Wainscot Samples for Saks

Luxury Lifestyle Stories by Wainscot Media a selection of magazine features presented to

Creating Authoritative Content That Enriches Lives

CONTENTS n Travel n Automotive n The Sporting Life n Hotels & Resorts n Home n Art n Objects of Desire n Personal Profiles n Wine & Spirits

More than...

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icture yourself enjoying an exquisite cabernet, relaxing on a flower-filled deck as the sun sets on a verdant valley. Or taking an evening dip in your own private infinity pool—attire optional. Or settling in for a multicourse gourmet dinner paired with wines. You could be in Napa or Maui or perhaps even Bali. But then a hippo wanders by and you remember—yes, you’re in South Africa.

Of course, a trip to South Africa wouldn’t be complete without hippos and rhinos and lions and leopards, but there’s much more to see and do in this part of the continent than “just” safari. There are exciting cities to explore, vineyards to visit, exotic spa treatments to sample, cobblestone streets to stroll. Begin your journey in Cape Town, which is scenically sandwiched between towering Table

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By Carol Bialkowski

Sure, you’ll see lions and leopards—and maybe even terrapin and hartebeest.

But there’s so much more to South Africa than its awe-inspiring game.

Part of the excitement of a game drive is never knowing what majestic beast you’ll see lounging in the grass.

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Mountain and the Atlantic Ocean on Africa’s southern tip.

Drop your bags at The One & Only, a chic urban resort that opened in 2009 and has been racking up awards ever since. It was named Top City Hotel in Africa and the Middle East by Travel + Leisure last year and landed at No. 14 on the magazine’s list of the World’s Best Hotels. Nestled on its own island, yet centrally located on the fashionably redeveloped Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, it is a destination unto itself, featuring the most comprehensive spa in the city, the biggest pool (a heated, infinity-edge, meandering sort), and some of the most spacious and high-tech rooms in Cape Town, designed by Adam Tahiny.

When you’re ready to start exploring, begin right in your own backyard—the V&A Waterfront. Some say it’s “touristy,” but you are, after all, a tourist, and it does house the largest collection of shops, restaurants, nightspots and attractions in the city. From there, you can catch a boat to historic Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of the 27 years he was imprisoned.

Take a two-minute cable car ride to the top of Table Mountain and soak in the spectacular views of the city. Just be sure to choose a day when the mountain isn’t covered in a “tablecloth” of fog. If you’re in the mood to exercise, you can spend several hours hiking up and then take the cable car down.

Venture out and explore some of the neighborhoods of Cape Town. Bo-Kaap, situated on the slopes of Signal Hill above the city, is a lively suburb with cobblestone streets and historic houses painted in a rainbow of pastel shades and bold colors—a great place to sample some traditional Cape Malay cuisine. Long Street is party central. Head to 169 on Long (located, ironically, at 227 Long), which turns into a club after dinner every Friday and Saturday night. The other nights of the week you’ll have to make do with the restaurant, cigar bar and cocktail lounge.

Back at the hotel, take a dip in the pool or hit the spa before it’s time to decide on dinner. And a tough decision it will be. The One & Only is home to two acclaimed restaurants—Nobu (from the legendary Nobu Matsuhisa) and Reuben’s (from local celeb chef Reuben Riffel). There’s also the impressive Wine Loft, with its massive entrance of glass and steel and a diverse collection of 5,000 bottles inside.

The Wine Loft is just a preview of what you’ll experience when you bid farewell to Cape Town and drive about an hour east to the Winelands, South Africa’s

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version of Napa and Sonoma. Head first to Franschhoeck, the region’s prettiest town, surrounded on three sides by towering mountains and featuring a picturepostcard main street dotted with shops, galleries and restaurants. At the top end of the village lies Le Quartier Français, a luxuriously quirky boutique hotel tucked in beautiful, secluded gardens. Here you’ll find bright, fun, individually decorated rooms (think electric blue and orange cubist furniture, an occasional vivid yellow or turquoise wall) outfitted with local artwork and sumptuous linens.

One of the hallmarks of Le Quartier Français is The Tasting Room, the hotel’s highly acclaimed fine-dining restaurant. This year it once again made the prestigious San Pellegrino list of the World’s Top 100 Restaurants, coming in at number 53—ahead of such notables as Alain Ducasse, Masa and Momofuku. Here, Dutch-born chef Margot Janse surprises serious diners with an eight-course, African-inspired tasting experience paired with wines. There is no menu, so every evening is different, and every course is served with an understated flourish and detailed description of the dish.

After exploring the village, which is made for strolling, it’s time to try some

This page: the Winelands, South Africa’s version of Napa and Sonoma. Opposite page, from top: one of 12 lavish suites at Singita Boulders Lodge; a white rhino and her calf.

urbancowboy / Shutterstock.com

Clockwise, from top left: the tranquil infinity pool at the award-winning One & Only resort in Cape Town; historic Green Point Lighthouse, which has been saving lives and ships since 1824; aerial view of the coast of Cape Town; a face-painted performer in the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival, the city’s longest-running street party.

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wine. La Motte is one of the largest wine estates in Franschhoeck, and a tasting here is a grand affair. Sample a range of wines at a handmade tasting table or a comfy sofa by the fireplace, surrounded by original works of art by acclaimed South African artist Jacob Hendrik Pierneef (after whom La Motte’s Pierneef Collection of premium wines is named). Stay for lunch, dinner or afternoon tea.

At the opposite end of the spectrum is Lynx Wines, the smallest wine estate in the area, producing fewer than 3,500 cases a year. Here, expect to be personally greeted by affable owner and winemaker Dieter Sellmeyer, who will guide you through the wine-making process and lead a tasting of some of his premium reds, including a shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, merlot and xanache (a Bordeaux-style blend). If you’re not a fan of red, there’s also a blanc de noir and rosé to taste.

When you’ve had your fill of Franschhoek, pack your bags and move on to Stellenbosch. Wind your way down a private road lined with trees and enveloped by mountain ranges and you’ll come upon the opulent Delaire Graff Estate. The property was purchased in 2003 by diamond billionaire Laurence Graff, who spent seven years transforming it into a leading wine “destination” complete with a state-of-theart winery, two restaurants, 10 luxurious lodges (each featuring a private infinity pool), a spa and an extensive collection of contemporary South African artwork.

Tastings take place in the grand Wine Lounge, an idyllic setting with breathtaking views of Tabletop Mountain, a massive fireplace for cozy winter tastings and outdoor seating during the summertime. Here, “wine tutors” walk you through Delaire Graff ’s styles of wines and current vintages—sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, shiraz, botmaskop (a Bordeaux-style blend), merlot and more.

There are many more wine estates to visit, as well as the town of Stellenbosch, which is the second-oldest town in southern Africa and one of the most historically preserved. Stroll along the oak-lined streets and explore the art galleries, shops and restaurants. If you’re in the mood for something a bit different—as if being in South Africa isn’t different enough—visit Cheetah Outreach, Drakenstein Lion Park or Bonheur Crocodile Farm.

