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Forbes
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
11 Delicious American Wines To Drink This 4th Of July
Louis Roederer L'Hermitage Brut, 2019—a 100-point sparkling wine Louis Roederer Every single state in the Union makes wine—which means you'll have plentiful options for when selecting American wines to drink on July 4th. Indeed, it can be argued that American wines are as world-class as our Old World counterparts in most every category, from pinot noir and chardonnay to sparkling and rose, there is a wine to love in most every state. Consider the Finger Lakes region in New York where, explains Meaghan Frank, fourth generation vintner and Vice President of Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery, they enjoy a long history of producing traditional method sparkling wines dating back before prohibition. New York is also home to stunning Riesling wines says Frank, 'Riesling loves a cool climate, steep slopes and rocky soil- all of which we have plenty of in the Finger Lakes. The cool climate is moderated by our deep glacial lakes which also provide a myriad of soil types ranging from limestone to shale.' States like Texas have arid dry conditions for cultivating traditional Spanish varietals such as tempranillo while Oregon's cooler climate is ideal for pinot noir and chardonnay. We are a sprawling nation with myriad climates in which to grow grapes so make this Independence Day an opportunity to try the best in American wines Westborn Sparkling Wines, CALIFORNIA: The team behind these wines spent years sourcing premium fruit from some of California's most prestigious vineyards, and the results are world-class. Crafted by a trio of acclaimed winemakers: Weston Eidson, Russell Bevan, and Nathan Reeves, the three offerings (Perpetural Reserve, Brut and Rose) are polished, focused and elegant sparkling wine expressions of place and terroir. The Perpetual Reserve wins top nod from me for its character and richness. If you plan to break out a bottle and toast to America's birthday, this is the one. $100 In honor of Women's History Month, Domaine Carneros released the 2020 Crane Cuvée Brut Rosé, a limited-edition sparkling wine celebrating founding winemaker Eileen Crane, a trailblazer in American sparkling wine with over 40 years of experience. Crafted from the winery's original vineyard block, this Pinot Noir/Chardonnay blend was the final wine Eileen blended before retiring. With only 663 cases produced, I's a bit of a national treasure—delicious with notes of strawberry, peaches, a whiff of honey and buttery toasted nuts. $84 Louis Roederer L'Hermitage Brut, 2019, CALIFORNIA: This marvelous sparkling wine just received a 100-point score from Wine Enthusiast— A perfect score for a perfect bubbly. Roederer's California bubbly has long been a go-to for me for good reasons. It is consistently spectacular. Made with grapes grown in the cooler climes of Anderson Valley, the Hermitage Brut is the winery's top prestige cuvée. Rich and creamy on the palate with notes of ripe apple, candied ginger, citrus peel and brioche, it's a winner to be sure. $80 Gruet Brut Rose, NEW MEXICO: A lovely legacy of French winemaking lives in New Mexico at Gruet, where they craft impeccable and very affordable Méthode Champenoise sparkling wines. The sparkling rose is a crowd favorite with bright red strawberry notes and streams of pearly bubbles on the palate. The price is so civilized you might want to make it your house sparkling. $15 average online Meaghan Frank, 4th generation vintner of Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery in New York Konstantin Frank Wine Dr Konstantin Frank Grüner Veltliner, 2023, NEW YORK: 'Our Gruner Veltliner,' explains Meaghan Frank, 'was planted 20 years ago in our Hector site on the east side of Seneca Lake, known as the 'banana-belt' of the Finger Lakes for its warmer temperatures. This area gets the afternoon sun and is moderated by a deeper lake (640ft. deep). My father Fred planted our Gruner Veltliner after studying in Germany and falling in love with Austrian Gruner Veltliner. He knew it had amazing potential in the cool climate of the Finger Lakes. Our style is fresh, herbal and citric. We are also debuting a reserve style in homage to my father Fred which is a richer style with partial oak fermentation and maturation. We also just released a traditional method Gruner Veltliner which is textured and fresh with 3 years aging on the lees before disgorgement. Gruner Veltliner is another standout variety to seek out in the region.' This wine dances with minerality and freshness and shows notes of candied lime, apricot and papaya on the palate. $19.99 Early Mountain Vineyards Petit Manseng, 2022, VIRGINIA: This stunning white wine just received one of only two Gold medals awarded to American wineries on the East Coast. This was also only the second Gold medal ever awarded to a Virginia winery in the history of the Decanter World Wine Awards (the world's largest wine competition). The wine shows ripe, tropical fruit notes, a thread of lemon curd and refreshing texture. Founded in 2012 by Jean and Steve Case, Early Mountain has been a leading winery in Virginia for the past decade. $65 Lange Estate Winery Three Hills Chardonnay, 2022, OREGON: This juicy Oregon Chardonnay drinks much like a world-class French Chablis with stony-flinty vibes, notes of rich lemon cream and a savory mouthwatering texture. $45 Rose: Provence me ets the American West in the Minus Tide Carignan Rose, 2024, CALIFORNIA. Whole cluster pressed and fermented