Category: Drink

Something new in sparkling wines

Carpe diem — seize the day! Embark on something new! Even John Keating, played by Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society, famously says, “Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary.” Well, broadening your experiences with wine is rewarding. Borrowing from that quote, an “extraordinary” array of wine produced from seemingly unlimited manners of blending of grape varieties produces a vastly diverse tasting spectrum and sensations.

Gruet Cuvée 89 Brut (originally priced at $29.99 and on sale at the NH Liquor and Wine Outlets at $14.99) is designed to be savored. The wine has a light straw color to it and to the nose there is a slight yeast note along with a little slate-like minerality. To the mouth, green apples along with citrus rind round the tongue. The label states, “Gruet specializes in Méthode Champenoise wines. The Cuvée 89 by Gruet is a brut style sparkling wine which boasts notes of green apple and ripe pear and finishes with round crisp acidity.” This wine is slightly “sweet” to some. That is not to be confused with an effervescent moscato, as it is not that sweet. This is a wine that can be enjoyed alongside some cheese and fruit; it is equally refreshing alone, sipped on a long summer’s afternoon.

What makes this sparkling wine so amazing is that it is from New Mexico, but its origins lie in France. Gilbert Gruet, the founder of Gruet Winery, was born to a poor family in the village of Bethon, in the Champagne region of France. He created a co-op in his village to market still wines, Champagnes and brandy. The family traveled to the American Southwest in search of soils and climate in which to farm and planted their first American vineyards in Engle, New Mexico, in 1984 on land with elevations of 4,000 to 5,000 feet above sea level. The sandy soils and dry climate with cool nights proved to be ideal. In 1989 their first releases developed a following, ultimately realizing awards in the early 2000s and in 2011 a No. 43 spot on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of the World list for its Non-Vintage Blanc de Noirs. Gilbert’s children Laurent and Nathalie now run the business.

Veuve du Vernay Ice Sparkling Demi Sec Rosé (originally priced at $16.99 and on sale at the NH Liquor and Wine Outlets at $11.99) has been created especially to be enjoyed on ice in a large glass. Defined as a “vin mousseux,” a sparkling wine with an alcoholic content at 11 percent, it is perfect as an aperitif or for dessert. Its color is the slightest of a pale pink and its nose is very slight with raspberries and some citrus. To the mouth it has fruit notes of raspberries with a very slight edge of acidity. A blend of non-vintage syrah, cinsault and brenache, it is bright and refreshing, and with its low alcoholic content it is perfect for a warm, sunny afternoon. Like prosecco, the wine is created using the Charmat process — that is, its secondary fermentation takes place in pressurized stainless steel tanks. When complete, it is filtered and bottled under pressure. This is distinct from the Méthode Champenoise noted above wherein the secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle.

This wine is one of several sparkling wines owned by the house of Patriarche, a Beaune, Burgundy-based wine company that in turn is owned by the conglomerate Group Castel, a multinational beverage company producing wine, beer and soft drinks from estates around the world. These wines are produced in Bordeaux and exported to more than 40 countries. The wine is classified as a Vin de France, a new national appellation from France. This new classification releases the wine from the strict, confining, traditional classifications France has used since the start of the 19th century and allows the public to better understand French wine; a Burgundy becomes a pinot noir, named for the grape from which it is produced.

So break away from the traditional chardonnay or pinot grigio, or even prosecco, and explore these sparkling wines on a sunny weekend afternoon! You will be happy with your discovery!

Get a bit of Italy in a glass

While Covid-19 has limited our ability to travel, summer with its long days and warm sunsets takes us off to romantic, dreamy environments. Tuscany is one such place that comes to mind.

All of Italy is noted for its cuisine. Dishes like fagioli all’uccelletto (a side dish of cannellini beans stewed with tomatoes, garlic and sage), breads like focaccia and the luxuriousness of gelato all have their roots in Tuscany, Florence and its countryside. The cuisine of Tuscany can be both simple without overbearing sauces, but also inventive with multiple textures, herbs and spices enhancing its dishes. As for wine, Tuscany is known for Chianti but there are other wines produced, some well-known, others not.

Podere La Pace Rosso Maremma 2014 (originally priced at $59.99, and on sale at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets at $25.99) is an interesting blend of 25 percent cabernet franc, 25 percent merlot, 25 percent cabernet sauvignon and 25 percent petit verdot. This wine is a “Bordeaux blend” that is unusual in that it has both merlot and cabernet sauvignon in the mix and they are mixed in equal proportions. The color of the wine is a deep, thick purple. To the nose it is floral, with a touch of dried fruit. To the mouth, it explodes with dried cherries and roasted plums, red currants, grilled herbs and hints of dried leather. The medium body is “plushly” textured. My wife described it as “crushed velvet.” There is a slight touch of underlying acidity providing some lift on the finish as it leaves behind flavors of cooked plums, grilled herbs and spicy tobacco notes lingering with a long, long finish. The alcoholic content is high at 14.5 percent, a little “hot” to the mouth, but it leaves beautiful “legs,” clear liquid lines on the side of the glass. This wine hails from Cura Nuova, located just four miles from the Gulf of Follonica on the Mediterranean Coast. Abiding by the strictest organic farming methods, the Podere La Pace vineyard, founded in 2007 with its first vintage in 2013, is small and young — just a little over 10 acres. In addition to the four grapes in this red wine, the vineyard is also planted in chardonnay and viognier, and produces limited quantities of olive oil and grappa. Wine production is limited to 30,000 bottles per year. Wine Enthusiast gave this wine a score of 88/100 and recommended to enjoy it before the end of 2020. This may be why the state liquor store has it on their “close-out list.” That being said, I would still recommend picking up a few bottles, as I believe it can cellar for a couple more years.

