Craig Camp

I think you have very little understanding of European wine and food culture. You must mean those dirty winemakers that over the centuries made European wines the quality standard for fine wine - a standard that still stands by the way. Try to find a great New World producer that does not use as their standard the European classics. What, there are no agricultural subsidies in the good old USA? You mean blending like the classic, Lafite "Hermitaged"? If you think top producers in Burgundy are blending African wines into their blends you are totally misinformed. To make such charges without any proof is clearly irresponsible and actually quite ignorant of the situation in Burgundy today. This is a statement you can make about any wine region in the world. Look at all those crappy vines on the floor of the Napa Valley (Opus for example). Where are most of California wines produced? The Central Valley or Napa? Mediocre land planted with mediocre vines is the standard, not the exception of the wine world. The AOC is a bad marketing system because it is not a marketing system. It is simply a way for growers to enforce a standard for their brand name. Before you damn Europe's wine farmers, a more thoughtful approach and an understanding of history should be a minimum requirement. Most of Europe's wine farmers are small producers who are there because their countries history and culture put them there. They work hard for little money and are not out to cheat anyone. We should remember these are real people trying to make an honest living doing what their local history led them to - they deserve respect.

The EU will destroy everything of quality and personality in European wine and food if given free reign. Do you really want bureaucrats to control how your food and wine is grown and made. It will certainly be cleaner, but will also certainly be more boring. Democracy is a messy thing. So is making food and wine with flavor. ...my other comments are here

← Anybody ever visit Winetalk--I believe it is Serge Birbier (sp?) who hosts it. ← Yes I have. The innovative combination of wine and firearms is exciting! Just think of the possibilities if they added deadly weapons to the Robert Parker Forum.

Actually, this dish sounds like it was designed with pinot noir in mind. Please take into account that I think this about most dishes.

Where's the Dover Canyon Blog? The LA Times did not do their homework, so I will highly recommend it!

Renowned Montalcino producer Jacopo Biondi Santi has resigned following a disagreement with his father-in-law... http://www.decanter.com/news/80712.html?aff=rss Once again quantity loses out to corporate winemaking. Just as the estate was really starting to come back the ax falls.

I like Spanish Brandy, but as it is very caramelized, its flavor profile is quite different from Armagnac and Cognac. Spanish Brandy and cigars are a great combination. ← Do they use different grape varietals for Spanish Brandy vs. Cognac? I've read good things about it; but, never tried. Also, doesn't "Solera" refer to the aging/blending technique they use in Spain, not a particular brand? I think reserve brandy from any company in Jerez, Spain, made using the Solera technique, could potentially be, "Solera Grand Reserva de Jerez". edit - added clarification ← Yes they are using different varieties, but unlike grappa, there is little, if any, varietal character that shows in wood aged brandy. What you need is a very clean, fresh base wine with high acidity. That's why they use Folle Blanche and Ugni Blanc (trebbiano) for Cognac and Armagnac. Solera is a generic term for an aging/fractional blending process, but often shows up in various brand names.

Craig, As much as I would enjoy your company, I suspect you would have not enjoyed my reaction. But then, considering some of Mr. Rovani's, perhaps I would have been no trouble at all. Best, Jim ← No, I would have loved to see your face. I can't think of a wine less "Florida Jim-like" than that Pinot. I think Mr. Rovani might like it.

If I was a practical joker I would serve Jim Cowen 03 Z'IVO Pinot Noir just to see the look on his face. I tasted this hefty wine on a 100 degree day at IPNC. Jim, I wish you could have been with me.

Solera Grand Reserva Brandy de Jerez is even cheaper, and far less appreciated and less famous than bas-Armagnac. And Definitely cheaper than XO-level Cognac or Armagnac, to which it can be favorably compared. ← I like Spanish Brandy, but as it is very carmelized, its flavor profile is quite different from Armagnac and Cognac. Spanish Brandy and cigars are a great combination.

I thought Speck was Prosciutto Affumicato, not a type of Pancetta? ← that's correct - it's still early out here

The best reasonably priced Cognac is not Cognac, but Armagnac. It less famous so is less expensive and less adulterated than big brand Cognacs, which are coming close to containing as much caramel as some dessert trays.

Pancetta is simply cured bacon as compared to the smoked bacon we use here in the USA. As with most things there is pancetta and there is PANCETTA. There is also smoked pancetta in Italy, the most famous being the sublime Speck. The top grades from artisan producers can, and are served, without cooking, while the everyday type of pancetta you buy at the grocery store in Italy is used as a cooking ingredient. Using top quality prosciutto or pancetta for cooking is a waste. By the way, lardo, the ultimate affettati experience, is also from the belly and you would never dream of cooking this treasure. The finest prosciutto is always served alone as even melon takes away from enjoying the delicate flavors. None of these delicacies produced outside of Italy come close to the refinement of flavor they attain in the best Italian versions. For this reason its not very safe to be a pig in Italy. On the affettati plate below, from Milano's Boccondivino, you see lardo in front, then moving counterclockwise prosciutto and then some melt in your mouth pancetta.

