Wine

Wine

Wine and restaurant reviews

Dec 072010
 
Majestic Cafe Continues to Deliver

Over two years ago I wrote a review about The Majestic, on King Street in the heart of Old Town. It was a strong performer that night, and was again recently when Gabriele and I returned. Last time at the Majestic I wrote about us enjoying a 2006 Allan Scott Pinot Noir with dinner. The […]

Nov 302010
 

In my last blog post, I made mention of my quest for a good value, good tasting $20 Bordeaux. It has not been an easy quest. But I’m excited to say I’ve made two discoveries worth sharing. Here are links for more information: Chateau Beaumont 2005 – .pdf from the vine maker with lots of […]

Oct 152010
 
A Few Off The Beaten Path Reds

It’s been all BMW all week, thanks to my very popular interview with BMW authority Mike Miller. So I thought I’d end the week with some less typical reds Gabriele and I have sampled recently. All these wines were enjoyable, but I wouldn’t say we loved them. But I don’t want to only write about […]

Sep 292010
 
Collage and Foley Pinot Noir -- A Fantastic Combo

Recently Gabriele and I had dinner at a restaurant called Collage, in St. Augustine, Florida. We had wanted to return to a restaurant we had greatly enjoyed last year, but that place had closed. I turned to TripAdvisor, which listed 99 reviews and called Collage the best restaurant in the area. Our experience was fantastic, […]

Sep 212010
 
Chapoutier Value Fades In Crozes-Hermitage

As discussed in previous posts, we’ve been exploring Rhone wines lately. In particular, we’ve been searching for another Rhone wine from Chapoutier, off the entry level 2007 Belleruche we enjoyed at Carlyle Grand. We finally found a local retailer who could get us the 2008 Petite Ruche Crozes-Hermitage, made from 100% Syrah grapes from northern […]

Sep 072010
 

Hope everyone had a nice Labor Day weekend. Gabriele and I got in some R&R and enjoyed the beautiful weather in the DC area. She and I have been exploring Rhones for the past few weeks, as I’ve highlighted in a couple of previous posts. Last night I coaxed her in front of the flip […]

Aug 232010
 
Fine Dining and Family Time in Vegas

I’ve been in Las Vegas the last few days, celebrating the baptism of my nephew Dustin Parente. It’s been a while since I’ve been here, and in prior years it’s always been for business. We’re at the Trump Tower, and the service has been incredible. Whatever your feelings about The Donald, it’s a great place […]

Aug 122010
 
No Beef Anymore with Ray's the Steaks

Gabriele and I had a really fine meal at Ray’s the Steaks in Arlington last weekend. We were giving Ray’s a second chance at their new Arlington location on Wilson Blvd. Michael Landrum has made a big name for himself with his growing empire of Ray’s locations. I’ve had a couple of good meals in […]

Jul 302010
 
Nice Value Wine Find at Carlyle Grand

Last week Gabriele and I had dinner at the Carlyle Grand in Shirlington. Sort of the flagship of the American Restaurant chain here in the DC area, it’s always a solid performer. You won’t be blown away, but you’ll rarely be disappointed either. The atmosphere is upbeat and there are always crowds, which is a […]

Jul 122010
 
Good Juice Update -- July

I hope everyone’s summer is in full swing. Here are suggestions for some good juice at decent prices to enjoy this summer. First off, the search for a good value, good tasting Bordeaux continues. At times I feel a little like Don Quixote on this quest, but recently there was an encouraging find. I enjoyed […]

Jun 222010
 
Tallula Goes Haute Cuisine -- And Is The Poorer For It

Gabriele and I recently went for dinner at Tallula for the first time in a while. As readers of this blog know, we’re big fans of the restaurants in the Neighborhood Restaurant Group. Unfortunately, things had changed since we last ate at Tallula. I apparently was the last person in the DC area to realize […]