Blodilaia Brunello di Montalcino 2013 (originally priced at $55.99, and on sale at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets at $27.99) is a true brunello, that is 100 percent sangiovese grosso. These grapes are noted for having thicker-skinned berries, producing wines with bold fruit flavors, high tannins and high acidity. These tannins and acidity extend the life of this wine, allowing it to reach perfection a decade or more after bottling. According to the strict wine-making parameters of the DOCG, the wine must develop on oak barrels for a minimum of two years, then bottled and cellared for another two years before it can be sold. This wine is now just coming into its own! Robert Parker described this wine as offering “blackberry and cherry nuances enhanced by spice, leather and elegant balsam herb.” The color is much lighter than the red blend discussed above. It has a slight amber tone to it, approaching the color of a fine sherry. To the nose it was reserved with slight floral notes. To the mouth the fruit was less forward than the red blend, offering a certain silky elegance. The tannins were in check and it had a nice, long finish. It was worth the wait!

So, dream a bit. You may not be able to visit Tuscany, but you can grill a steak, or split a chicken, rub it with herbs and enjoy an afternoon sunset. Enrich this simple fare with a simple antipasto or chicken liver pate spread on toast points. Try a Panzella, a cold salad of bread soaked in balsamic vinegar, mixed with onions and tomatoes, basil, all topped with olive oil of course! You will be carried off to Tuscany!

Fire pits are having their moment

“Want to walk over and have a beer by the fire? The kids can have some s’mores. We’ll keep our distance.”

My wife and I texted our neighbors with a version of this invitation a few weeks ago. The answer was, “yes,” so, no big deal, I have friends, but we were more than a little hesitant about the offer. Was it appropriate? Was it safe? Were we putting our friends in a tough spot where they would have to say, “No, thank you, duh, we’re in the middle of a pandemic that requires social distancing.”

I’m not trying to make light of a very real, very scary global situation, but as I walk up and down my neighborhood in the evenings, it’s very clear that if I’d somehow invested in backyard fire pits, I’d be very wealthy right now.

It makes sense. The ability to get together inside is pretty limited these days, so why not get together around the fire? I do think the current circumstances have reminded all of us of some simple pleasures we might otherwise take for granted. And there is nothing quite so simple, yet satisfying, as letting your mind go while the flames lick at a few seasoned logs.

It’s a campfire, except that when you’re ready to go to bed you can just walk into your own house.

And there is absolutely no reason why you can’t enjoy a beer with a friend sitting on the opposite side of the fire — or maybe even a couple friends, but let’s not get carried away.

The best news of all is that beer has always been perhaps the single greatest accompaniment to a fire. I don’t know that I ever appreciate a beer as much as I do alongside a fire. There is something about the flames and the smoke and the cool evening air that just pairs perfectly with a can or a bottle or a plastic cup of ice-cold beer.

Any beer that suits you works in this instance. You want a rich, dark coffee stout? Perfect fit! What about something light, like a simple Pilsner? Excellent choice! Thinking about trying out that bottle of raspberry wheat ale? You don’t need to bring me one but by all means go for it.

Unless it’s a blazing hot summer night, in which case I might be likely to decline the fire altogether, I tend to lean toward beers with a bit more substance, like a brown ale, such as Kelsen Brewing Co.’s Paradigm Brown Ale, or perhaps something like Throwback Brewery’s Oma’s Tribute, which is a black lager boasting big roasted malt flavor.

Able Ebenezer Brewing Co.’s Burn the Ships smoked IPA would be an obvious and perfect fireside brew.

I think the fire is the time to bust out, and presumably share, some barrel-aged brews, like Stoneface Brewing Co.’s barrel-aged Mistadoppelina, which is a “malt-forward lager with notes of toffee, caramel and dates,” according to the brewery, or Stoneface’s 2020 bourbon barrel-aged Russian imperial stout that “is dominated by bourbon and barrel characteristics like sweet oak and vanilla.” Maybe you wouldn’t normally go to a big stout in summer, but the fire helps you relax and appreciate the nuances and complexities of barrel-aged brews.

The point is, there’s a lot we can’t or maybe shouldn’t do right now, but one thing we can do is enjoy a beer by the fire, so go do it, and consider setting up a couple chairs for friends — six feet apart.

Photo: Any beer pairs well with a fire, including Henniker Brewing Company’s Kolsch Style Ale. Courtesy photo.

What’s in My Fridge
Juliette by Amherst Brewing Co. (Amherst, Mass.) Wow. I’ve come to love this brewery over the past few months. This IPA, in particular, might be my favorite. It’s brewed with flaked oats and “local Valley Malt Warthog Wheat,” and brewed with Summit, Eureka! and Citra hops. This is a brewery and a beer you should seek out. Cheers!