Kutcher and Kunis making headlines with the their "quarantine wine" and doing it for a good cause. 100 percent of their profits go to COVID-19 relief causes.
But there will always be doubters and naysayers as some are saying that it may propel too much drinking during the pandemic. It could lead to dependency for some and may cause people to excessively drink in the name of a good cause.
Like, Kunis said, you're basically getting two bottles of wine in exchange for donating to some charities. And you don't even have to wear carbon-neutral kicks to enjoy it.
Not for us to judge but you to read and enjoy!
We love to hear from you in any form you see fit!
With all of this selection and the world becoming a smaller place with globalization, a NYC bar owner may make history by selling his bar in crypto. Playing the long game on the short glass. The first ever crypto-resto sale? Imagine if that becomes a "term of art".
Patty Hughes (male name - a little luck of the Irish) placing those watering holes on sale so he can shore up the bank roll and take off!
If it is hard enough to know your USD to Euro and your CAD to Sterling, then make sure the brain is rolling before this one comes at you:
FOR A CONVERSION VALUE OF:
a value of about $875,000 by current cryptocurrency prices.
It has new meaning now. Trying to Catch a Big Fish 🐠
“I’m hoping to catch one of these crypto dudes who always wanted to own a bar,” said Hughes, noting that he has put a sign out front to lure in curious potential buyers.
Not everyone is sold on crypto just yet, though.
Hot fire right now.
“Crypto is on fire, it’s a hot currency,” said Hughes, 56, a Queens native who now resides in Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ, and whose family has been in the Manhattan bar business since 1970. “It’s decentralized. It’s global.”
“I’m not aware of any other bars or restaurants that have been sold for crypto only,” said Charles Cascarilla, CEO of Paxos Trust Company, which specializes in cryptocurrency infrastructure. “But more and more people look at crypto as a monetary instrument. We’re really at a tipping point of its acceptance.”
Before the pandemic, Hughes employed 50 people at his two establishments. He’s now down to “five or six” but said he has survived better than many, largely by remaining closed throughout most of 2020.
Will this be a new wave of how agents work with wineries and how restaurants and wine bars purchase from agents and so on?
]]>Voting with your phone? Well - we are not touching that one but meaning with the old "walletto" and "stilettos"
Consumers are using and prioritizing bars and other venues that take meaningful steps to address racism, sexism and other workplace inequalities.
They exercise their constitutional rights and drop that freedom of speech that can lead to a drop in value - whether deserved or not. So, is it making us better?
Well more accountability and transparency across the board should always be a good thing if we are doing it the right way. Certainly, there is some animus out there and malice that can lead to undeserved negativity but addressing back on the same forum can show courage under fire.
“A forced step back has given a lot of people a critical eye. It’s about how to distribute systemic power in a way that’s more equitable.”—John deBary, Restaurant Workers’ Community Association
Get a professional and you get what you pay for. Hire that lawyer one time so you are not paying 40 more times and getting posts on some legal website like you are a hot Instagram post.
We are proud to partner with restaurants and wine bars that are on top of these issues and stay sensitive.
The same is applicable to the questions we are receiving on the retail side and we always keep it confidential but, speaking generally - we are noticing a sharp trend upward in knowing the winemakers' story, their reputation, and how they treat their workers.
A great wine but bad ethics will steer them away for good.
Never thought you would see the day? Well, those days are here and near to our heart so any questions you got, we answer. Trust is a must!
So Buck the Trend if it needs to be more inline with your aligned values. Just ask Rosa Parks - and now look where we are because of her!
Consumers seek brands with environmentally friendly production methods and marketing that’s mindful of inclusivity and diversity. “Otherwise known as doing the right thing,” says Victoria.
Well - guilty as charged - but more in the sense of constant reminders to ourselves so it remains habitual. We can't just have it in our mind for a month (like a Black History Month) as it has to be year round.
We can just say "fair trade" and "certified organic" and then cut corners - unless it is a rush to get you the order before the Friday evening stay at home soiree - then we all "cut a corner" and take the fastest route so we arrive in time so you can imbibe the ethical wine.
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Not just pandemic panic buying but - time is worth a lot of moola so the less time you spend on the grind in the streets and the parking lot means that your career is NOT drying up through a closed tap.
So, is the change here to stay? Most definitely but when restaurants and wine-bars fully reopen, then what gives? It is likely that connoisseurs will pick their time and vines with more diligence. So if you were store goer then you likely be a tech mover with a touchpad.
Well, change does not happen overnight but our wine does - check it out and check out with ease.
But imagine when you started sending email off your phone and you were hesitant that it may work for you and you were spell checking 8 times to Sunday. Then the keyboard from Blackberry disappeared and you were no longer typing but using voice recognition software and so on.
Remember THIS CLASSIC
Well, when it comes to health, there is no half glass half full when lives are lost so we cannot trivialize that aspect. That being said, we can learn from the past and getting through the storm. Better prepared - more efficient and more resilient.
Changes like curbside pickup have made it more challenging to get in-person recommendations at the wine store - so smartphone apps and TRENDING BLOGS are on track to become an essential part of wine discovery.
Do you learn more reading a fun and exciting blog or grinding it out in the stores when you are already running late with a "slight itch" and worried about whether you are going to get jammed back in traffic? The former and not the latter.
Ok that is just a marathon race but think how many more marathons you would be running - albeit socially distancing - while you are running distance.
Think about when you overdrank the last time you were in a traffic jam because your breathing was short and your heart was racing as you nearly got in a T-bone and your "T-bone steak 🥩" hit the roof of the car.
If you spend your time running (albeit it in a circle in the backyard or up and down your stairs), then you will learn to savour the wine!
