Fine print on Champagne Bottles

The following was written by a veteran member of the WineSpectator Forums with the call name of “VinoMe.” It is very well written and insightful, and with his permission, I have copied it here. For more information, or two participate in the discussion, see the original post on WS forums here: Fine print on Champagne Bottles

by VinoMe originally written December 10, 2006

With the Christmas and Holiday season upon us, I thought it might be an opportune time to post this information. I find that many wine lovers, even some of the most knowledgeable ones, are oblivious to the meaning of some of the fine print on a Champagne bottle. So here it is (ignore it if you already know this).Every bottle of Champagne must have a 2 letter code on it. They are in very small print with a set of numbers after it. They are always on the front label based on my observations but I don’t know if that is a regulation. ‘NM’ and ‘RM’ are the 2 most common with probably 80-90% of all Champagne sold falling into the ‘NM” category. Here are all 5 sets of letters and what they mean.

NM (Negociant Maker)- Actually the French use the word manipulant instead of maker but it means the same so I will use maker because it is easier to remember. These letters refer to a house which buys grapes to make their wines. All of the big houses fall into this category. Of course they also use some of their own estate fruit.

RM (Recoltant Maker)- This refers to a Champagne maker that grows their own grapes. they are allowed to buy up to 5% of their production. I often look for these initials on a bottle since they are often a sign of a small house that does not get a lot of press and is a very good value.

RC (Recoltant Cooperative)- Same as RM but they make and sell their Champagnes with the help of cooperatives.

CM (Cooperative Maker)- Here you have a collection of growers that join together to make and sell Champagne on behalf of its members.

MA (Marque d’acheteur)- This is a Champagne that is owned by a 3rd party and not the maker of the wine.

As I indicated, I like to look for the RM on the bottle simply because I find small production Champagnes more interesting and like to support small producer that take pride in what they do. It is much easier to get a sense of terrior from these producers since the blending from multiple site that is done by the large houses in most of their wines destroys any sense of place. They are more concerned with maintaining a house style than delivering a unique product. of course that is not to say that large houses can’t produce a great product, they can and do since they have access to most of the best sites and the most modern technology.

Hope this was informative and useful. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and don’t forget to open something sparkly.

The weight watchers agree that only diet pills take one nowhere. The best way of weight loss is to follow blood type diet along with pills.

Wine in the pool

A Japanese Spa is turning water into wine. Well, not exactly “turning”, more like “emptying water, refilling with wine”, but you get the point. At Hakone Yunessun spa, guests are invited to spend time in a swimming pool filled with Beaujolais Nouveau.

For $30, the spa is giving its customers a taste of French culture by allowing them to imserse themselves in the French red wine. Many people have flocked to the spa to enjoy a once the once in a lifetime opportunity. I can’t say that I’ve ever considered bathing in wine, but it might be fun to do just once! Maybe just a bathtub full of a nice, 25 year old first growth Bordeaux…think of it as a giant decanter!

On a side note, the number one importer of Beaujolais Nouveau , Japan, is increasingly becoming a major importer is all types of premier wines.

TN: 2004 Calera Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard

Bottle opened 1 hour before serving. I had high hopes for this low production, highly sought after Pinot. The color was a beautiful dark purple and graciously swirled around the glass. The nose was exploding with fresh cherry, dark raspberry, violet and a touch of sweet wood. On the palate, the wine showed good fruits, but I had expected a bit more complexity of flavors. A bit tight perhaps? Good balance, medium tannins and brief touch of spice led to a medium finish. Overall good, may be better in 2010 or later. Served with Thanksgiving Turkey (me carving the turkey at Dave’s house, Calera Pinot to the right). My rating: 90 pts

1st Round of Brunello di Montalcino Tasting Reports: 1990’s

Here are the tasting notes of the few Brunello’s we had from the 1990’s. All wines tasted between 11/10/2007 and 11/18/2007 in Montalcino. I will post the 2000-2002’s in the next week, as there are significantly more of these to type in! For a look at a “Vintage Quality Overview”, click here.

