The AH Coffee Shop and Reading Room 02: A Comma (is a Restful Pause)

[voluptuary_manque]

The first time California wines beat French in a blind tasting was clear back in '76 and we've been doing consistently ever since. Now Oregon and Washington are on the game and the wines of the PNW must be tasted to be believed. I buy and happily drink wines from all over the world but when it comes down to what I would drink if restricted to one, it would be a hard choice between an Italian Primitivo or its descendent, a California Zinfandel. I like me wines that wanna arm wrestle!

 

[ChloeTzang]

For me it's likely to be a glass or three of Gewürztraminer with my burger; when I can be bothered..

Gewürztraminer really goes well with Chinese food too. Harder to find tho, I don't see it too often but when I do I buy a couple of bottles

 

[sr71plt]

Reminds me that there is another glass of Yellowtail Shiraz left in the bottle on the kitchen island.

 

[Handley_Page]

Reminds me that there is another glass of Yellowtail Shiraz left in the bottle on the kitchen island.

You have "left-overs" ?
Good Grief, man; that's a serious offence !
I recommend you dispose of the evidence - pronto!

 

[Hypoxia]

You have "left-overs" ?
Good Grief, man; that's a serious offence !
I recommend you dispose of the evidence - pronto!

That's an intoxicating thought.

Used to be, our only leftovers were seeds and stems.

Another excuse for another sort of tea.

 

[sr71plt]

Too late. As soon as it came into mind, I finished it off.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Too late. As soon as it came into mind, I finished it off.

You and this big guy who steals the cooking wine from my fridge. I went to use it and he must have polished it off last nite while I was asleep. So now I am drinking Amarone after throwing some in the marinade. There may not be any left soon, it's rather nice. And somehow half the bottle has evaporated. It's a hot day tho. And alcohol evaporates easily.

 

[TxRad]

So much wine and so little coffee. I knew I should have opened a bar.

Pork chops for supper and no wine was injured in the making.

Now I'm off to do some writing. The ladies are off visiting friends but should be home soon.

 

[MagicaPractica]

The first time California wines beat French in a blind tasting was clear back in '76 and we've been doing consistently ever since. Now Oregon and Washington are on the game and the wines of the PNW must be tasted to be believed. I buy and happily drink wines from all over the world but when it comes down to what I would drink if restricted to one, it would be a hard choice between an Italian Primitivo or its descendent, a California Zinfandel. I like me wines that wanna arm wrestle!

That event made for a rather good movie too.

Gewürztraminer really goes well with Chinese food too. Harder to find tho, I don't see it too often but when I do I buy a couple of bottles

Funny, they are all over the place in the NY Finger Lakes region.

 

[NotWise]

The first time California wines beat French in a blind tasting was clear back in '76 and we've been doing consistently ever since. Now Oregon and Washington are on the game and the wines of the PNW must be tasted to be believed. I buy and happily drink wines from all over the world but when it comes down to what I would drink if restricted to one, it would be a hard choice between an Italian Primitivo or its descendent, a California Zinfandel. I like me wines that wanna arm wrestle!

A few years ago I saw a video stream of an interview with Heidi Barrett. She's crafted wines that repeatedly beat the best that France has to offer, yet she was beautiful and humble and elegant.

A 6-liter bottle of 1992 Screaming Eagle (for which she was the wine maker) sold for $500,000 and set the record for the value of a single bottle of wine. A year later the same bottle sold for $650,000.

As American wines go, I like wines from PNW. The best Pino Gris I've had came from there. I often have issues with American wines because of the amount of oak in the wine. Secondary fermentation of Chardonnay also causes me problems.

The Finger Lakes area in New York produces some distinctive wines, but they aren't widely distributed.

 

[Handley_Page]

The occasional column that I read, on the subject of wines, indicates that the French seem to have 'woken up' on the subject of winemaking.
Naturally, my favourites aren't there; they're in the Rheinhessen region.

 

[oggbashan]

On Thursday some friends visited us. We were discussing wines and they are much better informed than us, having lived and worked in several French and German wine making areas.

None of us was enthusiatic about Champagne, preferring other, cheaper, sparkling wines.

I produced my presentation bottle of the Official French Bicentennial Champagne from 1989.

At the event at which I was presented with the Champagne, a French Cavalryman ceremonially opened several bottles with a slash of his sabre. That's messy, like Formula 1 racing drivers spraying each other with the stuff. I had two or three glasses and I wasn't impressed, which is why my 1989 bottle is still unopened.

It looks great but it will remain unopened.

Now for some coffee.

