Easter Pick

CHÂTEAU L’HOSPITALET

2007 La Reserve La Clape

Coteaux du Languedoc – $22

Looking for something to put on the table with that roast on Easter Sunday? Nothing pairs better with lamb than Grenache and Syrah from southern France, and Gerard Bertrand (seen below) of Château L’Hospitalet manages to combine clean restraint with the riper fruit of the La Clape area within Coteaux du Languedoc, located on the sunny Mediterranean. This blend of Syrah (40%) Grenache (30%) and Mourvedre (30%) steers clear of the overbearing use of oak I’ve found in some other wines from this region. Just the first whiff of this made my mouth water for some slow-roasted lamb, with nutmeg and smoked, brown sugar-cured ham proudly emanating from the glass. There is a remarkable Old World balance to this wine so as the thrust of the Syrah dissipates, right behind it is the earthy tannin from the Mourvedre and limestone reflecting the vineyard soil, cooly coating the tongue. Then you start smacking your lips and go for the bottle before anyone else at the table has a chance. This really does have all the buttoned-up attitude and stature to take any Easter feast to the next level, and because of it’s balance it will pair with a wide variety of foods, from chicken to pork to roasted meats. I wouldn’t recommend it to those looking for juicy, California Cabernets or Austrailan wines, but for a touch of patient French class, look no further.

Wednesday’s Wine

LAPOSTOLLE 

2009 Casa Carménère

Rapel Valley, Chile – $18

Carménère is quickly becoming a popular choice for good, clean fun, a terrific alternative Merlot, which is currently a popular choice for slander.  In fact, Carménère, whose origins are in Bordeaux’s Médoc, was believed to be Merlot in Chile, where it has grown for over 150 years. Until the 1990’s it was considered a special clone of Merlot, at which point it’s true identity was discovered to be the “crimson one,” as the French carmin (crimson) denotes.

This young selection from the Rapel Valley, one of the major regions for Chilean Carménère, is rich and hot on the nose, though something green and vegetal is apparent as well. Definitely a whiff of alcohol blowing off the glass, but it was not as noticeable on the palate, which showed plush velvet and, overall, a bright demeanor. There’s not a lot on the front and mid-palate, which makes this a lighter wine though it is hardly shy when displaying it’s fruit. In fact, the fruit could be said to have some real force to it. Compared to some of the bigger, oakier Carménère’s I’ve had, this was much more restrained and feminine, a style which I tend to prefer. I was surprised to find it spent any time in oak at all. Fermented in stainless steel, it spent an undisclosed amount of time aging in French oak. Clearly a very subtle use of the oak, which gives this wine a clean and focused finish with precisely integrated tannins that hold the wine down; it remains, in the end, light on its feet. Great on it’s own, probably amazing with pork, and possibly astoundingly delicious with some dry-rub barbecue and cole slaw.

Kosher Pick for Passover

MONY VINEYARDS

2009 Kikar Hashabbas

Samson, Israel – $14

Great Kosher wines are often tough to find, and everybody wants something that will replace the sickly sweet Manischewitz at the table, but for $14 here is an Israeli wine that holds its own with Kosher and non-Kosher wines alike. Not Mevushal, so not boiled (boiling doesn’t do wonders for wine even though it’s necessary at times for aiding Kashrut), this wine (70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Petite Sirah) has hot wood smoke, ash, and even a touch of catsup that engulfs the notstrils. It’s intense, dark, and full-bodied, retaining some of that smokiness and displaying an especially gooey center, probably the Petite Sirah strutting it’s stuff. It will absolutely bowl over your friends and relatives who are used to low-expectations for wine at Passover.

