Done - time to celebrate!

DFTD. Done for the day. That was my Grade 12 Economics teacher's thing. Whenever we'd finish the day's work, he'd hammer out 'DFTD' on the blackboard, put his feet up on the desk. And that's how I feel today. Because today's been a fantastic day, for many reasons.

Time to celebrate! Champagne tonight, tomorrow, and Saturday. I want to be immersed in bubbles for the next 4 days. I want to drink Champagne (and only Champagne) from the moment I wake, to the moment I stumble back into bed. Hopefully not alone, but that's another story.

Mercedes event tonight. Will there by any giveaways? 3 DFTD's out of 5 say yes.

DF

Feverish

I've been diligently practicing my piano. I'm not getting embarrassed in front of people. In front of her. Still putting together my repertoire, but I think I know what to go for. Elegance, emotion, and honesty will always trump flashy theatrics. Yes, I'm talking about you. You, with the fake body expressions, as if swaying melodramatically to every phrase suggests a familiarity and understanding of the music.

The teachers who teach this kind of behaviour should be ashamed. Yeah you little prick, you should be ashamed. It's cheating the audience, and a complete disrespect to the maestros who gave us these masterpieces. This charade of musical expression is just a cheap veneer to fool the uncultured - true musicality is an intensely private and personal virtue.

I play Beethoven, and it makes me feel some way, much like a glass of mature Rheingau. I play Chopin and emotions rise and fall, much like a red Burgundy. What I'm saying is that music, as in all things, is meant to help you develop yourself first. It's not meant to spread your ego, to have people marvel over the way you pound the keys or sway to the melody. That is a disrespect.

But what the hell - I'm not a performer. I wouldn't even dare so much as to consider myself a pianist. What I am is a sensualist, and an ardent old guard of true musical expression.

The photo, courtesy of RokChoi. His blog, here. Indeed, those are my fingers. Clementi, I believe.

DF

In line

I renewed my license plate today. There was the usual slow, indifferent service - why include 9 stations when only 4 of them are occupied? No, I don't have sympathy for these workers who held the city of Toronto ransom for 39 days in the summer, so that they can get guaranteed contracts despite the tanking Ontario economy. Have a bit more pep in your step, smile a bit, and move everything along!

Exciting weekend coming up. Yet another gluttonous show of seasonal foods and fabulous wines. Beginning Thursday, an epic 3-day marathon of mirth and bubbles begins.

Did I mention I was invited to another private car event? DF tearing it up!

DF

2000 Douro

2000 Ferreira LBV Porto, DOC Douro

I may be a bit premature, writing about this bottle. Only had a few glasses for dinner - the rest in the fridge. But, 'twas a great wine, and worth noting for later if it shows differently after a few days open.

These wines are always impressive in concentration. Inky, glass-staining purple. Big nose, lots of fruit, but needs some air - we'll see if it gains more complexity. The texture in the mouth is wonderful - lots of grippy, fleshy tannins, rich fruit. Wraps around the palate beautifully. Tight without being alarming.

DF

---

Blogger's note: November 6. 2009

I've finished the bottle, and am very impressed. The tannins and structure make the wine - texture is just unbelievably decadent, rich, silky, and delicious. Wonderful! Ripe fruit, rich, but perfectly balanced. Wow.

2008 Yarra Valley

2008 Yarra Ridge Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley

I've come to stop expecting greatness from Australian pinot noir. And yet I still shoot myself in the foot and pay $20+ for a bottle. The previous bottle I tasted was more of a disappointment, but this one - no, I still overpaid.

Deep cranberry red, with a more restrained nose. Red fruits, spice, brambles - more of a pinot noir character. But really spicy. Oak at play. Wood in an Australian wine - what a surprise. Shocking spice on the finish. Clipped length. Builds a bit of weight on the second day, but uninspired, with inadequate varietal character and sparse regional flair.

The alcohol is a bit lower, but still quite prominent. And that's disappointing in a pinot noir. Sigh. Come on guys, you can do better. I know it's possible for a proper wine to come out of Australia. Yarra Valley is an appellation in Victoria - I've tasted good pinot noir from Victoria. Still waiting for that second, great bottle.

DF

Beef!

I read Mike Steinberger's column regularly, in Slate Magazine. I was surprised by a recent article of his - its viciousness and bite was unexpected: What Jonathan Nossiter's Liquid Memory Gets Wrong About Wine. But maybe I shouldn't be surprised - he's always despised Mr. Nossiter (read this, on Mondovino).

Jonathan Nossiter is of course, the director of Mondovino, a wine documentary which presents the argument about the dangers of homogenized, internationally-styled wines - wines without soul or personality. It's an interesting set of arguments, whether you believe in them or not. Wine writers and press too often take the easy, commercially viable route of publishing mindless tasting notes and scores, amidst the rest of the fluffy junk masquerading as journalism. Really, do we want to read yet more pieces about fabulous and rare wines that we have no chance of ever experiencing? There seems to be two extremes - the writers who insist on writing about the aforementioned Bentley's of the wine world, or the writer with the McDonald's palate, who screeches about the virtues of Australian fruit bombs. That's why I treasure writers like Eric Asimov, Jancis Robinson, and Andrew Jefford - people who understand the true taste.

