CGrindahl wrote:
Welcome Mihai... I think the East Coast contingent is finishing dinner and if they're farmers, probably getting ready for bed, so the transcontinental moment has passed.
I should remind you Mihai of something Philippe will likely never say... California produces world class wines. And I happen to live in the midst of one of the world's premiere wine regions... with Sonoma Valley about twenty miles north of here and the heart of the Napa Valley about thirty-five miles from here. So it isn't that I haven't enjoyed a fine glass of red wine, but rather since there seems to be more interest among our compatriots for the harder stuff we talk about that. I was a regular attendee at a weekly wine tasting sponsored by a group of people in Berkeley. Most of the wine buyers for stores in the region attended the tastings because we tasted EVERYTHING available from France and Italy. Among the members were quite a few individuals who had extensive personal collections that would be made available for special tastings. I once visited a person's home in San Francisco to taste 12 1947 Bordeaux wines followed by a 1927 Port. He gave us a tour of his cellar which was climate controlled at 54 degrees. He had cases of first growth Bordeaux wines from Lafite Rothschild, Haut-Brion, Petrus. While we were there he and another man planned for what they intended to bid on at a forthcoming Christie's auction of fine wines.
Alas, my budget then and now made this a hobby much beyond my means. Because it was quite a few years ago I did buy a few cases of exceptional wine that I enjoyed over the years, but I was dabbling at something taken much more seriously by folks with disposable income. Fortunately, one can buy good quality wines without breaking the bank. They simply will NOT be great wines of the sort I could buy forty years ago for less than $10 a bottle...
So enjoy your red wine Mihai. I know you mention it is a dry wine, which can be important from the region where you live because there are some excellent sweet red wines from that area as I recall. I certainly enjoyed mavrodaphne when in Greece and I believe there are some wonderful Tokaji fortified wines from Hungary. I would wager that Romania has something similar... Be well Mihai. ...Show more →
My brother is a wine maker. Interned at Chalk Hill, moved to Chateau St Michelle in WA, then to Edna Valley in SLO, then to Benton Lane in Eugene OR to make Pinots. Now he has his own label called Denison Cellers in McMinnville, 45 miles from Portland. I have never seen a cellar like you describe, or even tasted any of that stuff, but I have had countless back door tours where we barrel tasted and hung out with the crew instead of the tourists. I even worked a crush with him once, which made me vow to never do it again. 4 hours in one 18 hour day sterilizing a destemer will cure you of any romance of the industry. It’s farming, although the end result is much better than feed corn!
CGrindahl wrote:
Welcome Mihai... I think the East Coast contingent is finishing dinner and if they're farmers, probably getting ready for bed, so the transcontinental moment has passed.
I should remind you Mihai of something Philippe will likely never say... California produces world class wines. And I happen to live in the midst of one of the world's premiere wine regions... with Sonoma Valley about twenty miles north of here and the heart of the Napa Valley about thirty-five miles from here. So it isn't that I haven't enjoyed a fine glass of red wine, but rather since there seems to be more interest among our compatriots for the harder stuff we talk about that. I was a regular attendee at a weekly wine tasting sponsored by a group of people in Berkeley. Most of the wine buyers for stores in the region attended the tastings because we tasted EVERYTHING available from France and Italy. Among the members were quite a few individuals who had extensive personal collections that would be made available for special tastings. I once visited a person's home in San Francisco to taste 12 1947 Bordeaux wines followed by a 1927 Port. He gave us a tour of his cellar which was climate controlled at 54 degrees. He had cases of first growth Bordeaux wines from Lafite Rothschild, Haut-Brion, Petrus. While we were there he and another man planned for what they intended to bid on at a forthcoming Christie's auction of fine wines.
Alas, my budget then and now made this a hobby much beyond my means. Because it was quite a few years ago I did buy a few cases of exceptional wine that I enjoyed over the years, but I was dabbling at something taken much more seriously by folks with disposable income. Fortunately, one can buy good quality wines without breaking the bank. They simply will NOT be great wines of the sort I could buy forty years ago for less than $10 a bottle...
