Although many reach for heavy red stand-bys like Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux, I have a few lesser known favorites that are perfect for warming up in front of the fire!
Fortified Wines
This is the time to bring out your fortified wines– Sherry, Port and Madeira. Although there is huge variation within the category of fortified wines and they can get expensive quickly, there are delicious bottles in the $22-$25 range.
I recently tried Baco de Elite Olorosso Sherry, a medium dry sherry with toasted walnut notes. Derek Brown’s Mockingbird Hill is a great place to visit if you want to learn more about sherry! I’m also partial to Dow’s Boardroom Tawny Port for its caramel notes and lighter finish than Ruby Ports.
Forget budget Madeira and just splurge. It’s worth every penny! For a special treat, visit The Jefferson Hotel in DC, which houses the largest Madeira collection in America. Ask Jen, the Sommelier, or Ivan, an outstanding bartender at the intimate Plume bar, for a recommendation!
Tannat
Although this grape is grown primarily in Uruguay, it was originally a French varietal. This is definitely one to decant and you will be amazed at how a Tannat will open up and develop as it is exposed to air! I recently poured Bouza Tannat at a private wine tasting, and it’s chocolatey notes and full body were a crowd pleaser. It’s not a grape you see every day, but if you like super full bodied reds, this is one worth trying! Tannat tends to be very high in alcohol- hovering at around 15%- so sip accordingly!
Priorat
As mentioned in last week’s post, I adore red wines from this Spanish region. These powerful red wines are comprised of a blend of varietals including Garnacha, Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Merlot. Try the Menut or Zaumau- both are spectacular wines that offer spicy red fruit notes and pack a powerful punch. They’re great to pair with your favorite hearty winter fare, as well!
Amarone
This Italian wine doesn’t come cheap, but is absolutely amazing when it’s cold outside. Made in the Veneto region of Italy, this full bodied, earthy red wine is made by letting the Corvina grapes dry out into raisins, heavily concentrating the flavors. Try Allegrini for a tried and true house that also makes an excellent “Ripasso” Valpolicella- frequently known as the “poor man’s Amarone”.
Although I love getting dressed up and going out, New Year’s Eve is my absolute least favorite night of the year to do so. The weather is always miserable, transportation a hassle, and places I usually enjoy tend to be jam packed and over-priced.
Last year, we decided to invite a few close friends over to celebrate at home and it was the most fun we’ve ever had! This year, we went for a repeat, and once again had a ball.
A roaring fire, music and a festive table set the tone for a celebratory evening in. I created a simple centerpiece with submerged greenery, berries and a floating candle, pulled out the monogrammed table linens, silver champagne bucket and called it good!
I’m into low-key entertaining that focuses on the food and wine, but couldn’t resist a few simple touches to make an evening in seem a bit more special.
Although I always love starting dinner parties with a sparkling rosé and a charcuterie board, for New Year’s Eve I upped the ante with a Grand Cru Champagne.
Cooking at our house is always a group effort, and we’re fortunate to be friends with some excellent gourmands who always contribute their talents; this year was no exception!
We looked to our collective southern roots- and our new Green Egg- when menu planning. Although last year’s New Year’s meal was a little more high-brow, this year we hickory smoked a pork butt. The traditional sides of collards, black eyed peas and corn bread were also there representing health, wealth, wisdom and luck in 2014.
Although the meal is traditionally eaten on the New Year’s Day, I also enjoyed leftovers. I figure I have 2 helpings of the traditional virtues coming my way in 2014!
We enjoyed red, white, rosé, and the requisite bubbles over the course of the evening.
After enjoying copious amounts of cheese and cured meats, we delved into two Spanish wines from Priorat for the main course.
Although I knew the Menut would stand up nicely to the hickory smoked meat, I wanted to compare it to another vintage, and so I picked up Zaumau from the same region. Guests were split on which was the favorite- some enjoyed the spicier and more fruit forward notes in the younger Menut, and others the slightly more subdued qualities of the latter. It will be interesting to see how the Menut continues to develop as it ages over the next 2-3 years.
