Posted On July 8, 2010 at 7:18 pm in Languedoc
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Maybe it’s a holdover from the ubiquitous and insipid blush wines that were so popular in the 1970s and 1980s, a mistaken association between pink(ish) wine and wine coolers, or simple wine snobbery. Whatever the reason, it’s really a shame because a good dry rosé is a crisp, refreshing and incredibly versatile wine. Rosés are a summer staple in our house when temperatures rise and a red can feel too heavy. They pair particularly well with seafood, spicy flavors and foods cooked with olive oil, garlic and fresh herbs.
Les Parets, La Clape near Chateau Moyau
Château Moyau Rosé is a lovely dry rosé, made from a blend of 50% Grenache Noir, 30% Cinsault and 20% Syrah. It is fruity (ripe berries, a hint of plum) with floral notes of rose, which are balanced by a lively acidity and complimented by a subtle minerality. Great to quaff on its own, Château Moyau is also a natural for picnics, backyard cookouts and BBQs.
A vacation to the South of France may not be in the cards this year, but at $15 a bottle Château Moyau Rosé is an affordable way to recapture (or capture) the mood, especially when paired with this month’s recipe, a classic Salade Niçoise.
Classic Salade Niçoise *
Serves 6
½ pound green beans, blanched, refreshed and halved (haricots verts – thin French green beans are best if you can find them)
1 pound red new potatoes, peeled, cooked, and cut into 1/8-inch slices
1 small red onion, cut into thin rings and soaked in cold water for 5 minutes
two 6-ounce cans imported tuna (packed in olive oil) flaked into large chunks
¼ pound niçoise olives (pitted and halved if you have the time and patience; in France the olives are usually whole)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced shallot
12 anchovies, soaked in water for 5 minutes and finely chopped (anchovy paste is another option)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ cup red-wine vinegar
1 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 head red-leaf lettuce, leaves torn roughly (or other leaf lettuce; romaine also adds a nice texture)
6 hard-boiled eggs, quartered lengthwise
4 small tomatoes, quartered
Combine beans, potatoes, red onion, tuna, and olives in a large bowl and toss gently to combine, so as not to break up the tuna chunks. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.
Place garlic, shallot, anchovies, lemon juice, and vinegar in a small bowl and whisk in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Lightly dress lettuce with vinaigrette and divide among 6 plates. Decoratively arrange hard-boiled egg slices and tomatoes on lettuce, and drizzle with a little vinaigrette.
Dress vegetable and tuna mixture with remaining vinaigrette, tossing gently. Divide evenly among the plates.
Variation: for a fancier salad, try substituting grilled fresh tuna for canned.
*Taken from The Dean & DeLuca Cookbook, by David Rosengarten with Joel Dean and Giorgio DeLuca (Random House 1996)
Posted by Greg Roberts · Tags: food, france, Languedoc, pairings, rosé, Wine · No Comments »
Posted On May 7, 2010 at 10:18 am in Bordeaux, Paris Tastings
Yesterday, I took an early afternoon break to attend one of the many sidewalk tastings put on by Caves Augé. When the weather is good and the sun is out, it’s fantastic venue for tasting wines. Plus you have the added advantage of witnessing Paris street theatre as we did yesterday when two women got out of the cars to vigorously argue over an open parking space.
The theme was Bordeaux and they had representatives from the chateaux pouring mostly recent vintages. Although Domaine de Jaugarat in Saint Julien had a 1989 vintage, which was an exceptional year in Bordeaux. I found it to be still developing and gaining complexity and nuance.
I also had a nice conversation with Paul Barre owner of Chateau La Grave in Fronsac. They have been practicing bio-dynamic viticulture since 1990. I asked him about the vinification of his wines. ”We harvest everything by hand, no filtration, no fining and no oenologue. We do laboratory analysis of the wines but we don’t have an oenlogist telling us how to make our wines.” I also asked him if he learned about winemaking from his father. ”My father was actually a wine broker in Bordeaux so I learned the more from trial an error.” I enjoyed both of his 2005′s and found La Fleur Cailleau de Fronsac to have a great spicy nose, gripping tannins and lots for black cheery flavors. His efforts have been recognized in the important French wine guides, Le Guide Hachette, Gault Millau.
Sidwalk Bordeaux Tasting at Caves Augé in Paris
Posted by Greg Roberts · Tags: Bordeaux Auge Paris wine tasting France · No Comments »
Posted On April 21, 2010 at 5:36 pm in Languedoc, Roussillon
I visited Les Crus du Soleil wine shop today. They only stock wines from the Languedoc-Roussillon including some of regions more celebrated producers like Mas Julien, Cyril Fahl’s Clos du Rouge Gorge and Domaine Borie de Maurel.
