Champagne
This year we toasted the new year with a bottle of one of our favorites – Perrier Jouet Brut. Every now and then you serve a wine that you’ve had many times but for some unknown reason the bottle you’ve just opened is far better than any of the others. That was our experience on New Year’s Eve.

A few weeks before Christmas Costco had the green gift box that included 2 tulip shaped flutes so I snapped one up – and am I glad I did.

Perfect with lobster or crab. Wonderful with everything else!

Perrier Jouet Grand Brut
Pale gold color with aromas of pear, fresh baked bread, and hazelnut. Flavors of brioche, honey and ripe citrus with hints of roasted nuts. Crisp, well balanced with a nice finish.

Gift box only available during holidays at Costco but you can find it at K & L – without the flutes, for $40.

From BBC News
30 September 2010

French thieves steal entire Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard
Thieves in France have broken into a vineyard and stolen an entire crop of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, say police.

They struck in Villeneuve-les-Beziers on Sunday night, taking advantage of a full moon and using a harvesting machine to seize 30 tonnes of the crop.

Farmer Roland Cavaille said similar crimes had taken place before in the Languedoc-Roussillon, one of France’s best-known wine growing regions.

He said the theft amounted to a year’s work and about 15,000 euro (£12,900).

“They used a harvesting machine to gather grapes. This means there was no need to have lots of people, two people would have been enough,” Mr Cavaille told Le Parisien newspaper.

“The area was quite isolated, it is a a few kilometres from the village and near a river. So the thieves were able to work safely.”

One witness reported hearing engine noises in the early hours of the morning and police have been examining footprints left at the scene, said the newspaper.

But Mr Cavaille said the thieves were clearly professionals who could easily sell on the grapes.

He said there had been a similar grape theft had been reported in the area four years ago and that another complaint had also been filed this year.
While his vineyard was insured, it did not cover the loss of the grapes themselves.

Mr Cavaille told Europe1 news he had no idea who had taken the grapes but that he was angered and surprised by the theft, as he believed there was a “degree of solidarity” between winemakers.

Louis Latour 2007 Pouilly-Fuissé
This French chardonnay is a favorite. One of the white wines that can be aged – 2 to 5 years. Unlike American chardonnays, this Burgundy region of France produces a mineral flavored wine that leans toward ‘crisp’ rather than ‘buttery’. Perfect for summer.

Light straw color. Aromas of apple, honey and a hint of citrus. Flavors of pear and apple with hints of lemon and stony minerals. Balanced with a crisp, clean finish. Serve this wine with artichoke and curry dipping sauce. Yum. Widely available. $15

Artichoke with Curry Dip
Cook artichoke:
Cut about 3/4 inch to an inch off the tip of the artichoke.

Cut excess stem, leaving about a half inch on the artichoke. The stems are bitter and stringy.

Using kitchen scissors, cut off the tips of all of the leaves.

Rinse the artichokes in cold water.

Place artichokes in large pot and add water to 3/4 full. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cove and simmer for 30 to 60 mins. If one of outer the leaves can be easily pulled off, it’s done.

Quick Curry Dip
1/4 C mayonnaise
Tbsp. lemon juice
Curry powder to taste (start with 1/2 tsp. and add a little more until you like the taste)

Rainy Day Wines
It’s been raining, on and off, for a couple of days, and for some reason rain and soup just seem to go together. They had some nice leeks at the store so I decided to make leek & potato soup. It’s pretty simple to make and goes perfectly with European style chardonnays. With a rotisserie chicken and  some crusty bread, we had a great meal while watching the rain. (The soup recipe is after the fold.)

