Bubbles...Again

After my last posting I had a couple of friends from the wine industry giving me hell. One of my Italian buddies wasn't very happy with the fact that I mentioned Prosecco briefly, and another (who's in the Burgundy business) asked me "dude, how about Cremant"? Get your own blog people!!!

I am only kidding, I take criticism well. Sometimes, just ask my wife. And I tip my hat when somebody corrects me with a valid argument. Cremant should be on everybody's list for the holiday. Made in Burgundy (hence the name Cremant de Bourgogne), it can be either white or rose and it varies from dry to sweet. Most Cremants are made using the traditional method of fermenting the wine in the bottle. There are about 6-7 types of grapes being used, but the only ones worth remembering are Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. 
One of the best I've ever had is the Simmonet-Febvre Brut. I have had the chance to drink this amazing wine quite a few times, and quite a few different vintages, and they always put out great product. It is a 60-40 combination of the two grapes mentioned, and I swear you taste both when you have a glass. It is also quite inexpensive, as sparkling (good) wines go, it shouldn't cost you more than $20 in the store.
Pairing? Well, this is where it gets a little tricky. The wines don't need food accompaniment. I kind like to pop one before dinner, with some nosh. Peanuts, maybe some cheeses or outside on the deck just hanging out. It is one of those bottles that should teach you the wine is made to be enjoyed anytime and anywhere, and you should not be afraid of it.
And how about Prosecco? Here is a good (got me drunk quite a few times) cocktail recipe. We've all had a Mojito. Take some limes, mint and sugar muddle together. Than, instead of filling up with rum and club soda, use Prosecco. Fill the glass up, drink, burp, refill. Recipe for good times.
So, hopefully I am now back on the good side of my two criticizing, ball-busting friends. Happy New Year  everybody!

Bubbles

So, New Year's Eve is fast approaching and you just got invited to a party. You want to bring a bottle of Champagne, but you don't want to shell out for a bottle of  DP, but you also don't wanna look cheap and show up with a bottle of Korbel. So what is one to do? And what exactly is Champagne? How do they put bubbles in the bottles?
Champagne is a wine region in northern France, and only wines from this region can be called Champagne. So, that crappy bottle of Chandon that costs about $6 at your local store is not a Champagne. It's just a cheap, disgusting imitation which few people know is actually made by Moet. There are three different grapes used in the production of Champagne, chardonnay, pinot meuniere and pinot noir. This delicious, sparkly drink is made using a method called Methode Champenoise. In a few words, here is what happens: first they squeeze the grapes, they let the juice fermentate.  Then, they blend the combination of the three juices, they bottle them (with a temporary metal cap) and in the course of a few weeks, slowly, they turn the bottles around until they are completely upside down. Why? Because, in the bottles there are sediments. Then, they sort of freeze the head of the bottle, they open the cap, and they let the gas inside the bottle blow the sediments out. Afterwards they cap it with the cork and wire we all know. Voila!!!
The pressure inside a bottle of Champagne is about 3 times higher than in a car tire. And that is why they use those thick, heavy, special shaped bottles. As you can imagine, the price of the actual bottle, combined with the price of producing the wine  is very high. So, when the price of a bottle of "champagne" is $6, should raise some eye brows.

One of my favorite Champagne I've ever had is Louis de Sacy. It is a medium body Grand Cru, with great fruity after tones. It is not expensive (as Champagne goes), should not run you more than 50 bucks or so. They also have a rose version, which when drank at the right temperature should remind you of the best date you have ever been on.
There are other, much less expensive options out there. The two most important ones are Cava and Prosecco. Not many years ago, these wines were impossible to find, most restaurants didn't carry them and most stores thought you were crazy if you asked about them. Now, they even have restaurants named after them, the Oak Room makes a Prosecco cocktail, and most stuck up sommeliers offer at least 10-15 of them.
Pairing? Never with desserts or cheeses. White fish, like a great, grilled piece of halibut, salt, pepper, nothing else. Or, if you have it, roasted pheasant. I have only had it once and my mouth still waters thinking about it.
And please! DO NOT stick a strawberry in your glass. Do that with Korbel, it won't matter what it tastes like.

