Palates and Pallets: Wine Tasting and Jewelry Pairing

Wine is complex. There is no one factor that makes for a great wine, although there are many components that contribute to a great wine. Starting from the beginning, great wine starts with great terroir. What is terroir? It is an all encompassing term that refers to soil and climate. Soil contributes 46 elements to the roots, each element or geographically unique molecular arrangement of elements give the grapes complexity, finesse and minerality. When a winemaker works in harmony with the land the wine they produce is a reflection of that land.

Visually wine is also complex. When you tilt a glass of wine with the light shining through different colors diffuse indicating the pH of the wine. The anthocyanins work with pH to create color variation; red, blue and colorless. For example Pinot Noir is a high acid wine, with a low pH and only emit red colors, Zinfandel on the other hand has a higher pH and emits blue colors. Chardonnay has blue and colorless colors that reflect from the glass, this is a great way to have even more fun while drinking wine.

Winemakers and Jewelers shape the product of the earth, one with grapes and yeasts and the other with gems and metals. They influence the final product with a variety of decisions they make each step of the way. A winemaker can choose to practice natural winemaking or go the more conventional route by using chemical fertilizers and other unnatural ingredients just as a jeweler can choose to make jewelry out of real gemstones or glass replicas, high quality metals or cheap alloys. Each decision is a part of the final outcome, and methods employed are apparent in the final product.

The parallels between fine wine and fine jewelry are unmistakable, this is a chance for us to experience them together and appreciate their harmony.

NV Charton- Talliet Cuveé Sainte Anne $41

Region: Montagne de Reims, Champagne, France

Varietal(s): Chardonnay, Pinot Noir

Winemaker: Alexander Chartogne

In a world of constant change it is refreshing to find a vestige of the past that doesn’t shun modernity but rather works to marry tradition and technology. Alexander Chartogne is one such man. He is the product of the seamless transition of generations, where he has built upon a solid foundation of history. He was lauded by the prestigious Bettane & Desauve wine guide; France’s most important wine publication as being “Discovery of the Year”. This was an honor in more than one way as the young man, still in his twenties was being heralded as the next winemaker in Champagne to watch, just a few years after he accepted the reigns of wine production from his parents.

NV Drusian Rosé Mari $16

Region: Valdobbiadene, Veneto, Italy

Varietal(s): Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir)

Winemaker: Francesco Drusian

This beautiful delightfully pink bubbly was selected for its color, redolent of gems such as morganite and tourmaline, and of course its utter drinkability. It comes from Valdobbiadene, a picturesque region below the Alps in northeastern Italy where Prosecco is produced. The Drusian Family, who have a dear love for the land and its grapes, have been producing wine for three generations starting with Guiseppino in the middle of the 19^th century. This wine underwent the Charmat method to produce its fine bubbles.

2008 Merieau Les Hexagonales $14.5

Region: Touraine, Loire Valley, France

Varietal(s): Sauvignon Blanc

Winemaker: Jean-François Merieau

This white wine is fresh and welcoming, with a beautiful label that conjures images of gems such as peridot and stones such as turquoise. It has lovely citrus notes accompanied by light notes of white peach and stunning minerality. It is made by winemaker Jean- François Merieau, who recently took over the estate from his father. The Merieau domain claims 12 different types of soil over 32 hectares, each with their own mineral composition leading to a more complex wine. The average age of the vines are over 50 years old. Older vines are attractive to winemakers for a myriad of reasons some of them being the fact that they produce less fruit with more complexity, and have deeper roots picking up a wider array of minerals from the various tiers of earth.

2007 Jermann Vintage Tunina $74

Region: Venezia Guilia, Friuli, Italy

Varietal(s): Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia, Istriana and Picolit

Winemaker: Silvio Jermann

Vintage Tunina holds romance and intrigue like few wines. It is deep, complex and compelling. The winemaker Silvio Jermann named this wine after two compelling ladies;the original owner of the vineyard Antonia whose pet name was “Tunina”, and Casanova’s only lover to have been of humble birth. This is a “Meditation Wine”; a wine that can be sipped during meditation as well as being a wine that provokes thought.

