Ned Luberecki's Take Five and Chateau Ste. Michelle's Columbia Valley Dry Riesling

On March 31st 2017 banjoist Ned Luberecki releases his newest album Take Five. I'm a fan of Luberecki's Sirius XM Radio Bluegrass Junction show, but I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical when receiving an early download link. I'd never listened to a solo banjoist album before; and in hindsight, there was no reason to be skeptical. First, Luberecki organized a stellar supporting cast from vocalists to fiddlers and guitarists. (This cast consists of Missy Raines and the New Hip, Jeremy Garrett of The Infamous Stringdusters, Becky Buller, the Helen Highwater Stringband (Mike Compton, David Grier, Missy Raines, and Shad Cobb), Chris Jones and The Night Drivers, Dale Ann Bradley, Amanda Smith, and Stephen Mougin -- guitarist of the Sam Bush Band and the other half of Nedski & Mojo.) Second, the interplay between the fiddle and banjo is hypnotic (See Cleveland Park). Finally, and most importantly, the album is as varied as possible.  There are fiddle tunes, train songs, and even concludes with the Theme from Star Trek. Higher Ground is my favorite track with Dale Ann Bradly on vocals. Blue Monk handles the blues and there's an excellent Buck Owens Medley.  And his take on the Brazilian bossa nova jazz song Girl From Ipanema sums up this album -- anything is possible with Ned Luberecki's banjo.

Riesling is the wine equivalent to the banjo; it's underappreciated and misunderstood. (Such as Riesling wine is always sweet.) Yes some are, but the majority range from dry to off-dry with enough acidity to balance any residual sugar.  Normally I would think Finger Lakes Riesling, but recently I purchased a bottle of Chateau Ste. Michelle 2015 Columbia Valley Dry Riesling ($9, 12% abv). Like Take Five, this wine is refreshing and versatile - with apple and citrus flavors, some petrol, and all balanced with refreshing acidity. The winery has even implemented the International Riesling Foundation Sweetness Scale to inform the consumer of the wine's inherent sweetness -- with this wine solidly in the Dry range. And at that price and abv I could drink it every day while listening to Luberecki. Cheers.

The Mullan Road Cellars 2014 Columbia Valley Red -- Men From The Boys

Recently I received a sample of the Mullan Road Cellars 2014 Columbia Valley Red ($40), a collaboration between Dennis Cakebread (yes, the Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing of Cakebread Cellars) and winemaker Aryn Morell.  Evidently Dennis Cakebread was drawn to the high quality wine produced in Washington's Walla Walla Valley and wanted to be part of that wine community. This wine is a Bordeaux styled blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Malbec sourced from three separate vineyards: Seven Hills Vineyard, Lawrence Vineyard, and Stillwater Creek Vineyard.

And the winery's name arises from an interesting historical fact related to the area. Lieutenant John Mullan was "an American soldier, explorer, civil servant, and road builder". In the mid 1800s he explored western Montana and Idaho, discovered the Mullan Pass over the Continental Divide, and "led the construction crew which built the Mullan Road -- the first wagon road to cross the Rocky Mountains to the inland of the Pacific Northwest. Mullan's engineering and surveying was so efficient that modern-day Interstate 15 and Interstate 90 follow the route rather precisely through present-day Montana, Idaho, and Washington. And as a result of the Mullan Road, by 1870, Walla Walla had become the largest town in Washington Territory with a population of 1,394.

While sipping the wine I was reminded of a new song by Phoebe Legere, Men From The Boys, from her Heart of Love release. Like John Mullan, the Mullan Road Cellars 2014 Columbia Valley Red has the "real stuff" - it's sturdy, firm, and will stand out without being overbearing.  There's plenty of dark dried fruit and dust, sturdy tannins, and a long smooth finish -- all which "separates the men from the boys" - or in this case separates this wine among among many others. While the Mullan Road Columbia Valley Red lures you in with it's manliness,  Legere entices with her sexy vocals. And cheers to "guts and hearts".

