Here we have perfumey black fruit with some vanilin. It is soft and perfumey elegant. The wine has a medium length finish with the right amount of acidity to keep those soft tannins in place.
May 24, 2016
If you are looking for a mature Bordeaux wine then you will enjoy this 1976 Chateau Ausone from Saint Emilion.
With its brickish red color, it has delightful black cherries coated with some tobacco accompanying its gripping tannins. It finishes with delicate fruit and tannins.
Best to drink sooner than later.
March 4,2016
Today we are pairing this champagne with O My Setra Caviar (Osetra) from Lady Elena Caviar.
The champagne is 100% of the Chardonnay grape. The grapes grown in the top vineyards of the Côte des Blancs. Only the first press juice is used. 5% of the blend spends three to four months in new oak barrels, enhancing complexity of the final blend. Prior to disgorgement, the Blanc de Blancs is aged for 10 years on the lees in 13th-century chalk cellars that were once the property of Saint Nicaise abbey.
The champagne has a pale gold color with greenish tints along with its tiny streaming bubbles. There are aromas of lemon curd,fresh toasted biscuits, red apples with a smoky stony minerality. On the palate it is tense with creamy softness. There is some sweet citrus combined with some salty minerality lingering on the palate. The finish is dry an slightly mouth watering. This champagne is still very youthful.
Lady Elena Caviar Pairing
O My Setra Caviar (Osetra): This pairing brings out the nuttiness of the caviar and then the palate is left cleansed. A great pairing.
January 28, 2016
From the Other Side of the Table
For an afternoon, I was a Bordeaux representative pouring the 2013 vintage.
It was an exciting opportunity to help the members of the Union Des Grands Crus De Bordeaux (UGC). The blizzard detained or just prevented some Chataeau representatives from attending the tasting in New York.
I filled in for two Chateaus. First was Chateau Fieuzal from Pessac Leognan region. Chateau Fieuzal produces a red and a white but is more known for their white wine. I had the opportunity of pouring it to just a few appreciative white Bordeaux wine guests. Bordeaux whites are generally not understood and appreciated. They are a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. The Château rep came shortly and I moved on to the St. Emilion region and poured Chateau La Dominique. Here they only produce a red Bordeaux blend. The 2013 blend was 85% Merlot 12% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. I spent almost the rest of the afternoon pouring the 4 bottles given to me. I was located next to the Chateau rep from Chateau Troplong Mondot. After having some quality time in talking with her, I saw the view from both sides of the table at once. Then as I poured, I saw my viewpoint as the taster/evaluator and that of the proud producer. It made me appreciate more of this 2013 vintage that I was pouring.
If there was a group of words that was just as common as the red wine stains on the tablecloths, it was the words “it was a difficult year”. This was the answer that my neighbor gave to the question “How is your 2013 vintage?” Later I also heard these same words from many of the Chateau reps.
They were not happy about it. But they are farmers first and wine makers second. They were given a slow start with a cold and very rainy spring. Summer was good but still not warm enough to help the grapes catch up from the slow start. A rainy September continued to make it a difficult year. Merlot, being a predominately early ripening grape variety, came to an acceptable ripeness level on the Left Bank.
Bordeaux has such a high benchmark that a year like 2013 made the wine taste worse then they actually did taste. Putting aside the great vintages of 2005, 2009 and 2010 this 2013 vintage did not even meet the Bordeaux description of “Classic”. Therefore, I like to use the term “off year”.
I also saw a lack of enthusiasm with the tasters. The Château reps knew what they had in the bottle and knew that they made their best wine from what was given to them. Not every vintage can be a great one, so those non great vintages give us the opportunity to drink and enjoy the wine today. The 2005’s are still too young to truly enjoy what it has to offer. Now we can add the 2013 vintage to the drink today list.
The Chateaus are most likely going to have a difficult time in selling their entire 2013 vintage as soon as they would like to but it is still Bordeaux wine. It will be sold.
November 15,2015
For Burgundy wine lovers we have a special pairing for you. Today we are pairing this white Burgundy with Americana Caviar (White Sturgeon) from Lady Elena Caviar.
Based in Demigny, the estate has 6.32 hectares of vines. The chardonnay grapes for this wine are sourced outside the estate.
The wine has a brilliant light golden color. There are aromas of flowery orange, pears with a soft creamy buttery note. On the palate the wine has a full bodied bright freshness and is nicely integrated. The finish has slight soft creamy minerally butter note with an acidity level that keeps the wine so well balanced and fresh.
Americana Caviar (White Sturgeon):The caviar softens the orange and pear flavors in the wine and then leaves a cleansed palate. A great Lady Elena Caviar and wine pairing and a great value priced caviar and Burgundy wine experience.
June 13,2015
Tarlant Cuvee Louis Champagne
Today we are pairing this Champagne with O My Setra caviar (Osetra) from Lady Elena Caviar.
The champagne is a blend of 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir from the 65 year plus old Les Crayons vineyard in Oeuilly of the Marne Valley. The wines are from the 1997 and 1996 vintage. The dosage level is 5.7 g/l and was disgorged in October 2006.
The champagne has a golden color withe aromas of lemon curd, honey and caramel. On the palate there is a toasty yeastiness with with soft lemony minerals.The champagne finishes dry with citrus notes.
O My Setra Caviar (Osetra):The Tarlant Cuvee Louis champagne is a powerful champagne. The caviar softens the honeyed flavors of the champagne and then the champagne cleanses the palate. A great Lady Elena Caviar pairing.
June 12,2015
2011 Domaine des Aubuisieres Cuvee de Silex Vouvray
Today we are pairing this wine with The 8th Pearl caviar (Kaluga Hybrid Sturgeon) and Elegance (Golden Osetra) from Lady Elena Caviar.
2011 Domaine des Aubuisieres Vouvray with Elegance Caviar (Golden Osetra) from Lady Elena Caviar. The wine is 100% Chenin Blanc. Domaine des Aubuisieresis located in the heart of Vouvray in the Loire Valley in France with vineyards planted on clayish silicious soils.
The wine has a straw gold color. There are aromas of lime, chalk, honey and oranges. The wine on the palate is soft and filled with lime and honey. The finish is slightly dry with chalk notes and then becomes mouthwatering.
The 8th Pearl Caviar (Kaluga Hybrid):The caviar brings out the fruit in the wine with some slight salinity. The wine slowly cleanses the palate with a dry finish. A great Lady Elena Caviar pairing.
Elegance (Golden Osetra): The wine covers over the caviar, cleans the palate with a slight dry chalk finish. A good Lady Elena Caviar pairing.
June 8,2015
Here is another French Fry dish and My Favorite Wine pairings. From chef Fabiano Manca of Vite Vinosteria we have Heirloom Potato and Vegetable Fries with a prosciutto aioli and homemade salsa rubbra. They were served with a selection of fruity red wines.
My Favorite Wine from this set of wines was the 2012 L’enclos des Braves Braucol from the region of Gaillac. This wine is 80% Braucol and 20% Prunelart. The wine was fresh with juicy red berry flavors. Nicely paired with those colorful tasty vegetable fries.