Look for sauces you would use with pappardelle. I would think a rabbit ragu would be great. Think meat sauces flavored with tomato, not tomato sauce flavored with meat. Piemonte style sauces would work well.

The best source to stay on top of this issue is: Tom Wark's Fermentation Blog

An amazing quantity of top quality Barolo and Barbaresco shows up in close-out bins across the country. I guess the buyers read The Wine Spectator hype then bite off more than they can chew. Good for us, bad for them. While I am not a fan of the 97's in general, this should be an excellent wine that is already drinking well, as the hot 97 vintage made for early maturing wines. The big issue here is, as always, is how the wines have been stored as this wine probably came to the US in 2000 or so. If stored well it should be a very nice bottle, but I would be concerned that it has been sitting in some wine wholesalers warehouse for years. See if the retailer can tell you about where this wine as been.

The Asian restaurants are certainly not alone in this regard. A trip to your average Friday's or Bennigan's may offer 5 or 6 chardonnay wines by the glass - often to the exclusion of all other white varietals. The funny thing is, of course, is that they are all more or less the same wine with different labels so they could save some money and only offer one. Many small ethnic restaurants have no one on their staff familiar with American wine culture and usually end up depending on local wine wholesalers to produce their wine lists for them. The wholesalers have a warehouse full of mass-produced chardonnay to get rid of and this of course equals a bunch of crappy wine lists full of chardonnay. This is something the American wholesale wine industry can be proud of . As soon as someone trusts them to produce a good wine list for them, they screw them by filling it with wines they have to get rid of instead of wines that will match the food of the poor, trusting restaurateur.

I couldn't agree more. Although I think that there are more coffee (vs espresso) drinkers than you give credit for. I recently ordered a double espresso at a highly recommended coffee bar and the barista actually messed up my order. (I was watching him.) He was caught off-guard by somebody ordering an actual espresso! ← The other day I ordered an espresso and the "barista" asked me if I wanted the 16 or 20 oz. size. This is not the first time that has happened. I would agree that the American style coffee is generally better than you get in the rest of the country, but it seems crazy to drop 4 or 5 grand on a commercial espresso machine and then not learn how to use it.

Moving to the Northwest I greatly anticipated its famed coffee culture. Having lived in Italy, I became addicted to their concentrated short shots of coffee heaven. Sure enough, upon arrival I discovered espresso stands on almost every corner. Unfortunately I also discovered that while everyone sells espresso no one actually likes it or orders it. In fact I am convinced that the famed coffee culture of Seattle and Portland is no coffee culture at all, but, in fact, a flavored milk culture. Anything and everything is used to hide the flavor of coffee making the quality of the espresso that goes into the mix meaningless. Often I have to convince the barista (a title they should not be entitled to) that I don't want milk in my shot - as they refer to espressos in these parts. Stopping for coffee here always means standing in line as each person in front of you orders a complex concoction of mocha this or Carmel that followed by a line of other descriptors like: skinny, wet, dry, half-foam, half-caf and on and on. It takes the poor barista five minutes to make each masterpiece. They seem almost disappointed when I order my unglamourous espresso. Because no one actually tastes the coffee here, the quality of the espressos are usually quite bad and it takes a bit of detective work to search out the few coffee houses out of the thousands that surround you that can make the real deal. It seems very strange that such a well caffeinated bunch can't stand the taste of coffee.

We lose so many of those on the cutting edge of creative greatness this way. Sad, very sad...

There is no such thing as "American Champagne" when you speak in a quality context and you only confuse the issue when you insist on using it. All of the producers you like: Ferrer, J, Iron Horse, and Schramsberg refuse to use the name. There is nothing wrong or insulting with the term "sparkling wine'.

I have to admit that "pleasant" is not what I am going for when I go for Barolo. I am looking for excitement and precision. I want a wine with a cutting edge that makes my palate come alive. "Pleasant" may be acceptable for Simi Cabernet and Nebbiolo d'Alba and most of the wines that are available on a daily basis. However, Barolo is not one of those wines with only 8,000,000 bottles produced a year for the entire planet. A "pleasant" Barolo is a failure - and almost certainly a very bad value.

Manuel suggests waiting about 8 years before enjoyment, although it will obviously improve and keep for many decades.

Marcarini is not "reasonably priced for the quality" - if quality alone set the price they would cost more than Sperss. Manuel Marchetti is to be admired for his commitment to keeping his prices down - especially considering the spectacular quality of his wines. Unfortunately, most never understand how profound these wines are.

Out of respect for both Champagne and fine American sparkling wines, lets try to refrain from the unfortunate misnomer "American champagne". Fizzy vomit or not, it deserves the respect of place.