Weekend - January 07, 2021

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Weekend

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CLASSICAL CONCERTS: Streams planned for the month of January and beyond, E4 OFF THE MENU: Robotics gains foothold in fast food, E9 WINE PRESS: How to read a French wine label, E10

beers to drink in 2021

A new year means it’s time to try beers both old and new, Page E2

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By George Lenker

Special to The Republican

ince it’s now a new year, many folks have made resolutions about goals they hope to achieve in the coming year. One goal beer aficionados might have is to expand their palates and try different beers — or revisit great ones they haven’t had in a while.

With that in mind, here are 21 beers to try in 2021. These are mostly not new brews, but rather ones people should definitely try if they haven’t already (and if you can get your hands on them – but mostly, these are fairly accessible). Some are newer and others are classics, while still others are lesser-known older beers that deserve a try.

The list is by no means definitive, but meant as a way to get a start on some must-have brews. In no particular order, here they are: • Trappistes Rochefort 10: We might as well start with one of the most flavorful classic brews ever made. This high-octane (11% ABV) and delicious quad might make you reassess how complex a beer can be.

• Hill Farmstead Citra: It’s not the easiest beer to get your hands on, but every effort should be made to get this beautifully crafted brew.

In a time when over-the-top IPAs are all the rage, this pale ale illustrates how hops can be employed in a nuanced an lovely manner.

• Founder’s Kentucky Breakfast Stout: If you like coffee and Count Chocula cereal, look no further. This tasty stout if loaded with coffee and chocolate notes and not just for breakfast anymore.

• Brooklyn Brewing’s Sorachi Ace: A singular take on the saison style, this amaz-

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beers to drink in 2021

A new year means it’s time to try beers both old and new. (METRO CREATIVE ARTS)

ing beer uses the unique Japanese hop style of the same name as the beer. Like some lemony zest in your brew?

Give this beer a whirl.

• Ommegang’s Witte: Fans of wheat beers should not let another summer go by without trying this one (if they haven’t). Light, breezy with notes of orange and coriander, this delicious concoction finishes balanced and dry.

• Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen: Most folks probably won’t want to drink a lot of this in one sitting, but every beer drinker should try it. It’s a fascinating take on smoked beer and while it can be overwhelming, it’s kind of a work of art in its own right.

• Rodenbach Grand Cru: If you enjoy sours, this one will hit the spot. Tart and sour fruit flavors abound dancing perfectly with the funky yeast aspects. A great treat to pull out of your collection to impress you friends.

• Anchor Christmas Ale:

At this point, you probably have to wait until next holiday season rolls around, but set a reminder for late November now. The recipe changes every year, but I’ve never had one that wasn’t brilliant.

• Fuller’s ESB: A classic English strong bitter that is even more amazing if you can quaff it on cask. Balanced, sturdy, and clean, it finishes on the malty side, but not cloying at all.

• Ayinger Celebrator: Here is a traditional double bock that showcases silky malt notes matched wonderfully with bittering hops to create a superbly balanced see-saw between the sweet cocoa notes and the bitter coffee finish.

• Samuel Adams Utopias: When is a beer not a beer? That almost seems to be the question Sam Adams is posing here with this beer that really drinks more like a port or cognac. The 2021 iteration was reportedly aged in aquavit, bourbon, muscat,

ruby port and white carcavelos barrels. Good luck finding it and be prepared to clean out your wallet. But you definitely should try it at least once.

It only comes out every two years. Luckily, 2021 is one of those years.

• Russian River’s Pliny the Elder: This imperial IPA has a slight hint of booze in its flavor, but just enough to warn you that it’s 8% ABV. Otherwise, it’s a perfect old-school (double) IPA without all the dank drippings of a pot of modern IPAs. • Stone Ruination IPA: Another double IPA that once was considered a hop bomb, but now sits nicely as a wonderfully bitter sojourn into the way good imperial IPAs were once made. It’s actually more balanced that one might expect and it’s oily quality gives it a great mouthfeel.

• Guinness Foreign Extra Stout: Guinness is great, but if you want the real deal and best of the lot, this is the one to try and find. If you like regular Guinness, but feel it’s

nothing special, so yourself a favor and seek this out.

• Dann & Martha Paquette latest brew: Craft beer’s power couple are always on the go, starting beer projects then moving on. But it’s pretty much a lock that whatever they brew is going to be fantastic. Right now they are enmeshed in something called Saint Mars of the Desert brewery, but it’s kind of unfair to include it on this list because you have to go to Sheffield, England, for their beers. But hey, once the pandemic is over, why not treat yourself?

• Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale: This beer is so old-school that it might even be spelled olde-school. But it’s another classic in an oft-ignored style. It’s earthy, with just a hint of nuttiness and a well-rounded fee and finish.

Let your inner squirrel out for a treat.

• Dogfish Head 75 Minute IPA: Some people like Dogfish Head’s 60 Minute IPA; other enjoy the brewery’s 90 Minute IPA more. Why not compromise and drink the 75 Minute IPA? It was a brilliant idea and is actually the best of the three without compromising on taste.

• Reissdorf Kölsch: This is a near-perfect example of the style: clean, drinkable and crisp. It features some nice bready notes up front and a lightly bitter finish. There are plenty of U.S. breweries now doing their own versions, but this is the one you need to try first.

• Saison Dupont: Tasty yeast flavors abound here in a ballet with spices such as dried fruit, clove, grass and citrus. The nose alone is worth the price of admission.

• O’Hara’s Irish Stout: If you’re looking for a true Irish stout that’s an alternative to Guinness, this offering from the Carlow Brewing Co. is just the ticket. It’s dry, complex and has a robust espresso vein running through it.

• Whatever new beer your local brewer has concocted: Local beer is fresh beer. Trust the person with the rubber boots and expertise. Ask questions. Drink local.

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2021 | E3

ENTERTAINMENT

Podcasts for cold winter nights

By Phoebe Lett

New York Times

As the holiday season retreats and the long slog of the winter months looms, you can fight the mood or embrace it. Here’s a playlist of cold-weather podcasts, some fiction, some nonfiction, all well told and produced, and all set in the snow.

For musical theater nerds: ‘In Strange Woods’ While “In Strange Woods” starts with your standard true-crime reporter’s narration of the disappearance of a teenage boy in the snowy woods of Minnesota, within a few minutes the characters start to break into song. If you don’t love musical theater, you may want to skip it. But the vocal performances are beautiful; the songs add drama in a way that manages not to be annoying; and the show’s protagonist, a little sister grieving for her brother, makes for a compelling story that is still unfolding — so far, three “chapters” of the five-episode limited series have been released.

DVD RELEASES

‘Love and Monsters’ set during apocalypse Tribune News Service

Podcasts offer something for all interested, with subjects ranging from musical theater to true crime. (METRO CREATIVE ARTS)

tales range from the magnificent to the mundane, like a blind Alaskan finally “seeing” a whale on a trip with her family, or another running from unseasonably awake bears.

For kids: ‘Six Minutes’ Children (and their adults) who love the X-Men and other tales of youths with innate powers will get lost in this fictional saga. “Six Minutes” tells the story of Holiday, an 11-year-old with total amnesia who is found adrift in icy Alaskan waters by the Anders family. They adopt her immediately, telling Holiday that she is their own. But her shrouded past slowly reveals itself, along with some superhuman abilities. The story is told in six-minute-long increments and adds up to an epic, 200-episode adventure.

