Kono Winery's 2011 Sauvignon Blanc is a clean, bright wine that works well with springtime pairings. It doesn't have the overpowering grapefruit notes that define so many New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs today; rather, it features gentle notes of citrus and enough acidity to stand up to a range of dishes from grilled seafood to a cheese plate. Get some tips on what types of cheese pair well with this white here.
Dry rosés are incredibly versatile wines that complement a wide range of foods, including many of the signature dishes on a Louisiana spring menu. Largely from France—although there are exceptions—these wines are not sweet, but similar to a good dry white wine.
Community Coffee has spun off its coffee house division into a separate company—CC's Coffee House—that will focus on expanding the number of licensed, or franchise-owned, coffee houses around the country. The new company, created earlier this year, will concentrate initially on expanding CC's Coffee House stores into institutions and businesses, such as universities, hotels and hospitals, as opposed to freestanding outlets. "We just feel for us that is a good place to start as we look at expanding our licensed operations," says Mark Verges, business development manager for CC's Coffee House, adding the company will be creating a more formal licensing program intended to help grow the CC's brand out of state. Community Coffee opened its first CC's Coffee House in 1995 in New Orleans, and for years, as the number of company-owned and franchise stores grew, it operated CC's as a division under the Community umbrella. Verges says the new company will be better able to focus...
No regular beer will help you beat the summer heat. At least, that's what Abita is hoping you'll think in the coming months. The brewery recently announced the release of its new Lemon Wheat beer—a cool, citrus brew made with real lemon peel. Lemon Wheat will be on shelves during late spring, available for a limited time only. For more information, click here.
In a little less than a decade, the Zapp's Beer Fest has become a big deal. The event started in 2004 as a small fundraising event for the LSU Rural Life Museum, and it drew around 500 people. The following year, the crowd was almost too much to handle.
Garnacha, or Grenache, is a varietal that needs to be on your spring tasting list. It’s a medium bodied red with great fruit and soft tannins whose greatest strength is its ability to pair with a wide range of foods.
Is there anything better than a good beer and a bag of Zapp's? Maybe, but if this sounds like heaven, you'll want to check out the Zapp's Beer Fest Saturday at the Rural Life Museum. The festival will feature more than 200 foreign and domestic beers as well as music from the CJ Solar Band. Tickets are $30 per person and only 2,000 tickets will be sold. You must be 21 or older to attend. All proceeds benefit the Rural Life Museum. To purchase advance tickets or get more information, call 765-2437.
Three is a magical number in all realms, which leads me to this month's pick. It's the 2007 Trios—a new age red wine that offers the classic Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petite Verdot.
Mud and Water's owners have made it a point to feature local beers on tap. And since the downtown bar opened last fall, the Canebrake from the Parish Brewing Company in Broussard has emerged as their No. 1 seller.
Dry rosés are incredibly versatile wines that complement a wide range of foods, including many of the signature dishes on a Louisiana spring menu. Wine sellers still battle the public's assumption that these pink-hued wines are related to the white Zinfandels of California that were popular in the '80s. Those sweeter, mass-produced wines were the result of major grape glut, and unfortunately still drive away potential rosé lovers. Dry rosés are largely from France—although there are exceptions— and they are indeed, dry, not sweet. They're akin to good dry white wines, but they include notes of berry and spice. Some are complex enough to read more like red wines and can be served with many dishes you'd pair with lighter reds like Cotes du Rhone and certain Pinot Noirs.
Having just opened a few months ago, Olive or Twist is turning heads with its long list of complex and inventive cocktails. And we're not exaggerating when we say long. Divided into sections like Specialty Cocktails, New Orleans Cocktails, Drop Martinis, Dessert Martinis and more, it's easy to get lost in the menu's maze of concoctions. But when the bartenders take the time to smack basil leaves between their palms a few times before adding the garnish to a drink (it releases the oils), you know you're in good hands. For more on Olive or Twist, read Benjamin Leger's review from March's 225here.
It’s a well-known fact that I enjoy whiskey. Or bourbon. Or scotch. Whatever you call it, it’s all delicious to me. And while I’m partial to a whiskey neat, as a Southern woman raised right, I appreciate a handsome whiskey cocktail. It’s always nice to find an artfully made Old Fashioned, but when I discovered The Cove had no fewer than five on their cocktail menu, I had to do some in-depth whiskey whistle wetting.
