As France celebrates Bastille Day today - 14 Juillet - we thought it amusing to post these interesting Wine Stats.
Vive la France!
Showing posts with label Cherie du Vin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cherie du Vin. Show all posts
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Burgundy Wines In Mandarin
courtesy of BIVB
BOURGOGNE WINES IN MANDARIN
The Book "Les Vins de Bourgogne" by Sylvain Pitiot and Jean-Charles Servant has just been published in Mandarin.
Over 400 pages, it includes 65 maps of regions and appellations as well as 30 illustrations and all the information you need to know about the Bourgogne region and its wines.
This reference work, first published in 1952 and at that time, authored by Pierre Poupon, is now in its 14th edition.
It is available in French, English, Japanese, Korean, German and Mandarin.
Follow us On Tumblr * Follow Us On Twitter * Like Us On Facebook
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Brunello di Montalcino - Mocali - 2007
Like any good California girl, I love me some Sangiovese. So when I was able to get my hands recently on a bottle of the stuff from the Old World, my lips were smacking and my fingers trembling as we uncorked the bottle.
Garnet Hued * Vanilla * Spice * Red Berries
Hint of Earthiness
Balanced power between Tannins and Acidity
Wine Spectator's Notes On Brunello di Montalcino Vintages
- 2008 91 A cool growing season with rain at harvest; those who waited produced aromatic, balances and elegant wines. Drink or Hold.
- 2007 93 Hotter and riper than 2006; fruit-forward, rich and elegant, offering immediate charm and softer textures. Drink or Hold.
- 2006 95 Complex powerful wines that impress with ripe yet fresh fruit, firm, dense structures and fine balance. Hold.
Excerpt from Wine Spectator June 30, 2013
Sangiovese is virtually synonymous with Tuscany and is the most widely planted grape variety in Italy. Brunello, a synonym for Sangiovese Grosso, or "fat Sangiovese," gets its name from the big ripe grapes that are produced from these vines in the prestige appellation (Brunello di Montalcino DOCG) of Montalcino, a classic hilltop village surrounded by slopes just 30km. south of Siena in Tuscany, Italy.
Mocali is owned by the Ciacci family and overseen by enologist Tiziano Ciacci. Their soils are mostly Galestro and Alberese that enrich the ground with mineral salts. Their Brunello di Montalcino wine - in fact all Brunello di Montalicino wines - are made exclusively with Sangiovese Grosso grapes.
This DOCG shares the top spot only with Vino Nobile de Montepulciano. Though winemaking in the region is recorded from as far back as the 14th century, the wines we associate today with this very first Italian DOCG emerged in the 1870s. It's largely credited to the efforts of the esteemed winemaking family of Biondi-Santi, namely Ferruccio,who decided to implement a revolutionary technique (for his day) of making his Montalcino wines - vinify his Sangiovese grapes separately from the other varieties. (At the time in Tuscany all grapes were fermented together - even the reds with the whites.) As he implemented this and a few other techniques, the resulting wines gained a reputation of being livelier and fruitier than other wines.
In July 1980 the appellation was formalized as Italy's first DOCG alongside Piedmont's Barolo. It is mostly small farmers and family estates who produce this exquisite red wine today and number approximately 200, up from just 11 producers in the 60's. One of the DOCG requirements is that vineyards are not planted above 600m sea level. Brunello must be aged at least 4 years and for the riserva distinction, a minimum of 5 years aging is required. More INFO at Tuscany Taste.
@LocalFoodWine
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Monday, June 24, 2013
Cite des Civilisations du Vin, Bordeaux
by Paige Donner
"The building does not resemble any known shape because it's an evocation. Not of wine itself, but of the soul of wine," explain architects Anouk Legendre and Nicolas Desmazieres from French firm X-TU.
When fully unveiled in 2016, the eco-building that will be the Cité des Civilisations du Vin nestled on the shores of the Garonne will offer a total surface area of 14,000 m2 including 750 m2 for temporary exhibits and 3500 m2 of permanent exhibit space.
The laying of the first stone was celebrated on June 19, 2013 during Vinexpo Bordeaux. Slideshow Below.
