carpet bagger

I basically agree with Katie. However I would suggest that if you are really serious about wine and buy lots, and from the same shop, you have a chance to be included in the professional tastings. Your favourite shop would probably schlep you along.That is a great way to taste very expensive though young wines, that you otherwise cannot afford or can't find. That has helped me to find affordable wines that somewhat come close to the expensive unavailable ones. Have fun and keep trying.

You know what might be really fun to try? A tasting dinner 8-10 courses all deserts. Maybe different degrees of sweetness. That may be the only way to raise the level of the awareness of deserts in the westcoast restaurants. It may require a stomach pump or for one to become bolemic. ( spelling?) Wadja think?

I have not lived there for 37 years. Back then tipping was zero. Today its advanced to 10% but they don't have their hand out and an attitude if there is no tip. Very carefree people. "it'll be ok mate". You don't tip a taxi unless you ride in it. Ha! I think Aussis kind have got used to Americans tipping.

Florida Jim, I agree with you about Roumier being for the long hall. I have reservations about the 1998 because the last few times I drank it tasted very closed. Took days to open up. The 1995 vintage in general is slow developing and I would be surprised if it showed well without some heat influence. Or at least some other outside influence. The last time I had the 1998 it took two days to show its fruit. The reason I put the question out there for egullet is in case others have had different experiences than I. Not to take anything away from Robin ( I mean that) your experience is closer to mine. Boy I hope that doesn't come out wrong.

I am sorry that my descriptions are not enticing enough. I mean that kindly. I do find it difficult to describe the feelings that I experience when eating, in this case at Sona. That is why I am still in the carpet business. I am going back to Sona tonight and I will try to bring more detail about the deserts so that one will almost taste them without being there.

I have to select two of the four Red Burgundies. 1990 Cambolle Musigny Phillipe Leclerc Les Babillaires. 1989 Gevery Chambertin Phillipe Leclerc Les Cazetier. 1988 Morey St Denis Clos de la Bussier Georges Roumier. or 1988 Vosne Romanee Jean Gros. The food will be French California at Sona Restaurant tomorrow night. Curious any ideas?

I feel fortunate here in Southern California. We have Sona, a relatively new restaurant on La Cienega. David and Michelle Myers husband and wife team founded this incredible special place. David gets most of the credit. Michelle doesn't perform until the desert course and by then one gets too full. Michelle has wonderfull culinary talent you have to try to believe. For example English sticky toffee, bananas, butterscotch sauce and malted ice cream. The combination is deliciously velvety and sweet without being too sweet. You can taste each individual flavor and yet they also combine beautifully together. The heirloom chocolate pain perdu with milk jam ice cream in a maple emulsion, you don't want to swallow. You just want to keep rolling it around in your mouth. You should plan a dinner there making sure you leave enough room to enjoy sharing many desert courses, tasting and passing them so each person tastes each desert. Michelle is an incredible pastry chef with a lot of her training if Paris France. :

So what do you do on your day off?

Craig, I like Beachfan for the most part BYO. Having said that I probably still prefer the list should be progressive. The reason is, like varietals as described by Rob Johnson, can taste very different. For example the South Australian Shiraz more in your face fruit and the Victorian Shiraz which can be more like the olive of the Rhone. I would suggest progressive and encourage that diners check with the wine steward for closer direction.

If you leave ot open that long it will turn to vinegar.

Wow where do I begin? First I want to say thank you because your descriptions are so perfect even without the pictures. Adding the pictures completed my experience of enjoying the meal vicariously. Living in L.A. means it could be a while before I get to taste this for myself. I would like to at least leave the tip. As far as the geoduck, it is actually very expensive in sushi bars. If the quality is perfect the experience is to. It has to be as you described pink and bright, crunchy. Then it is exquisite. What a fabulous description you gave. Thank you!!

I can't offer an answer for reisling. I can tell you of an experience with a white Burgundy. I opened a bottle of 1989 Louis Latour Corton Charlemagne in 1996. We had already drunk quite a bit of winebut needed a little more. We only had a couple of glasses out of this bottle. I forgot about it overnight, leaving the bottle open. Not even a cork in it. To my surprise it was even better than either the earlier or this one the night before. Up till then I didn't think that white wines could be handled that way.

