Satisfy Your Inner Green

     Anyone who knows me, knows that I LOVE sustainability initiatives. In fact, my masters capstone was on the sustainability practices of a large scale luxury resort. Because I focus on sustainability issues and trends, I typically do not fall victim to "green washing" schemes. For those of you that are not familiar with this term, it refers to the labeling and marketing of products that are not actually sustainable- causing consumers to buy the product based on a label or an advertisement. Buying green creates a sense of environmental responsibility among consumers, who are often willing to pay a premium just for an "environmentally friendly" product.

     So, if you fall into the category of shopping for these types of products, I suggest reading "Green, Greener, Greenest" by Lori Bongiorno. This book was not only an easy read but very informative. The author breaks products up into categories, for example, hair care, beauty, cleaning supplies, food, etc. and goes into detail about some of the brands that are really practicing sustainability and those that are not.

     But I digress. The point of my soap box is to actually set up my next wine and tune pairing, here's how:

     Since I shop with the environment in mind, I was delighted to stumble across Fetzer, a sustainable winery. The company uses sustainable energy sources, reuses its waste, and runs an almost 100% green energy operation. I was sold. Immediately. I purchased Fetzer's Gewurztraminer (first ever). Wonderful. Light like a Riesling but  with a bite at the end. It was smooth, sweet, and easy to finish. I paired it with triscuits dashed with sea salt and black pepper. The wine had hints of apricot, honey suckle, and melon. Citrus flavors were also present but not overbearing. Very delightful. Yes, the wine was so refreshing that I described it as "delightful". It is the kind of wine that makes you want to curl up under a big oak tree, during a sunny day filled with light wind, while the scent of fresh cut grass hits your nose. Yes, it is that kind of wine. I happened to have it in the completely opposite scenario- in my apartment, on my big leather couch, as it rained (heavily) outside for hours upon end. I did however, come across four tunes to pair with this wine. Here's the breakdown:

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    Hue: White
      - Fetzer
      - 2010
      -Gewurztraminer
      - California
      -Kroger: $7.99
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     Tunes:
     -Mooneclipse by Bangguru (smooth & bold)
     -Natural Self by Feet Keep Moving (fun, raspy-vocal song)
     -Fade Into You by Mazzy Star (who doesn't love a popular 90's melancholy song)
     -High Speed by Coldplay (because it's Coldplay)
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      The first two songs are a little more uptempo than what I normally post, but I felt that they embodied the wine flavor the best: smooth yet bold. The third song by Mazzy Star, is a slow song. Maybe it was the rain outside, but this song seemed to go well with this chilled white wine. The last song, by Coldplay, is a favorite on the list. I am a fan of Coldplay...from the lead vocal to the instruments- they are a great band. I was a fan of this wine and I cannot wait to try other grape varieties.

 

source:2.b.blogspot.com