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wineschool-blog · 3 years

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Italian Wine Regions

https://j.mp/3Bit24V Italy has a rich history with wine, dating back thousands of years. That all began to unravel in the first half of the 20th Century. Wars and political misadventures turned the advantages of culture into the burden of stagnation. In the 1980s, Italy’s economic fortunes rose and brought the wine trade with it, Since then, quality levels have risen rapidly, and international fame was not far behind. First, Barolo then Amarone Della Valpolicella became the new luxury wine gods. Then followed the Super Tuscans. Finally, all was right in Italy. In recent years, it has risen above France as the world’s largest wine producer. In America, Italian wine is beloved by large swaths of people. No place loves Italian more than the coastal stretch from Massachusetts to Delaware, where over ten million Italian-Americans live. Table of contentsItalian Wine RegionsTuscanySicilyTrentino-Alto AdigeAbruzzoUmbriaSardiniaPugliaVenetoCampagniaPiedmonteItalian Wine GrapesNebbioloBarberaTeroldegoLagreinSangioveseSagrantinoGaglioppo Italian Wine Regions Tuscany Tuscany is a mesmerizing place, as well as Italy’s oldest wine-growing region. Before the rise of Rome, Tuscany was the home of the Etruscans, an ancient winemaking culture with connections to the Phoenicians. At the center of wine production, the grape is Sangiovese; a quixotic grape once believed not to exist. Before DNA testing, it was believed that Tuscany was home to hundreds, if not thousands, of grape varieties. This was not unfounded, as the grapes grown in each tiny hamlet were as different from one another as any red wine could. While there are grapes like Canaiolo, Colorino, and Mammolo grown in the region, DNA testing has shown a different story regarding all the others. Brunelletto, Brunello, Cacchiano, Chiantino, Montepulciano, Morellino, Morellone, Pignolo, Prugnolo, Sangineto, Tignolo, Vigna Maggio, and many more have all been shown to be one grape. For so many centuries, Sangiovese has grown in Tuscany that it has adapted to nearly every microclimate in the region. As Sangiovese is to the classics, Super-Tuscan is to the modern. Tuscan winemakers discovered they could make amazing wines with Cabernet Sauvignon made great wines. The trouble was that the grape was not allowed in classic Tuscan wines like Chianti. So they started breaking the rules. The laws eventually changed, but the die was set. After that, super-Tuscans were the rock stars of the Italian coast. Sicily Greatly appreciated today, it was not long ago that sommeliers turned up their noses at Sicilian wines. The wines of Marsala had become a caricature of its former self. And the rest of the wines never even made it into a bottle: they were sold in bulk. The rich soils, high altitudes, and dry winds allow the island’s vineyards to produce a massive tonnage of grapes per acre. Historically, winemakers bent to market demands and opted for quantity over quality. As a result, the few wines deemed good enough to bottle mediocre quality, leaving Sicily with an even poorer reputation. Volcano island in Sicily, Italy. Panorama of Aeolian Islands Sicily is a beautiful and ancient place. A reputation for weak wines was not a good fit. With the help of winemaking legends like Giusto Occhipinti, Sicily turned its reputation from lousy to luxury in a few short decades. Today, they produce beautiful and magical wines from Frappato, Mascalese, and Nero d’Avola. They also are making beguiling white wines from Moscato Bianco and Grillo. Despite the hot African winds and a Meditteranean climate, the greatest wines are fresh and delicate. Trentino-Alto Adige In the Italian Northeast, you will find beauty in this unheard-of Italian wine region. Because of the bordering countries, you can expect to find wine labels printed in Italian, German, and Ladin (a local Romance language). The main varietals grown here are Pinot Grigio, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, Schiava, Lagrein, and Pinot Blanc. Although it rarely rains, the region’s cool climate. Abundant sunshine and alpine soils are ideal for grape growing. Wine styles include the zippy and mineral-driven Pinot Grigio, a popular choice for American wine drinkers. The region is known for its growing movement toward natural wines for sommeliers, with winemakers eschewing modernism for ancient techniques. One of the greatest examples of that trend is the amphora-aged orange wines that are all the rage with Master Sommeliers. Abruzzo Abruzzo has one of Italy’s most contested identities. This region is extremely mountainous and lush right along the coastline, with most of it being nature reserves and forests. Yet, many publications and wine critics dismiss the region as insignificant; it has produced fine wine at a small scale for decades. Despite the snub, there are plenty of fine Abruzzo wines to be enjoyed. Of particular note is the classic Italian rosé Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo. We can expect more in the future. Scientists believe that Abruzzo is the birthplace of many grape varieties now flourishing in Northern Italy and France. Umbria Driving through Umbria is like driving through Tuscany, if Tuscany didn’t have highways and supermarkets. This region produces a fraction of the wine of competing regions but is some of the most beloved by sommeliers. Land-locked and situated east of Tuscany, the wines produced here tend to be fuller-bodied and age extremely well. Some of this area’s other signature grapes include Sangiovese, Grechetto, Merlot, and Trebbiano. Of particular note is the Sagrantino from Montefalco, a grape of massive tannic strength and complexity. Sardinia Sardinia might seem like a spitting image of Sicily – considering it’s an Italian island of a similar size – but this Italian wine region has quite a unique portfolio. For one, it’s the only region in Italy that produces –and consumes– more beer than wine. Despite that, this region has some exquisite and unique varieties, including Torbato, Nasco, Monica, Semidano, and Vermentino. The terroir here is just as vast and has, in turn, aided the development of quality grapes that are slowly being recognized internationally. Puglia Located at the southern heel, this Italian wine region has a geographical variety like no other. In the south, vines are grown on sandy but nutrient-rich flat vineyards. In the north, vineyards are found in hillier terroirs. These differences in the soils create a massive difference in the wine produced here too. The varieties in the south are Primitivo and Negroamaro. In the north are the more classical central Italian grapes of Sangiovese and Montepulciano. This is the hottest of the major Italian wine regions, and the wines are typically heavy and tannic. However, the grape Primitivo was not originally an Italian grape. Instead, it emigrated from across the Adriatic in Croatia, where it was named Crljenak Kaštelanski. At the same time it arrived in Italy, it found its way to Boston, Massachusetts, where it was grown in a greenhouse. Eventually, the grapevine was planted in Northern California under the name Zinfandel. Veneto This Italian wine region is located in the Northeast, just west of Friuli Venezia Giulia. Veneto famously grows grapes, not often not in any other part of Italy. Many of the varietals grown here are indigenous to Italy, predominantly Garganega, Glera, and Corvina Rondinella. A recent addition is the ever-popular Pinot Grigio. The climate is a rare balance of Mediteran and Alpine influences, making it possible to grow grapes with minimal effort. The most famous wine of Veneto is Amarone Della Valpolicella, a decadently rich dry wine made from the partially dried grapes of the Corvina Rondinella grape. Campagnia In the south of Italy, we find Campania, the most visited southern Italian wine region. This should not be surprising: the region’s capital is Naples, the spiritual home of Pizza. Margherita aside, this region produces unique indigenous wines, many of which are grown in the same volcanic soils that buried Pompeii. Grapes like Pallagrello, Biancolella, Coda di Volpe and Tintore make intriguing wines. Of particular note are wines made from Falanghina, Greco di Tufa, and Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio. In Campagnia, the star of the show is Aglianico: a supernatural beast of a wine. This is not a wine to be trifled with: only the most ardent of (self-hating?) wine lovers seek it out: its unforgiving tannins. Ins insulting lack of fruit and a deep cut of minerality are enough to make most Master Sommeliers vow never to drink wine again. It is also the grape that scientists believe was the core of Falernum, one of the most famous wines of the Roman Empire. It is my personal favorite wine, which says a little too much about my inner turmoil than I would want. Piedmonte On the border of France and Switzerland is the Piedmonte. This is Italy’s western Alpine region, home to some of the best-known Italian varietals: Nebbiolo, Barbera, and –for better or worse– Moscato. The most famous region within Piedmonte is Barolo, which is often cited as the king of wines. The majority of the great wines grown here are red. Although alpine in nature, grapes ripen well in the summertime warmth. The evenings are cold due to the diurnal nature of the high altitudes. Other varietals that are grown here include Dolcetto, Bonarda, Pelaverga, Malvasia, and Arneis. Italian Wine Grapes Nebbiolo Nebbiolo is a light-red red wine that can cross that “rose” border. But don’t be fooled: Nebbiolo is a monster. It shows flavors of tar, tobacco, herbs, and cherries with massive tannins. When on the vine, the Nebbiolo grapes become quite foggy – and so they named this grape after the word nebbia, which means fog. Barbera An Italian grape with soft tannins and intense flavors of dark and red berries, Barbera is the third most planted varietal in Italy. Although it is outstanding, Barbera is often a varietal used in blending to add some unique flavor and color. Teroldego Almost identical to Zinfandel when it comes to flavor, Teroldego often shows great intensity of spiciness, tar, and red fruits. The notable difference between Zinfandel and Teroldego is the softer tannins in Teroldego and intense acidity. Lagrein The Lagrein flavor profile includes grippy tannins, intense bitterness, and fruit-forwardness. It was not a flavor profile many winemakers found pleasant – but today, winemaking techniques have helped this rebellious varietal become palatable and well-rounded. Sangiovese Sangiovese is Italy’s most grown varietal – and for a good reason. Although it provides little but leather and spice on the nose, the flavors in wine are intense and delicious. You can expect to find cherry, strawberry, plum, and jam flavors, often accompanied by tar and herbaceous notes. It is one of the most ancient grapes and a foundational grape for much of Italy’s viticulture. Sagrantino Sagrantino wine is intensely dark – almost black – and is known to have the highest tannins in the world. The tannins require this wine to be aged well and a smart choice for a wine collector willing to store bottles for a decade or more. This varietal shows lovely flavors of red fruit and earthiness when aged properly and is a perfect match for any hearty, meaty dishes. Gaglioppo Gaglioppo is a sensitive red varietal that is often highly monitored during production– but when done successfully, produces fantastic wine. It has low tannins and high acidity, making it much preferred as a refreshing read in the summer. The most common flavors found in this varietal are spicy cherry and light berries. With Italy’s strong wine regions, strict wine regulations, and unique cultivars, trying Italian wine should be a no-brainer. Italians are, after all, the masters of the wine industry – and it definitely shows in what they produce. In addition, the Italian wine regions all carry such unique terroir and stories – allowing the vines there to develop in an equally unique manner. Feel like a glass of Italian wine now? We do too. Wine Courses L1 Online Wine Certification Core (L2/L3) wine Courses Advanced (L4) wine Programs Wine Region Articles Major Wine Regions Wine Regions of the World Italian Wine Regions Spanish Wine Regions Portuguese Wine Regions East Coast Wine Regions The Best East Coast Wineries Terroir of East Coast Wines Best Wineries Near Philadelphia International Wine Regions Austrian Wine REgions Israeli Wine Regions Beaujolais Turkish Wine Regions Swiss Wine Regions Texas Hill Country Vinho Verde The Story of Champagne By Keith Wallace https://j.mp/3Bit24V

