theBrideScoop

Cellar Princess: Rot of the Noblest Form

August 7, 2011 By Cellar Princess Leave a Comment

Fungus. Rot. Botrytis. Words that certainly don’t sound appetizing or desirable when discussing wine but all three refer to the same thing that makes some of the best and most prized wines around. This fungus is of the noblest form and, in fact, is called “noble rot” orbotrytis. Trust me, you’ll learn to love it.

Dessert Wine (Photo from www.sandeepkejriwal.com)

Yes, a fungus called botrytis is responsible for many of the sweet wines that you enjoy. It’s the principal “sweetener” in German Trockenbeerenauslese wines as well as ice wine. This fungus is, we’ll say, hydrophilic – it LOVES water; thrives on water like we do. So, in essence, it’s abit clingy and parasitic but with what results!

Botrytis sucks the water from the grapes, shriveling it like a raisin, dehydrating it and leaving only the solids like sugars behind. Because there’s no longer any water, sugars are highly concentrated and the resulting wine is very sweet. For the same reason botrytised grapes will yield very little juice, making these wines highly valuable.

Why does botrytis come for a visit? If grapes stay on thevine too long and over ripen, the fungus comes to take advantage of it. In addition to the sweet taste of a botrytis-afflicted wine, it produces an enzyme that gives its wines an oxidized, yellow, golden honey color, that’s become a highly prized and highly coveted characteristic amongst dessert wines.

So next time when you’re shopping around for an aperitif for your party or a pairing for dessert course, ask the shop keep, “where can I find your botrytised wines?” They will be properly impressed with your knowledge and your guests will love your selection!

Your Cellar Princess promises to make all your wine selections royal! Follow her on facebook and twitter.

Cellar Princess: Sparkling Around The World – CHAMPAGNE

August 3, 2011 By Cellar Princess Leave a Comment

A new series by Cellar Princess – Sparkling Around the World and today starts with Champagne.

Champagne – the quintessential celebratory beverage – is probably the most famous of all sparkling wines, but also the most misunderstood. Wait, what?! Champagne is a sparkling wine? Yes, it is. But all sparkling wines are not champagne. And that’s the first thing you should know about it.

The next thing to know about Champagne is that it’s a region in France first, where its eponymous sparkling wine is produced. Only sparklers that hail from this region are allowed to be called champagne, as mandated by French law. This has come under fire in recent years and the French are fierce to protect the “champagne” name from being used willy-nilly by any sparkler with bubbles; I’m a purist, so I really hope that
“champagne’s” name is protected.

Champagne Region of France (Photo from www.nga.gov)

There are only three main grape varietals that go into champagne production: chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier. The latter two are red grape varietals and this may come as a surprise to most since most champagne is not red! But some of those famous names that we love to toss about, Veuve Clicquot, Dom Perignon, Ruinart and Pol Roger, produce pink champagne.

Variety of Mumm Champagne (Photo from www.wine-pages.com)

Why do we mostly associate champagne with celebration? Well, for one, it’s the BUBBLES: those effervescent balls of fizz that delightfully hiss at us upon pouring. But what’s really interesting about those bubbles is how they got into the bottle. One of the production methods for champagne is the methode champenoise (or the champagne method) to obtain that fizz. That means that after a first round of fermentation, another round of fermentation occurs inside the bottle when yeast and sugar are added; and that combination is explosive, so to speak, because carbon dioxide gas is produced, and upon contact of the glass or flute, the bubbles appear. Opa!

Note: Champagne must age for a minimum of 18 months before release.

Your Cellar Princess promises to make all your wine selections royal! Follow her on facebook and twitter.

Cellar Princess: Wine Ratings? Love or Hate ‘Em?

July 24, 2011 By Cellar Princess 1 Comment

As Americans, we’re OBSESSED with numbers and how they relate to quality: the height of your significant other (if you’re a female); the cup size of our bra; the waist hip ratio; the miles per gallon and miles per hour of our car; the price of our clothing or education; the US News & World Report ranking of our college… it just doesn’t stop! It permeates every aspect of our lives, including the social: wine. Yes, even wine. Even wines have ratings that are at best, flawed. The ratings have become so powerful, that they often influence buying decisions. Here are some of the most popular – and what I think about them.

Wine Spectator: A highly vaunted publication, and arguably the gold standard when it comes to wine journalism, Wine Spectator has its own rating system. They’re judged like an SAT score, based on their potential, and also their ageability. The judges (Wine Spectator editors) want to let you know how it will drink at its peak.

My take? I think I like their rating system! And it seems to be the least subjective.

Wine Spectator (www.winespectator.com)

Wine Advocate/Robert Parker: Robert Parker is the most influential wine figure and can make or break a wine’s (and winery’s) reputation. Just look at what he did for the ’82 Bordeauxs! The reviewers for the Wine Advocate group rate wine and try to do it as objectively as possible without considering price or reputation. However, it is very well known that Robert Parker himself prefers, and rates higher, wines that have bold, fruity flavors.

My take? More complex wines without the giant flavor profile will never get any credence because of Wine Advocate’s preferences. All palates need to be considered.

Wine Enthusiast: Every issue of Wine Enthusiast has almost half its pages dedicated to wine ratings. They only consider wines that would score 80 points or higher.

My take? Way to discriminate!

Consider this: The 89 Project is a new blog that discusses wines that have received the dreaded 89 score on a point scale of 100. Not making it to 90 hurts the sales of that wine for the winery and the wines sit on the shelves; the Project is dedicated to discourse and tastings of those wines, essentially, giving them a second chance.

