The former NBA star, who left LSU early but finished his bachelor’s degree nearly a decade later because he wanted to make his mom proud, just completed four and a half years of courses and study at Barr University. A couple of weeks ago, a 7′ 1″ 325(+)-lb. Dr. Vino gives a doff of the academic cap to Dr. Shaq Diesel.

Then, when we were served a lovely sashimi course, Mariko suggested that we try the Pelaverga with the Bonito sashimi. It of course elevated the smoky character of the grilled portion of the fish, but I loved also how it brought out the meatiness of the Bonito and still refreshed the palate. It's more of a home cooking situation.

Of course, in some ways it sounds like a fantasy job. Yet of course this is really only a fantasy. Have you ever wondered what it is like to be the wine director of a restaurant? One can imagine the pleasures of having distributors visit your restaurant, bringing you fabulous wine to savor and discuss …. cheap #S#D?

and what about a golf course? Have you ever dreamed of becoming a multi-millionaire? If so, would you use your money to buy a forest and plant a vineyard, and also plant olive trees to make the best possible gourmet olive oil? Or a high tech, state of the art winery designed to blend seamlessly into the environment? The winery is young.

We see the various cement tanks and vats of the winery, visit the laboratory, and of course the aging rooms. … so the first thing you notice as you drive to Bodegas Carrau near Montevideo is the gorgeous grounds and the stunning classic “Spanish Style” Hacienda with flowers all around. Now Javiar is a man very much about “good taste.”

Of course, you MUST see the restaurant … it overlooks the vineyards and you can even see female peacocks as you have lunch! “What are those curious birds!” I can’t help but ask, as we tour the vineyard of Bodega Bouza in Uruguay. My guides are Eduardo Boido, winemaker and Cristina Santoro, who manages PR and communications. Albarino 2011.

fabulous experience today tasting the wines of Sartori di Verona at SD26, a fine Italian restaurant in Manhattan, where these excellent wines were paired with five courses. What made the tasting lunch so special was the passion of owner Andrea Sartori, who came across as a very traditionally-minded Italian of the classic world.

Many dolcetti have course tannins but this “Roussot” 2010 has a seductive roundness to it, offsetting the notes of gentle bitterness and dark fruit. give it my highest rating: I’d buy a whole case of this wine. And, at only $15 a bottle, that’s actually within the realm of the possible. Search for this wine at retail.

Rushmore’s faces, George Washington liked Madeira and became a whiskey distiller after leaving office, Jefferson, of course, was the best friend wine geeks ever had in the White House, Lincoln once had a liquor retail license and later owned a tavern and Teddy Roosevelt apparently had a nightcap from time to time.

The wine main course, if you will, was the Palmas of González Byass - all four of them. We drank several appetizers before our Palmas main course, and each of the wines related in some way to this theme of special wines, things that are new and interesting in the world of Sherry. The idea behind wines like the Palmas is not new.

It is great during cocktails or with a first course of fish or salad. So after visiting the three champagne festivals, I was lucky enough to get a VIP tour of Champagne G.H. Mumm in Reims. It was a cool cloudy day with rain sometimes showering through the occasional glimpses of sun -- and the G.H. Mumm is right in the city - I took a cab.

Of course the weather was freezing, yet it was not raining and at noon in the sun brisk and pleasant for Chapagne. So fab! The day started out great with a glass in my hand and a few dozen producers pouring their vin clairs and champagne. Many people from all over the world came here just to taste from this select group. Agrapart. Bérche.

told everyone beforehand what we'd be eating, and randomly assigned two people to each of the courses. The first course was a Japanese-style savory egg custard with shrimp, shitake mushrooms, and scallions. We drank two fantastic wines with this course and I thought that both paired beautifully with the custard.

Benefits of the course. •     Develop wine knowledge and increase personal or staff credibility. •     Impress clients and customers and increase wine sales. •     Learn wine the way people drink it -- by the grape, not by geographic area. •     Discover easy approaches to wine and food pairing. "What a fabulous resource!".

