Whites You Need for the 4th!

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A quick post before our annual summer vacation from July 3rd-7th!  This Thursday night, the 1st, we’re doing a special night of Whites You be Needin’ for the 4th of July.  All of the wines I’m about to blather on about may be consumed for $4 a glass on Thursday night, and then ones you like best may be whisked away with you that very night (after you purchase them, of course)!  Yes, you know you need to stock up that cooler before you high-tail it out of Columbia.  Why do I know you will be doing that?  because that’s what you all did last year!  The night before 4th of July weekend, we had a total of 6 customers at Cellar on Greene.  Columbia was like a ghost town.  Which is fine- have fun, be safe, but STOCK UP!  Especially on some killer summer whites!  What else could you want for the beach?!  Beer, I suppose.  Beer tastes good at the beach.  But so does Opala!  And the rest of the wines I’m about to tell you about….

Opala Vinho Verde (Portugal) really needs no intruduction- it still remains the most visited post out of all the wine rants I’ve created over the last year and a half.  It’s our best seller at Cellar (get it?  seller?  cellar?).  It’s $10 a bottle.  I seriously doubt there’s anyone who hasn’t tasted this wine and not loved it.  It’s light, it’s crisp, it’s a little fizzy, and it’s low in alcohol, so you can practically sip it through a straw while you roast in the sun and never get more than a pleasant buzz.  We have PLENTY in stock, so stop in and grab as much as you need!

Norton Torrontes (Argentina)– this is a new one to me, but I *heart* torrontes, and so do a lot of our regulars.  Stylistically this one’s a bit on the drier side, which is nice for a summer wine.  Torrontes tend to have very flamboyant noses, with lots of bright fruit going on- sometimes hints of candy like jolly ranchers and gummy bears- but then they surprise you when you with their crispness when you get to the palate.  This one has leafy notes, with granny smith apple and tangy lemon flavors.  Delish!  $10 a bottle!

 

Markham Sauvignon Blanc (California) is definitely an above average Cali Sauv Blanc for this price range ($13 a bottle).  California Sauv Blancs are some of my favorites where Sauv Blanc is concerned- I love New Zealands as well, but occasionally I feel as though I’m chewing either a.) a grapefruit rind, or b.) a mouthful of grass.  The Markham offers delightful tropical hints- passionfruit, guava, gooseberry- finished off with nice lemony and white peach notes.   Fantastic alone or delicious with a fresh green salad and a citrusy viniagrette of sorts.  Fish, chicken, even a lightly prepared pork- perfect!  Very versatile wine.

 

Pighin Pinot Grigio (Italy).  Okay, I said it- Pinot Grigio is probably my least favorite white wine.  BUT!  When it’s good, I love it!  And it still has a stronghold over people, because it sells like hotcakes in the hot weather.  The Pighin is from Friuli, which gives it a leg up over other Pinot Grigio’s- the grape manages to maintain it’s intensity.  Peachy stone fruits, a silky texture, a h int of hazelnut, and a touch of melon lead into a classic, clean finish.  Yum!  $10 a bottle!

 

Last but not least, Lonen Charonnay (California).    A lush, rich little Cali Chard, which despite the the amount of “anything but Chardonnay” press there is out there these days in wine-snob land- still maintains strong selling presence… pretty much everywhere.  The Lonen is like a big, ripe basket of exotic fruits- pineapple, mango, light touches of orange blossom and a luxurious, butterscotchy-oaky-toasty finish.  Delicious and a fantastic value for $13 a bottle. 

That’s all I have time for today!  Likewise, if you need some REDS for the 4th, too- just let me know and I will hook it up in a jiffy while you’re sipping away on your $4 glass of white.  And maybe some tuna nachos, too?  That’s what I just had for lunch.  Ah, the benefits of working at Cellar on Greene.  Tuna Nachos whenever I want!

Niner Merlot, 2006 Paso Robles, Bootjack Ranch

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This is for you, Merlot haters!!

