I started this blog as a way to keep my thoughts together about the trip I took to France in January 2008. I have taken a hiatus from blogging about my trip and decided to write about all things of the alcoholic nature.
My friends and I used to do a dance in college known as the "Back in the Game" dance. We performed this spastic exercise in weird every time one of us would get back on the horse. It was meant for getting a good review after a lousy performance or a new date after a break up...here I am using it as starting to "blog" again. After about a two month hiatus, I thought it was time to get the creative drinking juices flowing.
Before I sat down to write, I made myself a huge cup of Ginger/Peach Green Tea with a healthy dose of Barenjager Honey Liqueur in it. I was all settled in and cozy, when the mug spilled over and now I have a wet sock and two soaked towels. Btw, there downloads are pretty amazing, this is the one for "winter". So much for sipping on a nice relaxing warm beverage. I truly believe that this happened for a reason since I had been plotting on opening my bottle of Pappy 15. No time like the present and my glass is in a much more stable position.I haven't had much time to really taste anything, but have still managed to buy some wonderful spirits and plot out some upcoming Scotch tastings. For my personal collection, I snagged one of the Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye and the Pappy Van Winkle 15. While at Char4 a few nights ago, I purchased the Sazerac 18 and then sent guilt ridden emails to the man who allocates the entire Pappy/Antique Line. I haven't heard back from him yet. The Sazerac 18 is absolutely unbelievable and since we never recieved any at the Chateau, have taken to bartering with other people who have it. I'm hoping that eventually we can have a Bourbon/Rye club that brings in hard to obtain items and we share tastes. Or I organize an official Big Boy Spirits tasting.
It's true, I have been doing my fair share of Bourbon drinking lately; Eagle Rare, Willett and of course Bulleit are all on the top of my going out to drink list. Unfortunately, not too many places have any of those and I drank all the Eagle Rare at my favorite watering hole, leaving me with Basil Hayden (which is nothing to spit out).
There was Jew Christmas, where no stops were made on the wine we drank. Jew Christmas is when people who have no place to be on Xmas Eve join us for Chinese food and wine. This was our third year in a row at Hunan Delight. Here are a few pics, but they don't do our festivities justice:
I was still hopeful on Tuesday morning that someone would come through with a ticket to Whiskyfest for me, but by 5pm I had lost all hope. One of our reps said he would try and and sneak me in, but when I talked to him after he got there it seemed that it was impossible. Bummed out, I went to go and sulk in the office while I worked. Then at 7:40PM I got a phone call from one of my sales reps, "Where are you, I have a ticket". That's all I needed to hear before I started squealing, throwing on my jacket and running out the door.
I made it to the Marriott Marquee in about 35 minutes and had a glass in hand by 8:30. Along with my saviours, Alex and Peter, I jumped right in. I had an hour and fifteen minutes to taste....it was GO time!
My first stop was at the Arran table, a malt from the Isle of Arran which is off the west coast of the Lowlands. Just the night before, my co-worker and part of Team Whisk(e)y, Tara, was showing me their website and talking about how we should carry their products in the store. I thought it was an odd coincidence they were the first table I saw. I tasted through the line that they currently had available and was very impressed with the Madeira and Bourbon finishes.
I really wanted to try things that we didn't have in the store and make stronger connections with people to obtain harder to find items. I spent a few moments scanning the aisle of booths to see what else was on the row I hadn't heard of or tried and came up with Old Pulteney, Scotland's most northern distillery. It's also known as the "Manzanilla of the north" named after the famous style of Sherry. I found the Scotch to be very elegant with a bit of salt and sweet. I can't wait to bring this one into the store. It tastes great and will be on the shelf for under $40!
I quickly looked over the next few rows of booths and spotted the Glenrothes table, a whiskey I had seen before, but hadn't a chance to try yet. There were a good handful of people surrounding the booth since this was one drink that had the attention of the Hassidic community. It's Rabbi certified even with the small amount of Sherry used. I was able to get the attention of the man behind the booth and he poured me the Glenrothes Reserve, a very smooth and rich style. It's a blend of different vintages (all single malts) combined into one luscious drink. I moved onto the 1991, 1985 and then the 1975. I was asking the representative from the distillery questions, but he was being hounded by some crazy whiskyfest goers who were pouring their own drinks. While juggling the self-pourers he introduced me to Timothy who is the sales director for New York and New Jersey of the brand. I told him how excited I was bout the beverage and couldn't wait to order it from Southern. The Select Reserve is already on our shelves. (I work fast).
It was already after 9PM and I still hadn't made it over to the Pappy Van Winkle and Buffalo Trace table. I would have kicked my own arse had I not gone to see the Van Winkles. Even though I was almost sold out of our entire allocation, I still wanted to taste whatever they had. I started off with the Pappy 15, then tried the 23 and the 20. I was completely surprised by how different this years bottlings were. Last year, the 20 had turned a bit medicinal, but this year it maintained every bit of Bourbon essence. The 23 was even more exciting and now knew why it was the first to fly off the shelf. I saw David Harper (the gateway to my Pappy and Buffalo Trace Antique Line) and he informed me that there might be some more Pappy 23 in my future. YES! Heights Chateau is now the proud owner of three more of those puppies. Maybe two if I can find someone to go in on a bottle with me. I asked him about the Antique line as well, but am still not sure what is being set aside for us. That didn't stop me from trying whatever they had.
The George T. Stagg was already gone, but was able to try the Weller, Eagle Rare 17, Handy and Sazerac 18. All were amazing. I had no idea how strong any of them were until the ladies behind the booth told me that what I was trying averaged about 125 proof. Here's a copy of the press release:
The Antique Collection will once again feature five limited-release whiskies of various ages, recipes and proofs. Here is what whiskey lovers can expect:
Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old
Two time winner of the “American Whiskey of the Year” award, the 2008 release is comprised of whiskey that has been aging in Warehouse K on the first floor. The first floor enables the barrels to age slowly and gracefully. This vintage has a spicy aroma with very mature notes of oak and molasses.
Eagle Rare 17 Year Old
These barrels were distilled in the spring of 1991 and have been aging in Warehouse C. This bourbon was 17 years old at the time of bottling giving it almond, caramel and leather notes with a dry finish.
George T. Stagg
The 2008 George T. Stagg was found on the lower floors of Warehouse I and K. This bourbon was distilled back in the spring of 1993 and weighs in at a hardy 141.8 proof—very powerful stuff! The whiskey tastes of dark chocolate, roasted coffee beans and mature oak.
William Larue Weller
William Larue Weller is the Antique Collection’s uncut, unfiltered, wheat recipe bourbon. The barrels were aged 11 years and two months on the ninth floor of Warehouse I. This William Larue Weller release registers at 125.3 proof. It tastes of dried fruit sweetness, soft vanilla and cinnamon spices.
Thomas H. Handy Sazerac
Thomas H. Handy Sazerac is the newest addition to the Antique Collection. It is an uncut and unfiltered straight rye whiskey. The barrels were aged six years and five months on the fifth floor of Warehouse M with a proof of 127.5. It’s very flavorful and will remind drinkers of “Christmas Cake.”
After praising the magician they call the master distiller of the antique line (how could he make something so strong taste so smooth), I wandered off to the Laphroaig table. They had already started putting bottles away and after drinking 125 proof Bourbons, there wasn't much more I could stand.
So there ended my hour and fifteen minutes of Whiskyfest 2008.
