Le Clos Call

Does your local airport wineshop look like this? I thought not.



Does your local airport wineshop carry Daishichi Houreki and Yoshida? I thought not. Spendy selection, though I must admit to having been mildy tempted by the Tosatsuru… love those dry Kochi sake…



Speaking of spendy, does your local airport wine shop carry a selection of very vintage Musar? I thought not.



And to add insult to injury, does your local airport wine shop carry magnums of Musar? I thought not. This is “Le Clos” in Dubai’s new-ish Terminal 3. Marc (Serge Hochar’s son) had warned me to be on the lookout for this, and here it is. An impressive, high-end selection. If it makes anyone feel any better, Le Clos no longer has the magnum of 2000 Musar Rouge either… <img alt="Le Clos" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3zyT1cH4FsRlJ9dukyZKDva9NtQKNzss3Vlr5FFXm7qR42zs0bcLQXnZWIIHIc72fQUN5HYU_AZnB-CQfF6C4inmxGG-6SJYmeGpv4-D_j3dnKzC6Le_KJSN0v50fF0OXBSWwT-Rtbso/s400/IMGP3812.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;"><br />Does <i>your</i> local airport wineshop look like this? I thought not<span class="fullpost">.<br /><br /><br /><img alt="Sake Selection" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNzDiwpRcdQ62iiaVgwRzxJbnXbgonRrWTCiM96R1Mn7XfbPzsA50vNYdxgfFRObty57_T2N04e70rF_-qT5xIOQFKueuOZ700okZsfSSF5MBTpTuiJuJeeuqxL0cw9No8nBffSS7tGv8/s400/IMGP3816.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;"><br />Does <i>your</i> local airport wineshop carry Daishichi Houreki and Yoshida? I thought not. Spendy selection, though I must admit to having been mildy tempted by the Tosatsuru… love those dry Kochi sake…<br /><br /><br /><img alt="Musar" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmPAiViwkQg4wOJtiGmS4O27fav0gs73R3uYqUQqjJzQ2gOokgnq2BooIhT5Gt603vra4JHGHew14P5CxYJq5Rzir3kjFnXhmvuzKz6lBaMNjlxj2JPnPluBfSsRGS4JiD_hrQVUngCoU/s400/IMGP3815.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;"><br />Speaking of spendy, does <i>your</i> local airport wine shop carry a selection of very vintage Musar? I thought not.<br /><br /><br /><img alt="Magnum" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheVEd0JFU2fkMwFBOgk5M8VFe1SZTAFgA8jJe-6vHQp_78tqkotmJoChNO-miKG4hoWEuRt0KtQGHHduJuiIoeQ_jHQMhP1X6hUVRmYaVmQe8gV1dD2i4L8Aj0VWvipoPz9-EWmVZFkQs/s400/IMGP3817.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;"><br />And to add insult to injury, does <i>your</i> local airport wine shop carry magnums of Musar? I thought not. This is “Le Clos” in Dubai’s new-ish Terminal 3. Marc (Serge Hochar’s son) had warned me to be on the lookout for this, and here it is. An impressive, high-end selection. If it makes anyone feel any better, Le Clos no longer has the magnum of 2000 Musar Rouge either…</span>

Meisousui "Meditation" Junmai Ginjo

Meisousui from Yamawa Shuzoten, from Miyagi Prefecture’s Funagata Mountains. A junmai ginjo, yamada nishiki (32%) and kurohana (68%) milled to 55%, SMV +3, acidity 1.7, amino acidity 1.8, tsukihaze yeast, and 14.8% abv. Apparently, this is also warmed in a dakedaru barrel at some point, to lend richness. Well, it works – soft and smooth, but balanced and refreshing, with pleasant mid-palate starchiness and a faint coconut water flavour. Once again, I must overlook the trite Engrish on the label. Original punctuation and capitalization has been preserved for full effect:

Time went by.
It's time to meditate,
Listen to the voice of universe,
with clear heart." <img alt="Meisousui" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5aX4xF-AuIFuGsMRmcJKs6AxmKu1_6W-AOXwyOSaJKgK8ttP6lF_dRqILEOLbW1fy5XiGspyxFN9ZYBi5xU4nGFNpTbtRaH4mZ_4ixsn2hiUwgMyK3bTDbIP57vG5kME3QQKulz0Vlgw/s400/IMGP3777.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;"><br />Meisousui from Yamawa Shuzoten, from Miyagi Prefecture’s Funagata Mountains. A <i>junmai ginjo</i>, <i>yamada nishiki</i> (32%) and <i>kurohana</i> (68%) milled to 55%, SMV +3, acidity 1.7, amino acidity 1.8, tsukihaze yeast, and 14.8% abv. Apparently, this is also warmed in a <i>dakedaru</i> barrel at some point, to lend richness. Well, it works – soft and smooth, but balanced and refreshing, with pleasant mid-palate starchiness and a faint coconut water flavour. Once again, I must overlook the trite <i>Engrish</i> on the label. Original punctuation and capitalization has been preserved for full effect:<br /><br /> <i>Time went by.<br /> It's time to meditate,<br /> Listen to the voice of universe,<br /> with clear heart</i>."

