3 California Wines To Consider

 
     A built-in-the-round wine cellar was one of our first projects when we moved to San Diego

In 2009 when we moved from the San Francisco Bay Area to San Diego County we moved >2,000 bottles of wine down in a large, refrigerated truck.  Today our cellar has about 50% of what we transported to San Diego, and our wine purchases have slowed to a drip as we add more birthdays.  Five years ago my husband and I went on a moratorium for wine buying….my husband thought this meant “more” wine, however, after a serious talk regarding our ages we agreed that our serious wine buying days were over.   Today we rarely buy cases of wine, however, this article discusses three stellar case exceptions that were added to our cellar in 2023.

      Santa Rita Hills are the only east to west hills in Cali, thus allow the cooling influence of the sea

Brewer-Clifton

Santa Barbara County is making some great wines, however, Brewer Clifton (BC) produces some phenomenal wines.  Two of our three cases from 2023 came from BC.  Greg Brewer, named Winemaker of the Year in 2021, is the owner & winemaker and we were fortunate to have him meet us for a tasting.   The first case we purchased was the stunning Perilune Chardonnay sourced from fruit in the coveted Perilune vineyard of the Santa Rita Hills.   This is a limited production wine, but I can say that my love for it was limitless.  $80 bucks a bottle and worth every penny in my opinion, it’s only available at the winery (however, they ship).

The second of our year’s few cases purchased was Brewer Clifton’s Machado Vineyard Pinot Noir.  Our cellar has an enormous amount of Pinot Noir from Burgundy and California so the fact that we walked out with 12 more bottles of this variety is testimony to the quality of this wine.  After the tasting I discovered it had been given a score of 97 by a serious wine critic.  Personally, I would even rate it higher:  $90 per bottle of pure hedonistic pleasure.

       Beringer Winery, one of Napa Valley's architectural masterpieces, also makes masterful wines

Beringer Private Reserve Chardonnay 2021

The last wine we purchased recently we learned of at a private autumn several-course dinner at a restaurant in San Diego where each course was paired with a different wine.   The wine distributor for the portfolio of terrific wines was present and discussed each wine.  Beringer’s Private Reserve Char was the first out of the gate and was paired with crab cakes.  Our table was the first poured of the 50 persons present, so we were able to enjoy the Char both as an aperitif and a small refill with the crab cakes.  There were 4 other great wines presented that evening but I couldn’t keep thinking about the first.  The next day I ordered a case.  I wasn’t surprised to learn that the Wine Spectator’s James Suckling had given it score of 98.  This Char has a great QP/R at $37 per bottle and is available at Total Wine.

Cheers to a healthy 2024 filled with some memorable wines!

 

 

 

 

 

Roll Out the RED Carpet for the Holidays!

                                                       Chambord screams holiday splurge!

This blog's theme for the month of December has been the color red.  The last in the trio of articles is about the scarlet red-colored liqueur Chambord.  Made from a melange of berries (e.g. raspberries, currants and blackberries), Chambord is named after the illustrious Chateau Chambord in France's Loire Valley where a drink using a similar berry liqueur was served to King Louis XIV nearly 400 years ago.

Chambord is a premium liqueur that uses XO French Cognac as its base, along with Madagascar vanilla, Moroccan citrus, and exotic spices such as cinnamon, cloves and ginger.   While the French Chambord brand was birthed in the 1980's in France, in 2006 it was purchased by the American liquor conglomerate Brown-Forman who owns famous brands such as Jack Daniels, Finlandia, and several Scotch companies.   

A Chambord Spritz with a sprig of mint makes for a perfect holiday aperitif

With a bottle that is instantly recognizable behind a bar, Chambord has become a favorite of many mixologists for its flavor profile and intense red color.  Perhaps the most famous aperitif made with Chambord is a deluxe Kir Royale (often called a Kir Imperial), where a couple of teaspoons are added to a flute of Champagne (the non-deluxe version uses Creme de Cassis, a less expensive berry liqueur).   It's not unusual to see such drinks as a Chambord Moscow mule, Chambord gin fizz, or even a Chambord margarita on upmarket bar drink lists.

Chambord is on the pricey side, but remember a little goes a long way.  While the large bottle is beautiful, I suggest you consider a smaller one.  Once opened, the liqueur only lasts about six months.  After that period Chambord oxidizes and turns an orange-brown with an off-putting taste. 

Toasting you Happy Holidaze with a Kir Imperiale!

"Seeing Red" for the Holidaze

                      These oven-ready lamb-stuffed piquillos are a stunning holiday show-stopper
 

"Red" is the theme for December's blog and this will be the second article in a three-part Holiday series.  Today we pay tribute to the neon-red colored piquillo pepper from Spain.  In case you don't know them, piquillos are sweet, smoky flavor-bombs that can be served multiple ways.  Their color and the fact that they can be easily stuffed with a huge variety of scrumptious goodies make them perfect gastronomic treats for yuletide tapas.

