October 2010
Chez Panisse out, wine country resort zooms to the top
Posted: Oct 29, 2010 10:00am ET
Does the demotion of Chez Panisse to no stars in the new 2011 Michelin Guide for San Francisco and environs mean that an era is over, or is it simply an acknowledgment that the restaurant ain't what it used to be?
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Cold, rain affect both Oregon and Washington in 2010
Posted: Oct 25, 2010 2:23pm ET
Despite cold temperatures and rain, vintners in the Oregon and Washington are optimistic that the 2010 vintage will be memorable.
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Oregon Pinots show little of the flavor, and that's OK with me
Posted: Oct 21, 2010 2:00pm ET
I discovered a missing element in the 2008 vintage of Oregon Pinot Noir. The red wines were missing new oak, allowing the fruit, mineral and earthy flavors to shine.
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Is it my imagination, or is it better than ever?
Posted: Oct 15, 2010 10:45am ET
We are living in a golden age of pasta here in the U.S. It wasn’t that long ago that getting a good, properly prepared plate of pasta in a restaurant was a rare and wonderful thing. On my current visit to New York, it seems as though I encountered a great pasta dish every day as I dined at Maialino, Marea, Lincoln and more.
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Six decades with Peter Lehmann
Posted: Oct 12, 2010 11:08am ET
Winemaker Peter Lehmann, who just turned 80, is considered a hero in Australian wine circles. It’s not just the wines in a career that spans more than 60 years, but what he did in the 1980s to rescue a host of Barossa Valley growers who likely would have gone out of business if he hadn’t started Peter Lehmann Wines in 1980.
Today’s economic woes pale in comparison to what was happening then. The oversupply was so bad that the government instituted what was called a “vine-pull scheme.” Many growers actually did pull out mature vines, but others realized that the plan only paid growers not to produce grapes for several years. Those who could ride it out took the government’s money, let their vineyards go wild, then started retraining the vines after the hiatus. And that is why so much old-vine Shiraz and Grenache still exists in the Barossa today.
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Dipping a toe into the Twitter world
Posted: Oct 7, 2010 10:36am ET
I signed up for Twitter. I'll tweet interesting wine and food tidbits, but what exactly would you like to hear from me?
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Chef’s "Angry Tuna" makes sparkling wine sing
Posted: Oct 5, 2010 10:41am ET
Matching food with sparkling wine presents little challenge. But I never thought of the one chef Michael Chiarello recommends. Tuna crudo, the Italian version of sashimi? Sure. But spicy Calabrian chiles? Fried garlic and basil? Damned if it didn’t work perfectly with an elegant Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs North Coast 2006 when we tried it earlier this year. Check out this video of the preparation, as well as the full recipe.
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