260 days later....

First off, I just want to say to sorry.  Where have I been?  What have I done?  What have I been drinking?  What's good?  What's bad?  Why does every important player on the Bears offense have an injury?  Why haven't I written anything in 8.5 months or 260 days or 374,400 minutes or 22,464,000 seconds?  For shame James - for shame!  I'm so sorry for the delay, but life gets crazy.  Weddings, trips, crazy jobs, leaving crazy jobs, getting new stupendous jobs, and all that is in between. 

Anywho, there will be lots of forthcoming posts.  Dinner at one of the most difficult reservations in the US, three weeks in California during harvest, a tasting of 18 world-class wines, and everyday recommendations will be just part of what I hope will become a more consistent read for you all. 

So, what got my creative juices flowing again? An amazing dish paired with an amazing wine of course.  The wife has been on a huge slow-cooked pork shoulder and tenderloin "kick" for over a year.  Most of the recipes are cheap, easy to prepare, and make great left-overs.  Yesterday, on a particularly awful day of cold temperatures and rain, I whipped up this pork ragu recipe from Cookstr paired with some great half moon ravioli from Papa's Food Market in Wilmington, DE.  Every ingredient melds together into a truly restaurant quality dish.  You can certainly substitute another pasta, but you need to make sure to get a thicker pasta that can hold its own with the heavier ragu.  I really did enjoy the interplay of the ragu and ravioli though.  The recipe makes enough for 10 servings so it is dinner party perfect as well.  Try it on one of those depressingly dreary days that are bound to roll around during these winter months.

But, what wine to pair?  The easy and practical choice is Italian, but I've really been craving Syrah/Shiraz since I got back from California - I'll get to that trip in later posts.  When I say Syrah, I know a lot of folks' minds flash to all the big brand Aussies out in the market.  That's not what we're talking here - we're talking small production wines that go beyond the fruit bomb stereotype.  I find a lot of the nicer Syrahs have the perfect combination of fruit, acid, secondary flavors, and structure.  The wife and I found that in the 2005 Two Hands Shiraz Ares.  What a wine!  It was one of those spectacular wines that you just sip slowly over the course of a few hours and then fight over the last drop.  The flavors and aromas change and evolve from fruit to mineral to chocolate/coffee and back again with a finish that lasts for minutes. 

While not cheap, this is a bottle worthy of any special occasion.  If you are close to Wilmington, DE, check out Frank's Union Wine Mart during the days (check out the Daily Discounts tab on their site) that they offer their "X Chairman's Selection" list at 50% off to pick up this wine at a great price.  You'll probably see me there replacing our bottle. 

Cheers and happy sipping!

Cheebooger Cheebooger

What is better than burgers on the grill after a hard day at work?  Nothing I tell you....unless Thomas Keller wants to whip up something at the house with a 1982 Lafite Rothschild as an accompaniment.  Last night, I whipped up some burgers based on a recipe that I had seen on Epicurious or another web site.  Basically, I took some 75% lean beef cooked medium (of course) topped it with President's Jamon Serrano ham and shredded cheese with a side of sweet potato fries, all from Trader Joe's.  The piece de resistance was the spicy pepper aioli that we put on the burger and used as a dip for the fries.  I took some light mayonnaise, a pinch of salt, and seasoned to taste with crushed red pepper flakes, paprika, and cayenne pepper.  No real quantities - just make it how you like. 

Our wine accompaniment was a 2009 Bris Andes Cabernet Sauvignon.  Domaines Baron de Lafite Rothschild makes this wine in Chile with grapes from the Colchagua Valley.  This is a really delicious but simple wine with just the right amount of dryness to match up with a juicy burger.  Aromas of blackberry and dark cherry with additional plum on the palate.  A great value at $10 with BBQ season coming up.

Happy sipping!

Velvet Chocolate

http://have/ you ever had one of those perfect days?  You relax, hang out with friends, have a nice meal, and spend time with the love of your life.  No, I'm not talking about me - I worked this weekend.  However, the wife had a perfect 21+9 birthday, and I was happy to contribute a great meal and wine that can only be described as "Velvet Chocolate."

