Vindulge

Reasons to Celebrate with Pink Bubbles...

... and two great pink bubbly recommendations.

Sparkling wine is a requirement in my house, at all times.  It is useful in times of joy, times of celebration, times of sadness, madness and frustration, and times you’re just plain ol’ thirsty (which is my most common “excuse” to drink bubbles).  To put it plainly, they are my favorite of all styles of wine and if I had my way I would drink bubbles every day of the year.  Not a day goes by that I can’t think of a good reason not to open up a bottle (whether it be a fine Champagne or $7 sparkler).  Last night was no exception. 

Hubby came home from work frustrated after a long and stressful day.  He had a sad look upon his face that he rarely brings home with him.  As any concerned wife would do I asked, “What can I do?” And when he said, “Nothing, I just need a hug”, I responded,  “No you don’t, you need some pink bubbles!” And then I finally got a smile out of him and proceeded to pop the cork of a bottle I recently purchased at an incredible price, Pierre Sparr Crémant d’Alsace Brut Rosé, NV.

I purchased a bottle of this wine from WineExpress.com, an online wine retailer of which I receive a wine of the day email from.  If you are interested in trying new wines, anything from high end Napa Cabs to great values from around the world, without committing to a monthly wine club I recommend getting on their daily email list.  This wine was on sale for $10.95 (from $17.95), with .99 cents per bottle for shipping, so I decided to purchase three bottles.  I had never had the wine before, but it was from the same region as one of my favorite under $20 bubbles, Lucien Albrecht Crémant d'Alsace Brut Rosé.  Upon receiving my shipment we opened a bottle with dinner and immediately ordered a case at an additional dollar per bottle discount (the wine was still on sale).  For $10 this rosé sparkler is simply a steal!

Pierre Sparr Crémant d’Alsace Brut Rosé, NV
$10.95 from WineExpress.com

From the cool climate Alsace region of France, this wine is 100% Pinot Noir (one of the only red grapes that grow well in Alsace) made in the champagne method.  Strawberry and citrus notes dominate the nose with a touch of sweet biscuit scents.  Dry and delicate the palate continues with more strawberry, lemon, and orange peel. Crémants (sparkling wines made in France, but outside of the Champagne region that are made using the méthode champenoise) are incredible values and this is probably the best one I’ve had at this price.  If you can find it for under $12, get yourself a case (or more)!  This wine will put a smile on your face no matter what kind of day you’ve had!


Another pink bubbly we recently celebrated with was the lovely Domaine Carneros Cuvée de la Pompadour Brut Rosé, NV that I received as a sample.  This time we were celebrating the first time our twin boys slept through the night without any interruption.  Any parent who has gone through this, with a single child or multiples, understands the pure joy and relief that comes from this experience and it is certainly one worth celebrating.  So we did so with this delicious treat from Domaine Carneros. 

Domaine Carneros Cuvée de la Pompadour Brut Rosé, NV 
$35 from the winery

Domaine Carneros is one of Napa Valley’s premier sparkling wine producers and definitely worth a visit on any trip.  It provides an excellent way to start or end your Napa wine country excursion with seating, both indoor and out, overlooking the incredible Carneros region. 

According to the Domaine Carneros website,  “Our Rosé cuveé is named for Madame de la Pompadour, Louis XV's great paramour.  It was she who first introduced sparkling wine to the court at Versailles and is famous for having said that ‘Champagne is the only wine that a woman can drink and remain beautiful’.” 
I like that!  I may just have to put that quote on my refrigerator.

This wine, a blend of 58% pinot noir and 42% chardonnay, was elegant and aromatic with fine delicate bubbles.   Take one whiff and your nose is filled with crisp apples, apple cider spices, raspberry, cherry, and a touch of vanilla bean.  Just a small sip punches huge flavors that linger on your tongue long after you’ve swallowed the wine.  You just can’t help but go back for more and more, which I gladly did.  This is a solid Napa rosé sparkler for this price point. 

There you have it. Two pretty pink bubbles worthy of opening for any type of celebration.  In fact, today marks the first full day of spring (although you’d never know it looking outside my window at the snow falling).  This means I have survived my first New England winter.  Now that is reason to celebrate… perhaps with more pink bubbles!

Open That Bottle Night, part II: Even special wines are meant to be opened

This past Saturday I did something I’ve been putting off for a long time.  Inspired by Open That Bottle Night (OTBN) I opened two bottles of wine that I never quite found the right occasion to do so.  They were not my most expensive, rare, or oldest wines. They were just wines that had a lot of meaning to me. 

Created in 1999 by Dorothy “Dottie” J. Gaiter and John Brecher, the former writers of the Wall Street Journal’s tastings column, OTBN encourages wine lovers from all over the globe to stop putting off opening up that special bottle of wine and just drink and enjoy it already!  When I heard about the dates for this year’s OTBN I knew exactly which two bottles I needed to open.  It was figuring out what to make for dinner that night that took contemplation.

The Wines:

2008 Domaine La Ferme Blanche Cassis (AOC)

The first bottle we opened was given to us by our former next-door neighbors in Portland just before we moved to Connecticut.  To back up just a little bit – I spent the better part of four years trying to get Stephanie, our neighbor, to drink white wine.  She, a self proclaimed "red wine only" drinker, hadn’t found a white wine she liked, so it became a mission of mine to change that.  Her husband, Dan, drank sparkling wine on occasion, but also didn’t really drink white wine (nor red for that matter, but that’s another story).  I had almost given up on both of them when it happened. Their white wine “a-ha” moment. 

Stephanie went to southern France this past summer on a work-study program for three weeks in Marseille (in Provence), and Dan joined her for a week.  Upon their return they gave us this bottle of wine. A white!  They both raved about the food and wine they experienced in Provence and how they fell in love with the white wines there.  They had their “a-ha” moment (finally)!  I couldn’t have been more happy for them and I couldn’t wait to try the bottle.
 
That’s what wine is all about for me. That moment; when the experience of being surrounded by the culture can change your perspective (and taste) about a wine.  I could only imagine the two of them sitting in an adorable French café, in the sun, overlooking the Mediterranean sea, eating the freshest seafood and drinking the local wine. 

I wanted so badly to share that bottle with them and hear stories of their trip to France.  But alas, time caught up to us and before we knew it we were packed up and rushing to Connecticut and never got to open the bottle together.  So I held onto it… and couldn't think of an appropriate occasion to drink the wine since…

2002 Anthem, Meritage, Sonoma Valley by St. Francis Winery

Our other bottle was chalk full of memories of when we lived in San Francisco (where we lived before moving to Oregon).  You see, St. Francis Winery was one of the first wineries we visited on our very first trip to Sonoma in 2001.  We joined the wine club right off and remained members until we moved to Oregon in 2006.  Most trips to Sonoma, whether it was just the two of us or with friends and family, involved a stop at St. Francis where we would enjoy their food and wine pairing experience. 

