Dirty South Wine

Dynamic Dish Event - Cheese, Bread, And Dirty South Wine on 4/29!

 

 

Bread, Cheese and Wine-- What else do you need?

Wednesday Night, 4/29, Dynamic Dish gets down with Magnolia Bread,
Antico Mercante (Cheese Merchant), and D-D-Dirty South Wine!

Sample Organic Breads, Gourmet Cheeses, and Dirty South Wine
approved Organic, Biodynamic, and Sustainable wines!

4/29, 6-8 PM, $15, Space is limited

Please RSVP--  404-688-4344

Cru Beaujolais and the Strawberry Odyssey! (biodynamic)

"Four Legs Good, Two Legs Bad!"

On Saturday night, our friends Chadd and Nick met with Lady Dirty and I at Dynamic Dish for their Organic Pizza night.  We had a lot of good bottles.  This one stuck out for its uber-deliciousness and "Come On Down" accessibility.

2006 Marcel Lapierre Morgon
(France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon)  Gamay variety.  $19.99 Find it online at Snooth, or in ATL at Ansley Kroger. Biodynamic.  Kermit Lynch Import

Cherry red with medium depth.  Initially a tight nose of dirt, violet, and under-ripe strawberries.  Medium bodied, with tart cherry, herbs, and a little smokey rock.  Great acids, light+ tannins, and a long balanced finish. 

Freakin' delicious.  It took some time for this to open up, but once it did---  "STRAWBERRY ODYSSEY" 2009!!!! (as declared by Nick).  Yes, there is fruit on this-  but it isn't all "goofy laffy-taffy" style---  it is a deep strawberry voyage to a very happy place! 

I will buy more. 



BTW-- This went great with Dynamic Dish's organic pizzas. 

(photos courtesy of Lady Dirty)

3 Great things-- Burgundy, Dynamic Dish, and Tasty China!

 

After waiting five hours to vote last Friday, I needed to unwind. I grabbed a half bottle of 20th Century Burgundy and had a wind down night at Dynamic Dish.

1999 Mommessin Beaune 1er Cru Clos du Roi 

(France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru)

This was an ultra-relaxing bottle- Nothing screaming, nothing sharp, just medium cherry-colored goodness.  Earthy, with some truffle and a puff of mixed berry yogurt (who doesn't need a puff of that?!).  Thin and silky on the the palate, with just enough acid that asks for food-  This isn't crazy complex, but for the ridiculously low $20 I paid (on closeout), it is made me as happy as I could be.  

I actually split this bottle over two nights at two of Atlanta's best BYO restaurants- Tasty China and Dynamic Dish.

Though not cut out for Tasty China's most fiery dishes, this wine worked great with their Black Pepper Beef, and some sort of Chicken and Mushroom dish.

Without time for full write ups-  Two of the other wines we opened at Tasty China (thanks Peter & Sil!) were both very good and worth seeking out (I don't know where either are available in ATL)

2004 Domaine Weinbach Gewürztraminer Altenbourg Cuvée Laurence

(France, Alsace, Kientzheim & Sigolsheim, Alsace AOC)

A SPECTACULAR off-dry Gewurz that screams for the heat of Tasty China.  This wine deserves its own post....  So much aroma, a nose like "a maze of twisty little passages".  Domaine Weinbach is a favorite.  

2005 Bodega Catena Zapata Chardonnay Alta

(Argentina, Mendoza)

I haven't had a lot of great Argentina white wines, many good little chuggers, but nothing that really said "yo!"  This was different-  Initially, tight on the nose with just a punch of fruit and oak.  We all said "eh?"-  After about 15min in the glass, this became a rich, buttery, glass of interesting fruit, rocks, and yeast.  A nice tweener of CA Chard and Burgundy.  I'd love to put this in a blind tasting.

On another note-  A few people have been asking about the birds at the Dirty South Wine Bird Sanctuary.  Here is a quick clip from some early AM activity on Sun.

Two November Wine Events: ISAW Brunch & the Kudzu Supper Club!

On November 2nd, Bubbles and Brunch with the 

International Society of Africans in Wine

Meet up with Stephen Sattefield and the ISAW while enjoying sparkling wine, brunch, and a slideshow from Stephen's recent wine journey to South Africa.  This is a great opportunity to try some unique South African wines and learn about a great cause.

The brunch is being held in the private dining room at Maxim Prime.  For more information on the event and the ISAW charity, check out the ISAW website.

 

On November 8th, Dynamic Dish meets the Kudzu Supper Club.

I make no apologies for how much I love Dynamic Dish.  There is no place in Atlanta that is turning out food like Dave's, and their zero corkage fee makes it as wine friendly as possible.  The Taste Network / Kudzu Supper Club has been putting together some amazing wine & food events.  Pairing this one with Dynamic Dish should be killer.

