Chris Gore’s “Attack Of the Doc!” Comes To Audiences Across North America Timed to G4TV’s 21st Anniversary
Prolific author, film critic, founder of Film Threat, regular on-air personality for G4TV’s “Attack of the Show,” and beloved comic con staple, Chris Gore makes his directorial debut with “Attack of the Doc!” “Attack of the Doc!” addresses all the questions left unanswered by the cancellation of G4TV and Attack of the Show!
The show’s hosts Olivia Munn and Kevin Pereira
Host Olivia Munn
Perfectly timed to the 21st anniversary of G4TV this year. G4TV’s Attack of the Show! was a birthplace for nerd culture on broadcast TV and where audiences watched the careers of the show’s hosts Olivia Munn and Kevin Pereira begin their ascent.
Host Kevin Pereira
“Attack of the Doc!” world premières April 21st
Oscar winner and filmmaking legend James Cameron appeared on the show
“Attack of the Doc!” will world première on April 21st offering Q&A’s with Goreat the Frida Cinema in Southern California, and will be available through Indie Rights for audiences across all TVOD/Digital platforms and Video On Demand throughout North America on April 24th, 2023, which is the 21st Anniversary of the launch of G4TV.
“Attack of the Doc!” writer, director, producer, and geek culture legend Chris Gore
“Attack of the Doc!” is written, directed & produced by Chris Gore, produced & edited by Bobby Schwartz, co-produced by Walter Areas, with additional co-editing by Anthony Ray Bench and Phillip H. Eubanks, and with an original score composed by Austin Smith.
This deep dive documentary features pop icons including Wil Wheaton, John Cena, Joel McHale, Peter Jackson, Kumail Nanjiani, Whitney Cummings, Danny Pudi, Eric Andre, Jerry Stiller, Joe Rogan, Jimmy Fallen, Kel Mitchell, Anne Meara, Stan Lee, Sara Jean Underwood, Carrie Keagan, Riley Steele, Tom Green, Anthony Daniels, Michael Winslow, Joey Kern, Joan Rivers, Chris Hardwick, Robert Kirkman, Greg Nicotero, Jessica Chobot, Tony Hawk, and Alison Haislip, among others as we search for the truth.
“Attack of the Show! was unique, way ahead of its time and was a milestone that had a huge impact on geek culture. Its core audience is one of the most coveted around the globe. I think viewers of the original show will be down for learning the history of the network and the show which helped usher in the age of nerd culture. Frankly, G4TV and Attack of the Show! are responsible for making it cool to be a nerd,” states Gore. “And at the end of the day, I hope the documentary entertains fans and reminds them of a time when a TV show could be dangerous and provide some laughs without fear of being canceled. Everyone who worked on the documentary is a super fan, so this movie was made by fans for fans.”
Attack of the Doc! Synopsis
Before the rise of big tech, social media and Marvel movies, Attack of the Show! chronicled nerd culture’s unlikely acceptance as mainstream. G4TV’s flagship show launched the careers of hosts Olivia Munn and Kevin Pereira and was beloved by fans – a unique celebration of geek culture before it was cool. Diving into colossal cream pies, wearing fat suits for comedy and putting internet servers where the sun don’t shine – anything could happen on an episode of Attack of the Show! It’s been years since the show went off the air and one question has lingered: what really happened to G4TV and Attack of the Show? Enter Attack Of The Doc! — the new film written and directed by Chris Gore, promises to answer one of pop culture’s longest running mysteries.
Tickets available here for the April 21st premiere, and watch the trailer here.
Follow the documentary and its journey available on Video on Demand and TVOD/Digital platforms on April 24th, 2023, which is the 21st Anniversary of the launch of G4TV.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
Philly is Ready to Pour Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2024 — Preview Tasting Review
Inspiring Flavor behind Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2024 — Preview Tasting Review
In celebration of the debut for Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2024, I joined a group of whisky and spirit reviewers at Maker’s Mark headquarters in Loretto, Kentucky for a day of tours, lunch and of course a private tasting.
Our Cellar Aged 2024 tasting was led by Innovation Manager Beth Buckner and Senior Director & Head of Innovation Blake Layfield.
Senior Director & Head of Innovation Blake Layfield and Senior Manager of Innovation and Blending Beth Buckner
The limestone shelf that surrounds Star Hill Farm, homeplace to the Maker’s Mark Distillery, is key to crafting the unique taste of its bourbon
Today’s tasting takes place in a built-in cave within the limestone shelf itself, at a chilly 50 degrees. It’s a memorable experience for a memorable bottle. As we walk into the limestone cellar, there’s dozens of barrels stationed on the floor, which is part of the Private Selections Program we’ll hear about below
Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2024 Debuts its most mature bourbon
Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2024
Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2024 blends 15% Maker’s Mark 12-year-old and 85% Maker’s Mark 13-year-old, at 59.7% ABV or 119.3 Proof.
The aroma carries notes of caramelized sugar and toasted almond. The palate unveils a delicate interplay of buttery shortbread, a surprising bite of coconut, and spices. A lingering finish highlighting dried dark fruit and oak undertones.
Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2024 alongside 2023
Side by side: 2023 vs 2024
The 2024 bottle (the 2nd inaugural Cellar Aged effort) takes a noticeable turn from it’s 2023 first path.
The 2023 is a blend of 87% 12-year-old and 13% 11-year-old barrels. Proof at 115.7
In comparing, you’ll notice strong differences. 2023’s bottle offers lighter greeting. Aromas of caramel syrup, cinnamon sugar, subtle red fruit. Cornbread, apricot, brown sugar.
Whereas 2024 is a more matured taste profile. The aroma carries notes of caramelized sugar and toasted almond. The palate unveils a delicate interplay of buttery shortbread, subtle coconut, and spices. A lingering finish highlighting dried dark fruit and oak undertones.
Private Selections Program
A Maker’s Mark priority is to maintain their taste profile. Famously, aged between 6 – 8 years old, but every barrel ages a little bit differently.
When loyal customers asked for a single barrel, they had to politely decline, but wanted to find a way to excite and involve their audience base.
