Category: Libations & Wine

Thanksgiving Wines that Dazzle

November 19, 2018

A day of giving thanks and feasting with those we hold most dear – what’s not to love about Thanksgiving!? It’s also a fabulous excuse to break out some stellar bottles of wine to savor the progression of the day as well as the people in it. The Thanksgiving table offers a cornucopia of flavors with something on offer for just about every palate – sweet, savory, umami, spice, sheer comfort. This does, however, present a rather tall order for pairing wines. Chardonnay aged in oak doesn’t quite suit. Cabernet is just too tannic for the beloved bird while Sauvignon Blanc is just too delightfully green for autumnal flavors. Nevertheless, there are a handful of failproof choices that I look to year after year. Although I do prefer to have a selection of varietals on hand, each and every bottle on this list can elevate the entire meal on its own and evolve with the journey of the feast. So without further adieu…

Saint-Chamant, Blanc de Blanc, Grand Cru, Brut – Champagne

Although I always enjoy kicking off the day with a glass of bubbly and good blanc de blanc Champagne is entirely capable of carrying the entire meal without any assistance. Why blanc de blanc? Well, when produced with care and aged sur lie (on its lees/the spent yeasts from fermentation) a magical thing happens. The wine takes on a yeasty quality akin to freshly baked brioche – hello, popovers and stuffing! That’s matched with bright, thirst-quenching acidity that cuts right through gravy fats and buttered mashed potatoes like a laser beam. Then there’s the minerality of kimmeridgian limestone that only Champagne can muster in the wide world of effervescence – a brined turkey here will reach unfathomable heights. All the stars align to make Thanksgiving pairings across that beautifully set table sheer magic. For a blanc de blanc that knows no rivals in my jaded, vinuous heart, I always swing for the grower Champagne of Saint-Chamant. Octogenarian vigneron, Monsieur Coquillette, has been nurturing his vines and hand-crafting his wines since the 1950’s – the epitome of farm-to-table, this grand old man even continues to hand-label all his own bottles!

For other great blanc de blanc Champagnes, you can also look to producers: Pierre Moncuit, Pol Roger, Vazart-Coquart and AR Lenoble.

 

Château d’Epiré, Savennières, Loire Valley – France

Chenin Blanc from Savennières is truly one of my favorite wines on the planet. In this special little pocket of the Loire Valley the wines are fermented bone-dry (unlike the subtly sweet offerings from the more well-known Vouvray) and here the unique schist minerality is truly something spectacular. Flavors of braised yellow apple, dried apricot, lemon peel and quince compote dance across the palate with notes of chamomile, honey comb, aged, nutty cheese and wet wool – can you think of a more fitting tango partner for turkey day? And although the flavors are warm and hauntingly inviting, the crisp acidity and taut minerality make for a balance that will keep you going for glass after refreshing, satisfying glass. As far as producers go, I love Château d’Epiré for their remarkable price to quality.

For other exceptional producers in the appellation, look to the incomparable Nicolas Joly’s Coulée de Serrant as well as Domaine du Closel, Domaine de la Bergerie and Thibaud Boudignon.

White Rose Estate, Willamette Valley, Pinot Noir – Oregon

Oregon’s status as the best price-to-quality Pinot Noir in the world is well-traversed ground. I’ve written enough to fill a Diana Gabaldon novel on the merits of Oregon Pinot, because it’s just that damn good. The climate – perfect. The soil – mind-bendingly complex. Simply put, Oregon’s Willamette Valley offers the New World’s greatest Pinot Noir at a fraction of the price for solid Red Burgundy. And although I love great Burgundy, I honestly don’t have the cash to serve a table of thirsty drinkers at my holiday table that sweet nectar of the gods. Nevertheless, if White Rose Estate’s Pinot Noir doesn’t charm even the most devout of Burgundy devotees, then I’ll eat my wine glass for Thanksgiving dinner. This pure beauty of bright red fruit, forest floor majesty, smoky minerality from the Jory soils and pitch-perfect, bright balance will elevate the savory elements of your turkey and dressing, make cranberry sauce zing across your palate and will dazzle and brighten just about any other side dish you choose to throw its way.

