tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77750062745517936572012-02-16T12:50:38.634-08:00wine + food = we'll meet you theregreg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.comBlogger4681100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-27874807805185671922012-02-13T17:30:00.000-08:002012-02-13T17:30:26.120-08:00

Musicians probably get this. They hear the bass in something as basic as a heartbeat, the melody in something as natural as a gust of wind. But we're not musicians. I'm a runner; Greg's a gamer. Rhythm isn't something we create. For us, it just comes, and wine helps. Enter Dave Matthews and Steve Reeder, two men with disparate talents but the same vision: To create genuine, honest wines with a

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-60831322620491752542012-02-13T17:22:00.000-08:002012-02-13T20:21:25.284-08:00

jan. 19, 2012: call it a home run, a gift that really hit the spot, whatever. but this birthday present from greg's parents was really ideal with the chorizo and green pepper bratwurst we got from newburgh's rivertown butcher shop, which is really *the* place for homemade brats in this area. i thought this australian was smooth and creamy, with lots of red berry flavor. it had an intense feel,

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-20016915073741884602012-02-02T21:20:00.000-08:002012-02-02T21:25:22.090-08:00

we went to the tulip bistro and bar in lexington, ky. it's a french restaurant with a southern flair, and the chef suggested this pinot noir, which he said had enough body to match greg's lamb shank and my pork loins. the food was very tasty, and this was a wine with a good texture, but it really lacked flavor and was fairly bland, in fact. that said, it lacked the acidity of many pinot noir and

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-78247286130498558432012-01-25T18:05:00.000-08:002012-01-25T18:05:11.390-08:00

jan. 25, 2012: sauteed chicken seasoned with a rub in canola oil demands a light white wine. and schnucks on north green river happened to have just the type of white wine i was looking for. as basic a food combination as that sounds, this chardonnay from the central coast of california, believe it or not, has a rock and roll connection. dave matthews of the dave matthews band created this wine

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-892578385354688072012-01-25T17:55:00.000-08:002012-01-25T17:55:33.385-08:00

Don't be fooled by the stuffed shirts and haughty smiles, because the wine world is actually a pretty wild place.Oh sure, you've got your Rothschilds, those Old World traditionalists who often command instant respect at black-tie, seven-course-meal affairs.But there are cowboys, too, like Cameron Hughes. It's because of his entrepreneurial spirit that he's able to round up the best of wine that

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-68182076568362804572012-01-19T21:45:00.000-08:002012-01-19T21:46:46.091-08:00

jan. 1, 2012: this has to be the first pure sauvignon blanc i've had in six or so months. i got it for our new year's eve party but i ended up not having much of it at all. when i opened it that night, it wasn't chilled, and the grapefruit flavors weren't pronounced. it even had some peach overtones. but tonight, i chilled it, and the grapefruit is really overwhelming. i could see this going well

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-29796948540906357222012-01-09T21:19:00.000-08:002012-01-09T21:22:04.895-08:00

As the bills slowly pile up from this past holiday season, there might be some of us who keep asking ourselves: Was it all worthwhile? Of course, we're not talking about those special gifts you gave to loved ones or the dinners you worked extra hard to prepare for the people you care about. We're talking about liking what you bought, meaning determining if you got a good value for your dollar.

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-59057691837137864722012-01-01T16:47:00.000-08:002012-01-01T17:53:18.394-08:00

dec. 18, 2011: we had my parents over for dinner to celebrate an early christmas since they were going to be out of town on the holiday, and my dad brought over this 2011 loic and noel bulliat beaujolais nouveau that they had gotten in paris the third week of november, when the new beaujolais parties take place. this bottle was unusual first of all because it was in a clear bottle, further

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-12343292779135441632012-01-01T16:34:00.000-08:002012-01-01T16:34:49.556-08:00

dec. 29, 2011: we had given rob williamson, greg's cousin, this 2006 californian for christmas, and rob was nice enough to share it with us. greg prepared a fantastic venison roast that he had marinated in buttermilk for two days, and then he topped it with a black peppery blueberry gravy that was just as good. he also made some creamy mashed potatoes as well as some steamed carrots with dill on

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-66501924153550131082011-12-27T08:25:00.000-08:002011-12-27T08:25:17.452-08:00

dec. 16, 2011: after busy work days -- and i've been having lots of those lately -- sometimes quick, microwaved meals really hit the spot. and tonight my quick meal of choice (i'd ordered it the night before) was papa john's pizza with three cheeses, spicy italian sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms and fresh tomatoes. it was probably a month ago that i had shopped at the schnucks on north green river

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-73502083243353019542011-12-26T16:08:00.000-08:002011-12-31T13:38:30.706-08:00

Talk about sunshine in a glass. If you've ever dreamed of swapping Christmas gifts in the middle of a sandy, palm-tree lined island, then just pop open the 2010 Cameron Hughes Lot 259 blend of Riesling and Chenin Blanc and call it a day. That's because this wine will make you think you've reunited with summer even when you're covered with blankets near a crackling fire. We've written about

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-65769587876572632762011-12-11T17:02:00.000-08:002011-12-14T21:14:15.217-08:00

California helped make it huge, and all steak did was enhance its likeability. But Cabernet Sauvignon wasn't always a star. Like all big shots, it had to come from somewhere. And to John E. Bowers and Carole P. Meredith, the chances are very high it was from Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon blanc. Meredith is a professor emerita from the Department of Viticulture and Enology at the University of

