Yesterday a customer asked, "Where is your Blue Nun?" to which we had to say, "We don't carry it". "Oh okay" he responded and continued to browse around the store. A few minutes later he returned to ask, "Where is your Moet & Chandon White Star?" to which I again had to reply, "We don't carry it". This time he seemed slightly annoyed but again retreated to the racks to continue his browsing, when I saw him approaching the counter for the third time I felt my spine tighten and my breath retreat into the deepest part of my lungs, my eyes widened and a smile spread cross my face in an attempt to appear less like the "Soup Natzi". "Okay now where might you be hiding the Kendall Jackson Chardonnay?" damn it...my lungs deflated, my grin vanished and my brow was furrowed...sheepishly I replied, "Um we don't carry..." before I could finish the now horribly redundant sentence he looked at me like I was from another planet, (a look that I have come to know very well) and said, "What kind of wine store is this? How can you not have such popular brands?" before I could even put all the words together in my head I heard my voice stammer, "Um, why would we need too?".
He looked at me like I had just taken a poo on the floor, I had to act fast. I in no way wanted to offend him nor did I want to imply that his requests were silly. In fact I understand the comfort people find in seeing familiar brands but in all honesty, why would we carry those wines? To come to The Wine Country you have to make a special trip...so why would anyone that was shopping for dinner drive all the way over to us to buy the wines they could have purchased at their local Vons? As I explained this, feeling like I was still at the plate after stike three to the verbos but softening customer he asked the question I was dreading, "Those wines are very popular so they are really good right?"....damn it! "There is nothing wrong with them" was the absolute best I could do. I watched his head cock sideways and his eyes narrow from the smirk that was on his face....I knew then that I could give him the answer I had wanted to give him since he asked for the Blue Nun. Those wines are, "Fine" but there is nothing all that interesting about them and we have wines that are so much better.
Two cases of wine later he was on his way. I will think of him popping those corks and tasting wines that have real character, finesse and wait for his return.
Salute!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Finally a Wine Writer With a Palate I Understand!
I just finished reading Alice Feiring's new book, "The Battle for Wine and Love or How I Saved the World from Parkerizarion" and I just have to say, "Amen sister, Amen". Feiring has a fierce love for purity, tradition and wines that taste of place and I devoured each word of her well written and easy reading book like a glass of refreshing Sancerre. I found myself smacking the arm of my couch and shouting aloud, "that's what I'm talking about".
In the book Feiring takes you on a journey from the first wine that flipped her lid, (a 1968 Barolo) to her disappointment with the shift from wines of purity, that taste like where they came from to wines that are sappy, gooey and have been made by recipe in order to win the praise of the number yielding press. She travels to Spain and Italy and begings tasting wines that could just have well come from California, new oak, concentrated fruit, weighty with almost no acidity......and she is pissed! She meets with winemakers and is often asked, "Do you think Robert Parker would like this wine?" and more often than she would like the answer was sadly, "Yes". Her frustration and longing to, "stop the madness" before her beloved, "little" wines were snuffed into extinction led her to write this much needed book.
I for one welcome her voice and see it as a beaming light amidst the a sea of sameness. Just like Feiring, I have been watching with dismay as the, "world of wine" has been shrinking....reduced to a puddle of thick goo. I like wine to be rustic, nervy with an accent not buffed, polished and reminiscent of chocolate pudding. I don't have a sweet tooth, don't drink soda or milk and would sooner bite into a lemon sprinkled with salt than eat a apricot.....I was beginning to worry that if things kept on their current path, (deconstructing wines and re-making them like a big old pot of soup) that I might have to switch to Gin and Tonics!
I am happy to report that things might be shifting back towards the middle. Last year I tasted a Rose from Tablas Creek that was over 16% alcohol.....it was revolting but last week I tried the new vintage and things were back near the 13% level. I have watched the levels on Zinfandel come down from their "Port-like" numbers back down to something resembling table wine! This can only be a good thing as I believe that saturation like that only hinders wine drinking. I mean who wants the pounding headache that inevitably comes with a night spent with wines in the 15% alcohol levels? Not to mention that wines with acidity and tart fruit leave you wanting another sip...they are more refreshing, when you're thirsty do you want lemonade or milk? From a sales point of view I would think that encouraging a second or third glass would stimulate more sales right?