Tara and I are sitting in the world's smallest office in Brooklyn, sipping on Sam Houston Bourbon and Jefferson Reserve. I'm not past begging for Whiskyfest tickets...and we have drunk dialed quite a few members of the alcoholic community.
You would think that two girls BEGGING would lead to some results, but as of now, I've gotten a "maybe I could sneak you in x 3". This is not good as we are Team Whisk(e)y...the e is negotiable.
Tara is pointing out that certain single malts have the word "the" in front of them and we like it. I mean when you say can I have a bottle of Laphroaig, doesn't it sound better to say "could I please have a bottle of The Laphroaig." It just adds a sense of distinguished calling...like a gentleman. I would personally appreciate if customers started asking for me by "is The Elana" available...
Tara would also like to be referred to as "The The" since it could be meant for a plethora of things.
I know I have not updated THE BLOG in a while, but do have many stories to share...especially of a Didier Dagueneau brunch where I drank nothing but DD for 7 hours. I took about two or three pictures of the wines and then 20 of the wiener dogs that were present.
Ok...I think it's time we peace out and get some grub.
I was so adamant about going to this tasting that I threatened to quit if I was unable to go. I usually only get that excited when the Melvins are playing or my best friend is coming to town. As usual it was another very hectic morning at the Chateau, but I was on a mission to get my work done and go. Ariel showed up so I could leave, but out of the corner of my eye I saw two gentlemen fondling my Pappy 23. I had to turn around and talk bourbon...one of my favorite past-times. After 20 minutes, I excused myself and ran to the tasting. I still made it with an hour and a half of tasting time.
I had a laundry list of the wines I wanted to taste, but after seeing the spread of wines, my plan of attack went out the window. My main goal at this point was to try as much red as possible, move onto the sparkling and then hit up the whites.
I thought I would do my hit list of yummy juice....
Laurent Barth Marckrain Grand Cru Gewurtraminer 2006- This was probably one of the best Gewurtraminer's I've ever tasted. Lots of apricot with a dry sweet spice long finish. It ruled. Retail price: about $40
Clos du Tue-Boeuf Cheverny Rouge 2007- a lovely little wine full of chocolate and cherries. Retail price: $18 - $20
Franck Peillot Montagnieu Brut NV (Petillant)- rich and yeasty...just the way I like my sparkling Retail price: $20 - $22
Francois Pinon Vouvray Petillant Brut NV- I love this sparkling wine and can't figure out how it is I don't have this at the store yet. Retail price: $22 - $25
Larmandir-Berneir Brut Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru NV- We tried this in the store a few weeks ago and was completely in love with it. A bio dynamic Champagne with very little dosage. It's bone dry but has a very full mouth with a good balance of fruit and minerality. This is probably going to be my NYE Chompers this year. Retail price: $58 - $60
The Eric Texier table was packed the whole time I was there...I sort of gave up on waiting in line to taste, but did manage to try his 2005 Cote-Rotie VV...yowzers that was good. Retail price: $72 - $75
The Terre Dorees Line Up...I heart Jean-Paul Brun. He's the rock star of the Beaujolais world and all of the wines I tasted backed up that statement. All of them were great, but my favorites were th L'Ancien Vieilles Vignes 2007, the 2007 Fleurie was absolutely gorgeous and his 2007 Moulin-a-Vent was smokin' hot- big and bold with an elegance that is found in many of the great Cote du Nuits. The wines range from $16 - $26. Yay!
Going on a Beaujolais spree, I tasted the Georges Descombes 2006 Morgon and the 2007 Regnie, both of which were D E L I C I O U S. All I put after the Morgon was "holy crap that's good". If I had my way, I would hook that bottle of Morgon up to an IV. Retail price: $26 - $30
Roagna: I've only had the good fortune to try this famous Italian producer twice before. Once was a bottle of 96 Paje Barbaresco and another time at the Polaner tasting two years ago. This time I got to try all the early 01 Barolos which were surprisingly elegant. I think Dressner was right when he compared the Vigna Rionda 2003 to La Tache. There were six on the table and I want them all! Actually there were 7 but I never made it back to try the white Roagna. Reminder to self...ask Polaner rep for a taste next time he has that bottle out.
As I'm going through my tasting booklet I realized I missed the best table of all...the table with all the 1988 vintages. I am kicking myself firmly in the ass as I read through the list of wines that I missed. The biggest bummer, missing the Chidaine Montlouis Clos Habert 1988....DAMN!
Still trying to taste all the reads I stumbled over to the Thierry Puzelat bottles. I triple starred his Le Telquel VDT 2007 Rouge. Inexpensive and really really really good. I wrote a big fat YAYTouraine Rouge "Pouille" 2006, but was diggin the "In Cot We Trust". Huge robust flavor. Malbec from France rules. I might have found my new Loire Valley darlings.
Just as I was finishing up the Puzelat, I ran into my Polaner rep Michael who pointed out the Massa Vecchia. Always listen to your wine rep at a tasting. They rarely will let you down. The Rosato was unlike any other rose I've ever had. Rich, full bodied and absolutely luscious. It was more red than pink. Even with the sticker price leaving me in shock...I still wanted it. Michael pointed out I should keep myself in check since that was only their rose and I hadn't even tried the big guns, their Rooso Querciola IGT Maremma 2004. All I could write was "cry so good." My plan was to quickly taste everything else and run back to DRINK those. They were also next to the Radikon table. Michael was tempting me with their pure silkiness, but I had so much more to try and about 30 minutes left. I put the Radikon on my "go back to it and drink" list.
I quickly dashed over to the sparkling table to find it almost all gone. The biggest disappointment under the wine heading. I was also impressed with his being that there was no Saint Peray left to sample. My associate Tara and I had been on a mission to try some for 6 months with no luck. I told Joe how disappointed I was to be so close yet so far, and he was kind enough to obtain a sample for me.
Twenty minutes to go and I finally got in the Texier and then ran over to try the Chidaine and Pinon. I don't know how to choose. They're all sooooo good, especially the 2006 ChidaineMontlouis Clos Habert. It tastes like a fine aged still champagne. Unbelievable! As if that wasn't good enough, I tried Pinon 2005 Vouvray Cuvee Botrytis. My mouth was in a state of ecstasy.
The people who were working the tasting were pulling bottles off the table as I was still running around trying to taste everything. I never even made it to the Brenton, but I left feeling very satisfied with everything else I got to try. My only other disappointment was that Joao from Quinta do Infantado cancelled and I never got to worship his port in front of him.
Now I need to figure out what I can bring into the store and where to put it.
It's Tuesday, but yet in my head it felt like Wednesday. Yesterday was an ordinary Monday at work and today was a typical Tuesday morning, but somewhere down the road...it just became Wednesday. I kept staring at the schedule and looking at all the people coming in, but in reality I was looking at the wrong page. But then sales reps who are scheduled for tomorrow came in today.
I honestly just thought that today was a really strange day. I was insane at work and there was a crank caller who wouldn't stop calling. I called our phone company and the woman on the other end of the phone said she was having a bad day as well. Now I'm in the safety of my own home having a conversation with my best friend who was also having a not so hot day. So while drinking our respected Blue Moon's 1500 miles apart from each other, I started asking her if it was a full moon. Michelle, my BFF, said that it was an excuse to cover up for when people behave irresponsibly. I can understand that to some point. It's like getting away with murder because you have P.M.S.
I decided to test out this full moon theory and looked it up...low and behold, IT'S A FULL MOON! I'm not one to go running to point the finger at mother nature, yet I can't help feeling this moon thing is paying it's price today. I wonder what day the vines think it is...