2007 Chateau Coupe Roses Minervois Cuvée Bastide $16.5

Region: Minervois, Languedoc, France

Varietal(s): Grenache, Carignan, Syrah

Winemaker: Françoise Le Calvez

This wine is an expression of art. Francoise is an adamant art admirer, she and her oenologist poet husband Pascal team up

Françoise Le Calvez and her enologist husband Pascal Frissant (a.k.a. The Poet from the Loire) work their domain with passion creating wine that is like an expression of art. They work with the vines and earth to create a beautiful organic red wine that exudes elegance and personality from their vineyards which are among the highest elevations of their appellation sitting at 750-1350 ft above sea level. The vines appear to be growing out of pure rock in a windswept terrain, high above the quite town of Minerve, because microorganisms have eaten out bits of the rock-calcified limestone to create pockets for water, soil and roots. Surrounding the vines are garrigue; wild shrubs of sage, lavender, rosemary, and similar herbs that subtly influence the aromatics of the grapes and subsequently the wine.

2003 Château Filhot $32

Region: Sauternes, Bordeaux, France

Varietal(s): Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Muscadelle

Winemaker: Gabriel de Vaucelles

Sauternes, nicknamed “Liquid Gold” is in one word; delicious. It comes from within Bordeaux but what sets it apart from other dessert wines is that it is the product of botrytis also known as noble rot, a gray mold that occurs only in climates that have a very wet season followed by a very dry season.

This is one of the oldest estates in Sauternes. The original vineyards were planted during the 1630-1650’s. It was founded by Romaine de Filhot, an advisor to the Bordeaux Parliament. He ordered that the name Sauternes be used for this sweet wine instead of being called ‘wine from Langon’. It was given second growth classification by the Bordeaux brokers and was sold around the world under the name Chateau Sauternes until the end of the 19^th century. Presently the chateau is now run by Count Henri de Vaucelles and his son Gabriel.

Different but classically winter dish from Epicurious

Spiced Carrot-Apple Soup With Fresh Mint

Bon Appétit | December 2010

by Selma Brown Morrow

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Active Time: 50 minutes Total Time: 50 minutes 2 tablespoons chicken fat or olive oil 1 1/2 cups chopped white onion 1 1/4 pounds carrots, peeled, diced, plus 1 carrot, peeled, halved lengthwise 3 3/4 cups low-salt chicken broth 3/4 cup diced peeled fuji apple plus 1/2 cup finely diced (for garnish) 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger 4 1/2 tablespoons frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice Coarse kosher salt Chopped fresh mint Heat chicken fat in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes. Add all carrots, broth, 3/4 cup apple, and ginger; bring to boil. Cover. Reduce heat; simmer until carrots are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove carrot halves; dice finely. Puree soup in batches in blender; return to pan. Mix in apple juice and spices. Season with coarse salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls. Top with finely diced carrot, finely diced apple, and mint.

I love the Epicurious website for cool ideas

Beet and Tangerine Salad with Cranberry Dressing

Bon Appétit | December 2010

by The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen

(photo by: José Picayo) For this colorful and festive starter, be sure to grate the peel from the tangerines before cutting off the rind and slicing them into rounds. Yield: Makes 6 servings Active Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 25 minutes 3 2 1/2-inch-diameter red beets, tops trimmed 3 large tangerines (such as Murcott) 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons frozen cranberry juice cocktail concentrate, thawed 1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar or red wine vinegar 1/3 cup paper-thin slices red onion 1 large bunch watercress, thick stems trimmed Place beets in deep large microwave-safe bowl. Add enough water to reach depth of 1 inch. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high until beets are tender, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, finely grate enough peel from tangerines to measure 2 teaspoons. Cut top and bottom off each tangerine. Cut off all peel and white pith, following contour of fruit. Cut each tangerine horizontally into 1/3-inch-thick rounds, removing any seeds. Whisk oil, cranberry juice concentrate, vinegar, and reserved tangerine peel in small bowl to blend. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in onion. Hold 1 beet under cold running water and rub off skin. Repeat with remaining 2 beets. Cut beets horizontally into 1/4- to 1/3-inch-thick rounds. Sprinkle beets with salt and pepper. Arrange watercress sprigs on large platter to cover. Arrange beet rounds and tangerine rounds atop watercress. Using fork, lift onion slices from dressing and arrange over salad. Drizzle with dressing. Per serving: 134 calories, 7 g fat, 3 g  fiber Nutritional analysis provided by Bon Appétit

Kermit Lynch: Importer of the Month

Kermit Lynch:

38 years of Fighting the Good Fight

We are lucky to be in New York City as wine lovers. Solely because of the choices we have at our fingertips. When I first started tasting professionally the wines that stood out as having something special about them had a common thread linking them. They weren’t mass-produced. All of them were smaller production wines. I soon started to get to know importers of small production wines and found that a good deal of them only brought in wines to major markets like New York City. They’re all very different companies with different focuses. Some smaller than others, but they were all fighting the good fight.

