Daniel Rogov

I suppose my ego likes to think that at least a few people will remember me for at least a few years for having introduced them to the pleasures of fine wine and fine dining. From a perhaps more realistic point of view, I would hope that those few who truly love me will think of me whenever they open a bottle of fine wine or as they take a first bite of pate de foie gras en croute.

On a perhaps somewhat amusing note, a reliable correspondent who resides in Lebanon has repoted that Manishewitz gefilte fish is offered in several gourmet shops in Beirut. I do not, however, have the feeling that their wines are going to make it to anything but the kosher shelves. And in that, I cannot help but remind all of us that nowhere in the wisdom or laws of Judaism that one has to drink bad wine at Passover!

MizDucky, Hi.... If they choose to frown let that be their problem and not yours. Even in the most posh restaurants it is perfectly acceptable to use the fingers to eat asparagus, or to finish off lamb chops, ribs, chicken bones and shell- fish. And, because good sauces are often the greatest pride of chefs, it is always appropriate to use bread to mop up whatever sauce remains on one's diner plate. As a rule of thumb, in inexpensive places, take a small piece of bread in hand, dip it in the sauce, and eat it. In truly fine restaurants, unless you have already earned a reputation for being an eccentric, it is considered proper to break the bread by hand, place it on the plate and spear it with a fork to pick up the gravy. It is never appropriate, however, in anything but the lowest priced restaurants, to lick one's fingers.

Ditsy, Hi.... As many have stated,the "best" felfafel joint is the one you conclude to be the best. In this case, I'll have to say that my own two favorite two felafel joints are indeed in Haifa - Felafel ha Zkeinim (the felafel of the old men) and Michel's, one across the street from the other and both existing for more than 40 years. Such enemies are the two that every morning at 10 a.m. the staff at HaZkeinim send a felfafel to the staff at Michel's with a hand written note: "If you want to know what really good felafel is, try this one" and at 11a.m the staffat Michel's sending a felafel across the street and returning the note, this one signed by themselves. As to toppings - interestingly many of the very best felafel joints offer a relatively small choice of toppings - (small in this case being a question of definition - e.g. amba sauce, tchina, moderately hot peppers, supremely hot peppers, picked cabbage, onions with sumac, pickled carrots and swet green peppers) while it is the more mass-market and not always very good felafel joints that can put out as many as30 different salads. Many of the 30 salad joints offer you a single pita bread and then you fill it ourself. In places like that I often pop a single felafel ito my mouth and if not up to my standards will then fill my pita with as many of the salads and condiments that I choose, leaving the felafel to others. You must realize of course that Tel Avivians are still in mourning over the closing of Felafel ha Malchot (the Queen's Felafel), the only true gourmet felafel ever offered on this planet (by the owners of the Orna and Ella Cafe).

For years Riedel and others taught us that holding a wine glass by the bowl instead of the stem (a) warmed the wine unnecessarily and (b) left nasty fingerprints on clean bowls. Either someone lied to us then or they are lying to us now. The joke making the rounds in some circles is that Riedel is about to come out with a new offering - stems and epoxy glue!

Beware buying felafel mixes. Although locals can discuss for hours - oyez, weeks and even months - where the best felafel is to be found all, regardless of whether Israeli, Palestinian, Syrian, Egyptian, Lebanese all agree that the only way to make felafel is fresh. Perhaps the only thing on which all of us are in agreement but as night follows day, as low tide follows high, dried mixes or even even mixes purchased an hour in adance to be prepared at home will simply never taste as good. Come to think of it, isn't that the 11th Commandment?

