by katrin on December 12, 2011
Not impossible at all!
When my mother told me that for Sunday dinner she would be making Sauerbraten with dumplings, one of my favorite German dishes, I knew I would have to dig deep in the cellar to find the perfect white wine. In the past, my choice of white wine has raised eyebrows in my family. Yes, Sauerbraten is a dish made with beef. But to me, the vinegar-based marinade in which it sits for several days before cooking and the addition of raisins and cream in the cooking process have this savory-sweet-sour dish calling out for a rich white wine with good acidity and fruit. And so it was that I chose a Domaine Belleville from Burgundy’s Côte Chalonnaise, the Rully appellation, to be precise.
Stone fruit, lime, vanilla, honey, and a light nuttiness on the nose. The fruitiness of the peaches and citrus flavors are complemented by the oak’s rich vanilla and warm oak. While the minerality is a bit more subtle here than in some other Burgundies, it helps to define the wine on the palate and in the finish. A long, evolving finish that is starting to show some hints of age and oxidation. Even so, at five years old, this wine is still developing, and its fresh acidity tells me that it will likely still be very good in a couple of years.
Since it had been in my cellar for a while, I couldn’t remember what I had paid for the Domaine Belleville. When I finally found my notes, I could hardly believe that this great Burgundy was only $16.99 when I purchased it nearly three years ago. It is worth every penny… and then some!
At Gordon’s Fine Wine for $16.99.
by katrin on September 25, 2011
“It’s kind of like crack,” remarked Kerri Platt, owner of the North End’s The Wine Bottega, when she saw me examining the Clos Cibonne Tibouren rosé. I wasn’t sure whether to run like hell or to buy it and immediately open it. I opted for the latter. After all, I couldn’t resist this unusual rosé produced from the Tibouren grape (how often do you hear of that?) and aged on its lees in 100 year old foudres for a year. During that year, a fleurette, or film of yeast, develops on top of the wine, similar to what happens to a vin jaune from Jura or with the flor on a fino Sherry.
The first thing you notice with this wine is the unique color, which is a lovely rusty pink. I’m afraid my photo does not do it justice. Since it is a rosé, I chilled it and served it cold, like a regular pink. But served too cold, the Clos Cibonne is closed and tight and does not reveal much of its character. I found it best served between refrigerator and room temperatures, which allows the nose, and particularly the palate, to open. The Clos Cibonne is not at all fruity, but rather entices with the results of its unusual vinification and ageing. It is nutty and slightly earthy. On the palate, there is a lovely softness that is slowly replaced by a crescendo of acidity.
While it’s not quite crack, this is an intriguing wine well worth seeking out.
At The Wine Bottega for $27.00.
by katrin on September 7, 2011
Chateau Guiraud is better known for producing Sauternes, the highly-prized, Botrytis-blessed sweet wine. While Le G is anything but sweet, this blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Sémillon is a fantastic example of a dry, white Bordeaux that is perfectly suited for a range of foods. The nose is bright and brings to mind one of Sauvignon Blanc’s classic descriptors – gooseberry – as well as a bouquet of herbs. The color green comes to mind, not because it is unripe, but because herbs and gooseberries elucidate an image of bright green. The palate is full of grapefruit and herbs, with some faint honey notes. Though I had braced myself for an intensely acidic mouthfeel, Le G has only medium acidity – the acidity off-set, no doubt, by the addition of Sémillon, a bit of age, and the fact that the wine was aged for six months on its lees. Le G finishes with some bitterness and a lasting white grapefruit and herb impression.
At Wine Library for $15.98.
by glenn and katrin on June 13, 2011
Françoise Roure and Julien Brocard raise a glass to Chablis
Julien Brocard, President of the Chablis Commission, is on a mission of market expansion and consumer education. With the assistance of Françoise Roure, Marketing and Communication Manager for Bourgognes, he embarked on a quick tour of the States to promote Chablis. Traveling to five cities and then on to three other countries, he and Françoise have been hosting intimate tastings with those people – sommeliers, restauranteurs, wine retailers, wine writers – deemed influential in disseminating wine knowledge. We at Wine Dine With Us – who consider Chablis to be Chardonnay at its finest – were privileged and honored to be invited to taste Chablis with M. Brocard.
While the name Chablis is recognized by many, the particulars of the region and its wines are not. In a marketing scam, California, as many may recall, did the wine public a great disfavor by naming some of its wines for famous European appellations. Chablis is not a generic white wine from California, but a white wine of distinction from the Chablis region of France. And Julien is intent on getting this vital fact out beyond the cadre of wine lovers already in the know and to the wider wine drinking public. Chablis – termed “the French chic” by the Chablis Commission – is a wine, albeit stylish, for all occasions. With four appellations distinguishing quality, flavor profile, and price, the wine enhances all occasions from the quotidian to the most special. As aperitif or partner with cuisine, Chablis can provide the appropriate wine.
[click to continue…]
by glenn on November 5, 2010
Each semester, Lifelong Learning of Boston University presents a series of seminars in the arts and culinary arts. The seminars in the food arts are often presented by the faculty of the various culinary and wine programs at BU. One such is presenter is Bill Nesto M.W., an instructor on the faculty of the Elizabeth Bishop Wine Resource Program. I was fortunate to have had Bill as an instructor when I was enrolled in the wine program and continue to enjoy his classes when taking one of his seminars through Lifelong Learning. The range of Bill’s topics is great – not only is he a wine instructor, he’s also a wine writer and travels extensively broadening his scope of wine. These travels become the basis of his presentations – last year his subject was Spanish Rioja and now this year Bordeaux Superieur. So there I was once again back in school with Bill. [click to continue…]
by rodney on February 16, 2010
57 Varieties, or Heinz 57 for short, is commonly used to describe an object consisting of an unquantifiable list of ingredients. Naturally, the “57 Varieties” label on a bottle of ketchup could be misconstrued to imply that the contents comprise 57 varieties of tomatoes. Well, at least that’s what I thought when I was a kid.
As of 2009, 18 varieties of vinifera are allowed to comprise both red and white Chateauneuf-du-Pape blends. However, red wines are dominated by Grenache and are typically blended with Syrah and Mourvedre (GSM).
Not particularly a fan of Grenache, I have hit and miss experiences with Chateauneuf-du-Pape mostly due to my cursory knowledge of the appellation. Having read glowing reports of the 2007 vintage, I attended the “2007 Chateauneuf-du-Pape Super Cuvees” seminar at the Boston Wine Expo to expand my mind a bit. [click to continue…]
by rodney on February 13, 2010
Image via Wikipedia
The vast majority of wine consumers buy wine to consume that day, that week, or if we are particularly disciplined, that month. As we transition from casual consumers to learned connoisseurs, we tend to remain victims of habit and submit to instant gratification. Patience might be a virtue and good things may come to those who wait but the pace of our everyday lives doesn’t always afford such luxuries. Unless, of course, a catalyst for change presents itself. A Vertical Tasting.
At this year’s Boston Wine Expo, I attended the very popular Corton Charlemagne and Corton Grancey tasting. A fan of Burgundian Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, I just couldn’t ignore the opportunity to compare these gems, no matter the time (11:00am).
[click to continue…]
Not impossible at all!
