While we’re still on the topic of music and wine, I thought I’d share a super cool video from an event that MY favorite musician put on with a couple of peeps back in November of 2009, from Napa.

Dave Matthews, according to me!, is one of the greatest musicians to ever live.  I love everything about him.  His music, his philosophies on music and life, his ‘swag’, and his lyrics.  I have been a fan forever.  I have been to over 30 something concerts and have seen the guy in a zillion states across the U.S. 

This past November, I missed a ‘once in a lifetime’ chance to attend an event offered to American Express members that showcased the music of Dave Matthews, the wines from Mondavi with director of wine-making, Genevieve Janssens and James Beard Award Winning American Chef, Josh Besh. 

I thought this was super cool, PLUS you get to listen to Dave talk about the connection he has for music, wine and life.  He mentions, also, his little vineyard in the south.  Take a look, and see what he chose to play for this special group of people and the private dinner. 

Click here to see video!  It’s the 3rd video in called:  A Different Note.

All in one month, I feel like I’ve seen it all.  From my ventures starting in Croatia, to a quick trip back to the U.S.,  a delayed flight to Paris, ALL of Paris, to the world’s largest Burgundy tasting, and back home to Michael Bublé.  Really?

It’s been a whirlwind.  And, it’s been fun!  To top it off, Michael Bublé’s performance last nite at St Paul’s Excel Center really put the cherry on my sundae (if you know what I mean).  Not only was he everything that I thought he was going to be as a performer, but he delivered more.  It has been a long time since I’ve seen a concert that you actually felt like the performer really gave a rat’s hiney about his audience. 

My husband and I see a lot of live music, I mean really…quite a bit.  From all the big names to the small guys like Bela Fleck and Flight of the Concords, we really try to see a lot of performances here in the Twin Cities. There have been some really great acts that have come through Minneapolis, from Beyone, George Michael, Sting, Bon Jovi to the upcoming Dave Matthews concert – but none so far put on the ‘heart-string’ performance that Mr. Bublé did last nite. 

Michael’s charm, sense of humor, to his winky show stoppin’ performance was more than I had given him credit for before walking into the Excel last nite.  He seemed to connect to almost everyone in the crowd, stating he could see everyone to the top row while the light’s followed his points to the nose bleeds.  I, I, I…think I like him.  He started out by saying that some may call him ‘a chic kind of guy’ or that most of the men were dragged to the show with their wives, but MSP yelled in dismay proving him wrong as at least ten guys in the first two rows screamed, “I dragged HER here!”

None was truly better, however, than his prance down the isle row where my mother-in-law got to ‘touch’ Michael while skipping to his perch in the middle of the arena.  From his spot, he sang “Home”, one of my favorite Bublé songs (see? I didn’t even know I had a favorite BB song?!).  He made you fall in love with his music, his passion for his industry and his life.  Saying thank you over and over, stating that the Twin Cities was his favorite place to perform, he stole the show and maybe a few hearts. 

The ending act, with curtains closed, without a mic, and simply stated…a perfect Bublé alone, in front of the entire Excel, sang to the top of his lungs his ending verses.  Pretty killer.  It actually brought a tear to my eye. 

If his job was to sing with sincerity, as he said earlier in the nite, job well done Mr. Bublé.  And, in that case…I’ll take a fine glass of Bublé with that! 

I’m not a music critic but I sure do like listening to music while drinking good glass of wine and since NO WHERE in the Twin Cities serves a nice glass of wine at a theater or arena, I’ll just have to crank the Bublé at home with my bubbles! 

Cheers to you, Michael!

Take a Look Inside this year’s Les Grands Jours de Bourgogne

Don’t miss this opportunity to take a glimpse inside Burgundy’s largest tasting, Les Grands Jours de Bourgogne, and even spot a Grand Cru plot  ‘Le Montrachet’  with Sommelier Leslee Miller, Owner of Amusée (www.amuseewine.com) and Twin Cities Wine Educator.
Watch as she shares her experience with a first-hand look at the festival from Chateau de Chassagne-Montrachet. Featuring some of the world’s most expensive Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, 2010 Les Grands Jours de Bourgogne, a 5 day festival featuring hundreds of Burgundian Winemakers, was not something you wanted to miss if you’re a serious Chardonnay and Pinot Noir hound.  This expedition happens every other year, definitely giving you plenty of time to get yourself lined up for the 2012 tasting.  What are you waiting for?  Book those tickets to Burgundy today!!

Take a look why…
In HD

…coming from our new friend, Mr. Laurent Juillot, owner of Domaine Michel Juillot.  A jolly man who’s face reads passion.  Passion for his property, his grapes and the end result, his wine.  Proud of his heritage, but open to much of what the rest of the globe has to offer him in the way of experience.  Rare for a French man (really).

