Toulouse Lautrec
❖❖❖ IN THIS ISSUE STREAMSONG GOLF RESORT, BOWLING GREEN, FL Part One By John Mariani NEW YORK CORNER OLIVA TAPAS By John Mariani CAPONE'S GOLD CHAPTER 30 By John Mariani NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR CHÂTEAU D'ISSAN By John Mariani ❖❖❖ On this week's episode of my WVOX
Radio Show "Almost Golden," on Wed. October
27 at 11AM EST,I will be
interviewing Susan Rubin, biographer of
Maya Lin, the architect who designed the
Vietnam War Memorial in Washington DC.
Go to: WVOX.com.
The episode will also be archived at: almostgolden.
❖❖❖
STREAMSONG GOLF RESORT, By John Mariani
Sometimes
being in the middle of nowhere has its
advantages, and you can’t find many places as in
middle of nowhere as Bowling Green, Florida,
which isn’t even a real town and barely a spot
on the state’s midsection. Tampa is an hour
northwest and Sarasota an hour-plus to the
southwest. Driving in the area is largely on
unlighted dirt roads. ❖❖❖ NEW
YORK CORNER
OLIVA TAPAS Manhattanville Market 3227 Broadway 817-522-9830 By John Mariani
The revival of Harlem has been
significantly driven by Columbia
University’s opening of its sprawling, Renzo
Piano-designed Jerome L. Greene Science
Center, with a good deal more expansion
planned over a 17-acre site stretching from
129th to 133rd Street, with plans for 10,000
students to live in the area called
Manhattanville. It should be noted that
Columbia is no interloper here: The school
has always (since its founding
in 1754) owned this land next to the Hudson
River, and the changes, costing $6.3
billion, will upgrade everything in an area
that, when I attended Columbia in the 1970s,
was a grim no man’s land.
Note: NYC Health
Dept. rules require both staff and guests 12
or older to show proof they have
received at least one dose of a COVID-19
vaccine. ❖❖❖ CAPONE’S
GOLD
SPACCANAPOLI, NAPLES CHAPTER THIRTY
Ex-captain
Giovanni Lucadamo lived in Spaccanapoli, whose
name means “split Naples,” because it cuts like
a black ribbon in a straight line through the
most ancient part of the city center. Though
lined with churches and urban palaces, it had a
long reputation for being dirty, cramped and
dangerous. As well known for its inhabitants’
clotheslines as for its barbarous graffiti, the
street was dark, its buildings facing each other
across a narrow walkway. A degree of
gentrification had set in by the late 1990s,
drawing young people and artists first and the
street was cleaned up in time for the 1994 G7
Summit. And
even though Giovanni Lucadamo’s liberal pension
would have allowed him to live elsewhere, he had
grown up in and been a resident of Spaccanapoli
for decades and saw no reason to live elsewhere. © John Mariani, 2015 ❖❖❖ NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR
CHÂTEAU D'ISSAN An Interview with Emmanuel Cruse By John Mariani Photo: Francois Poncet
Château
d’Issan has, like most in Bordeaux, a
long history, dating back to the 12th century
and was classified as a third growth in the
1855 classification of Bordeaux wines. But two
world wars caused the chateau and the area of
its vineyards to decline; as of 1945 only two
hectares were producing, when the Cruse family
of Dutch merchants bought it, along with
chateaux
Pontet-Canet, Rauzan-Ségla and Giscours. But
in the 1970s Cruse was accused of blending
outside wine with their Bordeaux estates, and
their fortunes collapsed in Bordeaux. What was the
impetus behind this concept of working with
Nature? Since the 12th century, the d'Issan
Estate has stood the test of time. We believe that
the Essenault family, who built the Château in
1626, had a great sensitivity towards nature.
Indeed, Château d'Issan has always upheld respect
for nature and strived to preserve its balance; best
illustrated by comparing the property today with a
historical map of 1759, which proves that nature has
been well respected over the centuries. Did the châteaux of Bordeaux of
the past put much effort into sustainability and
ecology, or did they just trust nature to take its
course? We believe that nature always takes
back its rights, so we must trust it! What new improvements have you
made within the château’s production facilities
and caves? Built-in 1873, our cuvier “Skawinski”
is one of the pioneers in Bordeaux, harnessing the
power of gravity. It was renovated in 2002 to adapt
the winemaking plot by plot. Our cellar is still
operational today and allows us to respect
tradition. How has global warming affected
Bordeaux, and d'Issan in particular? When I was
last in Bordeaux the temperature in June was close
to 100 degrees! Global warming is a real topical issue
that we must all be involved in. At Château
d'Issan, our team adapts the work carried out in the
vineyard throughout the year to offer the best
balance. We are fortunate to have a majority of
Cabernet Sauvignon, which is a late-ripening grape
varietal. Our clay-rich subsoils maintain freshness
even in warm vintages, e.g.: 2003. Our
Malbec vines, planted in 2010, will be
interesting to follow in the coming years because
they are adapting to global warming. Describe what makes d’Issan
different from other crus in the region. Château d'Issan offers a typical
character representative of the Margaux appellation.
