The following is first in a series on ‘food friendly turkey hooch’.
I’ve started assembling wines for that can accompany in part or encompass (difficult) in a complimentary fashion, all the elements of a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner. Of course, there can and most likely will be tangents toward the nontraditional and these wines can and most likely will also pair well with them. There are no absolutes. This is usually quite easy to remember due to the triggering mechanisms offered by distribution. Most of our reps are making their rounds with oodles of potentials and possibilities. I have in narrowed them down to the probable as far as what we will be stocking on the shelf.
First up is a Rose’ Prosecco from Italy, specifically Veneto. Prosecco is dry and straw-like, some will have a little more floral on the nose and some can be too fruity for our tastes. Substitutes can include but are not restricted to Spanish Cava, a French Cremant, or Champagne. Personally, I like to keep the expense reasonable, specifically when the first wine presented is generally for palate rejuvenation and to instigate appetite… and conversation.
Octane is at 11%, so there shouldn’t be much in the way of unscheduled face plants right out of the gate. The turkey usually nudges one into a fuzzy head nod state anyway without the help of alcohol.
Normally, we tend to walk the purist path of driest and clearest concerning Prosecco, but this one really caught my eye and palate with that little hint of berry right on the tail end of the finish that the touch of red grape skins provide. Also, though seemingly pink thus festive… it’s not really pink. The color is a more translucent brownish or prunish in an old world way–unfiltered looking. However, the palate is crisp and clean, worthy to peel away for pre-feast prepretory purposes any post breakfast residuals.
Add to the bottle presentation a string instead of cage to secure the cork and I think this is a real fun way to start the feast… and at under $13.
r
He wants to believe he has long since moved on; that this is not about how he used to react with such a wine, how he used to be drawn in before he understood nuance and the complex nature of the preferred intelligentsia , how he formerly acted on impulse as any impetuous youth lacking experience would. The arrogance of invisibility flowing within his veins and from his glass then, and replaced now with the arrogance of pretension. He stands before himself, the epitome of the snob in denial.
And now this she, a previous he? Never before existing in this form within his memory; in his dreams. If this grape ever before had even a hint of a femininity, insatiable it should be, always available with little attention from the art of pursuit.
And here she sits uncellared, a product amazingly thin and refined though not in the least bit subdued but with underlying notes of delicacy and yet, with purpose far beyond submission. Her beauty and balance exhausting, the result of craftsmanship and honed detail, this angel of vineyards strained beyond tolerance gives forth a purity rarely found in such a bottle. It also is rarely found–a gift from from a friend procured on the way home and maybe tonight was the wrong place and time… or not.
Not that I’m into judgmental comparisons (except with wine) and I’m
especially not into critique even with wine, being that so much of everything is subject to the subjective, but I think at times, certain differentiations need to be brought to light.
First of all, for those who want to dive headlong into the painstakingly time consuming much farther down the road economically fulfilling life of a winemaker and bypass all of that boring ‘details-details-details’ stuff ASAP, hitting it big right out of the gate with a high price tag and stardom and the such, please take note. The photo on the right is that of a rock star who does not make wine (albeit one who has one helluva wine cellar).
For those who are driven by the purest of passion for their craft and are willing to endure whatever it takes to bring that passion to fruition, and in this case, creating a varietal correct expression of Washington State grapes giving all they can give in a quite boutique small production fashion, then note the photo on the left; that of an accomplished wine maker but probably minus the limo. Though, I think he does have groupies.
This happens to be John Bell, owner and winemaker of Willis Hall who will be in our shop for a tasting of his current releases this coming Friday from 4pm to 7pm. The guy with the mutant bass guitar is Getty Lee, has a prior engagement and can’t make it. We are very happy John can.
This month’s wine club wines:
2 Bottle Basic
Hightower Murray Red Syrah 2007 – Red Mountain, Washington. Mostly Syrah with a little Viognier Rhone style and 100% Red Mountain juice, this first Syrah attempt for Hightower is packed with dark red raspberry notes with a classic leather tinge. The spice on the nose seems to a subtle cinnamon like spice and on the finish there is bitter sweet chocolate. Handpicked and hand sorted, gravity racked during barrel aging, and only 249 cases made and we are talking attentive wine making… lucky you. I’d go straight for the grilled steak with this one.
