Today "Alexandria, Egypt
" News and Relevant News on "Alexandria, Egypt
" as Parts
Keyword: Alexandria, Egypt
Century Park Law Group - centuryparklawgroup.com
News Center
Phrase Selected: Alexandria Egypt
Keyword Selected: Alexandria
How-to Prepare & Freeze Compound Butter
Place butter on a square of parchment paper, mounding butter into a rough log shape.How-to Prepare & Freeze Compound Butter
Fold paper toward you, enclosing the butter. Press butter with a ruler to form a log, holding the edges of paper securely with the other hand. Twist edges to seal. Wrap butter in plastic and freeze. Slice off the desired portions when ready to use, then rewrap the butter and return it to the freezer.How-to Prepare & Freeze Compound Butter
You can also freeze scoops or rosettes of flavored butter on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Once frozen, arrange the butter portions on layers of paper in a freezer container. Remove the desired number of portions from the freezer when needed.Chili 'n' Cheese Burritos
If you make your chili thick, I have a tasty leftover idea for you. Lightly coat a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon the leftover chili into tortillas, roll up and place seam side down in the dish. Cover with shredded cheese and bake until the cheese melts and the chili is heated through. These burritos are great served with sour cream, chopped onions and black olives. —N. Jill Stansberry, Alexandria, IndianaAdd Flavor to Slow-Cooked Beef Stew
aTo add flavor and richness to my beef stew when I make it in the slow cooker, I stir in a can of tomato soup right at the start of cooking,a reveals Carol F. of Landers, California.More Beef Stew Recipes»
Wine That Stands Up to Pesto
My usual go-to wine when strong green, herbal notes are part of a dish is Sauvignon Blanc. But New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs are often quite citrusy, and US Sauvignon Blancs can be too melony and soft for basil. So I opened a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc--and it was perfect with my linguine tossed with homemade pesto and topped with some heirloom cherry tomatoes.
The 2011 ViA+-a Carmen Sauvignon Blanc Gran Reserva (available for $13-$15 in the market) is made from grapes grown in the Leyda Valley. It has vibrant aromas of grass, gooseberry, and that uniquely weird smell of boxwood that I often smell in Sauvignon Blancs from the southern hemisphere. This wine was green and leafy rather than citrusy, with a backbone of acidity that was neutral in flavor but kept your mouth watering for more. The midpalate was herbal, making me think 'this is what Cabernet Franc would taste like if it were white and not red.' Cool and refreshing, this stood up to the basil. If you have the wine with something less resolutely green, you may find that its assertiveness is a problem but if you have basil, this is a good wine to go with it--and it represents very good QPR.
Full Disclosure: I received a sample of this wine for possible review.Fish Eye Pinot Grigio: A Genuine Bargain in White Wine
I first enjoyed the Fish Eye Pinot Grigio in 2009 with my fellow wine bloggers at our annual conference (and wrote about that experience here). It was a humbling moment for many of us, who were a bit sniffy about the wine based on the cute label, its availability in large-format bottles and boxes, and because it was Pinot Grigio. There is a lot (and I do mean a lot) of terrible, cheap Pinot Grigio out there. So much of it, in fact, that I've stopped ordering it in restaurants.
So it is with great pleasure that I report that the 2011 Fish Eye Pinot Grigio still has a suggested retail price of $7 (though you can find it in the market for prices between $5 and $10), it is still delicious, it is still widely available throughout the country, and it is still excellent QPR. Expect zesty, pure lemon and lime aromas and to have those scents echo through the flavors. You might detect a nice peachy note as you sip, which takes off some of the bitterness that can be associated with Pinot Grigio.
This is a versatile, food-friendly wine that is light enough to pair with vegetables and salads at a weekend lunch, will be a great companion to asparagus and lemon pasta as you work your way into your spring recipes, and will be welcome at summer barbeques so if you see some on the shelf give it a try.
Full Disclosure: I received a sample of this wine for possible review.Miracles Happen: Three Worthy Pinot Noirs for $25 or Less
Pinot Noir is a budgetary nightmare for most of us. Pinot is a finicky grape, which makes it difficult to grow, which translates into expensive bottles on the shelves. And that was before the movie that put Pinot Noir in everybody's glass, displacing Merlot.
Recently, I had not one, not two, but THREE bottles of Pinot Noir that were impressive--and none cost more than $25, which is quite reasonable by Pinot Noir standards. If $25 is too much for you--or you like more traditional tasting wines--scroll down to the final recommendation. At $12, it's a steal.
2010 Davis Bynum Pinot Noir (suggested retail $25; available in the market for $20-24) This excellent QPR example of Russian River Valley Pinor Noir has full-bore raspberry aromas and flavors with a burnt sugar edge. The mouthfeel is silky, with lots of toast and spice. The finish is long, with cinnamon and clove notes.
2010 Echelon Pinot Noir Russian River Valley (suggested retail $24.99; use the winery's "where to buy" feature to find a bottle near you) For around the same price as the Davis Bynum, and from grapes grown in the same place, this very good QPR example has intense raspberry fruit with a slightly candied edge to the flavors. The aftertaste is spicy, but less complex and dominated by clove notes.
(suggested retail $12) You might not expect to find Pinot Noir in Chile, but think again. This wine was much lighter in style, which some prefer, with pure raspberry aromas and flavors. You can't beat it for the price, this is a simple and delicious expression of the grape. Excellent QPR for a wine that will appeal to fans of more traditional Pinot Noir.
Full Disclosure: I received samples of these wines for possible review.Sauvignon Blanc...from Slovenia
Wine is an adventure. At least that's what I've always thought. So many grapes. So many styles. So many countries to visit--even if it's only through the liquid in your glass.
So when one of my favorite addictions--er, on-line retailers--Garagiste up in Seattle offered a three-pack of Slovenian whites to try, I jumped at the opportunity. The three-pack cost around $45, which meant there was a $15 investment per bottle for a Riesling, a Chardonnay, and a Sauvignon Blanc. Recently, I opened up the Sauvignon Blanc and was extremely pleased at my first foray into Slovenian wine.
You might not think "Slovenia" and "Sauvignon Blanc" in the same breath, but there's no reason why you shouldn't do so. Most parts of the globe have a history of wine-making, and that includes central Europe. I had some amazing Merlot when I visited Prague, and have enjoyed some wonderful Romanian wine here on the blog, and one of my all-time-favorite wines from Trader Joe's comes from Hungary. As for Slovenia, they have a venerable viticultural tradition that goes back to pre-Roman times (check this site for more information). So don't be afraid to try wine from regions you may be unfamiliar with, as they often represent very good value, as in this very good QPR example.
2008 Marof Sauvignon Blanc ( purchased in a three-pack from Garagiste; available in the market for around $11) This terrific Sauvignon Blanc had tart lemon pith, gooseberry, and lemongrass aromas and flavors. It was very clean and precise, without being overly herbaceous. A nice balance of fruit and acidity made it an ideal partner for food, and you can't complain about the price! It would be excellent with all kinds of dishes, from salads, to fish, to roasted chicken with lemon. We had it with a soup made with ancient grains and vegetables, and the lively acidity was a lovely counterpoint to the earthiness of the kamut and lentils, and picked out the bright tarragon herbal notes.Classic Cabernets for $15 or Less
There are all kinds of Cabernet Sauvignon out there. Some are too fruity for me. Some are too green. Some are too expensive. Some are too huge, with big alcohol and palate-punishing tannins.
I like my Cabernets to have a classic profile: plum and currant in the fruit department, pepper for spice, and enough acidity that I know I'm not drinking watered-down jam.
Here are three bottles that fit my preferences--and none has a suggested retail of more than $15. If you like your Cabernets big and bold or fruity and sweet, these wines may not appeal to you. But if what you're looking for is a wine that shows the grape's varietal character and an appealing price point, give one of them a try.
2009 Lander Jenkins Cabernet Sauvignon Spirit Hawk (suggested retail $15; available in the market for $7-$15) Rich plum aromas characteristic of this grape variety lead into a plummy palate with notes of mocha and eucalyptus. Though the tannins are fine-grained, they have a nice grip that will be appealing to lovers of more brawny wine. Excellent QPR.
2010 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Private Selection (suggested retail $11; available for $8-$12 in the market) This wine has classic aromas and flavors of cassis, plum, herbs, and green pepper with smooth, well-integrated tannins. This will not necessarily appeal to fans of hugely fruity Cabernets, but if elegance is what you're after, you can't do better than this for $11. Excellent QPR.
(suggested retail $13.99; available for $7-$9 in the market) Another Cabernet built along classic lines, this bottle has some green pepper aromas and flavors among the cassis and cherry. There is good acidity, and tannins that area bit astringent in the mouth--which will make it a great partner for juicy beef dishes. Very good QPR (though if you find it for $7, consider this excellent QPR!)
Classic pairings for Cabernet Sauvignon include burgers, roast beef, grilled steak, and (a personal favorite from my childhood) Pepper Steak. If you're a vegetarian and want something to go with Cabernet, look for a recipe that uses rosemary like this white bean and rosemary soup recipe (sub veggie stock for the chicken stock). Rosemary and Cabernet are a match made in heaven!
