Degustare Cremant si Champagne

Sarbatorile se apropie cu pasi repezi astfel incat va propun o degustare de spumante si Champagne care s-ar potrivi pentru inceputul mesei de Paste sau pentru un mic dejun/brunch de weekend.

Vinurile oferite spre degustare sunt importate si distribuite de noul meu proiect intitulat Champagne Room (www.champagne-room.ro) si au fost atent selectionate dintr-un numar considerabil de producatori din Franta.

Spumantele oferite spre degustare:

• Jean Louis Denois Chardonnay Extra Brut
• Jean Louis Denois Cuvee Eclipse 2011
• Champagne Dhondt-Grellet Prestige du Moulin Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru
• Champagne Michel Genet Millesime 2010 Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru
• Champagne Herve Dubois Brut Rose Grand Cru

Degustarea se va desfasura Marti 4 Aprilie cu incepere de la ora 19:00 in locatia Champagne Room din blvd Magheru nr 27 Sc B etaj 2 (vis-a-vis de KFC-ul de la Piata Romana). Costul de participare este de 110 Ron si include vinurile, apa si ceva snack-uri pentru a tempera atacul vinului.

Vinurile vor fi servite din pahare Lehmann Glass Jamesse Prestige realizate special de catre somelierul sef al celebrului restaurant Le Parc Domaine Les Crayeres din Reims.

Pentru rezervari va rog fie sa-mi dati un mail pe contact@champagne-room.ro fie sa ma contactati direct la telefon la 0723 240 102.

Mai jos cateva cuvinte despre vinurile ce vor fi degustate.

Jean Louis Denois este cel mai apreciat producator de Cremant de Limoux din zona Languedoc-ului, el insusi provine dintr-o familie producatoare de vinuri spumante de Champagne din zona Champagne. Lucreaza majoritar cu strugurii consacrati din Champagne: Chardonnay si Pinot Noir, iar vinurile sale pot rivaliza usor cu cele din Champagne. Chardonnay-ul Extra Brut este pastrat 4 ani pe drojdii inainte de degojare, iar Cuvee Eclipse 2011 care este varful de gama al lui Denois este un vin produs din struguri de Chardonnay si Pinot Noir din vite de vie cultivate in regim bio, doar inima mustului, pastrat de asemenea indelung pe drojdii.

Champagne Dhondt-Grellet este un producator extrem de dinamic, specializat pe Champagne Blanc de Blancs avand viile situate in zone cu parcele clasificate Grand si Premier Cru in Côte des Blancs, mai exact in satele Cramant Chouilly, Cuis si de asemenea in Sezanne. Cateva parcele de vie de Pinot Noir se afla in Avenay-Val-d’Or in Grande Valle de la Marne. Vechimea avansata a vitelor de vie contribuie la calitatea vinurilor realizate.

Familia Genet (Champagne Michel Genet) este prezenta in satul Chouilly de sute de ani iar producția de Champagne în acest sat Grand Cru este activitatea principala a familiei de peste 100 de ani. Satul Chouilly, situat in Cote de Blancs , in sudul regiunii Champagne, este cunoscut in mod special pentru Chardonnay-ul de cea mai înaltă calitate și este clasat printre cele 17 terroir-uri Grand Cru ale regiunii Champagne.

Champagne Herve Dubois cproduce vin de pe cele 7.5 ha detinute dintre care 4.5 ha de Chardonnay Grand Cru in Côte des Blancs si 0.5 ha de Chardonnay Premier Cru in Montagne de Reims din care rezulta vinuri de o eleganta aparte cu multa prospetime si delicatete; 1.5 ha de Pinot Meunier care ofera rotunjime si arome intens fructate vinului si 1 ha de Pinot Noir care aduce putere si rafinament de pe vite de vie aflate in Vallée de la Marne. Cuvee-ul Rose imbina maiestuos finetea Chardonnay-ului cu puterea si fructuozitatea vinului rosu produs din Pinot Noir provenit din satul Verzenay din regiunea Montagne de Reims. Asamblaj: 90 % Chardonnay si 10% Pinot Noir.

 

Some great whites: Olivier Leflaive, Billecart-Salmon, Tement etc

Had a lovely dinner on WED evening at La Brasserie restaurant in Herastrau with some beautiful wines. Started earlier with a stunning Puligny Montrachet by Olivier Leflaive.