Also new on DVD “12 Hour Shift”: A nurse with a drug addiction (Angela Bettis) and her cousin (Chloe Farnworth) devise an organ

trafficking scheme at an Arkansas hospital.

“Mystery Road, Series 2”: Australian neo-Western mystery series returns as Detective Jay Swan (Aaron Pedersen) heads to a new town to solve a new murder.

“The 100: The Seventh and Final Season”: The CW post-apocalyptic sci-fi series comes to a close.

“Yellow Rose”: A young Filipina singer in Texas (Eva Noblezada) grapples with following her dreams of becoming a country star amid family woes.

Digital HD “American Dream”: A pair of entrepreneurs (Michiel Huisman and Luke Bracey) face the wrath of a Russian mobster (Nick Stahl) after refusing his money. Out on DVD Jan. 12.

“Audrey”: Documentary follows the life of the legendary Audrey Hepburn.

“Gun and a Hotel Bible”: A man (Bradley Gosnell) reconsiders the murder he plans to commit after finding a Bible in his hotel room.

“Lena & Snowball”: A young girl finds a white lion cub and must protect him from poachers. Look for it on DVD Jan. 12.

Welcome the New w Year with a Bang!

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For sports fans: ‘30 for 30’ episodes ‘On the Ice’ and ‘Out of the Woods’ When it comes to cold weather athletics and a beautifully sound-designed story, most podheads likely think of audio-maker Rose Eveleth’s “On the Ice” episode for ESPN’s “30 for 30” podcast series. In this classic piece of sports journalism, Eveleth shares the story of the women who led the first all-female trek to the North Pole in 1997 (“No expedition experience necessary,” read the classified For storytelling lovers: ad that drew them). While ‘Dark Winter Nights’ the challenge at the center The magic of live-storytell- of the story seems the cruel ing podcasts like “The Moth” conditions of the Arctic, the and “Snap Judgment” lies beauty in it comes not just in the way they collapse the from the women’s journey to space between your headthe top of the world but also phones and the speaker onfrom the lives they left bestage. “Dark Winter Nights” hind. For those who miss the began in 2014 with the goal Winter Olympics and stories of bringing Alaskan stories of female athletes triumphing to whoever would listen. against impossible odds, try These live-event recordings the “Out of the Woods” epiare designed to transport you sode by Bonnie Ford, about the 1984 kidnapping of Olyminto “the stories we tell up here in Alaska, on dark winter pic biathlete Kari Swenson. nights,” according to the host For true crime freaks: and creator, Robert Prince, ‘Cold’ a professor of documentary Wondery became a major filmmaking at the University podcast player by churning of Alaska, Fairbanks. The

out buzzy and bingeable series, and it has one thing down pat: true crime. And as all good true crime fans know, there is nothing quite as enticing as cracking open a cold case. With Wondery as a partner, Salt Lake TV station KSL did just that in the case of Susan Powell, a Utah mother of two who vanished on a blizzardy evening in December 2009. After her husband, Josh, the main suspect, killed himself and their sons in a fire two years later, the local police declared the case closed.

But with the help of Wondery, KSL reporter Dave Cawley sifts through the evidence, conducts new interviews and unearths the dark legacy of psychological and emotional abuse within the Powell family in this well-told and bingeworthy 18-episode series.

A monster apocalypse tops the new DVD releases for the week of Jan. 5.

“Love and Monsters”: Monsters have overtaken the world and decimated 90% of humanity. Young Joel Dawson (Dylan O’Brien) survived by fleeing underground, but his yearning for love compels him to find his high school sweetheart, Aimee, at a different colony dozens of miles away – and he has to go above ground to get there.

It’s reminiscent of “A Quiet Place” and “Zombieland,” not to mention pandemic anxiety, to mixed results, wrote Noel Murray in his review for the Los Angeles Times.

“The story really only finds a good groove in its final third, when Joel has a major setback and discovers courage and perseverance can only carry him so far,” Murray wrote.

“Though it’s moderately likable throughout, only when “Love and Monsters” gets serious about the difficulties of Joel’s situation does it feel genuinely relevant.”

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MUSIC

Classical concerts now streaming New York Times

Eve Egoyan Jan. 16 at 5 p.m.; rcmusic. com; available until Jan. 23 This Canadian pianist, who specializes in contemporary music, will perform the premiere of her Seven Studies for Augmented Piano. This is a series of works she created ‘Lonely House’ for a Yamaha Disklavier — an Available until Jan. 22, online acoustic piano with a comat operavision.eu and on puter interface, coupled with YouTube software that allows her “to This winter, Katharine Meh- augment and extend the sonic rling was scheduled to reprise range of the piano,” as she her Eliza Doolittle in “My Fair writes in a program note. The Lady” at the Komische Oper program, part of the 21C Music in Berlin. The pandemic got in Festival presented by the Royal the way, but the company’s de- Conservatory of Music in voted audience need not spend Toronto, includes a short video the season without this singer’s exploring Egoyan’s creative gifts. This performance (first process. streamed live late in Decem— Anthony Tommasini ber) offers a fresh look at Kurt Wild Up Weill, focusing on that composer’s years in Paris and New Jan 17 at 9:58 p.m.; patreon.

York. Devotees know many of com/wildup; available indefinitely these songs. But Mehrling’s Artists from the Wild Up colenergy – aided by Barrie Kosky, lective, including its conductor the Komische Oper’s artistic and artistic director, Christodirector, on piano – gives a saucy charge to a medley from pher Rountree, are familiar to Los Angeles audiences. But for the rarely staged “Lady in the the group’s coming monthlong Dark.”

— Seth Colter Walls project, “Darkness Sounding,” listeners around the world are Julia Bullock invited. Some concerts will Jan. 14 at 10 p.m.; calperfor be available as livestreams, mances.org; available until then archived, through Wild April 14 Up’s Patreon page. At $5 for Kurt Weill isn’t just coming the month, you can access from the Komische Oper. One shows like this one on Jan. 17, of our most luminous singers “simple lines/quiet music/ has four Weill numbers of her silent songs,” featuring pianist own to offer in a recital for Cal Richard Valitutto. A daylong Performances that swings, in “house concert,” it’s organized characteristic Bullock style, around largely soft, contemplative works by the likes of Ann from the classical canon to Southam and Alvin Curran. contemporary work by way of — Seth Colter Walls golden age musical theater.

Pieces by William Grant Still and Margaret Bonds are at the ‘Soldier Songs’ Jan. 22 at 8 p.m.; operaphila. core of a program that also org; available until May 31 includes songs by Wolf and David T. Little’s “Soldier Schumann (selections from Songs,” for baritone and small “Dichterliebe”), a set from ensemble, was born of the “The Sound of Music,” and American invasion of Iraq. material from John Adams’ But, based on interviews with recent opera “Girls of the Golden West,” composed with veterans of five wars, it speaks to conflict more generally and Bullock in mind. Laura Poe is abstractly. And like the most the pianist.

— Zachary Woolfe satisfying politically minded art, it’s rife with complication

As the live performing arts still reel from the coronavirus pandemic, here are several highlights from the flood of online music content coming this month for your streaming enjoyment.

