JANUARY 2013

THIS MONTHS ISSUE:

7 Rules for Pairing Wine With Grilled Food How many bubbles are in a bottle of Champagne? Sandra Avilas Wine Story

Cos dEstournel appoints new chief

By: Jane Anson

Best Bubbly to Ring in The New Year Right

Champagne as opposed to sparkling wine -- whats the difference? First, Champagne technically comes from the Champagne region of France. All other wines with bubbles are sparkling wine. Some of them are made the same way as Champagne, like Cava from Spain, or higher-end sparkling wines from the U.S., and some of them are not, like Prosecco. Most Champagnes and sparkling wines are blends from several years, which is why theyre referred to as non-vintage. around), and gradually loosen it. Also, that way, you help prevent it from foaming all over your table. One trick to know about glasses is, if theres any dish soap left in them, the Champagne wont send up all those beautiful streams of bubbles -- soap is too frictionless a surface, and the bubbles wont form. And Id suggest serving it in a good flute, not a flat, oldfashioned coupe. How cold or chilled should it be? Can you put it in the freezer? Champagne should be quite cold. Id put it in the fridge for a couple of hours. But the fastest way is in an ice bucket with
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Aymeric de Gironde, international commercial director of AXA Millsimes, has been appointed general manager of Chateau Cos dEstournel. de Gironde (pictured) will take over from Jean-Guillaume Prats - who announced his departure last month - in February 2013. Before working at AXA Millsimes a role which included prestigious estates such as Chateau Pichon Baron, Chateau Suduiraut and Chateau Petit Village in Bordeaux and several other estates in Portugal, Burgundy and Hungary de Gironde spent from 1997 to 2006 with the LVMH Group, with Hennessy and Krug in New York and Paris. In a letter sent to clients confirming the appointment, Cos owner Michel Reybier wrote, Serving the beautiful terroir of Cos dEstournel, he will put into practice our

philosophy of excellence in French and foreign markets which he knows pretty well, and will interact with you to promote further the presence of our wines. I wish him great success in his new position for which he has my full support.

How quickly does Champagne go bad? What size bottle should you get? Champagne and sparkling wines will last a long time until you open them. But they lose their fizz pretty fast once you do - in a couple of hours or so (you can buy special Champagne stoppers that seal the bottle shut, and theyll prolong its life by about a day). If youve got just two people and only want a glass each, you can go with a half-bottle, which is half the size of a regular wine bottle. For four to six people, a regular size (750ml) bottle is a good choice. How should you open and serve it -- are there any tricks of the trade? A few useful tricks and things to know: First, when you open Champagne, you really dont want to shoot the cork across the room -- its under a lot of pressure, and it could actually hurt someone. The best thing to do is hold the cork firmly and turn the bottle (not the other way

Prats will be moving to LVMH Group, as CEO of its Estates & Wines group, makers of Cloudy Bay and Cape Mentelle. Christian Seely, managing director of AXA Millesimes, called the job at Cos dEstournel a tremendous opportunity for de Gironde and said, We wish him all the best in his new position.
Source: decanter.com

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Christian Tan Romy Sia Eunice de Belen Jesse Keisha Wenceslao Jr Fernando Sky Printing president publisher editor-in-chief production assistant layout & design printer

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Our Vision

Issue No. 3

www.winestory.com.ph

Best Bubbly to Ring... from page 1

water and ice. Itll chill down in about 20 minutes. You can put it in the freezer, but if you forget about it, itll explode. So thats not ideal. Which Champagnes are better with food? Champagne is actually great with food -- people dont realize how versatile it is. For lighter things, regular Champagne; if you want to serve it with something more substantial, like a roast chicken, probably a ros Champagne is best. What does Brut mean? The term brut means dry/not sweet. If you feel like splurging, whats the best Champagne on the market? 2004 Louis Roederer Cristal Brut Serve with: As long as youre going all out on the Champagne, why not go all out on the food, too? Caviar and blinis. An ideal combination. Why is this particular Champagne so expensive? Cristal is Roederers tete de cuvee -- their top offering. It famously was originally created in 1867 for Alexander II of Russia, and it was put in clear glass because -- believe it or not -- there was a lot of political unrest at the time, and that way he could see through the bottle and make sure there wasnt a bomb hidden in it. Its about half Chardonnay and half Pinot Noir, made from the very best grapes Roederer has. Source: cbsnews.com