Crus du Soleil translated means classified growths from the sun. Of course, unlike Burgundy, Bordeaux, Champagne, Alsace and even Provence where either vineyards or chateaux are classified, in the Languedoc-Roussillon no such system exists. Even with the recognition that pioneering producers like Domaine du Dumas Gassac have given the region, up until 10 years ago, the very idea of a classification would have been laughed at.
Les Gros Rouge qui tache
This expression refers to the staining qualities of the rustic and tannic reds wines produced in the past. Destined for the masses, they were sometimes illegally blended with Algerian grapes to give better color to wines made from over-productive low quality varietals. Grape growers of the era were more concerned with quantity in order to meet the then unlimited demand. Times change. The French are drinking less and the export market for these low quality indifferently made wines isn’t what it used to be.
Today, the Languedoc remains the world’s single biggest wine region but some producers who’s fathers and grandfathers once sold their grapes to the local cooperative are now making their own wines. They have seized upon the untaped potential of very specific areas of the Languedoc-Rousillon where unique soils structures and hillside vineyards combine with favorable microclimates. Here it’s possible to make wines that rival any in the world.
A cru system of sorts is also emerging. Several smaller appellations like La Clape, Minervois, La Laviniere and Pic Saint Loup are being recognized for the high over-all quality of their producers.
Les Crus du Soleil, 146 Rue du Chateau Paris 75014, Tél. : 01 45 39 78 99
Les Crus du Soleil
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Posted On March 25, 2010 at 9:54 am in Burgundy
Day three of the Grands Jours de Bourgogne took place at the Palais de Congres in Beaune and featured wines from the Maconnais and the northern Cote de Beaune appellations of Aloxe-Corton, Savigny les Beaune and Haute Cotes de Beaune. The sheer number of wines at events like these forces you to focus on a specific appellation rather than taking a shotgun approach to tasting. By my count there were 424 producers present and each has at a minimum at least three to four wines. Some claim to have the ability to effectively evaluate five hundred or more wines a day. However, for me, after about a hundred wines, especially the more tannic ones, I can discern the high and lows but I find difficult to taste the nuances. Thankfully, organizers set up a vinothèque or sample table featuring one wine from each producer. Here you can freely try wines and then after finding something interesting you go and meet the producer to taste his full range.
The endless table of wines
Posted by Greg Roberts · Tags: Burgundy, cote maconnais, france, Wine · No Comments »
Posted On March 18, 2010 at 3:48 pm in Burgundy
Next week I have the opportunity to participate in giant Burgundy tasting event called Les Grands Jours de Bourgogne. It’s held every other year with 15 different tastings spanning from Chablis in the north to the Cote Chalonnaise in the south. This year they are expecting 1600 journalists, importers, distributors and restaurateurs from 34 countries to take part in the tasting.
Despite having to be away from the office for five days for the event I’ve justified taking part since its an opportunity to taste a lot of Premier and Grand Cru Burgundy, which are not exactly everyday wines in our household. Also, it’s an occasion to taste and compare side by side the different styles of wines from producers in each appellation. Finally, since I’m sitting for the difficult blind tasting section of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET, London) Diploma in June, this is exam prep!
A tasting of wines from Clos de Vougeot & Vosne-Romanée takes place at the Chateau
Posted by Greg Roberts · Tags: Burgundy, france, les grand jours, vosne romanee, vougeot, Wine · 1 Comment »
Posted On March 1, 2010 at 2:26 pm in Languedoc
Small vats at Combe Blanche
I was recently in the Languedoc tasting at two trade shows in Montpellier for organic and bio-dynamic wines, Millissime Bio and La Remise. While in the region I also took a brief detour one hour further south to visit with Guy Vanlancker owner of Domaine Combe Blanche in the village of La Liviniere.
You drive past acres and acres of vineyards on the flat plains of the Minervois AOC where in the hot summer months grapes mercilessly bake in the sun. These vineyards are some of the earliest to be harvested and the wines from here tend to be unstructured and overly fruit-driven.
La Liviniere and the vineyards of Combe Blanche which means small white valley are located hills and valleys at 700 feet altitude. It was unusually cold but sunny so we decided to drive up into the hills to inspect his vineyards and talk shop. Soils are limestone and red clay and many vineyards are north facing. Because they receive less direct sunlight and they therefore have a longer more gradual growing season. All of these factors make for more aromatic, rich and complex wines.
You won’t find state of the art vinification equipment in his cramped but functional cellars. But when you start with healthy grapes taken from some of the best vineyards in the appellation you don’t need much else to make great wine.
"Les Morels" hot, dry and early ripening vineyards, the Coteaux in the background
Posted by Greg Roberts · Tags: French, Languedoc, Minvervois, vanlancker, Wine · No Comments »
Posted On February 5, 2010 at 6:10 pm in Roussillon
vins doux natural aging at Mas Amiel in Maury in the Roussillon
I spent part of last week in Montpellier at two wines shows that showcase organic and bio-dynamic wines, Millisime Bio and a sort of alternative young winemaker show, La Remise.
