Archive for the 'Events' Category

These days, everything seems to be a little easier thanks in large part to the internet. What used to take days, weeks, even months of digging through dusty papers and fragile microfiche in the library is now at your fingertips via online archives and resource sites. The phone book I had delivered to my house last week?… a good fire starter considering I have a handy app on my smartphone that doesn’t leave my fingers black. And of course it’s almost too easy keeping up with friends and family through the use of email, blogs and social media sites like Twitter and Facebook.

But one of the best reasons to love social media these days is the opportunity to follow people and events all over the world without leaving the comfort of your living room.

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They converge upon the Colorado Convention Center with such number and force, one never knows what to expect. Hotels are flooded with everyone from beer-belly twenty-somethings to groups of women looking to broaden their knowledge and affluent couples traveling from abroad with the event as the only item on their itinerary. The city of Denver becomes filled with locals and tourists alike, all carrying little 3 ounce tasting glasses with the same ubiquitous logo as the countless banners that adorn the streets.  With 462 breweries pouring over 2,200 beers, there’s a reason this event is listed as one of the top 1,000 places in the US to visit before you die and is the Guinness World Record holder for the most beers tapped in one location as well as the largest selection of American beers gathered together on the globe.

The Great American Beer Festival: need I say more? 

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One of my favorite things to come out of the rise and proliferation of social media is the online or synchronized tasting. Whether it’s for wine, beer or spirits, online tastings have become one of the best ways to share the same bottle and informative experience with hundreds or even thousands of people simultaneously all over the world. Through the use of networking sites like Facebook and Twitter as well as personal blogs and organizational sites, people can share comments and opinions about a beverage and learn from participating representatives or producers all from the comfort of their home. Aside from being there one on one with the respective producer, what could be better than that?

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Each year around the Jewish holiday of Passover, we see pieces on kosher wine.  “Kosher Wine–it’s not just Manischewitz anymore!” The headline usually reads. Last year I wrote a similar post (Ahem, Kosher Wines Demand Your Attention!) We’ve given many 90+ scores to kosher wines, increasingly so in the past few years. It’s true that kosher wine quality is improving by leaps and bounds.
I attended the Kosher Restaurant & Wine Experience last week, which blew me away. No less than 1,000 people attended, compared to a few hundred last year, signifying the growth of the market.  My mission, besides sampling enough food to feed Israel (15 kosher restaurants brought entrée-sized portions to the event), was to do a little hunting for you. New kosher wine producers are springing up constantly while well-established wineries are experimenting with new grapes. I sought to dig through the familiar, and shine some light on the unknown.  Rather than California Cabernet, you’ll find Carignan from Israel. These are exciting kosher wines, your Bubbie’s never had.

The problem is, these can be  hard to find. Most wine shops carry a maximum of five kosher wines, often from the big producers. So I’ve provided links to find them online.

Whether kosher wine is relevant to you or not, these are worth seeking out:

Carmel 2006 Old Vines Carignan “Appellation Series”, Upper Galilee, Israel $28- Israel is becoming known for producing great Bordeaux varietals, but Carmel Winery is breaking the mold here with this cherry-laden Carignan from 40-year-old vines.  Keep an eye out for more Carignan from Israel. Though Spain is more often associated with Carignan, it may emerge as Israel’s signature grape. Find it

Covenant 2008 Chardonnay “Lavan” Russian River, Sonoma, $37-  Many of the kosher Chardonnays at the show  were clunky on the oak but this new bottling from Jeff Morgan and Leslie Rudd is elegant and refined. It is creamy and lush, completely unfined/unfiltered. Lavan is a pedigreed vineyard in RRV. Find It.

Yatir 2005 Forest Bordeaux Blend $99- This Cabernet-based blend is ripe and decadent in dark fruits. From a unique microclimate: a forest on the edge of a dessert.   Find It.

Domaine du Castel 2007 Blanc du Castel, $41- One of my favorite kosher wines is the Bordeeux blend, Domaine du Castel Grand Vin, and their 100% Chardonnay shows their dedication to quality, across the board. Find It

Chateau La Fleur Jonquet 2005- This was my favorite Bordeaux of the tasting. It has nice structure and supple black fruits. A kosher ’05 Bordeaux might come at a hefty price point though. Find It

One of the hottest (and my most favorite) trends in the restaurant industry right now is the pairing dinner. You know, those dinners that you pay a little extra up front with the prix-fixe so you can enjoy perfectly matched beverages (usually wine) with the various courses of the meal. Now this in itself might not be a new occurrence, but what has been recently updated to make this craze popular again is the format that these dinners are now taking on… battle.

That’s right… they are now a fight to the death for the two worlds of alcoholic beverage choices (sorry, spirits): beer and wine.

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They come in several variations, but the overall appearance is generally similar: old white guys in monkey suits, festooned with medallions, oversized neck chains or tastevins. Usually, you’ll hear the loud belly laughs of the alpha males first, then notice the delicate clinks of fine stemware and the slurping sounds of wine being tasted. At some occasions there’ll be a spouse or two wearing the long dark gown that’s the distaff counterpart’s uniform, but not too many. It’s obviously a boys’ club, after all. Catching a glimpse as you enter the restaurant, you might wonder “What’s going on in the private dining room?”

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“Dear Colleague, your wine is wild and savage but brilliant…”
-Philippe de Rothschild to Mario Incisa della Rocchetta about his wine, Sassicaia

This past Wednesday, I had the pleasure of dining with Tenuta San Guido Technical Director and winemaker Dr. Sebastiano Rosa along with his wife Elena and several other industry professionals and journalists. For those in the business of wine, no matter what area of it, dining with one of the most respected oenologists working in Italy today is like a Rolling Stone writer hanging out with Jimmy Page or Mick Jagger. To be drinking one of the most iconic Tuscan wines of all time with the winemaker, geeking out about the different vintages and nuances found within each bottling, is just the ultimate thrill for any truly passionate wino.

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While summer technically goes until September 22nd, I really consider the end of the season to be Labor Day weekend. We have a big party every year to celebrate the end of the summer (check it out here) and honestly, after that, nothing feels the same to me. All of the sudden I notice the wind feels a bit brisker, leaves start to take on a touch of red amidst the sea of green and I no longer need to have the AC on to feel comfortable. I love the fall and all of the changes that it brings, but most of all I love the fabulous beer fests that pepper the season with good drink, great places and awesome people.

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I recently had the immense pleasure of attending the first official Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival, held from July 30th to August 2nd in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The event, which originally debuted in 2007 as Toast to the Coast, was revamped and relaunched this year by partnering with TD Bank and Susan G. Komen for the Cure. With more events, tastings and celebrity chef meet and greets, it was easy to follow the event’s slogan to “Uncork your Passion”.

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