Posts Tagged ‘food pairings’
Textbook Chablis
The staff at the Laurier SAQ outlet were swooning over this wine. It made a great pairing for salmon with leeks and cream (recipe after the jump).
Chablis premier cru 2010, Montmain, Domaine de Bois d’Yver ($29.95, 11635108)
100% Chardonnay from 30-year-old vines; the estate is converting to organic farming. Pneumatically pressed, fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats with native yeasts. Undergoes malolactic fermentation. 13% ABV.
Classic – and therefore irresistable – Chablis nose: intense lemon and green apple over chalk and straw with the faintest hint of smoky gun flint. Eventually gained floral (hawthorne?) and honey notes. Clean, delineated and tense with acidity. Minerals dominate and what fruit there is is lemony. The finish is bitter-tinged with a little butter creeping in. Broadened and deepened as it warmed and breathed: pull it from the fridge and pop the cork if crystals and acid are your thing; carafe a couple of hours and serve at something closer to 12ºC (53ºF) if in search of fruit and richness.
MWG September 13th tasting: report (3/3)
A member of the Mo’ Wine Group has a small vineyard just west of Lake Memphremagog in the Eastern Townships. The day of the tasting, he kindly delivered a shopping bag full of wine grapes, mostly red Marquette, that gave us the basis for dessert: a Tuscan winemaker’s grape cake (recipe after the jump). With it we served a vin santo.
Vin Santo del Chianti Classico 2004, Badia a Coltibuono ($41.25/375 ml, 11544193)
A blend of organically farmed Trebbiano and Malvasia from 10- to 30-year-old vines. Once harvested, the bunches are dried for several weeks in well-ventilated rooms, then pressed, fermented with indigenous yeasts. Fermentation and aging (four years) take place in small oak casks exposed to seasonal temperature variations. 16.5% ABV.
Enchanting nose of dried spice, nut brittle, apricot and autumn air. Intensely flavoured: mostly candied orange peel with some background caramel. Bordering on rich but saved from heaviness by bright acidity and residual sugar levels that are kept in check. Quite long if not especially deep. Enjoyable though it doesn’t erase memories of Isole e Olena’s often astounding vin santo.
MWG September 13th tasting: report (2/3)
Clau de Nell, a relatively young estate in the Anjou region of the Loire Valley, was acquired in the early naughts by Anne-Claude Leflaive from high-profile Domaine Leflaive in Puligny-Montrachet. The estate is now organic and biodynamic. The new regime’s first wines sold were from the 2009 vintage. Only three reds are made, though some Chenin Blanc has reportedly been planted. The vineyards are worked by horse. Harvesting is manual and the fruit is sorted on a grape-by-grape basis. A manual press is used. Fermentations are natural (indigenous yeasts and no temperature control). The wines are barrel aged for 18 to 24 months before being bottled (with miniscule doses of sulphur dioxide). Nearly the entire production is exported.
In Quebec, the wines are sold exclusively at the two SAQ Signature outlets, and at this point, five or six weeks after their release, only the Quebec City store still has all three. Note, however, that Signature will deliver purchases to any Quebec address free of charge.
VDP de la Loire 2010, Grolleau, Clau de Nell ($33.00, 11818203)
100% Grolleau. Considered an inferior grape by local authorities, Grolleau is not permitted in Anjou AOC wines (except rosés), which is why this is classified as a vin de pays. 13.5% ABV.
To the nose and palate, obviously different from the two Cabernets. Blackberry leaf and cassis morphing into blueberry pie and gaining a rose note. Smooth and velvety texture. Simple but pure and fruity with brightening acidity, tannins well in the background and a scent of black pepper on the finish. An affable, quaffable bumpkin, probably my favourite of the trio. (Buy again? Yes.)
Anjou 2010, Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon, Clau de Nell ($32.00, 11818182)
A 50–50 blend of the two Cabernets. 13.5% ABV.
Red fruit, graphite, green bell pepper, spice and eventually ash. After a rocky start, it smoothed out. Supple and round though with a more delineated, Bordeaux-like structure that allowed several tasters to peg it as the Cabernet Sauvignon blend. Despite the green streak, the fruit is ripe and pure, buoyed by just enough acidity and grounded by the mineral/earthy substrate. Long finish. In short, a fine example of a Loire Cabernet blend that will only benefit from a few years in the cellar. (Buy again? Possibly.)
Anjou 2010, Cabernet Franc, Clau de Nell ($32.00, 11818174)
100% Cabernet Franc. 13.5% ABV.
Red cherry, green pepper, ash and hints of tobacco and violet. Medium-bodied yet the spicy fruit has a real density, with chewy tannins and refreshing acidity carrying it into the slate and green tobacco finish. Lingering impression of fluidity and opulence, not unlike a good Burgundy. Modern and polished but not overwrought. This, too, is a good candidate for medium-term aging. (Buy again? Yes.)
