate it was...well, god awful. It had a tiny tinge of lemon with a hollow middle and a very strong, very new, very bad oak finish.

Through the straw, I totally enjoyed this wine but in a glass and under the microscope I was ashamed to say that I liked it. Damnit!! I guess some of those Spectator peeps are right some of the time.


Somebody's getting drunk tonight!!

Yesterday in Houston, somebody was in the right place at the right time. As the delivery driver entered a store to make a wine delivery, a crook jumped in his car and made off with the goods valued at $8,500.

The driver, from Prestige Wine Cellars, said he was only away from the truck for a few minutes, but that was obviously enough time for some wine connoisseur to pull a fast one. Or maybe it was a lucky delivery truck connoisseur — it's not clear from the report whether the thief knew the truck was full of wine or was just excited about the chance to steal a delivery truck.

Either way, I bet that theif is the hit of the party wherever he goes!!


More on Mondavi

Yeah yeah, I realize you’re getting sick of it but any kind of wine event this big deserves coverage. I found even more details today about the 40th anniversary for Mondavi Winery.

This past weekend in Napa Robert Mondavi Winery spent three days celebrating its 40th anniversary. There were dinners, parties, tours and tastings, of course. But this is Mondavi, and from the very beginning he's pushed the idea that art and wine should be enjoyed together, so the centerpiece of the weekend was the inaugural Taste3 Symposium. With an unusual mix like that, of course, some interesting comments were overheard. Such as: "We wouldn't let you go without having an orgasm."

Back up… If I overheard that at a tasting, that would be my clue to put down my wine glass and go home before things got ugly. Just what were they doing at that tasting? Oh wait, maybe that was overheard from one of the models at Cleavage Creek Cellars. Let's hope it wasn't Margrit Mondavi (pictured right)!! Sorry, that was bad.

Speaking of which, the audience was howling when Dan Barber, chef and owner of Blue Hill, in New York, told a story about Boris the boar, an animal on his farm. Apparently, Boris is unable to perform his main job anymore, even though, as Barber stated, "A sow in heat is not picky."

Seriously Hef, I mean Mondavi, we have told you time and again that you can't just "slip" your Viagra everyones glass and expect it to be ok.

Well, I better leave that one alone for good now so on to the next…

Starry, Starry Night


Chandon Winery has released their new sparkling wine called Etoile (which in french means star). I have never had their wines but the closure is absolutely beautiful and much less intimidating for someone unfamiliar with opening a champagne bottle. What was even cooler were the people that they paid..eh...invited to attend the kick off celebration

Ashanti gets bubbly with rapper beau Nelly at a recent Los Angeles dinner party for Napa Valley vintner Etoile's sparkling wine.

FYI, I totally don't expect them to get wasted and go home and make out!! Also, take a look at the guy in the background. I think he just passed gas! HA!

Cheers!!

Monday, July 17, 2006

Taste 3

Last week we noted that the legendary Mondavi Winery turned 40 on Sunday. I knew there would be some form of festivities but I had no idea how extravagant it would be. Seems the folks over at Mondavi came up with a celebration titled Taste 3. The “3” stands for wine, art, food. The invite list is nothing short of spectacular. Mondavi came up with speakers, artists, sommeliers and top chefs from all over the world. Andrea Immer kicked off the party with a session on Friday morning and the hits just kept on coming. More than 10 different wineries in the area hosted dinners at their wineries. But, what interested me the most was that
Mondavi invited the 50 top sommeliers in the country and then challenged them to a taste off. Ha! I would have loved to see those wine geeks all sitting around trying to out-do one another. What they should have done was given them wines from NC – that would have thrown them for a loop.

Oh yeah, one more thing. There were tickets by invitation only but they “strongly” encouraged you to request an invitation for a measly $2,350 per person. Tickets do not include airfare or meals. Hmmm, I think I’ll just read about it.


I’m not buying it

An Indian man has come forward saying that he hasn’t drunk water in 37 years. While impressive in itself, he adds that the ONLY beverage he has had for the past 37 years is beer!

Opacic went off water while working as a construction worker in Munich, Germany, in 1969. He said the water in Germany was of very poor quality, and therefore, he began to drink beer instead and never lost the habit. Opacic remains agile despite his 70 years and still works as a roofer.