The argument that serious wine bloggers are the future to wine writing has been made before, but I think it's important to highlight the work of people like Mr. Nossiter as well. We need people to present these kinds of controversial, thought-provoking arguments, irrespective of whether we agree or not. Mr. Steinberger bristles at what he perceives as the snobbishness of this new book - perhaps, but maybe it's also an American reaction to a Euro-centric viewpoint.

In any case, I enjoy Mr. Nossiter's work. And I'm looking forward to reading his book, as well as the 10-hour Mondovino: The Series. Both have been ordered - my thoughts to follow. I'm going to dedicate an entire weekend to devour both. He presents forceful arguments that may not be entirely original or new, but creates discussion that is otherwise lacking in mainstream wine circles.

And if he's a snob along the way, I'm not complaining - just read my profile.

DF

Wine on the mind

I woke up this morning to the thought of Josh Jensen's Calera series pinot noirs. I have no clue why it was on my mind before I was even conscious. Strange.

I have a few bottles of Mr. Jensen's wines put away - a few single vineyard pinot noirs (Calera Ryan Vineyard, Calera Mills Vineyard, Calera Reed Vineyard). It's been written that these wines need some bottle age. In any case, they were rare and difficult to find, so I have high expectations. Should I? Am I just setting myself up for failure? But I seem to be particularly skilled at that, in wine and otherwise, so who knows.

We'll give it some time. Taste it with a Burgundian pinot noir, and a few Niagara pinot noirs. Who will come out on top? I think I have my pick, but yes, we'll give it a few years. Stay tuned!

DF

Bathtime

I took a long, hot bath last night. Just felt sore all over and needed the water. That's what you get for busting your ass at the gym all week. Working out angry.

I found these packets, from Shanghai's Garden Hotel. The crystals are supposed to help relax muscle fatigue and stress. They're also blue. I felt like I was bathing in Kool-Aid. Smelled nice though. But didn't help the muscles. I need epsom salts.

Just wanted to share that with y'all. You know, 'cause DF's bath routine is just so fascinating.

DF

Back for seconds

It's been a fantastic Friday and Saturday, gastronomically speaking. Lots and lots of seafood. And lots and lots of wine, bien sur.

We had a nice clam spaghetti on Friday - really going for the shellfish. The season has officially begun. Not feeling very satisfied, so I went out to get some live blue crabs. Geez, grocery shopping on a Friday at 7pm is stressful. Reckless drivers, packed lots - not ideal. But we ended up getting nearly a dozen crabs. Steamed, dipping sauce of rice vinegar, minced ginger. Absolutely delicious, so satisfying to just dig into fresh crab. Delicious, and utterly Shanghainese.

My friends came over after dinner with dessert. The mango dessert was nice. Almost a reduction of mango, it was a thick purée with great consistency. Different, and a nice surprise. Of course, we had a few wines together, a few Australian (!) pinot noirs and a white port. A first time for all us to experience this style of port.

Saturday's dinner was a big production, as usual - dinner at David's is always serious. Started off with fresh, live snails today, cooked in the Shanghainese style. Green onion, ginger slices, black bean paste. Sautée snails, lid on for 45 seconds, done. Absolutely delicious - this is a dish that has a special place in my heart. I remember eating this ever since I was a boy, carefully picking out the snails from their shells with a toothpick. So much flavour, just a great dish - great that is, if the snails are at their freshest. Continued on with a fish cooked two ways (pan-seared fillet, fish broth). Then, moved onto crab.

It was a long meal. But we weren't giving out candy, so there were no interruptions. Drank a lot of wine. At one point, I felt that I was done - buzzed out of my mind and feeling full as to explosion. But, I got my second wind and continued on drinking and eating, no problem. As I said - there's nobody like me, I'm just ferocious.

Like a long-distance runner...all I need is to catch a second wind, and all the wine and food will be no problem. Cheeers.

DF

2008 Tasmania

2008 Tamar Ridge Kayena Vineyard Pinot Noir, Tasmania

New discovery. Tasmania is an island off the south coast of Australia, and is reputed to be producing great cool-climate varietals. So let's start with the most challenging - pinot noir.

Yeah, this one's a nuke. Took my head off with the absolute ballistic fruit bouquet. They're going for a blockbuster, without regard to what true pinot noir is. Am I even drinking a pinot noir? Spicy oak, lots of alcohol, little complexity. Lots and lots of alcohol, burning the palate.

Disappointed. I paid $27 for this bottle. Overpaid, no?

DF

Key and hammer

I haven't delivered a proper piano performance in a few years. And I miss it. It gives you a motivation to practice your heart out.

I think I'm motivated again. Going to go for it next weekend. Maybe not as grand as the concert halls I used to sparkle and shine in. But it's still a stage, nevertheless. DF is motivated again!

DF

White Porto

Gilberts Extra Dry White Porto, DOC Douro

I've never drank a white port before. Great. In a 50 cL bottle.

Light colour, which is a bit of a surprise. I find the nose indescribable, for once. Sort of a smoky, rich, bacon fat, and candied citrus. Interesting. This is very luscious on the palate, with great roundness. Alcohol is a bit searing. Much sweeter than I expected.

