Tuesday, December 22, 2009

As Per Thomas's Request




Not sure how much time I will have to post between now and Christmas, things at The Wine Country are really starting to crank; eating lunch at three o clock, doing the, “Man I gotta pee” dance while helping customers pick out their gifts and party wines. Running to answer phones, track packages and restock decimated case stacks. It is really beginning to feel like Christmas now, not the holiday cheer I was aching for but the pace is most definitely, “Seasonal”. Top all of that with the fact that my sweetest thing ever, son is flying home this evening and I doubt there will be time for me to post…not that anyone is going to be reading blogs anyway.

Loyal reader, often commenter and dare I say, sweetly supportive Thomas busted my chops on the last post, told me that I was blogging wrong by not compiling a, “Best of” list, and you know what….he’s right. I am blogging wrong, but I have been doing it wrong from the get so y’all, (nod to my U of L son and my boys in the south) have grown accustomed by now I’m sure. I think I must be reading wrong too because I checked out a bunch of other blogs….well, I intended to but then I remembered, I don’t give a rat’s ass, so I stuck to the blogs that I already read. I saw that Ron Washam stepped out of the HoseMaster role and took time to thank everyone for reading, Tom Wark made a list of dudes he’d like to have as drinking buddies, (donde the chicks Tom?!) Alice had a contender for wine of the year post but for the most part no one was making lists, not about wine anyway. So being the joiner that I am, I’m not going to either…sorry Thomas. But check me out dude, not one curse word yet!!



Now before I go any further I would like to take a second to bow my goofy head to all my silent readers, I have a stat counter folks so I know you are out there reading. I am so grateful to all of you for clicking on my silly ass blog, giving a shit, (dammit…sorry Thomas) about what I have to say, and for bumping along with me in this silly life of mine. I am truly humbled by your presence; sure I wish you would chime in once in awhile but my weekly report assures me you are there and that is beyond good enough for me. Thank you so much and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

Now onto my list, I approached this like I do mashed potatoes and peas…mashed them together. I took Ron’s idea, (was it not you Love that said great writers steal?) Tom’s idea and a sprinkling of Alice’s recommending wines for people idea, and came up with my own kind of list.

What I Would Like To Drink With My Regular Readers

Benito & Huber Dornfelder. I know you love wacky wines kid and this has got to be one of the craziest wines I have come across in a very long time. It is NOT just Dornfelder dude, this offering from Norman Huber is one of those wines that makes you say, “I have never seen or tasted anything like that before”…that, that makes me think of you.

Vicki & Domaine de Montille Pommard Rugiens. Girlie, you gots it real bad for aromatics…I do to, not pointing a finger…and this wine would surely inspire and continue to drive that passion for Burgundy that you already have. I could just see us now, spending hours with our nose in the glass before ever taking a sip.

Michael & Icy Cold Martinis…Many Of Them. Now Michael I was going to say, Camus Bruchon Savigny-les-Beaune, (yes, I’m cheating by listing 2) but seeing as we are like The Wonder Twins and junk…cocktails, many cocktails for us, followed by a worshiping to the patron saint of hangovers. When I think of meeting you and having a drink, I think we are going to be nothing but trouble.

Marcia & O’Shea Scarborough Cabernet Sauvignon. As elegant and charming a Cabernet as I have had in a very long time. A smart, almost regal wine with a bit of spice…..

Charlie Olken & Older California Pinot Noir. I would love to learn from you, have you walk me through the wine, explain to me what it was when it was younger…how it changed, teach me. That, that would be wicked cool. That or Pastis just so I could see you make an, “Ewe!” face.

Ron Washam & Comte Lafon Montrachet. First of all there is something ironic about The HoseMaster and Samantha Sans Dosage drinking such a wine..kinda makes me chuckle just thinking of it. Secondly I would love to be able to share something like this with you, one of the most amazing wines I have ever tasted with one of the most amazing people I know..sounds perfect. Plus it’s, (White Burgundy that is) the only thing I ever heard you gush about here…you know, other than me!

