This is the type of thing that catches my eyes as I scan the rows of signs and people pouring as well as those standing before tasting and listening to them as I walk along trying to figure out what I cannot afford to miss stopping and trying. In this case at this table on my right I first spied the Disznoko Tokaj 375ml bottles of some of Hungary's best sweet wines being poured by a lovely young brunette, Max of LEUUWIN Estates western Australia ( pouring some of the buttery,rich, layered and complex dry Chardonnay ) and this distinguished gentleman pouring some delicate-slightly-blushed apricot-peach colored rose from a magnum ( what was this? rose being poured from a magnum?!? Made me think of the days that I used to be able to pour the incredible dry magnums of BILLECART-SALMON rose. They used to only cost $35 or so a magnum back then and that was considered a lot in the mid eighties when we sold them at the Mayflower Wines & Spirits ) - well, I just had to stop as there were also two lovely young ladies there as well pictured here in these digital Canon snaps of mine.
I looked at the sign above this gentleman and I did not know the product or the region or the name or anything at all about these magnums and so of course I was intrigued. I said " bonsoir " to him in French and snapped away as he poured the faint, just slight " tache " of rose colored liquid into my glass. I was thinking " photo-ops " and I was enjoying the visual as well as much as the actual taste of this dry rose on my tongue and palate.
I overheard his conversation with the two young and beautiful young ladies to my left. He was addressing his comments to them for the most part. Can't say that I blamed him and it gave me the chance to work my art here as I tasted, listened and snapped quietly these pictures.
The two ladies noticed that I was taking these pictures and the complemented me in essence for having a way to remember some of what I tasted here in this vast ocean of great wines spread for all of us willing to have paid the $200 entrance fee ( or been lucky enough to have been compt them as many were ) in these three large spaces here in Washington D.C. our nation's capitol in the Ronald Reagan International Center at the Wine Spectator's GRAND TOUR 2010, Thursday, April 29th, 2010.
The organizers and all those involved in putting on this three-hour extravagant and wonderful wine-tasting should be commended. Everything flowed smoothly, there was plenty of room, no real waiting anywhere to be poured a sample of the wines at any of the tables. The space of the central courtyard here with the natural light coming through the steel architectural/artistic grid-work above, the walls and the arches and the floor and all the lights, too : all really nice visual touches ( enlarge these photos to see some of this in the wine glass' reflection ) along with some excellent tasty pasta and Parmesan and Asian appetizers to fill one up quickly as they passed from the center courtyard into the room of reds.
I d not make it to the other room filled with Spanish and Italian wine as well as many other reds. Oh well, what I did do, see and taste I enjoyed thoroughly.
I caught the blend here of this Chateau D'Esclans delicate rose ( 80-year-old-vines of Grenache and Rolle ) as he told the ladies and explained about this wine. I saw these small bottle-shaped cards that he had to the side of these magnums and I picked one up to use below my Wine Spectator GRAND TOUR 2010 glass that had been provided or me.
I loved watching him pour it with such flair, astuteness and expertise. He had it look so easy and effortless. Bravo.
By the way I liked this wine that I heard him say is made in really small quantities. It sounds like a good portion of what was made this year of 2007 was right here by us. I am curious to see who sells this here in Washington D.C. ( what wholesaler that is as I manage Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits - 3423 Connecticut Avenue N.W. Washington D.C. 20008 , Tel: 202-363-4265 sales@clevelandparkwine.com, www.clevelandparkwine.com ) ? I want to know what it would cost if I were to offer it to our customers?
I liked the finesse and the color and the weight on my palate as well as the very distinct yet very subtle tastes that I was getting. I think that it would have been marvelous to enjoy with a meal and that it would shine even more in the context of a dinner or luncheon or perhaps simple a romantic tryst with some fresh strawberries and almonds?
I wish that I had had more time to focus on the wine itself as my impressions were fleeting and all mixed together with all these other visuals of time, place, people gathered around, talking and motion, etcetera. I was in many places here all at once and my attention was divided. Oh well, I loved this experience and am happy to have these photos to help bring some of it now back to me to share with you all.
I guess the next step will be to have a meal at Lavandou restaurant provencal Francais down at the other end of the block where I manage the wine department at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits?!? Maybe this gentleman will read this or those that work at the Chateau D'ESCLANS will read this and want to take me there for a meal to enjoy in more peace , calm and tranquility all the treasures/pleasures that this 2007 magnum holds? I'd like that. But that is not the reason that I write this I assure you. As I said I had never heard of this chateau until this evening and I am thrilled that there are still so many wines like this for me to discover even after the almost forty years now that I have been held by my will captive to the mysteries and the antics and grand-standings and the multi-faceted displays of tastes, colors, textures, flavors that are all different and essential and wonderful and captivating to my artistic soul and bent.