With the cheese course we get special plates … lo and behold, the antique plates have a painted picture of Chateau Figeac on them. With each new course, Madame Manoncourt rang a little bell. “Welcome!” says vivacious yet petite Laure d’Aramon, nee Manencourt, who grew up at Chateau Figeac. The wines are aged in 100% new oak barrels.

Of course, the second wines were delicious too. "2011 was a tricky year that required precision and care," Florence Cathiard explained, standing in the picture above near husband Daniel, before a tasting of the 2011 Smith Haut Lafitte vintage.  It was especially important to pay close attention to the tannins.".

Of course, Margaux is when things turn serious, and virtually all of the wines showed exceptionally well. so here I am, a Chateau Fourcas Dupre, tasting an incredible line-up of more than forty wines. The day started off as every day should. in a Relais & Chateau hotel called Chateau Cordeillan Bages owned by the Cazes family.

Of course, a bright blue sky and a warm yellow sun is precisely the message needed to spread the word that Sauternes. "Gorgeous weather for tasting Sauternes!". the delicious golden sweet wine of Bordeaux. is just the way to celebrate a warm summer day. liked almost all of the wines, both first and second growth, very much.

Of course, the big news with the Cathiards is that Chateau Smith Haut Lafittes to open a new €3m winery intended specifically for the second wine Les Hauts de Smith. You can read my previous posts about the spa, the restaurant, the resort, and its founders Florence and Daniel Cathiard here. The Cathiardsare very generous hosts. More in a bit!

and of course you may be very envious to know the wines with dinner. "This is absolutely fantastic!" a guest exclaims, entering the ground floor reception area of the famous Clos de Vougeot and seeing handsomely uniformed waiters pouring tastes of the region's finest red and white wines.

shot the video on my phone and of course forgot to turn it sideways, so sorry about the rather narrow picture. This video, about 3 and a half minutes long, shows Sandro Piliego of Palo Cortado slicing Jamon Iberico, and discussing Jamon and Sherry. Restaurant Review Sherry

Halibut course and salad course. Second course: bison Wellington. Sure enough, Eric posted the wines served, complete with tasting notes. For the full menu (pdf) , click here. And, on a related note, what Michelle Obama has done with the organic garden at the White House is terrific. Appetizers: crostini. Find it. Serve it.

Just imagine excavating a space for a winery and finding rocks so large and fascinating you are compelled to change plans and create a "glass cellar" so that visitors (and workers too, of course) can look out from the underground space and see the incredible collection of large rocks that form the basis of your wines!

Of course not. Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate has started arriving in mailboxes and issue #199 aas published on their site late yesterday. The top scores are mind-numbing. Underwhelmed by the list, commenters on wineberserkers reacted, saying “Smith Haut Laffite. Is this serious?!?” 2010 is a better vintage.” Pavie.

And we ate kabobs, of course, a skewer of lamb ribs and another of ground lamb and beef spiced with cumin. I like to travel within New York City, to explore the far away neighborhoods, and the not so faraway. There are so many ridiculously good things to eat here, we really are very lucky. Pure savory satisfaction. and spices.

Next in his sights were herbicide producers and sales people whose products, he said, cause the plants to get sick but do not let the disease actually run its course, since they have another product to sell you for that ailment. “The concept of appellation has lost its meaning,” he said. “Earth receives life.”

Of course, it depends what you like or are in the mood for, too. Heading to visit a non-wine friend who graciously offered to pick something up for us. don’t know the market in Florida and she didn’t indicate that she wanted to go to a specialty shop (that’s fine–not everyone can take our habit as seriously as we do).

said a fellow guest, where chef Jake Klein paired several courses with different vintages and styles of Chianti Classico. "Fabulous lunch today at Morrells!" Speaking about Chianti Classico as a region was wine educator Tracy Kamens DWS, who was joined by Giuuseppe Libertore of the Consorzio Vino Chianti ?Classico

We drank 10 vintages of Gentaz, but we were many people and we drank the wines slowly over several courses of food. The other night I did something that I have never done before, and most likely will never do again. drank a Marius Gentaz Côte-Rôtie. And for the past few years, I've been keeping my eyes open. Sounds like a lot, right?

