After the day on the peniches, at the end of the afternoon, we stumbled home, took a little rest, and then headed out to a dinner at a member of the Prince Consort’s Entourage. I took wine as our hostess gift, since we had boxes and boxes of it in the house and I have grown weary of drinking ‘red stuff’ when I do not mind to bring something reasonable. I brought a 2001 Montagny 1er Cru, a white from the Côte Chalonnaise (south of Beaune, north of Mâcon), which we did not drink even though it would have been great with the first course, but there was Beaujolais Nouveau to drink… not bad this year, but not worth putting it down!! Haa Haa!! I also took a Monthélie, a thin, elegant red wine I love. This was a 1999 by Domaine Henri de Villamont, a known producer who is both an eleveur (a grape grower) and a négociant. The domain is part of a larger group, Schenk, which purchased it in 1964.
I found the Monthélie to be a bit closed. Either it did not have a chance to open or it was still too young. I think the former, because the color in the glass was clear red, bordered by very light reddish-brown and at first opening the nose was very faint, but by the end the tannins were well balanced with the fruit and the aroma was bigger. Another year in the cave could help but why not just pour it in a carafe and drink it (just don’t leave it there too long; it is not a Bordeaux and will die if left for hours in a carafe).
Thankfully, the wine occupied me since dinner did not. Who would think to serve two casseroles - one for the starter and one for the main dish? Neither was bad but can't we have a green veggie once in a while? I should not be so bitchy, it is nice to be invited! LOL; if they knew what I thought, they would never invite me again. At least they had napkins here; some dinners do not. My 'favorite' is when they arrive at the table with a roll of paper towels and proceed to tear one off for each guest. I am always tempted to drop an ice cube in my red wine glass... oh, but that is right, there are no ice cubes at dinners in Paris. The Princess and I have decided that this use of paper towels at table is a sign of the French obsession with playing Marie Antoinette: rather than dressing up in shepherdess' costumes, they pretend not to know how to set a table. It is terribly Bo-Bo (Bourgeois-Bohemian), so branché.
Okay, next posting will detail the Sunday lunch hosted by the Chef Cousin with four great Ravaut wines.
'til then!
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Wine Weekend Paris - More Tastings
Paragraphs on Ravaut, but we were there for what seemed like hours, certainly for much intense conversation (in French) interspersed with slurping and spitting. From there we stopped at a producer of Châteauneuf-du-pape (the ‘new castle of the Pope’ because we all remember when the French king supported a rival Pope and installed (held?) him near Avignon, principal city in the region that produces Châteauneuf). The Chef Cousin knew this vineyard, Château la Nerthe, and thought it a better producer than the other exhibitor in the Club; I have to agree having tasted both now. At Nerthe we tasted red and white Châteauneuf, in both the Château name and in named cuvees or separate productions, which this winemaker considers to be finer wines, both in red and white; their Premier Cru, if you will.
Interesting to note that 2005 in Burgundy is shaping up to be a mythic year, certainly with mythic prices on the wines, but in the Rhone Valley, where Châteauneuf is produced, 2006 is a highly acclaimed year. Indeed the '06 white wine we tasted at Nerthe was delectable, for drinking today and for several years to come. As in Burgundy, the Châteauneuf 2005 reds were the most recent available to taste, but the grapes used are completely different. Châteauneuf is a blend of grapes; in the red, primarily Grenache, but also Syrah, Mourvedre and Cinsault. White Châteauneuf is also primarily Grenache, but white Grenache, and Clairette, Roussane and Picpoul. At the other producer of Châteauneuf, the difference was marked, especially with their 2006 white. The second had none of the complexity or full taste of the terroir that the first contained. Interestingly, the prices at Chateau Nerthe were roughly twice that of the second producer, Domaine de Nalys. Neither producer met my Golden Ratio measure.
Additionally, we tasted Madiran, a big, meaty, ‘masculine’ blended red wine much in the Bordeaux tradition produced in the south-west of France. I quite like it as a rule, but it is best drunk 7 – 10 years old and I can never find anything in very young Madiran that I love in an older one. We also tried several Alsace wines from Vignoble André Scherer. These wines are Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Gewurztraminer, among others. They tend to be fruitier than other wines and often sweeter. I appreciate them, particularly the ‘late harvest’ or ‘noble grape’ wines. These are the dessert wines, grapes left on the vine until more sugar is produced or until a fungus appears that aids in the production of sweeter wines. It was interesting to taste a Pinot Late Harvest that was much more interesting than a Gewurzt Noble which should have been the better one. I felt that the sugar overwhelmed the fruit and aroma of the Gewurzt. I did buy here an Poire Eau-de-Vie.
