My new column of "A Passionate Foodie" can be found in the May 14 issue of the Stoneham Sun newspaper. This is a weekly column that concentrates on reviews of local restaurants though it may also touch on a few other food and wine topics.
The new column has been published today and will soon be available online as well. The new column is a collection of recent food and wine news. It includes such items as the First Anniversary of A Passionate Foodie, the return of Chef Stephen Bell, wine dinners at Melissa's Main Street Bistro, upcoming Grand Wine Tastings and a cautionary tale about heat and wine.
If you have any questions or comments about my column, feel free to add them here.
Dine with passion.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Wine Book Club: Edition #3
Book #3 for the Wine Book Club has now been announced.
In the spirit of Lenndevours' Wine Blogging Wednesday, Dr. Debs of Good Wine Under $20 has founded the Wine Book Club. This is a chance for wine bloggers to catch up on their reading and to share their insights on the books they have read. Every other month a book will be chosen by a wine blogger for review. All participating bloggers will read the book and post a review of their thoughts on their blogs. Those who do not have a blog can write a review and send it to the hosting wine blogger or on the Wine Book Club sites on Shelfari or Facebook.
Lenn of Lenndevours has chosen the third book for Wine Book Club. It is To Cork or Not to Cork: Tradition, Romance, Science, and the Battle for the Wine Bottle by George Taber. Lenn stated: "The whole cork/Stelvin/Zork topic is one that I've found myself getting more and more interested in, so this is a good choice for me personally, and one that I hope you guys are interested in too."
Can a book about wine bottle closures actually be interesting? Will it be too technical and boring? Or will the author find ways to tell a fascinating story?
Please join us, read this book and find out the answers to these questions. Post your review and thoughts on June 24. Hopefully we will have more participation than the last this time and that this event continues to grow.
Please also stayed tuned later this month for Spin the Bottle when I will review a wine-related book of my own choosing, on a topic near and dear to me.
In the spirit of Lenndevours' Wine Blogging Wednesday, Dr. Debs of Good Wine Under $20 has founded the Wine Book Club. This is a chance for wine bloggers to catch up on their reading and to share their insights on the books they have read. Every other month a book will be chosen by a wine blogger for review. All participating bloggers will read the book and post a review of their thoughts on their blogs. Those who do not have a blog can write a review and send it to the hosting wine blogger or on the Wine Book Club sites on Shelfari or Facebook.
Lenn of Lenndevours has chosen the third book for Wine Book Club. It is To Cork or Not to Cork: Tradition, Romance, Science, and the Battle for the Wine Bottle by George Taber. Lenn stated: "The whole cork/Stelvin/Zork topic is one that I've found myself getting more and more interested in, so this is a good choice for me personally, and one that I hope you guys are interested in too."
Can a book about wine bottle closures actually be interesting? Will it be too technical and boring? Or will the author find ways to tell a fascinating story?
Please join us, read this book and find out the answers to these questions. Post your review and thoughts on June 24. Hopefully we will have more participation than the last this time and that this event continues to grow.
Please also stayed tuned later this month for Spin the Bottle when I will review a wine-related book of my own choosing, on a topic near and dear to me.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Hawthorne Hotel Italian Wine Dinner: June 4
The Hawthorne Hotel in Salem will be presenting the second event in their "Uncommon Food and Wine On the Common!" series on Wednesday, June 4, at 6:30pm. This event will be an evening of fine Italian food and wines.
The Menu will include:
Reception with
--Assorted Summer Bruschetta
--Chilled Tomato and Eggplant Soup with Ricotta
--Fresh Mozzarella Pizza
Accompanied by Fantinel Prosecco, Spumante Extra Dry and 2004 L’oca Ciuca, The Drunken Goose (Toscano)
For Dinner:
--Spring Vegetable and Shrimp Orzotti (Barley Risotto with Asparagus and Peas)
Accompanied by the 2006 Collio Vignetti Pinot Grigio, Sant Helena
--Penne with Sausage (Porcini and Portabella Mushroom, Plum Tomatoes. Arugula, and Asiago Cheese)
Accompanied by the 2005 Briccotondo Barbera, Fontana Fredda
--Garlic-Studded Rosemary Roasted Lamb (Fresh Fig Compote, Pinenut, Leek and Potato Gratinée and Grilled Marinated Baby Zucchini)
Accompanied by the 2005 Solyss Negroamaro, La Corte
For dessert, there will be a special Chef’s Creation accompanied by Faretti Biscotti Liqueur.
The price is $85 per person, including tax and gratuity. Reservations can be made by calling 978-825-4311.
