WINEWHINE # 18
Welcome Zoe Hayes of Antigonish to the Whine.
I have been writing this blog for almost two years and perhaps it is time to “take stock”. Perhaps the blog is serving a purpose or possibly the time has come to lay it to rest. Subsequently I am asking you, the reader, to complete the short questionnaire that was attached to the announcement message sent to the distribution list. Please, please, please, download the questionnaire, complete it and send it back to me.
CHARDONNAY: This past weekend we were invited by very old friends (I mean we have been friends for a very long time) to a dinner party. Because we have been there frequently I knew that the house system would be to open the wines brought by the guests and let the guests choose from those wines and also from wines provided by the hosts. I also knew that for the main course we would be eating Kassler (smoked pork chops)..
Choosing a wine to drink with smoked meat is never easy, but I eventually decided to take a bottle of lightly oaked Chilean Chardonnay. I was amused, but not surprised, to note that my Chardonnay was shunned by everyone. “Icky” was one of the more positive comments. In fact, Chardonnay is sometimes called the ABC of wines; in other words, “give me Anything But Chardonnay”
Chardonnay is one of the world’s most frequently grown grapes and there are many fans of Chardonnay. I also have friends who drink Chardonnay almost exclusively. Why is there such a diverse reaction?
Chardonnay is a non-aromatic, non-citric wine that lends itself to oaking. When aged in new oak barrels it takes on a very rich, buttery flavor that is loved by some and hated by others. Many Californian producers love to age their Chardonnay in new American oak barrels. On the other hand, the world’s greatest Chardonnays are produced in the Chablis region of Burgundy where they are still oaked, but in older barrels. These wines are lighter in colour, are more refreshing and do not have the “fatty” flavour.
If you are one of those who always avoids Chardonnay, may I suggest two things: First, try either a lightly-oaked Chardonnay, or one without any oak at all. The label should give you some indication of the oaking. In fact, I’ll bet that if you try an actual French Chablis you will have trouble maintaining your ABC attitude. My second suggestion is that you try a fully-oaked Chardonnay with freshly steamed lobster which has been dipped in melted butter. This is a match made in Heaven (i.e., Nova Scotia).
Finally, you might suspect that I am suggesting that wines should not be heavily oaked. Not so! A highly tannic wine, such a Cabernet Sauvignon, benefits from oaking. The flavour coming from the oak blends beautifully with the bitter flavour of the tannic acid that comes from the thick skins of the Cabernet grape.
NSLC. I have a love-hate relationship with the Nova Scotia Liquor Commission. First they are the agency that collects obscene amounts of tax on my wine purchases. Sometimes I feel that if I stopped drinking Nova Scotia would become the next Greece.
On the other hand, the good folks at NSLC try very hard to bring some of the world’s best wines to a store near me. Recently, the NSLC staged their second annual Antigonish Wine Show. This fund-raiser for St. Martha’s hospital provided a great selection of wines, fabulous food by Chef Mark Gabrieau, and good music performed by the Jazz Faculty of StFX. For those of you who live in or near Antigonish, get in line to buy your tickets for next year’s show. Any, by the way, the best wine in this year’s show was Alpha Crux from O’Fournier. The next time you visit me, ask very politely and I might even crack open a bottle of the 2002, or even the 2003.
WINES OF THE SOUTHERN RHONE: In the last two Whines I described the great Pinots of Burgundy and the Syrahs of the Northern Rhone. Farther down the Rhone Valley are the wines of the Southern Rhone. Once referred to as wines of the Midi, these bulk produced “vin ordinaires” did not have a very good reputation. However, the present production has improved in quality. Yet, all too often one can still buy a “Cotes du Rhone” that is thin and lacking in flavour. A much-better option is to choose a “Cotes du Rhone Villages” or even a wine from one of the 18 individual villages. You can recognize these wines as they will be indicated by “Appellation ‘village name’ Cotes du Rhone Villages Controlee”.
Wines from the Southern Rhone are always blends of several varieties of which Grenache is most often featured. Wines containing Grenache tend to be rich in flavour but with a strong taste of alcohol.
The most famous wine in the Southern Rhone is Chateauneuf-du-Pape. This rather expensive wine has 11 different varieties blended together. Again, however, Grenache tends to dominate. Some of you have seen the tw
isted and frosted bottle of Pere Anselme. However, the real sign of quality is whether or not a crest is embossed directly into the glass. In recent years Chateauneuf-du-Pape has lost a bit of its lustre and has fallen out of favour in North America. Still, for those of you who are patient (this wine requires long cellaring) it can be a rewarding experience.
For my money, however, better value comes from the Village of Gigondas (close to Avignon, the home of the Pope (Pape) during the dual papacy in the 14th century when Avignon rivaled Rome). These wines are a little cheaper, yet have great intensity with a full plumy flavour.
OPIMIAN CELLAR OFFERING 196: I have three recommendations this time. First for white wine drinkers who want to experiment with a lightly oaked Chardonnay I suggest# 5666 Bourgogne Hautes-Cotes-de-Beaune Blanc, AC, La Justice, 2009.
I have two very strong recommendations for the red wine drinkers. Both of these wines are between $ 15 and $20, depending on your province and are worth much more. Early this week I had a bottle of the 2007 Domain Castan and it was fabulous. Thus, I suspect that # 5628 Domaine Castan, AOP Coteaux du Languedoc, 2009 is a safe bet.
One of my favorite wines from the South of France (in fact from an obscure area near Carcassone) is Chateau Salitis, Cabardes. I have had two previous vintages and suggest that # 5629, the 2008, is no doubt worth trying. Even my son complimented me on an earlier recommendation of this wine.