— not just in the score’s uninhibited blending of genres, but also in the treatment of its subject, defying stereotypes and hagiographies. “Soldier Songs” puts you off as it draws you in, and it will haunt audiences anew in a virtual production presented by Opera Philadelphia, directed by and starring the baritone Johnathan McCullough.

— Joshua Barone Christian Gerhaher and Gerold Huber Jan. 27 at 2:30 p.m.; wigmore-hall.org.uk; available until Feb. 26.

As concerts have moved online during the pandemic, many have also gotten shorter.

Thus “Schwanengesang,” the shattering collection of Schubert’s final songs, can more easily stand alone on a program — as it does in this Wigmore Hall stream from the baritone Christian Gerhaher and the pianist Gerold Huber, one of the great musical partnerships of our time. The duo also appear earlier in Wigmore’s richly scheduled January, presenting works

by Schumann and Debussy (Jan. 25). Other hall highlights include soprano Lise Davidsen, singing Grieg, Sibelius and more (Jan. 17), and pianist Igor Levit, playing Hindemith, Schoenberg and Busoni (Jan. 29).

— Joshua Barone

Julia Bullock, a soprano, performs in “Perle Noire: Meditations for Josephine” on the grand staircase of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York on Jan. 16, 2019. Bullock’s recital will be streamed by Cal Perfomances from Jan. 14 until April 14.

(JEENAH MOON / THE NEW YORK TIMES)

Steve Hackman, a composer and arranger skilled at this crossover, discusses the music and the stylistic overlaps with musicians from the orchestra.

Nicholas Hersh conducts.

— Anthony Tommasini

Winds (written when its composer was 17) and ends with Sibelius’ Third Symphony.

— Anthony Tommasini

Peter Evans Ensemble Jan. 28 at 8 p.m.; roulette.

Baltimore Symphony org; available indefinitely.

Orchestra Hallé Orchestra Trumpeter Peter Evans is (Jan 27 at 8 p.m.; offstage.

Jan. 28 at 6 a.m.; halle.co.uk; a reliable source of thrilling bsomusic.org; available until available until April 28 virtuosity. That’s true when June 30) This orchestra, which has he’s working with the Wet Ink This ensemble has been been streaming performances Ensemble or International offering a series of documenfilmed at its Bridgewater Hall Contemporary Ensemble, as tary-style, hourlong discussion in Manchester, England, has an well as when he’s leading his and performance programs intriguing program coming up own groups. This quartet, with called BSO Sessions. “Twelve” featuring pianist Isata Kanelectronics and percussion speneh-Mason, the eldest of the cialist Levy Lorenzo, violinist looks at composers who have and vocalist Mazz Swift and bridged contemporary classical seven young, gifted members of a British musical family that pianist Ron Stabinsky, recently music and pop. There will be performances of a suite by Jon- has been gaining international celebrated the release of a blazny Greenwood, of Radiohead, attention. She plays Beethoing album, “Horizons.” But this ven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 on livestream won’t be a victory from his score for the film the program, conducted by lap; it promises a fresh slate of “There Will Be Blood”; Bryce Mark Elder, which opens with compositions by Evans.

Dessner’s “Lachrimae”; and Richard Strauss’s Serenade for — Seth Colter Walls Caroline Shaw’s “Entr’acte.”

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MOVIES

Hidden streaming gems ‘Charm City Kings,’ ‘Babyteeth’ and other movies worth a watch

By Jason Bailey

New York Times

As 2020 sputtered to its conclusion and film critics devised their year-end best-of lists, the customary consensus formed around a handful of widely beloved titles: “First Cow,” “Never Rarely Sometimes Always,” “Beanpole,” “Martin Eden” and the like. But a wide variety of at-home viewing options made 2020 a particularly rich year for independent cinema, so in that spirit, this selection of hidden streaming gems focuses solely on the films of 2020 — from heartfelt indie dramas to searing documentaries to, yes, a thriller about a man and his posterior.

derful performance that’s 180 degrees from Midge Maisel) is Jean, a housewife pulled from her home in the middle of the night — with her new baby in tow — because her husband has disappeared and their lives are in danger. Hart handles the moments of suspense, action and terror with ease, but she doesn’t smother the viewer with style; her focus is squarely on Jean, which gives the picture an intimacy that’s rare but welcome in genre cinema. (Stream it on Amazon.)

Meek Mill, far left, appears in “Charm City Kings.” Directly above, Marsha Stephanie Blake and Rachel Brosnahan appear in “I’m Your Woman.” (WILLIAM GRAY/HBO MAX ; WILSON WEBB/AMAZON STUDIOS)

Kate Sheil appears in “She Dies Tomorrow.” (NEON)

of Merawi Gerima’s debut feature; as Jay reconnects with his neighborhood and From left: Essie Davis, Toby Wallace, Eliza Scanlen and Ben its people, stories, sins and Mendelsohn appear in “Babyteeth.” (IFC FILMS) childhood traumas bub‘Babyteeth’ (2020) ble back up to the surface, Many of the plot points of Scanlen, Toby Wallace, Ben young Jahi Di’Allo Winston making “Residue” less a Shannon Murphy’s coming- Mendelsohn and Essie Daconventional narrative than is impressively assured as of-age drama — a terminally vis. (Stream it on Hulu.) the protagonist Mouse, while a stream-of-consciousness ill teen; her first love with exploration of the ongoing rapper Meek Mill finds just ‘Charm City Kings’ (2020) the right notes as Mouse’s a troubled, older bad boy; conversations between past Director Angel Manuel her pill-popping mom and and present. (Stream it on troubled role model and Soto does similar wonders poorly coping dad — have Netflix.) father figure. (Stream it on with familiar materials in been done to the point of HBO Max.) ‘She Dies this Baltimore-set street dracliché, but rarely rendered Tomorrow’ (2020) ‘Residue’ (2020) with this much sincerity and ma, which explicitly recalls “Turn the music down, There will likely be a great such urban coming-of-age humanity. “Babyteeth” is ‘I’m Your Woman’ (2020) the music’s too loud,” the many movies about the panless about story than feeling, pictures as “Boyz N the Director Julia Hart, whose capturing the overwhelming Hood” and “Juice.” But Soto neighbor barks. “Don’t make demic of 2020, and if we’re stunning “Fast Color” was me have to call the cops.” Jay being honest, most of them finds a fresh approach, takforce of being young and ing an almost anthropologa superhero movie about (Obinna Nwachukwu) hasn’t will probably be terrible. The infatuated and fearless, as ical appreciation of the setpeople rather than powers, most enlightening cinemateven made it to the door of well as the desperation of ting — the film was inspired brings that same spirit to this parents in an impossible his old home in Washington, ic representations of this peculiar moment may well ‘70s-set story of a criminal’s situation. Murphy’s direction by the 2014 documentary D.C., but the warning from “12 O’Clock Boys” and aims his new (white) neighbor be those that capture our wife on the lam; it’s not a takes a low-key, slice-offor a similar lived-in authen- makes it clear that the old tense and tenuous mental crime movie in any convenlife approach, emphasizing tional sense, but a character the sneaky humor of Rita ticity — while complicating block has changed, and not in state accidentally, like this drama set on the fringes of his characters beyond their psychodrama from writer a way that welcomes people Kalnejais’ screenplay and the criminal underworld. and director Amy Seimetz, pulling warm, heart-wrench- stock types. The performers like him. But urban gentrifiRachel Brosnahan (in a won- ing performances from Eliza do much of that work as well; cation isn’t the only subject SEE STREAMING, PAGE E7

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TELEVISION

Ralph Macchio, left, and William Zabka appear in “Cobra Kai.”(CURTIS BONDS BAKER/NETFLIX/TNS)

‘Cobra Kai’ poignant, funny

Xolo Mariduena, left, and William Zabka appear in a scene from “Cobra Kai.”(CURTIS BONDS BAKER/NETFLIX/TNS)

Season 3 takes place 36 years after original ‘Karate Kid’

recognize Johnny as a former classmate or perhaps a version of our clueless, high school selves - “Dude!” “Bro!” He’ll either make you shudder or laugh. I did both.

