Mon, 21 August 2006  < - Download GNGNB Ep35: So you think you know Gin?
 This event was held in June of 2006 at the W in San Francisco and was an incredible way to learn about the 3 different styles of Gin. Those three styles are: Dutch Style, London Dry Style, and Plymouth. This event was sponsored by Plymouth Gin, and Plymouth's gin receipe dates back to the one originally used in the 18th Century. Plymouth's mixture of seven botanicals: Junipers berries, angelica root, orange peel, lemon peel, cardamom pods, orris root, and coriander seeds; give Plymouth a very smooth taste when compared with other gins. Gin has a fascinating history, which is primarily English in nature. The word 'Gin' is derived from the French word from Juiper - Genievere. Although production was very small in the early 17th century, by 1743 London produced almost 20 millions gallons of Gin - the equivalent of nearly 20 gallons for every adult. By the early 18th century, Milk and water had become unsanitary and Gin became the primary means to quench a thirst. In fact, the taxes on Gin were only 2-pence, compared with 4-pence for beer. This lead to the famous 'Mothers Ruin' phrase as mothers of the time would get drunk and forget about everything, leading them to ruin. Gin is still entrenched in British history, even today every new ship of the Royal Navy still recieves a 'Commissioning kit' from Plymouth gin that consists a pennant, glasses, a gurgling fish jug and a bottle of Plymouth Gin. Join us as we sit down with Jacques and learn about not only the history of the drink, but also how it is made, and most importantly - how to taste it. For you faithful listeners, here is Jacques' receipe that he mentions for his favorite drink, the Negroni. Negroni Cocktail - Named after Count Camillo Negroni from Florence who wanted an Americano with a kick. 1 oz. Plymouth Gin 1 oz. Sweet Vermouth 1 oz. Campari Splash of soda (optional) Build ingredients over ice into a lowball glass and garnish orange zest.  The song for this episode is by Delphinium Blue and the song is California. Show some love for these artists won't you? Tell them that you heard their song on a podcast. We hope that you enjoyed our little diversion, let us know what you think. Simply call 408-627-7796 and let us know if you like what you hear, have suggestions, or simply want to provide some comments. If you prefer email, you can drop us a line at guyandgirl@gmail.com. Cheers! -A Guy & a Girl Check us out at PodShow at www.wine.podshow.com Subscribe to our Wine Podcast at iTunes or Yahoo! Don't forget!, here are a few codes to save you some wine money next time you have to order some domains:
Bottle2 - Save an additional $5 of any order $30 or more. Bottle3 - Get any .COM domain name for only $6.95/yr. Category: podcasts -- posted at: 4:16 AM Comments[0] |
Thu, 17 August 2006 < - Download GNGNB Ep34: Where have we been?
Hello, fellow wine lovers! We have to sincerely apologize for not posting a new episode for about a month and a half. We would love to say that we were busy jetting off to the wine regions of Chile, Argentina, Italy, and Australia but alas we were just plain busy working at our day jobs and spending the warm California summer having fun with our daughter before the school year starts.  We are so excited about the launch of Podshow+, and we're sure we have quite a few new listeners out there, so first of all we would like to say welcome to our podcast and we hope you like what your hear, and if you don't please don't hesitate to send us an email and give us your suggestions and comments. (Bad comments send directly to Joe, all gushing wonderful comments can be sent straight to Pam. Also, we want to let you know that we have a barrel full of exciting new and different things coming up that we think you are going really enjoy. A Guy, a Girl, and a Bottle were invited to participate in a gin tasting in San Francisco, and although we bet you thought this was just a wine podcast, we figured what the heck, gin just so happens to come in a bottle too! While we were out doing decidedly non-wine things, we set up a quite a decadent podcast with Ariella Toeman with Cocoa Designs, and of course nothing goes better with wine than chocolate. We make a few wonderfully delicious chocolate bars and you get to come along with us. (As an extra special treat, look for our first steps into video podcasting on this one!) Again, to our loyal listeners thank you for your patience, and for our new listeners we hope you enjoy our podcast because our intent is to reach out to the average everyday wine drinker. If you want pretentious, you are looking in the wrong place! Lastly, if you happen to be at the Podcast and Portable Media Expo in September, just look for a Guy, a Girl and there is a good chance we might have a Bottle, so just stop by and say hello, we might even share some with you! Leave us some feedback! Simply call 408-627-7796 and let us know if you like what you hear, have suggestions, or simply want to provide some feedback. If you prefer email, you can drop us a line at guyandgirl@gmail.com. Cheers! -A Guy & a Girl Check us out at PodShow at www.wine.podshow.com Subscribe to our Wine Podcast at iTunes or Yahoo! Don't forget!, here are a few codes to save you some wine money next time you have to order some domains: Bottle1 - Save 10% off any order. Everything. Bottle2 - Save an additional $5 of any order $30 or more. Bottle3 - Get any .COM domain name for only $6.95/yr. Category: podcasts -- posted at: 12:37 AM Comments[0] |
Sat, 17 June 2006 Click to download GNGNB Ep33: Wine Blogging Wednesday #22
Hello once again Guys and Girls, we are back with another episode of Wine Blogging Wednesday (WBW22 to be exact). Tim Elliot, a fellow wine podcaster at Winecast, is hosting this month's extravaganza and has selected 'Red wines with less than 12.5% alcohol' as the goal. This is in contrast to the Girl's wishes of finding wines with a much higher alcohol content, but I digress. I looked high, and I looked low, but being from California, it was somewhat difficult to adhere to the rules, so we chose 2 different wines for our assignment: Santa Ema 2002 Merlot (12.8% ABV) and the 2001 Quinta D'Aguieura (12% ABV). (Ironically, Kate Hopkins of the Accidental Hedonist originally tasted a 2002 Santa Ema for the original Wine Blogging Wednesday, waaay back in September of 2004.) You'll have to listen to the podcast to hear our thoughts on these low alcohol wines. 2001 Quinta D'Aguieura 40% Touriga Nacional / 60% Cabernet Sauvignon (12% Alcohol) Vinho Regional Beiras (from Portugal) Background Music by Mike Ratza - Blue Bossa Music - Black Lab - Ecstasy  Category: WBW -- posted at: 3:57 AM Comments[1] |
Sat, 10 June 2006 Well, we have been away from the podcasting scene for a couple of weeks, but we are here and raring to go. We have lots of really great stuff coming up in the next couple of months, and hope you join us. If you haven't already done so, click on the link to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcatcher, which ensures you get the show delivered directly to you as soon as it is released. Feel free to burn a copy of these songs, or better yet, support the artists by purchasing some of their music by clicking on the links below.
Kermit Lynch "Awake for the Count" featured on the CD Quicksand Blues 
Bari Koral - Aspiring Angel  LoveSpirals - Love Survives  Butterfly Catchers - Morning  Black Lab - Remember (Sir Alex Kemp Mix)  Bloody Irish Boys - (Get) Drunk Tonight 
And lastly, here are a few codes to save you some wine money next time you have to order some domains:
Bottle2 - Save an additional $5 of any order $30 or more. Bottle3 - Get any .COM domain name for only $6.95/yr. Cheers! -A Guy & a Girl Subscribe to our Wine Podcast at iTunes or Yahoo! Category: podcasts -- posted at: 8:55 PM Comments[0] |
Fri, 19 May 2006  Episode 31: Wine Blogging Wednesday #21
This month's Wine Podcast - Wine Blogging Wednesday #21
It's that time of the month again for another installment of Wine Blogging Wednesday. For installment #21 of WBW, we are joining forces with Is My Blog Burning #26 and are having both a meal and a great bottle of wine!