An interesting wine that I'd like to revisit in the summer, maybe as a long drink.

DF

As a skunk

I won't front...I'm drunk as a skunk right now. But you needn't worry - I can drink like a whale. Endless tolerance. A true wino, I can hold my wine like no other before me, the real wine lovers, I'm from their cloth, there ain't nobody that can stop me, I'm just ferocious.

Which reminds me. I appreciate so much the folks who visit these pages - please, don't deprive yourself and miss anything. Things like my previous posts on Happy winos, Il faut chercher un peu, or Pleasure of the eye.

Masterpieces, all, so please indulge me. Good night.

DF

Forrest

I just watched the final scene of Forrest Gump. Forrest is at Jenny's gravestone, telling her about their son. And I lost it a little. Teared up like a soap opera star. Maybe because I've been drinking since 5:30. But I love this film. Just emotional.

DF

Tossing and turning

I had trouble falling asleep last night. Which is a rare occurence. I'm usually quite good at emptying my mind and drifting off. Hmm. Something's not right.

See, if I was still in res, all I'd have to do is roll out of bed, stumble to the kitchen, and pick up a bottle and corkscrew. A few glasses, a short chat with my roommate - sleep like a baby. Most likely right through the next day's morning classes, mind you, but that's another story.

DF

Pour less, not more!

Can I say something? Straight up and down, I'm disappointed that the majority of people I come across don't understand the appropriate amount of wine to pour in a glass. 1/3 full at most, my friends.

Wine needs air. As a volatile substance, oxygen helps break wine down, releasing its bouquet and aroma. If you fill a glass too high, there's no way to swirl, no way to aerate. Restaurants often make the mistake of overpouring. Really, it's a ploy to empty the bottle quickly, in hopes that you will be suckered into purchasing another wine. Many times, it's just ignorance on the part of the server.

Pour 2/5 full, swirl, enjoy. Not being cheap, just being tasteful.

DF

Pu'er

普洱茶

A friend gave us something really special, something that I've read a lot about but have yet to experience. Pu'er tea cakes. Called tea cakes because they are loose tea leaves pressed into the shape of round 'cakes', and aged. A completely different interpretation of tea - just extraordinary.

What makes this tea special? This is an ancient tea of Yunnan, made from a variety of tea called 毛茶. Once picked, it is pan-fried in a dry wok, to stop oxidation. It is then pressed into cakes and aged. What is unique is that Pu'er benefits from aging - in general, the more age on the tea cake, the more valuable. Which is a total departure from the green tea most people know, which is most valuable when it's fresh.

The example we were given is known as 七子餅茶. It is hand pressed, as evidenced by the dimple found in the centre of the underside. Aged a minimum of 7 years (although that is not what the seven in the name refers to). I think this was an expensive one - fortunately for us, this friend hasn't realized it yet.

You have to break it up, and clean out any impure bits. It becomes loose tea, which you then prepare in the 工夫 method. Earthen clay pot, strain, and serve. You don't let it steep for more than 20 seconds.

The tea was wonderful. Deep red, almost tawny in colour (to use a wine descriptor). Lovely aroma of brambles and an almost floral component. Becomes very sweet in the mouth, with a velvety texture. Wonderful. My friends, we'll have to have a glass together soon.

DF

Raptors win

Ahh, and here we go again. The Toronto Raptors kicked off their 15th season tonight. And it was a good one. All new lineup (9 new players out of 12) against the powerhouse Cleveland Cavaliers. Be honest - did anyone peg them to win? I didn't. I figured we'd be competitive for the first quarter and a half, Lebron would catch fire, we'd collapse, and that was that. I was so wrong.

New lineup looked great. But let's talk about Andrea Bargnani for a minute, Il Mago. He was spectacular from the very first possession. When he faced up on Varejao, I screamed for him to take that floppy haired queen. And he did. Straight to the rack, dunk, and it was over - Bargnani lit them up for 28. Drives, perimeter shots, dunks...Il Mago did it all and completely embarrassed Shaq. I love Turkoglu's game. It was fantastic to see him out there with Calderon and Jack. Three playmakers out there? Man, this season should be exciting.

Speaking of Jarrett Jack, I was very impressed. I love having both 2 point guards on the court at the start of the 4th. We have mobile big men, so speed isn't an issue. Exciting stuff. Marco Belinelli was also a pleasant surprise. Definitely an upgrade on Roko Ukic. More size, better stroke, stronger. It's a shame we didn't see Reggie Evans suit up. I'm very intrigued to see how he fits in. DeRozan did more in his first game than Joey Graham showed in his entire tenure with the team. And seeing Rasho back in a Raptors uni just felt right.

Promising. I don't want to say too much - I did predict 50 wins last season. But I can't remember the last time we had such depth. Lots of people are saying Colangelo overpaid for Bargnani - he's going to prove them wrong. I'm huge on Il Mago. This should be a fun season to watch.

Raptors win, Raptors win, Raptors win!

DF

Happy winos

The face of two happy winos. How do you tell if one is a wino or not? Well, if you're holding a wine glass in the right hand and a can of Heineken in the left, you may be a wino. But, if you plant yourself in front of a bottle of Pfalz riesling, raise a glass and proclaim, "Let us eat and get drunk!!", then there is no question...