Okay, I promise not to be overly antagonistic about this- but this really is for all the Merlot-haters out there.  I was reminded of how many of you there are last weekend when I had a delicious 2006 Swanson Merlot open and offered it to a table of regulars, who shall remain nameless!  “I hate Merlot,” said regular number one, “I think it’s wimpy and tastes like sticks and dirt.”  I gasped with overexaggerated surprise.  “Sounds like someone drank her hater-ade this morning!” I said to the rest of the table, who all quickly chimed in that they hated Merlot, too.  I told them fine, to each his own, but recommended that at some point in their wine-drinking career that they venture out and try a GOOD Merlot.

We all remember Miles from Sideways exclaiming “I am not drinking any F*#@&*! Merlot!” as one of the funniest parts of that movie.  I laughed, too.  At the time that I watched it, I had yet to be convinced that Merlot was worth a darn.  But I’m older and wiser now, and I have picked a lovely little Merlot to convince you to come back from the dark side and consider the possibility that Merlot is delicious.  And perhaps conjure up a little sympathy for Merlot who suffered something of a backlash post-Sideways, in the exact opposite way that Pinot Noir experienced a nice little surge.  Poor Merlot.

So!  On to talking about the actual wine.  Dark fruit definitely dominates the palate- blackberry, black cherry, black plums, chocolate and black pepper.  Followed up nicely by a surprising burst of red fruit to balance it out, and finish of coffee and herbs.  A tiny bit of Syrah and Cab add some finesse and boost.  Strong tannins could indicate that this one might age for a while, but if I were you I’d just drink up.  Why wait?  Fruit content is so pleasant right now, and for a whopping $15 a bottle, it makes a really nice “house wine!”  If I had to pick a food-pairing, I’d focus on that red fruit content- cherries in particular.  Some sort of a cherry-balsamic glaze, sauce, whatever you prefer- would really bring out that hint of red fruit in the wine.  Pork, steak, duck- anything goes with this one.  That’s why Merlot is so great- because of it’s versatility!

So go on- give this one a try- relieve yourself of your Merlot-hatred (or just adversity).  The next time you have people over for dinner,  serve them this Merlot.  You might feel the need to justify it a little, like- “No!  This is GOOD, I promise!”  while you an hear them making fun of you in their minds, or exchanging meaningful glances over the table- but they will be singing a different tune once they taste it!

Before I bow out for today, here’s a dose of sleeping kitty- aka my wine-blogging assistant:

Prima Tempranillo, 2007 Toro

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Oh, Prima- you’re-so-fine-you-blow-my-mind.  And no, do not insert a “Hey,” because I am rocking out to some old school SWV, not Tony Basil.  Yup, that’s how I roll on Tuesday mornings!  My 90’s R&B playlist simply cannot be beat.

I’ve been looking forward to this one!  One of my all time favorite by the glass pours at Cellar on Greene since we opened.  I feel like I say that a lot… well, you have to trust me- and yes, it’s okay that I have a lot of favorites.  They’re like my children.

Here it is on my desk at home- I actually drank it over the weekend while I watched the finale of The Pacific on HBO.  It’s full name is Bodegas y Vinedos Maurodos Prima, 2007.  But it goes by Prima in layman’s terms, or at least in my terms.  Are you ready to be extremely wow’d??  You better be!  Because EVERY recent vintage of this wine has scored 90-points or above from Robert Parker! 03, 04, 05, 06, 07 and 08 (which I haven’t had yet, but would love to get my hands on).  The 07 got a 90.  Are you ready for the best part?  It costs $19!  Yup, you can snag this little guy for under 20 bucks at Cellar on Greene.   Here’s a better look at the label so you can remember what you’re looking for:

This is a plump, sexy wine.  It shows off a little- it knows it’s the shit.  It is ripe, and full of chocolate, dark cherry, blackberry, raspberry, smoke, pencil lead, tobacco and general awesomeness.  It has great acidity and enough tannin to allow it to age several years- if you can wait that long.  I think it’s perfect right now, but then again, I like ’em young.  Toro is a relatively young recognized wine region (DO, in wine-nerdy terms), only founded in 1987 with just four wineries.  Tempranillo (also called tinta de Toro) make up almost 80% of it’s plantings, with small amounts of Garnacha, Cab Sauv, Malvasia (which, to me, sounds more like an illness than a grape) and Verdejo.

