Courvoisier Exclusif: The Tasting

Now...this is what a wine consultant should be doing at a tasting - some actual tasting. The interesting portion of the Courvoisier Exclusif event.

There was a placecard at each table, with positions for two Cognacs - left, the Courvoisier Exclusif and right, Courvoisier XO Cognac. The Exclusif is being marketed as a mixing spirit, for any and all kinds of cocktails. Cognac brands have been feverishly targeting a younger crowd for their products, as the image of a connoisseur drinking out of a huge snifter by a fireplace is just, well, bad business for them. As a wine drinker and purist, I can't say that I agree with this strategy - great Cognac, like great Islay scotch, like great vodka, does not belong in a mixed drink. No matter how high-brow the drink is. Like great wine, you must learn to appreciate a great drink for what it is. And if it isn't a good drink.............well then, you shouldn't be drinking it anyway, in any form.

The Exclusif was round, oaky, toasty, harsh, alcoholic - lacking subtleties, which in fact, make it suitable for a mixed drink. The XO Cognac, on the other hand - this is what established Courvoisier as a grand producer. Minerally, stony fruits, elegant, incredible length. Was I prejudiced because this wasn't a blind tasting, of course I was. I don't drink a lot of Cognac - I don't drink much liquor at all. And if I was, Islay scotch would be my first choice. It's puzzling, for me to appreciate a drink who's primary flavour comes from oak. All accounts indicate that the wine Cognac is made from, primarily ugni blanc grapes, is dreadful.

I sound like a sour, stuffy Englishman. My apologies - this was a fantastic event, thoroughly enjoyed it. Cognac is a fascinating subject, with lots of history. Unfortunately, we don't have access to a lot of the smaller growers and producers from the region, and the ones we do see are frightfully expensive. But on a quiet, contemplative winter evening, I can't imagine a more well-suited drink.

DF

Courvoisier Exclusif: The Event

Courvoisier, the epitome of big name Cognac, hosted an event in Toronto at the Park Hyatt. Courtesy of Matchstick, I managed to get in with a friend. Wacky event, but it was the unveiling of a new product in their lineup - Courvoisier Exclusif, a branded Cognac blended with 6-12 year old eau de vie.

The room was filled with hip bloggers, the best Toronto has to offer. All really plugged in, all heavy-duty social media folks, which begs the question - what was I doing there? At least there was plenty to drink. The sidecar martinis offered when we stepped in, made with Courvoisier Exclusif bien sur, was a bit unbalanced, too alcoholic. Russian bartender, who smirked and said I drink voooodka. The event started off with a little Cognac 101, replete with the usual clichés - all Cognac is brandy, not all brandy is Cognac, and the succinct, Cognac is to brandy what Champagne is to sparkling wine. Well done. A tasting followed, of Exclusif, as well as their high end XO Cognac. Tasting notes to follow, guess which one I preferred?

A bunch of dancers were hired. Didn't know if the prancing around was necessary, but there was a guy on stilts. After the dancing, the tasting, there was a mixing contest - the table who concocted the best mix drink with Exclusif won a bottle of the hooch, each. We had no clue what we were doing, but at least we did get to drink some more.

Fun event. Met some great people - I'm even featured in a blog, for what I was wearing. Check out Jas' blog, Sartorial Savillian, focusing on high end menswear. Many thanks for the mention. Also, for more photos of the event, there's a bunch on Ricky Lam's Flickr and on Courvoisier's Facebook - look closely for DF, shaved head and all.

And please, fill out this survey - every completed survey results in Matchstick donating $2 to the Redwood Women's Shelter. Get to work!

DF

Repo Men

Watched Repo Men recently with a friend - I can't say it induced us to start drinking, but the wine certainly helped dull the ludicrous plot, spotty acting, sadistic gore. But there was one highlight - I love the fact that Toronto is displayed so prominently. Set 25 years in the future, but the streetcars are still '70's era relics. Guess Miller's Transit City plan didn't really pan out. Pearson Airport, in all its brightly lit, sans-serif glory. Alice Braga is simply stunning. I'm in love.