Standing Solo with Noam Pikelny's Universal Favorite and the Wente Morning Fog Chardonnay

Today (March 3rd) Grammy nominated banjoist Noam Pikelny newest solo album, Universal Favorite dropped. Released by Rounder Records, this is not your typical solo effort - in fact, that's exactly what it is - just Pikelny and his banjo. No supporting cast; and this simplicity creates a fantastic album. My favorite track is his interpretation of the Josh Ritter <-> <->Mississippi John Hurt Folk Bloodbath. Pikelny's soft vocals and picking provide a heartfelt rendition of the Ritter's popular song. His deadpan baritone vocals on Old Banjo, My Tears Don't Show, and Sweet Sunny South glide the lyrics in accompany with the banjo's melody.  What took him so long to step in front of the mic?  The instrumentals are classic Pikelny showing a range of sound coaxed from his banjo. Never a dull moment. You can listen to these songs right now as they are streaming at Garden and Gun Magazine.

And grab a bottle of the 2015 Wente Vineyards Morning Fog Estate Chardonnay ($15) before listening. This wine's simple, yet classic flavor, mimics Universal Favorite. It was also one of my favorites during the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association excursion at the 2016 Wine Bloggers Conference, where it was served at the dinner with 5th generation winemaker Karl Wente at Concannon Vineyard. The wine is named for the "morning coastal fog pushed by Pacific wind streams into the bowl of the San Francisco Bay and lured inland by Livermore Valley’s unique East-West orientation".  This daily condition helps add freshness and acidity to the wine, while the soils and clonal variants add minerality, and the wine making process - creamy texture. Like the album this wine starts simply, but the underlying acids, texture, and minerals provides elements that are normally not present at this price. Well done.

For those in the DC area Pikelny is scheduled for Wolf Trap on March 29th (solo, not with the Punch Brothers). Too bad its not at the Filene Center, then I'd bring a bottle or two of the Morning Fog. Cheers.

The Soulful Mavis Staples and Loveblock 2013 Pinot Noir

This is the second consecutive vintage of Loveblock Pinot Noir 2013 ($37, 14%) that I've received as a sample and this New Zealand wine captivates me. The grapes are grown in Loveblock's high altitude "Someone’s Darling" Vineyard (Central Otago), which owners Erica and Kim Crawford have had accredited with  Sustainable Winegrowing (SWNZ). The wine is powerful, yet classy; exhibits fresh fruit, yet dusty herbs; and finishes with bright acids, yet smooth tannins.  A very complex wine that's a gem to drink. Another gem is R&B gospel singer Mavis Staples.  With each sip of the Loveblock, Staples's soulful, smooth, yet dusty vocals seemed to emanate from the wine, whether the gospel sound of One True Vine or the soulful R&B of Livin' On A High Note. And when the band breaks out the electric guitar and horns while she's singing gospel, that captivates me as well. And by chance Staples is traveling through New Zealand and Australia this spring. Cheers.

Cusumano Nero d'Avola, Pizza, and Sarah Jarosz's Undercurrent

This month I received a unique sampling package of the 2014 Cusumano Nero d'Avola ($15) packaged with a pizza making kit. The obvious message is that this Italian red wine from Sicily pairs well with America's favorite food. The Cusumano Winery is operated by brothers Diego and Alberto Cusumano with the vineyards for the Nero d'Avola located in the dry and hot climate of southern Sicily - the grape's historic homeland

The Cusumano Nero d'Avola is a palate pleaser with it's strength due to its relative simplicity. You will not be overwhelmed from any one characteristic; instead the simple and straightforward nature of the wine works wonderfully. The nose is fresh and jammy, the palate red fruit and leather with light texture, and the tail comes across with light and tannins. And the wine's relatively high acidity provides the bond to pizza - cutting through the cheese and tomato. Here's W. Blake Gray explaining why at WineFix.

Sarah Jarosz had a big last week when her fourth album, Undercurrent, was awarded the 2017 Grammy for Best Folk Album. (Jarosz was awarded a second Grammy for Best American Roots Performance as well.) I immediately downloaded the album and soon realized that, like the wine, the strength of this release is also in it's simplicity. Most of the song's are simply Jarosz and her guitar, showcasing her sweet vocals and picking skills. When the electric guitar appears, it is present, but not overwhelming. My favorite tracks are House Of Mercy with Jedd Hughes, Everything To Hide, and Still Life with I'm With Her band mates Aoife O'Donovan and Sara Watkins providing exceptional harmonies. All songs worthy of a Grammy. Cheers.