Then, one day, they released a new wine, “Anthem” they called it.  A “reverse Bordeaux blend” consisting of mostly Petit Verdot and Malbec with small amounts of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot (as opposed to a traditional Bordeaux blend where Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot dominate the blend with Petit Verdot and Malbec playing minor roles).  The staff was very excited to showcase the wine but they didn’t have any open that day.  So we decided to buy a bottle, open it right there on their deck, and share it with the staff and anybody else who wanted a sip.  That’s what wine is all about anyways, sharing it!  It was an awesome afternoon.

Since that first release (which was their 1999 I believe), we always bought a couple bottles of the Anthem to have on hand.  Our last trip before we moved we bought a couple bottles of the 2002, and after moving to Oregon we dwindled down to one bottle very quickly.   For months anytime I asked to the hubby “what do you want to open tonight”. His response was always “the Anthem?”.  “No”, I would respond, “I want to wait until we can find a good meal to pair with it”, or “It’s not an ‘Anthem’ night”, or a simple “I’m just not feeling it”.  Months became years, and he still brought up that wine each and every time like clockwork.  It became almost comical.  At the time I didn’t really know what was holding me back, but now I do.  It was one of the last bottles we bought before starting our life in Oregon.  I think somehow it was my connection to our life in San Francisco.  It certainly wasn’t our oldest wine from our time in CA (vintage wise), and still isn’t, it was just the individual bottle that I had put off drinking the longest and had such good memories assiciated with it. 

When I thought about OTBN and what to drink, I knew immediately it had to be these two bottles.  To me, opening up both these wines somehow represented change and transition.  Something difficult to do, but important nonetheless. 

The food:

We paired the Cassis with an appetizer of seared scallops with shallots, butter, and wine in honor of the region the wine came from.  Fantastic!  The wine had a rich fruitiness, herbal, and mineral character to it that was the perfect compliment to the sweet and savory scallops.



For the Anthem, we made oven roasted rack of lamb with an herb and panko crust and a balsamic wine reduction drizzle.  Along side the lamb we roasted an assortment of vegetables (potatoes, onions, carrots, parsnips, and tomatoes).  We wanted to honor the wine with a delicious and solid pairing, and this certainly did the trick.  The wine was rich, but not too tannic, with a depth of flavors that was enhanced by the flavors of the lamb, the sweet sauce, and the roasted vegetables. 

We finished the night with homemade chocolate pots de crème, which is basically chocolaty rich custardy deliciousness!  I never seem to remember to take pictures of dessert as I must be too busy devouring it! 

It was an awesome meal, paired with delicious wines, shared with my favorite guy.  A great evening and an even better reminder that wine is meant to be opened and shared, not tucked away in storage… especially those special bottles that remind you of a particular person, place, or time in your life. 

Finally, drinking these wines was a delicious reminder of the good times we spent living in both San Francisco and Portland, and a toast to the many adventures to come.

I secretly think the best part of the night was that our twin boys (now three months old) were both sound asleep the entire time, allowing mommy and daddy to truly enjoy the evening together!  Thanks guys!

Do I regret opening the wines?  Not for one second. And I can still keep the memories alive by saving the empty bottles and putting them on display on my bookshelf with other memorable bottles I have collected over the years.

Now I have to know. Did you open up a special bottle of wine for OTBN?

If so I would LOVE to know what wine it was.

 

 

 

Bordeaux Wine Series, Part II

Two of the coolest wine experiences I’ve had involve 30th birthdays. The first was many years ago for the hubby’s 30th birthday (I won’t reveal the date as to not reveal hubby’s old age).  Years prior to this day he had purchased a special bottle that he wanted to drink specifically on this monumental birthday.  A bottle from his birth year.  He bought the bottle on WineBid.com, a wine auction website, and at the time I didn’t really appreciate the ridiculous amount of money he had spent on just a single bottle of wine (forgive me I was very early into my wine obsession, er I mean appreciation, at that point).  By the time we opened the bottle on that special day the wine had increased in value on the auction site by over $500 from what he originally paid!  My thought, “sell it and we can buy TONS of birthday wines for you with the money!”.  Luckily he refused, stood by his original idea, and we opened it as planned on his 30th birthday.  The bottle was a 1975 Chateau Lafite-Rothschild (shoot, I just gave away hubbys age), a first growth from Bordeaux. 

The second special day involving a 30th birthday involved my very own birth year wine.  Earlier that year we vacationed in France and visited and toured (among many other amazing wineries and locations) Chateau Haut Brion, another first growth Bordeaux producer.  It was an amazing experience.  Flash forward five months to my own 30th birthday hubby surprised me with a bottle of 1978 Chateau Haut Brion so we could drink another 30 year old bottle.  This time I was insane with excitement and would have never asked him to sell it, nor did I care what he had paid.

Both wines were incredible.  All I remember about the Lafite we drank for hubby’s birthday was that it tasted like soil (that was my descriptor at the time), but still had so much flavor and depth and was incredibly unique.  Flash forward three years to my birthday wine, I still remember to this day what the wine tasted like.  It was still very much alive, vibrant, and full of fruit, earth, tobacco, and so much flavor.  I was in heaven. It was like nothing I had experienced before.  A truly unique and special memory.  And yes, we still have both (empty) bottles on display at our house as a constant reminder of those experiences.

Both of these would be wines that collectors and Bordeaux fanatics refer to when talking about “Premier Cru” or “First Growth” wines of Bordeaux. The crème de la crème and also a minority when they compare to the total production of wines from the entire region of Bordeaux. 

Which brings us to Part II in our Bordeaux wine series.  
If you remember from part I  we discussed the basic facts about the region, grapes, and wines.  For this, part II, I want to discuss some of the most important appellations of the region, the famous Grand Crus Classé (Great Classified Growth) wines from the 1855 Classification system and what makes them so special, and finally to explain how to read a Bordeaux wine label so you know what you’re getting yourself into.

If you need a refresher please check out part I.  Don’t worry, I’ll be here when you return.

Bordeaux, Part II:  Appellations, great growths, and labels

As you remember from part I, Bordeaux is a large region that produces A LOT of wine, so appellations (sub regions) are very important in this region in terms of quality. 
In addition, some of the very best wines of Bordeaux are considered wines of “terroir” deriving their characters from single plots of land.  The majority of Bordeaux wines, however, are not wines of terroir, nor made by ultra-expensive means… they are mostly modest dinner wines… however when most people think about Bordeaux they are thinking about the cream of the crop.  Finally, the most important soils in Bordeaux are rocky, gravel and stone.  Unfortunately the entirety of Bordeaux is not gravel and stone.   Many vineyards have clay soil and since water drains poorly from clay this is not ideal.  But a good slope can even generally improve drainage of clay-based vineyard.
This is where knowing a little bit about the appellations of Bordeaux come in handy.

The top quality districts (appellations) in Bordeaux are:
MEDOC: (left bank) 

• Largest and most famous region.
• Starts north of the city of Bordeaux, and stretches fifty miles north.
• Subdivided into:  Haut Medoc (bottom, southern two-thirds) and Medoc (the top northern third)
• These two appellations may only be used for red wines.
• Haut Medoc produces all the top wines of this district and for these top wines the Cabernet Sauvignon grape predominates.  
• It compromises sixteen communes and four are the top villages/subappellations (Paulliac, Margaux, St. Estephe, St. Julien).  Farther inland are two less important: Listrac and Moulis, each of which has its own appellation.
• The wines of the Medoc vary in quality.
• The wines are made from predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon.
• Generally have high tannins (because of high amount of Cabernet Sauvignon).

