Palate - Fine Wine And Provisions

Chardonnay

The White Burgundy

    Chardonnay is one of the classic French grapes. In America it automatically makes us think of California. Did you know that it is actually one of the two major Burgundy grapes? When you think Burgundy most think of Pinot Noir, and rightfully so. Pinot Noir is the staple of Burgundy. 78% of wine from Burgundy is red wine. The other major grape is Chardonnay. When we start to use terms like Chablis or Montrachet we all think of Burgundy. Those are Chardonnay. The difference is that in France they use the region the grape is grown in instead of the variety of grape to determine the name on the label. The biggest difference is that in France there is a sanctioning body, called Appellation d’Origine Controle’e or A.O.C., that makes the laws for labeling and production of wine. They will regulate it from how many grapes per acre can be grown to what can be put on the label. Each location where the grapes have been grown have to meet standards to be able to use regulated A.O.C. terms on their labels. Village Wine, comes from a specific Village and is the most inexpensive. Premier Cru, is mid-level with a special vineyard and village on the label and more strict guide lines. Grand Cru, a specific vineyard possessing the best location, meeting the strictest guide lines, and is the most expensive. An example is a Chablis we have in our Store. Here is what the label says from top to bottom.

2002 (The Year :) )

Chablis 1er Cru (This one is a Premier Cru. Meaning a Grand Cru has the best rating by the A.O.C. and a premier cru is the second best)

Appelation Chablis 1er Cru Controle’e (The legal notation for Premier Cru by the A.O.C. for the label)

Mis en Bouteilles au Domaine (Legal terms by the A.O.C. to say this was bottled by a Domaine)

Domaine Jean Collet & Fils a Chablis - France (The name of the producer. At the bottom of the label in smaller print.)

    In France it is all about where the grapes are grown and how the vineyard produces their wine by A.O.C. standards.

    In America we associate the producer and then the varietal with the wine. Here is an example of a label on a Chardonnay we have in stock.

36,552 bottles of this vintage were produced (The actual count of numbers of bottles produced. Picture this: If 3000 people all over the world wanted a case of this wine that would only leave 46 cases for the rest of us.)

    Many of us associate Chardonnay with Oakey flavors, because in America that was the trend. You will find a lot of producers backing off from that and taking a French styled production that uses the oak to highlight the rich Chardonnay flavors. All of this information is to let you know one thing.  We have great Chardonnay’s in stock. Chardonnay has changed over the last few years so if you stepped away from it you may want to try it again because it is much more palatable now.

Tasting wine engages all of our senses.  While many of the descriptions and notes found on bottles and in magazines may seem excessive, what they attempt is to share an impression and experience.  Does a wine taste like ripe cherries?   Not exactly, but that is the closest one can come to describing the impression a particular wine leaves.  As novices, our assessment of a wine is that “it’s good” or “it’s not good”, or “I like this one but I don’t like that one”.  As we expand our Palate, we want to find out why we like or dislike a wine. We want to be able to tell someone else about the fabulous wine we had with dinner last night in a way that recreates that experience.

Professionals often blind taste, assessing a wine without seeing the bottle.  It is a great exercise that forces the taster to focus on the qualities of the wine without being influenced by expectations, the price of the wine or a famous label.

Use your eyes!
The first step in assessing a wine is to look at it.  Under good lighting, tip the glass at an angle and hold it against a white background.  What can you tell by just looking at the wine?  A fair amount, actually.  Is it red or white, sparking or still?  How intense is the color?  An older wine will be lighter in color, tending towards brown, and may have visible sediment, while a younger wine may have undertones of green for a white and brilliant purple for a red.  Deeper colored wines are usually fuller bodied.  The color can often give us a clue to the varietal, as well.  Pinot Noir is typically lighter colored, while Syrah can be very deep and Nebbiolo exhibits orange tones.  Is the color correct for the varietal and age of the wine?  Being able to confidently answer that question comes from experience.

Next, give the wine a swirl and look at how it coats the glass.  Thicker legs that take longer to run down the side of the glass indicate more alcohol and a fuller body in the wine.  They can also come from higher sugar levels in a sweet wine.