You are a wino.

DF

On temperature of wine

Let's try something - bear with me. So we talked about colour in wine. A bit. But I'm just trying to present a thought, you see - nothing too specific, because wine is personal and the adventure is in discovering and learning on your own. It's what I try to do with every bottle I open - not just tasting the wine, but trying to further my understanding and experience.

Ok, so we move onto serving temperature of wine. It's odd that many people make the mistake of serving red wines too warm and white wines too cold. Where did that start? That you have to chill your white wines to the point of brain freeze, and you have to drink your red wines at room temperature. There are no absolutes in wine - as a matter of fact, there are no absolutes in anything. Serving temperature really depends on the characteristics of each wine, rather than the simple generalizations which are particularly appealing to the culturally bereft.

Young wines, I would always drink a bit cooler. For mature wines, swishing it for 15 minutes in an ice bucket will suffice. As a general rule, I try not to ice down any wine to the point of frosting up the glass. The cooler the temperature, the more nuance you lose. Too warm, and the wine becomes flabby. There's a sweet spot of a slight chill, to bring balance and harmony.

White wines. For a wine with sharper acidity (German riesling, Chablis, etc.), 15 minutes in the ice bucket will do. You want a slight chill - anything more and the first to disappear will be the all-important minerality. Richer white wines with more oak benefit from cooler temperatures, to focus the aromas and sharpen flavours. Sparklings wines, maybe a 30 minute ice bucket dip. Fine Champagnes, 20 minutes in ice, then let it warm up on the table.

Red wines. I ice them all. Young wines, about 20 minutes in ice. Mature reds, 15 minutes. Burgundy and New World pinot noir, I generally always like 15 minutes in ice. And overly alcoholic wines benefit from cool temperatures - less of a burn.

I know I haven't covered everything, but try it. Try icing down your wines in an ice bucket or fridge, especially young red wines. White wines, try drinking it at a warmer temperature than what you're used to. Whatever the case, don't go to extremes. Balance, mes amis. It's all about balance.

What I love to do is chill a bottle down, then leave it to warm up on the table. As you drink it over a dinner, and experience it at different temperatures, the wine shows you different aspects and nuances. Fascinating stuff. Just make sure you have a tight grip. Glass is slippery when wet.

DF

Il faut chercher un peu

I've always believed that great wines, like great women, like great music, like great art, should be difficult to understand. At times damn near impossible, even frustratingly so, but just one taste, and you're completely head over heels in (crazed) love.

Bandol is one of those wines. It's a French town located on the Mediterranean coast about halfway between Toulon and Cassis. It produces mainly red wines, although its rosé is also well known. White wine is made as well, in small quantities. What makes this appellation unique is its use of the mourvèdre grape as its predominant varietal. At least 50%, which is far greater than other Southern French wines, which use this varietal in small quantities as a blending grape.

Bandol is known to be austere and harsh in its youth. It's a wine that demands aging, as its tannins can be shockingly rigid. I made the mistake of opening a bottle of 2003 Le Galantin about 5 years too soon and the tannins were so formidable I couldn't keep my eyes open. These wines are rustic and of the country. Many wines contain a hint of brettanomyces, giving them an earthy, chicken-coop aroma. Not a flaw, but rather an exciting personality and character.

I love mourvèdre. Such a shame we don't see more Bandol here. But I have a few cases put away, to be opened on its 10th or 15th year. These wines have all the savage, rustic character I look for in a rich red wine, with lots of complexity. A fearsome wine. And a difficult wine to understand. You have to wrap your mind around the cultural significance of these wines, this Mediterranean mindset to fully appreciate it. And of course, serve it with the right food. Big flavours required. Lamb and rosemary, juicy rare steaks, game - heaven in the mouth.

I'm fairly certain my friends have never tasted one before. A shame. But we'll rectify that soon enough.

Difficult wines to understand. Like magnificent women, there's always more than one. We'll get into others soon enough. Pinot noir?

For a look at Chateau de Pibarnon, click. Courtesy of the Winedoctor. I have a few bottles of this wine put away somewhere. And a few others.

DF

Pleasure of the eye

Why do so many people neglect colour in wine? Is it because you don't care? Is it this reverse-snobbishness that wine is for drinking and talk about saturation, hue, bouquet is pompous nonsense?

Colour is important. Different aspects of wine offer different pleasures - wine is an experience which engages all your senses. Don't laugh. Wine teaches you how to be a sensual person. So we start with colour, the pleasure of the eyes. A wine's hue is not only beautiful to look at, it offers a lot of information about the wine you are about to taste as well. The infinite shades and intensities of a wine's colour gives you clues as to varietal, vintage, age, and even vinification.

Too much for me to fully understand and explain here, but let's take the example of German riesling, shown below. White wine darkens as it ages. More residual sugar tends to lend it a more amber hue as well. With age, the saturation of colour to the rim clearly thins out. And finely vinified wine is lustrous and clear, even after decades in bottle. These are some of the things that you can determine just by eyeing the wine.

So please, do yourself a favour. You paid good money for your wine - enjoy and experience it to its full potential.

