VinoBurger is more than a cookbook. It is a vinous and culinary travelogue intended to provide the home chef and wine enthusiast with a fun and unique approach to learning about the world’s greatest wine regions. Recipes feature ingredients authentic to each wine region, presented in the familiar, unpretentious form of America’s favorite food: the hamburger. Wine education is served up in easy-to-grasp portions, providing the reader with a snapshot of what each region does best. VinoBurger takes a global approach to exciting, new wine and food pairings, best enjoyed over the course of a leisurely evening, shared with friends and family.

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week, as seen in VinoBurger:
2007 Montepeloso Eneo
The 2007 Eneo shows remarkable detail, clarity and freshness in its red cherries, flowers, sweet tobacco and licorice. In 2007 Eneo is surprisingly open, perfumed and accessible, with a seamless quality that softens some of the linearity that the wine typically shows at this stage. The finish is best described as long, pure and exceptionally silky, with subtle nuances of sweet tobacco, earthiness and crushed flowers that linger on the palate. Eneo is 40% Montepulciano, 25% Sangiovese, 25% Marselan and 10% Alicante Bouschet that was aged in used French oak barrels.

Robert Parker WA91-93

Georg & Good Life Guy

I had the pleasure of speaking to Mr. Georg Riedel, 10th generation head of the Austrian glassware giant that has essentially revolutionized how we enjoy all beverages, especially wine.  Mr. Riedel was in Wichita to conduct both a trade tasting and a very special Sommelier series wine tasting at the Hereford House.

Georg Josef Riedel born 1949 joined the family business in 1973. Under his direction, the Riedel firm evolved into a world wide operating company. Georg founded a network of Riedel-owned subsidiaries, starting in 1979 by opening Riedel USA and continuing the expansions to Canada in 1992, Germany 1996, Japan 2000, UK 2001, and in 2006 he founded Riedel Development, specializing on private label offers.  In 2004, Georg bought the German-based companies Nachtmann and Spiegelau, operating the three brands (Riedel, Nachtmann, Spiegelau) under “Riedel Glass Works” one of the largest producers of quality glass in Europe.   

Starting in 1987 with the support of winemaker friends like Angelo Gaja, Christian Moueix, Robert Mondavi and the endorsment of wine publications such as Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, the Wine Spectator, Decanter Magazine and many others Georg was fortunate to lift “his Riedel glasses” onto the tables of the wine world. Under his leadership, Riedel became the world’s leading wine glass company.  Learn more at www.riedel.com

The Good Life Guy Wine of the Week:
2007 Open Range Proprietory Red Blend
From Casey Flat Ranch and the Capay Valley nestled deep within the rugged coastal mountains of Northern California comes this adventurous blend of 50% syrah, 40% cabernet sauvignon and 10% mouvedre.  Deep purple color with dark fruit aromas. Plum, black currant and fresh earth with a hint of cedar. Big entry, with a broad palate and silky core.  This is a rich red with lots of bells and whistles…now figure out which Riedel glass you will put it in? 

It’s on sale at Jacob Liquor Exchange on North Rock Road
Get some and join me this week!

My first guest, the man the put the famous tasting together; Mr. Steven Spurrier. 
In the early 70′s, hooked on fine wine after a grand tour of Frances most important cellars, he moved to Paris and purchased a tiny wine shop off the Rue Royale.  Being run by an Englishman, Caves de la Madeleine became increasingly famous and specialised in hand-picked bottles from only the finest growers.  Spurrier soon took over the premises next door to give wine classes in English at L’Académie du Vin.  To promote his wine shoppe he set up a comparative tasting of France’s greatest wines with some new unheard of Napa wines, inviting some of France’s most celebrated palates to judge them blind.  They promptly, much to everyone’s surprise, preferred California to France.  While not the intended outcome, these unknown Napa wines astounded the judges.  George Taber, Time magazine reporter and the only journalist who attended the tasting, spread the word with his article ”The Judgement of Paris.”  The Global wine market would never be the same.