Here were the rules for this installment:
1. Pick a favorite bottle of wine from your cellar and create/cook a dish that goes with it. 2. Pick a favorite dish in your culinary repertoire and seek out a wine that will pair with it. The Girl (and my lovely wife Pam) has cooked a delicious meal, and I chose the 2004 J. Lohr Arroyo Vista Vineyard Chardonnay as detailed below. Our daughter, who also joins us on this show, has the 2006 Leche de Safeway, which also comes highly recommended. WINEMAKER'S COMMENTS The 2004 J. Lohr Arroyo Vista Vineyard Chardonnay is a youthful yellow in color, with aromas of white flowers, lime custard, citrus and baked pear. The Burgundian winemaking techniques including alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in barrel with lees stirring and extended aging contribute a complex bouquet of honey and vanilla and amplify an already intensely viscous wine. This is a substantial wine with a silky texture on the palate with layers of complexity and richness making it well-suited to roasted chicken or pork. - The Guy The Girl: For dinner I prepared Cornish game hens, I usually cook these little midget chickens whole, but to save on time I butterflied them so that they would cook faster. To split them you cut them along their backbone, flip them over breast side up and using the heal of your palm press down to flatten. These guys are so easy to make and what I find is that they are great basted in butter, with some dried herbs, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook for 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven till the liquid runs clear when pricked in the leg. Some of you might be curious where these miniature chickens came from, well in 1965 chicken mogul Donald John Tyson created these little hens by cross-breeding White Rock hens and Cornish hens. His intent was to create a specialty item at a higher price to appeal to foodies. They look like miniature chickens, and you guessed it:they taste just like chicken. I also prepared some Uncle Ben's whole grain rice and added a few things to the rice. I love Uncle Ben's brown rice because it cooks faster then regular brown rice and tastes the same. I soaked a few porcini mushrooms and sundried tomatoes in hot water until they were soft, reserved the liquid and chopped up the mushrooms and tomato and set them aside. I followed the directions on the box for 1 cup of rice but instead of adding 2 cups of water I used chicken broth for flavor and I held back the 1/2 cup of water and added the liquid from the mushrooms and tomatoes. Boil the liquid and throw in the rice, mushrooms, and tomatoes then reduce the heat and simmer. For the veggies, I just boiled some fresh green beans in salted water until tender yet crisp.  Sponsorship Information; Special thanks to Uncle Bens Whole Grain Brown Rice for providing sponsorship for 'A Guy, a Girl, and a Bottle'. As mentioned before in our wine podcast, Uncle Bens is sponsoring a receipe contest using their whole grain rice products - enter your receipe at www.unclebens.com/recipecontest. Don't forget to share your receipe with us! 
Music this episode:
Artist: Lee Coulter
Song: Booty VooDoo
What did you think of this episode? Leave us some feedback! Simply call 408-627-7796 and let us know if you like what you hear, have suggestions, or simply disagree completely with everything we said. If you prefer email, you can drop us a line at guyandgirl@gmail.com. Cheers! -A Guy & a Girl Subscribe to our Wine Podcast at iTunes or Yahoo! Category: WBW -- posted at: 11:20 PM Comments[0] |
Sun, 30 April 2006 Episode 30: Loxton Winery
 The other really cool thing about today's episode is that we are the first Podcast (aside from Adam Curry of course) to deploy the 'Golden Ticket' as part of this Podcast. What is this Golden Ticket? Well, the Golden Ticket allows us to run contests and giveaway prizes to a predetermined number of people, in a random fashion. For example, in today's episode 3 lucky people will hear a special audio clip alerting them that they have won. See? Simple as that. Pretty neat-o, doncha think? We do. Why? Well, we want to give away lots of things to you dear listener, and we have been struggling with the fairest way to do that, with as little pain as possible on our end. This I think (forgive the upcoming pun) is the ticket that we needed. So if everything works right, hopefully we will be able to give away stuff on a more routine basis and reward you for spending some of your precious time with us. Today's giveaway is an autographed copy of Scott Sigler's first print book - Earthcore. Not only is this book one hell of a fine read (and listen if you want to download it), but this book is special to a lot of podcasters as it is the first podiobook that was successful enough to make it to print. Pretty cool, and 'nuff said. Good luck and let us know what you think of this contest and the way we are going about it. We'd really like to hear from you on this! (our info is at the bottom of this post) Loxton Cellars is located in the heart of Sonoma, just off highway 12. (Looks sharp for the signs, being a small winery it is easy to miss if you are daydreaming!) Loxton wines are the epitome of small wineries in this area. Heaps of talent, great wine, small name and cozy atmosphere. You can almost always find Chris hard at work when you stop by, but he loves showing guests around and explaining everything about wine and the Loxton philosophy. Curious to know the difference between a Shiraz and a Sirah? Chris will steer you in the right direction, and always with a touch of the Austrailian humor. A recommended diversion if you are heading out to Napa, and well worth the trip. Don't forget to tell the folks over at Loxton that Joe & Pam from "A Guy, a Girl, and a Bottle" wine podcast sent you over, they'll even give you a small discount! wine term this week - Dry DRY Dry/Off Dry: Little or no sugar = "dry", slightly sweeter = "off dry". http://www.vino.comOur Artist this week is Black Lab, and the song is Learn to Crawl. Purchase this track now at iTunes! 
Loxton Winery Tel/Fax 707.935.7221 chris@loxtonwines.com Post Office Box 70 Glen Ellen, California 95442-0070 Google Map The tasting room at Loxton Winery is open by appointment 7 days a week, 11 am to 5 pm. Cheers! -A Guy & a Girl Email guyandgirl 'AT' gmail.com Phone mail: 408-627-7796 SKYPE aguyandgirl Subscribe to our Wine Podcast at iTunes or Yahoo! Category: podcasts -- posted at: 11:30 PM Comments[0] |
Tue, 25 April 2006  Episode 29: Merlot Madness
In this installment of 'A Guy, a Girl, and a Bottle' wine podcast, Joe visits San Francisco to attend a seminar on Merlot and an attempt to restore the good character and decent name of this intriguing varietal after the damage that the movie 'Sideways' has inflicted upon the much maligned merlot.
Chris Phelps and Stu Harrison of Swanson vineyards present their case on merlot and why this wine deserves more respect.
Music "Taste It" by Casey Desmond
For more information on Merlot, visit www.merlotfightsback.com. Sponsors for this Episode: 
Cheers! Joe & Pam guyandgirl@gmail.com Subscribe to our Wine Podcast at iTunes or Yahoo! Category: podcasts -- posted at: 12:32 PM Comments[0] |
Tue, 18 April 2006 Hey there everyone. We wanted to bring you a quick note to let you know that you can take 'A Guy, a Girl, and a Bottle' wine podcast with you on your cell phone! This can help you as you are travelling around looking for that next great winery. Forgot your ipod at home? No worries, it's right there on your cell.
VoiceIndigo MOBILIZE is a free service that enables you to easily send podcasts to your cell phone, anywhere, anytime. Try it out and let us know what you think.
