Bargain!

Can I get a taste of Riesling? Dr. L Riesling, 2008

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This post might only hit home to a few of you.  If you just happened to stumble into my blog from a search engine, you might find another review that is more informative elsewhere.  That’s fine.  But if you care to read on, I will of course touch on how great this wine is, share a few tasting notes, and give it my ringing endorsement.  It’s awesome.  It’s an amazing value at $12.  It got 90 points from Wine Spectator, and was the number 62 wine of last year.  It rocks!

But I also want to share the reason why I chose to write about this particular wine on this particular day.  We, my “family” at the restaurants, and the 5 Points community, lost our favorite drinker of fine German Riesling this past week, James “Stump” Johnson.  I will never be able to see Riesling, think about Riesling, or drink Riesling again without thinking of him.  That is only a drop in the bucket.  There are countless other things that I will see, hear, and think about that will remind me of him and his sweet smile.  I hope that sometime soon those things will make me smile, because right now they only make me hurt.  I’ve never lost someone that I saw every single day, that I relied on every single day… that was just such a part of my life every day.  He’s just gone.  He is so gone.  When I say the words “James died on Thursday,” or “we lost James this week,” it still doesn’t feel real.  I can still hear his voice.  I can still see him walking.  It doesn’t feel right.  He is missing.  I miss him.  I feel alone without him around.  There is an empty space lingering in the air at Cellar, it’s tangible and I feel it all the time.  We all do.

Here he is, having his taste of Riesling.  He always asked for it in the same way, too… “Can I get a taste of Riesling?”  A taste is a technical term for about half a glass, or sometimes a full glass, depending on our mood.  James preferred German Riesling, which is why the Loosen Brothers “Dr. L” Riesling is such a good choice for today’s post…

The Dr. L  is a light, racy little Riesling.  It is tangy and perfectly balanced.  It smells like a warm summer day.  Baking spices, honey, honeysuckle, and peaches with a nice clean aura.  It strikes me as a very excitable wine- very eager.  Lovely, fresh tastes of nectarines, apricots, lemon and lime zest, and minerals are quite up front and boisterous.  A perfect freshness and zap of acidity finishes it off quite nicely.  This wine will please a Riesling afficianado, as well as serve as a lovely introduction for someone who doesn’t think they like Riesling- or doesn’t think they like wine in general!

My most favorite food and wine pairing in the worrrrld is Riesling and spicy food, especially Thai!  It just doesn’t get any better than that.  Anything light and spicy is perfect with this- ceviche, nachos, even a spicy sashimi preparation.  Or just a simple grilled white fish with lime, cilantro, ginger, etc etc.  This is making me crave my favorite Red Curry Duck from Basil in Charleston.  It is the epitome of refreshment to sip on a glass of Riesling like the Dr. L while chowing down on something that has a little heat. However, if you want to make a full tribute to Stump,  you would drink it while eating Fried Fish & Grits, or maybe the Spanish Chicken from the Blue Cactus (if you 86 the nuts, it is known as Stump Chicken), OR the Peach-Mustard BBQ Salmon from Mr. Friendly’s.  Or maybe KFC.  Although please choose the former… KFC is pretty gross.

But whatever you’re dining on, if you had the good fortune to know James, please raise a glass of Riesling and toast to the most kind-hearted, funniest, most loyal friend that many of us have ever known.  There will never be another James Johnson.  He adored me and would have done anything for me and I feel so lucky to have had him in my life.  I wouldn’t trade the pain I feel now for the time I spent with him.  It was worth it, James.  You were worth it.  All the messes, tastes of Riesling, Budweisers, $2, needing to buy air freshener for the bathrooms, and all the other inconveniences.  They were worth it just to know you.  Your best boss lady loved you lots.