Tenuta di Collosorbo 1993 Brunello di Montalcino Bottle#0177: Bottle opened, no decant but drank over 2 hours. Deep garnet color. Good red fruits on the nose with tons of cherry and raspberry, highlighted by a nice spiciness. On the palate the wine is quite complex with layers of bright fruits, spices and cedar with mouth-drying tannins and a lot of cherry on a very long finish. As the wine evolved, more spice notes emerged and the wine became quite interesting in a good way. Overall the 1993’s are drinking great now. Drink now. My rating: 92 pts

Case Basse (Soldera) Brunello di Montalcino 1997 Riserva: Dark ruby color. A lot of different aromas on the nose. Big cherry, raspberry, sweet spice, maybe vanilla bean, some floral notes as well as earth. On the palate the fruits really strike me as something special. There are layers of cherry and blackberry, and every so often a touch of licorice and a few spices I can’t really decide on what they are. The balance and structure of this wine is near perfect. The tannins delicate…the only flaw? The bottle was only 750 mLs! If you own a bottle, wait 5-10 years. If you own a few, open one now, then every few years until they are gone and enjoy the evolution of a near perfect wine. My rating: 99 pts.

Capanna 1998 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva: Another example of how well the 1998’s are drinking as a whole right now. Very lovely spice and cherry notes on the nose, as well as a lot of darker fruits. The wine started off with a hint of spice then moved into an earth component, then concentrated fruits and well balanced acidity with medium/big tannins. Worth the money if you can find it. My rating: 93 pts.

Col d’Orcia (Cinzano) Brunello di Montalcino 1999 Riserva Poggio al Vento: (I have this in my notebook, but put details somewhere else, therefore I have to look for my notes on this one!) My rating:

Fuligni 1998 Brunello di Montalcino: Opened and poured, let breathe for 15 minutes in the glass while observing the evolution of the nose. The wine was a nice ruby color, with minor discoloration on the edges. The nose showed cherry, tobacco, blackberry, mushroom, as well as a floral component. The wine had good structure and weight, with soft tannins and a very pleasing, earthy finish. Drink now. My rating: 91 pts. (Picture to left is at Fuligni)

Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Poggio Alle Mura 1999 Brunello di Montalcino (Riserva): Brilliant dark red color. What started as a brief sniff of the wine ended up as multiple long whiffs of layers of flavors ranging from plum, cherry, dark fruits, vanilla, licorice, and cedar. The fruits in the wine danced with each other across the palate with both sweet and spice notes playing a song. Overall very well integrated with smooth tannins and a long, complex finish. Drinking very nicely right now. My rating: 94 pts.

Col d’Orcia (Cinzano) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 1999 Poggio al Vento: (I have this in my notebook, but put details somewhere else, therefore I have to look for my notes on this one!) My rating:

Santa Lucia 1999 Brunello di Montalcino: Leather, earth, spice, and a touch of floral notes on the nose. On the palate good earth component with subtle fruits and spice, light tannins and a medium finish. Drink now or within the next year. My rating: 89 pts.

Tenuta Caparzo 1999 Brunello di Montalcino: Decanted 1 hour. Good example of the traditional style of Brunello. A lot of black cherries, raspberries, a touch of spice, earth, and a touch of cedar. Well balanced, with elegant tannins that, along with cherry and some interesting spice notes, make for a very good finish. My rating: 91 pts

Did I mention this was an amazing trip? More to come!

