Wine Makes Me Love Everything, part 2.

I left you so suddenly last week, having only written about 3 wines that recently passed through my lips.

Well, I've got some more for you. God, I wish I could've taken these home. A few were merely solid deals. Some were absolute classics.

Here we go...

Marcel Deiss Pinot Blanc, Burgheim, Alsace, France, 2005: 8.2
Alsace is that tiny region in northeastern France, that along with Lorraine (as in the cheese) were involved in a not-so-lovely literal game of tug-of-war. Once part of Germany, now France, the culture is truly somewhere in between (or some might say realistically not truly part of either).

I noticed a pretty cashew/almond nose to the wine, leading into a nutty, mineral-rich wine. This was a fruit-neutral wine, with a mere touch of sweetness. There is no domination here, rather a kind of velvety expression. Definitely a good sushi wine. ($25-30)

Pairs with "Joga" by Bjork.

Schiopetto Pinot Bianco, Collio Goriziano, Friuli, Italy, 2004: 8.8
I love Northern Italy. This clinches it. There is so much diversity in that section of the world. From joyful juiciness, to legendary elegance. Simple wines here even have a way of feeling unique and exciting.

What a friggin' oddball, in comparison to what we usually know about wine. This was another seemingly "neutral" wine up front. But as I swirled it a wee bit, I found this pleasant orange-zest developing within the minerality.

And the body kept a touch of that characteristic, only to take a left-turn into something beautifully unusual: Dramatic oily texture, orange, pear, herbes de Provence, apple. You can't go wrong. ($38-50)

Pairs with "I'm on Fire" by Bruce Springsteen.

Delta Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2007: 8.3
I think I've had about 30 New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs in the past year. I'm not kidding. I get kind of sick of it after awhile. But I have to be fair, and realize that's just my preference not to drink a ton of New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs after about August.

Yep...the usual grapefruit/gooseberry vibe in here. And really, it's quite nice. I think it's almost a dead-ringer for Oyster Bay's recent Sauvignon Blanc release, except the way the mid-palate fruit shows is certainly more elegant in Delta's current release. ($18-25)

Pairs with "Sec Walkin" by My Morning Jacket.

Wine Makes Me Love Everything

Considering I work in the wine industry, I kind of have to check myself every now and then for objectivity. After all, I loved wine years before I started working for my current company.

Trust me, I sell some shitty wine.

I try to minimize selling said scatological wines. And it's not always exactly terrible wine (well...some of them are). It's just that if one were to pay $10 for brand x's Chardonnay, I would say their money is better spent with dozens of other Chardonnays. The trick is to find the people like the brand, regardless of what I think of the taste, and cater the brand to those people.

But then there are days where the job can truly excite, invigorate, and get the juices flowing.

Before I get into that, I have to say this: I like my job. This job has given me many great experiences. And I've really broadened my depth of understanding, in some ways. While I used to taste dozens of wines a week when I worked in retail, the wines I *do* taste now, I can often taste with a hands on experience. I never feel obligated to rate my wines better, and other distributor's wines worse. I really try to avoid that. So, I'm certainly going to do what I can to show some fairness to all wines.

With that out of the way...holy crap.

I had a chance to try some real stars last week. Some pricey, some on the cheap. But not a single bottle could I say was truly overpriced.

Bruno Paillard Premier Cuvee Non Vintage, Champagne, France: 8.6 ($47-57)
This was a completely legitimate Champagne. 45% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay, 22% Pinot Meunier, the Première Cuvee was a big guy. A strong, golden color alluded to an impressive nose of slight yeast and floral notes, along with sweet lemon. These flavors continued for a bit, sipping and slurping and such.

The toasty side did emerge with reasonable breadth, and rich (caramel?) apples and citrus flavors continued. While still beautiful, it was a touch heavy-handed. It may have been served too warm. If it was 3-4 degrees cooler, this would probably show around a 9.0.

