tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80741853378313656852024-03-13T19:10:34.038-07:00WineWalkaboutThe stories of our Adventures as we taste wine, eat food, travel and stay. We hope you enjoy the stories as you follow along with us on our Adventures to find a decent drop a good feed and place for a nice kip.
Don't drink without pants on!
Winewalkabouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13053022612973544973noreply@blogger.comBlogger394125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074185337831365685.post-18320898668699041102017-11-26T16:26:00.001-08:002017-11-26T19:30:22.143-08:00Talking smack about caps vs cork conversation...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I cannot tell you how many times we hear some wanker spewing ignorant information to impress someone at a tasting room. Occasionally we have heard enough, drank enough or are not being supervised and we engage the afore mentioned wanker.</div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5t5T3p4nw6Q/WhtCglrAiCI/AAAAAAAAKqw/QJzL8zMzazo4FNUHiVGYGwrjQJu2_P1YQCHMYCw/s1600/%255BUNSET%255D" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5t5T3p4nw6Q/WhtCglrAiCI/AAAAAAAAKqw/QJzL8zMzazo4FNUHiVGYGwrjQJu2_P1YQCHMYCw/s200/%255BUNSET%255D" /></a>Recently while out tasting through some new releases at a local winery, one of the customers asked the pourer if this particular winery had any wines under screwcap. The response from the tasting room staff got my attention, not only because it was wrong, but by the absolute certainty and disdain with which this opinion was dispatched.<br />
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So what was the response? - <i>Not only do we not, we would never consider using scewcaps, as they choke the wines and do not breath at all. They make the wine all funky and don't allow any aging at all.</i> What he was referring to was post-bottling “reduction,” unpleasant off odors and flavors created by the mix of oxygen and sulfides.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AwKklYLJjY8/WhtZALobIpI/AAAAAAAAKrU/LSTCk7Q1mIgMYx1pn6ZAqG1hlnQj3hPbwCLcBGAs/s1600/amcor_otr-full-range-1024x576.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="112" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AwKklYLJjY8/WhtZALobIpI/AAAAAAAAKrU/LSTCk7Q1mIgMYx1pn6ZAqG1hlnQj3hPbwCLcBGAs/s200/amcor_otr-full-range-1024x576.jpg" width="200" /></a>Natural corks have been used to seal wine bottles for about 300 years. The application introduced the concept of “aged wines,” because of cork’s oxygen permeability. So the big problem is that Oxygen ingress is highly variable due to the varied properties of the natural nature of cork. The impact of oxygen transmission rates can significantly affect wine aroma and color which are influenced by oxygen exposure in the bottle. Too much oxygen decreases fruity aromas and increases oxidative aromas. New Zealand’s signature varietal Sauvignon Blanc is one of the most sensitive to oxygen, perhaps explaining the Kiwis’ early adoption of screwcaps. Red wines are less affected.<br />
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Look, we could not care less what closure is on a bottle of wine unless it has had a negative affect. Some of our favorite wines have caps and some have corks.<br />
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Bottom line is, get some facts before spreading more misinformation. Casual tasting room staff can be a real deep well of misinformation so please choose them wisely and try to give them a good information book to reference or tell them to maybe say "I don't know".<br />
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<b style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Happy Tasting Adventures,</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Cheers</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">,</span></div>
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Winewalkabouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13053022612973544973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074185337831365685.post-58889973697025536722017-11-16T21:11:00.001-08:002017-11-16T21:11:02.580-08:0058 Eiffel Tower, Paris<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SNrccUQ2GX8/WfkIOotuIzI/AAAAAAAAKp0/iBNAjP6uHAUCUwzGxxHONO6TVpMuWbHTgCHMYCw/s1600/%255BUNSET%255D" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" id="id_f526_37ec_290c_1ce5" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SNrccUQ2GX8/WfkIOotuIzI/AAAAAAAAKp0/iBNAjP6uHAUCUwzGxxHONO6TVpMuWbHTgCHMYCw/s320/%255BUNSET%255D" title="" tooltip="" width="240" /></a><span style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 16px;"><b>58 Eiffel Tower ...</b></span><br />
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Ever thought about how wonderful it would be to dine high up in the Eiffel Tower?<br />
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So had we, and twice in the last month or so it happened. First time Kiwi Chris and company chose the Jules Vern restaurant for their dining experience. <b><a href="http://www.winewalkabout.net/2017/10/fine-dining-jules-verne-eiffel-tower.html" target="_blank">This was their story. </a></b></div>
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Ours groups experience was different yet very similar other than more affordable and slightly less fancy French fare.</div>
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I had chosen to dine at 9pm at restaurant 58 Eiffel Tower for my groups dining experience. This allowed us to be at dinner when the lights went off. Each hour after dark the lights sparkle. Quite spectacular!<br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LaRUdc6m8FI/WfkIOCjlD4I/AAAAAAAAKps/NuD2Go97uJ47DIjx-fuWC1gZIfuv98MVQCHMYCw/s1600/%255BUNSET%255D" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" id="id_d7cd_b3d1_2c59_f608" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LaRUdc6m8FI/WfkIOCjlD4I/AAAAAAAAKps/NuD2Go97uJ47DIjx-fuWC1gZIfuv98MVQCHMYCw/s200/%255BUNSET%255D" title="" tooltip="" width="150" /></a>A few comments. Expedia has quite comprehensive instructions and directions but there are some gaps that caused some moments of confusion. Like where the checkin locations were. We were not the only ones a bit lost. But once in line for the elevator all was super smooth. </div>
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We arrived at the restaurant and were escorted to our dining tables. Bubbles were poured and the dining experience was soon underway. </div>
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Look, this experience was heavily anticipated and as such had all kinds of pressure to be an amazing evening. So how did it stack up? </div>
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wGmg63fv3Z4/WfkIRJAreaI/AAAAAAAAKqE/Fa0sLYjCVKQSag272jSPCbSqjo94jVQ2QCHMYCw/s1600/%255BUNSET%255D" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" id="id_3e57_23f4_8453_e3a2" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wGmg63fv3Z4/WfkIRJAreaI/AAAAAAAAKqE/Fa0sLYjCVKQSag272jSPCbSqjo94jVQ2QCHMYCw/s200/%255BUNSET%255D" title="" tooltip="" width="150" /></a>With its wall-to-wall windows, the restaurant offers a breathtaking view over the Trocadéro, Palais de Chaillot and the beauty of the Eiffel Tower's structure. Views are good from any table and sunset is simply spectacular. </div>
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The food is excellent and not too 'foody' so a regular bloke can enjoy a good feed. Oh and by the way the desserts will not disappoint. </div>
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The food, the wine and the ambiance were all on point and the true test. Would we do it again? In a heartbeat. </div>
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So look at some of the photos below and don't hesitate to book your own dinner at <b><a href="https://www.restaurants-toureiffel.com/en/58-tour-eiffel-restaurant.html" target="_blank">58 Eiffel Tower</a></b> when in Paris. </div>
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<b style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Happy Travel Adventures,</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Cheers</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">,</span></div>
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Winewalkabouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13053022612973544973noreply@blogger.com11er étage, Tour Eiffel, Champ de Mars, 75007 Paris, France48.8584436 2.294266399999969527.9083311 -39.01432760000003 69.8085561 43.602860399999969tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074185337831365685.post-50646367824018448112017-11-05T16:19:00.000-08:002017-11-12T19:32:48.512-08:00What are the best wines for a party?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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So the answer to this question is another question. What kind of party and who are you inviting? Whats your price range per bottle? Is it for wine ponces or bogans or something in between? If its for ponces... good luck. Bogans, who cares, get some popular grocery store stuff on sale. They wont know nor care.<br />
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For a nice afternoon gathering with friends with cheese and cured meats, perhaps some baklava and bruschetta for finger foods that pair nicely. So for your friends that like wine and are open to try new things and are not too hard to please its pretty simple we think. Bubbles to start is simple with some Cava or some Prosseco. To start the still wine afternoon its hard to beat a good New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Also for some variety are Gruner Veltliner and Assyrtiko. For bubbles a Cava from Spain or a Prosecco from Italy. Next as the whites are flowing introduce a couple Malbec's from Argentina. Finally as things are moving along put out the Australian Shiraz or Shiraz / Cabernet.<br />
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Good drinking good value <b><a href="http://www.winewalkabout.net/p/official-kiwi-koala-rating-scales.html" target="_blank">(****)</a></b> affordable wines are available in all these groups. These wines are not the norm in the USA and will be encourage great conversation and expand most regular wine drinkers range.<br />
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Cheers and enjoy your soiree.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Happy Wine Adventures,<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Cheers</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">,</span></div>
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Winewalkabouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13053022612973544973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074185337831365685.post-43945436905226257972017-10-22T14:27:00.000-07:002017-10-22T14:27:36.341-07:00A taste of Paris, yum! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Ah the smell of pastries in the morning. We arrived in the lobby of the Hotel and met up with our other Viking guests all eager to get 'A taste of Paris". We were loaded on a fancy little bus and whisked away towards our gastronomic adventure.<br />
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The first stop was just as you would imagine. A wonderful bakery called Carton, located at <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">6 rue de Buci. We could have spent days here tasting all they had to offer. Making a </span></span>decision<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"> of what to get was almost impossible. The final agreed upon selection was an amazing chocolate </span></span>eclair<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">. Mmmmmm mmmm good. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">The first impulse was to continue to buy and eat everything we could carry but were reminded we had a number of places to go and to curb the desire to stuff ourselves.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2dP2cO_O00Y/WeQPdQr4owI/AAAAAAAAKnc/66Fw3qZIyysgA9KH0kbu-HE6__ONvQ3ggCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_2353.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2dP2cO_O00Y/WeQPdQr4owI/AAAAAAAAKnc/66Fw3qZIyysgA9KH0kbu-HE6__ONvQ3ggCLcBGAs/s200/IMG_2353.JPG" width="200" /></a>The walking between stops was also wonderful. We stopped and looked at and learned about many interesting places along the way. Some amazing old buildings and places.<br />
One was a famous old <a href="http://www.procope.com/en/" target="_blank">Restaurant Le Procope</a> founded in 1686. It was an amazing facility and hope to enjoy a meal here on a future visit. The Le Procope is the oldest café in Paris and after taking a peek inside and at the menu, the prices look quite reasonable for such a place and the ambiance looks amazing.<br />
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Next stop was a fruit and veg shop on a corner in <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Here we tasted some of the most delirious cherries I have ever had. 500 grams later I had to use every bit of self restraint not to get another kilo!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">As we explored this area in Paris we were amazed at the history and the warm feel of the streets. </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">In the years after World War II, Saint‑Germain‑des‑Prés was known primarily for its cafés and its bars, its diversity and its non-conformism. The bars were a popular destination for American soldiers and sailors after the war.</span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pQMvIjKe7sc/WeQRsTT8gdI/AAAAAAAAKn0/lh9U6X0AMr0gggOvGviOxzIATv1qiB49wCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_2379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pQMvIjKe7sc/WeQRsTT8gdI/AAAAAAAAKn0/lh9U6X0AMr0gggOvGviOxzIATv1qiB49wCLcBGAs/s200/IMG_2379.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oRoLzcX3KYQ/WeQRc5qjspI/AAAAAAAAKns/_ObYz2f0J8Yeon6M3KLwpPBFx-hqYmnpgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_2375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oRoLzcX3KYQ/WeQRc5qjspI/AAAAAAAAKns/_ObYz2f0J8Yeon6M3KLwpPBFx-hqYmnpgCLcBGAs/s200/IMG_2375.JPG" width="150" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">After those amazing cherries it was not just any Macaron store but the world famous</span> <a href="https://www.pierreherme.com/" target="_blank"><b>Pierre Hermé</b></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">, home of the worlds best Macarons. Macarons are not the only treat they make. Some of the most artistic and beautiful deserts ever made reside here. We all selected our flavor Macaron and continued on our way.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Our next stop was at <b><a href="https://www.tomats.net/" target="_blank">Tomat's Epicerie Fine</a></b> (fine grocery). This magical off the beaten track </span></span></span>store, which smells of olive oil and pepper, depending where you stand, is tucked into a tiny cobble stoned courtyard. Some interesting discoveries were woven vines of bright red Espelette peppers, pots of chestnut honey, silver containers of finishing salts (including black and white truffle), chutney, juices and blue bottles of Azzurra mineral water from the Dolomites. Interesting wines and one that had been aged under the ocean for a year.<br />
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There are mustard's, olive oils, crackers and foie gras too. The selection is large enough that you can outfit yourself with gifts for friends at home, aperitifs in your Paris apartment, and a hostess gift for a friend. We tasted some lovely wines and some foie gras blended with duck pate as a pairing. Such a cool place and did I mention it is off the beaten path! </div>
