My associate Douglas and I are up for the big Napa Valley Wine Auction, more specifically the barrel auction portion of the event. If you haven’t been, it is a wild orgy of Napa wineries that come together at the Trinchero winery to auction off their wines for worthy causes. An endless sea of barrels fills the enormous warehouse space that holds the barrel auction, while white wines and food from local chefs are served outside. Continue Reading »
11 PM
It’s 11 pm in a crowded bar. Feel free to insert the name of the bar in the city of your choice, but the scene is somewhat similar anywhere you go. That is, you are in a bar or club that serves some of the latest and greatest martini-styled drinks. You know the ones I’m talking about… The Cosmos, the Lemon Drops, the Apple Martinis. They all come from the bartender’s hand in a fancy stemmed martini glass. After a feeling of appreciation, you are now left to make your way through the crowded bar without spilling the contents on your shoes, the floor, or even worse, on somebody’s freshly laundered clothes. Unlike the “Angel’s Share,” which winemakers (especially Cognac producers) respectfully accept as the part of the wine lost to evaporation and other elements during the production and aging processes, I refer to this spilled portion of my martini as the “Devil’s Share”. Damn him. Continue Reading »
Spirits Mutineer Douglas Harenchar rolled into the office with a two liter bottle of Squirt (that I was subsequently informed that business manager Jeff Dorenbush actually purchased). I haven’t had Squirt in years, and its epic return to my palate has inspired me to dig a little deeper into this magnificent beverage. Continue Reading »
Many years ago, before the Panama Canal and Next-Day Air shipping, sailors had to actually forge across the great seas. Of course, one of the most important items aboard was ale. Now imagine the most salty, sultry, and savage environment possible and picture yourself hauling this precious cargo, only to find it spoiled and undrinkable upon your arrival. Continue Reading »