We met Laurent yesterday at the Macon tasting, sipping his Cremant and excited that he was one of few that actually spoke to us in English.  His travels over 20 years ago had taken him on an internship to Sonoma of all places.  He said he didn’t know a word of English when he arrived to the U.S. and learned all of his lingo through the guys in the American cellars.  He told us a story about how he rented a “big” car – one with, you know…”muscle” he says…a 6 cylinder, and travelled the U.S. in a big circle.  From Sonoma, up Hwy 1 to the Redwoods, over to Las Vegas, hit the Grand Canyon and even visited Yosemite Park.  His eyes were wide as he told his story.  He talked like a kid in a candy store telling of his adventures in our country.  I looked at my husband in one part of the conversation and said, “We do have a beautiful country.”  Feeling proud of my heritage, my roots and my beginnings to what got me here at this magnificent tasting in (today) Chalonnaise.  He smiled back at me saying “I know”.

Pride and compassion are the things I felt today.

“Terroir” Laurent said, “is the place I can drive you to. Yes, I make these wines from Mercurey, Givry and Rully…but! I can drive you to the ‘place’.  A place that smells and speaks of this wine.”  His eyes bright, wide and smiling with every word.

WOW.  How often do we (in the U.S.) speak of ‘the winery’, ‘the winemaker’, ‘the label’ in the U.S.?  In my opinion, too much.  ’Terroir’ is not just the soil, as I learned in Oregon a few years ago, but the season, the weather, the ‘vintage’ (everything that happened in that year).  It is a ‘place’ – yes, of course – but also where these grapes live a life each season.  How they experience their year, as a grape, before vinified.

Like Laurent said, in Bordeaux, you drive to the Chateau ‘the house’ and all the grapes are there on that property.  You are there to visit ‘the house’, but in Burgundy…you taste a winemaker that may share one piece of property with 20 other peeps.  It is all how the winemaker then puts his/her hand on the wine when it comes to their facility.  Laurent’s ‘hand’, I can tell you first hand, is minimal.  He is a true Burgundian.  He is proud of his wine.  When he speaks of his grapes, he uses his hands to show you the power or the elegance he is trying to describe.  Really, kind of like me.  When I teach…I teach trying to get that compassion across to folks (with my hands).  Again, I hate to reiterate my point…but to ‘tell the story’.

Terroir, Terroir, Terroir.  We abuse the term in the U.S.  There are so many posers that ‘teach’ this without ever having been to these places, shake the hands of those who produced it and speak to those of the region that drink it daily.  It should mean more to ‘us’ in the U.S.  Kind of like it does still in places like Oregon and small parts of Washington.  Or, to some of those little growers down there in California.  Terroir is a word that means to me, ‘expression’ of all things felt (by the grape).  And let me tell you, the grapes that come to Monsieur Laurent’s pad…they see some L-O-V-E  in their life of TERROIR!

France is an interesting place.  It’s not like I remember it over 15 years ago when I travelled here alone, with a backpack and just a baguette in my side pouch.  It has a different meaning now.  Being upfront, close and personal with ALL these winemakers really does have so much more meaning than it did when I was drinking the local juice for pleasure.  Here at these tastings – all in one spot, I’m able to taste 50-60 winemakers, taste each of their expressions with their plots of land and share a ‘story’.  Most don’t speak an English and they just stare at you while you’re tasting, but some…they want to share a conversation with you in their broken English.  It’s great.  And, it’s compassionate.  It has meaning and it is something that I will not forget.

I’m soft again.  See?  I knew that after leaving Paris and getting back to the countryside that I’d feel ‘soft’.  Or, maybe it’s just the wine speaking?  Oh well.  I say this as I’m sipping, still, Chassagne-Montrachet.  My giant French window open to the Chassagne-Montrachet vineyards, and the night birds just beginning to chirp.  Not a bad gig, as I say in class.  ”Not a bad gig.”    Bon Nuit.

Do you remember the ‘escargot’ scene from Pretty Woman?  You the one…snail goes shooting across the room after Julia Roberts tries to pinch her escargot with that crazy little fork-like tweezer tool?  That was almost me last nite!  Well, not quite…but it was all I could think about as my husband watched me wolf down a huge plate of snails.  Seriously, it was the most amazing plate of escargot I have ever had.  Each little shell stuffed with as much pesto garlic, butter and white wine as they could hold (along with the snail).  I have had a couple of plates of escargot since our arrival last Friday, but this one takes the cake!  I think I may be recovering from a snail hangover this morning.  The garlic may never leave my body!