DF

In the dark

Sunday was a big day for me. I moved about 5 cases of wine out to a friend's cellar. I really can't thank my friend enough for offering such a perfect space for my wines. Thank you, a million times over.

I don't collect wine. Collecting is offensive to me, especially with wine. It implies trophyism. Wine no longer becomes for drinking, but for display. And that is vulgar. No, I like to think that I assemble wines, to drink over the course of its maturity, and to always have the appropriate wine for whatever meal we're having.

When you're putting together a cellar, you can't help but be over-protective. Now you know why I insist on following LCBO releases so closely - it's to minimize the time that the wine sits upright, in a bright and warm environment, all hell for proper wine storage.

Recorded, boxed, sealed, delivered. All in 45 minutes. Things are getting a bit busy in there. Soon. Soon, I'll have a permanent place for my bottles. I can only hope that it's as perfect as this.

DF

Tempting, tempting...

I was using my friend's 15" Macbook Pro over the weekend and I was feeling it bad. Man, I really need a new laptop. Well, technically, I don't really need it. Do you really need to buy anything? But the heart wants what it wants, in electronics and otherwise.

Apple reduced prices on its Macbook Pro's, as there were no hardware upgrades. But I think I'll try to hold on to at least the next release - I want to see a bit more, even at higher prices. Minor quibble: I don't have $2000 to splash on a new computer. But I did blow pretty much that amount on 2008 Bordeaux, so........yeah, after Boxing Day sounds about right.

DF

And it starts again

Oh shit...here we go again!

Decanter.com: Winemakers keen to live up to hype

We're starting to see some news out of Bordeaux about the just harvested (and presumably fermented) 2009 vintage. People are calling the quality as similar to 2005. Another legendary vintage, the 4th so called vintage of the century in the last 9 years? Really? We'll see. What's interesting is that everyone understands the concern of over-extraction. With high potential alcohols already, especially in merlot, extraction might be crucial in determining quality of the wine.

We'll see. Damn, thinking about how much money I want to set aside for 2009 En Primeur already.

DF

A silver fox

Sir Paul Smith. Man, this cat's just on it. Tall, distinguished looking gentleman on the left, showing a beautiful elegance in a silk ascot. Think I can do hair like that? Or swagger?

DF

Boo!

Boo. Never been a fan of Hallowe'en. North American consumerism at its best. Also, just too damn lazy to keep getting up and handing out candy to obnoxious children. We carved pumpkins in the office yesterday. I'm most comfortable with a big knife in my hand. No need to point out which of the 4 was mine, right?

This 31st, I'll be having a glass or 5 of wine, while trying my best to ignore the ringing doorbell. Too shitfaced to come to the door - that's as good of an excuse as ever was.

DF

Convocation 2009

DF: unlined Paul Stuart wool jacket, Brooks Brothers OCBD shirt, Ralph Lauren silk tie, Wings & Horns jeans, Brown's leather boots. DF, all sexy, all shine.

My friend PYeung graduated this weekend. Convocation! She's the pretty little miss in the middle. Pris, I'm so proud of you. Graduating from the best Architecture program in Canada is no small accomplishment. Just a step in your way to success, but nevertheless, a cause for celebration. Congratulations to Lucy as well. Y'all finally got your colours.

Bit rude if I cropped out Hoolio's fugliness on the left? Come on dude - it's a convocation, not a UW Drama Club performance. You know what I noticed? They stopped shaking hands. When the students kneel before the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor, there's no more hand-shaking. Just some smiling, a few pleasantries, and they place your colours on you. Not like my convocation at all - Vice-Chancellor Johnston shook my hand warmly and we spoke for a relatively long time. Another reason why this H1N1 situation is getting out of hand.

DF

2007 Beamsville Bench

2007 Thirty Bench Riesling, VQA Beamsville Bench

I last tasted this wine in May: 2007 Beamsville Bench

It's the estate riesling, entry-level. Yet I love this wine. Presents the character of the site and vintage perfectly, and is really a confirmation of the potential of Beamsville and of the winemaking team.

This isn't even my bottle. I attended my friend PYeung's convocation and her family very kindly invited me to dinner. Glad I said yes. Very glad. The eel was a revelation. Rich, creamy, and perfectly seasoned. The Cantonese clearly understand how to eat. We headed home afterwards, to decompress a bit from the day. We needed to relax a bit - at least I did. This wine did it. Showing very developed minerality, with a softer acidity than what I remembered. Delicious fruit. Wonderful.

The Clementi and Bach helped. But as I said, I'm too much of a romantic for Bach. I bring my Chopin next time.

DF

Words to live by

Wow, I did finish an entire bottle last night. But who said it best.....if you can finish an entire bottle, then it could not have been bad.

I try to apply this attitude towards everything I do.

DF

2005 Rioja

2005 Beronia Reserva, DOCa Rioja

So you get to the question of a rainy Autumn day wine. I like drinking these Riojas when it's chilly outside. There's something about tempranillo that warms you up, but still remains elegant enough to marry beautifully with food.

These wines are tricky. But I've always enjoyed this producer. Discovered when I was in university, but I also found a few vintages of this in Tokyo. This wine has the fruit and vanilla character of classically made Rioja, with great vintage character. Sour red fruit in the mouth, elegant, but with substance.

