Sweet and Savory

I read an article that talked about a new way to describe wines or I should say, wine flavors, instead of using wine taste descriptors like; wild berries with a hint of tar or green apples with peach and mineral notes.  It divided wine flavors into two words…sweet or savory.  Wines that show dominant herbs, spice and mineral notes would go under savory, wines that are fruit dominant would go under sweet.  My first thought was maybe it would simplify things for the wine consumers when picking wines this way.  But in doing this, uniqueness and land expression is left out.  I see wine as a place, and each place has a signature style and taste that can’t be categorized into two words.  There are too many other nuances and intricacies at play with wine.  I think wines should be categorized by region, as painful as that may be, especially in the case of Burgundy, wine shops and restaurants should categorize wines by their region and their style descriptors as a sub-set of that.  Wine is all about “place” and you can’t put “place” in a two word category.   I feel myself ranting……I mean really, how would you pair your foods if you only had two descriptors to work with?  Ok, I’m done ranting…..on to something I tasted last week that was definitely sweet and savory.   It was a Vin de Liqueur produced within the Champagne region of France, NV Vilmart Champagne Ratafia.  It’s a blend of distilled and unfermented Pinot Noir grapes ~ creamy, semi-sweet with rich flavors of red berries and strawberries with a hint of earth and minerality as only Champagne can do….how’s that for a description?   A must have with a bowl of strawberries or you can have it with what I paired it with….Girl Scout cookies!

enjoy

Living Organic

Living organic, to me, has more to do with living life authentically.  This includes being mindful of my intentions and also being mindful of what I eat, and how much does it cost to only invest in relationships that uplift us and encourage us?  This too is living organically.  At the beginning of the year I decided that only the best would do…the best wines, the best fresh organic foods, and the best ingredients for my family meals.  The best doesn’t have to cost much, only a willingness to not settle.    And to be quite honest we all deserve the best….. from French wines, to sleeping on 300 count sheets to savoring 70% organic chocolate. 
Speaking of wine, I so admire the efforts of winemakers that produce wines using sustainable, organic and biodynamic methods for vine-growing and wine making.  You can find these winemakers in all corners of the world and they give new meaning to the statement “only the best will do”. 
Sustainable and organic farming are very similar in that they let the farm or the earth and soil do what they do  best, grow wine grapes, with minimal to no chemical intervention…..but there are pests in the vineyard waiting to attack every inch of the vine from the root to tip, so some intervention may be needed.    Sustainable viticulture takes the approach of “only when necessary will we intervene'’, organic viticulture uses the “only the organic approved and natural intervention methods will be used”.  Biodynamic viticulture is a beautiful beast unto itself.  The vineyard or farm is looked at as a whole and all elements; the sun, the moon, and the placement of the planets all work together integratively (is that a word?) to produce the most cosmically natural wines possible, supporting the soil is the most integral part of this type of viticulture.  The theme for all of these farming methods is, natural in, natural out.
So now that I’ve possibly peaked your interest in living organic here are a few of my splurges: 

Dark Chocolate: Trader Joe’s 70% Dark Chocolate Truffle Bars - $1.99 a bar

Biodynamic wine:  2008 Moillard Bourgogne 100% Pinot Noir ~ elegance with subtle cherry on the palate ~ around $20.00

300 Count Egyptian Cotton Sheets:  Vera Wang $500.00…..ok I know this was a big splurge….so what, life only comes once!

enjoy

Bordeaux or Burgundy?

I suppose the question of which is best is like asking “which came first, the chicken or the egg?”  I love both of these wine regions but the one that truly takes my breath away is Burgundy.  More about that later.  Let’s talk about ranking; Bordeaux wines are ranked by Chateau and those are ranked in quality tiers….1st Growth, 2nd Growth… You have your regional wines (Bordeaux, Bordeaux Superieur, etc.) with sub-regions within those (Medoc, Haut Medoc, Grave) and communal or village wines within those (Margaux, St. Emillion, Sauternes, etc.)   Burgundy is rank by vineyards or plots of land with is ranked by general zones of production and further to more specific zones of production with these zones being quality ranked also; Premier Crus, Grand Cru and village wines within those.   Yes, confusing on both sides but Bordeaux Chateaux usually has just one owner for each or should I say style and point of view, whereas Burgundy vineyards could have as many as 20 owners, each with their own row of grapes for the production of wine, each row and owner having different styles and points of view.  We can thank Napoleon III for this mandate of dividing inheritable properties equally among siblings.  With Bordeaux you have a fairly good idea of what the wines are like based on the Chateaux name and its premiere location.  With Burgundy knowing the producer of a wine as well as its place of origin is key.  Aside from ownership differences the two regions use totally different grape varieties for their wines.  Bordeaux red wines are blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. The white wines are a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.  Burgundy red wines are of a single varietal, Pinot Noir and Burgundy white wines are of a single varietal, Chardonnay.   Both regions have terroir or soils of the highest quality, but which is harder to do produce wines with depth of character from blended grapes or from a single variety?  This is why the wines of Burgundy take my breath away.  Each meticulously hand crafted row of vines produce wines with depth, individual character, and longevity from a single grape variety.  Pinot Noir and Chardonnay expressed through Burgundy from many different rows, in many different ways, is a beautiful experience.   Now, I’m not going to suggest individual wines for you to try here.  I’m going to point you to areas within Burgundy where you can pick your own producers and see which you like best.  In my opinion it’s the best way to learn about the wines of Burgundy or any wine for that matter…..taste your way through it.  Here’s my Burgundy villages to try “just because life is too short” list:

Red:  Pommard, Vonay, Vosene-Romanee, Marsannay

White:  Chassagne-Montrachet, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet

The red wines compliment hearty stews, the white wines compliment aromatic cheeses soft and hard.

enjoy

Moi Amour, St. Amour

Some years ago my husband and I spent a lovely Valentine’s week-end at the famed Beechwood Inn.  If you don’t know about the Beechwood Inn it’s a bed and breakfast that caters to all things fine wine and gourmet food, located in northern Georgia.   That week-end be enjoyed a lovely 5 course Burgundy inspired dinner with wines from Burgundy’s Beaujolais wine region, located just south of the famed red and white Burgundy appellations.   Beaujolais boasts many famed appellations in its own right;  Julienas, Moulin-a-Vent, and Chiroubles, just to name a few, ten Crus or plots of land, in all including my favorite, St. Amour.  St. Amour is a village that dates back to Roman times, it means “St. Love” and is promoted around Valentine’s Day.  The wines from this area are made predominantly from the Gamay grape (red); aromas of grape, peach and violet with a  palate feel of prominent fresh raspberries, red berries and a stone fruit finish. And with St.Amour being from one of the most pristine areas, are capable of aging quite beautifully developing into a more subdued berry with added layers of deeper berry and earth.   This wine is quite an experience and most befitting of its romantic symbolism.  One the best producers of this wine is George Duboeuf.  You can find his collection of wines, including most of the Crus of Beaujolais, at just about any reputable wine shop.  So going back to my lovely Valentine’s week-end I need to mention one of the dishes we savored…..Coq au Vin.  This rendition is from Tyler Florence.  Enjoy it with your special someone paired with St. Amour…. and have wonderful Valentine’s Day!