Category Archives: France

Goldilocks and the Crus Bourgeois

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Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Goldilocks who went for a walk in the forest. After walking for awhile, she came upon a house. She knocked and, when no one answered, she walked right in.

At the table in the kitchen, there were three bowls of porridge. Goldilocks was hungry (walks in the forest tend to do that) and proceeded to taste the porridge from the first bowl.

“This porridge is too hot!” she exclaimed.

Next, she tasted the porridge from the second bowl.

“This porridge is too cold,” she said

So (ever the optimist), she tasted the last bowl of porridge.

“Ahhh, this porridge is just right,” she said happily and ate it all up.

While we know that the bears soon returned home to find Goldilocks fast asleep in Baby Bear’s bed, we can learn a lot from Goldilocks (and not just the part about staying out of people’s –and bear’s– homes).

I recently had the opportunity to present a class on the Crus Bourgeois wines to the staff members of Bottle Rocket Wine & Spirit.

Since it was late (9:00 PM on a Thursday night), cold (polar vortex anyone?) and that they were likely to be tired (did I mention it was late?), I knew that I couldn’t give them too many facts and details. Not only would they easily forget them, it would simply be “too much” information.

I also knew that I couldn’t just talk about the Crus Bourgeois because the assembled group of employees possessed a varied set of existing knowledge about Bordeaux. Such an approach would provide “too little” information. I had to ensure that everyone had at least a basic understanding of the Bordeaux wine region.

Thus, I spent some time reviewing the essential elements of Bordeaux – climate, grape varieties, wine styles and appellations – before discussing and tasting the Crus Bourgeois wines. I acknowledged that some of this would be review for them and was careful not to dwell on irrelevant details. In addition, I made sure to emphasize the information that would be most useful to them in selling Bordeaux wine to their customers.

When I was finished with my presentation, the General Manager pronounced that what I had delivered to his staff was “just right.” I’m sure Goldilocks would be pleased.

Looking to expand your knowledge on Bordeaux and the Crus Bourgeois?

The inaugural issue of my Drink Wisely magazine was “All About Bordeaux,” but admittedly might be “too much” content for some readers. For a more general introduction to Bordeaux, see my Examiner article on Decoding Bordeaux (possibly “too little” for others). Finally, my Wine Portfolio article on the current status of the Crus Bourgeois might be “just right” to bring you up to speed on this important Bordeaux wine category.

Alsace does it again: Food-friendly French wines

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HelfrichIn yet another stellar example of how well Alsatian wines pair with food, we ordered nearly one of everything on the French-Asian menu at Rouge & Blanc and let the forks fly.

Admittedly, some pairings were preferred over others, but nothing clashed and almost all worked reasonably well. We also appreciated how the luscious fruit and slightly off-dry palate of the Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer provided a nice counterpoint to the spiciness of some of the dishes.

The following menu items, pulled from the restaurant’s website, should provide some indication as to the varied nature of our meal and, consequently, the flexibility of the wines.

  •  Duck Egg Pissaladière, Caramelized Shallot, Reading Raclette
  •  Cured Arctic Char, Smoked Pickles, Mustard Vinaigrette, Crostini
  •  Grilled Pork Belly, Charred Vietnamese Corn, Market Relish
  •  Glazed Lamb Ribs, Sesame, Cucumber Herb Salad
  •  Hanoi Fried Chicken, Lemongrass Aioli, Summer Pickles

The occasion for our little game was a visit from Anne-Laure Helfrich, the third generation of her family at work in the family business. Established in 1934, Helfrich winery produces a full range of Alsatian whites from the sparkling Cremant d’Alsace to Grand Cru designated wines and several in between.

While I haven’t yet been to Alsace, it remains one of my favorite French wine regions. Its distinct varietal wines are easy to understand and generally easy on the wallet, even at classified levels – nothing we tasted topped $19.99.

Starting with the Cremant d’Alsace ($19.99), produced from 100% Pinot Blanc, it served as a terrific aperitif as we got to know Anne-Laure and our fellow diners, with just the right balance of citrus fruit and yeasty/ toasty notes stemming from its Traditional Method production.

We next opened up the still Pinot Blanc 2012 ($14.99), which, as Anne-Laure explained, can be found in everyone’s fridge in Alsace, due to its overall food-friendly nature and easy drinkability. The Helfrich Pinot Blanc did not disappoint in this regard, displaying smoke, pear and almond notes on both the nose and palate.

