James Bond and Champagne – Best Not Shaken or Stirred.
September 30, 2011
James Bond, Ian Fleming’s fictional spy character, is portrayed as a frequent drinker of Champagne. A count reveals thirty-five occasions in which the character was portrayed drinking champagne in Bond films. The favorite Champagne of Mr Bond? That would be Bollinger.
List of Bollinger Champagnes used in James Bond movies:
Live and Let Die: Bollinger (year unknown)
Moonraker: Bollinger RD ’69
View to a Kill: Bollinger ’75
License to Kill: Bollinger RD ’75
The Living Daylights: Bollinger (year unknown)
Goldeneye: Bollinger Grande Année 1988
Tomorrow Never Dies: Bollinger Grande Année 1989
The World Is Not Enough: Bollinger Grande Année 1990
Die Another Day: Bollinger 1961
Casino Royale: Bollinger Grande Année 1990
Quantum of Solacee: Bollinger (year unknown)
Raspberry-Glazed Peaches with Mascarpone Paired with Santa Julia Late Harvest Torrontes
September 29, 2011
Ladies and gentlemen! What you are witnessing is my first ever dessert and wine pairing!
Remember this post for as long as you can, because I never make desserts in my own home…which is such a shame, because I love them!
Dessert wines are so often forgotten about, and I think they could possibly be one of the most misunderstood types of wine. It never fails to amaze me that when I pour a dessert wine at tasting, some of the first words that grace the lips of the taster are “wow….it’s sweet!”.
Yes; congratulations! You managed to assert that the wine I just explained to be a DESSERT WINE, is in fact SWEET! Dessert wines are not supposed to be consumed in the same way as “regular” wines. A 2oz serving is most often more than enough.
Posted in Pairings, Recipes | Tagged Argentina, Dessert Wine, Familia Zuccardi, Mendoza, Organic, Torrontes, Winesellers Ltd | 1 Comment //Wine and Coffee? The Perfect Start to Your Day!
September 28, 2011I don’t know why I haven’t thought to combine coffee and wine before! What a perfect way to start your morning! Of course, I’m kidding! Everyone knows mornings are purely meant for Champagne…
If you recall my review last week on the Malamado, you’ll be well aware that it’s a fortified wine made in Argentina from the Malbec grape, with a little brandy added in order to boost the alcohol. Familia Zuccardi is the winery behind it, and were the first fortify a Malbec in this way. Think Port, only made in Argentina.
So I was browsing on the Familia Zuccardi website yesterday, and I stumbled across these very cool recipes using Malamado. The above photo is my attempt at a Irish Malamado, and I do have to say it serves as the perfect night-cap to a long day at work!
Irish Malamado Recipe
1oz of Malamado
1oz of Irish Whisky
1 cup of strong coffee (as hot as possible)
1 Teaspoon sugar
Whipping cream
Pour in whisky in, then Malamado, add coffee, stir in sugar, then slowly float the cream over the back of a teaspoon.
The Malamado is imported by Winesellers Ltd, and is distributed (at least in Florida) by Country Vintner/Stacole.
Posted in Recipes, Reviews | Tagged Argentina, Familia Zuccardi, Fortified, Irish Malamado, Malamado, Malbec, Port, Wine Recipe | Leave a comment //
Orin Swift “Saldo” Zinfandel 2009
September 27, 2011
Grape
80% Zinfandel, 9% Petite Sirah, 8% Syrah, 3% Grenache
Facts
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Anyone who knows me, knows that I’m a sucker for a good wine label; but this one is….well…minimalistic to say the least! I do have to say though, I am a fan.
You won’t find this fact on the website, however I have it under good authority that Orin Swift were so stuck for ideas on the label for the Saldo, that they just started messing around with an old school label-maker in their office. Et Voila! The Saldo label was born!
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Owner/winemaker at Orin Swift Dave Phinney is probably better known for The Prisoner, his Californian “kitchen sink” blend.
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Something else I heard: this year, Orin Swift are doing the new vintage release of The Prisoner on Alcatraz! Now THAT’S a wine release party! Clearly my invite got lost in the mail…
This Week in Wine – 9/25/11
September 25, 2011
It’s all a Bunch of Lies! There is no Wine Fountain of Youth, New Study Says.
A group of scientists who thought they found the fountain of youth may be all wet. New research from England suggests the red wine compound called resveratrol may not extend lifespan at all.
The scientists, including Dr. Leonard Guarente, professor of biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, were excited by studies that seemed to show that resveratrol could "activate" longevity-promoting proteins called sirtuins. Alas, that doesn’t seem to be the case.
"We have re-examined the key experiments linking sirtuin with longevity in animals and none seem to stand up to close scrutiny," study author Dr. David Gems, professor of aging at the University of London, said in a written statement. "Sirtuins, far from being a key to longevity appear to have nothing to do with extending life.” he stated.
Click here for the full story.
My Thoughts
I’ve been saying it for quite some time now, and I’m not even a scientist!
In studies, wine drinkers always seem to come out on-top in terms of their health and lifespan. Call me crazy, but in studies between beer drinkers, liquor drinkers, wine drinkers and even non-drinkers; which one do you think would come out as the healthier, smarter, and as earning a higher income? Wine drinkers will come out on-top every time, but it shouldn’t just be attributed to the wine itself. Think of it as a “culture-thing”…
Wine Industry Could Reap Major Savings from Alka-Seltzer
Alka-Seltzer has been soothing human indigestion and heartburn for years. Now, it’s helping out the wine industry.
Elemental sulfur is wine’s "frenemy" – it effectively keeps the ubiquitous powdery mildew disease in vineyards at bay, but excessive residues carried over into wine can result in a rotten egg aroma.
Now a new, inexpensive method developed by Cornell scientists gives the wine industry a way to protect both vines and fermentations by monitoring residues — using Alka-Seltzer tablets to make a winery-friendly protocol. The same protocol may be useful for such industries as construction, wastewater management, petrochemicals and forensic analysis, say the researchers.
Alka-Seltzer protocol takes less than half an hour to perform, requires equipment that costs about $50, uses consumables that cost only about $5 per analysis and could save growers thousands of dollars
Click here for the full story.
My Thoughts
Good ol’ Alka Seltzer! Now it can actually be a part of the wine-making process, and not used just the morning after you’ve consumed too much!
Posted in News | Tagged Chateau Montelena, Grgich Hills, Health, Moscato, Moscato d'Asti, Sirtuin, Sirtuins | 1 Comment //
Blue Cheese and Red Blends Tasting at The Tasting Room
September 25, 2011
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