Wine Pairing with Fattoria Betti

Imagine sitting down to dinner in one of the hippest restaurants in Brooklyn, Le Fond. Chef Jake Eberle greets you, and walks you through his four course menu. Then Guido Betti offers up his namesake brand, Fattoria Betti wines, to pair! Eberle’s four course menu for the evening was, of course, designed to complement the selected wines.

Course 1/appetizer: Spring Vegetable Carpaccio, with “Creto De’ Betti” 2016, our first wine; a white blend of 70% chardonnay and 30% trebbiano (aka ugni blanc) at 13% ABV.

 

 

Color is light gold, tiny green tinge. The nose shows light citrus with pineapple, white pear, and wildflowers. On the palate: white stone fruit, a hint of white flower, and white pepper. Medium mouthfeel, hint of savory meets firm acidity, green apple, crisp finish with clay and chalk. A lovely opening salvo of citrus that matched up beautifully with the vegetable carpaccio, a series of delicate flavors designed to tease the tongue.

 

Course 2/Pasta: Cavatelli in a spinach emulsion, served with wine#2, Chianti Montalbano, 2016, blended from 85% sangiovese, 8% canaiolo nero, and 2% cabernet sauvignon. 14%ABV; the color is a translucent ruby; the nose presents stewed red fruit, eucalyptus, saline, black cherry, with a hint of plum. On the palate:  red plum, black cherry, sodium, pepper, and clove. Finish is medium long with lasting fruit and medium tannin. A perfect pairing with the pasta, the spinach, mushroom/cavatelli. Bravo! This was my favorite dish and wine pairing for the evening. Both the dish and the wine were stunning individually, but together they were masterful.

 

 

 

 

 

Course 3/Entree:  Braised lamb shoulder, paired with wine #3: 2016 “Prunideo”– 14%ABV, the wine is composed of 90% sangiovese grapes and 10% cabernet sauvignon grapes. Color is deep ruby with a magenta center; the nose is strong, showing dark red fruit, menthol, and eucalyptus. On the palate, a powerful combination of red and black plum, sour cherry, and cassis. With a medium-long finish, showing remnants of fruit with long heat, acid, and brawny, muscular tannins.  A solid pairing for the braised lamb shoulder, which melted in the mouth. Decadent and savory, the wine is succulent and robust. A very nice pairing!

 

 

 

 

Course 4/Dessert: Chocolate crémeux, paired with wine#4, “Caprone” a rosé of Sangiovese, 13.5% ABV. Color is a luscious deep pink/dusty rose. The nose is a delicate balance of strawberries and fresh cut grass. On the palate: cut red fruit- bright strawberry, watermelon, raspberry, and yellow peach, with a tart finish, showing off bright, fresh acidity and subdued tannins. The rosé paired beautifully with the vanilla custard in the dessert and was both tasty and fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guido Betti, proud of his namesake & heritage!

 

Finally , over the course of the last week, I have been cooking and tasting a fifth wine from Fattoria Betti! The 2015 “Semel” is 100% merlot, with 14% ABV. The color is medium ruby with purple center. The nose offers black plum, cassis, and black cherry. On the palate, it is a big, bold wine with a strong mouthfeel of black and red fruit, and solid tannin backbone. I paired this one the course of a week with chicken chili, fajitas, several cheeses, and finally with Szechuan chicken- the wine’s massive mouthfeel is ideal to match up with strong flavors, and it does not shy away from cleansing the palate!

 

 

Overall, I was impressed with how well a historic Tuscan winery stood up to such a bevy of worldwide flavors and influences, and how flexible and universal sangiovese can become. With a knowledgeable winemaker, sangiovese can become a wine chameleon with the ability to blend and shift to match any cuisine. I quite enjoyed trying the various pairings of “Semel” with my culinary dishes, and my overall experience has introduced me to another lovely winery in Tuscany, as well as to strengthen my love of Sangiovese, no matter where I am, or what I am eating.

 

And of course, if you have a chance to try La Fond in Brooklyn or to taste Fattoria Betti wines, I recommend both experiences!

 

Whats in your glass tonight?   #WIYG? Please leave a comment below and share your thoughts, comments, or just what you’re drinking!

 

à votre santé!

