Big Fat Wine

The weekends have been so perfect here lately, that’s rare. When the sun shines, we look for the biggest wave, leap in and paddle to our hearts content metaphorically speaking. Scheduling as many activities as we can into two days isn’t difficult, actually following through is!

Saturday, we ventured into Burien. Jona grew up was raised in that area but we never seem to visit often. Some good friends mentioned a wine bar there few years ago and we’ve been meaning to go, so off we went. Vino Bello!, It had such a cool name it had to be great, and it was. 152nd in Burien is actually quite quaint nowadays. The little shops and eateries bring a certain charm to the block and it was an awesome summer evening to walk hand in hand down the sidewalk.

Vino Bello Wine Bar was a gem! Bottles and local art  lined the walls and the music was pleasantly unique. We have often discussed the ambiance in wine bars and that we would really  appreciate some music that didn’t make us feel like our parents.  Led Zeppelin played at a socialable level in the background, rock and wine make a perfect combination.  Plus, we enjoyed the tasting, “Wines of Argentina”. These were great big tastes!

The one that stood out for us both was the Tomero Petite Verdot Reserva 2006. The Tomero Wines are made in Argentina and named for the TOMERO. The TOMERO became a part of the vineyard livelihood in 1883 and his presence continues today. His job is the distribution of irrigation water in those vineyards which, by law, are entitled to use the river water.  The TOMERO is hired by the landowners, and his job is to open and close the “Toma De Agua” (water intake channel) of each estate according to the number of water hours assigned.

This wine is reportedly aged in French Oak for 15 months and its  color is a deep dark purplish  black.  Nicely balanced would be an understatement, and quite honestly, that is what made this wine stand out. Full-bodied red with black plum and blackberry aromas.  Very  concentrated but not heavy. Perfect for beefs of all varieties.

We highly recommend Vino Bello in Burien.  We plan on returning soon and taking friends and family with us. The service was perfect! They were there when we needed them and they kept us in their vision in case we had that thirsty look in our eyes. Like I said before, the music was great and it made the wine and evening that much more pleasurable and complete. We ended up keeping our tasting to one hour because we wanted to go get dinner. We could have stayed later but trying to find a good meal after 10pm in Washington is a challenge to say the least. Does everyone really go to bed that early? Can’t we just stay up a little while longer?

<>

A few weeks ago we attended the annual members concert @ Chateau Ste. Michelle. It is always wonderful and our daughters Fiona and Liesel attended which is always a blessing. One of the great wines of the evening was a Gewürztraminer. While we compared tastes, nobody could comfortably pronounce this wine, with the exception of Fiona. I laughed as she accentuated the syllables and it was just plain fun!

Before the music began, I stood in line to purchase a few extra bottles for the duration of the evening. Of course I asked for some Tempestade but for the life of me, could not get the word Gewürztraminer out of my lips. I simply said wine that begins with the letter “G”.

Now I am not promoting perfect pronunciation to impress your friends or those snobs in the tasting rooms. Take the time to at least learn how to say some key words that will best prepare you to order the right glass or bottle. At least you can order more of a variety, rather than only sticking to the ones you can pronounce.

Below is a partial list of words that will come in handy. Enjoy and learn!

BIG FAT WINE PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
A phonetic breakdown of popular wines, grapes, and wine terms

