Welcome to another edition of Wine Snobbery! It is not noon, for once, as I write this- it is about 10:30 and I’m enjoying my post-work ritual which involves listening to laundry dry while I half-watch something bad on television. Tonight it is “16 and Pregnant.” There are so many things I could say about this show, but I will leave it at- don’t be a hater- you know it’s addictive. Besides, I have a few brain cells to spare.
Let me start by saying that I am extremely ready for Spring, and so I’m ushering it in by drinking rose every day until it’s here! Who would have thought that someone who grew up in Connecticut and went to college in Vermont could tire so quickly of a South Carolina “winter?” But let me tell you- I’ve hated every second of this winter, with the exception of the beautiful snowfall we had a week or so ago. That was nice.
But rose is the perfect Spring wine! And THIS one in particular will really command your attention. It is in no way wimpy. You could even say it’s manly, even though it’s pink. News flash, fellas- it’s okay to drink pink wine. Not all pink wine is white zinfandel. I think a good rose can be some of the most interesting, thought-provoking wine out there. It’s a constant dichotomy between the fact that it’s pink- which makes people dismiss it- and the fact that it’s not quite white wine, and not quite red wine, but somewhere in the middle, in a somewhat unchartered territory for many people.
Here it is on my couch- I like to live dangerously by precariously perching the wine glass on the couch beside me for it’s photo opp, mostly because I am perfectly positioned and don’t want to get up. Here’s a better photo that I thieved off another person’s blog-
You can really see just what a beautiful color this wine is- a brilliant strawberry red. It’s nose is wonderfully fragrant- wild strawberry, lavender, rose petals, watermelon rind, grapefruit, and tropical fruits. There is a hint of something clean, fresh and soapy to the palate- in a good way. I am borderline obsessing over how good this stuff is- I’ve been sitting here for an hour and I can’t stop myself from now and then picking up the glass and exclaiming to myself- GOD this is good. What I love most about it is that it has an air of sophistication and sexiness to it- an edge of herbs and grass on the finish that just make it so INTERESTING. I love an interesting wine. It’s like finding out a man (or woman, I guess) has some kind of obscure hobby- like, oh yeah- I rebuild old cars in my spare time and I specialize in Volkswagon Squarebacks- want to see? Random and pleasantly surprising!
We’re currently pouring this by-the-glass at Cellar on Greene, so if you come in and let us know you read this blog, we’ll treat you to a free taste (or two)! OR, you could always stop in to the Wine Sale this Saturday the 27th, where you can purchase a bottle for $15! 12-2 PM, like always! I will be out of town, but it should be a good one.
In the mean time, PRAY for SPRING! And drink rose! Happy drinking, y’all!
So, here we go! First is a fantastic Brut from Iron Horse in CA, their “Classic Vintage” 2004. For anyone that doesn’t know, most sparkling wine is labeled NV for Non-Vintage, which means it’s a blend of grapes from several different growing seasons. Whenever a sparkling wine is a Vintage Year, like this 2004, it means that that particular growing season produced grapes of particular high quality, and they had enough character to stand alone in a bottle. The Classic Vintage from Iron Horse is the most traditional of the Iron Horse Sparklings. It’s rich, creamy, and goes with everything. This is perfect for the person that thinks that only France makes good sparkling wine! Isn’t it nice to prove those people wrong? Wine Enthusiast gave this vintage 92 points! It will be sold for $28 on Saturday, normal retail is $38!
lovelovelove this wine because it is so unique and different, and extremely well-made. It scored a nice 93-point rating last year from Spectator. Now, in total honesty, this is not your sister’s friend’s Pinot. It’s not going to be the light, bright, juicy strawberries and raspberries that a lot of people look for in a Pinot Noir. This wine has a heck of an earthy substance to it, and it’s not afraid to use it. It’s bold, aromatic, and ripe with black cherry, bramble, smoke, incense and the finish goes on for days. We sold out of this wine several months ago at $38 a bottle, and we have a limited amount back in for $25 a bottle!
Another favorite of mine is the Le Serre Nuove della Ornellaia, 2006 from Bolgheri. Lots of wine nerds that I’ve been reading online say that this wine is “Monumental!” I’m not making that up. It scored 94 points from Wine Advocate. Apparently the 2006 was something of a hallmark vintage for this winery. I have nothing to compare it to, much less the 17 vintages that a certain Wine Advocate reviewer has tasted, but I can say that this wine is LIGHTS OUT. Beautifully structured and approachable for being only 3 years old, it gives off ripe dark fruit, tobacco, grilled herbs, leather, tar and has an irresistible personality! Normal retail on this one is $55, this Saturday for $42!!
Spectator and 95+ from Advocate. Dark purple in color, it is rich with aromas of meat, bacon, truffles, blueberries and blackberries. Ready to drink right now, but it is built to age and could stand a few years in a cellar, if you have the patience. Normal retail is $55, tomorrow for $40!!
the wine snob. 