Finally, we arrived at another Burgundy producer, Roux Père & Fils. A larger producer than Ravaut, they also have a broader range of wines, some produced from grapes they have grown, some produced from grapes they have bought. The latter is not an unusual situation; there are numerous négociants in Burgundy. Some buy grapes from very particular parcelles, some buy grapes without attribution to a parcelle, some work in the village where they bought the grapes, some truck them to other locations. Some négociants even buy product after the harvest – juice, fermented juice, barrels, etc. Obviously, the closer the wine is made to where the vine grows, and the more control he has over the grapes on that vine, the more respected the wine of the négociant.
After tasting a variety of Roux wines, red and white, I found the production to be overreaching and the flavor to be different from what I appreciate in Burgundy. The Chef Cousin best described the wines as being produced to be sold and drunk immediately, not aged. This is a different mentality than most winemakers in Burgundy. Coupled with higher prices than Ravaut, Roux did not meet the Golden Ratio.
Interesting to note that 2005 in Burgundy is shaping up to be a mythic year, certainly with mythic prices on the wines, but in the Rhone Valley, where Châteauneuf is produced, 2006 is a highly acclaimed year. Indeed the '06 white wine we tasted at Nerthe was delectable, for drinking today and for several years to come. As in Burgundy, the Châteauneuf 2005 reds were the most recent available to taste, but the grapes used are completely different. Châteauneuf is a blend of grapes; in the red, primarily Grenache, but also Syrah, Mourvedre and Cinsault. White Châteauneuf is also primarily Grenache, but white Grenache, and Clairette, Roussane and Picpoul. At the other producer of Châteauneuf, the difference was marked, especially with their 2006 white. The second had none of the complexity or full taste of the terroir that the first contained. Interestingly, the prices at Chateau Nerthe were roughly twice that of the second producer, Domaine de Nalys. Neither producer met my Golden Ratio measure.
Additionally, we tasted Madiran, a big, meaty, ‘masculine’ blended red wine much in the Bordeaux tradition produced in the south-west of France. I quite like it as a rule, but it is best drunk 7 – 10 years old and I can never find anything in very young Madiran that I love in an older one. We also tried several Alsace wines from Vignoble André Scherer. These wines are Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Gewurztraminer, among others. They tend to be fruitier than other wines and often sweeter. I appreciate them, particularly the ‘late harvest’ or ‘noble grape’ wines. These are the dessert wines, grapes left on the vine until more sugar is produced or until a fungus appears that aids in the production of sweeter wines. It was interesting to taste a Pinot Late Harvest that was much more interesting than a Gewurzt Noble which should have been the better one. I felt that the sugar overwhelmed the fruit and aroma of the Gewurzt. I did buy here an Poire Eau-de-Vie.
Finally, we arrived at another Burgundy producer, Roux Père & Fils. A larger producer than Ravaut, they also have a broader range of wines, some produced from grapes they have grown, some produced from grapes they have bought. The latter is not an unusual situation; there are numerous négociants in Burgundy. Some buy grapes from very particular parcelles, some buy grapes without attribution to a parcelle, some work in the village where they bought the grapes, some truck them to other locations. Some négociants even buy product after the harvest – juice, fermented juice, barrels, etc. Obviously, the closer the wine is made to where the vine grows, and the more control he has over the grapes on that vine, the more respected the wine of the négociant.
After tasting a variety of Roux wines, red and white, I found the production to be overreaching and the flavor to be different from what I appreciate in Burgundy. The Chef Cousin best described the wines as being produced to be sold and drunk immediately, not aged. This is a different mentality than most winemakers in Burgundy. Coupled with higher prices than Ravaut, Roux did not meet the Golden Ratio.
Wine Weekend Paris - Tastings
We started tasting at Ravaut, a great producer of Burgundies, favored by the Chef Cousin and a domain I have visited a couple of times. The Chef Cousin has always said that Ravaut wines are prime examples of the Golden Ratio. Good wine is not just price - high or low - nor is it only about age or taste, but I think it is about the balance of price and quality. Anyway, Ravaut is a typical Burgundy domain – family owned and operated from what resembles more a 60’s farmhouse than a chateau, proprietors of small parts of named fields (climats or parcelles) that are not contiguous and passionate for their production. We had been joined by Boulanger, one of Chef Cousin’s suppliers, and the four of us tasted some excellent 2005's (reds) and 2006's (whites). Note: in Burgundy, traditionally, red wine is not bottled for almost 18 months after the harvest; white wine is bottled sooner.
