By
Jim Clarke
July 2007
Sparkling: Sparkling: Chateau
Frank Celebre NV (Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars) Finger
Lakes, New York
Two generations of pioneering work come together here. Dr. Konstantin
Frank was the leader in planting vinifera grapes into the Finger
Lakes, introducing techniques he had learned and developed in the
Ukraine to help the vines survive the harsh winters. His son Willy
began making sparkling wines under the Chateau Frank label as his
own project. The Celebre uses Dr. Frank’s most successful
vinifera grape in sparkling form; it shows floral, lemon, and baking
spices on the nose, and broadens into brioche and honey notes on
the palate. It’s light-bodied and elegant, with good focus
and length. Chateau Frank makes several sparklers, many using traditional
Champagne varieties, but this is my favorite to date.
Serve with: Omelettes and other egg dishes
Scott
Campbell’s Poached Eggs with Smoked Salmon and Hollandaise
More from New York: Beachfront
Wines
White: Albariño
de Fefiñanes 2005, Rias Baixas, Spain
Fefiñanes consistently makes one of the most elegant Albariños
around; the winery is set in a wing of the Marqués de Figueroa
family’s 17th century palace, and the wines reflect their
aristocratic pedigree. The 2005 is medium-bodied, with good length
and clean, crisp acidity. It has a satisfying mix of flavors: apricot
and a granite minerality at its core, with complementary notes of
clove, hazelnut, and a touch of vanilla.
Serve with: Seafood Robert
del Grande’s Seared Scallops with Avocado Relish
More from Galicia: Rias
Baixas
Red: Cantina Zaccagnini
‘Dal Tracetto’ Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Reserva
2003, Abruzzo, Italy
I’ve always had a soft spot for the Montepulciano grape;
its chunky, dark fruit character carries itself like a friendly,
lumbering Labrador puppy, and it’s handy to have around when
you need help explaining what you mean by a “rustic”
red. Happily, there are also a few producers who demonstrate that
Montepulciano is also capable of richness, grace, and maturity,
even in a hot vintage like 2003. The Zaccagnini has plenty of black
plum, cherry, and spicy notes; it’s full-bodied and quite
smooth, with well-integrated tannins and length.
Serve with: Boar or venison Lidia
Bastianich’s Venison Ossobuco with Spaetzle
More Italian Reds: Carmignano
Dessert: Laurent Perrier
Demi-Sec, Champagne, France
Is this sweet enough to put in the dessert category? It is in the
summer, certainly, when it’s nice to finish a meal with something
sweet, but a rich botrysized or fortified wine might be too much.
Refreshing bubbles and a softening touch of sugar are more like
it. The Laurent Perrier Demi-Sec starts with some peach, floral,
and lemon curd aromas on the nose and then deepens on the palate
into notes of hazelnut and honey. It’s quite soft, but acidity
and refined bubbles keep it clean and refreshing.
Serve with: Key lime pie Norman
van Aken’s Frozen Lime Souffle
More from France: French
Dessert Wines
Beer: Staropramen Premium
Lager, Czech Republic
This was a fave of mine when I lived in London; after the pubs closed,
the usual way to continue the party was to head out for a curry
– restaurants were allowed to continue serving beer as long
as they also served food, and many of my vindaloos and jalfrezis
were accompanied by Staropramen. I only recently rediscovered it
here in the U.S.; it has the hoppy bite that has made its compatriot
Pilsener Urquell so distinctive, but is a bit softer and fuller,
which makes it good for extinguishing heat – from a curry,
the stovetop, or the sun.
Serve with: Indian cuisine Atul
Kocchar’s Coconut Lobster Curry
More from Eastern Europe: Tokaji
Spirit: Gran Centenario
Plata, Mexico
There’s a danger sometimes in attaching quality to the expense
that goes into making something. For example, reposado and añejo
tequilas tend to overshadow the “simpler” silver tequilas.
They cost more to make because of the barrel-aging, but the difference
is ultimately more one of style than quality. A top-notch silver
tequila like the Gran Centenario has all the quality of its barrel-aged
relations, but focuses on the flavors of the agave itself. That
means lots of fruit – citrus, pear, and melon – as well
as earthy undertones and a good dose of white pepper. Far superior
to reposados and añejos in a margarita or other cocktails
(where the oak-derived flavors can often be clumsy), this plata
also has the complexity to be enjoyed on its own.
More Mexican Spirits: Del
Maguey Mezcal |