• Albariño[al-bah-ree-nyoh]  Albariño or Alvarinho is a variety of white wine grape grown in Galicia (northwest Spain) and Monção (northwest Portugal), where it is used to make varietal white wines.
• Armagnanc[ahr-mahn-YAK] is made from grapes of the Armagnac region in Southwest France (Gers, Landes, Lot-et-Garonne). It is single continuous distilled in a copper stills and is aged in oaken casks from Gascony or Limousin. Armagnac was the first distilled spirit in France
• Barbera[bar-BEH-rah] Barbera is a red Italian wine grape variety that, as of 2000, was the third most-planted red grape variety in Italy (after Sangiovese and Montepulciano).
• Beaujolais[boh-zhuh-LAY] Beaujolais is a French Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) wine generally made of the Gamay grape which has a thin skin and is low in tannins. Like most AOC wines they are not labeled varietally.
• Bordeaux[bohr-DOH] Major wine region of Southwestern France, along the Dordogne and Garonne rivers. Centered around the city of Bordeaux.
• Brut [BROOT] A general term used to describe dry sparkling white wine
• Cabernet Franc[KA-behr-nay FRAHN (FRAHNGH)] A red grape common to Bordeaux; characteristics include an herbal, leafy flavor and a soft, fleshy texture.
• Cabernet Sauvignon[ka-behr-NAY so vihn-YOHN (soh-vee-NYAWN)] One of the noblest red wine grapes, used in Bordeaux , USA, Australia, Chile, Argentina, South Africa and wherever wine grapes grow. The predominant red grape variety in the world.
• Cava[KAH-vah] A Spanish sparkling wine typically produced in the Penedès region of Catalonia.
• Chablis [sha-BLEE; shah-BLEE] A very dry white Burgundy wine originally from east-central France.
• Chardonnay[shar-dn-AY; shar-doh-NAY] A variety of grape used to make white wine, including champagne and white Burgundy.
• Châteauneauf-du-Pape[shah-toh-nuhf-doo-PAHP] is a town and commune in the Vaucluse département in Provence, in southern France. Its name derives from a castle built by the Popes when they ruled from Avignon.
• Chenin Blanc[SHUH-ihn BLAHN (BLAHNGK) A grape of French origin that produces excellent white wines. It has proven itself highly productive in California.
• Colombard[KAHL-hm-bahrd (Fr. Kaw-lawn-BAHR)] A productive French grape that produces a dry and full-bodied good quality white wine.
• Côtes du Rhone[koht deu ROHN] (Banks of the Rhône) is a wine-growing Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) for the Rhône wine region of France, which may be used throughout the region, also in those areas which are covered by other AOCs.
• Cuvée[koo-VAY] Like the words cask and reserve, cuvee is an unregulated term that some wineries use to indicate a special (or reserve) batch of wine.
• Fumé Blanc[FOO-may BLAHN; BLAHNGK] A term coined by Robert Mondavi for California wines made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape in the style of those made of Pouilly Fumé in the Loire Valley of France.
• Gewürztraminer[guh-vurts-TRAH-MEE-NER] White wine grape best known in Alsace, Germany and the US West Coast. Grows best where there is morning fog and milder climates. Can be bone dry to semi-sweet with 3.5 or more sugar. Marries well with spicy foods.
• Grenache[gruh-NAHSH] The Grenache is grown in southern France, where it is partly responsible for the wines of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Tavel, and many others. It is the mainstay of Rioja, makes port-style and light rose wines in California, and is also grown in South Africa.
• Kir[KEER] Kir is a popular French cocktail made with a measure of crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur) topped up with white wine.
• Madeira[muh-DEER-uh] A Portuguese fortified wine that is treated with heat as it ages, giving it a distinctive flavor and brownish color.
• Malbec[mahl-behk] Red wine grape used as a nominal element of the Bordeaux blend, where its intense color and extract add to the wine’s body. Also used as a primary grape in the inky red wines of Cahors and in some Argentine reds.
• Merlot[mehr-LOH; mer-LOH] Merlot is a red wine grape that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird (Turdus merula), probably from the color of the grape.
• Muscat[MUHS-kat; MUHS-kuht] The muscat family of grapes of the species Vitis vinifera is widely grown for wine, raisins and table grapes. Their color ranges from white to near black. Muscat almost always has a pronounced sweet floral aroma.
• Petite Sirah; Petite Syrah[peh-TEET sih-RAH; peh-TEET see-RAH] Often confused with “real” Syrah, most believe it is actually the lowly French grape, Durif. It has, regardless, turned out some good California examples in both dry and sweet styles