We booked a 9 pm reservation at Fond Restaurant a few weeks ago and had been drooling over the menu and reviews ever since.  Fond is a BYOB in South Philly in the burgeoning East Passyunk neighborhood.  It is quite small, a bit loud, and a bit warm, but the service and food is amazing (the team is made up of Le Bec Fin and LaCroix alums - they know what they're doing). 

We chose the five course tasting menu, which couldn't have worked out better because it offered a taste of all the items we had been drooling over.  The arctic char was a perfect starter as we let the wine breathe.  If you know me, you'll know my thoughts on the next dish, wild boar pate.  I live for charcuterie, and it definitely didn't suck as we like to say at work.  My favorite dish was the skate wing with risotto.  I dread to think how much butter went into the sauce, but I hope to see if I can replicate it this summer.  Next, the pork belly skin was the crispest and most flavorful I've ever had on such a dish, but it was extremely difficult to get that perfect bite the wife loves.  A close second for dish of the night was the chocolate peanut butter ice cream with fudge and peanut brittle.  Did the chef think it was my birthday?  Definitely seemed like it.  I literally cleaned the bowl. 

Oh wait, this is a wine blog, not a food blog.  You may be asking "What wine did you have James?"  Well, it definitely didn't suck.  "Velvet Chocolate" had blueberry, blackberry, and dark, dark cherry aromas and flavors with a hint of properly stored cigar aroma and a chocolately finish.  The fruit came through over and over again.  What a bottle!  The wife and I may have a new entry to our top three wines of all-time.  The bottle?  2004 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Stag's Leap Hillside Select.

Stay tuned for a live report from Napa Valley and Sonoma County in a few weeks.  We booked our flights a few days ago and are setting up tastings all over the place.  In the meantime, happy sipping!

A Tasting to Benefit the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society

Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend.  Wilmington was a little wild last night due to the St. Patrick's Day festivities.  The wife and I saw the cops literally rolling a guy into a paddy wagon right outside our house.  Apparently some folks had started imbibing at 10 am and kept it going well into the evening.  We went to a small gathering at a friend's house around the corner, which was quite enjoyable.  Some beer, a great cheese made with black truffles, and lively conversation.  Good times, good times.
Additionally, I had the honor of pouring some nice Italian wines at an event to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  Over 200 people attended the event at a beautiful home in West Chester, PA.  I had the opportunity to meet some very avid wine drinkers and even direct Ron Jaworski to the downstairs bar for some Miller Lite.  The hits of the evening were the Di Majo Norante Ramitello and the Argiolas Costamolino.  The Ramitello is a blend of Montepulciano and Aglianico, and it has some nice dark and red fruit and licorice notes, which I love.  The Costamolino is 100% Vermentino, which is and isn't similar to Pinot Grigio.  You'll notice a hint of nuttiness with the citrus and melon flavors.  A great wine for sipping and lighter fish dishes.  Go out and try a couple bottles.

Happy sipping!

Recent Hits

For some reason I've got "Changes" by David Bowie stuck in my head.  An ominous foreshadowing?  Perhaps it's just a darn catchy tune.  Yeah, we'll go with that one.

Today's posting is brought to you courtesy of another one of those really disturbing Bret Easton Ellis movie adaptations, "The Rules of Attraction."  Somehow I always manage to get sucked into watching it or "American Psycho."  I don't remember college being as hedonistic, but it's certainly entertaining to watch Mr. Easton Ellis' musings on rich and spoiled kids at a liberal arts college.  "American Psycho" is so gory, but it has such a great commentary on the excesses of the 80's.  Is Patrick really imagining everything or does no one care that he's a serial killer because they're so worried about dinner reservations and silk sheets?  Anyway, on to the wine.

I picked out my monthly free case a couple of nights ago (I know - tough life I lead) so we've got a few notes to plow through this afternoon. 