Joining in with Dynamic Dish, and the Kudzu Supper Club, is Georgia's Persimmon Creek Vineyards.  You can stay local, eat local, and even drink local at this event.  If Georgia wine has you scratching your head, they will also be pouring a lot of other wines for side-by-side comparisons with the Persimmon Creek.

For more information and for tickets click HERE-

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Dirty South Wine- New Video: October FUNKS

Dirty South Wine October Funks!!!

Gewurztraminer's Message From Outer Space

Sweet goddess of all that is Waffle House!!!!  This smells great!  It smells better than great- It smells like space aliens are trying to directly communicate their intergalactic messages of peace and ease via our sense of smell.

2005 Andre Scherer Gewürztraminer

(France, Alsace, Haut-Rhin, Alsace AOC)  Approx $20 at Ansley Kroger.

Pale yellow.  Insanely heady with freak-show aromatics.  Deeply floral, rosey,lime- and a whole kaleidoscope of stuff that I can only describe as Gewurzt- It smells illegal...  Rich on the palate with a little residual sugar, and then a bit of an unnerving, semi-bitter, mineral laced finish.  

Well, Gawt Damb!....  One of the best noses I've had on any bottle this year.  The finish may not be for everyone, but I think this and a bit of Alsace Muenster could become a new street drug...

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We had this and a few other bottles at Dynamic Dave's.  Fall ingredients are coming into swing, hot soups are back on the menu, and there is no place in ATL that I'd rather eat.

Also, the not quite outstanding Cru Beaujolais we had (back L of photo) had a nose that Lady Dirty could only describe a "Television Set".

Max Romeo- I Chase The Devil

Dirty South Wine: Mini Recap

This was a crazy week.  Lot's of activities, drama and celebration.

-Sunday night: Châteauneuf-du-Pape "freak-a-thon" 

(that I'm still needing to write up)

About to get our freak-on!

-Monday Night:  Amuse Cochon, where I was a judge to help determine Atlanta's Prince of Pork

Brady Lowe and the Taste Network put on another awesome event for a great cause.  

Kevin Rathbun's Pork version of Peking Duck won Best Overall

-Tuesday:  Started with being trapped in my buildings elevator and having to be rescued by the fire department before flying off to TPA, and then with finding a bargain stash of Savennières, drinking some David Arthur 1147, and closing the evening with some 1990 Ardbeg and a Partagas Limited Reserve 1997 II with my Dad and family friends.

-Wed / Thurs:  Pretty much an orgy of rage. 

example 1.  Orgy of Rage

-Friday Night: Sweet motherfunkin' Dynamic Dish and good Riesling

Though Friday in Atlanta was quite warm, the evening was beautiful and Lady Dirty and I headed down to Dynamic Dave's for an early meal.  With the courtyard table now open, we sat out back, and had our own private little dining room.

Dave's Squash, Ginger and toasted Nori soup would "make a bull dog break a chain!"  This stuff was perfect.  

Along with the soup, I had an amazing bowl of lentils (in a riesling reduction) with Yukon Golds, and a poached egg-- Lady Dirty went with the Tempeh Special w/ Brussel Sprouts, Squash and roasted potato.  This was early fall comfort food.  

To wash it down, I brought along a 2005 Reichsrat Von Buhl Riesling.  Man...

2005 Reichsrat Von Buhl Riesling Kabinett Armand

(Germany, Pfalz) Riesling. Approx $21 at Ansley Kroger

Straw yellow and a little cloudy.  A nose of light gas, basil, slate, and apple juice.  Almost sparkling on the palate- the acidity on this sucker made my mouth water,  more pineapple and minerals on the palate, and then just a nice high-pitched finish (the dogs at the Animal Hospital across the street cursed my name w/ every sip).

This was lightly sweet, and though not mind-meltlingly complex- it was just delicious.

-Saturday AM:  Lady Dirty and I went on a Bird Walk in Piedmont Park with the Audubon Society.  We saw tons of Warblers, Woodpeckers, Chikadees, a Hawk-  and then an out of place Mandarin Duck that must have escaped from somewhere.

Example 1.  That's one Crazy-Ass duck!

Baumard Clos Du Papillon Savennières- Super Freaky and Delicious

2004 Domaine des Baumard Savennières Clos du Papillon

(France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières)  Chenin Blanc variety.  Approx. $35 at Ansley Wine Merchants.

An initial aroma that I can only describe as essence of preserved frog, poured over frozen blacktop, next to a shot of wheatgrass.  The first night this was opened, it was a little heavy on the reptillian side and I decided to save the rest for the next two days.  Though without much change in aromatic description, it went from an oddity to something I really craved.

