the other side of burgundy

this could have multiple meanings, but tonight i am referring to red versus white, and i am going back to the concept that i am not going to be able to find and afford a 50 case or less production wine. shopping is critical to the process of finding wines like this. and, it is very important to buy and try a bottle before purchasing a case.

this wine is yellow, but not oxidized in appearance. it has a nose of melon and citrus. the taste is of minerals and tart apples. it finishes with a nicely balanced acidity. when tasted the next day, it softens substantially but does not become over oxidized. i will be fascinated to see how this develops over the coming years.

the wine is thierry et pascale matrot meursault les chevalieres 2006. the importer is vineyard brands (www.vineyardbrands.com). details of the wine, as described by the producer at www.matrot.com are:



we had this wine as the starter for a meal of risotto and spicy sausage. it stood up to the meal well. this is at the top of my price range for this blog and is chosen to show the value of shopping wines in this area. on line, there are some reviews which are less than complimentary which puzzles me. i have had 4 bottles at this point and all have been consistent. the wine still is obtainable.

of note, there are no grand cru vineyards in meursault. there are several exceptional wines produced and i feel this is one of them.

a red for grilled chicken and left over risotto

easy sounding meal and one which offers a lot of wine possibilities. this meal is generally white, but i brined the chicken in red wine and olive oil with a dash of soy sauce which did kick it up a bit. i had thought of using a wonderful white burgundy with this and keep with my personal wine theme of the week but i decided to go for something i think is a real bargain and is consistently good. just as a mention, the chelsea wine cellars (alba winery) 2007 syrah would have worked wonderfully with this meal after decanting and an hour of air; it is a very nice syrah but has an odd kind of finish, which dissipates with exposure to air and was gone when i tasted this on day 2 after opening. i have digressed and will write more about this wine another time.

as is my habit, i have picked a smaller production wine- probably less than 5000 cases per year and only part of that is imported into the states. the wine is produced by one of the stars of chateauneuf du pape, whose wines always score highly but unfortunately have a price consistent with those scores. but she has a second endeavor.

this is a grenache based wine blended with syrah, carignan, and a small mix of whatever it takes to achieve proper balance. this is southern rhone, with grapes sourced from a variety of locations. my personal feeling that it is wonderful to taste the terrior of a single tiny parcel of land, but if the yield is only 50 cases most of us will never get to experience it. blends such as this require quality grapes as well as quality wine making and blending.

this wine is dark purple and translucent. it is unfined and unfiltered. it opens with an herbaceous nose, which is almost grassy. this changes with decanting and presents smoke and fruit with a hint of herbs. the taste is smoke, tar, and spicy red fruit consistent with a backbone of grenache. it finishes with soft and well balanced tannins. when tasted on the second day it does show some oxidation, i think this vintage is done. i have tasted the subsequent 2 vintages and both are consistent with this one.

the wine is "plan pegau selectionne par laurence feraud 2005." feraud's primary wine is domaine du pegau in chateauneuf du pape. this wine does not and is not meant to match the wines of the domaine, but it certainly is perfect to drink while waiting for the special occasion to serve those wines. i strongly recommend this wine as it should be consistent over the years. it is well made and certainly is not some kind of a large volume afterthought. this is the kind of wine which for which this blog was intended.

the value of shopping

several years ago i stumbled upon a wine in the local shop which seemed entirely out of place. the price did not seem to fit, there only were a few bottles, i knew it was a small volume producer; what was the deal with this? i bought a bottle and tried it to confirm it had not been "cooked" during transport. it was great. at that point in life i thought about wines in cases and visited several stores to put together a case. for a couple of years it slept and the bottles were good but not great. although it hit the price range for this blog, i knew it was purchased at a bargin price. the last two bottles i have opened for special occasions and they have been great.

monday night i had the good fortune to listen to a webinar on burgundy. after that, what else could i open? jill made a vegetable and chorizo risotto. this had the potential to be a fascinating food and wine pairing. i went to the cellar and pulled out one of the remaining bottles of the wine i had gotten for such a great price.

it was dark purple with red berries and a touch of smoke in the nose. the taste was wild black cherries, smoked meat, and herbs. the tannins were soft and the wine was fully matured. the wine was supple, round, and rich. tasted the next day it did not stand up, so i think we need to drink the remaining bottles over the next year. tasted today it is old and tired. but, on the first night this was a spectacular wine and showed what happens with a little careful shopping and aging; i found a wine we have enjoyed over several years which has matured into something far better than what was first expected. that said, it has a really great pedigree.

