MJScribe

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 Pichon Baron.  The centre ville was pretty dead, but I took a nice stroll up the Gironde and took in all that it had to offer.  I later learned that whenever there is a holiday on say a Thursday or a Tuesday, the days in between (Friday/Monday) are deemed “bridge” days, and are also pretty much shut down.  Admirable.

Saturday – The weather here has turned quite pleasant.  The last few days have seen much sunshine and dry heat — rough to work in the vineyard.   Helene wants to put it off until Sunday, so that’s cool.  She needs a delivery made up to St. Emilion for which I am more than happy to oblige.   I get out there and the place is jammed with holiday weekend visitors.  Much more crowded than the last two trips up this way.  I make my way to ETS Martin, Marchand De Vins.  This place is off the chain.  I think I was drooling at one point, but contained myself pretty well.  I met my contact there named Romy.   Righteous dude.  Speaks decent English and after I made the drop off, invited me to taste some of the heralded 2005’s.  It’s at this point that my already hemorrhaged credit cards are shaking.   Cool, rational thinking will prevail, it didn’t.

Warning: Wine geek dissertation begins…

Robert Parker Jr. (Monkton, MD native – and big Terps fan), the world’s most renowned wine critic, just released his in-bottle scores for the 2005 Bordeaux vintage.  The right bank starred, specifically wines from St. Emilion.   As a result, many affordable wines have almost doubled in cost/value overnight due to their lofty scores.    I was luckily enough to buy my wines En Primeur (EP).  Luckily, most of my buys were upgraded, which is a GOOD thing.  All that scratch tied up for the last few years was spent well.   It should be mentioned, that there are still quite a few value buys out there.   If interested I can pass these along, just e-mail me.

EP Summary — Cliff notestyle: Many Bordeaux wines are offered for sales to consumers roughly 2 years prior to their release into the market.  You buy from retailers what is called “futures,” meaning you buy the wines in say, the summer of 2006 (or whenever the first tranche is) and pay the retailer.  They hold your money and deliver the wine approximately 2+ years later – basically now, or later in the summer /fall of 2008.  Buying first tranche typically gives the buyer the opportunity to buy the wine at the cheapest price.  Once Parker starts to publish his barrel ratings (he tastes in barrel twice before bottle), the market tends to shift up and down accordingly.   It is to be noted that across the board, all major wine critics have dubbed the 2005 vintage in Bordeaux as a once-in-a lifetime-vintage.  I guess we’ll find out over the next 15-30 years.  Luckily, I am sitting on 12+ cases of this nectar that I plan on enjoying with friends and family until I go senile.    As 2006 and 2007 look less than promising for the Bordelais qualitywise, coupled with the fact that the prices are quite high for what you are getting, I’ll be looking to backfill more 2005 where deals can still be had.

Now, back to Romy and the tasting.  We tasted through some nice stuff — 2005’s and others.  I pretty much asked him to focus on wines that were not obtainable in the US and were drinkable now and over the next few months.  He obliged, poured many, including some Gracia 2005 which I swirled as he led me to the cellar.  This is not a scary cellar, this is a HAPPY cellar.  A cellar of good cobwebs and damp coolness.  My favorite type of cellar.  Just giddy as hell, he walked me through a century worth of Bordeaux that was the greatest collection of vin I had ever laid eyes on.  I settled on a 1990 Meyney which was rather affordable and a 1995 Poujeaux.  Both rather cheap wines upon release, but since someone has been babysitting them for 18 years or so, have appreciated a bit.  I grabbed another four to make it an even six – mostly stuff I hadn’t seen available in the US, more recent Bordeaux and 1 Grenache from the Rhone valley.  I trusted Romy, because he knew if I liked these, I’d be back for more.  Bet.  On a side note, Romy has a nice condo upstairs from the shop in the center of St. E.  The brochure looks killer, so if anyone heads this way, it might be worth checking out for a night or two.

I decided to grab a quick bite while I was in town, salade.  You have to eat your veggies once in awhile.  The owner noticed the bookmark for my book and loved it.  It was some pastel, retro, VH1 Classics image with Janis, Hendrix, Marley and the like.  I think my boy PDX Ryan passed this to me somehow a few years back.  Anyways, I signed the back, dated it, and up it went on her wall.  Sweet.  I then picked up some frommage from the village to bring to Helene and headed back.

Relief: Wine geek dissertation ends…

Sunday - I went to bed late last night and as a result, work up at 11:00 AM.  Cripes.  It’s insane how one can sleep without garage trucks, horns, ambulances, fire trucks and the like.  I’m still going to get an alarm clock, 11AM is ridiculous.  Tomorrow though.  This afternoon we did some labeling on the 2003 La Butte.  Cool machine that basically deals with affixing the label and pressing down the capsules.    Afterwards we sat and drank a Leffe and chatted.  Later, we hit the cheese I brought back from St. Emilion accompanied by a recent purchase, the 2001 P. Du Roy St. Emilion Grand Cru.  This was all Romy.  He’s now a trusted advisor.  Lush fruit, well integrated, gripping mid- palate with layers of complexity – no heat, me likey.   This bitch was giving it up BIG TIME, keeping my attention for the next hour or so.  Apparently only 600 bottles made, and only just released because it was “ready.”  This juice never hits US soil.  That is until I go back and clean them out.  Wow. 

Monday – This afternoon we worked in the vineyard.  Basically we were tying back vines to stakes to keep the vines growing as straight as possible.  I include a few shots for you to peruse and of course, the money shot of the boots.  It rained last night so it was a bit sloppy out there.  Laugh it up.

Status Report:

Literature – I finished Snow Blind by Robert Sabbag.  If you plan on a career in Cocaine smuggling, than this is the book for you!   There is a great scene that takes place at the Post Office across the street from the IGA Market in Amagansett.  For those of you that have made the Ocean Vista journey, you’ll know what I am talking about.   Speaking of which, it looks like those fossils The Rads are at the Talkhouse on May 31.  I will definitely miss Cyril’s this summer, but I’ll find something to do.   Val, I expect a back flip off the cruiser this year. 

Next up: Heat, by Bill Buford.  I’d like to put this one off for a bit since it’s about another chef’s tale.  Hopefully my care package from Kirby at Simon & Schuster will be getting here soon.  I thank her for that!

Cell phone – Nyet.  Many folks are pulling for this NOT to happen. Thanks!

So, I am driving down to San Sebastian tomorrow morning, I plan on staying a few days and heading back on Friday or Saturday to help at La Gatte – they are pouring wines for an event in St. Andre.  I wish I could head down to Barcelona, but that will have to be for another time.    Also, Michael is back from his month and a half in the states on Monday – The 1990 Meyney might get taken down then.

Early word has it that my buddy Reddish from LA might be in Spain.  Hoping that is the case — he’s good people that knows how to have good fun.    

My sympathies for everyone’s noggin that feels like refried dogshit after an extended weekend at Jazz Fest.   You gotta pay to play!