I don't get it. A few details indicate that the city is Asian, vaguely Japanese - a few quick shots of Japanese store signs, characters on receipts. Doesn't seem like a dystopian kind of government - but why would a corporation be given leeway to kill people at will, in the most gruesome manner, just for defaulting on payments? No one blinks an eye when bodies show up, mutilated with organs missing? This movie plays like an organ trafficker's wet dream.

TTC was also given a nice cameo - clearly the Bloor/Danforth line, clearly the same stupid automated voice system and fuzzy red polyester seats in place, grimy stations and all. Maybe it's because of budget considerations, maybe the director was just lazy, but all of TTC's markings were intact - logo, door warnings, train numbers. Yeah, Torontonians got a good look at the future of our public transportation...it's like time stood still, not far off from the probable truth.

The Volkswagen product placement was unfortunate. Touaregs? Really?? Have them drive at least something like the Phaeton, not a mediocre SUV with suspect build and performance - come on guys, you can do better. Ending a little cheesy, no? Yeah, let's just blow up the lifeline of this all-powerful, all-encompassing multinational corporation. Even though the frenemies just tried to kill each other a few scenes ago, they're suddenly sipping umbrella drinks on a beach, and.............wait a minute, wait a minute......that's the twist ending??!!

Did I mention the ludicrous plot?

DF

Julie's Cuban

Now, the real reason I ventured into the heart of downtown Toronto - for mojitos at Julie's Cuban Restaurant. Authentic Cuban food, done by Cubans - it doesn't get better than that. We were tired, sweaty, a bit inebriated from earlier - a round of mojitos was just perfect. I've been searching for a properly made mojito, and I got it here. Vigorously muddled mint, fresh lime, perfectly balanced. The guacamole, a bit under-seasoned, but good texture. The vaca frita, a Cuban meat, rice, and black bean dish was savoury, meat slightly overcooked, but flavoursome. The seafood paella was absolutely delicious. I'm Chinese, so I'm a bit picky with rice dishes, but the paella was fantastic.

I ended up having at least 5 mojitos. My friend and I managed to stumble back into the subway, back up north to safety. Queen is just unscrupulous at night. Caught up to another buddy's birthday dinner just in time for cake. Still breathing alcohol fumes as we sung happy birthday.

DF

Expresso, please

Tasted at spicesafar. Expresso, made with their new hydraulic press system, yielding a coffee that's more textural, rounder, but with intensity and focus. Even with the little girly cups.

DF

spicesafar

After watching the game, after the beer, and after the shots, we wandered over to spicesafar, a trendy café/lounge on King Street. Beautifully decorated inside, very relaxed, very chill. Coffee and pastries, high quality as well. They're beginning to hold a lot of events during the week, spreading the word of good coffee and wine. This is why I need to live downtown.

DF

Two for the tartare

Right, so after the tartare, my friend and I became a bit........apprehensive. It was pretty hot that day. And we just ate raw meat. Remedy? There was a World Cup game on - consolation game, Germany/Uraguay. So we got a few shots of Jägermeister. Nasty as all hell, but we didn't puke the entire day, either end, so it did its job nicely. Chased by a pint of Smithwicks. My goodness - 3 pints of beer in 2 hours, buzzed at 3 in the afternoon.

Awesome, like nothing else.

DF

Le Sélect Bistro

Last week, I spent the day downtown with a few friends. It's about time that I start exploring downtown Toronto - 20 years in this city, and I don't know a damn thing south of Eglinton. We started with a late lunch at Le Sélect Bistro, a trendy, classically Parisian establishment. Beautifully decorated inside, stunning bar. I need to live beside a place like this.

