Question: What is the latest news on smoke taint in grapes affecting wine?
Answer: Yes this is an important ongoing problem around the world with the ever increasing number of wildfires occurring near vineyards. It is being studied intensely particularly in Australia, California and at the University of British Columbia in Kelowna. A difficult issue is that while wine grapes may absorb volatile phenols in smoke they convert it at that stage through enzymes so it becomes less perceivable. However during the fermentation process the yeasts restore that smoke taint as clearly recognizable once again in the resulting wine. Very tricky to monitor. For more details check out an excellent update article of August 2, 2021 by Wesley Zandberg at www.theconversation.com “Up in smoke: How wildfires are tainting grapes and threatening the wine industry.”
As followers of this Blog know your scribe is a long time chocoholic. It started way back in school days with those Mounds coconut candy bars coated in dark chocolate and Almond Joy using milk chocolate. Sometimes a Dairy Milk Caramel or Coffee Crisp would do. Though these bars seemed to contain better chocolate in those earlier days they also were all way too sweet for my palate. Soon graduated to purer dark chocolate with that rule of thumb of at least 70% Cocoa required. Fortunate to have tried over the decades so many of the world’s finest quality “bean-to-bar” and single origin dark chocolate bars. Some favourites among many have included To’ak, Valrhona, Godiva, and Amedei Porcelana. However for that daily “treat” of dark chocolate we turn to commercial Swiss producer Lindt & Sprungli as readily store available plus at outstanding value – especially on sale for 2/$6. Tasted their full line-up but have more recently leaned towards just three of them listed below with high cocoa solids of at least 75% but with less sugar. These deliver IMHO those healthy antioxidants, flavonoids and minerals in an almost perfect combination of cocoa mass flavours with buttery melting “delicious” textures but not too much added sugar. Also like from time to time the “vanilla” of Madagascar 70% & Orange Intense 70% but they have higher sugar levels than my three regular choices.
You need to decide which one you like best based solely on your own taste buds. Remember that the sugars vary a lot in each 100 gram Lindt bar (which divides into 10 squares) ranging from only 1 gram for 3 squares at 100% or 99% going up to 12-13 grams at 70%. Also for cooking note that sweetened chocolate chips are way sweeter than unsweetened cocoa powder or cacao nibs. Anyways, here are 3 good ones recommended and worth considering:
85% Cacao: Described well as “Intense Dark ” at 4 grams sugar/3 squares but does contain “Brown Sugar, Bourbon Vanilla Bean” you can notice in the flavours.
78% Cacao: Described perfectly as “Smooth Dark” at 5 grams sugar/3 squares with “Milk Ingredients ” resulting in an amazing smoothness as it melts.
75% Cacao: Dark impressive complex bitterness from Single Origin Cocoa Mass from Ecuador at 7 grams/3 Squares but does have “Soya Lecithin” (not used in 78% and higher is an emulsifier from soybeans that helps with uniform smoothness) and “Natural Flavour” whatever that is. They describe this appropriately as “An aromatic chocolate offering an intense cocoa flavour”. My regular daily go-to delight!
Question: Why is Grands-Echezeaux called “Grands”?
Answer: Like your question. Must flow out of this Monday’s Blog. Your scribe wondered about this since one region is named Grands-Echezeaux and the adjoining other one just Echezeaux. Bill Nanson in his Burgundy Report notes that: “older producers suggest that the prefix ‘Grand’ is not used as a form of one-upmanship versus Echezeaux, rather that it describes the much longer rows of vines than seen in the more ‘parcellated’ Echezeaux – so they say…” A second explanation might be that in 1937 Echezeaux expanded from a small 3.5 hectares to the present size of 37.69. So early on Grands-Echezeaux at 9.13 hectares was nearly 3 times “grander” in size than Echezeaux. You might choose your answer from those 2 alternative choices.
These days It is indeed a rare treat to taste a bottle of Grands Echezeaux from Burgundy. It was much easier in the last century at lower prices to access bottles which we fortunately did. Not any more. To drink and compare 8 examples from 7 vintages featuring 5 from DRC is truly a once in a lifetime wonderful experience. Not sure about the proper spelling as DRC uses no hyphen but you often see the hyphen more often as Grands-Echezeaux in the other 3 producers here. Probably both are correct. In the early wine education days for your scribe we all assumed Grands meant just that being smaller and grander than the neighbouring Echezeaux. Certainly for DRC Grands Echezeaux in most vintages seemed more concentrated than their Echezeaux (but perhaps not in 1986). Presently at only 9.13 hectares (DRC has 3.53 ha) it is scarce at roughly 1/4 the size of Echezeaux at 37.69 ha (DRC has 4.67 ha) which has many more producers to seek out. Though generally Echezeaux may be more variable with differing terroirs there are also “grand” examples including such as 1990 Echezeaux from Emmanuel Rouget among many others. Actually it is IMHO unfortunate wording to call one Grand Cru Grands Echezeaux and the other Grand Cru merely Echezeaux. So be it.