BdM Vintage Quality

An overview of the best vintages of Brunello di Montalcino (source:Consorzio Del Vino Brunello Di Montalcino):

Legend: (note: 2003-2007 not yet released as of 11/28/07)

insufficient vintage *
fair vintage **
good vintage ***
excellent vintage ****
outstanding vintage *****

1945 *****       1976 *
1946 ****         1977 ****
1947 ****         1978 ****
1948 **            1979 ****
1949 ***          1980 ****
1950 ****        1981 ***
1951 ****        1982 ****
1952 ***          1983 ****
1953 ***          1984 *
1954 **            1985 *****
1955 *****      1986 ***
1956 **            1987 ***
1957 ****        1988 *****
1958 ****        1989 **
1959 ***          1990 *****
1960 ***          1991 ****
1961 *****       1992 **
1962 ****        1993 ****
1963 ***          1994 ****
1964 *****      1995 *****
1965 ****        1996 ***
1966 ****        1997 *****
1967 ****        1998 ****
1968 ***          1999 ****
1969 **            2000 ***
1970 *****      2001 ****
1971 ***          2002 **
1972 *              2003 ****
1973 ***          2004 *****
1974 **            2005 ****
1975 *****      2006 *****
2007 *****

Happy Thanksgiving!

I’m back here in the United States and getting ready to make a turkey.  I just wanted to take a second to wish everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

I hope your day is filled with football, good wine and great food!

Cheers!

Upcoming Event at The Wine Market

THE WINE MARKET AND CAFÉ TO HOLD HOLIDAY WINed UP

November 27, 6:30-9:30 PM

 

Baltimore, MD…The Wine Market, a well known restaurant and wine shop in Locust Point, will host its first annual Holiday Wined Up event on Tuesday, November 27, from 6:30-9:30 PM at the restaurant, located at 921 East Fort Avenue, near Federal Hill and the Inner Harbor. According to Chris Spann, owner, the event will feature over 30 wines from around the world, accompanied by noted Chef Christian deLutis’s cuisine. Inclusive tickets, covering both wine and food, are $27 each, and are available at The Wine Market and Café or available by telephone (410-244-6166). The event will be limited, so interested guests are encouraged to call and purchase tickets early.

For more info: Wine Market Event

Thanksgiving Wines

I have seen these articles and blogs all over the internet and had hopes of writing my own breakdown of the best wines for Turkey Day.  But, seeing as I am still in Germany and too busy to work on anything substantial, I offer this short advice.

• Sparklings and Champagne are always great to start off the meal and to have throughout the day.  The best part is that almost everyone loves a good sparkling.  Find a bubbly you and your family enjoys and have a few bottles around…if there is left over Champagne, don´t frett, New Years is just around the corner.
• Have both red and white wine available.  A Chardonnay without much oak will be great for those wanting white meat.  A zinfandel will be great with that turkey leg and a spicy stuffing.  A great wine for both meats?  Go with a Riesling if you want a white, a Pinot if you prefer a red.
• There are too many components to the meal to have the perfect wine, so experiment, have a lot of options around and you´ll be sure to have something to please everyone.   As with all food and wine pairings, don´t feel obligated to go by the rules.  Try new things and drink what tastes best to you, even if it´s a big Cabernet with a delicate turkey breast.  Who is going to tell you what you enjoy or don´t?

Bon Appetit!

Trip Update 5 - I left Montalcino!

After a few more days in Montalcino, a night in Bologna, a few cold nights in Germany, a warm bus ride to Herborn, a currywürst mit pommes (amazing type of bratwürst with fries) and a cold, rainy walk to the internet cafe, I am glad to report that things are still going well.

Since the last post I have a lot of new material to post, but do not have the time right now. Kim has left for her training in Düren and in two more days I will be boarding a plane in Frankfurt headed for a brief layover in Detroit, then arriving in Baltimore on Wednesday around 6 pm EST.

A quick preview of articles to come:

• best and worst restaurants in Montalcino (we ate at almost all of them and it will come as some surprise to the biggest letdowns and worst meal of them all!)
• a review of over 100 wines, including more than 60 Brunello´s and a few older vintages (1993, 1997-99)
• great places to eat and stay in Bologna#
• i have over 1200 pictures already, so expect a lot of photos
• restaurant and bier reviews from all over Germany
• and more!!!