Service was wonderful, eating out on the patio, likewise. To start, a pint of Michael Duggan's No. 9 India Pale Ale. Darker colour, so aromatic, incredibly delicious. Blew my mind, and the food wasn't on the table yet. Lamb burger, Moroccan-spiced, and medium-rare, was a revelation. Cooked perfectly, tender, full of flavour. Bison tartare, stunning as well. Great lunch - well-cooked food, relaxed and elegant ambiance - not much more else you can ask out of a bistro.

DF

NV Crémant d'Alsace

NV Cave de Hoen Heimberger Brut Rosé, AC Crémant d'Alsace

This was great. So great that I finished the whole damn bottle myself, without offering anyone a glass, without remembering to shoot a half-full photo. I love sparkling wine. I'm old world, all the way around - I drink bubbles all the time, anytime. Who needs an occasion to hear that pop? This one was special - a pink sparkling wine, made from 100% pinot noir. Very rare, very rare, and I wasn't in the mood to share.

Great earthinesss, rusticity, all mushroomy pinot noir-ness. Wonderful, but does thin out in the mouth a bit. I finished the bottle, so it mustn't have been alright, no?

DF

So good in your mouth

The beef we ate for our meatfest was extraordinary, but this stood out above all the rest. Two friends brought over the most amazing prosciutto. Unbelievable flavour, just perfect texture - lots of bite, silky, and so, so delicious. Many thanks, a real culinary experience.

DF

2003 Cahors

2003 Château Lagrezette, AC Cahors

This is what I was waiting for all night. To drink with our last beef course, a rib steak. What looked like a chunk of dinosaur bone and meat, it was 2 pounds of mouthwatering awesomeness. And this wine was more than up to the task. This bottle meant a lot to me. I had bought it towards the latter end of my university career. It sat in our residence kitchen for a few months, enduring a lot of abuse. Not a particularly old wine, vintage-wise, but with the amount of heat, and light, and movement it was exposed to, I certainly had a few concerns about its well-being.

No need.

A dark wine, the bouquet was extraordinary. Minty, savoury, earthy - all the richness and complexity I had hoped for. Beautifully integrated in the mouth, linear structure, good length. So delicious, so round, yet retaining a focus that brought all the elements together. And what was most impressive? The alcohol integration. It was listed at 14.5% - a recipe for disaster, for a lesser wine. My palate, demonstrated in all the wine I write about, is far, far removed from high alcohol wines. Anything over 14% worries me, but this wine showed none of the flabbiness, or the burning vapours that an unbalanced wine is blemished with. Truly the exception rather than the rule, this wine demonstrates that with perfectly ripe grapes and careful handling in the cellar, elegant, high alcohol wines are not a contradiction.

This is what bottle age can do for a wine. Sublime.

DF

1998 Chianti Classico

1998 Monteverdi Vigneto Cipressone, DOCG Chianti Classico

A friend had remarked to me that she'd never seen me serve an Italian wine for dinner before. No, I really haven't. I don't drink much Italian wine, barely have any in my cellar. Brunello's a bit of a mess, Barolo's too damn expensive, and I'll drink any cheap port before I touch Amarone. What else does that leave me with, that I can easily find at LCBO? A few quirky Sicilian wines, cheap Barbera's, and not much else. I would drink more Sangiovese di Romagna if it was offered, and if I wasn't verbally mauled everytime I write about it.

But what the hell, I decided to pull out an older Chianti for our dinner. Second beef dish, a pan-seared rib-eye, cooked medium-rare. A toasty wine, very much the new style of Chianti. Drinkable, but also unremarkable in every way. And wine should not have to be that way. See why I hesitate to drink Italian?

DF

2008 Côtes du Roussillon-Village

2008 M. Chapoutier Les Vignes de Bila-Haut, AC Côtes du Roussillon-Village

The first wine of our meatfest. Let me explain first. I cooked dinner for friends, and devised a menu made up entirely of beef. A few different cuts, prepared the same way, with the idea that we wanted to determine the different tastes each cut of beef brings. For the first, a t-bone steak, sliced thinly by my butcher, seared and basted in olive oil and butter.

