Daybreak to Wine Love

Day break instills vivid impressions and bright inspirations. Daybright light--piercing color tones--probes dark corners of fading dreams, warms the household and grants promising hopes for the day ahead. A quick peak through the blinds: yellow daffodils smile at morning break, robins hop to broken chirps of song, deep breaths bring crisp, cool air, washing reminders of yesterday away. Pristine thoughts increase as I gaze on the earth stretching, giving one last yawn. If only I could forever capture the morning dawn.

Little did I know the tale about to be told: a recording of vintage interspersed with a love of old. 2002 Brunello di Montalcino, reportedly a sad year to behold, gives way to a startling account of poor quality inflated to stardom as context unfolds. The love of which I speak is none other than a relationship gone sour, yet continuously teetering as a love story never so bold.

Affairs of the heart are truly one of a kind, each to their own, exceptions all count, perceptions dilute, beginnings forgotten, ends eager and wanton. To speak plainly, my heart aches for a man I once had. A pain double-sided with desire on one side battling rational conscience on the other. Forgive and forget? Or move on with acceptance, constantly recalling hurtful deceipts, selfish acts, and lusty betrayals? Remembering my actions wanes deeply on my soul, giving in to temptation's threshold.

After a day spent lingering on romantic fantasies of how to rescind paths taken, the convoluted reality revealed itself during a simple tasting of organic Brunello. The night was late, the wine still young. Best friends convened having loads of fun. The mood was set, my spirits soared, freedom crashed my tranquil shore. Wine flowed, gossip flung, giggling girls poked fun, flirtatious rants with cute servers dared to be flung. Now with this in mind, I must reveal the hopeful vino poured by an owner wishful for my attentions still. In the moment, the 2002 San Polino Brunello di Montalcino exploded sweet swills. Nothing could make me more happy than the sexy aromas tip-toeing around the sensors within my nose. In the heat of the moment, excitement too palpable to quench the languid lackings of this wine and all its mid-drift packings. 

2002 San Polino Brunello di Montalcino promises fresh fruits, torrents of plum, and a hint of sun-dried tomato, vine-ripened with soft, powdery tannins from an organic run. Production persists amongst the hills southeast of Montalcino, where the climate approaches warmer pockets delivering luscious, mouth-puckering wine bits. But, lo and behold, the mid-palate went slush, leaving no room for fuss, tragically ending in simple disgust.

The aromatics still soared, so everything else I chose to ignore, because nothing in this moment could give rise to scorn. I missed the man I once knew, the man I once had, everything else left unsaid, nothing to brag. Now I know a lesson to be told. A wine can pose as something breathtaking and carouse, depending upon the company and context the drinking aroused. This resolves a riddle confounding my soul. Merriment is a choice, perception is reality. What could be more morose?

Now you'll know, truth be told, when you return from Italy with memories of gold and no wine in the shops here in the States compare, nothing is remiss, you just had something you'll forever miss: a moment of bliss enveloped in vino...

The Launch of Terroir Study

Terroir is a page dedicated to tasting the "terroir" in a wine through pictorial, literary, and sensory exploration. This word, terroir, instills magical visions in my head that simply swirl into clouds of confusion. Big question marks pop up each time I consider the concept of terroir. Anyone who has blind-tasted knows terroir manifests itself in the aromas and flavors of a wine. I can pinpoint a wine from Italy in a heartbeat and smell a Virginia wine from across the room, an aroma I definitely termed "Virgina Twang." Smell a red wine from South Africa next to an Australian Shiraz, and then tell me terroir doesn't exist.

Terroir encompasses every aspect of nature a wine grape experiences like vintage, soil, microclimate, mesoclimate, topography, viticulture, geography, precipitation, sun exposure, wind, you name it. However, the expression of terroir shrouds itself under a veil of mysticism. So, I have decided to research this link between place and taste in order to document concrete descriptions versus elusive references to minerality, earth, and the vague word, Terroir.

France

Provence
Simply stated, Provence fascinates me. I close my eyes and transcend to a whole new world. Craggy outcroppings of jagged mountains resting among majestic purple plains of lavender. Times of chivalry and warlords flicker, displaced with images of King Arthur and Guenevere. Endemic wines evoke impressions of land braced by sea and alpine climes. Artists such as Cezanne, Van Gogh, & Dante depict a land of rugged beauty.

I set out to taste a number of Provencal red wines the other day, below my notes follow. I will continue to post as I source these wines; however, their discoveries prove challenging as distribution of Provencal reds remains very limited in the U.S.

Provence harbors two principal soil types: calcareous limestone and quartz. The soils of the northern and western hills and ranges consist largely of limestone and clay, while the eastern regions contain quartz. Soil type corresponds to the vegetation present. Garrigue, which grows on limestone, is a classic wine descriptor that refers as much to the soil as to the resinous herbs that grow upon it.  Maquis refers to a scrub that thrives on soils rich in quartz.