Now in all fairness I know there are people that love the kind of wines that Alice Feiring and I loathe and who am I to, "yuck your yum" as it were? All I am asking for is some balance, leave something for us to drink already! We will stay off your Parker Boards, (where Alice has been banned for disagreeing with his devotees) and you stay out of the Loire Valley....deal? Vouvray should not taste like Chenin Blanc from Napa, Savigny-les-Beaune should not taste like Pinot Noir....it should taste like Savigny-les-Beaune, it is that kind of diversity that we should be embracing in the world of wine, not seeing those differences as flaws, calling them thin or light....they may not be to your taste but the person at the next table may just LOVE it! I may not like the style of most California wines but I do appreciate them for what they are and think it is great that there are people out there that love them, something for everyone.
If you are into wines that are covered with the fingerprints of the soil they come from I highly recommend picking up a copy of Alice Feiring's book. Nice to know I'm not the only one and I am also thrilled to support her in her crusade for preservation.
In the book Feiring takes you on a journey from the first wine that flipped her lid, (a 1968 Barolo) to her disappointment with the shift from wines of purity, that taste like where they came from to wines that are sappy, gooey and have been made by recipe in order to win the praise of the number yielding press. She travels to Spain and Italy and begings tasting wines that could just have well come from California, new oak, concentrated fruit, weighty with almost no acidity......and she is pissed! She meets with winemakers and is often asked, "Do you think Robert Parker would like this wine?" and more often than she would like the answer was sadly, "Yes". Her frustration and longing to, "stop the madness" before her beloved, "little" wines were snuffed into extinction led her to write this much needed book.
I for one welcome her voice and see it as a beaming light amidst the a sea of sameness. Just like Feiring, I have been watching with dismay as the, "world of wine" has been shrinking....reduced to a puddle of thick goo. I like wine to be rustic, nervy with an accent not buffed, polished and reminiscent of chocolate pudding. I don't have a sweet tooth, don't drink soda or milk and would sooner bite into a lemon sprinkled with salt than eat a apricot.....I was beginning to worry that if things kept on their current path, (deconstructing wines and re-making them like a big old pot of soup) that I might have to switch to Gin and Tonics!
I am happy to report that things might be shifting back towards the middle. Last year I tasted a Rose from Tablas Creek that was over 16% alcohol.....it was revolting but last week I tried the new vintage and things were back near the 13% level. I have watched the levels on Zinfandel come down from their "Port-like" numbers back down to something resembling table wine! This can only be a good thing as I believe that saturation like that only hinders wine drinking. I mean who wants the pounding headache that inevitably comes with a night spent with wines in the 15% alcohol levels? Not to mention that wines with acidity and tart fruit leave you wanting another sip...they are more refreshing, when you're thirsty do you want lemonade or milk? From a sales point of view I would think that encouraging a second or third glass would stimulate more sales right?
Now in all fairness I know there are people that love the kind of wines that Alice Feiring and I loathe and who am I to, "yuck your yum" as it were? All I am asking for is some balance, leave something for us to drink already! We will stay off your Parker Boards, (where Alice has been banned for disagreeing with his devotees) and you stay out of the Loire Valley....deal? Vouvray should not taste like Chenin Blanc from Napa, Savigny-les-Beaune should not taste like Pinot Noir....it should taste like Savigny-les-Beaune, it is that kind of diversity that we should be embracing in the world of wine, not seeing those differences as flaws, calling them thin or light....they may not be to your taste but the person at the next table may just LOVE it! I may not like the style of most California wines but I do appreciate them for what they are and think it is great that there are people out there that love them, something for everyone.
If you are into wines that are covered with the fingerprints of the soil they come from I highly recommend picking up a copy of Alice Feiring's book. Nice to know I'm not the only one and I am also thrilled to support her in her crusade for preservation.
Grand Vin from the Grand Aioli With The Wine Country Crew
Sunday night Randy and Dale Kemner hosted their Grand Aioli and invited the whole motley bunch of us over to their place and stuffed us to the gills with grilled meats, veggies, the potent "garlic goo" and a down right shameful amount of wine. Putting all that wine under the noses of such wine geeks is just asking for trouble...how could we decide? Which wine should we not taste? Well we left no bottle unturned I can assure you of that and the wines that people did not get to try was only because they were too damn slow....you snooze, you lose!
I did my best to take notes and keep track of the wines we tasted but you know, as the night went on I just seemed to lose track....very strange. I'm sure I am missing a few but these are the wines I do remember either because they were early in the evening when I still had my wits/senses about me or because they really shined with the various flavors at the table.