Otis Gibbs - Mount Renraw and Sagamore Spirit Rye Whiskey

I've been following folkster Otis Gibbs since hearing The Darker Side of Me - a song I was convinced was done by Johnny Cash. This year Gibbs released his seventh album, Mount Renraw, which includes similarly meaningful songs - simply performed but complex in thought. The mid section is the strength of this album starting with Sputnik Monroe - another Johnny Cash style ballad. This song tells the story of wrestler Roscoe Monroe Brumbaugh who single handily desegregated sporting events in Memphis. One night he refused to wrestle unless the black patrons could sit anywhere and not just in the balcony.  Empire Hole honors all working fathers  and contains the enshrining line:  "there's a graveyard my Daddy now calls home". The song also references how Gibss' native Indiana was the source for the limestone used to build the Empire State Building (Indiana limestone is the nation's stone as it was also used in building the Pentagon, Washington National Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, the Biltmore Estate, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Ellis Island -- among many other notable structures). The album continues with Blues for Diablo and its haunting fiddle and 800 Miles with the soothing fiddle and simple guitar.


I paired Mount Renraw with the Maryland produced Sagamore Spirit Rye Whiskey ($40) - a working man's whiskey despite the fact that the distillery is owned by Maryland native and Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank. Eventually the rye will be sourced from Plank's Sagamore Farm in Glyndon, Maryland and distilled in Baltimore but for now they are bottling from the infamous MGP of Indiana located in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. The 4 year aged whiskey is a blend of "two rye recipes (one that is high rye-based and another that is low rye-based)" and is cut to 83 percent using Indiana limestone rich water. The nose is noticeably spicy and caramel which carries over into the middle mouth where it remains through the smooth finish.  A very nice pairing of music and rye whiskey.

Update: The post was revised to state that the Sagamore Spirit Rye Whiskey is aged 4 years instead of 2 years.

Cris Jacobs - Dust to Gold with Heavy Seas 21 Anniversary Ale

Many of you may be familiar with Chris Jacobs as the front-man for the jam band The Bridge. However, since that band went on hiatus five years ago, Jacobs has segued into a successful solo career as showcased by his latest release Dust to Gold. Although the album was released a few months ago, I revisited it while consuming the Heavy Seas Brewing 21 Anniversary Ale. This is a high octane (10.5% abv) Imperial Rye ESB which was aged 60 days in  used Sagamore Spirit Rye Whiskey barrels. The result is an incredibly smooth beer, malty but balanced and the heat dissipates with a slightly spicy finish.

Dust To Gold is also mellow and spicy containing a mixture of soul, gospel, and acoustic and electric blues punctuated with Jacob's "whiskey soaked vocals". I enjoyed all the tracks but pay special attention to Kind Women, Hallelujah Hustler, Cold Carolina, and Leaving Charm City. Cheers to Baltimore's string music and beer scene.

The Infamous Stringdusters - Laws Of Gravity & Devils Backbone Brewing Company

Grammy nominated The Infamous Stringdusters (Andy Hall - dobro, Andy Falco - guitar, Chris Pandolfi - banjo, Jeremy Garrett - fiddle, and Travis Book - upright bass) -- are synonymous to good music and good beer. Their music is a fusion of what I would call campfire dancing music and contemporary newgrass. As for beer, think the Charlottesville beer scene and Devils Backbone Brewing Company - the former host venue for The Festy Experience music festival. Here's a video of Travis discussing both beer and music at the inaugural Festy many years ago. And if you plan to attend the 2017 Festy (October 5-8 and now located at the Nelson County Preserve) expect to hear plenty of music from Laws Of Gravity, The Stringdusters latest release which dropped January 13th.

In this release the band returns to their.progressive bluegrass roots with a theme of the freedom as a result of life on the road. Something they should know rather well.  Rotating lead vocals, solos, and tight harmonies provide an expected and consistent bouquet. But there's also a touch of soulful blues with This Ol’ Building and Back Home, which in addition to Soul Searching and Sirens, lift the mid palette and are the strongest section of the album. The tail finishes with high energy effervescence with Let Me Know and I Run To You. Classic Stringdusters.

The one problem with this release, and for that matter all the Stringdusters' seven studio releases, is that it can never capture the spirit of their live performance. Case in point is Sirens. The instrumentals are tight - but I'm sure the band blows away audiences performing this song live. Fortunately there are plenty of upcoming tour dates to experience a fantastic live show. I'm targeting the January 27th show at the 9:30 Club.

My favorite pairing option for Laws of Gravity is this DBBC Adventure sampler twelve pack. It includesthe Flor De Luna Belgium Blonde Ale, Berliner Metro Weiss, Smokehouse Porter, and Single Hop IPA. I hit all cylinders when fueled with a Berliner Weiss or Smoked Porter - as do the Stringdusters often in Laws of Gravity. Cheers.