wine – Open Diary

Still lurking about…

BedlamHillFarm

January 20, 2020

I have not dropped off the face of the Earth, just been busy enjoying life. LadyWife and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary in Venice, Italy in November. We spent some time looking at properties there, as it's looking to become our ultimate choice for permanent relocation. The pace suits...

50 Shades of Rosé…

BedlamHillFarm

June 24, 2018

Last night we drank a bottle of 2017 Bermejo Listán Negro Rosado from Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. I can only describe this as a Rosé that drinks like a Red. Such wonderful complexity, nuance and balance - with a unique minerality from the volcanic soil. The environment there means that di...

It’s like being kissed by a lusty mermaid…

BedlamHillFarm

May 31, 2018

You can keep the necessities; it's the luxuries I cannot live without! Planning for our August Champagne & Caviar event, I was on the phone yesterday with the producer of the Osetra caviar. They offered me a wholesale account, which I accepted immediately. 1,000 grams (about 34 oz.) of Cla...

An afternoon of Global Flavors…

BedlamHillFarm

May 30, 2018

We had a lovely event on Sunday, the theme being Global Flavors. The chef learned her craft by working in kitchens and reading cookbooks - no formal culinary training whatsoever. She supports my theory that apprenticeships hold much more value than "formal" education in many fields. Learning b...

Back to the old neighborhood…

BedlamHillFarm

April 6, 2018

For my birthday, I took a stroll past where almost 35 years of my life was spent. Some may recognize it, and more photos will come in the future, but the chandelier in the "family" dining room (there was a larger one for social occasions) was quite familiar to me. I'm not one to linger…

Springtime in NYC…

BedlamHillFarm

April 2, 2018

As I awoke to snow falling this morning at 6:00AM, it certainly doesn't feel like Spring. Or April, for that matter. Especially when it's a lovely 72°F in North Carolina. At least I am looking forward to a cassoulet on Wednesday at a little wine bar & bistro on 33rd Street. Yesterday's fli...

Velvet Elvis

gilraent

March 30, 2018

Kasey Musgraves 3:01 pm I shouldn’t have sat down. I know better. A body in motion stays in motion. I have a ton of straightening up to do in the kitchen area (and the bloody table that collects everything brought into the house), but I said “I need coffee” and here I am. I annoy myself. Alpenhor...

Busy, busy, busy…

BedlamHillFarm

March 12, 2018

Well, we survived a dinner party of 18 on Friday night, followed by a Valpolicella wine tasting Saturday afternoon. The weather has been chilly and damp, so I am looking forward to getting to Miami on Wednesday, as it is 30°F warmer there at the moment! That enjoyment will be short-lived, as ea...