Kick off to summer, wear white, drink rose

So, it's not even June 1st and already the thermometer is at 99. This stuff wasn't on the "move to Texas" brochure I read last year. Sure... less taxes, bigger house, more money, but you can't go anywhere and spend it when the outside is an oven. What do you do? How many beers and Starbucks ice coffees can one drink in one day? How do you keep cool?
You don't. Not unless you become a hermit and never leave your house. Jump in the pool, cool off, come inside the house, have some ice cream, change the AC filter. Open a bottle of rose.
Why are people still afraid of rose? Not long ago, wine shops could not GIVE this stuff away. You could walk in the fanciest shop, and all you could find was, maybe, some crappy white zinfandel. Nowadays, the same stores have entire aisles dedicated to roses. What happened? If I were to guess, I would say El Nino happened and everybody started realizing that roses are actually really good, delicious and refreshing. And white zinfandel is crap. As you can tell, when it comes to white zinfandel, I have some anger in me.
It is Memorial Day, 4th of July is right around the corner. Everybody is running to the neighboring state to buy some fireworks, and hopefully NOT blow their hands off. Me, I'm stacking up my rose stash. But today I couldn't wait any longer and I opened  one.
Michel Chapoutier's Bila Haut. Otherwise known as ambrosia. Made from a blend of Grenache and Cinsault, it tastes like strawberries, but with a dry finish. It hails from Languedoc, an area known for producing ass-kicking roses. There were only about 1000 cases produced, so if you do find it in the store, it won't be more than $15-16.
Pairing? Since it's a holiday weekend, (and we don't like blowing up fireworks so my grill is still standing), we fired up the grill and threw some chicken breasts on it. I put rosemary, garlic and thyme on my chicken, dumped some couscous next to it and sat down for dinner. Then I realized that while I was cooking I already finished the bottle.
Phew... luckily I have another one chilled and winking at me. 

Golf and Chablis

This time of the year there is always a big golf tournament on TV. Masters just passed, the PGA is on this week. The TV is 24/7 on the Golf Channel, the grill is hot, the wine is chilling in the fridge. Even my wife, who a few months ago had no interest whatsoever on the game, is glued to the action. The only ones who don't seem to care are Tucker our springer spaniel and Tiger.
What happened to this guy? He is the one who put golf back on TV, who all he had to do to win was show up. Lee Trevino put it the best on The Feherty Show: " he is the best ever at the game, why does he need to change things? Give me five minutes with the guy, all he needs is a good slapping around not a new swing". Me, just like other Tiger fans, I am left wondering what could have been, and drowning my sorrow in a glass of Chablis.
But then again, I can go for a good glass of Chablis any time of the year. What is Chablis? No, it's not that crap that comes in gallon jugs and it is used by restaurants for cooking. It is the name of a region, in the north of Burgundy, and the wine is a Chardonnay. A delicious, fruity, dry and acidic Chardonnay. It can be aged, but who has to time to? Open one now and drink it, you can thank me later.
A few days ago I tasted with a customer the Billaud-Simon 2010. Wow!!! I waited a week and took another sample out of the warehouse, cause I didn't want to share with anybody. As opposed to other Chablis I had in the past, this one was soft and round almost like a good Chassagne. It's mineral, which you expect from a good Chablis, but it tastes like peaches and pears with a crazy long finish.
Pairing? This is what I have planned for tonight. Dozen Blue Point oysters chilled and winking at me and a piece of trout which is heading for the grill in a little bit. A little salt, pepper, squeeze a lemon.Par for the course.
I hope Tiger can do that.
I got yelled at the other day by one of you guys cause I didn't write in a few weeks. I know and I apologize, hey! even Tiger missed a couple lately.