Cork and Chord

Matching wine with music

[corkandchord]

The wine: La Nuit Blanche, Domaine Saint Rose, 2013, Cotes de Thongue

The details: 14% abv, cork, around £10

Date of pairing: Saturday 3rd June 2017

Roussanne is generally used in white Cotes-du-Rhone blends but, as this creation from Domaine Saint Rose testifies, it can really hold its own as a single varietal. I once read that Roussanne ages well but between about five and ten years old, it gets really flat and seems past its best, until you get to that magic ten years where it develops complexity beyond belief. I’ve never heard this anywhere else so I’m not sure how true this is, but my last remaining bottle of La Nuit Blanche will (with a bit of luck and patience) be kept until 2024.

Oak and bottle age really help develop the character of the grape beyond its ripe stone fruit flavours. Following an intense nose of honey, baked apple and buttered toast, the flavour profile almost works in reverse order than you’d expect. Initially, you’re hit with roasted almonds and a full, creamy mouthfeel, followed by that tempting apple pie, peaches and delicate blossom and left with a refreshing citrus zing at the end. Domaine Saint Rose’s Roussanne provides a very lengthy finish, with echoes of butter and nuts lingering for quite some time.

La Nuit Blanche translates as ‘the sleepless night’, referring to the endless hours of darkness spent by harvesters, collecting grapes at night when the temperature is cool enough so to preserve the freshness of the fruit. While initially, I thought Insomnia by Faithless might be too much of an obvious choice, drinking the wine along with the song really works well. They’re both intense, energetic and memorable and the song is a reminder of how grateful we should be to those sleep-deprived harvesters and winemakers for this glorious wine.

[corkandchord]

The wine: Rezabal Txakoli, Spain, 2017 The details: 10.5%abv, cork, around £10

It’s been a scorcher of a day. After an eventful one of smoking bonnets, melted tarmac and sweaty public transport, I arrived home to write this in my garden, gently swinging in the hammock with a very, very refreshing and well-earned glass of Txakoli. I first discovered Txakoli (and was quickly taught how to pronounce it) on a trip to the vineyards of the Basque country last Spring where it was just the tonic to a similarly balmy heatwave. Rezabal’s Txakoli has been patient in my fridge ever since the forecast seldom dipped below 20 degrees a few months back, waiting for a day like today. The nose is delicately aromatic with jasmine blossom and lemonbalm but it’s on the palate where it really suits a day like today. Rezabal Txakoli has lemons ‘til the cows come home: it’s fresh and zippy and a little CO2 leftover from fermentation only adds to the exhilaration and at only 10.5%, you don’t feel too bad about a mid-afternoon glass. This is the alcohol version of an ice-cold shower on a day like today. The sheer acidity is a little much at first but you’re really grateful for it once you’ve stopped squirming. I suppose the song pairing I’ve chosen for this Txakoli is a little more about the weather than the wine. Blister in the Sun by the Violent Femmes is a classic summer track but the feel really fits. The quiet middle section reflects the delicate floral aromas and the jarring citric character in synchronicity with the sudden musical return. The two fit well together being light, fun, fresh and ultimately very summery

[corkandchord]

The wine: Edna Valley Pinot Noir, 2015, Central Coast, California

The details: 14.5% abv, cork, around £10

Date of pairing: Friday 11th May 2018

If you’ve stuck with Cork and Chord for a while, you might have noticed I like a big, bold wine. What am I doing drinking Pinot Noir? But a Californian at 14.5% abv could never be described as ‘light’. Edna Valley Vineyard’s nod to its Burgundian brothers holds the classic clove and red fruit nose with just a little more ripeness. It reminds me of balsamic strawberries: a food combination I could never quite gel with but glorious in a whiff of wine. This, married with bramble leaf and the faint hint of earth just after it’s rained in summer leaves you desperate for a taste. However, I found the flavour of the wine a little different to the aroma. The first thing that hit was the alcohol: Noticeable and certainly warming but not overbearing. With silky smooth tannins (expected in any good Pinot) and acidity that would make any baked Camembert sing, it really balances things out.

The flavours are like strawberry jelly with raspberry ripple ice cream which leads me to my music pairing: a, usually fun, light-hearted band with a song that has a little more seriousness to it. It needed to be something fiery with plenty of balls but all the while ethereal. I settled on the Scissor Sisters’ take on Comfortably Numb. From the band that brought you Tits on the Radio and Kiss you Off, their Pink Floyd cover sets a more serious tone, reflected in the mature leafy character combined with the fun, fruity appeal of the wine. If Pink Floyd were a classic Volnay, Edna Valley Pinot Noir is a contemporary twist on the original: not better, nor worse, but refreshingly different and beautiful in its own right.

