The League of Gentle Men-Burgundy and Champagne at Bouley

The League of Gentle Men – Burgundy and Champagne at Bouley

 

   Someone said “Burgundy”, someone else said “Burgundy is always good”, and it was settled.

One member suggested Bouley, adding that he could make arrangements so that we could bring our own wine.

All agreed.  There are eight of us and the rule is one bottle per person – the rule is always broken.

 

   We started with Champagne — The 2000 Cristal Brut – 55 % Pinot Noir & 45% Chardonnay – it was rich, round, fruity and very elegant. I felt it was just coming into its own. Next was the 1995 Salon Le Mesnil – Blanc de Blanc. It was full bodied and complex with hints of nuts and coffee. This wine could last for many more years.

The Champagne

  1989 Bienvenues Batard Montrachet- Domaine Leflaive. This wine had everything going for it. Rich, round, complex, with aromas and flavors of honeysuckle and a steel minerality running right through the middle. The finish was long and lush and the aftertaste went on and on. This wine could last for 10 more years at least.

  2000 Red Meursault (Mangum) – Alain Cuche Bizouard. The wine was very light in color and light on the palate. It has all the burgundy characteristics but they were very subtle.

 

1998 Bouchard Pere & Fils Grand Vin De Beaune Greves Vigne de L’Enfant Jesus. Good combination of fruit and spice, with aromas of dark cherry and raspberry and a nice finish and aftertaste. It has many years to go.  

 

1990 Richotes Chambertin Monopole – Armand Rorisseau- soft red fruit flavors and a surprising youthfulness for a wine almost 20 years old.

 

1988 Echezeaux -  Henri Jayer – flavors and aromas of black raspberries, plum, coffee and mineral characteristics. The finish was long and complex.

 

1972 Clos de la Roche Joseph Drouhin. This was the red wine of the evening. It had everything one would want in an older Burgundy.

 

Some of the Wine

We ended with 2 bottles of Tokaji from Arvay – the first was an “Asuz” 2000 with it was six puttonys and the other said “sweet” 2001 and may have been late harvest. They both had fruity aromas and flavors with a lot of apricot and a finish and after taste like liquid silk. I could not taste much difference between them but at that point in the evening……. There were 15 wines in all but some were corked and some were just not up to par, which is why some members insist on bringing more than one bottle. And as one member is fond of saying “ There is Pinot Noir and then there is Burgundy”!

Three of the Wines

Tasting Alsatian Wine with Frederic Helfrich

                   Spring seems to be the time of year for white wines from Germany, Austria and France.  Recently, I read Eric Asimov’s article in The Times entitled “The Wines of Spring”, attended the Wine Media Guild’s Austrian Riesling tasting, and enjoyed dinner with the Alsatian producer Frederic Helfrich.  The name of his winery is Helfrichmetz and it is located in the village of Marlenheim in Alsace. The day to day winemaking is in the hands of Benoit Pattin.

 

Frederic Helfrich, a  sixth generation descendent of the winemaking family, invited us to taste his wines over dinner at Corton Restaurant.  He was here to introduce both the Steinklotz Grand Cru and Noble Varieties wines for the first time in the US.  Frederic explained that his family’s winemaking philosophy is to have minimal influence in the cellar, to preserve the natural terroir and bring out the true flavors of the grape. In Alsace the grape and the place where it is grown is of the highest importance. The flavor of the grape and the terroir must come through. Because of this there is almost no blending of grapes. Natural yeast is used and the wines are aged in stainless steel or cement tanks, or old casks know as founders. When I asked Frederic if their wines underwent malolatic fermentation his answer was “never” I asked about “chaptalization” (the addition of sugar) in Alsace where it is legal. He did not say that it was never done but hinted that in a very poor vintage…. There is no way to tell when a producer does this.

 

Before we tasted the wines, Frederic said that with the release of these wines they are keeping one foot in the past and stepping one foot toward the future. By the future, Fredric was referring to the “Noble Varieties” line of wines. These wines are light in style, easy to drink, and consumer friendly because of the screw cap and the price. They were all 100% varietal from the 2007 vintage and retail for $15 a bottle.

 

Noble Varieties

            The first wine we tasted was the Pinot Gris. The grapes for this wine, like all of those in their Noble Varieties line, come from the Couronne d’Or (Golden Crown), an association of local vineyards and winemakers that run through the middle of Alsace. The vines are dry farmed and trained upwards for maximum exposure to the sun. Frederic added that the wines are bottled in Stelvin screw caps to preserve the aromatic potential. The wine was full and round,

with nice fruit flavors and a long finish.

