Why can't more CA wine be this good? Joseph Swan Sonoma Zinfandel 2002

Sweet Jesus, son of Mary! The 2002 Sonoma zin I enjoyed last night with the roommates (well, they had some, but I was perhaps a bit greedy) was easily the most satisfying bottle of wine I have drunk year to date, and it would have undoubtedly been on the same list for last year if I had drunk it then. Of course Rod Berglund's wines are the real deal, but this one was truly in its moment last night. Imagine the most delicious, sun drenched, slightly spicy zinfandel fruit, but with real vibrancy, great natural acidity, and a softness that only several years of bottle age can provide. You taste Joseph Swann wines and you will realize why he has been so influential to so many people, from fellow vintners to the likes of Kermit Lynch, who quotes him in 'Adventures on the Wine Route.'

In Mondovino, Hubert de Montille mentions how he prefers wines that are direct, perhaps a bit firm in their youth, wines that cut through the palate and leave a marked impression. Modern wines, he claims, spread out on the front and mid-palate and then disappear. They are 'wines of betrayal' (or some such verbiage to that effect). The 2002 Joseph Swan Sonoma Zinfandel is no wine of betrayal. Its lively flavors ever so gently glide across the front palate, and then head towards the sides and underside of the tongue, lingering there. If you haven't tasted it, you really should. This is real wine, and as authentic an expression of California as you will ever find.

Lost Boyz - Renee

Though it's not the most exciting beat, or the most complex verses, this song is a lesson in story telling. RIP Freaky Tah.

Comparative chocolate tasting

While browsing the snacks aisle in Rainbow Grocery, a line-up of 3 distinctive chocolate bars, each from cacao beans produced in different countries, and of a different cocoa content, caught my eye. Theo is the chocolatier's name, out of Seattle. Combining these 3 bars with one of the dozen or so whole cacao beans I bagged up from the bulk food section, we've got all the makings of an intriguing chocolate tasting.

Theo Madagascar Chocolate 65% Cacao

Produced from beans grown in Madagascar, this reminded me of any basic brand of bittersweet baking chocolate. Sweet-sour dried black currant type flavors here, with the sweetness not very well integrated. Not a repeat purchase.

Theo Ghana 84% Cacao

A darker chocolate, in color and flavor. Not very chocolatey, but a satisfying texture and dark, but not overly so, flavor.

Theo Venezuela 91% Cacao

The higher up you go in cacao percentage, the less chocolate flavors you get. Ironic, yes? This is a limited edition chocolate that has almost a whole grain cereal sort of savor to it. Interesting for academic purposes, but not all too pleasurable.

The whole cacao bean (origin unknown)

I was really excited to see these (actually the lady friend spotted them- thank you lady friend) in the impressive bulk food section of Rainbow Grocery. The smell was great - intense cocoa powder and at times, a hint of banana. Flavorwise, this is another curiosity. It tastes a bit chocolatey, a bit bitter, more than a bit raw and unprocessed. Which was fun for a change, to taste where chocolate comes from, straight from the source. Though once again, I don't see this replacing pantry space devoted to good quality chocolate bars anytime soon. I would especialy enjoy these on a prolonged hike, to provide that hiking in the Andean foothills feeling.

Straight Class: Jo Landron Vin Mousseux

Upon spotting a double facing of Jo Landron sparkling wine in the store last week, I was truly excited. Landron's muscadets (bottled under the Domaine de la Louvetrie label) are stellar, and I did not know that we would be getting in a bit of Jo's vin mousseux as well. Tonight I tried said bottle of sparkling wine from Muscadet, and it was not only good, but really fucking good.

Now I can appreciate sparklers from all over, whether it is a crisp cremant de Loire, an incomparable Schloss Gobelsburg sekt, or a classy cava like Raventos i Blanc. That being said, I appreciate these wines for what they are, without trying to make any comparison to Champagne (Gobelsburg, now that I think of it, is very champagne like as well). Jo's sparkling wine brings to mind good, entry level NV champagne. The intense golden yellow color, as well as the broad, creamy palate and soft mousse, suggests that this might be fruit from '00, and '01, though I really can not make this claim with any certainty. What is certain is the combination of chalky minerality, acidity and intense flavors that bring real deal champagne to mind. Not most grand marques, mind you, but solid entry level non-vintage grower champagne. Now that I've built this wine up, I don't believe that anyone else carries it, though there is a certain store in Manhattan who might be able bring some in from Jo himself....

