One Bottle Post: Cru Beaujolais – du Moulin-a-Vent

March 24, 2021 by evebushman

Been a long time since I’ve had a Gamay wine from Beaujolais, France. Not to be confused with Nouveau Beaujolais, its younger sister that is presented every November fresh from bottling, this particular Gamay had some aging (see the tech notes below). I knew it would be red fruit on the nose and palate – reminding me a little of a Pinot Noir – and I was interested to see how this one, from Moulin a Vent, turned out.

From the website Beaujolais.com we learn, among other things, “A natural cross between pinot noir and gouais blanc, the gamay noir à jus blanc variety makes it possible to produce wines with multifaceted fruitiness: from ‘cheerful fruitiness’ for Festive Beaujolais wines – and hence ‘Beaujolais Nouveau’ – to “complex fruitiness” for the Exceptional Beaujolais, and including “racy fruitiness” for the Expressive Beaujolais…”

The Tasting

The color was like a bright ripe cherry, inviting. On the nose I got quite of bit of red fruit, mostly strawberry and raspberry. There is also some white pepper, smoke, golden raisins and incense. The taste brought all those ripe red berries right up front, some spiciness with a lively palate. This would be our first wine of the night, a refreshing starter, and one my Pinot loving friends would also appreciate.

From the Technical Sheets

General info: approximately 13% alcohol, 100% Gamay grapes, approximately 33,000 bottles, bottled 12/5/2019. On the vines we learn that “These terroirs less exposed to the winds, below the historical moulin-à-vent, on its east slope. The maturation is scarcely stopped and the fruit is much better preserved.” 40 year old vines. Harvested by hand, 3 weeks cold pre-fermentation. Aged at least 15 months in 100% stainless steel, no oak aging.

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Pairing Red Wine with Fish and Seafood

November 28, 2013 by evebushman

We’ve all heard the tired cliché, red wine with meat and white wine with fish. I’m just curious as to who made these rules? In all my travels, I have yet to find where it is etched in stone that these rules are steadfast. I seriously doubt the wine gods consented to such mindless twaddle. As best I can conclude it was someone with limited cooking skills and not a very creative palate for wine.

First and foremost, most fish dishes have an acidic component, and more often than not, white wines have more acidity than reds. For my palate, matching a dish’s acidity is a very important aspect to wine pairing. Keeping that in mind, we must remember that some red wines have more prominent acidity than others. Does this make them a viable candidate to serve with fish? Absolutely! Such a wine is definitely appropriate as a “fish red.”

It is also important to remember that white wines lack tannins by-and-large, and have lower alcohol content. The result is a lighter-bodied character which will not overwhelm more delicately flavored fish.

Higher acidity, lower tannins, moderate alcohol, not the sort of red wine most of us favor. Or is it? Pinot noir is an ideal selection. A classic Burgundian from Cote de Beaune is of medium body and low tannin. This area produces wines which are perfect to pair with iron-rich fish such as salmon or tuna. Pinot Noir’s blend of red fruit flavors and earthy mushroom notes, are a perfect pairing for fatty, raw cuts like sushi or tartare. I have found that iron-rich fishes bring out more fruity tones in the wine.

Won’t Pinot Noir clash with wasabi? Not to worry, the tannins are not strong enough to cause any upset on the palate. If you prefer an even lighter Pinot Noir, I am quick to recommend either an Alsatian or German wine. When I lived in California, I often paired salmon with a Saintsbury Garnet Pinot Noir.

Since salmon and tuna are most red wine friendly, I am always experimenting with various pairings to see what satisfies my palate. My only rule with wine pairings is simply, what tastes the best together and compliments each other. I am also fond of pairing salmon with Cru Gamay from Beaujolais. Gamay grapes typically produce wines that are light-bodied and fruity.

Bluefish is full-flavored, fatty, and meaty. Since it is a fuller flavored fish, a light red can often work quite well as a compliment. Pinot Noir, Gamay, and Grenache are all excellent selections to pair with bluefish.

In Europe, monkfish is quite popular. I have found that a Merlot from Bordeaux is flexible enough to be paired with fish. The wine’s lush fruit and light structure make it the perfect accompaniment to fish dishes that are lightly flavored. A fresh and fruity Gamay also is a nice match for monkfish.

Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley is the perfect match for such fish as mackerel or trout. The valley’s cooler climate makes for a lighter-bodied, but well-focused wine. The density of the wine’s spice notes pairs well with earthy dishes, or oily, strong flavored fish.

