Chateau La Touche Muscadet `09 $14.00 ***

A Birthday Dinner in three bottles.

Bottle # 1  Chateau La Touche Muscadet  `07 was opened as the family started to arrive and the fire pit was lit.  Made from Melon de Bourgogne grapes, this wine is light (12% ETOH), bright (hints of melon and a ghost of a taste of tart citrus - grapefruit) and refreshing; there is a crisp minerality that some say comes from proximity to the sea.  AOC Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine is where the Loire river meets the Maine and the Sevre rivers in western France.

The sur-lie fermentation process produces a rustic, flavorful wine with the harvest pressings spending their first winter fermenting with the skins and dried yeasts.  This adds a crispness and a real depth of flavor to the finished product. The wine was a perfect foil for the salty almonds, nuts and crackers that we nibbled on as the pheasant braised.  At 12% ETOH, it was a great was to ease ourselves into the next bottle.

photo by MEH

This was JPH's Birthday Dinner, all hands were on deck.  For the occasion, S. planned the menu, sourced the amazing ingredients from Marx Foods and brought out the good glassware; everything was perfectly in place as we sipped wine and watched the day turn to dusk. 


Our Menu:  Braised Pheasant, Spetzel and fresh Chanterelles sauteed in a butter cream sauce.  For dessert, I made Panna Cotta.

As the fire started outside, the fire was about to start inside:  JPH played with fire as I tried to snap a picture. On the right is what the stove looked like as he poured the flaming cognac onto the pheasant....


As we were about to plate, JPH opened Bottle # 2, our dinner wine: Cave de Tain l'Hermitage Crozes-Hermitage Les Trois Lys `07

Here is dinner just before it came off the stove:

Jean-Paul Mollet Pouilly-Fumé les Sables `07 $34.99 (Not TJ's) ****

We buried a friend today, the morning of Christmas Eve.  Although Susan was Jewish, burying her today has made me more sensitive to life and to the people that I love. It is a Holiday of rejoicing, and tonight I want to rejoice and celebrate the relatively short decade that I have known her.  Susan M. Cohen, Esq. this review is for you.

Susan was an activist lawyer and breast cancer survivor.  It'll always be a debate - will she be best known for her Breast cancer advocacy or her running political campaigns and changing the landscape of the Judiciary?  Well, for me, it all boils down to a bottle of wine (story at the end of this review).

I finally arrived at home just after 8:30 PM.  After the burial in Connecticut, I spent my pre-arranged Christmas Eve dinner with people that I love and don't spend enough time with.  When I got home, JPH & S. were just washing up after their annual Christmas Eve family dinner.  Wanting to drink a glass of wine as I compared days with JPH & S, I polished off the last glass of this Pouilly-Fume, left over from what I am sure was an amazing fish dinner. I really just wanted to write about Susan and a wine review is appropriate, given our friendship. So, I sipped my wine and started composing this review in my head.

Now for the review:

What a great wine to have with fish.  It has a nice citrus taste - not bright, it is slightly heavy, but balanced with a deep minerality.  It sits in your mouth and after you have swallowed, it is like you have just licked a smooth block of granite.  I know it sounds weird to describe a wine as such, but really, it is these amazing changes that a fermented grape can go through that makes tasting different wines such an adventure.  The minerality is not a taste, but more of an after-feel, the "finish" of the wine, which makes for a great a contrast of the highlights of the citrus, and I would imagine, to the flavor of the fish.  Minerality is a good thing.

This is from the AOC region of the Loire Valley Pouilly-Fumé.  The wine is made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes, and it lives up to its spectacular provenance. I drank this wine as I watched Santa and her helper put presents around the tree.  The children were nestled snug in their beds and I was relaxing and recounting my day. There were tears today but there was also much joy and for that I am infinitely grateful.

Susan M. Cohen Esq. was one of my friend Nancy's Law School classmates and one of her closest friends.  Although I am not Jewish, I spent the Jewish High Holy days with Nancy, her family and Susan.  There is a Jewish law that a non Jew should not handle kosher wine.  One year, there was a large group at Nancy & Yori's for Rosh Hashanna and some of the group were strict orthodox.  Although I was aware of the rule of not touching the wine bottle (Yori always poured me two glasses of wine from the bottle, so that he would not have to refill my glass) Susan was worried that I would offend some of the other guests and she grabbed and protected the bottle. It was dramatic, passionate and totally Susan.  I loved her for that.  She would adhere to tradition, yet she was her own woman.

