During the past week, I’ve been watching a lot of Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations” show on my TiVo (as I write this post, more is being recorded as part of a marathon on The Travel Channel). Of course, I’ve been aware of Bourdain’s antics over the years but have not read any of his books or really watched his TV show until the past week.
In typical fashion for me, something resonated with his world-weary sarcasm, irony and, yes, discovery which led me to watch 10 hours of No Reservations and pick up his first book “Kitchen Confidential” of which 161 pages are now read.
How did I miss the pleasure of his wit, insight into the restaurant business and recommendations on when to eat seafood while dining out? Until this past week, Bourdain was the snarky judge on Top Chef who I assumed Tom Colicchio demanded be on to make him seem more reasonable by comparison. But now I see Bourdain as an old friend who is giving me the inside skinny on what it’s really like behind the scenes in restaurants. So it made me wonder who would do the same for the wine industry?
Almost every book about wine props up the romantic notion that great wine mostly comes from privileged ground in the Old World where centuries of learning and adaption to the earth produce these ethereal beverages. The French even invented a word/marketing strategy called “terroir” around this notion. While some of this is based upon fact, the real story is drastically less romantic based upon my short time working in the wine trade. And because I take non-disclosure agreements seriously, you will not see many such anecdotes on this blog unless anonymous sources start sending me emails.
Sure, there are a few juicy books about the wine business that sometimes expose insider details but they are always told from an outsider’s point of view. James Conaway’s “Napa: The Story of an American Eden” and the more recent “The House of Mondavi” by Julia Flynn Siler come to mind. But no one has taken on the first person, I-know-where-the-bodies-are-buried approach to demystifying the wine industry.
So who will tell the real insider story here, a la Bourdain?
GREAT POST. I’m TiVOing the marathon now for watching tomorrow and I agree there is something riveting about it. I also admire Bourdain’s adventurous palate. He will drink yak milk. I’m not sure I could pass that test, although I like to think if I found myself in that part of China, I could.
Whenever I watch the food writers, I am struck by how very, very different it all is from wine writing. And I don’t think that’s always a good thing, as you know. I look forward to the Bourdain of wine’s debut–whoever she or he is.
I think one significant difference is that there are few truly unusual wines that would take a strong stomach to taste. There is nothing comparable in the wine world to dining on criadillas (bull testicles), live insects or Durian. So, any Bourdain-style wine writer would be at an immediate disadvantage.
I waver between loving Bourdain and getting annoyed by his macho “I’ll eat anything — not to mention drink and smoke until I vomit” routine.
That being said, I think there’s something inherently populist about food that makes Bourdain and his style so approachable, whether you’re a foodie or not.
I have trouble imagining that anything of this kind is even possible with wine, at least from a producer’s POV (which is why we end up with the softer Peter Mayle-style wine “lit”).
I don’t know what the wine equivalent of being a line-cook or head chef at a NYC restaurant is. If it’s being a cellar rat or a vintner, either of these are still very much a gentleman’s game.
Personally, I think if there were somebody in distribution or retailing who wanted to write an exposé on liquor store wars, that could be interesting. But hardly a crowd-pleasing, 1st person kind of tome. It would likely be more investigative than travelogue or memoir.
I bet Clark Smith would do a pretty nice job on such a book about the California wine industry. He’s got opinions, he’s not afraid to share them, and he certainly knows where the bodies are buried (from all the wine run through Vinovation).
Thanks for all the comments on my little observation between episodes of No Reservations.
I think you are close to the mark, James, as Clark certainly knows lots of insider dirt. I’d be surprised if he really let loose as he still has commercial interests to consider.
I’m not sure if I totally agree with your points, Jill and Richard. I think there is a place for something like what Bourdain does for food in the wine world that would be akin to eating bull genitalia. Ch. Musar comes to mind… and I do think there is room to make wine more of a populist beverage. I just have not seen anyone succeed at it on TV to date (and that includes Oz Clarke’s BBC series with James May).
And, as always, I’m impressed with your quick draw, Deb. Many thanks for your kind words here and on many other posts this past year.
Happy New Year, everyone!
Tim:
How do you equate eating bull’s testicles to Ch. Musar? I have had one of their red wines and it certainly was not unusual in any way. It was the type of wine that any wine lover would have tried. Visiting the vineyard might be a bit dangerous due to its location, but I don’t see the wines themselves as anywhere close to bull’s testicles.
Happy New Years!
