Louis Roederer Brut Premier Champagne

Roederer has always been a bit of a mystery to me. For the short time I’ve been drinking wine, I always found this particular product to be the rather weak link in the chain. For me, I’d rather have spent the same (often less) amount of money on their domestic tête de cuvée L’Ermitage or on a few bottles of the standard baseline domestic Roederer Anderson Valley Estate. As for the “US Government style budget minded” Cristal, I’ve only tried it at trade tastings or one particular high-end tasting put on by Whole Foods Duluth. To me, it is akin to viewing a butterfly in chrysalis.

This marks the third time I’ve sampled this Champagne. Last time was an older release that had been cellared for a few years, which makes quite a bit of difference as the toasty flavors were more pronounced. The previous time was at a Champagne tasting in December and this was good, but I wasn’t that impressed. Third time really is the charm. FULL DISCLOSURE: I received this as a sample.

The Roederer Brut Premier from last year was the only Champagne to make Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list. This is an interesting factoid because it was a NV bottling, which rarely make appearances on the annual list. You are usually more apt to find vintage Krug than NV Champagne.

For me, this was actually a bit more fruit driven than the domestic bottling from Anderson Valley. It was still lively and tart, without a lot of yeast or toastiness. I found a much stronger presence in the form of meyer lemon, granny smith apple, a touch of pink grapefruit and some spicy gingerbread notes in the finish. The youthful side of non-malolactic production gave this a real precise finish.

I thought this was much better than I remember in the past and for one of the big houses, I think a pretty solid offering. If you can find it for $40 or so, I’d give it my recommendation, especially if it is from a store that turns it quick. Once again, I really wish the Champagne houses would do something to let consumers know the age of the wine via a disgorgement date on the back label.

Happy weekend to all!

A small sampling of our culinary treats

Lasting as long as the closing volume to Peter Jackson’s vision of The Lord of the Rings, our wine group battled through fourteen different wines, four different cheeses, some amazing appetizers (including smoked salmon) and a dinner of beef tenderloin, Varenyky, grilled veggies and broccoli salad. It was epic.

For only our second formal gathering, I have to say the bar was set quite high with this particular cast. As usual, it was heavy on the new world wines, though all three of the whites did come from Europe which I found to be interesting.

To begin the festivities, we started with some Louis Roederer Brut Premier Champagne, which was actually purchased 2 to 3 years ago. I commented to the provider (and our gracious host for this installment) I thought that was actually the best way to consume NV (non-vintage) Champagne, as the extra time in bottle typically adds some richness and nutty character to the wine. It was a solid example of the region, with nice citrus and hints of yeast and toasted nuts coming through as well. We had four cheeses to snack on (along with smoked salmon, fresh chopped liver and assorted other munchies) and I thought the Champagne went best with the Robusto. A solid above average wine, but I still prefer their domestic stuff for the money.

After that, I made un-inspired sips at two of the whites. I didn’t care for the 2007 Chateau de la Greffiere Macon-la-Roche-Vineuse, but that is just more for personal taste reasons. It was a solid example of the region and for under $20, it is a nice introduction to white Burgundy. The 2008 Vina Godeval was a 100% Godello from Spain that was one of the more interesting whites I’ve had in quite a while. It had a nice complexity to it, with stone fruit, floral notes, spice and beeswax. If you want something off the beaten path for summer, this is a solid choice. I didn’t try the 2004 Carl Ehrhard Spatlese Riesling, but I’ve had wines from this producer and they have always been solid. I really meant to get back to it after all the reds, but I totally forgot about it.

Now, onto the reds, which from beginning to end were all above average to outstanding.

2005 Tolo Cellars Asini Paso Robles Red Wine (16.2% alcohol): A $28 from the winery blend of 60% Sangiovese and 40% Zinfandel, this had been opened in bottle for 5 hours, then decanted for 2 hours the day before. It was still as peppy as your local Starbucks barista who has enjoyed too much of their own product for anyone’s good. A bright melange of red fruits and licorice on the nose (the Sangiovese) gave way to more blackberry and bramble on the palate. I’d call this a  danger Will Robinson wine because of the high alcohol and too easy to slug palate. I wouldn’t pay $28 for it, but I was more than happy to drink it.

