The Friday Study Sesh: 2016 Celler Frisach ‘Sang de Corb’

Wine 2016 Celler Frisach ‘Sang de Corb’

Region: Tarragona, Catalunya
DO: Terra Alta
Varietal: Garnatxa Negra, Garnatxa Peluda, Samsó
How it’s Made: 2 week maceration, settles in tank, aged in 400L barrel for 1 yr
Farming and Such: Organic, very low sulfur

Well, I nailed all three wines this week in the Friday Blinds (wut wut), but the one I had to contemplate the most before decision was the Celler Frisach ‘Sang de Corb.’

What can I say that I haven’t already said about Francesc and his brother, Joan? When I think of these guys, I think of dancing and drinking gintonics til 4am, staining my hands making Ratafia with weed trimmings and jumping on them in excitement in the middle of the Mission when they were here a couple months ago. I picked Garnatxas for them with people from Germany, Pakistan and Morocco and walked through the town of Corbera d’Ebre to see the richness and the rubble of the Battle of Ebro- the longest and bloodiest battle of the Spanish Civil War.

These kids and their “redneck” town and their far from “redneck” wine go deep inside my feels. So if we haven’t talked about it enough…

Let’s Roll…

The winery of Celler Frisach is located in the town of Corbera d’Ebre- a town complete with a major historical landmark, a punk metal dive bar and an old man cafe where local men drink and stare at an American with a laptop like a cheetah in a cheetah exhibit. Francesc’s vineyards are planted to multiple plots in DO Terra Alta, his hectares under vine are properly expanding as he tries to talk the older generation into relinquishing plots and letting him and his brother take over.

In DO Terra Alta, Garnatxas of all colors and types reign king, and Francesc has spent the last ten plus years trying to perfect each and every one. The Sang de Corb is a blend of Garnatxa Negra, Garnatxa Peluda and Samsó (aka carinyena)- all varieties of Spanish origin still found all over various parts of Spain.

Let’s Talk Peluda

Garnatxa and Carinyena are a given. Garnatxa Peluda, however, is another monster. Garnatxa Peluda is a fuzzy variance of Garnatxa Negra. It is fuzzy in that the underside of the leaves have a peach-like fur on them, and fuzzy in that the origin of the varietal differs depending on who’s waxing poetic. Some farmers say it is an older version of Garnatxa Negra, some wine geeks say it is a mutation or the result of the plant adapting to hotter conditions. Either way, this hairy little varietal is slightly more vigorous than Garnatxa Negra and a little less prone to damage from the high winds and weather that blow through Terra Alta. The fuzzy leaves protect vines from water loss and detract sunlight. Wines from Garnatxa Peluda are lower in alcohol, higher in acidity and lighter in color than those of Garnatxa Negra. All sorts of delish.

The Garnatxa Negra, Garnatxa Peluda and Samsó for the Sang de Corb come from a single vineyard in Corbera d’Ebre, right across the river from the winery. It was one of the first vineyards to be planted after the town was destroyed by the Civil War. Bullet shells and the like can still be found throughout the vineyard. The grapes are co-fermented on the skins for two weeks, transferred to stainless steel to settle further and then transferred to 400 liter barrels for 1 year. The wine is then thrown in the bottle and aged for another year before it gleefully makes its way to the rest of the universe. The wine tastes of red fruit, all spice and violets. Great acidity and a little oak structure for a nice backbone. Body like a champ and full of elegance.

Soils are calcareous clay with a little river rock from the nearby Ebro River. We discussed calcareous clay last week, but should you need a little refresher…calcareous an adjective referring to something that is made up in part or whole of calcium carbonate and referring to limestone and chalk. Calcareous soils remain at cooler temperatures, produce more sap in the vines and offer low sugar and high acidity in the berries.