 

            Next was the Riesling.  He said that this noble variety loves the long, cool and dry season afforded by the Vosges Mountains that hold out the marine influence. The wine was crisp and well structured, slightly off dry with aromas of apples and peaches and hints of minerals in the mouth with good acidity.

 

            Frederic feels that the Gewürztraminer is the quintessential Alsatian variety. It thrives in this region with the long, cool dry seasons and depth of minerality from the soil. This wine was very fragrant and fruity with hint of spice and aromas of pear. It is full bodied with a long finish and pleasant aftertaste.

 

            Then we tasted the Grand Crus, the Riesling A.O.C. Alsace Grand Cru “Steinkotz” 2005, 2006 and 2007.  Steinkoltz is one of only fifty vineyards in Alsace that has the Grand Cru designation.  Fredric said that this is one of the oldest vineyards recorded in Alsace and records indicate that in 589 it belonged to the Merovingian King Childebert II. It is located at the Northern end of the Alsatian wine trail. The wine was well structured clean with aromas of peach, apples and a hint of minerality. I asked Federic about these three vintages. He said that they were all very good vintages but very different. The 2007 he described as being bright and clean with a mineral character.

  

In 2006 the weather was very hot and humid so that it was a bigger, richer vintage.  2005 was the most balanced — a high quality vintage since the weather being almost perfect.

The 2006 Reisling had the same aromas as the 2005 only fatter, riper and richer, with a hint of pineapple and a darker color. The 2007 was fresher with good acidity and a high quality vintage.  Frederic also added that they only want Botrytis in their sweet wines. 

 

We also tried the Gewurztraminer A.O.C. Alsace Grand Cru “Steinklotz” 2005 ,2006, 2007.  The 2005 had hints of honey, tropical fruit and a touch of spice.  2006 was lush ,honeyed with hints of pineapple and flowers. I drank the 2006 with lobster, which was my main course.  It was a great combination.  2007 was fragrant with good acidity and hints of tropical fruit.

 

The 2005, 2006, 2007 Pinot Gris shared the same flavor and aroma profile being rich and full with a hint of smoke and good fruit flavors and aromas with slight differences according to the vintage.

 

Steinklotz Alsace Grand Cru

The suggested retail price for the Grand Crus is $25 and, like the Noble Varieties, I feel that they are a bargain though I prefer the former.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Austrian Riesling

        Some members of the wine community think that Riesling is not only the best white wine, but also the best wine, period. There is even an International Riesling Foundation, with worldwide membership.

    In his article “ The Wines of Spring” Eric Asimov wrote in The Pour “I love Austrian riesling- just last weekend we celebrated my son Jack’s 18^th birthday with a bottle of 2000 Wachau Steinriegl Smaragd Riesling from Prager”.

 On April 1, the Wine Media Guild held a tasting and lunch at Felidia restaurant and the topic was Austrian Riesling.While I am more familiar with Riesling from Germany, France and Italy, I have tasted very few Austrian Rieslings and looked forward to the event. The speakers were Steve Miller, Director of Marketing, Lauber Imports and Jodi Stern from VinVino Imports. Jodi has a special fondness for Austrian Riesling and this came out in her presentation. There were 16 wines from the 2005, 06 & 07 Vintages. Steve Miller said that all three were great vintages but very different. The 07 was a classic vintage, bright, clean with a mineral character. In 06 the weather was warm and humid, with the result that the vintage was richer, fatter, and riper.  As a result of the weather, Botrytis (Noble Rot) attacked the grapes.  05 was a perfectly balanced, high quality vintage, with a reduced crop.

 

 

 

Steve Miller and Jodi Stern answering questions

 

 

  

       Jodi Stern spoke about the terroir and wine making techniques. She said that the terroir is very important because the wine makers prefer to let the grapes speak for themselves and interfere with them as little as possible. The different qualities in the wine come from the place where the grapes are grown.

     Both Jodi and Sreve believe that the Wachau region in the lower portion of the country, one of Austria’s smallest regions, is one of the best grape growing regions in the world. They think it is so special that they compared it to Burgundy.

      Jodi also pointed out that the Wachau has its own levels of quality: Steinfeder (the name of a local grass), Federspiel (Falcon and a feather), and Smaragd (Emerald – the name of the bright green lizards that live in the vineyards) which is the highest.

 The Wines:

  Hirtzberger Riesling Federspiel Steinterrassen 2007 ($34) — Very fruity with pineapple aromas and flavors on the nose and palate as well as in the finish and aftertaste.

 Hirtzberger Riesling Smaragd Singerriedel 2007 ($110) — Very well structured and elegant wine with ripe fruit, tangerine, deep rich flavors and mineral accents with a great finish and aftertaste.This wine will age very well.

