Feliz, Ruiz and Phillies Fever
Date: Mon, Oct 27, 2008 Wine Tasting
I grew up around baseball, spending hours at a time tossing the ball with friends, playing just about every position in Little League and going to games at Memorial Stadium in the 1970s heyday of the Baltimore Orioles. Ever since the Orioles managed to give up their three-one lead over the Pirates in the 1979 World Series, though, I've drifted away from the game. Not because they lost, mind you. I'd just hit a point where life took me in other directions.
The better part of thirty years later, I now feel comfortable in considering Philadelphia as my second home town. And, though I hate admitting to being an October fan, the Phillies have finally brought me back into the game. Watching their successful run through the late season and into the pennant has been a blast. In addition to truly clutch performances from the Phils' bullpen, I've been really impressed with the consistently high-level play of both catcher Carlos Ruiz and third baseman Pedro Feliz.
On the brink of possibly cinching the World Series victory at home tonight, I have nothing more to say than this: Go Phils!
A Very Special Offer
Date: Fri, Oct 24, 2008 Wine Tasting
With all due respects to Bill Nanson at Burgundy Report, who often lists “similar” opportunities, here is today’s offering from renowned Burgundy specialists, Italian Wine Merchants. In IWM partner Sergio Esposito’s own words (mostly):
It’s no secret that the economy both here in the United States and abroad in Europe is, well, really bad, to put it mildly. It’s kind of inescapable — everywhere I turn I’m reading, hearing or seeing evidence of financial woes, and I’d be lying if I didn’t say it hasn’t gotten to me. In response, [here’s the latest value offering from Burgundy’s Domaine de la Romanée Conti, brought to you courtesy of IWM].
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Parcel
(includes the bottles listed below in non-OWC)
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2005 Romanée-Conti (1 Bottle)
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2005 Montrachet (1 Bottle)
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2005 La Tâche (3 Bottles)
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2005 Richebourg (2 Bottles)
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2005 Romanée-St-Vivant (3 Bottles)
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2005 Echézeaux (2 Bottles)
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2005 Grands-Echézeaux (2 Bottles)
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2005 Parcel…$59,500
Look at it this way: that’s only $29,749.94 each for one bottle of Romanée-Conti and one bottle of Montrachet. In addition, you’ll receive twelve more bottles — an assortment of La Tâche, Richebourg, Romanée-St.-Vivant, Echézeaux and Grands-Echézeaux — for the unbelievable sum of one penny per bottle. That’s a total of not just two but fourteen entire bottles of wine for a mere $59,500 (shipping and handling charges may apply).
What do you think? Should I re-mortgage my house tomorrow? Seems like as good a time as any.
Highlights from the Terry Theise Champagne Tasting
Date: Thu, Oct 23, 2008 Wine Tasting
The horror.
When Kevin Pike of Michael Skurnik Wines told me the date that had been selected for the Terry Theise Champagne portfolio tasting, that was essentially the first thing that crossed my mind. The horror. It was the same date that had already been announced for the Louis/Dressner tasting. Not just the same date; it was also at exactly the same time. The only saving grace was an invite from Kevin to Theise’s VIP Champagne session, which started one hour earlier than the main Theise and Dressner events. Thanks, Kevin! I figured that one extra hour might just buy enough time to make it to both.
In retrospect, the sensible thing would have been to forego one in favor of the other. Which one, though? In the moment, there was no way I was going to miss either. In the end, that meant each received slightly short shrift in terms of the amount (and focus) of attention I was able to provide. But I’m not sorry. It was a blast, even if I was worn out by the end of the day. And I tasted some great (and not so great) wines at both events.
The biggest issue at the Theise event was time management, which by nature included figuring out what to taste and what to skip. In a room full of grower Champagnes, not to mention a couple of tables of other sparkling wines and even some Burgundy, that was tough work. Here are some highlights, in slightly random order.
