Tipsy

A Wine Geek's Dream...Chateauneuf du Pape

by Bridget

When I am lucky enough to get a bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape, it's like a national holiday in my geeky universe. It is an experience I truly live for. This week, I was given a bottle of 2007 Telegramme Chateauneuf du Pape, and you couldn't sandblast the smile off of my face for the rest of the day. But then, an age old dilemma popped into my head; lay it down, or drink it now.

  I always like to tell people, "I'm going to lay this bottle down for a few years, it's waaaay too young to drink now." I think saying things like this makes me sound fancy and super intelligent. But then there is the real me. The greedy, curious, self-indulgent me.

What really happened is this: I ran home, giddy as a schoolgirl, and selected the proper Riedel glass. I then proceeded to stare at the bottle, thinking for one last time that I really should just put it in the basement. Then I cracked that baby open like a savage proclaiming, "I could be DEAD tomorrow! Drink it NOW!" I did have the decency to let it breathe for a while.

  The nose was a beautiful perfume of cherries and cinnamon. On the palate, there was nutmeg, allspice, a touch of fruit, and a bit of soft earthiness. The spice definitely lingered, and the tannins did soften up a bit after a while. Ripe and delicious, it was a hot one at 14.5%!

  It's the rich spiciness and earth that I love about a Chateauneuf du Pape. but there is also the romance and tradition attached to the name. I look at pictures of the southern Rhone and Provence and say, "One day." The beautiful architecture, the fields of lavender...le sigh...

  What happened tonight is what usually happens when I get a bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape. What can I say? I'm American, after all: instant gratification and overwhelming curiosity always win. Yes, it was very young and a bit tannic. Was it beautiful and did it make me happy? YES! After all, I could be dead tomorrow, so drink up!

A Little Taste of Spain.

by Bridget

To me, some of the most interesting, complex, and delicious wines come from Spain. I recently had a tasting of Spanish wines, and I figured I would be a very selfish person if I didn't share what I learned from my "research" with all of you kids.

Rioja produces some very elegant wines. The winemaking history of this region is deeply intertwined with Bordeaux. In the 1850's and 60's, Bordeaux was struck by disease, and wine merchants travelled to Rioja to buy wine. Some French stayed and bought "Bodegas", producing wines that tasted as close as possible the Bordelaise style. Traditionally, like Bordeaux, Rioja wines have been a blend; mostly tempranillo, garnacha, and mazuelo. Marques de Caceres 2005 Rioja is a great way to start exploring this region. The 2005 vintage is drinking lovely, with a rich, gorgeous, velvety mouthfeel that goes on for days. The kicker is that you can find it for under $15. Lamb is the traditional meat served with Rioja, but also goes perfect with a juicy steak hot off the grill.

My second favorite region of Spain is Ribera Del Duero. This part of the country's temperatures go from scorchingly hot in the afternoon to very cold in the evening. As a result of such varying weather, the vines are very, very, angry. The grape of this region, tinto fino (a genetic variation of tempranillo) thrives on this stress. Wines from Ribera Del Duero are like Rioja's trouble making, belligerent little brother out on parole. Finca Resalso 2007 is an excellent example of what comes out of this region. This cheeky little bastard is bold, lush and ripe as hell. Great texture, juicy and an alcohol content of 14.5%, proceed with caution.

Bubbly, I love it. I espeacially love drinking it for no particular reason whatsoever. It feels so decadent. But, who has the money for Perrier Jouet or Veuve Clicquot all the time? What is a girl to do? Enter Cava! Cava is made the same way as traditional Champagne, but using grapes indiginous to the Penedes region since 1872. Segura Viudas is one of the oldest houses to be producing Cava, and it is still delicious. I have been drinking this sparkler for years. Tasty notes of lemon zest and great acidity make this a perfect pairing with roasted chicken, salmon, or just cocktails. It is usually priced for under $10, so you can get quality and not hand over a king's ransom. try the rose as well, it's beautiful!

I hope you all go out and sample some of these little gems from Spain. Not only are they producing quality wines, you don't have to go completely broke to have a great bottle of wine. Enjoy!