  Knoll Riesling Federspiel 2007 ($21) — citrus, herbs and a hint of spice and a mineral character.

 Knoll Riesling Smaragd Schutt 2005 ($30) — Very balanced wine with rich[MSOffice1]  deep tropical fruit flavors and a lingering aftertaste.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Knoll Austrian Riesling

 Domain Wachau Riesling “Wachau” 2007 ($ 20) — citrus, fruit, peach and pear, a hint of spice and a mineral character in the aftertaste. This might be the best buy

  Domail Wachau Riesling Smaragd Achleiten 2005 ($30) — undertones of peaches and apricot with a strong mineral character.   Domain Wachau is the largest cooperative in the Wachau Valley.

  The Prager Riesling Smaragd Wachstum Bodenstein 2007 ($65) had good fruit but also an earthy and mineral quality. I found myself drinking this wine with lunch.

  Shift Gottweig Riesling Gottweiger Berg 2006 ($?) — Very good fruit flavor of citrus, peaches and apricots with a mineral quality and a pleasant finish and after taste.

  Aldo Shom, the sommelier at La Bernardin, attended as a guest and spoke about some of the problems of selling Austrian Riesling in a restaurant.

 Steven Miller said that Lauber does not have a problem selling these wines. These produces can sell all their wine in Europe and very few cases make it here.

 It was a very informative and interesting tasting. I can now see why Riesling has such a devoted following.

             I am having dinner at Corton this week with the Alsatian producer Federic Helrich and I am looking forward to tasting his Riesling.

 

   

 

 

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Wine with Pizza but not Pizza Wine

 

Wine with Pizza but not Pizza Wine

 

            When it comes to beverages to accompany pizza, Neapolitans prefer drinks that sparkle.  Beer, soda, and acqua minerale gassata are the most popular choices, but for those who prefer wine, it is likely to be Gragnano, an inexpensive sparkling red made from piedirosso, sciascinoso, and a little aglianico.  The late Sheldon Wasserman, author of two seminal wine books, Sparkling Wine and Italy’s Noble Red Wines, loved champagne with his pizza Margarita.

 

Neapolitans eat pizza because it tastes good and is a complete and inexpensive meal.  Naturally, their beverages of choice are also inexpensive.  At Da Michele, one of the best pizzerias in Naples, only soda, beer and acqua minerale are served. They make only two types of pizza:  marinara and margarita.  The pizza is always perfect and the cost of a pizza and a drink is under ten dollars. Needless to say, the place is always packed with long lines out the door.

 

I used to think that as good as pizza can be, a nice inexpensive wine was all I needed to go with it.  When I say “Pizza” I mean Neapolitan style pizza. The only place to get true Neapolitan pizza is in Naples or in the Naples area. (www.i-italy.org/blog/wine-and-food   Pizza Any Way You Slice It, the Best is in Naples)  Wine lists in pizzerias in Naples are sometimes not very good but I can be perfectly happy with a Gragnano, Aglianico or Lacryma Christi.  But now, when given the opportunity, I enjoy pizza with more “important” wines.  The first time I had Barolo and pizza was in Piedmont.  Alfredo Corrado of the Vietti winery in Castiglione Falletto took us to a pizzeria owned by a Neapolitan. We had pizza bianco (fontina Val D’Aosta cheese) topped with funghi porcini with a magnum of 1961 Barolo, the first wine Alfredo had made at the winery. The combination was wonderful.  Since then, I have tried the best wines that Italy has to offer with pizza.

 

             When Michele and I were writing Pizza Any Way You Slice It, we spent a lot of time in Naples and ate pizza twice a day.  Last May we did a tour of Naples and the Amalfi Coast based on our book. Our group of pizza-lovers happily ate pizza at least once a day and we even made our own pizza at a farm just outside Naples. The pizza was so good that on the last day for lunch we went to Da Michele and each had a pizza, then went across the street to Pizzeria Trianon and had another!  (www.i-italy.org/blog/wine-and-food  “Great Places to Eat Pizza in Naples)

 

Trianon Pizzeria in Naples

            l eat only certain types of pizza:   Margarita (the Queen of Pizza-there is no King) tomatoes, mozzarella, and a touch of fresh basil;  Marinara with  tomatoes, garlic and oregano; and Pizza Bianco with white truffles or funghi porcini.  Sometimes I will go over the top and have Arugula and Prosciutto on a Margarita. These are the best types of pizza to have with wine.  

