The Ash Creek Papers

It is ironic that on a night as a host, you may serve spectacular reds and whites during the course of a dinner, and if you take the extra step to serve a dessert wine, it will be that wine which will most be remembered. Why?  Because a dessert wine is so infrequently encountered – in the home or in a restaurant.

Even a quick look at some of the finest wine lists from some of the finest restaurants will reveal but a few entries on the dessert side.  Sometimes just Ch. D’Yquem, and nothing else (nothing wrong with Yquem; but more on that later).  Again, why?  The answer is simple… the wines are rarely ordered.

Perhaps the least understood wine as a category in the United States is dessert wine.

First, we think they are sweet and cloying and leave a syrupy coating in our mouth.  And this couldn’t be further from the truth.  High quality dessert wine is packed with lush sweet fruit flavours; but then they have a clean finish with a satisfying trace of its powerful sweetness.

Next, we don’t really understand the service. A dessert wine is part of the dinner. It is as much part of hospitality of the table as any wine that would have preceded it.  Its presence on the menu recalls a day when there was a leisurely graciousness to our dinning. 

And to reduce the world’s dessert wines to one label (even if it is Ch. D’Yquem) is nonsense. Every significant wine producing region makes dessert wine (granted some only for local consumption). Other than sharing sweetness as the common denominator, the world’s dessert wines are as varied as… well, the world.

In France, Bordeaux produces one of the best: Sauternes. Made from a blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, the producers will wait ‘til the grapes are “post ripe”to a time when autumn morning mists bring an airborne mold, botrytis cinerea, to the vineyards.  This mold attacks the skins of the grapes, bursting them, allowing for water content to escape and thereby concentrate the flavours and sweetness in the ugly shriveled grapes. The resulting wines are a honeyed nectar. It is here where Ch. D’Yquem reigns supreme.

Further to the north, the Vineyards of Alsace work a similar magic with Gewurztraminer, Riesling and Pinot Gris. The Late Harvest wines, called Vendange Tardif resemble the Late Harvest wines on the other side of the Rhine River.  And even more exotic are the botrytized Selection de Grains Nobles made from individual selected bunches of grapes.

In Germany the art of making sweet wine stands alongside of the renown German brew-making skill.  Working principally with Riesling, the Estates of Mosel and the Rheingau produce wines with varying degrees of sweetness.  Beginning with Spatlese (“late picked”), moving to Auslese (“selected harvest”), then to Beerenauslese (“selected berries”), and finally Trockenbeerenauslese (“selected dried berries”).  Each level represents a higher degree of minimum sugar level in the grapes picked at harvest. 

The ultimate wine produced in this method is Eiswein.  Not made in every vintage, Eiswein is made from grapes left on the vine and harvested during the night after a freeze.  During the winemaking, the icy content of the grape (water) is separated from the juice leaving an intensely sweet flavour base from which to make a tiny amount of wine. (This style of winemaking has caught on in Canada where other varietals like Vidal are also used to make their Ice Wine.)

Further to the East, long before Sauternes reached its present exalted status, the dessert wine from the Hungarian plain was prized in the Courts of Europe.  It all began when the Archbishop Drascovics presented Tokaji Aszu to Pope Pius IV as a gift at the Council of Trent in 1652. From there to Tsars and Kings, the wine became wedded to Royalty.

In Italy, Recioto di Soave is produced from grapes harvested in the fall, and then left to air day ‘til February.  The grapes, with a natural loss of 35% of their moisture, have concentrated sweetness and an intensity of flavour, are then pressed into wine. The wine is enjoyed by itself, or more typically with biscotti. A sip of wine, dip the biscotti into the wine… there is nothing better! Recioto soaked biscotti!

South Africa has Straw Wine (also air dried).  Argentina, Chile, Napa, Willamette & etc.  Really, there isn’t a place that doesn’t produce some type of dessert wine, whether made thru late harvesting or by air drying.

Return to your dinner table. When you serve dessert wine, regardless of the Country’s origin, you have instantly elevated eating to the highest level of dinning. You have just transported your evening to the Cunard Line… to crossing the Atlantic before WWII, when men and women dressed for dinner & when dinner was served in courses, beginning with an aperitif white, proceeding to a fuller white, reds matching to the courses of food and finishing with a dessert wine. And if the dessert wine was Ch. D’Yquem then you would know you had just reached the apex of the night.

