LOT18.COM UNVEILS NEW WINE COLLECTION BASED ON ‘DOWNTON ABBEY’ AND ITS NEW FEATURE FILM

October 14, 2019 by evebushman

LOS ANGELES – Lot18 cordially invites you to taste a new wine collection, crafted in honor of Downton Abbey’s eagerly awaited return for the first time on the big screen. Relive the romance, drama and intrigue of the beloved Crawley family and its fiercely loyal staff, as both the upstairs and downstairs members of the iconic residence continue to navigate their personal lives as well as larger events of the early 20th century. As the Dowager Countess would say, “You’ll find there’s never a dull moment in this house” – nor with this wine.

Winemaker Lot18.com has teamed up with NBCUniversal and Focus Features to produce a collection of wine based on the beloved and multiple Emmy® Award-winning series, and newly released feature film, Downton Abbey. The new collection includes a Downton Abbey Sparkling Rose from Val de Loire, France, a 2018 Downton Abbey Bordeaux Blanc from Bordeaux, France and a 2018 Downton Abbey Bordeaux Rouge from Bordeaux, France.

The collectable wines, which are available in limited quantity, go on sale today and can be purchased exclusively in-store at select Cost Plus World Market locations nationwide as well as ordered exclusively online at Lot18.com/DowntonAbbey while supplies last.

Here are the tasting notes for the Downton Abbey wine collection:

Downton Abbey Sparkling Rose, Val de Loire, France

The Wine and Winemaking:

We are the oldest sparkling wine company from the Loire with 200 years of winemaking experience. With one of the most trusted names in France when it comes to producing sparkling wines. The best blending, made with the wine base after the first fermentation, is achieved in our cellars. This blending art is perfectly mastered by our Chief winemaker according to a 2-century tradition and is one of the key factors of success for this wine. The second fermentation is temperature controlled and is made in stainless steel tanks for 4 weeks. This method allows for a wine with fine and delicate bubbles. The grapes were selected from a blend of vineyards in well-known growing regions of France, the Loire and Languedoc to create its unique and fruity style. The wine was elaborated in the Charmat Method and aged to create small, delicate bubbles that delight the palate.

Tasting Notes:

A brilliant bright pink hue, a medium-bodied wine from France’s highly renowned Loire region. Beautifully rounded on the palate, with bright, red fruit aromas blending notes of ripe raspberry and delicate mountain strawberry, florals and refreshing acidity. The finish provides notes of citrus with fine bubbles that are crisp and effervescent. This Rosé is an ideal food match. Enjoy as an apéritif, or pair with flavorful cheeses, fresh seafood or meats, like duck, chicken and pork, with flavorful, fruit-based sauces.

2018 Downton Abbey Bordeaux Blanc, Bordeaux, France

The Wine and Winemaking:

Co-fermented and aged in stainless steel before bottling. With a name derived from the French word sauvage, or wild, Sauvignon Blanc is a grape that can be tracked back at least 500 years. Our Downtown Abbey Bordeaux Blanc touches upon the variety’s origins and essence. Fresh flavors of white grapefruit and lemon are punctuated by lemongrass and mineral nuances on the palate, followed by a crisp, dry finish. The Semillon addition is a classic and contributes lively stone fruit notes and rounds out the palate. Enjoy this classically styled Sauvignon Blanc with fresh fish or dishes that feature goat cheese.

Tasting Notes:

Lively and fresh fruit flavors of white grapefruit and lemon are punctuated by lemongrass and mineral nuances on the palate, followed by a crisp, dry finish.

2018 Downton Abbey Bordeaux Rouge, Bordeaux, France

The Wine and Winemaking:

Vines are 30+ years of age. Co-fermented and aged in stainless steel and 10mo French Oak Barriques. A family castle steeped in history and respect for the land. Château Haute Courtiade’s vineyard is part of a family history since the 17th century. It was created and developed over the centuries with a strong passion: to reveal its soil in a vineyard management respecting the ecosystem. Henri SICARD, 13th generation, exploited the vineyard since 1988. Very active and engaged in the development of environmental farming practices, he is one of the craftsmen of the obtaining of the standard High Environmental Value (HVE) by UNIVITIS.

Tasting Notes:

This opaque wine is elegant and rich, with aromas of red, blackberry and blackcurrant. Remarkable balance and complexity, velvety tannins and a long and tasty finish confirming the anticipated aromas. 10 months of ageing in French oak barrels gives the wine a beautiful concentration, balance and finish.

Michelin Starred Chef Christophe Émé Presents KASS Wine Bar + Restaurant!

February 20, 2019 by evebushman

Los Angeles, CA – After twenty-five years as a powerhouse in the fine dining industry, Michelin starred and world-renowned Chef Christophe Émé is ready to uncork another side of his prowess by introducing KASS, a chic and welcoming wine bar and restaurant that offers a sophisticated yet approachable French Dinner Menu and unrivaled Wine List in a 40-seat dining room and bar stripped of pretention, but brimming with innovation and immaculate presentation. Situated on the most in-vogue strip on La Brea, KASS Wine Bar + Restaurant by Chef Christophe Émé officially opened Friday, February 1^st, 2019!