Other Oregon producers of Pinot Noir to look for this Thanksgiving are: Winderlea, Patricia Green, Eyrie Vineyards, De Ponte Cellars as well as Evesham Wood.

 

Julien Sunier, Cru Beaujolais, Fleurie – France

Cru Beaujolais is one of those wines that I fell for with the greatest reluctance, but once the flame was kindled there was just no turning back. I had always associated Beaujolais with Beaujolais Nouveau – bubblegum aromas and cheaply produced shlock. Then I tasted Cru Beaujolais from a true artisan who crafted his wine as his ancestors had before him – organic/biodynamic vineyards, whole-cluster fermentation, indigenous yeasts and proper aging in old, neutral foudres (massive oak barrels that do not leave a footprint) – the result was a staggeringly elegant wine of such purity of fruit and sense of place, that I could scarcely believe I was drinking Beaujolais. Julien Sunier’s wines are just that – pure, unadulterated, terroir-driven from granite soils, and an example of what truly great Gamay (the grape of Beaujolais) should be. He’s followed in the footsteps of greats like Marcel Lapierre, but he’s made a name for himself that’s entirely worthy of the pioneers that came before. With aromatics and flavors of cold bing cherry, fresh strawberry and a hint of cranberry laced with peony, herbs de Provence, white pepper and granitic minerality, this lithe, refreshing and silky red beauty will give the savory, spicy and complex flavors of the Thanksgiving table wings. If you’re looking for one wine to rule them all for Thanksgiving, this is it.

For other Cru Beaujolais offerings, look for Cru Beaujolais from the villages of Morgon or Fleurie from these producers: Marcel Lapierre, Jean-Paul Brun, Jean Foillard or Jean-Paul Thévenet.

Happiest of Happy Thanksgivings, y”all! And to my Canadians, I’m sorry this is too late for 2018 – love to you all!

 

 

The Inexpensive French Sparkler for your next BBQ

July 6, 2018

As Independence Day has thrust us all into the full throes of barbeque mania, I’d like to introduce an unusual pairing partner that will launch your next smoked masterpiece to dizzying heights. A delightfully unique red sparkler, Bugey-Cerdon is nestled in France’s alpine wonderland between Savoie, the Jura, Burgundy and Beaujolais.

My first experience with this charming méthode ancestrale red wine is a moment I’ll never forget. I was going through the sommelier program at the International Culinary Center in the Bay Area when I met a couple life-long friends as well as a handful of wines that would change my life. One of our professors and mentors, Alan Murray, (the first Australian Master Sommelier) left me with a lesson that transcends mere wine and resonates as a shining example of what a true sommelier should be – not to mention a wine that’s firmly implanted in my sense memory.

A few years before this time, Alan was serving as wine director for San Francisco’s Masa. He received a call that the legendary chef, Jacques Pépin, (who is also one of our culinary institute’s founders) would be visiting Masa later in the week. Contrary to many of his peers’ instincts when hearing Jacques Pépin would be descending on their restaurant, Alan opted for an inexpensive yet esoteric wine that would strike an emotional chord with his esteemed guest instead of hauling out the most rare and expensive wine in the house. You see, Jacques spent a significant amount of his childhood in the rural, alpine paradise near Bugey-Cerdon. When the night arrived, Jacques swirled his wine then tasted the cheerful nectar and tears welled up in his eyes. His dinner companions sent Alan a thank you note for making the event such a memorable evening. To me, this moment captures the epitome of what a great somm should truly be. He thoughtfully chose to give his famous guest an unforgettable, poignant experience. For a mere $20, Alan over-delivered when many of his colleagues would have dug deep in the cellar for the most expensive, highly allocated and forgettable bottle the restaurant could muster.

With this moving tale marinating in my mind, I took my first whiff then sip of Patrick Bottex’s Bugey-Cerdon. As years have passed, I can undoubtedly say it was more than mere sentiment that made me fall in love at first taste. The glass came alive with notes of firm, ripe berries, a hint of rhubarb, chalk, peony, violet, aromatic alpine air and a subtle yeastiness that was sheer magic! Although the picturesque little hamlet has been crafting wines since the Romans donned togas, it only received an AOC (French Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) in 2009, but the wines remain the same rural sparklers that the locals know and love. As I previously mentioned, this sparkling wine is crafted méthode ancestrale, which means that the wine starts fermentation in barrel then is racked to bottle before all the sugar has been fermented. Fermentation finishes in the bottle and leaves behind its lees (spent yeast), which results in a magnificently subtle and inimitable flavor profile that only elevates the beauty in the final wine. This unique method is believed to predate the Champagne method – and though I love Champagne, Bugey-Cerdon offers a wholly unique flavor profile that lovers of the bubbly simply must experience!

