Jancis Robinson, my favorite wine pundit, wrote about Australian wine, which did pretty well for itself last year. It should have, since one Australian varietal, Shiraz, is unmatched anywhere else in the world. Unfortunately, however, this kind of publicity (not just from 101-365!) will drive the prices up, possibly to Napa-like levels. I wonder how Chile is doing?
Elevator of Turin
This scratch, that appeared after Easter on the inner door of my building's elevator, looks disturbingly similar to the markings on the Shroud of Turin.
Viva Mexico!
Friday, when I got to work, I found this can sitting on my desk, no doubt a present from Susie. This Mexican agave wine was sweet and tasted decidedly biological, with nothing to give away its shared roots with the much more potent beverage, tequila. From the label:
El Pulque es una bebida de moderacion, considerada sagrada por los Aztecas, por su alto nivel alementicio.
Last night, about 10, as I drove south on Central Avenue approaching Broadway Road, a police car suddenly pulled in front of me, also heading south. Immediately another marked cruiser pulled in right behind me. I glimpsed at the speedometer and eased off the peddle as I was 11-12 mph over the posted 35 limit. The car behind me closed the gap, and shifted to the left lane, and began to pull alongside.
"Oh, great!", I thought as I turned my head to see what was up.
At that exact instant, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a grey blur - a cat - run toward me, disappear behind the hood, right under the front wheels. Slamming on the breaks, my car jerked to slow, and my hand flew forward off the wheel and hit the wiper control. This jammed the wiper lever into the 'on' position, and my panicy fumbling was unable to stop it.
Oh, yeah, the police. Quickly I glanced to my left, and ... shit, two of 'em, up in the front seat, staring right at me. But they seemed to be looking beyond me. Wiper blades a-slappin', I looked to the right side of the road. There, prancing along a white wall, was that smartalec, grey cat.
Safire: "Wolfowitz of Arabia"