Full Disclosure: I received samples of these wines for possible review.Aromatic Food Calls for Aromatic Wine
If you are fond of aromatic food--including Thai, Moroccan, or Indian dishes--you might find them difficult to pair with wine. All those spices can overwhelm an ordinary white or red, and very tannic or very acidic wines can clash with what's on your plate. Often, I recommend Gewurztraminer or Riesling when there are lots of spices in a recipe (and I mean spicy, not necessarily hot).
There is another good option, however: Viognier. The grape is well-known among Rhone wine lovers, but may not be something you've tasted. Intensely aromatic wines made with Viognier can be wonderful with their floral scents and full-bodied texture, but there are many examples (especially inexpensive bottles) that taste a bit too much like dish detergent and feel waxy in the mouth.
So I'm really pleased to have discovered this excellent QPR option for those of you who would like to try something different in the white wine department. Try it with something like this one-pot chicken and chickpea tagine with bulgur (also from Mark Bittman...I'm on a Bittman kick these days).
2010 Wild Horse Viognier (suggested retail $17; average online price also $17) This wine is an excellent example of what Viognier can be, with lemon pith and honeysuckle aromas and flavors. Its stony core keeps it from getting sweet and sappy, and there is a liveliness in the mouth. Expect a nice interplay between the fruit and flower elements. This bottle would pair well with spicy chicken dishes, anything that uses lemons, Moroccan food, and Indian food.
Full Disclosure: I received a sample of this wine for possible review.Warming up Winter with Syrah
I'm not sure why Syrah tastes like summer to me--but it does. And by 'tastes like summer' I don't mean it's the kind of wine you reach for in July: cool, fresh, and zingy. I'm talking, instead, about a wine that conjures up images of fruit ripening on the vine, dusty back roads, purple-and-red sunsets, and a garden full of herbs ready for picking.
Now that we're approaching midwinter, a touch of summer might be welcome. If so, why not warm up your evening with a beautiful, affordable bottle of Syrah, like this excellent QPR bottling?
The 2008 Andrew Murray Syrah Tous les Jours (suggested retail, $16; average retail price via online retailers, $17) is an exceptional bottle of wine for the price. There is a beautiful balance between the fruit, herb, and mineral notes in this rich Syrah. Black fruits dominate the aromas and flavors, and I detected black currants and blackberries. The wine has a smoky, spicy edge followed by a clean, crisp aftertaste. The wine's good acidity will make it pair with a wide variety of foods, including roasted and grilled dishes, Moroccan food, and even hamburgers.
To go with your Syrah, try this delicious pan-roasted eggplant and lamb pasta sauce from Mark Bittman's Food Matters Cookbook. If you are vegetarian, it would be easy to leave out the lamb and still be left with a rich, flavorful sauce. The acidity of the tomatoes will not clash with this wine, the eggplant's bitterness will be a nice foil for the fruit, and the oven roasting will bring out the smokiness of the wine.
Full Disclosure: I received a sample of this wine for possible review.Spicing Things Up With Zin
Whether you love them or hate them, the next eight weeks are widely regarded as something of a challenge. Holidays. Family. Bad weather. Trips to the mall. Schlepping kids all over creation. Lots of turkey and mashed potatoes.
To survive, you need to keep some spice in your life. Start with some nice Zinfandel, and throw a pot of chili or pasta on the stove. It will keep you going during the darkening days of winter.
Here are two highly affordable Zinfandels for you to consider:
2009 Ravenswood Zinfandel Old Vine Vintners Blend (suggested retail $10; available in market for $7-$13) This very good QPR Zinfandel has smooth black cherry and blackberry aromas. You'll find the same fruits in the flavors, along with a smoky, spicy aftertaste. The wine has fine tannins, giving it an impression that is fruit-forward, but not too jammy.
2010 McManis Family Vineyards Zinfandel (suggested retail $11.99; available in market for $9-$14) Pure of taste and light on its feet, this is all about the blackberries in the aromas and flavors. There are nice spicy and pepper notes in the aftertaste, too. At 13.5% ABV, this is not a monster of a wine, but a lovely reminder of how Zinfandel can be elegant. Excellent QPR for around $12.
Full Disclosure: I received samples of these wines for possible review.Exiting the Wine Superhighway with Malvasia Bianca
One of the great things about wine is that no matter how much of the stuff you taste, there is always a new adventure to be had on the shelves of your local store or at your local winery (and yes, most of us actually do have a winery somewhere within driving distance!) Don't get me wrong: I love the taste of wine. But I also love discovering new tastes, and locating wines I like that are off the normal Chardonnay-Sauvignon Blanc-Cabernet-Pinot route. Today's wine pick is definitely out of the ordinary. Drinking it was a little bit like exiting the familiar wine freeway and taking a back road to your destination.
When I first opened up the 2010 Wild Horse Malvasia Bianca San Bernabe (suggested retail $20; available in the market for $20) from California's Monterey County AVA, I wondered if I had ever had the grape bottled on its own. It often turns up in blends, especially Italian blends. It turns out I have had straight-up Malvasia Bianca before, back in the spring of 2008 when I was looking for a wine to pair with asparagus, and I enjoyed it a great deal. Three and a half years later, I had the opportunity to taste my second example!
And what a nice change it was from the same-old same-old. First off: don't expect to smell lots of fruit when you open this wine. Instead, this delicious white had floral and spicy aromas with an underlying note of litchi. In the mouth, the impression was bone dry, and there was a spicy aftertaste that was unlike anything else I've had before. In some ways, it tasted like a GewA1/4rztraminer without that grape's lush, fruit-forward profile. As the wine was exposed to air and warmed up a bit in the glass, I tasted lean, elegant traces of pear, litchi, and lemon pith. Very good QPR. The 2010 Wild Horse Malvasia Bianca would pair beautifully with delicate fish and shellfish dishes, as well as Pacific Rim cuisine including fish tacos and sushi.
This autumn, make it a point to go wine adventuring. If you're at a restaurant that has a wine-by-the-glass list, try a grape variety you've never had before. If you're at your local wine shop, tell them that you love Pinot Noir but you'd like to try something new. Chances are you'll walk out with a Gamay or a Blaufrankisch--and you may just find a new wine favorite. And kudos to Wild Horse for offering us some unusual varieties like Verdelho, Malvasia and, yes, even Blaufrankisch, to tempt our tastebuds and expand our horizons.
Full Disclosure: I received a sample of this wine for possible review.
Much-Maligned Merlot
Once the darling of wine-by-the-glass programs around the country, and purchased by the gallon by people who didn't know what else to buy, Merlot has been relegated to the margins of wine culture. "You drink Merlot?" people have asked me with horrified expressions.
Yes. I drink Merlot. It's a great food wine--far easier to pair with most dishes than its more structured sibling, Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot has a bit of softness, a hint of richness, that make it a good choice for autumn and winter meals.
But Merlot critics do have a point: there was such a high demand for Merlot some people got carried away and began mass-producing wines that lost all of the plummy, peppery, clove, and mocha notes that make wines made with this grape distinctive.
Here are a few affordable bottlings that will get you reacquainted with Merlot. And here's a handy list of foods that go well with them: Mustard, Mushrooms, and Meatloaf (and other dishes made with ground beef). It's an easy list to remember, and will help you out in the store whether you're inspired to make Melissa Clark's Chicken with Mustard Croutons, Jamie Oliver's pappardelle pasta with wild mushrooms, or a classic meatloaf or burger.
2009 Rutherford Ranch Merlot (suggested retail $18; available for $14-$20) With characteristic chocolate, plum, and spice notes that persist from the aromas, through the flavors, and continue on into the aftertaste, this is a very good QPR choice. Nicely balanced between fruit, acidity, and oak, the wine impproves with air, suggesting it is suitable for drinking between 2011 and 2014. Buy a bottle for now--and set one aside for 2012 or later.
2009 Arroba Winery Merlot (suggested retail $19.95; available for around $15) A good QPR choice with plum and baking chocolate aromas and flavors. Good acidity and spice in the aftertaste makes you head back to the glass for another sip.
2009 Bella Sera Merlot (suggested retail $7.99; available for $7-$11) Very good QPR at around $8, this Merlot smells and tastes of plums with hints of chocolate around the edges and pleasingly smooth tannins. It may not convince Merlot skeptics, but those who enjoy the grape should give this Sicilian bottling a try.
2008 Concannon Vineyard Merlot Selected Vineyards (suggested retail $10; available for $7-$11) Another Merlot for the price, with more structured rich plum and currant aromas. These fruits are evident in the flavors, too, which are nicely accented with spice. A reminder of the versatility or Merlot, and that the grape can be great if treated well.
If you haven't had Merlot for a while, give it another try. You may find yourself pleasantly surprised by what's on offer these days.
Full Disclosure: I received samples of these wines for possible review.
The Pursuit of Chardonnay
There are days when I just despair for the future of Chardonnay. All it takes is a string of uninspired, overly manipulated examples with loads of fake oak flavors and it makes me swear off the stuff for weeks.
But it only takes one good bottle to remind you why some of the world's great wines have been made from the grape.