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pitchingmoundideas · 6 years

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Disney: Battle Giants

Here’s a random idea I came up with in the middle of the night that I thought could actually be pretty cool. Disney has never really made a crossover fighting game with their characters, as they usually feel it’s too violent for them. But what if... it wasn’t the real Disney characters? But rather, other characters modeled after them? For this idea, i’ve crafted a 3D fighting game where MECHA modeled after classic Disney and Pixar characters do battle; this, is Disney: Battle Giants!

Story: In the near future, Mecha Fighting has become a globally televised sporting event. People gather across the planet (and surrounding solar system) to see the greatest pilots in the world do battle in their various robots, called D-Giants, to claim the grand prize in the Battle Giant Tourney. However, this year, a mysterious group of pilots and mecha have appeared with dangerous methods and a sinister goal. To stop them, the various Battle Giant Tourney fighters must duke it out to see who’s behind it all, and save the universe in the process. Our main protagonist in the story mode is Chris Yensid, an 18 year old who becomes the youngest fighter in the tournament with his homemade, steampunk style D-Giant Mickey: Model-1928.

Gameplay: The gameplay of Disney Battle Giants plays similarly to 3D fighters like Tekken, Soulcalibur and Fighting EX Layer/Street Fighter EX. Players battle it out on a 3D plane in their mechas, to be the last man or woman standing. It’s a six button fighter, with 2 punch buttons (Light and Heavy) and 2 kick buttons (Light and Heavy), as well as a Super button and Weapon button. Before battle, every pilot can choose a special weapon (they have three each, but only start with one with the others having to be bought via the Shop) to bring with them into battle, which acts similarly to assists in other fighting games. These weapons have their own meters, and can even be leveled up the more you use them. Super Buttons are used to activate super moves, with every fighter has multiple supers, once again similar to the Vs. series, with their super meter filling up as you fight. Sidestepping is also an option, allowing players to avoid attacks and move around the field swiftly.

Characters: Disney Battle Giants has a total of 35 playable characters; 20 starter, 5 unlockable, and 10 DLC. Each fighter is a mecha, known as a D-Giant, based on a different Disney or Pixar character, with various original pilots controlling them. These pilots have their own unique stories, and comment/talk during the fight. To learn more about the individual fighters, click here. [will be updated later with links to separate posts with profiles]

Starter

Mickey: Model-1928 (Pilot: Chris Yensid)

Donald: Model-1934 (Pilot: Ivan Malcolm)

Goofy: Model-1932 (Pilot: Art Webb)

Lightyear: Model-1995 (Pilot: John Allen)

Elsa: Model-2013 (Pilot: Eveline Rich)

Beast: Model-1991 (Pilot: Eric Zothan)

Wazowski: Model-2001 (Pilot: Mamiko Ayu)

Hercules: Model-1997 (Pilot: Faust Jorges)

Incredible: Model-2004 (Pilot: Clark Stone)

Godmother: Model-1950 (Pilot: Bette Paxton)

Mulan: Model-1998 (Pilot: Abigail “Abby” Rosenthal)

Stitch: Model-2002 (Pilot: Jameel Rouge)

WALL-E: Model-2008 (Pilot: Stefan Automa)

Skellington: Model-1993 (Pilot: Alexa Ravencroft)

Ralph: Model-2012 (Pilot: Billy Weiss)

Kaa: Model-1967 (Pilot: Coco Bernini)

Baymax: Model-2014 (Pilot: Yang Kim)

Dwarf: Model-1937 (Pilot: Kyle Werks)

Merlin: Model-1963 (Pilot: Sir Richard Archden)

Joy: Model-2015 (Pilot: Amy Dale)

Unlockable

Maleficent: Model-1959 (Pilot: Clarice Meloda)

Hook: Model-1953 (Pilot: Norman Gomez)

Scar: Model-1994 (Pilot: Shaka Zane)

Ursula: Model-1989 (Pilot: Demona Noire)

Jafar: Model-1992 (Pilot: Kabir Bodhi)

Downloadable Content

Standalone/Single fighter

Drossel: Model-2008 (Pilot: Archibald Penn)

Disney Pack

Heffalump/Woozle: Model-1977 (Pilot: Jezebel Fox)

Quasimodo: Model-1996 (Pilot: Sylvestre Kalman)

Kida: Model-2001 (Pilot: Okono Rosé)

Pixar Pack

Flik: Model-1998 (Pilot: Bobby Steel)

Merida: Model-2012 (Pilot: Leslie Dougal)

Ernesto: Model-2017 (Pilot: Ricardo Sanchez)

Live-Action Pack

Tron: Model-1982 (Pilot: Kevin McCuller)

Davy Jones: Model-2003 (Pilot: Oran Blair)

Maximilian: Model-1979 (Pilot: Vlad Reagan)

Modes:

Story- Experience the epic, cinematic story of Disney: Battle Giants! In between fights, players will see a global story unfold involving the various pilots of the giant robots and their personal struggles. The main story revolves around Chris Yensid and his homemade D-Giant Mickey entering the Battle Giant Tourney, along with his friends Ivan and Art. But the mysterious Shadow Society of dangerous terrorist-level Mech Pilots threaten their world... and their only chance at victory! The story is split into chapters, similar to NetherRealm games.

Arcade: Climb the ranks and reach the top against a serious of opponents! In this classic mode, players can climb arcade ladders of various difficulties and battle opponents before facing the final boss, Maleficent: Model-1959 and seeing a unique ending for your character. Each difficulty ladder features a different amount of fights with gradually increasing difficulty. (Easy- 6 fights, Normal- 8 fights, Hard- 10 fights, Expert- 12 fights).

Versus: Duke it out against a friend or the AI in a single match! Players can play a single match, either against the AI or with a friend in local versus. Amount of rounds, enemy difficulty, round time, etc. can all be adjusted to your liking.

Training: Practice your skills with customizable settings! Here, players can practice against the AI with various adjustable peramaters.

Mission: Try out various trials for each of the fighters and learn combos! In this mode, every fighter has 10 combo trials each that players must complete. They gradually get more complex as you climb the trials, with bigger and more powerful combos to learn. In total, counting DLC fighters, there are 350 different Missions.

Online Vs.: Go online and face players from around the globe! Here, players can hop online to play online fights against players both regionally and globally. Casual matches are available, as well as ranked matches, where players wins and losses affect their online rank. Lobbies, leaderboards, spectating and even online tournaments are also supported, with players able to truly customize their online environment.

