What We Drank

Mothers

2012-02-17T16:45:00.000-06:00

Me & Roonie, in 1995


Me & Rolly, in 2012

I think it is time, to embrace and welcome, a very old grape, a grape that is a Mother to many children, a grape whose progeny you probably clamor for on a daily basis. Meet Muscat!

Muscat has issues; quality control (over 200 different varieties of brutally variant qualities) and the fact that so often it ends up as a very sweet wine. It is hard to know what you are going to get, at least without a night's worth of exhausting research.

It it often used as a primary source in the French VDN category; dessert-y, fortified (and definitely sweet) delights found in the southern Rhone Valley & Languedoc and is the primary grape for the Italian sparkling charmer, Moscato D'Asti (a special shout out here to Mother-in-law Nancy---keep on drinking it!--- because Paolo Saracco needs another pool on his Estate!).

Muscat possesses an interesting aromatic profile: 3 intense linear terpenes are strongly present in the grapes. Linalool, nerol & geraniol all shine brightly in Muscat. Geranium, Lavendar, basil, lemongrass, lemon, orange blossom- you get the picture. The Rolly Gassman Muscat pictured above was perfumed and intoxicating, a little residual sugar and a keen, bracing, almost lacy texture. Definitely in the drier category, which you can find if you seek out Muscats from Alsace NOT labeled Vendage Tardive or Selection de Grains Nobles.

Not as good smelling as a brand new baby, but it's the best I can hope for these days.

Leftovers

2012-02-08T16:27:00.001-06:00

I, by nature, am relatively frugal. Although I think maybe my husband would disagree. I abhor waste though, and I admire efficiency.

I change the wine list at Henri every 6 weeks. Tiny tweaks, nothing major. I will add something I cannot live without, or remove something that has simply run its course, or that I cannot get anymore of.

And this is how I end up with leftovers.

I am writing the new list now, and realize I will have about 14 'leftover' bottles: 4-Alois Lageder Moscato Giallos 2010, 4-Zind Humbrecht Herrenweg de Turkheim Rielsings (2006), 1-Morgan LL Chardonnay 2008, 3 Geyerhof Gruner Veltliner 'Rosenteig" 2008 and some Fendant from Switzerland.
These were all darlings of the summer, and languish now in the heart of winter.

If it is appropriate, I will utilize the leftovers as a special pairing for our tasting menu. Certainly the ZH will end up there, startling and golden, rich and honeyed, for an earthy soup or maybe with one of Dirk's foie gras dishes.

For the most part though, I keep moving the leftovers around the liquor room and finally buy them myself or give them away as 'thank yous' to servers who did a nice job, or got a good compliment from a guest.

For some reason, leftovers cause me a great deal of anxiety.

I feel as if I have let the wine down by not selling it. Some of these wines will certainly improve with time (not the Fendant nor the Moscato), but the others.

If there are other somms reading this- I would love to know how you handle leftovers.

They really do burden my soul!

Please Stop Asking If I'll Have More Water. Because Wine Is Stronger And Fills My Blood With Power.

2012-02-01T23:38:00.001-06:00

2012. You are thus far crazy and I want to stay on and see what happens!

1) Lacrima di Morra D'Alba

2)"Mature' Bandol Rose. Better Than Young.

3) Muscat D'Angleterre

4) Harvesters of my dreams.

5) Falanghina made precisely right.


6) Just cuz it's so pretty. Orange wine. Truly.*

We are receiving a lot of mail lately; none for me. My ~~child~~ young man is being highly solicited by far away colleges. Strange, confusing places, many of which I have never heard. 30 letters in the last few days. Tentacles of inquiry. I cannot tell about his dreams.

I am too, sending ~~a million~~ 30 inquiries; because I will be going away too. To France. But it is alone in France about which I am so excited. To be surrounded by thin-skinned grapes (talking Pinot Noir & Grenache here) and some thick (why then are the whites, Marsanne & Roussanne & Chardonnay so thick), in a manual transmission Renault, on the French highways, spending my nights in hopefully un-haunted converted farmhouses, renting bicycles, getting lost, most likely shedding ~~a million~~ 30 tears (as I tend to do when I am overwhelmed by my inability to find anything). For now though, I know where I am going.

Porron as Decanter; A Very New Wine Broker; La Neige Est Arrivee!!!

2012-01-12T13:48:00.003-06:00

Restaurant work forces you to become a strange, nocturnal creature, one whose biorhythms hum and snap differently from other humans. Time at work is a flurry of movement, a tense exercise in keeping a lid on a variety of potential chaoses. There is the dreamy, calm light of the restaurant the client sees, and then, the florescent-lit, unpainted reality of the cellar & kitchen, gray cement-lined catacombs, a stew of cooking smells and broken down cardboard boxes. You are constantly in between these two worlds. There are friends you will never see in the light of day; for awhile in 2011 I saw Dirk Flanigan with such regularity that I started calling him my night husband.

When finally the last dessert has been eaten, and all cleared and set and ready for the next day, it is very difficult to fall immediately asleep. Instead, we gather our night friends and race to bars where we can, at least, soothe ourselves with a bit of alcohol before going home and sitting on the couch for another few hours, reading, or watching Tivo'd People's Court episodes.

Punky Jamie and his decanter free zone

2004 Beaurenard Les Argiles Bleues.

Rootstock Wine Bar & the newly opened Telegraph are two spots that one will often find me and night friend (s) drinking wine at 1 a.m., having a bit of cheese, and attempting to speak of other subjects (books, music, art maybe) before it all turns again to food & wine. The above photos were taken at Rootstock on Saturday. Jamie (pictured above with the porron), simply did not feel like decanting our 2004 Beaurenard Rasteau 'Les Argiles Bleues' (more on this in a second) but he was amenable to putting it in the porron. A porron is a Spanish 'to go' decanter, most often associated with the famous sparkling wines of the Basque country, Txakoli. Wine from a porron can go into a glass or directly into an open and willing mouth.

Random, swarthy Spanish boy eating the milk-fed lamb @ Vina Sastre

Jesus Sastre showing us how it's done

The porron does aerate wine quite nicely. Domaine Beaurenard, a Chateauneuf-du-Pape producer who works organically, and beloved by me, makes a gorgeous Rasteau from a plot they own whose soil is blue clay mixed with chalk. Rasteau was once part of the Cote du Rhone Villages and was granted its own appellation on November 24th 2010. Rasteau also produces very good dessert wines in the VDN (vin doux natural) category. For the reds, here is what the French expect, from the INAO website:

"Rubis, grenat ou cognac, la robe des vins de Rasteau est variée. Les notes de fruits cuits , de raisins secs, de pruneaux peuvent se mêler aux notes boisées selon l’élevage. En bouche, la rondeur mais aussi les tannins du grenache sont les caractéristiques du Rasteau."

