OT: Viñademoya Tinto Roble 2014

• Winery: Bodega Luzdivina Amigo. Cra. Villafranca 10, 24516 Parandones (León) España. For many generations the Amigo family were winegrowers but it was only in 2002 when they decided to produce their own wines from their own vineyards spread over 12 hectares distributed in small plots or leiros. 
• Phone: +34 987 544 826
• Winemaker:  Miguel Ángel Amigo
• Website: www.bodegaluz.com 
• Brand: Viñademoya Production: 80.000 bottles of 75 cl.
• DO: Bierzo
• Type: Young Red Wine aged 2 months in French oak 
• Vintage: 2014
• Alcohol: 13 %
• Grape Variety: 100% Mencía 
• Vineyards: The vines are located in an area called Viñademoya close to the winery and owned by the family. Vines are planted on vase and they are over 100 years old. This estate probably has the biggest area of pre-phylloxera vines in El Bierzo.
• Soil Type: Rich in minerals and slate
• Bottle Size: 75.0 cl.
• Price: Between 5.90 € and 6.20 € on the Internet.
• My wine rating: 89/100 (A wine of very good to excellent quality) NEW!

Another outstanding wine from El Bierzo, with an excellent price/quality ratio.

Review: Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie

Esta entrada es bilingüe, para ver la versión en castellano desplazarse hacia abajo

HarperCollins Publishers, The Agatha Christie Signature Edition published 2001. First published in 1940. ISBN-10: 0007120710.

Elinor Carlisle is brought before the judge accused of having poisoned Mary Gerrard. After a few minutes of silence, during which her lawyer fears that she could declare herself guilty, Elinor pleads not guilty. The story had begun about a year ago when Elinor received an anonymous letter warning her that someone was determined to take her place in the affections of her aunt Laura Welman. Mrs Welman suffered from reduced mobility due to a stroke and lived in her own house with the assistance of her housekeeper Mrs Bishop, a couple of nurses, nurses Hopkins and O’Brien, and under the care of Dr. Peter Lord, a young doctor. In addition, Mary Gerrard, the daughter of a lodge keeper, was in the habit to pay her a visit every day. Mary was extremely grateful to Mrs Welman for having paid her studies. Elinor, in turn, was planning to marry Roddy Welman, whom she knew since childhood. Roddy was the nephew of the late Mr Welman, the husband of her aunt. Both had assumed they were going to inherit her fortune, as they were her closest relatives. But one day, during a visit of Elinor and Roddy to their aunt, Roddy falls in love with Mary Gerrard and breaks her engagement to Elinor. As from that moment events take an unexpected turn. Mrs Welman dies intestate and Elinor, as next of kin, becomes her sole heir. Shortly after, Mary dies poisoned and Elinor seems to be the only person who has a motive, the opportunity and the means for having done so. Dr. Lord, who is attracted to Elinor, resorts to Hercule Poirot to unmask the real culprit in order to prove her innocence.

Sad Cypress has quite an original structure. The story is being told in three parts. The first one relates the facts that end up with the death by poisoning of Mary Gerrard and with the subsequent imprisonment of Elinor Carlisle considered the main suspect of the crime. The second revolves around the investigation carried by Poirot, mainly through his conversations with those involved in the plot. Finally, the third part takes place almost entirely in the courtroom. All these make it possible to maintain the attention of the reader and, in essence, the novel ends up being quite entertaining. Likewise its resolution turns out fairly convincing. Probably the biggest drawback of the story, in my view, has to do with the way in which Poirot arrives to solve the mystery. It has very much reminded me the way a magician pulls a rabbit out of his top hat. Maybe for this reason Sad Cypress is not ranked among Agatha Christie’s best novels.