with native yeast, this succulent rose brims with bright fresh strawberry and watermelon notes. Just Yum with any 4th of July picnic. $27 Reds: C.L Butaud, Farmhouse Vineyards Tempranillo, TEXAS: A Ripe and savory expression of 100% tempranillo that would be perfect with a classic July 4th barbecue of hamburgers, grilled hot dogs and corn on the cob. The wine shows notes of ripe plum and black cherry tempered with soft-worn leather and a dusty earth. $54 Auteur Savoy Vineyard Pinot Noir, 2022, CALIFORNIA: Founders Kenneth and Laura Juhasz bottle small-lot expressions of some of California's most exquisite sites for cultivating pinot noir—and this one from Anderson Valley is one of my favorites. Old growth redwood forests give way to rolling vineyards in this still-quiet winemaking region—and the vines make wines with tension, purity and brightness. Raspberry-cherry fruit, savory minerality and a hint of earth and violet make this one a great American classic. $85 Centennial Mountain Nerello Mascalese, 2021, CALIFORNIA: Just delicious, period. One of the select few vintners working with Italian varietals in California, and every single one is worth the splurge (Nebbiolo, I'm looking at you), but this one delivers on that bewitching blend of freshness and lusciousness on the palate with blue-black fruit notes and a gentle whiff of spice and leather. They planted the first Carricante and Nerello Mascalese vines grown in the U.S. at their Centennial Mountain Vineyard in Sonoma — this is a winery to watch. $59.
Forbes
15-06-2025
- Forbes
The Luxury Champagne Wine That Expresses Intense Sense Of Place
Grape vines in Champagne during a sunrise Champagne vineyards with dormant vines during the winter The cold air brought a serene silence that washed out all the angst-filled thoughts that constantly plagued her mind. Among the snow-covered landscape, there seemed to be little, bare bonsai trees without their foliage that whimsically curved to the side with such grace, adding to the otherworldliness of this place. These plants are dormant during their winter rest, yet it is a perfect opportunity to truly view their diminutive stature without their canopies giving the false impression of heft. Although this place, happily, didn't resemble anything in the daily grind of the woman experiencing this much-needed escape, it was indeed very real; so real that the expression of this land in a glass of Champagne was so distinctive that the drinker was taken aback of how much the sense of chalk within the soil dominated every nuance of this libation. These were the exceptional vineyards of Champagne Cristal, where the nutrient-poor, chalk dominant soils caused the grape vines to struggle so much that they seemed more like tiny bonsai than the typical big, broad vines that are more prevalent worldwide. That is why the chef de caves of Cristal, Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, nicknamed these particular vines "bonsai" because they were rare, even compared to the other vines in his beloved wine region of Champagne, France. Champagne Cristal Louis Roederer Tombstone In a world where many of the top luxury wines are being bought out by corporate entities, the Louis Roederer Champagne house has remained an independent, family-owned company with seventh-generation Frédéric Rouzaud currently leading the way. In 1876, they selected their best vineyards to craft one of the most distinguished Champagnes ever, Champagne Cristal, and part of their success has been rooted in the family's knowing from very early on that the greatness of Champagne laid in the vineyards that would express the depth of terroir a.k.a. sense of place. In 1816, a man named André Jullien published a seminal book called Topography of All Known Vineyards (Topographie de tous les vignobles connus) that included a classification of vineyards in the Champagne region. Louis Roederer inherited the Champagne House in 1833 and just a little over a decade later, followed André Jullien's classification and started to make a significant investment in buying stellar vineyards. Louis Roederer vineyards Today, many of the best vineyards in Champagne are the ones that Jullien chose over a century ago, and the easiest way to take a tour of some of Jullien's noted top sites is to visit the vineyards that go into making Champagne Cristal. Whether it is the Basses Coutures vineyard in the Champagne village of Verzenay, where there is silt and chalk in the soil, or the biodynamic Bonnotte-Pierre-Robert vineyard with its limestone bedrock in the Aÿ village, all of the plots blended into Cristal express a multifaceted picture of the most outstanding aspects of the Champagne region. Even the various chalky soils that differ in form will make different qualities within the wines - as chef de caves Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon says, the Verzernay vineyard is like the Burgundy Grand Cru vineyard of Chambertin, with its "power and strength," and the Aÿ vineyard is like the Grand Cru Musigny in Burgundy so it has a lovely "perfume and softness." But Louis Roederer is not resting on their laurels as they have implemented many programs to explore ways to find an ideal balance within the vines and protecting their longevity to encourage long life. They also use modern scientific disciplines to identify the broad diversity of clones within their vineyards that have thrived through massal selection (using the cuttings of exceptional, old vines to propagate new ones). Champagne Louis Roederer uses horses to plow the vineyards so the roots aren't damaged by tractors In 