Then I’ll be talking to the Producer/Director/Writer husband & wife team, Randy Miller and Jody Savin.  This is the couple who made the move “Bottle Shock.”   Not intended to be a documentary of the famous Paris tasting, but a slice of the fledgling Napa wine busines as seen through the  eyes of a few of the key players from Chateau Montelena.  Randy and Jody will be in Wichita for the May 28 “Bottle Shock – Judgment of Wichita” AIWF event at the historic Orpheum theatre. 

 Learn more about this event and make reservations.

We finish the program with the winemaker who made the 1974 Chateau Montelina Chardonnay that was the hit of the Paris Tasting; Miljenko “Mike” Grgich.  A legend in the Napa Valley, over the past 50 years, Mike’s wines, crafted in the classic Old World tradition, have won a stream of California and international prizes, establishing Grgich Hills Estate as one of the premier wineries in the U.S. and the world.

Check out this great video about Mike and his journey in wine!

Good Life Guy’s wine of the Week:
2008 Grgich Hills Napa Chardonnay
Crafted from grapes that were certified organic and Biodynamic, our Chardonnay did not undergo malolactic fermentation, preserving its wonderful acidity.  This wine displays aromas of orange blossom honey and toasted almonds with a hint of tropical fruit and crushed stone on the finish. Match this Chardonnay’s elegant style with poached salmon, roasted chicken, grilled pork, or creamy cheeses.

Pick up a bottle at Jacob Liquor Exchange…
…taste one of the finest chardonnays from Napa.

Then it’s all about “Taste of Beirut” with Chef Joumana Accad.  You can visit www.tasteofbeirut.com to learn more about chef Joumana’s passion for Lebanese food and learn how to add new tastes from the Middle East for a fragrant Easter Meal.  All the recipes and cooking ideas are available on her web site.

In the second half I’ll be chatting with “The Cheese Impresario” Barrie Lynn

Cultivating cheese enthusiasts with a passionate hand-to-mouth approach, Barrie Lynn, The Cheese Impresario is a leading educator on all things cheese. Her uninhibited style and engaging personality afford fun and innovative ways to discover and enjoy the complexities of artisanal cheese. A former advertising executive with a love of food and wine, she took a client to a Slow Food fundraiser. It was there her passion for artisanal cheese was born. Meeting these cheesemakers, and tasting the diversity and nuance of their cheeses, Barrie Lynn decided her mission is to educate others about the pleasures of cheese. 

Barrie Lynn has produced and taught cheese tasting events around the country, including Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival, Wine Spectator’s New York Wine Experience, the Ministry of Rum San Francisco Rum Festival, the Los Angeles Times Celebration of Food & Wine, Denver International Wine Festival, and Great Tastes Culinary Festival in Baltimore.

Her passion for cheese was brought to the stars of Hollywood via her personally hosted Cheese Tasting Adventure Parties for the Oscars, Emmys and the Golden Globe Awards. She has led cheese tastings for celebrities like Oscar winners Three 6 Mafia, Curb Your Enthusiasm’s Jeff Garlin, Actor/Musician Terrence Howard, NFL star Shaun Phillips, musicians Slash, Dee Snyder, and Jason Bonham, as well as the cast & crew of Showtime’s hit TV show WEEDS.

Barrie Lynn is also the cheese editor for The Beverly Hills Times and the “Cheese + Drink” editor of Mutineer Magazine. Barrie Lynn has been featured in ELLE Magazine, USA Today, Variety, and others. She can be found online at www.thecheeseimpresario.com as well as her new web video series “Cheese Rules” appearing on Small Screen Network at www.smallscreennetwork.com/cheeserules

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
Carlo Rossi Founders Oak Chardonnay 5 Liter Box
A light fruity chard with a touch of oak that is easy to drink and a great  value.  For parties, picnics, tailgating, or most any time…there is no better way to buy, store and enjoy wine than in a box.  This wine taste good, and offers value in excess.  A box in every fridge

The Merlot and Cabernet are also great value, soft, fruit forward and bright

The Man, the Myth, the Legend! If it is true that the road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom, Terry Theise has been there and back. A brief perusal of his writing makes it quickly apparent that the man has no reservations about conveying his thoughts and feelings on wine, life, sex, philosophy and general cosmology. In Terry’s world, it’s all inter-related.

