Elena Walch Pinot Grigio
Ancient traditions meets modern elegance, innovative winemaking and just plain delicious. I’m talking about Elena Walch Wines. If you haven’t 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. 𝔼𝕝𝕖𝕟𝕒 𝕎𝕒𝕝𝕔𝕙 ℙ𝕚𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝔾𝕣𝕚𝕘𝕚𝕠 𝔸𝕝𝕥𝕠 𝔸𝕕𝕚𝕘𝕖 𝕊𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕫𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕊𝕦𝕕𝕥𝕚𝕣𝕠𝕝 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟘 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. It’s sleek, structured and just plain delicious. Pair with Creamy Lobster Bisque, Cioppino Stew, Brie, Fresh Mozzarella, roasted shrimp, crab salad, calamari or oysters, crunchy crudités, 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 it’s whimsical personality and poise beautifully. Champagne Laherte Frères Les Beaudiers Rosé de Saignée Vielles Vignes de Pinot Meunier Extra Brut Chevot, Épernay, 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 rosé of 100% old vine Meunier (average age 65 years) from the biodynamically farmed Les Beaudiers’ single vineyard In Chevot, Épernay. The vines sit in hard bedrock of limestone with topsoils of silex, schist and clay contributing to it’s 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 ‘Les Beaudiers’ stuck. This isn’t your typical rosé champagne. This champagne was made in the saignée method, left to macerate on the skins for 12-24 hours before fermentation in neutral barrels with no malolactic fermentation. The method contributes to it’s vibrant color, texture and profile. This type of rosé 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. It’s deeply expressive, intoxicating and just plain gorgeous. I’ve 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 don’t have a “go to” 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 “little blackbird”? If you haven’t 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 one’s 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. 𝕂𝕖𝕝𝕝𝕖𝕪 𝔽𝕠𝕩 𝕎𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕤 𝔽𝕣𝕖𝕖𝕕𝕠𝕞 ℍ𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕍𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕪𝕒𝕣𝕕 ℙ𝕚𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝔹𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕔 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟘 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 that’s 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 it’s glory. Before you start virtually yelling at me that you don’t like Riesling, it’s too sweet etc etc. …… listen to the Canadian – NOT ALL RIESLING IS SWEET. This adored grape can range from bone-dry to sweet to sparkling variations. It’s 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 isn’t a hard and fast rule but it’s 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
“Individuality will always be one of the conditions of real elegance.” – Christian Dior 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒈𝒏𝒆 𝑫𝒓𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒊𝒆𝒓 𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆 𝒅’𝑶𝒓 𝑩𝒓𝒖𝒕 Family is their signature champagne and this Carte d’Or is their carte d’excellence. A seven generation grower-producer, this Brut is their gold standard cuvée. Predominantly from Pinot Noir (80% of the blend which is borderline a Blanc de Noirs), 15% Chardonnay and 5% Meunier from Urville in Côte 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 cuvée is a member of their family. 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 crème fraiche blinis. It’s a sublime experience that you must experience my champagne loving friends.
Champagne Lelarge-Pugeot Bies NV
💋A 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. 💋 Bises (which means kisses in French) is a champagne that embraces you with golden sunshine and honeyed kisses from the domaine’s bees (as they are beekeepers as well). ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕞𝕡𝕒𝕘𝕟𝕖 𝕃𝕖𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕘𝕖-ℙ𝕦𝕘𝕖𝕠𝕥 𝔹𝕚𝕤𝕖𝕤 ℕ𝕍 𝔼𝕩𝕥𝕣𝕒 𝔹𝕣𝕦𝕥 𝕍𝕣𝕚𝕘𝕟𝕪, 𝕄𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕒𝕘𝕟𝕖 𝕕𝕖 ℝ𝕖𝕚𝕞𝕤 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. 🐝 A blend of different parcels of Chardonnay from the 2013 vintage, with 30% reserve wines which adds complexity. They use the vineyard’s 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. 🥂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. It’s wildly rich, sexy and mouth-wateringly delicious. 🥂🥂Pair with Lobster Gougères , Honey crusted goat cheese rounds or oysters with lemon mignonette.