Potluck Piemontese

It was a great night of mainly Piemontese inspired food and wine last night at my friend Mark's house over in the east bay. Tasty food, interesting wines and an internationally diverse crowd - Spain, Italy, France, Russia, Iowa, Berkeley and of course Baltimore were all represented.

To start there were antipasti, including Mark's specialty, acciughe al verde (anchovies in garlicky parsley sauce). I was really enjoying a bottle of Slovenian rizling with this (that's not ebonics, its slovenian!) as well as an interesting Pinot Gris from Alsace.

2004 Dveri-Pax Renski Rizling 'E'

A local importer brought this wine. A bit petrolly on the nose, and somehwere in between an Alsatian and New Zealand style of dry Riesling. The wine had the flavor authority, minerality and balance of Alsace Riesling, but with a lighter touch and lower alcohol. As far the as the NZ comparison, it's just that the fruit was so juicy and new world-ish. Not overdone or artificial tasting in anyway, though. This wine tastes natural. I'll have to seek out more wines from these guys. Slovenia, it's not just about Movia....

2005 Domaine Loew Pinot Gris Bruderback Clos Marienberg

Interesting wine! There was all of the yellow stone fruit and lightly honeyed goodness of Alsace Pinot Gris, but with a distinctive minerality running through the wine. I could taste fossilized marine organisms in this wine, not because fossilized marine organisms are a regular part of my diet, but, you know, that's what this wine brings to mind. Pinot Blanc and Klevner from Alsace sometimes conveys this funky, chewy minerality. This was delicious with the secondo of fennel braised pork.

2005 Bruno Giacosa Nebbiolo d'Alba

Really austere and closed at first, the wine opened up to reveal some powerful, but still reserved, mixed berry fruit, with an increasingly iron mineral vein after some breathing in the glass. Very young nebbiolo, but definitely pure class, and worthy of putting away for at least 7 years. Served with my 'Risotto al Barolo' recipe (a good one from Lydia B) this wine worked nicely. Though the wine below might have been the better pairing.

2004 Piero Busso Barbaresco Santa Stefanetto

Tre bicchieri and it's easy to see why. This wine is clearly done in a modern style, powerful, red fruited, soft, meaty. Aromatics definitely take a back seat to a very enticing, surprisingly approachable palate. Modern nebbiolo based wines from the Piedmont are not nearly as interesting, subtle, or haunting as the best of their traditional counterparts, but they certainly are fun to drink. Of all the wine regions in the world with the Traditionalist vs Modernist dynamic, Piedmont's modern wines, I think, are the most balanced, least oaky, and most drinkable. Somehow this worked fairly well with the fennel braised pork, but not as well as the pinot gris, which I find to be good pork wine in general. For this dish, with the subtle, slowly caramelized fennel and hint of coriander, white wine seemed to be in order. Very impressive meat braising by importer (and chef?) Gary.

Lest we forget, there was a terrific salad - gotta have my greens. Not very authentically Piedmont, as it's usually meat, meat, and more meat, but here in the Bay area we party hard, drink well, eat well and do not neglect our local, organic veges, alright? Olga made a delicious mixed green salad with one of the tastiest vinaigrettes I have had. It tasted as though there was somehow artichoke flavor infused in the vinaigrette (?) Very lightly dressed and topped with Israeli feta, this was my favorite type of salad, fresh, light, plentiful and flavorful.

Some delicious, simple 2006 Saracco Moscato was tasty with a variety of Gorgonzola, and even better with the lemon polenta nut cake. Crumbly and precarious to handle, but eminently tasty.

Thanks Mark, Chloe, Raquel, Olga and Gary for making it a great evening.

BLACK UHURU LIVE DOUBLE PLAY- Pt. I Youths of Eglington

FYA!!! One of my all-time favorite songs from one of my favorite albums, Red. Sly and Robbie are quite simply one of the tightest, funkiest, most bad-ass riddim sections of all times. Oh, and the other musicians here are no slouches, either.

BLACK UHURU DOUBLE PLAY! Pt. 2 Plastic Smile live at Rockpalast!

Little known fact about Black Uhuru: Puma Jones dropped out of Columbia University to tour with the band. She was an American from Alabama who was bitten by the reggae bug. Very talented singer, who hit some really interesting harmonies with Michael and Duckie. Rest in peace, Puma.