Vina Mayor Tempranillo 2007 – Toro, Spain. Toro is an up-and-coming wine region renowned for its big fruit forward quality reds. Robert Parker is very capable and renowned for handing out high marks for wines from there. This one is huge, but not as big as some Tempranillos I’ve tasted from Toro. Tempranillo, BTW, is to Spain what Cabernet is to France so again, this is another meat friendly red. Saucy and seductive, this wine carries with it aromas of herbs, leather, and exotic spices behind that fruit first punch. I also find it to be a little rustic and not so silky, which is fine since I am too.
4 Bottle Value
Coto Hayas Tinto – 2008 – Campo de Borja, Spain just southeast of Rioja and Navarra. Grapes have been grown here for over 800 years. The estate uses primarilyold vine Grenache – some of their Grenache vineyards were planted over 100 years ago, the average age is over 40 years. This wine is a blend of 50% Grenache, 20% Tempranillo, 20% Syrah and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Racy and juicy, with forward strawberry, raspberry and leather aromas followed by a zesty, bold mouthful of plum fruit and black pepper. Long and deep for a youngster, with warmth and spice. I see visions of a slow roasted bird.
Estampa Reserve Cabernet-Carmenere-Petit Verdot- 2006 – Chili. This is one of our serious new value wines. An intense garnet red color leads to a nose of ripe red fruits and plum. Followed by complex notes of herbs and coffee, the flavors show great personality and concentration on the palate, with ripe fruit and spice. The Cabernet Sauvignon contributes character and a harmoniously melded structure, while the Carmenere and Petit Verdot bring notes of dried flowers and herbs. Very smooth and easy drinking. This is great with red meat, specifically Prime Rib with all that marbled fat.
Bermier Chardonnay 2008 - Vins du Pays Jardin de la France. Some of you have visited this wine before. I can’t seem to stay away from it so I’m running through the club again for those who have not tried it. This wine is produced by the three brothers Couillaud at the Château de la Ragotière a few minutes from the Atlantic near the mouth of the Loire River where the maritime climate is ideal for producing whites that are refreshing and bright. The Couillaud’s age most of this wine on its lees until bottling to add weight and texture with around 10% being barrel fermented in French oak for the faintest touch of toastiness. There is an abundance of citrus aromas with a juicy, slightly rich mouth feel and refreshing mineral finish. Serve with white fish, shellfish, and cream sauces.
Denis Gayte Harmonie Cotes du Rhone – 2006 -France. 40% Grenache Noir, 30% Syrah, 205 Carignan, 10% Mouvedre. This relatively new, American owned winery was founded in 2002 by Denis Gayte, then only 28 years old. This 2006 is one of the first to see our shores. Reddish purple in color, the wine gives off notes of bright strawberry and granite, along with other mineral undertones. The strawberry flavor widens on the palate and is joined by black cherry and a hint of vanilla, all held up on a firm but balanced medium bodied structure. This wine is one of those great no-brainer food pairs, appropriate with anything from pasta to red meat.
La Fay d’Homme Muscadet 2007 – Loire, France. We are definitely in the midst of months with ‘R’s’ and that means oysters. My favorite wine with raw oysters is a dry French Muscadet and those that requested more than one white wine in the wine club had better get to Taylor’s Shellfish Farm and load up. For a Muscadet this young and fresh wine with white fruit aromas and a slight mineral flavor is supple, round and fruity yet still acidic enough to evoke that ‘twang’. . Server with… um… oysters.
Two Bottle Terroir
Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva – 2004- Italy. Produced exclusively from the finest, most highly selected grapes grown on the Antinori estates of Santa Cristina, Pèppoli and Badia a Passignano in the Mercatale Val di Pesa zone of the Chianti Classico region, this wine is 90% Sangiovese and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. For this outstanding 2004 vintage, the wine received a rating of 89 points from Wine Spectator. It is dark ruby-garnet in color and on the nose, it has pronounced cherry and violet notes with nuances of tobacco. Full-bodied with remarkable depth and structure, it shows flavors of blackberry, raspberry, chocolate and spice. Beautifully balanced to enjoy now, this red has the potential to reward cellaring for another 8-10 years. It is long and silky smooth on the finish. Serve with osso bucco, lasagna, veal Milanese, grilled vegetables, and aged cheeses.