Advertisement

The Withers Winery 2015 Peters Vineyard Pinot Noir

I first came across The Withers in 2017 at a Wine & Food Festival. One downside to finding a new winery you like at that kind of event might be that after tasting over 100 other wines that day, you’re never quite sure if your palate is still fresh! Because mine had already been put to the test that day, I posted my thoughts and a photo of their wine (if you click the link, you can scroll towards the end) but didn’t provide tasting notes in my post, which was really about the festival. Yet I never forgot the great first impression of The Withers’  wines, which was tremendous winemaking with vast flavor differences between the 2014 Pinot Noirs from Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley. Ever since then, I’ve been looking for an opportunity to sit down with one of the pinots from The Withers, and I finally have the opportunity to do so and to share it with you!

The Withers Winery 2015 Pinot Noir, Peters Vineyard, Sonoma Coast, CA, USA.  13.8%ABV, $45/bottle from Garnet Wine in NYC.

Color is a deep, yet translucent, ruby. The nose offers rose bush and dried cranberry, with hints of spice and salinity. On the palate, the acidity is as much a star as the fruit, with dark cherry and raspberry, limestone and toasted oak. A beautiful tartness passes across the mid-palate; a line of gorgeous red cherry bathed in Himalayan salt crosses the upper back palate and washes away with a beam of acidity, leaving the mouth begging for more. This is a gorgeous wine, so well-made, sleek and linear, with solid underlying strength and maturity. You simply have to taste it to believe it. It posses a complexity I’ve not found before from California in an under-$75/bottle pinot noir price point. At three years old, I’d love to taste this at ten and 15 years, but I’d never let this wine age that long- it’s too good at this price point not to open!

Withering With Food: While I started pairing this wine gently with cheeses -soft rind brie, goat cheese, then gouda and finally a blue, all of which passed with flying colors- my next test was a field greens salad with cranberries (oh yeah), progressing to whole wheat pasta with a garlic tomato sauce – which is about as far as most pinot noirs can go. Not The Withers, this wine still has body and hidden power ready to match more- I’m not sure if it’s the racehorse on the bottle or a Navy SEAL in disguise- but this wine can pair far past salmon, and I would be willing to try this with a porterhouse steak or full on rib roast, and bet the bottle that it can pair just as well. It reminded me how floored I was when comparing the Peters Vineyards with the Anderson Valley pinot noir a year ago. The terroir and that 777 clone is a whole game changer to this wine! #BOOM. My hat is off to the winemaker. Color me seriously impressed: I adore this wine and think it’s a killer value with huge standards,  an unsung hero that is just now starting to find the popularity it deserves.

If, like me, you love California pinot noir, you owe it to yourself to taste this and see if you agree. Buy some now and years later, you can tell your friends you got in before the brand exploded.

 

à votre santé!

Lucas & Lewellen Rosé of Pinot Noir

Lucas & Lewellen 2017 Rosé of Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County, CA. 13.5%ABV, $18/bottle SRP.

 

 

Color is blush/cerise. The nose offers fresh ripe strawberry, watermelon, and a touch of fresh-cut flowers. On the palate,  delicate raspberry and strawberry with notes of honeysuckle, flint, and clay. A pleasant, delicate mouthfeel with a moderate finish leaves a nice juicy reminder along with a touch of heat on the back palate, and some tart acidity.

 

 

This paired nicely with Asian stir-fry and soft, a Mediterranean salad, and soft cheeses. It has the flexibility to range from fish to meat to vegetarian fare- but you can also enjoy it solo on the porch after work, with the neighbors or the co-workers, for a delightful mouthful of summer in the glass. This is one to add to your cellar, or just put it in the fridge- enjoy cold!

 

à votre santé!

 

Paix Sur Terre 2016 Ugni Blanc

Paix Sur Terre Ugni Blanc 2016, Paso Robles, CA 13.2%ABV, SRP $29/bottle

 

Color is pale sunshine. The delicate nose offers honeycrisp apple, citrus, and cut wildflowers. On the palate, a savory blend of white peach, apple, and lemon-lime with secondary notes of honey,  lemon rind, and clementine. Notes of limestone and shale complete the satisfying finish; this wine crossed my upper palate with beautiful acidity and complexity that quite impressed me. I paired this with chicken, fish, and cheese over three nights but I was forced to limit myself, for each time I wanted more! This is a bottle you will want to dive into and not share with your friends unless you bought several of them!