INFO: citedescivilisationsduvin.com
SlideShow HERE
- Inauguration June 19, 2013 Cite des Civilisations du Vin in Bordeaux
- Mayor of Bordeaux Alain Juppe and Anouk Legendre, architect of Cite des Civilisations du Vin
All photos c. Paige Donner
@LocalFoodWine
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Duck Fat Deep Fried Goodness by Edible Canada
June 6th, Vancouver BC. Edible Canada is up to something duckn' good as they get set to launch their themed take-out window for a second season this Tuesday, June 11th.
Following the success of the all-bacon window last year, the Edible team challenged Vancouver to come up with the take out window's theme for 2013. With hundreds of mouth-watering suggestions to choose from, it was Vancouver's Kim Payne whose suggestion of donuts got the team's tastebuds tingling.
Because everything is better with duck fat, the next obvious step was to give the donut bites the same treatment as the Bistro's popular duck fat French fries. So was born "Little Duckers", the small, duck fat fried donut balls of goodness. And if that wasn't enough, there are 4 finger-licking flavours to indulge in, including "When Sticky Pigs Fly", which is loaded with bacon, chocolate and caramel, and the "Nutty Duckers" which is a 100 mile tribute with Fraser Valley honey, honey whipped butter and toasted Agassiz hazelnuts.
"It's a concept that is in line with everything we do here at Edible Canada," says Chef Greg Reid. "The flavours we chose are Canadian inspired, which is a true reflection of our menu. It was fun to take a suggestion from one of our guests and marry it with some of my favorite things here at the bistro. They've been a hit with our taste testers and I'm excited to open the window so everyone has a chance to try them!"
Opening on Tuesday, June 11th at 11:00am, the take-out window will run through to the end of summer daily from 11am to 7pm. It is located adjacent to the Bistro entrance and directly across from the public market and Arts Club Theatre in the centre of Granville Island.
Congratulations for sharing your winning idea, Kim! As the winner, Kim will eat from the take-out window all summer long free of charge and is recognized on the menu with "Bring the Payne" – a spicy maple syrup concoction!
About Edible Canada
Edible Canada is a seven year-old business headquartered on Granville Island, in Vancouver, BC.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Tuscany Food & Wine app by Acqua Panna
by Paige Donner
Follow us On Tumblr * Follow Us On Twitter * Like Us On Facebook
Ahhh... summer is at long last nearly here. Dream vacation destinations are beginning to dance through our heads like sugar plum fairies in wispy toutous as the languid summer months of promised sunshine begin to magically reveal themselves before us.
Tuscany. Tuscany, the land of Chianti and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Tuscany, where cold-pressed virgin olive oils beckon as seductively as do its wines and terroir.
Dream vacations, can, however, at times, be more effort than joy, a corelation thoroughly dependent on planning and resources. So if this is your first Tuscan Escape, not to worry. The region's wine producers and local government tourism agencies have gotten together to form a welcoming platform called Tuscan Taste.
Tuscan Taste is a series of outreach events and organized hospitality platforms to make your visit to and exploration of Tuscany as effortless as it is enjoyable. The brand was developed in collaboration with the region's main wine Consorzi to communicate the Tuscan values of quality, beauty, sustainability, taste and tradition.
Why a butterfly: Tuscany springs from the map to become a butterfly. A messenger to the world, heralding the quality of Tuscan wines. Heralding the traditions of a glorious region, and of a culture of winemaking built up
through the centuries. A culture that, right here in Tuscany, has created some of the very best wines in the world. One butterfly, ten, a hundred, even more – as many as there are Tuscan wines. Butterflies fluttering
their wings to take the message of Tuscan wines to the world, and to new and exalted heights.
For the billion and a half of us on the planet right now who are SmartPhone oriented, especially when we travel, we have this fabulous new Tuscany Food & Wine app by Acqua Panna at our fingertips as of this Spring.
The app is offered free for iOS devices and in addition to offering things to do and see - nature, art, history - in the region, it also features mouthwatering pictures and descriptions of local foods, cuisine, dishes, restaurants, and, of course, wines and wonderful wine pairings.
