While rooting around for something to pair with the spicy baby back ribs we were going to enjoy for Sunday dinner, I grabbed a bottle of sparkling wine. And not just any sparkler, but a bottle of Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Champagne.

But doesn’t true Champagne deserve to be paired with foie gras or caviar - or at least be used to celebrate a special occasion such as a birthday, anniversary or holiday? Well, in my estimation, every day spent above ground is a reason to celebrate.

And, hey, don’t you think that that if they could, the baby backs would be thrilled to be consumed with something other than beer? Anyway, my surprised meal mates were certainly happy and I was too.

There is no question that sparkling wines are underused. We seem to forget how good they are with everyday meals, especially those that are spicy, rich or salty. And you really do have a wide variety of reasonably priced domestic and international wines from which to choose such as Cava from Spain, Prosecco from Italy and Champagne-like wines from just about every wine-producing country including the US.

You may have heard the mythical story of the monk Dom Perignon who is credited with inventing Champagne. If not, here is how that story goes.

As a Benedictine monk and winemaker living in the Champagne region of France in the late 1600’s, Dom Perignon noticed that many of his wines would re-ferment in the bottle when the weather began to warm in the spring.

Instead of allowing this second fermentation to be completed, Dom Perignon came up with the idea of corking the wine and capturing the resultant effervescence. After years of experimentation, which included developing the blend of wines comprising the final product, he is credited with creating Champagne.

The process supposedly developed by Dom Perignon and still used today is called methode champenoise or the Champagne method. Every truly great sparkling wine employs this costly and labor intensive process.

The three grapes making up the traditional Champagne cuvee (blend) are pinot noir, pinot meunier (both reds) and chardonnay. These grapes are used to make three separate wines, which are then blended by the winemaker into his final cuvee.

[caption id="attachment_817" align="alignleft" width="165"] Nicolas Feuillatte - great with baby backs!


Once blended, yeast and sugar are added to each bottle which is then secured with a crown cap. The wine is allowed to ferment a second time in the bottle and, depending upon the quality of the cuvee, it is usually aged from two to four years.

Before the sediment arising from the second fermentation can be disgorged from the wine and a final cork secured, each bottle is turned, shaken slightly (this is called riddling) and put in a successively more vertical position for several weeks.

Once the solids are in an upside down position and in the top of the bottle, dry ice is used to freeze the sediment in the neck, the crown cork is popped and the solids are disgorged. A small amount of sugar, wine and brandy are then added back to the bottle ( this is called the “dosage”) and the Champagne cork is secured.

Other, less expensive ways of making sparkling wine have been developed, but none can compare with the complexity and quality of the traditional Champagne method.

Champagne is priced from the mid twenties to upwards of hundreds of dollars a bottle while sparklers from other places can be acquired from around $10 to $30 a bottle.

Here a few of my favorite Champagnes priced under $50: Nicolas Feuillatte; Mumm Cordon Rouge Brut; Moet & Chandon White Star; Veuve Cliquot (Yelow Label; and Perrier Jouet Grand Brut.

Sparkling wines (those made outside France, but using the Champagne method) priced under $30: Gloria Ferrer Brut; Schramsburg Brut; Domaine Carneros; Mumm Cuvee Napa; Domaine Chandon Reserve; Piper Sonoma Brut; Ste. Michelle Brut; Freixenet Cordon Negro; Dibon Cava.

My affection for wine is rekindled each time I visit a working winery and observe not only the amazing process of transforming sweet grape juice into wine, but also the passion of the people who grow the grapes and make the finished product.

At St. Supery Estate Vineyards and Winery in the Napa Valley, that passion endures and is, indeed, infectious - due in large measure to the vision and enthusiasm of the winery’s founder.

Inspired by legendary wine maker Robert Mondavi, St. Supery owner Robert Skalli fell in love with the Napa Valley in the early 1970’s and searched for nearly a decade to find the perfect vineyard site to establish his own winery.

Skalli, whose wine roots go back three generations from Algeria to Corsica and then to France, found a remote ranch in the eastern mountains of Napa Valley in 1982. This 1500- acre property known as the Dollarhide Ranch became the primary vineyard site for St. Supery, now renowned as one of the shining stars of Napa Valley.

With nearly 500 acres of vineyards, the majority of the site is planted to sauvignon blanc and cabernet sauvignon with a substantial planting of chardonnay along with Bordeaux blending grapes such as merlot, malbec and cabernet franc. There is also 12-acres of Semillon, a grape which is a particular favorite of mine and of which St. Supery has no domestic peer in my humble opinion.