Note: It doesn’t mention how many times he’s fallen off of roofs b/c of beer consumption on a hot day and uh…that must be one lenient employer.


Homemade Bubbly?

A few of you have sent me some of the links for an article on how to make your own champagne with just a few homebrew tools which (of course) we have. Take a look at this article and join in with me. I’ll keep everyone posted on the details.

We asked wine and spirits guru Lynn Hoffman--author of the new book, "The New Short Course in Wine" (Prentice Hall, $16.80)--to show us the process from beginning to end.
With a little planning, a few packets of yeast and a few bottles, you can produce a whole batch of summer's perfect drink in no time.
"We're not making champagne here, what we're making is an absolutely simple sparkling wine," said Hoffman. "It's perfect for summer, and it's so easy it's ridiculous.


Super short post today. I am currently writing this at 3 am on a Tuesday because I can’t sleep and don’t feel so hot. Take what you can get I guess.

Cheers!!

Friday, July 14th, 2006

Happy Birthday!!

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, the legendary Mondavi Winery turns 40 this weekend. Mondavi has had a profound impact throughout the US and, as some would say, the world.
Side note – For those of you who haven’t seen MondoVino go out and rent it immediately and you’ll know what I’m talking about.
When Mondavi began, he made wines for kings, wines that were among the most elite in America.

In 1966, Robert G. Mondavi founded the Robert Mondavi Winery to create wines in California that belong in the company of the world's finest. Robert Mondavi Winery is located in the heart of Napa Valley, California. The first major winery built in Napa Valley in the post-Prohibition era, Robert Mondavi Winery helped establish the foundation for the modern-day California wine business. Its mission-style architecture, with the expansive archway and bell tower designed by Cliff May, has become an enduring landmark that evokes California's winemaking history.

Look at it like this, think of Mondavi as Britney Spears. Just stay with me kids. Don’t remember Britney as she is now, all redneck and gross being brought down by her joke of a husband, remember her in her early days of pop stardom with the school girl outfit and pigtails. Same with Mondavi. Don’t look at him as someone who sold his name and some would say his soul to turn Mondavi into an empire brought down by his two greedy sons. Think of him as the pioneer he once was who brought great fame to the Napa Valley!

With that being said, Cheers and Happy Birthday Mondavi Winery!!

(Ummm…did I just get away with comparing Robert Mondavi to Britney Spears and actually have it make sense???)


The Cat’s Meow

We all know about the marketing genius that made Yellow Tail the giant that it is today. In fact, it is one of the best selling wines in the world. So I want to discuss with you some other marketing that is impressive. The Hungarians came up with Hungarian Lesbians Young Girls Red that I discussed in an earlier post. But what could some Americans in New York State come up with for some Catawba grapes that were growing wild in their back yard? How could they make it sell? How could they make something so awful actually seem cool and get people to buy it? Well, Duplin you had better take notes. Hazlitt 1852 Winery has had the top selling wine in the state of New York this year and it wasn’t one of the Finger Lake Rieslings that are quite good. Hazlitt made a wine called Red Cat. While Red Cat doesn’t sound so impressive, it is truly the marketing that the Hazlitt Winery has come up with that makes it such an “eye opening” study. Here, let me just give you some quotes from Mr. Hazlitt himself.

“This cat is red and comes in a bottle.” Uh, okay…..tell me more.

“The wine's sweet taste, inexpensive price, sexual mystique and party reputation catapulted Red Cat to be No. 1-selling wine in New York.” Wait, did I hear you say sexual mystique??

"It's a wine that people aren't intimidated with," says John "J.F." Frederick, Hazlitt's special-events coordinator. "It's a wine you can have a lot of fun with."Legend has it that Red Cat is a catalyst for lust. The wine is nicknamed "HHJ" for "Hector Horny Juice" or "Hazlitt Horny Juice," depending on who's doing the nicknaming. That's why the wine's label features a smiling red cat soaking in a bubbling hot tub and holding a bottle of the wine. Look closely at the label on the bottle in the cat's paw and you'll see "HHJ." Are you sure that’s the answer you want to give man, cause I’ll let you rethink it if you must. Something about calling a wine horny juice kinda takes away the elegance don’t you think??