[corkandchord]

The sun in shining, I'm in a hammock and #everythingspeachy @shindiggerbrewingco @majesticwinesale #sunnyday #fruitynumber (at Liverpool)

[corkandchord]

The wine: Peirano Estate ‘Six Clones’ Merlot, 2014, Lodi The details: 14% abv, cork, around £13 Date of pairing: Wednesday 17th May 2017 It makes me sad when people bypass Merlot, thinking it old-fashioned, bland and too light for those enamoured with the full-bodied, juicy ‘hit round the head with a jar of jam’ type reds. They mustn’t have ever had this Merlot. This sultry number hits all the spots: from its seductive, bright ruby appearance in the glass to its nose of ripe plum and blackberry to the eventual taste sensation of chocolate covered black cherries. It lingers on the palate with enough structure to coat the mouth but drinks softly and ever so elegantly. I was initially thinking of songs to match this wine that were equally as deep, smooth and sensual, maybe an old Motown love song classic but through browsing a ‘suggested for you’ type playlist, I came across a forgotten favourite by an unlikely band for such a silky wine, Queens of the Stone Age. I really love Queens of the Stone Age and, although very uncharacteristic from their usual hard rock vibe, their 2007, Make it Wit Chu is one of my favourites of theirs and is the perfect soundtrack to Peirano Estate’s Merlot. It’s sexy and mellow but has an edgy feel and quintessentially Californian.

[corkandchord]

The wine: Abbotts & Delaunay Mourvedre, 2015, France

The details: 13% abv, screwcap, around £8

Date of pairing: Thursday 6th April 2018

Mourvedre (pseudonyms: Mataro and Monastrell) brings wonderful character to blends, usually: it makes lighter grapes such as Syrah and Grenache dark and brooding and generally gives them oomph. It’s not often you come across it flying solo. But when I have found a 100% Mourvedre wine, I’ve never been disappointed. Abbotts and Delaunay’s single varietal Mourvedre hails (mostly) from the Minervois region of France and it’s a wonderful rare find of a wine. As expected from Mourvedre, it’s pretty intense and hefty but the wonderful ripeness of the fruit smooths it out. Completely opaque in the glass with a good purple hue, you’re anticipating abundant ripe black fruit aromas from it but there’s a decent whack of mocha in there too. The overriding scent that leaps out the glass is where I was hooked: Parma Violets. The childhood favourite sweets theme continues on the palate with black fruit flavours that have gone beyond ripe and jammy and progressed into full-blown wine gum territory. It’s not a simple and sweet wine, by any means: the noticeable tannins raise the versatility level a peg or two.

A music pairing for this wine also needs to be something that reminds me of a sweet shop so I’ve gone with a guilty pleasure of mine: 1960s sickly, adorable teen classic My Boy Lollipop by Millie Small. In my opinion, an underrated song brushed off as a gimmick but a match made in heaven for an underrated wine brushed off as only useful as part of a blend. For further listening, try the Bad Manners rendition, My Girl Lollipop: a whole lot less cute-sy and a much more rough and ready.

[corkandchord]

The wine: Domaine Sainte Rose ‘Le Mistral’ Merlot, 2016, France

The details: 14%abv, screwcap, around £8

Date of pairing: Thursday 15th March 2018

A while ago, I was lucky enough to spend a few days in the superbly beautiful Chateauneuf-du-Pape and, 18 months later, I am still under the spell of the Mistral. The Mistral is a westerly wind that blows strongly and sustained but is said to be the cause of the unseasonable dry and sunny conditions of that wonderful part of the world. Coming across a southern French Merlot named after the Mistral was always going to be a winner for me.

With plum aromas leaping forth, this, from the Domaine Sainte Rose portfolio, is classic Merlot. But then I’m taken to raspberry jam sandwiched in a Victoria Sponge. The flavour brings a new dimension: alongside the ripe black plum is a slightly woody edge with hints of peppery spice, unified by heaps of chocolate. On the next sip, I was reminded of strawberry jelly and chocolate ice cream.

