Archive for March, 2009

Coming Soon: American Lighthouse Cookbook

Mar 29th, 2009 Posted in American Lighthouse Cookbook | no comment »

Available in hardback September 1, 2009

Pre-order now at Amazon.com!

American Lighthouse Cookbook

Dry River dry riesling from New Zealand

Mar 29th, 2009 Posted in wine + spirits | no comment »

Standout at this week’s New Zealand wine tasting: the 2008 Dry River Riesling from Craighall Vineyard in Martinborough.  Beautifully balanced: lovely floral aromas waft from the glass.  Plenty of body to carry you through a light meal.  Finishing with the exact amount of minerality to round out the experience.  I had bottle # 2379.

Barrel of Red Truck (1)

Mar 23rd, 2009 Posted in wine, wine + spirits | no comment »
So the cute little “mini-barrel” of Red Truck wine arrives. It’s green because it’s 4 bottles in 1 container. It’s red because it’s 2007 California red wine.
We tried it last night. I also happened to have a bottle of the 2002 on hand and the two vintages tasted remarkably similar, another 5 years in bottle –  I was very surprised.

Let’s see how the mini-barrel holds up over the next 39 days…

Tasting notes Napa cabs – and more

Mar 13th, 2009 Posted in wine + spirits | no comment »
Dozens of Napa Vintners were in New York all week, promoting their wines. Had a chance to check out current releases from a lot of wineries. Some great discoveries – and re-discoveries like:
2005 Cain Five
2006 Cliff Lede cab sauv
Cathy Corison’s 2004 cab (and some of her older vintages which she says tend to “blossom” at different times in their lives, “like a string of lights”)
Cuvaison’s 2007 Carneros chard
Darioush’s 2004 cab sauv
Franciscan’s 2005 Magnificat blend and Stylus (cab sauv)
Larkin’s several 2006 Cab Franc – and other reds
Miner Family Vineyards’ 2005 The Oracle (drink 2009-2029)
Trefethen 2007 Dry Riesling (more off-dry, to me)
Trinchero 2005 Petit Verdot (100% ?!)
Work Vineyard’s easy 2007 sauv blanc
Also following:
Bennet Lane (need more Maximus White Feasting Wine on the market – not the red, just the white, please)
Fantesca, now with Heidi Barrett as winemaker
Honig’s reds
Howell at the Moon (not just for its great label with dog Tyson howling)

Tres Sabores (some regular, some biodynamic)