How many bubbles are in a bottle of Champagne?

by Linda Brandta Did you know that bubbles in a Champagne bottle have been calculated? Scientist Bill Lembeck calculated the volume of an average Champagne bubble to be 69 millionths of a milliliter, and from there he figured that there are 49 million bubbles in one 750 milliliter bottle. Between 1986 and 1989, a joint project between Moet & Chandon and Heineken made use of a camerabased, computer-linked artificial vision system to record the release of bubbles. According to this study, there are 250 million bubbles in a bottle. Champagne producer Bollinger, says Karen MacNeil in The Wine Bible (Workman, 2001), also calculated the number of bubbles in a bottle of Champagne, and came up with 56 million, give or take a few.
Source: heraldtribune.com

7 Rules for Pairing Wine With Grilled Food

Make your grilling more glam by choosing the perfect wines for any food that comes off the grates. Elizabeth Karmel, executive chef at Hill Country in New York City, creator of girlsatthegrill.com, and author of St. Francis Girls Guide to Grilling shares 7 pairing tips so you can have your most delicious outdoor meal yet. Just remember the most important rulego with what you like! 1. White usually means light In general, light-bodied wines come from white wine grapes and pair well with lighter fare such as chicken, seafood, and grilled veggies. Bold, full-bodied red wines enhance the flavours in most types of meat, like burgers, steaks, and lamb, and freshly grilled pizzas. However, certain types of grilled fish, like a smoked salmon fillet or swordfish steak, pair well with a mediumbodied merlot. 2. Think about flavour Food and wines with shared characteristics typically go well together. For example, a salt-and-pepper steak tastes great with a peppery Zinfandel. It wouldnt be prudent to match very mild foods, like a piece of sole, with a fullbodied, flavourful wine because it will overpower the subtle flavours in the fish. 3. White before red If you are having more than one type of wine with a meal, keep this suggestion in mind: Drink white wine before red and lighter wines before heavier ones to help your palate adjust. 4. Play matchmaker An easy way to find a winning combination is to match the texture and intensity of the food with an equally complex or simple wine. For instance, basic shrimp scampi goes really well with Chardonnay, but adding hot red pepper and garlic to the dish makes Zinfandel a better match because the spicy notes in the wine complement the pepper in the dish.

5. Sometimes opposites attract Though matching wine to flavours is the typical rule, sometimes, a slightly sweeter wine offsets the spiciness in a dish. For example, a crisp Chardonnay is great when paired with flavour-packed Asian dishes. 6. Pair protein with dry wines Dry wines, like Cabernet Sauvignon, work best with high-protein food, such as steak and aged cheese. They are rich in tannins, which help cleanse the palate of fats, making your wine a refreshing complement to your meal. 7. A recipe for rich foods If youre eating a heavy meal, a luscious wine, like a Chardonnay, will complement very rich foods. Another option is full-flavoured wines with high acidity (often found in Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon) to cut through the oils in the dish.
Source: health.com
2

Whats Your Wine Story?

Sandra Avila
In addition to being a long-time food aficionado and a passionate wine lover, Sandra has just completed her culinary training at the prestigious Ducasse Institute at Enderun Colleges. This January, Sandra will be leaving for Paris to complete a 5-month internship at the world-renowned restaurant, 58 Tour Eiffel, where she hopes to further her skills in order to pursue her plan to open her own fine dining establishment. Sandra loves to spend her free time travelling the world with her family in order to experience amazing food and wine across the globe.

A Night of Finesse and Elegance

Mr. de Laage signing the Palmer book from Bordeaux

Q: How did you get into wine?

A. I started to get into wine as my husband and I started hosting business dinners. I wanted to better understand what wine went better with which food, so I started researching on the topic. Before I knew it, I was hooked!

Q: What is your favourite food and wine pairing? A. I love playing around with a multitude of pairings, but I always find that my favourite continues to be the Holy Trinity: bread, cheese, and wine. Even when a specific wine doesnt pair well with the cheese, it is still very enjoyable. Q: What are the wines you drink now?