A wine for a rainy day, inside or out.

DF

Glorious off the riesling

On this wine: 1995 Rheingau

Gloriously golden orange, with perfume and maturity. My final riesling for the next few (5-6) months.

DF

Wrinkle lines

So, from a woman who's opinion I value very much, and who's actually credible on these types of matters - my forehead wrinkles. Badly. I do it without even noticing. But yes, I wrinkle like a fucking pug.

Lindsey's telling me to relax my face a bit. But I can't help it, sweetheart. When you're a serious and intense person 100% of the time, things happen. What do you do but to be yourself, even if it is wrinkly.

I'm the oldest 23 year old y'all will ever meet. And if I look the part, all the better.

DF

Y'all take a listen

We will now do the national anthem, but you needn't rise.

This is my philosphy for life.

DF

1995 Rheingau

1995 Balthasar Ress Riesling Kabinett, Hallgartener Jungfer, Rheingau

So, everyone's out of the house, I can chill. Prepared to polish off this bottle - the last bottle of riesling I'll be drinking for the next few months. Celebrating what little Indian summer we're seeing, I suppose. Need to relax a bit and calm down - things need to keep moving along. Yes, I may have died a little inside, but that's no excuse.

Join me as I taste this wine. Decanted for about 2 hours. Oh what the hell am I talking about - you don't have this bottle so how can you follow along? No, for once, I'm going to be an absolutely selfish prick and enjoy something for myself. Because I'm a man of taste, and you're all just observing.

Stay tuned. Watching a movie is always better a bit buzzed. I give myself until 8:30 for the effect to take hold.

DF

--- 8:04 pm

Just finished the first glass. Gorgeous colour, gorgeous perfume. In and down, easy.

---9:00 pm

This is getting better and better for me. Is it for you?

---9:47 pm

Empty house means another opportunity for culinary development. Cooked a beautiful, and I do mean beautiful, wild mushroom fricassée with a ratatouille of zuchinni. Cooking time of 24 minutes, from when I washed my hands to when I sat down to eat. Ideally, I'd like to get my time down to around 15 minutes, but I'm reminded that I had nothing prepped. Absolutely delicious, pleasing to both eye and palate. Married beautifully with my minerally, high-strung wine.

---10:18 pm

Tonight's turning out not so bad, no? Who the fuck am I kidding, thing's are still awful. Still alone, yes? Yes. I'm a little tipsy. Not even standing up. Can you tell?

---10:35 pmm

This is getting better and better. I'm past the point of actually taking this seriously. Just drinking. Minimal sniffing, just going for it. Good times. Which reminds me - RokChoi, we need to just get drunk. Forget all this intellectual food and wine shit. Someitmes a man jus needs to get toasted, am I right, am I right??

---10:48 pm

Done. Getting into a shower. The bottle was good, mes amis. It was a fine wine. It's making me more profound, and definitely a better person. Yes. It's a Sunday night. Work week starting in less than 12 hours. Here we go again!

---Companion, here: Glorious off the riesling

Do anybody make real shit anymore?

Do me a favour, read: http://www.thestar.com/News/World/article/247573

Damn they don't make 'em like this anymore.

So Canadians are hopping mad that there is counterfeit icewine being produced. Let's be real - the argument that it's harming the industry is absolute bullshit. It's pure delusion when anyone talks of icewine as anything more than a simple, syrupy sweet drink. Nothing more, nothing less. It's not a great wine, and never will be. We have many delusional winemakers here.

If you can prove that you can make icewine into anything more than an alcoholic marmalade, a honey-infused vodka, then I'll be the first to shut up and buy a case. But it's not possible. So instead of bitching at others for trying to make a profit with an inferior product, why don't you focus on creating real wines, wines with an identity and purpose, instead of tropical fruits cellared with sugar. Simple.

Delusion and ignorance, the plagues of the wine world.

DF

Enamel danger?

Read this article please: http://www.thestar.com/living/food/article/713625--white-wine-worse-for-teeth-than-red-study-suggests

Really man? You wine fascists, it's bad enough that you're not educating the public about the benefits about drinking wine over cheap lager and hard liquor - now, you're actively using scare-tactics? Come on. You fascists. So you'd like people to drink only milk and water, stay at home, bed at 9? Fascism.

I've been drinking so much white wine this summer, I don't know what to do with myself. And I love it. I pity the fool who hasn't experienced the pleasures of an old riesling, or a tingly Cava.

DF

New toy

I love decanting. Love it even more now, now that I have a proper decanting funnel. Has a little mesh sieve on top, to filter out sediments; 5 little holes at the bottom, to evenly distribute the wine down the sides of the decanter; a stand to keep everything civilized.

I'm even decanting things I shouldn't be decanting.

DF

Wrapped up

I learned how to make my own dumpling wrappers. It's a Northern Chinese technique which is actually much more difficult than it seems. Why all the extra work? I suppose because the taste and texture is much superior to store-bought and because, well, I just adore the Northern Chinese. No, the Italians cheat with their round molds. This is how it's really done.