Of course, any wine opened on this day will be from New York, after all they are playing against a team from California, which made the wine choice very easy. I like football (i.e. American Football) almost as much as Major League Baseball and NCAA Basketball. little iffy with the aromas. Found the wine locally for $ 14. Go Giants!

Of course, we already have a device for sobering up: the credit card statement. Would you drink wine if it weren’t for the alcohol? Researchers at UCLA are threatening to put this difficult question to wine enthusiasts as they move a “sobriety pill” to clinical trials. Read more at NewScientist.com. wine science

There are of course other rating systems, and their effectiveness is also debatable. Much has been written and many debates take place about how to rate wine. It seems now that the 100 point scale is seen as "old guard," that it has not been effective at communicating a wine's quality. But I do have some thoughts that I want to share.

The gentlemen distributing and selling Azienda Agricola d'Alessandro got up between courses to talk about the wines and the food of this region, and were better than any Broadway show (in a good way). adore Sicilian wine and my crystal ball tells me that this will be the wine of the decade. The reds are also milder than most New World reds.

Of course, consuming more liquid would also mean more trips to the bathroom but the last time I checked, Anheuser Busch wasn’t collecting a toll at men’s rooms. It’s time for the Big Game. Or, actually, the last three Big Games of the NFL season. And no drink says “football” like wine! Bud Light paid $1.2

of course impossible to detail all of it here, yet as an exercise (thinking of the final!) Today was the first day of the Languedoc Roussillon Study & Certificate Program offered by the French Wine Society with support from Sud de France. very successful first day. I will try. 2008 Mas des Dams La Dame AOC Languedoc (18.00). Loup (21.50).

We of course opened some special wines on that night, one of which was a bottle I brought back from Jerez in October, Emilio Hidalgo Especial Amontillado Viejo El Tresillo 1874. But of course it matters. was very excited to drink and share this wine. bought one to carry home in my suitcase. We're going to drink this now," I said.

Wine, of course. Quick! What is one of the most sensual, aromatic products in the world, right up there with exquisite perfume and exotic flowers? The ability to describe the aromas and flavors of wine in a way another person can understand is a fine art, a cross between poetry and effective copywriting. Well done!" Tracy Ellen Kamens, Ed.D,

This is probably true as a generalization, although there are of course exceptions. Seven friends and I pool our money every year to buy about 8 bottles of Burgundy wine, wine that we wouldn't buy individually because of the high cost and the risk of bad bottles. Every year at around this time we get together over dinner and share the wines.

If it's an old white wine or champagne, you need to chill it, of course. But then afterwards, I'm always the guy who has like 12 glasses in front of him at the end of a dinner party, because I've been saving all these wines to watch how they grow over the course of several hours. In my case, not very often. Bottles can get moved a lot.

Of course not and I support Jefford's argument to the letter. Today in his column Andrew Jefford tells the story of a woman from a small village who said some Canadian importers were interested in carrying her wine, yet wanted to know if they had been "scored" by any North American critics. Is it right? What are your thoughts?

Word is he got his start by selling his Jaguar (vintage, of course) and thus raising the capital to buy grapes and rent machinery to make the wines. The other guests at the table, at least the ones from the UK, seemed to know it. so you can imagine I was delighted to tour his winery and meet the man himself (for the second time) in person.

and of course, the different soils and aspects shape the taste and aroma as well. Pierre Casenave, who is pictured above teaching and below tasting wine at the center of the table, led the tutored tasting of the base wine. Champagne is an exercise in the art of blending. We were able to even see the vineyards we tasted on a large map.

In the course of the tour we learn many other things, that Bollinger , Alfred Gratien, and Krug are three of the few (or only) Maisons that use wood, that there is only one use of the cuvee (first press), that the wines are barrel fermented, that the champagne receives extra aging before release (above appelation rules) …. Bollinger herself.

and of course there is the house itself, with its framed photographs from his childhood and its bottles of Burgundian Pinot Noir and intriguing library of classic literature. Downes Family Vineyards Sanctuary Peak Sauvignon Blanc 2011. This looks like an 18th century English cottage!” First, imagine the vista. News S.