Category: general -- posted at: 2:30 PM Comments[0] |
Wed, 12 April 2006  Episode 28 Wine Blogging Wednesday#20 Wrap-Up
 El gusto del vino, es como delicada poesia
A Guy and a Girl's pick for Wine Blogging Wednesday #20 - Casamaro Verdejo Rueda ($10.99)
The goal of this month's installment of WBW was to find and sample a white wine. Easy you say? Pah-shaw. The twist? Well, fellow podcaster and wino Bill from Wine for Newbies insisted on No blends. and oh yeah, it can't be a Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or a Riesling. Now what are you left with? Sure, we can here you saying, "but c'mon you two, even we fellow novice oenophiles (Definition - A Lover or connoisseur of wine) know that you can still find Chenin Blanc, or the super-duper yummy Semillion". We still say Pah-shaw. First off - Chenin blanc, well, yeah, we coulda/woulda/shoulda, but we wanted to let some of our fellow bloggers and podcasters pick the easy ones. Semillion? Truth be told, we did pick up a bottle of wine made from 100% semillion grapes, but decided to save that for another day. (BTW - it isn't all that easy to find a bottle made from 100% semillion, most are blended with Sauvignon Blanc). What did we settle on? We went all out and went to Spain, and found a bottle of Casamaro Verdejo Rueda ($10.99) wine made by the Garciarevalo family owned winery, created entirely from the Verdejo grape. Verdejo grape: White. Very high quality and one of the best white varieties in Spain. It makes very aromatic, glyceric, soft wines with body. It is plentiful in Valladolid (69%), Segovia and Avila. It is considered a main variety of Rueda Denomination of Origin (D.O.)Other Merchant Reviews 87 Pts - Robert Parker "An excellent value that has never seen a day in oak, the 2004 Casamaro Blanco, a 100% Verdelho from 50-130-year old ungrafted vines, is a soft, delicious white exhibiting plenty of honeyed apricot, peach, and floral-like characteristics. It is a medium-bodied, crisp, lively effort to drink over the next year." 2004 Garciarevalo Casamaro Rueda - Rueda is a region of Spain best known for fresh whites with zinging acidity and fresh citrusy notes. This stainless steel treated offering is no exception. Fresh lemon zest notes and long finishing, this wine made 100% from the Verdejo grape is best matched with shellfish, sushi and chicken. -- Chris Cree, 56 Degree Wines, January 8, 2006 Sponsorship Information: Special thanks to Uncle Bens Whole Grain Brown Rice for providing sponsorship for 'A Guy, a Girl, and a Bottle'. As mentioned in the podcast, Uncle Bens is sponsoring a receipe contest using their whole grain rice products - enter your receipe at www.unclebens.com/recipecontest. Don't forget to share your receipe with us! (Pam is always looking for great receipes!) Supporting information: Garciarevalo Winery Garciarevalo is a family owned winery established in 1991 in Matapozuelos in the heart of Rueda. They specialize in Verdejo with additional plantings of Viura. They have 40 hectares of over-100 year old vines including Verdejo vines that are up to 130 years old. The unique qualities of this site are evident in the soils that differ from most other areas of Rueda. The soil is sand here and it allows for excellent drainage and greater difference between day and night temperatures. Long winters with late frosts combine with hot and dry summers create the ideal situation to cultivate grapes with the perfect balance of sugar and acidity. Believing that the key to a good wine is in the raw materials, Garciarevalo strive to to make a wine as true to the fruit as possible. The utmost care and latest technologies are used to extract a juice that reflects the hard work and special attention given in the fields. The wines are then put through temperature controlled fermentation to create a final product of the highest quality. Rueda Denomination of Origin (D.O.) Located approximately 170 km northwest of Madrid and just southwest of the mythical Ribera del Duero red wine region, lies the hugely successful wine appellation of Rueda. Wine has been produced in the Rueda region commercially since the 11th century during the reign of Alfonso XI who was the ruler of the kingdom of Castilla y Leon (the castle and the lion). Rueda was destroyed by the Moors in the 10th century during the ongoing battles and the area was depopulated until Alfonso XI, as a last effort to save the region from complete destruction, declared that anyone working the land would gain ownership of it. In came the monastic orders and wine production was begun in earnest. Sherry style wines (oxidised) were made in Rueda for centuries from the native Verdejo grape. Rueda wines came to be particularly adored by the Royal Courts. When Felipe III was resident in Valladolid, for example, he requisitioned half the wine produced in Medina del Campo, as this area was then known. Like many other wine regions in Europe, Rueda suffered in the first half of the 20th century. The Spanish civil war and the dictatorship under Franco did nothing to benefit the local wine industry. It wasn't until Marques de Riscal, the famed Rioja winery, arrived to Rueda in 1971 that the region came back into relevance for wine lovers. The region was revolutionized with the new ideas and technology Marques de Riscal brought, and has become famous for producing delightful, fresh and fruity white wines from the Verdejo grape (as opposed to unfashionable, Sherry style wines). Riscal also introduced Sauvignon Blanc to the Rueda wine region, which they discovered blended sublimely with Verdejo. These days, Rueda is wildly successful and producing amazingly good value for money fruity wines that are regularly compared to French Sancerres and New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. In the 18th century the vineyard area was larger than today and planted exclusively with Verdejo. The wine's success was due in part to clarifying through local clay, which made it very clean and long-keeping. Rueda wines continued to be commercially successful until phylloxera disrupted production, destroying two-thirds of the vineyards between 1909 and 1922. Vines for replanting were chosen for yield rather than quality and Palomino replaced Verdejo, the main grape, although young wines made from it were sold locally in bulk. Technical Information The Rueda DO is flat, but high meseta land with wide horizons and gently rolling hills. The vineyards are divided between three provinces: the majority are in Valladolid, but others are in Avila and Segovia. The River Duero flows from east to west across the northern part of the growing area. Close to it there are limy alluvial soils with a limestone content rising to 24%. In the south the topsoil is brown and sandy with a subsoil of sandstone and clay. Drainage is good, the soil is reasonably rich in iron and it is generally easy to work. Altitudes vary between 600 and 780 metres. There are three types of young white wine: minimum 75% varietal Verdejos, which are called Rueda Superior; 100% varietal Sauvignon Blanc; and Rueda Blanco, which must be made with a minimum of 40% Verdejo or Sauvignon. Verdejo wines are characterised by their very aromatic, citric grassiness and good structure. (sources: http://www.in-spain.info/top20/spanish-white-wine-rueda.htm http://www.dorueda.com http://www.winesfromspain.com Lastly, the music on tonights show is brought to us by Irene. Check her out here Bonus! -Map of the Wine regions of Spain - HERE What did you think of this episode? Leave us some feedback! Simply call 408-627-7796 and let us know if you like what you hear, have suggestions, or simply disagree completely with everything we said. If you prefer email, you can drop us a line at guyandgirl@gmail.com. Cheers! -A Guy & a Girl Subscribe to our Wine Podcast at iTunes or Yahoo! Category: WBW -- posted at: 11:30 PM Comments[0] |
Tue, 11 April 2006  Episode 27 - Martin Ranch Winery
Hey there Guys & Girls, we are travelling south to Gilroy for this episode and visit Therese and Dan of the
Martin Ranch Winery (www.martinranchwinery.com). Martin Ranch is a small winery located on the very southern end of the Santa Cruz Appellation, approximately 36 miles from downtown San Jose. Here's a great tip - the winery is located just right down the road from Gilroy's theme park - Bonfante Gardens - so you might want to work out a stop to pick up some great wines the next time you take the kiddies to the Gardens. Be sure to call ahead though, as the tasting room is only open by appointment, and on special occasions, like the upcoming Passport day on April 22, 2006. Martin Ranch Winery sits on 17 acres in the southern tip of the Santa Cruz Mountains and resides in the perfect microclimate for growing Cabernet Sauvignon - warm days and cool nights. Therese and Dan started commercial winemaking in 1997 and in 2002, their first commercial crush of consisted of 625 cases. By 2004, the production was at 3500 cases. We talk at length with Dan about the farming process and we learn a new wine term this week - Cordon Cordon - horizontal branches of a grapevine trained along the trellis; also called the arms. The canes left after pruning which will produce fruiting shoots and new canes. - http://www.hcs.ohio-state.edu/mg/manual/glossary.htmTherese and Dan are not only winemakers, but also excellent cooks and one of their goals is to make great wines that pair nicely with great food. Visit their website for some excellent recipes. We have included a yummy one at the end of this post, just to whet your appetite! We also have a sponsor for this episode and it is GoDaddy! Use these promo codes to save a ton of cash on your next purchase: Bottle1 - Save 10%, Bottle2 - Save $5 off $30, Bottle3 - .com domains for just $6.95. 00:00 Opening and Intro to Gilroy 01:44 Love Spirals Promo 01:55 GoDaddy promotion 02:37 Martin Ranch Background 13:46 Uncle Jack Story 15:31 Sauvignon Blanc 23:11 2002 Niebbielo 29:20 2003 Therese Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 34:59 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon 35:00 Filtration Discussion 45:10 Wrap-up 46:02 I do by Rob Costlow Our Artist this week is Rob Costlow, and the song is I do. You can find more music from Rob Costlow along with other great artists on the Podsafe Music Network (http://music.podshow.com). Purchase this track now at iTunes!
