SB Nation User Blog: Kirsten

Les Vins du Tour

Kirsten — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:16:32 -0000

Ok, so this is limited to the French wines of Le Tour, because I own French Wine for Dummies by Ed McCarthy and Mary Ewing-Mulligan, but nothing on Spanish or Swiss wines. I hope some PdCers can help fill in, otherwise there will be some seriously thirsty gaps . . .

Forgive my lack of accents. I'm not keystroke literate.

Stage 1 (Sat, Jul 4): Monaco to Monaco

Monaco is not in France. Next.

Stage 2 (Sun, Jul 5): Monaco to Brignoles

Cotes de Provence. You'll want a rose.

Stage 3 (Mon, Jul 6): Marseilles to La Grande Motte

I do thank the organizers for this jaunt along the south coast: Cotes de Provence, Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence, Les Baux de Provence, Cassis, Palette, Clairette de Bellegarde, Costieres de Nimes. I bought a Costieres de Nimes rose a couple of years ago that was startlingly dry. At the first sip, I was disappointed that I wasn't going to like it. By the third sip, it was my favorite wine. Sooo good with cheese and even held its own against sharp cheddar. I will NEVER cease to rue that I forgot to write down its name.

Stage 4 (Tue, Jul 7): Montpellier to Montpellier

Choices for today: Pic Saint-Loup (robust red) or the sweet Muscat de Mireval.

Stage 5 (Wed, Jul 8): Le Cap D'Agde to Perpignan

Ooh la la ! Picpoul de Pinet, St. Chinian, Corbieres, Fitou, Minervois, Muscat de St-Jean-de-Minervois, Cotes du Roussillon, Cotes du Rousillon Villages, Banyuls, Collioure, Maury, Rivesaultes, Muscat de Rivesaltes.

Stage 6 (Thu, Jul 9): Gerone to Barcelone

no hablo espanol

Stage 7 (Fri, Jul 10): Barcelone to Andorre Arcalis

Je voudrais du vin, si'l vous plait.

Stage 8 (Sat, Jul 11): Andorre-La Vielle to Saint Girons

There is wine in the Pyrenees (though I've never come across any of them in my favorite store in CA), but not here.

Stage 9 (Sun, Jul 12): Saint-Gaudens to Tarbes

Nope. Not here either.

Stage 10 (Tue, Jul 14): Limoges to Issoudun

Parcours comes close enough to Quincy or Reuilly to count.

Stage 11 (Wed, Jul 15): Vatan to Saint-Fargian

Today they actually go through Quincy and Reuilly. Also, through or near Menetou-Salon, Coteaux du Giennois, and Pouilly-sur-Loire. But you'll most likely find a Sancerre or Pouilly-Fume. Sauvignon Blanc done to perfection!

Stage 12 (Thu, Jul 16): Tonnerre to Vittel

You could go with Champagne from the Aube or with Chablis. I love Chablis from Chablis. Minerally white that thankfully bears no resemblance to the crap that can be bought in large jugs in CA. The first time I drank it was for the stage to Compiegne in 2007 when Tony popped off the front of the peloton in the last k to outsprint the pack to his second stage win. And he was on my TdF VDS team! I love Chablis.

Stage 13 (Fri, Jul 17): Vittel to Colmar

The heart of Alsace: Riesling, Gewurtztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Tokay Pinot Gris, Sylvaner, Cremant d'Alsace

Stage 14 (Sat, Jul 18): Colmar to Besancon

Finish your bottle from yesterday.

Stage 15 (Sun, Jul 19): Pontarlier to Verbier

Like Maggie, I have difficulty translating Swiss accents.

Stage 16 (Tue, Jul 21): Martigny to Bourg-Saint-Maurice

Dunno.

Stage 17 (Wed, Jul 22): Bourg-Saint-Maurice to Le Grand Bornand

The Alps may be good for cycling, but they are not so good for wine.

Stage 18 (Thu, Jul 18): Annecy to Annecy

Annecy, ah, non.

Stage 19 (Fri, Jul 24): Bourgoin-Jallieu to Aubenas

The Rhone! Beautiful reds at much better prices than Burgundies: Crozes-Hermitage, Hermitage, Saint Joseph, Cornas (the first 3 also make whites). Also, Saint-Peray or Clairette de Die if you like sparkling wines.

Stage 20 (Sat, Jul 25): Montelimar to Mont Ventoux

You could go with Coteaux du Tricastin, Cotes de Vivarais, or Cotes du Rhone Villages, but there is only one wine for today - Cotes du Ventoux!

Stage 21 (Sun, Jul 26): Montereau-Fault-Yonne to Paris

No wine regions, but no matter. Champagne is the vin du jour. Try to find a blanc de noirs - they are extra yellow.

Salut!

Wines of the Giro

Kirsten — Fri, 08 May 2009 04:16:23 -0000

A couple of years ago, after trying to learn something about Italian wine but finding it extremely boring to read about wine regions I've never heard of (I'm geographically challenged), I discovered the perfect solution. I studied the Giro parcours, read up on what wine regions the route traveled through, and bought something from those regions to drink while watching each stage.

Here's what to drink for each stage!

Stage 1 - Lido di Venezia - Sat, May 9

Venezia is all about Pinot Grigio. Nearby wine zones are Piave and Lison-Pramaggiore, both of which come in Pinot Grigio plus lots of other varietals. I didn't find either of those at my local grocery store, but did find Pinot Grigio della Venezie. I chose the Candoni, because their bottle is decorated with one of my favorite Etruscan frescoes. It even comes with directions for turning the bottle into an "Italian Lamp." Don't think so.

On the flip: 20 stages to go!