I eat a lot of Spanish cuisine, particularly cod, which is an interesting dish to pair with red wine. A Spanish Rioja, you are quick to question? Spanish wines are often big, bold, and heavy on oak. Reserva and Gran Reserva wines often require years to open up, and will most certainly overpower fish dishes. However, Joven and Crianza style wines use little or no oak. In these styles of Spanish wine, the Tempranillo grape’s natural acidity and red fruit character shine through, while tannins keep things dry, but not too tight. These characteristics are a great match for cod’s mild flavor.

We all know that Italy’s Piedmont region is acclaimed for the Nebbiolo grape which produces Barolo and Barbaresco. However, let’s not forget Barbera. Traditional styles of Barbera are fruity, fairly light, and not very tannic. Keeping these characteristics in mind, Barbera is a wonderful pairing with fish. Give it a try with Arctic char, squid, or octopus.

When pairing wines with different foods, preparation is also a major factor. With a fish or seafood dish that is very spicy, or the sauce is heavily seasoned, a red wine will simply not work. When such a dish is accompanied by a red wine, the combination will taste rather metallic in your mouth.

Let’s not forget Rose wines. A Rose is a wonderful accompaniment to light and delicate fish flavors. Rest assured that Rose will serve to enhance, and not over power the dish. Rose also pairs very nicely with clams. So before you are quick to reach for a white Bordeaux or a Sauvignon Blanc, consider a dry Rose.

Living in Europe, I have come to appreciate strongly flavored fishes that are salty and taste of the sea. Europeans favor dishes that include anchovies, sardines, herring, and mackerel. I have had limitless fun in experimenting and pairing red wines from Greece, Italy, France, and Spain, to name a few.

In conclusion, many red wines pair wonderfully with fish, and making such discoveries is part of the experience. So the next time you sit down to lobster, consider Pinot Noir. Red Snapper, scallops, or shrimp in garlic, don’t rule out Merlot.

As for me, I am about to enjoy a grilled Mahi Mahi steak. The only question is the wine, a young Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, unoaked Spanish red, light Italian red or an Australian Tarrango? Decisions, decisions, decisions … “But that my friends, is another story …”

Rusty Sly: Grape of the Night (GOTN) Does Thanksgiving

November 26, 2012 by evebushman

With the excitement of the holiday season around the corner we thought that it would be fun to see what wines the GOTN group serve for Thanksgiving. This was the first time the door was opened allowing everyone to bring wines they would normally drink rather than searching for a particular varietal that had been selected. Most of the wines that were brought I expected to see but there were a few that did not make a showing at this tasting.

Those missing were the Gewurztraminer and certain styles of Rieslings of which both pair fantastic with turkey. Another wine, though not my personal favorite, was Beaujolais Nouveau made from the Gamay grape. This wine is fermented for just a few weeks before being released for sale on the third Thursday of November just a week before Thanksgiving.

However, what was more interesting were the reasons for everyone’s selections. Some of the group brought examples they poured prior to dinner, such as sparkling wines. Others brought wines that they serve with dinner and we even had one example of a pink port wine to go with dessert. Personally I was surprised as I thought just about everyone would bring wines to serve with dinner.

One fallacy is that you must pour a white wine to go with the traditional turkey dinner. From the wine lineup we had one can see the group already recognizes that is not the case. It was also found the group is into progressive wine drinking for the holiday, in other words pairing, they have an opening wine (sparkling or white), dinner wine (white to light reds) and end with a dessert wine (port, Madeira, ice wine, etc).

Here is the lineup we had for the evening:

· Segura Viudas Aria Brut (Sparkling Wine)

Aroma – None

Taste – Apple with a lemon spritz finish. The

· Four Brix Baubles (Sparkling Wine)

This wine is made with Chardonnay (60%) and Pinot Noir (40%) from the Russian River

Aroma – Biscuit, cheese and toast

Taste – lemon with honey on the finish. The chardonnay grape was very pronounced in this wine.

· 2011 Edward Sellars Viognier Paso Robles

Aroma – Green Apples

Taste – Apple and lemon grass

· 2010 Les Deux Chats Ripken Vineyard Viognier Lodi

Aroma – lemon grass

Taste – Tart green Apple

· 2009 Chateau de Chaimrey Mercurey Rouge (Burgundy) France

Aroma – Perfume at the start then softenes to cracked pepper

Taste – Taste – Grape skins at the finish, cherries in the background and layered with soft tannins

· 2008 Opolo Vineyards Pinot Noir Central Coast Calif.