the wine is domaine henri perrot-minot 2000 gevrey chambertin. the name now has changed to domaine perrot-minot. i cannot locate any vintages older than 2006 on line. this is their village wine; they make grand cru, premier cru, and village wines from a number of sites but the production is small.

the purpose of this post is not to advocate an unobtainable wine, it is to recommend attentive strolling through the wine shop. i easily could have missed this. there always are values available. if something looks interesting get a bottle and try it, do a little research. in these tough economic times producers will have to move their wines and there is the potential to find great wines at reasonable prices. look for these smaller producers and do not be reluctant to try something different.

remember that there are thousands of small producers in burgundy. villages are smaller than bordeaux estates or new world properties. the wines may be by negociants, by growers who also purchase grapes, or by small individual farmers; those factors are part of the mystery and pricing of red burgundy. the cote d'or wines are pinot noir based and further south they are based upon gamay grapes. the whites are chardonnay with a small production of aligote. the sparkling wines are labeled cremant de bourgogne (these are personal favorites).

speaking of small production, the vin de pissenlit is moving along nicely. it currently is actively fermenting with an alcohol of about 11%. the aromas are predominantly of tea and apples. tasting it shows a zing of carbon dioxide, sweet tea, and a finish of tart apple. the base recipe for this wine is white grapes and a pissenlit "tea," with the volume of tea offset by sugar to achieve an acceptable alcohol level so it will not spoil. the grapes are a an unknown variety labeled "product of chile."

chambourcin

so, everyone says what the heck is that? this is a french hybrid, of limited popularity in the area of nantes, which is quite tolerant of a wide variety of climates. as a hybrid it cannot be planted and regarded as an aoc grape in france. although most folks do not know about it, it is an excellent grape for the northeastern united states. it does well in pennsylvania and in new jersey. this grape can stand up to rhone wines or to a california zinfandel. the grape is thick skinned and produces a red wine with a dark color. it has aromas of wild red cherry, red raspberry, and spice. the tannins need time to soften, or young wines need to be decanted for an hour or so. the finish has smooth and well rounded acidity without any of the off-putting tastes of many hybrid grapes. although typically made as a red wine, it can be produced as a rose.

my preferred chambourcin comes from alba in milford, new jersey. this wine is amazingly consistent year to year. it is dark with aromas of red fruit, spice, and smoke. the taste is of wild red cherries, finishing with smoke and spice. the tannins and acid are soft and well balanced.

alba makes an excellent style of wine from this grape. we routinely include this wine as an option with grilled red meats, savory home made pizza and pasta, and as a stand alone wine (try it with dark chocolate, there seems to be a magical interplay of this wine and the flavors and aromatics in chocolate). alba's address and web site are:

www.albavineyard.com
269 County Road 627
Milford, NJ 08848-1771
(908) 995-7800

this is just across the delaware river from rieglesville, pennsylvania and is well worth the short trip. they produce a number of wines. my favorites are their barbera, pinot noir, and chambourcin. the tasting room is quite nice. i strongly recommend their wines and i think the experience of a visit to alba is on par with the "nicest" tasting experiences in napa. this is a local producer who is doing a great job. the wines i have listed are wonderful.

pistou throughout

grilled chicken rubbed with pistou. pasta florets with sauteed peppers, onions, tomatoes, and pistou. fresh herb salad from the garden with minced garlic and cheese dressed with balsamic.

garlic is the theme of this meal- pistou is garlic, basil, pine nuts, a hard cheese, and olive oil. i make mine quite strong and keep a stock frozen in ice cube trays. i used one cube to rub the chicken and three in the pasta sauce. there is more basil and garlic with the herbs in the salad. what will go with this combination and not overwhelm the flavors or be deadened by the balsamic?

i chose a bottle of wine from california brought by a guest at a recent dinner fete and left with us. the need was for a fresh and fruity forward red wine which was not overly tannic, but which could blend with the varied intense flavors of the meal. as the bottle was a 2007, i chose to decant it and give it a brief time to open.

the wine was dark purple. the aromas were of red strawberries and raspberries. the taste was slightly spicy, with red cherries, blackberries, and pepper. the tannin softened dramatically when tasted after decanting. the finish was smooth and well rounded.

this wine is fetzer 2007 valley oaks shiraz. it is entirely shiraz (syrah) and seems to have seen no oak.