Dear Ms. Carey,

We are writing to apologize for the delay. We'd anticipated the release of Sweet Pink last week, but there was a delay in shipping due to a customs hold up. We understand the importance of the wine for your next tour, so we can send you your 1,000 cases via private jet if you like.

We would also like to take a moment to thank you for being such a loyal Hello Kitty client. It's not often that a woman of a certain age is willing to channel her inner 12-year-old so readily and so convincingly, and few in the world understand that our Hello Kitty wines do not promote child alcoholism as well as you do.

Again, our deepest apologies for the inconvenience, and please let us know how to rectify the problem to best suit your needs.

Sincerely yours,

Sanyo

Self-Control?

by Jay

In celebration (again) of the spring that's snuck up on us here in Buffalo, I spent about a half hour reading through the Chambers Street Wines website yesterday with the intention of putting together a case. I loves me some weird wines and I simply can't get these babies up here. I even managed to stick to the $20 and under range, but with tax and shipping, it came to $210. I failed. I couldn't go through with it. But now, at 5:36am, I'm wondering if I didn't make a huge blunder. I mean, we all know I'll spend that eventually on wine, so why not just cut to the chase? Why not just have what I really want sent instead of what will do for now? 

Basically, I'm cranky because I have to go to work and I'm venting here instead of trash-talking my students. I suppose that's healthy for my job, but it's probably not so healthy to be obsessing about a case I didn't buy in the pre-dawn hours. 

Spring Fling

by Jay

Now that the weather has taken a turn for the gorgeous, I can fantasize about all things vernal and actually drop some tips about, ahem, wine. 

The ultimate spring wine, for me, is rose. And actually, Tavel. Or Chinon rose. I'm not talking cheap White Zin here, kidaddios. I'm talking dry, full, lovely rose. I'm talking strawberry and mint. I'm talking raspberry and earth. And I'm talking all of this at 9:22am, so you know I'm serious.

Though, if I decide I need to go white, I go floral. Keep your buttered toast, please, and keep your cat pee as well. I'm all about viognier, chenin blanc, or... wait for it... greco di tufo. I once sassily proclaimed that if greco di tufo was a person, I'd marry it. And although I'm happily married, I'm quite certain my husband would understand if I had an affair with greco. It's that good. Viognier and greco remind me of each other, which could get sticky. I don't want to call out the wrong name.

Ok, so we've got two categories covered. That leaves reds. I can't think about Big Dumb Reds in spring, so this Wednesday is going to be tricky. I think I'll have to go weird: pineau d'aunis. Lean fruit with a big dose of pepper - perfect for your first barbecue or just a slab of buttery cheese. My god. I could even be persuaded towards a cabernet franc, but it would have to more on the St-Nicholas-de-Bourgueil end of things. Cab franc works in a variety of ways, but I'd rather a bright, fruity bistro incarnation right now to help celebrate the bliss of sunshine.

You do realize, of course, that all of the above goes right in the crapper if a bottle of champagne were to appear, don't you?

These are a few of my favorite things...

by Bridget

I have something I need to talk about. I have this little hobby... no, more like compulsion. I really, really, enjoy pairing wine with junk food. It just makes me so damn happy! I'm not talking half-assed thrown together pairings, I mean really analyzing flavor profiles of potato chips and candy and finding the absolutely perfect wine to go along with it. Throw in a horror or sci-fi flick, and dammit, that is a moment of Zen in my world! What can I say? I am a woman of simple needs. Let me elaborate, and maybe you kids can try this at home.

I luuuuurv Cotes du Rhone like it's going out of style. I've had lovely wine from this region with coq au vin, boeuf bourguignon, and many other lovely and complex culinary delights. But, lemme tell you, get some jumbo chicken wings from Mike's subs in Kenmore, a bottle of Perrin and Fils Cotes du Rhone, throw the first "Alien" film (director's cut) in the DVD player, and, in most cases, this can beat a fancy night out. The fruit of the Syrah, Granache, Cinsault, etc. blend pairs perfectly with the spice of the wings.