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-70150880419982657312011-12-04T21:43:00.000-08:002011-12-04T21:47:37.416-08:00

towards the end of my trip, july 2011: i got this excellent montepulciano d'abruzzio from an italian wine shop around the corner on rue cherche midi in the 6th arr. in paris. it was fruity, supple, with great body, and was definitely a fun bottle to drink. this italian went very well with dried italian meats and cheese tortellini. by the way, the italian wine shop owner was very knowledgable and

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-25887005278212398922011-12-04T21:38:00.000-08:002011-12-04T21:38:25.885-08:00

sometime in july 2011: as a surprise, katell brought out this pecheresse, which she first introduced me to years ago. i love this beer, which tastes like peaches. it's pretty hard to find, but katell managed to find it, and i appreciate it so much! i had a fantastic time visiting her and her family in dijon!

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-75961022541500111002011-12-04T21:32:00.000-08:002011-12-04T21:32:07.354-08:00

sometime in july 2011: you don't go to burgundy and not have sausages with mustard and creme de cassis with cremant de bourgogne to drink with it. my old friend katell and her husband invited me to spend a couple of days with them at their home outside dijon, and bastien grilled up some delicious sausages with mustard. their children, enzo and oceane, were adorable and accepted me right away. it

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-73970406615411993502011-12-04T21:25:00.000-08:002011-12-04T21:34:29.657-08:00

sometime in july 2011: this 2010 bernard goureau quincy we had to go with our entrees at my cousin philippe's restaurant. this quincy (a sauvignon blanc from the loire valley) had a lemon flavor and was a bit crisp. and below: rillette de saumon (essentially a salmon pate). this restaurant is within the walls of st. malo, just across the street from where my mom (and my aunt, philippe's mom,

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-67292954382729741772011-12-04T21:22:00.000-08:002011-12-04T21:22:09.021-08:00

sometime in july 2011: this 2009 domaine des sanzay saumur-champigny was pretty good ... oaky so that it had some vanilla notes, and somewhat dry. it was also aromatic. at phillipe's restaurant within the walls of st. malo.

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-2207541980149770512011-12-04T21:18:00.000-08:002011-12-04T21:18:27.173-08:00

sometime in july 2011: this 2009 saint-joseph by vintner stephane montez is a northern rhone valley white wine. it was round with some lemon. not sure it went very well with the scallops and the carmelized tomatoes that were served with it. good on its own though. definitely. also at crouzil, in plancoet, france, outside of dinard.

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-19890477998170982602011-12-04T20:57:00.000-08:002011-12-04T21:50:16.803-08:00

cabernet franc is just such a sentimental favorite of mine, and this slate column is all about it, so i just had to include this link. our own column is coming soon, to be published sunday, dec. 11. http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/wines_world/2006/05/the_sad_plight_of_cabernet_franc.html

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-4220199488607666002011-12-04T20:42:00.000-08:002011-12-05T09:19:47.344-08:00

dec. 4, 2011: we've still got leftover ham from thanksgiving, and since i was sick with the flu during that holiday, we ended up having this mosel-saar-ruwer tonight. or, at least i did: this time, greg was not feeling well. the plan was to pair it with the honey ham that greg had prepared for thanksgiving, since we'd had this exact wine with the same ham entree last christmas, to great effect (

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-37745898226393865842011-11-28T08:48:00.000-08:002011-12-13T20:14:27.853-08:00

Shots are different. Need proof? Just look at the way they're described. Have you ever met an ounce of hard liquor that at some point hasn't gotten slammed, chased or knocked back? But wine? The more artful critics sculpt versions of a masterpiece, shaping words into the representation of a living, breathing thing. Think that glass of wine smells like blackberries or earth? Wine critics call

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-15723791952650339262011-11-24T21:34:00.000-08:002011-11-24T21:35:56.356-08:00

july 2011: le pineau des charentes -- a type of sweet white wine that my grandmother served as an alternative to port when she had a neighbor stop by for an aperitif :) it was quite good. oh yeah, and that's one of france's delicious melons in the background.

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-4746929476453436522011-11-24T21:30:00.000-08:002011-11-24T21:30:11.805-08:00

july 2011: this was a very tasty 2007 we had a glass of before dinner with grandmere on a sunday night in dinard. this white burgundy (chardonnay) was a bit round in terms of flavor, but it was definitely nowhere near as buttery as some californian varieties. (and i'm definitely not complaining!) we had it with live crab that my father boiled in lots of salt. the crab was wonderful and this

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-71133440154921885772011-11-24T21:21:00.000-08:002011-11-24T21:21:29.974-08:00

july 2011: this 1993 chateau de chasselier de st. fiacre muscadet de sevre et maine sur lie we had with lightly pan fried mackerel, salad, potatoes and bread. it was honey and lemon on the nose, but mostly citrus on the tongue. very yellow color. apparently most muscadet are drunk young, so this bottle being from 1993 is unusual. its age probably accounts for the darker yellow color. we thought