 

[colddiesel]

The occasional column that I read, on the subject of wines, indicates that the French seem to have 'woken up' on the subject of winemaking.
Naturally, my favourites aren't there; they're in the Rheinhessen region.

I read somewhere a year or so ago that of the top 150 French winemakers, 35% employ at least one winemaker trained in either the USA or Australia. Roseworthy Agricultural College a school of the University of Adelaide started teaching winemaking as a branch of science/chemistry some 50 years ago. Their initial emphasis on cleanliness and environmental controls in the winery produced startlingly improved results. The Aussies got the idea for this approach from the US and developed it more quickly at first. The Americans soon caught up again and the Europeans later realized the value of the New World approach.

Pilot's tipple -Yellow Tail is a classic modern winery, every environmental control imaginable throughout the entire process, producing a good, consistent, cheap product.

Where YellowTail got their original capital from is another story altogether.

 

[colddiesel]

Double post

 

[ChloeTzang]

....Pilot's tipple -Yellow Tail is a classic modern winery, every environmental control imaginable throughout the entire process, producing a good, consistent, cheap product.

Where YellowTail got their original capital from is another story altogether.

An interesting article on Yellowtail

Elderton (Barossa Valley) is one of the vineyards I really like their Shiraz's. Hamilton Ewell is really nice too. Now I'm going to have to dive into the wine storage and find out what else we have. There's quite a few bottles of different aussie wines there.

 

[ChloeTzang]

And the real problem with shift work is that when you come off one shift you keep waking up at the wrong time of the day. So I'm sitting here wide awake at 4am eating a croissant and drinking coffee while himself sleeps and it's a hot morning so I have all the windows wide open and a nice breeze coming thru. I should start writing but I think right now I'd rather read a book and nibble....

https://dncache-mauganscorp.netdna-ssl.com/thumbseg/1418/1418635-bigthumbnail.jpg

 

[TxRad]

Morning all,

Yes, I should be cutting the lawn butt....

The coffee is too good this morning to do much other than sip it and sigh.

 

[PennLady]

Morning all,

Yes, I should be cutting the lawn butt....

The coffee is too good this morning to do much other than sip it and sigh.

I've already had some tea this morning. But as PennGirl's on her second viewing of Descendants 2, perhaps I need something stronger.

It's so hot out here (and I know not nearly as hot as other places) that I reserve leaving the house for important events only. Like on Thursday night, when Mr. Penn and PennBoy and I went to Philly to see Ghost!

Actually I suppose we'll be going out today for some errands. Hopefully we'll beat the forecasted t-storms.

(A little update, just so I can get it out of my system: still no surgery date, but I spoke to the surgeon yesterday and while the surgery may not happen until September, she is pushing for August, and says that she does not feel a delay will affect my health. Not sure it will happen as she is on vacation for two weeks, and that will overlap with the plastic surgeon who is out Aug 3-13... oh well.)

 

[litfan10]

(A little update, just so I can get it out of my system: still no surgery date, but I spoke to the surgeon yesterday and while the surgery may not happen until September, she is pushing for August, and says that she does not feel a delay will affect my health. Not sure it will happen as she is on vacation for two weeks, and that will overlap with the plastic surgeon who is out Aug 3-13... oh well.)

Of course you are in slave_ and my prayers, good luck sweet lady

 

[litfan10]

Slept late today, now I have that "Had to much sleep" blurry head.

Times like this I wish I did drink coffee.....

rolling up my sleeves to get some writing done. Starting with a blank slate - see where that takes me.

Have a great Saturday everyone.

 

[Handley_Page]

Slept late today, now I have that "Had to much sleep" blurry head.
Times like this I wish I did drink coffee.....
Have a great Saturday everyone.

You might try a decent cup /mug of good Tea; as in REAL TEA

 

[NotWise]

My neighborhood has been graced with a substantial horsey scent--which is to say, horse shit. We've always had a horse or two stabled a small block away, but now there's a yearling stabled about 40 feet from my back door.

 

[sharingfantasies]

My neighborhood has been graced with a substantial horsey scent--which is to say, horse shit. We've always had a horse or two stabled a small block away, but now there's a yearling stabled about 40 feet from my back door.

Better than pigs. Better than roosters, geese or ducks which are very noisy. Heck, probably better than a lot of choices of people.

But that is kinda close. Is it yours?

 

[_Lynn_]

Of course you are in slave_ and my prayers, good luck sweet lady

Ditto for me.

 

[litfan10]

Ditto for me.

And well wishes for you as well sweet one.