Wine Club Newsletter - January 2023
Champagne Exports Skyrocket, Shortages Possible in 2023
Nicolette Baker, VinePair
Champagne producers have good reason to pop the bubbly this year as demand for the French sparkling wine skyrockets across the globe. Consumers around the world — and especially in the United States — are increasingly reaching for bottles of Champagne this year.
Demand has steadily increased since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, indicating a strong economic bounce back in the Champagne market. This year, exports have been exceptionally high with the United States leading in demand, as The Times reports in a Dec. 26 article.
While data from the past year is still emerging, it’s expected that 57 percent of all Champagne was exported in 2022.
Over 34 million bottles were imported into the United States in 2021, accounting for some €794 million (nearly $848 million USD) in sales. Between 2020 and 2021, U.S. sales volume jumped by nearly 64 percent, according to Comité Champagne. 2022 saw a continued increase in sales — causing some difficulties for producers.
While drastic increases in sales could be considered a “Champagne problem,” it certainly leads to sourcing issues for producers. Michel Drappier of family-owned Drappier Champagne shared with French language news platform BFM Business that worldwide demand had caused a shortage in the Champagne house’s supply.
A mandated 20 percent decrease in production, occurring during Covid-19 slowdowns in 2020, only builds upon these issues. Some producers, including Drappier, have restricted sales to keep up with demand, according to The Times. Restrictions occurring in November 2022 led to an 8.5 percent decrease in sales compared to the same month in the previous year.
While this tactic helps keep pace with worldwide exports, Drappier told BFM Business that bubbly might prove difficult to find well into the new year.
“We limit sales a little bit to make sure we have enough at Christmas, for Jan. 1, and for St. Valentine’s Day,” he says. “It would be terrible if we had a shortage of Champagne to celebrate St. Valentine’s Day.”
Let’s start 2023 with some resolutions, one of the most important being to declutter your life!! Starting with the kitchen is a great way to do that, and here are some helpful tips Lori and I picked up this year and decided to share with you…
Maintaining a kitchen is not a straightforward undertaking. It’s a never-ending keeping-at-bay of messes that threaten to take over if you get even a little lax with your routines. One of the reasons it’s so tricky is that there are so many moving parts.
The pantry has to be stocked and orderly. Cooking tools need to be accessible to keep everything flowing smoothly and to avoid frustration. The fridge needs to be in order so that everyone can see and use food before it goes bad. And all of that doesn’t even touch on the other things that tend to happen in the kitchen.
Routines and habits that break down big responsibilities (like making sure there are enough clean dishes at every meal) into bite-size chores (like running the dishwasher every night and unloading it every morning) make it possible to keep the kitchen humming without too much thought.
Tying particular tasks that are easy to forget to other chores that you have to do is another way to ensure that you don’t inadvertently create a bottleneck in the heart of the home. For instance, I like to empty the dishwasher while I wait for my coffee to brew and wash any dishes in the sink while I wait for the microwave to beep.
There’s another very important and easily overlooked chore that can be tied to a task that you’re definitely doing pretty regularly: clearing out your fridge just before taking out the trash.
Making it a habit to scan the fridge for items that are no longer good — leftovers you forgot to eat, parsley that went bad because you didn’t use it in time, that last bit of heavy whipping cream that’s now expired — means you won’t have to make cleaning out the fridge a whole separate to-do.
Plus, by looking in your fridge for items that need to be tossed just before you take the garbage out, you make use of that last bit of space in the trash bag.
Additionally, and more importantly, you avoid filling the garbage can in your kitchen with spoiling foods and avoid the unpleasant odors that go along with that!
Adopting this new habit into the way you function in your kitchen makes space in your fridge, keeps it fresh, and cuts down on smells in the kitchen. There’s not a single thing not to love.
Apartment Therapy Shifrah Combiths
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Gary Parker adds:
“Through the course of the week, instead of placing potentially odorous items (fish or meat wrappings, bananas, etc.) in the kitchen trash drawer, I instead place those items in the freezer. This keeps my kitchen smelling as fresh and clean as possible.
On trash pickup day, out they go, and we start all over!
...
Cheers!
