I had a truly memorable experience last week. For months, a group of friends had been talking about getting together for some wine tasting and food pairings, and last week, we finally found the time to make it happen. We decided to keep the group small, so there ended up being six of us. Another person had been invited but could not join us. Boy, did he miss out!
Our host for the evening set a benchmark for hospitality. All of us were pleasantly surprised by the vast array of foods and wine that were availed to us. Most of it was consumed over five hours in an atmosphere that just beckoned everyone to relax.
I knew our host well enough to guess the food would be more than Cheez Whiz and crackers, but this feast was really mind-blowing. Every dish was prepared using fresh ingredients, some of them local. Care and consideration were used as to how the food would taste with the wine, but our host did not overlook the important aspect of presentation.
“I just love cooking. I put some music on, start kicking back and do my thing,” he said.
When pressed to choose between his two passions, golf and cooking, our host said without reservation, “cooking, because of the end results. Food is an event, not fuel.”
The wines that were served that evening all came from small regions in France. I can only speak for myself, but I definitely felt like I had a lot to learn. I have had little exposure to French wine and have never had the pleasure of traveling to that country.
Like others, I am intimidated by wine labels from other countries. Here in the United States, understanding a wine label is easier. You pick up a bottle and quickly can decipher what you are getting – a California chardonnay, a pinot noir from Oregon, etc.
In France, wines are labeled by region, not the variety of grape. An example of this came with the first two wines we sampled. Our host opened two bottles of wine from the same winery, but from different years. Here is how it looked on the label:
Savoie
Chignin – A. & M. Quenard
2002
I was perplexed. It was explained to me that Savoie is a region on the eastern side of France, just south of the Rhône River. Chignin is the name of the village, and A. & M. Quenard is the producer. No specific grape is mentioned, but because of the region and knowing the terroir, you come to know that these white wines come principally from the Jacquère grape.
The 2002 was delicate, laced with citrus and honey. The 2003 was a bit sharp, especially on the back of the tongue. Regardless, they both paired very well with our starting course of plum and cherry tomatoes, sliced in half and tossed with a pinch of salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil and basil. We also enjoyed some goat cheese from Sonoma, cured olives from Provence and toasted French bread pieces brushed with olive oil. The slight sweetness of the wines mingled with the acidity of the olives and tomatoes. This could have been a meal by itself; however, there was much more to come. The nice bonus to all this was the wines were only $12 a bottle.
Our second round of tasting was also white wines. Here is how the label looked on those two bottles:
Loire
Sancerre – Hippolyte Reverdy
2002
Loire
Pouilly Fume “Vieilles Vignes” – Regis Minet
2002
These wines are made from the same grape, sauvignon blanc. A quick glance at this label would not have helped me, but I learned they both are from the Loire region, about 120 miles south of Paris. The township of Sancerre marks the first one, while the other comes from a town called Pouilly-Sur-Loire, a few miles across the Loire River from Sancerre.
Sancerre is one of the most popular white wines of France. This wine had strong herbaceous notes, with a dry, earthy finish. The Pouilly Fume was sweeter, light and also had some grassy characteristics to its finish. Each of these wines was also remarkably priced, less than $18.
My host pointed out he collects and enjoys wine from almost every imaginable place on earth. He said he is partial to wines from France because of the variation that each vintage may bring. As my host stated, his slight bias toward French wines is because he feels that other countries manipulate the wine too much and this is what we are used to.
“We rob ourselves of what wine could be,” he said.
In France, there are many regulations and controls in place that uphold the traditions of French winemaking. For instance, in France, it is illegal to irrigate vineyards. Nature is the guiding force that determines the unique flavors and styles you may encounter.
Next week, I will reveal the rest of the menu and the red wines that were enjoyed.
Cheers!