This wine was a great surprise. All the garrigue character of the Languedoc, exemplified in this bottle. An elegant and complex wine, with fine tannins, perfect weight and balance. The bouquet sings of flowers and Mediterranean evenings, wild and untamed. With the beef, lovely.

DF

2004 Cahors

2004 Château St. Didier Parnac, AC Cahors

I pulled this out of my cellar a few weeks ago. That's always a difficult process - staring, wondering, trying to make the decision about which wine to choose. Twice as tough when you're agonizing over wines you've held onto for a few years. I've had this bottle since university. Storage, extremely suspect. It was in our kitchen cupboard for a few months, enduring heat and Waterloo's dry air. Figuring that I had nothing to lose, this was the one. I had a thing for Cahors back then. Still find them interesting, but not enough to deprive myself of a drink.

I wanted to host a meatfest for my friends. Yes, all red meat, only red wines, nothing green, nothing from the sea. Thought about syrah, about Bordeaux, but then I came across the only two bottles of Cahors I have left. What the hell. Drank this one first, to make sure I knew what I was getting myself into. Double decanted for an afternoon before drinking, the brettanomyces on this is agonizing. Integrates a bit better on the second day, but this amount is flawed, even for someone who enjoys rustic wines like myself. Fine structure, some fruit, but this is a wine that should have been drunk 2 years ago.

So, it was with a bit of apprehension that I opened the next 3 wines for my friends, as we carved into our beef...

DF

2007 Mosel-Saar-Ruwer

2007 Max Ferd. Richter Riesling Kabinett, QmP Erdener Treppchen, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer

Glorious.

No other description needed. My goodness, the full, shining, bright glory of Mosel riesling, in this bottle, in the glass. I was awestruck. Shimmering, magnificent bouquet, all pure fruit and minerals. Gripping, intense, righteous minerals. High acidity, so linear, perfectly balanced. Just steel cables and tension. Beautiful wine to bring tears of elation to your eyes.

Just glorious.

DF

Dipped in wax

The beautiful bottle of Tokaji. Dipped in wax, it was a sticky handful to get off, but then again, you have to work a little to experience great wine. Tall, tapered, as sexy as a bottle can be.

DF

Clear for all to see

Thought this was an interesting contrast. While the two aforementioned sweet wines shared a lot of commonalities in terms of taste, the packaging was very different. Both in half bottles, one was presented in the classic Bordeaux style bottle - high sloped, square and Protestant shoulders, while the Tokaji was bottled in a gently sloping, feminine chalice. One thing I love about Bordeaux is the corks they use. The producer, as well as vintage is printed. Remove the foil wrapper, and everything, in plain view.

DF

2005 Tokaji

2005 Royal Tokaji, Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos, Hungary

The second wine of our evening. King of wines, wine of kings. Right. Another sweet wine drunk far too young, but I was proving a point - sweet wines belong on the dinner table, with food. Simply relegating them with dessert does them a disservice...who wants to drink a sweet wine with a sweet dessert? The one that is less sweet will lose, horribly. With our Chinese cuisine, this wine married just beautifully.

Look at the colour - deep and luminous, shining and bright. The bouquet is just extraordinary, with ripe apricots singing on top of the most amazing rusticity. Just mushrooms and earth character - this is going to develop so well with some bottle age. The excitement follows on the palate, perfectly balanced, elements integrated, viscous and full with a lovely stream of acidity on the blooming finish. Supple and long, at once also being fresh and lively.

This is an extraordinary wine. With food, stunning. I think I proved my point.

DF

2007 Sauternes

2007 Les Carmes de Rieussec, AC Sauternes

My 2007 Bordeaux futures finally came in, pulled out a bottle because this was the least expensive of my order - therefore, I would feel the least guilty about opening this bottle. Funny how you find all sorts of justifications when you just want a drink. The second wine of Château Rieussec.