A great start – Pierre Gimmonet et Fils:
Overall, the order of producer placement in the room was very well done. The extremely delicate, finessed wines of Pierre Gimmonet et Fils made for a great starting point. Didier Gimmonet was on hand pouring his collection of Blanc de Blancs from the Côtes des Blancs. From a very fine, floral Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs to the creamy, marzipan-laced “Cuvée Gastronome” done in low-pressure Crémant style, and on to the 2002 “Fleuron” that showed notes of fino sherry on a sweet-fruited front end, the entire range was very appealing, showcasing a broad spectrum of what’s possible on the Côtes des Blancs. The real stand-out was their 2000 “Spécial Club” bottling from a selection of old vines in Cramant – dense and loaded with aromas of brioche. The 1999 version, poured from magnum, was higher-toned but suffered in comparison due to its sulfurous nose.
The showstopper – René Geoffroy:
The affable Jean-Baptiste Geoffroy was stationed at Table 6, just shy of mid-point in the room. His collection was the most hedonistic and perhaps the most memorable of the event. And it had the breed and substance to back up the show. None of Geoffroy’s wines undergo malolactic fermentation, thus retaining the requisite spine of acidity for barrel fermentation, which is applied at least in part to most if not all of the wines made at the estate. Their “Expression” Brut NV was the most complete basic cuvée I tasted that day. The “Rosé de Saignée,” 100% Pinot Noir macerated on the skins for about eight hours, showed even better than when I last tasted it – bright and fruity. Jean-Baptiste explained that he wants it to be recognizable even when tasted blind. “Cuvée Volupté,” a Blanc de Blancs purely from the 2004 vintage though not vintage dated, was dense and muscular yet cut across the palate with tensile, laser beam focus. The 2000 “Millésime” Brut, a blend of 30% Pinot Noir and 70% Chardonnay, had a huge nose of spiced apple cake, crème brulée and concentrated minerality. The top bottling, “Cuvée de René Geoffroy,” was just decadent, with a nose of cocoa and chalk followed by rich, creamy textures.
Bring the funk – Aubry:
Aubry is an estate with a long history. Their approach always keeps an eye toward the old school but they’re not afraid to push the envelope. They’ve become best known for championing all but forgotten rarities, once indigenous to Champagne, like Arbanne, Petit Meslier, Pinot Gris (sometimes called Fromenteau) and Pinot Blanc. Their classic wines tend toward broad, rich textures, as evidenced by the basic Brut NV and their 2002 “Aubry de Humbert.” I found “Ivoire et Ebène,” a cuvée of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir aged for nine months in small barrels, to be more curious than compelling, completely dominated by wood. It’s in their “Nombre d’Or” series that the funk comes out to play. “La Nombre d’Or Sablé Blanc des Blancs” in particular smells and tastes akin to a Belgian Lambic ale – wild, sour and full of mineral funk – while “La Nombre d’Or Campanae Veteres Vites” is earthy and stony. Both include Petit Meslier and Arbanne while the “Veteres Vites” also includes Pinot Gris along with all three classic Champagne varieties.
Other houses that showed well:
I was very pleased with the Blanc des Blancs of Varnier-Fannière, all very feminine and cleanly fruit-driven in style. At the same table, the Champagnes of Marc Hébrart also showed well, particularly the “Sélection” Brut NV that displayed cascading layers of fallen leaves and baking spices on its finish.
The Gaston Chiquet table was situated just after Geoffroy in the lineup. Nicolas Chiquet’s wines may have been overshadowed a bit by his neighbor’s but they weren’t far off in their overall consistency and impact. I really liked their “Blanc de Blancs d’Aÿ” NV with its precise nose, linear texture and lovely nose of apples and white flowers. Even though Nicolas was clearly very proud of the 1999 vintage version of the same wine, being poured from magnum, I found it to be in an odd spot, very tight and slightly musty. Very subtly corked, perhaps. His “Cuvée de Réserve” more than made up for it though, with a wonderful nose of potpourri followed by hazelnut torte on the palate and an extremely sapid, gripping texture.
Tasting through the offerings from Jean Lallement et Fils, I was reminded how delicious and complete they are. Their “Réserve” Brut, built on the same blend as their base Brut cuvée but based on a single vintage in most years, is intensely red fruited and sappy. And their rosé, an assemblage of 100% Pinot Noir with 9% still red wine, was truly lovely.
The offerings from Chartogne-Taillet, too, were solid across the board, particularly their generous, creamy Blanc de Blancs Brut and their “Cuvée Fiacre” 2002, which exuded the natural warmth and sensuality of a beautiful woman just waking up after a good night’s sleep.