Toro produces the kind of wine that can easily rival any top wine region in the world- yes, even the snobby French ones- and the Prima is an absolutely sublime example of what Toro is capable of at a truly ridiculous price!  What I truly prefer about Spanish wines- at least in the American market- is that people actually DRINK them.  I sell Spanish wine hand over fist above French wine at Cellar.  Something about French wine is off-putting to a lot of people.  Anyone out there want to voice an opinion as to why?  I have a few theories, but I don’t want to offend any Francophiles out there.

So I’ll skip the wine nerdiness to finish off the post- SWV is the bomb, people.  90’s female R&B is where it’s at.  Just take a look at these ladies:

Rockin the leather and leopard with a vaguely 80’s graphic floating above them like a halo.  “I’m so into youuu, I don’t know what I’m gonna doooo.”  That’s me singing to Prima.  Except, of course, that I DO know what I’m gonna do!  Sell it, and drink it!  It’ll be by the glass at Cellar for $9 for the foreseeable future, so I hope you’ll come in and try a glass!  Cheers!

Crios Torrontes, 2009 Argentina

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A brief apology for my lack of posts the past few weeks.  April was a busy month around Cellar with lots of catering going on, people going on vacation, and a host of other things to keep me occupied.  In particular- I was busy writing an article for May’s edition of undefined magazine! http://undefinedmagazine.com/ So keep a lookout for it- it’s my first time being published and I’m excited and a little apprehensive.  The theme of the column is “indulgence,” and I think it came out pretty well.

So this week’s pick!  A favorite of mine for years.  Another go-to summer crowd-pleasing wine from a very consistent Argentine producer, Crios- made by female winemaker extroidinaire Susana Balbo.

Susana has a pretty awesome story- after working as a winemaker and consultant for 25 years (among them Bodegas Catena Zapata), she founded, designed, and constructed the Dominio del Plata winery in 1999 with her husband.  The winery puts out several different labels- Ben Marco, Susana Balb0, Nosotros, and finally the Crios line, whose full name is Crios de Susana Balbo- meaning “offspring.”  The Crios wines are intended to be consumed young, as they offer a more lively and fruit-forward characteristic (and an awesome pricetag, to boot!) while her other “high end” offerings are definitely cellar-worthy.

I am partial to wines that are meant to be consumed now.  I like that they defy tradition a bit, challenging the old-world notion that good wine requires patience and reticence.  I have several bottles at my house (no, I don’t have a cellar or even a wine refrigerator, just a wine rack) that I intend to save- but sometimes I look at them and just think, when?  really, WHEN am I going to drink these?  I appreciate wines that carry the philosophy that NOW is the time.  Why wait?  Just do it.  Drink it.

So yes, with summer now poised to rear it’s muggy head, I think you should DRINK this Torrontes!  At $14 a bottle, you really can’t find a better expression of this great little grape.  Exquisitely fragrant, it smells like you’re sitting in the middle of a spring garden in full bloom.  Notes of spices and honey are fully present, too- and at Cellar we collectively decided that we get a distinct “white gummy bear” scent as well.  Everyone knows they are the best gummy bears.  With all that going on, you’d think it was a sweet wine, but in fact it’s a medium-bodied, slightly tangy taste you get, with great acidity and a slight dryness.  Awesome.

Jay Miller from The Wine Advocate gave this vintage a cool 90 points! And remember, it’s only $14 a bottle retail at Cellar.  We’re also pouring it by the glass, so you can cool off with a glass at any point without committing to a bottle.

I promise to get back on the once a week blogging track.  In closing, here is a picture of the first strawberry ripening on my strawberry plant!  Yup, I’ve managed not to kill it yet!

Happy summer, drink wine, eat strawberries!  Cheers!

Kung Fu Girl Riesling, 2009 Columbia Valley

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Man oh man am I loving life right now!  It’s gorgeous out, it’s not even noon, and I am sipping on one of my all time favorite wines!  And as an added bonus, I get to go pour wine at an art show opening at Frame of Mind (1520 Main St) http://www.artofeyewear.com/ from 6-9 tonight!  Thus today is off to a good start.  Unlike yesterday, when I ran out of gas on the way to work.  Could’ve used a glass of wine then. 

I have been eagerly anticipating the arrival of this wine all week! 