2007 Santa Ema Amplus One: I didn’t sample because I’ve had and raved about it before.

2004 Frog’s Leap Rutherford: A very easy to drink style of Cabernet that was lacking in any real tannin, but had enough acidity to keep it from falling flat on its face. A glass of subtle, yet flavorful black currant and black cherry. If you’ve got Napa Cabs from this hot and juicy vintage, I’d start drinking them now.

2003 Stella Maris Columbia Valley Red Wine by Northstar (14.5% alcohol): A blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon; 45% Merlot; 4% Malbec; 4% Syrah, this was the early contender for WOTN (wine of the night) for me. Earthy smoked herbs danced with dark red cherries in a graceful manner those folks on reality TV dancing shows can only dream of. It had a long, smooth finish and was a great pairing with the beef tenderloin. A fine second label effort that is drinking in its prime right now. As the evening wore on, the wine did begin to give way a bit and wasn’t as good the second time around, but I still enjoyed it. #2 for me, as I really liked the mix of both old and new world style.

2000 The Ojai Vineyard Santa Barbara County Bien Nacido Vineyard Syrah: A bowlful of blueberries and spice, this was smooth and easy to drink. I’m not a big California Syrah person typically and while this didn’t convert me, it was a fine effort for a wine I really thought would be past prime.

2005 Kilikanoon Barossa Valley Testament Shiraz (15% alcohol): I remember when my wine sensei first touted Kilikanoon wines to me. Like many red wine newbies, it was easy to love the fruit-laden style of Barossa Valley Shiraz, like a teenage boy falls for Sports Illustrated swimsuit models. I still find Kilikanoon wines to show more restraint and deft hand in obtaining balanced and refinement from their wines, as opposed to Mollydooker where the volume knob starts at 10 and goes up from there. Unfortunately, these big Aussie bombs have fallen on hard times and for those who like them, you can often score tremendous bargains. This wine has loads of tooth-staining black fruits, with nice baking spice and vanilla notes to round out the flavors. A big wine with soft tannins, a core of acidity and big rich flavors that will overwhelm all but the biggest of food.

2001 Stags’ Leap Winery Petite Syrah (14.2% alcohol): One of our two offerings, this was one of my earliest wines-to-lay-down acquisitions. Another wine I read about in Karen McNeil’s The Wine Bible. One of the most fascinating things about this wine is how it got trashed by one publication, but then lauded by two others. If I had been paying attention, I probably would have drank this earlier. It failed to exhibit my expectation of wrestling alligators with their teeth bared that makes Petite Sirah (I have no idea why they spell it with a Y instead of an I) such a great wine. It still had nice spice, black plum and blackberry fruit with hints of toast, but it just lacked the power I expected. Yes, I know the wine is 9 years old, but I wasn’t expecting it to have totally lost its grip. From what I am now reading, it may have never really had that strong of one to begin with. A good wine, but I really was hoping for more.

1999 Pieve Santa Restituta Brunello di Montalcino Sugarille (14% alcohol): A wine from famed Italian winemaker Angelo Gaja, whom I associate more with Barolo than Brunello. I believe this wine had been opened for over 24 hours by the time we drank it and in talking with the host (and provider of this wine), we both concluded that may have been too much. While nowhere near dead or shut down, it seemed to have lost a bit of luster that you’d expect from such an expensive (retail is estimated around $130 – 140) and highly rated (91, 92, 93+) wine. Now don’t get me wrong, it didn’t suck, but it didn’t blow anybody out of the water either. It exhibited classic Brunello dark cherry, leather and floral character, but also a good bit of oak character in the smoke and chocolate notes. Tannins were relatively mild, but I should hope so after breathing as much air as this did. I think this would have been better the day before and a more fair comparison to the next wine. All in all, my third favorite.