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-49586705865788915722011-11-24T21:13:00.000-08:002011-11-24T21:13:36.480-08:00

july 2011: my summer stroll in france continues ... this 15 percent alcohol belgian beer we had with palets bretons (butter cookies that are way too fattening for my own good), and that were very tasty together (a real devil-on-left-shoulder-wins-out-over-angel-on-right-shoulder moment). this beer smelled kind of hoppy i think (but greg would really know better than i would) and was slightly

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-22723244865954417712011-11-24T21:07:00.000-08:002011-11-24T21:07:08.264-08:00

sometime in july, 2011: this 2008 savigny-les-beaune 1er cru les narbontons mongeard-mugneret, a red burgundy, was light and black peppery flavored. i liked this a lot, though my mom prefers red wines with more body. my father ordered it to go with my cousin philippe's veal, since philippe doesn't like white wines very much. we had this at a restaurant called crouzil in plancoet, about 30 minutes

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-3137556666736958312011-11-24T20:50:00.000-08:002011-11-24T20:50:04.006-08:00

sometime in july, 2011: this 2005 chateau de biran pecharment by vintner pascal chiffoleau is a blend of cabernet sauvignon and merlot (but mostly cab) and is 13.5 percent alcohol. my dad bought it in the dordogne, which is a region in the slightly southwest central part of france. i thought it was earthy and had somewhat of a berry nose. the texture was gentle and round, with minor tannins. a

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-40262841205302807242011-11-24T20:38:00.000-08:002011-12-14T21:12:55.205-08:00

july 19, 2011: this 2010 gerard bigonneau quincy had a grassy nose, with some grapefruit to the flavor at the tail end. i loved this wine! it was the best white wine of my july trip to france. 12.5 percent alcohol. we had it with st. pierre, a type of white fish, in a very rich butter sauce with mashed potatoes and green beans, at a very nice restaurant in dinard. i think it was a sauvignon blanc

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-86626759937144905352011-11-24T19:21:00.000-08:002011-11-24T20:28:13.965-08:00

sometime in july, 2011: as i wrote in an earlier post, grandmere is 91, so convenience is very important to her. she discovered this creperie in a mall near her condo that she could drive to, and she said it was easier for her to park there and it usually wasn't crowded. the galettes amd crepes weren't bad, either. grandmere ordered this 2 percent alcohol loic raison apple cider from domagne, in

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-7546451565417891672011-11-24T19:05:00.000-08:002011-11-24T20:25:31.977-08:00

july 16, 2011: another very late posting from this past summer ... my grandmother is 91 and, as a result, she doesn't cook as much. so after she picked me up at the train station in st. malo, we headed to her favorite chinese restaurant outside the walls of the city. the restaurant is a buffet much like the ones we have here, except the seafood is fresher and the wine selections are typically

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-87971270692138817582011-11-24T18:55:00.000-08:002011-11-24T20:23:00.258-08:00

july 15, 2011: i'm catching up on some postings from this summer, when i was in france visiting family. we picked up this unknown vintage yves guegniard evanescence in a wine shop in dinard, across the harbor from st. malo, where my mom grew up (and where my grandmother still resides, intermuros). we had this cabernet franc with sauteed sole from a local fresh market. this red had more of a nose

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-11291055230113477872011-11-14T18:57:00.000-08:002011-11-14T18:59:11.416-08:00

Chardonnay: Most people see it in its finished product, sitting there obediently on a shelf. But this lion of the wine jungle wasn't always so submissive. That's because in many cases, this grape had to be wrangled from its vines, shoved into oak barrels or stainless steel tanks and then carefully guided through a signficant fermentation process. And that's even before it ended up as the latest

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-64485710319023167892011-11-14T18:53:00.000-08:002011-11-14T18:54:25.201-08:00

nov. 14, 2011: we're not political, and i don't expect this blog to make many references to this in the future. but kudos to u.s. senators joe lieberman, susan collins, tom carper and scott brown for introducing a bill that would simultaneously help the u.s. postal service and people like you and me by allowing licensed wineries to mail wine to homes if the wines are not to be resold and the

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-81187614625194908752011-11-03T21:13:00.001-07:002011-11-03T21:13:58.699-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHBjTZPxf1M&feature=share

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-55424945405660117492011-11-01T18:35:00.000-07:002011-11-01T18:42:00.350-07:00

Just in time for Halloween, here's something for oenophiles with a sweet tooth. Ever heard of ice wine or, as Germans call it, Eiswein? This smooth, high-acid dessert wine often tastes of apples, honey and/or lemon. There's something about this nectar produced from very ripe grapes that have been frozen on the vine that makes it a reliable end to a good meal. According to "The New Frank

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-64714237453113009122011-11-01T18:31:00.000-07:002011-11-01T18:31:57.973-07:00

About three weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to head out to Double A Farms in Henderson County, Ky. My assignment? To write about farmer Tim Alexander's Giant Malaysian prawn harvest. There are shrimp in Henderson? Yes. Or, rather, there were shrimp in Henderson, until Tim sold them all. Just under 350 pounds sold so well and so fast that Tim didn't even get to have any, he said later, which is

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-60756620213800900492011-10-07T19:26:00.000-07:002011-10-07T19:26:48.871-07:00

oct. 2, 2011: this was the second wine my father served with our roasted chicken, potatoes, carrots and onions. he served this to compare a red zinfandel with a primitivo, since these are different clones of the same croatian grape. we all agreed that this primitivo wasn't as expressive as the 1992 ridge. given, these were two very different vintages. but my dad thought this wine was acidic,

