When good wines turn bad

I love summer. It is the time when we all get outside and enjoy the short warm season we euphemistically call Summer.

We’ve had a lot of rain and really, pretty horrible weather as of late. However, those sunny days produce warmth that is unequalled. With very low humidity due to our omnipresent breezes, we enjoy all the heat of summer, without the need for in-house AC.

While we might love the sun, there can be casualties.

I experienced one of them this week and it made me sad.

Wine is a living thing. It is made through a process of growing the fruit, harvesting the fruit and then fermenting the fruit to produce alcohol.

I am often asked the question – how do you know when a bottle of wine is bad? Until now, I only really knew the general idea behind a “corked” bottle of wine. In order to fully understand this problem you have to understand the wine making process as a whole. It is an interesting process, and one which I didn’t really give much thought to until I opened a bottle of wine this week.

As I said, wine is a living thing. When on the vine the grapes grow like any other fruit, basking in the sun, and defining the sugar content of the fruit with each passing day. When harvested, the grapes, still warm from the radiant heat of the sun, are picked in clusters ready for crushing.

Crushing, as in days gone by was done manually, with feet. Modern techniques employ large crushing machines which mechanically crush and de-stem the grapes saving countless man hours of work.

When this is over the fermentation begins with yeasts and sugar as the 2000 year old alchemy of wine making begins in earnest, converting simple sugars into complex alcohols. This step can take up to 30 days to complete. Sweeter wines are stopped early, leaving residual sugars to carry sweetness. Dry wines require all the sugar is consumed during fermentation.

Then comes the filtering, where sediment and residual yeasts are removed from the process and the final product is ready to be bottled.

Then bottling and cellaring begin the final journey from plant to palate.

It is at this stage when things can potentially go wrong.

Real corks in bottles were once part of living trees and sometimes can be exposed to micro organisms which attack and eat the cork. A wine is said to be “corked” when a wine comes in contact with a contaminated cork.

These little organisms can turn a wine into something unmistakably bad – depending on how it is made it could smell like wet cardboard or even the pong of old, smelly socks. Reds lose their deep colour and begin turning brown around the edges, and whites tend to lean towards a tan colour.

But wines can suffer fates far worse than being corked. This past weekend I had my eye on a Canadian Wine – a Baco Noir from an Ontario winery. My wife picked it up some days ago and it sat, comfortably on our kitchen table. While not sitting in direct sunlight it did catch some daily rays and it probably suffered for being mistreated and not kept in a humidity controlled environment.

However, I didn’t think anything of it – I was completely oblivious until I cracked it open on Saturday night ready to pair it with a char-grilled steak. The kitchen smelled like a bakery – fresh yeast to be exact. It took only one sip to confirm the truth – the wine had gone through a re-fermentation. A small amount of the yeast from the fermentation process stayed the bottle and the warmth of the sun woke up the dormant cells creating the unmistakable smell of yeast.

I knew I had made a blunder once the cork was out – I hadn’t taken the time to look after the wine – get it in storage and get it out of the heat. So that you don’t face the same fate, here are some other things to consider:

Storage of wine is crucial. Keep the bottle horizontal, out of direct sunlight and in a cool place.

Wines breathe naturally – their shelf life once open, even if in a refrigerator, is only a couple of days. After that, the aromas and distinctly unique characteristics of the wine will fade to blandness.

Following these easy steps sometimes seems like extra effort, but it can prevent good wines from going bad.

Originally written in July 2007

I (de)cant decide

To decant or not to decant, that is the question. Whether it is nobler to let the bottle mature and have at it with corkscrew in hand than it is to let it mellow in a glass vessel that is the question.

Decanting wine has always been a big debate. Hard core onephiles swear that only the most deserving wines need the laborious, but ritualistic method of proper decanting. However, young wine lovers, counter that any wine, old or new could benefit from decanting. So the question still remains – do we decant or don’t we?

For some people, the presence of sediment will either make them drool or make them angry. For the pretentious snobs in the wine world, sediment is the hallmark of a wine that has “laid down” for a while. However the presence of sediment could easily be attributed to the fact that the wine was improperly filtered. Sediment to most other people is the hallmark of a chance to get out a decanter.

For those of you wondering if you need a special container for the wine, consider this – most decanting is done just prior to service, so what it is in has little bearing on an older wine. Although, some sommeliers believe that very young wines also deserve the decanting treatment. The argument is that the decanting will help “aerate” the wine and round out some of the harsher notes generally associated with newer wines.