But there’s a charm and innocence in the way he views modern times through vintage

years after the original “Karate Kid” movie, on which the series is based. Though Johnny and Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) are now in their 50s, their long-simmering rivalry has spilled over to the students of their competing dojos. Now the Valley is home to an all-out struggle between karate gangs.

By Lorraine Ali These food-court warriors Los Angeles Times include LaRusso’s earnest Corn Nuts. Fotomat. A Truck- daughter, Samantha (Mary asaurus rally.

Mouser); Johnny’s delinquent The ’80s are alive and kicking son, Robby (Tanner Buchanan); in the San Fernando Valley and Johnny’s neighbor, high courtesy of “Cobra Kai’s” John- schooler Miguel Diaz (Xolo ny Lawrence (William Zabka), Mariduena). And Johnny’s a hard-drinking, heavy metal former teacher, Kreese (Martin holdover from an era when Kove), who stole his dojo, is Twisted Sister ruled the charts more than happy to fan the and “No Fat Chicks” bumper flames. stickers were commonplace.

Campy, fun and nostalgic, The karate dramedy’s this series from Josh Heald, Jon lead carries Season 3, which Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg continues to build pop premiered New Year’s Day culture lore around the aging on its new platform, Netflix. film franchise, looking toward The streamer picked up the the future by drawing from the YouTube Premium series last year, delighting loyal “Kai” fans past. The main characters’ forby adding the first two seasons tunes have reversed since they battled it out at the All-Valley to its catalog and announcing Karate Tournament way back there would soon be a third.

Season 3 of the self-aware, when. Rich kid Johnny is a kitschy soap takes place 36 broke, divorced handyman who

lives alone in a crappy Reseda apartment. Poor kid Daniel is a successful businessman who lives in the upscale West Valley with his seemingly perfect family.

But while a lot has changed since 1984, Johnny is not part of the evolution. Watching

‘COBRA KAI’ Where: Netflix When: Anytime Rating: TV-14

not OK to nickname students things like “penis breath.”

(Hand-to-hand combat never Though Johnny and Daniel LaRusso drops out of fashion in the (Ralph Macchio) are now in their 50s, their world of “Cobra Kai” though.) long-simmering rivalry has spilled over to There are too many spoilers to get into plot specifics, but if the students of their competing dojos. you liked the last two seasons, you’ll love the new one.

Ray-Bans. Facebook is mostly the Coors Banquet-drinking, “Tango & Cash”-loving waster still a mystery to him, but when Original characters from the navigate today’s Valley, with its he does manage to type a mes- first film appear throughout, vegan menus, overpriced rental sage out, it’s in ALL CAPS. Why giving the sense that the series would that imply he’s a serial market and confusing array of has a much wider arc than it killer? craft cocktails, is a blast. really does, while new characSeason 3 of “Cobra Kai” cap- ters continue to push the story The unapologetic throwback italizes on Johnny’s woefully forward. still calls women “babes,” “Cobra Kai” has already been out-of-touch ways and the wears a long-sleeved thermal renewed for a fourth season, so steep learning curve he faces under his flannel shirt and expect more high-flying kicks in while trying to impress an rocks out to the Crüe’s “Kickstart My Heart.” Pretty much the tony homes west of Ventura old flame, at once helping the Boulevard and in the dilapidateverything he says is politically viewer understand the character’s time-capsule quality ed mini-malls of Reseda. Or is it incorrect, and not in a Rush and poking fun at it. The teens Van Nuys? Johnny doesn’t care Limbaugh sort of way. Snowflakes are still just frozen water he trains in karate even coach where it is or how the place has to Johnny. changed . The Valley is still the him on the basics of living in Those of us who grew up Valley, where rock rules and the 21st century: Bullying is in the Valley in the ‘80s will karate is as bitchin’ as ever. bad, sexism is worse, and it’s

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VIDEO GAMES

Most anticipated games of 2021 The Washington Post

5, PC First-person action shooters nowadays need something different - different aesthetics, different gameplay, different gimmicks - to truly stand out in a genre saturated by bland, same-y games. “Deathloop” appears to have all three. It takes place in a deliciously campy world filled with 60s styled music and spy show splash screens. Oh, and gameplay revolves around the titular death loop.

You play as Colt, a hired gun tasked with assassinating 8 “Hitman 3” targets before midnight. The Available on: PC, Playproblem? You’re being hunted Station 5, Xbox Series X/S,

by Julianna, an agent hired to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation kill Colt before he hits his 8 4, Xbox One, Stadia targets. If you die, or fail to kill Recent games in the Hitman all 8 targets before midnight, franchise have taken a games- the loop repeats. The game is a as-service approach; they Groundhog Day-like scenario are supported and expanded where you slowly learn things upon long after their initial about the loop and are doomed release. IO Interactive is conto repeat it until you successtinuing that with the release fully kill all targets without of “Hitman 3.” Coming Jan. dying yourself.

20, players who already own If the concept itself isn’t “Hitman 1” and “Hitman 2” enough to get you excited, the can import their maps into the competitive aspect of the game third game to continue from should. Other players can where they left off, and can assume the role of Julianna, expect regular updates to the and hunt Colt players down game post-launch. before they kill their 8 targets.

This assassination game puts Add the fact that Arkane Lyon you in the shoes of Agent 47, a and Bethesda, the developers cipher who plans out kills like a of the Dishonored series, are series of puzzles in large loca- at the helm, and you’ve got a tions ripe with opportunity. At game that can definitely break its best, the Hitman franchise the mundane first-person offers plenty of replay value: action shooter mold.

You can hunt down foes with - Jhaan Elker different methods each time.

“Halo Infinite” The polished and at times Available on: PC, Xbox comedic gameplay offers creative situations like disguising Series X/S, Xbox One yourself in a flamingo suit at The expectations for this a racetrack or finishing off a title are high. “Halo Infinite” target by slapping them with a will lift the Xbox again. “Halo dead fish. For “Hitman 3,” fans Infinite” will change online of the series can expect new multiplayer. “Halo Infinite” levels and under-the-hood will rescue the series from its improvements, like an engine years-long lull. “Halo Infinite” that supports 300 active NPCs will, at least, be good. at once, making locations feel The game was sent back busy and lived in. into incubation after a chilly, - Elise Favis meme-filled reception to a preview this past summer. Now “Deathloop” with the addition of Joseph Available on: PlayStation Staten, the original trilogy’s For its many miseries, 2020 delivered some extremely memorable video games. And now, with the arrival of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, there’s more reason than usual to get excited for the offerings of the year ahead.

