tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-92831952024-03-07T12:25:05.254-08:00Purple Liquid: a wine and food diaryThe smell of wine, oh how much more delicate, cheerful, gratifying, celestial and delicious it is than that of oil.
François Rabelais (1495-1553)Catherine Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037220685013638611noreply@blogger.comBlogger374125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9283195.post-54744982879771725022013-04-19T17:23:00.000-07:002013-04-19T17:23:44.383-07:00The Annapolis Winery, just a few miles away from the Sonoma CoastLast month, we rented a beach house at <a href="http://www.tsra.org" target="_blank">Sea Ranch</a> on the Sonoma Coast for a couple of days. The private road leading to the house was just on the opposite side of a small road going inland and a sign indicating a winery, so after a hike along the coast, we felt adventurous and followed a deep redwood-filled canyon until we reached the tiny farming town of Annapolis.
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<center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTelw08xIGrzfKpVGdwrc7f3ISrNAgPXM7JQhAb7HqYhS7fjf8JnWSjkwJ_HV5SnXTdWfvnY-IdEOUCAqUHPIc6QhOseHWQMGZxcsaFxPmmc9mTuVIr7Xn0AVbNfVBpuSzBwC/s1600/P1090969.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img style="float:center;width:400px;" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTelw08xIGrzfKpVGdwrc7f3ISrNAgPXM7JQhAb7HqYhS7fjf8JnWSjkwJ_HV5SnXTdWfvnY-IdEOUCAqUHPIc6QhOseHWQMGZxcsaFxPmmc9mTuVIr7Xn0AVbNfVBpuSzBwC/s320/P1090969.jpg" /></a></center>
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The <a href="http://www.annapoliswinery.com" target="_blank">winery</a> was easy to find, just off Annapolis road, on top of a vineyard-covered hill. There was a small and homey tasting room opened every day until 5:00pm surrounded by a grassy meadow where people can bring their picnic and sip wine while enjoying the panoramic view.
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The place was an apple orchard when the Scalabrini family moved to Annapolis in 1976. Vineyards of Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon blanc were planted in 1978. Today, the family makes small quantities of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and Zinfandel.
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The local growing conditions, at 3 miles from the Pacific Ocean and an elevation of about 1,000 feet, are particularly favorable to wine production. The land is cooler than Carneros or the Russian River Valley while much less foggy than the coast, so the area is considered well suited for Pinot Noir. For the Scalabrinis, the focus is on quality, not quantity: sustainable farming, hand-picked fruits, and minimalist winemaking style. The results are lush and intense wines, sometimes a little too big for our taste.
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We found the Cabernet Sauvignon quite big and oaky and the Zinfandel, full-bodied, very fruit-forward, and like most Zinfandel, high in alcohol. We preferred their <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=244475" target="_blank">2007 Annapolis Pinot Noir</a>. The wine was not light but smooth with rich flavors of dark fruits and spices followed by a well-balanced finish.
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After the tasting, we walked for a while in the vineyards to enjoy the the warmth of afternoon sun and the views of the redwood-covered hills, a landscape so peaceful, so different from the rugged coast just a few miles away.
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<center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqLFQNh0WV_HH6X0r3gu4NeW3oT5iNDTJS_9ujeBtJ5E4aPb4yLs73ivYfO0aP3WS0_HqJhNoKOKyvf0nWTBOXadbl2dwIguENLcjSe8clKRJ49Jwxr-SFzVDne-LoDnf7ldiH/s1600/P1090982.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" style="float:center;width:450px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqLFQNh0WV_HH6X0r3gu4NeW3oT5iNDTJS_9ujeBtJ5E4aPb4yLs73ivYfO0aP3WS0_HqJhNoKOKyvf0nWTBOXadbl2dwIguENLcjSe8clKRJ49Jwxr-SFzVDne-LoDnf7ldiH/s320/P1090982.jpg" /></a></center>
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<font size=-1>Technorati tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wine" rel="tag">wine</a> <a style="float:center;width:800px;" href="http://technorati.com/tag/food+and+drink" rel="tag">food & drink</a></font>Catherine Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037220685013638611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9283195.post-61288438394138407482012-12-10T15:40:00.002-08:002012-12-11T09:56:18.348-08:00The Côte Saint-Jacques in Joigny, Burgundy's northernmost vineyard<p>Last time we were in France we visited my father-in-law in <a href="http://www.burgundytoday.com/towns/joigny.htm" target="_blank">Joigny</a>, a medieval town in northern Burgundy, just 150 km from Paris and 1 hour or so by train. The old town is particularly picturesque with its narrow cobbled streets and timber-framed 16th century houses. The best view of the city is at the top of the Côte Saint-Jacques, a steep south-facing hillside overlooking the river Yonne. This is where you find thirty hectares of vineyards, planted with Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The location, the northernmost wine district in Burgundy, is on the edge of sustainable viticulture but vines on the hill are protected from the north winds by the forest of Othe on the plateau and from spring frosts thanks to the micro-climate created by the river below.</p>
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<p>Historical records indicate that vines were growing in Joigny as early as 1082. The production being so close to Paris, the wines of Joigny were well known and quite popular at the tables of the kings of France. The most famous was the vin gris, a light Rosé primarily made of Pinot Gris, which apparently was a favorite of King Louis XIV. In the 19th century until the phylloxera devastation, Joigny was an active winegrowing and shipping center</p>
<p>In 1990, chef Michel Lorain, owner of the 3 Michelin star hotel and restaurant <a href="http://www.cotesaintjacques.com" target="_blank">La Côte Saint-Jacques</a> decided to revive the vineyard on the hill of Saint-Jacques and restore the wines' former high reputation. Five hectares of Chardonnay were planted first, followed later by 2 hectares of Pinot Noir and half a hectare of a mix of Malbec, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon and Tressot in order to produce the famous Vin Gris de Joigny Côte Saint Jacques.</p>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj16PeW0XvQcH1_bE8TGE-qcwlL35HQIFv4UtVUcoQDtUofYJIJmFeAIco8MeC0hEun_p2SxghhPRC8WZLa6LHdudqkk_MpS8L82zs_Ca0fogOMCsEiEDLX0URXx1vmI76ZOxDL/s1600/lorain_boutique.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj16PeW0XvQcH1_bE8TGE-qcwlL35HQIFv4UtVUcoQDtUofYJIJmFeAIco8MeC0hEun_p2SxghhPRC8WZLa6LHdudqkk_MpS8L82zs_Ca0fogOMCsEiEDLX0URXx1vmI76ZOxDL/s320/lorain_boutique.JPG" /></a></div>
<p>We visited Michel Lorain's winery, the <a href="http://www.bourgogne-michel-lorain.com" target="_blank">Domaine du Clos Saint Jacques</a>, where we met with Sales and Marketing Manager Pâquerette Jacquemin at the wine shop. She gave us a detailed and passionate pitch about the revival of the vineyard, the expansion to the Japanese market and the recent association with Manuel Janisson of <a href="http://www.janisson.com/" target="_blank">Champagne Janisson</a>. She then took us on a tour of the winemaking facilities located in a 16th century building, which used to be the home of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_de_Paul" target="_blank">Saint-Vincent-de-Paul</a> when he was living in Joigny.</p>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxgHMTlCcIgS0-GMsv6Qr8SXNpLLhkb_3gsHVjT5P2SDHmNCifzm6U0MTm58SFwC3fIjPIQxHJZzY6el7ohSlWbAM1rcD5wT05bl-Q4acVA_UPaR3V1IOq-Tfv_QXHqHhuTRA0/s1600/lorain_winery.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" width="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxgHMTlCcIgS0-GMsv6Qr8SXNpLLhkb_3gsHVjT5P2SDHmNCifzm6U0MTm58SFwC3fIjPIQxHJZzY6el7ohSlWbAM1rcD5wT05bl-Q4acVA_UPaR3V1IOq-Tfv_QXHqHhuTRA0/s320/lorain_winery.JPG" /></a></div>
<p>She generously gave us a sampler of the estate wines that we tasted later with our family. Overall, I found the wines dry, mineral, and crisp, and thought that the whites were more successful than the red.</p>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmJFaWswKYB0-tCwPMWqUoaVtgIqZsiCHwJC29BCb__CA24Ng_ehb0t134BkBcdK7vh0FFzryuq6tyhEQ_uPOTNC4khV1d6gmtedyLDpzO33O4k85PItm216C91dm2BIzmaAQ/s1600/bourgogne_capucins.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmJFaWswKYB0-tCwPMWqUoaVtgIqZsiCHwJC29BCb__CA24Ng_ehb0t134BkBcdK7vh0FFzryuq6tyhEQ_uPOTNC4khV1d6gmtedyLDpzO33O4k85PItm216C91dm2BIzmaAQ/s320/bourgogne_capucins.JPG" /></a></div>
<p>The <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=234911" target="_blank">2011 Bourgogne Chardonnay Domaine du Clos Saint Jacques</a> had a light yellow color and a fresh nose of green apple and citrus. The palate had a grippy acidity that worked well with our sauerkraut.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=234912" target="_blank">2009 Bourgogne Chardonnay Domaine du Clos Saint Jacques Cuvée Les Capucins</a> was slightly fuller than the regular cuvee, with a good amount of minerality and acidity that would team well with shellfish.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=234913" target="_blank">2008 Bourgogne Chardonnay Domaine du Clos Saint Jacques Cuvée Prestige</a> had a deep golden color and a nose of ripe apple. On the palate, it was rounder and fuller and would pair well with anything creamy.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=234914" target="_blank">2008 Bourgogne Pinot Noir Domaine du Clos Saint Jacques Cuvée Prestige</a> had a light garnet color and sour cherry nose, quite lean on the palate with under ripe flavors on the finish, not our favorite wine. The region has substantial vintage variations and 2008 was possibly not the best year for the reds in the area.</p>
<p>This was a fun tasting and a great introduction to this up-and-coming appellation. Thanks Pâquerette!