-jk

Weekend Wine Pick

DOMAINE LA GUINTRANDY

2008 Côtes du Rhone – $9

When warm weather comes along, it’s always nice to have those so-called “cheap and cheerful” bottles nearby. Here’s one from the Southern Rhone Valley, a typical blend of Viognier, Roussanne, and Marsanne that gives off a lot of confectionary aromas; marzipan, wax, candied fruit, even those speckled candy bird eggs found in Easter baskets. The palate is also typical of the region, with its warmer climate.. If you’re looking for laser-like precision, look elsewhere. Nevertheless, this wine has an easygoing charm, dishing out broad, ripe apple, and a small touch of pickled ginger. Perfect as a warm-weather aperitif or with some aïoli and veggies. For the price, it’s a nice treat. It’s being poured at The Loft by the glass, so stop in for a taste or a bottle.

-jk

Wednesday’s Wine

PRIEST RANCH

2007 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, Somerston Vineyards

I was pleased to see that Craig Becker (pictured left), winemaker for Priest Ranch, used native yeasts and did not filter this wine, but did that make a difference in the overall quality of the wine? Yes, I believe so. What both of those techniques allow is the unique character of the wine to really show. More and more I am convinced of the huge impact that native yeasts have upon a wine. There are actually catalogs out there for different strains of yeast, and winemakers from all over the world end up choosing the same yeasts. More and more evidence suggests that this is in part responsible for that generic style that washes over a huge number of wines and erases many of the characteristics imparted by different climates, soils, and locales. Unnecessary filtering can have a similar effect on the little details that make up the identity of a wine.

So not surprisingly, I found this ’07 Cab anything but generic, though it still is gushing with that forward, Napa style. Stick your nose in the glass and you are smacked with a sumptuous package of blackberry with a garnish of vanilla butter. There is a great sense of balance despite something forceful lurking back in the depths. Perfect structure and acidity supports young, smooth, wild berry fruit which feels fresh enough to bring to mind the brambles and the dirt path near the edge of the woods where the bears like to snack. With its finesse, this wine would be an eager, lively companion, not overwhelming ribs or juicy grilled steaks, though easily going down smoothly enough on its own. That combination of plush darkness and fresh juiciness is pretty seductive, get it before I take the rest for my inaugural spring cookout.

-jk

Monday’s Pick

CHARLES JOGUET

2008 Chinon Les Petites Roches – $25

You know that smell after it rains? That wet, muddy dampness that hangs around while you step over puddles and earthworms on the pavement? Today’s weather may bring some of this, and so does this 2008 cuvée from Joguet, called Les Petites Roches (little rocks). Chinon, located in France’s Loire Valley, is home to wines made from 100% Cabernet Franc, and they are known for their earthy, green peppery notes as well as their intense aromatics.  Though it’s stinky and funky, there is nonetheless a richness to the nose, a medicinal cherry with a metallic edge to it; so deep and thick that I could just smell this wine for a good half-hour. Being a colder climate, some Chinons are full of pyrazine, a chemical that is present when fruit is not fully ripe, which gives the wines a greenness that can be off-putting. In small doses, it’s what gives that slight edge to the wine, not unlike leaving stems in with the grapes as they ferment, and that is what is present the ’08 Petites Roches–though just enough edge to balance out the younger fruit, which is from the younger vines in Joguet’s holdings (some of their vineyards were being praised back in the middle ages). This fruit displays black cherry on the palate, and is clean, enveloping the mouth in this hanging, calming, almost meditative presence, a certain sagelike character, reflecting the care of the vineyard team at Joguet, seen below. There is a typical Chinon minerality holding it all together, possibly from the “little rocks” of the cuvee’s name, mostly comprised of gravel from calcareous bedrock.

Joguet is one of the best producers in the Loire, and this particular bottling is one of the best Chinons to consume when young.  There is really not a better wine to serve as an introduction to Loire Valley reds, a region with wines of breadth, finesse, and sheer beauty. This is drinking particularly well right now, and today’s balmy, rainy weather is the perfect vibe for a little Petites Roches.