For professional comparative reasons, I had a glass of each with my meal;) These hearty reds from Spain stood up nicely to the BBQ and it’s definitely a pairing I would re-create.
For midnight, I decided to go with a large format bottle of Premier Cru Champagne. Although many shy away from large format bottles, there’s something festive about this indulgence (and if you’re going to be consuming multiple bottles, it actually saves a few bucks!). This blanc de blanc was 100% Chardonnay. While I sometimes find these to be a bit one dimensional, the extra time allowed on the lees (or yeast) really rounded the Larmandier-Bernier out with gorgeous notes of champagne toastiness, almond and a fine mousse of bubbles.
Finally, we enjoyed a Late Harvest Petite Manseng from Linden Vineyards; a bottle purchased on our last visit to the esteemed Virginia winery. The sweetness of the dessert wine was balanced by firm acidity and notes of honeyed apricot- absolutely divine in front of the fire and a perfect way to end the evening!
We skipped watching the Times Square ball drop or making resolutions, but the combination of fantastic friends, food and wine made this New Year’s Eve an absolute success!
Did you enjoy any particularly great bottles of bubbly during your celebration? How did you celebrate this year?
Although I’m content to pair bubbly with just about anything (mac & cheese, anyone?), there are a few things worth noting about sparkling wine as we approach New Years Eve.
Just because it has bubbles, does NOT mean it’s called Champagne! (See wine pet peeves for more on this one!)
There are a number of ways to produce sparkling wine- “méthode Champenoise” or “méthode traditionelle” indicate that the wine has undergone a second fermentation, which produces the bubbles naturally. They can also be added through forced air, as is the case with many Proseccos. For a more in depth guide, check out Wine Folly’s excellent breakdown of the different methods!
This study says that drinking Champagne can help improve memory. I’ll drink to that!
The first sparkling wine ever produced was actually a mistake! Thank goodness for happy mistakes!
Although many people claim that Champagne gives worse hangovers than other wine, the alcohol in most sparkling wine is actually lower than in most still wines- generally around 11-12%. If you’re anything like me, it does tend to go down the hatch quickly, making it easy to consume more than you realize. Make sure to hydrate and enjoy your bubbly with food to avoid the dreaded hangover!
Although some bottles of vintage champagne can set you back hundreds of dollars, quality sparkling wine can be enjoyed at almost any price point. See my top picks ranging from $12 to $200 below!
Champalou Vouvray Cuvee des Fondraux is a French sparkler from the Loire Valley made from Chenin Blanc. It is incredibly aromatic with notes of jasmine and honeysuckle with an off dry finish. This food friendly wine retails at just over $20.
Charles Orban Rosé is a great pick for dry rosé fans, offering red fruit aromatics and a dry, lengthy finish. It retails for around $43.
Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs This sparkler received 91 points from Wine Spectator. The 100% Pinot Noir is full bodied, balanced and elegant- all for less than $20.
Rossinyol Rosé This cava producer uses an aromatic and rare grape called Trepat to produce a lovely dry rosé with notes of strawberry on the nose. This small production Spanish wine retails for just under $20.
GruberRosé This Austrian sparkler is made from the Zweigelt grape. This hard to pronounce varietal goes down easy and isn’t hard on the wallet, either! Lively and crisp, with notes of strawberry and raspberry, this wine retails for under $15!
Moet Imperial offers traditional champagne yeasty notes and excellent acidity for around $45. This wine also received 91 points from Wine Spectator.
Krug Grand Cuvée is what I would choose if I were to splurge on a special bottle. Ringing in at $180, this 97 point wine offers incredible balance, acidity and finish for under $200.
Bohigas Cava is one of my go to cava producers. For those who like their sparklers on the sweeter side, their Semi-Sec fits the bill. Maintaining classic cava crispness, it has just the right amount of residual sugar to satisfy those with a sweet tooth at $18-21.
Voveti Prosecco is a favorite among critics and casual drinkers, alike. Made from the Glera grape, this easy drinking bubbly is aromatic and fruit forward with notes of peach, apricot and pear for around $12-14.