The wines were double-decanted about an hour before serving. We tasted them on their own and then with a couple of dry sausages and killer mustard from Le comptoir charcuteries et vins and excellent sliceable rillettes from Gourmet Laurier of all places. Not surprisingly, the charcuterie worked best with the Grolleau; something like a medium to medium-rare lamb roast or, in a couple of years, a guinea hen roasted on a bed of potatoes would be a more worthy pairing for the Cabernets.
MWG September 13th tasting: report (1/3)
Mo’ Wine Group members weren’t keen on tasting through the September Cellier releases. What’s more, due to schedule conflicts (vacation travel, work travel, parent-teacher meetings, looming publication deadlines and the like), we couldn’t put together a full house, a first in the group’s nearly seven-year history. I was ready to cancel but one member suggested we gather for a small-scale tasting with food. Enough people were interested, so it happened.
We began with a flight of Assyrtikos from Santorini.
Santorini 2011, Assyrtiko sélectionné, Hatzidakis ($29.75, oenopole, NLA)
Made to the specifications of Paris-based agency Oenos Fruit Pierre Lumière and distributed mainly in France, this blend of selected lots from four vineyards is fermented with native yeasts in stainless steel tanks and aged in used barrels. Bottled unfiltered, unfined and with minimal sulphur dioxide. About 1,500 bottles made. 13.5% ABV.
Electrum to the eye. My first words on tasting this were “crystal palace.” An array of minerals, from chalk to quartz, wrapped around a lemony core, electrified by acidity, sparked by a spritzy, zesty tingle and slow-fading into a long, saline finish. Bone dry and ideally dimensioned. Simply superb and easily the most dazzling Santorini I’ve tasted. (Buy again? Moot but, yes, by the case.)
Santorini 2008, Vieilles vignes, Mylos, Hatzidakis ($35.50 in March 2011, oenopole, NLA)
Sourced from a single vineyard, the highest on the island. The old vines – ungrafted like all Santorini grape vines – average 150 to 300 years old. Half is vinified in stainless steel, the other half in casks. Fermented and aged longer than the Assyrtiko sélectionné but bottled identically. About 2,000 bottles made. 15% ABV.
Clear bronze. Far richer than the Sélectionné, the minerals – here more stony than crystalline – are joined by peach, brine and a hint of burnt rubber. Unctuous, extracted, powerful yet balanced, the alcohol felt but not tasted. Mouth-filling yet maintaining a sense of proportion. A wine to contend with and one that demands to be consumed with food. (Buy again? Yes, though maybe not if the 2009 were around.)
Santorini 2009, Vieilles vignes, Mylos, Hatzidakis ($36.50, oenopole, NLA)
Same technical info as for the 2008. 14.5% ABV.
Pale gold. Appealing nose: quartzy, toasty lemon and marjoram. Bone dry. Crystalline texture and vibrant acidity cushioned by the rich extract. Intermingling lemon pith, white fruit and minerals. Long finish that brings to mind linden tea and rocky seacoasts. Splits the difference between the Sélectionné and the 2008 Mylos. A beautiful geode of a wine. (Buy again? If only I could.)
Santorini 2010, Assyrtiko, Argyros ($21.15, 11639344)
100% Assyrtiko from 50- to 60-year-old vines. Fermented and aged on the lees in stainless steel. 13.2% ABV.
Almost transparent. Lemon bright and fluid though, next to the Hatzidakis wines, it seems less taut and tense than the bottle tasted in June. Long crystalline and briny finish. The best Assyrtiko available at the SAQ. (Buy again? Yes.)
The wines were tasted on their own and then with food. As always, they proved an ideal pairing for oysters on the half shell (ours were garnished with lemon juice, fresh oregano leaves and white pepper). The wines’ minerality and high acidity meant they were unfazed by a tomato and red onion salad with feta. And while arguably too classy for taramosalata, tzatziki and dolmades, the pairing didn’t do them any disfavours. Though we didn’t try it, an intriguing match recommended by oenopole’s Theo Diamantis, who knows a thing or two about Greek wine and food, is the Mylos with lamb.
My dinner with wapiti
wapiti and I bought a bottle of the Movia last spring intending to drink it together but only got around to opening it at a recent dinner also attended by the other half of Pork Futures.
Cour-Cheverny 2001, Domaine des Huards (around $16 at the SAQ when purchased in c. 2003)
100% biodynamically farmed Romorantin. Lightly pressed, then racked. Fermented at 18 to 20ºC (64 to 68ºF) in stainless steel, then racked and left to mature on the lees for six months.