H&B Cote du Roussillon – 2005 -France. Gregory Hecht and François Bannier are wine producers in Languedoc-Roussillon, considered by Robert Parker as “an incredible source of supply”. This B & H Côtes du Roussillon Villages 2005 is a gorgeous wine. Outstanding fruit, freshness and well -balance and a purple robe that has a fresh nose with scents of stewed fruit, violets, plums and figs. The palate is voluptuous and reveals notes of vanilla, spices and pepper. The persistence of the finish is surprising. 91 Points Parker. Serve with lamb.
enjoy
r
… and I believe that is what Nerosso means. This southern Italian wine has an ancient heritage consisting of some of the oldest varietals in Puglia (pronounced pool’ ya and geographically speaking–Italy’s long stiletto heel); a blend of Primitivo, Negro Amaro, Malvasia, and Uva di Troia . Primitivo is genetically identical to our Zinfandel, but when put to Mediterranean barrel and bottle, eons apart in style and presentation. Regardless, wines with huge fruit and girth are not something this region shies away from. It also helps that the winemaker has much expertise with varietals and style from Valpolicella where heavily extracted Amarone is made.
I remember the usual Italian nose, a little primal at first but then a lush rush on the senses. Intense, full-bodied, massive in character reflecting the sun-drenching the region gets, the finish is silky and satisfying. Aging in small oak barrels for 3 months has given it a softness and elegance.
This would mostly be perfect with roasted meat, game and aged cheese. I can think of it being quite adequate by itself in front of a cozy fire with book in hand.
It currently rests on the shelf at $16 per bottle and will likely be presented at this Friday’s tasting.
ment Georgiann’s mushroom infested chicken soup. A minerally white is preferred with all that earthy goodness, but a Gamay in the way of a Beaujolais or even Anjou might do. A tenderness in the ear canals and buzz about the brain that is causing concern for any near future tasting of anything. No matter, we have no Gamay in the cellar. It is on the shelf.I awoke this morning with a burning desire to shake loose recently accumulated cobwebs concerning what constitutes wine worthy of our shelves, worthy of the curious nature of our customers and selves, and worthy of our undivided attention, and who specifically we partner with when procuring that which comes available. I generally hate mission statements. I find them to be required by the laws of the nature of perception and agenda to be about 90 percent hype. But I’m also attached to the concept of niche.
I have gone around and around in my head as to what really motivates certain distributors to present to us what they do. On more than one occasion and specifically recently, I have been enlightened to the leveraged side of which way the wine flows and why. There are too many houses that are about moving boxes over relationship and quality, some that should probably just stick to beer. Some are perched purely existing as the equivalent to an institution on welfare. Banks and insurance companies already have left a foul enough taste in our mouths concerning that method of being. Now enter the realm of territorial exclusivity and initiative lacking distribution. Measuring our available space for any and all things moving through the three-tiered system, it has become apparent that we just can’t be all things to all people be it customer or provider. A honing is in order.
I have to admit, a huge part of this thought process was initiated by an article written by NY Times wine critic Eric Asimov concerning the style of wines stocked in the cellars of top San Fransisco restaurants, restaurants that collectively project the epitome of the “buy local” ideal; oddly or maybe not so much, their leaning heavily toward European wines and the food centric reasons why. I’ll let the story speak for itself:
http://thepour.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/20/ripeness-isnt-all/
But lets just say I’m feeling quite validated in many of my previous perceptions and assumptions. We are about the food and the enhanced experience the wines provide. We should provde what we are about. I am in no way claiming that to be a new and improved mission statement.
r
“Rigid and austere”, he said. But I wanted to think of parlor antics as a little more jovial–maybe playful to the point just short of a tease–maybe on the edge of cruel. There had to be rules for out of hand pranksters and this was the Queen’s parlor, but this was also Paris and a peak time for irrational exuberance and boisterous vibrato projecting the debonair and the suave, the glamorous and chic, all with the right amount of portioned intellect and years before the Reich had different ideas. Had the Queen known what was to come, no one would dare be caught with their pants down; the front watchful, alert, fortified. But the Queen can’t foresee all and most likely some parlor play on late summer afternoons were pants optional.
I wanted this Saint-Emilion on that parlor table, breathing, waiting for release. I wanted it with all its rigid and austere nobility to peel ritual and ceremony from its shoulders. But it held firm and defiant. And why wouldn’t it? What could it care about flippant bourgeois play times in Paris and with the overlord himself pronouncing it of, “impressive maturity and substance, well-made.” How could it possibly allow itself to let its hair down?
But court jesters are only there to please the court, and on late summer afternoons in royal parlors, the imbibement of the day is always Champagne, as if any or all need more of a tickling, and that of deep black cherry ruby and purple character again must wait for more serious times…
The hand pale and emaciated thinks twice...
