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The Grapevine
Hosted by Michael Franz
Special to the Washington Post
Wednesay, Dec. 5, 2001; Noon EST
Today at Noon EST, Washington Post wine columnist Michael Franz comes to the Web for The Grapevine to talk about the art of wine and his latest column.
Franz, who says he's been "drinking wine for 20 years and intently studying it for 13 years," regularly conducts public tastings for the Washington Wine Academy. You can find his column on alternating Wednesdays in The Washington Post Food section.
The transcript follows -- enjoy the oenological banter.
Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control
over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
Michael Franz: G’day mates! Welcome to The Grapevine, an interactive forum on all things vinous. The basic idea for the show is that you submit any question plausibly related to wine, and I do my best to shed some light on the matter. Anything from the growing of wine grapes, to the craft of the winemaker, to the workings of the wine trade, to issues of buying, storing and serving the stuff is fair game, so the range of potential discussion points is very broad. I’m always especially interested in questions regarding the pairing of wines with food, so let me help if you’ve got a question along these lines.
As usual, I want to give you Grapevinistas a special tip on a hot bottling, and today’s pick is a stunner: Domaine Catherine le Goeuil Cairanne Cotes du Rhone Villages “Cuvee Lea Felsch” 1999, $9-$10. Sure, that’s a long name, but this wine is worth every syllable and more! Whereas most Cotes du Rhone wines these days taste like Beaujolais on steroids, this tastes very much like Chateauneuf-du-Pape or Gigondas, which are now priced well above $20 in most cases. Ultra-ripe Grenache seems the most prominent constituent in the blend here, with resulting aromas and flavors that recall black cherry liqueur. The wine is very, very soft and tender in texture, with adequate tannin that is so ripe that even the most tannin-sensitive taster will not be put off. This is so succulent and drinkable that when, I tasted it last evening, I found myself uncharacteristically defenseless, and for fear of gulping away…and had to take the bottle upstairs and pour it out for fear of over-imbibing! Stunning stuff imported by Kysela Pere et Fils.
So…on to your questions!
Chevy Chase, Md.:
SUBJECT SOUTH AFRICAN WINES:
Given that the rest of the world has discovered the grandeur of South African wines, why has the United States lagged behind in the import of these beauties? Is it the distance? We have embraced wines of Australia, a country that is just as far away.
Michael Franz: Hi Chevy Chase,
A fair question! Naturally, the biggest problem was that South African wines were simply unavailable here for years due to anti-Apartheid sanctions, and since many baby-boomers got into wine during the 1980s and early 1990s, they had developed loyalties elsewhere by the time South African wines returned here in the mid-1990s. Then, lots of low-quality or heat-damaged wines were sent in the fitst two years of shipments, which put off many early experimenters. Now, after a shake-out, most of the wines here are very good, but sadly, they are also pretty expenseive, with few bottles that compete in the $6 to $10 range with bottlings from Chile, Australia and Argentina. Many casual wine buyers won't try a new source country if they can't get a sample in this price range, so my guess is that this is the strongest current barrier. It is also clearly the case that the notorious American ignorance of geography is a problem, and the fact is that few Americans even think of Africa as a place where wine could be produced....
Washington, D.C.:
I'm experimenting with wines I've never had before and bought a Cornas and an Icewine. Any suggestions on foods to try with them?
Thank you - love the column and the chat!
Michael Franz: Hey, you're starting off with some prety interesting stuff! Cornas is all Syrah from France's northern Rhone Valley, and I love the wines with lamb or Cassoulet. This is perhaps the ultimate cold-weather wine, and since we're in the mid-70s today (weird, eh?), you may need to wait a bit!
For that Icewine, I'd recommend having it by itself as dessert after a nice meal, or pairing it with something ultra-simple (like shortbread cookies) that won't compete with the wine's complexities.
Cheers!
Beltsville, Md.:
Oh great knower of all things wine-related -- if you were to pick a book for a beginning wine appreciator to use to learn more about tasting wine -- would you go with The University Wine Course by Marian Baldy, How to Taste: A Guide to Enjoying Wine by Jancis Robinson or some other tome of knowledge?
Michael Franz: Oh Cunning Flatterer Who Knows How to Get Question Selected:
My top pick would be by Jancis Robinson, but it would be "The Jancis Robinson Wine Course," which is out on loan to a friend but costs something ludicrously low like $25, and is by far the best single intro that I've seen. I think it is still in print, as I saw a copy at the Borders in Rockville not long ago.