N.V. Veuve Fourny & Fils 1er Cru Blanc de Blancs $35.99. Brought by Megan and her boyfriend this was just a great starting off point...hmmm jumping off is more like it! Tons of citrus and minerals with a clean but yeasty finish.
N.V. Veuve Fourny & Fils 1er Cru Brut Rose $39.99. Both Nancy and Merritt brought a bottle of this Champagne and I think they had planned it that way to ensure they each got a glass or two...smart women! This Rose drinks like a less sweet Jolly Rancher, watermelon flavor that is. Super vibrant fruit with tiny little bubbles and a soft gentle finish.
2006 Domaine Ott Rose $36.99. Randy had this wine waiting for us and we were all curious about how it was holding up and what the "other almost $40.00 Rose" tasted like....sadly it was tired and not as interesting as half the wines we sell at half the price.
2007 Mattes Sabran Corbieres Rose $12.99. Another wine that Randy had waiting for us and this bottle was gone within 10 minutes. Racy, full of ripe fruit and very easy to drink. (one of my favorites)
2007 Grands Boise Cotes du Rhone Rose $12.99. Plenty of ripe berry fruit with just a little spice and a crisp mineral finish. (Dale's favorite)
2007 Bastide Blanche Bandol Rose $20.99. This was Megan's favorite Rose of the evening. Very dry but with a lovely texture, nice weight and a long serious finish.
2007 Mas Champart St. Chinian Rose $15.99. Another from the Randy arsenal and seemed to me to be maybe the most delicate. Very soft fruit, some meaty notes, gentle acids a very friendly wine that let the food shine.
2007 Peyrassol Cotes du Provence Rose $15.99. This turned out to be one of Randy's favorite Roses of the evening. He said, "I have had this wine so many times but it just keeps giving me pleasure". Very gulpable wine that was wonderful with the "garlic goo".
2005 Domaine Gauby Les Calcinaires Blanc $22.99. I was so excited when I saw this wine chilling in the ice tubs out back! One of those wines that the geek in me purchased for the store and one of those wines that has been just sitting on the shelf! Made up of Macabeu, Grenache Gris, Grenache Blanc and Chardonnay this is a wacky blends that makes up a truly tasty wine! Very fresh, interesting aromatics...keeps you putting your nose to the glass and one of the wines that Randy went kinda crazy for, yelling across the tables in the backyard, "Sam...Sam I really like that Gauby!"....me too Randy, me too.
2007 Bastide Blanche Bandol Blanc $27.99. Big ripe almost pear like flavors with a chalky minerality and almost herby flavor. Nice and round in the mouth with crisp acidity...was great with the food we had but made me long for a pile of mussels or clams!
2004 Mas Champart St Chinian $21.99. One of Bennett's favorite wines of the nice. Gentle in the mouth with little bits of smoke or smokey meat, stewed black fruits and grippy tannins.
2005 Trevallon Rouge $41.99. Randy decanted this wine which really helped soften the edges. There was something pretty sultry in the nose, animal almost with deep red fruit, some herbs, earth and just enough grip to keep you interested. A wine for the cellar if you can keep your hands off of it!
2001 Clos du Caillou Les Quartz Chateauneuf-du-Pape (N/A). Amy brought this from her cellar and we all thought the wine was super tasty. Lots of sappy black fruit with a creamy vanilla middle and a full but not clunky finish.
2006 Domaine du Gour de Chaule Cotes du Rhone $16.99. A Ronnie favorite that evening the wine was elegant, subtle red fruit, earth, minerals with a light to medium body, silky texture and a bright refreshing finish...bring on the grilled flesh!
1996 Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Rouge (N/A). I brought this wine that evening but don't go thinking my cellar is full of fancy wines like Chave....Randy gave me this bottle sometime back and I could not think of another group of folks I would rather share it with. The nose alone knocked Nancy and I out, we could not stop smelling it and looking at each other. I often describe Burgundy as seductive well here is another wine that made me weak in the knees. Roasted meat, herbs, cherry like fruit stony notes and that thing....that thing we have a hard time explaining until you have had a great wine with some age on it....makes me nutty. I didn't even want to taste the wine, I was just so into the nose....wowzers!
And those are just the wines I could remember!
I did my best to take notes and keep track of the wines we tasted but you know, as the night went on I just seemed to lose track....very strange. I'm sure I am missing a few but these are the wines I do remember either because they were early in the evening when I still had my wits/senses about me or because they really shined with the various flavors at the table.