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-41940019488371399072011-10-06T20:31:00.000-07:002011-10-07T18:18:59.018-07:00

oct. 6, 2011: this is a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah, petite sirah and zinfandel that, at first, calls for a meal with tomato sauce, or maybe lemon. that's because the opening acidity in this field blend from st. helena, california, pulls at your tongue, and the acids in a tomato or lemon dish would likely counter balance the acids in this wine for an overall neutral finish. that

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-81275879396244704072011-10-04T20:15:00.000-07:002011-10-07T19:35:46.932-07:00

oct. 2, 2011: i got this ice wine in august at pelligrini vineyards, in cutchogue, long island. i was visiting denise the weekend before hurricane irene hit, and it was a beautiful sunny day: one of the best days of my summer, in fact, and i spent it with a very good friend. once i got back to the midwest, i wanted to make sure to serve this with my parents, since this was something i thought

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-12098440201531285762011-10-04T19:47:00.000-07:002011-10-06T22:11:11.038-07:00

oct. 2, 2011: we had my parents over for a roasted chicken, potatoes, onions and carrots on sunday. my dad introduced this 1992 ridge, which is one of the three "R"s of zinfandel: ridge, rosenblum and renwood. we've had at least several of the last two, but our only exposure to ridge is through my parents. this 1992 late picked pagani ranch (80 percent zinfandel, 15 percent mataro, 5 percent

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-28463580400112962412011-10-03T16:31:00.000-07:002011-10-03T17:38:32.208-07:00

All Sam's Club has to have is a sale and Greg goes crazy. Lamb, you said? There's a sale on lamb? And there he goes to the store off of Burkardt Road so that we can freeze some racks and chops that we can then pair with a good bottle of red Zinfandel.  Not that I'm complaining. Greg's memory for the price of various cuts of meat is like an MIT student's memory for the Blackjack cards everyone

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-21352557925969891262011-10-01T05:53:00.000-07:002011-10-01T05:53:53.676-07:00

you're not messing around when you bake a pork loin that's smothered in a habanero, thyme, salt and pepper rub and set it down, piping hot and sliced into thick slabs, on your dinner table. this is why you need a substantial wine to match the flavor muscles emanating from this dish. and here is where a funny thing happens: pair a medium spicy dish like this pork with a fruity zinfandel (87

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-77953195719419721182011-09-24T20:24:00.000-07:002011-09-24T20:24:56.670-07:00

aug. 28, 2011: i opened this up for my parents. we wanted something light and not too sweet on a very sunny and humid sunday, and this met those requirements. both my parents really liked this, but i was expecting it to be somewhat sweet, so i was a bit disappointed. greg and i had had this riesling and vintage before, and it was sweeter then, so i think the fact that it's older now has made it a

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-10887199445712821802011-09-19T07:21:00.000-07:002011-09-21T19:51:16.996-07:00

They're called mourning doves, and we suppose there would be a bit of mourning — if you got some lead shot between your teeth. Otherwise, the start of the hunting season on Sept. 1 in Indiana brings the scent of baked doves wrapped in bacon sizzling in your oven, and then there's the aroma of shredded cheddar cheese, added at the last minute, just for good measure. Some might say wine is the

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-23139127015085186532011-09-17T14:30:00.000-07:002011-10-03T17:20:49.313-07:00

we paired this with baked doves wrapped in bacon. the doves were very good, but this beaujolais-villages was a bit acidic. we decided to open this wine to pair it with the bacon since i thought that would be the overriding flavor. not sure it was the best pairing because of the wine's acidity. we got this frenchman as a christmas gift from greg's uncle shawn and his fiancee, trudy. 12.5 percent

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-79128789834541090182011-09-17T14:27:00.000-07:002011-09-21T20:06:31.192-07:00

sept. 11, 2011: i baked some turbot flounder from fresh market that i covered with sprinkled lemon juice, salt, pepper, parsley, butter, olive oil and shallots. i baked it at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, and while i know i added a bit too much salt, i liked this. greg, though, realized that he's not a big fan of flounder; there's something about the texture that he doesn't like, so we won't be

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-4806259907788172952011-09-17T10:41:00.001-07:002011-09-17T10:41:53.958-07:00

this winetree purchase is a good value for the money. it's got some red fruit flavors, but they're not overwhelming. it's smooth, gentle and unobtrusive in terms of texture. a good bet if you're looking for something to pair with lightly flavored poultry. for us, terra andina seems to be a reliable label. we've had the cabernet sauvignon and the carmenere. would definitely get this again if we're

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-50501452256130269312011-09-17T10:41:00.000-07:002011-09-17T10:41:09.185-07:00

sept. 13, 2011: this mendoza, argentinian, is on sale at winetree this month for under $10. i'm not sure i'm a fan. it's not as rough as your other typical lower-priced malbec, it's got a lot of tannins and it tastes of minor, indistinguishable red fruits. but i think it's a little sour. maybe it's just an issue with bottle variation? also, after it's been open for about half an hour, it's got a

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-76164995528367973012011-09-13T07:16:00.000-07:002011-10-03T17:22:59.278-07:00

aug. 27, 2011: we served this frenchman at a party and it seemed to be well-liked. it was a hot, sunny, humid day, and this is the type of wine that i think pairs very well with this weather if you're looking for a lighter, refreshing refreshing. it had inklings of apricot and peach flavors.12 percent alcohol. winetree.