--Ruby, garnet or cognac, the color of the Rasteau wines vary. Notes of stewed fruits, dried grapes, and prune blend with woodsy, farmy notes. In the mouth, fullness, but also Grenache tannins- the are the characteristics of Rasteau.--(my translation, hoping this is okay- thank you Rosetta Stone!)

There is something undeniably charming about this specificity! The 2004 showed with beautiful typicity- stewed prune and blackberries, pronounced but soft and granular tannins, very full texture and a hint of manure. By bottle's end of course, we were porron-ing into each others' mouths-thankfully I have no photos.

The following Tuesday- I had a fabulous tasting day, nailing down pairings for Henri's new "Chef's Indulgence Tasting Menu", a five course degustation that we will begin offering January 17th. I was also able to try Jeremy Quinn's (the wine genious behind Webster's Wine Bar, Bluebird, Telegraph) new selections. He is now brokering wines, and bringing in small treasures otherwise ignored by the wine world.

Jeremy is a unique and brilliant- I have known him almost 13 years now. He has worked for me, and I for him. He has flown under the radar now in Chicago, for too many years, but I think this is all going to change.

Jeremy is a fan of extreme viticulture; and has an odd penchant of traveling to the most obscure viticultural extremes on the planet. One day, I was mentioning a wine I had picked up from Ischia- a tiny volcanic island off the coast of Campania and Jeremy chirped, "Oh yes! I was there last summer, writing poetry and translating Proust from the French. I dislike Montcrieff so much". It was no surprise then, when he came in, his slight frame buckling under the weight of a large wine bag, and pulled these out:

Jean Yves-Peron. An extreme viticulturist in the Savoie, who farms old, un-grafted vines at Conflans in the Haut-Savoie, in extreme alpine conditions. This type of clonal material is very rare, it was not touched by phylloxerra nor has it ever been ripped out in favor of modern, disease-resistant clones. Mr. Peron chooses to label his wines as Vin de Pays (Vins de Pays D'Allobrogie). The red (Cote Pelee, a single vineyard, a natural amphitheater walled in by stones) is composed of Monduese, an ancient red varietal considered to be the parent of Syrah. The white (Cotillon des Dames) is composed of Jaquere & Rousette. The white was cloudy (tres nuage!), unflitered and unfined, with orange peel, clementine flesh, dried apricots and a saline acidity. The Mondeuse from Cote Pelee exhibited a natural, keen umami, ripened boysenberries, cepe mushrooms and tender, yet firm tannins.

This is where the Rhone Valley begins. The Rhone section of our menu at Henri is called "Sons & Daughters of the Allobroges", and features more modern interpretations of what the Allobroge tribes planted 200 years BC, which was most certainly something like Mondeuse. Sometimes our clients find this nomenclature confounding- but now, given the context of this post, it all makes sense!

Lastly, it's snowing. I have never seen such a late snow, in Chicago, in all my time here on this earth.

The Least Interesting Woman In The World

2011-12-28T19:33:00.000-06:00

I usually (always) drink wine. When I don't, I choose Ricard.

A big-assed Ricard- with water, ice and in a mason jar. That's how I roll.........

Bonne année et bonne santé !

Happy Birthday What We Drank!, and Why Everyone Should Shop at Perman Wines.

2011-12-22T10:13:00.000-06:00

Burgundy is my favorite flavor, despite the fact that there is a lot of crappy Burg. Like a gambling addict though, I continue to purchase and spend, spinning the roulette wheel again and again. The one below, which I found just 9 btls of, languishing in a distributor's warehouse, deepened my addiction for the stuff. One for Shebnem (had to make sure the bottles were still good) eight for Henri. Deeply affectionate and wildly perfumed, with scads of earthy, smokey, rusty Rugiens rust. Many Boillots (over 8 Domaines bearing this name alone, with various, differentiating initials) exist in the tiny Burgundian hamlets south of the city of Beaune. Jean-Marc has 11 Ha total in Pommard, Volnay & Puligny (he inherited 1/3 of Domaine Etienne Sauzet from his gandmother).

Winter is my favorite season and I love the solstice, because every living thing is humming the perfect cadence of your name. Yes, you! If you listen you can hear.... I am listening....

....despite the fact that our downstairs toilet ESPLODED, and I spent four hours mopping up yucky water, and washing, then re-washing my hand vigorously. Now I am in the process of laundering 8 tons of muck soaked towels. This year the earth's axial tilt will be furthest from our star (the sun) at 5:30 am on Wednesday, 12-22. There is a universally agreed upon importance attached to this solar event, so take a cirtus bath, light some candles and leave a colander on your doorstep to distract evil-doers!

My way of celebrating the solstice will be folding the aforementioned mountain of towels and enjoying some treasures to be chosen by my favorite wine merchant, Craig Perman. If you are not shopping for wine with Mr. Craig Perman, then you are doing yourself a huge dis-service.

Craig looking uncharacteristically joyful

Odd Little Birds like this Fie Gris, from near Chablis.

Perman Wines is located at 802 W. Washington, Chicago, and I go in before my shift on Saturdays a few times a month, to re-up my drinking wine stash, and to chat. Craig is punky and funny and smart and uncompromising. I like his taste, and truthfully, it is a relief to have someone else decide about wine for me. I am responsible for about 270 wine decisions between 18 & 24 S. Michigan, it is nice to have someone else's take.

Craig does not carry an enormous amount of inventory, so upon first glance the selections might seem limited. The key here, is to develop a relationship with him, so that he might assess your tastes and predilections, and then bring in products that will completely suit you. The store also has a very clean, Scandinavian modern feel to it, with smooth white surfaces and blond wood. I find it all very calming. I like to sit in the desk chair and wait while he ferrets through his stuff to find me wine.

Notes From The Wine Director

(All From Craig's Shop)
Michel Arnould & Fils Carte D'Or 2000- had this it his blow-out Champagne tasting (Thursday December 8th), and know my dad will love it Christmas day, with buckwheat blini, smoked salmon & caviar. Wonderful RM producer located in Vezernay. All Grand Cru fruit, from older parcels, 50-50 Chardonnay & Pinot Noir. $46 bucks, shut the f***ing door!

Bernard Baudry Chinon Rose 2010- unctuous and earthy rose of Cabernet Franc, perfectly plump and heady enough for the solstice (and those towels). Have 3/4 btl left for tonight.

Domaine La Madura Saint-Chinian Classic 2006- have bought this four times now- a exasperatingly perfect combination of silky textures and rough, rustic Languedoc spices. A blend of Carignan, Syrah Grenache & Mourvedre.

