Cyber Circle Newsletter

Click on any of the underlined letters to view past articles.

In this Issue

F is for France
Two Great French Wines
This Week's Recipe
Black Pepper-Rubbed Sirloin With
Red Onion And Cabernet Relish

F is for France

Just because the French believe that Jerry Lewis is the greatest comedian in history is no reason to doubt their expertise in making fine wine.

Besides, a lot of people like Jerry Lewis -- a lot. (And who can criticize a guy who has devoted so much of his time and energy to finding a cure for Muscular Dystrophy?)

But enough about Jerry Lewis. We're here to talk about wine. Specifically, as you may have surmised, FRENCH wine.

The subject is so vast that we thought we'd share a number of random thoughts with you. And by the time you've absorbed the information that follows, you'll be a true Francophile.

Heck, you may even go out and buy a Jerry Lewis record!

So, as we continue our swim through the alphabet soup of winedom . .

Enjoy!

F is for France

What's the big deal about Bordeaux? Glad you asked. Bordeaux became the most important wine region in the world for two reasons: size and quality.

Size: There are some 250,000 acres of grapevines planted there -- about five times the vineyard acreage of Burgundy.

Quality: About 97 percent of Bordeaux vineyards are governed by Appellation d'Origine Controlee (AOC) laws, which dictate certain methods and standards for winemaking.

More than 25 percent of all AOC wines -- somewhere around 800 million bottles per vintage -- are produced in Bordeaux.

Bordeaux wines are almost always blends, where as Burgundian wines are almost always made from single vineyards and a single varietal -- Pinot Noir and Chardonnay being the most common.

Just as Al Gore did not invent the Internet, Dom Perignon did not "invent" Champagne. But there's no denying the important roles each played in the particular areas for which they've garnered credit.

We'll leave Gore's contributions to the Russerts and O'Reillys of the world. As for Dom Perignon, he did experiment with combining wines from several different growths to create the "perfect" blend, a.k.a. "cuvee." And to this day, people toast their most important life events with a glass of Cuvee Dom Perignon from Moet et Chandon.

One of the lesser known, and thus underappreciated, wine regions of France is Alsace, a strip of land in the northeast corner of the country between the Rhine River and the Vosges Mountains.

Formerly a part of Germany, it is known both for luscious dessert wines and some of the finest dry white wines on earth. The Rieslings are wonderful, and the Gewurztraminers are stunning. Winemakers in Alsace also do a nicejob with Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc.

While most wine regions of France are known for one or two varietals or wine "types," the northern Rhone offers a smorgasbord of flavorful options.

Here you'll find big, beefy reds . . . exotic (and often expensive) whites. . . refreshing rosés . . . and easy-drinking, food-friendly wines (red AND white) that won't put even a small dent in your budget.

So wonderful are the wines of the Rhone that a growing cadre of American winemakers are embracing the region's varietals. Collectively, these vintners have been dubbed the "Rhone Rangers."

French Featured Wines

	1998 Chateau Lagarosse Rouge Wines like this featured Rouge from the 1997 vintage show a sublime blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Like many French wines, this bottling needs some time - give it about an hour after uncorking - to open up. Tasting Panel Score: 89 Points More...

	1996 Cos Labory St Estephe Bordeaux Cos Labory is a powerful, rich and concentrated wine that will stand the test of time, yet is smooth and very enjoyable today, already benefitting from nearly five years of cellaring. More...

I hope you'll enjoyed this issue of Wines A to Z. We've just scratched the surface on French wine in this ACWC Cyber Circle newsletter, but we hope we've motivated you to give a bottle or two a try. And if the bottle you choose happens to be red, open it alongside the flavorful recipe that follows. . . Black Pepper-Rubbed Sirloin With Red Onion And Cabernet Relish Cheers! Martin Stewart Jr. ACWC Founder Featured Recipe Specialy selected for our featured wines! Black Pepper-Rubbed Sirloin With Red Onion And Cabernet Relish This recipe from "Recipes from the Vineyards of Northern California" serves six, and matches wonderfully with red Bordeaux. *Ingredients:* 2 cups Cabernet Sauvignon (note: can substitute red Bordeaux) 2 red onions, chopped 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme 1 tablespoon pickling spice, tied in cheesecloth 1 bay leaf 6 sirloin steaks, 8 ounces each 3 cloves garlic, minced 3 tablespoons cracked black pepper 2 tablespoons salt Olive oil for searing the steaks *Preparation:* For the Relish . . . 1. In a heavy saucepan, stir together wine, onions, sugar, vinegar, thyme, pickling spice and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. 2. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until mixture is reduced to a thick relish. Stir oven to prevent scorching. 3. Remove pickling spice and bay leaf, and discard. Pour relish into a small serving bowl. For the Steaks . . . 1. Rub steaks all over with garlic. 2. Stir together salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Press steaks into mixture, coating both sides. Let stand for 20 minutes. 3. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to coat the bottom of the skillet. 4. When almost smoking, add steaks in one layer. Sear well on both sides until crispy, browned and medium-rare. 5. Serve topped with relish.