Imported by Kermit Lynch, which should come as no surprise to those of you who know me, Patrick Bottex’s offering represents the pinnacle of the appellation for the modest price tag of $20-ish a bottle. Patrick and Catherine Bottex farm their high-altitude parcels on limestone slopes perched above the Ain River. The wine is comprised of 90% gamay and 10% poulsard, which is indigenous to the area. The fruit is hand-harvested, fermented with its natural yeasts and delivers a pure, sensory snapshot of the French alps replete with alpine air, limestone minerality and bright mountain fruit in the glass. A perfect, albeit unusual accompaniment to all the sauce-laden barbeque you can throw its way, I’d make sure to have plenty on hand this summer as this thirst-quenching stunner will disappear before you can throw another rack of ribs on the grill.

 

 

Savennières – a White Wine to Fall in Love With

May 19, 2018

 

Over the course of one month, we had packed up the house, took leave of our dear friends in Canada and said a painful, last goodbye to JD, our one-of-a-kind Boston Terrier who had been my soul tie through undergrad, graduate school, my career in Los Angeles, my marriage to Andrew and then our move to northeastern Alberta. He’d survived three Canadian winters right along with us and had taught Pux (our younger Boston) everything he needed to know for the journey ahead. The long drive east across Canada then down into the States was bittersweet yet often filled with humor. At the end of a long day’s drive, we would stack our wine collection, along with our luggage, on the hotel trolley and wheel it to our room in a desperate effort towards climate control. We caught more than one gimlet eye from fellow guests and often just smiled in return, knowing full well we looked like a band of ragtag bootleggers. We made it to Virginia just in time to celebrate the 4th of July – appropriate but unintentionally timed. We were still sleeping on an air mattress to the chagrin of Pux, our-entitled-yet-adorable-Boston, when Andrew’s birthday rolled around a couple of weeks later.

I had started working as a vineyard hand and cellar tech (a bucket list job for me) on the outskirts of the northern Shenandoah (Middleburg AVA for wine). From there, I’d quickly found a charming restaurant with an inspired young chef where I booked a table for Andrew’s birthday celebration. We arrived at the historic Ashby Inn, cradled inside rolling foothills that harkened back to memories of rural Bavaria, and took a seat beneath wisteria vines on the flagstone terrace. After three years of Canadian cuisine, nothing sounded better than their salt-brined fried chicken over corn succotash and the arrival of our order did not disappoint. The wine list was even more impressive and I quickly selected a Chenin Blanc from the tiny French appellation of Savennières. Although I’d come to love Savennières’ unique expression of the varietal in my sommelier studies, the marriage of flavors in this meal was a revelation and it remains one of my favorite pairings to this day. In fact, I’ve paired it with Thomas Keller’s brined fried chicken again and again for wine tastings.

You may be thinking Chenin Blanc? Ugh, sweet wine, but no. It’s true that the more commonly known French village for Chenin Blanc is Vouvray where there as well as the new world (California and South Africa) offer examples of the grape that are off-dry, meaning they have residual sugar and are not fermented completely dry. This is not the case in Savennières where climatic conditions allow the wine to be finished bone-dry, without a hint of residual sugar, while still retaining ample acidity and freshness. The result is one of my favorite white wines out there and somewhat of a guarded secret among sommeliers the world over. Savennières’ racy crisp freshness and mineral verve cuts through the heat (and the fried chicken’s fats) like a hot knife through room-temp butter. The expansive mouthfeel delivers a haunting bounty of roasted yellow apple, apricot, preserved lemon peel and quince, wrapped inside a blanket of wet wool, chamomile, honey comb and aged cheese that leaves you pondering the complex genius behind the liquid nectar with each immensely satisfying sip.