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Our final stop was at Le Pré aux Clercs. A charming bistro <span style="background-color: white; color: #313031; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">at the corner of the Rue Bonaparte and Rue Jacob, in the heart of Saint Germain des près. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #313031; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">We enjoyed </span>a wonderful charcuterie board and some wine. We also enjoyed just sitting and watching Paris wander by.<br />
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It was a hot and muggy day in Paris but we all really enjoyed the wonderful samplings the city had to offer. The Viking tour guide was fantastic and we all agreed it was a special day. We would all do it again in a heart beat.<br />
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<b style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Happy Travel Adventures,</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Cheers</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">,</span></div>
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Winewalkabouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13053022612973544973noreply@blogger.com1Saint-Germain-des-Prés, 75006 Paris, France48.8537981 2.333328499999993348.8433506 2.3131584999999935 48.8642456 2.3534984999999931tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074185337831365685.post-71070821145033730582017-10-15T13:07:00.000-07:002017-10-15T13:07:31.791-07:00 Paris, Le Meridien Etoil with Viking River Cruises. and Mum... <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Paris, <b><a href="http://www.lemeridienetoile.com/" target="_blank">Le Meridien Etoil</a></b> with <b><a href="https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/" target="_blank">Viking River Cruises</a></b>.<br />
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<span style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 16px;">and Mum...</span><br />
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We arrived in Paris at the <i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Aéroport de Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle</i> late afternoon and were met by our Viking River Cruise Concierge. Within a few minutes we were on our way to our hotel, the<a href="http://www.lemeridienetoile.com/" target="_blank"> Le Meridien Etoile</a>. Once there we were taken care of by our Viking River Cruise host who got us all our rooms as well. Speaking of getting rooms there was some issues with married couples getting twin beds and single people getting king bed rooms. </div>
Personally we had to deal with my 90 year old mum being on a different floor (can you say nightmare) and started with twin beds but managed to get a king room after a while of working with the hotel direct.<br />
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I had talked specifically about this with our Viking contact that setup our Cruise. We had a similar situation with our airline tickets. Our first set of tickets had us on different flights!<br />
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The Le Meridien is a very nice hotel close to the Arch de Triumph. Nice clean rooms and a great breakfast. Had a couple of late night dinners at the bar which was pretty good also. The room issue was a Viking booking problem, even after two calls prior to leaving on the trip, specifically about us traveling together with my elderly mother in different but adjacent rooms.<br />
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While all the rooms were very nice the mix ups were poor and for me personally the mishandling of my two rooms was very problematic.<br />
We headed to our rooms upon arrival and after settling mum into her room we told her to stay in the room relax and watch some tv for an hour or so or take a nap. We wrote down our room number (with the 1 in front for dialing) so she could call if needed. We had a quick check in to see about another tour and headed back to the room.<br />
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About 1.5 hours later after showers there is a knock on our door. One of the hotel staff found mum wandering the halls. She left her room, could not find our room, went to go back, keys did not work (she was going to the wrong room) went to the front desk, got new keys still could not get in (still wrong room) got lost in the halls and when found by a hotel staff member could only hand him our room number, which she could not find as I had added a 1 in front of it for calling room to room. Luckily the porter was savvy enough to realize that.<br />
The hotel could not figure a way to get us together so we took to writing instructions for everything which helped but still many, in hindsight and having survived, many more funny events happened. It was interesting that the group seemed scattered all over the hotel. This posed no issues other than for us with my mum. </div>
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One classic was at breakfast. Mum we will get you and go to breakfast at 8 ok. Ok. </div>
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Next morning at 8am mum's not in her room. Panic as we race to breakfast hoping that she is there. I ask the concierge if her room number had checked in (had to check in by room number for breakfast) No that room has not checked in. But I gave my room number a went in to be sure. Yep. There she was eating fruit with a cup of coffee. </div>
Asked why she was there. She said she was hungry and they had given her coffee when she had asked for tea and there were no scrambled eggs today. Did you look under the silver lids? Why would I do that? (She also had a habit of when asked for coffee or tea, she would answer, yes please) Not sure who's room number she used as she couldn't remember.</div>
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The <b><a href="http://www.lemeridienetoile.com/" target="_blank">Le Meridien Etoil</a></b> Hotel was a very nice place with a good bar, good bar food and a great breakfast. It rates a <b><a href="http://www.winewalkabout.net/p/official-kiwi-koala-rating-scales.html" target="_blank">'Good, would go back'</a></b> on our scale. The booking issues were a Viking short fall, but I'm not convinced the hotel did all they could.<br />
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<b style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Happy Travel Adventures,</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Cheers</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">,</span></div>
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Winewalkabouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13053022612973544973noreply@blogger.com081 Boulevard Gouvion Saint-Cyr, 75848 Cedex 17, 75017 Paris, France48.8794423 2.28502209999999223.3574078 -39.023571900000007 74.4014768 43.593616099999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074185337831365685.post-78436855205337949562017-10-08T11:31:00.000-07:002017-10-08T11:31:53.723-07:00Fine dining, Jules Verne Eiffel Tower Paris<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Travel adventures from European trip #1 Kiwi gores to France.<br />
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Some places are obvious points to visit in Paris, such as
the Eiffel Tower. Doing the tourist visit is
fantastic and a must do, but you really should delve a little deeper. This goes for a number of things. Paris is known for its gastronomy, and so what better way to indulge in that than indulging on or in I guess, one of the most recognizable structures in the world.</div>
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You enter on a private elevator on the Pilier Sud
and you arrive at one of the premier restaurants in Paris – the Jules Verne.</div>
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on the second level of the famous tower if offers commanding views of Paris,
including the Seine, Arc de Triomphe, and the infamous “Aweful Tower”.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We booked well in advance for our dinner via the website <a href="http://www.lejulesverne-paris.com/">www.lejulesverne-paris.com</a>. Reservations are a must, and for good
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At €190-230 for a five or six
course meal, plus wine, it is not a casual event, but possibly one of those once in a
lifetime events. I mean after all you just traveled half way around the world so why not? </div>
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The wait staff are
fabulous, with every request met with good humor and professionalism. We asked to change tables a couple of times
as others opened up to get a better / different view with no problem or eye rolling. <o:p></o:p></div>
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choices! All were amazing and the
sommelier was extremely helpful.<o:p></o:p></div>
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coming! Not a meal but an
experience! Small bites to a delicious
main course for all. The first four
courses were fixed menu items with marinated sea bream, duck confit and
lobster! Veal, chicken or fish for the
main, and desserts to die for. Most
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And with more wine.
Did I mention the wine?!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Plan to spend some time at Le Jules Verne, have a great meal, soak up the ambiance and extraordinary views, and leave satisfied, with fond memories that will last a lifetime.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Happy Travel Adventures,</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Cheers</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">,</span></div>
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Winewalkabouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13053022612973544973noreply@blogger.com0Champ de Mars, 5 Avenue Anatole France, 75007 Paris, France48.858370099999988 2.294481300000029523.336335599999988 -39.01411269999997 74.380404599999991 43.603075300000029tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074185337831365685.post-92043504198351524942017-10-01T10:37:00.000-07:002017-10-01T10:37:52.063-07:00Jet lag... Just don't even...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Oh the places we have been!<br />
We recently talked about staying healthy and not catching some disease during your flights. Jet lag is the other down side to long haul air travel. Once you cross a couple or more time zones during flight it is on the table. Well worry no more.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JhXqdGX1bIU/WdEkgC30voI/AAAAAAAAKls/hVHH1GB-p2gRtSJ9WsXQoKTm3puor0KBQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_5199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JhXqdGX1bIU/WdEkgC30voI/AAAAAAAAKls/hVHH1GB-p2gRtSJ9WsXQoKTm3puor0KBQCLcBGAs/s200/IMG_5199.JPG" width="200" /></a>Having traveled half way around the world at least 40 times between us in the last couple decades we recon we have some sound advice to offer. At least how we survive and maybe, just maybe, our experience my benefit you as well.<br />
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So here goes. Most of our survival practices are relatively simple and some seem to be obvious once mentioned but its surprising how few people actually make a conscious effort.<br />
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Rule number one is be and stay hydrated. Yeah yeah you say. I always drink water. OK, that may be true but do you drink it in a way that keeps jet lag at bay? Probably not. Here's the deal. Not only do you need to be optimally hydrated 'before' you get on the plane, staying hydrated on a plane takes effort. The super dry 5-20% humidity is in stark contrast to most normal ground levels of 50-80% means you need to be consuming way more water than normal. Constantly sipping and if like us you like to enjoy the hospitality of the more professional airlines and imbibe in the alcoholic offerings you need to double the number of ounces water to alcohol to keep up. While no double blind, scientific experiments have been done to verify this, as stated earlier, this has been tested dozens of times.<br />
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One of the other biggies is napping. Here is the scenario. You have been travelling for 24 hours and you arrive at your destination in the am sometime. One of the biggest mistakes is to succumb to the desire for a nap in the mid afternoon. Just don't! Hang in there and stay awake until a reasonably normal bedtime. When in doubt allow for no more than a 10 hour sleep. Ideally a similar length to what you normally would have at home. This help getting you system into a normal rhythm. Just do it! for a couple days.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AmO4NUmTFX4/WdEmZbsz7JI/AAAAAAAAKmA/2-3XZxnTYo4Prmf6EA6tj9NrSh3nA1jigCLcBGAs/s1600/Paris%2Btour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="226" data-original-width="223" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AmO4NUmTFX4/WdEmZbsz7JI/AAAAAAAAKmA/2-3XZxnTYo4Prmf6EA6tj9NrSh3nA1jigCLcBGAs/s1600/Paris%2Btour.jpg" /></a>So Kiwi Chris puts it most eloquently - Maybe I’m lucky, maybe I’m special. Jet lag and I have had many meetings, and we have an agreement. I win. I have read many articles about how to counter the effects of long distance travel, and I here add my two cents. First – drink on the plane. Well, if it’s free I feel its rude not to. Watch a movie, take an Advil PM, and Bob’s your Uncle. <br /><br />On landing set your watch/phone and live by the new time. Eat at the new time. Drink at the new time. Just because it’s 6 am at home doesn’t mean you can’t have a glass of wine in Paris! Honestly that’s the key. Mental strength of not saying to yourself its bedtime at home. OK, drink a big glass of water and go out, keep moving. If you sit, you’re out and you lose. <br /><br />Next day – repeat and you are good for the trip! <br />On the way home its different. Call in sick. </div>
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What are some of your solutions to avoid Jet lag?</div>
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<b style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Happy Travel Adventures,</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Cheers</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">,</span></div>
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Winewalkabouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13053022612973544973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074185337831365685.post-18861142290736240952017-08-27T12:37:00.000-07:002017-08-27T12:37:38.418-07:003 wines before Midnight with Midnight Cellars wines<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The note from Nat was 'just bottled on 4/28 Save for a bit". So we did. </td></tr>
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We always look forward to trying new wines. We also love to receive wines in the mail unsolicited. Whats more is both of these things are made even better when we... woah! Getting ahead of ourselves.We finally go together to drink these wine and see how they stack up. Lets start by telling you what we received from <b><a href="http://www.midnightcellars.com/" target="_blank">Midnight Cellars </a></b>in Paso Robles.. </div>
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Kiwi started us off with the <a href="http://www.midnightcellars.com/files/products/2013%20Full%20Moon%20Red%20(new).pdf">2013 Full Moon Red </a>-<br />
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VARIETAL COMPOSITION 50% Syrah 40% Zinfandel 10% Merlot AVA Paso Robles, CA SOIL TYPES Sandy Loam TECHNICAL NOTES Alcohol 14.7% Residual Sugar 0.80% Titratable Acidity 0.778 pH 3.11 CASE PRODUCTION 2400<br />
