Tag: riesling

Spreading the Wealth from your Cellar

As written by Christine Berenger for Bordeaux Index.

Watching any Woody Allen movie about New York will confirm that true New Yorkers are known for their OCD and a never ending quest for the “best”. Hey, I can make fun of myself and my people. All of our friends back in New York are either perfectionists when it comes to cooking (one even went to the prestigious Culinary Institute of America), heavily involved in the restaurant industry or are neurotic disciples of websites like http://www.eater.com/. Tough crowd, right? But, it’s our shtick and we love it. So here we are, across the pond in our new London digs. What to do?

Only week two into our London adventure and still sleeping on our air mattress, we received an email from our friend Seb asking us if we’d like to participate in a dinner club for oenophiles that his friend Guillaume organizes. Serendipitous, right?

“Problem”: There’s some nice vino in your cellar which you are itching to crack open. You have friends in the same camp. Oh… and you all love good food.

Solution: Create a dinner club and do it right. Be organized. Based on the menu, decide and distribute the wine pairings in advance. The venue can be a restaurant (on one of their less busy nights if you are bringing your own wine) or rotated at one another’s home.

Result: There I was in a sea of Frenchies enjoying a fabulous food and wine pairing at L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon. It goes without saying, from start to finish, my food experiences here are always rock star. And, those mashed potatoes… I don’t even like mashed potatoes and I find myself licking the spoon every time I’m there. Truth be told, I’ve given serious thought to licking the plate as well, but my southern Louisiana upbringing reminds me that this is a no-no.

Foie gras, port reduction and parmesan foam
Ruinart Rosé NV, Champagne
Red currant and strawberry flavors, pleasant acidity… yin to the yang of the foie gras

Crabmeat with fennel mousseline and tomato jelly
Domaine Vincent Dauvissat, Chablis Grand Cru, Les Clos 2004
Elegant green fruit with a bit of white flowers… fabulous with that tomato leaf essence

Mackerel on thin tart with parmesan shavings and olives
Domaine Trimbach, Riesling, Cuvée Frédéric Emile 2004, Alsace
Steely, but mineral driven… balanced the brininess of this dish; loved this

Pan fried fillet of red mullet, pissaladière and sauce vierge
Beaux Frères, Ribbon Ridge Pinot Noir 2006, Willamette Valley
Robert Parker’s joint venture in Oregon and the new world contribution; dark berry, some bacon flavors… great with the anchovies from the pissaladière, but drank a little too early; will improve in time

Free range quail with foie gras and truffle mashed potatoes
Château La Conseillante 2002, Pomerol, Bordeaux
Château La Conseillante 1996, Pomerol, Bordeaux
Verticals are always an experience; the 1996 was a little bit past its prime; I preferred the dark berries and earthiness of the 2002

Fresh and candied strawberry tart served with lime cream cheesecake and rose ice-cream
Yves Cuilleron, Les Ayguets 2007, Condrieu, Northern Rhône
I’m such a fan of Yves Cuilleron… just an über cool and talented winemaker; tropical and nectar flavors… delish; will continue to improve with age

Photos are courtesy of Guillaume Raffy.

Treats to Blast that Funkytown Feel

I thought about posting this piece right before the holidays as a gift guide, but I decided it would be better to hold off until January. I live in New York, and it has been bloody cold and nasty. A recent NY Times article, Feeling that Winter Cold? Here’s Why by Stephen Chang, stated that the extreme cold weather we’ve been facing is the result of “Arctic oscillation, in which opposing atmospheric pressure patterns at the top of the planet occasionally shift back and forth, affecting weather across much of the Northern Hemisphere.” This high pressure system “is more pronounced than any other time since 1950.” Brrrrrrr….

What does that mean? (1) It takes a lot more motivation to leave the house. (2) Many have that funkytown/winter blues thing going on. This piece includes a variety of treats to buy for yourself to consume today or, in some instances, age. It can also be used as a gift guide for something a little unique. Or, if you want to have a party at your own house, here are some suggestions on ways to mix it up.

Since I am in the business, I have the luxury to taste a broad spectrum of wines and spirits. This list was inspired by some of the wines and spirits I tasted in preparation for my WSET Advanced Exam and from the 2009 New York Wine Experience. I deliberately excluded wines from the U.S. and many of my “go-tos” (Burgundy, Willamette Valley, Ribera del Duero, Rioja…) because we all need to try new things.

Some of the wines below include hyperlinks for direct purchase from Wine Access (WA), with whom I have a relationship.

Enjoy!!

SPIRITS

Bowmare Single Malt 12-year-old Scotch: $40, peat, sea salt, vegetal (40% alcohol by volume)

Boulard X.O. Calvados (Pays d’Auge): $86, spicy apple (40% alcohol by volume)

Calvados is an apple brandy from Normandy and Brittany (France). “While there are 11 distinct producing regions within the appellation of Calvados, the best comes from the Pays d’Auge.” (source “Exploring the World of Wines and Spirits,” Christopher Felden in association with WSET) There are 4 grades of Calvados: Fine/Trois Étoilles (>2 years old), Vieux Réserve (>3 years old), V.O./Vieille Réserve (>4years old) and X.O./Napoléon (>6years old). Use as an aperitif, digestif, in between meals or maybe with espresso.

