Just got back from a couple of very pleasant days in Champagne, visiting Bollinger (above). With wonderful blue skies, it was great to go for a walk in the vineyards of Ay (Grand Cru Pinot Noir) near the Bollinger HQ. We tasted the 2008 vins clairs, the Bollinger range, visited Ayala and ate very we…

Deep black cherry hue with big sweet ripe fruit with a port-like raisiny quality.Palate– extracted flavors, wood notes, edgy fruit and was actually much better right after opening. Mild chocolate finish.Found a new “outlet” store in Freeport, Maine which buys up left overs from restaurants and othe…

On a recent trip to Phoenix I grabbed that Carneros Pinot since it seemed to be a good price at $16. I knew nothing about the wine or the vintner.It is alight cranberry hue with tart Strawberry and raspberry aromas, with cola, root beer notes and a touch of cinnamon.Palate–minerals and fruity swee…

G. Duboeuf always seems to be dependable no matter he ships. that is no exception.This wine–one of the choose locales of the Beaujolais region–Fleurie–is a nice wine with cherry hue and an awesome milk chocolate, wilds cherry, strawberry and spice aroma.Palate–some heft with some tannic structu…

Well, that is a slightly different approach to “Bests.” These are the wines that I really liked at Taste Washington Phoenix:Outstanding Gordon Bros. - 2006 Kamiak Cellar choose Red Syncline - 2006 SyrahExcellentAbeja - 2006 Cabernet SauvignonAbeja - 2007 ChardonnayBadger Mtn- 2007 Organic Ri…

It has been an enjoyable weekend. Yesterday I played 11-a-side football; the guys I play with on Wednesday evening (parent’s from younger son’s school) formed a side and we challenged another team who play quite regularly. Playing on a full-sized pitch with 11 each side is quite different to our sma…

Tasting notes:Currants, plum, leather, and herbs on the noseEarthy and dense on the palateFinish of currants, herbs, and spices with a dash of cocoaHere’s a perennial good value wine from the Rhone. E. Guigal packs a lot into that $12 bottle, with fruit, herbs, and earthy tones. Its best quality i…

Tasting notes:Lemon and nectarine on the noseLean, lively, and acidic on the palateFinishes tart and crips with citrus and mineral notesThis is a lively, youthful wine from Washington state. Made in a more Germanic style, with low alcohol, the wine dances across the palate with a tightly-knit text…

The latest of the late night wine VLOGs: I taste four German Rieslings, despite the best efforts of RTL.

[[ that is a subject matter summary only. Visit my website for full urls, other substance, and more! ]]Original post by Jamie

It’s been ages since I saw a decent film. In fact, the last really good film I remember seeing is Sidney Lumet’s Before the satan knows you’re dead, and that was in BA business class flying to Argentina a year ago. Shocking.

Last night we watched the latest Bond - Quantum of Solace - and it’s a woe…