It is the height of the holiday season and at every turn there is some temptation under our nose.  Appetizers at holiday parties swirl around us, neighbors ring doorbells with drive-by gifting of baked goods and a never-ending fusion of sugar meets the eye.  Despite all the hubbub and activity, there is still time to take a moment and perhaps do something a bit indulgent for your own self.   If you find that you have a quiet December evening, you might poke around in your wine cellar and find one of those Cabernet Sauvignon wines that you have tucked away to age.  But to really indulge yourself, select one that is particularly special . . . to simply enjoy.

There are bottles of wine that as they age, given the quality of the fruit and the caliber of winemaking involved, these bottles of wine become so wonderfully decadent that they can be thoroughly enjoyed on their own merits.  The elegance that waits in the glass is best unspoiled by other aromas or flavors.  If you seek to pair anything (particularly with an aging quality Cabernet Sauvignon), perhaps find an equally decadent cheese that will toy with any lingering tannins found in the wine.

As a gift to the site’s recent monthly 203,000 readers, this week’s article features a special bottle of wine:  Kelham Vineyards and Winery (“Kelham Vineyards”) 2001 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Kelham Vineyards is a family-owned winery and vineyards.  Sixty acres of the vineyards sit in Oakville, California, in the heart of Napa Valley.   Those vineyards consist of prized Bordeaux grapes which were farmed for thirty-five years by Rawson Kelham.  His farming techniques were reflected in the quality of his grapes, which maintained an Old World tradition that wines are a product of the vineyard.  For years he supplied fruit to many reknown vintners at Robert Mondavi, Cakebread and Duckhorn (among others). These vintners used his family’s grapes for their own reserve premium wine making.  In 1998, he and his wife Suzanna purchased and renovated the old Shadow Brook Winery in St. Helena which came with another ten acres and there seven of those acres were planted with Cabernet Sauvignon.  His stepsons Ron and Hamilton Nicholsen are the winemakers at this family-owned winery, which continue today Rawson Kelham’s vision and love for the wine industry.

Pouring Kelham Vineyards’ 2001 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon into the glass, the eye is immediately drawn to the wine’s coloring.   The wine is a gorgeous red ruby, rich jewel tone color with said color thinning at the edges, transitioning due aging as beautifully as delicate red rose petals.  The bouquet of the wine is recognizably distinct offering aromas of currant, blackberry, smoke and damp Napa Valley soil.   On the palate, the wine texturally is as smooth as glass as candied berry fruit slips past.  With a simple sip, it is clear that this wine is opulent.  Despite the wine’s age, however, it still maintains a slight tartness which in turn invokes thoughts of juicy summer warmed ripe blackberries.  True elegance is perceived as this beautifully balanced Cabernet Sauvignon slips past the palate, hailing from one of the most picturesque vineyards on the floor of Napa Valley.

This wine is a true treat.   It is so wonderfully good all on its own and it is artfully made such that it is in a class of its own.  With Kelham Vineyards’ Cabernet Sauvignon wine, it is clear that it is best to purchase a bottle and set it aside for cellaring.   Many wines can be consumed young and be immensely enjoyed, however, when a wine is aged properly it can emerge as “great” in the sense of being one of the “greats”.    It is in these situations that a wine can handily demonstrate why Cabernet Sauvignon is king in Napa Valley.  With an initial sip, Kelham Vineyard’s 2001 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon can leave one breathless; it is art in a bottle.

As initially hinted, this wine can simply be enjoyed alone.  However, to create a truly indulgent pairing without risking overshadowing the wine, I elected to simply pair the wine with a cheese that mirrors art by its own merit.  This summer having had an opportunity to explore some of the decadent cheeses being made near Middlebury, Vermont, I knew that that Scholten Family Farms’ Weybridge cheese was the perfect match for Kelham Vineyards’ 2001 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

If you find yourself in Vermont and leave Middlebury on one of its local meandering roads, you will come to the small town of Weybridge.  There sits a small family-owned farm (Scholten Family Farm) with what they lovingly refer to as “odd cows”.  Certainly there are other ordinary cows at the farm, but the “odd cows” are actually called Dutch Belts, due to the creamy white belt of fur sandwiched between their black flanks and shoulders.  Collectively with the ordinary cows, these dairy cows produce milk for the farm’s decadent high quality farm fresh cheese, “Weybridge”.