And Michelle kept thinking it was Wednesday.
At least my bagels got to Washington and I got to order Hirsch 20 year old Bourbon & 22 year old Rye!
I am still in disbelief that not even a week ago, I was in Woodinville, Washington at Efeste wines, participating in their daily process during crush. Crush is what they call what happens in the winery after the grapes are picked and brought in. While planning my trip, I had no idea what I was getting myself into.
It all started a few months ago when I met Robert Carter, the sales manager of Efeste Wines at Heights Chateau. He came in through T. Edwards and was very warm and inviting to us about the winery. We tasted through the line and thought that most of them were absolutely superb. I told him how I was eager to participate in a harvest and invited me out there. He even called the winemaker and had me chat with him about the wines. My mind was made up, I had to go out there and see what was going on with the winemaker Brennon Leighton and Efeste.
Having only been to wineries in France, I was still thinking this was going to be a more European experience. Robert informed me that the grapes were actually a few hours away from the winery and more than likely, I wouldn’t be picking them. But he promised me that we would go out to the vineyards and see the grapes as well as get to participate in the sorting of them back at the winery. I told him as long as my hands got purple, it was all good.
My first day out there was a bit of a wash. There was a crush in process, but were finishing up and getting ready for lunch. Brennon started to give me a tour of the winery and show me what was in the process of fermentation before grabbing a plate of food. It was during lunch that Robert showed up and told me he had plans for dinner. Brennon and the assistant winemaker Mary were eager to introduce me to the world of clean up, but it looked as if I was going to be resting up before dinner. I really wanted to dive right in, but after being up since 4:30am, I was more than happy to get a nap in.
Dinner was more than I could have asked for. Robert took us to one of Seattle’s hot spot’s Wild Ginger and was joined by some fellow New Yorkers- Steve from Blue Fin and Ann Marie from Harbour Lights. He completely spoiled us by ordering some of the best wines I’ve had: 96 Lafite, Krug MultiNV, Billecart-Salmon Brut Rose…then there was the 85 Dr. Loosen our Sommelier brought us and the 89 Zilliken. But the grand finale was the 2004 Silex by the dearly departed Didier Dagueneau. As if the food and drink were great enough, Wild Ginger also owns the nightclub Triple Door that’s next door and Todd Rundgren was playing. Noel was more than happy to take us over…through the kitchen and since I’m in love with kitchens…I had to shoot some video footage:
I was having a great time, but in the back of my head a voice was telling me I should get some sleep since I was meeting Brennon at 7am to see the vineyards.
Walking up very groggy before the crack of dawn was not fun, but I was excited to be spending the day with Brennon and learning about his approach to making wine. Robert drove me to the corner of nowhere for him to pick me up and get on the road. Still rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, we approached his favorite coffee place and saw one of those fancy coffee's with the designer foam. Oh la la. We also picked up some organic PB&J's and hit the road again. Our first stop wasn't for 2 hours and we settled into the early morning drive.
First up was Evergreen, the vineyards where Efeste gets all of their white grapes from. We walked through the Riesling and ate the grapes off the vines. Some of the bunches had botrytis growing on them too...which of course I tried as well. Brennon pointed out what he was looking for in the parts of the grape before he gave the OK to harvest- skins needed to not have a chalkiness, there shouldn't be a bite in the finish and the seeds are no longer green. He chews on them and makes judgements. No tools are used out on the fields to measure the sugars and acid levels...it's all by taste. The Riesling wasn't ready yet and we moved onto the Chardonnay. The vines had already been pruned and all that was left hanging was the grapes that were ready to be picked. After tasting one of those ripe grapes off the vine, my store bought grape days were over. Everything was in perfect balance- the skins melted, the juice was succulent and the seeds broke away from the pulp easily. On the unripe grapes, you have to sort of work the seeds away from the middle before spitting them out. These grapes were ripe and I couldn't wait to see them come into the winery and get pressed.
I can't exactly recall the exact number of vineyards we went to, but it was definitely in the double digits. The rest of the day was an assortment of red varieties...mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, but we also had Syrah (which was getting picked the next day) and Mourvedre. Brennon took samples of some of the vines to bring back to the winery and check their PH levels and sugar levels. We moved very fast from vineyard to vineyard taking very short breaks to maybe talk to a winemaker or vineyard manager. Here's a collage of photos from our different stops:
The second to last vineyard we went to was that of Dick Boushey's in Yakima Valley, who is one of the most respected winemakers/vineyard owners in Washington state. He was out with his dogs testing the Barbera and Sangiovese when we ran into him and had an interesting conversation. The topic, which varietal is going to be the next big thing. Dick was experimenting with some interesting varietals including, Picpoul, Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc and Tempranillo. I told him how much I loved some of the grapes he was working with and offered me bottles to take back home to try. I was also fascinated with his taster...
Last but not least, was the famed Red Mountain Vineyards, which payed tribute to Chateneuf du Pape by having the little chapel on the top of the hill. We went to collect samples of the Cabernet Sauvignon from different parts of the slope they were growing. What I found most interesting was that the grapes were riper on the southwestern part of the row. Brennon not only told me his philosophy of what Cab should taste like (herbaceous), but also informed me of how the sun sets in Washington making those grapes on the SW side riper before the others. It truly is amazing how far along the state is given that the first vines were only planted a little over 30 years ago.
Not only was Red Mountain beautiful, but the gates were locked and we had to do some off-roading to escape...
The whole trip wasn't all tasting grapes and chatting with vineyard managers and winemakers, we had some distractions as well. My favorite moment was when driving down a busy East Washington road, there was one lonely McCain/Palin sign. It's been ages since I felt the urge to steal a sign, but I couldn't leave that in the middle without an Obama one in sight. Lucky for me Brennon wasn't opposed to this and we made a U-turn...and nobody stopped to yell.
There was also an adventure in a grocery store where at the deli counter I asked if they could make a cheese sandwich...that was the most bizarre example of a grilled cheese I could have ever imagined. Brennon and I heading back towards Seattle reminisce while watching the beautiful Washington sunset.
We didn't get back to Robert's house until almost 10pm (remember we left at 7am). I was exhausted and fell right to sleep since we had a long day back at Efeste. Robert was joking I had to go in at 6am to do punch down, but Brennon said nobody was showing up till at least 8am...yay!
We got a late start Friday morning and managed to show up at the winery around 9am, where I found Mary with all the bags of samples we collected. She put me right to work crushing the grapes so their brix (sugar levels) and PH balance could be taken. Finally, a chance to step on some grapes even if they were in garbage bags. We lined them up and took their readings. We also taste tested the different juices because science can only tell you so much and it's more fun to use your own senses.
After cleaning up our samples, Mary had me work with Ben on topping off all the barrels. This is done to keep the wine from oxidizing while sitting in the barrels and to refill the wine that had evaporated. This is done once a month. Each type of wine has a keg sister that is hooked up to a tank of gas to give it pressure and make the juice flow. Little did I know, I had to climb up five rows of barrels to do this task. While Ben is part spiderman...I am not...good thing I don't give up easily. I was given a quick tutorial before I embarked on my mission.
Then it was my turn...