To round out the St. Supery estate, Skalli purchased a 35- acre vineyard along the Napa Valley floor. Known as the Rutherford Estate, the vineyards are predominately cabernet sauvignon and merlot with a sprinkling of petite verdot and cabernet franc. The Rutherford Estate also houses the winery, tasting room and visitor center.

[caption id="attachment_827" align="alignleft" width="195"] Tasting from barrel at St. Supery


I have always enjoyed the wines of St. Supery, especially their world –class sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon and merlot. This Napa Valley winery produces a consistently exceptional portfolio of wines that are characterized by supple and silky smoothness.

I recently had the pleasure of visiting the winery and tasting my way through the estate’s portfolio of wines. I came away very impressed with St. Supery’s offerings. The good news for state residents is that most of the wines are available at local wine shops and restaurants. Here are my tasting notes for your perusal.

2011 Estate Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley ($20) – Crisp flavor of citrus is balanced by hints of honeydew melon in this stainless steel fermented wine. One of my favorite sauvignons in California. Excellent accompaniment to pan sautéed grouper with a touch of butter and lemon.

2011 Estate Virtu ($30) – This complex white blend of 60% semillon and 40% sauvignon blanc is round, rich and partially barrel fermented. It has lime and apricot flavors with just a touch toasty oak on the finish. Pair this with roasted chicken that has been rubbed with rosemary, garlic and olive oil.

2011 Dollarhide Estate Semillon ($30) There are very few wineries in the US producing semillon and none does it with more precision and elegance than St. Supery. With aromas of green apple and flint along with flavors of anise and citrus, the wine is supple yet balanced. I suggest trying this with capellini in a basil pesto sauce.

2009 Rutherford Merlot ($40) – This complex and layered offering has more in common with wine produced in Pomerol (Bordeaux) than it does with domestically made merlot. Blackberry fruit and mocha flavors along with tack room aromas give way to a silky smooth texture and make this a lovely mouthful of wine. Open up a bottle and sip it with braised beef short ribs.

2007 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon ($30) – Ripe cherry and blueberry flavors highlight this tasty cabernet that is balanced by just the right touch of acid. Fruit forward and medium -bodied, this wine should be paired with a grilled flank steak. 
2008 Estate Estate Elu ($65) –This red Meritage is a blend of Rutherford and Dollarhide vineyards and is comprised of cabernet, merlot, cabernet franc and petit verdot. Complex aromas of mocha and leather lead to black cherry and cola flavors in this exceptionally balanced wine. Try this one with grilled rack of lamb that has been basted with Dijon mustard, lemon, garlic and rosemary.

2009 Dollarhide Estate Elevation ($65) – This blend of 88% cabernet with just about equal parts cabernet franc and malbec was aged in French oak for 22 months and exhibits a nice toasty note. Ripe dark fruit and coffee flavors are supple yet lend structure to a wine that will age gracefully for years to come. Marinated and charcoal grilled leg of lamb would be an excellent accompaniment to this wine.

[caption id="attachment_829" align="alignleft" width="300"] Lunch in the Vineyard


2007 Dollarhide Estate Cabernet Sauvignon ($85) – From an exceptional vintage, this 100% cabernet is aged for 33 months in French oak. While smooth and full of ripe currant and berry flavors, the wine is age worthy and should continue to improve for a decade or two. This special wine should be accompanied by a standing rib roast that has been rubbed with peppercorns, garlic and sea salt.

Ask your local wine purveyor to order any of the above mentioned wines not on the shelf or check out the St. Supery website at: www.stsupery.com and have them shipped to you.

Disclaimer:  My brother is a wine broker in North Carolina and he represents St. Supery on the East Coast.

When it comes to finding that special wine you’ve been looking for, we’ve come a long way baby!

I am old enough to remember a time when searching for a good bottle of wine in West -By -Golly was an exercise in futility and frustration. That was back when the only place to purchase wine was the State ABCC store where the choices were extremely limited.

This was due in large measure to our small population, our redneck stereotype and the inescapable fact that West Virginia was last in US per capita consumption of wine. Heck, our consumption of buttermilk exceeded that of wine back before Elvis died.