The “Weybridge” is made with the farm’s own pasteurized organic milk.  The cheese itself is creamy and yet deliciously salty.  No bread is needed as nibbling on this with your fingers is so extraordinarily savory.  Scholten Family Farm practices good animal husbandry, adheres to its values and sustains the environment with its farming practices.  The “Weybridge” is creamy and rich with wholesome flavor and simply makes you want to purchase cheese locally.  If a farm is not around the corner from you, you will wish that it were.  

The cheese is equally artisan as the wine and it is a sheer delight for anyone partaking.  A high quality cheese and a decandent bottle of wine pause the chaos of holiday activities, shelf the holiday sugar and give you the gift of momentary luxury.

So go ahead . . . indulge. 

People are passionate about wine.  They are even more passionate about red wine.  There is something luxurious, rich, warm and deep that unfolds from a glass of good red wine.  Too often we focus on standard red grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.  There are, however, other varietals in the wine world that when made well create a bottle of red wine equally worthy of the lore shared by its counterparts.   Grenache, while often a blending grape, is one such varietal.

 

Grenache is an often overlooked Spanish grape in the United States.  The grape is originally believed to hail from Northern Spain (Aragon, specifically) and up until the 20^th century, Spain was its largest producer in the world.   Still produced today, however, Grenache generally finds its home as a blending grape and is commonly introduced with Tempranillo (a grape that most readily associate with Spanish wine).   Despite its fruit-forward nature, depending on where the grape is grown and the method used to produce its wine, Grenache can still serve as a good rustic red Spanish wine.

 

While Napa Valley is a proverbial Eden for most wine grapes, Grenache prefers hot dry soils.  As you venture south down the 101 in California, you start to descend into a region where this grape can potentially find ideal growing conditions. While it buds early, it needs a long growing season and the valleys adjacent to central coastal California provide just that.

Grenache responds best to a long, slow fermentation at cooler temperatures followed by a maceration period. To guard against oxidation (which is a risk when making Grenache), the wine should be racked minimally. Using new oak barrels helps with retaining color and preventing oxidation, however, too much oak influence can quickly cover up the fruit-forward nature of Grenache and produce an imbalanced wine.

If by now you are creating a mental checklist on how to pick a great Grenache, consider all of those elements met once introduced to Casa Dumetz’s 2010 Gravitas Grenache.

While Emilio Estevez and Sonja Magdevski of Casa Dumetz grow only Pinot Noir vines in their Malibu yard (see “Drink Local, Eat Local” published in April, 2011, on this site), Sonja Magdevski is a savvy vintner and knows best where to source other varietals for their winemaking. Establishing a relationship with the Tierra Alta Vineyard in Santa Ynez Valley, Sonja knows that she is guaranteed to procure quality juicy fruit from a unique steep vineyard in the Ballard Canyon. This vineyard in particular is special for its location but it is also uniquely fit for growing terrific Grenache grapes. While the sourcing of grapes can run a risk of shortage, the owners of the vineyard are growers only and do not make wine. Barring a disastrous growing season, there should be plenty of fruit to go around to adventurous vintners. This also allows the opportunity for vintners to establish a committed relationship to the grapes that they wish to bottle.

Tierra Alta Vineyard was originally planted in the year 2000. Given that the vineyard is relatively young, the vines are presently going to produce juicier, fruit-forward grapes for wine. Couple in the climate of this area of the Santa Ynez Valley with the vineyard’s physical location and a long growing season with slow ripening is ensured. This not only enhances the development of flavors in the grape (which transition into the final bottled wine) but it is particularly ideal for the Grenache grape.

