Plastic Bottle.
“French” Rosé Wine.
From the $100 case.
I enjoyed it.
Say no more.
Hang in there.
Tag: France
Clos du Gaimont Vouvray 2016
Chenin Blanc, that is.
I happen to have opened this
wine when the stock market was
getting CRUSHED.
Not the best time to be taking “notes”.
The first sip of the wine caused
me to do one of those “shudder”
moves.
Where the whole body tries to
shake it off.
Like having cold water sprayed on
you, but on a REALLY HOT DAY WHEN
IT FEELS GOOD.
I have no idea what is going on.
The wine is simply SHOCKING.
(That would be a good thing.)
For “whatever reason”, I was curious
as to WHAT I PAID FOR THIS
STUNNINGLY DELICIOUS WINE.
After the case discount and the
gift certificate “per bottle allocation”,
I paid around $12 for this one.
Lest there be any confusion,
this is a Loire Valley wine.
And while we’re taking the
refresher course, let’s put
in our order for a
Sancerre PN/rouge.
How expensive is that?
Hmmmm. It might be doable.
Do any bottles land in KS/MO?
Hang in there.
Domaines Sumeire Les Nageurs Rosé Cotes de Provence 2017
I assume that the winemakers were
fish in a previous incarnation.
Due to circumstances beyond
my control, my brain hurts
and I haven’t even started
to drink this morning.
I decided that today was a good
day for ANOTHER rosé, opened the cooler,
and discovered THIS WINE.
Just a few days ago I was “daydreaming”
about about Provence rosé as I drank
that SA Cinsault rosé.
Unbelievable.
I didn’t know I had this one.
My wish was for something
“a little drier” than the
SA wine.
Check.
As “luck” would have it, this wine
has a respectable amount of
Cinsault in it.
https://www.elixirwinegroup.com/france-1/domaines-sumeire-2017-rose
In a nutcase, the wine is just
STUNNING.
Every rosé that I drink reduces
my tolerance for BOLD reds.
I don’t like being “confined” but
that’s just the way it is.
Maybe the middle is “more comfy”
than the extremes.
BOLD whites.
PALE reds.
ALL rosés.
And a light meal.
How delicious is that?
Quite.
Y mañana, lo mismo.
Hang in there.
Laurence & Remi Dufaitre Côte de Brouilly 2015
This might be my best Beaujolais experience yet.
Wonderful aroma and flavor of Bourgogne.
I might be getting “used to” this stuff.
Excellent paleness and acidity.
All I need is a roasted duck.
Too bad because I’m having
soy glazed “beef bits” on
Ciabatta.
The wine clocked in at $27 and
is definitely worth the extra
few bucks I paid over my usual
bottle price average.
Here’s a link to the tech sheet…
I was 99.9999% sure that this
is Beaujolais (as opposed to PN),
but I had to look it up to be sure.
But, but, but, what does the wine
TASTE LIKE.
French Bourgogne wine?
Pale cherry coke?
Who cares.
I’m in heaven.
Is that “minerality” hiding
behind the shy fruit?
I didn’t see anything on the tech sheet
about the wine being filtered through
greensand.
This MIGHT BE the first time I noticed
minerality in a red wine.
And then there’s the quality that
allows the wine to linger during a
“leisurely lunch”.
One of my “life fantasies” is the
concept of Cooking/Eating/Drinking
in a continuous and simultaneous
process carried out at a snail’s
pace.
Imagine sipping Chard, eating Petit
Basque cheese, and chopping onions
while the meat browns SLOWLY in the
skillet as you sit on the patio
watching the moon rise.
It shouldn’t be THAT hard to keep
just three balls in the air.
This wine can be sipped slowly because
it is SO SATISFYING.
My Sino-European lunch concoction
was “unusual”.
This concludes episode one of
“The Edge of Rosé”.
Stay tuned for
“As Brouilly Turns”…
https://www.discoverbeaujolais.com/discover-the-wines/intense-and-generous/cote-de-brouilly/
OK, OK, it’s diorite.
And my pick for a traditional
pairing…
https://www.discoverbeaujolais.com/portfolios/croque-monsieur/
Day Two…
I’m sipping this wine today to
relieve the stress of DST ending.
To my pleasure, I was greeted by
a substantial amount of “sludge”
at the bottom of the bottle.
Amazing.
This has been a wonderful treat.