A big trend we are seeing in 2020 is the rising stars of wine starting to get their accolades. From male dominated for years to female rise. And so it should be. Equality from every angle must be dissected as to what is on tap!
Yes, even rocking the umbrella ☔ when it is sunny because nothing protects the rays like that invention!
To consume or not to consume is not the question but it is how and what to consume? More information can sometimes lead to information overload (or TMI but not in that sense) but as you hone in - you figure out what you like and who you like to support. Boy (pardon the pun) ain't that the truth.
Say what? What comes to mind? Cool movie with her and B. Pitt that had you feeling "pitless" dans l'estomac (aka in the stomach). Think the number between 6 and 8 (like SE7EN which had another actor in there that has really come under serious scrutiny and not so much of an "American Beauty" anymore - and it rhymes with "seven" and has a "space element to it"). Curl up with a glass of the below and escape into that movie!
Check it out when are back in La La land!
If you remember that band, then you are really on point and firing on all cylinders like a "Bran Van 3000" - what a cut to just turn off the mind with a glass of red. Escapism
Andrey Tolmachyov, Wine Director and Head Sommelier at Maude & Gwen is seeing the trends and focusing on women in wine because let's face it - they have been underrepresented!
“I’ve been getting requests for wine experiences and programs that are only featuring women and women winemakers, which no one has ever asked me to do before and I think that’s really cool," says Chang. "That means that even in the corporate environment, everyone’s thinking about how to support businesses with high integrity.”
Enjoy these vineyards who have women that are the forefront of the winery and where it matters all around! Andrey Tolmachyov, Wine Director and Head Sommelier at Maude & Gwen says the upsurge is not just an uptick but here to stay. By stay, we mean rise!
And VICTORY HAS RISEN THANKS TO ITS PREMIER FEMALE
]]>A Three Pack to go with your six pack of wine from Victory - "win-win" dare we say! Roll out another VHS - ahem - DVD - ahem - BluRay - nah - just netflix and chill but don't spill!
No time to clean when you are focused on the precise camera angles of the scene!
Singin’ in the Rain (1952). Gene Kelly joyously dances in the rain, even though, Hollywood legend goes, he was sick with a fever at the time! His performance is so foot tapping and upbeat, you need a wine that’s a celebration– break out the escape to France!
It is a trip is it not? Even indoors and at home.
Jurassic Park (1993): It’s pouring outside, the electric fence just shorted out and T. Rex is on the loose. Time to snuggle up with a big, bold, courageous red wine so check the reds below.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2015): Escape to sunny India, enduring characters and warm humor with this popular romcom. Forget the rain, and uncork a Light White — it’s a preview for the good weather to come!
Remember that dry Jan that had everyone thinking that it was a prank by a "Toucan Sam". But it was reality? Hard to remember? Well, then the rest of it may not have been so dry.
Yikes and "no mic drop here"
Health pros and anti-addiction proponents launched ‘dry January’ in France, mirroring the campaign launched by Alcohol Change UK in 2013.
But dry January has opened up a new fault line in France’s increasingly complicated relationship with wine and alcohol in general. Hmmm...complicated is not the way we see it or sip it.
More than 40 figures, including chefs and writers, criticised the concept as an ‘Anglo-Saxon and puritan obsession’ in an open letter published by "THE" Le Figaro newspaper in December.
An Apple a Day...
‘This initiative dismays me,’ wrote Philippe Claudet, lead author of the article.
He said it was another example of French drinkers being made to feel guilty ‘each time [they] caress the sides of a glass before bringing it to [their] lips’.
Debate over dry January in France escalated in November when it was reported that president Emmanuel Macron opposed the idea.
No-GRONI - NO THANKS
So you are never hurting!
Food First
Close but no "dry cigar"
News of the campaign has not gone down well in some parts of French high society.
And if you are dry eyed and need to show some tears then sample a good onion dish - well don't really - breath and tears!
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Amendments to your taste buds and production of "mouth fluid" as we "grow" or age appears to intensity or bolster the perception of aromas.
Smell that? Pick up that scent.. as you age you got that smokey and peppery aromas in red wine. Of course, according to new research - we don't just say or spray it - we read it and sip it.
The findings could lead to the development of wines that are more tailored toward specific groups of consumers. “We could diversify winemaking production to make more enjoyable wines based on consumers’ physiologies,” said Maria Ángeles del Pozo Bayón, of the Spanish Research Council’s Institute of Food Science and Research in Madrid, who led the research.
Our perception of wine is also shaped by physiological factors like the shape of our mouths or the composition of our saliva.
Sure if you are up in the NORTH!
But why? Well composition transports and dissolves the aromatic compounds in wine, as well as transforming some of them through the actions of the enzymes it contains.
Although people can be trained to appreciate the subtle aromas and flavours in wine, perception of them is also linked to memories and experience.
“If we are very familiar with a smell that has an emotional connection in our mind, we will recognise that smell regardless of physical conditions,” said Federica Zanghirella, vice-president of the UK Sommelier Association, who was not involved in the research.
Varying proportions of enzymes their saliva may also metabolise these molecules in different ways
Try these word in a different context - trap them - elongating the amount of time people perceive them (for or fore with the golf club on the 19th hole).
Whether older individuals are also more perceptive of other wine aromas needs further exploration according to Bayón.
Her team is also exploring how the foods we eat might alter our saliva, and therefore our perception of wine.
Well - it starts to not be so great when you hit the 90's. Well, if you hit that age then just be thankful...right
Yes, that is the spirit!
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And another one - uggh - well not really if you love wine and being your loved ones. Nothing like loved ones and wine - whether you are "working from home" or "enjoying retirement from home". Get the rocking chair out and sample, sip and sip again.