                                        Goat cheese & chive-filled piquillos scream holidaze

One of my favorite stuffings is minced lamb mixed with a host of Middle Eastern spices such as tumeric, toasted cumin and fresh mint.  Top them with minced chives and you have Christmas on a plate.  Other faves of mine are a goat cheese-stuffed piquillo, or an earthy wild-mushroom & truffle filling.  But the sky's the limit as piquillos make a wonderful ingredient in a holiday omelet, pasta, risotto, or even blended to make a lip-stick red holiday sauce. 

But, wait!   December is dungeness crab season on the west coast which means piquillos can be filled with crab for a very special holiday appetizer (or first course).  I mix a little binding agent (Greek yogurt is okay if you're watching fat content, or if you're blowing the wad for the season use creme fraiche).   Mince into the crab mixture a little fresh tarragon and you have a decadent, colorful, and absolutely outrageous yuletide dish.

Note:  if you can't find piquillos, they are available online.

Happy holidaze....

Shades of Red for the Holidays

 

These very light-colored Kir Royales had only a teaspoon of Cassis

Hello, December!   This article is the first in the month's trio of "Seeing Red" in honor of the traditional red color of the Holidays.  December's blog will cover Spain's neon-red piquillo peppers, as well as two popular scarlet red liqueurs, Cassis and Chambord.   Today's posting is about the red colored liqueur made of black currants from the hills of Burgundy in France.  Commonly called Cassis, it's proper name is actually Creme de Cassis.

             Typically a Kir's ratio is 1 part of Cassis to 4 parts of white wine for a much deeper red

Open a bottle of Creme de Cassis and you'll find it's like dipping your nose into a jar of berry jam at a farmer's market.   Sip a taste and you'll find that Cassis is sweet, but not cloyingly so.  With an alcohol level of 15% (not much higher than wine), Cassis is now a popular ingredient in aperitifs and cocktails.  In fact, two of France's most famous pre-dinner drinks use Cassis: both Kir Royale (made with Champagne) and Kir (made from a still white wine), contain Creme de Cassis.

                                    Priest Kir was an active participant in the French Resistance

Kir and Kir Royale are named after the inventor of the drinks, a priest who was mayor of Dijon during the Nazi occupation of France.  During this period it was required that Burgundy's top wines be handed over to the Nazis which left little available for the locals.  The step-sister white Aligote wine wasn't wanted by the Nazi.   Mayor Kir came up with the brilliant idea of mixing Aligote with Creme de Cassis (the Nazis didn't want it either).  The "kir" drink pale red color mimicked the color of Burgundy's purloined Pinot Noir.  And, as they say, the rest is history. 

                                    The hills of the Cote D'or are the Rodeo Drive of Burgundy
            

Creme de Cassis has been made in Burgundy for nearly 200 years.  While some of the world's most famous wine (think Romanee Conti) is produced in Burgundy, the higher elevations of the legendary Cote D'or ("hills of gold") is black currant territory.  The recipe for Cassis is simple:  black currants are macerated with an odorless and flavorless alcohol and a little sugar is added.   

Wine-Knows will be visiting Burgundy during the September grape harvest next year.  We still have 3 spaces available.  Why not join the group and have a Kir Royale at its birthplace?

Wine-Knows Travel – For the Discerning Traveler (wineknowstravel.com)

     

Sensuous Whites of the Southern Rhone

                                       
                                Switzerland's Rhone Glacier is the birthplace of the Rhone River

Today's blog will discuss the rare but wonderfully voluptuous white wines of the Southern Rhone River Valley.  The Rhone River is one of the most significant waterways in all of Europe.   Birthed in the Swiss Alps near Geneva, the river flows westward into France, then makes a sharp turn in the city of Lyon southward toward the Mediterranean.   On its southern journey to the sea, the Rhone River passes through both of the coveted viticultural areas of the Northern and Southern Rhone. 

White wine in the Southern Rhone accounts for only 4% of the wine production.  These whites are scarce little gems.  Whenever I'm in France dining at a Michelin star restaurant this wine region is one of the first I turn to on their wine list.   I love the white grape varieties used in these white blends.   (Also, I love the area's reds but they are plentiful in the US, so why not try for something I can't get so easily back home?)  If there's a white from the Chateauneuf-du-Pape appellation, that will be one of the first I consider.

Wine-Knows will be visiting this esteemed Chateauneuf-du-Pape producer on their 2024 trip

As the Rhone River weaves its way toward the Mediterranean the southern section the valley widens and the climate changes.  This area becomes more Provence-like with strong influences of the Mediterranean in their culture and warmer weather than its northern counterpart.   While the white grapes in both the north and the south are the same varieties, the distinctly warmer summers and milder winters of the southern Rhone produce more voluptuous white wines.