A few that didn’t impress:
As pleasurable as it was to taste and chat with the lovely Caroline Milan, the wines of her Côtes de Blancs based house, Jean Milan, left me flat. Too many of the wines seemed driven more by commercial positioning than by natural expression.
Moving on to Verzenay, the wines of Pehu-Simonet came across as coarse and rather two-dimensional, especially in comparison to those of their neighbors at Jean Lallement.
And as much as I liked Vilmart & Cie’s 2001 “Grand Cellier d’Or” when last I tasted it, I just couldn’t get my arms around their wines on this day. They came across as confectionery in nature, a sweetness I was assured originated from phenolic ripeness but which my gut told me was just as much the result of high levels of dosage. Certainly well crafted wines, particularly the Burgundian, concentrated 1997 “Coeur de Cuvée,” but in an overall style that had me scratching my head.
A few that got lost in the shuffle:
I was left with generally good impressions of the wines of Henri Goutorbe and A. Margaine but their wines were just a little too subtle to make themselves known in the context of such a grand tasting. Both are at least worthy of further investigation.
Worst of all, a few that I missed entirely:
With all due apologies and regrets, I never managed to visit a few of the tables. I passed by Rudolphe Peters of Pierre Peters, as I’ve tasted their wines often enough that I wanted to focus on lesser known entries. Likewise, I missed Laetitia Billiot at the Henri Billiot table, as the crowd was just too deep on first pass and, much to my chagrin, I never made it back around. And as for Paul Laurent and Egly-Ouriet, all I can say is that the clock was ticking and the Dressner tasting was calling. Details on that should be forthcoming in the near future.
France Under $15 and the Rest of Tria's November Course Schedule
Date: Wed, Oct 22, 2008 Wine Tasting
Not one to dabble in economic advice with any regularity, I've been pretty quiet about the current horrid state of the economy here in the US. When it comes to vino, though, Dionysus only knows we could all use some help honing in on the dwindling number of really great values in the world of wine. With that in mind, I'll be holding court at Tria Fermentation School on Tuesday, November 18, leading a wine tasting tour of France that focuses on some of the real gems that can still be had for $15 or less per bottle. Class fills up fast, so register now if you'd like to join me.
In addition to my class, there's some really great stuff lined up throughout Tria's November schedule, including presentations from beer author Lew Bryson, a Beaujolais tasting with Matt Cain of Kermit Lynch Wine Merchants and Tria Fermentation School's Second Anniversary celebration emceed by Tria's own Michael McCaulley.
Update (Oct. 23): Sorry for the short notice, all, (and thanks for the loyalty and high demand) but my class is already sold out. There are still plenty of seats available for Lew's Session Beer Project and Matt's Journey Through Beaujolais, though, so check them out.
Totally Wired
Date: Tue, Oct 21, 2008 Wine Tasting
Back from a very long day's journey to New York, attending not just one but two grand tastings. If I can muddle anything coherent together from my notes, the day's events may just be worthy of a post or two. At the moment though, Mark E. Smith's words pretty well sum up the way I feel. Totally wired.
A Great 2006 from Schäfer-Fröhlich
Date: Mon, Oct 20, 2008 Wine Tasting
I’ve been keen to explore the wines of Schäfer-Fröhlich for a while now, particularly since reading Brother Lyle’s trip report from last year and his subsequent tasting notes over the course of said year. When I spotted Schäfer-Fröhlich's 2006 Halenberg Spätlese trocken while browsing the recent relocation sale offerings from Chambers Street Wines, I jumped at it. I’ve been drinking Halenberg Spätlesen trocken from Emrich-Schönleber for years now and thought it would be educational (and fun) to explore the work of another top grower from the same site.
Monzinger Halenberg Riesling Spätlese trocken, Schäfer-Fröhlich 2006
$39. 13% alcohol. Cork. Importer: Rudi Wiest, San Marcos, CA.
