Friday, April 29, 2011

I would toast the Royal couple today with a glass of English wine but I've had English wine and I guarantee Charles and Kate weren't drinking local.  No doubt it was French as the Queen's cellar is full of it.  I'm toasting them with a glass of Château Lanessan 2005 Delbos-Bouteiller, AOC Haut-Médoc (Bordeaux) which is full of cassis, herbs, sour cherry and fairly soft tannins (at least for a Cabernet Sauvignon based wine.)  But, as this is only a toast and it is Friday, I think I shall follow the example of my cousin Jennifer who resides in New Zealand and watched the wedding ceremony with Gin & Tonic in hand remarking to me on FB that it was all rather very British...now if I can just remember where I put the limes...

Tasting wine all day long sometimes is hard.  I'm not complaining but, occasionally, it makes me sleepy even if I've done the proper amount of spitting.  I'm already a two-a-day-latte drinker so more caffeine is not the answer.  My incentive?  Leave the wines I'm most excited about to the end, even if they're not the biggest or even the reddest (as in they might be white :) but, sometimes, (for instance -- yesterday) it required effort to taste through all the fruity, high-alcoholic wines and I longed to taste my incentive wine...SAVIGNY-LÈS-BEAUNE 1er Cru "Aux Guettes 2007 Domaine A. Machard de Gramond.  True to experience...Not Big, Not Bold BUT Beautiful!  And, earthy.  And, refined.  And, elegant.   There are perfect occasions for the big and bold but after a hard day's work, give me the "pretty" and the "easy."

The United States Post Office has issued my dog, a 6 pound 5 oz. HaviPoo  which is a cross between a Havanese and a Toy Poodle ( "cross" is a word in the wine industry that we use for two different varietals of the same species, i.e., vitis vinifera. getting together and producing another grape varietal -- for instance:  Cabernet Franc "hitching" with Sauvignon Blanc and producing Cabernet Sauvignon - so maybe for a dog breed "mix" would be a better word choice) a RED CARD!  How many dogs do you know that have been given red cards?  At least one...MINE!  He now has to sit in the penalty box (his crate) from approximately 11:00 AM until 1:00 PM while the mail lady delivers the mail on our very rural road.  So in honor of my obviously not-so-sweet dog, Skittles, I am not drinking wine today but rather a Manhattan...um..,Manhattans!

It’s no secret to those who know me that Beaujolais Nouveau (BN) is not my favorite wine.  And, I'm mentioning this now, in April, even though BN is released the third Thursday of November -- because why?  Because, I am falling in love with Cru Beaujolais wines such as 2009 Domaine Des Michelons.  The difference?  BIG!!!
BN wines are the first wines released after harvest and are meant to be fruity and easy to drink.  Instead of the normal crushed berry fermentation, BN's go through Carbonic Maceration (whole berry fermentation) which is anaerobic.  Basically, the grapes ferment inside themselves and then burst.  The result is a light, low tannin, fruity wine which often has a nose and palate profile of hard candy, raspberries and bananas.  And, I don't find that profile very appealing.  
The highest quality of wine in Beaujolais, the Cru Beaujolais  wines, however, have become really charming.  Many are made by crushed berry fermentation or a blend of both fermentation processes.  The one I'm enjoying at the moment is 2009 Domaine Des Michelons from AC Moulin-A-Vent.  It received high ratings in one of the main wine rags and I have to admit that I agree...

My Life In Wine

Quick blurb that has little to do with wine except that I needed a glass after the fact...I'm in New York City for a book signing with my 16-year-old daughter in tow, my youngest is at home with Dad, 3,000 miles away.  One would think that with that kind of distance between them, they wouldn't be able to fight...but so not true!  They were FVFB...fighting via FaceBook!!!  Really girls????

Back to wine...want to educate your palate on the difference between a high acid-low tannin red wine vs. a high extraction really tannic one?    As you're tasting, notice the difference in the acid and the tannin levels of each and contemplate how such would affect the taste of food ...amazing that two wines could both be so beautiful, inexpensive and completely different!

High-acid/low tannin: Michele Chiarlo Barbera d'Asti Superiore Le Orme 2007 - very pretty with ripe red fruits, fresh acidity and soft tannins

HIgh tannins:  Domaine du Moulié 2006, AC Madiran - produced from the Tannat grape varietal -- inky and rustic with black fruits and spice.  Try today and then again tomorrow for a bit smoother taste.

After my event Friday night, I took the WineFUNdamentals staff out for a drink at Hawks, a local restaurant.  I'd been told last week by a bartender at the L Wine Bar that Rye Whiskey was really coming back into "drinking" style, so when I saw "Old Fashion" as a featured drink ( my grandmother's favorite cocktail,) I just had to try it.  Not bad!  Think I'll stick to Manhattans though...

RE: the wines at the event...um umm good!  Favorite whites were Heidi Barrett's

2009 La Sirena Moscato Azul and 2008 Chappellet Chardonnay and favorite reds were a Pinot Noir -- Domaine Serene 2008 Yamhill Cuvée , an incredible Red Burgundy -- Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru Les Damodes 2003 and the always lovely Shafer Merlot, the 2008 vintage. Decided at the last minute to go with the Shafer Merlot rather than a Cabernet Sauvignon as from experience, if there is a Cab in the room, people kind of stick to it and don't always try the other red options...and our "other reds" were so amazingly good!

As today is Sunday, we will be having homemade Pizza -- I have a MacMurray Pinot Noir open (yes, of the Fred MacMurray family) BUT...I'm thinking Pizza or no...it's time for some bubbles!  Just not Sunday with out bubbles!