Gary Parker, Owner
The WineSellar & Brasserie
2017 Viognier, King Estate
Growing Region Rogue Valley, Oregon
Varietal Composition 100% Viognier
Fermentation 72% Stainless, 28% Barrel Fermentation
Alcohol Content 14.5%
Suggested Retail $28.00
WineSellar Club Price $16.19
Broad Strokes: 90 Points! Cellar Tracker
Ed founded King Estate in 1991 with his father, Ed King, Jr. (1921 – 2012). Their enterprising roots go back to Kansas City, Missouri, where his father’s aviation electronics company, King Radio, was based. Ed planted roots in Oregon, falling in love with the rugged landscape. By 1990 he owned timberland and farmland that included two small vineyards. A growing interest in wine and a simple search for hay led Ed to discover a spectacular piece of land on the outskirts of Eugene.
The 600-acre property was a ranch at the time, but Ed envisioned a beautiful vineyard. With his father, Ed purchased the land and established King Estate Winery in 1991. Over the years other family members have joined the business — as owners and as staff. The winery continues to evolve, adding neighboring parcels, opening the restaurant in 2006, and becoming one of Oregon’s largest and most successful wineries, distributed across the country and around the world.
Appearance:
Smart looking package for the masses, solid shelf appeal and focused identity. SCREWCAP, YAY! The wine has a clear straw and metallic hue and reflects light very well.
Nose:
Sweet smelling, honeyed nose, with notes of buttered popcorn, fresh pear fruit and Asian spices. Caramel and toasted brioche, and a dainty whiff of fresh citrus, Mandarin, and grapefruit. Ginger flowers, mineral and saline.
Texture:
Medium weight and body, the wine glides through the palate with a comfortable ease. Soft and elegant with a rounded mid-palate. Then comes the nice mineral and zesty acid providing a clean, crisp finish.
Flavors:
From the nose, the palate follows: honey, fresh pear, buttered popcorn, ginger, Asian spice, toasted brioche, and caramel/butterscotch. The citric touch offers Meyer lemon and grapefruit and then that lovely mineral/saline finish.
Serving Suggestions:
Mild cheeses, appetizers, and a scallop dish would be splendid!
2016 Petite Sirah, Ektimo
Growing Region Russian River Valley
Varietal Composition 100% Petite Sirah
Fermentation French Oak Barrel Fermentation
Alcohol Content 14.5%
Suggested Retail $34.00
WineSellar Club Price $30.59
Broad Strokes:
Dominic Xie was born in 1962 in the wine country of Ningxie Province, China. Coming of age in the aftermath of the Cultural Revolution he studied at Stanford, raised a family, pursued a successful career in government and business, but never forgot his roots in the vineyards at the edge of the Gobi Desert.
In 2012 the Xie family acquired the former Cahill Estate and winery in the Russian River Valley. In his many years of travel around China and the world, Dom had quietly but consistently pursued his love of wine and country life in Mediterranean Europe and the Americas. But it was California that spoke to him most clearly, to his own love of the land, of purity and simplicity. Ektimo (from the Greek, “εκτιμώ”, to appreciate) is Dom’s expression of gratitude for the bounties of nature and fortune, his desire to use them well here, and most of all, our desire to share them with you.
Appearance:
Very nice-looking bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, with a distinctive textured graphic of a local aviary product. Like the embossing on “EKTIMO” as well. I really enjoyed the thought on the back label wording. The wine is black at the core, bleeding out to a brilliant magenta on the edges.
Nose:
Handsome, rich, dark red and black fruits: dark cherry, blackberry, and very ripe plum. Dark wood notes, mahogany, with vanilla, black and white pepper.
Texture:
The big, wide, expansive entry makes one pause. The wine shows an energetic verve, with broad shoulders and a developing med-palate. Slightly drying finish shows promise for future bottle aging.
Flavors:
The dark wood notes start off the myriad of flavor sensations: dark berry, cherry, and black plum fruit. Roast beef/filet mignon essence makes the mouth water. Pomegranate fruit, black and white pepper, a lovely drink!
Serving Suggestions:
Grilled steaks, lamb, short rib, ripe and stinky cheeses, all will rock with this wine.
2020 Rasteau, Dm. Notre Dame des Pallieres, La Coudouliere
Growing Region Rhone Valley, France
Varietal Composition Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah, Cinsault
Fermentation 60% Concrete, 40% French Oak
Suggested Retail $33.00
WineSellar Club Price $29.69
Broad Strokes:
Domaine Notre Dame des Pallières is a very old family estate, whose name comes from a place of pilgrimage visited by the Provençal people in the middle-ages who believed that the fountain on the property would protect them from the plague.
Claude Roux and his cousin Jean-Pierre have so many generations of Gigondas wine making experience in their family that they don’t know exactly how many of their relatives have been involved up to now – Antique writings suggest that this Domain existed in the 900’s. Fortunately, this tradition is continuing with Claude’s children, Isabelle and Julien, gradually taking over the day-to-day responsibilities of farming, production, and administration.
