Year: Wine: Producer: Country: Region: Variety(-ies): Size: Closure: Filling level: Alcohol: Taste: Colour: Group:
1955 Haut Médoc Château CoufranFrance Haut-Médoc (Bordeaux) Cabernet Sauvignon (15%), Merlot (95%) 0,750 l natural cork into neck 12.00 vol.% dry red V

1955 has been the last harvest because hard frosts destroyed 1956 the majority of vines in Bordeaux. Therefore it is for a lot of wine lovers a kind of breaking point and the beginning of a new area because with new, younger vines the .....

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Year: Wine: Producer: Country: Region: Variety(-ies): Size: Closure: Filling level: Alcohol: Taste: Colour: Group:
1999 “The Freedom” Shiraz Langmeil Australia Barossa Valley Shiraz 0,750 l natural cork high fill 14.00 vol.% dry red V

Fat, alcoholic and sweetish – those are often the attributes of common prejudices concerning Shiraz from Down Under and like all very general statements that’s pure nonsense. Of course there are also hefty, alcoholic, overripe and over concentrated wines there. But those you can find .....

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CellarTales International Wineroundtable Edition No.10

February 19, 2012

Our first meeting in 2012 took place in the beginning of february and this time we chose the Restaurant Rossetya in Bukarest. A very good choice and in everyone’s name I want to thank the entire staff for a perfect service and a successful evening. I would particular like to thank our sommelier, who prepared and served us all the wines in a very professional way. Also the outstanding glass supply has to be mentioned. Unfortunately in Romania that’s still no implicitness and therefore we are always very grateful for this kind of granted service. After dinner with some Romanian .....

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Pizza rolls with herbal creme

February 18, 2012

(sent by Bettina Dettling, DE, 18.02.2012)
Ingredients for the yeast dough:
500 g flour
10 g fresh yeast
3-4 tablespoons of olive oil extra vergine
300 ml slightly warmed water
15 g salt

Ingredients for the herbal creme:
200 g curd cheese with herbs
100 g feta cheese
3 tablespoons of chopped, fresh herbs
3 egg yolk
½ leek
½ onion (fine chopped and lightly braised)
150 g bacon bits (crispy fried)
if wanted 10 olives (minced)
some crumbled cheese for gratin topping

Preparation:
Put all the ingredients for the dough into a bowl and mix them to a homogeneous mass. After that let the dough rest for 15-20 minutes at a warm place. For this recipe .....

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2008 “Reserve du Couvent”, Chateau Ksara vs. 1999 Chateau Musar – Lebanese “Bordeaux”

February 16, 2012

Year: Wine: Producer: Country: Region: Variety(-ies):   Size: Closure: Alcohol: Taste: Colour: Group:
2008 Reserve du Couvent Chateau Ksara Lebanon Beeka ValleyCabernet Sauvignon (30%), Syrah(40%), Cabernet Franc(30%) 0,375 l twin-top cork 13.50 vol.% dry red III

This winery processes grapes from more than 300 hectares and is therefore one of the bigger players in the Lebanon. Red wine (mainly blends) represent over 60 % of the production but their portfolio contains also white wines (dry,sweet) and Rose. The vinification and the .....

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“Liquefaction” factors of the New Years Eve 2011/2012

February 16, 2012

A good bottle of wine is always better when it’s shared with good friends. So we gathered together to celebrate the new years eve, to enjoy a “black & white”dinner and to kill a few bottles of interesting wines. Here now an extract with what we shortened the time to the turn of the year :
Year: Wine: Producer: Country: Region: Variety(-ies): Size: Closure: Alcohol: Taste: Colour: Group:
2006 Meursault “Le Limozin” Michel Bouzereau & FilsFranceBurgundyChardonnay 0,75 l natural cork 13.00 vol.% dry white III .....

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CellarTales International Wineroundtable Edition No.9

February 8, 2012

At the 10th December the 9th and last edition for 2011 of Cellartales International WineRoundTable took place at the Lebanese Restaurant “Hanul lui Manuc” in the old center of Bukarest. A splendid place with warm and welcoming people. Chef Mohammed and the crew spoiled us once more with excellent, indigenous food, perfect service and also a closer look into the kitchen. Thanks a lot for that folks ! Who thought that spicy, oriental food is a difficult counterpart for wine was disabused today. First we intended to have a special dish for every wine but the Chef told .....

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CellarTales International Wineroundtable Edition No.8

December 12, 2011

At the 1th of November we met at the well-known Restaurant Mandragora in Bucharest, to enjoy some older BDX’s together with some other wines. But the special thing concerning this evening hasn’t been just the wine, because finally we found inPaul Peter Kopij a Chef who showed himself ready to prepare us also a special dinner which accompanied and complemented this tasting in a perfect way. So I sent Paul a couple of days in front of the tasting the wine list for him to think about a matching food part. And this “crazy guy” did think and what came .....

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Rheingau Riesling of the 80’s

December 9, 2011

Year: Wine:   Producer: Country: Region: Variety(-ies): Size: Closure: Alcohol: Taste: Colour: Group:
1988 Steinberger Riesling Spätlese “Steigwein” Staatsweingüter EltvilleGermanyRheingau Riesling 0,75 l cork 9.00 vol.% sweet white III

During the last years we tried a lot of wines from this well known producer because they are very reliable especially concerning older vintages. “Steigwein” means “auction wine”. Every year Kloster Eberbach auctions smaller lots of wines, which the producers consider to be special or at least very good. And as a proof this one .....

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CellarTales International Wineroundtable Edition No.7 Part III

November 30, 2011

… and ended with a small world tour of Pinot Noir :
Year: Wine: Producer: Country: Region: Variety(-ies): Size: Closure: Alcohol: Taste: Colour: Group:
2008Swan Bay Pinot NoirScotchmans HillAustraliaVictoriaPinot Noir 0,75 l screw cap 14.00 vol.% dryred III

Officially Australia has the reputation of producing mainly heavy, very concentrated red wines. Shiraz first of all. Detractors may even talk about the famous “marmalade wines”. Beside the fact that I don’t appreciate such general prejudices it’s more than clear that the range of Australian wines is much wider. Ever tried .....

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