Food & Wine

I recently opened a bottle of Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon 1991 with friends over for dinner. The ’91 vintage was very good for California Cabernets, but I wasn’t prepared to be quite as bowled over, as all of us were, by this stunning wine. 

Within about 20 minutes — I decanted, of course — aromas of ripe currants, black cherries interwoven with spicy oak and a hint of cedar came billowing out of the glass. Sniffing was good, but tasting was sublime. The mellowed tannins and rich black fruit flavors flushed nicely with air. Like all Jordan Cabernets, it was superbly balanced, extremely smooth now with two decades on it, and a long pleasing aftertaste that quieted the table to savor the moment.

It’s an experience you can give to the wine lover in your life — a gift for the future, assuming he/she can tuck the bottle away long enough to allow the alchemy of aging to work its magic. It doesn’t have to take 20 years, maybe just eight or 10, but a memorable experience rewards the patient. 

I’ve tasted numerous Cabernets of late, and among the current crop there are some excellent choices to recommend. Balance is the key for aging Cabernet Sauvignon. Alcohols are higher now than in the early ’90s (we thought 14 percent was high then — today many top 15). Some of today’s wines are too ripe and top heavy to last even a decade, but the more balanced ones promise to become exceptional. Here are several to consider:

Dry Creek Meritage 2007 “The Mariner,” Dry Creek Valley. Tautly structured now but the concentrated flavors of black cherry, with hints of herbs, chocolate and coffee should evolve into impressive complexity with age. A classic Bordeaux blend.

Jordan Vineyards 2007, Alexander Valley — should easily match the splendors of the ’91, with its juicy blackberry flavors wrapped in a subtle mantle of spicy oak. Beautifully balanced.

Mayacamas 2006, Napa Valley. This mountain-grown Cab has dense notes of black cherry with accents of licorice and a dash of mint; very ripe but good acidity will hold it so that it can grow into something like the very handsome 1999. For those who can’t wait, the Mayacamas ’99 is available as a Library Wine at www.mayacamas.com.

Rodney Strong 2008 Alexander’s Crown. The historic “crown” of this hilltop vineyard in Sonoma’s Alexander Valley produced a huge wine in ’08, so dense and thick in fruit that it obscures the tannins and masks the alcohol (15.5 percent). My fellow tasters loved it; I’m not sure it will age — perhaps best to enjoy its succulence now with a hearty steak or venison stew.

Shafer One Point Five 2008, Stags Leap District, Napa Valley. I’ve sometimes questioned how well Shafer’s massive reds will age — but in fact they do, impressively. This Cab’s name refers to John and Doug Shafer, the generation-and-a-half lively father-son team in charge. The ’08 is a wine to lay down, at least a decade — intense ripe berry flavors, fat and rich, with accents of chocolate, cedary incense and pleasing earthiness.

Cabs for those who can’t wait. Well-structured but more fruit-driven, these reds are drinkable now but will also reward aging. 

BenMarco Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, Argentina. Better known for Malbec, this dynamic red shows Argentina can make great Cabernet. Lip-smacking fruit, less tannin (though enough to evolve over a decade) make this quite tasty for drinking now. BenMarco 2009 Malbec, a bigger red, is also excellent.

Paul Dolan 2009, Mendocino. From organically grown grapes, this Cabernet displays rounded ripe berry fruit and just enough tannin to give it “grip.” Drinkable now, but also ageworthy.

Franciscan 2008, Napa Valley. Very sleek and balanced, teeming with black currant flavors; can probably go a decade but quite tasty now with grilled or roasted meats.

For more immediate pleasure, the wine of the moment during this festive season is Champagne, or one of the plentiful sparkling wines now made round the globe. We really do have to give the nod of gratitude to French Champagne, whose fields were the first to give us the bubbly sensation of “drinking stars” — as the monk Dom Pérignon, according to legend, exclaimed in the late 1600s. 

The abbey of Hautvillers where he worked, owned by Moët et Chandon, houses a shrine to the gentle monk who figured out how the bubbles got there (spring warmth fostered re-fermentation in the bottle to create carbon dioxide), a big “problem” back then as bottles exploded under the pressure.