Blood of Crows (so metal)

Sang de Corb and its detailed label is an homage to the people of Corbera d’Ebre. Corbera d’Ebre translates to rookery of crows, as the people of the town refer to themselves as a colony of crows. Sang de Corb means blood of crows, and is a way to honor the 250,000 people who went to battle against Franco, the people who died trying to save the town and the people who have lived to see its reconstruction. The words ‘Lo Vi Fa Sang’ found on the label literally translate to the wine makes blood, possibly more aptly explained as the wine being the energy and the lifeblood that flows through the soldiers to the wifes to the farmers and the new generation of Corbera d’Ebre. Drink the wine, regain your energy, feel the force. Also featured on the label are the words “Cel Ras i Oratge Sec,” meaning clear sky dry weather. Francesc imagines the moment before the big battle when the skies were clear, the weather was dry and the energy from the wine was in full swing. Francesc is a badass. Drink, Drink, Drink.

Lo Vi Fa Sang.

Blogged at: Bellota

Soundtrack: Paellaaa!!!!

The Friday Study Sesh: Mas Candí ‘Baudili’

This Week’s Wine:

2017 Mas Candí ‘Baudili’

Region: Alt Penedès, Spain
DO: Penedès
Varietal: Xarel.lo, Parellada
How it’s Made: All stainless, co-fermented, 6 months on the lees
Farming and Such: Organic, some bio D. Zero chemicals, zero herbicides, zero pesticides

Let’s Roll…

Celler Mas Candí happened when Ramon Jané and his wife, Mercí Cuscó got together with the homie, Toni Carbó and decided to bottle some wine. The Mas Candí vineyards had been farmed organically by Ramon’s family for over 500 years, but in 2006 Ramon and squad decided to stop selling berries to the masses and actually make some delicious wine out of them. They are certainly catalysts for the ideology of clean, natural and organic winemaking in the Penedès. They’ve moved out of the Cava DO, they’ve moved into the Corpinnat* and their wines are clear examples of what old vine Xarel.lo and indigenous varieties of the region can embody.

Mas Candí grows vines in the Alt Penedès sub region of the Penedès. Many consider Alt Penedès to be the best subregion of the three subregions in the area to grow and vinify cava varietals, and it is home to some of the more culty cava producers like Recaredo and Raventós. Vineyards can reach 500-800 meters in altitude, generally higher than those of the Baix or Mitja Penedès. Wines benefit from the cooler temperatures and access to the breeze off that delightful Mediterranean Sea. Conditions here are so fly, in fact, the Alt Penedès has proven to be the perfect region to pump out natural wine, and Mas Candí has certainly risen to that occasion.

The Mas Candí team has a couple of side projects, or labels if you will. The Baudili is actually now part of the Viticultor Ramon Jané label, a project for zero zero wines that steer less toward the classic style of the Penedès and more toward the totes natch (natural), highly chuggable and properly complex. The Viticultor Ramon Jané wines grow from the Garraf Mountain coastal ridge, still in the Alt Penedès but closer to the Garraf Massif- a coastal mountain range with cliffs leading all the way to the Mediterranean Sea. Vineyards are around 250-300 meters in altitude and benefit from diurnal shifts and that delightful Mediterranean Sea breeze (it’s so delightful I’ve said it twice).

Pro Tip- If you are familiar with the wines, the Tinc Set ‘Ancestral’ is actually the same juice used in the Baudili. The Ancestral has the sparkle, the Baudili has the chill.

Soils of the region are clay calcareous-calcareous an adjective referring to something that is made up in part or whole of calcium carbonate and referring to limestone and chalk. Calcareous soils remain at cooler temperatures, helpful in those hot Catalan summers. Calcareous soils tend to produce more sap in the vines, offer low sugar and high acidity in the berries and have a higher ph level (nerd shit) which, among 100 scientific things, can lower yields and offer up some nutrients. Clay calcareous soils retain water, grapes ripen slower, flavor and acidity are higher and blam- Mas Candí ‘Baudili’ is born.

To the grapes!