So enjoy your red wine Mihai. I know you mention it is a dry wine, which can be important from the region where you live because there are some excellent sweet red wines from that area as I recall. I certainly enjoyed mavrodaphne when in Greece and I believe there are some wonderful Tokaji fortified wines from Hungary. I would wager that Romania has something similar... Be well Mihai. ...Show more →
I feel welcomed, Curtis, thank you! That's why I keep dabbling on this thread!
I know California has good wines but I'm on Philippe side on this - they'll never match the variety and richness of French wine. You can call this European solidarity, we will say that is an objective perspective.
As of you - I think you'll better write a novel about your own life. I am always fascinated to read about your past experiences. Life provided you lot of cookies... I'm almost jealous on you!
We have some good Romanian wines - both white and red, sweet and dry, but ours doesn't compare with grands... But for a less sofisticated guy as I am, they are good enough.
Dry wine is a matter of personal preference. Sometimes I go for demidry but it is very unusual for me to have a sweet one. It simply does not fit with me and I'm happy with that!
Thanks again for sharing your personal stories. It's always a pleasure to change a few words with you, even way off topic of this thread.
All this talk of "alcohol free" beer, whisky, whiskey and wine makes me thirsty!
We are fortunate in South Africa as we have quite a varied and extensive wine producing area, mainly centred in the Western Cape, close to Cape Town but with boutique wineries quite close to Knysna. As a couple we tend to drink inexpensive dry whites with an occasional red thrown in to warm the cockles of our hearts on cold winter evenings. Fortunately we can still get pretty good quality for less than $5 per bottle although our premium wines cost 10 to 15 times that.
Talking of alcohol free beer the general consensus here is that it's like kissing your sister - just not right!
CGrindahl wrote:
This is like old times... real time conversation across the nation. We need someone from Europe to drop in with a comment...
Ok, I feel the calling.
Alas, all I can say is that with three 'fast growing but still small children' the 'shadow of the near future' is quite long, meaning that - in effect - I do not drink alcohol anymore. Also, there are now many, non-alcoholic, beers - like the Erdinger George mentioned - which taste good. Non-alcoholic wines on the other hand I found to taste nothing like wine.
Stokesey wrote:
I don't mind keeping company with blabbermouths.
It's good to see what is occupying the mind just recently.
Obviously Laura and her travails is something we hope she gets to put firmly behind her eventually
But the quest for good Scotch of the Islay variety is something that should never end. Nor the imbibing of said amber nectar.
I noticed some comment about the 135mm f2 ..... I can only say that is it one of my all time favourite lenses.
I have two at the moment. The 135mm f2 Ai-s and the 135mm f2 DC AF D
But the AF though a great lens is up for sale because I prefer the MF version.
I might be missing again for a few days as I too am off to the hospital for a heart procedure in the morning.
So keep it flowing, and I expect to have to do some catching up again when I get back home, and if I am in the 1% risk section, then at least I had a decent hair cut and will look good in the wooden box. But I am sure it won't come to that. Surgeons these days are a lot more careful and successful than in days of yore.
Catch you guys and gals on the flip side.
Steve ...Show more →
Best wishes for your recovery after the op. Steve - Lancashire ... ummm ... we trekked the Pennine Way the year before last - love those regions.
Question: I used to have a Nikkor 135mm f3.5 Ai or AiS (can't remember) which produced some beautiful stuff on the Nikon FE (which I still have!) - but the 135 was stolen - why do you prefer the MF 135 f2 over the f2 DC AF-D?
No rush. When you're ready.
Dan
This particular exhibit had nothing but kitchen utensils, pots and pans, for the young ones to create a din with
There were also loose gallon pots with covers for 'loan', together with wooden ladles and metal spatulas
I made eye contact with the poor old museum staff who was supervising the exhibit... could have sworn I saw regret
Mishu01 wrote:
I feel welcomed, Curtis, thank you! That's why I keep dabbling on this thread!
I know California has good wines but I'm on Philippe side on this - they'll never match the variety and richness of French wine. You can call this European solidarity, we will say that is an objective perspective.
As of you - I think you'll better write a novel about your own life. I am always fascinated to read about your past experiences. Life provided you lot of cookies... I'm almost jealous on you!