I always start out waiting for something of substance to pull me in, not liking thus not wanting to dive headlong into a scenario that more than likely will gravitate to a situation, because I have ignored the divine rules of discovery before. I’ve been snagged so many times with the promise of fruition, knowing the risk, and still I can be blinded by the light. My nose and palate rarely fail me, yet I can frequently disappoint them. Experience dictates I should know better.
Upon first sniff there was nothing, maybe a medicinal discharge that, had it color and form, would have formed a plume over the bottle as the cork dislodged. There was massive fruit once the air did its thing but it triggered a sense of viscous sludge masquerading as syrup, the kind that never finishes but annoyingly lingers, sometimes until and through breakfast.
The palate proved the nose’s assumptions. I waited for one hint of a layer, one little subtle note to lift an eyebrow. Nothing.
I want Pinots thin. I want their delicacy to provide a ballroom floor to waltz upon. And I want the dance to last well into the night. Do wallflowers hang with this wine and severely need additional alcohol provided from too much sun, too much extraction, and there yet was very little heat? Am I suspicious? Did this really need to come from Languedoc?
But I was seduced. A strapless backless dress clenching tight hourglass lines and I could almost catch her scent with thoughts of that ballroom waltz. It was confirmed that the label was catchy, projecting the femininity far more than that which was in the bottle. They can’t keep it on the shelves and this particular purveyor claimed it was the best seller in the state. And yet, who am I to judge? Even with a name like Scarlet. Even under $12.
There are still a few bottles left on the shelf.
This isn’t about a gloomy surge of melancholy. I like a little sun and arid air as much as most, but the cycle is off and well overdue. It is time for a return to moisture, the smell of salt ridden droplets either floating about or pelting regardless. It is time for migrations and tight wire cormorants and a hunker down batten down readiness that eventually and quickly drifts into flippancy, Gortex repellents, wet leather brims, bobbing bumpershoots and the warmth of wool–cozy underneath and sparkling damp in muted amber light with a hint of musty mellow. It’s time for cast iron radiants emanating deep to the bone relief with a hint of cedar and pine. And of course, it’s time for comfort wine…
Today’s tasting:
I still can’t stop myself. We just got more of the Dufouleur Cremant de Bourgogne (that means French Burgundy bubbly from the House Dufouleur) and with the sun still amazingly present for probable climate dysfunctional reasons: that is keeping away the rains, that cleanse and cause pollens and dust and the such to return earthward from which they came, that quells the incessant sneezing and itchy eyes… well, it seems very reasonable to have a more agreeable nose tickling with far more pleasant residuals. There is a bottle chilling in the fridge.
I have offered the Gilbert Cellars Wahluke Slope Syrah in the wine club before. Yesterday I was tasted on their Southern Rhone blend and I found it something I want on the shelf. So first I have to make room. This wine is a Wahluke mouthful. It also is $32.00 so I’m not only offering it as a pour for the weekend, I’m dropping the price to $28.
I’m revisiting the A-Z Pinto Noir from Willamette Valley, mostly because I just received a Treasure Hunter Pinot from the same appalachian and I’m very curious of the similarities. Also, are they too close in price to be a coincidence? Remember, A-Z buys other wineries’ juice and blends it. Hmmm….
The 14-Hands phenomenon continues and this week it’s the Chardonnay. I really have little to say about this wine. It just seems to sell itself off the shelf before I can get more in.
r
These
happenings occur farther down pikes than we at the retail street level have access to and influence of. Yet benefits do accumulate at times. Apparently, something happened as a misunderstanding or mix up or maybe human error in the ways between producer and distributor. Maybe it was planned but the 30% drop in price is quite steep for a casual reduction to move inventory.
Last Friday the distributor drives up and hands me a bottle of Mazzocco Stone Vineyard Zinfandel and says that a goof up with the winery resulted in 58 cases being priced at their Sonoma County bottle price. Stone usually goes for $30 on the Shelf and the Sonoma $20. By Tuesday the distributor was down to 18 cases. I bought 3 cases and now have 6 bottles left. It would appear this wine has the ability to escalate error as it passes from one 3-tier hand to the next. Shoudla bought more.