Aroma – Cherry and spice

Taste – Cherry and vanilla

· 2009 Valde Loire Domaine la Charmoise Touraine Gamay France

Aroma – Cherry licorice and maraschino cherry liqueur

Taste – Black tea

· 2011 Concha Y Toro Casillero del Diablo Carmenere Chile

Aroma – Mocha coffee

Taste – Mocha Coffee

· Croft Pink Porto

Aroma – High alcohol, light port flavor profile

Taste – Light port, light brown sugar

As we ventured through the various wines from different regions and countries for this tasting, I asked a question to challenge the group. What is the difference between “Old World and New World Wines”?

We have had many examples of wine varietals from various regions over the past year at GOTN. This question was to see if those that have been attending have developed a sense of knowledge from GOTN about the very distinct differences between the two styles. One person, who does not attend regularly, thought this was too broad of a question to ask. Regulars dialed right in explaining the differences that one would expect from the subtle layering and flavor of old world wines verses the big bold in your face fruit forward styles that are typical of new world wines. Some even got into the intricacies including the various nuances of the different regions and their effects on the wine. For all of us I think this is proof that these types of gatherings are definitely helping people to reach beyond their typical wines. So for Thanksgiving we can think outside the box and select wines that will awe our guests and put smiles on their faces therefore reaching our goal.

Another addition to GOTN is for us to learn proper pronunciation of words used in wine circles that most of us struggle with. My friend, Chuck Wiedeman, volunteered his services to provide a couple of new terms at each meeting allowing us to pronunciate the words correctly and not embarrass ourselves too much. Here are the WINE WORDS for November GOTN. Read it phonetically, emphasis on the bold terms, then “French it up, like the cartoon character Pepe Lé Phew”

·         Ugni Blanc pronounced OO nee Blonk
·         Appellation d’origine Contrôlé pronounced Ah pell ah see ON Dee oh ree GEE nay Cohn troll LAY
·         Chateauneuf du pape pronounced Shot toe NOOF dew pop

I want to thank all that attended our Thanksgiving tasting. We had a few new people putting our group at about 18 for the evening which was a great turnout. Thank you, as always, to Guy and Geno for providing our group with such a great place as Valencia Wine Company and the fantastic service that Geno gives us every time we are there. You will always be number one in my eyes. Enjoy your Thanksgiving everyone and please, be safe and drink responsibly.

Cheers,
Rusty Sly

Rusty Sly on Carbonic Fermentation

October 29, 2012 by evebushman

During our last meeting of Grape of the Night (GOTN) in September 2012 the group tasted and learned about a wine called Gamay Beaujolais. One of the points that I commented on was about a different fermentation process used in the Gamay region of France called carbonic fermentation. This process creates wines that have fruity aromatics and are light in style compared to wines that have gone through the usual fermentation process; and involves fermentation of whole grape clusters including the stems.

A similar process is used in wines from the Republic of Georgia where the grapes, stems, etc are placed into amphoras and crushed. The difference with carbonic fermentation is that the grapes are not crushed. Allowing the stems to be included in the fermentation process creates a wine that is high in tannins and sometimes green bell pepper aromatics.

One grape that is not always crushed is pinot noir. This allows for a more aromatic wine based on what is termed a partial carbonic maceration process. Fermenting with the stems is traditional in Burgundy wines from France and has increased in 2008 and 2009 vintages. Since this technique increases the tannin level, it is probably the reason that French Burgundy wines age well beyond their American counterparts.

The process of carbonic fermentation is very unique and involves placing the whole grape clusters with their stems carefully into a vat forming layers of grape clusters. I am sure that everyone that has picked up a grape cluster at your local market can realize how much weight or force is being applied to the grapes on the bottom of the vat. This causes some of the grapes at the bottom to be crushed just due to the weight. Next, carbon dioxide is added into the vat to remove the oxygen. This allows for fermentation to occur within the grape skin delaying the activity of the yeast. This is the key difference from normal fermentation. The fermentation occurs naturally within the grapes. As the grape ferments within the skin, the internal pressure from carbon dioxide gas production along with the weight of the grapes piled into the vat causes the grapes to burst and release their juice. This kind of fermentation process creates ethanol as well as fantastic fruit aromatics.

This process is used extensively in the Beaujolais region where very fruity aromatics in light bodied wines are produced. The stems do add high tannins however, the process used in the Beaujolais region are geared around quick turnaround wines. This is very evident in Beaujolais Nouveau wines.