Well, not such a bad day yesterday overall.  Besides our ridiculous dinner of (the snails), Filet, Sweetbreads, Pork Terrine, Baby Pork Loin, Cassoulet, and a small plate of Petit Fours – all at a gorgeous little restaurant called:  Le Montrachet, set in the village of Puligny-Montrachet, I have more to tell…

This all came after an incredible day of drinking over 100 producers of Côte de Nuits wine.  From wines of Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chambolle-Musigny, Morey-Saint-Denis, Gevrey-Chambertin, Marsannay, to the remarkable wines of the Clos de Vougeot and Vosne-Romanée Appellations.  These are why I am a true Pinot-Phile!

I had to pinch myself at one point during the day, as my husband and I stood inside of Chateau du Clos de Vougeot drinking and thinking “I’m not sure I can taste any more Grand Crus!”  If there was an overdosing of Grand Cru Pinot Noir all in one room, it definitely happened yesterday.  This is truly the way to experience Beaune.  With all of these teeny, tiny producers (some of them never ever sending their wines to the U.S.) in one room – the world was my oyster (or should I say, snail)!  From the Grand Crus of Echezeaux, Romanée-Saint-Vivant, Clos de Vougeot, Grands Eschezeaux, Richebourg, to Romanée-Conti – my palate was in heaven.

I rarely every tell clients my favorite grape, knowing that the grape I really love seems to be everyone’s these days, also never wanting to veer anyone any which direction – but my love is Pinot Noir.  From my days at Archery Summit in Oregon to the secret love that I have for Kosta Browne Winery in Sonoma – these are wines from the U.S. that I adore.  But…but, but, but….these are really hard to compare to anything you can have from the Côte du Nuits.  Here it is:  Iron Fist in a Velvet Glove.  Power, yet femininity.  Strength with a compassionate edge.  Minerality, meat, game, earth, element yet velvet, rose petal, violets, lush raspberry, strawberry leaf, to a rich soft mouth-feel that one has to feel in order to explain it.  Magnificent!

It was more than I deserve, all these beautiful Pinots in one room.  And, to top it off – I saw two old pals in the midst of the tasting room – one straight from Domaine Drouhin, Oregon and the other, Ms. Véronique Drouhin of Maison Drouhin.  Both women that I met while living/working in the Willamette Valley, Oregon.  And, was such a pleasant surprise to see Ms. Drouhin on her home soil, speaking of her wines from these regions.  What a delight!

Well, today we are off to taste – Mâconnais.  Another 3 rooms filled with more amazing wines with brilliant winemakers to meet, poor me!  Stay tuned, I’ll write more tomorrow.

Seriously?  I mean, really?  Have I slipped into some kind of wine coma never to return?  If so, I’m definitely in wine heaven…and, I’m not sure I’d ever really like to leave.  Is that okay?

If there is a wine heaven, it is here.  With the birds chirping you awake, the fresh smells of damp earthy soil and the sunshine just warm enough to brush the white winter glow from your skin- this must be the place!  Where, you ask?  Chassagne-Montrachet.

Chassagne-Montrachet, a village in the Cote de Beaune that warrants some of the greatest Chardonnays on the planet.  If you’ve ever heard the ‘Iron Fist in a Velvet Glove’ (which refers to magnificent Pinot Noir in Burgundy) – this could most definitely sing the same praises.  The ‘Iron Fist’ saying pertains, of course, to this red beauty, but if there were a saying for Chardonnay of this stealthy power – it would probably sound something like it.

Rich in its mouth-feel, yet soft to the palate – these white wines (Chardonnay) are some of the most mesmerizing wines of the world.  I love Chardonnay from this region!  This is real Chardonnay.  And, if Americans could really understand what these Chardonnays taste like, they would never settle for ‘movie theater butter popcorn Chard’ again.  This what I teach when I think of Chardonnay in classes.  These characteristics that are sometimes, indescribable.  I love the oyster shell minerality, yet the suppleness of its femininity.  It is masculine, yet so pretty.  Like a Marilyn Monroe in her silky long white slip.  Just Amazing.

And guess what…I woke up in this Disneyland of Wine this morning!  Right in the heart of it.  Throwing our big french windows open to the sunshine and clean crisp air, made me smile.  Espressos and Croissants delivered to your room and possibly a glass of Chardonnay to wash it all down with – unbelievable.  So yes, I get it, Mr French Man in Paris quoting “Why would we carry anyone else’s wines (from other countries) when we have all we need here?”  I get it.  Certainly, it is something to be so proud of, and that…is what the French have.  Pride.  Pride for their famed estates, grapes, livelihood and again, culture.  It is a grape growing community like no other.  If you think for a second that you can compare it to an American Wine Appellation, think again.  It can’t be done.  These are some of the birth places of greatness.  Wines of dignity and certainly can boast, a little snootiness.  See, I get it.  Be snotty – because guess what, you can!