Wines are especially highlighted in the Tuscany Food & Wine app where it features a guide to the many local wineries as well as detailed descriptions of the wines' composition such as alcohol percentage, grapes used and where you can find the wineries for a cellar visit and tasting.
The GPS enabled "Around Me" feature spotlights the restaurants, sites, wineries and other points of interest within a few kilometers of your current location. For those who want to immerse themselves in the languid deliciousness that is the Tuscan Summer, there is even a glossary included on the app that explains the various abbreviations denoting the artisanal Italian local food products and wines which helps you to understand their exact origin and stamp of quality.
OK, then. All set? The app is available for download at:
Long considered the best still mineral water for enhancing all the nuances of wine and food, thanks to its smooth, elegant taste, Acqua Panna represents all the power of nature in the heart of the Tuscan Apennines, with 1300 hectares of natural preserve, a unique aquifer, and a long history of culture, passion and love for the environment.
Acqua Panna
http://www.acquapanna.com
www.facebook.com/acquapanna
About Toscana Promozione
Toscana Promozione is the Economic Promotion Agency of Tuscany, established in 2000 by the local government. Thanks to a network of professional associations, institutions, enterprises, universities and research centers, Toscana Promozione is, today, a concrete platform for overseas enterprises interested in doing business in or with Tuscany.
@♥Chérie Du Vin
Follow us On Tumblr * Follow Us On Twitter * Like Us On Facebook
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Panda Bears And The Climactic Re-zoning of Wine Regions
by Paige Donner
What do panda bears and wine have to do one another? Now that's a question I never imagined I'd be posing here on my Local Food And Wine blog. But, according to the recently released (April 8th, 2013) study from the Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences (Lee Hannah, lead scientist) panda bears be one more species that is affected by adaptations humans likely will undertake in response to global climate change impacting wine-producing regions.
Let me explain... [More INFO on Local Food And Wine]
In the PNAS.org study of 4/8/'13, Wine, Climate Change and Conservation, several scenarios are outlined as to how our current trajectory of global warming i.e. climate change is impacting the earth's wine regions by 2050. In one scenario they state that the,
Area suitable for viticulture decreases 25% to 73% in major wine producing regions by 2050.
OK... so what about the Panda Bears?
This PNAS report includes discussion of how adaptation can mitigate some of these climate change effects on wine regions. Adaptation can take the form of tailored viticultural practices, adaptive irrigation techniques, and also planting at higher elevations to name a few.
In China, where viticulture and the planting of vineyards are firmly in a development phase, this could mean rapid adaptation so as to anticipate regional climate change. In plain English what this means is that some of the areas that are most suitable for high-quality wine grape cultivation in China are the same areas that are the natural habitat for giant panda bears.
... China is not known for its European-style wines, but it
is among the fastest growing wine-producing regions in the
world. It has significant areas suitable for viticulture (Fig. 1), and these areas are in the same mountains that are habitat for the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). Future conservation efforts for the giant panda need to incorporate consideration of viticulture as a potential land use and viticultural suitability trends in response to climate change. - PNAS.org April 8, '13 Hannah
It seems that we may be seeing pictures of Giant Panda Bears popping up everywhere in the coming decades as the new poster child of climate change, just as we've seen polar bears and melting ice caps in the past decade.
For more information about this topic go to PNAS.org or take a look at this short (3') doc film preview. You can also LIKE Facebook.com/wineandclimatechange.
Follow us On Tumblr * Follow Us On Twitter * Like Us On Facebook
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Cristal Vibrations
by Paige Donner
This title actually began as a chapter heading for my journal entry about my visit to Champagne Louis Roederer in Reims. But I liked it so much that I'm using it here, too. It just works so beautifully. It describes simply what Cristal, the legendary champagne by Roederer, is all about. Or, more precisely, what Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, Roederer's Chef de Caves - that's Cellar Master or "winemaker" in French - does with his wines.
Read Entire Post HERE + Picture Gallery
It was at the cellars in Reims where I was treated to a guided tour by none other than Mr. Lécaillon. Yes, a visit to the cellars where Cristal is made, where a million bottles of the golden elixir lay resting before disgorgement, and by the very man who blends this most famous of the world's champagnes.