John Kelly & Comte de Vogue Chambolle-Musigny…At Ma Cuisine. Had to add the place because of our shared love of Beaune. It’s almost scary how alike we are and I know sharing this bottle of wine with you, in Beaune would either tilt the earth on its axis, (both of us in the same place at the same time) or inspire a night of uber indulgence that would undoubtedly land us in a bar killing a bottle of our beloved licorice flavored beverage.

Jess & H. Billiot Cuvee Julie. We have talked about Champagne together, had drinks and wine together but never shared a bottle of Champagne…what better way to kick off what I hope to be a long friendship and years of bubble drinking than my Champagne of The Year?

Thomas & Cavallotto Barolo. Dunno, something about you just screams Barolo to me…noble, slightly unyielding, interesting, firm but focused…yup, Barolo.

Richard & Allemand Cornas. I feel like you have a real love for Rhone varietals and would adore sharing with you one of the wines that flipped my switch for Syrah…

Nancy & Jobard Meursault. One of the first white wines I remember you flipping for was the Chappele Meursault and that was back when you were all, “I prefer red wine” and now, now you sell Riesling for a living! I think the refinement and reserved nature of Jobard’s wine would be perfect for us girlie.

Amy & All Of The Above…Anywhere & Everywhere. You and me girlie, we have shared so many amazing wine moments together and they are not even close to being over…cannot wait for the next one!



Now I have some other regular readers, The Wine Whore, k2, Anonymous, (Anonymi?) and the like but I have yet to get a real feel for what to drink with them yet, but to any and all of my beloved readers I do thank you from the very bottom of my very full heart and wish you all a very Merry Christmas or Happy Holiday or whatever it is we are supposed to say.
Kisses & Hugs,
Your Faithful Wine Slinger
Samantha Dugan

21 comments:

Benito said...

Sam,

Laughing my ass off here. Years ago I mentioned enjoying a dark green pistachio liqueur from somewhere in Eastern Europe. One guy gave me a hard time: "Never admit to something like that. From now on, you're always going to be that guy, the one who drinks pistachio liqueur. You're going to have to sit by yourself at the bar, and some places won't even let you in."

Needless to say, I've had a few Dornfelders (and Spatburgunders, Blaufrankisch, Schwarzriesling, and other German reds) but none have impressed me much. I'll look out for this, but you definitely know that I'll be toasting your good name when I open that Gaston Chiquet.

With sincere affection and wishes for a peaceful holiday season, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas with your family, friends, and kindergarten-age neighbor.

Cheers,
Benito

Thomas said...

Firm but focused--almost sounds sexy.

Barolo is a good choice, Sam. Now that I no longer own a wine shop and can't get it wholesale, I can't afford Barolo much anymore (just opened the last of a 1998 stash that I had).

So few readers show up at my blog (at least few comment) that my list would be short indeed, if I were so inclined to make lists.

Tell you the truth, this time of year often gets too sappy for me and the reason for that is similar to the reason that you used to hate it--you did once hate this holiday, I seem to remember a post on that.

Once, when I was about 8, in the midst of a crowd of neighbors in the next door apartment, with everyone drinking and laughing aloud, I remembered the many arguments, fights and general shittiness of most of the neighbors from the past year. So I asked my brother why people who seemed to hate one another all year were so friendly and jolly at Christmas time.

"Because that's what we are supposed to do," he said, solidifying my life-long sense of rebellion against all that I am told I am supposed to do.

But, I am truly glad to have found your blog. It is sometimes refreshing, silly, erudite, insightful, vulgar, funny, lame, right, wrong, weird, perfect, and so on--in other words, exactly what a writer is supposed to produce...

K.Mahoney said...

Thank you Sam. I really enjoy your blog... always fun to hear about another California girl in the industry.

Hope you have a wonderful sunny Christmas.

For the record, it would have to be a Dirty Martini (or 3).

