Like Eating A Cloud

Last night we had dinner with some dear friends that we don't see often enough. Becca & Lee had us over to their super cute home for a lovely summer dinner of mushroom goat cheese souffles with tomato & local green salad. It is so important to slow down & catch up with friends so that we don't go to long without seeing each other. Otherwise, before we know it too much time has passed.

Becca was a little nervous because it had been quite sometime since she has made souffle. I just said "I know it will be delicious so don't worry."

Lee poured us a glass of Fournier Sauvignon 2008 Vin de Pays which is just about one of the most deliciously bright & crisp white wines that I've had all summer. It matched perfectly with the tart & earthy Moroccan style vinaigrette that Becca dressed the salad with. Notes of cumin, coriander & lemon zest played off the minerality of the salad.

When they souffles came to the table I remarked at how beautiful they were, so puffed & golden. Eating them (I say them because I ended up devouring three!) was like feasting on a cloud. They were so light, airy & elegant with beautiful earthy mushroom notes. With these gorgeous elegant clouds we poured Archery Summit Pinot Noir 2007 Premier Cuvee. The luscious texture, bracing acidity, bright cherry & elegant truffle like flavors paired astoundingly well with the souffles. Delicious.

You’ve all been very patient with us as we’ve dealt with restrictions to our big tastings.

Finally we have found a fitting location that has the proper licensing & space enough to hold our tastings.



Join Joe's Wines & Liquors Thursday September 9th from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at Playhouse on the Square for a “World Tour of Wine”. Each tasting station will be themed to a different country or region with a total of 35-40 wines represented. A selection of light appetizers will be served so that you can snack & sip at the same time. This is the long awaited return of our seasonal tastings!

Tickets are $35 per person. As a special bonus you can apply your ticket price to a case purchase OR take 20% off whichever works in your favor. This discount applies only to orders of 12 or more bottles & only on orders placed that evening.

Stop by Joe's, 1681 Poplar or call 901.725.4252 to buy your tickets!

Merlove at the Memphis Brooks Museum

The last film in the Memphis Brooks Museum's By the Glass Film Series is tomorrow evening August 26th beginning at 6:30 p.m. Yours truly will be pouring a selection of awesome wines from 4 different regions preceding the screening of the film Merlove. This movie is fun, whimsical & a blast to watch.

The tasting begins at 6:30 p.m. & the film begins at 7:30.

Admission is $12 for Brooks Members, $15 for Non-Members.

For more information or to purchase tickets call 901.544.6208

Return to Le Pigeon

Last July I had a spent an extra day in Portland (PDX) after my incredible trip to Pinot Camp. After such a grueling 3 days drinking wine, sitting in on seminars on soil & viticulture, eating incredible food & meeting cool people...ok it wasn't grueling it was immense fun...I needed a relaxing evening in the city. I'd heard about Le Pigeon because I make it my business to be aware of all the delicious food being produced all over. Gabriel Rucker is one of the most talented chefs out there & his food is absolutely delicious. Not only that but he seems very humble, down to earth & just cool. So naturally I wanted to take Kelly to eat there when we were in PDX a few weeks ago. Before we headed to dinner Kelly & I detoured to the Gilt Club for a cocktail. This place is known for cocktails using house infusions & fresh ingredients. Trust me, they are serious about drinks.



What we have above was a serrano & tangerine infused vodka muddled with dill, lemon & lime topped with soda. It was super spicy at first but mellowed out to a nice heat. I'm all about savory cocktails so this was a welcome treat.

After polishing off that spicy little number we walked down to Burnside & hopped on a bus to head to the east side. It was obviously a good sign that our bus stop was literally 20 yards from the front door of Le Pigeon. We strolled in & were immediately seated at the open kitchen bar stools.



We decided to go for half bottles so I snatched up this little beauty.



It was gorgeously earthy, sensually textured & brimming with electric acidity. Perfect with my venison heart dish.



Yes that's right I said venison heart. It was tender, only slightly gamy & so delicious served with fried broccoli, capers, onions & a creamy green goddess like sauce. Amaaaaazing.

After we finished the Patty Green half bottle we ordered a half bottle of Alain Graillot 2007 Crozes Hermitage. This bad boy was meaty, earthy, smoky, barnyardy & super chewy. Perfect alongside my double thick pork chop with local haricots verts, hazelnuts, dried chilis & bacon.