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<font size=-1>Technorati tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wine" rel="tag">wine</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/food+and+drink" rel="tag">food & drink</a></font>Catherine Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037220685013638611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9283195.post-62720190061542079282012-09-25T11:09:00.000-07:002012-09-25T11:11:14.270-07:00A good introduction to Canadian wines while hiking in the Canadian RockiesI am just back from 8 days of hiking in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banff_National_Park" target="_blank">Banff National Park</a> and I am still in awe of the spectacular landscape of the place—ice-carved mountains, hanging glaciers, turquoise blue lakes, and roaring cascades. I was also impressed by the dining scene —we were literally famished after hiking up and down hills on rugged mountain trails—and the good Canadian wines we found on the local wine lists.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLNrM4cktJzutLRc2S29ywpV_VgYRSTLD-drPsEEBkIF9bOmSI2BTyXgWUTtLnc_FdNGbi7Qetl2j3ZKeGaJn98n7v76TZ5Y6wKByvdeIf5e5K5bq21Tr7YAILPYLqL6hJbIHr/s1600/P1080640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" width="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLNrM4cktJzutLRc2S29ywpV_VgYRSTLD-drPsEEBkIF9bOmSI2BTyXgWUTtLnc_FdNGbi7Qetl2j3ZKeGaJn98n7v76TZ5Y6wKByvdeIf5e5K5bq21Tr7YAILPYLqL6hJbIHr/s320/P1080640.jpg" /></a><br /><font size=-1>Lake Louise from the top of the Little Beehive</font></div>
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On the first night, after a day of hiking in the wind and rain on the <a href="http://www.trailpeak.com/trail-Iceline-Trail-Day-hike-near-Field-BC-3288" target="_blank">Iceline Trail</a>, a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raclette" target="_blank">raclette</a> with a bottle of <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=222181" target="_blank">2011 Quails' Gate Dry Riesling</a> helped restore our energy. You need a wine with a firm backbone and a good level of acidity to cut through the creamy richness of the cheese, and the Quails' Gate Dry Riesling was more than up to the task: crisp, mineral, with citrus and floral aromas.
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A couple of days later, we hiked to <a href="http://www.shadowlakelodge.com/" target="_blank">Shadow Lake Lodge</a>, a back country lodge in Banff National Park. Although he day started with some snow, the skies turned deep blue by the time we reached the lodge.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNLhOhPwQXZLZFHyuZQYU9obNMLS5sAjMxsSOKZBdW5kmMIDmv8ZV3pMp-DjWW53NjFxQFdIEcFlPCsml0j385n4CxPS59MbzRHy8dRAPIdsKGT7_dL5i3mmYolikONUzIkzx/s1600/P1080857.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" width="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNLhOhPwQXZLZFHyuZQYU9obNMLS5sAjMxsSOKZBdW5kmMIDmv8ZV3pMp-DjWW53NjFxQFdIEcFlPCsml0j385n4CxPS59MbzRHy8dRAPIdsKGT7_dL5i3mmYolikONUzIkzx/s320/P1080857.jpg" /></a><br /><font size=-1>On our way to the Shadow Lake Lodge</font></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqnqQSPJf1zb7RbuUusuqHSc37qIXvU65922jRr-abSHzmqe1cgXcnhGF5I-jje8yCeMnRZMfVZOZtdhfok4kOtoTpIJJQJRQrBTgHFAVXddbhy3fyXZeBJ-0SWlupUrYhMIK0/s1600/P1080866.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" width="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqnqQSPJf1zb7RbuUusuqHSc37qIXvU65922jRr-abSHzmqe1cgXcnhGF5I-jje8yCeMnRZMfVZOZtdhfok4kOtoTpIJJQJRQrBTgHFAVXddbhy3fyXZeBJ-0SWlupUrYhMIK0/s320/P1080866.jpg" /></a><br /><font size=-1>The Shadow Lake Lodge</font></div>
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After our nine mile hike, we happily rested around a fire burning in the old iron stove in the main cabin with a glass of <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=219802" target="_blank">2011 Tinhorn Creek Pinot Gris</a>. The wine was dry, crisp, fruity, and totally comforting, a mouth-watering treat before the hearty dinner that would later be served.
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One of our last dinners was in a steak house in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banff,_Alberta" target="_blank">Banff</a> where we ordered a bottle of <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=228803" target="_blank">2009 Jackson-Triggs Proprietors' Reserve Merlot</a>. The wine had black berry aromas, a smooth palate and a refreshing acidity uncommon in California. I enjoyed it but I guess it was slightly too acidic to my friend's taste.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS5j14OE9tro5WBrZf7WJgifmq9FNvtxKTHbOWiP4e9LSmN7aodzMQe_ioHtvlierQOmi0j30cXhzb47MKDx3IARCVI-TEJr4R8YQ2uTx6_tElc00ctkpEqli4nUSfqjn2wdOE/s1600/Johnson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" width="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS5j14OE9tro5WBrZf7WJgifmq9FNvtxKTHbOWiP4e9LSmN7aodzMQe_ioHtvlierQOmi0j30cXhzb47MKDx3IARCVI-TEJr4R8YQ2uTx6_tElc00ctkpEqli4nUSfqjn2wdOE/s320/Johnson.jpg" /></a><br /><font size=-1>Hiking Johnston Canyon</font></div>
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<font size=-1>Technorati tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wine" rel="tag">wine</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/food+and+drink" rel="tag">food & drink</a></font>Catherine Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037220685013638611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9283195.post-59603970269599181162012-06-27T14:26:00.002-07:002012-06-27T14:27:43.021-07:00Orange you glad you tried an orange wine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The other day I was perusing the wine list of <a href="http://www.flourandwater.com/" target="_blank">Flour + Water</a> looking for a wine to go with our appetizers.
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Flour + Water is a trendy Italian restaurant in San Francisco's Mission district that specializes in home made pasta and pizza. Its wine list is short but offers an interesting selection of Italian wines. In particular, they have a section between the whites and the rosés that I had never seen before. They called it <i>Arancio</i> or <i>Orange</i> in Italian.
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<a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/libations/ci_20621077/corkheads-is-that-wine-orange" target="_blank">Orange wines</a> are actually the opposite of rosé wines. Whereas rosés are made with red grapes with just enough skin contact to produce a pink color, orange wines are made with white grapes that macerate for some time in contact with their skins, leaving the wine with a distinctive orange-amber hue. Skin-fermented orange wines may seem like a new trend but this winemaking style believed to have originated in Georgia thousands of years ago and was not uncommon in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia wine region of Italy in the 1950s.
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We ordered a glass of <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=222985" target="_blank">2009 Monastero Suore Cistercensi Coenobium Rusticum</a> to give it a try. A blend of Trebbiano, Verdicchio, Malvasia and Grechetto, the wine is produced by the Sisters of the Cistercian order at their monastery in Vitorchiano, in the Lazio appellation north of Rome. It had a deep amber color with some tannins, dried herb flavors and a nutty finish, reminiscent of a Sherry. My friend didn't like it and we concluded that like Sherry, orange wine is an acquired taste. As for me, I thought it worked pretty well with our appetizer, a tuna conserva with artichoke, tonnato & venetian battered cardoons.
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<font size=-1>Technorati tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wine" rel="tag">wine</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/food+and+drink" rel="tag">food & drink</a></font>Catherine Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037220685013638611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9283195.post-29055018931230156602012-03-06T17:33:00.003-08:002012-03-06T18:35:41.224-08:00Does music influences the way wine tastes?I recently came across a <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/11/01/WI80SAPJB.DTL&ao=all" target="_blank">San Francisco Chronicle article</a> that piqued my interest. The story starts with a warning: <i>“Beware: If you read this article, you may may never taste wine and listen to music the same way again.”</i><br /><br />The article refers to the work of <a href="http://www.grapecrafter.com/about-us" target="_blank">Clark Smith</a>, a winemaking innovator as well as a composer and vocalist who has recently become increasingly interested in the relationship of wine and music. He believes that wine tastes differently depending on the music we listen to.<br /><br />Smith has spent months with various tasting panels sampling wines with hundreds of different songs. He was able to show that when wine and music match, the wine improves. On the other hand, when they clash, the wine tastes worse. His theory is that wine tasting involves the same part of the brain as listening to music.<br /><br /><i>“Red wines need either minor key or they need music that has negative emotion. They don't like happy music. With expensive reds, don't play music that makes you giggle. Pinots like sexy music. Cabernets like angry music. It's very hard to find a piece of music that's good for both Pinot and Cabernet.”</i><br /><br />A related <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/8862520/Music-makes-wine-taste-better.html" target="_blank">study</a> led by Adrian North of Heriot-Watt University shows that tasters tend to think their wine has the qualities of the music they are listening to.<br /><br /><i>“The results showed the music the volunteers listened to consistently affected how they perceived it to taste. For example both red and white wines were given the highest ratings for being powerful and heavy by those participants who drank them to the tune of Carmina Burana. Those who listened to Michael Brook rated their wine as tasting mellow and soft consistently higher than other tastes.”</i><br /><br />On his blog, Smith recommends the following to a reader: <i>“It's really quite easy to work up a playlist. Just pop a bottle and download 30 second snippets from iTunes. You'll see what works and what doesn't. It's a fun party game. Eventually you learn the emotional modality that the wine conveys, and you match it.”</i><br /><br />Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 is playing tonight. Cabernet or Chardonnay?<br /><br /><font size=-1>Technorati tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wine" rel="tag">wine</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/food+and+drink" rel="tag">food & drink</a></font>Catherine Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037220685013638611noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9283195.post-86665974361799268982012-02-01T14:18:00.000-08:002012-02-01T14:50:07.597-08:00A charming Swan from the Russian River Valley<a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=157462" target="_blank"><img style="float:right;width:200px;margin:0px 0px 5px 20px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7019/6802895249_18dfdb71c0.jpg"></a>This was a low key, mid-week dinner at home and we were sipping our wine. “Wow, this wine is delicious!” my husband suddenly said. I showed him the bottle. It was a <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=157462" target="_blank">2008 Joseph Swan Pinot Noir Cuvée de Trois Russian River Valley</a>, a fairly-priced wine from Russian River Valley Pinot Noir pioneer <a href="http://www.swanwinery.com" target="_blank">Joseph Swan Vineyards</a>.<br /><br />Located in the Russian River Valley, <a href="http://www.swanwinery.com" target="_blank">Joseph Swan Vineyards</a> was founded by Joseph Swan in 1989. He was a retired pilot with no formal viticulture education, but after taking many trips to France, he became known for introducing new methods of winemaking that seemed revolutionary at the time in the United States. These techniques included whole cluster fermentations, extended maceration for more color and depth, and fermenting without the addition of sulfur.<br /><br />Joseph Swan's son-in-law Rod Berglund is now in charge of the winemaking. He introduced the “Cuvée de Trois” in 1999, a blend from three Russian River vineyards, each site contributing unique characteristics to the final cuvée. <br /><br />The wine is a charmer. The nose is expressive with aromas of red cherry, spices, and earthy notes, and the palate has a silky, juicy texture, showing more finesse than power with a well-balanced complexity. Delicious indeed! <br /><br /><font size=-1>Technorati tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wine" rel="tag">wine</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/food+and+drink" rel="tag">food & drink</a></font>Catherine Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037220685013638611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9283195.post-52917857677558330762012-01-10T16:54:00.000-08:002012-01-10T17:09:51.729-08:00A wine made from the blood of the stones<a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=9598" target="_blank"><img style="float:right;width:250px;margin:0px 0px 5px 20px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7172/6675024699_7e4b8fefbc.jpg"></a>That's the <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=9598" target="_blank">2001 Vacqueyras Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux Cuvée de Lopy</a>. The wine is from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacqueyras_AOC" target="_blank">Vacqueyras</a>, an appellation in the Southern Rhône next to Gigondas and to the east of Châteauneuf du Pape.