Spain makes some of the best and most reasonably priced wines on the market. One of my biggest guilty pleasures is a little number called Don Ramone. Don and I are great friends because he's a versatile fella. He's a saucy blend of Grenache and Tempranillo. My favorite pairing after a tough day is Butter Lovers Popcorn and my beat up copy of "Army of Darkness" (starring the dashing Bruce Campbell!). Hail to the king, baby.

Rosemount Shiraz and Tyson's "Fun Shapes" chicken nuggets: Ok, even I really can't explain this particular bizzare pairing. Maybe it was the joy of coming home to good friends, the comfort of a squishy chair and some yummy wine and junk food. It just worked. I think the fact that it was "fun shapes" had something to do with it. They were dinosaurs! Who doesn't love dinosaurs?

And finally, one of my most favorite happy accidents involves bubbly and sweets. I had a bottle of Lucien Albrect Brut Rose. I am a big fan of Alsatian wine, and throw in the fact that it is a sparkling rose? I am sold. This cheeky little guy went awesome with Turkish Delight! No, really - it was like a crazy carnival of flavor, but in a good way, not the wierd way. The bubbles and subtle fruit of the wine just mingled with the rose and almond powdered sugary goodness of the Turkish Delight. I was so high on sugar that night that I went out dancing at Marcella's for the first time. It was one of the best nights ever.

Last, but not least, my absolute favorite junk food and wine pairing. Brooklyn pizza and Bordeaux. One of those little inexpensive '05 bottles is soooooooo amazing with New york style pizza, extra cheese and pepperoni. In order to really enjoy this one, I really need to be back in Brooklyn, though. And if "Dawn of the Dead" is on, even better (the original, not that craptastic remake). Pure bliss.

So, there you go, there is my dirty little secret. If you try some of these pairings, I won't judge you. Want to know my ongoing project? Trying to find the perfect wine to drink with a bag of Dorito's. The search continues...

Rojo Mudo Grande

by Jay

My quest for a big, dumb red backfired this week. I still needed one, but I actually got a wooly for a wine from my past. (An aside: an Italian uncle would say “I got a wooly” to mean “I have a craving.” Has anyone ever heard of this before? It sounds so… so… sordid. Which is probably why I use it.) When I was still slinging wine, I had one called “La Huella de Adaras” in my portfolio. It took a while before I actually tasted it, but my god! When I finally did, there was no going back. I’d look forward to the days when I’d pour it as a sample. I’d make sure to taste it as well, just to make sure it was still showing well. I was professional like that.

Anyway, I knew of one store in the greater Buffalo area that had it and I just happened to be over that way during the week. I swear I did NOT make a special trip, but now I’m thinking I will have to.

“La Huella de Adaras” means “the thumbprint of Adaras” because the deep minerality is brought to us directly from the soils of Adaras. Actually, Adaras isn’t even the name of it anymore – the Ancient Romans called it that. It’s Alamansa in Spain now. But enough geography. Made from 60% Tintorera, 30% Monastrell, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine definitely fed my big, dumb monkey without being dumb at all. It’s deep, rich, and delicious. Dark cassis and plum fruit and smoothed by smoky coffee notes and dusty earth.

Sadly, La Huella doesn’t fall into my $10 and under category that I usually like to stick to for big, dumb reds. But at $15, it’s well worth the extra five spot.

 

The Chicken Wine: A Love Story

by Bridget

Once upon a time, there was a girl who loved French wine with all of her heart. But, alas, this poor maiden had limited funds. What is a lass to do? One day, whilst browsing the French section of a humble wine merchant, she came across an enchanted little bottle from the Southern Rhone. The label had two chickens on it and contained the magical words, "La Vieille Ferme Cotes du Ventoux". At that very moment, a love affair was born.  

