It's the Most Bubbly Time of the Year

Ahh, Champagne. Around the holidays Americans always drink more bubbly – it’s a festive time of year, and people view Champagne (or any sparkling wine) as a celebratory drink. Personally, my favorite kind of wine is the kind that bubbles, and I find any excuse I can to drink it.  Mauro Cirilli, instructor for SF Wine Center's recent Holiday Champagne Master Class, said he needs to have a glass of Champagne every day, and he suggests you do too. Don’t have to tell me twice.

Why is Champagne so special? It’s the magical second fermentation in the bottle that produces the bubbles, but it’s also the harsh growing conditions in the region of Champagne, France, that contribute to the high acidity of these wines. Champagne only averages about 1650 hours of sunlight per year, versus over 2000 for Bordeaux. This results in very acidic and unripe grapes. Through the Champagne method of winemaking, that acidity combined with extended aging on the yeast cells and just the right amount of added sugar result in complex, bright, toasty, creamy flavors that delicately dance on the tongue.

The class featured non-vintage (blends from different years to produce a consistent style) and vintage (from a single year) wines from grower houses and well-known luxury brands. Champagne can range in price from $40 to $400, and we tried a full range. Unfortunately, 2 bottles of Dom Perignon were faulty so I can’t say my first Dom experience was life changing. But among the rest there was beauty all around and I had a hard time choosing a favorite. The Gaston Chiquet was gorgeous with creamy almond/marzipan and a jasmine floral quality; I think I have a bottle of this in my cellar so I look forward to opening that in the future. The Sally had lovely lemon curd flavor and a persistent finish - Salon is always/only a vintage wine and needs to age for 10 years before drinking due to its exceptionally high acid profile. I'm a sucker for pink wine so I also enjoyed the Billecart-Salmon Rosé, with it's perfumed floral nose and pretty fruit. 

Champagne List:

1. Doyard Cuvée Vendémiaire Brut NV ($40)
2. Vilmart Cuvée Grand Cellier NV ($75)
3. Larmandier-Bernier Vieilles Vignes de Cramant Grand Cru Extra Brut 2007 ($75)
4. Gaston Chiquet Brut Cart d'Or 2002 ($70)
5. Salon Brut Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil 1999 ($275)
6. Pol Roger Cuvée Winston Churchhill 1999 ($195)
7. Dom Perignon 1999 ($165)
8. Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé NV ($70)

For comparison, we also tried sparkling wines from Spain and California. These were very elegant and enjoyable, and for $20-30 you could easily justify opening one of these any night of the week and any month of the year.

Not Champagne:

1. Raventos i Blanc de Nit Rosé 2011 ($22)
2. Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs 2006 ($30)

What kind of bubbly are you drinking this holiday season? Or tonight?

Wining and Dining in Paris

Last Spring I took a trip to Paris and I still dream about the wine and food we enjoyed there.

At Clamato, a seafood-based restaurant, we enjoyed razor clams and other maritime delicacies with a lush Vouvray:

In the cute village of Montmarte, we had a decadent lunch of Coq au Vin with a refreshing glass of rose:

In the Saint Germain neighborhood where we stayed, we dined alfresco with leg of lamb and Syrah from Saint Joseph in the Rhone:

Of course, I had to go back to the top of the Eiffel Tower for some Champagne with Jeremy. It seems that no one does this, and I think it's the greatest thing ever! What better way to enjoy the views over Paris and endure the scary height than with a glass of bubbly.

Chicago: Hot dogs, Pizza and... Wine?

Chicago is a lot like New York City - bright lights, tall buildings, great energy, and famous for its hot dogs and pizza. But in Chicago hot dogs get dressed up like burgers with pickles, tomatoes and onions, and pizza gets stuffed with whatever you can imagine and topped off with tomato sauce. I enjoyed my fair share of both, but the real impetus for the trip was to share some nice wines with family. J's Uncle Dave had been planning the wine list from the moment he heard we were coming. Burgundy, Bordeaux... we were in for a treat. Glasses and bread on the table, paper and pencils at the ready, we started with Champagne - Egly Ouriet Brut Tradition Grand Cru. Classic, creamy, toasty with green apple and biscuit.

For the whites we did an Old World/New World Chardonnay comparison.

2000 Chassagne Montrachet's nose was closed, but on the palate it was creamy and toasty, with lemon meringue and marzipan. 2012 Hamilton Russell Vineyard Chardonnay from South Africa had the more Burgundian nose, with almond cookie, lemon zest and apricot.

