Bordeaux’s Right & Left Banks

              The Gironde Estuary divides the Bordeaux wine region into Right & Left Banks

Bordeaux is mecca for any serious wine lover.  This wine region is massive (eight times larger than the Napa Valley and has >7,000 wineries).  Bordeaux is divided into several districts with sub-regions.  Today, we’ll discuss the two largest areas, the Right and Left Banks---home to some of the world’s most famous wines and wine-making chateaux.

The Bordeaux wine area is naturally divided by a huge river estuary called the Gironde.  Everything west of the Gironde is referred to the “Left Bank.”  This area is also called the Medoc.  To the east of the Gironde are the "Right Bank" wine estates.   Cabernet Sauvignon is the "King" of the Medoc as the Left Bank climate and its gravel-based soils are perfect conditions for this hearty grape.  In contrast, the clay soil and harsher temperatures of the Right Bank work much better for the “Queen” of the Right Bank, Merlot.

The Left and Right Banks also differ in the size of their wineries, as well as their wine laws and classification systems.  The Medoc (Left Bank) has very large estates while the Right Bank chateaux are significantly smaller in size.  The two areas are governed by completely different wine laws and methods of classifying their wines.  The wine chateaux of the Left Bank were classified in 1855 based on which estates at that time were the best at that time (this law has only been altered once in the last 161 years).  In contrast,  the Right Bank’s laws were enacted during the 20th century, mandate that wineries be classified every 10 years.

Wine-Knows will be visiting this September both the Right and Left Banks, in addition to two additional districts in southern Bordeaux, Graves and Sauternes.   The tour is sold out, but those lucky 15 persons to have a seat will be visiting some of the world's premier wineries.

The Perfect Valentine's Champagne

Look no further if you want a special bubbly for a special valentine.  The Barons Rothschild produce one of the best Champagnes I’ve had in a long time.  While the Rothschild family is famous for both of its Bordeaux red wine estates (Chateau Lafite Rothschild and Chateau Mouton Rothschild), their Champagne is produced nearly 500 miles north.  (To be called a Champagne, the wine by law must be produced in the Champagne district of France, just east of Paris.)

The two Rothschild estates in Bordeaux have been rivals since they were first established in the late 1800’s by two Rothschild cousins.  Always trying to outdo the other, the separate branches of the family wine business have always been competitive.  For this Champagne, however, the factions joined forces in 2005 to create something really special on several levels.  They call their bubbly “Barons Rothschild Champagne.”

The Barons produce three different Champagnes.  Their Blanc de Blanc (“white from white”) is made entirely of Chardonnay and is aged for three years.  The Brut, also aged three years, is Chardonnay dominant, however, there’s a good amount of Pinot Noir in the blend, as well as the rather obscure grape, Pinot Meunier (often used to round out Champagnes.)  The Barons also make a wonderful Rosé which is 85% Chardonnay with the remainder of Pinot Noir which gives it a gorgeous color and additional complexity.

Costco had the Rothschild Brut over the holidays, and it’s worth seeking out for any remaining bottles as their cost was extremely fair at $60.  Otherwise, check with your favorite retailer or online (where the web prices vary from $80-120.)   This bubbly is sure to please even the most discriminating Valentine.

French Foodie's Bibles

There are a few resources I could not live without in planning trips to France.  When it comes to dining or accommodations, below are my two favorite go-to guides that help ensure a marvelous time.

Michelin Red Guide, France

This book is the authoritative source for eating well in France.  The guide is published annually and can make (or break) a chef.  Divorces and bankruptcies have occurred because of demotions by this guide…chefs have even committed suicide for being downgraded. 

Every year I’m in France I pick up a new edition, however, the Michelin website (www.viaMichelin.com) offers almost just as much information---and this means you don’t have to lug the heavy $40 book home (the last few years, Michelin has begun producing a paperback version, however, it’s still heavy).  Be advised that Michelin produces two guides for France.  The “red” guide showcases the country’s best restaurants and hotels, while the “green” guide addresses sightseeing.  (BTW…in World War II, American soldiers were all given copies of the green guide as the maps were the best compiled resource France had to offer at the time). 

While the red guide rates the top “fine dining” chefs, it also lists restaurants that offer the best value in every price category.  It also points out food establishments that offer a particularly charming atmosphere.   Hotels, likewise, are listed in every price point, however, those that are particularly charming are highlighted with a special designation.  Another advantage is that the guide uses symbols for ratings, thus there’s no need for fluency in French.

I simply couldn’t live without the red Michelin Bible. 