Last bit of advice.  Whenever you can, buy the worst vintage of Ch. D’Yquem you can find… it will cost you less.  You can’t go wrong. Insiders know that even in lesser vintages, Yquem is a glorious wine… if the vintage is truly sub-standard, they don’t make wine.

Sometime after 48 AD the Roman Legions made it to St. Emilion and established vineyards to produce wine.  It’s a thirsty business, conquering the world. From these humble beginnings along the Gironde estuary and the Garonne and Dordogne Rivers, the history of the world’s greatest wine would be written… the wine we call Bordeaux.

It wouldn’t be until the 12^th Century before the wines of Bordeaux gained in exposure beyond its immediate region.  In 1152 when Henry Plantagnet, Duke of Normandy and two years later crowned King of England, took Eleanor of Aquitaine’s hand in marriage, Bordeaux and their vineyards became a territory of England.  Export of the wine the English called claret, would begin in earnest, and continue with only minor inconveniences like the 100 Years War to disrupt a robust trade.

If wars and acquisition coloured the story of Bordeaux, its history is carved in its land.  Bordeaux is close to the sea and threaded by rivers which act to moderate the climate.  A thick forest on the ocean side offers protection to the harsh salt winds. The stout bedrock is packed with minerals and yet the topsoil is quite poor; but perfectly suited for viticulture. Dionysus blessed this land.

The Rivers that cut thru Bordeaux establish rough boundaries where land, facings, proximity to the rivers all produce unique characteristics to the vineyards and wines that they would subsequently produce. Over time it became clear that the red varietals that were best matched to Bordeaux’s terroir were Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Each area, vineyard and wine estate would have its own “recipe” for the best mix.

It is a varied recipe indeed, although there are broad based similarities based on blend and location. 

On the “right bank” of the Dordogne are the Communes of St. Emilion, Pomerol and a host of “satellite” appellations. It is here that we find some of the most exclusive wines of Bordeaux: Ch. Petrus and Ch. Cheval Blanc. Merlot is the most important varietal on the right bank, with Petrus being made of 100% Merlot.

Between the Dordogne and Garonne is Bordeaux’ largest appellation: Entre-Deux-Mers which in main is planted to white varietals: Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon. Muscadelle and Ugni Blanc. Along the fringe of the Garonne itself is Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux `where red wine is also produced and where some of the best value Bordeaux can be found.

The “left bank” has three important sub-divisions. Graves, sitting just south the City of Bordeaux along the Garonne, further south is Sauternes and the Medoc, north of the City, is located along the Gironde Estuary.  Sauternes and its satellite, Barsac produce Bordeaux’ renown dessert wine, while the vineyards of Graves and the Medoc are planted principally to Cabernet Sauvignon.

Graves, so named for the gravelly content of the soil, is home to Ch. Haut Brion, which owns the distinction of being Bordeaux’ first wine identified and sold by the name of the estate. In 1663 Samuel Pepys wrote in The Diarist having tasted a wine in the Royal Oak Tavern, which he then described as “a sort of French wine called Ho Bryen that hath a good and most particular taste I never met with”.

Although insignificant in the early days of Bordeaux trade, by the 18^th Century wines from the Medoc began to emerge as being among the best from Bordeaux. Already the Estates of Lafite, Latour and Margaux were recognized for producing wines of distinction. It was the Classification of 1855 established by a group of wine brokers, however, that identified the Medoc as the preeminent region of Bordeaux.  Sixty-one Estates were placed into Growths… from First thru Fifth, placement being a reflection of the price of specific wines fetched at auctions over the previous 100+ years.  Rated as First Growth, not surprisingly, Ch. Lafite, Ch. Latour, Ch. Margaux and Ch. Haut Brion (the only Estate not coming from the Medoc), whose excellent wines were the most desirable vintage after vintage, after vintage.

In 1953 Graves established it’s own Classification, and St. Emilion followed suit in 1955.  The wines of Pomerol remain unclassified, although it is generally agreed that both Ch. Petrus and Ch. Le Pin make First Growth quality, and indeed their wines, given their tiny production levels, usually sell at higher prices than any of the other First Growth wines.

Beneath the pinnicle of the “officially” Classified Estates three other levels of ranking were eventually created: Cru Exceptionnel, Cru Bourgeois Superieur and Cru Bourgeois. And indeed there are thousands of Bordeaux Estates that are not part of any classification or ranking.

