2014 World Cup Predictions

Around this time in 2006, I predicted Spain would make it to the semis, and they did. Now it’s 2010, so I’ll make predictions for the 2014 World Cup.

First, France and Italy will advance past the first stage, and America should make it to the elite eight, maybe. America is a weird and unpredictable team. They do well in the regular season of qualifiers, but fall apart in World Cup play. Though this time the refs led to some of the downfall.

Brasil, as the home team, will definitely make it to the semis. They will have the drums in the crowd beating out the rhythm they need to play good ball. The reason they didn’t make it this year is because the vuvuzelas drowned out the drums. The Brazilians had no rhythm against the Netherlands, plus they got a little ego after that first goal. But it was really the vuvuzelas to blame for the loss.

Ghana should also make it to the semis. They’ll recover after that heart-breaking loss to Uruguay, who will lose today to the Netherlands. Ghana is so talented and so young, they will only get better. I love Ghana. I loved them after their first game.

Germany, who will beat Spain tomorrow, will be in the semis in 2014, too. Germany’s always in the semis, so that’s safe. Spain could be even better if they open up the game some more.

Who else is of interest. The Ivory Coast played good ball and will advance to the second round in 2014. I like how Japan played. They should repeat what they did this year in 2010. Spain and Portugal should be good again. Uruguay won’t don’t as well unless they get a scorer. They’ve a great defense, but they need a striker. I still like Chile to do something, too.

So for the 2014 World Cup semis it will be Brasil, Germany, Ghana, and an unknown.//

in pursuit of the juiciest wine: day twenty-seven

My two favorite teams are playing tomorrow in the World Cup, Brasil and Ghana. Sigh. I have to work. I’ll try to have it on in the background. But that’s tomorrow, and today is Thursday, and it feels like it has been Thursday all this week and all last week.

In celebration of Friday being tomorrow, the long Fourth-of-July weekend ahead, and as an early toast to Brasil and Ghana winning, I will drink the Tres Ojos Old Vines Garnacha 2007 from Calatayud, Spain. (I hope Ghana wins. It’ll be tough because Uruguay has a solid defense.)

Here’s a little history about the estate:

Tres Ojos is made at the Bodega San Gregorio, a cave co-op founded in 1965 that counts 160 members. The president is Gregorio Abad Gil and the vice president is Jose Maria Hernandez. They sell wine to nine different countries. The winery is located in the Ribota River Valley, some 15 kilometers north of the city of Calatayud. Tres Ojos hails from the D.O. Calatayud, located in Aragon, a province unparalleled in Spain by its variety of landscapes (lush river valleys, mountainsides, and semi-desert areas.)  The name Calatayud derives from a Moorish governor named Ayud who built a castle (qalat) at the confluence of the Jalon and Jiloca rivers (qalat Ayud.)  There has been thriving population here as far back as Roman times when the old city of Bilbilis was used as an important staging-post for the Roman legions on their way north to Gaul. (For more information about Tres Ojos, see: http://www.kysela.com/spain/tresojos.htm.)

Tres Ojos Vineyard

How about that? A cave! Plus, the grapes grow in a semi-desert area. I know there’s a need for the grapes to work and struggle, but a semi-desert? These grapes are gonna be like a suffering artist who, I hope, produces something beautiful.

But first, what’s the difference between Grenahce and Garnacha? I think they are the same, but I want to make sure. I mean, there is a difference between Syrah and Shiraz. Syrah is Old World with Old World passion, while Shiraz is New World with New World bigness. Okay, my research is complete. Grenache and Garnacha are the same. “Garnacha” is Spanish for “Grenache,” which is French.

Where were we. Oh, yeah. Suffering. So, let’s see what suffering looks and tastes like. Vamos.

I love the color. It’s a bright purple, so I sense happiness is coming my way and not suffering. It’s a fun nose that starts off juicy and with berries, then it finishes dry and with dark cherries. There’s a green melon in there, too. It smells like it will be juicy delicious.

It felt cool on the tongue, with a juicy body, and a dry finish. A peppery, dark cherry on the finish. It tastes like it smells. (My girlfriend tastes Little Caesar’s pizza. I kinda get that, too, but leaning more to a frozen pizza with lots of sauce, but a good frozen pizza, like the one you’d have at 2:3o in the morning.)