Terry is responsible for bringing some of the finest wines available from; Germany, Austria and the Champage region of France – to wine drinkers in America.  And now with his new book “Reading Between the Wines” he is bringing his wit and wine views to wine consumers everywhere.  Long known for his top-notch portfolio and his illustrious writing, Terry now offers this opinionated, idiosyncratic, and beautifully written testament to wine. What constitutes beauty in wine, and how do we appreciate it? What role does wine play in a soulful, sensual life? Can wines of place survive in a world of globalized styles and 100-point scoring systems? In his highly approachable style, Theise describes how wine can be a portal to aesthetic, emotional, even mystical experience–and he frankly asserts that these experiences are most likely to be inspired by wines from artisan producers. Along the way, Theise tells us a little about how he got where he is today, explores the meaning of wine in the lives of vintners he has known, and praises particular grape varieties. Reading between the Wines is a passionate tribute to wine–and to what it can say to us once we learn to listen!

The Theise Manifesto:
Beauty is more important than impact.
Harmony is more important than intensity.
The whole of any wine must always be more than the sum of its parts.
Distinctiveness is more important than conventional prettiness.
Soul is more important than anything, and soul is expressed as a trinity of family, soil, and artisanality.

The entire show is devoted to Terry, the book and WINE…an hour wasn’t enough. 

Good Life Guy’s Wines of the Week:
Three great products imported by Michael Skurnik wines from the portfolio of Terry Thiese

• NV Pierre Peters Grower Champagne-Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru
• 2008 Hirsch #1 Gruner Veltliner
• 2007 Selbach-Oster Zeltlinger Sonnenuhr, Riesling Kabinett

Learn more about Terry, checkout his blog and many articles, and discover the above wines and more.

Tuesday, March 8, Hilton Wichita Airport
“The History & Mystery of Wine Presentation” – 5:30 p.m.
Wines of Louis M. Martini Wine Dinner – 6:30 p.m.
Cost • $95 • Seating Limited
Learn more about this event and make reservations NOW!

First up is Dr. Elliot Engel with an interesting and fun look at the  History & Mystery of wine, the topic he will be presenting at the Hilton on March 8th.  Dr. Engel is a renowned author and lecturer who has thousands of fans world-wide who are professed lovers of literature, humor, and enlightening entertainment.  

In the second half Michael Martini, winemaker and proprietor of Louis Martini winery will be joining me to talk about this storied and historical family winery, the vineyards and wines he produces and the wines that will be served at the Orpheum event March 8th. 

Mike Martini grew up in his father and grandfather’s vineyards, learning first-hand what it takes to make world-class wines. When he wasn’t in school in rural St. Helena, he was working at the winery, or out riding horses. Today, St. Helena has grown up, and Mike rides a motorcycle, but he still gets up every day to make Cabernet Sauvignon that will make his family proud.  A graduate of the world-renowned winemaking program at U.C. Davis, Mike worked alongside his father before taking over the reins as winemaker in 1977. He continues to develop his own strong personal style, creating wines that are balanced, complex, and well-suited to accompany foods.

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:

Louis M. Martini 2007 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc from the Alexander Valley aged for 16 months in new and used French, American and Hungarian oak barrels with a mixture of medium and medium plus toasting levels to add flavor and complexity.    Dark ruby color with opulent aromas and flavors of dried cherries, tobacco, leather, cedar, and vanilla. The layers and intensity of flavors evolve into a plush, lingering finish with velvety tannins.

We’ll also be tasting and talking about the other Martini wines served at the event dinner March 8th, which include; the Sonoma, Napa and Monte Rosso Cabernets!