This gorgeous piece of pork was sous vide, then grilled then roasted in the oven which gave it such an incredibly sensual & luscious texture. The chilis gave a nice heat which contrasted the sweetness of the haricots verts. Absolutely wonderful.

But wait...there's more. I did not want dessert because I was so jam packed full. However, while I was at the bathroom Kelly ordered me Honey Bacon Apricot Cornbread with maple ice cream & a prosciutto "magic shell". I have no words for how delicious it was. Truly. No words.

Dear Gabe Rucker-you & your staff are amazing.

Sweet, Fuzzy & Juicy

I was almost going to come up with some cutesy peach reference for this post but instead opted for a double entendre.

One of the best parts of summer is biting into a fresh, local peach & feeling the juice run down my chin. However, with such an abundance of peaches its also very cool to see what chefs end up doing with them.

This Saturday August 21st the Inn at Hunt Phelan is hosting "Peach Jubilee". Chef Kjeld Petersen will be using the freshest most delicious peaches from Jones Orchard to craft some delectable dishes.

Appetizers & wines from Cornerstone Cellars will be served out on the lush patio (& it should be cool enough to enjoy) at 6:30 p.m. & a family style dinner will be served under the trees at 7 p.m. From the sound of it this will be a meal that no one should miss.

Excellent food using local ingredients crafted by a talented chef & it benefits the Cooper Young Community Farmers Market! Cost to attend is $60 plus tax & tip. Reservations are strongly recommended as this will more than likely sell out. Call the Inn at Hunt Phelan 901.525.8225.

Seriously. Call now.

Pinot Up in the Mountains part 2

After a long, leisurely (except for Kelly) few hours at Elk Cove we jumped in the car & sped off towards Beaverton to visit with Barbara Gross at Cooper Mountain Vineyards. Anyone who has read this blog in the past year knows how passionately in love I am with their wines. Across the board they produce wine that is expressive, elegant, balancing ripe fruit with beautiful acidity & with wonderful textures. These components make them some of the most food friendly wines I've tasted. They also truly over deliver for what retail price point they are at.

As we pulled up to the winery I couldn't help but notice that it was unlike most of the other places we had been to in Willamette Valley. This was no "chateau" style operation. It was family style all the way & I instantly appreciated that. What that says to me is that they are 100% focused on the health of the vines & the quality of the wine. In the center of the small gravel parking lot they have a flow form fountain for mixing all their biodynamic teas & sprays & such. Barbara poured us some of the deliciously zippy '09 tocai friulano (I'm so excited that we will have this in the store soon!) as we walked through some of the estate vineyards. The sun was definitely beating down on us but not nearly as much as how bad it was back home in Memphis. We looked at some pinot gris & pinot noir vines that were just so beautiful & calming. There was an energy to these vines that was obvious, it radiated.

Barbara took us into a small warehouse area that housed the balsamic vinegar they produce. The air was thick with a pungent sour-sweetness that was unlike any other aroma. Rows & rows of tiny barrels housing some very delicious vinegar. I wish I would have photographed the aging room but I was just too excited by it all to remember to take pictures. Cooper Mountain is a unique place with wonderful people who make absolutely delicious wine. Seek their bottles out!

Pinot Up in the Mountains

Day 3...

We awoke a little groggily after perhaps one too many sips of wine the night before. I luckily didn't have to shield my eyes from the glaring sun because the morning fog was doing that for me. Gazing out over the Willamette Valley I was already getting nostalgic for it. I knew I'd miss it regardless of how much Kelly didn't really care for it. This place just felt like home to me. We said goodbye to our Renegade Ridge Vineyard home & hopped in the rented Nissan to get some strong coffee & get a jump on the day. I wanted to try to get by Carlton Winemaker's Studio before our appointment at Elk Cove Vineyards. We drove into McMinnville for coffee then headed towards Gaston. the drive was idyllic. Quaint country roads, green rolling hills, blue skies. Wow. Who couldn't love this?? We pulled into Carlton & discovered a cute little town with a traditional main street that was quiet given the early morning hour. After meandering around the street & stopping for more coffee we were on our way to the Studio. Unfortunately they weren't going to open until just before we were supposed to be at Elk Cove. Boo. Oh well, there is always next time. So we headed back out & made our way towards Elk Cove on a series of two lane gravel roads that were a bit dicey for awhile but we made it out the other side to this:



Karen Sanderson poured us some refreshingly delicious rose of pinot noir to quench our thirst after the rough drive.



