An Oregon sparkler, this one an all-Chardonnay version, also brims with citrus, making it a natural fit for just-picked greens. With almost six years on the lees, Soter 2013 Mineral Springs Blanc de Blancs Yamhill-Carlton ($100) opens with a whiff of fresh-baked bread, joined by spiced apple, almond, white blossom and Meyer lemon. The wine lives up to its vineyard source, with a streak of minerality under tart acidity carried by an elegant effervescence through a long, dry finish.
Pommes Frites
Christofle Vertigo Champagne bucket ($860). Keirnan & Theo
French fries are all about pleasure. Yes, there’s a root vegetable in there, but they’re much more about the fatty, savory, salty and crispy goodness of indulgence. Which makes them the ideal pairing for wines that are also all about pleasure. Taittinger’s 2008 Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs ($200) fills the need. It’s very much a classic bubbly in its purity and directness, but two qualities make it just right for this, says Vitalie Taittinger, the estate’s president. At first sip, you’re immersed in immediate gratification, just as in the first bite of French fries. Add an element like truffle salt and it matches the more complex layers of the wine, the savory aromas that elicit notes of terroir. “It is simple and inside the pleasure,” she says, “but also sophisticated.”
Todd Graff, winemaker for Napa’s Frank Family Vineyards, agrees and offers his 2015 Brut Rosé for the job. “The sea salt and oil are cut perfectly by the clean crispness of the wine,” he says. (And, for the record, his second go-to is potato chips, also with the sea-salt treatment.) Vibrant but elegant, the pale-coral Frank Family Vineyards Brut Rosé, Carneros ($55), opens with the slight salinity of a fresh ocean breeze wrapping around raspberry, peach and river-stone notes. A gamut of red fruit unfolds on the palate, from cherry and strawberry to raspberry and cranberry, cut with the slight bitterness of pithy orange peel. The effect is a beautifully textured, mouth-filling sipper that finishes refreshingly dry.
Fried Chicken
L’Objet Aegean bread-and-butter plate ($62); Saint-Louis Caton Champagne cup ($145); March white dinner plate by Ann Demeulemeester ($72); Baccarat Masséna Champagne coupe ($390 for a pair). Keirnan & Theo
Alexandre Cattier, chef de cave (the Champagne title for head winemaker puts a culinary spin on the role) at Champagne Armand de Brignac, says of Armand de Brignac Brut Gold ($300), “The soft and creamy mouthfeel and rich palate of cherry and exotic fruits in this Champagne cut through the fattiness of breaded fried chicken. The experience is surprisingly refreshing.”
Stateside, Oregon sparklers are hitting their stride. Andy Lytle, cofounder of Lytle-Barnett in the Willamette Valley, agreeing with the fried chicken/sparkling wine plan, would add caviar on the side (sure, why not?) and put up his Lytle-Barnett 2013 Brut Rosé ($80) as partner. The 100 percent Pinot balances earthy notes from more than three years in bottle on the lees with bright acidity.
Back on the French side of the pond, Cyril Delarue, sixth-generation Bollinger family member and head of business development (also an oenologist) for Champagne Bollinger, suggests Jamón Ibérico and Marcona almonds seasoned with smoked paprika to go with the new Champagne Bollinger PN VZ15 ($120), the first in a series that celebrates the very specific terroir of Pinot Noir through a different cru each year as the base wine. The full-bodied Blanc de Noirs is exuberant and aromatic, with notes of dried fig, plum and toasted brioche along with a lingering nuttiness.
Egg Salad on Brioche
Saint-Louis Caton Champagne flute ($145); Gucci Herbarium accent plate ($180 for a set of two); J.& L. Lobmeyr Ballerina Champagne Glass A from Kneen & Co. ($125). Keirnan & Theo
Champagne’s natural acidity balances the rich, creamy egg while complementing the toasted brioche with its own yeasty, bready aromas. Olivier Krug, director of the house of Krug, especially likes a version that includes crème fraîche and Dijon mustard to pair with the complex Krug Grande Cuvée 168th Edition ($200). This Champagne is a blend of 198 individual wines from the Krug cellars, representing 11 vintages, the youngest being the 2012 and the oldest the 1996. “The 1996 was always best in class in the tasting room,” says Krug. “The perfume was just right for this cuvée.”
Champagne Thiénot chef de cave Nicolas Uriel has teamed up with Australia’s Penfolds to make Champagne Thiénot x Penfolds 2012 Blanc de Blancs Avize Grand Cru ($200), an all-Chardonnay sparkler that’s a slam dunk with egg salad. The wine is ripe but nuanced, balancing richness with finesse. Honey scents open, layered with notes of spiced apple and candied- lemon peel. On the elegantly textured palate, citrus gives way to stone fruit, hazelnut and a hint of dried mango.
November 07, 2020 at 11:07PM
https://ift.tt/2IhRmfX
From Roast Chicken to Egg Salad: These Premium Champagnes Go With Every Meal - Robb Report
https://ift.tt/3ekeW79
salad
No comments:
Post a Comment