This offers up an immediate, explosive nose of key lime pie and briny, oyster shell minerality. Comparing it to memories of Schönleber’s efforts turns out to be tough. It's wilder in its scents and feel. Less suavely textured and less dark fruited perhaps, but no lesser a wine – just a very different expression. Intense lemon, lime and grapefruit zest, along with loads of mineral extract, drive across the palate with electric nerve. The wine finishes with sensationally grippy acids. The mouthfeel is just stunning, changing and evolving, taking minutes to fade away after each taste. Bound up in all that tactile energy is some lovely fruit, citrus and peach in particular, that’s just waiting to emerge, which it does with time and patience in the glass. We only had so much patience though. I’d love to have tasted it on day two, even day three, but that wasn’t to be on this occasion. A great choice for the cellar if any remains available.
Blood and Iron in San Luis Obispo
Date: Thu, Oct 16, 2008 Wine Tasting
San Luis Obispo County Syrah “Bassetti Vineyard,” Edmunds St. John 2003 $27. 13.3% alcohol. Cork.
Steve Edmunds calls his basic red “Shell and Rock,” a reference to the soil beneath the vines from which he sources the fruit and to the flavors that soil imparts to his wine. Following the same paradigm, an apt name for his Bassetti Vineyard Syrah might be “Blood and Iron.” They’re the two flavors that resonate most clearly through this wine. 
While I can’t say whether or not they’re typical elements of San Luis Obispo Syrah, I definitely get the feeling, tasting this, that the blood and iron elements are the earth’s way of speaking through the vehicle of Edmunds’ work. For once, a California bottle blurb actually seems on point.
Brambly and sanguine, driven by intensely stony, iron toned structure. There’s a little savage character at work, carrying an animal aspect across the palate, braced by angular tannins and high acidity. Spicy, wild, red berry fruit leads a sharp attack on the palate. Complicated, a bit of a soft-spoken bully on its own, this is wine built for food, a more than happy partner to the lamb burgers I threw on the grill a couple of nights ago. In fact, this seems tailor-made for lamb, as the sweet, gamy flavor of the burgers, brushed with just a little olive oil, helped bring the wine’s hard edges into harmony. The blood, iron and spice matched the savor of the lamb.
Pouring this alongside another producer’s Bassetti Vineyard Syrah might make for an interesting Lab Report. For now, I’ll throw an herb rubbed leg of lamb on the grill and settle for the wine’s immediate pleasures at the table.
Eating Israeli, Drinking Italian at Zahav
Date: Tue, Oct 14, 2008 Wine Tasting
I enjoyed a fantastic meal at Zahav over the weekend. For the second time, the occasion and spirit of our meal wasn’t suited to photography, note taking or intense scrutiny, so a full-blown write-up will have to wait until a third visit. Suffice it to say that Chef Michael Solomonov and crew are turning out some really exciting food. The traditional Israeli menu at Zahav is divided into three basic sections: flatbreads and hummus, cold and hot mezze (think tapas with a Middle Eastern bent), and grilled skewers. If sharing the vegetarian salad assortment and an order of flatbread and hummus and then picking at least one dish per person from the cold mezze, hot mezze and skewer sections as suggested, you should expect to leave stuffed to the gills and immensely satisfied. Flatbreads, fresh from the brick oven and sprinkled with zatar; salty, zesty fried haloumi; wonderfully moist chicken skewers; and the rather decadent foie gras special were all standouts among a table full of food, with nary a disappointing dish in the mix. One senses that the food is made with love, from first course to last.
If you go and are interested in ordering wine, be sure to ask for “The Quarter” list. It includes everything from the rather brief regular list plus a handful of wines of additional interest that are recommended as pairings with the chef’s tasting menu, which is available only on Thursday evenings. Since ordering vino for the table fell to me, I was at least astute enough to remember what we drank.
Falanghina Irpinia, Terredora di Paolo 2007
Leading off with succulent orchard fruit aromas and ripe, sweet-fruited flavors, this was very satisfying as an aperitif. Its medium acidity and creamy yet fresh texture provided a decent range of versatility with our first courses, though a few of the pairings accentuated the bitter almond sensations that sparred with the Falanghina’s mineral characteristics. I’ve yet to explore any of this producer’s reds but I’ve enjoyed – when they’ve been in good shape – the whites from Terredora di Paolo on several occasions now. The winery was founded only fourteen years ago, when Walter Mastroberardino split from his family’s original business, Mastroberardino. Paolo is his son. The estate is very large but all indications suggest that the wines are worth watching. 
Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva, Sella e Mosca 2004
I passed up on a couple of tempting known entities – Moulin à Vent from Gerard Charvet and Alliet Chinon “Vieilles Vignes” – in favor of something a bit less comfortable. The Bekaa Valley red we ordered was out of stock, though, so I headed back to Italy. Since reading about it at Wicker Parker a few months back, I’d checked out Selle e Mosca’s Cannonau by the glass at a few places around town and found it, much as did WP, bright, juicy and surprisingly natural in its flavor profile, especially for what is a fairly mass-produced wine. This bottle was a disappointing departure from those tasting experiences. In a way, it delivered more of what I would have expected from hot climate, “reserve” Grenache. Leather, sur-mature red fruit and earth dominated the nose, while dusty tannins drove the texture. The more it aired, the more it began to smell and taste of Port and spiced wood. Serviceable with the food but lacking in general character and finesse. Not my cuppa on this occasion. Thankfully, it was the only dim bulb in an otherwise shining evening.
A Burger and a Beer: Standard Tap
Date: Mon, Oct 13, 2008 Wine Tasting
Though the Electric Factory awkwardly straddles the no-man’s land between Chinatown, the Loft District and Northern Liberties, it lies within easy if less than picturesque walking distance to any of those neighborhoods. So when I decided to check out Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds last week, I struck out for a bite to eat first in Northern Liberties. Standard Tap beckoned. It’s a bastion of Philly’s gastropub scene for a reason, turning out solid dishes from all corners of its menu. This night, though, I was hankering for a burger and a beer.
The Standard Burger may just be one of the most solid burgers in town. A standard setter, if you will. (Go ahead. Roll your eyes.) It may not win awards for ingenuity, in the vein of the bleu cheese infused burger at Good Dog, or reach out and grab your attention, like the topping of long hot peppers at Royal Tavern. But it's really, really sound, anchored by what’s most important – high quality beef that’s tender from not being over-handled, juicy and flavorful from adept cooking. In the comparisons above, I hardly meant to write-off the Standard’s toppings: sautéed mushrooms and onions, an ample lettuce leaf, a thick slice of beefsteak tomato (that was actually ripe and fresh unlike the pallid, wannabe tomatoes at most burger joints) and just the right amount of melted Monterey jack. The burger even shows off the talent of the chefs in the kitchen – and reflects the Tap’s vegetarian friendly menu – as the toppings are tasty in and of themselves and would work just as well on a veggie burger as on the omnivore option. Even the fries merit a mention, fried to a golden crisp, well-seasoned and cut medium so there’s a nice crunch to the exterior balanced by a wee bit of meatiness at center.
When I spotted Sly Fox IPA slotted into one of Standard’s two hand pumps, I looked no further. The more I drink from Sly Fox the more I’m impressed by the fine balance of their beers. This is really complete IPA, with a perfect hop/malt balance, fresh, floral aromas, no cattiness and a really sunny feel with just the right bitter edge on the finish. The beer’s creaminess when issued from the beer engine just adds to its appeal. And it’s also a righteous pairing with the burger. Get in there and grab a pint while the getting’s still good.
| Standard Tap 901 N. 2nd Street (at Poplar) Philadelphia, PA 19123 (215) 238-0630  |  |
Untitled #1
Date: Sun, Oct 12, 2008 Wine Tasting
North and South of Lyon
Date: Fri, Oct 10, 2008 Wine Tasting
To the casual observer, Beaujolais is a wine of immediate charm. To the blind taster, its trademark aromas make it one of the easiest wines to pick out of an unknown line-up. That said, the best wines of Beaujolais offer much more than apparent at first taste.
While the wines of the Northern Rhône, based the on dark fruited vine Syrah, also have their signature traits, the wines tend to be far less approachable. Whether because of the high prices associated with the exalted wines of Côte Rôtie and Hermitages or due to the tannic structure and animal aromas of wines from Saint-Joseph and Cornas, Northern Rhône reds take a little more work to build a fundamental understanding.
The wines from both zones are very much worth the effort. And every once in a while, you’ll stumble upon a pair with enough in common that they seem to bridge the geographical gap between their respective points of growth.