What is the good fight? It is easy to see as a wine professional. As a consumer it might get fuzzy so here it goes: It is hard to make well-made, unique wine. It is impossible to mass-produce well-made, unique wine. You can make a lot of money by importing a lot of wine and selling it all over the country. It just won’t be well-made and unique. By going to the Old World, driving back roads to find small producers of great wine that you can only import a small amount of is the “good fight”. They don’t make Yellow Tail money but they are bringing real culture and insight to our shores. This, to me, demands respect and admiration.

Kermit Lynch is touted as one of the first people to do this. And has influenced the business plan of many importers today. He started a wine shop in Berkley, California in 1972 and soon after started importing. He is one of the only people with the reputation of a terroir-influenced importer that is distributed nationally. Which is a feat in itself. Kermit has won many awards, honors from the French government, authored two books and an extensive blog, which you can find here. He also produces wine as well from a historic vineyard in Gigondas. What a great guy, right?

Kermit represents about 100 producers and by 2005 only imported around 15000 cases per year. That is less then a lot of producers total production. Thank god we have so many of them here in the store because who knows how long the wines will be around?

That is the one draw back to small production wines: there isn’t a lot of it. This seems to go without saying, but trust me; it needs to be said. In this country we are brand-oriented consumers. We find comfort in seeing a familiar name or picture on the label. The key to finding wine that isn’t advertised or famous is talking to your wine people. We specialize in small production wines here at Vestry. We hand pick wines from the many importers of small production wine. For me, Kermit Lynch is one of the most reliable names I can think of when it comes to quality and uniqueness -especially if I don’t recognize the winemaker's name.

My Home Wine Bar

My Home Wine Bar or A Note On Wine Accessories

I was looking through a wine magazine and was astounded by the amount of accessories I would never buy for my home wine bar. I’m a wine professional and have been for several years. If there were a necessity or a cool device I would know all about it. I am not anti-accessory. There are plenty accessories I do have in my home wine bar.

The first thing I want to touch on is wine glasses. There are advantages in owning stemware (wine glasses with stems). The reason that tablecloths are white in restaurants is to help you observe wine. The stem helps keep the glass clean. The main reason for stems is to preserve the temperature of the wine. Temperature is very important and can heavily affect the taste of the wine. If the white is too cold you can miss out on its subtle complexities. If a red is too warm it’s gross. All of the glasses I own have stems. Now Go-Vino is a different story. Go-Vino cups are plastic, $2.99, the correct shape and have no odor making it a picnic must have. Just don’t put them in the dishwasher.

Aerator: Useful or full of hot air? The answer is: useful. Air is good for wine. It softens tannins and reveals fruit though earthiness. We have all been in the situation where a wine is so delicious that we consume it quickly. However, without proper aeration we might be missing out on what that wine might transform into with a little air. The best wines need this aeration and only get better with air. That’s what decanters do. They spread out the wine to expose a large surface area to the air thus aerating it. I don’t know about you but I don’t carry around my decanter with me. Even if I’m at home I might not want to pour the whole bottle out just to aerate the wine. Decanters are more thorough but aerators are more convenient.

Oxygen is good for the wine… until it starts to turn wine into vinegar. My grandparents would fill water bottles all the way to the top and cap it. This stopped all oxygenation but left the wine with a plastic flavor. For this the proper device is a vacuum system. It pumps the air out of the bottle thus extending the life of the wine. This is perfect for the person who only has one glass of wine with dinner. On average I drink wine up to 4 days after I open it (in most cases).

Corkscrews, here’s the deal. I own a waiters corkscrew with a double hinge and a hollow Teflon screw. Unless you are unable to put forth the effort needed to open a bottle of wine, you shouldn’t own anything else.

Thanks again for reading. Please write and tell me about your accessory rip offs and failures.

Turkey and Pinot Noir

Gobble Up That Pinot Noir

by Jason Hatfield

The traditional Thanksgiving meal is the perfect thing to pair with Pinot Noir, the main red grape of Burgundy. Thanksgiving in my past was family oriented, meaning thousands of children running wild. I didn't think of the traditional meal as a wine meal until just a few years ago. The fact is a Thanksgiving meal can be extremely enhanced by the right wine. Now I am kicking myself for all of those beer and football themed holidays (just kidding, I had fun).