By all means, enjoy Dom Pérignon 2002, if price is no consideration ($125 to $159 a bottle); it deservedly remains one of the most elegant and appealing of the prestige cuvées. Moët has repackaged its best-seller label, White Star, as Moët et Chandon Imperial. Though still a bit off-dry, it is bright, crisp and nicely balanced.

Brut styles, the driest, are more to my taste — I like that steely elegance that suits savory appetizers: smoked salmon, marcona almonds, caviar when possible. Among those I particularly recommend this year include: Bollinger “Special Cuvée,” the nicely rich Pol Roger Brut Reserve, Henriot “Souverain,” Roederer Brut Premier and Billecart-Salmon.

Sparkling wines from elsewhere more than hold their own, particularly those from Champagne’s offspring in California. Several of the major houses put down stakes in the cooler regions of California — Carneros, Mendocino, southern Napa — and produce excellent bubbly, to-wit: 

Chandon Etoile Brut, almost a blanc de blancs at 75 percent Chardonnay, 25 percent Pinot Noir. Crisp and appealing with toasty notes and a hint of green apple and citrus; lovely aperitif.

Roederer Estate Brut, very close in style to its French counterpart, dry with hints of pear and citrus on the nose; very satisfying.

Domaine Carneros Brut, Taittinger’s New World effort, and consistently dry and elegant, crisp and long in finish.

Origins don’t have to be French for making good bubbly. Case in point: Schramsberg, the venerable property founded in 1862 by German immigrant Jacob Schram. Revived by the Davies family in the 1960s, Schramsberg is producing its best sparkling wines ever — racy and svelte, with the creaminess of texture (particularly in the Blanc de Noirs) that is so winning and seductive in fine sparklers. Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs (all chardonnay) and the boldly flavored Brut Rosé are excellent.

Mirabelle, Schramsberg’s second label, comes in Brut and Rosé styles — both crisp and dry and an excellent value.

J Vineyards Brut Rosé, with its lovely blush of color, marks Judy Jordan’s 25th anniversary of the winery she founded in 1986. There is fine depth of fruit here, with brisk hints of berryish flavor. The addition of pinot meunier adds appealing length.

Many kinds of wine are recommended for the season’s sweets and desserts, but these two are unbeatable for their luxuriant flavors — especially with chocolate:

Quady Essensia Orange Muscat, California. Luscious and sweet, with flavors of honeyed peach and accents of orange and orange zest.

Quady Elysium Black Muscat, California. Sweet and spicy, with aromas of rose and exotic muscat flavor.

A comely crop of new books on wine and drink are just the thing for leisurely reading in the New Year (recommended with glass in hand) and learning a thing or two along the way.

The Happy Table of Eugene Walter. UNC Press has published this delicious ramble hosted by Eugene himself, perhaps the least-known bon vivant born in the US. An expatriate who made his mark — several marks — abroad, mostly in Paris and Rome where he co-founded the Paris Review, penned screenplays for Fellini, and entertained the likes of Isak Dinesen, Leontyne Price and other notables. In this utterly charming book, he extols the delights of southern drink, from the perfect Nog to Juleps to Café Brulot — as well as spirituous additions to favorite southern dishes in his mouth-watering recipes. You’ll want to cook from it — but it makes especially delightful reading.

Real Men Drink Port, Ben Howkins. The redoubtable Mr. Howkins knows way more than a thing or two about Port (and other fine wines). This lively little tome will whet your taste for a good glass of Tawny (“one of life’s enhancers”) or yearn for a well-aged Vintage — at leas

t a decade old, preferably three (the ’85s are magnificent now!).

Saint-Émilion. Abrams Books has produced the season’s coffee table wine book — aimed at fans of this most charming and picturesque of Bordeaux’s wine districts. The gorgeous photographs give us a peek into the lives and habitats of Saint-Émilion’s leading pr

oprietors, as well as the ancient stone parapets of the town. Estates featured: Cheval-Blanc, Figeac, La Gaffelière and Pavie, among numerous others. Very nice to browse through.

Unquenchable, Natalie MacLean. MacLean writes one of the most popular wine blogs, noted for its irreverent wit and incisive commentary. The book is an armchair journey through some of MacLean’s favorite regions — Australia, the Douro in Portugal, the Mosel Valley in Germany, Provence, among others. Learning should be fun — and in this savvy romp of a read it is

I am in love with France — its history, architecture and art — and its people (oui, even them).