A couple of weeks ago, I was in the presence of the wonderful Paul Weller and, for this time, thought it fitting to match it with a favourite Weller song of mine. The Style Council’s You’re the Best Thing makes a very pleasant accompaniment: ironic considering the jammy nature of the wine... The raspberry jam flavours symbolised by the soothing falsetto and the prominent, driving bass a reflection of the deeply chocolatey theme of Le Mistral. Both wine and song are vibrant and complex but utterly relaxing and easy going simultaneously.

[corkandchord]

The wine: Definition Sancerre, 2015, Loire

The details: 12.5% abv, cork, around £15

Date of pairing: Thursday 8th March 2018

The Definition range is a Majestic Wine own label that sets out to showcase the quintessential examples of the favourite wine styles from around the world and its Sancerre really is a prime example. This is how Sauvignon Blanc should be: grassy and fresh with a delicate elderflower lift with hints of asparagus, underpinned by that smoky gunflint note. While Definition Sancerre is less sharp than I’d expected, it still has a wonderful mouthwatering quality that leaves you thirsty for the next glass. Subtle on the nose but this wine leaves nothing to the imagination on the palate with a steely but powerful feel and a long finish dominated by passionfruit.

On International Women’s Day, I wanted to pair this wine with one of my favourite all-women bands so I’ve gone with the Bangles. Cheesy: yes. Underrated: definitely. In that sense, not so much akin to Sancerre. But what Sancerre and the Bangles have in common to me, is beauty and elegance on the outside but give them a try and they really pack a punch and are seriously good at what they do. Bangles track Be With You matches well with Definition Sancerre. It’s an uncomplicated love song with classic, delicate intricate vocal harmonies and a relentless drum beat. Much like an uncomplicated grape variety manifesting with elaborate flavour development and difficult to ignore.

[corkandchord]

The wine: Chass! RuBor, Castilla y Leon

The details: 13.5% abv, cork, around £14

Date of pairing: Sunday 14th January 2018

When choosing a wine in a shop or from a wine list, the thing I look for is usually something I’ve never heard of before. Not that I’m bored of the usual suspects, I just love the surprise and the discovery. Wandering into a little independent recently, this bottle leapt right out: almost completely plain but for a speech bubble that says “Chass!”. Not normally being one to pick a wine based on the label, the lack of information was what hooked me. I was informed it is a natural wine from Spain from the Chasselas grape, often found in Switzerland with a heavy oxidative character. Sold. Being a natural wine novice, I was taken aback on pouring it: even as an experienced wine drinker, I don’t often come across cloudy wines but the lack of clarification is said to add more character. Even the nasal inspection for faults took a while as the oxidative aromas take some thinking about. Once you’ve got your head around how different the style is, the wine becomes pleasurably complex: Bruised apples, laced with butterscotch on the nose. A few days’ skin contact (a white wine rarity) provides an oily mouthfeel with decent tannin structure. But these, combined with rich baked fruit and roasted almond flavours, are counterbalanced with zesty acidity and a slightly saline aftertaste.

Chass! is not for the faint hearted. An absolute delight for the adventurous consumer, but I can’t see this style replacing Sauvignon Blanc on the shelves. Such a wine requires a fittingly unusual music pairing - a divisive song that may come across brash, unbalanced and even wrong to many but to some, multi-layered, thought-provoking and labyrinthine. I’ve chosen March of the Pigs by Nine Inch Nails; perhaps a divisive choice in itself but it works for me. Frequent changes in pace reflect the wine’s development in the glass and the unusual time signatures an homage to style. It can’t be enjoyed if glugged, it demands your full attention to be enjoyed.

[corkandchord]

The wine: Vignerons des Monts d’Aubune, Vacqueryas, 2015, Côtes-du-Rhône

The details: 14.5% abv, cork, around £10

Date of pairing: Saturday 4th November 2017

While I love to discover new grapes or areas that I’ve never heard of before in wine, most of my wine rack comprises of wines from the Rhône Valley. I’m so into Rhône wines, that I’ve compiled a list of my favourite crus in order of preference (for whites and reds). Vacqueryas is number three on the reds list so I was stoked when I found this beauty, from a great year, at a bargain price. As expected, it’s deep, rich and complex - much the antithesis of its drinker. Initially, it was so intense of youthful character: blueberries and violet but after being open a day or two, the wine has opened up to a silky chocolate-dominant profile. Black forest fruits shine through with the Syrah element of the wine really holding its own. Therefore, as a music pairing to this wine, I wanted to find one of those songs that, on first listen, is fine but, then by the third or fourth listen, you really start to get into it and it becomes your new favourite song. The song I’ve chosen to enjoy this Vacqueyras with is another new song but an old favourite artist: Spent the Day in Bed by Morrissey fits the bill here: on first listen, I was pretty indifferent but after hearing it a few more times, it’s really opened up and grown on me. Much like anything from the Rhône or by Morrissey, I was bound to like it, regardless but I think both require a bit of time and thought and you’ll really start to enjoy them. In conclusion, I would thoroughly recommend spending some time propped against the pillows (perhaps not a full day), switching off the news, and enjoying a glass of Vacqueyras to really unwind.

