Wine for Writers Block

By Maureen Petrosky

…Or any old block for that matter. I sat down today to tell you something hilarious, something inspiring, something informative, and all of a sudden, STALL. Here’s what I got: Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing…blah blah blah- argh give me something!

Each week I hope the wine blog acts as a little pick me up for your day. If nothing else, it is a perfect reason to procrastinate just a little longer. But deadlines can be scary, so much so, in fact, that they invoke stage fright, or in my case today, writer’s block. This time of year, with the amount of additional items swimming in our heads, it’s a wonder anyone can be productive let alone creative. The luxury in my line of work is that it’s completely acceptable to crack open a bottle any time of day to get the juices flowing. So that’s just what I did. Luckily for you, this is what I found: “Cuvee Syrah, Conference de Presse” Faillenc, ’06.

This may sound totally obscure and something that won’t be available, but I am thrilled to debunk the naysayers amongst you. Corbieres is a region in the south of France that I fell in love with during my visit last summer. I knew this wine, just being from that sun-struck place, would inspire me. Maybe you couldn’t take that vacay this year, or perhaps you’re giving up your holiday bonus and won’t be able to take one next year either. The great thing is you can visit the south of France from the comfort of your couch. This wine is on Balthazar’s wine list (one of my favorite restaurants in NYC) for a mere $37 a bottle. Translation: we can buy it at the wine shop for about $15. Hands down a crowd pleaser full of fruit, earth, and a hint of spice. If your local shop doesn’t carry this exact bottle, look for these other amazing wine places to buy from: Saint-Chinian, Minervois, Corbières, Fitou, or any from the Coteaux du Languedoc or sporting the red and blue emblem and the swords Sud du France. They are “wow” wines with even more unbelievably low price tags, making them perfect for your next holiday party, or maybe to just help you get over that hump! Cheers.

Genius in a Bottle

By Maureen C. Petrosky

Long before the reign of Madison Avenue’s Mad Men, a marketing mastermind created what we now call Beaujolais Nouveau, basically, a brilliant idea born in a bottle. Beaujolais is a winemaking region, but to set itself apart from all the other juice, these producers have successfully created worldwide anticipation of its annual release. The light- bodied, fruity, easy drinking red wine is released every November, and is celebrated with such gusto and reverence you would think it a newborn baby. In some ways it is. Today, one of, the if not the most famed producer of Beaujolais, Georges Duboeuf, could be called the father. His bottles dominate the shelves in the U. S. market and this year they’re already dressed for the holiday season in a stunning gown of gold and red, which also makes an ideal tabletop addition to any seasonal soiree.

No doubt this reasonably priced red’s dramatic release is perfectly timed each year right before Thanksgiving. It always catches the eye of once-a-year wine shoppers as well as those stocking up to entertain over the holidays. In the world of wine reviews this pour can cause serious sippers to become bitterly cantankerous. It is thought of by some as nothing more than bulk juice with a fun label. Truth is, wine connoisseurs need something to hate on. My take: More for us! Relax, see Beaujolais Nouveau for what it is, and love every sip. It’s not supposed to be a serious example of Old World charm. If anything, Nouveau is totally New World, meaning it is perfect for the American palate and pocket book. Ringing in at around $13/bottle this year, it makes for a great party wine or a lovely hostess gift.

Georges DuBoeuf, Beaujolais Nouveau, 2009, $13
Nouveau always has a hint of what I can only describe as waxy flavor. It’s like déjà vu of those perfumes that used to come in a compact or the heavy scented Estee Lauder lipstick my Grandmom loves. For me the past couple of vintages the B.N. have been overshadowed by this attribute, but I was delighted that upon first swirl and sip of the 2009 the fruit came first. This is what you’d call a young wine, notice no heavy tannins and not much structure here. So don’t try to age these. Drink them new- thus the Nouveau celebration. This wine didn’t even last an hour in my house. Tis’ the season, so bottoms up!

Table Whining

By Maureen C. Petrosky

If your family is anything like ours there’s always wine on the table. Nonna’s favorite is Prosecco, and Pop is happy with whatever you’re pouring. The rest of us have dramatically different tastes when it comes to what we choose to put in our glasses, just as our views on politics, relationships, and life in general vary considerably. With the holidays at our heels the inevitable family feasting and fevered table topics are just a beat away. This year I’m looking for light and lively conversation and a wine to please the masses.

My nightly ritual of polishing the glassware, getting the wine key--yes I still prefer the good ol’ fashioned kind--and picking which wine to review is so engrained I often forget that everyone doesn’t do this. I can go for days sipping simple wines that are fine but without anything special or striking, and I can also hit streaks of wine more worthy of cleansing the sink drain than my palate. It’s the bottles that surprise me that I always hold in my heart. This one in particular went under the radar. Lacking a fancy label, steep price tag, and ridiculously heavy bottle this simple red from the South West of France made me smile at first sip- Les Vignes Retrouvees, Saint Mont, 2006, $11.

When I asked my husband and tasting partner what he thought of it, he responded, “ It’s good. It’s like a table wine.” I was surprised he missed the supple mouth feel, the soft and soothing body, and the finesse in the finish. The fruits were ripe, red, and harmonious with the tannins. Indeed, it was a perfect table wine--one that won’t offend most foods, and one that is sure to entice many into a second or third pouring. While at first I took offense to his comment, I came around to see that it was a huge compliment to the wine, not a crack at it. Able to amicably finish the bottle in one sitting, we decided it was the perfect fit for our next gathering of family and friends. More importantly, it made me so excited to discover what else is pouring from the South West of France!