And here she is!  I’m fairly certain many of you will recognize the label on this one- as I’ve said before, I love a great wine label and genius marketing, both of which are at work here.  So many people remember the Charles Smith wines, and in particular the Kung Fu Girl, because of the sleek, sexy packaging.  Ain’t nothing wrong with that- especially when the wines are awesome, so it’s not like you’re being tricked into buying something because of the label- which I detest.  And I’m sure most of you would agree.  No one likes to be tricked.  Here’s a better look at Miss Fu:

And yes, I’ve done it again- chosen a summer white to write about this week.  To all you people who think you don’t like white wine, or think that white wine is for sissy’s- hopefully you’ve been reading this blog for a while now you’re starting to get over it.  White wine is fantastic.  And if you live in South Carolina and you don’t like white wine- well, have mercy- because nothing gets you through a hot SC summer quite like a refreshing white.  Kung Fu Girl is no exception.  A lovely, aromatic riesling with a nose of white peaches, tangerines, flowers, and a handful of wet stones that you have just plucked out of a body of water in the Columbia Valley that looks something like this:

I stole this picture off of a “hike of the week” website for the Washington Trails Association.  Now, I do not hike- but if I did, it would be in a place like this!  And to all those outdoorsy types that I went to college with that made me feel guilty for not really enjoying hiking- let me say this; I love to be outside.  And I have nothing against exercise- I do it with frequency, actually.  But if I want to enjoy a lovely day outside, I don’t want to have to work hard.  I just want to chill.  So that’s why I don’t hike.  I’m not ashamed of it anymore.  I think Nalgene bottles are sort of gross (but I like reusable water bottles made of other materials), and the stickers that cover them that are supposed to show off all your pursuits, hobbies, passions, etc. are irritating to me.  I hate roof racks, I hate huge backpacks, and I think clothing made of special materials to wear outside are a rip-off designed for elitists.  Phew- that was something of a rant that had aboslutely nothing to do with Riesling… sorry about that!  It’s who I am. 

So more tasting notes would be helpful, I suppose- since this is a wine blog!  This is the third vintage that I’ve tasted of the Kung Fu Girl, and I’d say it’s definitely the best.  2009 was apparently a “near perfect” year in Eastern Washington, and in my humble opinion, this is as close to perfect of an expression of Washington state Riesling that you can purchase for $13.  Most of the fruit is up-front and on the nose, so by the time you get to mid-palate, you’re left with a fantastic dose of lemony-lime tartness, with perfect minerality and an edge of slate.  It’s light and racy, much like a Mosel-style Riesling from Germany, but softer.  It’s an extremely clean wine, that might fool you into thinking it’s wimpy based on it’s near-translucence- but definitely don’t underestimate- she has a-plenty of sophistication.  It’s like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Riesling.  This is how I picture her:

My gosh Michelle Yeoh is beautiful, isn’t she?  But she kicks ass, too.  At least she does in that movie.  Much like Kung Fu Girl Riesling!  So give ‘er a try!  She will be at the Wine Sale at Cellar this Saturday April 3rd from 12-2.  Yes, the free one!  They’re all free!  So stop in, say hi, taste wine, and enjoy your Saturday.  Hope to see lots of you then!

Michael David “Petite Petit,” 2007 Lodi

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I’m suffering from something of a “wine whiplash” today- a term we cleverly invented last night to describe the drastic switch from all my delicate, refreshing summer white picks of the last few weeks to this week’s pick- the gargantuan behemoth of a wine that is Michael David’s ‘Petite Petit.’  A very cool blend of 85% Petite Sirah and 15% Petit Verdot from the Lodi region of California.

**pause to admire my new desk set-up!  You can’t see it that well, but it’s pretty sweet and I feel very official.  Wave to the picture of my friend Greg in the background- blowing up a balloon and wearing a birthday hat.  Now if I could just organize it so that random pieces of mail, cameras, screwdrivers, water glasses, paint cans, broken staplers… and a few other things weren’t all over it, I’d be a real grown-up.  One day.  Moving on…

This wine has been something of a showstopper for the last few weeks at Cellar and Mr. Friendly’s- we’re both pouring it by the glass, and it’s been one of our best retail sellers.  Just last night a gentleman came in raving about his dinner at Mr. Friendly’s, and did we sell the wine he just drank?  the one with the carnival on the front?  I said, yes of course- $16  bottle- and fetched him a bottle.  He paused… and then said- “On second thought, just give me a case.”  Like I said- it’s popular.

