Urban Standard Coffee Shop (Primavera Beans)

Have you ever driven a 3 cylinder car? You know the ford escort that your parents keep in the driveway for you to drive when you come home for the holidays. The car that starts go shake at about 75 and just won't peel out even though you drive it like a 911 Porsche carera. Well I've gotta say that urban standard is very similar to four barrel coffee. The beans were roasted only 4 days ago by Primavera Roasters which is only a few miles down the road. They brew the coffee via French press, which is why I think there is the four barrelish resemblance. The coffee had flavor but I feel it might have been left in the press a bit to long, hence the muddiness. Overall the shop was super cool and the strawberry cupcake with frosting was inhaled faster than snoop dogg hot boxing a blunt.

Stone Cellar Chardonnay – Year Unknown

You know how watching a romantic comedy on a plane somehow makes it seem way better than it really is? Well it’s not that good. But it’s all about availability right? My point is that this wine is nothing to write home about, unless you still write letters home and well, that’s a different story. It’s an off-shoot of Beringer, which like a lot of California wineries encompass a very large gamut as far as quality goes. They produce a lot of wine and have some really great middle of the road wines, and they also supply the US Airways not-so-friendly staff with their hooch. Definitely not the best white I’ve had on a plane, but since I didn’t have a choice this 60 point becomes a 90 point cruising at 35,000 feet. Now only if they’d start that movie.

Blue Bottle Koratie Natural

Were you ever lucky enough to get the last of something? It's always sweeter. Kinda like when I got the last piece of Pecan Pie at thanksgiving or the last tickle-me-elmo in the United States (not sure why I wanted it, but I got the last one.) Even getting someone's last piece of gum is good, after the awarkward "are you sure you don't mind" banter goes on for a bit. Well I can add to that glorious list, with the Koratie Natural! I got the last bag of the last batch that Blue Bottle's ever going to roast. I didn't get the scoop on why they're discontinuing the brew, but I'm glad I got to taste it before it was gone. This brew is very manly. It's like a man with a beard and a nice flannel, that's actually a teddy-bear on the inside. It puts up a good front with it's strong deep smell, but it's really tasty and easy to drink when you open it up. I do have to say as far as flavors go, it's not my favorite but this is definately a great coffee. It's not to crazy with flavor so I see how it could be a good house brew for a hip little breakfast joint.

2007 Casillero del Diablo Chardonnay

With the first rain of the season in Peurto Vallarta comes tons of moths. Also what comes with the first rain ( If your staying at Villa Los Arcos ) is a Hand-Rolled Mexican Cigar paired with the Diablo Chilean Chardonnay. This wine paired very nicely with the Cigar, not to buttery and the fruit stood up to the cigar and complimented it nicely. Puffin on a fatty cigar helps the street cred of this wine... A great "drinking" Chardonnay, not the best, but I wasn't disappointed. Have it on a hot day and enjoy your life. Not sure how many pesos Alfonso dropped to pick up this bottle, but in the States it looks like you can pick up a bottle for under $10.

mute moth. a very short film.

2002 Kendall Jackson Zinfandel

Its a tough choice when trying to tell the cooks what kind of wine to get if you haven't been to the store to know the selection. So for this dinner I said get me some Zinfandel from another country. Alfonso brought back the 2002 Kendal Jackson Zinfandel, from California. If your in Mexico I guess the US is technically another country.... I have to say it paired perfectly with the Chicken Mole (molee, molee, molee......mole), which is a sauce made of chocolate and peppers. Chewy made the perfect meal and this Zinfandel proved to be the perfect wine and the whole group was really pleased with how well it went, I started a slow clap and then everyone applauded (Insert loud obnoxious laughing).

I've discovered it's hard to drink wine in Mexico. Well, red wine at least. It's not like the Bay Area where the temperature is moderate and pretty much caters to any type of drinking. There's a reason people drink gallons of Tecate and pitchers of Margaritas. Because it's hot!

Aero Mexicana

One sip wonder.
It's either amazing and it's love at first sip or it's a small espresso from that quirky cafe on your European cafe, or it sucks. And it's a wonder why they serve such horrible coffee on Aero Mexico. They serve dos equis, tequila shots and even a meal, so why does the brew taste like an el gato en los pantalones? I guess it makes some sense, airlines are cutting back and they only send the good stuff to the states. I couldn't get any info on the type of coffee but it could be appropriately named as meurtes de perro . Hopefully I'll find some dankness on our Mexican extravaganza vacation for two.

2006 Ravenswood Sonoma County Old Vine Zinfandel

Have you ever heard the term Jammy? I know it's dumb and sounds like a name you'd call your Maw Maw, but I gotta say this Sonoma County is a Jammy friend of mine. It's a really solid Zin that paired well with a spicy Lentil soup. A mostly simple wine with some nice spiciness on the back end. Retailing for $14.99 at BevMo, it's a little steep for an everyday type wine (which is how I'd classify this wine) My suggestion would be to definitely pick this up if it's a 5 cent sale, If not, I'd say pick up something a little cheaper for the everyday.

Capricorn Dark Guatemala

Have you ever been down to the Ghirardelli store down by the wharf? You know the one where you go to eat a huge bowl of ice cream and you leave with sticky hands and diarrhea. I know what your thinking. "Yeah!! why do I always leave with sticky hands and diarrhea?" Well this coffee will bring you back to that magical place without the diarrhea, hopefully. It reminds me of the dark chocolate free sample that you get from the Ghirardelli woman standing with a full bag of already opened chocolates. Like it's really that hard to open the chocolates yourself. They don't want you to wait another second before you devour the little dark chocolate. To put the icing on the cake a friend bought me the bag of beans making them the same price as a free chocolate but with way more benefits. I love dark brews and I absolutely loved this Capricorn roast.

Van Ruiten Ancient Vine Carignane 2005

Riddle: It's got white make-up on, but dressed in all black. It's light, but somehow very dark. Answer: The girl that checked us out at whole foods and this wine. Kinda scary I know, but don't be scared. The VR Carignane will treat you right, just make sure to have a few friends around to finish the bottle because the second day this wine looses the brightness and just becomes a very dark wine without the interestingness. This '05 produced in Lodi, CA made for a great pairing with a white pizza and also was great on it's own. I don't often drink Carignane's but I would strongly consider throwing this one in the rotation. Overall a really great wine. I think it's winning some awards as well. Go check it out.

Ritual IHTIERI KETI ARA SUMATRA

It's late on a Monday night and you realize that all the beans have run out and a grumpy morning is in your future, well my friend there is still hope yet. Whole Foods sells this variation of Ritual coffee that will put a pep in your step. This is one of those coffee's that make me miss sitting at a truck stop late at night talking with my friends about nothing important, but everything that is good in life. IKAS is a really beefy brew which is right up my alley. I've been dripping the brew and getting some really good results, unlike with the Chapadao from earlier. I think my little wooden spoon to stir the drip is the magic wand. If you don't have a little wooden spoon you should rush to the little wooden spoon store and pick one up. But seriously I would definitely get the coffee again. Way to go Ritual for keeping the fresh beans on the shelf. I picked these up on the 20th, so 5 days after being roasted is really good for the grocery store. Keep drinking the strong stuff.