What's Going On in the World of French Wines

In my previous post on Bordeaux last month, I covered some of the major appellations for white wines, both dry and sweet. This month’s post will concentrate on some of the red wines that Bordeaux is so very famous for.
Let’s first start out with a little about the red grapes that are grown in Bordeaux. There are three major varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. There are also two lesser-known grapes that are sometimes used in the blend as well: Petit Verdot and Malbec. A third grape, Carmenère, used to be part of the blend, but after Bordeaux was hit by phylloxera in the late 1800s, much of it was not replanted and so today it is very rarely used.
While Cabernet Sauvignon is considered by many to be the King of Bordeaux, it is in fact, the second-most planted red grape in the region. The most-planted red grape of Bordeaux is actually Merlot. Much of this has to do with the soils that are found in Bordeaux. On the well-draining gravelly soils that dot the region, Cabernet Sauvignon is typically the favored grape. But for the cooler, damper soils that are found throughout much of the rest of Bordeaux, Merlot has proved easier to grow. Merlot tends to tolerate dampness better than Cabernet Sauvignon and it also ripens earlier. The differences between these two grapes can be very helpful in a region with a lot of wet weather and the possibility of rain during the harvest months.
In fact, while some interpret blends as a way of camouflaging a grape’s limitations, another way of looking at a blend is that the sum is greater than the parts. Not only do Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon act almost as insurance policies for each other by ripening at different times and having a preference for different soil types, but they also work to complement each other in a blend. Merlot adds a softness and a fullness to Cabernet Sauvignon while Cabernet’s acidity and tannins can be used to prevent Merlot from being too plush and lacking in structure. Each of the other grapes, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec have something to add as well and the combination of all of these grapes ideally works to create a wine that is well-balanced, long-lived and harmonious on the palate.
As we discussed in the first post about Bordeaux, the region’s appellations can be thought of as concentric circles. The largest circle for red wines would be the AOC Bordeaux – think of it as a regional appellation that encompasses almost all of Bordeaux. It accounts for approximately 40% of all red wines produced in Bordeaux. A slightly smaller circle is the AOC Bordeaux Supérieur, which has a minimum alcohol that is a half a percent higher than AOC Bordeaux, a slightly higher aging requirement of a minimum of 12 months and is made from selected spots within the appellation.
Now here is where the circles get a bit confusing as there are lots of smaller appellations that are well worth discussing. This post will focus on the Left Bank, or the west side of the Gironde where we find the very important appellation of the Médoc. The Médoc is perhaps the most famous home for Cabernet Sauvignon in the world. With its well-draining soils with their high gravel content and a climate moderated by close proximity to the ocean, the Médoc is well-suited to growing high quality Cabernet Sauvignon. The Médoc is also very famous because it is the main subject of the historical Classification of 1855 (Graves was included as well, but we are going to discuss that area separately in another post). This classification of the chateaux on the Left Bank was put together by the merchants in Bordeaux and the rankings were based mainly on price. Chateaux were grouped into growths, going from First Growths (or Premier Crus) to Fifth Growths (Cinquième Crus). While many of the chateaux that were classified back in 1855 have ceased to exist, for the most part, the 1855 classification is still used in Bordeaux and there has only been one formal change to the list in 1973, when Château Mouton-Rothschild was changed from a Second Growth to a First Growth. It is important to note though, that the classification of 1855 is not part of the AOC system and in many ways, getting to know the different appellations is much more important than memorizing the entire list of classified growths.
Returning to our idea of concentric circles, within the Médoc is the Haut-Médoc, an appellation made up of vineyards located in several communes that are not entitled to their own commune AOC. Many of these wines can represent excellent buys for Bordeaux lovers. Château Corconnac, one of the wines from my list, is a great example of an affordable and very delicious Haut-Médoc wine.
Finally, within the Médoc we reach the most important Left Bank appellations – the communes of St-Estèphe, Pauillac, St-Julien, and Margaux, which are home to the majority of those chateaux from the 1855 classification. St. Estèphe is known for producing full-bodied, but rather austere red wines with high levels of acidity that are typically very age-worthy. Two of the most well-known producers are Ch. Montrose and Cos d’Estournel. Pauillac is perhaps one of the most famous communes in the Médoc as it is home to three of the five first growths – Ch. Lafite-Rothschild, Ch. Latour and Ch. Mouton-Rothschild. The wines of Pauillac are very powerful, concentrated and long-lived and especially known for their distinctive Cabernet Sauvignon character and notes of cassis and cedar.
The next commune, that of St-Julien, is perhaps a bit underrated compared to the others. It typically produces wines that are a bit more subtle and approachable. Chateaux such as Léoville-Las-Cases, Léoville-Poyferré and Léoville-Barton, Gruaud-Larose, and Ducru-Beaucaillou are some of the best-known producers from St-Julien. Finally, we reach the commune of Margaux, the home of the well-known Ch. Margaux as well as Ch. Palmer, Ch. Lascombes and Ch. Brane-Cantenac. Wines from Margaux are considered to be some of the most perfumed and silky of the Médoc. While many will argue that Margaux has experienced more ups and downs than other communes, when the 1855 Classification was originally put together, Margaux had more properties included than any other commune. Fortunately for Cabernet Sauvignon (and Merlot) lovers everywhere, it is back on the upswing today.
We’ll continue in another post with some of the other smaller communes in Bordeaux that can offer wine lovers a good buy, but I thought it would be important to cover some of the most historical and well-known appellations in this post about the Left Bank. As always, let me know if you have any questions and comments!

