tire-bouchon

compass box great king street...

2012-01-30T08:02:00.004-05:00

Compass Box Great King Street Artist's Blend (43%): I know I am pretty late for this post... Almost everybody tasted and reviewed Artist's Blend months ago. It is another unique blend from John Glaser dedicated to revive the interest in blended Scotch whiskies they deserve. Great King Street contains 51.4% Lowland grain, 46.4% Northern Highland single malt and 23.2% Speyside single malt whiskies which are matured in 62.3% first fill American and 27.7% new French oak barrels and 10% first fill sherry butts. To be honest I tasted it very early even before it hit the shelves and many times later but didn't have a chance to spend some quality time with it. Finally this weekend I managed to sit home alone peacefully with the sample tube I got during Great King St. Cocktail Competition, a tasting glass and my laptop in front of me. So, here is what I think about Great King St.: Color: Hay, pale linden tea. Nose: Beautiful young grain whisky. Incredibly fruity and sweet: Green pears, pineapple and nectarine with vanilla, coconut flan and lemon meringue pie. Fresh cut grass and calm, warm sea spray. A few drops of water amplifies citrusy and grassy aromas. Lemon zest, clementine peel and lemongrass. Palate: Such a gentle and delicate whisky. First notes are creamy and sweet: Flower honey, vanilla cream and marzipan. Then some sourness and a touch of spiciness fill in with green apples and white pepper. Adding water made the mouthfeel meaty and brought the grainy character more forward but didn't add too much like it did for the nose. Finish: Medium long with bitter and salty notes: Lightly salted cashews and salted caramel. Overall: One of the best price to value ratios on the market. It is definitely not the most sophisticated Scotch of the year but a very pleasant and easy going whisky. Great example to introduce to people who think that Scotch whisky is not for them. Perfectly serves its mission... Even so I still don't understand why they are pushing so hard to drink it with soda or in cocktails. I really enjoyed it neat. A great everyday dram...

more winter brews on the dark side...

2012-01-27T09:44:00.001-05:00

Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout (10%): Technically it is a Russian Imperial Stout. That explains the high abv and promises a thick roasted barley soup... Sounds like a good fit for winter. Look: They weren't joking. Literally opaque pitch black... Nice brown head sinking pretty quick leaving a good looking lacing around the glass. Nose: As promised dark bitter chocolate aromas hit first. Heavily roasted espresso beans, sour thick grape molasses and burnt, caramelized malt follow right after. Palate: Quite thick and creamy. Like the nose suggested chocolate and dark coffee beans are all over the place but distinct malt, crunchy cocoa nibs and damp earth notes are also present. It finishes with a tart, sour taste which matches the molasses I got at the nose. Like medlar or thick balsamic vinaigrette. Odd one... Also high alcohol level adds some off notes to the palate. Overall: To be honest usually I am not a big fan of Brooklyn Brewery's wider releases but this brew is definitely a bolder and more satisfying expression. I enjoyed the low carbonation, the thick mouthfeel and the tartness but I wish we could get more than chocolate and coffee. It is a little one-dimensional. It would be so nice to get more dark and red fruits or nuttiness to freshen up a little bit. It would make it more accessible. Nevertheless it's a great beer right from Brooklyn. Would pair really good with stews and roasts.

Fuller's London Porter (5.4%): This is a legendary porter from one of Britain's most famous breweries. For a lot of people it is the definition of English porter. Look: Almost black with an elegant dark maroon glitter visible when it's hold up to the light. Faint beige head disappears into a thin film in seconds. Nose: A lot of stuff going on here. Some dark chocolate and lightly roasted coffee beans with very tempting licorice, sour cherry, red plum and molasses aromas. Nothing too aggressive though, moderate and very even-tempered. Palate: Caffe macchiato, toasted pumpernickel bread and almond chocolate. This is an awesome brew. Creamy texture with a slightly metallic finish like stainless steel container. Amazingly balanced and gentle. Overall: This is an incredibly easy drinking and well balanced porter. A true classic... I could drink this dangerous beauty day and night. One of the true winners of this winter. If you like porters or stouts it's a must have in the fridge... I don't think that I want to taste anything else tonight. I will enjoy sipping it as long as I can.

still life at American Museum of Natural History...

2012-01-11T09:57:00.001-05:00

two winter brews from each coast...

2012-01-07T10:05:00.003-05:00

Peak Nut Brown Ale (4.7%): This is the third expression I will review from Peak Organic. The Portland brewery describes their brew as an English style brown ale on their website. I have to say Nut Brown Ale is a tempting name for a beer. Look: Clear chestnut brown color with a fair amount of slow settling off-white head. Pretty good start. Nose: Sweet lightly roasted malt, milk chocolate, dry leaves and roasted hazelnut at the beginning. Then it takes a sharp sudden turn to rotten molasses and medlar. Also some old leather couch and soapy aromas. Very odd... Palate: Very thin texture, almost like watered down. Quite a carbonation in the glass which actually I am not a big fan of. Roasted chestnut shells and bread crust. Very faint charred wood notes. Overall: It's a very crisp and vibrant autumn beer maybe but I couldn't find anything too exciting about it. Definitely not my favorite from Peak Organic line-up but it is an easygoing, light and balanced beer. It is a little too thin for my taste but could pair good with spicy Indian, Thai or Middle-Eastern food.

Anchor Porter (5.6%): The famous porter from Anchor, one of my favorite breweries in the States. Actually this porter from San Francisco has been around for a long time since early seventies. It is not an easy find but available all around the year nationwide. Look: Opaque black with a thick and foamy dark brown head. Nose: Dark roasted malt, bitter chocolate and chocolate covered cacao nibs. Wet dark garden turf and fresh cut timber. Nothing very robust but everything above if not more are present and amazingly balanced. Just beautiful... Palate: Hershey's chocolate syrup squeezed over roasted malt. and Charred wood chips, hazelnuts and lightly roasted espresso beans. Not as thick as the nose suggested. Finishes pretty sweet with dark dried fruit notes like dried purple figs and dates. Overall: I am not going to deny that I have a soft spot for this brewery but this beer is one of best widely distributed porters I ever tasted. Perfect to pair almost with any type of barbecue meat, thick stews, meat pies and creamy and aged cheeses but also incredibly easy to drink by it's own. Definitely a must if you didn't taste it before...

Red Hill Trail...

2012-01-04T09:23:00.002-05:00

After hiking the Overlook Mountain Trail the day before we decided to take it easy for our second day. So, the night before we picked up the Red Hill Trail which is a considerably shorter trail in the region so we can get back to the city at a decent time. After a very satisfying breakfast at Sweet Sue's in Phoenicia we started our drive to the Town of Denning in the Sundown Wild Forest where Red Hill Trail is. Right after leaving NY28 we took the NY42 towards west around the steep cliffs of the Peakamoose Mountain with picturesque views. The road is coming really close to the rocky cliffs decorated with all kinds and shapes of icicles, half frozen little ponds and countless little streams. Take your time to drive slowly, the view is absolutely beautiful.

