Champagne Moutard 6 Cepages 2010
βππ‘π‘ππππ€π€ ππ€ ππππ π πππ€π€. ππ π¦ ππ¦π€π₯ π€πππ£π ππ₯ π₯π ππππ πͺ ππ₯. β πΉππ£πππ£π ππππ₯π«ππ£ Share happiness, represent terroir and family tradition are Champagne Moutard Diligent. This grower-producer dates back to the 17th century in the village of Buxeuil in Aube, CΓ΄te des Bars, (technically they are a NM (nΓ©gotiant) yet 85% of their grapes comes from their estate vineyards). What is also unique is that the Moutard family have interests in both in Champagne and Chablis, Burgundy producing champagne, spirits, crΓ©mant, white, red and rosΓ© wines. Both have warmer temperatures, the famous clay limestone and veins of Kimeridgian soils. This particular champagne undergoes a total of 10 years of ageing (a short maceration on the skins before the 2nd and 3rd years fermentation in previously used White Burgundy barrels. The wine then undergoes 6 years sur lie) with a grand finale of zero dosage. βππππ‘ππππ ππ π¦π₯ππ£π, βπ¦π§Γ©π π»ππ€ π βΓ©π‘ππππ€ πΉπ£π¦π₯ βππ₯π¦π£π ππππ Fact: 7 varieties are permitted in Champagne – Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Meunier, Fromenteau (Pinot Gris), Pinot Blanc, Petite Meslier and Petite Arbanne This champagne is a unique blend of 6 of the 7 allowed varieties – Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Meunier, Pinot Noir, Petit Arbane and Meslier. Pours into the glass a dazzling golden color. The aromas are so fragrant and opulent – toasted brioche, croissant dough, baked apple, lemon curd, toasted almonds, red berries, chalk and white blossom. The champagne is rich and creamy in texture with racy acidity and persistent fine bubbles. The complexity is intense – deeply toasted brioche, buttery beauty, cherry and strawberry, smoke, mushrooms accompany pastry cream ending with a zingy ginger and marzipan. It has an allure that is just so unique, itβs own personality, itβs own sense of beingβ¦. It is pure happiness and Champagne Moutard always brings such joy. Pair with lobster croquettes, scallop carpaccio with lemon oil drizzle or a pan seared chicken filets bathed in truffle sauce.
Alberto Viberti Langhe Nebbiolo
βI am in love with the wine and its world, its colors, its perfumes, its charm. I love its sense of belonging and its ability to createsharing and emotion.β Meet the fabulously talented Alberto Viberti. His love began at his family winery, Cascina Ballarin in Barolo, Piedmont, which continued to grow via a wealth of knowledge learned at Torbreck (Australia) and Arcangeli (South Africa). He wanted to create his wines in his style, his own expressions with his love and passion. This little gem from Langhe, Piedmont is 100% Nebbiolo. The 15-20 year old vines are planted at 290 meters, in a mix of marlstone, sandstone and sand. Fermented in both concrete and steel, followed by 6 months of ageing in French oak with a further 4 months again in the bottle. 1,100 bottles produced. Langhe Nebbiolo DOC LogHero 2018 Pours into the glass a bright ruby color with a light garnet rim. Elegant aromas of fresh red fruits, violets and roses, forest floor, smoke and sweet spice. The savory palate is so fresh and persistent with sweet tart cherry, blood orange, rhubarb stalk, ash and smoke and ending on the anise and cinnamon. The acidity is lively and fresh carrying along the soft tannins into a persistent finish. Itβs feminine, pure freshness and irresistible. Pair with seared venison medallions with star anise, sausage & lentil stew or homemade gnocchi with roasted 7 vegetable sauce.