I picked this up on recommendation from Chris Kern of Forgotten Grapes and World’s Best Wine Clubs . A perfect pick for an off-the-beaten-path wine, and what a gorgeous and well-made wine! I will have to follow Paix Sur Terre and learn more about their wines. What a delightful introduction!

If you don’t know Ugni Blanc, this is the bottle to try, it will make you a believer!

 

 

à votre santé!

 

5 Lesser-Known Gems of Burgundy to Find & Drink NOW!

Don’t be confused when you see “Bourgogne” on the label. In English, that translates to Burgundy.

Burgundy is the region from which some of the world’s most expensive AND most-prized wines originate, but you can also drink gorgeous, world-class wines for $15-30, what we like to think of as a “daily” drink, as opposed to a weekend or special occasion wine. Because with a tiny bit of knowledge and research, you can drink affordable Burgundy any day of the week that you want to!

Last week I shared five reasons to drink the wines of Bourgogne. Now, here are five lesser-known gems of Burgundy, each a delightful and affordable example of her tremendous terroir and the skilled winemaking from the 84 AOCs that are represented within her five winemaking regions.

 

Simonnet-Febvre Crémant de Bourgogne Brut Rosé, Chablis AOC 12% ABV, SRP $ 14.95

 

This sparkling wine is delicate & aromatic, made from 100% pinot noir grapes. The color is pale salmon. The nose offers rose petals, carnation, and raspberry. On the palate: quite dry, raspberry and cranberry flavors are dominant, which shifts to a long, tart, and satisfying finish with hints of clay and limestone. Small, moderate bubbles provide a relaxed yet robust mouthfeel. You will absolutely ask for more! This sparkling wine drinks beautifully and equally as well as wines that cost twice as much- affordable enough to drink any day of the week, but your mouth will think it’s a holiday!

An interesting fact: this sparkling has bolstered sales in the USA over the last several years, increasing marketshare by more than 10% last season alone. At this price, why not?

 

 

Domaine Louis Moreau Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 2015; 12.5% ABV, Street price @ $29/bottle.

Color is pale gold, like a warm early morning ray of sunshine. The nose is delightfully balanced with citrus, lemon rind, wildflowers and fresh cut grass.  On the palate, white stone fruit and citrus blend: peach, pear, lemon- with plenty of chalky limestone minerality with a great acidity that provides both a delightful sense of  freshness, and a the potential to age and mature gracefully to enjoy years down the road. Made from 100% chardonnay grapes that are hand picked, hand sorted, and eight months spent on the lees, entirely in stainless. This domaine has been entirely organic since 2004, which allows more expression, delicacy of flavor and minerality. A premier cru at $30?  I’m in.

 

 

 

 

Maison Chanzy Rully En Rosey 2016 by  Jean -Baptiste Jessiaume; ABV 13%, SRP 24.99

This is among the lesser-known appellations of Burgundy that offer tremendous value of quality wines from Bourgogne at reasonable prices! A delightful, oaked chardonnay, this wine spends six months in oak- two to three in new French oak and three-to four months in neutral oak barrels to have the perfect blend of gentle influence and balance. Color is warm afternoon sunshine, with a nose of a saline seashore with lemon rind and vanilla bean. On the palate, moderate citrus, forward, nice acidity, moderate mouthfeel- this wine is ready to be an apéritif or to accompany seafood, oysters, clams, mussels or escargots, and just as easily with enough acidity and body to pair with dried meats, cheeses, or with steak tartare or carpaccio.  A quick search showed many of my favorite wine stores already carry this under-the-radar, strong value Burgundy. Try this for your table, and then you’ll buy more for your cellar!

 

 

 

Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise Les Claveaux 2016 12.5% ABV, SRP $21.99

 

This wine is organically-grown.  Color is medium ruby. The nose is a touch earthy, with rose, dried cherries, potting soil, dried herbs, & black currant. The palate features quite linear fruit with high acidity. It is heavy on the stone fruits, and chock full of minerality with clay, limestone, and a touch of silica. Overall a very nice structure with gentle tannins. Quite delicate, and a pretty wine to enjoy. In Bourgogne, they call this wine “gourmand” which doesn’t really translate accurately to English, but is quite a compliment over there. Some would call this wine feminine, I call it delicious and delightful!