Shop: Buy new things to customize your D-Giants, new weapons and objects for the Museum! Here, players use in-game currency earned by fighting to buy various things, including titles for your online license, additional colors for the D-Giants, additional weapons to bring into battle, etc.

Extras: Explore the D-Giant Museum, filled with bonuses! The D-Giant Museum is a place filled with collectables players will slowly earn by buying them from the shop or unlocking them normally by playing the game. Character Models and Animations, concept art, voice lines, music, stage backgrounds, etc. can all be viewed at your pleasure.

Options: Adjust the game’s settings to your choosing! Here, you can customize the game’s various settings to make sure your play experience is perfect to you and your TV.

Other Details:

The game is/will be available for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC

Ariel, Rapunzel, Queen of Hearts, Horned King and Dumbo were all considered to be re-imagined as playable mecha, but were scrapped. They are being considered for a potential sequel

A complete edition, entitled Disney Battle Giants: Level Up Edition was released following the end of the game’s DLC plans

#ideas #mecha #fighting game #disney #pixar #Disney: Battle Giants

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theteenagetrickster · 4 years

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21 Savage's R&B Love Affair Is A ReflectIon Of The Evolved "Gangster Rapper"

In November of 2019, artist 21 Savage spoke to hundreds of Atlanta students about the dangers of gun violence. The speech was part of Fulton county’s “Guns Down, Heads Up” program. An initiative to curtail the rising number of illegal firearms in the community. During a local news feature, he explained that urging area youth to be wise in not resorting to guns was his mission. However, his single “Immortal” which was released just 20 days prior had a different message. “Brand new Mac-90 with the drum attached, you a shit talker we got drums for that. Tryna fist fight boy you dumb for that. You gone catch a bullet in yo long for that.”

Can a hardcore rapper grow as a person, as a man, as a member of his community - yet still let his music promote the darkness of his past?

What happens when a man with a troubled past embraces his mortality and refuses to wallow in the same mentality that resulted in the very pain he once sought to escape?

Is society receptive to the duality of a black man finding the silver lining in his suffering, dealing with the convolution and weight of surviving life in the hood?

If you never cared to learn more about 21 Savage you may have these and other questions. Yet, given the effort, you’d quickly find that the man behind the microphone is more complex than can be understood simply by taking his music at face value. It requires a fair analysis of the environment in which he was born. The environment he references in music. Through his words, though sometimes corrupt, Savage has constructed a platform. In the 27-year old’s maturation, he continues to use that platform to make a change, perhaps the only way he knows how. This while still healing from a past that likely haunts him.

Patrisse Cullors, Co-Founder of Black Lives Matter presents 21 Savage with an award at the NILC Courageous Luminaires Awards, October 2019 - Jerritt Clark/Getty Images for NILC

In an interview with Genius, 21 Savage said, “Words are powerful. You have to be mindful of how you use them. I’m a rapper, so yeah, I’m going to rap about certain shit - but that’s entertainment. That’s music. That’s my past life. When it comes to what I’m doing in these streets as like a man. Fuck a rapper. Just me as a man and what I stand for, don’t throw dirt on that because that’s like a big accomplishment.”

21 Savage leaped onto hip-hop’s proverbial stage, the light finally shimmering on a sound once dimly lit in almost hidden crevices of SoundCloud. If The Slaughter Tape catapulted Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph onto that stage his soon-to-follow EP Savage Mode was the crowd surfing frog splash off of it. The hip-hop community had embraced him. Each project he’s released since has pitted him deeper and deeper into the modern-day pop-culture lexicon. The Slaughter Tape featured a hardcore, gritty production style, heavily fleeced with 808s and a dark ominous undertone. Listening to the early Savage catalog feels like you’re walking into the belly of the slums. His menacing voice and catchy ad-libs rattle your eardrums from start to finish as he uniquely tells his story.

Back in the early days of his emergence, 21 Savage was lauded for his hardcore street, oftentimes violence ladened lyrics. Praising the gang lifestyle and endorsing problematic behavior. Behavior young men feel forced into because of the realities of living in a socioeconomically challenged neighborhood. As time fell through the hourglass on 21 Savage’s career, his tune has started to shift. Both in his outward demeanor and in his music. Perhaps it even softened.

On his most recent album, I am > I was, he goes in-depth about the tumultuous relationship with his father, losing loved ones and the pain of heartbreak. As the title would suggest Savage’s second studio album signifies a turning point in his life. Seeking to be a better artist and a better man than he once was. For his endeavors in proliferation the rapper was rewarded with a Grammy nomination for Rap Album of the Year.

“I just feel like I’m becoming a better person. My music is just getting better. Learning the game better, learning how to move, learning how to create - everything’s just growing.”

“I might rap about a lot of stuff, but that’s just a reflection about what I’ve been through. But in real life, everything I do is positive.”

For someone who has been through so much, it’s great to see a man able to freely express himself. His ups and downs. Both his unrestrained joy and his pain. On a 2018 Breakfast Club interview, Savage admitted that “sometimes he cries” when reflecting on the passing of a friend. DJ Envy followed his statement up by saying “the fact that you said you cry is good because a lot of people will never admit that they cry.” The Atlanta-raised rapper then says “That Jeezy and Keisha Cole song, "Dreaming," I don’t care where I’m at if that song comes on I’m going to cry.”

It was here that we realized 21 Savage, like many of us, uses music to mend emotional scars - which would explain his love affair with singing R&B. Music often acts as an emotional ointment, just as 21 Savaged described in this interview. It helps us to process our traumas. For black people, music is sometimes the only therapy we ever had. In many cases, it is the only way we were able to process the things we went through. Have you ever been to a party or a gathering and that classic R&B song plays that calls up so many emotions? We, as African-Americans, don’t simply experience music - we escape into it. Losing ourselves in the words and the melody. Hoping for a momentary fix from reality. For black men, we deserve the chance to be free of the stereotypes that chain us to a nonexpressive mascot-like existence.

21 Savage at his "Hot Boyz" Birthday Bash, October 2019 - Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

In the same interview, Savage admitted that he had been to therapy. Imagine a 90’s gangster rapper talking about therapy in a radio interview. As we’ve become a more conscious and progressive community in hip-hop, much of the facade has melted away and we accept these men as human beings who have experienced real things that take a toll on them - not these beacons of hyper-masculinity. We see evidence of this in today’s “gangster rapper.”

Savage speaks on this candidly in his writings:

“I done did a lot in these streets and that’s facts. PTSD like I came from Iraq.”

“I lost all my friends countin' bands in the Bentley coupe

Diamonds on me doin' handstands, Rosé on my tooth

If she wanna dance, let her dance for the money, ooh

I don't need no friends if you really wanna know the truth.”

In the Summer of 2018 Savage began frequently posting himself singing on Instagram’s Story feature. He sang everything from The Weeknd to R. Kelly to SWV. Bellowing his heart out. The selection a testament to his wide range of musical tastes. This past Summer the rapper claimed “I’m singing R&B this time on tour,” in an Instagram post. Savage stated that singing clears his mind. So, these internet karaoke sessions may be part medicine, part liberation. Signs of his internal cultivation.

Men are freer now to express themselves. To be open with their feelings and show a softer side. 21 Savage is an example of this. We as a society have moved toward allowing men the opportunity to be human. To be tender and vulnerable creatures, while still endorsing their masculinity. Breaking down the barriers of masculinity has been tougher than knocking down the Berlin Wall within the tribe of hip-hop. Misconceptions of male identity have long contributed to a hyper-aggressive culture of male behavior. Many times men are incredibly pensive because they’re asked by society to partake in this play where their role is merely the beast. 21 Savage's exterior may present a hardcore gangster rapper. Now we’re seeing a softer side of Savage. Growth is the companion of time and 21 Savage isn’t the same person that scrapped and crawled his way out of the trenches. He’s a greater version of that.

21 Savage’s journey exemplifies the dichotomy that exists in rap. He wants desperately to help his community and his actions show that. But his music is still filled with violence and belligerence. The Grammy nominee’s infatuation with R&B is a sign that he’s torn about the content in his music. On one hand, it propelled him to stardom, on the other hand, it goes against the things he seems to stand for. But the stories in his music make up who he is. Without the horrors of his past, Savage may not be here to share the journey.

Savage takes his fandom of R&B to the next level by more frequently singing on his music, too. Issa Album explored this on tracks "Facetime" and "Special." In "Special," thanks to auto-tuning, he gifts us with a silky vocal arrangement. On his 2019 album, I am > I was, 21 Savage had a few tracks on which he sings in a contemporary R&B style. He later hopped on several prominent R&B remixes; Jhene Aiko's "Triggered," a song in November with Alicia Keys and Miguel titled "Show Me Love," as well as Normani's "Motivation." There may be more of an audience for 21 Savage ballads than there were for former generations of gangster rap. In what many call the golden era of hip-hop, for two decades, gangster rappers really carried the genre. But I would argue, few of the most influential artists in the past 10 years have been hardcore rap artists. Gangster rappers have had to evolve and adjust with the times in order to survive.

