The Wino and I Know

Wine Out of a Vending Machine?

The things being carried in vending machines are not limited to soda and snacks, like many people are used to. I have seen a i-pod vending machine, and even a variation of a lobster vending machine ( described in an earlier post). Recenly I have been hearing about all sorts of vending machines, like swim suits at fancy hotel pools, or ballet flats in the ladies bathrooms at night clubs. Now in Pennsylvania you can get wine out of a vending machine. The customer must insert their id and blow in to a breathalyzer to prove that they are not already intoxicated, after the customer has paid they will get their bottle of wine.

Interesting

Pop Art and Dom Perignon

 Andy Warhol was a big fan of Dom Perignon Champagne.......So much that he and 19 of his friends made a plan to buy 2,000 bottles of Dom Perignon, keep them in a sealed room and pop the 2,000 bottles to ring in the new millennium. Andy Warhol wrote of the Champagne plan in his diary on March 8th, 1981. The sealed room of Dom Perignon has never been been found and the other 19 members have never been identified. 

It makes me wonder whether the plan was ever carried out, or possibly the other people in the pack drank the champagne when Andy Warhol died. If the room with 2,000 bottles was found it would be a real champagne treasure chest.

Dom Perignon Recently created some limited edition commemorative bottles to celebrate Andy Warhol and his love of Dom Perignon champagne. The bottles hold the 2002 vintage, and have red, yellow, or blue labels to commemorate Warhol's bold use of color. The bottles are going for $150 and are on sale at Sherry-Leiman in New York City

Drink Champagne from a High Heel Shoe.....

Without feeling gross about it.

About a year ago I came across this champagne and shoe combination from the wonderful shoe designer Christian Louboutin, and the champagne maker Piper Heidsieck. 

In 1880 in France it was popular to drink out of high heeled women's shoes, think of it as a way to make things more interesting at a party. Christian Louboutin and Piper Heidsieck have made this old french custom more sanitary and fashionable. I can only imagine what it would be like to drink out of this Champagne flute/ shoe.  I love the sky- high twirled crystal heel of the champagne flute/ shoe.

The set is $500.00, an extravagant price, but the set would be a great conversation piece

Chocolate wine?

(Above is a picture from a red wine and chocolate tasting, notice the "wine legs" on the glasses.)

While I was at the Salisbury Wine Festival (more posts will follow) I tasted a chocolate dessert wine.  The wine is called "chocolate zin" and is produced by the St. Michael's winery. I thought that you could taste a little bit of the red zinfandel grape, but the for the most part the chocolate over powered the red wine taste. One of the women working at the tasting tent informed me that the chocolate flavor comes from natural chocolate extract, and the the wine is nice when poured over deserts, specifically pound cake. Personally I thought that the wine had to much of a chocolate flavor. I have tasted wine filled chocolates before and think that they do a better job of combining chocolate and wine into one bite, or sip in the case of the chocolate wine. If you ever come across chocolate wine, or wine filled chocolates  I would give either one a try.

If you want to try the combination without buying chocolate wine, or wine filled chocolates, just pair a red wine with some chocolate and you will get a similar affect. 

A Hotel with a Trail Park on the Roof!

While I was in in Cape Town, South Africa some of my friends and I went to the Grand Daddy Hotel for drinks.  First off the hotel is amazing! They had a bunch fun design elements, such as paper dresses made out of maps on the walls of the stair case. ( I couldnt find a picture online, but check out their web site for some more pictures) www. thegranddaddy.co.za.

The best part of the hotel was the air stream trailer park on the roof. Unfortunately when I was at the hotel the trailer park was not completely finished. I did manage to see the trailer park, when it was not completely fished. I walked up the steps and the door wasn't locked, so i peaked around. I probably broke some rule by doing that but I could not resist! The trailer park had astro turf on the ground and each of the trailer's interior was designed by an artist. If you are ever in Cape Town you should definatly stay at The Grand Daddy hotel. 

The first picture is of the one of the trailers being lifted on to the roof of the hotel.

The second picture is of the rood top trailer park.