this is a very nice and quite affordable example of this varietal as it shows itself when grown in california. it is readily available. fetzer and its parent company are committed to sustainable and environmentally friendly wine growing which does improve the quality of the grapes and wine. syrah is an amazingly flexible varietal and produces wonderful wines from diverse geographical regions. this is not a wine to cellar but certainly is one that is a safe bet to pick up at the wine shop. i do think it was improved by decanting. my only negative criticism is the flat bottomed bottle, this is a nice wine which i think deserves a fitting bottle.

www.fetzer.com

vin de pissenlit

did my picking today, all south facing slopes with full or partial sun, or shade. some flowers were grown on year old licorice root mulch. the percentage of poison ivy leaf is less than 1 percent. they were given a 60 minute hot maceration in tap water on the range in an emile henry ceramic pot then added to the blend of base white grape juice, sugar, water, and a general purpose wine yeast. grape crush was done manually, predominantly with the left hand because of a nasty bee sting on the right. potential alcohol of the must is 17%, so if fermented dry it should be a volatile mix.

harvest was generally uneventful and done at mid-day so the flowers were fully opened. destemming was done in the field. a near riot occurred during picking at clos de gladwyne presbyterian, the our lady of perpetual recess day care was outside and a number of inmates attempted to join the harvest; insurance should cover the cost of the picket fence.

areas frequented by dogs and the local landscaping crews after lunch were fastidiously avoided.

i am going to handle this as if it was a southern rhone blush wine. fermentation should be fast and the wine will be bottled young to be consumed early, like the fourth of july pig roast. if it is not potable it can be used for the post-meal clean-up.

i will keep everyone posted on the status of this project via the wine blog- http://www.wines-for-the-rest-of-us.blogspot.com. please visit our sponsors and pass this on like a chain letter promising untold riches.

if i go blind blame it on this brew...

chardonnay

ok, i blasted the concept of california chard's over oak. here are 3 i like, particularly after they have been out for a while and gone to room temperature or the day after opening.

la crema 2007.

simi monterrey county 2008.

simi russian river reserve 2006.

all of these are pale yellow with a nose of oak and vanilla. the first taste is tart almost citrus fruit with vanilla and pronounced oak; this softens to an almost crisp and steely pure chardonnay fruit with time or decanting. the acid is crisp and perfect and balanced in all three.

these are solid white wines for this style of chardonnay. my personal taste is for less oak and more crispness and fresh fruit, a burgundian style, but that is my taste and i recognize not all share it. these are very, very good wines and i think they are a fine option. all are priced under $20 and represent excellent values. i think these will be good over the next couple of years. they remind me of a safe and happy time in life in the mid 1990's when my preferred white wine was chateau souverain chardonnay.

three strong options at a great price. these wines represent the heart and soul of this blog, even if their style is not my personal taste.

WINE GAMES!!!

yes, i just used capitals and screamed at everyone. i am nine days behind on posts and have a number of new wines with notes for the next several days, including a couple of overly oaked california chard's- at least that is my take on them.

saturday night we had the opportunity to play wine games. there are a couple of ways to do this, but it requires enough people to not waste much good wine. one approach is the vertical and that is how i usually do it. this time, i put together two known quantities and added a surprise to see if it could stand up to the challenge. the known wines were the exceptional caymus 2007 and the claire luce abbey 2006 which i recently reviewed; two wonderful california cab's, the caymus can be found for about $60 and is worth the expense for special occasions, particularly since it usually goes for about $70 per bottle. the meal began with fresh guacamole and red salsa. the entree was a grilled beef tenderloin marinated in red wine, worcestershire, olive oil, minced garlic and herbs. this was accompanied by rutabaga and onions sauteed in butter, and roasted asparagus with carrots and garlic. the sauce for the meat was mushroom duxelles made with shallots, butter, and port. dessert was a lemon tart with raspberries (all home made).

we began with the clare luce and followed with the caymus and these wines paired perfectly. then, we were left with the non-cab ringer. i had previously had this wine with a similar meal for easter and i have had prior vintages. this was chosen for a reason.

this wine is dark and smokey. the nose is smoked game and black fruit. when i first tasted this vintage i was bowled over by the flavors of smoked bacon followed by black berries and herbs. the finish was pure berry and the tannin and acid were perfectly balanced. the wine tasted young, and stood up to my 24 hour test as well as decanting both of which soften it and bring out the fruit character. there is a hint of pepper throughout. it is a 2004, and its character is much "tighter" than its older 2003 sibling; i cannot wait for the 2005.

this wine more than stood up to the meal and the two big california cab's which preceded it. the dramatic change of character it introduced provided part of the wonder of the wine.

this is "famille ligneres 2004 las vals. this is an exceptional example of a mourvedre based wine. this varietal is typically a bit player in blends, in this case it is the primary grape. earlier vintages have been done entirely from this grape although this vintage contains a small amount of syrah. i think this is a spectacular wine for those who like "big" red wines and has the potential to drink now or to age for several years.

the producer's web site is: http://www.familleligneres.com/lasvals.html and the vinification details follow, as from the site.

