I received a raft of wine- or blog-related gifts this year. Here’s a rundown:
A Crushpad Fusebox
I’ll be planning a blending party soon!
You can order one here.
A bottle of Da Vinci Petite Sirah
A few weeks ago, I tweeted a link to a post at Bigger Than Your Head about this wine, commenting that I’d been out-Oddballed that week. My wife read it and tracked down the wine. (Aren’t I a lucky geek?) It’s a library release of a wine bottled in 1984 (!) from a blend of the 1979-1982 vintages. Wacky. Can’t wait to taste it.
Buy it from the winery here.
Been Doon So Long by Randall Grahm
It’s taken all my willpower to not order a copy sooner, but I knew someone would want to get it for me for Christmas. Can’t wait to dig in.
Liquid Memory and Mondovino (The Series) from Jonathan Nossiter
Expect my posts to get rant-ier.
Jancis Robinson’s How to Taste
A book I’ve been wanting to add to my wine library.
First Big Crush by Eric Arnold
Also on my wish list for quite a while.
Wines to Check Out – a wine journal
For tasting notes on the go.
101 Essential Tips Wine
I’ll keep it in the car for reading at red lights. And by car I mean bathroom.
A badass Nikon D5000 digital SLR
My wife again (I told you I was a lucky geek). Expect better photography on the blog.
The Ultimate History of Video Games
Should help me do a second post on old-school arcade games and wine and provide Free Association fodder.
Bald Bull/Punch-Out T-Shirt
As referenced in the arcade games post.
Question:
Did you get any wine-related goodies this year?
Oddly no. And I’m ok with that. I’m a little wined out these days and appreciated getting non-wine related things. I did get a DSLR too which arguably is for the blog since it’s the only thing I take photos for!
Yeah, I’m very excited about the new camera. I’ve been wanting one for a long time. I hope your wine malaise ends soon.
Like Sonadora, we had a wine-light gift year as we spend so much time on it during the rest of the year. We did get an electric wine chiller as a surprise gift from one of Grape Envy Guys brothers, however, and I also got the Jancis Robinson book to add to my library. We tend to give more wine-themed gifts than we receive overall.
A wine chiller is a nice luxury to have. I’d probably drink more white and sparkling wine if I had one since I often don’t think ahead and run out of time to chill a bottle in the fridge before dinner.
I got the Nossiter book, too, plus Jancis’s Oxford Companion vol. 3 (my vol. 2 was, of course, hopelessly dated). I also got “Au Revoir to All That,” and “Why Italians Love to Talk About Food,” foodie books to fuel my work because, at least ostensibly, I also write about food. I’ve had Randall’s book since this summer, when UC Press sent an advance reader’s copy. But I do need the hardbound version. It’s a keeper—you’re in for a treat.
Meg – I’ve haven’t even finished the first chapter of the Nossiter book and my brain is already hurting from bouncing back and forth between you-tell-em agreement and eye-rolling dismissiveness. Oxford Companion vol. 3 is a must-have reference I use almost daily. (Though my absolute favorite right now is Oz Clarke’s Grapes & Wines). I checked out that Italian food book and it sounds terrific. I’m eager to hear what you think of it. Cheers.
Great gifts. The last two say a lot about your personality! lol – Can’t wait to hear how the oddball wine is and your crush party.
josh @nectarwine
Merry Christmas!
I got Oz Clarke’s Grapes and Wines for Christmas, I’m in love. It’s exactly the kind of comprehensive, selectively in-depth varietal resource I’ve been looking for.
Your Christmas was pretty bad ass, though.
– Sam @thebrokewino
Josh – If you were in Austin you’d be invited!
Sam – Grapes & Wines is terrific. I refer to it daily. It’s got great info and Oz Clarke’s writing voice is the best. Authoritative, but opinionated and witty.
Cheers.