So they created the Private Selections Program, which is how enthusiasts visit and pick their taste, a vision of what they want their Makers Mark to taste like and then the company uses custom staves in a barrel, which were seen stored on the floor around us.
Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2024 will be available for a suggested retail price of USD $174.99 in the United States
The limited-release Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2024 will be available for purchase at the Maker’s Mark Distillery by booking the Cellar Aged Experience at https://www.makersmark.com//distillery/visit-us.
For more information about Maker’s Mark, please visit www.MakersMark.com.
ABOUT MAKER’S MARK
Maker’s Mark® is the iconic handmade Kentucky bourbon driven by a vision for better flavor and a better world. Maker’s Mark began with the innovative spirit of Margie and Bill Samuels, Sr., who in 1953, fulfilled their dream to create a delicious bourbon without the bite, using soft red winter wheat instead of rye to enhance the softness, sweetness and signature creaminess. Highly desired around the world, Maker’s Mark is handmade, hand-dipped in our signature red wax, and every barrel continues to be rotated by hand and is aged to taste not time.
Always true to the founders’ vision, Maker’s Mark continues to shape the brand’s future through purposeful, flavor-driven innovation. In recent years, the brand has introduced thoughtful, super-premium expressions to its portfolio, including Maker’s Mark 46, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength, and Maker’s Mark Cellar-Aged, all Double Gold winners of the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, as well as Maker’s Mark Private Selection: the brand’s custom barrel program.
Makers Mark Cellar Aged 2024 Debuts its most mature bourbon
Makers Mark Cellar Aged 2024 Debuts its most mature bourbon
Makers Mark, the iconic Kentucky bourbon driven by a vision for better flavor and a better world, announces the 2024 release of Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged: the annual, global limited-release expression that delivers the distillery’s highly anticipated and oldest release.
Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2024
Like the inaugural, award-winning 2023 release, Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2024 is aged to taste, not time – now blending 12- and 13-year-old Maker’s Mark to unlock new flavors.
“We surprised the world
with the debut of Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged last year,
a bold step in our family’s legacy because, for more than 65 years, aging our whisky for a decade-plus wasn’t something we did,”
Rob Samuels
8th generation whisky maker and Managing Director,
Maker’s Mark
“Staying true to our founders’ flavor vision and our relentless pursuit of excellence, we’re thrilled to introduce our most mature bourbon yet.”
Meticulously crafted, Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2024 blends 15% Maker’s Mark 12-year-old and 85% Maker’s Mark 13-year-old, at 59.7% ABV or 119.3 Proof.
Aroma: Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2024
The aroma has notes of caramelized sugar and toasted almond.
Palate: Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2024
The palate unveils a delicate interplay of buttery shortbread, rich coconut, and bright spices. A lingering finish showcases dried dark fruit and subtle oak undertones.
“Delivering an elevated expression that’s distinctly Maker’s Mark,
Cellar Aged finishes maturation in our LEED-certified cellar,
built into the limestone shelf that surrounds us, creating a richer, deeper and more complex bourbon, free from the harsher tannic effects commonly found in older American whiskies,”
Dr. Blake Layfield
Head of Innovation and Blending, Maker’s Mark
The limestone shelf that surrounds Star Hill Farm, homeplace to the Maker’s Mark Distillery, is key to crafting the unique taste of its bourbon – thanks to the innovative spirit of Margie and Bill Samuels, Sr., who in 1953, chose the land in Loretto, Kentucky because of its water source and natural watershed.
Maker’s Mark still owns, protects, and enriches all 76 acres of its main lake’s watershed; and today, is the largest bourbon distillery in the world to achieve B Corp Certification and the first distillery to achieve Regenified Certification, a reflection of the brand’s dedication to regenerative agriculture practices that enhances the flavor of its bourbon.
Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2024 will be available for a suggested retail price of USD $174.99 in the United States beginning today; in the United Kingdom, Germany and select Global Travel Retail accounts in the coming weeks; and in Korea, Japan and Singapore in early 2025.
In the United States, in addition to select retailers nationwide, the limited-release Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2024 will be available for purchase at the Maker’s Mark Distillery by booking the Cellar Aged Experience at https://www.makersmark.com//distillery/visit-us.
For more information about Maker’s Mark, please visit www.MakersMark.com.
ABOUT MAKER’S MARK
Maker’s Mark® is the iconic handmade Kentucky bourbon driven by a vision for better flavor and a better world. Maker’s Mark began with the innovative spirit of Margie and Bill Samuels, Sr., who in 1953, fulfilled their dream to create a delicious bourbon without the bite, using soft red winter wheat instead of rye to enhance the softness, sweetness and signature creaminess. Highly desired around the world, Maker’s Mark is handmade, hand-dipped in our signature red wax, and every barrel continues to be rotated by hand and is aged to taste not time.
Always true to the founders’ vision, Maker’s Mark continues to shape the brand’s future through purposeful, flavor-driven innovation. In recent years, the brand has introduced thoughtful, super-premium expressions to its portfolio, including Maker’s Mark 46, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength, and Maker’s Mark Cellar-Aged, all Double Gold winners of the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, as well as Maker’s Mark Private Selection: the brand’s custom barrel program.
Is Philly Ready to Pour Somm-Approved Canned Wine – We Tasted with Kristin Olszewski from Nomadica Wines
Sommelier Businesswoman Kristin Olszewski brings Michelin quality to Canned Wines with Nomadica Wines
Nomadica offers sparkling, rose, white, red and orange options — both canned and bag in a box.
Nomadica Wines ‘s Owner Kristin Olszewski
Nomadica Wines are sourced from vineyards with responsible farming practices and winemakers who engage in low intervention wine making.
Wine-lovers can be 100% confident you’re drinking serious sommelier-approved wine.
Nomadica Wines ‘s Owner Kristin Olszewski; Source: instagram.com/nomadica
Today’s conversation with Sommelier / Businesswoman Kristin Olszewski from Nomadica Wines has been edited for length and clarity. For the full, un-edited conversation, visit our YouTube channel here.