We have some good Romanian wines - both white and red, sweet and dry, but ours doesn't compare with grands... But for a less sofisticated guy as I am, they are good enough.
Dry wine is a matter of personal preference. Sometimes I go for demidry but it is very unusual for me to have a sweet one. It simply does not fit with me and I'm happy with that!
Thanks again for sharing your personal stories. It's always a pleasure to change a few words with you, even way off topic of this thread.
That was the year in which during BLIND TASTINGS, both a California red and white wine was deemed superior to the best French wines tasted. You can imagine the horror of that moment. I wouldn't suggest that California wines are generally superior to French wines but it made for an interesting story and fun cocktail conversation ever since.
But as both you and Peter suggest, our pleasure in having a glass of wine seldom is contingent on drinking a first growth anything. I visit the Napa Valley occasionally and usually stop at Heitz Cellars which has one of the few visitor centers that doesn't charge for tastings. It is also the company that produces a famous cabernet sauvignon from Martha's Vineyard that has long been regarded a premium wine. I won't buy a bottle because the most recent vintage costs $250. Needless to say there are plenty of people who enjoy the high priced spread. If you want to spend the big bucks you might consider this wine from the Napa Valley.
Max Power wrote:
My brother is a wine maker. Interned at Chalk Hill, moved to Chateau St Michelle in WA, then to Edna Valley in SLO, then to Benton Lane in Eugene OR to make Pinots. Now he has his own label called Denison Cellers in McMinnville, 45 miles from Portland. I have never seen a cellar like you describe, or even tasted any of that stuff, but I have had countless back door tours where we barrel tasted and hung out with the crew instead of the tourists. I even worked a crush with him once, which made me vow to never do it again. 4 hours in one 18 hour day sterilizing a destemer will cure you of any romance of the industry. It’s farming, although the end result is much better than feed corn! ...Show more →
It is a marvel how folks create lives for themselves. I watched a short video intern last evening with a young woman from Portland who had lived three years in a community in Mexico teaching at an English speaking school. She left that town and moved to another country to do the same thing. When my friend who retired to India was visiting Thailand last year I did a bit of reading about Chiang Mai where he stayed. It is a center for "digital nomads" from around the world who work online from there while enjoying the expat life. One fellow bought goods from India and sold them through Amazon, making thousands of dollars a month while living in a country that cost a relative pittance to enjoy.
Yes, there is hard work in viticulture though it also carries a romance as well. But perhaps it's not the folks working in the field, but rather those with wealth who are attracted to such environs. Because I'm so close to Napa Valley I see it in the restaurants with their extensive wine cellars, hosting elaborate meals in private dining rooms or on patios overlooking vineyards.
I remember visiting a restaurant in Yountville and calling ahead to ask their corkage fee since I intended to bring a bottle of wine. It was reasonable so I brought the wine. When I showed the bottle to our host his eyes widened and he gave me a big smile, saying "we wouldn't dream of charging a fee for THAT wine." It was a 1974 Staggs Leap Cabernet Sauvignon, a vintage one year AFTER the wine that won in Paris. I'd bought that bottle for around seven dollars shortly after it was released. I believe it was the last bottle remaining from my great wine adventure of the mid-seventies. It was an amazing wine I shared with my nephew and his wife. It was probably the wine that launched them into their wine adventure.
Were I a young man I could easily be tempted by the world your brother lives in... though there are a great many young people starting distilleries and creating unusual spirits. That could be fun as well... So many ways to live a life!
Seth Lord wrote:
Best wishes for your recovery after the op. Steve - Lancashire ... ummm ... we trekked the Pennine Way the year before last - love those regions.
Question: I used to have a Nikkor 135mm f3.5 Ai or AiS (can't remember) which produced some beautiful stuff on the Nikon FE (which I still have!) - but the 135 was stolen - why do you prefer the MF 135 f2 over the f2 DC AF-D?
No rush. When you're ready.
