Stage 9 And then There Were Two

Morzine-Avoriaz - Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne 204.5km

How I love mountain stages. Steep roads, depleted pelotons, drama. The 4:30 wake up to watch? I don't love it quite as much. But today was a day not to miss in the Tour as our two pre-race favorites, Andy Schleck and Alberto Contador made it almost a two man race as Cadel Evans and many others appeared to crack. Later we found out that Cadel had been riding with a fractured elbow.

Stage Winner:Sandy Casar
Yellow Andy Schleck
Green: Thor Hushovd (and picking up points in the break)
Teammate of the day: Jens! Voigt

Wine: Charles Trosset Mondeuse l'Expression d'un Terroir Vin de Savoie-Arbin
They say: The Trosset brothers, Louis and Joseph, are part of a winemaking tradition that spans at least four generations of winegrowers before them. The domaine is located in Arbin, a couple of towns along the curve of the mountain slope from Chignin. Arbin is one of the 17 crus that exist in the Savoie, although all the wines go under the appellation Vin de Savoie. Located a bit further along the slopes than Chignin and just before Cruet, Arbin specializes in Mondeuse and it is the only grape the Trossets have planted. Mondeuse is not a high alcohol grape. Even in hot years like 2003, Mondeuse across Savoie still had difficulty reaching 12% natural alcohol. The juice from Mondeuse is a wonderful beet-colored red. These red wines make an excellent accompaniment to pork roast, veal stew, or sausages with polenta. Of course, the local tomme cheese (or comté for that matter) also pair marvelously with the grape's deep, intense fruit. 12.5% abv.

I say: Deep color, pepper on the nose, earth, herbal. Nice acidity, much lighter in the mouth than the color might suggest.