2006 C5 Stefani Vineyard Dry Creek Valley - Zinfandel
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Interesting back story here, the winemaker who has been in the business for 25 years ventures out on his own and to raise capital sells his prized C5 Corvette. He names his vineyard after the car and specializes in Zinfandel.
This wine is deep plum in color with long legs and a pleasant aroma. The first couple tastes were very jammy with lots of fruit up front and little oak or spice. About 45 minutes later the wine opened and impressed me with great body and a long and lingering finish. The plump and juicy flavors are still here but have merged with the rustic flavors of the barrel and the heat of the alcohol. Its another great zin and one that every zin lover should try. It's not an entry level wine and one that should be enjoyed drink by drink. According to the website it retails for $30 a bottle but I picked it up for $23 over at Cloverleaf in Royal Oak.
http://sidejobcellars.com/index.html
Posted by mardenhill 7/30/2008 10:32:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Wine
Primal Scream - Beautiful Future (2008)
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
This is a cd I had been waiting for and had no idea what to expect. The first listen was a bit disappointing but after a few more it really started to grow on me. If you were expecting loud and angry electro-rock well its not here. Same goes for stripped down Stones rock and roll. No Acid House party music or dub style chill out either. Its new territory for Primal Scream and one that is refreshing.
The first song "Beautiful Future" is upbeat with church bells and a toe tapping beat. Track 2 "Can't Go Back" sounds more like PS and pulls from XTRMNTR era with its heavy beats and thick texture. What differs tho is the lightness of the music. Track 3 "Uptown" is a bit weak with the electro-funk but does showcase Mani's amazing bass skills. There are no lyrics just Bobby Gillespie repeating Uptown over and over at certain points of the song. Track 4 "The Glory Of Love" has a subtle Asian feel reminiscent of early Cure. Track 5 "Suicide Bomb" features lots of reverb and fuzzed out guitar but tends to be too repetitive. At almost 6 minutes it's a pretty long instrumental that tends to drag on. Track 6 "Zombie Man" harks back to the Screamadelica era and is full of stupid lyrics and house party dance beats. If the lyrics were not so bad the song would be much better. Track 7 "Beautiful Summer" is downright amazing. You may think its Depeche Mode upon first listen but the tone and atmosphere created here is perfect. The next few songs tend to blend together but also sound the most Primal Scream. The cd closes with track 10 "Necro Hex Blues" an upbeat, rock and roll song covered in a thin layer of electronic sheen. This is Primal Scream's Pop record and a direction the band has never really ventured down. It's not their best nor is it bland and boring. The band are mixing it up but at the same time providing a clear and concise direction. Depending on my mood dictates what PS cd I like most. Each one has brilliant tracks followed by weak ones. If I had to pick one cd it would probably be Vanishing Point followed by Evil Heat.
Posted by mardenhill 7/29/2008 09:07:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Music
2006 Francois Pinon - Vouvray Cuvee Tradition
One of my favorite white grapes is the Chenin Blanc and the best place to find this wine is France. The Chenin Blanc known as Vouvray (region in France) is full of sweet flavors, creamy texture and a hint of oak. This wine has a golden hue with a light and floral nose. If you are looking for a wine to pair with spicy food, this is one since the sweetness can calm the heat. This is not a dessert wine nor a simple and cheap white, it's complex with tropical flavors and a lingering finish.
You can find this bottle at Cloverleaf Fine Wines in Royal Oak. If you havn't been to the new location you need to check it out. The layout is very cool and the selection is one of the best for the price.
http://www.cloverleafwine.com/
Posted by mardenhill 7/29/2008 08:34:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Wine
Some Mac Rumors
Monday, July 28, 2008
According to Weintraub's sources, the new MacBooks will be thinner than the current MacBook and MacBook Pro designs while slightly more rounded. The case is said to be made of one piece of aluminum and bears some similarities to the MacBook Air. The trackpad on the new notebook is to be made of glass and support multi-touch and the use of gestures, but the notebook will not incorporate a multi-touch screen.
Finally, Weintraub expects the new MacBook to be released at the end of September.