Maryland:
I'm throwing a holiday party and need to figure out how much wine to purchase. Is there a rule as to how many people to a bottle of wine? Also what wine would you recommend for herb roasted beef tenderloin. Thanks for taking my question
Michael Franz: Hi there...I remember ( think) seeing Frank Prial of the New York Times recommending a whole bottle per guest, but this seems like almost twice as much as is needed (unless, of course, you WANT to have leftovers, and need the excuse of a party to secure spousal approval for wine buying!). I'd say that a bottle for every two adults is going to cover your needs almost certainly, especially if beer will also be available. Hapy to recommend a wine for that beef if you come back with a price guideline....
Greenbelt, Md.:
Hi! I'm new to drinking wine (all I know is that there are "reds" and "whites"), and my neighbor, who frequently attends wine tastings invited my husband and I over for dinner. Etiquette tells me that I should bring wine to dinner, what do I bring? I do not know what he plans on serving, yet.
Michael Franz: Hi there,
Since your friend is ahead of you on wine, it may be wise to take a slightly different tack and bring a nice bottle of Cognac or something instead. My thinking here is that your friend will already have selected what he wants to serve with the meal, and if you bring a bottle, it puts him in the awkward position of going with the wine he picked (and risking making you feel like he disapproves of your gift) or pouring your wine against his wishes. So, steer clear of the whole problem by bringing a nice Scotch like Lagavulin or Macallan or a bottle of un-chilled Champagne like Bollinger. Bon Appetit!
Beltsville, Md.:
For a novice - can you recommend any wine stores in Maryland not too far north or northeast of the beltway? I have only seen corner wine/liquor shops near me that are very small and limited in selection, or that vaguely seem not so good, e.g. the temperature in the whole store feels too warm. I would like to be able to browse and once in a while find something that has been recommended in a column.
Michael Franz: Hi there,
My real advice would be to get down into D.C., where things bet a whole lot better in terms of selection and price within a mile of the border. Just inside the District on Georgia Ave. is Morris Miller, and on Connecticut is Chevy Chase and Circle, and on Wisconsin is Rodman's and Paul's. All are better than any store I've seen in Montgomery County or your part of PG....
Storing wine:
When storing wine for any period of time, is it best to leave them standing up or laying down? I've heard conflicting recommendations and reasons for both.
Michael Franz: Lay 'em down, so that the wine will contact the cork and keep it moist (so that it doesn't shrink and permit air to get at the wine, which would wreck it in short order.
Arlington, Va.:
Following up on the first poster's question about South African wines. I've been curious about Pinotage but have never tried it. Is there anything you'd recommend that is relatively easily available in the Washington area and that would give a good idea of what Pinotage is all about? Thanks.
Michael Franz: Wildekrans, Rawson's and Fleur du Cap are three that I've had good luck with, and they are priced at about $25, $11 and $12, respectively. Pinotage is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault. The problem is that it is produced in a great many styles, so that no single bottle (or even any two or three) will offer an adequate indication of the range that is out there. The grape is prone to give bitter tannin unless it is gotten quite ripe and macerated carefully, but when crafted well, Pinotage is delicious and very versatile with food.
Pentagon, Washington, D.C.:
I read the the term "methode champagnoise" can no longer be used by the French. It has been banned by the EU. (I believe I read this in Jancis Robinson's book.) Is this true or did I misread?
Michael Franz: It hasn't been banned, but rather limited to use on products from the Champagne district in France. The effort is to limit "Champagne" in any form to geographically-specific usages and to keep others from treating it as a wine type or production technique disconnected from the specific place.
Arlington, Va.:
My significant other recently purchased a half-bottle of Sauternes, and we'd love to know how to best show off this tasty specimen. Other than sauteeing foie gras and deglazing with Sauternes, what would be a good food pairing that would really show it off?
I enjoyed the ABC's of wine tasting class, by the way... I really learned a lot more than I thought I would! Anyone else who might be interested in a class, check out the schedule at http://www.washingtonwineacademy.org
And no, I don't work for them!
Michael Franz: Thank you!
I love Sauternes, but aside from very simple tarts, I really think that their complexities are best revealed with simple foils (such as the shortbread cookies I recommended above). It is, as you imply, completely astonishing with foie gras, but since this is almost invariably served as a seated first course, one always seems to confront the problem that this is an act that cannot be followed. To go back to dry wine and less fatty food (which is simply necessary, as nothing is as sweet as Sauternes--unless it is rather old--or as fatty as foie gras) is really quite anticlimatic.
Huntsville, Ala.:
What jug red table wine do you think best?
Michael Franz: Easy: Concha y Toro Cabernet/Merlot, which got me through graduate school!
Garden City, N.Y.:
Speaking of icewine, I have a TBA that I'll likely open this Christmas. Does it need to be served cold to smooth out the sweetness? How cold?
P.S. - Thanks for your suggestions on the Gewurtz for T-giving. I couldn't find either in limited looking locally, but plan to keep an eye out.
