Are they graduating?

What an interesting comment I heard from one of my top clients last week...

We started talking about the wine regions most of his clientele were drinking. A couple of years ago I remember him having a huge Marquis Philips, big spoofulated, Shiraz crowd. "What happened to that business?", I asked.

"They've moved to Southern France. The Languedoc. They want village wines from there."

Yes, if 2008 couldn't get more bizarre. But, now that I'm thinking about it this was actually my own path. The first great great wine I ever remember tasting was the 1998 Dead Arm Shiraz by D'Arenberg. Freaking huge ass wine. Walloped me over the forehead and I loved it for that. I remember staying in Australia for quite some time continuing to love the fruit bombs and the 'smoothness' of the wines.

Then I remember tasting a Faugeres. Then a Fitou. A Corbieres. There was a similar darkness in the wines. A raisination. Prunes. They had all of that over the top fruit, but it just wasn't fake. It was natural...like a child discovering that candy is too much, but dried fruit can deliver a similar sweetness, but without the nasty back-of-your-mouth sugar thing.

Where did I go from the Languedoc (which I still love)? Well...New World Spain. Than Southern Italy. Than Central Italy. Than Bordeaux. Than Burgundy. Once you're in Burgundy, it's over.

However, you can never truly get to Burgundy directly- you can never really appreciate it by starting there...You have to go all the way through the rest of those... So, maybe there's hope for the masses yet!

2008 Wine of the Year

It's that time right? Wine of the Year time. Writers post their thoughts on the best wines they've tasted that past year and then hoards of people go out and search and buy these same wines with the expectation that they will also have Wine of the Year type experiences. And there in lies a fundamental problem between the current system of wine critiquing and the way great wine is actually experienced.

My Wine of the Year?

'59 Domaine de la Romanee Conti Richebourg Grand Cru....The wine was profound in a deeply emotional way. Tasting notes are simply an insult to it. I was given a glass at my Uncle in Law's bachelor party wine bacchanal and we were all sitting around this large old teak dinner table outside. We were at my uncle's old friend's house which happens to be situated right on a marina. It was about 10:00pm and the temperature was just cold enough to demand a sweatshirt. That night also saw bottles of Raveneau, Niellon, Trapet, Gaunoux...and multiple bottles of Grand Crus. And to raise the bar, we also tasted the 1969 Richebourg as well. But my lasting memory of that '59, and drinking that '59, was 8 guys huddled around this table...an indescribable wine in our glasses...an outside temperature that was just cold enough to have us all cupping our glasses with both hands to keep the fragile wine from getting too cold...and total silence for about 5 minutes...It was if we had all simultaneously gone to wine church.

I'm racking my brain and it's leading me through this journey of additional great wine experiences this past year...Roumier Clos de Bussiere at that same uncle in law's wedding. My first taste of older Clemens Busch at the office. Drinking old Barolo (a bevy of) at the Outpost estate on Howell Mountain. Dining alone and loving it at Bar Boulud while drinking this old crazy Savoie rouge from Rosenthal's portfolio....All lots of fun and very good times...but it was that one moment with the '59 that takes the cake.

And my larger point is...if you were to get that '59 Richebourg and take it home...and drink it...I almost guarantee you won't have the same experience I did. The Table and the experience of the table makes the food...makes the wine. All things need to be excellent, but the magic comes only when all things are excellent and there is that one moment that is shared amongst like minds. There is no critique for that...For me, I went to wine church on a cold Summer's evening over a bottle of '59 in 2008. That worked for me.

Syrah....why?

Oddly enough...despite all of my ranting and raving about Euro-focused, traditional wines and that overall style..my Americana kicks in now and then I find myself jonesing for some really well made Californian Syrah. Yes, those who know me well are shaking their heads. You gotta be kidding me? Nope- Cali Syrah. Ojai. Copain. Edmunds St John. Really crunchy, chewy, black pepper laced, dirt stuffed, blackberry jammed, old fashioned fruit forward Cali C-Rah...

And it only comes when I'm also absolutely jonesing for some Americana home cooking. Real deal American hamburgers. You know. The burger that's 3 inches high with a tomato slice that's almost 1/2 an inch thick. And red onion- a requirement....or....A fantastic well made Chili. Last night was chili. Well made. No Syrah. A very good house Negroamaro...very chewy, earthy, and crunchy...so I was happy. Still, I wanted a Syrah.

I bring this up as I truly believe that we Americans don't understand Syrah. What do you do with it. The answer is eat it with American food. American Syrah is big and bold. Forward and hugely flavorful. Sounds like our food, no?

So, next time your jonesing for a great burger, chili, Tex-Mex, braised shortribs, BBQ, etc....Go pop a bottle of Syrah from the West Coast. A knew discovery awaits. I guarantee it.