That categorical party reputation continues at the wine fest, where hundreds of bottles of the cat will be poured into glasses and mixed into Jell-O shots. Expect to see the Red Cat mascot pussyfooting about at tonight's toga party. And listen for the Red Cat Chant: "Red Cat. Red Cat. It's an aphrodisiac. Red Cat. Red Cat. It'll get you in the sack." Holy shit, I just pissed myself. This is wrong on so many levels. First of all, who in the hell came up with putting wine in a Jell-O shot??? Hey, don’t get me wrong, I’m a booze hound at heart and I love me some lime flavored Jell-O shots with tequila (Aunt Christy - Holla!!) but for the love of all that’s holy man. Jell-O?? And don’t even get me started on that chant. An Ambien and a Jack and Coke will do the same thing but you don’t see me chanting about it.

Stories abound of the cat's aphrodisiac powers. Like the couple who visited the winery one year, bought a bottle of the cat and took it back to their hotel room. The next year they returned to the winery to show off pictures of their twins that were conceived that night of the cat. No, stop it! Seriously stop it. If you drink Red Cat you don’t deserve to procreate. Please, is there anything you can tell me about Red Cat (Keep in mind please that this is the number one selling wine in the state of NY) that doesn’t involve a sexual overtone?

Indeed. The semisweet cat has a fruity, grape flavor, 12 percent alcohol and sells for around $7 per 25.4-ounce bottle. "It's so cheap because Catawba grapes grow like weeds around here," John says. Red Cat goes great with chicken wings or anything you can pick up in your hands and eat - from pizza to hot dogs."When we make homemade spaghetti sauce, instead of adding sugar we add a half-bottle of Red Cat," John says. Mangia and meoooooow! I think that you alone have turned the French on us. Rule #1 in wine world – Never say cheap, say affordable. Rule #2 If your wine can be used as a substitute for sugar, it is a wine that should not be drunk. Dude, did you just meow like a cat?? LOL!!!

I swear to you kids, this is not made up. These are actual exerpts from an interview with this guy (I just added my own responses). When I started this blog I had NO idea I’d have this much material to deal with. Effing PRICELESS!!



Oopsie!

Beer exec Pete Coors confirmed today that he was arrested in May for a DUI. The Denver Post got word of the incident and published an article forcing Mr. Coors to make a statement.

"I made a mistake," Coors said in a prepared statement. "I should have planned ahead for a ride. For years, I've advocated the responsible use of our company's products. That's still my message, and our company's message, and it's the right message. I am sorry that I didn't follow it myself."

Courts confirmed that Mr. Coors was pulled over after he failed to stop completely at a stop light in his neighborhood. He was less than a block away from his house and he was pulled in his own driveway. D’oh!!! Sucks for you Mr. Coors. Well, at least your beer doesn’t suck – No wait, it DOES suck. Well at least you can go home and cry on a bag of money!


Trust me, they did you a favor!

A man in Sheboygan WI called police after he had 8 20 packs of Budweiser stolen from his garage.

Eight 20-packs of Budweiser were stolen from a garage at 3910 N. 48th St. Tuesday night or Wednesday morning, according to a sheriff's department report. The owner of the home, Wade C. Rickmeier, 52, told police he had purchased the beer for an upcoming vacation and left it next to a boat in an unlocked garage.

Note to self : Sheboygan is so boring that this story made headlines!

Three Sheets

I saw the funniest TV program I have seen in the longest time last night. It is called Three Sheets and it is on the INHD channel. You have to have the high def box from Time Warner to get this channel (or satellite) but if you have it you simply must watch it.
The host, Zane Lamprey, approaches alcohol like a segment you’d see on the Daily Show. Ironically the first episode I saw was on Champagne. Zane goes to Champagne school, tours the chalk caves, and visits a local champagne bar in which he practically makes this stuffy, uptight, Frenchman chug a glass of champagne after teaching him how to play quarters. He then proceeds to drink 10 flutes of champagne to see if it will give you a hangover. (Sounds like my kinda game) As silly as he is, the show is still educational and not too stuffy.

It is my new fave show! To give you an idea, here are some snipits from an interview with him….