21 Savage isn't alone either. Other rappers known for abrasive style and content like NBA YoungBoy and Kodak Black are showing their more vulnerable sides nowadays. Last year Kodak released HeartBreak Kodak, a project filled with songs of love's enmity. HipHopDX called the album "808s & Heartbreak meets the trap." Needless to say, it was heavily R&B influenced. NBA YoungBoy made waves with his release of "Dirty Iyanna," Michael Jackon’s "Dirty Diana" reimagined. The track features YoungBoy singing feverishly in auto-tune under the iconic baseline. Social changes and advancements in technology have made creatives that never would’ve sung in generations past empowered to give it a shot.

21 Savage gives out a plate of food during his YMCA Thanksgiving Dinner, November 2019 - Prince Williams/Wireimage/Getty Images

It's a proverb of the duplicity that exists in hip-hop and the evolution of the "gangster" rapper. Savage has several different community initiatives where he focuses on giving back. From hosting charity dinners to giving away school supplies in his old neighborhood. After his run-in with ICE and threat of deportation, Savage is now even advocating for immigrant children. It also highlights the line between art and reality. To quote 21 Savage one final time, “This is art, so how the fuck you gone tell me how to express myself - it ain’t no right or wrong way to be a hip-hop artist.”'

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This content was originally published here.

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hernehillandy · 5 years

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The right way to run a wine business

I’VE raved before about the wines of both the Wine Society and Lea & Sandeman, so it won’t come as any shock that I enjoyed their Spring tastings this week. But I was struck at both events - with many wine people saying how much they agreed with my rant about Naked Wines (scroll to the blog post below) - by the diametrically opposed approaches of Rowan Gormley’s outfit and these merchants.

In some respects, L&S fit the posh-wine-trade image that Naked claims to set itself against. They sell lots of expensive Burgundy and other fine wines online and at their four west London shops; you won’t find much under £8. Their range is dominated by Old World wines, many from famous regions. And they are - would it be unfair to say, posh? Put it this way: I don’t imagine anyone there would bat an eyelid if you came to work in red cords and/or a blazer. I’ve certainly never seen Charles Lea with his shirt untucked.

Yet quite aside from the fact that their staff are actually friendly and knowledgeable, L&S’s old-fashioned approach to wine buying offers a much better deal to both consumers and producers than the Naked model. And while the Wine Society is a very different beast - a major online/mail-order player with £97 million in sales in 2018 - its ethos when it comes to both buying and selling isn’t so far from L&S’s.

Both ask fair prices for what they sell, and don’t engage in any sales gimmicks. True, L&S don’t have the kind of buying power and economies of scale of the Wine Society or of any large outlet: you’re not going to get dirt-cheap wines there. But while the Wine Society is big, it’s a members’ cooperative: it makes no profit, putting everything back into the business. And neither merchant wastes vast amounts on marketing and advertising (Naked’s spend on winning new customers alone last year was £14 million.)

Meanwhile L&S, the Wine Society and some other independent importers give small producers the kind of deal those farmers actually need: after seeking out talented winemakers, on the ground, they let them make wines the way they want to, pay fair prices, and build relationships over years. They don’t pull stunts like the ones from some British supermarkets that many French and Spanish producers have complained to me about, where after getting a listing, the store then demands big price reductions to pay for promotions, or just cheaper wines full stop (I should add that French and especially German supermarkets’ behaviour is reportedly similar.)

What kind of wine do you get as a result of this laborious, serious, ungimmicky approach? You just get quality. It doesn’t mean a staid or conventional range: the Wine Society consistently champions new and different wines. And while L&S’s range is a little more conservative, that doesn’t mean predictable: for example, the red Riojas they showed this week were a bit leftfield for my taste.

But most of all at both tastings, I was struck by the brilliant, textbook examples of given appellations and grapes - not particularly daring or boundary-pushing, just lovely wines that tasted of where they were from and of the care that had gone into making them. The following were a few favourites. Prices quoted for L&S wines are with the mixed-case-of-12 reduction.

Domäne Wachau Federspiel grüner veltliner 2018, Wachau (WSoc, £9.95 - this new vintage from 26 April) A classic example of Austria’s signature white grape: this is juicy and clean with bags of fruit - and hints of lime and white pepper. Good value at this price for this sort of quality.

Château de Pierre Bise, Clos de la Coulaine 2016, Savennières (L&S, £18.50) I’m not a big chenin blanc fan but this is utterly delicious, the best Savennières I’ve had in some while: elegant, mineral, complex yet clean. A seriously classy Loire white.

Maga Karma do Sil Godello 2018, Ribeira Sacra (L&S, £12.50) Twenty years ago, godello was just an obscure grape from north-west Spain. Now it’s deservedly recognised as one of the country’s most interesting whites. This boasts classic lime and greengage godello flavours, so juicy and vibrant, yet well balanced and with pleasing weight to it. Very good.

Domaine Vincent Delaporte, Chavignol rosé 2018, Sancerre (L&S, £19.50) Any rosé made from pinot noir is going to be on the lighter end of the spectrum but Sancerre rosé can often underwhelm (well me, at least). However, this is one that’s worth the appellation’s high rosé prices: vibrant fruit, fresh acidity and a good deal more complexity and length than you might expect. Gorgeous.

Alovini Alvolo 2015, Aglianico del Vulture (WSoc, £16) A fine example of southern Italy’s most serious red: fragrant, sweet, ripe aglianico fruit, with depth an length too. Just lovely.

Tim Smith Bugalugs Barossa Shiraz 2017 (L&S, £15.95) A superbly judged Barossa valley wine to confound stereotypes about Aussie shiraz. Sure, it’s big and concentrated, but there’s a fine seam of balancing acidity too. Smith’s 2016 straight Barossa Shiraz (£22.95) is even better: warmer, richer, longer and yet still beautifully balanced.

The Society’s Exhibition Sauternes 2015 (WSoc, £20) Made at Château Cantegril by Doisy-Daëne owners the Dubourdieus, this is a really very classy Sauternes. Lusciously sweet but with beautiful balancing acidity and pleasing texture. Good value for this kind of quality.

Sanchez Romate Maribel Amontillado, medium dry (WSoc, £9.50) Fantastic sherry at a amazingly low price: nutty, so complex and layered, just so long. A wine to lose yourself in.

29 March 2019

Pictured above: left, Charles Lea, co-director of Lea & Sandeman; right, Pierre Mansour, the Wine Society’s Head of Buying (courtesy of Lea & Sandeman, the Wine Society)

#wine #winetasting

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neurotic-nimrod · 5 years

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Texas Four-Step (A Deeper Dive Into Texas Hill Wine Country)

You know that you’re in Texas when…

While I enjoy the thrill of the new, in some ways I am a creature of habit.

Specifically, I have both a habit of getting invited to wine regions that don’t make the usual list of media darling locales, and I have a habit of accepting those invitations because, well, new. And so it was that I recently found myself in Texas, touring that state’s budding Hill Country wine scene as part of a media jaunt, and generally annoying Dallas Cowboy fans by telling them how great I think that the history of the Pittsburgh Steelers is.

Interestingly, this Texas Hill Country has a streak of uniqueness, even for a state famous for its larger-than-life machismo flamboyance. To wit: the region is rich in immigrant history (tellingly, it was home too the German Free Thinkers movement), to the point that the area opposed secession from the Union during the American Civil War (a Union monument to the Abolitionists who were killed for refusing to fight for the Confederacy still stands in Comfort, TX).

Apart from those living in Texas, Hill Country remains off of the fine wine radar. Its tasting rooms, however, are generally packed to the gills on the weekends, due to a combination of favorable factors:

Proximity to Austin and Houston,

A budding fine wine appreciation culture that still has disposable cash to spend on vino, given that the region in general didn’t dip as severely as the rest of the nation during the most recent economic downturn, and

Actually some really, really good wine being made locally.

It’s that latter part, of course, that is the focus today here on these virtual pages; bonus points, of course, …

Duchman’s Dave Reilly

2017 Duchman Family Winery Vermentino (Texas High Plains, $22)

“Some varieties are just happy here,” claims Steve Reilly, the self-studied winemaker for Duchman Family Winery, possibly the most familiar of Texs Hill Country producers to those outside of Texas Hill Country itself. Those varieties are more numerous – and fit less into any given traditional mold – than you’d expect. Case in point: Italy’s secret-weapon white grape Vermentino, which Duchman has been making for over a decade. It’s definitely more on the Tuscan side for the V, with melon and tropical flavors dominating, but it retains the minerality, astringency, and nuttiness that are usually the hallmark of its European versions.