A few weeks ago I found myself in the midst of a bit of a wine dilemma. I was in the process of planning my Mother’s 60th surprise birthday party and I was trying to organize the wines with the menu for dinner. Starting off with Champagne was a pretty obvious choice, and I knew it would go nicely with the two appetizers the caterer had suggested, so that part was pretty easy. But I have to admit that I had some difficulty with the appetizer and the entrée. My difficulty stemmed from the fact that I had to balance the wines that I wanted to pair and thought would pair best with the menu, with the need to serve wines that my guests would enjoy.

The appetizer was to be a goat cheese tart topped with mixed roasted vegetables and a small frisée salad. In my mind, this was a course that called for a Sauvignon Blanc or a Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon blend. However, when thinking about the family members who would be attending the party, I needed to take into consideration what kind of wine would best suit my guests’ tastes. I knew ahead of time that I was going to have quite a mix of palates at the party. I would have several wine enthusiasts, several novices, and quite a few individuals who don’t really care much for wine. It was important to me to have a wine that would work for all of these different types of wine drinkers. Adding to the challenge was the fact that I knew that a few folks wouldn’t drink the red wine I was planning on serving with the main course, so the white needed to be fairly substantial.

So how did it all turn out? Well, for the first course I chose to serve a Vouvray, a Chenin Blanc with some residual sugar. I knew that several of the people who would be attending tend to prefer wines with some residual sugar to them, so that was one of the key reasons I chose it over a Sauvignon Blanc. The issue of residual sugar in wine is an interesting one to me. There are lots of folks out there who seem to believe that if a wine has residual sugar to it, then it is either less sophisticated or downright bad. Other wine snobs will tell you that people who prefer sweeter wines have less-sophisticated palates. I don’t particularly care to pay attention to either point of view. While I will definitely agree that there are lots of wines made with residual sugar that are not very good, then again, I will also point out that there are also lots of dry wines out there that aren’t so hot either. The key to me is whether or not the wine is in balance.

Personally, I love wines with a sweet side, but in order for me to love them, they need to also have a high level of acidity to balance the sweetness. This way, the sugar doesn’t make the wine seem cloying, but rather refreshing. So a good quality Vouvray, which is made with Chenin Blanc which is a grape with lots of racy acidity, is rarely sticky sweet and syrupy, but rather vibrant and mouth-watering. And in terms of that whole “sophisticated” palate argument, I often wonder why people think that is so important anyway. Why does having a “sophisticated” palate make you better? Do you enjoy your food more? Speaking for myself, some of my very favorite meals that I have ever had were not elaborate exotic chef creations, but were fresh, in-season foods that were simply prepared. My goal for my Mother’s party was that people had a pleasurable meal with good food and good wine – it wasn’t about a palate challenge to rate sophistication levels. When so much of our experiences with wine come down to whether or not we have a pleasurable experience with it, why do we worry so much about what other people think?

Now the Vouvray might not have been my number one choice for a pairing match for the goat cheese tart, but it was a fine pairing, and I also knew that it would go fairly well with the main course, which was a beef stew. I also served a red Bordeaux with the stew as there were some people at the party who were red wine lovers and well, to be honest, the beef and Bordeaux combo is a personal favorite of my Mother’s (and mine, for that matter).

In the end, the party – especially the surprise of it – was a great success and everyone seemed to enjoy both the food and the wine. Which for me, was the sweetest part of it all.