Chef Christophe Eme. Photo Credit- acuna-hansen

Growing up in France’s picturesque Loire Valley was the ideal backdrop for Chef Christophe Émé, who learned from an early age the joy of cooking in the kitchen. At the age of sixteen, Émé began an apprenticeship at the Hôtel de France in Angers before embarking on a journey that has propelled him across the globe, sharpening his skills at some of the world’s most prestigious restaurants with enough Michelin stars between them to form a constellation. From Auberge des Templiers, to Auberge de l’Eridan in the French Alps, to the opulent Taillevent, Émé has worked with such culinary legends as Gerard Rabaey, Marc Veyrat, Michel Rostang, Philippe Braun, and Philippe Legendre. Arriving in the United States in 2001, Émé made his way to Los Angeles as Executive Chef at the highly revered L’Orangerie where he challenged perceptions and French cooking technique by renouncing cream and butter sauces in favor of complex layered emulsions and natural jus. In 2005, Émé embarked on his first solo Los Angeles venture and opened the critically lauded Ortolan on West Third Street, where he showcased his impeccable haute cuisine. Shortly after Ortolan debuted in 2005, Émé was honored by Food & Wine as one of the “10 Best New Chefs” and subsequently earned a Michelin star in 2007. After setting a higher standard for the next generation of French restaurants, Émé is now moving in a new direction by introducing KASS Wine Bar + Restaurant.

Wine Consultant Taylor Parsons (Whole Cluster Consulting, République, Spago, Mozza, Campanile) curated the KASS Wine List. “This is a tightly focused wine list created with the purpose to provide pleasure and not intimidation, with wines that serve the neighborhood and the cuisine of Émé.” says Parsons. Thoughtfully overseen by KASS Wine Bar + Restaurant Sommelier and Manager Kyley Jacoby, the KASS Wine List is comprised of seventy percent French Wines, with an emphasis on the Loire Valley in honor of Émé’s home region, with the remaining thirty percent made up of varietals ranging from France, Europe, and California. Designed for connoisseurs and novices alike, the Wines by the Glass are available to sip and swish, beginning with effervescent Sparkling section including the Jacky Blot, Montlouis Brut ‘Tradition’ Loire Valley NV or the Laherte Freres, Extra Brut ‘Ultradition’ Champagne NV. The single Pink offering stands poised and proud, the Vinca Minor, Carignan Rosé Sonoma County 2017, while the White section offers an array of global choices beginning with the Domaine Daulny, Sancerre Loire Valley 2017; the German Andi Knauss, White Blend ‘Boutanche’ Württemberg 2017, or the Frantz Chagnoleau Macon-Villages La Carruge Burgundy 2016, while the Domaine Dupasquier, Roussette de Savoie, Savoie 2013 rounds off the white wines by the glass. The Red section starts with a trio from France, kicking-off with the Jean-Marc Burgaud, Morgon Côte du Py, Beaujolais 2017, a Loire Valley 2016 Domaine Filliatreau, Saumur-Champigny ‘La Grande Vignolle’, and a Domaine de Majas, VdP Côtes Catalanes Carignan Blend Roussillon 2017, before heading over to the Piedmont region of Italy to enjoy a 2016 Brovia, Dolcetto d’Alba ‘Vignavillej’ and the 2016 Piedrasassi, Syrah ‘PS’ from Santa Barbara County. While sharing delectable dishes with good company, the Wines by the Bottle offer an ideal respite to relax and unwind, beginning with Sparkling Wines in two significant categories: Champagne and Not Champagne, followed by a respectable selection of Pink Wine, and a vast library of White Wine that is categorized as Energetic, Fruity, and Muscular, with an equally impressive variety of Red Wine, categorized by dominant notes Bright, Juicy, Earthy and Plush, and a boutique selection Sweet & Fortified Wine.

Chef Émé utilizes his near thirty years of expertise to present a concise, but yet approachable KASS Dinner Menu featuring appetizers and entrées, which will experience weekly variant twists curated by Émé, depending on the availability of fresh, seasonal ingredients from the local Farmers Market. Guests will have the pleasure of watching Émé directly in his element in the open kitchen, along with his condensed, but highly skilled team, with a window perfect for awestruck onlookers. The ever-evolving KASS Dinner Menu will feature dishes such as the Salad of Baby Beets with black lentils and aged Comté; the Oxtail Parmentier made with marrow bone and Burgundy truffles; the Farro Risotto, accompanied by celery root, kale, and Morel mushrooms, and the Chicken Cooked in Clay served with wild mushroom sauce and green asparagus. Dessert will include delectable treats, like the silky Chocolate Tart accompanied by chocolate sorbet. Ever the artiste, Émé showcases every dish like a work of art, be the canvas the Pordamsa porcelain plateware, which showcases a mimicry of patterns and textures found in nature, or the Shichirin Hida Konro, a miniature Japanese portable charcoal grill and the black slate cutlery. Whatever the vessel, presentation will be at the forefront alongside flavor and technique.