Joe Winger: We’re here today with Kristin Olszewski from Nomadica Wines.
What’s the most important message you want to share today with our audience?
Kristin Olszewski:
I think the biggest message that I want to get across is that everyone should be drinking more wine. That’s my mission in life to just bring consumers back to the wine category.
Source: instagram.com/nomadica
Joe Winger:
Outstanding. And how how are you trying to get that done?
Kristin Olszewski:
I’ll give a little context on my own history and how I came here.
My undergrad degree is in sustainable agriculture and I ended up dropping out of Harvard Medical School to become a sommelier – typical journey.
I just really fell in love with wine. I worked in restaurants to pay for school and wine was always the thing that captivated my interest.
Source: instagram.com/nomadica
I feel like it’s the intersection of history, agriculture and gastronomy. And then also there’s something so fun and communal and – you’re getting a little tipsy. It’s everything.
But I spent a decade-plus in Michelin restaurants all over the country, everywhere from three Michelin stars, Saison in San Francisco, Husk in Nashville, Osteria Mozza here in LA.
When Nancy Silverton was on a Netflix show called Chef’s Table, I started noticing a different customer coming into the restaurant. Usually as a sommelier, you’re talking to a very specific demographic of people. I would say 45 plus male white wine collector. That’s my demo. And when Nancy was on Chef’s Table, young people started coming into the restaurants, a lot of women, and I noticed they didn’t want to drink wine.
They would drink tequila, beer, cocktails, like anything but wine.
That always felt like such a missed opportunity because wine, it’s the most ancient beverage. Our people have drank wine for millennia. It’s also in an age where we care about what’s natural, what’s minimally processed, what’s better for you.
Great wine is literally just grapes, yeast, water, and time, so I started digging into why aren’t you drinking wine? And I found out a few things.
One, people felt like wine wasn’t a good value. If you weren’t going to spend a lot of money on wine, you couldn’t get a great wine, which is untrue.
The other one is people feel like they needed a PhD or some level of education or knowledge in order to access wine, which, again, is not true.
I want to be people’s guide, hold their hand and walk them into the world of wine. So I started Nomadica to do that on a larger level.
Source: instagram.com/nomadica
Joe Winger:
That’s beautiful.
You mentioned two things. We’re going to go into both. Your background in Michelin restaurants. I’ve heard heavenly amazing stories. I’ve heard horror stories.
Can you share an experience and what you learned from?
Kristin Olszewski:
Everyone always asks me if I watch The Bear or not. And I’m like, no, I can’t.
Some positive stories, Michelin restaurants have changed a lot from when I started working in them. I think work has changed a lot for the positive. I remember one of my first serious jobs in a scary restaurant. You have your hair pulled back because you don’t want it to get in the food.
I had one small piece of hair hanging down above my face and the chef takes a match from the stove, lights a piece of my hair and says don’t ever have a hair hanging down in your face again.
Some of the wonderful stories are having the opportunity, especially at Mozza, you taste each bottle you open there.
Source: instagram.com/nomadica
When I was at Mozza, it was a $5 million dollar all-Italian cellar with 90 pages of the best Barolo, Brunello, Etna Rosso’s, just things that like collector’s dream about tasting.
And I feel so lucky to have tasted things like Conterno Monfortino, which is the type of wine that you want to smell for three hours before you drink it.
When you have a wine like that, it makes you realize why collectors obsessively chase bottles, there’s something so romantic and intangible, and having a wine like that, you realize you’ll never have A wine that tastes the same at any moment in time ever again.
It’s just such a lucky experience.
Source: instagram.com/nomadica
Joe Winger:
I’m curious about how that experience inspired you to open Nomadica.
Kristin Olszewski:
My entry point into wine was always through farming. I majored in sustainable agriculture.
I was an avid farmer. I ran our community garden in college and was focused on permaculture. I lived in India and farmed for a while there.
Source: instagram.com/nomadica
And I always say great wine is made by great farmers, great wines made in the vineyard, not the cellar.
So when I was looking at starting Nomadica, that sustainability ethos, it was always my starting point, but I was really shocked when I found out how bad glass bottles are for the environment.
30% of glass is recycled in the US. The rest just goes into a landfill. It’s highly energy intensive to make, to ship, because it’s so heavy.
The fact is, most wine does not need to be in a glass bottle.
Yes, that Barolo I mentioned absolutely needs to be in a glass bottle. That needs to be aged for years before it even comes into its own.
But for a $20 – 30 bottle of wine that you’re going to pop open and drink it on a weeknight or on a not special weekend does not need to be in glass.
So that’s how we started.
Cans at 70 % reduction in carbon footprint. Our newly launched bag and box wine is almost a 90% reduction in carbon footprint.
Source: instagram.com/nomadica
Joe Winger:
I sampled your sparkling white, your white, your red and your rose, they were dangerously drinkable.
Can we talk about where the fruit is sourced from?
Kristin Olszewski:
Absolutely.
The name Nomadica is really a fun double entendre because you can take it wherever you want to go. Of course, cans and boxes can be found in places that bottles can’t.
We source our fruit from all over.
We’re truly a nomadic winery.
Our head winemaker spent time at some of the best wineries in California, like Eric Kent Cellars, which makes award winning Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and also Kosta Brown.
Before that he spent 10 years doing vineyard management in California. So through Corey, we’ve really got a handle on some of the best fruit. A lot of our wine comes from Mendocino. A lot of our grapes come from Mendocino or Lodi. I’m such a Sonoma girly. Our winery is located in Sonoma, and so I always find myself drawn back to that region.
Source: instagram.com/nomadica
Joe Winger:
Are there any vineyards you’d recommend us touring when we come to Northern California?
Kristin Olszewski:
I think the Sonoma Coast is the best wine region in California. They’ve fought very hard to become designated as their own AVA, which is very important in terms of quality.
The oceanic influence, what we call a diurnal shift, the extreme temperature change between night and day, like Hirsch and Littorai.
I think if anyone ever wants to see proof in the pudding of what great farming can do, you need to go see Littorai.
