Yeah, I know, it is more like wine of the two weeks....
If you can find some, the 2002 Nippozano Chianti from Frescobaldi is worth the $$. "2002 was a lousy year in Tuscany!", you yell at me, so why am I recommending this wine? Well, it was so bad that the estate reportedly did not make their better Chianti that year. And the best grapes they had went into the cheapo (in comparison) Chianti. The wine is funky, with a lot of character, good primary fruit, typical Italian bitter cherry, and substantial. Oh, and in case it matters to you, this is one case where the Wine Speculator agrees with me.
On the other hand, the 2003 version of this wine also represents good value, but for basically the opposite reason. Apparently 2003 rocked in that part of Tuscany (not as good as 2001), and while the best grapes went into the best wines, even this lowly Chianti was blessed with great fruit. Go figure. Now we just need to learn to look out for the average years, I guess.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Dead Guy and other Ales
Had a couple of co-workers in for a beer after a public meeting the other night. Gave them Dead Guy Ale from Rogue Brewing in Oregon, and St. Ambroise Pale Ale from Montreal. These are people with disposable income who like beer. They loved these beers. I was drinking Propeller IPA, which is no slouch beer either, but only available in large bottles, or in growlers, direct from the brewery, or in the bottles' case, from a private wine store in the City.
Brian Titus! (Garrison) Are you listening? Don't be afraid of hops, buddy! You might sell more beer. And I bet you can get it into my grubby little paws for less money than the Dead Guy.
Brian Titus! (Garrison) Are you listening? Don't be afraid of hops, buddy! You might sell more beer. And I bet you can get it into my grubby little paws for less money than the Dead Guy.
Here come the Stoned, I mean Stones
Well my neighbourhood is about to be invaded by rock fans headed towards a concert on the public lands turned private rental concert venue we call our Common. The geriatric wonders themselves, the Rolling Stones will be gathering moss in the rainy weather, protected under their multi million dollar stage, while their fans "from 8 to 80" catch their death a cold.
We're drinking on the deck, directly downstream from the sound. Inside if (when) it rains.
And we'll be drinking stuff that is good and have a choice. Not the shite beer already being advertised (is that legal?) by the assorted Keets vans and trucks parked on the grass all over the Common.
Wonder how long before the grass is back. At least the Keets trucks are green.
No one to date has been able to come up with one good reason why the geniuses at City Hall thought our Common would be a good place for the show. This seriously brings into question their competence to fulfill their duty to manage it for the good of all Nova Scotians, whose land it is "in common".
And best of all, we'll have all of 100 policemen to protect our property from 50,000 rioters if something goes wrong.
Now it probably will come off without a hitch, but really, the downside risk is too great. What were they thinking?
We're drinking on the deck, directly downstream from the sound. Inside if (when) it rains.
And we'll be drinking stuff that is good and have a choice. Not the shite beer already being advertised (is that legal?) by the assorted Keets vans and trucks parked on the grass all over the Common.
Wonder how long before the grass is back. At least the Keets trucks are green.
No one to date has been able to come up with one good reason why the geniuses at City Hall thought our Common would be a good place for the show. This seriously brings into question their competence to fulfill their duty to manage it for the good of all Nova Scotians, whose land it is "in common".
And best of all, we'll have all of 100 policemen to protect our property from 50,000 rioters if something goes wrong.
Now it probably will come off without a hitch, but really, the downside risk is too great. What were they thinking?
Monday, September 04, 2006
The Big POW Wine Festival
This is a once a year event (September 28, 29, 30) where a whole pile of wines are offered for tasting to the public. Here are some questions the NSLC might never answer about it.
1. Whether the wines will actually be sold in stores after the show. This is a lotto. Even if the wine sells out and is lauded by critics, there is a disconnect between success at the show and whether a wine will ever be available at a store near you.
