Craig Camp

THAT is a VERY GOOD idea!

Fog junkie.

Winebuys.com LLC announces the launch of a new online retail site for wine -- www.winebuys.com -- and an entirely new business model for wine sales. Backed by two of America's most high-profile wine retailers, Winebuys.com is the first of its kind to offer everyday discounts of 30 to 60 percent on its entire inventory of fine wines. The company is also the first to target the confluence of:

The Italian Field of Dreams.

Watch out for flying cigars, outrageous comments and great wine! Join winemaker and wizard Randall Graham, proprietor of California's (and the world's) Bonny Doon Vineyard in what is sure to be a wide-open eGullet Q and A on Wednesday October 1st and Thursday October 2nd. This will be a moderated (well - as well as you can with Randall) forum so get your questions in as soon as you see the forum posted! For you winos that have not done this before YOU DO NOT POST YOUR question here. Wait until you see the Q and A forum appear sometime soon. You then post your question, but you will not see it right away. I will be reviewing all questions to avoid repeats or links to teenage porn sites. You have some time, but not much so think about really cool questions for a unique and creative person. It should be fun!

Explore demented ideas. That is the first thing you see on the Bonny Doon Vineyards webpage. Randall Grahm the proprietor and guiding spirit behind Bonny Doon has made his winery a major power in the California wine industry by exploring demented ideas.. He has done this by breaking all the accepted rules of marketing and by making wines that are as interesting to talk about as they are to drink. There seems nothing that he is not ready to do. He freezes grapes to make ice wine, he uses wild labels with exotic names, he collaborates with winemakers in Europe, he is dedicated to riesling in California, has a whole line of Italian inspired wines and posed as the Lone Ranger on the cover of the Wine Spectator in his role as the leader of the Rhone Rangers. It has been almost twenty years since Randall released his first major market disruption, Le Cigare Volant, and became the Rhone Ranger himself. Randall observes: “The line goes something like this, ‘The temperate climate of coastal California is ideally suited to the grapes of the Rhone Valley.’ This particular mantra does not, perhaps, carry the force or gravity of "Om Namah Shivaya" or "Primum Non Nocere" or even "Illegetimus non Conundrum est" though it has kept this Cigare aloft for quite a few vintages now.” Get prepared for a ride on the flying cigar. Enjoy the ride and welcome to the eGullet Q and A with Randall Grahm. October Wednesday October 1st and Thursday October 2nd. This forum will be moderated by Craig Camp. Your questions will not appear immediately after submission, there may be some delay while it is reviewed for content.

God bless you! In Cortona try: Osteria del Teatro **Taverna Pane e Vino (good basic home style regional cooking and formaggi and salumi) In my opinion this is the spot to eat real local food at real Italian prices. Portale is very good but not cheap. Il Falconiere as mentioned above is the king of the hill (and price -Gambero Rosso gives it negative points for value).

I don't think these three cities are too much in two weeks. Remember Italy is a small place (about the size of Arizona) so you do not have huge travel times between each city (about a 4 hour average for the trip you are talking about). I would suggest the overnight stop in Milano for two reasons: 1. I have done the land at Malpensa, take the bus to the train station, take the train to Venezia trip serveral times and it is tough. It can wreck you for days. Staying overnight in Milano means you will recover much faster from the jetlag. You can easily be in Venezia for lunch the next day. 2. Milano is really cool. I do suggest a car in Toscana. With a car can make a great day trip to Lucca and Pisa which are both worth seeing. You can also visit some wineries and visit Siena (Chianti Classico) on another day.

The question is always the same. How was the storage? If it has been bounced around for years I would drink it up. However if you have great storage I would let it age.

Sounds great. An hour in the decanter should give you a very nice wine. Did they give you a great price? Should we post a bargain alert for all those Chicago buyers in the Heartland forum. What are you going to let it go for? Don't forget that special eGullet member discount!