I’ve just had a wine that would qualify: romorantin. Tasted like a dirty canvas tent that had been left in the rain in a grapefruit orchard. And it’s supposed to taste that way! As I drank it, I thought to myself, “here’s where we need the Bourdain of wine.”
Richard: My point was that there are many wines which have rustic, animal characteristics which are an acquired taste like the nasty bits of bull. Perhaps my example of Musar was off the mark but I’ve heard it can sometimes be obscured by brett. Sounds like Deb may have a better example.
Thanks for your thoughts and Happy New Year!
Tim:
I agree that there are a few strange wines, such as the romorantin Debs mentioned (which I had never heard of before), out there. But I would say they are the exception rather than commonplace. The number of unusual foods far out numbers the number of really unusual wines. So a Bourdain-like wine writer would have much less unusual wines to sample.
I do agree that a wine writer with the style of Bourdain would be interesting, but I think such a writer would have less to work with. He would need a different angle.
Now maybe if the writer tried to match unusual foods with wines that might be interesting. What wine goes with bull’s testicles or Durian?
I dunno, but as my partner’s mother used to say “one man’s fish is another man’s poisson.” I think some US drinkers unfamiliar with Bordeaux and bought up on Napa fruit bombs may find cab franc as bizarre as I found romorantin. Like Bourdan, I suspect a wine writer who went to China and tasted Chinese wines would have something to say, much like someone who went to Sicily and ate and drank there. It’s all about experience and exposure. And tasting barrel samples is almost always a journey into the unknown (see yak’s milk, above).
Bourdain’s Tuscany and Sicily shows are, by the way, fantastic. Maybe he should just branch out more? Can we start a petition drive?
Wow, looks like I missed a whole lotta discussion here. I’m too tired now to really process all of it.
I guess we all forgot to mention Jonathan Nossiter, but that’s a whole other can of worms.
I recently had a Chenin Blanc from Texas (Pheasant Ridge) that was suggestive of cat urine, which is I believe, a term developed by Jancis Robinson. Very few people in the class (taught by Guy Stout who would be awesome in a Bourdain-like role – just AWESOME) liked the wine. Other’s described it as smelling like a barnyard or a zoo. It was extremely pungent.
So yes, there are some wines out there that you would need an expansive palate to enjoy, but I’m not so sure any wine would ever evoke the same visceral reaction as a cheese ‘con gusano’.
But I’m sure there have been enough intrigues, murders, backstabbings and sexual improprieties in the history of wine to where any reasonably charming host could have a field day, a la Bourdain.
Tim,
Enjoy reading “Kitchen Confidential.” Great book. Highly entertaining and one of my faves. When you get to the part about the bread starter and “feeding the b*tch” let a small chortle out and know others have enjoyed the book, as well.
Happy New Year!
Jeff
This has been a great discussion that I’m hoping someone at Food Network, Bravo or the Travel Channel tunes into…
I’d like to see a show that combines the search for unusual wine and food from around the world with a host who has a defined point of view. Perhaps Bourdain can do this from time-to-time on No Reservations but he doesn’t have the same love of wine that he does for food. At least that’s the impression I get from watching the show.
Maybe I’ll include this type of show in my list of predictions for 2008.
Hahaha! I had a similar experience with Bourdain: The first time I saw him he was dis’ing Racheal Ray and the general category of ‘travel show hosts’ and I decided he was just too toxic for me. Then, through the fate of having less than 30 television channels, I was forced to watch Mr. Bourdain, and eventually came to know his thoughtful side and grew to appreciate his caustic brand of humor.
IMHO the Travel Channel has him filling Andrew Zimmerm of ‘Bizarre Foods’ fame shoes; probably figured there are only so many animal parts, and continents that Andrew could visit, and so they are recycling his material with Bourdain. But, I digress…
To respond to your question about who will be the Bourdain of the wine world: Don’t we already have the Vayniac?
Taster B: While Gary can be hilarious at times he shoots way to much from the hip to be the Bourdain of wine. I think it will be someone with a caustic wit and controversial point of view much like we have come to appreciate with Tony. It will not be just a wise-ass 😉
You got me there Tim: *sigh-of-relief* Tony is definitely much more than just another wise-ass. 🙂
What I find attractive about Bourdain’s show is its emphasis on finding the very local food in a setting that leaves me with an experience of knowing a place more intimatly. His reverant irreverance is fun, and a good heart seems to poke out every now and then.
I think a similar show around wine, emphasizing the local, small producers all around the word, would be well worth watching.