In the course of our visit, the mountains express their personality every few minutes with dark menacing clouds floating over their tips, then reflecting brilliant sunshine, then becoming dark again. And of course, the Rabelais 07 is just as sumptuous as described …. Welcome!” Thelema Mountain Vineyards. News S.

And of course I love “The Welder,” Arco’s signature sweet late harvest Chenin Blanc. Arco Laamar & Harry Haddon (checked shirt). Two wineries being neighborly!”. Glen Carlou and Backsberg are neighboring wineries in Paarl who kindly hosted me for a tasting of both wines, then lunch at Backsberg’s lovely al fresco restaurant. News S.

Of course, the fact that Nederburg has earned five-star ratings for three wines in the 2012 edition of Platter’s South African Wine Guide is an important fact to consider even if Razvan was a curmudgeon. Then there are numerous awards from Decanter, the International Wine & Spirits Competition, and the International Wine Challenge ….

Of course, in those days S. Africa, we visit the Groot Constantia estate (the property is enormous, with two restaurants, a museum, manor house, various other structures, and of course a working winery) and are shown by Graciella, a charming woman who reveals the history - and mystery - of this fabulous estate. In our wine tour of S.

And of course the T Noble Late Harvest, coming from those same old Chenin Blanc bush vines, was fabulous. "So here i am, at Ken Forrester's 96 Winery Road restaurant in South Africa!". first met Ken Forrester in New York at a trade event in New York City focusing on wines from South Africa. Africa for many decades. During my recent trip to S.

But of course there are red wines that continue to fit the bill. I've been having a hard time with red wine lately. Okay, I never have a problem with mature Burgundy, or mature red wine in general. White wine is so much more versatile with food, so much easier to drink on its own. There could be many reasons for my bias.

For the sake of brevity one of the concerns under the 'economics' platform was to build more luxury hotels and incite Parisian visitors to spend the weekend (and of course their cash) in the businesses in the community. "How theatrical!" 18th century Paris and some modern romantic arty types of pieces (silouttes anyone?) Welcome!"

Of course, not everyone agrees with this theory, and there are many competing claims for being the originator of tailgating. While recuperating from another ulcer problem, I've been doing very little on the blog and less on the wine tasting. Looks like I'll be back in a few days. Recommendations are welcome!!! And the West Coast? musings

You understand, of course, that I think the wine was great! Not too long ago I was fortunate enough to attend a dinner featuring the wines of Noël Verset. The company was great, and so were the food and the wines. To enjoy a dinner at which 10 different vintages are served.this is not something that can easily be repeated. Delicious.

Some of the workers are still finishing their lunch, which today is a delicious tomato and mozzarella salad, roast pork, various vegetables, and of course, cheese and dessert. “A French insurance company owns a Chateau?” the woman’s voice says, incredulous. Sunday: Dinner in a Chateau. As this is France, wine is served as well – C’est le vie!

Of course, the real proof was in the wines. Domaine Meo Camuzet is a gorgeous, very modern looking winery in Vosne-Romanee. Jeanne-Marie's Hospice Wine being 'elevated' at Meo Camuzedt. The vineyards he acquired were among the best locations in the appellations. After the visit I can see why Jeanne-Marie chose Méo-Camuzet!

Bodegas are compounds - there are barrels rooms of course, but also courtyards with lovely plants and trees, and offices and all sorts of other buildings. In Burgundy and the Loire Valley, it can be difficult to find the producers you are trying to visit. Entrance to Bodegas Emilio Hidalgo. Visiting a Sherry Bodega is quite different.

Mr. Roca and his chef brother Joan Roca presented a 12 course menu with the help of Mercat chefs, all paired with wines from Catalunya. "20 wines!" He was in New York today to lead a Master Class tasting of 20 distinctive wines from Catalunya (all available in the US) including Cava, a white, and mostly reds from the region. The menu follows.

of course, it works well with lamb and steak, yet can work for "pescatorians" who like red wine with fish by adjusting the weight of the sauce and manner of cooking. Some excellent wines this week, an assortment of reds and whites from around the globe. Though diverse as a group, what unites them is their distinctive terroir. Social climber?

