Category
quick-review
56 posts
2010
FOOD & DRINK
Black Cloud Altostratus
by Adrian Bryksa
Black Cloud Altostratus Vintage: 2008 Region: Okanagan Falls, British Columbia, Canada Varietals: Pinot Noir Alcohol: 13.2% Price: $27.99 We have been in contac…
FOOD & DRINK
Château Fonbadet
by Adrian Bryksa
Château Fonbadet Vintage: 2003 Region: Pauillac, Bordeaux, France Varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec Alcohol: 12.5% Pri…
FOOD & DRINK
Terre da vino Barolo Poderi Scaronne D.O.C.G
by Adrian Bryksa
Terre da vino Poderi Scaronne Vintage: 1998 Region: Piemonte, Italy Varietals: Nebbiolo Alcohol: 13.5% Price: $34.99 Around holidays, the need to travel to get…
FOOD & DRINK
Le Volte
by Adrian Bryksa
Le Volte Vintage: 2007 Region: Tuscany, Bolgheri, Italy Varietals: Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon Alcohol: 13.5% Price: $27.99 Italian wine was turned o…
2009
FOOD & DRINK
Adamas Pinot Noir
by Adrian Bryksa
Adamas Pinot Noir Vintage: 2005 Region: Burgundy, France Varietal: Pinot Noir Alcohol: 13% Price: $27.99 Burgundy, it is one of the words in the world of wine t…
FOOD & DRINK
Willow Bridge Estate Sauvignon Blanc Semillon
by Adrian Bryksa
Willow Bridge Estate Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Vintage: 2008 Region: Ferguson Valley, Western Australia Varietal: 55% Sauvignon Blanc, 45% Semillon Alcohol: 12.5…
FOOD & DRINK
Château Latour – Martillac
by Adrian Bryksa
Château Latour Martillac Vintage: 1999 Region: Pessac-Léognan, Graves, France Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot Alcohol: 13% Price: $57 If you…
FOOD & DRINK
St. Supéry Élu
by Adrian Bryksa
St. Supéry Élu Vintage: 2003 Region: Napa Valley, California, USA Varietal: Meritage Alcohol: 14.3% Price: $10.95(US) – 375ml On a recent trip to the US, I deci…
FOOD & DRINK
Rosemount Estate Show Reserve Shiraz
by Adrian Bryksa
Rosemount Estate Show Reserve Shiraz Vintage: 2003 Region: McLaren Vale, Australia Varietal: Shiraz Alcohol: 14.5% Price: $27.99 For this months review, I thoug…
FOOD & DRINK
Narkoojee Cabernet Sauvignon
by Adrian Bryksa
Narkoojee Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage: 2004 Region: Central Gippsland, Victoria, Australia Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc Price: $20.00 Time to hea…
FOOD & DRINK
Airlie Maréchal Foch
by Adrian Bryksa
Airlie Maréchal Foch Vintage: 2006 Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA Varietal: Maréchal Foch Price: $26.00 The cool coastal regions of Oregon are known for…
FOOD & DRINK
Hillside Estate Pinotage
by Adrian Bryksa
Hillside Estate Pinotage Vintage: 2007 Region: Naramata Bench, British Columbia, Canada Varietal: Pinotage Price: $34.95 When friends invite you to give some bo…
FOOD & DRINK
Corte Giara Ripasso Valpolicella Superiore
by Adrian Bryksa
Corte Giara Ripasso Valpolicella Superiore Vintage: 2005 Region: Verona, Italy Varietal: 60% Corvina Veronese / 35% Rondinella / 5% Molinara Alcohol: 13.5% Pric…
FOOD & DRINK
Clos la Coutale
by Adrian Bryksa
Clos la Coutale Vintage: 2006 Region: Cahors, France Varietal:80% Malbec , 20% Merlot Alcohol: 13.1% Price: $19.89 Back to France this week, where I selected a…
FOOD & DRINK
La Vieille Ferme Red 2006
by Adrian Bryksa
La Vieille Ferme Red Vintage: 2006 Region: Orange, France Varietal:50% Grenache , 20% Syrah, 15% Carignan and 15% Cinsault Alcohol: 13.5% Price: $11.89 When I s…
FOOD & DRINK
Jim Barry The Lodge Hill Shiraz
by Adrian Bryksa
Jim Barry The Lodge Hill Shiraz Vintage: 2006 Region: Clare Valley, Australia Varietal: 100% Shiraz Alcohol: 15% Price: $24.89 What can I say about this wine, i…
MUSIC
Anthony Collins – Doubts & Shouts
by Jon Freer
Juxtaposing ice cool technoid minimalism with sumptuous vocal shards and choice instrumental touches, Doubts & Shouts is a thing of musical beauty. Wholehearted…
FOOD & DRINK
Rhone Gang Hold Up #6
by Adrian Bryksa
Rhone Gang Hold Up #6 Vintage: 2006 Region: Southern Rhone, France Varietal: 70% Grenache, 30% Pinot Noir Alcohol: 13% Price: $18.89 I like when old world produ…
FOOD & DRINK
Heitz Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
by Adrian Bryksa
Heitz Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage: 2002 Region: Napa Valley, California Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon Alcohol: 14.5% Price: $44.99 To celebrat…
FOOD & DRINK
Cooper Mountain Vineyards Cooper Hill Pinot Noir
by Adrian Bryksa
Cooper Hill Pinot Noir Vintage: 2006 Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon Varietal: Pinot Noir Alcohol: 13% Price: $27.99 Pinot Noir, long considered the impossibl…
FOOD & DRINK
Edge Cabernet Sauvignon
by Adrian Bryksa