Gault Millau Guide, France (GM)

Like the red Michelin, GM also publishes an annual evaluation of France’s best restaurants.   I particularly like this book as it offers an entirely different opinion on the best places to eat in France.  Some restaurants receive ratings similar to that of Michelin, but in many cases the GM serves up a different perspective on who’s top dog.

I buy the current edition (about $35US) every time I’m in France but I always hate to do so because it weighs several pounds (recently GM has begun also producing traveler-friendly paperback versions.)  There are some other drawbacks to this guide in that it is only published in French.  For those who don’t speak French, you’ll miss the important commentary about the restaurants, however, you would still be able to see their numerical rating, as well as prices.  (BTW…the guide gives each restaurant’s website and these websites are often also in English.) 

Similarly to the Michelin red guide, the GM also rates hotels.  Again, non-French speakers will miss the details in the annotation, but you’ll be able to easily understand which hotels get the best ratings.  Unfortunately, GM’s website is available only in French.  One huge advantage of GM, however, is that it also produces a yearly guide on the best wines in France…naturally, only in French.

 Bon appetit!

Curry 101

      Curry is a complex melange of ingredients  that vary by geographical region.

My husband and I are soon heading to Singapore and Malaysia prior to joining our group of Wine-Knows in Vietnam for a two week tour.  We’re going a week early to take cooking classes on Penang Island.  But, not just any cooking class.  This one comes very highly recommended by one of our clients who has returned twice.  I am told that this curry class is the bomb.

Curry is a complex combination of several spices and herbs that vary from country to country. Archaeological evidence, dating back to 2600 BC, indicates that it probably originated in India.  Nonetheless, curry has spread to all neighboring countries of India (e.g. Pakistan, Nepal) and is now a traditional dish of all the Southeast Asia nations.  Even China utilizes curry, as does the Philippines.  Trade routes also took curry to Africa where it still plays a huge role in many African nation’s cuisines.

All curries are known for their special aromatic qualities.  Most of them contain coriander, cumin and turmeric as base ingredients.  Depending on the country (and even the geographical region within the same country), the following are examples of possibilities that can appear in varying proportions and combinations:   ginger, star anise, fenugreek, garlic, lemon grass, galangal (a cousin of ginger), kaffir lime, mustard, fennel, cinnamon, tamarind, pepper, and chiles.

Curry seasonings are used to flavor a variety of dishes.  Often used in meat dishes, curry can also be used with poultry, fish and even vegetable dishes.  It can appear in appetizers, as well as the entree, side dishes, and even on occasion, in desserts.

Curry was so loved by the British Colonial government in India during the 18^th century, that Indian merchants decided to make it commercially for sale.  A powdered form of this mélange of enticing spices and herbs was very popular with Brits who took buckets of it with them when they returned to England.  Curry powder is now probably available in every large supermarket throughout the world.

Stay tuned for recipes from our cooking class in Malaysia and best wines for pairing with curry dishes.

How to Locate Difficult to Find Wines

We’ve all been there---tasted an older vintage wine that we’ve admired but none of our local wine stores have that particular year.   Or, we’ve tried some relatively unknown wine that we’ve “gotta have” but it’s nowhere to be found in town.   There’s a quick and easy solution:  online!   Over the years, there are very few wines (if any) that I couldn’t locate with a few key strokes.

We live on a hill, which until recently, had only two houses on it.  Both homes on the street are in the wine business so UPS and FedEx know this street well.  It’s rare that a week passes in which one of these companies doesn’t deliver wine to one of our homes.  My husband is on a first name basis with the delivery drivers.  We consider ourselves veterans of online wine purchases. 

Ordering online has some real advantages.  The first is obvious for those difficult to find wines----simply locating them.  The second is the price which is often lower than many of the local retail shops.  For pricey wines there’s another economic advantage in ordering from an out of state company:  no tax.  Yes, there is a shipping fee (about $3 a bottle for a case), but the shipping fee is canceled by the tax savings on expensive bottles.

Online wine sales also have some disadvantages.  If you need a wine quickly, buying it on the internet won’t work unless you want to be held hostage for a “rush” delivery fee which is often $20 per bottle.   If you can wait for 5-6 days, you’ll be fine for most online suppliers.  Weather also can be a detriment.  If you’re spending some big bucks in the height of the summer, an internet sale probably isn’t a good idea as 100 degree temperatures are bad for any wine.

Below are some tips for ordering online:

1. Make sure you check the box for no vintage substitution.
2. Consider the weather.  If there’s a heat wave, delay shipping.  Regardless, leave directions in the comments box to ship only on a Monday (wine should not be sitting over the weekend in some non-airconditioned wharehouse).
3. Ask to be removed from any email promotions so that you’re not bombarded with SPAM.