Time to head to the Bahnhof (train station).

Auf wiedersehen!

Trip update number 4: I’m never leaving Montalcino.

(NOTE: typed fast without spell check, so please forgive the errors!)

I will miss the US and my friends and family, but I’m not sad to say that I am never coming back! Someone put the huskies and Jake on a plane to Firenze, you can keep my wine cellar and all of my other belognings, they won’t be needed here anyways!

We arrived in Montalcino on Sunday night after an hour and a half drive from Florence. It would have been shorter but it’s difficult to maintain proper course when you can’t understand road signs!

We arrived and checked in at our hotel (L’Hotel Vecchia Oliviera) around 6:30 PM.? The hotel is conveniently located at the first round-about you come to in town, tucked away behind a giant stone wall and located on the hillside. The entryway boasts a large stone arch that leads into an elegant, yet simple lobby. The hotel director Gianfranco Marone welcomed us warmly with our broken Italian and his fluent English. Our room, on the second of two levels, consists of a 20 x 20 ft large open space with 20 ft cielings held together with 4″x8″ wood rafters. The rustic yet updated room is equpped with a small television, minibar and a safe. On the other side of the door is a large bathroom complete with jacuzzi tub, toliette, large sink area, and a bodet. Everything here is very clean and fresh, and although we couldn’t see much beyond our hotel pool and hundreds of flickering lights in the horizon, we knew the morning was going to bring somehting special.

The first night we ate at Les Barrique, which consists of a small wine shop in the entrance area, with an open kitchen to the right and a small (7 tables) dining area in the wine-cellaresque back room. Our dinner began with a plate of cured local meats, bread, and olive oil.? Our first course was ravioli with truffle sauce, which had generous amounts of shaved truffles on top, as well as polenta with a venison ragu. This all served with a glass of 2001 riserva Brunello. I have never in my life experienced a better food and wine pairing. At this point in the meal I made the statement this was some of the best food I had ever eaten…then came the second course: Wild boar stew and filet a Montalcine, which was slices of perfectly tender beef fillet served on an arugala salad topped with lemon and olive oil. Who could blame me for never coming back?

Again, when upon arrival to Montalcino, it was dark out so although we had some idea of how beautiful the city was from photos and the dark silouttes of medieval buildings, we did not expect what surise brought us. I laid in bed the first night like a kid waiting for Christmas morning- anxious, full of energy, and unable to stay asleep. Finally the sun broke over the mountains. Before I go on, for those unfamiliar with Montalcino, picture a medieval town, equipped with windy roads, old fortresses, and perched high upon a giant hill overlooking miles and miles of grape vines, olives,and other agriculture (just google image search Montalcino - I have hundreds of pictures to come!). The view was, in one word, perfect. OK, two words, breathtaking. OK, OK, really, words can not describe it. Absolutely, incredibly, spectacutlar. You get the picture.

We spent the day tasting wines, beginning at 10 AM and going through the afternoon. Lunch was pizzas with toppings like fresh local mushrooms and sausage, or anchovies and capers. We ate on the terrace of our hotel with a bottle of Cassanova di Neri 2005 Rosso di Montalcino, which was at least 92 pts and an incredible value. The lunch was something out of a movie that I had only imagined ocurrunig in movies or dreams. I have notes on all of our vineyard visits and wines we have had, but will post these when I get back to the US in a big overview.

After lunch and a short nap, we headed into the town centre to visit shops and have some wine. Last night we ate at a local favorite called Trattoria d’ Angelo, which is one block down from the giant medieval fortress overlooking town and the surrounding areas. Here the dining area was again small but quite comfortable. The antipasti consisted of meats, mushrooms and artichokes in oil, and bread. Our service was great and was facilitated with the help of 5 year old Lorenzo, the son of theowner who brought us silverware, napkins and the like. Our first course again was a pasta dish with a truffle cream sauce which was incredibly rich and filling, as well as a plate of cianghale (wild boar) pasta. Second course brought a perfectly cooked pork chop, as well as thinly sliced roast beef in a Brunello sauce. We had a few half’-bottles of Brunello with the meal which were all great. The entire meal was perfectly cooked and seasoned, and left us wondering if there are any restaurants in town that aren’t amazing.

