Question: When did they first start to put wines into dark glass bottles?
Answer: Yes containers for wine go back to biblical times with wineskins that were conveniently light weight and easy to transport. Lots of different materials including jars of earthen ware, terracotta, and amphora were tried over the years in various shapes and sizes. Wooden casks and barrels were developed and eventually glass bottles. Port bottles evolved from a short squat shape to elongated with corks making them easier to store on their sides. An Englishman Sir Keneim Digby (of fine china fame) in the 1630s is credited with inventing the modern dark green bottle with stronger glass (helped by the bottom punt design) that is still commonly used in various forms today. Excellent vessel for storage and the aging of wine.
Another wonderful dinner opportunity arose last month to both assess and enjoy the quality Chablis (mostly Les Clos) from the past decade of Domaine Christian Moreau Pere & Fils (DCM). This is an old property but has reached new amazing heights since 2002 through the dedication of Christian Moreau (after more than a decade of the lumber business in Canada) and winemaker son Fabien (6th generation) utilizing 12.5 hectares (30+ acres) of choice aged vineyards. This educational Chablis event followed an earlier one (reported here July 29, 2019) that spotlighted a William Fevre vertical (six vintages Les Clos 2009-2002) and horizontal (four 2008 including Valmur, Vaudesir, and Vaulorent). Both were organized by my brother Ken, held at Nightingale in Vancouver, and well orchestrated by the talented Chris Rielly – Wine Director for the Hawksworth Restaurant Group. Perfectly thought out and executed food dishes as shown on the menu and in the photos that enhanced these fresh complex white wines. Also a delicious mag of Bollinger Special Cuvee to start, killer vintage still young 1999 red Burgundy Beaune top vineyard Teurons 1er Cru Albert Morot in mag, and finished up with 1988 classic balanced acidity always dark colour Rieussec Sauternes. Some brief impressions on these eight excellent Chablis served oldest to youngest a good option but personally would prefer a reverse order as listed here:
2018 DCM CHABLIS AC – A large crop of older vines early picked where the hot Summer weather puts more focus on the exotic ripeness of the resulting vintage than the terroir. 2019 longer hang time & 2017 frost lower yields show off better the different distinct vineyards. However DCM captures this feature so well in this delicious drinking outstanding value AC wine. Always really like the insightful tasting input from my brother Ken, a highly skilled wine & food aficionado! He drinks this Chablis often as a table wine and describes it accurately as “Delicious, full, very rich, almost buttery, Cote de Beaune like compared to 2017 more austere typically Chablis like chewing rocks.”
2017 DCM CHABLIS LES CLOS – Large choice parcel of nearly 3 hectares (7+ acres) compared to even larger Fevre holdings in Les Clos of 4.12 ha. Described this smaller crop vintage here on September 18, 2019 as “very fruity, elegance with minerals”. Shows that with lighter fresh crisp more classic style. Young but so refreshing on the palate with food. Seek it out.
2016 DCM CHABLIS LES CLOS – Troubled by double frost and rains leading to an inconsistent vintage. Here it looks starting to maderize but presently is OK though best for forwardly drinking. Lovely now.
2015 DCM CHABLIS VAILLONS CUVEE GUY MOREAU – Remarkable Left Bank vines planted in 1933 on the steepest slopes for best exposure and drainage. Hailstorm just before harvest affected some vineyards. This one shows the rich powerful depth of the old vines and riper vintage to good effect with extra dimensions. Underrated but 2014 is even better for aging.
2015 DCM CHABLIS LES CLOS – Grand Cru is even richer than the older vines of Premier Cru. Can start to revel in this successful beauty where hail affected some vines but no rush. So intense.
2014 DCM CHABLIS LES CLOS – My favourite vintage of the decade. First year since certified organic in 2013 by Ecocert. Still hints of green colour there. Outstanding structure with balanced acidity hiding the amazing weight and body underneath. Great textbook fresh so young aromatics but this needs more time because it’s still austere now. Classic with longevity that will age forever. A rare priceless treasure. Wait for it.
2012 DCM CHABLIS LES CLOS – Mid September start of harvest was delayed a week ensuring better fruit. Rich, full, solid yet a bit softer and less minerals. Start to enjoy it. Chris Rielly really liked the “more aromatics with savoury approachable flavours”.
2010 DCM CHABLIS LES CLOS – Wrote up here on May 31, 2021 about a sensational bottle of this! Bottle variation perhaps as this one is a bit lighter than earlier one with less weight maybe backward but still is truly superb. Chris Rielly opined that “surprised it is so bright and seems so much younger”. Such amazing complexity with energy and minerally typicity.