Martin Ranch Winery 6675 Redwood Retreat Road Gilroy, CA 95020 Google Map T: 408.842.9197 F: 408.842.8193 TASTING BY APPOINTMENT (M-F 9AM to 5PM Pacific Time) As always, please let us know what is on your mind. We have several ways for you to get in touch with us:Email guyandgirl@gmail.com, Phone mail: 408-627-7796 or SKYPE at aguyandgirl Cheers! -A Guy & a Girl Subscribe to our Wine Podcast at iTunes or Yahoo! The Food - Therese Braised Short Ribs The Wine - Martin Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 Santa Cruz Mountains. THE RECIPES (Serves 6-8, Created by Therese Martin) INGREDIENTS Beef short ribs (6-8) 1 gold onion 3 tblsp. good olive oil 2 cloves garlic Flour for dredging short ribs for browning Kosher salt and pepper for seasoning 2 cups beef broth 2 cups red wine 32 oz. jar Therese canned tomatoes (or any available canned tomatoes) DIRECTIONS: Put olive oil in a cast iron, 5-quart Dutch oven. Caramelize onions and garlic on low to medium heat, about 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 350, change to 325 when putting short ribs in. Remove onions and garlic from pot and brown short ribs on all sides, about 15 minutes. Take short ribs out and set aside. Deglaze pat with 1-cup wine. Add onions, garlic, tomatoes and just a little of the juice. Place short ribs in the pot and add rest of wine and beef broth. Season with salt and pepper and lay 1 rosemary sprig across the top. Cover and put in preheated oven for 2 hours. Check after it has been in oven for 1 hour. Make sure there is plenty of juice and, if needed, add a little bit more wine. After 2 hours take out to cool while finishing the rest of meal. Category: Wineries -- posted at: 2:06 AM Comments[0] |
Tue, 21 March 2006 
Ep25 - Concannon Vineyards: 1963 Petit Syrah
Originally uploaded by GuyandGirl.
Episode 26 - Concannon Vineyards (part 2) Category: Wineries -- posted at: 2:38 AM Comments[0] |
Sat, 18 March 2006 
Happy St. Patricks Day! This episode of A Guy, a Girl, and a Bottle wine podcast has us visiting the Concannon Vineyard in Livermore, California. We talk to Jim Concannon, whose grandfather and family patiarch James Concannon started the winery, in 1883. Not only is the Concannon winery known as 'America's First Irish Winery' but the founder James Concannon was actually born on St. Patrick's Day in 1847! Talk about luck of the Irish! We spent a couple of hours with Jim, and the stories that he told were so rich, colorful, and passionate, we simply turned on the recorder and enjoyed his stories. (Due to the length, we decided to split this up in two parts, and this is part 1) While we do sample some wines during our conversation, we don't talk about them in great detail. We promise to return soon and concentrate on the wines themselves. If you are intrigued by the history of wine, then this is the podcast that you have been waiting for. Originally planted with premium Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon grapevine cuttings from France's legendary Chateau Y'Quem, Concannon later imported the first cuttings from the hybrid Petite Sirah vine developed in 1880 by French viticulturist Francois Durif. James Concannon would become good friends with Archbishop Alemany, a powerful figure in the Catholic Church and a man whose influence would help shape the future of the winery. Archbishop Alemany suggested that James develop a line of sacramental wines for use in church services. It was a suggestion that proved to be a tremendous blessing, as during prohibition, the winery was able to continue production as they were suppliers to the Church, while many other california wineries were lost during those 13 years. James Concannons' grandsons (Joseph and James) would later make the decision to be the first to varietally label Petite Sirah from their 1961 vintage (released in 1964). Later in the 1970's, Concannon's vine clone 7 and 8 (a Cabernet Savignon clone) were planted in Napa, and as a result, the Concannon name has roots in the success of many winemakers that have followed. It seems that once you visit, you may have a hard time leaving! "Early in the morning and late at night, our lab technician will feel a cold breeze coming into the room and see a figure outside of the window where my father had his office in the 1920s," said Jim Concannon of Concannon Winery. "The lights go on and off regularly almost every day for no reason. None of the electricians can figure out why, because all of the wiring is in perfect condition," he continued. "One of our employees came into the winery in the morning, and all of the corks from the previous day's partial bottles in the tasting room were lying on the bar top. We have a burglar alarm, so no one could have gone in there. I think it is the ghost of my grandfather, James Concannon, looking over us. - Wine Institute Musical guest today is Bloody Irish Boys, and the song is Drunk Tonight In our opinion, this is a must visit on your wine travels throughout California. Concannon Vineyard 23000 Congress Springs Road Saratoga, CA 95070 (408) 741-5858 Google Map Leave us some feedback! We now have voicemail, simply call 408-627-7796 and let us know if you like what you hear, have suggestions, or would like us to review a particular winery. If you prefer email, you can drop us a line at guyandgirl@gmail.com. Cheers! -A Guy & a Girl Subscribe to our Wine Podcast at iTunes or Yahoo! Category: Wineries -- posted at: 1:53 AM Comments[0] |
Thu, 9 March 2006 GNGNB Episode 24: Wine Blogging Wednesday #19 (When in Rhone)
OK Guys & Girls, it's a new month, it's Wednesday, that must mean - The next episode of LOST! Well, that isn't really the case, as it happens to be a re-run anyway. Rather it is time once again for Wine blogging Wednesday! the theme for this month is When in Rhone, and is hosted by Jathan over at Winexpressions.com. Although Jathan wanted us to check out some exotic Rhone Varietals, I took this occassion to go and visit a local wine shop here in Willow Glen (a Suburb of San Jose, CA) called the GrapeVine and asked them a few questions about Rhone varietals and sampled a two different wines. I won't give it all away here in the blog, but I did sample a French blend as well as a California 100% Syrah. Listen to the episode for all the wonderful details and won't you come a take a quick trip with me to the Rhone region of France.....Musical Artist is Butterfly Catchers and the song is Morning. Check them out! The Grapevine is located at: 1389 Lincoln Avenue San Jose, CA 95125 Phone: 408-293-7574 Fax: 408-293-7012 http://www.grapevine-wg.com store hours Tues - Fri: 12pm - 9pm Sat: 10am - 9pm You can check out all the results from WBW#19 by visiting the following link - The Guy guyandgirl@gmail.com Subscribe to our Wine Podcast at iTunes or Yahoo! Category: WBW -- posted at: 3:51 AM Comments[0] |
Thu, 2 March 2006 
Hey there Guys & Girls, in today's episode of A Guy, a Girl and a Bottle we listen to Kermit Lynch, as he reads a few pages of from his new book, Inspiring Thirst, Vintage Selections from the Kermit Lynch Wine Brochure. (You may remember on Episode 19 of A Guy, a Girl, and a Bottle wine podcast, Joe interviwed Kermit at his store in Berkeley California.) Kermit presented to the public back in December on behalf of Vintage Wine Merchants, and we recorded that session. Kermit's writing and reading style are very witty, and show a rare side of the wine industry. If you like what you hear, you can purchase an autographed copy of the book directly from Kermit at http://www.kermitlynch.com/pgbooks.html#1We also plug a very entertaining and informative podcast, Amateur Traveller (http://amateurtraveler.com), and lastly a song by a GREAT artist we just discovered - Black Lab, and the song is "Remember". 00:00 Introduction 03:05 Kermit Lynch 03:05 Promo for Amateur Traveler Podcast 27:16 "Remember" by Black Lab We have added a few new features to our website, including a Frappr map, and a voting button for podcast alley. If you like what you hear, please vote for us over at Podcast Alley, we really appreciate it! About Kermit: Kermit Lynch was born and raised in California. In 1972 he opened a retail wine shop and later began importing and distributing nationally. He has been named Wine Professional of the Year by the James Beard Foundation, and the French government presented him a medal and named him Chevalier de l'Ordre de Merite Agricole. His book Adventures on the Wine Route, won the Veuve Clicquot Wine Book of the Year award. In 1998 he purchased the historic Domaine Les Pallieres in Gigondas in partnership with his friends the Bruniers of Vieux Telegraphe. visit his wine shop at : 1605 San Pablo Avenue Berkeley, California, 94702 Google MAP Phone: 510.524.1524 Open Tuesday-Saturday 11am to 6 pm Thanks again to Julie Geer from Vintage Wine Merchants of San Jose, CA. Be sure to check out their shop located in Santana Row. Cheers! a Guy and a Girl guyandgirl@gmail.com Call us! 408-627-7796 Skype: aguyandgirl Subscribe to our Wine Podcast at iTunes or Yahoo! Category: podcasts -- posted at: 4:01 PM Comments[0] |