Uroulat Juranceon Sec 'Cuvee Marie 2008. Petite & Gros Manseng, from the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains (just 40 miles east of San Sebastian!) dried apricots and the waxy, textured quality of thick- skinned grapes that ripen in the dry autumnal sun typical of southwest France. Bone dry, bracing and delicious. Half 1/2 bottle left for tonight.

You Are My Death Sire; You Make Me Complete

2011-12-12T22:32:00.000-06:00

When I was 7 years old, on Sundays, I would go out to a horse stable and ride a thoroughbred named 'Purely Pleasure'. This faraway stable of my childhood, is strangely, within walking distance of my current home. I remember it. But now, it seems so much smaller. I drive by, again and again, and cannot believe it is the same place.

I had an 'auntie' (not my Mother's sister, but one of those good friends, too close to call Ms. So and So) who owned this horse. So out to 'PP' my tiny sister and I would go. The grooming of this horse seemed disproportionate to the riding; lots of brushing, curry combing, hoof dirt extraction and braiding of manes occurred before anyone could even get atop PP. We would sort of plod around, on the English saddle, and auntie never let us go beyond a canter. Later, when I was older, sometimes we would come across horses in Michigan when we were on vacation, horses who were smaller, sturdy and less vulnerable than PP, horses who wore Western saddles and that would gallop with a tiny nudge. A terrible freedom, this galloping: wild and frightening and endless and inspiring.

There is a certain set of smells that comes with horses that come up sometimes, in wine, especially in the Languedoc. There, certain grapes harbor equine propensities: warm climate Syrah, older Carignane, under-ripe Mourvedre (and sometimes, perfectly ripe Mourvedre). I think most people know the smell of horse manure, but there are a host of other smells from the land of horses, some very nice. The mane of a clean horse is a light, rustic baked and tangled scent, sun kissed and beautiful, light at the ends and stronger near the flesh. The nose of a clean horse, is watery and cold and not phlegmatic, like people's noses. The leads and saddles smell like tannic acid, leather, rendered flesh. Isn't it strange that horses wear the flesh of cows atop their backs? And there is manure, which is a strong, dull, dense smell. But not without it's charms. It's not nauseating, at least.

I have my memories of PP, and the rural Michigan wild horses, and those days of equine girlhood, before the parade of death sires, the boys, their friends, that somehow misplaced my love for horses. I think it is about time we embrace a little equine dirtiness in wine, because in it, we will find something pure. It will make us complete.

The Wine Director's Favorite Equine Picks, from Henri's Current Wine List

Domaine Gros-Tollot Minervois 'La Ciaude' 2009
De-stemmed, old vines Carignan, Grenache & Syrah, from biodynamic, Burgundian dynamo Anne Gros

Mas Julien Coteaux du Languedoc Rouge 2004
From just north of Montpellier, in Jonquieres, a rocky 900 meter high plateau, full of wonder and depth. Carignan, Grenache Mourdvedre, Syrah & Cinsault.

Retournons Au Borgogne, et Les Menages. Lastly, Orcia DOC.

2011-11-18T12:31:00.000-06:00

Eight years ago, when the dollar was stronger, Little Crazy and I (who, yea, you can call Big Crazy) got on a plane and went to France, and arrived the day Janet Jackson's boob popped out, shocking millions of Americans. It happened while we were asleep.

The way I was able to engage LC, who was only 8 years old, in the magic of Paris, was to create a sort of scavenger hunt of merry-go-rounds, a game called, "Trouvez les Menages". We also employed this same game with wine bars. One carousel=One wine bar. It turns out that LC is very good with maps, and BC (me) is not.
The other thing LC did was to try every chocolate croissant available to man, to see which was best. BC, who does not like croissants so much, ate many oysters and both Crazies ate whole grain tartines with liver and stone ground mustard. BC drank Cru Beaujolais, Sancerre Rose & Valencay; LC enjoyed citron presse, jus d'orange & le Sprite.

We took the train down to Beaune where we became lost many times, in a rented Saab station wagon (great car). We popped into some of Burgundy's greatest Domaines, and the winemakers worried about us, advising us to hire a driver, but really thinking, I believe, "please BC, find a husband".

There is a menage in Beaune too, a small rusted, carousel, but we visited this everyday, as it was winter, and we were the only ones there.

LC was so small then, a wiry little bone in Beaune, a fast mover. There was anticipation and trepidation in the air: Parker had just shown up (well, Pierre Rovani) and the 2002s were out in force.
Our tasting appointments were directly on the heels of Rovani, Less stress I suppose, an unknown mother from Chicago and her fragile, active child.

We stayed at a truck stop, and LC played in the parking lot, with a large tree limb he named "Stick". We got excited by the prospect of a dinner buffet, but changed our minds after seeing the selections (pickled fish and oxidised pates). I wanted to eat at Ma Cuisine: it closes in February. I was too scared to drive at night, on all those unmarked roads. We stopped at some dinner spot in Beaune; I drank too many kirs and had a "fromage d'une nuit' that did me in.

Here is the beautiful thing: I can return to Bourgogne every time I buy a good bottle, and I am directly transported back, the barren vineyards, meticulous February pruners, rising smoke from burning vine cuttings, the quiet chais and frigid cellars. A lonely, lovely stamp of damp and cold, and patience and beauty.

PS: The Dugat was incredible, a dirty little mushroom nose blowing off to reveal it's tender cherry heart, underneath which a vein of hard-lined acidity supported all this tenderness. Gorgeous. Unfortunately the Monthille had seen better days, (no fruit, save for the feint whiff of an old apple core, no acidity- nothing), and I couldn't decide if it was a provenance issue or that creepy pre-mox (complete with its own wiki site!!!) that seems to be so prevalent these days. This was a recent purchase, and I was credited for the bottle at Knightsbridge, no questions asked!

Notes from The Wine Director

Podere Forte ' Petruccino' 2007

Val D'Orcia, Italy

Where the hell did you come from? Where in the world is Orcia? Val D'Orcia sits in between Montalcino & Montepulciano, a hilly, Mediteranean enclave, no doubt sleepy and beautiful, tucked away inside someone's dream of what the Tuscan countryside might look like. An ultra-modern blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot, bathed in copious barrique (100% new for one year), entirely Tuscan, entirely delicious. Those who are staunchly "natural wine' drinkers will no doubt find the composition and elevage distracting but I argue: farming and wine-making are not natural acts. Very clean and farmed biodynamically (take that natural wine people), on a 110 hectare farm brimming with animals, flowers, herbs and plants.

