The Cossy estate is based in the 1er Cru village of Jouy-lès-Reims – just a few minutes outside of the center of Reims, and dates to 1764. They started bottling under their own label in the 1950s, in addition to managing the Cooperative winemaking facility for their village and the neighboring hamlet of Pargny-lèsReims.
Sophie’s wines all clearly have a graceful, feminine touch. They are all from her estate vineyards within a kilometer or two of the winery, so they’re all from essentially the same terroir.
Combine the quality of its architecture with the quality of its world-famous wines and you will understand the nickname ‘The Gem of the Alsace Vineyards.’
Forks, Corks, and Brews officially launches their online presence
today. Co-founders Jackie and Wendy VanHatten encourage and educate their
readers by sharing recipes, kitchen secrets, and wine and beer pairings. They
also investigate San Diego’s coffee.
Creating real
food for the busy household that likes to entertain is their main focus.
However, food quality, efficiency, and sustainability are key to preparing
their cuisine. VanHatten says efficiency in the kitchen is the secret for busy
families. “Everyone is busy. That doesn’t mean quality meals get sacrificed. We
want our kids to know how to shop for sustainable ingredients and then cook a
tasty meal using those ingredients.”
As busy women,
Jackie and Wendy are the go-to source for cooking with real, wholesome food.
Follow along for their simple recipes, useful kitchen suggestions, and
straight-talk gadget reviews.
Sign up and
subscribe for the latest recipes, coffee trends, exclusive wine talk, and beer
buzz. Learn from their experience in the kitchen as their photographer
highlights the cooking process and the finished dish.
Cremant means creamy in
French and is the word used to denote sparkling wine made in the “Methode
Champenoise” in any region other than Champagne.
For instance, Cremant
de Loire is in the Loire area. Sparkling wines here are most likely made from
Chenin Blanc or Cabernet Franc grapes.
Cremant de Bourgogne
(Burgundy), Cremant de Jura, and Cremant d’Alsace are other regions. In the
Alsace it might be made from Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc or even Gewürztraminer.
Want to go wine tasting in St. Helena? Want to go somewhere with great wines and a view to match?
Look no further than Smith Madrone Winery. There are several
reasons it’s a favorite of ours.
First…the wines. Since there are slopes that seemingly face
every direction, this means different grapes get the exposure they need.
Eastern exposure for dry Rieslings, southern and western exposure for Cabs, and
cooler north-facing for their Chards.
Their wines are all made from the winery’s dry-farmed estate
vineyards. For those of you into soil…these are mostly deep-red Aiken Stoney
Clay. Volcanic rocks, sandstones, limestones, shale…just to name a few. This
certainly helps in the tastes of these wines.
Then, there’s the views. You’re at and elevation of 1,300 to
2,000 feet on Spring Mountain so you can see a long distance in just about
every direction.
When you visit, take some time to walk around the estate.
See if you can find the 120 year old Picholine Olive Trees. Then, wander into
the barn for some amazing wine tasting. This will be like no other wine tasting
in the Valley.
The people are just as great as their wines and the views.
Stuart Smith and Charles Smith III are down-to-earth guys who know their
business. It doesn’t hurt that Stu was named one of the wine industry’s post
inspirational people in 2018.
Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.
You will understand why we love the wines, the people, and
the experience.
If You Go: Smith Madrone Winery is located at 4022 Spring Mountain Road, St. Helena, California 94574.
Phone 707/963-2283; Fax 707/963-2291 www.smithmadrone.com, info@smithmadrone.com
They are open by appointment only
at 11:00 a.m. or 2:00 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday. There is a
tasting fee.
Dr. Konstantin Frank sparkling Brut is in my glass…and it’s
fantastic.
What is it? Where is it from?
Based in the Finger Lakes of New York, this is a winery we
discovered a few years ago. So much of it reminded us of the wines from the
Mosel River in Germany.
This could be due to the fact that Dr. Frank, an immigrant
from the Ukraine, used his knowledge of cold climate grape growing here in New
York.
The vineyards with the grapes for the sparkling wines were
planted in the late 1970s…just for the purpose of producing sparkling wines.
These grapes get handpicked and placed into small crates.
Extreme care in handling the clusters is essential for this wine. They use only
the first, most delicate pressing, the Cuvee. Secondary fermentation takes
place in the bottle, as per the traditional Methode Champenoise.
That might be more information than you want. Just know…it’s
fantastic, refreshing, and delicious. It makes my glass look pretty and my
mouth jump for joy.
WineSellar did it again. They won Best of Award of Excellence 2019
What does this
award mean?
These wine lists display excellent breadth across multiple wine growing regions
and/or significant vertical depth of top producers, along with superior
presentation. Typically offering 350 or more selections, these restaurants are
destinations for serious wine lovers, showing a deep commitment to wine, both
in the cellar and through their service team.
Only 1,244 restaurants were awarded this! With over 15 million restaurants
world wide that means 1 in every 12,000 restaurants have received this honor!
It could be why
we love this place! Lunch…dinner…or a bottle of wine…it’s all fantastic.
Who would have thought wines from Greece, Sicily, Georgia (the country), and Lebanon would be so interesting and tasty? They were.
What did we taste?
Malagouzia, a white Greek wine grape, from Domaine
Michaelidi. It was virtually extinct until Professor or Oenology Bassilis
Logothetis re-discovered it in Nafpaktia in 1983. Delicious, it reminded me of
a sauvignon blanc with a hint of semillion. Great for patio, pool, and summer.
Carricante, a white wine indigenous to Sicily, from
Cusumano, Alto Mora. Late-ripening and grown on the steep slopes of Mt. Etna,
it was a little more full-bodied. Don’t think chardonnay. Think a nice, food
friendly drink with a hint of minerality.
Saperavi, native to Georgia, from Doqi. It was acidic and
quite fruity, with a hint of oak. These grapes are also grown in the US in the
Finger Lakes region of New York.
The one from Lebanon was a blend of Cinsault, Syrah, Cab
from Chateau Musar in the Bekaa Valley. Lots of dark, red fruits came through
on this one. With a smooth finish, it would pair well with lamb or prosciutto.
So, when asked if I wanted to taste a white wine blend, of
course I said yes. Then I was told it was from Lodi. White wine from Lodi?
Don’t get me wrong. Lodi has some amazing wines. It’s just
that Lodi has been known for their Zins. Not whites. It is hot in Lodi, after
all. Not the climate you typically think of for whites. Or, is it?
Okay…let’s try it.
The first smell was not what I expected. The first sip was
even more different than I assumed it would be. In fact, it took me back to
France. Crisp and slightly fruity. Full mouth feel. Not in-your-face high
alcohol. Is this wine really from Lodi?
It turns out…yes.
The owner of Acquiesce Winery, Susan Tipton, makes her wines in the southern Rhone style. What does that mean? It means her vine cuttings started out in the famous region of Chateauneuf du Pape in France. Lodi’s sandy soils, hot days, and cool, evening Delta breeze are a great place for these vines to flourish. It means she also has to pay attention to the wines. She picks her grapes early to avoid overripe fruit.
What did we taste? Grenache Blanc, Picpoul Blanc, Clairette
Blancke, Viognier, and Grenache. All stellar, well-made wines that just caress
your palette. Not an oaky Chardonnay nor a grassy Sauvignon Blanc to be found.
It’s no wonder she sells out every year.
And, Lodi. Well…before Zins were popular here, Chenin Blanc
was the leading varietal.
If you haven’t visited Lodi, you might be surprised to learn
there are 110,000 acres of wine grapes in the Lodi Appellation. That’s more
than Napa and Sonoma combined.