Use your nose!
Swirling the wine increases the surface area, which releases the aromas to the top of the glass.  Put your nose right down in the glass and inhale deeply.  What do you smell?   Do you smell earthy, mineral notes or ripe fruit?  Do you smell butter or espresso?  Each grape variety has its own unique aroma and flavor, and with practice we can learn which of these we associate with a particular grape or those grown in a particular area.  We can also tell if a wine is faulty by its smell since all wine should be pleasant smelling.  A smell of wet musty smell indicates that the wine is corked.

Let's Taste!
Taste the wine over the entire tongue.  We perceive different sensations in different parts of the mouth, and want to experience all the wine has to offer.   We sense acidity on the sides of the tongue and tannin with the gums and cheeks, while the tip of the tongue will tell us if the wine is sweet or dry.  Is the wine full-bodied or light?  .

What do you taste and how intense are the flavors?
If you are blind tasting these can give clues to the varietal and where the wine may have come from.  Are the flavors consistent with what you smelled, or are there new impressions?  Are all the elements of acid, tannin and fruit in balance, or is one more prominent than others?   Take a moment to see how long the flavors linger on your palate.  Is the finish short or long?  Does one flavor persist longer than others?

The only way to really learn about wine is to taste and drink it.  Tasting wine is simple, yet is a personal experience, and with time, you will acquire the vocabulary of describing different wines.  So.........    Open a bottle and start tasting!!!

Wine and cheese, they're natural for each other right?

Just like in many matters of taste, this can be a controversial subject.  Many times the most popular cheeses can be the least appropriate for wine because they overpower the wine.  To get the best results from pairing wine and cheese, the intensity of flavors should match and complement each other.

Some of the best cheeses for wines are Parmigiano-Reggiano, fresh Mozzarella, Chevre, Tomme, and hard goat cheeses.

I suggest the following pairings:

Chevre which would pair very well with a good Sauvignon Blanc.

Aged hard goat cheese and Tomme work well with a Bordeaux or Cabernet.

Soft double cream cow cheese are great with Champagne or sparkling wines.

So, You're in a wine shop looking for that special wine to serve at a dinner party.  Before you walked in you thought you had an idea of what you wanted, but now as you look around the store you're overwhelmed."There are so many different wines and prices" you think to yourself.  Then you take a deep breath, and pick up a wine that has an impressive label and hope that your guests will like it.This senario is a very common occurance for even someone with a decent amount of wine knowledge, but it doesn't have to be that way.  During the next few emails we'll go over some wine basics that will prove invaluable in the future of your enjoyment of wine!Wine can be made from many different things (blackberries, honey, etc), but for the purpose of these emails we'll focus on wines made from grapes. Some ask, "Is all wine made from the same grape?" No. There are many different grape varieties, both red and white.  The major wine grapes like Chardonnay and Cabernet come from the species Vitis Vinifera which is the species most European and Californian winemakers grow and use.  In America there is also an entirely different species of grape called Vitis Labrusca which is the species of the Concord grape among others.  Why do certain grapes grow better in certain locations?  Grapes are agricultural products that require specific growing conditions.  Just like you can't grow oranges in Canada, you can't grow Cabernet grapes just anywhere.  The right soil is of primary concern, and the drainage of that soil is very very important, along with length of growing season, average temperature, and the right angle and amount of sunlight.  Grapes that make great wine can be very picky!!!  :)

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to email us or call.  We also have links for red wine grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz and white wine grapes like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Grigio.  We include our own Wine ratings and recommendations in addition to ratings from prominent wine experts.  We provide wine shipping straight to your door for every bottle purchased.  Visit our Wine School articles for detailed information on Wine and Food, Wine Tasting, Wine Terms, and more.  Enjoy wine delivery and case discounts and our personal service when you buy wine online from us today!   Stop by our location in historic downtown Branson, Missouri where we feature daily wine tastings!

Thanks for reading this edition of Wine School and please visit our online wine shop at http://palateonline.com.