I do think $90 is a little expensive for wine, but on the other hand, I don't mind paying for it if it's worth it. If anyone gets a chance to try this, let me know if it's any good. Here's the press release:
HALL Wines releases FLAGSHIP CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2008 HALL “Kathryn Hall” Cabernet Sauvignon
NAPA VALLEY, CA, September 16, 2011 – HALL Wines, the premier 21st century vineyard and winery, announces the release of their signature offering – the 2008 HALL “Kathryn Hall” Cabernet Sauvignon. Part of HALL Wines’ Napa Valley Collection, the 2008 HALL “Kathryn Hall” Cabernet Sauvignon epitomizes HALL’s commitment to producing California’s quintessential Cabernet Sauvignon.
“As the flagship wine of our collection, the release of the 2008 HALL “Kathryn Hall” Cabernet Sauvignon celebrates our efforts to create the best quality wine,” said Kathryn Hall, Owner and Vintner of HALL Wines. “Each vintage is a unique conception. We farm these vineyards year after year and the Good Earth never stops testing us, and dazzling us.”
Primarily crafted from HALL Wines’ renowned Sacrashe vineyard, the 2008 HALL “Kathryn Hall” Cabernet Sauvignon highlights the captivating voice of the Sacrashe vineyard’s restrictive volcanic ash soils, high elevation and undulating characteristics. The nearly opaque purple-black color of the wine is only the embodiment of the depth and power of the wine. Exuding aromas of violets, cocoa powder, stewed raspberries, blackberry nectar and roasted herbs, the 2008 HALL “Kathryn Hall” Cabernet Sauvignon is luscious and dense, with a sweet and smooth core. Dark cherries, blackberry preserves, black spice and roasted nut flavors intertwine across a seemingly endless finish. Undeniably deep and full-bodied, this wine will continue to evolve with 15 years or more of cellaring.
On September 17th Kathryn Hall welcomes guests to HALL St. Helena winery to celebrate the release of the 2008 vintage, as well as to enjoy exceptional cuisine and live music. In addition to the newest release, HALL Wine Club Members can enjoy a vertical tasting of the HALL Wines flagship cabernet sauvignon.
As winegrowers and visionaries, Kathryn Hall and husband Craig Hall, have a strong respect for the environment and a commitment to cutting-edge vineyard technology to yield the highest quality grapes. HALL St. Helena is California’s first winery to receive the prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED® Green Building Rating System™. HALL Wines is a recipient of Organic Farming Certification from The California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), one of the nation’s oldest and largest organic certification and trade associations.
HALL Wines estate vineyards encompass more than five hundred acres of classic Bordeaux varietals; Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc. Through meticulous attention to detail, HALL wines employs organic small-vine viticulture, precision winemaking, wild yeast fermentation, and micro-block-blending, to fully extract the purity, and to express the unique and diverse character of Napa Valley’s soils and climate.
I've been looking for something like this for a while, so I thought I would share. There have been a number of this type of rack around for a while, but this is the first one I've seen that has a more minimalist look, is is made of black metal. Though you can also get this in polished aluminum. Here's the details from the site:
Sparked by the graphic line of hanging grapes, Jakob Wagner created this wall-mounted wine rack for Danish brand Menu. The clever design allows you to suspend all kinds of bottles: ordinary ones, slim dessert ones, even heftier ones of Champagne. Available in polished aluminum or skinned in black rubber. Mounted with two screws.
You can grab one for $60 at the GSelect site HERE.
I'll admit that I do like my wine aerator. It actually does make a differece, which surprised me.
The cool thing about this one is that you can aerate the wine by pouring it into the decanter portion, and then pour it from there. Though I can see me knocking this thing over after about the fourth glass.
Here's the details:
Place it mouth-to-mouth with an open wine bottle. Flip it so the red liquid pours into the decanter. Wine aeration is cut to two minutes. Serve from the decanter or reverse the flow and pour the aerated vino back into the bottle and serve from there. Inversion washes down the sides of the decanter which partially aerates it.
The Wine Breather cost $69, which is a little much, and you can grab yourself one HERE.
(Lathrup Village, Michigan) – Heightened airport security and new restrictions force travelers to store products like bottles of wine, liquor and other fluids in suitcases. But as luggage is thrown around at the airports and jostled inside airplanes, chances of those bottles breaking increase. And if those bottles do break – everything in that suitcase could
be damaged.
The Jet Bag is an inexpensive and lightweight solution to provide protection for breakable items stored in a suitcase. It is an efficient and effective way to transport wine, liquor, perfume or any liquid that may be contained in a breakable bottle. The Jet Bag is a bio-degradable carrier with a reusable zip seal closure that completely secures any bottles and liquids. The product is lined with the same absorbent materials found in baby diapers. That material pads and protects bottles, but if a bottle does break, the Jet Bag rapidly absorbs any liquid spilled, preventing damage valuables in the suitcase.