The Riesling 2012 ($14.99) was full of orange blossom and tangerine aromas, with refreshing acidity, citrus and pith on the dry palate. The Pinot Gris 2012 ($14.99) was similarly citrus in character, but was slightly off-dry, with almond and spice. The Gewurztraminer 2012 ($14.99) was classic with floral and tropical fruit and only a hint of residual sugar.

2013-10-10 19.47.48The Grand Cru wines hail from the famed Steinklotz Vineyard, which boasts of being the oldest documented vineyard in Alsace as recorded in 589. Located at the northern end of the region, near Strasbourg, the vineyard is quite steep with chalky soils.

These wines, all priced at $19.99, showed more complexity and depth than their non-Grand Cru counterparts. The Riesling Grand Cru 2011 was steely, with intense minerality, lime/citrus notes and long length, while the Pinot Gris Grand Cru 2011 was lush with rich tropical fruit, smoke and floral notes. The richness and concentration of this latter wine offered a perfect example of how a white wine could not only stand up, but pair well with smoky, sweet ribs and salty, spicy pork belly.

All in all, it was a wonderful meal, punctuated with well-made wines and great company.

Grand Cru Grapevine: ‘Tis the Season to Think Pink (April 2013)

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CONSO-090827-4

Image courtesy of the CIVP


With indictments accusing Puxatawny Phil of fraud being filed across the country, it’s clear that everyone is ready for spring. Whether it’s cabin fever, a thorough dislike of cold weather and snow or simply a desire to wear short-sleeves and sandals, the lure of warmer weather tantalizes us all. And, small, but simple, signs – sightings of ramps and fiddlehead ferns at the market, robins heard overhead or crocuses blooming on the lawn – provide a glimmer of hope that perhaps spring has finally arrived.

Although Alfred Lord Tennyson noted that “In the spring, a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love,” a wine lover’s fancy might turn to thoughts of lighter wines, with the many shades of rosé serving as a further reminder of the change of seasons, a pink lining to the dark cloud that has been winter. Thus, we happily turn our attention to the rosés of Provence this month.

We hope that you will feel lighter in your heart with a spring in your step as we usher in this time of renewal and collectively “think pink.”

Drink wisely and well,

Tracy Ellen Kamens, Ed.D., DWS, CWE
CEO: Chief Education Officer

and

Jared Michael Skolnick
COO: Cork Opening Officer

 

‘Tis the Season to Think Pink

Admittedly, rose-hued wines can be enjoyed all year round, but the palest blush of these pink wines heralded the near arrival of spring in New York as producers from Provence strutted their wines for press and trade in early March. Moreover, the message was made clear – thinking pink is no longer a fad. With nine years of growth in the U.S. market, rosé is one of the U.S.’s fastest growing wine categories in retail sales. While rosé wines hail from all over the wine world,  France is the number one producer of rosé wine worldwide and Provence accounts for forty percent of all the French quality-level rosé wine production. In fact, the majority of Provence’s production (nearly 88 percent) is allocated to making rosé wines.

Blessed with near perfect, Mediterranean climate conditions, Provence prides itself on being the birthplace of all French wine. In fact, winemaking in the region dates to 600 BCE, representing a total of twenty-six centuries of wine production in France. Although the regional area is the IGP de Méditerranée, most Provencal wine is produced at the AOC-level with lovely dry rosés made principally from Mourvèdre, Grenache and Cinsaut. Tibouren, Carignan and Cabernet Sauvignon also complement these blends.

The 65,000 acres dedicated to rosé production are centered in three appellations: Côtes de Provence, which has three sub-appellations, and is the largest at 73 percent of overall production; Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence, which comprises an additional 17 percent of production; and Coteaux Varois en Provence, which accounts for the remaining 10 percent.

Almost all of these wines are produced using temperature-controlled, stainless steel fermentation with an emphasis on maintaining vibrant acidity and fresh fruit aromas and flavors. These dry style rosés are exceptionally food-friendly, pairing well with a broad range of cuisines as well as being easily enjoyed on its own.

 

Les Vins Bréban L’Opale de la Presqu’ile de Saint Tropez 2012, Côtes de Provence, France, $14.00 This wine brings together 50% Grenache, 30% Carignan and 20% Cinsault. It was meatier and fleshier than some of the other wines I sampled that day with berry and peach notes. Nicely structured with slight grip and a hint of citrus pith, the wine has long length.

