Posts filed under 'Food & Beverage'
NO California wine region dominates its field the way Napa Valley rules cabernet sauvignon. It’s simply a fact of life for the California wine industry. If you make cabernet sauvignon and can put Napa Valley on the label, or better yet, add one of Napa’s subregions, like the Stags Leap District, Rutherford or Oakville, you can charge a lot more money for that bottle than if it came from somewhere else.
This naturally galls cabernet producers who come from somewhere else. They are not willing to grant Napa de facto supremacy when it comes to cabernet, and sometimes they have a point.
The Sonoma regions of the moment, the Russian River Valley and the extreme Sonoma Coast, are not cabernet regions. They are known primarily for Burgundian grapes. The noteworthy cabernet areas — Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma Valley and Sonoma Mountain — exert considerably less sex appeal these days.
This was an outstanding wine, complex and balanced, rich yet elegant, with lingering fruit and spice flavors. At $80, it was the most expensive bottle we tasted and, yes, it possessed the sort of tannins, power and ageability that many of these wines did not.
April 14th, 2006
In line with its value strategy, Rémy Martin confirms its position as market leader in Fine Champagne superior qualities and accelerates its growth in strategic markets.
Rémy Martin’s history and experience in the Fine Champagne appellation guarantees its cognacs unrivalled quality. At the beginning of 2005, Alliance Fine Champagne was created a co-operative bringing together Rémy Martin’s wine growing partners who are committed to the lasting quality and virtues of Fine Champagne eaux-de-vie. To consolidate its position with up-market cognacs, Rémy Martin focused its efforts on its three leading brands, VSOP, XO and Louis XIII.
VSOP Fine Champagne, a flagship of the Rémy Martin brand and an icon in its category, strengthened its market leadership. New red and gold packaging on a slender bottle now represents the contemporary elegance of an outstanding cognac. Reinvented to suit new consumption trends, VSOP is more than ever a benchmark in bars throughout the world. From the Specialist of Fine Champagne Cognac, this cognac has been blended from a selection of our finest VSOP eaux-de-vie,our Exclusive Reserves which have aged between 5 and 15 years. This gives a cognac which offers a rich tasting experience, with dried apricot, jasmine, hazelnut, vanilla and liquorice notes. VSOP Réserve Exclusive is ideal to be enjoyed neat, on ice or with coffee.
The Rémy Martin brand appeals to an increasing number of consumers seeking the best quality and it has established a strong position in strategic markets. It recorded healthy growth in the US, its leading market, and in China where the exceptional reputation of the “centaur brand” should result in impressive growth. Alongside the progress made in these two markets, the brand has continued its growth in the UK, Japan and Russia. It also strengthened its leading position in the travel retail trade with the launch of the limited edition “Voyage” range.
April 1st, 2006
Chocolates and diamonds unite this Valentine’s Day bringing two premier brands together to delight consumers. In honor of Godiva’s 80th Anniversary, one lucky Grand Prize winner will have the rare opportunity to choose $80,000 worth of jewels from H.Stern. Teri Hatcher, known for her role as Susan on the television series “Desperate Housewives,” will unveil this exclusive opportunity at an L.A. press conference the week before the January 2006 Golden Globes.
With production facilities in Belgium and North America, Godiva Chocolatier is recognized around the world as the leader in fine chocolates. From its truffles and shell-molded chocolate pieces to its European-style biscuits, gourmet coffees and hot cocoa, Godiva Chocolatier is dedicated to nearly 80 years of excellence and innovation in the Belgian tradition.
H. Stern has been setting trends since 1959 and is known for the beauty of its gemstones, the uniqueness of its designs and superb craftsmanship. H.Stern has been called the “king of diamonds and colored gems, capable of unveiling the personality hidden in every precious stone.” Today, H.Stern retails in over 210 locations in more than 20 countries worldwide. The brand’s unique creations are often seen on the necks, wrists and fingers of the world’s most famous celebrities and have appeared in the most respected fashion magazines including Vogue, Elle, W and Harper’s Bazaar.
March 24th, 2006
This is a great time to be a bourbon drinker. In the past several decades, as the success of single-malt scotch has shown, it pays to distill a smoother, more interesting spirit–for which you can then charge a lot more money. One of the best and last of the independent distillers is family-owned, Louisville, Ky.-based Old Rip Van Winkle. “Pappy,” also known as Julian P. Van Winkle Sr., was the patriarch and the inspiration behind what is arguably one of the finest small-batch bourbons in the world. Like old Pappy, the 20-year-old, 90.4-proof Family Reserve is deep, smooth, powerful with a hint of fire and beautifully aged, not unlike Pappy himself.