This is a puzzling, but addictive bottle.  It is just such funky, weird stuff.  Over time, a little fruit peaked its head out from behind the petri dishes-  burnt orange, golden raisin, and some caramel.  The palate is unlike any other wine I've tasted.  I can only imagine it to be what a glass of mercury would feel like- Liquid, but solid and smooth.  This has some big acidity, followed by a huge, semi-bitter finish.

This may need some more time to come together, but I'm going back for more.  It is not for the weak of heart.  The Butterfly on the label should be replaced by one on a mat with its wings pinned out.  

Bloggers / Photoggers Attack Dynamic Dish and Drink Mexican Wine!

Celebrating our Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary certification. Lady Dirty and I called up Mean Jean, and ATL photog-Wunderkind Broderick and headed over to Dynamic Dave's for pizza night.

I packed in two bottles- a NV Duval-Leroy Champage and a Turley Old Vines Zin. Then Broderick showed up with something that blew my mind-- a Monte Xanic Cabernet from ol' Mexico! I'm lucky to have the opportunity to taste and try a lot of wines, but this was my first wine from Mexico-- I was psyched to try it.

Meeting up with our gang was fellow blogger / photogger ET K and her friend C. We ordered some salads, pizzas, popped our bottles and kicked back to spectacular food and company.

Wrapped up in our company, I didn't take official notes, but the ol' memory provides a quick recap on the juice.
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N.V. Duval-Leroy Champagne
(France, Champagne) Approx $30 at Ansley Wine Merchants
This is becoming my go to, easy to get, "value" Champers. In the past 2 years, most of what I love has climbed in price from $35 to $55+ and has entered into special occasion category.
The Duval-Leroy has nice character, balance, is easy-drankin' and is just under $30 in ATL. Not as creamy as Pol Roger, not as lean as Billecart- just good fence straddlin' juice.

2004 Monte Xanic Cabernet Sauvignon
(Mexico, Baja California, Valle de Guadalupe) Sourced in Mexico by Broderick. Cost= Priceless!
A totally drinkable wine. Not a lot of typical Cab character (almost a little more Zinfandel like), but fairly smooth, gentle tannins, and a medium finish. This was a fun wine to try and hats off to B for bringing in a total freakshow of a wine!

2005 Turley Zinfandel Old Vines
(USA, California) Under $40? From Eno / Barrelman
A hot nose of heavy fruit, lotion, and unknown, potentially dangerous vapors. Tasty, cherry-jelly fruits, spice, low tannins, and long finish. I like it, but I don't love it. I know people love Turley, but I've found far more misses than hits with Turley over the years.
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Fun people, great food, excellent service, and interesting wines- This is what going out to dinner should always be like.

While packing up, Brady from Taste Network / Kudzu Supper Club, and Stephen from the International Society of Africans in Wine (ISAW) stopped in. They both have some cool events coming up- Check them out here and here.

ET K took some great shots- Check them out ici

Pizza NIGHT!!!!

A "Keep Your Pants On" Sauvignon Blanc

I have been on a bit of a Sauvignon Blanc run lately. Many of the SB's I've been drinking have been high on the freak show factor- Tasty, intense, but probably more representative of the man behind the curtain vs the true fat o' the land. I came across the following bottle in my cabinet, and gave it a bit of a stank-eye. (I'm always suspect of French wines labeled by grape, knowing for sure that it was packaged exclusively for us 'Mericans. An us 'Mericans love us some fruity stuff). Remembering that it was a recommendation of a friend, I swallowed my label bias and took it down to Dynamic Dave's along with a few other bottles.

2006 Domaine du Salvard Sauvignon Blanc Unique
(France, Loire Valley, Vin de Pays du Jardin) Under $15 at Ansley Wine Merchants
Good, cheap, non-freaky Sauvignon Blanc.

Notes:
Pale yeller, with scents of grapefruit (but not that New Zealand pull yer pants down style grapefruit- "What? What?!" This is leave yer pants on grapefruit) ginger, and a touch of cat pee. A pretty nose, somewhat simple, but nice. A little sour on the palate- lime oil, big acidity, and something in my note that looks like i scribbled the word "fingers" or "fangs". I'm not sure about the finger / fang part of this juice, but it probably made sense at the time. A nice medium finish. Refreshing, tasty, inexpensive.

Beyond the basic refreshment, this paired great with my green salad & chevre. It was a no brainer pairing, but what I like about wine and cheese pairing is that usually a lower pedigree (aka kind of cheap) wine will still pair amazingly well with the right cheese.

Even though I squirm at the sight of the label, I'd buy this again. Pretty Dirty.

My notes on the other wines are fairly cryptic. But the 2005 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc "La Crau" was really nice. Besides the notes of floral, lime etc-- I see scribbled "Mai Tai" and yes, this bottle smelled like a tasty ol' Trader Vic's Mai Tai.. lime, nuts, herbs... I love this stuff. I love Mai Tais too...