Friday February 18, 5:30 p.m. - I’ll be doing a Wine Seminar and Tasting at the cooking stage.  It’s titled “Hard to pronounce, Easy to Love – Unusual grapes that make great wine!”  I’ll tell you all about 5 great global new-world wines and we’ll taste them together.  The wines to be tasted:
 

• NV LaMarca Prosecco – Italy
• 2009 Höpler Grüner Veltliner – Austria 
• 2009 Yasa Old Vines Macabeo – Calatayud Spain
• 2009 Gysler Silvaner Halbtrocken – Rheingau/Rheinhessen  Germany
• 2009 Fetzer Gewürztraminer – California

This tasting is FREE with the cost of your admission.  All wines served are available at Jacob Liquor Exchange, Rock & 29^th St., Some are available by the glass at Century-II throughout the weekend!

Saturday’s LIVE broadcast from the KNSS booth will feature many of the food related vendors and what they will be doing at this years Women’s Fair. I’ll be talking to Chris Brown about all the festivities going on this weekend and to some of the chefs who will be doing cooking demostartions at the cooking stage.

Good LIfe Guy’s Wine of the Week:
Something special for the Women’s Fair

Known to millions as the anchor of Fox News Sunday, Chris Wallace-”Mr. Sunday”-is one of the most popular news show hosts in the country. After a long day on air, Chris would often arrive home hungry and delight at the sight of a big pot of his wife Lorraine’s soup on the burner. Lorraine may not be a professional cook, but you wouldn’t know it from her soups!  In fact, her soups were so good that Chris couldn’t help but rave about them on-air. Before long, the show’s fans were begging him to share his wife’s wonderful recipes. Now, in Mr. Sunday’s Soups, Lorraine Wallace shares a wide variety of soups that are sure to please.

• Includes 78 recipes and 40 beautiful full-color photographs
• With recipes such as Tortellini Meatball, Cuban Black Bean, and many more
• The perfect cookbook for fans of Fox News Sunday and great soups in general
• Features a Foreword by Chris Wallace.  www.mrssunday.com

Perfect as comfort food at the end of a long day at the office or the studio, these satisfying soups offer simple, wholesome solutions to the dinner doldrums. 
Get your copy today!

In the second half I’ll tell you about a nifty new web site that provides a one-stop search for recipes from all over the web.  “Food I Love You” or FOODILY is destined to be a favorite for any who likes to cook and try new and creative recipes.  Check it out at www.foodily.com

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week: From France…
Elicio Grenache & Merlot Vin de Pays de Mediteranée 2009

This wine is made from a careful selection of young vines growing on chalky and clay soils in the Southeast of the Rhone Valley. Aged in concrete tanks 8 months with temperature controlled fermentation. This fulfilling wine evokes the warm and fruity flavors of its sunny region. A young wine, packed with fresh notes of cherry,strawberry, and raspberry wrapped up in a tornado of intense flavors and soft white and black spices. Round, very fruit forward, this extreme value wine can be enjoyed with your everyday meals or by itself.
A 50/50 blend of Grenache & Merlot – Elicio, simply delicious!

ABOUT THE BOOK:   Is wine an artisanal creation or industrial product? Wine Myths and Reality goes behind the scenes of winemaking to reveal the truth about what goes into a bottle of wine. Extensively illustrated with photographs, maps, and charts, its approachable and entertaining style immediately engages the reader in the wine universe.  Panoramic in its scope, magisterial in its treatment, and meticulous in its research, Wine Myths and Reality explodes the world of wine. From monks treading grapes in the middle ages to the latest research into grapevine DNA, this compelling book presents the authoritative account of how wine is really made. Practices in viticulture and vinification come under the microscope, the tricks of the wine trade are revealed, the methods of the new and the old worlds are scrutinized, and their wines are discussed.  An overview of all major wine-producing countries extends from the powerful wines of the new world to the classic wines of France or Italy. Does terroir really matter? Is the international style taking over? Will global warming destroy the existing wine-producing regions? And extrapolating from current trends, what will wine be like in the next decade?

The Good Life Guy Wine of the Week:
2008 Robert Mondavi Riesling
Produced entirely from grapes grown in Monterey County, along California’s cool Central Coast. An especially rich, full bodied rendition of the noble Riesling varietal, it exudes fresh honeysuckle, ripe peach, citrus blossom, and baking spice aromas with mouth filling, honeyed peach, ripe yellow apple, and kiwi fruit flavors.