Blonde

A. calek going all deep and romantic with the 2010 'Blonde', chamomile, hay, honey and lemon curd??? Must have been a good year in the trailer (swoon)....

beautiful blue slate

2006 Marc Olivier in Magnum, at Diner. Fuzzy picture, atmospheric lighting, liquid stone and that bitter slate gorgeousness.

dorkiest morning reading ever..

... but SO cool.

"The geology of the Cote d’Or is complex but not inexplicable. During the time of the dinosaurs, the Jurassic Period of some 195 to 135 million years ago, what is now Burgundy was underwater. In this sea, countless small animals, such as oysters, mollusks of various types, sea urchins, chrinoids and brachiopods, lived, died, and were deposited on the bottom. The soil that has resulted is rich in these fossils. Clay, sand, and gravel, formed out of the decomposition and erosion of other soils, combined with the calcium carbonate in the water to deposit marl and other variations of mudstone. Elsewhere, a third type of rock was formed by the precipitation of carbonate of lime from seawater and its subsequent settling out to form oolitic limestone."

(C Coates, The Wines of Burgundy, 9)

grace.

Wondering about grace today: how do I remember my mother getting ready to go out for a special occasion? How did she show me all of her jewelry (opal rings) that seemed so magical, moonstones, opaque and iridescent? What is the time in our lives when we are this glamorous? This polished and revered? How to continue a line of grace through family, how to channel the supreme beauty of my grandmother: nurse from a small town, sloe-eyed, brown-eyed beauty queen, kind to a fault? Is it possible here, in New York City, to capture the spirit of days gone by, old old glamour, of fading twinkle lights, of smoke in the air?

Lately, recently, and soon.

This, (a 100% Mondeuse) is a Savoie needle in haystack that importer Zev Rovine found on his last trip to France. The 2009 Mondeuse is definitely a bit rough and rustic, but there is a fine perfumy-raspberry jam on the nose,,, it is really something, and reminds of a Jura red, with those same aromatics of red fruit, preserved fruit, but darker. Jean-Yves Peron also makes a fantastic Orange wine that we serve at Masten Lake (Jaquere/Altesse), that is also light with notes of cinnamon bark, anise, and (slight curry/yellow turmeric?), tangerine pith. From such an Alpine (border of Italy) high altitude, these wines are fantastic.

DELICIOUS!!!!!!

Am very excited to try this: Catherine and Pierre Breton Loire sparkler: 100% Cab Franc. Loire of course becoming my favorite region..... (except for Jerez?)

Clos Roche Blanche 2010 'L'Arpent Rouge': My favorite go-to wine right now, amazing fragrance, deep-violets, rosewater. I cannot stop drinking "L'Arpent Rouge' long enough to even try the Gamay this year.

lovely meal with an old friend.