We tasted through a series of wines with Karen. 2008 Pinot gris & pinot blanc as well as 2007 pinot noir. One of the key qualities to Elk Cove's wines are their acidity level. It keeps them bright & fresh & helps the flavors linger on my palate while making me want to go back to the glass. Each wine was as good if not better than the last & was a perfect example of why they have garnered such respect & admiration from wine lovers all over the world. After the tasting run through we sat back & enjoyed a little lunch out on the deck & just unclenched.

Italian Wine Tasting Tonight with Zenato

Cocktails in the Bluff City

The Cocktail Culture movement has not passed over Memphis. In fact, we have a wealth of choices at our fingertips.

The best French 75 in town is at Restaurant Iris. It's a perfect summertime,well actually anytime, libation.

Majestic Grille has a very cool martini, the Strawberry-Basil. It's sweet & spicy in an herbaceous way.

Thomas, at Bari Ristorante e Enoteca, has a list of drinks in his repertoire & he crafts each one expertly.

Last night I had one of the most unexpected cocktail experiences in Memphis. I met my good friends Johanna & Alison up at Sweetgrass for a drink after I led a tasting at the Brooks Museum. We grabbed a few stools at the small bar & chatted with the bartender. I asked if he had a cocktail list & he said "no...not yet anyway." I was curious because that obviously meant that one would be coming soon. Due to my indecisiveness I asked him if he could just make me something with gin. He proceeded to whip up a cocktail that was absolutely delicious. "It's called the significant other", he said. Whatever it was tasted superb & perfectly balanced. After finishing that cocktail I asked him if he could make me something else, anything he wished. The second cocktail was just as good as the first & completely different. This guy wasn't a bartender, he was a mixologist. I'll be back, hopefully there will be a barstool available.

Dinner at Thistle

During Cochon on Tour's stop in PDX there was a bit of.....a scuffle. Now I know that there were allegedly certain "party favors" involved above & beyond just booze. Allegedly. C'mon! It's a big group of chefs at a strip club for crying out loud! What do you expect to happen?? Regardless, I was intrigued by chef Eric Bechard's "hyper-local" sensibility.

Any chef who is that passionate about the provenance of pork, well I just gotta check 'em out. Since we were staying nearby I told Kelly "we absolutely have to eat at Eric Bechard's restaurant!" We walked around the quaint & cute McMinnvile town center. Kelly grabbed some coffee, shopped for books & I just marveled at how adorable the main street was. I want to live there! I walked by Thistle & decided to take a peek. It was around 4 o'clock so I knew they would just be in the middle of prep. Walking in the door I was immediately greeted by a beautiful blonde woman with super cool glasses. I asked if reservations were recommended & she said "yes, we are pretty small as you can see so if you want a table a reservation is highly recommended." Gazing around the space showcased a clean, minimal restaurant that was in fact quite tiny. I glanced on the chalkboard menu but quickly looked away since I didn't want to ruin the dining experience later.

When Kelly & I returned for dinner I was practically drunk on the savory aromas emitting from the tiny open kitchen. I'd heard that Eric sources everything from only a 100 mile radius. With this in mind I was ready for a "local" fresh experience. We were instructed by our server to make our choices from the blackboard on the wall opposite the front door. It was the only menu in the house since the chef changes it daily. Very cool idea since it frees him up to make changes on a daily basis & instead of being chained to printed menus. The wine list was very very extensive & super exciting but one thing struck me. Now, I love love love French wine but I was in a restaurant that beat the local drum so I would have thought...no I EXPECTED that every single wine would be sourced from nearby vineyards. We are in the Willamette Valley for god sake! The holy grail of pinot noir, exciting riesling, gruner, pinot gris etc! Regardless, I brushed it aside & readied myself for what I was hoping would be an awesome meal. We ordered a bottle of Arterberry Maresh Pinot Noir 2007 Dundee Hills. It was so sensual, earthy, musky & grabbed me by the heart. I was falling in love with a bottle of wine.

My first course arrived & a smile rippled across my face.




Rabbit rillettes sealed with duck fat served alongside crusty house made bread, pickled onions & two housemade mustards. Oh damn. It was superbly rich & freaking delicious in every way. I think I might have stuck my tongue down in the jar & licked up the last few smears of fat laden rabbit. Mmmmm.