In fact, of all the inhabited land on the planet, only citizens of Borneo and Canada's Northwest Territories consumed less wine than West Virginians. And Borneo has more reptiles than people, while the few inhabitants of the Northwest Territories prefer Yukon Jack to the fruit of the vine.

Back in the day, the shelves of those ABCC stores were filled with Mateus Rose, Hearty Burgundy or Carlo Rossi Paisano. Unfortunately, these humble, but sound, wines had to compete for shelf space with the more popular Thunderbird,  MD 20/20 (Mad Dog) , Wild Irish Rose or other high alcohol, wine-like beverages better suited for consumption under a bridge than at the dinner table.

Fortunately for we Mountaineers, our state legislature modernized our laws about 30 years ago allowing for wine sales in grocery stores and wine specialty shops. In addition, we are also permitted to purchase wines online and have them shipped to us. All in all, while our per capita consumption is still relatively low, we now have access to just about any wine that strikes our fancy

[caption id="attachment_844" align="alignleft" width="130"] Still a pretty good quaffer


And when you examine worldwide statistics on wine consumption, the US is surprisingly ranked behind 50 other countries. Lithuania, Cyprus, Madagascar and Slovenia and a whole host of European countries such as France, Italy, Spain and Germany all consume more wine than we do here in America.

And - Holy Mother of Vines - the Vatican City State leads the world in per capita wine consumption! And we’re not talking Sacramental wine either.

So with that historical perspective about the bad old days, here are a few wines I’ve sampled recently that would not have been available just a few short years ago. Hope you like them.

2011 Concha y Toro Gran Reserva Chardonnay ($19) – Rich, yet balanced chardonnay with just a kiss of oak and ripe apple flavors. Excellent pairing with roast chicken cordon bleu.

2011 Sur de Los Andes Torrontes ($11) – Excellent floral aromatics along with crisp pear and melon flavors highlight this Argentinean white. This delicate Torrontes would enhance a meal where pan fried, lemon and butter-enhanced white fish was the feature.

2010 Annalisa Sparkling Malvasia ($13) – A delightful effervescent wine with strawberry and raspberry flavors make this a delicious aperitif or a nice accompaniment to brunch type foods such as omelets or quiches.

2010 Easton Amador County Zinfandel ($18) – I must admit my fondness for zinfandel grown and produced in Amador County and this one definitely does not disappoint. Deep, dark blackberry flavors are enhanced by excellent balancing acidity to highlight this full-bodied wine best served with fuller flavored foods such as beef stews or roasted pork loin rubbed with garlic, black pepper and olive oil.

2009 La Bastide St. Dominique Grenache ($16) – From the excellent 2009 vintage in the southern Rhone Valley, this juicy grenache with bright cherry flavors and leather and tack room aromas is a lively mouthful of wine. Try it with grilled baby back ribs in a tomato based barbecue sauce.

One of the state’s premier food and wine events will once again be held in beautiful Tucker County at Canaan Valley Resort. The “Wild, Wonderful Wine Weekend,” which has become an annual gourmet extravaganza, will be held this year from November 9th thru 11th. Once again, I will have the privilege of selecting the wines for the event and providing commentary on those delectable sippers throughout the weekend.

I’m in the process of choosing wines from some of the world’s greatest wine regions to be paired with a cornucopia of culinary delicacies prepared under the direction of Canaan Valley Resort’s Food and Beverage Manager Lawrence Walkup.

It’s always fun to work with culinary professionals in pairing wines with their scrumptious creations, and the folks at our state’s most scenic resort always hit the mark at this signature event.

The weekend begins Friday, November 9 at 7 p.m. with a “taste-around reception” where more than 20 wines can be sampled with matching culinary treats from food stations featuring a wonderful selection of foods upon which to graze (see below).

On Saturday, there will be a tasting featuring wines that I recommend with the upcoming Thanksgiving dinner celebrations. Guests will also be treated to a four-course wine-paired luncheon led by yours truly. After lunch, guests will be free to hike, bike, nap (what I plan to do) or just enjoy Mother Nature’s purple mountain majesty!

The menus below should precipitate a surge in endorphins and get your collective palates watering in anticipation. I haven’t completed selecting all the wines at this writing, but you can be assured that I will do my best to make you happy.

Guests have the option of attending the entire weekend for a package price ($290 for a single attendee & $499 per couple inclusive of room, taxes and fees) or choosing to participate in individual events ala carte (see prices below). For additional information or reservations call 800-622-4121 or visit online at www.canaanresort.com.