Ted Lemon was one of the first Americans to ever be a winemaker in Burgundy and he brought all of his practices back, was one of the first people to practice biodynamic agriculture in California and really brought that style of farming onto a larger scale.
When you go visit his vineyards, it’s like teeming with life. You look next door at a conventionally farmed plot, which is just like dead and sad looking. And then you taste the wines and you’re just knocked on your butt because they’re so good.
Source: instagram.com/nomadica
Joe Winger:
Nomadica Wines has several varieties. White, Sparkling white, Rose, Red, Orange.
Can you walk us through the taste profiles of any of your favorites – what’s the aromas, what are the profiles?
Kristin Olszewski:
Something really cool about our wines is everything’s practicing organic. No pesticides, no synthetic fertilizers, all of our wines are fermented dry. Naturally zero grams of sugar per serving. They have nice fruit notes, but none of the wines are sweet.
Crushable bright flavor.
Across the gamut, our entire portfolio has a brightness and a freshness to it. All of our wines are like slightly aromatic because I love an aromatic variety, but part of the thought that we put behind the brand is that I wanted to take that sommelier curation and put it in the restaurant, on the retail shelf so that when you’re serving Nomadica at your home, at parties and the beach, 99% percent of people will love it.
I’m doing the work on the back end on blending, sourcing, creating these flavor profiles that’s really taking that wine experience, that decade plus of developing my own palette and giving it back to the consumer.
Source: instagram.com/nomadica
Joe Winger:
Are there any favorite wine and food pairings for you with your wines?
Kristin Olszewski:
I love an aperitif. Our sparkling rosé is definitely my favorite wine in our gamut. In a can you always have the perfect pour because sometimes you don’t want to open up an entire bottle of wine.
When we do that in my house, it usually gets drank. It doesn’t go back in the fridge.
Sometimes you just want a glass of sparkling. And I love that.
I love that with a charcuterie board and cheese. I also love Rose with green salads.
I think one of the best things about living where we live [Los Angeles] is we have the best produce on the planet.
I still run some wine programs in Los Angeles and I’m actually opening up a restaurant in Silver Lake next year, an Italian restaurant. Orange Wine is like the hottest trend.
I was doing the wine list at a restaurant in Hollywood called Gigi’s and I noticed I was selling more orange wine by the glass than all other colors combined, which was just mind blowing to me.
Source: instagram.com/nomadica
We made what I think is the best orange wine coming out of California.
There’s a lot of talk about natural wine, orange wine. They’re not all created equal. My winemaker and I tasted through my favorite Italian skin contact wines and decided on a really concrete flavor profile source.
My mother in law in Orange County is drinking her orange wine with her friends. So I really feel like I’ve achieved something. That with sushi is a mind blowing pairing.
Then our red. We found Teroldego growing in Northern California, which is a grape that’s indigenous to Northern Italy from the Alto Adige.
It’s really Alpine, like dark fruit, like a Zinfandel, but really refreshing and bright acidity and a little bit more tannin than a Zin [Zinfandel] has.
There’s a perception that we had to overcome about can and boxed wine. People think that it’s low quality.
Whenever I pour our red for somebody, the response is always, “Wow, oh my god, that’s so good.”
No matter your level of wine knowledge, you can see what I’m trying to do when you taste our red wines.
Source: instagram.com/nomadica
Joe Winger:
What’s next for you and Nomadica?
Kristin Olszewski:
Right now we’re in hardcore expansion mode. We were the first people to do fine wine and can, and I grew really slowly at my own pace.
I wanted to build the brand.
A lot of people just run to retail shelves and they want to be in every grocery store on the planet. I didn’t want that. I wanted to be, at the Four Seasons, at the Ritz Carlton, at music venues.
I wanted to be in places where people don’t typically expect to see wine in cans and boxes.
We are one of the highest velocity items at Whole Foods in our category.
We just launched all of our box wines at Total Wine in California, Texas, Florida, Colorado, and New York and got some really big plans for next year.
So keep your eyes peeled. People are about to see me everywhere.
That’s my goal.
Source: instagram.com/nomadica
Joe Winger:
Having a canned wine at some of these nicer hotels is a challenge.
What lesson did you learn by accomplishing that rather large challenge?
Kristin Olszewski:
That’s the best thing about how we’re positioned. Not only am I a sommelier, my VP of sales is a sommelier. My winemaker has an incredible reputation. Every person on my team comes from the wine industry and we have the best product.
When we’re sitting down and tasting with these buyers, these people that are in our industry. They recognize it. I always say taste out of a wine glass. Everything tastes better out of a wine glass. The second that they taste it, these are people who taste wine all the time and they taste a lot of bad wine.
So that has been amazing.
We’ve always had the industry behind us. It’s a huge differentiator for us. So I think it was slow build. Everything takes a lot more time than you think it will, which is I think the biggest lesson that I’ve taken away from this business over the last seven years.
But you got to build your brand first.
Joe Winger:
You seem like a deep-souled individual. Whether it’s wine or otherwise, is there an overall message that you want to share to inspire the audience?
Kristin Olszewski:
We are in a time where sustainability is more important than it ever has been. You can’t base your entire brand about it, but I think it’s an absolutely necessary component to any consumer product that’s coming out today.
One of my missions in life is to have that conversation about sustainability and have it with other brands because it needs to be convenient.
Otherwise, consumers will not buy it, care or participate or choose a sustainable option. That’s my big thing.
Joe Winger:
What are the best ways to follow your journey and to learn more about you?
Kristin Olszewski:
You can buy Nomadica online and our new rosé yuzu spritz, which is delicious at ExploreNomadica.com. And then our socials are at Nomadica on Instagram.
And if you want to follow me. I’m at Kristin__O.
-
Bring Great Flavors to your Philly Thanksgiving with Wine Ideas from Winemaker Brian Cheeseborough
Bring Great Flavors to your Philly Thanksgiving with Wine Ideas from Winemaker Brian Cheeseborough.
Thanksgiving is coming up fast, and you just have a few days left, do not panic just yet.
