overcoming fear of the unknown
By
What started it all?, I find myself wondering lately. What prompted me, just over a year ago and a complete wine ignoramus at the time, to become interested in wine and, with no relevant experience, have the nerve to apply for a job at Moore Brothers?
The dissatisfaction with my day job at the time certainly served as one impetus. Another was the job posting itself which, written by Dave with such charm and genuineness, inspired me with delusions of grandeur. And without a doubt, what initially and most sparked my curiosity in wine, specifically European wine, was Kermit Lynch’s cameo in “Tender at the Bone,” the first of Ruth Reichl’s (one of my heroes) trilogy of memoirs. Ruth accompanies Kermit to France on his search for “honest,” artisan wine, unadulterated by techniques that end up creating wine that caters to the American palate: those high in alcohol. It had been just a few weeks after reading about Kermit that I came across the Moore Brothers job posting.
Over the past year I’ve learned so much more than I ever thought I’d be capable of, yet I’m still very much a wine novice. And although I’ve written a good number of posts for this blog, it’s not something that comes easy to me. It continues to surprise me when certain experiences release a stream of consciousness moving me to write.
I was recently inspired by the rare and fickle Viognier grape, of notoriety in the Condrieu appellation located in the northern Rhône of France.
If someone would have told me a year ago, or even a few months ago, that I’d be writing about wines from the Rhône, I wouldn’t have believed it. Surely I’d write about Burgundies or Bordeauxs before the Rhônes – at least I’d HEARD of those wines. The names alone of some of the Rhône appellations (Côte Rôtie, Condrieu, Croze-Hermitage, Châteauneuf-du-Pape), being so foreign to me, were intimidating enough. In addition, the few Rhône reds I had initially tried were big, spicy and peppery – not my preference. (I seem to favor light-bodied, delicate, fruity wines.) To my chagrin, I developed a mental block toward the Rhônes – NOT a good state of mind to be in when learning about wine. I had to get over it.
I forced myself to research the Rhône wines. Condrieu, just south of Cote-Rôtie in the Northern Rhône, intrigued me. The region is extremely small and dedicated completely to white wine made with 100% of one grape: Viognier. The grape is difficult to grow, with low, unpredictable yields and prone to disease. And at one point in the 1960s, with only 8 hectares planted, Viognier was on the verge of extinction. The wines were tantalizingly described as voluptuous with intense fruit and floral aromas such as peach and honeysuckle.
Moore Brothers is privileged to carry Condrieu wines from the legendary, Viogner-resurrecting, Domaine Georges Vernay. Not surprisingly, they’re not cheap ($80+). My colleague Jill pointed out the non-Condrieu Viognier: the $35 (NY), 2007 Domaine Georges Vernay Viognier Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes, made using Viognier grapes from just outside the Condrieu appellation. Jill advised it was a good representation of the grape and warned that it wouldn’t stay in stock very long. I had to buy it.
There was definitely a voluptuousness to this wine. The nose carried aromas of peach with hints of white pepper. On the palate it was very dry and full-bodied with a good amount of acidity. Despite my preference for light-bodied, non-peppery wine this Viognier, surprisingly, charmed me. So much so, I became firmly resolved to try a veritable Condrieu, regardless of cost. Luckily, the 2007 Domaine Georges Vernay Condrieu Les Terrasses de l’Empire is available in half-bottle for $40 (NY).
If the Viognier charmed me, the Condrieu flat-out seduced me. Similar to the Viognier, there were hints of peach and white pepper but the fruit aspect seemed more enhanced and the acidity more well-integrated. It’s a big wine at 14% alcohol, but you wouldn’t know it – it’s so graceful and smooth. And it also had what I like to refer to as “that THING.” “That thing” is difficult to articulate because it’s more of a feeling. On the palate it comes across as a sense of greatness and of being completely…complete. Finesse? Breaking it down into words just never seems to do it justice. I haven’t come across too many wines that possess this quality (Not even in some of my favorite wines.) so I consider it a special moment when I do.
Dave often says overcoming fear is big factor in opening oneself up to new experiences. Although this certainly isn’t true for everyone, it’s been very true for me and my learning about wine. In reflecting on the past year, I realized confronting fear has been a common theme: mispronouncing wine, sending wine back, talking about wine, using the spittoon, experiencing bad wine-food pairings, and definitely, writing about my most intimate thoughts, experiences and insecurities on this blog for anyone to read.
So this is what I’ve learned most recently: fear will get you nowhere. Fear has kept me from learning at a much quicker pace. (Although, I have to admit, I don’t have the best memory either.) Fear could have also kept me from applying for the job and discovering Moore Brothers all-together. With the thousands of grape varieties, regions, producers, varying styles of wine-making, changing appellation laws, etc., there will ALWAYS be something unknown and new to learn.