DF

Iron Chef Fang

Here's a thought for our next dinner - think we can do it Iron Chef style? It should totally work - we've got our filming, our Chairwoman Pris, Ocean can providing the running commentary and lame jokes, and our judge? We just need someone with an excellent palate, someone who can offer critique besides, 'It was good'. Awesome. Oh, of course...we have our Iron Chef. But that was a given, no?

All we need now is a multi-million dollar kitchen stadium, ultra-expensive, ultra-rare secret ingredients, and a challenger.

Allez cuisine!!!!!

Go to the 45 second mark to see the mountain of foie gras.

DF

Slashing

What the hell am I doing? I do think I'm getting particularly skilled at sabotaging myself. That's the only explanation, no? Inflicting damage on myself seems to be a recurring theme.

The Shanghainese have a colourful term for this brand of idiot. It translates roughly into 'pig-headed fool'. In reference to the imbecile who is continually, and willingly taken for a fool. I'm the pig-headed fool. But it's my fault - I'm sabotaging myself, yes? Yeah, not getting much sleep tonight.

Wine helps. So does talking with friends. Should have taken their advice, from the beginning. Is it too late, or is there still hope for this poor fool?

---

Blogger's note:

It's late night, I've had a rough day. I promise this will be the last moody, teen-angst-y post. Back to wine, full-time, tomorrow. Just had to get this out of my head. Strange shit happens when you're out on a limb - didn't help that my page view plummeted today. Back to wine, back to wine.....

DF

Blogger's note, 1:02 PM, October 25, 2009:

Up from bed, and still feel a bit shitty. But, time moves on. Working on my wine today, checking up on my temporary cellar - always healthy for the mood.

DOH - In conclusion

So, it's all over. After weeks of planning and developing, the moment went by in a flash.

I'm very proud of how I handled dinner. Everything executed to plan. This was a challenge I set for myself - I've never attempted anything like this. Seven covers, 10 courses. But it wasn't about me. It was about the fresh, seasonal produce of Ontario. The point of the dinner was to highlight the fantastic produce we can find locally, and just how delicious it can be.

There's really no need for theatrics in the kitchen. Let's be honest, yes? I'm not talented enough, and definitely not intelligent enough to create culinary fireworks. It's all due to the fresh vegetables, seafoods, and meats.

Of course, all the wonderful photos are courtesy of my buddy Rocky. If you haven't already, check out his blog as well as his Flickr page. As I mentioned to him, this dinner and these photos really demonstrated how far we've come in our respective hobbies. We still have a long way to go, but it's extraordinary to me just looking back a year at how much we've improved in our perception and our understanding of photography and gastronomy.

A little taste of the harvest. In search of truth and beauty, in food and wine. So, when is our next dinner? I'm hungry again.

DF

DOH - Le Fromage et Le Dessert

Everyone neglects the cheese course. Why? Cheese is a must for any proper, civilized dinner. So, a camembert and a brie. Wonderful texture to both, with the camembert being much creamier and richer. I think I prefer the brie though. We were a bit split between the two. But it's not a competition. Both were delicious.

Coffee next. I don't drink coffee regularly, but I just need a cup after big dinners. Preferably espresso, but you do the best with what you have. Black, with a single sugar cube. A mango shortcake to go along afterwards. Wow, that was a huge meal. We ate for nearly 7 hours. Seven hours.

DF

DOH - 1983 Rheingau

1983 Balthasar Ress Riesling Kabinett, Winkeler Jesuitgarten, Rheingau

The wine I opened in tandem with the 1982. Oh, I've waited for you for so long.

Such a different colour. Gold, yes, but with distinct fiery orange flecks in the light. Beautiful. Much more rustic on the nose - oily, musky, pungent. This is the kind of nose I love. True and unapologetic. A bit more sweetness, richness in the mouth. A powerhouse to the elegance and style of the 1982.

Delicious with the clam capellini and pan-seared striped bass. I love these wines. Who says kabinetts can't age?

DF

DOH - 2003 LBV Port

2003 Fonseca Unfiltered Late Bottled Vintage Porto, Bottled 2009, Oporto

LBV, of course, stands for Late Bottled Vintage, and refers to vintage port that is aged in cask for longer than the 2 years required for vintage port. Excellent. This example is unfiltered, which is always great. About 6 years in cask.

Decanted for 12 hours. Not much sediment, but I did leave it standing up overnight. Wow, dark colour. Very, very inky, and stains the glass in a beautifully opaque purple. Complex, rich nose of dark, juicy berries, brambles, savoury meat aromas, and dark chocolate. Wow. In the mouth is where the magic of port is more apparent. An extremely powerful, rich wine.

I never really understood what 'grippy' tannins referred to - now I know. The tannins grip and wrap around your palate like a good long hug from someone you quite like. Long finish, just absolutely delicious.

I wanted to marry this wine with the two cuts of beef. Simple steak au poivre works really well with a complex, powerful port. And it did - for me. The delicious tannins really help. The understated sweetness helps bring out the wonderful richness of the beef. Wow, my mouth is watering.

DF

DOH - Le Plat Principal Trois

I really wanted game for dinner. Rabbit, venison, something...but when all you see is roadkill rabbit at the butcher, you go back to what you know. Something fresh, something delicious. Red meat, arrrr!!!