<br /><br />It is produced by <a href="http://www.sangdescailloux.com/" target="_blank">Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux</a>, which means <i>Blood of the stones</i>, a 17 hectare estate located on an arid plateau made of red clay and limestone layered by rounded stones — the famous <i>galets roulés</i> that characterize the terroir of Châteauneuf du Pape. On the plateau, the summers are dry and hot but can be cooled down by the strong Mistral wind that blows from the north down the Rhône Valley.<br /><br />Although it has not been officially certified organic, the vineyard has been farming organically for years. The Cuvée de Lopy is 75% Grenache, 25% Syrah from 55 to 65 year-old vines. Lopy is the name of the farm where the owner, Serge Férigoule, was born. After being manually harvested, the grapes are fermented using indigenous yeasts and then aged in large 450-liter barrels. The wine is unfined and unfiltered.<br /><br />The wine was dark, rich, dense and amazingly fresh at the same time thanks to its high acidity. It was also perfectly balanced leaving a layered finish of wild berries, spices, and licorice. It was aso the perfect wine for a chilly evening. Try it with a <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=MB26DMZOv5UC&pg=PA253&lpg=PA253&dq=daube+provence+orange&source=bl&ots=LWOHIWnoeF&sig=m5GKwHkm5oLybf1eAiDZGOEXM3s&hl=en&sa=X&ei=OMkMT8eGDIariQLclNXtAw&ved=0CGIQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=daube%20provence%20orange&f=false" target="_blank">Provençal Daube</a> and don't forget the orange peel, that's the dish's secret ingredient!<br /><br /><font size=-1>Technorati tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wine" rel="tag">wine</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/food+and+drink" rel="tag">food & drink</a></font>Catherine Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037220685013638611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9283195.post-90603654434892447452011-12-27T18:30:00.001-08:002011-12-27T18:54:04.790-08:00A festive dinner at ManresaJust before the holidays, we went to <a href="http://www.manresarestaurant.com/" target="_blank">Manresa</a> in Los Gatos to celebrate my son's birthday. We took the seasonal tasting menu —highly recommended to us— that consists of 7 savory and 2 dessert courses and is the best showcase for the inventive cuisine of Chef David Kinch. It is also quite adventurous: only the ingredients are listed so you don't know ahead of time what each course would be like.<br /><br />Chef David Kinch's cuisine speaks of <i>who we are and where we are located</i> and many products are produced at <a href="http://www.growbetterveggies.com/" target="_blank">Love Apple Farms</a> in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Owner and farmer Cynthia Sandberg uses biodynamic and organic principles to grow fruits, vegetables, herbs and edible flowers, and produce eggs, honey, and goat's milk. The Love Apple Farms produces were perfectly showcased by one of our favorite courses, “A walk through the vegetable garden”, a colorful alchemy of bitter leaves, sweet flowers, raw and cooked root vegetables with multiple dressings hidden under the leaves, some more citrusy, some more vinegary. <br /><br /><center><img style="float:center;width:350px;margin:0px 0px 0px 0px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7171/6556985409_2a4155946d.jpg"><br/><font size=-1>A walk through the vegetable garden</font></center><br /><br />The next course reached even higher heights. Called “The Midwinter Tide Pool”, it was a bowl of rich broth that contained seaweed, clams, sea urchin, enoki mushrooms and the ultimate savory deliciousness, a thin slice of foie gras. <br /><br /><center><img style="float:center;width:350px;margin:0px 0px 0px 0px;" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7035/6556990197_5f234b7fac.jpg"><br/><font size=-1>The Midwinter Tide Pool</font></center><br /><br />I am not a dessert person but our second dessert was also one of my favorite. It was a mushroom ice cream with maple syrup, cinnamon chips and a small crispy churro. The dish was sweet and savory at the same time and full of umami flavors.<br /><br /><center><img style="float:center;width:350px;margin:0px 0px 0px 0px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7162/6557001135_0dc79426f3.jpg"><br/><font size=-1>Mushroom ice cream with maple syrup, cinnamon chips and churro</font></center><br /><br /><a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=104519" target="_blank"><img style="float:right;width:220px;margin:0px 0px 5px 20px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7141/6556982335_c89fe2b35b.jpg"></a>The wine list has a nice focus on the Santa Cruz Mountains. We chose a <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=104519" target="_blank">2006 Mount Eden Estate Bottled Pinot Noir</a> from the nearby <a href="http://www.mounteden.com" target="_blank">Mount Eden Vineyards</a>. Located on a 2000 foot peak about 15 miles from the Pacific Ocean, the winery was founded in 1945 by pioneer winemaker Martin Ray who planted his first vineyard of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay there. Today, seven acres of the estate vineyard are planted with Pinot Noir. The wine is fermented using natural yeasts and matures for eighteen months in French oak barrels (75% new). The wine showed a medium red color with fragrant aromas of forest berries, spices and earth on the nose. On the palate it was all about elegance, medium-bodied with a smooth texture and a savory earthy finish that went wonderfully well with David Kinch's alchemy.<br /><br /><font size=-1>Technorati tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wine" rel="tag">wine</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/food+and+drink" rel="tag">food & drink</a></font>Catherine Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037220685013638611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9283195.post-87338288726469496992011-11-21T16:28:00.000-08:002011-11-21T17:02:26.586-08:00Invite Austria to your Thanksgiving table<a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=194663" target="_blank"><img style="float:right;width:180px;margin:0px 0px 5px 20px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6227/6380018219_c3ed1d84ae.jpg"></a>Finding the perfect wine that can go with all the rich flavors found on the Thanksgiving menu, the turkey, the stuffing, the gravy, the cranberries, and the various side dishes, can be challenging. Nonetheless, I think that a wine that is bright and fruity, and not too tannic nor alcoholic, is always a great choice. So when I recently tasted the <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=204065" target="_blank">2009 Juris St. Laurent Selection</a>, I thought that this year, it was time to invite Austria to our Thanksgiving table.<br /><br />Owned by the Stiegelmar family, <a href="http://www.bluedanubewine.com/winery/juris/" target="_blank">Juris</a> farms 17 hectares of vineyards in the <a href="http://www.burgenland.info/en/themen/wein/gebiete/neusiedlersee/" target="_blank">Neusiedlersee wine region</a>, half way between Vienna and Budapest. This is the warmest part of Austria with climatic conditions well suited to red varieties, which explains the winery's special focus on St Laurent and Pinot Noir wines.<br /><br />The Stiegelmar family has been cultivating grapes in this area since the 16th century. One of the winery's underground cellars was built in 1756, Mozart's birth year. It was dug 52 meters long, 12 meters below the surface, and maintains a stable temperature of 10°C (50°F).<br /><br />But over the past 10 years, Axel Stiegelmar and his father Georg have developed a modern winery. The transport of grapes, mash, must, and wine is done predominantly through gravity to avoid damage by careless transport. The storage building is Austria's first <a href="http://www.juris.at/en/news/trends/the-trendsetter-for-passive-energy/" target="_blank">passive energy wine storage facility</a>. The building, neither heated nor cooled by fossil or electric energy, has various temperature and humidity zones to provide optimal storage conditions for different wines at different stages of their production.<br /><br /><center><img style="float:center;width:300px;" src="http://www.bluedanubewine.com/img//wineries/juris_casks.jpg" alt="cellars"/><br/><font size=-1>The underground cellars</font></center><br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Laurent_(grape)" target="_blank">St. Laurent</a> is a red grape of mysterious origins. It is said to belong to the Pinot family, although its exact ancestry remains unclear. It is an early ripening grape variety, sensitive to frost, sunburn, and botrytis. The name comes from Saint Laurent's name day on August 10, which is when the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veraison" target="_blank">veraison</a> of the grape occurs. <br /><br />If the wine had the bright acidity of a Pinot Noir, it was spicy like a Syrah. It showed a very dark color with aromas of black cherries, moka, and gamey notes. On the palate, it was quite smooth and tasty with maybe a hint of sweet chestnut on the finish.<br /><br /><center><img style="float:center;width:300px;" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6212/6380027897_df9dfe4bff.jpg" alt="turkey"/><br/><font size=-1>Last year's turkey</font></center><br /><br /><i>Cross-posted from <a href="http://www.bluedanubewine.com/blog/" target="_blank">bluedanubewine.com/blog</a></i><br /><br /><font size=-1>Technorati tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wine" rel="tag">wine</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/food+and+drink" rel="tag">food & drink</a></font>Catherine Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037220685013638611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9283195.post-3160095753860456052011-10-27T06:53:00.000-07:002011-10-27T07:36:41.440-07:00Special aviation wines for the Blue Angels Air ShowEarlier this month, we were invited to a wine tasting party while watching the <a href="http://www.fleetweek.us/" target="_blank">Blue Angels Air Show</a>, a spectacular aerial show and a tradition in San Francisco since 1981. We were asked to bring a bottle of wine that had some connection with aviation, which was a fun exercise because in addition to tasting the wines, this theme prompted discussion about how the wines were related to planes and pilots.<br /><br /><center><img style="float:center;width:350px;margin:0px 0px 0px 0px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6042/6262561212_ae3f157a3a.jpg"></center><br /><br />We started with the <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=45243" target="_blank">2004 Goldeneye Pinot Noir Anderson Valley</a>. That one was easy: everybody remembered how in <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113189/" target="_blank">Goldeneye</a>, James Bond escapes Soviet guards with a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilOtD4j5-OI" target="_blank">free fall jump</a> off a cliff into an unmanned plane, miraculously gaining control of it and avoiding a crash into the nearby mountain.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.goldeneyewinery.com" target="_blank">Goldeneye Winery</a> is owned by <a href="http://www.duckhorn.com" target="_blank">Duckhorn Vineyard</a> and has been producing Pinot Noir from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anderson_Valley_AVA" target="_blank">Anderson Valley AVA</a> since 1997. The wine is a blend of grapes from four estate vineyards, covering a wide range of microclimates with more than 20 distinctive clones. The wine had a big California style, lush on the palate with ripe berry flavors and hints of pumpkin pie spice on the finish.<br /><br />Then we tasted the <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=8622" target="_blank">2004 Château Malescot Saint-Exupéry</a>, a Third Growth in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaux" target="_blank">Margaux Appellation</a>. <a href="http://www.malescot.com" target="_blank">Château Malescot Saint-Exupéry</a> got its first name from Simon Malescot, King's Counsel to Louis XIV at the Parliament of Bordeaux, who bought the estate in 1697. Then later in 1827, it was acquired by Comte Jean-Baptiste Saint Exupéry, who renamed the property Malescot Saint-Exupéry. So what's the wine's connection with aviation? <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoine_de_Saint-Exupéry" target="_blank">Antoine de Saint Exupéry</a>, pioneer aviator and famous writer, was actually the grandson of Jean-Baptiste.<br /><br />The wine is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. It had a dense, blackberry nose with some coffee notes, quite chewy on the palate with a well-balanced finish. A promising wine but much too young to be drunk now.<br /><br />Our third wine was the <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=132985" target="_blank">2005 Silverado Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Solo Stags Leap District</a>. First, we thought of solo flight, but after some discussions, we found that Solo had even more connections to flying, including <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_Solo" target="_blank">Han Solo</a>, famous captain of the Millennium Falcon.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.silveradovineyards.com" target="_blank">Silverado Vineyards</a> was established in 1981 by the Miller family. They named the winery Silverado, after the abandoned mining camp in the Mayacamas Mountains, where <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Louis_Stevenson" target="_blank">Robert Louis Stevenson</a> spent his honeymoon in the early summer of 1880.<br /> <br />The Solo Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100% Cabernet grapes grown in the estate Stags Leap Vineyard, surrounding the winery. It was a powerful wine with aromas of blackberries and oak and a big finish.<br /><br />We ended the tasting with a vertical tasting of ZD Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon: <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=1239" target="_blank">2000</a>, <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=7575" target="_blank">2001</a>, <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=7569" target="_blank">2002</a>, and <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=18915" target="_blank">2003</a>.