The Pelican House Tap Room and Whisky Bar has received approval from the city-parish Planning Commission to build a walled-in outdoor patio area measuring 2,800 square feet on the east side of the CitiPlace building that formerly housed Macaroni Grill. The patio area will cover 10 existing parking spaces. In July, the board denied The Pelican House enough votes—five—to rezone the property from a Planned Unit Development to a Commercial Alcoholic Beverage Two, for a lounge. A month later, however, the Metro Council zoning committee approved the change. The patio approval came Monday. The Pelican House owners Garrett Morgan and Chris Juge have said they’re unsure how much seating the patio will provide because it will feature a fountain. —Adam Pearson
Olive or Twist, an upscale cocktail bar, has just begun renovations on a site inside the Perkins Palms mixed-use development on Perkins Road, between Essen Lane and Kenilworth Parkway, and is aiming to be open by mid- to late-September. The bar, which will seat about 85, will serve beer, wine and an expansive variety of cocktails, including dessert martinis. "Olive or Twist is the place for a person who appreciates a good drink that's had a lot of time put into it," says co-owner Joshua Duke, who is opening the bar with business partner Scott Gremillion. "We feature a lot of obscure ingredients you can't find anywhere in town." The menu will also feature "classic cocktails," drinks that were popular as far back as the 19th century. "Right now, [classic cocktails] are coming back into popularity at big cocktail bars across the country," Duke says. The bar will also have a limited food menu, featuring Louisiana-inspired dishes such as boudin egg rolls and muffuletta sliders, as well as...
The very best rosé wines in the world are produced in the Provence region of France, and the epitome of rosé class, style and tradition is Commanderie de la Bargemone. The winery is an 800-year-old domaine on the Mediterranean in the southeast corner of France, where the vines grow in stony soil yielding limited-quantity, quality wine. Although Bargemone makes serious rosé, selecting it is an effortless affair requiring no study of terroir, vintage and such. This “summer in a bottle” provides a sophisticated surprise displaying up-front flavors of rich red berry fruit, a mid-palette of wild flowers, and a finish of herbs de Provence. Not just for the French Riviera jet set, rosé is making a splash at fine restaurants everywhere. You can find Commanderie de la Bargemone Rosé for $19 at Roux Wine & Spirits on Airline Highway in Prairieville. Or go north to the Little Village Restaurant, where this Grenache blend pairs perfectly with the fresh Gulf fish.
lauded wine expert and recipient of the 2012 Grace “Mama” Marino Lifetime Achievement Award, to be bestowed at this month's Fête Rouge celebration. Saffiotti contributed significantly to the advancement of the local wholesale, beverage and retail business. Which bottle would this Sicilian-born oenophile select for such a celebration?
When summer sizzles, simply select an Austrian white and seek expert advice from European wine aficionados who can gently guide you through an Alice in Wunderland maze of fabulous food-friendly wines.
First true exposure to good wine A bottle of Chianti with my parents when I was in high school Year I started collecting 1981 First bottle in my collection Ruffino Chianti 1964
First true exposure to good wine On a trip to Napa, tasting a winery’s reserve cabernet side by side with the regular cabernet of the same year Year I started collecting 1986 First bottle in my collection Beaulieu Vineyard Georges de Latour 1983
Cindy has great memories of her Hungarian grandfather’s grapes and his homemade wines. After their wedding in 1991, Edward fell in love with the Hungarian wine culture as well.
“As with antiques, art and vintage cars, building a good wine collection requires study, patience and effort,” says collector and inRegister sommelier Scott Reis. It's not all work and no play, of course; along the way, a budding wine collector is bound to have fun meeting fellow fans and sampling great bottles.
If the apex of Sauvignon Blanc production in France is the Loire Valley, then the benchmark in California is Chalk Hill—that northeast corner of the Russian River Valley where a thermal belt runs through its chalky white volcanic ash. And my summer “time to entertain” pick is the Chalk Hill Estate Sauvignon Blanc.
Amelia Chardonnay
Uno, dos, tres, cuatro—Cinco de Mayo! Count the days until this wildly popular celebration, where we drink margaritas and remember the Alamo.
Exotic twist on the margarita
You're going to take one look at this cocktail and think it's too much.
Spatula Diaries: Perfect for cheese pairings
Kono Winery's 2011 Sauvignon Blanc is a clean, bright wine that works well with springtime pairings. It doesn't have the overpowering grapefruit notes that define so many New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs today; rather, it features gentle notes of citrus and enough acidity to stand up to a range of dishes from grilled seafood to a cheese plate. Get some tips on what types of cheese pair well with this white here.
From 225: In the Pink
Dry rosés are incredibly versatile wines that complement a wide range of foods, including many of the signature dishes on a Louisiana spring menu. Largely from France—although there are exceptions—these wines are not sweet, but similar to a good dry white wine.
