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Olivia255

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Everything posted by Olivia255

  1. Aussie Sangiovese! Yum! Hugh Hamilton's "The Mongrel" 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cab, 5% Merlot from McLaren Vale. Used to import it, but now I just drink old samples. :-)
  2. I LOVED Mini bar...... It was a gift to myself & Mark when we realized we'd have to leave DC (my job, alas!) Regardless - I have no experience with food-writing/reviewing, but I will say that having an undergrad degree in Art and an MS in Art Education, this was a stunning, outstanding, artistic experience. Baroque (wow how can the colors and flavors really work without being tacky? - "Fois Gras Cotton Candy") Neo - Classicism (Classic, yet new - "Deconstructed Philly Steak & Cheese") Impressionism (pretty, comforting, soft, yet artful - "Olive Oil Bonbon") Surrealism (did I dream that? - "Sweet Pea Caviar" or did I really eat that? - "Sea Urchin with Pmegranate Air") Minimalism (how simple can we get and get away with it? - "Deconstructed Glass of White Wine") Dadaism (what the f$@*k was that? - "Beet Tumbleweed") Cubism (layers of perspective & angle - "Zucchini in Textures") Abstract Expressionism (drip painting - the art is the in the procedure - "Feta Linguini") Anyway, I had such a ball - I hope you all have a chance to go - what a treat!
  3. Even though I've moved away and might not be "in the know", last time I visited Sonoma (which was probably October) I was quite happy. I love little tastes of wine as much as I love tapas!
  4. Rob Gibson's Barossavale 1999 Shiraz - it is B-Eau-Ti-Ful...... Wowie!
  5. Cheers to the critter wine drinkers! May they drink the shitty wine, keep buying more, and leave us the good stuff! :-)
  6. Well, I think part of the problem is how much of a glut of juice is out there. Winemakers/winery owners/corporations are trying not to lose money, and there are so many mediocre vineyards. The truth is, seasoned & knowledgable wine drinkers are not where the market growth is - or the "new" conusmers. The market growth is with young beer & "cosmo" drinkers who socialize and the drink is hip, yet arbitrary. So, the equation is simple: Appeal to the beer and martini market and make wine easy to understand, "cute" to say outloud when ordering it, and hip with great, colorful gimicky labels that look great on the advertising pages of pop-culture magazines. The beauty is, hopefully we will continue to cultivate a new group of younger wine drinkers. The sad thing is, these people are drinking sub-par juice and learning about wine based on these bottles. It will be interesting to see how this plays itself out, but I've read statistics that say that beer and liquor are losing ground and wine is growing as far as consumption volume-wise (Marriott Hotels did a study and published it in Sante' magazine last fall). I can say that Yellow Tail has done wonders for the Australian wine business - while it is a monster, I'm grateful for the doors it has opened for my own business.
  7. Ahhhh in the comfort of my own home - after travelling through Tennessee this past week, and a downright scarring experience outside of Knoxville (see my post about the hot tub - I don't dare think of the germs!) AND a hell of a flight from Atlanta tonight, I opened a bottle of Elderton Shiraz 2002 - actually quite delicious - and I am certain I will sleep well! I will have sugar plums, black cherries, raspberries, tobacco, eucalypt and spice dancing through my head!
  8. I am hoping for a little pity here - After travelling to the food and wine Mecca of Knoxville Tennesse, and struggling to find a room to sleep, I am in the "Honeymoon Suite" (did I mention ALONE?) at the Comfort Suites here by the airport. $100/night and worth every slimy penny since I have a delightful "SearsPaintSale-Red" colored HEART SHAPED (translate: spare no expense on ambiance) jaccuzzi in the middle of my room. I shudder to think of the blissful-romantic nights out here on rte 129N outside of the airport in the "Honeymoon Suite" of Comfort Suites.... So with that, I set the mood: I had my Subway turkey sandwich that hit the mark for mediocrity (I hate that weird shredded lettuce thing!) And now, I sink blissfully into a glass of Marquis Philips 2004 Shiraz in one of those lovely styrofoam cups. Anyone care to join me?
  9. 2004 Gilbert PICQ & ses Fils Chablis Yum! After being in the Aussie wine biz for a while, I love me some white Burgundy!
  10. Coffee right now, but has anyone else here ever tried a Bloody Mary with Aquvavit (Danish spirit made with Caraway)?????? Delicious! I highly recommend.......
  11. I like Tempo a lot - the owners are very genuine and nice - the place is ok on ambience, but the food is clean, well done, and whille maybe not innovative, definitely yummy. I haven't been there in over a year though - maybe things have changed?
