The place under the desk

A walk in the.......cold

What to do on Family Day? Went out for a walk today, and well - it was as cold and snowy outside as ever. Toronto in winter, in all its glory. What were you expecting, a f*cking winter wonderland?

F

So, today's the second ever Family Day, and the first time I've had this day off. Listen, I'm not complaining about a free day, but what kind of an idiot government committee came up with this? Family Day? WTF are we supposed to be doing? Are we supposed to hug and hold hands with our families all day?

I slept in until 11am. Sleeping in, and only getting up when you wake naturally, instead of to a blaring alarm feels soooooooo gooooooooood! Feel recharged and regular. Nice.

I know, I know....I said I'd join Goodlife again today. But, there's just so many little things I have to do around the house, like clean up, file all my books/magazines/Vintages catalogues away. And contact Time to wonder why we havn't received a single issue since Jan. 5. Honestly, get your act together.

V

I hope y'all had a good Valentine's. Those that are celebrating anyways. I said it before, I know I'm not the only poor, single sap out there. You know how we should celebrate this day? Some self-love, man. You've got to love yourself to the fullest. I've been trying to do that.

Trying to distract myself with things that make me happy. Wine hunting, though stressful, makes me happy. Receiving new releases catalogues makes me happy. And drinking (and enjoying) new wines definitely counts as self-love.

So there you have it. Love yourself.

Honest

I try to be an honest man. That's the only thing I guarantee - I guarantee that everything that comes out of my mouth will be honest. You know how I'm lying? When I stop talking.

I'll be straight with you, I'm totally just blogging right now for the sake of numbers. I'm watching the All-Star Game right now. Downloading a wine show, which is great.

Oz and James' Big Wine Adventure, the California edition. I watched the first season, based all in France, and really enjoyed it. Not really seriously into the technical aspects of wine, but nevertheless entertaining.

No one really gives a shit, do they? Oh well. I do.

Packing list

Well, this long weekend has been nice, only because I've been resting up. Yes, and I'm still really enjoying that Monbazillac from yesterday. Stunning purity and balance.

I watched The Day the Earth Stood Still. What a shitfest. Really, that was the worst, steaming, pile of shit since 10,000 BC. Awful. Can we be real here? Keanu Reeves is a dead actor - at least The Matrix had a well-written story. This latest movie? Come on, it was based on a 1951 movie that had an absolutely ridiculous premise already, so expectations were low to begin with. Reeves just kind of sleepwalks through it, with eyes half open. That's embarrassing man, honestly, you should be ashamed of yourself for collecting a cheque for that bullshit.

I swear, if it wasn't for the delicate and stunningly beautiful Jennifer Connelly, I would have shut that shit off in 15 minutes. Too bad her considerable talents were wasted.

Anyways - packed up some wines for storage. Want to move them out before temperatures really start rising. More wine than I imagined - we're looking at about 95 bottles, did not expect that many. A lot of important (to me) wines to put away. Highlights are, of course, 2005 Bordeaux including the Hauts de Pontet, D'Aiguilhe, Croix de Beaucaillou. Also, some riesling, Chinon, Bandol, Champagne. And of course, my Le Clos Jordanne. Some good things.

If you're one of the lucky ones with a cellar at home, or even just a cool storage room in your basement, I hope you appreciate it. Otherwise you'll end up like me, a wine lover without a home. I feel like a schmuck every time I show up at my friend's place with a load of boxes. Kind of pathetic.

2001 Monbazillac

I absolutely love mature, older sweet wines. There's just something about dessert wines that develop more and more complexity and richness as they age, something you can't say about icewine. Listen, I love Niagara with all my heart, but icewine is the false face of the industry.

2001 Chateau Monbazillac, AC Monbazillac.

I've had this wine for quite some time. Not exactly an "older" wine, but come on, relatively speaking - how many civilian drinkers hold and drink dessert wines like this? Interesting name, mirroring its appellation. I've tasted 2 bottles of this exact wine in the past, and I've been holding onto this one ever since. It's turned amber, quite a remarkable darkening in colour. It used to be light gold.

Lots of minerality, a chlorine character on the nose. Dried red dates, dried apricots, just a lovely, fruity aroma. Excellent balance on the palate - it reminds me of a 4 puttonyos Tokaji, high acidity and just perfect sweetness. Dried fruits follow in the mouth, ending in a long, sweetened finish. So delicious.

