August 2008
3 posts
Chapitre 17: Le bar est fermé
Greetings. So this will be last entry for awhile. Unfortunately, my current run at La Gatte is coming to an end. I’ll be stateside in a few days and am pretty stoked to catch up with all you peeps.
The last few weeks have been as good as any. Much work around La Gatte – mainly in the vineyard, but also the usual stuff – bottling, labeling, etc. It’s been quite amazing watching the...
Hard to Imagine
July 2008
4 posts
Chapitre 16: Biarritz > Paris > Mallorca
Shit. What’s been going on? Been traveling a bit the last few weeks so pardon the pause in the programming. The trips have been lee-git, but I am happy to be back in Bordeaux again for the next few weeks.
Anyways, big news here at La Gatte. We are rocking the inflatable pool these days. It’s not huge by any means, and you need a ladder to get in, but after a long day dans les vignes, shit is...
Chapitre 15: Pardonnez moi...
…for the lack of scribe. Been on the road for a few weeks and have not had much time to sit down and collect my thoughts. Biarritz > Paris > Mallorca. Just back settling in at La Gatte for a few days at this point and will try and get something worthwhile up.
I’ll just say that The Jacket absolutely CRUSHED Paris. From 80,000 at Bonnaroo to 150 people in Paris. Just...
June 2008
6 posts
Chapitre 14: Est
I’m finally back in Bordeaux after a week on the road. The trip took us east, across all of France to Northern Germany. We then made our way back down south through Luxembourg and back home. A nice mix of biz and pleasure.
Bordeaux > Chantelle
After a rather short travel day (5 hrs or so) we were welcomed in a tiny village called Chantelle, population = 1,100. I got the feeling that...
Chapitre 13: Bassin d’Arcachon
The last week was a bit of work and play. In the vineyard, more “levage” — pulling up the wires to raise the branches and to keep them growing straight which improves handling later in the season. I must say, my office isn’t too shabby these days.
On Friday, I drove out to the Bassin d’Arcachon to hang with Claudine and crush some grub. She did pull some older corks – we opened a 1962...
Chapitre 12: Londres
Just back from London yesterday. But we’ll get to that in a bit. Last week was more time in the vineyard — mainly elevating the crop and pinning it inside the horizontal wires that run on top of each row to insure proper growth upward. There is more to it than that, but you get the gist. The sun was kicking hard and it was scorching out there. The next day I decided to shave my head. ...
Willin’ - Feat, Long Island ‘73.
May 2008
15 posts
Chapitre 11: La Fee Verte
So, I’m feeling somewhat “creative” about now… After Margaux on Monday I made a delivery down to Toulouse. About a three hour drive and I arrived around 6:00 or so. Amazing city — the fourth largest in France. I was bringing some cases down to a friend of Michael’s who lives there and is moving, get this, to Kazhakstan. Really. His wife is a diplomat and that is there next stop. You...
Chapitre 10: Chateau Margaux
Just wanted to upload these shots of yesterday’s appointment at Chateau Margaux. Flipin Unreal. Was happy to taste the 2004 yesterday and pleased to note that it is coming along nicely. Showing a bit of oak on the nose, but also aromas of red fruits coupled with velvity tannins. Extremely integrated and enjoyable now for sure. I was getting a bit of lead pencil more associated with...
Chapitre 9: Road Trip
Greetings. A quick entry here as there really hasn’t been a great deal to report that is of any real excitement. A bit of language classes, some work around the Chateau, and much time on the road making deliveries in France and the UK. Vent begin. My fucking hard drive is hosed. I have two on my laptop, and am still able to run Windows, but my data drive is about to crash. I lost all my...
Chapitre 8: Donostia/San Sebastián
“A human being is primarily a bag for putting food into; the other functions and faculties may be more godlike, but in point of time, they come afterwards.”- George Orwell, The Road to Wigan Pier 5-5-2008 Tough to believe it’s been about 5 weeks already. Tuesday morning I hopped in the car and drove south to San Sebastián (SS). The drive was a no-brainer, unless you like dudes...
Cursed Diamond > Crowes: Morrison, Colorado...
Chapitre 7: Oh yeah, the wine
Only a few photos this round. Not a whole lot to show you anyways. My camera batteries were shot, but they are better now. Friday – Destination: Pauillac. I crossed La Gironde early this morning and headed north into the Medoc appellation to Pauillac. Situated between St. Estephe and St. Julien, this region is home to some of the big guns: Lafite, Mouton, Lynch-Bages, and one of my favorites...
Party at Your Mama’s House > WSP -...
Chapitre 6: I'm all growns up
So, people seem to be vibing on this here blog thing thus far. I guess we’ll roll with it for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, things in this neck have been on the mellow lately, so there isn’t a great deal to fill you in on. Cap Ferret, some food porn, but that’s about all we got. Dimanche. Cruise out to Cap Ferret with Claudine. It’s only about an hour to the west coast of France...
Play Me.
April 2008
11 posts
Chapitre 5: Claudine is the BOMB
Before I get started, I’d to thank tonight’s sponsors of creative drivel, 2007 Chateau La Gatte Rose (from watering jug) and Pearl Jam, Paegas Arena, Czech Republic, 24-06-2000. St. Emilion, Kick Ass Place, Bordeaux, France. My first foray into one of the major Bordeaux Appellations yesterday. I’ll spare you the historic nonsense, just know some of the worlds sickest juice is created on this...
Chapitre 4: Destination > La Gatte
It’s been some time since my last entry. Mostly because I’ve been running solo and decided it best to exist in that space for 5 days or so and see how things shake out. The last three days in Paris were solid; I wandered the districts I hadn’t seen, ate some good meals, and read. One night I decided to bust over to La Cigale (think Irving Plaza) to try and scalp a ticket to some LA indie band...
Chapitre 3: Senator R. Clay Davis
For those of you that aren’t addicted to The Wire, you can probably skip down a paragraph or two. If you’re down with the best show EVER created for television, enjoy Senator Clay’s signature sound bite. But this total meltdown is classic also. Man, I really miss Senator Davis, Jimmy McNulty, Omar, Cheese, Prop Joe and the gang. What were they thinking pulling the plug? Time to hit...
Chapitre 2: Modern Art Blows
…or at least that is my take on the stuff. I suppose the Basquiat shown above is provocative, but that’s probably because I dug the flick so much. He seemed like an interesting enough dude. Anyways, Graham & I checked out the Modern Art Museum at the Pompidou. The place is architecturally insane from the outside, but it ends there. I mean get a load of this crap. I renamed some of the...
Chapitre 1: Paris
Memo to Philip Morris: No more advertising needed here. You’ve succeeded. I knew people smoke a lot in Europe, but it is simply insane how many people burn gritts in Paris. I mean, most Parisiens must get a carton on their thirteenth birthday or something. And it’s like chainsmoking smoking — a race to see who can finish their pack first. Thought > Perhaps that is why no...
I'm vapor...
Off to JFK in a few. Test driving this here bloggy thang to see if it’ll be a good means of updating folks along the way.