If you're in pursuit of Chardonnay, this bottle should help you remember what Chardonnay can be.
2009 MacMurray Ranch Chardonnay Sonoma Coast (suggested retail, $20; available in market for $12-$20) This is a good example of a California Chardonnay that has seen some time inside a barrel, so there are flavor elements that derive from oak, namely a vanillin note that did not strike me as at all fake or forced. Hurray! The entry for the wine comes from its aromas of dough and apple (a bit like an apple crumble), with a note of honeyed vanilla that is the prelude for tastes to come. The flavors are dominated by cream and apple, with a cantaloupe note that I can't say I've ever tasted in a Chardonnay before, but which added an interesting dimension to the wine. Creamy vanilla notes linger in the mouth after your last swallow. Very good QPR, if you like rich and full-bodied California Chardonnays that remain true to the grape.
Full Disclosure: I received a sample of this wine for possible review.
Napa Cabernet for Under $20
Cabernet Sauvignons from California's Napa Valley are among the iconic wines of the USA. They have a cult following, and are in heavy demand, which means that they have hefty price tags, too. Is it possible for those with leaner wallets to see what the fuss is all about.Absolutely.
If you're looking to try a Napa Valley Cabernet--with all the rich flavors that the appellation promises--try to get your hands on this bottle. It may not have all the complexity and structure of a $100 bottle of Napa Cabernet, but for around $15 it's far more affordable.
The 2008 Irony Cabernet Sauvignon (available in market for $11-$17) is a very good QPR choice in Napa Valley Cabernet, with good varietal character and some distinct Napa pizzazz. High-toned plum, cherry and pomegranate aromas and flavors gain depth with a cedary, spicy aftertaste that reminds me of much more expensive bottlings. Though the tannins pucker the tongue with a nice grip, the wine is never heavy. As a result, it is very food friendly and will pair beautifully with stews, roast meat, and steaks.
Full Disclosure: I received a sample of this wine for possible review.
Something to Celebrate
Five years ago, on 7 October 2006, I wrote my first blog post after going wine shopping. Here we are, more than 714, 000 visitors later. As with most things in life there have been ups and downs, some bumps in the road, and some unexpected miracles which led to unexpected hiatuses in posting. Thanks for sticking by me through thick (when I wrote a post a day) and thin (when I wrote no posts for months) and everything in between (like now, when I'm doing my level best to post every Monday and Thursday--or in this case, Sunday and Thursday).
Since a 5th Year Anniversary is something to celebrate, today I've got a round-up of under $20 sparklers for you. They come from Italy, France, and Austria. And because they're affordable you don't need any particular excuse to buy one and open it just because it's Monday!
2009 Weingut Markus Huber Zweigelt Hugo ($18, domaineLA; available in market for $16-$17) A nice choice in sparkling roses under $20, this is made with Zweigelt, and has distinctive strawberry aromas and flavors. Very yeasty (almost beery) in terms of the carbonation, this is a more rustic sparkling wine perfect for charcuterie or a plate of grilled sausages. Very good QPR.
($15, domaineLA; available in market for $16-$19) Very good for the price, this wine is made with Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon under biodynamic growing protocols. The color is rose-gold, and the bubbles are medium-sized and long-lasting. Crisp citrus flavors are paired with richer notes of bread dough and toast. Even Champagne lovers will be impressed with the quality and depth of flavor for $15. Excellent QPR.
N.V. Sorelle Bronca Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Extra Dry (under $20 at domaineLA; available in market for $14-$18) Clean lemon and lemon-blossom aromas and flavors, and the bead is quite small, which makes for a fun, frothy Prosecco that is good enough to be had on its own as opposed to mixing into Bellinis. Very good QPR.
(suggested retail, $17; available in market for $12-$15) Greenish in color with small bubbles. this wine is part of a new venture in wine making from a Spanish/Italian team. The partnership really shines in this wine which has the apply/bready notes of Spanish sparklers and the citrusy notes of prosecco without any bitterness or excessive yeastiness. Crisp, but can stand up to food especially vegetables and fish. Very good QPR.
Full Disclosure: I received a sample of the Voveti for possible review.
When Life Gives You Lemons...
There is something fresh, clean, and bright about the scent of a lemon. No wonder we use the juice to liven up the flavors in food, and put fine ribbons of lemon peel in so many dishes to add just the right crisp, sweet note.
Today I have two recommendations for lemony wines. Like lemon juice or lemon peel, these bottlings will brighten up your table and enhance the flavors in food. And here's something that will put an even bigger smile on your face: they both retail for around $11.
2010 McManis Family Vineyards Pinot Grigio (suggested retail $10.99; available in the market for $8-14) For around $11 this wine impresses with its clean-edged lemon peel aromas, pure lemon flavors, and slightly waxy texture. There's not a false note or a rough edge to be had, and it's not too bitter so it's a perfect wine if you're looking for something citrusy to accompany lemon-roasted chicken or piccata. Excellent QPR.
(suggested retail $11; available in the market for $8-11) With loads of lemon and lime zest in the aromas, this wine is reminiscent of the fresh, zippy Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand. The aromas are echoed in the flavors, which take on a nice lemongrass complexity. Clean, zesty, and focused this is another steal for the price. Excellent QPR.
Full Disclosure: I received samples of these wines for possible review.
The Future Looks RosA(c)
Now that we're into autumn, you may think the future looks decidedly less RosA(c).
Those of us who drink RosA(c) wines--those pale to dark pink bottles of wine made from everything from Cabernet Sauvignon to Zinfandel--tend to think of them as summery offerings, suitable for picnics and barbeques but not for serious food.
Actually, RosA(c) wines are versatile and food friendly. They pair with almost everything. Served with a bit of a chill, they offer refreshment when your table contains spicy dishes. And they are usually very affordable.
Here are two of my favorite RosA(c)s, which I tasted over the summer and early fall and which I have no problem recommending to those of you who are ready to take out your stew pot and turn on your oven. And both of them are dry wines--which means that they will pair with almost everything.
2010 San Giovanni Garda Classico Il Chiaretto ($15.00, domaineLA; available in market for $13-$15) This delicious RosA(c) is made from an Italian blend of Barbera, Groppello, Marzemino, and Sangiovese. You will smell the strawberries, and the aromas carry over into the flavors. There is a pleasant stony edge to the strawberry tones, and a lovely, savory note in the aftertaste. Well-balanced, medium-bodied, and . We had it with a Jamie Oliver dish of grilled tuna with oregano and lemon, grilled zucchini, and some garlicky cannellini beans, and the wine had the right amount of fruit, acidity, and minerality to pair with the dish. It would also be great with creamy pasta dishes, sausage, or roast pork. Note: It comes in a cute, chubby bottle but it does contain the full 750ml that you're used to.
2010 ChAC/teau d'Esclans CA'tes de Provence Whispering Angel ($20.99 from my local independent grocery store; available in market for $13-$27)
This wine is very, very pale pink in color--think ballet-tights pink. The aromas are even drier than those of the Il Chiaretto, with under-ripe strawberries, chalk, and melon rising up from the glass. The flavors echo the aromas, but the chalk becomes more intense. Very dry, very savory, and very good QPR (though if you can get it for under $15, you will find it's excellent QPR) This wine is made mainly from Grenache, with some Rolle, Cinsault, and Syrah blended in to it. A nice pairing for shrimp or other shellfish, salmon, tuna, or roast chicken.
Advanced Topics in White Wine
It's that time of year. If you have kids they're back in school with their pencils sharpened and their notebooks already full of doodles. You might be feeling a bit nostalgic about your own schooldays-gone-by, when you were taking courses and learning new subjects.
The best thing about loving wine (ok, one of the best things...) is that there is always more to learn. This fall, why not try some interesting whites that are beyond your normal Chardonnay-Sauvignon Blanc-Riesling comfort zone? You just may find a new favorite.
2009 M. Chapoutier CA'tes du RhA'ne Blanc Belleruche (suggested retail $12.99; available in market for $8-$15) Red wine fans may be familiar with the rich, affordable red blends from the Southern RhA'ne, but have you ever tasted their whites? This blend contains Grenache Blanc, Clairette and Bourboulenc. It is more "old world" in style, with a fresh, neutral taste dominated by mineral and lemon peel notes. It tastes robust, and stands up well to richer fish (tuna, halibut), vegetable dishes, and chicken pot pie. If you like Sauvignon Blanc, I think you'll enjoy this wine. Very good QPR.
2010 ViA+-a Robles White4 (suggested retail $16; available in market for $13-$16) ) This white blend is from Paso Robles, and gets its name from the four white grape varieties that go into every bottle: Viognier, Verdelho, Sauvignon Blanc, and Vermentino. This year's bottling is a very good QPR, versatile white wine with honeysuckle and citrus aromas and flavors. If you like dry Rieslings but are looking for a wine with more body, give this a try.
2010 Freie WeingA$?rtner Wachau / DomA$?ne Wachau GrA1/4ner Veltliner Federspiel Terrassen (suggested retail $15; available in market for $11-$17) The grapes are grown in Austria's Wachau region, and the wine that results is crisp with pear, stony mineral, and citrus elements. The wine tastes full and delicious, while retaining its bright and lively profile. Excellent QPR. I love Gruner Veltliner with fish, roasted chicken, anything made with lentils, and even Indian food.