A clean, contemporary space designed by Émé with assistance from Annie May of Kuskin / May Designs, harmonizes between warm and cool neutrals and the perfect balance between natural and manmade materials. Warm enough to be inviting, but cool enough to retain a sleekness, this stylishly inviting space offers guests three atmospheric experiences: The Wine Bar, where cheese, charcuterie and oysters are the perfect accompaniment to wine offerings and spirited conversation, and the Dining Room which offers plush banquette seating ideal for intimate and vibrant gatherings alike. The Outdoor Patio welcomes guests with cozy woven rattan nest chairs and low tables perfect for enjoying a bottle of wine, enclosed by a wood plank façade, mimicking a Japanese hinoki, successfully encapsulating KASS guests away from the bustling street. “KASS is an involved experience; I want guests to come in for the atmosphere as much for the wine and the food,” says Émé.

With an ever-expanding array of top eateries such as République, Sugarfish, Sycamore Kitchen, Odys + Penelope, and trendsetting shopping destinations like American Rag, Best Made, Champion, Undefeated, Kelly Cole USA and Aether Apparel, KASS Wine Bar + Restaurant by Chef Christophe Émé is a chic, sophisticated and welcoming new addition to this bustling street that offers an approachable French dinner menu and unparalleled wine list, in a lively setting!

KASS Wine Bar + Restaurant is open for Dinner every Tuesday through Saturday from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm, and every Sunday from 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm. The KASS Wine Bar is open every Tuesday through Saturday from 5:00 pm to 12:00 Midnight, and every Sunday from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm. For reservations, please visit KASS Wine Bar + Restaurant Yelp Reservations or call KASS Wine Bar + Restaurant directly at 323.413.2299.

Please follow KASS Wine Bar + Restaurant on Instagram @kassrestaurant or on Facebook

KASS Wine Bar + Restaurant

320 South La Brea Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90036

T: 323.413.2299

Vintage Eve Circa Jan 2016: The Tasting Panel Magazine’s Annual Champagne Tasting

January 29, 2019 by evebushman

About a month ago I attended an all Rose sparkling and Champagne tasting courtesy of the Tasting Panel Magazine, an annual event held just before the new year. This past year’s event was held at the charming Sotto Restaurant in LA.

The tasting is set up as a self-pour format and attended by various members of the press and wine community – people that can be trusted to spit and not over pour. I like the tasting as I can not only control the pour, I can usually complete the event in about 90 minutes. The downfall is that there is no way to take notes while holding my glass in one hand. I can only accomplish that at a sit-down tasting.

It’s important to me to give a shout out to the Tasting Panel Magazine for hosting this event, it really is quite a nice way to end the year and very generous of them to host it.

And for my readers had to wait until January to read this: Sparkling wine and Champagne can be enjoyed all year long, and not just for special occasions like New Year’s Eve. I learned the lesson well when reading and reviewing The Widow Clicquot, and I dare you to argue with her logic.

Now, moving on, I have the complete list of wines below that were shared, and some one-word descriptors (a bit wine-stained but I can make them out) in CAPS and italics for the wines I enjoyed the most and/or found the most interesting. You can also see a brief slideshow of my faves here in and under 1-minute YouTube.

The List

USA Michelle NV Brut Rosé – Columbia Valley

USA Gruet NV Brut Rosé – USA

USA Piper Sonoma NV Brut Rosé – Sonoma County WOW

USA Gloria Ferrer NV Blanc de Noirs – Carneros

USA Gruet 2010 Grande Rosé – New Mexico

USA Frank Family Vineyards 2011 Brut Rosé – Carneros

USA J. Schram 2007 Rosé – North Coast AGED GREAT

Tasmania Jansz Tasmania NV Premium Rosé – INTERESTING

Spain Cavas Hill NV Rosado 1887 – Cava

Spain Pere Ventura NV Tresor Brut Rosé – Cava WOW

Spain Vilarnau NV Brut Rosado – Cava

Italy Mionetto NV Prestige Gran Rosé – Veneto/Trentino

Italy Lamberti NV Spumante Rosé – Veneto IGT

Italy Masottina NV Cuvée Brut Rosé – Veneto IGT

Italy Buglioni Lo Spudorato 2013

Italy Ferrari NV Rosé – Trento DOC

Italy Ferrari Perle NV Rosé – Trento DOC YUM

France Charles de Fere NV Cuvée Jean-Louis Brut Rosé

France Charles de Fere NV Réserve Rosé – France

France Gratien & Meyer NV Crémant de Loire Brut Rosé – A.O.C.

France Grandin NV Brut Rosé – Loire Valley

France Le Grand Courtâge NV Grande Cuvée Brut Rosé

France Pierre Sparr NV Brut Rose – Crémant d’Alsace

France JCB by Jean-Charles Boisset NV No. 69 Rosé BRIGHT

Champagne Bernard Rémy Brut Rosé

Champagne Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte NV Brut Rosé WELL DONE