<br /><br /><center><img style="float:center;width:350px;margin:0px 0px 0px 0px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6235/6262565656_93648f4bee.jpg"></center><br /><br />Nobody knew that <a href="http://www.zdwines.com/" target="_blank">ZD</a> stands for the initials of the names of the founders Gino Zepponi and Norman deLeuze, two former aerospace engineers. It also stands for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero_Defects" target="_blank">Zero Defects</a>, a quality control program that originated in the aerospace industry.<br /><br />The ZD Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of several Napa Valley lots, with ZD's organically farmed Rutherford Estate used as the backbone. The 2000 was the first vintage to open up, with an expansive nose and ripe fruit aromas. The 2001 was tighter and more subdued at the beginning but it eventually surpassed the 2000 with aromas of blackberries, moka, and licorice, a firm, well-balanced backbone, and a full-flavored finish. It ended up being my favorite. The 2002 was not as good and a bit off balanced. The 2003 was young, bright, and fruity but without the complexity of the 2001. <br /><br />And above our heads, the Blue Angels were flying.<br /><br /><center><img style="float:center;width:350px;margin:0px 0px 0px 0px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6238/6285676571_d32c2e36d7.jpg"></center><br /><br /><font size=-1>Technorati tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wine" rel="tag">wine</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/food+and+drink" rel="tag">food & drink</a></font>Catherine Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037220685013638611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9283195.post-10358734618151344592011-10-12T13:51:00.000-07:002011-10-12T14:11:04.737-07:00Prohibition through Ken Burns' lensLast week I watched Ken Burns' five-and-a-half-hour three-part <a href="http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/prohibition/" target="_blank">documentary</a> on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibition_in_the_United_States" target="_blank">Prohibition</a>, the so-called “Noble Experiment” and one of the country's biggest civic failures.<br /><br />I like Ken Burns' work, especially his <a href="http://www.pbs.org/jazz/" target="_blank">Jazz series</a>, and Prohibition didn't disappoint me. I already knew some of the causes that led to the passage of the 18th Amendment: the force of the Temperance Movement and how its leaders were also pushing for women's rights, how the passing of the income tax amendment made Prohibition fiscally feasible, and the strange alliance of militant suffragettes with white supremacists to ban alcohol use.<br /><br />But there were some other facts that I was not aware of, like the vilification of German-Americans —which included most of the large brewery owners— when the US entered World War I. And I didn't realize that women, after lobbying so hard for prohibition, became so pivotal in the effort to repeal it. <br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pauline_Sabin" target="_blank">Pauline Sabin</a>, a wealthy heiress from a Republican family, initially supported prohibition, but as crime increased, her criticism of the 18th Amendment grew slowly. At some point, she realized that <i>“In pre-prohibition days, mothers had little fear in regard to the saloon as far as their children were concerned. A saloon-keeper's license was revoked if he were caught selling liquor to minors. Today in any speakeasy in the United States you can find boys and girls in their teens drinking liquor, and this situation has become so acute that the mothers of the country feel something must be done to protect their children.”</i><br /><br />She founded the Women's Organization for National Prohibition Reform in 1929. Four years later, the 18th Amendment, was repealed.<br /><br /><font size=-1>Technorati tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wine" rel="tag">wine</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/food+and+drink" rel="tag">food & drink</a></font>Catherine Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037220685013638611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9283195.post-91338052759207740772011-09-27T13:17:00.000-07:002011-09-27T13:46:37.091-07:00Pupusas from El Salvador and a good Pinot from the Santa Cruz MountainsThe other day, we were invited to a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pupusa" target="_blank">Pupusas</a> party, one of the guests' mother being from El Salvador and a great cook. The pupusa is El Salvador's national dish, made of thick corn tortillas typically filled with cheese, pork, and beans and cooked on a griddle.<br /><br /><center><img style="float:center;width:300px;margin:0px 0px 0px 0px;"src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6173/6189222199_ed6aa891dd.jpg"></center><br /><br />Freshly made and still hot from the skillet, it is really tasty but what to drink with it besides beer? Actually we found that Pinot Noir was a pretty good choice, especially if you avoided the extra spicy salsa. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=198760" target="_blank"><img style="float:right;width:200px;margin:0px 0px 5px 20px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6168/6186305440_e4eaf5471b.jpg"></a>We tasted the <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=198760" target="_blank">2003 Muccigrosso Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains</a> from <a href="http://www.muccigrosso.com" target="_blank">Muccigrosso Vineyards</a>, a small family-run winery in Los Gatos, in the Santa Cruz Mountains. <br /><br />The owners, Michael and Lynne Muccigrosso, planted their first vines in 1983 and bottled their first vintage in 2000. Now they produce 800 to 1000 cases per year of Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, and a Syrah-Sangiovese blend called Table Two. The 2003 Pinot Noir was crafted by Jacob Kauffman, a yound talented winemaker who had gained his experience at near-by <a href="http://www.davidbrucewinery.com" target="_blank">David Bruce Winery</a> but who sadly passed away 2 years ago.<br /><br />The wine had a bright garnet color and perfumed nose of sweet berries and violets. On the palate, it was medium-bodied with a good structure, elegant with a good amount of earthiness on the finish. Quite comforting, like the pupusas.<br /><br /><center><img style="float:center;width:300px;margin:0px 0px 0px 0px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6167/6189740084_6b8c379c4f.jpg"></center><br /><br /><font size=-1>Technorati tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wine" rel="tag">wine</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/food+and+drink" rel="tag">food & drink</a></font>Catherine Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037220685013638611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9283195.post-66651030243223603672011-09-16T15:01:00.000-07:002011-09-16T15:07:06.195-07:00Something new and creative: a Metro Wine Map of France<a href="http://www.delongwine.com/metro-france-wine-map.php" target="_blank"><img style="float:right;width:250px;margin:0px 0px 5px 20px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6208/6151084651_23daa4dcb6.jpg"></a>Do you know that it's only in 1931 that the first schematic subway map was designed by English engineering draftsman <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Beck" target="_blank">Harry Beck</a>? Before that, we had route maps that were solely based on geography. They were lacking clarity and had many overcrowded areas. Schematic maps are based on topology and therefore show a simplified, hightly stylized network of stations that is much easier to understand.<p>So can we apply the same logic to wine regions and appellations to simplify and clarify regional and geographical concepts to beginners? <a href="http://www.cca.edu/academics/faculty/dgissen" target="_blank">Dr. David Gissen</a>, professor at the <a href="http://www.cca.edu" target="_blank">California College of the Arts</a>, thinks so and has recently <a href="http://www.delongwine.com/metro-france-wine-map.php" target="_blank">published</a> a Metro Wine Map of France.</p><p>Dr. David Gissen is a historian and theorist of architecture and urbanism but he is also a wine lover who, after drinking a bottle of <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=181656" target="_blank">2009 Morgon Domaine Lapierre</a> at <a href="http://www.chezpanisse.com" target="_blank">Chez Panisse</a>, wanted to learn more about wine and its relationship with particular philosophies and places.</p><p>In a recent <a href="http://www.ediblegeography.com/how-wine-became-metropolitan-an-interview-with-david-gissen/" target="_blank">interview</a>, Gissen explains what motivated him to design his Metro map.</p><p><blockquote>“I was just very frustrated with the fact that some basic ideas about the relationships between wine and geography that seemed so simple to me, after my own tastings, were not actually expressed simply anywhere. Part of the problem is the way the geographical description of French wine relies on a very literal languages of maps. What I mean by that is that if you look at almost any book on French wine, the maps look like the kind of thing that an explorer would use. They're extremely literal, cartographic views, so that all the regions are drawn with very precise jagged-line boundaries, and you're supposed to understand that this particular terroir stops just below this particular Autoroute in France, for example, and so on.”</blockquote></p><p><blockquote>“My feeling was that you could explain some very basic geographical ideas and principles about French wine if you used a visual language that was relational and condensed. To me, that means the language of the subway map.”</blockquote></p><p>If you want to find the <i>“best subway stop from which to embark on your own journey of wine exploration”</i>, you can get the map <a href="http://www.delongwine.com/metro-france-wine-map.php" target="_blank">here</a>. And if you want to learn more about Gissen's interesting perspectives on concrete vinification, wine glass shapes, terroir, and the re-framing of wine using an urban aesthetics, read the <a href="http://www.ediblegeography.com/how-wine-became-metropolitan-an-interview-with-david-gissen/" target="_blank">full interview</a>.</p><p><font size=-1>Technorati tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wine" rel="tag">wine</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/food+and+drink" rel="tag">food & drink</a></font></p>Catherine Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037220685013638611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9283195.post-27197691753896130572011-09-05T18:17:00.000-07:002011-09-05T18:32:55.711-07:00Hiking Mount Baldy and an ice-cold Coors Light after thatIt was hot last weekend in Los Angeles when we dropped our daugther off at college so we decided to find some cool mountain breeze at the top of the 10,068 ft <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_San_Antonio" target="_blank">Mount Baldy</a> in the San Gabriel Mountains.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.coorslight.com" target="_blank"><img style="float:right;width:60px;margin:0px 0px 5px 20px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6062/6112694429_66cd0d52d4.jpg"></a>An old ski chair lift from the 50s took us to the small <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Baldy_Ski_Lifts" target="_blank">Mount Baldy ski resort</a> and from there we took the <a href="http://www.examiner.com/outdoor-recreation-in-los-angeles/hiking-the-devil-s-backbone-trail-to-the-summit-of-mt-baldy" target="_blank">Devil's Backbone trail</a> that goes up to the top of Mount Baldy with amazing views of L.A. on one side and the desert on the other side.<br /><br />After the hike, we stopped at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Baldy_Ski_Lifts" target="_blank">Top of the Notch</a>, the resort's restaurant, feeling hot and sweaty. The temperature was still in the mid-90s.<br /><br />”What's the coldest drink you have?“ We asked the waitress at the bar. ”Coors Light“ she said witout hesitation, taking two frosty mugs from under the bar. I don't usually drink Coors Light but this time, I could not resist. As I took the first sip of my beer, I thought this was the best thing I ever drank. It was so refreshing, with a clean, mildly sweet taste, and for sure it quenched our thirst.<br /><br /><center><img style="float:center;width:350px;margin:0px 0px 5px 0px;" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6204/6113725618_e5ce727329.jpg"><br><font size-=1>The Devil's Backbone trail</font></center><br /><br /><font size=-1>Technorati tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wine" rel="tag">wine</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/food+and+drink" rel="tag">food & drink</a></font>Catherine Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037220685013638611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9283195.post-27673132194870738492011-08-16T14:59:00.000-07:002011-08-16T15:23:35.118-07:00A Jasnières at a one-star restaurant in BloisWhen we left the <a href="http://manageyourcellar.blogspot.com/2011/08/domaine-de-lancienne-cure-in-bergerac.html" target="_blank">Dordogne</a>, we stopped over in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blois" target="_blank">Blois</a> where we ate at a small and charming Michelin one-star restaurant called <a href="http://www.rendezvousdespecheurs.com/" target="_blank">Au Rendez-Vous des Pêcheurs</a>. The restaurant occupies an old grocery in a 16th-century house not very far from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Château_de_Blois" target="_blank">chateau</a>, and specializes in seafood and regional cuisine with local products from the Loire Valley.
