BILLY’S ONLINE WINE SCHOOL for 2010 JOIN THE PARTY!
Drink selected wines every week, for a full year. All in the comfort of your own pad.
Welcome to my new Wine School. Drinking your way through my 2010 Billy’s Best Book – a bottle (or two) at a time. Just follow the instructions and you’ll be a wine wizard by Easter.
How it works:
1. Every week Billy will declare a ‘mood appropriate’ situation and recommend one of two wine picks. You can buy both or one. Most weeks the wine(s) won’t cost more than $30 total.
2. Drink the wine(s) alone or with friends, and report back to us – tell us how it went.
3. We’re giving away monthly prizes for the best stories.
4. Wines and context will be posted every WEDNESDAY.
Week #1
Lesson: Begin at the centre
A good way to explore any subject is to look for the centre, or a cornerstone. A reference point. Many years ago the south of France developed a style of red wine that is ideal for everyday drinking – refreshing, earthy and nourishing. And affordable. The wine equivalent of home cooked food. Real and satisfying. Just about all of the world’s reds are ‘richer’ or ‘lighter’ editions of Côtes du Rhône. Know it, and you’ll know how to play all the other wines.
BEST USE: House wine. Works great with almost any food.
BUY: Louis Bernard 08 Cotes du Rhone, France 581645 $11.80 ($10.80 till Jan end.) Pages #198/199
P.S. It was the 2007 vintage that I reviewed for the book. The 08 is less rich and would fall in my Rustic section.