Chenin Blanc has been rooted in the picturesque village of Savennières since around the 9th century and is believed to have been popular as far back as the times of Charlemagne. Comprised of three rolling hills of schist, which gives the wine its unique mineral fingerprint, Savennières is a prime example of the power of terroir, capturing a sense of place that is totally inimitable. If you have yet to fall in love with the Chenin Blanc varietal, this small appellation will redefine your impressions of the grape forever after. Although not all wines are created equal – here are a few of my favorite producers to look for in your quest.

Clos de la Coulée de Serrant

Justly revered as one of the greatest white wines in the world, this single estate is one of only three in France to have their own AOC (Appellation d’origine contrôlées), which is quite an honor. The vineyard was first cultivated in 1130 by Cistercian monks and the site continues to live up to its legacy. Today, the old vines are lovingly tended by Nicholas Joly and his daughter. The estate has been farmed biodynamically since 1984 and has been a beacon of the farming practice within France’s winemaking community for decades. Few names conjure this level of well-earned esteem; the pedigree and sheer magic in the bottle is entirely worth the lofty price tag.

With the king of Savennières behind us, we move on to other outstanding producers. While Joly’s wines do require you to open your wallet as wide as it goes, wines of Savennières actually offer a shocking price-to-quality for the most part. Because they are lesser known in the mass US market, many of the greatest examples of Savennières can be fetched without sticker shock. So here are a few:

Château d’Epiré ($23+)

This wine is a bit of a staple here in our house. Imported by one of my wine heroes, Kermit Lynch, Château d’Epiré is one of the oldest domaines in Savennières and it’s been in the Bizard family since the 17th century! Part of their beautiful estate also borders the aforementioned, famed Coulée de Serrant and their vineyards are farmed lutte raisonnée, which means they are treated organically unless an extreme emergency arises. In other words, you’re getting some serious varietal purity as well as reflection of terroir here. For under $25, this world-class wine is a steal, which is why the Greers keep it stocked.  https://shop.kermitlynch.com/product/detail/16FBI01.html

Domaine du Closel ($32+)

What do I love about Domaine du Closel? On top of the magnificent wine, the domaine is the product of some pretty incredible women. Matriarch, Michèle de Jessey not only led the family estate for years, she was the first female to ever take the helm of an AOC (French appellation). Today, her daughter, Evelyne, is at the helm where she has been responsible for the organic and biodynamic conversion in the vineyards, which translates to an almost religious purity in the glass that exemplifies everything we love about Savennières.

Domaine de la Bergerie ($30)

Domaine de la Bergerie is a family operation that organically (seeking certification) farms their parcels a mere stone’s throw away from Nicholas Joly’s legendary La Coulée de Serrant. Their mature vines are grown in sandy schist and volcanic soil, which gives the wine an inimitable mineral fingerprint that speaks of the power of Savennières terroir.

Other producers to keep an eye out for are Thibaud Boudignon, Eric Morgat and Patrick Baudoin.

For a pairing you’ll never forget, give Thomas Keller’s fried chicken from his book Ad Hoc a whirl. As my Dad likes to say, “it’s so good, it’ll make you take back shit you didn’t steal!”

A votre santé!

This Mint Julep makes a Run for the Roses

May 5, 2018

The Kentucky Derby hits the track tomorrow, which ushers in a welcomed excuse to consume copious amounts of Bourbon in the middle of the day without judgment. Our house is hosting a Derby party where Mint Juleps are mandatory and hats will be optional. For the perfect Mint Julep, my Bourbon of choice is Four Roses (aptly named, I might add); while you can spring for the small batch or single barrel, which are lovely, their regular label Bourbon is fantastic for our purposes here. The flawless marriage of honeyed oak and hint of smokiness strikes the ideal chord without overbearing the freshness of the mint. As for mint, spearmint is key.  Infused in simple syrup then poured over crushed ice – the ice must be crushed – it just tastes of springtime. I like to save a decent amount of fresh spearmint to garnish as well. The recipe is simple and the result will have you off to the races in no time.

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I’m making a huge batch, so feel free to dial it down by half or more if need be. Just keep in mind that the simple syrup is equal parts water and sugar.