N.V. Veuve Fourny & Fils 1er Cru Blanc de Blancs $35.99. Brought by Megan and her boyfriend this was just a great starting off point...hmmm jumping off is more like it! Tons of citrus and minerals with a clean but yeasty finish.
N.V. Veuve Fourny & Fils 1er Cru Brut Rose $39.99. Both Nancy and Merritt brought a bottle of this Champagne and I think they had planned it that way to ensure they each got a glass or two...smart women! This Rose drinks like a less sweet Jolly Rancher, watermelon flavor that is. Super vibrant fruit with tiny little bubbles and a soft gentle finish.
2006 Domaine Ott Rose $36.99. Randy had this wine waiting for us and we were all curious about how it was holding up and what the "other almost $40.00 Rose" tasted like....sadly it was tired and not as interesting as half the wines we sell at half the price.
2007 Mattes Sabran Corbieres Rose $12.99. Another wine that Randy had waiting for us and this bottle was gone within 10 minutes. Racy, full of ripe fruit and very easy to drink. (one of my favorites)
2007 Grands Boise Cotes du Rhone Rose $12.99. Plenty of ripe berry fruit with just a little spice and a crisp mineral finish. (Dale's favorite)
2007 Bastide Blanche Bandol Rose $20.99. This was Megan's favorite Rose of the evening. Very dry but with a lovely texture, nice weight and a long serious finish.
2007 Mas Champart St. Chinian Rose $15.99. Another from the Randy arsenal and seemed to me to be maybe the most delicate. Very soft fruit, some meaty notes, gentle acids a very friendly wine that let the food shine.
2007 Peyrassol Cotes du Provence Rose $15.99. This turned out to be one of Randy's favorite Roses of the evening. He said, "I have had this wine so many times but it just keeps giving me pleasure". Very gulpable wine that was wonderful with the "garlic goo".
2005 Domaine Gauby Les Calcinaires Blanc $22.99. I was so excited when I saw this wine chilling in the ice tubs out back! One of those wines that the geek in me purchased for the store and one of those wines that has been just sitting on the shelf! Made up of Macabeu, Grenache Gris, Grenache Blanc and Chardonnay this is a wacky blends that makes up a truly tasty wine! Very fresh, interesting aromatics...keeps you putting your nose to the glass and one of the wines that Randy went kinda crazy for, yelling across the tables in the backyard, "Sam...Sam I really like that Gauby!"....me too Randy, me too.
2007 Bastide Blanche Bandol Blanc $27.99. Big ripe almost pear like flavors with a chalky minerality and almost herby flavor. Nice and round in the mouth with crisp acidity...was great with the food we had but made me long for a pile of mussels or clams!
2004 Mas Champart St Chinian $21.99. One of Bennett's favorite wines of the nice. Gentle in the mouth with little bits of smoke or smokey meat, stewed black fruits and grippy tannins.
2005 Trevallon Rouge $41.99. Randy decanted this wine which really helped soften the edges. There was something pretty sultry in the nose, animal almost with deep red fruit, some herbs, earth and just enough grip to keep you interested. A wine for the cellar if you can keep your hands off of it!
2001 Clos du Caillou Les Quartz Chateauneuf-du-Pape (N/A). Amy brought this from her cellar and we all thought the wine was super tasty. Lots of sappy black fruit with a creamy vanilla middle and a full but not clunky finish.
2006 Domaine du Gour de Chaule Cotes du Rhone $16.99. A Ronnie favorite that evening the wine was elegant, subtle red fruit, earth, minerals with a light to medium body, silky texture and a bright refreshing finish...bring on the grilled flesh!
1996 Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Rouge (N/A). I brought this wine that evening but don't go thinking my cellar is full of fancy wines like Chave....Randy gave me this bottle sometime back and I could not think of another group of folks I would rather share it with. The nose alone knocked Nancy and I out, we could not stop smelling it and looking at each other. I often describe Burgundy as seductive well here is another wine that made me weak in the knees. Roasted meat, herbs, cherry like fruit stony notes and that thing....that thing we have a hard time explaining until you have had a great wine with some age on it....makes me nutty. I didn't even want to taste the wine, I was just so into the nose....wowzers!
And those are just the wines I could remember!
