A Pale Gold

Out of 105 entries, Firestone Walker Pale 31 just won the gold medal at the 2011 Great American Beer Festival in the category of American Pale Ale. I've been drinking that beer for the past year. Not because I knew it was the best pale ale, but because it tastes delicious and it is reasonably priced. At only 4.8% alc. Firestone Pale 31 is light for a pale ale. Light in alcohol, yet heavy in flavor. This beer overdelivers on taste. It has that bitter hoppiness that a pale ale should have, but it also has subtle malty nutty hints that gives it such a perfectly well-balanced flavor. Being so light, the best part is that you can go and grab another one from the fridge and not feel bad about it in the morning. At $6.99 a six pack this is a no-brainer. Congratulations!

Just in case you were wondering

The Drink You Have When You're Not Having A Drink

I was just about to start cooking dinner tonight when I remembered that I didn't have a drink. So I grabbed my favorite little glass, and I opened up the liquor cabinet to fetch a shot of tequila. Just as I reached for my bottle of añejo, a friend I had made last summer peeked out at me and said, "Hey, remember me?"
How could I have forgotten Pimm's? Especially on a warm San Francisco Indian Summer day like today. So, I traded my copita for my long drink glass. Filled it with ice, poured some Pimm's and topped it off with Fever Tree ginger ale. Mmmm, so easy, and so refreshing. I had always seen people buying Pimm's at The Jug, but I didn't know that much about it. One day a British chap slaps a bottle up on the counter. I asked him, "What's the deal with this stuff? I see a bunch of people buy it, but why is it so popular?"
He says back to me in an English accent, "It's the drink you have when you're not having a drink."
Done. That sold me right there. An English gentleman basically tells me it's the official drink of the summer afternoon on the porch. I have to try it. I took a bottle home, and fell in love. It's delicious. The perfect blend of fruity and botanical and herbaceous bitterness. Mixed with ginger ale and I'm pleased as Punch!

Now the only thing that could make it better is to try a Pimm's cup with Fentiman's Rose Lemonade
I probably haven't described the flavor of this drink well enough, but if my tastebuds were eardrums this is what a Pimm's Cup tastes like…

Alejandro Fernandez with a side of Lamb

Today is my day off. Like most of my days off I try to really live it up. Most people my age might disagree, but living it up to me is putting a big piece of meat in the oven on a low heat, reading a couple hundred pages in a book and drinking half a bottle of good wine while I wait for the meat to cook. Then, once dinner is ready, polishing off the second half of that bottle. So today I did just that. I bought some lamb and a bottle of Alejandro Fernandez's 2004 Dehesa La Granja, 100% Temparnillo. I put the lamb on a low temp and opened up the bottle to get a little taste. The aromas exploded out of the glass… cider spice notes and blackberry aromas. The first taste was exactly what I wanted from this wine, sweet spices covered with dark berry notes followed by smooth silky tannins. Excellent!

Alejandro Fernandez is a living icon of modern Spanish wine, Alejandro Fernández was one of the first in his country to return to biodynamic, low yield viticulture in order to produce concentrated oak-aged red wines capable of extended bottle aging. Alejandro was the person to rein in his fellow wine makers in the Ribera del Duero and say "Hey we can make world class wine here, that shows the grape and the land." That is exactly what he did.

The wine has developed gracefully over the last 3 hours revealing softer tannins and a beautiful acidity. Though the wine has rested in a American oak for 2 years it never seems overwhelming, just apparent enough to understand why it was aged in American oak. This wine was excellent with dinner and really suited the lamb. The wine brought out flavors of the lamb, as well as the lamb with the wine, an overall great pair. Lamb the four letter word of food.

Important beer

Back in college I used to consider Heineken to be a "fancy" beer. And by "fancy" I mean that I couldn't afford it. Advertisers had convinced me that only stock brokers were allowed to drink the green bottle import beers. I, however, was limited to the domestic suds, but not even the name brands. I'm talking about the bang for your buck beers. $15 Keystone Light 30 packs were what you would find in my fridge.
My palate has grown and so has my wallet (barely). I have surrendered my shotgun loaded full of natty lite, and now I pour cans of craft beer into a glass. I sip rather than chug, and I enjoy my nights as much as I enjoy my mornings. I have matured and consider myself to drink like a responsible adult, but my expectations of what that meant have been surpassed… I've forgotten about the beer that I always lusted after. The skunky green bottle beer is not the only option. I never receive a holiday five pack. So, every now and again when I find myself staring at the wall of beers for a little too long I remember an old crush, and treat myself to something fancy.

