FAKE - OUT
"Wine and War" Julian Barnes
for The New Yorker, The Critics July 16, 2001
for The New Yorker, The Critics July 16, 2001
dont eat at Le Chaudron or at least beware
Mr. Jean-Louis Chave:
My name is Michael Wheeler and I have the most unfortunate story to tell you which involved one of your wines. This last Saturday night I was dining with three fellow wine importers at Le Chaudron in Tournon.
It was our first time at the Restaurant and we were anticipating a grand Rhone experience so we ordered your 1992 Hermitage Blanc as our first wine. Several minutes later, I see the owner go into the kitchen with an empty bottle of Chave Hermitage and a decanter. He comes out with the full decanter plus an open bottle with some liquid in it. There was no effort to show us the wine before he opened the bottle or to do so at our table. As he pours the wine into our glasses, I see a cork in his hand that is branded 1999. We taste the wine and it tastes like an inexpensive young white Rhone.
At this point I say to the owner: "This is not a Chave 1992." He tastes the wine and says yes, this is in fact how the 92 tastes. We ask to see the cork and he said he must have left it in the kitchen. He runs into the kitchen to look for it but returns and says he could not find the cork, that he must
have thrown in into the garbage!
While he is looking for the cork, two of us taste the liquid that still remains in the bottom of the bottle, and there is no doubt but that it is water. When the owner returns to our table without the cork, I demand he take the bottle away and open a new bottle in front of us, which he does.
This bottle is golden yellow in color and and grew into a glorious experience. The owner came over to the table later and said he must have accidentally switched the carafe with a Guigal Cotes du Rhone that was meant for another table. There were only three tables with customers at this time and we took a look at what was being drunk at the other tables and there was not a wine with the same golden yellow color as your 1992 Hermitage Blanc. We had caught the owner in a fraudulent lie, but stayed at the restaurant as it was late and we thought he would not dare try such stupidity again.
Later on, we ordered a 1988 Hermitage Rouge from your domaine, which on our insistence, the owner angrily brought to the table, and opened in front of us. It was a fantastic perfect bottle.
We then order a 1990 La Chapelle. "I am out.," he says. We then ask for a 95 or 98 Hermitage Cathelin and to our surprise he says: "I am out but I do have the 90 La Chapelle," which he had already told us he did not have in stock.
The owner was missing in the kitchen for a long time and then comes out with a wet bottle, opens it without showing us the cork, and walks away. The label is moist and there is glue left on the bottle where the original label must have been. Clearly, to us, this bottle had been relabelled. We tasted
the wine and it was old and oxidized. We then asked for the check but told him we refused to pay for the fraudulent La Chapelle or have him bring out another bottle of 1990 La Chapelle. Enough was enough!
The owner insisted we pay for the La Chapelle and it turned into a very big, unfortunate scene. Finally, he kicked us out of the restaurant, saying: "This isn't America" and refused our efforts to pay for the meal and all the wines, with the exception of the La Chapelle.
I am sure he will have a different story for you, but I don't think this was the first time he has done these tricks. Of the three importers at the table, two were Americans who speak French well and one was a native French women. So it is not possible that what happened was a 'misunderstanding.'
As the incident involved your wine I wanted to bring it to your attention.
Best Wishes on the 2001 Vintage.
Mike Wheeler
Mr. Jean-Louis Chave:
My name is Michael Wheeler and I have the most unfortunate story to tell you which involved one of your wines. This last Saturday night I was dining with three fellow wine importers at Le Chaudron in Tournon.
It was our first time at the Restaurant and we were anticipating a grand Rhone experience so we ordered your 1992 Hermitage Blanc as our first wine. Several minutes later, I see the owner go into the kitchen with an empty bottle of Chave Hermitage and a decanter. He comes out with the full decanter plus an open bottle with some liquid in it. There was no effort to show us the wine before he opened the bottle or to do so at our table. As he pours the wine into our glasses, I see a cork in his hand that is branded 1999. We taste the wine and it tastes like an inexpensive young white Rhone.
At this point I say to the owner: "This is not a Chave 1992." He tastes the wine and says yes, this is in fact how the 92 tastes. We ask to see the cork and he said he must have left it in the kitchen. He runs into the kitchen to look for it but returns and says he could not find the cork, that he must
have thrown in into the garbage!