The third picture is of the inside of one of the trailers

Lion Killers at a Vineyard?

 

This is a picture of Rhodesian Ridge Back that I took at the Glen Carlou Winery in South Africa. The breed is from southern Africa and they were used to hunt lions! There were two Ridge Backs hanging out in the restaurant and wine tasting area of the winery. The dogs were very friendly and well behaved. 

 I am feeding the lion hunters some of my bread that we were served at lunch. At first I was afraid to feed these dogs, that once killed lions, but the dogs took their bread from my hand very gently. 

  This is a picture from the wine cellars of Glen Carlou. The smell of wine cellar is the most unique smell I have ever come across. The mixture of wine, oak barrels, and basement is amazing. These barrels are "painted" with red wine in the middle so when the wine is sampled from the barrels unsightly red wine drips do not stain the barrels.

Gourmet.... College style

I just made salmon with a whole grain mustard and maple syrup glaze(similar to honey mustard) with some roasted baby carrots. It was simple and turned better than I expected! Here is the recpie if you want to try it.

• 2 Frozen wild salmon filets (wal-mart)
• 2 tbsp Whole grain mustard
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt (to taste)
• pepper (to taste)

Preheat your oven to 375. Taste the marinade/glaze before you put it on the salmon to make sure you like how it tastes, if not just add a little more of what ever you think it needs. Place the salmon in a baking dish and cover the salmon with the mixture. Place the baking dish in the refrigerator for an hour or two, to let the salmon marinate. Put the salmon in the oven for about 10 minutes, the time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your salmon. Take out the salmon and move an oven rack about 5 inches away from the broiler. Turn on the broiler setting of your oven and put the salmon in for about 10 more minutes, or until the mixture begins to bubble. Let the salmon cool, then ENJOY!

Let me know if you try the recipe, or if you have any questions. This is first attempt at recipe writing, I hope the recipe makes sense. 

A history lesson... in alcohol

• President Lincoln, when informed that General Grant drank whiskey while leading his troops, reportedly replied "Find out the name of the brand so I can give it to my other generals.
• As Magellan prepared to sail around the world in 1519, he spent more on Sherry than on weapons. 
• In the 1600's thermometers were filled with brandy instead of mercury
• In ancient Babylon, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead (fermented honey beverage) he could drink for a month after the wedding. Because their calendar was lunar or moon-based, this period of free mead was called the "honey month," or what we now call the "honeymoon."

 

Thanks:http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/FunFacts/AlcoholTrivia.html

Roses...pretty and functional

While Tim and I were touring the wine country outside of Cape Town two years ago we made a stop at the winery, Rupert and Rothschild. As we were driving up to the winery we passed the vinyards of Rupert and Rothschild I noticed that at the end of each row of grapes there was a rose bush.

 (above: a picture of a woman tending to the roses and grapes in the vinyeards of Rupert and Rosthschild)

Tim told me that the roses are an indicator of the grapes health. The roses will show signs of a problem before the grapes will. 

Oyster Shooters!

About a year ago my brothers friend, Pete introduced me to the oyster shooter on Thanksgiving day. An oyster shooter is a raw oyster, vodka, and hot sauce. Pete and i decided to add a little old bay. I was hesitant to take the oyster shooter, but i was surprised with the taste. The hot sause helped to ease the burn of the vodka and you could still taste the "oceany" taste of the oyster. Next time you are eating raw oysters (which are now in season!) give the oyster shooter a shot!

Champagne... the movie star

• 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
• Marilyn Monroe is said to have once taken a bath in the bubbly. According to her biographer, it took 350 bottles to fill the tub

 

Champagne... not just a drink

Champagne is about a 2 ½ our train ride from Paris and there is a lot to see once you get there. Besides the many Champagne houses there are to visit, there is the town of Reims where the French Kings were crowned in the great cathedral located there. Of course we stayed in the town of Epernay on our trip to France and got to visit the Champagne House of Moet Chandon. It’s amazing that under the Chateau of Moet Chandon lies almost 18 miles of caves and 10 million bottles of Champagne. Champagne has a rich history, although many times it has been plagued by wars and violence as this was the traditional path for invasions into France on several occasions. Champagne was the scene for “trench warfare” during WWI and was also occupied during WWII by the Nazis. There’s a great book called “Wine and War” which describes some to the events that took place in Champagne from 1940 and 1944.

