France’s Most Famous Aperitif was Created by a Priest

                         The Kir cocktail was invented during WW II by a Burgundian Priest

Let’s set the scene.  Burgundy in 1940 was under siege.  The Nazis had arrived and  those who could fled.   The Germans set about looting almost anything of value.  For Burgundy, this meant its wine.   Both Hermann Goring and Joseph Goebbels, Hitler’s top officials, were wine aficionados but they didn’t just demand wine for themselves.  The German military viewed wine as a way to flaunt their victory, so wine was needed for all soldiers. 

It didn’t take long for Burgundy’s cellars to be ransacked of their best bottles.  The Nazis didn’t want the lowest level wines made with the step-child grape, Aligoté.  Wine made from Aligoté, after all, was a simple table wine, not worthy of their consumption.   Hence, Aligoté was the only wine left for Burgundians to drink…and even it was scarce as there were few people working in the vineyards.

     Kir was responsible for covert operations such as liberating thousands of French prisoners of war
 

The mayor of Burgundy’s largest city, Dijon, was a well-respected Catholic priest (all other mean were at war).   Priest Kir, a secret member of the French Resistance, wanted to do something to make the Burgundians feel better about the Nazi occupation, so he created a drink out of what the Germans didn’t confiscate:  Aligoté and the simple local black currant liqueur called Cassis.  This pale red drink mimicked the color of Burgundy’s prized Pinot Noir.   Immediately it became a popular drink and a symbol of the defiance of the Burgundians.  The drink was named after its inventor, Kir.

After the war, Priest Kir was awarded France’s coveted Legion of Honor medal.   Nearly seventy-five years later his drink has become a standard aperitif not only in France but world-wide.    Kir Royale, made with Champagne and Cassis, is undoubtedly served at every Michelin star French restaurant around the globe…and for that matter, at every upmarket restaurant in the US.

Next time you have a Kir or Kir Royale, you may want to pay homage to the circumstances of how and by whom it was created.   Or, better yet, why not come with Wine-Knows September 2024 to Burgundy and experience a Kir in its birthplace.

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

Decoding Burgundy’s Strange Wine Labels

This is the second in a three-part series on Burgundy (Bourgogne). 

It sounds unthinkable to Americans, but Burgundy does not mention the grape variety anywhere on their wine labels.   If it’s a white wine in Burgundy, then it’s a Chardonnay; if the wine is red, the variety is Pinot Noir.   So, if the grape isn’t listed what is printed on the label to tell the consumer what is inside this bottle pricey wine?   

The parcel of land (Corton-Charlemagne) & its hierarchy (Grand Cru) inform the consumer 

The most important prerequisite to Burgundian winemakers is the plot of earth in which the grapes are grown.   In the last blog, the concept of terroir was discussed in terms of the Middle Ages' monastic orders who analyzed every vineyard to determine which plots of earth produced the best grapes and why.   A thousand years later, the concept of terroir is the most important thing on Burgundy's wine labels, hence, the grapes’ birthplace is often front and center on labels.

 The wine's birthplace (Clos Mouches vineyard) is often the 1st thing a consumer sees

The parcels which medieval monks determined consistently produced the best wines are now the Grand Cru vineyards of Burgundy.  For Burgundy lovers, Grand Crus such as Clos Vougeot, La Tâche, Romanée Conti, and Corton-Charlemange are the pinnacles.  Premier Cru, the second tier on Burgundy's quality ladder, is also displayed on labels.  With both Grand Cru and Premier Cru, however, the name of the actual vineyard takes center stage.

The last tidbit about Burgundy's different system of labeling, is that the name of the producer takes a back seat to the terroir and the wine’s hierarchy.  The star of the show is the terroir, and the winery is less important.

To learn more about Burgundy and its wines, we have a few spaces available for our harvest tour next year, September 2024.    Burgundy & Champagne – Wine-Knows Travel (wineknowstravel.com)

Burgundy’s Wine Trade Was Invented by Monks

      The Cisterian Abbaye Citeaux had vast vineyards in some of Burgundy's most prized areas
 

The month of April this blog will be devoted to the Burgundy wine district.  The inaugural three-part series discusses the critical importance of Burgundian monks in developing the wine industry in France.

Hundreds of years before Bordeaux was even a wine region, the 10^th century monks of Burgundy were honing the craft of wine production.  These Burgundian wine-making clergy were not only vinifying wine but they were actually selling it.  Think of these monks as the first full service wine company:  they grew the grapes, made the wine, bottled and stored it in the church cellar, marketed the wine during church service, and finally sold it to the congregation.  They actually invented the wine business.

              The Cluny Abbaye, founded in 909, still owns some of Burgundy's best vineyards

During the Middle Ages Christianity was on the rise across all of France.   It didn’t take long before red wine became a sacred drink, symbolizing the blood of Christ.   With religion becoming important in French culture, bishops and monks had a prominent role in French society.  The Dukes of Burgundy (the reigning nobility) began gifting churches with large parcels of land.   By 1098, monks controlled much of the best vineyards of Burgundy.  By the 1400’s, the wine of these Burgundian monks was recognized throughout Europe as top quality.