Michael David “6th Sense” Syrah, 2007 Lodi

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Once again I find myself sipping wine at a fairly uncivilized hour.  This is becoming a pattern. Today it’s not even noon!  But really, I am just sipping a sip or two to refresh my memory on this wine, as I have sipped on several glasses at more normal sipping times during the past week.  As I often say to the staff at Cellar, I am “revisiting” this wine this morning.  “Revisit” is a term I invented when for there are no official “new” wines to taste, but we are in need of a, as Stump Johnson would say, “Motivator.”  That will strike those of you who know Stump as funny- and if you don’t, and you don’t get the joke- well, you just need to get to know Stump.  Do yourself a favor.  Here, I will post a picture of him so you know what you’re missing:

He is a man of many talents, but most of all, he is a drinker of fine German riesling.  It is actually somewhat blasphemous to include a shout-out to him in a post about Syrah, but I don’t think he’ll mind!  And if you ever lose your earring at Cellar, he will find it and hang it on his hat.

But moving on to said Syrah- this killer little bottle is from the Lodi region of California, a place known for making some pretty darn delicious Zinfandel, among other varietals.  Anyone remember the 7 Deady Zins that we poured by the glass at Cellar a while back and people couldn’t get enough of at the Wine Sales?  This is made by the same folks.  Lodi is about an hour south of Sacramento and has much hotter summers than the more northern wine regions in Cali.  I think wines from Lodi are a perfect fit for Columbia, SC- because we know what it’s like to be overshadowed by a neighboring city (hint: starts with a Chuck and ends with a Town).  I’ve never been to Lodi, but I think I would love it.  The people there seem to have a lot of pride for their wine in a way only an area that has played second-fiddle to Napa-the-great could have.

So as it turns out, Lodi makes awesome Syrah as well as Zin!  And such a bargain!  This 6th Sense Syrah will retail for $16 at Cellar, and it is packin’ some serious heat for that kind of cash.   Dark, dark in color, it’s nose will knock you out with aromas of tobacco, smoke, cedar, blackcurrants, plums, plums, plums and ohh a lovely little hint of smoked bacon, too.  A perfectly smooth, velvety texture and light pepper on the finish round it out pretty darn well.  This is a great winter wine- it will warm you to the bones.

Here is is on my ottoman/coffee table aside my latest People magazine.  I almost included my feet in the picture, so you could get the full effect of what I do when I’m at home writing… I do like to create a visual, but hesitated when I realized that my toenail polish is in dire need of reparations.  I can admit to it, but admitting it and photographing it are two different matters entirely.  You’re welcome.

We have about a case of this in stock right now (Wednesday the 27th) so I anticipate we will have some at the Wine Sale this Saturday for your tasting pleasure- but feel free to come down and pick up a bottle before then!  I don’t think you need to try it- just trust yours truly, I don’t think I have ever led you astray.  Happy Drinking!

Chamisal Stainless Chardonnay, 2008

/ thewinesnob / 1 Comment

So, here I am in the office.  It’s barely noon as I write this, and yet I am dipping into a magnificent glass of wine.  I know, I know… I am at work, and it’s early.  But tonight is my night off!  and this wine is just too good.  I couldn’t possibly write about it thoughtfully without drinking some.  Surely impossible, and inauthentic.  So I consider it an occupational hazard that I must endure for the time being.  Poor me. 

It occurred to me this morning that I have not blogged about a Chardonnay yet.  This is literally a perfect choice to break that spell.  I will also let it be known that I LOVE a good Chardonnay.  Emphasis on the good.  Likewise, I also loathe (in my opinion) a nasty Chardonnay.  In all of 2009, I can’t really say I found a California Chard in this price range that I loved- the last one I recall loving for $14 was  a French Chard called Les Morizottes that we poured by the glass at Cellar and Solstice for quite a while. 

