The Feiring Line

Airplane Wine

Taking off an hour after the shofar. just packed up my mini-wine on board allotment. I just love these little vials, i get about 3oz of wine, just enough to wet the whistle with 2006 Clos Roche Blanche pineau d'aunis, chase it with a johnny walker black, take a sleep enhancer and wake up in CDG. I had wanted to follow up with California part two, but alas, we're in for a French/Swiss interlude.

Airplane Wine

Taking off an hour after the shofar. just packed up my mini-wine on board allotment. I just love these little vials, i get about 3oz of wine, just enough to wet the whistle with 2006 Clos Roche Blanche pineau d'aunis, chase it with a johnny walker black, take a sleep enhancer and wake up in CDG. I had wanted to follow up with California part two, but alas, we're in for a French/Swiss interlude.

California Reconsidered: Part One

In August I headed to California to work on a story about Hank Beckmeyerwinds over the San Fran bayTom Wark And then there was a great big surprise, a dry muscat blanc. I tasted it. And sure enough, on the finish was that puppy breath which now that I bring it up, is more like beer. "You didn't use sulfur on this?" I asked, absolutely shocked because this was a white wine from Napa. The wine is bottled under the King Andrews Vineyards label, owned by Roger King who used to be the publisher of the now defunct Appellation America and joint projected it with winemaker Matthew Rorick (Forlorn Hope). When I went to sleep that night, in the stillness of the Napa hills, hoping the cat wouldn't bring me a present of mouse kidneys, I was far from forlorn, and had a lot of hope. TBC

California Reconsidered: Part One

In August I headed to California to work on a story about Hank Beckmeyerwinds over the San Fran bayTom Wark And then there was a great big surprise, a dry muscat blanc. I tasted it. And sure enough, on the finish was that puppy breath which now that I bring it up, is more like beer. "You didn't use sulfur on this?" I asked, absolutely shocked because this was a white wine from Napa. The wine is bottled under the King Andrews Vineyards label, owned by Roger King who used to be the publisher of the now defunct Appellation America and joint projected it with winemaker Matthew Rorick (Forlorn Hope). When I went to sleep that night, in the stillness of the Napa hills, hoping the cat wouldn't bring me a present of mouse kidneys, I was far from forlorn, and had a lot of hope. TBC

Barrel Fever, WSJ Magazine

Bubbles Take A Bath--WSJ Magazine

Ronny's Rant on Terroir and the New World

To those of you who haven't seen the video in question, sorry, it's now removed. In the short time this piece has been posted I've received email that it was 1) hilarious 2) who is this clown? I had thought it could stand on itself without explanation. The man in my kitchen is a character in The Battle for Wine and Love. Sixteen years ago he started out believing Mouton-Cadet was a great wine and bargain, that is until I put it into a blind line-up and he declared it undrinkable. When the bottle was exposed, it was the beginning of a very differently tuned palate. RB is even more opinionated than I am, if that is possible. And every once in a while he tears into a rant, it could be on rock formation, Orion's Belt, the beauties of an air mattress or the way he survives purely on solar energy when in his tent, or his invention of a particular kind of Stelvin closure that he feels will rival cork. And so, when he ripped into this one, I found it so compelling , and frankly hilarious, I had to to take out the flip. He picks on Oregon merely as an example. The truth is that he really doesn't know enough about Oregon to trash it, so all apologies to Oregon here. But while his wine knowledge isn't up to the level of many of you reading this blog, he's got very definite tastes, cannot abide anything that smacks of new wood, is insanely sensitive to wine manipulation and as an inventive farmer himself, who has never used a chemical, his connective tissue to land is tendonic (I just made that up.). The total point of the video, the only reason I put it up? Because RB delivered a passionate plea to the New World to find its true identity, not to mimic styles through technology, but to find the right grape to the right place where it can make its wine in peace. If you were offended, I am terribly sorry, but in RB's innocence he touches on a very deep belief of mine: if you're going to make great wine, don't bring terroir to wine, let it come to you. I hope you can just sit back and laugh. If not, well, take a chance, and post your own rant in the comments. ---Alice

A Friend's Rant on Terroir and the New World

To those of you who haven't seen the video in question, sorry, it's now removed. In the short time this piece has been posted I've received email that it was 1) hilarious 2) who is this clown? I had thought it could stand on itself without explanation. The man in my kitchen is a character in The Battle for Wine and Love. Sixteen years ago he started out believing Mouton-Cadet was a great wine and bargain, that is until I put it into a blind line-up and he declared it undrinkable. When the bottle was exposed, it was the beginning of a very differently tuned palate. RB is even more opinionated than I am, if that is possible. And every once in a while he tears into a rant, it could be on rock formation, Orion's Belt, the beauties of an air mattress or the way he survives purely on solar energy when in his tent, or his invention of a particular kind of Stelvin closure that he feels will rival cork. And so, when he ripped into this one, I found it so compelling , and frankly hilarious, I had to to take out the flip. He picks on Oregon merely as an example. The truth is that he really doesn't know enough about Oregon to trash it, so all apologies to Oregon here. But while his wine knowledge isn't up to the level of many of you reading this blog, he's got very definite tastes, cannot abide anything that smacks of new wood, is insanely sensitive to wine manipulation and as an inventive farmer himself, who has never used a chemical, his connective tissue to land is tendonic (I just made that up.). The total point of the video, the only reason I put it up? Because RB delivered a passionate plea to the New World to find its true identity, not to mimic styles through technology, but to find the right grape to the right place where it can make its wine in peace. If you were offended, I am terribly sorry, but in RB's innocence he touches on a very deep belief of mine: if you're going to make great wine, don't bring terroir to wine, let it come to you. I hope you can just sit back and laugh. If not, well, take a chance, and post your own rant in the comments. ---Alice (Video Removed due to an amazingly negative response. Not at all what I expected. What was given was a rant, much more vociferous and dramatic than my own feelings. I had believed the performance was entertaining, yet I am in a position of defense now, not one I had anticipated, nor do I have the time for. To be revisited)

