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Wine 101: Intro to Wine, December 11th
2007-12-12 19:54:00
First Flight 1. Rocky Gully 2005 Dry Riesling, Frankland River (AS) Second Flight 1. Omaka Springs 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough (NZ) 2. Montes Alpha 2005 Chardonnay, Casablanca Valley (CH) Third Flight 1. Castillo de Molina 2005 Pinot Noir, Curico Valley (CH) 2. Altesino 2004 Sangiovese, Tuscany (IT) Fourth Flight 1. Las Rocas 2005 Garnacha, Catalyud (SP) 2. Graham Beck 2001 Syrah ?The Ridge,? Robertson (SA) Fifth ...
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Wine Class Alert!
2007-12-09 21:47:00
What do people mean when they talk about a good vintage? And does the vintage of a wine even matter all that much? After all, the price of a wine can change by hundreds of dollars from one year to the next. So how do you know what to do?In this second class of the Dirty Secrets of Wine Series, we will discuss the great wine regions of the world, how the weather affects the quality of those wines, and even taste examples from both “good” and “mediocre” vintages to see if we can tell them apart. This class is a must for any serious wine lover.You can sign up for this class alone, or all three Dirty Secrets classes, which will be held once a month through January.
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Pio Cesare 2004 Barbaresco
2007-12-07 16:35:00
With truffles, roses, and perhaps violets on the nose, this wine has a sense of perfumed levity that’s just irresistible. There’s a freshness here, though the fruit is far from the focus as the wine is rich with notes of cinnamon, cocoa, and Southeast Asian spices, especially on the finish. The tannins, while well-integrated, have ...
More About: Ares

Me, me, me, me, me
2007-12-05 21:50:00
That’s what Christmas means to me.  As does bacon.  And cookies.  Bacon.  Bacon.  But in the spirit of the holidays, I have decided to let this season be a little bit about you too.  Thus, I am giving each and every one of you a very very special gift:  Lard Cookies (aka Swedish Ginger Cookies).  Well, a recipe ...
More About: Wine

The Director?s Cut: Great Regions of the World, Nov. 30th
2007-12-01 17:20:00
First Flight 1. E. Guigal 2001 Hermitage Blanc, Northern Rhone (FR) 2. Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard 2004 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru ?La Grande Montagne,? Burgundy (FR) Second Flight 1. Quartz Reef 2003 Pinot Noir, Central Otago (NZ) 2. Belles Soeurs 2003 Pinot Noir, Willamette Vallery (OR) Third Flight 1. M. Chapoutier 1999 Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhone (FR) 2. Cuvee des Coteaux 1998 Cornas, Northern Rhone (FR) Fourth Flight 1. ...
More About: World , Great , Regions , The World , Director

Return from Piemonte
2007-11-29 20:34:00
I was always one of those guys who was unaffected by jet- ag, no matter where I was traveling to or returning from. But this most recent trip–my wife and I spent the 10 days around Thanksgiving in the town of Costigliole d’Asti–seems to have gotten to me. I’m exhausted! This is either because I’m (a) ...
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Italian Pick of The Week 11/26/07
2007-11-27 19:14:00
Mastroberardino Aglianico Passito “Antheres”, NV, Irpinia IGT, Campania With the holidays upon us thoughts turn to sumptuous meals and the bounty of late autumn as it folds into winter..and wines to enjoy as an accompaniment to antipasti, entrees, and, of course, dessert. ...
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Sommelier Smackdown End-of-Year Bout
2007-11-20 20:31:00
?Tell him he can have my title, but I want it back in the morning.?   - Jack Dempsey?s response after a drunk challenged him to a fight.  Things are heating up around the Wine School, folks.  Seems there is a good old-fashioned sparring match coming up as sources have confirmed that Founder Keith ?Wall-Eye? Wallace has officially challenged his trusty ...
More About: Sommelier , Year , Smack , Smackdown

What is Italian Wine?
2007-11-13 18:33:00
Recently, our Advanced Class students finished a seven week viaggio through the oftimes bewildering, but nonetheles fascinating, demimonde of Italian wine. Along the way they tasted, analyzed, and discussed dozens of wines representing eighteen of Italy’s twenty regions, from the obvious - Barolo - to the relatively obscure - Peleverga. The objective of this “by ...
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Pommery Brut Rose Champagne
2007-11-12 20:04:00
The sound of a champagne?s ?pop? is music to my ears and while this tune is often only heard during special occasions or holiday celebrations I recommend playing it more often. In fact, celebrating life itself is a good enough excuse to open a bottle of the beautiful Pommery Brut Rosé Champ agne ! This rose-gold coloured ...
More About: Rose