Flying Pigs, Old Farts and Naked Grapes Daniel Rogov Marilyn Merlot and the Naked Grape: Odd Wines From Around the World Peter F. May Quirk Books, Philadelphia ISBN I-59474-099-2 As there are winemakers who dedicate their lives to the preparation of great wines, so there must be men and women who have an equal dedication to consuming those wines. In fact, one of the great charms of true wine lovers is that they exaggerate everything that involves their passion for the fermented juice of the grape. With the publication of Marilyn Merlot and the Naked Grape, Peter May plants himself firmly and permanently among the ranks of those men and women to whom wine and exaggeration walk comfortably hand in hand with such great charm. The book is not so much as the sub-title claims about "odd wines from around the world" as it concerns itself with odd labels and odd names that have been given to wines. Reproduced beautifully, some of these labels are indeed hysterical and others simply give pause for thought. As to names, think if you will of wines called Arrogant Frog, The Ball Buster, Bearitage, Ceci N'est Pas un Carignan (This is Not Carignan), Cleavage Creek, Flying Pig and The Dog's Bollocks. As to labels, think of the title label, that of the 2001 Marilyn Merlot wine, with a photo of a Marilyn so innocent you could break into tears; the portrait of the truly curmudgeonly figure on the bottle of Old Fart Grenache-Syrah; or the portrait of a quite well padded tuxedo clad, white handkerchief in hand frog that adorns the label of Paddarotti. And, when it comes to pure chutzpah, think of the wine called The Unpronounceable Grape (I suppose one should mention that the grape in question is the Hungarian Czerszegi Fuszeres); or White Trash White produced in Bakersfield, California. Nor should we forget Fat Bastard Chardonnay and the hippo that adorns its label. No less important, to add to the charm of the labels, the story of each is told and a casual tasting note including in nearly all cases the blend accompanies each as well. Leaving wine aside for a moment, this delightful little book serves another purpose as well, demonstrating handily that books are indeed a far, far better thing than either cinematic or internet interpretations. Even though this book is built largely about Peter May's own well established internet site which can be found at http://www.winelabels.org/ , the book shows very nicely that there is are enormous intellectual and sensual differences between different forms of media. Books, like fine wine, have a touch, a heft, an aroma, a body. And more than that, there is something far more intimate, more endearing to leafing through the pages of a book than by merely hitting a "enter" button and moving on to another page as it pops up on one's screen. Simply stated, seeing or reading on an internet site leaves the thing you are reading a mere object, one that remains the property of someone else but holding a book in its hand as you caress its pages makes it and its contents your own. Overall, an unmitigated delight from a man who knows very well that even the things we love most offer great opportunities for quiet laughter or even, on occasion, an out-and-out guffaw. The book is available from Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/gp/produ...=UTF8 P.S. In the name of full disclosure, I know Peter May largely because he participates on my own wine discussion forum. Alas, although we have tried, we have never met and I have no interest whatever in his book other than as a reviewer.

Anne, Hello... Still not my cup of tea. Imagine all of the effort required in setting up all of those awnings, of having to do the dishes, of stowing utensils and foodstuffs in the appropriate storge places. Not my idea of vacationing. Survival perhaps but vacationing? Perhaps if someone were to drive me to the place where that camper was set up (ideally of course in a Lambhorgini), serve the meal and then drive me back to my hotel in the heart of Paris, San Moritz or wherever, but ye gods.......what does one do about the ants???? No fear. (a) I'm exaggerating a bit and (b) in a long career as a wine and restaurant critic I've been called far worse than a "princess".

I suppose the longest for me was a meal in 1990 when passing a single night in Miami. Because I decided to make an article out of that visit (before joining a Carribean cruise), I made my way in the same evening to 12 different restaurants, at each dining on a single course. The "meal" started at six in the evening and concluded at eight the following morning when finally it was time to board my ship. I am not at all embarassed to admit that once aboard and in my cabin that I made my way immediately to the buffet brunch that was being offered, there to down a dozen raw oysters and two lobsters stuffed with crabmeat. Only then, finally, to sleep.....

I've read this thread with interest. My sincere apologies to all but "camping" as you have defined it strikes me as being of far too much effort and I'll be the first to admit that to me "camping" means installing myself at the Badrutt Palace Hotel in San Moritz, the Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo, the Carlton in London or the George V in Paris. What can I say....an unrepentent hedonist. As to camping in the way most of you define it, and again with apologies, I'll be willing to do that if ever again I have to serve in the US Marine Corps or if Armageddon comes to pass. Don't get me wrong, I think its great that you enjoy it. Just not my cup of vacationary or culinary tea.

