Home > Blogs > Uncorked > Archives > 2005 > December > 14 > Entry
Of Wine, Football and ‘66 First-Growth Bordeaux: Why I May Learn to Love the Cleveland Browns
Okay, so maybe it IS a little unusual to mix NFL football with well-aged Bordeaux. But that sure don’t make it wrong.
I had just returned from a friend’s “Old Bordeaux and Browns” party when I linked to my blogging colleague Tom Wark’s Fermentation site and read the following excerpt:
I can say with a certain amount of confidence that among many men, wine is viewed as a “girls drink”; a drink that makes a man seem either weaker of more feminine. … I still know people who, when in a group of other like-minded “guys” watching football or barbecuing would never pick up a glass of wine..
Well, I can testify there were NO such misgivings at THIS particular gathering of rabid Browns fans (I was — ahem — rooting for the Bengals.) In fact, the host shared a great story of attending the previous week’s game in Cleveland and about how, in a vast ocean of beer-swilling Browns fans tailgating outside the stadium, a lone wine enthusiast discovered their wine-themed tailgate and nearly wept with joy. He was so excited he …
… ran back to his car to grab some decent stemware and abandoned his buddies to join his fellow wine aficionados.
But I digress.
Here are some tasting notes on the wines that we manly men (and a couple of womanly women) swirled, sniffed and slurped as we watched the division-leading Bengals eke out a last-second victory over the Browns:
1966 Ch. Mouton-Rothschild: Still very much alive and kicking, with a graphite-and-mineral-laden nose accented with cassis. Fruit carries over into the flavors, and the wine is smooth and well-balanced. Medium-length finish. Thoroughly enjoyable.
1966 Ch. Latour: Nose is muted, featuring iodine with a faint hint of fruit. This wine tasted better than the nose would suggest. Broad, fruity flavors that are smooth and velvety in the mouth. Finishes a bit thin.
1966 Chateau Lafite-Rothschild: Nose was musty, with dried leaves and mushrooms and a hint of cigar box. Flavors were thin and washed out, with a short finish.
1975 Lafite-Rothschild: Toasty, cassis-laden nose. Broad, deep, complex flavors of fruit, cedar and spice. Still plenty of fruit in this 30-year-old wine, and it’s likely at or approaching its peak.
1967 Ch. Calon-Segur: Aromas of mushrooms and forest floor, with fruit and a hint of oxidation. The palate boasts a core of fruit mingling with earthy flavors. Solid, pleasant finish.
1966 Ch. Fourcas Hosten: Nose is muted, with some iodine and toasty aromas. Fruit is fading but not gone.
1971 Ch. Figeac (St. Emilion): The most perplexing wine of the day. Quite tasty but very un-Bordeaux-like. Raisiny aromas dominate the nose; flavors are sweet, very ripe and harmonius, though bordering on raisiny. One taster summed it up as, “If red wine could be a Sauternes, this would be it.”
The wine enthusiast who contributed the ‘66 first growths said these were the last of their kind in his cellar. “I don’t think they’re at their peak,” he said.
Still, a fascinating experience, unlike any I’d had before. No one was complaining — at least, not until Shayne Graham hit the winning field goal for the Bengals. At that point, I poured Champagne.
And THAT’S how real men watch a Browns game.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
TweetGo to my facebook page and click Like to comment.
Comments
By nogg-o
December 20, 2005 10:37 AM | Link to this
Suckled from the teat of Dyonisus he did, with a truffle in one hand and a Grand Cru in the other. If you prick him, does he not bleed Aligote?
By Lloyd
December 15, 2005 9:49 PM | Link to this
Man, do you need work. One final lesson – you use the word “nail” when you get lucky, “kick” is for a football! As for being a gorgeous, savvy lady – since when does drinking Boone’s Farm make you a gorgeous, savvy lady? Mirrors do lie when you’re drinking ya know. I’d rather have a gorgeous woman who drinks beer. By the way, how did you become a wine expert? Do you hail from France or something – what’s your story? I’m curious since I really do get a kick out of your blog.
By Bob
December 15, 2005 4:52 PM | Link to this
I’m happy to see someone else point out the fortunate calls the the Bengals needed to receive to get into a position to ‘nail’ the final victory. If it wasn’t for the poor call on the inbounds catch on the previous Browns drive they would have been kicking for a tie at best. :) All that said… even a painful loss is more tolerable with good wines and gorgeous women. Raiders this Sunday. I hope we have Tom’s friend crying in his Coche Dury. White wine with football no less.
By nogg-o
December 15, 2005 12:05 PM | Link to this
About ten years ago while sitting in the Dog Pound at old Municipal Stadium I witnessed a fascinating sight. A ziplock freezer bag full of viscous, yellow fluid was being passed amongst the rows while the crowd chanted “Drink that pi, drink that pi.” At which point the person holding the bag would invariably do so. I can only hope that it was goldschlager and a little FD&C no. 5. Glad to see how far we have come. By the way, you are welcome for the illegal contact call on 3rd and 10.
By cathy
December 14, 2005 11:37 PM | Link to this
Lloyd is obviously jealous. Not just of the wine with the football, but the fact that there were gorgeous, wine-savvy women in attendance too. :)
By Tom Wark
December 14, 2005 11:06 PM | Link to this
That is indeed how real men watch football. As it turns out, I have a winery owner friend who has season tickets to the Raiders. He regularly sneaks in his Coche Dury. Good Footballin!!
By Mark
December 14, 2005 9:29 PM | Link to this
Lloyd: Let me put it in a different way: He “nailed” the game-winning field goal. Is that manly enough for you? Tulip
By lloyd
December 14, 2005 5:09 PM | Link to this
First of all, a real man knows you “kick” a field goal, not “hit” it. Second of all, that proves real men (and women) drink beer with football. Shows what a tulip you are!