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Well here are the latest rumors on the updated Macbook Pro front. Seems like they will be dropping sometime this september. Interesting seeing how back to school is next month. I guess Apple will try to pawn off the old laptops before the refresh hits. This may all change so just take these rumors with a grain of salt. I am still holding off for the new design even if it means forgoing a free iPod Touch.
Posted by mardenhill 7/28/2008 08:05:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Technology
New Refrigerator
Friday, July 25, 2008
We bought a new fridge last weekend and today they are delivering it. We decided on a Maytag Stainless Steel French Doors/Freezer on the bottom model. There is filtered water but it is on the inside vs on the front of the door. That way we don't lose space and we also conserve more energy. I checked multiple fridges and the ones with the mount on the front used up more energy even if it was rated energy star.
Anyways, delivery should be interesting. Right now the main street 11 mile which is a block south of us is under construction and all torn up. There are trucks parked on the side of our house and just yesterday the city came back to tear up the section of new road between my neighbors house and mine that was just laid 2 years ago. The losers who did it were in a hurry since it was a Friday afternoon and it looked like rain. The road was wavy and since then water would pool after each rain and freeze in the winter. We complained for 2 years and finally after my neighbor sending an Anniversary card with a screw in it to the city, they decided to do something about it. So now I have half the street torn up in front of my house, construction a block south of me blocking that road and trucks on the side. I just hope the delivery truck doesn't turn around and head back home.
Update: I forgot to say we bought it from ABC Warehouse my favorite store for buying things since I get to haggle on price. Unfortunately there isn't a lot of room to move around on fridges but I was still able to counter and get him to lower his price. The key is to shop everywhere else and go into ABC last since you may need to be prepared to buy the item that day.
Posted by mardenhill 7/25/2008 08:29:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: Misc
Garden - 2 Months Later
Sunday, July 20, 2008
The view coming up from the driveway. 
Our peppers, you can see some are coming in but still have some time before harvest.
Our herb garden, lots of delicious and flavorful herbs at your fingertips. 
Our tomatos, we have 8 plants and I could not get them all in one shot.
Our beans, yes there are some green beans under the canapy of leaves. We will pick some tonight for dinner.
Our out of control raspberry bush. We have already picked a ton of berries which Erika made into Raspberry jam and the bush is ready for another harvest. I definitely need to trim back at the end of the season, there are a few shoots that are taller than me. 
At this point, most of the color is gone from the yard except for a few late summer perennials and our annuals. In the back I have a section full of wild flowers and tall grass. Here is a shot of some the cone flowers, hostas and daisies. 
Our phlox which is 4 years old now and standing about 4.5 ft tall. It just started blooming and will fill out over the next week. This one also blooms twice which is really cool.
Posted by mardenhill 7/20/2008 04:59:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Garden
2005 Midnight Cellars - Estate Zinfandel
Friday, July 18, 2008
A few weeks ago I was at the Merchant's Wearhouse were I stumbled across this bottle of wine. I asked the guy how the bottle was but he didn't know since it was a customer's request who never came to pick up the wine. The customer's loss was my fortune since the wine originally sells for $29 a bottle. The store had it marked for $18.99 which wasn't bad and I decided to take a gamble.
The chance paid off since this is a great Zin, excellent flavor, body and finish. The nose is sweet but spicy upon taste. The body is full with a great balance of fruit and oak. The finish lingers on for days with the heat following all the way down your throat. At 15.9% this is a high alcohol Zin but well worth the taste. There are no candy flavors here and after breathing for about an hour this wine really opens up.