2001 Talenti Brunello di Montalcino Pian di Conte: This was one of my first Brunellos, having tasted (and bought it for the store) it as a wine retail buyer. It was later in the day and we were the rep’s last stop, so after drinking and loving this so much, he offered me the remainder of the bottle. I corked it and proceeded to consume it later that evening, taking the same time to breathe in its perfume as I did in drinking it. When I departed my store, the owner gave me a bottle of this as a gift, as he remembered how much I loved this wine. I think the retail was $59.99. A very modern style, this drinks beautifully right now. Yes, it was a bit on the chewy side when we opened it, as it came right out of storage and was popped and poured, no decant time permitted. As the wine opened up, the spiced cherry with smoky cedar flavors sailed on in a finish that was easily in the 45+ second range. Fans of more old world, “traditional” Brunello might find this too much, but it wasn’t like we were drinking Napa Cab. You knew this was Italian, you knew this was Brunello and most important of all, you knew this was just down right tasty. While it wasn’t the overall crowd favorite (I don’t know what was), I know myself and two others were in agreement that it was ours.

Many thanks to our hosts for their generous spread of delicious food and wine, along with great hospitality. I know that myself and my wife are looking forward to the next gathering of Wineaux 75. Until then, be well, drink well and love well.

Vazart Coquart Brut Reserve

ICSWI was an amazing event, something I’ve written more than a few times before. One of the downsides to such large events, is you don’t get to taste every wine as you’d like. You get to talking to the growers / owners / wine makers, you take a few deep breaths, you compare notes with other guests and before you know it, you are almost out of time and you still have so many Champagnes you have missed. This was not one we missed, but it was one we didn’t get to devote as much time too, as by the time we got to it, it was day two and we were half way done. Drinking the bottle and sharing it with friends was a much finer way to enjoy this bottle.

The wine I’m talking about is Vazart-Coquart Brut Reserve. I bought this at Tower Piedmont and paid either $44.99 or $49.99. I’m not sure which since I lost the receipt. This bubbly is a Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs, something much more common with farmer made Champagnes than the big houses, another reason to seek these wines out. The family farms 26.5 acres, planted to 95% Chardonnay and 5% Pinot Noir, with an average vine age slightly over 30 years.

This exhibits what I call a precise character, with a fine focus of flavor that really shows off what Chardonnay is capable of in the Champagne region. One of the best metaphors I can come up with is a “heavy fastball”. What I mean by that is that it has a concentration of flavor that is mouth filling, but not really heavy. The toast wasn’t over done, with the fruit really shining in this wine. Flavors I got were pear with a crust of toasted nuts and topped with a mist of bright orange citrus flavors, with pear being the dominant player.

This wine was paired with a blue crab dip that was really quite tasty, not at all overly seasoned or mixed in with heavy cream cheese like some seafood spreads I’ve had (and enjoyed!). We also tried it with some kettle corn (from a bag…which was good, but nothing compared to fresh…oh Stone Mountain, how I miss thee). That wasn’t such a hit, as the sweet really punched a hole in the heart of the wine. I’ll stick with butter and salt for pairing with Champagne, but even that wouldn’t have worked as well with this style. Seafood is the ticket for those who really want to max out the pleasure of this wine. Outstanding and easily worth the price of admission. Not the last time I’ll enjoy this producer and hopefully, I’ll be able to find some of their Special Club next time.

Oh yes, one other bit of trivia before I get onto the Chianti. Vazart Coquart makes a Champagne just for foie gras. I don’t know of any other wine on the entire planet devoted to just one food. I don’t even really care for foie gras, but I’d be willing to try again if I could get a hold of this wine. Unfortunately, that will probably not happen until I can actually physically get myself there, as they only make 1,000 bottles or so of this sec (between extra dry and demi-sec on the sweetness scale).

Haiku
A Chardonnay treat
Laser focus racy pear
Touch with citrus mist

Others think:

• Eat, Drink, Stagger (look for mention of it in the 1st paragraph after the 1st photo)
• Dirty South Wine
• Grape Observer (slightly more than 1/4 down the page)
• Brooklyn Guy Loves Wine

Chardonnay grapes in Champagne - Photo credit to Champagne Tarlant

Dear Chardonnay,

I have a love hate relationship with you. I’m writing because I was asked, if I had to drink wine made from one grape, what would it be and well, you were my answer.