Italian Pick of The Week 11/12/07
2007-11-12 16:40:00
Sylla Sebaste Barolo “Bussia”, 2001, Piemonte For the past few years there has been an ongoing debate regarding what exactly constitutes a “true” Barolo…or makes a Barolo truly great. On one side of the aisle are the Traditionalists, on the other the Modernists, the ...
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Through the Wine Glass
2007-11-12 15:53:00
“Curiouser and curiouser!” Like Lewis Carroll’s Alice, Natalie MacLean has an insatiable curiosity.  And lucky for us, Natalie’s curiosity is for all things wine.  In her excellent book Red, White, and Drunk All Over, she traverses the world in pursuit of one wine adventure after another. There is much to learn about wine, and Natalie leaves few ...
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The Con Artist Smackdown
2007-11-10 23:15:00
A week ago, we were the target of the classic “The Check in the Mail” con. Problem was, the conman had only a bare grasp of the English language and no idea that we do not sell wine. From: Wilmer Hayes Date: Nov 6, 2007 6:20 PM Subject: Wine Inquiry Hello Am Wilmer Hayes living in florida, am ...
More About: Artist , Smack , Smackdown , Artis , The Con

South American Wines
2007-11-09 15:16:00
Last night the Wine School hosted a tasting of South American wines at the Senior Law Center. Over the course of the evening, we poured everything from the usual suspects (malbec, sauvignon blanc) to less-known varietals and blends (torrontes, syrah-bonarda), and what struck me most–what always strikes me about tastings that allow us to delve ...
More About: Wines , South American

Grower Champagne
2007-11-07 23:41:00
Late last week, I was fortunate enough to attend a grower-champagne dinner at Rae (which, incidentally, was just named one of the 25 best new restaurants in America by Esquire Magazine). This is a category of bubbly that’s unfamiliar to many people, though, in all honesty, it shouldn’t be: The amount of pleasure to be ...
More About: Wine , Champagne , Champ

Italian Pick of The Week 11/5/07
2007-11-05 16:33:00
Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d’Abruzzo “Torano Nuovo”, 2001, DOC, Abruzzo Every now and then I come across a bottle that can only be described as an Al Pacino wine - you know, an experience that moves you to say “..hooo ahhh”, like the character he portrayed in ...
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The Taste Factor Wine Class
2007-11-02 22:38:00
  The Taste Factor : where does it come from? The Dirty Secrets in Wine Series     First Flight: Oak 1. Flora Springs 2006 Chardonnay, Napa Valley (USA)   2. Bonneau 2003 Chardonnay, Napa Valley (USA)     Second Flight: Air 1. Altesino 2004 Sangiovese, Tuscany (Italy)   2. Di Majo Norante 2005 Sangiovese, Tuscany (Italy)     Third Flight: Fingers 1. Green Point 2004 Shiraz, Victoria (Austria)   2. Domaint Terlato & Chapoutier 2005 ...
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The Director?s Cut: French Wines
2007-10-31 05:25:00
The Dire ctor ’s Cut: French Wines Keith pulls out the Burgundies The 1er Basics 1. Simonnet Febvre 2005 Chablis 2. Simonnet Febvre 2005 Premier Cru Chablis, Vaillons Styles & Age in 1er Burgundies 1. Robert Ampeau 1976 1er Cru Volnay-Santenots 2. Camille Giroud 2002 1er Cru Maranges, Le Croix Moines The Grand Cru 1. Latour 2002  Chambertin Grand Cru What to drink while you wait 1. Chateau ...
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Sommelier Smackdown
2007-10-30 23:16:00
The Sommelier Smack down Anthony Masapollo of Le Castagne Frank Cipparone of the Wine School How to Vote for your Favorite Pairing. Give your favorite pairing in the flight a “2″ and the other a “1″. First Flight Proscuitto and Melon Skewers 1. __________________________ Score: 2. __________________________ Score: Second Flight Assorted Olives 1. __________________________ Score: 2. __________________________ Score: Third Flight Truffled Polenta with Wild Mushroom. 1. __________________________ Score: 2. __________________________ Score: Fourth Flight Testun ...
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Director?s Cut: French Wines
2007-10-27 18:48:00
KGABOYA The 1er Basics 1. Simonnet Febvre 2005 Chablis 2. Simonnet Febvre 2005 Premier Cru Chablis, Vaillons Styles & Age in 1er Burgundies 1. Robert Ampeau 1976 1er Cru Volnay-Santenots 2. Camille Giroud 2002 1er Cru Maranges, Le Croix Moines The Grand Cru 1. Latour 2002  Chambertin Grand Cru —— What to drink while you wait 1. Chateau e La Tuilerie 2003 Vin de Pays 2. Chateau ...
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A Good Wine Makes for a Better Read
2007-10-26 21:02:00
Fall is finally here - that time of year to get cozy on the sofa under a nice burning lamp, a lovely bottle of wine, and a terrific read. For those of you following Frank Cipparone?s Italian Picks, a great novel to dive into while drinking the Ornello Molon Raboso 2003; the Cristina Ascheri Langhe ...
More About: Wine , Read , Good

