Wines Off The Beaten Path: Southwest France

The Jurancon is the third from the left

Recently I was able to attend a tasting at Astor Center with MS Fred Dexheimer for Spring Wines. Instead of the usual Roses, Fred presented us with a bunch of unique wines. One varietal I became introduced to was Jurançon, from Southwest France.  

And by Southwest I mean Southwest, way west of Languedoc. There are experts in French wine that have never heard of Jurançon.

And that’s a shame because it’s quite a psychedelic wine. First, it smells totally insane. I mean it’s fragrant and smells like candy or honey. But crazy, tripped-out candy and honey.

Tasting there is mouth-watering acidity. Fred would recommend this with pate or foie gras. In fact, this region is famous for solely living off Jurançon and these very meals. Talk about a rich life!

Fun Fact: Henry IV was baptized with Jurançon.

What the heck is Zweigelt?

The hills are alive... and growing grapes!

Recently I decided I wanted to try some Austrian wines. Everybody associates Austria with Grüner Veltliner, but I wanted a wine even more off the beaten both. And this was how I came to try my first glass of Zweigelt.

This is actually a hybrid grape that results from crossing Blaüfrankisch and St. Laurent. The grape is gaining some traction in the cooler climate vineyards of Canada and Northern Europe. Because this is so not a warm weather wine, the tannins are very soft. And yet there’s some texture there with hints of dark cherry and raspberry. I tried a glass of Glatzer Zweigelt Dornenvogel 2005, the vineyard’s reserve. Even though it’s aged in Amerian oak I didn’t get much of the sweeter flavors. Instead I felt a nice aroma of spice and earthiness.

It’s certainly a very interesting wine, and one that I’m looking forward to exploring more.

Exploring Wine at La Silhouette

Located at 362 West 53rd

Recently opened on 53^rd Street in Hell’s Kitchen, La Silhouette is the latest entry in French haute cuisine in the Theater District. Yesterday a friend and I dined here prior to seeing a show at 8 pm. (FYI: House of Blue Leaves is seriously good.)

From the former General Manager of Le Bernardin, La Silhouette needs some work on décor but the actual menu is amazing. I personally recommend both the Wild Burgundy Snail Risotto and the Mustard Crusted Lamb Loin. The wine list is a little less robust than other high-profile restaurants but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some stellar options.

Sommelier Doreen Walker is recently new to the city (she had previously been at Steak Frites) but I was very impressed by the collection of French wines, particularly from Burgundy and Bordeaux.

The two of us yesterday selected the 2007 Private Reserve Margaux, by Chateau Kirwan. This wine paired perfectly with my lamb since it was fuller-bodied and definitely on the dryer side. There was a very earthy note that I detected with some nice spices and rosy flavors. The tannins were very smooth and I would have definitely enjoyed this wine just on its own.

So if you find yourself in the Theater District, over that cluster**** of Times Square and make a reservation at La Silhouette!

Spring Wines

Spring!

Over the weekend I attended a gathering in New York devoted to Spring wines. Thank goodness this was actually a stupendous weekend full of sunshine that felt like Spring.

The only white wine I tried was Jacob’s Creek Barossa Steingarten Riesling 2006. The color is very pale, described by the tasting notes as “straw-green.” There was a strong hint of a lime aroma with a very medium-level of acidity. I tasted a little bit of spice which made it a unique Riesling. I enjoyed it very much and would love to pair this with a light seafood.

Probably the standout wine of the evening according to the crowd was Chateau de Macard Bordeaux Superior 2009. This is a stellar blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s very ripe with a texture of blackberry and blueberry. The bouquet smells exquisite. The tasting notes also mentioned a hint of maduro tobacco. Extremely nice finish!

However my favorite wine of the evening was the Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha 2008. The Garnacha grape is extremely underrated. I think in the next five years it’s going to have a strong surge of popularity. The hints of black cherry and earth were magnificent. I would like to have this wine every night!

Enjoy spring (finally!)