Les Baux de Provence
Vineyards surround the village of Les Baux, a 13th century fortress perched on a rocky plateau in the Alpilles Mountains approximately 800 feet above sea level. The town itself was named after its very appearance "Baou"--a Provencal term for rocky outcropping. The AOC Les Baux de Provence lies in the western most half of Provence just southeast of Avignon.

The soils in Baux are limestone and rich in Bauxite, a mineral that was named after this village and is used to extract aluminum. In reference to terroir, this area is extremely hot and resides next to the Val d'Enfer (Hell Valley). The wines are all organic, mostly produced by biodynamic practices due to the climate and the beneficial impact of the Mistral, a cold, dry north wine that reduces humidity and temperatures during the sweltering summer months. Reds must contain a minimum of 60% of at least two of the following grapes: Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault. Mourvedre, Carignan, Counoise and Cabernet Sauvignon can also be blended.

2007 Mas de Gourgonnier Les Baux de Provence, Provence, France
Approximate 30% Grenache blended with Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, all stainless steel fermentation--interesting considering the tannins are so formidable. First impression, barnyard funk, reductive nature of syrah playing out, but extremely aromatic wafting layers of garrigue, lavender, sandalwood, leather straight off the horses back, black pepper, intense red fruits. In the mouth, chewy with a faint sensation of powdered sugar, bracing acidity, gripping. Few minutes later the funk blew off and opened up. So soily on the nose and the palate, intriguing tastes of chalky minerality. Aromas of garrigue and black olive intoxicating. Great wine!

Pinot Envy

It was the night before Monday, all was quiet through the house. I awaited my guests anxious as all get out. I had run all about for baby, work, and now for dinner delicious beyond any doubt. More than anything, I wished to lounge on the couch, soak up some tweet deck, and raid my cheese pouch. At times in my life, I wish for the performance to end, but as a single mom and sommelier, I must bear and grin. Don't get me wrong, the hustle is for what I live. The energy just continues to cycle, never gives in until the ultimate moment of chagrin. As everyone knows, these moments when failure sets in, doubt lurks, you feel the energy slip...down, down, down, spiraling downward never to return again. I fidgeted around the house, wringing my hands, little did I know, the best for my soul was about to begin...and thus, this is the tale of Pinot Noir pinned Antidote to Chagrin.

Love has never been a strong suit for me. The trump card has consistently been fairytale romances spun in my head, always fed by renaissance literature or revolutionary periods for Western Civ. Jane Austen's pick of gentry, like Mr. Darcy, or Stephanie Meyer's Edward Cullen, could very well fit the fairytale my head lives in during those moments apart from the world, when reality has no bearings. Women pine, "Where are all these men?" I never dreamed one would walk right in eager to devour four plates of London Broil marinated in Dr. Pepper, molasses, garlic, curry spices, wine vinegar, and worcestershire--an attempt on homespin.

Homespun, indeed. This was the only ticket I would need. Brussels sprouts sizzled with bacon, and squash casserole baked with panko, butter and Prima Donna Gouda accompanied the 5lbs of London Broil served with a red wine demi-glace my roommate and I mastered for a guy she wanted to win. I have to admit, though, I didn't realize the potential of this male guest until after the Pinot sipping was put to the test. Four bottles of Pinot Noir brought on a plane by a dear, dear friend, sat on my table calling for me to succumb: stop for the moment, quit playing Artemis and sit down at the feet of Bacchus and listen to the trance brought on by his flute.

This story will not reveal the innermost thoughts of romance unwilled, but it does speak to hope in love, passion, and all the tingling feelings of raw emotion one can spill. Envy of love, I must say I am; but at least now I can be lost in Pinot envy.

My dear friend mentioned above visited Willamette Valley a few weeks ago and sought to buy a few gems. My contribution was the 2009 Ken Wright Cellars Willamette Valley, which I think still should win for all those dire pinot lovers envious to drink good vin.

Here's the lineup, and the notes to follow within:

Briefly I mentioned my favorite to be the 09 Ken Wright, following suit was the 08 Sineann Resonance Vineyard. I plan to write a comparison between the two vintages '09 and '08 in my Terroir section, and I will add some Pinots under $20 worth sipping, Just give me this weekend.

2009 Ken Wright Willamette Valley approx $29
Opulent fruit, the texture of the wine is what gets me everytime, so much to chew on, but yet silky soft. Bright acidity, bouquet lingers through the finish. Delivers what I want from a Pinot

2006 Methven Family Vineyards Reserve Willamette Valley approx $35
Most Burgundian of the four with the more earthy undertones, dark fruit, leather. Beautiful nose, but the wine began to disappoint on the finish after it had been open awhile. First sip, killer. Last sip, didn't deliver for the price.