That nice drive ends right when you see the Rondout Reservoir. You take the Sugarloaf Road from there towards north and start to climb uphill. Try not to miss the sharp and hidden left turn to the Dinch Road which eventually ends up at the parking lot located right at the trailhead at around 2,160 ft. From there the trail is only 1.2 miles to the summit which is at 2,990 ft. We arrived at the parking lot right after a light snow fall. Nobody was around, it was dead silence and the snow covered mountain was looking just beautiful.

The trail is marked with yellow dots on the trees which I think way harder to spot than the red ones I am used to see on the other Catskills trails. Especially when snow has such a strong presence around yellow doesn't pop out that well. Anyway, after registering ourselves in the log book we started the hike crossing two small streams right at the beginning simply stepping on large rocks and jumping over. The trail starts with a moderate ascent leveling quite often. Ice formations created by water streaming slowly over rocks and stone walls are quite amazing. Since snow covers the foot path pretty much it is becoming more important to keep track of the yellow foot trail signs on the trees. Eventually the trail becomes more challenging with two very steep but short stretches where you will need the assistance of the branches and tree trunks coming close to you. A walking stick would help especially for these parts when coming down.

All the way from the beginning you will spot some numbers carved on wooden plates randomly attached to the trees together with the foot trail signs. They start from "1" and going up when you continue to hike on the trail. Since we didn't see or read any info anywhere about them before we had no clue what they could mean. I thought that they were indicating milage in decimals first, some of us said that they must be related with our altitude, some suggested that they were a part of a more complicated system made for rangers only but at the end when we ended up with numer "10" at the summit we realized that they were showing us our progress in a scale from 1 to 10. It could be useful if we knew what they meant at the beginning.

Around one mile in on the trail, pretty close to the summit you will see a sign leading you to a mountain spring. Even if you pass it on your way up you should take the time to follow the separate path to the spring and fill your flask with fresh ice-cold water. Also don't forget to check the sky and the tree tops once in a while on your way up. You have a great chance to observe the bald eagles looking for food in this region. Unfortunately we weren't that lucky.

The 60 foot tall fire tower at the summit was retired in nineties like the other ones in Catskills region. It is renovated and re-opened in 2000 with the effort of a volunteer committee. Since then the volunteers are maintaining the tower and also offering guided tours in summer months. The tower gives you a nice 360 degree view of surrounding mountains from it's top level. To be honest there isn't anything special to see from there but it is a nice little treat after climbing all your way to the summit. I have to warn also that as soon as you pass the tree line when you are climbing the steps up it becomes suddenly really windy and freezing cold in spite of the sun reminding that you are actually at 3,000 ft in the middle of winter. Right next to the tower there are two picnic tables to relax and enjoy the summit and a cabin used by the volunteers during summer months. You use the same trail on your way back to the parking lot. Generally it is a short but very enjoyable trail. Definitely recommended...

Overlook Mountain Trail in winter...

2012-01-01T09:31:00.000-05:00

When weather permits hiking in Catskills at winter time is always a gorgeous experience. The light is amazing, the view is way open all the time, snow covers the ground lightly and beautiful icicles are everywhere like ornaments on Christmas trees. We were pretty lucky having amazing weather conditions and continuous sunshine all the time throughout our stay. First day we hiked the Overlook Mountain Trail which I covered here on tire-bouchon last summer in detail. To take a look at that post you can simply click here. The Overlook Hotel ruins, fire tower, Eagle's Cliff, everything was looking simply gorgeous under light snow. What a great couple of days to finish 2011. It's a very moderate winter hike which requires only warm clothing and a little attention to the icy grounds. I strongly recommend to start the hike not later than noon because it gets dark pretty quick around 4:30PM these days and it's doesn't sound like a good idea to be on the trail after it gets dark. You also want to see around under bright light...

two American (Belgian) Ales from Smuttynose...

2011-12-27T10:09:00.000-05:00

Smuttynose Winter Ale (5.1%): Smuttynose is from Portsmouth, New Hampshire and one of the most successful breweries from the micro-brewery boom of late 90's in the States. To be honest they drew my attention first with their hilarious label designs before I could have a chance to taste their beers. This seasonal expression is available from late October through February and brewed with Trappist ale yeast imported from Belgium. Look: Cloudy and dark brown with a deep red glare. Off white head dissolving to a thin film slowly. Nose: Pear pie, spoiled apples and red berries. Very fruity. Distant roasted malt and coffee aromas. Palate: Thick texture with fresh berry and malted barley notes. Quite an entrance of the Belgian Trappist yeast. Taste of a fruity Belgian ale plus the carbonation. Just enough hoppy. Finishes with strong bitter chocolate notes. Very tasty... Overall: I very much enjoyed this beer but I don't agree it's being a winter beer. I can sip it every season. A very tasty Trappist for America, spot on...

Smuttynose Old Brown Dog Ale (6.5%): This one is a member of the full time line-up of the brewery. It has a higher abv. and has been around since 1988. Smuttynose calls this beer as a classical example of the American Brown Ale. Look: Cloudy very dark copper-brown color with nice, firm, slightly off-white head. Nose: Cherry..! I can nose sweet tannins, vanilla, malt and other red fruits but dominantly cherries. Quite nice... Palate: Very flat. I didn't get the carbonation I was expecting from an American Ale which works for me very nice. The texture and the taste on the tongue reminds me Kriek Lambic. I have a feeling that it might be judged as too sweet by quite a few people. Finish brings roasted malt, some nuttiness and sweet hazelnut chocolate. It leaves a candied sticky coat in your mouth and throat. Not in a bad way though, it keeps the finish longer. Overall: I wouldn't guess this beer as an American beer at a blind tasting. Totally opposite experience than the Winter Ale I tasted above. This time I was expecting an American Ale but ended up with an European style brew. It would pair perfect with thick vegetable stews or salty, heavy cheeses. Definitely will buy again.

top ten of my 2011...

2011-12-22T09:46:00.000-05:00

1. best trip: Saint-Romain, Bourgogne, France

2. best dram: Flaming Heart, Limited Edition 10th Anniversary Bottling by Compass Box

3. best bar: The Rum House, New York City

4. best restaurant(s): Owen's Fish Camp Sarasota, FL and Oriole 9 Woodstock, NY

5. best album: American Legacies by Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Del McCoury Band

6. best book: Churchill A Life by Martin Gilbert

7. best movie: Senna by Asif Kapadia

8. best museum: Fram Museum in Oslo

9. best website/blog: AFAR Connect

10. best art show: "A Syntax of Dependency:" by Liam Gillick and Lawrence Weiner at M HKA

two English Ales from St.Peter's...

