Doesn’t quite rhyme, but you get the drift - a perfect combination for a Saturday afternoon enjoying the beautiful weather in San Francisco with Champagne and caviar. As with all great food and wine, the timing of when, where and with whom, makes all the difference in the world when it comes to those special memories.
After abandoning my snow shovel in Boston last fall to move to San Francisco, I thought the nonstop January rain would never end. Thankfully for me, this has all changed. This past Saturday I had a good friend come into town from the Sacramento area that was in desperate need for some San Francisco sophistication, shopping and great food.
Of course we had to shop, but the highlight of the day was taking a much needed break at Absinthe Brasserie and Bar in the Hayes Valley for an afternoon glass of wine and a light snack. We scored a great table outside and decided on an ounce of Osetra caviar and some NV Henriot Brut Champagne.
Henriot is a top Champagne producer from the Reims area in Champagne. They are known for their quality and fresh style. Part of this comes from the fact that they use only very small quantities, if any, of Pinot Meunier and, a higher concentration than most, of Chardonnay. As an example, the Non-Vintage Brut is composed of 40% Chardonnay and 60% Pinot Noir. Currently we have the '96 Vintage Henriot in stock in 750ml ($66) and magnum ($139), both of which are a fantastic value for the money.
The saltiness of the caviar and champagne, the weight of the wine combined with the weight of the blini’s and caviar. What can I say, a fine mousse, crisp, fresh, complex and last but least…….elegant. Of course we didn’t want to ruin our dinner at Spruce; I’ll save that for another blog!
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