It will be perfect preparation for the final segment of your trip—safari. You can go on safari anywhere in Africa, but only in South Africa will you find such an extensive collection of luxury safari lodges. There are so many, in fact, that it can be hard to make a decision. We chose the Singita Boulders Lodge at Sabi Sand, a privately owned game reserve adjacent to Kruger National Park. The lodge was built—literally—around an enormous boulder, which now rests in the wine cellar, and so began the practice of seamlessly integrating the interiors of the lodge with the raw beauty outside. Twelve suites (each the size of a small house) set along the banks of the Sand River make up the Boulders, each boast-

ing a private deck and heated infinity pool, outdoor shower, lavish bathroom and unparalleled views from wraparound floor-to-ceiling windows. Animals can be seen here from every angle—even from the clawfoot soaking tub—making for a truly immersive safari experience.

Of course, the best way to see the wildlife is on a game drive. And one of the best times to go on a game drive is early in the morning. So be prepared to wake up at the crack of dawn, grab a cup of coffee and hop in a Land Rover with your guide.

A game reserve isn’t a zoo, so there are no guarantees as to what you’ll see. That said, Sabi Sand is considered one of the best leopard-viewing spots on earth. So with a little luck—leopards are the most elusive of the big cats—you may spot one.

Part of the thrill and excitement of a game drive is never knowing what may walk in front of your vehicle or be sleeping in the grass or lounging in a tree. You may come across a herd of elephants feeding on the vegetation, a pride of lions resting in the shade or a cheetah making a kill. Other possibilities: rhino, buffalo, reedbuck, hyena, hippo, nyala, wild dogs and myriad types of birds.

When the sun is high, it’s time to return to home base for breakfast. After that, go on a guided bush walk, take a mountain bike ride through the reserve, learn how to use a bow and arrow or engage in a decidedly sedentary pursuit. Take a nap, borrow a book from the library, relax by the pool or schedule a massage on the deck of your suite. You’re in South Africa, so you should try one of the spa’s signature treatments—the Monkey Orange. In this body treatment, dried monkey oranges are used as massage “tools” to ease tension and work on acupressure points; they’re also glided over the body much like hot stones in the U.S. Before you know it, it will be time to gear up for the evening game drive.

Watch the sun set over the Sabi Sand with a glass of Amarula (a delicious milky liqueur made from the fruit of the marula tree) or South African wine in one hand and binoculars in the other. You never know what nocturnally active species you’ll see—hippo, zebra, wildebeest, giraffe or even a lion on the hunt.

One night during your stay, perhaps the final night, arrange to have dinner in the bush. It can be a private affair—a romantic table for two with hurricane lanterns hanging from the trees and not a neighbor in sight—or a more casual, festive gathering where you and your lodge mates enjoy cocktails around the campfire while your meal is prepared over the flames of a charcoal stove. Either way, it will be an unforgettable finale to an unforgettable trip—dining under a canopy of stars, surrounded by the unique sights and sounds of the African wild. planning your excursion Contact Ian Swain at ian@swaintours.com or call 800.227.9246.

The stage is set for a late-afternoon wine tasting at idyllic Delaire Graff Estate, a leading wine destination developed by diamond billionaire Laurence Graff.

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By Maria Lissandrello

control Romantic and streamlined, the updated Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead CoupĂŠ steals its style from the fabled J-class yachts of yore, and as it sails the asphalt sea, it leaves dropped jaws in its wake.

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ut the top down. Feel the wind at your back. Look to the horizon. When you take the helm, er, wheel of the 2013 Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé, you’ll be forgiven for imagining yourself its captain instead of mere driver. That’s because this iteration takes its inspiration from the America’s Cup J-class yachts of the 1930s, known for their use of natural materials and purposeful elegance. Hence, the strategic use of buffed and polished teak as The 2013 Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé is a seamless blend of traditional and contemporary, with a sleek, single-piece grille surround, restyled front bumper and rectangular LED headlamps.

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The thing is, the Phantom Drophead Coupé doesn’t just get you places, it stirs emotions and makes memories.

interior trim and decking for the rear hood cover; a hand-brushed steel bonnet and A-pillar that create a beacon-like flow of light; weather-proof interiors that let you keep the top down without a care. Oh, and about that signature top—it’s made of five layers, one of them cashmere—so when it’s up you’re cocooned in luxury. It helps, of course, that all the while your body is cradled and cosseted in supple leather seating that takes nine hides and two weeks of hand-stitching to create.

The thing is, the Phantom Drophead Coupé doesn’t just get you places, it stirs emotions and makes memories. “We wanted to create a car that is a shared experience,” says Charles Coldham, chief stylist, interior design.

That experience starts before you board. Take a look at the regal vessel and you’re struck by the seamless marriage of traditional and contemporary, thanks to a new single-piece grille surround, a restyled front bumper and rectangular LED headlamps. It’s undeniably Rolls yet fashioned for today.

In a touch of retro elegance, the doors open in reverse, not only evoking Gatsby-era glamour but allowing passengers effortless entry and exit. And once settled into their fluted seats, they will find themselves gently turned toward each other, setting the stage for convivial conversation, with cocktails and canapés perhaps the only things missing.

It’s no secret that this vessel is fully intended to shepherd you far from everyday stressors toward grassy glens and tranquil shores. A split trunk lid offers a place

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From top, a softer silhouette distinguishes the new Phantom Drophead Coupé. A picnic boot, complete with seating for two, is just one of myriad customization options.

The uncluttered and accessible center console enables you to keep your eyes on the open road and focus on enjoying the ride.

2013 rolls-royce phantom drophead coupÉ at a glance

Base price $469,000

Standard specifications Motor: 6.8-liter, V-12 Horsepower: 453 @ 5,359 rpm Transmission: 8-speed automatic with overdrive Mileage: 11/19 mpg, city/highway

Performance specifications Acceleration: 0–60 mph in 5.6 seconds Top speed: 150 mph

Closest competitors Bentley Continental GTC

console keeps all data within easy view, and a rotary confor a picnic basket and a picnic seat for two adults. Don’t worry; The storied America’s Cup J-class yachts of the 1930s were the troller puts everything at your fingertips, so you can focus there’s plenty of room for a set of golf clubs and luggage too. inspiration for the new generation on the road and relish the experience. Under the hood, And what of the ride itself? That too is geared to lower of Phantom Drophead Coupé. all is designed to operate in harmonic unison for optimal the pulse and calm the mind. At nearly three tons, this performance. And thanks to an easy access smartphone cradle, USB and car is big and solid; an aluminum frame provides a sturdy structure that absorbs every bump in the road. Eight gears virtually guarantee that shifts Aux-in options, staying connected to your world is a given.

Of course, there are countless ways to make the Phantom Drophead are imperceptible (while also cutting fuel consumption by 10 percent).

Coupé all your own: Rolls’ bespoke program offers an astounding 44,000 And state-of-the-art suspension technologies cushion your car from the hues, piping, embroidery, contrast stitching, a personalized picnic basket, road, so your ride is comfortable and controlled. You won’t be compelled even a refrigerator. Don’t see a color you like? The folks at Rolls will mix to speed on straightaways and cut curves—this beauty is all about finding a custom color from a swatch—maybe inspired by your favorite tie or serenity on wheels. The longer the ride, the more relaxed you’ll be. lipstick. Extravagant? Sure. Then again, if you’re willing and able to pony As the captain of this land yacht, you’ll have plenty of tech tools at up for the ultimate in open-air opulence, why not get it in exactly the your disposal, including a camera offering 360-degree views and a new color you want? hard drive-based navigation system with an 8.8 inch screen. The central spring / summer 2013

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{ the sporting life }

downhill

thrill

Like any great ski town, this charming Swiss resort is a study in contrasts. We keep it oldschool at the magnificent Gstaad Palace.