Wed, 1 March 2006  ---PodShow's "Undition" Pays Off For a Host of New Shows Added to the PodShow Podcast Network---SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. March 1, 2006--- PodShow, Inc., the premier brand in podcasting, welcomes A Guy, a Girl and a Bottle, to the PodShow Podcast Network. The pioneering "Vinecast" is now available on the PodShow Podcast Network (http://www.gngnb.com), introducing the largest network of independent podcast listeners to Joe and Lori as they discuss wine tastings, deliver guided vintner tours and interview wine-experts sharing information and commentary suitable for all wine enthusiasts. Due to the popularity of the show and the greater exposure afforded by the PodShow Podcast Network, Podshow is already entertaining sponsorship inquiries from major brand marketers that intuitively understand the value of this media property. "Joe and Lori have a really compelling chemistry and an excellent format that highlights podcastings' 'theatre-of-the-mind' charm,'said Adam Curry, PodShow Co Founder and President. I'm looking forward to the new vintage "cheers to Joe and Lori." A Guy, a Girl, and a Bottle were exposed to PodShow through a November 2005 promotion named "The Undition" which enabled over 2000 podcasters to nominate their own shows for addition to the PodShow Podcast Network. Recent additions to the PodShow Podcast Network now enjoy promotion and feature placement across a network of millions of listeners in PodShow's leading directories, communities and listener destinations - PodShow.com, Podcast Alley, indiePodder.org, Podsafe Music Network, Sirius Satellite Radio and PodFinder for iTunes. Additionally, these shows are delivered from PodShowPDN, the first, truly high-performance content delivery network meeting the specific needs of podcasting. Over the coming months, the company will announce many additional shows that have joined PodShow via the PodShowPDN initiative, and the company is expected to release a series of technological innovations that will dramatically improve consumer discovery and enjoyment of podcasts in any environment. "We're very excited to be a part of the PodShow family," said Joe Carpenter of A Guy, A Girl, And A Bottle. "We've just recently joined the network and we're already seeing results - these guys know how to develop commercial success." About A Guy, A Girl and A Bottle Hosted by Joe Carpenter and Lori Leahy, A Guy, a Girl and a Bottle is an innovative, experiential wine podcast exploring wineries and wine culture from a novice-wine-drinker's perspective. A Guy, a Girl and a Bottle profiles many wineries that are often overlooked as travel destinations, enabling more people to visit and enjoy the exclusive, rare and limited-production wineries treasured by collectors and industry insiders. Recording on location, Joe and Lori help their audience understand wine in plain terms with honest reviews, and, as a result, real people are discovering and sharing new favorite wines and entertaining with more confidence. The weekly show started in July 2005, and is available on the PodShow Podcast Network (www.podshow.com).
About PodShow, Inc. (Download a copy of the press release at http://www.gngnb.com/Press/GNGNB-PodShow.pdf) Category: general -- posted at: 8:05 PM Comments[0] |
Thu, 16 February 2006  For all those that loved the ZAP festival last month, the Santa Cruz Mountain Winery Association is having their 2nd annual Pinot in Paradise. The dates are Saturday and Sunday, March 25 & 26, 2006. Many different wineries will be represented, inlcuding some that we have visited recently including Bonny doon, Pelican Ranch, Thomas Fogarty, and Burrell School just to name a few. (if you have checked out these episodes yet, what are you waiting for?!)This is an excellent opportunity to get close and personal with different styles of Pinot from the Santa Cruz Appelation. This event sold out last year, so get your tickets early and be sure that you tell them that 'A Guy, a Girl, and a Bottle' sent you! - The Guy (Press release below) **************
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Tue, 14 February 2006 
OK, OK, I know. The festival was a few weeks ago, and I am just now getting the podcast posted. Alan Baker of the Cellar Rat should be happy now :D Anyway, for those not in the know, ZAP stands for the Zinfandel Associate Producers Festival, an annual event that takes place in January each year that focuses on only one wine varietal - (can you guess? Anyone, anyone? Bueller?) ZINFANDEL.This is believed to be the World's largest single varietal event, and takes place over 4 days in beautiful San Francisco. This year the final tally was over 8,000 attendees, and 272 wineries representing over 600 wines. Talk about heaven! Next year's event is already being planned, visit www.zinfandel.org for more information. Join Joe as he explores what Zinfandel is, where it came from, and where it is going in this informational packed episode. Lori couldn't make it, and I had to wing it on my own. Lori will definitely be back for the next episode. A couple of announcements: A Guy, a Girl, and a Bottle have joined Podshow! We are very excited to be working with everyone at Podshow and are thrilled to be given the opportunity to take our podcast to the next level. Thanks to everyone who has listened over the last 8 months! We now have Voicemail! Give us a call and let us know what you like (and what you don't!). Show ideas? Planning a visit to the area and want some suggestions on wineries to visit? Give us a call and we'll do what we can to help you out. 408-627-7796 (24 hrs a day, 7 days a week) 00:00 Intro 00:48 Quit Your Day Job! - JA Donnelly from www.madpod.com 01:26 GNGNB Housekeeping & anouncements 04:08 ZAP Background and day 1 07:45 Definition of 'Racking' by Grady Wann of Quivira Estate Vineyards 10:15 Tannis Reinhertz talks about food and wine pairing 13:33 Tom Mackey of St Francis Winery talks about why Zinfandels are so high in alcohol 14:53 Valentines day greetings from KFC of the Podchick show! 16:12 ZAP Background and day 2 20:50 ZAP Background and day 3 26:20 Andrew of Bonny Doon helps Pam confess her sins on the Bonny Doon Absolverator 29:40 Wrap-up 32:30 Music by LoveSpirals - Love Survives (Happy Birthday Angie B!) The wines that we liked are the Brown Family Estate Zinfandel (2004). Winemakers Tasting notes: Deep ruby in color with dark blackberry fruit aromas and layers of ground nutmeg and creamy vanilla. Mouthfeel is velvety and full, leading to expressive dark berry and black cherry fruit flavors that are seamlessly integrated with subtle notes of nutmeg, cloves and hints of caramel. This wine embodies the polish and balance that are hallmarks of Brown Estate zinfandel while simultaneously embracing the power and intensity of the 2004 vintage. Drink now through 2012. Terramater Vineyars TerraMater Unusual Mighty Zinfandel 2004 WinemakersTasting Notes: Deep concentrated violet/purple color. Intense nose with notes of dark chocolate, raisins, dry ripe figs intermingled with prunes. Full palate with lively tannins. Good persistent finish with distinctive aromas of vanilla and figs.This exceptional wine is excellent to be enjoyed on its own or accompanied with strong cheeses, highland ham, meats of hunt as wild boar and deer, grilled meats, spicy and savoury dishes. Our Artist this week is the LoveSpirals, and the song is Love Survives. You can find more music from Love Spirals along with other great artists on the Podsafe Music Network (http://music.podshow.com). Direct link to song:
Check out all the photos from the ZAP festival at our Flickr site Cheers! -A Guy & a Girl guyandgirl@gmail.com. Subscribe to our Wine Podcast at iTunes or Yahoo! Category: podcasts -- posted at: 8:06 PM Comments[0] |
