My Love Hate Relationship...

Hey Everyone,

Today I am writing about my most conflicted of feelings in the entire world of wine. It is the strange phenomenon of the head versus the heart and the knowledge of the former pitted against the uncompromising nature of the latter. The subject matter: Italy, the dilemma; I know it's good and that I like the styles of wine produced there, yet never will I choose a bottle of Chianti over a Rioja or Barolo over Bordeaux. I wrote a post last year about how much I like the rustic wines from appellations such as Chianti Rufina and Abruzzo, and I really enjoy a good bottle of Barbera with a bowl of pasta or a steak, but I fear that my consumption of Italian wine is somewhat forced.

A friend of mine, the proprietor of St. Andrews Wine Company is planning a dinner with a local restaurant which promises to be a truly inspiring experience with a well considered selection of wines to match each course. At first the theme for wines of the evening was said to be the Rhône Valley and I was ecstatic. I pictured a gorgeous dinner starting with duck liver pate and Condrieu or smoked fish and Chateauneuf-du-Pape blanc followed by a braised beef with a spicy Cornas or Cote-Rotie, all to be washed down with a sweet Muscat Beaumes de Venise. Thats when someone suggested Italian wines and my dreams of a Rhône dinner were dashed.

Thats because interesting Italian wines are exciting for just about everyone except me. For some reason I like Italian wines to be simple and easy, not big and complex. I don't know exactly why, because I want this from every other wine I drink; perhaps it is a realm of refuge from the overly cerebral bottles I usually encounter. When it comes to beer, though I love interesting well crafted ales, I can get tired of 7% hoppy IPAs. It may be that Italian wine fulfills the same role for me that English bitter fulfills in respect to beer. It is an escape. That said I know that top flight Italian wine is amazing stuff and whenever I taste it I am happy to have done so, but I cannot say that I would ever choose it for myself.

For instance, last night in the wine shop, Peter opened a bottle of 2008 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. It was massive, big bright black fruits reminiscent of Napa Cabernet with the alcohol to match. It was excellent stuff, better than most of the wines I've been drinking lately, and perhaps ironically, way better than the Crozes-Hermitage (from the Rhône I love so well) I had two nights ago.

I recognised long ago that loving wine is a growing process, with twists and turns. Where one thing is your passion at the moment and the other your passing fancy, these things may change any moment. There was a time when I wouldn't have even considered buying a bottle of Bordeaux over an American Cabernet, but my tastes have changed and tasting this beautiful Vino Nobile may well have changed my thoughts on what people call 'more interesting' Italian wines.

If there is something you are prejudiced against out there in the wine world, as I admit to myself, make a concerted effort to change your opinion or at least find out exactly why you feel that way. It could be an exciting revelation!

Much Love,

G.

Posted with Blogsy

Try this great Rhône!

Here's a nice wine from right in the middle of the Sweet Spot. Not only is the price great, but it comes from a region loaded with great value wines, the Rhône. Why bother with the immature, or hastily made Bordeaux available under £20 when you can get a real beauty from the Rhône. One of my favourite wines for regular drinking, especially as accompaniment to a nice juicy steak or barbecue, is this 2008 Crozes-Hermitage from Paul Jaboulet-Aîné.

A bit of background to the wines of Crozes-Hermitage; they are always made from Syrah (sometimes with a bit of white grapes Marsanne and Rousanne in the blend but I don't think this one has any), and in their youth they have a gorgeous nose of dry roasted black peppercorns. They are usually drunk young as their big brother, Hermitage usually ages more gracefully,but a couple of years brings out some amazing aromas of green olives, brine and sea-breezes. A friend of mine said rock-pools as a tasting note for Crozes-Hermitage and it was definitely a good call.

This wine is super classic Northern Rhône. It has all the big black pepper you could want, but it doesn't dominate. There is a lot of great complexity, with some lovely red currants and black cherries, with those aged aromas of brine, olives and rock pool coming through. There's a bit of a sea breeze coming in as well carrying with it some floral fragrances. Apparently the smell of violets is standard in Rhône Syrah, but as I think about it, I've never properly smelled a violet... What kind of person has never smelled a violet? Seriously!

The palate is toasty and dry with all that pepper hanging around but mingling well with the tannins, acidity, fruit flavours and other spices, making for an elegant example of the Northern Rhône. Pair it with a nice steak, some barbecued pork or some nice slow roasted lamb. All in all, it's a really great food wine, and it can be thought of as another ingredient to the meal, almost like a condiment you put directly in your mouth rather than on the food. Give it a go sometime!

Much love, G

Paul Jaboulet-Aîné
Crozes-Hermitage
2008 Les Jalets
About £14-£15