By Everett Potter

in Gstaad

The powers that be at the Gstaad Saanenland Tourist Association ought to fire the genius that came up with the slogan, “Gstaad: Come Up—Slow Down.”

Slow down? Really? With the exception of hiking and curling, all of the outdoor sports in this Swiss town—skiing, snowboarding, snow kiting, sledding, summer mountain biking and professional tennis (the Swiss Open is held here)—are based on the thrill of speed.

Gstaad is also renowned for its fast social life.

Formula One owner Bernie Ecclestone, MercedesBenz heir Mick Flick, Russians oligarchs and their entourages, the younger members of Greek shipping families, European royalty—they all hang out here.

A common rap against Gstaad, in fact, is that too

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many of its habitués are more interested in high living than skiing.

And that’s a problem because…? I have no trouble enjoying near-empty slopes while those who over-indulged the night before sleep it off. The fact is, a visit to Gstaad is whatever you want it to be. You can ski hard, party hard or just relax. You can stay in a luxurious grand hotel or a centuries-old chalet off the beaten path. You can prowl the disco for romance or enjoy a wholesome family vacation.

However you play it, you’ll enjoy storybook surroundings. Situated in southwestern Switzerland in the canton of Bern, Gstaad is a German-speaking town that retains a rustic alpine appeal. Cows still outnumber human residents by almost three to one,

The village of Gstaad in the Swiss Alps has long been considered one of the world’s most luxurious ski destinations. But as you can see from the picture, its half-dozen ski areas are about enjoying nature and challenging the mountains.

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{ the sporting life }

Clockwise from top left: The century-old Gstaad Palace Hotel offers 104 guest antlers on the wall, white-jacketed barmen although you’d never know that from the rooms and suites. Among the hotel’s variety of fine dining options is the very presiding over a massive, proper bar. bustle in the pedestrian-only village center. traditional Le Grill Rotisserie. The heated outdoor pool at the Palace provides panBut before we hit the bar, let’s tour the Towering over the village is the turoramic vistas of the Alps. Meals at the Palace are mostly “hearty gourmet.” slopes: There are 156 miles of them stretchreted mass of the Palace Hotel. Gstaad was Opposite: Gstaad’s slopes are excellent for sledding as well as skiing. ing over four adjacent valleys, and they’re already a resort for wealthy Russian and well connected by 70 chairlifts, gondolas Hungarian families when the Palace opened and trams. Buy the all-inclusive Gstaad Ski Pass, which is sold all over town in 1912, two years before the outbreak of the First World War. After Le Rosey and comes in two-, five- and seven-day options. school opened in neighboring Tolle two years later, visiting parents—crowned The smallest ski area, the Wasserngrat, has the greatest concentration heads among them—tended to stay at the Palace and disport themselves of steeps in Gstaad, including the spectacular Tiger Run. This is the spot for in Gstaad. By the 1960s, Gstaad had become so trendy that Time magazine powder hounds. nicknamed it “The Place,” and Don’t miss Glacier 3000, although the resort has competiGetting to gstaad palace the highest-altitude ski area, for tion from Courchevel, Cortina For winter 2011/2012, the hotel will be open from december 18 through its spectacular views. From the and St. Moritz, the tag still fits. march 13. accommodations range from a single classic room ($596 to $914 top of the glacier, you can take The Palace Hotel is so synper night, depending on date) to a penthouse suite ($12,565 to $20,180 per in two dozen peaks higher than onymous with Gstaad, it’s where night, depending on date). minimum stays also apply; visit the hotel’s website 13,000 feet, including the Matany first-time visitor should stay. for details. accommodations include a swiss breakfast buffet and lunch or terhorn and Mont Blanc.

With 104 guest rooms and a dinner at le grand restaurant. to plan a visit, go to www.palace.ch.

I also suggest taking the staff of 250, the hotel is run with Palace Hotel, tel. 033/748-50-00; Richie’s Pub, tel. 033/744-57-87 Rinderberg Ronda Ski Safari, the precision of a Swiss watch. it’s about a 2.5-hour drive from Zürich airport. which allows you to explore the The atmosphere is classic of its gentle, interconnected pistes of kind—baronial trappings, deer

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Schoenried, Saanenmoser and Zweissimen without having to use any slope or lift more than once.

Every ski town has a “local hill,” and in Gstaad, it’s the Wispile, a family-friendly area with plenty of novice slopes. It’s ideal for afternoon skiing, because a lot of runs dump right into the village.

Après ski, many guests at the Palace head to Charly’s, an elegant yet lively tearoom overlooking the town’s skating rink, for a hot chocolate and perhaps a mille-feuille. This is also the perfect time of day to check out the hotel spa. You can choose from the full range of standard treatments, but why not go for the exotic: The unique Turkish bath experience takes you through a progression of seven rooms.

Expect cocktail hour at 7:30 p.m. and dinner at 8:30, 9 or later. Dining at the hotels is considered good form in Gstaad, and the Palace offers an array of options. Try cheese fondue with champagne and black truffles and other typical Swiss fare at the cozy La Fromagerie.

The after-dinner scene starts around 11 p.m. and runs very late. The Palace is home to the Green Go Disco, with its ’70s-era trippy interior. Complete with mirrored ceiling and pulsing lights, the Green Go was used as a set in The Return of the Pink Panther.

When you’re ready for a break from the old-time elegance and jetset scene of the Palace, try a local dive. Richie’s Pub in Hauptstrasse is an English-style tavern favored by locals. It’s one of nearly 100 restaurants, bistros and bars in Gstaad, but be aware that many of them close down for the winter. Even at Richie’s, a reservation is recommended.

Think of any historic ski town that’s kept its mojo decade after decade.

It’s done so by providing luxury, exposure to nature and downhill thrills, side by side. A great ski vacation is a study in contrasts, and Gstaad fills the bill. n Everett Potter, a frequent contributor to National Geographic Traveler, can be found making first tracks wherever there’s powder.

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Tasmanian

Revel

The Saffire Freycinet is a new kind of close-to-nature resort— a five-star facility in a setting that resembles Eden. By Marc Kristal

“When I tell people I’m from Tasmania, they say, ‘Really? I thought it was a fictitious place,

invented for the cartoon character,’” says Warren Glover, guest relations manager of the Henry Jones, an “art hotel” located in former warehouses in Hobart, capital of Australia’s only island state.

Glover is referring to the maniacal Tasmanian Devil from Warner Bros.’ Looney Tunes series. In fact, not only is the Devil (a carnivorous marsupial with a nerve-rattling cry) non-fictional, but the island itself, which sits off the southeast tip of the continent, is home to one of the most varied and unspoiled concentrations of natural

Saffire Freycinet resort is set on the Tasmanian coast in a landscape of arcadian beauty. Seen here is the resort’s signature view across Great Oyster Bay to the range of pink granite peaks called The Hazards.

