French Country Travelling Wine

French Country Traveling Wine – well,bien sur, MANY French Wines travel. Do they not? Thanks to the well deserved reputation of the fermented grape juice available on these here shores. (Uh..that would be..DA BG shores?)

But I thought it might be instructive to share the tale of one such French Country Travelling Wine, that has (deservedly) captivated, enthralled (and one would assume) delighted, my fellow scribbler Mary Ross; who waxes elequently on this here subject from the pages of the Chicago Daily hearld:

In a nation that has canonized gastronomy since the 18th century, dining begins at home.

“Escoffier and Paul Bocuse, this is not the French chef,” according to Vincent Avenel of Domaine Faiveley, wine producers in Burgundy since 1825. “The real French chef is my mother, is my grandmother, and of course, is my wife.”

While France’s famed haute cuisine (literally “high cooking”) involves the grandiose recipes favored by Paris’s post-Revolution nouvelle riche (“newly rich”), la cuisine traditionelle familiale celebrates home cooking of ingredients sourced from local farms and vineyards.

Lucky for Avenel, that involves beef raised in famed Charolais pastures, Bresse chicken, Dijon mustard, wild mushrooms, seafood and game and the chardonnay- and Pinot Noir-based wines of Burgundy.

A Burgundian meal may begin with cured ham or Jambon Persillé, (ham and parsley terrine), escargots (snails in parsley/garlic butter) or simply Comte or Gruyere (cow’s milk cheese from nearby Jura) with Faiveley Bourgogne chardonnay (about $23.)

Keep reading, members of the ABC Club (Anything but chardonnay!) This is chardonnay as nature intends it to be — long and texturous but invigorating to the palate, with flavors of green apple, toasted almond and minerals, all balanced by bright acidity.

As le plat principal (main course), Burgundy families enjoy Poulet a la Gaston Gerard (chicken with white wine, grated Comte and mustard) a recipe created in Dijon by accident when a mustard jar fell into the casserole.

Mushrooms lovers enjoy Volailles aux Morilles (chicken breast with mushrooms) or the cross-cultural Risotto au cèpes (rice with wild mushrooms.)

Burgundy’s most famous dishes are Boeuf a la Bourguignonne and Coq au Vin, seemingly elegant titles for beef and chicken stewed in red wine.

In Burgundy, red wine means Pinot Noir.

“We went against tradition by printing grape names on some labels,” explains Avenel. “The grape is more important to people in the U.S. than anywhere else. Also, the movie “Sideways” introduced Pinot Noir to many people. We want them to know we’ve been growing Pinot Noir for centuries.”

“We don’t use expensive Burgundy to cook,” advises Avenel. “A simple Syrah from the Rhone will do for the pot.”

He also advises to practice French recipes before final service. “There may be some techniques that are new to American cooks. It’s not just tac-tac-tac!”

Like all world travelers, Avenel has introduced international dishes to his table, including Peking duck, “American steak” and smoked brisket. “Just add mushrooms and wine, brisket is perfect for Burgundy,” he proudly reports.

There’s no disputing Burgundy’s soaring prices, a function of the region’s tiny supply meeting international demand. “We have commitments for the entire vintage before the wine is even bottled,” Avenel reports.

Burgundy’s Grand Cru’s (Great Growths) are reserved for the most elegant meals, including Pigeon au Jus and Venison aux sauce Grand Veneur (venison in huntsman’s sauce.)

Read more o’ Mary HERE.

THROW ME A BONE HERE,PEOPLE!

What are ya thinkin’?