Wed, 1 February 2006 
Today's wine podcast has us visiting the Ridge Vineyard on top of well, the mountain ridge above Cupertino, California. (Ridge has two facilities, one in Sonoma County and one in Santa Clara County. We visited the latter) Nestled in the hills above Cupertino, ridge Vineyards is located approximately 15 miles from downtown San Jose. Ridge Vineyards(http://www.ridgewine.com) overlooks Silicon Valley from the east rim of the Santa Cruz Mountains at height between 1,300 and 2,660 feet. The soil consists of decomposing Franciscan rock mixed with clay, laid over fractured limestone. Ridge produces approximately sixty-five thousand cases of wine per year, consisting primarily of Cabernet and Zinfandel, with small amounts of merlot, mataro, and petite syrah. Ridge also makes small amounts of Chardonnay from the Santa Cruz Mountains. With a long storied history that begins back in 1885, Ridge is certainly a mainstay of the area. Check out their video history on the web at http://www.http://www.ridgewine.com/about/about.tml Paul Draper is the resident winemaker and has been with Ridge for over 35 years. He is a strong advocate of the importance of terroir -- the mix of soil and climate that gives unique character to grapes grown in a particular location. He also believes that the limestone beneath their vines are very important, something that is not normally found in Napa Valley and Sonoma Counties. 00:00 Intro 01:39 Interview with Howard Hickok 10:47 Talk with Tasting Room Manager - Jenna 12:26 2003 Geyserville Zinfandel 22:47 2001 Santa Cruz Mountain Home Ranch (Cabernet Merlot Blend) 29:00 Warehouse fire 31:07 Wrap-up 34:16 Music by Bari Koral - Aspiring Angel The wines that we sample are: 2003 Geyserville Zinfandel Winemakers Notes: Ridge made its first Geyserville in 1966, from nineteenth-century vines growing on the western edge of Alexander Valley. Over time, we have included more grapes planted along this quarter-mile-wide strip, which follows the old San Francisco & Northern Pacific Railway right-of-way. This distinctive "single site" now consists of three adjoining vineyards that share the same gravelly soils, exposure, and climate. In 2003, a period of intense heat in mid-September ripened all the zinfandel within two weeks; we harvested non-stop to hold sugars and overripeness in check. Reduced circulation during the natural-yeast fermentations moderated tannin extraction. We pressed at seven days, and a natural malolactic finished within five weeks. After a year of barrel aging in air-dried american oak, the wine was fined with fresh egg whites. This elegant Geyserville is delightful now, but will gain in complexity over the next five to eight years. (76% ZINFANDEL, 18% CARIGNANE,6% PETITE SIRAH, 14.6% alcohol by volume) Color --- Deep ruby Nose --- Ripe black cherry, plum, pepper, chocolate, gravelly soil. Hint of mint; layered vanilla, clove. Palate --- Rich, dark brambly fruit. Full-bodied and vibrant, coated tannins, lively acidity. Black fruit and characteristic regional gravel/mineral/earth. A long, complex finish. Guy & Girl Notes: We both love the bold, chocolate aroma. Smooth on the palate. Very low in tannins and a soft velvety mouthfeel. 2001 Home Ranch, 375ml $31 USD, 750ml, $60USD Winemakers Notes: This is the first bottling of our estate-grown "Home Ranch." In the opulent 2001 vintage, we selected cabernet sauvignon from the thirty-five-year-old vines, balancing it with merlot from the younger blocks for this rich, sensuous wine classic, yet more approachable than the long-aging Monte Bello. Four of the lots were held back for the softer Santa Cruz Mountains; eight were combined for the Home Ranch. The name derives from an old California tradition: Families who began with vines planted at their homesite often went on to acquire other vineyards. That first property, where the extended family gathered over the years, became known as the Home Ranch. For Ridge, the first ranch was Monte Bello, purchased in 1959. Though we now own Lytton Springs, and have leased other vineyards, Monte Bello is our Home Ranch. This full, complex wine reflects its ripe vintage. It is enjoyable now, and will continue to develop beautifully over the next decade. (50% CABERNET SAUVIGNON, 49% MERLOT, 1% PETIT VERDOT Alcohol 14.3% by volume) Guy & Girl Notes: Lori again loves aroma from this wine, and finds it very delicious. Joe appreciates the complexity and picks up hints of flowers, perhaps violets(?) in the aroma. Joe's pick of the day. Our Artist this week is Bari Koral, and the song is Aspiring Angel. You can find more music from Bari Koral along with other great artists on the Podsafe Music Network (http://music.podshow.com). Direct link to song:
Ridge Vineyards / Monte Bello 17100 Monte Bello Road Cupertino, CA 95014 Phone (408) 867-3233 Fax (408) 868-1350 Google Map Open for tasting and sales Saturday and Sunday from 11 to 4. Complementary tasting of at least four wines, with additional wines available for a small fee. As always, please let us know if you like what you hear, have suggestions, or would like us to review a particular winery. Would you like to see shorter shows? Perhaps more details? Let us know! You can drop us a line at guyandgirl@gmail.com. Cheers! -A Guy & a Girl Footnote - In this episode we talk about a warehouse fire that took place in October of 2005. the facility we mention is a converted military storehouse that now stores wine for small (and large) wineries throughout the area. A suspicious fire wiped out an estimated $100Million (USD) worth of wine. The warehouse was under the control of Wines Central (www.winescentral.com)Warehouse manager Debby Polverino has been quoted in the media as saying that the 240,000 square-foot warehouse stored over 6 Million bottles and hundreds of barrels of wine from about 95 wineries and 40 private collectors. For a good initial report complete with photos see the SF Gate here (Photo in blog can be found on Ridge Vineyard website, photographer unknown) Subscribe to our Wine Podcast at iTunes or Yahoo! Category: Wineries -- posted at: 3:32 PM Comments[1] |
Sun, 22 January 2006  Today's wine podcast has us visiting the Cinnabar Vineyard and Winery. Situated 40 miles south of San Francisco between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, Cinnabar(http://www.cinnabarwine.com) overlooks Silicon Valley from the east rim of the Santa Cruz Mountains at 1,650 feet. Mild temperatures and clay-loam soils contribute deep fruit and earthy components to wines that express a unique sense of place. Twenty-three acres of hillside were cleared for planting in 1983. The first commercial vintage was 1986. The winery building was completed in 1987.The name Cinnabar pays hommage to the important role the valley played in extracting gold from the Sierra Nevada range during the Gold Rush of the 1800's. Before starting Cinnabar, Owner Tom Mudd was a senior research engineer at SRI (Stanford Research Institute, International) and had 10 years of experience growing grapes and making wine at his one-acre vineyard in Woodside. As part of the show, we interview the Winemaker, George Troquato. Cinnabar is open for Passport days four times a year and for special events. Please visit their website for events and dates. 00:00 Intro 01:41 Passport Days & Cinnabar Vineyards & Winery 03:42 2004 Monterey Chardonnay 06:08 2003 Santa Cruz Mountain Chardonnay 07:58 George Troquato, winemaker 16:31 2003 Pasa Robles Merlo 19:26 2004 Santa Cruz Mountain Late Harvest Chardonnay 21:00 Wrap-up and summary of visit 22:34 Bliss by Rob Costlow The wines that we sample are: 2004 Monterey Chardonnay, $18.50 Winemakers Notes: This wine has a nose of pineapple and vanilla segues to tropical fruit flavors with a touch of toasted oak and minerals. It is very well-balanced with a full mouthfeel and bright acidity. Serve with shrimp, avocado and spinach salad or stuffed mushrooms. Guy & Girl Notes: We both liked this wine because of the tropical nose and the taste is smooth and enjoyable. 2003 Santa Cruz Mountain Chardonnay, $ 25.00 Winemakers Notes: An nose of stone, fruit, vanilla and sweet oak softly engages the mouth of wipe green apples, citrus and wet stones. The acidity is bright while the solid structure lends itself to nearly 5 years of aging. A long finsh pears nicely with rustic polenta and mushroom cream sauce, rotisserie chicken stuffed with herbs and lemons or lobster bisque. Guy & Girl Notes: Joe really likes this wine. He thought it was clear and fruity. It was more complex than we normally expect from a Chardonay. 