Hang in there.
Saint-Hilaire Blanquette de Limoux BRUT 2016
I promised myself that I would
take “good” notes while I enjoyed
this one.
Sorry, it’s too good for notes.
This has been a “life changing”
sort of wine experience.
An insolvable puzzle winds its way
through my subconscious.
Why aren’t we drinking this stuff
for breakfast and lunch EVERY DAY???
I don’t know.
It probably costs about as much
as a Starbucks coffee, so it can’t
be price.
Availability? I found it in Paola
AND I found it at Lukas.
How available is that?
Desirability? Give me a break.
Saint Peter: You’re dead and
you’re smiling. What gives?
OTWN: I just had brunch.
SP: BUT YOU ARE DEAD.
OTWN: That was part of the deal.
SP: Deal?
OTWN: I sold The Devil calls
on the last two years of my
life for the priviledge of drinking
BdL every day till I die.
SP: Not a bad trade,
BUT YOU’RE DEAD NOW!
OTWN: I thought I would live
forever HERE in the land of
miracle-working winemakers.
SP: Hand me your glass.
OTWN: Borgogne?
SP: B-b-b-baby…
But, but, but, what is
this stuff anyway.
Here’s a few links that can
fill in the blanks…
WTH is “AoP”???
If you wish to enter into
the kingdom of French wine,
ye must be born again.
This is just for reference.
Because the AoP term is new,
and wine can be old, we will
see the AOC/AOP flipflop for a while.
http://www.internationalwineguild.com/aoc–aop
Where does it come from???
This map is good enough if
you have some idea of where
Corbières and “The Languedoc”
are situated.
http://www.languedoc-france.info/04140301_blanquette.htm
What is Mauzec???
What does “Blanquette” mean???
I got the impression that
it meant “little white grape”.
Sounds reasonable but I think
that is WRONG.
This indicates that it
“refers to” the downy white hairs
found on tiny new leaves of the
Mauzac vines.
http://www.vindefrance-cepages.org/en/encyclopedie-des-cepages-de-france-mauzac-21
Then confusingly, it is synonymous
with several grape varieties, one
of which is Mauzac.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blanquette
When was the BdL AOC created???
I got the impression that the
AOC was created recently to preserve
the Mauzac vines that were being
ripped up in favor of Chard and
other varieties more in vogue.
This indicates that the AOC was
formed in 1938.
http://www.languedoc-france.info/04140301_blanquette.htm
I guess that’s “recent” for the French.
What do the goofy names mean???
http://www.languedoc-france.info/04140301_blanquette.htm
Sweet or Dry???
Both. Luckily, we’re drinking Brut/dry.
And for extra credit…
https://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-blanquette+de+limoux
https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-wine-france-limoux/frances-oldest-sparkling-wine-fights-for-its-future-idUSLNE85C00820120613
http://www.wineguy.co.nz/index.php/81-all-about-wine/647-limoux-wines
Now I’m thirsty again.
Hang in there.
Vieux Papes Rouge NV
I’m drinking “nondescript” wines
from the Underdog 6/$60 deal.
I like the deal because I “get to”
drink wines that I would otherwise
NEVER TRY.
Some of the wines are actually
“notable” but I haven’t bothered
to take ATTENTIVE notes.
The “market” has forced me to
PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT I’M DOING.
I don’t like not being able to
drift off into an imaginary world
where profits are accompanied
by fine wine and song.
But today is special, notwithstanding
the sparsity of profits.
Theresa thawed pork chops for lunch
and I decided to have mine with
“seasoned” grits.
For the grits, that’s chicken broth,
whole garlic cloves,
SmartBalance, freshly ground pepper,
and sharp Cheddar cheese.
I added a tiny bit of salt because I used
half broth/half water for my virgin voyage
into grits heaven.
I found the chicken broth/garlic idea on
“the internet”.
Pure genius.
I cooked the grits and set them aside
to cool.
Even quick grits benefit from lengthy
time on the heat.
Boil ’em.
Simmer ’em.
Keep ’em warm.
Let ’em cool a little.
Then…
Cut the pork chops into to thin strips,
cut the thin strips into little
“chips”, then SLOWLY saute them in SmartBalance
with a little salt and pepper
until the browning process yields an
irresistible THING.
Turn the heat off, make room for the cooled
grits, and add them to the center of the
skillet so that they warm up as the pork
cools off.