Here are some of the titles we’re most eagerly anticipating. While not all release dates have been confirmed for 2021, we’ve included games that are believed to be coming before Jan. 1, 2022.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2021 | E7

writer, as creative director, “Halo Infinite” is getting all the fixings it can to meet the above expectations, and hopefully surpass them.

It’s also expected to boost the already-rich fortunes of the Xbox Game Pass subscription service, where it will be offered free. Pair that with the ability to play the game on the cloud via xCloud, and it’s clear it’s in Microsoft’s best interest to make “Halo Infinite” the crown jewel of its entire strategy. The game should be social. It should be addicting.

It should feel like a whole other world. At the very least, it should be a good “Halo” title.

It’s up to Staten and the team at 343 Studios to recapture that old magic.

- Gene Park “Far Cry 6” Available on: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia I guess the question of whether “will Giancarlo Esposito be good” is out the window. He always seems to knock performances out of the park. Really, it’s the legacy of Far Cry that’s at stake here.

The first game revolutionized the first-person shooter, while the third cemented what’s know recognized as the Ubisoft formula for open-world games.

Will the sixth game finally upend the tower-climbing, bandit-camp-raiding, hunting loop that the last three titles and most Ubisoft games have adhered to? Ubisoft has claimed it would start reinventing some of its series, so there’s some hope that a true next-gen “Far Cry” might finally push the developers into new waters. It remains to be seen whether developing for the last-gen consoles might hold this title back in the same way it did “Cyberpunk 2077.”

But for the most part, Ubisoft is pretty good at this thing.

Let’s see if they can be better.

- Gene Park SEE GAMES, PAGE E8

CONTINUED FROM PAGE E5

which was set to premiere at the South by Southwest Film Festival in March (one of the first major cultural casualties of COVID-19). It follows a series of seemingly sane and upper-class characters who, one by one, become convinced they’re about to die — a potent dramatization of the feeling that everything we know is coming to an end, and that paranoia and fear is the most infectious disease of all. (It’s also, by the way, very funny.) (Stream it on Hulu.)

priately eccentric in the title role, while Kyle MacLachlan nearly steals the picture with his showy turn as an egocentric Thomas Edison. (Stream it on Hulu.)

‘Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn’ (2020) Great historical documentaries don’t just explain important events; they connect them to the present and ask what, if anything, we can learn. But even the filmmakers behind this made-for-HBO documentary couldn’t have predicted the relevance to be found this year in revisiting the 1989 murder of 16-year-old Yusuf Hawkins, shot and ‘His House’ (2020) killed in the white neighGenre filmmakers have borhood of Bensonhurst, spent the past three years Brooklyn, for nothing more trying (and mostly failing) than being Black. Director to re-create the magic elixir Muta’Ali wisely situates of horror thrills and social Hawkins’ death within the commentary that made “Get charged racial atmosphere Out” so special, but few of New York in the 1980s, via have come as close as British the memories of those who director Remi Weekes’ terri- were there and the shocking fying and thought-provoking archival footage of marches, Netflix thriller. He tells the violence and harassment. story of two South Sudanese “Storm Over Brooklyn” is refugees who are placed a film not only about Hawkins’ death but his life — and in public housing while the lives of so many others seeking asylum in London at that difficult, dangerous -- a residence they are forbidden from leaving, which moment in the city’s history. becomes a problem when (Stream it on HBO Max.) things start going bump in ‘Rewind’ (2020) the night. Weekes masterfully expands this simple 2020 was a year of intensehaunted-house premise into ly personal documentaries — “Dick Johnson is Dead,” a devastating examination of grief and desperation, but “Circus of Books” and sacrifices no scares along the “Time” leap to mind — but few were as brutally, piercway, making “His House” ingly intimate as this debut a rare movie that prompts both tears and goose bumps. feature from Sasha Joseph Neulinger. Drawing pri(Stream it on Netflix.) marily from a vast archives ‘Tesla’ (2020) of home videos from his Twenty years ago, direcchildhood (his father, Henry, tor Michael Almereyda and taped everything), Neulinger actor Ethan Hawke collabinvestigates his family’s orated on a film version cycle of sexual abuse like an of “Hamlet” in which the outsider, reporting the story Danish prince delivers the out from that archive as well “To be or not to be” speech as interviews with surviving in the aisle of a Blockbuster family members and observers. But his proximity to Video store. Their take on the story is what ultimately historical biopics is no less renders “Rewind” so powirreverent, dramatizing the life of inventor Nikola Tesla erful, and the results seem with winking self-awareness, as much an act of therapy and catharsis as nonfiction anachronistic flourishes and even a surprise musical filmmaking. (Stream it on Prime Video.) interlude. Hawke is appro-

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Games

tion exclusive will chronicle: A mega-scrap with the God of Thunder et al, possibly tied CONTINUED FROM PAGE E7 into the events of Ragnarok, the legendary war that doomed “God of War” sequel Odin and a number of other Available on: PlayStation Norse deities. And given what 5 (and possibly PlayStation 4; Sony’s studios have been able Sony has not confirmed wheth- to introduce via the haptics of er it’s a next-gen exclusive) the DualSense, it’s exciting to There’s no release date yet wonder what Kratos’s ax or the (though Google says it’s 2021), Blades of Chaos could feel like nor even a confirmed title, but with the PS5’s controller. anticipation swirls given the - Mike Hume greatness of the game’s predecessor. The 2018 installment of “Resident Evil Village” Available on: PC, PlayStathe God of War franchise from tion 5, Xbox Series X/S Santa Monica Studio injected Capcom has been on a creprotagonist Kratos into Norse ative roll that started with the mythology for a rumble with inspired, first-person reinvensome of the gods lower down tion of “Resident Evil VII.” the divine pecking order from The revamped RE Engine has the better-known Odin and Thor. The beautifully rendered, powered some of best games of interdimensional, open-world recent years, including “Devil May Cry 5,” “Resident Evil 2 adventure game explored the Remake,” and “Monster Huntrelationship between Kratos er World.” And at least with the and his son, Atreus, as the latter realizes that he too is a god - “Resident Evil” series, Capcom one with a different name than has remembered that the the one his father gave him. survival horror genre it helped The final scenes of the 2018 to invent has an eager audience game appeared to set the stage that isn’t done with frights and for what the upcoming PlaySta- zombies and inventory man-

agement.

The “Resident Evil” series has a weird history of becoming really good, and then flubbing a subsequent game by leaning a little too hard into successful ideas. “Resident Evil 4” made way for a goofier, more action-packed series, while “VII” returns the series to its roots. “Village” signals the return of series staple hero Chris Redfield, so it seems Capcom is interested in returning to the old lore of the games. That could be good or bad news, considering how nonsensical the entire story has been. Still, Capcom has shown a lot of growth in how it designs its horror setpieces.

Both remakes of the second and third sequel were practically new titles altogether, ones that recontextualized the old games in fresh, exciting ways.

“Village” may yet discover new ways to needle our anxiety.