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Easy to access with a screw cap has a nice and bright red fruit nose which carries right onto the palate where the red fruit is joined by purple and blue fruits with a medium palate weight and a nice clean finish with soft tannin's. This is a lovely drinking wine that drinks way above its price point and before you know it the bottle is empty and you are looking for more. This is a great midweek wine that will go with all kinds of food and at a price that will not make you hesitate to open that second bottle. A <b><a href="http://www.winewalkabout.net/p/official-kiwi-koala-rating-scales.html" target="_blank">**** wine with a solid six plus </a></b>that you will enjoy anytime.<br />
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Next up it was the <b><a href="http://www.midnightcellars.com/wines/index.php?product=181" target="_blank">2013 Cabernet Franc "Moonlight"</a><span id="goog_1489792240"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_1489792241"></span></b> This is one impressive Cab Franc!<br />
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VARIETAL COMPOSITION 100% Cabernet Franc AVA El Pomar District Paso Robles, CA SOIL TYPES Limestone & Shale TECHNICAL NOTES Alcohol 14.1% Residual Sugar 0.02 Titratable Acidity .620 pH 3.45 CASE PRODUCTION 135.<br />
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As we gave our taste pour a good sniff well looked up and smiled. This is one lovely Cab Franc that gives off lovely red raspberry and black cherry on the nose. The palate is sublimely infused with flavors of raspberry, cranberry and ripe strawberry on the palate. Soft yet solid flavor, this wine has a light palate weight and well-integrated tannin's. A <b><a href="http://www.winewalkabout.net/p/official-kiwi-koala-rating-scales.html" target="_blank">*** wine that scores a solid 7</a></b>. </div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kwORZlUshK4/WaIjYwICIoI/AAAAAAAAKkE/Xy-XyG4o-CQdA-cTwdNvpIwg-1cqAOIewCHMYCw/s1600/%255BUNSET%255D" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kwORZlUshK4/WaIjYwICIoI/AAAAAAAAKkE/Xy-XyG4o-CQdA-cTwdNvpIwg-1cqAOIewCHMYCw/s200/%255BUNSET%255D" width="150" /></a>Last but not least was the <b><a href="http://www.midnightcellars.com/wines/index.php?product=195" target="_blank">2013 Cabernet Sauvignon "Nebula"</a></b> We love a good Cabernet and this example from Midnight Cellars does not disappoint. VARIETAL COMPOSITION
90% Cabernet Sauvignon
10% Merlot
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Paso Robles, CA
SOIL COMPOSITION
Limestone & Shale
CASE PRODUCTION
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90 Points - Vinous
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Alcohol 15.6%
Residual Sugar 0.05%
Titratable Acidity 0.679
pH 3.47.</div>
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Purple, black fruit and oak on the nose with black and blue fruit with tobacco and cedar on the palate. With medium to full body weight with nice balance and structure that lingers nicely on the finish with well-rounded tannin's. A<b><a href="http://www.winewalkabout.net/p/official-kiwi-koala-rating-scales.html" target="_blank"> *** wine that rates a 7.</a> </b><br />
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As we consumed these lovely wines we realized we have never been to Midnight Cellars in Paso Robles. We know its hard to believe. That being said we were impressed enough we will be paying them a visit in the near future to discover what other wines they have. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Happy Tasting Adventures,<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Cheers</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">,</span></div>
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Winewalkabouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13053022612973544973noreply@blogger.com12925 Anderson Rd, Paso Robles, CA 93446, USA35.5752492 -120.7365937999999810.053214700000002 -162.04518779999998 61.097283700000006 -79.427999799999981tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074185337831365685.post-71214458315997536052017-08-20T20:49:00.001-07:002017-08-20T21:15:06.141-07:00How to arrive healthy on vacation. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: large;">The best tip for flying. </span></h2>
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<a href="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zL11u_JtL_A/maxresdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for airplanes" border="0" height="360" src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zL11u_JtL_A/maxresdefault.jpg" style="color: #454545; font-family: uictfonttextstylebody; font-size: 16px;" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: #454545; font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: #454545; font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">While most people think that the “recycled” air you breathe in while flying in planes is the main cause of illnesses, it really isn't. Wait, what you ask? Look, the air is constantly filtered through hospital-grade HEPA filters at a rate of approximately a complete scrub every five - six minutes meaning it's some of the cleanest air you will ever breathe.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: #454545; font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></span>
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/Virgin_America_airplane_interior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/Virgin_America_airplane_interior.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: #454545; font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What you really need to watch out for are all the other germ covered surfaces. While the trays are far and away the germiest part of a plane (don’t rest any food on it without a napkin or prior to wiping down), there are other surfaces like the armrests, seat belts, remote controls, touch screens and buttons and handles in the lavatory that are truly disgustingly dirty and are cleaned sparingly at best due to time constraints.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://target.scene7.com/is/image/Target/12992360?wid=520&hei=520&fmt=pjpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for clorox wipes" border="0" height="200" src="https://target.scene7.com/is/image/Target/12992360?wid=520&hei=520&fmt=pjpeg" width="200" /></a><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: #454545; font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Wipe down your area with some sort of bacteria killing cleaning wipe! </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Open every thing and wipe it down. Pull out the remote and really scrub the whole thing including the cable. The tray is obvious but don't forget the latch and don't forget to wipe after food trays have been put on your tray.. Armrests all around and if by the window, don't forget the shade and anywhere you may contact or touch. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: uictfonttextstylebody; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Not to say you need to clean the dunny, but wash your hands and wipe them once seated again. You may need to moisturize according to our wives as the wipes can be drying (we would not know about that).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;">So there it is, the big sickness saving tip you have been waiting for. Cheers to your health!</span></div>
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<br /><br />From our experience this is the best travel tip to avoid getting sick on or after your holiday. After dozens of flights both domestic and international we swear by this approach.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Cheers</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">,</span></div>
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Winewalkabouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13053022612973544973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074185337831365685.post-89949224539554086072017-08-13T20:59:00.001-07:002017-08-13T21:00:35.142-07:00Winewalkabout #europeanvacation<br><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FEoo0BhB11I" width="500" height="281" id="y_id_2718_6597_f16a_caba" frameborder="0"></iframe><br>Winewalkabouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13053022612973544973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074185337831365685.post-70346736416253393182017-08-06T13:03:00.000-07:002017-08-06T13:05:51.831-07:00Our Viking Vacation, Day 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b style="color: #454545; font-family: uictfonttextstylebody; font-size: x-large;">Lufthansa </b><br />
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It's always an exciting time as you embark upon your trip. The joy of being in an airport 2 hours ahead of your flight and guessing on traffic to get to SFO so you don't get stressed.<br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LTy8aoisLtI/WYdqS3ALSBI/AAAAAAAAKjs/ZFEJnXm8liMOrZm0uOmf7YVEgQvnOIiHACHMYCw/s1600/%255BUNSET%255D" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LTy8aoisLtI/WYdqS3ALSBI/AAAAAAAAKjs/ZFEJnXm8liMOrZm0uOmf7YVEgQvnOIiHACHMYCw/s200/%255BUNSET%255D" width="150" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-A-gLh4RXmoc/WYdqQ8DZYCI/AAAAAAAAKjk/wZNLmrUtH7kxGtkYz2HiBsBJxvCMEYhXQCHMYCw/s1600/%255BUNSET%255D" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-A-gLh4RXmoc/WYdqQ8DZYCI/AAAAAAAAKjk/wZNLmrUtH7kxGtkYz2HiBsBJxvCMEYhXQCHMYCw/s200/%255BUNSET%255D" /></a>At the airport a solid 3 hours early and ready to go. This was going to be an epic <b><a href="https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/" target="_blank">Viking River Cruise</a></b> and #euopeanvacation. Why does this hashtag have a certain familiarity? Anyhow, this was not our first trip to Europe but it was our first flights with Lufthansa. How would it be? Where would they stack up against other airlines we have flown with? Well let us say it felt a bit underwhelming. We left 30 min late. Not finished loading the catering. Not very German but may have nothing to do with them. Efficient and effective flight crew without much else (may we say stereotypical German).<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dFyxW7kP3ys/WYdqSF5rWzI/AAAAAAAAKjo/z_Gyp8XzkbEHAUlDO9nk9wn7aeyU0SiQgCHMYCw/s1600/%255BUNSET%255D" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dFyxW7kP3ys/WYdqSF5rWzI/AAAAAAAAKjo/z_Gyp8XzkbEHAUlDO9nk9wn7aeyU0SiQgCHMYCw/s200/%255BUNSET%255D" width="150" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-iGICSg8uTZs/WYdqQWmaKHI/AAAAAAAAKjc/pzF4-f8IPyI2P8dijPhfVO5pOCQvgkbrwCHMYCw/s1600/%255BUNSET%255D" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-iGICSg8uTZs/WYdqQWmaKHI/AAAAAAAAKjc/pzF4-f8IPyI2P8dijPhfVO5pOCQvgkbrwCHMYCw/s200/%255BUNSET%255D" width="150" /></a><br />
So was it good or bad? It was actually neither. Food? OK. Wine and beer, OK. Entertainment system was OK with limited options and pretty clunky. </div>
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Overall we give a rating of <a href="http://www.winewalkabout.net/p/official-kiwi-koala-rating-scales.html" target="_blank">'<span style="background-color: white; color: #636363; font-family: "lucida grande" , "lucida sans unicode" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: justify;">Yeah it's OK'</span></a>. We did end up arriving on time in Frankfurt. Just as well as we had to hike 24 gates to the end of the terminal go downstairs and hike back 24 gates (not very German). The second leg from Frankfurt to Paris was short and over in no time. Getting off and getting luggage easy enough and just as advertised, as we exited our <b><a href="https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/" target="_blank">Viking</a></b> host was there to greet and take care of us.</div>
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From here our #europeanvacation now start. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Happy Travel Adventures,<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Cheers</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">,</span></div>
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Winewalkabouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13053022612973544973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074185337831365685.post-34491079886888983972017-07-16T17:49:00.002-07:002017-07-16T17:49:52.249-07:00A Look at People, Planet, Prosperity with SIP Certified<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mMxMxrd-hB8/WVgwvSW_R_I/AAAAAAAAKi0/smIciaA6_cIVHyyuWT0FWjH7CmNhbSgcgCLcBGAs/s1600/DeTerra%2Bsip.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1313" data-original-width="1600" height="163" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mMxMxrd-hB8/WVgwvSW_R_I/AAAAAAAAKi0/smIciaA6_cIVHyyuWT0FWjH7CmNhbSgcgCLcBGAs/s200/DeTerra%2Bsip.JPG" width="200" /></a>The Sustainability in Practice <a href="http://www.sipcertified.org/" target="_blank">(SIP) Certified</a> program certifies that vineyards and wineries meet a strict threshold for environmental and human resource protection. The program relies on independent verification and inspection, is free from conflict of interest, and is 100% transparent with regards to the standards and rules.<br />
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SIP Certified is dedicated to the 3 P’s of Sustainability – People, Planet, Prosperity. They are committed to the ‘3 P’ approach, ensuring that both natural and human resources are protected, all of which means you can enjoy wine that has been grown for the greater good. Gives one that warm fuzzy feeling. But all this requires a vision and a plan and a structure that allows the looking at the bigger picture. One that allows things to change if necessary to stay the course of the vision.</div>
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There is a realization for those who follow the SIP practice's that how they farm impacts not only their vineyards, but things beyond their fence lines, so there is an independent verification and certification practice that protect the community, the workers, and the environment.<br />
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<b>In this article we are focusing on the 'Planet' P</b></div>
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<b><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ojangu86xw/WVgvoymcJXI/AAAAAAAAKiw/6aOFYRJ629EaCq0vu_YdeqZeVyg1f7mQwCLcBGAs/s1600/SIP-Eco-Chart_Web1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="600" height="272" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ojangu86xw/WVgvoymcJXI/AAAAAAAAKiw/6aOFYRJ629EaCq0vu_YdeqZeVyg1f7mQwCLcBGAs/s320/SIP-Eco-Chart_Web1.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div>
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</b>SIP practices require the monitoring of soils, plants, and weather, irrigating vines only when needed and measuring water usage in the winery to prevent waste. Sustainable viticultural methods include cover crops for erosion control, owl boxes for rodent control, native oak tree retention for ecosystem balance, planting to drought resistant rootstock, and advanced irrigation systems for water conservation. <br />
Keeping water clean by growing grasses to reduce erosion and filter storm runoff and also filtering winery water for reuse. There is the introduction of beneficial insects, attracting raptors, and plant enriching cover crops to keep vineyards healthy and the use of alternative fuels and energy sources like solar and wind, minimize tractor use reduce their carbon footprint, and use insulation to increase energy efficiency. There is even the use of wildlife corridors to give animals access to traditional watering holes and food, helping to maintain biodiversity.<br />
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Improvement comes in the form of annually updating their farming and wine processing and using standards such as Best Management Practices to evolve with new science, technology and research. Today, there are over 40,300 certified acres throughout California protecting the future of the land they farm on.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Happy Tasting Adventures,<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Cheers</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">,</span></div>