Dr Konstantin Methode Champenois 2018
Vinifera Revolution, godfather of natural winemaking and 4 Generations of sustainable and organic winemaking and growers – that’s Dr Konstantin Frank. Located in the Finger Lakes AVA of New York State, USA. 1957 Dr. Konstantin Frank was the first to plant vinifera vines in Eastern USA called the Vinifera Revolution as it changed winemaking in NY and area. The winery started making sparkling wine in 1980s when they purchased the chateau and underground cellars originally built in late 1886 owned by Western NY Wine Company till prohibition. The Keuka Estate has 70 acres of 11, the oldest being Riesling, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Why is the Keuka Lake AVA so ideal for growing grapes to make traditional method sparkling wine? Cool temps, lake effect, snow insulation, soils with high levels of shale, silt loam all provide the high acidity and elegance to the wines, ideal for sparkling wines from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier, as well as still Riesling…. along with Elevations range from 950 ft to 1200 ft (Keuka Lake is at 710 ft above sea level) Dr. Konstantin Frank Brut 2018 Blend of 55% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir, 5% Pinot Meunier Single Vineyard old vine (average age 40 years old), steep slopes of Keuka Estate on Keuka Lake. Hand harvested. Made in the Méthode Champenoise style with a minimum of 36 months on the lees with 2% of the Pinot Noir was barrel fermented in French oak. Lower dosage at 8 g/L and disgorged in November 2021. Medium golden color and a creamy mousse as it pours into the glass. Bright aromas of lemon curd, ginger, white blossoms, apricot, toasted biscuit, strawberry, baked red apple, lime, pear and electric bubbles are just humming away as if they are their own entity. Focused and alive acidity, the wine wine finishes on toasty biscuit and minerality thanks to the 36 months on the lees and high levels of shale and silt loam soils. This is the type of traditional method sparkling that’s fresh, easy to drink with our with out food a has less autolysis than champagne. This is a wonderful QPR at $30 Pair with a rich Lobster bisque, freshly shucked oysters or a fritto misto.
Roederer Estates L’Ermitage 2013
The festive vibe is everywhere – the holiday music in the stores, decorations in your home, the happy smiles on peoples faces. I love it all, from A to Z. The holiday sparkle inspired the Battle of the Bubbles- USA vs UK chat with (see my IGTV for the reel). Roederer Estate – what comes to mind? Quality? Excellence? Tradition? Founded in 1776 in Reims, France, Louis Roederer is one of the few larger/grand Maison de Champagne still independently family run. Like many other champagne houses they looked to Napa in the 70/80s as they saw the potential of the region for sparkling wines. In 1982, Roederer Estate purchased their first portion of the now 620 acres in the Anderson Valley AVA. Roederer Estates L’Ermitage 2013 12,8% abv L’Ermitage only made in the best vintages/years only use the cuvée pressing – which is the first press, the most pure juice and, the best. Exceptional equates to longer ageing potential and a finer, elegant sparkling. This particular vintage is a blend of 52% Chardonnay, 48% Pinot Noir – 4% reserve wine from2011 was aged in French oak. Aged in bottle for 5 years on the lees, then for another 5 months after disgorgement in June 2019. Note: There are no AVA laws for traditional method sparkling wine. It’s up to the winery/winemaker to make that decision – be it a quality, monetary or time decision (or all three). It’s a testament to the level of quality they place on their sparkling wines. Warm golden color with fine and festive persistent bubbles. Rich aromas of brioche, flint, golden apple, quince, lemon curd and honeysuckle. Creamy mouthfeel, lively acidity and dry on the palate (Residual Sugar: 8 g/L). The lavish brioche and pastry cream greet your palate followed by the cherry, citrus, freshly grated ginger and toasted almonds. This is my first encounter with the lovely L’Ermitage – and it won’t be my last. Pair with Thai spring rolls, shrimp tempura, cheddar or by the fire.