An Afternoon of Champagne, French Fries & Nasty, (in a good way) Burgers
Yesterday Amy and I threw on some "grown up" shoes and headed up to Culver City to taste through the Becky Wasserman Selection Champagnes being offered by Garber & Company, one of our local distributors. I can count on one hand how many of these trade events I attend, they are just too crowded, always in Los Angeles held at just the right time to keep me locked in bumper-to-bumper traffic for hours and to be honest I just hate the whole stand, scribble, spit, shuffle. They sound like so much fun and it can be a good way to taste a bunch of wine under one roof but I just find it too difficult to really get a sense of the wines in that setting. That being said there are a handful of tastings that I will attend and those usually involve a bubbly or two, yesterday there were almost 20!
We wanted to get there right when it started but ended up being about fifteen minutes late, stupid MapQuest.....why have the site if you are just going to give out completely incorrect information to the droves of us that cant find our way out of a paper bag?! (Grumble *&%*#@*!) A quick phone call to the restaurant where the tasting was being held and we were headed in the right direction........the same cannot be said of our post tasting ride home, (I felt like the Griswold's in England, "Look kids, there's Big Ben") I mean I love LAX and all but gliding by it like four times in one day is a tad much.
As we walked up the patio at Beacon,(the afore mentioned restaurant where the event was being held, and mighty fine direction givers might I add) we waved to the our sales rep and made our way right to the table. First up some lovely Cremant de Bourgogne from Parigot & Richard. We tasted both the Blanc de Blancs and the Rose, both clean and refreshing but Amy and I both found just a little more stuffing in the Blanc de Blancs, not cheap but very tasty wines that may just find themselves a home come October. The wines that really stood out, (not that there was really a clunker in the bunch) were those from:
Champagne Marcel Moineaux-2002 Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut was stunning, loaded with white flowers and a faint herbiness that made it stand out.
Jose Dhondt- NV and 2004 Vielles Vignes, both wines were elegant and powerful...quite regal.
Camille Saves-Always a knockout producer, look for the 2000 Grand Cru Brut to arrive in October...it stopped us in our tracks!
Champagne Godme-These wines are so serious, not your pound it back bubbly by any means! Sexy fruit, curvy texture and very long on the finish.
Guy de Chassey-I have been wanting to bring in the wines from this estate for years now but it just always seemed not the right time, had too much wine already but yesterday and I flipped out when we tasted the 1999 Brut and I look forward to that wine arriving also in October, very welcome addition I have to say.
Bruno Gobillard-Another delicate style but the balance of minerals and almost sweet upfront fruit in these wines is sublime....look for a couple of these to show, you know....yea...October.
After sipping our way through all those glorious Champagnes we had some serious grumbling in our tummies, we needed food and just our luck, right across the parking structure was Father's Office! I had read all kinds of reviews/rants about this place and even our very own Nancy has proclaimed it, "One of my favorite burger spots" so I was beside myself with excitement. They are known for their amazing beer selection, sweet potato fries and "the" burger and it is that burger that has started many an argument on my favorite food board, Chow Hound. Part of the bickering is the fact that you cannot make any changes or substitutions to said burger, it comes with caramelized onions, blue cheese, arugula and is served on more of a roll than a bun. You want raw onions, no cheese, ketchup, mustard or any other burger-ish toppings you can have them....at another restaurant. I knew the deal going in and alerted Amy, "Just go with it" she was game, we were starving and they were just opening for dinner.
We grabbed a spot at the corner of the bar and quickly glanced over the menu as our server approached, "Can I start you off with something to drink?" she asked to which Amy replied, "Oh man a Martini sounds great". "Inside the menu you will find our list of Gins to choose from" the server said, "Oh no not Gin, do you have Belvedere?" Amy replied "Nope, no Vodka" was the response......long awkward pause as Amy tried to process what this woman was telling her, "I'll have a Plymouth and Tonic" I sang, just to break the tension. Slightly stuttering now Amy asked for a Margarita and was met with a smile and a head shake...no Margaritas either. They make like 4 mixed drinks and that was not one of them, Amy settled on the recommend Tequila and Tonic and looking rather shocked reverted her attention to the menu and just when I thought she had been broken something on the menu turned that frown upside down....Steak Tartare, not that over played Tuna but actual beef, with raw egg even!