Xarel.lo (schar-ell-lo) is a light skinned grape widely planted in Catalunya and most famous for existing as one of the three main varieties in Cava production. When made properly, Xarel.lo has super textural powers, with flavors and aromas of white flowers, lanolin, stone fruit, lime blossom and lemon. Its acidity is fire, and should you know what you are doing you are free to throw it an almost any vessel and watch it shine. It is a shape shifter, like Chardonnay (or the Kwisatz Haderach), and will bend and mold depending on its terruño. I often offer Xarel.lo to guests wanting Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay or simply a wine with both texture and minerality.

Parellada is also a light skinned grape not really found anywhere outside Catalunya. It is one of the three main grapes used in Cava, and has rarely been known in the past to be used as still wine, much less a varietal one. It brings green apple and flower blossom to the party, cutting into the richness and adding an extra layer of acidity. It grows best in cool climates and is best left to those who pay attention to its character. Some say it is the most complex of the three Cava varietals. It’s certainly the sharpest tack in the bunch.

Tasting Notes: White flower, jasmine, lanolin. On the palate some stonefruit and white flowers, waxy. Some apple vibes. Pale yellow color, unfiltered, delicious AF. Acidity high, mostly fruit some savor and herbs.

*The Corpinnat is a fairly specific classification for the méthode champenoise style sparklers of the Penedès- aka Cava. Baudili is still wine, so let’s not get into all this today.

Blogged At: My Condo, East Oakland

Soundtrack: Oakland A’s vs Houston Astros at home. We got the win- 10 runs scored in total, all homeruns- nuts.

The Friday Study Sesh: Fazenda Prádio ‘Tinto’

This Week’s Wine:

2017 Fazenda Prádio ‘Tinto’

Region: Ribeiras do Miño, Galicia
DO: Ribeira Sacra (but not part of DO)
Varietal: 100% Mencía
How it’s Made: Fermented in tank with indigenous yeasts, aged in stainless
Farming and Such: Organic. Low sulfur at bottling

Let’s Roll…

In August of 2016 I left my entire life behind and flew to Spain to work harvest. After a short stay in Barcelona, I landed in Santiago de Compostela, rented a car and headed to A Peroxa- the smallest town I’d been in since dad’s family reunion in Reemer, Minnesota. As I hit the last stretch of windy road in Pacio de Carracedo, the usual anxiety hit. What am I doing? Who do I think I am? Why am I like this? And then blam, Xavi popped seemingly straight out of a mencía vine (with no shirt on) and I the anxiety flew right out of me. We pruned some vines, ate some pulpo and three days later we were harvesting Mencía.

When the 2016 Fazenda Prádio Tinto finally landed at Bellota, I took a bottle directly to the office, poured myself a glass and breathed in every minute I spent on the river and every vine I touched in Pacio de Carracedo, A Peroxa. Terruño, bitches.

The 2017 Prádio Tinto is wildly different than the 2016. It’s straightforward and linear, with a level of focus not found in the 2016. Red fruit pops out the glass, some pomegranate and raspberry, but mostly flavors and aromas of those farmers market bing cherries after they’ve finally reached that deep, ruby color. Bright, lifted, high in acidity with balsamic and the granite graphite quality that comes from wines of the Miño. Soft tannin. I don’t even find mencía to be one of the great grapes of Ribeira Sacra and the 2017 Prádio Tinto is pretty AF. I’ve been to the winery 4 times and yes… I still guessed it wrong.

Galicia is on the Atlantic Ocean, directly above Portugal. It is wet and green, full of hillsides, rivers and green countryside. Galicia as a whole has 5 vastly different sub regions. My embarrassing blind tasting skills take us to the Ribeira Sacra subregion, an insanely beautiful place to be, aptly named for the number of ancient churches that line the river banks. Ribeira Sacra was granted DO (aka baller) status in 1996.

Although you’ll rarely see one on a label, Ribeira Sacra itself has 5 subzones, each with its own soil type and microclimate. Fazenda Prádio sits in Ribeiras do Miño, a subregion blessed with the lion’s share of cooler weather and rainfall. The climate here is more Atlantic than Continental, and gets a lot less sunshine than the steep terraces of the neighboring Amandi subone. Ribeiras do Miño is lush, green and a bitch of a place to grow organic wine. It is the largest wine growing region in Ribeira Sacra, and the least informed thing to be searched on the internet since the ‘Citizens for Trump’ Facebook page. Guess I better get to writing that book.