Mas de Cadenet Arbaude Rose 2012, Côtes de Provence, France, $15.00 Established by the Négrel family, Mas de Cadenet celebrates its 200th anniversary this year, with the 7th generation now at the helm. The family’s estate, named for a shrub in the juniper family, is situated near Aix-en-Provence. The Arbaude cuvée is a blend of 70% Syrah, 15% Carignan and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and displays fleshy, melon aromas and flavors with vibrant acidity, slight citrus pith and minerality on the elegant palate.

Maison Saint Aix AIX 2012, Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence, France, $20.00 With its very attractive, graphic label, this wine caught my eye across the room. After tasting it, it won over my palate as well. A blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah and Counoise, this wine offers up fresh, ripe berry fruit character on both the nose and palate. A slight minerality is evident on the palate, culminating in long length.

Château Coussin 2012, Côtes de Provence Sainte-Victoire, France, $25.00 Produced by the Sumerire family, which traces its heritage in the area back to the 13th century, this wine is a blend of Grenache (70%), Cinsault (20%) and Syrah (10%). It has a beautifully floral nose with delicate fruit on the palate, which is joined by a hint of minerality in the finish. I also had the opportunity to taste the 2011 vintage of this wine, which showed some complexity in its year of development with darker fruit character than the 2012.

Château d’Esclans 2012, Côtes de Provence, France, $35.00 Well-known for its Whispering Angel rosé, Caves d’Esclans produces several other rosé wines including this one, which is a blend of Grenache, Rolle, Syrah, Tibouren and Cinsault. With some of the wine spending time in neutral oak barrels and undergoing bâtonnage (lees stirring), this wine takes on some complexity and structure, but still displays hallmark floral, melon and berry aromas.

Grand Cru Grapevine: Through Rose-colored Glasses (January 2013)

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2012-12-05_14-20-58_380In keeping with an optimistic spirit, Rosé Champagne is the perfect wine to kick off the new year! As Ed McCarthy exclaimed at the Wine Media Guild’s annual Champagne luncheon in December, “Rosé Champagne is ‘in’!” Its success has been a bit surprising to everyone, including the Champenois, given that Rosé Champagne was considered an afterthought only 12 years ago. Now, it makes up 8% of the market and is on the rise. This continued trajectory is equally surprising considering that it is more expensive than regular (non-rosé) Champagne. But, it is also more intensive and, at least according to Ed, “Everybody loves it!” Whether this latter statement is fact or hyperbole, what is true is that Rosé Champagne has a fuller body than regular Champagne, due to the increased ratio of Pinot Noir grapes and is extremely food friendly.

As Champagne, Rosé Champagnes are produced using the Méthode Champenoise, referred to as the Traditional Method for similar wines produced elsewhere. These wines spend considerable time aging in contact with dead yeast cells that give the wines their yeasty, leesy, bready aromas and flavors. In addition, Rosé Champagnes also have fruitier aromas and flavors that are derived from the heavier reliance on Pinot Noir and the deliberate creation of color. While Pinot Noir is a component of most Champagnes —the obvious exception being the blanc de blancs (white from whites) style—Champagne producers are careful to avoid extracting color from the grapes’ skins. However, when creating a Rosé Champagne, the focus shifts and some color attainment is permitted. Such color may be produced through the saignée method (as is often used for still rosé wines), or by creating a cuvée that includes red wine in the blend to produce a pinkish base wine. However, red wine may be blended in at the end with the dosage instead to avoid potential browning during the lees aging period. Regardless of when it occurs, sparkling wine production is the only time that adding red wine to a white wine is acceptable in creating a rosé-style wine.

The wines featured in this month’s newsletter are some of my favorites from the December lunch at which we tasted a total of 15 wines. As noted, these are pricey wines, but, thankfully, many of my preferred wines were on the lower end of the spectrum. 

TASTING NOTES

Ayala Brut Rosé NV, $48-54.00
We’ve featured Ayala, the sister brand of Bollinger, before, but as it is always continues to perform well in comparative tastings it is worth featuring again. With rich fruit aromas of floral and ripe strawberry and slight yeasty notes, this wine was elegant on the palate with a delicate mousse.