We ordered the Tartare and a basket of fries, (not sweet potato as neither of us are fans) and sipped our laced tonic drinks, a quick glance of the menu and I found a tasty white wine and ordered a carafe for us to share, not sure if it was the tonic, tequila or Tartare but Amy was back in form and ready to get her "eat"on. Our fries arrived in a brown paper sack inside a little shopping cart, very cute....made me nervous as cute always does but they were absolutely wonderful, crisp, nicely seasoned and accompanied by a tangy aioli of sorts went through them so quick we ordered another cart full! The Tartare, oh man....raw meat, capers, red onion and gooey egg yolk with a zippy lemon kick served with waffle potatoes, as perfect as I have had it in quite sometime...which is not saying much as this dish is damn near impossible to find anymore, raw beef and raw egg being on the scary food list and all, I glopped up all that uncooked gooey goodness and could have asked for more, if there weren't "that burger" to deal with.
We both went for it, "We will take the hamburger medium rare" I winced wondering if this was one of those offenses that could get us throw out or given the "stink eye" or something but our server said, "very good, I will put it in a rare so with the carry over time it should be perfect"......"RARE?!...I could have gotten it Rare??!!" but I didn't want to change my order, not to mention getting a burger medium rare is in itself a luxury now a days.
We munched away on our second basket of fries and talked a bit about the Champagnes we had just tasted but we were both distracted by the mere idea of the bevy of beefy goodness that was coming our way, the conversation was clearly second on our minds. The main event arrived with very little fanfare, just sitting in a little basket, cut in half with a bunch of green leafy arugala sticking out the back of the roll, I wasn't expecting it to be wearing a party hat or anything but the hours of passionate musings I had encountered reading about this sandwich I just thought it might look a little fancier but whatever, I picked up one half and turned the cut side towards me and that was when I heard the heavens sing! The thin bottom bun was soaked, (but not gooey) with meat juice and just a shiny smattering of grease and atop that glossy meat juice soaked bun was a loosely formed, perfectly seasoned slab of almost rare ground beef, I know one should never get this excited about food but I could have cried....love at first glorious bite! Meaty tasting, soft with just a bit of crunch from the greens and top roll, super subtle blue cheese and caramelized onions, so subtle I don't think I could detect anything specific but the combination was outstanding.
Two girls, Champagne, tonic drinks, white wine, french fries, grown up shoes and one of the best burgers I have ever had.....damn fine afternoon I really must say!
We wanted to get there right when it started but ended up being about fifteen minutes late, stupid MapQuest.....why have the site if you are just going to give out completely incorrect information to the droves of us that cant find our way out of a paper bag?! (Grumble *&%*#@*!) A quick phone call to the restaurant where the tasting was being held and we were headed in the right direction........the same cannot be said of our post tasting ride home, (I felt like the Griswold's in England, "Look kids, there's Big Ben") I mean I love LAX and all but gliding by it like four times in one day is a tad much.
As we walked up the patio at Beacon,(the afore mentioned restaurant where the event was being held, and mighty fine direction givers might I add) we waved to the our sales rep and made our way right to the table. First up some lovely Cremant de Bourgogne from Parigot & Richard. We tasted both the Blanc de Blancs and the Rose, both clean and refreshing but Amy and I both found just a little more stuffing in the Blanc de Blancs, not cheap but very tasty wines that may just find themselves a home come October. The wines that really stood out, (not that there was really a clunker in the bunch) were those from:
Champagne Marcel Moineaux-2002 Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut was stunning, loaded with white flowers and a faint herbiness that made it stand out.
Jose Dhondt- NV and 2004 Vielles Vignes, both wines were elegant and powerful...quite regal.
Camille Saves-Always a knockout producer, look for the 2000 Grand Cru Brut to arrive in October...it stopped us in our tracks!
Champagne Godme-These wines are so serious, not your pound it back bubbly by any means! Sexy fruit, curvy texture and very long on the finish.
Guy de Chassey-I have been wanting to bring in the wines from this estate for years now but it just always seemed not the right time, had too much wine already but yesterday and I flipped out when we tasted the 1999 Brut and I look forward to that wine arriving also in October, very welcome addition I have to say.
Bruno Gobillard-Another delicate style but the balance of minerals and almost sweet upfront fruit in these wines is sublime....look for a couple of these to show, you know....yea...October.
After sipping our way through all those glorious Champagnes we had some serious grumbling in our tummies, we needed food and just our luck, right across the parking structure was Father's Office! I had read all kinds of reviews/rants about this place and even our very own Nancy has proclaimed it, "One of my favorite burger spots" so I was beside myself with excitement. They are known for their amazing beer selection, sweet potato fries and "the" burger and it is that burger that has started many an argument on my favorite food board, Chow Hound. Part of the bickering is the fact that you cannot make any changes or substitutions to said burger, it comes with caramelized onions, blue cheese, arugula and is served on more of a roll than a bun. You want raw onions, no cheese, ketchup, mustard or any other burger-ish toppings you can have them....at another restaurant. I knew the deal going in and alerted Amy, "Just go with it" she was game, we were starving and they were just opening for dinner.