• Pinot Blanc[PEE-noh BLAHN (BLAHNGK)] A white wine grape which makes a dry, full white wine. A good alternate to Chardonnay. Usually less oak than a Chard, since it is rarely fermented in wood but rather in stainless steel tanks. One often denotes scents of melon in Pinot Blanc.
• Pinot Gris[PEE-noh GREE] Pinot gris is a white wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot noir grape, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name (“gris” meaning “grey” in French) but the grape can have a brownish pink to black and even white appearance.
• Pinot Noir[PEE-noh NWAHR] Pinot noir is a red wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines produced predominantly from Pinot noir grapes.
• Pouilly-Fuissé[poo-yee fwee-SAY] Pouilly-Fuissé is an appellation (AOC) for white wine in the Mâconnais subregion Burgundy in central France, located in the communes of Fuissé, Solutré-Pouilly, Vergisson and Chaintré. Pouilly-Fuissé has Chardonnay as the only grape variety.
• Prosecco [praw-SEHK-koh; proh-SEHK-koh] Prosecco is an Italian wine — generally a dry sparkling wine — made from a variety of white grape of the same name. The grape is grown mainly in the Veneto region of Italy, traditionally in an area near Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, in the hills north of Treviso.
• Riesling [REEZ-ling; REES-ling]  Riesling is a white grape variety which originates in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines.
• Rioja[ree-oh-hah] Rioja is a wine, with Denominación de Origen Calificada (D.O.C. Qualified designation of origin) named after La Rioja, in Spain. Rioja is made from grapes grown not only in the Autonomous Community of La Rioja, but also in parts of Navarre and the Basque province of Álava.
• Rosé [roh-ZAY] A rosé (From French: rosé, ‘pinkish’) wine has some of the color typical of a red wine, but only enough to turn it pink. The pink color can range from a pale orange to a vivid near-purple, depending on the grapes and wine making techniques.
• Sancerre[sahn-SEHR]  Sancerre is a French wine Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) for wine produced in the environs of Sancerre in the eastern part of the Loire valley, southeast of Orléans. Almost all of the appellation lies on the left bank of the Loire, opposite Pouilly-Fumé.
• Sangiovese [san-joh-VAY-zeh; san-jaw-VAY-zeh] This red is the predominant grape in Chianti. Makes a hearty, dry red, with flavors of black cherries.
• Sauternes[soh-TEHRN] Sauternes is a French dessert wine from the Sauternais region of the Graves section in Bordeaux. Sauternes is made from Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle grapes that have been affected by Botrytis cinerea, also known as noble rot.
• Sauvignon Blanc[SOH-vihn-yohn BLAHN; SOH-vee-nyawn BLAHNGK] Sauvignon blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape gets its name from the French word sauvage (“wild”) and blanc (“white”) due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France.
• Semillon[say-mee-YHON; she-mee-YOHN]  Prevalent in France’s Bordeaux region, Semillon is a white wine varietal that’s often found in a blend with Sauvignon Blanc, a unique combination responsible for the region’s dry white wines and their famed sweet dessert wines from Sauternes
• Sommelier [sum-muhl-YAY]  A sommelier (, ), or wine steward, is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional, commonly working in fine restaurants, who specializes in all aspects of wine service as well as wine and food matching. The role is more specialized and informed than that of a wine waiter.
• Syrah[see-RAH] Syrah, originally from Rhne area of France, also known as Shiraz which succeeds admirably in Australia.
• Terroir [teh-RWAHR] French term which has no simple translation into English. It refers to the external influences on the ripening grapes, including the soils (depth and type), bedrock, exposure to sun and wind, water table and so on.
• Verdelho [vehr-DEH-lyoh] Verdelho is a white wine grape grown throughout Portugal, though most associated with the island of Madeira, and also gives its name to one of the four main types of Madeira wine. At the turn of the 20th century it was the most widely planted white grape in Madeira
• Verdicchio [vehr-KEEK-kyoh] A classic Italian variety of the Marche on the eastern coast of Italy, Verdicchio produces bright, lemony wines with high natural acidity.
• Viognier[vee-oh-NYAY] The classic (though rare) white grape of the northern Rhone Valley of France where it makes the expensive wine known as Condrieu. In the early 1990s, more than thirty top California producers began making viognier to much acclaim.