Jansz Premium Cuvée This sparkling wine from Tasmania, Australia is from a lesser known, but fantastic sparkling wine region. Aromatic with notes of honeysuckle, this wine is crisp and acidic on the palette. It retails for around $24.
What is your favorite Sparkling Wine? Do you prefer Champagne? Cava? Prosecco?
With less than a week to go until Christmas, the official gift scramble has begun. If you’re still on the hunt for stocking stuffers or hostess gifts for the Bon Vivant in your life, check out my top 5 picks here!
I visited my favorite neighborhood specialty store, Hill’s Kitchen, to check out what goodies they have in store for the holidays and they didn’t disappoint!
1. A quality cocktail shaker. This is something no proper home bar should be without! This classic version rings in at $29.95.
2. Spherical Ice Molds. These are $11.50 and sure to delight the cocktail connoisseur in your life. For a crystal clear ice mold, boil the water before cooling and freezing! (Thanks for the tip, Pinterest!)
3. Moscow Mule Mug. This classic cocktail just got a lot more festive with this traditional mug for $14.99. Use it as a bud vase when not sipping your favorite libation!
4. Molecular Gastronomy Cocktail Kits. Perfect for someone who “has everything”, ringing in at $29.95 in Mojito and Margarita versions.
5. Cheeky cocktail napkins. Forget snowflakes and reindeer! Hill’s Kitchen has a huge variety of cheeky cocktail napkins to round out a stocking for the entertainer on your list.
I also love their selection of wine decanters, bottle stoppers, and more! For even more wine related gift ideas, check out last week’s post for the wine lover in your life!
When it comes to Chablis in America, there are a lot of misconceptions. Some think of their Grandmothers clutching crystal goblets. Others, jug wine on the bottom rack in grocery stores.
Perhaps most fittingly, I think of the illustrious character from Savannah. If you’ve read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil or seen one of the Lady Chablis’ famous shows, you know how very misleading preconcieved notions can be!
I recently attended a winemaker luncheon at the always delicious Proof DC that illustrated incredible nuance among the wines. Over a 3 course lunch, we tasted La Piereleé Chablis 2011, Chablis Premier Cru Fouchaume 2010, Chablis Premier Cru Vaillon 2010, Chablis Premier Cru Les Fourneaux 2009, and Chablis Grand Cru Blanchot 2011.
In typical tasting fashion, each diner had a different favorite. Indeed, even my own favorites changed according to what I was eating- or if I was just sipping.
La grande dame of the afternoon was the Blanchot Grand Cru 2011, from one of only 7 Grand Cru designated vineyards in the region. It was exceptionally well balanced with firm acidity and outstanding minerality, exhibiting graceful citrus characteristics on the palette.
It was particularly incredible to note the vast differences in each wine when you consider how tiny the 3 appellations are in scope. The topography varies wildly, but is spread over less than 10,000 acres, giving these Chardonnays from Northern Burgandy extremely specific characteristics.
The cooler climate gives these wines a distinctive flavor- higher in acidity and less pronounced fruit notes than most Chardonnays. Perhaps most notably, Chablis exhibits minerality and flinty notes from the soil in which it’s grown. Argilo-Calcaire is a composition of limestone, clay, and tiny fossilized oyster shells, pictured below.
If you have any lingering doubts over Terroir‘s influence over a wine, one sip of Chardonnay from Chablis clears it up quickly!
The price point on even the Grand Cru is attainable, making these elegant and food friendly wines within reach for your next dinner party. I particularly like pairing Chablis with seafood, as Proof did, although they are quite versatile wines and have the potential to pair beautifully with many dishes.
To purchase the wines listed above, visit Calvert Woodley, Pearson’s Wine and Spirits, Weygandt Wines, Ace Beverage, McAuthor’s, or Arrowine. You really can’t go wrong with any of them!
Pictured with Jean François Bordet, a 13th Generation winemaker.
So the next time you see a jug of Chablis on the grocery store shelves… walk on by! But DO give this outstanding wine a try. It just may surprise you!
For more information on this tiny but mighty wine region, visit www.chablis-wines.com.
