GREAT AMERICAN WINE-TASTING SERIES: In Vino Veritas
Babbin, Jed
THE GREAT AMERICAN WINE-TASTING SERIES In Vino Veritas French wine superiority goes the way of French honor by Jed Babbin ON'T BOTHER TO DENY IT. Some time in the past year, you violated...
...She's the boss, and though we grumbled a bit we followed the rule...
...New World 1999...
...Mary poured two chardonnays...
...They're usually too sweet, too candy-like for my taste...
...The French have convinced themselves that the Brettanomyces flavor is a mark of superiority...
...The strong euro also drove the price of French wine up (as of October 2003) on an annual basis of more than 26 percent...
...American wines have only gotten better since...
...According to the latest Wine Business Insider figures, French sales dropped 9 percent worldwide last October, about the same as October sales in the U.S...
...The winner, by unanimous vote, was the U.S.'s Estancia Meritage (1999, $25) over France's Leoville-Poyferre (1999, $60...
...It had a mineral-like flatness, some bitterness, and an earthy-moldy taste...
...Jerry summed it up: "You can't go wrong with Winston Churchill's favorite champagne...
...We began with appetizers of crab claws and two champagnes...
...Ong, nn us...
...Bruce said the left-hand wine was ashy...
...There are two reasons for the continued improvement: cleanliness and Yankee ingenuity...
...Sandy Taylor said that French wine makers are going to the U.S., Australia, and other countries to take advantage of the technology, the growing conditions, and the better business climate...
...Cameron Diaz...
...Brut Lemon OA Poached Arctic Char Pehte Base Sated, Montrachet Old World: 2001...
...Konrad rolled out an herb-encrusted rack of lamb that was so good I almost forgot why I was there until Mary poured the wines...
...For less than half the price, you get more than twice the wine...
...It was The New World vs...
...0 UR CREW OF TASTERS, Bruce McIntosh (our token Aussie), Ron Mathis, Craig Horn, Jerry Dumont, and I met in the Lansdowne Grill on January 9. (Mary insisted that we not smoke any cigars until after all the wines were tasted...
...It was "pear tart tartin" with apple butter and creme fraiche ice cream...
...One was fruity, with slightly bigger bubbles...
...Worn vs...
...ate de NON-Viliagel Now World: 2001...
...They would, wouldn't they...
...The dessert wines—which Bruce says are called "sticky wines" Down Under—were unusual...
...American wines have—for years—scored better than their French equivalents...
...Dinner began with a lemon oil-poached Arctic char...
...2001...
...In a blind tasting—even against far more expensive wines almost every American wine beat its French equivalent hands down...
...Four American cabernets were put up against four French cabs, and won hands down...
...New World Wines" Anus., 9, ma Hors d'oeuvres Old World: Poi FIC4fr...
...Bob maintains that the snobbery affects the market as much or more than the quality of the wine...
...You probably did it because you were affected by the lingering wine snobbery that afflicts America...
...While France savors the taste of horse sweat, American wines are benefiting from better climate and soil on one hand, and less government interference on the other...
...French wines are generally more expensive than American wines by 25 percent or more...
...Yeah, yeah, we're supposed to call American champagne "sparkling wine" but that's a legal fiction THE GREAT AMERICAN WINE-TASTING SERIES Lobster, a consomme-like soup unique in my experience, presented with a marrow of quenelles and pistachios...
...Jerry agreed, objecting to a faint mineral taste...
...Meat Redde...
...I have had many red wines from all over the world, but I knew a winner when I tasted one...
...The French Laboure-Roi Puligny Montrachet (2000, $70) was the equal of the Franciscan Cuvee Sauvage (2000, $50...
...The other may be the best white wine I've ever had...
...America has led the world in producing better wines out of lesser grapes, and it's now producing superb wines from the very best grapes...
...Mary told us the more fruity champagne was J Brut of California (1998, $25), and the winner was Pol Roger brut (non-vintage, $30...