We spent many shabbos and holidays together.  Celebrating Jewish Holidays in the Lower East Side of NYC.  For me, a WASP from rural Maine that was one of the most exotic things I will ever do.  It was a totally foreign world and even as a complete outsider, I am embraced and loved in it (and I have learned some new vocabulary along the way).  On those quiet days, Susan, Nancy, Yarden and I did puzzles, talked, drank coffee and talked some more about work, life, adventure, disease, music - or whatever came to mind.  Like me, Susan never married (but she did break at least one heart - my score card on that front is zero); the both of us were holiday orphans and Nancy & Yori let us and many others become a part of their family's holiday traditions.   Susan dedicated her life to tenant's rights, representing the underprivileged; electing a fair judiciary (she ran countless judicial campaigns all around the United States); travel  - Antarctica, Alaska, Africa (and those are just the A's) and finally, her life's work as a breast cancer advocate and survivor.

In the end, she beat breast cancer -  because it wasn't the cancer that killed her.  It was the co-morbidity COPD.  She died after two days in hospice with loved ones at her side.  We eulogized her with stories, laughter and tears.  She was respected, loved and she will be missed.  Of course, there are many elected officials who are breathing a sigh of relief that they will no longer be badgered at all hours by Susan and her indefatigable lobbying efforts - I just want to warn them that she was not only an inspiration, she was a teacher as well.  When I am on Capital Hill fighting for better dialysis, I will be carrying some of Susan's passion for what is right with me, and in that, I hope that I can do her justice.

Tonight's picture is from this morning.  

Nancy, remembering Susan in front of a standing room only crowd.

  You see the award given to her by the State of New York earlier this year.  

What you don't see is the countless lives that she enriched.  

RIP Susan M. Cohen,
you have entered eternity and the world is now an emptier place.

Domaine Gerard Millet Sancerre Rouge `07 $25.99 **(*)

Was I drunk?  Did I store it wrong?  This was a first -  a wine that I liked so much at a tasting, I brought a bottle home.  My notes from the night said: "dry - almost chocolate, rhubarb, cinnamon - serve with chicken, lamb, salmon".  This is a very light in color 100% Pinot Noir wine. I've had it since February and last night, we had it with grilled Swordfish.  I wasn't impressed.  I tried a glass at lunch today as well -  still not impressed.  As a matter of fact, I had a "What was I thinking?" moment.

After a run through the Vinturi... it did nothing but make it flat.  If you are into this wine, DON'T decant it. My guess is that it should be had while very young(ish) and straight from the bottle.

Menu: Grilled Swordfish, Pasta with red peppers, garlic and cheese (I did not cook, but I very happily dug in!!)

Maybe I just don't like a high acid, rhubarb tasting wine - the spiciness (to me) was all in the scent. This was not a smooth wine and it was too tart for me.  The finish was also a bit harsh.  But again, I wonder did it get hot accidentally while it was in my possession over the past six/seven months? My taste buds couldn't have changed so drastically, could they?? Was I THAT drunk the night of the tasting??? I wasn't alone in thinking that this was just an average wine, and for the price point, I just didn't see it as worth it. (with many, many thanks, photo by JPH, as I seem to keep forgetting to turn off the Nikon - this is not the way to keep a battery happy...)

Per their importers, Gabriella (this is what they wrote about the `08):

Situated near Bué, the Millet Family has been making wine for over four generations. Gérard Millet owns and runs this 12 hectare domaine, centred around the village of Bué en Sancerre. Their Sancerre vineyards are situated along the Loire River approximately two hours south of Paris. Their wines are marked by intense aromatics, fresh acidity, and a dry flinty quality. Red Sancerre is made from Burgundy's Pinot Noir grape, and is only produced in relatively small quantities, hence it is seldom seen outside France. In contrary to most red Burgundies it is typically drunk relatively young.