Unbelievable. Or, rather, Unforgettable.
It's required a fair amount of reflection to settle upon a term as to how to describe the man who elaborates the world's most famous, and perhaps loved, champagne... Read Entire Post HERE + Picture Gallery
Cristal is a wine. It is a celebrated champagne. The most celebrated on Earth, in fact. And it is a singularly unique vibratory energy. It's a frequency. It's a vibration. It's the Cristal Vibration.
Lécaillon imprints his wines with this energetic vibration. Or, more precisely, he orchestrates the energetic vibrational imprint that nature has already made on the grapes - via the crayères (chalky champagne soil and cellars), the sun exposure, the placement of the vines the climactic conditions of that year - and allows its essence expression in his champagnes...
Read Entire Post HERE + Picture Gallery
Join my 12,402 Followers
♥Chérie Du Vin. You will LOVE my wine picks!
Follow us On Tumblr * Follow Us On Twitter * Like Us On Facebook
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Paso Robles Grand Tasting Tour
Explore more than 150 wines from 40 Paso Robles wineries.
Paso Robles is California's third largest and fastest growing wine region,
so come taste a new vintage from your favorite winery or discover new ones!
Wineries from Paso Robles will showcase what sets this world class wine region apart.
Cheese and charcuterie will be presented by The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills
and Peacock Cheese Company to complement this Paso Robles wine experience.
This Thursday, February 28, 2013
6 - 8:30 p.m.
The BookBindery
8919 Lindblade Street
8919 Lindblade Street
Culver City, CA 90232
Join us for this unique night of wine tasting where the winemakers and principals
will be on hand pouring their award-winning and nationally acclaimed wines.
Participating Wineries and Partners:
Adelaida Cellars
Alta Colina Vineyard & Winery
AmByth Estate
Ancient Peaks Winery
Ancient Peaks Winery
Bodegas Paso Robles
Bon Niche Cellars
Caliza Winery
Caliza Winery
Cass Winery
Chateau Margene
DAOU Vineyards
Eberle Winery
Epoch Estate Wines
Halter Ranch Vineyard
Halter Ranch Vineyard
Harmony Cellars
Hunt Cellars
J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines
J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines
JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery
Kenneth Volk Vineyards
Kenneth Volk Vineyards
L'Aventure Winery
Le Vigne Winery
Lone Madrone
Lone Madrone
Midnight Cellars
Minassian-Young Vineyards
Nicora
Nicora
Niner Wine Estates
Opolo Vineyards
Paso Robles Vacation Rentals
Paso Robles Vacation Rentals
Pomar Junction Vineyard & Winery
Proulx
Proulx
Rangeland Wines
Record Family Wines
Silver Horse Winery
Stanger
Stanger
Tablas Creek Vineyard
Thacher Winery
The Farm Winery
Treana and Hope Family Wines
Treana and Hope Family Wines
Venteux Vineyards
Victor Hugo Winery
Vina Robles
Vina Robles
Wild Horse Winery & Vineyards
Follow us On Tumblr * Follow Us On Twitter * Like Us On Facebook
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Cognac Charity Auction Raises €136,800 ($177,046)
[From Press Release]
The prestigious annual Cognac Awards were presented before the auction, going to two Americans. Ann Tuennerman, Founder of Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans, was presented with “Cognac Personality of the Year Award”, and acclaimed spirits writer David Wondrich was awarded “Cognac Writer of the Year Award.” The Cognac Awards celebrate personalities in the trade and media who have championed Cognac through their work.
The 7th Annual “La Part Des Anges” Cognac charity auction raised a record sum of €136,800 ($177,046), donated entirely to charity.
This new record perfectly illustrates the loyalty of collectors for Cognac, a spirit that embodies the values of passion, generosity and solidarity shared by its growers and merchants. All proceeds went to the Order of Malta—France.
