AmericanWinery.com

I am a child of the sun; I thoroughly enjoy the warm weather and everything that comes with it, from hanging out on the river to backyard Bar-B-Q-ing.  Grilling is not as hard as people make it out to be, but you have to understand how hot your grill is!  One of my favorite items to grill is Tri-Tip Roast.  It’s very hard to overcook, and the whole neighborhood will be jealous of the fabulous smells coming from your backyard. My favorite wine for this kind of BBQ is Syrah because it carries juicy fruit up front and hints of pepper in the finish.  The perfect accompaniment!  I especially like Tamarack Cellars 2004 Syrah, and the Farella-Park Road Block Syrah. Delish!  Toss a simple salad, invite some friends over, and enjoy the waning summer weather while you can.

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I am a member of the Vayner-nation!

Gary Vaynerchuk

My first brush with Gary Vaynerchuk, star of Wine Library TV and author of the new book 101 Wines Guaranteed to Inspire, Delight and Bring Thunder to your World, came at this year’s Taste Washington event in Seattle, Washington. Gary hosted one of the seminars and taped an episode of WLTV live! The gang from AW snuck in after the seminar to get a face-to-face with Gary Vee, a host of winemakers, and the infamous Mott.

I was wandering from booth to booth looking for something new to try the next day at the Grand Tasting when I noticed that Gary Vee was walking behind me (having eluded his entourage despite sporting an oversized Jets jersey). Star struck, I turned around and said to Gary, “Gary Vaynerchuk is right behind me.”

Gary had met me the previous day at the tasting, but I had missed out on the Vayner party the previous evening. Gary remembered.

“You weren’t at my party!” Gary accused.

“I know, I’m sorry, I couldn’t find the place,” I replied sheepishly.

“We missed you!”

Really, Gary? You missed me? Feeling special, I walked away blushing as a mob of Vayner-thirsty fans moved in for a taste of the Vayner-attention that he pays everyone equally.

I had a chance to catch up with Gary Vee this week when I emailed him regarding this post. He responded to my email within the day, (he takes the time to respond to everyone who emails him), that’s the Vayner-touch! So, without further ado…

The 5 Questions I Had Time to Ask Gary Vee.

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On average, it takes anywhere form 6 months to 2 years from grapes on the vine to wine in the bottle.  It takes three to five days to ship to its destination, and about one day to drink.  The time it takes the styrofoam packaging used to ship the wine to decompose? 900 years.

Is your wine worth 900 years of decomposition?

“Take Pride in America” via katmere

Styrofoam, more accurately called foamed polystyrene, has taken a beating over the last few years for its reputation of unrecyclability and the environmental damage it causes. Yet we still see polystyrene on a daily basis; coffee cups, takeaway containers, and wine packaging all utilize its durability and low cost.  Prior to today I had no clue what polystyrene was or how it is made so I decided to do a little digging and find out for myself and other ADHD minded people (read: the entire internet).

What is Styrofoam? The short answer is the extraction of a product from crude oil called polystyrene. What does that mean? Polystyrene is the material, Styrofoam is the patented name for the product that Dow chemical company manufactures.  What we commonly call styrofoam is, in fact, not Styrofoam.  The form that we see on a daily basis is made from a different material which has moisture resistant and insulating properties for use in pipe insulation, floral products and building materials.  The foam in coffee cups and the like is made from expanded polystyrene beads.

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Droppa – Drinking from a drop

While some wine gadgetry looks sleek and cool, often times it’s just a novelty or a nice piece of eye-candy that will never get used or provide any kind of function. Enter ‘Droppa – Drinking From A Drop.’ This stylish piece of glassware was “designed to bridge the gap between form, function, and space,” according to designer Ozgur Onal, “It’s organic and extremely architectural.”

Visually, it’s the equivalent of a drop of water frozen in time. Functionally, Droppa is actually a serving tray, a carafe/decanter, and drinking glass all in one.

Visit www.ozguronal.com for more info or click ‘more’ for additional pictures.

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It was 1993 – the summer before my sophomore year at Kamiakin High School – and The Cranberries “Linger” was playing on the radio. I remember the look on my mother’s face, a mixture of surprise and suppressed pride at the proclamation I had just made. I had just planned my first dinner party – on the guest list, my college-bound boyfriend and his family. And I was going to do the whole thing by myself.

This is a fond memory from my past, as I have always loved to cook. My love and joy for cooking probably stemmed from my belief in the old adage “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach,” and from my total conviction that it was the only way I was going to land a husband. Cooking and entertaining are passions my mother and I share, and with her guidance, I’ve never been intimidated by preparing food for others. I enjoy all aspects of cooking – scouring cook books and magazines for new dishes to try, preparing menus, and lets not forget – wine pairing.

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