If there is one thing in this world that warms the cockles of my cold little heart (besides Kung Fu films) it's inexpensive and delicious French wine. Specifically, wines from the Southern Rhone. Affectionately referred to as the "chicken wine" by it's devotees, La Vieille Ferme Cotes du Ventoux is a cheeky little blend of Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault. It has great soft fruit and spice with a touch of earth on the back palette. It isn't overly complex, but it is just damn tasty. It's one of my favorite "junk food" wines. Pairs excellent with chicken wings, barbecue ribs, burgers and/or Dorito's. And they make a white as well! La Vieille Ferme Cotes du Luberon is a blend of Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Ugni Blanc and Roussanne. Aromatic, round, a little silky with soft peach notes. One night, my friends and I decided to have breakfast for dinner and I served the chicken white. It went awesome with scrambled eggs and chedder cheese, turkey sausage,and home fries. But wait, there's more! There is even a rose! A blend of Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah, I warn you, it goes down very easy. I just had it the other night with salmon cakes, and, alas, a romance was rekindled.

I'm sorry, but I just can't help myself. I have told every living being about the magic that is the chicken wine.I even joined the La Vieille Ferme Fan page on Facebook. It's my go-to wine when all else has failed me, my old reliable, my old flame.

If loving the Chicken Wine is wrong, well, then I don't want to be right.

  

Big Dumb Reds

By Jay

So as I've explained, I invariably seek out a Big Dumb Red every Wednesday. Actually, 'seek out' isn't quite the verb needed to fully express what happens; more like 'fantasize about since 9am.' 

Like yesterday? After stressing about a paper that was due all weekend, I finally - FINALLY! - finished it Tuesday evening, thereby saving myself the inconvenience of calling in to work to hastily write it. We celebrated by taking a leisurely walk in the unseasonably warm Buffalonian air. Normally, my celebrations include lots of imbibing, but I wanted to save it up for the - you guessed it - Big Dumb Red.

Apparently, I'm not alone. One of my classmates confided that, when faced with giving up something for Lent, she chose sweets. "You can't give up booze?" her husband asked in disbelief. "No," she replied firmly. "No."

While that MAY seem like we have, ahem, a problem or something, I like to think of my BDRs as Mommy's Little Helpers. Except? They're not quaaludes and I'm not a mommy. Semantics, y'all.

Anyhow, last night's lucky candidate was Pepperwood Grove's Syrah. I used to scoff at Pepperwood. Cheap? California? Do you think I'm that base? I have since fallen off my viniferal high-horse and have come to realize that yes, by God, YES, I am indeed that base. Especially for under a $10 spot.

So, how I can detail the delights? Well, it's B    I    G. And fruity. But in a really dark, thick, viscous kind of way. It could be used as paint, no doubt. It's not [yellow tail] because it's not nearly as sweet. Dusky black fruits prevail. Is there spice? Kinda. Any sort of secondary characteristics? Not really. But since I'm searching for a BDR, who cares?

Retail Rant...rage and wine.

By Bridget

This is my first "blog", so please be gentle. I am a manager of a liquor store here in Buffalo, I am blessed with working nights and weekends. I wear a silly polo shirt and go home covered in filth and God knows what else after 8 hours of dealing with "the great unwashed". My job has a lot of stupid and ridiculous moments that make me feel like shanking a bitch, but then I remember why I do it: I really, really, love wine. And I get dental. 

After suffering the usual indignities that go along with any retail job, I get a big, fat perk: I get to taste and learn about some amazing and beautiful wines. And then somehow, it is all okay. Wines from obscure regions in particular tickle my fancy. I am a big fan of the underdog, the unloved wine with an inch of dust on it, just begging for a chance to be paired with a lovely meal. For example: HUNGARY!

No one in Buffalo is asking for Hungarian wines, so I try to sell the crap out of them, because they rock. Monarchia Cellars Olivier is elegant, with floral notes and a bit of spice, reminiscent of Vouvray or Gewurz. The grape varietal is indiginous to Hungary, trust me, it's yummy. There is also Nyakas Pinos Gris. I call this the Poor Man's Alsacian. It has all the elegance and acidity, but won't clean you out financially. A great crisp finish, this wine would be perfect with seafood or grilled chicken. I have been meaning to try it with sushi. Finally, there is Takler Regnum. This one takes the cake. It's like a Bordeaux style blend with a gnarley attitude. Merlot, Cabernet, Cabernet Franc and Kekfrankos (indiginous varietal) make up this cheeky blend. This wine is full and lush, with loads of deep fruit. If you kids find these wines, please snatch them up, you won't regret it.

Give Hungary some love, y'all.