I’ve been getting up a bit earlier each morning this week to pore over Peter Liem’s new book on sherry. So far, I’m impressed with it. It’s helped me understand aspects of sherry that were always murky, if not downright opaque to me – spelling out, for example, the precise chemical and biological effects flor has on wine. I was surprised to learn that flor consumes both alcohol and glycerin. It’s the almost total lack of glycerin that gives fino that scintillating dryness for wich it is so prized.
I can’t say that the book provides much in the way of color commentary – which is a shame since I remember my visit to Lustau in Jerez as one of the most memorable, visually, of any time spent in a winery. Liem writes capably, but not warmly, of his subject – and though I have no doubt he loves Andalusia and its wines, he doesn’t seem at pains to communicate their unique charms.
I’d be happy to lend the book around once I’ve seen it through to the end. You’ll have to put up with my scribbled notes in the margins (on the plus side, they’re mostly indecipherable). If you can’t wait, you can order it here: http://www.sherryguide.
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Jane Anson, who covers Bordeaux for Decanter magazine has a fine little piece on very, very old oak trees as sources for wine barrels in France here: http://goo.gl/KFv9u
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Another Decanter columnist, Andrew Jefford takes note that between 16 and 20 per cent of US citizens drink 90% to 96% of the wine consumed here. “There are 40-80 million occasional wine drinkers in the US, but in reality around 36 million adults put away almost all of it,” he says. “In other words, the world’s major wine-consuming nation (and the world’s third most populous nation after India and China) still has 279 million citizens who just aren’t pulling their wine-drinking weight. Agreed, 30% of US citizens describe themselves as abstainers (that’s 94.5 million people), and another 76 million are children, but that still leaves 108.5 million people who might be persuaded that a glass of Sancerre or Russian River Chardonnay is a little more interesting than another can of the almost-tasteless Bud Lite (a terrifying 269 million cases sold in 2012).”
Someone should tell Jeffords that in light of our national obesity problem expecting Americans to pull their weight in wine may not be very realistic. Read the terrifying details in their entirety here: http://goo.gl/rNT3V
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You may have the idea that I drink glorious things from night to night, but it isn’t a bit true – at least not the ‘from night to night’ part. Once in a while something distinctly out of the ordinary does come my way. Such an experience occurred on Tuesday night when I decided the time was right to pull something from my cellar I’ve been longing to get at: 1991 premier cru Morey-Saint-Denis from Dom. Georges Roumier. It was, in fact, glorious — one of the single most delicious, most perfectly proportioned and satisfying wines I’ve ever tasted. Fruit was still vibrant and the notes of bottle age, while present, weren’t of the distracting sort. The wine came to me a number of years ago from an old friend, a house painter, and husband of Dancing Deer founder Suzanne Lombardi. Someone had given it to him and he passed it along to me as ‘someone who would appreciate it.” Did I not. A pity the company left not a drop for me to share with all of you. Will try to do better sneaking off with a few precious drops next time.
I was able to make off with the label, a photo of which is provided. Don’t tell my wife, but I’m thinking of taking it to my local tattoo parlor . . .
-stephen