Page 79 – La Muse Blue

Sideways: Wine can make great movies!

The director Alexander Payne (Election, About Schmidt) perfectly showed off his wit again. Sideways is a movie which could be a wine tasting guide for beginners as well as an abs straining exercise from laughing for 121 minutes of the full length of the film.
At the beginning you may thing that Miles (Paul Giamatti) is a bit a weird guy. Though, indeed, he is. His strange relationship to women after his divorce will be defeated only because of his passion for wine. All the barriers he had dissolve once he gets closer to a woman fascinated by wine.

If you think that Miles is a bit spooky, than his friend Jack (Thomas Haden Church) is a typical man beast. As he tours California’s wine country with Miles before his wedding he becomes obsessed by seducing a woman. His near zero knowledge about wine will flourish after he gets absolutely crazy about a woman working at a winery.

They are having the time of their life. Tasting wines, laughing and loving! But, this idyll has to come to the end as Jack’s secret is disclosed.

I love wine and I love comedy… Borat’s guide to wine tasting is simply hilarious

When I saw this YouTube video I had to share it with you. I was laughing all the time while watching it. It is illuminating for newcomers to wine tasting as well for those advanced, as you will see by the end…

Borat is an extraordinary comedian who touches the hearts of millions. We all need more laugh in our everyday life as it sets the soul free, genuine laughing is the remedy for letting go, the lightness of being in the moment.

Incredible! Borat is shotting wine like tequila! I do not advice you to do it though as you will certainly end up with a terrible hangover despite the fortunate fact you were drinking a Château La Tour, 1982 of an excellent quality!

André Compreyre: an ambassador of winemakers

A wide smile, brisk movements and a loquacious temperament would never reveal that a sommelier working at one of the top French restaurants in New York where he is talking every night to myriad of customers was once a shy boy who wanted to be a chef.

André Compreyre is a sommelier (wine waiter) at Bouley, a two Michelin star restaurant located in Tribecca, recently the most fashionable area in Manhattan.

Bouley restaurant New York-map

Inspiration

He has always had a close relationship with food. André said: ”My grandmother’s cooking meant a lot to me as I learned to appreciate what to put into my mouth.” Later on, when he was studying at hotelier school in France, his teacher Guy Blandin (the best sommelier in France in 1964) recommend him to continue his course as a sommelier and here his big story started.

Reaching the stars

He worked in two Michelin star restaurants in France and at Le Gavroche in London. 15 years ago he decided to move to the US where he reached the stars as he was employed by Alain Ducasse at his Essex-House in New York, followed by a French top-restaurant Daniel, Les Halles and finally Bouley aspiring for its third Michelin star.

Different times

Today most of the aspiring sommeliers would have dreamt to work in places like this. But times have changed. Andrew said: “At that time there was no work for a sommelier unless you went to a two or three Michelin star restaurant, it was a new profession.”

Wiser customers

Not only the situation for sommeliers has changed, but also the customers are different. He said: ”These days consumers are more knowledgeable about wines and trust us more. We are not any more the bad guys trying to sell them expensive wines. Instead, they see we try to respond to their needs.”

Wine favourites

What is the most popular wine the most customers prefer? André frowned for the first time during our interview as he went on with his discernible French accent: ”I think it is Sauvignon Blanc as it is quite consistent and not like a Chardonnay which changes depending on a producer. For me, personally, it depends on the food I am having it with. Moreover, I appreciate wines which have a message to deliver through their history, producer and uniqueness.”
Throughout his splendid career he has learned that there are two kinds of customers. Those who know what they want and you do not discuss it with them. The second group, his favourite, are the regular guests whose taste he knows so well, that they give him a free hand to bring him what he finds enchanting to their palate.
After our two hours’ conversation he disclosed: “I am lucky as I am working as what is my passion.” It is easy to agree with him. The work of a sommelier became to be appreciated by many diners. André added:”Guests come to a recognised restaurant for good food and you can double the pleasure with wine.”
MY NOTE:
I met André at a cosy basement of Bouley. I was very thankful as I just met him the previous night when he recommended to us a great bottle of Bordeaux to accompany our delicious dinner. My inquisitiveness encouraged me to ask him for an interview and here is the result.
PICTURE source: Andre Compreyre
MAP source: Google maps

Hospices De Beaune: Famous wine auction in Burgundy

Perhaps the most famous Charity wine auction on the world will take place on Sunday 15th November 2009 at the traditional covered market in Beaune.
Hospices De Beaune

This is Hotel-Dieu which used to be run by the gothic Hospices De Beaune in Burgundy. However, since 2007 the prominent auction house Christies took over the organisation of the event that is traditionally held on the third Sunday in November.

Historical background

Hospices de Beaune was founded in 1443 by Nicolas Rolin, Chancellor of Duke of Burgundy. Poverty and famine in the wake of the Hundred Years’ War in France lead this profound man to establish a hospital for poor inhabitants of Beaune. The income was secured from saltworks and vines. Today, the proceedings from wine production remain to be donated to charity.
Every year in November wines made from more than 61ha of vineyards owned by the hospice winemaker are auctioned off at a charity auction attended by wine lovers as well as wine merchants from around the world.
It is a prestigious event highly sought after by the most prominent wine connoisseurs and a great opportunity to connect wine and a good cause.