Anyways, the first of two sweet wines I opened, to disprove, definitively, that sweet wines should only be drunk with dessert. So, being such a young wine, I double decanted for a few hours, chilled it, and got ready to be dazzled. Powerful bouquet, lots of honey, apricots. Certainly rich and viscous, even on the nose. Alcohol is roaring though. Palate shows quite the same. It's a good wine, but a blunt butcher knife. Hopefully age can give it some delicacy, transform it into something more fine.

Works well with Chinese food though. Well-balanced, our food brought out some mineral elements, the creaminess. I'm certain 2007 Sauternes need at least a decade to settle down - the alcohol is an issue at the moment, and the botrytis needs bottle age to develop. But I'm convinced as ever that these sweet wines marry beautifully with dinner. The second sweet wine, next.

DF

Sgt. Major India Pale Ale

Sgt. Major India Pale Ale

Here, I finally found it. I think I may have found one of the finest Ontario beers I've ever tasted. A true India Pale Ale, made in the proper way, with the proper amount of hops. And yes, this is as hoppy as they come. Round malts, beautifully aromatic hops, so complex, so delicious. And look at the bottle it comes in!

DF

2006 Montagne Saint-Émilion

2006 Château Piron, AC Montagne Saint-Émilion

So we return to the right bank of Bordeaux, in a not as well known satellite appellation. I love this area - it's a hilly region overlooking the much more famous terroir of Saint-Émilion - sand and clay on limestone, all the proper elements for producing the most compelling merlot in the world. This bottle is a simple example of what this terroir can produce. A rustic, full wine, lots of savoury characters, great regional typicity. This is what Bordeaux can achieve, without the all the hype.

DF

Post No. 1801

Summer's here, in a big way. If you thought 2007 was going to be a blockbuster vintage for Niagara, wait for 2010. Warm winter, early budbreak, sudden and dramatic heatwaves? All the elements to make big wines.

At almost 3 years in and 1800 posts of La Cave de Fang, it's time for some change. No more blind writing - a photo (good, preferably) and story with each one. Getting into the habit of bringing my camera everywhere, skin thickening as I shamelessly get into random people's faces to get a shot. Yeah, I'm turning into that guy. Running around downtown shooting the G20 protests was harrowing, but a life-changing experience. And since we need to enjoy this weather for the few months we get it, trying to head downtown more. So, here's to more eating, more drinking, and more making merry!

DF

2007 Mosel-Saar-Ruwer

2007 Dr. Loosen Blue Slate Riesling Kabinett, QmP Mosel-Saar-Ruwer

Priced relatively high, but round, supple, ripe fruit - some oily minerality showing well-balanced. Simple, charming, pure wine.

DF

2007 Pfalz

2007 Wachtenburg Winzer Spätburgunder Halbtrocken, QmP Wachenheim, Pfalz

These German pinot noirs are getting quite good. So good in fact, that I'd gladly drink spätburgunder over any of the big blockbuster pinot noirs coming out of the new world. Such a pale colour, great pinot noir character. Sweet on the palate, charming.

DF

2003 Vintage Port

2003 José Maria da Fonseca & Van Zeller Vintage Port

Take a chance, take a shot? On a relatively inexpensive 2003 vintage port, maybe. Dark colour, juicy berries, ripe, but the alcohol roars and absolutely shreds what semblance of balance the wine has. Hot on the nose, hot on the palate - that is a problem.

DF

Hemp red lager beer

Millenium Buzz Beer

Made using B.C. hemp, I wanted to see if this beer would get me high. Failed on that regard, but it's not bad. Round, supple, bit of sweetness. Not as fresh, but the touch of skunkiness is from bad storage. Gorgeous colour though.

DF

1992 Pauillac Premier Grand Cru Classé

1992 Château Mouton Rothschild, AC Pauillac, Premier Grand Cru Classé

It was with a great sense of humility that I opened this bottle of Mouton. A gift from a very generous friend with a deep cellar. The first bottle of Mouton I drank, nearly two years ago, also courtesy of his kindness. This one, a 1992, from quite possibly one of the softest vintages Bordeaux has ever seen. But Mouton is Mouton - the terroir should still be present. If only it weren't mildly corked...