Côte de Brouilly, Château Thivin (Claude Geoffray) 2005$18. 12.5% alcohol. Cork. Importer: Kermit Lynch, Berkeley, CA.
One whiff and there’s no mistaking it. This isn’t just Gamay, it’s Gamay Beaujolais. The dark strawberry fruit with a lashing of chalkiness are unmistakable. But here’s an example of Beaujolais where there’s much more than simple fruit lurking beneath the wine’s frontal charms. As it spends time in the glass, aromas of blackberries, white pepper and red licorice emerge and revolve. While a quick judge might write it off as light and simple, there’s actually substantial tensile strength to this Côte de Brouilly, thanks to both snappy acidity and firm tannic grip. When first uncorked on day two, it seemed immediately darker and more lush yet simpler than on day one, with scents of brandied cherries followed by a shorter, more less nuanced touch on the palate. There was more to come, though, as with more exposure to air all of the nuances of the previous day returned along with spicy/earthy scents of cinnamon and licorice root mulch. This is drinking really nicely now and should continue to develop for another five to ten years.
Côtes du Rhône “Brézème,” Eric Texier 2005
$22. 12.5% alcohol. Composite cork. Importer: Louis/Dressner, New York, NY.
Even though Brézème is situated at the southern extreme of the Northern Rhône, Eric Texier’s 2005, which is varietal Syrah, blurs the stylistic boundaries between its zone and greater Burgundy. If I’d tasted blind, I think I’d have been more inclined, at least on day one, to pick this as red Burgundy from the Hautes Côtes de Nuits. It’s an elegant, bright and leaner than typical example of Rhône Syrah, very pretty on the nose, surprisingly delicate on the palate. In this vintage at least, it’s less obvious in its sense of specific place than is Thivin’s Beaujolais but it’s just as interesting, even if a little less rewarding, to explore. High-toned cherry and plum fruit strikes first, along with some of the same spice notes. On day two, a suggestion of olives comes forth from the background, pinning this wine more obviously as Rhône Syrah but without the burliness of wines from Cornas, just to the north of Brézème. Its tannins, in fact, are surprisingly soft. Though its charms are less obvious, I think the wine is likely to develop along a trajectory similar to the Côte de Brouilly. I’d love to revisit them both five years down the road.
Beaujolais map courtesy of The Wine Doctor.
Northern Rhône map courtesy of Eric Texier.
Highs and Lows at the Delaware Shore
Date: Thu, Oct 9, 2008 Wine Tasting
The early post-season is a great time to visit the shore here in the Mid-Atlantic. The crowds are modest yet most businesses – at least those in the town centers – are still open. The water’s still warm enough for a swim, even if the weather can be unpredictable. Besides, the occasional drab day makes for extra time to sample the goods at some of the local watering holes and dining establishments.
The tides in Rehoboth Beach:
On the Bay Shore in Lewes:
High: Hanging out on the porch at Half Full, a charming little wine, beer and pizza bar located in the quaintest heart of exceedingly quaint Lewes. I’ve heard reasonably good things about their pizzas and the beer list looked decent but we just stopped by for a late afternoon glass of wine and a little relaxation on the front stoop, which I can only imagine is a bustling spot in peak season. That’s one of the owners in the picture, chatting with a fellow we dubbed the Mayor of Lewes. Definitely a good spot to strike up conversation if you’re feeling so inclined.
I don’t mean to pick on Half Full specifically, as this wine scenario was repeated at every single place we visited in both Lewes and Rehoboth. The seasonal aspects of the area’s business seems to have led to lists populated by nothing but commercial brands, some of them acceptable in a pinch but far too many of them plonk. For the sales reps and distributors out there willing to make the drive for four or five months of business each year, there’s a lot of room for improvement.
Prolix. Prolix.
Date: Wed, Oct 8, 2008 Wine Tasting
Nothing a pair of earplugs wouldn't have fixed.
I intend no insult via my twist on Nick Cave's lyrics. It's just that the Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds show at the Electric Factory last night was insanely, achingly loud. So much so that some of the finer points of the music were lost. So much so that my ears are still ringing, leaving me feeling oddly disoriented even now, the following day.