Moving onto Pinot Noir, the 1990 Pommard 1er Cru had a classic barnyard nose with spice and meat, and on the palate it evolved beautifully, with subtle cherry and cranberry, cinnamon, and nice acidity. This wine was not going to get any better. 2007 Volnay 1er Cru was earthy and bright with baking spice and refined fruit, another Burgundy win. Next to this we tried a 2007 Anthill Farms Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley, CA, which unsurprisingly was jammier with more pronounced oak but still a good representation of California Pinot.

We went back in time with Bordeaux, from 2006 to 1985 to 1982. The 2006 Chateau Malmaison from Baronne Nadine de Rothschild had a brambly, beautiful nose, with lavender and eucalyptus, a big wine that needed time to open up. It could definitely go another ten years in the bottle. Cousin Anna was kind enough to share a bottle of her birthday wine, 1985 Lynch-Bages, with its spicy tobacco nose and smooth, silky fruit. The 1982 Cordier Chateau Gruaud Larose Grand Cru took some time to open up but once it did it showed warm spice and mature fruit with surprising tannic structure. A Bordeaux blend from Paso Robles, Justin Vineyards 1989 Isosceles surprised us all as one of the best wines, evolving over the evening with great complexity and balance.

We finished with Tokai - a Hungarian dessert wine. Its luscious peach cobbler and caramel apple flavors made the perfect end to an epic tasting.

I'd say the trip was a home run....

Thanks Uncle Dave, Aunt Madeleine and Anna!

Happy Mumm Day

I celebrated my recent birthday with a trip to Mumm Napa for my favorite wine - the kind that sparkles. I received a tip to try their limited edition 2011 Sparkling Pinot Meunier, which was peachy, flowery and very pretty, having spent 18 months on its lees before disgorgement. This traditional Champagne blending grape is aptly named for the flour-like dusty white down on the underside of its leaves. Though unknown to many, Pinot Meunier is the most widely planted Champagne grape and is favored because it buds later and ripens more reliably than the finicky Pinot Noir. In the final wine it contributes fruity flavors and aromatics.

Another favorite from this tasting was the DVX 2006, a 50/50 blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which spent 5 years on its lees, so it was nice and toasty.

After this second visit to the beautiful Mumm terrace my favorite remains their Reserve Brut, a 60/40 blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that is consistently bright, creamy, fruity and toasty. We wanted to buy another Magnum but they were sold out. Next time!

Thanks again to Lauren and James for a wonderful tasting.

My Bubbly Valentine

This A. Margaine Premier Cru Brut Champagne was a gift to me from the Hermann J. Wiemer crew in winter 2010, and last night Jeremy and I enjoyed it with a quiet dinner at home. It was beautifully minerally and toasty at the same time, full of brioche flavors and baked apple. I love Champagne almost as much as I love my Valentine.

Champagne bar atop Paris

Recently I made a quick work trip to Paris. I didn't have much time but I did make it to the top of the Eiffel Tower - at night. I went in search of a Champagne bar that sits at the very top. The elevator ride up was the scariest part - once I got to the top it just felt magical. It was freezing, but I made my way around the back, to the side that didn't face the major sights of Paris, and found this:

I ordered a glass of the Henriot rose and sipped it (quickly) while I enjoyed the (chilly) view.

Sante!

Drinking the Stars at Domaine Chandon

"Brothers, I am drinking the stars!" - Dom Perignon

You may know the story of how sparkling wine was discovered - by accident. Dom Perignon, a Benedictine monk, was making ceremonial wine and the bottles started exploding, due to residual sugar left in the wine that re-fermented and gave off carbon dioxide, causing pressure in the bottles. He tasted it and proclaimed the above. He didn't totally understand it, and it wasn't until years later that the sparkling wine process was accepted, perfected, and demanded.

The rise of Champagne and the French Champagne houses have a very interesting history, and I'd encourage anyone interested in the subject to pick up The Widow Cliquot: The story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It. It details some of the history of the Champagne trade and how the methods in the winemaking process were tested and perfected.