Did you ever throw parties at your house that your parents didn't know about?I didn't throw parties at my parents house growing up. If I did, I would have been crucified. So, I threw parties at my friend's homes. To one party, I brought three chickens. The next day there were feathers and chicken droppings everywhere. Chickens really like to party. The chickens were not harmed, but the house was.

Growing up did you ever set anything on fire?I grew up having ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), a label I eventually became proud of. If I had a dollar for the number of times I had something cooking on the stove, was distracted by something in the other room, and was startled by the smoke detector twenty minutes later, I could buy a year's supply of Ritalin.

Now, imagine this guy dealing with stuffy Frenchmen while getting drunk. Hysterical!!

I think it's going to be a low key weekend (for once). Maybe I can actually review some wines to post next week. Here's hoping!!

Cheers!

Wednesday, July 12th, 2006

Charles Harrison Bell


Baby Chaz (as his favorite aunt will now refer to him) came quite a bit unexpectedly this past weekend. He was born on Saturday, July 8th, 2006. It only took him about an hour to make his appearance known, but he is happy and healthy and pretty damn cute!! I am totally excited and have attached a picture. Unfortch, since he is so itty bitty I can’t hold him yet but trust me, I’ll post the pics when I can.

Everyone please raise you glass and help me toast the cutest, tiniest, newest addition to our family.

I wish you much love and happiness, and may Hudson always be able to kick your ass! ;)
CHEERS!!

This should also explain to many of you the lack of a post on Monday. But never fear, I am back in full force today!!




Running of the Bulls

The running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain is a yearly tradition. Now, I knew you had to have some big cahonies to step out in front of a bull with gargantuan horns, but it seems there is more to it than that. Apparently the festival is nothing more than nine days of drinking and debauchery. The bull runs start at 8am every morning and it seems that most people stay up all night drinking and then head to the streets to try to beat the bulls home.

After Thursday's official sanction, it will be nine days of drinking, drinking, and more drinking. Oh, and a daily dash down the cobblestone streets ahead of the lethal horns of six 3/4-ton bulls.
Revelers wearing white shirts and trousers, held up their red kerchiefs and shouted: "Long Live!" as champagne bottles popped and onlookers dumped buckets of water on the crowd from surrounding balconies.
It's impossible to escape the bash without a thorough drenching of beer, sangria, water and eggs, but nobody seems to mind.
"We've come to get drunk!" the crowd chanted, and they had come to the right place.
"It's awesome!" said Skippy Haisma, a 25-year-old Australian gripping a large bottle of beer and sitting on a box of booze in the center of the plaza several hours before the chupinazo began. He sported a circular tuft of dyed-red hair, and said he planned to run with the bulls as he did last year.
"I usually party on through the night, then go straight out to the runs. That's how the Spaniards do it," said the Melbourne native, admitting of his previous brush with the bulls: "I've never been so scared in my life, but I can't describe the adrenaline. What a feeling!"

OK, what should I address first, the fact that the old Skipper might be an alcoholic, or the fact that he’ll never get laid with a name like “Skippy”? Note to self: If ever in Pamplona, Spain for the running of the bulls, get your ass home and safely tucked into bed where it belongs before 8am!! Oh, and avoid drunken Aussie assholes named “Skippy”!


Hot, Hot, Hot!

We all have heard about global warming by this point in time right? But honestly, I never thought about it affecting grapes. Turns out that if the weather trend continues, much of California that successfully harvests grapes will be unable to. As much as 50-80% of vineyard land will be wiped out.

The main problem: An increase in the frequency of extremely hot days, according to Noah Diffenbaugh of the department of earth and atmospheric sciences at Purdue University.
Grapes used in premium wines need a consistent climate. When temperatures top about 95 degrees they have problems maintaining photosynthesis and the sugars in the grapes can break down, Diffenbaugh said in a telephone interview.


Harry Peterson-Nedry also filed reports on global warming affecting us here at home in this article he wrote in 2004.

So I know this is a more serious blog entry and not my usual format but I think it’s important to know that global warming is reversible and that it’s not just this huge scientific thing that doesn’t refer to our personal lives. Make a difference! If not for your children, then do it for the wine!!! Now back to my usual sarcastic self….

Lions and Tigers and Bears…..