The Ribeira do Miño soils are mostly granite – hot, molten rock formed in middle earth containing a bunch of rad rocks and crystals that eventually cool and weather on the earth’s surface- leaving just the right amount of quartz and feldspar in the subsoil and a dope, decomposed sandy topsoil. The sandy topsoil allows for drainage, retains the heat from the granite underneath and provides sexy aromas and softer tannin.

Fazenda Prádio is in Pacio de Carracedo, a very small village in the small town of A Peroxa in the province of Ourense, Galicia. With the help of the homies Boris and Rubin, Xavi farms 5 hectares of vines, including Merenzao*, Brancellao, Caiño Longo, Espadeiro, Sousón, Mencía, Loureira y Dona Branca. He chooses not to be a part the DO, as he’s a shirtless anarchist who wants to make wine the way he wants. And I’ll take it. Vineyards are 500 meters in altitude facing south and south-east. Xavi farms organically and uses very little added sulfur. The Tinto is aged in stainless steel. For now, Prádio makes a number of mono varietal wines and one fortified wine. There may or may not be a cava type experiment happening in the basement. When I visited last September, Xavi was refurbishing the winery and converting the entire process of fermentation to granite, recreating winemaking the way of his great grandparents- something Xavi strives for more and more.

Tasting Notes from me and my friend, Kyle Quinn “Red fruit popping out of the glass, (carbonic?), cherries, soft tannin, balsamic, cherries, bright, soft finish raspberries and pencil lead. Granite.”

Really, Erin? I’ll never, ever blind taste this wine wrong again.

*The 2015 Prádio Merenzao is one of my all time favorite wines.

Blogged at: My condo, East Oakland & Bellota

Soundtrack: Willie Nelson ft Paula Nelson ‘Have you Ever Seen the Rain’

The Friday Study Sesh: Gorrondona Txakoli

This Week’s Wine: 2018 Doniene Gorrondona Txakoli

Region: País Vasco
DO: Bizkaiko Txakolina
Varietal: 85% Hondarrabi Zuri, with Hondarrabi Zuri Zerratia, Munemahatsa, and Hondarrabi Beltza
How it’s Made: Vinified in tank with indigenous yeasts
Farming and Such: Ecological

Ok let’s roll:

There’s something about the Basque Country. I just read my 2017 travel journal and the page from País Vasco is making me feel a little wild even now. I remember it as the time in my “Yolo”* when I truly started giving zero fucks. It’s when I climbed where I wanted and ate what I wanted and laid topless on the beach when I wanted. I spoke spanish without hesitation to locals in the tiny mountain town where I had rented a three bedroom apartment from and old man who lied about having wifi. I sat by myself in a Michelin Star Restaurant, getting drunk off sherry and watching dry ice turn into turmeric leaves while choosing wine from a poster size wine list and a sommelier who spoke 4 languages.

The Doniene Gorrondona Txakoli is a high toned, spritzy little number. It smells clean and cold, with hints of stone fruit, green apple and the sourgrass I used to eat as a kid on my walk to the local donut shop. The palate is wet, green grass, more green apple, more sourgrass and searing acidity that begs for those anchoa pintxos on which I’ve gorged myself in local pintxo bars.

Gorrondona was actually the only winery I visited while in País Vasco and it was green, wet and quaint as all get down. It sits right on the Bay of Biscay in the town of Bakio, a wet, chilly beach town lined with tiny cafés, rolling green hills and hand painted murals that read “Palastina Askatu!” The squad behind Gorrondona consists of winemaker and oenologist Itziar Insausti and journalist Andoni Sarratea. Family helps in both the vineyards and the winery. They are some of the original pioneers in the creation of the DO Bizkaiko Txakolina in 1994, when they attempted to revive the passion for winemaking in Txakolina rather than promote construction and urban sprawl. Gorrondona is the name of the farmhouse and winery built in 1852, where they farm 16 hectares of vines, including a two hectare parcel of pergola style pre-phylloxera vines of hondarrabi beltza– the scantily planted red varietal of Txakoli.