March 10th, 2006
Bombay Sapphire has a unique distillation process: There are only four Carterhead stills working in the world today and are distinctive to Bombay Sapphire.
Unlike other gins which boil their botanicals with the spirit, the Bombay spirit is distilled alone. To achieve the unique flavour, the spirit passes through the botanicals in vapour form. This allows each delicate aroma to be fully absorbed. The result is a complex, yet subtle taste sensation.
Triple distilled, 100% neutral grain spirit is heated into vapour form. Vapour is sent through the rectifying column, unique to a Carterhead still. The baffle system, situated in the column, allows only the purest spirit to pass through.
Purified vapour passes through a copper basket containing 10 natural botanicals and absorbs their delicate flavours. The vapour is turned into liquid and received into a spirit safe as Bombay Sapphire.
The selection and balance of their botanicals is based on a recipe dating from 1761. The selection of botanicals used to create Bombay Sapphire is an extensive process with no expense is spared.
Bombay Sapphire is blended with pure water from Lake Vyrnwy and bottled.
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March 9th, 2006
This extremely rare Jeroboam features the first artist-labeled Mouton Rothschild by Baron Philippe de Rothschild. Jeroboam (5 lovely liters) Chateau Mouton-Rothschild 1945–considered one of the great vintages of the 20th century–sold at Christie’s London in 1997 for $114,614. One of the great vintages of the 20th century was 1945, and although the buyer remains anonymous, if he decides to sample it, please know that I am available to help him evaluate its drinkability.
The 1945 label is famous for its “V” for victory, indicating the end of the Second World War.
Price: $68,000.00
February 22nd, 2006
When an enterprising young man named James Christie opened his sales rooms in London in December 1766, his first auction consisted of the estate of a “deceased nobleman” containing “a large Quantity of Madeira and high Flavour’d Claret.” The records don’t relate how much these delightfully described “high Flavour’d clarets” fetched but as the whole sale realized a grand total �175, it is a sure bet that if Christie had known that two hundred years later, in 1985, his now famous auction house would sell one bottle of wine for 105,000, or $160,000, he might have held back a bottle or two to enrich his future heirs.
This bottle was a Bordeaux, a 1787 Chateau Lafite, and, according to The Guinness Book of World Records, 18 years later it still is the world’s most expensive bottle of wine. Its great age alone would have ensured a good price but what gave it its special cachet, especially to American collectors, and ensured the record price tag were the initials Th.J. etched in the glass.
The bottle had belonged to Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States and one of the most revered of its founding fathers. A philosopher, scientist and statesmen, the aristocratic Jefferson was also an avid oenophile. When he was ambassador to France he spent much of his time visiting the vineyards of Bordeaux and Burgundy, buying wine for his own collection and on behalf of his friends back home. He is also associated with two other bottles of very pricy wine, a 1775 Sherry ($43,500) and the most expensive white wine ever sold, a 1787 Chateau d’Yquem ($56,588).
February 22nd, 2006
Each evening guests can enjoy local, quality wines and delectable appetizers. During the warm summer months the social hour is hosted outside on the shaded patio, surrounded by the colorful flowers and the sounds of the trickling fountain and smooth jazz. Guests can linger and sample sumptuous appetizers while enjoying the afternoon sun and delightful evening Valley breeze.
In the cooler winter months, guests can enjoy lively conversation in the candlelit dining room and lounge. The festive hour is often enlivened by private winery tastings, featuring many of the valley’s prized boutique and limited production wines.
February 22nd, 2006
In this concept designers have reinvented the food experience. Their multi-layered set of plates, cups, bowls and utencils enhance the visual presentation of the meal. The subtle balance between materials (largely porcelain and wood), smooth lines and discreet stacking diagrams highlights rather than obscures the chef’s art form. The main fabrication challenge required the development of molding solutions that allowed for complex negative shapes to be attained.
Gold 2005 Design Explorations
February 21st, 2006
PerfectDraft is a beer tap for home use, so that consumers can experience the perfect draft beer of their favorite brand in their own homes. The piece balances between an unobtrusive domestic appliance and an eye-catcher, with the familiar elements in a smooth chrome finish to relate a “professional” beer feeling and experience. The intuitive design leaves no question about when the system is ready and where to draw your beer.
February 20th, 2006
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