The Tasting Panel magazine

September 2010

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WINE BRIEFS Adding a Taste of the Rhône to Carneros A cross a long dusty corridor in California’s Carneros Valley, between gas stations, mom-and- pop markets and two large-production wineries, lies what is about to be the next phase for the Valley floor. Anaba, an artisanal boutique producer, aims to bring something new to this stretch of land. “We are consistently trying to be different,” says up-and-coming winemaker and Vineyard Operations Manager, Jennifer Marion, who comes to wine via a solid U. C. Davis education. Marion’s vision, a clear strong idea of the region’s future—one shared with winery owner, John Sweazey—is one of excellence and experimentation in a place where steadfast winemaking practices and traditional varietals have been the norm. “We are producing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir,” Marion says of the typical Burgundian varietals found in this region of California, “but what really sets us apart is our hands-on approach to the vineyard, and our dedication to Rhône varietals.” Her passion for the grape has taken her on a few excursions to Italy; this year Marion will receive her dual citizenship and make Italy a part of her life forever. —Liza Gershman Jennifer Marion. or 76 years, the Helfrich family has been making crisp, vibrant Alsatian wines, and for the past nine years, executive chef/owner Christophe Émé and his partner/wife, actress Jeri Ryan, have brought relaxed but elegant French cuisine to California’s vibrant West Hollywood restaurant scene at Ortolan. So it was only natural that Helfrich’s wines should be poured alongside some of European-trained Chef Émé’s most celebrated creations. F The hint of gently smoked raisins and apricots in the 2008 Grand Cru Pinot Gris embraced the interwoven flavors of what Chef Émé modestly calls “scrambled egg,” an eggshell filled with delicate scrambled eggs cooked with creamy spices and topped with Ossetra caviar. The dry, candied crispness of the 2007 Grand Cru Riesling was literally made for Ortolan’s lobster spa- ghetti, another dish more complex than its name. Finely seasoned lobster nestles in a cocoon of spaghetti on a raft of morel mushrooms and white asparagus floating on a cream sauce. Indeed, France unites when an award-winning chef meets classic Alsatian wines. —Richard Carleton Hacker september 2010 / the tasting panel / 87 Chef Christophe Émé’s simplisti- cally-named “scrambled egg” is a culinary masterpiece in its own $1,100 silver cloche nest. The Gastronomic Grape Sixth-generation Alsatian Anne- Laure Helfrich. PHOTO: LIZA GERSHMAN PHOTO: MERIDITH MAY

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