2011-12-17T11:11:00.001-05:00

St. Peter's is a considerably new brewery from Suffolk, England which is founded in 1996 by John Murphy a branding and marketing professional. They built a good reputation since then by producing a decent range of organic and traditionally crafted beers using local ingredients. Although they release some very good cask ales in UK they are more known internationally with their oval shaped bottled beers. Immediately people fell in love with those hip, brown, old fashioned medicine bottles. To be honest it is also relatively easier to find their beers than any other English Ale in the States. I have two different expressions in front of me today. They both come in pint bottles...

St. Peter's Golden Ale (4.7%): Look: Crystal clear and light golden amber color like a lager with a firm and white head that dissolves very slowly. Visible and busy carbonation. It made me check the label again. Is it an English Ale, really? Nose: Nose delivers distinct pilsner notes. Malty and fresh. Stainless steel tank, fresh cut grass, fennel and lemon zest. To be honest it smells like a German or Czech beer. Palate: The most beautiful European butter and toasted crunchy bread crust notes. Fresh hazelnuts and fresh almonds. Very nice and creamy but not so heavy texture covering the mouth. Towards the end I could taste lightly roasted malt with damp and earthy notes. Long and satisfying finish. Overall: This is a well balanced and flawless beer. It caught me off guard at the beginning. I was expecting a hoppier, flat and darker ale for some reason. It has a fresh and brisk feel but a very complex palate. I have to say butter and bread notes made my day. I wish I discovered it last summer. It would be an amazing afternoon, before dinner summer brew. It makes you not to rush and enjoy every sip. Don't bother to pair it with anything and sip it alone, chilled...

St. Peter's Organic English Ale (4.5%): Look: Again very clear amber color like Golden Ale but a little darker. Very thin head disappears to nothing in seconds. Nose: This one noses like a true English Ale. Hoppy and yeasty with toasted malty aromas and also smells quite bitter. Palate: Wow... Same creamy taste and texture for a starter but right after it delivers beautiful green apple, honey and malty notes covered with mild eastern spices like nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon and turmeric. Yeasty, grassy and woody with a good amount of vanilla. It reminded me Lowlands Scotch whiskies like Bladnoch and Rosebank. Overall: Definitely my kind of a beer. Sippable, malty and hoppy. A true winner... Don't let it get warm in the glass though. Anyway, I should get some more to keep in the refrigerator.

I am pretty impressed with both beers from St. Peter's brewery I tasted today. I have to admit that I was feeling a little distant at the beginning because of the incredibly hip and over designed image of the brewery but the beer is amazingly good. Highly recommended... I am looking forward to taste different expressions in near future.

winter brews from New York...

2011-12-10T10:32:00.000-05:00

Sixpoint Diesel (6.3%): It's December, the holiday season..! With the weather gradually getting cold it's the perfect time for bold, thick, malty ales and stouts... When I am in a mood like this how can I resist to a beer from one of my favorite breweries called "Diesel"? This beauty comes in 16oz cans like the other releases from Sixpoint I reviewed here a few months ago. Look: Very very dark brown, almost black body with a quick disappearing beige thin head. Nose: Pine forest after a hard rain, iced espresso, dark rich chocolate. And tons of hoppy aromas. I really didn't expect to nose so much hop in a stout. Palate: A feast of hops surrounded by roasted malt and chocolate notes. Pine cones, pine nuts, juniper berries, coffee beans. It is too much carbonated for a stout. I would say a stout with an American twist. I liked the bitter and dry finish though. Overall: My expectations were too high, I am afraid. It is a different kind of a stout. It's bitter, hoppy, carbonated and thin in texture. I am still a little bit confused about the label. But it is definitely an easy drinking and satisfying dark ale if not a stout.

Long Ireland Beer Company Celtic Ale (5.0%): Long Ireland Beer Company is a small brewery from Long Island, Riverhaead. It is owned by two friends who started the business three years ago as an adventure. Nowadays they are getting a little bit broader distribution in NY area. I had a chance to taste their beer on a Sunday morning at my local hangout Black Swan in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn with my breakfast and Premiere League on TV. Perfect combination... Celtic Ale is a cask ale expression hand drawn straight form the cask to your glass. Look: Cloudy amber. Nice off-white, thick but not dense foam. Nose: Sour and yeasty aromas. Grassy and citrusy. Very distinct hops, green vegetables and a touch of sweetness like caramel at the background. Palate: Typical sourness of a cask ale covers the mouth first, almost soapy. Wet grass, moist soil, shaved fennel and lemongrass. Maybe some over-brewed green tea and honey at the end. Very thin in texture. Overall: As a big cask ale fan I am very glad to see locally brewed cask ales finally. Nothing special or edgy about it but a typical and approachable example of its genre. A perfect daytime brew in winter and makes a great couple with an afternoon shot of whisky.

tasting a Bas Armagnac: Laberdolive Vintage 1996...

2011-12-09T09:47:00.000-05:00

Gascony has a long history of cooperage and producing wine going all the way back to Roman times but only around 17th century the Dutch brought and encouraged the idea of distilling wine. Throughout their search to find the most suitable grape varieties and best wood for the production they ended up in Armagnac province. Today the area is divided into three regions: Bas Armagnac, Tenareze and Haut Armagnac. Traditionally armagnac is distilled only once in copper alembics using continuous distillation method but nowadays some estates are also double-distilling their wine using pot stills. After the distillation the condensed spirit is pumped to black Gascon oak barrels and aged in warehouses.

The cellar master decides which barrels to keep longer for special vintage releases and which barrels to empty earlier for blending purposes. Common and affordable expressions in the market are usually blends and they have a specific terminology on their labels indicating their age: 3 stars or VS (the youngest component is one year old), VSOP (the youngest component is 4 years old), Napoléon (the youngest component is 6 years old), XO or Hors d'age (the youngest component is 10 years old), XO Premium (the youngest component is 20 years old) or basically the age of the youngest component in the blend written on the label, like simply "20 years old". On the other hand single vintage Armagnac bottlings are limited releases, harder to find and usually more expensive than blends. Some of those vintage expressions can also be single cask expressions but most of them are vatted casks from the same distillery and year. Their labels indicate the year of the distillation and the estate the grapes are coming from.

Needless to say during our stay in Toulouse I got pretty much obsessed to taste as many expressions of Armagnac as I can. Different blends from Chateau de Laubade and Samalens estates are relatively easier to find in bars and restaurants. They have very good expressions and are totally affordable. I definitely recommend to order one when you see them on the shelf but vintage bottlings are defining a totally different territory. Laberdolive, Darroze and Boingneres are the most famous estates releasing exceptional vintage expressions. When I started eventually to look for a bottle to bring back home I happened to sample a 1979 vintage of Laberdolive in one of the shops in Toulouse and was simply blown away. Knowing that I could never purchase an old expression like that I concentrated to find a younger and affordable vintage from Laberdolive and ended up with a bottle of 1995 vintage...

