Six Wines

Listed below are 6 wines  I had with lunch or dinner and I have not had a chance to mention in other blogs.

Champagne Grand Siecle “Alexandra” Rose 1997 Laurent-Perrier. Made from 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay. This Champagne is made in extremely limited quantities and only in the best vintage years. The 1997 was only the fourth bottling of this Champagne. It has all of the characteristics of a great Rose Champagne but it was also so subtle.

Chianti Rufina Riserva 2010 “Vigneto Bucerchiale Fattoria Selvapiana made from 100% Sangiovese. The vineyard is 12.50 hectares, at 200 meters, the soil is of medium density clay, dry and stony, well drained. There are 5,200 vines per hectare and the exposure is south/southwest. Vines were planted in 1968 and 1992 and the training system is spur cordon. Hand harvested the first week of October. Fermentation is in stainless steel with all natural yeasts. Fermentation and maceration is for 25 days. The wine is aged in 225 hl French casks. This is a wine with hints of cherry, violets and plums with a touch of tobacco.

Chambolle Musigny 1978 Domaine Robert Groffier made from 100% Pinot Noir. Burgundy at its best.

Aglianico del Taburno Riserva Vigna Cataratte 2009 DOCG Fontanavecchia The grapes are selected and hand harvested. Fermentation is in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks for about 20 days. The wine is aged for 14 months in barriques and aged for 34 more months before release. This is a bold wine with hints of cherry, spice, chocolate and a touch of licorice.

The Emidio Pepe winery is Organic and Bio Dynamic . The training system is cordon spur and tendone. Only natural yeasts are used. The grapes are crushed by  hand. No sulfites are added to the wine. The juice is placed in glass lined cement tanks of 20/25 hl for two years. Since this is natural wine, malolactic fermentation may take place in the tank or in the bottle. The bottles are corked by hand.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 1983 Emidio Pepe This bottle was showing its age but was still very drinkable.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 1985 Emidio Pepe this bottle was showing very well with deep red fruit aromas and flavors, hints of cherry, spice and leather- it is a great wine. I have had the 1983 before and it too is a great wine. As someone once said “ the are no great wines, only great bottles of wine”

 

 

PRESTIGE CUVÉE CHAMPAGNES: CHAMPAGNE AT ITS BEST

 

Ed McCarthy hosted two memorable Champagne tastings and lunches in December for wine journalists in New York City. For the Wine Media Guild event at Felidia Restaurant, Ed spoke about 26 Non Vintage Brut Champagnes. Three weeks later, Ed hosted the second event, held at the Brasserie, where he presented 16 Prestige Cuvee Champagnes for the NY Wine Press. Ed, author of “Champagne for Dummies,” is known as Champagne Ed.

Champagne Ed Mc Carthy

Harriet Lembeck chair of the NY Wine Press, announced that this was the last year this event would be held at the Brasserie as it will be closing shortly. She thanked Sharon Colabello, the Brasserie’s Director of Catering, for all her help over the years.

Introducing the wines, Ed told us that Prestige Cuvees are made from the finest and the most costly grapes from the best vineyards, usually from all Grand Cru or a blend of Grand Cru and Premier Cru villages. They are aged longer in the producers’ cellars than other Champagnes. The typical Prestige Cuvee ages for five to eight years before release.

Ed said that 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008 were excellent vintages in Champagne. He also believes that 1996 was the best vintage of the last 20 years.

First Flight with Hors d’Oeuvres

Lanson “Extra Age” Brut NV magnum It is a blend of special vintage years 2000, 2002 and 2004 bringing together the best Champagne Crus using traditional vinification methods. The Pinot Noir comes from the best plots of Verzenay and Bouzy. The Chardonnay from the Cote des Blancs, Chouilly, Avize, Oger and Vetrus. Nice citrus flavors and aromas with a touch of white peach and pear. $190

Bethany Burke and Champagne Andre Jucquart

Andrê Jacquart Blanc De Blancs Brut Nature Grand Cru NV. No malolactic fermentation takes place, a minimum of 5 years on the lees before disgorgement and zero dosage.  70% of the wine is aged in old Burgundy barrels. Ed said that the grapes come from the best villages in Champagne. This is a elegant champagne with hints of pear and peach with a long and fruity finish. Ed was very impressed with this champagne and it is a bargain at $60.

Lamiable “Les Meslaines” Grand Cru 2008 made from 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay from 30/35 year old vines from the Grand Cru terroirs of Bouzy and Tours-sur- Marne. The soil is clay and limestone, the parcel is 6 hectares and the exposure is south. It is at 162 meters with a gentle slope of about 10%. Fermentation in enamel and stainless steel tanks and then malolactic fermentation takes place. Aged for 18 months on the lees. Two to four barrels are used. No new oak. Dosage 8g/l. It had hints of apple, brioche, spice and a hint of ginger. Ed said it needed more time $60

Second Flight with Vegetable Carpaccio

Piper-Heidsieck “Rare” Brut 2002 made from 65% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay from twelve 100% rated Grand Cru Villages. This needs at least 15 years from the vintage date to develop fully. It was interesting because I found aromas and flavors of spice and ginger with citrus fruit and good acidity. $155