Perfect for cheese pairings
Kono Winery's 2011 Sauvignon Blanc is a clean, bright wine that works well with springtime pairings.
Community spins off CC's to facilitate out-of-state expansion
Community Coffee has spun off its coffee house division into a separate company—CC's Coffee House—that will focus on expanding the number of licensed, or franchise-owned, coffee houses around the country. The new company, created earlier this year, will concentrate initially on expanding CC's Coffee House stores into institutions and businesses, such as universities, hotels and hospitals, as opposed to freestanding outlets. "We just feel for us that is a good place to start as we look at expanding our licensed operations," says Mark Verges, business development manager for CC's Coffee House, adding the company will be creating a more formal licensing program intended to help grow the CC's brand out of state. Community Coffee opened its first CC's Coffee House in 1995 in New Orleans, and for years, as the number of company-owned and franchise stores grew, it operated CC's as a division under the Community umbrella. Verges says the new company will be better able to focus...
Abita introduces Lemon Wheat
No regular beer will help you beat the summer heat. At least, that's what Abita is hoping you'll think in the coming months. The brewery recently announced the release of its new Lemon Wheat beer—a cool, citrus brew made with real lemon peel. Lemon Wheat will be on shelves during late spring, available for a limited time only. For more information, click here.
Zapp's Beer Fest at the Rural Life Museum Saturday
In a little less than a decade, the Zapp's Beer Fest has become a big deal. The event started in 2004 as a small fundraising event for the LSU Rural Life Museum, and it drew around 500 people. The following year, the crowd was almost too much to handle.
The perfect summer red
Garnacha, or Grenache, is a varietal that needs to be on your spring tasting list. It’s a medium bodied red with great fruit and soft tannins whose greatest strength is its ability to pair with a wide range of foods.
Zapp's Beer Fest at the Rural Life Museum Saturday
Is there anything better than a good beer and a bag of Zapp's? Maybe, but if this sounds like heaven, you'll want to check out the Zapp's Beer Fest Saturday at the Rural Life Museum. The festival will feature more than 200 foreign and domestic beers as well as music from the CJ Solar Band. Tickets are $30 per person and only 2,000 tickets will be sold. You must be 21 or older to attend. All proceeds benefit the Rural Life Museum. To purchase advance tickets or get more information, call 765-2437.
Trios Proprietary Red
Three is a magical number in all realms, which leads me to this month's pick. It's the 2007 Trios—a new age red wine that offers the classic Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petite Verdot.
Take a 'Brake'
Mud and Water's owners have made it a point to feature local beers on tap. And since the downtown bar opened last fall, the Canebrake from the Parish Brewing Company in Broussard has emerged as their No. 1 seller.
In the Pink
Dry rosés are incredibly versatile wines that complement a wide range of foods, including many of the signature dishes on a Louisiana spring menu. Wine sellers still battle the public's assumption that these pink-hued wines are related to the white Zinfandels of California that were popular in the '80s. Those sweeter, mass-produced wines were the result of major grape glut, and unfortunately still drive away potential rosé lovers. Dry rosés are largely from France—although there are exceptions— and they are indeed, dry, not sweet. They're akin to good dry white wines, but they include notes of berry and spice. Some are complex enough to read more like red wines and can be served with many dishes you'd pair with lighter reds like Cotes du Rhone and certain Pinot Noirs.
SIPS: In the mix at Olive or Twist
Having just opened a few months ago, Olive or Twist is turning heads with its long list of complex and inventive cocktails. And we're not exaggerating when we say long. Divided into sections like Specialty Cocktails, New Orleans Cocktails, Drop Martinis, Dessert Martinis and more, it's easy to get lost in the menu's maze of concoctions. But when the bartenders take the time to smack basil leaves between their palms a few times before adding the garnish to a drink (it releases the oils), you know you're in good hands.
For more on Olive or Twist, read Benjamin Leger's review from March's 225 here.
Not so old-fashioned
It’s a well-known fact that I enjoy whiskey. Or bourbon. Or scotch. Whatever you call it, it’s all delicious to me. And while I’m partial to a whiskey neat, as a Southern woman raised right, I appreciate a handsome whiskey cocktail. It’s always nice to find an artfully made Old Fashioned, but when I discovered The Cove had no fewer than five on their cocktail menu, I had to do some in-depth whiskey whistle wetting.
McPrice Myers Les Galets Syrah
Midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles in the Central Coast wine appellation is Paso Robles, the new benchmark region for California Syrah.
