Posts belonging to Category Sparkling

2012 will be a terrific year just because there is a Presidential election. This one promises to be more entertaining than is usual mainly because tBoW has it on good authority the GOP has already thrown in the towel on going up against an incumbent in a re-election year… even though the incumbent appears to unusually vulnerable even though he drifted to the right all summer long. This election is set up for the GOP regulars who are by all indication going to deal with the Tea Party goofballs with extreme prejudice. More in coming blogs. Cross your fingers for an old-fashioned GOP convention where a surprise nominee is put forward from the convention floor! This could be as exciting as awaiting a Garagiste shipment! (more…)

The annual Turkey Bowl was a smashing success with the expected outcomes. The food was totally fab and the wine lineup was longer than a Herman Cain explanation. We could not get through all of the choices. Such was not the case Saturday night when the Trojans-Bruins “rivalry” game was gratefully buffered by a Riesling extravaganza hosted at Papa Fred’s Shack and “sommed” by Kris B. The Bruins – who have won 6 games – were limp as a Santa Margarita Soave, while the Rieslings gave a Trojan-inspired performance. (more…)

Papa Fred’s back yard was the perfect Southern California setting for a relatively spontaneous wine tasting with snacks and hounds and folks who really enjoy wines bearing relatively obscure labels. We also a couple of special bottles to taste. A late Summer-early Fall heat wave put us on the patio. We pulled a bunch of corks and paid more attention to the dogs than the football game. But we paid the most attention to the wines. Photos courtesy of Kris-A. Comments from Kris-B. Welcome to new tBoW team taster K2. (more…)

When does a casual guest list for a casual summer party turn into a night you can’t forget? When somebody shows up with a magnum of 1995 Bollinger RD. That’s what I’m talkin’ about. Another Saturday is another chance to plow through more Spanish and Portuguese white and red wines. We could do this all summer long. And then Brother Ken shows up with “some champagne” and the conversation stops. The heads turn. The glasses get extended. Champagne RUSH!! (more…)

Another year another day eating delectables from Joan’s On Third, drinking excellent wines (Margerum Klickitat Pinot Gris, 7 Hearts Pinot Noir and Rousanne, Huet Sparkling Vouvray and a perfect Provencal Ros√©) and listening to a superb lineup of contemporary and classic jazz musicians. Just like the world of wine…the world of this music festival in the Hollywood Bowl has changed for the better. (more…)