Champagne Rory

Gretchen Neuman
VinoVerve Editor

Yes, that object from Wednesday was a champagne sabre.  I have seen a bottle opened this way once in the past.  Yet, I felt that I needed to give it a try.  When my friend Arlynn Lieber Presser told me about her blogging project to meet and learn from all her Facebook friends, I knew that this was the time to go ahead.  I purchased the sabre (you can spell it with an -er if you wish.  I am going all Buffalo Sabre-y on you) and waited for it to arrive.

It is magnificent. Has good heft and according to Kevin and the girls, the ability to put someone’s eye out.  Indeed, Champagne Rory indicated a concern that he would be blinded by flying glass.  This was not to be.  Everything went flying along its trajectory at such a rate of speed that I am not sure it is even possible to get glass blowback.  And wine foaming from the bottle removes the possiblity of shards travelling down your throat and lodging in your lung.  I like the looks of this sabre.  Kevin and I bought a Laguiole sabre for a friend a couple of years back and I was disappointed to see that it looked like a machete.  A deadly weapon as well to be sure, but it was missing the elegance of a sabre.

So, I took the sabre to Arlynn’s and I showed her how it worked.  But she was still concerned about trying it herself.  Watch for yourself.  I talked her into it.  You can read her post about our evening here.  I even got my Dad and Sophie to try using the sabre (Though in Sophie’s case, it was more like trying to keep her from it.)

I KNOW that I will never open a bottle of bubbly another way again.  This was way too cool.

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Rory continues his trip to Walla Walla and Cayuse Vineyards. In this video he learns how Christophe Baron grew to embrace biodynamic wine making.

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It looks like the moon…. But they make wine here….can you guess where Rory is?

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Mouverdre from Tablas Creek-Beaucastel

A bird house near the vineyard

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In this video, we learn about the unique geology of Oregon.

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Rory’s Pinot Camp Diaries continue. After breakfast at the Evergreen Aviation Museum (Home of Howard Hughes’ Spruce Goose), we meet the Oregon Pinot Camp Counselors.

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The great Muddy Waters singing here about some of life’s pleasures. At least the first half is something I can abide by. The rest is all you, Cheech.

-Champagne Rory

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Kevin brought home a little treat for me today.

The latest copy of the David Burke Magazine. The magazine which features the various David Burke restaurant properties contains an article in this issue about our favorite sommelier, Rory Gurland.

Specifically, the article discusses Rory’s enormously popular 777 Wine Weeks, which allow diners to travel around the world tasting seven wines and seven dishes from seven places. Proceeds from the tasting benefits Common Threads, that educates children about nutrition and cooking (Those of you following Bravo TV’s Top Chef may have seen the episode that featured the kids from that program).

Upcoming events have been scheduled for lunch during the weekdays instead of including the weekends, but patrons will continue to taste seven wines for the very low donation of $7.00 (again going to Common Threads). As mentioned previously, the themes for this year’s 777 Events have been set.

The week of June 2 thru 6 will feature:

• Chardonnay
• Cabernet
• Summer
• ‘New’ Old World
• South America

The week of December 1 thru 5 will feature:

• Sparkling Wine and Champagne
• Winter
• Italy
• France
• Spain

So come on by, taste some great wines, hobnob with Rory and make a donation to Common Threads! Oh and if you see some crazy woman with a camera taking pictures of her food, say hi to me as well!

Oh and as note, the photograph featured in the article was taken by yours truly.

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