This, of course, ignores the fact that fino is by definition an aged wine, being anywhere from three to ten years old when it is bottled. Peter Liem is an expert on Champagne and Sherry, and probably several other wine regions too, although he would never say that himself. He just knows that much, and his sensibilities are that nuanced.

Of course, everyone loved the Roumieu -- the 2008 Merryvale raised eyebrows as some asked "is this new vintage 'fine wine' and what is a good definition of fine wine.'". so now we are having beer (!) Of the 20 students, five of us (all women) are MW students, with the rest being sommeliers.

Over a multi course lunch guests tried many of the library wines, including the Gloria Ferrer 25th anniversary Cuvee, the 2000 Carneros Cuvee, the Pinot Noir 2008, and many others. Bob Iantosca, Executive Winemaker. We went to California for wine instead of gold!" can read here, and Jose set up Gloria Ferrer in Sonoma in 1982.

An absolutely fabulous, one of a kind event at today’s Wine Media Guild lunch, as member sponsor Mark Golodetz arranged for three fabulous speakers from three fabulous Pauillac Chateaux to share stories of their estates, and of course their wine. Pauillac is a small region, only about 5,000 people, and had very humble beginnings.

During the course of his treatment, he often posted on his blog that there were others in the world who could not get the treatment he was getting. Wine importer lost his three-year battle against brain cancer last month. The nonprofit spends an impressive 94.3% of their funds on programing according to Charity Navigator. Grapes The Wine Co.,

Of course, the palate fatigue wasn’t helped that the other wines on the table were a primitivo and an Amarone. I attended a private dinner recently where a Brunello was the main wine. It was big and extracted and I found it fatiguing. can’t even remember the producer’s name. When sangiovese is on, it is gorgeous.

In the course of the tasting we learned that the company is experimenting with a wide variety of vineyard sites, from the coast to the hills, and we tasted a barrel sample from the 2010 'Explorer's Collection' Carmenere Marchique 2010. Andrea Leon. There had just been an earthquake and the season had been wet.

So a great presentation today by Marnie Old, who gave a talk for Wines from Spain "Great Match" at the Metropolitan Pavillion about Cava. Marnie is a fabulous presenter whose enthusiasm for Cava came out loud and clear. The tasting room on the 4th floor of the Metropolitan Pavillion was beautifully set-up with well chosen wines.

For one, the wines command very high prices, particularly wines from the top vineyards in Meursault and of course, the Montrachet (one of those wines you'll never see on a shelf - perhaps in a restaurant or at auction, and I imagine we are into 4-digit price territory). Comtes Lafon is one of the iconic domaines in Burgundy. Perfect. Perfect.

This encourages diners to experiment, by, as an example, having a half a bottle of white with appetizers and a half a bottle of red with the main course. King Solomon was known for his wisdom. And when he ordered a baby cut in half, he made a woman cry. The remaining 375ml is then available to other diners.). Ciano, 45 E.

Of course, my bottom shelf is for my keepers, so they were exempt and not touched. Been an OK night at work and the weather is pretty nice with a higher than normal humidity, but after the past few days, the feeling is comfortable. got home from the day job a little past 10 p.m. and was dreaming of a nice red wine for most of my shift. Yuck!!

Professor Lena Brattsten has offered a wine appreciation course to Rutgers undergrads for twenty years. SIPPED: Prohibition. PBS has a three-part documentary airing next month about Prohibition. It’s directed by Ken Burns and based on the book “Last Call&# by Daniel Okrent. SPIT: Puritanism. Rutgers.edu ]. Treehugger ]. esquire ].

It is designed to serve as a fun, refreshing prelude to lunch or dinner, yet also pairs with the first course of Tartare of Yellowfin Tuna and diver Scallops. "So this Prosecco actually tastes like a cupcake!" a lunch participant exclaims, tasting the Cupcake Prosecco from Italy. A bite-sized bit of fun. ". And he's right on another level.

Robin Kelly O'Connor, the new Vice President and head of Wine, Americas, at Christies hosted this event focusing on "The Finest German Wines" (which of course, means Riesling). Fabulous event today at Christies. Riesling rocks, and Paul Grieco, the force behind Terroir and Insieme, proved it with the Riesling tattoo on his forearm!