• Majority of definitions gathered from Wiktionary.org

<>

Celebs sure know what to do when they want to enjoy life!  Below is a partial listing of celebrities who own commercial wineries, wine brands or vineyards.

(If you are a celebrity who owns a winery, wine brand or vineyard or you know of one that we missed, let us know and we will add you/them to the list)

Vince Neil
Lead singer Motley Crue
Vince Vineyards (article)Vince Neil Official Site
Sonoma County, California

Francis Ford Coppola
American film director, producer and screenwriter
Rubicon Estate Winery
Napa Valley, California

Fess Parker
American film and television actor /featured in the movie Sideways
Fess Parker Winery
Santa Ynez Valley, California

Tommy Smothers
American comedian, composer and musician
Remick Ridge Vineyards
Sonoma County, California

Sam Neill
New Zealand actor
Two Paddocks
Central Otago, New Zealand

Gerard Depardieu
French actor and winemaker
Chateau de Tigne
Anjou, Loire Valley, France

Mario Andretti
Italian-American world champion racing driver
Andretti Winery
Napa Valley, California

Greg Norman
Australian professional golfer and entrepreneur /Collaboration with Beringer Blass
Greg Norman Estates
South Australia and California

Peggy Fleming
American figure skater who won an Olympic gold medal in 1968 / Founded with her husband, Greg Jenkins
Fleming Jenkins Vineyards and Winery
Santa Cruz Mountains, California

Ernie Els
South African professional golfer / Collaboration with Engelbrecht Els Vineyard
Ernie Els Wines
Stellenbosch, South Africa

Savanna Samson
American pornographic actress / Her first wine Sogno Uno is a red blend consisting mainly of the obscure Italian grape variety Cesanese
Savanna Samson Wines
Tuscany and Lazio, Italy

Jeff Gordon
American race car driver / Collaboration with August Briggs Wines
Jeff Gordon Wines
Napa Valley, California

Raymond Burr
Established by the late actor in 1986. Currently run by his partner.
Raymond Burr Vineyards
Dry Creek Valley, California

Bruce Cohn
Cohn was manager of The Doobie Brothers
B.R. Cohn Winery
Sonoma County, California

John Lasseter
American animator, director and the chief creative officer at Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios.
Lasseter Family Winery
Sonoma County, California

Diane Marie Disney
Owns winery with husband, former professional football player Ron W. Miller
Silverado Vineyards Winery
Napa Valley, California

Carmen Policy
Attorney and American football executive
Casa Piena
Yountville, California

Tom Seaver
Major League Baseball pitcher
GTS Vineyards
Napa Valley, California

Dan Aykroyd
Also produces a Sonoma County, California, series of wines
Dan Aykroyd Wines
Ontario, Canada

Mick Hucknall
Lead singer of the British band Simply Red / Collaboration with Italian winemaker Salvo Foti
Il Cantante
Sicily, Italy

Olivia Newton-John
Founded in 1983 with business partner Pat Farrar
Koala Blue Wines
South Australia

Cliff Richard
Indian-born English singer, musician, performer and actor / Collaboration with Quinta do Miradouro
Adega do Cantor
Algarve, Portugal

Mike Weir
Canadian professional golfer
Mike Weir Wine
Niagara Peninsula, Canada

Madonna
Collaboration with her father Silvio “Tony” Ciccone
Ciccone Vineyard and Winery
Leelanau Peninsula, Michigan

Wayne Gretzky
Collaboration with Creekside Estates
No. 99 Estates Winery
Niagara Peninsula, Canada

Alex Spanos
Real estate developer and self-made billionaire who owns the San Diego Chargers. Also owns Bell Wine Cellars in Yountville
SpanosBerberian Winery
Napa Valley, California

Dick Vermeil
Collaboration with OnThEdge Winery
Vermeil Wines
Napa Valley, California

Kevin Buckler
American racecar driver and entrepreuener
Adobe Road Wines
Sonoma County, California

Arnold Palmer
Collaboration with Luna Vineyards
Arnold Palmer Wines
California

Mick Fleetwood
Collaboration with Langtry Estate and Vineyards
Mick Fleetwood Private Cellar
Lake County, California