2009 Leo Steen Chenin Blanc Saini Farms (purchased in my local grocery store for $19.99; available in market for around $17) Made from grapes grown in Sonoma County's Dry Creek Valley, this lovely Chenin Blanc is a lovely, dry example. There are apple and honeycomb aromas and flavors, which bring back the tastes of summer. If you like the apple notes in Chardonnay, but are not always fond of the oak that many winemakers use, try this wine and you won't be disappointed. And if you're looking for wines to set aside for Thanksgiving, this would be a great choice.
Full Disclosure: With the exception of the Chenin Blanc, I received samples of these wines for possible review.
Autumn's Transitional Red
The temperature is up.
You want to use your grill once last time before you put it away.
You want to break out your crock pot.
If this sounds like you, then you need to have some Malbec on hand. Many people associate Malbecs with summer barbeques, but this versatile red is just as good with soups or stews as it is with grilled chicken or steak. In other words, it's the perfect transitional red!
A few reminders about Malbec: though today the grape is most associated with Argentina , it was once quite popular in Bordeaux and produces wines that remind me of French Cabernets and Merlots. Expect a rich, full-bodied wine that can hold center stage. And keep in mind that while some Malbecs can be big, fun fruit-bombs, others are far more restrained and can exhibit mineral and herbal characteristics.
Here are three Argentinian Malbecs I'm recommending this autumn:
2010 Colores Del Sol Malbec (suggested retail $12; available in market for $6-$12) This excellent QPR option has lovely, lush blackberry and boysenberry aromas. That fruity aroma profile is found in the flavors, as well, and there are additional notes of leather and spice which linger on after the fruit flavors fade. This Malbec will go well with grilled sausages, meats, chilis, and stews.
(suggested retail $14.99; available in market for $8-$11) A more restrained example, with typical varietal characteristics, this wine has earthier, raisin, and black cherry aromas and flavors. With air there was a nice spicebox quality to the aftertaste, as well as some tobacco notes. Very good QPR at around $15, if you can find it for around $10 I think it would be excellent QPR for those looking for a more traditional taste.
2009 Argento Malbec Reserva (suggested retail $16; available in market for $14-$16). Don't be worried if the plum aromas are faint when you first open this wine. They develop nicely with some exposure to the air, as do the plum, blackberry, and tobacco leaf flavors. The tannins are drying, and will probably soften a bit with storage time. Also traditional in style, this would be particularly good with grilled or braised meat. Very good QPR.
Full Disclosure: I received samples of these wines for possible review.
To Reserve or Not to Reserve? And What's the Difference Anyway?
In your wanderings down supermarket aisles and through wine stores, you may have come across wines labeled "Reserve" or bearing the name of a vineyard and wondered what the designations were all about. What does it mean to be a "reserve" wine? A vineyard wine? And what difference--if any--does it make to the taste? Or the price tag?
If you are confused about what "Reserve" means there is a good reason for it: there is no standard or regulated use of the term. In its purest sense, it was once used by winemakers to specially mark wines they felt were superior. Today, it can be used to indicate the wines have been reserved in the winery for an extra year or two, that they received special oak treatment, that the grapes used in the wine were from a select portion of those harvested, or some combination. It can also be used purely as a marketing term, because who wouldn't want a special wine?
Wines with vineyard designations are regulated, however, and if you see the name of a vineyard on a bottle it means that 95% of the grapes used in the wine must come from that vineyard. Vineyards vary tremendously in terms of soil, climate, and exposure and all of these variables can alter the taste of your wine. Sometimes, a winemaker feels that the grapes grown in a particular patch exhibit special characteristics, and they decide to keep that fruit separate to accentuate the unique qualities of the grapes.
Recently I had a chance to taste three wines made from the same maker, from the same grape, and all from grapes grown in the same county (although different parts of that county). One was the standard bottling, one was a vineyard designate, and one was a reserve bottling. All three were excellent--but had distinctively different taste. Here's my take on them.
2009 Rodney Strong Chardonnay Sonoma County (suggested retail $13.50; available in the market for $8-$15). A clean and crisp Chardonnay, with apple and lemon aromas and flavors accented by richer pineapple and creamy vanilla notes. A portion of the juice was fermented in barrels, the rest in a tank, which helps to explain both the vanilla notes (the oak) and the crispness (from the stainless steel tanks). Flavorful, well-balanced and food friendly. Very good QPR.
2009 Rodney Strong Chardonnay Chalk Hill (suggested retail ; available in the market for $13-$21) This wine was made from grapes grown in an estate vineyard in the Russian River Valley. A distinctive, classy Chardonnay with apple and toasted oak aromas followed by apple flavors. Layers of cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg make the wine spicy, but the apple flavors remain strong and keep the wine fresh as do the underlying mineral notes. The aftertaste is nicely spicy, too, in part from the time the juice spent in both new and seasoned French oak barrels. Very good QPR.
(suggested retail $35; available in the market for $24-$35). This wine was one year older than the others I tasted (even though it is a recent release) and tasted and smelled far richer with its apple and toasted coconut aromas. Full, creamy baked apple and sour cream flavors were followed up with a rich, spicy aftertaste. The Rodney Strong website explains that the wine was made in their "small lot winemaking facility," and that the juice was fermented in French oak barrels. Though this wine cost significantly more, it was an excellent value of the rich, oaky style of California Chardonnay. Very good QPR.
When faced with a decision of whether to choose a standard, vineyard designate, or reserve bottling, remember this: it's all about the taste and what you find affordable. In this case, the higher priced wines were richer-tasting, in large part because of their contact time with expensive oak barrels. However, sometimes what you want is a crisp Chardonnay. In that case, you'd be far happier with the Sonoma County bottling! As for me, my palate was most pleased with the Chalk Hill example.
As for food pairings, any of these wines would provide you with a pleasant Chardonnay to pair with your late summer/early fall dinners of grilled or roasted chicken, butternut squash ravioli, or grilled halibut.
Full Disclosure: I received samples of these wines for possible review.
Love Fish? Try Falanghina
I don't know why, but recently my largely-chicken diet has turned in the direction of fish. This means my white wine preferences are shifting subtly, too. It's harder and harder for me to find a Chardonnay that doesn't overwhelm fish's delicate flavors. Sauvignon Blancs can be too assertive. Riesling doesn't work for my tastebuds for some reason, unless the fish preparation is quite spicy or I'm having shrimp.
So I kept searching for whites that would pair well with my fish tacos, linguine alle vongole, grilled tuna, halibut, scallops, and shrimp. And I found Falanghina. This wonderful grape is native to the southern Italian region of Campania, and is especially well-known in the vineyards around Naples on the Amalfi Coast.
The wine that knocked my socks off and won a permanent spot on my table is the 2009 VIVI Falanghina Campania IGT. And the suggested retail price? $9.99 (available in the market for $8-$13). You will find that the wine smells fresh and floral, like sitting in a garden by the seaside on a summer's day. As you swirl it in your glass, you may notice some citrus notes, too. Flavors of lemon and honeycomb round out the wine. And while there is plenty of zip and acidity in the juicy aftertaste, it will not overwhelm the delicacy of the seafood or fish you might be serving. Excellent QPR.
Full Disclosure: I received a sample of this wine for possible review.
Fire Up the Grills--and Buy Cabernet Sauvignon
It was 90 degrees in Los Angeles. I know it's snowing in Buffalo, but here it is spring (or maybe even summer). So last night I fired up the grill for the first time, marinaded a skirt steak, threw some sweet potatoes in the oven (note to self: roasting potatoes in oven for an hour heats up the house), and tossed some cherry tomatoes with mozzarella, fresh basil, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Then I hit the Cabernets.
I love grilled steak with Cabernet Sauvignon, and I have three recommendations for you: one under $10, one under $15, and the other just a hair over $20. Even if you are experiencing snow, these wines would also be good with stews, braised short ribs, or a pot of chili.
Under $10: 2009 Big House Wine Company The Usual Suspect Cabernet Sauvignon (suggested retail $9.99; available for $6-$10). Not the most complex Cabernet, perhaps, but a solid example of the grape with characteristic plum and currant aromas. The palate was dominated with plum notes and accented by a bitter taste reminiscent of coffee grounds. The aftertaste was nicely bitter, too, which kept this fruit-forward wine from becoming too jammy. A touch of Grenache is blended into the Cabernet. Good QPR.
Under $15: 2009 Robert Oatley Cabernet Sauvignon James Oatley TIC TOK (suggested retail $14; available for $12-$16) This is another fruit-forward Cabernet, with currant and blackberry aromas and flowers. A spicy aftertaste is accompanied by nice tannins that have just enough grip. Very good QPR.
(suggested retail $22; this new release currently available at the vineyard; previous releases available elsewhere for $15-$25) This was a wonderful wine, and tasted like something considerably more expensive than the sticker price. Aromas and flavors of currant, pencil lead, and eucalyptus made for an elegant and complex wine. With air, the currant notes turn plummy. The aftertaste is smooth, with spicy, well-integrated tannins. This is a lot of wine for $22, and excellent QPR.
