Coop

Okay so I broke my streak of pureness tonight and tried this wine. Since Christmas day it's been the gym, the driving range and nothing but healthy fare and no booze, except for a beer at a Japanese place on Boxing Day (the day after Christmas). Deep purple, with a red edge, Coffee, Peppper, Cedar, very silky. Nice acidity in the mouth. Longish finish. Very nice. If I was an expert on Aussie wine or a poseur, I would say very Barossa. I would certainly try this wine again to see if it's actually this good or if it's because of my temperance that clouded my judgement. Bonus note, Santa Julia Tardio 2003, light gold, intense apple and pear with honey on the nose, sweet but acidic in the mouth. This is delicious. Like a still Moscato. Strange bottle! Good wine (the shiraz).

Excellent Jean. I hope to see your notes. BTW can we get some idea of the price for this wine in your area?

Brent: glad to hear it's available in Charlotte. I did inquire to make sure it was widely available. I hope to see a lot of participation.

Here is some interesting information on the wineries grape blends: Planeta’s Wines La Segreta Bianco - Grecanico, Chardonnay, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, and Fiano. Annual production 240,000 bottles La Segreta Rosso - Nero d’Avola, Merlot, and Syrah Cerasuolo di Vittoria - 40% Frappato, 60% Nero d’Avola Alastro - 50% Grecanico, 25% Chardonnay barrel fermented and 25% Chardonnay from stainless steel tank fermentation Santa Cecilia - 100% Nero d’ Avola Chardonnay - 100% Chardonnay Cometa - 100% Fiano Syrah - 100% Syrah Merlot - 100% Merlot Burdese - 100% Cabernet Sauvignon I wonder how much influence the vintage has on Sicilian wines? I have found all the 2002s I have tried to be much like the 2001s and the 2000 for that matter.

I don't understand all this concern about taking your kids to restaurants. Mine had been to Mustard's and Tre Vigne in Napa while they were preschoolers, had done sushi before 10 and been to many moderately upscale places while still in the stroller. Far be it for me to interfere in your child raising, but for us we started them young and within a year were reaping the benefits. It may have been the cough medecine in thier bottles though.

So what about the Living Room? I love to out a shill. I remember Jurgen Gothe (Je@king Off) used to be the places biggest shill. It was like the place invented roasted garlic. Obviously someone must eat there. Like at the WS award winning Vineyard.

John glad to hear you will give it another try. In our market (Vancouver) we are just starting to get a decent selection of Sicilian wines, although they are mostly Nero (this years black). Your menu sounds great Mike, good to see some Vancouver participation.

Geo T. passed on the cupbearer honour to me and I have selected the above wine. Here is an interesting quote from Ms. Planeta the wine maker: "Sicily is rudely dismissed by northern Italians, who insist that the island's Mafioso reputation is well-founded, but vineyard owner Francesca Planeta dismisses such slights with a wave of her hand. " "Family affair: Francesca and Alessio Planeta in their vineyards near the Sicilian town of Noto "People always say, 'Sicily, ah, the Mafia,' as if nothing else ever happened here,'' she says. "But I want them to talk instead about the wine." Hardly surprising, given that Francesca and her winemaker cousin Alessio have thrown Sicilian wine into the limelight with their funkily labelled Planeta wines." The makeup of the wine is 60% Nero d"Avola, 40% Merlot. It retails in Vancouver for $23.95. I expect it to be much less in the U.S.

My main concern was with the bitterness of the triple shots I have ordered. I usually have a machiatto, which seems to temper the bitterness. The room to me is okay sort of like a cave with Italian nick nacks. Don't be taken aback on this barret, no one is perfect. Keep in mind you get more diversified comments here then on coffee geek. Coffee is only about 5th on most of our vice lists. BTW to come up to the standards set by the Howe St. location is quite a lofty goal.

I'm out for this year, as I am trying to trim down. Even thinking about such things goes straight to my hips.