-jk

Wine for the Weekend

CHÂTEAU MAS NEUF
2010 Costieres de Nîmes Rhone Paradox – $13

As Spring keeps trying to poke its head out from under persistent Winter, it’s time to coax it out completely with the help of some more fair-weather wines. Coming from holdings in the southernmost part of the Rhone Valley in France, this blend (65% Grenache Blanc, 35% Roussanne) welcomes you in with warm and friendly aromatics that give you the impression that this wine is lounging out on the porch just waiting for the guests to arrive. Strong notes of cantaloupe and ripe pear, even a bit of chalk on the nose. The palate is abundant with green apple. Coincidentally, the lovely Miss, whom I tasted this with, was eating a green apple at the time. Don’t try this at home, I guess the apple and the wine canceled each other out. There was also a bit of round, golden currant that added balance to the pucker. Especially remarkable for this hotter region of France was the terrific acidity this wine contained. Expecting something fat and a bit lazy, I was struck by how clean and bright this wine actually was, with just a touch of mineral dust on the finish. Besides the nearly perfect place this bottle would have on its own near the front porch swing, I would also pair this with fresh veggies or some chevre with dill. Start the weekend off with this bottle, and maybe it will scare away the thunderstorms.

-jk

Wednesday’s Wine

BODEGAS LA CANDELARIA

Senda 66 2008 Tempranillo – $10

Often you hear wine connoisseurs rambling on about how some wine smells like underripe gooseberries or saddle leather, or some other seemingly odd item to describe a beverage made with only grapes. Why would grapes taste like gooseberries? What is a gooseberry, anyways? I’m not going to answer any of those questions, in fact, I’m going to fuel the fire by mentioning how today’s wine, the Senda 66 Tempranillo, smells exactly like beef jerky. Yeah, beef jerky and it’s not subtle. A number of people, casual wine drinkers and experts alike, have concurred with my assertion (they’ve all really liked the wine, too). Stumbling upon this kind of unique personality is what makes wine so much fun, especially in an industry of frequent conformity, where wines from central Italy can be manipulated to taste like oaky Merlot from Pismo. This wine comes from a co-op in central Spain that is over 50 years-old, and the vines are 40 years-old. In addition to it’s character, this wine is well-made overall, with moderate and balanced fruit and tannin that will pair well with meat stews, roast pork with rosemary, or any number of flavorful dishes. Try it and see for yourself–snap into a Senda 66.  Just over a case in stock.

Answers to common questions about cork taint

What does “corked” mean?

This means that a bottle has been tainted by a bad cork. Cork comes from the bark of the Cork Oak tree (Quercus suber), and sometimes it comes in contact with fungi and other contaminants. Generally, but not always, the compound responsible is trichloroanisole, or TCA.

Is a wine corked when I see little bits of the cork floating in the wine?

No, unless the cork was tainted.  Either way, you might want to filter it out if there’s an annoying abundance of floaters.

How do I know if a bottle is corked?

Corked wine, and TCA, has a smell that reminds me of my parents’ old high school yearbooks that had been sitting under a basement staircase for three or four decades and were water damaged, mildewy, and gross. Go Rockets.

Cork taint is not a binary function–that is, there are degrees. Sometimes a wine is severely corked and reeks at 500 paces. Sometimes it’s much more subtle, and nobody notices. I once was tasting with a multi-millionaire wine collector who went on about some bottle of white Burgundy I found to be corked. Hilarity ensued. Sort of.

About 10% of all wines with natural corks are tainted, or corked. That means one out of every ten bottles, and in my experience in retail, that was about right. However, those were the bottles I detected. We unfortunately did not get that percentage of bottles returned to us, so I can only assume that people were drinking corked bottles. It won’t hurt you, but it severely damages the wine and destroys a lot of its flavor, body, and aromatics. I can also assume that there were bottles I raved about to customers, only to have them drink a wine that bore little resemblance to what I had been so excited about, due to varying amounts of cork taint. Oh, well.

Can you drink a wine that is corked?

Yes, it won’t hurt you, but it may not be very tasty. Always have a backup bottle.

What do I do with a corked bottle?