Full Disclosure: I received samples of these wines for possible review.
A Candidate for Your House White: d'Arenberg's The Stump Jump
Last week I was extolling the virtues of red blends. After I wrote the post, I realized that though there were many red blends in my cellar, there weren't many white blends. I'm not sure why that's the case, because what goes for reds is true of whites as well: the blending can make the wine especially food friendly and versatile. And, just as with red blends, there is often a very attractive price tag on a white blend.
So I looked in the closet to see if I had any white blends and discovered a bottle of the 2009 d'Arenberg The Stump Jump (suggested retail $10; available for $9-$13) This is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Marsanne, and Riesling. As with most good blends, you can identify the individual components in the finished product. In this case, the Sauvignon Blanc is evident in the aroma which is very grassy, and that grassiness is accompanied by touches of honey from the Marsanne. The flavors have notes of pear, grapefruit pith, and a bit of litchi--so there's more Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling influence there. The mouthfeel is heavier than some whites, thanks largely to the Marsanne. The aftertaste reminded me of a dry Riesling, with its acidity and apple notes. I would have liked the wine to be a bit more fruit-forward--which is not something I say often. Even so, this wine is a good candidate for a house white because of its versatility and very good QPR. I looked over my notes from previous vintages, too, and this wine has consistently been good all the way back to 2004, which is another reason to try a bottle if you see one in the store, irrespective of its vintage.
Proof of the wine's versatility can be had by pairing it with something like this Soba Noodle Salad with Salmon and Asparagus from Bon Appetit magazine. With the rich salmon and avocado, the grassy asparagus, and the ginger-soy dressing, it's a bit of a challenge--but this wine handled it beautifully. The Sauvignon Blanc worked well with the asparagus, the Riesling with the Asian flavors, and the Marsanne stood up to the buckwheat and salmon.
Full Disclosure: I received a sample of this wine for review.
A Red for All Seasons
Last week I was extolling the virtues of spring. Now it's grey and drizzly again. In some places, it's still snowing. With the variable weather, it's hard to know which way is up. Do you dust off the grill and barbecue chicken? Or do you make a pot of stew? And what do you drink in the wine department, given it can be 86 degrees one day and 59 degrees the next?
Regular readers know that I love red blends because they're food friendly. This time of year, though, I am especially fond of them because their versatility means that they are as welcome next to grilled chicken as they are soup. So when the weather gets this way I make a bit pot of chili, pick out a red blend, and no matter whether if feels like June or January I'm ready to go.
A red blend I enjoyed recently with a pot of beef and black bean chili was the 2006 Tamarack Cellars Firehouse Red from Washington state's Columbia Valley. ($19.69 in my local independent grocery store; this vintage available for $20-$25, but more recent vintages can be had for $14-$22) Composed from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and Merlot, the result is a juicy, fruit-forward wine with good structure. I've had my bottle for several years, and it's drinking just great now. I detected aromas of blueberry, cinnamon, and baking chocolate, all of which are echoed in the palate. The wine retains a fresh, lively taste through the mouth-watering aftertaste, with some additional herbal and spice notes. What I enjoyed most was the play between the varieties: the Cabernet Sauvignon lending its weight and acidity, the Syrah providing those soft berry flavors and spice, the Cabernet Franc lifting the blend with some acidity and herbs, and the Merlot making it approachable and inviting. Very good QPR.
And if you're looking for some chili recipes, here are a few of my favorites to try:
Fine Cooking's Beef and Black Bean Chili with Chipotle and Avocado
Rachael Ray's Fiery Chicken Chili (warning: makes enough for medium-sized army)
Tyler Florence's Outrageous Texas Chili
Spring/Sprung: Three White Wines Perfect for the Season
Sorry about the long silence, folks, but I've been--er--busy. And I managed to catch the mother of all winter colds, which lasted three weeks and pretty much made tasting anything (wine included) an impossibility.
Now that I'm sprung from booktours and the 'flu, I'm back home, and having a glass of wine with dinner again, so I've got some tasting notes for you. The first are all about spring. It's definitely in the air here in Los Angeles and if you haven't caught a whiff of it yet, you soon will. Here are some lively white wines to celebrate the freshness of the air and the first flowers:
2009 Graves Monkey Wrench ($17.99, domaineLA; available for $17-$23) This wine is blended from one of my favorite white grapes--Grenache Blanc--and Viognier. The result is a fresh, zesty, and well-balanced with lime and mango aromas and flavors. These fruity notes are kept in check with strong minerality and tangy acidity. You will enjoy this with grilled fish, a chicken salad, or Asian food. Excellent QPR. (NB: label if from 2006--I drank the 2009)
(suggested retail $16; available for $10-$23) In the "even zestier" department, this New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc will appeal to the most die-hard lovers of the fresh wines from the Marlborough region. Abundant gooseberry, lime, and lemongrass aromas and flavors will make it ideal with Thai food, the fresh vegetables of the season (I imagine it would be wonderful with an herb risotto, for example), or citrus-roasted chicken. Very good QPR.
2009 Franciscan Chardonnay (suggested retail $18; available for $12-$22) Finally, if you like a slightly richer wine but are ready to swap your buttery wintery Chardonnays for one that has a bit more zip, try this excellent QPR bottling from Napa. It's one of the best domestic Chardonnays I've had in some time, and is memorable for its liveliness, its excellent balance, and the zesty citrus and apple flavor profile. Elegant and food-friendly, have this one with your richer dishes like a scalloped potato and fennel gratin, your favorite chicken dish, or some grilled chicken-apple sausages and a tossed salad.
Full Disclosure: I received samples of the Chasing Venus and Franciscan wines for review. I purchased the Graves bottling myself.
The Virtues of Simple Perfection: Cep Sauvignon Blanc
Simplicity is underrated. Perfection is overrated. But what do you do when you find a wine that is quite simply perfect? Well, you enjoy it first. Then, if you're me, you write about it here and hope that you can still get your hands on some later.
Some readers will find it surprising that the wine that I'm touting is a Sauvignon Blanc. One person I know recently described Sauvignon Blanc as "boring," and while I couldn't disagree more I think I understand why some she might feel this way. There are a lot of generically "citrusy" Sauvignon Blancs out there that, though refreshing, aren't necessarily going to make you run out and buy more. I think this Sauvignon Blanc is different, though. And even though you might pay a smidge over $20 as I did, I think you will still consider it excellent QPR.
The 2009 Cep Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Hopkins Ranch ($20.99 in my local independent grocery store; available in the market for $15-$20) is a wonderful example of Sauvignon Blanc. Instead of a generically "citrusy" mouthful, I detected pure notes of Meyer Lemon in the aromas and flavors. There was a clean note of mint, as well, and some stoniness that added depth and breadth to the wine. It was almost piercing in its intensity, but never overwhelming or assertive, with lots of focus to the flavors and a long, juicy aftertaste. Think of pairing this wine with Asian food that uses citrus elements like orange peel or lemon, a roast chicken, an early spring salad topped with rounds of goat cheese, or seafood.
This stylish, well-made, and satisfying wine was brought to you by the same people who own and operate Peay Vineyards, and are winemakers renowned and respected for their ability to select great fruit and craft great wines from that fruit. Cep is their second label--which means that fruit that doesn't quite make the cut of their high-end wines is bottled under a different name--and was for a time a well-kept secret. Now the secret it out, and it gives more people a chance to taste their winemaking efforts. Cep also bottles a superb rosA(c) and Pinot Noir, so keep your eyes out for these, too.