After the barrels are filled you have to clean up all of the spillage, and with me behind the wheel- there was lots to clean up:
Ben and I worked on topping off the barrels for almost the whole day. I got all the way up to the last two and half rows before going to help Brennon and Mary with getting the barrels and the equipment ready for the sort happening on Saturday. To be honest, I think Ben saw how pooped I was and offered to finish it up and I wasn't going to say no. I think it was already well into the late afternoon before he was done in there. In the meantime, I washed out the barrels for the Chardonnay that was getting pressed and helped punch down some of the fermenting grapes. Punching down helps break up all the skins, seeds and stems that have risen to the top. It's important to do this twice a day in order to extract color, flavor, and tannins. The process also helps put oxygen into the vat to help the fermentation process, keep bad bacteria away and regulate the temperature (it gets hot when sugars turn to alcohol). I thought topping off the barrels was tough, but this was another challenge to my physical abilities. Mary suggested they get a plank out to put across the bin, but Brennon pointed out I was wearing good shoes. He showed me how to get up on the edge and then told me to punch everything down with the over-sized potato masher. While Mary was encouraging me on, Brennon was taking bets if I would fall into the vat. Extra paranoia for me while trying to balance and use all my force to push down the cap.
By 6pm I felt like I had earned the title of cellar rat and hurt in way too many places. My hands were stained purple and there were random cuts, scrapes and bruises all over my hands and arms, but I felt good. The day was full of hard work but I also got a little bit of play time in with Mary's dog Finley:
And there was also the forklift...
We all grabbed a beer and headed into Brennon's office to decompress and discuss what time we were getting there for the sort. Brennon, Robert and I headed out to their local favorite restaurant the Barking Frog for dinner and met up with one of the Efeste owners Patrick. We had a lovely dinner, but were anxious to get back to the winery and see the grapes coming in from the harvest. I don't know if you've gotten this yet, but when it's harvest time, all that one does is eat, sleep and live grapes. It was another long day with a very hard sleep. Saturday was not going to be any easier of a day, but I am happy to say there was no climbing involved.
Saturday morning came way too quickly and before I knew it, everyone was back at the winery for the crush. Mary had coordinated volunteers to help with all the sorting and brought in a nice group of people who had one the day in a silent auction. She also brought what Washington calls bagels...I called them round pieces of wonder bread with a hole in the middle. While Brennon and Mary were getting ready for everyone, Ben and I went to take the brix and temperatures of all the fermentation vats as well as some of the barrels. By 8:30 am, Efeste was filled with people and everyone took their positions on the sort line and in the winery. Mary was excited that they had a new cellar rat (me) and appointed me hose girl. My job for the day was to rinse off the empty grape bins and make sure I kept the floor clean and free from sticky grape mush. Ben tended to the press and made sure the grapes were spread evenly, while Brennon and Mary worked with the volunteers on the sort line and bringing in the bins of grapes to sort through. We were like a well oiled machine and was more than happy to roll up my sleeves and do my part. Chardonnay was the first grape to be sorted and it was a fairly simple process. The bad grapes were taken off the table and everything else just went right into the press. within an hour the juice was starting to flow out. I just cupped my hand under the flow and slurped it right up. Sooooooo good. I tried to convince Brennon that the fresh Chardonnay would make a killer cocktail with bourbon, but he didn't think it would be the best idea to send someone to the store for a bottle. Next time, I'll know to be prepared.
We quickly blew threw the white grapes and let the volunteers take a break while Mary, Ben and I set up for the Syrah. This had an extra sorting table and a de-stemmer. Also, the grapes didn't go directly into the press, but went into fermentation vats. The first table sorted, then those grapes went into the de-stemmer and then were sorted again before going into the fermentation bin. The red varietals are definitely more work and the natives were getting restless. The pace was sped up on the sort line and it was very reminicsent of an I Love Lucy episode. After a few hours of picking through the grapes, my mind started to wander and began to come up with superhero names and and powers for everyone at the winery. Ben was the Barrel Monkey and his power was to appear in a flash at any harvest around the world. Mary was the Hose Mistress and her superpower was that she could blast away anything with her hose of water. Brennon was the Anti-Spoofalator and he battled Spoofalators of wine. My superhero was Squeegee Girl and was able to push out all evil into the p-trap (the drain built into the winery floor that collects all the debris). I think there should be a comic book spin-off based on these characters, but that would be a whole other blog.
When the last bin of Syrah was dumped onto the sort table, there was a huge sigh of relief coming from the volunteers. That meant lunch was coming and they could sit and drink some wine. For Mary, Ben and I, it meant that we had a while to go before we were done. It was time to put all of our superpowers together and clean up everything. Together we had three hoses going at the same time. Mary gave me the job of cleaning out the hopper and sorting table. When I finished I was ready to clean more, but Mary urged me to go and eat before it was all gone- her and Ben would finish up the remaining. Shortly after I started my lunch, Robert informed me we had to get going if I was going to get back to his place, shower and pack before my flight. I was bummed that I had to leave so soon and thought about changing my flight.
I said my goodbyes and was off to the wineries down the street where there was an open house. We went to visit Mark Ryan who's father was my driver when I landed in Seattle. I really wanted to try his wines since he made a Viognier. It was jam packed and I was soaking wet from hosing everything. It wasn't the best time for me to be trying anything except a shower and a nap.
Robert and his wife Lara were such gracious hosts and took me to dinner in downtown Seattle at Purple before dropping me off at the airport. My Washington Wine Journey had come to an end...for now.
Robert is coming to Heights Chateau on Wednesday, October 22nd at 5:30pm to taste everyone on Efeste wines. I hope to see you all there.
A few days ago, I was preparing to go up to the Catskills for the All Tomorrow's Parties music festival. My first thoughts weren't about what clothes to pack, but what alcohol I was going to drink. Back when I had a walkman, it was what cassettes to bring with and then CD's with my compact disc player. Now that I enjoy a nip or two, it was what booze. For days I was asking myself "what do you drink for two days and not get sick of ...or from"?
Here's what my criteria was on deciding which bottle to bring: 1. Can I drink it with nothing added to it? 2. Can it be mixed with simple beverages to create another drink?
With those two questions and the fact it's National Bourbon Heritage Month, I decided on a bottle of bourbon...but which one. That started another slew of questions to myself since I have a theory about bourbons- different ones are good for different moods.
Feeling like getting into an altercation- George T. Stagg, Hirsch 16, Old Grand Dad (80 or 100 proof)
Sitting on a porch and watching the day pass by- Blantons, Sam Houston
Had a bad day and want to numb yourself- Basil Hayden, Pappy Van Winkle 12 or 15, Bookers
Going to a music festival and plan on slowly drinking for two days- BULLEIT
On my way in to work, I made a pit stop at Brooklyn Tattoo to purchase my first flask in the hopes of using it in good health all weekend. If you plan on drinking your own hooch, might as well bring it with you in style. Even though I was planning on putting Bulleit in it first, I had a change of heart when the night's Bourbon tasting had leftovers. The lovely woman who hosted the Buffalo Trace tasting had a double pour of Blantons left and gave it to me...eventually I decided not to drink it at work and took it with me- I can't waste good stuff. At the same time, there was the most amazing Cote-du-Nuits Village Rouge from Desertoux-Ferrand which I couldn't leave behind and poured that into an empty vitamin water bottle.
I didn't get to my hotel till almost 2 am due to a few unexpected factors in my travels. First, I missed the stop in Monticello, but got to witness a verbal confrontation over a seat. It was one of the most brilliant scenes. A woman had put her bag on the seat in front of me to move there since it was the emergency row exit and had more leg room. Before she was able to sit there, another woman walked over, picked up her stuff and basically threw it back at her saying she couldn't hold seats. Mind you, it was an empty bus! The word motherfucker and bitch got tossed around quite a bit, but my favorite was when the woman who just sat in the seat said "Smack your motherfuckin' eyes straight...you will be seeing straight." I have of course captured this on tape for your listening pleasure. I'm a bit bummed that I didn't get the part where she called her a googly eyed bitch, but I'm sure this will make you laugh.