Our organic French wine is a "hot commodity in these markets" and we want to ensure you enjoy like we and others do! With Bay Street in full "ghost mode" (and no your investment advisor is still around but just at home so send he or she a case for answering your 192 calls per week checking on your 'folio)
So, we know times are tough and your favourite resto-wine-bar is just not letting you in with open arms and open doors.
Loving the Ex-Arena like there is nothing "ex" about it - well, here is some more info to get all senses contemporaneously activated and we quote:
Latin - FROM THE SAND
"Ex Arena" is Latin for “From the Sand,” an homage to the terroir from which this wine originates. Located in Corneilhan about 20km from the Mediterranean and at an elevation of 40m above sea level, Ex Arena is a blend of primarily Grenache, with a small addition of Mourvedre. The average age of these vines is 35 years old. The freely draining sandy soil is deep and rocky and was once an ancient beach eons ago – a terroir that results in extremely low yields from 10–20hl/ha."
Yes - you. You can secure it by checking out with our secure checkout and you can make any notes you want to the order.
Need to clear something up via email? We got you covered - at the bottom and we are all ears and fingers for the tactile contactless dream.
Yes, that is a hyperlink!
Or love a little more antiquated way - you can just type at checkout
HOMESTAY45
Yes, right here everyone
]]>Yes, one would think but we are all a little guilty (but not in that sense unless you are trying to expunge the 1st quarter of your life post the child loving and adolescent phase - no judgments because we are not judges) of losing the common sense some time. Ok, maybe not you but it happens.
The "big brands" and big logo seems like common sense, right? Go with the big bling but is it?
Like when you were erasing that 1st quarter of the life - remember that late night 'za (yes pizza) at 2 a.m. seemed smart but how did you feel after? You went with the Hut and the dominos happened.
Sure, we can. Freedom of expression right? Big Brands are just big on the brands and light of the "authenticity".
We find branded wines upsetting on the big style - largely.
Not like this though...
They look tres interesting but the façade is merely that - as if they have been lovingly created from a single vineyard by artisanal winemakers in small and rustic cellars
aged gracefully in oak barrels with the attentive hand of the grower never far away.
Real talk - straight talk - industrial concoctions manufactured in massively big wineries from machine-picked grapes that come from flat irrigated vineyards and straight trickery.
Small blends as few consumers as possible sample them and they are often "mystery shoppers" that are not mysterious to the Big Brands!
Go with the Big Band but not the big grands. Sample something different - take a walk on the wild side - out of the factory!
Isn't that why it it called "factory made" in the most pejorative of ways!
Hard to figure what is what with all those buildings and clouds?
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Well things are different in these times and Happy New Year by the way. We have a blossoming and burgeoning growth with our "retail friends' while the pandemic has everyone staying pat. You have got us coordinating to all kinds of locations across our great province so it is always customers' first but with a holiday, we can quench your reading thirst.
Yes, buying wine online is becoming more prevalent and many thanks to our retail return customers as opposed to "recurring transactions" - no dice there because we let you decide and be liberated at all times. Don't you just hate that when you see something pop up on your credit card and you have no idea where that came from? Yes - us too which is why we love the freedom we have and you have. Whenever you are ready, we are ready for you!
Yes, it used to be that many people were loving those Christmas (ahem -holiday parties because political correctness is the name of the game) parties for their company, their significant other's party and then a friend's party (that you clearly invited yourself) but then also loving when January 1st hit (or more like January 2nd depending on that second and third pulse in the cranium) and just "Netflix and chill".
But those days are not here so you have been sipping at home and not getting caught up in the "hoopla". Yes, you are not bouncing around with sensory overload but digesting and resting with the sip and then thinking before the next sip. Don't you feel better?
Yes, staying sophisticated with sips should be the norm so remember when they say to look at the glass half-full - well now you can actually see the volume in the glass and it is literally half-full.
Well, it is jurisdictionally governed so we are not handing out advice so defer to you and your knowledge.
Well, if you are going to keep this sophisticated way of sipping with loved ones, then we got some wines for you that are retail sector is loving while the restaurants and wine bars brave the storm until the V-day arrives for all (yes not a vendetta but vaccinations all the way across the nation).
We can't keep up with the yo-yo so it is just a matter of "waking me up before you go-go" so you can enjoy and sip slow.
If you are loving the new you and have not had to spend hours thinking of a New Year's resolution, then keep resolving to stay organic with the certified organic wines from Cebene.
Live close to the Earth with your organic and minerality nature
Red wine? Love it. Organic wine? Have to try it. Yes, those are just hyperlinks but you feel less hyper when you sample the best red wines from France
Depends on the type. Some do and some don't, we got a few that will go with that chocolate cake.
Or even organic chocolate!
Benefits of organic dark chocolate?
A 100-gram bar of dark chocolate with 70–85% cocoa contains:
The flavanols in dark chocolate can stimulate the endothelium, the lining of arteries, to produce nitric oxide
One of the functions of NO is to send signals to the arteries to relax, which lowers the resistance to blood flow and therefore reduces blood pressure.
Domaine De Cebene goes beautifully with some chocolate.
Keep it organic MY FRIENDS!
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Don't you just love comedy even more when you got the best wines flowing? Imbibe in and laugh out. Should that be a meditation? Why not?
Getting married in a lockdown? In a pandemic? Or you just love the alone time?
Well, Larry David, after being married for 14 years, decided to tie the knot and lock it down.
Here is the report:
Larry David married his partner, Ashley Underwood, on Wednesday, according to a report.
During the coronavirus pandemic, the “Seinfeld” co-creator has quarantined with Underwood, whom he met in 2017 at a birthday party for Sacha Baron Cohen
Talk about commitments from two great comedy minds and how they think alike? LD has committed to an 11th season of CURB and apparently SBC is reprising his role with Borat.
Yes, see wine and comedy works.