Two wines that go well with the meal:

Louis Latour 2008 Pouilly Fuissé
Light golden color with a touch of green. Aromas of peach and apricot. Flavors of pear, lemon and green apple with slight minerality. The balance is good with a smooth, satisfying finish. Drink  now or hold a few years. Excellent value. Costco has it for $16

Laetitia Estate Chardonnay 2007
This wine was chosen by the Wall Street Journal as one of their 12 best wine buys of 2009.
Golden yellow color. Aromas of lime and orange with hints of pineapple and cantaloupe. Flavors of pear, pineapple and lemon with the slightest hints of oak and melon. Buttery texture, good balance. Smooth medium finish. Another great value. Wine House on Cotner Ave. in west LA has it for $11

Leak & Potato Soup Recipe:

Leek & Potato Soup
Ingredients:
•    ½ lb leeks
•    2-3 medium Russet (or other starchy) potatoes
•    2 Tbsp unsalted butter
•    1 medium onion, peeled and roughly chopped
•    1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
•    ½ cup dry white wine
•    1 qt chicken broth – canned or homemade
•    Kosher salt, to taste
•    Ground white pepper, to taste

Preparation:
Cut white part of leeks into half inch slices

Peel the potatoes and cut them into pieces about the same size as the leeks.

In a heavy-bottomed soup pot, heat the butter over a low-to-medium heat.

Add the onion, garlic and leeks and cook 3 to 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent.

Add the wine and cook for another minute or two or until the wine seems to have reduced by about half.

Add the broth and the potatoes. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft enough that they can easily be pierced with a knife. Don’t let them get mushy, though.

Remove from heat and purée in a blender, working in batches, using pulse mode.

Note: Make sure lid is on blender and don’t fill with more than 1/3 with hot liquid.

Pour puréed soup into another pot and bring to a simmer again, adding more broth or stock to adjust the thickness if necessary.

Season to taste with Kosher salt and white pepper.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

2007 Domaine Lafond Roc Epine Lirac
As Twisting Vines has previously noted, 2007 was a great year for Rhone wines. The three grapes that go into the region’s famous Châteauneuf du Pape are Grenache, Mourvédre, Syrah.

The Domaine Lafond produced a terrific Châteauneuf du Pape that received 91 points from Robert Parker. Although the wine has come down in price – $36 from $46, it’s still out of the price range of most wine drinkers.

One of the things I learned when studying for my wine certification at San Diego State, is to check out other wines from the same producer or nearby wineries to find similar wines that are very good, at half the price.

Using the same grape blend as the Châteauneuf, Domaine Lafond produces another red blend – Roc Epine Lirac, that is a great value option.

Dark ruby color. Aromas of black cherry, licorice, earth and minerals. Flavors of dark berries, mineral and a hint of pear. Medium bodied. Balanced. with a smooth, dry finish. A food friendly wine that goes well with soft white cheeses, including blue cheese, goat cheese and brie;  as well as barbecued chicken and ribs. Drink now up to 2-3 years. Costco – $14

Time to Stock Up on Champagne
According to the New York Times wine critic, Eric Asimov, there are now some pretty good Champagnes in the $30 to $40 range. A panel of experts, including Asimov, set up blind tasting of 20 Champagnes under $40 and found some seriously good wine. This is quite a change from last year.

What has changed? As James Carville said back in 1992, “It’s the economy, stupid.”

When the bottom fell out of the economy, it took the wine industry with it. In 2007 shipments of Champagne were at close to 22 million bottles. In 2008 they fell to 17 million bottles. This year, as previously noted here at Twisting Vines, Champagne shipments dropped more than 41%.

“I think a lot of the importers got very nervous and this fall lowered prices for the big houses, especially in November and December,” said Lorena Ascencios, wine buyer for Astor Wines and Spirits in Greenwich Village.

Asimov said he was the most excited by the smaller producers who make Champagne from grapes they grow themselves. 4 of the top 10 were selections were from small producers.

