Chinese Antiques

Antique Vases, Bowls, Statues, swords and more

Pair Old

October 22nd, 2009

Angie

Pair Old

Joyce Chen Unlimited Scissor, Red

$19.07

For the professional and home chef along with hobbyists of any kind come the Joyce Chen Scissors. Extremely functional and versatile, these scissors are uniquely engineered using chrome molybdenum stainless steel blades and a precision torque cutting motion which allow cutting through chicken bones, lobster shells, rubber, flower stems and shrubs with incredible ease and comfort. The Joyce Chen Sc…

Waterford Crystal Lismore 6-Inch Candlestick Holders, Set of 2

$175.00

You will enjoy the atmosphere provided by these luxurious candlesticks from our classic Lismore collection. Each pair is cool and stately with dramatic diamond and wedge cuts and a long, sculpted design. Go ahead and set the mood for style. In four and si…

Orrefors On The Rocks Double Old Fashioned Pair

$75.00

Double Old Fashioned Pair – Designed By Martti Rytkonen – Miniature Mountain Range Gives Character To Martti Rytkönen’S Exclusive Series Of Bartop Glass. The Optical Effects Of The Glass Reflect The Drinks In The Mountain Peaks. – Made In Sweden…

Pair Some BBQ with a chardonnay

Summer is BBQ time. With Father’s Day, July 4th and summertime in general, many Americans enjoy traditional BBQ. At Naperville’s Ribfest, pork BBQ ribs are king. If you are a little “porked out,” grilled chicken and fish are a welcome change. A wine that pairs well with both of these is Chardonnay. This can be a great patio wine while enjoying backyard grilling with family and friends this summer.

Wine Facts

Chardonnay is one of the most widely planted and successful white wines in the world, and is recognized as one of nine classic grape varietals. Chardonnay grapes prefer cooler climates. Chardonnay offers appealing flavors of tropical fruit, apple and butterscotch and has a creamy, full-bodied style. Quality Chardonnay is briefly aged in oak barrels to impart a creamy richness and a long, pleasing finish. Wine makers must be careful about the length of time the wine is in contact with the wood, as an “over-oaked” wine can loose its fruit flavors and balance, and taste unpleasant.

Chardonnay’s major growing areas include California and the Pacific Northwest, Chile, Australia, France, Italy and South Africa. The major difference is the “old world” style French Chardonnay tends to be leaner, crisp with mineral and apple notes, while American Chardonnay tends to be big and oaky with vanilla and butterscotch notes. As American tastes have shown preference for a lighter style of Chardonnay, American winemakers have moved away from their reliance on oak and are using stainless steel vats, resulting in a crisper, more food friendly wine.

The Wine Spectator’s July issue reports that the 2007 vintage of California Chardonnay is outstanding, with the Northern California regions (Napa, Sonoma, Carneros) all receiving 96 out of 100 points. They described this vintage as “Ripe, complex, balanced and age worthy wines.” This is great news to share and hopefully encourages you to try some 2007 Chardonnay soon.

Food Pairing

While Chardonnay is widely planted and consumed, it is not a food friendly wine for several reasons. Chardonnay’s flavors tend to be complex, so it pairs best with simple dishes and sauces. Chardonnay tends to have a lower acidity level, which does not cleanse your palate after a sip. California Chardonnays present additional food pairing challenges, as they tend to have a toastier oak flavor and higher alcohol levels.

So why the popularity? The rich, buttery character of shellfish pairs beautifully with Chardonnay’s buttery taste (think Lobster). In general, seafood, shellfish and chicken offer a simple flavor profile that will not compete with Chardonnay’s complexities. And Chardonnay’s bold flavors can stand up to a rich sauce that might accompany your entrée.

We suggest that you consider trying both “old” and “new world” styles of Chardonnay. When charcoal grilling or smoking meat, a toasty California Chardonnay can compliment the smoky flavors of your BBQ.

An unoaked, stainless steel aged Chardonnay will pair well with light summer salads or fish and chicken dishes that are cooked on a gas grill. The wine label may specify either unoaked or unwooded Chardonnay — or ask your local wine merchant for their suggestions. It always comes down to personal taste preferences.

Directionally, Americans have moved away from heavily oaked Chardonnay and are now seeking out less oaky versions. The good news is more quality unoaked Chardonnay is now being produced worldwide.

Bill’s Wine Picks (with suggested retail prices)

Oak levels in descending order

Foxglove, Central Coast, CA. — Light oak $12

Columbia-Crest, Columbia Valley, WA. — Medium oak $8

Chateau St. Jean, Sonoma, CA. — Heavy oak $9

Un-Oaked Chardonnay

Yalumba, South Australia $9

Four Vines Naked Chardonnay, Santa Barbara, CA. $13

Elderton, Barossa, Australia $13

The Wishing Tree, Western Australia $13

Wine of the Month

Foxglove Chardonnay

The Varner Winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains in California consistently offer one of the of best values in the marketplace. Robert Parker gave the 2007 vintage 90 points and described this terrific medium-bodied cuvee as offering tropical fruit, pear and mineral notes. The good news is that 25,000 cases were produced, which should make this wine readily available. This wine should be consumed within 2 years, $12.

How can I convince my sister to give me her old pair of jeans?

I just want one pair cause all my jeans are to high and tight I’ve had them since 9th grade now Im gonna be a jr. And I can’t buy jeans now cause my mother doesn’t have a job and she won’t let me get a job(believe me I tried convincing her, her answer is always no =() but anyway yeh I just want one pair so how can I convince her. And she has a lot of clothes

How about just sitting down and telling her exactly what you wrote here? If she does have lots of clothes, she should be glad to give you some or share. If not, then you can ask Mom to “make” her.

You could bribe her like offer to do her chores one day a week or once only. Fix her lunch for school? Wash dishes? Clean her room?