Domaine Chandon Chardonnay 2005

Delightful… Delicious… Delovely

Ella said it best… “Delovely” is the most accurate word I can think of to describe this delectable 2005 Carneros Chardonnay from Domaine Chandon. Typically known for it’s delicious sparklers, Chandon deserves recognition for its still wine as well. I was quite impressed. The price tag isn’t too bad either… $17 at Spec’s in Houston. Worth every penny. This golden California variety has delicate aromas of lightly buttered toast, toasted marshmallows and vanilla bean crème brûlée. Makes you want to lick your lips, doesn’t it? Mmmm hmmmm…

Once it makes its way into your mouth you are flooded with flavors of vanilla custard and crispy sugar which go back to those toasty aromas of brûlée and marshmallow. The flavors are slightly oakey and not too sweet at all. The acidity in this wine is very well balanced. The bottle notes state that it also offers layers of apple and orange blossom. The apple flavors are very mild, subtle and definitely red rather than green which is what I usually equate with white wine. I’ll be honest, I have no idea what an orange blossom smells or tastes like so I’ll have to take their word on that. All I do know for sure is that I will buy this wine again. And again.

 

Hogue Cellars Fumé Blanc 2006

When Will I Ever Learn?

I need to stop telling myself that I do not like things. Often I am wrong and that limiting sort of mindset has been keeping me from enjoying all sorts of delicious wines over the years. Well, consider me reformed. I came to this realization last night in the refrigerated wine cooler at Rice Epicurean (their wines are overpriced by the way). I was just looking for something nice and light to help me wind down my very long day. I had a little talk with myself as I perused my options. Do I go with an old favorite or do I branch out and try something new so I can write about it on my blog? I’ll be honest… I put a lot of stock in the blurbs on the back of bottles. I don’t know quite enough (YET) to feel comfortable with using the clues on the front of the label (i.e. vintage, region) to be able to feel like I know what a wine will taste like. Hey, I’m getting there. Anyway, I had already decided I was going to be adventurous and I just needed to read a few labels to figure out which wine I wanted. The label on the back of the 2006 Hogue Fumé Blanc enticed me, despite its claim to be “fruit forward”, so I tried it. Wise choice.

Honestly, I can’t say that I always agree with the descriptions after tasting a wine. That leaves me disappointed. This one was right on the money which left me thrilled because it was all I was hoping it would be and exactly what I was looking for last night. The wine promised crisp flavors of lemon zest and herbs with a fruity (this is where I learned my very valuable lesson) yet dry finish. I have been telling myself all this time that I really did not prefer “fruity” wines. I liked “dry” wines. Wait… wine can be BOTH???? I get smarter and smarter every day. As I unscrewed the top (yes this is acceptable these days) and poured my first taste I swear I saw the tiniest bubbles in my glass! It could have just been the pour but I truly believe there were some lingering. Regardless, anyone who knows me knows how I feel about bubbles in my glass – they always get a thumbs up. I was off to a good start. My first sip was so delicious that I wanted to take many more sips immediately. I restrained and took my time. I enjoyed my wine with a light salad and it went very well with that. The winery recommends it with chicken salad or raw oysters. I believe it would be fantastic with either, especially the oysters. Yum. This wine is from the Columbia Valley region of Washington State and has a delicious price tag as well, coming in at around $11 a bottle. You can’t beat that. It is fermented in a tank rather than in barrels so as to keep that refreshing acidity. This is definitely a wine I will go back to. I enjoyed it so much and was extremely pleased with the acuracy of its description. Bravo Hogue Cellars. I applaud you.

Cheers!

 

 

Beyond Chardonnay

Demystifying White Wine

I used to only equate white wine with Chardonnay. It was the only white wine I ever bought and I felt like I was really branching out because I would try a new one every once in a while. I was under the horrible misconception that I didn’t like any other type of white wine because it was all just too sweet. Well that’s just ridiculous.

I think I finally started exploring other whites after visiting a few restaurants that offer wine pairing suggestions on their menus. I love it when restaurants have this because it gives me a chance to try new wines without risking too much because I already know they will go with what I am eating. One Houston restaurant that offers this type of menu is the Glass Wall in the Heights area. Their menu is ever changing because the chef uses local ingredients and creates his menu based on what is in season and available locally. I love it. They have wine pairings under every single item on their menu. The last time I was there I tried a Pinot Gris that was out of this world. It was an Oregon wine by Wine By Joe. I know that sounds like it would have been made in someone’s basement but please do not let the label throw you. This wine is fantastic. It is crisp and clean and just makes you feel like you’re in the midst of Springtime. You can buy this wine for about $19 online or if you can find it in a store. If you order straight from the vineyard you will get it for $14. I tried to find it at Spec’s here in Houston and they didn’t have it – nor had they ever heard of Wine by Joe. That’s their loss because it’s delicious. This wine offers flavors of pear and apricot with grassy undertones and a hint of vanilla. Very fresh tasting. It was paired with crab cakes and what a wonderful combination that was!