My main was a local hangar steak with purple potato, baby carrots & bone marrow butter. Yes, that's right...bone..marrow..butter. I'm not a filet guy at all. Beef tenderloin to me is so boring & almost mushy in texture with practically no flavor. I want to taste beef so that's why I always go for a more flavorful cut like hangar. It was cooked perfectly & the bone marrow butter was so rich & unctuous. At one point I had to slow myself down because I was gorging on this insanely delicious plate.

Tasting Through The Valley

Waking up to a vineyard just makes me speechless...yeah right. Coffee on the deck overlooking the vines in the pic above is something I'll remember forever. However, as much as I could have lounged on the deck I wanted to get out & taste the Valley. We arrived late to our appt to Archery Summit Vineyards which is completely embarrassing. Chris, our host, gave us some decent ribbing about our lateness but lightened up after a bit & we had a good time. The Vireton rosé had a bright, blushing tone with nice fruit, good texture & a tingling acidity. It was an eye opening experience to see a behind the scenes tour of AS. Having spent a bit of time there for a seminar during last year's Pinot Camp It was nice to have a little one on one time. The winery was quiet given the time of year, almost hushed. One of the coolest things we saw the whole trip was AS' concrete egg that they use to ferment the minuscule amount of pinot gris they produce....seriously, tiny tiny production. Winemaker Anna Matzinger's attention to detail & passion is so evident in each sip of her pinot noir. Whether the Premier Cuvee or, my personal favorite, Renegade Ridge Vineyard what I taste is balance & beauty. Leaving Archery I felt like I had a better understanding of a winery that has always been on my radar. I wish I could get some more of that Vireton rosé here in Memphis. It's peaking over 100 degrees & I need some good pink wine to quench my thirst!

O O Oregon

With our bellies full from lunch at Dundee Bistro & feeling good after a glass of bubbly on their patio we headed across the street to Argyle. They make some of the best bubblies in the new world, in my humble opinion, & some top notch pinot noir as well. The staff was friendly, boisterous, knowledgeable & just down right happy! Kelly went through the "Red, White & Bubbly" flight & I tasted through all the bubbles. I love the texture that the Argyle sparkling wine


After checking into our gorgeous guesthouse on Renegade Ridge Vineyard (part of Archery Summit Estate) we sat on the deck & marveled at the view. The Willamette Valley was laid out before us & it was a clear enough day to see all the way to Mt Hood.


Gazing at that view I was at peace & felt as if every sound had been sucked out of the air. The breeze was calm, crisp & consistent & the sunlight warmed our exposed skin. I walked down into the vines & got reacquainted. It felt as if I'd been away from a vineyard forever & I just couldn't stand to be away for any longer.




There is something very calming & primal about caressing a small green grape bunch knowing full well what it will grow to be & hopefully turned into.





I could have stayed on that deck forever & stared out until darkness fell on the Valley. However I wanted to show Kelly the Willamette Valley I love so we got cleaned up & headed to McMinnville. We tried to go have a drink at the back bar at Nick's Italian Cafe but they weren't open on Mondays. So we strolled down to Hotel Oregon to have a cocktail on the rooftop. I stayed at this old school Euro-style hotel last year during Oregon Pinot Camp & let me just say...it's cool. It's like a hostel but better & with a roof top bar where you can see all over the Valley. After a few drinks & listening to some interesting conversations by fellow rooftop gazers we made our way down the stairs & back to Nick's. It was 8:35 so I didn't think we'd have a problem getting in. The hostess at the door informed us that they were closed. I looked around at the full dining room & said out loud to her "are you kidding?" She said that they weren't seating anyone else & that the kitchen said they weren't taking anymore tables. AT 8:35 AT NIGHT WITH A FULL DINING ROOM??? What the hell? What else could we do except turn tail & head down the street. I was bummed because I really thought that Kelly would enjoy Nick's because he loves Italian food. Instead of Italian we dined on Spanish that evening at La Rambla.



This gorgeous platter was bulging with olives, chorizo, jamon serrano, fig bread, quince paste, mahon cheese, manchego, cabrales & blue cheese stuffed bacon wrapped dates. Perfect alongside a bottle of Westrey Pinot Noir 2007.