K.

Michael Hughes said...

Trouble with a capital T! For sure.

Ron Washam, HMW said...

My Gorgeous Samantha,

You know how I feel about you, how much I love you. Christmas is newly wondrous to me now that I have you in my life.

Aside from my personal feelings, I agree with Thomas' assessment of your prodigious talent. I feel a little sorry for folks out there reading all the dull and insipid and poorly written wine blogs who haven't yet discovered Samantha Sans Dosage. Once they do, and they will, Gorgeous, they surely will, they'll never be able to go back to that dreck. You and I have often spoken of the work it takes to blog. Just know that I deeply appreciate your words and talent.

After that ethereal Montrachet, I've still got some old Rayas we can contemplate. Date?

Merry Christmas, My Gorgeous Samantha! And Merry Christmas to all of the Samantha Sans Dosage crew! It's a pleasure sharing these pages with all of you.

I love you!

Your HoseMaster

vickibarkley said...

I am honored beyond belief! Domaine de Montille Pommard Rugiens!!!
Thanks, Sam.
Yes, we do need to share a bottle, spending the evening with our noses in our glasses.
Yours is the best year-end list of them all!!!
Love and kisses to you!!

Vicki

The Woo said...

No over the top Bordeaux or Napa Cabs? Color me shocked... :).

Hope you have a great time with J. Enjoy!

Samantha Dugan said...

Benito,
Yeah dude, think you're kinda, "that guy" but it's wicked cool!

Thomas,
Good memory and yes, I did once have a Christmas, "issue" but it was more that my Mom was dso bloody unhappy, I still dug it but had to mum the word as it were. Your reaction to your brother's comment...very Barolo.

K.,
So there you are, I read your kind words about my blog over at HoseMaster, nice to see you here as well! Okay girlie, Martini...Vodka or Gin?

Michael,
I'm a-scared.

Ron,
You melt me and your words are far too kind for the silly ramblings here...but I'll take em and send you a face full of virtual kisses! Dude, Rayas & Montrachet...sounds a bit like Samantha & Ron, a perfect pair. Course the wines are brilliant and we are jackasses but it's almost the same.

Vicki,
Let's do it girlie, some day when the season is over.

Woo,
Dude I thought about adding you but I was unsure if you had posted enough for people to know you yet...but I see Burgundy, red Burgundy with you and I pal!

Romes said...

Sam,
Is January a good time to share the delicious bubbly of the year? In fact, I think a night with you and Vicki and a bubbly to start followed by the Domaine de Montille - might just be the ticket! Still have such a great picture of Etienne...

I'll be in town Jan 13 & 14 and I think Trav is joining me in your wonderful city over president's weekend! Thanks for thinking of me, I'm honored and also look forward to a long time friendship!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and Callo and all of your readers - those I've met and those I haven't!

MMMMM, bubbly....

Charlie Olken said...

Sam--

It's a funny world. You want to drink CA wines with me and I want to drink French wine with you. You see, just because I write about and love and have two cellars full of CA wine does not mean that I pass on other wine.

So, I make you this promise. We will drink older CA wines together, because Lord knows I have some, and they need enjoying with folks who will join me in looking at them for what they were and what they have become in their majority.

But, if and when we do, we will also drink wines from other places in the world. And here is a dirty little secret, I drink more imported wine than CA wine in restaurants because tasting thousands of CA wines a year makes them like members of the family, and it is more fun to step out, especially when one steps into great wines from Burgundy, the Rhone, the Rhine and the Loire. I do envy you your much greater familiarity with those wines than I have.

And, as if the above were not serious enough, I need to add a word about your writing. It is possibly (I have not read them all) the most natural, from the heart, richly personal, loving (the wine first and friends also) wine writing anywhere. Your writing is amazing because it drips with your personality. Not much that is written about wine does that.

I love it. Keep it up.

Merry, Merry !!

Charlie

k2 said...