País Vasco as a wine region holds three DOs, Bizkaiko Txakolina being the largest. The Bizkaiko DO surrounds Bilbao, and its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean makes steady rainfall a way of life here. White wines don’t typically reach over 11.5 percent alcohol, and although it’s more popular in the neighboring DO Getariako Txakolina, the Bizkaiko folks sometimes bottle the wine with lees for secondary fermentation resulting in a slight spritz. The DO is a good size so location and plantings vary, but many vineyards are planted on hillsides in an effort to avoid north winds and grab as much sunshine as possible. Southerly winds typically roll through before harvest to help with ripening. Soils are sandy and loose alluvial over a clay and limestone, providing the assist in aromatics and the drainage for some of that persistent rain. Much of the wine pumping out of the País Vasco is best consumed young, but there are more serious wines and some red wines that stand to benefit with a little age on them.

The varietal you’ll see most often in Txakolina is referred to as Hondarrabi Zuri, which is often spelled “Ondarrabi Zuri” in the Bizkaiko Txakolina DO. It is said to be the french varietal Courbu Blanc. Also used in the Bizkaiko Do are Hondarrabi Zuri Zerratia, Txori Mahatsa, Mune Mahatsa (Petit Courbu, Sauvignon Blanc and Folle Blanche, respectively) and Ondarrabi Beltza- the red varietal of the region. The varietals are named after a coastal town on the french border called Hondarribia, and people have been known to say Hondarrabi Zuri is simply a blanket statement for any white grape that passes around or through the town of Hondarribia. Whatever the answer, drink up. This delicious, light, low ABV, high toned, high acid patio pounder has been known to take me through line waiting for a Bobblehead at the Oakland Coliseum and is best drank with friends, sunshine and a pass at the porrón.

The wine was a little shut off the day we tasted, and has long since returned to the notes I wrote above, but here are the tasting notes from Justin Roberts (Al’s Place) and me on 7.26:

Stone orchard fruit, pith, super subdued, high acidity and a little shut off. Taco shell, dried soap, dried mango. Brittle?(can’t read my writing) Possibly xarel.lo…

*Yolo. When I told Angie I bought a one way ticket to Spain to study wine, she told me it was my Yolo. She was right. I had no house, no rent, no man. I had money in my pocket, love on my side and the benefit of a boss who was willing to let me leave and actually wanted me to come back. You only live once, so I did.

From my Journal, July 2017

“Something happened to me in the Basque Country. And it could have been a number of things, the timing, the fact that I have been in Spain for two months, that nothing- no matter how new or difficult to understand could be considered new or difficult anymore because- bitch- you should be able to handle this right now. And maybe it was almost falling off a cliff, or going topless for the first time on the beach in San Sebastián, or that San Sebastián itself looks just enough like San Francisco to feel at home but just enough like nothing I’ve ever seen before to feel refreshed , or that the people in my tiny village of Atxondo are the nicest most punk rock most down to earth people I have ever met. or that I don’t have wifi in my air bb so I’m forced to take a number of drinks with them to pull from their wifi but something happened to me in the Basque country and it It’s the reason I came here, the vibe I was looking for when I crossed the ocean and i hope it never, ever goes away.”

Blogged at: Bellota

Soundtrack: Diego el Cigala Radio

The Friday Study Sesh

Blind tasting is a fun, possibly interactive way to sharpen your skills, show off to your friends and remind yourself you have absolutely no idea what you are doing. In an effort to blind taste, to study and to write like a boss bitch, I’m dubbing this series of blog posts “The Friday Study Sesh.” I blind three wines from my ‘by the glass’ list at Bellota, take the one that throws me off the hardest and study, taste and write about it for the next seven days. Until it’s time to ‘study sesh’ all over again. Guest participation and feedback always welcome.