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<br /><a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=194663" target="_blank"><img style="float:right;width:200px;margin:0px 0px 5px 20px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6078/6036553947_bc65f85741.jpg"></a>We drank a delicious <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=194663" target="_blank">2006 Jasnières Les Vignes de L'Ange Vin Le Charme du Loir</a>, a wine from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jasnieres" target="_blank">Jasnières</a>, a small appellation located on clay/limestone hillsides thick with flint stones along the Loir River (a tributary of the Loire River). The area is the most northerly wine-growing region of the Loire Valley and is therefore distinctly colder. The wines are all dry white wines produced from Chenin Blanc grapes.
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<br /><a href="http://lesvignesdelangevin.vinsnaturels.fr/" target="_blank">Les Vignes de L'Ange Vin</a> was founded by Jean-Pierre Robinot, who used to run a wine bistro in Paris called L'Ange Vin for nearly 15 years. L'Ange Vin means <i>angel wine</i> but it is also a play on words with <i>Angevin</i>, a term that applies to the residents of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anjou" target="_blank">Anjou region</a> and its capital Angers. Jean-Pierre Robinot is an ambitious winemaker that practices natural farming and winemaking. The white wines (70% of the production) are pressed very slowly and raised on the lees in oak barrels for at least 12 months. Minimal sulfur is added.
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<br />The wine had a light yellow color and a nose of citrus and white flowers. On the palate, it had a bright acidity, lots of minerality and a touch of honey. The wine was more crisp than a Vouvray or a Savenières but had plenty of character that highlighted well the flavors of the food.
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<br /><center><img style="float:center;width:300px;margin:0px 0px 5px 0px;" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6191/6050283715_901443486b.jpg"><br><font size-=1>Carrot Mousse and Mushroom Flan</font></center>
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<br /><center><img style="float:center;width:300px;margin:0px 0px 5px 0px;" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6208/6050292019_524f1a1429.jpg"><br><font size-=1>Crayfish Stuffed Zucchini Flower</font></center>
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<br /><center><img style="float:center;width:300px;margin:0px 0px 5px 0px;" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6086/6050327303_d35e78e336.jpg"><br><font size-=1>Bass topped with Sweetbreads</font></center>
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<br /><center><img style="float:center;width:300px;margin:0px 0px 5px 0px;" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6087/6050893460_933b5ccff6.jpg"><br><font size-=1>Strawberry Soup</font></center>
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<br /><font size=-1>Technorati tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wine" rel="tag">wine</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/food+and+drink" rel="tag">food & drink</a></font>Catherine Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037220685013638611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9283195.post-74924445046565846092011-08-01T16:06:00.000-07:002011-08-02T07:58:07.907-07:00Domaine de L'Ancienne Cure in BergeracEarlier this month, I was in the <a href="http://www.northofthedordogne.com/" target="_blank">Dordogne</a> for our biennial family reunion. This region, located in southwest France and east of Bordeaux, is I think, one of the best spots in France for a family vacation. There are hundreds of prehistoric caves, more than 1500 castles and plenty of medieval villages to explore. The region is also famous for its local specialities including foie gras, duck confit, duck magret, and truffles. And of course, there is wine.<br /><br />The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergerac_wine" target="_blank">Bergerac</a> wine region lies along the Dordogne river and is the biggest appellation in the south west of France, producing red, dry white, and sweet white wines. The grapes growing in the region are similar to the Bordeaux varieties but the local climate is more continental and less influenced by the Atlantic ocean. Winters are mild and summers are long and can be very hot with occasional storms and showers.<br /><br /><center><img style="float:center;width:300px;margin:0px 0px 5px 0px;" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6010/5987929823_4fef692fbb.jpg"><br><font size-=1>Vineyards in the Bergerac Appellation</font></center><br /><br />During the week that I spent in the area, I had the opportunity to visit the <a href="http://www.domaine-anciennecure.fr/" target="_blank">Domaine de L'Ancienne Cure</a>. It is a family owned estate growing grapes in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergerac_wine" target="_blank">Bergerac</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pecharmant" target="_blank">Pécharmant</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monbazillac_AOC" target="_blank">Monbazillac</a> appellations. The name of the domain refers to the old presbytery that Hélène and Gaston Roche bought in 1946 in the small village of Colombier, several kilometers from the town of Bergerac. They were mainly growers at the time, sending most of their grapes to the local cooperative. In 1984, their son Christian Roche inherited part of the family property and built its own winery to become an independent winemaker. Since 2009, the estate has been converting to organic viticulture.<br /> <br /><center><img style="float:center;width:300px;margin:0px 0px 5px 0px;" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6027/5987928817_2b3ae8a704.jpg"><br><font size-=1>Domaine de L'Ancienne Cure</font></center><br /><br />At the domaine, we were warmly welcomed by a friendly and knowledgeable staff. We sat at the large farmhouse table in the middle of the tasting room and spent two hours tasting and talking about the estate production. The winery makes dry white, sweet white and red wines in three different lines: Jour de Fruit for fruit-forward, ready-to-drink wines, L'Abbaye for more concentrated, age-worthy wines, and the top of the line, L'Extase.<br /><br />We tasted the following wines:<br /><br />• <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=193460" target="_blank">2009 Bergerac Sec Domaine de L'Ancienne Cure L'Abbaye</a>: 30% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Muscadelle, 25% Sémillon, and 25% Sauvignon Gris. Sauvignon Gris is a rare grape variety on the brink of extinction that has been revived recently in Bordeaux and in the south west. Manual harvest, aged 9 months in barrel, 30% new. My notes: deep golden color, sweet floral nose. On the palate much drier than it smells, peach, tropical fruit aromas, creamy mouthfeel.<br /><br />• <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=193461" target="_blank">2008 Bergerac Sec Domaine de L'Ancienne Cure L'Extase</a>: 45% Sauvignon blanc, 35 % Sémillon, 20 % Muscadelle. Manual harvest, 60% new oak barrels. My notes: deep golden color, intense nose, lots of freshness on the palate with additional citrus notes, great balance between acidity and richness.<br /><br /><center><img style="float:center;width:300px;margin:0px 0px 5px 0px;" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6001/5988495164_301887e5ee.jpg"><br><font size-=1>The red wines</font></center><br /><br />• <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=193462" target="_blank">2008 Pécharmant Domaine de L'Ancienne Cure Collection</a>: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pecharmant" target="_blank">Pécharmant</a> is a small appellation on the north bank of Bergerac. The name means <i>charming hill</i>, <i>pech</i> coming from the occitan word puèg which means <i>hill</i> and <i>charmant</i> meaning <i>charming</i>. The wine is a blend of 50% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc. Aged 18 months in new oak barrels. My notes: dark color, blackberry nose, very young, still tight and not really "made" yet (with the fruit on one side and the oak on the other side), age-worthy.<br /><br />• <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=193463" target="_blank">2005 Bergerac Domaine de L'Ancienne Cure L'Extase</a>: 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc. Grapes are harvested very ripe on calcareous soils and with more acidity on clay soils. Aged 19 months in new oak barrels. My notes: deep color, gamey aromas, ripe blackberries, jammy, quite silky on the palate, fine tannins, good acidity, age-worthy.<br /><br /><center><img style="float:center;width:300px;margin:0px 0px 5px 0px;" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6010/5988496112_815163df30.jpg"><br><font size-=1>The sweet Monbazillac wines</font></center><br /><br />• <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=193464" target="_blank">2009 Monbazillac Domaine de L'Ancienne Cure Jour de Fruit</a>: the wines of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monbazillac_AOC" target="_blank">Monbazillac</a> were already well-known in France in the 14th century but were discovered by the Dutch in the 17th century during the Wars of Religion when many Protestants from the Bergerac area emigrated to Holland. Like nearby Sauternes, the wine is issued from Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle grapes harvested by hand when the grapes are affected by the noble rot or botrytis cinerea. The wine is a blend of 90% Sémillon, 10% Muscadelle. My notes: light golden color, floral nose. On the palate, light-bodied, sweet and fresh without been sirupy, nice citrus on the finish, good acidity, great with foie gras.<br /><br />• <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=193466" target="_blank">2003 Monbazillac Domaine de L'Ancienne Cure L'Extase</a>: 90% Sémillon, 10% Muscadelle. Careful selection of the best berries, aged in new oak barrels. My notes: deep amber color, powerful nose of madarin orange. On the palate, very rich, sweet, long finish. <br /><br /><center><img style="float:center;width:300px;margin:0px 0px 5px 0px;" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6016/5988497412_e629f904f5.jpg"><br><font size-=1>Showing the different amounts of botrytised fruit used in the Jour de Fruit and Extase cuvées</font></center><br /><br /><font size=-1>Technorati tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wine" rel="tag">wine</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/food+and+drink" rel="tag">food & drink</a></font>Catherine Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037220685013638611noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9283195.post-67842455952586828992011-06-24T10:58:00.000-07:002011-06-24T12:11:24.533-07:00More interesting summer whites from Spain, Portugal, and HungaryAt last month's <a href="http://manageyourcellar.blogspot.com/2011/06/wines-of-slovenian-producer-kabaj.html" target="_blank">Port4lio Tasting</a> in San Francisco, I had the opportunity to taste some delicious white wines made from uncommon grapes. Here are the three that I found the most distinctive: <br /><br />• <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=190478" target="_blank">2010 Raventós i Blanc Silencis</a>: the wine is 100% <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xarel%C2%B7lo" target="_blank">Xarel-lo</a>, a Spanish grape variety from Catalonia. Although Xarel-lo is mainly used with Macabeu and Parellada in Cava production, it is sometimes used alone in still wines. Located in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penedès" target="_blank">Penedès</a> wine region, south west of Barcelona, <a href="http://www.raventos.com" target="_blank">Bodegas Raventós i Blanc</a> was founded in 1986 by Josep Raventós Blanc, a member of the <a href="http://www.codorniu.com" target="_blank">Codorníu</a> family. The family-run, quality-oriented winery owns 90 acres of vineyards, planted mostly to local varieties such as Macabeo, Xarel-lo, and Parellada, on rocky, chalky soil high in limestone content (like Champagne). The wine has a pale yellow color and a mineral nose of crushed seashells. On the palate, it is dry and quite earthy with a long distinctive finish.