Wine can only be labeled "champagne" if is made in the Champagne region of northeastern France. If a sparkling wine is produced elsewhere using the traditional French method, credit must be given to the "methode champenoise" on the label. The three traditional grapes used to make champagne are the Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, all which grow in the region. True champagne, as opposed to other sparkling wines, has to have developed bubbles by undergoing the fermentation process twice: once in barrels and again in bottles.

 

 

Watch out for that cork!

Below are some fun facts about Champagne:

• The pressure in a bottle of champagne is 90 pounds per square inch, about three times that in an automobile tire

• A champagne cork leaves the bottle at a velocity of approximately 38-40 mph, but can pop out at as fast as100 mph

Next time you pop a cork on a bottle of bubbly think about all of the pressure behind the cork! 

 

Eiswein or Ice Wine

One of my favorite dessert wines is Eiswein. The production or the yields for this liquid gold are miniscule; therefore, the price can be somewhat prohibitive for most folks. However, the next time you’re planning a dinner party and having guest’s over, serve this liquid dessert offering instead of or with your chocolate soufflé. The results will be that your friends will be talking about the evening for years to come….

 

The grapes for Eiswein  are generally picked at temperatures not above 18 degrees Fahrenheit and this means that harvest takes place late in the season (November or December, or sometimes into January in parts of Germany) and early in the morning. Once picked, the grapes are rushed to the winery and pressed immediately, thereby leaving the frozen water crystals in the press. This very often takes place outside to insure that the water stays frozen. Since the sweetest juice has a lower freezing point than water, it is that liquid which is collected and fermented, and this is a very small quantity, literally perhaps no more than a drop of sweet concentrated liquid from each grape. Eiswein is also a specialty in Canada (where it’s spelled icewine). Canada now produces more Eiswein than Germany. Other cold weather areas, such as New York and other Northern areas in the United States are also producing Eiswein as well.

Of course, there’s always a cost alternative to Eiswein and that is “Cryoextraction.” Used to create what is commonly referred to as ice wine, Cryoextraction is a controlled process that involves freezing grapes. Grapes are picked and cleaned, then placed into a freezing unit and allowed to reach a temperature of twenty degrees Fahrenheit. Removing the still frozen grapes from the freezer, they are placed into a wine press. The chilled liquid drained from the wine press, while ice crystals usually remain in the press. This process is understood to produce the highest level of concentrated flavor in the liquid that is pressed from the grapes.

Note: When pairing wine with dessert it’s important to remember that the wine always has to be sweeter than the dessert. If not, you’ll get the orange juice and toothpaste effect, yikes!!! Many people foolishly assume that Champagne goes great with dessert. Well, it does if the Champagne or sparkling wine is Sec, Demi-Sec, or Doux. More on this in our next segment…

 

 

Wine Lanterns

Have you ever had a wine, champagne or liquor bottle that you could not part with?

You could turn your wine bottle in to an oil lantern. My mom had the" bright" idea to turn a bottle of christal that Tim had been given into a lantern. The champagne bottle lantern has been a great conversation piece in our home and was the perfect use for a nice bottle that we did not want to part with. Here is a link to order a kit to make your own bottle lantern: wine lantern kit.

Below is a picture of me and my amazing friend Leila on my 21st birthday, before opening the bottle of 2005 Moet Chandon that Tim and my Mom gave my for my birthday. I plan on turning this bottle into a wine bottle lantern. 

The Lobster Zone

Yesterday I went to Brew River in Salisbury to watch some football and hang out with friends and I spotted this "the lobster zone" machine. You pay two dollars and get one chance to release a claw into a lobster tank and hopefully catch a lobster! If you are sucessful the restaurant will steam the loster for you. I was not succsesfull with my first try, but I will keep on trying and let you all know when I do catch a lobster!