Ingredients:

  • 1 bottle of Four Roses Bourbon
  • 4 cups water
  • 4 cups sugar
  • 1 bunch of fresh spearmint
  • crushed ice

I’d just like to offer a little hack for those of you who plan to crush your own bags of ice in Ziploc bags as I’ve done in the past. Go to Sonic instead! They sell their perfectly crushed ice for $2.50 a bag. As your hammered ice slips through the thin plastic of your Ziploc and drains all over your countertop, you’ll be wishing you took my advice on this one…I’m speaking from experience here.

At least an hour ahead of serving, you want to make your simple syrup and infuse it with the mint. Keep a few sprigs of mint aside for garnish. Pour the sugar, water and mint into a pot and bring to a boil. Let the mixture cool then stick it in the fridge. Just before serving, strain the concoction through a sieve or even a coffee filter.

Mound the crushed ice into glasses and pour 2 ounces of Bourbon and 1 ounce of the mint simple syrup over the ice. Garnish with mint and serve. And don’t rush. Think southern – the slow country – the longer the drink marinates in the melted ice, the dreamier the libation becomes.  Oh and a special thanks goes out to my hubby who snagged me these antique mint julep cups for Christmas this year – love you!

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Ladies and gentlemen, place your bets.  Happy Derby Day, y’all!

 

 

A Red Wine that Charms…and other Musings

March 5, 2018

Tucked inside an enchanting wine bar on Charleston’s King Street a couple weekends ago, my husband and I shifted into a lower gear to celebrate our anniversary. My Mom (bless her heart!) stayed back in Beaufort with our son while we packed a bag and hit Highway 17 for a quick getaway to the Holy City. Once a sanctuary of religious tolerance in a period when the Church of England was practically de rigeuer, Charleston earned its moniker for the relative variety of churches that sprouted along Meeting Street. The pint-sized yet picturesque city was also a wet hot center of boozy freedom when the southeast was parched dry, which stands to reason why Charleston is arguably the greatest city in South Carolina for wine – and good wine at that.

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In any case, my man and I had just sat down in our favorite wine haunt, Bin 152, eponymously named for its address on 152 King Street, when I remembered why I loved this joint so much in the first place. Littered with bucket list wines available through Coravin, the menu boasted producers I simply never encounter in South Carolina. Among greats, imported by New York houses, were also myriad offerings from Berkeley-based importer Kermit Lynch. Now, I don’t intend this to be a post only drummed up for the sake of wine geeks, but Kermit Lynch is a name every wine drinker should come to know and inevitably love. So, before I wax on about the nirvana that was reached in a single bottle of wine, let me first tell you a bit about Kermit.

With a $5,000 loan and a blazing passion for old world wine, Kermit Lynch substantially aided and changed the American wine market forever back in 1972. He sought out French artisanal producers who were crafting wine the way their ancestors had – without manipulation – the way nature intended. These wines had – and still have – that gout de terroir (taste of the soil), that inimitable quality that delivers sense of place and purity of fruit all in one sniff or sip. The wines he introduced to the American lexicon were unlike anything we had yet to experience on our shores. No one was bringing these home-grown, family wines to the States. Although there are numerous importers that now feature small, traditional producers, Kermit Lynch was and remains a trailblazer here in America. He’s won multiple James Beard awards along with France’s Legion d’Honneur, but all you really need to remember is this: when you see, “imported by Kermit Lynch,” on a label, buy that wine.

As I perused Bin 152’s list, I came across name after name that made my heart flutter; it was hard to narrow it down, then at last I came to Jean-Paul Thévenet and I knew I had the winner. A red beauty so full of rustic purity, easy charm and inimitable minerality, this complex yet delightful vixen from Morgon made me remember how I had fallen in love with the Gamay varietal in the first place.

