Monthly Archives: November 2012

A Down Under, Down Home, Get Down Thanksgiving

Ode To Katerina B.: To me, the weirdest thing about Australians—and they are legion—is that they speak English.  That is, if you can process words like chinwag, bodgy, dinkum and crack-a-fruity through your Funk & Wagnalls and still come up … Continue reading

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How Hot Is Tin Roof?

Kirkland Signature embossed toilet paper hot.  SKU #31680 12” x 1000’ Foodservice Tinfoil hot.  As hot as Depend® Extra Large Protective Underwear for Men—a 16 pack for $19.99. By which I mean, Tin Roof is Costco hot. * Learning Wine … Continue reading

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Wine World Wins And Woes: The Rich Get Richer And The Poor Get Boutiquier

Let me toss out the seemingly random figure of ten million dollars and ask you what you think it represents: 1.  The purchase price of immaculate turn-key San Marcos Creek Vineyard in Paso Robles, including custom home, a luxurious bed … Continue reading

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Hittite Me With Your Best Shot, Turkey

According to Robert McIntosh, owner of the trendy European wine marketing agency Vrazon, we owe a debt of gratitude to the Hittites for the very existence of wine. And I intend to thank them. In person, of course, because texting … Continue reading

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How To Hold A Wine Glass Wrong And Ruin Everybody’s Holiday Season

The gulags are filled with people who didn’t know how to hold a wine glass, bobeshi. Stateside, of course, we are a bit more lenient with such breeches of etiquette, but still, you may be as shocked as I was … Continue reading

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Just Say Yes To Hess

I came of age in an era that had Ronald Reagan scaring us with Cold War rhetoric while his wife was scaring us with Drug War rhetoric.  Her banshee yelp, ‘Just Say No’ saved many a naïve youth from that … Continue reading

Posted in CALIFORNIA, Mt. Veeder, Napa | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Pumpkin Ale: For The Mind, Ichabody And Soul

If I said that most pumpkin ales don’t contain pumpkin, you’d say I was nuts. On the other hand, if I served you a piece of pumpkin pie without any sugar and spice, you’d also say I was nuts. That’s … Continue reading

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