Laurent-Perrier “Grand Siecle” NV made from 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir from 3 different vintages. 12 of the most prestigious villages supply the grapes and only the best plots are selected, as are the finest musts from the pressings. The blended wine is aged during the second fermentation on the yeast for about five years. It has tiny bubbles and complex aromas and flavors that make it go very well with food. $135

Veuve Clicquot “La Grande Dame” 2006 made from 62% Pinot Noir and 38% Chardonnay. Verzenay/Avize are the two dominate crus in the blend of eight grand crus from Ciicquot’s own 100% rated Grand Cru Vineyards on the Còte des Blancs and the Montagne de Reims. It has hints of white peaches, apricots and brioche. It needs two or three years from release in order be at its best. $155

Christina L. Jacobs Champagne Specialist  Moet Hennessy

Dom Ruinart Blanc De Blancs Brut 2004 Made primarily with premier crus from the Cöte des Blanc and Montagne de Reims. Has both elegance and finesse with hints of fresh fruits, citrus and white peaches. $135

Third Flight with Halibut with Braised Leeks and Champagne Sabayon

Taittinger “Comtes de Champagne” Blanc de Blancs 2006. The grapes are pressed immediately in presses located in the vineyards. The first pressing, known as the “cuvee” is followed by two more pressings known as the first and second “tailles”. Only the juice from the “cuvee” goes into this wine. Temperature controlled fermentation takes place and about 5% of the wine is matured for a few months in 225 liter new oak casks. Prior to disgorgement the wine is aged for 9 or 10 years. This is their flagship Champagne. Ed described it as being full and rich.  It was toasty with hints of white fruit, good acidity and a long lingering finish. $130

Louis Roederer “Cristal” Brut 2007 made from  55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay with grapes from Roederer’s own vineyards, almost all of which are Grand Cru. Ed said it needs 15 years from the vintage date before it is really ready to drink, $200

Perrier Jouet “Belle Epoque” Blanc de Blancs Brut 2002 This was by far the most expensive Champagne at the tasting. The grapes come from the best vineyards and Ed believes that it is worth the money and one of the best Blanc de Blancs made. He also said that 2002 was an excellent vintage for Champagne. $350

Cathleen Burke Visscher with Pascal Doquet and Lamiable

Pascal Doquet “Le Mesnil Sur Oger” Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru 2002 The vines range from 3 to 77 years-old averaging around 37 years as of 2014. The soil is chalky in the Le Mesnil-sur-Oger in the heart of the territory. It is a 1,67 ha parcel with an eastern exposure. The training system is Taille Chablis. The yield is 30% lower than the maximum permitted by Champagne. Malolatic fermentation takes place. Aged for 6 months and then 5 months on the lees. 36% aged in barrels. It has hints of toasted brioche, raisins, spice and apple with good acidity. Ed said that this wine needs more time and I agree. Dosage 5g/l. The winery is certified organic, indigenous yeast is used and the grapes are hand harvested. $85

Fourth Flight — Duck á l’Orange

Moet & Chandon “Dom Perignon” Brut 2006 made from equal amounts of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The grapes come from five Grand Cru villages and one Premier Cru village. Ed wrote in his book Champagne for Dummies – the wine’s “…trademarks are its exquisite balance, its creaminess, its elegance, its very fine tiny bubbles and its complex flavors.” He was also right on the mark when he said, “With age, Cuvee Dom Perignon develops aromas and flavors of toast, coffee and honey.” $150

Bollinger “ La Grande Anneë” Brut 2004 made from 63% Pinot Noir and 37% Chardonnay. This was one of my top wines. Both Ed and I felt that it would age very well. It is intense, concentrated, rich Champagne with aromas and flavors of toasted brioche. This is the Champagne that I drank the most. $125 

Henriot Cuvee “Des Enchanteleurs” Brut 2000 made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from six of the most prestigious Grand Cru vineyards.  Ed said it was excellent and one of his favorites. It was also one of mine. It is rich with citrus aromas and flavors and hints of wild peach, hazelnut, and a touch of honey. It is aromatic with a great finish and aftertaste. It was Tom Maresca’s favorite. $165.

Odila Galer-Noel with Pol Roger, Assistant Vice President Fredrick Wildman

Pol Roger Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill” Brut 2004 made from 70% Pinot Noir and 30 % Chardonnay from their Grand Cru vineyards. The remuage (riddling) is done by hand, a rarity in Champagne today. Ed felt it still needs at least 4 or 5 more years to be ready. He described it as being rich, firm and austere but also with finesse and complexity. Ed said that it was created in homage to Sir Winston Churchill mindful of the qualities he sought in his Champagne: robustness, a full-bodied character and relative maturity. This was another of his favorite wines and I have to agree. $250

Nicole Burke   US Brand Ambassador Krug

Krug Brut Grande Cuvée NV made from 45/55% Pinot Noir, 15/20 Pinot Meunier and 25/35 Chardonnay–the percent depends upon the vintage. They blend about 120 wines from 10 or more different vintages and it is aged for at least 6 years in the cellars. All of their Champagnes are aged in used small oak barrels. They are all prestige cuvees made from Grand Cru and Premier Cru villages and are aged longer before release. The overall rating for the vineyards is 98% with Krug’s own vineyards rating 100%. As Ed said obviously this is not just another NV Champagne. It is Michele’s favorite. $135

Though we all have preferences in style, I would be more than happy to enjoy any of these excellent Champagne

Sparkling Summer Wines

Over the summer I enjoyed a number of different sparkling wines and Champagnes. Most of us think of sparkling wine as something that should only be drunk on special occasions or at Christmas and New Years, but I don’t agree.  Sparkling wine can be enjoyed all year round and I especially like it in the summer and always with food. Here are some of my favorites.