 

Pizza Margarita at La Pizza Fresca

 

            My favorite place to have Neapolitan style pizza in New York is La Pizza Fresca.   I go there often with many friends and not one of them has ever complained about drinking great wine with pizza.  My drink of choice with pizza is red wine. The wine has to be traditional. Modern and international style wines do not work. All that oak, vanilla, and jam does not go with pizza.  I have not had a traditional wine from Italy or France that did not work with the pizza. Some of my favorite wines with pizza include the 1996 Carmignano Riserva,  Villa di Capezzana; 1995 Taurasi “Radici” Mastroberardino;  1995 Chianti Rufina  Riserva Villa di Vertice; 1961 Barolo Giacomo Borgogno & Figl;, 1996 Barbaresco Riserva “Asili” Bruno Giacosa,  1990 Barbaresco Produttori  del Barbaresco;  1996 Ghemme “Collis Breclemce” Antichi Vigneti di Cantlupo;  and 1988 Amarone  Bertani.  Recently some friends ordered the pizza bianco and we drank it with the 2002 Trebbiano d’Abruzzo from E. Valentini and it was a great combination.

           

Everyone has their favorite place for Neapolitan style pizza. Let me know what places you like best, which toppings, and which wines.

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The League of Gentle Men

The League of Gentle Men

Once a month I a have dinner with a group of men. One of the members named us the League of Gentle Men and we all liked it. There are no pretenses or egos involved.  We come together to drink wine, talk, and have a good time. The dinners are usually at a restaurant but sometimes at a member’s house. The dinner revolves around the wine. There are no officers or rules, except that each member brings one bottle of wine, eight members equals eight bottles. This rule is always broken.

 

     We pick a theme — Barolo, for example, and each member will bring a bottle of old Barolo.  However, one member always brings a bottle of Krug to start us off. Another always brings a dessert wine from Austria. Someone else will just bring something because they feel like drinking it.

The Krug

   

 

 

 

            At the last dinner, at a member’s home, the theme was Bordeaux.

 We, of course, started with the Krug, which was not as toasty as it has been in the past but it is still the champagne with the most body and character.

Our host felt that the first course, his specialty, did not go with red wine so he served an Ayala zero dosage, very dry and a great food wine.  The first three red wines were Cos D’ Estournel 1988, 1986 and 1982.  The 1988 was young, with red fruit, a hint of barnyard, bell pepper and spice.  The 1986 needed time to come around but when it did it was it was showing very well. The 1982 was corked and we tried the trick with the Saran Wrap, but were divided on how well it worked.

 

Ayala Zero Dosage

 

 

            Next there were three vintages of Haute Brione 88, 76 and 70, The 88 was tight and needed time.  At first, it had bell pepper, vegetable aromas but they went away and the wine had great fruit and body.  The 1976 and 1970 were not showing their age.  Then the Latour 79, my favorite Bordeaux, did not disappoint.

La Mission Haut Brion 1976 was the wine of the evening in my opinion; it had everything going for it.  Baron de Pichnon – Longueville 1982 was cooked.

The Bordeaux

 

 

1995 Nouvelle Trockenbeerenaualese # 7- (Austria) Alois Kracher-a great desert wine, was the perfect ending to a great wine dinner..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diner Pour Hiver with Wine and a Surprise

   The dinner had been planned for months. It was the first time in 20 years that we’d joined friends for a co-op dinner. Each course would be prepared by a different person. The food would be French and so would most of the wines.

   It was a cold night and we all sat close to the fireplace to keep warm and ate Dâtes Rouges de l’Egypte and  Figues Sêches de L Italie, both stuffed with Foie Gras.  We had discovered this taste sensation this summer in the Perigord and found it to be a perfect combination with Champagne.  The Dom Perignon 1999 was smooth with good bubbles and citrus and fruity aroma. The Bollinger 1999 Rose made from 63% Pinot Noir and 37% Chardonnay had a light pink color, with red fruit flavors and aromas and hints of cherry. 1999 was a good year, and these wines should last.  Both, however, were drinking very well now.

1999 Dom Perignon - Dates Stuffed with Foie Gras

 

     Our first course at table was a Tarte aux Legumes( Vegetable Tart) in a perfect pastry shell that melted in our mouths. The accompanying wine was a Chinon 2006 Bonaventure made from Cabernet Franc grapes in the Loire Valley. The wine was medium bodied with a lot of red fruit.  I have become a big fan of Chinon. They are very well priced and can age.

 

 

   The main course was perfect for a cold winter’s night, a Cassoulet Toulousien, cooked to perfection and a perfect match with the Cahors 1995 Chateau Lagrezette made from Malbec, Merlot and Tannat grapes in Southwest France.  The wine was big and dark with black fruit, coffee and a hint of spice. (1995 was a very good year.) Another good complement with the cassoulet was the Chateauneuf du Pape 2001 Elizabeth Chamberlin.