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Suites at Saffire Freycinet are designed for utter privacy. The view encompasses miles of coastline and mountains beyond—with hardly a manmade object in sight. Above right, a treatment room at Spa Saffire exudes tranquility.

beauty in the world—reality at its best. Like mainland Australia, the place was settled by British convicts, who dreamed of returning home. Yet given Tasmania’s splendors—and the recent opening of the Saffire Freycinet, herald of what may be a new wave of world-class, nature-themed resorts—any traveler with a taste for luxury would welcome a life sentence.

Tazzie, as the locals call it, offers a rich mix of pleasures. The sense of an end-ofthe-world purity—the island is a mere 1,600 miles from Antarctica and possesses the world’s cleanest air—is amplified by the small population (about 500,000 in a land the size of Ireland, with roughly half living in Hobart), and the fact that nearly 40 percent of its mountain ranges, rain forests and broad, deep waterways lie in protected parklands or World Heritage Sites. “The life raft off the ark,” as Karl Matheson, head keeper at the Bonorong Wildlife Park in Brighton, refers to it, Tazzie is also home to such exotic species as the echidna (an egg-laying mammal), quolls, wombats and four creatures—including the Devil—found only here.

The Tasmanians’ idea of fun, however, isn’t restricted to nature. Consider the Moorilla Estate complex, outside Hobart: One can savor world-class vintages from the area’s oldest winery, dine in locavore heaven at The Source restaurant, stay in one of eight design-forward private pavilions and, as of January 21, 2011, visit the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), its galleries excavated from the side of a cliff.

The Saffire Freycinet, which opened in June, expertly blends these arcadian h o l i d ay 2 0 1 0

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and worldly pleasures. Created by Federal Group, which has developed Tasmanian ventures ranging from nature hikes to gambling operations, Saffire Freycinet represents an effort to move beyond what the hotel’s architect, Robert Morris Nunn, calls “moms-and-dads tourism” toward an untapped market: international guests appreciative of five-star properties in pristine settings.

Accordingly, Federal found a site of otherworldly beauty: 27 acres on the edge of Freycinet National Park, with views across Great Oyster Bay to a range of pink granite peaks called The Hazards. The Freycinet Peninsula’s 300 yearly days of sun, exceptionally clear air and water, and abundance of wildlife combine to create an environment akin to Eden.

Morris Nunn’s design exploits the setting to maximum effect. The concept for the resort—a main building that, with its long, narrow entry canopy and broad wings topped by an undulating roof form, resembles a manta ray, and 20 guest pavilions arranged in a curving line—was partly driven by the property’s proximity to the water.

Another design influence was the view—and indeed, the hotel, which is entered from above and steps down the sloped site, offers a singular lesson in view management. Although everything is visible on approach to the property, Morris Nunn recaptures the panoramic vista with an arrival procession climaxing in a curved, three-story-high, south-facing curtain wall that sets the landscape in a monumental 180-degree frame. This is followed by another surprise: Each suite has its own floor-to-ceiling glass wall, so what begins out of doors and then becomes a collective experience is finally each guest’s to savor alone. continued . . .

With glass galore, suites at the Saffire seamlessly connect indoor and outdoor spaces. In an aerial view of the resort (left), the main hotel is the undulating mass that looks like a manta ray.

Chef Hugh Whitehorse (right) shows off fresh oysters taken from Moulting Lagoon.

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Saffire Freycinet has developed a selection of activities enabling visitors to engage fully with this environment. Walks and biking expeditions (including a trek to Wineglass Bay, rated one of the world’s top 10 beaches), water sports and stargazing are on the menu, as is an in-waders visit to Freycinet Marine Farm in pristine Moulting Lagoon, from which the resort receives its Angasi and Pacific oysters. Also on offer is Saffire’s signature experience: a journey along the peninsula’s coastline, aboard the purpose-built, 11.9-metre-long Saffire, to Schouten Island, a wild outpost—half barren and jagged granite, half forest.

Within the hotel, executive chef Hugh Whitehorse draws on the yield of local growers, fishermen and suppliers of grass-fed meats to plate dishes memorable for their intensity of flavor. And Spa Saffire provides options to answer every predilection, divided into Deluxe and Premium Jewel Collection experiences, featuring combinations of steams, scrubs, baths, facials and massages (including a hot-stone treatment using pink granite quarried from The Hazards), and incorporating lotions infused with gold, diamond and, yes, sapphire dust. (The hotel also includes a meeting room, though it’s hard to imagine much work getting done.)

Like most successful luxury properties, Saffire Freycinet’s secret weapon is its exceptional level of service—in the words of spa manager Felicity Runciman, “the difference between pretending to be nice and really being nice.” For all of the manifold pleasures to be had, the resort’s personal touch is the take-away. As Runciman puts it, “A little positivity goes a long way.”

Saffire Freycinet, +61-3-6256-7888; saffire-freycinet.com.au

Tasmania gets 300 days of sunshine a year and has the world’s purest air, so the view is always stunning from the hotel lounge. At left, grassfed beef stars in Chef Whitehorse’s steak sandwich. At right, the resort’s boat, Saffire, deposits guests on pristine Schouten Island.

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Bold sapphire hues create a visual theme of unity with notes of drama.

symphony in

Potent blues make “the sofas and, to a degree, the carpet feel like built elements within the room,” writes designer Amanda Nisbet. Pillows, stool covers and a hall glimpsed through a doorway play their own bit parts in the drama of hue, while an octagonal antique mirror adds distinction.

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erfect cohesion can be achieved by letting a bold color function almost as an architectural element, says interior designer Amanda Nisbet in her book Dazzling Design. Here, she observes, “the particular dark radiance of the shade...seems to float in a dimension of its own, as though the color itself were hovering in space.”

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The room’s flirtation with severity is redeemed by a lushly feminine chandelier with mercury-glass inserts and blue and clear glass decorative motifs. Above right: Purple and yellow-orange swatches on a stool add a vibrant note to the predominant color scheme. Opposite: An understated white fireplace mantel sets the stage for interesting juxtapositions, while the mirror plays gentle, amusing havoc with our sense of what’s where.

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Doesn’t a bold room deserve a bold piece of art? We are not disappointed by the arresting large-format photograph of a salon in a once-grand South American villa—now flooded. The silk-blend striated paper on the walls provides a soothing counterpoint and contributes to the space’s striking effect.

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MATCHPRINTS It all started with my photo of Jim Morrison and Timothy’s photo of Robert Mitchum: their heads cocked just so, both cupping their cigarettes with similar authority and disdain. I was so exited by the similarities between the two images that I hung them side by side in my apartment.

It fascinates me that Timothy and I are a generation apart yet have photographed many of the same subjects in a similar context or composition. It fascinates me even more that we have done this with such contrasting styles. We may imagine the same thing, but we execute it differently.

Timothy says that I see my picture at one-sixtieth of a second, while he sees his picture evolve over a couple of hours. We may have different approaches, but when we take pictures, we both work on gut instinct. I believe that honesty comes through in our photographs.