I sit on the fence on this one. For me the decanter is reserved for two camps – the first is that bottle of wine that has had a good life in a cellar and deserves to be let out and tasted. This requires the task of using a decanter – as to give it a good send off (and if the decanter is crystal – all the better). This is the drink equivalent of a wake for a good friend. It has been good having you around – but now it is time to party.

My second use is a little bit of wine trickery. By knowing how wines work and the way in which they change characteristics in the presence of oxygen, the cheapest wines can taste like First Growth Bordeaux if properly handled. By allowing a younger wine to sit decanted for up to two hours prior to service can really make a difference to the flavour palate.

Although the main reason for decanting is to remove the sediment from the wine you require three tools – a corkscrew, a candle and a vessel to pour the wine into. To decant a wine properly cut the entire foil off the wine bottle – this is to allow you to see when the sediment starts reaching the neck of the bottle. If the wine has been sitting in a cellar for a long time and the sediment has really started to build up, it is a good idea to stand the bottle up about 24 hours before serving to allow the sediment to settle to the bottom of the bottle. Once the entire foil has been removed start pouring the wine slowly into the vessel chosen. Pour with the neck of the bottle over the flame of the candle, and watch to see when the sediment starts to pour through the neck. The moment the sediment starts to move through the neck, stop decanting. In any given bottle the sediment will be mixed with about a cup of wine. This is not suitable for drinking (due to the solids in the wine) but would sure make a good base for a sauce if you are serving the wine with food.

Although any vessel you choose will be good for the purpose, it is nice to have a decent decanter. I have a wide bottomed one made of crystal and it is an elegant piece to accompany our crystal stemware. So whether it is for a First Growth Grand Cru or for that bottle of Premier Plonk, decanting is a choice – like it or not.

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Copyright 2006. Unlawful dissemination of this or any other work will be punished to the full extent of the law.

Herbs – fresh is better

Herbs. You have them in your cupboard even as I write this. Just for me, take a little peek and see what is there. I’ll bet that most of you have at least thyme and oregano but how many of you use them?
Fresh herbs are always better for cooking. They are used at the end of the cooking process for that direct hit of flavour and bright colour, whereas dried herbs can withstand the entire cooking process.
I enjoy the pungency of the fresh herbs of summer. Basil especially is a favourite of mine, with that heady aroma filling the kitchen as the leaves are plucked, rolled and finely sliced – that to me is a fragrance of summer.
Lucky for us, we can find fresh herbs all year long so we can enjoy them even when the sun doesn’t shine. Here’s what you can find in the local stores:
Parsley – two varieties, flat leaf or Italian parsley and curled leaf or regular parsley. Italian parsley has a more robust flavour and makes a great component of light salads. Curled leaf parsley makes pretty garnish and has a slightly weaker flavour than the flat leaf.
Thyme – there are many varieties available to the public now and some have overtones of other flavours like lemon. Fresh thyme can be used in just about any dish.
Rosemary – Not just for Sunday lamb dinner any more. This hardy and woody herb is strong and pungent and when freshly cut, it is sticky to the touch.
Basil – Green, purple leaf and all varieties in between. Useful for garnish, fantastic aroma to finish fresh pasta, and a great flavour balance to tomato or oil based sauces. Basil is also wonderful over chunky potato salad.
Mint – Chop up finely and add some vinegar and sugar (to balance the acid) and voila, mint sauce for lamb (don’t forget the rosemary). Varieties include chocolate mint – it is a dark leaf mint with “chocolatey” overtones and fantastic for sweets. A leaf or two placed
on top of chocolate pudding goes a long way in impressing your guests.
Herbs should be treated with the same respect you treat fresh cut flowers. Get a container big enough to fit all the herbs standing up. By standing the herbs up and letting them sit in a bit of water (about 1 inch), they last a lot longer. If you wish, wash all the herbs now, but be warned, soft leaves like basil start to decompose when wet, so
they are better left dry. Dry them very well with a clean dish towel. When the herbs have been washed and dried, wet a piece of paper towel and lay it over the top of the herbs like a blanket. The extra dampness over the top will help them from drying out and they will
remain fresh much longer. Change the water daily (if you can) as you would with some flowers and they will last up to two weeks.
When some of the herbs become a little tired try making salsa verde – it is fantastic with baked fish and on grilled meats or even spooned over hot new potatoes.

