Drink Eat Love

Sorry!

Loyal readers — Sorry for the lack of warning, as both Jeff & I were out of town (together) this past week. We were tending to the serious business of Jeff's bachelor send-off in Las Vegas. We had some great meals and other experiences — what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas — some of which we'll write up for you in this space over the next week or so.

See ya soon!

Some Light Reading

All wine labels are not created equal. Domestic (U.S.) labels are easier than most, since they are mostly a) in English, and b) varietally labeled. With most of the New World following suit, at least on the latter point, a wine novice could be forgiven for wondering what a Loire wine is when they first see the listing on a label.

What follows is a non-comprehensive, but hopefully useful, guide for our wine primer readers on how to read a wine label.

Apologies

A quick note of apology to our feed readers, as I think I've managed to republish every post since we started! Just doing some maintenance...you can go ahead and mark all read.

Tasting Notes

Tasting notes....Dave thinks they are boring. I believe tasting notes are quite important. We in the industry take them so we can remember what the heck we tasted so when it comes times to buy, recommend, or help pair food with wine we will be able to do so with more accuracy and confidence. I do agree that many people who write tasting notes are boring or never tell you anything about what the wine taste likes but I feel they are important to the consumer (who does not have the chance to try before they buy), the retailer and the sommelier.

Anyone Can Cook...Even Me

To follow up on the "anyone can cook" theme, I wanted to offer a recipe that is easy to make, good for you, and REALLY yummy! I have cooked this 4 times in the past three weeks. It features Yukon River Salmon as the focal point of the dish and is as simple as simple can be. In the majority of the cooking I do, I prefer the main ingredient to speak for itself and let the spices or sauces just add a kiss of flavor. This makes it VERY important for you to source the best available ingredients for your dishes.

Anyone Can Cook...Even a Rat

The title of this entry is appropriate for me. I started cooking when I was very young. Both my parents are foodies. For the majority of my childhood they took me along to restaurants and, most memorably, they cooked great meals at home. In the most recent Pixar film, "Ratatouille" the theme running throughout the movie is, "Anyone can cook." It does not say everyone will be a great cook but if you have passion, heart and are able to let go, you can cook, even a rat.

Michigan Wine

The New York Times ran a story today about the Michigan wine country in the Leelanau Peninsula near Traverse City. I just wanted to point you in that direction, and urge you to check it out as soon as possible! The wines are okay right now — with the exception of Larry Mawby's sparkling wines, which are superb — and they're getting better every day. It's also a quintessentially Michigan place to visit, with plenty of rolling green hills, gorgeous Lake Michigan views, and charming little towns, some disarmingly tourist-trappy. While you're there, you should definitely check out the Sleeping Bear sand dunes, as fun at 34 as they were at four.

That's all. Oh, and there are a few very good restaurants open for the summer as well.

Links
NYT Escapes article on MI wine country (subscription may be required)
Leelanau Peninsula Vintner's Association
L. Mawby winery
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Soul-Satisfying Sushi

Amberly's migraine left-overs weren't up for opening night at Harry Potter, so we just went around the corner to Eiji on Sanchez & 16th. Man, that place is good! We've been there before, initially lured by the promise of fresh tofu, but the specials board (and the sushi) keep calling us back. 

A Note on Tasting Notes

Jeff & I sat down to taste on Tuesday, as we are wont to do. I think he will be starting to post his tasting notes soon. I'm of a different mind — I generally find tasting notes kinda boring. If they're wildly accurate, they're kinda dry, and if they're too fanciful, they're less about the wine than they are the imagination. Not that imagination's a bad thing, just not too helpful.

Aaaanyway, that doesn't mean that I won't write them (or haven't)... I keep notes for myself to refer back to wines and jog my memory about them. I find that, otherwise, my memory is kinda fuzzy. I tend to have other connotations with a wine other than my tasting of it, which color my overall impression positively or negatively.

And then, there's the to-do about ratings...

Salad Days for Pinot Days?

I admit, big trade/public tastings make me cranky. So take this with a grain of salt, if you must. Don't get me wrong, I love pinot noir, and I am very grateful to my friend Lorne over at Benton Lane, for whom I poured briefly today...

The Pinot Days 2007 tasting in Fort Mason today was disappointing a mixed bag.

Some standouts were there, for sure — established wineries making really good wine that might or might not have had much to actually sell at this moment. Among those were some that I represent: Calera and Failla, for instance. I'm not going out on a limb here, and don't feel too much of a conflict, since a) I don't get to sell these to my direct customers, and b) they are selling every bottle they make without my plug. Regardless, you should buy these wines when you see them on a wine list. They rock; I will continue to say so long after I stop representing them.