When many people hear the name Gamay or Beaujolais, they usually think of Beaujolais Nouveau – an insipid youngster that reeks of bubblegum (truly) and lack of depth. This was always my take on Beaujolais until I experienced the transcendent magic of a fine Beaujolais Cru. It changed my life. Beaujolais Crus are represented by ten villages in the appellation, which are south of and technically part of the greater region of Burgundy, but their grape is Gamay, not Pinot Noir. And although I love a great Burgundian Pinot Noir more than just about anything on earth, it comes with a serious price tag, whereas fine Beaujolais Cru – even from producers at the apex of the appellation – is shockingly affordable. In fact, I’m not exaggerating when I say that Beaujolais Cru offers among the greatest price-to-quality in the world of red wine – though not all producers are created equal. When seeking out a Beaujolais Cru, look for Morgon or Fleurie (my favorite villages); if Kermit Lynch is an option as the importer, go for it; and keep an eye out for the names Jean-Paul Thévenet, Guy Breton, Jean Folliard and Marcell Lapierre as well as Jean-Paul Brun and Julien Sunier.

A little history here, Thévenet, Breton, Folliard and Lapierre were lovingly dubbed, “the gang of four,” back when they forged an ambitious movement to turn back the hands of time and started crafting natural wine that bucked the local trend of over-cropped, manipulated, carbonic macerated Beaujolais Nouveau – aka plonk. They farmed biodynamically and organically, eschewing chemicals, in favor of letting nature take its course. They opted for indigenous yeast for fermentation and aged their wines in large, neutral Slovenian oak foudres or cement, which allowed the true nature and minerality of the wines to speak for themselves. Fast forward a handful of decades and many youngsters are following in their footsteps – the result: the world is once again beginning to take notice of Beaujolais. Luckily, the prices are still ridiculously reasonable and the quality has never been higher.

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The sweet nectar of the Gods I quaffed back in Bin 152 was a Beaujolais Cru from Morgon, crafted by Jean-Paul Thévenet. One of the original gang of four, third-generation Jean-Paul has been sharing his wealth of knowledge with his son, Charly. His small five-hectare domaine boasts vines that are between 45 and 110 years old! He keeps his yields low, farms biodynamically, harvests and sorts by hand then ferments with indigenous yeasts his whole clusters – low and slow – in cement. After which the wine is aged on its lees (spent yeasts) in 5-7 year old Burgundian oak, which leaves the wine unmasked by a heavy-handed oak signature. The wine is bottled without fining or filtration, which allows every nuance of terroir as well as varietal purity to speak.

Jean-Paul Thévenet only makes 2,000 cases a year – seeking quality over quantity. So to find this rare gem in our little haunt in Charleston, South Carolina made it all the more enjoyable. Every sip ushered in a wave of appreciation for the man that made the wine, the importer who had the guts to gamble on an unknown and all the trailblazers out there who seek out something pure instead of the sole quest for the almighty dollar. What we experienced was pure beauty and in that moment, away from home and responsibility, my husband and I remembered not only that we loved one another, but that we really still dig each other. To my husband, to Kermit, to Beaujolais Cru, to Charleston and to you for reading – Cheers!

 

Tasting Notes: The tantalizingly pure and perfumed nose charms with aromas of freshly picked wild strawberry, red cherry, pomegranate and raspberry laced with dew-kissed peonies, violets and black tea. The refreshing and vivid wine expands on the palate to deliver even more complex notes of orange zest, cranberry, a hint of grape seed, a touch of tree bark, subtle licorice, white pepper, herbs de Provence and unmistakable granitic minerality that lingers on the palate like a haunting tune that echoes in the mind. Although its energy and depth are there in spades, this wine isn’t heavy handed – it’s refreshing, delightful and has the uncanny ability to disappear before your very eyes.

For your perusal:

https://www.kermitlynch.com

https://www.bin152.com

 

 

Hot Toddy: the Age-Old Snowstorm Companion

January 7, 2018

It’s a new year. I started off with a challenging (painful) workout and some healthy eats. I stocked my fridge with greens for juicing. I was planning on a mild detox from the holidays. Then…it snowed more in the lowcountry of South Carolina than it has since 1989. Best laid plans, right.

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The answer? A hot toddy, of course. I aspired to not only warm the heart and soul after an outing with my husband and our munchkin, I conjured up a steaming beverage that was action-packed with cold-fighting ingredients like ginger, lavender, lemon and local honey. So, if you haven’t thawed out from this latest winter blast yet, give this concoction a try. The tart lemon, zing of ginger and bracing kick of Bourbon will definitely cures what ails ya!