Returned from Madrid two days ago. On one of my early morning strolls I was approached by a homeless man of about 50 years of age who asked if I could spare three Euros for coffee and churros. I invited him to join me for breakfast and we entered a pleasant neighborhood bar-restaurant and I asked him to order whatever he wanted from the menu. He ordered coffee and churros. I told him that he could have literally whatever he wanted and his response was that "I asked for three Euros and that's all I need". I think he did not see the several tears that fell from my eyes. I am reminded of the Shalom Aleichem tale of Yona who died and made his way to heaven. He was greeted by angels to who took him to the throne of God and God said to him (I am paraphrasing): "Yona, all of your life you never complained. You were in Auschwitz and continued to seek the few pleasures that you could fid and never complained; you survived and opened a business and your partner stole every penny you had andyou never complained; your wife left you and took your clothing and your furniture, and you never complained. You suffered terrible diseases and never complained. Now you are in Heaven. Whatever you want is yours. Whatever..just name it". Yona hesitated for a moment and said "Perhaps every morning a bit of butter with my roll". As a wine and food critic I am very aware every day that there is something terribly immoral about what I do. After all, even though 40% of the population of our planet is born hungry, lives their whole lives hungry and dies hungry, who the devil am I to write about the glories of fine cuisine????? My catharsis for the year 2006!!!!

Today..... a cheese omelet, a pate de campagne, green salad with vinaigrette, black and green olives, cornichons, lightly toasted day-old baguette generously spready with butter, a delicious Israeli rose (Yatir winery, 2005), espresso coffee. As Damon Runyon would have put it, "nicely, nicely".

Nah.....it wasn't at all a scam. Completely legitimate. The problem was that it was a bore. As I've written in my own columns.....something akin to recreating Woodstock....the first time spontaneous and fun, the second time commercial and somewhat redundant.

I am fully with Steven Shaw (Fat Guy) on this one. As noted in the wisdom of nearly every religion and culture on our planet: "If its like an egg, it's not as good as an egg"

Earlier on this thread, someone commented that non-dairy creamers fall into the category of "sin". Wrong......non-dairy creamers are what our ancestors were thinking of when they came up with the word "abomination". Equally abominable in my eyes - "kosher shrimp" (made by extruding and recombining North Sea Pollack". I remember reviewing this product when it made its appearance in Israel and, knowing that at least some of my readers might have a problem understanding what I wanted to say, closed my article with: "And to those of you my readers who keep kashrut, I turn to you on bended knee and plead with you to believe me.....these things do not look like real shrimp, they do smell like real shrimp, they do not taste like real shrimp and real shrimp are far, far, better"

As might be said, there is good news and there is bad news. The bad news is that this can happen under several circumstances - in your own case for example, of a high sensitivity to acidity, excess alcohol or in others to TCA or Brett; in the case where one tastes 20, 30 or more wines and starts to feel a dullness of the palate; after brushing one's teeth; after eating certain kinds of food (especially chili-pepper based hot foods). The good news is that this isn't as catastrophic to tasting wines as might be burning the palate or tongue with a super-hot pizza. Several suggestions for avoiding it: (a) When you know you're going to be tasting wines (or dining well) brush your teeth without toothpaste or, if you must use something, baking soda; (b) avoid super hot foods; © avoid chocolate (which coats the taste buds and thus dulls the palate. Several suggestions for dealing with the phenomenon: (a) Travel with a small plastic bag with coold cooked white rice - boiled, no salt. (b) Travel always with a small medium or soft toothbrush. When you feel that this situation has occured make your way to a private place (ideal a toilet facility), there first to brush your tongue with the toothbrush and then rinse your mouth. Second, to chew the white rice well, making sure that it gets all over your tongue and hits the roof of your mouth as well as the inside of your cheeks. Do not swallow the rice.....simply spit it out (that's why privacy is required) and then again rinse your mouth well with cold water. If that doesn't work smile, make your way back to either work or your meal and drink water instead of wine.

As a person who adores travel and often travels alone, I never hesitate to make reservations for one at any restaurant to which I want to go. I have rarely been turned down and never, never felt the least bit awkward. I will say though that I have a duel role - that of a person who thrives on dining out and as a restaurant-wie critic. In that second role, the restaurant that will not seat a single gets at least one black mark in my reviews. I am aware that the ideal table for a restaurant is one for four as that takes a single waiter, the same time, the same overhead expenses and the same effort as a table for one but that is one of the "risks" that restauateurs must take from time to time. The man or woman who dines alone on one evening may return a half a dozen times later with a group of 2 -3 friends.