Pairs with "Tangerine" by Led Zeppelin

Alma Rosa Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County, California, 2005: 8.8 ($22-27)
One of the most impressive California Chardonnays for the money. Print that. Or copy/paste. Whatever.

What starts out as a lush nose of bright fruit with a touch of oak evolves slightly into something more springlike and fun. I can't say exemplifies prototypical elegance. But the Alma Rosa was fruity (great peach/apricot flavors), and really clean and dry. A refreshing style of Chardonnay that still exudes some depth of character.

Pairs with "Even if You Don't" by Ween

Telmo Rodriguez Basa White, Rueda, Spain, 2007: 7.5 ($13-17)
To be fair, this used to be a bit cheaper a few years back. I recall the 2004 vintage being about $9. But at least they've upped the ante a bit. Three grapes in this blend: Verdejo, Viura, Sauvignon Blanc. And Basa's chalky, nutty nose is quite a spectacle for itself. I mean...it's weird. But weird good.

The fruit profile is awfully heavy on the fresh melon, and that's going to make it a crowd-pleaser (for those who are a little adventurous when it comes to how wines smell). It even leans toward the grapefruit-like tendencies of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

Pairs with "Genius of Love" by Tom Tom Club.

More coming soon...

Can't Stop the Beat

I was working a tasting this weekend, and lo and behold, I find the new vintage of white wine from Gascony that I'd just reviewed earlier this month. While I couldn't go back and taste them side by side, it's worth checking out if the '07 carries some freshness that the '06 now lacks.

And it did. But ultimately that did not move the wine in a way toward astounding balance. What I did get was this: Clarified mineral, lemon peel, an herbaceous tendency and good acid. Overall, this wasn't a surprise. Freshness is the way to go. And it's dry and easy, making a good wine for shellfish.

This wine needs a song that's got some zip. Something catchy and fun, but probably a bit too dragging in it's simplicity (but only a touch, insofar as to not impede it's exuberance).

Domaine de Pellehaut "Harmonie de Gascogne", 2007: 8.0
Pairs with "Move Your Feet" by Junior Senior.

In the next few days, I'll have a couple of sweet announcements for tasting events (oh yeah!) and a review of a dozen or so exceptional wines I tasted from around the world.

Rock over London, Rock on Touraine

Summer is nearly gone, and I'm kind of pissed off about it. I don't really have a legit reason to be, though. I did get to do a lot of cool stuff. I camped all around Michigan's lake shore, including during an exceptional trip to Drummond Island.

Ultimately, it's easy to see the time hurry by. Working in the wine industry, we all start gearing up for the holidays pretty early. It's August, and plans are in the mix. We can all feel that transition starting, and there's a lot of great things that go along with it.

We don't sell a great amount of red wine in the summer. And hey, I've drunk exactly one bottle of red wine since Memorial Day, but probably about a case of rosés and 2-3 cases of whites. The latest adventure into finding an excellent but inexpensive Sauvignon Blanc led me to Loire. Usually, joyous and lively fruit is not part of the equation for *any* wine from Loire under $15. It simply does not come that cheap to us here in Michigan.

Domaine de la Charmoise is located in AC Touraine, a much more general (less lauded) area within the Loire. Really, it's a growing area around the city of Tours (about 13,000 acres worth of vines). Some of the better regarded areas within the AC Touraine are allowed to add the village name onto the bottle. Domaine de la Charmoise is not one of those examples.

Domaine de la Charmoise does come with some credentials. Henri Marrionet is the producer, and has honed in on crafting some good value-oriented wines from a region known for Sauvignon Blanc (usually for more than $20) from Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé.

Today's Sauvignon Blanc was decent. Some minerality and lemon on the nose, but the poor little guy didn't have a shot at complexity or depth. The body continued on as such: straightforward conflation of lemon and mineral. Yeah, it was refreshing (even with a slightly peculiar vegetal finish). But this was not an interesting gem wrested from obscurity.

Totally drinkable, totally enjoyable. Totally fine wine to drink on the porch and watch your neighbors change a tire.

