http://www.allsnafu.com Just another WordPress weblog Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:03:01 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Again I'm so impressed with the quality of this property and all that they do. Le Clos du Caillou continues to make very high quality wines at all levels. We were lucky enough to grab a bottle of the 07 Caillou CDR rose. Let's just first start the conversation with ... http://www.allsnafu.com/2008/07/21/le-clos-du-caillou-rose-2007-cotes-du-rhone/ The Federal Wine and Spirits bottle shop in Boston has to be one of the most interesting retailers that I've come across in years. Federal Wine and Spirits is located in historic downtown Boston, next to the Old State Building. The Old State Building is the oldest public building in ... http://www.allsnafu.com/2008/07/08/federal-wine-and-spirits-boston/ I was so pleasantly surprised to find a killer value Vermentino from Giovanni Cherchi this last weekend.  I was traveling through San Francisco and was deciding on a place where my wife and I might find dinner and we happened across a new restaurant named Anchor and Hope.  This is ... http://www.allsnafu.com/2008/06/12/giovanni-cherchi/ Have you heard of Cava? If not let me briefly explain. Cava is Spain's version of Champagne. It was not until the 1980's when the European Community outlawed everyone outside of Champagne, France from labeling their wines as Champagne, thus Spain adopted a new translation and this ... http://www.allsnafu.com/2008/05/08/raventos-a-page-in-history/ I have a hard time thinking of few gastronomic pleasures better than bacon, but duck fat has to be up in the stratosphere for pure frying pleasure.  With that in mind this is my story: last month I'm driving through rainy, misty New England on my way to Maine and my ... http://www.allsnafu.com/2008/04/22/duckfat/ My lovely wife and I were so happy that a new wine bar opened in Chicago this last weekend that we ran out of the house to check it out.  It is the brain child of Shane and Jill Kissack in Andersonville - Chicago, owners of a great bottle ... http://www.allsnafu.com/2008/04/09/cocktails-at-a-wine-bar/ I was tasting wines at another Chicago locals spot tonight and we opened a bottle of 2005 Domaine du Caillou Chateauneuf du Pape.  Holy Cow! It is dellllllicious!  The Vacheron family and winemaker Bruno Gaspard have some amazing vineyards and it really speaks true with this wine. ... http://www.allsnafu.com/2008/03/27/domaine-du-caillou-2005-chateauneuf-du-pape/ I was having lunch at my favorite Chicago Italian restaurant, Gioco, in the South Loop. The General Manager was kind enough to pour us some killer Gavi di Gavi. 2006 Stephano Massone Masera Gavi from Marc de Grazia Selection Imports. It was brilliant in structure, ... http://www.allsnafu.com/2008/03/26/gioco-restaurant/ The night before last I was sitting with a poetic bottle of syrah that makes me a believer again in the nobleness of this grape. It was bottle #278 of 3100 of 2006 Owen Roe Lady Rosa Syrah. Mr David O'Reilly really has a magic touch and it ... http://www.allsnafu.com/2008/03/21/lady-rosa/ Chicago, IL - Brought my snow blower to the neighborhood small engine repair shop who told me it would be ready in 4-6 days. Called on the 6th day, Saturday 12/15, to follow up. The owner told me it was ready, they weren't normally open but he'd be ... http://www.allsnafu.com/2007/12/28/snow-blower/