More than a year ago, I renamed this blog the Wine-Jazz Nexus, which is a mouthful but well suited to my defiantly awkward approach to routine matters.
The blog has been fun, buut has not lived up to its name. Yes, there's wine, and there's jazz — but where's the nexus?
One answer would be to pair wine with various jazz listening experiences.
I've actually seen that done in Downbeat a couple of times, both involving the Umbria Jazz Festival. An esteemed restaurant owner in the region provided wine at performances. His pairing principle was more narrative than taste. For example, a wine that was not respected when first created but gained respect over time would be paired with a musician who "paid his dues" — and so forth.
I can't find the article at the moment, but I found the results disappointing. The guy served a Riesling at a Cecil Taylor concert. Really, now: Does the music of Cecil Taylor in any way suggest Riesling?
I can do better. Let's pair Missouri wines with jazz musicians associated with Missouri.
Charlie Parker: The protean founder of modern jazz made music with furious harmonies and rhythms, complex yet enjoyable, though with an edge. These characteristics have an obvious shared aesthetic with one — and only one — Missouri wine, the biggest, the most complex: Norton.
If you're listening to a crazy live version of Moose the Mooche —
— you might try the seriously spicy Lindwedel Norton. If you're listening to the Massey Hall concert (aka the greatest jazz concert ever), spring for one of the premium Nortons from Stone Hill or Les Bourgeois. For Charlie Parker with Strings, try Burnt Barn Red, a semisweet blend of Norton and Chambourcin from Tyler Ridge.
Count Basie, 30's band: The jaunty head arrangements and the spare, jabbing piano style suggests a white wine that's fun to drink but has good acids: Vidal
Count Basie, 50's-70's band: The mature, composer-driven music suggests a white wine with sophistication and less of an edge: Chardonel.
That's enough for now.
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