GRAVES AC: (left bank)

• Just south of city of Bordeaux.
• Best known for its dry white wines.
• Also produces some very fine reds from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.
• One of few regions in Bordeaux where most all chateaus make both white & red wines.
• The finest red wine is Chateau Haut Brion, from Graves subappellation Pessac-Léognan (classified as first growth in 1855 classification).

SAUTERNES/BARSAC AC: (left bank)

• Produces some of the world’s best sweet wines.
• Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle are the varieties used (80% of the vines are Semillon).
• The best Sauternes are made from grapes that have been attacked by botrytis (noble rot), which is a minute fungal growth which causes the grapes to shrivel up, reducing water content, and increasing percentage of sugar, and imparting a honeyed bouquet to the finished wine.  A truly unique experience to taste if you ever get the chance.
• In 1855 classification for top chateau in this region, the only one graded as premier cru (or first great growth) was Chateau d’Yquem.

The 2 most important areas to the east (right bank) of the river are:

ST. EMILION AC:  (right bank)

• Located on the less well-known right side of the Gironde River. 
• Almost the opposite of the left bank:  smaller vineyards, chateaux much more modest, and often much of the work, both in the vineyard and cellar, is done by the proprietor and his/her family. 
• The town itself is adorable and medieval, carved out of limestone.  It is a small town, but has around 100 wine shops in the village and dozens of macaroon shops!  I fell in love with the town when we visited. 
• Merlot is the predominate grape, followed by Cabernet Franc.
• Merlot grape produces a softer wine, which will mature quicker than Cabs, so they are usually ready for drinking earlier than their counterparts in the Medoc.
• The best (or rather most famous) wines from St. Emilion are Château Cheval Blanc and Château Ausone.
• *Fun Fact:    Cheval Blanc was the wine Miles was drinking at the end of the movie Sideways (which was primarily Cabernet Franc and, yes, Merlot!)

POMEROL AC: (right bank)

• Adjacent to St. Emilion, and produces similar red wines, with Merlot and Cabernet Franc most important.  Cabernet Sauvignon is rarely used in Pomerol blends.
• The tiniest of all major Bordeaux wine regions.
• Three of the top chateau are Château Petrus, Château Le Pin, Vieux Chateau Certan.  Petrus being one of the most expensive and sought after in the world.

There are many classification systems in Bordeaux so this can be a confusing topic.  The classifications mean something different from one sub region to the next though they may sound similar (“Grand Cru Classe”).  Two of the most important classifications, those for Medoc and Graves are based on estate/producer, NOT necessarily the land/vineyard (as, say in Burgundy).   Which brings us to the most famous classification system…

1855 Classification:
In 1855 Napoleon III asked Bordeaux top chateau owners to rate their wines from best to worst for the Paris Exhibition, a fair.  Nobody could agree, so the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce was invested in the job.  They categorized the wines in five categories, based on selling price (figuring those were the best!) and ranked wines from Medoc, and one from Graves, and then the Sauternes/Barsac region separately.  This created controversy that has continued to this day, yet only one change has ever been made:  Château Mouton Rothschild, in 1973, after a twenty year fight.

All in all they ranked 60 top chateau in the Medoc, and 1 in Graves and categorized them into four Premier Cru (First Growth), fifteen Deuxieme Cru (Second Growth), fourteen Troisiemes Cru (Third Growth), ten Quatriemes Cru (Fourth Growth), and eighteen Cinquieme Cru (Fifth Growth).

In Bordeaux the French word “Cru”, or growth, indicates the wine estate, vineyard, or chateau.  Thus Premier Cru (First Growth) is a wine estate of the top (first) rank.

The original four wines categorized in the most famous classification, the First Growth wines are: 

• Château Lafite-Rothschild, from the Pauillac appellation (hubby’s birthday wine)
• Château Margaux, from Margaux
• Château Latour, from Pauillac
• Château Haut-Brion, from the Pessac-Léognan appellation (my birthday wine)

• Château Mouton Rothschild (from the Pauillac appellation), originally categorized as a second growth, was changed to a first growth in 1973 after Baron Philippe de Rothschild petitioned the government for twenty years to upgrade Mouton. 

The chateaus of Sauternes and Barsac were also a part of the 1855 classification, but categorized differently.

Wines from the other major regions were also classified, but none as famous as the 1855 Classification. 

How to Read a Bordeaux Wine Label *

Reading Bordeaux wine labels (and French wines in general) can be confusing for the American wine drinker who is more custom to reading a wine label that identify the grapes the wines were made from (ex. Cabernet Sauvignon, or Merlot) as opposed by being labeled by region.  Hopeflully this guide will help make some sense of Bordeaux labels.

(image sourced from snooth.com)

From left to right:

• The classification of the estate: You will see that this wine was included in the 1855 classification of the Medoc but does not indicate the wines specific level (it is a fifth growth).
• Appellation:  You will see it is from the Pauillac appellation. You will not, however, see what grapes the wine is made from.  Knowing that this region is all red wines, is from the left bank, it is a blend of up to five grapes, you can safely assume it is based on Cabernet Sauvignon with some Cab Franc and Merlot.
• Alcohol Content:  This will give you an indicator of the type of year they had in Bordeaux. In general, classic Bordeaux wines average around 12.5% alcohol, but in hotter years they may exceed 13% indicating a riper, richer, or more modern style of wine.
• Vintage: The vintage date will help you get an idea of the quality and style of a specific wine, particularly when those wines come from a region with a variable climate like Bordeaux.  It will allude to the wines style, ripeness, alcohol level, and longevity as well as estimating when to drink it.
• Traditional Winery Imagery:  Many Bordeaux labels still feature the illustration of the chateau building.  It is traditional and classic.  Many new wines lately, however, have approached a more modern take and may not show the traditional illustration.
• Volume:  Standard wine bottles come in 750 ml bottles.
• Chateau Bottling:  Meaning the wine was bottled at the actual chateau, as opposed to a large merchant or co-op.   
• The Name of the Chateau (Estate, or Producer)

*Some Bordeaux wines may not include all of this information. For example, if they are not in the 1855 classification (which most Bordeaux wines are not), they will not include classification information.  Also, if they are not from a specific appellation it may just state “Bordeaux” meaning the wine comes from a variety of vineyards outside of any specific area and not have a specific AC (or appellation) stated.

We good?

I could go on and on about Bordeaux, but alas, part II must come to an end.  If you made it this far, congratulations!   Please feel free to comment or email me with any questions you may have regarding Bordeaux wines at this point.  There’s a lot to learn about Bordeaux so don’t be intimidated.  Hopefully this is giving you a good base to start. 

In our final installment we’ll discuss how to select a Bordeaux wine at a wine shop or restaurant, vintage and when it matters, and of course the food of Bordeaux. 

