Think sunny warm summer afternoon with friends. This SB opens with a creamy nose of pineapple and minerality with notes of Meyer lemon. Creamy on the palate with crisp acidity. Lovely flavors of ripe pineapple, Meyer lemon and granny smith apple on the very long finish. Enjoy on its own or with lighter fare. Buy This Wine
“I am going to make it (wine seminars) worth their while. I have a short attention span. I don’t want to be bored. I am going to do whatever I can to make them walk away and say, that over-delivered.” Mark Oldman
During the Austin Food and Wine Festival we had the chance to meet wine style guru Mark Oldman, two time winner of Georges Duboeuf Best Wine Book of the Year Award for: Oldman’s Guide to Outsmarting Wine: 108 Ingenious Shortcuts to Navigate the World of Wine with Confidence and Style and Oldman’s Brave New World of Wine: Pleasure, Value, and Adventure Beyond Wine’s Usual Suspects.
Oldman has a distinct style described by Bon Appètit magazine as “winespeak without the geek” and by Publishers Weekly as “the ideal mix of wine connoisseur, showman, and everyday dude.”
I didn’t know what to expect from Oldman, of Drink Bravely fame. He was very fun, engaging and frankly a blast to chat with. While in Austin he professed his love for the Lone Star State repeatedly, interesting for a Jersey guy. He even pulled out his Longhorn money clip in testament.
One of the funniest moments however, was during his last seminar when he pulled out a 3X5 foot blowup of his outstanding arrest warrant from the 2012 AFW festival and his newly minted “Free Oldman” t-shirt. It seems Mark was caught by the tireless (obviously with too much time on their hands) Austin police for ….drumroll… Jaywalking, which in Austin is, believe it or not, a criminal offense. The crowd rolled out of their chairs laughing. Continue reading »
Consistently an excellent wine, the 2011 vintage is something special. A subtle bouquet of of red apple with notes of ripe pineapple, stone fruit and baking spice. An elegant balance of a creamy mouth-feel and zippy acidity offering flavors of red apple, pear, ripe pineapple and distinct minerality with just enough oak to round off the edges but not overpower. Buy This Wine
Made from predominately Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Musque clone. All lees aged with 62% in French oak. Don’t be tempted to over-chill; this beauty shows best as the temp. rises to pleasantly cool. A temptingly crisp nose of pineapple, citrus, white peach and intriguing aromatics. A round mouth-feel with juicy acidity offering flavors of ripe pineapple, citrus, minerality and hints of green apple. Lovely subtle notes of key lime and honeysuckle on the finish. Buy This Wine
Ray Isle
“I still get excited when I find a $17 wine that blows me away.That is a continuous hunt for me at the magazine.” Ray Isle
During the 2013 Austin Food and Wine Festival, I had the chance to sit down and chat with Food & Wine Magazine Executive Wine Editor, Ray Isle. A self-described “Texan living in New York,” Ray was one of the festival’s preeminent wine presenters, offering three seminars. His gentile Texan style eschewed any sense of wine snobbery as he shared his knowledge and passion for wine. Continue reading »