[caption id="attachment_850" align="alignleft" width="300"] Northern Canaan Valley


Friday Reception ($40.00 per person)

Chicken En Croute
Bacon Wrapped Bread Sticks
Smoked Trout Dip with Crostini
Smoked Pork Stuffed with Savory Meatloaf
Fish Tacos
Mini Potato Cakes with Crème Fresh
Marinated Cheese Trays and Antipasti
Artisan Chocolates
Chocolate Fondue Fountain

Lunch with Wine Pairings ($35.00 per person)

Spinach, Apple, and White Cheddar Salad
Trout Cake with Lemon Caper Butter Sauce
Blackened Chicken Pasta
Carrot Cake with Maple Crème Cheese Icing

Demystifying Wines for Thanksgiving ($20.00 per person)
I'll share my picks for "National Turkey Day."

Grand Gourmet Dinner with paired wines ($75.00 per person)

Sliced Pork Belly and Apple Fritters
Potato Ramp Soup with Cracklin’ Bread
Black and Blue Pear Salad
Filet Mignon with Gnocchi topped with a Morel, Tomato, and Herb Ragout
Pumpkin Crème Brûlée with Caramelized Maple Sugar

I’ve proclaimed this many times before, but it bears repeating: Thanksgiving is truly a wine lover’s holiday!

Why? Simply put, it’s the culinary versatility of the Thanksgiving dinner and the way turkey and all the “fixins” can be successfully paired with just about any type of wine.

The turkey by itself possesses meat that has a variety of different flavors, colors and textures which can match nicely with any medium to full-bodied white or red. And, when you add the dishes that traditionally accompany Thanksgiving dinner, things really get interesting.

Whether you use a light, slightly sweet German Riesling or Alsatian Pinot Gris, a fruit forward Gruner Veltliner or an herbal and dry Sauvignon Blanc (which pairs nicely with a sage-flavored bread dressing) or a rich and full-bodied chardonnay, you will find that oven- roasted turkey will pair nicely with each of these white wines...

However, what surprises so many folks (particularly those who adhere to the rigid view that you should only pair white wine with white meat) is how well turkey matches up to big red wines, particularly when the “national bird” has been charcoal -grilled or smoked. Full bodied reds like syrah, cabernet sauvignon, Chateauneuf-du-Pape or even zinfandel go especially well with smoked or grilled turkey.

Oven-roasted turkey is also very nicely accompanied by medium-bodied reds such as Chianti Classico, pinot noir or tempranilo from Spain. Several years ago, I even opened older Bordeaux to celebrate the holiday.

But this year, I’m not going to cook “no stinking, ordinary oven-roasted bird.” No siree Pancho! I’m going for a semi-smoked, charcoal -grilled turkey.

Here’s how I’m doing the National Bird this year. After soaking my 15 -pound turkey in a brine of kosher salt, brown sugar, water, apple cider and beer for about three hours, the bird will be stuffed with bread dressing to which Italian sausage, chestnuts, onion and celery will be added.

I’ll prepare a charcoal fire, move the coals to either side of the grill, place an aluminum pan half filled with water between the coals and then place the bird directly above the water and grill for about three and a half hours.

[caption id="attachment_856" align="alignleft" width="150"] Grilling the National Bird


There will also be the usual Thanksgiving dinner accompaniments of mashed and sweet potatoes, giblet gravy, peas and mushrooms and pearl onions along with freshly baked rolls and pumpkin pie. Of course, cranberry relish will also make an appearance as will the following special wines.

To get everyone in the proper mood, I’ll open a bottle or two of Domain Chandon Blanc De Noirs as an aperitif. Then I will decant into separate carafes a 2007 Schulmberger Alsatian Riesling along with a 2008 Domaine Serene Evenstad Pinot Noir to accompany the meal. I think it’s fun to experiment with both wines and discuss the relative merits of each with various components of the meal.

For a dessert of pumpkin pie, I will open a bottle of 2005 Two Hands For Love or Money (a late harvest semillon from Australia). This wine rivals the storied Sauternes of France and is infused with apricot and honeyed sweetness and just a touch of the “Noble Rot” so sought after in great late harvest wines.

By the way, all of the wines mentioned here were purchased locally.

After such a meal, it is prudent to take a slow walk around the neighborhood before plopping down on the couch in a tryptophan- induced coma to watch football or old James Bond movies.

Happy Thanksgiving.