Hello from Bittersweet in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. That’s an apt name given the subject of this post. After nearly four years in DC and Virginia, I have decided to move to New York to try and pursue professional and creative opportunities. Some of those opportunities are in the legal industry; others are in the wine industry.
I’ve been in New York for about nine days now. I’m already writing a wine column for a local Brooklyn neighborhood blog, and I’ve surveyed the local cafes, bars, and restaurants. There is so much hustle and bustle here. I never thought I’d say this, but I miss Virginia with its clean streets, quiet neighborhoods, and familiar haunts. But there is an energy here that I love, something in the atmosphere that not only inspires people, but makes people receptive to new ideas no matter how crazy.
I had a wonderful wine dinner with friends at Founding Farmers the Friday before I left DC. We had a number of good bottles, including the 2009 Stangeland Pinot Gris, 2008 Stangeland “Miller’s Vineyard” Pinot Noir, 2008 Margerum “ÜBER” Syrah, and the 2008 Domaine de la Fontainerie “Coteau la Fontainerie” Vouvray Doux. The Stangeland Pinot Gris was fruity and tasted sweet, prompting one of the guests to say that this was not a “Joon wine” (I like sweet/fruity wines!). The Pinot Noir was my favorite of the evening, with nice red fruits and a savory aspect. I had tasted this wine previously, and it showed even better during the dinner. The Syrah was good but did not show as well as it had previously, and the Vouvray was super sweet but had great elegance, structure, and weight.
For my last bottle of wine, however, I wanted something special. Mary Kate and I were having Thai delivery for dinner, and I would never recommend this pairing to anyone, but I had one more nice bottle squirreled away that needed to be drunk: the 2006 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe “La Crau” Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Vinicultured: A Wine Blog 