This week’s wine: 2018 Benito Santos ‘Ingrexario de Saiar’

Region: Galicia
Subregion: Rías Baixas (Val do Salnés)
Varietal: Albariño
How it’s Made: Vinified in tank with a few months of lees aging and minimal sulfur additions
Farming and Such: Certified organic

Let’s Roll.

Could a Spanish wine person blinding albariño as Navarra viura be considered embarrassing? Probably. The thing is I’ve actually been in Val do Salnés. I’ve sat outside a tiny bar in Cambados drinking the house albariño, munching on the house chips and contemplating whether or not to tell a boy of my unfeigned love and lechery for him- not a far cry from my last Friday night. So let’s cut the crap, study up some Benito Santos and resolve never to be wrong again.

The Benito Santos ‘Ingrexario de Saiar’ is grown in organic, granitic soil, fermented with native yeasts and left to spend a few months on the lees. It comes correct with melon, orange blossom, lemon and orchard fruit flavors and aromas, plus a slight bitterness on the palate. It maintains a good amount of texture, while flashing salinity and that touch of electricity that seemingly comes with sandy, granitic soils.

Fundamentally, albariño is a salty, fruity white wine created to wash down freshly dug clams in an oceanside bar while deliberating love in one of the most beautiful places on the planet. As a scientific being, albariño is high in acidity and light in body, with medium plus fruit and medium minus alcohol. Its fierce aromatics keep your nose in the glass for longer than expected- a result of its high terpenes and thiols. Common aromas consist of melons, lemons, limes, orchard fruit and grapefruit, with the occasional beeswax and herbal vibe. Flavors typically match the aromas, adding a little salt and a slightly bitter element to the glass.

Albariño’s origins are debated, as are the origins of many Galego varietals thought to either be indigenous to Galicia or a result of the Camino de Santiago. Either way, albariño has staked its claim as the grape of Rías Baixas. It accounts for over 90% of the wine grown in the region and is well suited to the conditions of the salty Atlantic.

Rías Baixas is interesting region in that it is not one solid area of land, but five subregions that make up the whole DO. Benito Santos is from a subregion called Val do Salnés, the original and oldest sub-region of the five. With the most area under vine, Val do Salnés pumps out the most wine in all of Rías Baixas. It sits right on the Atlantic Ocean, and besides a few hot, fiery summer weeks it gets rained upon constantly. It is generally wetter and foggier than even The Sunset used to be. The soil is granitic and rocky with alluvial top-soil, a considerable contribution to the wine’s high acidity and distinctive aromas. Vineyards are planted in the pergola style on hills or valley floors. Vines in the sandier, more coastal reaches can be over 160 years old, predating phylloxera. Most of the top wineries live in Val do Salnés. Benito Santos, Alberto Nanclares, Pedralonga and Do Ferreiro are just a few among a flock of the more well known producers.

Val do Salnés sits on the lower banks of the Umia River and surrounds the small fishing town of Cambados, where large groups of seafood collectors, mostly women, occupy the beaches at low tide to scoop cockles, clams and any other sea creatures that can be found living or crawling through the sand. Brightly painted fishing boats line simple harbors, and the fish market is packed 6 days a week. Albariño is aptly referred to by the locals as “the wine of the sea,” and is the queen of this salty, bright, dreamy little part of Galicia, Spain.

Benito Santos ‘Ingrexario de Saiar’ Tasting Notes 7.19- Dryer sheet, grapefruit, orange blossom, a little shut off. Palate is stone fruit, pears, grapefruit, granite, some salty vibes and a good amount of texture…thinking viura…

(I just tasted this wine again and the aromas of melon, stone fruit and orange blossom are popping out the glass. 7.19 Could have been a root day.) Still salty and slightly bitter.

