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+--- Thread: Chard substitute for wine-tasting (/thread-5635.html)
- joeyz6 - 01-07-2003
OK, so I just arrived at Ms. Immer's first wine-tasting test in Great Wine Made Simple. On her list of suggested wines to use, she fails to mention any French Chardonnay. Same deal with Cabernet Sauvignon. Do you all think it's OK to substitute any old white Burgundy and red Bordeaux (provided the Bordeaux is Cab-based)?
- wondersofwine - 01-07-2003
Yes.
- Thomas - 01-07-2003
...it illuminates the New World-centric nature of some wine people...
- hotwine - 01-07-2003
Chablis and Left-Bank Bordeaux, resp.
- Innkeeper - 01-07-2003
You're getting a little ahead of the book, Joe. In Chapter 5 she does have you taste Old World against the New World.
For all: Having read all three of her books, as well as many of her Esquire articles, would call her more Old World than New.
- joeyz6 - 01-08-2003
Hmm ... the problem is that I have no way of getting any California chardonnay out here. I suppose I could just wait until I get home in May and do the tastings then.
- Thomas - 01-08-2003
Take a French Chardonnay, hang a "teabag" of oak in it, melt a pat of butter in it, and make believe it is from California.
Joking, of course?
- Innkeeper - 01-08-2003
There are many Vin de Pays Chardonnays that are very Californialike. They probably don't sell any of it in France though.
- hotwine - 01-08-2003
Duboeuf peddles both Cab and Chardonnay from VdP d'Oc. And dirt cheap. You might be able to find those.
- hotwine - 01-08-2003
Try http://www.georgesduboeuf.com/uk/indexliens.htm
Once you get past the Shockwave razzamataz, the site's utility improves. Look under Vin de Pays d'Oc for the Cabernet Sauvignon, and under Maconnaise for the Chardonnay.
- Thomas - 01-08-2003
Come to think of it, JoeyZ, if you can get your hands on Chateau Routas Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz (Provence) and Louis Jadot Grand Ardeche Chardonnay (Ardeche), you will have two quite-like California wines.
But like IK alluded, such wines are likely difficult to locate in France since they seem to be for the American market.
- Bucko - 01-08-2003
Don't let 'em kid you, there are some real oaky Burgs as well. That is why Chablis is my choice from Burgundy.
- joeyz6 - 01-09-2003
Thanks for all of those tips, I will see what I can find. [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]
- Innkeeper - 09-21-2004
Well, today we got ahold of a Routas Cabernet Sauvignon ('01 Cabernet Sauvignon That Wild Boars Prefer [in Engligh] $8.99 at The Clown in Belfast). God awful plonk. Particularly irksome, since we had a nice '00 Bordeaux at the same price a few days ago, and according to Google, The Clown was supposed to have it. They are trying to find it for me now, and they we really have to try after this one.
Had a nice meal despite the plonk. Salisbury steaks grilled with mesquite smoke, sauteed shitake mushrooms, and salad with vinaigrette dressing.
- Thomas - 09-22-2004
IK, are you under some stress? I'm trying to figure out why this post is in this forum...
- Innkeeper - 09-22-2004
I was responding to your post about the Routas wines above.
- Thomas - 09-22-2004
Oh, I didn't go up to that post.
Anyway, you discovered what I meant about the Routas being California-like...
- Innkeeper - 10-13-2004
Noticed today the Wine Spectator gave it an 84 score. Either they are very generous or we got a bad bottle. Our purveyor took it off the shelf.
- Thomas - 10-14-2004
How about a third possibility: that's the kind of wine arbiters in magazines tend to tout!