Recipe makes 2 mugs

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon culinary lavender
  • 1 teaspoon raw sugar (or more if that’s your preference)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
  • 1 teaspoon local honey
  • 2 ounces Bourbon (or your favorite brown booze)
  • 12 ounces water
  • juice of ½ a lemon
  • thin lemon peels from ½ a lemon (save 2 for garnish)

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Start by placing lavender, raw sugar and ginger in a mortar then muddle it with your pestle. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, a food processor will do the trick.

Place the dry ingredients in a saucepan then pour in honey, Bourbon, water, lemon juice and all but 2 lemon peels. Bring to a boil then turn down to a simmer. Take your 2 lemon peels and curl them around a clean pencil for a garnish twist. Let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes then strain and serve.

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Here’s to a warm and cozy night. Cheers, y’all!

Ring a Ding Ding – Bespoke Champagne Picks for New Year’s Eve

December 27, 2017

Nothing quite captures the sparkle, glitz and Zelda-Fitzgerald-glamour of New Year’s Eve like the bubbles in a glass of Champagne. Although famous labels like Veuve Clicquot or Pol Roger are always reliable standbys, there exists a realm of Champagne that offers a price-to-quality far beyond what you’ll find on the top shelf of your local, high-end grocery store. As I worked my way through sommelier certification years ago then went on to write for Ian Cauble’s SommSelect, the veil was lifted on this special region of France. I came to discover snapshots of Champagne’s terroir and the dedicated families who capture that magical, bubbling nectar that I never would have unearthed on my own. So, since it’s almost New Year’s Eve, I’d like to share some of my favorite vigneron families that produce Grower Champagne. It may take a bit of searching on your part, but this joyous occasion calls for something that’s truly worth the effort.

Although Grower Champagne is all the rage amongst sommeliers and Champagne aficionados, most of the American public is still unaware of the serious genius behind this homegrown movement. So what is a Grower Champagne exactly? Well, to be brief, it’s the Champagne equivalent of a genuine farm-to-table experience.

I have such an insatiable ardor for this particular subject that mere words seem to fall short. So, let’s dive into the effervescent weeds, shall we!? A Grower Champagne is a sparkling wine, grown only in the Champagne region of France, that has a tiny “RM” printed on the label; this lettering stands for Recoltant-Manipulant. What this means is that all of the grapes are grown, nurtured and harvested by the owner from only their estate and hand-crafted into a domaine-bottled wine. The wines reflect the special parcel of land from which the grapes are grown. This not only means the wine is a labor of love from an oftentimes ancient vigneron family, it is also a mouthful of terroir (or sense of place) from one of the most geologically significant swaths of land in the world. These wines represent the millennia-in-the-making, limestone-rich soil that makes Champagne Champagne and why no other region in the world can legally lay claim to its eponymy.

On the flip side, major Champagne houses, or Grande Marques, craft their signature style and blends from hundreds, to even thousands, of growers’ vineyards. Grande Marques are labeled as NM, which stands for Négociant-manipulant. Although they achieve a style and taste profile, year after year, that we come to expect, they rarely convey the inimitable fingerprint of the land and meticulous farming practices of a Grower Champagne. The Grande Marques do craft single-vineyard wines and special vintage bottlings, but these wines demand well over $100 a bottle at a bare minimum. Grower Champagnes, on the other hand, offer their tête de cuvées (top bottlings) at a much more affordable price tag and often capture a complexity that is simply mind-blowing. If that doesn’t roll your socks down, consider this – Grower Champagnes are expertly and meticulously crafted by Mom and/or Pop who oftentimes have been nurturing their land for decades or even centuries. It’s their labor of love and the results are often bespoke examples that will change the way you look at Champagne forever. Although I relish drinking a tête de cuvée from a grand old Champagne house, my heart will always belong to the small grower-producers, the true artisans like Christian Coquillette, André Clouet and Francis Egly. So, without further adieu, here are a handful of my favorite Grower Champagnes.

