Nov 12 – Oregon Wine Country Visit

Live from Oregon where I’ll be doing extensive touring and tasting as well as attending the Annual Salud Pinot Auction

It’s all about Oregon…the focus will be on Pinot Noir but will also include some of the great white wines made in the Willamette Valley.  I’ll be posting video segments all week that will feature some of the top winemakers and wines recently released as well as highlights from this years Salud Gala event.

The Oregon harvest is a bit later this year and was challanged by late rains prior t harvest.  I’ll have up to date info about the 2011 harvest and what we can expect from this interesting vintage.

2011 Pinot Noir Harvest at Van Duzer Vineyards, Willamette Valley, Oregon

Winemaker Jerry Murray oversees the sorting table at Van Duzer

One of my guests…Winemaker Jerry Murray from Van Duzer will be sharing some info about this years harvest as well as the low-down on the current release Estate Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris.

Then from King Estate, a chat with Quentin Ransone, tasting room manager, about the 2009 King Estate Signature Pinot Noir.   Watch the video here!

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2009 King Estate Oregon Pinot Noir

Deep garnet, bright ruby tint with aromas of dark cherry, raspberry, cranberry, blueberry, rose petals, vanilla, oak spice, cedar, and a hint of truffle.  Flavors of blackberry, cherry, cocoa, toasted marshmallow, raspberry, orange zest, baking spices, and a hint of menthol.  The mouthfeel is silky soft on entry balanced with nice acidity and firm tannins, complimented by a long lingering finish.

Pick up a bottle at Jacob Liquor Exchange and join in the FUN!

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Nov 5 – Moorish Fusion Cuisine, Alsatian Riesling

My first guest is Chef Zouhair Zairi to talk about his new book Moorish Fusion Cuisine.  Now here is some interesting flavors to spice up your Autumn…

Watch this video to get a feel for Chef ZZ’s food & style

Chefs recipe for Tomato, Fennel, and Saffron Soup with Olive Oil-Poached Artichokes

 

Relying heavily upon memories of his mother’s and grandmother’s fare in his youth, Zouhair’s ground-breaking culinary tour de force: Moorish Fusion Cuisine: Conquering the New World introduces a unique approach to a mouthwatering ancient gastronomy and represents a personal homage to the Moorish cuisine of his homeland.  Few cookbooks on the cuisine of the Moors have been written. Chef Zouhair approaches traditional recipes with an eye for lighter ingredients, while never sacrificing Moorish authenticity.

About the Author:  Zouhair Zairi left his family in Morocco and touched down in New York at the age of nineteen. In 2002 Zouhair became the executive chef and director in his own restaurant, Spices. It was named Best New Restaurant in Maui. His abilities and passion earned him the coveted Culinary Excellence Award from the JW Marriott Resort & Spa and a Certificate of Appreciation from the White House.

Get a copy of this great book NOW!

 

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2009 Paul Blanck Gewürztraminer

A accomplished and fine Gewürztraminer with white flower and violet aromas followed by an exotic palate of fresh lychee fruit, subtle ginger spice and a backnote of sweet Turkish delight. Poised and elegant throughout, this is a beautifully balanced white with a long, smooth finish.

This 100% Gewürztraminer has been produced from 20 year old vines, cultivated naturally with minimal intervention in the village of Kientzheim in Alsace. The must was allowed to ferment at its own rate, using naturally occuring yeasts to maintain its authentic flavour profile. The wine was then left to age on fine lees to add complexity and depth.   WS90

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California Directory of Fine Wineries, Great Harvest Bread Company

Come and be a part of The Good Life, I’ll be broadcasting live from Great Harvest Bread Company and their new location with my good friend Tim Herren.