A couple went to Lake Tahoe to enjoy the natural WILD scenery and was stupid enough to leave the top down on their Buick. In the backseat they had a BBQ chicken and jalapeno pizza, Jack Daniels, vodka, and beer. While going out for a nature stroll this is what they returned to find this………….


A bear cub drew a crowd of spectators at a Lake Tahoe neighborhood as it munched on barbecue-chicken-and-jalapeno pizza in the back seat of a vintage red Buick convertible.
It also apparently washed it down with a swig of a Jack Daniel's mixer, some vodka and a beer taken from a cooler, the vehicle's owner said.
The owner of the car, David Ziello of South Lake Tahoe, said the bear didn't cause any damage but slopped cheese and jalapenos on the seats and floor.

C’mon man. Do you realize what an ass you sound like when you say “The bear slopped cheese and jalapeno on the floor” Seriously??? Forget the fact that your precious Buick wasn’t at all harmed, and that the bear didn’t kick your ass for being such an idiot and driving a Buick while buying a BBQ chicken and jalapeno pizza (blech), and your main concern is the effing upholstery in the car???


Day at the Zoo

Kipp and I took the day off yesterday and took Hudson to the zoo. It was hot, but we had a blast. Hudson loved seeing the puffins, the swimming turtles, and the sea lions. Other than that, he was only concerned with all of the kids running around. All in all, when you consider that he was mostly in a stroller in 85-90 degree heat, he did very well. Here are some pics………….

So, that's it for today! See you on Friday!!
Cheers!

Friday, July 7th, 2006

The trouble with DuBeouf


There was a time when the third Thursday of each November meant something. People would eagerly go to their local wine stores to try the new Beaujolais Nouveau’s. Hell, major cities had large festivals blocking off streets for the celebrations. Lyon, France has a huge midnight festival where barrels are rolled down the streets for thirsty (gluttons for punishment) partiers.

The whole point of the festival was to let consumer’s enjoy a light, refreshing, easy-drinking wine from that year’s harvest (aka Kool-Aid like juice). Let’s wrap our head around this. If harvest is in early to mid-September, the grapes are crushed, fermented, bottled, and shipped within a 6-8 week period of time. There are styles of beer that can’t even be made that fast. So the point that I am trying to get at is that Beaujolais isn’t made, nor is it meant to be some incredibly complex wine.







The bottles themselves became synonymous with Georges DuBoeuf and his eye popping labels. Personally I think that most of them end up looking like the couches in a 90 year old retiree’s winter home in Miami. Case in point……

France has some pretty strict rules that date back hundreds of years. One of the main rules is that you can only use grapes in a wine that are from that specific area and are labeled as such. Georges DuBeouf has become the Wal-Mart of Beaujolais Nouveau selling 45 out of the 65 million bottles that are sold annually. Well my friends, it seems like those days may be coming to an end.
Georges DuBoeuf has been charged with knowingly mixing bad grapes into his Beaujolais Nouveau in order to add the rest of the good grapes to his higher priced Cru-Beaujolais wines.

Georges Duboeuf, 72, the erstwhile toast of connoisseurs and top chefs, was found guilty of "fraud and attempted fraud concerning the origin and quality of wines" and fined €30,000 ($51,000).
A court in Villefrance-sur-Saone, eastern France, found that his family business had knowingly blended good grapes with bad — a practice forbidden under the "appellation controlee" system — in the equivalent of 300,000 bottles of wine produced from gamay grapes from nine areas of Beaujolais country, north of Lyons.

So this just proves to me that when I tasted the ’04 DuBeouf Nouveau and said that it tasted like dirt and asparagus, I was right!! LOL.




What do they drink?
I am always fascinated with what other beverage industry people drink. I know that I drink it all – wine, beer, tequila – but do you ever wonder what winemakers drink? I mean hello….I know they drink their own wine but what do they have when it’s hotter than holy hell outside and all you really want is a beer? I know that when I was tasting wines all day all I wanted to do was to come home and have a beer. Likewise if my husband has been at beer festivals and events for days on end he just wants a glass of wine. So, I thought it would be cool to introduce you to some fun kids in Oregon I met while I was working harvest and tell you what they drink.