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Winewalkabouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13053022612973544973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074185337831365685.post-52907824583408444732017-07-02T12:26:00.001-07:002017-07-02T12:26:40.678-07:00Tenuta Vitalonga Winery in San Francisco<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xM38iTOFScc/WU8UscHG9WI/AAAAAAAAKiQ/0jDJI-PYFVwIbZBx4-dIGCWLcKLFau7qwCLcBGAs/s1600/terra%2Bde%2Bconfine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xM38iTOFScc/WU8UscHG9WI/AAAAAAAAKiQ/0jDJI-PYFVwIbZBx4-dIGCWLcKLFau7qwCLcBGAs/s200/terra%2Bde%2Bconfine.jpg" width="150" /></a>At the recent <a href="http://www.winewalkabout.net/2017/04/james-suckling-and-great-wines-of-italy.html" target="_blank">James Suckling and Great Wines of Italy 2017</a> we not only tasted some amazing Italian wines we again made some new friends. Gian Luigi Maraville was one of those new friends. Meeting folks at a tasting is always fun but the expectation of any future followup is low. You know, everyone is having fun and it all sounds good after some wine, food and laughs. However with the type of offer on hand we cannot miss this opportunity to go back to Italy and have part of a travel plan in that includes what sounds like an amazing place.<br />
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We tasted a lot of great wines and as we were discussing some of our favorites we came back to double check our palates and Gian was excited to see us. We started chatting about the wines of <a href="https://www.vitalonga.it/en/" target="_blank">Tenuta Vitalonga Winery</a> and the area and discovered he was also the Mayor of his town. The same town his father and his farther had been Mayor of. As we talked wine and vineyards he told us of the family property and invited us to visit. We warned him that we are the traveling type and may very well come and stay. He was unconcerned and reiterated his invitation. As we sipped on his lovely Terra di Confine we decided that the trip was on.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bFcqadpF-MM/WU8WjZnYLwI/AAAAAAAAKic/kZrRLHRTsvUX6hMpbzWleuRqiOX-V1I4gCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_2128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1203" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bFcqadpF-MM/WU8WjZnYLwI/AAAAAAAAKic/kZrRLHRTsvUX6hMpbzWleuRqiOX-V1I4gCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_2128.JPG" width="240" /></a>Terra di Confine is the name by which the Marvalle family has called their estate wine since way back when. Back in the day, this wine was produced on the property in one of the Etruscan caves. This cave has became the wine cellar. The Ficulle area is on the border of Tuscany and Umbria. Terra di Confine is a blend of Montepulciano and Merlot and is aged in French oak for 12 months producing a very lovey balanced wine.<br />
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We enjoyed our tasting and conversation Gian and just so you know we will be coming to visit as soon as we figure out when our next Italy trip is (2018-2020) so be rewarned! Ciao ciao.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #636363; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24.53px;"><strong>Happy Wine Adventures,<o:p></o:p></strong></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24.53px;">Cheers</span></b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24.53px;">,</span></div>
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Winewalkabouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13053022612973544973noreply@blogger.com0Montiano 8, Umbria, 05016 Ficulle TR, Italy42.8179278 12.0704660000000117.2958933 -29.238127999999989 68.3399623 53.37906000000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074185337831365685.post-30143020752062619862017-06-24T15:33:00.000-07:002017-06-25T10:33:28.218-07:00What is SIP Certified?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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As we travel around and visit wineries we have often seen <a href="http://www.sipcertified.org/" target="_blank">SIP certified</a> signs. We also see organic and Bio-dynamic tossed around as well. So you have any number of certifications to show you care. Here is a partial list;<br>
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<a href="http://baileyana.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/sip-logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for sip certified wineries in california" border="0" class="mainImage accessible nofocus" height="150" src="http://baileyana.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/sip-logo.jpg" tabindex="0" title="View source image" width="200"></a><br>
USDA Organic. ...<br>“Made with Organic Grapes” ... <br>EU Organic. ... <br>SIP Certified (Sustainability in Practice) ... <br>Certified Green (The Lodi Rules) ... <br>Salmon Safe.<br>Certified California Sustainable Vineyard and Winery (CCSW)<div>
<br>The U.S. government regulates use of the term “organic,” but “sustainable” and “biodynamic” have no legal definitions. So there are two types of organic listings on wine bottles. Wines can be made from certified organically grown grapes, avoiding any synthetic pesticides or additives, or, to take it a step further, “organic” wines are made from organically grown grapes, and are also made without any added sulfites (although naturally occurring sulfites will always be present).<br>
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<a href="https://tse4.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.cr9RCIHWgEvVucdKAU8KTAEjEs&pid=15.1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for sip certified" border="0" class="mainImage" data-bm="18" data-height="300" data-width="291" height="200" kvalue="5140" src2="http://www.halterranch.com/images/sip-certification_photo.png" src="https://tse4.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.cr9RCIHWgEvVucdKAU8KTAEjEs&pid=15.1" style="height: auto; width: auto;" title="View source image" width="194"></a>Biodynamic is somewhat similar to organic farming as both take place without synthetic chemicals but biodynamic farming deviates from organic is it incorporates ideas about the vineyard as an entire ecosystem. Where it gets weird and such is where it also incorporates things such as astrological influences and lunar cycles. A biodynamic wine means that the grapes are farmed biodynamically, and that the winemaker made the wine without doing things like adding things like yeast or making acidity adjustments. Sometimes you may see a wine that says “made from biodynamic grapes”. Basically this means that a vintner used biodynamically grown grapes, but may have followed a less strict list of rules in winemaking (used sulfur to preserve their wine).<br>
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Sustainability refers to a range of practices that are not only ecologically sound, but are also economically viable and socially responsible. Sustainable farmers may farm largely organically or biodynamically but have flexibility to choose what works best for their individual property and they also focus on energy and water conservation, the use of renewable resources and other issues. <br>
Some third-party agencies offer sustainability certifications, and many regional industry associations are working on developing clearer standards.<br>
<a href="http://www.sipcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Halter-Ranch-Wine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.sipcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Halter-Ranch-Wine.jpg"></a>Sustainability in Practice (SIP) Certified is a certification agency that helps farmers and winemakers demonstrate their dedication to preserving and protecting natural as well as human resources. SIP Certified is a rigorous sustainable vineyard and winery certification that has strict, non-negotiable requirements and standards that are based on science and expert input with independent verification, transparency, and absence of conflict of interest.<br>
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Both Sustainability in Practice (SIP) Certified and the Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing <a href="http://www.sustainablewinegrowing.org/" target="_blank">(CCSW</a>) programs are important supporters of the sustainability movement and encourage responsible vineyards and winemaking, but there are a couple distinct differences. As an example with SIP You must have a winter cover crop, whereas with a CCSW program you have a plan to prevent erosion during winter?<br>
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SIP Certified is all about the 3 P’s of Sustainability – People, Planet and Prosperity. So we will be taking a look at each of these 3 P's individually and talk with wineries and vineyards that follow these practices to get two cents worth as well in some upcoming articles. We might even have a taste or two if all goes well.<br>
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In the mean time look around as you drive through the vineyards and see if you can spot these SIP certified signs.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Happy Tasting Adventures,<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Cheers</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">,</span></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #636363; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "segoe script", sans-serif; font-size: 26pt; line-height: 39.8667px;">WineWalkabout</span></b></div>
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Winewalkabouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13053022612973544973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074185337831365685.post-62743596999631758512017-06-18T13:14:00.001-07:002017-06-18T13:14:28.778-07:00Affordable world class wine vacation in Paso Robles<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZarzCce8r4s/WS356GJy3AI/AAAAAAAAKg4/KVwC3rCr384u6_qBRtse7b4hP4jOkbhgwCLcB/s1600/IMG_8047%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZarzCce8r4s/WS356GJy3AI/AAAAAAAAKg4/KVwC3rCr384u6_qBRtse7b4hP4jOkbhgwCLcB/s640/IMG_8047%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hiJ40LXCVWQ/WS36JtPuAiI/AAAAAAAAKg8/A01uhHglUek3ZuJCZmWe4WmFtu1wyOVRQCLcB/s1600/Allegretto%2BG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="308" data-original-width="600" height="164" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hiJ40LXCVWQ/WS36JtPuAiI/AAAAAAAAKg8/A01uhHglUek3ZuJCZmWe4WmFtu1wyOVRQCLcB/s320/Allegretto%2BG.jpg" width="320" /></a>Sophisticated travelers (like us) longing to experience a luxurious wine country vacation in a stunning, unspoiled slice of California will find Paso Robles to be a great getaway. The area offers all of the amenities of other well-known California wine regions, yet with approachable small town feel with a northern California sophistication. Located in the Santa Lucia Mountains of Central California midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, Paso Robles is California’s fastest growing wine region with 200+ vintners boasting many select renowned boutique winemakers producing highly coveted wines such as Tablas Creek, Denner Vineyards, Daou, Justin, Vina Robles, L’Aventure and Saxum. Epicureans will find that the cuisine rivals that of large cosmopolitan cities yet with a relaxed, local style.<br />
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Not-to-be-missed restaurants such as Enoteca, Villa Creek, Bistro Laurent, Artisan, Buona Tavola, Thomas Hill Organics and il cortile are creating innovative farm-fresh cuisine that pairs wonderfully with the robust local wines. Hotel Cheval, Allegretto Resort, Paso Robles Inn and La Bellasera provide ideal retreats with refined amenities such as fireplaces, sumptuous beds and soaking tubs. Wallet-Friendly Paso Robles is the ideal affordable California wine country region and boasts a wide selection of hotels with reasonably priced, comfortable accommodations such as Adelaide Inn, Black Oak Motor Lodge, La Quinta Inn & Suites and Courtyard by Marriott. River Oak Hot springs offers a variety of spa treatments incorporating the on-site mineral spring waters. Champion golf courses, upscale boutique shopping, artisan food stores such as We Olive, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and Vivant Fine Cheese and one-of-a-kind cultural attractions such as Hearst Castle State Park and historic Mission San Miguel de Arcangel provide the ultimate, well-rounded, upscale yet relaxed escape.<br />
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qQNW6oO2i64/WS36Q0xbY2I/AAAAAAAAKhA/mNFA-DRtfVsYTFsrg9Y5m6L6y8AO_pfaACLcB/s1600/Concerts%2Bin%2Bthe%2BPark_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="390" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qQNW6oO2i64/WS36Q0xbY2I/AAAAAAAAKhA/mNFA-DRtfVsYTFsrg9Y5m6L6y8AO_pfaACLcB/s320/Concerts%2Bin%2Bthe%2BPark_0.jpg" width="320" /></a>Delicious meals can be enjoyed for a fraction of the cost at spots such as Basil Thai, Odyssey World Cafe and El Vino Mexican Restaurant. There are many free and low cost activities to be enjoyed including hiking and biking on pristine trails and picnicking on the charming downtown square. Don't miss the concerts in the beautiful park. Most of the wineries charge low tasting fees (around $10) and will credit towards a bottle purchase. Affordable yet fantastic wine can be found for under $35 per bottle. Parking is easy and free throughout the area. Plan your trip now through <b><a href="http://www.travelpaso.com/" target="_blank">Travel Paso </a></b>and be prepared to fall in love.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Happy Tasting Adventures,<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Cheers</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">,</span></div>
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Winewalkabouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13053022612973544973noreply@blogger.com1Paso Robles, CA 93446, USA35.6368759 -120.6545022000000235.5336314 -120.81586370000002 35.7401204 -120.49314070000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074185337831365685.post-7616037662616673302017-06-04T09:43:00.001-07:002017-06-04T09:43:06.632-07:00NEW YORK ROOTS. CALIFORNIA VINES.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white;">Gregg waited in the dark on a cold foggy New York morning on the corner of 13th and Third. His heart started to race with anticipation of Julie's arrival. He was supposed to be helping her train, but something deep inside him knew it was becoming more than that. As cupid would have it, it was to be the beginning of a journey that would take him around the globe and in directions he never dreamed of...</span><br />
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Recently we were contacted by Gregg Rothberg of <a href="https://www.13thandthirdwines.com/">13th & Third</a> wines asking if we would be interested in a sample of his wine for reviewing. Well, we are always up for wine and giving our opinion, but after reading a bit about his story we decided the appropriate thing to do was step it up, show a little restraint and instead of just taking and reviewing his wine, try to schedule a meeting and tasting when he was in Paso Robles for bottling. This however proved to be impossible.<div style="background-color: white;">
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The story stayed on our minds and having Gregg just send us a sample just seemed, well, not the best way to do the wine or the story justice. One of the things besides the wine that we love about the wine industry, are all the wonderful people and the amazing stories that go along with them. We have learned of many beautiful stories over the years and this one is one of the top few. That being said, we just had to approach this story of <a href="https://www.13thandthirdwines.com/">13th & Third</a> a little different than a regular wine review. Read on and find out why we believe that this one could easily be a movie of the week.</div>