If it’s a bottle you bought from a store, you should return it and they will replace the bottle. There is a system in place to make sure you do not have to suffer from the fickle finger of cork contamination.

If it’s at a restaurant, you should also send it back. This is the chief purpose of tasting wine before it is poured for a table, not to see if you like it. There are several other ways for wine to be damaged, such as oxidation, and this, too, will be properly remedied at good restaurants.

Can plastic wrap fix corked wine?

I have not only heard this rumor, I have drank the results of plastic wrap submerged in a corked wine overnight. It may have removed some of the TCA, but it tasted sufficiently like plastic wrap.

Why are real corks still used if they go bad?

There are a lot of alternatives to natural corks such as screw caps, bottle caps, glass enclosures, and plastic/synthetic corks.

The big argument is often on the subject of how fine wines age. For wines meant to be consumed within a year or two, this is not a concern. Yet many studies have found that even over the course of several decades wines with screw caps age in an identical fashion to those with natural corks. I’ve had some fantastic bottles of wine with screw caps, and some fantastically expensive wines with screw caps. I almost prefer screw caps, despite their supposed lack of romance. Some of my favorite wines in the world are from Austria, and nearly all of the producers there use screw caps, regardless of prestige. The enclosure has never altered my experience of a good wine. Also, having wine you want to drink and not having a corkscrew is a recurring nightmare of mine; another reason to live in Austria.

I find synthetic corks to be irritatingly difficult to remove and re-use, but in order for a bottler to switch to screw caps, there is a large investment in new bottling machinery that must be undertaken. It is much easier to use older corking machinery and use synthetic corks to avoid cork taint and the loss of profit, especially for smaller producers.

However, it is hard to argue with tradition, and studies on the effects of screw caps on bottle aging have been going on for far less time than some wines have been in the cellar, so there is no compelling reason for top producers to change a tradition that has worked for centuries. Personally, if I was shelling out for some 2005 Domaine Romanée-Conti, it would be nice to know for sure it wasn’t corked, because finding another bottle might be tricky.

-jk

Friday Food & Wine Pairing

CHÂTEAU SAINTE EULALIE

2007 Minervois Plaisir d’Eulalie

BRAISED  SHOULDER OF LAMB

with sautéed spinach and roasted red potatoes

Going shopping the other day, I decided I was hungry for lamb. My choices were a $19.99/lb center cut loin chop and a $6.99/lb shoulder chop. Usually my method for lamb is simple: sear both sides over high heat, remove them, add wine, reduce, and add some butter and herbs to make a pan sauce; but this quick-cooking method requires a premium cut of meat. Not wanting to shell out for the most expensive cut, I thought I could braise the shoulder for an hour in some wine to soften up all the connective tissue that comes with the lesser cut of meat.  Though I’d never done this before, it turned out to be easy, inexpensive, and delicious.  Decidedly succulent. Below are step-by-step instructions.

The wine I chose was a the Chateau Sainte Eulalie 2007 Minervois. Cost=$15. Most of the wines I’ve had from this region, located in southern France in the Languedoc, have been kind of disappointing. They are not bad, but they can be innocuous, flat, uninteresting. This was happily not the case with this wine, which I found bursting with ripe, plush raspberry on the nose, shockingly different from what I had expected. It’s like finding out you are going on a date with Serafina, the redheaded actress who carries a five-inch blade in her leather boot when you were expecting Beth, the buttoned-up accountant in the grey pantsuit.

The varietals here are 45% Grenache, 40% Carignan, and 15% Syrah.  The palate was full of young, forward fruit, but with the acidity to hold it up and make it perfect for a dish like braised lamb, where you want a little more fruit and acidity to cut through the meaty, rich, savoriness of the slow-cooked lamb and provide some refreshing balance. Tannins and structure are also crucial for accompanying most meat dishes, and there was enough of a backbone present, though it was certainly not on the level of a well-structured Bordeaux or a spicy Rhone wine. Delicious nonetheless; actually it was hard not to just knock it back and get rowdy, so it’s a great bottle to pick up for dinner with friends as long as you get two or three.