2. Whether enough of a wine will be imported so that you can put it on your wine list if you are a licensee. Last year one wine was on at least four restaurant lists after the show, but the NSLC never bothered to order it. This had the interesting effect of turning those places away from the NSLC to Bishop's Cellar, and was a catalysing event in helping them take $1,000,000 worth of sales away from the NSLC in the downtown trade.
3. Who decided a wine was worth a medal, if it beat anything, or if the medal is just an artificial sales boosting device. One year, it was no more than that. But the lack of judges from outside the NSLC organization does nothing to invest any confidence that these medals are anything more than thank you notes for wineries who send their winemaker to the event. The New Brunswick show, in contrast, had a full day of judging by independent judges, none employed by the NBLC or the show organizers. They included local wine writers, sommeliers, and wine instructors. The quality of the wines getting medals in Nova Scotia is sometimes amusing, and often more related to the price and reputation of a wine, than what is actually in the bottle.
4. Why the event is held when all the Northern Hemisphere wine makers are in harvest time and cannot come.
5. Why the event no longer coincides with the greatly successful wine show "tour" that had Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland all have their shows concurrently, allowing winemakers, owners, and sales staff the chance to hit the region in one trip.
6. Why its venue has moved from the World Trade Centre, in the middle of downtown among the restaurants the NSLC would like to have as clients, to a sterile location down in the Federal Port Authority Lands. The loss of business to, say the Five Fishermen, should be enough to convince them to try more wine from private stores. Granted, the restaurants in that end of town will not mind.
7. Why it costs so much to attend when all the product, and labour to pour it, is free, paid for by suppliers or provided by volunteers. Surely the rent is not that expensive, and the food not that special.
8. Finally, and this is second hand for me, who does the wine and food matching at the winemakers dinner? Let us pray for them, as usually, none of the wines selected is of a style to drink with a meal, most being big goopy Shiraz, oaky vanilla bean caramel Chardonnay, and odd huge Italian blends of overripe grapes. Sooner or later, maybe a wine with some acidity and grip will win something?
See if you can find the answers to those questions. Let me know if you do, eh?
1. Whether the wines will actually be sold in stores after the show. This is a lotto. Even if the wine sells out and is lauded by critics, there is a disconnect between success at the show and whether a wine will ever be available at a store near you.
2. Whether enough of a wine will be imported so that you can put it on your wine list if you are a licensee. Last year one wine was on at least four restaurant lists after the show, but the NSLC never bothered to order it. This had the interesting effect of turning those places away from the NSLC to Bishop's Cellar, and was a catalysing event in helping them take $1,000,000 worth of sales away from the NSLC in the downtown trade.
3. Who decided a wine was worth a medal, if it beat anything, or if the medal is just an artificial sales boosting device. One year, it was no more than that. But the lack of judges from outside the NSLC organization does nothing to invest any confidence that these medals are anything more than thank you notes for wineries who send their winemaker to the event. The New Brunswick show, in contrast, had a full day of judging by independent judges, none employed by the NBLC or the show organizers. They included local wine writers, sommeliers, and wine instructors. The quality of the wines getting medals in Nova Scotia is sometimes amusing, and often more related to the price and reputation of a wine, than what is actually in the bottle.
4. Why the event is held when all the Northern Hemisphere wine makers are in harvest time and cannot come.
5. Why the event no longer coincides with the greatly successful wine show "tour" that had Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland all have their shows concurrently, allowing winemakers, owners, and sales staff the chance to hit the region in one trip.
6. Why its venue has moved from the World Trade Centre, in the middle of downtown among the restaurants the NSLC would like to have as clients, to a sterile location down in the Federal Port Authority Lands. The loss of business to, say the Five Fishermen, should be enough to convince them to try more wine from private stores. Granted, the restaurants in that end of town will not mind.
7. Why it costs so much to attend when all the product, and labour to pour it, is free, paid for by suppliers or provided by volunteers. Surely the rent is not that expensive, and the food not that special.