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-58560802651694941842011-09-05T22:51:00.000-07:002011-09-12T06:56:50.702-07:00

Australia, Chile, New Zealand and France: If there were a battle between the four, traditionalists would likely say that France produces the best wine of all. But here's a secret: We're not traditionalists. Oh, sure. There was a time when the Old World seemed fulfilling. When we could get them, we paired our white Burgundies with our white fish and our red Bordeaux with our beef, and that was

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-23672869967103030812011-08-24T11:44:00.000-07:002011-09-12T06:58:03.007-07:00

Some people are experts at sizing people up. One look, and they've already made up their minds: Like, this one's soft. Or, that one's a loose cannon.The same could be said for some grape varieties. A good Cabernet Sauvignon? That's like being punched by Rocky Balboa. One false move, and he's got you down for the count. But this guy's so good that you don't even care; you're seeing beauty in the

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-68878646821767469962011-08-09T14:41:00.000-07:002011-09-12T07:11:02.501-07:00

I'm not a gambler in the traditional sense. Ten years ago, when I was in Las Vegas, I was more interested in the flower arrangements at the Bellagio Hotel than in placing a bet at a poker table. But place a wine I haven't had in front of me, and this is when things get interesting. Suddenly, I'm willing to consider the odds that a) I'm either throwing my money away, or b) I'm buying the potable

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-29706691006332023322011-08-05T21:26:00.000-07:002011-09-12T06:59:42.545-07:00

aug. 5, 2011: my dad gave us this as a gift, with a caveat that we not drink it until july because it was a little acidic. we finally opened it tonight paired with pesto chicken and potatoes. our mistake might have been chilling it, since fresh out of the bottle, i could almost smell the acidity. now that it's warmed up a bit, the acidity has toned down but whatever flavors are there are mostly

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-45820497082249887002011-08-04T19:06:00.000-07:002011-08-06T08:44:05.625-07:00

july 24, 2011: this wasn't exactly apples to apples. but greg had baked a pizza, and we were wanting to explore more italian wines. so we uncorked this cute bottle of 2009 luiano chianti classico ($13.99) as well as a 2008 quattro mani montepulciano ($12.99). the chianti was 13.5 percent alcohol, with some fruit, light tannins. greg liked it a lot, saying it was smooth and not really dry. i

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-8057700184162819092011-08-04T19:00:00.000-07:002011-10-22T22:23:04.312-07:00

july 31, 2011: this is apple tart delicious! we got this at sahara mart in bloomington, ind., ages ago, and it's been hanging out in our dark, cool basement ever since then. greg said it's like smelling and eating an apple tart, with a very smooth texture. an excellent dessert wine. i thought the flavors were a blend of apple and lemon. it had a yellowish-orange color and was very good. it's the

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-57566494209425690572011-08-04T18:54:00.000-07:002011-08-06T08:42:53.326-07:00

july 27, 2011: greg and i were in another italian mood, so he grilled up some chicken. this terra aldina pinot grigio from winetree wasn't that impressive, and neither was the banfi it was being compared to. i really couldn't tell much of a difference between these two wines. the terra alpina from the dolomites, in the eastern alps of italy, was 12 percent alcohol and had a light yellow color. i

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-85491557518397216042011-07-28T17:48:00.000-07:002011-08-04T19:37:03.482-07:00

Let's hear it for the muddled world of wine appreciation, where labels can be just as deceiving as your own expectations.Thinking of pairing a cabernet sauvignon with steak for that special occasion? That'd be the typical pairing for the wine varietal that Greg and I would describe as heavy and muscular. But truth be told, most of our own experience with Cabernet Sauvignon is with the Californian

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-80258577276811233472011-07-10T21:11:00.000-07:002011-07-10T21:11:55.211-07:00

Ah, Indiana. There's so much about this state that we don't know, even though we've both lived here most of our lives. And here's a tip: Don't underestimate the power of a good regional or state wine. Ever heard of Oliver Winery in Bloomington, Ind.? How about Winzerwald Winery? If you haven't, and you'd like to support some in-state businesses, then give these two a try. We've talked about

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-1905271306037062862011-06-29T20:04:00.000-07:002011-07-04T18:00:43.615-07:00

They filter in when you're not listening. Someone tells a funny story, and the half-smile on their face tells you they've almost reached the punchline. Meanwhile, you're sipping that chardonnay — it is a chardonnay, right? And you're eating your chicken, and the night goes on and you haven't even really noticed the wine that keeps getting poured into your glass. These are what we call wallflower

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-16799630598506780182011-06-29T19:56:00.000-07:002011-06-29T19:56:43.168-07:00

june 29, 2011: tim recommended this at winetree because i like wheat beers. i have to say i like this. greg wasn't so enthusiastic about it, saying it was too sweet and too heavy. but i liked that about it; it was definitely concentrated, almost syrupy, but this wasn't a watery creation (and i hate those). 7.5 percent alcohol. indiana all the way, too, with honey from martinsville, and it was