Salsa verde
1bunch of parsley
1bunch of basil
6 sprigs of mint
2-3 cloves of garlic
3 Tbs of capers, drained
12-14 anchovy fillets (optional: found in the cooler isle, near the butter)
1Tbs of grainy mustard
Juice of ½ lemon
1/3 cup of olive oil
Pepper

Remove and discard stalks from herb leaves.
Place herbs and the rest of the ingredients minus olive oil and lemon juice in a food processor. Blend until slightly chunky. Add some of the oil and lemon juice. Pulse several times to blend. Taste for consistency and adjust the seasoning. If you haven’t used the anchovy you can add a small handful of green olives to add to the salty component. Refrigerate for at least one hour to allow flavours to develop.
If you have any excess herbs then the best thing to do is dry them out. Take the herbs and tie them in bunches. Leave enough string on the end to tie it off. Choose a cool, dry place in the house and hang the herbs upside down until completely dried. This should take about one week.
When deciding what herbs to use next, remember – fresh is better.

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Copyright 2006. Unlawful dissemination of this or any other work will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

A chef, a cheat and his dinner

My wife is constantly asked, “What does your husband do?” To which she replies, “Oh, he’s a chef.” The eyebrows generally raise and the excitement in the voice quickens, “Oh, you are so lucky, you must eat well!”

Truth be told, we do eat well, and I have to do the dishes too.
However, to eat well without spending all my time in the kitchen, I will let you in on a little secret of the cheffing world —are you ready? Cooks cheat.

“Cheat at what?” you might ask. A cook cheats in the way that a magician cheats: the audience believes that the bunny rabbit was never up his sleeve at all. Cooks in restaurants cheat because the cheating works and they can get away with it. An unhappy customer who sends back food could indicate that a whole table worth of food should be re-done. That little hiccup, on a very busy night, could ruin the flow of service. A few cheats will prevent a crisis.

The French have a saying, “an ounce of sauce covers a multitude of sins.” How many times have you eaten in a restaurant and seen that one person in your party of four has a bit of extra sauce on an otherwise well-planned plate? It’s a diversion. The beef or other type of meat has possibly dried out a little or has been cooked to just the wrong side of perfection. The cook adds a little more sauce to the plate to make it look luxurious and tosses on that tall, poke-you-in-the-eye garnish to wow you, and presto, the sleight is made. You might notice the food is a bit overdone, but who cares? There’s sauce to mop up and it tastes so good.

Not all restaurants do this. In fact, I worked at one restaurant where an over cooked steak landed the grillardain (grill chef) a one-week vacation – without pay. Perfection is the only acceptable standard for any high-end restaurant. That being said, I’m not perfect in the kitchen. I have made my fair share of mistakes, but every mistake I made, I fixed. This is where cheats become a handy tool in a cook’s arsenal. I cheat in my home kitchen. I cheat because I know the end result tastes like it wasn’t a cheat at all. So, with that confession, I give you some of my home cheats.

One pre-packaged box of macaroni and cheese —as simple as it sounds — can be the first step in creating a gourmet meal. The little box holds 4 servings of pasta (really child size). Cook pasta, add your own sauce (admittedly, the flavor of powdered cheese product is sometimes a heart-warming thing), toss in lots of sautéed garlic and vegetables, top with freshly grated parmesan and a few leaves of fresh basil, and you have a meal in 10 minutes.

Fresh frozen vegetables —I clean and blanch fresh vegetables in boiling water and then freeze them in portioned bags. Feeling like a lazy man, I pull one out a few days later and toss it into a sauté pan — no cutting, no mess.

One container of low-fat sour cream —a cream sauce taste with half the fat and half the time to reduce as there is less water content than a full-cream sauce.

And finally, a jar or two of curry pastes – I won’t proselytize the merits of a good curry, but a good curry is a beautiful, beautiful thing. I have a good spice collection and I am able to blend the coriander, curry powder, pepper, turmeric and other lovelies into the right proportions but sometimes letting someone else do the work for me is like going out to eat.

I have one last cheat for you, one to dazzle your next dinner guests. Take that empty sour cream container used in that cream sauce, and cut out the bottom and place in the centre of a nice dinner plate. Place your starch of choice (mashed potatoes, rice) inside, pack it down lightly and remove the container. Place your freshly cooked chicken breast on top at an angle. Place vegetables around and drizzle on your new sauce over the chicken. Garnish with a thyme or chive sprig.

What looks great, tastes great. The worry is over – now if only I could get someone to do the dishes for me.

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Copyright 2006. Unlawful dissemination of this or any other work will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.