8. Finally, and this is second hand for me, who does the wine and food matching at the winemakers dinner? Let us pray for them, as usually, none of the wines selected is of a style to drink with a meal, most being big goopy Shiraz, oaky vanilla bean caramel Chardonnay, and odd huge Italian blends of overripe grapes. Sooner or later, maybe a wine with some acidity and grip will win something?
See if you can find the answers to those questions. Let me know if you do, eh?
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Urban Design, Sept 3
Rumour has it that the outside of the new treatment plant some unthinking planners positioned at the entrance to our downtown (Welcome to Halifax, here's our shit!) has encountered enough budget problems that the cladding budget has been affected. Now it will look like the ugly box it was always going to look like anyway. Anyone want to bet on the smell? I think it will smell no more than the "odour-free" landfill at Otter Lake!
And to think, that land could just as well be housing office or residential development that would bring in millions in taxes annually, while the treatment plant could have been put under a parking garage on the DND lands, at no loss to the annual tax base, or to the parking capacity at the Dockyard.
Good thing the engineer responsible for that decision has retired. Of course, he now sits on the UARB, making decisions on whether to have Midtown Towers and such things.....
And to think, that land could just as well be housing office or residential development that would bring in millions in taxes annually, while the treatment plant could have been put under a parking garage on the DND lands, at no loss to the annual tax base, or to the parking capacity at the Dockyard.
Good thing the engineer responsible for that decision has retired. Of course, he now sits on the UARB, making decisions on whether to have Midtown Towers and such things.....
Wine of the Week September 3
This is a catch up on the summer, but Pinot Noir goes with almost anything, and if it isn't too expensive, no one will kill you for chilling it either.
2005 Cono Sur Pinot Noir, Chile, NSLC Regular Stores. Convincing example of Pinot Noir for $12. Hard to beat for value, but delivers an amazingly correct varietal taste for the price. The only wine to challenge this for cheap pinot of the year is the 2005 Trapiche, which is perhaps a better food wine, given its greater acidity. Heck, buy both and tell me which you prefer.
2005 Cono Sur Pinot Noir, Chile, NSLC Regular Stores. Convincing example of Pinot Noir for $12. Hard to beat for value, but delivers an amazingly correct varietal taste for the price. The only wine to challenge this for cheap pinot of the year is the 2005 Trapiche, which is perhaps a better food wine, given its greater acidity. Heck, buy both and tell me which you prefer.
Hello Cruel World
The rants of a madman, or just the opinions of the opinionated. Somewhere in between, perhaps?
This blog chronicles what is happening in Halifax Nova Scotia, and the surrounding communities, in the beer and wine business, restaurants, and, just to be contrary, music and urban design, when I feel like it, and from my perspective.
There is a special almost unending source of ridicule available to the cynic in Nova Scotia, because our liquor industry is run, or at least controlled, by a government appointed pseudo-monopoly run by people who basically know little if anything about the products they sell. Other than that they like to consume them themselves, of course. And get free trips all over the world.
Anyway, with respect to booze - my motto is "You care about what you drink, don't you? After all, you put it in your mouth!"
Some other things I have learned: "Have a reason for everything you do." and
"Conventional wisdom is always wrong, haven't you ever been to a convention?"
It is September 3, 2006. The wine show season is just starting........
This blog chronicles what is happening in Halifax Nova Scotia, and the surrounding communities, in the beer and wine business, restaurants, and, just to be contrary, music and urban design, when I feel like it, and from my perspective.
There is a special almost unending source of ridicule available to the cynic in Nova Scotia, because our liquor industry is run, or at least controlled, by a government appointed pseudo-monopoly run by people who basically know little if anything about the products they sell. Other than that they like to consume them themselves, of course. And get free trips all over the world.
Anyway, with respect to booze - my motto is "You care about what you drink, don't you? After all, you put it in your mouth!"
Some other things I have learned: "Have a reason for everything you do." and
"Conventional wisdom is always wrong, haven't you ever been to a convention?"
It is September 3, 2006. The wine show season is just starting........
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