Ladies and gentlemen, I have found my new sausage wine! I cannot tell you how happy this makes me. Why? I have a couple reasons. First, I love sausage. Juicy chunks of pork, fat, garlic, spices and goodness wrapped inside a casing. Second, the blissful flavor that oozes after snaping into a freshly grilled specimen is virtually unparalleled in the sensory world. To fully enjoy these fatty, salty, oozing flavors, washing it down with something complimentary is a must. For the standard brat, I’ve been all about a Riesling Kabinett, but alas, I’ve found my new Summer sausage staple: Vouvray.
Vouvray is an area in the Loire Valley region of France that produces white wine from the Chenin Blanc grape. While it is Chenin Blanc wine, it is named “Vouvray” after the area the grapes are grown and the wine is produced. I know, a bit confusing. Is it Chenin Blanc or Vouvray? The answer is “yes”. Perhaps think of it like this: Chablis is a type of Chardonnay made in the French town of Chablis; Champagne hails from the Champagne region. [Or, perhaps consider that Milwaukee’s Best originates from, well, you know.]
Alright, let’s get back to this wine. Many folks like Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. Vouvray is like a marriage of the two. It’s qualities vary depending on climate and soil. The one I am digging on right now is La Forcine demi-sec. “Demi-sec” literally translates to “medium-dry”. (Think of it more like “medium-sweet”.) This Vouvray is refreshing with fragrances and tastes of green apple and pineapple. It is lively with a medium-body (unlike a Chardonnay, which is heavier) with acidity and sweetness balancing one another.
This wine is a marvelous value at around $13. I’m surprised this wine isn’t well known, or widely available in restaurants, as it’s so food friendly. The subtly sweet tastes, combined with the apple and pineapple flavors, pair amply with fatty boombalatty sausages. I recently scored bacon/cheddar brats from Nueske’s- truly a match made in heaven. If you don’t often have the privilege of driving across Central Wisconsin (sarcasm, anyone?) and stop at Nueske’s in Wittenberg, I say pick up your favorite butcher’s sausages, grill ‘em up and toast with this Vouvray. Before long, you’ll be licking your fingers, and when no one is looking, the rim of your glass.
I’m not a slacker. An imbiber, yes, but not a slacker. My day job event planning for a major non-profit in town kept me away from writing a red or white review last week. (Note: not drinking, just writing.) Please accept my heart-healthy apologies.
To make it up to you, let’s kick off the weekend with a white wine that is sure to tickle your fancy parts. This week’s white belongs to Cortese [kor TAY zay] di Gavi, aka “Gavi”. It’s a white wine produced in the Piedmont, North West region of Italy. Cortese grapes live along sloping vineyards close to Italy’s Ligurian region [Mediterranean Coastal area], where Genova resides (in 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue. Well, he didn’t set sail from Genova, but Cristoforo Colombo was from this area)
Why does any of this matter? Because the grapes are going to get hit with wafting, salty seaside breezes influencing their flavor with hints of tartness and a slight dryness.
Don’t get turned off by what I just said, this is a terrific Summer wine that’s just begging to be paired with grilled fish, or my favorite, pesto. Think about it: wine that is made near the seaside is probably best had with frutta di mare (literally translated, fruit of the sea, or seafood). Plus, “real” pesto hails from Genova, so it’s not coincidentally, a perfect marriage.
This white wine is pale straw in color with scents of citrus fruits (think lemons & limes). It isn’t an overly fruity wine, but has a hint of minerality and mild acidic tartness that snaps back. Not strongly-just enough to give the wine some character. It’s lively but in a laid back sort of way. If you are a Pinot Grigio fan, give this a try and I think you may have a new favorite. It’s aged in stainless steel tanks which lends itself to a refreshingly smooth lemony taste and dare I say it transports you to the Mediterranean shores of Italy. I’m imagining laying out on one of those rented beach chaise lounges. Uninhibited, I take my top off and let the strong Mediterranean sun bake me golden. (Nevermind that I’m a shy, pale redhead; that sun would destroy me.)
So, let’s talk food pairing. I’d soooo dig this with sautéed calamari. Scusi in St. Paul has a nice dish of sautéed calamari that would pair well. This wine is so perfect for pasta with pesto, I cannot stand it. The lemony, refreshing dry-sweetness balances the smooth, herby, garlicy pesto sauce. Mmmmhmmmm.
If you don’t grow your own basil, SHAME ON YOU! But, perhaps I’ll forgive you if you pick some up this Spring and use it to make your own pesto. Throw it in ice cube trays and freeze it for a rainy day. It’s pretty easy and it tastes so much better than pesto from a jar. If you’re real short on time, though, I really like Pesto alla Genova carried at Lund’s & Byerly’s stores. It’s a teeny-tiny jar for a whole lot of money but often it’s on sale for $8.