Bordeaux Wine Series, Part I

... Plus the winner of my Wine Essentials Giveaway contest!

Throughout this past summer I was able to teach quite a few wine classes that introduce various important wine regions of the world.  My goal when I teach these classes is to do my best to introduce participants to the regions, provide them with key information, with no intimidation.

What I discovered when prepping for a recent Bordeaux class was that there seemed to be some intimidation and confusion regarding this, one of the most famous wine regions in the world, so instead of trying to teach everything I knew about Bordeaux, I chose to keep it simple and discuss the key things one should understand when thinking about this huge and important region.  Bordeaux can indeed be confusing, but by knowing a few simple facts the "aha" factor can easily sink in.

For me, my Bordeaux “aha” moment came when I actually traveled there during the spring of 2008.  Before then, it was my hubby who was the big Bordeaux fan, and I never understood why.  I had already taken my first level Sommelier exam through the Court of Master Sommeliers but the region was still like a foreign language to me.  I still seemed to think that all good Bordeaux was the über expensive stuff. The famous wines nobody but auction houses could get their hands on.  I thought that all of the wines needed decades to taste like anything I wanted to drink, and I didn’t quite understand the layout of the land, all this “left bank” vs “right bank” stuff and why it was so important to the wines of the region. 

We stayed in the gorgeous city of Bordeaux and made day trips to the many sub regions (or appellations) throughout the area, visiting wineries, and sampling as much Bordeaux wine as we could in the few days we were there.

One of my moments came during a lunch at La Tupina restaurant in the city of Bordeaux.  The particular day we went was a special day for the restaurant.  It was the coming of spring and apparently this one day out of the year the chefs go out to the Pyrenees to find pigs for the meal of the day.  There was no à la carte menu that day, just the one menu du jour created by these chefs, which (unbeknownst to me) comprised of all parts of the pig (yes ALL parts).   I was just excited to be eating here, so I was prepared to eat anything they served us and didn’t want to know what I actually ate until after lunch was over and fully digested.  Before lunch began the server placed a bottle of red Bordeaux wine on our table with no description.  Just sat it down, already opened. We started drinking.  Before the many courses of lunch were over the bottle was finished.  The server asked us if we would like more wine.  We responded, “no, we are fine”.  He looked at us like we were crazy Americans, and promptly returned with another bottle anyway, opened and set it on the table.  Okay then! When in Rome, or Bordeaux for that matter, drink the wine!  So we moved on to our second bottle.  I had no idea what the wine was, and noticed that every table had a different bottle of wine; the only similarity was it was all red Bordeaux.  And it was good!

To me this is when I realized that there in the restaurant, it really didn’t matter what the producer was,  what side of the river it was from, or vintage, or anything, it was simply about sharing the wine at the table, no pretension, no intimidation.  

This type of wine service was similar to many we received at restaurants throughout Bordeaux.  It was just about having wine at the table, and not about anything else.  At another well known restaurant we dined at we had the choice of rosé wine or red wine. That was it.  Same story, every table had a different bottle, but it was all Bordeaux. 

I figured if the locals aren’t making a big deal of each and every producer, why should we?  It was then I stopped being so afraid of Bordeaux and its many many wines and just embraced every opportunity to taste more wines from the region.  Nowadays, I am not fixated with producers or vintages from Bordeaux, I just simply experiment, or when possible make friends with the wine steward or wine shop owner and simply take his or her recommendations on new Bordeaux finds.

Bordeaux, the series:

With this three part series, hopefully some of your Bordeaux questions will be put to rest and you can enjoy the wines of the region without intimidation, confusion, or headaches. 

With part I, I will start with the basic facts about the region, the grapes, and the wines.  Then part II I will explain some of the most important appellations of the region, discuss the famous “First Growth” wines (or Bordeaux's Grand Cru Classé wines), and explain how to read a Bordeaux wine label so you know what you’re getting.  Finally, with part III, I’ll explain how to select a Bordeaux wine, discuss vintage and it matters, and of course the food of Bordeaux.

The important thing to understand about France in general is that all of the major regions are strictly regulated.  Each region has separate rules regarding which grape varieties that can grow, where they can grow, specific vineyard practices, degree of alcohol (minimum levels), wine making practices, and labeling (i.e. with the exception of the Alsace region, putting the name of the grape variety on label is forbidden. If they do, they forfeit the name of the appellation and thus no AOC, or appellation name, on the label.)  This is very different from the way things are regulated in the US.  So once you understand some of the basic rules of each region, it is much easier to understand French wine in general.

Bordeaux, Part I:  The basics and general facts

Bordeaux is located in the southwest of France, near the Atlantic coast.  It is the largest fine wine region on the globe with over 13,000 growers, and close to 9,000 Chateau (producers) producing on average over 700 million bottles of wine a year (including many of the most expensive in the world).  This single region covers more territory than all the vineyard area in Germany alone.  Pretty much, it is huge!

Bordeaux means “au bord de l’eau” or “along the waters”, as water plays an important role here.  The region lies along the path of 3 important rivers: Gironde, and its 2 feeder rivers, Garonne and Dordogne.  To the immediate west is the Atlantic Ocean.  The area to the left of the Gironde is considered the “left bank”, and to the right of the Gironde is the “right bank”.  Two terms you often hear when discussing Bordeaux wines and regions.

The wines:  Bordeaux produces reds, whites, rosés, and sparkling wines, although the reds are the most famous and the majority of the production. 

Red Wines:  All of the red wines are almost always blends of the following 5 red varieties:  Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot.  The first three are known throughout the world as the “Bordeaux Blend” and are the most important.

Cabernet Sauvignon:
The most famous red variety.  The architecture or framework of the wine (comes principally from tannin, tannin also acts as a preservative, which is why many top Bordeaux can be aged for so long).  It contributes powerful color, structure and tannin, and dark brooding fruit that takes years to open into blackcurrant, black cherry, cedar, and cigar.  It performs best on deep, well-drained gravel in the left bank region where it is king.  It is less important in the clay soils of the right bank.

Merlot:  
The most planted grape variety in Bordeaux (around 58% of total planting).  The king of the right bank.  It thrives on fertile but cool, damp clay, and gives big yields yet ripens early and produces succulent juicy wines of high alcohol and good color.   The wines are rounder and softer than Cabernet Sauvignon and is used in blends to soften the hard edges of Cabernet Sauvignon.  Typical flavors are plum, spice, cinnamon, cloves, truffles, tobacco, licorice, nuts, sometimes blackcurrant and mint.

Cabernet Franc:
Takes a back seat in the left bank and some think of Cabernet Franc as an unimportant grape there.  Yet on the right bank it is very important, blended with Merlot to add toughness, backbone, and deep dark fruit to the luscious Merlot.  Acts as a seasoning and contributes some violet aromas.

White Wines:  Most of the white wines are blends of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Muscadelle.  Sweet and dry white wines are made in Bordeaux.  Most famous are the sweet wines from the regions of Sauternes and Barsac. 

