Are there Angels in Provence   ???

Yes most definitely yes,  a certain alluring and bewitching corner of  Provence has thousands of Angels, all pink with shimmering and enriching qualities. So captivating and ideal are the conditions in this magical corner of South East France that these celestial Angels secretly keep reproducing around the same time each year when the warm, misty, quiet mornings of autumn prevail. Although these Angels from Provence can be mysterious, enchanting and unquestionably unique, they are generally accessible to us Homo Sapiens, but like all known Angels in limited quantities only.

 Some say Angels are divine messengers from heaven and portray paragons of virtue. Our Angels are certainly divine, heavenly, full of virtue and contain the purity of inner beings. Our special Angel is the “Whispering Angel” from Chateau d’ Esclans  nestling on the outskirts of the charming village of La Motte, not too far from the well known coastal town of St. Tropez in Provence. “Whispering Angels”are born out of old grenache vines and live in the splendour of one of  the most beautiful chateaux in the whole of France, these Angels lead a great life which can now be shared with you.

“Whispering Angel” is part of a kindred family with a distinguished hierarchy and substantial pedigree. This family is made up of the Finest Rose Wines in the World, Rose Wines of such class they need to be tasted to be believed. “Whispering Angel” belongs to a family (excuse the gender) made up of  the mother, the grandmother and the great grandmother as follows:

     Chateau d’Esclans,  Whispering Angel,  is the beautiful baby

     Chateau d’Esclans,  Esclans,   is the gorgeous mother

     Chateau d’Esclans,   Les Clans,  is the gracious grandmother

     Chateau d’Esclans,  Garrus,  is the resplendent great grandmother

How do we describe these extraordinary wines which grace the tables of many of the worlds finest Hotels and Restaurants, maybe first we should highlight the exceptional people behind this remarkable estate. It’s a huge challenge to turn a wine grouping like rose whose reputation as a good quaffing wine is ok, but not great, into a wine of substance that can now sit comfortably at the same table with great red and white wines like those from Bordeaux and Burgundy. This challenge was taken up by Sacha Lichine the owner of Chateau d’ Esclans and the son of the distinguished wine writer and past owner of Chateau Prieure Lichine in Margaux, Alexis Lichine.

Sacha is the driving force behind this accomplished enterprise, his intense belief that rose wines could be propelled high up in the league of fine wine is equally matched by the investment he has committed and the astute move to persuade Patrick Leon out of retirement to take the lead as head winemaker. Patrick Leon  one of the worlds leading winemakers has been a family friend for many decades and was before his original retirement the chief winemaker at Chateau Mouton-Rothschild and one of Patrick’s many claims to fame was his lead role with Robert Mondavi in developing Opus One at the Napa Valley winery in California, now one of the worlds greatest wines. With a great believer and a great winemaker success was inevitable.

If we can get a little technical and discuss the actual wines and bearing in mind the significant variation in costs, then the inevitable question that comes to mind is what is the difference between Chateau d’Esclans and other Provence roses and what are the differences between Chateau d’Esclans’s own four roses.

 Its important we highlight the main differences between Chateau d’Esclans and other top Provence estates. First the Chateau predominatly uses Grenache from vines up to eighty years old for all of the four roses they produce and using this grape variety is unique in its own right.

 Secondly they adopted a unique process to Provence whereby  85 to 90 percent of all four roses are made from “free run juice” and limited very light and soft pneumatic pressings of between 0 to 2 bar for the remainder of the process.

The third major initiative is the meticulous and lengthy process of temperature control which starts with early morning harvesting with ice packs in each of the pickers basket, the grapes are then chilled before a short maceration process, then the juice is free run via gravity and the grapes own natural weight before a very limited and light pressing. The cooling process continues in the fermenting halls via refrigerated steel vats and yet another unique system for the wines stored in burgundy barrels, these barrels have cooling tubes located through the centre which manages a slow fermentation over 3 to 4 months which in turn produces special wines of great taste, complexity and fragrant aromas unlike no other Rose Wines in the World.

The select processes and creativity mentioned above are not only very uncommon in wine making, but very time consuming and costly and only by tasting the wines can one realize the significant difference between the rose wines of Chateau d’Esclans and other best in class growers. Skill, effort and commitment  always reward in the end.

The following provides more detail regarding the individual wines:

Chateau d’Esclans,  Whispering Angel—the grapes are selected from the south exposure of the vineyard. The grape varieties utilized are Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvedre and Rolle (Vermentino). Maceration is at 10-12 C to extract maximum aromas. The assemblage has been made without barrel fermentation to keep the freshness and all the fruit flavours. This is a beautiful wine, delicately scented with lovely flavours and enchanting aromatics. Soft and round it displays layers of exotic and seductive fruit.