So this wine really opened my eyes to the fact that I like Pinot Gris! Interestingly enough I had always turned my nose up to Pinot Grigio. I thought it was the sissy white wine for little girls, not real wine drinkers like me. How silly did I feel when after a little research I learned that Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio are the same thing… color me embarassed. Pinot Gris is the type of grape but it’s just called Pinot Grigio in Italian. Californian versions are also called Pinot Grigio sometimes because the wine tastes more like the Italian varieties than say the French which are a bit sweeter and not quite as dry. So basically whether the label says Pinot Gris or Pinot Grigio you are dealing with the same grapes. Tomato Tomahto as they say.

While we’re on the topic of the same wines posing under different names, let’s talk about the mysterious Fumé Blanc. What is Fumé Blanc? I’ll tell you. It’s the exact same thing as Sauvignon Blanc. Robert Mondavi is actually responsible for coining the phrase Fumé Blanc when his Sauvignon Blanc wasn’t selling. He saw that the French versions like the Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre were being widely accepted and enjoyed so he just took the Fumé and threw it in front of the Blanc and the rest is history. Fumé literally means “smoke” but it’s not because of the flavor of the wine but because the fog in the vineyards looks like smoke. You learn something new every day!

If you are stuck on one wine like I was I seriously suggest broadening your horizons and trying some new things. There are so many wonderful wines out there waiting for you! You’ll probably be surprised at what you find.

 

Best Sommeliers In Houston @ Catalan

Sommelier: suh-mah-’yAy
A wine steward; specializes in all aspects of wine service

I can’t really say fairly that they are the best in Houston because I haven’t met ALL of them but they are by far the best I have come across in this city. Recently, I was lucky enough to enjoy a celebratory dinner at Catalanoff of Washington. It was actually our one year anniversary and the exact spot of our first date. We absolutely will not be waiting another full year before returning. I think our first visit was just too blurred by visions of romance to even notice how wonderful the setting was. We noticed this time. Our waiter was amazing but in addition to his fantastic service we had not one but two sommeliers working with us to make sure we had the perfect wine to go with our meal as well as dessert. They didn’t shy away from any question (and I always have plenty) and they actually took what we said to heart. They recommended wines based on what they believed we would truly enjoy, not just the most expensive on the list (and we didn’t give them a limit). I find that truly impressive. Everything we drank that night was recommended by them.

Being a celebration, we had to start with a few bubbles. You can’t celebrate properly without them in my opinion. We had a delicious half bottle of Guy Larmandier Cramant Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut from Vertus ($31). It was wonderfully crisp and clean and refreshing. It had enough pop in every sip to make a little go a long way and it wasn’t overly sweet for a pre-dinner toast. Everything about it was perfect for that occasion and it definitely created a buzz of excitement for what was to come.

During our dinner we enjoyed an absolutely breathtaking Spanish Tempranillo - Vinas del Cinit Vino de la Tierra de Zamora “Cenit” ($49). This was one of the very best red wines I have ever tasted… sexy and complex. It was so smooth but had enough substance to give every sip a value all it’s own. We ate a variety of foods with this wine and it went well with almost anything which makes it even more of a gem. Everything from foie gras to pork belly to rabbit pie… I understand that this must sound like a crazy menu but believe me when I tell you it was one of the absolute best meals I have had in ages. We do the “small plates” which make for a tapas style dinner. I always enjoy this the most because you get to taste so many different wonderful things. To do that and find a wine that you enjoy with every dish is challenging. Definitely a must try!

For my favorite part of every meal, dessert, we really branched out and let the sommelier talk us into a dessert wine which I have always shied away from. I learned a very valuable lesson this night. I told him that I was worried about having “too much sweet” with the sweet wine along with a sweet dessert. He quickly told me that the trick is to get a wine sweeter than your food. I called him crazy but told him to bring it on. Wow. He was right! I thought sweet + sweeter would = disaster/sugar coma but I was wrong! It was a wonderful combination! It really helped bring out the flavors in the food and the sweet of one almost helped counter the sweet of the other. I don’t know how it works… nor do I care as long as it’s as delicious as that was. Yum. The wine we enjoyed was a Sauternes but I am ashamed to admit I do not remember the exact one. I was on sensory overload at this point as I often am after such an outstanding culinary experience. The dessert was a peach tart with foie gras sliced across the top. Yeah it just doesn’t get any better than that.

If you are ever in Houston and enjoy having someone who knows what they are talking about take you by the hand and guide you through an overwhelmingly wonderful wine list then you should visit Catalan immediately.

Bon Apetit & Happy Sipping!