Additional facts and tidbits:

• Number of growers: Approx 13,000
• Number of Chateau (producers):  Over 8,000  Compare that to the entire US where there is approx 7,000 producers (as of 2009)
• Number of individual appellations within all of Bordeaux:  57
• Acres planted:  Close to 300,000 acres of vineyards planted.  Almost every square inch of Bordeaux is covered in vines (if not buildings in the cities and villages).
• Bottles produced:  Approx 700 million per year
• 80 percent of Bordeaux wines retail between $8 and $25 and most can be consumed when you buy them or within a couple years of purchase.
• The most famous examples of Bordeaux wines (the Grand Cru’s) represent less than 5% of all the regions total production:  To be discussed in Part II
• Important regions: Among the 57 appellations, four of them are stand out as most important for red wine - Médoc, Pomerol, Graves/Pessac-Légnan, and St-Émilion:  To be discussed in Part II

There you have it.  Part I, a general introduction to the region.
I am curious, what do YOU want to know about Bordeaux?  Do you like the region? Does it intimidate you?  Let me know if there is anything I can answer for you in the next two installments.

NOW THE GIVEAWAY WINNER…………

Drum roll please.

The winner of the Wine Essentials Giveaway contest is:   Rachel.  Her comment: 

"New reader, new subscriber!  I would probably use the champagne stopper most often, but only slightly more often than the glass drying rack.  I am going to go catch up on past posts- this is a great site! I am glad to have found it :)  (followed the link on J.T's facebook page)"

Thanks to everyone for entering! I loved reading all the comments.  I'm looking forward to doing more giveaways in the future! 

Cheers

Send me to the Independent Champagne and Sparkling Wine Invitational

I recently received an email from cork'd announcing a contest to win tickets to attend the Independent Champagne and Sparkling Wine Invitational (ICSWI). Now I've pretty much given up on contests.  I've entered thousands of them in my life, and have never won so much as a ribbon :(  But when the contest involves my favorite thing in the universe (bubbles), I had to give it my all... one last contest!  The rules are simple, write about your most memorable experience with sparkling wine.  The winner will win tickets to the ICSWI including hotel stay and events.   Pretty much, this would be as exciting as tickets to the Superbowl for any football fan!  So I thought I'd share my application with you all here.  Wish me luck <crossing fingers>!

My Most Memorable Experience While Drinking Sparkling Wine

Sparkling wine. What can I say?  It is the primary reason I drink wine in the first place, the beverage that got me into wine, and remains my favorite style.  No other beverage makes me happier then a glass of bubbles and I continue drink more sparkling wine than any other kind of wine on the planet.  At any given time of any day, any season, there is always a minimum of two bottles of chilled bubbles in my refrigerator, ready for consumption.  When guests visit my house, they are offered a glass of bubbly before any other beverage.  I jump at any opportunity to learn more about, and taste more, sparkling wine and I would die for the opportunity to go to the Independent Champagne and Sparkling Wine Invitational (ICSWI).

So when I am prompted to write about a “most memorable” experience while drinking sparkling wine I am honestly stumped.  Most of my “most memorable” moments in adulthood involve bubbles: my first bottle of Dom Perignon drunk directly out of the bottle, hidden behind a paper bag, at Disneyworld new years 1999; my graduation party from my masters program at the Bubble Lounge in San Francisco watching six people trying relentlessly to open a Jeroboam (3 liters, or equivalent of 4 standard bottles) of bubbles; my wedding bubbles; my 30^th birthday party with a sparkling wine theme and dozens of bottles of my favorite sparklers provided by my guests; teaching my first wine education class on sparkling wine; or just an average Monday evening in the middle winter, sitting on the couch, snuggled up by the fire, reading a book and drinking a glass of, yes, bubbles.

I guess if I had to choose one, it would have to be my first trip to Épernay France, in the Champagne region, about two years ago while on vacation with my husband.  It was a visit we were not intending to take and could have arguably caused rifts in our marriage.  After four days sans car in Paris, we rented a car with the intent to drive southeast to Beaune, in the Burgundy region for a few days, then west to Bordeaux for a few more days.  When I looked at the map (see below at the end of this post) and noticed how close Épernay was (one of the major towns in the Champagne region) I argued that we should take a day trip there on our way to Beaune.  The husband wasn’t into it at all and didn’t want to sway off our planned course.  “But we are on vacation and I want to visit Champagne!” I demanded.  After getting lost outside the airport rental car area, spending close to an hour trying figure out how to program our GPS, arguing the entire time about directions, I somehow figured out how to use the darn thing and “accidentally” programmed the device to take us to Épernay, and not Beaune.  Innocent mistake.

  Thus, we finally were on route to the place where dreams are made of (unbeknownst to my husband of course).  He had no idea, and didn’t speak nor read a word of French, we could have been going to Germany for all he knew.  After he finally caught on and realized we were, in fact, on our way to Épernay, not Beaune, he got feisty and threatened to turn the car in the direction of Burgundy, but I refused to hand over “Geraldine” (the name we gave to our GPS because of it’s pretty female British accent). 

Tension was rising.  Things, however, quickly changed after I made him stop at the visitors’ center for him to take a walk and calm down and perhaps have a coffee (he fell in love with the coffee in France so I thought I might distract him with that temptation).  Plus, I promised I would make it up to him when we got to his own “dream destination”, Bordeaux (on schedule for a few days later).  Since we were already there, we may as well take advantage of it, right?   Besides when he saw how my eyes lit up when I saw a road called “Avenue de Champagne” how could he possibly still be mad?  I had arrived at my happy place and I was in awe.

We only had a few hours to visit so we asked the visitors center for recommendations.   We were right next to Moët  & Chandon, which they said offered a lovely tour, but if we wanted something uniquely French we should skip Moët and go to Mercier just a few blocks away.  Mercier, they informed us, is one of the largest producers of Champagne in the region but less than 10% of it ever leaves the country because they have such a strong and patriotic following by the French, therefore we were unlikely to ever see their wine in the US.  I like them already!

 We took the Mercier tour and, with a super sized grin on my face the entire time, we learned about their history and their pioneering founder, Eugene Mercier, who started the business at the ripe age of twenty!  We also learned about his idea to build 18 km of underground tunnels stretching from the winery to the Paris-Strasbourg railway to give access to tourists, and many more of his pioneering ideas that helped put Mercier on the map.   We toured the underground caves in a trolley-type ride that was reminiscent of the “It’s a Small World” ride at Disneyland (seriously), and ended in their tasting room for a flight of their amazingly delicious Champagnes.  

It ended up being an incredible experience, fun, and if you ask the hubby, very much worth the detour.  To this day he still talks about it as one of the highlights of our trip to France (although he will never admit how much of a sourpuss he was leading up to it).

It taught him a very important lesson.  How to relax while on vacation, and to not rely on a schedule so much, because sometimes the best parts of a vacation are the ones that are impromptu, and not scheduled in advance.  And it taught me that sometimes it’s okay to start a fight… as long as it is in the name of Champagne J 

Next time we’re in France, however, will most certainly schedule quite a few days in Champagne and visit more than just one place! 

So I guess out of all of my hundreds of memories with my favorite beverage, visiting my first real Champagne house in France would have to sit very high on that list. 