On the 26th of November 2012, Mr. Bernard de Laage, the passionate and dedicated development director of the renowned Third Growth Chateau Palmer (Margaux) hosted an intimate wine dinner for our VIP guests. Chateau Palmer is known in producing wine of such a high standard that it has frequently wiped the floor with the Margaux second growths. Mr. de Laage raised a toast to the fabulous wines and shared insights over dinner about his wine estate. The exquisite dinner was prepared by French chef Cyrille Soenen. Guests enjoyed the special dinner with special wines selected by Mr. de Laage and Wine Story. The wines served from appetizer to dessert included Alter Ego 2009, 2006, 2002, Palmer 2007, 2002, 1998 and the favourite 23-year old 1989. Everyone admired the finesse and elegance of Palmer wines, characterized by the softness and refinement of silk, the warmth of velvet, and the leather of noblesse. Interesting stories were told over dinner and all guests had a truly memorable night. To book for wine events, email info@winestory.com.ph or call our stores: Shangri-La Plaza (633-3556), Serendra (846-6310) and One Rockwell West (869-0932).

Q: What is wine for you?

A. To me, wine is many things. It can be relaxation, it can be romance, it can be elegance, and it can be fun... It can be all or only one of those things. Q: What was your first favourite wine? A. I didnt have a specific wine that was my first favourite. But when I first started drinking wine, I used to drink mostly reasonably-priced California. These were wines like Mondavi and Turning Leaf. They were nothing special, but they helped me learn how to appreciate wine. Q: What was the wine that changed your life? A. Sadly, I cant remember which wine it was; but I remember it was years ago, during my first visit to France. My husband and I were dining at a beautiful restaurant near Monaco and our sommelier recommended a Chteauneuf-du-Pape. I never knew wine could taste so amazing. After that, it was goodbye to my supermarket wines! A. My wine preferences are all over the board. I dont have a specific region that I gravitate towards, but I do tend to prefer bigger, fuller wines. I have also developed a taste for sweet wines, specifically Sauternes, Tokaji, and Riesling. Q: What are your dream wines (those you would like to acquire/drink someday soon)? A. Ive never had a chance to drink old Bordeaux or Burgundy (50+ years old). I would love to be able to do so soon. Q: Have you had any formal training in wine? If yes, where and what courses are these? A. Ive only done an introductory course to Bordeaux. Everything else has been learn-asyou-go. Q: Whats the most valuable wine lesson youve learnt as a wine lover/enthusiast? A. Ive learned that the more I learn, the more I realize I dont know...

Issue No. 3

www.winestory.com.ph

Tiny Bubbles
Pol Roger Winston Churchill 1999 75cl
Champagne, France Drink by: 2010-2030 94 points, Robert Parker

Krug 1998 75cl

Champagne, France Drink by: 2012-2038 95 points, Robert Parker This is an excellent choice for drinking today, as the classic Krug style is rich, alive and totally vivid. Honey, almonds, smoke, graphite and dried apricots are some of the many aromas and flavours found in this rich, enveloping Champagne. A wine of texture and depth, with a vinous personality and terrific balance, this is one of the best bottles of the 1998 I have ever tasted.

The 1999 Brut Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill is wonderfully rich and expansive. Smoke, peaches, mint and flowers are just some of the nuances that flow from this textured kaleidoscopic Champagne. The wine continues to gain focus and breadth through to the enticing, brilliant finish.

Cristal Louis Roederer 2002 75cl

Champagne, France Drink by: 2010-2029 94 points, Robert Parker

Dom Perignon 2002 75cl

Champagne, France Drink by: 2012-2032 96 points, Robert Parker

Seriously precocious nose with notes of apple blossom, fresh strawberries, clotted cream, cashews and lightly toasted hazelnuts plus a barely detectable hint of oak. Great concentration of apple crumble flavours with very fine bubbles and a crisp backbone of acid. Long creamy finish.

The 2002 Dom Perignon is at first intensely floral, with perfumed jasmine that dominates the bouquet. With time in the glass the wine gains richness as the flavours turn decidedly riper and almost tropical. Apricots, passion fruit and peaches emerge from this flashy, opulent Dom Perignon.
Source: erobertparker.com