Bundabeer

Another surprising Chennai find… Bundaberg! But not the rum… can’t think of a greater crime, actually, to drink Bundaberg when in the land of Old Monk (to say nothing of the Infantryman’s friend, He-Mans.) Nope… root beer and ginger beer, both on the cloudy side, neither particularly heavily carbonated, and with plenty of proper flavor. The root beer did come across as just a bit too sweet and syrupy, though that might be due to the climate. The ginger beer though was quite tasty and refreshing, not too sharp or hot at all. <img alt="Bundaberg Root Beer & Ginger Beer" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNPHt7j4ROFvJIXzmmebXlvEMfA-fhcY7qYchXbyICEDNAQlSSWYJdKlpl64SSa0wJNwI44xF1Kxxn6-s7HZOcgw0-R3D_gqL_ALqZ1-yhI3lZYYkfVuVncg2nYaeYN-N4NDbAnPdwBU/s400/IMGP4058.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;"><br />Another surprising Chennai find… Bundaberg! But not the rum… can’t think of a greater crime, actually, to drink <a href="”" http:="">Bundaberg</a> when in the land of <a href="”http://www.jumanaidjimidjango.com/2009/12/old-monk-very-old-vatted-rum.html”" target="”_blank">Old Monk</a> (to say nothing of the Infantryman’s friend, <a href="”http://www.jumanaidjimidjango.com/2007/04/nigros-he-mans-xxx-indian-army-rum.html”" target="”_blank”">He-Mans</a>.) Nope… root beer and ginger beer, both on the cloudy side, neither particularly heavily carbonated, and with plenty of proper flavor. The root beer did come across as just a bit too sweet and syrupy, though that might be due to the climate. The ginger beer though was quite tasty and refreshing, not too sharp or hot at all.

Ottakringer

I was very surprised to see a can of Austria’s Ottakringer beer here in Chennai, but there you are. But, this is actually the alcohol-free beer, which, well, I’ve never had. It did taste like beer, I can say, though there was a heavy corn/ corn-syrup flavor that made it a bit heavy and sweet. I suppose it wouldn’t be terrible as a shandy, and since I’ve got another can (2 for 1 offer), I will give that a go. <img alt="Ottakringer" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUCPpAKzd0cht2kV50iSEQafdnp1p4uT2OzLh7N8Z3mpl8VfMOM2F1oXg81F-O5MzG6sVD9uPdaYFTQS6NyKt1dxjd2ybKTI5-KeQC0vfFHrsZScs2LcWxhRbesjjB_r6Lz_jbay3vgu0/s400/IMGP4072.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;"><br />I was very surprised to see a can of Austria’s <a href="http://www.ottakringer.at/" target="_blank">Ottakringer</a> beer here in Chennai, but there you are. But, this is actually the alcohol-free beer, which, well, I’ve never had. It did taste like beer, I can say, though there was a heavy corn/ corn-syrup flavor that made it a bit heavy and sweet. I suppose it wouldn’t be terrible as a shandy, and since I’ve got another can (2 for 1 offer), I will give that a go.

Singing GV's Praises

2008 Laurenz V Singing Grüner Veltliner (12% abv). From Niederösterreich, looks to be from Vienna to be specific – I’ve only tried this label one other time, at the Hong Kong Vienna Ball in 2008, and I recall that Grüner having been atypically soft. This Wienerwalder though is pretty classically formed, light, crisp, apple and stone, good acidity. Very pleasant. And served in a 187ml bottle, which I thought pretty cool. I wonder if it is only packaged this way for the airlines (this was served as such on Emirates) <img alt="Laurenz V" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLzjD7mf-247dEvAGqrkFPSA1X5-loAHujZ2E1kxevTI6OPfwKObYFhs6kwlIut_Vf85r2HDQv3JoHuyS4CU3M-Fq9q3pH-9sy7Amvw7nNs_APuA18NZplY2YLFIIgznF7-HgxtCHbxo/s400/IMGP4156.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;"><br /><b>2008 Laurenz V Singing Grüner Veltliner</b> (12% abv). From Niederösterreich, looks to be from Vienna to be specific – I’ve only tried this label one other time, at the <a href="http://www.jumanaidjimidjango.com/2008/09/hong-kong-vienna-opera-ball.html" target="_blank">Hong Kong Vienna Ball in 2008</a>, and I recall that Grüner having been atypically soft. This Wienerwalder though is pretty classically formed, light, crisp, apple and stone, good acidity. Very pleasant. And served in a 187ml bottle, which I thought pretty cool. I wonder if it is only packaged this way for the airlines (this was served as such on Emirates)