Chateau d’Esclans,  Esclans—the grapes are selected from the best sections of the chateau, mainly from a south east exposure. 80 year old Grenache provides 39% of the juice, the balance of the Grenache being selected from 30 to 40 year old vines, some Rolle (Vermentino) is utilized to provide balance to the blend. The grapes are sorted manually three times with maceration following at 10 to 12 C to extract maximum aromas. The wine is partly vinified in demi-muids (500 to 600 litres barrels). The bottle bouquet of this class rose wine is powerful with an abundance of honey and melon sweet- smelling fruit. The underlying wine has an inner core of sumptuous and well proportioned fruit and acidity and a just fabulous finish.
 

Chateau d’Esclans,   Les Clans—the grapes are selected from the best south east parts of the vineyard. Grenache is the primary grape variety with 45% harvested from 80 year old vines. A little Rolle (Vermentino) being included to balance the blend. The grapes are tasted and bunches individually selected all by hand in the vineyard early morning before moving on to the winery. Maceration takes place at 10 to 12 C to extract maximum aromas and then only free run juice is selected before pressing. Vinification is exclusively in demi-muids (500 and 600 litres barrels) for 7 months with burgundian style batonnage. This remarkable wine will age well for up to 5 years. A gorgeously complex wine with exceptional richness. This rose wine exhibits huge amounts of fragrance, admirable levels of concentrated fruit with a lovely long lasting fresh finish.

Chateau d’Esclans,  Garrus—the grapes are selected from the best south east parts of the vineyard and harvested at optimum maturity. Grenache is the primary grape variety with 48% harvested from 80 year old vines. A little Rolle (Vermentino) being included to balance the blend. The grapes are tasted and bunches individually selected all by hand in the vineyard early morning before moving on to the winery. Maceration takes place at 10 to 12 C to extract maximum aromas and then only free run juice is selected before pressing. Vinification is exclusively in demi-muids (500 and 600 litres barrels) for 8 months with burgundian style batonnage. This top cuvee will age well for up to 5 years. Yes, stunningly opulent and sensationally concentrated, yet very cultured, this monumental rose has such intense flavours which release magnificent and compelling quotas of fruit as the wine leisurely cascades over the palate, with a gorgeous finish that  lasts for ever and ever.

Remember— Agnetha, Anni-Frid, Benny and Bjorn all believed in Angels

 
HAPPY  WHISPERING ANGEL DAYS

GRAHAM  D

(continuation from blog  “ Food and Wine pairing”  dated  2nd June  2009)

INTRODUCTION:—–this blog and the many more following will examine the pleasurable and often complex relationship between good food and wine, with the ultimate aim to assist our many discerning customers evolve the convivial bonding of good food and wine.

FOOD BEING FEATURED:—–CHICKEN, including ROAST CHICKEN, DEEP FRIED CHICKEN and GRILLED or BARBECUED CHICKEN.  ( roast or grilled guinea fowl would also be a good alternative )

CHALLENGES:—–chicken plainly cooked or grilled without strong herbs or spices is the perfect white meat to match most red, white or rose wines ( not sweet wines ). In fact these dishes are so wine friendly you can feel most confident in selecting one of your own favourite wines and to fully enjoy the pairing.

RECOMMENDATIONS:—–my favourites for matching chicken dishes are many and the following three come highly recommended. First would be a light fruity red from the Beaujolais Cru region, a Julienas from Domaine de la Vieille Tour Ronde,  there would be perfect harmony between the light, long lasting subtle flavours of the gamay grape with all the chicken dishes mentioned above.

My second selection would be a stunning roses from Provence in the South of France, Whispering Angel from Chateau d’Esclans. A little expensive for a rose you may well say, but roses from Chateau d’Esclans are in a class of their own and will turn a simple chicken dish into a banquet fit for kings.

For my third choice I have selected a New World white wine from Monterey California, a Hayes Ranch Pinot Grigio. This light buttery wine is much softer than its Italian cousin and has a long, lingering fruit driven aftertaste that goes very well with most chicken dishes hot or cold.

MAIN DIRECTORY:—–click on http://ahadleigh-wine.com/marriageoffoodandwine.php  to access our quick search facility to locate hundreds of other food/wine/food pairing options, including hors-d’oeuvres, starters, soups, main courses and deserts. Also http://ahadleigh-wine.com/cheese/ for cheese and wine pairing.

NEXT ARTICLE:—–Medium style curry, including chicken, lamb, prawn and vegetable.
 

HAPPY  CHICKEN AND WINE PAIRING DAYS

Graham D

Following my previous article  please find some more  interesting  information to help our many customers and followers enjoy the matching of  quality cheese and wine. The main purpose of this article is to highlight generic groups of wines and to match them to their most suited cheese types.