1997 Rhum J.M. Vieux (Martinique): $90, pronounced caramel and raisins; dry, luxurious (48% alcohol by volume)

Martell X.O. Extra Fine Cognac: $120, pronounced caramel, sweet and spicy raisins (40% alcohol by volume)

RIESLINGS

2007 Schloss Wallhäusen “Two Princes” Riesling Qualitätswein (Nahe, Germany): $13, honey, peaches, apricots and citrus flavors; dry minerality

2006 Rocky Gully Dry Riesling (Frankland River, Western Australia): $18, gooseberry, quince, stone

2007 Joh. Jos. Christoffel Erben, Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese (Mosel, Germany): WS 92, $28, perfume, floral, orange blossom

LOIRE VALLEY

2007 Domaine des Forges Chaume: WS 93, $26 for 500mL, sweet, round and lush

Chaume is a village located in the western part of the Coteaux du Layon in the Loire Valley. It consists of 100% Chenin Blanc and the grapes are affected by noble rot/botrytis. (Sauternes and Tokaji Aszú are also impacted by noble rot, resulting in those luscious, honeyed flavors.)

2005 Domaine du Closel “Clos du Papillon” Savonnières: $35, honeysuckle, white peaches. Keep in mind it’s 14.5% alcohol by volume

Savonnières is a wine appellation in the Anjou region of the Loire Valley. The wine is 100% Chenin Blanc. Late harvest grapes can formulate into honeyed and smoky-mineral flavors. A good Savonnières  and cheese would be so amazing.

HUNGARY

2000 Aszú, The Royal Tokaji Wine Company 6 Puttonyos Betsek:– fig, flan

I wasn’t able to track down a 2000, but the 1999 Royal Tokaji Wine Co. Tokaji Aszu 6 Puttonyos Betsek (500 ml) ($99, WS 94) was not shabby.

Tokaji (Tokay) is a town in Hungary. Wines are made with Furmint and/or Hárslevelü grapes. Aszú means nobly rotted/botrytised grapes (similar process Sauternes and Chaume go through).

AND SOME PERENNIAL GO-TOs…

I refrained from doing some of my favorites such as Burgundy, Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Côte Rotie, Condrieu – I really could on forever here…  (although I tried the 1999 Ribera del Duero “Unico” Gran Riserva, Bodegas Vega Sicilia at the Wine Experience and the song from the Partridge Family, “I think I love you” started to play in my head immediately.) I felt I had to include some wines from Bordeaux, the Southern Rhône and Champagne because these are always crowd pleasers for gifts – and this is a treat segment after all.

BORDEAUX

2003 Pauillac, Château Pichon-Longueville Baron: ST 93/WS 95 (ranked #33 in WS top 100 list 2006), Bottle: $117 or Magnum: $200; beautiful ripe fruit and berries with that classic Left Bank hint of pencil shavings; smooth and lush

2000 Saint-Julien, Château Léoville Barton: ST 94/WS 97, Bottle: $199 or Magnum: $349 cherries, pencil shavings, spices… absolutely seamless. And oh – how it lingered.

And a few from Bordeaux for the super fancy people out there or maybe for that corporate account that just never seems to be happy, no matter what you do…

2001 Saint-Emilion, Château Cheval Blanc: ST 92-95/WS 924, $347, Power and elegance all in one package; raspberries, pencil shavings, bitter cocoa, a nice one to age

1998 Château d’Yquem Sauternes: ST 95/RP 95, Magnum: $500, Extraordinary. I came back for more three times at the Wine Experience. Orange peel, honey, creamy, perfection, bliss

SOUTHERN RHÔNE

2007 Chåteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau,” Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe: ST 93/WS 95;  500mL: $35, Bottle: $69 or Magnum: $145, smoky cherries, tobacco and licorice

CHAMPAGNE

Bollinger Brut “Special Cuvée” Bottle: $75 or Magnum: $168, ST 91/WS 91, dominated by Pinot Noir (60%), nuttiness, ginger, spiced pears, toasty; will continue to get better over time

Krug Brut Champagne Grande Cuvée NV: ST 95/WS 93 $167, so lovely, so delish, an experience, like a scrumptious brioche with a hint of nutmeg

So there you go… Here’s a way to get out of funkytown.

Please note the following:

  • Wine prices are dynamic and therefore, subject to change. Prices are in competition via various vendors WA uses. The prices listed in the article are as of 1/15/10.
  • When indicated, ratings from ST came from WA and ratings from WS came from WS, which may result in some disparity between what WA lists for WS when you click on the link to purchase.