Drank this with a chunk of brie, oh my goodness. An orgasmic food experience, if there ever is one.

LCJ 5

2006 Le Clos Jordanne La Petite Vineyard Pinot Noir, VQA Twenty Mile Bench.

This is the wine I'm most excited about. The most feminine, alluring, seductive, sexy wines in this lineup. I can't wait, I really want to drink this beside a Burgundian Premier Cru.

LCJ 4

2006 Le Clos Jordanne Le Clos Jordanne Vineyard Pinot Noir, VQA Twenty Mile Bench.

LCJ 3

2006 Le Clos Jordanne Claystone Terrace Pinot Noir, VQA Twenty Mile Bench.

Will this wine have some similarities with the chardonnay from the same site? It'll be a fascinating exercise in unearthing whether our Niagara terroir has real potential or not.

LCJ 2

2006 Le Clos Jordanne Claystone Terrace Chardonnay, VQA Twenty Mile Bench.

With a name like Claystone, how can I resist? Will it be as minerally and flinty as implied.....

LCJ 1

2006 Le Clos Jordanne Le Clos Jordanne Vineyard Chardonnay, VQA Twenty Mile Bench.

My favourite chardonnay of their lineup. How will it stand up to Chablis? We'll see...

LCJ

Le Clos Jordanne. Does any other Niagara winery really evoke this kind of mystique, this kind of exclusivity? I don't think so. This has been one of the most elusive wines I've ever come across - maybe because I care about Niagara too much, and whenever a wine claims to truly represent Niagara terroir, I always want to experience it.

Which brings me to that tirade on Thursday. You know, the one where I called myself the greatest motherf*cker ever. This weekend's release featured South Africa, but who gives a shit - the star was a lineup of single-vineyard Le Clos Jordanne wines. 3 pinot noirs, 2 chardonnays, epic greatness. I guess you could compare them to Burgundy in that these single-vineyard wines are the Niagara equivalent of a Burgundian Premier Cru, while the Le Grand Clos wines are comparable to Grand Cru wines. Anyways, it was so exciting because I managed to get all of them, and I'll bet money that I was the first person in Ontario to get them. Take me up on it. I f*cking dare you.

All 2006. My friends are going to thank me for working so hard to get these wines, when we get to taste them in 5 years or so. You'll all kiss at my feet when you're the few people in this world who get to taste the whole range of Le Clos Jordanne.

Dropped into Bayview Village today, just to see if they had any left. They ran out of the chardonnays, and didn't even carry one of the pinot noirs. Thank goodness I got them early because I would have been out of luck and extremely pissed.

Coming up - the lineup!

Sigh..

Today's Valentine's Day. Now I know I'm not the only single loser out there, so cheers......it's not so bad to not be celebrating right? At least we're saving money...

Seemed like a busy day today. Great dinner, had some beer - yes, I'm out of drinking wine again. Drinking wine, meaning wine that's ready to drink now. Not for putting away.

Went in to LCBO today, guess what? The best wines in the release are almost gone. Thank goodness I'm the greatest wine hunter ever, and I got them early.

Sliding punch

Finally, this shit goes down - finally, Shawn Marion is on his way over.

I'm not so sure we'll be any better but at least we won't have to witness Jermaine O'Neal drag his injured ass around the paint anymore. Let's be honest, he wasn't as much a banger as he claimed to be.

And I'm glad Moon got packaged in as well. I swear, I'll lose my f*cking mind if I see Moon take one more ill-advised three pointer 5 seconds into the shot clock, or jump at another pump fake. At least now, he'll be doing that shit for another team.

Before O'Neal's career is (mercifully) over, can we at least see him get into another brawl? That's what I'd really like to see. Another sliding punch, just for old time's sake?

Letting out the bubbles

This is crazy right? Decanting Champagne? But you'll let out all the bubbles!!

I'm still drinking this right now. I like it - you don't see the mousse, it just ever so slightly tickles your tongue. It's the most amazing sensation. The Champagne is just a bit richer, just a bit more open. Interesting, but I don't think I can see myself decanting an entire bottle from the start.

Empty means good

An empty glass means that the wine was enjoyed.

