This will be a large tasting week in Richmond. Tonight, the long awaited Osaka Wine Dinner begins at 6:30, with Chris Tsui and Nicole Riedel hosting National Distributor's Chuck Vaughan. Pairing sushi and beef with some excellent new boutique wines, this dinner should be a tongue wag for the Tuesday water cooler gang. Preceding the event, Fleming's has their First Monday Tasting. Your Mayor will be running back and forth a bit, but I'll make it to both events.
Wednesday, SPCA is the benefactor of the Fleming's Wine on Wednesday Charity event. A special menu of reserve wines is selected and poured by the glass, so you can enjoy these heavy hitters without breaking the bank. Proceeds go to the SPCA, and this event is cash or check please.
The finale on Thursday is the is the Cystic Fibrosis Wine Opener at the Science Museum. 12 local restaurants, and scores of wineries and distributors are represented at this great auction event. Bob Talcott of Can Can will host a few select guests at 5 pm in a food and wine tasting class. Regular event starts at 6. $65 in advance (Total Wine, J. Emerson and area wine shops) and $75 at the door.
Monday, May 07, 2007
Monday, March 26, 2007
Cystic Fibrosis Wine Opener
I'm helping with the 3rd Annual Cystic Fibrosis Wine Opener this year at the Science Museum. Below you will find details about the event, and more will follow on here and in the Wine Newsletter. There will also be great incentives for Newsletter recipients to attend this event, including a visit to my Cellar for a special tasting as my thanks for helping this great cause. Please note the date, and the event details below:
The 3rd Annual Richmond Wine Opener will take place on Thursday, May 10, 2007 in the Thalhimer Pavilion at the Science Museum of Virginia from 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. Tickets will be $65 per person in advance and $75 per person at the door. Guests receive entrance into the event, all wine and food tasting, a keepsake tasting glass and a tasting journal (the event program). A VIP ticket will be offered for $100 per person and will include an exclusive seminar and tasting led by Bob Talcott and all participants will receive a goodie bag.
We expect over 400 people to attend this premier wine and food-tasting event. The dollars raised through this event will not only help fund the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s research and care centers, but will allow the Foundation to invest in biotech and pharmaceutical companies to help develop, test and market therapies for children and adults with cystic fibrosis.
The event will feature a tasting of over 150 wines from over 40 wineries from around the world, menu samplings from several of the area’s top restaurant’s, both Live and Silent Auctions of fine wines, one of a kind gifts, and more. Hotel X, a jazz band will be playing for your listening pleasure. The following restaurants and food purveyors have committed to having food tasting tables at this year’s Richmond Wine Opener: Avenue 805,Café Gutenberg, DeFazio’s Catering, Enoteca Sogno, Emilio’s Downtown, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, Gunter’s Gourmet, Havana 59, Luna Grove, PF Chang’s China Bistro, The Melting Pot, Twenty Seven Restaurant, Zed Café and Zuppa. Please check the website, http://virginia.cff.org/wineopener for updates of participating wineries, restaurants and a live auction preview.
Tickets can be purchased on our website, http://virginia.cff.org/wineopener, at Wine Lover’s, River City Cellars, Strawberry Street Vineyard, Once Upon a Vine, The Caboose, All Private Stock locations, J. Emerson, Edible Garden, both Richmond Total Wine and More locations or by contacting Jill F. Reynolds, jreynolds@cff.org or 527-1500.
The 3rd Annual Richmond Wine Opener will take place on Thursday, May 10, 2007 in the Thalhimer Pavilion at the Science Museum of Virginia from 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. Tickets will be $65 per person in advance and $75 per person at the door. Guests receive entrance into the event, all wine and food tasting, a keepsake tasting glass and a tasting journal (the event program). A VIP ticket will be offered for $100 per person and will include an exclusive seminar and tasting led by Bob Talcott and all participants will receive a goodie bag.
We expect over 400 people to attend this premier wine and food-tasting event. The dollars raised through this event will not only help fund the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s research and care centers, but will allow the Foundation to invest in biotech and pharmaceutical companies to help develop, test and market therapies for children and adults with cystic fibrosis.