Laberdolive Bas Armagnac 1995 (46%): Laberdolive estate is run by the same family for over five generations. They only bottle vintage releases at cask strength with no additives whatsoever. The family still fires their alembics with open fire using oak logs only. The soil of the estate is extremely sandy giving the spirit its characteristic delicate fruity and spicy notes. Even the wood they are using for their barrels come from their own forests. Cannot wait to pour and taste it... Color: Rich copper, with a red hue. Nose: Red plum, raisins and sultanas. Warm, like nosing a hot toddy. Letting it breathe adds oak, butterscotch, caramel and vanilla notes. After some time I even started to nose very gentle fire place ash, latex gloves and burnt cookies. Palate: It has a nice enjoyable harsh kick. Raisin cookies, cinnamon and nutmeg. Time calms it down nicely. Almost the same effect like adding a few drops of water to whisky. I start to get the soothing taste of honey and cloves. Quince paste and candied figs. Now I am fully aware of that I am tasting a fruit brandy not a grain spirit. Finish: Medium long. Maybe a little too much on the sweet side with cinnamon notes. Overall: I very much enjoyed it. It is less gentle than a cognac which I really liked. Definitely benefits from airing quite a lot like other aged grape brandies. I would wait at least for ten minutes after I pour it in the glass next time. This vintage tasted like it was at the border of being too sweet and got bottled at a perfect time. A very good alternative to sherry cask finished whiskies, especially this time of the year. Happy holidays...

solo tasting: Glengoyne 12yo Cask Strength...

2011-12-03T23:04:00.000-05:00

Glengoyne 12yo Cask Strength (57.2%): This year I tasted quite a few unbelievably good and rare single cask Glengoyne expressions during my trips to Oslo as well as regular distillery releases with Stuart Hendry, brand heritage manager for Glengoyne in Whisky Fest New York 2011 and started to look for more. So, when I saw this travel retail exclusive expression at Charle de Gaulle Airport in Paris I didn't think twice. Color: Dark copper, shines like a fine cognac. Nose: Molasses, spoiled grapes, dried apricots and dried figs. Very much like an aged Caribbean rum. Sweet chocolate covered raisins, sour cherry juice and butter tea biscuits. Water brings some appealing beautiful malty and sherry notes and also maybe hint of black tea. Gets better and better with time. Palate: All the heat of high abv I surprisingly didn't get from the nose hits quite powerful like a very strong rum. Couldn't get anything, it needs water. A few drops of water calms it down nicely. Strong sweet rum leaves the scene to heavy thick sherry. All the notes you can expect from European oak casks got pulled forward. Toffee, burnt apple skillet pie hits the tongue first. It gets better with cognac, damp soil and chewing tobacco notes. Definitely has an older feeling, like a beautifully aged grain whisky. Finish: Long, warm and spicy. I still can feel the nice warmth after minutes I swallowed. Sweet pepper, cinnamon, star anise, all spice and dark chocolate. Overall: This bottle happened to be a little over-sherried and too sweet for me especially after tasting some amazing ex-bourbon casks of the distillery lately and witnessing how delicate, malty and floral their whisky can be. This expression requires some attention and time. You have to be patient to find the correct amount of water to add to make it work. On the other hand I have to admit that it has a big warming feeling which will suit pretty good to the coming holiday season. I also can see myself filling my flask with it before a long hike on a cold winter day. On top of everything it is a steal for a liter bottle at cask strength with a price tag of $45.

day trip in Midi-Pyrénées...

2011-12-01T14:41:00.000-05:00

There are quite a few small towns you can reach from Toulouse easily within hours. Unfortunately we had only one day off and we chose Albi. It takes only an hour from Toulouse Matabiau train station to Albi and almost every half an hour there is a train you can hop on. The weather was overcast with slight drizzle when we arrived the city and wasn't looking promising for the rest of the day. I knew that most of the shops will be closed since it was a Monday but I certainly didn't expect a ghost town. The city center was looking like 6AM on a Sunday morning. Everything was closed. After a short period of panic we confirmed at least that we can get in Saint Cecile Cathedral and Toulouse-Lautrec Museum.

Since you get out of the train station the Saint Cecile Cathedral draws you like a magnet. The size of the building is so ridiculously huge it makes everything else around it look like one of those crazy detailed scaled down city models. When you get closer to the building it gets more and more unreal. You start feel like being in a set of a fantasy movie. It's claimed to be the largest brick building in the world. The construction started in 13th century and lasted for almost 200 years. We spent literally hours in there examining the incredible details of it's gorgeous fresco of the last judgement made by Flemish masters originally covered nearly 2,200 sq ft. It is partially destroyed to give access to the chapel in the base of the bell tower. With it's one of a kind choir and rood screen, treasury chambers, huge organ built in 18th century and countless wooden painted sculptures the Cathedral was one of the most fascinating buildings I have ever been in.

The Toulouse-Lautrec Museum is situated right next to the Cathedral at the palace adjacent. The museum is dedicated to the legendary artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec born in Albi in 1864. After his death in 1901 when none of the Paris museums showed any interest to his works and his mother decided to donate everything to the city of Albi and the city started to exhibit his works in this building. After UNESCO added Albi to list of World Heritage Sites in 2010 the city finally could have the necessary resources to work on the building, to modernize and expand the exhibition halls. Even if you don't have any special interest in Toulouse-Lautrec it's very impressive to see all his work under one roof. It is kind of exciting to realize how all the images he created were deeply carved in our brains. Every work was reminding me a song, a documentary, a scene from a movie or a Moulin Rouge poster from a friend's house.

Like I mentioned above unfortunately the majority of the shops and restaurants were closed. I was especially frustrated not to be able to visit the famous closed food market Marche Couvert but had a great lunch at the restaurant located right at it's basement. The sight of the river Le Tarn and of the buildings at it's banks from the bridges Pont-Vieux and Pont du 22 Aout 1944 was definitely gorgeous. We head back to the train station to go back to Toulouse when the sun was setting down at the horizon after a very satisfying day.

la ville rose...

2011-11-28T13:28:00.000-05:00

Usually after spending a certain amount of time in a foreign city on tour I suddenly start to feel pretty confident, oddly enough not like a tourist anymore. I don’t know exactly when that moment comes, it changes from city to city. It doesn’t depend how big the city is, how much I know about the culture or how capable I am with the language. It’s a different thing. Maybe it happens after I realize that I am not looking at my map every cross section anymore or that I can use the transportation system without getting lost. But this time it didn't happen in Toulouse. I couldn't get along with the city that well. It's not a big or complicated city but puts it's boundaries between the visitors and locals very stiff. Don't get me wrong, everybody is very friendly, helpful and nice but at the end you are just a visitor. Anyway, in spite of all I think at the end of our stay I managed to put a decent amount of useful info together for travelers who are planning to visit Toulouse in near future.