The Winners:
The Falmet Brut Tradition
The top-rated wine in the tasting. “We found it full of lively energy, with complex flavors of flowers, minerals, citrus and herbs, and with more finesse than you generally find in Champagnes dominated by the pinot noir grape.” $30

Brut Tradition from Christian Etienne
No. 5 bottle in the tasting, was rich, round and full of fruit, yet beautifully balanced. $30

NV Grande Cuvée from Moutard
No. 8 Champagne showed its 100 percent pinot noir character in its rich, full-bodied texture and ripe fruit flavors. $30

Les 7 Crus from Agrapart & Fils
Rated best value was  another grower-producer. Agrapart is in the Côte des Blancs, which is chardonnay country, so naturally this was a blanc de blancs, made entirely out of chardonnay. It is fresh and balanced, with just the sort of finesse you would expect to see in a good blanc de blancs. A great deal at $28.

From Asimov: “Personally, I love the individuality and distinctiveness I find in many grower-producer Champagnes. But I recognize that unless you live near a wine shop with a deep Champagne selection, or have access to one through the Internet, these labels can be hard to find. Fortunately, some of the bigger names did very well, too.”

Louis Roederer Brut Premier
The No. 2 bottle. “It is a perennial favorite of mine, though this is the first time in a few years that I’m seeing it for under $40. It was ripe and rich, yet showed the balance and elegance I’ve come to expect in Roederer Champagnes.” $35

Henriot Brut Souverain
No. 4 bottle was full, rich and creamy, with surprisingly ripe tropical fruit flavors. Yet it was dry and balanced. $34

Taittinger Brut La Française
No. 7 bottle was from Taittinger, an often underrated producer. It was both fine and elegant, if that’s not redundant, with a mellow mineral and citrus flavor. $35

The Nicolas Feuillatte Brut
No. 9 bottle. It’s by no means a complex Champagne, but it was fresh and lively. $30

Pol Roger Brut Réserve NV – White Foil
The No. 10.” It’s a far cry from a vintage Pol Roger, but a decent bottle nonetheless, with lightness and elegance.”
Notes: A cuvée, with gold straw yellow hue, fine bubbles, a bouquet of floral and fruity aromas. Ripe and thirst-quenching on the palate, with a superb taste of brioche. $36

Champagne
The holiday rush, those weeks from November to New Year’s Eve, is when the Champagne houses reap most of their annual profits.

Americans are the second-largest drinkers of Champagne – outside France. Shipments of the bubbly  to the United States plummeted 41.2 % this year – yet sales of cheaper sparkling wines – typically from Spain or Italy – are up 10%.

Bargains are a crass notion for an industry, which carefully cultivates its image of luxury and glamour. The modest discounts that we’ve seen so far aren’t enough to make us want to “buy up” yet.

How the producers respond to the challenge of a changing market will be watched very carefully. Instead of lowering prices, some of the high-end houses are spending more money on marketing ‘glamour’ and ‘indulgence’ – a chancy proposition in this globally shrinking economy.

Moët & Chandon, the leader in the American market, is offering a $447 “Celebration Case” that includes a magnum of Moët Imperial, Champagne flutes and medallions with colored Swarovski crystals encased in gilded bubbles. Marc Jacheet, the global director for Moët & Chandon says, “It’s not a price battle that we want to get into. We do discount, but selectively and reasonably. We believe more in providing rituals.” Rituals?

Rémy Cointreau’s Piper-Heidsieck label is promoting a $500 gift package of a bottle of brut Champagne and a hand-blown, crystal ruby stiletto shoe designed by Christian Louboutin. See: Twisting Vines Oct. 9. The company’s YouTube video is a romantic dream scene of a modern Cinderella who leaves behind a shoe just like it for her distraught lover, who is consoled by the Champagne overflowing from the instep.

Will this be enough to prevent the wineries in northeastern France from being sold? We’ll see. But one thing I would bet on is some wonderful Champagne bargains after January 1st.