In my house the turkey is the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving meal. I don't want a heavy wine that will fill my mouth with grippy tannins. It will overpower the delicate flavors of the bird. Beaujolais is also a classic pairing with this meal, but I find I prefer an earthy Burgundy to the forward fruitiness of Beaujolais. Some American Pinot Noir's are known to be fruity but we have discovered that some aren't. Actually they can be pretty serious wines and pair great with this meal. Also if you use strong herbs in your bird this really jives with Pinot. This is only a preference; don't feel bad about loving Beaujolais and fruity Pinot.

For a lover of Burgundy, this is a great excuse to try some of those "special occasion" wines you've been coveting. They do disserve a grand meal, don't they? If your just getting into Burgundy the most classy and outrageously tasty ones are meant to be had with food. Younger and less expensive Burgundian wines seem to need food to balance that great acidic structure.

Have fun!

Be sure to write and tell me what you're planning.

Watch the full episode. See more Julia Child.

The Rhone, Autumn and Food

by Jason Hatfield

I love cooking and autumn is the time to break out my Dutch oven and get-to-braising. As the leaves turn and the breeze chills my body craves thick soup, meat that melts in my mouth and potatoes n' gravy. Lighter fare is great in the summer, but now is the time to warm your insides with the flavors of Autumn. So put away the lemonade and dust off those red wine glasses.

I can picture your mouth watering as you think of thick steak and a great California Cabernet Sauvignon -but I'm going to stop you there. This article isn't about that. It's about an unsung hero of full-bodied reds: the Rhone. Most Americans don't think of Rhone wines as they begin to pair wines with the heavier fare of the season. For me, it's one of the first ideas I have, only because I know how well it pairs with the heavy foods of the season.

You might know some of the grapes grown there: Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre and Cinsault. Most of you have heard of Chateauneuf du Pape, one of oldest and most famous regions for red wine (Yup, that's in the Rhone). For some, Chateauneuf is the apex of Rhone wine. For others, Hermitage takes the cake. However there are a plethora of other villages who have earned there own designation that most people have never heard of, like Gigondas and Sablet. One thing about the Rhone region is that it's huge and can be confusing. It encompasses a wide range of styles. There are more appellation controlee (the French system of controlling the grapes grown in what they consider premier regions) wines from the Rhone than any other region except Bordeaux. In most wine circles the term Rhone means full-bodied, complex red wines from the southern Rhone. These wines generally have notes of raspberry, broth, spice and savory mushroom. This makes navigating the Rhone an intimidating task. Don't worry that's why I'm here. We have a great selection of Rhone wine, here just in time for stews and steaks.

I was introduced to Rhone wines several years ago by a wine buyer for a retail store I worked at in Brooklyn. The first thing I noticed was the prices ...the low, low prices. The second thing I noticed was the wide range of styles. The third thing was the more I drank them, the more I loved them. Back then I wasn't as experienced. I loved California Cabernet Sauvignon as my go-to, full-bodied red. As they came more into fashion I found that my favorite labels went way up in price. That's when I turned to entry-level southern Rhone. I'm not sure why the prices are still so approchable but Rhone wines are huge bang for buck. I could spend $16 and get a spicy, smooth, earthy and full-bodied red. Depending on the style and region in the Rhone, the wine could be high-toned and almost minty, while most Southern Rhone's are the more savory style.

As they appealed more to me I noticed that my palate had expanded to be more sensitive to subtle flavors. Because the general style is to use oak for texture instead of just flavor, the wines weren't just all cream and vanilla. For that reason I believe that Rhone wines are the wine drinker's wine. These wines challenged me to taste more in everything I drink.

The Rhone holds a warm place in my heart. Try it sometime.

Here is a list of all our current Rhone wines. Just click and view them on our website:

Monpertuis, Cuvee Counoise, 2007 $13.50

Domaine Monpertuis, Chataeaunuef du Pape, 2006 $43

Paul Autard, Cotes Du Rhone, 2009 $16

Domaine Marcoux, Chateaunuef du Pape blanc, 2009 $70

Domaine de Givaudan, Cuvee Lea Cote du Rhone, 2009 $18

Domaine la Soumade, Rasteau, 2006 $26

Saladin, Fan de Lune, 2006 $23

Domaine Couroulu, Vacqueras, 2007 $21

Francois Villard, Condrieu Le Gran Vallon, 2007 $69

Les Vins de Vienne, Condrieu Les Amphores, 2008 $60

Les Vins de Vienne, Les Chirats de Saint-Christophe, 2004 $69

Les Vins de Vienne, Remeage Rouge, 2008 $17