I'd love to know if that netting around the Pommard means it was being stored hanging in the attic? I've never seen a net like that around a Burgundy.

If you feel that way then drink the ones you have. Don't order them off a wine list but don't buy any new releases of their wine. Or simply put your stock away till the tide turns back in favour of France as it most assuredly will. By not buying the new releases the message will get through for what that will be worth.

There are a number of variables in determining how long. If it is a new release of a big huge in your face red, then the longer is probably better. The extra time will likely soften the wine inside. Taste the wine each night for one to five and see how it progresses. You may find it tastes better 3 nights down the line. If it an older wine chances are that if you don't drink it the first night it will probably topple. I remember in 1986 I drank a bottle of Clos de Lambray (not spelled correcly) 1937. 49 years old. Four of us had one pour each which was live and we really enjoyed very much. The next pour was litterally dead. Not vinegar, just like dirty dish water. I once had a 1995 Araujo Syrah, which I thought was slightly corked, and certainly not drinkable. I brought it home from the restaurant and by accident did not open it again for 30 days. As a lark I decided to taste it before pouring it down the sink. Boy was I shocked to find not only was it drinkable but one of the most complex, intense,long finish memeorable red wines I have ever had. So you tell me how long can a red wine be open?

Not only should you add more courses but you need to add al these contributors to your guest list. How about a Kreydenweiss Kastelberg Grand Cru Reisling. Not quite so sweet complex a little drier a beautifully balanced wine. 1999 or 1998 would work, older if you can.

Lizziee, what awonderful and eloquent inviting description of Sona. I can't agree with you more. I have been 4 or 5 times and am going back a week Tuesday with a wine group I belong to. Our theme is ( I feel a little broad) 1988-1992 Red Burgundies or Pinot Noirs. Our group usually brings fine examples. I will report about both food and wines. By the way I think David doesn't like printed menus of the items he serves because he likes to be able to be flexible at the last moment. You are absolutely right Michelle is a treasure. She marries the different tastes perfectly, and you can't get enough. World class food all around. A thought occurred to me. Were you taking any medicine last night. That could have put your palate off. Especially if your husband reacted differently. Just a thought.

Sandra, Obviously I don't know your friends taste but some of my favourite red wines are from Australia. I just checked the web site for Premier Cru and they show two bottles that I think any serious red wine drinker would love. 1996 Jim Barry The Armagh and 1998 Noon Eclipse. The vintages are important not just for the present drinkability but for the vintage quality. I hope you will be there to share your generous gift. Please let us know your choice and the result. Good luck and enjoy.

I forget the exact calendar dates but the chinese is approx. 4750 and the Jewish is 5750. Do you realize that that means the Jewish people lived without Chinese food for approx.1000 years.

Where can one go for really tasty breakfast,( not buffet brunch) on the westside of L.A.? Any style of food, just delicious.

For a trip latter in March early April. What the recommended Chinese restaurants any cuisene? Especially but not limited to wine friendly places. Flavors and tastes are much more important than being "in" or the decor.

Tommy its not you Your alsation has a doggy smell. Your corkie has musty nose. Drink wine don't pet dogs.

Ivan I guess you didn't see them take the menu off the wall and write about your hand writing. :

What time is dinner? I'll be right over. Just kidding. I'm not sure what New England style means but with the shad roe and the bacon I would serve a full bodied chardonnay. Or even an oaky chardonnay. Enjoy dinner.

I am not the best at reading to learn what my palate has to decide. ( I love to read in general) I would recommend that you go to a really good wine shop that does wine tastings. Pick different styles of wines to taste, take notes so you can keep track mof your changes in taste. It will take a while, but you will discover your likes and dislikes. As you find things you like, go to restaurants to try them out with the appropriate foods. Once you get a feel for wines, try to find older vintages of the same wines. This will give you an indication of the potential development over time of the wines. Chances are you will become a collector. Also try to get a group of your friends together to do dinners, experimenting with different wines. Remember that the same wine can taste different with different food, so don't write off a wine till you try it with different foods.