2003 Pasa Robles Merlo, $ 20.00 Winemakers Notes: This wine opens with aromatic black cherry, spice and vanilla. It blankets the palate with blackberry, cocoa and toasted oak. Thick and velvety with full, integrated tannins. Serve with grilled foccacia pizza topped with mozzarella, romano and fresh tomato. Guy & Girl Notes: Lori thought this wine was earthy, hint of spicy nose, low tannins. Joe thought it was very straight forward, smooth wine. They gave this one a thumbs up. 2004 Santa Cruz Mountain Late Harvest Chardonnay, $ 22.00 Guy & Girl Notes: This is a dessert wine. The grapes were frozen and then pressed to capture the sugar content. This is a very sweet wine. It tastes great and might be paired with cheese and grapes. Elegant boutque. Another thumbs up! Our Artist this week is Rob Costlow, and the song is Bliss. You can find more music from Rob Costlow along with other great artists on the Podsafe Music Network (http://music.podshow.com). Cinnabar Vineyards & Winery 23000 Congress Springs Road Saratoga, CA 95070 (408) 741-5858 Google Map Note: Tasting Room open only for passport days and special events. As always, please let us know if you like what you hear, have suggestions, or would like us to review a particular winery. Would you like to see shorter shows? Perhaps more details? Let us know! You can drop us a line at guyandgirl@gmail.com. Cheers! -A Guy & a Girl Subscribe to our Wine Podcast at iTunes or Yahoo! Category: Wineries -- posted at: 3:46 PM Comments[0] |
Thu, 19 January 2006  Our Wine Podcast is about to get ZAPPED! The annual Zinfandel Advocates & Producers (ZAP) Festival is taking place in San Francisco on January 25-28, 2006. We will be covering some of these events. If you are attending, drop us line at guyandgirl@gmail.com, we'd love to meet you in person. For those who haven't made plans yet, head over to www.zinfandel.org or call (415) 345-7575 for ticket information. ZAP's Zinfandel Festival is an internationally recognized series of tastings which are the premier single-varietal events in the world. With an estimated 300 wineries and over 10,000 attendees over four days, held exclusively in San Francisco, ZAP's Festival is traditionally a sell-out. While I don't think we can sample all of these wines for you, we are going to try to talk to some really great vintners, chef's and perhaps even a fellow podcaster or two. Category: general -- posted at: 7:28 PM Comments[0] |
Wed, 18 January 2006 
OK Guys & Girls - The next installment for Wine Blogging Wednesday (AKA "WBW") has been posted. Keeping in step with the monthly theme of 'Love', the theme for Wine Blogging Wednesday #18 is:
Wednesday February 1, 2006 is the date for your posting on your blog. If you want to post photos to Flickr, tag them WBW or WBW18. - A Guy and A Girl Category: WBW -- posted at: 7:25 PM Comments[0] |
Sat, 14 January 2006
Hey there Guys & Girls, in today's episode of A Guy, a Girl and a Bottle we interview Kermit Lynch, a well-known and well respected importer of wines. Joe visited with Kermit at his store in Berkeley California in early December and talked with Kermit about wine, music, his travels as a Wine Merchant. Stay tuned as at the end of the episode we play a song off of Kermits' recently released CD - Quicksand, with Songs written by Kermit Lynch and Featuring Boz Scaggs, Ricky Fataar, and Alvin Youngblood Hart. The CD is available on Kermit's website at www.kermitlynch.com00:00 Introduction 01:30 Interview with Kermit Lynch 27:16 "Awake for the Count" featured on the CD Quicksand Blues About Kermit: Kermit Lynch was born and raised in California. In 1972 he opened a retail wine shop and later began importing and distributing nationally. He has been named Wine Professional of the Year by the James Beard Foundation, and the French government presented him a medal and named him Chevalier de l'Ordre de Merite Agricole. His book Adventures on the Wine Route, won the Veuve Clicquot Wine Book of the Year award. In 1998 he purchased the historic Domaine Les Palleres in Gigondas in partnership with his friends the Bruniers of Vieux Telegraphe. visit the shop at: 1605 San Pablo Avenue Berkeley, California, 94702 Google MAP Phone: 510.524.1524 Open Tuesday-Saturday 11am to 6 pm Thanks again to Julie Geer from Vintage Wine Merchants of San Jose, CA. Be sure to check out their shop located in Santana Row. (Image: Kermit "Spit" Lynch, circa 1968) Cheers! a Guy and a Girl guyandgirl@gmail.com Subscribe to our Wine Podcast at iTunes or Yahoo! Category: podcasts -- posted at: 5:04 PM Comments[0] |
Wed, 4 January 2006 
We hope that everyone had a wonderful (and safe) start the the New Year. Today's wine podcast is for the January 2006 installment of (insert booming echo here) Wine Blogging Wednesday (/echo). The theme for WBW#17 is "Red Kiwi's" and is graciously hosted by our San Francisco neighbor to the North - The Cork Dork. As we still consider ourselves newbies to this Wine Blogging thing, we actually sample wines on that Wednesday, although I am surmising that if we sampled this yesterday, you really wouldn't know the difference would you dear reader? :b Anyway, after waking up in a cold sweat, I realized that it was Wednesday and we hadn't even begun to look for a New Zealand Pinot Noir! Where to find one? Well seeing as I had to grocery shopping anyway, I headed out to the local Safeway supermarket. After spending an enormous amount of time trying to figure out how Safeway has their wine aisle sorted, there they were, the Kiwis, the challenge d'jour. I chose a 2002 MARLBOROUGH PINOT NOIR from Kim Crawford Wineries and felt better. Now all I had to do was get the bottle home, get Lori to come over and taste this thing. Hard thing to do when it is only 930AM, but Lori being the trooper and the wine girl that she is agreed that it was in her job description to consume wine on demand (MY demand specifically....) What did we have to say about this wine? Did we like it? Listen to our special Wine Podcast and check it out. Subscribe to our Wine Podcast at iTunes or Yahoo! - The Guy guyandgirl@gmail.com The notes below are provided for the readers benefit and are conspicously copied directly from the winemakers' site. 2002 MARLBOROUGH PINOT NOIR These grapes are from various vineyards in Marlborough. The cool dry conditions experienced in 2002 were ideal for the ripening of Pinot Noir. Hand harvested at night, these grapes were cold macerated for three days and then inoculated with a pure yeast strain. When dry the grapes were pressed and a portion of the wine racked to older barriques for malolactic and ageing. After four months the wine was pumped out stabilised and bottled. ANALYSIS AT HARVEST Brix: 22.5 Titratable Acidity: 6.8 g/l pH: 3.35 WINE ANALYSIS Alcohol: 13.1 Titratable acidity: 5.7l pH: 3.62 Residual sugar: nil TASTING NOTES Colour: Moderate depth of colour with strong crimson on the edges. Aroma: Distinctively Pinot Noir with berry fruits, especially raspberry, strawberry and cherry, and hints of oak. A subtle beef Bovril complexity is beginning to occur. Palate: A savoury Pinot Noir with elegant, ripe fruit coupled with soft tannins and a touch of oak. Medium bodied style with the ripe fruit, good weight and persistence. Cellar: Medium term with careful cellaring. Food Match: Great with pasta, lighter red meat and fish. An ideal summer red. Category: WBW -- posted at: 10:43 PM Comments[2] |
Sat, 24 December 2005
Subscribe to our Wine Podcast at iTunes or Yahoo! Hey there Guys and Girls! We got so much great feedback on our musical Thanksgiving day episode, we thought we would do another musical show for Christmas and New Years. We hope you enjoy it! If you like the music we play here tonight, please, PLEASE support the artists and purchase their tracks. The Artist and song information is found in the shownotes and links are provided on our website, www.GNGNB.com. All the music featured here can be found on the Podsafe Music Network - music.podshow.com.  The Rad Dudes - Christmas in Malibu Jill Parr - Do you hear what I hear?  American Heartbreak - The Greatest Christmas Song Ever Written Gidgets Ga-Ga - Christmas Wish  Candy Butchers - Give me a second chance for Christmas  Beatrice Ericson - Christmas without you  Karmyn Tyler - I'll be there on Christmas Podsafe for Peace - If everyday were Christmas Heth and Jed - Christmas sweeter than wine Jill Parr- O come all ye faithful Tresa Street - Christmas of Love  Matthew Ebel - Walk a thousand miles Jonathan Coulton - Podsafe Christmas Song Drop us a line at guyandgirl@gmail.com!!! Cheers! -A Guy & a Girl Category: podcasts -- posted at: 2:05 AM Comments[0] |