Dan
I'll comment on this since I think I know what Steve is talking about when he expresses that preference. It has less to do with the capabilities of those two lenses, but rather the pleasure most folks on this thread find in simply turning the focusing ring. I often refer to it as a "religious" experience as I look through the viewfinder and watch the image come into focus as I turn the ring. Depressing the shutter halfway to activate the motor of an automatic focus lens becomes DEPRESSING in my opinion. I get bored when shooting with an AF lens. Granted, there are circumstances where using an AF lens can be very helpful... as when chasing kids around a playground or living room. I've kept two AF lense, though they are seldom used. For the kind of shooting I do, I'm more than happy to use one of the MF lenses I've acquired while hanging out on this thread.
At the moment, I have two 135 f/3.5 lenses, both the pre-AI Q version... They're the two lenses on the right of this array.
Both lenses have the Nikon AI conversion kit which means they can be mounted on all Nikon digital cameras that allow lenses to be changed. I actually bought two by accident, but that is another story. What you might find interesting is that the first cost $65.60 including shipping and the second cost $51.02. Now if those aren't GREAT deals I've never seen one. And they are excellent performers.
Thanks for asking the question. Happy lens shopping. We say "kit building is forever..."
That was the year in which during BLIND TASTINGS, both a California red and white wine was deemed superior to the best French wines tasted. You can imagine the horror of that moment. I wouldn't suggest that California wines are generally superior to French wines but it made for an interesting story and fun cocktail conversation ever since.
But as both you and Peter suggest, our pleasure in having a glass of wine seldom is contingent on drinking a first growth anything. I visit the Napa Valley occasionally and usually stop at Heitz Cellars which has one of the few visitor centers that doesn't charge for tastings. It is also the company that produces a famous cabernet sauvignon from Martha's Vineyard that has long been regarded a premium wine. I won't buy a bottle because the most recent vintage costs $250. Needless to say there are plenty of people who enjoy the high priced spread. If you want to spend the big bucks you might consider this wine from the Napa Valley.
If you want some good spirits you need to try some I have from a local "distillery". Can't say where, but the light of the moon may have been involved. Infused with damson plums.
Very smooth and if you take it back country camping with you it doubles as camp stove fuel
I see the "legs" on that beautiful Scotch whisky glass. I have four of them in the cabinet looking quizzically at me wondering if they'll ever be filled with an Islay malt...
Time honored George... they've been making brew in the woods for centuries, certainly well before the Whiskey Rebellion. Nice to know you have "friends."
One of the most pleasant experiences I've had with wine came in the hills above Verona, Italy. I met a beautiful former ballet dancer on the train platform at Lake Como and wouldn't you know I struck up a conversation with her during the miles we traveled. I was disappointed when I finally learned she was married but I did accept her invitation to spend the night with her family in a caravan they parked on a farmer's property in the hills. When we finally settled for the evening, after a lovely meal, the farmer appeared with a bottle of vino he'd produced. We spent the rest of the evening sipping that simple wine and talking about life. What delight!
So I can imagine you at campside with a cup of this lovely looking spirit. I hope you don't waste it on building that fire...
Lunch break, crazy few weeks at work. Reading the adventures (past and present) makes the hours at work seem more pedestrian, but enjoying the stories and stuff. Not many stories from me (the ones there are are fairly mundane) so here's a recent (mundane) shot. Attracted by the colors and the textures. D700 w/ 35 f2 O lens @ f5.6.
saph wrote:
I thought this was going somewhere for Curtis ..I did accept her invitation to spend the night with her..
Except it was with her family.. Poor Curtis had find delight in food and vino instead
Trust me, I was disappointed. She was a beautiful woman who seeeemed interested. We did correspond a few times after I'd returned home. I sensed she wasn't happy with their life, her partner an aspiring artist... if you can imagine, the son of a mafia don who'd lived the life for some time before running off to Italy where they met. She was a refined woman from New York who had lived for many years in dance, first in this country, then in Europe. But such is life. I've had enough troubles with finding meaningful relationships. Claire Mesnard would likely have been just one more casualty of my love life... imagine that I still remember her name! Wow... That meeting was in 1975 during a month in Italy.
A blue clematis blossom from our garden photographed with the AI-s 180 F2.8 with PN-11 extension tube.
Clematis are one of the few plants which can withstand the harsh conditions of Swedish winter and which the deer dislike.
But I am sure it won't come to that. Surgeons these days are a lot more careful and successful than in days of yore. 