...You bought the French wine and—in that one dark moment—you helped prop up the failing economy of the nation that invented Weaseldom...
...The other wine was good, but just not on the same level...
...Elizabeth Hurley...
...8...
...Jerry said it reminded him of raisins, which was about right...
...As conservatives, we believe that if people are willing to pay the difference, the French wines must be better...
...Columbia Crest Semillon Ice Wine (1998, $20) over Chateau Bastor-Lamontagne (1997, $35...
...New World: Roeder., Estate...
...Now World, /998, Columbia Crest, Semi O lion Ice W1 44050 Woodridge Pantway, Lansdowne, V10000175 791729,4077 Swam.?Blanc Co...
...Many who make gifts, and who receive them, still think that a bottle of French wine is a more generous offering and classier purchase than the American equivalent...
...Once again, the vote was unanimous, and the winner was the New World...
...I thought the first wine had almost no taste, as if it had been heavily watered...
...T HE CHEESE COURSE—an unusual and very strong Morbier—was melted over a hard cracker-like pastry...
...An evil genius of my acquaintance, Bob Pruitt, spent many years in the wine business and knows the world's wines as well as any fly-guy knows the tools of war hanging on his wings...
...Bob said the wine on the right had too much of an oaky taste...
...From now on, whenever a surge of wine snobbery hits, think of that unique taste the French value so much in their finest wines...
...Pinot Ndr "Guard 0 Honor' Herb de Provence Crusted Ractr at Lamb POMMeS and Bouquellgre 01 Vegetable, Sauce Foyot Old World 1999, Rouson•Gossios ye...
...Bob was right: In a blind tasting—even against far more expensive wines—almost every American wine beat its French equivalent hands down...
...Then someone raised the subject of Sophia Loren, and the conversation was suddenly serious...
...So who is the most beautiful woman in the world...
...Nicolas Rotel...
...The Lansdowne Grill—which I once underestimated as merely the best steakhouse in Northern Virginia—is now in the awesomely capable hands of Executive Chef Konrad Meier and Sommelier Mary Watson...
...Talking Jerry into a party is about as difficult as getting a Clinton to fib...
...It's simply the very best restaurant in the Washington area...
...We declared a draw...
...Craig and Ron agreed...
...The adjectives "great long finish," "deeper," "clean," and "spectacular" were all bandied about...
...The one on the right won unanimously...
...With it were two Sauvignon blancs...
...The wine on the left was richer, denser, and better balanced...
...Make no mistake: whether it's caused by the conservative boycott of France or the high price of horseblanket-tasting wine, French wine sales are decreasing steadily...
...NW World: Tee Rouge, Sere!, Pear Tart Tartin Apple Butter and CIWIW Fratoe Ice Create old WOO: t997...
...Supery Sauvignon Blanc (2002, $18...
...Every one of the world's leading wine producers except France—Italy, Spain, Australia, and others—are following America's technological leadership...
...It was, Bob said, the taste of 54 THE AMERICAN SPECTATOR MARCH 2004 Brettanomyces we disliked...
...Mary Watson had chosen the wines carefully by type and also by price to ensure fairness...
...To hell with it...
...The Old, and the results won't make Monsewer Chirac happy...
...At least we intended to...
...Salma Who...
...By unanimous consent, the latter was the winner...
...Salma Hayek...
...Essence of Lobster Marrow Queneftes and Ptstacte, Old Wald 2000, Lanoure.Rol, putignY yo?usenet vs...
...I'll take Stag's Leap over Horse's Sweat any day...
...When Lansdowne VP and general manager Jerry Dumont heard Bob's contention he instantly proposed a tasting and dinner to put Bob's idea to the test...
...Bantle et Brune vs...
...Cold fermentation of the wine and careful cultivation of the grapes are resulting in some of the best wines in the world...
...As a result, French wines are losing their market share...
...And American winemakers are continuously investing in research and technology...
...The one on the right had very little going for it...
