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Monthly Archives: December 2013

Michel and Tina Gassier: French Vineyards With Mediterranean Culture

11 Wednesday Dec 2013

Posted by in Wine

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Recipe, Rhone Wine

Michel and Tina GassierVignobles Michel Gassier is a fourth-generation family vineyard located in the Rhône Valley of southern France. We recently asked owners Michel and Tina Gassier about some of the history and cultural influences surrounding their vineyards. We received a technical winemaking lesson, fun cultural insight, family stories, recipes, and of course some ideas on which of their wines to drink with those recipes.

The Mediterranean locale has a big impact on all aspects of Château de Nages, the Gassier family estate. In southern France, cultural influences from Italy and Spain are very common. In fact, Michel Gassier’s great-grandfather, Joseph Torrès, the founder of the vineyards, was from the Baleares islands of Spain. “Here we look forward to our ‘ferias,’ we are serenaded by our ‘peñas’ and we enjoy our ‘encierros’ and ‘abrivados,'” Tina said. “One of the most reputable flamenco festivals of Europe takes place here each winter and practically every young girl from Nîmes knows how to dance the ‘Sevillana.'”

Nimes SyrahMichel explained how the Mediterranean provides a unique climate for winemaking: The Château de Nages has a deep rolled pebble soil with a nutrient-rich bed of red clay below it. When examining the soil to determine which grape varieties to grow, the family didn’t just copy its Rhône neighbors and plant only Grenache grapes. Rather, they took into account that the vines would be able to grow deeply in the rocky soil and the clay would hold moisture, two important factors in the success of the Syrah grape. Today, Syrah covers 40 percent of the Rhone’s Costières de Nîmes appellation.

The vineyards benefit not only from the hospitable soil, but from the Mediterranean Sea, which provides relief from the summer sun. “Thermal winds created by the temperature difference between water and land temper the extreme summer temperatures. Around midday when the sun has beaten down on the pebbles for over 8 hours, they become very hot. The air above starts rising, creating a pull for cooler air sitting above water,” Tina said, “and this creates a sea breeze that is both cooler and with more moisture, lowering the ambient temperature and providing less-harsh conditions for the vines. At night when the temperature starts cooling off, the vines get covered with dew, permitting a better water replenishment for plants.”

Château de Nages Rouge Vielles Vignes (a blend of Syrah and Grenache) makes a delicious and satisfying pairing with the family favorite shared below.

Thank you, Michel and Tina, for letting us into your family today.

lamb shanksBraised lamb shanks with tomato and fennel  Recipe from Tina Gassier

• 4 lamb shanks, nice and thick

• 6 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 fennel bulbs, stems removed, cut into wedges

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 2 star anise

• 1 large can of stewed tomatoes

• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

• 2 large cans of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

• Salt and pepper

Place rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 350° F.

In a large, ovenproof pan, brown the shanks on all sides in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Salt and pepper. Remove shanks  to a plate.

Remove the fat from the pan. Sauté the fennel and onion in the remaining olive oil over low heat until lightly browned and caramelized. Add garlic and cook one minute.

Return the lamb to the pan. Add tomatoes, star anise and rosemary. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and bake in oven for about 2½ hours, or until the meat separates easily from the bone. Add the beans and cook 15 minutes more. Remove the rosemary. Adjust the seasoning. Serves four.

‘Tis the Season for Holiday Brews

03 Tuesday Dec 2013

Posted by totalwineandmore in Beer

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Christmas beer, seasonal beer, Winter Warmer

‘Tis the season for an abundance of flavorful beers. Our bountiful selection of winter and holiday seasonal beer offers many choices for soul-warming, malty, spicy deliciousness.

winter-warmerWhen it’s cold outside, even in the milder winter climates of Arizona, Florida and Southern California, there’s something about this time of year that often makes the palate yearn for darker-hued beer styles. Brewers fulfill this desire with their many variations and interpretations of the unofficial beer style known as Winter Warmer.

History indicates the existence of ales brewed for winter going back to the mid-1600s, when Northern Europeans enjoyed dark brews of stronger alcohol to ward off the chills of the coldest months. Mildly hopped ales were commonly heated up before drinking, with spices such as nutmeg or ginger and apples added.

Today’s modern era of winter warmers began in the 1970s as interest in more flavorful beers developed in the United States, and through international travel and the arrival of a greater variety of imported beers, more Americans were introduced anchor-xmasto winter and “Christmas ales” from the UK. The subsequent burgeoning craft (“micro”) brew movement in America bolstered the growth of this beer segment as craft breweries began brewing winter or holiday seasonal beer offerings. Anchor Brewing Co. of San Francisco is recognized as the first American brewery to enter this segment, annually offering its now famous and popular Anchor Christmas Ale for the first time in 1975.

Holiday brews represent a wide range of beer styles in addition to Winter Warmer. Ranging in strength from less than 6% ABV to more than 8%, styles include Bock, Porter, Stout, Belgian, IPA and more. The flavor profiles across these seasonal offerings include something to tantalize virtually everyone’s palate.

harpoon-xmasFor a unique treat this time of year, serve some festive cookies with a spiced beer such as Harpoon Winter Warmer or Bison Gingerbread Ale (availability based on your location). These beers alone can be like liquid holiday-spiced cookies in a glass, and the combination can be heavenly!

Be sure to check out your store on totalwine.com to discover the winter seasonal and holiday beers available for your enjoyment.

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