When you say the word, “Bordeaux,” in all likelihood, the image that springs to your mind is one of large chateaux and bottles of red wine. However, this wonderful region in France is also known for producing top-quality white wines – both of the dry and the sweet persuasion.

The white wine production region for Bordeaux is concentrated in two areas. The first area of major importance is the appellation of Entre-Deux-Mers, which is located between the Dordogne and the Garonne rivers. The second, is found on the south side of the Garonne. There you can find the appellations for both dry and sweet wines, including Graves, Pessac-Leognan, Sauternes and Barsac.
One of the things I love most about French wine is how each region grows grapes or uses grapes in a blend that is fairly unique to that appellation. For Bordeaux, the wines are made from a blend of two (and sometimes three) grapes: Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc (with the third grape being Muscadelle). While Sauvignon Blanc is grown elsewhere in France, the “unique factor” here is that in Bordeaux it is blended with Semillon. And furthermore, while the production of dry wines can be found all over the world, the sweet wines of Bordeaux are in truly in a special class all by themselves – as you will shortly see.

Of the two major white wine grapes of the region, Sauvignon Blanc is undoubtedly the better known. Sauvignon Blanc is recognized for having a fairly high level of acidity and notes of grapefruit peel, zesty citrus fruits, passionfruits and gooseberries on both the nose and the palate. Semillon, on the other hand, has a more mellow profile. The level of acidity is a bit lower and the level of potential alcohol is much higher. The flavor profile is characterized by notes of honey, oranges, orange marmalade and figs. Up through the 1970s, Sémillon was extremely important for white wine production for both dry and sweet wines. But today, Sauvignon Blanc is increasingly dominating the blend for dry wines, while Semillon is the favored grape for the sweet wines.

One of the major reasons that Semillon is so important for the production of sweet wines in Bordeaux is its propensity for developing Botrytis cinerea, a special type of fungus that works to dehydrate the grapes, thus concentrating the sugar level (think of it as tasting the difference between raisins and grapes – the dehydrated grapes, i.e. the raisins, have much higher levels of sugar). When you go to ferment grapes that have been affected by botrytis, the yeasts can’t convert all of the sugar to alcohol, and thus there is residual sugar left in the wine making it a sweet wine. The Maritime climate of Bordeaux, with morning mists and high levels of humidity, is also perfect for developing botrytis. You will notice that the best areas for producing the sweet styles of wines, Sauternes, Barsac, and Ste-Croix-du-Mont to name three of the most famous, are clustered around the Garonne river.
The most famous appellation for the production of sweet wines in Bordeaux is Sauternes and the best-known producer in the region is Chateau d’Yquem. I love to relate the story that one glass of d’Yquem is equal to the production of one grapevine in the vineyard – production levels for the sweet wines of Sauternes is obviously very low! There are five communes that are entitled to use the name Sauternes on the label. They are: Barsac, Sauternes, Bommes, Fargues and Preignac. Barsac is entitled to its own appellation and so you will find some wines produced in the commune sold under the AOC Barsac and then other producers who choose to use the Sauternes appellation. Typically Barsac is thought to have a slightly lighter style compared to Sauternes.
Turning to the dry white wines of the region, there is a bit of variability in style and taste profile. Many of the whites made today are very fresh and fruity with a high percentage of Sauvignon Blanc. These typically are labeled as Bordeaux AOC and Entre-Deux-Mers. In contrast, the appellations of Pessac-Leognan and Graves are known for producing white wines that have been aged in oak and are made in a more full-bodied and age-worthy style. These two regions in particular are known for producing wines that can have a very distinctive mineral note that many believe is partly due to the special gravelly, well-draining soil of the area.
I often find that many people, especially those just starting to learn about wine, make the mistake of thinking that Bordeaux is a region that is only good for red wines. As you can see, there is quite a range of white wines that can be found as well. Whether you are looking for a dry wine or a sweet wine, Bordeaux is a region that should appeal to all wine drinkers, especially those looking for food-friendly wines. If you would like to taste more of the white wines of Bordeaux, there are a few on my top picks list that offer great value. For an example of Sauternes, I suggest trying the Castelnau de Suduiraut. And if you would like to taste a dry white from Bordeaux, look for either the Lafite Réserve Spéciale Bordeaux Blanc or the Michel Lynch Sauvignon Blanc. Happy Learning!