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-42775872815413348752011-06-12T21:02:00.000-07:002011-06-12T21:02:07.243-07:00

check out this link that our friend dave messina recommended. it's a very amusing take on the (albeit alleged) relationship between wine and wine labels. http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2011/06/sloshed_maybe_we_should_be_jud.html

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-21026968928894393942011-06-12T14:10:00.000-07:002011-06-12T14:10:52.749-07:00

So here's the story. Lately, red wines have been hogging the spotlight. Red Zinfandel got a whole column sometime back, and Cabernet Sauvignon's used its substantial muscle power to strong arm a few mentions as well. Not so for Sauvignon blanc, Riesling and Gewurztraminer, their fairer, more restrained cousins. These white wines have stood on the sidelines, waiting for their moments to shine. And

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-28245927232800548472011-06-10T21:09:00.000-07:002011-06-12T20:45:38.061-07:00

june 10, 2010: greg ordered una pizza, i was coming off a long day, and this 2007 villamedoro was there to rescue both of us. this is quite simply the best montepulciano d'abruzzo we've had since last october. it's fruity, smooth, with a thin line of bitterness at the very end. it went very well with the tomato sauce in the pizza. 14 percent alcohol. binny's in chicago. gift.

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-37800599037049170732011-06-02T17:45:00.000-07:002011-06-02T17:52:51.900-07:00

Don't wear white pants before Memorial Day. Always match your purse to your shoes. And never, ever drink a screw-top bottle of wine.Those rules would be fine, if you didn't recognize that times have changed. For one thing, it's been pretty hot this month. On the one day I worried that I'd be criticized for wearing white linen before Memorial Day, three other women wore white pants as well. As for

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-45776582655145897872011-05-25T14:33:00.001-07:002011-06-02T17:46:37.363-07:00

The lucky ones made it. They got off the ship at Ellis Island wearing dirty shoes, and over time they trudged through the lines and the new rules and the streets that weren't, it turns out, paved with gold. Now you -- their great-grandchild, their second cousin, their friend -- sit reading a newspaper, in America.This means you could be a proud West Sider who goes to the Germania Mannerchor

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-78900502878927690662011-05-25T14:32:00.001-07:002011-06-02T17:47:20.232-07:00

Far be it from us to hype one winemaker over another. But if you like red Zinfandel, then there's one company that seems to get it right more often than not. And that's Rosenblum Cellars based in Alameda, Calif.Fortunately for us, various wine stores in town carry Rosenblum, which has made an art out of producing flavorful, fruity and smooth red Zinfandel. Especially now that we're getting into

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-79099087950195304222011-05-14T17:27:00.000-07:002011-05-25T14:43:32.825-07:00

may 14, 2011: grandmothers only turn 91 once. and since i had just talked to mine today -- victorine bon's had lots of calls, and she went out to dinner with my uncle yann -- we opened this macon-villages in her honor. we're not from beaune, france, but we live in the midwest, and cidre brut from brittany/normandy (my mother was born in and grew up in st. malo, a seaside town in brittany) wasn't

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-14556942785315431402011-05-13T18:35:00.000-07:002011-05-15T16:29:22.255-07:00

if anyone can tell me where we can get a pure cabernet franc around here other than the chinon they sell at winetree, then we'd be extremely happy. i was in chicago recently and was fortunate enough to find a saumur at binny's in lincoln park. saumur is a cabernet franc from saumur, a town in the loire valley, and it was the only one that massive wine store had. once we popped this frenchman open

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-52537511162438863072011-05-05T22:04:00.000-07:002011-05-05T22:04:45.954-07:00

may 1, 2011: our neighbors invited us over for dinner last weekend, and we brought over this montepulciano d'abruzzo italian to pair with a homemade -- and delicious -- cajun chili/lasagna made by jimmy. the meal itself was very tasty, and greg and our hosts said they liked this wine. but for me, it wasn't what i was hoping it would be. i wanted a fruity montepulciano, like the one greg and i had

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-16703147726951328592011-05-05T21:54:00.000-07:002011-10-06T22:13:29.061-07:00

may 4, 2011: greg liked this dry creek valley, sommer's vineyard, californian, as it was when we opened it. this means, to my eyes, that he didn't mind the initial acidity, or how light it was. he even went so far as to say he'd get it again. i was coming off a comparison to the better versions of rosenblum cellars red zins, so this gnarlier head was disappointing ... until i had another glass

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-15753784813062124122011-05-05T07:55:00.000-07:002011-05-05T07:55:01.558-07:00

sometime in march, i prepared baked salmon to go with this blend of 51 percent santa barbara, 41 percent san luis obispo and 8 percent monterey county pinot noir from california. here's the recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/baked-salmon-ii/Detail.aspx  i thought this forefront had a really strong red fruit flavor and was very smooth -- almost too smooth. there were hardly any acidic qualities 

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-63381074806042866742011-05-05T07:54:00.000-07:002011-05-05T07:54:33.176-07:00

someone brought this for our blind wine tasting party in march. this 15 percent alcohol speciman was described by various people as smokey, sweet on the first taste but changes quickly to rich, a little rough, and wonderful.

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-32321619951948591692011-05-05T07:53:00.001-07:002011-05-05T07:53:40.305-07:00

only one person commented on this at our march wine party, and that was only to say he liked it. so this 13.5 percent napa valley sauvignon blanc remains somewhat of a mystery.