Cassoulet Toulousien

 

       A Sorbet au Pamplemousee followed the cassoulet.

     Tom had a 1989 Freisa from G.D. Vajra. I have never had a Freisa (a grape from Piedmont) that old. They are usually drunk young and are often sparkling. This one was dry and, to our disappointment, corked. Then we remembered a recent article in The New York Times, “Fix Corked Wine with a Bowl and Plastic Wrap”. Diane poured the wine into a bowl lined with a sheet of plastic wrap, making sure that all the wine came in contact with the plastic wrap.  After about ten minutes, she poured the wine from the bowl, and, to our surprise and delight, the corked odor and taste were gone.  We had not poured all of the wine into the bowl, so that we could make a comparison between the treated and untreated wine. The difference was amazing. The explanation – Infected corks have the molecule 2, 4, 6, Trichloroanisole, which is chemically similar to polyethylene and sticks to the plastic, according to Andrew Waterhouse, professor of wine chemistry at the University of California. Once treated, the wine went very well with our Plâteau de Fromages.

G.D. Vajra Freisa 1989- the Corked and Uncorked wine

 

      For dessert, there was a  Gâteau Mont St. Michel (apple crepe cake), accompanied by a Monbazillac 2005 Château Belingaed ( 2005 was a very good year).  It is made from the Semillon, Sauvignon and Moscadelle grapes in Southwest France. The grapes cannot be picked until they are “attacked” by Botrytis (the “noble rot”).  The wine was very rich, elegant and intense with hints of apricot, honey, peaches and oranges. When we were in the Perigord we found that it went very well with foie gras.

 

     More corked wine saved by plastic wrap

    Last week at La Pizza Fresca, we had a bottle of Amarone that was corked. The odors were less apparent in this wine because there are so many different flavors. We tried the plastic wrap trick, and, again, it worked.  The difference in the smell and taste of the wine from the bottle and the bowl was very clear.   I think the waiter believed it was magic.

Let me know if anyone else has tried the plastic wrap, and if it worked.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Mastroberardino Taurasi and Bollito Misto

When we invited friends for dinner yesterday, we had not realized that it was the day of the Super Bowl. Since it had taken a long time to get this group together, Michele, who was doing the cooking, and Ernie, who was bringing most of the wine, did not want to change the date. Needless to say, everyone showed up.

Krug Champagne

We began with a bottle of non vintage Krug Champagne, my favorite. It was big, luscious, and toasty.

The wine theme of the dinner was Taurasi, made from the aglianico grape, from the Azienda Vinicola Michele Mastroberardino located in the town of Atripalda in the province of Avellino in Campania. The first bottle opened was the 1985 Riserva. It had a very low shoulder which made us wonder if it would be good.  Fortunately, it tasted fine, with hints of leather and smoke. The next bottle, a 1977 Riserva was off.  The aroma reminded me of  bad cigar smoke.  The smell would not go away, or so we believed.   It was disappointing because 1977 was a good year and I have had this vintage before and enjoyed it.  I guess we do not drink great wines but rather great bottles.

The Wines at the Dinner

 Fortunately, I kept what was left of the bottle. We tried it with dinner tonight and the wine was great. It was not showing its age after being open for 24 hours. All of the off aromas were gone.  My conclusion is that we should have decanted it and given it more time to breath.

  Bollito misto (literally, boiled meats) is a variety of different cuts and meats simmered in broth until tender. It is a specialty of Northern Italy and is at its best in Piedmont and Emilia-Romagna. The broth is served with cooked homemade pasta as a first course.  The meats follow with mostarda–which I love– fruits in a sweet and spicy mustard flavored syrup,  and green sauce (for more on the food go to www.michelescicolone.com).   The bollito misto was a good combination with the wine.

Bollito Misto, Mostarda and Green Sauce

With the meats, we drank the 1973 and 1972 vintages of Taurasi which were both showing very well.  The last bottle was the1971. It was the oldest wine but still had plenty of life. We enjoyed it with cheese, an aged Piave and mild young Pecorino Toscano.
A few months ago I drank the 1969 and 1961 vintages of Taurasi.  Before that, the oldest I had ever drunk was the legendary 1968 which I was lucky to have on a number of occasions.  The 1961 was drinking as good as any of the 1968’s that I have tasted.

1978 Chinon and the 1969 and 1961 Taurasi

I have always been a big fan of the Mastroberardino Taurasi. The 1995 Taurasi “Radici” is a great wine and will last a long time.
Unfortunately starting with the 2001 vintage they have changed their style and the wine has become more modern. It is still a very well made wine but I wish they would have left it alone.

