This is the first in a series of wine & food memories I'll be penning in the coming months. Enjoy ;)

The first time I went to Chez Panisse (to be honest, it was the Cafe at Chez Panisse, as I was a budding entrepreneur at the time and the cafe at lunch time was all I could afford) I brought a bouquet of roses for Alice Waters. I didn't know if she would be there, and I was rather embarrassed at my juvenile display of adoration (after all, I was all of 26 by then, and ought to have been well beyond the era of proffering gifts to authority figures, much like a schoolchild might offer up an apple to a first grade teacher)...

And so I savored every bite of that wonderful three-hour meal, the whole time concealing the bouquet beneath the banquet. I can still recall the freshness of the vegetables, the doughy rightness of the pasta, and the impossible richness of the caramel pot de creme that followed. The wine selections - all Kermit Lynch imports - were divine and soil-driven, and the entire experience was not unlike being transported to some divine netherland where scents, flavors and warm feelings wrapped around me like a delicious cocoon.

It was only as my friend and I were on our way out that I found the courage to shove the somewhat wilted stems into the arms of an employee on the landing. "I brought these for Ms. Waters," I apologized, not even remotely close to working up the chutzpah to ask if I might actually hand them to the grand dame herself. "Oh, I'm sure she'll be delighted'" was the surprising response, and - pleased to the point of nearly popping out of my three-button blazer - I glided out the door and back into the bright Berkeley afternoon.

I had paid my respects to the Food Goddess, and experienced dining nirvana in the process. It was a very good day.

Posted by Courtney at 10:20 AM • Comments (0)

"From Major Leaguers to major religious leaders, celebrities of all stripes are catching the wine bug these days, lending their names and likenesses to bottles, participating in the promotion of the wines and sometimes even cuing up the blends themselves. And while celebrity wines are hardly a new phenomenon, the most recent influx of offerings brings with it a surprisingly diverse mix of celebs, not to mention a fascinating blend of prices, styles and blends to boot...

Mafia Maven
Lorraine Bracco - who played psychiatrist Dr. Melfi to Tony Soprano's brooding mafia head on the hit HBO series, The Sopranos - has released her own line of Italian wines, reportedly inspired by the ten years she spent living in France during her early career as a model. Made possible by a collaboration with importer Maison Jomère, the celeb's lineup of eight wines sell under the Bracco Wines (braccowines.com) label and include a Pinot Grigio, Primitivo, Amarone, Chianti Classico and Brunello di Montalcino..."

Continue reading my lastest Top 10 list at WineCountry.com

Posted by Courtney at 12:45 PM •

Just a little shout out to the great man who worked so hard - and did so much - to make a name for California wine. Not only did Mondavi run his eponymous winery for decades, he helped introduce Americans of all stripes - not just the snobs! - to the modern wine lifestyle. For more on this legend, check out Alan Goldfarb's recent article on Mondavi at Appellation America.

What a fantastic guy. We'll miss him.

Click here to read my list of his top contributions to wine at WineCountry.com

Posted by Courtney at 05:55 PM •

Merlot lovers, rejoice! A new documentary film made in response to the post-Sideways Merlot backlash (read more on that here) is about to debut. That's right, Merlove, made by Napa filmmaker Rudy McClain, is set to screen Tuesday, May 27th at COPIA in Napa. The film apparently includes footage of renowned Merlot makers from...

California, Washington and Bordeaux (I hear Jean-Claude Berrouet of Chateau Petrus even took part!), although I've got to say I'm a little skeptical that this grape - great though it can be - has really got the stuffing to carry an entire film. Decide for yourself at the COPIA screening, which starts at 8pm and will kick off with complimentary tastes of - what else? - Merlot beginning at 7:15.

More info here

Posted by Courtney at 03:52 PM •

Keller Estate's Syrah-based 2007 Sonoma Coast Rose is a delight. I'm always searching for a rose from California that's not too pink and not too sweet (not to mention a lot of fun to drink & great with food) and this one fits the bill just right. Made for the winery founder's 75th birthday, this medium pink-hued quaffer offers up delightful aromas of watermelon Jolly Rancher candy (always a favorite), caramel, chamomile, rose water and a kiss of pink grapefruit...

The palate boasts medium to med+ acidity (not too tart!) and mellow flavors that echo the nose along with mild cherry cola notes. The finish is pleasant, the balance is good, and you can probably guess by now I'm sold on this pink! At $28 smackers a little steep for a rose, but if you're down to splurge I think you'll really enjoy.

90 points

Posted by Courtney at 02:38 PM •

Enjoyed this new article at DivineCaroline about women's physiology vis a vis that of men and how this impacts our ability to compete with guys in, oh say, a drinking contest. The results aren't in our favor (sorry, ladies) unless you happen to be a very buff woman paired off to compete with a fat guy of roughly your same height. Here's a brief excerpt from the piece, and link to check out the rest:

"Winning a drinking contest, or just being able to gauge how many drinks you can have while still remaining vertical, depends on numerous factors, including regularity of drink, that day's food and sleep intake, and genetics. But based just on gender...,

Photo Credit Simone Van Den Berg | Dreamstime.com

it seems our woman in question - unless she stands eye to eye with her opponent and has already beat him in an arm wrestling competition - should take a drink or two handicap..." Read on

Posted by Courtney at 05:50 PM •

Whew! What a busy week it's been! I was down in LA to host a tasting of Israeli wines as part of the festivities celebrating the 60th anniversary of Israel, then gave a chat at the UCLA Anderson School of Business, where I spent two very happy (if busy) years not long ago, and even managed to fit in a couple of meals at two Angeleno eateries I've been dying to check out - Osteria Mozza (props go out to my friend the GM and wine guru-about-town, David Rosoff) and Comme Ca, a super cute new bistro on Melrose across the street from the always fab Lucques...

Love LA, can't wait to get back. Next on my list of spots to dine down south: Fraiche in Culver City.

Also wanted to share this funny video - the header that caught my eye was "This is a wine you could go to bed with" - I recently stumbled on at Open Wine Consortium. Made by SF Comedy Group SPF7, it's a hilarious send up of a faux wine called "Chateau Alone" and definitely one of the more amusing videos on wine I've seen online. Doesn't hurt that it's also just a couple of minutes long. Check it!

Posted by Courtney at 03:52 PM •