Not my glass, let's be clear. I don't drink Champagne out of flutes - flutes are for looks, not for taste. Substance, my friends, I'm all about substance.

NV Grand Cru Chouilly

NV R & L Legras Brut Blanc de Blancs, AC Grand Cru Chouilly.

I've been looking forward to this wine for so long!

Why am I blogging on a Friday night? I really don't have a cool-sounding answer to that. Before I start sounding even more like a loser, let me tell you about this wine.

It's so unfortunate that most people don't see Champagne as wine - they see it as **Champagne**, the once in a year bubbly alcohol that you pop on New Year's, and that rappers chug because it implies that you're rich and classy. F*cktards.

Champagne is one of the most transcendant wines I've ever had the pleasure and privilege of drinking, and every time I have a taste, I'm reminded of the power and the wonder of wine. I remember why I fell in love with wine in the first place and why I pursue my hobby obsessively. I read Peter Liem's blog and I see myself as so lacking - I really don't know anything about wine compared to industry characters like him, but that doesn't discourage me, it only makes me hungry for more knowledge and more experiences. I'm a huge fan, Peter, by the way. The piece on "Goblessness"..........brilliant!

Anyways, onto this wine, before I get too carried away. Light, yellow gold colour. Very fine mousse, thick and persistent. Nose of minerals, yeasty as it warms, citrus. On the palate, it develops and becomes richer - shows off its chardonnay profile. Lots of sweet almonds, lemons, and finishes with lemon zest, minerals. Long, long finish. Lots of purity, lots of energy. Absolutely delicious.

This is a very young Champagne, but I do have another bottle put away, so I'd love to see how it develops. It's showing some complexity now, but I want to see how far it can go. Unfortunately, it doesn't show its disgorgement date - but I assume it's been disgorged at most in the past year to 18 months. An extremely delicious, young Champagne. I prefer them a little more mature, but then again, I love Champagne at all stages.

I'm coming for you!

I've been restless, not just today, but for the last f*cking 2 weeks. Restless because of this blockbuster release. And you know what? I finally got them. Finally, after 24 months of trying and trying, I finally got my hands on them. On what? I'll let you know on Saturday, when the release is public. Because I'm not giving away any of my secrets.

I am the greatest. I think this acquisition proves that I am undeniably, incontestably, incontrovertibly, indubitably, lucidly, manifestly, markedly, noticeably, obviously, openly, overtly, patently, penetratingly, perceptibly, plainly, positively, precisely, prominently, purely, recognizably, seemingly, sharply, sonorously, surely, translucently, transparently, undeniably, undoubtedly, unmistakably...........the greatest motherf*cker alive. Straight up and down, I am the greatest.

Omg you can't understand how excited and happy I am!! I'm bouncing off the walls right now, I'm so happy! I'm like a crack addict getting that first fix in days kind of happy.

I'll divulge fully, on Saturday.

Th. J.

What do I - David Fang - and Thomas Jefferson - 3rd President of the United States of America, The Sage of Monticello, The Man of the People - have in common? Why, we're both Francophile wine lovers in fact, and we're both quite anal retentive about written records.

Jefferson drank his way through France, as the Minister to France. I drank my way through France in Waterloo, as an economics major. Jefferson bankrupted himself buying, among other things, Chateau-bottled Bordeaux wines. In his later years, he was reduced to drinking simple, cheap swill - a far cry from Brane-Mouton and Laffite (check it, that's what it was known as). I've spent far above my means procuring classified Bordeaux, Champagne, and boutique Niagara wines. Maybe not to the point of bankruptcy, but getting there. And Jefferson kept 4 separate written records of every wine transaction he ever made. Four exact same records. I keep 3. Well, 4, if you count this blog as a written record.

And that's what I, and the 3rd U.S. President have in common.

---

Blogger's note:

All joking aside, Jefferson was one of the greatest, and most important Americans the country has ever produced. He was also, unequivocally, the greatest American wine connoisseur, period. Yes, there is The Critic, and The Establishment, but Parker can hardly be considered a man of good taste, and as for Suckling? Suckling's just a queer who's still trying to convince the French that he's America's No. 1 wine writer. Don't believe me? Watch any one of his videos and tell me if he inspires respect.

Most beautiful thing in the world

I miss this. Niagara, October 2007.

