Autumn at Out of the Blue

The air is crisp, the sky so blue
What's a gourmet fan to do?

Buy Wine!

Sarah's wine picks for fall 2010

Starting from the left:

Buccella Merlot 2007 Napa: There are only 330 six-bottle cases of this fruit-forward merlot, dominated by cherries, figs, plums and mocha, in the world. Buccella has a rich palette; concentrated and dense with huge mouth-coating fruit. "This merlot drinks like a cab. It is perhaps the best merlot in all of California." -Sarah Auman

Merry Edwards 2007 Pinot Noir: "Beautiful bright raspberry flavors with hints of cedar swirl on the palate coursing over nice smooth, faint tannins that are balanced with excellent acidity." -Snooth.com

PreVail West Face 2005: The grapes for West Face are hand-harvested, and upon entering the winery, hand-sorted and then gravity fed directly into oak tanks for seven days of cold soaking. After primary fermentation, the wine is gravity fed to barrel for malolactic fermentation and aged in the wine caves for 22 months, with an additional 14 months aging in bottle prior to release. - the Winemaker's notes  

Suggested food pairings: West Face pairs well with braised, roasted or barbequed meats such as chicken, red meat, fish lamb or pork. Pastas, stews or well-aged medium and strong-flavored cheeses such as Tellagio also pair nicely.

Hallek Vineyard 2006 Pinot Noir:Much tighter than the flamboyant 2005 Farm bottling, this one should prove bigger as well, and for the time being its aromas of floral-accented strawberry, dry rose and dried orange peel lag slightly behind its 
rich vanilla, smoke and earth notes. It is round, rich and firmly structured on the palate, showing polish and style, but plenty of tannin and strength as well. The finish is long and dense, with emerging cherry, boysenberry, vanilla and earth notes. This 
is a very fine and obviously ageworthy bottling, but it may take a year or two to become as forthcoming as last years version. - Don Gillette at Napa Valley Wine Exchange




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Dress Up Your Home with Autumn Colors

The store is overflowing with new offerings to help you celebrate fall in style. New French linens from Couleur Nature charm in 90" circles of Burnt Orange, Kiwi, Rouge and Dijon. Hemp-stitched edging adds an elegant touch as well as the companion 22" square napkins.

Start a conversation at dinner with Revol Collection "Froisses"

Hey! Who smashed my cup?

These are the hippest new kids on the block. The crumpled and stackable tumblers in Revol's Froisses Collection are designed for hot beverages, appetizers, tapas, French fries and desserts. Revol porcelain is the cream of the crop of culinary-grade porcelain, containing neither cadmium nor lead. It is fired at an ultra-high temperature (2408 F), making it nonporous and 100 percent hygienic. Revol porcelain will not absorb fats, odors or bacteria. The exceptionally hard material of Revol porcelain is resistant to chipping and thermal shock. The fine art of Revol porcelain is also a science, perfected and practiced as a family-run company in Saint-Uze, France since 1789. Playful, contemporary Froisses porcelain is oven, freezer, microwave, and dishwasher safe. Imported from France.