Edge Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage: 2005 Region: Napa Valley, California Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon Alcohol: 14.1% Price: $24.99 I will admit that Cabernet Sauvi…
FOOD & DRINK
Bodegas Enrique Foster Reserva Malbec
by Adrian Bryksa
Enrique Foster Reserva Malbec Vintage: 2003 Region: Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina Varietal: Malbec Alcohol: 14.5% Price: About $35 Due to the fact that peop…
FOOD & DRINK
Conti Zecca Donna Marzia Primitivo IGT
by Adrian Bryksa
Conti Zecca Donna Marzia Primitivo IGT Vintage: 2001 Region: Puglia, Italy Varietal: Primitivo Alcohol: 13% Price: $18.09 Valentine’s Day might be a commercial…
FOOD & DRINK
Wyndham Estates Show Reserve Cabernet Merlot
by Adrian Bryksa
Wyndham Estates Show Reserve Cabernet Merlot Vintage: 2002 Region: Australia Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon – Merlot Alcohol: 14.5% Price: $24.99 Do rewards come…
FOOD & DRINK
Barefoot Zinfandel
by Adrian Bryksa
Barefoot Zinfandel Vintage: Non Vintage Region: California Varietal: Zinfandel Alcohol: 13.5% Price: $9.99 I have seen this brand of wine everywhere and I thoug…
FOOD & DRINK
Sustainable Dining at Red Door Bistro
by Adrian Bryksa
Sometimes we are privileged as observers of society to provide context around interesting ideas that are being shared with the world. These ideas can be simple…
MUSIC
The Bucketheads – The Bomb!
by Jon Freer
Back in 1995, The Bucketheads, released an incredibly powerful House record, which was called The Bomb! From the first time I heard it, the track fascinated me,…
FOOD & DRINK
Annie’s Lane Riesling
by Adrian Bryksa
Vintage: 2003 Region: Clare Valley, Australia Varietal: Riesling Alcohol: 11.5% Price: $11.99 As some of you may or may not know, one of my favorite white varie…
MUSIC
Artist Profile: Glass Candy
by Jon Freer
Portland's Glass Candy make the beautiful synth pop drenched disco with a serious melancholic edge. They have garnered a great deal of internet based support ov…
FOOD & DRINK
Kendall-Jackson Jackson Estates Grown Cabernet Sauvignon
by Adrian Bryksa
Vintage: 2005 Region: California, United States Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon Alcohol: 13.5% Price: $12.99 Holidays can bring a time of depression, especially wh…
MUSIC
Woolfy Vs Projections
by Jon Freer
The Astral Projections of Starlight (Permanent Vacation) Simon James is a Scotsman living in LA, who makes gorgeous horizontal grooves as Woolfy. Here, he has l…
2008
FOOD & DRINK
Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz
by Adrian Bryksa
Vintage: 2004 Region: South Australia Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz Alcohol: 14.5% Price: $38.00 When the weather gets cold sometimes making the trek out…
FOOD & DRINK
Huber Grüner Veltliner Obere Steigen D.A.C
by Adrian Bryksa
Vintage: 2006 Region: Treisental (Austria) Varietal: Grüner Veltliner Alcohol: 12.5% Price: $23.19 I am always on the lookout for new white varietals as I find…
MUSIC
The Best Of Mr. Bongo
by Jon Freer
Mr. Bongo is a goliath in the compilation market and celebrates 20 years of pushing exciting music from South America and other continents with this Best Of Mr.…
FOOD & DRINK
2006 Pillar Box Red
by Adrian Bryksa
Vintage: 2006 Region: Padthaway (Australia) Varietal: Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot Alcohol: 15.0% Price: $20.09 Decant, decant, decant. I find myself talk…
MUSIC
Artist Profile: Calm
by Jon Freer
Calm aka Farr aka Kiyotaka Fukagawa is perhaps the quintessential Japanese electronic music producer. He makes gorgeously atmospheric compositions that have an…
MUSIC
Influences: DJ Marky
by Jon Freer
Influential tracks are not always favourite tracks, but they are the ones that open up the mind to previously uncharted musical ideas and inspire creations. Tha…
FOOD & DRINK
Vinya l’Hereu Petit Grealo
by Adrian Bryksa
Vintage: 2004 Region: Costers Del Segre Sero Subzona Artesa, Catalunya (Spain) Varietal: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah Alcohol: 14.0% Price: $34.74 Every ti…
MUSIC
Mr. Scruff – Ninja Tuna
by Jon Freer
The Scruffy one’s Tuna is finally on the menu, a few years after waving his jazzy trousers around, keeping it incredibly surreal and getting dubby on his debut.…
FOOD & DRINK
Torres Gran Coronas Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva
by Adrian Bryksa
Vintage: 2003 Region: Penedés (Spain) Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon Alcohol: 13.5% Price: $13.99 At the Rocky Mountain Food and Wine Festival , I had a chance to…
FOOD & DRINK
Bassermann-Jordan Deidesheimer Paradiesgarten Riesling Kabinett
by Adrian Bryksa
November 4th, 2008 a historic day for the United States and the world. I believe I may have found a historic German Riesling!