**pause to pour a bit more wine in the glass**

The reason Chardonnay is such a cool grape is that it can take on so many different characteristics.  I read somewhere that it has been called the “chameleon” of grapes because of this.  I find that for my taste, a nice light unoaked chardonnay is where it’s at.  Chardonnay has a natural mineral content that is really beautiful when it is expressed well.  Most people don’t associate this with Chardonnay, as California has made a habit of producing very rich, buttery, oaked Chardonnay.  As Jerry Seinfeld would say, “not that there’s anything wrong with that.”  I like a rich, elegant Chard too- but from my experience it is harder to find one that is “good” by my standards in the $15 or so price range. 

See?  here it is, in the office with my paperwork…

Which was a loooong winded way of saying (sorry, I get wordy when I drink wine at noon) that this Stainless Chard from Chamisal is DELICIOUS!!!  Fresh, lively, clean and vibrant.  Notes of pineapple, honeydew melon, green apples, citrus, and a nice light spice on the finish.  This is a cheerful, sunny, pretty wine.  Also, on the plus side, it is one of those wines that looks a lot more expensive than it is.  The packaging is simple and tasteful and they call it “stainless” rather than unoaked, which for some reason makes it seem more high-tier.  Sounds like a genius marketing team was at work here, which truthfully, is okay with me.  I love to think about the reasons people buy things, and something as simple as a different wording is enough, psychologically speaking, to boost sales.  Fascinating. 

We will have this at the wine sale tomorrow, Saturday, January 16th from 12-2 at Cellar on Greene in Five Points for $13!!  And I’d venture a guess that we will put it on by the glass starting next week.  If you stop in, ask me for a taste and be prepared to have your ear talked off (in a good way).  Thanks for reading and Cheers to Friday!  Hope you all started off your weekend at noon like I did…

Bodegas Borsao Campo de Borja- $8 and 89 points rated? wha??

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Delightful.

That is the one word to describe this wine.  It’s just delightful.  I can’t think of one thing not to like about it.  But the best thing TO like about it is that it is EIGHT DOLLARS a bottle!  In the words of Michael Cramer, “are you freaking kidding me?!”  This is why Spain is the reigning King of value! 

I would liken drinking this wine to the feeling you get after purchasing something you really wanted- like a flat screen TV- and getting it for half-off.  The feeling of utmost satisfaction.  The feeling of a job well done.  Except a flat screen TV will not give you a pleasant wine buzz at the end of the day when Christmas is fast approaching and you just want to pull the covers over your head, tap your heels together and be magically transported to the month of January.  If only it were that easy. 

So, yes- I prescribe several bottles of Borsao to cure all your Holiday stress!  I want everyone to love this wine!  This 2008 vintage is a blend of 75% Grenache and 25% Tempranillo.  It is a vibrant, juicy, firm red… I just reminded myself of some sort of workout video… so I will therefore dub this the Jane Fonda (80’s Jane Fonda) of wine.  Fun, exciting and chipper!  Here she is, ready to entertain you and some friends with her stylish, agile movements…

Okay, so maybe the stylish part is debatable, but Jane is rockin’ those leg warmers pretty well, you must admit!  Oh wait!  Here she is again, ready to do battle with your Holiday Stress!  Mother in law coming to stay for a few days?  No match for Borsao aka Jane Fonda!  Burnt the cookies for your neighbor’s bake sale that starts in 30 minutes?  Borsao, baby!

Alright, I got a little carried away… back to the way the wine actually tastes; ripe cherries, smoke, boysenberries, black pepper, herbs, and floral notes throughout.  For those of you who enjoy Borsao’s Tres Picos Grenache (a favorite around here), this is like a little sister- softer and not as heavy on the leather.  But still packs that nice little spicy punch and acidic backbone to make it DELICIOUS! 

And, in my infinate wisdom, I have a perfect opportunity for you to experience this wine- Tuesday night, December 8th we will be pouring a value Grenache tasting flight all night, which will include the Borsao, Vinos Sin Ley’s G3, and de Fuego Grenache.  And of course, it’s Champagne Tuesday… so you can start with bubbles and then move on to Grenache!  Perfect!