2017 Duchman Family Winery Oswald Vineyard Roussanne (Texas, $22)

Now, Rhone varieties might seem to make more sense for the Texas heat, and this sexy little grape seems quite at home in Hill Country. Pear, white flowers, lemon pith, cream, and verve are the focal points here, resulting in a balanced white that doesn’t eschew is naturally sultry side.

2015 Duchman Family Winery Aglianico (Texas High Plains, $30)

Speaking of sexy, Campania’s sexy red also seems to be comfortable sporting a ten-gallon hat. Juicy dark plums, leather, violets, and earth immediately announce this wine’s Italian heritage, with its hefty palate power being balanced by grit and tobacco on its finish.

2016 Pedernales Cellars Texas Reserve Viognier (Texas, $40)

Larry and Jeanine Kuhlken, who in the 1990s planted one of the then few vineyards in the Hill Country, met “over a mainframe” as programmers on the Apollo 11 space mission, according to Pedernales “Resident Wine Philosopher” Julie Kuhlkin. Her brother David handles winemaking duties at the winery that now farms fruit from their parents’ vineyard, who previously had sold fruit to other local wineries (“of which there were about… three” Julie Kuhlken noted). About 15,000 cases are made by the winery that bears the name of the local river. They now favor Rhone, Spanish, and Portuguese varieties, the former of which brings us this floral, oily, tropical, and creamy white. Far from being bloated, this is Viognier that gains palate traction by way of pithy minerality and lemony acidity.

2016 Pedernales Cellars Bingham Vineyards Reserve Red (Texas High Plains, $50)

A blend of Tempranillo, Mourvèdre, and Petit Verdot, this is a red that comes in soft (and spicy, with tobacco, sage, violets, thyme, and clove), and rides out harder on dusty, gritty tannins, leather, and cherries. Fresh, long, and chewy, it will engender dreams of Texas BBQ.

2016 Pedernales Cellars Reserve Tempranillo (Texas, $50)

This is a toasty, high-toned homage to the Iberian peninsula. Earth, dark cherries, dried herbs, black plums, and dark tobacco intermingle with juicy, chewy fruitiness in this mouthful of a wine, exuding substance and a sense of craft.

Bending Branch’s Robert Young, & his big unit

2015 Bending Branch Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Newsom Vineyards (Texas High Plains, $38)

Give Bending Branch‘s Robert Young, MD a few minutes, and he will show you his big unit: specifically, his flash détente machine, which (in a nutshell) “basically explodes” the grapes, and “kills any bacteria or yeast” to be found. The ‘flash water’ run-off condensate that results from this maximum-extraction technique contains the things that most winemakers try to avoid (or cover up), such as pyrazines, and what Young terms “air-oir” – unwanted airborne aromatic compounds (with plenty of farms in Texas, this is not an insignificant concern, after all). “Because our growing season is so short,” explained Young, “we don’t get the phenolic ripeness of other areas.” Ever science-minded, it bothered Young that he was only extracting about one-third of the grape’s potential polyphenols, and flash détente was his answer to getting the more robust style of wines that he had in mind. “Lots of producers in California utilize this; we’re just willing to actually talk about it!”

Young’s single-vineyard Cabernet makes a strong case for the judicious use of FD – it’s dark, fruity, lively, herbal, and achieves a depth that few other Hill Country reds can match.

2015 Bending Branch Winery Petit Sirah (Texas, $35)

Also from the Newsom vineyard, this PS sees 28 months of American oak. Before you go hating on it, I should tell you that this is one very complete PS, which isn’t easy to do. Leather, meat, smoke, violets, pepper, mint, Now-and-Later candy, sour black cherries, slate… it’s a complex, sultry beast of a wine, with grit, power, and vivacity.

2015 Bending Branch Winery “Double Barrel” Tannat (Texas, $35)

Given its penchant for retaining acids, I expected to find more Tannat than I did in Texas, but I’m happy to have found this one. Reticent and young now, it unfolds slowly with minerals, spice, and black fruits, before punching hard and powerfully with meat, tobacco smoke, caramel, toast, vanilla, and raging structural components. The finish is longer than an old school cattle drive.

Todd Webster & Pat Brennan

2017 Brennan Vineyards Dry Rose (Texas, $20)

In a self-described “no-man’s land” in Comanche, TX, outside of current AVA boundaries, Dr. Pat and Trellise Brennan bought the historic McCrary house and some land, and took up a friend’s advice to plant some vines. Brennan Vineyards was thus founded by the Brennan’s planting Viognier, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon in the early 2000s, supplying grapes to other wineries and now producing about 10,000 cases under their own label. It might seem to make more sense to drink rosé in the Comanche heat than to make it there, this Mourvèdre-based pink defies the odds; rose petal, strawberry, melon, and citrus pith make it the real refreshing deal.

2016 Brennan Vineyards “Super Nero” (Texas, $34)

“Nero d’Avola holds acidity better than any other red here” Brennan’s noted winemaker (and former oil-and-gas industry veteran) Todd Webster. Ten percent of Tempranillo also makes an appearance in this long, biting, and leathery red. There’s exciting interplay here between the tobacco and bramble notes, dark red fruits, cocoa and espresso overtones, and acidic zing; enough so to earn this sipper a spot at a local steak dinner table.

Cheers!

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Copyright © 2016. Originally at Texas Four-Step (A Deeper Dive Into Texas Hill Wine Country) from 1WineDude.com - for personal, non-commercial use only. Cheers! Source: http://www.1winedude.com/texas-four-step-a-deeper-dive-into-texas-hill-wine-country/

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jackiedluke · 6 years

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Block & Tackle (Troon Vineyard Recent Releases)

You know that your brand is in trouble when, instead of talking about your forty-plus-year history in a nascent wine region, or your long hours of sun, 1300-foot vineyard elevation, diurnal temperature shifts of over fifty degrees Fahrenheit, or any of the other factors that make your terroir an ideal place for ripening interesting grape varieties, all anyone can mention is how your family business heir apparent allegedly got blowies during a commercial airplane flight.

That Troon Vineyards is now, only five years removed from that controversy, viewed as an Applegate Valley pioneer and a purveyor of some of Southern Oregon’s most promising and interesting wines is a minor PR miracle, made possible through the yeoman’s work provided by a combination of team players: new owners Bryan and Denise White (a Texas couple who started with the acquisition of nearby O’Neill Vineyard, then purchasing Troon in 2017), pedigreed winemaker Steve Hall, and impossibly indefatigable general manager Craig Camp.

Take heed!

When Napa-area veteran Camp came on board at Troon to help get the entity into more attractive sale shape, he told me that he was immediately impressed with the potential, given how good the wines already were. He focused first on ensuring that the operational and marketing basics were on solid footing – “block and tackle, man, block and tackle.” The additions of foot-treading and Biodynamics to the mix helped to put the finishing touches on the approach, and Troon was, in a very real sense, thus reborn as a brand.

What hasn’t changed is that Troon’s small vineyard location is capable of some excellent winegrowing magic when the right varieties are planted. Troon is more or less surrounded by the Siskiyou Mountains, near a wider section of the Applegate River, with river bench soils that consist of pieces of ancient seabed, granite, and sediment. “We have a mostly Northern California climate here,” Craig noted, “with a shorter growing season. So we can produce wines with European ‘weights.‘”

Put another way, as winemaker Steve Hall noted when summarizing Troon’s current approach, “you do what can to make something… beautiful…”

2017 Troon Vineyard Vermentino (Applegate Valley, $16)

Speaking of beautiful… or, at the very least, substantially pretty… Southern OR seems an unlikely spot for what Steve Hall called “a kind of dangerous animal all-around,” but Vermentino shines here. This example is bright, citric, focused, and lovely, with lees notes rounding out a mineral, nutty backbone.

2017 Troon Vineyard Cuvée Rolle (Applegate Valley, $20)

Ten percent Marsanne (picked the same day) is added to this slightly more substantial Vermentino take; it’s less nutty, more floral, and a lot more tropical than its more modest little sister label. It’s also broader, richer, and more textural, which means that you can swap it on unsuspecting Chardonnay lovers.

2017 Troon Vineyard Roussanne (Applegate Valley, $35)

Unique and characterful, you’ll need to bring your penchant for a pleasing astringent “bite” when drinking this white. It’s worth it, too, for the tropical fruit and white flower aromas, hints of saline and herbs, and its smooth, broad oiliness.

2017 Troon Vineyard Kubli Bench Blanc (Applegate Valley, $35)

A blend of Marsanne and Viognier, this might be the most excellent “sleeper” wine in Troon’s white lineup. Flowers, citrus, stone fruits, and perfume kick things off, followed by a beguiling, fleshy/flinty/mineral entry that moves to a broad, sexy, silky palate. The finish is long, structured, and demands attention.

