Showing posts with label bordeaux. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bordeaux. Show all posts
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Drink like a Robber Baron
And if you haven't heard the names, we're talking wines that fetch $500, $800, $1200 dollars... a bottle. Basically, if you took a blogger salary, multiplied it by ten, then added $1200, you'd have enough to buy a $1200 bottle of Château Pétrus.-
These are the legendary, age-worthy Grand Cru reds of Bordeaux. Powerful, elegant expressions based on Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Merlot. They are the wines of English royalty (Bordeaux was under British rule from the mid 12th century to the mid 15th century), presidents, dignitaries, captains of industry, railroad tycoons, and robber barons. Got a fistful of dough and want to make a statement? Nothing says "power lunch" like a lion standing atop a fortress; the trademark of a commanding bottle of Château Latour.
However, most of us are not named Andrew Carnegie or C. Montgomery Burns. We own no hotels on Boardwalk, nor do we go swimming within the gilded confines of our Money Bins. How can we get our grubby, unmanicured mitts on these treasures?
Rather easily, actually. As it turns out, the Grand Cru wines account for a very small percentage of red wine production in Bordeaux (red representing 89% of total wine made). 50% of total production falls under the "Bordeaux AOC" or "Bordeaux Supérieur AOC", the latter basically meaning 1% higher required alcohol. These designations constitute wines that can be made from grapes grown anywhere in the Bordeaux appellation. While not as age-worthy, complex, or expressive of unique bits and pieces of terroir (a "sense of place" that the French hold in much higher regard than the fruit used- thus, the reason why most wines are labeled by region, not by the variety of grape), these gems can offer great value.
Exceptional value, really. I know this, because I've been nursing 5 bottles (lovingly sent to me as samples by Balzac Communications for a "Planet Bordeaux" tasting) all weekend, and I hate that they will eventually go bad. Listen: I've been stuck at home with the baby all weekend, and drinking five bottles of wine by yourself is hard. Especially when you know you'll be waking up at 7 AM to hungry whimpers, no matter where you fell the night before.
All of these wines- spanning a few different vintages- are either 100% Merlot or Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blends. Much of the Cabernet Sauvignon sits on some blue-blooded real estate in Bordeaux, while Merlot gets around like Tiger Woods on ecstasy; the most widely-planted grape in the region. Cheaper land = cheaper grapes = more affordable wine. Ergo, these bottlings are Merlot-heavy (and that's okay). They run the gamut from fruit-bombs to earthy, acidic and tannic, explosively aromatic to as subtle as an outdated and misguided attempt at golf humor.
But while many offer more fruit-forward nature than is typical in lots of "old world" (European) wine, they all demonstrate a "food friendliness" and balance- slightly lower alcohol, more restained fruit, higher acidity- often not found in the wines of California, Australia, or Argentina at this price point... between $12 and $20. I can't say many wines from the ubiquitous California producers seen in every store and at every party can offer this level of quality and balance for around $15. Oh, you French. Spectacular winemakers, terrible marketers.
Regardless, I applaud their latest efforts to get these wines in the hands of American consumers. In fact, this weekend's samples represent the second batch of "value" Bordeaux wines I've received in 7 days (the remains of the former allotment dispatched after evaluation, courtesy of some large-livered friends). I hope that one or two folks make it this far into the post and feel compelled to try something new.
If you're one of those people, screw the "buy American" ethos that a global economy has nearly obsoleted and take on chance on a bottle of Bordeaux or Bordeaux Supérieur. You'll be sure to find value, quality, and hopefully a new favorite.
If anything, you'll be able to brag that you at least drink like a tycoon.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Joe Versus the Movie Pairings, part 2
...and so it continues. Completing the challenge posted on the Suburban Wino facebook page by a friend (see part 1 HERE). Trying to pair some wines with some of the 80's finest films. Cue your Europe...it's the Final Countdown:
Top Gun: Château Pétrus. Quite possibly, year-after-year, the most expensive wine in the world. Nestled in the Pomerol appellation of Bordeaux, France, this tiny producer cranks out- at most- around 2500 cases per year. I've seen recent vintages priced at a barrel-roll-above the-hard-deck, nosebleed-inducing pricetag of $1200+. Obviously, someone out there thinks this is the real Top Gun. Interestingly, it's made primarily out of Merlot, as most wines in the Pomerol AOC are. Often thought to be the wingman of Cabernet Sauvignon, it takes the Top Gun trophy this time. "You're still dangerous, Merlot...you can be my wingman any time." "Bullshit, Cabernet Sauvignon. You can be mine."
