Grape Crush

While bumming around the Internet on a lazy Sunday afternoon, I came across David Leibovitz's blog. I admit that I've never been a regular reader, but do occasionally stop by to see if he's posted anything interesting. I'm certainly glad that I stopped by today! On his page, I came across a post featuring a video of a conversation between David and a charming young French sommelier named Olivier Magny. They were trying out various wine and chocolate pairings, and chatting about the way the flavors complemented each other.

I was smitten! With the wine, the chocolate, the conversation, and (of course) Olivier, the cute French sommelier.

It turns out that he has his own video blog, which is tied in with his wine tasting company that he runs out of his own loft in Paris. The videos are fun to watch--educational and entertaining (they all feature a cheesy, albeit amusing little intro dance segment that Olivier explains in his "FAQ" section). Olivier himself has a great screen personality, a cute accent, and that floppy-haired boyish enthusiasm that I find oh-so completely endearing in the likes of Tyler Florence, Jamie Oliver, and OK, just about every single man that I have ever dated.

I think of all the videos on his site (I saw a few of them today), my favorite is the one in which he discusses pairing foie gras with wine. As an open and ardent fan of politically incorrect meat, I particularly enjoyed his opening sentences, during which he gives a cheerful (and very French) dismissal to the annoying PETA types and cheerfully explains that studies show the geese "are actually very happy being force-fed" since they usually go back for more food afterwards made me laugh so much. You had me at happy force-fed geese, Olivier!

I also really loved his comparison of the taste of foie gras to "a big orgasm." He encourages serving foie gras at the end of the meal between the cheese and dessert course, explaining that to do so before the meal as an appetizer is akin to having an orgasm first and then leaving the dating and foreplay for later... Although I admit that in my experience, I've yet to come across a European man (let alone a French one) with that kind of restraint... I definitely applaud his suggestions, however, and am eager to incorporate them into my next dinner party!

You can view this and other videos on Olivier's blog: Wine Rendez-Vous.