This was the first time I had the 1999 Dom Perignon, and it was probably my fave Dom P, showing the classical well-developed nuttiness. Compared to it, the just released 2002 was too young and simple at this stage. Other notables were the always reliable and incredibly inexpensive Hiedsieck & Co "Blue Top" ($25-30), the elegant Delamotte ($35, Salon's little sibling), and the well-regarded higher-end Champagnes by Pol Roger (Reserve), Egly-Ouriet (Brut Tradition Grand Cru), and Gosset (Brut Grand Reserve).
That was Sunday. On Monday, my faith in Champagne re-affirmed, it was now Italy's turn to impress.
We didn't. The Lobster Shack's naked lobster roll is fabulous, and their beer-battered fish and chips are out of this world. But the dish that both Franciacortas really shone with was steamed mussels - petite, tender, flavorful in a great broth begging for dipped bread. Eric suggested that the wine really brought out the minerally tones in the mussels. I thought it went well even with the creamy New England clam chowder - another not-to-be-missed beauty from the Shack.
I gotta say - on a relatively quiet Monday night, we spent three hours chilling at this characterful joint. The folks there, especially the hostess Shay, are so friendly, she reminded me of my mom. Everyone had a great time, and with tongues un-tied, we reminisced of the old tennis follies and the crazy things that happen in the wine circles, such as the saga that followed my Sojourn post.
Bellavista is an old classic Franciacorta producer, and their non-vintage cuvee was a more serious expression than Ca'del Bosco's floral and lemony entry level cuvee "Presige" - an all-time dependable friend, that I always keep stocked in my cellar. Just for the heck of it, we followed with beers, and agreed that Franciacorta was a better, lighter, more elegant match. Enjoy!
2 comments:
Nice article. I think Franciacorta can be a wonderful alternative to Champagne. Each year I always taste and judge Italian wines at the Decanter World Wine Awards and recently was impressed how this category had developed and increased in quality and expression.
In addition, next year, Franciacorta will be the location for the EWBC. So it's a good excuse to go there too.
There are some fantastic wines produced in Franciacorta. Bellavista and Ca' del Bosco both make some great ones. But I'd be reluctant to compare it to Champagne, only inasmuch as the wines — when made as an expression of the territory — offer a widely different set of aromatic and flavor characteristics. Erbusco is an amazing place and when you go there and experience the maritime influence of the system of lakes there (and pair the wines with the fresh water fishes they like to eat there), you see that wines are defined more by their freshness and herbal and fruit flavors rather than their minerality and structure. Either way, they're PERFECT for the Lobster Shack!
Post a Comment