After dinner we stopped by Alle Logge di Piazza for, you guessed it, more wine and espresso, as well as lemon cake. The night ended around 11 PM for some much need rest.

Finishing this entry at an internet cafe in town, I am anxiously awaiting our first wine tasting of the day. The Brunello is truly one of the most amazing wines in the world, and deserves the attention that we’re giving it on this trip to be truly appreciated. We’re off to the castle and a few vineyards, I’ll write more when we find time.

And although I never want to leave, I’m thinking I’ll have to come home eventually…just to learn Italian so I can move back here!

Ciao!

Buon giorno from Firenze!

Trip update number 3.  Friday night was spent with family and close friends at a restaurant in Herborn-Seelbach of which the name slips me right now.  The food was incredible- great soup, a simple, yet elegant salad with 15 different vegetables and legumes with dressings and the like.  My second course was exceptional: beef medallions in a creamy mushroom sauce (wild mushrooms that were fresh picked of course) served with pommes mit sase (French fries with sauce).  All with Weissbier.  Kim enjoyed a nice local Riesling which I wrote down, but will have to find among my notes!

After dinner, we had beer and cocktails with my family until 3:30 AM which is great…except we had to wake up at 6:30 for a two hour car ride to the Frankfurt Mainz airport!

So, after a short flight (less than 2 hours) with Ryanair, we ended up in Firenze at 12:30 PM local time.  Our rental car, a gray, 2006 Ford Festiva was definitely not built for our two hour trek from Bologna to Firenze, by the way.  The route we took (A67) led us through over 20 small towns in the mountains…our elevation changing from 300 meters to 1400 meters regularly.  The windy, narrow roads often lined with stone walls offered quite a challenge to a driver new to Italy.  Up in the mountains we frequently saw snow and ice patches, which was even more exciting!  But, after two hours of breathtaking views, of which I more than once commented that any image around us could be a postcard, we made it to Firenze.

Here’s where my first advice to anyone traveling in Italy is:  DO NOT DRIVE IN Firenze!!!  It took us 3 hours to find suitable parking and a hotel.  That is 3 hours of driving up and down crowded streets on a Saturday afternoon in Firenze!  Quite exhasuting, but we finally settled into the Hotel Panama which was very nice, quite private, close to the main circle, and less than 100 Euros for the night…which is great.

We ate at a restaurant in the main area of town where we had a nice dinner of meats and cheeses, shared a hearty serving of taglitelle with truffles and sausage, and a main course of veal fillet, prepared perfectly and topped with a delicate wild mushroom.  The meal was great with the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano we had, which at 20 Euros was a steal for the 2003 wine.  After dinner, we were quite exhausted and turned in around 11 PM.

Today was a nice light breakfast at our Hotel, followed by the last 4 hours of walking around Firenze.  We’ve been in museums and shops, too much to list now!  I’m sitting at an internet cafe near the Pizzeria Piccadilly where we enjoyed outstanding pizza smothered in mushrooms, sausage and fresh cheeses and topped with olive oil.  It went great with the 2005 Parentini Chianti (that was only 5 Euros!) and a brief chat with the chefs (pictures to come!).

So that is all for now.  The rest of the day calls for a few more hours of enjoying the art and history in Firenze, followed by an hour or so drive to Montalcino, where we’ll be for the next few nights at L’Hotel Vecchia Oliviera.  Thanks again for the e-mails and well wishes.  I am excited to come back and have wine and tell stories with everyone!

Ciao!

