West Indian Girl
Wine Pairing: Riverbank Riesling
Alluring. That’s how Beach opens. You want to sit back; you know that what comes will be in the groove that starts quietly among voices and sounds reminiscent of Pink Floyd. The guitar picks up with a melodic riff that lays the foundation for the vocals that deliver on the promise of allure. The Riverbank Riesling is alluring, aromas of honey, honeysuckle, citrus, clove, grapefruit and of a mix flower blossoms. Riesling is very terroir-expressive and our Riverbank Riesling from Arroyo Seco is unique, though there are not many Arroyo Seco Rieslings out there. Each year, we blend 20% about Gewurztraminer, which is responsible for the clove and grapefruit aromas, which draw you into this Riesling like the fleeting vocals draw you into the song. In the mouth, the percussion parallels the acidity and lays out a sturdy foundation for the song in the same way that the acidity carries the wine on the mouth. The flavors linger in a beautiful way—the same way that the song (especially the guitar) lingers in your mind…you don’t want the moment to end. In your mouth, the wine is a bit sweet, which is designed to accentuate the fruity and floral flavors, but is balanced by crisp, citrus-like acidity. This beautiful mouth-feel lingers; at the end of a sip the flavors slowly fade like the end of the song. Both make you want more—another sip of wine and another song by West Indian Girl?
The New Mastersounds
Wine Pairing: The Nth Degree Syrah
From the first note you realize that this is authentic funk that brings you to New Orleans and reminds you of the Neville Brothers and The Meters. From the first smell of this wine, you realize that this is authentic syrah. All instruments come out together from the opening bell and you get the feeling that the band has been together for a while; it is a tight style of music with a good grove and a combination of clean guitar licks and the Wah pedal. The 2007 Nth Degree Syrah is my favorite of all of the vintages of Nth Degree Syrah (dating back to the 2002 vintage). It has aromas of wild blackberry, blueberry, vanilla, toast, ground spices, and a discernable note of a gamey meat. The fruit flavors are like the ever-present and ever-changing guitar with complexity of fruit that reminds you of fruits of the forest, like wild blackberry, raspberry. The rest of the band is holding the foundation of the meaty and oaky complexity of the wine. All the pieces fit together with incredible complexity, yet without anything dominating or stepping over the line. Everything has its place, yet each piece is confident in its place…both in the make-up of the music and in the experience of the wine.
The Hold Steady
Wine Pairing: Southern Hills Cabernet Sauvignon
Solid rock and roll music and solid Livermore Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Listening to Sequestered in Memphis while watching The Hold Steady at South by Southwest, it was a joy. All of the pieces work together with bass and drum holding the foundation of the song in the way that the tannins and acidity hold together the 2007 Southern Hills Cabernet Sauvignon. The vocals (both the words and the tone) are delivered in a way that makes you want to hear the story…you can almost picture the story behind the song-writing. This is paralleled by the aromas of cassis, plum, and bit of red fruit that is a balance between raspberry and cherry. The guitars remind me of the black tea and anise notes of the wine that deftly augment the fruit flavors. The keys, which are a huge part of The Hold Steady bring together the ripping guitars and the vocals, in the same way that the balanced level of flavors and aromas from oak barrel aging bring together the aromas of cassis, black tea, and plum. The song ends with a full 15 seconds of after the close of the music almost like it was designed to parallel the finish of the wine, with the drums and the chalky tannins getting the last word.
Lesser Panda
Wine Pairing: Crane Ridge Merlot
The Crane Ridge Merlot has aromas of plum, cherry, vanilla, toffee, and anise. The mouth-feel is velvety, but not too big. You want the bottle of wine and your night to keep going, like you want the vibe that Lesser Panda delivers to keep going. Immediately, on the open of the song, there is a feel of expectation, then there is a slow layering of sounds that gives you the impression that they were always there, but you just happened to notice them when they emerged. This parallels the opening aromatics of the wine, which is filled with plum, cherry, then enters a toffee/vanilla combination, then some anise and cinnamon. There is a huge amount happening in this wine and you are not really sure when it all hit you, because the layers of flavors work so well together. In the mouth and on the onset of the lyrics, you literally feel like the wine is talking to you and drawing you into the journey that may be this sip of wine or an amazing evening. Throughout the song, sounds come and go, but when they enter, they know they belong. The promise of the nose is delivered on the mouth as the flavors intermingle and you can feel the pace of the night picking up and drawing you back for another sip, another glass. Onward!
Dead Rock West
Wine Pairing: Riva Ranch Chardonnay
Anytime I hear cool vocal harmonies, I think of the harmony of fruit aromas and flavors that I am seeking to achieve in the Riva Ranch Chardonnay. Arroyo Seco Chardonnay is naturally tropical in nature with notes of mango, papaya, and guava and in the background are the more classic-Chardonnay notes of apple and pear. 3% Gewurztraminer is blended into the Chardonnay which causes an even greater harmonization of the fruit flavors. This fruit is like the vocal harmonization which leads you through the song (and the wine). They both pull you on the journey that is the song or the wine (or better yet, the combination of the two). Behind the vocals and the fruit flavors of the wine, much more is there, as if made to prop the respective harmonies. In the band, there is an array of strings, each playing a role to augment and accentuate the beauty of the harmonies. In the wine, the aromas from the barrel fermentation (coconut, clove, and vanilla), sur lies aging (creamy, roasted nuts), and malo-lactic fermentation (buttery) seem as if made to augment and accentuate the delicate fruit flavors.
Maria Taylor
Wine Pairing: Small Lot Pinot Blanc
Maria’s voice instantly grabs you—a mix of sensual and serious—and just like that you are engaged in the song. Pinot blanc can be made in a myriad of styles, but one smell and you are drawn into this wine. Not quite Chardonnay, but more complex than Pinot Grigio. This Pinot blanc is barrel fermented, which creates layers of flavors, like the layered band which creates a wonderful foundation for Maria’s voice. The key to barrel fermented Pinot blanc is balance and finesse, ensuring that the fruit is not masked by flavors from the barrel or from sur lies aging. The fruit flavors (apple, pear, apricot)and minerality (from the Arroyo Seco soil) are the voice of the song, both sensual and serious. The strings, which are so beautifully layered, are akin to the, graham, light vanilla, butterscotch, and honey flavors (from the barrel) and creamy and nutty (from the sur lies aging). The mouth-feel, augmented by partial malo-lactic fermentation mirrors the bass, which is solid and understated. Crisp, citrus-like acidity parallels the drums, which pulls the song along with great symbol work.