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Champagne Saint-Chamant, Blanc de Blancs, Grand Cru, Brut, 2006

Saint-Chamant is, hands-down, my personal favorite grower-producer of Champagne. Grand old man and octogenarian, Monsieur Christian Coquillette, has been handcrafting world-class Champagne from his labyrinthine, 19th century cellars since the 1950’s where he still hand-labels every single bottle. He meticulously farms his Grand Cru fruit from the Roche Mere, a mother rock of kimmeridgian limestone, and lays his hand-harvested fruit to rest for extended lees aging, which results in brioche-laden richness that is sheer heaven on the palate. This vintage Champagne is a blanc de blancs, which means it is a white wine crafted from 100% Chardonnay. A lip-smacking sensation of dried lemon peel and baked yellow apple evolves into a waltz of beautiful hazelnut purée, freshly baked brioche, honeysuckle, subtle creaminess and one of the most haunting displays of limestone minerality to ever be cradled in a glass. Although 2005 and 2006 were two of my favorite vintages, every example in Monsieur Coquillette’s lineup will truly dazzle you senseless. If this champagne doesn’t change your life, I don’t know what will!

 

Champagne Egly-Ouriet, Grand Cru, Brut Tradition, NV

No list of Grower Champagne is complete without Egly-Ouriet. Arguably the first Grower Champagne to seize the heart of the American market, fourth-generation vigneron Francis Egly delivers organically-grown fruit from the Grand Cru villages of Ambonnay, Bouzy and Verzenay at a price-to-quality that knows few rivals. The blend of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay delivers a sensory journey of yellow apple, blood orange and salted pear that expands over the palate to encompass notes of nuttiness, a hint of caramel and lithe minerality. This wine is quite a steal for the profundity found in the bottle, but Egly’s entire lineup is simply spectacular!

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André Clouet, “Cuvée 1911,” Grand Cru, Brut, NV

While André Clouet’s lengthy family narrative is as compelling as a juicy period drama, his wine more than lives up to the legacy. The family’s storied, winding chalk cellars once included partial false walls to protect their more precious bottles from raiding Nazis, but that’s only their modern history. The ancient vigneron family was once the official printer to the court of Louis XV – hence the beauty of the label. André still calls the Clouet’s 17th century estate home. True to his pedigreed lineage, Clouet adheres to time-honored tradition when crafting his Champagnes from the lauded Montagne de Reims region. This particular bottling is sourced from the greatest of the family’s parcels of Pinot Noir in the Grand Cru village of Bouzy. Only 1911 bottles are produced each year and the wine ages for a staggering six years on its lees (spent yeast) before disgorgement, which results in an aroma of freshly baked croissant that envelops the bright, crisp red berry fruit like a cloud of sheer magic. Although this magnificent example of Pinot-based Champagne is considered the family’s tête de cuvée, each bottling across their lineup is a profound reflection of their treasured corner of Champagne down to the stunning entry-level Grande Réserve.

Diebolt-Vallois, Blanc de Blancs, Prestige Brut, NV

Although the Diebolt family has roots in the village of Cramant that reach back to the 19th century and the Vallois family has cultivated vines in Cuis since the 15th century, it wasn’t until Jacques Diebolt and Nadia Vallois tied the knot in the 1970’s that this now-lauded Champagne label was born. Today their children, Arnaud and Isabelle, have joined them in the running of their world-class estate. This particular wine is a blanc de blancs (100% Chardonnay) that is sourced entirely from Grand Cru villages (Cramant, Chouilly and Le Mesnil sur Oger) in the celebrated Côte des Blancs – a pocket of Champagne known for its unrivaled Chardonnay. The result of their meticulous efforts reveal a wine of brioche-laden nectar that lingers on the palate with notes of yellow apple, lemon zest, hazelnut and a touch of fresh cream that finishes with striking minerality that we all crave from the best Champagnes in the world. Simply perfection!

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*Although tall slender Champagne flutes undeniably have a great look, aesthetics is about all that can be said for them. The thin opening of the glass inhibits the aromatics of a great Champagne to the point that you might as well be sipping out of a Dixie cup when it comes to the sensory experience it offers. Instead, opt for either an open-mouth, tulip shaped Champagne flute, or simply reach for an all-purpose white wine stem to experience these beautiful wines in their full glory.

** For service temperature, don’t ice these babies down. They need to be a touch warmer to express all that they have to say. Ideal service temperature is between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Simply pull from the fridge 20 minutes before serving and ease the cork from the bottle to allow the wine to catch its breath.

Bonne Année, y’all! Cheers!