The auction took place on Thursday, September 20th, in the magical setting of the Château Chesnel in Cherves-Richemont near the city of Cognac. 650 people from around the world gathered for the special event. Under the hammer of auctioneer Vincent Gérard-Tasset, 26 rare bottles of Cognac, along with a sculpture, were sold for a record total of €136,800 (last year’s sales totalled €100,600). A Martell lot received the highest bid of €21,000, followed by lots from Hennessy and Prince Hubert de Polignac (€14,000 and €10,500 respectively). See Appendix below for a complete list of sales.
PART DES ANGES – THURSDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 2012
LIST OF SALES
COURVOISIER, Réserve Edward VII : 4 500 €
LOUIS ROYER, Cognac Grande Champagne Reserve Royale : 900 €
HARDY, Caryota / Privilège : 6 000 €
CHÂTEAU DE MONTIFAUD, Millésime 1972 : 2 200 €
FRAPIN, Frapin Baccarat Aigle Royal : 6 200 €
MEUKOW, Nec Plus Ultra : 4 500 €
LEYRAT, "Partage" - Exemplaire n°01/52 : 4 800 €
DELAMAIN, Cognac Grande Champagne 1972 40 ans d'âge - Bouteille n°1/1 : 6 200 €
PIERRE FERRAND, Memorable : 3 200 €
HINE, Monnet Extra Capiello Collector : 3 700 €
REMY MARTIN, Coupe Historique Extra Porcelaine : 5 000 €
MARTELL, Coffret Martell Cordon Bleu - Edition du Centenaire : 21 000 €
DUPUY - BACHE-GABRIELSEN, Borderies Millésime 1971 : 2 500 €
A.E. DOR, Vieille Réserve Limitée - N°9 et N°10 : 2 500 €
BRAASTAD, Stetangen : 4 800 €
PRINCE HUBERT DE POLIGNAC, 888 Trunk : 10 500 €
HENNESSY, Hennessy "Réserve Spéciale" : 14 000 €
LEOPOLD GOURMEL, Petite Champagne 1972 : 2 200 €
NORMANDIN-MERCIER, "La Péraudière" : 1 300 €
OTARD, Exception - La Part des Anges : 2 000 €
A. DE FUSSIGNY, Vintage 1970 : 1 400 €
ABK6, Famille" - Carafe N°01/27 : 4 000 €
CAMUS, Cuvée 2.105 - Family Legacy - N°1228/1228 : 4 200 €
GODET, Trésor de Guerre : 4 700 €
LA COGNATHEQUE, Collection Privée : Millésime 1840 Pinet Castillon : 8 000 €
DE LUZE, De Luze Extra Single Barrel Finish Grande Champagne : 2 000 €
ELEVATION : 4 500 €
@FOLLOW♥CherieDuVin
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Saint-Emilion Wines 2012 Classification
by Paige Donner
Just released is the new 2012 Saint-Emilion Classification which ranks 82 of the most respected chateaux and wineries of Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux. Four made it into the Premier Grand Cru Classé A rank: Château Angélus, Château Pavie, Château Cheval Blanc and Château Ausone. This rank was awarded based on the wines' exceptional ageing potential and their celebrated reputations. The two newcomers to the A rank for 2012 are, of course, Château Pavie and Angelus.
Different, and innovative, for this 2012 classification is that the whole of the procedure was put under INAO (Institut national des appellations d'origine) supervision alongwith the Ministries of Agriculture and Consumption. Within the INAO a special commission was appointed made up of 7 carefully chosen evaluators who were not from Bordeaux. This commission in turn enlisted the support of the two certifying organizations, Qualisud and Bureau Veritas Certification.
"64 Grands Crus Classés and 18 Premiers Grands Crus Classés are awarded their precious status in recognition of the work accomplished by the estates, their consistency in quality and their quest for excellence," stated the Saint-Emilion Wine Council.
This following classification list was was submitted for approval to the National Wines and Brandies Committee of INAO on September 6th, 2012 and was accepted. The Ministries of Agriculture and Consumption must now officialize it.