Jonathan Cain
American musician, most known for his keyboards and songwriting roles in the rock band, Journey
delaCain Vineyards
Sonoma County, California

Kyle MacLachlan
Collaboration with Washington winemaker Eric Dunham
Pursued by Bear Wine
Columbia Valley, Washington

Drew Bledsoe
Collaboration with Washington winemaker Chris Figgins of Leonetti Cellars
Double Back Wine
Walla Walla Valley, Washington

Maynard James Keenan
Lead singer of the multi-platinum rock bands Tool and A Perfect Circle / Also owns Merkin Vineyards in Arizona
Caduceus Cellars
Arizona

Richard Childress
NASCAR driver and the owner of Richard Childress Racing (RCR) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series
Childress Vineyards
North Carolina

Dave Matthews
Blenheim Vineyards
Charlottesville, Virginia

Jason Priestley
The British Columbia born actor is a co-owner in the estate
Black Hills Estate Winery
Okanagan, British Columbia

Antonio Banderas
Anta Banderas
Ribera del Duero, Spain

Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Co-owns winery with brother in law. To avoid a conflict of interest with his wine rating publication The Wine Advocate, Parker delegates the task of rating Oregon wines to another associate.
Beaux Freres Vineyards & Winery
Willamette Valley, Oregon

Dave Del Dotto
Former real estate investor who sold a course he called the “Cash Flow System” through infomercials / In 2007, experimented with fermenting wine in amphorae
Del Dotto Vineyards
Napa Valley, California

Mike Ditka
Collaboration with the Mendocino Wine Company
Mike Ditka Wines
Mendocino County, California

Sting
Sting and Trudie have just bottled their first vintage of wine (though it needs to age for three years before it will be released). Il Palagio’s vineyards.
Il Palagio’s vineyards
Figline Valdarno, Italy

Bob Dylan
Teamed up with Antonio Terni (a life-long Dylan fan) in La Marche, Italy, to produce the Planet Waves (the title of Dylan’s 1974 album) signature label.
Fattoria Le Terrazze
Numana, Italy

Dan Marino
Vintage 13 Marino Estates
California

Charles Woodson
American football cornerback for the Green Bay Packers. / Under NFL regulations, Woodson is currently prohibited from endorsing his own wines publicly until he retires.
TwentyFour Wines
Napa Valley, California

Cathy Schembechler
Named after her late husband, former University of Michigan Football coach Bo Schembechler
Bo Schembechler Wines
California

David Ginola
French international football player who has also worked as an actor and model
Coste Brulade
Côtes de Provence, France

Michael Seresin
New Zealand cinematographer
Seresin Estate
Marlborough New Zealand

Jarno Trulli
Italian Formula One racing driver
Podere Castorani
Abruzzo, Italy

Valeri Bure
Professional ice hockey right winger from Russia. He played ten seasons in the National Hockey League / In partnership with his wife – actress Candace Cameron.
Chateau Boswell Winery
Napa Valley, California

Günther Jauch
Prestigious vineyard from at least the 16th century, listed cultural heritage site, since 1805 owned by Jauch’s ancestors. Jauch, one of the most popular Germans, is owner in the seventh generation.
Weingut von Othegraven
Mosel (wine region), Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

Frank Sinatra
American singer and actor
Sinatra Family Estates
Napa Valley, California

(If you are a celebrity who owns a winery, wine brand or vineyard or you know of one that we missed, let us know).

We look forward to building this list as celebs enter the lifestyle.

<>

The members concerts at Chateau Ste. Michelle are one of the highlights of our year.  Because we have duel memberships we get 4 tickets every year and usually attend both events.  This year they set the members events to fall over one weekend.  Woodinville is only about an hour away from home but since we had events both Saturday and Sunday we  booked a room so that we didn’t have to drive home in between (also so we can write about the Willows Lodge in Woodinville, but that’s another blog).

Our two oldest daughters meet us at the winery every year(they are both members too).  After Joel’s surgery Friday I wasn’t sure that we were going to make it, but Joel refused to be kept away.  Spending time with the family is our top priority so we packed up the car and and headed out.  Our timing was perfect.  We arrived, parked and made our way to the line just as the girls walked by.  It couldn’t have been better choreographed if we had planned it ahead of time.

