Heavy Rotation
Wine school is free, a playlist is sad but hopeful, and a rundown of special sauce is heavy on the hits.
Good morning to all who Marathon and all who will remain as far away from Commonwealth Avenue as life will allow. While I personally appreciate the absolutely heroic physical circumstances necessary to attempt this ancient rite (and the pop of business we often enjoy on what would otherwise be a fairly snoozy, likely drizzly weekend), I’m enjoying a 24-hour break from reality in Western Mass, where the crocuses (croci?) are still popping up and produce season promises to be more abundant than frost-bitten years past. I’ll be back for my 4PM bar shift, however, if anyone wants to come say hello!
the barn at carr’s cider house in hadley, where i spend inordinate amounts of time/money on cider, pasture-raised lamb, and gorgeous produce in season.
Here’s what’s on heavy rotation this week:
WINE SCHOOL IS FREE!
I think probably due to the fact that the RUNNING hijacks our minds for weeks leading up the race (which of our friends lives on the route and how do we get invited to the party? do they have a roof deck? is their dog annoying? where will we park?), our wine class with legends Mark Lindzy and Josefa Concannon tomorrow didn’t get quite the traction we’d hoped, so we’re making it free for you! I sort of cannot stress how epic an offering this is; I was absolutely starstruck on the first occasion I had to meet Josefa many years ago, as her reputation for being one of the most knowledgable, well-traveled, no-bullshit women in wine in the world precedes her. If you don’t have plans tomorrow (or if your plans are mediocre), please snap up a ticket!
ECLIPSE COMEDOWN
A possibly strange playlist of some 90s + early aughts b-sides featuring sad synth, early EDM and a lot of falsetto. (Realizing I try to slip How To Dress Well into nearly every playlist, frankly I’m fine with it as it nearly always slaps.) It’s been a grey, drizzly, strange energetic comedown, and I’ve been feeling like a weird b-side myself. Hope you like.
SPECIAL SAUCE
On offer BTG at Rebel this week:
MONDAY (today!): 2015 Clos Rougeard Brézé Blanc, Loire
TUESDAY: Whatever straight fire Mark + Josefa are bringing.
WEDNESDAY: 2018 Domaine Ligas Assyrtiko Barrique, Pella, Greece
THURSDAY: 2019 Collecapretta ‘Le Cese,’ Umbria
FRIDAY: Marie Courtin ‘Résonance’ Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut Champagne, Polisot, Aube
SATURDAY: 2021 Peter Lauer Fass 17 Neuenberg Grand Cru, Mosel
SUNDAY: 2022 Domaine Bourdy ‘Cuvée Chloe,’ Côtes du Jura
the cellar at collecapretta + some very good umbrian sausage.
Some of you have requested that we include notes on all of the Special Sauce wines in this newsletter, and I’ll think about it. But part of what we do as a bar is talk to you about what we’re pouring when you come in to drink what’s on offer. Less the, “This is old-vine chardonnay from southeast facing vines on Kimmeridgian soils,” thing, and more the, “Here’s why this wine matters,” thing. Connecting over agriculture, producers, socioeconomics, history, and culture using wine as a vehicle is our model/ethos/raison d’être, so I’d love to encourage you to participate in that with us, s’il vous plait. Plus, I’m worried that if I tell you one of the above is chardonnay or something, you’ll think, “Ick, I hate chardonnay!” and miss out on what would otherwise be a transcendent sensory experience. Life is short, try all the things.
LATER THIS WEEK
Look forward to a roundup of what we’re reading from Christian, a few hopeful Spring recipes for the Front Burner, some feelings about the fuzzier ways in which misogyny shows up in this industry (or everywhere). Etc. Hopefully, we’ll have an update about wine to go mixed in there, but that’s up to the government, so I’m not holding my breath! If you haven’t yet called your reps about passing that provision, why not take 5 minutes right now?
See you in a few hours, friends. Stay hydrated.
XOXO,
L