PREMIERS GRANDS CRUS CLASSES :
(in alphabetical order):
Château Angélus (A), Clos Fourtet,
Château Ausone (A), Château la Gaffelière,
Château Beauséjour (héritiers Duffau-Lagarrosse), Château Larcis Ducasse,
Château Beau-Séjour-Bécot, La Mondotte,
Château Bélair-Monange, Château Pavie (A),
Château Canon, Château Pavie Macquin,
Château Canon la Gaffelière, Château Troplong Mondot,
Château Cheval Blanc (A), Château Trottevieille,
Château Figeac, Château Valandraud
(in alphabetical order):
Château Angélus (A), Clos Fourtet,
Château Ausone (A), Château la Gaffelière,
Château Beauséjour (héritiers Duffau-Lagarrosse), Château Larcis Ducasse,
Château Beau-Séjour-Bécot, La Mondotte,
Château Bélair-Monange, Château Pavie (A),
Château Canon, Château Pavie Macquin,
Château Canon la Gaffelière, Château Troplong Mondot,
Château Cheval Blanc (A), Château Trottevieille,
Château Figeac, Château Valandraud
GRANDS CRUS CLASSES :
Château l’Arrosée, Château Fleur Cardinale, Château Monbousquet
Château Balestard la Tonnelle, Château La Fleur Morange, Château Moulin du Cadet,
Château Barde-Haut, Château Fombrauge, Clos de l’Oratoire,
Château Bellefont-Belcier, Château Fonplégade, Château Pavie Decesse,
Château Bellevue, Château Fonroque, Château Peby Faugères,
Château Berliquet, Château Franc Mayne, Château Petit Faurie de Soutard,
Château Cadet-Bon, Château Grand Corbin, Château de Pressac,
Château Capdemourlin, Château Grand Corbin-Despagne, Château le Prieuré,
Château le Chatelet, Château Grand Mayne, Château Quinault l’Enclos,
Château Chauvin, Château les Grandes Murailles, Château Ripeau,
Château Clos de Sarpe, Château Grand-Pontet, Château Rochebelle,
Château la Clotte, Château Guadet, Château Saint-Georges-Cote-Pavie,
Château la Commanderie, Château Haut-Sarpe, Clos Saint-Martin,
Château Corbin, Clos des Jacobins, Château Sansonnet,
Château Côte de Baleau, Couvent des Jacobins, Château la Serre,
Château la Couspaude, Château Jean Faure, Château Soutard,
Château Dassault, Château Laniote, Château Tertre Daugay,
Château Destieux, Château Larmande, Château la Tour Figeac,
Château la Dominique, Château Laroque, Château Villemaurine,
Château Faugères, Château Laroze, Château Yon-Figeac,
Château Faurie de Souchard, Clos la Madeleine,
Château de Ferrand, Château la Marzelle
Château Balestard la Tonnelle, Château La Fleur Morange, Château Moulin du Cadet,
Château Barde-Haut, Château Fombrauge, Clos de l’Oratoire,
Château Bellefont-Belcier, Château Fonplégade, Château Pavie Decesse,
Château Bellevue, Château Fonroque, Château Peby Faugères,
Château Berliquet, Château Franc Mayne, Château Petit Faurie de Soutard,
Château Cadet-Bon, Château Grand Corbin, Château de Pressac,
Château Capdemourlin, Château Grand Corbin-Despagne, Château le Prieuré,
Château le Chatelet, Château Grand Mayne, Château Quinault l’Enclos,
Château Chauvin, Château les Grandes Murailles, Château Ripeau,
Château Clos de Sarpe, Château Grand-Pontet, Château Rochebelle,
Château la Clotte, Château Guadet, Château Saint-Georges-Cote-Pavie,
Château la Commanderie, Château Haut-Sarpe, Clos Saint-Martin,
Château Corbin, Clos des Jacobins, Château Sansonnet,
Château Côte de Baleau, Couvent des Jacobins, Château la Serre,
Château la Couspaude, Château Jean Faure, Château Soutard,
Château Dassault, Château Laniote, Château Tertre Daugay,
Château Destieux, Château Larmande, Château la Tour Figeac,
Château la Dominique, Château Laroque, Château Villemaurine,
Château Faugères, Château Laroze, Château Yon-Figeac,
Château Faurie de Souchard, Clos la Madeleine,
Château de Ferrand, Château la Marzelle
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Gosset Champagne
by Paige Donner
There are two new exciting developments at Gosset Champagne. The first is its "new" cellars and the second is its brand new eco-friendly bottle labels.
