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“SOMEONE ONCE TOLD ME YOU WILL NEVER FIGURE OUT BURGUNDY AND I PROBABLY AGREE, AFTER 30 YEARS. BUT MAYBE THAT IS THE WHOLE POINT. THE JOURNEY”. Dennis Sherman When an email popped up in my inbox asking if I’d be interested in receiving some samples of quality Burgundy wines from an online wine store based in Burgundy, my curiosity was piqued. Of course, I said yes!  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Not only is Elden Selections (https://www.burgundywine.com) worth writing about, but also the owners and creators of this online store are a fascinating duo to boot! Located in the east-central part of France with over 74,000 acres of vineyards, Burgundy (Bourgogne) is recognized worldwide and is considered the classic region for growing and producing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The region is made up of five major growing areas, 3500 domaines, 100 appellations and over 1200 unique climate and soil compositions throughout.  Map is courtesy of terroir-france.com Needless to say, when shopping for Burgundy wines, it can be a bit confusing, if not overwhelming! Thanks to Eleanor Garvin and Dennis Sherman (El and Den) owners of Elden Selections, they have taken the confusion out of selecting and buying these wines.  Eleanor Garvin Photo courtesy of Elden Selections  Dennis Sherman Photo courtesy of Elden Selections It all began in 1983 when American born El and Den, with no return to tickets to Maryland, arrived in Europe with the notion of becoming apprentices to the great chefs of France. However, their journey began with backpacking, hitchhiking and making their way to North Africa for a while. With diminishing funds, they finally made their way to France. Temporary jobs saw them through a few seasons before finally getting bona fide jobs in Beaune and then eventually cooking on a hotel barge in Alsace and then in Burgundy. Two years later they bought Le Papillion, a 100-year-old barge and for the next ten years, they entertained passengers with French cuisine and wine as they traversed the waterways. Once back on dry land, El and Den established Elden Selections in1992, a Burgundy focused online wine store specializing in small-estate wine. Elden Selections is not a wine club and there is no minimum purchase required. All the wine is carefully selected and covers a wide range of appellations, with the focus on the producers. To quote Dennis, “For me, it’s all about the winemakers, the producers. We seek out those who are passionate, dedicated and creative. We work with them over many vintages to assemble our collection of wines that present the very best of Insiders Burgundy, its many and varied appellations, climats and vintages. We are not sure we'll ever figure it out fully but we are enjoying the journey. We hope you join us'. Elden Selections offers over 250 products from 30 producers, concentrating on small quantity, minimal intervention, farmer-made, food-friendly and estate- bottled. The price of wines ranges from under $30 to $300, including 13 Grand Crus! The website is user-friendly and includes invaluable resources for learning about the Burgundy region, each wine producer and a comprehensive description of each wine for sale. The website also has educational videos and wine tasting videos. El and Den have lived and worked in Burgundy for over 30 years. They own a beautiful manor house called “The Domaine de Cromey” located just south of Beaune that is complete with six en-suite guest rooms. They offer food and wine workshops, vineyard visits and invites into wine cellars not usually open to the public. (www.domainecromey.com). In addition to wine, food is also a passion for the Shermans. Ellie is a professional chef and has published several cookbooks, sharing her joy for all things food. El and Den have an insider’s knowledge of the region, producers and wine. They live and breathe Burgundy every day. El and Den follow the harvest, taste the wines in the cellars before bottling and after bottling. I can’t think of a better place to research and buy Burgundy wines than on Elden Selections. And the best part is receiving quality wine for less than you would pay in a local wine store! The wines that I received were impressive and I will be savoring them over time thanks to my Coravin System!  Chateau Cary Potet Montagny 1er Cru 'Les Burnins' 2016 $48 Photo credit: Penny Weiss Check out Elden Selections website and let me know what you think!