1.  Ropiteau Pinot Noir 2009 (with assistance from the wife) - Aromas of raspberry, lemon, and herbs; flavors of strawberry, raspberry, vanilla, and spice with a touch of earthiness.  An easy summer wine that would be great for BBQ or salmon.  Can't go wrong for under $10.

2.  River Road Chardonnay Hopkins Vineyard 2008 - Aromas of apple, citrus, and buttered toast; creamy, oaky flavors of apple, pear, melon, and citrus.  This has always been a favorite of mine, but this vintage toned down the creaminess I really love.  It would go with anything with cream sauce, lobster, and crab.  Treat yourself for $20.

3.  River Road Pinot Noir Scarlett 2009 - Aromas of dark cherry, oak, spice, and raspberry; lots of cherry and strawberry flavor with oaky, spicy, vanilla coffee goodness.  It's delicious and well worth the $5 jump up to $25 from the other single vineyard bottlings from River Road.  Try with some duck breast a la Yimmee, roast pork with sweeter sauces, and chicken or salmon teriyaki. 

Hope everyone is having a excellent day.  Happy sipping!

Da Bulls

Daaaaaaa............Bulls da Bulls da Bulls da Bulls da Bulls.  What a game today!  Of course we just had to go grocery shopping right when the game started but thank goodness for ESPNRadio.  Got home in time to catch the 4th quarter, which the Bulls almost gave away.  Luckily Tom Thibodeau is a genius and put Joakim Noah on Lebron to force him into a difficult shot right at the end.  I feel like Chris Farley must have done his hula dance from SNL up in heaven at the beginning of the season. 

This team looks great.  We're so spoiled with the quality of Chicago sports these days.  Can't wait for baseball to get going.  Go go go go White Sox!

Wild and Wonderful DC

httvinturiI just had a wonderful three days in Washington, D.C. celebrating my belated/the wife's early 30th birthday.  Good food, wine, and friends always earn an A+ in my book.  Unfortunately, Monday afternoon came too soon as usual. 

I realize that I'm a little long-winded when I write this "thing" so I'll try to be brief.  Bullet points are good, right?  Lazy you say?  How about this once?  I am trying to find another job during the evenings so give me some slack.  Some weekend highlights included:

- some of the most authentic fish and chips outside the British Isles at Eamonn's in Alexandria.  You need to order the curry sauce for your chips.  It's delectable. 

- a cheese and charcuterie platter at our friend's house pre-dinner accompanied by 2005 Nicolas Catena Zapata and 2009 Dr. Heidemanns-Bergweiler Bernkasteler Badstude am Doctorberg Riesling Spatelese.  The Zapata was open for two hours beforehand before being poured through a Vinturi straight into our glasses.  I should have opened it earlier because it still felt "tight" until the last few glasses we shared.  I don't have any specific tasting notes other than deep color, fruit and spice nose, and silky smooth finish.  My earlier post on the 2009 German rieslings should tell you how excited I was to taste another offering from Dr Heidemanns.  This particular one had bigger body, white raisins and minerals, and a finish that hung around beautifully.

- dinner at our favorite French place in Georgetown, Bistro Francais, accompanied by a magnum each of 1999 Provenance Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon and 1997 Chateau Haut-Batailley Pauillac (French Bordeaux).  The group seemed to be split between the two while I narrowly gave the edge to the Cab.  It just had more balance between fruit and secondary notes like earth and meat.  The rack of lamb and duck rillette were superb as usual.

- dinner at a new place in Van Ness, Jake's American Grill, that was very mediocre.  It's only been open for a few days so the staff and kitchen are still working on a few things such as timing, trying to open a screw-top cork with a wine key, and making sure a molten lava cake is actually molten.  Our pre-seating rose was so-so.  My pork stew was decent but not mind blowing.  We split a bottle of 2007 Argyle Pinot Noir "The Nuthouse," which was drinking really well with cherry, raspberry, and a touch of mocha. 

All in all a great weekend.  What was everyone else drinking this weekend?

Happy sipping!