- Gene Park “Horizon Forbidden West” Available on: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 The Horizon series is a new

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and exciting RPG IP that takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where humanity is forced to live in tribes to survive in a world overrun by advanced machines (large robots in animal form).

You play as Aloy, a critically-adored hunter voiced by Ashly Burch who sets out on a journey to discover more about her and humanity’s past.

Despite the original game releasing right when “Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” came out, “Horizon Zero Dawn” more than held its own, in encouraging players to explore its rich, unique world.

“Horizon Forbidden West” continues Aloy’s story, and while we’ve only seen one trailer so far, we know that it involves exploring a new frontier known as the Forbidden West in an attempt to locate the source of a deadly infectious disease. Coincidental timing aside, “Forbidden West” looks to repeat the same magic that captivated audiences the first time around.

- Jhaan Elker

“Super Mario 3D World: Bowser’s Fury” Available on: Nintendo Switch The best co-op game to come out of Nintendo’s last generation will finally be released from Wii U purgatory in the form of “Super Mario 3D World: Bowser’s Fury.” The game has upscaled textures and better performance, and on top of that, it will include brand new content, including a new world. Not much is known about the new content other than a tantalizing shot of a level featuring stormy weather and a sphinx.

But the most exciting feature?

Online play. Super Mario 3D World was already a great couch party experience that took the classic 2D Mario level structure and applied it to 3D environments with 3D Mario games’ typically tight controls. It created a quasi-competitive environment where you purposely take risks for a higher personal score at the hilarious cost of your teammates’ lives. Taking this delicate balance online is the boost the original needed to become a go-to party game.

- Jhaan Elker

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Robotics gains foothold in fast food reason to celebrate the arrival of 2021.

Housed in a 1941 Worcester Lunch Car Company diner and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Miss Florence Diner will be celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2021.

The “Miss Flo” maintains a website at missflorence diner.net where information about menu, hours, and the diner’s history can be found.

Hugh Robert Off The Menu

establishment’s reopening plans will be available online at wildwoodque.com.

• Chicago-based McDonald’s Corp. last month • Wildwood Barbecue in announced to its franchiHadley has announced that it sees that it planned to end a Michaelangelo Wescott, chef-owner of the Gypsy Apple Bistro will take its customary winter long-standing subsidy payin Shelburne Falls, experienced serious health problems while “break” from this Sunday ment originally implemented working to reopen his restaurant. A GoFundMe has been set to make kids meals at the until the end of February, up to help with Westcott’s medical expenses as well as recover suspending operations during chain “affordable.” some of the revenue lost during the restaurant’s shutdown.

Begun two decades ago as a that time period.

(DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN) Information about the SEE MENU, PAGE E12 expect technologies such as Flippy ROAR to provide chain operators with a valuable competitive advantage in the post-COVID restaurant world.

• Like nearly every independently owned restaurant, Gypsy Apple Bistro in Shelburne Falls was hard hit by the COVID lockdown last spring.

Compounding the problems the mandated shutdown caused, chef-owner Michaelangelo Wescott experience serious health problems as he prepared to reopen the restaurant; hospitalization and an indefinite shutdown of Gypsy Apple was the result.

To help with Wescott’s medical expenses as well as cover some of the revenue lost during the restaurant’s shutdown, friends of the restaurant have established a GoFundMe in his name.

The GoFundMe page for Wescott can be accessed at gofundme.com/fund raiser-for-michaelange lowescott-gypsy-apple.

• Beyond the hope of an eventual return to normalcy, the Miss Florence Diner in Northampton has another

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Side dishes • With his best-known book, “On Food and Cooking,” food writer Harold McGee revolutionized the way food professional thought about and practiced the art of cooking.

First published in 1984, McGee’s work applied principles of chemistry, biology, and physics to our understanding of food preparation and, in doing so, led chefs and culinary professionals to think about their craft in a whole new and more scientific way.

Now McGee has taken on another aspect of food science with the publication of his new work “Nose Dive,” an exploration of the sense of smell. The book is McGee’s descriptive exploration of what he terms the “osmocosm,” the vast array of scents, smells, odors, and stinks that exist in the world around us.

With the sense of smell being such an integral part of the experience of enjoying food and drink, McGee’s new work should be of interest to

any serious foodie or food professional.

“Nose Dive — A Field Guide to the World’s Smells” is published by Penguin Random House and is available from most online and retail booksellers.

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T’S NOW BECOME A cliche to label 2020 as a year that “accelerated the future,” and in the food service industry, as in other part of the economy, trends that were already manifesting themselves — digital ordering, ghost kitchens, and third-party delivery — came to increasingly dominate the way the restaurant industry did business.

Though not as high profile, the roll out of robotics in food service settings also predated the events of the year past and, like other, more visible trends, promises to have lasting impacts on the industry.

Pasadena-based Miso Robotics has been at the forefront of food preparation automation, using artificial intelligence and robot technology to help restaurants increase productivity and ensure high levels of consistency in food preparation.

Miso recently announced an expansion of its joint development effort with White Castle Systems, an operator of more than 365 fast food burger restaurants. In July 2020 Miso Robotics installed its newly developed kitchen assistant, Flippy, in a White Castle test location, where the robot automated several parts of White Castle’s burger and fries preparation.

Now the two firms have announced plans to deploy a second-generation of food preparation robots, Flippy ROAR, in 10 White Castle locations. Flippy ROAR has been designed to operate on an overhead rail, a change that helps the robot better fit into compact kitchen layouts.

Flippy ROAR is expected to be particularly helpful to White Castle in its effort to staff late-night shifts at its restaurants, replacing hardto-recruit kitchen employees during those hours and allowing the rest of the White Castle team to focus on customer-facing service.

As hardware and software solutions continue to evolve,

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How to read a French wine label

OST LABELS MAKE sense.

A can of green beans has the words “green beans” written clearly on the label.

Same goes for most grocery items, gardening supplies and cleaning products.

What you read is what you get.

Then there’s wine labels.

You would think it would be fairly easy to figure out what kind of wine is in a bottle based on its label.

Think again.

And this is especially true with many wines from several European countries.

Unlike wines from California, New Zealand or Argentina, many European wines (especially French wines) have no information on the label about what grapes were used to make the wine. Even figuring out who made the wine can often be a challenge.

Instead, these detailed wine labels contain a wealth of different information about the wine. But in order to understand what’s in the bottle, it’s important to know how to read the label.

That’s why I thought it might be helpful this week to explain how to read the label on a bottle of French wine. Specifically, I decided to focus on labels for four of the main wine regions in France — Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne and the Rhone region.

Let me add that even in the same wine region in the same country, wine labels can be very different. So if you encounter a wine label in a store or a restaurant that you don’t understand, simply ask the waiter or a salesperson for advice.

In future wine columns this year, I’ll tackle wine labels from Italy, Spain and the thoroughly confusing ones from German.

How to read a Champagne wine label I thought I would start with one of the easier French wine labels — sparkling wine from

France’s Champagne region.

Starting from the top of the bottle and working our way down, this is what each line means on a bottle of Taittinger Champagne Brut La Francaise. ($44.99 at Table & Vine in West Springfield).

• Sceau de Thibaud IV de Champagne — I wouldn’t worry too much about this line for most Champagnes. This line simply means it’s the seal (“sceau” in French) of Thibaud IV, a 13th century “warrior, poet and great explorer” who loved Champagne, according to Taittinger’s website.