Even the actual bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape is elegant with embossed lettering

White wines of the Southern Rhone, especially those of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, are some of France's most elegant and prestigious whites.    Always blended, they are elegant, rich, full-bodied seductive bombs of tropical fruit, laced with stone fruit and citrus notes in the background.  The four most common grapes found in the blends are Roussane, Grenache Blanc, Clairette Blanc and Bouboulenc.  To learn what each of these grapes contribute to the blend, join Wibne-Knows on its September 2024 tour to the Rhone, Champagne, Burgundy and Provence. 

Let me close by saying, "There's no place like Rhone...," especially the southern whites.

Seductive Reds of Chateauneuf-du-Pape

            Rocks from the nearby Rhone River help warm the vines in winter & cool them in summer 

This is the second article in November's trio on the wines of the Southern Rhone.

The first blog of this series discussed the genesis of the name Chateauneuf-du-Pape (CdP), the "new chateau of the Pope," which came about when the papacy was moved from Rome to the southern Rhone Valley.  Today, we'll learn about the highly coveted reds of CdP.  It is important to note that these red wines are blended wines...from both red and white grapes.  This blog will address the main red grapes used in these red wines. 

                          CdP is located <10 miles north of the Papal Palace in Avignon

With more than 8,000 acres of vines planted, CdP is the largest appellation in the Rhone.  Red wine is King in this area and represents 94% of the district's production.  Of the eight red varietals planted, Grenache leads the pack accounting for approximately 3/4 of the vines.  Grenache offers medium tannins and acids so it is often much more approachable at a younger age than a Cab Sauvignon.  Flavors of Grenache are strawberry, cherry and raspberry laced with nuances of cinnamon and licorice.  As CdP's reds are blended, however, Grenache is never vinified as a varietal in this appellation.

Syrah, the second most popular red grape, is another important part of CdP's blends.   While Syrah grapes are only 12% of the vines, this variety is important to the blend.  Deep colored Syrah is added to darken up Grenache which is far lighter in color.   Syrah also has more tannins and acids than the far more gentle Grenache so it adds structure to the blend.   While Grenache offers red fruit flavors, Syrah's contribution is black fruit, as well as chocolate and pepper notes.

                                Everything in the village of CdP is wine centric

The third grape most used in CdP reds is Mourvedre.  While accounting for <10% of the vines planted, Mourvedre adds an important profile to these blended wines.  Like Syrah, Mourvedre adds structure and dark fruit flavors, however, it also brings the grapes' signature nuances of cedar and herbal aromas...both adding layered complexity to the blend.   As Mourvedre thrives in the heat and is drought tolerant, this grape is now seen as a hedge against global warming.

Wine-Knows will be spending a day in Chateauneuf-du-Pape learning about these gorgeously complex blends.   We have 2-3 spaces available on our September 2024 harvest trip.     Burgundy & Champagne – Wine-Knows Travel (wineknowstravel.com)

How the Popes Changed French Wine History

                 Pape Clement V changed the location of the Popes from the Vatican to France

This is the first article in a three-part series during November on the illustrious wines of France's Southern Rhone wine district.

Did you know the Papacy moved from Vatican City in Rome to the French city of Avignon from 1309 to 1376?  For nearly seventy years seven Popes ruled the Catholic Church from southern France's Rhone Valley.   Today, their majestic Papal Palace remains one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in all of Europe.

                           Avignon's Papal Palace is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site

The first French Pope, Clement V, was the former Archbishop of Bordeaux.  Fearing chaos in Rome after his controversial election to Pople, he refused to move to Rome.  Instead, Clement V did the unthinkable and set up oversight of the Papacy in the Episcopal place of the Bishops of Avignon.  Located on a natural rocky outcrop, the palace offered unobstructed views of the Rhone River just below it. 

                      The hilltop "new chateau of the Pope" offers a 360 panorama of vineyards

Clement V loved the countryside just outside of Avignon and stayed at various chateaux in the rural area frequently for extended periods.  His rule as Pope was cut short when he died in 1315.  His successor, Pope John XII, decided to build a summer chateau in this very area.   His Papal residence was called Chateauneuf du Pape, the "new castle of the Pope."   It wasn't long before the area around the chateau prospered and a village evolved at the foot of the castle.   A sea of wine grapes was soon planted as far as the eye could see as Clement V and all of the subsequent "Avignon Popes" were great lovers of wine.

Come experience the Chateauneuf-du-Pape harvest with Wine-Knows in September 2024

Today, this area is one of the most famous wine appellations in France:  Chateauneuf-du-Pape.  Wine-Knows will be visiting Chateauneuf-du-Pape next year for the grape harvest.  At this point, we have spots remaining for two or three lucky travelers.

Learn about the magnificent red wines of Chateauneuf-du-Pape in the next article of this series which will appear on November 15.  In the meanwhile, explore Wine-Knows' trip to Chateauneuf-du-Pape, which also visits Champagne & Burgundy!

Burgundy & Champagne – Wine-Knows Travel (wineknowstravel.com)