Most people are not “hosting” a Thanksgiving; instead, they are guests. Whether its family, friends, or you are the plus one, it is always better to make a good impression – and what better way than with an exceptional wine or two?
Wine can be inexpensive; our winemaker suggested a few wines between $15-$45.
Brian Cheesborough has more than 20 vintages of wine experience and made 90+ point wines in 6 different regions worldwide (California, France, New Zealand, Argentina, and more). He is an expert at pairing flavors and (more importantly) how to fix sour or off flavors – think dry turkey. (yikes!)
Winemaker Brian Cheeseborough shares Delicious Wine Pairings for Your Thanksgiving Feast
Take it away, Brian!
Thanks for having me. I’m excited to share these ideas because there are two goals: if the food is incredible, we want a wine that matches it and makes it even better (think like a dancing partner), and secondly, if the food is not great, we want a way to elevate the experience and fix the mistake.
Wine can do that! Most of these wines are from vineyards I have worked with or fellow Fresno State alums, some of whom I sat in a lecture with about all things wine. Can’t find the exact bottle? There are numerous producers for these wines under $50 and some below $20 – follow the varietals.
So, let us get started.
Alexander Valley Vineyards – Gewürz, 2021 Mendocino County
Alexander Valley Vineyards – Gewürz, 2021 Mendocino County
This Gewürz can solve many problems. It is a great wine to start the night; It’s also great when you’re eating something dry or bland. Yes, it is on the sweeter side. The aromatics are floral, with enticing notes of apple, grapefruit, and citrus; the mouth is silky and rich. This will pair well with any course. I like it with turkey best!
Buy it here: AVV 2021 Gewürz – Organically Grown
Willamette Valley Vineyards 2021 Estate Chardonnay
Willamette Valley Vineyards 2021 Estate Chardonnay
Another great option to start the party. The nose is a fresh bouquet of apricot, lemon, lime, and honey. The mouth is rich and supple with flavors of golden apple, caramel, and vanilla, with a nice round, refreshing finish. You can easily pair this with rich seafood dishes like shrimp alfredo and crab-stuffed lobster tail. Also, creamy potatoes or spiced pumpkins. (If you end up with pumpkin or squash on your plate and try a glass of this, you will thank me later.)
Buy it here: Willamette Valley Vineyards – Estate Chardonnay
Pine Ridge Vineyards 2021 Chenin Blanc + Viognier White Blend
Pine Ridge Vineyards 2021 Chenin Blanc + Viognier White Blend
One more light suggestion to start off your feast! This is crisp, bright, and full of life. The nose is a bouquet of honeysuckle, and orange blossoms, with a twist of ginger spice. The mouth is full-bodied with refreshing acidity. Flavors of tangerine, lime, and green apple. It’ll pair great with a light salad, goat cheese, and olives.
Buy it here: Chenin Blanc + Viognier White Blend – Pine Ridge Vineyards
Now, let us go to the Reds!
Abacela Tempranillo Fiesta 2019
It has a gorgeous fruit-driven nose with aromas of red fruit, cherry, and plum. The mouth is sleek and silky, medium body with flavors of black currant and blueberry, with lush and velvety tannins. It would pair well with turkey, venison with traditional gravy, or cranberry.
Abacela Tempranillo Fiesta 2019
Buy it here: Abacela Tempranillo Fiesta
Dutton-Goldfield’s 2020 Mendocino Hills Pinot Noir
Dutton-Goldfield’s 2020 Mendocino Hills Pinot Noir
The nose starts telling you this is something extra special; classic rich blackberry, pomegranate, and a touch of vanilla to round out the aromas. The mouth is super juicy and decadent, full of bright red cherry and cola with a baking spice finish. You want this with your main entree – turkey, ham, and stuffing. The people at your party drinking this will be glancing at each other, smiling between bites – they will know why!
Buy it here: Mendocino Hills Pinot Noir
Porter Creek, Estate Pinot Noir, Russian River – 2019
Porter Creek, Estate Pinot Noir, Russian River – 2019
On the nose, red fruit notes with cherry and plum. On the mouth, medium body with moderate oak, black currant, and blueberry, with delicate tannins. This pairs well with lean meat.
Buy it here: Porter Creek, Estate Pinot Noir, Russian River
The critical thing to remember is that regardless of your budget, you can find a great flavor to pair with what you are eating. Also, the wine can “save” the day, just in case it ends up a little (or a lot) dry or bland. You are not the chef du jour for Thanksgiving, but you can still contribute to the sharing.
Brian Cheeseborough is currently the Director of Winemaking at FermForge in West Texas.
-
Philly loves cocktails, Bring the magic home? Bark and Barware Shows You How with Cocktail Smoker
Philly loves cocktails, Bring the magic home? Bark and Barware Shows You How with Cocktail Smoker
Bark and Barware enters the cocktail market with their premium cocktail smoker, including 6 flavors.
Bark and Barware’s Harel Levy
Today, Bark and Barware’s Harel Levy joins us for a conversation about cocktails, creating your long-lasting drinking crew, picking the right flavors, the perfect pairings and more!
The below conversation has been edited for length and clarity. Find the full conversation at our YouTube channel.
Joe Winger: Can you tell us a little bit about your story? And what inspired you to create this cocktail smoker kit?
Harel Levy: I’ve been an entrepreneur for the last seven years. While there are no mistakes, I actually found [the cocktail smoker] by mistake. I was planning to buy something for my Dad. I usually won’t give something if it’s not 100%. So I’d rather not give a gift that I don’t really like. Because I really care about what the recipient is going to feel.
“I really love the idea of cocktail smoking kits. […] It’s another tool to have a great night.
I don’t want to give something cheap, because if you really love someone, you really want to make sure that everything is spot on, right?
Even on yourself, you will be more forgiven in terms of what you buy than someone else.
I really love the idea of cocktail smoking kits. It’s not that it’s only cool and it’s a great addition to having those nights with friends, with family. It’s another tool to have a great night.