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Gregg, his wife Julie are foodies and winos. Food is their passion, but wine is their obsession, and a little more than two years ago Gregg left his marketing agency life behind to seek adventures in the world of wine - a passion of his for many years. That adventure turned into the launch of their own label - <a href="https://www.13thandthirdwines.com/" style="vertical-align: baseline;">13th & Third</a>. The name comes from the cross-street in Manhattan where Gregg and his wife Julie first met (2010), and discovered they both had an insatiable appetite for food and wine. Their story really should be a movie. Here is the short version of how it began with an excerpt from their website<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -</span></span><i style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">" </span>The corner of 13th Street & Third Avenue in New York City is where Julie and I first met. Twice a week we’d meet there on our bikes before sunrise. She was training for her first century ride, a 100-mile lap around Lake Tahoe, in honor of her father who had recently passed away; I was one of the coaches. We would ride through the darkened streets of New York City on our way to Central Park. With plenty of time to chitchat during these cold pre-dawn hours, it wasn’t long before we discovered our mutual passion for wine and wine country.</i></div>
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<i>We also both love visiting and exploring new wineries. So Julie and I tacked on a few extra days in Napa and Sonoma, on our way to Lake Tahoe, to visit a handful of vineyards. While on our little excursion we were consumed by amazing wines…and each other. Just <span class="m_1719428232065882218gmail-aBn"><span class="m_1719428232065882218gmail-aQJ"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1976441958" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">10 months later</span></span></span></span>, we got engaged surrounded by the incredible aromas of wine aging in barrels, as I proposed in the caves of one of Napa’s most prestigious wineries."</i></div>
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Julie works for a large wine importer distributor and exposed Gregg to a much bigger world of wines and what was a love became a passion. <div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YWC14nbOGj0/WTQyebc2XEI/AAAAAAAAKho/JZRkcZf8cM0WW_HWH7QEDXw55VflOetbwCLcB/s1600/18513080_105100670074005_7891901388769198080_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YWC14nbOGj0/WTQyebc2XEI/AAAAAAAAKho/JZRkcZf8cM0WW_HWH7QEDXw55VflOetbwCLcB/s200/18513080_105100670074005_7891901388769198080_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
In the beginning, after traveling from Washington to southern California looking for the right region and wine maker, Gregg reached out to ten Central Coast winemakers, most of whom were from the Paso Robles area, that he thought would be right for their vision. In typical Central Coast hospitality, nine of them contacted him, and after interviewing all nine of them one was selected to be a part o<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">f </span></span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.13thandthirdwines.com/&source=gmail&ust=1496265812967000&usg=AFQjCNF5lVbArWqR2VF35-aatbLq8LEWZA" href="https://www.13thandthirdwines.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">13th & Third</a></i></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><div style="background-color: white;">
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<br />Gregg also did an internship with Adelaida Cellars and experienced wine from the vineyard to the bottle and all the exciting and not so exciting aspects of the process. It was during this time he became friends with another New Yorker, winemaker Jeremy Weintraub. <br /><br />Gregg and Julie love Rhône varietals and wanted to bring more of these lesser known varietals from California to the east coast and the city they call home. Thus the tag line of their brand - New York Roots. California Vines.<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AzyCxhQ3-tQ/WS3yoyce63I/AAAAAAAAKgo/Wl7Uv_erukQcjY6DrdPSKyFkCJhpPRfWQCLcB/s1600/13thThirdRose%25CC%2581-FRONT.png" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="167" data-original-width="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AzyCxhQ3-tQ/WS3yoyce63I/AAAAAAAAKgo/Wl7Uv_erukQcjY6DrdPSKyFkCJhpPRfWQCLcB/s1600/13thThirdRose%25CC%2581-FRONT.png" /></a>As native New Yorkers, they grew up surrounded by Graffiti, now more widely known and accepted as "street art." Because it was such a big part of their environment, and a passion as a young artist for Gregg, they wanted to find a way to integrate that into their brand to better represent who they are, and show where they came from. All of the labels are designed by acclaimed local street artists from the New York area, and feature family members who are no longer with them, that they want to honor. <br />
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<br />The first label featured Julie's Grandfather. The original photograph was taken on the eave of prohibition. That photo was then photographed on the corner of 13th & Third. Kinda gives one goosebumps just thinking about it. What a wonderful way to kick off this journey into wine by honoring the past and having hope for the future. The wine was their 2015 Rosé of Grenache (out of Paso Robles' Willow Creek District) and was <a href="https://www.13thandthirdwines.com/">13th & Third's</a> inaugural wine. This year they are releasing a 2016 Rosé of Grenache, 2016 White Blend (Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, Viognier and Picpoul) and a 2015 GSM. The 2015 GSM is extra special. The wine is in memory and honor of Gregg's father Norman Martin Rothberg, and appropriately named NMR. Gregg's dad is also shining brightly as he's featured on the label. Although Norman passed away when Gregg was just a teenager, his father had a profound influence on who he is today. We are really looking forward to sitting down with Gregg down the road, breaking bread, learning more of his story and tasting the lineup.<br /><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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They would love the opportunity to share their wines and more of their story with you (there is a lot more story to tell). So check out their website and <a href="https://www.13thandthirdwines.com/Wines">order some wine</a>. <br /><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
Although we have not tasted any yet, with the infectious passion and great sources for grapes, we can hardly wait. To add to the potential for exceptional wine is their winemaker, Don Burns who has his own label Turtle Rock and is also assistant winemaker under Justin Smith at Saxum. <br /><br />This year they produced 400 cases and the vision for the future is to grow to 1800 - 2000 cases. Big enough to be sustainable and small enough to have a hand on everything. While currently Paso based they plan on finding the best sources from other areas in California as well to be true to their tag line 'NEW YORK ROOTS. CALIFORNIA VINES'. Stay tuned for part two of story on<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.13thandthirdwines.com/&source=gmail&ust=1496265812967000&usg=AFQjCNF5lVbArWqR2VF35-aatbLq8LEWZA" href="https://www.13thandthirdwines.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">13th & Third</a></i></b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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Winewalkabouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13053022612973544973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074185337831365685.post-75454181931275664152017-05-29T12:07:00.000-07:002017-05-29T12:07:54.216-07:00TZIMMUKIN<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A few years back I had the pleasure of spending some time with Geoff Hardy of K1 by Geof Hardy. We had a good night at the National Wine Centre in Adelaide South Australia and a couple days later a day at the beautiful Cellar door in the <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 15px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 15px;">in the Kuitpo region in the southern Adelaide Hills. in the </span>southern tip of the Adelaide Hills wine region.<br />
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Geoff showed me around the vineyards and the property and the new home he was building overlooking one of the spectacular lakes on the property. This was all followed up by a comprehensive tasting of the current release wines. His son Sebastian took me through the wines in<br />
their beautiful tasting room.<br />
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When you visit the K1 cellar door you can experience their wines in a spectacular lakeside tasting room, the centerpiece of which is a hand crafted tasting bench made by Geoff from a 400 year old red gum from his Limestone Coast vineyard.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SVya_5EOPLw/WSxiOzHeEZI/AAAAAAAAKf0/8Q6hO-IXk6gwsmogBqQdeYxMGKP2t7fDwCLcB/s1600/K1%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SVya_5EOPLw/WSxiOzHeEZI/AAAAAAAAKf0/8Q6hO-IXk6gwsmogBqQdeYxMGKP2t7fDwCLcB/s1600/K1%2B2.jpg" /></a>Finding many great wines, a few were purchased for sharing with family and friends. One that did not get shared and came to be carried back to California was the 2007 TZIMMUKIN.<br />
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So here it was early 2017, 10 years after bottling and the temptation to drink it was more than I could take and the bottle was opened.<br />
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Tzimmukin is made from slightly raisined grapes. This style goes back to Babylonian times and the Tzimmukin was one of the more popular styles of wine created back then. Geoff has followed that ancient technique and style of producing the wine from air dried grapes. Using the beautifully elegant cool climate grapes of the Adelaide Hills Geoff basket dried the Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon and produced a spectacular wine that has to be tasted to understand.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DNE_7tazTXg/WSxrF0e_BPI/AAAAAAAAKgE/QlvChI5BA1EBitlocMbxyQ4nsOA8GkAngCHM/s640/blogger-image-498869847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DNE_7tazTXg/WSxrF0e_BPI/AAAAAAAAKgE/QlvChI5BA1EBitlocMbxyQ4nsOA8GkAngCHM/s400/blogger-image-498869847.jpg" width="300" /></a>When I first tasted it in 2013 this wine really caught my attention with its beautiful full silky mouth feel and wonderful blackberry and blueberry fruits with a hint of stewed fruit character that you might expect. What I did not expect was the lovely balance and incredible complexity. Seb recommended that I sit on it foe a few years to really get an understanding of how this wine will evolve. Well as I mmmm'ed (technical term) my way through the bottle I was really annoyed at myself for only purchasing the one bottle. The dark, intense Tzimmukin, full-bodied, with notes of black cherry, plum, eucalyptus and cinnamon undertones, has a lovely palate weight and with silky tannin's combine to surprise the palate in the best possible way.<br />
Note to self - when you come across something special, get more than one!<br />
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Must head back for a visit the next time in Adelaide.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Happy Tasting Adventures,<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Cheers</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">,</span></div>
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<b style="color: #636363; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "segoe script" , sans-serif; font-size: 26pt; line-height: 39.8667px;">WineWalkabout</span></b><br />
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Winewalkabouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13053022612973544973noreply@blogger.com0159 Tynan Rd, Kuitpo SA 5201, Australia-35.2228074 138.6711183-60.7448419 97.36252429999999 -9.7007729 179.9797123tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074185337831365685.post-89127022793848865832017-05-21T09:04:00.000-07:002017-05-21T13:14:52.649-07:00Wines best friend, Alle-Pia Salami<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We recently had the pleasure of touring the facility where the most amazing delicious cured meats are made. The facility of <b><a href="http://www.allepiasalumi.com/" target="_blank">Alle-Pia</a></b>. Look, we love wine! We also love our cured meats and cheeses to go with it. Then there is the lovely meals that enhance our enjoyment of wine. But we digress. There are not too many things as wonderful as enjoying a wonderful glass of wine and partaking of the deliriousness of cured meats and we have found none better than Alle-Pia. We went to visit the facility when they first opened a few years back and were impressed with not only the product but the passion with which they peruse the making of fine food, whether at Buona Tavola or now Alle Pia.<br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-M4K8Th-rbLE/WSCu1i9vM4I/AAAAAAAAKe8/42-PZY0WD1oQSl_RWnrri2QUH1Fi2ZVbQCHM/s640/blogger-image--1984441895.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-M4K8Th-rbLE/WSCu1i9vM4I/AAAAAAAAKe8/42-PZY0WD1oQSl_RWnrri2QUH1Fi2ZVbQCHM/s320/blogger-image--1984441895.jpg" width="240" /></a>For over two decades, Chef Varia has delighted residents and visitors with his inventive Northern Italian cuisine in his Buona Tavola (meaning "good table") restaurants. Alex Pellini, Chef Varia’s nephew, came over from Italy in 2009 to help with the restaurant operations and has been instrumental in the creation and supervision of the salami production. Maria Pia Allesina was Chef Varia's mother and he named the company Alle-Pia as a tribute to her. It was a tradition in Italy to make salami each winter with their entire family. Antonio thought using her name would be a nice way to honor her memory. We agree.<br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Rgk8jf7dvJo/WSCvDara6mI/AAAAAAAAKfc/gpwRRenh3EACiVgrAvLKJHDlMjLPKIt9wCHM/s640/blogger-image--1791718446.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Rgk8jf7dvJo/WSCvDara6mI/AAAAAAAAKfc/gpwRRenh3EACiVgrAvLKJHDlMjLPKIt9wCHM/s200/blogger-image--1791718446.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Y2yAfNriY2Y/WSCuzzdxfyI/AAAAAAAAKe4/XOGOhk3s-KwNsXEIBbI7ANEVsRKknTjUACHM/s640/blogger-image--1132411650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Y2yAfNriY2Y/WSCuzzdxfyI/AAAAAAAAKe4/XOGOhk3s-KwNsXEIBbI7ANEVsRKknTjUACHM/s200/blogger-image--1132411650.jpg" width="200" /></a>The fresh, natural pork comes from a supplier that guarantees vegetarian fed, crate free animals and no hormones or antibiotics are used. Ingredients are locally sourced when possible and all products and facilities are USDA inspected and approved. In fact, a USDA inspector is on site each and every day to constantly monitor and observe.<br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Hlu6G5PupC8/WSCu7Ihwt0I/AAAAAAAAKfI/SzZUVDXUJWUwjI6qZd2cK6NTAgwWzaRHwCHM/s640/blogger-image-1723044548.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Hlu6G5PupC8/WSCu7Ihwt0I/AAAAAAAAKfI/SzZUVDXUJWUwjI6qZd2cK6NTAgwWzaRHwCHM/s200/blogger-image-1723044548.jpg" width="200" /></a>We were taken on a tour by Alex and discovered that every batch of salami requires careful supervision and timing to ensure the perfect taste and consistency. We were also given a taste of a few employee favorites. Alex explained that they only use the finest spices from a local supplier, Spice of Life and imported Italian paprika. Local wines from Paso Robles and imported wines from Italy add distinctive flavors. </div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yARvxXM2RjM/WSCu5PiOW_I/AAAAAAAAKfE/2MzLC_c6lXE_9AydNYHl3XDhatBVW581QCHM/s640/blogger-image-2004347009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yARvxXM2RjM/WSCu5PiOW_I/AAAAAAAAKfE/2MzLC_c6lXE_9AydNYHl3XDhatBVW581QCHM/s200/blogger-image-2004347009.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="150" /></a>As well as buying a few of our favorite salami's to take home with us Alex gave us a <a href="http://www.allepiasalumi.com/products/luganega-piccante-spicy-pork-sausage">Luganega Piccante - Spicy Pork Sausage</a> (tasted amazing). They also have other Italian meats and <a href="http://www.allepiasalumi.com/products" target="_blank">products</a> for sale.</div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BSL6AA-BUx4/WSCvB0kAwhI/AAAAAAAAKfY/yw91DN8P2pQuPHxTO_vcaTqrIsq8q_8nACHM/s640/blogger-image--76559654.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BSL6AA-BUx4/WSCvB0kAwhI/AAAAAAAAKfY/yw91DN8P2pQuPHxTO_vcaTqrIsq8q_8nACHM/s200/blogger-image--76559654.jpg" width="200" /></a>The process is monitored and controlled at every step with state of the art Italian equipment to produce consistent quality and flavors. They have recently expanded their capacity to double the production to better serve their customers as well as to continue to have these great products available at the two <a href="http://btslo.com/paso-robles/" target="_blank">Bouna Tavola Restaurant's. </a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Join their Club!</span></td></tr>