Supposed to only be rolling out to you via the "new normal of watching movies".
Whatever floats your boat.
Some wine samples and learning more about what you should be putting in your virtual shopping bag.
Yes, think how much time you will save when you are not stuck in traffic and you feel like you are in some crazy satirical scene out of a movie.
Spend your time watching movies with wine and laughing.
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With everyone (at least everyone trying to do their part and some much drama from BC to NY), some are just marching to beat off their own drum (or dead drum that is).
A server in Penn was doing her best to make it for her family and she was treated to a very unfortunate tip when she asked the patrons to wear their mask dans le indoors.
Here is what it went down and emphasis on DOWN. Yes, this type of downright unfortunate conduct is really demonstrating that we need to remember to put the shoe on the other foot and remember that people, like Ledwith, are doing their best to make it through a tough time.
The DEETS
"When they came in they walked through the bar without their mask on. So I asked them politely, 'If you're walking through the bar, or standing, just put your mask on until you're seated,' " Ledwith told the local news outlet.
Kathy Kearney, who has owned the family-run pub for 15 years, posted the receipt to Facebook, prompting a wave of encouraging remarks and messages of support.
"The reactions and comments started immediately flooding and I think there was one negative versus hundreds of positive comments," Kearney said.
Well, if you need a conversation starter, then this should get your rolling.
Sample some organic wine with this one.
Love French wine but also like organic. Venn Diagram in the middle.
Yes, French Organic wine right to your door in the most contactless way.
You will feel liberated on all fronts.
And a remember, a constructive and helpful tip goes a long way. We welcome them all the time!
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Need a pick me-up during the pandemic pandemonium? Don't we all? But do I do it without feeling like regret is written on my forehead the morning after? Well, we got some ideas that are friendly suggestions and some wine to pair.
Every done one of those college midnight moves or helped a friend do one? Of course NOT. Never. Right? No need to fret, the statute of limitations has run its course and you are living clean and better now. You probably used a U-Haul but now we got U-pick farms.
You are physically distancing from the crowd (not social distancing - yucky phrase - right) but you can make use of the U-pick farms.
Yes, YOU (not "u") can pick your favourite pumpkin and other fun squash and yams.
Or even apples!
Here is what they are saying in NJ:
“We’ve had to switch things up a little bit,” said Kyle Holman, the brand manager for Alstede Farms in Chester, N.J. Compared with years past, he said, “things are as good if not better.”
SUMMER PICKS - PICKING YOUR WAY TO HEAVEN
Summer picking was up as was interest in the farm’s C.S.A., though the usually busy autumn season has been scaled back. “We can’t have those bigger days,” Mr. Holman said.
Good luck to them!
Keep it rolling and Stay Honest RIGHT!
Keep that nose in tight and NO PINOCCHIO stuff.
No looking to sip tonight?
Well, you can rock a Spinach and Pumpkin salad with red wine on it.
HOW TO MAKE - SIMPLE AND A LITTLE CEBENE TO SIP WHILE YOU ARE MAKING IT (yes, we inquired if you did not want to sip but we had to
In a large serving bowl, whisk together pomegranate juice, vinegar, and oil.
Peel pumpkin. With a vegetable peeler, cut raw pumpkin into paper-thin 1- by 3-inch strips; you'll need about 2 1/2 cups. Add pumpkin shavings to pomegranate vinaigrette and mix gently.
Add spinach and mix to coat; add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with pumpkin seed
So after you are finished pumpkin picking in a fun and safe way, why not have your wine ready for you when you get home?
Long drive home. No stops required. Delivered to your door and keep it contactless.
It ain't even a question. Rising faster than a meteorite (a little ode to the minerality of the region that we discuss infra).
Best Grenaches in the World! Hands down!
Red-wine grape grown extensively in France, Spain, Australia and the United States.
Versatility
It is particularly versatile both in the vineyard and the winery, which may explain why it is one of the most widely distributed grapes in the world.
Grenache is the French (and most internationally recognized) name for the grape, but it has a number of synonyms.
And this Ex Arena is one of her diamonds and certainly "not in the rough!"
What does the Ex-Arena Pair Well With?
Many love a slow cooked organic pork with some sun dried tomatoes!
]]>Rest in Peace to a legendary mind and spirit. Embody that spirit tonight with an attempt at the cuisine. We stress (sans stress) an "attempt". But we got the wine to make it all worth it. Even if you mess up the food!
Grand credit goes to his facilitating France’s influential nouvelle cuisine movement. More than just an emblem but an emblematic figure of the great French cuisine, Pierre Troigros was one of those chefs whose name has become an international reference in gastronomy.
The Troisgros brothers took over their parents’ restaurant, the Hotel Moderne, which opened in 1930, and renamed it Les Frères Troisgros in the mid-1950s, two years after it received its first Michelin star.
A legend before another legend. Legendary chef Paul Bocuse died aged 91 in 2018. The death of the man referred to as the father of gastronomy was announced by the French interior minister today.
Versus Culinary?
In general terms, gastronomy is about eating food, and culinary is about cooking food. They're also different types of words. "Gastronomy" is a noun, and "Culinary" is an adjective (culinary arts, culinary school, etc.)
Coined?
The term "molecular and physical gastronomy" was coined in 1988 by Hungarian physicist Nicholas Kurti and French physical chemist Hervé This.
Oh but what is?
study of the relationship between food and culture, the art of preparing and serving rich or delicate and appetizing food, the cooking styles of particular regions, and the science of good eating.
And RIP to all of the legends above and nothing like a certified organic French wine to do it justice!
]]>Yes, close to the curb is getting a new cozy feel in Toronto. Even when some dips in temperature, people are still living it outdoors. Well, isn't that what Americans think Canadians are: outdoorsmen, lumberjacks, maple syrup swiggers and beavers living amongst us?