 

 

 

 

 

and last but not least:

Domain Bart, Fixin, Marsannay-la-Côte 2015, 13% ABV, SRP 29.95.

Color is a luxurious deep ruby, while the nose shows eucalyptus, black cherry, and red currants. On the palate, there is bright raspberry and voluptuous cherry, with a beautiful and long finish, on which there were notes of flint, currants, and clay. I could easily pair this classic Burgundian pint noir with a fish (with a savory  or spicy sauce, perhaps), fowl, mushrooms, or delicate red meats.

This northern Côte-de-Nuits is clean and beautiful, showing old-world and age-worthy qualities. This lesser-known appellation is ideal for entry-level prices into Burgundy from a top quality estate- so raise your hands, who want entry-level pricing? (We ALL do, right?) Well, I found this quite quickly (first try!) at Astor Wine & Spirits.

 

Fixin is a northen Côte-de-nuits AOC.

 

 

 

 

Who else is ready for a glass of Bourgogne?

à votre santé!

 

Five Reasons To Drink the Wines of Bourgogne

Maybe you already know to drink the wines of Burgundy, but maybe you don’t know WHY. While I was writing reviews of my recent tasting of wines from Bourgogne, I sat and wondered about the huge cross-section of my readers- from those who are wildly knowledgeable, to those just exploring about the wonderful world of wine for the first time. And I thought, “This is a good reminder we could all use from time to time!”

So here are your top 5 reasons (if you ever need them) to drink the wines of Burgundy/Bourgogne:

 

5. Chablis.  Maybe I need not say any more, but if you’re sadly unaware: Chablis is the Audrey Hepburn of white wine. Chablis is alluring, surprising, endearing, romantic, focused, yet wildly expressive! And the kiss of Premier Cru Chablis on your lips and crossing your palate is one you will never forget.

 

 

4. Simple grapes with the loftiest goals: There are only two main grape varieties grown in Bourgogne that account for over 90% of the wine from the area. If you don’t know already, they are Chardonnay (51%) and Pinot Noir (40%). But these AOCs produce some of the finest expressions found in wine and demonstrate some of the world’s best winemaking with just these two grapes.

 

 

3. Crémant. Just because there are two main grapes doesn’t mean the winemakers stop there. Their Crémant de Bourgogne is gorgeous. Effervescent, bone dry, delightful, elegant, and believe it or not, affordable! Blanc and Blanc de Blanc demonstrate beautiful floral, white fleshy fruit and toasted notes, while Rosé and Blanc de Noir show delicate red fruit and tiny hints of spice.

 

2. Terroir, Terroir, Terroir. Pinot Noir from Bourgogne tastes ethereal and mystical, while being grounded with notes that range from earthy to floral, tannins that range from silky to velvety. These wines can show the perfect balance of ripe red fruit, mouth-watering acidity, luscious tannins with oak influence and soil minerality on the finish.

 

 

1. Bourgogne IS “Burgundy”. Burgundy is simply the name for Bourgogne translated to English. And while you can find the world’s finest and most expensive wines here, you can also find tremendous value- be it Premiere or Grand Cru, Villages, or Regional AOC. Don’t be lost in translation on the label!

 

 

Before you go– if you just learned something, then you’ll want to know this, too!

The five wine-producing regions of Bourgogne (and a few of they famed appellations) are:

1) Côte de Nuits (there are 81 Premiere Crus from Nuits-St-George, Vosne-Romanée, Gevrey-Chambertin alone!)

2) Côte de Beaune (including Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet)

3) Côte Chalonnaise (including Givry, Montagny, and Rully)

4) Mâconnais (including Mâcon, Saint-Véran, Puilly-Fuisse)

5) Chablis (including Irancy, Chablis, Auxerre, among others. Chablis is the source of Crémant de Bourgogne!)

 

Keep an eye out for my forthcoming reviews of the wines of Bourgogne I tasted last week- all in a practical & affordable price range! 

For more information, click on https://www.bourgogne-wines.com

 

à votre santé!