• Champagne — Wine region where the sparkling wine comes from. In this case, Champagne in France. (And remember, Champagne can only come from the Champagne region in France. Sparkling wine from anywhere else in the world is not Champagne.)

• Taittinger — Name of the Champagne producer. In Champagne, these producers are known as “houses” rather than wine markers.

• Ancienne Maison Fournaise Forest Fondee en 1734 - Another line I wouldn’t worry about with many other Champagnes. This line simply means “former house” (“anciene maison” in French) of Fournaise Forest, the former owners of the winery which was founded (“fondee”) in 1734.

• A Reims — The name of the town in Champagne (in this case, Reims) where the wine is produced.

• France — I think this one’s pretty self-explanatory.

• Brut La Francaise — This line is very important. The first word (brut) refers to the style of Champagne. Brut Champanges are generally very dry. La Francaise is the type of Champagne produced by Taittinger.

Strange as this might seem, this small line in fine print near the bottom has some of the most important information (style and name of Champagne) about the wine.

• Elabore Par Taittinger, Reims, France — Simply translates

Ken Ross Wine Press

lage in Chateauneuf-du-Pape where the winery is located.

The four different types of French wine labels explained this week. (KEN ROSS PHOTO)

as developed by (“elabore par”) Taittinger in Reims, France.

• Appellation D’Origine Controlee — Another line in the fine print you probably don’t need to worry about, this line simply means the wine was produced in accordance with the rules and regulations that apply to France’s Champagne region, a legally protected geographic area referred to as an appellation.

This wine does since the La Crau vineyard - located on a rocky hilltop - is such a distinct place that produces outstanding wines.

• Domaine Du Vieux Telegraphe - The name of the winery that created the wine. Along with the name of the village, this is the most important line on a Rhone bottle.

• Appellation Chateauneufdu-Pape Controllee - This line simply means the wine was How to read a Rhone produced in accordance with wine label the rules and regulations that Next, let’s move south to apply to Chateauneuf-du-Pape France’s Rhone region, a vast wines (only certain grapes can area famous for its affordbe used to make Chateauneufable, robust red wines. Labels du-Pape red wines), a legally for Rhone wines can be very protected geographic area different from one winery referred to as an appellation. to the next. Some are fairly • Mis En Bouteille Au Dostraightforward. Others can be maine - This line simply means in English “bottled at the quite complicated. I decided estate,” meaning the wine was to pick a moderately difficult bottled at Domaine Du Vieux label — 2015 Domaine du Telegraphe.

Vieux Telegraphe “La Crau” • H. Brunier Et Fils, VignChateauneuf-du-Pape ($69.99 erons-Recoltants 84370 Bedarat Table & Vine). rides France - This line refers • Chateauneuf-du-Pape to the history of the ownership The name of the village in the Rhone region where the grapes of the winery and the winery’s are grown. This is line often in exact location. H. Brunier was the largest print on Rhone wine Henri Brunier, the founder of the winery in 1891. “Et Fils” bottles. means “and son” in French and • La Crau - The name of the winery is still run to this day the exact vineyard where the by the Brunier family. 84370 grapes are grown in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Not all Bedarrides is the postal code Rhone wines have this line. and the name of the small vil-

How to read a Bordeaux wine label Let’s head west now to one of the most famous and most revered wine regions in France - Bordeaux. Here again, I simply tried pick a wine with a more complicated wine label - 2000 Carruades De Lafite.

Don’t worry so much about the vintage or the price, which I did not include since this vintage sold out long ago. Newer vintages of this outstanding wine generally cost around $200 a bottle. Simply think of this as a guide for deciphering what everything means on many Bordeaux wine labels.

• Mis En Bouteille A La Propriete - This straightforward line in French simply means the wine was “bottled at the property.”

• Carruades De Lafite - This line is a bit tricky, which is why I picked this particular bottle. Normally, this line in large print refers to the name of the winery in Bordeaux that produced this wine. In this particular instance, “Carruades De Lafite” refers to the name of the wine, which in this instance is the “second wine” made by Chateau Lafite Rothschild.

Many wineries in Bordeaux produce a second, lower-priced wine using the remaining grapes left over after making their first wine. While such second wines like this one have greatly increased in price in recent years, there are still many bargains to be found among second wines from Bordeaux.

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‘Best beer’ lists can drive you to drink

TREND THAT HAS been around in journalism for a long time, but which really took off with the advance of the internet, is the list article – or “listicle” as they are sometimes called.

We writers almost all have done them. I certainly have, although I don’t necessarily love the format in most cases.

But people seem to like to read them, and they are usually pretty easy to digest.

Of course the end of any year sees scads of these types of pieces, largely ones that list the “best” (whatever) of the year – be it albums, films or, of course, beers.

I recently came across a few of these and would like to address the flaws of two of them – which basically will point up why I try to never write “best of ” listicles myself. They’re obviously totally subjective and also a ripe opportunity for becoming a target of some head-shaking scold like me.

One list I saw was VinePair’s “Top 10 beers of 2020

Wine

according to UnTappd.” This one had red flags all over it to start with. UnTappd is a site where random people “check in” with whatever beer they’re currently drinking at any given moment. There is nothing wrong with that as a fun pastime for beer drinkers.

But it’s hardly a database for

5. Heineken — Heineken 6. Elvis Juice — BrewDog 7. Tripel Karmeliet — Brouwerij Bosteels 8. Miller Lite — Miller Brewing Co. 9. Stella Artois — Stella Artois 10. Hazy Little Thing — Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

my craw was pretentiously titled, “The 25 Most Important IPAs Right Now, Ranked.”

First, I’m not sure how one determines what makes an IPA “important,” and second, these are supposedly important “right now,” yet the list contains a bunch of beers that certainly played a part in

The list reads like a snowball fight between craft beer aficionados and drinkers of big industrial brands. (“Guinness? Are you kidding?

Just for that, I’m listing Punk IPA from the fanatics at BrewDog!” “Oh, yeah, well try this Corona on for size, Mr. Beer Snob!”) making any kind of list that means anything.

It’s basically an unscientific aggregation of data about scattershot drinking trends by whoever happens to decide to upload their information. This is why the Top 10 beers were these: 1. Guinness Draught — Guinness 2. Punk IPA — BrewDog 3. Corona Extra — Grupo Modelo 4. IPA – Lagunitas Brewing Company

tisements. S.C. De Chauteau Lafite Rothschild is simply the official business name of the CONTINUED FROM PAGE E10 winery, which based on the S.C. • Pauillac - This line refers to must be a general partnership the specific village in Bordeaux (“Societe Collectif ” in French). where the grapes are grown to The rest of this line simply produce this wine. Pauillac is refers to the owner (“proprietaire” in French) and exact located in the Medoc region location of the winery in Paulon the left bank in Bordeaux, liac in the Gironde department which is divided into the left (French equivalent of state) in bank and right bank based on which side of the Gironde River France. the winery is located on in How to read a Bordeaux.

