Musings #3 - Wine Pairing the Environment

More than enough has been written about pairing wine with food. And, generally, more could be written about this enigmatic marriage. But what about pairing a wine with your environment? Not, for example, like the pairing of Champagne to a life-event but pairing to the space around you. How does our environment make you feel, and can this feeling be matched with wine?

My wife (often referred to as The Girl, Kipper, or The JK) and I decided to have a special lunch this week. A day off seemed reason to go out-and-about, to try a place not normally on the list. Let's go a bit later, to avoid the normal lunch rush and shopping posses (why would we need a reservation?). Like, as a teenager, that Thursday afternoon in the dead of summer - when you thought you'd have the amusement park all to yourself?! Since all people think the same (and this being the city), the restaurant was slammed.

Before I lose you, I'll say our lunch experience was filled with tension (the waiting), some austerity (our table was located right at the edge of the room, next to the kitchen right-of-way), and some sheer joy and smiles (the comfort food placed in front of us was very fine). The Kipper chose Joseph Drouhin's basic Chablis (2006), which nicely paired with our lunch. But afterward, I thought is also paired well with our experience. The room. The space. The Drouhin has some tension and austerity, but can't help but bring joy. And lots of smiles.

Musings #2 - The Power of Burgundy

I'm a stone-cold freak for Chateauneuf-du-Pape (CDP). It has everything I'm looking for in a wine. The blending, the complexity, the history, and the Old-World style all mix into an alluring cauldron, in front of which I stand at the ready. With my ladle. A big one.

My friend Michael and I meet now and again and we often open flagship bottles (mostly Old-World) from our collections (Michael will be referred to as Dr. Phattingstein, The Doctor, Phattone, Obie-One-Criznobi and a handful of other names of the nick - so pay attention). Phattone (there's one!) and my meetings range from opening bottles around a small stone-top table, hyper-sensitive to the juice in front of us, or we'll just sit in front of the TV watching music videos from 1994 with a 2001 St. Estephe. For this occasion, nothing was set - so I pined to bring my 2000 Domaine de la Cote de L'Ange CDP.

It was damn good. Very aromatic, great mouthfeel and full of good stuff like tobacco, vegetables and sweaty armpits. It didn't last long. With another Rhone in my pocket and lamb on the table, The Doctor (are you following?) insisted on opening a bottle of Burgundy. Here's the rub:

I don't desire Burgundy. I've largely ignored Burgundy. Not because it's confusing (I've done my homework) - but because I don't love Pinot Noir, firstly. And it's expensive. And it's unpredictable. I equate Burgundy to a Grateful Dead show: shows were often-times flat, uninspired, standard-issue. Then once and a while, the Dead whipped out a face-melter. But no matter what, any Dead show was better than no Dead show.

The lights went down and out came Pierre Amiot et Fils' 2000 Morey-Saint-Denis "Les Ruchots". And it melted face. What balance and complexity! Perfect weight and expression! By the time I left I'd forgotten about my CDP - whispering to myself, "Any Burgundy is better than no Burgundy."












Regarding the Burgundy see:
http://www.chemindesvins.com/w_amiot_morruch00.html
Glass image taken from
http://www.jammadesigns.com/media/Red.Wine.Glass.w.Wine.Bar.Wall.Decor.jpg