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-28994955967045849512011-05-05T07:53:00.000-07:002011-05-05T21:44:34.455-07:00

this 14 percent alcohol red californian was described at the march party as light, feminine and with some fruit, with at least one person saying they would drink more of it, and another saying they loved it.

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-80730595510876472952011-05-05T07:52:00.001-07:002011-05-05T07:52:34.493-07:00

this 13.5 percent alcohol speciman was described at the march party as having some grapefruit but smooth, having a nice finish, and "wow".

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-66387736575234474802011-05-05T07:52:00.000-07:002011-05-05T07:57:37.951-07:00

this 13.5 percent alcohol californian was described by our march party goers as smooth and sweet, woody and "alright".

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-17996983416017106732011-05-05T07:51:00.001-07:002011-05-05T07:51:51.080-07:00

this wine party bottle was described as boring, light, delightful at first but lacking a great finish, having some fruit, tannic, a bit woody, and uneven. 14.5 percent alcohol.

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-43342842982093289752011-05-05T07:51:00.000-07:002011-05-05T07:58:04.073-07:00

this pinot noir blend from sonoma, monterey and santa barbara counties was described by march party goers as round and full-bodied, "nah, whatever," "it's nice," having a nice finish, slightly sweet , smooth, mild, kind of peppery, and soft. 13.9 percent alcohol.

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-28368802173820283252011-05-05T07:50:00.002-07:002011-05-05T07:50:53.780-07:00

this north coast california viognier with 13.5 percent alcohol was described by wine party-goers as very nice and oaky.

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-87841837612407742602011-05-05T07:50:00.001-07:002011-10-06T22:22:28.132-07:00

this 13.9 percent chardonnay from sonoma county was estate-bottled in windsor, calif. it was described as citrusy, very easy on the palette, very mild, and having too much grapefruit.

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-9555567017238018152011-05-05T07:50:00.000-07:002011-05-05T07:50:07.528-07:00

our neighbors jimmy and marti brought this to the wine tasting party, and it was a good homemade production. guests described it as "wow," fruity, light and good, nice and slightly sweet.

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-75701092720915477512011-05-03T21:49:00.000-07:002011-05-03T21:59:35.779-07:00

may 1, 2011: we opened up this napa, californian, and it was immediately a bit sour. so we corked it and came back to it. the sourness seemed to disappear the next day, and the day after that, and it smoothed out a bit over time, but there still wasn't anything really distinctive about this merlot. that's a shame, since it's our first rombauer. i know this company is well known for its chardonnay

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-10056690003618029522011-05-03T21:38:00.000-07:002011-06-02T17:50:46.635-07:00

If a flat tire makes you late for the presentation that could have earned you a promotion, it's safe to say that you may be having a bad day. But for wine, the factors leading to a bad review aren't always as obvious. Did that wine purveyor keep the wine he or she sells near a heater? Did something go wrong with the cork in the bottle itself, making the wine take on a rotting odor? Or is it just

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-41739596305790467472011-04-11T18:33:00.000-07:002011-06-02T17:49:39.581-07:00

Meet Joe. Pleasant and quick with a joke, he doesn't look like a revolutionary. He works, he pays his taxes, and when he comes home at night, he likes to share a bottle of wine with his wife. The trouble is, they prefer white wines, and some wine purveyors can't seem to understand that. Now meet Jane. She's married, loves to travel, and when she cooks, she wants a wine that'll enhance the

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-77261728993036714412011-04-11T18:26:00.000-07:002011-04-20T21:38:48.733-07:00

april 10, 2011: 10 minutes into this roncevie, and i had already given up. that's how little time i was willing to grant this pinot noir, which was on a blind date with a grilled lemon-dijon chicken. my thoughts? this domaine arlaud had arrived at the party angry and annoyed, spitting out some version of pinched acidity we had had nothing to do with. and it wasn't the chicken, either, which was

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-32927137725207323992011-04-04T17:50:00.000-07:002011-04-04T17:57:09.005-07:00

march 20, 2011: don't let yourself fall into that trap, the one that says: all varietals are the same. greg and i did that when we were first starting out on malbec, then cabernet sauvignon and merlot and the rest of what we called the reddish bunch. with a lot of prodding from some wine experts around town, we've unfurled our wings a bit and have begun to peck and poke at the bottles we purchase

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-66278046603102601912011-03-15T21:48:00.000-07:002011-03-19T19:49:58.654-07:00

march 15, 2011: beware the ides of march or, it must be said, a well-priced and tasty montepulciano d'abruzzo. because sometimes you raise your glass due to thirst, or to a well-deserved accomplishment. and other times you raise it for the things you wanted to accomplish, but couldn't -- due to red tape, poor planning, or 23 stabs heading your way. not that we see anything admirable in the way

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-92146229826804445492011-03-14T08:57:00.000-07:002011-03-14T17:32:43.043-07:00

march 13, 2011: with 6 people to share it with, it wasn't a very good night for rosenblum. first, there was the vintner's cuvee XXXII that was fruity but sour. then there was this monte rosso, which was better but clearly in the shadow of its heftier rosenblumian brothers and sisters. i got this at winetree as part of a case discount. at the time, they were having a substantial markdown on