Champagne Lanson rose label brut

Champagne Alfred Gratien Classic Rosé

Champagne Veuve Clicquot NV Yellow Label Rosé PERFECT

Champagne Champagne Henriot Brut Rosé, NV BALANCED

Champagne Champagne Palmer Rose Reserve NV

Champagne GH Mumm Brut Rose NV LOVELY

Champagne Duval-Leroy Rosé Prestige Brut NV PERFECT

Champagne Ernest Remy Rosé de Saignée INTERESTING

Champagne Leclerc Briant Brut Rose NV UNIQUE

Champagne Leclerc Briant Rubis de Noirs 2006 UNIQUE

Champagne Champagne Philippe Gonet

Champagne Champagne Taittinger Prestige Rose

Champagne Gosset Grand Rose

Champagne NV Champagne Delamotte, Brut Rosé

Champagne Charles Heidsieck Rose Reserve NV YUMMY

Champagne Charles Heidsieck Vintage Rose 2006 OMG

Champagne Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque Rose 2006 OMG

Champagne Dom Pérignon Rosé Vintage 2004 PERFECT

Champagne Armand de Brignac Rosé PERFECT

Eve Bushman has been reading, writing, taking coursework and tasting wine for over 20 years. She has obtained a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, has been the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and recently served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits that may be answered in a future column. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Introducing Pop Culture: A Compelling New Club for Exclusive Champagne and Sparkling Wine

October 28, 2017 by evebushman

Sonoma, Calif.— Windee Smith and Chad Richards, proprietors of The Panel Wine Club, are pleased to announce the launch of Pop Culture, a wine club devoted exclusively to small-production, grower Champagne and artisanal sparkling wine from around the world. Members will receive three or six bottles every eight weeks or on a quarterly basis, each wine a rare and exciting discovery. The first shipments alone will include 2010 Pierre Gimonnet Special Club Brut Champagne and 2011 Vilmart Grand Cellier d’Or Premier Cru.

promise_hdr1 “The wines we select for Pop Culture are highly allocated and rarely appear anywhere other than on the lists of the most cutting-edge restaurants,” Richards says. “These are the insider choices that every wine lover wants to know about, and then, actually be able to get their hands on. We are able to help them do both.”

Smith and Richards came up with the idea for Pop Culture while doing their monthly tastings for The Panel Wine Club. More than any other category, Champagne and sparkling wines consistently offered tremendous pleasure at every price point. “It was a simple decision to create a wine club to make it easier for people to get the best bubbles in the world,” Richards says. “Over the next year, we’ll feature sparking wine from Italy, Austria, Tasmania, California, Germany, the UK, Champagne, the Loire—anywhere we find extraordinary bubbles.”

During the past decade, the production of boutique bubbles has come into its own. The movement was sparked by the rise of grower-producer “farmer fizz” in Champagne. The more recent popularity of pét-nat (pétillant-naturel) among natural-wine makers gave it a boost, and so did a growing appreciation among wine drinkers, who finally realized that sparkling wine can be an everyday pleasure.

“There is an ocean of sparkling wine in the world right now, and really, that’s too much of a good thing for consumers,” says Smith, who has spent her career in wine retail and restaurants. “Finding the gems from each country would be a 24/7 pursuit. Now Pop Culture will do that for you.”

Pop Culture offers two memberships: La Bonne Vie, for Champagne only, and Rising Bubbles, for a global selection of sparkling wine, including Champagne. Members of either club will receive shipments of three different bottles every other month, or on a quarterly basis if they prefer. They may also opt to receive two bottles of each selection, for a total of six bottles every other month or quarterly.

La Bonne Vie’s first shipment—available now through Oct. 31—starts off with a bang. The three selections represent some of the coveted small-production wines in the Champagne region: 2010 Pierre Gimonnet Special Club Brut, 2011 Vilmart Grand Cellier d’Or Premier Cru Brut, and the non-vintage Platine Premier Cru Brut from the ninth-generation Champagne vigneron Nicolas Maillart

While future Rising Bubbles shipments will contain global selections, the first will offer a broader picture of France’s leading producers: Loire winemaker Marc Plouzeau’s Perle Sauvage Pét-Nat, the luxurious Jacquesson Cuvée 740 Champagne, and Platine, the Premier Cru Brut Champagne from Nicolas Maillart.

Every selection will be accompanied by information on the winemaker, the region, and the wine itself. And each new member’s first shipment will include a custom binder to hold this background information and tasting notes for future reference.

The Pop Culture website, http://www.clubpopculture.com, makes it easy to sign up as a member or to arrange an extraordinary gift for a lucky client, colleague, or friend. Pricing for membership in La Bonne Vie begins at $229 per shipment, and for Rising Bubbles, $139 per shipment. Just a few clicks will guarantee a fresh flow of great sparkling wine delivered direct to your door.

* * *

Pop Culture is part of The Panel Wine Club, a Sonoma-based club dedicated to distinctive, artisanally produced wine. Windee Smith and Chad Richards use their experience and contacts to source hard-to-find wines from around the world. Each one is tasted blind by an ever-changing panel of wine experts, who make the final selection of the three bottles offered to club members each month.

