Having spent the better part of the past four months focused on Rhone reds, I decided it might be time to start branching out to some different French wines. Getting into Bordeaux at a reasonable price seemed completely out of the question, plus I’d heard from more than a few people that Bordeaux, despite all you hear about it, tends to be a bit overrated. So on the advice of a friend and wine enthusiast, I decided to get into some Burgundy. Though not a complete stranger to the region—I’ve tried a few Beaujolais—I’ve yet to get a feel for what I assume to be the staple pinot noir wines.
No sooner did I write that last sentence than I noticed the last wine I wrote up on this blog was a Burgundy! Ha. At any rate, some new aromas for me here, which we decided to classify as mineral and spice. Of the two, the mineral seemed to dominate. And as you’d expect from pinot noir, the wine was very light in the mouth while still retaining a smooth, dark, and slightly sweet taste of cherry and plum. I would buy this wine again and look forward to trying the Nuits-Saint-Georges.
2009 Domaine Henri Gouges Bourgogne
April 17th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink
Ceremony Coffee, Yirgacheffe Kochere Ethiopia
December 20th, 2011 § 2 comments § permalink
Having had a small run of coffees from Portland and Chicago, I decided to go local for a change. Catching my eye in the coffee section of the grocery was a shelf of gleaming white packages, which upon closer inspection turned out to be from Ceremony Coffee from Annapolis, Maryland.
Though a new name to me, it turns out Ceremony is simply a rebranding of Caffé Pronto. (It seems the name change came about as a result of some confusion on the wholesale side of their business—caffe is, of course, Italian for coffee, which apparently led some to believe they were less of a roaster and more of a coffeehouse.) Regardless of the reasoning for the name change, I think it was a good decision as the cleaner and more aesthetically pleasing design matches the quality of the coffees much better.
2009 Vincent Girardin, Emotion de Terroirs Pinot Noir, Burgundy
December 18th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink
I diverted briefly from the Rhône region to Burgundy on a whim as I was stalking the aisles of The Wine Source a few minutes before our reservation at Corner BYOB. In the spirit of trying new things—this was our first time at the restaurant—I picked up this 2009 Vincent Giradin, Emotion Pinot Noir, definitely influenced by the “No Brainer” designation that had been bestowed upon it by the shop.
The wine was light as you would expect a pinot noir to be but had a little more body than other pinots I’ve tried in the past. After a bite of meat (kangaroo at this dinner) I tasted big and prominent cherry notes. The only drawback with this wine was the extremely quick finish. You get what you pay for in a $20 bottle of burgundy, I guess. Nonetheless, it lived up to the “no brainer” status and is a bottle I’d pick up again.
Intelligentsia Analog Espresso, Black Cat Project
December 12th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink
Unlike the steep learning curve I encountered with Stumptown’s Hair Bender, my experience with Intelligentsia’s Analog espresso from their Black Cat Project was quite a bit smoother.
I could chalk that up to gaining more experience and comfort with my equipment and the espresso making process, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t give some credit to Intelligentsia’s really wonderful website. It’s not only visually stunning but it provides optimal dosing and brewing guidelines for each of their offerings, which helps you dial in your shots much quicker.
Intelligentsia Coffee, La Perla de Oaxaca, Mexico
December 9th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink
When one of Molly’s colleague’s described his encounter with Intelligentsia’s La Perla de Oaxaca, Organic Mexico coffee as a “religious experience” I knew we had to give it a try. We were not disappointed and Molly, who generally likes to add a little milk to her coffee, proclaimed that this was one she’d drink without milk.
I found it to have a great blend of chocolate and citrus flavors. It’s what I guess you’d consider a light-tasting coffee but unlike other light, citrusy, tea-ish coffees I’ve tried, still has an extremely full body. I was impressed by how balanced the flavors were. The citrus notes are definitely present, but aren’t overwhelming. One of the best parts of this coffee is the lingering aftertaste, which is chocolatey and sweet. I brewed this coffee with the Coava KONE and experimented with grind settings on the Rocky ranging from 16 to 19, finding that a 16 or 17 is just about perfect.
2009 Kermit Lynch Selections, Côtes du Rhône
December 8th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink
A family decision was made that it would be more cost-effective to buy a case of an “everyday” wine rather than pick up a couple bottles each week. Since we both enjoyed the 2009 Perrin & Fils Côtes du Rhône Villages we had at a recent dinner party, we decided that to go with that one.
But when I saw a reasonably priced bottle of 2009 Kermit Lynch Côtes du Rhône—and remembering that a wine store proprietor had said that any bottle with the name Kermit Lynch on it was a good bet—I made that the twelfth bottle in the case just to give it a try.
2009 La Bastide Saint Vincent, Gigondas
December 5th, 2011 § 1 comment § permalink
I have always been daunted by French wine. The whole idea just seems so overwhelming to me. I’m the type of person who will go to the grocery store for a few very specific items and promptly forget what they were once I am bombarded with the sheer amount of options the store flaunts at me once I walk through the door.
So with so many different regions and styles and history associated with French wine, I’ve always tended to simply pass that aisle by, choosing to not even deal with it. But recently after sampling a progression of Rhône wines at a lovely dinner party Molly and I hosted, I found that I had a taste for that region and vowed to begin an exploration of French wine with the Rhône Valley as the first stop on the journey.
First attempts with Stumptown Hair Bender Espresso
December 5th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink
I can’t exactly recall when I was introduced, but since getting hip to Stumptown Coffee, I’ve become a fan. I’ve sampled some of their beans, including the Holler Mountain blend, which has become a favorite of the house, but I first got a taste of their Hair Bender espresso when it was featured on the menu of my favorite neighborhood coffee shop.
So after beginning my kitchen counter barista journey, it was one of the espressos that I was extremely eager to try. I didn’t have a notebook with me when I first tried Hair Bender at Spro but its taste was pretty unforgettable—sweet, syrupy, and chocolatey. So that’s what I’ve been after with my own equipment since it arrived at my door two days ago.
A blog overdue
December 1st, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink
This is a project I should have started long, long ago. I am astounded when I think about all the wines and coffees I’ve tasted and have absolutely no record or recollection of. Well, no more!
Corks & Beans will serve as an online journal and archive of the various wines that cross my palate, the coffees I brew, and the espressos I pull. I’ll also share some of my brewing methods, techniques, and experiments whether they yield success or failure. I am not an expert in any of these areas so cognoscenti should bear with me (and impart some knowledge and/or tips) if they happen to stumble upon this site. That would be really nice. And while Corks & Beans is primarily for my own edification, maybe others will find something useful as well. It’s all about the journey, after all, so let’s go!