Me with the Provenance and Haut-Batailley magnums



Savvy Sauv Blanc

Another really busy week....I'm really sorry....really.....can we be friends?  A quick post is in order.  How does some shrimp risotto with a really affordable wine sound?  I think it sounds spectacular.

My wife and I managed to work quite a few evenings until 8 pm this week so we had lots of late but delicious dinners.  One of those nights I whipped up some shrimp risotto from one of our favorite Epicurious recipes.  As always, it filled all the nooks and crannys and offered a great foil to one of my favorite affordable white wines, Anakena Sauvignon Blanc.  The 2010 vintage is full of tropical fruit and citrus on the nose and lots of melon, lemon, and mineral (nice zing) on the palate. At only $8, it's a winner. 

Have a great weekend.  Stay tuned for some tastings from our trip to DC.  Happy sipping!

Quiche and Daaa Bulls

Sorry folksies, no vino this evening.  The wife is working extremely late tonight so I'm enjoying a good ole bachelor's night in with a couple of Citadelle gin martinis (splash of vermouth, up, stuffed olives), Mrs Joy's quiche lorraine, and Daaaaaaaaaa Bulls.  In the old days, it used to be pizza delivery, Miller Lite, and Daaaaaaaaaa Bulls.  Good times,  good times.  I can cook now so please don't give me grief for my "pinkies up" dinner - it's delightful.  I may have overdone the crust a touch, but a little crunch is always fun.

Since we're not talking any wine tonight, let's talk some Bulls.  I am so excited that the Bulls are back towards the top in the Eastern Conference.  The last couple of years of getting into the playoffs and giving great teams a run for their money (Boston two years ago, hello???) has really given these youngsters some great experience.  Thank goodness we don't have seven small forwards and five point guards like we had five years ago.  Just like when Jerry Krause was running the show, we have players that understand their roles and genuinely look like they like each other.  Throw in professional cheerleader, Brian Scalabrine, and we have a winner. 

A quick aside - the wife took me into Philly for my 30th birthday gift at the beginning of January.  We had a great meal at one of our favorite BYOBs, Matyson, followed by whiskey and cigars at Mahogany.  Once we roused ourselves the next morning, we hit up the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board store behind our Loews hotel for some deeply discounted 2003 Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and some lunch at Garces Trading Company (their homemade charcuterie is amazing).  We bummed around Little Italy a bit and had some pints at Yards Brewing Company.  Sorry, I'm rambling.....I'll get to the point.  The piece de resistance was Club Suite seats to watch the Bulls play the Sixers.  During warmups, I told the wife to check out the tall guy with bright red hair.  He'll be the loudest talker, fire everyone up, work as hard as anyone to get ready, but we'll never, ever see him in the game.  BUT, I love him.  He's Brian Scalabrine, professional cheerleader.  Of course, like any sporting event involving a Chicago team that I watch outside of Chicago, they lost.

Anyway, exciting times.  Once we get Joakim Noah back on the court, and the player formally known as Kurt Thomas out of the starting lineup, everything is gravy.  Seriously, Kurt Thomas used to be a real scary dude on the Knicks, but now he lumbers up and down the court like Shaq.  Uggggh, he looked bad in person.  I really wished I could have seen Noah live - he brings so much energy every night.  Maybe next year.

I've attached some photos from our adventure in Philly.  Enjoy!  In the meantime, happy sipping!

An Ashton VSG Wizard and some great whiskey

Psychedelic cigar smoke

Ready for the game





A Decadent Wine for a Decadent Meal

This post really should have happened a few days before Valentine's Day so all you guys out there could run to the store for the perfect wine.  Unfortunately, our official Valentine's Day plans didn't come together until late Sunday night.  The wife's work schedule can get pretty hectic so we didn't want to lock in a reservation to Bistro St. Tropez only to cancel for the second time in three weeks.  Guess I could have put together a "Top 5" based on what I had narrowed my picks down to during one of my patented wine contemplation sessions in front of the wine rack.  Oh well.  Folks, I promise I'll get this whole blogging thing down eventually.