Photo courtesy of Rocky413

2008 Consumption

So, I guess it's long overdue, but I want to mention something really important. To me, that is.

Flipping through my wine notes, recorded 113 bottles consumed in all of 2008. See, I don't have a gauge of whether this is high, medium, or low level of drinking. Clearly, I'm not going to be comparing myself to the 35,000-40,000 wines that Rolland tastes annually. Anyways, just in comparison to, you know, civilian drinkers. I think it's a fairly small number. Working on that, by the way.

If I was in this position last year, when I was still in Waterloo - damn, son, we could have done some damage. One hundred thirteen last year, let's see if I can inflate that this year. Who's going to help me?

Mistakes in wine

I know everyone talks about all these wonderful, memorable, legendary wines drunk. But what about the mistakes? I've had more than my fair share of wines that in hindsight, cost far too much for what was offered in the glass.

What counts as a mistake? Money's a big one. I don't care if a wine tastes like shit, as long as someone else has paid for it. The most disappointing has to be an expensive wine that you've held onto for a long time, expecting to be absolutely amazed, only to come crashing down to earth with a whiff and taste of mediocrity.

I've spent far too much on some wines, and then there've been wines that I should have known better. I now know better that cheap Burgundy is a waste of money. And that $20 Medoc wines disappoint more often than not. But the most horrible price and quality discrepancy in wine? Californian wines, my friends. I can't tell you how many Sonoma County wines, Russian River Valley wines I've had that were just, just awful. And these are wines that I've paid $30, $40 for. I guess that's what makes them so terrible - uniformly raisined, flabby, over-alcoholic, freaks of wines.

The wine that I've held for years that have failed to deliver hurt the most. Like the Amarone we had last year. And the Northern Rhone wines. I paid good money, expecting a certain level of complexity and nuance in the wine. I wanted some uniqueness. Unfortunately, it was all missing. It was good wine, but that's not enough when you've invested so much money and sentiment into it.

I havn't touched any of the 2005 Bordeaux futures yet, and probably won't for the next 5 years. I wake up shaking thinking about all the wrong things that can happen with them.

The remedy for disappointment? Return to LCBO, pick up another bottle. Be careful what you buy. There are some wines that are more or less foolproof. Not foolproof in the sense of bottle variation - you can't help things like TCA or oxidation, no, I'm not talking about that at all. I'm talking strictly about taste.

You can't go wrong with older Rioja Reserva. Can't go wrong with small producer Champagne. Can't go wrong with German QmP rieslings. And you definitely can't go wrong with wine that someone else has paid for.

Officially certified

A milestone was achieved today. Finally, I feel like i'm officially a member of the workforce. You know how? I got my business card today.

I know its not much - I'm fawning over nothing. It's like when a new father tries to convince you that their baby is a genius because he knows how to say witty little things that don't make sense to anyone else. A little harsh? Definitely. But I'm just kind of tired about sappy ass parents who go on and on and ON about everything little thing their kids say/do. It's not that special!!! You'd think their kids were shitting gold eggs or something.

Anyways....sorry. Just had to share that. I got my business card!

Legless

I lost my mobility and my slice of freedom today, from now until June. My mother took my car away from - MY car. Just because you have to babysit some bratty kids........why do I have to suffer? WTF, these kids are hardly worth the effort. One of them is in Grade 8. Grow up, start taking the f*cking bus you wussy little shit. I switched 3 buses to make my Piano History classes AT THE AGE OF TEN.

Champagne this weekend! NV R&L Legras Blanc de Blancs, Grand Cru Chouilly! Looking forward to drinking and documenting.

I've been so bored...2 months ago, I could at least sit through a Raptors game. I swear I'd rather get a prostate exam. Stop it with all this nonsense about salvaging the season. That hope died 25 games ago. They should shut Bosh down for the season. How many people think he'll still be in a TO uniform next year?

Sorry, material's been pretty dry the past 2 weeks. Sorry. Trying to spice this space up a little. Notice the photos? I like the large format, gives a little something more. Shh....watching Obama's first Presidential news conference.

Swagger like us

Wow. Just watched 5 hip hop gods take the stage together to perform. Hot, hot, hot. The formal wear was great, as was the black and white filming. You think I can pull off swagger like that?