I first had the opportunity to try Casa Dumetz’ 2010 Gravitas Grenache during the summer while visiting with Sonja.  With a simple sip, it was readily apparent that there was something special to this bottling (consisting of 85% Grenache and 15% Syrah).  The label is equally unique as it features a 1969 childhood photo of Emilio among the vines of his grandfather’s property in Galicia, Spain.  The photo was taken by Emilio’s father Ramon Gerard Estevez (Martin Sheen) and it captures Emilio’s soulful child face predestined to a future among the vines and growing grapes.  Taking a bottle with me, I elected to save it to share with my brother who had yet to see the movie, “The Way” which was written and directed by Emilio Estevez.  While I normally pair food with wine (and planned to with this bottle), pairing it with Emilio’s movie was paramount.

For those unfamiliar, “The Way” is a beautiful movie which was filmed in Northern Spain along El Camino de Santiago.   The film stars Martin Sheen as Tom, a crusty set-in-his-ways American doctor who, upon dealing with the tragic loss of his son in France, decides to continue the historical pilgrimage along El Camino to honor his deceased son’s wishes.  The greater message of the film is that we do not choose a life, but we live a life and the profound implications that realization can have on oneself.  It is a film that artfully captures that life is bigger than that which we perceive on a daily basis and awakens one’s spirit.

As the film got underway, soon we were surrounded by beautiful views of the countryside and towns in Northern Spain and it was only appropriate to pour some of the 2010 Gravitas Grenache.

Housed in a bottle adorned with a screw cap, the wine’s rich bouquet is better preserved.  There is no question about this as the wine’s aromas are big and jammy with a notable distinct personality that can be detected one foot away from the wine glass.  Big aromas of red raspberries, kissed by the sun, tease of a degree of sweetness in the 2010 Gravitas Grenache.  On the palate, the wine is amazingly smooth for a 2010 vintage.  It is soft, supple, slightly earthy, spiced, notably rustic and most importantly, the 2010 Gravitas Grenache is utterly delicious. The Grenache is outstanding and it romanticizes the best attributes of artisanal Spanish wine. Seductive, warm rich flavors of red raspberry pour over the palate sweetened with subtle hints of toffee and dressed with warm elements of smoke and clove spice. The wine delivers a full sense of character and is resilient with a clear sense of pride.

While 2010 was a notably challenged harvest for Northern California, Central Coast California shared none of that burdened season.  Let me ring the bell loud and clear, good red 2010 vintage wines do come out of California.  Simply venture to Santa Ynez Valley or San Luis Obispo County.

It would not be an article on this site if there was not food involved with the pairing of wine.  To keep in line with the Spanish theme, I elected to serve some quick simple “pintxos” (which are similar to tapas, however, are served in Basque, Spain, and are simpler by nature).  Serving in a series of courses throughout the movie, the following were wonderful.

First, a course of steamed clams with herbs:

Second, a course of small fried Ibiza cheese filled rice balls with a crude garlic tomato tapenade:

Third, Spanish cuisine is not complete with olives, chorizo and cheese.  A chorizo selection of salchichon salami, jamon Serrano, and chorizo cantimpalo represented the meats. Iberico, Cabra al Vino and Manchego represented the cheeses.  Bits of cantaloupe and fresh chive dressed the plate as palate cleansers:

As the pinchos and the film finished, the wine that was left in the glass fell back across the palate like little bits of dessert.  A palate that has been enriched with the spices and flavors of Spanish cuisine will naturally find its final course of sweetness in the bits of Grenache wine that remained.  Hints of milk chocolate coupled with soft, subtle notes of vanilla coated the palate with the 2010 Gravitas Grenache’s finish.

This is a romantic wine that whisks you away and transports your senses. It is more than evident that this is a wine that you instinctively wish to share with family, the closest of friends, around a table with food and mostly, with love.

 

It is no secret that as time passes, wine ages in the bottle.  If you include proper cellaring, the wine will age properly and evolve into something a bit different than what you originally purchased and tasted in the tasting room.   Frequently, the average wine connoisseur tucks away his or her cherished bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon to age in the cellar but in reality, any bottle of red wine will age (although estimated peak times of aging are different per varietal and similarly, depending on where the grape was grown and the quality of the wine making).   Finally, if you have several bottles of a certain vintage, you can visit the varietal during various stages of its aging and follow the vintage on its journey.