Keyword Selected: Egypt
Sudan's military coup and the stifling of speech | The Listening Post
Sudanas flirtation with democracy ends in a coup daetat - how far will its leaders go to control what we know about the story? Contributors: Mohanad Hashim - journalist Jonas Horner - deputy director, Horn of Africa, Crisis Group Yassmin Abdel-Magied, writer and broadcaster Raga Makawi - editor, Africa Arguments On our radar: As Myanmaras military courts sentence journalists arrested after the coup that removed democratically elected Aung San Suu Kyi, producer Nicholas Muirhead talks Richard Gizbert about the release of American journalist Danny Fenster. Eric Zemmour: The political rise of Franceas far-right polemicist Far-right French journalist Eric Zemmour has yet to declare himself a presidential candidate - but has he already set the tone for next yearas election? Contributors: Rokhaya Diallo - contributor, C8 and The Washington Post newspaper Christophe Deloire - secretary-general, Reporters Without Borders Aurelien Mondon - associate professor of politics, University of Bath
Hate speech and misinformation in Ethiopiaas war | The Listening Post
As Ethiopia stares down the barrel of all-out civil war, a government-imposed communications blackout is allowing hatred and disinformation to thrive. Contributors: Berhan Taye - Digital researcher Nima Elbagir - Senior international correspondent, CNN Claire Wilmot - Research officer, LSE On our radar: This week, a routine news conference in Athens turned into a shouting match between a Dutch journalist and the Greek prime minister. Meenakshi Ravi tells Richard Gizbert about the media furore that ensued. War and PiS: An attack on Polandas biggest news channel: Back from the brink, still on the air - the Polish 24-hour news channel that remains in the governmentas crosshairs. Contributors: Brygida Grysiak - Deputy editor-in-chief, TVN24 Tomasz Lis - Former anchor, TVN & editor-in-chief, Newsweek Poland ElA1/4bieta Rutkowska - Journalist, Dziennik Gazeta Prawna Beata Tadla - Former anchor, TVP & host, Onet.Pl
Climate crisis: Can journalists make the world care? | The Listening Post
Climate change: News organisations, fossil fuel companies and audiences all need to do better on the story that could mean the end of us. Contributors: Meera Selva - deputy director of the Reuters Institute Genevieve Guenther - founder and director, End Climate Silence George Monbiot - author and columnist David Gelber - co-founder, The Years Project On our radar: A year after war broke out in the northern Tigray region of Ethiopia, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmedas government has declared a six-month state of emergency. Producer Flo Phillips joins Richard Gizbert to discuss the effect it is having on freedom of expression. The hate crimes going viral in India: Violence against Muslims, filmed by the perpetrators, is the latest ugly trend among Indiaas Hindu vigilantes. Contributors: Alishan Jafri - journalist, The Wire Hate Watch Angana Chatterji - anthropologist, University of California, Berkeley and co-editor of Majoritarian State: How Hindu Nationalism is Changing India Saba Naqvi - author of Shades of Saffron 00:00 Intro 02:15 The climate crisis 11:29 Ethiopiaas ongoing conflict 13:42 Violence against Muslims in India 23:48 End note
Arrests & defamation: Bollywood in the dock in Modias India | The Listening Post
Aryan Khan, the son of one of Indiaas biggest movie stars, Shah Rukh Khan, was charged with possessing and trafficking drugs. We take a look at the drug bust that tells a story of the conflict between the Indian authorities and Bollywood. Contributors: Namrata Joshi - Journalist and film critic Vivek Agnihotri - Film director Sucharita Tyagi - Film critic Tejaswini Ganti - Assistant Professor, Anthropology and Film Studies, NYU On our radar: Facebook is again in our news feeds, and once again for the wrong reasons. Richard Gizbert speaks to producer Nic Muirhead about the continuing fallout from the whistleblower that has a consortium of news outlets on the companyas case. Alarm Phone: The refugee hotline and lifeline We discuss Alarm Phone, the hotline for refugees at sea that is helping to get their stories heard. Contributors: Jacob Berkson - Activist, Alarm Phone Giorgos Christides - Reporter, Der Spiegel Giorgos Kosmopoulos - Greece researcher, Amnesty International Notis Mitarachi - Greek Minister of Migration and Asylum 00:00 Intro 02:12 Bollywood in the dock in Modias India 11:17 Facebook whistleblower fallout 13:45 Alarm Phone: The refugee hotline & lifeline 24:05 End Note
The Beirut blast probe: A tale of distrust and disinformation | The Listening Post
Accountability for the blast that destroyed Beirutas port proves elusive in Lebanon and journalists are not helping. Contributors: Lara Bitar - Editor-in-Chief, The Public Source Alia Ibrahim - Co-founder and CEO, Daraj Jad Shahrour - Journalist and writer; Communications Officer, Samir Kassir Foundation On our radar: Obituaries of former United States Secretary of State Colin Powell have been too kind. 'Foreign agents' and 'undesirables': Kremlin's media labels Authorities in Russia have been systematically clamping down on journalism with the help of so-called apatriotica activists. Contributors: Vitaly Borodin - Federal Security & Anti-Corruption Project Roman Badanin - Founder & Former Editor-in-Chief, Proekt; John S. Knight Senior International Fellow, Stanford University Lilia Yapparova - Special Correspondent, Meduza
What this year's Nobel Prize says about the global media climate | The Listening Post
For the first time in 85 years, the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to two journalists. What does this tell us about the state of global journalism? Contributors: Rana Ayyub - Journalist Agnes Callamard - Secretary General, Amnesty International Julie Posetti - Global director of research, International Center for Journalists Ilya Yablokov - Lecturer in Journalism and Digital Media, Sheffield University On our radar: Singaporean authorities have passed a new "foreign inference" law that has put journalists there on alert. Richard Gizbert speaks to producer Nic Muirhead about the law and its worrying implications. Just a game?: The US military-gaming complex War is not a game. But it is for the video games industry and it is proving to be a useful ally for the United States military. Contributors: Nick Robinson - Associate Professor of Politics and International Studies, University of Leeds Matthew Gault - Reporter, VICE Rami Ismail - Video game developer
Outages, leaks and bad headlines: Facebook's nightmare week | The Listening Post
A whistleblower, a system crash and the United States Congress on its case; Facebook goes under the microscope, yet again. Contributors: Pranesh Prakash - Co-founder, Centre for Internet and Society; affiliated fellow, Information Society Project, Yale Law School Siva Vaidhyanathan - Professor, University of Virginia; author, Antisocial Media Marianne Franklin - Professor of global media and politics, Goldsmiths, University of London Mahsa Alimardani - Researcher, Oxford Internet Institute On our radar: The Pandora Papers - the largest investigation in journalism history - are reverberating through the financial world of the rich and powerful. Producer Flo Phillips tells Richard Gizbert about the biggest ever leaks of offshore data and who they have exposed. The case of Egyptas jailed TikTok stars The Egyptian government has been progressively tightening its grip on cyberspace and female social media influencers are the new targets. Contributors: Yasmin Omar - Egypt legal associate, The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy; human rights lawyer Joey Shea - Non-resident scholar, Middle East Institute Dalia Fahmy - Associate professor, Long Island University, Brooklyn
Kidnap or Kill: The CIAas plot against WikiLeaksa Julian Assange | The Listening Post
An exposA(c) detailing the CIAas war on WikiLeaks - a Trump administration plan to silence Julian Assange and the organisation - has been published. But like so much of the Assange story, it's got nothing like the media coverage it deserves. Contributors: Michael Isikoff - Chief investigative correspondent, Yahoo News Kevin Gosztola - Managing editor, Shadowproof.com Carrie DeCell - Staff attorney, Knight First Amendment Institute Rebecca Vincent - Director of international campaigns & UK bureau director, Reporters Without Borders On our radar: Project Amplify - Facebookas PR initiative - backfires. Richard Gizbert speaks to producer Meenakshi Ravi about the scrutiny Facebook is under, yet again. Lost in translation: How texts change as they travel The translation of literature - from one language to another - is a tricky business. Translators become cultural mediators, balancing faithfulness to the original with the needs of a new audience. When translators fail, context can be sacrificed, and stereotypes can get reinforced. Contributors: Layla AlAmmar - Author, Silence is a Sense & Academic, University of Lancaster Susan Bassnett - Translation theorist & emeritus professor, University of Warwick Muhammad Ali Mojaradi - Translator & founder, @persianpoetics Leri Price - Literary translator End Note: And, after 16 years of leading the country as its chancellor, Germany is saying goodbye to Angela Merkel. Puppet Regime - a comedy series produced and published by GZERO Media - pays tribute to her work, Kraftwerk style.