[corkandchord]

The wine: Troupis Fteri Moschofilero, 2015, Greece

The details: 12.5% abv, cork, around £10

Date of pairing: Thursday 26th October 2017

Greek wines aren’t always that easy to come by in the UK and Moschofilero is a new grape for me so I was excited to try it. I initially got it as an aperitif wine for a party I arranged for my colleagues from our sisters and brothers at Naked Wines and it went down well. With a bottle leftover, I cracked this open with a Chinese takeout this evening. The racy acidity really works well with the rich food and continues to please on its own. I was surprised with the grape being pink-skinned that it was so pale in the glass and skeptical that it might be a little underwhelming. However, you shouldn’t judge a wine by its colour: plenty of intense citrus fruits excite the nose and floral lemon really dominates on the palate with a little honeysuckle to add depth. The wine is beautifully zippy and refreshing without being simply ‘lemon juice’ in style. For this wine, I’ve chosen a pairing that’s a recent song (a rarity for me to love) that, much like the wine is refreshingly modern and both laidback and energetic at the same time. The falsetto vocals in Portugal. The Man’s Feel it Still really reflect the wine’s invigorating character and the intricate and cheeky instrumentation make it a perfect party-starter, much like Fteri.

[corkandchord]

The wine: Leon Perdigal Blanc, 2015, Côtes-du-Rhône

The details: 13.5% abv, cork, around £8

Date of pairing: Monday 29th May 2017

Leon Perdigal Blanc is my house white. Full of flavour and richness and not at all tough on the wallet; sitting golden in the glass, an immediate nose of honey and butter greets you, giving way to crisp lemon. When you sip the wine, its complexity becomes apparent. Tropical fruits, ripe, round stone fruits intermingle with caramel and toast. It coats the mouth with a rich creaminess but a cleansing citrus burst keeps it fresh. Comprising of a blend of five grapes, common to whites of the southern Rhône: Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Roussanne and Viognier bring a beautifully balanced composition of freshness and richness and really make a whole greater than the sum of their parts, complementing each other well. My musical match for Leon Perdigal Blanc is provided by another five piece, each with their own individual talent and style that, when combined, produce music so universally respected. Personal tensions aside, mid-70s to mid-80s Fleetwood Mac really represent well a party of five can feel so harmonious. From 1977’s Rumours, I Don’t Want to Know reflects this white Cȏtes-du-Rhône’s laidback feel while showcasing its multi-layered flavour profile, symbolised by euphonious vocals and clever instrumentation provided by all five members.

[corkandchord]

The wine: Bouvet Rubis Demi-Sec, NV, France

The details: 12.5% abv, sparkling red, around £12

Date of pairing: Sunday 20th August 2017

While sparkling Shiraz from Australia is increasing in popularity, fizzy reds are still quite hard to track down. This sparkling Cabernet Franc from Bouvet is a gem to stumble across. Perhaps it takes a little bit of getting your head around it - it’s a bit sweet, it’s quite tannic, you chill it and it’s red. All of the above oddly works in synchronicity to provide a wonderfully unique palate experience. The nose gives mostly cranberry and sweet spice which follows through on the taste. It’s reminiscent of mulled wine and I do usually reserve this for winter time decadence but sparkling wine is a great refresher and it’s such a miserable August evening, I needed a tannic red too. There’s also a lot of other fruits going on in there on the mid-palate: blueberry, black cherry and raspberry shine through. Residual sugar softens what would be unpleasant dryness in the red, making it a good match for dark chocolate treats but it has good structure and surprising tannin. Chill it down like you would any other sparkling wine and enjoy with the Verve’s Bittersweet Symphony: a title that really reflects the wine and a cracking song!