It should be noted that the balance of flavours is paramount and the following table is only intended as helpful suggestions, but please do experiment and I am sure you, your family and friends will not only succeed in matching good cheese and wines to suit yourselves, but you will certainly enjoy the process of seeking natural partners.

RED RHONE———HARD and BLUE types such as traditional Single and Double Gloucester or Dorset Blue Viney.

RED PIEDMONT———SEMI  HARD types like Farmhouse Mature Cheddar or Cheshire

RED TUSCANY———HARD and SEMI HARD types such as Parmagiano Reggiano or Lanchashire

RED BORDEAUX———SOFT and BLUE types such as Bresse Blue or Munster

RED BEAUJOLAIS———SOFT CREAMY types such as Reblochon or Wensleydale

RED BURGUNDY———HARD or BLUE types such as Jarlsberg or Blue Stilton

RED NEW WORLD———HARD and SEMI HARD types such as Cheddar, Gruyere and Jarlsberg

RED RIOJA & RIBERA———HARD types such as Manchego or Orkney Smoked Cheddar

WHITE BORDEAUX (DRY)———GOAT and SOFT types such as Ireland’s Mine-Gabhar Goat’s Cheese and Valencay

WHITE BURGUNDY———HARD types such as Cheddar and Red Liecester

NEW WORLD SAUVIGNON BLANC———GOAT and HARD types such as Cheshire and Lairobell

NEW WORLD CHARDONNAY———HARD and SOFT types such as Reblochon or Mozzarella di Buffalo Campara

DRY ALSACE AND RIESLING——— SOFT and HARD types such as Emmenthal or Rind Wrapped Farmhouse Cheddar

ROSE———SOFT and INTENSE types such as Blue Cheshire and Gournay Affine

CHAMPAGNE & SPARKLING——— SOFT and FIRM types such as Brie, Camembert and Saint Paulin

DESSERT & LATE HARVEST WINES———SOFT, BLUE and INTENSE types such as Roquefort or Pont L’Eveque

RICH & SWEET SHERRY ———BLUE or INTENSE types such as St Agur, Gorganzola and Wensleydale Blue

DRY SHERRY———HARD and INTENSE types such as Goats Cheese, Cheddar matured for at least six months and Manchego

PORT——— BLUE or INTENSE types as St Agur, Stilton and Cashel Blue

MADEIRA———HARD and SEMI HARD types such as Gruyere and Derby

MARSALA———BLUE and INTENSE types such as Oak Smoked Cheddar and Roquefort

Go to http://ahadleigh-wine.com/cheese/ and review the many other cheeses with their matching wines.

 Watch out soon for our 3rd article on cheese and wine pairing.

HAPPY CHEESE AND WINE DAYS

GRAHAM D

There are a huge range of malt whiskies on the market these days, and one of the notable aspects of this, is the diverse range of styles of whisky, dependent upon location and production. Within this, many distilleries develop, along with their traditional styles many experimental casks and bottlings, thus consistently challenging our taste buds, and perceptions of whisky as a whole. One of the distilleries at the forefront of such experimentation is Bruichladdich, who produce an excellent standard range alongside many limited bottlings of very differing whiskies.

The Bruichladdich distillery began in 1881 and produced traditional Islay style whiskies until 1994 when, due to various buy outs, the distillery was closed. This remained the case until 2000, when a group of investors purchased the distillery, renovated and updated the place and reopened in 2001. The new owners pride themselves on Bruichladdich being Scotland’s ‘purest malt,’ free from chill filtration, colouring and homogenisation. Due to the nature of Bruichladdich’s production and experimentation some of the whiskies in this blog are very limited, but were all available at the time of writing.

For an excellent introduction to this distillery’s offerings, the Bruichladdich Waves 7 Years Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky, is bursting with cranberry, vanilla, raisin and peat smoke and is an exquisite round Islay style but with a soft mouthfeel.

 Bruichladdich Second Edition 12 Years Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky is matured in bourbon casks which give this malt a strong creamy vanilla tang. This is a light style of Islay though and as such works well as an aperitif.

A couple of further aged bottlings which are excellent include the Bruichladdich Second Edition 15 Years Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky, which has a delicate coastal nose, with hints of apricots, followed up on the palate by marmalade and pepper. This is a restrained Islay, and an elegant offering from the range. The Bruichladdich Single Malt Scotch Whisky 20 Years Old, likewise has an elegance and youthfulness which defies its age, but has a more buttery palate and a concentrated yet distant hint of smoke, a most luxurious and succulent malt.

For those who prefer a richer, rounder style of malt, try the Bruichladdich Single Malt Scotch Whisky 18 Years Old.  This fantastic dram is aged in bourbon casks for 18 years before further ageing in auslese and pinot noir casks, resulting in a remarkably fruity and complex whisky with a hint of sweetness balancing the gentle smoke.