The discovery and sharing of each other’s work set us off on the path that has brought us here. [The photography on the following pages] represents our respect for each other’s work. I hope you enjoy this creative exploration as much as we have enjoyed the collaboration.

Match Prints is a tribute to friendship, photography, and the sharing of the two.

—Jim Marshall Jim Marshall, the renowned rock-and-roll photographer, died on March 24, 2010. The above text and the images that follow are excerpted from the book Match Prints by Timothy White and Jim Marshall. Copyright © 2010 by Timothy White and Jim Marshall.

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Jim Morrison, San Jose, 1968, by Jim Marshall

Robert Mitchum, Santa Barbara, 1988, by Timothy White

The Sugarcubes, New York, 1988, by Timothy White

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Jefferson Airplane, San Francisco, 1967, by Jim Marshall

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Thelonius Monk, New York, 1963, by Jim Marshall

Bruce Springsteen, Malibu, 1991, by Timothy White

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Little Richard, San Francisco, 1971, by Jim Marshall

James Brown, Augusta, Ga., 1991, by Timothy White

Roy Orbison, Los Angeles, 1987, by Jim Marshall

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Muddy Waters, Chicago, 1979, by Timothy White

Robert Plant, Los Angeles, 1970, by Jim Marshall

Nicole Kidman, New York, 2003, by Timothy White

objects of

desire

Distinctive, covetable and truly iconic in their class, these objects make perfect gifts—or personal treats for the pent-up connoisseur who’s been holding back for a year or two. Some of the items qualify as lavish stocking stuffers. Others are certifiably big purchases, especially if you decide, as might be the case with the Purdey game gun, that you really need a pair. Whether you’re gifting or holding, you can feel secure that each object will give lasting pleasure and will be remembered always.

For purchase information, see page 94.

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a vintage axe Rock stars are hardly known as sentimentalists, but put a vintage axe in the hands of an Eric Clapton or an Elvis Costello, and watch them grow misty. The folks at Nashville’s Gruhn Guitars see it all the time. Any headliner in town to play the Ryman Auditorium or Bridgestone Arena can’t resist a visit to Gruhn’s, where for 40 years, George Gruhn has been seeking out the rare and the wonderful, making him the world’s top vintage guitar dealer.

Of course, there are five-figure instruments here, but there are also plenty of affordable beauties that will let you indulge your inner Slash, like this SG Platinum. Gibson made the first electric SG, with its distinctive pointed horns, in 1961.

In 2004 they gave her mahogany body and neck a sexy platinum finish. This limited-edition guitar has the same two humbucking pickups and tune-o-matic bridge as the great SG Standard; it just looks so much sleeker.

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reverb for your ipod Dinky iPod speakers are laid in the shade by the ReVerb, a solar-powered sound system for your iPod. The sleek, floor-standing unit is about 3 feet high and 16 inches wide. It’s only 3 inches deep at the top, where the iPod dock is located, flaring to 7 inches at the base, to accommodate a 6x9-inch woofer. Higher frequencies are handled by power-efficient stereo exciters behind the ReVerb’s vibrating front panel.

Regen, the maker, says its system delivers the equivalent punch of a 60-watt conventional sound system. That’s enough to give you some thumping bass and immersive sound in an average-sized room.

Solar power really does get ’er done: On a full charge (which takes 8 hours in a sunny room), the battery gives you 12 hours of listening time at “normal” volume. If you like to crank it up to “11,” you can always switch the ReVerb to AC power or hybrid mode.

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a purdey gun In the world of sporting guns, James Purdey & Sons Limited is perhaps the top maker. Every Purdey gun is bespoke. Using hand tools that have changed little in two centuries, craftsmen put as many as 750 hours into each gun over the course of 18 to 24 months. Output is limited to about 75 guns a year.

Shown here is a new over & under game gun with Purdey’s typically elegant hand engraving and best Turkish walnut stock. There are many choices involved in commissioning a bespoke gun: barrel length, standard or magnum chamber, single or double trigger and, of course, action and bore. Do you want a 12-bore gun for duck hunting or a 20-bore gun for upland game birds?

What scene would you like engraved?

Envisaging your gun in conjunction with Purdey is a big part of the fun.

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the ‘parcour s’ by seven cycles The folks at Seven Cycles are perfectionists, obsessed with enhancing the cycling experience through optimal fit, function, performance and comfort. Taking their cue from Mies van der Rohe’s dictum that less is more, they designed the Parcour S as a minimalist, durable, fixed-gear road bike.

As is true of every Seven bike, the Parcour S is built to order and tailored to the owner’s size, preferences and cycling style. The construction of the frame is approached with particular zeal. Consider the matter of frame alignment: Each frame is subjected to 50 alignment checks, holding to tolerances as tight as plus or minus two-thousandths of an inch—thinner than a sheet of paper. This obsession is rewarded in precision handling. As to weight, the straight-gauge titanium frame weighs, on average, a mere 3.2 pounds, making it a pleasure to pedal down suburban streets on your way to, say, the beach.

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It may look like wood, but you’re viewing layers of cotton, linen and silk as you’ve never seen them before, laminated in phenolic resin in a chair fashioned by contemporary design great Marc Newson. The composite material is known as Micarta, and you might recognize it from your grandfather’s old pocketknife handles. Micarta was developed a century ago as a substitute for wood, and was a precursor to fiberglass.

Leave it to Newson, who has made a career of moving materials from one context to another, to fashion a sculptural chair from the now-rare and costly medium. “I love its organic quality,” he says. “It has a grain that’s very evident, like the rings of a tree.”

Pieces by Newson can be good investments—the 1988 prototype for his Lockheed Lounge chaise made $2.1 million at auction—and they’re also easy to live with. The designer, who admits to not owning many of his own pieces, has two Micarta chairs at home.

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Image Courte sy Gagosian Gallery

micarta chair by marc newson

a tiffany necklace

Who can forget the image of Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s? We know we can’t, not with that lovely, regal neck leading her from one moment of enchantment to the next. And so it should be for any woman, for certainly the neck is all the more graceful and sensual when adorned by jewelry.

Tiffany & Co. understands this. Long synonymous with exquisite design and breathtaking beauty, the famous jeweler has introduced the Circlet Double Drop Necklace with Diamonds in Platinum. She’ll love its brilliance, the drape of the double drop and the effortless elegance it confers. This piece is quintessential Tiffany: understated, timeless and always appropriate.

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breguet timepiece Napoleon consulted his before marching troops into battle, and we like to think Hemingway gave his a glance before breaking from his Underwood in Key West for a cold one at Sloppy Joe’s Bar. Today it’s Alan Gilbert, conductor of the New York Philharmonic, who relies on his Breguet for perfect timing.

This season, perhaps the ultimate timepiece for men of style is Breguet’s new Tradition wristwatch in platinum. It features a hand-wound movement with tourbillon and fusee-chain transmission, along with silicon balance springs.

The dial—hand-turned on a rose engine in typical Breguet fashion, its chapter ring engraved with roman numerals— is set off-center at 7 o’clock.

For a tour-deforce of watch-making, the Tradition is tastefully low-key. The 18-kt gold dial has been silvered, and the mount, an alloy of platinum metals, is finished in anthracite gray for a look that’s in tune with the times.