Martin Scott Tasting: More Becky Wasserman Burgundy

More Burgundy! The Martin Scott tasting was packed. I was hanging with Pascaline, grabbing spit buckets when we could, often resorting to the trash cans, but here's a consensus between the two of us. These below got us smiling. Who said the 2007 Burgundies are underperformers? Not to me, so far. So far I'm seeing, drinkable, forward, and precocious. Full of charm. And what really got me going on them is that quite a few are marked by the most intoxicating mix of jasmine and rose---think Chanel #5, pressed into a white linen handkerchief. Domaine Michel Lafarge 2007 Aligote Raisins Dores I am just crazy about the Lafarge wines these days and this Aligote is not the fierce, edgy monster but more gentle and sunny and chamomile, in stilletos. 2007 Volnay 1er Cru Clos du Chateau des Ducs I never had this Monopole but it rated a big Yum. With a firm, density, dusted with baby powder and rose. Domaine du Comte Armand 2007 Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Epeneaux More baby powder and Chanel #5! Lovely. Domaine Denis Bachelet 2007 Bourgogne Rouge This might land at $35 retail but it's a mouthful of complexity, green walnut (previously known to me as ground ivy) a touch with I just love, keeps it interesting. Domaine Jacques Frederic Mugnier 2007 Clos de la Marechale, George Blanc 1er Cru This is Fred's first vintage of grafted over to chardonnay from the monopole. And it's crazy! Just nuts. Tight, wound up, firm, seashell and a touch of wind. Love this. 2007 Chambolle- Musigny Power and nuance. I just love contradictions in wine. Acidity that grabs your attention and baby powder dusted old Chanel # 5 bottles. Domaine de Montille 2007 Beaune 1er Cru Les Sizies I am not used to de Montille being so understandable at two years old. But this was limpid, transparent, firm and tannic-spiced velvet. Domaine Bonneau du Martray 2007 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru A very structured wine to lay down and slurp up in a few years. Quite closed up, but hardly shy, more like someone who is ready to explode they have so much to say. You'll blow a wad on this one, but it is Corton-Charlie all the way. 2007 D. de Montille Beaune 1er Cru Les Sizies Limpid, transparent, firm, tannic, closed and velvet. Loved this.

Martin Scott Tasting: More Becky Wasserman Burgundy

More Burgundy! The Martin Scott tasting was packed. I was hanging with Pascaline, grabbing spit buckets when we could, often resorting to the trash cans, but here's a consensus between the two of us. These below got us smiling. Who said the 2007 Burgundies are underperformers? Not to me, so far. So far I'm seeing, drinkable, forward, and precocious. Full of charm. And what really got me going on them is that quite a few are marked by the most intoxicating mix of jasmine and rose---think Chanel #5, pressed into a white linen handkerchief. Domaine Michel Lafarge 2007 Aligote Raisins Dores I am just crazy about the Lafarge wines these days and this Aligote is not the fierce, edgy monster but more gentle and sunny and chamomile, in stilletos. 2007 Volnay 1er Cru Clos du Chateau des Ducs I never had this Monopole but it rated a big Yum. With a firm, density, dusted with baby powder and rose. Domaine du Comte Armand 2007 Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Epeneaux More baby powder and Chanel #5! Lovely. Domaine Denis Bachelet 2007 Bourgogne Rouge This might land at $35 retail but it's a mouthful of complexity, green walnut (previously known to me as ground ivy) a touch with I just love, keeps it interesting. Domaine Jacques Frederic Mugnier 2007 Clos de la Marechale, George Blanc 1er Cru This is Fred's first vintage of grafted over to chardonnay from the monopole. And it's crazy! Just nuts. Tight, wound up, firm, seashell and a touch of wind. Love this. 2007 Chambolle- Musigny Power and nuance. I just love contradictions in wine. Acidity that grabs your attention and baby powder dusted old Chanel # 5 bottles. Domaine de Montille 2007 Beaune 1er Cru Les Sizies I am not used to de Montille being so understandable at two years old. But this was limpid, transparent, firm and tannic-spiced velvet. Domaine Bonneau du Martray 2007 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru A very structured wine to lay down and slurp up in a few years. Quite closed up, but hardly shy, more like someone who is ready to explode they have so much to say. You'll blow a wad on this one, but it is Corton-Charlie all the way. 2007 D. de Montille Beaune 1er Cru Les Sizies Limpid, transparent, firm, tannic, closed and velvet. Loved this.