I took the small bottle-shaped card and put it on the white table cloth and under my Wine Spectator glass t use as a reminder of what was photographing in my glass. I liked the first image that I got and so took another and realized that I was able to get several images here all slightly different and all picking up and focusing n different aspects of the wine, the glass, the reflections of the building that we were in, etcetera. I was in my artistic zone, I was having a blast.
I quickly tried to show this gentleman the work that I was doing and he tried to see the pictures in my view- finder. He was having difficulty seeing them but I think that when he see these pictures that I post soon here on my blog that he will be able to appreciate the nuances and subtleties as well as the range of colors of this rose depending on lighting, reflections and angles : all thought-provoking and meditative.
I create some interesting images and patterns and moods and forms as I move my Canon digital Power Shot SD 790 IS camera around over the glass and the cut-out bottle shape. I like that I also capture the writing on the glass of Wine Spectator GRAND TOUR.
I love this picture above that I got. I never know quite what I will get as often without flash and without being to see the image in the view-finder I trust that something will turn out as I point upwards or down and quickly snap one image after the other.
I love how his golden tie here grounds and adds color and unites both the top and the bottom of the picture together. It's almost serves as the sunshine feeding the vine itself and the two rose bottle top necks of the bottles on either side of it are the young shoots of vines and liquids shooting up for our pleasure? Can you see this/ envision this? It was a good choice of color for the fading light here in this courtyard as it gave us back the fading/disappearing shine,sparkle and warmth of the setting sun...
In this one above he has just finished pouring for the first of the two beautiful young ladies and you can see her hand and glass and the settling dry delicate peach-colored rose in her glass as you see him deftly holding and pouring the magnum ofChateau D'ESCLANS 2007 Garrus French dry rose for the other lady. I did not get her glass in this image. Oh well, I like how it tells a story here all by itself.
In this one image alone you also get some idea of the space that the wine is being poured with the arch in the wall as well as the stone-work and the iron grid-work that holds the clear glass above in the ceiling to allow for natural light to come into the space : rather dramatic and beautiful and serene and peaceful - sweeping - all at the same time.
I like this composition above though I fear the beautiful young lady pictured here might not agree with me. But it speaks to me on so many artistic levels. The one that just came to mind is how well-toned here left arm is and that just like the steel grid-work above supporting the building her fine-toned muscles equally support her attractive frame? It works really nicely for me.
I did not ask their names. I did ask the name of the gentleman pouring and I believe I have a business card from him that I cannot seem to find at the moment. I would mention it if I had it handy. Sorry. I will be happy to add it here later if you respond to this blog in the comment section at the end.
I really like this image of the magnum of Chateau D'ESCLANS dry 2007 Garrus French rose being poured above. I like the textures as well as the grades of color and the shaded of light and the shadows, too. There's a lot going on here in this picture. It's always a good idea to enlarge the pictures on your monitor screen to see and appreciate them better. Just an idea ...
I'm glad that I took with me this cut-out label of the wine bottle as it includes so much information about the wine : everything except for exactly where it comes from in France? How is this possible? Where is Garrus?
Anyway, this is what is included here on the back of this cut-out bottle shape : " Grapes are selected from the best and oldest vines. South, South-Eastern exposure. Chalky-clay slopes. 80 year old vines Grenache and Rolle. 100% free-run juice. Harvesting at optimum maturity ( grapes are individually tasted and selected in the vineyard). Harvesting only in the morning, in small crates, Grapes are sorted manually three times, Desteming followed by a soft crushing. Maceration at 7-9-degree C to extract aromas. Only free-run juice, selected before pressing. Vinification only in a demi-muids ( 600 liters barrels ) for 8 months with burgundian style batonnage. Temperature controlled ( 12 to 16-degree C ) www.chateauesclans.com, www.shaw-ross.com.
I love this picture above as it has the Wine Spectator GRAND TOUR 2010 wine glass, the building, the steel and stone and blue sky and the arc around the edge of the left side of this building of the fading sun that reminds me here of the delicate rose color of the Chateau D'ESCLANS rose itself. Nice touch.
Now it's time for me to visit this web page to find out more about this Chateau D'ESCLANS 2007 dry, delicate, lovely soft and lilting and lulling French rose from Garrus, France. I did not want to do this until I had recorded as many of my initial thoughts, impressions, memories, etcetera as I think that that is what I may add and bring to the table and " add " to the equation of what is already available so as not simply to copy and repeat.
I hope that you enjoy these pictures and the comments I have included. Thank you beautiful ladies as well as distinguished gentleman pouring this very special dry rose of yours. Take care, a la prochaine et peutetre a bientot si vous avez le temps de passer a notre magasin des fine wines ici a Washington D.C. la prochaine fois que vous etes en ville? Ca serra un plaisir pour moi. TONY
No comments:
Post a Comment