Archive for June, 2011

Recently I tried something delightfully unique:  Moët & Chandon’s new “Ice Imperial” Champagne.  Ice Imperial is a traditional Champagne (a blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay) with a bit of extra dosage. The extra sweetness lends itself well to being supremely chilled. As such, it is meant to be served over ice. It comes in a “party pack” with a set of plastic glasses. I have tasted it twice now and frankly, it’s delicious. Let’s pause here for a moment. One of the finest Champagne houses in the world is now telling us to serve their Champagne on the rocks, with plastic glasses. In recent years this practice would be taboo and scoffed at by many wine drinkers.

It got me thinking. If Moët can give us permission to enjoy Champagne on ice in a plastic glass, perhaps we should all lighten up on other wine etiquette. Sometimes I wish we didn’t tiptoe so gingerly through wine’s various rules. Basic tenets such as proper swirling, holding a wine glass at its base and drinking at a certain temperature exist for a reason. But sometimes we simply want to relax!

Read the rest of this entry »

During summer’s hottest months, it’s tempting to stick to whites and rosés. Even the most insipid examples can be chilled to within a few degrees of freezing and provide simple icy refreshment.

But many reds are fated to be left slumbering in the cellar, waiting for cool temperatures to return, and rightfully so. The mere idea of trying to keep a bottle of 1982 Grand-Puy-Lacoste from getting too warm at a picnic or from having its sediment stirred up while bringing it to the beach is daunting. The thought of a big, beefy, alcoholic red at the end of a long day becomes unappealing when the mercury is over 80°F or so and the humidity is hanging thick in the air.

Still, there’s no need to let the hot, humid weather completely dampen your enthusiasm for red wines. For inveterate–or even just occasional–red-wine drinkers, here are a few suggestions that will allow you to scratch that itch while keeping your cool.

Read the rest of this entry »

This Monday, June 6th, marks the launch of the Sud de France Festival in New York. The month-long festival, now in its third year, encourages attendees to experience the spirit of the Mediterranean lifestyle, complete with fine wine, foods and entertainment from the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It allows people the opportunity to learn more about the culture and specialties of the region through a convivial approach of tastings and experimentation, all at exciting venues with welcoming ambiance and alongside local winemakers and artists.

For a region with so much to offer, the concept behind the annual festival couldn’t be more appropriate.

Read the rest of this entry »