Green Juice

Are you getting tired of the same old oil and vinegar for your salad? How about trying something a little different? This week, we take a look at verjus (pronounced vair-ZHOO).

Verjus is also known as “verjuice” in the United States. It is a highly acidic juice made by pressing unripe grapes. Traditionally it is made with the grapes that are thinned from the vineyard crop (known as "green harvest" or "crop thinning").  Early in the growing season, most good vineyards will thin the clusters of green, unripe grapes.  By doing so, the vines can focus their energy on the remaining clusters, thus producing a better crop, and ultimately a better wine. Verjus is really nothing more than sour, acidic grape juice, made from the high-acid, low-sugar grapes. The word “verjus” derives from the middle French term vertjus, literally “green juice”.

The production of verjus was a natural outgrowth of the wine growing regions of the world. The use of verjus was first documented in early Rome. Verjus has been used since the Middle Ages, and has become more popular in recent years. With the western preference for lemon to acidify foods, it has taken a while for American wineries to catch on, and increase the production and use of verjus. It is still widely imported from France. 

Middle Eastern countries produce and make verjus too. Verjus is known as “husroum” in Arabic, and is used extensively in Syrian cuisine. In Lebanon it is “hosrum”, and in the Persian regions of Iran and Azerbaijan, verjus is called “ab-ghooreh”. 

Verjus can be made from red or white grapes. Typically, red verjus has an earthier flavor, and can range from gently floral, to rich and hardy. The white verjus is usually lighter, with a crisper taste. Unlike wine, verjus is not fermented, so is non-alcoholic. But, like wine and vinegar, each varietal, and brand, will have a distinct aroma and taste.

In the Middle Ages, Verjus was widely used all over Western Europe as an ingredient in sauces, as a condiment, or to deglaze preparations. It has a gentler flavor than vinegar, and is often used to increase the flavor in mustards. Since there is no alcohol in verjus, the flavor will not interfere with wine, thus making it ideal for wine pairing recipes. Verjus provides a comparable sour taste component, without "competing” with (or altering the taste of) the wine, the way vinegar or lemon juice do. This is one reason modern cooks are using  verjus in salad dressings as the acidic ingredient, particularly when wine is going to be served with the salad.

So how can you use verjus? Obviously, salad dressing and condiments are a “no-brainer”, but how about using to de-glaze a pan? Any recipe that calls for red wine vinegar, red verjus can be a good, wine friendly substitute. It is particularly good in sauces for meat, spicy foods, and great for marinades.  If a recipe calls for white wine vinegar or lemon juice, then use white verjus. Perfect for chicken and fish dishes, or even in beurre blanc sauce.

Once you have opened your verjus, it will keep, re-corked, in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 months.

Verjus is readily available at specialty gourmet stores, and even at some winery gift shops. There is a large selection available on Amazon.com, and also some on igourmet.com. Prices range from about $10.00 to $50.00. One of the best known in California is Navarro Vineyards Verjus.

Mouth Watering Wine

This week, I had two wine experiences that were related, but on opposite sides of the spectrum. Both experiences had to do with the acidity of the wine, and the affect on my palate.

 To set the stage, I think it is important to understand what acids are present in wine, and their role in the enjoyment of the wine in your glass. All wines contain acid. When we taste wine, we experience acid on the sides of our tongues, and the mouth watering affect it creates. Acid is one of the components that a wine taster will be evaluating while sampling wine. Acid refreshes and cleanses the palate.

While still on the vine, the grapes are high in malic acid (think green apples), until veraison takes affect. As the grapes develop into more palatable fruit, the malic acid declines, and is replaced by tartaric acid. At the time of harvest, the grapes contain mostly tartaric acid, malic acid, plus small amounts of citric acid and ascetic acid (too much is a problem and leads to vinegar). During fermentation other acids are formed: Lactic acid (see my blog on MLF), succinic acid and carbonic acid. Also, after fermentation, the winemaker may make adjustments to the wine, by adding asorbic acid, sorbic acid or even sulfur dioxide (known as sulfurous acid).

It is these final adjustments that lead me to this weeks' experience....About five years ago, I had visited a very popular winery in Paso Robles (name to remain anonymous - if you want to know, contact me directly). I began tasting their white wines (no problems), then progressed to their red wines. My mouth immediately began to burn. My tongue and the roof of my mouth reacted with the sensation of an acid burn. For the last five years, I have avoided their wines...until this week. I went to a tasting of their wines in a local wine shop. First, their sparkling wine. No issues (as I found out later, their sparkling is made for them by another winery). No problems with their Rousanne, and then came the red wines. Merlot was okay, but as I moved on in the tasting, that same sensation returned. No one else was experiencing the same issues I had with the wine, so I questioned the winery rep about their winemaking additives. He was going to talk with the winemaker to help me determine what they are doing different than anyone else. I am not expecting a call or e-mail back, but if I do, I will share the findings. My first thoughts is that the ph or acid levels are not balanced in their wines. Maybe I am overly sensitive to this imbalance.

My second experience of the week was during one of my wine classes for the International Sommelier Guild. During class, we sampled a bottle of Arneis from the Piedmont region of Italy. This white grape has traditionally been added to Nebbiolo to soften the acids and tannins. Arneis is a perfumed white wine, that is very low in acid. Because of this low acidity, the wine tastes somewhat flabby. That refreshing, palate cleansing acid is absent. It didn't spring out of the bottle, and left me disappointed with the wine in the glass.

Acid can make or break a good wine. In cooler regions, acid is not an issue (sugar is). It is in the warmer regions, where acids are diminished. The warmer weather means higher sugar levels (more alcohol) and less acid. A wine low in acid may be unbalanced, so acidification might be done. The challenge is that by adding acid, the ph is lowered, and it is difficult to calculate how much acid to add to retain the desired final ph level. As mentioned above, it is perfectly legal (at least in the United States) to add acid to wine.  There are three types of acid in powder form. Tartaric acid is the primary acid in grapes. Citric acid is the main acid that comes from oranges and lemons, and Malic acid is the leading acid in apples and pears. Winemakers use an acid blend that’s a combination of these three acids, normally blended in equal portions. But if everyone (or some) are using it, then this one particular winery is doing something different, or it's not the acid at all...it could be one of the many additives that are allowed to be used in California. The puzzle of the burning palate continues....