Yes, we like to think so. But Toronto and NYC always draw comparisons and certainly outdoor dining appears to be a way forward through the times.
Extending that lifeline. Mayor Tory of Toronto has dubbed it CafeTO and down in NYC it is called "The Open Restaurants program" which has allowed more than 10,300 restaurants citywide to offer outdoor dining by setting up tables on sidewalks, in streets and in other public spaces.
Old with the old and in with the new.
“Open Restaurants was a big, bold experiment in supporting a vital industry and reimagining our public space — and it worked,” Mr. de Blasio said. “As we begin a long-term recovery, we’re proud to extend and expand this effort to keep New York City the most vibrant city in the world. It’s time for a new tradition.”
Well, Toronto was a little quicker with that regime.
The program has allowed restaurants to generate at least some income as they struggle to pay rent and keep some workers on the payroll. Indoor dining has been banned since the city was shut down by the pandemic, but is scheduled to restart next week at limited capacity.
Well, how could they: think how hard they had to shut down? When you got two international airports in JFK and La Guardia, there is some serious "small world after all type feel!"
So don't feel so bad about it #inthesix - and major props to those that have battled through against all odds!
The outdoor dining program has saved an estimated 90,000 restaurant jobs citywide, according to city officials.
Yes, listen to Fauci down there and outdoors is better than indoors particularly when you are rolling in the NYC. And the same thing we love about New Yorkers is that fast paced style can be a little bit of an issue if you are indoors.
So next time you are thinking of staying in and being stuck to your couch, venture out in a safe fashion and show love to those restaurants and wine bars, of course with which we have connections (humour intended as everyone needs love), and sample some food and wine outdoors. Support the backbone or at least one of the major veterbrae of our economy here in Toronto and Ontario as a whole.
]]>What a woman and what a life. Her workouts were the thing of marvel. If you ever seen her workout episode with Stephen Colbert - it is a must.
Empowering the disenfranchised and those that needed and deserved equality.
A few famous ones for the records:
Got to get that beauty rest right? When you are working and workout out around the clock, you got to catch in some rest when you can.
Even if it is the State of the Union - well, of course. There is a reason that it is a common law jurisdiction.
But what were the reasons? Like a Reasons for Judgment, honesty is and was the best policy.
What happened back in 2015...here is what was said:
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg admitted Thursday night to not being “100 percent sober” when she dozed off at last month’s State of the Union address.
She said she had vowed to stick to sparkling water at the Supreme Court justices’ dinner before the speech, but couldn’t resist the “very fine red wine” that Justice Anthony M. Kennedy had brought.
“And so I got a call when I came home from one of my granddaughters,” Justice Ginsburg told the crowd at a discussion with Justice Antonin Scalia held by the Smithsonian Associates. “She said, ‘Bubby, you were sleeping at the State of the Union!’ ”
And yes, where would be without her love of wine. As noted above, she loved fine wines after a great day of working out and dissenting for those who needed it.
So have a glass of wine in her honour!
She left the world a better place and what not to love about an independent woman who strives for what is right and loves a proper "night-cap"!
We are certain she would love these and the powerful woman behind them!
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So not quite pasta but orzo! Keeping it vegan so you are still rolling with those summer vibes in the Fall.
When you are rolling with organic wine (certified that is) you will notice the difference immediately and thereafter. Your body will thank you!
Here it is in enumerated form even though you are only using:
Dill, Spinach and Feta together to bring it together. Think risotto without the stirring.
Transition
You want those herbal note to round out the mineral intensity of the spinach.
Yes, nothing like the minerality of these wines from Domaine De Cebene!
You will have this done all in jiff against the back drop of world class "schist".
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Sure, yes, you have heard it and it is easy right? Yes, to purchase of course. But what about if you are pro athlete in a bubble? Yes, they are not getting your empathy as they making cake and having their cake and eating it too. Well, actually, they are having their wine and eating it too!
Who would have thought we would see the day? Or night? This kind of nightcap.
No judgments here but the 90's and 2000's were more in the nature of the "hip hop era" and more "street cred style".
You all remember Allen Iverson?
(Not the bald guy - that is Michael Jordan but with the hat and the shades!)
Yes, the Answer or AI created a movement with the hip-hop style and it certainly was not associated with wine? So what changed? Well, a little regulation that changed it with Commissioner Stern (RIP - passed away recently) requiring a little more "tidy dress code".
But basketball was never associated with wine? But it certainly is now!
Here is what some of the players are saying about it when they scoped the wine list!
"Redick quickly found that the list offered a collection of homogenous Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon -- the sort produced by the hundreds of thousands of cases each year. Connoisseurs identify these wines early, quickly move on and never look back. And Redick, like many in the modern NBA, is a connoisseur!"
And from a distance and here is what JJ Reddick says it is about an escape!
So, Redick says, being able to open a bottle at the end of the day and share a glass at a distance with fellow players brings something beyond normalcy and comfort.
"It provides an escape," Redick says.
"You see some teams sitting at separate tables, [and] they're drinking wine or they're discussing things over wine," McCollum says. "I think it's become more common practice, especially associated with dinner -- a way to catch up, a way to reflect and relax after a long day of working out and obviously being restricted to the bubble."
Gone are the days of being seen as "soft" for drinking wine.
Who gets the credit? We will discuss and hyperlink up next!
WE WILL HAVE TO SEND THEM A FEW BOTTLES OF THE BELOW!
]]>So you love wine and cheese? But who does not? But what about a glass and watching some French Open. The tennis artistry that is on display.
