86-ing George Clooney – My New Standard of Wine Excellence
He’s said to be very courteous, very open to his fans, and an all-around nice guy. And hot. Definitely hot. For a while he had a girlfriend from Vegas. It wasn’t me.
Dammit.
Spotlight Stuff
Summer Red Wines
So don’t confine yourself to champagnesque sparklers or whites during the heat. Next time you fire up the grill, pop the cork on a bottle of Sparkling Shiraz and enjoy!
Taming My Inner Bob Vino … er, *Vila*!
So I’m in the process of doing a lot of writing in order to catch up since I’ve been such a slacker in the posting arena. (Do I write about the beautiful 2000 Chianti I just had or paint trim? Gotta paint trim.)
Napa Cab Shows Its Stuff
So just how good could an 11-year-old Napa Cab be?
Please. You’re kidding, right?
News
2010 Hug Cellars Cedar Lane Vineyard Pinot Noir
It’s Saturday night, and I’ve spent the last several hours visiting my mother in the hospital (she’s doing fine, by the way. Flirting with the young single male help. She’s 90 and disappointed that they won’t flirt back), and talking to the Wineaux Guy on the phone.
Tastings in Vegas
Sometimes you just want to taste wine, whether to enjoy a wine you know you can’t afford, or if you’re just looking for something to pop the cork (or {{{shudder}}} *unscrew*)
Taming My Inner Bob Vino … er, *Vila*!
So I’m in the process of doing a lot of writing in order to catch up since I’ve been such a slacker in the posting arena. (Do I write about the beautiful 2000 Chianti I just had or paint trim? Gotta paint trim.)
Best Laid Plans, blah blah blah
But fear not! My remaining HGTV projects are few and I’m happy to be writing again!
Blast from the Past
From the Archives – I Love Cat Pee in My Wine
And the fact that I like – even *expect* – the aroma of cat pee in my Sauvignon Blanc in no way indicates that I have a fetish for sniffing cat boxes.
Spotlight on John Curtas
This was the interview I did in 2008 with John Curtas, our own intrepid restaurant critic who has gone on to bigger and better things, including Iron Chef America judge, author, and separated-at-birth celebrity!
Robert Parker, Wine, and Menopause
So why is it that the overwhelming majority of official wine tasters and critics are men? It’s not because they’re better at the sniffing or tasting. It’s because they have better memories. And because they don’t go through menopause.
From the Archives – Could Steeles be Dead in the Sweet Water?
Happily, they eventually closed. Apparently, bad service – no matter how great the food – was the karma that blessed Sweet Water. In its place, however, rose STEELES, an eclectic fusion steakhouse. Whatever that means.
Reviews 'n Stuff
2010 Hug Cellars Cedar Lane Vineyard Pinot Noir
It’s Saturday night, and I’ve spent the last several hours visiting my mother in the hospital (she’s doing fine, by the way. Flirting with the young single male help. She’s 90 and disappointed that they won’t flirt back), and talking to the Wineaux Guy on the phone.
Napa Cab Shows Its Stuff
So just how good could an 11-year-old Napa Cab be?
Please. You’re kidding, right?
Why Rosé is Like Sex
Let me explain. We already know that not every Rosé is like sex. I mean, after all, White Zinfandel is a Rosé. I mean, technically speaking. But really. Ew.
Aged Ain’t Old – Revisiting an Old Fave
I’m going to be 60 my next birthday. Do I want to spend a gazillion dollars for a wine that will be good enough to drink in ten or more years, possibly “peaking” in 25? Uh. No.
Other Recent Posts
&*#@%!# Real Life! I Miss Y’all!
Coming up soon will be a quick rehash of some of the wine events I’ve attended, reviews of wines (including a couple of Paso Robles rosés – yum), and the usual chit chat. “Chit Chat” is a very good thing!
New Member of the Blog Family!
Then while driving to work one day I saw a man riding a recumbent bike down the street, and I went nuts. It took a few months of investigation and research, but I’m now a recumbent triker. That’s right. Triker. As in three wheels. I’ve returned to my toddlerhood.
Rub It On, Drink It Down – What?
Use external sun protection anyway. At the time I write this, we’re having Surface of the Sun temps in Vegas, and when you live in an environment as harsh as this, drinking red wine alone won’t do the job. Of course, you can also take your wine in pill form – also known as grapes.
Wineaux(z) Meet Safari Fun!
There were lizards, monkeys, apes (all toys, of course), backpacks, outback hats, leopard prints, khaki, and tiger stripes. The wines were from Africa and Australia. My favorite wine of the evening was a Tukulu Pinotage (2006? I didn’t take notes!) which was as smoky and luscious as any I’ve ever had. I shamelessly stole the cork.
A Tale of Two Ages – New Wine or Old?
One of the complaints I’ve received about my occasional tasting notes and/or videos is that I’m tasting wines that sometimes cannot be purchased anywhere any more. I would like to say I’m sorry, but I’m really not.
And Now for Something New! We Do Beer!
With that being said, when Issa at Khoury’s Fine Wine and Spirits showed me the four-pack of CoCoNut Porter – that’s not a typo – I hesitated only a moment before I grabbed one. What the heck. I did look askance at Issa, and he grinned and said, “it’s not sweet.”
The Saga – End of the Appliance Nightmare?
KitchenAid/Whirlpool customer service? What?!? Did you think it would be any different from the microwave fiasco? Hahahaha!
Greek Wine. Who Knew? – Night of White Wines Surprises
My opinion of Greek wine was shaped by Retsina, so my expectations were, to say the least, quite low, and I was prepared to retch. When my guests heard that I had a Greek wine, their reactions ranged from wrinkled noses to abject horror.
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