Perlis Picks: From Abe Schoener — Wine Study in the Loire: Lessons in the Foundation of Winemaking – Part Four

September 30, 2017 by Michael Perlis

A Continuation of Abe Schoener’s [The Scholium Project]…

A NEW LESSON IN THE MORAL NATURE OF WINEMAKING: LES JARDINS DES ESMÉRALDINS

The Moral Thinking of the Wizard

There is a little more magic to mention: the invisible cellar, the shuttered chateau. But I do not want to emphasize this. Xavier does not play any of this up: like the vineyards, all of this disappears. There is no show: only wine. He does not even make a show of his methods; he never mentions his own devotion; he never draws distinctions between his way of working and his neighbors’. He does not celebrate or elevate what he does; he is utterly matter of fact. He never mentions “purity” or any other value. His only point of pride, if I read him right, is his wine’s relation to time. His only theory, insofar as I could grasp, is related to what he calls “matière”– “matter.” His labels have alchemical references (see photo); I think that he means something old-fashioned and metaphysical by this. He does not just mean “matter” or even something like information. He talks about his farming being devoted to translating matter from the field (not just the soil) to the grapes, and his pressing being devoted to translating the matter from the grapes to the juice. The density of this wine is due to this attention to matter– and also the complexity, I think. But this means that “matière” is not just some concentration of molecules, but some kind of system, with architecture, proportion, interrelation. For what else is complexity? His matter, I think, is something more like spirit or soul– not necessarily in the Christian sense, but in a way that Aristotle would understand.

Soul, of course, brings up the question of spirituality and devotion. I thought of his pressing all night and then getting up the morning to harvest fruit. I thought how differently we work at Scholium. For us winemaking is intensely intellectual and sensual– you know that– but it is also intensely athletic in a way that we love. We pride ourselves in a very American way on how fast we can get the job done well. One cannot help but call Xavier’s work “spiritual,” and I mean this only in a good way, not as a stereotype or a caricature. You could only call our work “spiritual” in a very narrow but perhaps equally beautiful way: the spirituality of Huck Finn, a very American spirituality.

It was wonderful and important for me to encounter this difference and to reflect on it.

Would we– me, Alex, Brenna, Koko, would any of us make better wines if we sat with the press all night? I don’t think so– but for us to do that and not simply be aping a quiet wizard in the Loire, for us to do that, we would have to change to our deepest metaphysical core. In this respect, what this amazing visit emphasized is that, in spite of my 1000 careful words…winemaking is not fundamentally about technique, protocol, regime or even about care. It is about decisions and stances that reach to one’s roots.

These two excellent reports by Betrand Celce are very helpful, especially on farming, and contain amazing details and photographs about Xavier’s caves. I tried not to rely on them at all and to base my report only on our conversation, but I know that I was influenced (and informed) by having read these. It is also worth noting how far ahead of the curve Betrand was: they date from 2011.

www.wineterroirs.com/2011/06/natural_wine_tasting_event_paris.html

www.wineterroirs.com/2011/08/xavier_caillard_jardins_esmeraldins_saumur.html

A note on Xavier’s labels: The typography is mostly fantastic (except for mise-en-bouteille information) and involves some straightforward imitations of Roman epigraphy in a circle at the top. (We will read this in a moment.) The rest of the words are written in the hand-drawn letters of a fantastic alphabet, the majority of which interweave alchemical symbols with the Modern Latin letters. The words in the circle are a quotation from the Latin Vulgate translation of Paul’s Epistle to the Romans: hora est jam nos de somno surgere — “now is the time to wake up from our slumber.” The allusions to alchemy are very interesting to me and not surprising. What is more unexpected is a quotation from the Vulgate. Xavier’s thinking is simple in its commitment and focus; but complex in what you might call its metaphysical underpinnings. Pay attention to every gesture.

Michael Perlis here again. A big thank you to Abe Schoener for allowing me to share this with Eve’s Wine 101 readers. And a thank you to Eve Bushman too for indulging my wish to do so.

Perlis Picks: From Abe Schoener — Wine Study in the Loire: Lessons in the Foundation of Winemaking – Part One

September 9, 2017 by evebushman

I’ve made no secret that I am a huge fan of Abe Schoener, owner/winemaker of The Scholium Project. His wines are never mere quaffs and consistently require at least this wine lover to pay extra attention to what is in his glass. His writing is often the same, and he provides his mailing list readers with his own interesting insights into the wine world.

Not long ago, I received an email from Abe that I wanted to share with you. It is admittedly long, so I’ve broken it into a few parts and made a few very minor edits.

Abe Schoener via you tube

So now, with Abe’s permission, I give you…

A NEW LESSON IN THE MORAL NATURE OF WINEMAKING: LES JARDINS DES ESMÉRALDINS

Winestudy in the Loire

I am in Europe. I flew from Chicago to Paris on Thursday and drove into the center of France to administer the vows at the wedding of two friends in Savennières, in the heart of winegrowing region of the Loire. At the wedding, I met other winemakers, very serious people who make small amounts of wine with the greatest of care. All of them work fields that belong to their families; all feel that they are engaged in very traditional work, extending not just a profession but a way of life that reaches back dozens of centuries. All of the people that I met work in a somewhat unconventional way, even if they think of it as traditional. They make very serious wines, not anti-establishment gestures, yet they all eschew the use of sulfur in the winery and farm their vineyards organically, with the use of herbicide unimaginable. They have all figured out how to hold to this and produce wines of absolutely classical clarity, grace, proportion, and deep complexity. There are wines produced nearby that are made also by serious people but who achieve very different results; wines that are for me to some degree caricatures of other wines, not efforts of gravity– and this is no doubt fine with them.

On Sunday my friend Robert had prevailed on one of the brides to reach out to a local winemaker who works very quietly and is completely reclusive in his habits. He is not easy to see, he has no desire to engage in promotion. We would have had no hope of reaching him ourselves, but she is a local kid, and somehow got us an appointment. Sunday at 5. “Show up early. Do not bring your normal expectations.”