I went to Amazon and I saw there is no one who actually sells it in a premium, wooden box. And with many flavors. I talked with [my company’s] CEO about it, what’s missing here.
Bark & Barware’s Smoker Kit
We came up with a wooden box. It came from my passion to give something that looks good.
For almost a year, we went back and forth with factories. The smoke. The flavor. Details with the box.
When we released it, we were very happy. We knew my criteria. If I can give it to my Dad, not being afraid he’s not going to like it. Then I know that other people are also going to enjoy it because I have high standards for giving a gift to someone that I love. That’s how we came up with the product and the product.
The second thing we are planning is to bring a mixologist, make it a more holistic experience.
Extend the journey with our customers, give them cocktails, give them recipes, give them ideas, The journey doesn’t end when the transaction happens for us. We want to continue to build trust and serve our customers.
Joe Winger: You have a very comprehensive website. Can you walk us through your Cocktail Smoker Kit? When we buy it what do we get?
Harel Levy: There are six different chip flavors, the culinary torch, the smoke lid. Ice tongs, whiskey stones. Unfortunately, we don’t include butane [gas for the torch] because shipping is very heavily regulated,
“In every smoker kit you get six different chip flavors, the culinary torch, the smoke lid. Ice tongs, whiskey stones.”
We have six flavors: cherry, oak, pear, maple, hickory and apple. Our plan is to listen to our customers and come up with new flavors based on what they ask for. It’s not a one-time product release. We’re going to offer refills, extensions, more.
Each taste is very delicate. The world of wine, flavor, alcohol is so wide and you can get very specific sometimes. When you do get specific, you get the best results, right?
Joe Winger: Has there been one or two major lessons you’ve learned?
Harel Levy: Initially we had more flavors. After we gave out samples and heard about which flavors were the favorite, we removed some.
Joe Winger: You mentioned flavor pairing. What’s your favorite cocktail pairing?
Harel Levy: It’s a tough question because taste is something that is extremely subjective.
We usually put it with scotch. That’s our personal preference. Our customers get very creative with their ideas. That’s why we initially started with those six flavors. But listening to customer feedback, it’s going to grow and change.
Joe Winger: Over a year of research and development, were there any unexpected surprises?
Harel Levy: A lot of people agreed with me on the wooden box. People started asking for smoke refills. They’re going through the smoke faster than I thought. When we launched, I was expecting this to be used for special occasions. But people are using it every week, all the time.
Joe Winger: In the past few weeks, I’ve been in Los Angeles, Brooklyn, New York, Philadelphia. All those places have bars where they’re serving smoked drinks. Now people want to have that experience at home.
Harel Levy: That’s going to make you the hero of the party. You’re the one who brings the cool stuff. I always like to do that.
We really advise [anyone trying this] to taste all of the flavors. Not just one or two. The spectrum of what flavors someone likes or doesn’t like is very wide. You’re probably going to really like 1-2 [of the flavors], and less like the others.
Those 1-2 that you really like, we’re going to offer you refills.
When I host friends [at my house], I drink scotch and it goes well with cherry.
But it’s like a game. You try a lot of things. You find out something that you’re really going to love.
“That’s going to make you the hero of the party. You’re the one who brings the cool stuff.”
Joe Winger: This first kit is a starter kit or a sampler kit. I get those six flavors and I get to decide, “Oh my gosh, I really like this one. Now I need a refill.”
Harel Levy: Exactly. It’s exciting me on a personal level because I’m curious […]. What’s going to make people upgrade a scotch that costs hundreds of dollars?
I can play with the flavor. That will upgrade an experience for the end customer cost hundreds of dollars. I did my part, right? And for them, they’re going to be over the moon. They’re going to be super happy. It’s just going to become one of their routine.
“What’s going to make people upgrade a scotch that costs hundreds of dollars?”
Joe Winger: There are smoking kits all over the place. Dozens of competitors on Amazon. Why should someone choose Bark and Barware?
Harel Levy: It’s the full experience that we offer. It starts with the package. Then the flavors. Most of our competitors offer four, we offer six. We tasted all of the competitors and our flavor is better. Otherwise I would not have released the product.
Our post-purchase [experience] the recipes. We’re working with a mixologist to just create a mini course to go with the kit, go with specific drinks. Customers are going to have access to all of it. How do I mix it? What should I mix it with?
Joe Winger: What does the future of the brand look like?
Harel Levy: We’re planning to release big packages [re-fills] of each flavor. Second thing is the mini courses. We really want to inspire because that’s fun.
The process of drinking with friends, the process of smoking. It’s a fun process. You sit on your balcony, with friends, you open a bottle of wine as well. That’s a fun process.
Our goal is to inspire. Someone [will realize they] like a specific cocktail. We will give them all of the information on how to make it, how to mix it, then we earn a customer for life.
Joe Winger: You mentioned picking a cocktail is like picking a favorite kid. It’s so hard to do. What is your favorite cocktail to use with your smoker?
Harel Levy: Yeah, so that’s a great question. I like the combination of the apple and scotch.
Joe Winger: Because you’re a foodie, are there any specific cocktail and food pairings that you really enjoy with any of your specific flavors?
Harel Levy: My favorite is having an apple flavored scotch with a ribeye. Someone I work with loves the hickory flavor. That’s the beauty of this world, every person has their unique taste.
Shop for Bark and Barware’s Cocktail smoker hit on amazon here: https://amzn.to/3P5c42g
Learn more at: https://www.barkandbarware.com
Bark and Barware enters the cocktail market with their premium cocktail smoker, including 6 flavors.
Bark and Barware’s Harel Levy
Today, Bark and Barware’s Harel Levy joins us for a conversation about cocktails, creating your long-lasting drinking crew, picking the right flavors, the perfect pairings and more!
The below conversation has been edited for length and clarity. Find the full conversation at our YouTube channel.
Joe Winger: Can you tell us a little bit about your story? And what inspired you to create this cocktail smoker kit?
Harel Levy: I’ve been an entrepreneur for the last seven years. While there are no mistakes, I actually found [the cocktail smoker] by mistake. I was planning to buy something for my Dad. I usually won’t give something if it’s not 100%. So I’d rather not give a gift that I don’t really like. Because I really care about what the recipient is going to feel.