Marcarini started picking nebbiolo this week. I am headed down there early next week for a closer look at several properties.

There was a light steady rain on Tuesday, but no thunderstorms. Today (Wed.) is bright and sunny - not a cloud in the sky.

OK the Italian office is awake and tommy we thank you for your prompt payment. The cash was most appreciated - you should see the income taxes here! There is a reason that it seems everyone's first trip to Italy includes Venezia, Firenze and Roma. They are spectacular cities and will give you great memories. The car question can only be answered by you. I have never found it difficult to drive in Italy (in fact I love it), but it is a pain to find your way around major cities while driving. The streets are poorly marked and parking is a sport for only the most aggressive. The trains are easy to use and an excellent way to travel between the major cities. In the cities taxis are easy to find and use. You also have to decide if you want an overview for your first trip or to steep yourself in the culture by staying longer in one spot. For a first trip I suggest an overview. I am certain you will want to return and then you can get your villa in the country. I am also guessing you do not speak Italian as this is your first trip, but this will not be a problem in the major cities. You are arriving at a great time as everything is still open the tourist rush is over. Be prepared for a little rain. You will be flying into Milano (that's perfect into Milano and out of Roma) so I would suggest starting there to shake out the jet lag. You will arrive in the morning so let your hotel know so you can possibly get into your room. By the way a taxi from Malpensa to the center of Milano costs around $80.00. Take the shuttle bus for Euro 11 (the ticket office is right across from where you exit customs) to the central train station and take a taxi from there to your hotel. After a short nap you can take a stroll around the Duomo (cathedral - my favorite in Italy), Galleria and the Castello. Have a snack in a cafe in the Galleria - fun and restful people watching. Don't forget to take a spin on the bull's balls (read your guide). In the evening I would suggest Boccondivino for dinner (see Boot Camp in a few days). For some other spots look here. Next morning you can take the train to Venezia. The train is the way to go to Venezia (that's how we go) as it takes you right into the city. Plan to spend at least two days here as it is a special place. See the pinned thread on Venezia to see where to eat. If you want to splurge stay at the Danielle - a special hotel. Plan on walking and walking and don't be afraid to wander. Then take the train to Firenze. Toscana is the main place you will miss having a car because there are many places you should visit. Wineries (you need appts.) Siena, Lucca, Pisa and Montalcino. You'll want to spend 5 or 6 days here. Several in Firenze with several day trips to Lucca, Pisa and Siena. You can visit Pisa and Siena by train from Firenze. When in Toscana you will want to eat meat here! Then the train to Roma. Roma takes a minimum of five days to touch it at all and a lifetime to really see it. There is so much here. Make sure you take plenty of time with the Vatican and a bus trip to the Catacombes is worth it. There is nothing wrong with taking a good guided tour or two. For eating:look here, here, and here. Don't forget to read this tip. Also these comments on restaurant guides will be helpful. There is some good general information here. So that gives you a day in Milano, 2 days in Venezia, 5 or 6 days in Toscana and 5 or 6 days in Roma. Nice trip. Be sure to buy good guides to each city before you go and research what you want to see. Don't overplan leave a lot of time for strolling, eating gelato and sipping aperitivi at sidewalk cafes. You will be amazed by how many people speak passable English in these cities so you will have no trouble getting by. At all of your hotels they will speak perfect English (and German, Spanish and French) and they will be very helpful in giving you advice - except on restaurants because they will send you to safe places that tourists like. When it comes to restaurants avoid anything with a menu in 3 or more languages or with pictures of the food on signs outside. When it comes to eating is is normal to order antipasti, a primo piatto (pasta or rice) and a secondo piatto (meat or fish) at both lunch and dinner, but it is also very acceptable to order only two of the above if all three is too much. Anyone who tells you portions are small in Italy is telling you a lie. So that should give you a good start tommy...tommy...tommy...hey wake up!

