Tak's uniVerse

Carry your beer with brewmaster-like care in The Bräuler. This virtually indestructible, lifetime-guaranteed growler is made from shatter-, chip-, and crack-proof food grade stainless steel, and features a wide, 1.75-inch mouth, a deep-thread cap to hold carbonation and freshness longer and a light-proof enclosure to keep away skunkiness.

Posted via email from onakat's meanderings, discoveries, rants ...

2009 Domaine Les Hautes Noelles Gamay

2011-05-14T22:14:00.001-04:00

Posted via email from onakat's meanderings, discoveries, rants ...

Eating Your Way to a Healthier You

2011-05-13T14:55:00.001-04:00

Posted via email from onakat's meanderings, discoveries, rants ...

30 Days in the Asylum

2011-05-11T22:46:00.000-04:00

Posted via email from onakat's meanderings, discoveries, rants ...

Tiny Seeds Pack A Nutritional Punch

2011-05-09T19:33:00.001-04:00

Posted via email from onakat's meanderings, discoveries, rants ...

2011-05 Walking around DUMBO

2011-05-08T12:23:00.000-04:00

Please click on the picture above as see what we saw on our little jaunt through DUMBO.

nPower PEG (Personal Energy Generator)...this is WAY cool. cant wait to get mine.

2011-04-30T10:54:00.001-04:00

via npowerpeg.com

Posted via email from onakat's meanderings, discoveries, rants ...

Replenish and Refuel

2011-04-30T10:24:00.001-04:00

via storify.com

Posted via email from onakat's meanderings, discoveries, rants ...

2011 Ghetto Garden. So far basil, lemon grass, cilantro, rosemary, mint, oregano and thyme.

2011-04-29T14:41:00.001-04:00

via onakat.smugmug.com

Posted via email from onakat's meanderings, discoveries, rants ...

You like my new ride?

2011-04-25T16:20:00.001-04:00

via uncrate.com

Cectek King Cobra ATV. Now this is one cool looking atv. I could def get used to bopping around on one of these.

Posted via email from onakat's meanderings, discoveries, rants ...

2009 Chateau Haut Selve Graves Blanc

2011-04-17T14:45:00.001-04:00

Another outstanding wine from the Bordeaux region of France. Golden yellow in color. This wine is 50% Sauvignon, 40% Semillon and 10% Sauvignon Gris. Aged 10 months in oak.

First smell, definitely get white peach, pear, apricot, hint of floral. Velvety mouth feel, very tasty, hint of white flowers, good long finish. Tiny, tiny hint of oak on the finish. Delicious.

Would definitely pair nicely with a roasted chicken and veg or pork tenderloin. A bit too sweet for seafood. Rather have something with a little more acidity with seafood.

Definitely worth the money. Go out and try some of this.

The area of Graves gets its name from the soil. Graves are a mix of gravels, clay and sand carried out by the river. Graves appellation is located just outside the town of Bordeaux.

Two third of Graves wines are white. Among the best white wines in Bordeaux, they are generally fresh, fruity and dry (some time half-dry).

While semillon is the majority white variety in Bordeaux, Graves, and Sauternes, more grows in Chile than anywhere else on earth. Early in the viticultural development of Australia, semillon (often incorrectly labeled as Riesling) dominated as the major white variety, although the vineyards are mostly Chardonnay and sauvignon blanc today.

sources:
http://www.winepros.org/wine101/grape_profiles/semillon.htm
http://www.terroir-france.com/wine/bordeaux_region.htm

2009 Domaine de la Pepiere Muscadet

2011-04-12T23:30:00.000-04:00

Muscadet is certainly one of the great underrated wine regions of France. The key to understanding Marc Ollivier's is to understand the label. "Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine" refers to the region's best appellation, between the rivers Sevre and Maine, and "sur Lie" indicates the wine was left on its lees. In fact, Marc's Muscadet-sur-Lie has lees contact until the time of bottling, generally in late May. (This traditional way of making Muscadet has now, unfortunately, become a rarity as more winemakers rush to bottle their wines by early January.)

Had to wait some for the temperature to come down a bit. Took it out of the refrigerator and it was way too cold.

After waiting, swirl, swirl , swirl. Lots of apricot, some tropical fruits. Initial sniff was very slightly reminiscent of quality NZ sauvignon blancs.