First, meet Josh Bergstrom. He actually went to school to become a brewmaster until at the last minute his parents bought a winery and roped him in to doing that.

Josh loves to kick back with a Guiness on tap and he loves Rogue’s beers as well. One of his fave seasonal brews is Deschutes Juble Ale.

“When you taste wine all year you can stress out your taste buds. Beer is so refreshing. It’s light in alcohol and cleanses your palate” says Bergstrom.

Josh, you could drink Sparks or even Schlitz with a mountain man look like that and I’d still love you!!! I feel like I am the emcee for a charity bachelor auction about now so I’ll try to tone it down.


Who doesn’t admire Rollin Soles, winemaker for Argyle? Rollin’s sparkling wine has the reputation for being the best Sparkling wine made is the U.S. and I tend to agree. And don’t forget about Nuthouse or Reserve Pinot Noir either! Rollin also loves Deschutes and Widmer Hefeweisen but the quote he gives for Foster’s is beyond hysterical.

“And no one drink’s Foster’s in Australia. It’s strictly made for export to the United States”

HAHAHAHAHAHA. Next time you see an ad for Fosters with the tagline “Foster’s…..it’s Australian for beer” feel free to giggle and think of our dear Rollin and his Oyster Crackers!!

Patty Green and her harvest crew prefer Negro Modelo and Sol and says they drink it at lunch for it’s refreshing carbonation. And Mike Etzel of Beaux-Freres prefers Pilsner Urquell.

Well kids, there you have it. Maybe we can make this a repeat kinda thing where when I meet winemakers or brewmasters I’ll ask ‘em what they are drinking.



These guys had some big “Tennis Balls”

Lanson Champagne is the official sponsor for Wimbeldon and likewise, the only Champagne supplier for the event. Apparently a delivery truck showed up to get the wine and transport it to the event. Soon after, the real delivery truck pulled up and people began to realize what was unfolding before them.

According to the BBC, an estimated 300 cases of Lanson Champagne, valued at nearly 90,000 pounds ($165,000), was lifted last Friday by a group of men posing as delivery guys. After their van passed through security without problems (maybe all eyes were on the courts), they loaded up the cargo and took off. It was only after the real delivery van arrived for the Champagne that the heist came to light. Lanson, which makes the official Champagne of Wimbledon 2006, confirmed that a great deal of their special bottling was nicked, but spokespeople for the Champagne house declined to tell Unfiltered more. London's Metropolitan police have ordered them not to make comments to the press, at least until investigators find out who was behind the racket.


Lanson, you just got served!!!! Hahaha! Sorry I had to, it was just too easy. Get it, served??



Andi, I think I just vomited a little!




Wit reader Andi sent me this label which is also a wine from the winery that makes Tiny Bubbles whom we talked about Wednesday. C'mon People, do you want me to gouge my eyes out? Well, meet LeslieLou White Trash White. Look at the label....fine wine my ass. And what does "Special Grape Libations" mean anyway?? Maybe she can try out to be the next Cleavage Creek Model.









Cartoon for the weekend
So, this Friday I thought I’d leave you with a wine cartoon for good measure. The picture is rather small but the case box says New York State Red Wine.



Big weekend coming up. Marc Winstead (the 40 year old virgin- just kidding) is getting married to Sabrina Watts from WV so we all know how wild that could get. It will be a 3 day affair so wish me luck!! Have a great weekend!

Cheers!

Wednesday, July 5th, 2006

Happy Birthday America!!
I hope all of you had a festive Fourth holiday! I had a great time at Kevin and Julie's annual party and it was so much fun to see all of the babies that were smaller than my Hudson. With that being said, let's get to it!!

Highland Brewing Company
Have I told you how much I love Highland Brewing Company? They make a special seasonal brew every year called Cold Mountain that I simply die for. The only problem with Cold Mountain is that it is only released once a year and in a very limited quantity.