We grabbed a spot at the corner of the bar and quickly glanced over the menu as our server approached, "Can I start you off with something to drink?" she asked to which Amy replied, "Oh man a Martini sounds great". "Inside the menu you will find our list of Gins to choose from" the server said, "Oh no not Gin, do you have Belvedere?" Amy replied "Nope, no Vodka" was the response......long awkward pause as Amy tried to process what this woman was telling her, "I'll have a Plymouth and Tonic" I sang, just to break the tension. Slightly stuttering now Amy asked for a Margarita and was met with a smile and a head shake...no Margaritas either. They make like 4 mixed drinks and that was not one of them, Amy settled on the recommend Tequila and Tonic and looking rather shocked reverted her attention to the menu and just when I thought she had been broken something on the menu turned that frown upside down....Steak Tartare, not that over played Tuna but actual beef, with raw egg even!
We ordered the Tartare and a basket of fries, (not sweet potato as neither of us are fans) and sipped our laced tonic drinks, a quick glance of the menu and I found a tasty white wine and ordered a carafe for us to share, not sure if it was the tonic, tequila or Tartare but Amy was back in form and ready to get her "eat"on. Our fries arrived in a brown paper sack inside a little shopping cart, very cute....made me nervous as cute always does but they were absolutely wonderful, crisp, nicely seasoned and accompanied by a tangy aioli of sorts went through them so quick we ordered another cart full! The Tartare, oh man....raw meat, capers, red onion and gooey egg yolk with a zippy lemon kick served with waffle potatoes, as perfect as I have had it in quite sometime...which is not saying much as this dish is damn near impossible to find anymore, raw beef and raw egg being on the scary food list and all, I glopped up all that uncooked gooey goodness and could have asked for more, if there weren't "that burger" to deal with.
We both went for it, "We will take the hamburger medium rare" I winced wondering if this was one of those offenses that could get us throw out or given the "stink eye" or something but our server said, "very good, I will put it in a rare so with the carry over time it should be perfect"......"RARE?!...I could have gotten it Rare??!!" but I didn't want to change my order, not to mention getting a burger medium rare is in itself a luxury now a days.
We munched away on our second basket of fries and talked a bit about the Champagnes we had just tasted but we were both distracted by the mere idea of the bevy of beefy goodness that was coming our way, the conversation was clearly second on our minds. The main event arrived with very little fanfare, just sitting in a little basket, cut in half with a bunch of green leafy arugala sticking out the back of the roll, I wasn't expecting it to be wearing a party hat or anything but the hours of passionate musings I had encountered reading about this sandwich I just thought it might look a little fancier but whatever, I picked up one half and turned the cut side towards me and that was when I heard the heavens sing! The thin bottom bun was soaked, (but not gooey) with meat juice and just a shiny smattering of grease and atop that glossy meat juice soaked bun was a loosely formed, perfectly seasoned slab of almost rare ground beef, I know one should never get this excited about food but I could have cried....love at first glorious bite! Meaty tasting, soft with just a bit of crunch from the greens and top roll, super subtle blue cheese and caramelized onions, so subtle I don't think I could detect anything specific but the combination was outstanding.
Two girls, Champagne, tonic drinks, white wine, french fries, grown up shoes and one of the best burgers I have ever had.....damn fine afternoon I really must say!
Weak Dollar or Nothing to Celebrate?
Randy, (My boss at The Wine Country) walked up to my desk the other day with a stack of papers in his hand and he pulled a chair around to sit next to me....when Randy pulls a chair around or calls you to his office and asks that you, "Take a seat" it is usually not the best news. Randy has a very hands off approach to letting his buyers run their departments. He trusts us to make the right choices and even when we didn't he stands back and lets us try and make the adjustments necessary to turn things around. He gives us a very long rope and only steps in when we are hanging ourselves. So when he swung that chair around and I heard the screech of the metal legs drag across the concrete floor I felt the noose around my throat.
