Champagne
09/292008 /
The grape: Grenache
What it tastes like: It tastes like what I imagine blood would taste like if I were a vampire whose victim has eaten a lot of plums and licorice.
What to serve it with: Phil Collins greatest hits (trust me on this). Gnocchi with chicken, sage, carmelized onions and truffle essence
Say this and sound smart: Grenache is the dominant variety in most Southern Rhône wines.
The price: $28
Imbiber rating: 91
The blend: 51 percent pinto noir; 49 percent chardonnay
Why you should buy it: Cuz it’s some damn tasty Champagne. The chardonnay grapes are from the Côte des Blancs. The pinot noir is grown in Montagne de Reims. A blend of 15 prestigious crus, aged six years.
What it tastes like: It’s creamy and has a little baked apple thing going on. It’s very well-rounded.
What to serve it with: crab soufflé… or frozen pizza in a pinch
Say this and sound smart: La Montagne de Reims est un ensemble géographique boisé, situé entre Reims et Epernay et bordé au nord, au sud et à l'est par des coteaux de vignes.
The price: $95
Imbiber rating: 90
Why you should buy it: Felton Road may very well be the best wine producer in all of New Zealand. No shit! They made “Lord of the Rings” AND “Whale Rider” there – it’s, like, the greatest country in the world. Sure, it’s more popularly known for its pinot noir, but as this bottle proves, the chardonnay kicks serious ass as well.
What it tastes like: You’ll instantly pick up the melon, and that’ll be followed by tart citrus. Then you’ll note the light oakiness and truly breathtaking balance…seriously, that’s exactly how things will go down on your palette. Oh, and Frodo lives!
What to serve it with: It doesn’t matter. I’d pour this stuff over corn flakes and be happier than a Maori princess watching the All Blacks dance the haka.
Say this and sound smart: Central Otago is the most southerly wine-producing region in the world.
The price: $35
Imbiber rating: We love this magnificent vino specimen to the tune of 92 pointskees.
Felton Road 2007 Pinot Noir Central Otago
Why you should buy it: This is, undoubtedly, some of the finest pinot noir this scribe has ever tasted. Indeed, 2007 is considered to be a subpar year for wine from Central Otago, but Felton Road pulled off a miracle.
What it tastes like: Perfectly balanced, fruit forward (but not a fruit bomb) with some Snickers bar action. This wine has SPINE!
What to serve it with: Mushroom risotto, preferably prepared by the chef at Comme Ca in LA. To die for, really.
Say this and sound smart: All of Felton Road’s vineyards are managed organically and biodynamically
The price: $45
Imbiber rating: 95
J Pinot Noir Nicole’s Vineyard 2006
Why you should buy it: J’s legendary winemaker George Bursick is a slave to fashion, and in fact may very well be the most stylish man in all of Healdsburg. His designer duds cost major bucks, so by buying his wine you’re helping to sustain haute couture alive in style-challenged Sonoma County!
What it tastes like: Pure elegance. I suspect it’ll only get more refined after a few years in the bottle, but it’s ready to drink now.
What to serve it with: Liberty Farm duck in a red wine barley sauce
Say this and sound smart: Honesty may be the best policy, but it's important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy.
The price: $65
Imbiber rating: 91
|
07/202007 /
CHARLES
HEIDSIECK Brut Réserve
The
scoop: If you want
to get to know Charles Heidsieck (and believe me, you
do) the Brut Reserve is the best place to begin the
relationship. This esteemed house, which has been
around since 1851, follows a simple philosophy: The
exception deserves the exceptional.
The taste: Remember when you were a kid and your mom took you down to the local pastry shop to sample the goodies? Well, Brut Reserve tastes like that, only with bubbles.
Quite a pair: This bubbly is tailor-made for finger foods at a cocktail party.
Say this and sound smart: Napoleon was a big fan of Heidsieck. He was very short, too.
The damáge: $45 a bottle
The taste: Remember when you were a kid and your mom took you down to the local pastry shop to sample the goodies? Well, Brut Reserve tastes like that, only with bubbles.
Quite a pair: This bubbly is tailor-made for finger foods at a cocktail party.
Say this and sound smart: Napoleon was a big fan of Heidsieck. He was very short, too.
The damáge: $45 a bottle
El Coto de
Rioja Rosado 2006
The scoop: Nothing
like a little rose to awaken the taste buds in
summertime. El Coto de Rioja vinified its first
grabes 36 years ago, and has since emerged as the
most popular wine brand in Spain.
The
taste: Lighter
than your wallet was in college, with intense red
cherry overtones. Or maybe it's undertones. Some sort
of tones, for sure. Cherry tones. And wouldn't The
Cherrytones have made for a great 50s doo-wop band
name?
Quite a
pair: White
meats, sushi, Asian cuisine, 50s doo-wop music
Say this
and sound smart: The
tempranillo and garnacha tinta grapes that comprise
this wine were grown in the alkaline soils of the
Rioja Alta.
The
damáge: A mere 10
frickin' bucks a bottle
All Hail the '96 Dom
10/112006 /
So there, now you have something to talk about come toast-time next New Years Eve. But just because Dom Perignon isn’t the first guy to make champagne, he is still – in this guy’s opinion – the first name in champagne. For proof, pick up a bottle of the 1996 vintage that is being hailed by many in the know as legendary. Vintage wines generally are released five years after harvest, but the rule of thumb is that they don’t come into their own until they’ve aged 8-10 years. Readers who have a handle on basic math will note that the ’96 is now seven, er, excuse me, eight years old, which puts it right at the front end of maturity. Having just tossed back a flute of liquid gold, I’m happy to report that this particular champagne is ready. Oh so ready. Now, I write for a free paper, and since you’re reading it instead of one of our expensive competitors, I figure cost is a key factor in your booze-purchasing decisions as well. At $120 a bottle, the 96 Dom isn’t cheap, but believe me you, it’s worth every penny. That said, I’m off to the clinic to sell some more blood …
This screams "Sophistication"
09/222006 /
Several observant readers who clearly have nothing better to do have sent e-mail pointing out the omission of sparkling wines from this series. With apologies, I offer this suggestion: Try a 1999 vintage Comtes de Champagne Rosé from venerable producer Champagne Taittinger. It’s brilliant. It screams “sophistication.” It’ll score you major points with a significant other. It’s $210 a bottle. There, now … happy? If you’re interested in a bubbly of superior quality that’s a bit more affordable, Taittinger’s Prélude ($70) won’t do you wrong. Comprised exclusively of “grand crus” grapes – the best of the best – Prélude is produced with equal parts pinot grapes from Bouzy and chardonnay grapes from Avize and Le Mesnil sur Oger in the Cote des Blancs. And in case you’re wondering, yes, this is indeed the first time in newspaper history that the Mets, Yankees and chardonnay grapes from Avize and Le Mesnil sur Oger in the Cote des Blancs have been mentioned in the same story. Further proof of our commitment to groundbreaking reportage and journalistic excellence.
For you wine-lovers who don’t like champagne and/or are barely employed, I recommend Gallo’s Twin Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. This surprisingly complex red strikes a nice balance between fruit and acidity, and the price is nice at $5.99 a bottle. Hell, with the money you save you might even be able to afford a ticket for the cheap seats at the ballpark, where you’ll no doubt wow everyone with your newly acquired knowledge about hard-to-pronounce French winegrowing regions.