Bruichladdich Infinity Single Malt Scotch Whisky is a crisp yet fruity style with smooth pear notes intermingled with smoke and vanilla. This is a blended malt from the distillery and perhaps has a more typical Islay style due to the pronounced peat.

Of very limited quantities, the Bruichladdich Single Malt Scotch Whisky 16 Years Old Cuvee  Margaux  is a bourbon aged malt which is then introduced to further ageing in Chateau Margaux casks. Part of the ‘Bordeaux first growth’ series this is lightly peated with vanilla tones and a wine fruit character.

The highest echelon in the Bruichladdich range is the ‘legacy series,’ highly limited  malts which date from the pre 2000 purchase of the distillery. These are of course no longer in production and most of them are now sold out. The whiskies are presented in beautiful tins depicting paintings by the artist Frances Mcdonald. Two special examples of these are the Bruichladdich Single Malt Scotch Whisky 32 Years Old Legacy Series Four, which is sublimely soft sweet and fruity with an integration of honey and almonds, and a pleasing oak backbone. There were just 900 bottles of this made.

 Bruichladdich Single Malt Scotch Whisky , Legacy Series Six 34 Years Old is a marriage of casks dating from 1965, 1970 and 1970, and is an incredibly mellow dram with hints of cinnamon spice, vanilla and mint, and is a collectors dream. This is the last of the legacy series and there were 1700 bottles made.

Other limited Bruichladdich bottlings include the impressive Bruichladdich Redder Still Single Malt Scotch Whisky. This is a 22 year old malt aged in bourbon casks before enhancement in Chateau Lafleur Pomerol casks. Smooth and silky with hints of red fruit and vanilla, with a lovely malted barley finish, this malt is recommended with a drop of spring water (it is cask strength at 50.5%), to really expose the layers of nuanced character.

For those who would like to sample a real pile driver from the distillery, try to get your hands on the powerful Bruichladdich Port Charlotte PC6 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, which is packed with smouldering peat, bonfire smoke and sweet citrus.  This is simply an awesome expression of what Islay malt is all about, but retains the innovative character that this brilliant distillery prides itself on.

Any of these malts will give whisky connoisseurs great pleasure, and due to the continual developments of the distillery, and the diversity of the products on offer, I would strongly recommend regular visits to the Alexander Hadleigh website, to ensure one does not miss out on new and limited bottlings when they are released.

HAPPY BRUICHLADDICH DAYS

JAMES  M
 

(continuation from blog  “ Food and Wine pairing ”  dated 29th May 2009)

INTRODUCTION:—–this blog and the many more following will examine the pleasurable and often complex relationship between good food and wine, with the ultimate aim to assist our many discerning customers evolve the convivial bonding of good food and wine.

FOOD BEING FEATURED:—–ROAST LAMB, GRILLED LAMB CHOPS, SHOULDER and NECK of LAMB DISHES  and LAMB KEBABS.  ( roast or grilled kid would also be a good alternative )

CHALLENGES:—–not too difficult with simply cooked red meats like lamb, although certain cuts of lamb can have a slightly more fattier taste when compared to beef or venison, bearing this comment in mind I would suggest fairly big red wines with a little cutting edge to match cuts like neck or shoulder. If we are considering the leaner cuts of meat  like roast leg of lamb, grilled leg of lamb steaks or chops then softer reds come into play with a lot more confidence.

RECOMMENDATIONS:—–New World Merlots such as Kono Merlot from New Zealand or Wakefield Merlot from Australia go beautifully with the leaner cuts of lamb grilled or roasted. The merlot combination has to be one of the best, although a merlot blended with a little cabernet sauvignon can also do the trick.

With shoulder or neck of lamb and lamb kebabs I would recommend trying the luscious fruity red  Domaine de Madame from the scenic  Costieres de Nimes in the South of France, or even a full bodied White Chateauneuf-du-Pape like Domaine Saint Benoit. Both wines effortlessly  compliment the hardy dishes in question.

If you are planning a big hearty lamb stew or casserole then try a not too expensive Cabernet Sauvignon like Chateau Haut Pougnan from Bordeaux or a Wente Cabernet Sauvignon from San Francisco Bay. Like all cabernet sauvignon wines they possess the extra tannin required to match the richness of these fine traditional lamb dishes.

MAIN DIRECTORY:—-click on http://ahadleigh-wine.com/wine-and-food/  to access our quick search facility to locate hundreds of other food/wine/food pairing options, including hors-d’oeuvres, starters, soups, main courses and deserts. Also  http://ahadleigh-wine.com/cheese/ for cheese and wine pairing.

NEXT ARTICLE:—–Chicken  including roast chicken, deep fried chicken and grilled or barbecued chicken.
 

HAPPY  ROAST LAMB AND WINE PAIRING DAYS.

Graham D