After 30 plus years of tasting and enjoying wines, I have picked up a little bit of knowledge about wine but I am still a neophyte when it comes to websites, blogging and all that wonderful technical stuff. So her help was invaluable. I also pick up a lot of good info from her free newsletter which you can sign up for via her website.
My friend Carl Brown, who gets my newsletter and regularly leaves a comment on my blog, also is prompting me to get a little bolder and braver. He left a good suggestion in his comment on my "Champagne then and now"post. So thanks to all of you for your regular visits, comments and suggestions. I appreciate it very much. It spurs me on to the continued pursuit of the" fruit of the vine".
I could not do a post without at least one picture related to this subject. So enjoy this one. I took it in the Blue Grouse Vineyards and Winery on Vancouver Island. Those are lush Ortega grapes a few days away from picking.
Oh and while we're at it, I am still having great fun preparing my Italian dishes.
Which leads me to my final note. In my next blog entry I will be telling you about the fabulous wine maker we met in Bolgheri. Alessandro Dondi makes some of the best wines we tasted while travelling through Tuscany.Ciao!
7 comments:
Your new blog is a blessing to the eyes. And your pictures are gorgeous. Good job, Wilf!
Why thank you, Katherine! Coming from an expert like yourself, that means a lot to me. Looking forward to your next newsletter.
New blog layout looks great! Very Chic! Thanks for your kind words. I'm always glad to see your new posts and that we all inspire you to keep at it!
Now... Your pictures just made me hungry and want to drink some wine... Not sure about the onion-and-wine thing -- but, the cheese and wine... mmmm.
So... How much is too much wine? I'm trying to lose a few pounds and really only drink a few glasses on Friday night. Wonder if there is such a thing as diet wine? So hard to just drink a glass but I'm getting better because that 'wine saver' (vacuum sucker thing) really lets it last a several days before it starts getting stale...
Best wishes!
Carl, once again thanks for your comments. The 'onion-and-wine thing'...I agree, but oh what magic when used in the recipe for Bucatini ala Matriciana as per my previous post.
I know what you mean about the losing a few pounds. Its been said before, but really the only thing that works is exercise. I did and it worked in spite of the fact I continued my almost daily wine consumption. No, there is not really a diet wine. Dry wines are obviously less caloric than the sweeter versions. But there is a red wine diet. Roger Corder has a great book called "The Red Wine Diet". You may want to get a copy.
Finally, preserving wine for continued enjoyment has always been problematic. Yes the vacuum pumps works a little but they cannot really create a perfect vacuum. Air tends to sneak back in. I do two things. When I open a bottle, I immediately pour half of it into a 375 ml bottle and put a cork into it. That prevents most of the oxidization happening. The other half I consume that night. But if I am only having a glass I will use the nitrogen preserve inert gas. It comes in a spray can and you just direct the little extension tube into the bottle and give it a spray. I don't do the silly little four short bursts they recommend. I just give it a good spray and that's it.Cork it and store it upright and voila, good wine the next night. Happy dieting and happy drinking. Enjoy my friend.
Hi Wilf,
Great job on the new look! I like the softer colours - and your photos are super (as ever). I have been trying my hand (and my patience) with doing some new ones for the site with the wines paired with recipes. It takes ages to get it right - by which time my dinner has inevitably gone cold!
Cheers
Nick
Nick, thank you for your kind comments. I know about the picture taking bit. I write an email newsletter, also by the name of Wilf's Wime Press. Most of my readers are from the greater Victoria area, Although Carl Brown is one of a handful of American readers. I review wines in it among other things and I always take the pictures of the wines I review and it is always a challenge. Are we going to see some great Bordeax wines available for export, now that the French government wants its citizens to stop drinking? Best to you my friend.
Funny -- all the technology we have and we communicate in the comments section. Sorry for my delay -- I don't know when there are new goodies to read!
Dry: I'm really glad to hear Dry Wine is so good for me! Since I don't like the sweet stuff much. Though, I have been known to 'rediscover' Sangria every now and then... Speaking of dry... Do you have COSTCO up there? They have a really good 'Kirkland Napa' Cab for $13USD. I just bought 4 more bottles. This is easily one of the best wines I've had under $50 in a while! It's so dry, my tongue was sticking to the roof of my mouth. Maybe when we get older, we enjoy the pain of good wine...
Preserving: You know.. I was really surprised about the decanting! I JUST got a decanter because I was all excited that 'hmm, maybe I need to air my wine some more...'. Now, I feel like I did when I saw Sideways and realized I had a bunch of Merlot that I'd never be drinking again... (I'm such a sheep!) Anyhow, I'll try that spray. I've seen it at peoples houses and wondered if it really worked. Now that my new decanter is ruined -- I'll fixate on this spray. :)
(As for splitting a bottle in half - that takes way too much forethought for me! I figured at least I buy the 750s instead of the 1.5L bottles...)
Merlot... I just 'rediscovered' it! I think that Sideways movie did us a disservice. There are some mighty-good Merlots out there!
Going to Ironbridge tonight. A little wine restaurant in Warrenton VA. I'll look for something from Canada!
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