Brut Rose “Faive” NV  Nino Franco (Veneto) made from 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. The grapes are vinified separately with some skin contact for color and cold fermentation in stainless steel autoclaves. The wine is light salmon in color, with good bubbles, nice red fruit and a hint of pear. $17

The name Faive is Venetian dialect for the small “guided” tongues of flame and sparks rising toward the sky from a great fire, lightly and freely carried by the wind.  This producer is known for it’s high quality Prosecco and the Rustico is a great value for the money.  We drank a bottle of it with the plump ripe figs from the tree in the Brooklyn backyard our friend Tony Di Dio.  Both Tony and his fig tree were featured in an excellent article — with recipes — in the NY Times last Wednesday.  Here is a link: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/29/dining/in-brooklyn-an-abundance-of-fig-trees.html?_r=1&hpw

Spumante Santé Brut IGT 100% Falanghina (Campania)  Donna Chiara. The soil is chalky clay.  There are 2,500 plants per hectare and the harvest takes place the first week of October. Fermentation lasts for 40 days. Illaria Petitto, owner of the winery, always refers to the vinification system used as the Martinotti method. (The Charmat method, as it is more popularly known, was invented by Federico Martinotti in Asti in the 1920’s.) Refermentation takes place at low temperatures in autoclaves for about 6 months. Then the wine matures on the dregs for another 2 months. The wine had very good bubbles; it is fresh, delicate with floral and citrus aromas and flavors. It is great as an aperitif and with fried foods. $20
Champagne Delamotte NV made from 50% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Meunier.   Delamotte is the sister house of Salon and both are part of the Laurent- Perrier group. We had it with a lobster salad with basil dressing, an excellent combination. $38

Ferrari Perlé Rosé 2004 Trento DOC Method Classico Vintage made from80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay. This is a vintage Rosé from the Lunelli family estate vineyards.  The grapes are harvested by hand at the end of September on the hills surrounding Trento, with either southeastern or southwestern exposure between 1000 and 2000 feet above sea level.  In 2004 there was mild weather and perfect ripening conditions.  The wine is aged 5 years on selected yeasts. It is an elegant and complex Rosé with ripe red berry aromas and flavors with hints of raspberry and a touch of almond.  I has a long finish and pleasing aftertaste. I had it with beet and ricotta gnocchi in sage butter sauce. $75
I believe that Ferrari makes some of the best Method Classico wine in Italy.

Champagne “Grand Siècle” Crand Cuvèe NV Laurent-Perrier (Trous-sur Marne) made from 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir.  12 of the most prestigious villages supply the grapes and only the best plots are selected, as are the finest musts from the pressings. I believe this is a blend of three different vintages. The blended wine is aged during the second fermentation on the yeast for about five years. It has great tiny bubbles and complex aromas and flavors that make it go very well with food.

The 17th century in France, the era of Louis XIV, became know as the Grand Siècle, the Great Century and Louis XIV was the first king of France to drink Champagne.

Zucchini Flowers

I was very impressed with this wine when I had it at a Wine Media Guild tasting last December and I wanted it for my Birthday.  Michele made zucchini flowers fried in a light tempura batter stuffed with anchovies and mozzarella, which I love. We usually have them with Prosecco but it was a celebration so only Champagne would do.  It turned out to be a perfect combination.
Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 2000 Blanc de Blancs (Rheims) the grapes are pressed immediately in presses located in the vineyards. The first pressing, known as cuvee, is followed by two more pressings known as the first and second “tailles.” Only the juice from the “cuvee” goes into this wine. Temperature controlled fermentation takes place and about 5% of the wine is matured for a few months in 225 liter new oak casks. Prior to disgorgement, the wine is aged for 9 or 10 years. 2000 was a good but not a great year for champagne but the wine was showing very well and it is their flagship Champagne. The wine is full, rich and toasty with hints of white fruit, good acidity and a long lingering finish. I had it with smoked salmon canapés.  

Dom Ruinart 1996 Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne (Rheims), made from 100% grand cru Chardonnay grapes, 65% from Cotes de Blancs and 35% from the mountain of Rheims.  It spends 9/10 years in the chalk cellars before release.  1996 was a very good year in Champagne.  It was just beginning to show some age with citrus fruit, a touch of toast, a hint of brioche, and a very nice mineral character.  I had it with Pizza Bianca at La Pizza Fresca in NYC. It was another great combination.