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louis xlll rare cask cognac Truly great cognac is, to some extent, an accident of nature: Cellar brandy in near-identical oak casks, and some bring forth more ambrosial liquid than others. Every so often one cask will, by some alchemical magic, rise to an otherworldly standard. Pierrette Trichet, the first woman to serve as Louis XIII Cellar Master at Remy Martin, identified just such a cask in 2004 and spent five years cosseting it. The cognac inside had an unusually high alcohol level—43.8 percent versus the normal 40—and a massively aromatic bouquet.

Earlier this year it was bottled for sale in a unique black crystal decanter from Baccarat. Tasters have identified more than 200 flavors, including gingerbread, beeswax, wild mushrooms and fresh mint, all emerging from a mouth-blanketing richness. Call it the drink of a lifetime: Louis XIII Rare Cask cognac in Baccarat’s Black Pearl decanter.

a classic first edition Collectors of first editions prize any “firsts” associated with a book. This example really rings the bell: It’s the first edition of J.D. Salinger’s first book, in the original, iconic first-issue dust jacket with a photograph of Salinger on the back panel.

Besides being his debut book, The Catcher in the Rye is also Salinger’s most beloved and influential work, a key coming-of-age novel for each generation of youth since its publication in 1951. As Anthony Burgess wrote of the character Holden Caulfield, “The young used many voices—anger, contempt, self-pity—but the quietest, that of a decent perplexed American adolescent, proved the most telling.”

This fine specimen of Catcher from Bauman Rare Books, with original black cloth and a professionally restored dust jacket, comes housed in a custom clamshell box. A pleasure to own, it makes a sound investment as well.

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mangalica ham from spain Serrano and Iberico hams may get all the attention, but a third, lesser-known kind of dry-cured Spanish ham, the Mangalica, is, if anything, more succulent. When Jamones Segovia learned that Hungary’s indigenous Mangalica pig was headed for extinction, the company partnered with farmers to help to save it. Today a thriving, carefully tended population of free-range Mangalica pigs grazes the Hungarian Steppe.

Traditionally raised for lard, these curly-haired pigs have a higher than average fat-to-meat ratio, which allows their hams to age longer, which in turn produces deeper flavors. Each Mangalica ham is naturally air-cured in Spain by fourth-generation master ham makers for two to three-and-a-half years.

Imported to the U.S. exclusively by D’Artagnan, Mangalica ham is dark, wellmarbled, sweet, moist and incomparably rich.

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an heirloom chess set Chess players the world over use pieces of the same design—the instantly recognizable Staunton pattern. Named for Howard Staunton, the first British world chess champion, the pattern was created in the 1840s as a collaboration between Nathaniel Cooke, proprietor of the Illustrated London News, and John Jaques, the famous maker of games. Their goal was to create a chess set using symbols (a crown for the king, a miter for the bishop) that could be clearly distinguished and easily reproduced. The “radical” Staunton design won raves, particularly for the elegant look of the knight, taken from the Elgin Marbles.

Jaques of London still produces Staunton chessmen today. This Fischer Spassky Chess Set, an exact copy of the pieces used in the 1972 championship match, is handmade from boxwood and jet black ebony. It’s a great family gift that will last generations.

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a steiff bear Teddy Bear fever swept the U.S., England and Germany in the early years of the 20th century. The fad subsided, but love for the winsome toy has endured across generations. What American childhood would be complete without a Teddy?

In choosing the perfect “lovey,” go for the standard bearer: the Steiff Classic 1920 Teddy Bear. Handmade of mohair, silk, alpaca and cotton velvet, this Teddy is still produced in the Giengen, Germany, facility where Margarete Steiff began making plush toys in 1880.

The five-jointed bruin comes in 10-inch and 14-inch heights. Each carries the button-in-ear signature, a reminder, says the Steiff family, that “only the best is good enough for our children.”

Trade secret: Adult women, too, love a Teddy as a holiday gift.

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profile

son of the south

Louisiana native Billy Reid blends down-home values with downtown style to create his own effortlessly cool aesthetic. Here, the award-winning fashion designer shares some rules to live by—and some to break.

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Break The Rules I like corduroy in the summer, which is somewhat unconventional.

Likewise, we’re based in Florence, Alabama, which is unusual for a luxury fashion house. But it feels natural. We like having the freedom to do things our own way.

Follow Your Heart, Not Trends Own your look. When a man has style, it’s more about how he wears clothes, rather than what he’s wearing. If you buy just one garment this season, make it something you’ll wear often, like a great coat, and turn it into your favorite piece.

Take A Cue From Mom My mother was a great retailer. She ran a shop from my grandmother’s home in Amite, Louisiana, where people would come to just hang out. In the 70s she foresaw the denim craze and opened another store in an abandoned railroad depot carrying brands like Gloria Vanderbilt, Jordache and Calvin Klein. I was a teenage boy, so not much into fashion. But after flunking out of college as a P.E. major— pretty hard to do—my mom sent me to art school in Dallas. That set me on the right path.

Keep Your Eyes Open I just saw an older man at the airport dressed in a great vest with baggy pants, wingtips and a straw hat. Inspiration is there when you’re open to it.

Travel In Style Speaking of airports, I’d never wear a pair of shorts when flying. And I’d never not pack one pair of jeans.

Ignore Geography I split my work time between Alabama and New York; that’s at the core of my process. My collections should feel right whether customers live in the bayou or Paris.

Honor A Beloved Item Mine is a bag made from a tattered apron that was recovered in a barn dating to the early 1900s. Levi’s had the apron in its archive. I worked with them to construct the satchel after I was fortunate enough to team up with them on a project.

I cherish it. — Francesca Moisin

Reid’s CoolWeather Cures For beating the winter blues, designer Billy Reid shares his favorite…

Fall cocktail: Bourbon on the rocks Comfort food: Jambalaya Escape destination: Cape San Blas, Florida Winter activity: Watching college football Holiday tradition: Cooking and family potluck dinners

{ meet the designer }

brunello cucinelli “The perfection of simplicity” is how Cucinelli describes his concept of luxury.

These days, just about every well-rounded, brainy bloke is

Where do you get your design ideas?

dubbed a “Renaissance man.” Rarely does the label fit, but in the case of cashmere king Brunello Cucinelli, the term is perfectly apt. The designer, entrepreneur and self-described humanist restored the medieval hamlet of Solomeo, Italy, and turned it into the ultimate company town—a place that nurtures craftsmanship, celebrates the arts and turns out the most exquisite clothing, leather goods and other fine appointments for modern-day ladies and gentlemen. garmany recently sat down with Cucinelli to discover what makes him tick, and to get some high-level fashion advice for the coming season.

I get inspired simply by strolling the streets. In Perugia and wherever I go, I make it a point to notice my surroundings—the spirit of observation should be a designer’s single most important trait. Then I reinterpret what I see in a classic, luxurious style.

You cite St. Francis of Assisi as one of your great inspirations—does he influence the Brunello Cucinelli esthetic?

Living and working in a 14th century village just a stone’s throw from Perugia, among the green hills of Umbria, has a major influence on the way we work and the way our business runs. In Solomeo, the simplicity and spirituality of St. Francis meld with the “prayer-and-work” balance of St. Benedict; it’s that ethos that enables our artisans to bring their creativity to life in a way that reflects our concept of luxury: the perfection of simplicity.