I may be drummed out of my own little food snob guild for this, but I have always enjoyed Sophie's. Maybe it's the huge bottles of hot sauce or the cold coffee. It just seems comforting.

The Baltasar, is that the wine from the Kitsilano wine cellar for around $28.00? If it is I can relate to one of these wines as I too have found it very nice. Oh and the pink cava too. This guy on Winefanatic .ca seemed to really like it, so I bought some and found it very nice. Hey wait a minute!

I would agree that Artiggiano on Howe is very good for milk drinks like lattes etc. The Park Royal location has a lot of work to do. Thier espresso always seems bitter and over extracted.

Cool! I can get this wine.

For me it's a sunny saturday on the patio at Provence Marinaside. The food is acceptable, the service very good and the scenery is un-equalled. I have rarely seen such natural beauty. Even the surgically enhanced scenery is nice.

Fiction Tuesday night (no sign of ssherwood). Our waitress was excelent and playing injured. She had a finger which was broken in two places. Very good waitress, nice and warm personallaity. Reidel crystal changed for every bottle. We even got proper Alsatian type stems for our Pfaffenhiem Gerv. At the table next to us a bottle of Conundrum was served in larger glasses. Both bottles of red were served in large bordeaux style glasses which were change between bottles. We were dissapointed to see Kris Barnholden had left as chef though.

You can see the old sign from the Arictocrat at Chapters if it's the neon you like. Although I don't share your love for old restaurants and was only kidding about the strip joints (my wife may read this). I do agree that Vancouver is really all about what is shiny and new. I think it's only going to get worse because of 2010. Our city fathers would be horrified if the world saw the real downtown eastside in one of those Bob Costas pieces NBC loves to run during the games. BTW where did the downtown eastside go during the Group of 7 conference a few years ago. The streets were abandoned. What's in that great old building that used to house Lola's? Other then it I can't think of a single restaurant in a historically significant building.

While we are at it how about saving an other form of entertainment that seems to becoming endangered. Strip Bars. In the last decade we have lost the NBI, the Arch, Mr Sport, Port Moody Inn and numerous others. It's a silent cause because no one wants to help 40 + year old men who enjoy a beer and some scenery.

keyes. I think you mean Les Ami. I know the owners there call themselves "the cheese ladies". Urban Fare usually has slices of Lac Bromme Fois Gras. The Gourmet Warehouse has larger pieces in their freezer.

Dave Schoefield was the man. His intentions were pure. To take the purchasing of wine by the LDB into the 20th century. For the most part he succeeded.

Certainly this happens, at private parties and offline tastings. It won't happen if restauranteurs think they can be outed on discussion boards like this. At a certain local wine lovers board, events are planned reguarly but the name of the restaurant is never posted. Perhaps these tastings don't always happen in restaurants, perhaps they do, if they do keep your mouth shut and enjoy the experience. Should bringing one's own bottle be allowed? I vote yes. I have some very nice wine in my cellar that I would love to bring to a restaurant. Should someone be allowed to bring in a bottle of Farenese Primitivo to save themselves a few bucks? No. This is how restaurants make money. I want the places I love to survive, even flourish. The money they make on liquor and wine makes that happen. I think a fair corkage fee in a top place like West or Lumiere should be $40.00.

I think this forum is open to whining, ranting, gossiping, complainig and raving. As long as it isn't boring I enjoy reading a good whine. Lighten up.

Careful what you wish for Arne. The cheeses I have had from Beecher's (there Quark type and a more solid cheese) were much like the bread from Cob's. More like a super market cheese then sonething like the cheeses from Poplar Grove or Salt Spring. This may be because of the newness of the business. I hope they have an ageing program in place.

I don't actually know exactly how to spell lieing...to lie. As in Jus Lie. I have made the demi beforehand and will be adding some to the un-finished gravy.

I am doing a large Prime Rib roast for our early Christmas dinner tomorrow night. I am making a demi glace (by reduction, no espagnole). What do people think about lieing the sauce? Do you prefer flour, some sort of vegetable startch or just reduction?