Posts Tagged ‘wine producer’

If you are looking for fine French wine and food, consider the world famous Burgundy region in eastern France. Although it’s fairly rare, 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 white wine based on the Aligote grape.

Among Frances eleven wine-growing regions Burgundy ranks fourth in acreage if you include the Beaujolais region, which most people do in spite of their considerable differences. Partisans, and they are many, claim that Burgundy is really the number one or number two wine-producing region in France, if not in the world. The wine reviewed below comes from somewhere in Burgundy, whose wine production is almost 90% white, almost exclusively Chardonnay. The Aligot grape is Burgundys number two white grape, but remains fairly unknown. Well find out whether this lack of notoriety is deserved or not. In addition to Burgundy Aligot is grown in Bulgaria, a not a very-well known wine producer but one that is occasionally generates bargains. The best Aligot wines are said to come from the village of Bouzeron and its environs, located in the Cte Chalonnaise region of Burgundy. These wines are occasionally a blend of Aligot and Chardonnay. To the best of our knowledge the reviewed wine is pure Aligot and does not come from the Bouzeron area of Burgundy.

If you are visiting Burgundy, and you really should, make sure to stop by the Cte dOr village of Chteauneuf about twenty five miles (forty kilometers) southwest of Dijon in northern Burgundy. This little hilltop village seems to come straight out of the Middle Ages, except for the tourists who have recently discovered it. Its focal point is the Chteau (Castle) built in 1132 and occupied by the same family for nine generations until 1456 when Cathrine of Chteauneuf was burnt to death; it is said that she poisoned her second husband, Jacques d’Haussonville. The castle then went through various owners until the French Revolution when it was expropriated and the villages name was changed to Montfranc. With the construction of the Burgundy Canal its fate was sealed so to speak. Be sure to see the castles medieval tapestries and its reflection in the canal. By the way, the famous Chteauneuf du Pape wine is from Provence, not from Burgundy.

Before reviewing the Burgundy 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 Jambon Persill (Ham in Parsleyed Aspic).

For your second course savor Rable de Lievre la Piron (Saddle of Hare with Shallots and White Wine).

And as dessert indulge yourself with Mousse au Chocolat (Chocolate Mousse.)

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

Wine Reviewed

Jaffelin Bourgogne Aligot 2005 12.7% about $14.00

Lets start by quoting the marketing materials. Tasting Note Pale straw colour; Subtle aromas of mineral,citrus, anjou pear and green apple; Dry, light bodied, with clean apple/lemon flavours, crisp acidity on finish. Serving Suggestion Add cassis for a Kir, shellfish, light seafood dishes, ceviche or pan fried trout. And now for the review.

My first meal was whole-wheat spaghetti with a homemade tuna, red onion, garlic, and Greek olive sauce that had a commercial tomato spaghetti sauce as its base. I doused on a lot of grated Parmesan Cheese. The wine was light and short but did linger slightly. It was pleasantly acidic. As I continued the meal I realized that this wine is not weak. Its acidity was a good accompaniment to fruit-juice candy.

The next task for this Aligot was to accompany bagels, smoked salmon, and 15% cream cheese along with sides of Greek olives some with chili pepper flakes, thinly sliced red onions, and an artichoke, garlic, and tomato salsa. The wine was lightly acidic and surprisingly long. The salsa intensified its fruit, but both the olives and fresh blueberries (no, not together) seemed to deaden the wine.

The final meal was a disappointing Louisiana style home barbecued chicken sausage. Both the wine and the meat were rather tasteless, but when I added some very strong mustard the wines fruit perked up a bit. The sweetness of the barbecued corn on the cob turned up the wines acidity. But the artichoke and garlic salsa made this thin Burgundy, yes it is a Burgundy, even thinner.

The first cheese pairing was with a mild-tasting Italian Pecorino Fruilano. The wine was light and fruity with decent length. The Dutch Edam was nutty, a bit fatty, and somewhat sour. The cheese itself was tastier; in contrast the wine was weaker.

Final verdict. Burgundy brings its expectations. They werent met by this wine. What do you want for this moderate price? More than what I got here. If I can get my hands on a Bouzeron Aligot Ill give it a shot.

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

This biodynamic wine comes from a very dynamic Bordeaux wine producer, Olivier Decelle who started out in frozen foods. His first day’s revenue was 10 francs (about $2.50). By the time he got into wine he owned some 400 frozen food outlets. This particular bottle carries the Appelation Fronsac Controlee, grown in a not very prestigious zone of Bordeaux. The Fronsac area may have hosted the first vineyards in Bordeaux. A long time ago its wines ranked better than those of neighboring Pomerol that are now quite pricey. Fronsac is considered an up-and-coming region. If you’re willing to spend more, check out neighboring Cotes-Canon-Fronsac AOC wines. This particular wine is made from Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Malbec grapes.

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

Wine Reviewed
Chateau Bellevue 2005 13.5% alcohol about $19

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Description: Chateau Bellevue lies just outside of Saint-Michel de Fronsac in the heart of the Right Bank. Olivier Decelle purchased the estate in 2000 and his commitment to quality is plain to see, investing heavily in the vineyard and winery as well as introducing biodynamic methods of viticulture. Well structured, with ripe tannins, and beautiful ripe, red fruit, this wine is clearly part of the new wave of classically made, affordable Bordeaux coming out of minor appellations. And now for my review.

At the first sips the wine was powerful and mouth filling, well balanced, and very slightly sweet. The first pairing was with barbecued beef ribs, potatoes roasted in chicken fat, and broccoli and cauliflower in tomato sauce with basil, onion, cumin, and garlic. With the meat, this Bordeaux blend was round and presented a fine balance between its acidity and tannins. It was subtle. It washed the potatoes’ grease away. The veggies brought out the wine’s black cherries and its darkness.

The next meal consisted of chicken legs, chickpeas, and potatoes in broth with some tomato and onion. This was an old French-style bouillon meal although I’m not sure how much they knew about chickpeas then and there. The Cab was quite long and tasted of dark grapes mixed with tobacco.

My final meal was a boxed Eggplant Parmiagana slathered with grated Parmesan cheese. The wine was long and mouth filling; the dominant tastes were tobacco and menthol.

I finished this tasting bottle with two local cheeses. When paired with an Emmenthaler (Swiss) the wine was mouth filling and dark, but its tannins were of the melt-in-your mouth variety. It had great balance. With an Asiago cheese the wine was weaker than in the previous pairing but it was still fine.

Final verdict. I would buy this wine again. I definitely was worth the price, ever more so if you are looking for a biodynamic wine. I think both the producer and the region are worth watching.

Author: Levi Reiss
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Benefits of electric pressure cooker