Pale straw gold with a green cast. Lemon and wax on the nose, with a faint oxidative note and a Riesling-like hint of kerosene. Richly textured, bone dry, with coursing acidity. Flavour reminiscent of lemon pith and oxidized sour apple on a chalky substrate. A hint of powdered ginger creeps in on the long, bitter-tinged finish. Seemed a little flat on opening, then blossomed for about half an hour before slowly losing its edge; in other words, considerably less vibrant than the bottle opened in 2007 and probably a little past peak, though still fascinating, even memorable. An excellent aperitif but not a successful match for bruschetta topped with a savoury zucchini “jam.”
The SAQ currently carries two other wines from this winemaker (here and here) but hasn’t stocked the Cour-Cheverny for several years. Hard to understand why. These days, as far as I know, the only way to get a Romorantin or Romorantin blend in Quebec is through the private import channel.
Brda 2002, Veliko Rdeče, Movia ($39.00, 11213757)
A blend dominated by Merlot with some Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon (the 2004 is 70-20-10) from organically farmed vines an average 35 years old. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in large tanks with natural yeasts obtained from the same pre-harvested grapes. Macerated three to four weeks until the end of fermentation, when the pomace cap settles and clears the wine. Transferred to French oak barriques for malolactic fermentation and six years’ aging on the lees with no racking. Sulphur is avoided until bottling, when a squirt of sulphur dioxide is added for stabilization. 13% ABV.
Opaque/hazy dark maroon, lighter at the rim but with very little bricking. Complex nose of cassis, spicy plum, iron, sawed wood, hints of kelp and smoke. Rich, broad, deep on the palate. Fruity but not to excess, the ripe sweetness showing mainly on the mid-palate. Soft, velvety texture. The tannins are very nearly resolved. Long finish with a spicy note. Very smooth and drinkable. Went supremely well with a 1.3 kg dry-aged prime rib grilled over very high heat.
Astoundingly, there’s some of this left at the SAQ. A well-made, fully mature, ten-year-old, world-class red for under $40. What’s not to like?
Chimera classica
Dropped by the neighbourhood SAQ in search of a Sangiovese to go with spaghetti al pesto rosso (recipe after the jump) and walked out with this. Though I would have preferred a more reserved wine, it did stand up well to the bold flavours of the pasta.
Chianti Classico 2009, Castello di Volpaia ($22.85, 10858262)
100% organically farmed Sangioveto (aka Sangiovese) according to the estate’s website and the Quebec agent; others say it contains 10% Merlot and Syrah. Whatever the variety, the grapes come from the estate’s own vineyards, the highest in altitude in the Chianti region, and are destemmed and lightly crushed. Fermented with indigenous yeasts for two weeks, with twice daily punching down. Macerated on the skins for a further ten days. After malolactic fermentaion, the wine is transferred to large Slavonian oak barrels for 14 months’ aging. 13.5% ABV.
Reticent and slightly reductive on opening. Begins to open after half an hour in the carafe. The nose is dominated by earth, graphite, old wood and green tobacco aromas; the tangy red fruit – mainly cherry – is very much in the background.
Rich on the attack. The sweet, ripe fruit is immediately apparent but soon countered and eventually subsumed by bright acidity, light but firm tannins, a basso continuo astringency and a crescendoing bitternness that lasts though the long, very dry, cigar boxy finish. Gains weight, smoothness and a New World-like character (driving fruit, noticeable oak, superficial intensity) as it breathes, though the finish remains unmistakeably Italian. A chimera.
Return of the world’s most drinkable Xinomavro
(We’ll ignore the wag who says “Well, duh, it’s the world’s only drinkable Xinomavro.”)
Naoussa 2010, Jeunes Vignes de Xinomavro, Domaine Thymiopoulos ($17.05, 11607617)
100% organically farmed Xinomavro from five- to ten-year-old vines. Fermented with indigenous yeasts. Bottled unfiltered. 13.5% ABV.
Cherry pie and Swiss chard tart on a slate countertop: that’s the nose. In the mouth, the wine is medium-bodied and supple. The fruit (pomegranate and cherry) is sweet and pure, juicy but not heavy, both brightened and soured by acidity. The tannins are light but pervasive and of the teeth-coating kind. Turns drier, earthier, more savoury and minerally as it heads into the finish.
A joy to drink, a vin plaisir, a quaffer, ideally suited for sweet-spiced Greek fare like tonight’s vegetarian pastitsio (with lentils replacing the traditional ground meat).
There seems to be more around than there was of the 2009. Still, some outlets have nearly sold out and the track record suggests the rest will soon.
Frappato solo
Sicilia IGT 2011, Frappato, Azienda Agricola COS ($24.70, 11695004)
Biodynamically farmed Frappato from vines averaging 12 years old. Fermented with indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled, glass-lined concrete tanks. Aged 12 months before bottling. Unfiltered. 12.5% ABV.