Grgich Hills 2004 Zinfandel
2007-10-26 18:01:00
The aroma of spicy, peppery raisins soaked in Dr. Pepper, but in a good way. This is classic, peppery California zinfandel, yet the blue fruits of the 7% petit sirah add an even greater sense of richness. The mid-palate isn’t nearly as sweet as the nose suggests, likely the result of substantial tannins that need ...
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The Top Ten Wines for Fall, PLCB Style
2007-10-24 20:40:00
These are the top  wines for the next month or so. Grab them when you can! You can use our Wine Finder to locate all these wines. Bodega Norton 2005 Malbec Reserva (Chile) PLCB: $12/Outside of Pennsylvania: $13-$20 This wine is everywhere right now, and its worth picking up a few bottles at the current ($12) PLCB price. The structure ...
More About: Style , Wines , Fall

2007, the First Great Pennsylvania Vintage
2007-10-24 19:00:00
Eric really should have told me to take the right infront of the Amish lass picking flowers. She was there everytime I sped past. Eric Miller’s voice, recorded and replayed several times over the feeble speaker on my cellphone, is calmly giving directions to turn right at Mansion street.   After a few more circles through ...
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Italian Pick of The Week, 10/22/07
2007-10-22 16:05:00
Casa Librandi Ciro, “Duca di San Felice” Riserva, 2003, DOC, Calabria The Ciro DOC is home to Gaglioppo, a vigorous grape known as “The Black Prince”. Genetically related to Sicilian Frappato, it was used in ancient times to make crimissa. Today it ...
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Italian Pick of The Week
2007-10-15 23:10:00
Cristina Ascheri Langhe Arneis, 2006, Piemonte In a land of Barbaresco and Barolo this grape is truly, in the local patois, an unruly child, the one who doesn’t quite fit in. Once planted among rows of Nebbiolo because its scented clusters diverted birds and bees away from the more “important” varietal, Arneis had as low ...
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Mondavi 1991 Cabernet Sauvignon ?Reserve?
2007-10-12 22:51:00
From the moment I opened the bottle, this wine was one surprise after another. The color didn’t imply that the juice was 16 years old, and the nose, though redolent of the subtle aromas of leather and tobacco, developed a cinnamon-rolled blackberry character after a few minutes of air. And while the palate started off ...
More About: Cabernet Sauvignon , Cabe , Sauvignon , Reserve , Serve

A Year in Wine
2007-10-09 17:57:00
“If I got anything out of this relationship, it is cheek meat.” We will be having rainbow snapper for dinner. Kay had bought them at a fish monger on Saturday on a whim. They were pin-striped in a shimmer of chilly gold and pale and their eyes sparkling wildly, as if caught half-way through ...
More About: Wine , Year

Italian Pick of The Week
2007-10-08 13:30:00
Ornella Molon Raboso, 2003, Pieve DOC, Veneto Though it has been vinified since the pre-Roman era and was once an important wine for trade by Venetian merchants (when it was known as recaldina), Raboso literally lost ground to Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1960s. As was the case with many indigenous varietals, it might have ...
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Italian Pick of The Week 10/01/07
2007-09-29 17:57:00
Castello di Verduno Pelaverga “Basadone”, 2004, DOC, Piemonte In a region famous for its Nebbiolo based wines there are a number of varietals that don’t get the attention they deserve, and this is one. Pelaverga is an ancient cultivar native to the Langhe, once planted alongside Barbera and Nebbiolo, ...
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