Sam,

Blogging wrong? How the hell do you pull that one off? If you are than I am really screwed. And I know I've just gotten over bein' bashful with all the bloggers I follow, but my drink? I'm in Kentucky so Bourbon, rocks. And lots of it. Or something from Southern Italy, say Aglianico. Regardless, thanks for cheering me up when I am stark raving mad around here in my office, and thanks for blogging "wrong" - wouldn't want to read you any other way! Merry Christmahanukwanzaaram!

Nancy Deprez said...

Thanks Sam! I will have to buy a bottle of this Jobard...... yes, white wine, gotta love it, it is not all weak tasteless colorless water like I initially thought, but rather, very captivating, refined, elegant and delish stuff very often, complementing food quite nicely. Love Meursalt. Think you are awesome and I hope you have the BEST Christmas ever!!!! Hi to Jeremy.

The Woo said...

Haha... well, I was more commenting on the "no fruit bomb" nature of your list and palate, than looking for an add... I appreciate it.

For you, I would open an aged DRC or something worthy from Burgundy. Or how about the '96 Taittinger? I think you would like it... I still have a few bottles left.

Arthur said...

Huber Dornfelder: nice call on that one. Have you had the port?

Samantha Dugan said...

Jess,
I will be in town then chicka and would love to meet this Travis of yours...prove to him that we LA folks are not what he thinks we are. The "brand" of "so LA" that he is thinking of has moved to Irvine. Email me missy, we will make it go.

Sir Charles,
Um, dude...are you aware that this is my crazy season? That I am not getting as much rest and sleep as I need and that my nerves and emotions are like twitching right under the surface of my skin? How dare you say something so sweet, so profoundly heart thumping?! I drug my slept-4-hours-ass to the laptop this morning to find Charlie Olken had left me a comment...there was no, "this shit might make you tear up" warning or anything.

We so have a deal, I will bring the Champagne and Old World wines and you bring the older California wines...who's bringing the HoseMaster?

Your comments about my writing made my heart soar and filled me with pride Charlie...you simply cannot know how much that means to me.

k2,
Ah yes, Bourbon country, know it well as my son is a major Bourbon guy, (U of L) or um...will be when he is like 21 and stuff, (that is a Mom turning away her watchful eye). If I helped make your day better than I am thrilled becuase your commet helped make mine.

Woo,
Not sure I am worthy of DRC but if you insist....

Arthur,
I have had the Huber Dornfelder port, matter of fact we just brought it in...seriously wild stuff. Spun that stuff in the glass and the first thing that came to mind was the way that "red" flavored NyQuil clings to the side of that little plastic cup....crazy.

Charlie Olken said...

" who's bringing the HoseMaster? "

Not to worry. He knows the way.

Samantha Dugan said...

Charlie,
OR we could just leave a trail of corks and bare ass photos and see if he can track us down...

Unknown said...

I'm flattered to be on your list. Nice call on the Cornas, I bet that would rock with the Christmas Eve prime rib roast tonight, I do have a Faury St. Joseph that I found through this blog that will stand in for it.

Have a wonderful Christmas with your family (and to everybody else reading).
Cheers,
Richard

The Woo said...

You are always worthy of DRC. Are you kidding me? It saddens me to think of the tons of wines like DRC that get tossed about like pearls before swine all over the world. Sigh.

John M. Kelly said...

I've been sleeping a lot lately - sorry I'm coming late to this party. But thank you so much for the mention, and the perfect wine pick, and the perfect wish for the perfect location. I have a tear in my eye.

Samantha Dugan said...

Richard,
My pleasure! Thanks for reading and for taking the time to chime in from time to time!

Woo,
Well than....bring it! Oh and um, thank you.

John,
Awe sweetheart, better tardy than not at all. When you are all rested and stuff we should figure out a time to make it go. 4 days, all I need is 4 days, we could hook up with Dominique or just spend our days tasting and our evenings getting lost on the cobblestone streets of Beaune....think you and I. well we could wreck that place.