Sorry tommy as of Sept. 1st the Italian forum became available only on a premium basis. We accept all major credit cards and cash under the table. I'll check for your payment in the morning, but for now it is bedtime and the Italian office of eGullet is closed for the evening.

The Burgundy wine federation, the BIVB, says exports to the US were down 30% in volume and 37% in value in the first six months of the year on the same period in 2002. This compares with falls of 24% and 33% in the first quarter of the year.

Thanks Jinmyo - you are most kind.

Very good luck - a really special restaurant.

So to get the argument back on track you suggest they were wrong to kick her out? They did not honor or respect her beliefs any more than they did theirs. The proper thing to do would have been for the restaurant to offer something vegetarian for the baby. The proper thing for the mother do would have been to ask for something vegetarian when the problem was first mentioned. Both sides clearly dealt with the situation badly. It takes both sides screwing up to get international headlines and a thread this long.

I never knew India and Wales had so much in common.

Sotto le Fonte - both an osteria and an a enoteca with a very good wine selection. Hosteria il Carroccio as Tana mentions is outstanding. Great pappardelle with either lepre (wild rabbit) or cinghiale (wild boar). Its fame is well earned and it is the place in Siena for slow foodies. Marsili, Antica Osteria da Divo and La Tavera del Capitano are also very good and serve local style food. I particularly like Osteria Doccino for good local food, no pretense and great prices. Be sure to try the pappardelle con funghi (fatta in casa). La Compagnia dei Vinattieri is a nice wine bar with an good selection of salumi and cheeses.

Actually Matthew and I were Zen Monks and used to meditate together in the bleachers at Wrigley Field. However, we got a great promo gig from McDonald's to promote their French fries as the only sure route to Nirvana and then after a year in the skybox they killed the program and we're back in the cheap seats. So much for Zen as a get-rich-quick plan. Brother Matthew makes many reasonable points. First of all why is everyone ready to vaporize decades of excellent work on the part of Mr. Bayless? However, he is certainly taking the money and must take the slings and arrows that go with it. There is no senario where you could turn this into some kind of idealistic choice on his part. It is a business deal pure and simple. He has sold his name like many committed and serious people before him - remember Alexis Lachine? Now he will have to live with the choice - we don't. In the future it is Rick that will have to bear the weight of his decision - not us. We will have gone on to other issues. It seems real pimps get more benefit of the doubt than Rick. At least they have to be convicted in a court with real evidence. Rick has already been convicted here and has already been put in the pillory. Once you write something down it becomes true. He may deserve some tomatoes aimed at his head, but only after he is clearly guilty. Hey Matthew - remember that great aaaauuuummm we had that one night?

My favorite record is The Who "Sells Out". I will eat a Whopper for $100 bucks. By the way Whoppers are perfect with Kendall Jackson Zinfandel (100 pts. in my new Guide to Wines with Big Advertising Dollars) That would be Craig Camp's Guide to B.A.D. Wines.

You know those fortified wines go great with cheeses. My only point is that is easy to judge when you are not the one offered the check. No one knows for sure what they would do unless they have to make the choice in reality. Many chefs hawk products that they would never dream of using - pans, knives, stoves and on and on. Why pick on Bayless just because he got a really big check for doing the same thing they all are?

A thousand not a chance. A million.... wait still thinking.

The integrity of his name? Sure, he can do what he wants with it. And certainly this is not on the scale of serious crime. It is more on the scale of...oh, prostitution. This is not a matter of Bayless working with BK to upgrade anything. It is about the cheque with the big 0000000000000000's. Which is why it is also about a loss of integrity. If he got muy muy 0000000000000000's, then good for him, as far as that goes. But for me, pimping for a BK sandwich is not worth the 0000000000000000's. I'm surprised it is to him. That's all. Chef Rick is welcome to post and correct my misunderstanding of the situation. So you are saying under no circumstances will you accept a big promotional check from a large corporation. Warning: do not attempt to answer this question unless you have been offered one and turned it down.