The event will feature a tasting of over 150 wines from over 40 wineries from around the world, menu samplings from several of the area’s top restaurant’s, both Live and Silent Auctions of fine wines, one of a kind gifts, and more. Hotel X, a jazz band will be playing for your listening pleasure. The following restaurants and food purveyors have committed to having food tasting tables at this year’s Richmond Wine Opener: Avenue 805,Café Gutenberg, DeFazio’s Catering, Enoteca Sogno, Emilio’s Downtown, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, Gunter’s Gourmet, Havana 59, Luna Grove, PF Chang’s China Bistro, The Melting Pot, Twenty Seven Restaurant, Zed Café and Zuppa. Please check the website, http://virginia.cff.org/wineopener for updates of participating wineries, restaurants and a live auction preview.
Tickets can be purchased on our website, http://virginia.cff.org/wineopener, at Wine Lover’s, River City Cellars, Strawberry Street Vineyard, Once Upon a Vine, The Caboose, All Private Stock locations, J. Emerson, Edible Garden, both Richmond Total Wine and More locations or by contacting Jill F. Reynolds, jreynolds@cff.org or 527-1500.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Food and Wine
I hope you all got a chance to read the two Newsletters that discussed pairing food and wine. Specifically, I tossed out a story about Trefethen Cabernet and my suggested pairing with Lamb Chops. While the story started out a discussion of fats and tannins, it ended up with a fun twist about professional Butchers.
Tanya Cauthen runs the newest butcher shop (Belmont Butchery) in town next to One North Belmont, in the Carytown area. She opined that my sending an admittedly neophyte meat purchaser to Ukrop's to buy good lamb was tantamount to treason. As we bantered back and forth, I have to admit coming to the realization that a good butcher, good grocer or good sommelier should all have the ability to "cross compare" wine and food pairings. We think nothing of asking the tuxedo in a restaurant what we should pair with our '96 Chateau de Arrogance, but how often have we asked our fish monger what style of wine might work with a new fish that he is getting us to try. (Yellow Umbrella Seafood by the way has a quality guy named David who can do just that). Tanya's store is packed full of inventive meats, cheeses, sausages and sundries. She has thrown down the gauntlet, and we should accept. Where we find excellent service grocers, allow them the chance to help you with the wine pairing. You know who these people are in your life. Trust them, and then share them with us!
Tanya Cauthen runs the newest butcher shop (Belmont Butchery) in town next to One North Belmont, in the Carytown area. She opined that my sending an admittedly neophyte meat purchaser to Ukrop's to buy good lamb was tantamount to treason. As we bantered back and forth, I have to admit coming to the realization that a good butcher, good grocer or good sommelier should all have the ability to "cross compare" wine and food pairings. We think nothing of asking the tuxedo in a restaurant what we should pair with our '96 Chateau de Arrogance, but how often have we asked our fish monger what style of wine might work with a new fish that he is getting us to try. (Yellow Umbrella Seafood by the way has a quality guy named David who can do just that). Tanya's store is packed full of inventive meats, cheeses, sausages and sundries. She has thrown down the gauntlet, and we should accept. Where we find excellent service grocers, allow them the chance to help you with the wine pairing. You know who these people are in your life. Trust them, and then share them with us!
Monday, February 12, 2007
Goodness It's Been Too Long
So many of you read the Newsletter, that I must admit I slack off on the blog occasionally and it shows recently. Between my new career doing taxes and writing the newsletter, I seem to have let the blog go a bit. Anyway I want you to keep checking in here, as I intend this to be the place which has MORE data, and more experiences. Most of all, the next experience is at AZZURRO, an Italian Wine Dinner with host Chuck Vaughan of National Distributors showing us pairings and nuances of great wines and the food they do so well. (March 19, call 804 282 1509 for reservations) Food and wine are synergistic organics which compliment and counter point each other. As we discover those nuances, we only slightly uncover the mysteries which create them. Micro-climate, local delicacy, passion of the grower/maker...all these go into the symbiotic relationship of wine and food. Cheeses with reds, fresh local fishes with crisp whites, nuanced old world wines with peasant stews and braised meats...these are the trips that we take and explore as foodies. What a ride. Cmon!!!
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
New Year, New Posting
Happy New Year, and thank you all for the great wishes for my retirement and birthday. I also just got my eyes "fixed" with PRK surgery, so I've been slow to write much because, well, I just am starting to be able to SEE!
