Wine Blog

First Big Crush: The Down and Dirty on Making Great Wine Down Under
The story behind the bottle, First Big Crush is Eric Arnold’s wild account of his year immersing himself in all things wine…and somehow not winding up in rehab.

Never having held a meaningful job for very long (and getting fired from most of them), Eric Arnold heads to New Zealand — to Allan Scott Wines — seeking adventure and hoping to learn a little bit about wine. What could be better than working outside in the fresh air and drinking wine all day? Before he knows it, he is dirty, wet, cold, and at the mercy of a tank of wine that just might explode and take him with it. So begin Eric’s adventures in the world of wine. He gets sunburned, sore, and drunk — and then does it all over again the next day.

First Big Crush is a story that is as outrageous as it is compelling. Here are tales of first pressings, pruning, and tasting competitions. There are also rowdy nights at the local pub, girls, meat pies, girls, rugby, and tales of hunting wild pig. Along the way, each step of the winemaking process is explained in a way that humans can actually understand. Almost against his will, Eric becomes an expert.

Customer Review: A fraternity boy’s drunken rant
Trash. I cannot believe how such a great topic was ruined by Eric Arnold’s immature writing and drinking. I was so looking forward to a wonderful informative book on NZ winemaking, but I couldn’t get past Eric’s being drunk all the time and talking like a freshman frat boy! Grow up.

Customer Review: Read the “dirty” in more than one sense
Eric Arnold spent a year in New Zealand’s Marlborough winemaking region. Years earlier he spent a day touring the area: “And from my very first sip of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc at ten-thirty or so on that morning, I knew it, too — I was tasting something special. My mouth zipped and zinged, and though I couldn’t describe the flavors I was tasting, I was sure of only one thing: I wanted more. I was hammered by noon, with five wineries still to go. At one point I stole the tour guide’s microphone in the van and started singing karaoke — “The Tracks of My Tears” by Smokey Robinson — even though I didn’t know the words. I might’ve taken off my shirt, too, but I don’t remember. From winery to winery and sip to sip, the wines just got better and better. From the time I got back home to Brooklyn, whenever I was in a wine shop I either bought wine from New Zealand or asked for something similar. Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc was my new Hogue.”

The memory of that firts Sauvignon Blanc sticks in Arnold’s memory:

“For a few years after that trip I was still guzzling whatever New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc I could find at night, and spending my daylight hours working the copy desk at a small business magazine. It was better than working for the Nazi devil woman at PBS, but the same could probably be said for cleaning up monkey shit at the zoo (which, I imagine, is very similar to working at PBS). So out of a desire to drink more, work less, and maybe satisfy a little curiosity, up sprang the idea of just throwing myself into the lifestyle: getting a job at a winery and writing a book about it.”

Arnold initially knows nothing about winery work, but you have to admire his cheerful attitude, no matter what reality throws at him. He learns about rugby, pig hunting, and hard working rural New Zealanders. He finds two particularly difficult areas: the finer points of pitchforking and pruning winter vines in the cold fields. He concludes:

“Vineyard work sucks…I have no idea why, but many people who drink wine think that making it is some sort of relaxed, cushy lifestyle. And I don’t understand it , because I’ve never eaten a juicy steak and imagined how romantic and luxurious a life I’d have if I started raising cattle in Wyoming. Similarly, I’ve never met anyone who got a massage and moved to Sweden or shot heroin and moved to Afghanistan.”

Arnold is excellent at describing the difficulties and joys of working in a vineyard and in a winery. His language may be a bit racy for some readers, his humor a little too broad. Overall, I found the substance worth a few “Oh, grow up” moments.

Hate earthy wines? Try one made from meteorites – io9

Hate earthy wines? Try one made from meteorites io9 After giving the wine some time to breathe, your friend pours a glass, swirls, sniffs, sips, and says, with a sigh, "My god, it's full of stars." And you point out that it's not stars they're tasting in that wine, but meteorite. … Meteorito — A Wine Aged With 4.5 Billion-Year-Old MeteoriteFOODBEAST all 2 news articles »

The Bistros, Brasseries, and Wine Bars of Paris: Everyday Recipes from the Real Paris

You can spend years in Paris and never hear the same answer twice to this cookbook’s underlying question: what is the difference between a bistro, a brasserie, and a wine bar? In his third cookbook, acclaimed author and expert on all things French Daniel Young explains the nuances between the three, as he takes home cooks on a vibrant, spirited tour of Paris’s best eateries.

Daniel explains that, as true Parisians know; a bistro is a small, informal restaurant serving a few simple, hearty dishes, while a brasserie is a larger, cafe–restaurant providing continuous service and rough–and–ready food. In a wine bar, expect to find a large selection of wines by the glass and light bites to go with them.

Daniel also introduces home cooks to many of his favorite spots (some are famous, others are his own best–keep secrets) and presents classic recipes from each, including Salmon Terrine with Leeks and Pesto, Cream of Carrot Soup with Cumin, Pan–Grilled Rib Steak with Béarnaise Sauce, and Warm Almond Cake with Caramel Cream. Bistros, brasseries, and wine bars, define what it means to be out and eat out in Paris, to dine simply and very well. Theirs is the food that nourishes and sustains the Paris of Parisians – the real and everyday Paris – with local flavor, style, sophistication, personality, and attitude.

This book surpassed my expectations. The recipes are simple, yet are not things I would have ever come up with on my own. The steps to create the dishes here are very simply laid out, and require everyday ingredients that I can get at my local supermarket, yet use combinations that are intriguing and fascinatingly foreign.

Each recipe has the French name written below the dish’s title, and then has a paragraph or more describing how the flavors mingle and work together, with tips for substitutions, and background information on how/ where/ by whom the dish is usually enjoyed.

I was thrilled by this book – I expected it to be a fun diversion with a few inspirations, but the simple appetizers and small meals in this book are just the kind of easy to make but quality fare I most like to cook. This has earned a permanent place on my shelf.

Ultimate Wine Tasting Kit

Customer Review: A Decent Gift
I purchased this as a gift and included some wine. It made a nice compliment to the wine, although I’m somewhat reluctant to say it would hold up on its own.

Customer Review: It’s very easy to keep your eye on the prize…
I found that with this kit I was able to stay focused on what to look for in each tasting. The tasting sheets helped me tremendously when there were characteristics present that I couldn’t identify. The book inside is quite easy-to-read and flip through. I loved everything about this kit and will continue to use it as a guideline in future tastings.