2008 Sineann Resonance Vineyard approx $42
My second favorite. Bright cherry fruit with a sensation of standing in a wild strawberry patch with a wiff of a flat Coca-Cola in your hand. Ethereal palate feel, what makes Pinot so yummy. Vervy acidity, great with our cheese selection of Cypress Grove Purple Haze and Brillat-Savarin.

2007 Sineann Wyeast Vineyard Columbia Gorge $42
Consistent in style with its '08 Sister--female in sex with this wine because the delicate fruits play true on the nose as well as the palate. Red fruits of cherry, strawberry, touch of rhubarb, and some pomegranate play out on the palate. Good acidity, but just not the same depth as the 2008 Resonance.

Wine Epiphany

The comforts of your own home could never stand more true when the cork is pulled from great wine. What defines a great wine? Sense of place, taste, smell, finish, balance? These are all pertinent contributing factors; but essentially, to me, a wine is great when the overall finale is greater than the sum of its parts. Synergy applies in this case. So a tale of synergy unfolds...

My minister, Father James—weird as religion sounds, seeping into my blog post—visited last week to bless my home for Epiphany. The first time I have ever done something so "homey-conservative-like." With all I had been through this past year, from having a baby as a single mom in the restaurant industry to changing my career path, I wanted to bless my house. Hope for new beginnings. Dream for better tomorrows. Aspire to weave my wraiths come true.

So, I went down to my fledgling cellar to gently pull out a 1999 Rinaldi Barolo and a 2005 Claude Dugat Gevrey-Chambertin. My roommate, and best friend, diligently worked over our marinated flank steak and 2 day-in-the-making red wine demi-glace, while I carefully decanted my hopes for the new year. After whipping the sour cream mashed potatoes, drizzling the demi-glace jus, and spooning out a squash-panko casserole spiked with a bit of Midnight Moon Gouda cheese, I poured the wines.

Explosive. Surreal. Contemplative. Bold. Meaty. Much to discuss.

2005 Dugat Gevrey-Chambertin unraveled slowly, bit young of course, but every inch masculine, brawny with foresty treasures, mushrooms, meat, horsey hide sprinkled with dark fruits. Specatacular acidity, my faith in God's good work confounding. Shy I was around the minister sipping vino, but the monks started all this magnificent craft! Where would wine be today without religion?

My hopes for the promising New Year were sealed with the 1999 Rinaldi Barolo. Pure finesse, perfumes of intoxicating rose petals, delicate but penetrating. Dried fruits abound, baked earth lined with smooth tannins. True bliss for sure. The exorcism could now begin. Out with the old, in with the new.

Domaine de Chevalier Blanc 2005

2005 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc Grand Cru Classe de Graves, Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux, France $90-$130
Tucked away from tourists, on a more humble farm-like setting, Domaine de Chevalier remains a youth in comparison to its neighboring wine estates within Pessac-Leognan. Much controversy surrounds this diamond in the rough, discension stems from quality critiques. After tasting, I must confess this barrel-fermented, small production white delivers substance and finesse.

Just north of this clearing within a pine forest rests the origin and heart of Bordeaux itself. Over 700 years ago, monks tended to fledgling vineyards in what is now the clustered suburbs of Bordeaux. The city itself cloaks the renowned estates of Haut-Brion, La Mission Haut-Brion, La Tour Haut-Brion, and Laville Haut-Brion. Pope Clement of Avignon planted what is now Chateau Pape Clement in the 1300s, a commune just west of the previously mentioned Chateaux. But Chateau Haut-Brion established the fine red wine precedent for the world in the 1660s.

Unlike most grand estates of Bordeaux, Domaine de Chevalier has only had three owners since its founding in the late 1700s by Monsieur Chibaley--the Gascon meaning of knight. Unfortunately, viticulture fell into disarray due to the agricultural and livestock focus, but regained ground after 1865 upon the Ricard family takeover. Fabulous vintages mark the mid 20th century, and maybe the best are yet to come. Olivier Bernard, one of France's largest distillers, purchased the estate in 1983. Olivier Bernard, without a doubt, harbors the deepest respect for terroir and committment to balance. He preserves the tradition and style of Domaine de Chevalier, delivering wines of distinctive style and personality, a cord of identity linking the past thirty vintages.

The 2005 white consists of 85% Sauvignon Blanc, 15% Semillon. Pure, aromatic nose giving way to floral background and notes of lanolin, honeycomb, beeswax. The palate continues expression of purity and floral aromatics, but gives way to creamy texture, wine with depth and soul. Pristine fruit swells mid-palate; hint of grapefruit, leaf, pear syrup and quince blossoms. Stunning acidity pierces the mouth, washes palate with refreshing rinse, tinged with orange zest. Lingering finish, smooth, balanced, persistent.

Now only, what to drink with this formidable, and most of all, unique beauty?