Disclaimer: I don't know much about wine, can't describe it better than "nice" or "too much oak," don't pay more than about 20 bucks (when I'm splurging) for a bottle, and only use one source of info: Italian Wine for Dummies by Mary Ewing-Mulligan and Ed McCarthy.

Stage 2 - Jesolo to Trieste - Sun, May 10

Piave and Lison-Pramaggiore are still choices for this stage. You could also look for wines from Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The stage apparently misses the best wines in the region (Collio and Collio Gorziano), but hits Isonzo, Carso, Friuli Aquilea, Friuli Latisana, and Friuli Annia.

Stage 3 - Grado to Valdobbiadene - Mon, May 11

The stage criss-crosses from Friuli back to Veneto, so you can finish off your Piave or Friuli Aquileia from the previous days. Also look for Grave del Friuli or Colli di Conegliano. I'm going to try to find the sparkling Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene.

Stage 4 - Padova to San Martino di Castrozza - Tues, May 12

More Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiane or Colli di Conegliano. Also, Montello e Colli Asolani, Colli Berici, Colli Euganei, or Breganze.

Stage 5 - San Martino di Castrozza o Alpe di Siusi - Wed, May 13

We finally leave Veneto behind and head into Alto-Adige. Look for Lago di Caldero (also known as Kalterer or Kaltersee in this German-speaking region), Colli di Bolzano (Bozner Leiten), and Santa Maddalener (St. Magdalener). These are all primarily made from the Schiava (Vernatsch) grape, which produces light-bodied reds.

Stage 6 - Bressanone (Brixen) to Mayrhofen - Thur, May 14

Still in Alto-Adige. Look for Valle Isarco.

Stage 7 - Innsbruck to Chiavenna - Fri, May 15

We come into Lombardy in this stage. The nearest wine zones are Valtellina and Sfursat where the vines grow at 2500 ft!

Stage 8 - Morbegno to Bergamo - Sat, May 16

Valtellina and Sfursat again or look for a Bergamo Valcalepio.

Stage 9 - Milano - Sun, May 17

There's just none. Finish up all your bottles from the previous stages.

Stage 10 - Cuneo to Pinerolo - Tues, May 19

Into Piedmont and a day for reds - Colline Saluzzesi, Pinerolese, or Valsusa.

Stage 11 - Torino to Arezano - Wed, May 20

Kiss your liver goodbye: Asti Spumante, Moscato d'Asti, Barbera d'Asti, Dolcetto d'Asti, Dolcetto d'Acqui, Dolcetto di Ovada, Freisa d'Asti, Freisa di Chieri, Grignolino d'Asti, Monferrato Bianco, Monferrato Rosso, Barbera del Monferatto, Gavi, or Brachetto d'Acqui.

Stage 12 - Sestri Levante to Riomaggiore - Thur, May 21

Ostensibly, you could find Cinqueterre, Golfo del Tigullio, or Colli di Luni, but I think all the tourists to the Ligurian Riviera drink it all before it can leave Italy.

Stage 13 - Lido di Camaiore to Firenza - Fri, May 22

You could look for Candia dei Colli Apuani, Colline di Lucchesi, Montecarlo, Bianco dell'Emploese, Carmignano, Barco Reale di Carmignano, or Colli dell'Etruria Centrale, but this is Tuscany - just buy a Chianti Classico!

Stage 14 - Campi Bisenzio to Bologna - Sat, May 23

Finish off your Chianti, celebrate the finish with a Colli Bolognese, or just go for the wine of Emilia - Lambrusco, especially Lambrusco Grasparessa di Castelvetro, the Lambrusco zone nearest to the course.

Stage 15 - Forli to Faenza - Sun, May 24

Lots of wine along the route in Romagna: Albana di Romagna, Sangiovesi di Romagna, Trebbiano di Romagna, Cognina di Romagna, Pagadebit di Romagna, Bosco Eliceo, Colli di Rimini, Colli di Imala, Colli di Faenza.

Stage 16 - Pergola to Monte Petrano - Mon, May 25

Into the Marches today. Look for Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, Colli Pesaresi, Bianchello del Metauro.

Stage 17 - Chieti to Blockhaus - Wed, May 27

Yay! A wine you can be sure to find - Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. Or, if you like white, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo.

Stage 18 - Sulmona to Benevento - Thur, May 28

More of the Abruzzo wines, or look for Pentro, a wine of Molise, or Solopaca from Campagnia.

Stage 19 - Avellino to Vesuvio - Fri, May 29

Can't wait for this stage and the choices in wines just add to the excitement. Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio is top of my list, but there is also Fiano di Avellino, Taurasi, Greco di Tufa, Costa d'Amalfi, and Peninsola Sorrentino. Maybe I'll buy one of each and watch the stage 6 times!

Stage 20 - Napoli to Anagni - Sat, May 30

You could choose more wines from Campagnia - Gallucio, Falerno del Massico, Campi Flegrei, or Aspirinio di Aversa - or start in on some from Lazio - Atina, Genazzano, Cesanese di Piglio, or Cori.

Stage 21 - Roma - Sun, May 31

Better buy lots. Gotta drown the sorrow of the end of the Giro. Frascati, Marino, Colli Albani, Castelli Romani, Montecompatri Colonna, Colli Lanuvini, Zagarolo, Velletri, or Genazzano.

Salute!

Advice to New Racer?

Kirsten — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 01:12:51 -0000

My daughter, a frosh, is in her first year on her high school mountain biking team and feeling kind of daunted.

She says practices are exhausting and she's always the slowest. She's wondering when she's going to start having fun. The team is friendly, not overly competitive, and has a lot of girls, so I don't think those are problems. Is the first season just really hard? Anybody have a similar experience?