The bus pulled over about 10 minutes later so the driver could get a cup of coffee and that's when the two women walked off the bus and the googly eyed one got punched in the face. It's also when I realized I had missed my stop. Lucky for me, there was a car service right there with a very nice man who was willing to take me to the hotel. Yay!Finally at the hotel I could relax and started to drink that lovely Cote-du-Nuits, take some fun pictures on Celeste's imac and gear up for Saturday.
We were getting a late start on going to the festival on Saturday and didn't want that to hold me back from starting my Bulleit challenge...to leave Sunday night with an empty bottle. I was on vacation after all, so thought that Blantons would be a terrific chaser after breakfast. After finishing up what was in the flask, I was ready to open up the Bulleit. When starting to drink early in the afternoon, the trick is to start easy and then work your way up. A layering of beverages if you will. First drink plenty of water, then purchase a bottle of ice tea. Drink half of the tea and then pour the Bourbon into the bottle. Drink the combination while sitting in the hotel room. It's also good to try and put on your make-up while drinking your spiked iced tea...really.
My first day on the festival grounds I didn't know what to expect. I only came with one flask filled and a small amount of my spiked tea. If only I had known that it was a free for all. One flask was not enough and I have to give thanks to my friend Daniel who was drinking the same thing and gave me a refill while rockin' out to Les Savy Fav. According to him, it was much classier to drink out of a flask than out of a water bottle. It was nice to know I wasn't alone in my drinking quest and had many people to share in the joys and tom-foolery that goes along with a steady stream of hooch. Even if you weren't drinking, you had to join in the fun. That's why I created this album for you to view of what happens when you are having a good time...
The next day, I didn't want to make the same rookie mistake and loaded up on two bottles of spiked iced tea and a full flask. Better safe than sorry is my motto. I also picked up a Fuente cigar on my way over. I was preparing to have an old man moment by the lake. Cigar in one hand...flask in the other. Nothing like sitting next to a lake, feeling the light breeze, smoking a great stoogie and sipping on some spiked tea. While my friends were running off to see bands, I basked in the sun.
Back inside, minus one iced tea bottle, I spent the next two hours watching bands until it was time for some food. This is where I noticed the fresh lemonade stand...a perfect background for my bourbon. The key to long term drinking is to thin it out otherwise you will wind up in a very bad state. Lemonade + Bulleit = Delicious. I also want to make note that it gave me super human air hockey powers.
By the time I was finished with my lemonade, Michal showed up and Celeste and I went off to the car for a re-load. It was with mixed pleasure and disappointment that I found there to be no more Bulleit. I was happy to have my second bottle of iced tea and still have a little bit left in my flask.
I went back into Kutchers with a feeling of MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
Thank you to all those who helped by taking swigs off my flask, poured some bourbon into their drink and contributed to a very fun weekend.
Months ago I was introduced to the Sorrel flower after trying it as a drink in a local Roti shop. I was instantly hooked to it's somewhat sweet, tart and spicy flavor combo. After making vats of tea with it, I looked to my bar/altar and found some Sauza Blanco. Pefect for experimenting with the flavors of Sorrel.
Sorrel has a bit of a tart fruit flavor to it, reminiscent of wild strawberries and cranberries. It's usually paired with cloves and ginger, but I thought the agave flavor in tequila would go quite nice. It took four days to fully infuse the sorrel, ginger and cloves with the tequila. Everyday, I shook, smelled and tasted until it was time to filter out everything. Into the fridge it went until last night when a friend was asking for a margarita.
After spending the entire day watching the West Indies Parade, I thought a drink more Caribbean than Mexican would be right. Not having any rum on hand, it was only fair to use the sorrel infused tequila into my Caribbean Stormy Margarita Mash Up. Here's what I came up with: 4 oz Sorrel infused tequila 2 oz Ginger Beer Fresh squeezed lime juice Ice Pour the tequila over ice in a highball glass. Add fresh lime juice and top off with ginger beer.
It was spicy and sweet, very refreshing and a bit too easy to drink. Needless to say, it was the perfect beverage after watching hours of feather dancers and listening to a variety of Soca and Reggae.
Here are some pics (these were taken with my phone so they're not the best):
Learning about wine and spirits has turned me into a smelling freak. It wasn't too long ago I was a normal person. Happy to just eat my food, drink my hooch and go about my business. I knew my life had changed the night I ordered a glass of Lagavulin (one of the most amazing peaty scotches out there) and proceeded to dab it on my wrists and wear it as perfume. I must have spent 15 minutes between each sip inhaling the aromas. Last night my friend witnessed my new smelling obsession with cheese. It's one thing when you are the only one who notices your behavior, but another when your friends are calling you out on it.
We met up at Bierkraft in Park Slope, which I had never been into before. I was looking at all the different beers, when all of the sudden the cheese caught my eye. When Allison arrived I was deep in thought of what cheese I was going to devour. Lucky for me, she had the same idea...let's get a few hunks, a baguette and sit outside somewhere. The first cheese I picked out was the almighty Époisses, a cheese so stinky it was banned from public transportation in France! To be honest, we got two more cheeses but I was a one cheese woman last night. Our lovely cheesemonger let us sample some of it while she was wrapping it and instantly my fingers stank in the best way possible.
Trying to hold in my jubilation over the Époisses was easier said then done. Allison was careful to just get the cheese on the bread, while I was practically taking a bath in it. Let's just say, it was finger licking good. She tried her best to keep my mind off of the cheese, but somehow I always got the conversation to focus back on it by blurting out some fun facts: ***it's from Burgundy ***the rind is washed with marc de Bourgogne (a spirit made from Pomace) How can you not like something that combines cheese & hooch!? And because I'm supposed to be writing about drinking, it goes best with a good red Burgundy or a sweet white wine.
Where we wound up with our snacks did not have a fine aged Burgundy, but had a killer selection of beers on tap...I got the Dry Blackthorn Cider. Don't worry, this is a real cider, not some sugar loaded crap that tastes like a jolly rancher. Beer is sort of a foreign beverage for me, but I'm trying to broaden my horizons. After the cider, I had a Palm Belgium Beer and then followed it up with the Avery White Rascal, a white Belgium styled beer that had some really rich spicy flavors. It's the first time in my life I had two beers back to back (and I even spent time working at a beer bar). I guess if you keep trying something, eventually you will like it.
After some time Allison's bag was opened and the Tuthilltown Manhattan Rye was poured as well as the new Colorado whisky. Since I was doing most of the pouring, it kept getting on my hands which then went straight up to my nose. One of the best ways to really smell whisky is by rubbing it on your hands. It reacts with your body just like a perfume and you will pick up aromas that you might not have caught in the glass.
So please, next time you're out eating cheese or drinking some whisky, get it on your hands. I really don't want to be the only one out in public with my hands in my face.
PS: The new issue of Wine Spectator has a huge spread on the top 100 cheeses. PPS: 13 more days till it's officially National Bourbon Month!