Red Wine and Coke?

by Maureen C. Petrosky

Somehow summer has slipped by, and just last weekend we finally got together with one of our favorite couples for a drink. On a whim, we decided to do cocktails instead of usual bottle of wine. With the abundance of blueberries still in the fridge, I was intrigued by the idea of blueberry vodka. We poured it over ice with club soda and a squeeze of lemon or lime and enjoyed a refreshing, light, and definitely blueberry-tasting sip.

With all the wine in my world I often forget how much I enjoy the rituals of consuming a cocktail. From the shakers right down to the clink of the ice, we all agreed it's just as much fun as swirling and sniffing. The topic of cocktails stopped my friend in her tracks and, dead seriously, she said, "I've been meaning to ask you something... A friend of mine said mixing red wine and Coca-Cola is all the rage in Europe, and I knew you would be able to tell me this isn't true!" I couldn't help but smile. As you know, I was recently running around the south of France tasting tons of offerings from bubbles to stickies and lots and lots of Grenache ( a red grape that struts its stuff in the Sud du France). It wasn't until the very last night of my trip that we dined with a twenty- something who was working to help educate us Americans about the Sud du France.

Let me back up here. Sud du France is the new name for marketing the Languedoc- Rousillion region of the south of France. While it is a lot easier for us to say, it still causes a little bit of confusion. Sud du France means south of France. It's not beer or soap as some have thought. In fact, it is simply an umbrella name for the loads of delicious bargains spilling from this region. Our guide represented a part of the future of French wine and I wanted his insight. So I asked him what music he listened to, and what he and his friends drank. There's no doubt he truly loved wine and knew how lucky he was to be in a place that had an abundance of delicious juice for him to drink. He also liked heavy rock, and some of his friends still prefer beer--in fact, he almost sounded like an American twentysomething. Until he mentioned that lots of his friends enjoyed wine cocktails like... red wine and coke! So this trend is alive and well. But I was more surprised that the idea isn't actually a trend, it's been around the block. Mixing 50% red wine and 50% coke is called a Kalimotxo in the Basque region of Spain; in other parts of Spain it's Rioja libre. In Chile the drink is known as jote, and in Bosnia, and Croatia it's sometimes called a Musolini. The list goes on and on. From South Africa to Germany and so on, this wine cocktail has plenty of names.

So I started mixing a few to find out which reds really work with coke. I found that the luscious Grencahe was indeed the perfect fit for this mix. In fact, when shaking up yours, be sure to choose a red that can take the chill. Beaujolais and Rhone reds work too but Grenache packs in the fruit, resulting in an adult version of cherry coke. In particular, the reds from a winery that is technically in the Sud du France but lies at the base of the Rhone region-Chateau d’Or et de Gueules rock when mixed with Coca-Cola over a glass packed with ice. The winery from which this hails is full of art from up-and-coming talents, and the winemaker is a hip chick who handles grapes as gracefully as some girls do their Gucci bags. Like a great pair of shoes, she makes wines that are fashionable yet functional. At about $15/ bottle, this Grenache from Chateau d’Or et de Gueules is delicious on its own or lovely with a chill on one of the last of these hot summer days. As part of this wine-tail it's also ideal for tailgating and sipping with friends on the first of fall's cool evenings. So next time you’re toasting with friends, grab your shaker and mix it up a bit.

Aging Gracefully

By Maureen C. Petrosky

The oldest wine I have ever set eyes on, swirled, and swooned over was 129 years old. For someone who usually raves over the freshness and energy of wine, you wouldn’t think this ol’ vino would have anything for me to write home about, but here I am giving props to old Lucy. That’s right, she has a name. Many do at Domaine de la Coume du Roy in Maury, France, where the vintages in which a child was born carry their namesake and the original wooden barrel with Lucy’s is still right in place. Even with 129 years in the barrel this old gal has life, body, and structure which was truly, truly amazing. This was a once-in-a-lifetime moment for me, but the great news is, there are plenty of other, more recent vintages with just as much if not more pizazz and panache for you to enjoy.

Domaine de la Coume du Roy makes the red Maury fortified wine from 100% black Grenache grapes and a sultry white aperitif of Muscat de Rivesaltes that are both to die for. Even if sweet wine is not your thing, get a little crazy and treat yourself to a taste. It is swimsuit season after all, and either of these makes the perfect pick for a fat- free dessert. Even a girl like me who lives for acidity can’t pass up dessert. Luckily, winemaker Agnes Bachelet knows it’s not all about the sugar and is still pouring up sweet sips complete with acidity and backbone. Enjoy it alone or with a baguette and a hunk of Roquefort for a simply divine culinary indulgence.

La Coume du Roy, Maury, 2004, $29 In an appropriately sized 500ml, bottle this dessert wine rocks with chocolate or cheese and is even fun served with a little chill to it. Serve to your dinner guests with a cheese course or save it for yourself. I can vouch these wines have the stamina to go the distance in the cellar and can deliver even after being opened for up to fourteen months. Go ahead: you deserve it.