Bordeaux Whites&Sauternes

When somebody mentions the word Bordeaux, most of us automatically think red wine. But there is more in the region than Merlot and Cabernet. Or is there?
I know people up in New York, that when reading the above sentence, will get mad, text me and curse me in French. The funny part about it is that I won't know why they are mad. Is it because I said there is more to Bordeaux than reds, or because I seem to doubt that. If I manage to ever figure that out, i will be sure and let you guys know.
So, what is a white Bordeaux? I think there should be a couple different categories. First, you have the usual crisp, concentrated wine made with Sauvignon Blanc. Then, and this category should be first since it is frigging awesome, you have Sauternes.
Sauternes is a sweet wine made from a combination of Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle grapes. The unique thing about this wine is that the growers actually let the grapes rot on the vines. I am not going to bore you with how the rot happens, climate, fog and such, but I am going to tell you that if you never tried it, you are missing out. Big time.
Since Sauternes is made from shrunken grapes, it is very expensive to produce, and the wines are very expensive. The best, and most expensive is Chateau d'Yquem. They actually hold the record for the most expensive bottle of white wine ever sold, when an 1811 bottle sold for over $110.000.  Dior even  makes a skin cream from the d'Yquem grape skins.

What would you pair this amazing wine with? The best thing I can think of, is a really good chocolate cake, with a chocolate mousse topping and chocolate ganache (always wanted to use that word). There are other Sauternes out there, some of them quite affordable, but if you ever have a chance, especially if somebody else is footing the bill get a glass. You will not regret it.
And how about the rest of white Bordeaux wines? Who cares?
I think I spent enough time in Bordeaux and next week will be talking about Champagne. New Years Eve is fast approaching, damn this year went by fast.

Bordeaux-Right Bank

In one of my past postings, I was telling you about the Bordeaux classification of 1855. A bunch of tipsy french guys in a tavern, drinking wine, blah, blah, blah. Well they must have been a bit drunker than they thought they were, because when everything was said and done, they realized they forgot about the right side of the river. So, they decided to fix that. 99 YEARS LATER!!!
Some people (mostly french of course) think the reason for that was that the hot shots of Bordeaux were on the left side.  But in 1947, Chateau Cheval Blanc made one of the greatest wines of all time. And the big surprise was, that these guys were on the wrong side of the river. This vintage, has been so hard to find in last few decades, that every time a bottle or two surface in some auction house, it creates a frenzy; people bid amounts of money that would feed a medium sized African country for the entire holiday season. Almost always it ends up being purchased by an anonymous Asian buyer bidding on the phone.
The main grape on the right bank is Merlot. Most wines are blended with Cabernet Franc, the exception being Cheval Blanc which is all Cabernet Franc. The two main appellations are St. Emillion and Pomerol, and if you ask me they are two of the best. I have never been the biggest Merlot fan ever, but put a good bottle of St. Emillion in front of me and watch out. The wines are round, rich, less tannic and they have an almost creamy texture as opposed to a lot of other Merlots which to me are drier than they should be. Another great Chateau on this side of the river is Petrus, Chateau that every vintage manages to kill it. I can honestly say, since I did tasted a few of them, this wine is "creme de la creme".
Right side of the river is also home to a lot of micro producers. It seems that every Parisian that made a few bucks (francs or euros), moved here, bought a small parcel of land and started making wine in their garage. Usually in the american garage you find bikes and golf clubs, old furniture and a whole bunch of other junk. The most amazing part is that when you taste a couple of this micro guys, sometimes located right across the street from each other, the wines couldn't be more different. Trust me, a lot of them should be named Chateau  Crapo, but every once in awhile you get lucky and find amazing bottles of wine at ridiculous prices.
One of my favorites has always been Chateau Boutisse. At my last job in New York, I had the chance to taste a few of their vintages, and every single one of them has been awesome. Saint Emillion Grand Cru, it is usually about 70% merlot, with the rest Cab. Fruity, lots of berries,  (the clowns at Wine Spectator call boysenberries and raspberries), it is spicy and delicious.
Pairings? Well, since it will only run you about $24-25 in a store, you got some cash left for dinner. So, buy a chunk of Parmeggiano Reggiano. And while you act all fancy, sip wine and eat cheese, roast a leg of lamb. With some garlic, maybe rosemary and thyme, cook medium rare and enjoy. Then go slap your mamma.

You can not talk about Bordeaux and not discuss whites and Sauternes. So, that's next week.