First taste. Lots of tropical fruit. Delicious. Fruity with good amount of clean acid.

Definitely a wine I would pair with some pan-fried scallops, lobster, grapefruit salad, grilled calamari. Such a great warm-weather selection.

Definitely on my short list for the summer.

sources: http://www.polanerselections.com/producer.php?pID=845

Fattoria San Lorenzo Vigna di Gino Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi

2011-04-08T23:01:00.001-04:00

Now that is one long name for a bottle of wine. Surprised it all fit on on label.

Fattoria san Lorenzo is a family operation dedicated to the production of organic wines in the farm that Natalino Crognaletti inherited from his father Gino, whom in his turn had inherited it from his father Enrico. Enrico was also a master cooper, and Gino spent his life selecting old clones of Verdicchio from ancient vineyards called alberate.

Verdicchio is the dry, crisp, lemony white wine grown mainly in Italy's Marche region. Its name is derived from "verde" (green), referring to the yellow-green color of the skin, or perhaps to its refreshing "green" character.

Swirl, swirl, swirl. Sniff, sniff, sniff. Earth, grass, tiny hints of citrus. Pleasant.

Swirl, swirl, swirl. Nice acidity. Lemons, grass, hints of melon. Very clean finish. Tasty.

Value priced wine. Definitely go out and grab some of this. I see having this one with sushi/sashimi, cold seafood platter, fried calamari without the tomato dipping sauce.

2009 Pieropan Soave

2011-04-07T22:53:00.001-04:00

Pieropan's estate covers 30 hectares of vineyard, all of which are situated on the stony hills of the Soave Classico zone. The Pieropan family has been producing wines in Soave since the 1860s. Indeed, they were the first producer to bottle a wine with the name Soave on the label, in the early 1930s. Nino Pieropan took over from his father in 1970, and was the first to make a single vineyard wine, Calvarino, in 1971. Nino's two sons, Andrea and Dario, now work with him in running the estate. After almost 80 years of bottling Soave Classico, Nino reluctantly abandoned the Classico appellation from 2008, believing it was time to move to a stelvin closure to protect the aromatic characters of his wine.

The soil is clay-basalt and volcanic in origin. Yields are low, and the vines south facing. The vineyards are planted primarily with Garganega and the now rare Trebbiano di Soave (no relation to its more prolific Tuscan namesake). No pesticides or chemicals are used in the vineyards.

The use of the screw cap forced them to drop the Classico designation as the DOC does not allow selvin screw caps to be used.

Not a lot of nose for on this wine. Hints of grass, a tiny bit of citrus, maybe a hint of melon. But that was it.

As for taste, a tiny bit sour on the finish. Pretty nice acidity. Not my favorite.

Please take my notes with a big grain of salt. I generally don't know what I am talking/writing about. This may be an exceptional wine made with Garganega and my palate just may not like this particular grape. My notes are based on whether I would buy this particular bottle again.

Definitely worth a try. Enjoy!

source: http://www.harperwells.com/HWProduct1582/LeonildoPieropanSoave2009.aspx

2009 Burgans Albarino

2011-04-05T23:55:00.000-04:00

Bodegas Martín Códax is located in the Val do Salnés sub-zone. It was established in 1986 and is a cooperative of 285 members. It takes its name from a 13th-century local troubadour. 100% Albariño wines are marketed under the Martín Códax and Burgáns brands.

Albariño is the primary grape used to make dry white wine in the Rias Baixes (Lower Inlets) section of the Galicia region of Northwestern Spain. Considered by many to be Spain's premier quality white wine, Albariño is also known in Portugal as Alvarinho and often used as a component of Vinho Verde.

Weather conditions in the Rias Baixes are generally cool, windy and rainy. Vines must be trained high and open to allow winds to dry them out and avoid the ongoing threat of rot, mildew and other fungal diseases. Notably, Albariño grapes develop thick skins here, contributing to their intense aromas.

First sniff, I get peach, green grass, hint of summer flowers, green apple. First taste, definitely green apple with a hint of flowers and grass. Great mouth feel. A touch sweet but not cloying.

Very smooth on the palette. nice slightly lingering finish. totally enjoyable. Definitely will buy more of this for the hot summer months.

I see this pairing well with summer salads, fish (sashimi), cheese.

sources: mouth, nose, winepros.org