Prince Spaghetti Was My Madeleine; The Horror of Clove Oil; California's Newest AVA

2011-11-10T14:36:00.001-06:00

When I was a very young girl, I coveted the life of this boy. He seemed to have an unlimited amount of freedom, to run around his neighborhood, and then, ears as sensitive as a dog, perk up as the nasal whine of "Anthony Anthony" wheezed through the crowded Boston streets. He arrives home just in time to enjoy a steaming bowl of spaghetti with a thick ragout, and freshly prepared shell beans.

Jasci- You are delice!

My Mother, who was neither Italian nor a very accomplished cook, also made a ragout (which I forced her to pour over Prince spaghetti), a sort of loose, carrot-y, onion-y ground beefy sauce which did not meet the high standards set by Anthony's family and upheld by the little tyrant, moi. I remember begging for her to purchase shell beans, which I am sure, were unavailable at the Dominick's where we shopped.`

A few weeks ago, I found a perfect wine to pair with that imaginary dish, a thick tomato-rich sauce so Proustian and irrevocable, prepared in an ideal of a kitchen that I have held, in my heart for so long. Simple, clean, warm and cheap. This is by no means a wine that will shatter your world, or change the gradation of your existence. Jasci, located in Abruzzo, in Vasto has farmed organically since the 1970s as the 'Mother' there was allergic to pesticides. The Montepulciano is aged 6 months in used tonneau, which I like as it softens some of those famously rigid, Abruzzi tannins.

Another incident to further evidence of my aging was the loss of some silver colored, amalgam fillings that were placed in my mouth around the same time Momma Jasci was discovering her pesticide allergies. I had one replaced this summer, the new filling chipped, and, as a consequence, I had an emergency root canal Tuesday. One of life's less enjoyable processes, but the worst part was when they packed the temporary filling with a cottony puff soaked in clove oil. Clove is one of the stronger aromatics one can come across, and I was overwhelmed and a little nauseous to have its powerful essence lingering inside my mouth all day, crawling into my gums and brain, an insidious ester. Clove can sometimes make it's way into wine- I often perceive it is various expressions of cask aged Sangiovese, especially Grosso, the clone used in Brunello. However, this nuance is much more pleasurable than the assault inflicted upon me, yesterday, at 8:45 am!

Clove Oil Funfact:

If you find yourself looking for a way to humanely euthanize fish, a 400mg/L tincture will do the trick.

say wha?

In AVA news, California & The TTB have just formally recognized a new AVA called Pine Mountain-Cloverdale, in northern Sonoma (overlapping Alexander valley) and southern Mendocino counties. Pine Mountain-Cloverdale producers practise what they call "extreme farming" due to high elevations, and dramatic seasonal shifts. Given my love for torturously high-elevation wines in cool climates, I am looking forward to seeing what the area is capable of.

Sifton's Leucism Analogy, Gage Train Get On Board, Scenes From Chicago Gourmet, Notes From The Wine Director

2011-10-22T17:35:00.001-05:00

Sam Sifton retired as the NYT's food critic this week, and in his sign-off article likened sommeliers to albino squirrels. Here is the link to a site that documents Leucism, including 5 posts devoted to this rare mutation in squirrels. Other animal metaphors included his one paragraph homage to John Slover ( at Ciano in NYC), a somm I met last April and like very much. He compared John to a lion. I think Sam must have small children and had spent too much time at the zoo before penning his goodbye. I always liked Sam's reviews although found his food adjectives a bit florid at times.

I don't think we are all that unusual, or special, us sommeliers. We are simply keyed into our sense of smell. Most people do not take enough advantage of this sense, ignoring it largely in favor of their sight. I also think that we, as a group, are overly interested in history, plants, geology, topography and cooperage. We worry about oxidation, and it's opposite, reduction, and are, all at once, engaged in disciplined intellectualism and luxurious hedonism. Mainly, we are almost always half in the bag. Here are a few random photos from the last few weeks, taken by this albino squirrel observing wine-related actions:

Underwater degorgement of Movia's Puro, like a water birth, and almost just as messy.

The Beautiful and Studious Gagesters Getting Trained

Lots of drunk folk at Chicago Gourmet's Grand Cru Tasting

Chef Flanigan Demo @ Chicago Gourmet

Bio-D Cab I poured at Grand Cru


Captain Reserve List! I'd Buy Massetto From Him Too, Look How Friendly.....

Wine Notes, from the Director:

Wonderful Visit with a Barbaresco producer, Claudia Cigliuti in Nieve

Gorgeous, silky wines, with a profundity of aromatic delicacy that reminds of good Morey St Denis (see below).
The bottlings from the Serraboella Hill (Dolcetto 2008 & Barbaresco 2005) I highly recommend. They practice ancestral farming and use all ambient yeasts.


Yes, I bought you for The Gage. 12 bottles.

....And he walked out of it...

Werner Walch and the wines of Elena Walch, Alto Adige.

Pinot Grigio 2010 (Dense and beautifully executed)
Muller-Thurgau 2010 (something off aromatically, too much terpene, Werner did not agree but I thought the bottle was off)
Pinot Bianco 2009 (Silky and wonderful, an apple butter delight)
Schiava 2010 (Gorgeous, light, dried cherries and must. Werner offered the adjective 'rubine' which translates to ruby but I think the color was bright red/garnet, almost like slightly oxidised blood- completely transparent, a beautiful, delicate red)
Lagrein 2010 (another indigenous grape of the region, darker than Schiava, with more dried plums and dutch processed cocoa- very clean, no reduction)
Gewurztraminer 'Kastelaz' 2009 (Dry, and correct, lychee and all the jasmine you could want without feeling as if you just sucked out the contents of a hand soap pump. I bought the last case.)
Beyond the Clouds 2008 (Sort of a 'Super Alto' white blend, with Chardonnay as the base and a purposely undisclosed field blend, all co-fermented and aged in some barrique, very nice)

Werner was absolutely delightful. He told me that Elena has been suffering from fluid loss in her cervical vertebrae, which is terrible and painful and she has been through two surgeries. I hope she will improve as she is lovely. His tender concern was obvious. I shared with him an illness my son had suffered, and he uttered the above words "....and he walked out of it..." which to me was very moving, nearly bringing me to tears. He also shared that his village of Tramin was beginning to be invaded by that awful striped Asian beetle one finds eating their garden tomatoes every summer, and seems nearly unstoppable. This beetle ravages grapes as it does tomatoes so I hope they figure something out before real damage is done.


This little wanker does a lot of damage and bites humans too. I am wondering about biodynamic sprays laced with DDT....

