Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne, Reed Sorenson and Travis Kvapil to join fans during free Richard Petty Racing Experience rides on March 29

Nashville (Tenn.) SuperspeedwayLEBANON, Tenn. - NASCAR and Nashville Superspeedway are offering season ticket holders at Nashville Superspeedway a unique opportunity on Tuesday, March 29. They will have a chance to hop in a Richard Petty Driving Experience car as professional instructors drive them around the concrete track at speeds up to 165 mph. And as...more»

Source: http://www.catchfence.com/2011/nationwide/03/09/daytona-500-winner-trevor-bayne-reed-sorenson-and-travis-kvapil-to-join-fans-during-free-richard-petty-racing-experience-rides-on-march-29/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=daytona-500-winner-trevor-bayne-reed-sorenson-and-travis-kvapil-to-join-fans-during-free-richard-petty-racing-experience-rides-on-march-29

Ingo Hoffmann Bill Holland Jackie Holmes Bill Homeier Kazuyoshi Hoshino

Spy Shots: Latest Cadillac XTS prototype caught inside and out

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2013 Cadillac XTS spy shots
Cadillac XTS spy shots - Click above for high-res image gallery

We've seen spy photos of Cadillac's upcoming XTS before, but only from far away. Now, our intrepid spy photographers have managed to get up-close and personal with the new Caddy flagship, giving us a sneak peak at the sedan's interior in the process.

Based on the XTS Platinum concept shown at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show, this new Cadillac sedan will replace both the STS and DTS within the automaker's lineup. This way, the current entry-level CTS can move slightly upmarket to allow for a new, smaller ATS sedan (alphabet soup, we know) that is slated to arrive in the summer of 2012. The XTS is expected to use the same Epsilon II platform that underpins the Buick LaCrosse, and we expect both front- and all-wheel-drive variants to be available.

A quick glimpse at this prototype's interior shows that it will be very similarly designed to the CTS, though we certainly hope that higher-quality materials will be in place. (Let's be honest - the CTS' interior was fine for 2008, but it's ready for an update). Other new details spotted on this test car include a set of Brembo brakes up front (is an XTS-V in the works?) and large, 19-ish-inch wheels. See the full slate of photos in our high-res image gallery below.



[Sources: Jeremy Kupfer/Brenda Priddy & Company]

Spy Shots: Latest Cadillac XTS prototype caught inside and out originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Mar 2011 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/11/spy-shots-latest-cadillac-xts-prototype-caught-inside-and-out/

Fred Gamble Howden Ganley Frank Gardner Billy Garrett Jo Gartner

Alonso: Lead battle too close to call

Fernando Alonso thinks there is little separating the top teams in Formula 1 at the end of pre-season testing - as he predicts that it will be small details that will decide the outcome of the first races of the campaign. Although many had singled out Red Bull Racing as favourite after its strong winter testing performance, a series of updates on the Ferrari helped Alonso deliver a strong race simulation run at Barcelona this week to hint at a very strong challenge from him too. And rather than feel that his team is playing catch-up to Red Bull Racing, Alonso says his confidence is as high as it was at the start of the last campaign ? when Ferrari had gone into the year fighting for the championship.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/alonso-lead-battle-too-close-to-call/

Kenny Dale Irwin Jr Dale Arnold Jarrett Jimmie Kenneth Johnson Kasey Kenneth Kahne Matthew Roy Kenseth

Digging into the Cellar Party III: 2006 Washington Syrah

Recently, the Wine Peeps team hosted our third Digging into the Cellar Party for about fifteen of our closest wine loving friends. For our first DITC Party, the theme was Rhone-style wines. For our second DITC Party, the theme was Red Blends. For this party, the theme was Washington Syrah, and we bookended a blind [...]

Digging into the Cellar Party III: 2006 Washington Syrah was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/-EjRUv0xNr4/

Al Keller Joe Kelly Dave Kennedy Loris Kessel Bruce Kessler

Event Report: Urban Grape Quintessa Wine Dinner at The Capital Grille


Wine retailer The Urban Grape recently teamed up with The Capital Grille in Chestnut Hill, MA to kick off a series of winemaker dinners in 2011.  The first, this past Thursday January 27th, featured wines from Quintessa and winemaker Charles Thomas.