So as it stands and until supplies are depleted for said distributor, we are offering this$30 old vine Wine Spectator rated 90-point mouthful of berry, spice, and sweet tannin for $20. Quantity discounts still apply but me thinks that is soon to be a none issue. A 30% mistake is highly unlikely to happen twice. Somewhere out there is a pot roast, teriyaki marinated flank steak, barbecue sauce lathered pork rib, or even bowl of chili waiting to be washed down with this hearty brew.
I’ve been posting this basic blurb amongst the various social networking gizmos I belong to, and that’s what they all are being written in their bad ass code, however without anything spring loaded or hinged that can break… so to speak. It had to do with plastic bags, leather hikers, a sharp blade, a tub of hummus, Chenin on ice, and somewhere in them thar hills betwixt the stills of mountain hooch, Bambi killers, and Marijuana patches. Every year we do this; we being a select few friends with a truffle prone nose and a passion for harvesting something simply for the sake of the process, yet the bounty does have its advantages. I mean hell, they’re only about $15 a pound depending so why force all the hubbub crawling on our bellies between rooted inch and a half cedar saplings, eating orb spider abodes and getting fir needles down our sweaty necks? Why would anyone put up with trudging through all that forest floor shit for shroons when there’s Costco?
The game was upped as usual for after bagging more than a few bags and needing a reasonable amount of sustenance and refreshment replenishment, tailgates dropped and all sorts of goodies plopped forward including tender bits of prime rib, perforated cheeses not of the Swiss label, chanterelle (Costco) mouse, homemade hummus and avocado dip to spread upon baguettes, roasted vege
tables, and Christ knows what I missed or forgot and all washed down with with a South African Chenin Blanc from a suspect paper product container. A collective WTF was sensed from the passersby whether on missions of the same or blasting 2 to 4-wheeled in an off-road manner, or clad in cammo practicing for near future cammo needed moments that include weaponry of caliper and the such. I think all they had was a PBJ.
Wait until next year or if possible…
It has been decided by a vast majority within the group that next year’s trek and episode will indeed need proper seating, linens, crystal, china, and maybe a candelabra depending on humidity levels. It is the Chanterelle we lust for, it is Frenchly named, so it therefore shall be bloody-well pursued in a French manner. Exit the South African Chenin, enter the Loire. Extra chairs will be provided for any passersby wanting to not pass by. Weaponry will need to be checked at the door, gate, or treeline unless reenactments of an alternative outcome Waterloo (post cleanup) is in order…
Last night’s tasting; what we call them because there cannot be any other possible reason for people to collate into a wine shop, right? We never feel these wanderers in are the same as wanderers by, not just customers supplementing existence, knowing well there are too many engaging layered elements in a small community, a downtown where an after work coagulation can occur and surprises of the connective kind can happen. And at the same time, discoveries of new elixirs vicariously taking the unsuspected to places they’ve never been or even imagined–stories of earth and mirth. Two separate visions of that sense of place all built into one: brick and mortar, and terroir. I’m not not sure how many here last night felt that, maybe the awareness factor for only us to behold. Real good vibes all around.
r
The hand pale and emaciated wants...
Spelunking about Seventeenth Century caverns looking for bubbles and of all places Burgundy. What nonsense is this when so much real Champagne exists in plenty to the north. But we are talking about Chardonnay and Pinot Noir anyway and that does sound extremely agreeable except for now this pesky Aligote grape; this Blanc de Troyes, something so minerally and acidic, and just it’s addition alone to the mix can create a Crémant de Bourgogne, picked by hand as required by law and immediately pressed at a low pressure, vinified according to the methode traditionelle, the way of Champenoise. Then even more potential? Some crème cassis added and an aperitif Kir Royal is born? Is there no shame?
The Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Aligoté, vinified separately and then blended creates a light gold robe, brilliant and clean crémant, with abundant foam and very thin and persistent bubbles. Lemon, pear and chestnut notes fill the nose while on the palate it dances fresh and crisp, round with a good balance between mellowness and acidity. Can we say tart but not overbearing… kinda like my last date?
A new predator at The Intersection of Lost Souls...
It’s cold, starting to snow in the mountains and we haven’t even made it to Halloween, have a chance to trounce about the foothills for Chanterelles or checked the furnace filters. I’ve also noticed an unseasonably early increase in spider webs about the house and by the looks of their inhabitants, there has been an ample food supply. I really don’t know if this means winter will be early and nasty or not. I do know the comfort quotient is rising as we have logged on via our wood stove two nights in a row. With creature warmth needs increasing, so are the needs of a silky heavy fruit and tannin mouth feel certain reds provide, particularly the kind that can handle hearty dishes and red meat… preferably steak. We have also had a few requests lately to search out new Eastern Washington Malbecs and it just seems reasonable that this is a good time to go for the tooth stainers. This month’s two bottle club will feature a traditional Mendoza Argentine Malbec pitted against a Washington newcomer whose Malbec grapes are from Wahluke Slope Vineyard.