Aside from the aggressive aural assault, the show was pretty good if not great. I missed the sparer, jagged edges of the band's sonic approach when led by Blixa Bargeld in years past. Last night, it was more of a wall of sound, more straightforward. And I've never seen Nick play it up for the crowds so much.
This post's title and subsequent misquote are taken from "We Call Upon the Author," one of the tunes from the band's latest (and really solid) release, Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
(Subscribers may need to click through to the blog to view the video.)
Wines at the Beach
Date: Tue, Oct 7, 2008 Wine Tasting
It should come as little surprise that my recent week off from work and a week away from the blogosphere hardly meant a week off from wine. However, in keeping with Brooklynguy’s recession busting advice – brew your own coffee, pack your own lunch – it did mean carting along some wines from the home cellar rather than exploring the downstate wine shops in search of new finds. It also meant a week of much more casual note taking than usual (which is to say none…) so the following quick write-ups are based mainly on raw impressions.
Traisental Grüner Veltliner “Hugo,” Weingut Huber 2007
$10. 12% alcohol. Stelvin. Importer: Boutique Wine Collection, Philadelphia, PA.
Certainly the beachiest of the bunch. Relatively generous yields show through in Hugo’s relative lack of concentration but I challenge you to find another $10 Grüner Veltliner that shows as much quality as this. Crisp, fresh and light, it bursts with flavors on the citrus and grassy side of the GV spectrum. Not at all vinous or serious, just a good, refreshing quaff and a worthwhile alternative for anyone tired of drinking inexpensive Sauvignon.
Longuicher Maximiner Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese, Carl Schmitt-Wagner 2005
$17. 9% alcohol. Cork. Importer: A Terry Theise Selection, Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY.
It was hard to pass up at the price but this is the second ’05 from Schmitt-Wagner that I’ve been a little under whelmed with in recent months. A soaked through cork hinted at the possibility of poor provenance, which may explain the dulled flavors of the wine. It wasn’t without appeal, showing pleasant, baked apple fruit. But its length was shorter, its acidity softer and its minerality less pronounced than I would have hoped. More than drinkable but less than memorable.
Touraine “Cuvée Gamay,” Clos Roche Blanche 2007
$16.50. 12% alcohol. Neocork. Importer: Louis/Dressner, New York, NY.
After reading rave reviews about this from both Neil and Mike recently, I expected to be wowed. Instead, I was a little let down, a particularly coincidental experience as I’d just defended Clos Roche Blanche in response to Neil’s posting. High expectations are always hard to meet, so I should say that this was far from bad wine. It was just a touch flat, showing hints of the aspartame character I sometimes find in direct, simple Gamay as well as a touch of the plastic flavor I’ve found in some wines – is it just my imagination? – sealed with Neocork/Nomacorc. An off bottle? I’m not sure, but I’d love to see CRB (and other producers) switch to screw caps instead of synthetic stoppers.
Champagne Verzenay Grand Cru Brut, Jean Lallement & Fils NV
$40. 12% alcohol. Cork. Importer: A Terry Theise Selection, Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY.
Without question, this was the wine of the week. Even though the price has crept up closer to $50 in some markets since I purchased this, it’s still a damn good value in grower Champagne. Creamy, succulent and showing lovely phenolic concentration up front, it finished with a grippy, pithy twist of the tongue, showing fantastic acid backbone, even a suggestion of a little tannin. Flavors of yellow peaches led into fresh raspberries and cream. The finish brought a return to peaches along with red apples – the skins rather than the flesh. Really compelling bubbly.
Chinon “Les Picasses,” Olga Raffault 2002
$20. 12.5% alcohol. Cork. Importer: Louis/Dressner, New York, NY.
We took this and the Lallement to dinner at a Rehoboth restaurant called Nage. My wife summed it up something like this: “That Champagne was delicious. This is… hmmm… hmmm… this is good wine.” The young sommelier, who had never tried Chinon before, found it sour. You know what? They were both right. Leaner and quieter than I expected and, yes, even a little sour on the finish but an excellent food wine. Red currant, black tea, thyme and olive characteristics were carried on a narrow frame. Delicate tannins, high acidity and a little on the austere side, albeit quite supple in feel. This one requires some devotion but is worth the effort.
