WTN: A. Brunel 1989 "Les Cailloux" CndP

Andre Brunel - Les Cailloux 1989 Chateauneuf de Pape

Complementing our take on Rachel Ray's 10 clove shallot pasta, this wine shows very nicely. Color is medium dark, both of garnet and cranberry juice combined with no cloudiness. Enormous burple sediment thrown on cork and neck. Nose is simple and alcoholic at first, opens slowly to leathery herbs and raspberry. A bit structured still at age nineteen, still it yields gradually over a couple hours with flavors typical of the best grenache wines I've had. Ulp, the remainders (1/2 btl) are going back on the shelf to be enjoyed again tomorrow night (if the fruit survives). This might get even better. Not a bad warm up towards the big stuff later this month.

Bottle number three of four purchased (Kacher bottling); price $18.99.

You know we are all going to ask, can we have the recipe for the pasta?!!

You know we are all going to ask, can we have the recipe for the pasta?!!

Not all of us. I watched her about twice and was so disgusted at her whiny manner and also at the recipes, half of which seemed like they could have been cribbed from the Best of Bridge I wrote her off as a waste of time, not to say space. You let me know if I was unduly harsh, OK.

The 89 Cailloux is fully mature (and may have been a little better a couple of years ago), so those that have it should be thinking about drinking it. Jeff, sounds like yours was in good shape.

You remind me to look through my 89s and weed out the ones that need a 'retaste'! Some of them are delightful.

I have a short follow-up WTN for the Les Cailloux, night #2, then a Rachel Ray story.

The '89 CndP showed some improved aromatics and flavors last night with dinner; it had been open for 24 hours or so, and had been stored recorked in the cold room. The wine is deliciously stronger in nearly every way, pretty much how I like my Southern Rhones: aged. However, that tannic spine is still there in abundant style, so I don't think this version will become a toothless sweet oldie or graceful in old age; that fruit probably can't keep up.

I absolutely hated Rachel Ray when I first saw her on TV. Her loud, husky and non-stop presentation style was too much to enjoy, but two things happened since to change my opinion somewhat.

First, my wife Dawn noticed how similar Rachel's on-screen persona was to that of her own sister, Laurie. RR and Laurie are somewhat the grating American loudmouth, yes, but now it was like we were watching my sister-in-law on TV. Very much more entertaining.

Second, at a local Toastmasters meeting, I viewed a snippet of the RR cooking show. It was used to demonstrate a speaker having an unusually strong ability to maintain clarity of thought. She showed a clear head on-camera when things didn't cook as planned or something broke, keeping air time filled with sensible natural banter, making sense without reading or reciting a written script, while also cooking. I had to admire her ability to do this so well.

I don't like the look of many of her recipes, however the one we've used for dinner is embarrassingly simple but good. I'll post it soon.

I don't have a sister that sounds like RR (thank God), and find clarity of thought (a quality I wouldn't have associated with her) sufficient recommendation to overcome my distaste for her whine and lack of content.

Today, my favourite female cooking show host would have to be Laura Calder who does French Food at Home, but you might not know that as I think it is a Food Network Canada creation.

For all time best food show hosts, it is still, for me, (giving away either my age or the fact that I became interested in cooking at a very young age) Graham Kerr, the Galloping Gourmet.

The best thing I saw Rachel Ray doing on screen had to be the Youtube clip of her shucking a cob of corn.....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRda_A4zXpI It obviously fascinates her enough to at least shut her up temporarily.

[Jenise]

It obviously fascinates her enough to at least shut her up temporarily.

Stu Yaniger claims to have a way of shutting her up. I don't believe he mentioned corn....

It obviously fascinates her enough to at least shut her up temporarily.

Stu Yaniger claims to have a way of shutting her up. I don't believe he mentioned corn....

But then isn't Stuart frequently 'cornfused'....

[Jenise]

It obviously fascinates her enough to at least shut her up temporarily.

Stu Yaniger claims to have a way of shutting her up. I don't believe he mentioned corn....

But then isn't Stuart frequently 'cornfused'....

Yes. Furthermore, at the moment he's 'stalking' Cynthia.

Yes. Furthermore, at the moment he's 'stalking' Cynthia.

Nothing for her to worry about. If he catches her I expect she'll find he is impudent.

(Apologies for the blatant highjacking of a serious wine thread, Jeff. She made me do it. But it's over now, as long as she stays silent.....)

[Jenise]

She made me do it.

There isn't a kernel of truth in that.

Oh, that's OK. I know the ebullient Stuart Y. I guess it's somewhat safe to say he's not changed entirely since he was out here.

She made me do it.

There isn't a kernel of truth in that.

Yeah, I'd have been amaized if you'd stopped there....

[Jenise]

Yeah, I'd have been amaized if you'd stopped there....

He said with relish.