The drawing is okay – certainly an attractive addition to the label, and with some creative anatomy going on – but they should ask me to draw one. The dragon is in the swallow. Pleasingly sharp bite tackles mid-way in the mouth before spiraling its way down the throat, fire and claws and all. But…
Review – White Wine: 2009 Weingut Bründlmayer Heiligenstein Riesling, Kamptal Austria
At the resto, where the wine and its olde-world, sepia colored, crinkle-pressed label looked perfectly at home among the multi-toned historic yellow clay bricks. The glasses pictured are standard white stemware, but the bright sparkle in this wine seems to call for a slightly taller, narrower glass. Very effervescent-tasting (for a Riesling), bright, interesting, refreshing…
Review – White Wine: 2010 La Grenouille, Bligny-Les-Beaune, Rully, France
A picturebook-style frog on the label helps hint to those who may not be so familiar with French. Its boulder-shaped head leans heavily to the right, threatening to fall off its shoulders, while the eyes have already made their way up and out; and yet it still grins as widely as possible, as if it…
Review – White Wine: 2011 Höpler Grüner Veltliner, Burgenland, Austria
A beautiful dash of grape (or “plum”) purple in the label gives pleasant contrast to the liquid color of lemonade-with-a-squeeze-of-lime. The nose might fool you into almost thinking you have a rosé in hand. Complex blend of European fresh fruits, dry metallic minerals, and semisweet condiments. Maybe slightly herbal too – mint? fennel? The zip…
Review – White Wine: 2012 Barkers Marques Vineyards, The Loop Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand
Curiously, there is no indication of the maker on the bottle – just their particular wine’s name. Some would say “steely”, but I taste coleslaw (dressed, and sometimes fermented, cabbage salad) and a bit of seafood. Clean, but lacking much beyond a cleansing yet nondescript zip. A pale, pale green-tea-yellow in the cup. Could benefit…
Review – White Wine: 2010 Familia Martue Vinedos de Nieva Blanco Nieva Sauvignon Blanc, Rueda, Spain
One’s attention brought to the bottle is surely influenced by the subconscious’s immediate magnetization to the striking contrast between a mead-yellow liquid and the black label with flourishes of metallic gold. A green-yellow apple in wine’s form, having the zing of a Granny Smith combined with a mellower Summertime sweetness of a Golden Delicious. A…
Review – White Wine: 2011 Vega Sindoa Chardonnay, Navarra, Spain
Subconsciously suggesting this particular composition, the wine and its liquid color sit with considerable ease among several hues of polished brass, while the bottle itself takes upon a shockingly close summation of blended color between both the brass appliances and the green glass(es). Original photo before I realized there’s more to the “still life” that…
Review – Sake: Tentaka Kuni Junmai “Hawk in the Heavens”, Tochigi, Japan
Prepping for yet another round of sesame-encrusted Ahi tuna with a round of sake in cedar cups. Smooth and mellow upon first sip with a somewhat mild yeasty aftertaste on the back of the tongue. An enticing non-fruity sweetness sits longingly on the very peak and sides of the tongue, tingling like thousands of little…
Review – Red Wine: 2009 Wild Rock Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand
The not-so-successfully designed new funky ribbed wine glass (right) is falling out of the picture in place of an older, thicker and more rugged, but still preferred, bee goblet (front, by La Rochère), at least until better glasses are found. Mmmmm. All the characteristics of a good Pinot Noir with a humble and inviting uniqueness. …
Review – White Wine: Kato Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand
The choice of food for the evening – homemade sesame-encrusted tuna on a bed of Asian micro greens, with a side of Japanese rice and dipping sauce – came first, before the choice of wine. Happily, they went well enough together. Juicy tree-ripe peaches, fresh pressed apple juice, and chilled melon slices splash up from…
Culinary Poetry 