Blogged at: Mi Casa

Soundtrack: João Gilberto

Wines to Pair with the NBA Finals: 2019 Edition

It’s that time again. It’s our fifth year in a row in the NBA Finals, my third year in a row of writing this blog post and the Warriors forty-seventh and final year playing in Oakland (boo). The banners are up, my dogs are dressed and we are hella ready to roll. And now:

Wines to Pair with the NBA Finals: 2019 Edition

Sideline Drake

Exit Lebron James and enter Drake, the newest addition to our NBA Finals sideline. This ex-Degrassi star and full time Raptors hype man comes loaded with smack talk and massages, so when he goes 1-100 you’ll want to reach for the perfect wine to ease your frustration. I recommend Alfredo Maestro, ‘Amanda’ rosado. Not only is rosado a perfect intro to the start of a series, the Amanda is fruity, fleshy and complex without getting overly heady. It has the wilds of Draymond and the flex of Iguodala. So sure, sure Drake has knock, but for now you must remember BOTH of his Warriors tattoos, think of his dramatic teenage acting years and get ‘Nice for What’ off your playlists, ya feel me?

Klay Thompson, a National Treasure

With Klay Thompson’s slow start behind him like a ponytail, this National Treasure has been a critical piece in the Warriors trip to the 2019 NBA Finals. Not only did he basically predict this Warriors/Raptors matchup, but his Luis Vuitton vests, his calm hug to Leonard after a burst of profanities and the fact that his mom still buys his clothes are reason enough for me to love him. And we haven’t even talked about his game. So when the Klay shots start coming I suggest you knock back a glass of Sierra de Toloño Blanco Viura, made by Rioja’s own National Treasure, Sandra Bravo. Light and bright, lean and mean, floral and focused like Klay Thompson himself. Bring yourself some extra joy, take down a glass of this fabulous white Rioja and give props to a man who’d rather win an NBA Championship than be third-team All-NBA.

Steph Goes Off

Apologies to my droves of gentlemen callers, but I will never love another man the way I love Steph Curry. And while much of his playoff efforts were watched with one sleepy eye open in the wee hours of a Spanish hotel room, I can’t wait to enjoy those magic deep threes, those elegant layups and that slick little shimmy I hope he shakes out in the Finals. And while it’s a big job to pick a pairing for a player with that much excitement, sophistication and swagger, my vote goes to 2014 Fazenda Prádio ‘BRNCLL.’ This expressive, red fruit-driven, gravelly, graphitey little bastard is 100% Brancellao- high on elegance, packed with finesse and loaded with enough swagger to sit even Drake’s mouthy ass down. And the 2014 is drinking like fire right now. Steph Curry with the shot, boy.

Kawhi Leonard Goes Off

The Raptors are headed to their first NBA Finals in franchise history, and I did not see this one coming. Kawhi’s complete domination of the Greek Freak has left me a little speechless, and possibly a little scared- not to mention Toronto’s home court advantage. So who will he guard? How many rebounds will he get? How many nights will this keep me awake? And what will we drink when he’s scoring over 30 points? Chillax, Erin. Mas Martinet ‘Camí Pesseroles’ is the real answer to every question here. This garnatxa/carinyena blend from the amazing Sara Pérez will hug you from behind like a man in a wool sweater. It’s herbal, earthy, dark and stormy with minerals for days and just the proper amount of structure. It whispers “don’t worry about Kawhi, baby,” and then drifts you off to sleep.

The Big Win

Zero jinxies over here, but let’s win this damn thing and treat the great city of Oakland like it’s meant to be treated. Because no matter how much smack Drake talks, how many rebounds Kawhi busts out or who gets well or sits out, Oakland has hosted this dynasty for 47 amazing years. We’ve watched them lose, we’ve watched them win, we’ve watched them directly after we’ve watched an A’s game. And now I regretfully have to watch them leave for the city of San Francisco. So for this one last win, I’m bringing out the big guns- Los Bermejos ‘Malvasia Volcánica’ Brut Nature. Made on an island that could double as Mars and/or Vulcan, this leezy, honeyed, volcanic little number has the sophistication to please Dr Spock and a dry, mineral palate that pleases me to no end. So chill that bottle down, pop the cork off that sucker and LET’S GO OAKLAND.

These wines are mostly all available at Bellota so come drink with me and let’s talk some Oakland sports. Besos.