This vexed me.

Vexed.

See, you will almost never find a bottle of Chardonnay in our house. It just doesn’t happen.

Sauvignon Blanc. Check.

Vinho verde blanco. Check.

Riesling. Check check.

What vexes me is that in being truthful, I could never give you up because of what you do in Champagne. Green apples eaten with steel spoons from plates made of chalk, an ethereal trance for the palate. That is what you do and oh my, you do it so well. Thanks to drinker so many grower Champagnes this year, I’ve had more blanc de blancs than previously consumed in my lifetime. Why oh why are these so rare over here? Am I the only one who craves these wines?

I know I’m not, but so many others cries rise to the heavens carrying praise for Cabernet Sauvignon (which needs dance partners Merlot and Cabernet franc to really shine) or persnickety Pinot Noir (which I believe often times has a ghost writer named Syrah).

Yes, you too are often blended with the Pinot siblings, but I still find more delight in your purity than not. Granted, you do play well with the others and when blended properly, your sparkling cousin Rose is a match made in heaven with so many delights, both those with fins and hooves.

So, I do hereby confess, if given one grape…and one grape only…with absolutely no 75% minimum required to participate rule…you win my palate and my heart. Thank you Chardonnay for all that you do. Now let us become acquainted once more.

Cheers,
Kevin

Inspiration credit goes to Josh over at Drink Nectar, who asked this question on Facebook this past Wednesday.

2008 Croteaux Rosé

Though not our first gathering as a group, it was the first official meeting of our newly formed wine and supper club. It started with an event where we were all gathered to help friends pick a sparkling wine for an event. After that, we got together at the same house and ripped through California Pizza Kitchen frozen pizzas, of which I’ve now become a fan. Everyone was asked to bring a wine (or two since our group isn’t very restrained) to go with pizza and we did.

This time, it was an “official” gathering. The theme was set, BBQ. Due to the fact we live rather far from everyone, we co-hosted the first event with good friends of ours that we’ve shared many a great meal and even more great wines with. They tended to the proteins, which included slow-cooker pulled pork, grilled chicken and kick-butt ribs.

In addition, we had some scrumptious side dishes created by my wife, including a four cheese alfredo sauce mac-n-cheese / pasta bake, the best damn cole slaw I’ve ever had and two kinds of cornbread, traditional and the other (my favorite which I just had for lunch as I write this) with green chiles and cheddar cheese. A meal unto itself.

Of course, I brought sparklers. Rose sparklers. I still believe they go really well with pork, though I didn’t get to re-certify the authenticity of my theory at this festivity. We had them before the food was ready, but both were really tasty and for me personally, the highlights of the evening. Granted, I’m bias that way. I didn’t taste all the wines (too many and a few I was already familiar with) and actually missed a photo of everyone’s apparent favorite (I only got to sip it when I put the wines in order…I always get drafted for that duty), but since it was gone by the time I went to taste it, no matter.

[FULL DISCLOSURE: I received both the Croteaux and Graham Beck Rosés as samples]

2008 Croteaux Sparkling Rosé: Croteaux specializes in rosé and after drinking this, I can say they seem to know what they are doing. At least, from a wine making point of view. This wine isn’t available here in GA and retails for $24 on the winery website. Honestly, I’d pay $15 for it, so it is a bit pricey for what it is. Made in the tank method, this soft and juicy wine reminded me of a cocktail made with fresh red berries, a dab of ripe watermelon, with a spritz and twist of sweet orange (I forget the specific variety we’ve gotten from Whole Foods that are so sweet).

The packaging was whimsical and absolutely screamed W-E-D-D-I-N-G. I didn’t hear anyone complain, except that I only had the one bottle and between 16 people, that doesn’t provide for a very generous pour. C’est la vie. If you live in NY, I’d recommend visiting them and trying all their wines. Summer begs for rosé.