Quintessa is owned by Augustin Huneeus whose Huneeus Vintners controls a growing stable of wine brands.  Quintessa is a top-flight Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley that retails for around $135.  Faust is a more approachable Napa Cab that sells for around $50.  Illumination is a $45 Napa Sauvignon Blanc.

Beyond these Napa wines, Huneeus Vintners has added a number of prominent brands to their portfolio.  In California these include Flowers and Orin Swift (who makes the bold QPR-favorite The Prisoner).  In Chile there's Veramonte and Ritual.  Quite a list of wines.

My affinity for The Capital Grill is well-documented at this point.  Here's a review I wrote last year about their Master Wine Tasting Event in June.  I'm a huge fan of their style of service, the quality of food across the entire menu, and the way their wine selections focus on guiding us to delicious wines in categories that expand our wine knowledge.

The evening started out with a reception featuring the Chilean Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc.  I thought it was a fruit-forward and friendly way to start the evening.  I had a nice time chatting up Urban Grape owners TJ and Hadley Douglas.  TJ told me he loves wine dinners tracing back to his days with (wine distributor) Ruby Wines when he regularly did wine dinners.

If you're familiar with The Capital Grille's Chestnut Hill location, the dinner occurred in the private room in the back-left of the restaurant.  The event was absolutely sold out and the room was filled to capacity.  In talking to the people seated around me, there was a mix of big-time Capital Grille fans and Urban Grape clients as well.  Everyone was excited to try the wines.


As the first course was served (a Winter Salad of Mesclun Greens and Endive Tossed with a Grapefruit Vinaigrette, Clementine, Poached Pear and Postachio) winemaker Charles Thomas greeted us, told us about the history of the Quintessa, and introduced the first wine: The 2009 Illumination Sauvignon Blanc.

Charles has been winemaker at Quintessa since 2007.  His past experience includes Robert Mondavi Winery, Domaine Chandon, Cardinale and Rudd as well as being involved with the inception and creation of Opus One.

Augustin Huneeus's experience in the wine business started with Concha y Toro in Chile.  Then a small winery, he built it up before coming to the US in the 1970s.  He worked with a variety of brands then built up Franciscan in the 1980s.  His efforts are now focused on Quintessa and related brands in his portfolio.

Charles described his approach with Illumination as being "careful with the oak".  I noted light lime aromas in a soft wine that hinted at New Zealand but chose not to go for the pungency and zest.  Not too overly fruity, especially for Napa, and especially compared to the Veramonte that proceeded it.  Around $45 - I'd rate it 86 points.

The second course featured Alaskan Yukon Gold Salmon Caviar and American Sturgeon Caviar paired with the 2008 Ritual Pinot Noir.

Like other Chilean Pinot Noirs I've tried it was a bold wine featuring spicy notes.  I thought it was racy, if a little rough and tannic compared to what I see in Pinot Noirs produced in other regions.  A little rough and tumble.  Paul Hobbs was a consulting winemaker on this one.  Around $38 - I'd rate it 87 points.

Next up was the 2007 Faust Cabernet Sauvignon paired with Rosemary Lamb with Swiss Chard, Baby Carrots Glazed with Balsamic.  One of my favorite dishes at the Capital Grille is the Double Cut Lamb Rib Chops - this was a slightly different preparation with the balsamic treatment and less crunch on the outside.  It paired nicely with the Faust.

Charles described how the Faust came into being.  They felt they could produce a great wine from the grapes they were selling to other wineries that weren't making their way into the flagship Quintessa wine.  Faust provides an affordable taste of what they do, but stylistically it's a very different wine than Quintessa.

Faust is classic Napa Cab with big dark fruit up front and palate-flooding flavor.  I found the back end of the palate a little limited and the finish a touch short.  Still, it's a crowd pleaser.  I'd rate it 89 points - about $50.