I have to admit it – overall, I’m not such a big fan of Valentine’s Day. And it isn’t just because of the whole “what if you don’t have someone to spend the most romantic day of the year with” issue. No, personally, I find it tough to get excited about the prospect of overspending on a so-so meal at a crowded restaurant with a dozen outrageously expensive roses and a box of boring chocolates. Call me cynical, but I think that there are a lot of better ways to show someone how much you love them.
What might those be? Well, I’m glad that you asked. Instead of going out for a meal this Valentine’s Day, I would propose that you create your own night of romance with a delicious, but simple meal and a bottle of wine that will set the stage for an evening that you will both enjoy. And the wonderful thing about this idea is that you can even adapt this meal for a group of friends, so that no one has to feel left out of the celebration.

There are so many different ways to plan a menu that will work for Valentine’s Day. There are any number of foods that are considered aphrodisiacs and a variety of ingredients that are supposed to also encourage a feeling of romance. One list of foods that I came across included: Chile Peppers, Peaches, Mint, Ginger, Honey, Chocolate, Mangoes, Saffron, Almonds, Rosemary, Vanilla, Figs.
So, here’s my idea for a menu for Valentine’s Day based on using some of the above ingredients. Feel free to adapt it to fit your needs and your own taste preferences. First course: A spinach salad with figs, goat cheese, toasted almonds and strawberries with a honey poppy seed dressing. Second course: Grilled beef tenderloin that has been coated in salt, pepper and chopped fresh rosemary served with small roasted potatoes that have been tossed in olive oil, salt, pepper and rosemary. Dessert: Vanilla ice cream with hot fudge sauce (with optional whipped cream and cherries).

And my wine suggestions? For the first course, I would suggest a Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé and for the main course, a full-bodied red wine such as a Syrah from the Northern Rhône or a Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend from Bordeaux. There’s also the possibility of using a wine with a little bit of a romantic theme to it – you might think about looking for a Beaujolais from the Cru of Saint-Amour. And you can’t forget a dessert wine for a Valentine’s Day meal. I have two suggestions for dessert – either an off-dry Champagne (to which I would add a raspberry in the bottom of each glass – just to provide a hint of red) or a fortified sweet wine, such as a Banyuls, which is a great pairing for chocolate. (Throw in a chocolate brownie and you are guaranteed to hit a home run on dessert.)

Keep the focus on simple ingredients that work well together and won’t require a lot of work in the kitchen and you will be assured a special meal. Sometimes, less is actually more when it comes to making a meal memorable.

And if you have any other suggestions for a wonderful (but easy) Valentine’s Day meal, please post your thoughts below - I’d love to hear about them!

I don’t know about you, but I think I might just be ready for winter to be over - although that doesn’t appear to be in the forecast. When the cold starts to really get me down, I find myself gravitating to the kitchen – not only because it feels like the warmest room in the house, but also because I find that food and wine are surefire ways to keep the dreary days at bay.
Lately I’ve been having fun making different stews and trying out new chili recipes. I have a chicken and dumpling recipe from Cooks Illustrated that I love to play around with – it is easy to make and I can make a few changes and make it into more of a thick chicken and vegetable soup that my whole family enjoys. Up until a few years ago, I had never made chili before, and it is now one of my favorite meals. I have a couple of different kinds I like to make, but my favorite by far is a turkey chili recipe I found in Cooks Illustrated’s Complete Book of Poultry. (Yes, I am clearly a big fan of Cook’s Illustrated.)

But eating hearty stews or a warming bowl of chili is not the only way to cope with winter. I also find that when the temperature drops I tend to open more bottles of red wine than I do of white. In our house this means that lately we have been enjoying a lot of wines from the Rhône Valley and the South of France (mainly from Languedoc-Roussillon). I haven’t decided if it is the idea of a Mediterranean climate, the slightly higher alcohol levels of the wines from this part of France or the specific combination of fruit and spice found in wines from this section of France, but whatever it is, for me, these are the wines that seem to go best with the cold weather.
In fact, I started to think about my yearly drinking habits and the more I considered them, the more I realized that I actually have a bit of a pattern. I tend, in general, to favor Burgundy, Beaujolais and Bordeaux in the Fall, Rhône and Languedoc-Roussillon in the Winter, the Loire and Provence in the Spring and the wines of Alsace in the Summer. I sort of feel a bit weird that I can actually come up with a pattern to my drinking habits. I’d have to say, though, that there is one exception to my seasonal drinking – Champagne. There is almost no time of the year where I don’t enjoy a glass of Champagne!