Daydreams of far off European Mountain meals

I totally believe in a direct correlation between a place, its food, and its wine...and the feeling you can get from just thinking about those things together.

For instance, just the other day I was flipping through my iPod and came upon a couple tracks from Pavarotti. It was about 4pm on a Sunday and my mind almost immediately was transported to Tuscany, to fresh pasta with ham and tomato cream sauce...and a beautiful bottle of Chianti...

That said, same goes for the New World as well. Napa makes sense in Napa. It's a grandiose place. The food is perfect, fresh, and almost constructed like every dish was designed to be in a Food and Wine Magazine pictorial. The wines drink the same way. Perfection of fruit is a place that many Napa vintners seem interested in growing. Sometimes...usually in very grandiose places, with grandiose dishes...steakhouses, for example...Napa wines make sense to me.

Right now, for me though...I like the backwoods. Right now it's cold where I live- very cold. My mind often shifts to daydreams of entering a small tavern in Europe just before dark. A hearty stew over noodles in a small service iron kettle. Chunks of warm peasant bread. Mountain cheeses. And a bottle of red wine to match...

Reduction

The more and more I study cooking technique and theory, the more I find myself understanding that great really soulfull food comes from a slow steady reduction. Pierre Franey's recipes are based on it. Marcella Hazan's recipes are based on it. Keller's recipes are based on it.

The other night I prepared a simple roasted chicken. I roasted the chicken, and upon done-ness, took the chicken out of the pan, poured off a decent amount of the fat, added some white wine, and then reduced everything until I had a small amount of liquid left. The recution took almost 10 minutes. I swirled in some butter. Carved the chicken and served with rice.

Wifey licked the plate clean- literally- and declared it one of the most magnificent meals she had ever had.

Little Man...usually averse to chicken...cried for thirds!!!

Wow! 2 for 2. I studied my success. I didn't stuff anything in the chicken. Didn't add any stock to the pan while roasting- nor did I add any onions in the pan. And I didn't even baste the bird while cooking. Just a slow dry roast until finished. And then that sauce.

Lesson learned:

Reduction folks. When in doubt- reduce and you will create flavor.

Bird Day

It's very trendy to recommend fruity wines with the whole Thanksgiving thing. Zinfandel for reds. Riesling for whites. Sure, they work...

But, I would advise a different course for something deeper- earth. The food we eat on Thanksgiving is food from the Earth. Potatoes. Mushrooms. Celery. Bread. Cranberries. Turkey and reduced meat gravvy. Sure you could toss in sweet potatoes, but even these are Earthy food. So, I advocate a match.

For reds, drink Burgundy- specifically wines from the Cote de Nuits. If on a budget drink Haut Cote de Nuits or Marsannay. Of course, great Bourgogne Rouge is always advised. Or, drink really kick ass Cru Beaujolais- La Pierre Morgon, Roilette Fleurie, Michaud Brouilly are all advised. Or, Loire reds. Joguet, Olga Raffault and Baudry Chinons, or Breton Bourgeuils.

For whites- white Burgundy. Specifically- Chablis. Raveneau if you got and can afford it. If not- older Pinson, Fevre, Dauvissant, or Picq. Or, Thevenet....older Thevenet. That said, don' turn down Cote d'Or whites if you can get 'em or can afford them as well....

As you can see I'm steering you into France. Italy's no slouch as well...but more on he red side than white.

Barbera.....specifically...Giacomo Conterno, Mascarello, and/or Trinchero. I'm also a fan of Clerico's Ciabot bottling.

Weight Watchers?

My wife has dragged me back into one of those "we need to lose 15lbs" moments. I'm complaining, but not really. I have been feeling a little sluggish lately and the lure of luxurious food is not as compelling as before because of my heft- so to speak. So, why not?

So, she's joined Weight Watchers, and of course therefore so have I- not by choice, mind you. Now, I've done the Miami Beach Diet. As you've read, I've done an Ayurvedic Cleanse, and now here I am studying the Weight Watchers program.

Greatly reduced portions.

Hugely reduced Carbs.

Hugely reduced fatty proteins.

Massive amounts of veggies and heavy water based fruits (ie- apples).

And wherever possible, buy low fat. And wherever possible, they're recommending that you buy the Weight Watchers brand. Hmmm?

Whatever. The important thing for me (as I know this much- each person's metabolism and body configuration is wildly different), is exercise, heavy veggies, low low sugar, and small portions of everything else. And the one thing Weight Watchers also asks you to do is zero vino....

So, I'm going to do this Weight Watchers thing with my wife- for my wife. But, honestly, I know my body. Run. Eat your veggies- lots of 'em. Tiny portions on everything else. Sugar is your enemy. And watch your snacking. I do this, I bet I lose 10lbs in 2 weeks.

We'll see.