Jean Perrier Cuvée Gastronomie Pinot Noir 2018 SAQ # 00856997, $16.25

Generally speaking, Pinot Noir is not one of my favorite grapes. I can appreciate it and from time to time I will have it.

This Pinot from Savoie was really charming. The nose was really attractive with notes of black plums, cherry and Christmas cake spicy. On the palate, it was medium body, fruity and fresh with a juicy mouth feel. It was a natural partner with BBQ chicken breasts.

This is one of the rare wines that you feel proud to have discovered. Great buy and highly recommended it.

Hey you, glad you have stopped by to read my musings or like we say in Venezuelan Spanish: pendejadas!!

Here I am killing some time while they replace my car tires, or between baking and at the dance course of my daughter.It is the only time that I can write in peace. If I am not taking bread that will urgently be overcooked, I am attending to my highly extroverted 5 year old daughter. Oufff…just when I think I will some peaceful moments then I have to tend to some wife issue!!. This is my life: the tragic comedy of a baker with wine writing aspirations.

Why I am writing this post?. I am trying to answer a question posed to myself. What would I buy, if I had a $1million a month.

Wine has never been stranger to conspicuous consumption. This is one of the less looker reasons wine regions created classification systems: to make you feel better when you buy a product of a certain prestige.

The new conspicuous wine consumption is based on substitute products ( wine). Here I am thinking of the business model of Michael Porter. To put it plain, if you can’t afford a very expensive wine go for the second best.

In the past early internet days or bull markets of the 90’s, classified Bordeaux growths and Burgundy Grand Cru were bought with a blink of the eye. These were the times I learnt about wine. I remember fondly buying my first Massetos in those early times where the banking industry was not highly regulated. The trophies needed to demonstrate your wealth

A lot of classical wine drinkers stopped drinking their favorite Bordeaux’s and Barolo’s because simply they did not have the cash anymore to afford it. This happened shortly after the tech and banking crisis of the early 2000’s. There is also the factor of increased demand from emerging markets such as Asia and certain Latin America countries.

So now a lot of these classical wine drinkers drink now certain artisanal wines ( natural) to feel better about themselves. This “feel good” feeling has been fueled by the artsy wine guerrilla. They are drinking now wines between $20-$30. But wait..it won’t work because unless is not endorsed by certain public personalities. And you know what the kicker is…the wines are getting quite expensive. Your new wine importer is like a crack dealer.

It makes me think of the glorified new Gamay drinkers. Don’t tell me about terroir or natural vinification technique. Tell me the truth. Can’t drink anymore authentic Burgundy Grand Cru so now I can only drink a chinese copy of DRC.

So what would I drink with a $1 million a month: Only First Growth Classified Bordeaux

Ciao!!

They lurk sometimes around you. If you are lucky, you can spot them in your friendly SAQ outlet buying that rare orange or natural wine. However, this is not their preferred habitat. They buy mostly privately and hang out with the hottest sommeliers in the latest artsy restaurants

My non wine friends asked me about these new wine consumers. I made up a sketchy point list of features. Maybe you can add a few more to complete the list.

-They love wines with high volatile acidity. It has to be slightly deviant at the least to be attractive

-They are attracted to rare and obscure grapes. For instance, they love the occult Italian grapes from Piedmont, Tuscany and Sicily.

-Adverse to the classical European wine regions. Allergic to Bordeaux, Classical Rioja and can go in shock in the presence of Super Tuscans.

– They all share a fascination with wine domaines that years ago where not in fashion but only known to wine connoisseurs

-They can’t tolerate oak and only swear by stainless steel in their wines, mostly

Now some demographics and sociological factors:

-Yuppie or moneyed professionals. These are the lawyers, bankers or business marketing people or IT people. They are making at least a 6 figure salary.

-Between their 30 and mid 40’s

-They love to eat in artsy restaurants with china from another time and small portions

-They live mostly in trendy neighborhoods and disdain the suburbs

I like them and they bring diversity to the wine world. Hope you liked this post. I did it while my daughter was in dance class

Cheers!!

I came to really appreciate provence rosé wine in my mid twenties trough my Parisian wine mentor Christine. Much like new oenophiles, rosé wine was an afterthought for me. The traditional dictum that I held in my mind was that “pink” wine was not worthy of contemplation. Was I wrong?. Very much, I admit.