2017 Troon Vineyard Riesling Whole Grape Ferment (Applegate Valley, $20)

I love this little oddball. Technically, this is an orange wine, and while it’s not quite cloudy, you do get the rosé-not-quite feel from the amber color and visual density. There’s ample skin astringency, of course, but it’s in the form of lime and citrus pith, the way that orange peels make their way into a good plate of orange chicken at your favorite Chinese food joint. The bottom line is that this is an orange wine of which you can actually enjoy an entire glass, which puts it into somewhat rarefied territory.

2016 Troon Vineyard Cuvée Côt Malbec (Applegate Valley, $30)

The words “elegant” and “Malbec” aren’t often used in close proximity of one another, but in this case the use case is justified. Remember what Camp said about “European weights?” I think he had this red in mind at the time. Spices, herbs, green tobacco, plums, earth, leather, and tart red berry fruits, it’s hard not conjure up images of good Cahors when sipping this homage to the European patrimony of the grape.

2015 Troon Vineyard Tannat (Applegate Valley, $35)

Even in its best forms, Tannat is a grape that’s a hard sell outside of a steakhouse. Having said that, there’s something about the Troon site that tames this grape’s burly tannins and makes for a pleasant experience without having to wait eight years for things to soften up first. The textbook stuff is all there: tobacco, leather, deep and dark sour cherry fruit, cocoa, and a crap-ton of acidity and structure. But you can get away with pouring this one even if you’re not within chomping distance of a slab of meat.

2015 Troon Vineyard M*T Cuvée Pyrénées (Applegate Valley, $50)

Troon’s flagship red is a mix of Malbec and Tannat, and that mix is a complex beast. First, there are more delicate aspects: violets, herbs, spices, plums, and silkiness. Then, there are the rough-and-ready compliments: tobacco, smoke, dark red fruits, and leather. Its penchant for being demanding doesn’t stop once it’s in your mouth, either – that’s where you have to come to terms with the tensions between the wine’s grip/power and its lithe, almost electric finish. I wish more wines like this were being made out West.

Cheers!

Grab The 1WineDude.com Tasting Guide and start getting more out of every glass of wine today!

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Copyright © 2016. Originally at Block & Tackle (Troon Vineyard Recent Releases) from 1WineDude.com – for personal, non-commercial use only. Cheers! Source: http://www.1winedude.com/block-tackle-troon-vineyard-recent-releases/

source https://meself84.wordpress.com/2018/10/10/block-tackle-troon-vineyard-recent-releases/ from Sommelier Courses https://sommeliercourses.blogspot.com/2018/10/block-tackle-troon-vineyard-recent.html

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cacophonyofolives · 6 years

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Block & Tackle (Troon Vineyard Recent Releases)

Take heed!

Put another way, as winemaker Steve Hall noted when summarizing Troon’s current approach, “you do what can to make something… beautiful…”

2017 Troon Vineyard Vermentino (Applegate Valley, $16)

2017 Troon Vineyard Cuvée Rolle (Applegate Valley, $20)

2017 Troon Vineyard Roussanne (Applegate Valley, $35)

2017 Troon Vineyard Kubli Bench Blanc (Applegate Valley, $35)

2017 Troon Vineyard Riesling Whole Grape Ferment (Applegate Valley, $20)

2016 Troon Vineyard Cuvée Côt Malbec (Applegate Valley, $30)

2015 Troon Vineyard Tannat (Applegate Valley, $35)

2015 Troon Vineyard M*T Cuvée Pyrénées (Applegate Valley, $50)

Cheers!

Grab The 1WineDude.com Tasting Guide and start getting more out of every glass of wine today!

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Copyright © 2016. Originally at Block & Tackle (Troon Vineyard Recent Releases) from 1WineDude.com - for personal, non-commercial use only. Cheers! source http://www.1winedude.com/block-tackle-troon-vineyard-recent-releases/

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static-pouring · 6 years

Text

Block & Tackle (Troon Vineyard Recent Releases)

Take heed!

Put another way, as winemaker Steve Hall noted when summarizing Troon’s current approach, “you do what can to make something… beautiful…”

2017 Troon Vineyard Vermentino (Applegate Valley, $16)

2017 Troon Vineyard Cuvée Rolle (Applegate Valley, $20)

2017 Troon Vineyard Roussanne (Applegate Valley, $35)

2017 Troon Vineyard Kubli Bench Blanc (Applegate Valley, $35)

2017 Troon Vineyard Riesling Whole Grape Ferment (Applegate Valley, $20)

2016 Troon Vineyard Cuvée Côt Malbec (Applegate Valley, $30)

2015 Troon Vineyard Tannat (Applegate Valley, $35)

2015 Troon Vineyard M*T Cuvée Pyrénées (Applegate Valley, $50)

Cheers!

Grab The 1WineDude.com Tasting Guide and start getting more out of every glass of wine today!

Shop Wine Products at Amazon.com

Copyright © 2016. Originally at Block & Tackle (Troon Vineyard Recent Releases) from 1WineDude.com - for personal, non-commercial use only. Cheers! Source: http://www.1winedude.com/block-tackle-troon-vineyard-recent-releases/

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sommeliercourses · 6 years

Text

Block & Tackle (Troon Vineyard Recent Releases)

Take heed!

Put another way, as winemaker Steve Hall noted when summarizing Troon’s current approach, “you do what can to make something… beautiful…”

2017 Troon Vineyard Vermentino (Applegate Valley, $16)

2017 Troon Vineyard Cuvée Rolle (Applegate Valley, $20)

2017 Troon Vineyard Roussanne (Applegate Valley, $35)

2017 Troon Vineyard Kubli Bench Blanc (Applegate Valley, $35)

2017 Troon Vineyard Riesling Whole Grape Ferment (Applegate Valley, $20)

2016 Troon Vineyard Cuvée Côt Malbec (Applegate Valley, $30)

2015 Troon Vineyard Tannat (Applegate Valley, $35)

2015 Troon Vineyard M*T Cuvée Pyrénées (Applegate Valley, $50)

Cheers!

Grab The 1WineDude.com Tasting Guide and start getting more out of every glass of wine today!

Shop Wine Products at Amazon.com

from Linda Johnson https://meself84.wordpress.com/2018/10/10/block-tackle-troon-vineyard-recent-releases/

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katejmannie · 6 years

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Drunken Globetrotting Good Ideas (Domaine Bousquet Recent Releases)

Anne Bousquet

Anne Bousquet has some of her best ideas when drunk.

This isn’t something that I have experienced firsthand, mind you, but comes by way of her own admission (during an NYC media lunch at which I was recently a guest). And it’s the opinion of her wine-growing father, Jean Bousquet.

More on that later. The point is that some of Anne’s vinous ideas (sober or not) are very, very good. Such as her credo that “we just want to make high quality wines that others can afford.” That one is definitely a winner, as her wares from Domaine Bousquet harken back to a time when many of us marveled at the QPR of Argentina’s wines.

The backstory goes something like this: Anne grew up in a wine-centric family in Southwest France, moving to Minnesota and then Boston to pursue education and work, respectively. While she was busy building up her CV, dad Jean (in the 1990s) decided to plant vines in the Gualtallary Valley of Tupungato in Argentina. Jean knew a good thing when he saw it, favoring the high elevation conditions there and planning to go organic. Anne was in the process of moving to Brussels when dad called, suggesting that she come back to the family biz, which a few years later saw Anne moving yet again to another country to join her father in tiny-put-promising Tupungato as the eventual Domaine Bousquet CEO. Subsequent culture-shock ensued.

“The town of Tupungato hadn’t done much to capitalize on tourism,” Anne told me, ” so the wines really had to step up.” The last few years have seen Tupungato’s more forward-thinking wineries take the lead in terms of the type of gastronomy-focused endeavors that are meant to attract wine-lifestyle-loving tourist dollars to the region. But to do that, the wines have to be worth the trip, which in this case, they are.

By the way, Anne now splits time between Miami (where Bousquet’s importing company is based) and Tupungato, because apparently her passport had a little bit of space left on it…

NV Domaine Bousquet Brut Rosé (Tupungato, $13)

Now this was a bit unexpected; a charmat-method Pinot/Chardonnay blend that takes full advantage of the freshness that Bousquet’s high-elevation vines are capable of preserving. A gorgeous pale salmon color, an emphasis on bright raspberry and strawberry fruitiness, and a hint of earth and rose petal all combine into something that is ridiculously gulpable, and yet carries just enough complexity to make you pause said gulping momentarily in order to ponder its finer points.

2016 Domaine Bousquet Reserva Malbec (Tupungato, $18)

One of those wines that make you wonder why the price tag doesn’t have a higher number on it, this Malbec is 100% estate fruit and sees a smidgen of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah mixed in to the final blend. Ten months in French oak (in increasingly reused percentages) rounds this out into a rich, jammy, dark-fruited palate profile, but the main draw is the amalgam of violets, savory meatiness, mineral, and spice on the nose. Focused, fresh, and at turns lovely (yes, I wrote “lovely” with respect to Malbec), it’s a great food-friendly choice that punches a bit above its weight class.