Thankfully, I have the wife all kinds of trained on spotting those wonderful finer foods in life specials that can float in and out of the grocery store.  Such things can turn into a wonderful, unplanned Valentine's Day meal.

Anyone a Anthony Bourdain or Andrew Zimmern fan?  Yes?  No?  What are you talking about Big O?  Anyway, I've always been fascinated by the episodes where they're visiting either some swanky NYC or Moscow restaurant sampling caviar for some ludicrous price per ounce.  I'd only ever tried the salty, cheap American stuff or only had a few "peas" in another dish.  While cruising CostCo, we stumbled upon some Ossetra caviar that I remembered from one of those episodes for about one-third the price.  Giddeeup!  Take one mini spoon caviar and place over blini or Carrs cracker slathered in creme fraiche OR just have it straight up.  Serve with chilled vodka or brut sparkling wine.  Must say our Rene Sparr Cremant d'Alsace Blanc de Blancs Brut was just ok.  Should have gone with the wodka.  One course down, two to go.

On a busy Saturday at the store right smack in the middle of the holidays, I get a text that went something like this:

Wife - Wegman's has foie on sale.  We can freeze it.  Want some?
Me -  Umm....YEAH!
Wife -  Just checking.
Me -  You never, ever need to check again.  Buy, buy, BUY!

I've loved anything made from duck, goose, and chicken liver since I was a little kid.  Pate?  Sign me up.  Terrines?  Oh baby...  Now that the wife has me back in the style in which I'm accustomed, I will always order foie gras if it's available on a tasting menu at some of our favorite Wilmington or Philly restaurants.  It's soooo good - like buttahhh... 

Our preparation consisted of nothing more than mixing half a cup each of balsamic vinegar and tawny port together, reducing to about a third of a cup over medium-high heat, searing the salt and pepper sprinkled foie gras for 30 seconds on each side, placing the foie gras over a bed of mixed greens, and sprinkling the reduction all over.  Wish I had busted out the decadent wine at this point, but we were still finishing our Rene Sparr.  Two courses down, one to go.

Not sure about my vast readership (ha!) out there, but we love lamb.  Lamb shank, rack of lamb, lamb chops, lamb with Eastern spices, etc.  All the different preparations are excellent.  On Valentine's Day, I still had this wonderful leftover foie gras residue on our skillet so I just slapped our four pieces of rack of lamb seasoned with salt and pepper right on there.  Four minutes per side, and we were good to go.  Throw in some blanched green beans, some tiny red potatoes sauteed covered for about 25 minutes then seasoned with salt, pepper, and rosemary, and voila!

James, get on with the wine already!  Fine, fine.  One of my favorite Aussie wines of all-time is the 2002 Elderton Cabernet Sauvignon Ashmead Vineyard 2002.  It is built for ageing and demands a decadent meal.  Aussie wines get a bad rep because of all those high production wines that flood the market.  Don't think I need to name any names.  The Ashmead is one of those wines you open and smell the fruit right away.  Put the wine in a decanter, cook, walk past it later, and you can still smell the fruit from five feet away.  I pull this wine out when I want to just get lost in some fruit.  The plum and blackberry are amazing.  It's not all fruit though.  It has some licorice mixed in with a spicy, vanilla finish.  For $50, it's definitely an investment, but the wife counts it as one of her favorites as do I.  I've seen Elderton in quite a few wine stores so see what you can find.

Hope everyone else had some decadent dishes over Valentine's Day.  In the meantime, happy sipping!

Real Men Drink Riesling

Man, it's been too long between blogs.  It's been busy, busy around here.  I promise I'll get some extra posts up this week.  Hope everyone had a great weekend and lovely Valentine's Day.  Stay tuned for what we drank at Chez James.  On to the wine!