Barolo,Barbaresco,Pizza Bianco and White Truffles

Pizza Bianco with White Truffles

Pizza,Truffles , Barbaresco and Barolo

 

     I love pizza and my favorite place to eat pizza in New York is La Pizza Fresca. They make the best Neapolitan pizza in the city. The restaurant has one of the best Italian wine lists and it specializes in Barolo and Barbaresco from all the top names.

 

 

   We received an e-mail from Brad Bonnewell the owner inviting us to a truffle dinner with “the appropriate wines”, Barbaresco and Barolo, the following week. He said it was tentative because the truffle was arriving that day. We were busy and prayed that the truffle did not make it on time. The truffle was two days late in arriving and the dinner was rescheduled. This time we were able to attend.

   There were eight of us and the truffle was brought from Italy by Mark Fornatale of Micheal Skurnik Wines. It was a white truffle from Tuscany and it was very large. When I was in Siena this October I had dinner at the Enoteca Italiana in Siena and they served Tuscan white truffles on the risotto. They put truffles on a chocolate dessert which really did not work.

    We started with a Sancere 2007 Les Cules de Braujea  Francois Cotat Vicnerone a Chavignol Chev followed by the Chablis Premier cru “Cru La Forest” 2005, Dauvissat. I usually skip the white when there are so many good reds to follow but the Chablis was exceptional. It had everything one would expect from Chablis, dry, with mineral and steely undertones; it was so good I was holding the bottle and someone took a picture to prove I drink white wine.

 

Charles with a bottle of Chablis

   Brad started us off with pizza bianco,(three of them) made with fontina cheese and as soon as they hit the table Mark was shaving the truffle on them. The aroma of the cheese and truffles was wonderful and I ate more than my share. We finished all of the pies.

    The pizza here is so good that I seldom order anything else. However on two recent visits I did have a number of different dishes and they were excellent.

   There are few dishes in the world better then risotto with white truffles and Barbaresco. This was the next course and once again Mark covered the risotto with the truffle shavings. What can I say about the aroma and taste…..! The wine was the 1996 Barbareco“Asili” from Bruno Giacosa, and to my great joy it was a magnum.  It was all that a Barbaresco should be and more. This was the wine of the evening in my opinion and I kept going back for more.

 

Mark shaving the White Truffle

   The next course was pasta pappardella and more truffles and we had the Barbaresco Bricco Asili 1996 from Ceretto and Barbaresco “Comarossa” 1996 from Bruno Rocco.

1996 was a great vintage for Barolo and Barbaresco, the best since 1989. They are both “classical” vintages and the wines will last for many years

Then came the papandella pasta with fontina cheese and Mark put on the last of the Truffel, as I said it was a big truffle!

The White Truffle

  For the last course we had grilled lamb chops with the rest of the wine. I was still drinking the Giacosa.

     Barolo  La Sera 1996  Gianni Voerzoi and the Barolo “Cannubi” Chiara Boschis 1998. I liked the La Sera but found th Boschis to me much too modern for my taste.

   I tasted number of Barolo and Barbaresco’s from the 1998 vintage when I was in Alba last May. They did not get great press and therefore command a lower price. I think they are a great value.

  Barolo Riserva “Campe” 2003  La Spinetta and Barolo Riserva Vecchie vitidei Capalot e della Brunate 2003  Roberto Voerzoi followed

   2003 was a very hot vintage in Piedmont as it was in most of Europe and many producers did not make a Riserva. The 2003 that we had seemed to be more developed, this was a combination of the vintage and wine making styles.

 

The Wines

   

We all declined dessert.

 

 

 

ON Cabernet Franc – Loire, Long Island and Canada

 I like Cabernet Franc from France but have never tasted it from Canada and have not had  many bottles  from Long Island. There are not many times that you have the chance to taste Cabernet Franc from the Loire, Long Island and Canada at the same tasting. There were 11 wines from the Loire,13 from Long Island and 7 from Canada, 3 of which were ice wines.

I am a very big fan of Chinon.They have very good fruit flavors and aromas and go very well with food. They are also a bargin. The highest priced  Chinon at the tasting was $23. They can also age very well.  When I am in France I always try to order them in restaurants and in wine stores to bring home. This past November I drank a Chinon 1978 Les Picasses-Domain Olga Raffault-Roguinet it was not showing its age and had great soft red fruit flavors and aromas.