Lastly, a dinner out with the girls last Saturday at Sepia (marvelous) had me impulsively buying 2008 Domaine Dujac Morey-Saint-Denis. Impeccably aromatic and harmonious, a song of a million cherries and tea rose. I bought the rest of what was in the Chicago market for Henri (Sorry Arthur!) 17 bottles and relinquished my 2009 allotment because all in all, this 2008 is simply divine. A slightly drunky me on the train later, having lost my water bottle, coveted the water of the young (very) man next to me. I slipped him a small note on torn paper:

...will trade water for wine....

because I had half a bottle of the marvelous Querciabella Batar (Chardonnay & Pinot Blanc, from the Gaiole hill in Chianti Classico, very expensive) which caused this poor soul to bolt immediately from the el. Maybe he did not care for Batar? Or perhaps he did not care for a boozed up, middle aged lady wearing sunglasses and listening to a play list (mix tape- whatevs) from 2007 on an older generation ipod shuffle? Either way, I really don't want to know the answer. Suffice it to say, I was very thirsty for quite a while longer that evening.

Latent Joy & The Wines of Castello di Ama

2011-10-14T17:12:00.004-05:00

I am finding that for me as of late, particularly joyful things are registering in the strangest ways. I seem incapable of feeling it, although I am fully aware when I am existing in a moment of it. I will then remember this joy, in nuanced and great detail, but it is muted, distant and wistful. My question is: Should joy really come with such a delay and with this contradictory component of sadness?

And so it was with the incredible selections of Castello di Ama, which I was fortunate to taste on Tuesday at 4:15 PM CT. Castello di Ama is a Tuscan property in the heart of Chianti Classico with a range of improbably good wines. Tasting through the range was arresting, as was facing their not-so-terrible-looking export manager, Nicola Massa, who somehow lives in Brazil. They have been working with the philosophies of 'crus' or single vineyards, in Tuscany now for a long time. This is a notion one finds more prevalent in places like Barolo, and certainly the very definition of its construct is a Burgundian pursuit.

To understand the notion of a cru, one must be intimate with the soil, topography and limitations of a certain patch of earth on which vines are grown. To know the small shifts in strata, and how long a certain afternoon sun will warm the fruit, and how the hill gradations shift here, and the soils loosen and become more crumbly there. Typically, when all these things are factored, this certain place will be named.

At Castello di Ama, three crus have been identified: Bellavista (the first single cru in Chianti Classico, planted to Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Malvasia and Trebbiano Chardonnay & Merlot, released under the DOCG of Chianti Classico), La Casucia (planted to Pinot Nero & Sangiovese and released under the IGT designation) & L'Apparita (which is contained within Bellavista, but planted all to Merlot, and released under the IGT designation as well). All were planted in the 1980s.

However, is was the 2007 Chianti Classico 'normale' that was truly heartbreaking. I think this must have been a great moment of joy for me to taste, but inside I felt a sense of searing sadness, so much so I became a little teary. Because to taste it was really to remember being in Tuscany, and kicking the warm ochre soils, and watching the little lizards dart behind the rocks, and the tips of cypress trees wrestling with the breezes. To drink a million tiny espressos, and to be drunk and full at 2pm everyday, and to be sleepy when the loud streets of Florence were just getting started, while harboring a case of undetected pneumonia, dealing with a cranky seven year old, and soothing an overwhelmed boyfriend who eventually (God bless him), became a husband.

So this must be the way of joy, with me and a powerful testament to wine's ability to transcend its simple place as an agricultural product. It must truly be more than this.

The Relinquishment of One Certain Job

2011-09-19T12:00:00.002-05:00

Tibouren

Red Mountain Awesomeness

Killer Wine $$$$$$


Mousy Underperformer. 1986- Storage Issues

A very nice Cheverney Rouge.

These are some wines I have had. I mean certainly I have had many more than these in the past months. But the issue is, in our universe, in the crazy, android/blackberry constancy of this world, time is lost to us. The time to enjoy wine, to contemplate it, think about it, write about it. It's such a cliche, but in May, I found myself whispering, and by August, myself screaming "Stop this CRAZY TRAIN- I want off!!!!!!!"

I came to an agreement with with my 2 restaurants, to lessen the strain of the night hours, and to increase training at both places, in order to drive revenue and sales. This was a hard decision, and I can say that I am lucky to have kept my two positions as wine director at all. My conclusion can only be that my boss finds me valuable, even in a 'diminished hourly' capacity. I guess the trick now is to remain valuable.

The irony of all this is I find myself busier than ever, except on Saturdays, which I save for housework and dating my husband. Prior to my relinquishment of one certain job we had not had a date in over two years. In the last two weeks we have had two!

Wine Notes, From the Director:

Clos Cibonne, Tiberoun Cotes de Provence Tibouren Cru Classe 2009

Ancient Provencal grape Tibouren makes its way back to us here- an earthy orangey wine with tons of garrigue and character- it seems like the countryside sort of liquified itself into this bottle. I prefer to drink at cellar temperature (57 F) rather than refrigerated. Tibouren is one of those sensitive grapes, susceptible to coulore. Coulore is biological, a poor early fruit set where small berries fall off the vine, and the remaining berries ripens unevenly. This is irritating for winemakers, causing lower yields (therefore less wine) and difficulty during harvest. But these kinds of grapes always produce more interesting wines, even though perhaps those wines cannot be affordable, and certainly for someone trying to make a living from agriculture, maintaining these vines is more of a labor of love, a desire to keep the past alive and to perhaps add some flavor to an increasingly dilute world.

Descendants Liegeois Dupont Syrah 'Les Gosses' 2009 Red Mountain, Washington

Christophe Hedges is from another planet, and if you ever wanted proof of past life experiences, you need only meet him once. He seems to travel between worlds, with ease and comfort and he is very beautiful physically, leonine. There is also a touch of the possibility of the Machiavellian in him, but it seems he has this tamed.. I met him the other night, pre-relinquishment, with his partner in crime Boo Walker, who too was very beautiful but more mustelidae, somewhere between a marten and a sea otter. He however was nothing like a skunk at all.
Anyway the whole point is not these two handsome characters, but the wines! Mainly I want to discuss one Syrah, the Descendants Liegeois Dupont (DLD) 2009 Les Gosses, a biodynamically farmed single vineyard on Red Mountain. I first want to admit than I am not in love with Syrah and its terrible propensity for reduction, propylene esters, burliness and, in warm places, unbearably cheery fruitiness.
This Syrah is one to love though, because I think it gives perfect balance to a grape that tends towards imbalance. The right viticulture, the right place, the right oak, the right harvesting, the right wine-making, everything about it was right. It's the best American Syrah I have ever had. The Syrah was able to exhibit smoke, pepper, blue & black fruit, capsicum, all sorts of things Syrah madly wants to show you, and the demonstration was both eager and restrained.