 

This week the choice is to revisit a red wine that I featured during the first year of the web site’s existence.  The varietal of choice is also Pinot Noir because it is not often that I would be revisiting a vintage of Pinot Noir in an article three years after the original review.  In the sense of fair disclosure, the wine featured this week is no longer available for purchase and the current released vintage (2010) is presently sold out at the winery in question.  However, this particular winery’s wine is special enough that it merits featuring again and similarly, is a helpful nudge to the consumer to remember to visit the winery in question in the future to find the next available vintage.  Without further ado, please welcome back Laird Family Estate Winery’s (“Laird”) 2007 Ghost Ranch Pinot Noir (“Ghost Ranch Pinot Noir”).

 

Pinot Noir has long captivated the palates of wine drinkers and simultaneously eluded many a California wine maker for years.  It is notoriously finicky about where it likes to grow and under what conditions.   However, when a vintner finds a vineyard and its microclimate that are conducive to growing Pinot Noir grapes, a fantastic wine is on the horizon and one that can likely age well.  

 

Laird has long been touted as owning the most land in Napa County.  Similarly they own a special vineyard in Sonoma County in the Carneros American Viticultural Area (“AVA”) known as the Ghost Ranch Vineyard.   This vineyard is special for its fruit and those who work there have rumored to have seen people near the rows by the creek who disappear when approached (hence the name “Ghost Ranch”).  For those who are true Pinot Noir fans, Laird’s Ghost Ranch Pinot Noir consists of only Pinot Noir grapes.   The fruit from this vineyard stands for itself.   Pouring into the glass with a beautiful deep red velvet color, the 2007 vintage today is loaded with rich chewy candied cherries, soft plum and pomegranate ribbons, cinnamon, earthy notes and finely grounded tannins.  With one sip, it is clear that this wine is “roll-eyes-into-the-back-of-the-head good” as the wine elegantly and smoothly coasts across the palate.  This vintage is also a terrific example of the outstanding caliber of 2007 fruit:  it ages extremely well, still delivering fruit and will be one of the best vintages to age out of Northern California for years to come.

 

One of my favorite ways to pair Pinot Noir is with salmon.   Salmon is naturally fatty and while Pinot Noir is often lighter-bodied than other red wines, it still has enough tannins to pair perfectly with salmon.  It does not overwhelm the salmon but similarly its tannins equalize the fatty nature of the fish.  This week’s menu holds:

 

1)      Cedar Wrapped Salmon;

2)     Green Beans Almondine; and

3)     Roasted Herb Red Potatoes and Caramelized Leeks.

 

A terrific way to prepare salmon when temperatures fall is baked while wrapped in cedar paper.  Cedar paper will impart a lovely flavor to the salmon that will coax out the barrel-related aromas in the wine that you are pairing.  Since leeks are used, the green stems can be used to tie the cedar paper around the fish.

 

To accentuate the earthy notes in the wine, almonds are tossed in melted butter and roasted to be added to green beans and similarly red potatoes are roasted with rosemary, sea salt and cracked black pepper.

 

 

Leeks have a delicious soft, sweet flavor when slowly caramelized and are a fantastic vegetable to pair with Pinot Noir.

 

The wine, when taken together with this meal, pairs effortlessly.   Similarly, since the wine had been given a chance to age a bit more in the bottle, it took a very nice meal to an instant level of decadence.  This is a perfect example of how a delicious meal that is restaurant worthy is straight-forward enough to execute in the home kitchen.  It can take an ordinary weeknight and make it something special.  Cheers!

 

Red blend wines often receive moments to shine simply because of their unique nature.   A little of this, a little of that and a winery creates a bottle of wine that reflects its culture.  Provided that you like what the winemaker bottles, it then allows the winery to set itself uniquely apart from the rest of the pack.

