December 17, 2009

Vin Chaud (Recipe)

During the past couple of weeks, signs advertising vin chaud have been popping up all over France.  In the local cafés, vin chaud is written in chalk on the “specials” board, and the vendors at the many celebrated Christmas Markets are prepared to warm up the crowds with their versions of vin chaud. While many countries have their form of mulled wine, in France it’s vin chaud, which literally means “hot wine.”  Drinking a glass of vin chaud is sure to warm you up on the coldest of days, but it is also extremely easy to make yourself.

People began making vin chaud as a way of saving wine that had gone bad.  By adding sugar and spices, the wine was again drinkable.  This doesn’t mean, however, that you should reach for the half bottle of red wine that’s been sitting out for a few weeks.  You can make vin chaud from almost any type of red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Beaujolais Nouveau).  Be careful not to boil the wine, and be sure to serve with a slice of orange.  Vin chaud is also a great accompaniment for pain d’épices, a French spice cake that is similar to gingerbread.

Ingredients
1 bottle of red wine
2 tablespoons unrefined cane sugar (cassonade)
1 cinnamon stick
4 whole cloves
zest of 1 orange
zest of 1 lemon

1. Combine the above ingredients in a large pot and slowly bring to a simmer.  Reduce the heat and let simmer for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for another 10 minutes.

2. Pass the mulled wine through a sieve, and serve with a slice of orange.

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November 27, 2009

Beaujolais Nouveau 2009

It’s that time of the year again.  The streets in France are filled with signs proclaiming, “Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrive!”  But I must admit that, despite all of the excitement, I’ve never before taken the Beaujolais Nouveau very seriously.  After all, I can list numerous other wines that I would rather be drinking.  This year, however, since I’m in France, I decided to partake in the fan-fair.  In doing so, I’ve discovered more than just a wine…I’ve discovered an important ritual.

I’ve always wondered why watery beer, that I usually try to avoid, always tastes good at baseball games.  Or, how cold pizza tastes good in the morning, but in the evening it must be heated up.  For me, eating and drinking isn’t always about the food or the drink, but more about the ritual.  And when it comes to the Beaujolais Nouveau, it’s more about the tradition than anything else.

Beaujolais Nouveau is a French wine produced in the Beaujolais region of Burgundy from the Gamay grape.  It is released the third Thursday of November when the wine is just a mere six weeks old.  Thus the word “Nouveau”, meaning “new.”  It is then quickly distributed throughout the world (not a second before midnight) where it is met with eager anticipation.  The wine is virtually tannin-free, fruity, light-bodied, and extremely easy to drink.  Nobody I know takes this wine seriously, but almost everyone I know buys a bottle (or two).

The tradition of drinking Beaujolais Nouveau is similar to that of drinking Bernache (see Burnt Nuts and Partially Fermented Grape Juice), the partially fermented wine symbolizes the end of the harvest season.  Beaujolais Nouveau is the next step in the cyclical calendar of wine drinking.  While the wine is nothing extraordinary, drinking it symbolizes the new vintage; however, it also has an effect on the consumer.  The act of drinking Beaujolais Nouveau forces us to distinguish this year from last year, not only in regards to the wine, but in regards to our personal life as well.  It is also a social ritual since we all drink the wine at the same time of the year.  Even though we don’t know the other consumers, we are aware of their existence, thus making them a part of our imagined community of fellow wine drinkers.  So even though we don’t really like the wine, we take pleasure in drinking it, just like the watery beers at baseball games.  This little bottle creates a link between wine drinkers throughout the world, and, since it is one of the most affordable wines, no one is left out.

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November 16, 2009

An Introduction to African Wines

This past week, I decided to venture into a world of wine that I know very little about: African wine.  While I was familiar with South African wines, I had never tasted wine from any other African country.  In fact, it had never even crossed my mind to do so until a friend brought over a bottle Omar Khaggam (also known as Omar el Khayam) 2006 Gianaclis from Egypt.  I will admit to being rather skeptical, since, when I think of Egypt, I think of the pyramids and Cleopatra before I think of wine.  I was very excited to discover something new, however, and luckily I did since the bottle turned out to be better than expected (although I don’t think I would go out and buy a bottle today).  To complete our short tour of Africa, we also opened a bottle of Kanonkop Kadette 2006 from South Africa that I had picked up at Comptoir des Andes & du Nouveau Monde during my last trip to Paris.  Here is what we found…

Omar Khaggam of Egypt

Winemaking is nothing new to Egypt.  In fact, the wine of Egypt dates back to pre-historic times (2600 BCE) and is documented in many ancient artifacts.  And, while the grape vine does not originate from Egypt, it was during the time of the pharaohs that the winemaking process and ingredients where first documented.  Today, Egypt produces around half a million gallons of wine a year, which is a noteworthy amount considering the large Muslim (non-alcohol drinking) population, and not to mention its bad reputation.  The three major producers are Château des Reves, Obelisk, and Gianaclis.  The latter is owned by Heineken and produces the label Omar Khaggam, which is named after the Persian mathematician and philosopher who said, “Drink wine.  This is life eternal.”

The Omar Khaggam we drank was 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, and, at first, had the characteristics that you would expect from a cab.  The color was a medium ruby red, and the aromas were that of red berries and prunes.  In the mouth, the wine is round, velvety, and very fruity, but lacking in tannins and structure.  The finish was weak with a slight metal taint.

Kanonkop Kadette of South Africa

While I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to find another bottle of Omar Khaggam, I would certainly make the effort for the Kanonkop Kadette 2006 of South Africa.  This bottle was truly a great find.

Kanonkop is a family estate located on the lower slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain in the Stellenbosch Region of the Cape, an area otherwise known as the “red wine bowl” of South Africa.  The wine is a blend made from Pinotage (39%), Cabernet Sauvignon (32%), Merlot (20%), and Cabernet Franc (9%).  This gives a luscious full-bodied, dry red wine that is well balanced, with nice acidity, delicate tannins, and a fruity velvety linger.  There was a nice finish with a touch of spice.  This is a sophisticated and eloquent wine that is also a great buy at just 10 euros a bottle.

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