First up is a chat with Tom Silberkleit, a guest who has been on the show many times because he produces some of the most useful wine touring and information books on many regions of California.  He does it with great photography, skilled writing that’s informative and fun, and all the details you need.  Top it off with regular updated editions and it’s a must have for wine enthusiast who love California wines and wine touring.  www.californiafinewineries.com
The latest update is the 5th Edition of the Napa/Sonoma/Mendocino

Journey through the tasting rooms of a tri-county vineyard paradise… With The California Directory of Fine Wineries as your guide, you’ll wander through world-famous Napa, home of the state’s most recognized cellar landmarks. You’ll meander scenic back roads on the way to Sonoma’s premier wineries. You’ll travel to rustic Mendocino, where the winemakers themselves will pour you a glass of their specialty. This fully updated, fifth edition of The California Directory of Fine Wineries is an essential guide to both glamorous estates and intimate, family-owned vineyards. Order a copy of any or all of these great books!

Here is a link to a great video segment Tom filmed at Jacuzzi Vineyards, one of the three wineries mentioned for a quick visit to Southern Sonoma from San Francisco.  The others for this short trip are; Cline and Gloria Ferrer.

 

LIVE from Great Harvest with owner/baker Tim Herren, we’ll be telling you all about this creative family run business and not only all the great bread they bake, but all the products, sweets, sandwiches and more!

Great Harvest handcrafts bread, sweets and sandwichs daily using only pure and simple ingredients. Each morning we fresh-grind premium whole wheat in the bakery and blend it with ingredients from nature, like yeast, salt and local honey. Great Harvest never uses chemicals or additives. The result is bread that tastes simply amazing.

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2010 Beringer Napa Valley Chardonnay
Beringer’s Napa Valley Chardonnay is a quintessential expression of this beautiful varietal and the depth of flavors it can exhibit. Flavors of ripe citrus and apple are accented by aromas of toffee, tangerines and orange blossom. The mouth-coating, round texture highlights the rich flavors, all balanced by bright, refreshing notes that linger into the finish.

WOW – Guy loves this wine, it may be one of the best Napa vintages from this stalwart for years, and there hasn’t been a loser in the batch up to this point.  I would rate this wine a 93 of 100, and it’s sure to get all manner of Best Buy, Editors Choice awards in the near future!

Pick up a bottle at Jacob Liquor Exchange on North Rock Road and  join us

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Oct 22 – Best Bake Sale Cookbook, Mr. Breakfast, Great WA Riesling

First up is Gretchen Holt-Witt, founder of Cookies for Kids Cancer – and author of the “Best Bake Sale Cookbook.”

In December 2007, Gretchen Holt-Witt set the lofty goal of baking and selling 96,000 cookies during the holidays, all in the name of funding research for pediatric cancer, the #1 disease killer of kids in the United States and the disease her young son was battling. Armed with the determination of a mom on a mission plus the knowledge that funds for research mean more treatment options, better survival rates, and hope for the future, Holt-Witt succeeded in selling all 96,000 cookies and raising over $400,000 for new pediatric cancer treatments.

Long after the ovens cooled, requests for more cookies along with offers to help poured in. Gretchen knew she was onto something. She and her husband Larry answered the call to action by starting Cookies for Kids’ Cancer (cookiesforkidscancer.org), a national non-profit that inspires people to host bake sales of all sizes, from desktops and porches to entire corporations and communities, with some raising more than $30,000 in one day. Cookies for Kids’ Cancer went on to partner with The Glad Products Company, inspiring thousands of individuals with Glad’s promise to match funds raised at bake sales. The partnership has received attention from Martha Stewart, CNN, Parade, Redbook, Ladies Home Journal, Woman’s Day, O The Oprah Magazine, the Today show, and more.