2012 Olivier Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru ‘Les Pucelles’ needs at least 45 minutes in a decanter to open up and when it does it is simply kaleidoscopic. Color is medium yellow gold. Nose is profound and luxuriant, stone fruit, papaya, toast and butterscotch center the stage. Rich and vibrant yellow fruit pours lavishly on the lively palate, with intense and long rich citrus fruit and chamomile finish. Simply gorgeous. (95/100)

I was invited to blind taste this wine at the beginning of our dinner and I managed to spot there is an older Sauvignon Blanc from Austria. Tement as far as I read is the best producer of Austrian Sauvignon Blanc. Perhaps I am wrong here.

2007 Tement Zieregg Rezerve IZ is indeed a Sauvignon Blanc that spent 30 months in oak barrels. The wine has amazing richness both on the nose and the palate. Nose is filled with generous aromas of slate minerality, cut hay, white melon and passion fruit. Very rich on the palate with medium acidity, it shows abundant yellow fruit and flowers. Quiet long and ripe. (92/100)

1999 Champagne Billecart-Salmon Nicolas Francois Billecart comes with a razor sharp acidity after Tement. This has a classy nose of smoked citrus fruit, baked apples and biscuit, tense and precise, with a citrus infused long finish. (94/100)

2005 Thierry Allemand Cornas Chaillot needs to be properly decanted of its sediment and to breath for at least 45 minutes. This has a mineral, gamey and red fruit generous nose that just keeps on getting better. Supple on the palate, it has a Burgundian character written all over it. Syrah for Pinot lovers. (94/100)

More wines followed but did not manage to pay the proper attention to take notes on: 2007 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino, 2009 Davino Rezerva Rosu, 2006 Vinarte Aniversare Merlot Rezerva, 2012 Davino Rezerva Blanc. Night ended with a second bottle of 2012 Olivier Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru ‘Les Pucelles’. Sometimes you can just have it all.

Four great wines: Pierre Yves Colin Morey, Bruno Giacosa, Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc and Duhart Milon

Had a lovely dinner on Monday evening at a friend’s house and four people managed to go quickly through 4 bottles of wines in just a couple of hours. It was not intended as a speed contest but when the wine is that good it just dries quickly from the glass.

2012 Pierre Yves Colin-Morey Santenay 1er Cru “La Comme” was a stunning surprise for all of us. It’s the first time I’m buying and tasting this producer and for sure it won’t be the last time. In fact it just opened my appetite for discovering more of his wines. This Chardonnay from a less famous Burgundy appellation needs to spend some time in the decanter in order to reveal its exotic and exuberant aromatic profile. Rich and decadent, it exudes very intense aromas of ripe tropical fruits, yellow melon and mango, with complex shades of toast and vanilla. Again rich and highly textured in the mouth, it shows a perfect balance between sweet tropical fruit, stone minerality and vibrant acidity. Long finish, fresh with sweet fruit lingering in the aftertaste. I see lots of similarities with a great 1er Cru Puligny Montrachet. (95/100)

Second white was 2013 Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc that shows good richness of citrus and tropical fruit, with vanilla and honeysuckle nose. It is more supple, with higher acidity typical for a Sauvignon Blanc, but overall a well balanced, rich and complete wine. (94/100)

2007 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco spent about 1 h 30 min in the decanter before being poured. In the Burgundy Zalto glass this wine opens up very nice and quickly. It shows a rich aromatic profile where tar, fresh raspberries and rose petals take the center stage, and as it breathes more profound aromas of savory truffles jump from the glass. Supple and very smooth for such a young Barbaresco, it is full and supple on the palate, with silky smooth tannins, sweet and pure red cherry and raspberry fruit, spices and savory cured meat. Long finish, very elegant and feminine wine. (94-95/100)

2010 Chateau Duhart Milon spent only 20 minutes in the decanter before being poured in the glass, and it is surprisingly open already. It shows sweet cassis and pencil shavings, with refreshing cedar and brett. Full bodied, strong but polished tannins, good intensity of the fruit on the palate that balances the tannin structure. Long finish. (94/100)

2008 W Fevre Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses

I had several times many bottles of Chablis and Chablis Premier Cru, but not as often as I would like did I encounter the Grand Cru Chablis. It is recommended to drink it 5-6 years after the vintage in order for the aromas and flavor profile to fully develop.