If you know me at all by now, you know I love bubbly. I drink it whenever I can and I don't need a special occasion for it; sparkling wine makes any occasion special. A few weeks ago I visited Chandon in Napa, after meeting one of their winemakers at Pinot Days in June. Chandon is owned by Moet and Chandon, the French Champagne house/empire. I visited Moet and Chandon on a trip to France in 2007, and I visited Chandon Australia in 2009. So, after living in California for over a year it was high time I checked out the Chandon in my backyard. I always love touring these facilities and seeing their processes. Chandon uses huge tanks that could double as studio apartments in New York City. They produce a huge amount of sparkling wine. After a tour of the facility, I had a patio tasting of the entire portfolio. My favorite was the Brut Classic, their #1 seller. A blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, it was delicate, creamy, citrusy and refreshing... a classic!

Next time I'll have to check out Etoile (which means 'star' in French), the Michelin star restaurant on the property.

Bubble Lounge, SF

Right down the street from my office on Montgomery Street is The Bubble Lounge. I'd been to the New York location so I was primed to like this one. The focus is, of course, on sparkling wines, so what's not to like? Unsurprisingly, the SF location is bigger, and I could envision having a private party there. I didn't hesitate for a second in choosing the Champagne flight, since Champagne is one of my most favorite beverages. Pink or white, it puts a smile on my face every time. Recall that Champagne must actually be grown in the Champagne region of France, and it can only be made from 3 grapes - Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. While many places around the world make sparkling wine in a similar method as Champagne, there is nothing quite like the original Champagne, and this is an example of terroir's influence on wine. The soil, the grapes, the climate - all have an effect on wine and contribute to regional differences in wine. The winemaking conditions also have an effect, and Champagne is known for its limestone caves where the wine is made and aged in naturally cool conditions.

From left to right: Henri Billiot Brut Reserve, Laurent Perrier Brut Rose, 

Gaston Chicquet Blanc de Blancs

The Henri Billiot is a traditional Champagne blend; the Rose is mostly Pinot Noir with a touch of Chardonnay, and the Blanc de Blancs is 100% Chardonnay, as the name requires. While I love the color and red fruit character of Rose, and I enjoy the minerality and citrus of Blanc de Blanc, the Henri Billiot won in my book for the ultimate balance, creaminess, and complexity of blended Champagne.

Happy New Year!

The Stars of Champagne @ SFWC

The stars aligned last night @ San Francisco Wine Center as we gathered with Mary Burnham, freelance food and wine writer and author of Food & Wine Magazine’s 2012 Guide to Wine. Mary taught us about the prized region of Champagne, France, and why the soil, grapes, and climate are so important in making Champagne. We learned about how Champagne is made, why the second fermentation is so important, and what effect the dead yeast cells, or lees, have on the taste of Champagne. During the tasting, we enjoyed a broad range of large house Champagnes and special grower Champagnes. Most of the large houses in Champagne buy grapes from different sources in the area and then blend for a consistent style every year. Grower Champagnes are made from producers who grow their own grapes and might sell some to the large houses and use some for their own production. These wines were really special, and everyone enjoyed the lineup. It was amazing to taste the different styles, compare vintage and non-vintage, and experience different vintages. Hats off to Brian for creating an exceptional tasting!

The wines:

1.            Pierre Peters Brut Cuvee Reserve Grand Cru 

2.            Laurent Perrier Brut 1996

3.            Hubert Paulet Brut Premier Cru 1999

4.            Chartogne-Taillet Brut VV 2002 

5.            Gaston Chiquet Brut Cart d’Or 2002 

6.            Vilmart Cuvee Grand Cellier d’Or 2005 

7.            Ayala Rose Majeur

8.            Krug Brut Rose 

The Krug Brut Rose was a very special bottle, and I am a sucker for pink bubbly so I loved it. My favorite though was the Chartogne-Taillet, which was toasty and creamy with great complexity and bright acidity. 

Thanks to Mary for a fantastic education in all things bubbly!

Bubbles, bubbles everywhere, but not a drop to drink... yet!

Champagne was on tap this week at San Francisco Wine Center, where our class highlighted the awesomeness of Champagne with some very special bubblies. We had a great sampling of vintage and non-vintage plus a trio of pinks. There is no prettier wine than a glass of pink Champagne. I loved the Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Elisabeth, the first "prestige" Champagne I've ever had. This retails for around $150-$200 per bottle. My pics are blurry still but I think I may have solved the problem so I hope next time is better. For now, these will have to suffice. Think of it as looking at Champagne through bubble-filled glasses.

Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Elisabeth Salmon Brut Rose 1998

Check out the SFWC blog for the full list of Champagnes!