  12. I think it is a pathetic excuse for a wine column....... How lazy to pull random people in to "score" wine and offer "professional" comments. Can't DC do better? I've moved to Charleston, SC and we have a pretty decent wine column each Wednesday - Doesn't that seem weird? Come on Ben, show us what you've got!
  13. Unfortunately, Parker does a great service in promoting wines to people who want to be led by both wrists, both ankles, and maybe even by their [insert body part here] rings. On the other hand, unfortunately, Parker does a great job promoting dependence on his promotions. Yes, I typed that correctly....... I think I just summed it up, but being the enthusiastic lush who believes in letting people find their way when it comes to wine, I will continue on my tirade...... in hopes that a newbie to wine will hear my rant! I'd be stupid to say Robert Parker hasn't influenced my job in positive ways. The bone I have to pick is not with Robert Parker, but it is with his followers/readers/disciples/lemmings. When did we get to this point where we no longer think for ourselves and allow some faceless dude in BFE Maryland decide what we drink? I like to share this with everyone I can..... if you shop at Cleveland Park Wine & Spirits and you ask Tony for this wine or that wine, and you mention that it got 89 points, 92 points, 105 points, 267 thumbs up and a smiley face and two gold stars, he will say, "Well, what did the REVIEW say?" and the truth is, people look at those gold stars and don't read the description. They can't answer the question. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? If The Incredible Hulk himself reviewed a movie on Aqua Man and gave it 100 points and 3 18karat gold stars, I still wouldn't go see the movie. Know why? I don't like comic books. If my fellow wine drinkers wanted to do themselves a favor, they would taste everything they can get their hands on, READ THE ENTIRE REVIEWS & TASTING NOTES if they want to follow ratings, and learn what they can about their likes and dislikes. We in the business of pushing/enjoying/promoting wines will do everyone a favor by encouraging people to think for themselves, find what they like/dislike, and finally, to feel good about their own decisions. To those of you already doing this - I give you 592 thumbs up, 9 gold stars, and a free toaster!
  14. Providence Bistro in Ballentyne (sp?) area - a newer area outside of downtown Charlotte, but delicious none-the-less. Also, check out Brixx Pizza (great wine list!) downtown. Arpa is good too - for tapas a la Jaleo. The menu is almost identical to Jaleo, in fact - but a hot restaurant with great wines too!
  15. Since I've moved away now, can we wait until I come back to visit????????? I was hoping meeting numer 2 would be before I left..... Alas!
  16. I love this place! I was there (accidentally) on opening night - and despite being a first-night, the service and food was spot-on. Great antipasto platter, delicious hummus, outstanding portobello mushroom/goat cheese sandwich - and the wines weren't too bad either. I wish I were still in DC so I could catch some of the entertainment there! I did buy a few books though - I guess that means I got my entertainment "to-go" tee hee..... This place should be well-supported, as it is a great new place for an up-and-coming neighborhood!
  17. I have always loved this place! The dumplings are great - I always get the spicy seafood salad for an entree. The decor is cool, the service is good, and the flavors are typical thai, but certainly above average. I mostly like this place because I always felt like I was the only one who knew about it! :-)
  18. Not that my humble opinion counts or anything, but can I just say that in the personality, knowledge, and thoroughness departments, Joe Riley ROCKS! Ok, I guess I just said it. Joe, you rock!
  19. "Incidentally, the car is black when you're handed the insulation sleeve; it turns bright red from the heat of the coffee." NEATO!~
  20. The sauteed "hen of the woods" mushrooms as a side dish are KILLER. I could eat them as a meal all by themselves......
  21. On a cold rainy Saturday, with the hint of a hangover, coffee from Mocha Hut goes with most foods..... except maybe a pork chop in a dirty ashtray...... I forgot about the WiFi at Mocha Hut too, by the way - how awesome IS this place?!
  22. So I want to put a small plug here for a place on U Street Called Mocha Hut. My boyfriend and I walked down there Saturday for coffee, and ended up with a great suprise.... The lunch special was gumbo, and then shrimp and grits. Yummmmmmmmmm...... Ok, so gumbo, loaded with tender chicken and ham, veggies, and topped with an awesome square of corn bread loaded with fresh corn. The texture was soft, creamy, and absolutely scrumptious! Shrimp and grits came with 4 large butterflied pieces of shrimp atop what had to be the creamiest, cheesiest, most delicious grits I have ever had. I tell you what - the coffee is always awesome at Mocha Hut, but on the weekends if you want a really nice, hearty, delicous (and affordable) meal - go!
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