Archives for the 'Wine' Category
Tim Elliott is my friend
Is Tim Elliott is my friend? No, not really. I’ve never met the man.
Tim is famous as one of the original wine bloggers and podcasters with his WineCast site.
I have followed Tim’s WineCast regularly for months and sometimes that kind of familiarity can feel like true friendship. (You know, sorta like the lady who stalked David Letterman for years.) But in this case (don’t worry Tim), I really am Tim’s friend on a website called the OpenWine Consortium.
“What kind of site is OpenWine, John?” you might ask.
OpenWine Consortium is a global, non-profit wine industry association featuring the newest generation of emerging companies, wineries, publishers, services and a motivated community dedicated to changing the world of wine.
If you’re familiar with some of the other networking sites (like LinkedIn or FaceBook) you might recognize the features. Anyone can sign-up as a member and post information about themselves. Your information and the information about hundreds of other members are linked together in a way that helps everyone communicate in a meaningful way.
“Huh? What’s that mean?” would be a normal response right about now.
Think cocktail party, diary, phone book and Christmas card list all rolled into one. It’s pretty new (having just started in February 2008).
Wanna find and visit with other people that know about wine? Join the OpenWine Consortium.
Houston Wine Geeks at Sonoma Wine Bar
| April 9, 2008 | ||
Scared of WineSpeak?
Embarrassed when you have to read and order from a wine list? Want to know more about wine and how to enjoy it?
Houston Wine Geeks is an informal group of wine enthusiasts focused on the ins-and-outs of wine appreciation and wine education.
I’m taking a $1,500 wine appreciation course from the International Sommeliers Guild. My ultimate goal: achieving certification as a sommelier. Every Monday I attend wine class from 4pm to 11pm at the University of Houston. Every Wednesday I share what I’ve learned.
The Houston Wine Geeks weekly meetings are my study group. I’m sharing what I learn and I’m there to learn from you, all in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.
- There’s no fee!
- Each attendee pays for their own wine and food.
- Meetings start at 6:30pm in a wine bar somewhere in the Houston area and last about an hour.
- Some people stay around after the meeting to enjoy the venue and the company.
|
Interested? Sign up and RSVP for our next meeting. Come every week or come when you can!
FYI: We use www.meetup.com as our RSVP/Membership tracking tool. It’s free for you! |
Our Meeting
Join us at Sonoma (Richmond Avenue near Kirby). We’ll be at this location for week or two as we check out everything they have to offer.
Sonoma Wine Bar and Retail Boutique
2720 Richmond Avenue
Houston, TX 77098
(713) 526-9463
www.sonomahouston.com
Sonoma Wine Bar and Retail Boutique
Sonoma Wine Bar and Retail Boutique is Houston’s first late-night wine bar. What does that mean? It means while all the other wine bars are closing down at midnight, the party is just warming up at Somoma. We serve over 100 wines and beers in every price range with taste varietals for every palate. For those of you looking for a small bite to eat, we also serve everything from gourmet panini’s and pizza’s to meat and cheese plates.
Houston Wine Geeks at 13 Celsius
| March 12, 2008 | ||
| March 19, 2008 | ||
| March 26, 2008 | ||
| April 2, 2008 | ||
Scared of WineSpeak?Embarrassed when you have to read and order from a wine list? Want to know more about wine and how to enjoy it?
Houston Wine Geeks is a group of wine enthusiasts focused on the ins-and-outs of wine appreciation and wine education.
I’m taking a $1,500 wine appreciation course from the International Sommeliers Guild. My ultimate goal: achieving certification as a sommelier. Every Monday I attend wine class from 4pm to 11pm at the University of Houston. Every Wednesday I share what I’ve learned.
The Houston Wine Geeks weekly meetings are my study group. I’m sharing what I learn and I’m there to learn from you, all in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.
- There’s no fee!
- Each attendee pays for their own wine and food.
- Meetings start at 6:30pm in a wine bar somewhere in the Houston area and last about an hour.
- Some people stay around after the meeting to enjoy the venue and the company.
|
Interested? Sign up and RSVP for our next meeting. Come every week or come when you can!
FYI: We use www.meetup.com as our RSVP/Membership tracking tool. It’s free for you! |
Our Meeting
Join us at 13 Celsius (Midtown/Downtown near Toyota Center). We’ll be at this location for a few weeks as we check out everything they have to offer.
13 Celsius Wine Bar
3000 Caroline St
Houston TX 77004
(713) 529-8466
www.13celsius.com
About 13 Celsius
13 Celsius is the optimal temperature to store and maintain the integrity of great wine. With an aim toward providing Houston with the best wine possible, 13 Celsius prides itself as the only wine bar in town to actually keep its wine in a temperature-controlled cellar. Located in the heart of Midtown, this circa-1927 Mediterranean-style building creates an atmosphere reminiscent of the wine bars and Enotecas of Europe. We have an open air courtyard, luxurious seating, and nearly 40 feet of white marble bar from which one can partake from a bold and unique wine list focused on low-production, high-quality wines. We also offer choice meats and cheeses from Joseph’s Cooler to accompany and enhance the total wine experience. We serve locally roasted espresso from the finest of European machines. Come at night for a glass of wine and take home a retail-priced bottle or two.
Chilled out at Ibiza
Wes, a burly waiter who could have played football for his college team, brought me the glass of Spinyback Sauvignon Blanc 2006 I had ordered just a few minutes before. Across the table from me sat Barbara and next to me sat her husband, George.
With eager anticipation I held the glass and swirled and sniffed and then sipped.
“Arg!” I snarled with a grimaced look on my face. “That’s terrible.”
“Send it back,” said Barbara.
“But it’s not corked and it’s not oxidized. It just tastes bad,” I said. “I can’t send a glass back just because I don’t like it.”
“Send it back,” Barbara said.
“Ibiza is a fine Houston food and wine bar. Owners Grant Cooper and Charles Clark hand-picked the wines on this impressive wine list. There must be a reason why this wine is on this list and I’m gonna keep tasting it until I find out why.”
“Send it back,” repeated Barbara.
“I like Sauvignon Blanc and I’ve always especially liked Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, so why does this wine taste like pure lemon juice?” I said as I took another sip. “Sauvignon Blanc should be fruity and citrusy, but also floral and crisp. This is all acid and all lemon and all not so good.”
I knew that this Sauvignon Blanc should be zesty and subtle, balanced with just a little gooseberry. Maybe what Wes poured into my glass was not Sauvignon Blanc after all, maybe this was lemon juice?
“It’s too cold,” chimed in the previously silent George. “Give it time to warm up.”
George was onto something. I cupped the glass in my hands. Brrr. According to Jancis Robinson, a good Sauvignon Blanc should always be served at 48 to 52 degrees Fahrenheit. Grabbing the glass like this, it was obvious: my wine was as cold as ice.
Wes, that huge guy who doesn’t look at all like a waiter in a wine bar, must have poured my glass from a bottle he just took out of the chill chest.
“Let’s order an appetizer,” I said to George and Barbara. “That large plate of Spanish olives, jamon serrano ham and manchego cheese sounds great and it’s only ten bucks. By the time it gets here, the Spinyback should be just the right temperature to drink.”
George winked and smiled a silly little grin.
Ibiza Food and Wine Bar
2450 Louisiana Street
Houston TX 77006
(713) 524-0004
www.ibizafoodandwinebar.com
