Alex de Grassi & Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc

Alex de Grassi is widely acclaimed as one of the premier fingerstyle guitarists playing today. He was born in Yokosuka, Japan, but grew up in the San Francisco Bay area. He picked up the guitar at age 13 and is primarily self-taught. He’s been nominated for a Grammy award and as you’ll see and hear, his intricate picking style generates haunting melodies that take you to another world. Two of my favorites are Lay This Body Down and his arrangement of James Taylor’s Fire and Rain. Hope you enjoy him.


Blue Trout: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByxDokeRWaY&feature=related

Lay This Body Down: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRxXqJt8pAk

Fire and Rain: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xgvX4xKeU4

39 String Harp Guitar: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7fjAGM2cAE&feature=related

Single Girl: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL70fd_D3N8&feature=related

Momentary Change Of Heart: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-4Xu6e4mWQ

Turning: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAQ02dD4Ap8&feature=related

Southern Exposure: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ic96DJeLaQ&feature=related

Heavy Feet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNnPtAslQy8&feature=related

Overland: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IihQTYq0CU&feature=related

Western: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MAem-Z30YU&feature=related

Cumulus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zosmBEXeT_k&feature=related

As I write this, it’s 96 degrees with a heat index of 112 here in sunny ole Nebraska. That calls for a refreshing, thirst quenching white and nothing does that better than a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. I’ve got a great one tonight, namely Spy Valley’s 2009 version ($15.00). It’s pale yellow in color with a nose that bursts with grapefruit and red oranges. In the mouth, there are flavors of more grapefruit, apricot, lime, and tangerine and lots of them. Very smooth yet crisp, clean, and zippy. It won a silver medal at the 2010 Japan Wine Challenge and Wine Spectator rates it a 91. Great value and wonderful for sipping on the porch on a hot summer night, although the tendency when it’s this hot is to just take the bottle and suck it through a straw. Don’t. Enjoy it slowly along with the music of Alex de Grassi.

Cheers!