My rating: B (I really liked it)

Sad Cypress has been reviewed at Reactions to Reading (Bernadette) In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel (The Puzzle Doctor), Mysteries in Paradise (Kerrie), BooksPlease (Margaret), Clothes In Books (Moira Redmond),

HarperCollins publishers

Agatha Christie Official Website 

Notes On Sad Cypress

Un triste ciprés de Ágata Christie

Elinor Carlisle comparece ante el juez acusada de haber envenenado a Mary Gerrard. Después de unos minutos de silencio, durante los cuales su abogado teme que pudiera declararse culpable, Elinor se declara inocente. La historia había comenzado hace aproximadamente un año, cuando Elinor recibió una carta anónima advirtiéndole que alguien estaba decidido a ocupar su puesto en el afecto de su tía Laura Welman. La señora Welman sufría de movilidad reducida debido a un derrame cerebral y vivía en su propia casa con la ayuda de su ama de llaves la señora Bishop, un par de enfermeras, las enfermeras Hopkins y O’Brien, y bajo el cuidado del doctor Peter Lord, un joven médico. Además, Mary Gerrard, la hija del portero de la finca, tenía la costumbre de hacerle una visita todos los días. María estaba muy agradecida a la Sra Welman por haberle pagado sus estudios. Elinor, a su vez, tenía la intención de casarse con Roddy Welman, a quien conocía desde la infancia. Roddy era el sobrino del fallecido Sr. Welman, el marido de su tía. Ambos habían asumido que iban a heredar su fortuna, dado que eran sus parientes más cercanos. Pero un día, durante una visita de Elinor y Roddy a su tía, Roddy se enamora de Mary Gerrard y rompe su compromiso con Elinor. A partir de ese momento los acontecimientos toman un giro inesperado. La señora Welman muere intestada y Elinor, como pariente más próximo, se convierte en su única heredera. Poco después, Mary muere envenenada y Elinor parece ser la única persona que tiene un motivo, la oportunidad y los medios para haberlo hecho. El doctor Lord, que se siente atraído por Elinor, recurre a Hércules Poirot para desenmascarar al verdadero culpable con el fin de demostrar su inocencia.

Un triste ciprés tiene una estructura bastante original. La historia está contada en tres partes. La primera se refiere a los hechos que terminan con la muerte por envenenamiento de Mary Gerrard y con el posterior encarcelamiento de Elinor Carlisle considerada la principal sospechosa del crimen. La segunda gira en torno a la investigación realizada por Poirot, principalmente a través de sus conversaciones con los implicados en la trama. Por último, la tercera parte se desarrolla casi por completo en la sala del tribunal. Todo esto hace que sea posible mantener la atención del lector y, en esencia, la novela termina siendo bastante entretenida. Del mismo modo su resolución resulta bastante convincente. Probablemente, el mayor inconveniente de la historia, en mi opinión, tiene que ver con la forma en que Poirot llega a resolver el misterio. Me ha recordado mucho la forma en que un mago saca un conejo de su chistera. Tal vez por esta razón Un triste ciprés no se encuentra entre las mejores novelas de Agatha Christie.

Mi valoración: B (Me gustó mucho)

Film Notes: Whiplash (2014) directed by Damien Chazelle

USA /106 minutes / color / Bold Films, Blumhouse Productions and Right of Way Films  Dir: Damien Chazelle Pro:Jason Blum, Helen Estabrook, Michel Litvak, David Lancaster Scr: written by Damien Chazelle Cine: Sharone Meir Film Editor: Tom Cross Mus: Justin Hurwitz Cast: Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Melissa Benoist, Paul Reiser, Austin Stowell, Nate Lang, Chris Mulkey, Damon Gupton Release Date (Spain) 16 January 2015. Spanish title: Whiplash

Synopsis: Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller) is an ambitious young jazz drummer, single-minded in his pursuit to rise to the top of his elite east coast music conservatory where he receives his training. Marked by the failure of his father literary career, driven by delusions of grandeur, Andrew has ambitions to become one of the greats.Terence Fletcher (J. K. Simmons), an instructor well known equally for his teaching talents and his terrifying methods, leads the best jazz ensemble of the Conservatory. Fletcher discovers Andrew and transfers him into his band. Andrew’s passion to achieve perfection soon spirals into obsession, as his ruthless teacher continues to push him to the brink of both his ability and his sanity.

