Kenwood Russian River Pinot Noir 2006

After having a huge number of pinot noirs the other night, I’m guessing this is a 667/777 clone.  Floral, spicy, with raspberry notes.  There’s a slight blue blush to the color.  Medium bodied.  Not a huge, big, brawny pinot noir, but what do you expect at this price point (around $15)?  Much better than [...]

Masi Amarone Campoforin 2003

Listen to an interview on Grape Radio here.  Corvina, Molinara, and Rondinella grapes.  Partially dried in a method called “apassimento” where the grapes picked slightly under ripe and then dried in lofts for 3 months.  This reduces the water content of the grapes by about a quarter and some of the grapes will develop [...]

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More than just winning on the field. Winning in life as well.

Punahou does more than just win
For me, that was reinforced by something I witnessed an hour before Saturday’s track and field finals got started.
Lucas Lam [of Punahou], on crutches, and Garrett Prinslow of Kealakehe approached the officials’ tent together. What could this be about? Weren’t both of them out of the meet, Lam getting hurt [...]

What I’ve been listening to…

John Adams, by David McCullough.  Epic in proportions, this audiobook is a wonderfully entertaining, enlightening, and beautifully read by Nelson Runger.  I learned more about the American Revolution that I thought I would and gained an appreciation for the language and events of the age.  I can’t help but wonder what Adams would think about [...]

A legend

Robert Mondavi, Napa Wine Champion, Dies at 94

Adriano Ramos Pinto 2005

Viozinho (60%), Rabigato (30%); and Arinto (10%).  Hey - three new grape varieties!
Our first impression: Riesling with a bit of Sauvignon Blanc.  It had a bit of the citrus and (I hate to say it this way, but it is the way my mind works) JuicyFruit gum on the nose.  No oak or very [...]

Remember the Y2K problem?

Old gas pumps can’t handle ever-rising prices
Mom-and-pop service stations are running into a problem as gasoline marches toward $4 a gallon: Thousands of old-fashioned pumps can’t register more than $3.99 on their spinning mechanical dials.
The pumps, throwbacks to a bygone era on the American road, are difficult and expensive to upgrade, and replacing them is [...]

Ender Wiggin vs. Harry Potter

Ender vs. Potter.  As a fan of both story lines, I could not help laughing at this one:
Can you believe that J.K. Rowling is suing a small publisher because she claims their 10,000-copy edition of The Harry Potter Lexicon, a book about Rowling’s hugely successful novel series, is just a “rearrangement” of her own material.Rowling [...]

I guess they are watching Top Chef Chicago

Ban Lifted, Foie Gras Is Back on the Menu in Chicago