As the year draws to a close, I realize how incredibly fortunate I am to be a wine journalist. It is truly an amazing experience. This past year, I have had the good fortune to meet so many incredible people associated with the wine trade — from winemakers, vineyard owners and producers to public relations professionals and media personalities. I have also had the remarkable opportunity to taste a lot of wine. Some good, some not so good and a few that were so fantastic, they, as I am fond of saying, curled my toes. Each year I try to write one column about the best wine experience of the year. Unfortunately — or maybe very fortunately — looking back, it occurs to me that there was not just one noteworthy event, but, indeed, several. Best of all, most of these affairs involved friends, both inside and outside of the wine trade, but who are all as enthusiastic about wine as I am.
I hope that I will be as lucky next year during my wine-themed adventures to experience even half of the grape-based gems I did this year. Here is a brief overview of some of the highlights from 2010. Retail prices, if applicable, are approximate.
I blame my friend Jim for introducing me to the world of wine several years ago. Jim’s contagious passion about wine — along with his well-stocked cellar — has led me down a path I have never regretted — at least, not until I get the bill from the wine shop. The only other two things that Jim is just slightly more passionate about than wine are his family and the New Orleans Saints football team. So it came as no great surprise that when the Saints came marching into the Super Bowl, Jim threw a party and went deep — very, very deep — into his cellar for the occasion. He opened a bottle of 1998 d’Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz from the McLaren Vale region of Australia ($65) to pair with his chef/brother’s gumbo and to celebrate his hometown team’s win.
When you are invited to a high-end wine dinner, it doesn’t hurt to own your own wine shop. After all, you simply have to peruse your inventory to find something that will pair well with the food while attempting to steal the show and put the other contributions to shame. My friend Rick did just that. Staying in the southern end of the Rhone Valley, he brought along a bottle of 2000 Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin ($400). The special bottling is named in honor of the family patriarch and is only produced in exceptional years. While the wine is relatively unique because it is made from organically farmed fruit, it is also distinctive for its composition of 13 grape varietals, including mourvedre and grenache. No matter what you call it, make sure you call me when you open a bottle of this amazing wine.
If I could only taste one champagne a year, I would definitely save my palate for the 1985 Krug Champagne from Reims, France ($350), since it would probably take me that long just to save up for a bottle of the vintage bubbly. Happily, I did not have to spend my wine budget since I was the lucky guest of a dear friend who invited me to meet a friend of his, renowned author Michael Gelb, for dinner. Michael can only be described as a modern-day philosopher on a sugar buzz. He was in town to promote his latest book, “Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking,” and there was no better way to get inspired than with the nuanced flavors of toasted hazelnuts and brioche and the perfect balance of bubbles and minerals found in a bottle of Krug that night.
Wine does not have to be expensive to make a lasting impression. One of my most memorable wine experiences this year came when my wife and I were having dinner in a small Thai restaurant in Park City, Utah. We discovered the 2006 Willm Riesling from the Alsace region of France ($12) on the menu and decided to give it a try, and we’re glad we did. The just off-dry (whisper-sweet) frame supported beautifully balanced flavors of lychee, pineapple and minerals. The bright acidity was a pitch-perfect foil for the flavorful cuisine, and the dramatic backdrop of the Wasatch mountain range made the entire experience delightful.
And finally, there were the monthly neighborhood poker games, which is nothing more than a thinly veiled excuse to get together with the guys and drink wine. “Value” is always the theme with this group, and the best one this year was the 2007 WH Smith Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast of California ($29), an elegant and charming wine that takes the sting out of losing every now and then — OK, maybe more often.