What is on sale

You can find a wide range of Premier and Grand Cru wines from Beaune, Batard-Montarachet, Corton, Corton-Charlemagne, Clos de la Roche, Mazis-Chambertin, Meurault, Pommard, Pouilly-Fuseé, Savinny-lés-Beaune and Volnay. The best of these are auctioned and the rest are sold at the adjoining wine shop.

Present

Today, the hospital is just a museum and an adjourning Hotel-Dieu serves as a top accommodation for curious tourists.
If you can not make it for the auction, you can visit the “les caves” – wine cellars, and taste Hospices wines during a two hour tour or just their new “cuverie” – a wine fermentation room with wine tasting in just a one and a half hour tour. Both are encouraged to be booked in advance. (hospices.beaune@wanadoo.fr)
more info: www.hospices-de-beaune.tm.fr
tel: 33(0)3 80 2445 00

Wines made from fruits: Sweet seduction from South Carolina

Browsing the local market in Charleston, bored of tacky souvenirs, my eyes lit up as they were captivated by a sign “Market Street Winery”.

I had to peak in. The bartender’s huge welcoming smile so typical of local people persuaded me to ease my purse of $5 for tasting of 5 wines.
Their wines are different though.
Honey wine - Charleston

Unique wines

The producer is experimenting with various grape varieties combining them with fruits such as peach, raspberry, strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, apple and cranberry. On the top of this he makes wines only from these fruits and even from honey!

The wines are light (only 11% alcohol) and their sweetness scales from 10 % of residual sugar all the way to zero per cent in the local version of Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay, which were both very refreshing.
The Shaftesbury Blend emphasised already slightly peachy chardonnay to an extreme. The peach dominated the wine. Perfect match for the summer afternoon.
Merlot in the North Market Red was crowned with blackberry. Its very balanced taste is great for those with the slightest affection towards tannins, which are so common in red wines.

Honey wine

Moving to medium sweet wines with the Market Street Mead made from honey – I am not joking. It was explained to me that this was actually the ancient way to make wines. By fermenting honey you get a very deep and distinctive wine. Who would ever have thought of wine from honey! Unbelievable and enchanting.
Sweetgrass Blackberry with 3-5% of residual sugar is also sweater and is resembling more a blackberry juice, than a wine. I wasn’t much impressed by it.
Raspberry Redemption at the end of my tasting assured me that I can never combine these fruit wines with food, but it is better to enjoy them on their own. Using other fruits than grapes in wine diminishes the wonderful variety of flavours for which we treasure our wines. Anyway, it is something different, you have to try it.
Have you ever tried wine made from other fruits than grapes? Yes? Was it made from some fruit we would never expect that wine can be made of? Shock me, surprise me …
If you are really curious you can order them online and make your own opinion.

Wine & cheese festival in London

Last weekend I visited an exceptionally tasty Cheese & Wine Festival at the Southbank centre located just behind the Royal Festival Hall in South London.

European cheese tastings

You rarely see so much diversity of cheese in one place. Even the best cheese shops in London such as La Fromagerie in Marylebone would bow to this festival’s abundant offerings. The choice spanned all corners of Europe – from the famous and established French delicacies such as Vacherin, to the lesser known local British goat and buffalo milk cheeses. Each morsel of cheese came with a detailed explanation of its origin, manufacturing process and a recommendation for wine to pair it with. And, all that was free! What more to wish for a weekend in an overpriced city like London? As a self-funding student I was in.

Cheese making live

At the festival, you could also learn a lot about cheese making from numerous experts such as Chris George from the revered London’s Neal’s Yard Dairy cheese shop. Under his hand we witnessed the cooking and processing of the English “stichelton”. As the cheese maker disclosed to the audience the dirty commercial trick of many producers selling other cheeses under the label of stilton, we were all enraged by this cheating. The truth is that STILTON has to come only from the licensed diaries in one of three specific areas in the UK and further must follow the strict rules of its strictly regulated preparation. Otherwise, it is just a blue cheese. So although the technique was the same, the cheese he prepared at the venue couldn’t be called stilton.
squeezing out water from stichelton cheese

Accessories

If you fancied to buy some cheese gadgets such as cheese knives, boards and even a cheese making kit, you had a great opportunity on the fair. After all you saw how the cheese is made, so now you can give it a try yourself back at home. Next weekend, instead of a bbq, you can impress your family or friends with a homemade cheese.

Biodynamic wine

There was a stand of a biodynamic wine producer called the Vintage Roots offering affordable organic wines from all over the world.
Ports and ciders all in bio quality were surprisingly amazing considering their extremely low price (£3 per bottle for a tawny port).
You can order their wines on www.vintageroots.co.uk or call freephone 0800 980 4992 and order their catalogue.
Not only they sell the products licensed by the Fairtrade Foundation, but also offset their carbon emissions with carbon-clear and are members of the Ethical Junction. They can hardly be even more sustainable.
Don’t miss this annual event next year.
Look for further info: www.cheeseonline.co.uk
www.companyofcooks.com
www.southbankcentre.co.uk
www.vintageroots.co.uk

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