Finally… Seasoned Grits and Pork Chop Chips.
Unbelievable.
All of a sudden, that cheap Rhone blend is
heavenly and that garden-variety Lodi
Chard is an Earthly delight.
What do you expect in…
Dig that sax???
But, but, but,
what about the wine.
I scanned the bottle several times
and I CANNOT find a “year”.
So this is non-vintage AND nondescript
wine.
The most compelling thing about the
wine is the tennis shoe taste/odor.
I MAY BE sensitive to whatever chemical
is responsible.
Imagining sharing the wine
with Gina Carano after a sweaty workout
makes the wine more palatable.
I went through a spell where I picked
up the sensation in Oregon PN.
I’m not surprised when it’s in
a wine from southern France.
Maybe it’s one of the grape
varieties.
I don’t know.
Here’s a link to the producer’s web site…
http://www.vieuxpapes.com/vieux_papes/gamme_rouge.html
Although the text is in French, you will notice
that neither Gina’s name nor
her picture are on the web page.
So, in case you have the same affliction
that I do, here is a link to an article
which shows Gina getting ready to take her
shoes off.
https://www.eonline.com/news/468241/henry-cavill-and-ex-girlfriend-gina-carano-reunite-in-rome
I’m sorry, I’m lost in
the reeds today…
That does it. I need my pillow
and Blanquette de Limoux.
(Coming soon again.)
Hang in there.
Michel Gassier Costières-de-Nîmes Nostre Païs 2012
#1
Of the 6 for $60, three
will be “challenging”.
A buttery, oaky Chard,
a Cab, and
this fire breathing Rhone.
I can feel the alcohol
in my nostrils as I exhale.
Somebody needs to invent
a swizzle stick for wine
that absorbs alcohol.
Moving on…
The wine is cloudy.
The flavor is “confusing”.
One could say “complex”
but that would imply
something desirable.
I don’t know about
this one.
It DOES have a distinct
flavor, I’m just not
wired into it yet.
Late 50s medicine chest???
I’m not having any
difficulty drinking it.
It’s just so AWFUL.
I can’t believe it.
Give me another sip.
Surely the winemaker is
doing time in a French
prison for releasing this
to the public.
And SOMEBODY let this
stuff sit around in a
warehouse for five years
or so.
OTWN: What were you thinking
when you let this wine be
produced?
St. Peter: We wanted to
find kind souls who would
sop it up so that others
would not have to endure
the torture of drinking it.
OTWN: Step aside, and hand
me that crystal PN glass.
Drinking delicious wine is
a journey.
So if you don’t mind pretending,
you can come along.
Day Two…
I decided to put this
wine up against the
frozen lasagna to see
if I could tame it a bit.
(I heated it up.)
((The lasagna.))
Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding.
This is much better.
I’m actually ENJOYING
the wine today.
What is the wine LIKE?
I don’t have a clue.
It’s like southern France,
only a little more “eastern”
than I’m used to.
I imagine that this is
one of the more “intriguing”
blends from the Rhone.
A detective novel is not
interesting unless it includes
all the usual suspects.
Which grape is guilty of
making a dragon out of
this wine?
I don’t know.
Syrah is guilty until proven
innocent.
im Schlafe merkst du nicht…
Sweet dreams.
Definition…
Cloudiness: euphemism for
the crud you will find at
the bottom of the bottle.
Hand me that sling blade
so we can divide up the
last pour.
Hang in there.
Cave de Lugny Les Charmes, Mâcon-Lugny Chardonnay 2015
Just last night I was
wondering why I don’t
transition to more whites
and rosés.
Sparklers too.
I’m not wondering today.
This wine is fantastic.
This looks to be my
Chard adventure outside of
my beloved Chablis region.
The obvious thing is the
“expected” reduced acidity.
Next is the oily/waxy feel
and flavor that bounces
from olive oil to honeycomb.
I’m skeptical of the olive
oil.
Something slightly green, but
not herby.
I don’t know.
And then I just got the
impression of melted glacier
ice.
From an area near to, but far
enough away from the till so
as to be influenced by it but
not contaminated by it.
Maybe some kind of mineral
sensation peeking through
the insane purity of the wine.
It’s almost sweet.
The bottle verbiage tells me
that there should be a citrus flavor.
Whatever. To the acid tormented
palate, it is quite subdued.