Gosset Champagne Epernay Cellars
For the "oldest wine house" (est. 1584) in Champagne to expand much of their operations to Epernay from Aÿ, is no small feat. It's also not as if there are exquisite champagne cellars up for sale every day in Epernay. Most of the cellars in this quaint little Capitale du Champagne have been inhabited for centuries and mostly by the really big boys, you know the ones, the household name champagnes.
So in 2009, when the Group Laurent Perrier put these cellars up for sale, the team from Gosset Champagne, including their cellar master Jean-Pierre Mareigner and the President of the house, Jean-Pierre Cointreau, took one look at these exquisite 60-foot deep cellars carved out of pure chalk and said, Oui. Oui! Oui! Oui!
Purchased in the 425th year of the house's existence in Champagne, they are located just off of the Avenue de Champagne and just behind Pol Roger. The grounds also include a National Heritage Classified 2 hectare park with ornate wrought-iron gate and 19th century buildings, dating back to the 1850s.
International Director Gosset Champagne, Philippe Manfredini
On a guided walk through the 1.5 kilometers of cellars 60 feet underground, surrounded by cool, damp chalky soils, you can just feel how happy the more than1.2 million bottles of aging champagne grapes are nestled back in the womb of their natural habitat. On one of the walls, there is even an engraving from a former G.I., one of the WWII liberators, who carved his name along with his home state - Connecticut. The date? 1944.
The buildings can also house 26,000 hectoliters of vinifying vin clair or still champagne wine. With this allowance of space, many of the growers from whom Gosset purchases their Grands Crus and premiers Crus (only) grapes have dedicated vinification tanks. Some even as small as 20 hectoliters. For their growers, many of whom they've worked with for decades and some for centuries, whose grapes are harvested from the 60 best-rated villages in Champagne, this is a source of pride. It also gives Mareigner luxurious precision for his assemblages. In a second tank room are multiple 1,000 hectoliter tanks filled just with reserve wine.
The distinction of being the oldest wine house in Champagne is that Gosset was producing the favored red wines back when Fracois I and Henry IV spent much of their time in Aÿ (1584 and thereabouts). The Salamander emblem on their Aÿ cellar walls is testament to the Francois I connection.
These exquisite Pinot Noir red wines are still used today for Gosset's signature Grand Reserve Rosé, whose hints of wild strawberries and red fruits balance out its non-malo freshness. Wonderful accompaniment with poached lobster, red mullet, Asian sweet pork. And, of course, as an aperitif.
Eco-Friendly Labeling
Gosset Champagne bottles are instantly recognizable. They haven't changed since the house first started bottling their champagnes in the 1800s. The heavy, hand-blown bottles were able to withstand the pressure of the bubbles which can be as much as 6 atmospheres. The house has kept the bottle design and their trademarked jewel neck label, but innovated significantly in terms of sustainability.
The materials used for the modified powdery gold cap now comply with European environmental directives and American standards. This Antique range by Gosset Champagne labeling has received acknowledgment for their innovative as well as eco-friendly design, including "Imprim'Vert" label.
In addition, their gift boxes are now FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified. And the Gosset Champagne new Ecological "Green Line" caps are made with a glue-free complex - aluminum-polyethylene-aluminum - and biodegradable acrylic inks. The acrylic inks are water-based so completely naturally solvent and rather than using glue to afix the label onto the bottle, polyethylene is melted between the layers of aluminum.
Tradition, innovation and, of course, fabulous champagnes: Gosset.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Maison J. De Telmont Champagne
by Paige Donner
The J. De Telmont House of Champagne located in Damery, France counts itself among the major twenty champagne houses of the region. Considering the players who are on that team, this is no small accomplishment for a family-owned and still family-run Champagne House.
More PHOTOS ON Chérie Du Vin ♥
J. De Telmont is currently overseen by Bertrand Lhopital, the fourth generation since his great-grandfather, Henri Lhopital, began to elaborate his own champagnes as one of the first growers of the region to gain Recoltant-Manipulant (grower-producer) status when this title was first created in the region. Bertrand is joined by his sister Pascale and his brother-in-law, Philippe, in the running of the vineyards, the vinification, the export and the myriad other tasks that are involved in the successful operations of a champagne house.