     Here are my 3 favorite websites for ordering online:

• www.WineSearcher.com.  I really like this one as it lists the availability by price throughout the US.
• www.Wine.com.   Same as above, but this site lists many of the critics ratings so you can see how the wine stacks up among the experts.
• www.WineAccess.com.   Listed by price, location and critics ratings.

My favorite retailer, which has a website, is K & L Wine Merchant.  There's only one problem as its located in California, which means you'll be paying tax.    http://www.klwines.com/

Minestrone Better than in Italy!

       Ring in the New Year with this extravagant soup!

January for many of us means taking off those extra pounds we've put on over the holidaze.  Moreover, New Year's resolutions often include recommitting to living a healthy lifestyle with routine exercise and healthy eating.  This soup fits the bill perfectly for weight loss and health.  Oh, yeah...did I mention that it is outrageously good?

Chocked full of flavor, this take on an Italian vegetable soup promises to please even the most discerning gourmet.  To add a little more richness, I throw in my Christmas turkey carcass.  If that's not an option, you can also add just a turkey leg.  For absolutely killer complexity, add a smoked piece of meat (preferably chicken or turkey, however, a piece of lean smoked pork would also work.)

Ingredients:

• 1/3 lb. pancetta, finely chopped
• 3 medium onions, chopped
• 6 celrey ribs, chopped
• 1/3 cup EVOO
• 1 bunch Swiss chard
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 28 oz can of chopped or whole tomatoes, including juice
• 3 Qrts water
• 5 cups of Savoy cabbage, coarsely chopped
• 5 cups of escarole, coarsely chopped
• 1 head of parsley, chopped
• 1 piece of Parmigiano-Reggiano rind
• 2 cans of cannellini beans, including their liquid (19oz cans)
• Optional:  grated Parmigiano-Reggiano & chopped basil

Directions:

Cook pancetta, onions, celery, and carrots in oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat, stirring only occasionally so that vegies develop some carmelization.  In the meanwhile, cut out stems from chard and chop stems (set aside chopped leaves for later).  Stir chard stems into pancetta mixture with garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt and 3/4 teaspoon of pepper.  Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until tender and begins to stick to bottom of pot (about 45 minutes.)

Push mixture to side of pot, adding tomato paste to cleared area. Cook, stirring constantly until paste begins to carmelize (about 2 minutes.)  While paste may stick to pot, don't let it burn.

Break up tomatoes and add them and their juice.  Add water, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot.  Bring to a simmer.  Stir in cabbage, escarole, parley and cheese rind.   Simmer, covered, until green are tender (about 30 minutes).

Add chopped chard leaves and beans to soup, simmering partially covered about 10 minutes.  Adjust salt and pepper to taste.  For a splurge, add to top of soup bowls grated cheese and freshly chopped basil.

This recipe easily serves 10.  With El Nino bearing down, the soup is a perfect healthy treat for a cold and rainy winter's night.

Buon appetito!

Have a Sweet 16 New Year

        Wine-Knows will visit Chateau Yquem, one of the world's greatest sweet wines, 

on the Bordeaux tour in September 2016 

Sweet wines are not just for dessert.  I was reminded on Christmas Eve how versatile a sweet wine can be.  I paired a 20 year old Grand Cru Alsatian Gewurztraminer with a salad of Stilton cheese.  Salads are one of the most difficult foods to work with wine because of the acid in their vinaigrette.  Further complicating matters was the strong blue cheese, but it all worked beautifully.  Here are some guiding principles for pairing sweet wines in 2016 with courses other than desserts. 

Salt loves sweet.  Sweet wines can be a great match for certain cheeses. Salty cheeses such as Parmigiano-Reggiano, Feta, Manchego, or a blue such as Stilton pair well with a late harvest wine, Port, Sherry, or Sauternes.

Spicy begs for sweet.  Spicy foods are a match made in heaven for slightly sweet wine such as a Moscato or a German Riesling.  The cool temperature, as well as the sweetness of the wine, helps mitigate the effect of the capsicum heat of the food.

High alcohol pairs with high fat.   Sweet wines have higher alcohol levels than table wines.  That’s why a Sauternes or Tokaj is often served with foie gras, even as an appetizer.  (That’s also why highly marbled beef works best with a high alcohol red such as a Zinfandel.) The principle is the same.  Rich with rich.  Heaven with heaven.

Wishing you a sweet 2016.