Mailbag: Franciacorta, Price of Nouveau
Recent Reader Questions Answered by Vino Joe
There are a ton of emails that need to be answered — I apologize, as I just found them all in my spam bin (and all this time I thought no one had any questions!). Here are two of the many questions I’ll be answering in the coming weeks.
I was looking for an alternative sparkling wine for the holidays, and I came across some Franciacorta at the wine store but I have never tried it. Do you think it will go well with the food I am serving (chicken, brussels sprouts, squash) at my dinner party? Or is it more of a stand alone wine?
Franciacorta comes from Italy, therefore by default it goes with food!
Seriously though, Franciacorta — which is a DOCG region in Lombardy, Italy — could be considered the “Champagne of Italy”, as the winemakers there try to make their sparkling wines using the same methods and grapes as the French do in the Champagne region. In fact, Franciacorta tends to be labeled similarly — for instance, they are designated according to their residual sugar level (i.e., Brut, Extra-Brut, Demi-Sec, etc.). That said, the level of dryness / sweetness of a particular Franciacorta plays a role in what foods it will best match with.
Generally speaking, Franciacorta sparkling wines tend to have good mineral character, ample acidity, and full flavor. If you choose a bone-dry Franciacorta — that is, labeled as Extra Brut or Brut — it should go well enough with the foods you mention (though, I’m not sure there is ANY wine that pairs well with brussels sprouts!). At the same time, an Extra Brut, Brut, or Extra Dry Franciacorta can be enjoyable alone or as an aperitif. Give one a try!
Can you tell me the price of a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau 1992.
I’m not sure you’ll be able to locate a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau, and further, not sure why you would want one. Beaujolais Nouveau is meant to be drunk right away — within a few months of its release at the end of every November. If it hasn’t been imbibed by the following Easter, it’s probably not worth opening, as the wine has little in the way of natural preservatives (i.e., tannins and acidity) and won’t taste too great.
However, you may have some emotional reason for finding a bottle — in which case, if you are to find one, put it on a shelf as a keepsake rather than as the centerpiece beverage of a special dinner, as it is likely to be more appropriate for the salad bowl than a wine glass.
Where you can find an old Nouveau, I’m not sure (sorry!). The value of such a bottle is negligible — in fact you may find someone willing to pay you to take it off their hands! Try calling local distributors, and/or contacting a supplier directly. Good luck in your search.
If you have a wine question, please send it to vinojoe at wineweekly dot com.