100% Pinot Noir - Showing remarkable depth and complexity with restraint and class. Earthen cherry fruit in a tight, bright package. Very Burgundian in style and body; marked by intense aromatics, fresh acidity, and a dry flinty quality.

LaCheteau Vouvray `09 $6.99 ****

Impromptu drinks on a late Spring evening.  I grabbed this Vouvray, wet it down, and popped it in the freezer to chill while I whipped up some h'orderves. Meanwhile, in the livingroom, the boy tried to figure out how to add Green Day and U2 to my Pete Seeger/Johnny Cash Pandora Mix.  HAH! Foiled.  (although I do like U2 and some Green Day....)

A very helpful saleslady recommended this wine when I was shopping for Summer white wine - she knew what she was talking about.

This is a fresh, fruity, slightly buttery, semi-dry (sweet(ish)) wine.  It goes great with cheese and crackers.  I could easily see this as a nice chilled picnic wine with a salad.  The dominant taste is pear, with a slight effervescence, and it does have a slight burn in the back of my throat, so I'd say drink it slowly. It is a "thick" and semi-sweet wine, but it is not cloying.  I wish we had some Brie, I think this would be a great wine with Brie and Apple. Umm Asparagus, not so much.  As a matter of fact, it is hard to match asparagus with a white wine. Brooklyn Guy wrote some good stuff about pairing wine with Asparagus.  I think he is spot on when he says:

 "For me, the classic pairing is Sauvignon Blanc. I'm talking about wines from Sancerre or Touraine, for example."

He's right, and I am going to take his advice in the future, as Asparagus is my favorite vegetable.

My final thoughts:  Good wine, well with the money.  Impressive (even with a plastic cork!) It wouldn't hurt to keep a bottle or two on hand.

Menu:
Salmon on crackers with a dill/ no fat sour cream
Deviled eggs with crispy chorizo
Steamed Asparagus with microplaned domestic Parmesan

Fabrice Gasnier Vieilles Vignes Chinon `07 $19.99 (not TJ's) ****

This is a beautiful sipping wine.  Fresh, fruity, dry and only a slight tannin aftertaste.  I may be falling in love with Cabernet Franc. Even before the vinturi, it seems open and aromatic. I know that I am going to sound weird, but it smells like really yummy, fresh Chinese food - sort of sweet smelling, but fresh, with a hint of tanginess (and that is just the smell - we're talking Oriental Jade in Bangor, Maine - before they moved the restaurant) Ok, maybe I am being way too sentimental.  Maybe the smell is plum.  The taste is light and fresh and not sweet at all.  I like that combination. It teases my nose with sweetness, and then delights my mouth with dry fruitiness. (I'm gonna stop there.  I really need a boyfriend!)

After the Vinturi:  NOPE, don't decant it.  It seems rougher, dryer. Aeration seems to accent flaws in this wine.  It is much better straight out of the bottle (well, via a glass that is).

With food, it is lovely. This lamb is subtle, and the orzo is lemony and well, peas are peas... All around this is a GREAT wine.

Today's menu:
Pistachio & Panko crusted Lamb
Orzo with lemon & tomatoes
Peas

Some thoughts:
Wow, I am drinking one of the parents of Cabernet Sauvingnon. This wine is 100% Cabernet Franc.  Someone once suggested that I taste as many 100% wines as possible to develop my palate.  Slowly, I am learning.  I made a pretty big study of Cabernet Sauvingnon for World Kidney Day - (yeah, it was an effort... NOT) now I can really understand the difference between C Franc and C Sauvignon.

In a case of "I really want to do this", wander lust, I stumbled across this blog post about the vineyard....

http://mcduffwine.blogspot.com/2008/04/tasting-chinon-with-fabrice-gasnier.html

This is just a partial quote - this blog has much, much more (with pictures)

We discovered Fabrice Gasnier at work in his vineyards, pruning his vines in preparation for the coming of spring. Fabrice began his work at the property during the benchmark vintage of 1989. He and his father Jacky, who has since retired, incorporated the Domaine as it now stands in 1993. Their family has owned land and farmed here in Chezelet for four generations, during which time the estate has grown from its original three hectares to its current 24. All of those 24 hectares – 23 planted to Cabernet Franc and one to Cabernet Sauvignon – are located on the flat portions of the Cravantine landscape, within a two kilometer radius of Chezelet. Finding Fabrice in his fields presented the perfect opportunity to really gain an understanding of his farming techniques and of some of the peculiarities of his terroir.