Pulmary Familias Donaria Malbec 2005 – Mendoza, Argentina – This is one of those wines that on a lousy dark and dank day can make you feel good. Plus it’s certified organic. Typical of most Mendoza Malbec’s there is ample dark purple fruit denoting what should be blackberries, but I got raspberry and strawberry. A little green with hints of rhubarb and burning brush (now I’m thinking dried blackberry vines ablaze due to a recent backyard episode). Medium tannins means it is ready to drink within a short time of the cork pop. I would like to try this wine with a T-Bone or rib-eye and a clump of Yukon Golds all mashed and garlic infested piled next to it.
Dry Falls Cellars Malbec 2008 Wahluke Slope, Washington – This is a very young wine. In fact, it had just been bottled two days prior to me tasting it and that was about three weeks ago. So this is a Malbec with a little risk attached (insert goosebumps), but not really much as what I got from the bottle shocked specimen was the potential for a rich, juicy wine that exhibits a dark, inky violet color with the aroma of cigar box, vanilla and cardamom spice. Smooth tannins and elegant in structure to most likely follow and of course the fruit when it gets here. Until then, and there is a then, this wine needs to be stuck under the sink or in a dark basement for at least a couple of months if not six and even then decanted quite well. It was just too tempting not to grab. All of their wines were quite impressive, specifically the Pimitivo and Cinsault.
The Four Bottle Venue:
Viento Riesling 2007 - Columbia Gorge, Oregon - Another great production from Rich Cushman, this off dry Riesling is very characteristic of the potential this varietal has in this region. Apple, pine, and floral aromas mingle with ripe crisp fruit on the palate finishing very clean. This wine does have some sugar to it but will pair wonderfully with spicy Asian food, blue vein cheeses and hopefully I am injecting a potential for a couple of months down the road. Think of taking a sip of this wine with a mouthful chunk of leftover T-Day turkey breast slathered with cranberry sauce between two slices of sour dough… and a sweet pickle on the side.
Domaine Gayda Viognier 2008 – Languedoc, France – Pale lemon gold with an explosive nose of honeysuckle and stone fruit and on the palate, dried apricots and peaches with hints of spice all wrapped in cream. I did detect quite a bit of mineralty for that region and was quite pleasantly surprised. I’m thinking something chicken with creamy white wine or cheese sauces.
Domaine Gayda Grenache 2007 – Languedoc, France - Displays an explosive red fruit profile with moderate grippy tannins, surprising acidity and an elegance and impressive longevity on the finish. This is a serious Grenache, with a purity of fruit and concentration found in this sun drenched region of Southern France. I did not get much of a chance to play with it, but my guess is the fruit grows substantially with air time. As with most Grenaches I sink my teeth into… duck and lamb.
Sand Point Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 – Lodi, California - I can’t find anything on this wine via the Internet. It is this month’s mystery wine. It has obviously sunk down into a subterranean incognito of swollen berry and applicable oak and it at least is as good as 14-Hands. There. I remember it having of little or no layered relevance and structural effect and the tannins were about as mellow as one could get and still be called a Cab. Yet for the buck, I’ll drink this anytime with a burger or a big plate of macaroni and cheese… real sharp cheddar please.
Crucillon Tinto Garnacha 2008 – Campo De Borja, Spain - Again I appear to be stuck on the Grenache varietal. I can’t help it. For very inexpensive yet delicious wines, it is the grape that can carry the day. A young wine, produced exclusively from the Garnacha (Red and Rosé) and Macabeo (White) grape varieties. There’s a perfect combination of youth and freshness in this wine. Of cherry red color denoting its youth, it is very fruity and has fresh and potent aromas, clearly suggesting black and red fruits. Smooth, well-balanced and whose freshness and sweet tannins provide a remarkable complexity for the price. And when sweet tannins occur so should tomato dishes with a little spice. Paella?