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You lament the disappearance of good old-fashioned debate—the kind that used to take place in caffès until 1 a.m. Is there anything that can take its place?

I practically grew up at the neighborhood caffè, where farmers, prostitutes, the town sages and young kids would mingle, playing cards and talking about life.

Communicating, sharing, participating: It’s essential—and one of the guiding principles of my company. That’s why I’ve tried to transform Solomeo into a crossroads of art and culture—where theater, music and artistic discussions unfold, and where craftsmanship, such as the work we do, is regarded as highly as the fine arts. Solomeo is the equivalent of what the Greeks used to call the Forum of the Arts, where architects, philosophers, and layabouts would debate the culture, politics and economy of the day. Today I don’t consider myself Solomeo’s owner, but rather its guardian.

If a person made just one fashion purchase this fall, what should it be?

Knitwear plays a starring role this season, and in my latest collection it’s a “must” for men and women alike. At times, it can be worn as outerwear in place of a jacket; other times, it can simply be an ultra-thin sweater. Shetland styles are especially trendy for men.

What can we expect in terms of color palette for fall/winter?

For men, neutrals and English-inspired hues are in, but also blueberry, deep plum, violet, indigo and ivy—and while you’ll find the shades in bright, medium and dark tones, they must always be soft and muted, never violent. For women, the trendy colors are green, amethyst, midnight blue and moss complemented by grays that range from salt and stone, to smoke and iron, to slate and lava.

Is there a modern silhouette for men or women you find most exciting?

For men, lightness is the main theme—airy materials, fabrics and yarns that combine and layer perfectly for every situation and every moment of the day. For women, we’re seeing amply cut silhouettes that envelop the body; we’re also seeing tunics meant to be worn over leggings.

Best known for its cashmere, Brunello Cucinelli has

Who is the Bruno Cucinelli client?

expanded beyond knits to become a “total look”

Our clients don’t merely buy an object, they share our philosophy: For us, luxury is the attention lavished on the art of living, on evoking a dream. Our clients are not ostentatious; they simply want to treat themselves to the best. A cashmere sweater is like a book—something to treasure. It’s a “feeling” to try on, and its value doesn’t change with time.

company. Its offerings beyond cashmere range from fine cotton shirts and trousers, to outerwear in various materials, including fur, to leather goods of all kinds—shoes, belts, jackets and luggage. Shown here are looks for men and women from the fall/ winter 2010 collections. On the drawing board, says Cucinelli, are fragrances and eyeglasses.

What’s next?

When we started 30 years ago, we made only cashmere. But in the last few years, we’ve become a “total look” company.

We’re already working on accessories that will round out the line, especially fragrance and eyeglasses.

And the accessory you never leave home without is …

A pocket square. It’s very important to have different types to suit various jackets and occasions.

You don’t watch TV. What do you have against it?

I prefer to read the writings of the greats, like Seneca or Plato.

What music helps you unwind?

My first pick is always classical music. I’m also a big fan of the Italian pianist Ludovico Einaudi.

You can take just one book to a desert island.

What is it?

I must take two: Plato’s Republic and The Memoirs of Hadrian, by Marguerite Yourcenar.

What’s your guilty pleasure?

A glass of rum with my favorite Cuban cigar, Romeo y Julieta.

Can you pick one motto that best describes you?

The concept of beauty is deeply rooted in me. Once you get used to it, you can’t live without it. Perhaps my motto could be, “Beauty will save the world.” fa l l • w i n t e r 2 010

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Creating Authoritative Content That Enriches Lives

grape

make mine madeira

After tasting the wines of Vinhos Barbeito, you’ll be glad you got reacquainted with Port’s native cousin. By Josh Sens

N

A high-society darling in the U.S. and abroad for generations, Madeira was adored by the Founding Fathers. They toasted the signing of the Declaration of Indepedence with it and served it at George Washington’s inauguration.

early 30 years ago, when he first fell for Madeira, Mannie Berk knew he’d found a love with a rich but troubled past.

In better days long gone, Madeira had basked in global stardom, an exotic beauty from an island of the same name that enjoyed a warm reception on American shores.

The Founding Fathers adored it. They toasted the Declaration of Independence with it and poured it at George Washington’s inauguration. Madeira was the muse behind “The Star-Spangled Banner,” sipped, as he composed, by Francis Scott Key. Generations passed, and Madeira retained its golden reputation, a high-society darling in this country and abroad— until the mid-19th century, when its woes began. First came vine diseases, which ravaged old Madeira plantings, shutting down three-quarters of the wine’s producers. Decades later, Prohibition put a damper on the U.S. market, and World War II inflicted even deeper damage, closing off the shipping channels through which Madeira flowed.

By the 1980s, when Mannie Berk began his romance with it, Madeira was embattled by a stubborn image problem. The real stuff was still great, but the market had been flooded with lowgrade iterations, sweet and treacly. In the eyes of most consumers,

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GRAPE

Clockwise from left, barrels of Vinhos Barbeito’s renowned Madeiras; a sign welcoming visitors to the generationsold winery, one of four remaining on the island; a wax seal bearing the winery’s logo; Mannie Berk, wine importer and Madeira lover.

Comparative Notes Charleston Sercial Special Reserve $47 The driest in the series, with coffee and honey aromatics giving way to hints of salted caramel that play lightly on the palate.

Madeira wasn’t much more than a one-note cooking wine. “Madeira had suffered for so long that it never reclaimed the standing of its glory years,” Berk says.

A wine writer at the time with a fledgling import business, Berk saw Madeira for what it really was: a velvety delight of unsurpassed complexity, by turns mellow and tangy, spicy and dulcet, ringing in a symphony of bright and earthy tones. Its unique qualities stemmed from its unique breeding. Produced only on a Portuguese-governed island, 360 miles west of Morocco, it arises through a heating process known as “estufagem” that dates to the age of exploration, when merchant captains, calling on Madeira, sailed away with wine casks, only to discover that the wines acquired more character the longer they sloshed about in cargo holds.

Among its many virtues, Madeira is long-lived. The most prized vintages age for centuries and fetch thousands of dollars at private auctions. Left to breathe after prolonged captivity, they keep improving, as elegant on their own as they are with food.

At the helm of The Rare Wine Co., the Sonoma-based import company he founded, Berk made it his business to reacquaint wine-lovers with the pleasures of Madeira: the rapturous flavor profiles found in ancient vintages. But he also had his eye on a wider target market, not just specialized collectors but everyday consumers.

“Given how rare and expensive the really old Madeiras are,” Berk says, “the question became, Is it possible to produce a younger Madeira that still tastes like it’s really old?”

That’s where his work with Ricardo Freitas came in. The third-generation proprietor of Vinhos Barbeito, one of four

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Madeira-producing families remaining on the island, Freitas runs his operation with a deep respect for the wine’s rich traditions.

But his vision isn’t rooted solely in the past. Aware that Madeira also needed a future, Freitas joined forces with Berk to create new blends that captured the magic of the great old vintage wines.