Strawberry and raspberry hard candies dusted with black pepper. Gains pomegranate and slate notes as it breathes, then segues into umami territory (hints of roast beef, hoisin sauce). Medium- tending to light-bodied, supple and silky. The clear-toned fruit is tanged by acidity, tethered by earth and minerals. The airframe tannins become more apparent as the wine opens. The fruity core lingers through the finish.
If COS’s Cerasuolo brings Burgundy to mind, this is more like a Morgon or Moulin-à-Vent. That southernmost Sicily is the source of such delicate and caressing wines almost beggars belief.
Like so many wines with a natural bent, it is best carafed an hour or so ahead of time. Serve lightly chilled with simply prepared white meats, fowl (next week’s Thanksgiving turkey, maybe?) or even tuna or salmon. Am also more convinced than ever that it would make an excellent pairing for that guinea hen braised with green figs.
Lapierre’s 2011 Morgon (SAQ bottling)
This has just hit the shelves and will probably fly off them. It made a fine pairing for a bavette aux échalotes (recipe after the jump).
Morgon 2011, Marcel Lapierre ($27.95, 11305344)
100% organically farmed Gamay. In contrast to the standard “Nature” bottling, which comes in through the private import channel, this SAQ bottling is lightly filtered and sulphured to enhance its stability (and, unfortunately, strip it of some charm). 12.5% ABV.
A little reductive at first. Red berries, sweet spice, a floral note (rose? peony?) and, with coaxing, earth and minerals. Light, bright and supple on the palate. The beguiling sweet-and-sour fruit is darkened by some vine sap and a dissipating lactic note. Lacy albeit tight tannins swell then fade on the tangy, slatey finish. Elegance and purity it has in spades but not, for now, a lot of depth. Of course, this isn’t the Nature. And the wine is just off the boat. And the estate is very consistent. And 2011 is an outstanding vintage in Beaujolais. And the wine did gain weight as it breathed.
Is it worth $28? The answer’s not as obvious as it was for the 2009 and 2010 but I’m inclined to give Lapierre the benefit of the doubt, especially this weekend when the price is $25.15.
If you’re one of the lucky few who can score some of the Nature bottles, don’t buy this in preference. If not and you decide to give it a shot, carafe it an hour or two beforehand or cellar it for at least a few months and up to five years.
Bandol bargain
Last Tuesday at SAT Foodlab, homage was paid to Richard Olney in the most fitting way: convivially with dishes from his cookbooks and excellent Provençal wines. Olney had a special relationship with Domaine Tempier – his Lulu’s Provençal Table documents the Bandol estate’s history and the cooking of its proprietor, who was also Olney’s friend and neighbour – so, naturally, two Tempier wines were being poured on Tuesday: the legendary rosé and the red Classique. (The 2011 rosé lived up to its reputation as one of the world’s best pink wines: both ethereal and present, with depth and substance, balancing acidity, layers of peach, garrigue and minerals and a bitter flourish on the long, rainwater finish.) Also poured, were two red Bandols from Gros’Noré, including the following, newly available at the SAQ.
Bandol 2003, Domaine du Gros’Noré ($36.75, 11553938)
The Pascal family long sold its grapes to other Bandol estates, most notably Pibarnon, but began making its own wine in 1997. Mourvèdre (80%), Grenache (15%) and Cinsault (5%) from sustainably farmed 20-year-old vines. Macerated 15 days and fermented with indigenous yeasts. Spent 18 months in oak barrels. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. 14.5% ABV.
Dark, nearly from rim to rim. Deep, sweet and earthy/trufflely nose that had people oohing at first sniff. Velvety, big-boned, savoury. Ripe plum and blackberry are the dominant flavours, along with licorice, pepper, forest floor as much as garrigue, a hint of leather and a lingering smoky note. Powerful and generous. Fruit-driven but not a bomb.
Red Bandol often doesn’t peak for a decade or two but this is in a good place now. The round tannins are softer than you might expect, possibly an artifact of the 2003 vintage. Mourvèdre thrives on heat, which may explain why, in contrast to most other European wines from that infernally hot year, this is harmonious, with nothing out of whack.
It was interesting to compare the wine with Tempier’s beautiful 2010 “Cuvée classique,” a leaner, sleeker, tighter Bandol with a more Médoc-like structure. By its side, the Gros’Noré seemed warmer, more rustic and artless, a friendly sheepdog to the Tempier’s aloof greyhound. It would be a great bottle to open for drinkers who think they like only New World wines. And it made a fine pairing for Foodlab’s garlicky roasted stuffed lamb shoulder served with mashed potatoes and celery root.
Most of the bottles of Gros’Noré currently available at the SAQ are the 2007 ($33.75, 10884583). Only a few cases of the 2003 are to be found and, if my experience is anything to go by, you’ll have to ask the clerk to fetch you bottles from the back. With this weekend’s 10% discount, the price drops to $33.07, a bargain for a mature Bandol from a top producer.
Brett happens 