Sniff some cherry, violet, and mesquite and prepare for a mouthful of not-too-sweet fruit like strawberry, combined with smoke, jasmine, and orange peel.
As January rolls around the corner, a certain bubbly beverage is in high demand: Champagne.
We've already showed you how to open sparkling wine the old fashioned way, but New Year's calls for something special. Sabrage is a technique that allows you to open a bottle of Champagne by sliding a saber (or kitchen knife) against the body of a bottle to break off its neck. Here's how to do it. (Disclaimer: Sabrage is a tricky technique to master, so you might want to try this with a bit of somm supervision for starters.)
First, remove the foil and move the wire from the bottom lip to the top lip. Find the seam of the bottle (where the two halves of the bottle connect), because that's where you'll be sliding your knife. Tilt the bottle about thirty degrees upward, and make sure to have to cork facing away from you!
The rest is simple: slide the knife flat against the seams, but make sure you slide with the blunt side; the sharp side should be facing toward you. You heard us correctly! Here's a great video with those steps in action:
What will you be drinking this New Year's? We'll be raising our glasses to Drappier Carte D'or. What are you drinking? Let us know in the comments!
For the second-to-last night of Chanukah, we've deferred to our Wine Educator, Jay Buchsbaum. Jay (one of the most entertaining wine drinkers around) informed us that tonight, he's having his in-laws over.
Shabbat Shalom in advance, everyone! In honor of tonight's combination of Shabbat joy and Chanukah cheer, we're drinking a very special wine.
Ovadia Chianti Clasico comes from the famous Bartenura Winery, producer of Bartenura Moscato amongst other great wines. This Chianti is fruity and expressive, full of cherry and berry flavors. Tannins and acidity are balanced, while the finish is long and luxurious.
We hope you have a wonderful weekend with this beautiful Chianti. Cheers!
Remember to enter our Chanukah competition to win tickets to 2015's Kosher Food & Wine Experience: New York!
The Flam Winery is a true family owned winery: three siblings working with their parents to ornately craft unique and characteristic wines. Winemaking is quite a process; can you imagine going through it with your family?
Last night we sampled semi-dry whites to go with latke, gelt, and tons of family enthusiasm. Tonight we're changing out tune a little with a quiet night and wines with more subtle, rounded flavors.
The first night of this celebration is generally filled with the whole family: cousins, in-laws, kids and their kids. Latkes and gelt (chocolate coins) are abound. This light yet flavorful fare calls for some delicious semi-dry whites.
With the temperature dropping and the holidays right around the corner, warm, festive parties are the way to go. And what better way to celebrate than with a bottle of champagne? But this celebratory libation has a reputation of being pricy.
One of our favorite Zins is Baron Herzog Late Harvest Zinfandel. Made in California in the Lodi Appellation, this bull-bodied, intensely flavored wine has a nose filled with strawberry and blackberry. The texture is rich, balancing sweetness and acidity. It's an extremely well structured wine with a luscious sweet berry fruit finish.
We suggest pairing it with pastries, cakes, and fresh fruit.