Graham Beck Brut Rosé

NV Graham Beck Brut Rosé: So, this isn’t that well known, nor well regarded by the big reviewers. Good. More for us who know and enjoy it, especially at the mid teens price point I was told it should make here in Georgia. I know the wine is available, as I sampled the lineup back in January at the local distributor’s tasting. I’m pretty sure the rep told me it would make a $15.99 retail. I had two different guests ask me about this, as they wanted to buy some for themselves. [UPDATE: After I wrote this, I saw local wine guru Gil Kulers gave this two thumbs way up.]

A firmer, fuller bodied wine than the Croteaux, this presented a profile of tarter red fruits with fine minerality giving it a more solid finish. I found this to the better wine with food, whereas the Croteaux was a great way to begin with its more pillow-like nature. I’m telling you, based on other professional retail buyer opinions and those of friends I’ve shared this with, I really think Graham Beck is one of the top values in sparkling wine.

I have to say, the rest of the wines that were brought was a more interesting mix than I was expecting. We only had 3 Zinfandels, where as I’d told my wife I thought everyone would bring at least one Zin. I went against my usual preferred tastes and gravitated towards the two old world offerings. First up, Spain.

2008 La Cartuja Priorat: I don’t know what the retail was, but based on my searches, this is usually around $15! Okay, read that again. $15 for Priorat. I wonder if this is somebody’s declassified juice sold on the auction market for a fraction of “normal” price. No matter, it was a good wine. A bit tight at first, it did open up in the glass. I highly recommend decanting this and remember folks, serve your reds at around 65 degrees. That is room temperature in Europe…or at least, it was when that rule was first circulated. Ripe red and black fruits, with plenty of warm spice and the signature “hot rocks” note I always seem to find in wines from this region. I would definitely recommend this as a great introduction to the region and the style of wine. Usually you have to look at the surrounding horse shoe shaped region of Monstant for wines of this taste profile, quality and price point.

Two favorite still red wines of the evening...yes, I'm shocked too...

2005 Les Bois du Menestrel Vacqueyras: Another nice value, but again, I don’t know the retail. I think it is probably in the same range as the La Cartuja, mid-teens. A good choice, but this would have gone much better with beef. The smoked tobacco leaf and roasted red cherry character, wrapped around a core of iron, beg for big food. I’d even say wild game or mushroom laden dishes would work well with this. It was another solid choice and give it bonus points for probably being the most esoteric. Nice job Mark.

2005 Wilson Diane’s Reserve Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel: This sucker weighed in at a whopping 16.2% alcohol. Safety tip: no open flames near this one. It should have been decanted and served much cooler, something the generous bringer of this wine lamented not doing. A limited production wine of 200 cases, with an approximate price of $48, this screamed Zinfandel. Black as tar dark fruits, but of the ripest variety, with a healthy dose of fresh cracked black peppercorns. You could definitely taste the alcohol, but it was more in the sweetness than in the heat. A big wine for big food. Throw down with some ribs, plenty of water and a cooler service temperature.

So, those were my three favorites. One other wine, which was the most interesting because it was the most non-typical example of a grape variety wine I’ve ever had, was the 2006 Montoya Petite Sirah from Paso Robles. It was light, almost to the point of if you wondered if the grapes were all under enormous shade trees. This wasn’t PS. It was PS masquerading as I don’t even know what. Maybe a Grenache or warm vintage Oregon Pinot Noir, with a pinch of Syrah thrown in. It was actually not bad, it was just not what a Petite Sirah drinker would want in their glass.

To finish the evening, there was an assortment of Pepperidge Farm chocolate cookies (Genevas are my favorite) and some two bite (really…why do I always eat them in one then?!) brownies. To accompany them, Mark brought a bottle of Casa Sant’Orsola Brachetto d’Acqui. Liquified raspberry juice is how I always find these sweet Italian red sparkling wines. Perfect with the chocolate and a nice way to wrap things up after a very rich, savory and superb meal. My compliments to the chefs! (All I did was some prep work, pour our two bubblies and put the wines in order…that was an easy gig.)

So, there you have it, the birth of Wineaux 75, our social supper and wine club.

View the video below or on YouTube.