 

Seriously, does that look "out of the way" to you?  A. Paris -> B. Épernay -> C. Beaune

View Larger Map

Winter Solstice & Celebration Worthy Wines

This month, for Wine Blogging Wednesday #64, wine bloggers were asked by Jeff "El Jefe" Stai of Twisted Oak Winery to write about the following theme:

"Pick any winter holiday or observance EXCEPT Hanukkah, Christmas Day, Kwanzaa, or New Years Day or Eve, and choose a wine to celebrate it! For purposes of this WBW, the holiday date chosen must be between December 7, 2009 and January 7, 2010. You may also pair a food with your chosen holiday and wine, but that is optional." 

Although those who know me know that I think about few days during this time period besides Christmas, I could indeed think of another wonderful day to write about.  Winter Solstice.   You see, as you may know, I am in no way shape or form a fan of winter.  It is cold, it rains a lot, and it is dark. What is there to like? And it just keeps getting darker and more gloomy until this magical day in the middle of December.

Winter Solstice occurs each year around December 21^st or 22^nd (in most years) and is the day where the sun’s daily maximum position in the sky is the lowest.  It is considered the shortest day with the longest night.  To some it represents a celebration of rebirth giving a reason to gather and celebrate a new beginning.  For after that day, the sunlight starts to reappear for longer and longer periods each day. I live in the Pacific Northwest, which means it is darker here than many other locations in the US because we are so far north.  This is why I chose to celebrate Winter Solstice this year.  Because I want my sunshine back!!!

So I invited a good friend over who shares my dislike for rain, cold, and darkness and we had a winter feast involving some amazing wine, food, and a couple holiday movies.  

We started out with a super easy and delicious appetizer: 

Goat cheese topped with caramelized shallots.

Basically, all you do is thinly slice a shallot, put it in a small pan with about a ½ tablespoon of butter and a drip of olive oil over medium heat and let them cook for about 12-15 minutes (or browned/caramelized).  Then add a pinch of brown sugar and salt and let them incorporate with the shallots.  Then serve over a log of goat cheese with crackers or toasted baguette slices.  Deeeelish.

 

The Wines

 

 

We nibbled on the goat cheese with shallots while sipping on a celebratory bottle of 1998 Argyle Knudsen Vineyard Brut which was tasting delicious!  Argyle is one of my favorite bubbles producers in Oregon and for good reason.  Their bubbly is consistent and delicious year after year.  The Knudsen Vineyard Brut, which is a blend of 70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, has been one of my favorite wines of theirs since I moved to Oregon and started drinking Argyle.  For being over 10 years since its vintage, this wine was toasty with a beautiful body and texture, with crisp yet delicate bubbles.  If you haven’t had any of Argyles bubbles before, please seek them out. They are reasonably priced and can stand up to some of the best sparkling wines in the world. 

As we continued to nibble on our appetizer, we moved onto a 2005 Olivier Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet, from Burgundy France.   In the celebratory mood, I wanted to open something that reminded me of my trip to France a couple of years ago.  Burgundy was a truly amazing region to visit and gave me an intensely deeper understanding of why that small wine region is one of the most important in the world.  This white wine is made of Chardonnay grapes and was beautiful, floral, with green apple and lemon, along with mineral notes on the palate with a long balanced finish.  I had this same wine about a year ago and this time it seemed much more balanced and had mellowed out a bit. 

Not quite ready for dinner yet we moved onto a most delicious bottle of 2007 Chateau Montelena Potter Valley Riesling.  On my what a beauty!  This is what Riesling should taste like.  Bright and perfumed with honeysuckle, dried apricot, and honey on the nose moving into a very well balanced and refreshing mouth with more honey, and a very teeny tiny touch of sweetness.  This was a fresh and refreshing Riesling and I want more… now!  You may know of Chateau Montelana for their mesmerizing Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignon but you should really seek out this beauty.  I bought it last summer for about $20 when visiting the winery for the first time and am now kicking myself for not buying more.

After our refreshing treat it was finally time for dinner.  My friend, who is also an amazing cook, made the Lasagna with Mushrooms and Lamb Sausage, featured in the current Food & Wine Magazine, and paired it with a wine she brought, the 2005 Domaine Serene "Two Barns" Pinot Noir, from the Dundee Hills in the Willamette Valley.  The wine had toast, spice, rich cherry, dark berries, lush, and a touch of vanilla. At one point I announced, “wow, it smells like everything that’s yummy about a good Pinot Noir”, and the body matched the nose.  Rich and beautiful and amazing with the sausage and mushrooms in the lasagna.  

As we finished up our evening we ended with another recipe featured in this months Food & Wine Magazine, Chocolate Pots de Crème with Maple Caramel and Salt.   WWWOOOWWW!  All I have to say is rich and delicious.  I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, there are really few culinary things better in this world than salt and caramel together.  It is an amazing match!  I am just sad we forgot to take a picture of it.  We were too busy devouring each bite.  

All in all I’d have to say it was a nice way to celebrate the end of the nights getting darker and the beginning of the return of sunlight for us here in the Pacific Northwest, and the rest of the northern hemisphere for that matter.   It was also a fun excuse to break out some lovely wines that have been hiding away in the basement. 

 Cheers

Ideas To Get You Through Winter

It’s no big secret that I’m not a fan of winter.  The Holiday Season? Yes, of course I love that, but once January hits, it seems as if it’s just long months of cold, darkness, and long hours spent anxiously awaiting next summer to arrive while daydreaming of tropical beaches and Mai Tais.  A couple of months ago, however, a good friend and I were talking about creative ways to get through this upcoming winter (she shares my extreme dislike for winter) and one of her ideas was to form a book and wine club (a little twist on your traditional wine club if you will).  Along with the chosen book of the month we would also have a wine and each member would bring a bottle of the pre-selected varietal (or theme) and one person would be nominated to speak about the wine. 

I love wine, and books, so I thought this was a brilliant idea… and thus the Wine & Book Club was created.  Since the two of us were discussing the idea she decided to host the first month at her house and asked me to present the first wine, which we decided to be Malbec.

We had an excellent turnout for our first meeting, with around 13 guests.  Guess you don’t have to twist a lady’s arm to come to an event filled with girlfriends, good food, good books, and good wine.  Once everyone arrived and poured herself a glass of Malbec I spoke for a few minutes on the wine of the month.

A little story about Malbec:

Malbec, once popular in Bordeaux, is still permitted by all major red Bordeaux appellations, but it is now usually more of a minor blending grape (usually less than 10% of the blend).  The grape became less popular in Bordeaux after 1956 when frost killed off around 75% of the crop, becoming replaced with other varietals less susceptible to frost.  Malbec, which was at one time planted in nearly every area of France, began losing acreage to other more popular varietals, like Cabernet Franc in the Loire.

Although Malbec (which has hundreds of local synonyms) has lost significant popularity in France, it still remains the backbone grape in Cahors (located in Southwest France), where the grape is known as “Côt”.  Here “Côt” must constitute a minimum of 70% Malbec (with Merlot and Tannat usually making up the remainder).
 