...Maybe it was a bottle of champagne you bought as a last-minute gift or that bottle of Bordeaux your spouse once said was the best wine ever...
...The wine on our left was big, crisp, a little fruity...
...0401, Jed Babbin is a contributing editor of The American Spectator and "Loose Canons" columnist at Spectator...
...One was perfectly matched to the fish...
...E.WWWW MOM ftge A Taste ot Itrtorbier Old WOO: Gulge0 CiMeAltie...
...Within the next decade, American wines—and those of Italy, Australia, Spain, and New Zealand—will have surpassed those of France in every respect...
...Just leave the Brettanomyces at home...
...Some time in the past year, you violated the American boycott of French goods...
...Jerry said—and I agreed—that the right-hand wine had a more buttery, dry and smooth flavor...
...My stomach groaned, but the dessert was too good to pass up...
...COOteau Jest or.l.aroontacow vs...
...Spurrier was nearly driven out of France and the 16 tasters were about to be lynched when someone said "boo," causing the lynch mob to disperse and resume smoking cigarettes...
...Round Three was centered on Essence of...
...But one had a milder, velvety taste that wasn't overwhelmingly sweet...
...Glen Fiona Syrah (1998, $50) over the Old World Guigal, Cote Rotie, Blonde et Brune (1999, $70) by acclimation...
...According to Sandy Taylor Carlson of Taylor Family Vineyards (maker of the best Stag's Leap cabernet), the lava-based soil in some of California and Oregon produces cabernet grapes as well or better than any place in the world...
...Ron said he'd buy it by the case...
...But French wine superiority is a thing of the past, like France's other pretensions to power and la gloire...
...The winner—again—was the New World wine...
...It vanished from our plates very quickly, accompanied by the last wines...
...Fox Newsbabe Kirin Chetry...
...Now WOW 2000, RANI Tian ot Dry Aged Beet and Portabea Seated Foie Clan and Seaeon Sauce Old World...
...Its very strong flavor complimented the last two reds perfectly...
...Come on in, guys...
...That would be the last time the French won anything...
...World: 2002...
...The other was a dryer, more full-bodied wine...
...The final score-4-1-1—was a clear victory for the U.S...
...Once again, less money purchased more wine...
...Mary revealed the loser was French Michel Redde Sancerre (2001, $25) and the winner was Napa Valley's very own St...
...If you want a red wine for anything—lamb, steak, or just sipping—you need to get the Estancia Meritage before our crowd corners the market on it...
...At a recent dinner at the Lansdowne Grill, Pruitt insisted that in a fair comparison American 52 THE AMERICAN SPECTATOR MARCH 2004 wines win hands down over the French...
...The older but still spectacular Sophia...
...Bruce said the left wine was dry but flat, with a mineral taste and agreed there was too much oak in the other...
...A subtly fruity wine, with a long finish (the aftertaste the pros always talk about...
...created to protect the French...
...To prevent violence, Jerry brought out the Paul Garmirian cigars...
...In 1976 a Brit wine merchant in Paris named Steve Spurrier (not the former Redskins coach) invited 16 French professional wine tasters to a blind tasting against American wines, and the result was a major scandal the French quickly covered up...
...Because they don't share America's penchant for ED BABB v ommt, U111W ;TiAtHoust The American Spectator Magazine American Saloon Series "Old World vs...
...Sandy added, "Our cellar practices have exceeded the French in the sense that our equipment is good, testing is good, and we pour a lot of money into research....There's a lot of money going into new yeast, new root stock, and all kinds of processes...
...I'm not a fan of sweet wines...
...cleanliness, French wine barrels—and thus their wines—are often contaminated by the Brettanomyces bacteria, which give even the most expensive French wines what Bob calls that "wet horseblanket" taste...
...Four American chardonnays finished first, second, third, and fifth against their French equivalents...
...Sokol Bioeser...
...But you did it...
...Not a big, bold wine—the character of the reds I like most—but crisp and light...
...For a while...
Vol. 37 • March 2004 • No. 2