Perhaps it is the foods that I tend to eat and the way we cook that influence my taste buds, but I also think there are general wine tastes that appeal to me more or less based on the seasons. There is something about the Rhône that makes me think of curling up by a fireplace, and a Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire immediately makes me feel like the trees are budding and the daffodils are blooming. Now, of course, there are definitely exceptions and I do indeed drink white Burgundy in January (in fact, we just did the other night) and a nice Côtes du Rhône in July, but I’d have to say that overall, my tastes in wine do tend to change a bit with the seasons. And there is one other reason – availability. Rosés, for example, are much more available in spring and summer than they are in winter – so there can also be a logistical reason for consumption patterns!

So I’m curious – am I the only one who can think of a pattern to her wine buying and drinking habits? What about you all out there? Do you tend to find certain regions appealing at specific times of the year?

Inauguration Day is just around the corner, and no matter what your political beliefs, I think we can all agree that the day a new president takes the oath of office is a day to celebrate the unique pageantry of American politics. So, I don’t know about you, but I started to think about a potential menu to mark the occasion. What do I have in mind, you might ask? Well, to honor our president’s unique background as well as the mix of cultures that make up the US, I would suggest something with a bit of a multi-cultural theme that focuses on the idea of bringing luck and prosperity to the world. You might think of it as being similar to the idea that you should eat certain foods on New Year’s Day to bring you luck in the new year. The way I look at it, we could all use a bit more luck and prosperity these days, so why not plan your own lucky feast to celebrate the inauguration and a new period in the history of our country?
In Spain, eating grapes as the clock strikes 12 on New Year’s Eve is considered very lucky and so, for our purposes, since this isn’t actually a New Year’s Eve feast, we can tweak it a bit by considering wine the key part of our bountiful feast. And now, what to pair with our wines…
I would recommend going with a first course borrowed from the Far East – the spring roll. According to my research, spring rolls are thought to bring wealth to those who eat them because their color and size make them look a bit like gold bars. Perhaps a bit far-fetched, but I’m willing to bite! The lucky spring rolls would be perfect served with a unifying wine made from a blend of grapes, Pierre Sparr’s ONE from Alsace. This wine is also a wonderful mix of both established traditions and new, dynamic ideas.
For the next course, I would suggest that we jump over to Italy. Now, you might wonder what President Obama has to do with Italy, but I would argue that we all have something to do with Italian food. It definitely ranks right up there on the list of Americans’ favorite cuisines and I seem to recall that one of the Obamas’ favorite restaurants in Chicago is an Italian place. In Italy there are several foods that are considered lucky – among them lentils, gnocchi and risotto. Depending on your preference, you could make a main course out of any of them and add sausage (also considered lucky) to any of the three. I personally would lean towards the gnocchi, mainly because it is one of my almost-three-year-old son’s favorite meals. For serving alongside your lucky Italian food, I would go for the Paul Jaboulet Aîné Côtes du Rhône “Parallèle 45″. This blend of Syrah and Grenache is, according to Jaboulet, named in honor of the 45th North parallel which runs two kilometers from their cellars. So in honor of the imaginary lines that circle the globe and connect us all, this would be a delicious and versatile red wine to serve.
And we wouldn’t want to forget some veggies with this meal, so I would suggest you look to the South for this part of the meal and serve up some cooked greens, such as collard greens, kale or chard. Various cultures consider eating vast quantities of greens important as these very-good-for-you foods bear a strong resemblance to money. So eating your greens with this meal could hopefully inspire some good financial fortune to come your way.
Finally, in France, it is apparently good luck to eat pancakes on New Year’s. So, I propose a dessert of either fruit or chocolate crepes – or maybe a combination of both! You can pair this with a sweeter style bubbly, like the Moet & Chandon White Star, or with a dessert wine such as the Castelnau de Suduiraut Sauternes - which would be terrific with a crepe stuffed with bananas and drizzled with caramel sauce.
Whatever meal you decide to have on the 20th though, I hope that it brings you some good luck in the new year and, at the very least, some fortuitous wine choices over the next few months!

There are few wine regions in this world as famous as Bordeaux. You could also argue that few regions produce wines that have been as emulated as those of Bordeaux. Bordeaux produces more top-quality wines than any other region in France and it is home to some of the world’s most expensive wines. There is a range of wines produced in the region that runs from elegant, dry whites from a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon to full-bodied, tannic reds made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc to sweet, luscious dessert wines made from Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.

