The Iron Chevsky Wine Blog

Last Sunday, Domaine du Chevsky went on the road. For once, our regular gathering moved out of my place and across the Bay to Rob’s in San Francisco. Different kitchen, same basic idea: a table full of friends, everyone contributing something, a progression of food that gets increasingly ambitious, and enough interesting bottles to make the afternoon stretch very happily into the evening. This one was particularly good. We started extravagantly: four dozen oysters, four different kinds , tasted side by side in a deliberate progression. First were Earthquakes from Tomales Bay , plump and meaty, slightly sweet with a mild briny finish. Then Dukes from the Atlantic Coast , much more saline, with a buttery, briny opening and an almost scallop-like sweetness on the finish. Back to Tomales Bay for the Sweetwaters , distinctly marine and salty up front, followed by clean sweetness and a subtly smoky, mineral finish. Finally, Highwaters from Humboldt Bay , lighter in brine, with seaweed-l...

An influential wine critic dies. The funeral organizer comes to a big-time wine producer asking: -- Would you like to make a contribution for the funeral? -- How much? -- $50K – says the funeral guy. -- Here is $100K. Bury two! If you got the joke and are smiling even a little bit, then you must be on your way toward wine geekdom, and perhaps even becoming a "member of the trade", thus qualified to attend “members-only” events, to sample expensive wines and to nibble on gourmet food designed to accentuate the voluptuous drink, all free of charge, in hopes by the wine producers that you will promote their wines. I knew all this blog babbling was going to lead to something! Such was the case on Thursday, Jan 22, when my friend and fellow blogger Enoch and I had the pleasure of being invited t0 the " Benvenuto Brunello SAN FRANCISCO " trade event - a Brunello tasting in the upscale Terra Gallery in the SOMA district of San Francisco. It was there in the midst of asse...

When our friends Junaid and Asma invited us to a neighborhood barbecue party, we knew we couldn't miss it because they make the world best grilled lamb-chops (as well as amazing grilled chicken), the Pakistani style. The challenge Junaid gave me was to come up with a wine match. I had just the answer! I stopped drinking Zins several years back, and only occasionally would pop one open for my friends who enjoy jammy California wines. That's why when I saw Gary Vaynerchuk rave about the 2005 Shifrin Howell Mountain Zinfandel  on his show, I was intrigued, because I generally tend to agree with his "old world" palate. And given that he was running a "free shipping" promotion, I took a chance and ordered a bottle. Gary Vaynerchuk on Wine Library TV - Episode 586 The grilled lamb chops marinated in a variety of Pakistani spices finally gave me the excuse to try it. Right from the first sniff, this Zinfandel was different. The nose was almost Bordeaux-like - dr...