Say what? Ok, you need to a be a little bit of a tennis dork to get that one. We will break it down. When there was no pandemic flying through the air (not quite airborne but you get the drift - there are about 3 "double entendre" there in and open and close bracket with some mathematics and exponential growth), the tennis stars would move to the quicker courts (aka grass) of England after some tennis artistry on the clay (aka terre batue) of Roland Garros dans le Paris. Now, that we are in different times, the French Open has come after the US Open that happened without fans.
Well, Rafa, who has been winning the tournament since he was like 14 and may win when he is 50 at this rate is not a fan of the new balls. Yes, they switched to Wilson from Babolat.
But, in fairness or unfairness, Rafa has been sponsored by Babolat since he was 9 or so - so we can understand the issue. A little bit biased.
But why he is a little perturbed about the heaviness? Well, it is a little cooler this time of the year so heavier balls mean that it is heavier conditions so a little tougher on the body.
"I practised two days at home with the ball. Now, of course, here. I'm a little bit sad because the Babolat at Roland Garros, it was my favourite ball, it was perfect," he said.
"Obviously it was the ball from my racket company. (It) was fast, was taking spin incredibly well. But the Wilson ball is good, as well. It's just a little bit slower. It gets a little bit bigger after a while."
However, Russian Daniil Medvedev, who prefers slower clay court conditions and less spin, had no complaints.
"I like the balls because, yeah, tennis is a funny and interesting sport," said the world number five, who lost to Nadal in last year's U.S. Open final.
"It's normal that when one player doesn't like something, second one maybe is going to like it. So far I like it. I think it suits me not bad."
Well, yes, the "schist" of Faugeres is what the talented winemaker in Brigitte Chevalier has been able to embrace and exploit (kind of an oxymoron - but who cares when wine is this superb).
How amazing does that look? It does not even look real. Almost wants you make to take a row boat across the Atlantic to make it over there. By invitation only obviously - for the lucky few!
And yes, "terre batue" is a clay tennis court that contains crushed stone, brick, shale, or other unbound mineral aggregate.
Nothing like a tie and bow on that one.
We are just loving the feedback that we are getting from our "grounded" loyal retail base and the hard-working and never stopping licensees on this wine.
Stay grounded our friends with this wine.
We will share some of our favourite comments from those that love it. Bluntly, we only know that love it!
(and just FYI - the Ex Arena is on point and a great way to forget the "exes" and focus on the future!)
(and double FYI - if that is possible - don't ever tell a true winemaker from France like .... that you are loving that "red in the fridge" or you have played on green clay - majeure faux pas!)
]]>Ok, so why the big titles off the top? Well, that is just because it gets you here quicker. In the SEO world, it is just an H1 tag and it means that a search engine is going to crawl us a little better and get you better wine.
You bet. But you don't bet unless you are rocking the auction on the site here. So you love French wine but you are underwhelmed and out of the cash flow while the government loans aren't flowing like they should. You are waiting anxiously to know when you are being called back to work and what you can do next. So you are picking up hobbies but you can't be drinking the same old malt and yeast that is giving you some headache action leading to a bunch of inaction.
Yes, it exists and we got it for you.
We are showing love to two of the best in their respective fields in Ms. Jancis Robinson and Ms. Brigitte Chevalier.
Yes, that hyperlink has us dialing it back to 2017.
A real sense of space - she says.
Check this quote:
"Brigitte Chevalier abandoned her career exporting bordeaux to establish Domaine de Cébène in the distinctive Faugères appellation in the northern Languedoc. Like all these producers, she has been fastidious in producing recognisably differentiated, locally expressive wines with a real sense of place."
So if like often going with a winemaker, who you feel that you share characteristics with, then if you are a trendsetter and ambitious with your life goals, then this one could be, inter alia, a collection for that cellar or mantle.
Already flying off the shelves to the various points of this vast province and into the top licensees!
So whether you are showing love here or in the restaurants, imbibe on the language and wine at the same time. Contemporaneously, we are say.
Express yourself in a way that symbolizes you. It starts with a little food and drink - emphasis on a little - or at least for us that is the case because we can all be a little guilty being too indoors and too close to that thing that is always running that keeps some things cool and others frozen.
]]>If you've heard rumours that red wine has a lot of different health benefits, believe them. Studies show that red wine can improve your mood and sharpen your mind. More importantly, it may be able to protect against heart problems and inflammation.
There's no time to have a glass of wine than with your dinner each night, but what red wine food pairing options go well together? That's what we're going to talk about here today. Read on to learn the best ways to enjoy your favourite wines in a way that complements the dishes you love!
When pairing red wine with your favourite snacks and meals, there are a few things you must remember. First, the wine should always be both sweeter and more acidic than the dish that you're serving it with. If this isn't the case, both the wine and the food will neutralise the flavour of the other and the tastes won't balance out.
When you buy wine, make sure that you're pairing your wine with any sauces that come with your meal. Even if you have one of the boldest meats around that would usually pair best with a dry wine, you will want to get a sweeter wine to match the sauce covering your side of pasta.
Finally, understand that red wines will generally create congruent pairings. This means that the food and wine that you choose to pair will share multiple compounds or flavors with one another. Sweet wines will be paired with sweet dishes, dry wines will be paired with heavy dishes, and so on.
While you may have heard that cheeses pair with white wine more often than red, this isn't always the case. There are some delicious and heavy cheeses out there that are perfect for drinking with imported or gourmet cheeses. To create these pairings, simply remember the rules of sweetness and acidity.
Here are some of the best red wine/cheese pairings out there:
If you have other favourite wines and cheeses that aren't on this list, have fun experimenting a little bit! Try out different combinations until you find the perfect pairing for your palate.
Now that you know how to pair wine with cheese as an appetizer, it's time to talk about the main course. Generally, red wine should be paired with bolder foods that have a lot of flavors that red wine can bring to the forefront of your palate. Read more to learn some of the best examples!
