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...

Now That’s What I Call Hits of the ‘90s! (volume one)

Sometimes its not too early for nostalgia and sometimes that ship has since sailed. In fact, some wines- like many a party jam or dance craze- were fashioned for immediate and fleeting consumption. The “Macarena” will always sound the same, no matter how long it sits untouched in a climate-controlled cellar, there’s nothing new to offer.

While this isn’t really all about temporality- no vertical tasting, and I certainly didn’t try these upon original release (or even knew they existed at the time), it is about having had the pleasure to enjoy some awesome wines recently from the 1990s. This is undeniably a great perk of my line of work and its not everyday that someone pulls gems like these out of the cellar, and I compile them into one, easy-to-read blog! You (probably) can’t find hits like these at the store!

Domaine Rene Leclerc, Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru, Burgundy, France, 1999: 8.8

An unexpected flavor profile that was quite enjoyable. This Burgundy poured a bit opaque and had a very garnet hue. I suppose I was expecting a meatier, manure-y, masculine wine- like the other G.C.s I’ve had. However, at nearly ten years old, this drank very brightly. Acidity is in the driver’s seat here, but it doesn’t drown out the riders. Mulch, wet earth, wet cherries, and a hint of burnt leaves were all there. Structured and satin-y. This is why there are superfans (and why it’s so pricey).
Pairs with: "The Boy with the Arab Strap," by Belle and Sebastian

Miguel Merino Reserva, Rioja, Spain, 1994: 9.0

Sure, this wine spent a lot of time in oak- French and American. But there’s so much more going on. A basement full of cranberries and black raspberries, as it opened up, it revealed some petrol, lime and citrus. A wonderfully salty red (high compliment) with a spicy finish that recalled some of the flavors used in Spanish cuisine. Eccentric and oh-so-enjoyable.
Pairs with: "Dr. Octagonecologyst", by Dr. Octagon

Mount Eden Estate, Santa Cruz Mountain Chardonnay, California, 1997: 9.2

Ya mo have another Chardonnay! This is the oldest Cali Chard that I’ve tasted and, suffice to say, I’m really excited about their uncanny ability to age. Now, this is likely only true for the best of the best, and the Mount Eden belongs in that class. This is a very clean wine that had great bookends of nose and finish- nuanced and zesty. Dill, scallions, cream, butterscotch and fresh linens with a light peach gracing the mid-palate. This is not the last you’ll hear from us on the topic of Chard.
Pairs with: "69 Love Songs," by The Magnetic Fields

-Lauren

The Case of Borsao Vs. Borsao

In the words of the immortal Joey Lawrence, "woah." Indeed it has been a busy and turbulent sabbatical from this here wine blog. Like Justin, I have also switched jobs twice (but only switched addresses thrice). I think I might be an adult now: I wake up early, workworkwork, come home, eat, play online scrabble, watch TV and go to bed. However, I'm making some in-roads in not being exhausted and boring. Evidence: seeking the answer to a question that has long weighed heavy on my mind, is Borsao Tres Picos really worth twice the price of Borsao Red?

Both wines are estate bottled by Bodgeas Borsao, which is in the Campo de Borja D.O. of Spain, located in the Aragon region slightly west of central Spain. Both are primarily made from Garnacha- the native Spanish grape that was brought to France, where it is known as Grenache, rising to popularity as the basis for many Rhone and Languedoc blends. Both are of the 2006 vintage and weigh in at 14% alcohol. I have long championed the basic Borsao Red as a pleasant, easy-drinkin', and affordable representation of this very likeable and versatile grape. I had yet to scale the Tres Picos, but chose to do so with the aforementioned sibling as my trusty sherpa.

Bodegas Borsao Red 2006: 7.0
This is a blend of 75% Garnacha and 25% Tempranillo. It possesses a deep ruby color and a very astringent, alcohol nose without much fruit, aside from a hint of blackberry. Undeniably smooth, the palate gave way to some strawberry, rhubarb, and bubblegum flavor, which lend to the possibility of carbonic maceration (a forced-fermentation most commonly practiced in young reds, such as Beaujolais Nouveau). The finish is light but lingering and slightly dry. As this wine opened up, there was more detectable fruit, but a loss of brightness as it quickly became thin. It's still a great quaffer for the price, but a simple pleasure- nothing more or less.

($7-11)

Bodegas Borsao Tres Picos 2006: 8.4
100% Garnacha, this one showed a darker plum color and a similarly tight nose. Oh, but on the palate, a much different flavor profile: darker fruits, such as boysenberry, and a lot of leather. Dense and meaty with a long lean finish. As this opened up, it seemed to take on a richer flavor and a greater complexity. Still pretty smooth and simple, it expressed more concentrated nuances that are likely the result of low yields (according the label, anyhow). This could possibly even be cellared for a couple years. Tres Picos also demonstrated the power of terroir- it had a very Spanish feel and most likely wouldn't be mistaken for a French Grenache. Or would it? Perhaps this shall be taken up at a future blind tasting.

($16-21)

While both wines were definitely enjoyable in their own right, I'd be more apt to revisit the Tres Picos. It didn't truly out-do the Borsao Red in complexity, but it did so in overall balance, grace, and richness. It's also quite versatile in it's ability to pair well with a variety of foods. However, if you're looking for a wine under $10 to throw back without nerdy analysis, the basic red blend will do you just fine.

In the meantime, keep your feet on the ground, and keep reaching for the wine!

-Lauren