I knew instinctively that he was worried about my Champagne department. I'm the buyer, I know that even though we had record sales after our last Champagne class for the most part the over all sales in my little bubble world have been in the crapper. I walk in the store after a couple days off and there they all are, right where I left them...."What is the deal" I mutter to myself. How can such a lovely and pleasurable wine be forgotten so quickly? Now I know that the prices have gone way up over the past couple years, wines that were forty dollars are now sixty and truth be told there is no end in sight. World demand for these wines along with the sorry excuse we call a dollar, (and please put the blame where it belongs....stop whining about the damn Euro. The value of the US dollar has dropped over 45% in the past 5 years.....) and increased fuel prices have all played a part in driving prices up.
Randy and I went back and forth debating what the issue might be and while I do understand that higher prices will slow things down, you might buy one bottle instead of two but there was one thing nagging away at me while we sat there trying to figure out what was going on......Sparkling wine was down too.
Now if in fact the only motivator was money then wouldn't the less expensive bubbly still be plugging along, or for that matter might they have seen a bump in sales as people longing for bubbles opted for a Prosecco, Cava or Cremant? No...it just doesn't add up! To prove my point I selected some Champagnes and dramatically reduced their prices, sent out an email blast about the sale and.....there they sit, right where I left them.
I am fully convinced that there is an overwhelming sense of, "Nothing to celebrate" going on. We are told day in a day out that all the news is bad news and projected numbers ain't any better...sigh. "Woo Hoo Gas is going to $4.00 a gallon, let the corks fly!" not too likely huh? I understand and I too find myself wincing and shifting in my seat when I read these things, it pretty much sucks but while there are stinky things I cant control there are some things that I can.....I'm tired of feeling bummed out people, aren't you?!
So if it is going to cost me more to fill the gas tank to go visit a Friend I will stay longer, talk longer, laugh longer. If produce is going to cost more I will settle for nothing but the best, things in season, organic and savor them in their perfect state. If a bottle of Champagne is going to be more expensive I will taste each sip, let each tiny bubble dance across my palate and embrace the pleasure that each glass gives me.......things are looking up already!
I knew instinctively that he was worried about my Champagne department. I'm the buyer, I know that even though we had record sales after our last Champagne class for the most part the over all sales in my little bubble world have been in the crapper. I walk in the store after a couple days off and there they all are, right where I left them...."What is the deal" I mutter to myself. How can such a lovely and pleasurable wine be forgotten so quickly? Now I know that the prices have gone way up over the past couple years, wines that were forty dollars are now sixty and truth be told there is no end in sight. World demand for these wines along with the sorry excuse we call a dollar, (and please put the blame where it belongs....stop whining about the damn Euro. The value of the US dollar has dropped over 45% in the past 5 years.....) and increased fuel prices have all played a part in driving prices up.
Randy and I went back and forth debating what the issue might be and while I do understand that higher prices will slow things down, you might buy one bottle instead of two but there was one thing nagging away at me while we sat there trying to figure out what was going on......Sparkling wine was down too.
Now if in fact the only motivator was money then wouldn't the less expensive bubbly still be plugging along, or for that matter might they have seen a bump in sales as people longing for bubbles opted for a Prosecco, Cava or Cremant? No...it just doesn't add up! To prove my point I selected some Champagnes and dramatically reduced their prices, sent out an email blast about the sale and.....there they sit, right where I left them.
I am fully convinced that there is an overwhelming sense of, "Nothing to celebrate" going on. We are told day in a day out that all the news is bad news and projected numbers ain't any better...sigh. "Woo Hoo Gas is going to $4.00 a gallon, let the corks fly!" not too likely huh? I understand and I too find myself wincing and shifting in my seat when I read these things, it pretty much sucks but while there are stinky things I cant control there are some things that I can.....I'm tired of feeling bummed out people, aren't you?!
So if it is going to cost me more to fill the gas tank to go visit a Friend I will stay longer, talk longer, laugh longer. If produce is going to cost more I will settle for nothing but the best, things in season, organic and savor them in their perfect state. If a bottle of Champagne is going to be more expensive I will taste each sip, let each tiny bubble dance across my palate and embrace the pleasure that each glass gives me.......things are looking up already!
Monday, April 6, 2009
Thursday, August 7, 2008
I've moved
It may seems as if I have bagged out of blogging but not true, not true at all....just moved my blog to Samantha Sans Dosage @yahoo360. http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-6pBG_ucia697ad5ocP3_m1xn;_ylt=ApRejghKvMzRS55BT2FDnBrlAOJ3
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