We were also meeting friends and they had gotten in just ahead of us and were setting up our spot just to the left of the stage.   Over the next five minutes we had blankets down, cooler and picnic basket set, plates out and headed up to get our glasses.  The lines for tasting weren’t too bad this year so we had our first tastes quickly.  Over the next two hours we tasted, we talked, we laughed and we enjoyed the perfect day.

Joel bought a couple of bottles of the 2006 Columbia Valley Tempestade – Limited Release  for the concert.

2006 Columbia Valley Tempestade – Limited Release WINEMAKER NOTES
“This is the second Tempestade Red Wine from Chateau Ste. Michelle. Sourced from Portuguese varietals in our Cold  Creek vineyard, this earthy wine delivers pronounced aromas of chocolate, coffee and spice. On the palate, the Tempestade is dense and full, with a rich, layered finish. It is a very bold wine not for the timid.”

And what a bold wine it was.  There were six wines to taste but this was our favorite.  Me, flavors of chocolate and coffee?  You can’t go wrong with that.

The Girls liked the 2009 Columbia Valley Gewürztraminer.

2009 Columbia Valley Gewürztraminer TASTING NOTES
“A fan favorite, this Gewürztraminer is such an enjoyable wine with exuberant fruit and clove spice. This is a lush style of Gewürztraminer with a lot of floral character, yet it still maintains the grape’s natural crisp character. A touch of Muscat offers citrus notes and a deeper spice character. Try this wine with Thai food or any cuisine with a little “bite” to it.” -Bob Bertheau, Winemaker

Natalie MacMaster came on stage and the place lit up.  Ms. MacMaster is entertaining, and plays the hell out of that fiddle. The crowd wanted good music to go with the wonderful day and they weren’t disappointed.  There is something so right about a summer evening, great wine and fiddle music, it just feels natural.

I didn’t know much about Ms. MacMaster before the concert (it never matters who is playing, we always have fun) but I will certainly pick up a couple of CD’s for in-car enjoyment.

We had a wonderful time at this event and this is only the beginning of one fabulous weekend.

As Always,
Love, Laugh, Learn… LIVE!

<>

The sun came out yesterday and it stayed.  Looks like we are going to have a streak of “summer” weather here in western Washington.    Two warm days  and the news is going crazy, “heat streak” they’re calling it… Geez.  It’s supposed to drizzle on Monday.  How can a “heat streak” only last five days with only two of those over 90?

It was lovely today,  95 degrees with occasional light breezes.  I took my laptop outside into the shade and opened a bottle of chilled Stella Rosa Rosso.   It was heaven.  We had kids and kids friends and cats and dogs all running in and out all day.  Our four kids that still live at home (we have 6 kids between the ages of 18 and 29) spent the day between here and Lake Tapps to stay cool.  The dogs and cats were a bit lethargic but we just made sure that the water bowl was kept full and that they stayed in the shade.   And, as for Joel and I, we made sure our wine glasses were full, we stayed in the shade and we enjoyed the hell out of it.   It was a day for relaxing, stoking up the barbecue, cranking up the radio, inviting over friends and keeping glasses full.

Here’s to summer… CHEERS!

As Always,

Love, Laugh, Learn… LIVE!

Saturday evening, we ventured out for someplace new. We arrived in Tacoma at CORK a wine bar! We just barely missed the live music but upon entering, we found the atmosphere pleasant and very inviting. Lots of tables spread out around the floor and since there were not alot of patrons present, we had a good selection of seating.

We ordered the First Class Flight for each of us. Three tastes galore and we enjoyed this so much. Since we are red through and through, we were ready for some swirling, smelling and slurping! Maybe I need new glasses, or subconsciously wanted to be different, but I mistakenly ordered the Root One Sauvignon Blanc with my two reds. This was not a bad mistake though! This turned out to be the best wine we ordered  that evening! The Root One Sauvignon Blanc jumped out with plenty of aroma. Apricots hit our noses right away, together with mandarin oranges and vanilla. This wine went terrific with the meat and cheese plate we ordered and made everything taste scrumptious! Especially the French Brie! We couldn’t get enough. If you have one white set aside for those warm summer days, make it this one!