2015 Domaine Bousquet Gaia Red (Gualtallary, $20)

Ok, we can finally get to the drunk story. As Anne relayed the tale to me, half-jokingly: “I was drunk in a restaurant in Adelaide, and I called my father, who was planting the vineyards in Argentina, and I said ‘you have to plant Syrah! I’m in love with it!’ It was maybe the only time with business that my father listened to me. He said, ‘I always told you, you have your best ideas drunk!’ We like Syrah, because we’re from the South of France.” It’s also worth mentioning that the subsequent wine takes its name from the Greek Mother Earth goddess, who was the parent of Uranus (insert your own immaturely crude joke here).

A wine with that kind of history had better be pretty good, and Gaia is absolutely good enough to live up to that story. A blend of 50% Malbec, 45% Syrah, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, all grown at about 4000 feet elevation and taking advantage of the natural acidity preserved in the grapes farmed at those heights. This wine is a beast, but a tamed one; Deep, plummy red and black fruits mingle with minerals, spices, graphite, game meat, and pepper. Stick the words “Napa Valley” on this label and the wine would likely be selling for about $50, so I consider the sub-$30 price in this case to be a nice bargain. That Syrah is promising indeed, and probably the main contributor to the sexiness that this red exudes.

Cheers!

Grab The 1WineDude.com Tasting Guide and start getting more out of every glass of wine today!

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Copyright © 2016. Originally at Drunken Globetrotting Good Ideas (Domaine Bousquet Recent Releases) from 1WineDude.com – for personal, non-commercial use only. Cheers! Source: http://www.1winedude.com/drunken-globetrotting-good-ideas-domaine-bousquet-recent-releases/

from Linda Johnson https://meself84.wordpress.com/2018/02/15/drunken-globetrotting-good-ideas-domaine-bousquet-recent-releases/ from Sommelier Courses https://sommeliercourses.tumblr.com/post/170910235872

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w2beastars · 6 months

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Fan trans VS Official trans: The Spotted Deer And The Snow Leopard

First difference is that in the official English manga, the chapter is called The JAPANESE Deer and the Snow Leopard.

So... is Rosé a chital or a sika deer?

When Luke confess to Rosé that he ate the duck Bob, she misunderstands and thinks he meant he pretended to eat her during the filming. In the official trans, she says: "You mean you chewed up the scenery?

Interesting difference here is that in the fan trans, Rosé says: "I don't care what you want" when Luke tells her he doesn't deserve the reward he got for best actor. In the official she says: "I don't care what happens to you."

So in one she says she has no interest in him wanting to take responsibility because he feels like it is the right thing to do. In the other she says she doesn't care about what happens to him once he confess.

Hmm... I think the fan trans works better, but they are rather different. Either way, it shows that even though Rosé has been told that an innocent duck has been killed, she is more concerned about her acting career.

Here, the text baloon says "hmph!" as if Luke if the one grunting when pulling Rosé off of him. In the official it says "swff" which I'm guessing is a sound effect of Rosé being pulled away.

Huh, beside the excamples I just told you about and some wording aside, these two translations are pretty similar!

#rosé beast complex #rosé #luke beast complex #luke #beast complex #beastars #paru itagaki #itagaki paru

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wineschool-blog · 3 years

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French Wine Primer

https://j.mp/3meMQRx France’s history with wine dates back to the 6th century BC when the city-state of Massalia (modern-day Marseille) began trading wines with other Mediterranean cultures. Viticulturally speaking, it remained a backwater region until the fall of Rome and the rise of Catholicism: it was French Monks who began the winemaking revolution. The French innovated our modern style of winemaking during the 18th and 19th centuries. Nearly all wines made today are based on these French winemaking techniques. Because of this, knowing French wine regions and grapes is an essential step in learning about wine. Learn About French Wine Regions Table of contentsFrench Wine RegionsChampagneLoire ValleyAlsaceBordeauxBurgundyJuraRhone ValleyNorthern RhoneSouthern RhoneProvenceGrapes of the French Wine RegionsMalbecMourvedreCinsaultPinot noirGamay NoirSyrahCabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon French Wine Regions Those medieval monks came up with the idea that changed the direction of winemaking forever: The vineyard location will affect the quality of the wine. The French have a term for this: terroir. Over the centuries, this concept has been codified into wine regions and specific grapes that can be grown there. This is one of the many reasons any self-respecting wine geek will study French wine. In this section, we cover the essential regions. Make sure to check out our list of essential French wine grapes, too. Champagne Not all sparkling wines are Champagne, not even in France. To be considered Champagne, wine must come from a specific location about 100 miles from Paris. The name of this special place? Champagne. Yep. Being so close to the heart of French culture made Champagne the poster child of sophistication in the 20th Century. The wines are based on the sparkling triumvirate of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. The wines are always sparkling, but they vary in hue from blanc to rose. They also vary in sweetness levels. For dry wines, seek out Brut or Extra-Brut. If you want a touch of sweetness, Extra Dry will be your jam. Loire Valley It is hard to pin down the Loire Valley. It’s a thin band of wine regions that extend from the Atlantic Ocean, following the Loire river on an epic journey. The end of the Loire wine region is 170 miles away in the center of France. Because it is a valley, this French wine region is slightly warmer than the surrounding regions. This allows the grapes to mature fully. The grapes grown depend on which part of the valley the vineyard is located. On the Atlantic coast, wines are made from the Melon de Bourgogne grape. In the middle of the river system, the major grapes are Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc. Further inland, the main grapes are Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc. When it comes to making sparkling wine, the Loire Valley comes in second after Champagne. Here, the bubbles are typically based on Chenin Blanc Alsace The wines of Alsace have a kinship with Germany, whose border the region rubs up against. They have an affinity for German winemaking. This region mainly produces white wines, emphasizing German varietals, including Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Riesling, and Pinot Blanc. Red wines are improving in the region, especially Pinot Noir. It’s commonly believed that the contrast between Alsace and Germany was one of residual sugar: German wines had it, Alsatians did not. That is a simplification that worked a few decades ago, but not anymore. Some Alsatian winemakers are embracing sweetness. At the same time, many of their counterparts in Germany are reversing course to dryness. Another oddity is the bottles. Unlike many places in France, the producers in Alsace seldom use oak in their wine. Both red and white wines are bottled in the long thin bottles reserved for Riesling everywhere else. Bordeaux Bordeaux started as a pirate outpost in an Atlantic swamp. It ended up becoming the most influential wine region the world has ever known. This is the region that made Cabernet Sauvignon the king of grapes. The classical Bordeaux –circa 19th Century– is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. The Gironde river cuts through the region, and the blends are historically different on either side. On the left bank, it’s common that their style is Cabernet Sauvignon-heavy. On the right bank, the wines are usually based on Merlot. White wines are based on Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Burgundy Just like Champagne has become synonymous with bubbles, Burgundy has become the exemplar for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay bottlings around the world. This region is also known for having the most expensive vineyards in France – which comes from the fact that it’s the world’s most respected region. The lower portion of the region is called Beaujolais, which produces wines made from Gamay and is much less expensive. Grand Cru from Burgundy Jura Similar to Burgundy in terms of climate and wine style, Jura produces some of France’s most unusual wines. This region hugs the Alps and borders Switzerland and is more famous for its skiing and cheeses than its wine. The lack of fame has preserved ancient wine styles, including many precursors to today’s natural wines. Like Burgundy, both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are grown here. The region is significantly cooler and rainier than Burgundy, which results in lighter wine styles. Jura’s fertile soils produce some great but obscure varietals, including Trousseau and Savagnin. Although this region is one of the smallest in France, it has managed to put itself on the map by making unique wines. Rhone Valley The Rhone Valley might be a single region, but the differences between the northern and southern parts are like night and day. The difference in temperature between the two regions means that the style and flavors that develop in either part differ greatly. Northern Rhone The winters are quite extreme, and the summers temperate. White varietals like Marsanne and Viognier develop a great minerality and richness. The only red grape permitted is Syrah, which is sometimes co-fermented with a small percentage of white grapes. Red wines from the Northern Rhone include Hermitage and Cornas. These are intense and intellectual wines, often considered some of the best in the world. Southern Rhone Is a much larger region and significantly warmer due to its proximity to the Mediterranean Sea. The summers are hot, and droughts are not uncommon. Red wines are typically Grenache-based blends. These wines can offer great quality and value. Notable wine regions in the Southern Rhone include Chateauneuf du Pape, Listrac, and Gigondas. Rhone Valley Trip with the Wine School Provence The first vineyards in France were planted here, and ancient grape varietals like Mouvedre continue to flourish. Most grapes planted are red wine varietals. However, there is only one corner of the appellation that makes red wine, Bandol. Provence is best known for its rosé wines. This area has a hot and dry climate that allows the region’s grapes to develop and ripen much sooner than in other areas. Not ideal for red wines, but perfect for pink! When harvested, the skin has not fully developed into a deep red. Grapes of the French Wine Regions Most of the wines you love are French expatriates. Wine became great and famous in 19th Century France. For over two centuries, the rest of the world tried to replicate French wine, including the grapes they grew. Fortunately, we now live in a world where greatness can be found in all parts of the world. Sorting of the grapes after harvest near Bordeaux, France Malbec Malbec offers grippy tannins and quite an interesting flavor profile. Common descriptors are raisin, tobacco, and blackberry. One wine writer described it as garlic scape, but that’s just crazy: while there is a touch of vegetal, it is subtle to the point of obscurity. Malbec remains the main grape of Cahors. Known today for the base of many Argentinian wines, it is originally from the Southwest of France. Centuries ago, it was a major grape in Bordeaux. However, that changed when wineries started focussing on Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Mourvedre A tannic beast of a grape and an ancient one to boot. The grape’s history dates back to Phonecian-era winemakers on the Mediterranean coast. When tasting Mourvedre, look for flavors of plum, white pepper, smoke, and gravel. Mourvedre is grown in two regions: The Rhone Valley and the Languedoc-Rousillon. The grape is often blended with Syrah and Grenache. You will also find it used in fortified wines and rosés. Cinsault Cinsault is used as a blending grape in France. Most winemakers consider this grape to make lower-quality wine on its own. However, it is useful in blends, especially when producing wines for cost-sensitive consumers. In blends, it comes across as light and fruity, bringing floral notes and strawberry. When bottled by itself, it can make for a vapid experience. However, older vineyards can produce remarkable wines. Pinot noir Pinot Noir is often cited as the most difficult grape varietal to grow. That is not exactly correct. Many varietals are far harder to grow. It’s closer to the truth to say, “Pinot is a hard grape to make interesting wines from,” Pinot is the red grape of Burgundy, which codified this grape’s style for the world. In Burgundy, Great Pinot is a paradox: lean but complex, linear but multifaceted, beautiful despite its barnyard. This is a style that is nearly impossible to replicate. Pinot Noir is becoming more popular. The trend outside Burgundy is fruit-forward and over-oaked wines. This is a simpler style to produce and shows that the chanteuse of Burgundy can transform into an American pop star. Gamay Noir Like Pinot Noir in color and flavor, Gamay elicits currant, violet, and raspberry flavors. The grape thrives in cool climates, where it offers light tannins and crunchy acid. This grape missed its apex turn in Burgundy but found its lane just south in the Beaujolais. The Boomer generation of winemakers turned this beloved grape into a caricature of itself with banana flavors, extravagant parades, and extravagant bottlings. If you want to keep away from that style, steer clear of any bottle with the word “nouveau” on it Syrah A noble grape that has found its home in many places in the world. In Australia, it often goes by the name Shiraz. DNA research has traced its ancestral home to France, specifically the Northern Rhone region. It is an ancient grape, grown by Celtic tribes long before the arrival of Roman legions. Over centuries, the grape’s influence expanded into the Southern Rhone and the Mediterranean coast. The differences between the warm Southern Rhone and the cool Northern Rhone Valleys are the reasons there are two warring Syrah styles. Cool climate syrahs tend to be lean but robust with intense animal flavors, often bordering on roadkill. Warmer weather Syrah is often jammy and delicious with a bacon-meets-chocolate profile. Syrah from Hermitage Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon For decades, there were questions as to how Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc were related. We know that Cabernet Sauvignon is the offspring of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc through laboratory tests. These grapes are the backbone of the French wine region Bordeaux. Although these two Cabernets share a lot of DNA, they develop in the vineyard quite differently. Both grapes display intense flavors of tobacco, pepper, licorice, and black currents. Cabernet Franc is lighter-bodied and higher in acid than Cabernet Sauvignon. If you enjoyed reading about French wine regions, you might be a wine geek! If you are hungry for more knowledge, you can take our wine courses, which come with the National Wine School certification! By Keith Wallace https://j.mp/3meMQRx