Elena Walch Pinot Grigio
Ancient traditions meets modern elegance, innovative winemaking and just plain delicious. Iβm talking about Elena Walch Wines. If you havenβt already guessed, I am a huge fan and admirer of her wines. A 4th generation female winemaking family with a philosophy to get the best quality from the grapes by using various viticulture techniques. Fully sustainable, environmentally focused, terroir driven wines. πΌππππ πππππ βπππ π₯ πΎπ£ππππ πΈππ₯π πΈππππ πππππ«ππ ππ ππ¦ππ₯ππ£π π ππππ Pours into the glass a pale lemon color. The fruity aromas of ripe white peach, white blossom and dried herbs greet you. The creamy palate opens up to stone fruit, ripe melon & pear, yellow plum and citrus, soft honeysuckle, soft saline minerality followed by dried sage and a long finish on hum on white pepper that carries with the mouthwatering acidity. Itβs sleek, structured and just plain delicious. Pair with Creamy Lobster Bisque, Cioppino Stew, Brie, Fresh Mozzarella, roasted shrimp, crab salad, calamari or oysters, crunchy cruditΓ©s, vegetable antipasto, asparagus risotto. Wine is a pleasure meant to be shared and I had the immense pleasure of introducing a lovely group of wine enthusiasts to this gem of a region and producer.
Champagne Laherte Frères Les Beaudiers Rosé de Saignée
Meunier, the third sibling of famed champagne trinity, is being seen more and more as a single varietal champagne thanks to its grower producers such as Aurelien Laherte who showcases itβs whimsical personality and poise beautifully. Champagne Laherte FrΓ¨res Les Beaudiers RosΓ© de SaignΓ©e Vielles Vignes de Pinot Meunier Extra Brut Chevot, Γpernay, Champagne, France Seven generation producer, biodynamic approach to farming, a natural winemaker and champion of the underdog varietals. His champagnes are terroir driven, low yielding and uses just enough dosage to balance the wine. A delicious champagne rosΓ© of 100% old vine Meunier (average age 65 years) from the biodynamically farmed Les Beaudiersβ single vineyard In Chevot, Γpernay. The vines sit in hard bedrock of limestone with topsoils of silex, schist and clay contributing to itβs smoky flinty minerality and just bounces off of the juicy red fruit. Fun fact: The first release featured an accidental typo on the label, and so the name of βLes Beaudiersβ stuck. This isnβt your typical rosΓ© champagne. This champagne was made in the saignΓ©e method, left to macerate on the skins for 12-24 hours before fermentation in neutral barrels with no malolactic fermentation. The method contributes to itβs vibrant color, texture and profile. This type of rosΓ© champagne is less common as it is more time consuming to make (labor wise and time on the skins) and therefore more costly. The 2015 harvest was aged on the lees for 4 years, disgorged in May 2019 with a low dosage of 3 g/L. Only 3319 bottles were produced. Intense crimson hue with a delicate effervescence. Seriously aromatic red berries, blood orange, grapefruit, rose petals, dried herbs and earthy core. This wine is all about power – the burst of flavors – tart cherry, pomegranate, earthy mushrooms, smoke, strawberry, dried apricot, chalk and spice. The delicate tannins, racy acidity, looooonnn smoky/flinty and bright personality just carry on so long ends on a bitter fennel almond skin finish. Itβs deeply expressive, intoxicating and just plain gorgeous. Iβve never tasted anything like it. This is a richer, more concentrated style champagne. Pair with a traditional French dish of duck confit, chorizo or brie with pomegranate compote.