From the historic vineyard surrounded by a stone
wall “Clos” built in 1644, it remains faithful to
the expression of its terroir and reflects the soul
of its history. Château d'Issan is an expression of
balance and structure. What is characteristic of the
wines of Margaux vis-a-vis the other Bordeaux
terrors? Margaux wines are renowned for their
elegance and their ageing potential. The vines,
which are deeply rooted in our terroir, create wines
with delicate charm and subtle aromas. Their tannins
are infinitely smooth and velvety. They express an
extraordinary variety of bouquets. Margaux wines:
"An iron fist in a velvet glove.” Is the château open to the public
for tours? Has there been difficulty getting
workers and harvesters during the pandemic? We are a family-run team at Château
d’Issan, which allowed us to take turns throughout
the pandemic to ensure the right functioning of the
estate. Especially in the vineyard, our teams were
delighted to continue to come and work as if
"nothing had happened.” Is
the current generation of the French getting into
the industry? By tradition you use only
Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Have you
experimented with adding other varietals like
Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot? Would they add
complexity? In 2020, we have extended our vineyard
with new plots located just after our Clos, on the
same vein of terroir as our historic vineyard. For
the first time, we have harvested 3 new grape
varieties from these new plots: Cabernet Franc (old
vines planted in 1958); Petit Verdot (old vines
planted in 1948); and Malbec (old vines planted in
2010). For the first time, they made their entry
into the blend of the 2020 vintage, which brings a
real extra soul and a certain complexity to this
vintage. You produce an average of 100,000
bottles. How widely can this change depending on
the harvest? Blason d’Issan, our second wine, was
introduced from 1995 onwards to enable selection
amongst our vines growing in the Margaux appellation
area. Each year, we establish the proportion of the
first and second wine, which can indeed impact the
volume, with a variation of 15% depending on the
yields and the quality of the vintage. What can you tell us about the
2021 harvest? This is a vintage that required a lot
of care and attention. We have a privileged
geography and a unique terroir of gravels able to
offer optimum maturity to our grapes. The late
harvest also offered excellent ripeness to our
grapes. The first tastings are very promising,
suggesting delicate fruit and silky tannins. It's
maybe too early to draw conclusions before the final
blend, but perhaps there are some similarities with
the 2001 and 2014. We are going to have wines that
are very elegant and balanced.
SPOILSPORT
HEADLINE "Apple
Picking Is Too Easy," Rachel Sugar, NY
Magazine (10/18/21)/ ❖❖❖ Any of John Mariani's books below may be ordered from amazon.com. The Hound in Heaven (21st Century Lion Books) is a novella, and for anyone who loves dogs, Christmas, romance, inspiration, even the supernatural, I hope you'll find this to be a treasured favorite. The story concerns how, after a New England teacher, his wife and their two daughters adopt a stray puppy found in their barn in northern Maine, their lives seem full of promise. But when tragedy strikes, their wonderful dog Lazarus and the spirit of Christmas are the only things that may bring his master back from the edge of despair. WATCH THE VIDEO! “What a huge surprise turn this story took! I was completely stunned! I truly enjoyed this book and its message.” – Actress Ali MacGraw “He had me at Page One. The amount of heart, human insight, soul searching, and deft literary strength that John Mariani pours into this airtight novella is vertigo-inducing. Perhaps ‘wow’ would be the best comment.” – James Dalessandro, author of Bohemian Heart and 1906. “John Mariani’s Hound in Heaven starts with a well-painted portrayal of an American family, along with the requisite dog. A surprise event flips the action of the novel and captures us for a voyage leading to a hopeful and heart-warming message. A page turning, one sitting read, it’s the perfect antidote for the winter and promotion of holiday celebration.” – Ann Pearlman, author of The Christmas Cookie Club and A Gift for my Sister. “John Mariani’s concise, achingly beautiful novella pulls a literary rabbit out of a hat – a mash-up of the cosmic and the intimate, the tragic and the heart-warming – a Christmas tale for all ages, and all faiths. Read it to your children, read it to yourself… but read it. Early and often. Highly recommended.” – Jay Bonansinga, New York Times bestselling author of Pinkerton’s War, The Sinking of The Eastland, and The Walking Dead: The Road To Woodbury. “Amazing things happen when you open your heart to an animal. The Hound in Heaven delivers a powerful story of healing that is forged in the spiritual relationship between a man and his best friend. The book brings a message of hope that can enrich our images of family, love, and loss.” – Dr. Barbara Royal, author of The Royal Treatment. ❖❖❖
❖❖❖
FEATURED
LINKS: I am happy to report
that the Virtual
Gourmet is linked to four excellent
travel sites: Everett Potter's Travel Report: I consider this the best and
savviest blog of its kind on the web. Potter is a
columnist for USA
Weekend, Diversion, Laptop and Luxury Spa Finder,
a contributing editor for Ski and a frequent contributor
to National
Geographic Traveler, ForbesTraveler.com
and Elle Decor.
"I’ve designed this site is for people who take
their travel seriously," says Potter. "For
travelers who want to learn about special places
but don’t necessarily want to pay through the nose for
the privilege of staying there. Because at the end
of the day, it’s not so much about five-star
places as five-star experiences."
Eating Las
Vegas JOHN CURTAS has been covering
the Las Vegas food and restaurant scene
since 1995. He is the co-author of EATING LAS
VEGAS – The 50 Essential Restaurants (as
well as the author of the Eating Las
Vegas web site: www.eatinglasvegas.
He can also be seen every Friday morning as
the “resident foodie” for Wake Up With the
Wagners on KSNV TV (NBC) Channel 3 in
Las Vegas.
MARIANI'S VIRTUAL GOURMET
NEWSLETTER is published weekly. Publisher: John Mariani. Editor: Walter Bagley. Contributing Writers: Christopher
Mariani, Misha Mariani, John A. Curtas, Gerry Dawes, Geoff Kalish.
Contributing
Photographer: Galina Dargery. Technical
Advisor: Gerry
McLoughlin. If you wish to subscribe to this
newsletter, please click here: http://www.johnmariani.com/subscribe/index.html © copyright John Mariani 2021 |