I finally went a few weeks ago to the Brandy Library in Tribeca and instantly fell in total love....with their menu. I had the Peat Promise sampler and it definitely delivered. Some of the tasters were old favorites; Caol Ila 12 and Black Bottle (which reminded me I need to order it for the store) as well as some new scotches I hadn't tried yet including the Six Isles and Connemara cask strength. I want to work my way through all their samplers. It's a great way to learn about spirits. I highly recommend going there and trying something new (or old).
Monday was my birthday and gathered up my friends and head down there again. This time, my mission was their seasonal cocktails. The list is unbelievable and I had the best Mint Julep ever. Also had a delicious cocktail made up of bourbon and Rhum Clement (a really yummy rum that's infused with oranges and spices). Then there were all the drinks my friends ordered which I had to take sips off of. Such items as cognac muddled with fig, or highland single malt mixed with bitters. Whatever crazy combo they came up with it made sense in the end. If anyone wants to go...drop me a line. I still have a whole lot of drinking to do!
I was moving along pretty steadily with getting my trip and thoughts out into the blog world, but then something happened. It was called the International Wine Center. I am finally done with getting my advanced certificate in wine (well I still need to wait 3 months before I see results) and after a few weeks of doing nothing but playing Puzzle Quest and reading book candy, I'm ready to take on the blog again.
Now that I have all this new knowledge of the wine world, I still find myself not using a whole lot of the jargon they taught me to describe wine. I guess you can't teach an old dog new tricks. They teach you to describe words with typical adjectives: fruit forward, oaky, tannic...but I still tend to tell our customers the following: so good it broke my heart, i want to put a straw in it and just drink, killer juice. Then there are my descriptions of some of my favorite spirits: made me break out into a jig, i love to wear it as perfume, or it's like a symphony (that can be used with wine as well). Sometimes you just have to go with that initial feeling.
I promise to finish what I started very soon. More pictures to add...thanks Stuart! Plus there's a big chance I'll be spending some time in September working a harvest...Yay!
It was another early start with our first winemaker at 9am. Oh so tired.....but I'm in France on a mission. And so far it's been to drink my way through Burgundy.
First stop of the day was Jean Jacque Girard in Beaune. Yay, another early call and I'm still trying to shake off the night before. But Jean Jacque was truly a delightful visit. Lots of great wines and good information. Girard is one of the oldest domaines in Savigny and dates back to the 1400's. He has the papers to prove that the vines belong to his family that date back from before the French Revolution. I really started getting curious about the history of Burgundy while spending time there and started asking the winemakers about how long the vines have been in the family. We met Jean Jacque's son who is learning the trade and will eventually take over for his Dad. I don't know about the rest of you out there who are reading it, but how great would it be to inherit a Domaine???
Before I go on another tangent about their cloning process, I really want to talk about all the wines we had. There were 12 all together and they had a common thread of being elegant and very approachable. Probably my favorite of the Pinot's was a premier cru from Les Lavieres, but the prize of the whites was a good ole Village that was made from vines his grandmother planted. I even wrote "do a little dance, have a little fun" on my notes. At a certain point, you just can't take professional notes, but just go with the overall experience.
We were there for quite a while taking our time to taste even though we had a full day ahead of us, but sometimes it just feels good to sit and chill. Plus we tasted in his home instead of in a freezing cold cellar. The conversation just flowed and we had an incredible lesson in grafting. Every year, they take 1500 buds from the vines and take them to a specialist who grafts them onto root stock. Then they plant the new roots on the south slope side of the Alps and keep them there for a year before bringing it back to plan in their vineyards. Now that's love.
Before we finally shuffled off, I got to watch my first small production bottling line in practice. Here's some video:
After a few more minutes of chit chat we were off to our next stop, Paul Garaudet in Monthelie. And from what Stuart was saying about this producer, it was going to be a lot of fun. He's know for his grand personality and presence. We were also meeting back up with Scott and another group of people from the States to taste Garaudet's wines. It was nice to have a few more people to taste with after spending almost a week with just the six of us. We started off tasting the 06 whites, but then he was gracious enough to pour us the 05's as well. It went on into the reds and he kept opening not only 2005, but 2004. Most of the fun we had with the winemakers is when they were really into opening various vintages. It was such a great way to learn about how vintage means EVERYTHING in Burgundy. My favorite of his was a 2006 blanc from Merssault "Forges". It was also great to try another style of Pommard. Compared to Billard-Gonnet, Paul's was the smoothest and most elegant style. Winemaking in Monthelie is known for their high level of quality and it showed at this Domaine. The other star was his pinot noir from the vineyard of Les Duresses in Monthelie.
I'm not sure if I mentioned this earlier, but according to our itinerary, we were meeting with 5 different producers today. FIVE! And we were only two deep and according to my stomach it was well past lunch. I think once all of us realized it we quickly made our goodbyes and flew off to Chambolle in the Cote de Nuit for what would be one of the highlights of the trip.
Hudelot-Noellat owns some of the most prestigious lands in all of Burgundy. These are the vineyards that people pay thousands of dollars to buy the wines. This land is what grapes are to Burgundy as what Black Sabbath is to heavy metal. To be honest, I didn't really have a clue as to the greatness we were about to taste. I honestly felt that I wasn't worthy not having payed my dues yet in the wine world, but the look on my fellow travelers' faces told me how much this stop was going to rule.
We met the young winemaker Vincent who took us down to the cellars. All of the wines we were going to taste were still in the barrel and he had to mix each one carefully with the right balance of juice from the new oak and the old oak. We started off with their entry level Bourgogne Rouge and their Chambolle Village, then each wine after just was a tasting privilege. Not that their entry level or village was something to spit out. We also tried their premier cru's: from Nuit-Saint-George- Aux Murgers, Vougeot- Le Petit Vougeot, Chambolle-Musigny- Les Charmes, Vosne-Romanee- Les Suchots & Aux Malconsorts. Then there were the Grand Cru's of Romanee Saint-Vivant & Richebourg. But one of my favorites of the day actually came from a small premier cru located north of Echezeaux called Les Beau Monts. Let me just say...holy crap, that was amazing! My notes just read in all caps DO NOT SPIT OUT. There was no way I could take detailed notes here. The Clos Vougeot I tasted said "knees weak", the Romanee Saint-Vivant "can't even put into words". This was serious wine crazy goodness. The juice was so sacred we couldn't even dump the leftovers (if there were any) into the spittoon...it went back into the barrels.
Vincent lead us back upstairs so Stuart and Nate could talk business with Mrs. Hudelot-Noellat and I was so amped on good juice I was dancing around the showroom, waiting for my chance to ask if I could purchase some bottles. I think Mrs. Hudelot-Noellat was so entranced by my enthusiasm of her wines that she gave me a great deal on two bottles, a 2000 Romanee Saint-Vivant and a 1997 Nuit-Saint-George, which was drank not too long after my return to the states. I took a great deal of pictures here:
I honestly wouldn't want to be the next producer on our list, but Herve Sigaut (also in Chambolle) it was. Herve and his wife welcomed us in total friendly Burgundian fashion and brought us into their home and off we were to round 4. He too had a great deal of premier cru's in his stock as well. We tried the 06 Les Carrières, which was awesome, bu then had the 06 Les Fuées and was totally floored by the earth, juiciness and spice. We also got to try the 04 from this land and had a surprise bottle at the end, which turned out to be a 1987. I guessed the area, but not the vintage...Burgundy was actually starting to make sense to me. It only took 4 days and about 200 wines. There was another wine we tasted from Les Chatelots that made me write "A Chugger". After all the reds, Herve pulled out a few whites and I was excited to see Les Champ Gain! Yay! If you haven't tried a wine from this small patch of land in Puligny-Montrachet, go out and get a bottle...NOW. As you read this I am on a mission to get some in at Heights Chateau otherwise, you will see me cry a great deal. Herve's wife was present the whole time and it was clear that she made a great deal of decisions concerning the wines. Herve even told us that it was her who got him to start making his wines so elegant. They also explained how they try and limit all fining and work with the lunar cycle. It was really nice to see so many producers working with nature instead of against it.