Two cuts of beef, a rib bone and a NY striploin. Served with a cognac mushroom sauce. Oh, I love flamethrowing in the kitchen.

Season beef 10 minutes prior. Hot pan, olive oil, sear. Baste with butter. Because of my pathetically small pan, I had to sear both pieces separately, in separate pans. Yeah, two steaks going on simultaneously, on opposite sides of the stuff. Flipping, basting - I've never attempted this before. But I managed. Into the oven, cooked to a perfect medium-rare.

As the steaks roast, start off your mushrooms. Same pan, no need to add more oil. Toss in high heat, add white wine and cognac. Light it on fire, let it burn off and ladle in chicken stock. Simmered on high heat, and my timing was perfect. Water boiled off, reduced beautifully just as the beef was taken out of the oven. Rest the beef for 5 minutes, slice. Rib bone in the background, NY striploin in the foreground.

Cooked perfectly. I've never done steak like this before. Just perfect. Juicy, flavoursome, so tender. I really love NY striploin, but the rib bone was so tender, so succulent...wonderful! And the cognac mushrooms - wow. No need to say anymore.

DF

DOH - 2006 Madiran

2006 Brumont Torus, AC Madiran

Cold weather, fragrant meats, perfect for rich reds with a European sensibility. A Madiran is perfect. Decanted for 6 hours, then served alongside the lamb.

Deep colour, with impressive saturation to a dark purple rim. Herbal, greenish nose, which matches perfectly with the scent of rosemary. It's in the mouth that this wine disappoints. Hollow, with an uninspired finish. But, balanced, with great dark fruits and linear structure.

I'm excited to be drinking more of these wines in the months to follow. See, winter in Toronto isn't all that bad.

DF

DOH - Le Plat Principal Deux

Onto the meats! At this point, we had been eating about 4 hours, but clearly, still going strong. I'm not a big lamb man, but these lamb loins are wonderful.

I don't do sauces. So I wanted to flavour the oil that I was searing it in. Bay leaves, whole peppercorns, fresh rosemary (bought by the bunch from St. Lawrence). Hot pan, olive oil, all the herbs in. Again, season the lamb 10 minutes prior to cooking. Sear hard on both sides, oven to roast. As you're waiting, asparagus into boiling water, 30 seconds, done. Simple. Delicious.

The rosemary lends a lot of flavour and herbaciousness, so the key is to temper it out. You want to enhance the flavour of lamb, without changing what it is. That is the target of all cooks. Or rather, that should be what each cook strives to achieve.

Wonderfully pink inside, so tender and juicy. Paired with the subtlety of the asparagus, just delicious.

DF

DOH - Intermezzo

A little sweetness, to separate the courses. We need to rest a bit, and cleanse the palate. A fresh strawberry sorbet. This was the only dish I made the previous day. Blend fresh strawberries, add in a bit of simple syrup to sweeten, and lime juice to pick things up. You need to let is settle in the freezer for at least 24 hours. As you know, sorbets have no cream - that's why they work as a palate-cleanser. But, there's a lot of water inside, so after the first freeze, there's lots of ice crystals. Not that great of a feeling in your mouth, when you're crunching down on hard ice.

Blend again. It gives it that creaminess that's so supple, you have to remind yourself that this is just fruit and syrup. Beautiful. Topped with frozen Concord grapes. There's texture, there's flavour, there's a freshness - I can't think of anything more perfect way to rest your palate to prepare for more goodness.

DF

DOH - Le Plat Principal Un

This was the dish that in many ways, I was most uncertain about. I love pan-seared fish, but it's notoriously difficult to pull off at home. I spent about 3 weekends developing my technique, beginning with the fresh fish.

Pan-seared striped bass, served over simmered Ontario beets. I bought the fish live, had it gutted and cleaned. It was still quivering as I filleted. Apologies, but I wanted to eat you. I've learned how to fillet clean enough so that the meat doesn't tear and I'm losing a minimal amount stuck on the bone. I don't trust store bought fillets because they take the skin off and you can't sear it without skin.

Begin with the beets. These Ontario beets had the most amazing pink colour, with a spiral of red and white flesh rolling around inside. Just beautiful. Diced into perfect little cubes. I wanted to keep a few rectangles, to show this pattern. Sautée quickly in olive oil, to which I put in white wine and my fresh chicken broth. Let it simmer and just develop in texture, sweetness and flavour.

Season the fish 5 minutes before cooking - as I said, everything done to order. Hot pan, olive oil, skin side down. It cooks fast, so you have to be ready. Flip over, about 30 seconds on the meat, then straight into the oven to roast. I had to play around with the portions a bit. 6 portions would have been perfect for a 2 lbs fish, so for 7 ppl, I had to hold onto the ends.

Timing is everything. The fish doesn't need to rest out of the oven, so you have to time it to finish cooking alongside your beets. Lay the beet cubes flat on the plate, north of centre. Slice the fish, lay on top, present the beet rectangle.

The beets had this incredible sweetness. Just amazing - I virtually used no seasoning, relying on the chicken stock and the beet's natural flavour to take care of it. Extraordinary. Fish cooked perfectly, savoury and moist.

DF