The colour is still deep, with a rim of amber red. Mature nose, elegant palate, soft finish. A damaged wine, so I won't say more than that. Such a shame - how true it is, that there are no great wines, only great bottles. Many thanks to my dear friend.

DF

1991/1992 Mouton labels

As tradition, Mouton Rothschild commissions a different artist every year to design their label. These artists are usually chosen on a whim by the Baroness, often from her social circle. The 1991 was designed by Setsuko, and the 1992 by Per Kirkeby. The full list of artists and their designs can be found here. Brilliant marketing, no? Payment for the artist is even better - several cases of Mouton, in lieu of money. Imagine, designing for 2005. Or 2000. Or 1982.

DF

2008 Santorini

2008 Sigalas Assyrtiko, AOQS Santorini

Sigalas is a big time producer of assyrtiko, on the Greek island of Santorini. This varietal fascinates me. So interesting, so different. Think Chablis, but with perhaps a bit more body. The miracle of this grape has to be the high acid, and the relatively controlled alcohol. When you think of a brutal Mediterranean climate like Greece, refined white wines don't come to mind. Much more palatable than that nonsense the Greeks try to pass off as red wine.

This wine has all the minerality, the creamy citrus, and the waxy, viscous texture I want. Showing a lot of bitter lemon zest on the finish, as well as some alcohol, but this is still very young. Another bottle, squirrelled away.

DF

David Johnston

Our very own, David Johnston, named Canada's Governor General-designate. I'm so happy for him. The President of the University of Waterloo, I had the honour of hearing him speak on several occasions. When I graduated, he was the one who put my Liberal Arts colours on me. I knelt before him, and we chatted about post-grad vacation plans, how all David's were intelligent. I admire him tremendously, and couldn't think of a better choice for this office. Best wishes, President Johnston...the University of Waterloo, and Canada, is lucky to have you.

DF

2008 Nahe

2008 Kruger-Rumpf Riesling Kabinett, QmP Münsterer Kapellenberg, Nahe

I love wines from Nahe. This bottle reinforces that confidence. Full of that sparkling minerality, pure fruit, but with tactile, gripping dry extract, mouth-searing acidity - this one shines bright. The 2008 rieslings certainly seem more bright - even the kabinetts need a fair amount of age to really settle down a bit. I thoroughly enjoyed drinking this wine, and no, I was not sharing.

DF

And we start over again

Chris Bosh is gone. CB4, the cornerstone of the franchise for 7 years has agreed to sign with the Miami Heat, to team up with Dwayne Wade in hope's of finally winning a playoff series. I've got a lump in my throat, I feel sick to the stomach, a bit teary..........I'm going to miss the ugly bastard. Not again. Here's to a torched 2010/2011 season for the Raptors...again.

DF

2008 Mosel

2008 Studert-Prüm Riesling Kabinett, QmP Graacher Himmelreich, Mosel

Young rieslings from the Mosel always remind me of fireworks and lightning. This one, drunk far too young, but nevertheless one of the most exciting wines in recent memory. Just bright streams of minerality, citrus fruit, and acidity, tightly woven together, soaring and exploding all across the palate. Rich too, good creaminess - the 2008's I've been drinking so far all show the characteristic overt minerality and high acidity of the Mosel, but with much riper fruit. These are wines built to age - the high sugar and acid levels ensure that this will be stunning in 10 years. Mon Dieu I love these wines.

DF

2002 Rheingau

2002 Dr. Nägler Riesling Auslese, QmP Rüdesheim, Rheingau

Always a pleasure, to talk about rieslings, especially ones with some age. For an auslese from Rheingau, this is still an infant, but I was thirsty. Look at that golden colour, that vibrant hue. So rich, so creamy, but with an extraordinary balance in both nose and mouth, filled to the brim with petrol minerality, ripe citrus and stony fruit. Acidity that's so tightly wound and sharp, leaving a finish with incredible length. Fabulous wine.