Bloggerpalooza

I started reading a blog, Samantha Sans Dosage, quite some time ago. I'm not even sure how long it's been actually but I know it has been long enough that I felt comfortable referring to her as a friend. Sam's writing is raw, poignant & without pretense which is exactly why I fell in love with her. We began to learn more about each other after becoming "friends" on FaceBook. We communicated more & made each other laugh & obviously talked about food & wine along the way.

Just after I started reading Sam I started reading a blogger who was a little closer to home...actually a lot closer since he was in my hometown. Ben Carter is an all around lover of cocktails, wine, cigars & the culinary arts in general. Unlike Sam & I he isn't in the business...the wine/liquor biz that is. The man is a workhorse writer though, always putting up posts & makes me feel like I am way far behind in this whole blogging thing.

Sam's son just turned 21 & she & her husband Carl (Call-o to everyone in their 'hood) were going to celebrate with him in Louisville. Jeremy is a Junior at University of Louisville & if he's anything like his mama then he's pretty awesome. Sam mentioned awhile back that she was coming into this neck of the woods. She said Call-o was watching a show about Memphis on Travel Channel & he said "I miss Memphis". Since they were going to be in Louisville for the birthday they decided to make a trip to Memphis as well. When she mentioned that I was all over it. I lobbied hard for the Memphis side trip & was ecstatic to finally meet her. I messaged both Ben & Sam & invited them over for dinner to my house so we could get to know each other, geek out over wines, & eat some good food. When Carl & Sam pulled up in front of the house in the LA Party Van I ran out into the yard to greet them with a big hug. It's hard to believe that Sam & Carl have a son who is 21 because the two of them look so young! We started with a little chit chat & how was your trip & all that & then we popped the bubbles.

Finally I was tasting Agrapart. I've read Sam wax poetic about how wonderful this Champagne is & salivated over her words. Dammit I wanted some of this too! But alas poor Memphis never gets a lot of the good stuff. Don't get me wrong we get some great wines here but when it comes to Champagne we are seriously lacking. The Agrapart was clean, razor sharp & elegant. I would show a picture but I was so caught up in it all that I simply forgot.

My very good friends Justin (aka The Chubby Vegetarian) & Amy joined us for dinner & brought a super delicious stuffed eggplant that satiated even the carnivores at the table. Justin said he was just going to sit back & listen in on the wine talk but both he & Amy know what they like & thats what really matters. Just as we sat down to dinner Sam popped open the Didier Dagueneau Pur Sang 2007. I had been waiting for this moment for weeks. She'd mentioned that perhaps she'd be bringing along a bottle of it. The first sip was jarring, I just couldn't believe I was actually tasting wine from such a crazy genius like Dagueneau. We popped open a Clos Rougeard Saumur (2005 Sam?) that was everything I love about wine. It was gamy, feral, earthy, stinky, funky & truly smelled of a horse barn. To me these are all positive things but I know there are many out there who just want their wine to taste & smell of sweet fruit so obviously they should avoid this one. The Rougeard was positively one of the most excitingly sensual & unique wines I've ever experienced.

I love saying I have new friends.

From 100 degrees to mid 60's

This past Monday morning we awoke at 4 am to hop in Max's van & speed off towards MEM (Memphis International Airport). The last time I was up at that hour it was from the night before. However, we had good reason to be awake at this ungodly hour; a flight to Portland Oregon!!! I've been to Oregon once before just over a year ago. That first trip was incredibly magical & ever since then I've wanted to share it with Kelly. I wanted to show him why I fell in love with the region's food, wine, beauty & energy. This trip was going to be a mix of business & pleasure. Wine tours, tastings but also relaxing, eating, drinking good wine & interesting cocktails. It took us a bit of time to get the rental car so we were about 20 minutes late for our first appointment which was at Ponzi.



Laurel Dent, Marketing Manager at Ponzi, led us through a few rows of the older blocks on the Estate. These gnarly trunk vines were so beautiful to look at. Wild, rustic, moss covered, with warped & twisted angles. Gorgeous agriculture. Laurel was so pleasant, friendly, warm & knowledgable & really made the experience special to me. One of the standouts was the riesling. It was bright, pungent, full of petrol & flint notes & had a mouthwatering acidity that lingered in a lovely way on my palate. I had only twelve spaces available in my wine case luggage & I instantly knew the Ponzi Riesling would take up one space.

