Carolyn Tillie

I don't get it -- if you are sitting at a two-top, the salt is going to be on the left of the pepper to one of you, right?

Neil, that seascape is stunning! Was it part of your original webpage? I don't recall seeing it... Very, very impressive!

In referring back to the entire discussion above, I know full well that fresh is better and ultra-fresh is best. I've actually all but given up coffee, except for a once-a-week-or-so latte. I'm just hoping others might fess up to downing and suffering through old stuff out of laziness...

I worked in downtown during my last year in SoCal. For lunch, do not miss Angelique on Spring Street -- the close at 4:30 so dinner is not an option there. Also recommend Phillipe's. Also, there is a grill in the center of the Music Center that is run by the Patina Group. When I worked there, the offerings were pretty good. I also would jaunt into little Tokyo. I know you won't do raw fish, but how about a bowl of noodles or tempura? All fabulous. Take a look at the bus service -- you will be surprised how far around downtown you can get to and back in an hour.

I know purists that will roast their coffee beans immediately prior to grinding their cup of coffee and drinking it immediately. If a shot of pulled espresso sits around at a Starbucks for more than 30 seconds or a minute, it gets dumped. However, I have a brother-in-law who will walk into my house and if there is cold coffee still sitting in my pot and there are no moldy floaties on top, he'll drink it. As I write this, I'm still sipping on a latte that Shawn made for me when I left for work this morning. He pulled the shots at 7:15 a.m. and it is now 1:30 p.m. I consistently make an entire pot of tea and re-heat cups out of it for a day or so afterwards, despite the fact that I PREFER it fresh, just having it made and ready to heat is often easier on a busy morning. What about you? How old is too old for you?

'Twere it me, I would have felt pretty happy that they acknowledged the accident with a comped dessert...

From Robert Parker on the Finca:

I forgot about the Grgich! When I had to miss the NoCal event at Boulevard, I had dinner with the Grgich rep at PassionFish in Monterey and after tasting the Violeta, she gave me a bottle which is still in my fridge! I also tasted the Rosenblum offerings at that Monterey pouring and I was not overly impressed, however it was hot and I had been drinking a lot of other tastings so I may have had a shot palate. Also, at my local Trader Joe's are two worth looking for... half-bottles of 2002 Deinhard Beerenauslese and 1996 Chateau Pineau du Rey Sauterne for $7.99 and $6.99 respectively. I like the Beerenauslese considerably more than the Sauterne, but for the price, that Sauterne is great to have around for cooking. In the winter, I like to poach pears in Sauterne and when even the cheapest version starts at $40.00 a large bottle, that is an expensive dessert... This makes it far more affordable.

My thoughts exactly -- the JoC Buttermilk recipe can't be beat, IMHO.

I am a self-avowed lover of "sweet wines and wines that foam" but have finally been tasting enough (I think) to develop a more discerning palate. In the beginning, I liked anything that was sweet -- now I'm realizing how much I liked ONLY because it was sweet and not because there was depth or character. In the beginning, I enjoyed Folie à Deux's late-harvest/ice Gewürztraminer. They don't make it anymore (ever since they were purchased by Trinchero). I also enjoyed Freemark Abbey's Edelwein Gold . Then I discovered Far Niente's Dolce which is a deep, rich botrysied late harvest. Also in the Napa Valley, is Prager Portworks -- while not quite the caliber of a classic Portuguese sweet wine, their white offerings, Madeline and Sweet Claire are not to be missed. Just outside the Napa, I have long been a fan of Renwood's Amador Ice Zinfandel. Almost the same heightened raspberry nose that Bonny Doon's has, except that it is subtle and hidden as it isn't really a raspberry wine, but the odd sensation that many Amador county Zins have raspberry notes really comes through on this sweet wine. From outside the country, I buy and drink a lot of sauterne (my favorite dessert is sauterne with Boucheron cheese) as well Banyuls. Also, Wolfert just introduced me to Pineau de Charentes and this Grand Marnier site has more information about its production.

Yes. Bad. Very Bad. I'm kidding, you know! I LOVE sweet wine...

What type of wine knowledge are you looking for? It will be easier to recommend books if we know specifically what you are hoping to learn (i.e., simple geographical information? how wine is produced? how the geography determines taste?)

In making the stock, I would use a lot more herbs than parsley and thyme (maybe fresh sage, savory, rosemary, and fennel). It will heighten the flavor of the stock. Also the use of tamari (a dark soy sauce -- a splash or two) will also add more complexity to your stock. For service, I would check the flavors and add either a splash of cognac or dark sherry for depth.