Everyone has their story… From Croatia to Burgundy, the world is filled with beautiful wines that deserve for their ‘story’ to be told.

Okay…I have to get back to my little slice of heaven – with a gorgeous view from Domaine Chassagne-Montrachet.  Au revoir!

I feel like I’ve flown round the globe in the past week.  From MN to Croatia, back to the U.S. with lost bags (for a day), back on a plane in less than 48 hours and now in Paris!  Whew.  I’m not sure my sleep has caught up with me yet…but, the best thing is – I’m drinking enough wine to keep me going.

This trip, now focused on the Grand Jours de Bourgogne.  A giant 5 day fest featuring 10,000 wines in just a small amount of time.  Can one keep up?  We’ll see.

After soaking up the emotions of the Croatian trip, I think I was still set in the mode of having folks talk and actually act interested in having a conversation with me.  Trust me, I forgot quickly the ‘emotions’ of Eastern Europe, because Paris has nothing of the sort.  My husband and I landed, rented a car and have spent the last few days bumming around Paris.  Doing all the ‘Paris’ type things…but of course!  See the Eiffel Tour, Walk the Louvre Museum, Walk the many Jardins (gardens) in the city, Shop the famous ave Champs-Élysées all the way down to the Arc de Triomphe and Tour all of Notre-Dame.  It’s really been quite exciting.

It’s funny however, as much as I am a Frenchie at heart when drinking wine…the Parisians somehow make you think – you’d rather drink someone else’s wine (someone that would be nice to you).  As polite as you can be or as hard as you try to speak French, the Parisians have an attitude that is truly incomparable.

Here’s a funny moment…when I asked a gentleman bartender why in an International Hotel like the Westin Paris that they do not carry any other wines on their very large wine list besides French (maybe like an Eastern European wine for instance?), he chuckled and said, “Why would we?  We are France and we have everything we need in the way of wine!”  Yep, there you have it.

My heart got a little soft traveling Croatia I suppose.  I forgot to put that ‘hard ass’ jacket on before we landed in Paris!  But, as we head off to Burgundy tomorrow and travel 4 hours east…I have a feeling that these French peeps will lighten up.  Either way, it’s an experience.  It’s beautiful, it really is.  Don’t get me wrong – I’m drinking my weight in French wine, I’m not complaining, but I just thought…oh well – who the heck cares what I think?  I should just be happy with gorgeous Billecart Salmon Champagne that I had to drink (by the glass at every restaurant!), the amazing bottle of 2003 Gaillard Cote Rotie, and 1974 Armagnac that we had for dinner last nite!  Not a bad gig.  When I leave France, I’ll have to cleanse from all the Foie Gras I’m eating and get used to drinking espresso from Starbucks again.  Boo Hoo, right?

Not a bad couple of days, in fact, quite dreamy.  After all, I am in Paris with mon amour.

Bon Nuit, my friends.  I’ll write more from Burgundy!

Croatia’s Korta Katarina’s Winemaker Nika Silic + Sommelier Leslee Miller Talk from the Cellar

Croatia’s newest and hottest Winemaker, Nika Silic, shares her thoughts in the cellar when it comes to tradition, barrel ageing and true wine-making.
Ever wonder the path that a Winemaker takes when choosing barrels in his/her cellar, or what barrels work best with which grape? This gives you a pretty good idea as to some traditions, but also from a different angle taken from the thick-skinned grape ~ Plavac Mali.
Leslee and Nika share a fascinating conversation regarding ALL of the above.
Check it out…In HD

Croatian Vineyard Manager Talks Phylloxera with Sommelier Leslee Miller

It’s the crazy farming questions that really get a Sommelier excited…mine was “Has Phylloxera (a nasty root eating louse) ever affected the regions of Dingac and Postup on the Peljesac Peninsula in Croatia?”
When asked, the Vineyard Manager of Korta Katarina, Arsen, explains.
Here is his answer…in HD.

The Upper Postup Wine Growing Region located on the Peljesac Peninsula

This video taken from the Upper Postup Region on the Peljesac Peninsula shows the tremendous incline of vineyard space. Leslee, Vineyard Mgr for Korta Katarina, Arsen and Winemaker Nika talk about the fencing put around this property and their pesky little grape eaters that make their way down the hill to the property.  Also, take a look at some older vines and the significance of the wind and sunshine and the parts they play on How the Plavac Mali Grape develops in these vineyard sites.
In HD