I think I am leaning toward the Oxford English Dictionary’s version of the verb ‘Spring’:
“A resilient device, typically a helical metal coil that can be pressed or pulled but returns to its former shape when released, used chiefly to exert constant tension or absorb movement”
Obviously whatever came before spring is being obstinately resilient and every time there is a glimmer of spring it returns to its former shape – crappy weather. It has certainly caused constant tension and since few if any residents or customers are coming into the store of late I can unequivocally agree that it absorbs movement. Basically winter hasn’t left us, on the occasions that it does it returns quickly and you are all staying at home.
So that’s spring.
So let’s move on to summer. Our rosés have begun to arrive – yes. Jump up and down with joy and elation. That lovely salmon hued color is coming into your kitchen as early as this weekend. Forget outside, in fact just draw the curtains put on some Marley and sway to the rhythm of rosé and bongo drums. Our favorite rosé for the last 3 years arrived yesterday – the sexy little beast bottle, Cep D’Or. Still delicious, still $15.00 (please don’t ask me where the profit margin from the falling euro has gone – it will piss off my importers!) Also restocked, since we sold out of it last year in a heartbeat and were never able to get any more, the Isle Saint Pierre – that little southern Rhone wine with a blend of merlot, cabernet franc, petite verdot, tannat and the delicious arinarnoa. It’s still $11.00 making it one of the best value Rosés we have found.
Marina and I were also enchanted with a group of wines from the Languedoc region of southern France. We all know what has just happened down there and along with all my colleagues and friends my heart goes out to everyone affected by the tragedy. The news these days is rather like our winter, depressing and constant. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just all agree that Lennon was right? But back to the wine. We tasted 4 wines from a 3rdgeneration winery called Chateau de la Negly. They were all derivations of Rhone varietals, cinsault, syrah, carignan, Grenache and mouvedre. What made them different was the perfect balance each wine mastered – balance between fruit and acidity, balance between powerful grapes and mute grapes, balance between taste and alcohol. The balancing act was pervasive and delicious. The first wine, Domaine de Boede combined cinsault and syrah. It was juicy, without being sweet, and it had a terrific edge to it that highlighted the fresh fruits inside. Number 2 was the La Cote Coteaux du Languedoc; a belnd of carignan, Grenache and mouvedre. Really silky smooth, lovely fresh spots, bright black fruit, hints of clove and a very long, lingering after taste. Number 3 was the La Falaise Coteaux du Languedoc. A powerful, robust, gamey red but on the palate it smothered your tongue with velveteen crushed black currents. No heaviness at all. And number 4 was their icon. L’Ancely (2008). We weighed the bottle and it came in at just under 4Lbs. But that’s where the heaviness left it. This was a massive wine, reminiscent of those powerful Chateauneuf du Papes’s – but imagine Greek Tragedy played in the style of Monthy Python. This wine is a huge tour de force but it’s also a wine that you can swill, sniff, gulp and commiserate with. It’s not cheap, in fact it’s pretty damn expensive, but if you can’t decide whether to open a Barolo, or a Brunello or a Chateauneuf du Pape, then this is the wine to open.
These wines have written all over them, drink me for Easter. Marina and I both commented that these were the essence of a lamb feast (typical Easter fair in Europe). I would also suggest that they would complement ham beautifully too. They were bright sunshine on an otherwise pretty miserable day. I would love for you to experience what Marina and I did.
We picked up a number of cases of each for delivery next week. You can experience them individually or we can put together the following case mix for you:
Domaine de Boede: $17.00
La Cote Coteaux du Languedoc: $23.00
La Falaise Coteaux du Languedoc: $33.00
Mixed case, 4 btls of each, retail: $292.00
Mixed case – Easter Special: $248.00
SAVE 18% – $44.00.
The Coteaux du Languedoc L’Ancely 2008 sells for $103 per bottle. We will mark it down to $85 per bottle for anyone who buys it alongside a mixed case of the other 3 wines. Complicated? Good.
Take a moment to hug someone today and if you pray, or don’t, send a little something to those affected by the tragedy in France.
Then go home and pour yourself a glass of wine.