The Jet Bag is 18 inches tall and weighs just .3 ounces and can easily hold up to a 750 ml bottle and contain its contents if broken. It is reusable over and over as long as there is not bottle breakage inside. If a bottle does break, the Jet Bag holds the messy contests inside and can be simply thrown away.
The Jet Bag is made in the United States and can even be customized with company logos or as promotional gifts. A Jet Bag 3-pack sells for $15 and is available at a growing number of retailers as well as online at Amazon.com and www.TheJetBag.com.
This is a pretty cool idea, especially if you have a more rustic look going on. It's a really neat conversation piece also. Here's a little bit about it from the site:
The Wine Rack Shelves feature sixteen pieces of rail from the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company circa 1908. Two switch plate cuffs provide the feet on the split hickory crosstie. It is finished with golden oak stain and a polyurethane sealer. This piece is individually numbered with a salvaged railroad tie date nail from 1925.
Dimensions: 36"x16"x8" (HxWxD)
Rail Brand: (cuff plate) RA 100
Timber: Hickory
Color: Golden Oak
Number: 25
Notice that last part? Yeah, it seems like they only make these every so often, and they only make a few of them. So it looks like there's only 25 available, either at the moment, or total being made. There's also no price tag on it, so it might be slightly on the expensive side, or some sort of artsy outrageous price.
You can hit the Rail Yard Studios site and check it out HERE.
It's a cool table, but the price tag is a little high, at $2400. Here's the details from the site:
The Don Vino wine table is a Chicone Cabinetmakers original design, inspired by the oak barrels that line the cellars of regional wineries. It not only offers contemporary styling but also a tasteful showcase for your wine collection. The wine table pictured here stands 21 inches tall with a 33 ¼ " diameter and can hold up to 16 bottles of your favorite wine. Customize your table with the choice of leg design; the Don Vino is available with hand bent "barrel" legs or ball and claw. The hand bent "barrel" legs are shown in fumed oak while the ball and claw is shown in red oak. We offer a range of American Hardwoods including oak, cherry, maple, and walnut. Exotic hardwoods are also available (standard pricing may vary depending on wood selection). Each order is custom built by hand, so the table can be tailored to fit your special application. Add functionality to your wine cellar or winery; use the tabletop to transform a simple wine barrel into an elegant counter for your barrel room tastings. We can use the tabletop design to create high rounds for your tasting room or wine bar. The Don Vino is perfect for creating an intimate arrangement while showcasing your wines.
I can't really say that I let wine site around long enough to need one of these, but it's a great idea.
Here's the details:
New York based designer George Lee came up with a brilliant solution, a cool new product called A Date With Wine. It is basically a wine stopper that tells you when you had opened your wine. This way you can guess whether the wine is still worth drinking or has it been open for too long. The top of the cork comes with a twistable date ring that reminds you the date you had the last dinner with your friends.
You can buy one for $45 over at the GSelect site HERE.
Another nice wine preservation system, though it's a little on the expensive side at $400. Though it does also pour your wine for you, which is nice. Though it's rare that I open a bottle that I don't finish. Here's some of the details:
Entertain in style with the only at home wine system that chills, pours and preserves. At the press of a button, the bottle is cooled to its ideal serving temperature, while patented vacuum technology naturally preserves wine for up to 10 days. When you’re ready for a glass, simply press a button and your favorite wine is served.
Chill
Chill your wine to the ideal temperature based on 15 preset wine varietals.
Pour
With the press of a button your wine is poured, one glass at a time. No need to remove bottle or re-cork.
Preserve
Natural Vacuum technology removes oxygen from the bottle to preserve the taste.
Display
Showcase your wine and entertain with style! Premium finishes and LED lighting adds ambiance and style.
This is a pretty good deal, with a lot of choices of wine. You do have to become a ClubBev member, but that looks like it's free.
The deal is that you buy a bottle of wine for the regular price, and you get a second bottle for only five cents. There's 221 bottle to choose from, and it looks like they start as low as $10.
You can check out the sale at the Bevmo site HERE.
I wish there was a lot more information about this. Though I guess there's not a whole lot to say about a metal cage that holds wine.
What details there are is that it's made of hand-welded and fabricated iron, holds twelve bottles of wine, weighs about forty pounds, and is pretty cool looking.
It costs a hefty $199 dollars, but I'm pretty sure no one else you know will have one.
You can grab one over at the Restoration Hardware site HERE.
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Online poker rooms such as fulltilt and PokerStars.net offer free poker as well as real money poker. You won't go wrong with either room, but PokerStars is generally considered to be the best.