The 89 Project (Photo from www.89project.blogspot.com)

What do you think about the ratings system?

Your Cellar Princess promises to make all your wine selections royal! Follow her on facebook and twitter.

Cellar Princess: Know Your White Wine ABC!

July 17, 2011 By Cellar Princess Leave a Comment

It seems like if you go to any kind of event where there’s wine being served these days – the opening of a restaurant, a book launch, release of new album, etc., the wine is always Chardonnay. America has some kind of love affair with Chardonnay and its overly oaked, buttery California style seems to be what’s preferred. And weddings are notorious for serving it.

So know your white wine ABC – Anything But Chardonnary! You don’t have to get sucked into the Chardonnay vacuum that so many people wander into. Chardonnay, the right one, can be a lovely addition to summer fare and “matrimonial cuisine,” but other wines work well for a summer wedding too. Check out some of my faves!

German Rieslings are some of my favorite wines. Especially those that hail from the Mosel Valley of Germany. This region is one of the most famous in the world for producing wine from this noble grape. What I love about Rieslings is its approachability and versatility for summer drinking. It’s low in alcohol, usually ranging from 8-10%, and refreshing. Mosel Valley Rieslings, more so, in my opinion, of any other Riesling-producing region, is the perfect balance of acidity, minerality and sweetness. The off-dry characteristic is what I truly love about the wine. Some people often eschew what they consider “sweet” wines because of their bracing sweetness, but off-dry wines have only a hint of sweetness that isn’t overbearing. It’s a great summer sipper and great choice for weddings. You can pair it with spicy foods to offset the heat, and fresh, Asian dishes.

Reislings (Photo from www.snorremans.com)

New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs from the Marlborough region are my go-to wine year round. Many folks, however, have a love-hate relationship with the wine. Some think that the citrus notes are too prevalent for drinkability, while others embrace the fruity characteristics that abound in the wine. I am one of those people. I think NZ Sauv Blancs are a particularly good choice for a wedding wine because they often taste, almost, effervescent. I think besides the lime, grapefruit and tangerine notes that prevail, my second most favorite characteristic is its perceived effervescence, so it’s a perfect alternative for a celebratory prosit.

Now, Moscato is often thought to be a “chick’s drink”. Well, if you’re at a wedding, it usually is about the bride, right? Most of the time that’s a “chick,” if you will, so this wine is a perfect serving choice. It’s usually served as a sparkler versus a still wine and is definitely a wonderful pairing with the dessert course of your meal. A common question is, “Why do you pair a sweet wine with something sweet?!” Well, that’s a valid question. You’d think that there’d be sugar overload, but usually you pair a dessert wine with a dessert that’s less sweet than the wine itself. That way, the flavors of both, shine. Though sweet/dessert wines are often perceived as anathema to both men and those that can’t bear the thought of syrupy, saccharine liquid oozing down their gullet, find peace in knowing that the refreshing sparkling grape will end the night on, dare I say, a sweet note?

Moscato (Photo from www.imenglert.wordpress.com)

Your Cellar Princess promises to make all your wine selections royal! Follow her on facebook and twitter.

Cellar Princess: Red, White & Q

July 4, 2011 By Cellar Princess 1 Comment

Some little girls dream of having a fairy tale wedding: ornate church or exotic beach locale; flowy, white dress with draping diamonds adorning every body part north of the neck; six foot tall multi-tiered cake; elaborate, multi-course meal catered by one of the world’s hottest celebrity chefs; the finest, most expensive wines from some of the most storied vintages… but some little girls just want to get married. They don’t want or need all of the pomp and circumstance that often accompany a wedding. They want only their closest friends and family in attendance in an environment free of pretension and one that’s most familiar to them. They want the Backyard BBQ Wedding. But the Backyard BBQ Wedding doesn’t have to be without class. Adding a bit of wine to succulent BBQ fare may be just the ticket to take the wedding over the top. Wine is such a versatile beverage and can literally pair with every type of fare from the simple to the exotic. And yes, even BBQ.

BBQ Wedding (Photo from www.barbecuecaterer.com)

Here are some of my favorite pairings ~ all would be perfect for the Backyard BBQ Wedding:

Ribs and steaks pair well with Beaujolais. The Beaujolais Crus are of the highest quality that you can find for the wine, yet still come in at around $20 per bottle. They’re light, refreshing wines that, although made of the red gamay grape, are light enough to drink in the heat of summer, fruity and should be served slightly chilled and are heavy enough to withstand the weight of red meats and others.

The citrus flavors of a Marlborough region New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc would complement the fresh zing of a potato salad. Often times, potato salad is prepared with lime and a touch of cilantro to give it that spring and summertime freshness, but the addition of a citrus-enhanced wine would not take away from its flavors, but work to augment them.

If you were looking for something a bit different, a sparkling moscato would be ideal, too. The effervescent quality would not only add a celebratory overtone to the wedding as a whole, but it’d help to absorb and cut through those sometimes crisp, acrid notes that litter some potato salads.

For hamburgers, usually a deep, heavy red works well, but for a summer wedding, a rose would be perfect. A chilled bottle of a rose syrah would add a little oomph to a bbq’d burger, adding freshness and levity to offset the weight of the burger.

Pairing these wines with classic BBQ fare would help to bring fireworks not only in your glass, but to your wedding as well.

Happy 4^th!

Your Cellar Princess promises to make all your wine selections royal! Follow her on facebook and twitter.