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Bollinger La Grande Annee 1999, Champagne, France.
February 6, 2012
Grape
63% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay
Facts
- I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: you (we) don’t drink Champagne often enough!
With that being stated from the get-go, I should probably point-out that what we’re dealing with right here isn’t exactly a once-a-week kind of bottle! I’ve been saving this bottle of Bollinger La Grande Annee for a special occasion, and that occasion was last Friday.
So what was the occasion?
Well, the popping of bubbles was maybe ever-so-slightly premature, but the “occasion” was my deciding to not return to the restaurant industry (at least not for the immediate future). I’ve been spending a HUGE amount of time developing my online presence, and I think I’ve finally reached a place whereby I can now take a step-back and focus on my true passion: wine and web. - Madame Lily Bollinger was quoted as saying: “I drink my Champagne when I’m happy and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I am alone. When I have company, I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I’m not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it – unless I am thirsty”. My kind of girl!
- The overwhelming majority of Champagne is made from a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier grapes. The exceptions are “Blanc de Blancs” (white of whites) which is made exclusively from Chardonnay grapes, and “Blanc de Noirs” (white of blacks) made from a blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes.
- The “Grande Année” is the premium cuvee of Bollinger, and is only made in the best years.
Listen to Your Heart!
February 6, 2012
Complimentary Wine Tasting Every Monday at III Forks Jacksonville.
February 5, 2012
Luigi Righetti “Capitel de Roari” Amarone, Valpolicella, Italy, 2008
February 2, 2012
Grape
Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara (%’s unknown)
Facts
- I’m turbo-passionate about Amarone, and if I could afford to drink it every day, I promise you I would! Amarone is stylistically very different than anything else Italy puts out, and is the king of wines from North-Eastern Italy. If you’re basing your opinion of Italian wine solely on Chianti, make sure you keep reading…
- The Luigi Righetti winery is family owned and operated, and has been that way since 1909. Gian Maria Righetti is the fifth-generation winemaker in the Righetti family. I’d LOVE to tell you more about winery….but that’s all I could find out.If you can find a website for the Luigi Righetti you’re a better man than I! My guess is they’re just so “old school” they don’t even have one…
- A combination of Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara grapes are used to produce Amarone, with Corvina usually occupying the majority share. You may have tasted wines made in the Valpolicella region before (which use these same grapes), and that’s all well-and-good, but if you haven’t tasted an Amarone you’re in for a euphoric experience!
Whereas a regular “Valpol” is typically medium in body, and should grace your lips fairly soon after release (usually within 3 years), Amarone is full-bodied and in it for the long haul! It’s not uncommon for Amarone to be aged 10-15+ years (dependent on the brand).
Flying with Wines – An Infographic.
February 1, 2012 Posted in Facts | Tagged Flying with wine, Infograph | Leave a comment //
Chicken Breasts with Spinach, Leek and Saffron Sauce Paired with Freemark Abbey Napa Chardonnay 2010.
February 1, 2012
“Chardonnay paired with Chicken? Teach you that one at Sommelier school, did they?”
Ok, so I won’t say that this is the most adventurous pairing the world has ever seen, but it’s one of only two (I believe) white meat and Chardonnay pairings that I’ve ever posted.
As crazy as it sounds, we very rarely eat chicken in my house…chicken wings (of course) being the one BIG exception. It’s not that I don’t like chicken, I just think it’s the “vanilla” of meats. It’s usually what you put on the chicken that makes the dish….at least IMHO.
Posted in Pairings | Tagged California, Chardonnay, Freemark Abbey, Freemark Abbey Chardonnay, Jess Jackson, Malolactic Fermentation, Napa | Leave a comment //← Older posts Newer posts →