Blogged at: My condo, East Oakland

Soundtrack: 6lack on shuffle (can’t stop)

Wines to Pair with Family: Thanksgiving Edition

If you’re a wino like me, you’ve been inundated with articles about what to drink with Thanksgiving Dinner. And while it’s mildly important to have a good bottle of Pinot Noir with whatever overcooked vegetable your aunt’s girlfriend brought, I find it way more interesting to have a wine for those wildly uncomfortable, highly typical family dynamics we face year after year. So here are a list of wines that pair well with my family dynamics. I hope they work for yours, as well.

Side Dish Prep-

So it’s Thanksgiving morning, you’re at home in your pj’s and you’re trying to figure out that side dish you were asked to bring. For this scenario, I recommend the La Salada ‘Tinct Set’ Ancestral. Ancestral the Spanish term for ‘half the sparkle, all the ambition.’ But don’t look that up. Toni Carbo from Mas Candí and his wife, Anna created the La Salada label for wines grown on generations of his family’s all organic soils in the Penedès. The Tinct Set is bright, light-hearted and fruity. In fact, it’s probably the most light-hearted fun you’ll have all day. Plus that low ABV means you can drink half a bottle while prepping your side dish and the other half while taking a shower. Grandma won’t have a clue.

The Family Greeting-

The day is young, the family still loves each other and no one is gossiping about how much you’ve eaten off the cheese plate. Bonus round- no one knows about that first bottle you took down at home! So let’s pop a some cava and cheers to yet another Happy Thanksgiving! This year, impress the entire family with Los Bermejos sparkling Rosado from Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. It’s exotic and volcanic, zippy and fruity with just the right touch of texture and creaminess to keep your dad from announcing it’s not actually Champagne. Thank you, Canary Islands.

When the Family Asks if You Have a Boyfriend-

“Ya, I’m still single, Grandma, no I don’t have any kids, yes I know how old I am.” This excruciating line of questioning means it’s time to grab a bottle DaTerra Viticultures ‘Erea de Vila,’ snatch that entire bowl of Grandma Jewell’s crab dip and head to the TV to watch basketball for a while. The Erea de Vila is comprised of mostly old vine Godello from the hills of Ribeira Sacra. It’s got texture, minerals, fruit and herbs. It’s begging for salty chips and dip, that cream cheese salami thing my mom makes and hot men in basketball shorts. (RIP, Grandma Jewell.)

When Aunt Mary Starts to Get Drunk-

Finally, let’s get this party started. Aunt Mary is getting tipsy, she’s stepped outside for her first cigarette and it’s time to switch to red. Borja Perez Ignios Orígenes ‘Vijariego Negro’ is what you’ve been waiting for all morning. It’s the kind of wine you want to sit in the corner and talk dirty to, the kind of wine you want to share with Aunt Mary so she’ll tell you colorful stories of driving AC Transit through East Oakland 30 years ago. It’s fruity, giving and full of tamarind deliciousness without asking anything in return. It goes down so easy you’ll be tempted to drink the whole bottle right there. Save some for dinner, though, this wine may pair perfectly with Grandma Finley’s candied yams. (RIP, Aunt Mary.)

Thanksgiving Dinner-

Ok, the jig is up, I really dislike Thanksgiving dinner. It’s so brown and gravied and mashed and cooked. All I can do is pray to the gods someone made a kale salad, or that someone hands me a tortilla so I can eek out a turkey taco. But whatever sort of bread crumbly thing I’m forced to endure, I’m keeping a bottle of 2016 Fazenda Prádio MRZ by my side and dreaming of pulpo and the Miño river hot springs. This candied fruit, graphite and slightly peppered little number has the power to make me ignore the fact that I hate mashed potatoes and that my little brother just stole all of the dark meat. I only say 2016 because I worked the harvest that year, this wine is fly in any vintage. Pro tip: keep your glass full of this Merenzao so when Grandpa Doug busts out the Silver Oak you are covered. (RIP, Grandpa Doug.)

This blog is dedicated to my whole family. To the ones who have passed, to the ones who can’t be here and to the ones who are braving the storm.

Happy Holidays.