CORKAGE

It's so uncool to like Chardonnay these days!  Chardonnay is the archetypal example of the grape that if you like it -- it means you're really not that cool.  In "the wine world", the word "Chardonnay" is most often found in phrases like "a great alternative to Chardonnay", when other, hipper whites are being discussed.

But I love Chardonnay.  I'm the uncool guy they're all talking about.

Yesterday, Patty and John called to say they'd be in town for the night, could they sleep over?  Of course.  Oh, and how about some nice wine with dinner?  Duh.  I'll buy it, I say.  They say they'll buy it.  I say no, no, I'll buy it.  I insist.

So I bee-lined to Wally's for one of my favorite activities in the world: shopping for wine I know I'm going to drink that very night.  I spent twenty minutes scouring the shelves.  Then I approached the smartest seeming salesman, Thomas.  I told him what jumped out at me on the shelves, and then let him riff.  He was awesomely enthusiastic and passionate and knowledgeable. One of the wines I pointed to was the La Fenetre Syrah, and Thomas goes, "oh, it's really good, but the La Fenetre Chardonnay is what we're really excited about.”  

Hello!  I'm in a really hip wine shop and the dude actually recommends -- unsolicited -- a California chard!  (It's La Fenetre Chard, Bien Nacido Block Eleven, 2006)  I am ON IT.  No question.  I bust it, I buy it, I'm salivating.  I'm sorry, I love good Chardonnay.

I get home and stick in the fridge to get a little chill on it before Patty and John arrive.  I run out to get pizza again .  It worked for us the other night, maybe it'll work again.  I get the pizza, and Patty and John have arrived.  Immediately, I open the wine, and right away I'm just happy happy happy.  Within a few sips I'm irrepressible:  "this is the best Chardonnay I've had in a long time.  Do you taste those stones in there?  That beautiful cold peach fruit?  How 'bout the way it moves rumblingly, yet gracefully, across the palate -- like a sweet Harley? -- is that too much?"  They're laughing at me.  I've never ridden a motorcycle in my life.  Words are running away with me.

But they're in, and we're all lauding the wine, every sip earning a new grunt of approval -- my idea of an excellent time.  The wine responds to us and our enthusiasm by becoming even more generous, and when we're on the "last pour", and it's at room temp, it's so exquisite it's ridiculous, caressingly stoney and broad, but focused, and just everything a great wine should be.  Did I say good wine?  No.  Great wine.  For 40 bucks.  Not cheap exactly.  But for great wine?

Check out the link at Wally's .