Cheers,
Rusty Sly

Rusty Sly on: Gamay Beaujolais

October 15, 2012 by evebushman

Gamay Beaujolais

It has been a while since I have written a follow up to GOTN. I have been slacking on what is expected of me so I will attempt to get back into your good graces. The GOTN on 10 September 2012 was to showcase a wine that is not normally selected or drank. The wine varietal was Gamay Beaujolais. The Gamay noir grape is a clone of the pinot noir grape crossed with Gouais. Gamay grapes were originally grown in Burgundy France where they were believed to have been introduced by the Romans. The presence of the Gamay grape within the Burgundy region caused an uproar among the Burgundy purists. Philippe the Good, banned Gamay Beaujolais from Burgundy because “The Dukes of Burgundy are known as the lords of the best wines in Christendom. We will maintain our reputation”. Beaujolais grape growers then relocated to Beaujolais which is north west of Lyons. This region grows only this varietal. The soil is granite based but the terroir was well suited for this grape varietal and it thrived.

Rusty Sly, Toni Brady, photo credit- Larry McClements

Gamay Beaujolais of the past did not label their bottles as Gamay Beaujolais. The rule of thumb was to place only the region that the bottle came from without adding Gamay. This is now being changed slowly according to Inter Beaujolais general manager Jean Bourjade. There is a move to feature Gamay on the labels of Beaujolais and Beaujolais Village wines. The best villages in the region including the famous ‘Cru’ Beaujolais are as follows:
·         St-Amour
·         Julienas
·         Chenas
·         Moulin-a-Vent
·         Fleurie
·         Chiroubles
·         Morgon
·         Regnie
·         Brouilly and Cote de Brouilly

Gamay Beaujolais AOC requires that the alcohol content to be above 10-10.5% ABV. To do this the vintner use a process called chaptalization or adding sugar to the grape must to increase the alcohol level content if required. This has been controversial as Beaujolais winemakers are striving to make higher quality wines and increasing the alcohol affects the body and balance of the wine. Many Gamay Beaujolais wines can have up to 13-13.5%.

A unique process used by Gamay Beaujolais wine makers to acquire lighter wine with fruity aromatics is a process called carbonic maceration. This process involves placing whole grapes (uncrushed) into the fermenter and adding carbon dioxide to remove the oxygen. As the carbon dioxide gas pressure builds due to fermentation within the grape plus the weight of the grapes on top, they burst. Wines produced using this technique are lighter and are have a fruitier aroma, compared to red wines made the usual way of crushing the grapes then fermenting.

Gamay Beaujolais wines are high in acidity and was noted in all of the examples brought by the group. This wine would go great with creamy cheeses and meat that has a lot of fat due to this high acidity.

Beaujolais cru wines today are being produced more in the way of traditional red burgundy wines. Trying to go back to their traditional roots, the grapes are fermented in open wooden vats and aged in oak barrels. These new Beaujolais wines are deeper in color and more tannic. The added tannins will allow one to cellar these wines which was impossible with the Beaujolais wines of the past.

The wines that were provided by the group and tasted are as follows:

·         2009 Domaine De Collette Cru Morgan
Aroma: Cherry
Taste: Cherry, light, creamy with light acidity
·         2009 Moulin a Vent Cru Le Trois Roches Pierre-Marie Chermette
Aroma: Mineral (granite)
Taste: Red berry back ground, mineral and acidic
·         2010 Louis Jadot
Aroma: No nose
Taste: Light bright cherry, tart, light and high acidity
·         2009 Domaine Mont Chavy Cru Morgan
Aroma: Light barnyard and black licorice
Taste: Delicate, mineral finish and acidic
·         2009 Macon Rouge Cru Regnard
Aroma: No nose
Taste: Cherry, light vanilla and light acidity
·         2009 Saint-Lager Cru Brouilly Recolte Christean Vergier
Aroma: Barnyard
Taste: Earthy and acidic

Based on the groups comments it is evident that Gamay Beaujolais wines are notoriously acidic. Structurally they are light (some more than others) and many reflect an old world profile. Many that were in attendance were surprised at what some of these wines offered at such a low cost. Many of these wines were well under $20 except for one. This was truly a great night and a tremendous learning experience about a wine that very few people will pick up or try.

I would again like to thank the Valencia Wine Company and Guy Lelarge sponsoring our group with special thanks to Geno for always making sure that we had everything we needed to make our evening special.

Cheers,
Rusty Sly

Eve’s Away and the Dellepiane’s are at play: The Dellepiane’s Wine Encounter in Southern France, Part I–Burgundy

August 3, 2012 by evebushman

Don and I traveled to Southern France this spring, combining a Viking River Cruise of the Saone and the Rhone rivers with a driving trip along the French Riviera. One reason for traveling with Viking is the complimentary (and free-flowing) wine and beer served with each shipboard lunch and dinner. Enough said.