All of Gasnier’s vines are Simple Guyot trained, with one main baguette producing seven eyes. A second, smaller baguette is pruned to two eyes and trained in the opposite direction, the intention being both to begin the growth cycle for the following year’s season and to prevent bunch clustering. Farming is entirely organic (the estate is now in the process of organic certification through ECOCERT), using only natural products and homeopathic principles, practices which Fabrice describes as preventive rather than curative viticulture. Predator insects and bio-organisms are relied upon for pest control. As we can see, standing in a freshly plowed 2.5 hectare plot of vines planted by his grandfather 50-60 years earlier, the earth is turned regularly to promote deep root systems and a maximum expression of terroir. Following pruning – and completing the cycle – vine cuttings are mulched and returned to the soil to reintroduce their stored energy to the vineyard.

Domanie Bellevue Touraine Gamay $14.99 (not TJ's)**(*)

This is a very light, fruity red wine. I am not familiar with Gamay grapes at all. I tasted this at my Loire wine class at Bacchus, and I bought a bottle.  My notes from that night were: deep minerality, chill for summer, soft tannins, light red.  But I liked it and I bought it. It does not need aeration so you can skip the Vinturi. It didn't make much of a difference at all.  And the wine tastes better to me chilled (it is a high acid wine) plain cold chicken salad could be amazing with this wine, or a cold poached salmon on a Summer's day. I am really starting to look forward to Summer. (Can you tell?? My Marks & Spencer picnic backpack is sitting forlornly on the living room floor, waiting patiently... )

Sour Cherry is the predominant taste to me.  I wonder how this would be as a spritzer, or a sangria.  Hmm, it is too expensive to experiment with, but I wish I had more exposure to Gamay, and I would have paired it better.

Today I think I paired it badly. It deserves 3 stars as a light refreshing red wine, but I made the mistake of serving it with probably the best fish I have ever cooked (after the first sip with the food, we stopped drinking the wine - I'm still sipping on it hours later as I write the review).  Today, I made fresh Hake(from the Farmer's Market) baked plain then topped with a verde sauce of fresh parsley, garlic, vinegar, olive oil and garlic (it was so amazing, I actually wrote home about it).

Menu:
Hake with a fresh Verde sauce of fresh parsley, garlic, vinegar, olive oil and garlic
Steamed sugar Snap Peas
Ramen
Dessert was Samoas Girl Scout Cookies (I am so glad these only come out once a year.... mmmm Samoas...)

Chateau de la Chesnaie Muscadet Sevre et Maine `08 $11.99 (not TJ's)****

My trip to the Farmer's Market@116th St dictated tonight's dinner.  The fish monger Pura Vida Fisheries was there.  Just off the boat, I bought Mussels & Scallops.  Then I walked down half a block to see Barbara at Buon Pane, she is my Foccacia friend, and she gave me a beautiful french roll when I bought my lunch.  I knew that at home I had a lovely bottle of Muscadet from the Loire, so the time was right.

This is a four star shellfish wine. It is dry, a little crisp, but becomes sweet when I drink it while eating the panko crusted, blackened Old Bay Seasoned Lemon scallops.  Sublime.

I steamed the mussels a la style Belgique (I lived in Belgium) easy, and yummy. Perfect.

I also made a Caesar Salad to see how the wine went with Salad, and yes - it works

I like this small Chateau wine.  It is from Sevre et Maine, (I am partial to Maine - even the one in France).  If you want a dry, crisp kind of fruity (but really fruity only with food - scallops OMG - WOW!!!) This is a great wine.

Menu
Caesar Salad
French Roll
Scallops baked in Panko breadcrumbs with lemon, butter and parsley
Mussels steamed in wine with Shallots, parsley, thyme, butter, leeks and bay leaf