Poor Kelly was starving halfway through & actually said "we need to get lunch..soon". Laurel suggested the Dundee Bistro which was conveniently located near the guesthouse we were staying in so we headed down into the Willamette Valley floor for lunch. Since it was such a gorgeous day (& not oppressively hot & sticky humid like in Memphis) we sat down outside & ordered some bubbly. Relaxing, soaking up the sun & sipping on some beautiful sparkling from Burgundy (Sorry Argyle!) was heaven. Our excursion had begun.

Archery Summit

We didn't realize it but we were a half an hour late for our appt at Archery Summit. Feeling like a total ass I sheepishly sipped my rosé while Chris led us to the demonstration rows just outside of the tasting room. To my surprise I found this small row of vines. I had to guess what the LT stood for, with a fuzzy head mind you, so maybe it won't take you a long to figure out

Willamette Valley

I'm in Oregon's gorgeous Willamette Valley tasting some of the worlds best pinot noir. Pictured below is Archery Summit's Renegade Ridge Vineyard. So far we have visited Ponzi & Argyle. More to come.

Back in Oregon.....finally

Kelly & I are in Willamette Valley for the week. I'm just overwhelmed with sheer elation to be back in one of the most amazing wine growing regions in the world. After finally getting our rental car we sped down to Ponzi to taste some incredible Riesling. Dolcetto & of course Pinot Noir. It's quiet there even though its so near Portland.

Fish Fish Fish

It has been quite awhile since I had been to Umai. More than likely its been almost two years. The reason being that I had two disappointing experiences there. The food was mostly good but one time we got some very very very bad mussels. Both times we received less than mediocre service.

However, some of my best friends love Umai & always sing its praises. So maybe things have changed I thought. Last night I was craving sushi in a bad bad way. It was as if I would shrivel up & die if I didn't get some fresh raw fish. I've been told that Ken Lumpkin (chef-owner at Umai) not only sources some of the best fish in town but is also a master at what to do or rather not do to it. I badgered Max & Marlinee into coming along with me which didn't take much talking into since they love Umai & love Ken.

We sat down in the very minuscule dining room (I love a small dining room, it just feels intimate) & ordered Morimoto Soba Ales for Max & I. Max suggested that we just have Ken put out sushi for us as opposed to order off the menu. I'm down for anything most days so I agreed. While we were waiting he explained that Ken sources from the same fish purveyors as Masaharu Morimoto so I was even more impressed & excited!

Regardless of whether or not its true about his sources all thoughts of that were immediately forgotten when our two large sushi platters were brought to the table. Of course in my state of fish euphoria I neglected to take pictures. Foolish I know. Anyway, the sushi was absolutely beautiful to gaze at. Perfectly arranged & displaying an obviousness as to Ken's exquisite knife skills.

The barracuda sashimi was meaty, oily, a little smoky & with a perfect brininess to it. Never had anything like it before. The parrot fish was like eating a silken cloud. It wasn't about flavor so much as texture. Creamy, luscious & melt in the mouth.

Ken is a sushi master for sure & I will return as soon as I can. If you are a sushi fan & anywhere near Memphis you absolutely must go to Umai.

Russian River Valley & Dry Creek Valley. Bring it!

Sonoma County's Russian River Valley & the adjacent Dry Creek Valley are home to some impressive wineries & absolutely stunning landscapes. Joe's Wines & Liquors is leading a 4 day excursion Sept 29-Oct 3 through some of the best vineyards & wineries in these two regions. This won't be your normal everyday run-of-the mill tasting room trip. This will be a hands on, behind the scenes, wine country "immersion". Meet the winemakers, vineyard managers, taste barrel samples, walk the vineyards. There are only a few spots available for this trip so if you are interested contact Joe's Wines, 901.725.4252

Chard Not Chard

When I crave a good glass of white I normally will not reach for chardonnay. I've had some that are quite exceptional but unfortunately most have tended to be from California, which are too big & viscous for my palate, or from France, which decent one in Memphis tend to be too pricey. However, one of my favorite importers, Bourgeois Family Selections, brings in a delightful wine from the Macon district of Burgundy that is absolutely delicious. The thing to remember is that I'm not tasting chardonnay so much as I'm tasting Macon. I'm tasting the plot of land this wine was grown on. It's round & lush without being heavy. The acidity is quite bright & leaves a clean feeling in the mouth. Fruit is evident such as pear & apple but there's also spice too which keeps it interesting. Domaine des Gerbeaux Macon Solutre $21.99. Grab a bottle & try to stifle some of that awful summer heat & humidity