It wasn’t easy. Berk and Freitas both felt that five- to 10-year-old blends, while readily available, lacked the “magic and distinction” of truly fine Madeiras. Their solution: blending younger Madeiras with older generations, Madeiras up to 30, even 40 years of age.

It took two-plus years of tinkering to arrive at a product that met their standards. The result is their Historic Series, a collection of four wines, each named for an American city (Charleston, Savannah, Boston, New York) where Madeira was prized in the 18th and 19th centuries, each reflective of a regional style that was popular in those days.

Work your way through the series (and up the Eastern Seaboard) and you encounter wines that shift in keeping with the setting, the dry profile of the Charleston Sercial Special Reserve suited to the balmy Carolinas, the sweeter notes of New York Malmsey Special Reserve befitting the more bundled-up Northeast.

Most important, Berk says, they are balanced, complex wines that bring forth the very qualities—the acidity and sweetness, the medley of aromatics—the finest of Madeiras have been known for all along.

“If you’ve never had Madeira, it’s hard to know what you’ve been missing,” Berk says. “Then you try these and you think, ‘Ah, I guess they are pretty special after all’.”

Savannah Verdelho Special Reserve $47 A bouquet of citrus zest that grows just a touch sweeter on the palate, then finishes with a lingering gingery spice.

Boston Bual Special Reserve $47 Continuing the progression, ever so slightly, up the sweetness scale, but with smoky undercurrents and bright notes of cinnamon and clove.

New York Malmsey Special Reserve $47 Rich and velvety, blending hints of almond, cherry and chocolate that make it a perfect match for desserts.

spirits

why so bitter?

A new generation of bitters is lending depth and complexity to cocktails. It’s time you tried a Memphis barbecue Bloody Mary or a creole martini. By Mark Dowden

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hether made with clear spirits or brown, the most classic American cocktails—the Manhattan, the martini, the Old Fashioned and the Sazerac—all originally shared a common ingredient: aromatic bitters.

So named because of their bitter taste, which comes from the infusion or distillation of herbs, aromatic bitters are also known as cocktail bitters. They tend to be non-alcoholic, deeply colored and highly concentrated. Used as a flavoring agent, a few drops of aromatic bitters go a long, long way.

(This column ignores digestive bitters, the herbal, alcoholic drink known as amaro in Italy. Aperol, Campari, Fernet Branca and countless other

well-known amari are consumed with soda or in cocktails.)

Prior to Prohibition, hundreds of brands of aromatic bitters were available commercially in the United States. Only three of them survived the dry years and remain in production today: Angostura, Peychaud’s and Fee Brothers.

Angostura is the granddaddy of bitters and the most readily available (try your supermarket). First concocted in 1824 by a German physician living in Venezuela, Angostura bitters was marketed as a cure for

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spirits

Holy Mole n 2 oz. bourbon n ½ oz. Bénédictine liqueur n ¾ oz. St. Germain liqueur n 3 drops Bitter End Mole Bitters

The Tribute n 1 oz. reposado tequila n 1 oz. Campari n 1 oz. Carpano Antica n 3 dashes Scrappy’s Chocolate Bitters

The Fall of Temperance n 1½ oz. white rum n ½ oz. dark rum n ¾ oz. fresh lime juice n ¾ oz. simple syrup n 1 dropper Bittercube Jamaican Bitters #1

Stir with ice in a mixing glass. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a flamed orange peel. (Thanks to Chris Milligan.)

Stir with ice in a mixing glass.

Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

(Thanks to Matt Bailey.)

Shake the ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with seven drops of Bittercube Blackstrap Bitters.

seasickness. Its main consumers were British sailors, who added bitters to their gin. This tipple was called “pink gin” because a dash of the dark red bitters, which get their color from gentian root, turned the gin pink.

Pink gin spread to bars in London, and then to the general drinking public. A forerunner of the American martini, pink gin is still popular in Britain. In Ian Fleming’s novel The Man with the Golden Gun, James Bond orders pink gin made with Beefeater and “plenty of bitters.”

Peychaud’s bitters, like Angostura, is made with gentian root. It’s less concentrated (hence its truly pink color), sweeter, and is further distinguished by a hint of cloves and other spices. The “official” cocktail of New Orleans, the Sazerac, gets its signature anise flavor from absinthe or from Pernod, Ricard or any other pastis. But there is no substituting the brand of bitters; without Peychaud’s, there is no Sazerac.

Fee Brothers has been making bitters in Rochester, N.Y., since the Civil War. Also known as “the House of Fee by the Genesee since eighteen hundred and sixty-three,” this fourth-generation family company makes gentian-based “Old Fashion Aromatic” bitters, plus a whole lot more. The Fees also offer cherry, peach, plum, West Indies orange, lemon, cranberry, mint, rhubarb, celery, black walnut and Aztec chocolate bitters.

I confess to having tried all but the lemon so far. My favorites: The rhubarb bitters are terrific in a martini, to which they impart an exotic floral character. (I know rhubarb is not a flower, but just try the drink and you’ll agree that I’ve got the right word. You may be tempted to dab the martini on your neck as cologne.) I also like the Aztec chocolate bitters, along with a dash of Angostura, in a Manhattan, and the cherry bitters in an Old Fashioned.

With the cocktail revival of the last decade has come a wave of alluring new bitters. These upstarts have a retro, geeky, artisanal character, much like the tattooed, handlebar-mustachioed, hipster mixologist who applies

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the strange tinctures with a medicine dropper to his hand-crafted cocktails in that speakeasy-style downtown bar you’ve been meaning to visit.

Unless Sasha (we’ll call him Sasha) is using house-made bitters, which are all the rage, chances are he’s being supplied by one of the following seven makers: Bittercube, made in Madison, Wis. Sample product: Blackstrap bitters made with molasses, clove, sassafras and sarsaparilla. They’re recommended for rum, whiskey and hot cocktails—and to float atop egg-white cocktails.

Bittermens, made in New Orleans. Sample product: Burlesque bitters, with acai, rose hips, hibiscus and long peppers.

Bitter Truth, made in Germany. Sample products: Creole bitters, which are spicy hot, anise tinged and cherry red in color. Try a few dashes in a Manhattan. Memphis barbecue bitters, with allspice, black pepper, cumin, coffee and chipotle add extra zip to a Bloody Mary.

Brooklyn Hemispherical Bitters, made in—where else?—Brooklyn.

Sample products: Black mission fig bitters and sriracha bitters.

Dr. Adam Elmegirab, made in Scotland. Sample product: Aphrodite bitters, compound of chocolate, coffee, chili, ginger and ginseng.

Scrappy’s Bitters, made in Seattle. Sample products: Celery bitters, made with celery seed and a hint of citrus—a perfect complement in a Bloody Mary! Lavender bitters, bright and sweet, work well not just in girly drinks, but also in a martini.

The Bitter End, made in Santa Fe. Sample products: Moroccan bitters, redolent of coriander, lemon, mint and cinnamon. Curry bitters, a spicy blend made with coriander, cumin, cayenne and black pepper.

As these descriptions suggest, the new bitters are complex, highly flavorful and, in some cases, quite peppery. All are available from better online liquor retailers, such as binnys.com. Experiment with a few varieties, and you’ll find that they’re an indispensable addition to the home bar.