Toulouse also known as La Ville Rose (pink city) because of its pink brick buildings is a heaven for foodies like any other French city. The food markets are all over the city. They open very early in the morning but start to fold also early, shortly after noon. So, if you want to visit one of them you better wake up early and show up at the market not later than 9AM before the best stuff gets sold out. I think the best part was purchasing several things for your breakfast and eating right there at a bar counter in the market with a glass of crisp white wine. I have to say, nothing beats starting the day with a glass of chilled good wine, fresh baguette, goat cheese and some duck terrine. Marché couvert Victor Hugo is the biggest food market in the town and also houses bunch of restaurants at it’s second floor serving lunch only till around 2PM every day except Mondays. The place is getting stormed by locals. We have been at the seafood restaurants Attila and Au Bon Graillou up there during our stay and everything in the menu was well priced and delicious. It is an experience you don't want to miss.

Another very satisfying culinary experience was visiting the restaurant Chez Carmen on the west side of the river La Garonne across the street of Les Abattoirs, the acclaimed modern and contemporary art museum of Toulouse converted from the slaughterhouse complex of the city. We had two amazing dinners there including our Thanksgiving dinner. Whatever we ordered from the menu was superb: black pudding, lamb chops, rib eye steaks, steak tartare... Everything was cooked to perfection and served in a very simple way. I think if you are going to choose one restaurant in Toulouse Chez Carmen should be the one. Definitely on top of my list. Make sure that you have a reservation before you show up there. It’s a pretty busy place.

Café des Artistes is the perfect spot for having a lazy afternoon coffee and/or pastis while watching the beautiful sunset over the river La Garonne with the locals. Also if you want to have a nice distraction for one of your meals I highly recommend the small and cute Argentinian joint Empanadas Argentinas on Rue des Gestes. You won't be disappointed. Keep in mind that you are in a city which cuisine is based on it's famous duck and goose breeds. Don't even think twice before tasting their duck and goose specialities anywhere, especially foie gras and cassoulet in restaurants.

Armagnac is the local spirit of the region. It’s a grape brandy distilled and aged in Armagnac region in Gascony which is only an hour west of Toulouse. I had the chance to taste quite a few great expressions and to learn about it’s distilling and aging process. I will be posting separately about Armagnac and some tasting notes in coming days. Domaine de Lastours, La Cave Spirituelle and Busquets are great stores in the city for browsing and purchasing top shelf wine, armagnac and other local spirits if you want to bring back a few special bottles. Also La Maison on Rue Gabriel Péri and Le Tireuse on Rue Pargaminiéres are two great bars in the city we enjoyed a lot. Nice places to hang out after your dinner for a drink or two.

Among many cathedrals, churches and museums in Toulouse Museum of Resistance and Deportation, The George Labit Museum, L'Hotel Pierre d'Assezat and Les Abattoirs were the highlights for me. Finally a few observations and remarks about the city I like to draw your attention to:

First of all I never seen a stronger police presence anywhere else in France. All the cops were heavily armed, looking like special crowd control forces and hanging around in groups at the busy corners of the city watching people closely. There was a weird unspoken tension in the air I didn’t quite get. Don't get alarmed when you see them around.
The city is like the shoe capital of Europe. Literally at every corner there is a shoe store. I don't know what it means but a very odd observation we kept talking about.
It’s almost impossible to find any wi-fi connection in the city and people are looking pretty surprised when you ask. Even if you are lucky enough to catch a weak supposedly "free" signal you will give up for sure after getting lost in endless log-in screens and wrestling hours long to create countless accounts and passwords.
You never know when the shops close or when they open. During our entire stay I couldn't figure out whether they were closed for a long lunch break or closed entirely for certain weekdays or closed till noon at some days. All I know was that they were seldomly open.
It's pretty hard to find a place to have a breakfast. I spent many mornings looking for a decent "petit de jeuner" but it wasn't as easy as in other French cities.
Watch your step..! Nobody picks up after their dogs.
And a general observation not specific to Toulouse: We are all aware that automobile designs are getting uglier and uglier every year but I still had a hope that France would be the last country standing for aesthetic concerns in car manufacture. Apparently they gave up, too… Too sad…

Oslo in Fall...

2011-11-17T13:06:00.000-05:00

solo tasting: Old Malt Cask Laphroaig 18...

2011-11-12T13:06:00.000-05:00

Douglas Laing & Co. Ltd. Old Malt Cask Laphroaig 18yo (50%): This is an all ex-bourbon aged Laphroaig single cask expression distilled in 1993 and bottled in 2011. Only 288 bottles are released. Color: Pale yellow with a warm summery glitter. The cask should be a 2nd or 3rd fill barrel. Nose: More like a fireplace smoke instead of peat. Parched, partially burned fresh firewood. Lemon zest and nose tingling peppery aromas at the background. Also maybe a little bit resin. Palate: It hit me with distinctive bitter wood at the palate a little overpowering everything else. Spicy fresh wood notes you would get from young bourbons. Also some pine nuts and whole black peppercorns covered with ash. Later some roasted unsalted almonds and peanuts pop up. Water didn't add anything but a few drops made it less peppery and more enjoyable to drink. Finish: Long with smoky bitter oak notes and salt. Overall: A balanced but totally one-dimensional dram. It didn't excite me too much. I missed the mellow moist peat and ocean breeze notes you would expect from a Laphroaig. I think the spirit spent a little too much time in the cask. The wood replaced peat and salt with it's own peppery, dry and charry notes. Not a bad whisky but also not one of the good independently bottled Laphroaig casks I tasted. A good everyday Islay whisky I would enjoy early summer evenings when firing up the barbecue...

solo tasting: Benriach 17yo Burgundy wood finish...