We pulled into a narrow drive in the completely walled town of Brézé. There are no freestanding houses on the street; instead, unbroken walls made from the local tufa; with some houses set into the walls and opening directly onto the street, and other set back, with small, in-town, walled estates surrounding the houses, and ornate gates barring the way. Everything seems very old– perhaps from before the revolution. There is a large and famous castle across the street, and it seems quite grand, but everything on our side of the street seems to be not only old, but in a mild state of decline and disrepair. At the end of our grass and gravel drive, a small chateau, shuttered, and with the air of having been abandoned. The land around it is wild and overgrown. I think of The Fall of the House of Usher, of Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard.

We are met by a man, tall, thin, graceful, who greets us warmly and suddenly we know that we are already inside something very special, something unforeseeable. “Xavier,” he introduces himself and listens carefully to our names. He walks us around the corner of the chateau to a hole in the ground, underneath some kind of wild tree with leaves like a bay, but the growth habit of large weed. We discern stone steps overgrown with grass and moss, and wait, while he disappears further into the earth. He returns with a box of wine glasses like any others, and four bottles unlabeled, all previously opened, with their corks jammed back into them.

All of the bottles have been open for 15 days, he says.

To be continued…

Vintage Beacon Circa 3/2011: A French Dinner and Wine Pairing Inside Valencia Wine Company

December 1, 2015 by evebushman

This past Tuesday night, March 8, an intimate party of about 45 Santa Claritans attended the first French wine paring dinner held this year inside Valencia Wine Company. Hosted by Guy Lelarge and his staff, the dinner was privately catered by former Oaks Grille Chef Samson Francois with assistance from Kelly Klemovich.

Attendees encountered a gastronomic delight that included no less than 4 courses of the finest French food paired with 4 full 5 ounce glasses of French wines. (We might have had more, who was counting? No one!) Find our menu – and the wine it was paired with – at the bottom of this post.

Valencia Wine Company was resplendent with its normal glass-topped tables transformed with linens and fine cutlery; while what was used in prior incarnations as barstools became opulent dining chairs.

Each course, beginning with the appetizers that were served during the “cocktail hour” was timed with the next. Nothing, it would appear, was left to chance.

Guy, as is his way with every dinner he arranges, introduced the chef first as guests happily bit into delicate cheese and crab filled “Profiteroles” paired perfectly with a bubbling Cremant.

“I see some old and new friends here tonight,” began Samson with a broad smile. “If you want to see more of me though you’ll have to become a member of the Jonathan Club – that’s where I’m cooking now! But I want to introduce Kelly to you. She owned Chameau, which you can find online and she now caters with me.”

Samson joked about the menu stating that he was taking guests on a “journey to Spain for the Filet Mignon course, Granada for our sausage, to Seville for the pork croquettes and then back to America and France for our dessert.”

Guest Larry Mazzeo egged Samson on, and in teasing Guy’s own French roots, said, “French food came from Italy because Caterina De Medici, of Florence, married King Henry of France…” (Want to learn more about that? Click here.)

All kidding aside, Guy then told his guests, that were growing with anticipation, “Okay, so if it’s to be Italian here tonight I will say ‘Buen Apetito’! And, one more thing, I plan on have a dinner like this every 5 or 6 weeks!”

At that, we were off to our second course: white asparagus, ham, and one very fresh and very large, scallop. Guy paired that with a Chenin Blanc that I noticed several guests marking to order when the meal was over.

After that came the main meal: the filet, sausage and croquette. I sliced them all small enough to get a little of each on my fork, and the balsamic reduction as well. Guy paired this with a blend, 60% syrah and 40% Grenache, from the south of France. I had more than my share of the wine – it was a very good pairing.

Finally, the chocolate truffle cake, dates and cheese were brought to each diner along with another new glass of wine: a Rhone blend that most drank up…over and over again..

Stretching my legs, and wanting to get a few quotes, I circled the room.

From Bill Farrar: “Guy Lelarge has done it again! Exquisite wine and food. We had a good time.”

From my new friends Cindy Davis and Jo DeNicholas: “Everything was good…loved the potato croquette and the filet – and how it was all ‘put to perfection’ by complementing the wine and the ambiance of the entire evening.”

Mark White: “After 8 years as our best wine bar, this is the best dinner I’ve ever had…partly because my wife Julie brought her mother tonight and we’re celebrating her birthday too!”

Me: “The next 5 or 6 weeks can’t pass by quick enough for Guy’s next dinner!”
Menu

Tray Passed Appetizers
Profiteroles filled with Brousin Cheese and Crabmeat Mousse
paired with Domaine Rolet Cremant du Jura 2007 (Cremant is a French Sparkling wine made in the Champagne method. Made in the city of Jura, not in Champagne, hence it can’t be called a Champagne. 100% chardonnay, Blanc de Blanc.)

First Course
White Asparagus Spears with Serrano Ham
& Pan Seared Sea Scallops with Béarnaise Sauce
paired with Domaine du Fresche Anjou Blanc 2009 (100% Chenin Blanc. Loire Valley 6^th generation winemakers.)