And that can be NICE.
Citrus flavor without turning
your mouth inside out.
So good.
Day Two…
Unbelievable.
Pears.
Juicy, ripe, slurpy pears.
And MAYBE with a drop or
two of citrus juice.
I HAVE a new quest.
Hang in there.
Saumur Puy Notre Dame ‘Le Pied a l’Etrier’, Domaine de l’Enchantoir 2015
The first few sips hit
me with…
Surprising acidity.
“Crud” in the glass.
Big jammy flavor.
Oak aroma AND flavor.
(Forgive me, read on…)
Maybe a bit of “green”.
…
I expect to see more of
“the crud” later on and
that will be interesting.
(You got that right.)
I haven’t drunk CF enough
to have reasonable
expectations, but this one
catches me off guard with
the big flavor.
The acidity has something
like a fizz sensation to it.
I’m pretty much overwhelmed
with the aromas and flavors.
That’s how wimpy a red
drinker I am.
(I like reds, I’m just wimpy.)
Now I’m picking up the tannins.
After a few minutes of
sipping and snacking, I
can’t get away from the oak.
It’s getting in the way.
I imagine that one has to
subdue this characteristic
with some food that is
COMPATIBLE.
I’m starting to drool just
thinking about the perfect
food.
Panini-style grilled baloney,
onion, and sweet pepper
sandwiches on hotdog buns.
We wouldn’t want to insult
the Italians by ALSO wasting
GOOD BREAD.
Oh silly me,,,
We need something “French” to eat.
Escargot Flambé Trébuchet
But, but, but, what about
the wine?
It’s “challenging” FOR ME.
The good news is that I
CAN’T EVEN FINISH HALF THE
BOTTLE today.
Tomorrow will be interesting.
Day Two…
Still jammy. Blackberry maybe.
Still oaky.
TOO MUCH power Christopher.
I’m going to flog the
wine with anti-braised
(chicken broth/SmartBalance)
Brussels sprouts, parsley
and garlic.
Just smelling this concoction
cooking is making the
wine taste better.
OMG!!! After half a skillet of
the Niburu Brussels Sprouts,
the wine is completely tamed.
I submit. Drinking good wine
without eating the RIGHT food
MAY BE a mortal sin.
(If it was a venial sin,
purgatory would be a wine school.
What kind of punishment
would that be?)
St. Peter: Did you enjoy
the Loire wine we provided
for you?
OTWN: It was too heavy.
SP: What did you eat with it?
OTWN: Potato chips.
SP: Go stand in the corner.
OTWN: There’s too many
people over there.
SP: We noticed.
OTWN: What are you doing
about it?
SP: How would you like
to have a NDE and go
back as a Sommelier.
OTWN: Will I get a discount
on on the wines?
SP: Go stand in the
other corner with the
bankers.
There were six whole
cloves of garlic in the
skillet which I saved for
dessert.
(I know what you’re
thinking. He ate a
skillet for dessert.
Don’t be silly. I had
garlic for dessert.)
The wine is “smooth” and
delicious now.
And getting more “astringent”
with each sip.
How can it be smooth and
astringent?
I don’t know.
Smooth: concordance of flavor
Astringent: raspy feeling in the mouth
Meaning: Astringency wins by TKO
because it saved its best punches
for the end.
And before the wine was
totally gone, I checked to
make sure that I HAD BEEN
drinking CF.
Here’s the Skurnick link…
https://www.skurnik.com/sku/saumur-puy-notre-dame-le-pied-a-letrier-domaine-de-lenchantoir-3-2/
WAIT A MINUTE!!!
“Aged exclusively in tank”!!!
What (on Earth) was I tasting???
Where did that oaky flavor come from???
Sheeeeeeeeeesh!!!
After reading some STUFF,
maybe I was smelling/tasting
the tobacco that I see in some
notes. Ash would move me in
the right direction too.
This wine has indeed been
challenging, but it has been
MOST INTERESTING.
And now I’m meeting the expected
“crud” at the bottom of the
“well dimpled” bottle.
So long my friend. I hope
to meet the rest of your
family some day.
Forty Ounce Rosé 2017
I didn’t take notes
as I was drinking.
The wine was fine
and I enjoyed it, but
there was nothing about
it that I remember to
be noteworthy.
Except that there was
PLENTY OF IT.
Hang in there.
Option Trader's Wine Notes 