Blogging the Grammy's

Omg, Kanye!!!! Damn son, I don't care too much about his mannerisms or his self-proclamation that he's the greatest human alive, but the man is a great rapper. Keep an open mind to music. I would have gone apeshit if he launched into Love Lockdown.

This month in wine

It's been quite a weekend of wine.....6 wines in 3 days? Not much, but, I try. Some great things to look forward. This release, mes amis, is a blockbuster among blockbusters. Gearing up, because I'll be talking about it 10 years from now when I get to treat my friends to transcendant, mature jewels of wine.

This Friday, we're celebrating at home, so I have some Grand Cru Champagne ready. As well, we'll finally finish that last bottle of Monbazillac. Yes, good things to look forward to.

I'm going to be real aggressive, need to get my face cleared up in a week. Ridiculous. I'm not a f*cking 16 year old anymore, really shouldn't be breaking out like this. C'est ridicule!

Cognac and brie

Really, brie and cognac is just a perfect match. I don't know how else to describe it, except as perfect. Everything just works so well, I find it so hard because it's such a sensual experience. And those kinds of experiences are always the greatest.

Watching the Grammy Awards. How does Miley Cyrus have a career? And how electrifying is J-Hova? Best rapper alive man, best rapper alive.

Dealing with some issues, but there's optimism. Winter's kind of dragging on, but then.....why should we be complaining.

I'm seeing all these Grey Goose commercials. Really craving fine vodka out of the freezer, served alongside a bowl of caviar (molossol), preferably beluga.

Monday tomorrow. Here we go again!

New things

So..........Winterlicious didn't work out too well for us.

But, moving on to new things. A wine adventure is in planning. And of course, the butt squeezing starts now. No more spending, OR ELSE!

Dinner at Dave's

Cooked dinner for some special company tonight. Clam spaghetti, in a simple sauce of tomatoes and onion, simmered in fresh clam stock and white wine. I think I did a good job, but then judging shouldn't be left up to me.

Had some great wines, along with masterful cuts of bread and brie.

Thank you both, for the conversation and the friendship. It's hard when you get out of school to see everyone regularly, and I value my friends more than anything. More than that, it's being with friends who you can talk to. Given the right wines, the right food, I feel we can talk well into the night. Who says 20 year olds are all club-going fiends? I'm not. And I don't think my closest friends are too.

And Pris, I wanted to let you know - I have your ring. I like it so much that I'm not giving it back. It just looks too dead sexy on me - you're just going to have to buy another one.

Now, sappy things over - I want my friends to experience the wonderful things I'm tasting in wine. We've done Champagne, Rioja, Loire........moving on to rieslings, both German and Niagara. And of course, more Champagne - the Jacquart was a bit too simple. Let's move on to bigger and better things.

2002 Rioja Alta

I will try any sort of wine, but I will always love Rioja. She'll always occupy a special place in my heart, and whenever I begin to doubt myself, Rioja will always be there to warm me up, and restore my faith.

2002 R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Cubillo Crianza, DOC Rioja.

I'm honoured that I've passed on this love of Rioja to my friends. Close friends, mind you - I could never share something so dear to me to casual wine drinkers. Rioja is just so sensual, so sexy, so intimate - whenever I pour a glass, I'm pouring my soul as well.

Ruby red colour, good saturation and just starting to turn amber/orange ever so slightly at the rim. Exotic nose of spices, cinnamon, stewed fruits, sour cherries. High acidity on the palate, a bit unbalanced in that regard. It becomes a bit too simple in the mouth. Fine tannins, silky texture - an elegant wine, but one that lacks a bit of presence and character.

Not the best Rioja I've drank. But one that begins to show what Rioja can deliver. I love this wine, as I do the friends I pour it for.

2005 Chinon

I love this wine. 2005 Couly-Dutheil La Baronnie Madeleine, AC Chinon.

The first experience I've had with this wine was their 2003 vintage. Wrote somewhat well of it, here, in the post Honest Loire.

This wine clearly demonstrates the 2 most important things in wine - a sense of place, and vintage characteristics. As typical with 2005, this is a well structured wine, with great density and power. And there's no mistaking, from the nose onto the palate. This is clearly a Loire wine, with great complexity and depth.