Trip Update: Friday - November 9, 2007

Guten Tag!  I am currently enjoying an espresso at one of the many internet cafes in Herborn, Germany which is the larger town next to Herborn Seelbach.  The weather here is quite unpredictible as we are surrounded by hills and mountains. Case in point:

• 9 AM local time - cloudy and cold
• 10 AM local time - snow
• Noon - Partly sunny with some rain
• Currrent local time: 2:30 PM - partly cloudy, no sign of rain.

I think you get the picture!  Besides the weather, everything else is great.  Yesterday I turned 27 and had family over throughout the day which involved many homemade cakes and an outstanding dinner (cooked by my aunt)  of Schnitzel, pommes mit Jägersäse and salad.  We haven’t done much traveling besides to visit my relatives and to come to Herborn.

That all changes tomorrow morning.  We have a 10 AM flight to Bologna, Italy!  From there, we’ll jump in our rental car (Audi A4) and travel to Florence for one night, then Montalcino for 4 nights.  We’ll then spend the last day or two in Italy in small towns that we have yet to decide on!  As the focus of this trip so far has been local (German)  food and beer, I am looking forward to drinking some great Italian wine!  That being said, I have a renewed love for good German beer and am really coming to love Bärenbier, one of the local producers.

Thanks to everyone for the comments and e-mails.  I look forward to having time to write more about our trip soon.  No it’s off to the food stand by the trainstation for the best currywurst and fries with gravy I’ve ever had!  This reminds me, I will have a lot of great recipes to post when I return!

On a final note, thanks to the terrible US economy (READ: weak dollar) for making everything so damn expensive!  I exchanged $600 this morning and was given a whopping 400 Euros.  That plain stinks.

Bis später!

Hello from Germany!

Notable things from this trip:

• less internet access than i anticipated
• less wine than i anticipated
• less sleep than anticpated
• more….a lot more beer than i anticipated.

so far things are going very well.  the keyboard is hard to get used to with all the umlauts and misplaced letters!  my familz has been great and i am looking forward to spending more time with them and going to italy this weekend.  i will write more later tonight.  hope things are great back in the united states!

Heute verlassen wir für Deutschland!

Today we leave!  It’s 10:00 AM and I’m anxiously awaiting our ride to the airport.   I’m very much looking forward to this trip as I have not seen my family in Germany in many years.   I will be updating the blog as much as possible in Germany and will try to include photos, tasting notes and stories!  Thanks to everyone for the safe wishes and travel advice!

Bis Später,

Michael

Scala Dei Priorat Prior Crianca - 2001 - $22

I’m a big fan of wines from the Priorat region is Spain. This area in Catalonia is well known for producing very high quality, unique, Grenache-based wines. I find the in general Priorats have a very chocolaty-earthiness to them that dance with the fruits of the Grenache. I highly recommend trying wines from this region if you are new to wines and looking to expand to new areas. Priorats can be quite expensive, but there are many great buys under $30 if you do some research (and a lot of tasting!).

The Scala Dei Priorat Prior Crianca is 88% Grenache with the rest being Syrah (8%) and Cabernet (4%). I tried this wine right from the bottle, which was a mistake! I immediately grabbed a decanter and let it sit for over an hour. When we came back to it the wine had really developed nicely. The color was dark purple with a shade or two lighter on the edges. On the nose I noted dark fruits, chocolate and a touch of dried sage, and smoke. The wine started off with good amount of blackberry and currant with dusty tannins with a buttery finish. Really lovely earth component to this wine that is quite familiar to me among the Priorats. My rating: 90 pts.

MollyDooker doing it right.

I’ve recently posted notes on the Boxer (Shiraz) and Violinist (Verdalho), both 2006 vintage MollyDooker wines. I was quite impressed with them both, as I was the 2005 MollyDooker wines. Tonight, on the Eve of the Eve of our departure to Europe, Kim and I decided it was time to open the first bottle of a six-pack of MollyDooker’s 2006 Carnival of Love Shiraz. This higher-end Shiraz is a great example of the extraordinary quality of McLaren Vale Shiraz. Here are my notes over the course of our tasting the wine.