Unless I head back to the Merchant's Wearhouse I will probably never see this bottle again unless I special order it. The production is limited and none of my regulars carry this wine.
http://www.midnightcellars.com/index.html
Posted by mardenhill 7/18/2008 11:02:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Wine
2007 Elk Cove - Pinot Noir Rose
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
For years I was afraid of Rose's, I equated them with White Zinfandel. Well a few years ago I was forced to drink one and really enjoyed it. Made correctly these wines are crisp, clean and not too sweet. Just a hint of strawberry with a tart finish that is fermented in steel rather than oak. These wines are great during the summer and go well with appetizers or just by themselves. France makes the best Rose's but you can find some outstanding bottles from Oregon and California. This one happens to be from one of my favorite Oregon vineyards, Elk Cove. Next time you are at the store, grab a bottle and give it a shot, its worth trying just once.
http://www.elkcove.com/index.php
Posted by mardenhill 7/16/2008 09:42:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Wine
Beck - Modern Guilt 2008
Sunday, July 13, 2008
This past week Beck released his latest album Modern Guilt with very little fan fare. It seemed to creep up on me and there wasn't the anticipation that someone like Coldplay had throughout the music world. Anyways, the cd takes a few listens but if you were a fan of Mutations (personally my favorite cd) you will enjoy this one. It clocks in at 34 minutes which is a nice change from the last cd The Information which seemed to go on and on and on. I really enjoyed parts of The Information but there was much filler that started to bore me. The subdued tones from before have carried over to this release but with the help of Danger Mouse at the production helm, those beats took on a new form. The tropical/surf sounds of Mutations mixed with some crazy break beats is what we have here. The layers are thick which has become a trademark of Beck the last few years and while no song has a super sing along chorus, you can tap your feet and nod your head.
It seems as if Beck has decided its time to settle down into one style and manipulate that vs genre jumping as he has done in the past. I am fine with this since I do like his current musical demeanor and lack of willingness to emulate the current fad or flavor of the month. This cd is a cerebral release and one that needs a few listens to sink in. This will definitely make my best of for the year but not sure yet at what number.
Posted by mardenhill 7/13/2008 09:44:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: Music
iPhone 3G
Friday, July 11, 2008
Happy iPhone 3G day, the phone that everyone has been waiting for. The new version of the iPhone is 3G so faster data speeds and has corporate email support. The iPhone Application store also launched with hundreds of apps to download many free. Besides that the iPhone software version 2.0 is now available for 1st gen iPhones and iPod Touches. This will give the device corporate access and the ability to download and install additional applications.
Along with the launch is the new Mobile Me offering for those who need to be mac centric in every aspect of their life. This includes an email account that will utilize push technology instead of pop3 or imap which schedules email syncronization. This will also sync your calendar, contacts and give you online storage for photos and files. Pretty cool except that it is $100 a year, too steep for me.
The good news, now that the iPhone 3G launch has finally started, they can now start working on the updated MacBook Pro that is rumored to be out before September. This one I am interested in......
Posted by mardenhill 7/11/2008 01:09:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Technology
Damn Damn Damn.......
Sunday, July 06, 2008
It would seem "scheduling conflicts" have forced the Gutter Twins to postpone seven North American dates on their forthcoming tour. Every show from their July 24 gig in Baltimore through to their August 1 date in Detroit is now off, though the band has plans to reschedule as many of the dates as possible on a soon-to-be-announced tour set to follow a Voodoo Experience appearance in late October. All other dates are on as planned, and the updated roster is available below.
In other Gutter Twins news, Sub Pop will issue a 7" single for Saturnalia's "God's Children" with a truly frightening cover August 11.
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The Gutter Twins have postponed their Detroit show along with 5 others. This is really frustrating since the last time Mark Lanegan was supposed to play Detroit he was in a car accident and the tour was scrapped. There were no rescheduled dates and I have a feeling I am going to get screwed once again.....
Posted by mardenhill 7/06/2008 05:43:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Music
Holiday Weekend
Due to an exam on Thursday my holiday weekend was cut short but oh well, I still had a good time. I met Erika up at her parents on Friday where we hung out on the lake. On saturday we went up to Traverse City for the day and saw part of the Blue Angel's air show. Unfortunately the air show dragged on way to long and really not being too interested we took off early and hit the vineyards. We stopped into Blackstar Farms and L. Mawby for a few good bottles and samples. From there we met up with Erika's sister and her friends for dinner at a great restaurant in Sutton's Bay called Samuels. Now that we are back home its time to work in the yard and get to all the weeding and mowing I have neglected over the past couple weeks.
Posted by mardenhill 7/06/2008 02:08:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Travel