Damien Chazelle on what is and isn’t ambiguous about Whiplash by Tasha Robinson

Begoña and I had the opportunity to see Whiplash last night. The film is based on  Damien Chazelle owns experiences in the Princeton High School Studio Band and centres in the relationship between an obsessive jazz student and his abusive instructor. The film lived up to my expectations. Although I fully agree with Richard Brody when he writes that ‘certainly, the movie isn’t “about” jazz; it’s “about” abuse of power’.

Whiplash premiered in competition in the US Dramatic Category at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival on January 16, 2014, as the festival’s opening film. Sony Pictures Worldwide acquired the international distribution rights. At the 87th Academy Awards, Whiplash won Best Film Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Supporting Actor for Simmons, and was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture. (Source: Wikipedia)

You can find below two completely different reviews:

Getting Jazz Right in the Movies by Richard Brody (The New Yorker)

The Hollywood Reporter review by Todd McCarthy

Review: Doll (An 87th Precinct Mystery) by Ed McBain

Esta entrada es bilingüe, para ver la versión en castellano desplazarse hacia abajo

Pan Books Ltd, 1976. Format: Paperback edition. First published in 1965. ISBN-10: 0330248235 ISBN-13: 978-0330248235. 160 pages. 

A young woman a model by trade is murdered in her house while her small daughter plays with one of her dolls in an adjoining room. The elevator operator of her apartment block, a man known as Cyclops because he lost one eye, gives a very detailed description, of the man he saw entering the apartment, to detectives Steve Carella and Bert Kling. The owner of the modelling agency, where she was working, matches the description given and detective Kling behaves very aggressively with him. This irritates Carella and, after a strong verbal confrontation between both detectives, each one walks off separately. Shortly after, Carella resolves the case by his own but is kidnapped before being able to say a word to anyone. The following day Carella’s car appears completely charred. In its interior has appeared the body of a man beyond recognition. Everyone, fearing for the worst, believes that Carella has died. Detective Meyer Meyer takes responsibility for the case and detective Kling is relieved from his duties.

The fact that the story is concentrated in a single crime, makes of Doll a police procedural rather unusual. The reader will be well informed of what has happened at all times but the identity of the perpetrator and his motivation will remain hidden until the last pages. This will keep us hooked to the plot. The story is nicely told and the investigation is quite realistic and extremely professional in all aspects, particularly regarding the police work and forensic analysis. However, in my view, the story lacks of some strength and has some inconsistencies. But anyway it’s been a very satisfactory read that I recommend.

My rating: B (I really liked it)

For a more favourable opinion see what my friend Sergio has to say about Doll at Tipping My Fedora.

Ed McBain was one of the many pen names of the successful and prolific crime fiction author Evan Hunter (1926 – 2005). Born Salvatore Lambino in New York, McBain served aboard a destroyer in the US Navy during World War II and then earned a degree from Hunter College in English and Psychology. After a variety of jobs, he worked for a literary agent, where he learned about plotting stories, When his agent-boss started selling them regularly to magazines, and sold a mystery novel and a juvenile science-fiction title as well, the both decided that it would be more profitable for him to stay at home writing full time.  Under his own name, Evan Hunter, he is the author of a number of novels, including The Blackboard Jungle. As Ed McBain he has written the highly popular ‘87th Precinct’ series of crime novels.

I’ve also reviewed: 

Sadie When She Died
Cop Hater
Hail, Hail, The Gang’s All Here

The 87th Precinct at The Thrilling Detective Website

The 87th Precinct at Wikipedia

Muñeca (Un misterio de la comisaría 87) de Ed McBain

Una joven modelo de profesión es asesinada en su casa mientras su hija pequeña juega con una de sus muñecas en una habitación contigua. El operador del ascensor de su bloque de apartamentos, un hombre conocido como Cíclope porque perdió un ojo, da una descripción muy detallada, del hombre al que vio entrar en el apartamento, a los detectives Steve Carella y Bert Kling. El dueño de la agencia de modelos, donde ella trabajaba, coincide con la descripción dada y el detective Kling se comporta de forma agresiva con él. Esto irrita a Carella y, tras un fuerte enfrentamiento verbal entre los dos detectives, cada uno se marcha por separado. Poco después, Carella resuelve el caso por su cuenta, pero es secuestrado antes de poder decir una palabra a nadie. Al día siguiente, el coche de Carella aparece completamente carbonizado. En su interior ha aparecido el cuerpo de un hombre irreconocible. Todo el mundo, temiendose lo peor, cree que Carella ha muerto. El detective Meyer Meyer asume la responsabilidad del caso y el detective Kling es relevado de sus funciones.

