By
Jim Clarke
August 2007
Sparkling: "Primo Franco" Prosecco di Valdobbiadene 2006, Veneto, Italy
Last month I mentioned how second generation winemaker Willy Frank
made sparkling wines his specialty at Constantin Frank
Wine Cellars, even bottling his bubbly under a different label,
Chateau Frank. So what do you do if your father already makes sparkling
wines? Primo Franco took over from his father Nino about ten years
ago, and while he hasn’t renamed the winery, he has developed
his own cuvée as part of the portfolio. (He also helps run
the Prosecco di Valdobbiadene DOC, so he does have some other things
to keep him occupied.) The ‘Primo Franco’ cuvée
is an elegant and fruity Prosecco, with peach, tangerine, and floral
aromas and a smooth finish – a pleasing contrast to the more
minerally “Rustico” cuvée.
Serve with: Mildly spicy Asian dishes Jack
Yoss’ Thai Curry Soup with Marinated Shellfish
More from Northern Italy: Valtellina
White: Domaine Sigalas
Santorini Barrel 2006, Santorini, Greece
A balanced, pleasing use of oak is often a rarity in up-and-coming
wine regions, especially with white wines; heck, even established
areas have producers who get carried away. Paris Sigalas seems to
have the knack, though, and tasteful barrel fermentation and sur-lie
aging has given this wine a creamy, rich texture that never gets
too out of control. Part of that is probably choosing the right
grape; Assyrtiko clings to its acidity even when fully ripened,
keeping the wine lively and fresh – and allowing the grape’s
tropical fruit aromas to prevail over oakiness.
Serve with: Firm-fleshed white fish Alessandro
Stratta’s Sea Bass with Mediterranean Vegetable Salsa
More Greek Wines: Moschofilero
Red: Domaine Fourrier
Gevrey-Chambertin “Clos St. Jacques” 1er Cru 2004, Burgundy,
France
The Clos St. Jacques cru has gotten, well, not a bad wrap,
but it did miss out when the vineyards of Gevrey-Chambertin were
being classified. Basically, someone decided that if a vineyard
wasn’t adjacent to their namesake treasure Chambertin, south
of the village itself, it couldn’t be Grand Cru. Clos St.
Jacques is on the slopes west of the village, giving it good drainage
and great sun exposure – all it needs to create Grand Cru
quality wines, according to many. Fourrier’s 2004 bottling
lives up to that potential: lots of earth and dark fruit, with touches
of smoke and licorice as well. With complexity, poise, and great
length, this wine is showing well now but will certainly develop
in the cellar for years to come.
Serve with: Mushrooms Barbara
Scott-Goodman’s Risotto with Porcini and Portobello Mushrooms
More from Burgundy: Summer Wines 2007
Dessert: Sheldrake
Point Riesling Icewine 2004, Finger Lakes, New York
Canada has made quite a name for its icewines, but it’s not
the only place where grapes can freeze on the vine. Over the border
in upstate New York, some producers are taking advantage of cold,
early winter weather to make their own delicious dessert wines.
Sheldrake Point juts out into Cayuga Lake; the water moderates air
temperatures, which help develop ripeness during the growing season,
but it’s not enough to keep the grapes from icing up come
December. Freezing away the much of the grape’s water content
concentrates the sugars, flavors, and acidity, making for a rich,
intense, and balanced wine. It bears Riesling’s signature
peach and dried apricot aromas, supported on the palate by notes
of caramel and butterscotch. Despite the sweetness, its finish is
clean and lengthy.
Serve with: Fruit tart the
CIA’s Pear and Blue Cheese Tart
More sweetness: Affordable
Dessert Wine
Beer: Full Sail Pale
Ale, Hood River, Oregon
Pale ale is the centerpiece for many American microbreweries; it
should be flavorful, but not too hoppy or biting – easy to
drink, but with real flavor, complexity, and body. For years Full
Sail’s Pale Ale has been easy to find in the brewpubs in the
Northwest, and not just because the triple internal rhyme of the
name sticks in your head. It’s a medium-bodied beer, with
a slight sweetness cut by a fragrant touch of hops. There are notes
of citrus, fresh bread and caramel on the palate, and it finishes
cleanly.
Serve with: Swordfish David
Lentz’s Grilled Marlin with Cranberry Beans, Leeks, and Pappardelle
More Oregon beer: Rogue
Ales
Spirit: Tori Kai Shochu
(Distilled Sake), Japan
Shochu can be made from a number of things ranging from sweet potatoes
to grains to brown sugar; the Tori Kai looks to sake for its model
and goes for 100% rice. It’s vodka, essentially, but Japanese
tradition aims for a lower alcohol product – about 25% instead
of 40% or so – and more flavor. The Tori Kai shows notes of
lemon, melon, and a little bit of pineapple, with more body and
texture than most vodkas. That textural element makes it a bit more
interesting to drink neat or on the rocks; in cocktails it adds
interest as a secondary ingredient, but can be a bit too weighty
as the primary liquor.
More from Japan: Hitachino
Nest Beers |