2011-11-09T16:19:00.000-05:00

Benriach 17yo Burgundy Wood Finish: This bottle is one of the three limited wood finishes of Benriach released in Europe in 2010 with Rioja and Claret. The spirit is aged 15 years in ex-bourbon American oak barrels and then transferred to barrels from Burgundy most probably holding Pinot Noir before as we can guess from it's color and palate for an additional two years. Color: Dark amber color with a distinctive red glitter. Nose: A weird but enjoyable start. Mixture of sweet and sour aromas side by side. Two dimensional: Redcurrant, spoiled blackberries on one side black tea and molasses aromas on the other side. A few drops of water pulls the sour side from background to the front. Palate: Now I am sure that this whisky has Dissociative Identity Disorder..! I am sipping two totally different drams at the same time. They don't blend at all and ride next to each other all the time. When it first hits the tongue you get all the sweet notes. Marzipan, strawberry cream filling, tutti frutti, gummi bears and toffee. Then it takes a sudden turn. It dries out the mouth completely. Maybe the name suggested it but from now on I feel like sipping a nicely aged Marc de Bourgogne. Sour grape juice, molasses, grape pits, over-brewed unsweetened black tea and fresh quince. Damp old wood, bitter chocolate and cured herring towards the end. Finish: Woody, short and dry. Overall: It is incredible to see how Burgundy casks added a darker personality in Benriach's delicate Speyside spirit. Kind of a borderline maturation which could end up pretty bad on the dry and sour side. It almost tasted like matured in Russian blend black tea casks to me... Nevertheless it was a very enjoyable ride. Like a roller coaster. You struggle a lot but as soon as it is over you want to do it again.

8th Oslo Whisky Festival...

2011-11-09T15:42:00.000-05:00

I have to admit I feel pretty damn lucky after attending two whisky festivals in one week. New York Whisky Fest on Tuesday, November 1st and Oslo Whisky Festival the following Friday and Saturday. Actually like I posted here before, I was planning the Oslo trip since I met the founder and the organizer of the Festival Chris Maile in August. I contacted him as soon as I arrived Oslo last Thursday and got all the info about the "warm-up" parties. After a quick dinner I was on my way to meet the gang. First stop was Dr. Jekyll's Pub one of the two official whisky bars of the Festival. Dr. Jekyll's is an amazing whisky bar with an incredible selection. I don't know if you can see in any bar in the world white, gold and black Bowmore, Highland Park 1964 and 1968 and Gordon and MacPhail Glenlivet 70yo on the same shelf. Mind-blowing... I met there Chris Maile, Mickey Heads, distillery manager of Ardbeg and Alex Robertson from Chivas Brothers with many other local whisky enthusiasts. Peter Dahl from Dr. Jekyll's was beyond belief hospitable to us. I would like to thank him again for that amazing night... We moved after a few drams to The Whisky Bar which is the other official bar of the Festival where Martin Markvardsen from Edrington Group and Darragh Ryan from Jameson joined us. To be honest I wasn't really planning to be out that late the night before the Festival but it happened... It was absolutely fun.

Since we were scheduled to attend Charles MacLean's master class the first day we didn't have too much time to spend with the exhibitors and decided to leave our table visits to the Saturday but I had a really positive first impression about the Festival. First thing that really drew my attention was that everything was looking less corporate. The whole event was looking like a festival rather than a convention. Because the alcohol brands are not allowed to advertise their products at all in Norway there wasn't any banner, flyer or video anywhere. The tables were labeled only with the names of the distributors printed on a letter size paper. Second remarkable detail was that the crowd was incredibly young compared to any other whisky event I have been. It was so nice to see young people showing a serious interest to whisky.

Like you can read from my earlier posts the master class with Charlie MacLean was a blast. We left the venue with a huge smile on our faces and showed up back next afternoon to taste other expressions the brands were offering. Saturday's surprise for me was finally to have the chance to meet Ingvar Ronde. He was signing copies of his Malt Whisky Yearbook 2012 and we had a short but very nice chat. But unfortunately he was in a rush and leaving to catch his flight. Also many thanks to David Francis from William Grant & Sons for rare Glenfiddich samples and to Martin Markvardsen from Edrington Group for Highland Park treats. At the end we ended up sampling a good amount of whisky and making new friends. From my notes I kept throughout the Festival I can see that I really enjoyed Glenfiddich 15yo new wood finish and refill wood cask samples, Kilchoman The Inaugural 100% Islay Edition, Yamazaki 18yo, Highland Park 30yo, Chivas Regal 21yo and Ardbeg Blasda.

So, Oslo Whisky Festival is over and I am back to work... We will be performing three shows this weekend at National Theater in Oslo and then continue the tour to Toulouse...

Diageo Special Releases 2011 with Charles MacLean (part II)...

2011-11-07T10:14:00.000-05:00

continuing the tasting session with Charles MacLean at Oslo Whisky Festival:

Knockando 1985 25yo (43%): To be honest I have never been a huge Knockando fan but this bottle is definitely looking a whole different. To start with it has a scary dark color. The whisky is aged entirely in European oak sherry casks for twenty-five years. Color: Dark amber, almost like a bourbon. Nose: Opening the doors of a tobacco warehouse. Dense powerful tobacco aromas hit your face instantly. Loose leaf black tea, aniseed and liquorice. At the end I got some sulphury notes. Notes you would get when waiting nervously on a dentist chair. Palate: Spice market of Istanbul. Cardamom, nutmeg and henna. After a while everything kind of calms down with sweet toffee, cacao nibs and espresso bean notes. Finish: Very dry and shorter than I expected. Overall: It's a bold, rich and sweet whisky. Great for people looking for a new whisky to pair with their cigars. It's a little bit to thin though. I think the abv could be slightly higher.

Brora 1978 32yo (54.7%): Now I am very excited about this one. I am a big fan of Clynelish. I didn't have a lot of chances to taste different old Brora expressions but a few I sampled simply blew me away. It's the oldest Brora Diageo ever released and comes in cask strength. Couldn't sound better... Color: Bright yellow gold like a barrel aged Chardonnay. Nose: Not exactly what I expected, it's a little muted. Candle wax, sweet citrus and quince jam. It opens up great with some water. Char and phenolic notes are getting released. Hint of stainless steel containers and oddly enough some new make spirit notes. Palate: Again it needs water to get the full palate. Nice warm Mediterranean style salty sea spray with rosemary and pine notes. Finish: Medium long and sweet. Overall: I think my expectations were too high for this bottle. I still liked it very much but didn't lift my feet of the ground.

Port Ellen 11th release 32yo (53.9%): And the big finale... For some reason Port Ellen reached the most desirable cult whisky status in last five years or so. It's highly collectable, star of every online auction and literally doubles it's price in a year after every release. This year's release is also aged exclusively in ex-bourbon barrels for 32 years. Color: Bright morning sun. Beautiful pale yellow shine. Nose: I totally lost myself a minute or two. I could nose this beauty for hours. Cold ocean breeze, wet sand, rubber tube, latex gloves, damp hemp rope. Palate: Like licking the deck of a ship covered with grease and tar. Amazing..! Sweet Diesel oil and wet, old worn-out wooden rope hoist. Definitely my kind of a whisky. Finish: Incredibly salty, long and satisfying. Overall: Superstar, I loved it... But it is still too hard to justify the price people are willing to pay for a bottle of Port Ellen. I cannot even imagine how much this bottle might cost in a year or two. I don't know how but if you happen to score a bottle don't you even think to keep it for investment. Drink it for a special occasion. Totally worth it...

