I am not sure if I have mentioned it here before, but I am a Certified Spinning Instructor and I have taught Spinning for at least the last 15 years.  For the last eight years or so, I have taught a 45 minute class every Wednesday morning and Thursday evening at the gym right down the street.  Several years ago, I approached the owner of the gym and offered up my services as an alcoholic a wine aficionado if he ever wanted to have a wine tasting event at the gym.  Somewhat surprisingly, he agreed, but suggested that we conduct them following a Spinning class.  While I had envisioned a exercise free kind of event–nothing says ‘wine tasting’ like sweaty lycra.  Nonetheless, I agreed since the gym was going to pay for the booze as well as pay me for teaching the class.  No brainer.

For that first class however many years ago, I remember the owner of the gym telling me to go to the restaurant next door as they were going to donate the wine.  I was a little apprehensive since the restaurant in question was not really known for their wine list, but the day of that first tasting, I walked up to the bar and stated why I was there. The man behind the bar asked what wine I wanted.  A bit confused, I said “Well, what are my options?” He then looked at me a bit oddly before responding:

“Red or white.”

Oh boy.

The wine turned out to be from Chaddsford, a Pennsylvania winery.  How bad could it be?  Well, it was the last time that I let the owner of the gym be in charge of procuring the wine, let’s just leave it at that.

I have now done at least several dozen of these ‘Sip and Spins’ (I did not chose the name, nor do I like it, so if you have an alternative, let me know) and I have purchased the wine since that first class.  They almost always sell out (members have to dish out an additional fee for the class) and people seem to always enjoy it.  Given the limited budget, the size of the class, and my desire to get two bottles of each wine (so that we can first taste each wine and then go back and revisit those wines we particularly like), I usually am limited to wines that are rather inexpensive. There is also usually a theme: cheap inexpensive whites, reds that won’t make you hurl, or sparkling wine that is not champagne (i.e., bubbles for cheap bastards).  While these events are fun (exercise + alcohol usually leads to a quick buzz for those of you keeping score at home), the wines are not as interesting as they certainly could be given the near infinite possibilities (and a bit larger budget).

The gym sponsored Sip & Spins usually occur once a month starting in early November and they end in the Spring since the owner of the gym is convinced that not many people drink wine in the summer.  I have always meant to question him about that, but there are enough people out there that think I am a drunk and a smart alec, so no need to add to that list a person that signs my checks.

This summer, though, one of the Sip & Spin (I really do not like that name–because it reminds me of a ‘Sit and Spin’, so if you have any ideas, please let me know) regulars suggested we go rogue and organize our own tasting outside of the auspices of the summer-induced teetotalers.  She also suggested we do more interesting (read expensive) wines. I said ‘sure’–another no brainer.

The other night we did our second of these events, and it seemed to go rather well.  The focus this time was ‘terroir’–the idea of a sense of place.  Essentially, many people feel that wine can and should be an expression of the sum of the effects of the local environment (soil, climate, geography, even the people of the region).  ‘Terroir’ can be ‘experienced’ in several different ways, but I opted to try and limit as many of the variables that I could.  I looked for wines of the same variety, from the same region and vintage, and made by the same winemaker/winery.  That way, at least in theory, we could get an idea of part of the concept of ‘terroir’.

I got three mini flights of two bottles each and after the Spinning class we headed over to the home of one of the participants. I tend to babble on about the wines a bit more at these ‘rogue’ tastings and since I was busy trying to think of intelligent sounding things to say, I did not really have the time to pay a lot of attention to the wines.  A couple of days after the ‘class’ those in attendance were clamoring for more info on the wines, so I thought I would make them come here to get it (I know, a pathetic ploy to drive traffic to my site, but hey, get your own site if you want to get all indignant). So here is what we had:

2010 Domaine Roger Luquet Mâcon-Fuissé:  Retail $18. Clean and flinty, a nice expression of chardonnay.  Nice acidity as well, a really good wine for the money.  Very Good.

2010 Domaine Roger Luquet Pouilly-Fuissé Bois Seguin: Retail $ 22.  A step up in price and complexity–the great chardonnay fruit with a bit more depth than the Mâcon-Fuissé.  The finish also spoke to the quality of the wine here.  Very Good to Excellent.

2009 DeBeaune La Madone Fleurie: Retail $17.  I am a big fan of Beaujolais and 2009 is considered to be one of the best vintages of all time.  Fleurie is known to be one of the more ‘feminine’ crus in the region and this certainly follows that line.  Very nice and fruity.  Very Good.

2009 DeBeaune Belles Grives Morgon: Retail $18.  While Fleurie is seen as feminine, Morgon is more of a bigger brother.  Coarser and less refined than the Fleurie, but perhaps the better food wine.  Certainly more ‘oomph’ and ‘power’ with this one, tough to chose between the two styles–they both are great and have their place.  Very Good.

2009 Patrick Javillier Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Grands Liards: Retail $33.  Next to Champagne, Burgundy is my wheel house.  For me, I was worried that these two wines would be a bit too young.  They were still babies, but the fruit showed up and they were superb.  Still could also make out the characteristic ‘barnyard’ elements.  Very Good to Excellent.

2009 Patrick Javillier Savigny-lès-Beaune Premier Cru Les Serpentières: Retail $40. Clearly the belle of the ball here.  Great fruit up front (I was very surprised by its intensity) and a depth and complexity that really sets great Burgundies apart.  This is not from the most prestigious of appellations, but incredibly good.  Excellent.

Here is a picture of a few of the attendees getting loaded.  I know they had no idea I took the photo, so I am sure they are going to have a thing or two to say about me putting this in here….