This is a young sommelier's adventure through wine, liquor and the world. You will find no ratings here. You will find somethings that are sometimes geeky, sometimes irreverent, and always presented in my own unique (and dyslexic) way. Hopefully, the content inspires exploration, a sense of adventure, a good icebreaker for conversation, and even a good sense of humor about the magical juice we call wine, the insane elixirs of ting the world of liquor, and the culture surrounding all of it. .

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Le Brin de Chevre....the next to join the P Funk team

Not long ago, one of my sales reps brought me a line of wines to try. All were French, which for me was great having blown my palate out with Italian wines recently (don't get me wrong, I love them, but there is a whole world of wine to try). As we went through, we tasted a wine that they said was made of Menu Pineau. I thought I had not understood him correctly, as his French accent is insanely thick. So I enquired again, and sure enough, it was what he said and my ears perked up. The complete wine dork in me got excited with the chance to check off another wine from my century list.

Menu Pineau, also known as Arbois, is one of the most widely planted grapes in the Loire region on France. It is unknown where the grape may have come from, but continues to be one of the most used blending grapes in many of the wines we drink from Loire, especially those of the sparkling variety. However, you might come across some wine makers that are trying to bring back tradition and make a wine that is 100% Menu Pineau.

Now that I have bored you with the facts about this grape (you can tell I get excited when the wine geek in me really comes out), on to the nuts and bolts of this wine itself. The winery, Le Clos du Tue-Boeuf, is owed by two brothers, Thierry and Jean- Marie Puzelat. They got the winery from their father and began to focus on classic Loire wines. This wine is by far one of their coolest (and weirdest at the same time). The first thing I thought about when I tasted this wine was hard cider. It has a huge palate of golden delicious apple, making it taste like a bright hard cider. The bright acidic finish almost makes it dance on your tongue and have that effervescent effect on your tongue, making you think it could be carbonated. It really messes with you at first taste. Then, you realize that it has beautiful subtle white flowers, lily, slate, lemon zest, and so many other flavors that you go insane. This wine is truly a unique and really awesome wine that is one to try. Plus, you get to cross one more wine off your list of ones you have tried that isn't Pinot Noir or Chardonnay....make your friends jealous!!



Sunday, June 3, 2012

A Litte Beer....but its kinda like wine

Many times, people ask me "if I am to buy a sommelier a glass of wine, what should I get them?" I often reply with something like a beer or a nice sipping bourbon (obviously my tastes). I say this, because as a sommelier, it is had to turn off your brain and enjoy a glass of wine at times. This way, we are at least thinking about something that we con't think about all day. The flavors are different, the way you taste is slightly different, and you expand your palate with something new. This is not to say that sommeliers don't like wine, it is simply saying that, this way, you worry a little less about impressing them and about getting to know them. Thus was the case with the Sam Adams Infinium.

I had been eyeing this beer for some time for a few reasons. The brewery compares this beer to champagne a lot, and there is nothing better than a nice refreshing glass of bubbles. So, when I finally tried it, I was actually amazed at how right they were. Many of the flavors are very similar to a growers champagne; apple, bright lemon, yeast. However, with addition of hops, the beer becomes something completely different. It is a perfect summery beer to enjoy, not one for sitting on the back porch and knocking back like water (which is not the worst thing with the DC humidity). A slight bit of banana on the palate and smoke make this beer linger for a while and in continues to evolve on the palate.

I know I am not quite as elegant talking about beer as I am about wine, but I couldn't pass up the chance to talk a little about something that bridges the world as interestingly and closely as this beer does...




Sam Adams Infinium