Hawthorne Hotel
18 Washington Square West
Salem, MA
The Menu will include:
Reception with
--Assorted Summer Bruschetta
--Chilled Tomato and Eggplant Soup with Ricotta
--Fresh Mozzarella Pizza
Accompanied by Fantinel Prosecco, Spumante Extra Dry and 2004 L’oca Ciuca, The Drunken Goose (Toscano)
For Dinner:
--Spring Vegetable and Shrimp Orzotti (Barley Risotto with Asparagus and Peas)
Accompanied by the 2006 Collio Vignetti Pinot Grigio, Sant Helena
--Penne with Sausage (Porcini and Portabella Mushroom, Plum Tomatoes. Arugula, and Asiago Cheese)
Accompanied by the 2005 Briccotondo Barbera, Fontana Fredda
--Garlic-Studded Rosemary Roasted Lamb (Fresh Fig Compote, Pinenut, Leek and Potato Gratinée and Grilled Marinated Baby Zucchini)
Accompanied by the 2005 Solyss Negroamaro, La Corte
For dessert, there will be a special Chef’s Creation accompanied by Faretti Biscotti Liqueur.
The price is $85 per person, including tax and gratuity. Reservations can be made by calling 978-825-4311.
Hawthorne Hotel
18 Washington Square West
Salem, MA
Spanish Wine Educator's Course: Passed!
As mentioned previously, I took a Spanish Wine Educator's Course from March 28-30. The course included two exams, a theory test and a blind-tasting test. To receive certification, you had to receive a passing grade on these exams. I learned today, unofficially, that I passed my certification! The official notice should be issued later this week.
I am very pleased with my results, though I did not score high enough, but I was fairly close, to win the trip to Spain.
This is a course I definitely recommend to anyone interested in learning about Spanish wine. I will also be keeping an eye on future courses that the Wine Academy of Spain may hold in the local area. Maybe a Sherry course.
UPDATE: I now have received the official word of my certification!
I am very pleased with my results, though I did not score high enough, but I was fairly close, to win the trip to Spain.
This is a course I definitely recommend to anyone interested in learning about Spanish wine. I will also be keeping an eye on future courses that the Wine Academy of Spain may hold in the local area. Maybe a Sherry course.
UPDATE: I now have received the official word of my certification!
A New Pago
It can sometimes be difficult to keep up with the world of wine as wine laws change and new wine regions are introduced. That is one reason why I read several different wine magazines as well as online sources, to keep current on such changes. I recently learned of one such change in a country I love, Spain.
The Spanish word Pago generally refers to a single-estate vineyard. Yet not all Pagos are the same. In 2003, the Spanish Denominacion de Origen system, which regulates wine regions in Spain, was modified to add a special D.O. Pago for a very limited number of estates that met certain qualifications.
Decanter (May 2008) has an article by John Radford called "Pago Pago!" which describes the Pago system, discusses the latest estate to be granted D.O. Pago status, and suggests other estates which may acquire D.O. Pago status in the near future. It is an interesting article and well worth reading.
To acquire D.O. Pago status, an estate must meet certain criteria.
The Spanish word Pago generally refers to a single-estate vineyard. Yet not all Pagos are the same. In 2003, the Spanish Denominacion de Origen system, which regulates wine regions in Spain, was modified to add a special D.O. Pago for a very limited number of estates that met certain qualifications.
Decanter (May 2008) has an article by John Radford called "Pago Pago!" which describes the Pago system, discusses the latest estate to be granted D.O. Pago status, and suggests other estates which may acquire D.O. Pago status in the near future. It is an interesting article and well worth reading.
To acquire D.O. Pago status, an estate must meet certain criteria.
- The wine must be made only from grapes of the single estate
- The winery must be located on that estate
- The estate must have an international reputation for quality
- The wine must have a premium price
- And it must comply with certain quality assurance regulations
The estate can then petition its primary D.O. for Pago status though the final approval must be given by the Ministry of Agriculture. Not all regions will allow D.O. Pago status. In fact, for awhile, there was only one region that would grant such status.
In the Spanish wine course I took in March, we were taught that there were only four D.O. Pagos, and all were located in the La Mancha region. These included Dominio De Valdepusa, Finca Elez, Pago Guijoso, and Dehesa del Carrizal. But Radford points out that there is now a fifth D.O. Pago and it is not from La Mancha.
Near the end of 2007, D.O. Pago status was granted to Señorío de Arínzano, which is located in Navarra. Bodegas Chivite acquired the Señorío de Arínzano estate in 1988. The estate grows Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay. The wines are marketed under the Chivite Colleccion 125 label.
Radford also presents some predictions as to which estates may become the next D.O. Pagos. He feels that now that a second region has permitted a D.O. Pago, others may decide to opt for that option as well. He provides a list of potential estates that you can check out in his article.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)