While he is looking for the cork, two of us taste the liquid that still remains in the bottom of the bottle, and there is no doubt but that it is water. When the owner returns to our table without the cork, I demand he take the bottle away and open a new bottle in front of us, which he does.
This bottle is golden yellow in color and and grew into a glorious experience. The owner came over to the table later and said he must have accidentally switched the carafe with a Guigal Cotes du Rhone that was meant for another table. There were only three tables with customers at this time and we took a look at what was being drunk at the other tables and there was not a wine with the same golden yellow color as your 1992 Hermitage Blanc. We had caught the owner in a fraudulent lie, but stayed at the restaurant as it was late and we thought he would not dare try such stupidity again.
Later on, we ordered a 1988 Hermitage Rouge from your domaine, which on our insistence, the owner angrily brought to the table, and opened in front of us. It was a fantastic perfect bottle.
We then order a 1990 La Chapelle. "I am out.," he says. We then ask for a 95 or 98 Hermitage Cathelin and to our surprise he says: "I am out but I do have the 90 La Chapelle," which he had already told us he did not have in stock.
The owner was missing in the kitchen for a long time and then comes out with a wet bottle, opens it without showing us the cork, and walks away. The label is moist and there is glue left on the bottle where the original label must have been. Clearly, to us, this bottle had been relabelled. We tasted
the wine and it was old and oxidized. We then asked for the check but told him we refused to pay for the fraudulent La Chapelle or have him bring out another bottle of 1990 La Chapelle. Enough was enough!
The owner insisted we pay for the La Chapelle and it turned into a very big, unfortunate scene. Finally, he kicked us out of the restaurant, saying: "This isn't America" and refused our efforts to pay for the meal and all the wines, with the exception of the La Chapelle.
I am sure he will have a different story for you, but I don't think this was the first time he has done these tricks. Of the three importers at the table, two were Americans who speak French well and one was a native French women. So it is not possible that what happened was a 'misunderstanding.'
As the incident involved your wine I wanted to bring it to your attention.
Best Wishes on the 2001 Vintage.
Mike Wheeler
another reason to telnet. email wiretapping
Here's an interview with digital artist John Simon. Pretty interesting, but I don't know what to think about his art. He taught "computer art" at SVA, and I like his approach (from the little I can make out of it.)
When I was teaching in the Computer Art MFA program at the School of Visual Arts [in New York] I taught both programming and systems. The systems class was meant to explain how the computer worked, layer by layer, from "why the user interface looks like a desktop" to "how electricity and transistors can be made to store and manipulate information." I don't think we should allow creative innovators to use application software without showing them how it is all put together.He had a piece in bitstreams, so maybe Tom could comment on his work?
Some conversation at Bill's party about unusual grooves on vinyl records (that's the actual needle-vibrating, spiraling cut, not rhythmic "grooves"). Maybe Tom could compile the cites, but the guy I was trying to recall, who had a record with two different spindle holes, was Rhys Chatham. Check out his "Is Rock Dead" essay if (like me) you're nostalgic for the future circa 1990. I really thought ecstatic dance music was happening, but instead of My Bloody Valentine and the Orb taking over MTV, we got Nirvana (great as they were) and another cycle of the same old Rock myth (and nobody in the Detroit I lived in ever heard of Techno).
Was it someone they ate?
Woman visits tribe that ingested her ancestor.
Woman visits tribe that ingested her ancestor.
Once upon a time, important art was made in France.
Now them's fireworks!
We can't keep up with her. I have to go to bed. She keeps going. You wake up and she's still at it. After 15 hours she's radiant.(via robotwisdom)
First Monday of every month.
Backroom! Film night at The Parkside Lounge (Houston St near Ridge) hosted by Larry 7 and Bill Bronson.
Monday, July 2
Steve Doughton
On Air Library
Oren Ambarchi
Jasmine and Darjeeling
Sparks-78 RPM D.J.
FREE! Things should get going by around 10:pm
I went once, it was pretty fun, a somewhat chaotic mix of musicians and filmmakers-film collectors. Many projectors on one screen and spilling onto the celing and walls.
We'll see what happens. I seem to prefer seeing my stuff in such a context.
Hey Bill, what about films on the 4th?
Backroom! Film night at The Parkside Lounge (Houston St near Ridge) hosted by Larry 7 and Bill Bronson.
Monday, July 2
Steve Doughton
On Air Library
Oren Ambarchi
Jasmine and Darjeeling
Sparks-78 RPM D.J.
