Gluttons Club

A couple of months ago, a study came out that revealed how cheese and wine interact with the human palate. The basic finding is that the properties of cheese diminish the palates ability to taste wine flavors. This was seized upon by some as a refutation of the classic wine and cheese pairing. Some predicted that genteel cocktail parties would never be the same but the over-reaction was as significant as the ho-humness of the finding itself.

Sure, cheese dimishes wine flavor, so does nearly anything else you put in your mouth or near your nose. Professional wine tasters will schedule their meals and even their morning toothbrushing routine in order to cleanse the palate for an important tasting. What the study did was scientifically explain how the two interact and to what extent they affect one another. Never did it say that the two didn't go well together, just that cheese will prevent you from capturing the full range of flavors that wine has to offer.

So feel free to drink some wine and eat some cheese, there are many natural pairings that can occur. Personally, I love to nibble on the parmesan or pecorino used for grating after the pasta is done but some wine remains. Unless you're sipping the wine of a lifetime, there's very little need for concern. Nibble as you sip to your heart's content.

Hey all,
I became an Uncle the other night when my sister gave birth to a baby boy. All are doing well and the family is excited to have a new member. What had been anticipation of the birth and arrival of the baby has now transitioned to a period I call "cooing and whatnot." A time when we all gather round making funny faces and noises at the child until he responds.

Samuel George is the snappers name and at this point he is a little nub of a baby so it's hard to say what he looks like. He basically just eats, poops, cries and sleeps. I have to admit a bit of jealousy in that regard.

As Uncle, I've identified my key roles in Sammy G's life:
-be cooler than his parents,
-run him around at family parties so he gets grass stains on his nice clothes,
-when he's a teenager, get him drunk at weddings,
-and finally, as his food oriented uncle, make sure he's a snob about what he eats by age 12. This is especially important since his father is a vegetarian, I'll have to work hard to keep tofu off his plate.

I was grocery shopping the other day when I noticed a Rachel Ray magazine at checkout. I thought the Oprah magazine was the height of egotism but apparently even a food celebrity can go to that height of self-centeredness.

I really hate that woman.

I had the pleasure of tasting a number of Brunellos last week and then this article came out today in the NYT. I knew a little about the region and its wines but since they are generally out of my reach financially, I never found out much more.

The conflict between old and new styles, as laid out in this article, is one that I'm struggling with on a broader scale. As soon as I get comfortable saying I prefer the classic style European appelations, I find a modern style that I love and have to rethink the whole matter.

Anyone looking to better understand what makes Australian wines what they are should read this article. Oz is quickly becoming one of the most important wine producing nations as the quality of their wines are catching up to the quantity.

They make a veritable ocean of wine over there, a lot of it plonk but I can personally attest to the higher standards that many producers are applying to their wines. In the past many producers took in huge yields from the vineyards to go for quantity. Lately, they are doing more pruning and grape selection to produce smaller amounts of better wine.

And they do this without the snobbish pretense you often get in Europe and parts of Cali. David Powell of Torbreck, mentioned in the article, is a fine example. He makes terrific wines, (including a 99 point shiraz) but is the most down to earth guy you'll ever meet. If you ever see one of his wines on a shelf, buy it--they range from 15-110 dollars so you're bound to find something you like.

Hi,
I recently started a new blog that will focus on topics concerning the state of the nation, the world and civilization. I have considered such a forum for my thoughts, frustrations and rants for some time and have finally acted on it. At first, I was thinking I wouldn't publicize it but rather keep it open to whomever stumbled across it in the 'blogosphere' (which actually happened) but soon I realized that that would prevent me from fully developing my thoughts into coherent posts. Knowing that someone is actually aware and might bother reading it and responding forces me to take positions based on merit and quantifiable evidence to back them up. I hope to make that happen.

So, if you want to turn to more serious matters at the risk of becoming depressed, enraged or involved, click on the link titled "Sitting in the Aisle" in the links column to the left.

Corporate mofos vs. small business, proponents of globalism vs. localists, suave fellow with cell phone in the back of a benz vs. the famer with weathered face and tweed cap. The latest Michael Moore film? Nope, Mondo Vino, a film chronicling some of issues facing the wine industry today. For a wine dork like me, it was a very entertaining and informative glance at some of the major players in the industry and what drives them. For the casual wine type, it is still a well produced documentary with colorful characters and somewhat universal themes of market driven industry versus traditional practices.

The central theme is how can local, traditional methods and styles compete against the "modern" style of wine as produced by (increasingly) larger corporate wineries. The film is basically a series of interviews with winemakers, winery owners, industry people and others who were involved in specific events that highlight this meme. The interviewer converses with them in their offices, in their vineyards, on the road with them while travelling to clients, or at their grandiose visitor centers. A simple hand-held camera captures the exchange and point of view of a bystander. The conversations are casual and the questions simple as we are first introduced to the scenarios and subjects. The filmmakers skillfully set up the conflict from boths sides by showing segments of interviews in a well edited progression. As the matters become more complicated, the questions become more pointed. Each side is given a chance to explain their side as the conflicts become more involved. As the dirty details are revealed, the answers to the questions become more guarded and at times, contradictory.

I suspect that the producers intentionally protrayed some elements of duplicity and common jackassery to liven up the film but it works well in portraying the nature of the theme. Unfortunately, the DVD I had crapped out on me 15 minutes before the film ended so I don't know what sort of resolution there is, if any. What I did see was a fairly even portrayal. The small producers are seen in a more sympathetic light but the unstoppable forces of the market which drive the other team are respected for their acumen and the inevitability of progress.

I laughed, I yelled at the screen, I sipped some wine...not a bad night in front of the tube given some of the other options out there. Anyone with a serious interest in wine, particularly French wine, should give it a viewing. You can at least relish the footage of centuries old cellars full of barrels, scenic vineyard vistas and the charm of the old farmers.