Bits and pieces

May 29th, 2008

We’ve taken a short blogging break, but we’re about to be back in full force. In the meantime, we thought we’d tease you with a handful topics we’ll be covering soon. First up, the “what we’ve…” series:

*What we’ve been drinking lately: Alphonse Mellot Sancerre, Amavi Cabernet from Walla Walla, and Selene Sauvignon Blanc. Notes forthcoming.

*What we’ve been eating lately (this might be better titled “what haven’t we been eating lately): Father’s Office in Culver City, Let’s Be Frank in Culver City, and what appears to be becoming a weekly date at Sushi Ike in Hollywood

*What we’ve been reading lately: we breezed through the Alice Feiring book a couple weeks back, and this Sex and the City for the wine set was equal parts page-turner and head-scratcher. We only wish the next Wine Book Club selection, To Cork or Not To Cork, was as easy a read.

*Who we’d like to have a glass of wine with: first up, Olive. She’s a dog. We kid you not.

Additional features will include:

*Stocking the wine cellar of a cooking legend: let’s just say you can’t fool somebody with as trained a palate as Anne Willan; she doesn’t like Cabernet Franc and can definitely pick it out in a blind tasting.

*Recap of our stunning Tablas Creek wine dinner at Campanile: this has yet to occur, and you can still reserve space as it’s next week (Tuesday, June 3rd). It will be great…we promise! Details can be found here.

*Wine Blogging Wednesday: White Rhone Varieties hosted by Dr. Debs.

So, see you all soon with lots of witty wine writing (we hope) and maybe some useful information as well. And many more images, since we know all this text is BORING to look at. We promise, more pictures pronto.

2 Responses to “Bits and pieces”

noble pig
May 31st, 2008 at 6:49 am

It all sounds great!
Amy
June 4th, 2008 at 9:17 am

Jill, I just read an interview with this alice fer-whatever person in the organic wine journal and I was offended. I can’t explain it - it just got me really angry! It hit some sort of carnal untapped nerve that had been dormant for years or something.

I was so offended that I had to comment on it, from my iPhone! That is difficult and time consuming, but I couldn’t even wait until I got home. I hope the book wasn’t as close minded and inept as the interview. I’m sure she’s a nice person and all (sp?), but does she have any idea idea how difficult it is to make and to sell wine? Her comments about buying grapes vs. owning land were so flip that I wanted to scream. We could all own vineyard land I suppose and then charge $120 for a bottle of wine and then I’m sure she would complain about that.

Wow… ok.. I feel better now… How was the Tablas Creek dinner last night?? So sorry we couldn’t make it! I really adore those wines.

Have you and your main squeeze been to Palate yet??

get your wine on

2007 Scholium Project Naucratis Verdelho

Abe Schoener strikes again, this time with a great Verdelho at a slightly lower price-point than the Gemella. This is 100% tank-fermented and a very dry, mineral-laden wine. This is one of the reasons why Schoener is earning status as a winemaker as a cult winemaker. It delivers. $28 for Scholium goodness.

2007 Skylark Cellars Alondra Chardonnay

I admit, I really don’t dig Chardonnay, so you don’t see many around these parts. I do, however, love this one. Not surpisingly, it’s unoaked. $18 of un-oaked, un-malo’ed goodness!

2007 La Fenetre “A Coté” Red Blend, Santa Barbara County from Timeless Palate Wines

This is astoundingly good for the money. It’s 60% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard, and 40% Merlot from the Bien Nacido Vineyard. The winemaker, Josh Klapper, is a mere 29 years old and one to watch. This is red, juicy and lush but not over the top. $18 and worth every penny.

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freshly pressed

Wine Store Design Continued: More Racks and Lights and Stuff:

Just a couple of images for the now…

Some of the single-depth racks, assembled (thanks again to Tim Krablin of Modern Cellar for the photo)…

And the interior of one of the lampshades, of which there will be 48, in three different shades of blue-ish purple. Keep in mind this is 36″ in diameter — as in three feet (the exterior is aluminum, non-powdercoated. I’ll let your imagination do the work).

Maybe one day I’ll post about the wines I’ve been tasting and stocking, and actually try to sell you something…which would possibly help me pay for all these neat things…ummmm, maybe next week…

Wine Store Design Continued: More Racks and Lights and Stuff

June 19th, 2009

Wine Store Design Part 4: Wine Rack Construction

June 5th, 2009

Wine Store Design Part 3: Urinal Defense Fund

June 3rd, 2009

wine jargon

Frizzante
From Wikipedia: Frizzante is an Italian wine term term for semi-sparkling wine (as opposed to Spumante, which is generally used for fully sparkling wines). Frizzante wines generally owe their bubbles to a partial secondary fermentation in tank. You might notice a light fizz or tingly sensation on the tongue with a Frizzante wine, compared to the more carbonated sensation that more fully sparkling wines yield.

Scorekage
Okay, so we made up this word yesterday after a great restaurant experience. We brought a bottle of wine with us, expecting to pay a corkage fee. But the restaurant either forgot to charge us the $15, or decided to be nice to us. We scored! Hence, “scorekage” has entered our lexicon. This can also refer to BYO friendly restaurants that don’t charge for corkage under any circumstances.

Frizzante

March 29th, 2008

Scorekage

March 23rd, 2008

Rioja

March 3rd, 2008

grapewise

I recently stopped by Venokado, a new-ish shop in LA. I bought a Lirac imported by Kermit Lynch, and it was yummers. Last night I had the pleasure of spending some time with one of its owners, Susan Brink.

domaine547