Friday I decided to hang out at the wine bar after work and socialize a bit with some friends and patrons. The place was buzzing and I got the luxury of getting off work a little early, hooray! Even better I was invited to make a wine selection for the group. As I was perusing our racks trying to figure out what everyone would like, a light bulb went on and I thought, how about picking something I like? While I enjoy making pairings for customers and matching wines to their preferences it is a rare treat for me to be invited to pick a wine purely based on my desire to drink it. My preferences tend toward food-friendly (good acidity), low alcohol, subtle, elegant wines that don't coat your mouth with huge fruit, and preferably naturally made.
I happen to be a huge fan of Gamay. Not the Beaujolais Nouveau sort (we carry the best of the lot, but even the best Bojo Nouveau is not great), but the kind made by Loire, Burgundy and Beaujolais producer who coax this grape into aromatic, beautiful wines. Looking through our racks I settled on the the 2008 Clos du Tue-Boeuf Cheverny Rouge. Absolute heaven, I nearly cried I love this wine so much. It instantly made me think about driving through the Loire with Kyle so many years ago. We ate, we drank, we had a ball and the wines were reminiscent of the earth, flowers and berries. They taste like they came from a place, and this little Cheverny Rouge is just such a wine. It is a mixture of Pinot Noir and Gamay made by the super talented Puzelat brothers (they are rock stars in the natural wine world and you can read about them here) who are pushing the boundaries of how wine is made, bringing back forgotten varietals and making one kick-ass wine after another.
This Cheverny is light to medium bodied (but unfiltered so it has a wonderful cloudy appearance) and very lively with flavors of raspberry, cherries, and wild fruits. It also has herbal aromas that carry over on the palate as well as earthy notes. Excellent on its own, this wine will pair much better with food than most reds. Chill this wine a little bit before serving.
No comments:
Post a Comment