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Thanks to Alex for taking the time to show us around and give us a tasting of all those tasty cured meats. Stop on by their shop in Atascadero and get some for yourself. </div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #636363; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24.53px;"><strong>Happy <strike>Wine</strike> Food Adventures,<o:p></o:p></strong></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24.53px;">Cheers</span></b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24.53px;">,</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "segoe script" , sans-serif; font-size: 28pt; line-height: 42.93px;">WineWalkabout</span></b></div>
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You can find all of their meats and fine foods, fresh,</div>
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right from the source 5 days a week.<br />
Give them a call or stop by and say hi. </div>
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They love to meet their customers!<br />
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Visit Us at the Emporio Alle-Pia<br />
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<a href="https://goo.gl/maps/VSk6c">8390 El Camino Real</a></div>
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<a href="https://goo.gl/maps/VSk6c">Atascadero, CA 93442</a> <br />
Phone: (805) 461-6800<br />
Email: <a href="mailto:info@allepiasalumi.com">info@allepiasalumi.com</a><br />
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We're Open<br />
Monday: 9AM - 3PM<br />
Tuesday: 9AM - 3PM<br />
Wednesday: 9AM - 3PM<br />
Thursday: 9AM - 3PM<br />
Friday: 9AM - 3PM<br />
Sat/Sun/Holidays: Closed</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">One of our favorites.</span></b></td></tr>
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Winewalkabouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13053022612973544973noreply@blogger.com08390 El Camino Real, Atascadero, CA 93422, USA35.4736085 -120.6541042999999735.473558 -120.65418329999997 35.473659 -120.65402529999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074185337831365685.post-44907872112417188502017-05-14T16:29:00.000-07:002017-05-14T16:29:00.794-07:00Monterey Wines 25th Winemaker Celebration<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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What could be better than tasting good wines while sampling good food with good people on a beautiful day in a beautiful setting? The simple answer, is not much.<br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RzhrVLkLTsc/WRfArt6YkJI/AAAAAAAAKdo/UyYFiKFtzE4eiYpjfSi8FTqX93v4ovBkwCHM/s640/blogger-image--1292597995.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RzhrVLkLTsc/WRfArt6YkJI/AAAAAAAAKdo/UyYFiKFtzE4eiYpjfSi8FTqX93v4ovBkwCHM/s200/blogger-image--1292597995.jpg" width="200" /></a>In the beautiful hamlet of Carmel by the sea, with some great local chefs serving small bites complemented by Monterey Wines make the '<a href="https://montereywines.org/" target="_blank">Monterey Wines 25th Winemaker Celebration</a>' a very enjoyable event. This is one of Monterey’s premier wine events. The event showcases both the established and small production wineries of Monterey County and its sub-appellations, including Arroyo Seco, Carmel Valley, Chalone, Hames Valley, Monterey, San Antonio Valley, and Santa Lucia Highlands.<br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ihCbl3kuPlM/WRfAwyDMYBI/AAAAAAAAKd0/uZ1BbJAELK0oCFpDWPPCPLe-WZMWRFebwCHM/s640/blogger-image-1552575090.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ihCbl3kuPlM/WRfAwyDMYBI/AAAAAAAAKd0/uZ1BbJAELK0oCFpDWPPCPLe-WZMWRFebwCHM/s200/blogger-image-1552575090.jpg" width="150" /></a>This year we were privileged to be given complimentary VIP passes from <a href="https://montereywines.org/" target="_blank">Monterey Wines</a>. As VIP's we gained early access at 12:00 noon for a more intimate experience by being some of the first in. New to this year's VIP experience was valet parking. Valet parking was a wonderful addition to the experience and a real classy touch. Another classy touch is the availability to get a designated driver ticket and because of all the great small bites not a bad event for the non drinkers and those that sacrifice for the good of the team.<br />
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Traffic was light and the easy convenient VIP parking meant we were way early and so a stop in to visit the lovely ladies at <a href="http://www.caracciolicellars.com/" target="_blank">Caraccioli Cellars</a> for a starter glass of bubbles was in order. As we sipped our bubbles we watched as the last of the setting up was completed.<br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SZJNfEYQ1AE/WRfAcOC9wzI/AAAAAAAAKdI/TwqAhO5MFm4Zff8O6kR8Z5SNe8kqUYgHgCHM/s640/blogger-image--1373160354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SZJNfEYQ1AE/WRfAcOC9wzI/AAAAAAAAKdI/TwqAhO5MFm4Zff8O6kR8Z5SNe8kqUYgHgCHM/s200/blogger-image--1373160354.jpg" width="150" /></a>Having attended this even a number of times there were no great surprises (a good thing). The wines and food are always satisfying and the event well run. This year we made an extra effort to taste all the whites and not get drawn in too early on the reds and miss some good white wine experiences. After all there are a ton of different ones to taste. Monterey has 53 different wine grape varieties, 30 of which have more than 20 acres of vineyards per varietal. Chardonnay (40%) and Pinot Noir (15%) are the two largest wine grape varietals grown in Monterey County and there are some world class ones made here.<br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BHTyhhuIWsQ/WRfBwY1AsVI/AAAAAAAAKeQ/mBKZ3Vx6zGgJWHBTqLNAxw3JnpN93vcjACHM/s640/blogger-image-1323849381.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BHTyhhuIWsQ/WRfBwY1AsVI/AAAAAAAAKeQ/mBKZ3Vx6zGgJWHBTqLNAxw3JnpN93vcjACHM/s200/blogger-image-1323849381.jpg" width="200" /></a>On the food side there were a lot of options but a couple of our favorites (we like simple foods) were the pork belly and beans from <a href="http://labalenacarmel.com/" target="_blank">La Balena</a> in Carmel and a Salmon and wild rice from the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Oh and the potatoe chips from 400deg Burger. On the dessert side, the cannoli's from <a href="http://chefpepe.com/restaurants/little-napoli/" target="_blank">Little Napoli </a>right there on Delores and the Mini Bunt cakes from <a href="http://www.nothingbundtcakes.com/" target="_blank">Nothing Bunt Cakes</a> were lip smacking good!<br />
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Tasted a number of good wines, really good wines. Finding some that stand out would be easier if the event was not so much fun. With that being said a couple of the wines that stood out. On the white side there were -<br />
<a href="http://www.caracciolicellars.com/" target="_blank">Caraccioli Cellars</a> Brut Cuvee -<a href="http://joycevineyards.com/" target="_blank"> Joyce Vineyards </a>Albarino and Dry Reisling - <a href="http://www.scratchwines.com/" target="_blank">Scratch Wines</a> Dry Reisling - <a href="http://www.odonatawines.com/" target="_blank">Odonata Wines</a> Sparkling Rose - <a href="https://www.blairwines.com/" target="_blank">Blair</a> Chardonnay - <a href="http://www.manzoniwines.com/" target="_blank">Manzoni Wines</a> Chardonnay and <a href="http://www.wrathwines.com/" target="_blank">Wrath Wines</a> Sauvignon Blanc.<br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8W2_6rR79BE/WRfAprrQpQI/AAAAAAAAKdk/GUJ2rgXcsh0cH_fIBMwtBXBPjlOv3845wCHM/s640/blogger-image--417141584.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8W2_6rR79BE/WRfAprrQpQI/AAAAAAAAKdk/GUJ2rgXcsh0cH_fIBMwtBXBPjlOv3845wCHM/s200/blogger-image--417141584.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vLOw2K55Ow0/WRfAn-KZoJI/AAAAAAAAKdg/nXGu4WiKfAMSf8h67TRj_X-ou2M8oCenwCHM/s640/blogger-image--1441505471.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vLOw2K55Ow0/WRfAn-KZoJI/AAAAAAAAKdg/nXGu4WiKfAMSf8h67TRj_X-ou2M8oCenwCHM/s200/blogger-image--1441505471.jpg" width="150" /></a>On the red side <a href="http://www.wrathwines.com/" target="_blank">Wrath Wines</a> San Saba Pinot Noir - <a href="http://www.manzoniwines.com/" target="_blank">Manzoni Wines</a> Syrah - <a href="http://www.scratchwines.com/" target="_blank">Scrath Wines</a> Grenache and the most amazing breakfast drink was a breakfast bloody Mary to get one through the day from <a href="http://mulliganspublichouse.com/" target="_blank">Mulligans Public House</a>. These are just a few of the wonderful wines we tasted.<br />
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Against what the weather reports had predicted it was a spectacular day, and we thank <b><a href="https://montereywines.org/" target="_blank">Monterey Wines </a></b>for giving us the hook up. We look forward to this event every year as somehow it just seems to get better. The Monterey Wines 25th Winemaker Celebration was truly a celebration of wonderful Monterey Wine and Food and an event not to miss.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #636363; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24.53px;"><strong>Happy Wine Adventures,<o:p></o:p></strong></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24.53px;">Cheers</span></b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24.53px;">,</span></div>
<b style="color: #636363; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "segoe script" , sans-serif; font-size: 28pt; line-height: 42.93px;">WineWalkabout </span></b><br />
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Winewalkabouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13053022612973544973noreply@blogger.com1Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93923, USA36.5552386 -121.9232878999999936.5297276 -121.96362839999999 36.580749600000004 -121.88294739999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074185337831365685.post-80673576186186148662017-05-07T09:03:00.000-07:002017-05-07T09:03:04.390-07:00A Red wine reduction sauce... You are welcome<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />What is the biggest difference between your home cooked steaks and the ones you get at a restaurant?<span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><em><br /></em></strong></span>
<span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><em>A RED WINE REDUCTION SAUCE!</em></strong></span><br />
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For having a little of that restaurant taste at home when you want to step it up a notch... You are welcome! Whip this up and enjoy...<br />
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I<strong>ngredients:</strong><br />
<ul style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px currentColor; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 15px 3em; orphans: 2; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 30px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<li style="background: none; border: 0px currentColor; font-family: Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif !important; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">1/2 red onion, fine diced</li>
<li style="background: none; border: 0px currentColor; font-family: Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif !important; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">2 stalks celery, fine diced<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yO4gdBNkhI4/WQ9C-7e348I/AAAAAAAAKc4/OZUO35ctHF8dzBUC--FAywSE5LCSrfu9gCLcB/s1600/f_steak_pan_sauce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yO4gdBNkhI4/WQ9C-7e348I/AAAAAAAAKc4/OZUO35ctHF8dzBUC--FAywSE5LCSrfu9gCLcB/s320/f_steak_pan_sauce.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</li>
<li style="background: none; border: 0px currentColor; font-family: Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif !important; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">1 clove garlic, minced</li>
<li style="background: none; border: 0px currentColor; font-family: Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif !important; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">1 sprig rosemary</li>
<li style="background: none; border: 0px currentColor; font-family: Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif !important; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">1/4 cup butter</li>
<li style="background: none; border: 0px currentColor; font-family: Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif !important; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">1 tablespoon flour</li>
<li style="background: none; border: 0px currentColor; font-family: Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif !important; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cracked Pepper</li>
<li style="background: none; border: 0px currentColor; font-family: Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif !important; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sea Salt</li>
<li style="background: none; border: 0px currentColor; font-family: Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif !important; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">3/4 cup red wine (Cabernet wine for a more earthy taste, Shiraz for a fruitier taste.)</li>
</ul>
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<strong>Directions:</strong></div>
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<div style="font-size: 15px;">
Sauté the onion, celery, garlic, and rosemary in the butter over low-medium heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour in red wine and bring to a simmer until about half the liquid evaporates. Serve over your meat of choice (New York Steak is our favorite). </div>
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; white-space: nowrap;"><br /></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #636363; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24.53px;"><strong>Happy Wine Adventures</strong></span><strong style="color: #636363; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">,</strong></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24.53px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; white-space: nowrap;">Bon Appétit</b>,</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24.53px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "segoe script", sans-serif; font-size: 28pt; line-height: 42.93px;">WineWalkabout </span></b></div>
