About me:
I am a 20-something wine geek. My love affair with fermented grape juice started in Tuscany where, at the age of 18 (it was legal there), I spent an afternoon sipping wine while looking out over the ancient gnarled vineyards from which it had come. Since then I have undertaken an ambitious approach to my own personal education about wine – travelling to Napa, Burgundy, and Tuscany to taste and learn. This education continues daily – in wine shops, restaurants, and in my own living room as I continue to seek out exciting, challenging, and enlightening wines. Join me, won’t you?
The name of this blog is a reference to the hype and prices that come with wines from Burgundy. Coveted by wine collectors and big spenders alike, wines from Burgundy are often considered some of the best in the world. However, you don’t have to drink Burgundy to be serious about wine – in fact, you don’t have to drink expensive wine to be serious about wine.
The wine world can be tricky to navigate, filled with staid conventions, stuffy suppositions, intimidating terms and hard-to-pronounce words. All of these aspects are especially true when considering Burgundy, a place that particularly represents all the parts of the wine world I’m eager to leave behind (save for the good wine) in favor of a new approach.
This approach will be user-friendly, non-pretentious, and enlightening without being didactic. I hope you’ll not only discover something here, but that you’ll get comfortable with a wine list, find what you love, and learn just enough to show off a little in front of you friends, family, or maybe a date.
So, who, exactly, is this blog for?
It’s safe to say that a big chunk of taste-makers today care an inordinate amount about the culinary world – and like it or not, wine is a big part of that world. While this blog is written for those of us who can’t stand being called “foodies” or anyone who uses the term, at the end of the day, we are those very people for whom the word was invented. We are not only versed in culinary trends, we pride ourselves on our palates and often esoteric knowledge of ingredients and techniques.
We welcome the challenge of diving head first into an exciting menu coming from the latest hottest chef but when we get to the wine list we are gripped with anxiety. Either we don’t know the first thing about wine or the prices are scary – probably both.
Maybe we know a little – we know we like reds over whites, we know we’ve enjoyed a glass of Pinot, and thanks to Sideways, we went through a phase during which we wouldn’t be caught dead ordering Merlot. We want to have a go-to everyday bottle that doesn’t cost a fortune but is satisfying at the end of the day, and we want to know what to bring to a pot luck that everyone will enjoy and praise us for bringing (ok, just me?).
We want to know how to navigate a wine list, figure out what kind of wines we like, and be able to hold our own in a discussion of wine without sounding like jack asses. We are young, we don’t have thousands to drop on a bottle of a prestigious vintage, we may not be sure exactly what its called but we know what we like, and we’re eager to learn more. We are, for the time being, willing to forget burgundy, and have a good time.
Wanna get in touch?
email me: crhelper@gmail.com
looking forward to hearing form you!
What IS a good go-to pinot noir at the end of the day?
I’m going to make a guide to finding a good go-to wine just because you asked! Stay tuned…
Hi C,
I love malbec and can’t wait to find out what you will say about it.
xxoo Aunt Michele
Hey! Thanks so much for including us in your Blogroll!
Cheers!
Etty
Plonk Wine Merchants
Absolutely, Etty! I love your site and love what you do!
Hey,
Checked out the site – very cool and it’s true about the French! Your email bounced back to send me a note on my email above and we should get a glass of wine sometime.
Caroline
i dont like arm hair. your blog is cool. and i really dont like arm hair. remember me??
The question I am about to ask you will horrify you and all other wine lovers out there, but as your cousin I feel like I’m allowed: is there a particular white wine that you would recommend for a spritzer? I know, I know, it’s criminal. But it’s a nice refreshing summer drink and I’m on south beach!!!
Question 2 is if you can recommend some delicious summer mixed drinks that include wine/champagne/etc.
Oh and last but not least, can you find me a yummy bottle of chablis under $25. Why is it so expensive??
XOXO
Just finished reading “New York’s Finger Lakes: The Next Great Wine Region in America?”. Great read, as a fan of the region I really enjoyed your article.
If you (or anyone else reading this) are interested, I recommend reading “Summer in a Glass” by Evan Dawson; it is an excellent read about this unique region and gives a lot of insight into some of the blind tasting sessions amongst the various “competing” wineries you mentioned.
We will be touring four or five wineries on the Eastern side of Seneca Lake this Easter weekend. Shalestone is one I have not visited in the past and they only(!) produce red wine, so it is definitely on the agenda. Anyway, thanks again for the great article and website, you have a new fan!
Is that La Tâche I see in your wine glass there??? oh the hypocrisy! Burgundy lover here, love the blog though. Being in wine retail I applaud anyone trying to help new wine lovers explore new things. The exploration of new wines is half the fun.
Do you want to interview Max Cartier?