Towards the end of last week, the wife called to let me know that she wasn't going to make it out home for dinner.  What does that mean in our household?  A day off for the chef!  Woohoo!  I yanked some Trader Joe's orange chicken out of the fridge, fired up the oven, and took my wine contemplation stance in front of the wine rack.  Cab?  Nah.  Chard?  No sir.  Wait, what's that long, skinny bottle?  Excellent - a Riesling.  I definitely love a well-made Riesling, and we've had some spectacular selections lately.

Whatever you do, get out and try some of the 2009 German Rieslings that are starting to flow into the market.  You will not be disappointed.  These wines go beyond the common preconception of sweet with a touch of sweet.  They have nice acidity to go with a variety of food, low alcohol content if you just want to sip on something before dinner, and lovely fruit that just makes you go "Mmmmmm..."

The wine I grabbed out of the rack was the 2009 Dr. Heidemann's-Bergweiler Bernkasteler Badstude Spatlese Riesling.  A mouthful, right?  Basically, it's a ripe German Riesling made by Dr. Heidemann's from the village of Bernkastel sourced from their Badstube vineyard.  For a more detailed tutorial of what all that means, click here.  This wine had it all.  I loved the perfect balance between fruit and acidity, and the long, lingering finish.  Aromas included peach pit, a kind of wet stones by the ocean thing, and lemon/lime.  Same notes in the taste plus some vanilla cream.  You should be able to find a bottle for around $20.  Get some before they're gone!

Stay tuned tomorrow for a rich wine for a rich meal.  Happy sipping!

Pinot Noir for the Peanut Part 2

Sorry for the delay folks!  I worked until 8 pm last night and then ran straight over to my Delaware Sports League dodgeball game.  The wife and I grabbed dinner with a couple of friends and ended up getting sucked into a mean game of Bingo.  Bingo and dodgeball?  What?!  Are you 8 years old James?  Yes, yes I am.  Don't hate.  The wifey won us a "Risky Business" DVD, a gift card to Del Rose Cafe, and a sweet Miller Chill coozie. 

Anyway, I was reminded the other night about what really got me into wine.  I LOVE PINOT NOIR!  A superbly done Pinot Noir is just so good.  I don't want to wax superlative like so many do about the ethereal experience of a great Burgundy blah blah blah.  It was the varietal that got my wife into red wine and just had to be one of the wines served at our wedding.  We used to have it at least two, three times a week.  From there, I started bringing home wines with more body.  When we went out to Sonoma in 2007, Ledson Winery aided me in my cause with their wonderful Zinfandels. 

The down side of all this is that we progressed so far into the red wine spectrum that now only the biggest, baddest, most hedonistic reds make the cut.  Don't get me wrong - I love big reds, but it's nice to tone it down every once in awhile.

So, there we were enjoying a simple meal of medium-rare bison burgers (you don't want to overcook bison - it's a very lean meat), chips, and salad.  I wanted something that would complement the slight gaminess of the bison but not bash us over the head with flavor.  My monthly free case of wine from the store beckoned.  Bet you can guess what type of wine came out of there.  Pinot!!!!

I whipped out my Vinturi, decanter (most young red wine tastes better after aeration), and a 2009 River Road Pinot Noir Stephanie's Vineyard.  The color, aroma, and flavor brought me right back to the Russian River Valley.  Cherry, raspberry, spice, and everything nice.  It has a coffee element that I absolutely adore, and a great little interplay between tart fruit and savoriness.  At $20 a bottle, it's an unbelievable value.  With Valentine's Day right around the corner, why not? 

Last August, the store sent me and another gentleman out to Napa and Sonoma with a group of about 50 to tour and taste for six days.  River Road Winery and Vineyards was one of our first stops, and I can't tell you enough about the graciousness and hospitality of the owners, the Mills Family, and the winemaker, Joe Freeman.  Good people, great wine.

The weather in 2010 in Sonoma and Napa was unseasonably cool.  When we would wake up in Santa Rosa, the temperature would be about 50 degrees and foggy, which isn't odd.  What was odd was that the fog didn't burn off until 11 pm some days because the temperature didn't get much above 80 degrees.  The grapes would get about six hours of sunlight and then the fog bank would roll back in.  Most vineyards were three weeks behind in their ripening so there was a little worry about harvesting before the October rains.  From what I've read, the vintage didn't turn out for the best. 

