WINE

This story originally appeared in the Napa Valley Register. If I ask you to think about sparkling wine, Champagne will most likely be the first to...

27 June, 2017
This story originally appeared in The Napa Valley Register.
There are few great wines in the world that will make people stop in their tracks. These are wines that we read about, talk about with reverence, and occasionally, if we are fortunate, we get to taste them.
One of these, probably the most famous of them all, is Domaine de la Romanée-Conti in Burgundy, France.
I had the privilege to taste Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Echezeaux, Cote de Nuits, France 1996 in a seminar at Pebble Beach Food and Wine a few years ago. It was my first time tasting Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and in all probability, I thought, my last.
These wines are sought after by wine collectors around the world and bottles will range from $2,000 to $20,000, or more. These stratospheric prices, combined with the limited production, make Domaine de la Romanée-Conti a wine for the wealthiest collectors in the world.
22 June, 2017
I like cucumbers. What is not to like about cucumbers, those long crunchy green members of the fruit family who are related to gourds and melon? Cucumbers add a refreshing crunch to our salads, they are a fat-free conduit for dips and they are wonderful to infuse in water. Cucumbers are also very healthy, fight inflammation, freshen breath, full of vitamins that manage stress and help digestive health. But other than putting them on a crudite plate, in a water glass or on top of your eyes after a long night, are cucumbers really that interesting in flavor? In Maude's June menu, cucumbers were the featured ingredient. As I reached out to friends to join me, many seemed unexcited by the featured ingredient. They wondered aloud, jokingly, if the meal would be cucumber crudite, tzatziki, raita and cucumber water. In general, I heard a few tell me they did not think it would be very interesting. Boy did those friends miss out! The team at Maude proved how diverse cucumbers are with a menu that was one of the best so far this year! As we sat down for our meal, we were surprised with a bottle of Champagne Aubry Brut Rose that was a gift for one of my companions for her birthday.  As we toasted the birthday girl and enjoyed our first sips, the first two bites of the night were served.
20 June, 2017
The story originally appeared in the Napa Valley Register.
My recent trip to France included a one-day stop in Champagne, and I looked forward to visiting with great anticipation. I have had the privilege to visit many wineries around the world and go into their barrel rooms and cellars. But since I first began studying wine, I have been dreaming about going to Champagne. I remember reading about the damp cellars in Champagne that have survived the centuries that have included two world wars. I recall reading about the cellar walls of chalk that rubs off onto your hands when you touch the walls.
When I would conjure up Champagne, I pictured grey skies, a cold climate, large chateaus and slopes lined with vineyards. Located in the north of France, the region of Champagne is actually home to the northernmost vineyards in France, more northern than Alsace. It is a region known for a cold climate with harsh weather conditions. With an average temperature in the low 50s, Champagne receives barely 1,650 hours of sunshine annually. The oceanic climate brings steady rainfall and the weather, coupled with limestone and chalk soils, is what contribute to the minerality, high acidity and lack of ripeness found in the grapes of Champagne.
13 June, 2017
Big, ripe, juicy strawberries signal that summer is here. And that was the featured ingredient in Maude's May menu. I had been looking forward to this menu for months as I love strawberries. I buy them fresh and put them in my smoothies, on my yogurt, in my salads or dip in brown sugar. And now I was going to see how Maude utilized the red berries. We sat down and started with a glass of Champagne Tarlant Cuvee Louie. Fresh and bright with a touch of brioche notes, we said "cheers!" and were ready to start. The first dish was a large plate of clam shells fanned on a plate like flower petals. On the top was a shell that had a few pieces of fruit and a green leaf. Simple in presentation, it was full of flavor. The fruit was mango and strawberry, compressed in their own juices with a little heat. And wrapped in the leaves was goeduck.
06 June, 2017
This story originally appeared in California Winery Advisor. Are you ready to see the vineyards in a hot air balloon Napa style? There are few reasons I can think of that make getting up before the sun worth it. One of those reasons is a hot air balloon ride. And what better place to take a ride in a hot air balloon than in wine country? It is a peaceful, beautiful way to see the vineyards and offers a view that cannot be achieved except from above. Hot Air Balloon Ride companies can be found throughout in Napa, Sonoma, Paso Robles, Santa Barbara and Temecula. When you are looking for a company to go for a ride, customer safety is the number one priority. Be sure to look for a company that has current insurance, experienced pilots, and balloons that are maintained impeccably. You can also check the company’s safety record, which will most likely be on their website. Once you have picked a company and signed up, you will be in for an unforgettable experience.
30 May, 2017
This story originally appeared in the Napa Valley Register. What do you think about drinking when you eat sushi? Beer, sake or a crisp white wine such as riesling, gruner veltliner or sauvignon blanc? What if I said cabernet sauvignon? Yes, a red wine with sushi. After a recent dining experience, I have been convinced that it can work. But, it takes a unique kind of sushi and the right wines.
The sushi is called Edomae, which means the “style” or “the way” of Edo, the former name of Tokyo). It is a type of sushi that was popular in Tokyo in the 1800s. During this time, there was no refrigeration system to preserve the fish, so chefs marinated and seasoned the fish to preserve it safely. The fish, shellfish and conger eel would be caught and lightly processed with vinegar, salt and soy sauce and then laid on vinegar rice. During this preservation of the fish, the water is extracted, as well as the fishiness. The result is sushi that emphasizes umami flavors, and this is what pairs with wine. Edomae was how fish was eaten for 350 years in Japan. But with modern refrigeration and transportation over the last 50 years, the style has changed now we eat the fish fresh.
25 May, 2017
This story originally appeared in the Napa Valley Register.
‘Life is too short to just rush through it. We must enjoy life. Take time, relax and be present.”
These were the word spoke to us by Guy Lhéraud as we entered Cognac Lhéraud in Cognac, France.
He ought to know, as he is one of the producers the eau-du-vie known as the “water of life.” We left our city mentalities at the door and heeded his words, following him into his world.
In the U.S., Cognac is best known because of four large companies. But, there are smaller family-run businesses in the area, such as Cognac Lhéraud.
The Lhéraud famly has been growing grapes for 10 generations. The first six generations sold their grapes to the larger companies. Guy Lhéraud, a jovial, old-school Frenchman who constantly has a lit cigarette in his hand, decided in 1970 to stop selling their grapes to bigger producers. They began their own label and today he runs Cognac Lhéraud with his wife, children and grandchildren. The 10th generation member is his great-grandson who is 1 year old.
23 May, 2017
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