Craig, Hi..... Responding to parts of your post and quite glad that I am still wearing my bullet-proof vest (a) You say that I may be implying that people shouldn't disagree with the critic. Forgive me but I neither said nor implied that... You will note that three of the five posts above agree with me. Agreement is never the criterion!!!! As I have said, even on e-gullet on many occasions, "if the critic is not open to criticism, nobody should be". I'll go a step further - the critic who is loved by and agreed with by all who read him/her is a truly bad critic because he/she has become not a critic but the leader of a cult. (b) The ones that do not meet "my" criteria are those that say nothing about the wine. What "sucks" to one may be nectar to another. Writing that a wine "sucks" for example says nothing whatsoever about the wine and that is the whole point of the exercise!!! On the opposite quality coin, writing "fabulous" also says nothing. The wine that is fabulous to me may not be to the taste of someone else. What is important is description and evaluation together. © As much as we all agree that wine is an experience to be enjoyed, the writer of a tasting note has the responsibility of stating precisely why the wine may or may not be enjoyed. Forgive me, but there are indeed standards! (d) Agreed that there are many who write excellent tasting notes and not all are professionals. I am not at all defending the "turf" of the professional. In fact, I don't care a hoot for turf protection. You will find no-one more opposed to the concept of guilds than I. (e None of the above tasting notes quoted was taken out of context. Those are the full tasting notes posted!!! That's why I chose them!!!! And what about all of those people who post the tasting notes of Parker, the Wine Spectator, Decanter Tanzer, and yes, even Rogov? (f) As to whether Tignanello is overpriced - absolutely! As indeed is Opus 1. Not to mention of course Screaming Eagle. Tasting notes, however relate entirely to the wine, its qualities, strengths and weaknesses, etc. Not to its price. After all, if a wine is tasted blind you have no idea whether you're drinking a $11 Chianti or a $70 Super-Tuscan (whatever that term may mean). Following the tasting note is the place to comment on the value for money (qpr) of the wine. Indeed that may make the difference when it comes to knowing whether you may want to buy the wine, but it says nothing about the wine itself. Finally, what I am defending is (a) intelligence expressed in written form; (b) the standards that should apply to any human endeavor, that in the case under discussion including of course both wine and criticism; © the ability of people to communicate in an intelligible fashion.

Well, other than that the article is a few weeks out of date (the Bordeaux barrel tastings took place some while ago now), and other than for the hype, I suppose we really are seeing that 2005 is going to prove an excellent year for many of the Bordeaux producers. If there are two problems with the very best 2005 Bordeaux wines those are (a) that many of them are going to be very, very, very expensive indeed and (b) some of the top wines won't be at their peak for 15, 20 or 25 years which means that the most affluent age group that might have bought them may not be alive by the time these wines are ready. On which, one of the rare times I'll allow myself the use of a

With part of this discussion turning to the value of tasting notes, I cannot help but agree with John L. that " Tasting notes are meant to convey information about a wine. …there is a science involved (contrary to what too many believe) it is not all subjective.Professional Wine tasting is science and art--objective and subjective to be sure. It requires training, knowledge and experience" Indeed some amateur wine lovers are very knowledgeable and write superb notes. I think, for example, of Florida Jim whose notes are invariably not only a pleasure to read but written with broad knowledge and understanding. On the other hand I think of those many (!!) who post notes that reflect neither information nor understanding, something akin to describing pi as "that 3.14 number". Indeed professionals writing for newspapers and magazines are limited in form and in word content. I think of my own column, for example, in which, in addition to a brief introduction I want to review anywhere from 8 – 15 wines. I also think of my readers who want a quick but accurate overview of what to expect when it comes to the wine under review. Certainly at times we can wax the fine poetic but even then the columnist has no choice but to watch his word-count carefully and to be certain to include enough information that those who know his/her taste will be able to make some judgement on whether or not to buy the wine. I couldn't resist doing a bit of surfing on several blogs, in all cases searching for critis of the same wine, the 1997 Tignanello of Antinori. Following is my own most current tasting note and several others I found. Antinori, Tignanello, Tuscany, 1997: From my first tasting (25 Aug 2000), I predicted this as a wine destined for greatness. Now my fourth tasting and even though it is just now becoming fully approachable, I have not a reason to regret that prediction. This full bodied wine is blessed with superb balance between smooth tannins, fruitiness (look for currants, wild berries, and stewed black cherries) and vanilla. With flavors and aromas that open in the glass and on the palate, and then linger on and on, seemingly without end…”. Drinking nicely now but best from 2005 – 2020, perhaps longer. Score 97. (Most recently tasted 4 May 2003) Antinori, Tignanello, 1997: Fabulous. Antinori, Tignanello, 1997: My wife loved this one. I didn’t. Antinori, Tignanello, 1997: A nice wine but so help me I can't understand why anyone would spend more than twenty bucks for it (or any other wine) Antinori, Tinganello (sic), 1997: Sucks! Antinori, Tignanello, 1997: Just gets better and better. Still far from ready to drink but with several hours in decanter it gets really sweet Antinori, Tignanello, 1997: Absolutely fantastic - will last for decades Out of courtesy and respect for copyright, I will not quote the reviews from either Mr. Parker or the Wine Spectator. That of course does not stop a great many bloggers from cutting and pasting those reviews. Again, with regard to "dumbing down" – perhaps its old-fashioned on my part but I do believe the old saw to the effect that those who "don't have the words really do not know what it is they want to say". As Pi, is a heck of a lot more than that 3.14 number, so is Antinori's 1997 Tignanello a great deal more than "absolutely fantastic".