There’s no suffering here. Not like the Hungarian Bull’s Blood from last night. No, this is nothing but happiness on the front of the mouth. On the finish is where the suffering comes, though, I suppose. But’s it a tasty suffering. A suffering I want to endure again and again.//

in pursuit of the juiciest wine: day twenty-five

First off, I’m totally on board with Ghana and Spain. I’d be on board with Chile but for Brasil – the great jazz players of futbol.

Second, I’m gonna try a new grape again. I hope it goes better then the Monastrell. This grape is Mencia. This is an old grape that has been forgotten about, but it’s gaining popularity. It should be gentle, which I’m hoping for this Sunday evening, especially since I’ll be making this meal: Squash Ribbon Salad with Pine Nuts and Goat Cheese. (By the way, EzraPoundCake.com is an awesome recipe site. You must visit. )

Today’s wine is El Castro de Valtuille Joven Mencia 2007. It arrives from the Spanish Denominación de Origen (DO) of Bierzo, which is northwest Spain.

Vamos.

This one has a tall, wide meniscus holding a royal ruby color that releases a nose of dark berries, some currants, a hint of a vanilla orange cream soda?, and one unripened plum. It smells thick and layered.

This isn’t thick, it’s bright with long dry finish, a finish reminiscent of a Cabernet Franc, but more bearable.

The Green Knight

Up front it’s like a thin Merlot or a thick Oregon Pinot Noir with no pepper. It’s very dark berried and leathery. This will go good with the squash and some pepper. I think this one of those wines that will go real good with vegetables. No wonder I keep thinking of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, especially The Green Knight. W. S. Merwin has the best translation.

It gets better and better the more it receives the air, and the more it receives the air, the less the Cabernet Franc-y finish. It’s actually getting more juicy and less dry, too.

Give this an hour-and-a-half to two hours to open, and you’ll understand why the Wine Advocate gave it 90 points.//

in pursuit of the juiciest wine: day twenty-three

U. S. vs Ghana ("Yes you can" vs "Yes you Gyan")

U. S. won today and advances. Ghana won and advances. (I knew they were ghanna.) And on Saturday they meet. Yes you Gyan, but not this Saturday Ghana. Despite all that, I feel blasé. To fix that, I’m gonna get my groove on. I’m gonna/ghanna get my Richard “Groove” Holmes on. It’s time for “Groovin’ For Mr. G”.

That got me right. Now, I can continue with mini Chilean Wine tour. This is the last day of it, so I’m gonna go out with one of my favorite everyday wines: Root:1 Cabernet Sauvignon 2008. It’s from Colchagua Valley, Chile. “Chile. The original ungrafted. Varietal. Rootstock.”

Here’s the story from the front of the bottle:

Chile is a true rarity in the wine world. Unique geographic & climatic forces have allowed it to remain one of very few grape growing regions in the world where the original European rootstocks, survive, unaffected by phylloxera – the disease that forced grape growers worldwide to graft vines onto generic rootstocks. Chile’s isolation, protected by the mighty Andes to the east and the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean to the West, ensures that grape vines can remain on the original rootstock, in the purest form. These same geographic characteristics provide Chile’s fertile central region with optimal climate & soil conditions to produce consistent and outstanding grapes each year. This Root: 1 Cabernet Sauvignon is crafted exclusively from grapes grown on the original, ungrafted root systems tended by our Master Winemakers. This gives the wine its pure, rich fruit flavors & aromas.

This seems to be turning into an advertisement, and maybe it should. This wine receives a dedication in my latest collection of poems.

Alright. Let’s get to the wine. Vamos.

A lovely nose of cherries, chocolate, vanilla, and maybe some caramel. Hm. This one is not as good as previous years. It’s a bit tart, especially on the finish. It’s a bit thin. It still has the cherries and chocolate. But, oh, the 2008 is a disappointment. The 2007 was wonderful. Arg. Arg is how I felt through the whole United States game today until they scoredin injury time. They dominated, but they couldn’t score, except for the phantom offsides, and then the glorious goal in extra time.

Arg. That’s how I feel about this 2008. It’s a phantom of the 2007. Ohhhh, the 2007 is splendid, but the 2008, eh, not so much. Now, I’m sad again. Back to Richard “Groove” Holmes.

//