Alcademics.com

Sommelier Smackdown in St. Helena

I don't often post about wine events but I do love pairing battles.

Sommelier Smackdown: The Rematch!

Wednesday, July 29, 2009 at The Martini House

Rob RENTERIA(Ravaging Rob)of Martini House vs. Chris BLANCHARD (Killer Chris) of Cuvee.

3 courses by Chef Todd HUMPRHRIES

RECEPTION 6:30  DINNER 7PM on the lawn. $65 / pp all inclusive of tax and tip

Guests will vote after each course, Sommelier selections and winner will be announced following.  Overall winner will be determined by highest number of total votes. 

Call for reservations and more information: 707.963.2233 ext. 1

Glossy Booze: Late June Edition

Glossy Booze is regular Alcademics feature; a round-up of spirits stories in magazines.

Details (June/July) has a story on punch and places to get it around the country, plus a small feature on Hauz Alpenz products. 

ReadyMade (June/July) has another story by Alex Day, this one on ice. Looks like some good advice on how to freeze and split a pan of ice.

Town and Country  (July) has a feature on new food and drink cookbooks for summer.

GQ (July) has three fizz recipes: the Ramos Gin Fizz, the Rum Fizz, and the Gin Fizz.

Mutineer (June/July) has a story on the movie Beer Wars, a feature on craft distillers of the Pacific Northwest, a big story on absinthe, a tour of Maker's Mark, and an interview with Max Riedel of Riedel glass.

Bon Appetit (July) has some recommended blanco tequilas, lists a recipe for the Strawberry Muddle (recipe: muddle strawberries. add prosecco),and a story on IPA beers. 

In Esquire (July), David Wondrich takes a break from writing about cocktails to tell us we don't drink enough champagne.

In Food and Wine (July), we have a recipe for Peach Sangria, a story on creating a wine list, a story on texture as a wine pairing guide, one on Argentinian wines, some recommended restaurants in which to drink wine, and the best beers for wine lovers.

Men's Journal (August) has a ton of booze coverage: recommendations for High West whiskey, Sam Adams Imperial White, and Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka, plus a story on four summer classic cocktails with a twist with recipes by Sean Muldoon of Belfast's Merchant Hotel, Chris Hannah or Arnaud's, Jamie Boudreau of Tini Bigs, and Jeffrey Mortenthaler of Clyde Common. There is also a recipe for an Heirloom Bloody Mary, and Jimmy Buffet recommends a drink that's just rum, coconut water, and a slice of lime.

My Airline has a Wine Club?

I wasn't expecting to get an email from Delta encouraging me to join their wine club, but there it is.

It turns out they're not running the club, just giving frequent flier miles to those who join it. I guess if newspapers are doing it, why not airlines?

It's odd, that's all.

Glossy Booze: Early March Edition

Glossy Booze is an occasional round-up of cocktails and spirits stories in magazines.

Imbibe Magazine (March/April) has features on smoked cocktails, "coffee happenings across the globe," moonshine, beer and food pairing, drinking in Philadelphia, and Riesling.

7X7 (February) has a story on pizza-pairing with wine.

Bon Appetit (March) is full o' booze this month, with a recipe for Toby Maloney's cocktail Maloney's Irish Cream, the difference between mixologist and bartender, songs for a cocktail party, recommended absinthes, a feature on vodka, and a recipe for the Orange Aperol Sun.

GQ (March) has a quick mention of Averna and Riedel stemless wineglasses. In the February issue there's a brief mention of winter white wines, Red Bull's soda, and a recommended $11 bottle of wine.

Esquire has a story on box wine.

Details' Rob Willey writes about investing in wine.

Playboy (March) has a mention of Snake & Jake's Christmas Club Lounge, a dive bar in New Orleans.

Sunset Magazine (March) has a story on five sake standouts and pairings with it, a weekend in Dry Creek Valley, and bargain wines to bring to parties.

SF Event: Wine vs. Wine vs. Not-Wine

 

In the latest of these creative pairing contests at San Francisco's Fifth Floor restaurant, the house Master Sommelier Emily Wines with compete to pair wine with each course of a five-course meal against two other sommeliers.

Emily Wines will pair Old World wines.
Consultant Master Sommelier Brian Cronin will pair New World wines.
Sommelier Paul Einbaum (formerly of Coi) will pair with Anything But wine.

Diners get to try all three pairings with all five courses, in a setting that is both educational and fun. This event is on February 18th. More info will eventually be posted here and the event is a bargain at $125.

Perhaps Emily Wines is competing against other sommeliers this time because after trouncing the competition at the first two pairing battles, she lost the third to Arne Johnson of the Marin Brewing Company, who paired each course with beer. Dethroned!!

Info on the previous pairing showdowns is here:

• - First Battle and results
• - Second Battle
• - Third Battle

Glossy Booze: Early February Edition

 Glossy Booze is a round-up of drinking stories in magazines.

ReadyMade February/March has a short story on how to throw a cocktail party.

GQ (January) lists some tasting notes on football player-branded wines.

In Details (Feb), Rob Willey has a story on some new versions of the Bloody Mary with an endorsement for the Bitter Truth celery bitters. He lists five places doing interesting things with their Bloodies- Sepia in Chicago, Florida Room in Portland OR, Prune in New York, Bobo in New York, and Absinthe in San Francisco.

Playboy (February) mentions the Cointreau molecular mixology kits that you can't buy, lists a few recipes for hot cocktails, and in The Playboy Advisor recommends a few brands of bottled Dirty Martini mixes. Say No to Brine!

Sunset (Feb) has a story on the new Fillmore jazz district in San Francisco, one on a trip to visit sparkling wineries in California, and a third on aphrodisiac wines.

Glossy Booze: Mid-January Edition

Glossy Booze is a round-up of stories appearing in magazines sent to my house.

In Playboy (January), Scott Beattie continues his media onslaught with a recipe for his Pelo de Perro (that's hair of the dog) from his book. There's also a nice two-page spread on champagne, including a few cocktails.

 Sunset has a story on how to pair wine with vegetables, which is a nice change from the meat/fish thing.

Men's Journal also has a Scott Beattie cocktail recipe, this time the the Huck Yu. Beattie's book may have been listed in every single magazine I subscribe to.

In the February issue of the same magazine, there's a blurb about rye whiskey and (ri)1 in particular, as well as three beers to pair with chili.

Best Life (February) has a big story on the Fountain Jet soda maker. I have one that I love, and now they come in festive colors!

In Bon Appetit, Andrew Knowlton lists a Hot Toddy recipe called The Laureate from Daniel Hyatt of The Alembic. Here is the recipe online. There is also a large feature on natural wines.

Oh, and another San Francisco drink recipe is here as well. I'm pretty sure the Catch-22 cocktail was not actually created by Elizabeth Faulkner who is credited indirectly the story (and directly online), but by bartender Jackie Patterson.

In Esquire (February) David Wondrich lists the best cheap booze in several categories- brandy, rum, blended scotch, gin, and bourbon. I'm sure it will be online in a week or two so I'll link to it then.

Gift Bagged

A liquor store in New York was fined $10,000 for selling wine gift bags. Apparently, you can't do that in the same place you sell wine. You may sell glasses and corkscrews or give away gift bags for free, but selling them is illegal. WTF?