“It’s like cancelling the 4th of July to keep everyone at home” said one patriot, who shuddered at the idea. But that’s what the fear of Swine Flu has done to Mexico’s traditional Cinco de Mayo celebration – an annual commemoration of their unlikely victory over the French in 1862.
What’s an online merchant to do? The hordes of would-be Cinco de Mayo celebrants, once searching the internet for last-minute pairing advice, now sitting at home with idle keyboards.
Unless, just maybe, I can find an alternative celebration that generates millions of alternative web searches. And thanks to the power of internet search tools, I’ve found one – the birthday of Michael Palin (CBE) who was born back in, well, some years ago.
Michael Palin for President
Palin Wine?
Palin is best known for his work with the comedy troupe Monty Python’s Flying Circus, back in the latter part of our prior century. He then launched a second career as an award-winning travel writier and TV guide. Then in 2000, he was beknighted. Aftersuch career success most people would be content to fade into retirement. But in 2008 Palin anted up his fame and fortune to launch a failed campaign for President of the United States, an ill-advised move that left a bit of a stain on his otherwise stellar and tasteful reputation. I’ll bet McCain still won’t talk to him.
But enough silliness (is there ever though, really?). Speaking of tasteful, and of something completely different, I’d like to turn the conversation to wine. As always.
Whether raising a toast to Cinco de Mayo, or to Palin’s birthday, here is a wine that makes the best of both celebrations. This was one of eight wines selected for our various wine club shipments that went out in April, and it’s proven to be one of the favorites, if subsequent re-orders provides any indication!
Nevada City Winery, 2005 “Contour” Bordeaux Blend – Affordable Luxury
The 2005 Directors’ Reserve Contour is a blend of all five of the classic Bordeaux grape varieties. This wine melds the structure, charm and personality of each variety into a balanced, complex wine.
Cabernet Sauvignon takes the lead role at first, but more complex and layered aromas and flavors emerge as this wine opens up in decanter or glass (or cellar).
A blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 7% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot. Alcohol: 14.2% (perfect for food pairing). Total Acid: .62 g/L (pH 3.79).
Click to Buy Nevada City 2005 “Contour”
Price does not reflect club member discounts
The Back Story
More than a few small wineries have started in a garage. In Bordeaux they’ve even coined a word for it – Garagiste – generally referring to Mavericks who choose to operate outside the restrictions of their local winemaking traditions, and charging arm-and-leg prices for their product.
Nevada City Winery started out in a garage in 1980. Since that time, this successful winery has enjoyed many expansions, but each has preserved the historic Miners Foundry Garage. Visitors are often surprised by its smallness – about the size of a large living room. The winery building, now centrally located, was on the outskirts of this two-street town back when the garage first served its residents.
By the way, the “town” is pictured on the label, the Gold-Rush town of Nevada City, California, where the wooden plank sidewalks and Victorian-era building facades make you wonder if you’ve just stepped into the film set for an old western.
But this is the second incarnation of this winery, the original was founded over a century ago during California’s first wine boom – sadly put asunder by the one-two punch of the devastating phylloxera epidemic in the late 1800’s, followed by the ruinous experiment in legislating morality known as “Prohibition”. After that, the California wine industry was sidelined for four decades.
In 1880 there were over 300 acres of grapes in Nevada County. A century later the county was home to just one small vineyard. Today there are again over 300 acres of grapes and the wine industry is flourishing once more.
Hard work, but somebody’s gotta do it
Cheers!
Dave the Wine Merchant
Dave@SidewaysWineClub.com
866-746-7293
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