Opened and tasted immediately: Mushroom, plum, cherry, big fruits, big yet soft tannins. Decanted.

2 hour decant: Great color. Still tight on the nose. The initial mushroom note is gone with the appearance of a musty-forest floor with a touch of pepper and bacon. On the palette it’s toasted cedar, vanilla, plum, pretty solid through the middle with a long, complex finish that goes on and on. At this point I’m definitely seeing 96 pts or more.

3 hour decant: Again showing better, more buttery now with a bit more spice. The fruits in this wine just don’t stop. Quite pleasing and still 96+ points.

4 hour decant: Just as elegant as before. I’m quite impressed with the structure of this wine and overall quality. Very good. A very solid 96 points.

I am going to have to track down a 2005 to have side by side when I open the next bottle of this in 6 months or so. My rating: 96 pts.

Austrian Red Wine? Yes. Austrian Red Wine!

Anton Iby has me convinced. And I’m pretty sure this Austrian winemaker, if given the opportunity (read: try his wines) would convince you as well that Austrian red wines have great potential. No, I didn’t mistype “Australian”, I really mean Austrian red wines. The small European country, most well known for the Governator and for having some good wines of the white variety is overlooked as having quality…heck, as having ANY red wines!

A few weeks back at a winemakers tasting I spoke with Anton Iby about wine is Austria. I admitted to him that I have only tried a few Austrian red wines, and that they were at the very best, palatable. Iby noted that this sentiment is quite normal in wine shops in the US and quite frankly, most of the world. But people in Mittelburgenland, the Austrian wine region where Iby’s wines are made, have known for years the potential and quality of red wines in the region.

The major red grapes of Austria are the Blaufranksih, Blauer Portugieser, Saint Laurent (France origins), Blauerburgunder (Pinot Noir) and the hybrids Zweigelt (cross between the Blaufrankisch and St. Laurent) and Blauberger (cross between Blaufrankisch and Blauer Portugieser).

The Iby’s make a wide variety of red wines including the following (the image as well as this list is from their website):

Unoaked: Mittelburgenland DAC Classic Zweigelt Classic Mittelburgenland DAC Hochäcker

Oaked: Chevalier - Blaufränkisch Barrique Private Reserve - Cuvée Barrique Quintus - Top Cuvée Dürrau - Blaufränkisch Barrique

The Dürrau Blaufränkisch Juwel (My rating: 93 pts) was exceptional, and although a bit pricey around $50, I picked up two bottles. The thing that impressed me most about the wines were the balance and structure. Overall the fruits were ripe and alive, very “new world” style. The oak, when used, was just the right amount to add spice and character to the wines without overpowering the fruits. All of the Iby wines had exceptional balance and an elegance to them that keeps me wondering what else the region has to offer. My full tasting notes for these wines will be posted this weekend.

Currently, Iby’s wines are available at many retailers in the United States. I know the Wine Source in Hampden has quite a few in stock and they are imported by Domaine Select. I’d recommend at the very least giving one a try. I think you’ll be quite surprised at the quality of the wine. And when it comes down to it, we all want a wine that tastes good. Simply put: all of the Iby wines I tried were very unique and also very good.

Germany, then Italy…it all begins on Monday!

I’m too excited to hold out any longer. This Monday, November 5th I’ll be heading to Germany for a couple weeks to spend time at my family’s house with Kim and my mother. During my visit, I’ll be heading to Italy for 10 days to enjoy wines in Piemonte and Montalcino. I will try my best to keep an updated blog while I’m there, but I can assure you that many reviews, pictures and stories will be soon to follow my trip.

The plan:

Nov. 6 - Arrive in Frankfurt, Germany. My cousin is picking us up and driving us to Herborn. I will spend the next week with my family and visiting German vineyards and Biergartens!

Nov. 12 - Train ride to Florence. From there we’re renting a car and will spend the next 10 days between Piemonte and Montalcino. I love Barolo’s and Brunello’s…so I couldn’t have dreamed a better way to spend ten days!

