She will be loved…

While it has been some time since my last blog posting, a month!, I must prepare you for the onslaught of blog postings that are about to hit you from Amusée!  The fall is a super busy time for my team here at Amusée with parties booking from coast to coast, in home wine adventures, to International inquiries -the life of a sommelier is never ending.  There’s always something that I ‘must’ drink, a group of folks I must run off to see or a new work venture to prepare for.  And while there never seems to be enough hours in the day to get it all done, I admit that there are times that I shut the press down to make a little bit of time for ‘me’.
‘Me’ time is rare but usually always includes one of four things: My husband, Live Music, my animals or a great bottle of wine. Preferably, all in the same sentence. Last week involved just a couple of these fine things brought on by a wonderful husband, who suggests we see more LIVE music in a year than anyone in the Twin Cities.  If you’ve read any of my past blog posts, you’ll know that I’m a big fan of writing on the subject of music and wine.  Whether it be Sting, Lady Gaga or Bruce Hornsby – our list of live music entertainment certainly covers most genres.  This past week was just another to add to the list. None other than the most beloved rock band by 20 + 30 something year old women in the U.S. – Maroon 5. 
Maroon 5– not necessarily on the ‘most wanted’ list for us when it comes to music, but when you have option to buy 8th row tickets, center stage at the Target Center, you go for the entertainment value.  And there he was, as close as I’d ever want to be to Adam Levine.  Hip shaking, posing, girating and squealing some of the most popular ‘sing-along’ songs on the radio. 
‘This Love’, ‘Harder to Breathe’, his newest song ‘Misery’, ‘Sunday Morning’ and more were just a few on the set list.  But none more anticipated than his most predicted song of the evening: ‘She Will Be Loved’.
‘She will be Loved’ – you know the words, who doesn’t?  And do you remember the video?  Kelly Preston (what the h- was she thinking – she looked like a hussy!) and Adam Levine making out.  The song – as Adam tells you in many of his interviews – is about ‘Forbidden Love’.   Don’t remember?

Maroon 5 – just to give a quick breakdown – in all honesty, is a very confused band. A band from the PacNW with aspirations of becoming the next Pearl Jam and Kurt Cobain sound alike – is a vision a little disjointed from their own reality. A lead guitar player that tries to mimic the looks of Pearl Jam’s Stone Gossard, yet falls short in the talent category and a lead singer that can’t decide, perhaps, his sexuality.  From his Mick Jagger like poses to his ass-slappin’, shirt pullin, ad revealing moves – the man definitely wears a much smaller jean size than most women I know.  And, the girls seemed to love it.  Screaming, yelling, begging, and kiss blowing – the group of divorcé, middle school gal gangs and the boys they came with – singing every word to every song – was more than one could want for.  Playing to an audience twice the size that he could handle, he seemed to give it a pretty good go. 

Back to the matter at hand…’She Will be Loved”.  A song I’ve never thought too much about, but of course could sing along to with every word spoken due to the fact that I’ve heard it on the radio so many damn times.  Yet, I shared part of the concert with a very good girlfriend who adored the song.  With all that I had in me to open my heart’s interpretation of the song…I followed Adam’s every move to the song.  Watching as he made l-o-v-e, I mean ‘Forbidden Love’, to the mic stand. 
I listened while mouthing the words, yet my mind come not erase the only word and grape! that I could think of.  Riesling.  Yes, Riesling.  Oh so ‘forbidden’ dear Riesling, with all your Kelly Preston allure and delicious tasting, mouth-watering juices, I could not stop thinking about you, dear Riesling.  (It, by the way, one of two things that real menmust drink.  The other, of course, being PINK.)  If one were to get their head out of what we make in the United States and forget about the one-fingered jug-like juice that your Grandmother fed you at Christmas, we’d indulge more in the the mystical world of Riesling.  Oh beauty queen, why must we ‘forbid’ you instead of making you our own?
Why?!  Because most Americans forget the rules to Riesling!!  It doesn’t come from California, NY, and Washington alone.  Its mother land is Germany.  And German Rieslings are some of THE most age-worthy, gorgeous, dirty little slinky malinkys we know- in the way of grapes.  Ask any SOMMELIER!  If you ask a REAL Somm their favorite wine, I bet you it’s a Riesling from Germany. 
Some rules to consider when choosing your Riesling:
1.  Not all Rieslings are created equal.  CA, WA, NY and more can produce a hotter, sweeter version due to their climate. 
2.  Don’t dog it until you REALLY try it!
3.  Remember that Rieslings in Germany are divided into categories that come from a measurement of sugar taken at fermentation. 

Here are Germany’s 6 levels:

Kabinett – most delicate, crisp acidity, green apple and citrus
Spätlese– literally “late-harvest,” more body than Kabinett, riper fruit flavors, no green apple and perhaps tropical fruit (mango and pineapple).
Auslese– from individually selected extra-ripe grapes; highest level of Pradikat to appear commonly as a dry wine; can be a richer, sweeter,  and riper.
Beerenauslese – rare expensive wine made from individually selected grapes, ideally with botrytis; a sweet wine with exhilarating complexity and refreshing acidity.
Eiswein – literally “ice-wine,” left on vine to ripen sugar levels and picked when temperature is below -8 degrees C; pressed after frozen water removed, producing a wine with an intriguing contrast of richness, acidity and great fruit purity.
Trockenbeerenauslese– produced in minute quantities and only in the finest vintages from individual botrytised grapes that have shrivelled to be tiny raisins.
 You want sweet, you got it!  Just head on down into those last three categories.  But remember, the more time, love and energy that is spent on making these rare sweet wines, the more they will cost you.  Wine is real estate, peeps. 
And lastly, you want a wine with acid, no matter what category you choose it from – pick a REAL GERMAN Riesling.  It’s the acidity that keeps this wine and  ‘forbidden’ grape ‘loved’. 
I’m sorry Adam, but that’s all I have for you, buddy.  Riesling.  You were as good as was expected.  (And maybe not even worthy of being mentioned in the same sentence as this REAL BEAUTY QUEEN).  You put your sculpted abs and finely chiseled ass into it, I know.  I admire that, but until you can play more than your radio hits- I think I’ll save my next 8th seat tickets for KISS. 
Do keep in mind, however…while the song is about ‘forbidden love’, Adam does end up with Kelly Preston at the end of the video.  He admits to liking ‘women’ and drinking Riesling at the same time (I think?).  I’ll give ya that, Adam.  I’ll give you that!
Cheers to Riesling and drinking more of it.  Wear it proud, loud and never ‘forbid’ it!