El hecho de que la historia está concentrada en un solo delito, hace de Muñeca un procedimiento policial algo inusual. El lector estará bien informado de lo que ha sucedido en todo momento, pero la identidad del delincuente y su motivación permanecerán ocultas hasta las últimas páginas. Esto nos mantendrá enganchados a la trama. La historia está muy bien contada y la investigación es muy realista y muy profesional en todos los aspectos, sobre todo en relación con el trabajo de la policía y el análisis forense. Sin embargo, en mi opinión, le falta de algo de fuerza a la historia y tiene algunas inconsistencias. Pero de todas formas ha sido una lectura muy satisfactoria que recomiendo.

Mi valoración: B (Me gustó mucho)

Ed McBain fue uno de los muchos seudónimos del exitoso y prolífico autor de novela negra Evan Hunter (1926 – 2005). Nacido Salvatore Lambino en Nueva York, McBain sirvió a bordo de un destructor de la Marina de los Estados Unidos durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial y luego se graduó en Inglés y Psicología por el Hunter College. Después de diferentes trabajos, trabajó para un agente literario, donde aprendió a elaborar historias, Cuando su agente y jefe comenzó a venderlas regularmente a revistas, y vendió una novela de misterio y un título de ciencia ficción juvenil, ambos decidieron que sería más rentable que se quedara en su casa escribiendo a tiempo completo. Bajo su propio nombre, Evan Hunter, es  autor de varias novelas, entre las que se encuentra The Blackboard Jungle. Como Ed McBain ha escrito la popular serie de novelas policíacas sobre la comisaría 87, ‘The 87th Precinct’. 

Anteriormente he reseñado:

Sadie When She Died
Cop Hater
Hail, Hail, The Gang’s All Here

OT: Pruno 2013

I’ve been long looking for a Ribera del Duero that could meet my quality and price requirements. As regular readers of this blog know, as a general rule, I try to comment wines below a €12.00 price tag. Finally I have found this amazing wine, at an affordable price that can very well compete with more expensive wines.

• Winery: Bodegas Villacreces (Grupo Artevino) Carretera Valladolid-Soria, km.322, 47350 Quintanilla de Onésimo, Valladolid. The estate covers a total expanse of 110 hectares, some 64 of which are vineyards. Positioned on a meander of the river Duero, the vineyard is divided into 15 plots that are farmed separately. The plots contain Tinto Fino (Tempranillo), Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapevines interspersed with century-old pine trees of huge environmental value.
• Phone: + 34 983 680 437
• Winemaker: Lluis Laso
• Website: www.villacreces.com
• Brand: Pruno Production: 275.000 bottles of 75 cl.
• DO: Ribera del Duero 
• Type: Red wine aged 12 months in 3-year-old French barrels (Darnajou and Taransaud) 
• Vintage: 2013
• Alcohol: 14 %
• Grape Variety: 90% Tinto Fino and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
• Vineyards: It comes from 64 hectares of their own vineyards located in the state of Finca Villacreces planted around 1980 at 710 meters above sea level and with a north-south orientation. 
• Soil Type: Loamy-sandy soil.
• Bottle Size: 75.0 cl.
• Price: Available at €9.90 in different wine stores.
• My wine rating: 93/100 (A wine of outstanding or superior quality) NEW!

“I’ve loved this wine in the past and the 2013, a blend of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 12 months in French oak, is stunning, simply over-delivering in so many different ways. This wine, which offers up copious quantities, of blueberry, black raspberry and black currant fruit, licorice, graphite and meaty notes, offers fabulous aromatics, medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, beautiful, pure texture and a long, heady finish with subtle oak. What’s amazing is the French oak is all two-year-old, super-expensive Darnajou barrels. For $20 this is another amazing offering from Spain and from importer Eric Solomon.” (The Wine Advocate)

For additional information click at enterwine.