Wine Blog the First

2003-09-26T15:50:00.000-07:00

Sour Grapes - Why is there no such thing as a good, low-priced California Wine? - From Slate. Ha HA! I'm not fond of California wines. Several years volunteering at the California Wine Fair haven't changed my mind any. Alas.

2003-09-11T10:21:00.000-07:00

Nels has the new Cristall's wine tasting schedule here.

2003-05-14T12:43:00.000-07:00

Tasting Wine: Are you a Hedonist or a Thinker? Moi? Je suis un "hedonist".

2003-05-14T08:01:00.000-07:00

Nick Lee's wine picks. Includes a D'Arenberg shiraz. Mmm.

2003-04-10T14:10:00.000-07:00

I like wine.

2003-04-10T14:00:00.000-07:00

From the New York Times: Why wine costs what it does. Login with dulcie/dulcie.

2003-04-10T13:58:00.000-07:00

On Monday's Martha she had a feature on Hungarian wine, including yummy Tokaji. See the summary of the show on her website. Excerpt:

"In addition, Tamas highlights Demeter Zoltan Tokaji Furmint 2000, which is perfect as an aperitif or dessert wine; and a Hétszolo Tokaji Aszu #6 1996, another dessert wine, which features hints of honey, apricot, and pear."

2003-04-04T10:26:00.000-08:00

And you thought YOU were a geeky wine-snob! From Wired magazine:

Making Wines Finer With Wireless
Wine is fine, but motes can make it better. Intel Research and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada -- Canada's version of the U.S. Department of Agriculture -- are using a wireless sensor network to measure air temperatures across a 50-acre vineyard in southern British Columbia. Working on a hillside overlooking Lake Okanagan, the owners of King Family Farms will use the temperature sensors to help protect their crops from frost damage. After analyzing long-term data from the sensors, they'll also be able to harvest grapes more productively, and cut their use of pesticides and fungicides. Read more...

2003-03-17T13:25:00.000-08:00

Wine reviews at Textism. Makes me dizzy.

2003-02-10T10:13:00.000-08:00

From the Independent, an article about Medeira - as an alternative to champagne? I think that's just an excuse to publish it near V-day. Anyway, we're fond of Verdelho, so it's good to learn more about Medeira!

2003-02-05T16:45:00.000-08:00

I'm not meaning to schill for Cristall's but I saw this feature today that just happens to have recommendations from Rob Filipchuk, including recommendations at different price points. A handy reference, if nothing else. Yay, wine!

Choosing a Wine
Not that true wine lovers need an excuse to buy a bottle of wine, but Valentine's Day is always a great reason to treat yourself and your love. We asked Rob Filipchuk, product consultant with the Cristall's Wine Market, what he recommends for February 14. So raise your glasses to romance, as we toast the patron saint of lovers with a seductive selection of wines from around the globe. ...

2003-01-25T12:08:00.000-08:00

Winter & Spring 2003 In-Store Tasting Schedule

cristall's wine market : 5854 - 111 street : ph: 455-8888

Tastings are held in the store and start at 7:00 pm. Each event costs between $15.00 and $35.00 per person, depending on the wines being tasted. Approximately 8-12 wines will be sampled each evening. A small selection of breads, cheeses, etc. will also be served at each tasting.

Reservations are required.
Please call or email us at cristallsathotmail.com to reserve a glass!

Thursday, February 6th - Wine Spectator Top 100 Sampler The eagerly awaited Wine Spectator Top 100 List for 2002 has been released! Come and join us as we sample ten wines from this year's list and see if you agree with the experts! ($25.00) Thursday, February 20th - Venture Through Veneto Veneto is a diverse region in North East Italy. Join us as we take a trip through the region with its wines. From refreshing Soave, to muscular Amarone, come taste the diversity for yourself! ($20.00 per person) Thursday, March 6th - The Big Boys of Wine Don't think you can tell a $10 bottle from a $100 bottle? Challenge your palate at our "Big Boys" tasting. We will be tasting six red wines from different areas of the wine world that sell for $100 or more per bottle. Register early as this one will fill up fast! ($35.00 per person) Thursday, March 20th - Pacific Pleasures Wines from two of the most southerly regions in the world will be sampled. New Zealand and Tasmania will be featured. Both these areas are quite new to viticulture. Come taste the luscious Sauvignon Blancs and silky Pinot Noirs as well as a few varieties that may surprise you! ($20.00 per person) Thursday, April 3rd - A Shiraz Sampler Shiraz is Australia's hallmark grape variety, but Australia is a big country! Come and taste Shiraz from a number of different regions as we try to define regional styles. ($25.00 per person) Thursday, April 17th - Pinot Party Reprise This will be a Pinot Party with a twist! Pinot is not only Noir! Come sample the other Pinots - Blanc, Gris, Meunier, Chardonnay and even a Pinotage! We'll even throw in a Pinot Noir or two! ($15.00 per person) Thursday, May 1st - Riesling Revival Another episode in our varietal tasting series, we will focus on Riesling from around the world. Just in time for spring and those patio sippers! ($20.00 per person) Thursday, May 15th - Winemakers Dinner Come and meet Viv and Chris Thompson, winemakers and owners of Best's Winery in Victoria, Australia. Fine wine and food will be enjoyed by all in a local restaurant. (Location and price to be announced - details emailed soon.)