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Winewalkabouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13053022612973544973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074185337831365685.post-40910797883870064352017-05-02T15:31:00.000-07:002017-05-02T17:46:45.838-07:00Summer of 2017 Europe, two different trips<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xELTQmwllMQ/WPPsROUOHkI/AAAAAAAAKcA/hGfstjWiuk4pp3UHdZgPhwfw6MSaped_ACLcB/s1600/France.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xELTQmwllMQ/WPPsROUOHkI/AAAAAAAAKcA/hGfstjWiuk4pp3UHdZgPhwfw6MSaped_ACLcB/s640/France.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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So no trips to Australia or New Zealand this year! WHAT!!! This year is the year of Europe. Specifically a tour around France and a river cruise from Paris to Prague. Each of us is looking at the advantages and disadvantages of taking a small group with us next time and trying to decide which trip gives the best value and experience.<br />
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Ideally we would both be on both trips but the bank accounts have limits as does the amount of vacation time available.<br />
<br />
So for the tour of France, Chris (Kiwi) has enlisted the help of our French connection, Duncan. Duncan has previously helped out with tastings and as a bonus has an enviable collection of french wines and a much better knowledge of France. The two couples will be doing a loop through the country and hitting some real highlights.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UUBNBmw3ojI/WPPszIjUUHI/AAAAAAAAKcI/8VmU6hvn69A1w4483jVCL2Mu00XnVpPwQCLcB/s1600/southwest-france-chateau-belingard-vineyards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UUBNBmw3ojI/WPPszIjUUHI/AAAAAAAAKcI/8VmU6hvn69A1w4483jVCL2Mu00XnVpPwQCLcB/s320/southwest-france-chateau-belingard-vineyards.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
This is the itinary,<br />
DEPART SFO to PARIS CDG<br />
DAY 1 May 6th<br />
Paris, St Germaine for 4 days<br />
DAY 5 May 11th for 2 days<br />
Bayeux, Normandy<br />
Day 7 May 13th 3 days<br />
Amboise, LoirValley<br />
Day 16 May 16th for 3 days<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HEkerOCgcIo/WPPwFCi2dUI/AAAAAAAAKco/C5jLbUODAMAxoS68eYyfg9sqzREN8tpWACLcB/s1600/Normandy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HEkerOCgcIo/WPPwFCi2dUI/AAAAAAAAKco/C5jLbUODAMAxoS68eYyfg9sqzREN8tpWACLcB/s1600/Normandy.jpg" /></a></div>
Sarlat, Dordogne Valley<br />
DAY 19 May 19th for 2 days<br />
Bordeaux City<br />
DAY 21 May 21st 1 day<br />
Charles DeGalle, Paris<br />
FLY HOME<br />
<br />
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bzWRVDDxxHU/WPPtFsgK-xI/AAAAAAAAKcM/_Gvcx6AfZ40IEFJjBrSpmhpNlPukZeotwCLcB/s1600/Paris%2Btour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bzWRVDDxxHU/WPPtFsgK-xI/AAAAAAAAKcM/_Gvcx6AfZ40IEFJjBrSpmhpNlPukZeotwCLcB/s1600/Paris%2Btour.jpg" /></a>For Trev's adventure, a small group river cruise with <b><a href="https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/" target="_blank">Viking River Cruises</a></b>. The cruise selected was done so for timing, length and availability.<br />
The selected trip, Cities of light, <b><a href="https://youtu.be/iFQx3TWyH4M" target="_blank">Paris to Prague</a></b>.<br />
<br />
DAY 1<br />
Paris, France<br />
Tue July 18, 2017 Flight in AM. Wandering Paris<br />
DAY 2<br />
Paris, France<br />
Wed July 19, 2017<br />
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Morning A Taste of Paris Shore Excursion <br />
DAY 3<br />
Paris, France<br />
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KCw4BzqJlGg/WPPtzasXRxI/AAAAAAAAKcU/ApVWicUbOaoDC7hOhPEnaJoYy1iCttWTgCLcB/s1600/CC_CochemAerialMoselle_SKY_WEB_702x351_tcm30-41231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KCw4BzqJlGg/WPPtzasXRxI/AAAAAAAAKcU/ApVWicUbOaoDC7hOhPEnaJoYy1iCttWTgCLcB/s320/CC_CochemAerialMoselle_SKY_WEB_702x351_tcm30-41231.jpg" width="320" /></a>Thu July 20, 2017<br />
Day trip to Versailes<br />
Late Dinner at 58 Eiffel Restaurant (Tower)<br />
DAY 4<br />
Paris, France<br />
Fri July 21, 2017</div>
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Morning Paris City Tour Shore Excursion<br />
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DAY 5<br />
Trier, Germany<br />
Sat July 22, 2017</div>
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Afternoon Luxembourg City Tour & American Cemetery<br />
DAY 6<br />
Trier, Germany<br />
Sun July 23, 2017</div>
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Morning Trier City Tour Shore Excursion <br />
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DAY 7<br />
Cochem, Germany<br />
Mon July 24, 2017</div>
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Morning Cochem Walking Tour & Reichsburg Castle<br />
DAY 8<br />
Koblenz, Germany<br />
Tue July 25, 2017</div>
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Morning Marksburg Castle Tour Shore Excursion <br />
DAY 9<br />
Heidelberg, Germany<br />
Wed July 26, 2017</div>
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Morning Heidelberg Full-Day Excursion with Student Lunch<br />
DAY 10<br />
Würzburg, Germany<br />
Thu July 27, 2017</div>
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Morning Würzburg Residenz & Walk Shore Excursion <br />
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DAY 11<br />
Bamberg, Germany<br />
Fri July 28, 2017</div>
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Afternoon Franconian Countryside Tour Shore Excursion <br />
DAY 12<br />
Bamberg, Germany<br />
Sat July 29, 2017</div>
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Morning Nuremberg City Tour Shore Excursion <br />
DAY 13<br />
Prague, Czech Republic<br />
Sun July 30, 2017 Morning Prague City Tour Shore Excursion <br />
Afternoon Jewish Prague Shore Excursion <br />
DAY 14<br />
Prague, Czech Republic<br />
Mon July 31, 2017</div>
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Prague breakfast - Fight out. </div>
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Follow along on Instagram and see if you may wish to join us (sign up to show interest on the <b><a href="http://www.winewalkabout.net/p/winewalkabout-travel-adventures.html" target="_blank">Travel Adventures</a></b> tab) in the next year or so on another magical wine adventure.</div>
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Winewalkabouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13053022612973544973noreply@blogger.com0Paris, France48.856614 2.352221900000017748.6894645 2.0294984000000178 49.0237635 2.6749454000000177tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074185337831365685.post-15332080752412639722017-04-16T15:32:00.002-07:002017-04-16T15:32:32.267-07:00Make A Magnifique French Pear Tart<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Oh what a lovely pear...</span></td></tr>
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In celebration of our impending visits to France (both of them) we though this might help us share the excitement. Yes we are both going, but at different times and on different types of trips to try to decide what kind of tour to organize for the future. So here you go... bon appétit<br />
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Make A <em>Magnifique</em> French Pear Tart</div>
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It's no secret that the French have turned baking into an art form. As we anticipate our upcoming cruise, we thought you might like to create your own artistic expression using sliced pears and Frangipane, a sweet, almond-flavored pastry cream, to enjoy.<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: , "open sans" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 24px;">Ingredients</span></div>
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3 firm ripe Anjou or Bartlett pears</div>
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PASTRY DOUGH:<br />
1¼ C (156 g) all purpose flour, additional for dusting Pinch of salt<br />
4 T (48 g) baker's sugar<br />
½ C (115 g) unsalted butter, room temperature<br />
2 lg egg yolks<br />
¼ tsp (1 ml) vanilla extract<br />
1 T (15 ml) cold water</div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9W-ijQPPTBg/WM2honWC5YI/AAAAAAAAKYY/3WL69y_AOdgO6hEeUUkVBAhcNQtb0rzgQCLcB/s1600/french-pear-tart-bourdaloue-640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9W-ijQPPTBg/WM2honWC5YI/AAAAAAAAKYY/3WL69y_AOdgO6hEeUUkVBAhcNQtb0rzgQCLcB/s320/french-pear-tart-bourdaloue-640.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
FRANGIPANE:<br />
⅓ C (76 g) unsalted butter<br />
¾ C (144 g) granulated sugar<br />
3 lg eggs<br />
¾ C (64 g) ground almonds<br />
1½ T (12 g) all-purpose flour<br />
1/8 tsp (½ ml) almond extract</div>
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GLAZE:</div>
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¼ C (80 g) apricot jam<br />
1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice<br />
GARNISH:<br />
2 tsp (10 g) slivered almonds </div>
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Directions</h3>
PASTRY DOUGH:<br />
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Sift together flour and salt; make a well in the middle. Put sugar, butter, egg yolks, vanilla and water into well and work together gently to form a firm dough. Cover and chill for 2 hours. Roll out gently on a lightly floured surface to cover a 9-inch (23 cm) fluted quiche or tart pan. Press dough firmly into pan, cutting off any excess. Prick bottom of dough with a fork several times. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line dough with parchment or foil and place a layer of pie weights or dry beans on bottom. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Lower temperature to 375°F (190°C); remove paper and weights and bake for 5 minutes or until golden. Remove from heat and let cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (176°C).<br />
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">FRANGIPANE:</em></h4>
Mix butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs, ground almonds, flour and extract; stir to combine. Spoon into crust.<br />
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Peel, core and slice pears. Arrange slices in an attractive pattern over top of frangipane. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until pears are tender and lightly browned. Remove from heat and let cool on a wire rack.<br />
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">GLAZE:</em></h4>
Melt jam in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in lemon juice. Remove from heat and push mixture through a sieve. Brush glaze over pears then sprinkle with slivered almonds.<br />
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">SERVING SUGGESTION:</em></h4>
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Serve with crème anglaise, fresh raspberries or vanilla ice cream.</div>
<ul class="m_-4248051683826469829gmail-list-inline" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; list-style: none; padding: 0px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 5px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Prep time: 25 minutes.</strong></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 5px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Chill time: 2 hours, 20 minutes.</strong></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 5px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Cook time: 57 minutes.</strong></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 5px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Nutritional info per serving:</strong></li>
<ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 2em;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Calories 485</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Fat 31 g</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Cholesterol 211 mg</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Sodium 37 mg</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Carbs 49 g</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Protein 8 g </li>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">They say this makes 8 servings but we think its more like 4... </span></span>bon appétit</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24.5333px;">Cheers</span></b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24.5333px;">,</span><br />
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Winewalkabouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13053022612973544973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074185337831365685.post-22628543243208243902017-04-09T10:07:00.001-07:002017-04-09T10:07:17.125-07:00James Suckling and Great Wines of Italy 2017<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The final stop for 'James Sucklings Great Wines of Italy' tour took us to San Francisco. This is our third year attending this great event. The event has stops all over the world. From Hong Kong, Bangkok and in the USA in Miami, New York, Beverly Hills and the event we attended at the Golden Gate Club in San Francisco.<br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hGhH7_5zd5g/WOhEUCOxseI/AAAAAAAAKbQ/eSL9lXoSX7g/s640/blogger-image-1446171207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hGhH7_5zd5g/WOhEUCOxseI/AAAAAAAAKbQ/eSL9lXoSX7g/s320/blogger-image-1446171207.jpg" width="240" /></a>On what was a beautiful late winters day in San Francisco we lined up and went in to taste some Great Wines of Italy. So rumor has it that James tasted close to 4,000 Italian wines in 2016 to have the ability to assemble the wines at the event. As we collected our 90 point James Suckling tasting glass it was off to the races and off to randomly taste some wonderful Italian wines. For the first tastes we went after some lovely whites, but is was not long before we were tempted by some young Italian lady (no not like that, ok maybe a little bit) who poured some beautiful reds. As we wandered around we tasted one lovely wine after another, and then when comparing our individual experiences were constantly using way too many superlatives. We are always (and shouldn't be) amazed at how much we love all these wines. From whites to reds, from Puglia to Veneto on the east and Piedmont to Sicily on the West there are so many tasty, well made food friendly, generally affordable great Italian wines.<br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5NaD1vwNMmw/WOhEZnXJL8I/AAAAAAAAKbc/krj6debiCIM/s640/blogger-image-1794033207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5NaD1vwNMmw/WOhEZnXJL8I/AAAAAAAAKbc/krj6debiCIM/s200/blogger-image-1794033207.jpg" width="150" /></a>The charcuterie stations at each of the three tasting rooms were also perfect, and unlike most events well stocked. Having more great cured meats than any event ever attended and some lovely cheeses it was spot on!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-F1gdGurrG_g/WOhEe6UjRgI/AAAAAAAAKbo/_N7os9vDBzQ/s640/blogger-image--276588074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-F1gdGurrG_g/WOhEe6UjRgI/AAAAAAAAKbo/_N7os9vDBzQ/s200/blogger-image--276588074.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Our new best mate!</b></td></tr>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0dOyz8fWoUc/WOhEXxweCkI/AAAAAAAAKbY/YQg1bAtYjjg/s640/blogger-image-1968975609.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0dOyz8fWoUc/WOhEXxweCkI/AAAAAAAAKbY/YQg1bAtYjjg/s200/blogger-image-1968975609.jpg" width="150" /></a>The crowd is a mix of industry and enthusiastic punters and this year all fairly well behaved (they must have known we were watching). Now while we did get stuck into it there were a good number of wines unfortunately we did not get to. We did however meet some new best friends as is the usual theme with Italians. One in particular that we had a great conversation with was Gian Luigi Maravalle of<a href="http://www.vitalonga.it/en/" target="_blank"> Tenuta Vitalonga </a>. He kept inviting us to come visit him. We even warned him that it was highly probable that we would show up and he still said come come.<br />
