Each week this month Napa Valley seemingly receives a tease of warmer spring weather to only fall short and experience another swath of cool rainy days.   While this pattern seemingly places a taunting hold on warmer weather, it continues to provide ideal temperatures to comfortably enjoy red wine.

Claret (pronounced Klar-it) is generally a red blend wine consisting of Bordeaux grape varietals.  While at first thought this may sound like a Meritage, Clarets are not governed by the same rules as a Meritage red wine.   In fact, there are no rules for a Claret wine.   Some connoisseurs even venture to hold out that the word Claret means nothing at all.

While it is true that there is no legal definition for a Claret wine, in the United States it is commonly accepted that Claret will consist of a mixture of Bordeaux red wine grapes (such as, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Carmenere, Gros Verdot, Petit Verdot and St. MacCaire) but generally understood that it will not consist of 75% or more of any one Bordeaux red grape.   Depending on the winery, the vintage, and the vintner, Claret can vary tremendously or can be made in a style similar to that of Meritage.    Why not then call it a Meritage?   A winery may elect not to call it a Meritage perhaps because the wine may not meet all of the required Meritage rules or more simply, the winery may not wish to pay the licensing fee to have the right to call the wine a “Meritage”.   In these latter cases, the use of the word Claret will more than suffice.

What distinguishes Claret from other red wines?

Succinctly stated, it is the hope that the wine is extraordinarily good and pleases your palate.   Since Clarets can vary greatly, it is merely a question of tasting and exploring different vintner’s styles and winemaking techniques.   If this is still too broad, then narrow it down by what winery uses “good fruit”.   

“Good fruit” means simply what it implies:    that you enjoy the flavors typically offered by the fruit either grown by that winery or reliably sourced by that winery.   Whether you like a winery’s fruit will largely depend on the American Viticulture Area or district where the winery sits (for example, Stags Leap District, Diamond Mountain, Rutherford Bench, Howell Mountain, etc.).   Ultimately, the best possible chance for finding top notch Claret is to narrow the search to wineries which consistently make good, well-balanced wines.    One such winery in Napa Valley is Bremer Family Winery (“Bremer”) located on Howell Mountain.

Bremer’s most notable motto is that the family “produces the wines that we [they] like to drink.”   While this philosophy may sound commonsense, to hold that out as one’s brand is impliedly as bold as the grapes grown on Howell Mountain.    Bremer’s 2003 Claret Napa Valley (“2003 Claret”) readily reflects this intention and after spending an evening entertaining a guest, it was eagerly adopted as a wine that we like to drink, too.

Once opened, Bremer’s 2003 Claret was allowed to decant for approximately one hour while dinner was prepared.    Giving it a little time to breathe was not mandatory, but it did give the wine adequate time to open up to ensure maximum exploration.   Poured into the glass, the 2003 Claret did not disappoint.   The nose was primarily dominated by aromas of ripe blackberries, subtle cigar box, licorice and a lingering aroma of vanilla bean meets dark chocolate.   Taking in the nose over time, it was clear that the bouquet was seductively enchanting with the “come hither” sense of spice only attributable to Howell Mountain.   Bremer’s 2003 Claret pleasantly greets the palate with blackberry fruit and spice of anise.   Like blackberries, however, there was a noticeable tart aspect on the palate but not overwhelmingly so as the wine was seamlessly smooth with balanced fine tannins and was decidedly decadent enough to drink on its own.

Despite being tempted to simply sip Bremer’s 2003 Claret and revel in its rich fruit, spices, aromas and flawlessly balanced mouth feel, dinner was planned:

1)      Charcoal Grilled Stuffed Steak With Fresh Mozzarella, Basil Leaves and Roasted Red Peppers; and

2)     Basil Herbed Pearl Couscous.

Given that this big bold Claret would contain a significant percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon, it was fitting to use steak given it will further balance any tannins present.  Wanting to stuff the steak such that it would mirror the wine’s decadence, the meat was carefully and gently sliced through the middle along the one side.   Not wanting to over handle the steak (less is better with steak and will help it remain tender), the steaks were gently opened to host a layer of fresh mozzarella, fresh basil leaves, balsamic vinegar and roasted red peppers.   The steak was then sealed with toothpicks and a combination of oregano, fresh ground black pepper and seasoning salt was worked into the exterior of the steaks.

Once cooked on a charcoal grill, the steaks were sliced to be placed upon a bed of Basil Herbed Pearl Couscous.    Pearl Couscous was selected for its tenderness and consistency and was seasoned with herbs and basil to parallel the stuffed grilled steak.

Taken together with Bremer’s 2003 Claret provided a lively rich vibrant mix of flavors to create a memorable meal that was savored slowly.   The combination of fresh mozzarella, basil and caramelized roasted red peppers created a soft, sweet component which neutralized the tart aspect initially experienced in the wine.