Wine of the Day

Cantina Giardino Le fole Aglianico d’Irpinia 2008. Well it isn't really the wine of the day because I had it last night, but I still think it is worthy of Wine of the Day status. In my opinion, Le fole is the best wine you have never heard of.

Aglianico is an inky-skinned red wine grape native to southern Italy. It was the first wine that turned on the light in the attic to illuminate what Italian wine could be and should be. Aglianico is one of the most accessible wines in the world. It is real hard to miss the complexity of the wine. It is humble, but powerful without being over the top. Elegant, full of velvety tannins and it continues to be the greatest value in wine. If you haven't tried Aglianico, the Le Fole is the one to try. At $24.99 it is a steal. A great wine shows its place. This wine shows its place. You taste the volcanic soils, the sun drenched vineyards, the salt from the sea. You think I'm kidding? Well, maybe I'm embellishing a little, but if you take anything from this post take this: GO OUT AND BUY AGLIANICO while it is still inexpensive. Sooner or later it will get the respect it so rightfully deserves and the price will go through the roof. Until then buy Aglianico from producers like D'Angelo in Basilicata, Mastroberardino in Campania and Cantina Giardino in Campania.

Guess the wine........

I just tasted a beautiful wine. It tasted of lime stone, slate and crisp green apples, but it had a touch of sweetness.  It was an overall dry white wine that would be perfect with fish tacos. What is it?

1999 Chateau Simard Saint - Emilion

When I first opened this bottle of aged Bordeaux all I could think was breathe, baby breathe!!  My wine mentor and all around life coach Charles Scicolone once told me, in a thick Brooklyn accent, "Bill, old wine is like an old man and you don't shake up an old man." For those of you who don't speak Brooklynese, Charles was saying when you open a wine with some age you have to let it wake up. So be patient and you will be rewarded with more than just a drink… an experience.

Chateau Simard is situated on the sunny southern slopes of Saint-Emilion. The estate is surrounded by first growth vineyards. The grapes of Simard have excellent exposure and grow in soil made up of clay, sand and gravel. The wine making is traditional in style with an emphasis on aging the wines prior to their release. The current vintage is 1999, while the current vintages of most other Bordeaux on the market are 2005, 2006 or 2007 and even younger for Bordeaux Superior. Chateau Simard prides themselves in delivering wines of great value that are ready to drink now.

The first hour after I popped the cork the juice was tight and tasted like Merlot water. As the second hour approached the sun began to rise over the mountains, and my wine yawned and shook off the cobwebs. He had put on his robe of velvet tannins, picked a bowl full of black cherries for breakfast, and opened up the door to the cedar wood sauna. He showed the elegant power of a Bordeaux twice the price, yet remained humble at only $29.99. By the third hour the party was in full swing and he was singing Prince's 1999 at the top of his lungs "If you didn't come to party, don't bother knocking on my door!" Well, maybe that was me. I love an older wine!

I would pair this beauty with lamb chops, roasted chicken or something fatty like duck. Nothing too heavy, but don't be afraid, this wine is versatile. It would pair well with a wide range of dishes. Do yourself a favor, hit up the Jug and grab a bottle of 1999 Chateau Simard .

Alamos Chardonnay 2009

Chardonnay is a confusing varietal. Not by nature, but because we have created two distinct styles of the wine. The grape itself exhibits characteristics of apples (from granny smith to honeycrisp), citrus, minerality, and spices, which are most apparent in the leaner more elegant styles of Burgundy. And yet, those flavors respond so well to oak that we've created the voluptuous, oaky, buttery wines most commonly coming out of California.
Chardonnay is going to be really pissed at me if I make you think you that she is a bipolar hot mess. The truth is that she is more than just two extremes. There are a lot of producers creating chardonnays that both parties will want to hang out with. You must be open to traveling beyond France and California to discover your less partial cocktail wine. The good news is that you will save some money as well.

I parked my car on the median in Argentina. The 2009 Alamos Chardonnay smells like baked apples and lemon creme. The mouth feel is creamy and the flavors of oak and crisp citrus acidity are in great balance. Alamos Chardonnay from Mendoza will please the most diverse of palates and, at $9.99, will be easy on the lightest of wallets.

First fan photo!!!!

An early fan of the blog just sent us a photo of him pouring some Espolon at a party in Virginia.

Brendan Ash of Newport News, Va just sent us a nice email praising our blog:

"Sick Blog!! Loved the post about Espolon. I like to have a little glass of Espolon while I eat pea soup and watch Jeopardy."

Thanks Brendan. We love to hear from our fans. Keep the suggestions and mail coming.