There were three speakers at the tasting.  Frank Johnson spoke about the French wines. I know Frank for many years and respect his palate and wine knowledge. He did not believe that 2007 was a good year in Western France but felt it was a very good vintage in the Rhone. 2005 and 2006 were much better vintages. Frank is the head of his own importing company and did not buy any 2007’s. He went on to say that Chinon wines go back to the 12th -13th century.It is located in the heart of the Loire Valley near Tours between the Loire(left bank) and Vienne rivers. There are only 4,700 acres planted and the Cabernt Franc grape here ia called “Breton”. They do make a white from the Chenin blanc grape called Pineau de la Loire but this is only one percent of the total production.
The first wine of the tasting was a Langiolis Chateau Cabernet de Saumar Sec Rose 2007 $15. It was drinking like a red wine. It was one of the driest rose that I have ever tasted.There were dry fruit aroams and flavors of apricote.
Familie Grosbois Chinon Chinon Garbare 2007 ($17 ) Hints of spice and good red fruit flavors and aromar. Famille Grosbois Velle Vigne 2007 ($17 ) This was a bigger wine with more spicy aromas and red fruit flavors.

Cheateau de Vaugaudry Cuvee Prestige Chinon 2006 ($17) .Very dry, just a hint of spice and good fruit flavors and aroma. Plessis-Gerbault 2003 Chinon ($20) 2003 was very hot in France and this was a bigger wine, more depth,dry,concentrated fruit flavors.  The wine will last for a number of years.It was my favorite wine of the tasting. This was one of Frank Johnson’s wines and he said that the vines were from a special part of the vineyard. When I told hin I liked the wine he said ” wait until you taste the 2005″.  It went very well with the main course, terrine of three meats in mashed potatoes.  Having the chance to taste the wines with food can make all the difference in the world.

Frank Johnson at the Wine Media Guild tasting

Chateau de Coulaine Chinon “Bonnaventure” 2005 ($21) Very fruit forward and seemed to be a little more modern in style.

Jean-Maurice Raffault Chinon Clos D’Isore ($21)Much more concentrated jammy flavor.
Jean-Maurice Raffault Chinon Picasses 2005 ($21) This was the most tannic of the wines but the fruit was there.

Another wine I liked was the Jean- Paul Mabileu Cuvee Gravies 2006 Saint- Nicolas de Bourguell ($20) Bourguell is a wine I have very little experience, with only 2,900 acres of vineyards. Mr Johnson said it was similar to Chinon and that they share the same terroir, history and wine making tradition. They are made in the area west of Tours and East of Saumur. They can age and are some what bigger in style that Chinon but it would be difficult to tell the difference in a blind tasting.

The next speaker was Paul Grieco a Canedian who came to the United States in 1991. He worked in a number of restaurants and now is the co-owner 0f restaurants Hearth and Insieme and Terrior a wine bar. all located in Manhattan. Paul felt that they were making some good wine in Canada but still had a ways to go. In his opinion the best place to grow wine in Canada was the Ontario’s Niagara Pininsula, Prince Edward County. The area is located between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.  Lake Erie is the shallowest of the Great Lakes and therefore has the warmest temperature of any of the Great Lakes.  This creates a moderating effect and a long with sunshine, adaquate rainfall and glacial left in glacia rivers and lakes , makes it a good area to grow grapes. The wines at the tastinig ranged in price from $100 for a 1.5 liter bottle to a $15  for a 750 bottle.  I was not impressed with the wines. The best was the Stratus Cabernet Franc 2004 (Niagara) $60 They were much to international in style for me. Of the three wine ice  wines the best was the Inniskillin Ice wine from Cabernet Franc 2007(Niagara). It did have aromas of pineappe and mango and I know it is difficult to make ice wine… $95 for a half bottle.

Paul Grieco sitting with members of the Wine Media Guild

The next speaker was Roman Roth from Wolffer Estate on Long Island. He spoke about Cabernet Franc in general and how the climate and soil  conditions were very good for growing this grape there. Roman went on to sat that his Cabernet Franc was more  Bordeaux in style but one had to be true to the region that they were working in. I liked three of the wines and they were very different styles. The wines ranged in price from $16 – $60. The Woffer Estates Vineyards Caya 2005  86% Cabernet Franc and 14% Merlot $40 is a big wine, with oak , vanilla, blackberry,dried prunes and a hint of spice. It is a good wine of the price.Peconic Bay Winery Cabernet Franc 2005$20 was not as big with less oak but with good fruit and spice.  My favorite was the Raphael Cabernet Franc 2007 $16 This wine did not have an oak and was made in the style of the Loire Valley.It had aromars of cherries,raspberries and floral spices.On the palate cherry and spice with a very pleasing finish and aftertaste. It is a great food wine! Roman sat next to me and during lunch and we had an interesting coversation about wine.

Roman Roth Wine Maker at Wolffer Estates

On Champagne

Can one ever get enough Champagne?