2008 W. Fevre Chablis Grand Cru ‘Les Preuses’ is a beautiful wine. Medium gold color. It takes about 20 minutes in the bottle before the wine really starts to reveal itself. Lush aromas of sweet honey sprinkled on top of ripe citrus and exotic fruits, mango and papaya, with a touch of mineral crushed stones that bring freshness and  complexity. Rich and intense on the palate, with vibrant acidity and a glacier water like purity that makes memorable the tasting experience. There are plenty of exotic fruits, honey and wet stones flavors in the mouth. Medium to long finish, very fresh and exuberant. W. Fevre is the biggest owner of Chablis Grand Cru vineyards so more power for having this quality. (93/100)

Paired with sea bass cooked in a salt crust, steamed broccoli, mashed potatoes and cherry tomatoes reduction just 1 week before the Easter it was a truly amazing culinary experience. It’s always better to choose a bigger fish if possible (mine was 1.2 kg) when cooking in a salt crust as the taste and the flesh is considerably better than the small fish.

Cramele Recas Sole Chardonnay 2011

Ultima oara cand am vizitat Cramele Recas anul acesta si am avut ocazia sa degust majoritatea vinurilor produse aici, recunosc ca am apreciat mult acest Chardonnay care, in opinia mea, rivalizeaza bine anul acesta cu Solo Quinta si pe chiar il prefer in detrimentul cupajului mentionat. De asemenea pretul este mult mai competitiv, avand in vedere ca Solo Quinta 2011 este Chardonnay in proportie de 80%.

Cramele Recas Sole Chardonnay 2011

Culoare galben pal. Un nas care se dezvolta si creste in intensitate cu putina aerare si devine mai expresiv pe masura ce vinul se incalzeste in pahar. Baut la o temperatura prea scazuta nu-si etaleaza intreaga paleta aromatica, deci atentie la temperatura de servire. Aromele de vanilie, banane, pere si citrice se imbina placut cu tente usor minerale si cele de fum. Un vin cu corpolenta plina si aciditate medie, dar placuta, bogat in gura, din nou aromele citrice se intrepatrund frumos cu cele minerale, iar finalul este mediu, cu un postgust revigorant, usor amarui, ce aminteste de grapefruit. Un vin placut, chiar elegant, bine pus in evidenta de aciditatea buna. Vinul beneficiaza daca este servit din pahare mai mari, cu gura mai larga, asemanatoare celor pentru vinuri rosii, ce dau posibilitatea unei aerari mai bune. Un vin ce merge asociat la peste sau carne alba cu sosuri albe mai bogate. (84-85/100)

Vin primit si comentat pentru site-ul www.unvinpezi.ro

Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve range @ Hilton Bucharest

On May 31, 2012 I attended a tasting of 6 wines from Kendall-Jackson organized by Lerida, the Romanian importer of these wines, at Hilton Hotel in Bucharest. The event was organized as a small wine fair, where people could go from one table to another and taste each individual wine, and started with a short presentation of the producer and its wines given by Mr Sergiu Nedelea.

I found out that Kendall-Jackson controls approximately 6,000 ha of vines in Sonoma, Monterey and Santa Barbara County and is producing wines for nearly three decades. The Romanian importer offered two whites and four reds from the Vintner’s Reserve range for the tasting.

As an overall impression, these cannot be characterized as subtle wines – especially the whites that march rather heavily on toasty oak flavors, while the reds are intended for relatively short to medium term drinking. All wines are pleasantly balanced and have good, relatively low alcohol levels (13-13.8%), with minty aromas (the reds) that make them easier to drink and enjoy.

2010 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Sauvignon Blanc can benefit from a little aeration in the glass. It starts with a pronounced smoky nose initially, but, as it settles down, it gives some nice floral aromas underneath the ripe white fruit. Round and mouth-filling with a honeysuckle finish.

2010 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay is deeply gold colored and has intense aromas of toasty oak and butter, full bodied and creamy on the palate, with intense tropical flavors and a medium finish. This is a bit too oaky for me.

I also tasted:

– 2008 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Pinot Noir, highly extracted, but balanced overall;

– 2008 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Merlot that shows a good structure, probably the best of the 4 reds tasted, and feels supple on the palate;

– 2008 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Shiraz with pronounced spicy aromas, a dense and rich nose, but also showing some unusual metallic flavors (other people I discussed with sampled the same wine from a different bottle that showed a cooked character, so it seems there are some bottle variations for Shiraz). Balanced and enjoyable overall.

– 2007 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon was rather closed both on the nose as on the palate, and only after a few good tens of minutes in the glass showed a more expressive, fruit driven profile.