Nov. 21 - Back to Baltimore in time to have Thanksgiving with the dogs, David Battani and his lovely girlfriend! (Kim will stay in Germany for work).

The weather is pretty mild, bearing on cold even, but more the reason to consume a lot a hearty German and Italian food and wine!

If anyone has recommendations on vineyards to visits, places to eat or stay, or anything else, please let me know! Also, if you’re in the areas I mentioned and interested in having dinner and wine, drop me a message!

Cheers

Restaurant Review: Cafe de Paris (Columbia, MD)

Overview

Ambiance: Casual, somewhat rustic feel.
Food: Classic French Countryside Cuisine
Service: Good
Wine List: Sufficient- Focus on France with fair prices, would benefit from more selections/diversity
Pricing: $$-$$$ (Dinner for two without wine ~$65).
Corkage: N/A
Attire: No specific dress code. Jeans/Khaki’s with a polo shirt for men would be good. No shorts or tank tops.
Overall: Very Good - definitely worth trying, recommended for private events, as well as a night out with someone special.
Location/Contact Info: http://www.cafedepariscolumbia.com
8808 Centre Park Drive
Columbia, MD Phone: 410-997-3904

REVIEW: Tucked away among strip malls and commercial businesses, Cafe de Paris sits at the end of a row of offices and shops. Parking is plentiful and within very close proximity. Entering the restaurant you are greeted by numerous wood cases of wine as well as individual bottles scattered about. To your right is the “Crepe Cafe” which offers a cute selection of crepes and has a very laid back, French cafe feel. I have not tried the Crepes but will report on these in the future.

Again to the main corridor. To your immediate left is an entrance to a good sized, isolated from the main dining area, bar which has many wines by the glass and a wide variety of cocktails available. We showed up an hour before our reservation and took advantage of the bar menu for an appetizer and glass of wine. The bartender was very friendly and helpful with suggestions. We enjoyed a Pinot Grigio and a Chinin Blanc along with a very generous order of mussels in a curry sauce that were cooked to perfection. The sauce was very good and could have been served alone with some bread! Our tab here set us back around $25, which was fine for the quality of the wines and appetizer. One final note: the owner Erik Rochard was quite friendly coming by on more than one occasion to ensure we were getting good service and enjoying our time at the bar. His love for the restaurant obvious in his smile and willingness to please.

Once our party arrived we moved to the private dining area. Our walk across the old wood floors through the general dining room gave us a taste of the elegant decor and spacious seating area. The main area was quite welcoming and would be a great place to take a date while being able to quietly enjoy each others company. I took a few walks through here over the course of the evening and find it was consistently pleasant and never too loud.

We gathered in our dining area and I took a long look at the wine list. Although we brought all of our wine, I was impressed with some of the well thought out selections on the list and the reasonable pricing. As you would expect, the majority of the wines are French, but there are a variety of wines that I had not heard of and would have loved to try had we not all brought our own.

As far as the food goes, we tried a wide variety of dishes: some were very good, some were OK. For starters the homemade French onion soup was quite good and the Fois Gras was very delicate and rich. Moving on to the entrees, the lamb was cooked medium rare to perfection and had great flavor and tenderness. A large Rib Eye steak served over a bed of fries had the perfect amount of fat and was very flavorful as well. The Crisp Duck Leg Confit was tender and flavorful, but there lacked seasoning in the accompanying White Bean Cassoulet w/ Chicken & Lamb Sausage. The desserts were all good, with the best being the delicate and creamy Profiteroles.

Overall we were impressed with the restaurant. We were at no point hurried along, even though we were there long after the other guests had left. I’d definitely recommend the bar as a great place to meet up with friends over wine and appetizers, as well as the general dining and private dining areas for your next dinner or event. Cafe de Paris lives up to its reputation as being a high quality, authentic French Bistro.