Alfred Gratien Brut Rosé NV, $62-75.00
At the luncheon, Ed noted that he was very impressed with this wine, as was I. It displayed a very yeasty character on the nose with melon aromas and flavors. It was dry with very high acidity, finishing quite cleanly on the palate.

Bruno Paillard Brut Rosé Premier Cuvée NV, $70-75.00
As a rosé, this wine is very pale, dislaying an onion skin color. On the nose, it has yeast, slight floral and strawberry aromas, similar to, but more subtle than those found on the Ayala. Its palate was very pretty with extremely dry palate, high acidity and floral and strawberry flavors.

Henriot Brut Rosé NV, $58-62.00
Henriot has a long history as a Champagne house, but has been less known in the U.S. Offering a light and elegant style, this wine has raspberry, yeasty and slight toast aromas giving way to riper fruit on the front palate, with the toasty notes lingering in the finish.

Moët & Chandon Brut Rosé 2002, $80.00
From the highly regarded 2002 vintage, this is a big, yet austere wine that still needs some time to evolve to truly shine, although it was showing beautifully already. Toast and biscuit aromas dominate the nose, along with a slightly oxidative note. The dry palate is lean with yeast, toast and fresh berry flavors.

Perrier-Jouët Cuvée Belle Epoque Rosé 2004, $300.00
Admittedly a big splurge, this is a wine I frequently drawn to even in blind tastings and, in Ed’s words, it is the “epitome of elegance,” likely due to high proportion of Chardonnay. Yeast and strawberries greet the nose and persist on the dry palate where they are rich and concentrated, culminating in long length.

Through Rose-colored Glasses: Grand Cru Grapevine (Jan 2013)

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2012-12-05_14-20-58_380In keeping with an optimistic spirit, Rosé Champagne is the perfect wine to kick off the new year! As Ed McCarthy exclaimed at the Wine Media Guild’s annual Champagne luncheon in December, “Rosé Champagne is ‘in’!” Its success has been a bit surprising to everyone, including the Champenois, given that Rosé Champagne was considered an afterthought only 12 years ago. Now, it makes up 8% of the market and is on the rise. This continued trajectory is equally surprising considering that it is more expensive than regular (non-rosé) Champagne. But, it is also more intensive and, at least according to Ed, “Everybody loves it!” Whether this latter statement is fact or hyperbole, what is true is that Rosé Champagne has a fuller body than regular Champagne, due to the increased ratio of Pinot Noir grapes and is extremely food friendly.

As Champagne, Rosé Champagnes are produced using the Méthode Champenoise, referred to as the Traditional Method for similar wines produced elsewhere. These wines spend considerable time aging in contact with dead yeast cells that give the wines their yeasty, leesy, bready aromas and flavors. In addition, Rosé Champagnes also have fruitier aromas and flavors that are derived from the heavier reliance on Pinot Noir and the deliberate creation of color. While Pinot Noir is a component of most Champagnes —the obvious exception being the blanc de blancs (white from whites) style—Champagne producers are careful to avoid extracting color from the grapes’ skins. However, when creating a Rosé Champagne, the focus shifts and some color attainment is permitted. Such color may be produced through the saignée method (as is often used for still rosé wines), or by creating a cuvée that includes red wine in the blend to produce a pinkish base wine. However, red wine may be blended in at the end with the dosage instead to avoid potential browning during the lees aging period. Regardless of when it occurs, sparkling wine production is the only time that adding red wine to a white wine is acceptable in creating a rosé-style wine.

The wines featured in this month’s newsletter are some of my favorites from the December lunch at which we tasted a total of 15 wines. As noted, these are pricey wines, but, thankfully, many of my preferred wines were on the lower end of the spectrum.

TASTING NOTES

Ayala Brut Rosé NV, $48-54.00
We’ve featured Ayala, the sister brand of Bollinger, before, but as it is always continues to perform well in comparative tastings it is worth featuring again. With rich fruit aromas of floral and ripe strawberry and slight yeasty notes, this wine was elegant on the palate with a delicate mousse.

Alfred Gratien Brut Rosé NV, $62-75.00
At the luncheon, Ed noted that he was very impressed with this wine, as was I. It displayed a very yeasty character on the nose with melon aromas and flavors. It was dry with very high acidity, finishing quite cleanly on the palate.

Bruno Paillard Brut Rosé Premier Cuvée NV, $70-75.00
As a rosé, this wine is very pale, dislaying an onion skin color. On the nose, it has yeast, slight floral and strawberry aromas, similar to, but more subtle than those found on the Ayala. Its palate was very pretty with extremely dry palate, high acidity and floral and strawberry flavors.