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-57847333645733930122011-03-14T08:04:00.000-07:002011-10-06T22:16:03.963-07:00

march 13, 2011: greg needed some red wine for his venison recipe, so we uncorked this rosenblum, which i had bought at winestyles on friday. right out of the bottle, greg liked the fruity nose. but when he tasted it, he thought it was sour. i was willing to give it more time, since maybe it just needed to breathe a bit. but a couple of hours later, after my family had had two other bottles of

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-88079871304988060212011-03-14T07:43:00.000-07:002011-03-14T08:27:46.997-07:00

march 13, 2011: this was my dad's last pomerol. a magnum, this frenchman was able to serve six people at our house tonight for my dad's belated birthday celebration. greg seared venison with thyme and blueberry gravy to create a dish that was very flavorful. i tried to reproduce a maytag blue cheese mashed potato recipe that we had had at madeline's fusion restaurant a few weeks ago, but i was

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-21423913998401887832011-03-11T20:05:00.000-08:002011-03-12T18:59:13.162-08:00

march 11, 2011: some wines evolve before your very eyes or, in this case, taste buds. give it an hour, and this silver palm californian sheds its acidity, gathers the strength of its fruits and begins to exude a smooth sense of confidence. but beware the hour beforehand, when you're wondering why you spent more than $20 to pop open its cork. consider the recipe that encouraged it to come into its

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-87622046521614275112011-03-09T21:08:00.000-08:002011-03-12T18:39:54.177-08:00

march 9, 2011: i'm not good at this, at pairing wines with music. i step on rhythm's toes; i trip on its bars. and all the wine does is loosen my tongue. but this red diamond is different. to be fair, this is a new dance partner, one that greg sampled at winetree's tasting tonight while i was at work. he said it was the best they had for show, and to prove it, he brought it home, laid it on our

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-76967877636050358582011-03-06T20:18:00.000-08:002011-03-06T20:20:53.165-08:00

march 6, 2011: untamed nights come and go, i suppose. this one being our first, i had no complaints. after a weekend of heavy foods, i was itching for something light, something that wouldn't bog me down. so i thought: salad, with cherry tomatoes, goat cheese and fat-free zesty italian dressing (which i'm quite addicted to.) the pairing was good and definitely not a contrast. and this barrel-aged

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-37893029356408266132011-03-03T20:52:00.000-08:002011-03-04T20:45:23.246-08:00

march 3, 2011: it's strange. greg and i really started out exploring wine through malbec. but now all i can say about this mendoza, argentinian, is how much the roughness rubs me the wrong way. this 13.9 percent alcohol speciman contains some fruit flavors, but the overall effect is more texture than flavor. won't be getting this again. winetree. update (10 minutes later): i needed a distraction

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-63688331489769130652011-03-01T20:45:00.000-08:002011-03-04T20:10:28.848-08:00

march 1, 2011: i bought this at varsity liquors. i hadn't been in there in months, but i decided i'd give them another chance, and it seems (to our minds at least) that their selection has improved. we saw a caiden's vineyards block nine pinot noir there, also the zd chardonnay ... for those not in the know, these are some good wines to be placed beside. anyway, this petite sirah was only $7.99

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-28697775556090677722011-02-27T17:49:00.000-08:002011-02-28T09:34:26.139-08:00

feb. 27, 2011: it's oscar night, and i've usurped ashby's and shelby's spots on the couch to plant myself in front of the tv. to pair with the brats we cooked up, we opened up this 14 hands riesling, which was recommended by dennis at winetree. i'm starting to realize i'm not a fan of two types of rieslings: ones that have too much apple, and others that have too much honey. for me, this

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-70627144370075104072011-02-27T16:42:00.000-08:002011-03-01T17:51:00.227-08:00

feb. 26, 2011: occasionally you meet a wine that bursts from the bottle like an 18-year-old who's just found his freedom. which is to say, this washingtonian throws its punches wildly, slamming down cherries and blackberries like a frat boy downing shots at the bar. but when paired with my entree, this bordeaux blend was almost too light to fit the bill. first, consider the Type A guest who'd

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-63301072296490453492011-02-27T15:58:00.000-08:002011-10-06T22:27:33.396-07:00

feb. 26, 2011: my only sip of this glass of zin gave me the impression that it was acidic and dry. but greg liked this zin, which he said had a fruity nose. the texture, he said, was relatively smooth, and the flavor had some cherries. he paired it with sweet breads. they were so tender and rich ... delicious!

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-85867583245283102962011-02-27T15:50:00.000-08:002011-10-06T22:29:14.072-07:00

feb. 26, 2011: greg and i were trying to maximize our wine exposure at madeleine's fusion restaurant on saturday. it was a much-belated birthday celebration for me, but we were also toasting greg's new job and another bit of happy news that i'm not ready to reveal yet. this glass of chardonnay from what i think was napa valley (wish i had taken better notes) was slightly peachy with some light

greg and victoria grabnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16024977498923883589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7775006274551793657.post-22973305376810118932011-02-23T21:43:00.000-08:002011-02-24T09:49:17.342-08:00

feb. 23, 2011: winetree is awesome. it's not just that it's a few blocks from our house. this is just a good store, filled with wines that seem to fit our tastes more often than not. and this latest "like" is a 2008 tamas double decker red from the central coast of california that tim recommended. i'm not sure on the cost (it's been a while since we held the receipt), but i know this blend of

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