In reality we tasted about 12 wines – 5 or so whites and 7 reds. The whites included a 2006 and a 2005 Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru which is so named, according to legend, because Charlemagne loved wine and asked the Burgundy winemakers to produce a white suitable for a king that would not stain his long blond beard when it trickled out the corners of his mouth! Among the red wines we tasted were some very distinct ones. Remember that 99% of red Burgundy is made from one grape, the Pinot Noir, and is not blended like Bordeaux or many other great wines. As a result, it is always fascinating to taste reds produced by the same winemaker, all from grapes grown, in Ravaut’s case, in lower Côtes de Nuits and upper Côtes de Beaune (geographic areas as close as Chelsea and Greenwich Village in Manhattan) that are so dramatically different.
We had a ‘flight’ of Ladoix, Premier Crus and Villages, from different parcelles, and compared these to two Aloxe-Corton – one a Premier Cru, one not. Now in Burgundy, there are a number of distinctions in the labeling for wine, red and white, and controls on where the grapes are grown for different wines. The authorities that control produce named for regions or AOC’s (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée), have granted several AOC’s in Burgundy. The basic white or red can be labeled Bourgogne Blanc or Bourgogne Pinot Noir – regional wines that can be made from grapes grown in Burgundy. Above that are wines labeled Bourgogne Aligoté or Côte de Nuits Villages – wines made from grapes grown in a certain area but harvested from any variety of vineyards. Next in the pecking order are the Appellation Villages or Communales made from grapes grown within the borders of a village. These include well known wines like Chablis and Pommard and less well known such as Irancy and Rully. Within the Village wines there is another distinction – Premier Cru – awarded to certain parcelles and therefore the wines produced from these fields carry that moniker. The highest level is Grand Cru, granted to a limited number of parcelles and attached to a Village name – Chablis Grand Cru or Corton Grand Cru – but generally wines carrying this label are catalogued separately from other wines from the same Village. Grand and Premier Cru wines are produced from both Pinot Noir or Chardonnay grapes (the latter is the grape used in the majority of white Burgundies) grown in delimited fields, and the authorities also control annual quantities produced under the different AOC’s.
So, racing back to the tasting, in the ‘flight’ we had a Ladoix (a Village wine made from Pinot Noir grapes grown anywhere inside this appellation), a Ladoix Les Carrières (again a Village but made from grapes grown inside the parcelle, ‘Les Carrières’), a Ladoix Clos Royer (likewise, but a Clos is a fenced field), and three Ladoix 1er Cru, all from different parcelles. Now, remember that the Village appellation is not much bigger than a couple of city blocks, the parcelles are small named fields inside that appellation and the Premier Cru parcelles are a few of the named fields (often at the top of the hill or with a different exposure than the others because it is believed that vines that ‘suffer’ – less water or nutrients – make better wine; rather like suffering for fashion – the pointier the shoe, the more painful to the toes but the more stunning). Each of the Ladoix was as individual as cousins in a family by which I mean that there was a common thread of taste but several were more tannic, one or two more supple, one more filled with ripe red fruit, etc. It was a revelation and clarified for me a reason to visit this type of tasting – sorting out which tastes one prefers within an appellation of wine.
Next we tried two different Aloxe-Corton, one a Premier Cru. Now this is described by most as a feminine wine – delicate, smooth and elegant – and when the Personal Historian was in Paris recently, we ordered a '99 at Chez Julian. It followed an excellent 2000 Rully 1er Cru (white), and I thought the Aloxe was light but fine until the Personal Historian ordered a glass of Gevrey-Chambertin with dessert. Upon tasting that, I thought I had been drinking water with red food coloring. Now to be fair, a great Gevrey could be called a steamroller when compared to a decent Aloxe, or as the Prince Consort would say, “Un a rien a faire avec le autre” or something like that. Nevertheless, I swore off Aloxe and it was with less than enthusiasm that I tasted Ravaut’s. Well, what a pleasant surprise! Worth drinking, worth buying, and most of all, another reason to visit tastings – sorting out which domain produces wine that you appreciate.