But I especially love French food. I have visited, studied and worked in France on several occasions and slowly unearthed the hexagon’s vast repertoire of delicious and rich cuisine. France and its cuisine stole my heart, as it has so cruelly done to many others before me. I now find myself in a constant state of longing.

I long for dark espresso and buttery croissants, unhurried lunches at cafés on a sunny day in Paris and sunset picnics with fromage and charcuterie at Ile de la Cité on the banks of the Seine. I long for juicy mussels on a sweaty, salty afternoon on the Riviera, savory jambon in French Basque country near Spain, and pit stops to taste a crisp Sancerre or a fruity Vouvray midway through a meandering bike ride across the Loire Valley.

Fortunately, this affliction is easily curable. On days when I am especially in need of a French meal, there’s no need to book a flight to Paris to enjoy a delightful dinner à la française. The Triangle teems with French cuisine, so indulging in beef bourguignon, French onion soup or an overflowing bowl of mussels is as easy as un, deux, trois.

For me, chilly, wintery weather makes French cuisine even more soul-warming. So if you haven’t had enough hearty this year, or if you’d rather be on vacation in la belle France, make a reservation — or just pop in — to one, or all, of the Triangle’s plethora of fine French cuisine.

In Raleigh, two standouts are always a good bet when seeking a taste of the City of Light.

 

Coquette Brasserie in Raleigh, decked with black-and-white tiled floors, red leather banquettes and humongous hanging mirrors is a quintessential French brasserie. Staying true to its counterparts in France, Coquette is open for lunch and dinner each day of the week and for brunch on Sundays. As the term brasserie indicates, it serves beer (brasserie is French for brewery). The large restaurant, a member of the Urban Food Group chain owned by Kevin and Stacey Jennings — and run by chef de cuisine Beth Littlejohn — offers a large, but simple, menu of typically French dishes. Hors d’oeuvres, soups and salads include standards, such as steak tartare, foie gras and a salad Niçoise (with grilled tuna, olives, green beans, capers, anchovies and a boiled egg). For seafood lovers, fruits de mer include shrimp cocktail, oysters, or a tower full of of bivalves and crustaceans.

My dining companion — a seasoned traveler with a similar admiration for French cuisine — and I started with the onion soup gratinée, gruyère and potato croquettes (not to be confused with Coquette — literally, a woman who insincerely seeks to gain the attention and admiration of men), and truffled frites. With caramelized onions, thick melted gruyère and chunks of bread that soak up the onion jus, this classic version of French onion soup was tasty but lacking in sharpness and flavor. Similarly, the croquettes were not strong enough for me — perhaps a more pungent cheese was needed. I didn’t fret though, for the truffled French fries were hand-cut and seasoned to perfection.

For dinner, we tried the moules frites (as if I needed more French fries!) à la marinière. Prepared in one of three versions available (the others include chorizo and roasted red pepper or provençal), the succulent mussels from Prince Edward Island swam in an aromatic pool of white wine, garlic, shallots and parsley broth. The mussels, though delicious, were not the star of the show. The beef bourguignon — slow-braised short rib with mushrooms, pearl onions and dainty mafaldine noodles — was absolutely divine. Chef Littlejohn’s hearty beef stew created an instant feeling of bonheur, happiness. The tender short rib was bathed in a flavorful reduced jus, each bite more satisfying than the last.

Coquette offers an extensive wine list, exclusively French, which can be enjoyed at a table or at the enormous zinc bar, handmade by a French artisan and imported to Raleigh in three pieces. For patrons who desire more than a glass of wine but less than a bottle, order a carafe of your preferred vin at a very competitive price. Actually, the entire menu is very moderately priced, making dining out at Coquette even more appetizing.

Coquette, reminiscent of Keith McNally’s Balthazar in New York City, is a fabulously delicious addition to the Triangle. In its third year, the French brasserie has already won a MetroBravo Award for Best French Restaurant. Chef Littlejohn, classically trained in French cuisine at the Culinary Institute of America in New York, creates excellently prepared, but simple and modest, dishes that burst with flavor. I will definitely be back.