Until next time… Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com As you might recall from a previous story, several months ago I received an assortment of wines that were leftover from our restaurant days in NYC. Every now and then I open one as a treat for my palate. Since getting a Coravin system, it has made it a lot easier for me to taste these vintage wines without sacrificing the whole bottle. One of the wines from my “stash” is a 2000 Barone Ricasoli Rocca Guicciarda Chianti Classico Riserva.   With the recent arrival of two sample wines of Barone Ricasoli, I was motivated to taste the 2000 vintage as well.  Barone Ricasoli is located in the Brolio territory of Chianti Classico.  The Ricasoli cellars are at the foot of the historic Brolio Castle. The castle became the property of the Ricasoli family in 1141 and it is where all the wine production takes place. It was in this castle in 1872 that Baron Bettino Ricasoli originated the formula for Chianti wine, now called Chianti Classico. They are the oldest winery in Italy and the fourth oldest family business in the world.  Photo credit: TripAdviser The Ricasoli family was among the first to devote themselves to the development and improvement of agriculture and vineyards. The family tree document of 1584 shows one of the first images of the Chianti area. In 1993 Baron Francesco Ricasoli, the great-grandson of Bettino became the owner and president of Ricasoli. He completely renovated the vineyards making them sustainable. And, he continually studies the soil types and clonal selection of Brolio Sangiovese which is one of his biggest passions.  Baron Francesco Ricasoli Photo credit: Barone Ricasoli Ricasoli is comprised of 1,200 hectares of land of which 240 hectares are wine vineyards and 26 hectares are olive groves.  Photo credit: Barone Ricasoli Castello Brolio 2013 Chianti Classico DOCG Gran Selezione is a blend of 90% Sangiovese, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. The grapes are selected from the estate’s best vineyards in Gaiole and the wine is only produced in the best years. The wine was aged for 21 months in French oak barriques and 20% new tonneaux. The color is deep ruby with aromas of dark cherry, dark plum, spice, toasted oak and a touch of floral. The palate is layered with blackberries, dark plum, licorice, dark chocolate, vanilla and hints of earth. This is a full-bodied, rich and balanced wine with a long and persistent finish. Alcohol: 13.5% SRP: $70  COLLEDILÀ 2015 Chianti Classico DOCG Gran Selezione is 100% Sangiovese. Colledilà is considered one of the most representative wines of the terroir of Brolio. The grapes are selected from the estate Chianti Classico. The wine was aged for 18 months in 30% new tonneaux. The color is ruby with a beautiful bouquet of red berries, sweet spice and violets. The palate is lush with dark fruit, sour cherry, plum, licorice and cedar. This is an elegant wine with a velvety mouth-feel and soft tannins. It is perfectly balanced with a long and jammy finish. Alcohol: 14% SRP: $70  Rocca Guicciarda 2000 Chianti Classico DOCG Riserva At one time Rocca Guicciarda was the most important estate of Barone Ricasoli. Today, it is the name of the estate’s Chianti Classico Riserva. This wine is made from 100% Sangiovese. The 2000 vintage aged for 20 months in part barriques and part tonneaux. I used my Coravin to extract a glass of wine.  The color is garnet and still has some good aromas of dark fruit, plum, dried fruit, sweet spice and earth. The palate is savory with sour cherry, fig, leather and hints of pepper. It is still very drinkable but less definable. It has a nice balance between acidity and tannins. I will definitely re-visit this wine over the holidays. Alcohol: 13.5%   If you like wines from Chianti Classico or even if you’re not familiar with them, put Barone Ricasoli on your shopping list and enjoy a glass!
Until next time… Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com There was a time not too long ago when I would open a bottle of wine and either share it with a friend or two or pour myself a glass, re-cork the wine and save it for another day. But with wine samples constantly arriving, plus having to taste a multitude of wines for certification courses, the opened bottles were beginning to pile up.  Of course, I’m always happy to pass on many of the opened wines to friends and family, but there are numerous wines that I would like to go back and taste again at another time. So, after looking at all of the options for ways to “re-cork” my wine, I reached out to Coravin. And by now, many of you are shaking your heads wondering what has taken me so long! The Coravin System is a unique way to pour wine and then preserve the wine without ever removing the cork from the bottle! This system allows you to pour a glass at a time, eliminates oxidation and preserves the wine for months. And, you can re-Coravin the bottle multiple times! A medical-grade needle is inserted into the cork; wine is pumped out of the bottle and into the glass while Argon, an inert gas, replaces the space in the bottle. After removing the needle, the cork’s natural elasticity closes up the hole within a minute. Obviously, this technique cannot be used with a synthetic cork or sparkling wine.  When my Coravin Model Two arrived, I unpacked it and then watched the “how to “videos that Coravin provides on their website. I was ready to try it. I chose a bottle of wine that I was planning to open for dinner the following evening. With the wine bottle in its protective sleeve and an empty glass next to it, I performed the operation flawlessly. All I can say is “very cool”! The Coravin System is definitely going to give me more flexibility with tasting and preserving wine.   With protective sleeve in place and glass waiting to be filled.  The Coravin needle is in place on top of the cap and is ready to be inserted.  Voila! Wine is in the glass and the cork has already closed. Of course, I will always have my corkscrew close by because sometimes one just has to “pop the cork”! A big thank you to Coravin for sending me the system which is now giving me carte blanche to my wine cellar and beyond. And, let’s not forget the wine I used as my test subject. 2009 Bodegas San Prudencio Depadre Rioja DOCa is made with 50% Tempranillo and 50% Garnacha from the vineyards of Rioja Alavesa in Spain. I last tasted this wine about two years ago and it just keeps getting better. The color is dark purple with intense aromas of dark fruit, spice and hints of floral. The palate is layered with cherry, blackberry, fig, spice, coffee beans and a long finish topped with pepper and a hint of vanilla. This is a full-bodied wine with soft tannins and one gets enveloped in the depth and character it has to offer. Alcohol: 13.5%  I’m looking forward to using my Coravin system and finally opening wines that deserve some attention!
Until next time… Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com |
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