Wine News: Pairing Wine and (Couch) Potatoes

February 16, 2011

• Following in the grape stomps of PBS’ reality-television contest The Winemakers, Season 1 of which aired last year (Season 2 just wrapped up filming in France’s Rhône Valley), Unfiltered is happy to announce that the good people at public television are giving more wine-themed programming a try, albeit in a much different format. Vine Talk, with actor Stanley Tucci serving as the show’s host and moderator, will be a blend of roundtable chat show and wine tasting. Tucci and his guests—a mix of celebrity actors and chefs as well as wine experts—will exchange thoughts and stories connected with the world of wine, with each episode featuring six wines from a specific region or common grape variety that will serve as the evening’s discussion points. Members of the studio audience will taste the wines as well and a “top wine” will be selected at the end of each episode. The pilot, set to air on PBS this April, features chef Daniel Boulud and actress Patricia Clarkson, among others. But what does a celebrity chat show host know about wine? Judging by his screen credits, we’d say Tucci is probably no slouch—he co-wrote, co-directed and starred in the “foodie film trend” classic Big Night, where he played Secondo, the slick maître’d to Tony Shalhoub’s Primo, the delicate genius chef, at the two brothers’ Italian restaurant. Considering Big Night was released in 1996, we’d say Tucci has a track record for being ahead of the curve.
• Even before floods and wet weather hit southeast Australia this month, grapegrowers there were facing hard times. Too many vines planted during boom times and changes in customer tastes have played a role, but one factor many growers find particularly frustrating is the strong Australian dollar. Once relatively weak, it’s now almost equal in value to the U.S. dollar, meaning Aussies face a hard choice—raise their prices overseas and risk turning off customers, or watch as their profit margins shrink to nothing. The man behind Yellow Tail told a local newspaper this week how painful that choice is. John Casella, managing director of Casella wines, the family firm that started the brand with a U.S. importer, ships 8 million cases to the U.S. annually—70 percent of his production. He says his volume sales dipped just slightly last year, but his profits shrank by 69.8 percent, mostly thanks to the currency difference. That’s after profits fell 50 percent the previous year. Despite that, Casella is lucky—he still made more than $12 million last year. Many Aussies are losing money.
• You know what they say about drinking on the job: It either gets you fired, or leads to a breakthrough scientific discovery. Researchers at the National Institute for Materials Science in Japan managed to swing the latter when they chose to throw a blowout party in the lab. Researchers Yoshihiko Takano and Takahide Yamaguchi made sure the sake, whisky, shochu, beer and wine were flowing. All was not lost, though. The scientists were studying superconductors—metals that conduct electricity extremely effectively at very low temperatures—and part of their research involved soaking one material in plain water and a water/ethanol mix. Now anyone who owns Tabasco sauce, an old sofa on a porch or livestock knows that most party ideas that seem brilliant in the moment are often, in fact, at best disastrous. But in this case, “Dude, what if we put the superconductor … in beer,” led to an unlikely discovery. While the water-and-ethanol mix increased superconductivity about 15 percent, commercial alcohol worked much better, with red wine increasing conductivity a full 62 percent. For any Unfiltered readers out there getting any ideas, please note: Pouring wine on your computer will not make it faster.

Foodies and wine lovers travel north from Manila to wine and dine at Philippines’ best fine dining restaurant in Pampanga Clark Freeport worth the 60-minutes drive for a memorable evening of good food with vintage wine at Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar

This fine dining restaurant is also famous for its low carbohydrates “low carb” dishes highly recommended for frequent diners who are on a low fat food and favor healthy food. This is a unique restaurant that can help frequent diners maintain a healthy diet and enjoy delicious fine dining cuisine at the same time. Vegetarian dishes are a specialty here also and so are “halal” cuisines also.

Favorites of frequent diners, foodies and wine lovers are steaks, Wagyu, Foie Gras, lobsters, venison, kangaroo loin, osso buco, veal chops, Kurabuto pork, escargots and a good selection of cheeses to enjoy with fine Vintage port and Sauternes. Cuban cigars such as Monte Cristo, Cohiba, Upmann, Partagas, Romeo Julieta and Trinidad are also available in the Magnum Room which is a wine bar and lounge for before and after dinner relaxation. A good selection of Armagnac, Cognac, Single Malt, Vodka and other liquor is served in addition to the wine vintage wines some served by the glass.

Recent opinion survey of frequent travelers heading north towards Subic and Clark Pampanga revealed that the number one most frequently visited fine dining restaurant in Pampanga is Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar located in Clark Philippines.

Inquiries and reservations

Restaurant@Yats-International.com

(045) 599-5600
0922-870-5178
0917-520-4401

Ask for Pedro and Rechel

Http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

Getting to this fine dining restaurant of Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Pampanga Philippines
How to get to this fine-dining restaurant in Clark Philippines? Once you get to Clark Freeport, go straight until you hit Mimosa. After you enter Mimosa, stay on the left on Mimosa Drive, go past the Holiday Inn and Yats Restaurant (green top, independent 1-storey structure) is on your left. Just past the Yats Restaurant is the London Pub.

Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar
Mimosa Drive past Holiday Inn, Mimosa Leisure Estate,
Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga, Philippines 2023

Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 Rea or Chay

For assistance in hotel and resort booking in Clark, Philippines, log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com

For assistance in locating a suitable venue for wedding reception, log on to
http://www.PhilippinesWeddingVenue.com