Video

The Queen Bee of Tuscany – Ep. 77 – Drink Bravely with Mark Oldman
Posted on by Mark Oldman

Acclaimed author Ben Downing joins Mark to talk about his new book, The Queen Bee of Tuscany: The Redoubtable Janet Ross (Farrar Straus & Giroux), chronicling the life of a formidable 19th-century doyenne and expatriate (as well as cookbook author and winemaker). We learn about Ross’ remarkable time in the Anglo-Florentine colony, hosting at her estates a never-ending stream of artists, scholars, diplomats, and even Mark Twain, whom, Downing discovered, had once shaved his head to better absorb the Italian language. In celebration of Ross and the book, they open a double magnum of Le Pergole Torte, the Sangiovese-based red that is also considered a Tuscan legend.

Featured wine:
Montevertine Le Pergole Torte 2006

Featured book:
The Queen Bee of Tuscany: The Redoubtable Janet Ross by Ben Downing (FSG, 2013), available wherever books are sold

the queen bee ben downing

Essential Italian expression to learn:
Non si può avere la botte piena, e la moglie ubriaca.

Poosh it!

How to Taste a Wine Without Pulling the Cork (Coravin) – Ep. 75 – Drink Bravely with Mark Oldman
Posted on by Mark Oldman

The Coveted Coravin: It is a problem as old as cork itself: how to enjoy just one glass of wine without having to waste the entire bottle.  Greg Lambrecht, an MIT-trained medical device designer, has devised a promising solution.

Yesterday saw the launch of his Coravin Wine Access System, and Mark Oldman was there to test drive this just-released wine accessory that gets at your wine without removing the cork.  With the assistance of a Teflon-coated needle and a shot of harmless argon gas, this device ingeniously extracts wine without exposing the remaining juice to the ravages of oxygen.  It promises to be a winner for restaurants’ wine-by-the-glass programs or wine lovers drinking solo.
The just-released Coravin system retails for $300 per device, and the company plans to produce less pricey versions in the future.  More information can be found here.
 coravin
“Poosh It!”

How to Brighten January with Wine, Galette des Rois, and Throat Clearing – Ep. 73 – Drink Bravely with Mark Oldman
Posted on by Mark Oldman

Brighten January with Wine, Galette des Rois, and Throat Clearing:

january

Mark reveals how to counteract the gloom of winter with wine and galette des roi (i.e., kings’ cake”), the trinket-bearing pastry associated with France’s festival of Epiphany.

Featured wines:
Francois Cazin Cour-Cheverny “Cuvee Renaissance” 2010
Etienne Dupont, Cidre Dupont Reserve 2012

Wines purchased at Union Square Wines, NY

Galette des rois purchased at Mille-Feuille Bakery Café, New York www.millefeuille-nyc.com
Video snippets: Curb Your Enthusiasm, Season 3, Ep. 9, (HBO), “Mary, Joseph, and Larry”

“Poosh It!”

How to Seem Like a Wine Expert in One Word – Ep. 74 – Drink Bravely with Mark Oldman
Posted on by Mark Oldman

One Word To Make You Seem Like A Wine Expert – Watch Video

All the way from Shanghai, China, Mark Oldman reveals a wine term that anyone can use to outsmart a snooty sommelier.

Featured wine:
Grace Vineyard Tasya’s Reserve Cabernet Franc 2008 (Shanxi, China; distributed by Torres China)

one word Grace Vineyard china

 

musical snippets:
Roxy Music, “Tokyo Joe”
David Bowie, “China Girl”

4 Wines That Define Stanford Football – Rose Bowl 2013 – Ep. 72 – Drink Bravely with Mark Oldman
Posted on by Mark Oldman

4 Wines That Define Stanford Football: At the 2013 Rose Bowl, a.k.a. “The Granddaddy of Bowl Games,” Mark identifies four statement-making wines that define the success of Stanford Football.

Featured wines:
Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder 2008 (California, $65)
Leviathan 2009 (California, $48)
Etude Pinot Noir Carneros 2009 (California, $45)
Pride Cabernet Franc Sonoma County 2010 (California, $66)
All wines purchased and available at the venerable Wally’s Wine (2107 Westwood Boulevard, Los Angeles).
 stanford football
“Poosh It!”