These days the word Malbec is synonymous with Argentina where it is the major red varietal planted.  In fact, Argentina is the worlds fifth largest wine producer with over 60% of wine production being red wine (and a majority of that being Malbec)… basically, there’s a lot of Malbec being produced in Argentina!

Malbec was introduced to Argentina by French agricultural engineer Michel Pouget in 1868.  However, for the next 100+ years the wine being made was basic jug wine, with no real worldwide popularity or accolades.  In the late 20th century things changed when Argentinean wine producers shifted their focus to exporting and Malbec there increased significantly in quality and finally hit its boom. 

Today, Malbec is most widely planted in Argentina with Mendoza being the most important wine growing province, accounting for about 70% of all Argentina’s wine production.  The grape grown is different from Malbec in France in that it has smaller, tighter, clusters and creates dark color with intensely ripe fruit flavors with a velvety plush texture and light tannins and goes down way too easy.  One of my personal favorite things about Argentinean Malbec is its incredible value!  You can find absolutely delicious bottles easily for around $10 a bottle making it one of my favorite everyday wines year round. 

Outside of Argentina and France, Malbec is also planted in Chile and small amounts in Australia and the US where it is more often used as a blending grape in Meritage (Bordeaux style) blends.

So there you have it.  Malbec, in a nutshell.

At the book club I had actually made a false assumption that most people would bring an Argentinean Malbec, but instead we had quite a variety represented.  I brought a Cahors (since I’m such a French wine whore), and surprisingly we also had a Seven Hills Malbec from Walla Walla, WA, a Steltzner Vineyards from Napa, along with a selection of five different Argentinean producers.  This provided a nice spectrum of flavors of Malbecs grown in different regions.

All in all, wine was an excellent addition to a book club and I’m already debating wines to bring for the next one, where we will actually have two featured wines during the evening - Sparkling Wine & Pinot Noir!  I have a feeling the book discussion may take a far second in importance to the wine discussions for this next event. 

So, if you’re looking for a way to spark up your gloomy winter months, I highly recommend something like a Wine & Book Club!   It’s a great excuse to get together with friends and enjoy an evening together.  And you DON’T have to know a lot about wine either.  Start with a grape or region you are interested in and do a little bit of research.  Or have somebody volunteer to do the work and speak about the wine.  Or if you don’t even want to go that far, just assign a type of wine and have everybody bring a bottle and just sip and discuss the different flavors and enjoy while talking about your book.

Finally, just in case you were curious, here is a list of the wines we had represented at our inaugural Book & Wine Club.  As for where to purchase these wines, I am not positive on all of the wines, as I did not get the information from each member.  The prices below represent average retail prices I found online.

Argentinian Malbecs:

2008 Gouguenheim Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina,  $10.99 (Whole Foods downtown Portland & cork • a bottle shop)    3 bottles (highly recommend for this price point)

2008 Gascon Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina, avg. retail approx $10.00

2008 Altos Las Hormigas Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina, avg. retail approx $12.00

2006 Vistalba "Corte C" Malbec-Merlot, Mendoza, Argentina, avg. retail approx $12.00

2008 Doña Paula Estate Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina, avg. retail approx $13.00

Outside Argentina:

2005 Cosse Maisonneuve le Combal, Cahors, France, $18.75 at cork • a bottle shop

2006 Seven Hills Malbec, Walla Walla Valley, WA, $28

2005 Steltzner Vineyards Malbec, Stags Leap District, Napa Valley, CA, retail approx $36

The perfect bubbles for a Girls' Night!

Yesterday was one of those perfect summer afternoons with temperatures in the low 80’s, sunny, slightly breezy… basically the perfect day to be outside.  For me, when the weather is this nice I love nothing more than to just relax in my backyard, in the sun, while enjoying the company of good friends, over a nice glass of wine.  A girlfriend of mine also shares my passion for good weather, good food, and good wine so we decided to celebrate the day together and have a “girls' day” which consisted of us catching up in my backyard, in the sun, drinking yes, bubbles! She brought the food and I provided the bubbles and the setting.  It is fitting that the only bottle I actually had chilled in my fridge is quite appropriately what I believe to be the perfect girls' night wine!

The Occasion:  “Girls' Day/Night” Wine

Lucien Albrecht Crémant d'Alsace Brut Rosé

Crémant d'Alsace is an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) for sparkling wines within France, but outside of the Champagne region, made by la méthode traditionnelle (someday I will write about the beautiful, time consuming, expensive, and labor intensive process involved in the traditional method of making sparkling wine in Champagne... which is one of the many reasons why I have such an obsession with said beverage.  There are many rules, regulations, and practices for this method, but for now just know that this wine abides by the “traditional” form of making sparkling wine, whereby secondary fermentation occurs in the bottle). 

The first thing to note is the beautiful salmon pink color of this sparkler.  Visually, it is indeed a very pretty wine from the get go.  This wine has a fragrant nose of fresh strawberries, cranberries, and cherries followed by a rich and creamy mouthfeel with a crisp, dry, and lingering finish. For under $20 this wine is solid with good balance, structure and elegance with long lasting bubbles. 

Winery:  Lucien Albrecht
Region:  Alsace region of France
Style of wine:  Brut Rosé, Dry Sparkling Wine
Grapes:  100% Pinot Noir
Retail:  $19.00
Alcohol:  12%
Where to find:  Widely available

Occasions for drinking this wine:  Girls' night! Okay, you really don’t need to be having a “girls' night” to drink this wine.  It is indeed great for all occasions where a great bottle of value priced bubbles are involved ☺

Since I purchased this bottle for less than $20 I think it also qualifies for one of my great summer value wines! 

Bubbles or no bubbles, there is something truly special about getting to spend an afternoon with a good friend, catching up, laughing, eating, and drinking together.  And to top off our ladies night, once the sun went down we moved indoors and watched “The Sweetest Thing” (yes, I will admit it… I am a big fan of Christina Applegate, thank you very much!).  Good friend + good bubbles + a chick flick… was a good night indeed. 

Who's Your Julia?

I woke up yesterday in a pretty crappy mood.  After moping around the house for a while feeling sad, for no apparent reason, I decided I needed to cheer myself up so I treated myself to a movie, Julie & Julia, all by myself.  It was “that” kind of day. 

I’ve been waiting for months to see this movie and knew it get me out of my funk… and it did indeed.  The movie was an inspiring story of the lives of acclaimed chef Julia Child and blogger Julie Powell, based on two books Julie & Julia, by Powell, and My Life in France, by Child and Alex Prud’homme.  The two stories share the fundamental theme of searching for inspiration and passion in life, for them it was through food, writing, and following their dreams.