DF

Bier Markt, Toronto

Went with friends to Toronto's Bier Markt, on the Esplanade. With the whimsical spelling, and the general consensus that this was the top beer destination in the city, I had high expectations. Left feeling, well, just a little underwhelmed. Service was great, the interior is nice and dark, but the patio is located right next to the street - dust and traffic noise are a problem. Food was expensive - acceptable had it been more reasonably priced, but at those prices, I expected more than soggy poutine and overcooked mussels. The charcuterie plate was wonderful, although portions were lilliputian, a disaster when you're charging $19.

The beer. Since the Markt claims to offer a comprehensive selection of Belgian beers, that's where I went first. Of the beers on tap, nothing too exciting beyond the corporate standbys - Hoegaarden headlines. The beer I had above, De Koninck, very good actually. But that was it - the selection on tap, not that vast. The rest of our afternoon, spent drinking their Belgian beer sample (skunky, cheap brews), and a very, very good American I.P.A., Dogfish Head.

A very expensive way to drink some not so rare beers, but what do I know.

DF

NV Jerez

NV Lustau Solera Reserva Escuadrilla Rare Amontillado, DO Jerez

I've been happy with Lustau in the past. With this Amontillado, I wanted to see, and compare with the previous fino sherry. Amontillados begin life as a fino sherry, but without the protective layer of flor yeast - whether due to an act of God, or the producer's intervention - this allows the wine to oxidize in the barrel, giving the wine that amber hue.

Nutty and richer, but retaining that sherry character. Yeah, again, not for me. Interesting, but I'd probably need a huge plate of olives and jamón ibérico to appreciate this.

DF

NV Jerez

NV Gutierrez Colosia Fino Sherry, DO Jerez

I've been reading a lot about sherry, and although it's a significant and unique wine, I just can't enjoy it. Maybe it's because the bottles here aren't fresh enough, maybe the producers are bad, I don't know - I just don't like them. Take this fino for example. Lively, but that odd greenish flavour on the palate that, in my opinion, is terribly unappealing. I keep buying these wines, because they are interesting and I want to learn more.............but dammit, it's like going on a date with a girl you don't care too much about. Sure, you want to appear open-minded, but you sure as hell won't be ordering dessert.

DF

For meat, for me

I had my friends over for meat tonight, to celebrate graduations, post-graduate admissions, belated birthdays. Beef, the finest, done the right way. Seared hard, basted in butter, rare and bloody. Lots of fascinating red wines as well - those pieces are next. I love beef, and when I hear my friend say This is a piece of heaven as she bites into a chunk of rib steak......well that's the whole point, isn't it? That's why I thought long and hard about a menu, that's why I burned two fingers on my right hand badly, that's why I sweated profusely in the kitchen all night. Nothing crushes me as my friends not enjoying my dinners, and nothing delights me more in their appreciating that when they come chez Fang, a proper and righteous meal will be served. Merci, mes amis. A riesling dinner, soon.

DF

Has it started yet?

Finally, we're starting to get some summer weather. I'm pretty sure I'll be complaining about the heat in a week, but for now, I'm enjoying the sun. Does this signify the start of mojito season? Extra mint, double rum, here we go again!

DF

King Brewery Dark Lager

King Brewery Dark Lager

This is a good one. Dark, rich, malty, with good hoppy character. I've been drinking a lot of beer recently. A lot.

DF

Low profile

I've been wearing my old Converse hightops forever. Took them with me to Shanghai, where a sudden downpour exposed them as being frightfully water-absorbent. Love the shoes, but the craftsmanship is decidedly third-world. So the first thing I did when I returned was to get a new pair. These new low profile soles seem to be the only model stores carry now. Don't expect them to last for long - what happened to the days when I could find a pair for $15?
DF

So furry, so meaty

My friend has a bunny. She should keep it away from me. I keep feeling for how much meat it has - I'm not a monster, but it may just have an accident and wind up in my oven.

DF