Taco Bell

If you can't bring Indians to the Taco Bell, you must bring the Taco Bell to the Indians. Billboard outside the Bengaluru airport. <img alt="Taco Bell" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgitC-rysQ5X50j1rE2V7U5UOJQXVg8n-FuCDQ-WF4K5QrC1u_NF32d67G9HmwcbiKaApf951At9ShpYd2LmWcj1rWKDYJpzh1wKQHRAKyTiv2VRzvkxonALjbHIJl38HnbqNeY3pRXDWU/s400/IMGP3873.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;"><br />If you can't bring Indians to the Taco Bell, you must bring the Taco Bell to the Indians. Billboard outside the Bengaluru airport.

After Eight

If any wine rule should be unassailable, it is “be wary of wine in plastic bottles.” Especially ones shaped like grenades or artillery pieces. “After Eight”, produced by South Goa Distilleries in Guirdolim, Chandor, Salcete, Goa in November of 2009 (batch 19). The pictures on the label suggest that this “Premium Vinho Tinto” is made from grapes, to the strength of 14% abv, and retails for the heady sum of 180 Rupees. US $4.50. Seems to me rather steep, anyways, considering that decent wine can be had for similar prices, in more, er, reputable, wine regions.

What can I say about this beverage? It’s sweet, it’s alcoholic, it smells vaguely of cough syrup, and tastes (charitably) like watered down port (spiked with cough syrup.) I hesitate to say it’s simply an imperfect or even bad wine, as I’m not entirely convinced that it’s wine in the first place. I sense a hangover coming on shortly. <img alt="After Eight" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhBUFiSB7z7d7yGRDB0nb1PI92H1OKSsjYPDSxHXhI3lgF57aFT4Sh4Wj0ZzlUWwFmuf9hSzYuzKNmKXXzI6hSgpeiE48zV9p9IG8X2p2_mQ9Jwd5k6KG7eTnUAq-E9asx9qWxmDSThWE/s400/IMGP3860.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;"><br />If any wine rule should be unassailable, it is “<i>be wary of wine in plastic bottles</i>.” Especially ones shaped like grenades or artillery pieces. “After Eight”, produced by South Goa <i>Distilleries</i> in Guirdolim, Chandor, Salcete, Goa in November of 2009 (batch 19). The pictures on the label suggest that this “Premium Vinho Tinto” is made from grapes, to the strength of 14% abv, and retails for the heady sum of 180 Rupees. US $4.50. Seems to me rather steep, anyways, considering that decent wine can be had for similar prices, in more, er, reputable, wine regions.<br /><br />What can I say about this beverage? It’s sweet, it’s alcoholic, it smells vaguely of cough syrup, and tastes (charitably) like watered down port (spiked with cough syrup.) I hesitate to say it’s simply an <i>imperfect</i> or even bad wine, as I’m not entirely convinced that it’s wine in the first place. I sense a hangover coming on shortly.

On Games

Pre-match write-up in The Hindu for the fifth game of the World Chess Championship match currently being held between Viswanathan Anand and Vaselin Topalov in Sofia, Bulgaria:

“Topalov will have white in Game 5 and it is interesting if the Bulgarian would stick to the Queen-pawn opening. He plays both the King-pawn and Queen-pawn openings with felicity and perhaps it is time for him to switch to 1.e4 and invite Anand for a debate in Najdorf, the most decisive line in the games played between the two in Sicilian Defence. Yet, Anand has the option to sidestep and cool his heels under Caro-Kann, Ruy Lopez, Petroff or French if he is not inclined to adopt the Sicilian.“

Maybe I’m not moving in the right circles (perhaps moving in circles is my problem), but I don’t know many people who would understand a line of this. In a chess magazine, such reporting might be unremarkable, but as a lead article in the sports section of the national daily?? Sports? Pre-match write-up in The Hindu for the fifth game of the World Chess Championship match currently being held between Viswanathan Anand and Vaselin Topalov in Sofia, Bulgaria:<br /><br />“<i>Topalov will have white in Game 5 and it is interesting if the Bulgarian would stick to the Queen-pawn opening. He plays both the King-pawn and Queen-pawn openings with felicity and perhaps it is time for him to switch to 1.e4 and invite Anand for a debate in Najdorf, the most decisive line in the games played between the two in Sicilian Defence. Yet, Anand has the option to sidestep and cool his heels under Caro-Kann, Ruy Lopez, Petroff or French if he is not inclined to adopt the Sicilian</i>.“<br /><br />Maybe I’m not moving in the right circles (perhaps moving in circles is my problem), but I don’t know many people who would understand a line of this. In a chess magazine, such reporting might be unremarkable, but as a lead article in the sports section of the national daily?? Sports?