Now I will honestly (and sadly) admit that I do not own a single Julia Child cookbook nor do I know more than the average American about her legacy (bad me!).  I will also admit that I was never too into cooking until I was in my mid-twenties living in San Francisco.  It was right about the time that I finished Graduate School and spent the summer unemployed, bitter (because I was unemployed with a Master’s Degree), and tired of spending hours and hours everyday day just looking for jobs.  My brain was also in need of stimulation since I was no longer in school immersed in Grad projects.   I decided I needed a hobby.  Something to fulfill the mental stimulation that I was lacking ever since school had ended. And that hobby became cooking.  Plus, I had cable for the first time since high school and had recently become addicted to The Food Network.  I found myself watching shows on the Food Network all morning (sometimes all day) while refreshing Craigslist every 5 minutes to see if anything new had popped up.  I would just watch cooking shows until something inspired me, then I would write down the recipe, go to the grocery store and get any ingredients, and cook up dinner each night.  And man, my husband really enjoyed that summer... and so did I!  

During that time I tested out recipes from many of the celebrity chefs featured on The Food Network but the one that I grew to love the most was Ina Garten (aka The Barefoot Contessa).   Ina has this genuine spirit about her that is so hard not to love, plus she makes cooking look fun and easy.  But it wasn’t until I started actually testing out her recipes that I knew I was hooked.  I have tried so many of her recipes that I can't count, own most of her cookbooks, and I can honestly say she has never has she let me down! 

After watching the movie yesterday, I started thinking about how, like Julia Child inspired Julie Powell to cook and follow her passion as a writer, Ina Garten has awakened a passion for cooking and entertaining in me.  Interestingly, Ina too, has some similarities to Julia Child.  They both did government work before they were motivated by their passions.  They both lived in Paris and were inspired by French cooking.  They both have adorable and super supportive husbands who stood by them as they fulfilled their dreams.  And they both have wonderful personalities and encourage their audiences to be unafraid of cooking.

For me Ina has taught me that entertaining should be fun, not daunting.  To never try to cook individual omelets for a group of people for brunch, but to make a frittata instead. To always use “good” ingredients.  To use homemade stock when possible.  How to make the perfect scones.  And she taught me how to make my first Coq au Vin (it was amazing).  So today I am making my first Braised Beef Short Ribs!  Yes, the former wannabe vegetarian is making Beef… on her own!

If you have read any of my food posts before then you may know I have spent the last 10 years as a “wannabe vegetarian” (whereby I would sometimes eat poultry and fish, but never red meat, pork, or anything I found to be “exotic”).  But through my own culinary excursions and experiments I am not so afraid anymore and have spent the last couple of years reintroducing it into my diet. On the occasions when I have consumed meat, however, I have not cooked it on my own. It usually comes from a restaurant, or if at home it is my husbands duty to prepare the meat portion.  I usually steer clear of it.  But, as a Sommelier, I know I would be missing out on the true magic and joy of the perfect food and wine pairings if I didn’t start experimenting myself.  If I describe bacon fat in a wine….should I not know what it smells and tastes like?  (Well at least smells like)

Today I was once again reminded of the summer I started learning about cooking.  I woke up, started watching The Barefoot Contessa and she was making Braised Beef Short Ribs.  It reminded me of the many scenes from Julie & Julia where they made Boeuf Bourguignonne.  I actually looked up an Ina recipe for for Boeuf Bourguignonne in her cookbook Barefoot in Paris and became inspired to cook.  The two dishes seemed somewhat similar, and both delicious, so I decided to give the Braised Beef one a shot since I TiVo'ed it and could easily watch it for reference if I should get stuck on anything.  Ina has a way of making everything look so easy.  So I went out, bought the ingredients, and cooked her recipe.  And I must say it was indeed pretty easy!

Now I will not post her recipe on this post, since I’m pretty sure it’s illegal, but here is the link to this dish.

Many Americans first started cooking French food through Julia Child’s Mastering the art of French Cooking.  For me I started cooking French food through Ina Gartens Barefoot in Paris. 

I also share a love for all things French so thought it would be fitting to pair this dish with a wine I found on my trip to France last year.

Domaine Armelle et Bernard Rion - Nuits-St-Georges - 1er Cru - Aux Murgers 2002
Only when I opened it with dinner I immediately realized it was corked!  So, so, so sad since this particular bottle, along with many others, traveled all the way back from Burgundy with me in the two week saga of my bag getting lost (a whole other blog post).

But hey, they can’t all be winners.  So instead we just ate our food without focusing on any particular wine pairing and it was delicious! We eventually found another bottle of French wine to drink instead (since I was in an “all things France” mood):
Jean-Luc Colombo 2006 Les Bartavelles Chateauneuf du Pape.  Nothing with fond memories attached to it, nor did I actually purchase this on my trip to France, but it was still fitting for the purpose of this meal. 

“The good news is”, as Ina would optimistically say, the food came out rich and fantastic, and ditto for the company (my hubby), so all in all it was still a successful meal!

I guess there’s something about France that inspires us all.  For me, I can’t begin to write about all of the things that I love about France.  But I will say one thing for sure; it is the food and wine from France that would be first on my long list!  I have always had a fascination with France, and French wine remains one of my focuses as I continue with my Sommelier studies… but it is Ina Garten who inspired me to actually start cooking French food.  And, much like Julia Child, she is not French either… but she definitely gets it! 

Bon appetit to Julia Child, Ina Garten, and whomever may be your inspiration!

The Perfect Summer Wine '09 Search Continues… They Can’t All Be Winners

Gloomy summer days get me down.  But yesterday the sun finally decided to make a cameo appearance after a week of being incognito.  I'm telling you, it's just not normal for clouds and mid 60 degree temperatures to be dominating Portland in July!  That’s why people live here… for amazing summers full of sunshine and gorgeous days (don’t tell anyone I told you that). But yesterday the sun returned, and that was reason alone to celebrate and bust out a potential candidate for the summer wines 2009 list! 

I had been looking forward to this wine ever since Darryl at cork • a bottle shop told me it was a great wine and great deal.  Now, Darryl has great taste and a great wine selection at his shop, but sadly I probably won’t be going back for more of this particular wine.  Not that its not a good wine… just not my personal style… so I am sorry my friend, the 2005 Champalou Vouvray Fondraux, you're out of the running for this years perfect summer wines '09. 

Wine #5 in my quest for the perfect summer wines

2005 Champalou Vouvray Fondraux

This wine, from the Loire region of France, is composed of Chenin Blanc grapes and retails for $15.
At first the wine had a strong petrol aroma which mellowed out after some time being open.  Along with the petrol was some pretty honey, apples, and pear followed by more baked apples, pineapple, pear and sweetness on the palate.  A very soft wine with an almost creamy finish the wine would certainly appeal to those who like some residual sugar on the palate. For me, it’s just not my cup of tea for an everyday summer wine.  I can definitely see why many would love this wine.  It is easy drinking, soft, approachable and slightly sweet.  I could see it pairing well with food, but for me I prefer them a bit more dry.

I do recommend this wine if you are a fan of Chenin Blanc, if you enjoy wines that are slightly sweet, or if you are exploring new wines in general.  Will I be going back for more? Probably not. But I am glad I tried it.  I always tell people you have to try all wines that you have the opportunity to in order to find what you like best.  You may surprise yourself.  I know I have!

Winery: EARL Champalou
Region: Vouvray (within the Loire region of France)
Grapes:  Chenin Blanc
Retail:  $15
As seen locally at  cork • a bottle shop