FOOD & DRINK
Clos de Los Siete
by Adrian Bryksa
This wine is exciting with dark, inky deep purple tones to it. With the first sniffy sniff, there is a nice blackberry component poking through with some white pepper and a nice hint of toasted oak. To stand up to this wine, match it up with some hard, old Cheddar and biscuits.
FOOD & DRINK
Value Wine Experiment - 3 Reds under $15.00
by Adrian Bryksa
He pulled me over to an Australian blend which seemed interesting as a 2005 at 11 dollars, so I made it my choice. Ian grabbed a 2007 Chilean Cabernet and David jumped on an 2006 Argentine Malbec
FOOD & DRINK
Zimmermann Rosshimmel Riesling
by Adrian Bryksa
As I continued to sip, the terroir to which the grapes were grown continued to shine through with those much desired flint, rock and mineral aspects pouring through.
FOOD & DRINK
Stark - Condé Syrah
by Adrian Bryksa
For the most part, I typically stay away from South African wines, for no good reason other than I haven't had one that has really excited me or blown me away. Maybe this Syrah will change that.
MOVIE
Nights in Rodanthe
by Pamela Hruska
If anything, this movie highlights the fact that in any stage of life, you will not evade the debacle of trying to solidify a really firm idea of exactly what you want. Based on a Nicholas Sparks novel, this film captures the author’s style quite closely.
FOOD & DRINK
The Little Penguin Merlot
by Adrian Bryksa
I find myself picking up bottles, reading the labels and examining the packaging and wondering what makes the average consumer choose it over the countless others in the sea of similarly priced products.
FOOD & DRINK
Caves Alianca Quinta dos Quatro Ventos Douro
by Adrian Bryksa
I immediately thought that this wine would be an excellent contender for the cellar as in my experience, they often are much better in a few years time when they have had a chance to mellow out in bottle.
FOOD & DRINK
Nugan Estate Manuka Grove Vineyard Durif
by Adrian Bryksa
I remember the day I first tried this wine and it was all I talked about with all my oenophile friends. I rushed out and bought as much as I could and stockpiled it in my cellar. Since then, many Merlots, Shirazes and Chardonnays have become between us.
MUSIC
Christian Prommer's Drumlesson
by David Gluzman
I originally sat down on the couch to read the latest issue of WIRED magazine and decided to plop in some new music.. While dodging the overwhelming amount of ads presented to me in the magazine I was suddenly completely unable to stay focused on what I was looking at and was completely absorbed by the music being played.
FOOD & DRINK
Travaglini Gattinara Riserva
by Adrian Bryksa
Typically, this is a 90 + point rated wine from Wine Spectator. It is an excellent example of an outstanding medium bodied Nebbiolo from Northern Piedmont in Italy, delivering a slightly hard candy, floral bouquet with a orangish hue.
FOOD & DRINK
Esser Cellars Chardonnay
by Adrian Bryksa
Coming out of the bottle, it exhibited a pale honey straw-ish color and the nose is delivered a bit of baked apple and honey along with some toasted oak, which almost makes it seem like apple pie.
MUSIC
Quasimode - The Land Of Freedom
by David Gluzman
Growing up I was heavily influenced by the sounds of classical music, and then later on by Jazz. I fondly recall listening to lots of Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillesp…
MOVIE
Star Wars - Clone Wars
by Ian Harding
Bright colours, action, and the sound of lightsabers. Oh lightsabers. An element very specific to only one saga of films: Star Wars. Not having "episode" in the…
MOVIE
Get Smart!
by Pamela Hruska
Nik at night used to play hour after hour of Get Smart. Sure the show was cheesy, but I was young, and used to dedicate time to it anyway. The test? Is a resurr…
MOVIE
The Dark Knight
by Pamela Hruska
A heavy weight surrounding this film leaves me asking myself what shapes my impression about it all. The world will go into theatres this Friday with conception…