When i think of Bordeaux, I usually think of fun and sun (and wine, of course) and not running. Today is the first day of Harvest at Brane-Cantenac. one of my favorite wineries in Bordeaux and I must say, I wish I was there! Above is a photograph taken earlier, and the grapes look perfect and ripe! for the New York Marathon. Classé in 1855.

My next NYU wine course runs Oct 12 – Nov 16. SIPPED: quality. The Muscadet region, known for quantity over quality, now boasts three sites officially recognized as superior, as crus, including Clisson. So glad the authorities are catching up! larvf.fr ]. SNAPPED : fun pics of the 2011 harvest in the Loire (one of which is above).

Of course, I did come to the rescue with a Cabernet Franc Rosé just brought home from my recent Keuka Lake Wine Tour and a visit to McGregor Vineyard and Winery. Tonight Shirley made one of her classic catastrophes. It was meant to be something between a gumbo and jambalaya. In order to save dinner, I had to choose a good wine.

Of course, if you need to learn the appellations, the metro-wine map is useful, but I’m not primarily interested in its instrumentality. Have you ever thought about the iconic Tube maps from London or the Paris subway maps, in all their stylized glory, and how they would look applied to wine regions? Well, wonder no more. French wine

Mark of course was won over by the HH classic Chard while I enjoyed both the classic and Ingle Vineyard Pinot Noir and I was not leaving home without the 2008 Blaufrankisch. Not far from the Pennsylvania State Line makes this a great vacation spot and of course a nice place to visit for great wine. My favorite was the '09 Cayuga White.

Both were excellent wines, approachable in their youth, and both grew in depth over the course of their first hour open. Cédric Bouchard is one of the leaders of the new wave in Champagne. He comes from a Champagne family - his father is an old school grower, but Cédric does things differently. bars as opposed to 6) to minimize their impact.

And, of course, to the country at this time od societal fracture. The London riots are simultaneously shocking and horrifying, so much so that the prime minister even came back from his Tuscan vacation to appear to address the issue. The rioters moved on the Michelin two-star restaurant, The Ledbury , in Notting Hill yesterday. ht: eater ).

Of course, the magic is in the grilling and that's my job. Tonight started out like any normal night around my house. Day off, pleasant weather and a great night for grilling on the patio. Shirley prepared a chicken breast marinated in Italian dressing and roasted carrots and yams. Love it, when I make a great wine choice. can live with that.

In the course of this book, one discovers that it does seem possible to make natural wine, without any additions, in a perfect vintage with excellent terroir. Naked Wine by Alice Feiring. Reviewed by Marisa D'Vari. Most people think that like buying the freshest produce in a greenmarket, the more natural the wine, the better.

Of course, whether Marcassin is, in fact, one of America’s best pinot noirs is highly debatable. The most recent newsletter from Marcasin (pdf), written by owner Helen Turley and husband John Wetlaufer, makes for fascinating reading. Consider some of the tidbits. Readers learn: * They are avid observers of golf. More than La Tache 2006!

Of course this is true not only for La Tâche but for a $16 bottle of Muscadet, too. While taking a long walk the other day after work, I stopped in at a wine store where I used to shop, but never really go anymore. very much like the woman who buys the wine there. Most sales are of the $10 variety, I would guess. The hams can age for years.

For the kids, there is Arts & Crafts, games, a bounce house and an inflatable obstacle course. I posted this article a few hours ago and been told by Pam & Shirley that I have my dates confused about last year and that I am beginning to show my age, after all the memory does go first. There will be a 5K Riesling Run and an Auto Show.

Dr. Konstantin Frank ignited the “Vinifera Revolution” a movement that forever changed the course of wine growing in the Finger Lakes and the United States. am just interested in the cold wine. lowered my white wine zone in the fridge from 49F to 43F to chill down the wine to deal with the heat. Long finish with peach, citrus and green apple.