Let’s start with a few words about the history of Bordeaux, as that is actually central to the development of the region. We know, thanks to the Latin poet Ausonius, that grapes have been grown in the region going back to the 4th century AD. However, the most important historical date to remember when it comes to Bordeaux is 1152 – which is when Henry II (who was the future King of England at the time) married Eleanor of Aquitaine (who had recently divorced the King of France, Louis VII). Eleanor, who was the Duchess of Aquitaine, the Countess of Poitiers and Duchess of Gascony, had control over much of the South-west part of France, including the region of Bordeaux. Her land-holdings made her one of the wealthiest and most powerful women in Europe. The marriage between Henry and Eleanor was central to the expansion of Bordeaux as a wine region as it gave Bordeaux merchants special treatment in London. This meant that Bordeaux wine was cheaper than other imports for the English and the Bordelais were able to dramatically increase their market share in England.

Bordeaux’s position as a port on the coast of France right on the Atlantic made it perfectly situated as a trading center, so even after the English lost control of the region, Bordeaux remained a fairly wealthy merchant city thanks to trade agreements with other European cities. The wealth of the merchant class in Bordeaux is mostly responsible for the unique structure of the Bordeaux wine industry, which includes a middleman called a négociant, who provides a link in the selling chain between the large chateaux and the consumer.

Water and wine are thus central to understanding Bordeaux. Without the easy access to the sea and its status as an important port, the city of Bordeaux would probably not have been able to establish such a successful wine trade and without the powerful and successful merchant class, there would not have been as much wealth that was used to establish and grow the vineyards of the region. Proximity to water is also an essential part of what makes the wines of Bordeaux so unique. The maritime climate with its moderate temperatures and high levels of humidity are central to the structured and elegant wines produced in the region. The humidity is also key to the production of Bordeaux’s sweet wines, which we will discuss in more depth in the next post.

When I sat down to write this post about Bordeaux, it occurred to me that the only way to approach such a hugely important region was to break it up into multiple parts. In order to not overload you with information, I am going to use the geography of Bordeaux as a way to organize my posts on the region. The region can be divided into several parts and the divisions are based on the location of the main rivers in the area. There are two main rivers in Bordeaux – the Dordogne and the Garonne - which meet together and flow into the Gironde estuary. On the west side of the Gironde is the Médoc, also called the Left Bank, and on the other, Pomerol and St-Emilion, referred to as the Right Bank. In between the Dordogne and the Garonne rivers is the appellation of Entre-Deux-Mers (which means “between the seas”), which is a main area of white wine production. And on the south side of the Garonne are other important white wine appellations for both dry and sweet wines – Graves, Pessac-Leognan, Sauternes and Barsac. So consider this first post as a bit of an introduction; we will continue next with a post about the white wines of Bordeaux, both dry and sweet, and then we will move into the red wines and cover both the left and the right banks.

While out running the other day, my friend Jill asked me for some advice on picking out a special bottle of wine to give as a gift. I thought her question was a good one for discussing on the blog, given that the holiday shopping press is officially on!

There are lots of different scenarios that you might be facing this holiday season when it comes to trying to find the right bottle of wine to give as a gift. I thought it might be helpful to discuss a few of the most common.

The Boss/Parent/Parent-in-law (i.e. someone you want to impress)
Price range: $30-$80

This category is for when you need to bring out the heavy guns. This is a gift that needs to be a little showy, a little over-the-top. I usually turn to Champagne, Bordeaux or Burgundy for this one. All three regions have that extra cachet and you can find some excellent Bordeaux and Burgundy from the outstanding 2005 vintage. You can go with either a red (Pinot Noir) or a white (Chardonnay) from Burgundy; while the whites from Bordeaux are excellent, in this case I would suggest you go with a red Bordeaux. With the Champagne in this price range, you will have a great deal to choose from: you can find some terrific non-vintage wines and possibly even a vintage bottle (although you may have to pay a little more). It is best to find a very reputable wine store in your area and ask them for a suggestion of a specific producer. The wine store employee will be able to help you select just the right wine.