On July 20, 2021 at Blue Water Cafe the Vancouver Group of 8 enjoyed Grands Echezeaux with a dinner menu attached. The bookends were rather impressive too with that outstanding acidity of the 1988 vintage showing well in both Champagne and Sauternes helping keep the candied lemon zest of La Grande Dame & apricot notes of Ch. Coutet Barsac fresh at 33. Here are the eight wines with some brief comments:
2008 GRANDS-ECHEZEAUX DOMINIQUE LAURENT: Lighter paler look with brick tones. Lovely balanced fruit acidity with some oak showing in a floral style but clean in a vintage that was so variable that crop sorting became important. Rather good.
2005 GRANDS-ECHEZEAUX DOMAINE MONGEARD-MUGNERET: Comes with the baggage as that outstanding 05 vintage but holds the reputation well. Dark deep red with excellent big rich full fruit structured extract. Perhaps austere right now but will benefit from more time to develop tertiary bouquet complexity and round out. Well done. Patience.
2002 GRANDS ECHEZEAUX DOMAINE DE LA ROMANEE-CONTI: DRC uses numbered bottles #06672 out of total production of 13,134 bottles. Similar lighter look as the Laurent but with a browner rim. Aromas from this are strongly vegetal and musty. Definitely some TCA corkiness there as well. Disappointing unlucky start for DRC from this usually excellent most charming vintage.
2001 GRANDS ECHEZEAUX DOMAINE DE LA ROMANEE-CONTI: Bottle is #05138 out of 10,475. Brighter younger look though lighter with a watery edge. Shows the structure of stems from using whole bunch fermentation but is so clean, elegant and stylish. Wonderful balance with acidity, freshness, plus exotic spiced raspberries. Underrated vintage shows the possibility of top grape selection resulting in classic G-E terroir. Clearly showing the best of the first flight of four here matching magically with the mushrooms and cherries for the grilled lobster.
1995 GRANDS ECHEZEAUX DOMAINE DE LA ROMANEE-CONTI: Bottle is #01377 out of 9,253. First of three good vintages in this second flight to go with truffled beef is exciting. Lighter again but so delicately perfumed with Asian spices and tastes of those classic almonds. Delicious now but finishing with drier tannins. On a current plateau of sublime enjoyment.
1995 GRANDS-ECHEZEAUX DOMAINE GROS FRERE ET SOEUR: Interesting comparison to same vintage of DRC. Quite different as one guest said “a Right Bank wine in a Left Bank tasting”. Avoid chaptalization here but use a controversial old procedure of a concentrating machine technique instead. Shows somewhat in the surprising more evolved unique result. Not the best “place” definition but some some smoky bacon notes. Lots of new changes taking place here in the family holdings for much improved winemaking 2018-20 and bright outlook for the next decade. Also look out for excellent G-E from Georges Noellat & Domaine d’Eugenie!
1993 GRANDS ECHEZEAUX DOMAINE DE LA ROMANEE-CONTI: Bottle #01009 of 8,385. Least production and darkest by far of this flight. Dramatic impressive full powerful depth here. Shows those typical muscles of G-E. Solid gamey fruit yet seems coarser with less finesse than 2001, 1995, or 1990. Divided opinions on this wine with some of us feeling 1993 is not the most consistent year for DRC.
1990 GRANDS ECHEZEAUX DOMAINE DE LA ROMANEE-CONTI: Bottle #05956 of 10,972. All DRC showed 13 abv except this one at 13.4. Oldest but also clearly the best quality of all these 8 G-E. At another much higher level for key aromatics of superb Asian-tea and exotic spices. So vibrant but still has layers of seductive velvety complexity for interest, admiration, and study. Ripe (but not baked) sweet strawberries with a tiny dip of artisan Valrhona darkest bitter chocolate. A lesson in how to age gracefully with class. Something so pure, elegant and stylish here that is impossible to describe. What a finish to a memorable evening!
Question: What is the name of that dessert Brandy from South Africa?
Answer: You must mean Jerepigo or Jerepiko. This special fortified wine can be either white or red but is produced by using grape juice without any fermentation plus added grape spirit. The result is a unique very sweet intense grape flavoured Brandy.