 

Behind the doors of an unassuming restaurant in a nondescript strip mall is Saint-Jacques, a cozy culinary tribute to France offering a refined dining experience. Located in Raleigh’s North Ridge Shopping Center, Saint-Jacques offers a two-hour escape to the South of France — the original home of the very French owner Lil Lacassagne, who runs the restaurant with his wife Lori. The restaurant is named for Lacassagne’s home near the little town of Grasse.

Now in its eighth year, Saint-Jacques offers diners decadent dishes, a distinguished wine list and attentive service. You can expect a visit with Lacassagne, who endeavors to take care of your every need during dinner.

On a brisk November Saturday, the restaurant’s two warm rooms were filled with diners of all ages and sorts: young couples, older couples, families and friends. Before appetizers, our server brought a cheesy gougère, a savory filled pastry as an amuse bouche to tease the palate. My two dinner companions and I shared a warm goat cheese salad, a scrumptious — though extremely rich — blue cheese and pear Napoleon with Port wine mousse, and perhaps the most delicious of all the appetizers, a heavenly housemade country pâté. Honestly, I am not an avid pâté, terrine or foie gras devotee (it’s a texture thing), but Saint-Jacques’ country pâté was a delight — flavored with chicken, duck, pork and veal, and not too strong. Our hors d’oeuvres were paired with a lovely, dry rosé from Provence.

Before our entrées arrived, Lacassagne, a vivacious character with a strong French accent, brought us miniature versions of Saint-Jacques’ Sea bass and shrimp étouffée. Served in the ramekins they were baked in, the fishy stew was moist and succulent. After an intermezzo of red wine and cinnamon sorbet meant to cleanse the palate, we each tasted a sliver of local Alamance County beef filet. The beef, from grass-fed cows that were dry aged for four weeks, tasted perfectly pure and beefy.

Lacassagne strives to buy locally as much as possible, and envisions a small menu serving only local products from within a 60-mile radius. The charming restaurateur couple recently opened a bed and breakfast, The Burke Manor Inn, in Gibsonville, about a 90-minute drive West of Raleigh. The Inn also serves Saint-Jacques’ cuisine on Friday and Saturday evenings and plans to start serving on Thursdays as well.

With stomachs already reaching capacity, we forced ourselves to relish three exquisite entrées: savory pecan-encrusted Sea bass, Duck Autumn with medallions of tender duck breast and a crispy confited leg and, lastly, wild “boarguignon” in a dark red wine sauce. All three were marvelous, especially my “boarguignon” with its ragout of slowly braised wild boar leg served with pillowy goat cheese gnocchi.

Our entrées were paired with an earthy Côtes du Rhône that didn’t overpower the Sea bass but held up to the rich flavors of the boar and duck. Though no dessert was needed, we tried a flight of two ice creams: whiskey and biscotti, and a watermelon sorbet.

Saint-Jacques is a repeat winner of Metro’s Standing Ovation Bravo Award for its sophisticated French cuisine, combined with the Lacassagne’s hospitality: the perfect recipe for a fine French meal.

Rue Cler and Vin Rouge, two French restaurants located near each other in Durham are delicious staples to the Triangle culinary scene. The smaller of the two, Rue Cler, is housed in a lofted building in downtown. Although the food is tasty and reliable, the ambiance is lacking a bit. Open since 2006, Rue Cler offers customers a small menu of fare inspired by French classics and local, seasonal products. The prix fixe menu is a great value, and the à la carte options are decently priced as well. Typical French standards, such as coq au vin, steak frites and mussels, are available. For a more laidback experience, come to Rue Cler for brunch (open Saturday and Sunday). House-made beignets, though not as celestial as the creations from Café du Monde in New Orleans, and a strong cup of café are a great start to a lazy Sunday afternoon. Then try their French toast, crepe du jour or a Croque Monsieur — a hot-pressed ham and emmental sandwich with sauce Mornay — for something more savory. If that’s not enough for you, add a poached egg on top to make a Croque Madame.

