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Top 10: Mood Boosting Wines
Why Yes, I WILL Have Some Zin With My National Lampoon's This Holiday!
Merry Good Gear: Top Wine Gifts of 2009
Hardy Takes Healdsburg, Plus: Murphy Goode / Top Chef / Relish!
Je Sais Cuisiner
Boo-Worthy Wines
Nouveau Sips: Wines to Savor in 2010
Top 10 Wine Faults & How to Deal
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Announcing: Champagne Wishes and...Botox Dreams!
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December 22, 2009
Top 10: Mood Boosting Wines
filed under: Winning Wines
Feeling down? Let these cheerful wines turn that frown upside down. (Just in from my column at WineCountry.com!)
This time of year - and this year in particular (sheesh) - there's a laundry list of things that could be getting you down. Lost jobs, money worries and holiday stress are just a few of the icky items that could very well be a drag on your otherwise sunny mood. Happily, we're here with a list of wines known for their mood-boosting powers, all packaged into a convenient list. So, should you need them, we offer not just a few but 10 reasons to stay cheerful this wintry season.
Posted by Courtney at 10:41 AM • Comments (0)
December 11, 2009
Why Yes, I WILL Have Some Zin With My National Lampoon's This Holiday!
filed under: Ramblings, Winning Wines
JIT for the wintry (can you say FREEZING, anyone?) weather, I am super pleased to present my list of top holiday films, all matched up tastily with wines, natch. So you can get Scrooged while drinking some Pet, or laugh along with Clark Griswold and crew while sipping some seriously flamboyant Zin. Cheers and happy holidays from Hip Tastes! Courtney ;)
***
"When it comes time for the holidays, little sounds as good as a cozy night in with loved ones and a great seasonal film. So read on for our list of top holiday films - each one paired, of course, with a superb vinous partner. Because here at WineCountry, we wouldn't have it any other way.
10: Miracle on 34th Street
9: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
8: Home for the Holidays
7: Scrooged
6: Home Alone
5: A Christmas Carol
4: Meet the Parents
3: Love Actually
2: A Christmas Story
1: It's a Wonderful Life
Read it all here
Posted by Courtney at 12:26 PM • Comments (0)
December 05, 2009
Merry Good Gear: Top Wine Gifts of 2009
filed under: Goods & Gadgetry
It's unavoidable: every year I'm asked to write a holiday gift guide on wine items, the thought of which makes my eyes roll back into my head and my thoughts scream "oh no, not AGAIN!" Because really, how many gift guides do we need to see each year? Howsoever, I'm proud to say that I actually enjoyed the list I penned this year, because I decided to go with what items I would only buy - nay, make that COVET - myself. And so here it is, in unashamed detail. You can read a summary of my selections below, then click the link at the bottom or here to read the whole thing at WineCountry.com. I think you'll like it, and may even find something you want for yourself (which is SO the way it goes with shopping for others, right?). Cheers :) - CC
***
With the holidays already upon us, many of us are wondering: what in the world will I buy for the wine lover on my list this year? Please, allow us to suggest: At the conclusion of a year that can only be described as tough, let loose with gifts that embrace the adventurous, offbeat side of wine. Because what we can all use right now is a healthy dose of humor - packaged, of course, in stellar style.
Bonny Book
Tote Tease
Rack In Style
Decanting Dangerously
Tray Time
Club Privee
Frommage Find
Antique Chic
Culinary Cool
Chill Out
Get the full scoop at WineCountry.com
Posted by Courtney at 11:20 AM • Comments (0)
November 10, 2009
Hardy Takes Healdsburg, Plus: Murphy Goode / Top Chef / Relish!
filed under: Events, Hip Tasters, Regional Spotlight
I was lucky enough to be included in an absolutely fabulous dinner @ Relish Culinary in Healdsburg Nov 3, where host Hardy Wallace of Murphy Goode's (in?)famous Really Goode Job search rapped with current season Top Chef contenders Eli Kirshtein and Kevin Gillespie over multiple courses of foie gras-esque fabulousness paired with - what else? - Murphy Goode wine. Enjoy this intro clip of Hardy at said meal introducing the top toques and welcoming us to the occasion. I really, really love MY job. :)
Posted by Courtney at 10:29 PM • Comments (0)
November 06, 2009
Je Sais Cuisiner
filed under: Goods & Gadgetry
I'm loving this gorgeous cooking tome cover for the classic French Je Sais Cuisiner, available for the first time in English and looking FABULOUS on domestic bookstore shelves. Thanks to Celia Cheng over at Cravings blog for tipping me off with her gorgeous photo / review of the new Phaidon Pop-Up store, PHAIDON|STORE in SoHo. Which leads me to wonder: why can't we have wine pop-up stores? Wouldn't it be nice to sidle up to a stylish and clever wine pop-up in, oh say, a corner of Union Square? Just sayin'.
More on Phaidon, on Celia's words: "The PHAIDON|STORE is a pop-up store open Monday to Saturday, 9am to 9pm, and Sunday, 9am to 7pm. They offer same-day delivery in Manhattan and personalized concierge service."
100 Wooster St (Prince & Spring Sts)
New York, NY 10013
212-925-1900
Open: November 2, 2009 - January 2010
Posted by Courtney at 11:46 AM • Comments (0)
October 31, 2009
Boo-Worthy Wines
filed under: Winning Wines
In a curious twist of linguistic fate, some decidedly frightening-sounding statements have been lately transformed into vehicles of praise. Mostly refashioned, as far as I can tell, by loquacious members of the surfer/skater culture prevalent in California, the phrases run the gamut of topics and references, but given the time of year I've singled out two that undoubtedly invoke Halloween.
A sampling:
"These [insert noun in the plural form] are scary good!"
Translation: These [things] are delicious.
"That [insert noun] was wicked bad." Translation: That [thing] was very cool/extremely impressive. (Note: True to the ironic spirit of this group, the use of two negative descriptors - "wicked" and "bad" - in this one makes it all that much more complimentary.
And so, to borrow a page from this verbally adventuresome sub-culture, I'd like to say that the following sweet wines are scary good, and that serving them on Halloween this year would be wicked bad of you.
Continue reading my latest on sweet treats and wine at WineCountry.com
And another piece on the same subject - but covering wine pairings for more savory Halloween fare (think sliders, mac 'n cheese and other kid-inspired fare) at WineAnswers.com * Happy Halloween!
Posted by Courtney at 03:11 PM • Comments (0)
October 30, 2009
Nouveau Sips: Wines to Savor in 2010
filed under: Winning Wines
Let's face it: the recession taught us many of things, perhaps the most important: you've got to appreciate the small things in life. And with 2009 drawing to a close, we can all look forward a renewed perspective (not to mention uptrending economic indicators, whew!) in the new year. To go along with this reinvigorated view of things, we offer the following ten wines that are destined to be hot in 2010. Because if another thing is altogether clear as we head out of this strange era: Wine is and always will be a hallmark of the good times. And, it's time for each and every one of us to start living the good life again.
So go on: The little things in life are beckoning - and go down swell with a swill of some excellent vino...
Continue reading my latest at WineCountry.com for more on:
The Well Edited Chardonnay
The Portuguese Player
Oregonian Initiation
The...Ahem...Mature Red
The Israeli Upstart
The Secret Sauce Syrah
and more!
Posted by Courtney at 02:51 PM • Comments (0)
