[Wine] McCrea 2001 Syrah

[elfs]

Last night, fallenpegasus wandered over for halibut and wine, which he brought. The wine was a $35 bottle of McCrea 2001 Syrah blend, and I have to say that, as wines go, it was, um, worth $35. I like average wines and at the same time am harsh on them; I had the Jacob's Creek I praised and panned last week with dinner tonight since it's what I had, and comparing it to McCrea is a bit like comparing a third-year conservatory quartet to Kronos. The McCrea was just amazing, sharp, vivid, fruity, with an aftertaste that came and went in delicious waves. This was no supermarket wine, and it showed.

At one point, the girls were asking what we were all talking about, and I said, "We're talking about the wine. We're finally growing up and learning how to talk about it."

It's a funny thing. I read recently that Americans prefer beer because wine was too intimidating: once too often, we had suffered the embarassment of not knowing enough about wine, not being able to pronounce the French names, to feel confident when faced with the sommelier. Well, let me tell you something: fuck the sommelier. Drink a whole bunch of different things and find what you like. It's good for your heart, too, once a day-- but skipping six days and doing seven glasses on the weekends doesn't cut it. And there's good evidence now that it's good for your brain, too. I mean, if you're gonna have a vice, for Horus' sake have one with good taste, even if it costs a little more.

Comments

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

I'm with you on the Justin Wilson approach to wine... that and there are a bazillion things made in places other than France that are verra fine and won't cost you an arm and a leg to boot. As you've found with the Aussies. My friend the lady who writes the wine column from the Atlanta paper says the price tag has nada to do with the contents...

As for beer vs. wine.... I like both. But life's too short to drink bad versions of either. And they're both good for you, in moderation.