In reality we tasted about 12 wines – 5 or so whites and 7 reds. The whites included a 2006 and a 2005 Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru which is so named, according to legend, because Charlemagne loved wine and asked the Burgundy winemakers to produce a white suitable for a king that would not stain his long blond beard when it trickled out the corners of his mouth! Among the red wines we tasted were some very distinct ones. Remember that 99% of red Burgundy is made from one grape, the Pinot Noir, and is not blended like Bordeaux or many other great wines. As a result, it is always fascinating to taste reds produced by the same winemaker, all from grapes grown, in Ravaut’s case, in lower Côtes de Nuits and upper Côtes de Beaune (geographic areas as close as Chelsea and Greenwich Village in Manhattan) that are so dramatically different.
We had a ‘flight’ of Ladoix, Premier Crus and Villages, from different parcelles, and compared these to two Aloxe-Corton – one a Premier Cru, one not. Now in Burgundy, there are a number of distinctions in the labeling for wine, red and white, and controls on where the grapes are grown for different wines. The authorities that control produce named for regions or AOC’s (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée), have granted several AOC’s in Burgundy. The basic white or red can be labeled Bourgogne Blanc or Bourgogne Pinot Noir – regional wines that can be made from grapes grown in Burgundy. Above that are wines labeled Bourgogne Aligoté or Côte de Nuits Villages – wines made from grapes grown in a certain area but harvested from any variety of vineyards. Next in the pecking order are the Appellation Villages or Communales made from grapes grown within the borders of a village. These include well known wines like Chablis and Pommard and less well known such as Irancy and Rully. Within the Village wines there is another distinction – Premier Cru – awarded to certain parcelles and therefore the wines produced from these fields carry that moniker. The highest level is Grand Cru, granted to a limited number of parcelles and attached to a Village name – Chablis Grand Cru or Corton Grand Cru – but generally wines carrying this label are catalogued separately from other wines from the same Village. Grand and Premier Cru wines are produced from both Pinot Noir or Chardonnay grapes (the latter is the grape used in the majority of white Burgundies) grown in delimited fields, and the authorities also control annual quantities produced under the different AOC’s.
So, racing back to the tasting, in the ‘flight’ we had a Ladoix (a Village wine made from Pinot Noir grapes grown anywhere inside this appellation), a Ladoix Les Carrières (again a Village but made from grapes grown inside the parcelle, ‘Les Carrières’), a Ladoix Clos Royer (likewise, but a Clos is a fenced field), and three Ladoix 1er Cru, all from different parcelles. Now, remember that the Village appellation is not much bigger than a couple of city blocks, the parcelles are small named fields inside that appellation and the Premier Cru parcelles are a few of the named fields (often at the top of the hill or with a different exposure than the others because it is believed that vines that ‘suffer’ – less water or nutrients – make better wine; rather like suffering for fashion – the pointier the shoe, the more painful to the toes but the more stunning). Each of the Ladoix was as individual as cousins in a family by which I mean that there was a common thread of taste but several were more tannic, one or two more supple, one more filled with ripe red fruit, etc. It was a revelation and clarified for me a reason to visit this type of tasting – sorting out which tastes one prefers within an appellation of wine.
Next we tried two different Aloxe-Corton, one a Premier Cru. Now this is described by most as a feminine wine – delicate, smooth and elegant – and when the Personal Historian was in Paris recently, we ordered a '99 at Chez Julian. It followed an excellent 2000 Rully 1er Cru (white), and I thought the Aloxe was light but fine until the Personal Historian ordered a glass of Gevrey-Chambertin with dessert. Upon tasting that, I thought I had been drinking water with red food coloring. Now to be fair, a great Gevrey could be called a steamroller when compared to a decent Aloxe, or as the Prince Consort would say, “Un a rien a faire avec le autre” or something like that. Nevertheless, I swore off Aloxe and it was with less than enthusiasm that I tasted Ravaut’s. Well, what a pleasant surprise! Worth drinking, worth buying, and most of all, another reason to visit tastings – sorting out which domain produces wine that you appreciate.
Wine Weekend Paris - First Notes
I arrived in Paris on Saturday morning, early, really early, and there was a transport strike so the Prince Consort had to drive out to collect me. Sadly, all was not collected, as one bag did not arrive. Not the end of the world, but aggravating. By the time we got to La Residence, I had only about an hour to rest after eating before we had to get to the peniches (flat covered river barges) where a wine tasting and sale was being held. The Carrefour du Club des Vignerons Lauréats is an annual event where the wine-making members of this Club present their latest wines to potential buyers - individual and commercial.