“I really love the idea of cocktail smoking kits. […] It’s another tool to have a great night.
I don’t want to give something cheap, because if you really love someone, you really want to make sure that everything is spot on, right?
Even on yourself, you will be more forgiven in terms of what you buy than someone else.
I really love the idea of cocktail smoking kits. It’s not that it’s only cool and it’s a great addition to having those nights with friends, with family. It’s another tool to have a great night.
I went to Amazon and I saw there is no one who actually sells it in a premium, wooden box. And with many flavors. I talked with [my company’s] CEO about it, what’s missing here.
Bark & Barware’s Smoker Kit
We came up with a wooden box. It came from my passion to give something that looks good.
For almost a year, we went back and forth with factories. The smoke. The flavor. Details with the box.
When we released it, we were very happy. We knew my criteria. If I can give it to my Dad, not being afraid he’s not going to like it. Then I know that other people are also going to enjoy it because I have high standards for giving a gift to someone that I love. That’s how we came up with the product and the product.
The second thing we are planning is to bring a mixologist, make it a more holistic experience.
Extend the journey with our customers, give them cocktails, give them recipes, give them ideas, The journey doesn’t end when the transaction happens for us. We want to continue to build trust and serve our customers.
Joe Winger: You have a very comprehensive website. Can you walk us through your Cocktail Smoker Kit? When we buy it what do we get?
Harel Levy: There are six different chip flavors, the culinary torch, the smoke lid. Ice tongs, whiskey stones. Unfortunately, we don’t include butane [gas for the torch] because shipping is very heavily regulated,
“In every smoker kit you get six different chip flavors, the culinary torch, the smoke lid. Ice tongs, whiskey stones.”
We have six flavors: cherry, oak, pear, maple, hickory and apple. Our plan is to listen to our customers and come up with new flavors based on what they ask for. It’s not a one-time product release. We’re going to offer refills, extensions, more.
Each taste is very delicate. The world of wine, flavor, alcohol is so wide and you can get very specific sometimes. When you do get specific, you get the best results, right?
Joe Winger: Has there been one or two major lessons you’ve learned?
Harel Levy: Initially we had more flavors. After we gave out samples and heard about which flavors were the favorite, we removed some.
Joe Winger: You mentioned flavor pairing. What’s your favorite cocktail pairing?
Harel Levy: It’s a tough question because taste is something that is extremely subjective.
We usually put it with scotch. That’s our personal preference. Our customers get very creative with their ideas. That’s why we initially started with those six flavors. But listening to customer feedback, it’s going to grow and change.
Joe Winger: Over a year of research and development, were there any unexpected surprises?
Harel Levy: A lot of people agreed with me on the wooden box. People started asking for smoke refills. They’re going through the smoke faster than I thought. When we launched, I was expecting this to be used for special occasions. But people are using it every week, all the time.
Joe Winger: In the past few weeks, I’ve been in Los Angeles, Brooklyn, New York, Philadelphia. All those places have bars where they’re serving smoked drinks. Now people want to have that experience at home.
Harel Levy: That’s going to make you the hero of the party. You’re the one who brings the cool stuff. I always like to do that.
We really advise [anyone trying this] to taste all of the flavors. Not just one or two. The spectrum of what flavors someone likes or doesn’t like is very wide. You’re probably going to really like 1-2 [of the flavors], and less like the others.
Those 1-2 that you really like, we’re going to offer you refills.
When I host friends [at my house], I drink scotch and it goes well with cherry.
But it’s like a game. You try a lot of things. You find out something that you’re really going to love.
“That’s going to make you the hero of the party. You’re the one who brings the cool stuff.”
Joe Winger: This first kit is a starter kit or a sampler kit. I get those six flavors and I get to decide, “Oh my gosh, I really like this one. Now I need a refill.”
Harel Levy: Exactly. It’s exciting me on a personal level because I’m curious […]. What’s going to make people upgrade a scotch that costs hundreds of dollars?
I can play with the flavor. That will upgrade an experience for the end customer cost hundreds of dollars. I did my part, right? And for them, they’re going to be over the moon. They’re going to be super happy. It’s just going to become one of their routine.
“What’s going to make people upgrade a scotch that costs hundreds of dollars?”
Joe Winger: There are smoking kits all over the place. Dozens of competitors on Amazon. Why should someone choose Bark and Barware?
Harel Levy: It’s the full experience that we offer. It starts with the package. Then the flavors. Most of our competitors offer four, we offer six. We tasted all of the competitors and our flavor is better. Otherwise I would not have released the product.
Our post-purchase [experience] the recipes. We’re working with a mixologist to just create a mini course to go with the kit, go with specific drinks. Customers are going to have access to all of it. How do I mix it? What should I mix it with?
Joe Winger: What does the future of the brand look like?
Harel Levy: We’re planning to release big packages [re-fills] of each flavor. Second thing is the mini courses. We really want to inspire because that’s fun.
The process of drinking with friends, the process of smoking. It’s a fun process. You sit on your balcony, with friends, you open a bottle of wine as well. That’s a fun process.
Our goal is to inspire. Someone [will realize they] like a specific cocktail. We will give them all of the information on how to make it, how to mix it, then we earn a customer for life.
Joe Winger: You mentioned picking a cocktail is like picking a favorite kid. It’s so hard to do. What is your favorite cocktail to use with your smoker?
Harel Levy: Yeah, so that’s a great question. I like the combination of the apple and scotch.
Joe Winger: Because you’re a foodie, are there any specific cocktail and food pairings that you really enjoy with any of your specific flavors?
Harel Levy: My favorite is having an apple flavored scotch with a ribeye. Someone I work with loves the hickory flavor. That’s the beauty of this world, every person has their unique taste.
