Thursday, April 26, 2012

Great wines by the glass

As always, I had a great time at the bar at Picco last night (restaurantpicco.com) with a friend.

And as always, I started with a glass of pink bubbly.

The Simonnet-Febvre Brut rosé from Chablis is a darker, more magenta hue than most rosé, but it's very dry. With essence of strawberry and delicate bubbles, it was the perfect aperatif. It accompanied the avocado bruschetta perfectly.

My friend, who is just beginning to explore the wonderful world of wine, wanted something more fruit-forward and slightly sweet. The bartender, Luke, poured her a taste of 2010 Ceretto Blange Arneis from Alba--she loved it!

We also ordered the risotto, which featured beet greens, sweet corn, and lemon gremolata. To pair with the pasta, I wanted a Chardonnay. The wine list offered one from Napa and one from France. I opted for the 2009 Bouchard Chardonnay from Burgundy. It was a delicious and elegant example of Chardonnay.

True to it's Burgundian roots, this Chard was a light straw color in the glass with good acidity. It offered subtle notes of green apple, pear and mineral. It had none of the oaky or buttered popcorn flavors, which have become synonymous with Napa Chardonnays; for this reason, I typically avoid Napa Chardonnays. It's called "cougar juice" for a reason. (haha) 

When Luke asked if we would like anything else, it was hard to say no. I could easily have enjoyed another glass of the Bouchard!

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