Diageo Special Releases 2011 with Charles MacLean (part I)...

2011-11-06T07:24:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was the the last day of Oslo Whisky Festival. It was hell of a fun for the entire time. Thanks to our host Chris Maile for everything. I have tons of notes to sort out and it looks like it will take a little bit more time than usual to get organized since I will be on the road for another three weeks. There are so many names to mention and so many drams to review.

Anyway let's start today with my first post... Without any doubt the biggest highlight of the Festival for me was the master class with Charles MacLean. We tasted five of seven whiskies Diageo released as their special releases for this year. The focus of the class was the different influences of American and European oak casks on maturation. Nearly one and half hours we compared tasting notes and discussed how the type of the cask used in aging process effects especially whiskies of older age. So, here is part one of my notes:

Rosebank 1990 21yo (53.8%): It's one of the oldest Rosebank bottlings that I am aware of and a mix of American and European oak casks. But it can be seen from it's color that they were 2nd or maybe 3rd fill casks. Color: Pinot Grigio yellow, hay like. Nose: Grassy and citrusy. Fresh lemon peel, chamomile flowers, cut grass. Brisk and refreshing. Palate: Creamy and citrusy deserts like lemon meringue pie or key lime pie and lots of vanilla are the first notes hit the tongue. It evolves with extremely pleasant fresh floral notes. Finish: Pretty short and sharp but definitely memorable. Overall: It's a very satisfying spring dram with a soft floral touch. I always had a soft spot for Rosebank but this particular expression is one of the best ones I tasted. Perfect for an outdoor afternoon session.

Port Dundas 1990 20yo (57.4%): If I am not mistaken this bottle is the first grain whisky bottling of Diageo's special releases. After spending first three years in ex-bourbon casks the whisky got transferred in equal portions to new European oak, new American oak and first fill ex-bourbon casks, aged seventeen more years and then blended together for bottling. Color: Very dark amber, almost brown. Chestnut honey. Nose: Warm sticky toffee pudding. Could be easily mistaken with a bourbon at a blind tasting. Chewy, spicy and sweet. New wood barrels are very dominant. Molasses and decayed dried fruits are showing up at the end. Palate: I immediately associated the palate with rye whiskeys. It reminded me new style young American rye whiskeys matured in mini barrels, like Hudson's Manhattan Rye Whiskey. Peppery new wood notes, mouth covering burnt brown sugar, nutmeg and cloves. Finish: Dry, long, sweet and spicy. Similar kind of a feeling your tongue gets after a finishing large portion of very sweet syrupy baklava. Overall: Definitely a rare experience, especially for whisky enthusiasts who are not familiar with American whiskey. One of a kind whisky. It opens up beautifully with a few drops of water.

Tasting notes for the other three will be posted soon...

Whisky Fest New York 2011...

2011-11-05T04:19:00.000-04:00

Last Tuesday Whisky Fest happened in New York. It was a three hour long uninterrupted pure action. Everything was happening in fast forward. The floor was completely packed and people were rushing from table to table trying to make the best use of their limited time. To be honest the whole scene was kind of overwhelming but I decided also to follow the current... Actually the real highlights of the night for me were to meet Jim McEwan from Bruichladdich, John Glaser from Compass Box, Malcolm Waring from Old Pulteney and Oliver Klimek from dramming.com for the first time. It was also exciting to see and talk to Sam Simmons aka Dr. Whisky from The Balvenie, John Campbell from Laphroaig, Douglas Campbell from Tomatin and Jimmy Russel from Wild Turkey in New York again.

Knowing that there won't be any time to take proper tasting notes I decided to make a list of affordable expressions again like I did in Whisky Live last Spring. Actually kind of a wish list for myself... So after tasting numerous drams I came up with this list as my top five whiskies presumably under $100 mark from Whisky Fest New York 2011:

1. Tomatin Decades

2. Bruichladdich The Laddie Ten

3. Springbank 14 year old Manzanilla Cask

4. Redbreast 12 year old Cask Strength

5. Arran Single Bourbon Cask

Ok, now this will sound a little bit odd but the biggest hit of the night for me was The Botanist from Bruichladdich. I know maybe it is not appropriate to talk about a gin after the Whisky Fest but that bottle was a true winner. I find myself talking about The Botanist all the time since Tuesday. It totally left me speechless. Kudos to Jim McEwan...

packing for 8th Oslo Whisky Festival...

2011-11-02T11:18:00.001-04:00

Last night I was at Whisky Fest New York and had great fun. I will be posting about the Whisky Fest a little later since right now I am packing hectically to leave to Oslo. I will be away for almost a month. It is our Fall Tour to Oslo and Toulouse but somehow I managed to leave three days earlier than my regular schedule to be able to attend 8. Oslo Whisky Festival before we load-in National Theater of Oslo. Actually I started to work on this trip months ago but especially after I met the founder and the organizer of the Festival Chris Maile last August it got real and now to feel pretty amped up for my visit...

I am looking forward to meet new people from the industry and local whisky enthusiasts, taste new and European and Scandinavian only expressions, take tasting notes and enjoy the Festival. Needless to say spending time at Oslo's excellent whisky bars such as Whisky Bar, Doktor Jekylls Pub and Underbar will be a bonus. The Festival starts November 4th, Friday at 5PM and will continue next day till 8PM. The masterclasses schedule stretches also into two days with the participation of familiar names of the industry. I have already made my reservation for Charlie MacLean's class and thinking also to attend Ingvar Ronde's class if my schedule allows.

Please leave a comment below or send me an email if you want to know anything special about Oslo Whisky Festival or if you have any questions you want me to direct to Chris Maile. I hardly can wait till tomorrow... It's going to be a lot of fun.

After Oslo I will be traveling to Toulouse all way south to Midi-Pyrenees, France. I have never been in Toulouse before and to be honest I feel very excited about the local cuisine and wine. We will be also trying to visit the picturesque little town Albi everybody is talking about on one of our days off. Since we are going to be also pretty close to Armagnac region I am hoping to be able to taste some good expressions and choose one to bring back. I will try to post photos, tasting notes, notes about restaurants and bars as quick as I can.

solo tasting: Talisker 175th Anniversary Edition...