Drone exposA(c): The journalism that forced the Pentagonas mea culpa | The Listening Post
United States drone warfare is finally being exposed. But why did it take American news outlets so long to get to such a big story? Contributors: Emran Feroz, Founder, Drone Memorial Christine Fair, Security Studies Program, Georgetown University Spencer Ackerman, Author, Reign of Terror Vanessa Gezari, National Security Editor, The Intercept On our radar: Producer Tariq Nafi and host Richard Gizbert discuss a voting app that was developed by Russian opposition activists to fight Vladimir Putin in the recent elections - but was censored by Big Tech. 100 Years Too Late: Canadaas Residential School Reckoning Months after the story of mass graves at so-called residential schools in Cananda broke, the nation is still reckoning with the trauma of mass graves. Contributors: Cheryl McKenzie, Director of News and Current Affairs, Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) Cindy Blackstock, Executive Director, First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada Connie Walker, Host, Stolen: The Search for Jermain Wab Kinew, Leader, Manitoba New Democratic Party
China: Regulating superstars, superfans and big tech | The Listening Post
Xi Jinping's China has embarked on a campaign that could transform the country's technology, entertainment and media industries. Contributors: Chris Buckley - China correspondent, The New York Times Kaiser Kuo - Host, The Sinica Podcast and editor-at-large, SupChina Bingchun Meng - Associate professor, Department of Media and Communications, LSE Rui Zhong - Program associate, Wilson Center, Kissinger Institute on China and the United States On our radar A month of Taliban rule in Afghanistan, Meenakshi Ravi and producer Johanna Hoes discuss how the Taliban is already leaving its mark on the countryas news industry despite initial promises to the contrary. Structures of oppression? Colombiaas falling statues Indigenous Colombians have been toppling statues of European colonisers - challenging how the countryas history is remembered. Contributors: Didier Chirimuscay - Misak community leader Rodolfo Segovia - President, Colombian Academy of History Amada Carolina Perez - Historian, Javeriana University
Reporting the aenda of the Afghan war 20 years after 9/11 | The Listening Post
Two decades on from the 9/11 attacks, American news coverage of the United States' withdrawal from Afghanistan reveals how much has changed - and how much has not - in the mediaas approach to US wars. Contributors: Alexander Hainy-Khaleeli - Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter Catherine Lutz - co-director, Costs of War project; professor of International Studies, Brown University Fariba Nawa - author, Opium Nation; host, On Spec Azmat Khan - contributing writer, The New York Times Magazine; assistant professor, Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism On our radar: Meenakshi Ravi speaks to producer Flo Phillips about the latest developments in the Afghan media space, including the Talibanas mistreatment of journalists covering this weekas protests. Afghan journalists under threat A report on the past, present and future of the media in Afghanistan, as told by three Afghan journalists. Contributors: aNa - Journalist & media safety specialist aMa - Photojournalist aLa - Regional radio & TV reporter
The Forever War: 20 Years After 9/11 | The Listening Post
Twenty years after the 9/11 attacks, this special edition of The Listening Post looks at the climate of fear that undergirded the so-called "War on Terror" and how the US news and entertainment industries helped produce it. Contributors: - Chris Hedges - Former foreign correspondent for The New York Times; author of Collateral Damage - Sinan Antoon - Co-editor at Jadaliyya; poet and writer; associate professor at New York University - Jill Abramson - Former executive editor of The New York Times - Deepa Kumar - author of Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire; associate professor at Rutgers University - Robert D Kaplan - Former contributing editor at The Atlantic - Lexi Alexander - Movie and TV director
Pegasus: Flying on the wings of Israeli acyber-tech diplomacya? | The Listening Post
A global cyber-surveillance scandal - spyware developed in Israel - has put the government there under the media microscope, and its story does not add up. Contributors: Jonathan Klinger - Cyberlaw lawyer Marc Owen Jones - Assistant professor, Hamid Bin Khalifa University Omer Benjakub - Tech & Cyber Reporter, Haaretz Marwa Fatafta - Policy Analyst, Al Shabaka On our radar: Tunisia is in political turmoil after the president declared a state of emergency - or what critics are calling a coup. Richard Gizbert speaks to producer Flo Phillips about how journalists there are feeling the heat. Africaas PR Push: How governments manage the message: Handling public relations for governments is lucrative work - and for Western PR firms, Africa has emerged as a new hunting ground. Contributors: Alex Magaisa - Former adviser, prime minister of Zimbabwe Alexander Dukalskis - Author, Making the World Safe for Dictatorship Kathleen Ndongmo - Communications specialist
Pegasus Project: Malware used against journalists and dissidents | The Listening Post
A global consortium of media outlets blew the lid off a huge surveillance scandal revealing how the hacking tool Pegasus has been used by governments around the world to spy on dissidents and journalists via their mobile phones. Contributors: Rohini Singh - Reporter, The Wire Bradley Hope - Co-founder, Project Brazen Laurent Richard - Founder, Forbidden Stories Eva Galperin - Director, Electronic Frontier Foundation On our radar: American media outlets have been feasting on a story a the billionaire space race. Richard Gizbert and producer Meenakshi Ravi discuss how the mass of coverage squares alongside another story about the planet that is far more consequential - climate change. Bild's battle for political influence in Germany There is a crucial election coming in Germany, and its biggest tabloid, Bild, is trying to preserve its place at the heart of German politics. Contributors: Julian Reichelt - Editor-in-chief, Bild GA1/4nter Wallraff - Investigative journalist & author, The Lead Moritz Tschermak - Editor-in-chief, BILDblog & author, How Bild divides society with fear and hate Margreth LA1/4nenborg - Professor of journalism, Free University Berlin - Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe - Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish - Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera - Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/
Cuba: Protesters move from social media to the streets | The Listening Post
Cuba is witnessing something historic - the biggest anti-government demonstrations in 60 years - and the authorities have imposed temporary blocks on the internet, making credible media coverage and reliable information that much harder to find. Contributors: MA3nica Rivero Cabrera - Cuban journalist Tracey Eaton - Cuba Money Project Angelo R Guisado - Center for Constitutional Rights JosA(c) JasA!n Nieves - Editor-in-chief, El Toque On our radar: Whether they are taking penalty kicks or taking a knee, Black footballers playing for England are dealing with online abuse. Richard Gizbert and producer Tariq Nafi discuss the debate that has resulted - about racism in the United Kingdom. Sports activism in the era of social media On tennis and basketball courts, baseball fields and in hockey rinks, athletes are putting their political and social activism out there for sports fans to see. Contributors: Shireen Ahmed - Journalist & writer Musa Okwonga - Co-founder, Stadio Football & author, One of Them Frank Guridy - Associate professor, Columbia University Khalida Popal - Former captain, Afghanistanas womenas football team
Hong Kong: Broken promises | The Listening Post
Twenty-four years since Britain handed Hong Kong back to China, the city has undergone a transformation. In recent years, Beijing has intensified the silencing of political dissent and the squeezing of media freedom - through new laws drawn up in the name of security, the jailing of critics, and the reigning in of adversarial journalism. Contributors: Chris Yeung - Chairperson, Hong Kong Journalists Association Bao Choy - Freelance journalist, RTHK Linda Wong - Journalist, Citizen News Keith Richburg - Journalism and Media Studies Centre, Hong Kong University; president, Foreign Correspondents Club Holden Chow - Vice chairman, Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong Hong Kong: The assault on free speech Three Hong Kongers talk about the shrinking space for freedom in their city, and the way it has affected their lives and work. Contributors: Lee Cheuk-yan - Founder, June 4th Museum Wong Kei Kwan (Zunzi) - Political cartoonist Nathan Law - Democracy activist - Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe - Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish - Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera - Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/
Iranas new president: What's next for the countryas media? | The Listening Post
Iranas new president-elect is heading into the job carrying some baggage from the past that neither he nor the countryas state-friendly news outlets care to talk about. Contributors: Mahsa Alimardani - Iran researcher, Article 19; researcher, Oxford Internet Institute Ghanbar Naderi - Iranian affairs analyst Pardis Shafafi - Anthropologist and researcher, ERC Off-Site Project Arash Azizi - Author of Shadow Commander On our radar Richard Gizbert speaks to producer Meenakshi Ravi about the targeting of female social media influencers in Egypt as two more women are jailed for their TikTok videos. The struggle for freedom of expression in post-Castro Cuba From protests to viral videos, Cuban activists test the limits of dissent as they demand greater cultural freedoms. Contributors: Amaury Pacheco - Poet and activist, Movimiento San Isidro Fernando Ravsberg - Journalist; former correspondent, BBC Fernando Rojas - Cuban Deputy Minister of Culture Marta Maria Ramirez - Independent journalist - Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe - Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish - Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera - Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/
Nigeria: The tweet that got Twitter banned | The Listening Post
The tit-for-tat in Nigeria that saw Twitter banned by the government. Contributors: Mercy Abang - Journalist Lai Mohammed - Nigerian minister for information and culture Gbenga Sesan - Executive director, Paradigm Initiative Fisayo Soyombo - Editor-in-chief, Foundation for Investigative Journalism On our radar It's election time in Algeria and the government is feeling the heat on the streets. Richard Gizbert and producer Flo Phillips discuss its response - arresting journalists, and taking broadcasters off the air. A snapshot of empire: The racist legacy of colonial postcards How the golden age of postcards left behind a legacy of racism that continues to shape perceptions of Africans today. Contributors: Sarah Sentilles - Writer and critical theorist Olubukola Gbadegesin - Associate professor, Saint Louis University Stephen Hughes - Senior lecturer, SOAS Julie Crooks - Curator, Art Gallery of Ontario - Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe - Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish - Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera - Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/
From Sheikh Jarrah to Gaza: Journalism under apartheid | The Listening Post
