Posts Tagged ‘few suggestions’

If you are looking for fine French wine and food, you should consider the Loire Valley region of central France. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you’ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a white Sancerre wine based on the Sauvignon Blanc grape coming from the eastern part of the Loire Valley.

The Loire is longest river in France. Among eleven France’s wine-growing regions the Loire Valley number three in total vineyard acreage. This region is subdivided into four sections going from west to east: Nantais, Anjou-Saumur, Touraine, and Central Vineyards, the home of the wine reviewed below. This region’s major white grape is Sauvignon Blanc and major red grape is Pinot Noir.

Bourges is a town of over seventy thousand people that’s almost in the center of France. It’s an old style market town with a high and mighty Cathedral, the Thirteenth Century Cathdrale St-tienne that is really something to see. It is a World Heritage Site. Don’t miss the Fifteenth Century Palais Jacques-Coeur (Palace) that was used as a model for several New York City Fifth Avenue mansions. For natural beauty visit the marshes of the Voiselle and Yevre rivers.

Before reviewing the Loire wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Salade de Faisan (Pheasant Salad). For your second course savor Noisette de Biche (Deer Medallions). And as dessert indulge yourself with Poire Rotie au Beurre (Pear Roasted in Butter).

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

Wine Reviewed
Marnier-LaPostolle Chateau de Sancerre Rouge 2003 12.5% alcohol about $19

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Tasting Note: Straw yellow color; grapefruit and mineral notes on the note; clean and refreshing citrus/grapefruit and herbal flavors. Serving Suggestion: Shellfish; goat’s cheese dishes; veggie dishes. And now for my review.

My first meal consisted of poached salmon-colored trout in red pepper (the vegetable, not the spice) sauce with boiled rice. The wine tasted like a Chablis, full of lemon and steel with some herbal notes. When I tried it with a salad composed of Clementines, baby spinach, pear, and mango accompanied by a sweet mustard dressing the Sancerre became more acidic while retaining its flintiness. It took on floral aspects when faced with home-made (my grapes, someone else’s) jelly.

The second meal was a purchased organic spinach pizza. The wine was floral, round, and even a bit sweet. It was quite pleasant. With an apple-rhubarb tart the Sancerre was nicely acidic and feathery.

The third pairing involved a lightly sauted chicken breast, boiled rice, and a spicy tomato-based Turkish salad. It was round, light, and quite long. Then I added a Tunisian hot pepper sauce (harissa) to the bland meat. Interestingly enough the Sancerre became fruitier and somewhat shorter.

Instead of finishing the bottle with cheese I went to a cheese-less lasagna made with whole wheat noodles, tomato sauce, peas, and ground chicken. The wine was very fruity and quite round. Its refreshing acidity really cut the grease.

One of the classic wine and cheese pairings taught in schools and verified in practice is Sancerre and goat’s milk cheese, preferably Crottin de Chavignol coming from the same area as the wine.

Final verdict. This is a fine wine. I like Sancerre but find it somewhat overpriced. I am always ready to try another Sancerre, looking for better value.

Author: Levi Reiss
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: PCB Prototype & Manufacturing

If you are looking for fine French wine and food, consider the up and coming wine region of southwestern France. You may even find a bargain, and I hope that you’ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a local red wine based on the indigenous Ngrette and the international Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah grapes.

Among France’s eleven wine-growing regions the southwest ranks sixth in acreage. Surprisingly enough this is the first wine that we have reviewed from this region. The most famous alcoholic beverage produced in this beautiful region is Armagnac that many prefer to Cognac. Parts of this region neighbor Bordeaux so don’t be surprised if some of the wines are quite good, and yet more moderately priced than many of its world-famous neighbor’s offerings.

If you are visiting southwestern France, and you really should, make sure to stop by the village of Bergerac that was not the home of the famous Cyrano de Bergerac who actually lived in Paris in the first half of the Seventeenth Century. The town is beautiful. Market days are Wednesday and Saturday. You can take a guided walking tour of the old city and cruise the Dordogne River from Easter to October. The Clotre des Rcollets was a convent and now hosts a wine business. Go a few miles south to the Chteau de Monbazillac. Their sweet wine is famous but pricey.

Before reviewing the southwestern wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Foie Gras Frais avec Myrtille (Fresh Duck Liver in a Berry Sauce). For your second course savor Piprade Basquaise au Jambon (Eggs, Tomatos, Green Peppers, Onions, and Ham). And as dessert indulge yourself with Gateau Basque (Lemon Shortbread, Baker’s Cream, and Tart Cherry Jam.)

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY

All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed
La Fort Royale 2004 13% about $13.50 (Appelation Fronton Control)

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. La Fort is a blend of the indigenous Ngrette (45%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%), and Syrah (25%). The wine goes through fruit-enhancing and tannin-mellowing micro-oxygenation and acid-softening malolactic fermentation. The resulting wine is full of flavors and aromas, including raspberry, blackberry, cassis, dark chocolate, licorice, and a hint of tar. Serve it with grilled steaks, backribs, or gourmet sausages. And now for the review.

My first meal consisted of commercially prepared beef spare ribs, spicy Moroccan carrots, and potatoes roasted in chicken fat. The meat was seasoned with Tunisian Harissa, a very spicy hot-pepper sauce. This was a great combination. The tannins melted in my mouth. I tasted black cherries, chocolate, and a lot of tobacco. The wine was robust and mouth-filling. It held up both to the fat and the strong spices.

The meal included meatballs with harissa, rice, and green beans. This wine was round and moderately long. The chocolate and tobacco tastes were powerful.

The final meal was a commercially prepared barbecued chicken with a paprika-covered shin and store bought potato salad. The wine was a good antidote to the fat. Once again the chocolate taste predominated.

The first cheese pairing was with an Emmenthaler (Swiss Cheese). The wine handled the pairing nicely. It was quite round and strong. On the other hand I barely tasted the cheese. And a goat’s milk cheese fairly well denatured this wine.

Final verdict. This wine is a winner. I expect to come back to southwestern France for more wines.

Author: Levi Reiss
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Smart cooker