My solution for the problem is sucking down as much Tasgall Ale that I can find. Tasgall has recently hit the area in 22 oz bottles now that the NC 6% beer limit has been increased. It is soooooo good and one of my favorite beers. But hey, let’s not forget about Gaelic, the brewery’s flagship beer. This beer is the perfect everyday beer. It goes great with food and damnit, it just tastes good. So, when I found this article from the Asheville newspaper stating that Highland was making an Imperial Gaelic, I got all giddy inside. Yep, that’s right – the Imperial Gealic will be the last beer to be brewed in the brewery’s old location and will be released in 1 litre bottles in Asheville only. Because I love all 3 of you who read my blog on a regular basis I’ll keep you posted on when it will be available in Asheville so you can score some for yourselves. Good Lord I can’t wait.

Ps-I feel I should disclose that my husband does some side work for Highland Brewery but please know that in no way would I let that affect my writing and opinions. If I didn’t like their products, I just wouldn’t write about it. With that being said, Highland rocks and you should support a local brewer!!


New Crack Beers
Well they’re at it again. Miller has just purchased Sparks caffeinated beer. Or should I say….caffeinated crap!! LOL
The citrus-flavored Sparks has taurine, ginseng and guarana, besides caffeine, and an alcohol content of between 6 percent and 7 percent, depending on the style. Its compound annual growth rate grew 107 percent between 2003 and last year, SABMiller said. Steel Reserve, with an alcohol content of 8.1 percent, saw sales grow 35 percent in the same period.
Wow! Maybe next they’ll come up with a beer that just cuts through the chase and has crack added to it. I know my girl Whitney Houston would love it. Hell, she and Bobby could sing the jingle. Oh wait, it seems that Miller has read our mind and already produced such product…

Miller launched its own caffeinated beverage, Mickey's Stinger, in California, Nevada and Arizona in late May, Marino said. He said he's heard the introduction has done well but it's still too early to tell whether the beverage will be sold beyond those markets.

Last year, Anheuser-Busch released Tilt, a raspberry-flavored malt beverage with caffeine and herbal additives. The company also offers B-to-the-E, which also has a sweet, caffeine-infused flavor. The company's high gravity lager, Hurricane High Gravity, launched in 2005.

The deal should also help Miller improve its distribution among urban convenience stores, where Sparks and Steel Reserve have strong placement, Marino said. Likewise Miller expects to bring those two brands into more supermarkets, he said.

Mickey’s “hand grenade” Stinger huh? Sure makes me want to run right out and buy some. B to the E? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Nice. It is clear to me that they are steering towards marketing to the wealthy white people of America who shop for alcohol in convenience stores!!

Trash-tastic Labels
I’ve posted in the past some very “interesting” wine labels. Believe it or not, I have found 2 more that deserve thoughtful observation.




First let me introduce you to Bubbles. Tiny Bubbles that is. Jebus, this label is hurtin in a bad kinda way. What would possess someone to buy this wine much less drink it is way beyond me. Tiny Bubbles reminds me of something you might see the morning after a night of debauchery at your sketchy friends bachelor party with a ringing headache and a rash that just won’t go away. Nice tatt Tiny!! Wait a minute...is that Roseann Barr on the label?? Oh man I gotta move on. This is disturbing.













Our second label is Cat Pee on a Gooseberry Bush. Mmmmmmmm. Doesn’t that make you want to but some? And what the hell is a gooseberry anyway?

In fact, if they make a red they should call it “Hot Steamy Pile o’ Crap Zin” or something to that effect. Yeah, I think I just vomited a little.







Restaurant Review
The old man and I hardly ever get to go out to eat anymore. Having a one year old who likes to throw tantrums (or silverware take your pick) just doesn’t make it to accessible for us anymore. However I am happy to report that over our miniature vacation we were able to eat lunch at Xia in downtown Winston Salem. The wait staff was decked out in all black and the walls were red. There was a large wall fountain hanging in the back and Asian inspired paintings around the rest of the dining room. The space they are working with was rather small but it seemed cozy as opposed to cramped. There was also a patio area in the front for those of us who live for al fresco dining. I thought it was pretty cool that the menu came in a bamboo holder and it was an actual cloth scroll that it was printed on. While the menu seemed a little “PF Chang’s” inspired, it was still very good. I had the Singapore street noodles and it was simply divine. It was just the right amount of spicy and savory. I highly recommend it. Pricing was in the $10-$15 range and the amount of food was worth it.

Xia
134 North Spruce Street
Winston Salem, NC
11-10 Monday – Saturday
336-723-1400

Cheers!