2007 Châteauneuf-du-Pape
The hottest wine going into 2010. Robert Parker said this is the best vintage since 1998.

“This is the greatest vintage I’ve ever tasted in the southern Rhone.”said Parker, at the CIA tasting in St. Helena. “The $12 and $15 wines from the Rhone from ’07 were also the best I’ve ever tasted.

Most Châteauneuf-du-Pape is made up of 3 high quality grapes: Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah. This southern Rhone wine is invariably high-alcohol, heady and rich. The best Châteauneuf is usually estate bottled.

The challenge: to find a good Châteauneuf-du-Pape under $40.

2007 Roger Sabon “Reserve” Châteauneuf-du-Pape
“Ruby-red. Intensely floral scents of raspberry, lavender, magnolia and garrigue Palate-coating red berry flavors are firmed by juicy acidity and complicated by smoky herbs and a sweet floral pastille quality. Finishes broad and precise, with supple tannins and considerable depth. This is one for the cellar.” Stephen Tanzer 92-95 points.

“Revealing a deeper, more saturated ruby/purple color, the full-bodied 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reserve exhibits plenty of glycerin, a multilayered texture, and a sensational combination of rich black currant and kirsch fruit intermixed with licorice, roasted herb, and forest floor notes. A blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 10% Cinsault aged in both foudre and old demi-muids, it should drink well for 12-15+ years.” Robert Parker 92 points.

“This is elegant, with incense and raspberry notes up front, followed by red plum, roasted vanilla bean and black tea. The finish is long and silky. A very perfumy style, with gorgeous mouthfeel. Drink now through 2019. Wine Spectator 92 points. $38

2007 Delas Frères “Haute Pierre” Châteauneuf-du-Pape
“The 2007 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah. It reveals a deep ruby/purple color in addition to a gorgeous nose of black fruits, spring flowers, licorice, incense, lavender, and grilled Provencal herbs. Dense, full-bodied, flamboyant, and chewy, with that terrific freshness and purity that characterize this great vintage in the south, it should drink well for 12-15+ years.” “Very friendly fig, boysenberry and blackberry fruit is woven with violet, anise and fruitcake notes that extend through the long, well-rounded finish. Drink now through 2019.” Wine Spectator 91 points.

Beginning in the late 1990s Delas Frères undertook a renaissance in wine. Their objective: to produce stunning terroir driven wines with exceptional quality-to-price ratio. Under new leadership and ambitious investments in the winery, they are succeeding admirably. With the 2007 Haute Pierre, winemaker Jacques Grange and his team have once again produced a Rhône wine with an amazing price quality ratio. Recommended pairings include beef daube a la Provencale, lamb stew or sirloin steak slathered with anchovy butter. Robert Parker 92-94 points. $32

2007 Alain Corcia “Patricia” Châteauneuf-du-Pape
“The dense ruby/plum/purple-tinged, full-bodied 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Patricia (named after his wife) reveals a ripe, opulent nose of lavishly concentrated red and black fruits, garrigue, pepper, flowers, and forest floor. This deep, rich, intense 2007 is already accessible, although it is capable of lasting for a decade.” Robert Parker 93 points. $27

2007 André Brunel “Les Cailloux” Châteauneuf-du-Pape
“Two brilliant successes are Brunel’s cuvees of 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape. The 2007 Les Cailloux Tradition (a blend of 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, 12% Syrah, and 3% other authorized varieties) comes from 60-year-old vines and is aged completely in tank except for the Mourvedre and Syrah components, which are kept in small barrels. Explosively fruity, this dense plum/purple-colored wine displays grilled meat notes intermixed with Provencal herbs, spice box, black cherry and black currant, in addition to having a lush, opulent texture. The finish goes on and on, and the wine is beautifully pure. It can be drunk now or cellared for 12 or more years. Robert Parker 93 points. $23

Christian Louboutin and Piper-Heidsieck Team Up
Wine Spectator – October 8, 2009

Market watchers, take heart: The continuing world economic crisis hasn’t dampened some Champagne houses’ enthusiasm for over-the-top displays of decadence.