<br /><br />• <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=190475" target="_blank">2010 Trajarinho Vinho Verde</a>: the wine is a blend of <a href="http://winesofportugal.info/pagina.php?codNode=1100" target="_blank">Trajadura</a> and <a href="http://winesofportugal.info/pagina.php?codNode=1100#tab_0,codNode_1089" target="_blank">Alvarinho</a>, two native grape varietals of the Iberian Peninsula. In Portugal, they are mainly found in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinho_Verde" target="_blank">Vinho Verde region</a> in the northern part of the country. Low in alcohol (11.5%), the wine has a light golden color and an attractive floral nose. On the palate, it is rather dry, slightly fizzy with lemon aromas and a refreshing finish.<br /><br />• <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=190476" target="_blank">2009 Bott Hárslevelu Határi</a>: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hárslevelu" target="_blank">Hárslevelu</a> is generally blended with Furmint to produce Tokaji Aszú in the Tokaj-Hegyalja region of Hungary but in this wine, it is vinified as a pure varietal dry wine. Határi is one of the top vineyards in Tokaj and the small, family-run <a href="http://www.bottpince.hu" target="_blank">Bott</a> winery maintains 1.5 ha of vines there, planted on a rocky, volcanic terraced slope. The wine has a light yellow color and an unusual nose of aromatic herbs (thyme, rosemary). On the palate, it has a great mid-palate mouthfeel with notes of rose petal on the finish.<br /><br /><font size=-1>Technorati tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wine" rel="tag">wine</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/food+and+drink" rel="tag">food & drink</a></font>Catherine Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037220685013638611noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9283195.post-92149062435251970372011-06-10T17:18:00.000-07:002011-06-10T17:47:40.447-07:00Looking for a fresh summer wine? Try SoaveMay was <a href="http://blog.ilsoave.com/en/soave-events/may-is-soave-month-in-new-york/" target="_blank">Soave Month in New York</a> so as part of the promotion program, I received a couple of wine samples from <a href="http://www.colangelopr.com" target="_blank">Colangelo & Partners</a>.<br /><br />Maybe Italy's best wines are red but I really like its white wines, especially those that are fresh, crisp, fruity, as well as delicious with food.<br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soave_(wine)" target="_blank">Soave</a> is (with Pinot Grigio) one of Italy's most popular white wines. It comes from the Veneto region in the northeast corner of Italy, the country's third biggest wine producer. The Soave growing area is situated in the hills east of Verona and is characterized by volcanic soils particularly rich in minerals. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garganega" target="_blank">Garganega</a> is Soave's principal grape variety and Italy's 6th most widely planted white grape.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=189160" target="_blank"><img style="float:right;width:160px;margin:0px 0px 5px 20px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5194/5810098482_95a92e00b3.jpg"></a>We first tasted the <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=189160" target="_blank">2009 Il Casale Soave Classico</a> produced by <a href="http://www.vignadellostefano.it/" target="_blank">Azienda Agricola Le Albare</a>. Le Albare is a small 6.5 hectare family estate planted with 100% Garganega grapes. it was founded at the turn of the 20th century by Adam Posenato, current winemaker Stefano Posenato's great-grandfather. The wine had a light golden color and a quite stony nose. On the palate, it was light-bodied with a crisp minerality and notes of citrus on the finish.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=189159" target="_blank"><img style="float:left;width:160px;margin:0px 20px 5px 0px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2318/5809537015_8810b7653f.jpg"></a>We actually prefered our second sample, the <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=189159" target="_blank">2009 Re Midas Soave</a>. The wine is produced by <a href="http://www.cantinasoaveusa.com" target="_blank">Cantina di Soave</a>, a cooperative founded in 1898 and made up of 2,200 winegrowers and farmers with currently 6,000 hectares under vine. The wine was named after Re (King) Midas who wished that everything he touched would turn to gold. Re Midas vineyards are located on the hillsides in the village of Soave at elevations between 100 and 350 meters. The wine is 100% Garganega aged 3 months in stainless steel followed by 1 month in bottle before release. it had a pale yellow color and a spicy nose with a touch of honey. On the palate, it was fuller and rounder than the Il Casale with aromas of fresh white peach. It was actually a very good accompaniment for our <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Sauteed-Cod-with-Lentils-230747" target="_blank">Cod with Lentils</a>.<br /><br /><font size=-1>Technorati tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wine" rel="tag">wine</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/food+and+drink" rel="tag">food & drink</a></font>Catherine Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037220685013638611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9283195.post-49739956129031550312011-06-01T11:28:00.000-07:002011-06-03T12:02:33.959-07:00The wines of Slovenian producer Kabaj: intertwining modernity with traditionA couple of weeks ago, I was invited to Port4lio at the historic Fort Mason firehouse in San Francisco, an annual tasting event featuring wines imported by <a href="http://www.bluedanubewine.com" target="_blank">Blue Danube Wine Company</a>, <a href="http://www.returntoterroir.com" target="_blank">Return to Terroir</a>, and <a href="http://vinosunico.com" target="_blank">Vinos Unico</a>. This year, the event prominently featured French winemaker Jean-Michel Morel presenting his Slovenian wines for the first time in the US.<br /><br /><center><img style="float:center;width:310px;margin:0px 0px 5px 0px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2232/5783561349_8812363257.jpg"><br><font size-=1>Jean-Michel Morel of Kabaj winery</font></center><br /><br />With his wife Katja Kabaj, Jean-Michel Morel is the owner of <a href="http://www.kabajmorel.si/" target="_blank">Kabaj</a>, a winery located in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brda,_Slovenia" target="_blank">Goriška Brda</a>, a wine-growing region in western Slovenia, near the Italian border. It was one of the first regions in Slovenia to establish an international reputation for the quality of its wines. Thanks to the Adriatic sea, the area enjoys a Mediterranean climate with constant dry winds called "Bura" that reduces the need for fungicides and pesticides. The soil is principally composed of ocean sediment and is rich in marlstone, slate claystone, and limestone.<br /><br />The Kabaj family has farmed vineyards in Goriška Brda for generations and used to sell their grapes to the Yugoslav state. But in the early 1990s, Katja Kabaj and Jean-Michel Morel decided to release their own wines under the Kabaj family name. They own 55,000 vines farmed sustainably and fertilized with horse manure, 70% of which are white varieties, including indigenous Rebula (Ribolla Gialla), Sauvignonasse (Tokai Fruilano), and Malvasia Istriana. Red grape varieties are also grown, mostly Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. The winery has a modern cellar built a few years ago.<br /><br /><center><img style="float:center;width:300px;margin:0px 0px 5px 0px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5101/5784119884_acb6267958.jpg"></center><br /><br />I tasted the folowing wines:<br /><br />• <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=188733" target="_blank">2008 Kabaj Sivi Pinot</a>: 100% Pinot Grigio, aged 12 months in French oak barrel, followed by 4 months in bottle. Yellow color, floral acacia nose, medium bodied on the palate, less acidic than a Italian Pinot Grigio.<br /><br />• <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=188736" target="_blank">2008 Kabaj Ravan</a>: 100% Tokai Fruilano also known as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sauvignon_vert" target="_blank">Sauvignon Vert</a> or Sauvignonasse, a grape variety believed to have originated in the Veneto region. Aged 12 months in French oak barrel, followed by 4 months in bottle. Yellow color, floral nose, soft on the palate with fresh peach aromas.<br /><br />• <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=188734" target="_blank">2008 Kabaj Rebula</a>: 100% <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ribolla_Gialla" target="_blank">Ribolla Gialla</a>, a white grape variety mostly found in the Friuli-Venezia-Giulia region of northeast Italy and in Slovenia where it has been grown since the 13th century. The wine is fermented on the skins for 30 days then aged 12 months in French oak barrel, followed by 4 months in bottle. Golden color, aromatic nose of herbs and mineral notes. Quite spicy and complex on the palate. My favorite among the whites.<br /><br />• <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=188738" target="_blank">2006 Kabaj Cuvée Morel</a>: 60% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot. Aged 36 months in French oak barrels then 4 months in bottles. Dark garnet color, nose of dry herbs, medium-bodied, some tannins on the palate, needs to open up.<br /><br />• <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=188737" target="_blank">2007 Kabaj Merlot</a>: 100% Merlot. Aged 24 months in French oak barrels then 4 months in bottles. Dark color, aromatic nose, aromas of blackberries and cherries, medium-bodied, quite dry with some tannins. Not jammy at all but more fruity than the Cuvée Morel, very food friendly.<br /><br />The last 3 wines of the tasting were the most interesting and intriguing. They were vinified and aged in 3000 liter clay jars buried underground called <a href="http://www.gaumarjos.co.uk/WinesClayJars.html" target="_blank">kvevri</a>, using ancient Georgian winemaking practices. After being aged in the jars for 10 months on the skins, the wine goes without the skins into oak barrels for 12 months and aged for 12 additional months in bottle. During aging, 25% of the wine is usually lost to evaporation.<br /><br />• <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=188739" target="_blank">2005 Kabaj Amfora</a>: dark yellow color, floral nose, concentrated and tight on the palate, not really fruity, rather spicy and quite complex.<br /><br />• <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=188740" target="_blank">2006 Kabaj Amfora</a>: much more open than the 2005. Nice floral nose and additional notes of peach and apricots. Quite distinguished and really delicious.<br /><br />• <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=188741" target="_blank">2007 Kabaj Amfora</a>: more austere than the 2006, similar in style to the 2005.<br /><br /><br /><font size=-1>Technorati tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wine" rel="tag">wine</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/food+and+drink" rel="tag">food & drink</a></font>Catherine Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037220685013638611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9283195.post-29725382635450810372011-05-20T10:35:00.000-07:002011-05-20T11:28:49.429-07:00Osso Buco and a Super Tuscan for dinnerThe other day, I found some veal shanks at the store and decided to make <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Osso-Buco-with-Tomatoes-Olives-and-Gremolata-107747" target="_blank">Osso Buco</a>, a dish where the veal is braised in wine, tomatoes, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and herbs for at least 2-3 hours. The result is a full-flavored stew that calls for a rich and tasty Italian wine so I chose a <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=116842" target="_blank">2007 Antinori Il Bruciato Bolgheri</a> to accompany the Osso Buco.<br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolgheri" target="_blank">Bolgheri</a> is a wine region located on the southern coast of Tuscany and well known for its red Bordeaux style wines also called <a href="http://www.tuscany-wine.com/super_tuscans.htm" target="_blank">Super Tuscans</a>. Thanks to a unique combination of sandy-clay soils, a sunny, dry, and moderately windy microclimate, and the effects of a maritime influence, Bordeaux grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, tend to thrive there. Before the creation in 1994 of the Bolgheri Rosso and Rosso Superiore DOCs (Denominazione di origine controllata), the Super Tuscans of the area—wines of high quality but made outside DOC/DOCG regulations—were typically sold under the simpler designations Vino da tavola or IGT Toscana.