Shop for Bark and Barware’s Cocktail smoker hit on amazon here: https://amzn.to/3P5c42g
Learn more at: https://www.barkandbarware.com
-
The Holidays Just got Tastier! Fresh Victor Organic and Full Flavor Mixers for your Cocktails and Mocktails
Holidays 2023: Fresh Victor Puts the the drinker in charge with Fresh, Organic and Full Flavor Mixers.
Fresh Victor is how you make fast, delicious craft cocktails and amazing mocktails — Every. Single. Time.
Fresh Victor is a line of premium mixers for consistently delicious and efficient cocktails (and mocktails too.)
H. Ehrmann knows his cocktails
H. Ehrmann is a bartender and drinks industry consultant who runs Elixir, one of the most influential bars in San Francisco. In the industry for 35 years, owned a bar for 20 years.
Recently he hosted a virtual mixer walking us through several cocktails using Fresh Victor as the mixer: from non-alcoholic, to low alc, to full alcoholic.
Cold-pressed juice-based cocktail mixers. They have added sugar, either organic cane sugar or agave nectar used to balance out citrus levels to hit the intended brix level for most cocktails.
For example, with the Lemon Sour, the base is known as a pretty simple flavor profile. You can add another layer of flavor complexity (like a liqueur). But the Fresh Victor mixer was designed to have more depth, a bit more bitterness to handle any additional sweetness added.
Fresh Victor +1 or +2
All of the Fresh Victor bottles are designed to make delicious cocktails, but simply and easier. How? The amount of cocktails that can be made by adding just 1 or 2 ingredients plus the Fresh Victor mixer.
+1 is agave and tequila. Lemon Sour and whiskey.
+2 might be carbonation, frothing, aromatics, like: tonic, soda water, champagne, egg white, bitters.
“2-3 pours and a lot of flavor”
– H. Ehrmann
With those 3 elements and Fresh Victor’s 9 flavors, you can end up with dozens of drinks. From classics, to a spin-off of a classics (including mocktails).
Mixing ratios: 1: 1 and 2: 1.
1 1 / 2 oz of spirit to 2 ounces of mixer
2 oz of spirit to 2 ounces of mixer
If the drinker likes the taste of the alcohol, they want that taste to “punch” through, then then 2:2 is better for them. If they want the flavor sweeter, iding behind the mixer, 2:1 is the answer for them.
Fresh Victor is a mixer, not a juice. So it’s meant to take on dilution as you build your cocktail. Right out of the bottle, it’s a bit more concentrated, more dense. Meant to be stirred, shaken, reduced down without watering down the flavor. It can dilute 15-20% without losing quality.
Using Fresh Victor, you can create a 32 oz, 64 oz or a gallon punch bowl for a holiday party in less than 5 minutes. And it’s not a simple, lame flavor. It’s complex.
Orchard Bliss Royale
Non-alcoholic. When you add Champagne or Sparkling, it’s called “Royale” and today’s drink is adding Sparkling Cider.
4 oz sparkling cider
2 oz Fresh Victor (Three Citrus and Mint Leaf)
Garnish with dehydrated apple slices
The nose is refreshing. Vibrant apple. Effervescent on the palate, from the Sparkling. A balance of lemon, lime, orange. Plump, but not overwhelming. Mint notes that bring a tertiary element.
Suggestions include playing with adding a shot of vodka, rum or tequila, any of which would work well.
Fresh Victor mixers give a fruit-forward base that makes it easy to play and experiment with.
Winter Spice Tonic
“When mixed well, Gin impacts the overall character of your drink, but doesn’t get in your face”.
1 oz Tanqueray london dry gin
1 Oz Fresh Victor (Cactus Pomegranate)
4 oz Fever Tree Tonic
Aromatic bitters
Garnish with vanilla bean, All-spice berries, Dehydrated Lemon
The nose is immediately the charming, floral aromatics you’d expect from the gin. Then slowly the baking spices express themselves. Deep character layers and complexity. A gush of tonic, then lingering vanilla and lemon.
Definitely a gin drink for someone who’s not a gin fan as it showcases the best of gin without being overwhelming.
H. Ehrmann with the Fresh Victor Winter Spice Tonic
Love a standard gin drink? Try Gin and Tonic with Fresh Victor’s Cucumber and Lime!
“I’ve taught cocktail classes for over ten years. As much as students love it and geek out over cocktail details at the bar. When they get home to their kitchen, they still prefer to have something easy. That’s a huge part of when Fresh Victor is.”
“The 2 things that show us down when drinking cocktails, alcoholic strength and bitterness. Those are things that help us drag a cocktail out 10-20 minutes. Like, intentional speed bumps to keep you from drinking too fast. So removing the alcohol from a recipe, removes that speed bump. Adding more bitters, adds it back. It helps a non-alco drink feel more like a cocktail.”
“Just before Covid, we decided to focus Fresh Victor on bars and restaurants. So Covid hits. We decided to re-package into a 16 oz bottle. Within 6 weeks we had these bottles available in 7 states direct to consumer. Within 2 months, we had 48 states direct to consumer. I shifted to selling cocktail kits from home and Fresh Victor was the perfect partner for me.”
“Take a liter of tequila and a 64 oz bottle of Mexican lime and agave, you can make 32 margaritas. I was selling those kits like crazy. People were re-ordering every other day.”
“All the ways you can use Fresh Vector. I went through the lexicon of cocktails. What can I make with lemon sour? What can I make with Mexican Agave? Then I’d look at more unique flavor profile and ask myself what can I make with that?”
Figtorious Celebrations
2 oz of Fresh Victor (grapefruit and sea salt)
2 oz VSOP brandy
1 / 2 oz fig syrup
Try thinking of Fresh Victor less as a mixer or a juice and more as an ingredient. Think of it as an ingredient where you can use as much or as little as you want to make a more complex drink.
Explore from a culinary point of view. What other flavors mix?
H. Ehrmann with the Fresh Victor Figtorious Celebrations
Fresh Victor Holidays Flavors
H. Ehrmann suggests a twist this cold, holiday season. Think like a Hot Toddy. Simply warm up your Whiskey Sour, Lemon Drop, even your sangria. Anything that would normally go with ice, this time heat it up warm and toasty.