2011-10-31T09:56:00.002-04:00

Talisker 175th Anniversary Edition (45.8%): This Talisker expression got released in 2005 to celebrate 175th year of the distillery. There is no age statement on the bottle but I found out that the batch is a vat of different ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks aged between ten and twenty-five years. Although Diageo marketed it as a "limited edition" it's a release of 60,000 bottles and therefore you still can find it pretty easily even seven years after it's launch. Anyway I am glad that I have it on my shelf and very excited to taste it. After all Talisker with Laphroaig are the two brands started my whisky obsession years ago. Color: One hell of a good looking bottle... Very handsome. The whisky shines bright copper. A beautiful amber color in the glass. Nose: Sea spray and wet sand on a cold Fall morning at the beach. Overripe apples, strawberry, raisins, dried black currants, cinnamon and nutmeg. Antique, dusty furniture shop. Where is the peat by the way? I can nose some distant smoke but more like from a propane camp stove fire. A few drops of water brings out sweet notes like vanilla, honey, cookie dough and decayed grapes. Palate: Here is the peat..! Still very gentle though. Sweet upside down apple skillet cake, burnt brown sugar and white pepper. I can taste old sherry casks here. Adding water pulls out all the young whisky in the vat to the surface. Sea salt, black pepper, olive brine and salted bonito. Finish: Long, salty, with heavily charred wood. Caramelized apricots and peaches. Overall: This is an incredibly easy drinking and fruity Talisker. Much more gentle than 10 year old. Pretty different. Old casks add an amazing depth to the whisky. Very enjoyable...

two pale ales from Portland(s)...

2011-10-29T10:20:00.000-04:00

Peak Pale Ale (5.1%): This is the second Peak Organic brew I will talk about on the blog after reviewing Fall Summit Ale last month. Pale Ale is the flagship beer of Peak Organic Brewing Company from Portland, Maine. Unfortunately I will be tasting it poured from a 12oz. bottle instead of from tab. Look: Cloudy orange color with a white firm and thick long lasting head, satisfying look. Nose: Very malty. Some roasted and caramelized undertones with sweet orange and quince aromas. Palate: Nice balance of malt and hops. More bitter than I expected but balanced with citrusy sweetness. Highly carbonated, almost unnatural. Odd stainless steel notes at the finish. Tasted like drinking from a tall boy a little. Overall: I think it is a pretty safe bet for Peak Organic. Not edgy, not risky, a good tasting solid beer made to be liked by everybody. I think I like artisanal breweries taking more risks with their expressions but on the other hand I totally understand the logic behind. Anyway, I would prefer their Fall Summit Ale over their Pale Ale personally but would buy this one if I will be throwing a party. You cannot go wrong, a real crowd pleaser...

Full Sail Pale Ale (5.4%): After Portland, Maine now we are jumping all the way to the opposite side of the country to Portland, Oregon. Full Sail Brewing Co. started to produce their beer in Hood River, Oregon in late 80's right at the beginning of the micro brewery movement boom in the United States and proudly became an independent, employee-owned company in 1999. Pale Ale is a member of Full Sail's core brews line with their Amber Ale and IPA. Look: Crystal clear amber. It shines like polished copper. Very thin head disappearing into almost nothing in seconds. Nose: Very malty and hoppy. Honey and toasted multigrain bread. A little bit of a dive bar on a Sunday smell... Palate: Surprisingly light, crisp and easygoing. Creamy mouth covering feeling with a nice balance of malt and hops. Nothing is overpowering. Low but equal amount of citrus, grain and honey notes. It finishes with a weird sardine can taste that threw me off a tiny bit. Overall: You wouldn't fall in love with this beer but also there is absolutely nothing to complain about. Perfect beer to sip by your own at your neighborhood bar during a lazy summer day when watching a football game on TV. Good companion to your everyday bourbon or to a casual backyard barbecue. I wouldn't buy a six pack to keep home but definitely order at a bar. Goes down dangerously easy, it's masculine and very American, a true American Pale Ale.

four beautiful wines for holidays...

2011-10-26T09:44:00.000-04:00

It's that time of the year again... The holidays and our birthdays are approaching very fast and we already started to discuss which wine to uncork for which occasion. I was collecting bottles from our trips throughout the year one by one and saving the special ones to share with friends and family at dinner parties this holiday season. I have four seriously fantastic wines waiting in my rack. Oddly enough only one of them is red though... I have to take care of this problem by bringing back a nice bold red from Toulouse next month.

Domeniul Coroanei Feteasca Regala 2007: Feteasca Regala is a white grape variety from Eastern Europe. It is mostly cultivated in Transylvanian and Moldavian regions of Romania and in Moldova. This beauty was waiting to be uncorked since we brought it back from Sibiu, Transylvania all the way back in May 2010. It is fresh, crisp and acidic. I am hoping that this particular bottle will be a little bit oaky and earthy on top of it's freshness since it had spent some good time in oak barrels. Great wine to share at early afternoon before you sit around the table for dinner.

Domaine Fabien Coche-Bouillot Meursault Les Luchets 2006: Now this is a bottle I am very excited about. Since we came back from our trip to Cotes de Beaune, Burgundy it's been countless moments when I was about to pop it open but somehow I managed to stop myself every time and here we are... It's a beautiful Chardonnay from Cotes de Beaune I tasted during our wine tasting tour in the region last May before I purchased it. Amazing salted butter, bread crust and warm brioche aromas on the nose and damp cellar notes with fresh walnuts, salted almonds and macadamia nuts on the palate. This is an incredible wine I don't want to waste by drinking recklessly. I hope to pour it when everybody can take their time to taste and talk about it. Maybe after dinner when enjoying a good old movie on TV with light desserts.

Nodus Shiraz 2009: Every year during my visit to my hometown Istanbul I stop by at my favorite wine shop La Cave in Cihangir to chat a few minutes with it's amazing owner Esat Ayhan about the news of wine industry in Turkey and new released wines. At the end of this yearly short conversation he always picks a bottle for me to bring back to NY and I purchase it without questioning. It is kind of a game we are playing every year. He knows that I will be offering this bottle to my friends during a special occasion and he is also aware that I really want to impress them with a good Turkish wine. Didn't fail once... This summer he chose a Shiraz for me from one of my favorite regions but from an unusual city. Nodus comes from Denizli, a lovely small city from Western Anatolia region. Only 3900 bottles have been made available. I am expecting a peppery and spicy wine with lots of berry and red fruit notes accompanied with beautiful toasted oak influences from the oak barrels the wine was resting before it got bottled. It will be a perfect choice for a meaty dinner. Cannot wait...

Maddalena Muscat Canelli 2009: This is a completely different category we are about to enter. We are talking about a sweet Muscat wine right now. I purchased it from San Antonio Winery, Los Angeles after an early morning tasting during our visit last December. After the tasting this bottle was the one which impressed me the most. I didn't plan to get a dessert wine, actually I was planning to choose a Californian red. Maybe because it was 10AM in the morning or maybe I really couldn't find any other better bottle but I ended up with this Muscat to bring back all the way to NY. I am looking forward to taste it again and figure out if I was right about it. It has a great nose with honeysuckle and candied orange peel aromas. The palate is quite sweet but yet crisp with ripe soft fruits. Some baby banana, grape juice and cake frosting notes. Perfect to serve with pecan and berry pies, christmas cakes and cheese cakes. A nice Christmas treat.