When asked about their methods they smile and explain that they are simply following the traditional methods of the family members that came before them.
Appearance:
I’ve always liked the Domaine des Paillieres labels. Have been buying their wines for years, both for my personal enjoyments and for the WineSellar. The embossing on the bottle, traditional to the region, sis always a plus for me. The wine is very dark red, with notes of grey/black. Watch for some sediment.
Nose:
Classic Rhone Valley aromas: intensely earthy, dark soil, dark fruits, blackberry, herbs, tobacco, anise, and hints of menthol. The nose has a beautiful presence, in its rustic power as well as its grace and elegance.
Texture:
Even though this wine is a young rapscallion, it is unbelievably smooth in the mouth for being from the recent 2020 vintage. The tannins have melded well, keeping the wine balanced but with a nice future ahead of it.
Flavors:
The solid black fruits dominate the flavor profile early, but as you allow the wine to open up, you are rewarded with so many more nuanced flavor suggestions: darkened earth/soil, black olive, mint, herbs, smoke, coffee, black pepper, mushrooms . . .
Serving Suggestions:
Pastas, pizzas, mushroom dishes will be wonderful with this wine from Rasteau!
2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, “1797” Bourbon Barrel Aged
Growing Region Paso Robles, California
Varietal Composition 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Fermentation 18 Months French & American Oak Blackletter Bourbon Barrels for a portion
Suggested Retail $31.00
WineSellar Club Price $22.49
Broad Strokes:
Wine Hooligans was founded in 2013 with one simple goal: to create and reinvent artisan wine brands with identity, purpose, and authenticity; and put them in the hands of wine lovers everywhere.
Wine Hooligans comprises five wine brands and four winemakers. Each brand is unique from the next, yet each wine is made by an individual winemaker whose personality and experience is reflected in every bottle. These are wines that are deeply connected to a specific California wine region and are accessibly priced wines that over deliver in quality and story.
Appearance:
The label pulls off the bourbon barrel theme very well, making their brand distinctive and easily identifiable. The question of what is “1797” is answered on the back label. He wine is very dark, opaque, and goes to bright red on the edges.
Nose:
If you concentrate hard enough, you can realize the bourbon wood barrel characteristics coming through on the nose. It’s cool. The deep, black-fruited wine is spiked with spices, mostly clove, with cinnamon and nutmeg, juniper, peppercorns and a freshly crush pack of fresh herbs.
Texture:
The mouthfeel on this wine is fabulous, especially considering its relative youth and that it is a youngish Cabernet Sauvignon from bold-wine country, Paso Robles. I was startled by the extent of the creamy feel in the mouth, loving it. This creamy feel, alongside the dreamy forward fruit reminded me of the root beer floats from my early days.
Flavors:
BLUEBERRY!!! I can’t recall ever having the flavor of ripe blueberry fruit so pronounced in any wine before. I really was amazed and appreciated this so much. Also noted wood and spices, and I swear I am getting the bourbon wood notes. Vanilla, black walnut, anise. Fun wine, so unique and so different.
Serving Suggestions:
Roast duck, filet mignon, roast pork, maybe make a blueberry sauce!
2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, Laird Estate
Growing Region Napa Valley, California
Varietal Composition 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec
Fermentation 21 Months French Oak
Alcohol Content 15.2%
Suggested Retail $60.00
WineSellar Club Price $51.29
Broad Strokes: 91 POINTS! Wine Enthusiast, Just 200 Cases Produced
From the Winery: For consulting winemakers Paul Hobbs and Julian Gonzalez, the attraction to help the Laird’s craft their own wines began simply with their family. With Ken having over 40 years in the business, they recognized that he truly understood the ‘ins-and-outs’ of the industry and were able to meet the unique trends and challenges of the wine business. Paul and Julian saw Ken’s determination and knew he was in it for the long run, not simply for hobby’s sake. They also believed the combined vineyard expertise of Justin and Ken was tough to beat. Lastly, there was a shared vision and goal to produce great, estate wines.
Appearance:
The familiar Laird Family Estate label on the tall bottle is distinctive and attractive. Trouble is you can’t get two bottles in a two-bottle deep wine bin, so it takes up a bit more space in the cellar. The wine looks gorgeous in the glass, black at the core, dark magenta on the edges and the legs as the wine drips slowly down the glass.
Nose:
The wine is clearly sophisticated with its lovely, well-structured, and complex aromatics. Toasted nuts, black currant, and cinnamon. It is tightly oaked, with still youthful scents of a promising future.