This was the question I was asking myself as I was heading for my second tasting of Champagne presented by Ed McCarthy author of Champagne for Dummies. I’ve know Ed for over 25 years and have drank many a bottle of champagne with him and his wife Mary Ewing-Mulligan. I was with Ed on New Years Eve waiting to welcome in the year 2000. Ed brought a six liter bottle of Cristal, there were eight of us and we had grand time. (see www.dobianchi.com “The Best Champagne Tasting” Dec 14 2004 for the full story on the Cristal)

Vintage Champagne Tasting at Felidia's

The first tasting was on Dec. 3 and it was the annual Tasting that Ed does for the Wine Media Guild at Felidia restaurant in Manhattan. The theme this year was vintage Champagne. There were 21 Champagnes in all ranging in price from $45 for the Nicolas Feuillatte Blanc de Blancs 1999 to the Perrier-Jouet “Fleur de Champagne” Blanc de Blancs (Prestige Cuvée)2000 – $300. The Nicolas Feuillatte was a bargain at that price. The Perrier-Jouet was not up to the price. However the 1999 which I was lucky to have on more than one occasion was much better. Ed agreed with me on this.

My favorite at the tasting was the Ayala “Cuvée Perle” Natural Brut (Prestige Cuvee) 2002 $125. It is a blend of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir. It was very dry, toasty and went very well with the food. Ed pointed out that while 2002 was a terrible vintage in Europe in general, it was a great vintage in Champagne, the best since 1996. On the other hand, the 2000 was not a good vintage in Champagne. He believes that vintage champagne is worth the extra money. They are more intense in flavor, more full-bodied and the flavors last longer on the palate. The Prestige Cuvées (Premium Vintage-Têtes de Cuvée) are the best champagnes a producer makes. They are at their best at least 10 years or longer after the vintage.

From right to left: Mary, Ed, and the representative from Ayala

The 1995 Henriot “Cuveé des Enchanteleurs” Brut (Prestige Cuvée) $120, was drinking very well. The 1998 Deutz “Cuvée William Deutz” Brut (Prestige Cuvee) $160 this was one of Ed’s favorites as well. I also liked the 1999 Gresset Milesime Brut $80. These older vintages were holding up very well. Both the 2002 Taittinger Brut $75 and the 2003 Bollinger Brut $108 lived up to their reputations.

The second tasting was on Dec 22 at The Brasserie in Manhattan for The New York Wine Press. Ed’s theme here was Blanc de Blancs. Ed said that it was Eugene-Aimé-Salon that popularized a champagne he called blanc de blancs in the 1920’s. After his death blanc de blancs champagne almost disappeared. In the 1950’s Tattinger released its now famous Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne and the rest is history. Today more and more Champagne Houses are making Blanc de Blancs.

There were thirteen champagnes ranging in price from $45 for the toasty NV Henriot Blanc Souverain Brut Pur Chardonnay to the 2000  afor mentioned Perrier-Jouet. Both Ed and I agreed that this bottle was showing better then the one earlier in the month but still not up to the 1999. The NV Alfred Gratien Blanc de Blances Brut $90 was fresh with a hint of citrus that made it a perfect combination with the excellent grilled filet Loup de Mer. One of the most balanced was the 2002 Louis Roederer Blanc de Blancs Brut $75. The three oldest wines were drinking very well. 1999 Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs ” Extre Cuvée De Reserve $105. The 1998 Tattinger Blanc de Blancs Brut “Comte de Champagne $150 and the best for the money the 1995 Charles Heidsiek “Blanc des Millenaires Brut $95.

Ed likes to drink Blanc de Blancs as a aperitif or with the first course but also feels that there are some that can be drunk with heavier foods such as lobster. I agree with him but prefer the more traditional champagnes with heavier foods. They seem to have more body and character. The late Sheldon Wasserman along with his wife Pauline were the authors of Italy’s Noble Red Wines and Sparkling Wine. He loved to drink champagne with pizza and lobster. They were both friends of Ed and me.

I was invited to Nizza restaurant in Manhattan to taste their pizza and farinata. The owner of the restaurant loves Champagne and he brought a bottle of Krug. He said he brought a case of it and this was the best batch he had ever tasted. Krug is the only wine aged in barriques that I drink and the only wine I will drink without food. It went very well with the pizza. We also went to La Pizza Fresca the restaurant that has the best Neapolitan style pizza in the city and had Krug NV again along with the 1985 Heidsieck &Co. Monopol Diamant Bleu. The two wines I like the best with pizza are champagne and barolo.

Christmas Day I went to a friend’s house for dinner and they opened up a magnum of Perrier-Jouet Yellow label NV. It was very toasty and went well with the puff pastry stuffed with foig gras.

I hope that 2009 brings more great Champagne tastings.