An excellent wine that will pair with any red meat, chicken, red sauces and of course, pizza. Still hot, making it just right to empty my fridge of white wines just in time for the Finger Lakes Wine Fest next weekend. But, Pam put a kink into that plan by bringing home pizza and wings for tonight's dinner. Then it's always red." Greek wine

So it is odd that in the context of her review, the Journal would not compel her to disclose their friendship and Manlin’s ownership of the winery (of course, not mentioning her friend’s wine in print at all would certainly be another option). wine writing

excepted, of course). Criticism sucks. fucking hate it. Truly. Which means I must be a masochist, because only a masochist would redesign his labels every year. It's not a good way to make money, to be sure, and everyone has their own opinions on wine labels (I should call them theories), and not all of them are kind. ditto. take a picture!"

delicious drinik it now wine to celebrate spring and summer at picnics, and also to serve with first courses through the year. 2010 Schloss Saarstein Serriger Schloss Saarsteiner Riesling Kabinett. Style note: Delicious, well balanced wine with elegance and delicacy of aroma and flavor. Pair with many starters and entrees. 2010 P.J. 2010 P.J.

Sauvignon Blanc, with its crisp nature and high acidity, is always a good go-to wine to serve as an aperitif or for salads and first courses. "Help! Need the PERFECT picnic wines to suit many foods and many guests this July 4th. What to buy !?". The wines listed below are under $20, widely available, and delicious. The Whites. The Reds.

There were a few growers who decided to change the course, to make great dry wines. My good friend Peter returned from Champagne the other day and to my great happiness, he came for dinner that very night. During our conversation on this night I learned a lot about Austrian Riesling and changes in the Austrian wine industry in the 1980's.

In the course of hearing the author and publisher speak, I came to understand the passion of Giuliano Bortolomiol, who transformed what was then a simple local wine into an internationally acclaimed sparkler. Hanna Lee of Hanna Lee Communications in red, and author Ettore Gobato between two men.

The key point about Sauternes is that it is necessary to enjoy it before the meal, or with the first few courses, as the wine has a fabulous mouth-watering acidity. So what fun to attend the special VinExpo "Master Class" on pairing Sauternes with Chinese food. with winemaker Pierre Montegut. thankfully. Overall, they were impressive marches.

Chateau Kirwan 2007, 1996, 1982, and 2009 were served with the first course, second course, cheese plate, and dessert respectively -- it was interesting to note the differences in the vintage as well as how maturation has affected the wines. Chteau Kirwan 1998. News chateau kirwan

To finish on a sweet note the guests enjoyed a “nine-star” dessert course, with each chef matching their creation to the 1990 Château d’Yquem: a contemporary vacherin of raspberries and Blue Mountain coffee from Pic; a soft, lemon sponge cake soufflé by Alleno; and strawberries with olive oil and lime by Passard). seem to recall bagpipes.

The inimitable Levi Dalton was of course the chef somelier. We decided on grilled sardines as one of our first courses. A couple years ago I enjoyed a special meal at Convivio, the now-closed restaurant in Tudor City. Why would I select my meal instead of asking them to select for me? And I don't even remember the producer or vintage.

The first course of Crab Cervice was paired with 2010 Torrontes, a popular favorite. It is a very aromatic wine and went well with the course. "Pinot Grigio from Argentina?" a guest asks, accepting a glass of nicely chilled, cool climate Pinot Grigio at the private dining room of Industria Argentina in Tribeca.

An American wine will be paired with each course. All of the courses are subtly infused with the perennial and annual. The first course reflects a cornucopia of spring harvest, aptly. The tuna in the second course is from Hawaii. The main course. in the Rose Garden. Oddly, the wine pairings were not announced!

Of course, my interest was firmly planted in the reds, as Australia is Shiraz’s natural home. Is it true the postman always rings twice? Have you.,,, er, gone postal lately? Just what is it about the postal service that creates the potential for such drama? Then we have “Morse Code Chardonnay,” a barely oaked style that is clean and linear.

Of course, with Auction Napa Valley 2011 (# ANV11) beginning this coming June 2, 2011 -- and the e-auction already underway it was a great opportunity to taste some wine up for bidding while we are still in New York. Elizabeth Marston and Husband Jamie of Marston Family Winery at Park Avenue Spring.