Henriot Brut Rosé NV, $58-62.00
Henriot has a long history as a Champagne house, but has been less known in the U.S. Offering a light and elegant style, this wine has raspberry, yeasty and slight toast aromas giving way to riper fruit on the front palate, with the toasty notes lingering in the finish.

Moët & Chandon Brut Rosé 2002, $80.00
From the highly regarded 2002 vintage, this is a big, yet austere wine that still needs some time to evolve to truly shine, although it was showing beautifully already. Toast and biscuit aromas dominate the nose, along with a slightly oxidative note. The dry palate is lean with yeast, toast and fresh berry flavors.

Perrier-Jouët Cuvée Belle Epoque Rosé 2004, $300.00
Admittedly a big splurge, this is a wine I frequently drawn to even in blind tastings and, in Ed’s words, it is the “epitome of elegance,” likely due to high proportion of Chardonnay. Yeast and strawberries greet the nose and persist on the dry palate where they are rich and concentrated, culminating in long length.

Celebrating the post-harvest season with Beaujolais Nouveau, Beaujolais Crus and Macari’s Early Wine

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Beaujolais Nouveau Day has come and gone. This annual semi-holiday celebrates the new release of a wine produced extremely quickly after harvest and I like it for that reason alone. Making wine is a lengthy process that starts not at harvest, but much earlier – from the first swell of buds on the vine. Accordingly, being able to literally taste the fruits of such labor only a few months post-harvest is a wonderful opportunity to rejoice.

While a variety of Nouveau events were held as usual this year, I only attended the Compagnons du Beaujolais Beaujolais Crus tasting. Equally festive, the Compagnons du Beaujolais had donned their official regalia, complete with tastevins hung around their necks, having ushered in the Nouveau wine earlier in the day.

But, now, it was time to taste the more serious Gamay. It was a pleasure to taste through the various crus (best village sites) including Brouilly, Julienas, Morgon and Fleurie as well as being able to compare different vintages –2009, 2010 and 2011. The wines showed quite nicely and I found a few that I particularly liked such as the Morgon Cuvée les Roches 2011 from Château du Chatelard, although I didn’t take any formal notes.

In a similar vein, there are a few other wineries that choose to produce a wine that hits the market soon after harvest. Macari Vineyards’ Early Wine falls into this category. Produced from 100% Chardonnay, the grapes for the 2012 vintage were picked on August 29 and quickly pressed and fermented with the wine finding its way into bottle on October 22. With its November 1 release, I received the wine about two weeks before Nouveau Day.

I chose to open my bottle on the day before the Nouveau celebrations (Beaujolais Nouveau Eve?) as a way to kick off the celebratory spirit of these wines. Showing pronounced floral, peach and tropical fruit notes, the wine was slightly off-dry with balanced acidity and flavors of pineapple, floral and a slight hint of spice. Despite its fall arrival, the Early Wine can be enjoyed year round, especially during the summer (if there’s any left by then – only 422 cases were made).

Domaines Paul Mas: Frogs, ponds and wines that overdeliver

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Having visited the southwest of France, I can attest that living in the Languedoc is lovely, but it’s certainly not London or Paris. Thus, it’s not surprising that members of the younger generation would want to leave the family farm and head to the big city. You might say that such folks are looking to swim in a bigger (read urban) pond.

 In this tradition, Jean-Claude Mas pursued a career in the motor industry, living first in the United States and then in Paris, before entering the wine industry. But, Jean-Claude realized the potential of the Languedoc and the native son returned home to breathe new life into this bulk wine region. As the proprietor of Domaines Paul Mas, which includes the Arrogant Frog label, you might say that Jean-Claude is now the big frog swimming in this smaller (more rural) pond.

Although Jean-Claude never studied formally studied agriculture, he recognizes that there are five separate spheres of expertise required to craft world class wine – viticulture, winemaking, blending and aging, bottling and marketing –and makes sure to find the best people in each sphere and then hire them. What seems most interesting is the nearly equal value he places on all five spheres.

A true pioneer in an area where 70% of production is in the hands of co-ops, Jean-Claude shifted the focus away from quantity and instead turned his attention to quality. Moreover, he paid particular attention to what the market wanted. Arriving back in Languedoc in 1996, he saw tremendous worldwide interest in Australia and Chile and emulated, but didn’t imitate, those wines. In 2000, he took over the helm of Domaines Paul Mas, bringing his vision of producing premium wines to the family business.

