Jamie Goode writes about the venerable DRC and pinot in general over at his blog. In his post he muses about the inherent goodness of DRC and makes this comment:
It’s also likely that as we taste DRC the label does influence our perception in a positive way (I’ve only once tried a DRC wine blind; on all other occasions the label has been seen).
I agree that it is quite likely that the label influences our perception of DRC. I’ve tasted a DRC blind as many times as Jamie (once) and was completely underwhelmed. And I mean completely. And shocked. Brand is a powerful, powerful thing.
Get your 1 ounce pour of DRC at Whole Foods. Cost: $30
In another DRC related note, Dr. Vino alerts his Fairfax Virginia readers about a super-secret upstairs room at Whole Foods where sample pours of many high end wines can be purchased in amounts of 1, 3 and 5 ounces. The most pricey of the pours? DRC of course!
Pours are available in one, three, and five ounce sizes and range from $1 to $30 an ounce for the 1996 Domaine de la Romanee Conti Echezaux
$30 per ounce. Good times.
Top Secret Recipes: Make McDonalds fries at home (Hat tip: Lifehacker)
Speaking of secrets. One of my guilty pleasures is dipping over-salted fries into a Wendy’s Frosty and reveling in the fatty, sweet/savory cholesterol infused goodness while sipping Cristal. Well, thats true except for the Cristal part. But I’ve always wanted to pair the Wendy’s Frosty, by far the best of all fast food chocolate shakes, with the worlds best french fries, namely McDonalds. I never wanted to make two trips though. It just reeked of effort.
Now though, thanks to Top Secret Recipes I can make McDonald fries and Wendy’s Frostys in the comfort of my home (and in much larger portions)! Reviewers say that they can’t tell the difference between the home recipes and their fast food counterparts, so I coughed up and paid a whopping 79 cents for each one. I recommend a nice Sparkling Rose to go with this beast.
Another great recipe you should definitely check out on Top Secret Recipes is the HoneyBaked Ham glaze. I know I’m not the only one addicted to their cunning honey coating. Now, gloriously, I own the secret knowledge of how to perform honey glazing on my own, and on a ham that costs less than half of what HoneyBaked charges. Score! Check it out, it’s free.
The best part: you get to play with a blow torch. The weirdest part: there is no honey in the recipe.
Would I pay $30 for 1oz of ‘96 DRC? Probably not. Would I pay $30 for 1oz of Chateau d’Yquem? Start pouring….