Site Meter Wine Outlook » Blog Archive » Wine Blogging Wednesday 33 (Almost)

Wine Blogging Wednesday 33 (Almost)

by

Chapelle du Bois Syrah Wine Blogging Wednesday got away from me this time. When picking up a bottle of wine after a long day of work, I knew there was more to it than just grabbing something from Languedoc-Roussillon but could not remember the specifics. Hopefully, Doktor Weingolb won’t be too hard on me because Trader Joe’s didn’t have any choices over $5. (That, and I usually adhere to the WBW rules very well….) Apparently, this southern region of France is known for producing wines of great value, with the $15-30 category representing the ideal range. It seems that many vineyards are passed down through families, and the wine-making techniques are simple and inexpensive. For example: using concrete containers instead of new oak barrels and bottling off-site.

Trader Joe's BBQ chicken pizzaThe bottle that followed me home this time was 2005 Chapelle du Bois Syrah. Syrah comes in as the third most-planted grape, after Carignan and Grenache. Though the Languedoc produces the most Vin de Table, this particular wine is Vin de Pays. However, this also seems to be the region most likely to have the AC qualifications ignored in favor of making good wine without the fuss. This particular wine had notes of bell pepper and cherry on the nose. The palate was fairly hot initially, though the heat quickly subsided. It very fruity, with cherry and currant, and what I first attributed to dirt turned out to be more like gravel. I enjoyed it, especially for that price, but the wine did not go well with my BBQ chicken pizza. Perhaps the big, spicy California Syrahs I’m used to clouded my pairing abilities. But I can’t hold that against this one.

….Farley Walker

, ,

Did You Enjoy this Post? Subscribe to Wine Outlook. It's Free!

7 Responses to “Wine Blogging Wednesday 33 (Almost)”

  1. The Wine Makers Wife Says:

    Oh I am so glad Ryan doesn’t use concrete basins to make his wine in, sheesh! How’s the computer issue? All worked out? Did you get my phone message?

  2. Joe Says:

    Yep - I think a chicken pizza would be a tough pairing for this wine - I would go for lamb, game, or a stew. Cheers!

  3. Marcus Says:

    I won’t be too hard on you Farley. This was actually a nice summation. I think it shows that you got the real gist of WBW 33, even if you went dirt dirt cheap!

    Hope you continue to make discoveries and interesting pairings with Languedoc wines — personally when I think barbecue, I think Syrah!

  4. Marcus Says:

    Here’s a related post re: Languedoc Syrah and BBQ food Saint-Chinian and grilled chicken.

    But Joe’s ideas sound good too.

  5. farley Says:

    Joe, I agree. Once I tasted the wine, I knew it wouldn’t be a good pairing. But the pizza was ready and I was hungry.

    Marcus, Bless you! Thanks for the theme, the kind words, and the link.

  6. Joe Says:

    Hey, don’t get me wrong - happy to do Syrah with pizza! However, my go to is a Nipozzano Chianti or a Vitiano, Ramitello or cheap Chilean Cab. Linked you up, cheers!

  7. Farley Says:

    Joe, It’s the BBQ sauce on this pizza that makes me usually choose Syrah or Zin. Your choices sound great for red sauce.

Leave a Reply


About Wine Outlook

This site is your go-to for answers about wine, courtesy of someone in the business. Firsthand knowledge and hours of research logged each week provide informed and impassioned suggestions for what wine to serve with meals (sometimes with recipes), places to go for education or fun, and what to buy or not buy. Wine Outlook is where you go when you’ve had too much to drink or not enough.

Wine Outlook Author(s)

Blogging Flair

Add to Technorati Favorites Top Food & Drink blogs Food & Drink Blogs - Blog Top Sites As Seen on Delightfulblogs.com

Food, Cooking & Wine Channel Posts

  • Pancakes - or not
    Tomorrow is Shrove Tuesday. I know this because very year around this time I try to persuade friends to collect me throws from Mardi Gras parades. Some years I succeed, this year I didn't. I [...]
  • Great dinners: Stress relief through cooking
    [caption id="attachment_493" align="alignnone" width="1024" caption="Abstraction: Ability to move beyond photo by Mary MacIntyre"][/caption] At this time of night, I ought to geeting ready for my [...]
  • Sunday Evening Cookie Making
    • Shortbread Cookies Makes: 2 dozen 1-1/2 cup butter, softened 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 6 egg yolks 2 tsp. vanilla extract 4 cups all-purpose flour In a large bowl, cream [...]
  • 2 Women Changing their local garden community
    [caption id="attachment_489" align="alignnone" width="1024" caption="Congratulations:Garden more!"][/caption] This a fantastic way to start farms across the nation! In our own backyards! [...]
  • Food we eat:Dr. Vandana Shiva - Part 1
    [caption id="attachment_486" align="alignnone" width="1024" caption="Real food for all species"][/caption] "Half the people in the world don't get the nutrition they need" paraphrased from Dr [...]
  • What's for Dinner Tonight?
    • Turkey, Black Bean and Corn Salad Wraps Serves: 4 Shred some cooked turkey and mix with 1 cup of corn, 1 cup of black beans and 3 cups shredded romaine lettuce. Mix that with 1 cup salsa [...]
  • Ways to a Healthier Heart
    February is heart health month and the best way to get your heart healthy is to practice a few heart health exercises and to adopt a strategy to keep your heart at it's best. Here is some ways right [...]
  • We met the chef
    I'm still a hothouse of minor ailments, but I really want to give you a banquet update because there's so much news. There are a hundred recipes being tested over the next ten days. I need to [...]
  • Have you had a Fig Lately?
    Did you know that many people when they go to purchase fruits, don't consider buying figs as a part of their fruit bowl, and you maybe one of those people. There are 150 Varieties of figs the [...]
  • Time out with the letter 'p'
    Today you have a miserable excuse for a post. I came down with something last night and today I still have that something, plus I had proofs to look at. Working through illness is seldom wise, so [...]

Hot Off The Press


Warning: Unknown: write failed: No space left on device (28) in Unknown on line 0

Warning: Unknown: Failed to write session data (files). Please verify that the current setting of session.save_path is correct () in Unknown on line 0