Part of Jean-Claude’s pursuit led him to developing new ways of growing grapes in the area. He spent considerable time identifying the right terroir and now has eight different estates and produces four different levels of wine from his entry-level to his single estate wines. Beyond his own land, he contracts with 2,000 growers to source the fruit he needs. While he admits that there is a heavily reliance on old practices, Jean-Claude explains that “The growers will change when they know they’ll make money.”

And, while some frogs have noted that “it’s not easy being green,” Jean-Claude has been at the forefront of eco-friendly farming in the area. In this regard, Domaines Paul Mas has restricted its use to certified organic fertilizers and one of the estates, Les Tannes, is solely focused on the production of organically grown grapes.  This same passion and commitment to the environment is brought to his contract growers, who are not only encouraged to adopt such practices, but are also provided with full technical advice.

Jean-Claude also places significant emphasis on creating balanced vines. He doesn’t use just one specific density in planting; rather, he is careful to match vine density with the fertility of the soil. Further, he looks to rootstocks and clones to achieve full ripeness.

For example, the ubiquitous Picpoul has not been highly regarded, but Jean-Claude didn’t fault the variety for its short-comings. Rather, he recognized that the grape is prone to chlorosis and countered this deficiency with better rootstocks and selected better clones. Once harvested, these grapes are fermented at temperatures similar to those used for Sauvignon Blanc and lees contact is included in the winemaking regimen. Consequently, in his words, his Picpoul is not a conventional one – combining the minerality of a Muscadet with tropical notes.

Likening wine style to food style, Jean-Claude acknowledges that a steak cooked rare can be the same quality as one cooked well done, but that it is a simply matter of style. Similarly, he believes that one needs to shape a wine based on one’s preferred style. He extends this analogy into the realm of fashion, speaking of blending and aging in the way that a fashion designer might choose to use silk or wool in his or her designs.

While Jean-Claude joked that, “The style of Languedoc is chaos,” his wines, particularly those from the Paul Mas Estate, were of a singular style – displaying complexity, balance and length. At suggested retail prices ranging from $14.00 to $25.00 (and likely available less expensively), these are wines that significantly over-deliver at this price point. Additionally, the attractive labels give them the appearance of more expensive brands, making them great for hostess gifts or hosting your own party.

Côté Mas St. Hilaire Crémant de Limoux Brut NV, SRP: $16.0
A blend of 60% Chardonnay, 20% Chenin Blanc, 10% Pinot Noir and 10% Mauzac, this sparkling wine offered some slight yeast, along with apple peel and citrus, on the nose and palate. It had a creamy mousse with high acidity and a long, but clean finish. Complex and elegant; stock up for holiday toasts and parties.

Paul Mas Estate Picpoul de Pinet 2011, SRP: $14.00
Wax, white flowers, honey and melon greet the nose. The dry palate has low to medium acidity and is relatively light-bodied, but the wine is rich in flavor – nectarine, honey, minerality, floral and melon persist throughout the long finish. Nicely balanced and a beautiful partner for grilled octopus (among many other dishes, of course).

Paul Mas Estate Carignan Vieilles Vignes 2010, SRP: $14.00
Black fruit dominates the nose and palate, accompanied by a meatiness and earthiness. With rich and concentrated fruit, a slate/mineral character is also present on the dry palate. Fresh fruit and minerality are the hallmarks of this complex wine.

Paul Mas Estate GSM 2010, SRP: $15.00
As its name implies, the GSM is a blend of 35% Grenache, 35% Syrah and 30% Mourvedre, all of which are typical grapes of the region as well as of nearby the Southern Rhone. Showing blueberry and blackberry aromas and flavors, this wine was fruitier than the others, but still decidedly dry. Ripe, silky tannins co-mingled with black and red fruit, and a hint of earth in the long length.

Chateau Paul Mas Clos de Savignanc 2010, SRP: $25.00
A blend of 30% Mourvedre, 40% Syrah and 30% Grenache, the make-up of this wine changes based upon the vintage. Black cherry, smoke, earth, herbal and mint, this wine displayed more secondary characteristics than primary ones. Full-bodied with good acidity, this wine will improve with some bottle age.