Deep purple colour, full saturation to the rim. Nose of celery stalk, washed vegetables, graphite minerality, and ripe red fruits. The palate shows great intensity, and confirms the nose. Big, but ripe tannins, all balanced by a racy acidity. Long, mineral-tinged finish.

Just a great, balanced wine that will definitely show better with some age. From what I remember, this is much more dense than the 2003, and much heavier. Just more presence, but very well-balanced.

I was a bit reticent to pour this wine for my friends over dinner. Wasn't sure they'd like it, especially if Loire red wines weren't familiar on the palate. But they enjoyed it, which I appreciate. I shouldn't be surprised though - these girls have fantastic taste. Just a fascinating, interesting wine that's so complex. A wine for intellectuals and sensualists, if there is such thing.

Nothing!?

Wow, how sad. For me. Zero views today, the first time that's happened in 40 days. How sad. I guess people don't like what I've been writing. What if I cursed a bit more in my posts? Or only blogged when I'm drunk as a skunk?

2006 Bekaa Valley

2006 Chateau Ksara Reserve du Couvent, Bekaa Valley.

This was the first wine I've ever tasted from Lebanon. Very excited. I have bottles of Chateau Musar, which is very, very famous among wine circles, but given the price I paid for it, I won't open it for a few more years. This wine seems right for some experimentation.

This wine is 40% syrah, 30% cabernet franc, 30% cabernet sauvignon. An interesting blend, but keep in mind, these are not indigenous Lebanese varietals. A deep purple hue, intense saturation. Nose of stewed red fruits, dried dates and longans. A bit overripe, over-macerated, over-manipulated.

Good structure on the palate, but the tannins are very polished. Too much human intervention, too industrialized of a wine.

I hope this isn't an indication of Lebanese wine. LCBO's been releasing a lot recently. Just hope the Chateau Musar isn't remotely close to this. An interesting experience, but one that I'm not keen to repeat.

Minerals and more

Drank another glass of the Bessin "Montmains", and I'm just completely, unabashedly amazed at this wine. Becomes more and more elegant, and delicate, without losing any of its steely minerality and acidic backbone. Any hint of bitterness at the finish disappears, and you're just left with a long, seductive blossom of fruit and stone in the mouth.

Picked up my mother tonight, from the airport. Freezing outside, just absolutely frigid. Waited in the cell-phone parking lot, and wanting to conserve some fuel, I shut the engine off. Within 10 minutes, my teeth were chattering. Didn't have to wait long, the flight from HK was fairly empty.

Struggling a bit with skin issues. There's nothing like an outbreak of pimples to bring out all your insecurities. What's going on?

Going to finish off the Burgundy tomorrow night, maybe we'll open a Chinon? Or maybe a Rioja? Who knows, I like a little suspense in my life.

2005 Chablis Premier Cru Montmains

2005 Domaine Jean-Claude Bessin, AC Chablis Premier Cru Montmains.

Sometimes you just really need a wine to pick up your spirits. I havn't had a wine like that in a very long time. Needed something to cheer me up, give me a positive emotional response. So here we are, a Chablis Premier Cru.

I've never looked on chardonnay kindly. I don't have the resources to drink white Burgundy on a regular basis, and New World chardonnays, with the exception of some Niagara producers, have always disappointed. But this wine, it demonstrated the greatness of Burgundy, and why it produces one of the greatest white wines of the world.

Light, lemon colour, almost colourless at the rim. Intense nose of minerals, citrus, green apple, and sweet oranges. A lovely, round texture in the mouth, so velvety. Stiff acidity to cleanse the palate, and a long, ethereal, appetizingly slight bitter finish. Layers and layers of aromas and flavours, this is an absolutely delicious wine.

The purity and intensity of this wine is amazing - you really don't get this balance of fruit, minerality, acidity, and richness in any other wine. The terroir of Montmains is clearly showcased. Just a touch of oak - only 15% of this wine is fermented and barrel-aged. Great clarity and freshness. I have no doubt that the minerality will become even more present with some age, but this wine is drinking extremely well now.

I feel like I'm in a better mood. This is as religious of a wine experience as I've ever had. With half a bottle left, I'm excited to see how it develops. Maybe it's just a thought, but I can't remember the last time a red wine has excited me like this. I remember a few German and Niagara rieslings that've got me going, but the last red wine? White wine, to me, is able to express terroir with greater clarity and honesty. There's less tricks you can do with it, because human manipulation is instantly unveiled on the first sniff.