Grape varieties Mourvèdre 95%, Syrah 5%.
Wine Type Barrel aged red
Apellation Vin de Pays de Hauterive (Montagne d'Alaric)
Vintage 2004
Total production 2004 6.600 bottles (1,100 six-pack cases)

Terroir High on the local slopes, details at the web site
Yields Mourvèdre 22 hectoliters/hectare, Syrah 20 hectoliters/hectare

Fermenting tanks Stainless steel
Fermentation/maceration 27 days
Barrel aging Yes, 100 % new oak (Taransaud, Darnajou)
Ageing specifics 16 months, stirring the lees weekly by turning the barrels
Alcohol 14.5% by vol.

this is a wonderful wine at an exceptional price in the pennsylvania state stores, as it is under $15. the prior vintages have been priced at $25 to $30. i would strongly recommend this wine for those who like big red wines. it has substance when drunk now and will soften with a little time. this has something for everyone. it absolutely stood up to an intense meal and to the prior two wines. even the lemon and raspberry tart at the end did not overwhelm it.

too many to taste

suddenly the local wine shop shelves are full again, and a number of interesting items have occupied the empty spaces, or have replaced items unfit to drink. today's shopping expedition altered the wine options for our easter meal.

this post is backwards, i had intended to post last night's wine and menu (grilled chicken with a spicy rub and a short grain brown rice risotto with grilled peppers, onion, and garlic). but, my shopping trip and the need for lunch disrupted the plan. how many folks know where st. gilles is located? it is south of nimes and is in many ways the gateway to the camargue. the wines produced in this region- costieres de nimes- are little known to many here in the states. they are an extension of the southern rhone valley, but they have the influence of languedoc as well.

lunch is left over risotto and some pungent soft cheese of questionalbe origins and unknown age. the windows are open, it is 70 degrees, and the flowering trees are beginning to bloom. perfect lunch. i have decided to try a white wine.

the wine is pale, almost colorless. it has a floral aroma with a hint of citrus. the taste is melon, green apples, and oranges. the acid is crisp. this wine has seen no oak. there is a lingering sense of citrus in the back of the mouth and the nose long after the liquid is gone.

this wine is "domaine de la petite cassagne 2008 blanc." its backbone is grenache blanc, with roussanne and vermintino. the producer purchased this estate in 1998 as "domaine de la petite cassagne" and renamed it for her family, chateau d'or et de gueules. the domaine de la petite cassagne wines were retained and are widely available in the united states; robert kacher is the importer.

this is a wonderful spring and summer wine which paired well with my meal. it is priced under $15 and is easily comparable to higher priced wines. i highly recommend this wine. of note, rose and rouge wines also are produced under this label. another great find.

thank you kristin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcjVfXBxvdg

more later...

the quote of the day for april 1 comes from the wall street journal.

'PHILO, Calif.—In wine vernacular, "smoky bacon" is a prized flavor for pinot noir. Not so is "wet ashtray," which is where the powdered sturgeon bladders come in.'

i do not think we want that wine, nothing sounds right about it in those two sentences. maybe they could add some oak chips, apply reverse osmosis, and maybe put in a ton of sugar per hectoliter of must... might as well be made in argentina or australia.

enough silliness.

as promised, tonight's post reflects a special bottle of chateauneuf du pape opened on march 30 to celebrate a birthday. this wine had to match the varied meals of 3 people at a unique restaurant. www.solabyob.com

Late Winter Menu, March 2010

Appetizers

Roasted Vegetable & Black Mussel Soup
tarragon aioli, mussel fritter

8

Boston Bib Salad
grape tomatoes, pickled red onions, sun dried cherries, sliced
Bartlett pears, Vermont cheddar, buttermilk-chipolte dressing


9

Pan Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras
house made duck prosciutto, spring rhubarb,
sherry reduction

18
Spanish Rock Octopus
chick pea, chorizo sausage & artichoke salad,
smoked paprika aioli, herb pistou

12
Red & Golden Baby Beet Salad
blue cheese, rainbow micro greens, navel orange,
candied walnuts & blood orange vinaigrette

