{ March 16th, 2009 }
Five Questions With… Hardy Wallace
After my longest blogging sabbatical to date, I’m excited to follow up with a special edition of Five Questions With. This week, I’m proud to present a q&a with one of the Atlanta blogosphere’s bonadfide superstars, Hardy Wallace.
Hardy is the mastermind behind Dirty South Wine, a beloved wine-centric blog. If you like drinking wine, read this blog. Hardy’s a gifted writer, he’s got a refined palate, and the man knows his ATL. Makes me wonder, how will he handle his Five Questions With… ?
I’d start with one of their soups- like their Leek Sunchoke soup. I’d pair that with a glass of Tarlant Champagne. (Minimal dosage, DIRTY-BIRD style bubbles!)
For a “salad” I’d want some of their steamed collards with Umeboshi vinegar and olive oil- Though these greens are perfect on their own. I’d sneak in sips of an older Savennieres like a 1994 Clos Du Papillion. Like sippin’ on crushed oyster shells, dried oranges, and room-temperature (yet still molten) rock!
Dinner- give me a simple dish with grains, mushrooms, quark, and a 2006 Jean-Paul Thevenet Morgon (Cru Beaujolais). Earthy-funk, spice, animal and fruit– This is reformed psycho-killer juice (They tell you it he’s safe, but you wouldn’t want to be alone with him.)
Dessert- Maeda’s Organic Chocolate cake all by itself. Organic perfection.
Q. 24 hours riding MARTA, 12 hours driving around the perimeter, or 8 hours walking up and down Peachtree?
Attention Atlantans: This bus route runs through the spine of your city. Use it!
Q. Best places to buy and/or drink wine in Atlanta?
For restaurants, this is a tie between Top FLR and the bar at ENO. Both have great, eclectic, “by the glass” lists, and are loaded with old-world, nerd-juice. For shops- Ansley Wine Merchants. They are laid back and have a great selection of value-oriented wine, entertaining shelf-talkers, and you’ll even find some “Dirty South Wine Picks” on their shelves.
Q. One day to show off Atlanta to Spinal Tap. Where are you taking them?
3. Trader Vic’s for Mai Tai’s and music by Tongo Hiti (Thurs. nights). A full journey from tropical oasis, to high-energy retro-rock. Later in the night, this place has a way of releasing your inner Beavis morphed with Hunter S. Thompson. You can’t lose with marimba, stand-up bass, and occasional Theremin solos. I think their amps go to 11.
4. After Trader Vic’s– It is time to ride the elevators across the street at the Marriott Marquis. A journey straight into a science fiction movie. It is like being in the heart of the Death Star, or Cloud City. The fountains at the Bellagio can’t compete.
Dirty South Wine is an Atlanta based Wine Blog that aims to remind the reader that wine is not about knowing— it is about exploring, sharing, and having fun with people. Wine is like no other product. It has developed an awkward air of exclusivity- where people feel they can’t enjoy it unless they know something about it, and where markets and opinions are entirely led by people telling them what they should or shouldn’t like. This is so odd, because few products have the ability to bring as much joy as wine, and yet there are these imaginary walls and misconceptions that act as a barrier to enjoyment. Dirty South Wine ignores all that and encourages people to explore, enjoy and share.