Wed, 21 December 2005 
Subscribe to our Wine Podcast at iTunes or Yahoo! Hallcrest Vineyards (www.hallcrestvineyards.com/) - is about 28.5 miles from central San Jose. Allow at least 40 minutes to get there. The winery is just up the hill from the town of Felton. Established in 1941 with the intent to prove that the Santa Cruz Mountains were the ideal soils and climate for producing premium California varietal wines, Hallcrest Vineyards has a long running history of producing fine wine from the Santa Cruz Mountains. Today, like in 1941, Hallcrest is a small family owned operation that takes pride in producing original wines with a taste of the Santa Cruz Mountains. In addition to Hallcrest wines, the tasting room also serves their Organic Wine Works wines (http://members.cruzio.com/~owwwine/). Sulfites are not added to the Organic Wine Works wines. Sulfites act as a preservative slowing down the oxidation process creating a longer shelf life. 00:00 Intro 02:37 History 08:26 Conversation with Owner and Winemaker John Schumacher 13:17 2004 Organic Wine Works Chardonnay 18:37 2002 Hallcrest Chardonnay from Santa Cruz Mountains 25:43 Label Design Discussion 28:40 2003 Organic Wine Works Zinfandel "Big and Bold" from Mendicino County 31:48 2004 Organic Wine Works Surfin Syrah 38:51 What to Do With Michael Song by the Candy Butchers (www.candybutchers.com) The wines that we sample are: 2004 Organic Wine Works Chardonnay from Mendicino County, $ 13.95 400-500 Cases Produced Winemaker's Notes: This California style Chardonnay has a fresh fruit nose with hints of oak and a dry finish. The crisp, but nutty finish, pairs nicely with a Sunday brunch and lite seafood. Guy & Girl Notes: It is a nice wine. It doesn't linger long on the pallet. 2002 Hallcrest Chardonnay from Santa Cruz Mountains, $ 19.95 6,500 bottles produced Winemaker's Notes: This is our second vintage from this estate. Aged in French oak barrells. This wine is complex with full fruits and delicately balanced mellow textures in the mouth. Guy & Girl Notes: Lori liked this wine. Joe isn't a huge Chardonnay fan, but did like it. This wine had hints of butterscotch and of citrus. It explodes with tropical fruits and has a long and smooth finish. 2003 Organic Wine Works Zinfandel Big and Bold from Mendicino County $18.00 Winemaker's Notes: This wine is dry farmed with head trained vines. This Zin shows big tannins and ripe, brambally fruit. The tannins are well knit and lie evenly across the pallet. IT has full flavors of plums and cherries yet it is delicate. It finishes off with a velvety spice that lingers. Guy & Girl Notes: Lori really liked this wine. Joe likes it as well. This was his pick of the day. It had a smooth mouth feel. It is very, very berry with lots of fruit tones. It has deep, dark cherry with a little pepper on the finish. Nice flavorful wine. 2004 Organic Wine Works Surfin Syrah $15.95 Winemaker's Notes: Dry earth tones give way to a soft and smooth finish. Try this wine with red sauces or pizza. Guy & Girl Notes: A really nice, well structured wine. With a hint of licorice on the nose with plum and full berry flavors. It finishes long and smooth. Tannins are very velvelty. The bouquet is very nice. This was Lori's pick of the day. She purchased a bottle for a friend who is sensitive to sulfites. Our Podsafe Music Network Artist this week is the Candy Butchers (www.candybutchers.com), and the song is "What to Do with Michael Hallcrest Vineyards and the Organic Wine Works can be found at: 379 Felton Empire Road Felton, CA 95018 Google Map tel: 831-335-4441 Tasting Room open daily noon- 5pm and by appointment. Drop us a line at guyandgirl@gmail.com!!! Cheers! -A Guy & a Girl Category: Wineries -- posted at: 11:57 AM Comments[0] |
Wed, 14 December 2005 We may be biased, but BusinessWeek calls podcasting one of the Best Ideas of 2005. "There are now more than 20,000 podcasts online on topics from learning French to Scottish music. Although championed by indies, podcasting has been adopted by media giants such as Clear Channel Communications, Walt Disney, and National Public Radio." In BusinessWeek's view, "Everyone is trying to figure out how to make podcasting pay. As with bloggers, few podcasters are likely to make money. Even so, thousands can now create free content that will compete with traditional media for listeners� attention." Entire article can be found at Business Week. -The Guy Category: general -- posted at: 12:31 AM Comments[0] |
Thu, 8 December 2005 Geez - Is it December already? Where does the time go? It seems like just last week we were particpating in our very first Wine Blogging Wednesday (WBW#15 - Graciously hosted by none other than Fatemeh of Gastronomie) Now Derrick at An Obsession with Food is hosting Wine Blogging Wednesday #16 and the theme this time is: Judge a Bottle By Its Cover. While everyone is busy window shopping for gifts for loved ones, us Wine Bloggers and Podcasters from all over the Globe are window shopping for the best LABEL on a bottle of wine we can find. What perfect timing! We just wrapped up Episode 14 of A Guy, a Girl and a Bottle over at Bonny Doon, and they have some of the most interesting labels we have ever seen. Lori chose the Il Circo (Erbaluce) label for it's fanciful design and carefree circus attitude. Although a fun label, the wine is a bit exotic and we had to do a little research on the varietal as this is the first time we had run across this in our travels. Erbaluce - One of the oldest white vines of Piedmont, Erbaluce���¢??s origins remain unclear, but it is thought to be native to the damp, pre-Alpine valleys north of Torino. Still widely planted in Piedmont, it has remained primarily confined to that region. The variety takes its name from the color of its berries approaching harvest (���¢??erba/alba���¢?? = dawn; ���¢??luce���¢?? = light), which in the autumn sunlight are a luminous copper-pink shade. The medium sized, five-lobed leaves are bright green in color and the elongated, conical bunches support spherical, waxy, amber-yellow berries of medium size. - Source http://www.kobrandwine.com/grape_library/pages/erbaluce.html Joe chose the more controversial Ralph Steadman as the artist for the Bonny Doon Cardinal Zin. Can you believe those folks in Ohio once banned this bottle as - in their opinion - it committed a zin by depicting a religious figure on a bottle of wine? (Even we can't make this stuff up! - check it out over here. Ralph Steadman is also known for his work with Hunter S Thompson, and has even written several books about wine 'Grapes of Ralph' and 'Untrodden Grapes'. (http://www.ralphsteadman.com) Check out our labels and all the other entries over at the Flickr group with a tag of WBW16. Thanks to Derrick for choosing another great theme for Wine Blogging Wednesday! See you next month! Joe & Lori www.gngnb.com ----- Subscribe to our Wine Podcast at iTunes or Yahoo! Category: Wineries -- posted at: 2:25 AM Comments[0] |
Thu, 8 December 2005  "If Every Day Were Christmas" is the result of a unique benefit project initiated by Adam Curry. The song is a collaboration between 32 singers from 8 countries -- a group collectively known as Podsafe for Peace -- all brought together by the populist phenomenon of podcasting and the desire to pool their talents for a worthy cause. And few causes make more sense at Christmastime than UNICEF, which aids children in need around the world. The song was was produced by Slau and co-written by Orlando Pagan. Listen to "If Every Day Were Christmas" on the podsafe music network. Visit Podsafe for Peace and purchase the song for $0.99USD. All proceeds will go to Unicef. -The Guy Category: general -- posted at: 12:28 AM Comments[0] |
A weekly wine podcast from California. Join hosts Joe and Pam as they visit the wineries, review the wines, and podcast about it! Audio Engineering provided by Tom Krymkowski. Theme song is Good Life courtesy of Souldier of Fortune
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