Our visit to River Road was in the evening so needless to say, it was a little chilly.  The Mills were so kind and busted out some coats from their lost and found for us all to wear while we dined al fresco next to the heat lamps.  They also offered us a reprieve from wine tasting with some awesome Sonoma micro-brews.  A fantastic wrap up for our first full day in Cali.  You'll find some photos below.  In the meantime,  stay tuned for "Real Men Drink Riesling."  Happy sipping!

Fog rolling in through the Petaluma Gap

Waiting for veraison aka ripening from green to red

Me, Joe Freeman, his wife, and my buddy from the store

Pinot Noir for the "Peanut"

I LOVE PINOT NOIR!  It's the perfect wine for any occasion. Stay tuned tomorrow for my favorite picks!

Wine and Wild Boar

Welcome to my blog!  After much thought, haranguing, and gnashing of teeth, I was finally talked into sharing my love of "the vine."  However, this blog won't be limited to just wine.  My belief is that wine is always better with a meal and best when shared with friends so I will throw in some great pairings and recipes.  At the same time, I thought it would be fun to throw in some fun anecdotes on my Bears, Bulls, and Sox of the white variety.  It really shouldn't have taken me this long to get going on this blog, but it'll be worth the wait.....trust me! 

It's funny how things work out sometimes because it never, ever occurred to me in college that, at the age of 30, wine would be my career path.  A major in International Studies and Business relates to fine wine sales, right?  I think so.  Wine is fun.  Wine piques my intellectual side and my creative side.  There is so much to learn and so much to experience.  I know it's cliche to say that you learn something new everyday but working at one of the largest wine stores in the nation, the statement definitely rings true. 

A favorite memory of mine in my first few months at the store was trying to pair a great $15 wine to wild boar.  Wild boar, really?  I know....I know.  Luckily, D'Angelo Bros in Philly makes homemade wild boar sausage, which is an absolute treat.  My wife and I call the owner Mr. Sunshine for his "sunny" dispostion.  You'll know what I'm talking about if you go.  We have a nice chuckle every time we leave with their exceptional meats.  Anyway, I had an idea of where to go taste-wise.  The intellectual side came into play while trying to remember $15 wines in stock, any mental tasting notes, and wine magazine reviews if the customer is interested.  From there, I married the two sides and found my perfect pairing, which was Pinot Noir of course.

Here on this site, you'll find some easy to understand thoughts on my wines of the week, which will include at least three wines varying from the every day to special occasion.  I'll try to hit a low, medium, and high price point each week.  The wines will largely come from stores in Wilmington with some treats from my cellar.  The wife may even pick out some bottles for some blind tasting excitement.  Well, that's the plan at least.  I always manage to talk myself into more in the end.

Stay tuned tomorrow for "A Pinot Noir for the "Peanut.""  Until then, happy sipping!

PS - Outside of the obvious wine and Chicago sports connections, I bet you're all wondering where the name of my blog comes from.  My favorite late-night movie to pop in the DVD player is "Bottle Shock."  In the movie, Alan Rickman plays Steven Spurrier, an English wine merchant living in Paris, who decides to host a competition between the top American and French wineries on the eve of the American Bicentennial.  During a conversation with his next door neighbor, an American car service owner named Maurice played by Dennis Farina, the following exchange happens:

Maurice:  I just read an article that said California is gonna produce wine that will rival the finest of the French.  And when that happens, I'm going home.

Steven Spurrier:  No offense, but I don't foresee the imminent cultivation of the Chicago vine.

Maurice:  I'm from Milwaukee.

For a fabulous account of the true story, check out Judgment of Paris: California vs. France and the Historic 1976 Paris Tasting That Revolutionized Wine.  It's a wonderful book about the history of Californian and French wine, and the controversial tasting that changed the wine industry.  One of my faves!