Wine of the Week

2006 Source Napa Gamble Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc

For me, sauvignon blanc can be hit or miss...sometimes, it's just too bland and a little watery. But this selection is neither and in fact, is an all around pretty great white wine. The winemakers are hoping to raise the quality of sauvignon blancs by focusing on site selection and limited quantities. The grapes are estate grown on the winemaker's own property and produce a wine that is complex and interesting with layers of fruit. A small production at around 2,000 cases; retails for around $25.

Grand Nantucket Style

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Blue & White

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Redesigned John Robshaw Website

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Wine of the Week

2007 2 Lads Rosé

We're back from our annual trip to Lake Michigan. I forgot my camera this year so here are a couple photos from last year. It still looks the same!

We used our free afternoon to wine taste along the up and coming Old Mission Peninsula. My favorite stop was Two Lads. Are you a rosé drinker? I think some people assume by the color that they all taste like a sugary white zinfandel (yuck!), but that's not the case! Today, boutique wineries all over the country are producing rosés that are typically dry, not sweet, and have just a hint of fruit. And because they're served chilled they become the perfect summer sipping wine. This rosé uses cabernet franc grapes which take advantage of Michigan's cool climate by producing an intense, ruby colored wine. Enjoy with a cheese course or a spicy chicken dish. Retails for $17.

Happy Fourth!

Enjoy the weekend!

image courtesy of katie ridder

Casualties

The kittens are entering the awkward teenage years. Here they are fascinated by running water.

It's a good thing they are so cute. See the pair of the leather chairs in my living room? They are by Mitchell Gold, amazingly comfortable, and the leather is incredibly soft. Perfect for kitten claws.
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They aren't scratching the furniture intentionally (relief), but all the running and scrambling over the chairs has resulted in an increasing number of nicks and marks. The chairs will need to be re-upholstered at some point and I can either spend the next few months watching their condition deteriorate, or I can start the fabric search now and then and move on to other things.

Guess which of those two options I'm going with!

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And if you know of a quality upholstery service in the Birmigham area, please leave me a comment!

Wine of the Week

2008 Spice Route Viognier

The past few evenings have been perfect for outdoor dining. Last night, we sat outside and enjoyed this wine with grilled steak and roasted asparagus. If you read my wine posts with any sort of regularity, you already know that I am a huge fan of viognier. I describe it as a chardonnay with more interest. Spice Route is a product of South Africa and this particular viognier is complex and fruity with a bit of spice. Retails for around $18 and available locally at the Mtn Brook Western.

Katie Ridder Wallpaper & More

So fun!

And I can't resist posting a few images of her amazing design work, too!

more images here

Designer Spotlight: Marshall Watson

images courtesy of house beautiful, traditional home, & new york social diary

happy weekend!