Anyways....this wine has restored my faith in what chardonnay can do in the right terroir. I'd love to see what other wines I can get from this Domaine. It's expensive, but good Chablis is definitely worth it.

Frosty

Frosty today, outside and in.

Picked up some wines today! I'll start sorting them out, cataloguing everything soon. Lots of great stuff, although the rieslings were a bit of an impulse purchase.

Blockbuster coming up. Should I commit?

How do you feel about the size of the photos? I've started hosting them off of Flickr, and I can play around with them a bit more. Makes it easier to format on Blogger. I personally like it when bigger, so you can see more detail, but is it distracting?

Still unsuccessful at booking a table for Winterlicious. Tried so many places, nothing. You see, if I was a prince, this shit wouldn't be happening. I'd just have to show up in my chaffeur driven W12 A8, jump out with some girls, and they'd snap out a table for me.

one of these days........

Maybe should have thought twice before clicking Publish. I'll know better next time. Sorry.

the BLOWUP

Ohh man, ohhhhhhhhhh man!!!!!!!!

The mother of all blowups. You really have to listen to this, epic ownage!!! The best part, listen carefully, is how he switches between his on-screen American accent, and his natural Brit accent. But his F*CK sounds real American to me...



...stay off the set man. For f*ck's sake.

Willpower

I can do it. F*ck, this is nothing, I can do this shit.

Why can't I control my wine spending?

Another VintagesOnline release tomorrow. Will I find the willpower to hold off from buying anything? I have 4 Classics orders coming in, and a blockbuster release in 2 weeks. Oh boy.

I'm guilty of convincing myself that in 10 years, I'll thank myself for buying like this now. That any and all 2005 Bordeaux are worth putting away, no matter the price. Am I just playing with myself?

I need to be born rich, that's what I need. Or maybe just a reality check.

Rivalry

I have to apologize to my Honda Civic. Sorry, baby, didn't mean to. I slammed her door this morning in a fit of rage. Should have kept my cool and taken my anger on someone else. Someone else.

Hard to control my rage when someone just oozes negativity at you, when everything out of their mouth turns usuallly critical, and who's no stranger to spewing oral feces.

F*ck, I was steamed when I left the house, f*cking steamed all day at my desk, and still f*cking steaming mad. You think I'm joking? Do you think I'm joking? F*cking as illiterate as the rest of your f*cking degenerate family.

I'm trying to calm down.

Got you!

I told you, I told you, and now I've got you! 2005 Couly-Dutheil La Baronnie Madeleine, AC Chinon.

Drove, literally, half way around the city to get this bottle. Bayview Village's playing f*cking mind games with me. One moment you see this in their inventory, one minute its gone, and now there's 2 bottle again. WTF, man, WTF.

I really love this wine. I remember the 2004 so vividly - really, the wine that proved the genius of Chinon, and how fantastic cabernet franc can be.

One interesting note. Because of the Bin Ends sale, I paid more for this bottle than the premium cuvee that Couly-Dutheil makes, the Clos de L'Echo. I'll look forward to drinking these two wines together.

Upcoming week

I'm finishing up the wine from last night, the 2005 La Gorce. Well-chilled, it suppresses the negative aspects of the brett. Some iron minerality, some twiggy earthiness.

Going to try to go to bed early tonight. I feel like I didn't do anything today except watch tv, blog, and eat. How'd the day go by so fast? Maybe because I slept until 1.

Going to keep trying for those bottles of Couly. Tomorrow, going to see if any of the Markham locations have it. I'm coming for you!

Man, this match is just amazing. Third set coming to a close, Nadal and Federer tied at 5 games apiece. It's a great time to be a tennis fan.

My mother comes back on Thursday. Finally. Because at this moment, I have more of a relationship with the glass of wine in my hand than I do with him. I'm tired.

Modern Classic

It seems everytime we see Federer and Nadal, it's an instant classic. There just isn't a better rivalry in all of sports. Nothing - you'd have to go back to the old, old Boston/L.A. rivalry in the NBA to see something of this level. Just incredible.

