'Super Brooklyn,' or 'The Mario Bros Beat'

What's up former (and current?) original Nintendo players?

Is BROOKLYN in the house?

Old Clos Roche Blanche PdA Rose (in case you were wondering)

I came across a $1.99 bottle of 2004 Clos Roche Blanche Pineau d'Aunis Rose on our closeout rack yesterday. Rather, a customer whom I recognized as a frequent patron at Terroir spotted the CRB, purchased a few, and tempted me to do the same. How has the wine held up, you ask?

Well, if bottle one is any indication, not too well. Pale onion skin, Tempier rose color. Very little flavor on the palate, certainly vaguely a faint whisper of the exuberant pineau d'aunis strawberry fruit. To the wine's credit, it is not oxidized, and still has a bit of fruit hanging in as well as acidity. This is typically a terrific rose - not so terrific after spending 4 years in bottle, however.

For less than $5, though, I've done far worse.

Leeks sauteed in butter, salt, pepper and grated nutmeg over toasted bread, with defaced bottle of one-time Rheinhessen riesling, Austria-tized.

100% of my February wine budget has gone to Huet's '07s

I don't have too much experience tasting the brilliant wines of Huet. The '02 Petillant is terrific, much classier and more interesting than many a Champagne. I recently tasted a Touraine rose sparkler, made from 100% gamay. Pretty cool wine, with a touch of gamay earthy, roasted peanut-like savor. And once I tasted a vin de glace from '80, which was truly compelling. It was a tiny taste, and all I remember is being jolted from my seat by the searing acidity.

Finally I have purchased a few bottles of Huet's better known, bread-and-butter offerings from his famous single vineyards in Vouvray: Le Mont, Le Haut Lieu, and Clos du Bourg.

It means that I'll be drinking a bit less often and more on the cheap than usual this month, but I think this should prove to be a small price to pay for enjoying Huet Vouvray in the years ahead.

And once again…RIOJA

[Since I'm trying to get the most of my writing and time these days, I thought that I would show you a sneak peak at my March newsletter article where I work. Yes, I am well aware that I am doing some double dipping here.]

Well, I’ve written about wines from Rioja before, I’m writing about them now, and I’m sure I will continue to discuss the virtues of this most noble of Spanish wine regions in future newsletters. Located along the banks of the Rio Ebro, the river which diagonally cuts a large swath across much of the northeastern quadrant of Spain, Rioja is divided into three sub-zones: Rioja Alta (coolest climate, and as the name suggests home of the highest elevation vineyards, as well as most of the better known bodegas), Rioja Alavesa (a bit warmer and drier, in the Basque province of Alavá) and Rioja Baja (warmest, driest, and furthest south, where garnacha is most commonly planted). Here are a few exciting, recent Rioja arrivals:

2005 Viña Izadi Rioja Crianza- $16.99
Excellent winemaking and balance as usual with this Rioja Alavesa wine. It shows intense, youthful black cherry fruit and hints of vanilla from oak. The issue of oak is no less divisive in Rioja as anywhere else these days. Used American barrels are traditional (despite the fact that some wineries insist that French has long been the standard bearer of quality). To further complicate things, wineries such as Marques de Vargas ($24.99 for their ’04 Reserva, by the way, is quite tasty) have successfully experimented with Russian and Ukrainian oak, something which no doubt has awakened the snark in many of their peers. Back to the Izadi, the back label states that the wine has been aged 14 months in American oak. Would have fooled me – I thought for sure it was French. Bottom line: balanced wine is good wine and this Izadi is balanced and ready to accompany a wide range of your favorite meals at home.

2005 Zuazo Gaston Rioja Crianza - $16.99
This is a family winery owned and managed by Prudencio Zuazo Gaston in Rioja Alavesa. His family has been growing grapes in Rioja Alavesa for a few hundred years. Though they still sell much of their production, they produce an increasing quantity of their own wine. And that’s a good thing. All four major varieties (Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano) are grown, and together they produce a classically styled Rioja crianza – full of bright red fruit, a touch of savory spice, and a mellow, nicely balanced end taste.

1994 Viَña Valoria Rioja Gran Reserva - $59.99
Located in Logroño (La Rioja Alta), Viña Valoria produces an impressive range of traditionally styled Riojas. For fans of mature Bordeaux, might I suggest this special gran reserva bottling from the terrific 1994 ‘cosecha’ in Rioja . There is a very savory nose of beef tenderloin, damp clay and roasted poblano peppers (some unique aromas, to be sure, but together they’re just fine - work with me here people!). On the palate there is red fruit, a touch of sun dried tomato, some mineral on the back end, and fully resolved tannins – the mouth feel is velvety and all one could hope for in a mature red wine. This wine is currently drinking at its peak. Drink it up now and over the next few years.

The battery is re-charged

After a busy week of cinema, Pro Tools, quarterly inventory at work, and an irregular sleep schedule, I think I should be back to normal.

Great day today (Sunday), without any wine consumption, wine reading, or contemplation - well, not quite. The exception was some cheap, warm climate sangiovese (2007 F. Mantellassi 'Maritma' Maremma Toscana IGT) with linguini marinara at dinner. I awoke having had 9 hours of sleep and then drank Gyokuro green tea. Headed up to the garden, saw The Killers on the big screen, decided to go on an impromptu afternoon bike ride to the Golden Gate bridge and up the Marin headlands, watched the last 2:30 of the superbowl, and for all intents and purposes finished up my first full song on Pro Tools. It is untitled for now. The song functioned as an introduction to beat production: find a terrific sample, loop it, and add a bit of additional instrumental color. I'm pleased with it. Not the most original work, as it seems to be right out of the mid 90's (it brings to mind early Mobb Deep in particular), but still I like the results.

Attention qualified, skilled MC's.

Spread the word - Old World Old School's gonna soon have some killer beats.

Dem Boyz from BMORE Represent

'Brother Sport,' the last track on Animal Collective's recently released Merriweather Post Pavillion LP, is undoubtedly an homage to Baltimore club(essentially sped up house music). I'm guessing that the band listened to their share of hip-hop station 92Q growing up.

Would be awesome if some of the city's club DJ's were actually spinning this track, somewhere between whatever Lil Wayne and T.I. remixes are currently floating around out there.