It is new to me -- and I just asked about it with Karen, our winemaker, who believes it is a procedure that occurs more with Zinfandel, Syrah, and some heftier grapes. She said she tried it once with some Cab and Malbec and was decidedly unhappy with the results. She is not that familiar with it as well and doesn't know many other Napa winemakers using the practice.

I'm surprised to hear of blends being done before fermentation. The two wineries I work at -- and most of the ones I have inquired about -- pick, ferment, and barrel their blends separately and then do their blending right before bottling. Perhaps this practice is done by the larger wineries that are producing tens-of-thousands of cases, versus the smaller production wineries with which I am more familiar? In the case of Ladera, we not only don't blend varietals before fermentation, we actually keep the blocks picked of the same appellation and varietal grapes separate in barrels up until bottling. In our case, a single lot (or block) might add a different characteristic that is not desired in the ultimate bottling. If any of you visit me up here, you can read on the barrels this type of code: CS02195HM which translates into: CS= Cabernet Sauvignon, 02 = the year, 2002, 195 = Block #195 (a section of the property with specific characteristics of terroir, elevation, and perhaps irrigation or other qualities), and lastly, HM = Howell Mountain (the appellation).

By all accounts, this is a wine that people have clammered to get and is well-reputed. By boss purchased four bottles and, not liking the one he opened, gave me the other three. Shawn and I opened one this evening and are beyond unimpressed. What has been described elsewhere as jammy, fruit, syrah-like, dusty, and earthy we found to be wanting. While there was some fruit on the nose, the overall aroma was that of fresh cow manure which only increased through decanting. The earthiness was not the pleasant Burgundy-style of earth that we like in French wines (and many don't care for by drinking too many New World, young wines). The flavor itself was not that bad, but nothing spectacular with no body or finish. Did we get bad bottles???

Gads, I love the internet.... Tabu's site on the legality of absinthe A site that discusses the Federal Law Absinthe Buyer's Guide The Straight Dope Absinthe Explained

It REALLY depends on where it has come from. Oddly, Absinthe is no longer illegal in most Europeal countries and can be obtained from Spain, the Czech Republic, etc. (almost everywhere but Switzerland -- and I think THEY invented it!) It is really getting to be quite big business. The effects it has are one of heigtened senses (dare I say like X? I can't 'cuz I've never tried X....) You don't get that "drunk" feeling with most alcoholic beverages, just an awareness that is unparalleled.

Completely agree with Trillium -- it has to be distilled. However, you can get a home still through the Wine Enthusiast. I bought one for Shawn and he never got around to using it, so although we own one, I can't tell you anything about it... Also, when I get home tonight, I'll add a reference to a book I was reading just last night on the Green Fairy (but name is not coming up in Amazon at the moment).

From Business Wire.... My only question is... does this mean that otherwise non-wine drinking people are actually beginning to consume this beverage -- and might their palates eventually have the potential to be trained to wanting a better version than the Two Buck Chuck?

I'm in the "go-with-the-opposite-of-what-the-food-is" camp. If the food is spicy, I tend towards a slightly sweet wine (Gewurtz, Riesling); if the food is mildly bland, then I say spice it up (Syrah, Zinfandel). In the case of sweet and smokey, you've got a bit of a conundrum. You don't want too much smoke (like in a California Syrah) to fight the smokiness of the peppers and yet anything remotely sweet (aforementioned German varietals) could definitely conflict with the tarragon and garlic. I'm curious if your red pepper sauce has any dairy in it... a touch of butter to smooth out the sauce or a little cream, perhaps? My first inclination is to go with a Pinot Noir. It is mild enough to heighten the tastes of the red pepper and yet complement both the gnocchi, shrimp, and tarragon. I've been drinking both Rochiolli and Ryan Pinots lately but I wouldn't discount either a Sinskey or a Loring Pinot. Alternately, a very crisp Viognier might also add a sense of brightness to the potentially heavy dish. It would bring out the flavors of the tarragon and not conflict too much with the garlic. Stag's Leap is a little pricey in the $23.00 range, but there are some under $20 that are pretty good: Miner and Trentadue for example. I think a Sauvignon Blanc would be too astringent, a Chardonnay just plain too boring, and most heavier reds (Cabs, Merlot, Franc) to conflicting with your delicate flavors.

Amen, sister.

So those of us with perfect vision will just have to continue suffering while chopping onions.....

I'm very excited about this thread as the winery has a 120-year-old chestnut tree that will start dropping its fruit in the next few weeks. I never got around to doing anything with it last year, but am looking forward to a bountiful harvest this year!

Thank you, Dave - yep, absolutely correct. These things DO get confusing about what is allowed and there are different laws for different percentages or different reasons (like the vintage having to be 95% as Melkor said). The mere fact that there is a different between a 75% rule and an 85% rule should let you know truly confusing it can all get.