The Terroir Club:
Chateau Haut Colombier Blaye 2003 – Bordeaux, France - A deep, ruby/purple colored wine with big fruit aromas and hints of earth and vanilla. The palate is soft and full-bodied with significant, yet integrated tannins and flavors of ripe blackberry and cherry fruit, sweet spice, herbs and notes of pepper and oak on the lingering finish. Coming from the super hot 2003 vintage, this wine is definitely not your typical Bordeaux Merlot, with much more of a fruit forward presentation. This wine should be drinking beautifully now and should probably be drunk sooner rather than later to take advantage of its’ lush texture and fruit. Steak and more steak.
Chateau la Fleur Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2004 – Bordeaux, France - This purplish-ruby wine presents a good deal of fruit, but in an entirely elegant way, with pleasant notes of plum, sour cherry, cassis, and blackberry. The lengthy finish, guided by soft and supple tannins, gives a pleasantly bitter tinge of mint and thyme with some smoky licorice. 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon (a mainstream type of blend for the region providing a nice peek into the right bank of Bordeaux; if you want a typical representation). Steak and more Steak… maybe Prime Rib.
enjoy
r
Sometimes I just wan
t a beer or rarely but even still, sometimes I might just want a soda. But instead, I’m constantly having wine shoved in my face. I’m being told about the health benefits of the antioxidant kind and of blood cell massage or cholesterol combative thinning and digestive descriptives suggesting a greater ease of absorption. I’m lured into the hype of presentation and food compatibility with the promise of elevated gastronomical delights enhanced to the max all thanks to a wonderfully paired vintage. Bombardments of eloquent eye-catching shelf talkers and quantity discount manipulations abound… and yet, sometimes I just want a beer or maybe a soda. Is there no hope?
… inspired by an NPR report this morning on the ailing NW Wine industry with regards to practically nonexistent sales of upper tier wines…
There are very few reasons to wander in and out of the middle aisles of grocery stores, except in my case, a particular penchant for engaging the curiosity with-in by observing then visualizing the what-out. Besides the amount of nutrient deficient consumables packed with corn byproducts and wasted filler and air, all stacked in confusing multiples for the sake of added confusion and choices upon choices of the same item only with slightly different nuances of brand development, it should be apparent to at least some folk beyond the dynamics of the mass consumer many, there is really no choice amongst all the choice. We only think there is. It’s all the same thing. How many differentiations can there possibly be of Corn Flakes and Raisin Bran besides what’s in the verbiage on the box, how we are led to attach ourselves to the product relational to who we are, or worse, who we think we should be? Please Google “market and consumer manipulation” for further reading if the urge is there.
Enter the wine biz. I have not specifically counted and logged the numbers but have been exposed by many sales reps to probably thousands of makers of California Chardonnay over the years with different levels of quality in the upper realm, yet it all basically tasted the same–creamy butter and toast. How does one convince a potential buyer that your particular Chardonnay is worth the $60 price tag? If you have to ask, then you can’t afford it? And it has now become my job to convince you of the difference, that one such as I and only such as I can pull you into a realm where price is the least of your concerns, where aging and oak and hand craftiness and harvested yield and allocation and how the winemaker cries before crush, and rediscovered dormant yeasts unearthed from ancient Babylonia are the determinate factors of the three E’s: eloquence and elegance and shall I dare utter it… exclusivity? There is a forth E and it stands for 
entertainment and I’m not ready to go there…yet.
I have long since left the playground known as the Open Wine Consortium, a Facebook-like social networking site for wine industry peoples, otherwise know as breakfast cereal sales folk who have submerged themselves into any and all that is wine and how to get all that juice out there and into the hands of the consumer. And now there’s Twitter where 140 characters bounce at faster than light speed across wired and wireless mediums spreading the good news: every wine is to die for. Harrumph!
The delicacy, the time and place now turned commodity, now needing to jar something human beyond price, is it just another bottle of fermented grape juice, some higher rated than others by those who rate and hopeful representative of what it actually cost to get it to market plus around 60% and how now do we at Libation Station jar the already jar weary? Basically, if the wine doesn’t come with or evoke a story (I do reserve severe creative license with regard to the little voices in my head that appear after each sip) and a sense of place with grace, I don’t want to spend much energy on it. That is how I buy it, how I drink it, and how I sell it. This is why I am here and not another and different there; to coax any and all who wander through our door into the realm of the same. My madness will be your madness.
r
A typical expectation after such a busy and multi-event day, the downtown looks a bit as if it were suffering from a hangover. A couple of public trash cans are about to explode out front and as I type this, there is zero life in the bipedal form walking, standing, or fading even more lifelessly away at the “intersection of lost souls” (corners colliding at 1st, Division, and Freeway Drive for those not in the know). There are however, many thunderous reverberations of the bi-wheeled kind snaking through the streets, some just site seeing, cruising, some purposely headed to somewhere else. The noise from baffle deficient pipes may actually be a little more accentuated than usual… back to that hangover thing.
