Chinese Broccoli

When I was young, my mom repeatedly told us (there were three of us for a long time; then two more later) to eat our greens. She made mostly mustard greens and cooked them to death. So while I always went to the protein and carbs, I reluctantly chewed my way through the dreaded greens.

Now than I am way old, I have come to enjoy the fibrous veggies and in particular, my favorite is Chinese Broccoli with oyster sauce, a real staple in Cantonese cooking. While it took me nearly five decades to learn, I am feeling that I am finally following my mom's wishes and eating healthier.

I really enjoy my Chinese Broccoli (gai lon) as often as possible and recommend that those of you who dine in Chinese restaurants order this. You may want to scrape some of the oyster sauce to the side; it is very salty and not all that great for you. If you really want be in vogue, you may drink a few ounces of Argentine Torrontes with this as well as with the rest of your meal.

A window

We often peer into windows, wondering what what is going on inside. Mysterious, inviting, and foreboding at the same time, should we go further or retract? It all depends, where we are in our lives, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. This window in the Napa Valley let to the wonderful and fine Hall Wines tasting room in St. Helena, off of highway 29. I went in and found myself the way into one of the events of the 2011 Napa Valley Premiere. There, I saw "my people and enjoyed an incredible time.

The message here is don't be afraid of windows, just be aware of where you are, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.


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The first time I ever tasted the Heitz Cellar Martha's Vineyard was in the early 1970's when I served a bottled of the 1967 to my folks at Thanksgiving dinner (so long ago). I had ventured up to the Napa Valley and bought this bottle for a white-haired gentleman at the tasting room on highway 29 in St. Helena. Young and learning, I took his word to heart, when he told me, "Young man, if you want a treat, then buy the 1967 and serve it a few years from now with roast turkey on Thanksgiving.

When I uncorked the wine, I was so very excited and got everyone in my family ready to enjoy. We enjoyed a great family meal, ate the turkey and drank the wine. Funny, I don't remember much about the wine, but I saw the wine disappear as the night progressed. Funny how great times with family go well with fine food and special wines.

Today, I tasted the newly released 2006 Heitz Cellar Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. Wow, what a wonderful, young wine. Shows precision flavors of black currants with an accent of mint. Long and rewarding on the palate with much of the same and perhaps a hint of leather. Way young now, but already showing its seductive qualities. Hmm, now I sound like a "geek." Perhaps I should return a few decades and just remember how much I enjoyed drinking the 1967 Martha's with my family. Sigh, that was such a long time ago...but the memory (no matter how blurry) still remains with me today. The 2006 is quite a special wine and perfect for building memories still to be written.

A different red wine blend!

Who would hve thought? Tannat, a much maligned red varietal with roots in France, has come to life in all places-Argentina! In a recent vintage to Cafayate (in the province of Salta), we discovered that the varietal has much to offer. In a blend that my colleagues from BevMo! (109 stores in California and Arizona) were looking to put together, we tasted a possible candidate of 70% Syrah, 20% Tannat and 20% Malbec and guess what? The wine tasted great! Rich and ripe with a load of delicious berry-like flavors, this tasty delight looks to be the real thing. So while Tannat has seldom distinguished itself as a stand alone varietal, its value may rest in its ability to contribute as a componet in a mixed varietal red.

Well, we have returned to the states and are anxiously awaiting our next tasting trial of this delicious red wine blend. From past experiences in Argentina, I fully expect this wine to become a hit with our customers. Stay tuned as I tell you more at a later date.