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=116842" target="_blank"><img style="float:right;width:180px;margin:0px 0px 5px 20px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5268/5737795787_d2fba02956.jpg"></a>Il Bruciato is produced by <a href="http://www.antinori.it/eng/tenute/tenute_scheda.php?Id=12&tit=guadoaltasso" target="_blank">Guado al Tasso</a>, Antinori's Bolgheri estate located on the coast, 96km (60 miles) south-west of Florence. The wine is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 20% Syrah and other black varieties. Fermented in stainless steel, it was then racked off into oak barrels, where it aged for 8 months before being bottled.<br /><br />The wine had a dark red color and an aromatic nose of moka, licorice, and black fruits. On the palate, it was full-bodied with a juicy mouthfeel and a smooth earthy finish. The wine was quite tasty and I thought my Osso Buco that I served with Polenta was quite tasty too!<br /><br /><center><img style="float:center;width:300px;margin:0px 0px 5px 0px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3255/5737798699_62490f27be.jpg"><br><font size-=1>Osso Buco with Polenta</font></center><br /><br /><font size=-1>Technorati tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wine" rel="tag">wine</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/food+and+drink" rel="tag">food & drink</a></font>Catherine Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037220685013638611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9283195.post-835736548343646582011-05-13T18:05:00.000-07:002011-05-13T18:16:39.489-07:00Pinot Noir doesn't need to be that expensive to be goodIt is true that Pinot Noir is one of the most expensive wine varietals. It is quite famous for being difficult to cultivate. The vines are not very vigorous and the berries have a very thin skin, which makes them especially prone to fungal infections. It is also one of the most troublesome wines to ferment, as its fermentation is fast and dificult to keep under control. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=108839" target="_blank"><img style="float:right;width:180px;margin:0px 0px 5px 20px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2596/5717424636_fa7741811c.jpg"></a>But if you're looking for a well priced and well crafted Pinot Noir, try the the <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=108839" target="_blank">2007 Saintsbury Pinot Noir Garnet Los Carneros</a>.<br /><br />Founded in 1981 by winemakers Richard Ward and David Graves, <a href="http://www.saintsbury.com/" target="_blank">Saintsbury Vineyards</a> was named after English writer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Saintsbury" target="_blank">George Saintsbury</a>, perhaps best remembered today for his <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Notes-Cellar-Book-George-Saintsbury/dp/0831764503" target="_blank">Notes on a Cellar-Book</a> (published in 1920). That collection of tasting notes and personal observations is one of the first books on wine written in English. The Saintsbury Club, a prestigious London dining club that still meets twice a year, was founded in 1930 in Saintsubry's honor.<br /><br />The winery has been producing Garnet, an affordable and early-drinking style of Pinot, since 1983. It is made from Pinot Noir grown in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Carneros_AVA" target="_blank">Los Carneros appellation</a>, an area much cooler and windier than the wine regions further north in Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley. After the wines have spent a few months in barrel, the lots selected to become Garnet are assembled and the wine is bottled in early summer.<br /><br />The wine shows a bright medium red color and a nose of violet and black cherry. On the palate, it is medium-bodied, quite juicy, and very refreshing. It is perfect to accompany grilled fish on the barbecue. Try it with <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Grilled-Fish-with-Orange-Fennel-Salsa-103883" target="_blank">Grilled Fish with Orange-Fennel Salsa</a>.<br /><br /><font size=-1>Technorati tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wine" rel="tag">wine</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/food+and+drink" rel="tag">food & drink</a></font>Catherine Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037220685013638611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9283195.post-74710948747065461232011-05-02T15:46:00.000-07:002011-05-03T13:56:51.293-07:00A very royal British wedding - in Menlo Park, CAA week ago, we were invited to the wedding of a British friend in Menlo Park, California. Although Menlo Park is not Buckingham Palace, the reception was a royal treat. The bride and groom were totally charming, the <a href="http://www.alliedartsguild.org/" target="_blank">location</a> stunning, the ceremony very moving, the eight course Chinese banquet exquisite, and I had the honor of selecting some California wines for the reception and dinner.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=186173" target="_blank"><img style="float:right;width:180px;margin:0px 0px 5px 20px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5063/5670508138_6d4b23aa99.jpg"></a>Our first wine was the <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=186173" target="_blank">2009 Stuhlmuller Estate Chardonnay Alexander Valley</a>. <a href="http://www.stuhlmullervineyards.com/" target="_blank">Stuhlmuller Vineyards</a> is located at the southern edge of the Alexander Valley, just north of the Russian River Valley appellation. The 150-acre estate vineyard borders the Russian River and has a predominance of alluvial gravel-type soils as well as some rocky soils in the hillside sections of the vineyard. The wine was fermented with 100% indigenous yeasts. Aging occurred in both barrels (94%) and larger casks (6%), all of which were French oak (8% new). 85% of the wine underwent indigenous <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malolactic_fermentation" target="_blank">malolactic fermentation</a>.<br /><br />The wine had a bright nose of citrus and stone fruit. On the palate, it was crisp, elegant with a distinct mineral quality. The wine worked really well with the various hors d'oeuvres as well as with our first course, the crisp Tempura Tiger Prawns served over a bed of spring mix salad.<br /><br /><center><img style="float:center;width:350px;margin:0px 0px 5px 0px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5142/5670543148_46729db86a.jpg"><br><font size-=1>Tempura Tiger Prawn Salad</font></center><br /><br /><a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=186174" target="_blank"><img style="float:left;width:180px;margin:0px 20px 5px 0px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5146/5670530330_d1094592c1.jpg"></a>There was a second Chardonnay for the remaining courses, the <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=186174" target="_blank">2009 Crossbarn Chardonnay Sonoma Coast</a>. <a href="http://www.crossbarnwinery.com/" target="_blank">Crossbarn</a> is winemaker <a href="http://www.paulhobbswinery.com/" target="_blank">Paul Hobbs</a>' second label. The wine was produced from selected vineyards within the Sonoma Coast appellation. 60% of the wine was fermented in tank, 40% in oak barrels using native and commercial yeasts. It was aged five months in French oak barrels where it underwent malolactic fermentation.<br /><br />The wine had a nose of spiced apple and pear. On the palate, it was quite full and nutty with a creamy texture. Quite a typical California Chardonnay and a good accompaniment to the moist and flaky Baked Honey Glazed Soy Sea Bass.<br /><br /><center><img style="float:center;width:350px;margin:0px 0px 5px 0px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5069/5685011656_61f9d376b1.jpg"><br><font size-=1>Baked Honey Glazed Soy Sea Bass</font></center><br /><br /><a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=169732" target="_blank"><img style="float:right;width:140px;margin:0px 0px 5px 20px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5062/5669961787_48a7e4d398.jpg"></a>Our red wine was the <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=169732" target="_blank">2008 Chappellet Mountain Cuvée</a>. The <a href="http://www.chappellet.com/" target="_blank">Chappellet Winery</a> is located in Napa Valley, in the eastern hills between Yountville and St. Helena. It has been producing wines since 1967 and was one of the first wineries to be established in the Napa Valley after Prohibition. Mountain Cuvée is a winemaker's blend of Bordeaux varietals made for early consumption. It is 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Malbec. <br /><br />The wine had a nose of dark fruit and coffee. On the palate, it was medium to full-bodied, with a round mouthfeel and a well balanced finish. It was very food friendly and worked particularly well with the Skaking Filet Mignon, cubes of filet mignon sautéed with lemongrass, onions, and garlic. <br /><br /><center><img style="float:center;width:350px;margin:0px 0px 5px 0px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5070/5669979277_8b3538ae6f.jpg"><br><font size-=1>Skaking Filet Mignon</font></center><br /><br /><font size=-1>Technorati tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wine" rel="tag">wine</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/food+and+drink" rel="tag">food & drink</a></font>Catherine Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037220685013638611noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9283195.post-18300773344580941312011-04-22T15:37:00.000-07:002011-04-22T17:35:16.688-07:00Bordeaux tasting from the Right Bank and a couple of dry whitesThe terms <i>Left Bank</i> and <i>Right Bank</i> refer to the banks of the Gironde river that flows through Bordeaux into the Atlantic Ocean. The Left Bank includes the Médoc appellation and its sub-appellations (Pauillac, Saint Estèphe, Saint Julien, Margaux etc.). On the Right Bank, we have Pomerol and Saint Emilion surrounded by their lesser-known (and generally less expensive) satellite appellations such as Lussac-Saint-Émilion, Lalande de Pomerol, Fronsac, and Côtes-de-Castillon.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.terroir-france.com/wine/bordeaux_map.htm" target="_blank"><img style="float:center;width:280px;margin:0px 0px 5px 0px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://www.terroir-france.com/picts/bordeaux_map.gif"></a><br><font size-=1><a href="http://www.terroir-france.com/wine/bordeaux_map.htm" target="_blank">Bordeaux Wine Region</a></font></center><br /><br />The left and right banks are quite different in terms of terroir. On the left side of the river, the soil is mostly composed of alluvial gravel deposits. It is well drained and holds the heat well, which makes it ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon. On the right side, the soil contains clay enriched with iron, limestone and sandy gravels, which suits Merlot particularly well. Therefore, Right Bank wines have a much higher percentage of Merlot in their blend, which makes them more fruit forward with less tannins. They are also more approachable when young. <br /><br />Our latest tasting included Right Bank wines from Lalande de Pomerol, Côtes de Castillon, Fronsac, and Saint Emilion. We also tasted two dry whites. Dry whites from Bordeaux are not as well known as their red counterparts and the region produces only a small quantity of dry whites from blends of Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle. Graves is the most well-known region for producing dry whites and the only one that includes them in its <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classification_of_Graves_wine" target="_blank">classification</a>.<br /><br />Here are the wines that we tasted:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=118888" target="_blank"><img style="float:left;width:110px;margin:0px 20px 5px 0px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5267/5638514035_c47e41c5c2.jpg"></a>• <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=118888" target="_blank">2006 Château Carbonnieux Blanc</a>: Located just ten miles from Bordeaux along the Garonne river, <a href="http://www.carbonnieux.com" target="_blank">Château Carbonnieux</a> was built in the late 14th Century by the Benedictine monks. It is a Grand Cru Classé in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pessac-Léognan" target="_blank">Pessac-Léognan appellation</a> producing both red and white wines. The planting is 65% Sauvignon Blanc, 34% Sémillon and 1% Muscadelle for the whites and 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 1% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot for the reds. My notes: light golden color, nose of lemon and grapefruit, fresh and crisp on the palate, getting more complex with more time in the glass. A big favorite of the evening.