Domaine de la Charmoise Touraine Sauvignon Blanc, 2006: 7.5 ($11-16)

Pairs with "Summer Breeze" by Seals & Crofts, or perhaps a little Trampled Rose from Robert Plant & Allison Krauss.

Blasphemy of Gascony?

From the rough-and-tumble lands of musketeers, you'll sometimes see some pretty thirst-quenching white wines, oft fruit-neutral and vibrant. And sometimes you'll be privy to some which exude citrus with a little zing. But there can be a problem. Quite often, you won't be able to tell what grapes are exactly in a bottle that reads Cotes de Gascogne.

Well, the major players are Ugni Blanc (a.k.a. Trebbiano) and Colombard. But...you have grapes like Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Gros Manseng kickin' around as well. This lack of identity doesn't mean much to most people, and really it shouldn't. Don't worry too much about the makeup; just get the most recent vintage possible.

I dig the Cotes de Gascogne. I've had some good cheap wines from here, and I'll always recommend them. But tonight's drink of choice has a slight touch of age (2006) and it already shows, albeit just a touch. For $7, I can't be picky. It's still thoroughly enjoyable as a quaffer (I've downed a full glass while writing the first 3 paragraphs of this post).

Domaine de Pellehaut is responsible for the wine tonight. And it does a decent job. I've got no A/C, so I need a crisp and fun white wine. All of my reds are staying downstairs in my typically-Michigan basement for the next few weeks, that's for damn sure. And yes, it's crisp. It's fun. There's a bit of golden apple, green melon and seaweed on the nose and palate, with establishing a presence void of rank sulfur or grapey, whiny "look at me" poses.

If you can find this (or any) wines from Cotes de Gascogne for under $8 that are less than 2 years old, I'd pounce on them. Just be okay with the fact that there's no way to really tell what the exact grape makeup is in the wine.

So what tune goes well with such a dependable but fleeting guzzler? WELL...let's narrow this down: Best while young. Still pretty solid. Good for a quick fix of simplicity.

Yep...got it.

Domaine de Pellehaut "Harmonie de Gascogne" Vin de Pays des Cotes de Gascogne, 2006: 7.6
Pairs with "Surrender" by Cheap Trick.

French Whites amidst Crosstown Traffic

Whites from France always seem to be unpredictable. Well, they seem to because it's pretty easy to not know what to expect. If you want to talk about Sancerre, you might think "well...it's Sauvignon Blanc. I know what Sauvignon Blanc tastes like." But Sancerre is nothing like SB from New Zealand. And whites from Rhone are nothing like anything else.

Ultimately, French whites across the board might be what I get most excited about. There's so much to learn. So much variety and values (although the latter isn't always so easy to find).

I got my hands on a few recently, and damn it was a good time.

Vieux Chateau Gaubert Graves Blanc, Bordeaux, France, 2006:8.6

Graves is an appellation in Bordeaux never known for it's pristine elegance or top-of-the-line wines. That's usually left to places like Pauillac, St. Julien, and Pomerol, to name a few. Graves really has been a place to go for a trustworthy Bordeaux that's a fraction of the price of the others. And you'll see both whites and reds from Graves, which is kind of a rarity for appellations in Bordeaux.

Chateaux Gaubert's white was a great surprise. Part Sauvignon Blanc, part Sémillon, it was actually a little more round in body than most white Bordeaux seem to be. instead of part raciness, part minerality, I really found some elegance to this, but rather in a fresh fruit kind of way. There was some nice grassy notes on the nose, along with some strong lemon and a hint of basil. Thankfully, the actual fruit of the wine, the taste, was pretty harmonius to these notions. And some herbal spice on the finish added some more nuances.

Solid, solid wine. Not fickle, not too coy. Fresh, lush, and totally consumable, even with a bit of grit. ($12-17)
-pairs with: "The Rolling People" by The Verve.

William Fevre Chablis Champs Royaux, Burgundy, France, 2005: 8.8

I loved this Chardonnay. Loved it.