 

Benessere Vineyards (“Benessere”) situated north of the town of St. Helena in Napa Valley is a winery that is best known for making Italian-inspired varietals of wine.  To keep in theme, its red blend wine “Sorridente” featurs a unique Italian red grape, Aglianico.   Depending on the vintage that you have or can acquire, its blend composition will vary, but Aglianico is consistently a shining star in this blend.   Sorridente means “smiling” and with a sip of Benessere’s Sorridente, the wine will have you doing just that.

  

This week I chose to feature Benessere’s 2005 Sorridente from my wine collection.  Some red wines are enjoyable whether they are poured when released by the winery or emerge from your wine cellar years later.  With aging, the wine changes and depending on the varietal, where the fruit is grown, the quality of the fruit and accompanying vintning and your personal preference, an aged wine may please your palate more.

 

In the case of Benessere’s 2005 Sorridente, its composition included Merlot, Aglianico and a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon.  The Aglianico grape is best suited for aging, yet the Merlot is a softer grape and may or may not age comparably. With this knowledge, I was simply curious as to how the wine would age.  Seven years post-harvest, my suspicions were confirmed . . . but before I reveal what those suspicions were, first let us dive a bit more into some background about the Aglianico grape.

 

Aglianico, (pronounced “all-yee-on-ee-co”) as I initially mentioned, is a grape that ages well.   It is a dark-skinned red wine grape that is primarily grown in the Campania region near Naples, Italy.  The grape itself is made into red wine that has high acidity, strong tannins and firm structure.   The Aglianico grape is a powerhouse of a wine grape as it buds early, grows best in dry climates with an abudance of sunshine and thrives in rocky, volcanic soil.  Because this particular grape vine does not need an abudance of water and further prefers soil that makes the vine struggle to get its water, the grapes produced will be quite tannic.  The tannins lend to making wine with a solid structure and similarly, need aging to settle down in the bottle.  Aglianico’s flavor profile also is a clear distinct red cherry flavor.  Given the grape’s tenancity with acidity, as the wine ages, the fruit will remain distinctly present making one wonder if somewhere along the lines that this varietal found the fountain of youth.  The lip-pursing tartness of the wine will dissipate with age.  Time is clearly on Aglianico’s side.

 

Merlot, on the other hand, is a softer red wine grape.  It is often referred to as a mid-palate grape and frequently rounds out the palate experience in many a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon.   It can age well, too, however, as it does, it will become increasingly softer, albeit more velvet-like.

 

While it is clear that Aglianico itself should be aged, knowing the Merlot content of this vintage made it seem that perhaps bottle-aging Benessere’s 2005 Sorridente would be a “toss-up”.   Ultimately, it is a personal decision.   For me, the wine has long been a favorite.  It is unique simply because of the varietals used in the blend.  However, Aglianico itself is not widely grown.  Only a few growers in the state of California grow Aglianico.  While Benessere does not grow the grape, its neighbor, Collins Vineyards (“Collins”) does.  Couple in the fact that Benessere has had a long-standing relationship with Collins, that sense of neighborliness is the final ingredient to make Sorridente special and worthy of bottle-aging for me.

 

Today, the wine has a rich garnet color in the glass.  The bouquet uniquely offers a slight earthiness, distinct aromas of Bing cherries, candied plum and a faint whisp of vanilla.   The palate is initially dominated by big flavors of tart cherries, but as the wine opens and breathes, the cherry flavor becomes sweeter and the soft cradling notes of Merlot come forth to round out the feeling of the wine in the mouth.

 

While this wine would pair well with lamb, or even a Tuscan style steak, but for this week’s pairing, I opted to go vegetarian:

 

• Kristin’s Late Harvest November Vegetable Plate

 

The idea behind this week’s food is simple: before winter arrives, what is left to harvest from the garden?    November is an interesting time period for vegetable gardening (depending on where you are in the United States).   Summer crops have long finished and plants may still have a red bell pepper or tomato or two to be picked before the plant gives up the ghost.   Herbs and chives love the cooler temperatures and dewy mornings so they are lush and fragrant.  If you fear that you cannot find them beneath fallen autumn leaves, no worry, your nose will easily lead you to them.  Cool weather crops have taken off and brussel sprouts are waiting for harvest but the sight of green leafy vegetables have returned and spinach and lettuces are available.   If you find yourself in Northern California, wild mushrooms are in season.

