Champagne and Sparkling Wine Society - Oct 09

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Wines from the October 09 Champagne and Sparkling Wine Society shipment

 

The Champagne and Sparkling Wine Society October ‘09

Wednesday, October 21st, 2009

Just to keep up with the weather, this month’s club is a wild one. Three Methode Champenoise Sparklers, but one is made from Grüner Veltliner from Austria, another is made from Riesling from Germany, and finally, the last is Pinot Noir from Champagne. The wines are exceptional, if a little unusual, and all deserve a place in our glass.

As always, drink them in good health.

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The Champagne and Sparkling Wine Society

Just to keep up with the weather, this month’s club is a wild one. Three Methode Champenoise Sparklers, but one is made from Grüner Veltliner from Austria, another is made from Riesling from Germany, and finally, the last is Pinot Noir from Champagne. The wines are exceptional, if a little unusual, and all deserve a place in our glass.

As always, drink them in good health.

Thank you,

Jake

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NV Szigeti Grüner Veltliner Brut Neusidlersee, Austria

Wednesday, October 21st, 2009

While it is somewhat of an oddity, this is one of my favorite sparkling wines of all time. The Szigeti family has made wine in the Neusidlersee region of Austria for generations, but it was only when the sons Peter and Norbert took over from their parents that the family began to produce Traditional Methode Sparkling wines from the wide variety of grapes that grew in their vineyards. The facility was designed with Champagne in mind, and the wines are made in much the same way, with the exception that the warm Panonian winds, and reflected sun from the giant, and shallow, lake Nuesidl ripens the grapes much more than the weather in Champagne.

The result is that the grapes show their varieties more intensely in these wines, and, surprisingly, that is good. In this case, we are drinking a champagne method sparkling wine made from Austria’s most famous, and often misunderstood grape Grüner Veltliner. The results are delightful. The wine is creamy, with a hint of white pepper and tons of citrus and peach along with layers of more subtle, more complex, aromas and flavors. And the texture is pure delight.

Try this with traditional Champenoise foods like fish quenelles, caviar, and oysters, but also with fried chicken, or even with a bitter green salad. Drink now – 2010.

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NV Barth Riesling Extra Brut Sekt Rheingau, Germany

Wednesday, October 21st, 2009

When I chose this month’s wines, I had no idea that two of the wines were made by people named Norbert.   What are the chances?

Considered one of the finest sparkling wine producers in Germany, the Barth estate specialty is traditional method sparkling wine (German Sekt). Norbert Barth, as a VDP winemaker, has crafted a traditional sparkling wine using his unique blend and all of the steps of the Méthode Champenoise. Each wine spends 18-36 months on the yeast and is then hand riddled and disgorged upon order to ensure maximum freshness!

This wine is proof to me that the oft maligned German Sekt industry is capable of making sublime wines. It also proves, especially in concert with the Grüner Veltliner above, that having a little varietal character in a sparkling wine can be an asset. Though I wouldn’t necessarily guess that this was Riesling, when someone tells me it is, it seems obvious, like I’ve known all along.  There is something about the crisp, minerally, lime and meyer lemon aromas that echo the siren song of a great Rheingau still Riesling.

Try this with schnitzel, white sausage like weisswürst (or boudin blanc), or as an aperitif extraordinaire. Drink it now – 2011.

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NV Drappier Brut Nature Reims, Champagne, France

Wednesday, October 21st, 2009

Champagne Drappier is one of the great, and greatly underrated historic Champagne houses. The wines have always been good, and there has always been a tendency towards natural farming, low dosage, and minimal sulphur, though these have only become widely accepted in Champagne very recently. This should come as no surprise, because back in the 1930’s George Collot, maternal grandfather of the current director, was the first to plant Pinot Noir in the region, and though he was laughed at then, and nicknamed “father Pinot”, now 75% of the local vineyard is planted to Pinot Noir.

The history of Drappier really begins in the 12th century AD, when Saint Bernard (really!) had an annex to the Abbey at D’Urville built, that building and the vineyard that surrounds it, is now the centerpiece of the Drappier property.

The winemaking is slow and natural. The wine is aged in large oak casks, and though they are neutral, they convey a richness. The result of the lack of sulphur is wines that have more color than average Champagnes. The result of the lack of dosage are wines that are more intense, more mineral, and often more structured than their counterparts. They should be served at a cool cellar temperature of about 52 F, NOT Fridge temp of 40 F.

Try this with mushroom saute, a prime rib, or Yukon River (very oily) salmon. Drink now – 2016

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