First Post!

Welcome to “a blog about wine and music”

With this blog I will discuss some of the wines I’ve been trying, and music I’ve been listening to.

 

Before we jump to any conclusions about what kind of blog this is, let me be clear about what I don’t want this to be…

I have no intention of making music and wine “pairings.”   Do not expect to read anything about how the blueberry notes in a so-and-so Napa Cab go perfectly with Miles Davis’ ‘Kind of Blue,’ or about the best roses to drink while listening to Rick Ross (actually, on second thought, that sounds kind of awesome...).   I will do my best to avoid cutesiness, and instead to try to make something that is both a serious ‘wine blog’ and a serious ‘music blog.’ 

But why music and wine together?  Why not one or the other?  Why not two separate blogs?

For me, there are many good reasons for making this music/wine blog bundle package:

1. There are already plenty of music blogs, and plenty of wine blogs.  And I see no reason for bringing another one of these into the world.  However, for those like me, who love both wine and music this could be something a little different than the abundance of blogs on either subject already available to them.  And for those only interested in one or the other, let’s say the music lover who doesn’t know much or care about wine, the wine component could provide a fresh perspective on music and perhaps also pique the music nerd’s interest in exploring wine.
2. Wine and music are both things that can provide inspiration, pleasure, and intrigue.  Many wine lovers I’ve met are also passionate about music, and vice versa.  To me this makes perfect sense.  They are both pleasurable but also intellectually stimulating.  With music and wine you get as much back as you are willing to put in.  You could study either one for a lifetime without ever having a complete mastery of the subject, but learning a little bit more each day with every record, or every bottle, or every glass is fulfillment enough.  For me all the greatest things in life are like this.  
3. Finally, I have a selfish reason.  I want to have a wine blog, but I am in no way a wine expert.  I am a professional musician, and music teacher and I’ve been studying, practicing, teaching and playing music for most of my life.  I feel very comfortable talking about and assessing music in an objective way, and I feel like what I have to say about music might be worth reading.  But any authority I might have talking about music, I definitely don’t have for wine.  Wine is a relatively new passion of mine but a very serious one.  I have become totally obsessed with wine, spending all my free time going to tastings, reading wikipedia articles about obscure Italian varietals and grazing NYC wine shop shelves for hours at a time.  You can ask my girlfriend, she’ll tell you I’ve gone completely off the deep end.  I think this blog will be a good outlet for me (and for the sanity of those around me), and writing about wine and music side by side will hopefully help me further develop my understanding of both subjects. 

Anyway, no matter the reason, this is happening.  And what better way to toast my maiden voyage into the blogosphere than with a bottle of bubbly?  And there really is nothing better than great champagne, right?…except perhaps a badass sparkling wine from Burgundy for $20!

Tripoz Cremant de Bourgogne Nature Brut

This Cremant is from the certified organic and biodynamic vineyards of Celine and Laurent Tripoz in Loche.  The wine is 100% chardonnay and bottled with no dosage (dosage is a process used in making champagne or other bottle-fermented sparkling wines by which sediment is removed and replaced, usually, with a mixture of wine and sugar).  The result is a bone-dry sparkler, with bright fresh green apple and citrus aromas.  The wine is exceptionally balanced with substantial acidity, and subtle minerality.  The mouthfeel is creamy and decadent.  This wine is an incredible value, and damn good regardless of price.   Thanks to the awesome staff at Chambers Street Wines (far and away my favorite wine store in NYC, or anywhere else) for the recommendation. 

I can only hope my future posts are about wine as delicious as this!