And with good reason- this thing has atomic-like levels of fruit, oak, spice, bacon- yes, bacon!- all up in it.  Parker gave it 88 points- a reasonable score, but I think considering the fact that it’s so reasonably priced it deserved a 90.  Just sayin’.  On first whiff you get a massive hit of cloves, vanilla, a little hint of flowery-violets, and then- whoah!  BACON!  mmmmmmmm,  yes- bacon in a glass.  Does it get better than that?  Juicy cherries, cedar, blackberries and maybe a bit of fig follow.  Parker calls it a “civilized” Petite Sirah- a grape that is notorious for being too tannic and feral for it’s own good.  It’s used as a blending grape in a lot of circumstances- especially with Zinfandel to tone down and tighten up it’s jammy quality.

In the course of writing this I stumbled into this cool website devoted entirely to fans of Petite Sirah- worth a look-over, it’s pretty funny…. http://www.psiloveyou.org/

Here’s a better look at the image on the front of the bottle.  Elephants are a good choice for a graphic- this wine is big and burly like an elephant, but also smart and purposeful.  Did I mention I love elephants?  Always have.

In conclusion, lest you think I do anything without a good reason- I didn’t switch up from my summer wine kick completely- this wine, although massive, is ALSO a great summer wine!  Know why?!  One word- BURGERS!  Summertime means grilling out!  And with the smokey bacony characteristic of this wine it would be absolutely SUBLIME with a burger.  I even have a perfect burger, one that I devoured last night and thoroughly enjoyed… I don’t know the name of it, but it was from Pawley’s Front Porch and it was blackened with bacon and pimento cheese and it was heaven!  And how convenient- you can place a take out order from Pawleys, run up to Cellar and pick up a bottle of Petite Petit, and then head home to feast on the couch.  At least that’s what I would do.  Just an idea.

It would also taste pretty darn good with the famous Bacon Wrapped Filet with French Quarter Pimento Cheese from Mr. Friendly’s, just in case you thought I had forgotten my allegiances completely.  Ask for Daniel.  He will take good care of you.  And if you’ve never had the oysters from Mr. F, (which would be shocking, to say the least) Daniel will make sure you get two different sauces on the side so you can decide which one you like better.  (That was for you, Fomby).

Well happy drinking, happy Spring, and happy grilling out!  Enjoy the weather!  Seacrest out.

Hugues Beaulieu Picpoul de Pinet, 2008 Languedoc

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This week I continue with two recent obsessions- Languedoc aka “the doc” and Spring wines- although I am breaking the Rose trend that I’ve had going for the past two entries.  It’s SPRING!!  And that means WHITE WINE!  This wine with the funny name- Picpoul- is one of my favorite by-the-glass pours we’ve had at Cellar since we opened.  We poured it last year and included it in a flight called “whites u been ignoring” after it sat on the list for a few months, quite literally being ignored.  Poor little Picpoul.  Funny thing happened once we put it on the flight, though- people realized how awesome it was!  And it became a favorite.  Triumph over adversity- it’s the classic American story.  Even though it’s a French wine.  People would come in looking for it, and when the 2007 vintage ran out, there was a resounding disappointment heard all through Greene Street.

Customers who came in looking for it never remembered what it was called, so they usually said something like, “this wine in the skinny green bottle… I can’t remember the name of it…” and that was my cue that they were looking for the Picpoul.

Here it is- a skinny green bottle with a bunch of weird French words on it.  Honestly- something that your average wine buyer would likely overlook- or be too scared of- if it were sitting on a shelf somewhere.  It’s not really clear WHAT the heck it is.  Picpoul?  Pinet?  What on earth is Coteaux?  And how do you say Hugues Beaulieu?  All this is just too much.  Leave it for the wine nerds.

But we need to move past all that.  Who cares how to pronounce it.  Just call it Picpoul.  Pick.  Pool.  As one of our servers at Cellar says- “This is great pool wine.  It’s in the name!”  Okay, Sarah- maybe you say it a little cooler than that- but this is a test to see if you actually read my blog like I tell y’all to!