             Monks analyzed each vineyard & surrounded the best plots by "clos" (rock walls)

By far the biggest contribution of Burgundy’s wine-making monks was their diligence in mapping out each plot of earth in their vast estates.  The clergy studied each parcel and created a patchwork quilt map.  They identified which part of their vineyards produced the best grapes and why.  Their analysis took into account all of the elements that we know today produce great wines:  soil, drainage, exposure to the sun, wind, topography, humidity, pests etc.   The monks then built stone walls around the best vineyards.  These parcel defining walls were called “clos.”   (Clos means wall in French).   These clos remain today and are responsible for producing Burgundy’s Grand and Premier Cru (top quality) wines.

                     The monks' detailed mapping identified the best vineyards centuries ago

In effect, Burgundy’s clergy were the first to develop the concept of terroir.  For winemakers around the globe, terroir is everything in producing a quality wine.  Although there is no literal translation into English because terroir is not a word but a conecpt, terroir can be defined as the sum of ingredients in the environment that effect grape-growing conditions.   Every one of the elements the monks used to map out their vineyards is intimately involved in producing a great wine and have become part of the Bible of wine production.

The Knights of Champagne

 The Champagne brand is associated with all things elegant & extravagant

The Champagne brand is the most protected wine brand in the world.  This careful and arduous protection is done by a group of modern-day-knights known as the CIVC (Comité Interprofessional de Vins de Champagne).  The CIVC is actively involved around the world in protecting the Champagne brand.

                                    The CIVC is a formidable force in protecting the brand

The CIVC was formed in 1941.   The German army had marched into the Champagne district and its commanders demanded all of the sparkling wine be given to them.  Local wine producers banded together to protect themselves and were able to negotiate partial gifting (much of what was given was of a lesser quality, but cleverly passed off as "premier").  After the war, this group morphed into the CIVC.  One of their important functions is still to protect Champagne, but in this era it’s from invaders of a different type---brand invaders. 

 

Champagne is a brand.  It is a powerful brand.  The mere name connotes luxury.  Many would consider Champagne the globe’s most important wine, therefore, any intrusions on the Champagne name are serious offenses.   The CIVC has a cadre of attorneys around the world acting as knights in legal armor.

                        Not even fellow luxury brand Yves Saint Laurent could escape the CIVC

There have been dozens of lawsuits won by the CIVC regarding brand infringement.   Some of them have been against major corporations.  Take for example, Yves Saint Laurent, another French brand synonymous with extravagance.  The CIVC pounced on YSL over its perfume, Champagne.   The perfume had to be removed from the market.

Less well known companies have also felt the legal force of the CIVC.  Businesses producing such items as a lingerie line called Champagne, or Champagne candy in the shape of a cork, are no longer in business. Chinese beer manufacturers calling their products the “Champagne of Beer,” no longer abuse the brand of Champagne after their tangle with the CIVC legal beagles.  There have been cigarettes, toothpaste, and even cola called Champagne.  They no longer exist thanks to the CIVC.

Coming on the September 2024 tour next year to Champagne with Wine-Knows?   We will have a private seminar at the CIVC with one of its Directors.   There are 3-4 spots available on this trip.

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

The Person Who Changed the Course of Champagne

                                        Veuve Clicquot's cellars will be visited in next year's trip

If you’re thinking Dom Perignon (whom many mistakenly attribute as the person who invented Champagne), think again.   Fast forward 150 years to the early 1800’s.   The person who undeniably changed everything for Champagne was Veuve Clicquot…whose name translates to the 'widow' Clicquot. 

                                              The widow Clicquot was a formidable force

Madame Clicquot was widowed unexpectedly at the age of 27 with a six year-old child.   The year was 1805, and veuve Clicquot was left with her husband’s  company which was involved in banking, wool trading and Champagne production.  In this era it was unthinkable for a woman to work outside the home, and it was simply unimaginable for a women to run a business.  The fact that the woman was from a wealthy family (who were friends of Napoleon), made it all that much more inconceivable that she would run a business.

The widow Clicquot broke all of the stereo-types of women in her day.  Never-mind that France was in the middle of the Napoleonic wars.  Not only did she run her husband’s business but she took all facets of the company to new soaring heights…especially the Champagne part of it.   Here are just a few of her many contributions that championed an entire Champagne industry:

 

                  "Riddling" bottles was a game-changer for marketing a beautifully clear Champagne

• The widow Clicquot developed a process (“riddling”) which turned the unappealingly cloudy Champagne into a brilliant clear wine.

• Veuve was the first Champagne producer to sell wine outside of France…her customers were the Royal families of Europe.

• Madame Clicquot pioneered the making of Rosé Champagne.

• Widow Clicquot was the first person to use colored labels…all labels at this time were white.

 

Today, the much-heralded Champagne company still bears her name, Veuve Clicquot.   Travelers who will be joining Wine-Knows’ September 2024 tour next year may even have the opportunity to see Madame Clicquot’s office, left much as it was after her death in 1856.   You’ll also have a private tour and tasting at the winery.   There are 3-4 spaces remaining on this harvest trip to Champagne, Burgundy and Provence.