Domaine Trevallon, Vins de Pays Des Bouches du Rhone 2007

Perhaps one of the most expensive Vin de Pays in the world (about $60/ bottle retail)! This site was planted meticulously, in 1973, mainly with Cabernet & Syrah. Many people forgot how much Cabernet existed in Provence, pre-phylloxera, as documented by DR. Jules Guyot, a 19th century agricultural scientist. The soils at Trevallon seemed more appropriate for Cabernet & Syrah, than for Grenache, it seemed at the time. But, in 1993, INAO regulations limited the amount of Cabernet in the AOC Coteaux des Baux En Provence, making Trevallon ineligible for AOC status. The Domaine decided not to plant Grenache, arguing that the grape would not ripen in their, cool exposition, on the north side of the Alpilles ( the small, cool moutain range there, immortalized by Vincent van Gogh). The winemakers here have always been very ecologically conscious, even before it was fashionable, I think they sensed the fragility of the place. Baux En Provence AOC disallows any viticulture that is not organic, and indeed at Domaine Trevallon only sheep manure has ever been used as a soil enhancement.
Okay, yeah yeah, but what about the wine. Powerful spicy, inky and fruit driven, but dense, raw unctuous and somehow fragile too.

Lastly, A nice little, 'reasonably' farmed Cheverney Rouge from Pascal Bellier. Pinot & Gamay Noir, Cherries, small prunes, tart with roses and violet. A nice little goat cheese wine. Cheverney is one of the last villages (going east) in the Touraine. I like these kinds of light reds very much, when I am not in the mood to be pummeled. A bit more relaxing sometimes, than Cru Beaujolais (today as it has become such a serious wine suddenly) and not as much grey mineral as these vineyards sit on sandstone, limestone and alluvial materials.

That 1986 Calon Segur tasted like a mouse's butthole, or what one would imagine that would taste like. Yucky all around. Storage issues galore, but it's always nice to try one someone else's dime (Thanks to the Guys at Vinic Wine Store in Evanston for letting me taste that unforgettable nastiness!!!!!!) To their credit they had a beautiful Fichet Meursault Gruyaches 2007, a fine little lieux dit enclosed by Charmes 1er Cru that has 77 year old vines! Yeah for that!

Chicago Summer Wine Picks. AKA Media Snorefest. Why is wine writing in Chicago so stupid?

2011-06-17T12:55:00.002-05:00

Since it is almost June 20th/school's out for summer forever/the solstice, local media around here have yet again put it to the experts: What do you drink in summer?

Yes. the dumbest question ever asked. I guarantee, as well, that when a summer BBQ story is pitched, accepted, and regurgitated from the last 10 years, someone will recommend Zinfandel or a chilled Australian Shiraz.

This year, the adorable Lush crew was asked, and no matter how dull the question, when ABC comes a knocking, you gotta answer. Rachel did a great job, hands down, no Sauvignon Blanc in the whole bunch and she suggests the Txakolina Rose we are pouring by the glass at The Gage (I think there might only be 2 roses available in the whole country, there is not much Hondarribi Beltza left in the world).

The problem is, that terrible category of web and print writing "Lifestyle Tips". Wine is hardly a lifestyle, which sort of implies that it is a minor hobby, like gardening or shopping. It, like food, is a nutritional supplement, and necessary pleasure.

The thing is, I am done taking tips from uniformed writers on the intranets, which, when it comes to wine, is a giant diarrhea festival.

This assholio is complaining about reedy Aglianicos (suggested by horrible sommeliers such as myself) and finally gets to admitting that he loves CigarZin from Cosentino. Have it, Mr. Duane, you can have my allocation too.

This one is priceless, in a Mastercardy sort of way, especially their wine suggestions during a 'Clambake' party (yup, American Chardonnay to pair with the playlist that includes hispter band Van Halen (before Sammy Hagar, 'cause yeah it was then and only then that they sold out and sucked).

This horrible lispy man is suggesting really 'out of the box' picks such as Pinot Noir from Chile and Malbec from Argentina. The close-up on the female host's face when she nearly has an orgasm over the cheap ass swill is worth the few minutes of your life you will waste watching this useless piece of crap. And yup, he suggests chicken and steak in that order. because when I think of light summer fare, I always think steak. And roasting a fucking chicken in an oven for an hour when it is 100 degrees outside becausee we don't have a grill because our yard is not a yard, it's a giant dog shit pile. Who wants to put a grill out there, I am too busy composting dog feces!

Top 10 Most Overused Summer Drinking Tips

Think Pink (and it always rhymes)

Ditch the corkscrew (really, summer means all stelvin?????)

Chill Everything to Death

Vinho Verde (don't do it, it's never, ever good)

Riesling ( I love Riesling but if the lifestyle tip readers don't like it in the winter, they are not going to like it in the summer either, for Fuck's Sake!)

Zinfandel for BBQ (Just drink beer)

Prosecco (does Prosecco really need any more promotion? Are we really not drinking enough of it?)

Beaujolais ( See Riesling)

Sancerre (if you don't drink this in the winter as well, you are just a fool)

The CIVC, Asshole: New York Style, Good Bites

2011-06-01T00:20:00.001-05:00

Liza

I spent a day and a night in New York yesterday. The CIVC (Comite Interprofessional du Vin de Champagne) put on a massive tasting at the Plaza Hotel, (yes that Plaza, former home of Eloise -aka Liza Minnelli when she was a child), and over 90 producers were represented. A huge amount of grower Champagnes were featured, which is why I went.

The CIVC was formed in 1941 to protect the interests of the many growers, and as a reaction to Nazi occupation. True Champagne was hidden, cloistered and buried, and the Nazis were given inferior cuvees marked "Wermacht", an act to which the Nazis did not take kindly.As a result of this, and early legislation that pre-dated the AOP system in France, the AOP of Champagne has some of the most strict limits in all of France.

There are heated arguments amongst sommeliers and wine drinkers alike regarding growers versus negociants. Growers (called Recoltant Manipulant or RM) own and farm their vineyards. 95% of the fruit must come from their estate. A negociant (Negociant Manipulant, or NM), can buy grapes or vin clair, to finish off in their cellars. The crux of the argument is that because the NM have less control of the fields, quality can vary greatly. This is true. But the stamp of RM does not guarantee a great product either, although in my experience, growers' products tend to have a base quality level that is very high.
I think the big difference is this: the RM does not necessarily produce a consistent house style year to year, because the estate fruit to which she or he is limited can vary from year to year due to weather conditions. The NM can search all the area to find fruit that will round out their blend, usually defined by a 'house style' but the grower has no such luxury. I have also noticed that growers are less dependent upon dosage (an addition of sugar at the end of the process).