The Teacher/Hairdresser/Hostess gift (i.e. you want to say thank you)
Price range: $12-$25

For this category, I think you can afford to be a bit adventurous. If you know a little bit about the recipient’s tastes, it can help steer you in one direction over another, but this can also be an opportunity to give someone a gift that might introduce him or her to a new grape or region. So I would look to regions that produce wines that are great for everyday drinking and go well with a wide variety of foods. I suggest looking for wines from Alsace (the Pierre Sparr ONE would be a good choice), the Rhône (such as Paul Jaboulet Aîné Côtes du Rhône “Parallèle 45″ or the Perrin Family Côtes du Rhône Villages) or the Languedoc-Roussillon area (great choices would be Château de Rieux Minervois, Laurent Miquel Syrah Vin de Pays d’Oc, Laurent Miquel Viognier Vin de Pays d’Oc, or Le Loup Blanc La Mère Grand Minervois).

The Best Friend/Spouse gift (i.e. saying I care about you and would like to drink this with you next time we get together)
Price range: $20-30

For this gift, I would look for something that you can have fun sharing with someone. So, I would recommend something a little on the sweet side, like the Castelnau de Suduiraut Sauternes or the Moet & Chandon White Star. Both would be perfect for serving with something sweet and would be great for enjoying with some Christmas cookies and a great conversation.

The Environmentally Conscious Friend
Price range: $12-25

For this gift, I would recommend that you search out some wines that are made biodynamically (like the Domaine Marc Kreydenweiss Perrières Costières de Nimes) or with organically grown grapes (Arrogant Frog “Lily Pad Red” Vin de Pays d’Oc is one such wine) or wines that have been packaged in environmentally-friendly bottles (the Mommessin Beaujolais Grande Réserve is a perfect choice). Another interesting option would be the Walden Côtes du Roussillon, which is a fair-trade wine.

So, happy shopping and if you have any questions about specific gift suggestions, please feel free to email me or leave a comment. I look forward to hearing from you!

A while back I posted a quiz of 10 wine-related questions. I realized the other day while looking at some old posts that somehow, I got carried away and forgot to give you all the answers! My bad! So, I wanted to make up for my slip by reposting the questions - this time along with the answers!

1. This woman is credited with the invention of the riddling process of remuage.

The answer is Madame Clicquot – also called Veuve Clicquot (Veuve means widow in French). For more on the fascinating Widow Clicquot, I suggest checking out her biography.

2. This woman was the first resident American to pass the Master of Wine exam.

The answer is Mary Ewing Mulligan, who along with her husband Ed McCarthy is known for authoring the Wine for Dummies series. They have a new book on California coming out sometime soon – keep your eyes peeled for it. Although some people might think the Dummies series are too simplistic, the Wine for Dummies series is a truly fantastic look at wine around the world that I recommend for all knowledge levels.

3. This woman was the first non-trade person to pass the Master of Wine exam in 1984. She is also an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).

The answer is the amazing Jancis Robinson. Jancis is one of the most influential and respected wine authorities in the world. I absolutely love her website and highly recommend all of her books.

4. It used to be believed that a woman was capable of turning wine into vinegar if she entered a winery while…

She was menstruating. There are also other myths about women not being able to handle other food products during that time of the month. Luckily for us women, most people now recognize that this is just simply not true.

5. Supposedly, this woman’s breasts served as the model for the creation of Champagne coupes.

The answer here varies quite a bit – this is another interesting wine legend. Various candidates have been Helen of Troy (mind you Champagne didn’t exist back then and I am pretty sure Helen wasn’t drinking from glass coupes, either), Marie Antoinette and Madame de Pompadour.

6. This woman was the first to build and operate a winery in California (hint, the winery is now Freemark Abbey).

The answer is Josephine Marlin Tychson. For more information on her, I suggest checking out Freemark Abbey’s website.

7. This woman’s marriage to Henry, Duke of Normandy (later Henry II) in 1152 created a lasting connection between England and Bordeaux.

The answer is Eleanor of Aquitaine – one of my favorite queens. Eleanor was married to both a French and an English king, a unique distinction! Her marriage to Henry II gave Bordeaux wine merchants favorable status in the English market, thus helping to grow the wine trade.

8. This woman’s groundbreaking work on grape DNA has helped to identify the parentage of several major grapes.

The answer is Dr. Carole P. Meredith. Dr. Meredith’s work on the parentage of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Syrah (among others) has really changed our understanding of these grapes.

9. This famous Bordeaux château owner once acted under the stage name of Philippine Pascale.

The answer is none other than Baroness Philippine Pascale de Rothschild, owner of the Bordeaux winery Château Mouton Rothschild.

10. This English Queen was known for her love of “hock” wine.

The answer is Queen Victoria. Hock wine was a term the English used for German wine.

I hope you enjoyed these. If you have any fun trivia questions about wine, be sure to submit them to me.