Grand Cru Grapevine: France’s Southwest ~ The United Nations in a Glass (November 2012)

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Just a proverbial stone’s throw from Bordeaux, the wines of southwest France offer an interesting perspective. Located south of Bordeaux and north of Languedoc, winemaking in this region is not new; it dates to 125 BCE. Yet, while Bordeaux has held fame and fortune for centuries, these smaller appellations cover a vast area, but have been largely ignored…until now.

Despite the area’s relative obscurity, many of France’s heralded grapes are given space in these vineyards. Bordeaux’s key grapes – Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet France and Merlot – are joined by the Rhône Valley’s Syrah and Beaujolais’ Gamay. Even more remarkable, these same grapes come together in a single glass, proving that, at least viticulturally, we can all learn to get along.

Meanwhile, other varieties grown in the region are found nowhere else – Petit Manseng, Gros Manseng, Mauzac and Arrufiac are among the top whites, with Fer Servadou, Prunelard and Négrette leading the reds. And the vast diversity is impressive; wines range from dry whites and sweet whites to tannic reds and softer, easy-drinking reds to sparkling wines produced in ancient methods that predate Champagne’s rise to prominence.

Those appellations which might draw some recognition include: Cahors, Madiran, Gaillac and Jurançon (not to be confused with the Jura, located in northeast France). However, names like Marcillac, Brulhois and Fronton are likely known to only to a few die-hard, franco-oenophiles. But, these are all names you should consider getting to know.

Why? Well, for starters, the reputation may not precede them, but the quality is certainly there. And, as the land of gastronomy – foie gras, duck cassoulet and delicious cheeses – you can be sure that these folks know their food and wine, meaning that the wines are extremely food-friendly. Moreover, as already mentioned, there is a wealth of wine styles from which to choose. But, if that’s not enough, perhaps their price tags will convince you. Of the six tasting notes included below, all are under $25.00, most are $12.00 or less and one even has a suggested retail price of $5.00.

So, truly, there is no reason not to embrace these magnanimous wines.

Domaine Tariquet Classic 2011, Côtes de Gasgogne IGP, France, $9.00
45% Ugni Blanc, 35% Colombard, 10% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Gros Manseng
Family-run since 1912, Domaine Tariquet also produces the local spirit, Armagnac. Melon and citrus aromas greet the nose. Dry with medium+ acidity, this wine shows flavors of apple and melon with a leesy character lingering in the long finish. 

Domaine de la Chanade La Coste Blanche 2011, Gaillac AOP, France, $5.00
80% Loin de l’Oeil, 20% Mauzac
Among the newer producers, Domaine de la Chanade was established in 1997. With citrus and pronounced floral notes, this wine displays piercing acidity on the dry, light-bodied palate, with honey, apple and almond flavors.

Domaine Le Roc Le Roc la Saignée 2011, Fronton AOP, France, $12.00
Located near Toulouse, Domaine Le Roc has created a rosé that can stand up to steak! A blend of Négrette and Syrah, this wine spends four to five months on the lees. It has a red wine nose with black fruit, slight herbs and meat, all of which persist on the palate. Dry with a fruity attack, the medium tannins are especially perceptible on the finish.

Domaine du Moulin Méthode Gaillacoise 2011, Gaillac AOP, France, $18.00
The Hirissou family has been making wine for three centuries. This sparkling wine is produced from 100% Mauzac and offers up yeasty, floral and apple aromas. On the palate, it is slightly off-dry, but finishes very cleanly with yeast and apple flavors and a nice, creamy mousse.

Vignobles Arbeau Château Coutinel Tradition 2009, Fronton AOP, France, $9.00
60% Négrette, 20% Gamay, 10% Syrah, 10% Malbec
Vignobles Arbeau was created in 1878. A fruity nose displays aromas of black berries, floral and herbs. The palate is dry with bright acidity, cherry flavors and ripe, medium tannins.

Plaimont Producteurs Saint Albert 2011, Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh AOP, France, $24.00
Petit Manseng, Gros Manseng, Petit Corbu, Arrufiac (percentages not stated)
Plaimont Producteurs was established when three co-ops came together in 1979. This dessert wine shows notes of peach, yeast and honey on the nose. Its medium sweet palate is decidedly a dessert wine, but, with medium+ to high acidity, it is not cloying. Peaches, honey and yeast all persist on the palate throughout the wine’s long length.