Off Topic, cioè fuori tema. Infatti in questo blog vinoso voglio parlare di birre, e di come in qualche modo esse possano essere, come il vino, espressione di un territorio. Le birre in questione sono quelle del Birrificio Scarampola (Via Apollo Sanguinetti 18, 17014 Cairo Montenotte, (Sv), Tel 019/500196, Fax 019/520156).
La Val di Vara, in provincia di La Spezia, oltre ad essere un territorio selvaggio e di grandissima bellezza paesaggistica e naturalistica, ha anche grandi potenzialità enologiche. Ne sono convinto, l’ho sempre sostenuto (qui) e anche cercato nel mio piccolo di dimostrarlo (qui). D’altro canto la Valle è sempre lì, e chiunque può andarci e rendersene conto. Si tratta di un “terroir†privo di una storia enologica nota ai più, quindi da “inventare†intelligentemente, con rispetto di quel poco (o tanto) di tradizioni che ancora paesi come ad esempio Montale possono vantare.
by Martin Field
Headlines over recent months have featured horror stories about alcohol abuse, binge drinking, and general overindulgence in our favourite legal drug.
Some stories have ludicrously blamed the size of wine glasses for excessive boozing. For example, “MP calls for smaller wine glasses” and, “Wine glasses blamed for women drinking large alcohol amounts.”
I’m totally unconvinced that standardising the size of wine glasses is going to stop boozing and I don’t believe that proposals to change the official guidelines for the recommended number of standard drinks per day will have any effect whatsoever.
by Martin Field
Spirit House
A group of us dined at the Spirit House in Yandina, a short drive south of Noosa. A spectacular setting, just like walking into a tropical restaurant in Bali or Thailand; complete with exotic flowers, bamboo, palms, and a central lake dotted with lotus leaves.
Standout entrée ($19.50) was the ‘Buddha’s Delight’ a trio of beautifully presented savoury dishes, described accurately on the menu as ‘Potato, pea and spinach samosa with coriander yoghurt; eggplant and banana chili salad with cassava chips; and Son-in-law Egg with sweet, salt and sour sauce.
Address: 20 Ninderry Rd, Yandina, Queensland. Phone (07) 5446 8994.
by Martin Field
Pickled eggs ‘n Scrumpy
I was telling Beery Mag about getting legless on scrumpy (a strongly alcoholic rustic cider) on the morning of a mate’s wedding many years ago.
We rode borrowed motor bikes down narrow hedgerowed lanes near Rockwell Green in Taunton, Somerset, and stopped for morning tea at a quaint little tavern that sold cider.
by Martin Field
Shanghai Lager – up to $16 the six-pack of 330ml bottles *
Unusual this. Brewed from rice, according to the media release. A pale looking lager style with a good foamy head. Slightly sweet and light on the palate with faint bitterness at the back of the tongue. Would suit people who generally don’t drink beer ‘Because it’s too bitter!’ Would go well (obviously) with Chinese tucker.
Tyrrell’s Old Winery Hunter Valley Semillon 2007 – $11 * * *$
Lemons and straw on the nose. Light (10.5% alcohol) fresh style with attractive ripe citrus flavours. An ideal lunch and entrée white.
Shingle Peak Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2007 – up to $26 * * *
This one exhibits the typically grassy pungency we expect from quality NZ sauvignon blanc. The palate is crisp with upfront tangy acid and stacks of lychee fruit.
Le déclin de notre pouvoir d’achat en France se manifeste clairement dans la restauration – que peut faire notre monarque, sauf nous envoyer acheter de la brioche ? Dans un article récent j’écrivais du rapport qualité prix extraordinaire que l’on peut trouver dans une grande ville comme Barcelone, et je faisais allusion à la rareté des restaurants beaux, bons et assez bon marché de notre littoral Provençal, particulièrement touché par la crise du pouvoir d’achat. Sauf exceptions, à différence des régions voisines (en France, Italie et Espagne), notre littoral est condamné par son tourisme de masse à une offre quand même assez chère et limitée, répétitive, ennuyeuse, et à quelques rares établissements très chers et étoilés, faute de mieux, selon des critères nettement moins sévères que ceux du reste du pays.
J’ai passé la semaine à Barcelone, où je participais au Mobile World Congress. J’ai pris l’occasion pour contacter le blogueur catalan Joan Gómez Pallarès, qui m’a invité pour des superbes tapas galiciennes dans une Braserìa tout près de la foire, sur le carrer Lleida. Joan est un véritable polyglotte, professeur de Grec et Latin, qui voyage fréquemment dans les meilleures régions viticoles d’Europe et publie ses rapports sur l’excellent blog DE VINIS CIBISQUE. Joan oriente ses recherches autour de sa propre variation de ce qu’en Espagne est connu comme les 3 Bs, en ajoutant une quatrième B: Bueno, Bonito, Bastante Barato. Je suis tenté d’en ajouter une cinquième: Barcelona! En effet cette ville se prête à la découverte de lieux gastronomiques qui sont à la fois bons, beaux et assez bon-marché. Les articles de Joan donnent un panorama intéressant du vin en Europe, des vins originaux qui n’apparaissent pas sur le radar de Parker…
This past week I was in Barcelona, attending the Mobile World Congress exhibition. I looked up fellow blogger Joan Gómez Pallarès, who invited me for tremendous Galician tapas at a Braserìa right beside the fairgrounds, on the Carrer Lleida. Joan is a polyglot professor of greek and latin who travels frequently to the best wine regions of Europe and reports on his findings on his excellent blog DE VINIS CIBISQUE. Joan abides by his own variation of what in Spain is referred to as the three Bs, only he adds a fourth one: Bueno, Bonito, Bastante Barato. I would have added a fifth one: Barcelona! This city truly lends itself to finding places that are nice, good and reasonably cheap. Joan’s writing is an invaluable guide to what is truly exciting in wine in Europe, wines that are not yet on Robert Parker’s radar screen.
Prendo in prestito questo video dal Blogger Eustachio Cazzorla per riaprire la questione spinosa delle chiusure alternative all’amato/odiato tappo in sughero naturale.