10

Hand Cut Potato Gnocchi
sauteed rock shrimp, spicy oven roasted plum tomatoes,
baby spinach, herbed ricotta cheese

12

Sushi Grade Tuna Tartare
pickled English cucumbers, avocado, shaved botarga
16


Entrees


Seared Diver Sea Scallops
roasted cauliflower gratin, tomato-corriander chutney,
French watercress, curry-shellfish emulsion

26


Roasted Veal Tenderloin
Yukon Gold potato tart, sauteed wild mushrooms,
crispy sweetbread, mushroom-veal jus

34


New England Swordfish
horseradish pomme puree, cippolini onion confit, fava beans,
haricot vert, pinot noir reduction

26


House Made Pappardelle Pasta
pulled slow roasted natural chicken, morel mushrooms, English
peas, preserved Meyer lemon, shaved pecorino cheese
24


Crispy Skin Wild Striped Bass
saffron-potato souffle, New Zealand cockles, spinach,
olive oil cured black olives, roasted onion-herb jus

27

Grilled Australian Rack of Lamb
braised fennel puree, ratatouille vegetables, mango chutney

32


Cioppino "Style" Shellfish Stew
lobster tail, diver scallops & prawns in a spicy tomato-fennel
broth with sausage, parsley, fingerling potatoes

28
Espresso Braised Beef Short Rib & Grilled Flat Iron
creamy potato croquettes, tomato marmalade,
pea tendril salad, royal trumpet mushrooms, natural braising jus
29

Corkage: $2 / bottle

Desserts

Frozen White Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse
dark chocolate cake, Valrhona chocolate ganache

Warm Chocolate Gâteau
malted milk ice cream, raspberry coulis

Orange Scented Ricotta Cheese Cake
blood orange curd, stew kumquat

Almond Financier & Poached Pear
dulce de leche ice cream

Creme Brulee Trio
classic vanilla, nutella, ginger

Roasted Bananna-Brown Sugar Gelato

Fresh Blackberry-Butermilk Sorbet

~All Above Desserts $8. ~

as usual, there are a lot of flavors in that mix of options. i chose a reliable chateauneuf du pape from a small volume producer. i have had both the 2003 and 2005 vintages and it is in my cellar. this is a great wine for food and pairs well with many flavors; tonight i put it to the challenge by getting the papardelle with lemon... red wine, relatively young (madame at clos saint michel says 10 years minimum for the chateauneuf), and lemon- this begs for a white wine.

the wine opened well. it is a dark ruby. the nose has aromas of ripe red cherries and strawberry. the taste carries through with ripe cherry, plums, and tar. it finishes with lavender and herbs. the tannins are soft. on tasting the next evening, the fruit had mellowed, the smoke and leather had come forward, yet the tannins remained balanced. the wine is ready to drink now or can last in the cellar for a couple of more years.

this wine is produced by gilles rouillon, formerly a soil specialist who has taken over domaine le soustet; this small producer has been owned by the roux family for 3 generations. they have 1.5 hectares of chateauneuf and produce approximately 6000 bottles per year with the blend approximately equal parts of grenache and syrah. for us they are imported by a local importer, star cellars, and it is easy to obtain these wines in the pennsylvania state stores. also produced is a cote du rhone rouge and blanc.

Address: Impasse Saint-Georges 7, 84350 Courthezon.
Cave: Chemin Louise Michel 1 Bis (near the camping site)
Tel. 490 70 77 24
Direct sale: Only after appointment
Email: sarl-le-soustet@wanadoo.fr

there is not a web site for this producer.

this is an excellent wine at a very reasonable price, about $32. i have located it on line for less than $25.

i feel very strongly that we need to support these smaller producers who craft a wine which is unique and represents the terroir of their vineyard. the style of this wine is one which is not manipulated and is an exceptionally pure expression of the grapes and the land. producers such as this are craftsmen, and create an unique and special product. this is part of my personal joy in these wines and this region. i hope to be able to visit this producer on my next trip to chateauneuf du pape.

i strongly recommend this wine and will keep it in my cellar for short and long term consumption as long as i can find it. to quote p from the other day, "run don't walk" for this wine when you want a special bottle at a reasonable price for now or later.

the next post probably will be the summary of the march wines. i have begun the tasting for something really unique, a "local wine" from a grape many have not heard of; no, it is not something i have concocted in my cellar.