My 101 introduction to Provence rosé was no less than Château Simone paired with Petit farcis. The setting for the encounter was a cold January winter night in an old and decaying Côtes Des Neiges apartment. After all this years, I still think that it was a great masterclass

An iconoclastic wine, it hooked me up right away to the style. There was a serenity and calm to this wine that deeply hypnotized me and took me to the sunny lands of Provence. My curiosity for Provence and its wine scene in general was also sparked after reading a year in Provence by Peter Mayle.

Source: Telegraph India

I was shocked to find that Mr. Mayle passed away earlier this year. If I could, I would have eat the words of a year in Provence. It was such an appetizing book.

Since the early 2000’s, the selection of Provence roses have improved modestly in the SAQ. I don’t have all the exact figures yet but I can say that Provence roses is enjoying more than a momentum. Exports of Provence wines to Canada soared by 38% in 2016 (source: CIVP et Douanes françaises). By the way, Provence rose is good for all the seasons, not exclusively for the summer. I have enjoyed it with fine and elegant suppers and down to earth BBQ’s. It is just a question of creativity and thinking outside the box.

Because we cannot drink Chateau Simone all the time, here are two great roses to get you started for the exploration of Provence

Château la Martinette Rollier de la Martinette 2017. SAQ # 13448699, $21.70

Rollier de la Martinette is inspired after the Roller bird pictured on the label; these birds migrate from Africa to Southern Europe and Château de la Martinette where they try to eat off the delicious grapes in the vineyards.

A blend of 40% Cinsault, 25% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 15% Tibouren. This display a beautiful pale salmon colour; though it looks quite delicate, this vintage has an intense note-honey, lavender, peach, white lilacs and cantaloupe. The wine is crisp and round with a long floral and mineral finish. An enticing finale that brings to mind tangerines and white cranberries. The 2018 should arrive soon at the SAQ shelves.

This is a great wine for drinking with barbeques, pizzas or as an aperitivo with tapas. It could also go well with other strong flavoured dishes such as curries or strong cheeses.

Clos de l’Ours L’Accent 2017. SAQ # 13919438, $26.40

Michel Brotons makes one of the best roses from Provence from Clos de l’Ours. I recently it discovered at the recent  Salon de Quilles Montreal.

The property was restored  just a few years ago, in 2012. Situated  just south of the Provençal village of Cotignac in the Var, in the northern tier of the appellation Côtes de Provence, this is a pretty  property with 13 hectares (32 acres) of vines and a charming guest house.

The rose is a blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Carignan. Floral with nuances of tangerine and  hints of melon. On the palate,  delicate with flavours of lavender, white peonies and a creamy finale. A truly gastronomical rose.

Christmas holidays are usually a hectic and stressful time. I spent most of my December doing 12 to 14 shifts at the bakery where I work. The nativity month took an incredible physical and mental toll on me. This combined with the agonizing commercial spirit of the holidays was a recipe for panic attacks and anxiety.

There was not too much time for writing or drinking fine bottles of wine. After those longs work days, I came home wasted of tiredness and spitting maledictions to almond croissants and baguette croutons.

What prevented me going Normand Bates during December was my passion for food and wine. Solace was found in the bottle of wine with the simple but exquisite food dish to pair with it. Actually a memorable bottle that I drank was a Domaine Vaquer 1988. This was an exquisite bottle showcasing the sexy shades of mature Carignan. I brought the bottle from my latest trip to Rousillon in 2017. Cocoa, wet leaves, tobacco with a blissful elegance and finesse. Out of the blue, I popped the bottle with a butter saffron chicken curry on Christmas Eve.

A bit of a planned affair was the Cabernet Franc from Domaine Breton Bourgueil 2011. Opened a bit too soon showing fragant aromas of rose peppercorns, strawberry and licorice. Fine and elegant with a bit of a drying finale. It was not my first choice. It was either this or the Pierre Gonon Saint Joseph 2015. It was elegant and classy with a steak dinner. Good wine but I am not a Loire wine lover.

The best wine moments are the improvised ones. Too much planning in wine and food pairing kills the romance in wine. It is like making an appointment on when to have sex.

Tomorrow is the last day of the festivities and I have no idea what I will have. As I write these lines, I am watching Soprano episodes and feeling much better already.

The only thing I know is that I want to have a Galette Des Rois. I will take it from there.

Peace