road from reno to mammoth lakes...

Travels to Mammoth means flying into Reno, and an inevitable stop at the casino...

For you east-coasters unfamiliar with In and Out Burger...

Sun setting on Rt 395 towards Mammoth..

On the mountain Sunday January 9th, big winds.

Memorable wines while ringing in the new year like a Tsar.

Magical night at the castle, working for the first time on a New Years Eve.  Was well worth it, tasting and serving some incredible french wines.  As I'm now taking time off to travel, work on a wine project and shred the epic snowfall on the west coast, I will miss the folks and extraordinary wines I had the chance to work with.

balloons, champagne, dancing...

Sommelier Luc Chevalier with the Imperial of Veuve Clicquot.

Opening this gigantic bottle was not so easy.  We resorted to the pliers, and then the corkscrew eventually striking wine.

Marcassin ''Blue-Slide Ridge'' Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2001- Was quite a sensation to drink, and everyone dug it being paired with the duck, fig and mache.  Very full bodied, sharp bright red fruits, nice acidity.  The best pinot noir I have had coming from the United States...

Domaine de la Romanèe-Conti La Tache 2000 -  Always a pleasure to be able to drink a DRC, whether you like them or not its a memorable experience.  This 2000 was aromatic and very clean, direct and clear in its delivery.  Those brilliant DRC red fruits coming out... Still holding back much complexity that will come in ten years.  For me it was no contest next to the

DRC Romanèe-Saint-Vivant 2001 I tasted the day before.  Romanee-Saint-Vivant has been described as ''a magical wine, rich, elegant, sophisticated and remarkably harmonious and complex''.  With age it is said to take on a nose of a wilted rose (une rose fanèe).

This Saint Vivant had aromas bursting out of the glass that were incredibly complex, irresistible and just plain delicious (it much helped having a proper burgundy glass).  Possibly the most enticing bouquet I have ever experienced in a wine.  Unfortunately I only tasted very little of the wine but it was extraordinary and very memorable.

the very large cork, coming out of the imperial (6 lt bottle)

Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac 1988 - Label art by Keith Haring, New York City artist.  This wine showing some terroir love.  Deep dark fruit, but most of all strong mushroom, forest, and herbs all over the place.  Complex, Smooth, and drank beautifully the next day as well, not showing any flaws after 24 hours.  Watch Christelle open this monster on vimeo below...

Opening an Imperial of Mouton Rothschild 1988 with Christelle Cotar from croosadabilia on Vimeo.

The chateau d'yquem 1988 was straight gorgeous.

Was great poppin' a magnum of 2002 Cristal Rosè at midnight, but I was a bit disappointed and expected much more out of this bottle.
At midnight Christelle brought us out side scurrying over to release three balloons representing three wishes for the new year in french tradition.
Happy new years brothers and sisters!
drink well

Frascati spotting in Albany

Was psyched to see Frascati on the wine menu at Caffè Italia, in Albany NY the other night in occasion of my mothers 50th birthday party.  I am very sheltered from certain wines when in western Massachusetts, even from some of these mass produced ones.  Frontana Candida produces 8 million bottles of Frascati a year of which 6.5 million are exported.  It is a classic ''supermarket wine'' in Rome, costing about 4 or 5 Euros, and is very nostalgic for me.  Seeing this label I instantly remembered the hot summer days spent in Rome drinking Frascati and cooling off on our noisy ass terrace overlooking busy and chaotic streets.


Frascati: terra di principi, vino di papi e poeti.
Frascati is a very small and historical town, which is part of the Castelli Romani located southeast of Rome.  The wine has been a staple of roman culture for over 2,000 years.  Frascati is made up mainly of Malvasia, Trebbiano, and Greco.  There are three styles of wine produced: Superiore (dry), Cannellino (sweet), and Spumante (sparkling).

Marino, a nearby town in the Castelli Romani holds a sagra di uva in the fall, you can peep wine coming out of the fountain in the main piazza.  A true shit show, where all come to fill their cups with the flowing wine free of charge, and then watch the local teens puke their guts out not too long after...

Remembering Frascati....a mid day picnic style lunch in Frascati with the freshest salumi, olives, wine bread and cheese served with local honey.  The wine served chilled on a hot summer day is one amazing way to refresh yo-self!

xmas foto slide

the 2006 oddero barolo showing great potential, recently released and so young still.. but after an hour or so opening up with some herbs and liquorish, big tannins, but still beautiful food wine, nice with the prime rib that evening.

potato peeling

roast pork, in the style of porchetta.. roasted with skin which gets crispy, and is unbelievably tasty, especially the next day in a sandwich.

contenta family in action

i struffoli

caffe' kimbo makes for a one of a kind espresso

la crema.. this neopolitan concoction is made by taking the very first coffee which seaps out of your moka coffee maker.  you take that and whip it with sugar in the raw and it becomes creamy like shown above.  layer your empty espresso glass with this mixture and pour the espresso and you will notice the difference. 

big franks homemade eggnog

ending the night with mercante in fiera, a classic italian card game