Testimony of a wine lover in lockdown

At the house of CavissimaWe love wine. The whole team gets together regularly to taste the new vintages to be added to the catalogue or travels from vineyard to vineyard to meet passionate producers. We love clean wines, terroir wines, wines that have a story to tell… We love wine. 

In this rather unusual month of March, with each member of the team staying home like the rest of France, wine tastings have become… rare. While some are opening bottles with their families, others, like me, hesitate because they're all alone. One day, two days, and now it's almost been a week since I've tasted any wine. For me, tasting wine is a pleasure I share with my family or friends. Uncorking a bottle for myself alone was, until now, impossible. 

We are all familiar with the figures from the World Health Organization that advise us to do not consume more than 2 alcoholic drinks per day And not every day. So, knowing that...One bottle contains 6 glassesI needed to find a bottle that could be kept for at least a week after opening! Another idea came to me: why not cook the end of the bottle in a sauce or a dish that really lifts the spirits? 

 

Faced with all these arguments, I succumbed! Here I am, armed with my corkscrew and my bottle of... Domaine Chidaine at the perfect temperature.

On the menu, a glass of this Chenin Blanc wine Loire Both mineral and incredibly aromatic. On the first and second tasting, I love its generous aromas of yellow fruits. 

After 3 nights spent in the fridgeWith the bottle tightly sealed and its original cork in place, I taste the wine again. The yellow fruit notes have given way to a greater minerality. The wine is less exuberant and the mineral terroir is more pronounced.It tastes like a completely different wine. The tasting is all the more enjoyable.The next day, I cooked the rest of this lovely vintage in a leek risotto and monkfish with lemon sauce. I poured the wine over the rice and the seared leeks before adding the vegetable stock. I also added a splash to my lemon sauce to tie the two dishes together. What a treat! 

 

To choose the wine to open, here are some tips to follow: 

• For red wines, choose those with tannins and that are relatively young. We love the aromatic richness of wines from Pauillac like the Pedesclaux Flowerthe character of Argentinian Malbecs as Finca Sophenia, the power of Pommard with Chantal Lescure or the generosity of the wines of Madiran with the Château Cedar and its vintage The CedarThese characterful wines will add richness to your sauces. Take the time to simmer a beef bourguignon in a delicious red wine sauce!
• For white wines, choose dry varieties! Their minerality, freshness, and finesse will transform the sauces in your dishes. Whether in the Rhône Valley with the Domaine Montirius, in the Loire with the Domaine Huet or with a yellow wine from the Caveau de BacchusYou will find what you are looking for on the Cavissima website. 

Of course, it's not advisable to open a bottle every night. However, in moderation, it's highly recommended to treat yourself! So, it's perfectly acceptable to toast alone with a glass of wine! 

This time of year is also a good opportunity to take stock of your wine cellar. A thorough spring cleaning is in order and could be a chance to replenish your stock of wines from certain regions. Take the time now to select some lovely bottles that you'll enjoy sharing with loved ones later on.