After closing the shop, there were options: one being to head out to the Beck-Spectacle to witness pros and cons bantering, jesting, posturing, chanting, waving and doing whatever believers and detractors do to enhance their various levels of validity. After reading a few of the posts to the GoSkagit blog this morning, I can conclude that all the energy expelled the past few weeks has resulted in both sides being as polarized and entrenched as ever, as justified as ever in their respective positionings with nothing gained or solved and still anchored, a mayor who is persistent at risking the well being of our community, all for the sake of his own perceived personal political gain.
The preferred option two was to head for the beer garden in front of The Trumpeter where I proceeded to imbibe upon a giant two handed quart mug of Boundary Bay Harvest Ale, a task in such an over-sized flask at one sitting not attempted in many years while the band played “Sympathy for the Devil”. Eerily apropos and yet of the highest hoot factor imaginable. Prior to and maybe an ince
ntive for, we were treated to almost being trampled in a crosswalk by a micro horde of bikers headed for Draft Picks and a photo op that included a biker-ceremonious display of the females ’showing their tits’. Since the police were protecting us all from the potentials at the Beck-Spectacle, I’d say those boasting of momentarily leather free mammary were safe from prosecution.
The cooler air and need for nourishment sent most of the street occupants into the Trumpeter where Paul and Karen where maniacally but happily pouring and dishing to a full house. We eventually all chipped in to various acts of disassembly concerning tables, chairs, plants, and stage paraphernalia before wandering home.
BTW… the preferred wine of choice for yesterday’s tasting was the Calcu Chilean Malbec, Syrah, Carmenere Rose… and it is still being poured today because soon the sun along with the 25,000 or so bikers will vacate the county.
While much ado is being lobbed about the known universe concerning contrary contingencies and divisive deteriorations, grappling for predominance of the ways and means of who, what and how, it would appear that the goings on this weekend are positioned all too well for a collision. Personally, I would like to think of this weekend as an open ended continuum with options and alternatives, with offerings of distraction from the potentials down College Way until all the accumulations of the aftermath can be tallied for future reference. Until then and even after, the wine still flows.
So for those that would like to participate in activity more relaxing and in tune with community spirit, the annual Down Town Fall Fest will be in full swing Saturday starting with the Farmers’ Market on the revetment in the morning and then mutating into street closures for displays of the old, mobile, and well kept, beer and more beer, arts and crafts, something called a Bouncy, and bands.
Also on Sunday but not exclusive to Sunday because those packed and scattered on the two wheel varietal usually need more than one day to run during a Run, The annual Oyster Run will be in full swing in but certainly not limited to Anacortes. There will be more leather clad rumblings than one can imagine collating at all the various watering holes around the county. Even if all you have is a Vespa, I suggest getting a tattoo and wearing something studded and join the fun. Of course, it is in everyone’s best interest that everyone ride safe.
Libation Station will be pouring tastings as usual Friday and Saturday and will also be open Sunday for the same, just in case a few bikers have had their fill of beer hopping and would like to add something to their saddlebags for dinner after the trip home.
Everyone have a safe and sane weekend!
r
Tremblay < $24
He remembered when he first stepped on the limestone littered hillside knowing well all that chalky broken rock was barely held together with clay, the kind when wet meant more than just another slippery slope to navigate. His fall was more of the pain of embarrassment than whatever residuals in the way of scrapes and bruises. The taste of flint and mineral and that chalk mixed with a prickly tinge, maybe of citrus or mint, and that damn frictionless clay that brought him to this now state of mud covered grunge, mingled in his mouth, covered his face, and seemingly ruined a perfectly good pair of pants.
He was quite the spectacle upon returning back down to Beaune; cold, damp, looking like he had done exactly what he did, and decidedly pissed that his trip to Champagne was cut so humiliatingly short. Had it been a short slide down that Kimmeridgean earth, had he been able to grasp a firmer hold on the passing vines, had it not rained for 4 days straight eroding away all that could be construed as tractionable, his splattering into the drainage ditch might not have been so traumatic. But these are the risks buyers take. The rules of import no less dangerous than export. Two way slippery slopes work that way.
rdustin
in2wine