The problem is that it's not really complex. What you do get is an intense, but kind of sleek wine. Chablis is never cheap, and this is no exception. But it could be worth the cash if you're a fan of precise fruit and jolting minerality. Cause damn, kids, it's in here. Beautiful pear, green apple and a saltiness really define this Burgundy, through and through. And this is light years away from the stylings of Napa. This is haunting old world Chardonnay. I love it. But man, you don't want to fall in love with it, unless you can find a good deal. ($28-34)
-pairs with: "Seamus" by Pink Floyd.

Chateau de Montfort Vouvray, Loire, France, 2005: 8.0

This isn't the kind of Vouvray you see at your local Kwik Stop.

Granted, there are great Vouvrays out there that are sweet, but there surely are some excellent dry Vouvrays as well. That's the funny thing about Vouvray. It's all about diversity. It's 100 percent Chenin Blanc, and it's a good one. There's not much under the covers with it, but what you get is nice: flinty, with a mellow apple approach. Juicy, fun, with only a touch of earth. A pretty decent buy, methinks. ($12-15)
-pairs with: "The Day John Henry Died" by Drive-By Truckers.

Pascal Jolivet Pouilly-Fumé, Loire, France, 2005: 7.1

This was a bit disconcerting to me.

I still put this in my "likely enjoyable (before Elton John met coke)" category. But not by much. Especially when you see the price tag. One Hundred percent Sauvignon Blanc, Jolivet's wine is purely a smoky, gutty, racy wine. But it's feisty as all getout. I'm starting to believe that Sancerre/Pouilly Fumé is more to my taste when it's older. ($24-29)
-pairs with: "Popular" by Nada Surf.

-Justin

Southern France and Mud Flaps

Grande Cassagne
"G.S." - 2004
Costières de Nîmes, Languedoc-Rousillon, France
Rating: 6.8







Nobody wants to worry about always putting in the effort. And we shouldn't have to. There are too many drinks out there nowadays for us to seriously consider pairing wine with food on a regular basis. If you like Chardonnay, drink Chardonnay. No one's saying you're an asshole. But one day, you're going to come across a wine that just didn't make sense until you tried a kickass meal alongside it.


That's what it took for this one. But I won't give it the credit for being a wine of stature that only a thick steak could tame. The Grande Cassagne has character; there's nothing wrong with this wine per se. However, one shouldn't have to try this hard.


From the beginning, this smelled like the Southern French rolling mountains (I imagine). 40 percent Grenache, 40 percent Syrah, and 20 percent Mourvedre (the three most important grapes for red Rhone wine and other French areas), I get a hefty noseful of blackberries and wet soil from the nose. And that's usually a good sign. And so I try a little harder to get some pretty cool hints of herbs...something like basil (pizza seasonings, perhaps?).


And the red juiciness lands on my tongue and explodes with out-of-control acid.


Damnit.


I've had refermented wine many times before; that wasn't the problem. This just didn't have the balance I was looking for. Which was too bad. Fortunately, this because 10 times as tolerable when I broke out the rock-hard block of Dutch Perrano cheese in my fridge. Almost there. So, I gave it some time while I cooked up a steak on the stove.


It shouldn't have come to that, but hey, whatever. This was $12 spent on something that I enjoyed for what it was: fruity, earthy, syrupy wine with something closely related to a soul. With the cheese, this certainly livened up into a refreshing representation of raspberry/blackberry and cream (thank you, dairy farmers).


I guess expectations are a bitch.

However, a major factor in the enjoyment has been the soundtrack of the last month of my life. Decoration Day by the Drive-By Truckers has easily found it's way into the top 10 albums of the decade, thus far. Beer seems to be the obvious pairing while taking in these Southern Rock Hammers. With that being said, there's a shitload going on here. Decoration Day came out 3 years ago, but it might as well have either been 2010 or 1974. It's great when a true rock band can weave stories in their songs that don't pander to the simple equative emotions of loving your home or country. Thank God for DBT.

-Justin