Welcome Zoe Hayes of Antigonish to the Whine.
I have been writing this blog for almost two years and perhaps it is time to “take stock”. Perhaps the blog is serving a purpose or possibly the time has come to lay it to rest. Subsequently I am asking you, the reader, to complete the short questionnaire that was attached to the announcement message sent to the distribution list. Please, please, please, download the questionnaire, complete it and send it back to me.
CHARDONNAY: This past weekend we were invited by very old friends (I mean we have been friends for a very long time) to a dinner party. Because we have been there frequently I knew that the house system would be to open the wines brought by the guests and let the guests choose from those wines and also from wines provided by the hosts. I also knew that for the main course we would be eating Kassler (smoked pork chops)..
Choosing a wine to drink with smoked meat is never easy, but I eventually decided to take a bottle of lightly oaked Chilean Chardonnay. I was amused, but not surprised, to note that my Chardonnay was shunned by everyone. “Icky” was one of the more positive comments. In fact, Chardonnay is sometimes called the ABC of wines; in other words, “give me Anything But Chardonnay”
Chardonnay is one of the world’s most frequently grown grapes and there are many fans of Chardonnay. I also have friends who drink Chardonnay almost exclusively. Why is there such a diverse reaction?
Chardonnay is a non-aromatic, non-citric wine that lends itself to oaking. When aged in new oak barrels it takes on a very rich, buttery flavor that is loved by some and hated by others. Many Californian producers love to age their Chardonnay in new American oak barrels. On the other hand, the world’s greatest Chardonnays are produced in the Chablis region of Burgundy where they are still oaked, but in older barrels. These wines are lighter in colour, are more refreshing and do not have the “fatty” flavour.
If you are one of those who always avoids Chardonnay, may I suggest two things: First, try either a lightly-oaked Chardonnay, or one without any oak at all. The label should give you some indication of the oaking. In fact, I’ll bet that if you try an actual French Chablis you will have trouble maintaining your ABC attitude. My second suggestion is that you try a fully-oaked Chardonnay with freshly steamed lobster which has been dipped in melted butter. This is a match made in Heaven (i.e., Nova Scotia).
Finally, you might suspect that I am suggesting that wines should not be heavily oaked. Not so! A highly tannic wine, such a Cabernet Sauvignon, benefits from oaking. The flavour coming from the oak blends beautifully with the bitter flavour of the tannic acid that comes from the thick skins of the Cabernet grape.
NSLC. I have a love-hate relationship with the Nova Scotia Liquor Commission. First they are the agency that collects obscene amounts of tax on my wine purchases. Sometimes I feel that if I stopped drinking Nova Scotia would become the next Greece.
On the other hand, the good folks at NSLC try very hard to bring some of the world’s best wines to a store near me. Recently, the NSLC staged their second annual Antigonish Wine Show. This fund-raiser for St. Martha’s hospital provided a great selection of wines, fabulous food by Chef Mark Gabrieau, and good music performed by the Jazz Faculty of StFX. For those of you who live in or near Antigonish, get in line to buy your tickets for next year’s show. Any, by the way, the best wine in this year’s show was Alpha Crux from O’Fournier. The next time you visit me, ask very politely and I might even crack open a bottle of the 2002, or even the 2003.
WINES OF THE SOUTHERN RHONE: In the last two Whines I described the great Pinots of Burgundy and the Syrahs of the Northern Rhone. Farther down the Rhone Valley are the wines of the Southern Rhone. Once referred to as wines of the Midi, these bulk produced “vin ordinaires” did not have a very good reputation. However, the present production has improved in quality. Yet, all too often one can still buy a “Cotes du Rhone” that is thin and lacking in flavour. A much-better option is to choose a “Cotes du Rhone Villages” or even a wine from one of the 18 individual villages. You can recognize these wines as they will be indicated by “Appellation ‘village name’ Cotes du Rhone Villages Controlee”.
Wines from the Southern Rhone are always blends of several varieties of which Grenache is most often featured. Wines containing Grenache tend to be rich in flavour but with a strong taste of alcohol.
The most famous wine in the Southern Rhone is Chateauneuf-du-Pape. This rather expensive wine has 11 different varieties blended together. Again, however, Grenache tends to dominate. Some of you have seen the tw
isted and frosted bottle of Pere Anselme. However, the real sign of quality is whether or not a crest is embossed directly into the glass. In recent years Chateauneuf-du-Pape has lost a bit of its lustre and has fallen out of favour in North America. Still, for those of you who are patient (this wine requires long cellaring) it can be a rewarding experience.For my money, however, better value comes from the Village of Gigondas (close to Avignon, the home of the Pope (Pape) during the dual papacy in the 14th century when Avignon rivaled Rome). These wines are a little cheaper, yet have great intensity with a full plumy flavour.
OPIMIAN CELLAR OFFERING 196: I have three recommendations this time. First for white wine drinkers who want to experiment with a lightly oaked Chardonnay I suggest# 5666 Bourgogne Hautes-Cotes-de-Beaune Blanc, AC, La Justice, 2009.
I have two very strong recommendations for the red wine drinkers. Both of these wines are between $ 15 and $20, depending on your province and are worth much more. Early this week I had a bottle of the 2007 Domain Castan and it was fabulous. Thus, I suspect that # 5628 Domaine Castan, AOP Coteaux du Languedoc, 2009 is a safe bet.
One of my favorite wines from the South of France (in fact from an obscure area near Carcassone) is Chateau Salitis, Cabardes. I have had two previous vintages and suggest that # 5629, the 2008, is no doubt worth trying. Even my son complimented me on an earlier recommendation of this wine.