 

My ensemble includes sweet red bell pepper, fresh garlic, sweet onion, portabella mushroom, fresh spinach and plenty of fresh lemon thyme and chopped chives.  Such a simple combination but depending on the method of preparation, it is sweet, savory and flavorful all at once.  Onions are slowly sweated on the stove to caramelize with thin slices of garlic tossed in at the last minute to slowly roast and sweeten.  Portabella mushroom and red bell pepper are sautéed and then tossed in balsamic vinegar also to carmelize.   Thrown into the mix is lots of lemon thyme leaves.  Aromas of lemon thyme fill and perfume the kitchen, lingering throughout the home.  This herb alone offers a lovely herbaceousness that fits comfortably with nature yet freshens the air to remind one that there are still things yet to harvest in the garden.

 

Similarly a sautéed vegetable medly such as this can be just as fitting for fall as the root vegetables that we so often race to.  Trying this combination as I have, you will be happy to shelve the root vegetables until winter and still enjoy something satisfying, filling and surprisingly light. 

 

Once the main vegetables are caramelized and mixed into one skillet, many handfuls of fresh spinach leaves are tossed on top before the pan is lidded for two minutes.  The spinach barely wilts while retaining its color.  The flavors and aromas mix and represent a meld of earth and herbaceousness.

 

 

The vegetables look fantastic on an earth-toned pottery plate and then are dressed with coarsely grated fresh Parmesan and fresh chopped chives.

 

This simple but flavorful dish pairs fantastically with Benessere’s 2005 Sorridente and more over, with the grape varietal Aglianico.   With the food, the Aglianico embraces the caramelized sweet red peppers because of its acidity.  The cherry flavors in the wine reciprocally respond and become instantly sweet, sugared candy making one wonder, “Is this dinner or dessert?”  The mushrooms are tender (not chewy) and release a gentle earthy flavor allowing the palate to pay homage to fall.

 

In sum, this is a terrific simple sustainable meal.   It is easy to prepare although you do have to master several burners going at once.  The ingredients are easily found, if not already in your kitchen or garden.

 

This is also a perfectexample of how a meal can take a quirky red wine blend and show off its absolute finest attributes.  When you accomplish this, non-mainstream varietals are less intimidating and gain immense respect in the environments where they should be served.

 

And most importantly, this is a fantastic way to bring a little bit of the flavors of Napa Valley into your home.  Cheers!

 

In continuation with the current theme of giving a glimpse of my wine and culinary adventures this summer, this week’s article takes us to Salem, Massachusetts where anyone’s wine knowledge can be expanded.

 

Salem, Massachusetts, located north of Boston, is well known for the witch trials of 1692, its historic buildings, its museums and numerous restaurants.  Yet tucked away in its downtown area is a wine shop, Salem Wine Imports, that offers a selection and wine education compared to none.

 

The proprietor of Salem Wine Imports is Eric Olson who has been in the wine industry for over thirty-five years.  He is often found in the shop himself and if you arrive on Tuesday or Thursday evenings at 6:30 p.m., you have the pleasure of sitting in on one of his wine tastings.   Like any good proprietor, he selects a few wines that fit with the season and the crowd that typically attends the tasting and begins to impart his knowledge of wine to his audience.  His selections are thoughtful, can be from various parts of the world and generally fall within a certain reasonable price range.  Despite having the globe to select wines from, Eric also recognizes local winemakers and during the month of August featured a local nearby winery for a weekend tasting.

 

 

On one Thursday night in particular, my brother and I dropped in on one of the wine tastings.   The group present was friendly, welcoming, good-natured and most importantly, enthusiastic.   They were a group of individuals who have become accustomed to attending on Thursday night and it was easy to feel like you had an instant group of wine loving friends.

