So, Steve Timko gave me this idea

S

Sharon Bowman

Sharon Bowman
This is a tale of a pleasant culinary union. Here are the elements of the story: a gigantic andouillette au Vouvray from the famed Vouvray charcutier Hardouin. This will feed two people. A sauce of caramelized onions, white wine, piquant mustard and crme frache. A mash of ratte potatoes gorged with butter and crme frache.

Usually, a bottle of Chablis goes with this type of do-up. But not only do I not understand Chablis, I don't have any.

So I gleefully dug a bottle of 2004 Valette Vir-Cless out of the cellar. It was hidden in a box of red Sancerre, phew for finding it.

Six minutes before dinner, as the andouillette was sizzling in its pan, I opened the Vir-Cless. Corked. Gorgeous behind the slight taint; and my last bottle!

The only other white I had in the fridge was a Coteaux du Languedoc Saint-Georges d'Orcques. Mostly Vermentino. Could work with the mustard, but I had this idea, see.

Back down to the cellar, back up with the bottle and a quick douse in a bucket with ice.

2006 Herv Villemade Cour-Cheverny "Les Acacias" - The first note is of opulent, slightly oxidative crushed hazelnuts. On the palate, the oxidation gives a thick, heady power to the wine, which is then followed by a kind of searing, tangy green papaya note (yes) and a rafter of tiny white flowers. It was still a little too warm, but with a degree or two less, the cut was even better. Some residual sugar noticeable, but I was fascinated by its ability to express both a quirky style and its place.

The match with the andouillette was successful.
 
originally posted by Zachary Ross:
How many producers of Cour-Cheverny wines are there? Cazin, Tessier, Huards, Villemade... any others?
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I've also seen wines from Jacky Pasquier and Michel Dronne. There must be a few others, although it is a relatively recent AOC.
 
I can see how Coeur-Cheverny might work well with sausage. And with some RS it might go well with slightly spicy sausage.
 
originally posted by Sharon Bowman:
piquant mustard
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How is it that the French have this wonderfully piquant moutarde, but run from even black pepper as too spicy.

One of the funniest things about the French to me. Can't handle ANY heat at all in their food.

It's funny.
 
One of the funniest things about the French to me. Can't handle ANY heat at all in their food.

It's funny.
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And at times quite sensible since said heat clashes with wine. And as we all know, wine is the most important part of the meal.
 
As I was reading your food description, Sharon, I was thinking, "I've done that with Savagnin" (except for the provenance of the sausage, of course, and the addition of some green peppercorns) with great success. I'm not afraid of oxidation, either.
 
You guys are talking about radically different types of oxidation. There is no sous voile in Villemade, just barrel aging without sulfur or tannin (or a regimen like Fourrier) which leads to a different type of oxidation.
 
VLM, sous voile is only vin jaune. Savagnin has oxidative notes even when not vinified that way. Go figure. Recently had a smashing 1996 Arbois Terres Bleues from Domaine de la Pinte; oxidative and young and very, very good. You could taste the slate (terres bleues).
 
originally posted by Sharon Bowman:
VLM, sous voile is only vin jaune. Savagnin has oxidative notes even when not vinified that way. Go figure.
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I think there are plenty of savignin are made sous voile. I've never had one taste that way without being made that way, it is very distinctive, IMO.
 
Sorry if my response was cloudy. All vin jaune (sous voile, by definition) is made from Savagnin. But there is also non-vin jaune Savagnin that still does have that walnutty, oxidative taste. Recent tastings of a 1996 as noted and a 1985 Arbois showed those flavor profiles in non-vin jaune Savagnin. The same is true of younger Savagnin and even some Chardonnay from the Jura.
 
Sharon,

I sure had the notion that there were sous voile wines that weren't kept long enough to qualify as vin jaune but that were still plenty oxidative. I'm thinking of a bottle of Puffeney 2002 Savignin that I tortured my dining companions with at Cendrillon last week.

And then there are wines made in stainless or with topped barrels that don't have that character.
 
Puffeney's Savagnin is sous-voile but not aged long enough to qualify as vin jaune. I love that 2002, and Montbourgeau is terrific, too.

Then there are the ouill versions like the Tissot's we've seen in NYC the past few years that are made in stainless and, as a result don't show the oxidative profile. Fla Jim loves those, I seem to recall.

Has anyone tried the 2003 Tissot sous-voile that came through NYC last winter? I got the last couple but haven't tried one.
 
Cliff,
I went through several bottles of the 2002 Montbourgeau L'etoile Chardonnay that I believe had a little Savagnin in the mix. The wine clearly had an oxidized character. Do you know if this wine was made sous-voile? If it was done in stainless or topped up, it would give credit to Sharon's idea that the Savagnin can provide the "oxidized" aromas without the sous voile process.
 
originally posted by SFJoe:
Sharon,

I sure had the notion that there were sous voile wines that weren't kept long enough to qualify as vin jaune but that were still plenty oxidative. I'm thinking of a bottle of Puffeney 2002 Savignin that I tortured my dining companions with at Cendrillon last week.

And then there are wines made in stainless or with topped barrels that don't have that character.
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My understanding as well. In fact, I think most labeled Savignin are sous voile to an extent.
 
That Montbourgeau does have some Savagnin in the mix, but I believe it is an oxidative elvage -- their website doesn't spell it out but says it spends two years in "fts de chne de 230 litres ou en demi muid (600 litres)." It's the comparison of that wine with Tissot's ouill Savagnin on the one hand (which does not have that profile) and other producers' oxidative Chardonnays (that do) that makes me question if the nutty, oxidative profile is a characteristic of the variety.
 
originally posted by SFJoe:
Sharon,

I sure had the notion that there were sous voile wines that weren't kept long enough to qualify as vin jaune but that were still plenty oxidative. I'm thinking of a bottle of Puffeney 2002 Savignin that I tortured my dining companions with at Cendrillon last week.
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You're making a habit of bringing that wine there, aren't you? And I wouldn't call it torture; it's more like a shock to the system, except to those of you who make a regular habit of drinking oxidative white wines.

Mark Lipton
 
originally posted by MLipton:

You're making a habit of bringing that wine there, aren't you? And I wouldn't call it torture; it's more like a shock to the system, except to those of you who make a regular habit of drinking oxidative white wines.
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I don't bring it, I drink it off the list.

Torture is in the fingernails of the beholder.
 
originally posted by SFJoe:
originally posted by MLipton:

You're making a habit of bringing that wine there, aren't you? And I wouldn't call it torture; it's more like a shock to the system, except to those of you who make a regular habit of drinking oxidative white wines.
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I don't bring it, I drink it off the list.

Torture is in the fingernails of the beholder.
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That reminds me. I finally gave in and had dinner at Landmarc a few weeks ago and saw a Savignin on the list. Your doing?
 
originally posted by Jay Miller:
originally posted by SFJoe:
originally posted by MLipton:

You're making a habit of bringing that wine there, aren't you? And I wouldn't call it torture; it's more like a shock to the system, except to those of you who make a regular habit of drinking oxidative white wines.
Click to expand...
I don't bring it, I drink it off the list.

Torture is in the fingernails of the beholder.
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That reminds me. I finally gave in and had dinner at Landmarc a few weeks ago and saw a Savignin on the list. Your doing?
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I encourage them, and sometimes buy it off the list. I've scarcely been in town for ages, so I haven't bee in lately.

They have a mixed view--they get it sent back a lot, but then they get to drink it themselves.
 
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