Hats off to DCM and to my brother. Congrats on another wonderful showing on how uniquely magnificent Chablis can be. Still a wine region that IMHO is not rated highly enough for the reputation it deserves.
Question: I am on a cruise with top select wines but how good will they be after years of the rocking sea?
Answer: Brave by you to be already back cruising in these continuing Covid times. Is everyone double-vaxxed or soon to be triple-vaxxed? Well done hospitality support as I expect the ship security precautions to be top notch. Yes, a lot of movement is not ideal for wine storage. Other factors though can be just as or more important like light, temperature, humidity and ventilation. Movement advances the maturity of the wine (perhaps a good thing for younger vintages) and may cause changes not allowing for best development. Suggest choosing more whites and fresher reds without sediment. A wine friend executive from one of the cruise lines used to decant his old larger formats and return into the bottle before embarking on the ship to avoid shaken up fine sediment. Insightful discussions by your scribe with head sommelier on our successful IWFS Baltic Cruise Summer 2017 on Silver Whisper about this issue. They do a good job of storing and turning their inventory over very quickly so not that long on “the rocking sea”. They stood up bottles that were older to try and help the sediment deposit but still we ordered a lot of less affected Champagne. Probably preferable to postpone your enjoyment of real old treasures to another time on solid ground.
Encouraged to see during these difficult times the continuing high quality of beautifully presented food at Yuwa Japanese Cuisine in Vancouver. Enjoyed another outstanding experience there on November 9 for a wide ranging menu showcasing many of their superb dishes cleverly matched with Burgundy wines. Sometimes Japanese food gets typecast to be best only when paired with sake or even beer but fine wines also work where they are well chosen. Sparkling wines – especially Champagne – are a natural pairing to start or used throughout the whole meal. Something about those magical bubbles that work so perfectly with the many flavours often including fish, salt, and soy. Blanc de Blancs (or Chardonnay) with good acidity shows a special affinity for Japanese cuisine enhancing both the food and the wine. This restaurant has developed a deservedly fine reputation for their in demand Champagne dinners.
The progression of the dishes this evening with the increasing weight of the wines was well thought out and admirably successful. Three work-of-art bite size hors d’oeuvre of fresh Kusshi oyster, salmon sushi and chicken karaage was a perfect beginning. Five diverse tasty appetizers (Zensai) with three aged whites from The Maconnais (the most Southerly terroir of the Bourgogne) led by 2014 Chateau de Fuisse Tete de Cru from Jean-Jacques Vincent being the freshest and most complex match. On to fried (Aburamono) delicate snow crab & scallop with nori seaweed + matcha salt all so aesthetically pure with two top producers of Chablis 1er cru Les Forets (or La Forest) from 2011. Rainy cool summer weather resulted in an earlier harvest of a less classic year of more elegant lighter bodied citrus peel notes with fresh herbs styling but showing less intensity. Softer lovely salinity in Vincent Dauvissat compared with the more structured licorice mineral notes of the younger vines Raveneau both drinking beautifully now. Grilled (Yakimono) followed with tilefish (check the mercury levels) set off against a dramatic spinach puree splash and fantastic sweet potato designed as a spiked uni (sea urchin) star but not listed on the menu. Dish paired with two richer fuller Premier Cru Chassagne-Montrachet very mature 2011 and fresher 2013. Three fruity subtle not heavy or tannic Morey St. Denis from Hubert Lignier with Asisn spices and balanced acidity worked outstandingly well with Braised (Nimono) Dashi Chicken Meatball. As expected Clos de la Roche 2001 had that complex exotic special riper lushness capable from this Grand Cru over the stylish personality of 1998 & 1996 1er cru La Riotte near the village. Always remember that our IWFS Founder Andre Simon wanted you to partner “Coq au Vin” chicken with another Morey St. Denis Grand Cru – the incomparable Clos de Tart. Very well done memorable evening highlighting magnificent Japanese ethereal food with most thoughtful wine pairings that really worked!
Question: I am a fan of Prosecco. Do they need to protect their name?
Answer: Most topical question. Yes as a product becomes more popular there will always be producers trying to market off that name. Reference the legal battles over the years by Champagne for Protected Designation of Origin. Now though still rather locally focused there are some of these same “trademark” issues in dispute between Italy, Croatia, and Slovenia concerning Prosecco, Prosekar, and the sweet dessert wine Prosek. Also check out this update on the matter of November 7 by Associated Press here. Stay tuned.
