"T"

Perhaps gay couples are serving foie gras at weddings therefore if you get rid of foie gras, no more gay weddings.

Inama Soave Classico Superiore 2001 paired with a roasted chicken rissoto with green beans. Love this Soave but then again it's the only one I ever buy. If anyone else has recommendations on Soaves it would be much appreciated. Yesterday it was a E&JGallo Lake Aileen Cab/Sauv 1995 paired with burgers. Works for me.

Winners is a wholesale big bully, I mean big box store. They sell lotsa stuff for low prices or at least seemingly low prices. I picked up Tom Stevensons New Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia there for around $10.00 cad. Saw some Riedel vinums a while back as well for cheap. Well cheap for Canada.

The term "fine herbs" has a different meaning in Vancouver than it does in France.

Tawny ports are my favorites, mostly because I can't or will not pay what vintage port costs. But shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh otherwise the price will go up.

Maybe it's wrong but I've found some nice smaller vases I found at Winners for a few bucks that look like cool decanters. Great for 375 ml bottles.

Brad: I remember tasting this wine around 6 monthes ago and nosed freshly picked bud on the nose. Could of been just me but once I mentioned it,others started laughing and agreed. Maybe it's a BC thing. :) The wine being the Hermit Crab from d'Arenburg.

Langhe DOC Nebbiolo Produttori del Barbaresco 2001 Light to medium garnet hue to a watery rim. Does not appear to be a very deep wine Moderately intense on the nose. Some tar, smokey wood, lightly peated(in aroma) cherry, strawberry fruit. Bakers chocolate and pipe tobacco. Dang. Good dose of acid mingles with ripe cherry and red berries. Tannins are very present but not taking away from the fruit. Toasted oak gives the fruit a nice smoked or grilled fruit flavour(we all grill our fruit don't we). Not a long finish but quite tastey while on the palate. Can't remember what I paid. Around $$25.00 cad maybe. Paired with lasagna and grilled asparagus finished with lemon juice. Yummmmm.

I love how some cities cast a spell over you. Florence is one of them, although my favorite is Pienza. I'm starting to feel sad for being here and not there. Thanks guys :)

I had the same problem with both Bologna and Lucca. Remedy, a good lunch, a long stroll afterwards and a beautful evening back in Florence.

Pastis. Even hours before dinner.

Bowmore 12 yr with a pint of Guinness.

LOL. At least the dogs are cute whereas crappy American coffee is always crappy American coffee.

Try teaontheweb.com for all your tea needs. The green teas are great and the mate is organic, I think. Good luck.

Aberlour A'bunadh. I know it's not wine but damn it goes down smooth. Drinking while listening to Anne- Sophie Mutter playing Wolfgang Rihm's Gesungene Zeit. Gettin' a bit heady, may need to put the Shins on instead. Cheers, "T"

Ling: As I said earlier it shouldn't make a difference how one dresses or whether or not wine is ordered, but, it seems to. One shouldn't order wine just to keep a restaurant in business. Wine is simply to aid in digestion right?

Went to Pastis last night with my wife and three others. All meals were excellent as well as the service. I think service depends, whether this is right or wrong, on how you are dressed and if wine is ordered with the meal. At our table most of us were dressed for the type of room we were eating in, eg suits, dresses etc and we were treated acordingly. Others I noticed came in wearing old jeans and ratty t shirts and drank ice water. I notice the staff had them in and out very quickly. Like I said earlier whether this type of service is right or wrong is up to the individual to decide. Personally, I feel dressing up when dining out shows respect to the servers and to the chefs. They may be serving us but we are entering their house.

2000 Footbolt from d'Arenberg. Big jammy fruit blah, blah, blah. I think this will be my last Australian for a while now. Back to the old world for me.

I just picked up a bottle of the a' bunadh. $69.00 in Vancouver. Not sure if this is a good price but, hell, I have no choice, I live where I live. Nice nose. Lots of caramel and butterscotch. Dried oranges and some spice.A splash of water and it was soooooo smooth. I am a beginner as far as whisky goes so please excuse the incomplete notes. I also picked up a Bowmore 12 year old. Am I crazy or do I taste something which could also be called a bandaid? Just wondering. I know there are some very knowledgable whisky folks out there. Help a brother out with this whisky tasting. Cheers. "T"

I have a few bottles of the 1997 still and I love em when they are open very dissapointed once finished. Cheers. PS. They cost a few more $$$ in Vancouver

Me, I'm a lazy assed bastard, I buy my duck fat at Oyama on Granville Island. I confit everything from pheasant to garlic in it. I also smother my chickens in the stuff before I roast them. Duck fat, an essential food item. Everyone have a happy new year. PS. Sometimes they don't have it out so you need to ask for it.

Thanks.

Craig: Read the article with intrest since I have a few Brunellos of different vintages laying down. I was surprised to see Siro Pacenti mentioned near the end of the article. I have 3 bottles of the 2001 Rosso di Montalcino in the cellar now. I tried a bottle a few weeks ago and it is full of huge dark fruit with some big tannins but certainly not unaproachable. Just wondering how long these bottles can lay down for? Since it's my first experience with wines from Pacenti and I don't know much about them.

Got some 1995 Lisini Brunello, hope it's as good.

That is almost a sig worthy quote. I tend to stay away from things like ass, as they are likely to contain things that are associatted with asses, and can't be healthy. I also donut eat things like livers or kidnies, as they are the filters of the body, which can't be good for you either. Although I tend to agree about the filter thing I have no idea if eating theese cuts can be disadvantagous to ones health. Anyone???