Nadal really seems to have his number. It's eerie to see a grown man break down like that. It's unbelievable - Nadal gets him on clay, on grass, and now on hardcourt. I can see the frustration. I watched some of the highlights, and by the final set, Federer just had this almost defeated look on his face. And this is Federer we're talking about, the king of cool under pressure. Wow.

Federer's always been my favourite sports star. He has that calm demeanor that's so inspiring - I want to be as cool and focussed under pressure. He has great respect for the game and for the opponents, but he has ice in his veins - this man just doesn't make any mental errors. The best tennis player ever. Come on, who wins 13 Grand Slams, and is No.1 for 237 consecutive weeks? I just think it's Nadal. He's the only man in the world that can take down Federer, and that's got to shake your confidence. And the man is only 22!

This is passion, this is love for the game. There's really no more reason for Federer to be this upset - what else does he have left to prove? He's one win away from tying Sampras for the Grand Slam record, which he surely will get. My respect for him just jumped another few notches.

They're showing the match again on TSN, I'm watching the entire thing now. It's ok Roger, shake it off. You're still my hero.

Release - 1/31

This bottle is from this week's release. I really enjoy these smaller Champagne producers. Always good to have simple, nonvintage Champagne around the house. NV Janisson & Fils Brut Tradition.

I'm really disappointed that I still havn't been able to get a bottle of the Couly-Dutheil. What is going on? It's not even in Bayview Village's inventory anymore. There were 19 bottles listed yesterday, but nothing on store shelves. And now, nothing. Really don't get it. I'll keep trying though.

2005 Medoc

2005 Chateau La Gorce, AC Medoc Cru Bourgeois.

If you remember from a while back, I drank the 1996 La Gorce. Not impressed. Well, in hindsight, I shouldn't have been expecting too much given the price. Overoaked, without the density to hold it up.

This 2005 is no different. Especially given such a ripe and powerful vintage, this wine disappoints. Very oaky nose, with overwhelming Brettanomyces, the yeast that gives a stinky, rustic aroma. I don't mind a touch of brettanomyces at all, but not when it covers up the fruit. And this is what's happening here. Otherwise, good structure, very dry finish. Maybe it just needs some time to come together, but clearly, the quality isn't there. I have one more bottle of 1996 left, not looking forward to it, to be honest. Maybe I'll forget about it for a few years and it'll turn into something transcendant.

2006 Vinsobres

2006 Perrin & Fils "Les Cornuds", AC Vinsobres.

I've loved Vinsobres for so long. Always so much flavour and intensity for a wine that's priced so well. I have some experience with the Les Cornuds vineyard. In particular, I remember being very impressed with the 2004. Partly because I paid $45 for a bottle of the 2004 Les Hauts de Julien, and the $17 Les Cornuds was a bombshell. Really made me question my sanity - who in their right mind would pay $45 for a Cotes du Rhone?

Anyways. The 2006 was a bit uninspired. Ruby red, full saturation. Nose of deep red cherries, stewed prunes, raisiny. Some earthiness, but maybe this is too young. Lean on the palate, high acidity into an extremely bitter finish. Good intensity, but overall, lacks the depth of the 2004. Unfortunate, but maybe this is a symptom of the vintage. Half each of syrah and grenache, maybe this blend didn't work so well for 2006.

Heartless

Ok, I lied, I'm still not sleeping. Reliving my UW days, no doubt. What a masterpiece, listening to this:

Disclosure

In my work life, disclosure is an important thing. So I must reiterate that all the preceding photos (non-wine related, of course), are from the blog The Sartorialist. Really, I don't want to get, like, sued or anything for stealing someone's photos.

I'm a huge fan of this photographer. Not so much of his more high fashion photos, but his street photography is extraordinary.

And now, I am druuuuuunk, and not in a good place. Mind is shot, I should really be getting to bed. Good night.

You really love me, you really do! Readership JUMPED in the last few hours of Saturday, and early Sunday. Well, it's just after 1 am Sunday. We can count it as 2 days. I really thought I was going to get zero page views on Saturday, but you came through for me, so thank you very much, I hope you enjoyed what I've written. Really, I hope you enjoyed it because I think it's the last time I'm going to talk about clothing. Honestly, how lame is it to write about content from someone else's blog? LAME!!! And I hate being a lame person.