Then, it was time for the big show.  The one we'd all been waiting for: The 2007 Quintessa.  Before trying the wine, I asked Charles which other wines Quintessa is stylistically similar to.  He paused a moment - perhaps thinking about how to position the wine compared to other elite wines, perhaps thinking about whether he wanted to pre-dispose our perception of the wine in a certain way before we tried it.  He said some compare it to Opus One, Robert Mondavi Reserve, and Phelps Insignia.

After trying the wine, I thought Opus One was the most relevant comparison.  It's definitely a new world spin on a Bordeaux blend - and a very good one.  Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Carmenere come together to form a wine that is slightly closed aromatically at this point (as you'd expect - the wine is very young) with tar, red fruit and just a hint of mocha.  The wine distinguished itself with it's laser-beam of intense flavors on the palate, through the back end, and with a very long finish.  I hear the thing you're looking for when assessing wines like this in their youth is length of finish so this bodes very well for this wine's future.  I'd rate it 92 points - around $135.

It was paired with a Sesame Encrusted Tuna Served over Seaweed Salad Garnished with Pickled Ginger, Honey Wasabi, and White Soy.  Perhaps an unconventional pairing (some opted to have steak snuck out from the kitchen) but I thought it worked very well.  The sinus-clearing nature of the wasabi was tempered with honey and the salt from the soy came together with the rich fruit of the bold red wine beautifully.  I'm not much of a fish guy and I devoured the dish.

Dessert was a Coconut Creme Brulee with a Sandeman 10 Year Old Tawny Port.  Loved the creme brulee - one of my favorite desserts at The Capital Grille, but I'm not much of a Port guy.

Noteable:

  • The group seated next to me was a fun bunch.  They said they come to the Capital Grille at least once a week and always sit with our lead server for the night David Bresner.  His approach typifies the Capital Grille experience - refined yet comfortable and down to earth.
  • The groups said when they went to The Capital Grille's Las Vegas location the restaurant was aware of their dining preferences from their past dining at Massachusetts Capital Grille locations - they didn't even have to tell them how like liked their steaks prepared.  I asked them how often they mis-cook their steaks: "Almost never."  I thought this was particularly impressive given that one of them likes their steaks well done and the other likes them rare.
  • They also recommended Carmaleno's Pushcart in Saugus - duly noted.
Conclusions and Next Steps:

I'm always impressed with how well The Capital Grille serves a meal, especially to a large group like this.  The Urban Grape's style pairs well here and they're not kidding when they say space is limited for these events.  If you want to attend future events be sure to get your reservation in early.

The next dinner in the series is Thursday, March 3, 2011 featuring wines from Vias Imports - red wines from Piedmont: Barbaresco and Barolo!  More info on The Urban Grape's Event's page.

I attended as a guest of The Urban Grape. 

Check 'em out:


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/3R3QmIly3jk/event-report-urban-grape-quintessa-wine.html

Randy Joseph Lajoie Kevin Paul Lepage William Ashton Lewis Jr Sterling Burton Marlin Mark Anthony Martin

MacDowall keeps RML Chevy seat

Alex MacDowall will stay on alongside champion Jason Plato in RML's Chevrolet British Touring Car Championship line-up. The 20-year-old Briton became the series' youngest-ever polesitter last year during his rookie campaign, and also took two podium finishes on the way to 11th in the final standings. "It's fantastic to be staying with RML for my second year in touring cars, I can't wait to get back behind the wheel of the Cruze and begin preparations for the new season", said MacDowall

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/touring-cars/btcc/macdowall-keeps-rml-chevy-seat/

Howden Ganley Frank Gardner Billy Garrett Jo Gartner Tony Gaze

Tasting notes - Berlin Tasting

Here follows my tasting notes from The Berlin Tasting in Copenhagen. No. 1 - 2005 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild (Bordeaux) Dark colour with intense smell of pencil, cigar, currant and spicy wood. It’s full-bodied, rich and concentrated but also with an upfront softness. 96/100. No. 2 - 2004 Sassicaia (Tuscany) Not so intense in the nose - a little cherry. The [...]

Source: http://www.wine4freaks.com/40/tasting-notes-berlin-tasting/

Mike Harris Cuth Harrison Brian Hart Gene Hartley Masahiro Hasemi