Wine on the Farm

Just a quick post today, as I'll shortly be heading out the door to pour wine at a benefit event for the Oakmont Farmers Market. Straight up, I should tell you that I have a proprietary interest in the market. First of all, it's in my own home town and, during the six-month growing season in this part of the world, I do my best to buy just about all of my fresh groceries at the market. Second, I'm a member of the all-volunteer Board of Directors that oversees the operations of the market, which is a 501c3 non-profit organization.

The main point of today's event is to raise funds for the educational and community development efforts of the market; we do try to be much more than just a place to buy and sell meat and veggies. The main point of my pouring session, aside from abetting our attendees in the enjoyment of good wine, will be to build and reinforce the idea that real wine, honest wine, is first and foremost and agricultural product. Produce. So while I'm sure that questions about things such as sulfites, corks and all of the other usual suspects will arise, I hope to share a little enlightenment on the differences between small farm wine growing and industrial wine making, and on the idea of thinking about wine as food rather than wine as a lifestyle beverage.

For regular readers here, the list of wines I'll be pouring should come as no surprise. They're all things I drink and enjoy on a regular basis, and they all come from vignerons whose work I deeply respect. Should you care to follow along in practice or in spirit, here's today's line-up:

• Crémant d'Alsace, Domaine Barmès-Buecher 2007
• Touraine Sauvignon "Le Petiot," Domaine Ricard 2009
• Rheinhessen Riesling QbA trocken, Weingut Keller 2008
• Chinon "Les Graves," Domaine Fabrice Gasnier 2008
• Côtes-du-Rhône "Bout d'Zan," Mas de Libian (Hélène Thibon) 2008
• Dolcetto d'Alba, GD Vajra 2008

Wish me luck, y'all.