FREE! Things should get going by around 10:pm
I went once, it was pretty fun, a somewhat chaotic mix of musicians and filmmakers-film collectors. Many projectors on one screen and spilling onto the celing and walls.
We'll see what happens. I seem to prefer seeing my stuff in such a context.
Hey Bill, what about films on the 4th?
French Guiana trip is closing in and as with my preposed Fiji trip seems like a little unstability is in the air--need a Yellow Fever shot!!
thanks linda for info below--parts first paragraph sound great and its not too expensive to me and i hear the insect thing is overrated-- about the note: is true and there has been some resent bubbling but not serious--i will be in capital 3 nights, than the river trips than i escape to suriname if need be:>)
We cant say that French Guiana, site of one of the worlds most notorious prisons for more than a century, has been rehabilitated into a top destination for travelers. Its still hot, steamy and insect-riddenand its quite expensive, without the quality of restaurants and hotels to justify the high prices. But it has certainly undergone some major transformations. Devils Island, where many famous prisoners were held in solitary confinement, has become a coconut-palmed getaway for rocket scientists who work at the French aerospace complex on the mainland. And Hmong villagers, exiled from Laos, have established villages and farms in the countrys thick interior jungle. For certain intrepid travelers interested in exploring jungle rivers in motorized canoes and staying in South American tribal villages, this may be just the destination. We would stress, however, that this is not mainstream ecotourism: This is adventure, and only those who are willing to put up with a lot of inconvenience and the most basic conditions imaginable need apply.
Note: There have been occasions of civil unrest in the capital, Cayenne, which resulted in rioting in the citys streets. Student groups and labor unions have been involved in these disturbances, as have a small but vocal group of French Guianese that favor independence from mainland France. At times, Air France has suspended flights to the airport at Cayenne.
thanks linda for info below--parts first paragraph sound great and its not too expensive to me and i hear the insect thing is overrated-- about the note: is true and there has been some resent bubbling but not serious--i will be in capital 3 nights, than the river trips than i escape to suriname if need be:>)
We cant say that French Guiana, site of one of the worlds most notorious prisons for more than a century, has been rehabilitated into a top destination for travelers. Its still hot, steamy and insect-riddenand its quite expensive, without the quality of restaurants and hotels to justify the high prices. But it has certainly undergone some major transformations. Devils Island, where many famous prisoners were held in solitary confinement, has become a coconut-palmed getaway for rocket scientists who work at the French aerospace complex on the mainland. And Hmong villagers, exiled from Laos, have established villages and farms in the countrys thick interior jungle. For certain intrepid travelers interested in exploring jungle rivers in motorized canoes and staying in South American tribal villages, this may be just the destination. We would stress, however, that this is not mainstream ecotourism: This is adventure, and only those who are willing to put up with a lot of inconvenience and the most basic conditions imaginable need apply.
Note: There have been occasions of civil unrest in the capital, Cayenne, which resulted in rioting in the citys streets. Student groups and labor unions have been involved in these disturbances, as have a small but vocal group of French Guianese that favor independence from mainland France. At times, Air France has suspended flights to the airport at Cayenne.
You knew it would happen: CD-eating fungus!
Offers opportunities for waste disposal (of course, something like that could never get out of hand…)
Speaking of sci-fi scenarios, didn't William Gibson come up with bit-rot, some sort of actual data decay? Are my files really safe? Sumerian clay tablets have lasted 5000 years, but all I've got are promises!
Offers opportunities for waste disposal (of course, something like that could never get out of hand…)
Speaking of sci-fi scenarios, didn't William Gibson come up with bit-rot, some sort of actual data decay? Are my files really safe? Sumerian clay tablets have lasted 5000 years, but all I've got are promises!
The series finale of Xena, Warrior Princess is on tonight (Sat 6/23) at 8:00PM on Ch 11.
From Salon and AP.
From Salon and AP.
i am going to recommand a restaurant that i have not tried yet
for 3 reasons
1) good friend said he had the best fried calimari in his life there
2) the menu looks great
3) they are doing well w/o any reviews and i cant find a word about them on the internet in english (one in german)
Palma 28 Cornelia 6912223
for 3 reasons
1) good friend said he had the best fried calimari in his life there
2) the menu looks great
3) they are doing well w/o any reviews and i cant find a word about them on the internet in english (one in german)
Palma 28 Cornelia 6912223