Burgundy wine label • Appellation Pauillac Controlee - This line means I’ve saved the best for last the wine was produced in - Burgundy, which isn’t even accordance with the rules and called Burgundy in France. regulations that apply to wines This legendary wine region is from Pauillac, a legally-protect- known as Bourgogne in French. ed geographic area referred to Actually, Burgundy wine labels as an appellation. have become easier to read • S.C. De Chateau Lafite in recent years. I think that’s Rothschild, Proprietaire A partly because wines from this Pauillac (Gironde) France region have become so popular This line is like the fine print around the world. But enough that television announcers read chit chat. Let’s get to the really fast at the end of adverbottle, which in this case is an

The list reads like a snowball fight between craft beer aficionados and drinkers of big industrial brands. (“Guinness? Are you kidding? Just for that, I’m listing Punk IPA from the fanatics at BrewDog!” “Oh, yeah, well try this Corona on for size, Mr. Beer Snob!”)

But I guess if you want to go by the metric of the top brews listed randomly by random folks on UnTappd, have at it.

I’ll pass.

The other list that stuck in

the current dominance of the IPA category along the way, but I’m not sure they are as “important” (again, whatever that means) right now.

For example, Tree House Brewing’s Julius is a selection that few would argue with.

And although it’s certainly not new, it’s a lot newer than, say, Lagunitas IPA, which has been around since 1993. (Julius was first released in 2012, if memory serves.)

So while Lagunitas is a fine IPA and certainly can be

outstanding white wine — 2010 Meursault Charmes 1er Cru ($90 Suggested Retail Price).

• Meursault Charmes 1er Cru - I will say one thing for many Burgundy wines. They get straight to the point and often feature the most important information in a large print right near the top of the label. Here you can find pretty much everything you need to know about the wine, except for which grapes were used to make the wine. But in general, most red wines in Burgundy are made with Pinot Noir grapes and most white wines are made with Chardonnay grapes, including this one. As for the label, Meursault is the name of the village in Burgundy where the wine is produced. Charmes is the name of the vineyard in Meursault where the grapes are grown. 1er Cru means the wine is a Premier Cru, an official designation given to certain vineyards in Burgundy.

The highest vineyard rating is “Grand Cru.” Premier Cru or first cru (1er cru) is just below Grand Cru. The rest of the vineyards are a rather Motley Crue. (This is a joke for those of you not familiar with 80s hair metal bands, Dad.) • Appellation Meursault-Charmes 1er Cru Controllee - This line means the wine was produced in accordance with the rules and regulations that apply to Premier Cru wines from the Charmes vineyard in Meursault, a legally-protected geographic area referred to as an appellation.

• Mis En Bouteilles Par Pierre Matrot - Even though this line appears near the bottom of the label in small print, it’s one of the most important lines on the label. This line refers to the name of the winery that made the wine. In this case, Pierre Matrot made the wine (“mis en bouteilles par” means “bottled by” in French).

George Lenker Beer Nut

included on this list, there are others on this list that seem a little less deserving. And a few of them are absolutely less deserving than Stone IPA, which was and still is a great IPA and one that remains hugely popular. I can see maybe leaving it off a list if you’re only mentioning newer beers, but it is certainly as “important” as half the beers on this list.

Stone IPA gets a score of 94 on Beer Advocate, which calls it, “one of the most well respected and best-selling IPAs in the country.” I’d say that’s pretty important, no matter how you define the word.

Maybe someday I’ll do a column on “Top 10 Worst Beer Lists.”

This is one of the reasons why I think Burgundy wine labels can be so confusing to so many people. But it’s also part of the charm of wines from Burgundy. While most wine labels in other regions prominently feature the name of the winery, Burgundy takes a much more understated, subtle approach just like its magical wines.

• Proprietaire A Meursault (Cote D’Or) - This last line refers to the owner (“proprietaire” in French) and exact location of the winery in Meursault in the Cote D’or department (French equivalent of state) in France.

So there you have it. Hope this helps and hope you enjoy some great French wine in 2021!

Cheers!

Wine Press by Ken Ross appears on Masslive.com every Monday and in The Republican’s weekend section every Thursday.

E12 | THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2021

WEEKEND

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

Menu

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! n w o T n i l Best Dea www.frigosfoods.com 90 William Street, Springfield • 732-5428 159 Shaker Rd, East Longmeadow • 525-9400

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and the restaurant’s staff.

On Dec. 13, concerned about the growing number of CONTINUED FROM PAGE E9 COVID-19 cases in the restauway of helping maintain the rant’s Hampshire-Franklin McDonald’s Happy Meal at a market area, Snow and White $1.99 price point, the subsidy made the difficult decision to had been costing McDonald’s discontinue in-person dining over $50 million a year. Since and revert to a takeout-only the subsidy program began business model. the price of a Happy Meal has, The restaurant is currently however, climbed considoffering contactless curbside erably, with the kids’ meal takeout Thursday through package now selling at more Sunday starting at 4 p.m., than $3.50 in most markets. with last orders on Thursday Several other fee adjustand Sunday at 7 and 8 p.m. on ments will also impact McFriday and Saturday evenings.

Donald’s franchise holders as Updated weekly, the the chain takes steps to offset restaurant’s curbside takeout expected financial challenges menu can be seen at the Blue in the months ahead.

Heron’s website, blueheron dining.com. Takeout of• In Westfield, the Shortferings include family style stop Bar & Grill has been dinner packages as well as inpromoting a takeout spedividual entrees, small plates, cial. Located at 99 Springand dessert. field Road, the Shortstop is The Blue Heron Restaurant, offering 20% off on all to-go which answers at 413-665orders. The discount does 2102, also offers a chef-curated selection of grocery items not apply to orders placed for contactless pickup. through third party delivery services such as DoorDash or • Located on the banks UberEats.

The Shortstop menu can of the Connecticut River in be seen at facebook.com/ South Hadley, The Boatshortstopbar; their telehouse offers great scenic visphone number is 413-642tas of the Connecticut River, 6370.

Mount Tom, and the Mount Holyoke Range.

• The Salem Cross Inn in It’s also a destination for West Brookfield has shifted relaxed weekend dining, with to its winter season hours, brunch available both Saturoffering dinner on Friday and day and Sunday from 10:30 Saturday from 4 to 8 p.m. and a.m. to 3 p.m.

The menu includes options on Sundays from noon until such as chicken & waffles, 6 p.m.

The Inn’s dining room is ob- steak and eggs quesadilla, serving COVID-19 protocols avocado toast, and a Monte - reservations are required, Cristo sandwich. There’s even masks must be worn, the size a family style breakfast platter of a party is limited to six, that includes eggs, breakfast and dining time capped at 90 meats, waffles and French minutes. toast.

Subject to possible pandemA “bottomless” mimosa or ic constraints, the Inn expects Bloody Mary cocktail option to resume its normal full-time is also part of the brunch schedule in April. agenda.

Reservations can be made Reservations for socially by calling the Salem Cross distanced dining at the Boathouse can be made by calling Inn at 508-867-2345.

413-536-2342.

• From the onset of the pandemic public health emerHugh Robert is a faculty gency last spring, Deborah member in Holyoke CommuSnow and Barbara White, the nity College’s hospitality and co-owners of the Blue Heron culinary arts program and has Restaurant in Sunderland, nearly 45 years of restaurant have exercised commendand educational experience. able caution in protecting the Robert can be reached online at health of both their patrons OffTheMenuGuy@aol.com.