The caves of Beaune are interconnected underground. The barrels, made from special oak trees in Southern France, cost 700 Euros

Another plus for Viking is that most of the daily shore excursions are also included in the base fare. The first morning of our cruise featured an outing to the medieval town of Beaune, the wine capital of Burgundy. The Viking brochure indicated that we would be taking a “Burgundy wine route excursion featuring Hotel Dieu with wine tasting.” I was rather enchanted with the idea that we would be tasting wine in an upscale hotel, only to discover that the French use the word “hotel” to name not only lodging facilities, but also a variety of public buildings. For example, a Hotel de Ville is a city hall. As for Hotel Dieu, it was a hospice or charity hospital from 1452-1971 and is now a museum. It was wholly financed through the sale of wine from its vineyards. No wine tasting inside Hotel Dieu for us, but the building is a must-see architectural jewel, and it houses a fascinating display of antique winemaking equipment.

As our sleek tour bus made its way from our dock on the Saone to the town of Beaune, we traveled for about an hour through the green and luxuriant Burgundian countryside, randomly plotted with small vineyard parcels. This time of year, the dark and gnarly old vines appeared sadly stark against the delicate spring landscape. Sadder yet was the fact that we summarily zipped past road signs that pointed one in the direction of Michel Lafarge and Le Montrachet. Our guide narrated as we went. Although not apparent from the bus, bud break had arrived. We were in the Cote de Beaune region, and the word “cote” translates to “coast” in English. “Cote” refers to the marine origins of the gold-colored, rocky limestone soils. The great wines of Burgundy are made from 100% Pinot Noir or 100% Chardonnay grapes, and the wines are classified by vineyard. The concept of terroir is clearly depicted here with the nearly infinite variations on exposure to the sun, slope, and drainage among the hundreds of small vineyards.

We arrived in the walled-village of Beaune and realized that it’s all about wine here! Its narrow streets are lined on both sides with wine shops, wine cellars, wine museums, and gift/souvenir shops selling wine paraphernalia. After a worthwhile tour of Hotel Dieu, we made a quick stop for an espresso to take the edge off the bone-chilling cold morning. It was now time for the included wine tasting at a local cellar. Still cold, still jet-lagged, and still the A.M., we were not quite in the same mood for wine as we would be at, say, harvest season in Napa. It also didn’t help that we (our group of 8 travel buddies), trying to pay for our coffee, got temporarily separated from the rest of the tour group. After about 15 minutes of frustration and despair, we ran into a stray Viking guide who kindly reunited us with the rest of our tour group at Le Cellier de la Cabiote. We were quite cranky when we arrived, finding the rest of the group seated, glasses in hand, cheerily sampling the first wine. We, no doubt, missed the introductions and overview, but we were rushed in and provided with copies of the tasting menu, which follows, with my commentary:

BOURGOGNE ALIGOTE 2010 DOMAINE LARUE 7.50 EURO

Aligote is a minor white grape grown in the Burgundy region. It is light and tart, but not in a good way. It is often used in the Kir Royale aperitif. (I prefer Kir Royales made with Champagne.)

RULLY LA BARRE 2010 DOMAINE BRELIERE 13.00 EUROS

This is a “village” Chardonnay from the Challonaise region. It is fresh, lightly-oaked, and appley. Nice for the price.

BEAUJOLAIS VILLAGES DOMAINE CALLANDRAS 2011 9.00 EUROS

Beaujolais is made from the Gamay grape (100%), which is grown in the southern part of Burgundy. Although light in color, the Beaujolais Village has more structure and intensity than the young Beaujolais Nouveau that is released each year in November. This Beaujolais Village has a vibrant fruit flavor and no perceptible tannin.

POMMARD 2009 DOMAINE MENAUT 22.00 EUROS

This is a “village” red Burgundy (100% Pinot Noir) from the Cote de Beaune. It has well-blended tannins, a complex structure, and flavors of smoke and raspberries.

DOUBLE CREME DE CASSIS MAISON/BRIOTTET 70 cl 15.00 Euros

Creme de Cassis is a specialty of Burgundy. It is a liqueur made from currants and is used to make the Kir Royale aperitif.

Final Note: It is apparent that Viking Cruise Line necessarily designs its wine-related excursions to appeal to travelers with varying degrees and levels of interest and knowledge of wine. That said, they do a good job of meeting the needs of a diverse customer base and of providing an introductory experience. However, my recommendation to the sophisticated wine enthusiast who wants a more intensive wine experience in France would be to travel independently and to arrange one’s own itinerary with a local guide specializing in wine tours.

Next Stop–Part II: THE RHONE REGION