There Will Be Blogs

I have been negligent on my blogging... Sorry! A mix of school, work, alcohol, and my 2nd job.

Soon though, more blogs... expect to hear more about Champagne and (affordable) Burgundy... and Mondeuse!

Hope you have been well!

Best,
V.

Hypocrisy rampant in the restaurant industry

Like Popeye said, "I've had all I can stands, and I can't stands no more!"

So many of the new "farm-to-table" type restaurants boast seasonal menus, and food coming to your table, straight from the Farmer's Market. GREAT! But what is listed on their wine list? Freaking Orin Swift 'The Prisoner', or Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay, or something else just as mass-produced and manipulated, full of oak, and 15% alcohol. Lots of restaurants going for the easy sell. If you are taking the time to find the finest, freshest ingredients in season, then why are you still serving industrial-produced, chemically-enhanced wines to your customers?

What's up with that?

Sorry for bringing Cartman into this, but that's just...

I love you Meletti Amaro!

This is The Shit (excuse my inappropriateness). I tried this last week when our awesome rep, Kevin came by. I wasn't expecting to like it tremendously, since I've had, and own, a bottle of Fernet Branca, which is also an Amaro, and sets the benchmark for all other Amaros (in my humble opinion, anyway).

How to describe the nose??? Well, ridiculous. As you inhale this, you smell some sarsaparilla, anise, saffron, cardamom, date, orange peel, and some eucalyptus. The little hairs at the back of your nostrils feel the heat as you inhale. I could spend all day just nosing this stuff. It is absolutely dazzling.

Drinking it... you essentially can taste the same elements as the aromas, which makes this such an awesome drink. There is the bitterness to it as well, from beginning to end; though not as pronounced as Fernet. Think of this as Fernet's good-looking, younger, sandy-haired brother. There is a bit of sweetness to the Meletti, too, on the nose and by taste. It is not an overpowering sweetness, it's just off over in a corner, waving and saying, "Hi!."

Amaro's purpose is to act as an apertif, aiding digestion. Whatever. It's freaking delicious.

We just got this today. I've been thinking of this ever since I tried it, and came in on my day off (I live a half-hour away) to buy a bottle.

Less than $20.

Dazzling.

Classic Tiki Music

This beautiful Tiki music is called "Quiet Village," originally done by Les Baxter in 1951. So enchanting!

Martin Denny does an excellent job of this too. I'm pretty sure this was the background music for Pee-Wee's Playhouse.

Speaking of "Quiet Village" - that sums up January for us. The Christmas and New Year's rush has passed, and now we have time to clean up the cobwebs underneath the stacks and stacks of wine, with the job of inventory ahead, followed by replenishing with new wines. Oh those '09 Bordeauxs are on their way! Get ready!

Hope you had a great holiday season filled with friends, family and the lion's share of food and libations. Wishing you good times ahead in 2012!

Cheers,