At the intersection of Ninth Street and Hillsborough Road in Durham, Vin Rouge, a very successful 10-year Giorgios Bakatsias venture, presents a warm, convivial and home-like space you won’t want to leave. Enjoy a date in the cozy side room, sidle up to family on the banquettes, or enjoy a dinner with friends on one of the two outdoor patios (even in the winter — they have heaters). I have been lucky enough to dine here on several occasions, and not once have I been disappointed. Each time I have left full, but wanting more.

Most recently, friends and I enjoyed a hearty cheesy potato, leek and gruyère soup and a frisée salad aux lardons (thick cut chunks of flavorful bacon). Next, we tried fried veal sweetbreads with walnuts and apples, a macaroni and cheese with a French flare (oven cooked in a ceramic dish and topped with gruyère and lardons) and an enchanting cassoulet — named for the type of dish in which it is cooked and served — a rich meat and white bean stew originating from the South of France, served with various cuts of tender duck and pork. Vin Rouge’s cassoulet is juicy and robust, and a great dish for a cold winter night.

Vin Rouge’s large menu offers a selection of fine cheeses and charcuterie, mussels prepared five different ways and several different steaks. Additionally, diners can choose from several filling plats principaux, including sautéed salmon, roasted chicken, trout amandine and sautéed calves liver.

Desserts are delicious too, with classics such as crème brûlée and apple tarte tatin. We opted to share, family style, a large bowl of decadent dark chocolate mousse, paired with a flight of Port, Madeira and Ice Wine from Normandy.

Chapel Hillians have a few French treasures of their own, though they aren’t quite as authentic and don’t emanate as much “Frenchness” as their counterparts in Raleigh or Durham.

 

Though nothing about its inner or outer appearance, or its name, seems French, the cuisine at Kitchen is most certainly French. Like Saint-Jacques, this hidden Chapel Hill gem is located in an unremarkable shopping center — on Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard next to Foster’s Market. Since opening two years ago, by married couple Dick and Sue Barrows, this simple and affordable French bistro has gained a large crowd of regulars.

Chef and owner Dick puts out a small menu of nicely cooked (and priced) standards including appetizers, such as paté, brandade de morue, escargot and a goat cheese and onion tart. As an entrée, try the duck confit, braised lamb shank, moules frites or a succulent hanger steak. Beer and wine specials are available nightly, and the bistro is open for lunch. Hungry for a quick bite at the bar? Kitchen serves up a juicy hamburger with crunchy seasoned French fries. For even more flavor, add a slice of stinky Roquefort.

 

In nearby Carrboro, frequently referred to as the Paris of the Piedmont, Provence is a sweet little restaurant for diners seeking a taste of Southern France. Chef Felix Roux and his wife have been providing provençal cuisine in a quaint old house on West Weaver Street since 2002. I tried a buttery tomato and lobster bisque with saffron aioli that instantly warmed me up. My cassoulet, though certainly not disappointing, was not as sensational as the cassoulet at Vin Rouge. However, my companion’s oven-poached salmon with noisette (hazelnut) hollandaise sauce was delicious, as was our friend’s sole meunière. A whole Sea bass that was deboned and fileted à table was featured as a special. Unfortunately, our neighbors ordered the last one. Provence didn’t oust Vin Rouge as my favorite in the Triangle, but I will definitely revisit them and order something new. Perhaps the beef en croute with wild mushrooms, or the herb-crusted roasted rack of lamb.

 

In a quaint blue house on Rosemary Street, La Residence has been serving French cuisine for over 30 years. The restaurant, opened in 1976 by Bill and Moreton Neal, will never be quite as authentically French as it was under the Neal’s reign. However, Chef Justin Cole’s contemporary French-inspired menu doesn’t disappoint. His dishes, made using mostly local North Carolina products, are elegantly plated. Recently, I tried a creamy butternut squash soup with pork and apple ravioli, as well as a brown shrimp risotto with mushrooms and pecorino. For the main course, I tasted an appetizing beef tenderloin, as well as flavorful venison loin. My dessert — a warm pear and apple crisp with cinnamon ice cream — was phenomenal.

After my culinary Tour de France in the Triangle, my longing for all things French has subsided slightly. Because of our area’s stunning availability of delicious French cuisine, I can temporarily curb my appetite for France — although nothing beats the real thing.