Amadeus: Grüner Veltliner. Celebrate Austria's most brilliant composer with Austria's most notable grape. Those with much-more-refined palates than I seem to laud the brilliance of these minerally white wines, especially their food-friendliness. I haven't drank a multitude of them, but- like Antonio Salieri- I jealously desire to possess the palates of those enological Mozarts who know GrüVee's symphonic charms. That being said, some of the better ones I've had come from a producer called Wolfgang Vineyards, if you really want to take this pairing thing too seriously.
The Naked Gun: For some reason, all I can think about is O.J. Simpson's performance in this movie. Drink a bottle of Orin Swift's "The Prisoner" in effigy, and remember the good times... 2,000 yards with the Buffalo Bills, and the one-man Comedy of Errors that was Nordberg.
Rambo: First Blood Part II: Chalone Vineyards was the closest-sounding thing I came up with on a feverish search to find the non-existent "Stallone Vineyards". Or, something from Paso Robles' Sylvester Winery. Drink alone.
Troop Beverly Hills: Like Shelley Long's intrepid vow to sell 2000 boxes of Wilderness Girls' cookies (to the chagrin of sinister district leader Velda Plendor), take on the equally-daunting challenge of drinking 2000 boxes of wine. Or was it 1000? I can't even being to put into words how much I don't care.
Beverly Hills Cop 2: Because nothing says "huge in the 80's, but completely washed up now" like White Zinfandel, synthesized pop music, and Eddie Murphy's career.
The Empire Strikes Back: Dammit. The now-defunct "Skywalker Ranch" wines would have been a total softball right here. However, the force is strong with this one, and I must imagine, if there was to be a wine made on the Ice planet Hoth, it would without a doubt be an Ice Wine, or "Eiswein" in Wookie (okay, that's German. But I know some Germanic people who look like Wookies). A delicious nectar made when grapes (usually Riesling) are left on the vine very late into the season, until they freeze. The majority of the water in the grapes is removed as ice, and what's left is a sweet, concentrated (but balanced) dessert wine that will take you to Cloud Nine, or at least Cloud City.
Gandhi: Vinho Verde. This light, crisp, and very pale white wine (the "verde" refers to its youth, not a green color) from Portugal pretty much looks the part of water, a.k.a. the lone staple of a hunger strike. Fighting the good fight for peace is darn admirable, but it doesn't have to be boring. Hey, I don't recall anyone calling it a "cocktail strike", okay?
The Karate Kid: Yeah, we all love Daniel-san. And lovable Mr. Miyagi could certainly help make a case for sake on this one. But let's be honest: we all wanted to be part of Cobra Kai Dojo. So, if you desire the juice in your glass to "strike like a cobra", you've gotta reach for a wine from Washington's Rattlesnake Hills AVA. Actually named for the shape of the hills, rather than a proliferation of poisonous serpents, this sub-AVA of the Yakima Valley AVA brings some serious Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc, Merlot, Riesling, Syrah, and many more. Indeed, Washington wine is crazy-good, and it's not afraid to go up against California's finest. Sweep the leg, Washington. You gotta problem with that?
What a fun challenge. Brought me back a bit to my days of "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" mastery. I hope some more challenges are posed, and I really hope some folks drink these wines with the movies suggested.
I've tried to think of a way to wrap this one up cleverly. Staring at the screen is no longer an option. All the creativity was used up on the movies. So...hmmm. Bye?
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Bordeaux Wine: Sooo Three Years Ago
Okay, bad example. Not a classic. But worth a picture at a nearby table, when Ed from Wine Tonite! and I ended up at The Vortex for some serious burgers (not this serious). Alas, that was the end of the evening...
...it began at a tasting hosted by the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (disclaimer: I was invited as a member of the Society of Wine Educators). We got to taste from among 80+ châteaux from the Bordeaux region*, including the Médoc, Graves, Sauternes, Barsac, St. Émilion, and Pomerol. Not too shabby for a snot-nosed kid from the sticks.