Texture:
Exotic and smooth, the entry has a firm bite of acid covering the expressive yet still reserved elegant fruit. The finish is long and even, reminding me a of a young Bordeaux from the Pauillac Region (Chateau Lafite or Mouton Rothschild) or even St. Julien (Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou).
Flavors:
As with the nose, the palate reminds me of an excellent young Bordeaux wine. Cedar, balanced to oak=acid-fruit keeps the wine long in your palate and memory. Fresh herbs surround the well-fruited mid palate. Red and black currants, raspberry and well-integrated wood elements all come together to make this wine so special!
Serving Suggestions:
I am strongly urging you to put three to six bottles minimum in your cellar and open them up in about ten years from now.
2018 Tannat, “Titan”, Midnight Cellars
Growing Region Paso Robles, California
Varietal Composition 100% Tannat
Fermentation 26 Months Neutral French Oak
Alcohol Content 15.9%
Suggested Retail $60.00
WineSellar Club Price $54.99
Broad Strokes:
Midnight Cellars is home to the Hartenberger Family, and their small production of award-winning wines. The 28-acre estate is situated in the newly established Willow Creek District, known for its strong maritime influence, mountainous landscape and calcareous soils. The climate, topography and soil composition create an environment for growing quality, low yield, sustainable farmed grapes. As a family-owned winery for about 20 years, Midnight Cellars prides itself in providing fine wines at enjoyable prices.
Tannat: a red-wine grape whose origins lie in the Basque country, on the border between France and Spain. In the shadow of the Pyrenees Mountains, the terrain is rough, rugged, so it is only fitting that Tannat should create wines that are equally deep, dark, dry, and rustic.
Appearance:
I like the graphic with the brushstroke of the sky with the old man in the moon style. Screwcap, Yay! Back label info, YAY. The wine is black at the core, and let its opaqueness go until the very edge of the glass, when it yields to a beautiful, brilliant magenta hue.
Nose:
Roasted walnuts hover over very dark, brooding black and blue fruits, sweet cherries, and hints of coffee. Powerful and deep, with notes of smoke, rich berry fruit, truffle, dark earthen soil, and vanilla oak.
Texture:
Sturdy, powerful and rich, and belying its 15.9% alcohol content, the wine reaches a smooth, robust presence in the palate. Thus, it brings a massive presence of fruit and flavors, without us incurring any penalties of high acids or other malaprops. In other words, it’s a big, lovely smoothy!
Flavors:
Black and blue fruits, sweet cherries, with cappuccino and some nice spices. The roasted walnuts from the nose translate to the palate, maybe more like mahogany and wood bark. Herb notes of rosemary and oregano, and that sweet vanilla oak coming from the fine wood treatment.
Serving Suggestions:
Foods high in protein and fat content are waiting in line for this baby. Sausage, BBQ, cheeses.
French Toast
I’ve been making this for a few years now and consider it a special breakfast when we have the time to get it on. It may not be easy to find the Trader Joe’s Pure Bourbon Vanilla Extract*, but you can order it from Amazon if the local TJ’s is not carrying it. Or try another brand.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 8 slices of Brioche bread, a little on the thick side, about ½ inch
- 1 Tablespoon of Ghee butter, or 1/8 pound butter (enough to coat bottom of the pan)
- 3 Large Eggs
- 1 Cup of Whole Milk
- 4 Tablespoons of Trader Joe’s Pure Bourbon Vanilla Extract*
- 1 Heaping Teaspoon of Cinnamon
- ½ Teaspoon Nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of saffron (optional)
Method:
-
In a large bowl, add the eggs, milk, Bourbon Vanilla Extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, pinch of salt and saffron
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Whisk until you can’t see any yolk or egg whites, just smooth yellow/brown liquid
-
Transfer liquid to a deep cookie sheet that will hold your slices of bread laying down
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Dip your bread into the liquid for a minute and then turn them over
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Heat a large pan up on medium high
-
Add the Ghee or butter and coat the pan
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Place your bread slices in the pan and cook until they turn golden brown.
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Flip them and brown them on the other side.
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You can keep the finished slices warm in a 200-degree oven, covered with foil until ready to serve.
Options:
If I have bananas on hand, I will slice them long ways and fry them with the bread. They take on a natural sweetness when cooked this way and play off the toast nicely.
Fresh strawberries or any fresh berry/fruit is a good addition.
So is a smokey, salty bacon.
Make sure your Maple syrup is of high quality!