Jan21

What does wine mean to you?

Sour Grapes has recently begun sampling a lot of wine sent to us over the past months from suppliers who like us, work themselves into a passion-filled frenzy when discussing their wines or their producers in order to propel them up the ladder rungs for representation. We sit, we smell, we judge, we look at prices, we discuss importers, their ideals, philosophies, etc. and then we repeat. Then we talk about the smells, we bore each other with the profiles, packaging, immediate reactions, chat about our judgments, bitch at the prices, jabber about where these wines would fall in the market as far as pricing and we discuss the competition, etc. We repeat with the next supplier. We do this obviously because it's a business. Without discussing any of these vital things, we would go out of business. The broke, tired owner within me (we will call Sour) wants to flatten the competition by rifling through samples requested after hours of research to find that one wine that will climb to the top of any retail or restaurant group in light speed rewarding our plight. As a result, we will be considered a serious contender in the trade here. Everyone will be in awe and immediate, universal respect will be given to Sour Grapes when it's taken out on the street. Oh and yes, we hope to make a little coinage at the same time. To be honest, i hate the entire process. There seems to be two sides of me now. I'm torn. The romantic within me (we will call Grapes) feels anyone going through this jive is truly missing what each wine is attempting to tell you about it's heritage, it's odyssey. The real story is being overlooked by the relentless pursuit to ultimately retire in comfort. The real story behind every wine is where its roots began. Where those roots began producing buds and what family began to cultivate it in the place they chose. What farming techniques and winemaking traditions have been passed down and what makes each of those secrets special are evident in each and every wine. I'm torn. Finally, I ask myself what wine really means to me these days? It is obviously becoming a lot more complex.

"A wine of terroir is by nature, an ultimately indefinable, unquantifiable agent of memory. This is a curse for relentless rationalists, unrepentant pragmatists, and all the busy codifiers of this world, anxious for absolutes. And a blessing for the rest of us."

Philosophically speaking...

-Jonathan Nossiter in his book "Liquid Memory - Why Wine Matters".

Jan10

Wines for Winter Weather

Now that the weather has turned cooler, we have changed both our wardrobe and our cuisine. Why not change what we drink as well?

In the summertime, crisp white wines and light rosés are refreshing and the way to stay cool in the heat. But as temperatures drop, many people start to crave more red wines to help them warm up. A rich, red wine can do just as much to counter the winter weather as your favorite sweater. Spicy reds, such as a Grenache-based wine from the Côtes du Rhône or an Austrian Blaufränkisch, are also a great way to stay warm in the winter. Some richer white wines that see some oak ageing can have a spicy element that is a great match for the colder weather. Excellent examples of these to try are Chardonnays from Burgundy or California.

Our cuisine has simultaneously changed going into this time of year as well. Gone are the light salads, fresh fruits, and delicate dishes. Now, most of our dishes are heartier and denser: rich stews and soups, braised meats, roasted root vegetables and winter squashes. As our meals change, the style of wine that will complement these dishes changes as well. The brisk, dry Sauvignon Blanc that paired so well with the late summer salad with goat cheese and tomatoes is no match for a hearty beef stew. Richer dishes call for richer and fuller-bodied wines. While the hearty beef stew would be overpowering for a light Sauvignon Blanc, it would be perfectly complemented by a rustic red wine from the Languedoc or the Southern Rhône. According to Matt Fern, wine buyer at Poole’s Diner, in the winter “I think of braised dishes, like lamb braised in red wine with root vegetables and hearty herbs such as rosemary. This dish is perfect with red wines from Italy’s Piemonte region, which produces rich, earthy reds with an elegant balance of fruit, acidity, and tannins.” Similarly, other braised meats, such as pork or beef, are natural partners with a rich, Spanish Tempranillo or a spicy Syrah from the Northern Rhône.

And while winter cuisine calls for richer wines, that doesn’t automatically rule out white wines. There are many concentrated whites that will partner well with the season’s dishes. Pair the sweetness of roasted carrots and butternut squash with a fruit-forward Alsatian white, such as Riesling or Pinot Gris, or a floral Godello from Northwestern Spain.