2002, they started a project called In Vinifera Aeternitas, gathering experts such as Lilian Bérillon, a nursery owner specializing in massal selection of the best estates all over the world, and Professor Jean-Michel Boursiquot, one of the most talented ampelographers (a person who identifies and classifies grapevines) to help accomplish their goals. One of the things they have achieved is employing pruning techniques of the vines that "respect the sap flow" to ensure a longer life while also implementing a permaculture philosophy that centers around creating sustainable and resilient systems that mimic natural ecosystems, which goes hand in hand with their organic and biodynamic practices. When it comes to their organic and biodynamic practices, Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon said that he has noticed that the pH of their wines is lower than before they converted to organic, increasing their acidity. Finding Terroir In Champagne Vineyards in the Champagne region during sunset The wine region of Champagne is a worldwide marketing success story as many houses have created brands that dominate the luxury wine market with incredible packaging, lavish events and placement in some of the top high-end clubs around the world, yet many of those luxury brands are owned by big corporations. Although that success has hurt the family-owned houses that avoid such marketing blitzes as they don't want such a frenzy to overshadow the soul of their Champagnes, expressing some of the best vineyards. There has been a backlash against these famous brands with a revolution of grower Champagnes, where growers make tiny quantities of Champagne wines, many who used to sell their grapes to large brands, and many times their bottlings are single vineyard wines. Despite many of these Champagnes being excellent examples of an expression of a particular plot, it is wrong to think these bottlings are the only true expression of place coming out of the region. Historically, Champagne is a blended wine, and yes, in many cases, it is for this reason that it can develop a consistency of style, even to a certain degree with the vintage bottlings. Yet the vintage Champagne Cristal wines take it to another level when creating an intricately layered experience of those soils that initially made this region legendary. That is part of the reason why Cristal can shock the first-time drinker who is used to drinking a wide variety of top Champagnes, as it can come across as not being big enough or bold enough to knock one's socks off at the first sip. But it is intense and concentrated in ways like no other Champagne on this level, as its power is not in the fruit but in the intensity of terroir expression. Once a drinker surrenders to the unknown, a type of depth they have not experienced, they understand why some connoisseurs consider this Champagne to be in its own category. When it comes to a multidimensional expression of the sense of place from those extraordinary vineyards classified over 100 years ago, there is a strong argument that no other luxury Champagne can live up to Cristal. Bottles of Cristal Vertical of Champagne Cristal 2002 Champagne Cristal, Champagne, France: 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay. Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon became the chef de cave in 1999, so he considers 2002 his 'Welcome to the Roederer family gift' as the vintage had almost perfect growing conditions. A gorgeous evolution that happened to this beauty over two decades with peach cobbler and lemon meringue flavors with a broad body and a creamy texture with crisp acidity highlighted by mineral aromas and a long finish with notes of hazelnut. 2012 Champagne Cristal, Champagne, France: 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. This is from a warmer vintage, yet one could not tell at this stage as Jean-Baptiste said that he thought that, through time, it would become bigger and richer, as that is what tends to happen with Cristal. Still, this vintage is returning to the heart of their vineyards with oyster shells and wet stones dominating with a touch of honeysuckle in the background and a mouthwatering acidity with a weighty yet linear-driven palate. 2008 Champagne Cristal, Champagne, France: 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. Jean-Baptiste compared 2008 to the iconic 1996 vintage. However, '96 is a controversial vintage - some note it is one of Champagne's best in modern history while others feel the wines were too austere with sky-rocketing acidity. But learning from the '96s, Jean-Baptiste decided to wait a week longer than 1996 to harvest this 2008. An addictive, fierce acidity with that Cristal minerality that intertwines itself in every aspect of the wine with a very lifted floral note and plenty of nectarine fleshy fruit to balance out the acidity that gives thrilling electricity to this vintage. 2016 Champagne Cristal, Champagne, France: 58% Pinot Noir and 42% Chardonnay. This vintage was challenging and broke many growers' backs as they battled a wet spring with mildew. Surprisingly, especially considering that all of the vineyards used for this vintage were farmed organically, it is an outstanding showing. There is a breathtaking purity; I would have never guessed this was from a vintage that battled mildew. The 2015 vintage received more fanfare as it was a riper vintage with few problems. Jean-Baptiste said that some challenging vintages, such as this 2016, get unfairly judged with a sweeping statement that all the Champagnes are lesser quality, but for those who dare, who are extremely vigilant with their practices in the vineyards, like Roederer, something special can be produced. And the results are indeed impressive. A nose of lemon blossom, white peaches and crumbled chalk with a marked acidity laced with a saline quality and a salivating finish. 