So I flew out early Monday morning, a very roiling, shaky plane ride, especially during the descent down upon the Hudson. Then after a 35 minute brake-gas-brake-gas cab ride into the west village, I ate some coconut sticky rice and chicken at Fatty Crab, which still did not quell the stomach turbulence. Did a tiny bit of shopping (mainly for a sweater as it was cold and raining and I was told it was going to be 70 degrees).

Inside was a massive room filled with Champagne. It was crowded and I knew no-one, so I tasted quietly. There were not enough spit buckets, so at one point, I spit in the ice.

ENTER NEW YORK ASSHOLE:

.....who began to chastise me ("Who does this? Where are you from?), then physically grabbed my elbow and pushed me further down the aisle.

Oh no sir, you didn't.

I returned to the spot, where he was talking to the representative at Canard-Duchene about my boorish behavior and I said to him,

"Listen m*********r, you ever put your hands on me again I will get all Rahm Emmanuel on your ass."

Don't mess with Chicago.

I went on to taste delightful things (Vilmart, Bellefon, Bruno Paillard, Tattinger Comtes de Champagne). I was excited that Gaston Chiquet & Pierre Gimmonet was showing their 'Special Club Prestige Cuvee'. The 'Special Club' was formed in 1971 by 12 growers who banded together in order to increase their marketing presence. This is a vintage dated, prestige cuvee, with an idenical label design. Chiquet's 2002 was sublime, and Gimmonet's 2004 was rich and satisfying.

I also found 2 producers, new to me, very exciting. Saint-Chamant (Epernay) & Stephane Coquillett (Chouilly). Now the trick is, getting them in Chicago. I am going to make it happen, after all, I can get all Rahm on their ass!

After, I met my oldest freind in the world and we walked through central Park (it's pretty!) and had snacks at Bar Boulud, with a 2006 Meursault 'Les Tessons' (cannot remember the producer, ugh!) and out of Double Magnum, a glass of 1997 Le Clerc Milon (5th growth, Paulliac). Great!

Rabbit, Carrot, Zucchini and Aspic Terrine for the Bordeaux

Peeky Toe Crab Salad with Broccoli Coulis for the White Burgundy

We then headed off to see friends at Ciano, John Slover the somm there allows all bottles to be poured in half bottle decanters. We tried a Bitouzet-Priuer Volnay Tallepieds 1er Cru 2002 (young but explsoively good) and a strange/wonderful Vespaiolo from Contra' Soadra in the Veneto.

Afterwards, records spinning, small tidy apartment, pyjamas, chastity, bed. Toast, chocolate soymilk lattes, LaGuardia, home.

I heart home the mostest.

What Has Transpired, Bio-D news

2011-05-17T12:19:00.000-05:00

Food and Wine Sommelier Awards 2011. Yay. I was finally the top 10 of something.
What we drank: Tons of Mondavi. Boo!

Someone came into work yesterday, to give me a 3 liter bottle of Mondavi Cabernet 1999. What the fuck am I going to do with that?

New, Diminutive Buddy

His wine choice- see why he's my buddy?

My favorite place to be in California in in the haunted bachelor pad with the boys, Derek and Mikey G. It makes me wish I were a boy too. Somewhere in Calistoga, because I am never quite sober when I get there. But it's like a small home and oasis, and the food is always good (excepting my soggy Spanish pancake made of chickpea flour- oh tortellita, wha' happened?????). We drink American wine there too, because derek and his brother are American winemakers and I adore them. A post to follow soon.

Late evening at the Sinskey compound was breezy and beautiful, a Cover Girl moment, trapped in time.
Gorgeous morning, eggs were cooked (not by me! miraculous as I am the only cooker here in the Ince-Bonig compound). Drive down to Monterey involved coffee (amazeballs at some wack joint Philz in Palo Alto) and discussions regarding, among other things, John Steinbeck & Burgundy- my kind of car ride.

We weathered this strange dinner, and came home.

Fast Forward One Month. We are caught up now. Here's what I drank last night:

My notes, Bio-D

Michaud Vineyard, 2006

Matthew Taylor Pinot Noir. Winemaker at Araujo, now apparently has had a Burgundian conversion. I hafta say, when I hear that winemakers, making pretty good wines from Bordeaux grapes, decide to suddenly play with Burgundy grapes, I furrow. Matty T., however has made some nice Pinot Noir here. At first, the oak was a little jagged and showy but smoothed out with a little oxygen. In the morning, in a glass all night, very kirschy and hardly oxidised- magical and fairy like. Almost as if it had reduced, like bee populations.

I have put a call into Matthew Taylor to try and get to the bottom of why this is so good.

Coming up: CIVC Tasting in NYC! next Monday, 5-23--stay tuned.

Vina Sastre, Conde de Hervias & Remelluri, That's What

2011-03-16T13:49:00.000-05:00

22 day old milk-fed lamb @ Vina Sastre

Two gorgeous and profound days, one of which I got very drunk and ate an Iberico that did not agree with me, and one in which I got very cold and could not recover.

Now I am in the hotel room. I am skipping yet another 5 hour meal, this one involving Wild Boar. I am alone in Spain and somehow hungry, but not.

I am learning about Tempranillo, and it's complicated forceful ways, and the way it sits in feral, fierce vineyards, goblet trained and waiting for the Spaniards to come and try to tame it, with their own untamed hearts.

Wild, feral Remelluri

Jesus Sastre drinking from a perron, the Sastre Rosado.

Pesus 2007

Pesus 2006

Feet of Jesus/Conde

I am not convinced Rioja is the greatest wine in the world, or that Tempranillo will ever capture my heart as white Burgundy does. But this is very good stuff.

Small, wild onions.

Sherry, That's What

2011-03-13T04:55:00.000-05:00

It is strong and complex and I swear I can see through time. Sometimes the future seems apocalyptic, sometimes beautiful.

Flor.

Fuck the floor.

Pre-Flight Wine; Pulling the Trigger on the Exam

2011-03-10T11:00:00.001-06:00

Last night I filled out the application for the Advanced in Cincinnati, Ohio. I hit the send button. It is a done deal. I'm in.
I took a razor blade and cut all the Bordeaux pages from My Sotheby's encyclopedia, packed them in my carry-on. Drunk as I may be for two weeks, I will still need to cover all of Bordeaux if I am to stay on schedule.

I do not, do not, do not like to fly.

However, I love going places. Traveling by plane is possible using a klonopin/white burgundy cocktail. I do not recommend this for obvious choices.

It's 11 am, I have had .5mg of klonakoo and will now drink a glass of Domaine LeFlaive Macon-Verze 2007. It takes the edge off. And since I am not driving, nor am I piloting, I need only be cognizant enough to remove my boots and quart bag of liquid items into one of those weird plastic trays. I put all my jewelry in my purse.

I also know that once I am in the airport, only uninspiring wines from Napa and California AVA will be available for consumption and I would just rather not.