Meat makes up a large portion of many people's dinner plates. You will want to pair red wine with more boldly-flavoured and heavier meats, like steak, pork chops, or beef. If you're eating fish or poultry, white wine might be the superior alternative during that meal.
This is partly because bitter wines (like reds) are best complemented by fattier foods, and red meat generally offers a lot of (healthy) fats. Whether you like your steak rare or well-done, a glass of fruity red wine is a great way to offset its strong flavour.
Speaking of fruity wines, one of the best meals that you can pair with them is a gourmet burger. Simply mix cheese into ground beef and grill them to perfection. Serve this dish with delicious salty fries and a glass of raspberry or cherry-flavoured wine.
If you want something a little lighter, try some this Xinomavro with tomato-basil spaghetti sauce. Since this wine is made from fruits, tomatoes, and dried oregano, it makes sense that it would be paired with a sauce made from similar ingredients. For some added fun, try making your pasta fom scratch!
Red wine absolutely can be enjoyed with dessert. Dark chocolate is generally a good choice for drinking with wine since the tannins in it complete the bitter undertones of dark chocolate. Additionally, because dark chocolate isn't as sweet as its milk and white counterparts, fruity wine tastes comparatively sweeter. You will be better able to taste each fruity note when you eat a midnight chocolate cake or decadent square alongside your favourite beverage.
Some people also like to pair red wine with fruity desserts. If you choose to do this, dry reds tend to be the best choice. You don't want something sweet or fruity that is too close to the sweetness of a blackberry cobbler or piece of warm blueberry bread.
You can also make desert wine which is an interesting and novel thing to try if you haven't yet! Higher-quality wine is the best option for baking since it lends a fuller flavour to your pastries and offsets the sweetness in them well.
While red wine is delicious by itself, there's nothing quite like pairing it with a snack or meal that brings out the delicious undertones hiding in its full-bodied flavour.
Now that you know how to create red wine food pairings that really pack a punch, it's time to get started! Shop for high-quality wine to get the perfect flavours to pair with your favourite dishes. If you're not sure of what to get, our experts are happy to help you make a decision and find the best reds to go with the foods you love best.
We went a little deeper here. Like it shorter and sweeter? More detail? Longer? More pics?
Lay it on us. We got thick skin and we can always cater to your needs!
]]>For most, the answer is yes and especially if you are drinking red wine. Save your wealth and your health.
Well, what is it off the cuff? Gout is effectively a painful form of arthritis where uric acid builds up in the joints. You are either producing too much of it or not flushing it.
Purines?
Purines are naturally occurring chemicals that your body breaks down into uric acid. Not so pure!
So if you are consuming too many purines, slow up on it!
Healthy first like this:
1. Shed some of those LBS!
2. Avoid fructose - yes that high sugar pop is not helping you pop off!
3. Avoid certain foods - shellfish and sweetbreads. Lay low on the brisket and that "shoulder cut"!
4. Kale it up with vegetables -
The more biodynamic and natural wines tend to have less purines so keep it to these French wines!
This latest selection is only for those sophisticated sippers that have been yearning to make it over to this historic region but need to be on "pandemic wine couch alert!"
Yes, indeed it is! Well, thanks to our loyal support, we are climbing the various ladders with good old "blood, sweat and tears". No real tears here. Just staying hungry and never satiated.
We cannot sell on Pinterest - yet. No one can if you are selling the fine wines and such. However, this day will hopefully come at some point in the future. So, we are hearing. In the interim, we can still dial up the content and the ads for your viewing and seeing pleasure.
Yes, change in the correct direction. With only a few monthly viewers at the outset, we are trending up. 215 K unique monthly viewers. But let's keep getting it up.
And you can help and love seeing our pics. We keep them fresh. And a picture is worth a thousand words!
Yes, we show love right back at you so follow us on Pinterest and let us know if you want to see a PIN there or on the front page.
What is that picture up there?
Yes, that is Domaine De Cebene up and above. It is really trending the right way here #inthesix and Ontario. Flying off the shelves if you will and much love to those purchasers that responded with love and grace and selected some of this hot seller from France.
Yes, we got the h1's to the h5's rolling and it is moving fast so get them while they are here!
]]>Got to show love and not be a fair weather fan. This team, #inthesix Raptors, gave this city and province (and country for that matter so much joy), last year but also this year. While "losing" a top talent, they only continued to grow and mature as a team.
Isn't that the truth? Not how many times you get knocked down but how many times you get back up and know how to correct it the next time.
Many of these players know what a tough life is like coming from a "concrete jungle" and represent nothing but the hustle and struggle. You never heard a complaint or any "whining" from them. Pure class all the way. They made a sacrifice to live in that bubble and continue to bring joy to their hometown fans. While it is never easy to see a loss, we have to show love to all that they have done.
Well, many of them can come home and sample some of the best wine. Were they allowed to have wine in the bubble? Who knows but we know the answer now. What a run from last year to now. From the shot heard around the world from OG.
NBA playoffs had the best payoffs with the virtual fans and keeping it fun and free from the bench!
Hopefully, we learned what has made this team so successful and we can bring it to our lives in every sense of the word. You have players from all across the globe and they are so tight knit. They will be back for more. Oh yes and diversity with wines is a must!
And, of course, congratulations to the Celtics and how they played throughout. It is a Canadian thing, eh? Being gracious in victory and defeat. Easy to be classy when you are winning but showing love in defeat can feel bitter sweet but it should be a natural move. Whether it is double overtime to buzzer beaters, you are going to love the beat we are rolling with!
Oh yes oh yes. Some say they are organic but are they really? Make sure you are reading the fine print and whether it is actually certified by a qualified governmental body.
With Cebene, it is! Certified.
Certify your order today with certainty and privacy.
