Well, Karen brought this back from the Knoxville, Tennessee Airport… for me.
The name is a bit strange… but it is very good!
Roger Freberg
PS. Strangely enough, they say this is one of the best selling items…
Tennessee Bear poop? Delicious!
Hmmm… a Tennessee Duck?
I really don’t know what to make of this? Laura is bringing a ‘duck’ home for me? Hmmmm… how exciting.
Karen explains it all in her post … it has something to do with duck races.
Roger Freberg
Finding South African Wine… the hard way!
Now, I don’t often get to do this when I am talking about wine… but it is fun to find a wine that few people know about… or have even tried.
However, there is a wine from Clairvaux that has an interesting history in the area of Robertson, South Africa.
My daughter Karen enjoyed her time working on her internship in Cape Town… and I casually asked her to keep an eye out for some interesting wines. Little did she know that her entire trip would be spent investigating certain aspects of my chosen avocation.
I tried not to abuse her good nature…too much. Poor, Karen.
Karen looked into some of the smaller… what we might call ’boutique’ wineries as well as the main stays… but in her travels and friendships, she found something very interesting… something very special.
It is always amusing how someone will pass up a 1955 Château La Tour to study in depth a new winery that they have never laid eyes on.
Clairvaux is just one of those occasions. While one of my ‘friends’ began studiously studying my latest acquisition… I nicely took it from his hands and said… oh, I think there is something more interesting for you to see over here. Of course, I now had him hooked. I shrugged and said that I didn’t think it was easily available in this country (partly true)… so I suggested he look at something else…. a common Margaux , perhaps.
There began the saga… the legend of Clairvaux.
Clairvaux can be found in the Robertson Area of South Africa… and if you get in the area… it is one place on my list to visit.
I’ve talked enough… you can’t get it easily anyway… Buah-ha-ha! ( I so wanted to say that)
Roger Freberg
Biltong from South Africa …. thanks!
Karen brought ol’ Dad something nice from South Africa…. “Biltong” … this is their version of what we refer to as beef Jerkey…. strips of seasoned and dried meat. Jerkey is big in our neck of the woods and in our family. We love it! Cataneo’s is our local favorite!
The yello package is of some Kudo Biltong that Karen tells me can be found any where in Capetown; however, this particular Springbok Biltong could only be found in Kruger National Park.
Wine, Song & Marilyn Merlot… or am I repeating myself?
Marilyn Merlot and the Naked Grape by Peter F. May is a wonderful little book simply about interesting wines from around the world with… unusual names. Marilyn Merlot by Napa Wine Company is a “…leggy red offer(ing) blackberry, chocolate, and smokey toast flavors.” ‘Negociant’ David Wright’s “The Naked Grape” is a ‘collection’ of hand picked wines from various vintners. Peter’s Book is packed with interesting stories, illustrations and reviews… a great read.
The “Goats do Roam” story is an amusing one as is their ever present label here in America. However, I can see why the folks producing “Cotes du Rhone” tried to get the label banned in France. In California, we have our own local favorite, a blended star, entitled “Cotes du Robles” (38% Mourvedre, 35% Syrah & 27% Grenache) by Eberle Winery ( one snobbish reviewer said it would be ‘great with a pizza’… but then, I say, so is Margaux).
The Goats du Roam family of various wines does house a ‘red’ with a familiar blend of Shiraz (90%), Pinotage (6.5%) and Mourvedre (3.5%).
Peter’s book contains quite a few wines that I would love to serve for the shock value alone. Not much is left to the imagination with names like: Truck Stop Girl, Under the Table, Dancing Monkey, French Kiss, Big Ass Red …. and lastly d’Vine! ( stop! I have been PUN-ished enough!)
Buy the book … it’s great with Margaux and Pizza!
Roger Freberg
PS. Peter’s Book is pictured above next to my Concord Grapes — which the ‘experts’ say can’t grow in this part of the world.