2013 Champagne Cristal Rosé, Champagne, France: 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay. This makes my list for one of the greatest Champagnes I have ever had… not just the greatest rosé but one of the greatest, period. I was not expecting such an experience since the 2013s were typically noted to be lovely in their youth yet subtle and not worth blockbuster status. But this 2013 evolved into such an exquisite example of what makes Cristal in a class of its own as the terroir is so defined and powerful with the right amount of fruit and acidity. Jean-Baptiste noted that making rosé for them is about adding another layer of terroir expression to the wine. Starting in 2008, with their new experimental winery, they began experimenting with a gentle "infusion" technique for the Pinot Noir grapes before the fermentation, allowing for more sense of place extraction from the skins without the astringency. Alluring bouquet of a labyrinth of aromas with cherry blossoms, wild strawberries, saline minerality and hint of marzipan dance and prance along the enthralling maze of flavors and textures that are lifted by an exhilarating acidity, which gives the wine a fierce tension and a very fine structure with bubbles that are so tiny that they caress like satin while still tantalizing with their hundreds of micro bursts along an extremely prolonged finish that keeps those delightful aromatics in one's head for several minutes. 2014 Champagne Cristal Rosé, Champagne, France: 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay. A gorgeous nose with pear drop, peach tart and singed orange peel, and is open in its relative youth according to Cristal standards, yet the minerality of crushed rocks and pulverized chalk still dominates despite having a generous fruit flavor with a round body that has a long, flavorful finish, but the minerality is what stays with the taster the longest.
Khaleej Times
07-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Dubai: Will you pay Dh250,000 for a Valentine's Day date?
They say love is priceless, but a hotel in Dubai is 'rewriting the rules of romance with the grandest, most jaw-dropping love spectacle' this Valentine's Day. For Dh250,000, one couple will be treated to a two-night stay at a prime hotel filled with unparalleled luxury. The package includes a private in-suite dining experience with bespoke menu, a private beach cabana with a personal butler, and an intimate private yacht dinner under the stars, accompanied by a live harp performance. To complete the indulgent offering, the couple can unwind in a candle-lit, rose petal-infused bath designed just for them. But the romance doesn't stop there. Their Valentine's journey begins in style as they arrive in a Rolls-Royce, where they will be greeted by a towering teddy bear made from more than 2,000 flowers. Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels. For a breathtaking perspective of Dubai, they can also take a private helicopter ride for a romantic aerial view of the city. To top it all, they can have a one-of-a-kind keepsake: The handcrafted floral teddy bear created by Floward, which the hotel dubbed as 'the largest and most luxurious symbol of love ever created." Rixos Premium Dubai, the hotel behind this lavish offering, emphasises the exclusivity of the Dh250,000 package, stating that it is available to only one couple. 'With exclusivity at its core, this once-in-a-lifetime experience is available to only one couple—because true romance is rare, and so is an opportunity like this,' the hotel said on Friday, adding the 'Valentine's package is complete with everything you could need for a stay filled with indulgence.' Rixos Premium Dubai said the special Valentine's package is available for booking between February 12 and 16. 10-bedroom villa with garden While this might seem like an unmatched display of romance, Dubai is no stranger to extravagant Valentine's Day experiences. Last year, Banyan Tree Dubai offered a villa romance package priced at Dh250,000 per couple per night with inclusions such as intimate dinner aboard a private yacht, personalised spa sessions, and round-the-clock concierge services. The offer was for a 10-bedroom villa with garden, temperature-controlled infinity pool, and private beach access. It also came with an oceanside dining under the stars experience, plus the usual pick-up and drop-off services. A quick check by Khaleej Times with the hotel on Friday revealed it was not put on offer this year. Dinner for Dh29,500 For couples seeking a unique dining experience this Valentine's day, here's something that will actually bring you under the sea: A dinner at an iconic underwater restaurant. Priced at Dh29,500 per couple, Ossiano at Atlantis, The Palm is offering an exclusive diner with a set menu, free flow of Louis Roederer, an aquarium table, luxury brand gift, a large flower bouquet. The highlight? A diver will swim into the aquarium to deliver a personalised message to your loved one. For those looking for a more affordable version of this experience, Ossiano also offers three additional packages priced at Dh18,500, Dh9,500 and Dh5,500 for platinum, gold and silver respectively. While these packages exclude the underwater message delivery, they still promise a romantic, high-end dining experience.