Yes, nothing but the most secure in the game. Keep your privacy tight and your sharing nice and open. Yes, sharing is caring with wine.
Got questions? We love answering them. Shoot us a line and we will hit you back you with some "free throws" and advice.
And we love expressing gratitude for your support. Remember that by supporting us, you are supporting the global economy. It is a small world after all!
]]>Yes, secure it online. With all of this drama in the world (so much drama in the LBC for a hip hoppers out there #blacklivesmatter), you are going to want to be comfortable at home. Ok, so you already are? But what about being in that "well fitted chair" with a French wine?
Apologies for the lack of accents on that one but we want to rank high so we keep our acquisition cost low so we can keep bringing you the best. Ok, a little SEO and a little too technical but at least it is not a copy and paste.
Nothing wrong with that when you some certified organic wine to boot. Yes, a little Canadian to mix with your French wine. Whether your passion is Netflix or wine, let's bring the Venn Diagram (remember those from math class) together so you can enhance your viewing and tasting experience. Delve into your senses and make it happen.
No, not the USA but "US" - meaning YOU. If you are, show some love to the purity of this winemaking experience.
Now, this is a copy and paste and remember those quotes - right...
"She gives the name of Cébène to this adventure, echoing the goddess of Languedoc who inspired her name in the Cévennes."
Good things come those who wait and those who love to taste! We are getting a lot of feelers on this brand so make sure you on your toes and not pasted to the couch if you want to get the first cases. Well, actually, sorry - you can be pasted to your couch and order right from your technological device.
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We have been hearing about how restaurants are adapting to the new world under the pandemic. One of the creative ideas has been dining bubbles. Heard of them? Used them? Tried them?
These glass dome structures (dinning bubbles) are an innovative way for restaurants to adhere to physical distancing measures and whereby patrons can feel a sense of ease when dinning out away from their desired group. Dining bubbles offer a unique and whimsical dinning experience, whereby patrons can enjoy a night out while not being inflicted by cooler weather.
Dining bubbles offer a wonderful alternative; however, practicality remains an obstacle. The majority of restaurants are tight for space as is, so how would that work in a city like Toronto? Yes, it is fast paced and a blossoming cosmopolitan!
Should the city offer alternative spaces to restaurants to accommodate like alternatives?
Simply speaking, even if the city assisted with alternative spaces it would not be fair to have such expectations upon our local restaurants as such dinning alternatives are short-term investments, lack practicality in densely populated regions and are expensive expenditures.
Perhaps, simplicity is the way to go? Why not accept a new dinning experience and adapt to a Norwegian style of dinning out during colder weather?
The Toronto Christmas Market has been able a successful outdoor event in the city for years.
No matter what you celebrate people from all walks of life enjoy this whimsical and heart-warming event in the city. Notably, the Christmas market has been able to successfully establish an outdoor patio space encompassed with heaters. This has allowed patrons to stay warm and enjoy their dinning experience in a fun and alternative way while soaking up the festive ambiance. Could this be the new norm? Maybe we really need to think about dinning out in a new way.
We are resilient and this pandemic continues to prove that. We continue to navigate hardship which has ejected our survival instincts whereby adaptation has become part of our routine.
As we continue to navigate through this unprecedented time in our history and we face the inevitable cooler weather, we must remember to be open to alternative methods of dinning out to support of local restaurants. Why not embrace a alternative style of dinning outside with heaters that shields us from the cold while we admire the feuille morte of fall or the sprinkling snowflakes mother nature blankets us with?
We should embrace the unpredictable pictorial of nature as we stay cozy under heaters, enjoy our restaurants with a glass of wine. Why not embrace the yearly notion that we can wine and dine outside? If we alter our dinning mentality not only can we continue to support local businesses, but we can also later evoke nostalgic odes synced with our adaptability. Why shouldn’t look back at this chapter in our lives and create profound memories accompanied with new and innovative new dinning experiences.
To ensure you stay warm as the temperatures start to dip, we recommend you sip Earth & Sky. This award-winning wine will not only provide a natural thermogenic effect it will also fulfill your red wine experience! If you like full bodied reds that offer a natural wine experience, this is a must try!
]]>Jancis Robinson continue to sing the praises of Brigitte Chevalier of Domaine de Cébène from a winemaking perspective to her first rate character and commitment to excellence. In a recent article in the Financial Times, Ms. Robinson gave her objective view of everything from how Ms. Chevalier has excelled against all odds while maintaining her unwavering commitment to her core values.
Yes, keeping it recent and we are proud to sharing some of the spotlight and highlights from this article with you. Jancis Robinson took time to visit the Domaine de Cébène winery in a "socially distanced visit" this summer.
Handmade, terroir-dictated wine that has been increasing in its prominence and taste wherein Chevalier’s own custom-built cellar dug out of an isolated hill . But what is that important? Well, it is compared to rather than in cramped rented space in a nearby village. She stayed true to her style and it has benefited her in the short term and long term!
Jancis queried whether Brigitte had increased her prices to which she received a "frown" and an emphatic "no". We glean that while many love the notion of just increasing prices for the sake of prices, Chevalier has stayed true to what she cares about most in her core values.
Well, as noted in the article, the Languedoc is the most extensive region in France. Well, extensive means different things in different areas.
So when you are looking for a high quality french wine that has the correct value ascribed to and not some overpriced wine that is living off "press clippings" of yesteryear, you have come to the right place.
We have been able to secure this incredible connection this winery and are proud to announce that it is almost here after making the trek from France to Canada. We will have an update shortly of when you can get your hands on it and enjoy the benefits of this unparalleled wine experience.
Let's be blunt, when Jancis Robinson is espousing her views in this fashion (and not the first time), you have got a winner.
Secure the best french wine. Right here.
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