*Baby Steps: Bordeaux is a famous wine region in Southwest France, known for some of the most expensive and long-lived Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot-based wines, as well as some of the richest (in more ways than one) sweet wines from Sauternes. The red grapes allowed in this region are Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec (called "Côt" here), and Petit Verdot. The white grapes allowed are Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle.My (extremely brief) impression of the vintage was that 2007 made for some very approachable wines. Some Bordeaux vintages are built to age for 20, 30, 50+ years (like 2005). These, although still having some grip of tannin (particularly those from Pauillac and St. Estèphe, suggesting aging potential), showed good fruit, and I felt many were ready to drink (some of the Margaux and St. Julien in particular). And the Sauternes and Barsac....[insert Homer Simpson-style gurgling noises here]. Incredible noses of honey, apricots, and ginger gave way to the wines that I just couldn't manage to spit out.
Anyway, you can find much better detailed glimpses into the tasting at Wine and I and Wine Tonite! I- however- felt I would best do this tasting homage by taking some clips and dubbing them over with sassy electronica...Sacrebleu!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Preyed Upon by Infomercials
Remember this snake-oil salesman?
Yes, it's Ron Popeil, founder of Ronco, and crown-prince of spray-on hair, food dehydrators, and the Showtime Rotisserie, a device whose 3 AM infomercials have surely given many a college stoner a food-motivated stir in the britches.
Shamefully, I too fell victim to the sweet siren's song of cooking a whole turkey, baby back ribs, hot dogs and sausages for the whole neighborhood....oh...I'm hyperventilating. How could I survive without this ultimate kitchen gadget?! Set it, forget it, and become the champion of the kitchen: envied by men, and adored by women for my roasting prowess.
This was eight years ago. I saw a deal online...$99 bucks, and I would become an Iron Chef in my own mind.
Needless to say, it was used a couple times, then boxed up; set aside; shunned for years and years. But, like a phoenix from the ashes, we pulled the rotisserie out of mothballs this weekend and thought we'd give it another go. I'd procured a few bottles of freshly opened, then recorked Bordeaux (disclaimer: I got these as part of a tasting hosted by the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux...more on that later). While Cab is often a little hefty for roast chicken, I found these 2007 Bordeaux to be quite approachable, and I had chicken at home. What? You think I should've gone out and purchased something more appropriate? Who am I? Charles Montgomery Burns? I'm broke, son! Maybe if you'd click a link once in a while... :)
As it turned out, the chicken was great. I actually split-tested it against another chicken that was pan roasted in butter and its own juices. The rotisserie chicken was more flavorful, juicier, and had crisper skin. Oh, Ron Popeil, you rascal! You've done it again. We were so delighted with the results that I ended up doing a half leg of lamb in it the following night.
I think the secret is to use something small enough to not crowd the cooking area (the chicken was under 5 lbs. and the lamb was 2 lbs.), as well as trust your own instincts (or a meat thermometer), rather than the "catch all" cooking times on the side of the Showtime.
So, my hat is off to you, Ron (oh, and I need some of that hair spray). In my mind, you've been upgraded from "snake oil salesman" to "P.T. Barnum-style rejuvenating tonic peddler", like this guy:
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Back in the Groove
The biggest problem with business travel is that it can be, well, unsettling. It can throw you out of your groove. Your rhythm; your routine...ruined. And then, John Candy is spooning you.
Neil Page: "Where's your other hand?"
Sleeping in my own bed is nice, too. And, I'm getting to kiss my wife every day, and I'm around to rub her belly...safely harboring our first child.
Del Griffith: "Between two pillows..."
Neil Page: "Those aren't PILLOWS!!!"
I spent last week touring the small metropolises (metropoli?) and county highways of Southwest Georgia, recruiting for and bolstering the day job's advertising dealer network. It's a road paved with 15 hour days, ruthless negotiation, fast food meals, and very little wine. Furthermore, sequestering oneself in another hotel room, half-bagged from the medicating whiskey at dinner and wrangling a molasses-slow internet connection, one's food and wine writing tends to be forced; uninspired.
Such was the case last week. Little to write about, and little time/energy to do so. Happily, this week proves better. I'll be meeting with Artesa's winemaker, Mark Beringer. I'll also be sampling the 2007 Bordeaux vintage. I'm looking forward to hanging out a little with Ed from winetonite.com and Kevin from atlantawineguy.com. The New Orleans Saints and NY Jets will earn my allegiance on Sunday, hopefully in the presence of finger foods and cold beer. Hell, I may even get to eat a home-cooked meal.
Sleeping in my own bed is nice, too. And, I'm getting to kiss my wife every day, and I'm around to rub her belly...safely harboring our first child.
Yep, there's a lot to write about this week, and a lot to inspire it...
...and no spooning strangers.
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