When we talk about the most important grape varieties in the wine world, there is no doubt that when it comes to red grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon is considered the King. Few grapes have proven as age-worthy, as consistently reliable and as downright delicious as Cabernet Sauvignon.

Thanks to work in the late 1990s by grape geneticist Dr. Carole Meredith and the UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology, we can trace the origins of Cabernet Sauvignon to a chance meeting in a vineyard in Southwest France between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc that occurred sometime during the 17th century (sounds romantic, right?). Although there had been some speculation that Cabernet Sauvignon had more ancient origins, there was also a theory (which the DNA research confirmed), that the aromas that Cabernet Sauvignon shares in common with Cabernet Franc (lead pencil, tea leaves, black currants) and with Sauvignon Blanc (grassy, herbal) pointed to some sort of relationship between the three grapes. But regardless of what Cabernet Sauvignon has in common with Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, it is a distinctly unique grape that has, over time, outshown its parents.

There is a bit of a chicken and egg debate in the wine world about Cabernet Sauvignon. Is it so popular because it is fairly easy to grow (thus meaning that there is so much of it out there that we can’t avoid it), or is it because we like it so much that producers around the world have sought out ways to grow as much of it as they can? Most likely, the answer is a little bit of both. In terms of marketing, Cabernet Sauvignon is tough to beat. With a high level of name recognition and a top reputation, most producers and wine drinkers hold it in very high esteem. And many of its viticultural characteristics make it very easy to love. Cabernet Sauvignon is a very thick-skinned, hardy grape with good disease-resistance and the ability to grow well in a variety of soils and climates (although it does have a preference for well-draining soil and moderate climates).

Cabernet Sauvignon is, like Chardonnay, very much a winemaker’s grape. It requires a good deal of skill to handle Cabernet’s tannic nature and while it has a great affinity for oak, the integration of Cabernet Sauvignon and oak also demands a producer’s full attention. Cabernet Sauvignon produces wines that are medium to full-bodied, tannic, high in acid and very capable of extensive aging. Common primary aromas and flavors (going from cool climate to warm climate characteristics) are cinnamon, menthol, eucalyptus, mint, violet, berry, plum, blackcurrant, cassis, black olive, prune, licorice. As Cabernet Sauvignon ages, you will typically find notes of earth, tobacco, cigar-box, milk chocolate, tobacco, coffee, mocha, lead pencil, herbal tea, and leather on the nose and palate.

As mentioned above, Cabernet Sauvignon’s birthplace was most likely somewhere in the Southwest of France, but it did not take long for it to spread, and with it, a reputation for producing high quality wines. The region considered most synonymous with Cabernet Sauvignon is, of course Bordeaux. Although most Bordeaux wines are not made with 100% Cabernet Sauvignon (most are a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc), it is still considered by most (especially those on the Left Bank in Bordeaux) to be the most important of the three. Cabernet Sauvignon is also grown in the Loire and these days, throughout the South of France as well. It is what the grape can do in Bordeaux, though, that has really set the standard for Cabernet Sauvignon around the world. The gravelly soil of the left bank of Bordeaux is, in particular, considered ideal for growing top quality Cabernet and growers around the world, notably in California, Australia and Italy, have looked to achieve similar results.

If you are looking to get a sense of what Cabernet Sauvignon tastes like, I suggest you taste through any of the following wines from my list: Arrogant Frog “Lily Pad Red” Vin de Pays d’Oc, Chateau Corconnac Haut-Médoc, Chateau de Parenchère Cuvée Raphael Bordeaux Supérieur, Chateau La Maroutine Bordeaux Rouge, Chateau Machorre Bordeaux Supérieur, Grand Bateau Rouge, La Croix Bonis St. Estephe, Mas de Guiot Vin de Pays du Gard and Mouton Cadet Bordeaux Rouge. You can also have some fun by picking out some wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon grown around the world and comparing how similar and how different Cabernet from various regions can taste. And, of course, given how ageworthy Cabernet Sauvignon can be, you also could buy some wine and save it for a few years to see for yourself what happens to the aroma and taste of Cabernet Sauvignon as it ages. I’d suggest finding some Bordeaux wines from 2005 to use in your experiment. The 2005 was a fantastic vintage in Bordeaux and while tasting beautifully now, these are also wines that will age and drink well over the next 5 to 8 years (and more for the top wines).

So don’t be cruel, grab a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon and give a toast to the king. It’ll make your heart (or at the very least your palate) sing.