 

Since it was a warm night, Eric had selected three white wines for our group to taste and one lighter bodied red wine:  1) a 2009 Nebbiolo D’Alba Casa Vinicola by Bruno Giacosa; 2) a 2010 Grunet Veltliner by Schloss Gobelsburg, Austria; 3) Varner’s Home Block 2010 Chardonnay from Santa Cruz, California; and 4) a 2009 Puligny-Montrachet, France.    Any of these four wines I would personally feature in articles for each wine exhibited the quality and caliber of the wines that I typically promote.  Similarly, Eric’s statement on his shop’s web site captures the sentiment succinctly:  “Unique, singular, natural and rewarding, every glass can be thought provoking and contemplative or unassuming and unobtrusive as the mood may be.”   However, more importantly, the ambience of the back room of the shop where the tastings are held makes one feel welcomed into an Academie du Vin in the sense that maps of various wine regions in the world adorn the walls and similar wine country themed artwork.

   

 

Similarly, my brother and I had earlier in the week picked up a bottle of Sancerre from Salem Wine Imports.  In France, the wines are often referred to by the appellation or area where they are grown.  For example, a white wine that is referred to as a “Sancerre” is made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape, however, the grape itself is grown in a particular section of the Loire Valley, France, consisting of approximately 4450 acres.  It is in the Sancerre appellation that Sauvignon Blanc has had some of its greatest growing success and it is evidenced in the wines that are produced.  If you have yet to fully appreciate how terroir affects wine grapes, taste a Sancerre and you will learn how a particular grape can be firmly rooted to the very earth where it is grown.  It is here that Sauvignon Blanc becomes its most expressive, aromatic and intense.

 

For those who typically wince at California vintages of Sauvignon Blanc, you will embrace Sancerre.  The Sancerre that we decided to enjoy is made by Serge and Elizabeth Laporte (Domaine Serge Laporte 2010 Sancerre, France) and it is grown in hillsides with parcels of clay limestone and stony limestone.   It is likely due to this soil composition that it creates a Sancerre that is utterly lovely, with no bracing acidity but instead it is blissfully balanced.  It is complete with breathtaking flavors of lemon that lean towards iced lemon water.  Its flinty minerality dances across the palate and only at the very back of the palate does one experience a delicious smooth twist of acidity.

 

Food pairing ideas can range from herbed dishes, chevre, shellfish and poultry.   With this in mind, I elected to create a vegetable and poultry themed menu:

 

• Pan Sautéed Thyme-Chicken Stuffed With Herbed Chevré;
• Garlic Wilted Spinach; and
• Shallot-Garlic Green Beans.

 

Taking herbed chevré and stuffing a chicken breast is an easy and simple way to keep chicken moist while it is being sautéed on a range.  Once one side is browned and turned, thyme leaves are placed on top while a lid is lowered over the chicken breast.   The result is not only succulent and delicious but attractive.

 

When green beans are only boiled for a few minutes and then dumped into a bath of ice water, the cooking will stop.  This is a great culinary technique so that they can later be quickly cooked with previously sautéed almonds and garlic and yet the green beans will maintain a bright appealing green color.

 

Similarly it does not take long to wilt spinach and that makes a healthy and attractive bed upon which slices of the stuffed chicken breast will rest.

 

To finish the plate, a bit of chevre is placed on the plate as a garnish.  However, as a different twist, mint leaves picked from the herb garden are placed beneath.   Taken together, the mint and chevre pair spectacularly with a sip of the Sancerre.

 

The meal when combined with the Sancerre is a wonderful example of how the Sauvignon Blanc grape pairs effortlessly with herbs and tangy cheese like chevré.  This is due to the natural acidic nature of Sauvignon Blanc.   Again the Sancerre is easy to enjoy, contemplate and share with friends and family.   Similarly if you find yourself in Salem, Massachusetts, a visit to Salem Wine Imports will introduce you to wines such as this and a new world of wine education.

 

*New England has other great wine adventures to offer.  Please check next week on this site under the New England Vine tab to begin learning about wines made in New England from grapes grown locally.