A Weekend in Portland and the Willamette Valley

WINERIES AND TASTING NOTES:
Overall, we found the 2007 wines to be leaner than those from 2005 and 2006. They are lovely, but I’d be choosy about the ones to cellar.

Domaine Drouhin

6750 Breyman Orchards Road, Dayton
+1-503-864-2700
www.domainedrouhin.com
You’ll find no airs of wine snobbery from this very famed family of Burgundy. These people were so lovely on our first visit that regardless of the wine, I would have purchased from them. And then… I tasted the elegant Laurène. This one is a must visit.

Patricia Green

15225 NE North Valley Rd., Newberg
+1-503-554-082
www.patriciagreencellars.comPatricia Green barrels
Located right next door to Robert Parker’s Beaux Frères, this winery was a beautiful find and benefitted from being some of the same land area but with wines a little lower in price point. The vineyard has both Jory (volcanic) and Willakenzie (marine sedimentary) soils which made for an interesting taste comparison. The whites were delicious and very reasonably priced for their quality. We also picked up a few of the Pinot futures. We met Patricia – she seemed like a blast and oozed with good chi – sort of Patricia Field in North Face gear, but without pink hair.

Whites:

  • 2006 Panama White, Estate Sauvignon Blanc ($45): lemony with minerality; was the highest rated white in Oregon at the time, per Steve Tanzer’s “The International Wine Cellar”; not cheap for a Sauvignon Blanc, but the flavor lingered
  • 2007 Chardonnay, Four Winds Vineyard ($20): great price point, Chablis-like clean with lemon zest

Pinots, Marine Sedimentary Soil (Willakenzie): – We tended to favor the wines from marine sedimentary soil to the those from volcanic soil. The dark brown sandstone and shale Willakenzie soil has a slightly higher pH (5.9) than that of the dark reddish brown Jory soil (5.6). While there are many factors involved in the production of wine, overall, we found the marine sedimentary soil wines at Patricia Green to have a little more elegance, lingering spice and minerality.

  • 2007 Bonshaw Vineyard ($35 ,futures price): blueberries and toast; velvety and luscious
  • 2007 Estate Vineyard, Etzel Block ($45, futures price): planted adjacent to their neighbors at Beaux Frères and named in honor of the wine maker there, but a lot lower in price; smoky earthiness, strawberries, lingering minerality. white pepper

Pinots, Volcanic Soil (Jory):

  • “Block 1B” ($40, futures price): raspberries, roses, black licorice

Broadley Vineyard

(1.5 hours away from the main drag)
25158 Orchard Tract Road, Monroe
+1-541-847-5934
www.broadleyvineyards.com
With a few wines highly rated in years past, I called in advance to see if we needed an appointment to do a tasting. The owner (Craig) is the sweetest man. I felt like I was calling their house every time we spoke on the phone. It’s pretty far from the main drag in the Willamette Valley, so we opted to pass on the actual visit to the vineyard, but purchased a few of his wines from Ponzi’s store.

Ponzi

100 SW Seventh Street
+1-503-554-1500
www.ponziwines.com
Ponzi makes beautiful pinots. I’ve had various vintages of their Pinot Reserve Willamette Valley as part of our cellar over the years. We’ve only been to their wine bar where they offer flights from a wide variety of wine makers in the Willamette Valley. The tasting room is central to the main drag and a must do. This is where you need to hit when you’re rounding off your case(s) to ship back home.

Penner-Ash

15771 NE Ribbon Ridge Road Newberg
+1-503-554-5545
www.pennerash.com
We waited to get on their wine club list for almost 2 years. They have wonderful wines and always throw in a surprise or two. We were pleasantly surprised by their Riesling and Viognier this past time around. If you seek a comprehensive tour of a wine making facility in the Willamette Valley, this would be one I would add to my list.

  • 2007 Riesling ($24)
  • 2007 Viognier ($32): melon and pear with a creamy finish
  • 2006 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir: 500mL: $32 Bottle: $48, ST 89, baking spices and violets
  • 2006 Goldschmidt Vineyard Pinot Noir ($55):  my husband called this one “Mathias Elegant” probably because the hints of lavender at the end reminded him of home in south of France; raspberries, a hint of white pepper
  • 2006 Carabella Vineyard Pinot Noir ($55)
  • 2006 Dussin Vineyard Pinot Noir ($60): sweet spices, peppers, plums

Anne Amie

6580 NE Mineral Springs Rd., Carlton
+1-503-864-2700
www.anneamie.com
A nice little surprise… we ended up waiving in the Cuvée A and the Château Benoit in years past – both very reasonably priced and perfect for summer nights for our “house wines” of 2008. You really can’t go wrong with the quality and price point. The view from the tasting room is also special.

  • 2007 Cuvée A Amrite (Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Müller Thurgau,  $16): immediate minerality, lime and lemon zest, crisp; great price point/quality blend
  • 2006 Chåteau Benoit Pinot Noir ($18): very fruit forward