Now happily moving into the Tax Season, I'm signed on at the HR Block in Stratford Hills part time, but still out tasting wines and developing new sights in Richmond for your tasting pleasure.
IF YOU ARE TRYING TO POST REPLIES ON THE BLOG: There are a number of options, but the easiest one, once you access the "Comment" page, is to hit the "Anonymous" button after making your comment. This allows you to comment without SIGNING UP for another annoying internet account. It would be helpful if you would put your name in the body of the TEXT so I'll know who posted though.
Happy tasting!
Now happily moving into the Tax Season, I'm signed on at the HR Block in Stratford Hills part time, but still out tasting wines and developing new sights in Richmond for your tasting pleasure.
IF YOU ARE TRYING TO POST REPLIES ON THE BLOG: There are a number of options, but the easiest one, once you access the "Comment" page, is to hit the "Anonymous" button after making your comment. This allows you to comment without SIGNING UP for another annoying internet account. It would be helpful if you would put your name in the body of the TEXT so I'll know who posted though.
Happy tasting!
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Flying off into the Sunset
There are some cool pictures of my last flight at a friend's website. Click this link to see them.
As with most of my career with The Martin Agency, the flight went safely, but not particularly in accordance with the original plan. We were taking the Chairman and his wife to NY for a dinner, and upon trying to return, Richmond was shut down in fog. So we hustled some hotel rooms for everyone, and tried again in the morning. Kate Meacham, from our "First Monday" wine group, was the Air Traffic Controller on duty for the Richmond landing, and you need to see the pictures to see what she set up for my last flight. It was a touching ending to a fine career. Many thanks to all who made it safe and meaningful.
As with most of my career with The Martin Agency, the flight went safely, but not particularly in accordance with the original plan. We were taking the Chairman and his wife to NY for a dinner, and upon trying to return, Richmond was shut down in fog. So we hustled some hotel rooms for everyone, and tried again in the morning. Kate Meacham, from our "First Monday" wine group, was the Air Traffic Controller on duty for the Richmond landing, and you need to see the pictures to see what she set up for my last flight. It was a touching ending to a fine career. Many thanks to all who made it safe and meaningful.
It's Freezing, Part Deux
The great thawing finally took place. Read back to the blog title about Freezing Wines to catch up on the reasons for the experiment. I thawed each bottle at room temperature, though I am told the microwave thaw cycle is no problem as long as you have VACCUSEALED. Both wines had been frozen for 5 weeks when I finally got to them, a point where they would certainly have been toast if left using standard methods of preservation. Results were mixed. The Red was fine, every bit as good as when it went in. The white, while tasting fine, did indeed have the expected tartaric acid crystals in the bottle. Not just a few, but maybe a half inch coating the bottom of the bottle. Every pour stirred them up, and clouded the wine. It was hard to conceive that you would find that appetizing to see when pouring into a glass. Perhaps decanting, but we have already gone to so much trouble, you certainly would say "Forget it! Open something else".
So, for a valuable red that you just can't finish over a couple of days, freezing is worth a try. For a white, not so much. Time to make white wine vinegar.
So, for a valuable red that you just can't finish over a couple of days, freezing is worth a try. For a white, not so much. Time to make white wine vinegar.
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Off To The Pasture
One more week of avaition for your Mayor, and then it's off to see what's next. This has been an interesting time for me. A fond farewell from the Agency yesterday and a few small parties to attend for the holidays to say my good byes. I had originally decided to take a few months off, figuring my next opportunity would present itself. But then the Tax Bug bit and I decided to work the season at HR Block, so I start training next week for that. Probably not a lot of corporate tax returns, but it'll be eye opening to have to work at a desk for a while. They end their season around Feb. 23rd for us first year guys, so it won't be that tough. Apparently the rush is the first two weeks in February. It's amazing how much sleep I have lost over this whole thing. But as it comes to fruition, there's light at the end.
On the Wine front, there's a fun tasting in January at Fleming's which will secondarily celebrate my recent 50th Bday. Come by on the 8th from 530 til 7.
On the Wine front, there's a fun tasting in January at Fleming's which will secondarily celebrate my recent 50th Bday. Come by on the 8th from 530 til 7.
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