The actual brand name J. De Telmont, was established by the second generation of the family Lhopital to run the business. It was during the time when the house was expanding and purchasing strategic vineyard plots, many of which were, and are still, on Grand Cru designated terroir. The name "Lhopital," traditionally evoked the original meaning of "hospitality" or "welcoming" but when it became synonymous with the modern day meaning of "hospital," they decided to create a brand name more evocative of what the champagne house stood for and what their champagnes represent.
Le Grand Rosé
This NV Brut is a blend of 85% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Noir of which 15% of that is reserve wine. The light raspberry pink color with salmon reflections is derived from partial maceration, not a blend, which lends subtlety and a long finish to this fresh and fruity exceptional rosé.
Cuvée Grand Couronnement
Only first pressing juice is used from the choicest grape selection from the Grand Cru de la Côte des Blancs, which is to say the best of the best of Chardonnay Champagne grapes. And did I mention it's made only in the best harvest years and aged until it's at its height of perfection? The house itself describes it thus: An exceptional vintage that "crowns" our production... It is reserved for only the most dedicated connoisseurs.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Cognac For ♥ Valentine’s Day
by Paige Donner
Cognac for the most important ♥ holiday of the year!? Yes! And not just for your fella. But for your Lady (love) as well.
Scenes from Cognac
all photos by and c.Paige Donner 2012
[[posterous-content:pid___0]]
Click Here for Slideshow Hennessy, Courvoisier, Remy Martin and Paul Giraud (in that order)
Women love things that are smooth, warm, that glide just the right way and yet still have that appropriate touch of femininity. You might think that I'm describing lovely lingerie. But, No! I'm talking about cognac. That's right! Cognac can be YOUR dreamy passport to love and pleasure this Valentine's Day!
On a recent trip to Cognac, I was tasked with spitting out X.O. and Paradis...From all the best makers... Some that you've no doubt heard of and some that you'll only hear about and get to taste if you venture into the quaint and cordial hinterland of France that is Cognac.
Click Here for Slideshow Hennessy, Courvoisier, Remy Martin and Paul Giraud
I'm not a spirits drinker and anything tougher than champagne usually makes me gag. So I was a hard sell in terms of being persuaded to see the merits of enjoying a sip of cognac or two. For me the idea of the cognac cocktail - a dose of cognac mixed with champagne and some Chambord or cognac with green tea and a few shakes of a couple other things - were the ways I was ready to take my medicine.
[[posterous-content:pid___1]]
Click Here for Slideshow Hennessy, Courvoisier, Remy Martin and Paul Giraud (in that order)
Cognac For ♥ Valentine’s Day
One of the qualities that got me to hang in there, though, is that cognac is the only spirit, or eau de vie, that is distilled from grapes. Gazing out at the wintry landscape of hibernating vines somehow reassured me that this spirit was different. I was tasting a form of wine, after all. Also, unsurprisingly, cognac was originally a happy accident. A couple of barrels of wine gone bad on their shipment to England a few centuries ago...a dose of French innovation and farmer ingenuity and Voila', cognac!
Click Here for Slideshow Hennessy, Courvoisier, Remy Martin and Paul Giraud
After tasting (and spitting!) my way through approximately 75 blends and brands of cognac, I discovered that there were a handful that I could sip and savor. And it wasn't only the XO's that pleased my palate. There were a couple of VSOP's that made the cut. Though, I admit, once you've tasted Paradis, you'll swear you've heard the angels sing!
Cognac - It's not named X.O. for nothin'!
♥Chérie Du Vin
*For customized Cognac Travel Itineraries contact: Local Food And Wine
Click Here for Slideshow Hennessy, Courvoisier, Remy Martin and Paul Giraud
*LOCAL FOOD AND WINE *
TWITTER.COM/LOCALFOODWINE
FACEBOOK/LOCALFOODANDWINE
FOLLOW US ON TUMBLR * FOLLOW US ON TWITTER * LIKE US ON FACEBOOK
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)