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The wines were amazing. So many lovely Italian wines all in one place made for a wonderful evening of wine tasting pleasure. James is a great host and he is always on the move talking with both sides of the tasting table. There is an obvious respect from the producers towards James and from him to them and this just adds to the feel of this wonderful event.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Our other new best mate...</b></td></tr>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TDHVtxoAOjA/WOhEdKbN36I/AAAAAAAAKbk/iYJmMOmApes/s640/blogger-image--1940838676.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TDHVtxoAOjA/WOhEdKbN36I/AAAAAAAAKbk/iYJmMOmApes/s200/blogger-image--1940838676.jpg" width="150" /></a>For added entertainment Adelaide Australia's Surahn Sidhu will managed the DJ booth with fantastic wine tasting beats just as he did the previous year. Nice to see a home town boy (at least for one of us) having a good time and doing well. Great to have a chat and catch up a bit as well.<br />
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As we tried to compile a list of favorites it became very obvious that we really enjoyed everything we tasted and trying to pick a top 3 or 5 was proving to be really hard. These were an amazing collection of wonderful wines and we decided that, yes, they were all winners for having been invited by James to be a part of his tour. So congratulations to all the producers pouring their wines as you are all winners!<br />
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This truly was a wonderful event and we would like to thank James for the invite and the great hospitality and wine. If you can get to one of Jame's events, do it!<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #636363; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24.53px;"><strong>Happy Wine Adventures,<o:p></o:p></strong></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24.53px;">Cheers</span></b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24.53px;">,</span></div>
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Winewalkabouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13053022612973544973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074185337831365685.post-26268781198548984392017-04-02T13:12:00.001-07:002017-04-02T13:12:25.992-07:00Domaine Hatzimichalis from Greece<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Basket-trained Assyrtico vines on Santorin</td></tr>
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The following wines were provided for our drinking pleasure...<br />
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2015 <em>ASSYRTIKO <a href="http://www.hatzimichalis.gr/default.aspx?lang=en-GB&page=87#" target="_blank">DOMAINE HATZIMICHALIS</a> </em><br />
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<span id="dscexpitem_1600366908_2">Assyrtiko [ A seer' tee ko ] Assyrtiko is one of Greece’s finest multi-purpose white grape varieties. It was first cultivated on the island of Santorini, where it has developed a unique character producing excellent wines. Assyrtiko has the ability to maintain its acidity as it ripens. It's typically a very dry wine that has citrus aromas mixed with a mineral aftertaste. It is naturally resistant to most diseases which is another reason why it has become a popular grape, re-planted throughout Greece.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kCpoj5nCJF4/WM2nCDx27lI/AAAAAAAAKYw/sv71y-piwegxcSwp60oBp2XnAlx7tYIXQCLcB/s1600/03_alepotrypa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kCpoj5nCJF4/WM2nCDx27lI/AAAAAAAAKYw/sv71y-piwegxcSwp60oBp2XnAlx7tYIXQCLcB/s320/03_alepotrypa.jpg" width="232" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://youtu.be/1fOu8VpSplA" target="_blank">See the Video</a></span></td></tr>
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This Assyrtiko is from the selected vineyard "Alepotrypa", located around the <a href="http://www.hatzimichalis.gr/default.aspx?lang=en-GB&page=87#" target="_blank">Domaine Hatzimichalis winery</a>, in the heart of Kalliaro Field, Atalantι Valley. The Greek, multipurpose variety Assyrtiko reveals an extremely complex and attractive character. The valley of Atalanti in Central Greece is surrounded by Mt. Knimida to the north, Mt. Chlomo to the south, Mt. Parnassus to the west and the northern Eubean Gulf to the east. The main natural trait of this ecosystem and its uniqueness is the cool breezes that flow from Mt Parnassus to the sea and vice-versa. It is in<br />
the selected vineyard "Alepotrypa" in the heart of Kalliaro Field in Atalanti Valley, where this Greek Assyrtiko found ideal soil to develop its distinctive personality.<br />
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So lets taste this Greek white wine and see what we think...<br />
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On the nose - Aromas of citrus and ripe yellow fruit frame a subtle minerality.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BP5C9K92dKs/WOAQhTnSiwI/AAAAAAAAKao/DlwTp44Bf2A/s640/blogger-image--1472387994.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BP5C9K92dKs/WOAQhTnSiwI/AAAAAAAAKao/DlwTp44Bf2A/s320/blogger-image--1472387994.jpg" width="240" /></a>On the palate - In the mouth that citrus promise is fulfilled and with lovely stone fruit flavors being noted it balances perfectly with the nice balanced acidity leading to a long fruity finish and revitalizing freshness. Technically speaking it makes you go 'mmmmmm'.<br />
This is an expressive Assyrtiko perfect to accompany summer dishes or the perfect wine to start those summer gatherings with. Great value and tasting wine, <a href="http://www.winewalkabout.net/p/official-kiwi-koala-rating-scales.html" target="_blank">**** and 7</a> on the official<a href="http://www.winewalkabout.net/p/official-kiwi-koala-rating-scales.html" target="_blank"><strong> Rating Scale</strong></a><strong>.</strong><br />
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Next up was the 2009<strong> </strong><a href="http://www.hatzimichalis.gr/default.aspx?lang=en-GB&page=87#" target="_blank"><em>DOMAINE HATZIMICHALIS</em></a> Cabernet Sauvignon. This was a bit of a surprise as we were expecting perhaps some other Greek wine. The Cab is a good value wine. From selected vineyards of the Hatzimichalis Estate private owned vineyard in Atalanti Valley, Central Greece.<em></em> So lets get to the tasting and see what we think...<br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fijNtBuLX5k/WOAQksAMV6I/AAAAAAAAKaw/pHUTKDPXBSs/s640/blogger-image--1625553323.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fijNtBuLX5k/WOAQksAMV6I/AAAAAAAAKaw/pHUTKDPXBSs/s200/blogger-image--1625553323.jpg" width="150" /></a>On the nose - between the four of us we collectively noticed aromas of dark fruits like blueberry, blackberry, plum and a hint of earth and tobacco.<br />
On the palate - This wine would like to be decanted if opened within the next few years as the tightness took some coaxing to get to open up, but once it relaxed exposing a fairly well-structured wine with those dark fruits and earthy flavors just like the nose promised. With its rich and complex flavors and persistent mouth-filling tannins holding on at the finish this is a wine that's wants to be paired with a meal of lamb, spare ribs or grilled steak. We paired the cab with a Greek style pizza and it worked nicely. They say it is best served at 61-64 °F. We agree! Again a great value at <a href="http://www.winewalkabout.net/p/official-kiwi-koala-rating-scales.html" target="_blank">**** and a 6</a> on the<strong><a href="http://www.winewalkabout.net/p/official-kiwi-koala-rating-scales.html" target="_blank"> Official Scale</a></strong>.<br />
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A couple of very nice, very affordable wines from <strong><a href="http://www.hatzimichalis.gr/default.aspx?lang=en-GB&page=87#" target="_blank">DOMAINE HATZIMICHALIS</a></strong>. We look forward to tasting some of their other releases in the future.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24.53px;"><strong>Happy Wine Adventures,<o:p></o:p></strong></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24.53px;">Cheers</span></b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24.53px;">,</span></div>
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Winewalkabouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13053022612973544973noreply@blogger.com0Kifisia 145 64, Greece38.0895887 23.7977478999999938.0396017 23.717066899999992 38.1395757 23.878428899999989tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8074185337831365685.post-18500055074598729282017-03-26T15:48:00.000-07:002017-03-26T15:48:04.906-07:00Paso Robles Rhone Rangers 2017<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We recently had the pleasure of again joining the 45+ members of the <a href="http://www.rhonerangers.org/about/pasorobles.php">Paso Robles Chapter</a> of the Rhone Rangers for a day in Paso Robles Wine Country with some of America’s leading producers of Rhone varietals. We always enjoy these events and trying not only old favorites but new producers as well. We were to explore what makes Paso Robles so ideal for these grape vines and wines. Due to a previous commitment we could not attend the days "Rhone Essentials" Seminar (went last year and were very impressed, do not miss) where this year the attendees got to taste a top example of each of the primary categories of Paso Robles Rhone wines and also heard from winemakers and principals who have chosen to be Rhone Rangers in Paso Robles, and who are helping to forge the area's reputation as California's "Rhone Zone".<br />
The seminar panel was moderated by <a href="http://wakawakawinereviews.com/about/">Elaine Brown, American Specialist for JancisRobinson.com, contributing writer with Wine & Spirits Magazine and columnist at Wine Business Monthly</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ijsSIl4FINc/WNHbx3cSl-I/AAAAAAAAKZw/j-TC7mz4XNA/s640/blogger-image-452154882.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ijsSIl4FINc/WNHbx3cSl-I/AAAAAAAAKZw/j-TC7mz4XNA/s320/blogger-image-452154882.jpg" width="240" /></a>The wineries and speakers representing the major categories were:<br />
Viognier: <a href="http://www.rancherocellars.com/" target="_blank">Ranchero Cellars</a> 2015 Viognier (Amy Butler, Proprietor)<br />
Roussanne: <a href="http://www.tablascreek.com/" target="_blank">Tablas Creek Vineyard</a> 2014 Roussanne (Jason Haas, Partner)<br />
White Rhone Blend: <a href="http://www.jlohr.com/" target="_blank">J. Lohr </a>2015 Gesture 'RVG' (Kristen Barnhisel, Winemaker)<br />
Dry Rose: <a href="http://www.shaleoakwinery.com/" target="_blank">Shale Oak</a> 2015 Grenache/Syrah Rose (Curtis Haskall, Winemaker)<br />
Grenache: <a href="http://www.ninerwine.com/" target="_blank">Niner Wine Estates</a> 2014 Grenache (Patrick Muran, Winemaker)<br />
Mourvedre: <a href="http://www.vinesonthemarycrest.com/index.php" target="_blank">Vines on the Marycrest</a> 2013 Mourvedre (Victor Abascal, Proprietor)<br />
Red Rhone Blend: <a href="http://www.breconestate.com/" target="_blank">Brecon Estate</a> 2014 '42' (Damian Grindley, Proprietor, Winemaker)<br />
Syrah: <a href="https://www.kukkulawine.com/" target="_blank">Kukkula</a> 2014 'Noir' (Kevin Jussila, Proprietor)<br />
Petite Sirah: <a href="http://www.toothandnailwinery.com/" target="_blank">Tooth & Nail</a> 2014 'The Stand' (Jeremy Leffert, Winemaker)<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SI_4H-ejzwA/WNHb3F5u6JI/AAAAAAAAKZ8/AZTaKev6zFc/s640/blogger-image-1682440197.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SI_4H-ejzwA/WNHb3F5u6JI/AAAAAAAAKZ8/AZTaKev6zFc/s320/blogger-image-1682440197.jpg" width="240" /></a>After this those that attended enjoyed the Vintners' lunch where each table was joined by a Rhone Rangers principal or winemaker for a gourmet banquet lunch prepared by <a href="http://www.chefjefferyscott.com/">Chef Jeffery Scott</a>. Throughout lunch, members' Rhone wines were passed freely around the tables, while attendees enjoy an extended opportunity to interact with the producers.<br />
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We arrived at <a href="http://www.brokenearthwinery.com/">Broken Earth Winery</a>, on Highway 46 just east of Paso Robles, to enjoy the Grand Tasting & Silent Auction and to taste nearly 150 wines from the complete membership of the Paso Robles Rhone Rangers, including top single Rhone varietals and the best in Rhone blends. During the Grand Tasting we placed a few bids on lots donated by Rhone Rangers member wineries and help support the Rhone Rangers scholarship fund (no winning this year)! </div>
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There was an added bonus this year as a few producers from the Santa Barbara Chapter were invited and added some wonderful wines. </div>
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Being the professional drinkers, tasters that we are, we developed a plan to get in a good cross section of wines, knowing that all 150 would be a tall order even for us. The plan was derailed a bit as we found a few producers that caught our attention. </div>
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For a full list of Paso Robles Rhone Rangers member wineries, <a href="http://www.rhonerangers.org/about/pasorobles.php">click here</a>. We tasted some lovely wines and won't bore you with the typical list of wines, producers and tasting notes but instead mention a few that got our attention as standouts in a high quality field.<br />
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From a producer standpoint the following list (in no particular order) were impressive across the line of wines they were pouring,<br />
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<a href="http://altacolinawine.com/" target="_blank">Alta Colina</a> - <a href="http://www.tablascreek.com/" target="_blank">Tablas Creek</a> - <a href="http://www.tercerowines.com/" target="_blank">Tercero </a>(Santa Barbara) - <a href="http://www.redsoleswinery.com/" target="_blank">Red Soles</a> - <a href="http://www.breconestate.com/" target="_blank">Brecon Estate</a> - <a href="http://www.mitchella.com/" target="_blank">Mitchella</a> - <a href="http://www.vinarobles.com/" target="_blank">Vina Robles</a></div>
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Vina Robles also poured our favorite wine of the day. Their 2014 Terra Bella Syrah. A well balanced wine that is a great example of what a great Syrah can be.</div>
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<a href="http://reservations.arestravel.com/attraction/single/4242/889">Tickets</a> for the seminar and lunch were $90, and seminar/lunch attendees receive free entry into the Grand Tasting. Tickets for the Grand Tasting were merely $35, an absolute steal!</div>
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If you love wine, and Rhone wines in particular, make sure to mark your caledar and dont miss next years event. We will see you there...</div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24.5333px;"><strong>Happy Wine Adventures,<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24.5333px;">Cheers</span></b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24.5333px;">,</span></div>
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Winewalkabouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13053022612973544973noreply@blogger.com15625 CA-46, Paso Robles, CA 93446, USA35.658952 -120.59518500000001-12.922609000000001 156.78762749999999 84.240512999999993 -37.977997500000015