Drink good or stay sober.

See you in Spain.

Espana

2011-03-09T17:46:00.001-06:00

Life has been an endless parade of work, work, more work and work. But tomorrow I leave for Spain, for one of those relaxing march of deaths that we mistakenly call wine trips.

Three Days in Frontera de la Jerez.

yay

Fino Sherry is god's way of telling us we are good. Palo Cortado is god's way of telling us we are beautiful.

I think we (as sommeliers) have dropped the ball on sherry's infinite ability to pair with high umami foods.
I presented a sherry as a pairing for our first course, for the James Beard preview dinner, in Chicago (and also for our dinner in New York). The dish was a Frakenstein-esque take on chicken wings: chicken skin was attached to pieces of lobster, deep fried, and served with a Frank's hot sauce vinaigrette emuslsified with blue cheese. Chicagoans are clearly not ready for Sherry; although I had a few converts, they were also folk who were downright offended by the choice. The New Yorkers were much more open.

I am hoping that my being there, posting photos, good tasting notes, and just conveying a general sense of this pristine, other-wordly product, I can convince you to be a sherry convert too.

We Drank For Joy and Became Argumentative

2011-01-11T17:01:00.002-06:00

Canes/Cordons @ Hirsch

The next 6 months are going to be very busy. The restaurant staff is flying out to NYC (I have never been but will be working the entire time) to cook at the James Beard House. This is very exciting for Chef Flanigan and well-deserved in my book. We have a cool menu and nice pairings (details here). I have never been but the sommelier does all the course announcements. Fortunately, I am fine with public speaking. Flying is another matter. And, at age 42, have slept with the same man for 7 years running, I have to share a hotel room with our pastry chef. I like Carly Rose very much; but not enough to hear her night breathing in the same room.

In May, I am flying out to Sonoma to be a part of the Sommelier Journal Terroir Experience 2011. I visited Sonoma for the first time last May and was immediately drawn to the place; its natural largesse and primordial beauty. Some of my favorite winemakers are out there- David Hirsch, Ted Lemon and Merry Edwards. So I will see some friends and travel all over the appellation.

Here are some photos from my last trip:

Bottles @ Hirsch

Cow Horns Awaiting Burial @ Littorai

Cover Crop @ Littorai

Since my last blog Post, I have made flash cards for the following regions: Burgundy, Northern & Southern Rhone, Alsace, SW France, Argentina & Chile. The biggest issue with studying for this bloody certification is synthesizing reams of information and deciding between that which is crucially important (to Master Sommeliers) and that which is marginally important. For example: I would consider the nearly obscure regions of Cotes du Thoul and Vin de Moselle barely worth mentioning. These are the 2 vestigial wine zones left in the appendage region of Lorraine. Nope, need to know. I am also a bit dismayed at the lack of rigor used to determine quality in one of the 51 Grand Crus of Alsace. It is the smallest wine region in France, and it is absolutely ridiculous that there are 51 climats worthy of a Grand Cru status, even if they account for a fraction of the total production.

It's tedious, this legion of flash cards I will be dragging around with me at all hours for the next 8 months. But this is the process.

I have joined a good group that meets Thursday mornings, to review theory and blind tastings. I have been less distressed about my blind tasting skills as I have been practicing nearly every other day for the last two weeks. I am an accurate taster; my biggest issue is undermining myself when it comes to the final conclusion. Every time I have missed a blind, I have gone back to look at the tasting notes and realized that all the clues were there; I simply have missed them.

Fernando Beteta M.S. is our group's moderator. Thus far, the group is a couple of skinny hipster boys, an older white dude with an unkempt salt and pepper 'fro, and an older black man, well dressed and groomed replete with an attache case. And me. I am hoping my friend Anne (who works for Bobby Kacher) will be joining us as she is going to take the exam with my in Cincinnati, along with Ryan who works with Fernando.

Tonight I am cooking sweet potatoes and drinking a bunch of leftover schwag from blind tasting. And dumping a bunch of stuff down the drain.

Wines of Note: January1st-11th

Jarvis Cabernet Franc, Napa 2004.
Castello Della Paneretta Chianti Classico Riserva 'Torre A Destra' 2005
Corte Sant'Alda Soave 'Vigne Di Mezzane' 2009
Querciabella Mongrana (Maremma Project) 2008
Domaine Huet Vouvray Sec 'Le Haut-Lieu' 2009

We Drank To Forget and Were Forever Haunted

2010-12-23T14:44:00.000-06:00

On the solstice, this is what we drank (and where).

Photo By Taro Taylor

After receiving and logging all the inventory for both restaurants, I tasted out the Jean & Sebastion Dauvissat Chablis Vaillons 1er Cru 2005. This was in consideration for our By The Glass Magnum pour program at Henri, or Hank as we like to call it. The wine was a bit muted at first, I was given the bottle to take home. After being jostled about in a couple of Chicago cab rides and a Subaru zoom back to the suburban enclave, it was just fine. Screamy acid, good minerals, apples and pear. And of course, bio-d, very important for Hank.

I went by Spiaggia to say goodbye to Steven Alexander, who is leaving after a 5+? year residency as sommelier there. The Cafe menu has been re-formatted, well-conceived and executed, flavorful and honest. Squid, gnocchi with wild boar and trout were consumed. I chose the ever-popular Ermes Pavese Blanc de Morgex et de La Salle 2009, from Vallee D'Aosta (an obscure Alpine region on the northwest Piemonte border.) I like wines harvested from high altitudes. This was my first go-round with a Blanc de Morgex et de la Salle, but given the climatic conditions (cool climate, alpine) I expected a somewhat crisp, a little green around the edges, but hopefully delightful white. It delivered. Lots of green apple, dried apricot, white flowers & minerality and even a green sheen around the edges.

The label could use a bit of work but whatever.

Steven's departure will leave a gaping hole at Spiaggia, and they will have to dig deep to find another like him. Intellectually curious, cute in a nerdy way, expensive tie fetishist and profoundly knowledgeable, with a keen interest in the under-represented regional wines of Italy. Good luck Spiaggia.

After, out of 1/2 bottle and with cheese, the Carpazo Brunello di Montalcino 2004. Carpazo makes solid wines but I never get excited about them nor seek them out. Tasty though, all sorts of dried cherries coupled with clove, nutmeg & cinnamon, silky harmonious tannins, just spot-on. There must be a spiritual component missing for me. My arm hair never raises, nor do I get all googly inside when I drink these wines.

Later, at home, I tried more of the Vaillons and ended with a few sips and spits of a 2-day-old Cloudy Bay Chardonnay Marlbourough, NZ 2009 left in the fridge. It tasted like a pineapple flavored toothpick. Yuck.