The Prince Consort and I were introduced to this Club by the Chef Cousin who is passionate for wine, especially Burgundies. Going to the Club is great fun - one arrives and checks in, picks up a degustation glass or two and heads into the room. The perimeter is lined with tables where winemakers have their produce arranged and are ready to pour and discuss. The visitor feels little to no push to purchase although price lists are available and few winemakers are slow to offer multiple tastes. Luckily, as there are 50+ exposants, spittoons are readily available. Don't forget to taste and spit because you're on a boat and passing ships on the Seine create a roll with their wake!
The Prince Consort and I were introduced to this Club by the Chef Cousin who is passionate for wine, especially Burgundies. Going to the Club is great fun - one arrives and checks in, picks up a degustation glass or two and heads into the room. The perimeter is lined with tables where winemakers have their produce arranged and are ready to pour and discuss. The visitor feels little to no push to purchase although price lists are available and few winemakers are slow to offer multiple tastes. Luckily, as there are 50+ exposants, spittoons are readily available. Don't forget to taste and spit because you're on a boat and passing ships on the Seine create a roll with their wake!
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Introduction
This is all started because The Girlfriend says I write interesting emails, that I write like I speak. I guess I can't help but write long circular emails; I am southern after all. Maybe being southern makes me enjoy food, or maybe being 'raised up' in a household that ate regionally before that was chic and with my roots in Appalachia, I love food. I know the blog title is eating AND drinking, but I don't have to explain the latter, it just comes naturally.
The two biggest problems with creating a blog are time and spelling. We'll see how the issue of time works out, but I have to say that websites with "Latest News" or "Recent Press" tabs that contain, as the newest post, something a year old really slay me, as do blogs to which I am pointed that have not had a post in the last several months. The other issue is my problem. I cannot spell. It was my mother's cross to bear; she could write perfectly crafted paragraphs in the dark while sleeping. I don't mind comments on the spelling but be kind, no smart-ass editors! Recently I sent around a list of wines with tasting notes, very 'laa-di-da' and I misspelled Burgundy. Two people commented kindly and I haven't made the mistake again, yet.
Anyway, I have the pleasure of traveling regularly between Paris and New York City. Thankfully, I love to fly, but most of all I am consumed planning my next meal. A motto for this blog could be: Eating is Theatre, and it is a pleasure to share my world's stage and fellow actors with you, the Audience.
One of the tidbits to be learned, Audience, is my philosophy about the Golden Ratio. Good food and drink is not just price - high or low - nor is it just about taste or quantity, but it is about the ratio of price to quality. I believe that all good food and drink need to have a ratio close to 1; memorable street food can be as great for a couple of bucks as a 4-star, 4-$ restaurant meal.
Other features soon to be more obvious are my current obsession with wines from Burgundy - both red and white - and my disapproval of drinking them too young, my love of 'deconstructed' cuisine, and my dislike for eating alone.
With those warnings, I look forward to sharing my pleasures!
The two biggest problems with creating a blog are time and spelling. We'll see how the issue of time works out, but I have to say that websites with "Latest News" or "Recent Press" tabs that contain, as the newest post, something a year old really slay me, as do blogs to which I am pointed that have not had a post in the last several months. The other issue is my problem. I cannot spell. It was my mother's cross to bear; she could write perfectly crafted paragraphs in the dark while sleeping. I don't mind comments on the spelling but be kind, no smart-ass editors! Recently I sent around a list of wines with tasting notes, very 'laa-di-da' and I misspelled Burgundy. Two people commented kindly and I haven't made the mistake again, yet.
Anyway, I have the pleasure of traveling regularly between Paris and New York City. Thankfully, I love to fly, but most of all I am consumed planning my next meal. A motto for this blog could be: Eating is Theatre, and it is a pleasure to share my world's stage and fellow actors with you, the Audience.
One of the tidbits to be learned, Audience, is my philosophy about the Golden Ratio. Good food and drink is not just price - high or low - nor is it just about taste or quantity, but it is about the ratio of price to quality. I believe that all good food and drink need to have a ratio close to 1; memorable street food can be as great for a couple of bucks as a 4-star, 4-$ restaurant meal.
Other features soon to be more obvious are my current obsession with wines from Burgundy - both red and white - and my disapproval of drinking them too young, my love of 'deconstructed' cuisine, and my dislike for eating alone.
With those warnings, I look forward to sharing my pleasures!
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