[corkandchord]

The wine: Domaine Begude “Etoile” Chardonnay, 2015, Limoux

The details: 13%, cork, around £14

Date of pairing: Saturday 6th May 2017

When a customer tries to tell me they don’t like Chardonnay, I tell them they haven’t found their Chardonnay. If you even remotely enjoy white wine, there’s a Chardonnay out there for you. The beauty of this grape is its versatility whereby decisions made by the winemaker and location it was grown produce wildly different resulting wines.

Some of us lucky ones enjoy all manifestations of Chardonnay and this oaked number from Domaine Begude is one of my particular favourites. Fermenting the wine in oak provides the unmistakable buttered toast scent with a fairly intense lemon character too. On tasting the wine, these aromas develop into flavours that remind me of lemon drizzle cake with pineapple and orange blossom. While the wood character is strong, making for a robust, creamy wine, it isn’t overpowering and those citrus flavours really ring through. Overall, the flavour profile reminds me of comforting breakfast food so I need the song to match that feel. Sunrise by Norah Jones obviously fits perfectly with the breakfast theme, as well as the name of the wine: L’Etoile meaning ‘the star’. While I wouldn’t personally advocate drinking wine with breakfast or at sunrise, the song, much like L’Etoile, is bright and sunny but richly textured and multi-layered.

[corkandchord]

The wine: Definition Provence Rosé, 2015

The details: 13% abv, screwcap, around £10

Date of pairing: Thursday 25th May 2017

On an unseasonably warm, sunny afternoon in Spring, there’s nothing better than a glass of perfectly chilled Rosé and your favourite summery chillout soundtrack. Majestic Wine’s Definition range seeks to find the defining examples of the style of wine they represent. This Provence Rosé is quintessentially light, creamy and mouthwatering from its iconic pale salmon hue to the gentle watermelon and candied strawberry nose. Ever so subtle stone fruits dance on the palate with ripe, red berries and lively citrus. A perfect mid-afternoon in the sun kind of drink, to pair, it needs a song to match the gentleness and softness, while remaining easy and straightforward. In the Waiting Line by Zero 7 fits this bill for me. Soft, slow but uplifting with that essential beach vibe. The kind of song you can lay out in the sun with, slowly sipping your refreshingly crisp but subtly delicate Rosé .

[corkandchord]

The wine:  Côtes du Rhône Réserve Rouge 2015 Perrin et Fils

The details: 13.5% abv, screwcap, around £10

Date of pairing: Wednesday 19th July 2017

Famille Perrin are the guys behind great Chateauneuf-du-Pape: Chateau Beaucastel and game-changing Rosé: Miraval but here we have a much more straightforward, relaxing Côtes du Rhône. I’m just a sucker for all things Southern Rhône and this sensible, pleasing, Grenache-heavy number is no different. Not too heavy on the nose with black fruits dominating. When you taste it, the overriding sensation of blackberry jam leaps out with just a hint of ripe raspberry to lift it slightly. No aged character, nothing left-field, just a good, sipping wine. Why should lack of complexity be a bad thing? One of my favourite wines is from Famille Perrin but sometimes you don’t want a thinker, you want a drinker. Besides, it’s got great acidity and good tannic structure so a good food wine. I enjoy it with chargrilled aubergine, of course. I wanted a pairing for different aspects of this wine: a rural, country vibe being a nod to the blackberry jam character, and a more underrated song from a very well-known band. The choice: The Ledge by Fleetwood Mac. Simply an album track from Tusk but a personal favourite of mine, The Ledge is straightforward and unassuming but fast-paced, short and bittersweet.

[corkandchord]

The wine: Kumeu River Pinot Gris, 2014, New Zealand

The details: 13.5% abv, screwcap, around £9

Date of pairing: Wednesday 3rd May 2017

Pinot Gris is the late-harvest, full-flavoured, tropical manifestation of Pinot Grigio. New Zealand tend to produce Pinot Gris with a lot of oomf. Kumeu River is deep and rich with a distinctly nutty character and inherently new-world in style. Creamy and well rounded, it doesn’t lose out on a zingy citrus edge either with standout aromas of blossom and marzipan.  To pair music with this wine, it needs to be complex but unpretentious with a summery feel but a little bit nuts. Something with a holiday-vibe but up-tempo rather than relaxed with a lot going on. I could have picked Justin Timberlake’s Cry Me a River because I’m a sucker for a pun but to suit this, I’ve gone with late 90s, ska-punk Goldfinger. Classic third-wave ska cheeriness and super speedy pace, I love drinking this wine with their 1997 track, Superman. It matches the character of the wine well and raises a sunshine smile.