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w2beastars · 3 years

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Waezi2′s thoughts on “Beast Complex” chapter 12.

This chapter is... It’s...

I have to tell you, it is quite something:)

Our story starts off with a carnivore declaring his love for a herbivore right before he eats her.

So a regular Tuesday in the world of Beastars... And I’m going to hell for that joke.

But no, the snow leopard is not REALLY eating the spotted deer. It’s just the scene in a movie called “Dinner.”

Luke and Rosé are the main characters in the popular and controversial movie about meat eater and vegetarian love(the movie seems like a bad mix of Fifty Shades of Grey and Twilight, but that’s just me). And these two animals did so well that they both won the Academy Award.

On a side note, I think these two animals are perfect as movie stars. The world of Beastars has it’s own norms for what “sexy” and “attractive” means. Slender bodies and big eyes are generally considered good-looking. And white fur, even if it has spots or stipes, are seen as beautiful. So a snow leopard and a spotted deer are just the animals for Hollywood.

Anyway, back to our tale...

The movie “Dinner” got a lot of praise, especially because of Luke’s VERY convincing acting that made people sincerely think he was eating the spotted deer Rosé.

But while Rosé and Luke are in the waiting room to catch a break before their TV interview, Luke drops one hell of a truth bomb on Rosé...

The reason to why Luke could make that performance so believable was that he, while he was stressed over all the pressure from acting, went nuts and ate the duck Bob who was in charge of makeup. So his acting was based on experience so to say.

Some of you probably think it is weird that Luke didn’t just eat some meat from the black marked or something. But this is not about graving for flesh. Luke was super stressed, and that is a bad thing for a carnivore who has to keep his instincts in check. Even poor Legoshi who had fixated on being the least threatening wolf ever almost ate Haru because he had a bad day.

Luke is telling Rosé this because he has decided to confess his crime doing the TV interview and take responsibility for the murder of Bob. But he wants Rosé to know first because there was a moment during the filming of “Dinner” where he actually wanted to eat her and he wants to apologize to her in person first.

... But Rosé tries to convince him not to do it, much to Luke’s surprise. She doesn’t even seem to be that shocked that he wanted to eat her. Luke at first thinks that it is because she is concerned for him and everyone who was involved in the movie... Aaaand then he realizes that she is just worried about her career as an actor. If Luke confesses, the movie will most likely be banned from theaters and television, and her efforts will have gone to waste. This movie is her first big role, but it will forever be ruined by Luke’s confession.

Rosé shows an impressive display of strength and lack of fear when she attacks Luke who is a male predator bigger than she is in order to stop him from leaving their private waiting room so he can’t go confess on live TV. A nice detail is that she grabs him by the tail, a tactic used to subdue felines, something the Shishigumi taught Louis in case he got in trouble with big cats.

It might seem shallow of Rosé to stop Luke from confessing to his crime... and it kinda is... but try and see it from her point of view.

Rosé’s career has been a whole lot of small roles in low budget action movies. Her actual acting talents are not that great and she only got those small roles because she is athletic and physically strong. Something she can’t rely on for much longer since she is 35 years old. The movie “Dinner” could be her breakthrough, giving her actual roles and move her up from simple b-movies.

Luke gets it. He really understands that he is taking Rosé chance of getting better roles away from her. But he has a suggestion that could benefit her. He wants her to be next to him when he gets interviewed so that when he confesses to eating Bob, everyone can see how shocked she is. That way, the media will portrait her as a tragic heroin who was kept in the dark by her savage co-actor. She will win a ton of sympathy and it will very likely boost her career since she will get hired for more movies alone for her promotional value since everyone will thinks she is brave hero as well as a victim of fate.

So... they go to face the press. A journalist asks, as expected, what gave Luke the inspiration for the famous eating scene. Luke confesses that he really did eat another animal...

... And Rosé FUCKS UP BIG TIME!

Look at her! Just... LOOK AT HER!!!

It is bad enough that she looks practically comedic instead of shocked. But she even looks directly at the camera! That poor deer can’t act, even when her career LITTERALLY depends on it!

Even the journalist notices Rosé awful performance. She KNOWS that is not how you look when you get told for the first time that your colleague killed and ate a guy. She is all; “You gotta be kidding me?!” And most of the camera crew notices as well and looks as baffled as she does.

It is most likely that the moment that should have turned Rosé into a media darling instead is gonna make her meme material.

In fact, I think I will make memes out of it:P

#beast complex #beastars #luke beast complex #rosé beast complex

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w2beastars · 3 years

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Introducing the Rosé meme

Take a serious dramatic moment...