Here’s the quick, down & dirty pesto method:
A couple BIG handfuls of fresh basil leaves
A handful of pine nuts, lightly toasted
A couple garlic cloves
A small hunk of Parmigiano cheese
Put it all in a blender and slowly drizzle in olive oil until you get a consistency you like.
Toss it over your favorite pasta and grate some fresh Parmigiano Reggiano on top. Pour yourself a glass of Gavi and you have a real meal. So simple, but the flavors will knock your socks off. No restaurant can give you that satisfaction, and we’ll just forget about last week.
Region: Russian River Valley in Sonoma, California
Vintage: 2007
Fritz Chardonnay
The Fritz Chardonnay
Golden glowing in my glass
Lemony smooth love
This wine is so delightful that it made me write a haiku. Remember writing haikus in school? I loved it. What a great exercise to tell a story within a concise 5/7/5 phrasing. I believe the haiku once was the Japanese equivalent to Twitter.
I could wax on and on about this but instead, let me introduce you to one of my favorite wines. First, a disclosure: I’m not a huge Chardonnay drinker. Perhaps this is why I hold this special wine so near and dear to my heart. Second, I don’t know ONE person who doesn’t love this wine. I’d even go so far as to say that this wine was the impetus to start this whole Savvy Lush endeavor!
Flashback almost three years ago, I was perusing the St. Anthony Village Municipal’s (aka “The Muni” or “SAV”) aisles when I saw wine sale signs proclaiming, “Only store in Minnesota who has this wine!”. (Insert car tire screech sound effect.) Hmmmm… $14. Go out of my $10 comfort zone, and for what? A bottle of *gasp* Chardonnay? Hey, you gots to roll the dice sometimes, folks.
That night will forever go down in history as “The evening I fell in love with Fritz”.
What did I fall in love with? This is a superlatively balanced Chardonnay: not too citric, not too oaky, not too buttery, but a solid bit of all three! Aromas of lemon zest, hints of guava, and the a minor touch of vanilla keeps this wine smooth and supple whilst magic carpeting your ass to Happy. Where is “Happy”? I don’t know, but when you’re already floating on a magic carpet, and you’ve got Fritz in tow, it’s always around the bend. Oh, and it never hurts to throw Javier Bardem in there somewhere.
I rushed out the next day, bought another couple bottles, and took one to a dinner party that night. My friends loved it so much, the host called a week later asking about it. Not long after, I bought another bottle and took it to yet another dinner party. They fell similarly smitten, and called up the next day to ask where I purchased it. In fact, they loved it so much, they bought a whole damn case of it! The REAL coup de tat was with crab legs on my b-day. I have trouble discussing that experience without fits of nostalgic tears. Salty, buttery tears.
And so, this love affair continued for a few months, until one day, The SAV Muni sold out of it. I found out from the friends who bought a case, and who wisely bought the remaining bottles. Even though they brought us a bottle, it seemed like the end of an era. (BTW, that bottle sat in the fridge gathering ogling glances for almost two years! That is the longest a bottle has sat in my house.)
A wine this good surely would show up at some other fine spirit peddling establishment, right? But alas, I could never find it. Finally,curiosity and pure longing prompted me to contact the winery. They sent me to the distributor. The distributor told me about a couple restaurants that _may_ be serving it. Ugh, no. This is not working for me. So, I turned to the social media airwaves, calling upon the [cyber] Wine Gods for anyone local to please, please stock the Fritz Chardonnay! My pleading call to action was answered by Byerly’s in both Ridgedale and Eagan.
Three years later this wine runs for $23.99, but it is sooooo worth it. I’ve gathered that there’s going to be a slight shortage of premium California wines from this vintage. Rodney from Byerly’s Ridgedale made me privy to this article: http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/46591/Wine Spectator
The evil trifecta of lackluster crops, depleted vines and increased consumption will likely result in increased prices. In the meantime, Byerly’s Ridgedale stocked up so there is Fritz Chardonnay for everyone to enjoy! Pick up a couple bottles. Enjoy one now and save one. Head down to Sea Salt Eatery in Minnehaha Falls Park with a bottle in tow. For a mere $5 corkage fee, sip it alongside some fish tacos and a crab cake sammie, or perhaps some salmon (the other pink meat).
Happy carpet riding, indeed.
Wine for Slobs, Snobs & Swells | The Savvy Lush welcomes the Twin Cities' Sippers & Swillers
