Mark
Kernaghan's

Sparkling
Wine
Review

Cousins at Home and Abroad

         Catherine Denueve or Christie Brinkley? Two very different beauties from two very different cultures. Ask an American and it will be Catherine Denueve. All those sexy movies, that voice, dressed by Yves St. Laurent; she is the epitome of French allure. Ask a Frenchmen and it will be Christie Brinkley. She is the quintessential American pinup girl with those fabulous Southern California looks and a body meant for the beach – any beach. Gertrude Stein or Colette? Duncan Phyfe or Louis Quinze? The fascination of Americans for all things French and vice versa has been in existence since Benjamin Franklin took Versailles by storm. (Can anyone really explain why Jacques Pepin likes iceberg lettuce?)

         At a formidable dinner recently, conversation turned to wines produced in California by great French wine houses. Questions were raised about French sparkling wine makers who have moved into the Napa and Anderson valleys. These wineries are, to many, cousins of a sort as a result of sharing name identity and some clever marketing strategies. Of course, my companions protested, cousins or not, the wines produced in California could not equal the sophistication of the great French houses with hundreds of years of tradition behind them. Americans were yet again the poor relations looking to their French cousins to have a little of that foreign glamour rub off. Was this true or was this yet another indication of our seduction by French allure? How could we test this in such a way that related wineries could be compared with out any of the glamour of a name or local pride influence us?

         I chose two houses: Taittinger and Louis Roederer, who use their names on both French and California bottles. Both have been located in each region long enough to establish reputations as producers of premium wines. Neither claims, however that the cousins are comparable. Taittinger and Louis Roederer retail between $35 - $40 per bottle. Roederer Estate and Domaine Carneros retail between $18 - $24 per bottle. Was the difference in price justified, or was it all in a name? Several friends who would have no stake in the outcome were asked to taste. I de-foiled and wrapped each bottle in a white linen napkin (no paper sacks- after all, this is sparkling wine!) to disguise the label while all chilled. I then placed a different color ribbon around each bottle so each was identified only by the color of the ribbon.

         The first wine we sampled was the Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut. I can remember two separate experiences at the winery – the first more positive than the second. In both cases I preferred the non-vintage to the premium wines. The wine was quite light in color - very pale straw - quite foamy at first with fast sharp bubbles. It was described as having a lemony nose when first poured. The taste did not match the nose, which was variously described as flinty, woodsy, fungal, and vegetal with just a bare hint of citrus. It showed a heavy hand with chardonnay grapes (reportedly about 70%) in the blend. As the wine opened it became creamier and the taste of pears, not terribly ripe pears, became more pronounced. The group thought it was best suited to creamy cheeses and served before dinner.

         The second wine we sampled was the Louis Roederer Brut Premier from Reims. The wine was more yellow in color and the bubbles were steady and uniform. “Yeasty,” was the word on everyone’s lips as I poured. The first tasting matched the nose. With more pinot grapes, (about 56%) the taste of bread, even toast persisted. There were smiles all around. As the wine became a little creamier, a hint of green apple was noted. Little to no acid was detected in this wine which had a very balanced round taste in the mouth. Cooks in the group were eager to serve this wine with white fish, shellfish, lamb or even rabbit.

         The third wine sampled was Domaine Carneros Brut by Taittinger. Set on a hillside, the French-style chateau over looking the countryside, this winery dominates the Napa Valley from the South. Countless visitors have sat on the outdoor terrace in the sunshine with a glass in hand, seduced by the beauty of California. Poured on a rainy Seattle night, this light bright lovely yellow wine, (about 58 % pinot - no petit Meunier grapes) was bubbly without being foamy and was described as having a floral nose which disappeared rather quickly. It was quite effervescent in the mouth at first taste. One of the group asked, “Do you all know what pop rocks are?” Several laughed knowingly. It was slightly yeasty, quite buttery, and slightly sweet with hints of, perhaps, kiwi. It only got creamier in the glass. One person described it as having the most clearly grape taste of the evening. Obviously a salute to the location of the as yet known winery, all described it a wine they would love to serve at an outdoor luncheon.

         Finally we sampled the Taittinger Brut. The wine was a beautiful golden color with small steady fat bubbles. The nose was described as both fruit and yeasty. Immediately it was described as the most interesting wine of the evening with a “rainbow of flavor.” It was sweet on the tip of the tongue and balanced in the middle of the mouth. This was probably due the highest percentage of pinot grapes (60%) of the evening. The group thought it would go well with turkey, lamb and interestingly enough with sautéed mushrooms. It was suggested that this would be a great Valentines Day wine to savor at a favorite spot in front of a fire. Had this crowd had too much to drink by this point? Time to move onto some serious food.

         So what were our preferences, not knowing the labels on the bottles? Each person was polled before the napkins came off. All had a chance to explain his or her order of preference. Well, we preferred France over California to a person. We all agreed that there was a qualitative difference. The French wines were more golden in color, less foamy, more complex and were creamier the longer they sat in the glass. Does this mean that we don’t like Christie Brinkley? Absolutely not! We would go to the beach with her any day. But when it comes to a long evening of sophisticated conversation, we would pick Catherine Denueve anytime. Vive le France!

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About the author:   A Seattle native, Mark Kernaghan has been a life long traveler.   He delights in pursuing culinary adventure. He is a fan of the performing arts, especially opera, and loves a good Sunday afternoon at the museum.   On a good evening he is found at home either entertaining friends to supper or lost in a good novel.