By the time we left it was already a bit past dusk and we still had ONE MORE stop. Eeeek. At this point of the day we had already tasted 58 wines (which I'm coming to understand isn't really a lot on these trips), but Stuart consoled me and said the next stop would only be a few more. So last, but not least, we visited Domaine Guillard in Gevrey-Chambertain. It was a very interesting visit since this is the first producer we met with who had their operation inside what looked like a store front in the village, not where the vineyards were. When you walked in, there was a little mud room and then there were large stainless steel tanks in the larger room (it honestly looked about the same size as my Brooklyn studio apt). He ran a very old school operation with bottling be done by hand and without much help. The Bayfield guys were under the impression his sister helped him quite a bit and there were canned veggies and beans scattered around showing her mark there. I was totally enamored with Guillard's quirkiness and felt inspired to take a great deal of pictures in his cellar....which is what I did.
On the way out to the car, I saw this incredibly huge dog and made Mike take pictures of me trying to pet him/her. I mean he/she was gigantic. I've never seen one of its kind before and if anyone knows what breed this thing is, please let me know. And now...off to dinner!!!!
We were all looking forward to dinner tonight for two reasons, one being that we hadn't stopped tasting wine all day and the other being that it was one of the top restaurants in Burgundy. Three stars according to Michelin...Negative stars if you are vegetarian. http://www.lameloise.fr/commun/pages/restaurant.asp I knew that going into France it was going to be culinary challenging for me given the fact I don't eat anything with a face. But I was getting into the groove of fine dinning as a veg and after that glorious meal I had the night before at La Montrachet, I was eager to test the chef's skills. I told the waiter about my dietary issues and asked that the chef take liberties and what I got was a plate of cold pasta with no sauce and a side of Parmesan cheese (which I think could have been from a can). Oh no he didn't! It was the worst/most expensive meal I had the whole time in France. At least the guys enjoyed their meals immensely, cause if it was up to me....I would have gone back into the kitchen and yelled at the chef for charging me what he charged and giving me what he did. And not only was my main dish poop, but we were there for hours. When we finally got the check after 8 courses, the credit card machine was down and we had to leave one by one to take Euros out of the ATM a block away. Bob had a bunch of Francs on him and we tried to make light of the situation by trying to pay the bill with them which got a bit of a chuckle. In the end, we were there for 5 hours and left with jars of Lameloise jam. Thanks guys for the free jam. No, really. If I had been drinking bourbon instead of wine, the front of the hotel would have been jammed.
Back to the hotel for our alloted 5 hours of sleep before rolling over and trying more wine.
I'm really not sure how I managed to make it to breakfast that morning at 8:30am. I really felt like I was looking out at the world through coke bottle lenses. It took me a while to realize that there was another person joining our party. At first I thought he was just another guest at the hotel, but then he started to follow us out the door. Scott worked with Nate and Stuart helping them find talented wine producers and this morning we were going to a few of his picks.
Our first stop was at 9am at Domaine Pillot in Chassagne-Montrachet, located a bit south of Cote de Beaune. While still rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, a wine glass was handed to me and we were led down into the cellar. Paul's son Theirry took over a few years ago and is the 4th generation to run the domaine. It was really interesting to watch the dynamic of father and son when we first entered and when we left. Paul stayed completely out of the way and didn't even come downstairs to taste with us, but took orders from his son to get glasses.
There was no wasting time as we had our first drops of wine within 15 minutes. We started out easy with their entry level 06 Blanc Bourgogne and quickly moved into some heavy hitters. Anyone who says they don't like white wine has not had one from this producer. They were all so good, that my tasting notes just fell to the wayside. If I really liked the wine it got a star and on one, the Cailleretes made me go weak in the knees from the nose alone. Even his red wines delivered. It's rare that a producer can make such great wines both red and white. Theirry spoke English very well so we were able to ask a lot of questions and I wish I could remember what they were. I know he spoke about how they tended the vines into a cordon system, meaning that the vines are attached to the top wire of the trellis. We were then led out their vines to see for ourselves. It truly was an inspiring experience being at the Pillot's winery and I was even moved enough to want to go back in September to participate in the harvest for a week. And some pictures for your viewing pleasure:
And then some video:
Waking up and tasting Pillot's wines was a great way to start the day and it was only getting better. Our next stop was Billard-Gonnet, an incredible Pommard 1er Cru producer who's domaine dates back to 1766. Scott was the complete leader of this introduction as he was pretty reserved and didn't speak much English. He brought us down to the cellar, where he had a nice little tasting room with a heat lamp. I was so happy to see one of those but it didn't really help the freezing damp that cut right through me. It wouldn't have been so bad in the cellars, but the wines were so cold my teeth hurt. Most of my time was spent breathing hot air into cupped hands so I could warm up my glass.
This meeting started off all business...went right into the whites which were clearly not his forte and quickly moved into the Pinots. Even the entry level Bourgogne rouge was fabulous. Rustic and strong, totally packed a punch. I was falling in love with Pommard. We went through all of the 05 and 06's and then Billard asked us what we wanted to try. Woo hoo! We asked to try the 99 1er Cru and were not disappointed. Then we tried the 98 Pommard, but the 99 was definitely the big winner. I guess Billard saw our enthusiasm for his wines and decided to quiz us and we played name that vineyard and vintage. It was a 66 Clos des Vouches and it was like drinking pure gold. This was my first time tasting what a Burgundy can do with a little time and patience. Note to self....must get a wine fridge and start putting some of these away.
After having such an intense wine I think all of us were feeling rather excited about why we were in Burgundy. Billard let us roam around his cellar and what stood out most to me was the amount of glorious mold that was covering EVERYTHING. I guess he uses indigenous yeast. And the end of each row of barrels were shelves housing bottles from the last 10 decades. While the other guys in the group were squawking about bottles from the 60's, I was staring at bottles that had been there since the late 1800's.
It was a bittersweet visit as we learned that Billard was planning on retiring soon, but didn't have any children to pass his domaine to. He might have another relative to take over, but who knows what will happen. Anyone want to buy a winery? Anyone?
It was now getting into lunchtime and we were running late to meet our next broker. I'm starting to notice a trend in running 30 minutes behind. In Miami there's Cuban time...in France, there's wine time. Luckily most people seemed to be pretty relaxed about time and Don was waiting for us patiently at the restaurant. He even took the liberty of having our food ready and wines on the table so we didn't waste much time. Still had lots more to taste. My favorite part about this restaurant was the waiter asking the chef to make me an omelet au natural, but getting an omelet with ham & cheese in it.
Don was a great guide through Burgundy as we went from Beaune to Alain Chavy in Puligny-Montrachet then to Pascal Pernier in Meursault. It's unbelievable how close all these appellations are to each other....literaly feet! I tried to take some video footage of Don pointing it out as we stopped along the vineyards...