The service was exceptional and everyone was very helpful. We will definitely be back. We can’t wait to bring friends and family to enjoy the comfortable surroundings. Hopefully we can enjoy the Pear, blue cheese, rosemary, and olive oil Flatbread, which they unfortunately were out of that night.

CORK is located at 3012 6th Avenue in Tacoma and parking on either side of the street isn’t much of a problem. Just plan to stay a few hours!

If you like what we are doing here click to vote for BigFatWine!

W.W.M.D.

What would Magnum Drink?

Magnum’s drink of choice was Old Düsseldorf beer in a long-neck bottle, though he enjoyed sneaking fine wines out of Robin Master’s wine cellar when he thought Higgins wasn’t looking. We have chosen a “Full Bodied Red” for Thomas. Magnum often entertained ladies in his loft on Robin Masters Estate and was a hopeless romantic.  While he probably would not partake in a good bottle of wine by himself, lighting some candles and cracking open a bottle to entertain a beautiful “wahine” wouldn’t be out of the norm. The 2006 Emmanuel Delicata Winemaker Ltd. Maltese Falcon Full Bodied Red would be perfect for him because of his infatuation with Private Investigator Sam Spade.

2006 Emmanuel Delicata Winemaker Ltd. Maltese Falcon Full Bodied Red

This is a blend of 60% merlot, 20% syrah and 20% cabernet sauvignon. The cabernet has a rich taste of oak. A good nose: not over-distinguished, but it has a good black fruit character. This is a nice blend that works well, though overall the wine is hardly over-complex. But it’s nice easy drinking.

Magnum P.I. is a television show that follows the exciting adventures of private investigator Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV (Tom Selleck) and his three close friends as they live their lives on the beautiful island of Oahu in Hawaii. Thomas Magnum (often referred to simply as “Magnum”) is an ex-U.S. Navy Seal and Office of Naval Intelligence officer. His friends are Theodore “T.C.” Calvin (Roger E. Mosley), an ex-U.S. Marine helicopter pilot and small business owner, Orville Wilbur “Rick” Wright III (Larry Manetti), an ex-U.S. Marine door gunner and private beach club manager, and British socialite and majordomo  Jonathan Quayle Higgins III (John Hillerman), an ex-British Army Regimental Sergeant Major and  MI6 intelligence officer.

Magnum P.I. was shot almost entirely on location in Oahu, mostly on the southeast side of the island although many other parts of the island were used as well. Most episodes featured a large contingent of local, Oahu-based actors. All of the indoor set scenes (Magnum’s quarters, the main house at Robin’s Nest, Rick & T.C.’s offices) were filmed on a soundstage (Stage One) at the  Hawaii Film Studio (then known as “Diamond Head Studio”), located at the corner of 22nd Avenue and Diamond Head Road (at the foot of Diamond Head crater, next to Kapiolani Community College). The film studio was originally built for  Hawaii Five-O in the 1970s. Stage One was originally known as “Five-O Stage”, even though the soundstage was only used for the last three seasons of Hawaii Five-O (1976-1979).

Set in the cultural melting pot of 1980s Oahu, Magnum P.I. was primarily a character driven show about friendship which managed to successfully blend together action, drama, comedy and mystery elements, often incorporating all four in the same episode. The show was also groundbreaking in its use of unconventional storytelling devices, such as retrospectives, “fantasy” elements (dream sequence episodes), shared story lines that crossed over to other shows (Simon & Simon, Murder She Wrote), and breaking the  fourth wall (by Magnum looking or smiling at the camera), which were seldom used in TV at the time.

The Vietnam War was an important recurring theme in the show. Magnum, T.C. and Rick were all Vietnam Veterans. The show featured many flashback scenes to the war and dealt with many of the issues Vietnam Vets faced post-war. The show is unique in its positive portrayal of the American Vietnam Vet – indeed, it was the first show to take this stance. All three characters are upstanding citizens with laudable character traits, who look back on their military careers with pride, and seek no one’s sympathy.

