Domaine de Fenouillet Vin de Pays de Vaucluse 2009

Hello Wine Lovers!
It's here, the largest spectacle in the world... The Super Bowl! So get in the kitchen and make yourself really good food, get your favorite beverage chilled, get ready, and go watch it! Make it an event! And why not! Too many of us don't take the time to really enjoy life, take the time to smell things, touch things, enjoy what this great big beautiful world has to offer, and most of all, take the time to really taste things. Food and wine most notably!
I went to dinner last night with my lovely Bride, and as I put the first bite of a lamb croquette in my mouth, it hit me... most people don't really TASTE. The first bite made my knees weak, I mean this little morsel that the Chef and his crew made was amazing! I like to eat food that excites me, makes me yearn for more, makes me damn glad I am alive! As the dinner progressed, I became more and more enthralled by the whole experience, I mean this was really good food prepared with really fresh ingredients and the most important ingredient... love! The Chef and his crew love what they do! So, that leads me to my entry today. Let's cover the win first,Domaine de Fenouillet Vin de Pays de Vaucluse 2009. Imported by Neal Rosenthal, Domaine de
Fenouillet is an astounding producer. This wine is their entry level Vin de Pays.
It's a blend of Grenache and Syrah with a touch of Mourvedre. Well balanced with a rich texture and a modest 13% alcohol. The flavors are classic southern Rhone;
smoky with dried herbs, bright fresh red fruit, hints of pepper and a nice finish. Much more character than you'll normally find for a $10 wine! This wine is available at the Wine Discount Center and I would hurry up and get it before it sells out!
Now let's talk about taste, more particularly, how we taste. The tongue is covered with small bumps, or "taste buds", that are grouped together in areas with different functions. These taste buds react to simple tastes and pass messages on to the brain.
Taste buds on the tip of the tongue detect sweet tastes, and those at the back of the tongue detect bitter tastes, the side of the tongue measure sour and salty tastes. The tastes of any food or wine is a combination of these four basic tastes.
It is the brain which processes the information and tells us what is actually in our mouths. We each have approximately 10,000 taste buds on our tongues. Hot foods tend to taste better because the heat causes more of the pleasant smells to rise into the nose, as the aroma of a glass of wine. These abundant smells contribute to the total taste of what is in your mouth. Now, just as important to taste as the taste buds, is your ability to slow down and move the food/wine/whatever, around your mouth. Close your eyes and REALLY taste. Start with your eyes, look at the colors, the shapes, the size, then smell, take a bite or drink, move it around your mouth, chew slowly, and swallow slowly. Allow your senses to pay attention to texture and flavors, relax and savour the moment. Don't eat / drink out of necessity, eat / drink for the experience!

Cheers!
J