Posts Tagged ‘crisp acidity’

In this review we will be tasting a Muscadet wine from the westernmost part of the Loire Valley of central France. In a rather unusual process Muscadet wines are left in contact with their sediment to enhance their fruit and yeasty quality. Muscadet is a classic fish and seafood wine, so we are going to try some nontraditional pairings. By the way, Monsieur Sauvion is known as the King of Muscadet. And the grape variety is known as Melon de Bourgogne.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Sauvion Carte D’Or Muscadet, 2007 12.% alcohol about $9

Let’s start with the marketing materials. Tasting Note: Light straw color; light gooseberry, apple, lemon and mineral aromas; dry, with crisp acidity, clean citrusy fruit and snowpea flavors on palate with yeasty notes in finish. Serving Suggestion: Serve chilled as an aperitif; shellfish and seafood; perfect with oysters on the half-shell. And now for my review.

I started by sipping this wine alone. It was very refreshing and quite acidic. The first meal was barbecued chicken wings with rice and homemade roasted eggplant slices in garlic. When the Muscadet met the chicken wings it softened somewhat but not enough. I tasted grapefruit. The wine got rounder with the rice and eggplant but still was too acidic.

The second meal was an omelet with more of the homemade oven-roasted eggplant, greek olives, and an artichoke and mayonnaise dip. The dominant flavor was apple, and this time the acidity was good. The eggplant softened the wine’s acidity. The wine didn’t have much taste with the olives, or even with the soft-tasting artichoke dip. I finished the meal with some orange-flavored fruit juice candy and the wine became lemony.

The final meal was slow-cooked smoked turkey thighs with chickpeas. The wine was quite present and almost metallic. It was acidic and certainly cleansed the palate, a good thing given the meal’s heaviness. And it tasted of minerals.

I finished the tasting with two cheeses. The first cheese was a Ricotta, an Italian-style cottage cheese. The Muscadet was refreshingly acidic but had little taste. The next cheese was a Provolone. The wine was somewhat sour and not flavorful.

Final verdict. I won’t bother to buy this pedestrian wine again. Maybe I missed a fine fish or seafood pairing but really don’t think so. Now a better Muscadet, one in a different price range might be another story.

Author: Levi Reiss
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Hybrid and Electric Cars

The scenic southern French region of Provence is known for its olive oils, seafood soup (local name "Bouillabaisse"), garlic, and lavenders.

Between the olive trees, there is just enough space for the local to happily plant vineyards. Its rosé, white and red wines, although lesser known in the US are among the most food-friendly wines of the world.

In this article, I will introduce three Provençal wines with examples of food to pair with. These wine-and-food pairing ideas would provide a nice foundation for your future reference, when it comes to similar food and similar wines.

Provençal wine production is 70% rosé, and 25% red, with the rest being white. The more common grapes are Mourvèdre, Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carignan for rosés and reds, and Clairette, Sémillon, Ugni Blanc and Rolle (Vermentino in Italy) for whites.

We shall start with a rosé and two rosé-friendly food choices.

Rosés from Provence could be peachy, grapefruit-abundant, fresh-fruit driven or could be with more riper fruit profile, yeasty or creamy flavors and floral scents. The refreshing acidity, light to medium body, and generously varied aromas in the Provençal rosés invite dishes like oyster appetizers, or a lettuce-and-warm-goat-cheese-and-bacon salad (for example, La Salade de Chèvre Chaud au Bacon).

Most of the red wines from Provence are not made to age, except for Bandol reds. The dark, rich, tannic Bandol red wines enjoy the well-deserved medium-high price. Food considerations are dishes that have either weight or richer but not intense flavors (from sauces, spices and herbs). For example, Bouillabaisse Provençale, or Daube de Boeuf Provencal Recipe (Provençal beef stew).

Provençal dry white wines with crisp acidity and minerality are great for almost all salads and vegetable dishes, or this local snack called Panisses, which are chickpea-flour fries.

As our food journey takes us around the world, let’s also explore the wines that give us the sense of the local culture and people.

Author: Bonny-Morgan Lin
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Excise Tax