Case in point: “Le Rituel,” Piper-Heidsieck’s collaboration with famed haute couture shoe designer Christian Louboutin, who has created a crystal stiletto heel-shaped “Champagne flute” that Piper-Heidsieck is selling, for about $500, in a fancy shoebox along with a special Louboutin-edition bottle of Champagne Piper Heidsieck Cuvée Brut.

The designer was inspired by the female cabaret dancers of Belle Epoque Paris, who would serve sips of Champagne to gentleman admirers from the inside of their dancing shoes, a ritual that was itself inspired by the ballerinas of the Bolshoi Ballet in the 1880s.

You may recall that Piper-Heidsieck was also behind the upside-down Champagne bottle, ice bucket and flutes designed by Dutch fashion duo Viktor & Rolf, and before that, a bottle dressed in a red leather corset by Jean-Paul Gaultier. Finally, a sophisticated French answer to Germany’s Oktoberfest “Das Boot” tradition: Vive La Shoe Flute!

Champagne Grapes Will Rot as Producers Protect Prices
By Adam Sage – TimesOnline

Hopes of a glut of cheap champagne are set to be dashed when vineyards meet next week to agree on a big cut in production to prop up prices.

With sales falling, producers may be ordered to leave up to half their grapes to wither on the vine in an attempt to squeeze the market.

Merchants are pushing for an historic reduction in yield as they seek to ensure that champagne remains an expensive luxury. “Everyone agrees that production has to be cut because no one here wants to see prices fall,” an industry insider said. “The only disagreement is on the scale of the cut.”

The backdrop to the debate is a slump in sales for champagne makers, from 338 million bottles in 2007 to 322 million last year and a predicted 270 million this year. The fall stems in part from a slide in demand, estimated at about 10 per cent, and in part from destocking by distributors, notably in Britain and the United States.

The result is miles of shelves of unsold champagne in producers’ caves in the Champagne region of northeastern France. They had 1.2 billion bottles in stock this time last year and the figure has almost certainly risen since then.

“Ideally, there should be three years’ production in stock, but we’re now well over four years,” the insider said.

Drinkers looking forward to a price collapse are likely to be disappointed. Famous houses such as Taittinger and LVMH, owner of Moët & Chandon, are determined to avoid what, to them, would be a catastrophe. They are demanding a grape yield of only 7,500kg per hectare when the harvest begins next month for champagne that will come on to the market from 2011. This compares to 13,000kg last year. With this year’s vines producing enough bunches to provide 14,500kg per hectare, the move would in effect involve abandoning almost 50 per cent of Champagne’s grapes.

Ghislain de Montgolfier, chairman of the Union of Champagne Houses, said: “We don’t have any choice other than to adapt to the economic climate.” Jocelyne Dravigny, chairman of the Federation of Champagne Wine Co-operatives, added: “For us, the stabilising of prices is a priority.”

Yet there is fierce controversy over the scale of the drop in yield, with producers calling for 10,400kg per hectare. “That would correspond to a 35 per cent reduction in revenue for vineyards,” Patrick Le Brun, chairman of the General Union of Champagne Wine Makers, said. He accused champagne houses of harming the region’s reputation through excessively pessimistic talk.

“Champagne is the drink of dreams and of parties,” Mr Le Brun wrote in La Champagne Viticole, the trade magazine. “Its image, its universe are endangered when the term ‘crisis’ is associated too often with it.”

Many producers say that they would fail to break even at a yield of 7,500kg per hectare. “I’d be working for nothing,” said one, declining to be named. “We’d be on our knees.”

Under a system similar to Opec’s regulation of oil production, merchants and vineyards will hold a meeting on Wednesday to set the maximum yield. If they fail to agree, the figure will be established by the regional prefect, who represents the French Government. The decision is binding and vineyards that exceed the limit would face legal action.