Now, I didn’t cook with the same wine that I served with the lamb, I cooked with an inexpensive Spanish table wine called Rojo Vivo, a tempranillo/bobal blend, because it was fruity, and had only a touch of oak, . It cost $6. The best rule to follow for cooking wine is to make sure the wine is low on tannin and oak, and otherwise it should be fine, just go with what is around. You are left with some of the essence of the fruit, so don’t get something you wouldn’t drink, and make sure it hasn’t gone off.

Aside from the fact that the meat will simply melt off the bone and is one of the most flavorful ways I’ve prepared lamb, the great thing about this dish was it’s simplicity, and that there was a ton of room for error. If anything here cooks for an extra few minutes, no big deal. While the lamb is braising, you’ve got plenty of time to roast the potatoes and sautée the spinach, including prep work. Also, leftover lamb that has soaked in wine overnight is pretty great, maybe even better the next day.  I left out onions and garlic, but if you like, dice some up and add to the pan before adding the wine.  Shallots in place of onions will be even better.

Ingredients:

Two or three lamb shoulder chops, or however many you can fit in a heavy pan.

1/2 lb. small red potatoes

1 bunch fresh spinach

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

1 Cup or more of red wine, maybe 3/4 of a bottle

2-3 tablespoons of butter

Fresh tarragon or other herb for garnish such as sage, mint, or parsley

1. Heat a cast-iron or other large, heavy skillet over high heat. While the pan is heating, liberally season the chops on all sides with kosher salt and pepper. I usually go for about an 80/20 ratio of salt to pepper. I knew the pan was ready when I could only stand to hold my hand for five seconds about two inches from the surface. Place both the chops in the dry pan, and don’t move them at all during the first minute. Should only take two minutes on each side to brown. Remember they are also going to be simmering in wine for nearly an hour, so get them out of the hot pan sooner than later. After removing the chops, turn the heat down to medium and pour in about 1/2 a cup of the wine. Immediately start scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to remove all the flavorful bits stuck to the bottom, because they will add a lot to the finished dish, but not if they are still stuck on the bottom. You can let the wine reduce for a minute or so, and then add the lamb back to the pan and add more wine so that it reaches about halfway up the side of the chops. Set the heat to low, make sure it’s simmering, and cover with a lid for about 55 minutes.

2. For the potatoes, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Dunk the spuds quickly in a bowl of cold water to remove any dirt, and dry them with paper towels. No need to peel, no need to slice them since they are small enough to quickly roast whole. Place them in a roasting pan and coat them in olive oil and salt. Try to avoid using so much oil that the excess pools in the bottom of the pan. When the oven reaches 400, place the pan on the center rack for 30-35 minutes.

3. Next wash the spinach in three changes of fresh, cold water and use a salad spinner to dry them. I prefer my greens completely dry, so I finish the process by wrapping them in a clean towel and leaving them for a few minutes. Cooking the spinach will take only 2-3 minutes, so when the lamb and potatoes are nearly done, turn a burner to medium, and wait a minute before adding a tablespoon of butter. When the butter has melted, add the spinach, cover, and give the pan a quick shake to get more of the greens in contact with the butter. There is a lot of water in the spinach, so they will be steaming themselves, too. Be sure to remove it just after it begins to wilt.

4. Always make sure to warm plates before serving. If you haven’t, throw some in with the potatoes as they finish. When the lamb is done, garnish with fresh tarragon leaves. A little bit of tarragon goes a long way here, even for people like me who love its licorice-y goodness. Add some more butter and salt, to taste, to the spinach, after removing from the pan. Serve the potatoes whole, with butter and salt nearby. Some nice sourdough bread is a great match, here, too.

5. Don’t forget the wine. Maybe some mood lighting and Robert Goulet on 8-track. Enjoy.

-jk