Musing about Muscat , Muscadelle, and Muscadet

Many people ask me what’s the difference between Muscat , Muscadelle, and Muscadet. What follows is some information for you to keep it all straight the next time you go into your favorite wine shop….

 Let’s tackle muscat first. The many pseudonyms for this grape include moscato (in Italy ), muskadel (in South Africa ), muskateller (in Germany ) and moscatel (in both Spain and Portugal ). Why can’t everybody just agree on one name? Life would be too easy. To make it even more confusing, muscat can have various names attached to it, such as “ Alexandria ”, “Ottonel”, and the rather lengthy phrase “Blanc à Petits Grains”. But don’t be too concerned with these appendages – they’re just different varieties of the same grape, and all will be extremely perfumed and grapey. Dry or sweet; still, sparkling, or fortified: muscat has a distinct aroma and flavor that is delectably delicious.

 Next there’s muscadelle, which is not related to muscat at all. As one of the three grapes allowed for white Bordeaux (the other two more notable grapes being sauvignon blanc and sémillon), muscadelle is commonly used to add a tangy, grapey youthfulness to white Bordeaux blends. It seldom gets top billing because it lacks the components necessary to make a single varietal wine you’d call yummy. The one exception to this rule is in Australia , where muscadelle is useon its own to produce lusciously sweet fortified wines. The grape is called “tokay” there. Don’t ask why.

 Finally there’s muscadet. A popular LIGHT, DRY wine produced in the western portion of France's Loire region. Unlike most other wines in France, the name is not taken from a town or geographic are, but rather from a grape known locally as Muscadet, althoughits proper name is (Melon de Bourgogne). Although it can be a bit neutral in flavor, muscadet is dry with crisp acidity, making it a great match for shellfish. You might see the term “sur lie” on the label. If you do, make sure to buy it; it’s been aged on the lees, and this lends a delicious richness to the wine.

Both Carolyn and I were in Loire, France back in 2002 and stayed at a chateau in Nante, France, which is the region where some muscadet wine is produced The owners name was Suzanne who was a widow with two lovely girls. One of Suzanne's friends even took Daniel, my steps son, on a 4-wheeler ride though the chateau's vinyeards one night Suzanne was a charming host to us and we will never forget her hospitallity and kindness. Below is a picture of the chateau that we stayed at durring our stay in Loire region of France.

 

My Wine as Nice Legs

 
Have you ever noticed that when you swirl a glass of wine "legs " apear?

The legs are an indicator of the alcohol content in the wine. The speed that the legs drip down the wine glass gives the drinker an idea of the alcohol content of the wine. The legs of a wine with low alcohol content will drip down faster than the legs of a wine with a greater alcohol content. Wine with a higher alcohol content will take longer to evaporate, causing the legs to run down the glass more slowly.

Here is a saying to help you rember how to judge the alcohol content of your wine: If the legs of the wine are moving slowly, you will also be moving slowly after a few glasses.

 
 

 

 

Saved by my Dog

Below is a short story that I wrote about our beloved family dog Ollie. When he was a younger pup he would come to the outer banks with our family, Ollie would hang out on the beach with us and swim in the ocean. Now that Ollie is older he does not like to travel too far from home, but everyone in the family still loves to tell this story about the day that Ollie saved my cousin and I.

On a hot summer day in Duck, North Carolina, the whole family, including my dog, relax on the beach. My cousin and I decide to go kayaking in the ocean. The boat crashes through the waves and heads out to the horizon.  Our arms move the paddles, and will not stop.

Soon beach chairs on the shore look as though they are specks in the sand.  Mom begins waving her arms calling us to come closer. Her voice is carried away by the wind.  A moment later Ollie, my dog, boldly jumps in the water, fearlessly moves through the crashing waves.  Using his tail as a rudder, he swims to our rescue. Without wasting anytime, his teeth clench a rope connected to our boat, and he tirelessly swims with the kayak, towing my cousin and I back to shore.

Even though we could have safely gotten out of the boat, Ollie keeps pulling us. He pulled us all the way to the sandy beach, where he received a standing ovation from everyone on the beach.