La Remise seemed more like a gathering of friends than wine event.
I tasted some exciting wine at both shows but found many of the dry wines from the Roussillon especially impressive. While many of the traditional grape varieties are the same as in the Languedoc – Syrah, Grenache, Mourvede, Carignan and Cinsault, in the Roussillon Grenache dominates red and rosé wines and is the only grape authorized for late harvest vins doux natural.
For many years, the Roussillon was best known for these sweet wines which have fallen somewhat out of fashion over the years. Today many young winemakers have bought inexpensive land and are making dry wines. With an average of 365 sunny days a year and dry conditions, organic viticulture is very manageable here. Understandably, there’s a lot of buzz about the Roussillon with Jancis Robinson stating that it’s, “home to some of France’s most exciting red and whites”.
Posted by Greg Roberts · Tags: france, Languedoc, Roussillon wines · No Comments »
Posted On January 7, 2010 at 8:36 pm in Savoy
Vineyard in the Bugey AOC
I spent the New Year’s weekend with friends who had recently escaped Paris to move to the hills of the Jura Mountains outside of Geneva. To get the weekend started, we picked up some local wines made from a red grape I had tried before but knew little about, Mondeuse.
Mondeuse is grown mostly is the Savoy region of France. Only around 400 acres are currently planted but it’s an ancient varietal cultivated in France or Gaul even before the arrival of the Romans. After phylloxera wiped out the vineyards very little Mondeuse was re-planted with grafted root stocks.
Jancis Robinson calls it ” juicy, peppery wines are powerfully flavoured and coloured and are some of Savoie’s few to respond well to careful oak ageing”. I found it to have a deep ruby-red color with spicy and peppery notes, good tannins and balanced acidity with a dry finish.
Its produced recently delimited Bugey AOC and most of the wines are estate bottled by small producers and sold locally leaving only 4% to be exported. A quick search on wine-searcher.com reveals that you can find it in the US. Its a wine well worth trying.
Posted by Greg Roberts · Tags: bugey, france, mondeuse, obscure grapes, Savoy, Wine · No Comments »
Posted On January 4, 2010 at 11:14 pm in Bordeaux
Since the Duval-Fleury and Corneau families bought the Chateau La Bienfaisance in 1991 sought to invest in the estate with the goal being among bestproducers in Saint-Emilion. Since 1998 they have collaborated with highly regarded wine consultant Stephane Derenoncourt.
open top vat from Ch. Cantinot
More recently, they purchased a vineyard on the Saint-Emilion limestone plateau – soils which tend to produce the richest and most complex wines. I recently spoke with the director at Chateau La Bienfaisance and they have now completed the installation of new open top oak fermentation vats. Not very exciting news in and of itself but it signifies their continued commitment to producing the best quality wines. These vats replaced at the large concrete glass lined vats and allows them to tailor vinifications on a parcel by parcel basis.
Slowly Chateau La Bienfaisance has been recognized for the quality and value of their wines. The New York Time Wine Club recently selected Chateau La Bienfaisance 2004 for their upcoming January shipment. They source limited production wines that are not widely available in the US. Members receive booklets of recipes for food pairings taken from the Times archives with their wine shipments. The club is managed by California based Global Wine Company and is run independently of the Times editorial sections. You have until January 6 to sign up to receive the January shipment or you can find it as part of the our Bordeaux Sampler- 3 bottles for $75 + Free Shipping.
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Posted On December 18, 2009 at 6:30 pm in Paris Restaurants
The Paris restaurant La Tour d’Argent recently auctioned off some of the 15,000 wines in its cellars. To give you an idea of the size of their cellars, the wine list weighs in at 17-and-a-half pounds and has over 400 pages. André Terrail, the owner, said they needed to make room for new wines. They may have also wanted to free up some cash for improvements in an effort to regain two of the Michelin stars they have lost since 1996.
Meet the Duck Presser
In addition to its cellar La Tour d’Argent is famous for its pressed duck. Here an entire duck carcuss organs and all is pressed with the juices mixed with marc de champagne and served in over the previously removed duck breasts. Pressed duck at the lunch service will run around 70 euros ($100) a person while their fixed menu dinner menus start at 160 euros ($230) a person.
I attended the sale held at the auction house Salons Hoche and I was surprised by some of the prices that the wines were selling for but then again, its a rare occasion when you can acquire bottles of perfect provenance from a prestigious restaurant. There is now a thriving market on eBay for empty wine bottles from prestigious chateaux that are then refilled with ordinary wine and then sold to unsuspecting customers.
Salons Hoche
Posted by Greg Roberts · Tags: Tour d'argent Wine Auction Paris · No Comments »