At Chavy, we got to try three of his wines from the top down...in other words we went from the highest point of the vineyard to the mid-point on the slope and then to the flatlands. Even though it only spanned 100's of feet, the tastes were much different. The Champ Gain had more acidity, leanness and punch while the Folatieres which was midway down the slope was much more expressive (i even gave it two stars). The Clavoillons was at the bottom and was good, but just didn't have the same impact as the Champ Gain. Terroir is almost everything. It keeps getting driven into my brain with each wine I get to taste. After trying those wines it was off to Pascal Pernier who's well known for his Auxey Duresses. His style was very well structured. I noticed that both Chavy and Pernier have immaculate cellars. Well organized and clean. It definitly carries through in their wines as well. It was at this point of the day where I started to collapse with exhaustion. My palate was fine, but the rest of me wanted to sleep badly. I was sitting on the bench in Pernier's tasting room, holding a glass, my pad and paper and trying to write notes...and falling asleep. My eyes kept closing. I looked down at my page and saw the ink sort of scribbled across the lines. Game over. I was so happy to finish up that visit and get to take a disco nap in the car as we went to Don's office where apparently we would be trying more wines. Can we please taste some water! I was parched.
I woke up a bit at Don's office when he poured us some Pouilly-Fume...after days of nothing but chardonnay, that sauvignon blanc tasted like gold. I'm not complaining about the chards I had been drinking, because they were increadible, but it was nice to have a change of pace. Eleven more wines at Don's and then we were off to Le Montrachet, an inn that was built in 1824, for dinner. After all that wine...I was certainly ready for some food.
I think this was one of my favorite meals because I was over it with just the cheese and bread meal. I got the nerve to ask the waiter if the chef could just make me something vegetarian and wound up getting the most amazing pumpkin soup. Then I was served roasted vegetables which included endives, something I really hadn't eaten before. My wine buddies were eating pigeons and was fascinated by the strange meat eater food. Had to take a picture. Then I was so moved by my cheese plate, I took another picture. I think we managed to get back to the hotel by 1:30am, full and ready to hit the hay...
It doesn't get light out in the northern part of France till rather late in the morning. When my alarm went off at 8am, it was completely dark outside my window and I wasn't sure where I was. In all honesty, I didn't know if it was the jet lag or the amount of champagne consumed the night before which made me rather confused. Realizing that there wasn't much time to shower and get downstairs, I tried to take one of the most awkward showers with no shower curtain- a skill I mastered by the end of the trip. I'll give a play by play on how to take a shower and not flood the place in the near future.
After a very quick breakfast of bread and jam, we started loading up the cars to take off to Saint-Bris. But before I sat in a car for another two hours, I had to run around and snap some shots of the area.
Our first stop of the day was with Jacky Renard in Saint-Bris-le-Vineux, an oddity in Burgundy due to the fact the white wines are made from Sauvignon blanc and Sauvignon gris. Having only tasted one Saint Bris before, I was completely psyched to try another one. But first, some scenery:
Pulling up Jacky's driveway, you just knew this was going to be a real hands on producer. We were greeted by a big black dog, a cat, his wife and himself. The couple led us downstairs to where their tanks were and the tasting table was set up. Jacky quickly started opening bottles and I was fortunate enough to get a sound bite of the echo. You know us crazy Americans. We started with his Aligote and went through the line of Petit Chablis, Chablis, Saint Bris, Bourgogne Rouge and Irancy. Then the couple were eager for us to try the 06 reds in the barrel. We were more than happy to taste. The 05's were good, but the 06's were incredible. Trying the wine was almost as much fun as watching it get siphoned out of the barrel. Following the barrel samples, we went back to the tasting table and re-tried wines at our leisure. The whites that I originally thought were sharp had opened up and became much more expressive. There were snacks out for us as well which neither Jacky nor his wife would let us forget about. I ate as much cheese and nuts as I could and then quickly tried to look up how to say "I'm full" in French. Eventually, we made our way back upstairs to say our goodbyes and being my usual self, I couldn't sit still so wandered off to play with the dogs and take pictures of cherry fruit trees. Jacky was just an absolute sweetheart and I couldn't help but give him the double cheek kiss when I bid my farewell.
Then it's off to Domaine St. Martin in in Marsannay, but first a quick stop outside Dijon to hit up the Wal-Mart of France. This place was just huge and had everything from auto parts to food. What the French consider their regular groceries, we consider them to be gourmet. I think Stuart and Nate loaded up the most with salt, duck confite and mustard while I was just so overwhelmed that I wound up stocking up on chocolates. Our pit stop lasted all of 20 minutes and then we were off again.
Martin Bart was the first eccentric wine maker I got to meet on this adventure and I loved every minute he went on a tangent about the lunar cycle. I felt bad for Stuart since he had to try and keep up with his French and then translate it for us. What the most thrilling thing about meeting Martin was that even though we didn't speak the same language, somehow how or other we just clicked. I got completely wrapped up in his passion for the vines that he tended to and the wine making process. Here are some of the tidbits we learned:
* When the vines are flowering is when the wines in the cellar start to show well. * They try to rack the wines when it's a low moon, cold weather and no rain. * Wood that was cut during the right time during the lunar cycle would hold up better to weather and insects. This explains why there are wooden buildings and furnishings which are in great condition after hundreds of years. Since wood is no longer cut in tune with the lunar cycle, things aren't made to last as long. I feel this way about most products made today. * Hair grows in conjunction with the lunar cycle and he has a friend who gets his hair cut depending on where the moon is.
I'm not sure if it was the moon, Martin himself or the wines, but everything was tasting wonderful. I just can't wait to get some of my favorites in the store and for Martin to visit the US very soon. As of now, I have wine crushes on everyone.
By the time we left Domaine Bart it was pitch black out and we went to check into the hotel Le Home in Beaune. The hotel was absolutely adorable and was completely happy to be staying in the same place for a few nights. I got the room over the barn and it was wall to wall carpeting. Really quaint and am upset with myself for not taking pictures, but here's a link to their website http://www.lehome.fr/.
Once checked in we re-convened for dinner at Caveau des Arches which was in walking distance from the hotel. Figuring we would eat and drink a great deal, thought it would be best to walk some of it off. The restaurant is a two fork Micheline rated restaurant located in the vaults of a fortified bridge from the 16th century. They're best known for their simple Burgundian cuisine and vast wine list. Too bad for me they were not well versed in the art of Tofu, but as I will learn there isn't even a word for it in the French language. This was my first true dinning experience in France and I think I was a bit giddy. The wine list was past around the table, bottles and food were ordered and the true French meal began.
I never knew there were so many courses! I fell short on a few, but definitely made up for it in salads, cheese and desserts. The wine was the most intimidating part of the meal, but when the fromage was wheeled around the table, it was overwhelming. There were so many to choose from and all looked good. It took me no time to choose dessert though...how can you pass up on creme brulee? There was also the after dinner drink, then the after dinner coffee or tea. Everyone ordered coffee and I ordered calvados, but then our waitress came over and offered us a round of drinks on them, and I have a hard time saying no to a free drink so then joined the group in having some pear brandy. We all had a great time getting to know each other over the course of the 4 hour meal. Not to mention there was a group of Burgundy wine lovers on the other side of the restaurant making quite a racket and singing the song of the Burgundian Wine Fan Club (I can't remember the real name of the international group) which involved a lot of "la la's" and hand waving. I really wanted to run over there and join in the fun, but was still trying to be on good behavior.
By the time we left it was well after midnight and although I was completely exhausted, I really was thankful for the walk home. Gave me some time to work off all that was eaten and drunk. Too bad it wasn't enough, cause the next morning...total discombobulation.