Entrée
Roasted Petit Beef Filet with Balsamic Reduction
& Moorish Lamb Sausage with Roasted Pepper Salsa
& Chorizo Potato Croquette
paired with Domaine Mas Bruguiare L’Arbouse 2008 (60% syrah, 40% grenache. 7^th generation winemakers. From Pic Saint Loup in Languedoc region. Drink now.)

Dessert
Medjool Dates stuffed with Goat Cheese
& Chocolate Truffle with Cheese Slice
paired with Domaine de Trapidis Rasteau VDN (07 Cotes du Rhone, 60% grenache, 25% carignan, 15% syrah.)

Valencia Wine Company is located at 24300 Town Center Drive, Valencia, CA, 661-254-9300 http://www.valenciawine.com/events.asp.

Hidden Loophole in Wine Shipping Bill Bans Consumer Access to Thousands of Wines

August 11, 2014 by evebushman

(Washington, DC)—The new wine shipping law inserted into the recently approved Massachusetts budget continues to endorse a ban on the shipment of hundreds thousands of wines into the state. This fact that has gone unmentioned in coverage of the issue and in the bill itself, despite the American Wine Consumer Coalition, its members and others advocates alerting lawmakers to this loophole in the law in recent months.

All of the following wines may not be shipped to Massachusetts residents under the new wine shipping law because the only U.S. source for these wines is wine retailers and wine stores, which are banned from shipping into the state under the new law:

French Champagne
French Bordeaux
French Sauterne
French Red Burgundy
French White Burgundy
French Rhone Wines
French Loire Wines
French Alsatian Wines
French Rose From Provence
All other French Wines
German Rieslings
All Other German Wines
Spanish Rioja Wines
All Other Spanish Wines
Vintage Port From Portugal
Barolo From Italy
Barbaresco From Italy
All Other Italian Wines
Austrian Riesling
Austrian Gruner Veltliner
All Other Austrian Wines
Australian Shiraz
Australian Barossa Valley Wines
Australian Clare Valley Wines
Australian Eden Valley Wines
Australian Adelaide Hills Wines
All Other Australian Wines
New Zealand Pinot Noirs
New Zealand Chardonnays
New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs
All Other New Zealand Wines
South African Pinotage
All Other South African Wines
Chilean Merlot
Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon
All Other Chilean Wines
Argentine Malbec
Argentine Cabernet Sauvignon
All Other Argentine Wines
Uruguayan Tannat
All Other Uruguayan wines
Canadian Ice Wine
British Columbian Wines
All Other Canadian Wines
All Greek Wines
All Other Wines Sold, But Not Produced, in the United States

In addition to all foreign-made wines being banned from shipment due to their only U.S. source, wine stores and wine retailers, being banned from shipping to Massachusetts, the following wines and products will also be banned for the same reason:

• The vast majority of rare and collectible American wines most often sold at auction houses and wine retailers

• The vast majority of non-American (Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone, etc) collectible and investment grade wines that are almost always sold by retailers and auction houses.

• Wine-of-the-Month Club Memberships

• Wines sold as parts of Gift Baskets

• The vast majority of Kosher wines

“We understand that a small cup of water for the parched is better than no water at all, however there is no reason why the legislature could not have provided the state’s consumers with a full glass of water— or wine—rather than choosing to unnecessarily protect special interests,” said Tom Wark, executive director of the American Wine Consumer Coalition.

By banning the delivery of an entire class of wines, the Massachusetts legislature may have made the same mistake they did the last time they attempted to address this issue and invited a constitutional challenged and lost. It would be in the best interests of the Legislature, the State, and, most importantly, consumers, to see this new law expanded to allow consumers to have wine shipped to them from out-of-state wine retailers as well as from out-of-state wineries.

About the American Wine Consumer Coalition
The American Wine Consumer Coalition is a national advocacy organization that works on behalf of wine consumers to advance consumer-friendly wine laws. The AWCC works through lobbying, litigation and educatiional efforts to advance the agenda of wine consmers. The AWCC is membership supported.

South Africa: Think Global, Drink Local

April 10, 2014 by evebushman

Just east of Cape Town is one of South Africa’s most prolific wine regions. Known as “Winelands,” it is a seemingly mystical land conjured from a fantasy tale. The landscape is fringed with craggy mountains whose peaks ascend high into the clouds. Green valleys are dotted with 300 year old camphor trees, fields of flowers that eventually lead to a seemingly endless sea of grape vines. For the better part of 10 days, long time friend, Elena Boiko and I have been exploring the region with fellow sommelier, Kayla Derckson.

Kayla is a proud South African who knows her country’s wines. She also grew up in the Cape area and speaks English, Afrikaans, Xhosa. and Zulu. South Africa actually has 11 official languages. These are Afrikaans, English, Niedebele, Northern Sotho, Sotho, Swazi, Tswana, Tsonga, Vende, Xhosa, and Zulu. Not to mention scores of unofficial tongues. It seems that South Africa is not called the rainbow nation for nothing. This school of thought seems to have also crossed over in to South Africa’s philosophy on wine. Most vintners would agree with the maxim, “Think global, drink local.”

Today we have joined Kayla in her home away from home, the ever popular waterfront restaurant and wine bar, Belthazar. The restaurant is known for its steaks and a selection of over 600 wines, and 200 served by the glass.

