Cucinà! February 15, 2014

One of my favorite places for many different things is Cucinà.  Cucinà translates to kitchen or cuisine in English and with the accented letter “A” means cuisine is. Cute huh?

Chef Andrea

To a Californian, the concept of Cucinà is nothing new, though for an Umbrian it’s quite avant-garde.  So you may ask what is it? Well it’s a lot of things, it’s a rotisserie, take-out, bakery, bar, casual dining, gourmet shop and they do cooking courses as well as various themed nights.

market style
atmosphere

Cucinà is collaboration between 2 Chefs, and a Sommelier.
The food is fantastic, the wines are quality / value driven,  and the atmosphere a buzzing hub of casual cool foodies.

Italian & Spanish
prosciutto & co.

a crisp white Bordeaux

finished the Bordeaux

The free-range roast chicken is one of my absolute favorites (notice the plural use of this word) as well as the in house cured salmon, a dark multigrain bread and….the list is always growing, the wine list is always evolving and the energy always positive.

multigrain bread & Cucinà cured salmon (2 of my best friends)
& French salted butter from Normandy

Chef Marco & Graziano

Once you start you’ll never stop trying all the tasty bits and sumptuous sips that are always available at Cucinà.

potato & polipo salad

fantastic aperitivo plate, with a pinzmonio dipping sauce

artisan cheese plate

Bon appetite!

Chateau Grand-Puy-Lacoste Tasting 2008-1978, Merano Wine Fest November 9, 2013

Merano Master Class Bordeaux Tasting

Tasting notes

                   1.       2008   Chateau Grand Puy-Lacoste Grand Cru

            a classic vintage, but was very unfortunate & undervalued

            pencil lead with Cabernet driven fruit

                    2.    2006   Chateau Grand Puy-Lacoste Grand Cru

                    3.    2005   Chateau Grand Puy-Lacoste Grand Cru       ★★

            great year in Bordeaux

4.   2001    Chateau Grand Puy-Lacoste Grand Cru       ★

5.   2000    Chateau Grand Puy-Lacoste Grand Cru

      classic nose, somewhat stale, iodine driven, historic vintage, exotic spice, red fruit plum

6.   1999    Chateau Grand Puy-Lacoste Grand Cru

      short on the finish

7.   1998    Chateau Grand Puy-Lacoste Grand Cru       ★★★

      beautiful spicy nose, a lot of mid-palate substance, very food friendly

8.   1995    Chateau Grand Puy-Lacoste Grand Cru       ★★

      great salinity, salty richness, invites you to drink more

9.   1979    Chateau Grand Puy-Lacoste Grand Cru

      not a great vintage

10. 1978    Chateau Grand Puy-Lacoste Grand Cru       ★

      old garage smell

Chateau Figeac, St. Emilion

you would never know that such famous wines come from behind this sign

the reception of Chateau Figeac

entry of barrel aging room

blending vats

barrel tracks

we noticed that almost all the Chateau's used varied barrels

beautifully detailed barrels

one of the most well designed
spit buckets I've ever seen,
but didn't use!

2009 was a great vintage

Cabernet Sauvignon vines just after winter pruning

what makes Chateau Figeac's wines different than the others in St. Emilion is a high percent of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes

cab vine detail

we tasted the 2004 vintage which is 35% Cabernet Sauvignon 35% Cabernet Franc and 35% Merlot with a perfect 13% alc. my tasting notes reveled ripe fruit, with a raspberry & smokey bacon nose,  perfectly balanced.  I gave it a 3-star rating.  Cost €110,

old press

new press

Cafe Andree Putman

Musée d’Art Contemporain, Bordeaux

  Cafe Andree Putman

Graziano checking out the menu du jour

unique glassware

terrine de foie gras gruée de cacao-excellent!

crème brulèe vanille aux éclats de fèves croquantes

Italian meets France

Bordeaux, in the City

our living room in Bordeaux

dinner -the first night

hallway of our flat

our bed at the flat

Bordeaux City Life, February 2013

white bordeaux is  Sauvignon Blanc & Semillion based

classic french onion soup

loved the name of this place, but unfortunately it wasn't that great

historical french aperitif

antique market

this is not a sign...it is a photo of a sign....which is a work of art

self portrait of the photographer & husband

Champagne & Bordeaux Blanc

antique market chapeau's

bar menu

look there's a place called MARIN, like my home town!