He Says, She Says - March 2009

Wine columnists Wini Moranville and Charles Smothermon select their favorite affordable sparkling wines and explore more of their favorite wine regions.

Whittling our favorite wines down to just a handful—as we did in this month’s print issue of Relish—wasn’t easy. Inevitably, wines we dearly love got slighted. Thank goodness we get another crack at it online! So whaddaya say we revisit the wine categories we tackled, and share those picks that were just barely squeezed out of the running, but are still so very worthy.

 Wini’s Favorite Affordable Sparkling Wine
 
Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut ($23): Made in the crisp, vivid and toasty-dry style of fine French Champagne—but sans the lavish price tag.


Charles’ Favorite Affordable Sparkling Wine

2004 Gramona Gran Cuvée Cava ($18): An arduously long aging regimen contributes to this stylish mélange of citrus, spice and toasted nut flavors.

Charles' SECOND Favorite White Wine Region—Bordeaux, France

I'm such an all-around Bordeaux lunatic that you're probably not surprised to see this! Truth is, I love elegant Bordeaux whites almost as much as those top-shelf reds. Typically blends of Sauvignon Blanc and Sèmillon, maybe with a splash of Muscadelle, these whites are always wickedly wonderful with food. They're especially exciting when sidled up to seafood. Mouton Cadet blanc ($9) and Château Bonnet blanc ($12) sport sophisticated flavors way out of proportion to their bargain basement prices.

Wini’s SECOND Favorite White Wine Region—Rias Baixas, Spain

I love saying “Rias Baixas” almost as much as I love drinking this wine—go here and click on “how do I say Rias Baixas” to hear a sexy-sounding Spanish woman pronounce the region for you. Albariños from Rias Baixas offer the heft that I appreciate with a Chardonnay, but the delicate orchard-fruit flavors I covet in a good Alsatian Riesling. Try Martin Codax Rias Baixas Albariño ($15), a full-bodied and fresh bottle that brims with ripe apples, melon and orchard fruits backed by a lemony zest. Because Rias Baixas is on Spain’s Atlantic coast, it figures that this wine is particularly at home with seafood.

Charles' SECOND Favorite Red Wine Region—Rioja, Spain

I love this part of Spain—unbelievable hiking, great food, gorgeous mountains, fascinating history, cool architecture. . . . Now, what am I forgetting? (Forgive me—that seductive "Rias Baixas" is still ringing in my ears. . . .) Oh yeah, baby—such aristocratic reds. And many Rioja reds (even a few whites!) are built for big-time aging. Bodegas Muga is a super-reliable producer, and their 2004 Reserva ($30) will easily stand several more years in the cellar. But if you can't wait, don't worry. It's ready to thrill right away.

Wini’s SECOND Favorite Red Wine Region—Beaujolais, France

I enjoy fascinating flavors in my reds, but when I make the move to the table, I want something that won’t weigh me down. Enter Cru Beaujolais. With their vivacious cherry-berry notes and hints of flowers, spice, and smoke, these are intriguing stand-alone party sippers, yet with their brightness and none-to-heavy body, they’re among the most versatile, food-friendly wines around.

Sadly, this Gamay-based wine suffers from its association with Beaujolais Nouveau, a red that, at its best, is fresh and fruity, but often simple to a fault. Pick a bottle without the word “nouveau” on the label, and look for the name of the cru (the villages) in which they’re made, including Régnié, Brouilly, Morgon, Moulin-à-Vent or, my personal favorite, Fleurie. Georges Duboeuf’s 2007 Flower Label Fleurie ($16) is a textbook example.

Charles' SECOND Favorite U.S. Wine Region—Willamette Valley, Oregon

You picked this as your favorite U.S. region, Wini, and it's awfully close to the top for me, as well. But because you covered Willamette's wonderful white wines in Relish, I'm going to home in on the region's extraordinary Pinot Noir. This is what put Willamette on the map, after all! Cristom Vineyards crafts brassy Pinots from a number of different vineyard locations. Their 2005 Mt. Jefferson Cuvée ($30) offers a delectable introduction to Willamette Valley's classically intense and earthy Pinots.

Wini’s SECOND Favorite Red Wine Region—Paso Robles, California

Paso’s reds get noticed for the way they offer full-throttle California fruit flavors, but their bright and earthy characteristics help make them work well with food, too. I’m a huge fan of Paso’s Rhône-style and Bordeaux-style blends, but I also appreciate the way winemakers go off the traditional path with their own proprietary blends. Made mostly from grapes grown within the Central Coast region, Clayhouse Vineyard 2006 Adobe Red ($15) combines Zin, Syrah, Petite Sirah and Malbec for a richly brambly, nicely spiced wine.

Charles' SECOND Favorite Affordable Sparkling Wine—Crémant

I guess I ought to be ashamed of myself for picking so many French wines. But, geeze—what am I supposed to do? Lie? Or is it better to simply put those Francophilic wine tendencies right out in the open?

Well all-righty then! Made with the same laborious process as Champagne, Crémants are WAY under-the-radar sparklers produced in lots of French wine regions. They're almost always a ridiculous bargain. In the States, we're most likely to see crémants from the Alsace, Loire, and Burgundy (Bourgogne) regions. If they're new to you, start out with an Alsatian bubbly from either Lucien Albrecht or Pierre Sparr, two of the best-known producers. They each offer a number of different crémants, rarely topping the $20 mark.

Wini’s SECOND Favorite Affordable Sparkling Wine: Mumm Napa Cuvée M ($19)

With its graceful bubbles, delicate pink hue, and hints of wild strawberries amidst honeyed stone fruits, this is simply a great find for the price. Cuvée M also revealed to me just how true it is that a good sparkling wine can go with just about anything—I’ve enjoyed it with steak.