Michael Franz: Cold, Cold Cold! (Think of the old song with this title by Little Feat if you need a reminder.) Chilling will bring up the acidity in any wine, and to my taste refrigerator temperature is the way to go with Trockenbeerenauslese (which is long for TBA, for those of you who haven't tasted one of these miraculous dessert wines from Germany). And, as an unsolicited aside from an insufferably proud parent, my daughter could say Trockenbeerenauslese before the age of 1....
For Beltsville, Md.:
Since moving from Howard Co., I miss shopping at Corridor Wines on Rt. 198 in Laurel. A bit far north from you, but no place like it in my experience.
Michael Franz: Yes, I've heard good things about the place from a reliable friend. Haven't been in there myself, so it didn't occurr to me, but thanks for your submission.
Oak Hill, Va.:
Don't know much about wines but given the following:
2000 Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches, Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, Estate Bottled
Francis Coppola Diamond Series Blue Label Merlot 1999
Recommendations? Use now, age, food preferences?
Thanks.
Michael Franz: Both are nice bottles. Drink the Chardonnay soon (it will hold for another year, but will never be better than now) with Boudin Blanc or German Weisswurst. Sausage and Chardonnay sounds weird, I know, but this is the perfect pairing for CA Chards. The Merlot will get a little better for another year or 18 months, but it is ready now and asks you to serve it with a grilled rib steak.
An undisclosed location:
Here is today's etiquette question: You are having a group of people over for a holiday dinner (hypothetically, of course, T'giving). A few of your guests really appreciate wine; others cronically take a glass "to be polite" but never consume more than a sip. For ease of reference, lets call group 1 "the good friends" and group 2 "the in-laws etc." You want to share some precious, expensive, and wonderful wine with your wine-loving friends (lets say Serafin Gevry Chambertin) but cringe at the thought that glasses of that marvelous stuff will go down the drain. It also seems inexcusable to tell the inlaws "don't take any unless you REALLY want it and will drink it." What do you do? Hypothetically of course. Signed, someone else, it really wasn't me, I wouldn't do a thing like that. The wine was FABULOUS, by the way.
Michael Franz: Thank you...I laughed out loud at your question. I really think that there is no easy way out unless you're prepared to offend the in-laws, which doesn't seem to be the case here. Under most circumstances, I try to talk people out of the no-pearls-before-swine theory, since it is worth sacrificing a good bottle periodically on the off chance of triggering a wine epiphany for an indifferent friend. (The best man at my wedding did this for me with a bottle of Krug Champagne and it changed my life; thanks, Paul!). However, on the assumption that you know your in-laws well and know them to be hopeless, I'd suggest going with a more modest wine on the Grand Day and then inviting the good friends back for turkey sandwiches and Serafin!
Maryland - Price Guideline:
Hope I'm not too late to offer a price guideline for my previous request. I'm looking to spend anywhere from $10 to $15 per bottle.
Thanks!
Michael Franz: Not too late! For $10 you can get Veramonte Cabnernet Sauvignon from the Casablanca Valley in Chile, which will be a nice match for the tenderloin (as the wine isn't too big and has a nice little herbal note that should be great with that prep). Enjoy!
Washington, D.C.:
I need to learn some basics fast. What's the best reference book for a novice?
Michael Franz: Fast, eh? Sounds like the boss is coming to dinner! You can't do better than the Jancis Robinson book noted above with any other single book. Bone up pronto!
Chardonnay Lover:
My wife loves Kendall-Jackson chardonnay, which tends to be about $9 a bottle. I don't care for it, because it's too sweet. Indeed, a colleague of mine swears they add sugar to it. Could you recommend some other chardonnays in that price range that mught help my wife branch out? Thanks.
Michael Franz: Gotcha. The Montes 2000 from Chile is in that same price range, and though it is not bone dry, it is a perfect way to wean your wife toward drier styles. Very nice wine that I recommend frequently.
Howard County, Md.:
What are your favorite German Reislings?
Thanks
Michael Franz: Yikes, where to start!? Prum, Selbach, Donnhoff, Fritz Haag, Lingenfelder, Muller-Catoir, Schaeffer, Karlsmuhle...and so many more!
I love you too!:
So, any recommendations on great (gift-giving quality) cabernet sauvignons (or merlots) for under $30, and great White Burgundy for the same?
Michael Franz: I...um...gee...well...goodness...uh...I think that I may be a bit too self-conscious to think of appropriate recommendations, and as we're out of time and I wouldn't want to give you a bum steer, think I'd better sign off at this point. Sorry!
Please forgive me if I couldn't get to your question, and try again when we next crank up the Grapevine in two weeks, same time, same site. Until then, cheers!
washingtonpost.com:
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