Outdoor patio approved for The Pelican House
The Pelican House Tap Room and Whisky Bar has received approval from the city-parish Planning Commission to build a walled-in outdoor patio area measuring 2,800 square feet on the east side of the CitiPlace building that formerly housed Macaroni Grill. The patio area will cover 10 existing parking spaces. In July, the board denied The Pelican House enough votes—five—to rezone the property from a Planned Unit Development to a Commercial Alcoholic Beverage Two, for a lounge. A month later, however, the Metro Council zoning committee approved the change. The patio approval came Monday. The Pelican House owners Garrett Morgan and Chris Juge have said they’re unsure how much seating the patio will provide because it will feature a fountain. —Adam Pearson
Olive or Twist cocktail bar to open at Perkins Palms
Olive or Twist, an upscale cocktail bar, has just begun renovations on a site inside the Perkins Palms mixed-use development on Perkins Road, between Essen Lane and Kenilworth Parkway, and is aiming to be open by mid- to late-September. The bar, which will seat about 85, will serve beer, wine and an expansive variety of cocktails, including dessert martinis. "Olive or Twist is the place for a person who appreciates a good drink that's had a lot of time put into it," says co-owner Joshua Duke, who is opening the bar with business partner Scott Gremillion. "We feature a lot of obscure ingredients you can't find anywhere in town." The menu will also feature "classic cocktails," drinks that were popular as far back as the 19th century. "Right now, [classic cocktails] are coming back into popularity at big cocktail bars across the country," Duke says. The bar will also have a limited food menu, featuring Louisiana-inspired dishes such as boudin egg rolls and muffuletta sliders, as well as...
Charles Caldwell and William McGehee
“Baton Rouge has 750,000 people and a massive SEC culture but it didn't have its own beer,” Caldwell says. “It just seemed like the perfect place.”
Commanderie de la Bargemone Rosé
The very best rosé wines in the world are produced in the Provence region of France, and the epitome of rosé class, style and tradition is Commanderie de la Bargemone. The winery is an 800-year-old domaine on the Mediterranean in the southeast corner of France, where the vines grow in stony soil yielding limited-quantity, quality wine. Although Bargemone makes serious rosé, selecting it is an effortless affair requiring no study of terroir, vintage and such. This “summer in a bottle” provides a sophisticated surprise displaying up-front flavors of rich red berry fruit, a mid-palette of wild flowers, and a finish of herbs de Provence. Not just for the French Riviera jet set, rosé is making a splash at fine restaurants everywhere. You can find Commanderie de la Bargemone Rosé for $19 at Roux Wine & Spirits on Airline Highway in Prairieville. Or go north to the Little Village Restaurant, where this Grenache blend pairs perfectly with the fresh Gulf fish.
Invitation Only
lauded wine expert and recipient of the 2012 Grace “Mama” Marino Lifetime Achievement Award, to be bestowed at this month's Fête Rouge celebration. Saffiotti contributed significantly to the advancement of the local wholesale, beverage and retail business. Which bottle would this Sicilian-born oenophile select for such a celebration?
Höpler Pinot Blanc
When summer sizzles, simply select an Austrian white and seek expert advice from European wine aficionados who can gently guide you through an Alice in Wunderland maze of fabulous food-friendly wines.
Drew Blanchfield
First true exposure to good wine
A bottle of Chianti with my parents when I was in high school
Year I started collecting
1981
First bottle in my collection
Ruffino Chianti 1964
Tom Wills
First true exposure to good wine
On a trip to Napa, tasting a winery’s reserve cabernet side by side with the regular cabernet of the same year
Year I started collecting
1986
First bottle in my collection
Beaulieu Vineyard Georges de Latour 1983
Cindy and Edward Schwartzenburg
Cindy has great memories of her Hungarian grandfather’s grapes and his homemade wines. After their wedding in 1991, Edward fell in love with the Hungarian wine culture as well.
Vino from Vacherie
South Louisiana is known for many things. Fine winemaking is not among them.
Wine collecting 101
“As with antiques, art and vintage cars, building a good wine collection requires study, patience and effort,” says collector and inRegister sommelier Scott Reis. It's not all work and no play, of course; along the way, a budding wine collector is bound to have fun meeting fellow fans and sampling great bottles.
Chalk Hill Estate Sauvignon Blanc
If the apex of Sauvignon Blanc production in France is the Loire Valley, then the benchmark in California is Chalk Hill—that northeast corner of the Russian River Valley where a thermal belt runs through its chalky white volcanic ash. And my summer “time to entertain” pick is the Chalk Hill Estate Sauvignon Blanc.
Vintage pursuits
“Grapes are smart,” says Edward Schwartzenburg with a wink. “They love to live in the most beautiful places in the world.”