The Virtual Cellar

Here in flyover country, under clear skies on a glorious late Summer evening, we walked downtown to listen to jazz and blues acts and ate bowls of chicken gumbo made by our favorite local BBQ outfit and washed it down with a locally brewed IPA that was appropriately hoppy. Good luck to all of you in Irene's path tonight!

Mark Lipton
 
Tonight, tried a new Italian restaurant and opened a '98 Giacosa Santa Stefano Riserva.

Back in the days when Giacosa was good. :)

The aromas are wide open -- absolutely stunning, pronounced, classic aromas, but the palate needs some time - a bit astringent and tannic upon opening...getting better by the hour...get acidity on the palate.

-mark
 
Feeling sorry for the hurricane bearing down on so many tough friends, this was no time to dilly dally, so I opened my last half bottle of 04 Morot Bressandes. Juicy forest floor infusion, with crystal clarity, if not complexity, and sharp acidity. Lovely, if somewhat lacking in gravitas. No meanies.

Overnight I dreamed that this was a guitar board. Next to each of our names there was a thumbnail showing each strumming their favourite geetar.
 
"The steams have been crossed?"

The Pergault was in truth young, but the fruit shone through, it was nicely proportioned, and tasted delicious with grass-fed steak.
 
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
originally posted by Peter Creasey:
originally posted by Bill Lundstrom: with a pork shoulder i smoked overnight...
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Bill, So, did the Big Green Egg serve your purposes well?

. . . . . . Pete
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Can you smoke overnight in an egg? How do you set the vents?
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pete- yes, the egg rocks. i love it so far.

ian- heres how i did it.

place large lump charcoal on bottom of fire box. then medium size, then smaller pieces. fill to top of fire box or up to fire ring if the shoulder is large.

mix in some wood chips in a spiral formation.

light only the middle of pile of charcoal. when the egg hits 250 f close bottom vent to about 1/4 inch open, then close the top vent to just barely open. temp should hold overnight and longer if need be. resist the urge to open lid.

i put a 7lb butt on at 10pm. temp held at 250 all night and it was done at around 11 am.
 
1990 Grade Dame was beautiful
1999 Fourrier Gruenchers was OK, very good even, but suffered a little in comparison to the preceding and did not pair well with Downton Abbey
 
We bottled wine on August 10th and it is now our duty to taste.
So . . .
. . . with Sophia goat cheese and crackers, 2010 Cowan Cellars, Isa (skin-fermented sauvignon blanc):
smells of tangerines and chalk with spice notes; is pretty angular in the mouth with strong acidity but also considerable concentration; not yet complex but I think it is tending in that direction; good grip and length. Excellent with the cheese; and,
. . . with Niçoise salad, 2010 Cowan Cellars, Pinot Noir, Bennett Valley:
reminds me of a young Pommard on the nose but is still aromatically reticent; not so in the mouth with lively cherry and black cherry flavors and some spice, not especially concentrated but fairly intense, mouth-watering, juicy and medium length. Charming but my assessment is that a little time in bottle will flesh it out. Very nice with the salad.
Some duty is better than others.
BTW, having lived through more than a few hurricanes in FL, I do hope that this one stays at category one and moves quickly. The ones that move through fast are a blessing but can make you complacent for the cat. 4 and 5's that don't.
Best, Jim
 
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons: Can you smoke overnight in an egg?
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Ian, Almost anything can be cooked in an egg e.g. pizzas, quesadillas, burgers, roasts, whole birds, butts, ribs, etc., etc.

Pizzas are especially good.

. . . . . Pete
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
This reminds me... has anyone had a really beautiful Fourrier wine lately?
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yes - in july - 08 cherbaudes and 08 clos st jacques - both stunning and delicious and the stars in an excellent lineup of 08 gevrey premier crus.
 
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