Blackbird Vineyards Paramour Napa Valley Proprietary Red 2011
When the temperature goes down outside, the desire of a warmer styled beverage increases. Personally I donβt have a βgo toβ cold weather beverage. It honestly depends on my mood, my craving and/what I may be making that night. This particular evening was freezing cold in the northeast, so I reached for an impressive Artisanal wine producer? Right Bank inspired wines? Terroir driven? Sustainable since day 1? Winery named in honor of Merlot (French patois for βlittle blackbirdβ? If you havenβt guessed already, I am referring to Blackbird Vineyards, located in Napa Valley, California. These ultra quality wines. They focus on Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon in their blends. The 10 acre estate in Oak Knoll has similar qualities of the Right Bank in Bordeaux – soil composition and microclimate. Their wines are aged in 100% French oak for at least 20 months. Blackbird Vineyards Paramour Napa Valley Proprietary Red 2011 Oak Knoll, Napa Valley, California Their wines have the elegance of the Right Bank but the richness and polish of Napa. The blend is 71% Cabernet Franc, 19% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet gem with a ruby center. Perfumed aromas of sweet tobacco, cedar, cocoa, sweet blue fruit, crushed red berries, blackberry jam, cola, and violets. Layers of texture – chocolate, nutmeg, fine grained tannins, velvety smooth with a persistent length ending on a coffee mocha note. A full bodied wine 14.2% abv, 11 years old it still had a youthfulness to it which could have easily aged for another 5+ years. Succulent, soft and seductive, perfect for cold weather or with a classic surf and turf.
Raineri Dolcetto Dogliani DOCG
The little sweet one in everyones eyes of Piedmont lovers is Dolcetto. Raineri Dolcetto Dogliani Zovetto DOCG 2018 Located in the heart of Langhe, Azienda Agricola Raineri Gianmatteo is based on tradition, hard work, absolute love and care for their vines. Friends Gianmatteo Jimmy Raineri, Fabrizio Giraudo, and Luciano Racca started Raineri in 2005 as a small production of Dolcetto from the famous Dogliani area. Their passion and respect for wine and the winemaking traditions pushed their dreams to become a reality. They take great pride in their eco-sustainable agriculture. Their manual harvesting practices select only the best quality bunches. The Zovetto vineyard in Farigliano is located at 400 meters, these 45 year old vines get all of the TLC. The grapes are fermented in stainless steel for 10 days followed by another 8 months of ageing. Only 800 bottles produced. Pours into the glass an intense ruby hue. The sweet oneβs delicate aromas of red fruit, earth and flowers tickles your nose playfully. A lively acidity is balanced with the soft tannins and the flavors of cherry, red plum, blackberry, pepper, cocoa, violets, minerality, dried herbs and a soft almond skin finish. The wine is all around harmonious and pleasant to drink. I paired it with a roasted eggplant, tomato and garlic tian dish with some cured meats
Kelley Fox Wines Freedom Hill Vineyard Pinot Blanc
As you know, I am a huge fan of Kelley Fox – she is a kickass winemaker and creates such pure, unadorned wines. ππππππͺ π½π π© πππππ€ π½π£ππππ π βπππ πππππͺππ£π βπππ π₯ πΉππππ ππππ Willamette Valley A.V.A., Oregon This single vineyard Pinot Blanc was whole cluster pressed on the day of picking and then racked to a stainless steel tank for primary fermentation. Aged for 5 months in neutral, tight-grained French oak barrels. Translucent lemon color. Youthful aromas of citrus, floral and lithe minerality with a hint of peach. Bone-dry with a creamy texture and delicate vanilla flavors, it has a freshness thatβs balanced with the racy acidity. Brilliantly alive and fresh in flavor and profile. It was soooo pleasant to enjoy by the fire and paired lovely with panko lemon zested scallops with olive oil mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus.
Forge Cellars Riesling
I love Riesling in all of itβs glory. Before you start virtually yelling at me that you donβt like Riesling, itβs too sweet etc etc. β¦β¦ listen to the Canadian – NOT ALL RIESLING IS SWEET. This adored grape can range from bone-dry to sweet to sparkling variations. Itβs calling card is its crisp and sharp acidity, freshly picked orchard and citrus fruits, blossoms as well as minerality. It tastes like spring in a glass. One thing that I can suggest is pay attention to where the wine is from climate wise. The warmer the climate, the riper the fruit. The riper the fruit, the more residual sugar. The cooler the climate, the more acidity the grape produces and the drier the wine. Warmer climates like California produce sweeter Rieslings, while cooler climates like Germany, Alsace, Austria, and the Finger Lakes produce drier ones. This isnβt a hard and fast rule but itβs a good place to start. When in doubt, ask your local shop for guidance. They are professionals and are there to help. That being said, a great value to quality Riesling can be found in the Finger Lakes, NY. Forge Cellars has their hands in everything – from the harvesting, sorting, pressing, to the very end of the production line. Riesling is one of the most food friendly and versatile wines in existence. Their acidity compliments lighter dishes and cuts through heavier ones, and their sweetness (whether it be a little or a lot) works wonderfully with spice and heat. I paired my kitchen fridge chicken and veggies fried rice.
𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒈𝒏𝒆 𝑫𝒓𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒊𝒆𝒓 𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆 𝒅’𝑶𝒓 𝑩𝒓𝒖𝒕
βIndividuality will always be one of the conditions of real elegance.β β Christian Dior πͺππππππππ π«πππππππ πͺππππ π ’πΆπ π©πππ Family is their signature champagne and this Carte dβOr is their carte dβexcellence. A seven generation grower-producer, this Brut is their gold standard cuvΓ©e. Predominantly from Pinot Noir (80% of the blend which is borderline a Blanc de Noirs), 15% Chardonnay and 5% Meunier from Urville in CΓ΄te des Bar. Champions of the lesser known varietals, low dosage (such as this example at 6.5 g/l), natural organic practices and less is more attitude. Each cuvΓ©e is a member of their family.β¨ Sparkly golden color. Rich aromas of golden fruit (apple and plum), stone fruit, white blossom, almonds, cherries and brioche. First sip and the freshness of the fruit is followed by exotic notes of quince jelly, pastry cream, pastry, brioche, into a spiced ginger, hazelnut and almonds attributed to the 40% reserve wines and 5% of the wines matured in oak casks. The Kimmeridgian soil lends itself to the chalky finish and bright of the blend. The creamy mousse and velvety, elegant complexity makes it a perfect go to for your next holiday event. I love to pair this champagne with Nova Scotia Smoked Salmon and chive crΓ¨me fraiche blinis. Itβs a sublime experience that you must experience my champagne loving friends.
Champagne Lelarge-Pugeot Bies NV
πA kiss is the only thing that can make you feel a rollercoaster of emotions instantly and it changes everything in a fraction of a second. π Bises (which means kisses in French) is a champagne that embraces you with golden sunshine and honeyed kisses from the domaineβs bees (as they are beekeepers as well). βππππ‘ππππ πππππ£ππ-βπ¦πππ π₯ πΉππ€ππ€ βπ πΌπ©π₯π£π πΉπ£π¦π₯ ππ£ππππͺ, ππ ππ₯ππππ ππ βππππ€ Lelarge-Pugeot is an eighth-generation family of winegrowers began in 1799. The family run winery in the Premier Cru village of Vrigny, their 8.7 hectares are located on the slopes of the Montagne de Reims. Nature is in charge of their wines, all organic and biodynamic viticulture practices in order to make their footprint as small as possible while respecting nature. This particular Blanc de Blancs is from 40 year old vines planted at 400 feet altitude on sandy loam soil. π A blend of different parcels of Chardonnay from the 2013 vintage, with 30% reserve wines which adds complexity. They use the vineyardβs own honey as their dosage of 3g/L which gives the wine a roundness (notice the honeycomb, bees and wildflowers on their label). Fermented with indigenous yeast and 5 years of lees ageing plus extra time bottle ageing. This is their last release of this lovely wine so get it while you can. π₯Rich golden color with bright bubbles that buzz around persistently in the glass. Ripe and creamy texture with electric aromas and flavors of lemon meringue pie, freshly cut citrus, tart apple and pear, honeysuckle, burnt honey, caramel, toasted brioche, earthy woody mushroom, ginger and vanilla with tons of long lasting smoke and minerals. Itβs wildly rich, sexy and mouth-wateringly delicious. π₯π₯Pair with Lobster GougΓ¨res , Honey crusted goat cheese rounds or oysters with lemon mignonette.