Typical of the time and genre, testosterone-fueled, suspension of disbelief action scenes were featured semi-regularly in the show, and to great effect. Car chases, chopper chases, fisticuffs (with little blood), explosive pyrotechnics, they were all there, and usually very well done. And the good guys didn’t always win!

The show is also famous for its many iconic images, which will forever be assoiciated with it – the Hawaiian setting, the red  Ferrari 308 GTS, the Hawaiian shirts, the sprawling oceanside estate known as Robin’s Nest, T.C.’s helicopter, the “team ring”, and Magnum’s mustache and baseball caps. The red parrot Hawaiian shirt, the Detroit Tigers baseball cap and the Team Ring can be found at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C..

But without question the heart and soul of the show lies with the two central characters, Thomas Magnum and Jonathan Higgins, and their ever evolving relationship. Higgins is a deceivingly complex character with a richly detailed personal history. Higgins’ fascinating past, revealed slowly through “boring” orations, was one of the highlights of the show. Magnum, at the urging of Selleck, is a refreshingly fallible, self-effacing, sentimental, non-macho protagonist. Sure, he is a hunk of epic magnitude, but he doesn’t always get the girl, he often screws something up, and he owes everybody money. And yet is also extremely likable, for both men and woman. He possesses high morals, is extremely loyal to his friends, has a good sense of humor and will bend over backwards to help people in need. Despite the differences in personality, age and background, and the neverending, lighthearted arguments and bickering, Magnum and Higgins develop a strong, unique friendship. Higgins, in a way, acts a quasi father figure to Magnum (who lost his real father when he was five). A large majority of the most memorable scenes from the show involve Magnum and Higgins together. Selleck and Hillerman are both superb in bringing these most interesting characters to life.

The final episode of the show aired on May 1st 1988 as a two-hour movie and was the highest rated show of the week. Magnum re-activated his Naval commission as a Commander and he became a full-time father to his daughter Lily Catherine. Rick finally sowed his oats and married an ex-prostitute named Cleo Mitchell, although we never actually hear him say “I Do”. T.C. continues to run Island Hoppers and coach little league baseball. Higgins remains at Robin’s Nest and is presumably still working on his memoirs. The issue of Robin Masters identity was intentionally left ambiguous. Higgins at first says he really is Robin Masters, but then, later, slyly says “I lied about being Robin Masters”. By “lie”, does he mean “I pretended to be Robin Masters all this time”, or “I lied when I said I was Robin Masters”? You decide. After the closing credits, Tom Selleck, from the guest house set, gives a short “farewell/thank you” speech to the fans of the show. After his final “goodbye”, Selleck points a TV remote at the camera and pushes a button – the screen goes blank, end of the series.

Color    -    Swirl    -    Smell    - Taste    -    Savor

SMELL BIG!

This is the third part in our series on the “Big Fat Taste”. Smell cannot be overestimated! I know you have tried it, smelling an orange and taking a huge drink of water. The affect is overwhelming!

The smell of a wine can be very interesting and can be almost as enjoyable as drinking the wine! When you pour a wine, only fill the glass to a third full. The best wine glasses are those that close in towards the top to trap the aroma. Once you have swirled to your lifes content, stick your nose into the glass, breath in and concentrate on what you can smell. Remember to open your mouth at the same time. You’ll ingest even more aroma and enjoy it that much more. You can even compare what you are smelling with the winemaker’s description on the label. Being a wine enthusiast for only about 4 -5 years, I know the more I pay attention to what I am smelling, the better I am able to discern the various aromas. Take your time! Really focus on the smell! Take notes. Refer to the Wine Aroma Wheel. Get yourself a pocket guide to help you identify the many aromas.Wine Tasting Notebook

This is such a critical period in the tasting process and it can be rather intense to stop and enjoy the smelling before the taste. This is “foreplay” for wine tasting! Slow down and smell the roses, or tobacco, or plumbs, or wet dog. Next you will be able to take a drink but don’t be in a hurry. Unless you walk away from your glass, it will be there when it comes time to sip.

<>