Tradition is all well and good; but changes in ownership, changes in vineyards, changes in winemaking teams and their philosophies all have certainly had a telling effect on the quality of wine being produced at an Estate, and if the same standard of pricing were to be applied, the Classification of 1855 would have to be revised.  Not only would we see a shuffling of the order; but certain Estates that would fall off, and others that would have to be elevated.

Well… what does all this mean?  For all the fancy history, impressive buildings — some Chateaux are indeed castles, although most are not — and their poetic names, are the wines really that good? It’s safe to say that for someone who loves wine, there will always be a small place for Bordeaux in your cellar… even if you prefer, say Napa Cabs or Aussie Shiraz.

But that side steps the issue.  The fact remains that the rest of the winemaking world turns to Bordeaux for inspiration and comparison… and they do so for a reason.  The wines are that good. And as vine cuttings of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (and the other Bordeaux varietals) made their way around the planet to Napa, the Margaret River, Mendoza, Stellenbosch and Bolgheri, producers from those regions looked to do one thing… make the best wines possible, make wines that could compare to Bordeaux!

Is every wine from Bordeaux great?  Does every Bordeaux empty your wallet?  No and no.  Of the thousands of wines that find their way into the market, there will be wines that will disappoint, there will be wines perfect for every day enjoyment, there will be the hidden jewel that is surprisingly well priced for its superb quality, and there will be wines that are the finest wines made and that will stand any test of time.

Experiencing Bordeaux thru its wines is a magnificent journey.  It begins with opening a bottle.

We hear the distinctive pop and it signals the celebration about to begin.  Our eyes brighten as we watch the sparkling wine being slowly poured into a slender flute.  No other wine is as closely identified with those important occasions that add meaning and definition in our lives than Champagne… New Years, Birthdays, Anniversaries, Valentines Day & etc. At these key junctions during the year, Champagne makes a command performance

But there are far more reasons to enjoy Champagne and other sparkling wines than celebrating the major milestones in any given calendar year. For one, it is the most ideal accompaniment for any dish being served… and at any time of the day!  From eggs benedict in the morning, to a chilled calamari salad for lunch, as an aperitif before dinner, to chicken Kiev at dinner, to poached pears for dessert.  Clearly sparkling wine is our most flexible of wines… like pearls, it goes with everything.

Much credit for this wine is laid at the feet of the 17^th Century monk, Dom Perignon.  While not its “inventor”, he certainly is the person responsible for selecting the ideal grape varietals and creating the blending techniques that are still in use today.

Strictly speaking, only sparkling wine produced with grapes grown in the delimited Champagne zone is entitled to the name Champagne.  The hills and valleys of the Marne near the towns of Reims and Epernay are responsible for all the world’s Champagne. The chalk soils of Champagne not only gives their wine its unique character, it also provides the perfect home for aging these wines in the prodigious underground caves of the historic Champagne houses.

The art of Champagne lies in the blend.  Pinot Noir from vineyards in the North slope of the Montagne de Reims responsible for the “headiness” of the wine, Pinot Meunier from the Vallee de la Marne adds bouquet and roundness and Chardonnay from the East facing slopes of Epernay contributes finesse and delicacy.  The resulting wine can not be surpassed for its delightful freshness, nor for the sheer joy in its consumption.

And there is far more to sparkling wine than Champagne itself.  Different countries, different grapes; but made in the same method with the second fermentation in the bottle giving the wine its precious bubbles.  Germany has its Sekt, and Spain has its Cava; but the sparkling wine that is unmatched in its popularity falls to Italy’s Prosecco.  Both the name of the grape varietal used and the name of the wine, it can be made in a lightly bubbled frizzante style, or in a classic methode champenoise.  And in a country that boasts numerous regional cuisines and associated wines, Prosecco comes as close to being the “national beverage” of Italy as any.  It is safe to say that more Prosecco is consumed in Italy than still water in this country!

Prosecco is enjoyed at any time of the day, in any type of glass, cup or mug.  No formality here.  The softer fruit flavour of Prosecco, soft finish and more modest price, makes this wine a natural for gatherings.

So, “pop the cork”, be it tete du cuvee Champagne, a tasty Cava or a friendly Prosecco… and take a page from Italy, don’t save it for launching a battle ship, don’t reserve for the nine days a year when opening a bottle is de rigeur… after all – we live 365 days a year!  Why not celebrate living!