Besides the Opala Vinho Verde, this really is a perfect pool wine.  It’s great for hot weather.  It’s a delicate, pretty wine- like a girl in a tutu.  Notes of green apple and lemon make up the majority of the palate, with a slightly salty, almost “briney” finish that make it perfect for… ??  you guess it!!  OYSTERS!  Ohhhh sweet Jesus I can almost imagine this with some fresh oysters on the half shell.  Here’s a photo of some deliciousl oysters I had recently in Vegas, just to get you salivating…

And in a perfect tribute to Mother Nature, it’s no coincidence that Picpoul tastes great with oysters- the village of Pinet overlooks the oyster and mussel farms of Bassin de Thau.  Interesting how that works, huh?  I think so.  I can’t claim to be a subscriber to any theory of intelligent design- but if I were, I would use this as evidence.  And that’s all I will say about that.  This is a blog about wine, after all.

In any case, come taste the Picpoul!  You can try it any old night of the week, since it is by-the-glass, or just stop by the Wine Sale this Saturday at Cellar from 12-2, where it will be for sale for an attractive $11!! If you’re not our friend on Facebook, hop on it!  I often throw special deals for facebook friends on, so it’s worth paying attention to!

Hope to see everyone Saturday- Happy Spring and Happy Drinking!

Oscar Edition- Domaine de Nizas Rose, 2008

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Yes, that’s right- another Rose.  Two weeks in a row.  I wasn’t kidding when I said I was going to drink Rose every day until Spring decides to stay.  Today was nice, but I’m still holding out for a nice 70 degrees.  You may as well know- I go through phases a lot, and right now I’m in a Rose phase.  Call it the phase, call it whatever, BUT the Mulderbosch Rose and this Domaine de Nizas Rose from Languedoc (aka The ‘Doc) are two of the BEST wines I’ve had recently- and they’re as different as night and day!  Which is why I love wine.

Alright- I know it says “Ricky’s Pick”- but it’s my pick, too!  We like the same things a lot of times.  But I always pronounce them properly (inside joke).  Actually, I really don’t know how to pronounce Nizas.  Somehow Nih-zus doesn’t sound right.  Maybe Nee-zus?  Either way it’s an awkward word.  Those darn French!  If the wine wasn’t so good I’d hold it against them!

So, if the Mulderbosch Rose was a “manly” Rose, this Nizas Rose is it’s lovely female companion.  If it were to take the form of a dress (in honor of the fact that I’m watching the Oscars as I write), it would definitely be Jennifer Lopez’s iridescent pink, beautifully sculptural dress.  I’m really not her *biggest* fan, but I do think that dress was amazing!  Feminine, yet strongly shaped and a little exotic and with a nice flair.  Kudos to J-Lo for that one.  Here it is in case you missed it…

But I digress- the point is- THIS ROSE IS UNBELIEVABLE!!  In case I didn’t beat it into your head with the Mulderbosch post- Rose is SO GOOD!  and remember- not all pink wine is White Zinfandel!  Feminine really is the operative word- it’s delicate, with notes of dried berries, cherries, white flowers, hint of spice, some white chocolate, and a simply beautiful mouthfeel.  The winemaker’s notes call it “vibrant, crisp and dry” and I can’t really improve on that succinct wording.  One of my favorite words- quaffable- I’ll throw that in here.  This is quaffable wine.  An extremely awkward word that means it’s pleasant and easy to drink.  But when else does one get to say quaffable?

And PS- Wine Spectator!  I am pissed at you for only giving this 88 points!  88 points is decent, but you’re waaay off on this one.  It costs an unbelievable $15, and that fact alone, combined with how freaking good it is, makes it deserving of a 90-point rating.  It’s only a 2-point difference, but I’m still sour about it.

Happy sipping, DRINK ROSE!

Another PS- I’m going to VEGAS this week, so keep an eye on my tweets (@winesnobsc) and be prepared to drool over all the wine I’ll be drinkin’!

Mulderbosch Rose of Cabernet, 2009 South Africa

/ thewinesnob / 4 Comments

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!

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

/ thewinesnob / 5 Comments

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.