CRUSH bin #076 - July 2009
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TALK DIRTy TO ME
By Laurie Gilchrist
[Excerpt] "Dirt. It’s what our planet was named after. It is the reason our world is covered in vegetation. In essence, it is the element that allows us to live, breath, survive… and best of all… make wine! The classification of dirt, or soil, is a science unto itself, the technicalities and subtleties of which I will not pretend to begin to understand. I do however know, that dirt is of the utmost importance and consideration to winemakers when choosing a home for their precious grapes. Over centuries, perhaps even millennia, vintners have discovered, mostly through trial and error, the best soils in which to grow their fruit. There are many places on earth where the weather is right for wine grapes, but there are a select number that have the perfect combination of elements, including sunlight exposure, elevation, topography, and soil composition to grow superior fruit. It is not a stroke of luck or coincidence that certain areas of the world are Mecca for winemakers. And contrary to what seems logical, it is not often particularly fertile soils that grow the best grapes to make wine that is unforgettable. In fact, most vintners agree that it is the vines that struggle and fight to grow that produce fruit with the most tenacity and character. Certain varietals have also been discovered to do particularly well in a specific soil type, which is why wine regions are often known for wine made from a select few types of grapes. Though a book could be written (and probably has) on the subject of wine regions and their soils, the following is a brief overview of the world’s top grape growing areas and the dirt that makes them famous. The next time you put your nose in a glass of wine, think about the earth in which the vines were grown. You might just be getting a snoot full of dirt! Cheers!"
MYSTERIOUS MAGICAL MUSHROOM
By Laurie Gilchrist
[Excerpt] "There have been many instances in my relatively brief and somewhat torrid life where I have had the sneaking suspicion that I am surrounded by people who are treating me like a mushroom (incidentally, most of these instances usually involve interaction with a government agency of some sort)… Which has led me to become quite curious about this edible fungus. How does something so lovely and tasty spring up from a life filled with darkness and dung? "
WHEN IN LOAM
By Laurie Gilchrist
[Excerpt] "In the world of wine, ‘terrior’ is one of those very mysterious, very French words that looks great printed on a label and even better on the balance sheet. ‘Terrior’ doesn’t translate well to English but in short means, “taste of place.” Once a term applied primarily to European wines to describe specific growing conditions in a particular vineyard, such as soil, microclimate, and topography, the word in the U.S. seems now to have become simply a sales pitch. Just how important to the flavor of wine is terrior? The French believe so strongly in it that their wines traditionally are not named for varietal, as are most New World wines, but for the place where they are born… Burgundy, Bordeaux, Beaujolais, Champagne. These are names that live in infamy to any wine lover. Theoretically, by drinking one of these wines, one is drinking the heart and soul of the very earth after which they are named. Can you really taste the land where a wine was produced? Or is the concept of terrior just another way for wine snobs to make us mortals feel inferior? This is the question that Sonoma winemaker, dear friend and honorary CRUSH member Clay Mauritson has spent the last six years attempting to answer. "
Read more about Clay's project here
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
- Retail Wine Selections
- The Cigar Bar's Cigar of the Month: Arganese Cigars
- Calendar of Events