Riesling Like Never Before

I've tasted the future and it's Austrian Riesling. The 2005 Stadt Krems Steinterrassen Riesling is amazing. The acidity is mouthwatering with an exceptional hit of limestone minerality. The aromas pack white peach, nectarine, apricot and chalky limestone all together with a hit of green herb, smoke and petrol. The finish is fresh and bright and lasts for what seems like hours. I would love to taste this wine with some yellowtail or tuna ceviche or sashimi with a bright citrus element. Wow! The wine does need a few minutes to allow the alcohol to blow off and balance out. Other than that, it's practically the perfect wine. Especially in this ungodly Memphis heat.

The Best Champagne in the World

My friends Sabrina and Patrick recently purchased a bottle of 1988 Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill Cuvee Champagne. It was quite a rare find at a local wine shop. I'm not telling you which one because I'm going to go purchase the last few bottles from them. I know, I'm being selfish. I was lucky enough to be with them when they chose to open it.

It was truly stunning. This was one of the rare wines that brought tears to my eyes. In a good way. An overwhelming feeling of elation poured over me as I took in the complex flavors and textures. The color was pure golden straw. On the nose I found brioche toast with orange marmalade, dried apricots and golden raspberry. The palate exhibited a creamy mousse with bright dried citrus peel, kettle corn and dried apricot.

What was truly impressive was the versatility of this wine. We tried it with olives, various cheeses (suprisingly enough it didn't work with the triple cream cheese), and even smoked duck. It transformed into something different to handle each different dish. Amazing.

Austrian Food and Wine Pairing Event

Event: Food and Wine pairing featuring the wines of Austria with Joe's Wines and VinDivino Imports National Sales Manager Anne Zakin

Location: Tsunami, 928 S. Cooper, 901.274.2556

Date: Monday August 27 6:30 pm

Cost: $40 per person

Info: The racy and vibrant wines of Austria will be paired with Chef Ben Smith's innovative Pacific Rim cuisine. The ripe fruit and eye-popping acidity of Austrian wines are a perfect match for the bold and clean flavors that Chef Smith's kitchen creates. To purchase tickets call Joe's Wines 901.725.4252 or stop by the store at 1681 Poplar in Midtown.

Off to Louisville

I'm off to Louisville, KY this Wednesday for a little fun with Kelly. We are staying with our very good friends Paula and Doug. I just want to eat good food, drink good wine and shop a little. Does anybody have any suggestions on where I should go????

The Tattooed Sommelier

It never ceases to amaze me how varied in appearance, socioeconomic background and culture the wine drinker can be. I myself have 4 tattoos (including one large one on my back); that doesn't really fit the stereotype for the typical wine drinker. That is the beauty of the wine world as it is today. People from all walks of life are drinking and learning and yearning to learn more about wine. There is a wine for each and every person out there. Wine drinkers cross all boundaries. That makes it so much more fun.

Except for the occasional pompous "wine ass", but those people aren't wine lovers truly. They love the status dropping names like Petrus or some other boring, tired old First Growth gives them. Or so they think. True wine lovers are explorers, they are curious, they are experimenters, they are hunters hunting that perfect bottle. The hunt can be exhilarating, especially when it ends with scoring a truly exceptional bottle.

Cork dorks know a comrade when they see one. The dead giveaway is the twinkling eyes while salivating over a gruner veltliner, nero d'avola or cortese. It's not about the next best thing, it's about exploration. We are not a trendy group. We're just unpretentious and unprejudiced when it comes to a wine's origin.

We are all tattooed by what bonds us. Some tattoos just aren't visible.