The LEGENDE begins in Bordeaux under the Supervision of the Lafite Empires Oenologist Diane Flammand by Philip S. Kampe

 

LEGENDE wines, produced by the Rothschild family, home of Chateau Lafite, and a project of notable winemaker, Diane Flammand, is a group of five, affordable, ready to drink Bordeaux’s that exceed expectations due to acceptable price points for these iconic wines.wines,  Quality is not sacrificed for these impeccable wines.

The five wines from the Legende portfolio represent Bordeaux in a light of ‘try me, I’m affordable.’ That is the case for all of the wines. Not just affordable, but drinkable from the get go. Iconic winemaker Diane Flammand has styled wines that involve both old and new world styles, all with incredible balance  

For new wine lovers, these wines are an affordable Bordeaux starting point. The grapes used are ones that didn’t make it into the flagship wines, hence, the reasonable price points. The wines were created by requests for classic wines that were lighter and ready to drink, similar to ‘house wines’ in bulk. 

Diane Flammand sourced grapes from Lafite’s vineyards for , Pauillac and Medoc, while sourcing grapes from the Entre-Deux-Mers region for the Blanc and partnering with a nearby vineyard for the Sant-Emilion. 

Legende is a discovery of each appellation under the guides of Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite).

These are the wines I sampled that help make up the Legende portfolio. 

Legende Bordeaux Blanc 2019. 85% Sauvignon Blanc 15% Semilion Tropical fruit, crisp, fresh and fruity.  Aromas of citrus, lemon and stone fruit. Apricot, Granny Smith and stone fruit explode on your palate. A lovely, lively wine.

Legende Bordeaux 2017. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon 40% Merlot. Well balanced with obvious aromas of raspberry, cranberry and strawberry. On the palate, vanilla, strawberry and oak prevail. Its a definite food wine that matches with meat or tomato based cuisines. 

Legende Bordeaux Medoc 2016. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon 35% Merlot. Bold and spicy, memorable, ripe tannins and bright acidity define this superb Bordeaux. Flavors and aromas of blackcurrent, black cherry, cranberry, blackberry, leather, mushroom, vanilla, oak and tobacco prevail. 

Legende Bordeaux Saint-Emilion 2016  95% Merlot 5% Cabernet Sauvignon An interesting wine focused on nuisances of licorice, earth, red fruit and oak. Soft tannins evolved after some time opening flavors of vanilla, oak, spice, licorice and coffee on the palate. Full-bodied, well balanced with a pleasure to drink. 

Lege Bordeaux Pauillac 2016  60% Cabernet Sauvignon  40% Merlot. This wine is a true treat. Classic structure, spot on balance and bright acidity make this a legendary wine. Bold with smooth tannins, acidic with an intriguing dry finish help make this wine a standout. Plum, blackberry, blackcurrent, oak, vanilla, smoke and tobacco dominate the palate. Decant this wine for a couple of hours before pouring or cellar it for a half dozen years to reach its expectation. 

Philip S. Kampe

Philip.kampe@thewinehub.com 

A Vongole Recipe for DO Vinho Verde, Home of Portuguese Wines, Ameal Loureiro 2019 & Esporao Bico Amarelo 2019 will Dazzle Your Taste Buds by Philip S. Kampe

 

If you like wines that are overflowing with citrus, lemon, lime, green apple, peach, honey, stone fruit, pineapple, straw, grass, oak, butter and caramel, then you are in for a treat.

The wines from Portugal’s DO Vinho Verde are value packed, big on flavor and continue to impress the palate.

During this long pandemic lockdown, wine has been a key ingredient in many of our survival tactics. Eight months ago most of us would hoard whatever wines were available. But, as time has passed, our selections have been more realistic in nature. With online ordering available in most states, we can purchase what our palate desires. 

I’m originally from New Orleans where seafood is king. Since moving away years ago, my food palate hasn’t changed. Seafood is still the focus of home cooked meals, as well as wines that compliment the seafood related entree or appetizers 

I have found two wines from Portugal that should be considered for your next seafood meal. The wines are extremely opposite from each other. One is lighter and fresher, perfect for all seafood, while the other is a bit complex and alluring. 

Ameal Louretro 2019 is a complex wine whose bouquet is dominated by lemon zest and quince. Its quite alluring when your palate explodes with a powerful dose of minerality, followed by a glimmer of acidity with flavors of lemon, green apple, slate, unripe pear and day old cantaloupe. The wine is very fresh, grassy and floral with a saline finish. It is a truly premium level Vinho Verde at a reasonable price.

Opposite on the scale of complexity is the Esporao Bico Amarelo 2019. This lovely wine is the authentic Vinho Verde that wine lovers love. Its nose is pure pineapple with hints of passion fruit, lemon and green apple. On the palate, the wine is dry, overly fresh with an enticing acidity, containing citrus and blossom with a long, lingering finish. 

Both wines are readily available and worth seeking out. Their ‘giveaway prices’ still shock me.

I made Vongole, linguine with clam sauce as the entree for both wines and cooked the dish using the Bico Amarelo wine as one of the ingredients. 

VONGOLE

Ingredients: 5 cloves of peeled garlic; 4 tablespoons of olive oil; dash of red pepper flakes; three dozen Manila clams; 1 cup of Vinho Verde; 3/4 pound of linguine; lemon zest; 2 tablespoons of lemon juice; fresh parsley; 1 jar of clam juice;  salt and pepper.

Process: Cook the slivered garlic in olive oil for a minute, then add red pepper flakes, wine, clam juice and clams. Cover the pot and cook on medium for seven minutes. Strain, save the broth and set the clams to cool. Boil the linguine, take the clams out of the shells, put the broth in a saucepan and add the lemon juice, zest, salt and pepper and the clams. Add the linguine, toss in the parsley and serve with the wines from Vinho Verde.

Philip S. Kampe

Philip.kampe@thewinehub.com