For our first selection, Kayla decided on a sparkling wine. Graham Beck Brut NV is produced in the ‘methode champenoise’ manner and made under the supervision of the legendary, Pieter “Bubbles” Ferreira. It is a blend of 58% Chardonnay and 42% Pinot Noir. The grapes are from South Africa’s renown, Robertson region. In the glass, our Brut is alive with bubbles. The nose is very fresh and laced with aromas of apple, white peach, pear, lime, cherry, and just a whisper of ginger. On the palate, the wine is light-bodied with medium acidity, and good balance. White and citrus fruits abound, followed by notes of brioche and mineral. The finish is accented by the taste of a racy lime powder that was quite enjoyable. The alcohol content is 13% with a bottle price of $22.

“Good quality for the price,” Elena gave a nod of approval.

“A tad aggressive,” I paused for effect. “However, once it settled down I found this Brut enjoyable.”

“I often enjoy Graham Beck as an aperitif,” Kayla paused to collect her thoughts. “I would also serve this wine with grilled seafood or Oysters Rockefeller.”

“Impilo,” I toasted Kayla in the Xhosa language as I refilled our glasses.

“Enkosi,” she thanked me in Zulu.” I remember you had mentioned you always wanted to learn the Zulu language.”

“I once befriended a South African tennis player by the name of Johan Kriek,” I smiled in fond reflection. “Johan spoke Afrikaans, English, German, and Zulu.”

“Don’t get him started,” Elena playfully warned. “He only knows around a dozen or so words in Zulu.”

“But are they the right twelve words?” Kayla broke out in laughter as she brushed back her long golden hair.

For our next selection, Kayla selected a 2007 Bellingham Bernard Series Old Vine Chenin Blanc. Chenin Blanc thrives in South Africa and is seen as second only to the Loire Valley. Bellingham is renown for its Old Vine Chenin Blanc. The 40 year old, high altitude vines, produce wonderfully concentrated rich fruit. In the glass, the wine is an alluring dark yellow. The nose is a wonderful concentration of rich, ripe fruit with aromas of peach, apricot, cream, and honey that fill out the bouquet. On the palate, this Chenin Blanc shows medium body, and full flavored. There are ample amounts of rich fruit that concentrate around flavors that suggest pineapple. There is also a floral edge that is followed by a nutty almond quality. The finish is creamy and pleasurable. The alcohol content is 14.5% with a bottle price of $15.

“I liked the fruitiness of this wine,” Elena was first to speak. “An excellent wine to serve as an aperitif.”

“The wine showed some good oak,” I was quick to break in. “I liked the subtle nutty qualities. Kayla, with what dishes would you pair this Chenin Blanc?”

“Fish pie, creamy mushroom pasta,” she paused lightly. Most any dish with a creamy white sauce.”

Our next selection is a classic that is synonymous with wines from South Africa. Kayla selected a 2008 Beyerskloof Pinotage. What exactly is Pinotage? This is a wine that is a cross between Cinsault and Pinot Noir. In the past, Pinotage had a reputation, as did most South African wines, of inconsistent quality and tasting of burnt rubber. These days, Pinotage has come of age. In the glass, our Beyerskloof is a shimmering and dense blood red. The nose is floral scented and accented with juicy red fruit, cherry, spices, topped off by ample mushrooms bearing a dusty quality. The palate is quite tannic, however, it opens up with air. We decanted the wine for a full hour. The 2008 shows medium body. The rich, sweet, red fruit is balanced with deeper dark notes of black cherry, spice, and an earthiness that provides for good balance. The finish is robust and remarkably elegant. The alcohol content is 14% with a bottle price of $15.

“I am pleasantly surprised,” Elena’s eyes crinkled as she smiled. “Plenty of good fruit and much more complex than I would have thought.”

“The 2008 Beyerskloof has very good aging potential,” I paused momentarily. “I would say over the next 15-20 years.”

“I especially like this Pinotage with roasted meats,” Kayla paused before going on. Roast pork or more specifically, roast pork belly.”

“Is the 2008 100% Pinotage?” Elena queried?

“Indeed it is,” Kayla openly showed her pride.

For our last selection, Kayla decided on a Morganhof Cape Late Bottled Vintage. This challenger to Portugal’s Duoro Valley is 100% Tinta Barroca grapes. In the glass, our Port is a rich amber in color. The nose is filled with aromas of black cherry, licorice, raisins, and walnuts. These scents follow through to the palate. Filled with velvety tannins, rich ripe fruit, and ample oak, the Morganhof displays its perfect balance. The finish is rich and succulent. The alcohol content is 17.5% with a bottle price of $20.

“Very good fruit on this fortified wine,” Elena moistened her lips as she began. “I particularly liked the flavor of ripe damsons.

“Definitely a Port to challenge the wines of Duoro Valley,” I was pleasurably surprised.

“I have found the Morganhof to pair best with cheese, or a hearty Cuban cigar,” Kayla began chuckling. “Elena, take it from me, this Port is at its best with chocolate pudding.”

We all broke out into laughter, when after several moments of merriment, I inquired about dinner.

“What would you like to eat?” Kayla asked softly.

“Well,” I smiled. “You did mention that the Belthazar is also known for its steaks.”

“But that my friends, is another story …. “

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 …”