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

Do You Know How Champagne Differs from Other Bubblies?

                                   Cava & Champagne have many similarities...and differences 

The month of March on this blog will feature three articles on Champagne.  The first of the trio identifies how Champagne differs from other sparklers.

There is a plethora of sparkling wines available from around the world.   While Champagne is generally the most expensive of them all, is there even a difference between it Cava, Prosecco, Crémant, Sekt, Fizz and the array of other bubblies?   There are definitely differences, so let’s jump right to the most important point.

                          The Champagne wine district is located 100 miles east of Paris

Legally, Champagne can only be called Champagne if it is produced in a specific demarcated region in France called Champagne.   These laws are strictly enforced by a barrage of world-wide attorneys hired by the French Champagne Wine Association.   In short, the name Champagne is based totally upon a geographic location in a specific wine district of France---it has nothing to do with a winemaking style.

The Champagne Wine Association sued YSL for                                                  brand infringement & won!

There are more differences between Champagne and sparkling wines, however, other than geography.  Below are some of the major differences:

Champagne, by law, can only be made from 3 grapes:  Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and/or Pinot Meunier.  This is not true with other sparkling wines, many of which are made from completely different grapes.

           Yeasts during secondary fermentation create bubbles & add complex flavors

Champagne, by law, must be made with a secondary fermentation in the bottle.  Most of us know that all wine is made by alcoholic fermentation (where yeasts turn the sugar in grapes to alcohol.)  Champagne, however, requires a second fermentation called methode Champenoise.  This second fermentation occurs when yeasts are purposely added to regular wine and the bottle is then tightly capped with a pressure resistant top.   Carbon dioxide, produced by these yeast, is what gives sparkling wine its bubbles.  

                  Special tanks, made for the addition of carbon dioxide gas, are used in Prosecco

While other sparkling wines, such as Cava, are produced by using a second fermentation, not all bubblies are created by a second fermentation.  For example, in the case of Prosecco, carbon dioxide is added to large stainless steel vats to create the bubbles.   Both Cava and Prosecco also use completely different grapes than those used in Champagne.

Crémant, a sparkling wine produced using a second fermentation in many regions of France (other than Champagne), differs from Champagne because Crémant has less atmospheric pressure in its bottles---this translates to softer bubbles.  It should also be noted that Crémant is often made from entirely different grapes than used in Champagne.  For example, in Alsace, Crémant can be made from Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and even Riesling.

In summary, Champagne differs from other bubblies because it is based upon a specific geographical location, and there are very stringent rules within the Champagne appellation on how this sparkling wine is produced.     

 

Capers & Caper Berries—Do You Really Know What They Are?

                                          Capers & caper berries come from the same plant

Living in California and a frequent traveler to Mediterranean countries like Italy, Greece, France and Spain, I find capers as an ingredient on menus at all of these locations.  Love veal piccata?   Capers are a critical ingredient to its lemony sauce.  Lox and bagels?  Don’t even think of serving them without capers.   Julia Child’s epiphany, sole meunière?  Not possible without capers.  A Greek salad?   One without capers isn’t Greek at all.   Many of us cook with capers (and some with caper berries), however, do you know what they really are?  And, do you know the difference?

 

                                  Caper plants grow wild throughout the Mediterranean

Let’s start with the basics.  Capers and caper berries both come from a caper bush plant.  These 3-4 foot tall bushes (with a width of 5-7 feet) grow wild in the Mediterranean landscape.   In many ways these plants are like a weed, popping up everywhere, even in the most inhospitable of conditions…. thriving in the most arid and hottest of locations without any type of care.   Caper plants, for example, love the cracks and crevices of centuries-old stone walls from where they often cascade down several feet, growing seemingly out of no where.  They flourish often where nothing else will grow. 

Capers are the unopened, unripened, buds of a caper bush.   The tiniest of these unopened buds (about the size of a peppercorn) are the most prized capers as they have a better flavor and a more delicate texture than the larger ones.  These baby capers are called “non pareil,” which in French translates to “has no equal.”  Capers come in several sizes (the largest ones are 2-3 times the size of non pareil).  The larger the caper, the more acidic and the less expensive.

            When the caper flower falls off it is replaced by a fruit which is the actual caper berry

When the immature caper bud is not picked, it eventually develops into a beautiful flower.  Later in the season, the flower falls off and is replaced by a fruit.   This fruit is the caperberry.  The oblong shaped berry, about the size of an olive, is not quite as intense in its taste as its caper relative, but it has a milder, similar flavor profile.

       This sunning starter in Croatia featured capers, caper berries & pickled caper leaves

Capers and caperberries add a brilliant burst of flavor to many dishes.  The two can be used in the same dish, or perhaps the caper utilized in the recipe and the caperberry used as a garnish? (This is especially nice if the berry is cut open so that diners can see its inside, and the berry’s stem is left intact for some showmanship in plating).   This also creates a perfect opportunity for the host and hostess to explain the difference between these two delicious food products.