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=179908" target="_blank"><img style="float:right;width:140px;margin:0px 0px 5px 20px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5108/5638516427_5c71c4a2d0.jpg"></a>• <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=179908" target="_blank">2005 Blanc de Lynch-Bages</a>: <a href="http://www.lynchbages.com" target="_blank">Château Lynch-Bages</a> was founded in the late 17th century by Irishman John Lynch. The estate is ranked a fifth grown in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bordeaux_Wine_Official_Classification_of_1855" target="_blank">1855 classification</a> but this only applies to the reds. It is located near the village of Bages, just southwest of Pauillac. The production is mostly red with a planting of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. There is also a 4.5 hectare plot planted with white varieties (40% Sémillon, 40% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Muscadelle) that has been producing a white wine since 1990. My notes: unfortunately, I found one of the bottles oxydized. Light yellow color, stone fruits and honey on the nose, some thickness on the palate but not as good as the Carbonnieux.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=29048" target="_blank"><img style="float:left;width:140px;margin:0px 20px 5px 0px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5145/5639095132_e088257217.jpg"></a>• <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=29048" target="_blank">2005 Château La Fleur de Boüard</a>: <a href="http://www.lafleurdebouard.com" target="_blank">Château La Fleur de Boüard</a> was founded in 1998 by Hubert de Boüard, co-owner of Château Angélus, 1er Grand Cru Classé of Saint-Emilion. It is located in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lalande-de-Pomerol_AOC" target="_blank">Lalande de Pomerol</a> appellation near the town of Néac, just at the border of the Pomerol appellation. The wine is a blend of 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. It was aged 18 to 24 months in oak barrels, 75% new. My notes: dark color, quite closed on the nose, medium bodied, tannic on the palate, cocoa flavors on the finish. This was our first red and I realized too late that I should have decanted it. I decanted the 4 remaining reds afterwards.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=29067" target="_blank"><img style="float:right;width:110px;margin:0px 0px 5px 20px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5226/5638521323_2ffd62f5ed.jpg"></a>• <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=29067" target="_blank">2005 Château de la Dauphine</a>: the Dauphine is <a href="http://enviedhistoire.canalblog.com/albums/galeries_des_portraits/photos/5041238-jos_pha.html" target="_blank">Marie-Josèphe de Saxe</a>, daughter of King Augustus III of Poland and wife of dauphin Louis, son of Louis XV. She was also the mother of the last three kings of France, Louis XVI, Louis XVII, and Charles X. She lived in the <a href="http://www.chateau-dauphine.com" target="_blank">Chateau</a> around 1750. The estate has 31 producing hectares in the <a href="http://www.terroir-france.com/region/bordeaux_fronsac.htm" target="_blank">Fronsac</a> appellation. The wine is a blend of 90 % Merlot and 10 % Cabernet Franc. My notes: dark color, nose of berries and tart cherries, medium bodied, well balanced, pleasant finish.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=89333" target="_blank"><img style="float:left;width:110px;margin:0px 20px 5px 0px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5107/5639100236_c1e02f2b03.jpg"></a>• <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=89333" target="_blank">2005 Château Plaisance Cuvée Alix</a>: <a href="http://www.bernard-magrez.com" target="_blank">Château Plaisance</a> is an estate of around 40 hectares that has been run by Philippe Magrez of Grand Cru Classé Château Pape Clément since 2005. The vineyard is planted on a very steep south-facing hillside in the <a href="http://www.terroir-france.com/region/bordeaux_1eres_cotes.htm" target="_blank">Premières Côtes de Bordeaux</a> appellation. The soils are made up of white gravel at the top of the hill and red clay and limestone halfway down the slope. The blend is 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc. My notes: dark red color, gamey nose, round, spicy and meaty on the palate, mineral finish.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=90865" target="_blank"><img style="float:right;width:120px;margin:0px 0px 5px 20px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5106/5638526071_78cf4d2883.jpg"></a>• <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=90865" target="_blank">2005 Château Ferrand Lartigue</a>: <a href="http://www.vitisvintage.com/eng/vv_ferrand_lartigue.cfm" target="_blank">Château Ferrand Lartigue</a> was founded in 1993 by Pierre and Michelle Ferrand. It is a 5 hectare estate classified Grand Cru in the Saint Emilion appellation. The wine is a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. My notes: aromatic nose, earthy and smoky flavors on the palate, firm tannins, tasty.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=31938" target="_blank"><img style="float:left;width:140px;margin:0px 20px 5px 0px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5106/5638528991_7988b450bb.jpg"></a>• <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=31938" target="_blank">2003 Château d'Aiguilhe</a>: <a href="http://www.neipperg.com" target="_blank">Stephan von Neipperg</a> of Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé Château Canon La Gaffelière acquired Château d'Aiguilhe in 1998. The estate is located on hills overlooking the Right Bank of the Dordogne River, on the border between the Côtes de Castillon and Saint-Emilion appellations. The south-facing vineyard lies on the upper part of the hills and has excellent drainage. The blend is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. My notes: deep brick-tinged red color, assertive nose of raspberries and blackberries, still tight on the palate, full-bodied with multi-layered flavors, long finish. The big winner of the evening.<br /><br /><font size=-1>Technorati tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wine" rel="tag">wine</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/food+and+drink" rel="tag">food & drink</a></font>Catherine Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037220685013638611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9283195.post-80323982338214335582011-04-05T16:08:00.001-07:002011-04-05T16:18:52.217-07:00My husband's Cailles en Sarcophage and a pretty good BurgundySince we saw the movie <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babette's_Feast" target="_blank">Babette's Feast</a>, my husband has been dreaming of reproducing Babette's masterpiece: the Cailles en Sarcophage Sauce Perigourdine (Quails in a Coffin, Truffle and Foie Gras Sauce).<br /><br />So suddendly the other day, he was ready. He found a <a href="http://gogauss.over-blog.com/article-18460344.html" target="_blank">recipe</a> on the internet, <a href="http://www.frenchselections.com/fresh.mv" target="_blank">ordered</a> a foie gras, and bought some quails and frozen puff pastry dough. He didn't have any truffles but decided to use a combination of mushrooms and truffle oil instead.<br /><br />He deboned the birds, chopped the vegetables for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duxelles" target="_blank">duxelle</a>, sliced the foie gras, stuffed and roasted the birds, baked the puff pastry, and finally placed each quail in its coffin. The result was amazing: it really looked like the quails in the movie! And it tasted very yummy too! The birds were tender and juicy with earthy flavors and the puff pastry was light and flaky and not soggy at all. We also agreed that having a small piece of seared foie gras to accompany the quail would have been even better.<br /><br /><center><img style="float:center;width:350px;margin:0px 0px 5px 0px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5149/5593098332_e9d520e45d.jpg"><br><font size-=1>The stuffed uncooked quails</font></center><br /><br /><center><img style="float:center;width:350px;margin:0px 0px 5px 0px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5301/5593098556_917295bfb3.jpg"><br><font size-=1>The quails in their coffins</font></center><br /><br /><a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=8987" target="_blank"><img style="float:right;width:240px;margin:0px 0px 5px 20px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5172/5592495523_c5ded68355.jpg"></a>A <a href="http://www.domainedelavougeraie.com/vins/clos-de-vougeot-2?lang=en" target="_blank">1846 Clos de Vougeot</a> is the wine featured in Babette's Feast. I didn't have a Clos de Vougeot in the cellar but I found a <a href="http://www.ManageYourCellar.com/winecellar/do/wine/View?id=8987" target="_blank">2002 Vosnes-Romanée Premier Cru Les Suchots Maison Champy</a>. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vosne-Romanée_wine" target="_blank">Vosnes-Romanée</a> appellation is located south of Vougeot in the Côte de Nuits. The vineyard of “Les Suchots” is considered one of the finest of the Vosnes-Romanée Premier Crus, approaching grand cru level in quality. It is located on a mid slope in the Northern part of the village of Vosne-Romanée, near the famous “Echezeaux Grand Cru”.<br /><br />The wine had a deep red color and a smoky nose of cherry, violet and spices. On the palate, it was medium-bodied, quite complex, with mouth-coating savory flavors and great finesse on the finish. I don't know about the Clos de Vougeot 1846 that Babette served with her quails but our Vosnes-Romanée 2002 was not bad at all.<br /><br /><font size=-1>Technorati tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wine" rel="tag">wine</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/food+and+drink" rel="tag">food & drink</a></font>Catherine Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037220685013638611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9283195.post-89609338199953476862011-03-25T16:11:00.000-07:002011-03-25T17:19:51.362-07:00Is organic wine greener?Is organic wine better for the environment than conventional wine? <a href="http://www.slate.com" target="_blank">Slate</a> contributor Brian Palmer wonders in his recent <a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2288521/" target="_blank">article</a>.<br /><br /> Isn't the answer obvious? Conventional viticulture has serious environmental issues such as soil depletion, water pollution, loss of biodiversity, and resistance to pests. On the other hand, organic viticulture produces crops that are healthier, more drought tolerant, more resistant to diseases and pests, and can better compete with weeds. But in reality, viticulture is only one of many factors that contribute to the environmental impact of a bottle of wine. Other major factors are winemaking practices, packaging, and shipping. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a912519121&fulltext=713240928" target="_blank">This interesting study</a> attempts to quantify the greenhouse gas emissions of a bottle of wine and compares various production and transportation scenarios. It shows that the difference in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, between organic and conventional viticulture is relatively small, although this could change if the cost of fossil fuel increases in the future. The CO2 emissions that occur during fermentation are also small. They represent less than 3% of the overall amount of CO2 emissions for one bottle of wine. However, aging wine in oak barrels is more costly for the environment than aging in stainless steel tanks, especially if barrels are imported and new oak is used every year.<br /><br />Actually, the study shows that the greatest impact on the greenhouse effect from the wine supply chain comes from transportation, and this includes the transport of empty bottles to the winery and full bottles to the customers. The cost tends to be much higher for these ultra premium wines in thick, oversized bottles. In fact, it is far more “green” to use boxed wines or Tetra Pak packaging. <br /><br />If you live in New York, it is also greener to drink a bottle of wine from Bordeaux that has travelled in a container across the Atlantic than a wine from Napa that came across the country in a truck. Now, for us Californians, what is the price of enjoying a bottle of Bordeaux without being too bothered by our green conscience?<br /><br /><font size=-1>Technorati tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wine" rel="tag">wine</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/food+and+drink" rel="tag">food & drink</a></font>Catherine Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037220685013638611noreply@blogger.com3