With experience, passion, heart, and great stories from bake sale hosts, this cookbook was created to inspire more bake sales as well as directly benefit this amazing charity. 100% of the author’s proceeds and royalties will be donated to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer for pediatric cancer research. The recipes include easy-to-prepare treats for cookies, brownies, bars, cupcakes, quick breads, and more. In addition, there are tips on starting your own bake sale and inspirational quotes and stories throughout the book.  www.cookiesforkidscancer.org

In the second half I’ll be chatting with the world famous “Mr. Breakfast” about the most important meal of the day.  www.mrbreakfast.com

Mr Breakfast is the world’s undisputed #1 expert on breakfast. The Klark Kent to Mr Breakfast’s Superman is Eddy Chavey, an accomplished author and a graduate of the Los Angeles New School Of Cooking.

His Mission: (1) To instill the importance of eating breakfast; (2) to show how multi-facited and fantastic the most important meal of the day can be and (3) to help provide breakfast to those in need through the promotion of school breakfast programs and food charities via The Breakfast Of Love Miracle Network.  Check out some “Mr Breakfast videos!”

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2008 40 Days Riesling from Washington State
The Blind Boar Wine Company is a collaborative project by Dusted Valley and many leading winegrowers throughout Washington State. It offers our family an opportunity to showcase the tremendous value and character the Northwest has to offer.   Riesling was one of the first grape varieties to be grown in Washington. This wine has mouthwatering acidity a lovely floral nose, with vivid apricot, peach and apple flavors!

Pick up a bottle at Jacob Liquor Exchange on North Rock Road and join us 🙂

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Oct 15 – Midwest Beerfest and more!

Live from the 11th Annual Midwest Beerfest at Century II Convention Center, Wichita Kansas

I’ll be talking to some of the folks who will be pouring their brews, and telling you about all the fun to be had at this years Beerfest.  What event allows you to taste more than 350 beers from around the world including microbrews from Kansas, purchase tasty food from local restaurants, and bid on great silent auction items — all while taking a “sip for a scholarship?” The 11th Annual Midwest Beerfest!

Join fellow brew-lovers and increase your beer knowledge from 1-4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 15 at Century II Exhibition Hall, Wichita, Kansas, for a “big brew” adventure and help celebrate our 11th year of great beers, food and fun.  www.midwestbeerfest.com

In the second half…

It’s all about wine and a great two day Oregon wine event you should make plans to attend!   We attended last year and will be going to Oregon again this year for ¡Salud! The Premier Oregon Pinot Noir Auction. I’ll be talking to Donna Morris, owner of Winderlea Vineyard & Winery and Co-Chair of the ¡Salud! Steering Committee.

¡Salud! marks the world premiere of Oregon’s finest Pinot Noir. Winemakers from the state’s foremost wineries will debut the 2010 vintage at this benefit for Oregon’s seasonal vineyard workers and their families. This event is the only opportunity to acquire unique cuvées made exclusively for ¡Salud! – the very best of the latest vintage of Oregon Pinot Noir.

Tasting and Big Board Auction – Friday, November 11, 2011
Domaine Drouhin Oregon – 3:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.  Casual Attire

Dinner and Auction Gala – Saturday, November 12, 2011
The Governor Hotel, Portland – 5:00 p.m.,  Black Tie Optional

The ticket price of $395 per person includes the Friday Tasting and Big Board Auction and the Saturday Auction and Dinner. Seating is limited. Click here to purchase tickets online or call (503) 681-1850 with any questions.  Learn more at:  www.saludauction.org

Also be talking to Melissa Burr winemaker at Stoller Vineyards in Oregon about the winery, vineyards and her wines.  May have to crack open on of the Stoller special cuvee wines from last years ¡Salud! that I was lucky enough to win at the Big Board auction.

Watch a video of Guy and Melissa at last years Salud Auction

 

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2008 Stoller Vineyards JV Estate Pinot Noir
Aromas of ripe red raspberries, Bing cherries, floral notes of lilac and violets, barrel spices of cinnamon and clove, and herb de Provence (lavender and green herbal tones/tea leaf). The palate features bramble berry flavors, bright acidity and medium tannins with a real purity of red fruit flavors.

Pick up a bottle at Jacob Liquor Exchange on North Rock Road and join us!

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