Just days after the ceasefire in Gaza ended 11 days of bombing, The Listening Post spoke with two Palestinians who have tilted international attention towards their struggle. Contributors: Muna al-Kurd - Sheikh Jarrah resident and activist Hosam Salem - Gaza Palestinian photographer On our radar Richard Gizbert and producer Tariq Nafi discuss Israelas crackdown on reporters in East Jerusalem, and the international journalists calling out their own media operations for sanitising the oppression of Palestinians. How to cover apartheid: A human rights perspective with Hagai El-Ad Human rights groups are reframing the discussion about Israel's domination of Palestinians. Richard Gizbert interviews Hagai El-Ad, executive director of Israeli human rights organisation, BaTselem. Contributors: Hagai El-Ad - Executive director, BaTselem - Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe - Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish - Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera - Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/
Lab leak reloaded: The media brings back COVID origin debate | The Listening Post
A year and a half into the pandemic and people are still asking where the COVID-19 virus originated. The so-called lab-leak theory is gaining momentum among some scientists and journalists who contend this story has the makings of a mass cover-up. Contributors: Nicholas Wade - Former science reporter, New York Times James Palmer - Deputy editor, Foreign Policy Amy Maxmen - Senior reporter, Nature Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz - Epidemiologist, University of Wollongong; columnist, The Guardian On our radar One journalist in Pakistan is beaten up. Another is being censored. Richard Gizbert speaks to producer Tariq Nafi about the countryas red lines that you cannot cross. Forced to forget, determined to remember: The Tiananmen massacre Chinese officials have tried to erase the Tiananmen Square massacre from the countryas history but dissidents outside the mainland are doing what they can to keep the memory alive. Contributors: Lee Cheuk-yan - Founder, June 4th Museum; chairman, Hong Kong Alliance Wuaer Kaixi - Tiananmen protest leader Yaqiu Wang - China researcher, Human Rights Watch
Israel-Palestine: The double standard in American newsrooms | The Listening Post
News coverage in the US of the Palestine-Israel conflict has always favoured Israel but that is beginning to shift. The question is - to what extent and will it last? Contributors: Linda Sarsour - Executive director, MPower Change; Author, We Are Not Here to be Bystanders Omar Baddar - National Policy Council, Arab-American Institute Lara Friedman - President, Foundation for Middle East Peace Philip Weiss - Founder and senior editor, Mondoweiss On our radar Belarusian authorities went to extreme lengths to arrest opposition journalist Roman Protasevich. Richard Gizbert speaks to producer Meenakshi Ravi to find out why. Slovenia: The prime ministeras awar with the mediaa Another European leader shows his authoritarian side; Sloveniaas prime minister, Janez JanA!a, says he is at "war with the media". Contributors: Marko MilosavljeviA - University of Ljubljana, Chair of Journalism AnuA!ka DeliA - Editor-in-chief, OA!tro BlaA3/4 Zgaga - Reporter, Nacional.hr and investigative journalist Boris TomaA!iA - Host and chief editor, Nova 24 - Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe - Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish - Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera - Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/
Deadly Games: Algeria and Tunisia's ultra football fans | Al Jazeera World
"Somebody said that footballas a matter of life and death to you. I said, listen, it's more important than that." When the legendary Liverpool football manager Bill Shankly came out with his now-famous quote on TV in 1981, he might have been talking about the Algerian and Tunisian fans in this documentary. For many, football really is much more than a game. Some see themselves as not just supporters but part of a wider movement. They say that on the terraces, they find a sense of belonging and a camaraderie otherwise absent from their daily lives and that as supporters they also represent the dispossessed of the poor suburbs of Tunis and Algiers. Sometimes, however, football passions can have life-changing consequences. In March 2018, 19-year-old Omar Labidi from the southern suburbs of Tunis clashed with police outside a busy stadium. The victimas brother claims that police used tear gas to force Omar into a nearby river where he drowned. Three years after his death, his family continues to seek justice. In Algeria, Raouf Zerka has only vague memories of the game that changed his life in November 2016. In the 70th minute of a local derby match in Algiers, a burning flare hit him in the face. After eight days in a coma, he discovered he had lost his left eye. This film follows Tunisiaas and Algeriaas most passionate fans, buying tickets on the black market, travelling vast distances to away matches, and doing whatever it takes to support the teams they love. But it also highlights the price of football passion and asks if the cost of extreme fandoms is worth the risk.
Incite and inflame: Israelas manipulation of the media | The Listening Post
Ceasefire in Gaza: As journalists in the Strip stop to catch their breath, Israel's media stand accused of inciting violence against Palestinians. Contributors: Yara Hawari - Academic and writer; senior analyst, Al Shabaka Tareq Baconi - Senior analyst, International Crisis Group Joshua Leifer - Assistant editor, Jewish Currents Rami Younis - Palestinian journalist On our radar In Qatar, a Kenyan who blogged under the pen name "Noah" about his life as a migrant worker in the Arab Gulf state finds himself in custody. Richard Gizbert and producer Johanna Hoes discuss the case of Malcolm Bidali. The Xinjiang whitewash Meet the white Western influencers helping China contest claims of genocide in Xinjiang. Contributors: Mareike Ohlberg - Senior fellow (Asia Program), German Marshall Fund Sophie Richardson - China director, Human Rights Watch Amelia Pang - Author of Made in China Shelley Zhang - Writer, China Uncensored
#Palestine: Videos of violence, images of death on social media
Gaza under assault. Bloodshed at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Social media is the place to go for the coverage of this story except when the platforms take issue with what is being posted. Contributors: Marwa Fatafta - Policy analyst, Al-Shabaka Yossi Mekelberg - Associate fellow of the MENA Programme, Chatham House Mariam Barghouti - Writer and activist Rami Khouri - Professor of journalism, American University of Beirut On our radar Three Myanmar journalists have been arrested in Thailand. Richard Gizbert speaks to producer Flo Phillips about their possible deportation back into the hands of Myanmaras military government. Mammy, Jezebel, Sapphire: Stereotyping Black women in media We discuss the stereotyping of Black women in the media and the push for change in an industry where diversity and inclusion have been too long in coming. Contributors: Kovie Biakolo - Culture writer and multiculturalism scholar Francesca Sobande - Lecturer of digital media studies, Cardiff University Naeemah Clark - Professor of cinema and television arts, Elon University; author, Diversity in US Mass Media Babirye Bukilwa - Actor and playwright - Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe - Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish - Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera - Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/
'Foreign agents and extremists': Russia's attack on critics | The Listening Post
In Russia, the political stakes are rising in the run up to election season - journalists are being branded as "foreign agents" and an opposition figure is labelled an "extremist". Contributors: Ilya Yablokov - Academic, Leeds University Lisa Alexandrova-Zorina - Journalist, Team 29 Ivan Kolpakov - Editor-in-chief, Meduza Uliana Pavlova - Journalist, Moscow Times On our radar After months of deliberation Donald Trumpas Facebook account remains suspended. Richard Gizbert asks producer Meenakshi Ravi to explain the decision. The Turks turning to YouTube Independent journalists in Turkey, like CA1/4neyt Azdemir, are taking refuge online. Azdemiras daily YouTube program has become a staple for Turks, especially among younger viewers looking for journalism of a different kind. Contributors: CA1/4neyt Azdemir - Creator and host, CA1/4neyt Azdemir Show Cansu Aamlibel - Editor-in-chief, Duvar English Emre Kizilkaya - Turkish vice chair, International Press Institute; author, The New Mainstream Media is Rising - Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe - Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish - Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera - Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/
India: Smothering critique amidst the second COVID wave | The Listening Post
While Indiaas healthcare system lies in total collapse, the government is leaning on social media companies to protect its own image. Contributors: Vineet Kumar - Author and media scholar Pratik Sinha - Co-founder, Alt News Pragya Tiwari - Political and cultural commentator Sangeeta Mahapatra - German Institute for Global and Area Studies On our radar Having imprisoned leading opposition figure Alexey Navalny, Russian authorities are now looking to put his entire organisation out of business. Producer Johanna Hoes tells Richard Gizbert why the group is being targeted by the state. Paul Rusesabagina: The trial of the 'hero of Hotel Rwanda' Dissident or "terrorist"? The many-sided story of hotel manager turned Hollywood hero, Paul Rusesabagina. Contributors: Michela Wrong - Author, Do Not Disturb Gatete Nyiringabo Ruhumuliza - Political analyst Tom Ndahiro - Genocide scholar Terry George - Director, Hotel Rwanda - Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe - Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish - Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera - Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/
Indiaas COVID crisis: Navigating bad stats and government spin | The Listening Post
COVID-19 has brought India to its knees and, in many ways, the mainstream news media are failing to do their job. Contributors: Atul Chaurasia - Executive Editor, Newslaundry Paranjoy Guha Thakurta - Journalist & Author Sandhya Ravishankar - Journalist, India Ahead News Kapil Komireddi - Author, Malevolent Republic On our radar Host Richard Gizbert speaks to producer Flo Phillips about doctored footage coming out of Russia. Kremlin-backed channels would have you believe it is not just Ukrainian and Russian forces building up at the border but American as well. Attacked on the streets, typecast on TV: a media history of being Asian in America How Asian Americans have been othered in the media; the tropes and the rise in hate. Contributors: Kimmy Yam - Reporter, NBC News Takeo Rivera - Assistant Professor, Boston University Amanda Nguyen - Civil Rights Activist & Founder, Rise
Brazil: Battling Bolsonaroas COVID misinformation | The Listening Post
Some of Brazilas biggest media companies have come together to combat COVID-19 misinformation a a lot of which is coming from President Jair Bolsonaroas office. Contributors: Luciana Coelho - Head of COVID task force, Folha de Sao Paulo Cristina TardA!guila - Associate director, Poynter Laura GuimarAPSes CorrAaa - Associate professor, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Marcelo Lins - Journalist, GloboNews On our radar Nicholas Muirhead and Richard Gizbert discuss a curious case of photo colourisation (and distortion) that has landed American media outlet Vice in hot water. Wikipedia: The internetas unlikeliest experiment turns 20 How has a free online encyclopedia built through crowdsourcing, open editing and volunteers managed to maintain its relevance and preserve its credibility? We look at what makes Wikipedia tick. Contributors: Katherine Maher - CEO, Wikimedia Foundation Sandister Tei - Co-founder, Wikimedia Ghana User Group Shane Greenstein - Professor, Harvard Business School
Page took 8 seconds to load.
Home Page