Worth keeping in mind that the buffalo meat available in the United States is that of the bison and not the water buffalo. In fact, despite common language usage, the North American bison is not even a true buffalo, belong to the family bovidae, which is the same family as that of domestic cattle, thus meaning that kashrut has not been a problem with them. Only recently have rabbinical authorites acknowledged that the water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) can be considered in the same family.

On this point we are in full agreement and indeed my own "problem" is only with the proliferation of the bad.

Staying on the subject of wine and not so much on potentially deadly weapons, I might be no less tempted to say that the stilleto is to the Tannat grape as the epee is to Pinot Noir... Several points and reactions: (a) Defending some professionals but certainly not all.......the professional wine critic or writer who takes the professorial attitude is as much a fool as the one who thinks he/she knows all there is to be known. It is not only bloggers that learn and make mistakes - pros who love wine do much the same. That is part of the process of being human and is also one of the reasons why honest professionals value the feedback they get from their readers. .......and are not afraid to admit in public to their mistakes. (b) As to having backsides kissed and egos flattered, the professional critic who is not aware that such games are being played deserves to be fired. © As to the influence of various individuals or magazines, let us keep in mind that the reader qua wine lover qua consumer has a certain amount of responsibility to bear as well. Those who buy wines only or even primarily on the basis of so-and-so's sores deserves whatever. (d) Let's not be so certain that newspapers and magazines need articles that will not go out of date. There is an old axiom, quite accurate, to the effect that today's newspaper is what you wrap fish in tomorrow. (e) I'm as much today for "power to the people" as I was twenty, thirty and forty years ago. I'll grant, however, that to some extent today I'd like to know to which people that power is going and who gave it to them. (f) As to being "famous for 15 minutes", not at all new. Although most credit the expression to Andy Warhol it was actually uttered by Ultra Violet, one of Warhol's friends and was later used as the title of her quasi-confessional, quasi-autobiographical, quasi-fictitious book.

Caveman, Hi... Four points from your post above... First.. I do thank you for the invitation. Part of the problem of course is that of physical time. With so many bloggers out there keeping up even with those that are well worth the reading would take far more hours than most people have in a day. That's why I think we're going to see a levelling-off of bloggers and a shift more to forums and other feedback mechanisms. I cannot help but think that more and more people are going to be selecting one, two or at most three forums in which they choose to participate and both have their say and get/share feedback. Second... I'm not so certain that what is involved here is the "democratization" of wine criticism as an increasing level of anarchy. Granted, at times anarchy can be the mother and father of revolution, but let's keep in mind that most revolutions wind up with heads (quite literally) cut off. Third...I would much appreciate your thoughts and even perhaps a partial list of issues relevant to the wine industry that are not being dealt with in more mainstream media. Fourth .. You refer to a "mass of archived information available to all" and refer to this as "a good thing". Perhaps my own concern, relating again to the concept of anarchy is that there is such a huge mass accumulating that there will soon be no way to sift through it to find what is important and/or valid.

With specific regard to Florida Jim vs. the bulk of people who post their tasting notes: (a) To the best of my knowledge Jim is not a blogger. He does post on several forums and that's quite a bit different than blogging. (b) Anyone who has read Jim's notes knows after a very short while that here is a man who knows wine, knows wine well, enjoys wine thoroughly and has a flair for writing in terms that both describe, entertain and evaluate. In other words, a knowledgeable, intelligent, civil and civilized human being. © If anyone can honestly say that for the vast majority of people who post notes and comments I'll gladly kiss their backside in Macy's window next Christmas day!