Shredder guitarist and The best wines of the past year

Well, I just finished writing a particularly violent scene in my next book and killed off a bunch of people. Since several were shredded, what better time than to review a shredder guitarist.

Yngwie Malmstein is a Swedish composer and guitarist of a different stripe. He is a metal shredder beyond compare and has the most fluid picking style I’ve seen outside of John McLaughlin. His music ranges from the baroque to hard driving metal. Check the YouTube videos out for a taste of something completely different. Sometime ya just got a shred a little.

Acoustic song: Dark Star: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNOa5Gjh2lc

Acoustic guitar solo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpDblDia5TE

Heavy E Phrygian: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl81Mq4llZg

Arpeggios from Hell: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS_IYe5JTZ4

Cavallino Rampante: with the New Japan Philharmonic orchestra, no less! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fn6-XqmkKUA

Icarus Dream with Fanfare: again with the New Japan Philharmonic orchestra http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fn6-XqmkKUA

Evil Eye: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sj3ec2cCaJw

I thought I’d recap my favorite wines of the past eight months. Tonight I’ll list the reds. Next time will be the whites. Enjoy!

Cabernet Savignon:
· Whitehall Lane ($37.00)
· Franciscan Oakville Estates $22.00
· Rodney Strong $20.00

Cabernet Franc
· Domaine Gouran Chinon Loire Cabernet Franc, somewhere between $18.00 and $24.00.
· Dalla Vina 2004 Cabernet Franc Columbia Valley: $24.00

Merlot
· Whitehall Lane $24.00
· Rodney Strong $18.00
· Franciscan $22.00

Pinot Noir
· Paraiso Santa Maria Pinot Noir, Highlands, 2006. ~$15.00.
· Elk Cove Pinot Noir, 2006: Normally $30.00; on sale for $24.00
· Kim Crawford, $19.00
· Cartlidge and Browne $18.00

Zinfandel
· Ridge Three Valleys $22.00
· Storybook Mountain Napa Estate, Mayacamas Range Zinfandel. ~ $24.00
· Franciscan $22.00

Grenache
· Reilly’s “Old Bushvine” Grenache, Clare Valley, Australia. $15.00.

Syrah
· 2006 Novy Sonoma County Syrah, $19.00

Cheers!